low country boil.

Fun. Family. Food.

That was the highlight of this past weekend. Yep, it was a typical family gathering. Where there is food and family, fun always follows!

You'd think that my heart would have already popped from holding so much love for this family, but it's amazing: as my love grows for them, my heart grows, too! Amazing, I tell ya.

yellow branch falls | hike it baby.

It had been about a year since we visited Yellow Branch Falls, so we did just that. This particular adventure, however, was more eventful than usual. We didn't run into any problems until we got ready to leave the falls, and that's when it happened. Braxton kicked himself over while he was sitting in the backpack, and a big, sharp rock broke his fall and the skin on his right ear. I snatched him up as quickly as I could and held him tight to my chest while he screamed as all the mamas started pitching in whatever supplies they had. Whew! I think it's safe to say that I lost about ten years off of my life expectancy in that moment. All became well, however, when I asked him where the truck was. That's all it took to dry up those tears and silence the screams, folks.

After all that drama, we began our trek back...only to find ourselves in the middle of an EMT training exercise on the trail. We waited for about half an hour before it was safe to pass, and it looked like a tornado had blown through from where the helicopter had gotten so close to the ground. Our backs were definitely feeling the weight of those thirty minutes, but we were all excited to see something like this in person.

All in all, we had a whole lot of fun!

Nope, there's no one else I'd rather be stuck on the trails or care for a hurt kiddo with besides this like-minded group. Something special happens when strangers become family.

braxton michael | twenty months old.

This is the face of a little guy who loves smiling for mama, laughing loudly and proudly, trucks, Thomas the Train, Elmo, when daddy comes home, eating all day every day (he is especially loving apples and bananas right now - maybe we are singing that song too much?!), singing and dancing, running until his tiny legs just about fall off, throwing the ball, climbing on any and everything, and flirting with all the pretty girls.

His personality continues to bloom more each day, and it's so fun to watch him become his own person. His language development has also shown incredible growth this past month, which has been so exciting! He can point to people he sees most often and say their name, and he repeats most words that we say. He is, also, a smart little cookie who can point to places on his body when I ask him where they are (ie. when I ask him where his nose is, he can point to it, etc.). He just keeps growing and growing and growing, and we are forever trying to simply take it all in and celebrate each milestone whether big or small.

Twenty months of the most joy his daddy and I have ever known. We are so grateful to be his parents!

our thirteenth.

Thirteen years ago on this day, I gave a giggly "yes" to a boy who asked me to be his girlfriend.

Thirteen years ago on this day, I made a good decision. One of the best I've ever made, in fact.

And I haven't stopped thanking Jesus that I did since.

These two young love birds had no idea just how incredible the gift they had received on that day so many years ago was, but we know now. The best part is that the gift gets sweeter with each passing day. And whether we are in a valley or on a mountaintop, that gift will continue to grow in its worth as we continue to steward it.

To always call what this life we are walking through together as exactly what it is: a gift.

A sweet, sweet gift.

station cove falls | hike it baby.

We took our first trip to Station Cove Falls on Tuesday with our hiking buddies, and it was all we had hoped it would be. Three miles doesn't seem long at all when there is a gorgeous waterfall tucked in the middle our trek, and the company we adventured with was the best of the best.

It always amazes me at how beautiful Upstate South Carolina is with all of its hidden treasures tucked away behind tall trees. I've lived here my whole life, and I'm still finding new things to gawk over and stare at in amazement. It makes me so thankful to be introducing our little one to places that most adults don't even know exist.

Braxton's new favorite thing is to touch and shake the trees as we pass them, and he laughs as the leaves move above his head. Our trail buddies got to witness this new fetish in action, and we all giggled with him as he shook with all his might. It may or may not be the cutest thing ever, I'm just saying.

Our Hike it Baby 30 challenge is in full force, and we can't wait to visit more places, some old and some new, while spending as much time outside as possible. A friend of mine calls it "childhood unplugged," and I can't think of a better way to describe the way we are trying to do this whole parenting thing. One day I will show him all the pictures I took when he was just a baby, and I hope he is as proud as I am to see his hands brown from the dirt he has been digging in.

luke james | his sixth.

Luke turned another year older, and the gang all got together to do what we do best: celebrate!

From The Lion Guard cake that his parents surprised him with to the homemade zoo animal cage that his Pop Pop crafted just for him, Luke was all smiles to have every eye on him. As usual, every gift was his favorite gift, and every bite of pizza and cake was prepared just for him by angels. The kid is the definition of grateful, and I absolutely love it. He always reminds me that the little things are the big things, and I have a feeling that he always will.

He even had three special visitors from Arkansas who came in just for his birthday. What a special treat that was! His younger cousin and I hit it off pretty well (yes, it was only because she liked my camera), and Braxton showed his jealous side for the whole crowd to see. I would be lying if I said I didn't like being loved on by two little ones at the same time!

Six years ago I was loving on Luke James for the very first time, and it has been one of my dearest privileges to have loved him ever since.

What a sweet, sweet blessing from God he is!

We, also, had to document the rare moment when all four of us gals were an the same place at the same time besides Christmas. Cousins who are more like sisters, that's what we are.

six years ago.

Six years.

That's how long it has been since my then-boyfriend-now-husband blindfolded me, walked me to the place where we had our first kiss, got down on a knee, told me that it would make him the happiest man in the world if I would be his wife, slid a stunning diamond onto my left hand when I agreed to make him that man he just mentioned, and wrapped me up into a big bear hug.

I'll always be thankful to be on the receiving end of his handsome, proud smile.

And I will always linger for as long as possible when my heart is pressed up against his.

Always.