Father's Day

Today, we celebrate dads. Today is bittersweet for me. I get to celebrate with my amazing husband and our 4 wonderful girls! I get to let my man know what a wonderful father he is.

But, I don't get to spend the day with my dad when we usually do. He is in Charlotte being the great husband that he is to my mom. While I wish we could all be together, it is what it is.

So dad, if you see this, I love you and wish you a Happy Fathers Day!

Fifth Grade Field Trip to Atlanta

So some would say you're crazy to want to chaperone a fifth grade field trip...AND especially when it involves a 3 hour bus ride with them.  That's fine with me.  I enjoy it!  Our fifth grade teaching team is amazing.  They sure know how to make the most of the time we had in Atlanta.

We started with a visit to the World of Coke where we were able to meet the Polar Bear and sample coke from around the world.  Some were yum and some were not!

After that, we walked across the courtyard and visited the Georgia Aquarium.  It was amazing.  I had never seen such big fish!!  We saw a pregnant beluga whale, penguins, whale sharks, mana rays.  We touched stingrays and shrimp.

Our trip ended with a visit to the birth place of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (see picture below), his church and a museum.  It was great.  I would've liked to have more time to spend there so it is definitely on my list of places to go back to.

I love this quote by MLK, Jr.  What a man of God!
Thanks HEC 5th Grade Team!  You guys did a wonderful job with this trip.

17 years and counting....

I have been so blessed by marrying Erik Davenport 17 years ago.  I am so glad that God saw fit to bring us together on an adventure of a lifetime!  It's been the most amazing 17 years already and I look forward to all that God has in store for us in the years to come.

Erik started our celebration on Friday by sending me a beautiful arrangement of flowers to work.  So very thoughtful!  On Saturday, my parents came and picked up all the girls to take them home with them.  Erik had to work, so as I write this, I am waiting for him to get home, but the many hours in my quiet house on a Saturday has been rather refreshing.

Tomorrow, Erik and I will spend the day doing whatever we want whenever we want.  Thanks Mom and Dad for taking care of the kiddos for us.  We are so blessed by you both!

Toodles for now!

I'm Working!

So last Monday something big happened.  I started a part-time job as a teacher's assistant at my girls school.  I now work Monday through Friday for half a day!!!  The funny thing is that I am doing things that I had volunteered to do in my kids class, but now I get paid for it!  Perfection!

What I find even funnier is that my mom was an instructional aid when I was a kid.  So it looks as though I am following in her shoes.  Who'd a thunk it!

What a great week!

Cruise to the Bahamas

January 20-24 was monumental for us.  Erik and I had the pleasure of joining my parents on a cruise to the Bahamas.  It was our first cruise and it lived up to every expectation I had!  We cruised on the ship Carnival Fantasy out of Charleston, South Carolina.  This was our ship:

 

We cruised to Nassau first.  This is what it was like:

Then we went to Freeport, Bahamas.

I've never seen such clear, blue water before.  Absolutely beautiful.  Just the sight of the beach brought tears to my eyes.

While we were on the ship, we met these lovely ladies:

We quickly formed a friendship with these ladies and it just made the whole vacation even better.

A HUGE thank you to my parents for taking us along for the ride.  We are so grateful!!!  And another HUGE thank you to Kimberle and Paige for staying with our girls so we could get away for this trip.  Without their help, we wouldn't have been to able relax and enjoy ourselves.  We knew they were in good hands.

Looking forward to our next cruise someday!

She got it!

Tuesday morning my children were bickering like crazy.  I warned them that if they didn't stop, they would not get any brownies when they got home from school.  Moments later, they were at it again.  I calmly stated that 3 out of the 4 would not get to have brownies.  Alyson asked which one would get some and Meghan said, "Duh!  Kelli!"

When the kids came home from school, they were all getting along so wonderfully.  They were all in a great mood and being helpful.  My heart was soaring!  I told them that because they had all changed their attitudes that they had earned back their brownie.  Everyone went to the kitchen and I heard Meghan state, "Momma's showing us grace!"

Wow!  She gets it!  She understands what grace means.  Getting what you don't deserve.  Ahhhh!!  This momma couldn't be any happier to know that that message has gotten through a 6 year old heart.

It's his birthday!

Today is my dad's 70th birthday!!  Oh my!  It just seems to weird to say that.  He definitely doesn'l look whatever I thought 70 was supposed to.

Love you, dad!!  Hope you have a fabulous day.  I love you!