Jack's First Birthday Party...Finally!

My sweet baby turned a year old on April 27th.  I cannot believe that it has already been a year!  I am so sad at how fast it has gone by and yet so excited to see what fun times we'll have raising our little baby boy.  We didn't get to have the party until this weekend due to the tornado and sickness.  It turned out to be a beautiful day filled with precious family and friends.  Jack LOVED getting to be outside and play with the other kids.  So, without further ado, Jack's First Birthday party...

  He thinks he might just have a bite.

We had blue snot for a couple of days...

                                          

                                         

After cake...paper, it helps clean the palate.

                

Jack's fun new Radio Flyer push toy...it was a big hit. 

                                     

April 24, 2010

I've had this written for weeks...just had to wait for the pictures...

The tornado's path directly behind my parents' house.

God showed his amazing power and grace this weekend in Albertville.  An F3 tornado touched down in our town and caused major devastation.  As I was surveying the damage at my parents' house, I was in awe of how powerful our Lord is.   It's amazing to me how He can control the wind and guide its direction.  All praise and honor is owed to Him for his amazing protection of my family.  Honestly, the way the damage is, it's as if he placed his hand over my parents', grandparents', and aunt and uncle's house. Almost as amazing, was the outpouring of love from neighbors, church family, and complete strangers.  At one point during the day, all you could hear was the buzz of chainsaws and tractors running.  My heart was so filled with love and I thought, "Lord you did this to show us what love is..."  Although there was total loss in parts of our city, not one life was taken.  That...is how great my God is!

The beautiful oak tree that was in my Grandparents' front yard.

A storage building in Mom & Dad's backyard.  It used to sit where the ground is bare.

Another one of my parents' storage buildings was destroyed.  Amazingly, Dad's new lawn mower is left unharmed.