Adorable, Spunky & Fun!!

A Dream for Tessa's Education

http://www.gofundme.com/Tessa

~Whitney

Photo & Video Recap!

Cooler weather last week called for a family stroll!

And this little girl was trilled to be carried by her daddy.

Love that he still loves being carried too!

Our somewhat lame attempt at a family photo ;)

She was quite the giggle-box for 11 p.m. ~ but hey, I'll take it!!

Sweet smiles and laughter are always welcome at our house, no matter what time it is!

These two sweet girls were sharing a little story-time.  

Love it!

Parks are perfect during cooler weather too!

Just monkeying around with friends :)

Saturday morning hugs and snuggles from big brother.

Nothing better.

He wanted to crawl up in bed with her and just hang out a bit.

She felt very VERY special.  And loves this boy oodles!

We tried out a new handy modification during breakfast Saturday morning.

It's a pink sponge roller on a fork!  Genius!

Loved watching her try so hard!

New things are always so fun.

She worked so hard during this one!  

This one is a bit longer than the others, but I love watching how dedicated she is to accomplishing something new!!

Saturday afternoon was spent with more sweet friends!

Tessa didn't swim in the lake, but she sure enjoyed the beautiful view, especially from her Upsee!

All is right with the world when she's with her daddy :)

the sweet friendship meter was off the charts this weekend!

dancing with daddy on the deck

And somebody lost his 3rd tooth!  Pulled it all by himself.

haha...she was waiting so patiently for clean dry clothes after we got back from swimming.

Cutie-patootie

We are always so thankful for our weekends and time spent with such amazing friends!
~Whitney

Much Needed Reads

Greg Lucas - (http://specialneedsparenting.net/author/greg/)

The "Agents of Grace" post was something I really needed today.  I find myself apologizing a lot...maybe not out loud, but it happens.  I love how Greg Lucas describes how God grabs ahold of his heart.
Agents of Grace: http://specialneedsparenting.net/agent-grace/

Seven Lessons From The Community of Disability: http://specialneedsparenting.net/seven-lesson-community-disability/

I love the C.S. Lewis quote in this one:
“Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists. A baby feels hunger: well, there is such a thing as food. A duckling wants to swim: well, there is such a thing as water…If I find in myself a desire, which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” – C.S. Lewis
Made for Another World: http://specialneedsparenting.net/made-another-world/


~Whitney

So Loved!

 This man is my rock.  

I tell people all the time that he is 'my wisdom and my faith guy'.  

Our personalities are perfectly different and the foundation of our faith has always lined up strong.  

We were just 22 and 20 on that beautiful July 17th day back in 2004.

Celebrating 10 years is huge and hugely different than what we ever originally might have expected.  I'm so thankful that we've grown and changed as God has continued to show us a love to sustain it all~!

I found this old email I had sent to a friend of mine after getting engaged ~ for a girl that was wrong about a lot of things back then...I couldn't have been more right about this one ;)

Friday, November 21, 2003:

 I am so excited to hear that marriage is so much fun.  BECAUSE ....I am engaged!!  Yep, believe it or not, I am.  The wedding will probably be sometime around August of 2004.  His name is Darin Bynum and he goes to school here with me at WT. We have been the best of friends for the last year, and all the sudden this August the whole dating thing fell into place.  This Sunday the 23rd, I will have been engaged for just 2 weeks.  He is the most wonderful man I have ever met.  He is everything and anything that I could have ever wanted.  I never knew someone could love me so much, or that I in return could love someone so much.  It has been such a God thing, and it has been so amazing to watch God's plan unfold.  Darin has an amazing family, they are from Ulysses Kansas.  Only 3 hours from here, and actually where we will be getting married.  Darin's dad Sam has pastored there for over 20 years and he is going to do our wedding for us.  Darin is just 20 and the youngest of 4 brothers, but so incredibly wise beyond his years.

 Me marrying a younger man, who would have thought.  I have got to be the luckiest girl around.

Darin, thank you for choosing me!  Thank you for leading our family and standing firm when it's time to "get in the boat"! :)  Thank you for being such an incredible father and friend.  Boy, has it been hard...and have we had some terrible and devastating moments...but you have helped me believe in the impossible because you seek to know the Man in charge, so well.  You have always helped set our hearts towards joy.  You have always encouraged me to keep pressing on, using my strengths to the best of my ability.  I would have given up long ago, if it wasn't for you...so thank you for never giving up on me.  I love our life together, I am so thankful for you and I'm excited to see how our love continues to grow in all the years to come!!

I Love You So Much!

~Whitney

Big-Girl Headband!

I finally got around to making Tessa a big-girl headband and we love it!

It's a lululemon headband similar to this one :) that I sewed process holders on to each side.

We Love her new sporty look!!

It was a little big, so I just folded the sides in before stitching the holder on

these new Wide Stay headbands from Target are the perfect size for good processor retention!

I just cut a piece long enough to wrap around the edges of the headband

folded the headband in at the sides to match the pink headband that fits her currently

and then hand-stitched the small holder piece on

(you'll notice in the picture the glue-strip that is on the inside of the lululemon headband...so far these have helped it stay in place on Tessa's forehead really well)

the greys go perfectly together!

I mean seriously...look at this face.

She knows she's lookin fancy ;)

~Whitney

Soaking up Summer

 

 

 

 

 ~Whitney