A True Vacation

Wes and I are here in Naples, Florida totally relaxing and enjoying a week at the beach. It's been so fun to explore new places, and we keep being reminded of what a blessing it is that we are getting this vacation before baby girl comes in just a couple of months. We are halfway through the week, so here are a few highlights thus far (I know our moms are very interested in what we have been up to here!):

Our first full day here in Florida was my birthday...and Wes took me out to a really great dinner, and then we walked around old Naples for ice cream. Wonderful night!

Here's how we spent one day so far...and I think we may go poolside tomorrow or Friday, too.

At The Bubble Room on Captiva Island for dessert last night.

At The Mucky Duck on Captiva Island for dinner last night. WONDERFUL restaurant, great outdoor entertainment, beautiful views.

Outside The Mucky Duck after dinner.

Sandy beach at The Mucky Duck on Capitva Island.

Can you tell the quality of some of my pictures are better than others? That's right...Wes gave me a new camera for my birthday! I LOVE it!! Get ready, B-Dubbette, to have all your memories captured and captured in high-class style.

Barefoot Beach in Naples. Those aren't rocks...shells COVER this beach.

B-Dubette getting some sun on her first beach trip.

I've never seen so many shells.

Happy Birthday to me!

Not Ready

This post has nothing to do with the baby. We are definitely getting ready in that arena...mom and I got LOTS of things accomplished in the past two days. She gave me the BEST birthday present EVER...she hired two amazing women to come and deep clean my house. And I mean DEEP clean. This place looks like a hotel. I feel bad using the restroom. We got a mirror, two adorable pieces of art, an awesome lamp, and the crib and chair/ottoman are all in, and we just have to borrow a truck and get them! The bedding is being shipped on Saturday, so when we get back from the beach on the 4th, get ready.

However, like I said, this has nothing to do with being ready for the baby...it has everything to do with not being ready to say good-bye to some of our dearest friends.

It definitely has not hit me yet that Fred, Leslie, Sam, B2, and Clara are leaving for good. I just tell myself they are going on vacation. I'm really bad at not letting it set in until it's done. So that means that about a month from now when I want to go on a cardio walk with someone other than Emmett (and I say cardio because I love my night walks with Wes and Emmett, but we don't ever walk fast enough for it to be considered exercise in my book), when Wes wants to just lay back and chill with the guys, we will realize that the Lutz family is gone, and we will be sad. Really sad. These guys have been our neighbors which that in itself is a big deal. They have taken care of the dog, kept an eye on our house while we are away, come over for an impromptu meal or hangout, invited us over for the same, and just been there. They have also been incredible friends. When I found out that a family from church lived in our hood, I was pretty excited. Then we got to know them, and it was awesome. We have gone on trips to several of Missouri's finest lakes, camped out a couple of times, and just enjoyed the company of the Lutz family.

Wes and I are travelers at heart, so their move to the City of Brotherly Love is kind of exciting to us for several reasons. We obviously will want to travel to visit, and we know what fun it is to be in a new city. We pray they will love it there and really feel at home. We pray they meet good people early, and we pray for an amazing church family.

Thanks for all you have blessed us with these past few years, Lutz family. You will be missed by many here in Northwest Arkansas.

Good Men

Yesterday was Father's Day, and it was a little different for me. I had one more dad to celebrate. Even though Wes and I haven't met this sweet little girl, we are already parents and are caring for her in a unique way. If these last 7 months are any indication of the type of daddy Wes will be, we are all really in for a huge treat. God has greatly blessed Wes with a special ability to love on and care for children. It's so fun to watch him with other kids. He really seems to just light up when babies and young kids come into a room. Not only is he great with kids, but he has been so sacrificial to me while I've been pregnant. He has taken care of me in a way I hadn't seen before all of this happened. I don't think I can list all of the little things he has done, but let me just say that God has blessed me with an incredible husband. We are so excited to get away for a week to be together and enjoy some sun and relaxation before the busyness of baby comes in just a few short months. So next week...we are off on vacay!

See? Wes totally in awe of sweet Sarah...and a total kid with Ethan and Owen.

Now, Wes is just one dad that needs celebration. My own dad needs some recognition for sure. It's been so fun to listen to my mom talk about how incredibly sacrificial and wonderful my dad was when I was a baby. It's not at all surprising. And what is so fun is that Wes is just like him in these neat ways...they both LOVE kids, they are both totally kids at heart, and they both have great patience. And I think my dad is the most excited about this first grandbaby on the Frost side. He will be so sweet to this baby girl...I absolutely can't wait for the two of them to meet. We better get it on camera!

The two playing horseshoes...and dad beginning his sand castle masterpiece (I was thrilled to help as you can tell).

On to another wonderful father...my father-in-law. He raised three boys to become God-fearing, respectful, loving men. I'm so blessed to have Tommy in my life as he has shared so much wisdom with me.

Tommy with all of his kids. And Susie, too of course.

So, Happy (belated) Father's Day! You are all greatly loved and respected.

My Mom

I don't know where to start on this one except to say that I am in awe. I mean, I'm not at all surprised, just in awe. Last Wednesday night, we got notice that the daddy of one of my best friends was taking a turn for the worse in his battle with cancer. My friend's out of state wedding was planned for today. She asked my mom to look into a chapel so they could get married a week early and in Conway so her dad could be there. Well, my mom took that idea and ran with it to say the least. By mid-day Thursday, she had a chapel and reception site booked, flowers ordered, tables and chairs rented, and a whole army of people calling her to help. She learned how to delegate better than ever before, so the town of Conway went to work in order to make sure Liz had her special day as close to the way she wanted as possible. I could make a list of all the things that were done in two days, and I could probably tell you who did what, but the fact of the matter is...Liz and Aaron were married Saturday night in a beautiful, touching ceremony. Liz was escorted by her daddy and brother down the aisle. The couple danced, ate, and celebrated with close friends and family next door in the reception hall. They rode off in a limo to begin their married life. A beautiful day.

Mom was on the phone constantly for those two days, running from here to there getting all the details in place. We learned how to steam a gorgeous and might I add rather intricate wedding dress. I witnessed what it's like to be a worker bee on someone's BIG DAY. I can't put into words all that my mom did. I just watched in awe as I mentioned earlier. The kitchen counter at home became post-it note central. She orchestrated something beautiful, and many people have said it was a miracle. She started her day at the Farmer's Market at 7 a.m., went to Hendrix to get started there by 8:00, worked until 2:00, showered and got ready for the wedding, and then with her apron over her dress was back at Hendrix a little after 3:00. The wedding took place at 6:00, and we sent off the happy couple around 8:45. After tearing everything down and cleaning everything up, we got home and had one more thing to do. It was 10:00, but not too late to celebrate one more important thing...

Did I mention it was her birthday? And a pretty significant one, too. I pray I am half the woman she is in 35 years.

And she hasn't stopped since...she's made more food for the family, delivered cookies to Vacation Bible School, and on tap for this weekend is making rigatoni for another church family and an appetizer for a friend's birthday party.

Thanks, mom, for showing me what it's like to have a servant's heart. You have taught me way more than you know, and now that I'm about to be a mom, I'm just so thankful you are here to guide me. Oh, and sorry if I just made you cry. I couldn't help it. :)

A Sweet Daddy

One of my best friends said goodbye to her daddy today. This friend of mine has been in my life for over 10 years, and I could probably drive from my house to her house blindfolded. After witnessing the marriages of his two other children recently, her dad escorted her down the aisle at her wedding this past Saturday night. He fought an incredibly good fight, and God took him home this morning. We now not only pray for the new marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Cooper, but we pray for healing, comfort, and peace for the entire family. I love you, Liz.

Corrections and Other Random Remarks

1. The outfit I just knew my student's mom picked out...nope, he picked it out himself. I should have given him more credit than that. You aren't supposed to have favorites, but this guy certainly ranks at the top. Oh, and the cute shoes another student gave me...apparently this guy picked out the fabrics for his mom. I'm so glad these two guys are in the brother Bible study I lead. God has some really great plans for them I know.

2. God is really good...He's been making B-Dub move a lot these last couple of days. Just a little reminder of why I'm retiring from teaching while I'm packing up, saying good-bye to so many amazing co-workers, and moving on to another adventure. I mean, right now she's making this laptop bounce while I sit here on the couch. (I think she is currently wondering what in the world I was just doing. I found a new cardio sculpt video to try, and I moved in ways I haven't in a while.)

3. To those of you current and former teachers, thank you for sharing in excitement about these Benchmark scores. I realized today that only two out of the one hundred and fifteen students I teach weren't proficient or advanced. And don't ask me why it was these two. These two guys never cease to surprise me.

4. Another cool God thing. When my student and his mom offered for us to stay in their beach house, I started to wonder why they had a place in Naples and not somewhere closer. They are Northerners and I'm so thrilled to go somewhere new, but I just wondered. Well, no oil has hit there, AND I get to fly instead of sitting in a car for hours while 6 and 1/2 months pregnant. Very nice, God. Thank You.

5. Wes took me to celebrate the end of the school year last night, and I get to meet three of my best girl friends for dinner tonight. I love this.

6. My maid-of-honor gets married in 9 days!! Elizabeth soon-to-be Cooper, I can't wait to see you in a week!

Teacher Gifts

So this year my end of the year teacher gifts are a bit different...they really aren't for me, but they are for B-Dubette. Check some of them out...I definitely am not complaining. :)

This sweet outfit is from a student who has a very special place in my heart. I'm almost certain mom picked this out because she even hand delivered it to me this morning, but I will always think of this wonderful family when B-Dubette wears this in the fall.

Oh, yeah, and check these out. The mom of one of my students made these shoes and headband. This student writes better than most college students if you ask me. And I guess his mom helped him out with a bit of the right braininess.

One teacher gift that cannot be ignored...another mom delivered a jogging stroller a couple of months ago, gave B-Dubette four of the cutest outfits ever, AND is treating Wes and me to a week at their beach house this summer. Can I say blessed?

So, one more day of school left, and then I'm actually going into "retirement" from teaching for at least a few years. It's a really odd feeling, but here's how I'm going out...we found out today that 91% of the combined 8th grade population were proficient or advanced in literacy this year. 98% of the general 8th grade population were proficient or advanced in literacy. I even got to tell an ESOL student who has definite vocabulary deficiencies that he was advanced/advanced, and his face immediately lit up with a sense of pride and joy. I'm going to miss this.

Beauty

This weekend was beautiful. I got the chance to see two friends who I have known for YEARS get married to the loves of their lives. I was a bridesmaid in the first wedding at 1:00 yesterday and was a guest at the wedding at 6:00 last night. Wes and I jetted out of Bentonville as soon as school was out on Friday in time to make the rehearsal dinner but not in time to make the INCREDIBLE bridesmaid's luncheon my mom had put on earlier that day. I got up early Saturday morning to start getting ready, and MP's mom had just thought of every little detail for the "wedding prep" area at her house. I mean, if my mom and Pattie could throw a party together, it would be sure to make the news. BEAUTIFUL details that completely honor the guests. I have been so blown away and impressed with the special touches my mom thinks of...and not only does she think about them, but she makes them look perfect and so unique. Anywho, we got ready and made it to Greene Chapel (where Wes and I married over 4 years ago), witnessed God's blessing on this new couple and then napped before another very important wedding. Jessica was my first friend I can remember, freshman roommate at the U of A, and just a lifelong friend. So of course this was so fun to witness. I loved the message of how God has blessed both the bride's and groom's families over centuries, challenging Jessica and Rick to carry on the legacy of faith and commitment. Now to what you really want to see...the pictures! Sadly, you will have to look at my Facebook album for pictures from the luncheon. I stole them from my mom's camera because I wasn't there!

Three high school BFF's. Love them. And can't wait for Brittany's wedding next month!!

My hot date.

The "wedding prep" room at Pattie's house. Of course we need a big mirror.

The BEAUTIFUL bride.

Just in case we get parched while primping.

Just some of the neat touches at the reception.

A dedication to Tim's Air Force career.

Straws for the old Dr. Pepper bottles.

Paper cones that my two moms helped make. Rose petals were inside to toss at the bride and groom as they left the reception.

The stunning bride and 6 month pregnant bridesmaid.

The Bell's...I LOVE this family.

Happy last summer of weddings without a little person.