"I'm gonna get 'em"

"Got 'em!"

Good friends

My very best friends from high school, Lana Ivy and Rachel Obenhaus, BOTH came in town a couple of weeks ago. I couldn't believe it worked out for us all to get together. Rachel came all the way from Massachusetts and Lana from Carrolton! 

We have been friends a long time-from high school drama to "mommy" drama-and haven't lived in the same town for several years, but I still feel as close to them as ever. We all have our own little girls now, and decided to go to portrait innovations to capture the cuteness . . .

Bliss and I, Lana and Madelyn, and Rachel with Gwyneth and Ellison

Does it get any cuter than this????

The photographer took a couple of solos of all the girls. Here are some of my favorites of Bliss. . .

It was awesome getting to hang out and I am can't wait to do it again soon!!!

From Bliss's First Thanksgiving to Christmas in Seguin

On our way to Seguin for Bliss's first Thanksgiving, we stopped by the ranch to see my Schwede  grandparents.

My cousin, Uncle Marcus, was there, too!

Papa Jim and Grandma Lorene with 3 of their great grandkids

On Thanksgiving morning, Clint, Bliss, and I ran in the Gruene Turkey Trot before having a great breakfast with Mema and Pops and the Brent Beicker clan. We had a great Thanksgiving dinner later that day, too!

Then we road tripped to Waco to see Brinley show Poncho, her miniature hereford (you know, the one that ran down our street??). She did awesome, and was the youngest one there . . . showing that is; Brylen was of course, never too far 

Bundled up in the Moby before a walk

Yaya and Das took us all on the Polar Express in Lubbock

"Choo, choo!" 

I had to include the next 3 pics because the progression of Bliss's expressions are hilarious . . .

"I'm gonna get 'em"

"I got 'em"

"Haha!"

At the beginning of December, two of my favorite PAs and greatest friends in the world, Ragan and Lindsey, came to meet Bliss. It warmed my heart that they came all the way to Lubbock to meet our baby girl, and we had a great time!

Family photo in front of the Christmas tree.

Mid-December Bliss and I flew with Yaya and Grandma "Ice" to see Haley and Ben in Ft Worth (and do some last minute Christmas shopping, of course)

We celebrated Christmas in Seguin a little early.

Bliss thinks that Brylen and Brinley are awesome!!!

Great Grandparents

Bliss is very blessed to get the chance to know her great grandparents . . .

Nana Zavala

Ma Erxleben

Pawpaw Tye Godwin

Grandma "Ice" (IrisTownley) Godwin

Mimi & Papa Beicker

Papa Jim and Grandma Lorene Schwede

Bliss's Dedication

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart 

   and lean not on your own understanding;  in all your ways submit to him,
   and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

This is a little late, but this past November 21st, on her late Great-Pa Erxleben's birthday, we dedicated Bliss at our church, Indiana Avenue Baptist Church.

2/3rds of her Godparents . . . aka aunts and uncles

Mema and Pops came in town for the event, too!

And of course . . . Yaya and Das were there, too!

Believe it!

• I can't believe Clint and I have a daughter! 
• I can't believe that Bliss Townley Beicker is our daughter. 
• I can't believe she's ours! 
• I can't believe how much I love her. 
• I can't believe I get to be her mommy everyday for the rest of my life!
•  I just can't believe I get to do this. 
• This is definitely the neatest thing I have ever done or been a part of. 
• It's really incredible that God designed it to be this way. That a precious life is formed from such a fun act between 2 people. That the human race continued this way! That we get to do this! I just can't believe it! God must really love us to let us be a part of the miracle of creation, of life and to let us have children! He must really love me to make me Bliss's mom!