It's Always With Love

I have never claimed to be Paula Dean, but everything I try to cook--I cook with love. I've got the burnt marks to prove it! I know lots of families around the Southeast are thankful to be alive and have a home after the crazy weather this week and our thoughts and prayers go out to all those who are coping with the destruction left by the storms. On a family note, last Sunday, John Thomas really started getting interested in walking. Mind you, he must have two of Momma's or Daddy's fingers to hang on, but he's really starting to move.

Saturday couldn't have been a more perfect day for a trip to Cades Cove with some of our best family friends. While all the girls were sweetly playing together with books and balls and dolls, John Thomas was all boy. He spent hours playing in the dirt, finding all sorts of rocks and twigs to put in his mouth and generally soaking up the great outdoors. I learned a valuable mommy lesson, make that two valuable mommy lessons. One, don't dress a baby boy in white when getting ready to spend hours in the dirt. Two, when playing in creeks with rocks, make sure that all baby appendages are accounted for at all times. He almost got his perfect little baby foot caught between two rocks, but thank goodness the crisis was averted.

All the daddy's got a chance to do some baby bonding, because the girls left on a mini hike for awhile. When we came back, all babies and children were accounted for and perfectly content. As we knew they would be.

When we were on our excursion, we each (illegally) took a stone from the creek bed. After putting some thought into it, I know that it took years to wear those stones so smooth. And, these ladies help make all my rough places smoother too. Thank you girls.