Everybody....Let's Party!

Just wanted to share some....well lots of photos form Halle's birthday party. We had the party in a park in downtown Cedar Falls. The weather turned out to be pretty nasty. It was 53 degrees with 20+mph winds. We had people going to get coats at the good will up the street. But even through the cold IN AUGUST the party was so sweet. I had so much fun planning this little party for my sweet girl. I loved being able to save and do something big for her. I love her so much and she deserves the very best we can give her. She is such a good sweet girl. Many of Halle's friends and their families came out. We had a crowd of 25+ people.  We really missed having our families there but our friends here are so great, they felt just like family. Everyone had a great time while chattering their teeth and watching Halle enjoy her day. Thank you to all who came and shared this milestone with us and made it extra special for little Halle.

Of course hug and kisses all around.
Halle is always chasing the big kids around. She says,"Hold up guys wait for me!"
While everyone was singing Happy Birthday to her she was blowing kisses.
Yep, the cake is nearly bigger than her.
"let me try a little of this green stuff"
"Nope Mommy, I don't like it, please take it away!" Halle did not like her double layered chocolate cake. Even when we got home that night she would have nothing to do with it, no way.
Halle opening up her presents.
But once the xylophone was out that was all she wanted.
Yes, of course Halle got lots of beads and she wanted to wear every single one. i didn't really see it going any other way though. She loves those necklaces.
And then she was trying to put on all her new clothes she got. Halle has definitely turned out to be our little girly girl.
uuummmmmm, she likes those lolli pops.
She is so blessed. Thank you everyone for the gifts for Halle. She could hardly go to sleep that night because all she wanted to do was play.
Halle's new tunnel and castle she got from Daddy.
Halle is such a lover. Here she is loving on her, "Ba-By."
She got a mini baby stroller and she tries to take this thing everywhere. It is amazing how quickly they catch on to things without even showing them how to. She immediately knew what this was and where the baby went.
my sweet birthday girl




invitations
I spent much time making these decorations for the party and did not even get to use them because of the wind. I was extremely bummed. 
I guess I will get to use them next year. hehe!
Happy Birthday Halle! I hope you enjoyed your day. We love you and so do many others.

Happy Birthday My Beautiful Baby Girl

Our Halle turned one year old last Saturday. I cannot believe it has been a year already since this amazing bundle of joy came into our lives. I will never ever forget seeing Halle for the first time and the overwhelming amount of love for her that immediately comes over you and in you.  I am humbled, yet so extremely grateful for the gift God has given me in my daughter Halle. I have not been able to stop thanking Him for her. Dan and I took her name from the word "Hallelujah" meaning "Praise Ye the Lord."  That name has proved to be right on. We are so blessed. Thank you Jesus! 

I have learned so much over this past year. I am amazed at how much having Halle as taught me. My strengths and weaknesses are made known to me more and more everyday. She inspires me to do better and be better. I will never forget the night Dan and I found out we were going to have a baby. We both were ecstatic in tears and laughter and then looked at each other saying wow, we have alot of growing to do. I have grown in my relationship to Jesus and in my relationship to Dan. The depth of Jesus' love for me has become more and more evident. I have never loved Dan more! I love him more and more everyday.  He is an amazing father! I am so proud of him.

Halle is growing into a beautiful girl. She is such a sweetheart, thrill seeker, dancer, cuddler, and an ambitious little girly girl. When we are in any store she will not pass anyone without saying "Hi" really drawn out and with a huge smile on her face, while scrunching her nose and showing her teeth. She gives out hugs to everyone and pats them on the back as she gives out the most darling smile. Halle loves to share. At every meal, it never fails, she will try to give us some. Even if it is french fries (which she loves) she will try to hand them over. She started walking a few weeks before turning 10 months! Halle is now RUNNING and I can't keep her out of anything. She is definitely a talker! She is now saying, "DaDa," "MaMa,""HI," "pretty," "Weeeeeee," "Baaa"(which is ball), "Uh-Oh," "Kitty," "Pu-Pie (puppy)," "Ti-T" (which I'm pretty sure that means thank you), and "BaBy."  Halle goes nowhere without her bow on head (by her choice now) and beads around her neck (by her choice too). Dan and I never taught her to put on these necklaces either, she just picked them up one day and she was all about them ever since taking them on and off herself. My baby girl loves music and loves to dance. Any music anywhere comes on, she's turning in circles trying to stomp her foot. She will go down slides with no hesitation over and over. She even pushes herself off.  The thrill seeker inside of her pushes her to jump off the side of the pool by herself. Even though Halle's an adventurer she is still our little cuddle bug. She loves to be close to mom and dad. And just here lately she has learned to give the sweetest kisses in the whole world. I seriously think my heart could burst every time.

I have been quite emotional lately. I am so happy she is growing into a smart beautiful sweet girl but I think it is going way tooo fast. It is a little letting go everyday. Here are some early pictures of our little sweetie!

Halle looking at Daddy for the first time.

awwww....look at those lips and that cute little button nose.
CHEEKS!!!

Thank you Jesus for Little Halle Grace!  I pray you will give me the wisdom,strength, knowledge, and grace to be a good mommy to our little angel. I pray she will one day choose you and serve you with her whole heart. I love you so much!

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

Presents from Grandma

So, a few days before Halle's birthday we came home to a SURPRISE....two BIG packages with Halle's name on them signed by Grandma Debbie and Grandpa John. ALL THREE of us were pretty excited to get inside and open them to see what was inside. And of course, even if there was no return address on these packages we would still have no doubt these were from Grandma Debbie (my mom). Why you ask? Well take a look for yourself..... 

A porcelain doll on a HORSE!
AWESOME cowgirl boots that you wear while riding a HORSE!
Halle really likes them, she always brings them to me and says "pretty" as she so insistently tries to communicate to me to put them on her.
And finally none other than a five foot long stuffed HORSE! This thing takes up her whole room
So we added the horse, that we haven't named yet, to sit right next to her growing horse collection from Grandma Debbie! 

Thank you mom and John so much for sending those packages, it was soooo sweet! She loves them. I will get up pics soon of her in her boots. Halle says," thank you G-ma, you rock!"  We love you! Oh and thank you for the HOT flip flops you sent for me, love em, so comfy!

Proxy Launchs

When Dan, Halle and I moved to Cedar Falls and joined the Glad Tidings Church family, there was actually no student ministry within the church. Glad Tidings church went through a rough stage with the last pastorate and lost 100 to 150 people and that was all with in two to four years. Pastor Joe and Tonya Henson accepted the position as Glad Tidings' lead pastor about one year ago and started revamping everything within the church. They are great servants of Jesus and really love His Bride. They love the city and the church and have grasped Jesus' vision for the future of Glad Tidings. Jesus has grown Glad Tidings now by 100 in the past 8-10 months. Even greater thing is that many are new believers and have made the decision to follow Jesus and serve in His church. We are so excited to see the amazing things Jesus is doing inside His church. We are looking forward to all that is ahead. Dan and I moved to Cedar Falls as Dan accepted the worship/student pastor this past April. With no student ministries in place at that time, Dan decided to put all his energy into helping on the administration, small groups, leadership groups, web site and worship for the past 5 months and start up the student and college ministry this fall when school began. This past week Proxy Student Ministries of Glad Tidings Church met for the first time and it ROCKED! THERE WERE 60 PEOPLE  there! PRAISE JESUS! The night went great. Granted there were alot of mess ups and alot of holes but still rocking. 

Dan preached JESUS and what Proxy stood for and was about.

Deb Corkery did an amazing job leading worship for us. She is extremely gifted and talented.
Many of the students came out to hear the guest band, "Short Notice."
Beautiful Katy!
We spent all week on signs to go up all over the room and only one of them dried in time. The Valley Cafe. Dan and I were BLOWN away at the help we had and the generosity shown this week from many people in the church. We couldn't have done much of this stuff without those key people's help. Thank you guys!!!!
The guest band was "Short Notice" This was there very first time playing live and they were AWESOME! I'm serious, they were really great! That girl can sing!!

Our one sign that dried in time.....woohooo

Looking forward to great things in Proxy! We'll keep you posted!

July's fireworks and watermelon

July has been one busy month. So busy in fact I have not found the time to post much. Which is really too bad. Halle is changing and doing something new every single day. I could post every day and have something completely new and exciting to tell you about our growing pretty girl. I couldn't let July pass without sharing some of these pictures and memories with you. 

On the 4th of July Dan, Halle, and I sat on the lawn on the University campus with our friends from GT Church to watch fireworks. This was Halle and friend Zion's first firework event. 

Zion and Halle love to play and be the center of attention of course.
They haven't quite learned how to be gentle with one another yet. We have to watch them pretty close.
This is Zion and his beautiful mother and our sweet friend Katrina.
I love Iowa sunsets. 
Zion seemed to enjoy watching the fireworks.
Halle was unsure at first, but then warmed up to it and then actually began pointing them out to us and saying "OOooooo."
This is such a cute photo, look at that face!

A few weeks later Halle and I took a walk with Denver and Ashley to a park and brought some watermelon along. Ashley and Denver are some new great friends that Jesus has brought into our lives. We are so privileged to know them. Ashley and her husband Steve are youth pastors at another church here in Cedar Falls. They have a son named Denver who is just one month older than Halle. We wanted to get a simple shoot of the kids munching  on some watermelon which turned out to be not so simple. Well for Halle, not so simple. 
Halle was interested in the watermelon at first.
Denver was definitely liking the watermelon pretty much immediately.



...but then I knew Halle couldn't stay still for long. Since she has started walking you can hardly keep her from exploring every free chance she gets. So the watermelon shoot lasted probably just a minute with Halle.
But she'll try to feed Denver. Halle likes to share ALL her food.
Denver was actually pretty upset when we decided to end the shoot and head home.
We ended the day with a good wash down. We really enjoy the time spent with the Nelson's. Thank you Jesus for friends you bring into our lives.