My Sweet Rebecca Joy,

You really are a sweet and joyful little thing.  I can't tell you how much fun you are, how much you make me smile, and how blessed we are to have you in our little family.  You are firmly in size 3-6 clothes, and only have one pair of size 1 shoes that still fit, the others are size 2.  You are long and lean.  Stretching the length on the onesies but with lots of empty space around the sides.  From getting on the scale with you this morning, I am still guessing that you are roughly 15 lbs.  You will be happy to know, that your Momma has finally got it together enough to have a list of doctors to call around to.  I hope to have your next appointment right before the 6 month mark.  I'm not concerned, because you are growing and thriving, but I do need to get you in to get the shots that we want you to have.

You seem so strong to me.  You love to lay on your belly, and even when strapped in to a carseat, bouncer, or swing, are trying to lean forward, pull yourself out, or slide down.  At one point last week Memaw had you in your carseat in the floor, in front of the tv, and within 60 seconds, you managed to push/slide until you had all of yourself out, except your head.  Last week for the first time, you also managed to pull your legs around under you and out to the front, and then push up with your hands into a semi-sitting, tripod like position.  Since then a few nights I have found you sleeping as if you were sitting with your legs out in front, and then just laid down on top of them.  You are doing a little actual crawling now, though it is painfully slow.  You will get up on all fours, rock a little bit, put your head down on the floor, and pull both knees together up against your head.  Then you will lift your head, and one shake step at a time move one arm, then the other.  Then you will put your head down and begin the process all over again.

I have started putting your tub in the big tub with your brother and sister this month.  They really seem to enjoy having you in the bath with them.  You grin big, and kick, and splash, and they laugh and try to get you to do more grinning, kicking, and splashing.  Surprisingly enough, that same excitement didn't transfer over to the beach this month.  You looked shocked the first time I put you in the water, but granted it was much cooler than I run your bath.  The other time you went out, you started dozing off, only showing a little interest in kicking at the waves.  I wanted to take you out more, but didn't.

Obviously our routine has been shot for the last two weeks.  You adapted pretty well.  Only rarely fussy.  You seem to have gotten even more attached to your owl this month.  Perhaps it is because you are getting coordinated enough to move toward it and grab it when you want it.  Or perhaps it has been something that you recognize, even while we have been gone from home.  You like to hold its wings and either chew or suck on the feather tuffs that make it look like a horned owl.  You smile when you see it.  Ruth continues to be so proud that she "picked out" your owl.

Speaking of rolling with the punches.  This weekend you experienced your first full blown Primitive Baptist Church meeting.  We had service Thursday night, hard-shelling and fellowship over breakfast Friday morning, visiting all afternoon, service Friday night, service Saturday morning, a little break, and then communion Saturday night, and of course regular Sunday morning service before we flew home that afternoon.  You passed with flying colors.  You were fussy for you, but we are pretty sure that you are cutting some teeth.  Your gums are noticeably swollen, you are droolly, and have been chewing on a pacifier all day.  I had to get up and hold you standing or walk you some during Saturday night and Sunday service, but all in all you did well.  I am ready to get back into our routine here and hope your teeth stop giving you fits soon, I hate to see you so sad and inconsolable little girl, you are normally so happy.

I love you,
Momma

My Dearest Gary Britt,

We have been married six years - that is 3 kids, 6 moves in 3 different states, and many different jobs since we started out.  I sat down the other day, to again watch our wedding vows, the ones I'm still convinced Bro. Ronald was making up on the spot.  You agreed to "accept the bible as your guide, to follow it's instructions to love with a self-sacrificing, never diminishing, eternal love, to take her into your watch care and provide in such a way that she will have the utmost respect for you" and you promised "to love her as Christ loves the Church, and gave himself for her, to nurse and cherish her as my own self, to love and support her in all circumstances of life."  I can truly say you do all of these things.You continue to be such a beautiful picture to me of Christ's love for his bride. I could not respect you more for all that you have done to provide for me, the countless interviews, applications, and miles traveled to find work, the odd jobs worked until something better came along.  You have continued steadfast, when other men would have long ago, given up in despair; when other men would have been content to draw a government check.  You have always tried to look at what the Lord would have us do according to His word rather than what has been tradition, or is the current fad out in the world.  We've done "in sickness and in health," as you have helped me through some very difficult pregnancies.  We've done "in poverty and in wealth,: well, not wealth yet, but I'm hoping we get to try that out soon.

I agreed "to recognize the scripture as my guide, to love him as my husband, be in submission to him as it is in the Lord, and reverence him as my husband according to God's inspired word in all circumstances of life." These simple gold bands we exchanged "are tokens love, faithfulness, dedication to each other, and commitment" just like God's love is without end, so are these bands.  One of the two verses we used was I Corinthians 13:4-8,

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth..."

I have tried but failed so often in these things. I have jokingly said that I don't recall promising anything about submission. I can be head strong and prideful.  There are times that I seek my own, rather than doing for you.  Sometimes I don't bear all things or endure all things very well.  No matter how often I have failed you, you don't fail me.  Another picture of Christ's love for us.

So yesterday we went to Gettysburg, and the kids both agreed that their favorite part of the day was the Children's Battle.  I will admit watching them, especially Britt was hysterical.  When they first told him to fall back, he ran for the hills before he realized that he was alone, and came back to the line.  Another time, he got out in front of the line.  Still a third time, he ran to beat up the Union officer that was attacking his Confederate officer.  It was so funny, definately the highlight of the day.