raven cliff falls | hike it baby.

Raven Cliff Falls was one of the first hikes we went on when we began our hiking tradition several years ago. We were bold (crazy?) enough to do the entire eight-mile trek to the bridge over the falls back then, and I can still hear Angie and Savannah cursing our names as we climbed back to the trailhead (hehe). The important thing is that none of us died AND we all got to check off a really cool bucket list item that day!

A couple of days ago, I had the honor of leading my first Hike it Baby adventure, and me and a group six other mamas + our little ones hiked to the overlook that gave a spectacular view of the waterfall. We did half of the distance that I just mentioned, but we were all carrying our babies, ranging from five weeks to two and a half years old, on our backs, which added some brawn to our distance (as always). The mamas that came with us trekked through like champions, and we all felt pretty accomplished after those few hours of hiking, chatting, admiring, and glistening. The weather was about as close to perfect as it could have been, and the pops of green all around us provided a beautiful backdrop to our exploration.

Braxton and Mason had met just one week prior to this hike, but if you had seen them playing together, you would have thought they'd known each other forever. His mama and I went to Clemson together, and we both reflected on how sweet it is to live in new seasons with old friends who have walked with you through previous seasons. God has been so good to surround me with other like-minded mamas in my short time thus far as a new mama, no doubt about it.

Where will we adventure next?

braxton michael | sixteen months.

This snapshot is the perfect summary of what this past month has looked like.

Endless running. Belly laughs. Cheesy grins, Freshly trimmed hair. Turning every moment into a daring adventure. Constant chatter. That strong-but-sweet personality revealing itself more every second. Shouts of joy. Always looking sharp.

And, of course, Mama with her camera.

Sixteen months have come and gone since that day I went from carrying my baby in my belly to carrying him in my arms, and there has never been another season that has taught me more about cherishing life and fully living in it than this one is.

Every moment is a miracle, and I have been granted the most amazing gift of all: getting to see these miracles come to fruition with my own eyes.

As I look back with gratefulness and forward with anticipation, I choose to live in the moment I am given, for that's where the true miracle is. Every day I get to spend with this boy + his daddy is a day that I don't deserve, but it's also one that I will hold onto (not too loosely, and not too tightly) as I count them twice when I count my blessings.

Keep running, little one. Run your heart out as you chase your dreams and make new discoveries, both about yourself and the world around you. Never be too proud to rest, though, for that's all part of the race. Life is not a sprint but a marathon, and your ability to endure is much more important than how fast you go. Keep running, little one, and always look around to make sure you're on the right path. Don't follow your heart, because your heart can easily be misled. Don't follow the crowd, because you were born to humbly and fearlessly lead. Simply follow in the footsteps of the One who made you, and let Him tell you where you ought to go.

And as you run, always remember that you'll never go alone.

they see me rollin'.

What's better than having one chauffer? Well, that's easy...having TWO!

Braxton loves to cruise, and Pops + Trent always make sure that the kiddo gets what the kiddo wants.

Being the baby in the family is so much fun!

mama's day.

Things I don't want to forget about this Mama's Day:

A delicious breakfast of champions prepared by my precious husband before church, complete with red roses, the sweetest card, and the two most handsome boys on the planet.

TJ's thoughtfulness in remembering a conversation we had about how much I would love a "Mama Bear" t-shirt and for B to wear one to match me. A man who embraces his wife's desires, especially the cheesy ones, is a good man, indeed.

Seriously, though. How precious are these?

A surprise picnic at the park complete with BBQ and our best buds. Words can't express just how much this meant to Stephanie and me!

Watching my wild man be a dare devil on the playground, and laughing to myself as I thought, "Daddy has his hands full with the two of us!"

Remembering the first time these two cuties met when B was just a couple of weeks old, and praising Jesus for the laughter that filled our ears as they played together on this day. Raising future men is a hefty challenge, but God has been so good to us to give us friends to come alongside of as we rise to the occasion.

Rejoicing at this boy's love for the outdoors that grows exponentially every time we go outside. Children are trained by what they interact with and experience, starting at an early age, and I already see Braxton beginning to learn to love what his daddy + mama love. This truth encourages me to keep on keepin' on!

Laughing at how beautiful the mess is, and reminding myself that it's okay when things aren't perfect. "Real life" isn't as bad as they all say it will be!

How this little boy loves to run! And for as long as I am able, I will run with him. He, also, has reached the stage where it's funny to run from daddy + mama, which makes for extra cardio and laughter.

I say it all the time because I believe it with my whole heart: the little things mean the most. People say that we remember the moments that mean the most to us the longest, and if that's true, then I will remember this day forever. This mama bear loves her baby bear, and I want my actions to always scream that truth much louder than my words do.

I want the same to be true for the way I love my Teesh, too.

I wouldn't be half the mama I am without him being the daddy that he is, and there is no one else who loves me like he does. This day is proof of that.

Mama's Day 2015

baby's first haircut.

...and just like that, Braxton has gone from having a mullet to rocking a fresh new cut.

I got all my mama tears out the night before the big day so that I could be quick with the camera at our appointment, and I was pleasantly surprised at how much he loved having scissors and a woman he had never met before so close to him. Jellybeans treated us like royalty, and we left with a keepsake certificate, a lock of his tow-colored hair, and a green balloon weighted down with five jellybeans. He only cried when it was time to leave, because he was so sad to leave that super cool racecar chair behind. Don't worry, though...as soon as the balloon was in sight, he was back to smiling!

I'm not going to lie, I'm going to miss the mullet. Not for the mullet's sake, but for what it meant. He's growing up so fast, and I would roll my eyes every time someone said, "It's about time for that boy to get a haircut, huh?" because I wasn't ready for him to have one (and I'm the mama, so...). For fifteen whole months, his hair did whatever it wanted to. Now, however, his hair has been cut and made to look like what I want him to look like.

I never thought a haircut would be such a big deal, but it was.

It's amazing how much older he looked within minutes, and mamas don't like for their babies to grow up. Now that the deed has been done, however, I love his new look! The new cut definitely suits him, and I think he's even more handsome now that he's got the short, side-part look going on. I mean, he literally gets cuter every minute, don't you agree? (Hehe!)

Mmm, he's such a heart breaker.

I know he is because my heart turns to mush with just one glance from this sweet blonde boy with the fresh, new 'do!

(Baby's first haircut: May 4, 2016)

honorary moss.

We kicked the Monday blues away by taking a trip to the Greenville Zoo with our friends-turned-family, Malesha and Mossy (well, the rest of the world calls him Aeydin, but he's always been Mossy to me). Malesha and I worked together for a few years, and Mossy was in my class for the majority of that time, and we have one of the most beautifully natural friendships. The whole Mossy Posse (that just came to me, and I'm totally running with it) has loved on me like I'm one of their own for as long as we've known each other, and it's been so fun making memories with them over the years.

Mossy finally has him an honorary little brother, too, and he was so sweet to Braxton as we explored around the zoo. He made sure he didn't get into any trouble, followed closely behind him to keep him from running away, and he even offered to pull him in the wagon for the last little stretch. B ate it up! Malesha got a few moments of hand-holding, and I did my usual mamarazzi duties and tried my best to snap pictures of it all.

It was a gorgeous day, and I assure you that the sun shining above us wasn't the only contributor to that fact. I'll never get over days like this y'all. Never, ever!

walking for babies | year two.

We made our appearance at the March of Dimes in Greenville last year, and we returned this year proud to walk for babies again! Instead of walking in the pouring rain, we enjoyed the warm sun peaking through the clouds, and instead of toting our little ones around after the walk, we chased them as they played with bubbles, ran through the grass, and made friends with other kiddos their size. It's amazing how much changes in just one year!

We had nine team members this year (two short from the previous year), but we surpassed last year's team fundraising with a grand total of $593! Our dear Stephanie is to thank for our high number, because she kicked booty with gathering donations (wahooo!). A little over three miles and nearly $600 was our small contribution, but we were proud as peaches to be able to help raise awareness of premature births + support healthy deliveries while locking arms with hundreds of others doing the same thing.

I wrote these words last year as I snuggled my three month-old baby, and the heart behind it is even stronger now that he's gotten older, so I want to share them again: Teesh + I want to introduce him to events like this, to explain why so many people are gathered together, and to help create a deep compassion for others within him. As parents, teaching our kiddos about love -  not just as a word or feeling, but as an action - is one of the most important things we can do.

So here's to walking in love so that more babies may be born and flourish into adults who are called oaks of righteousness. Every step we take conquers much more than not walking at all.

We've got a year to prepare for the next walk, and we want YOU to join us!