so before i launch into my captions, i have to tell you a story. i found a babysitter at the church we visited sunday, and she was available last night, so we had our first date night it what seems like an awfully long time! last night was important because it was a very important (as far as football goes :-) game for our team, the panthers. they were tied with the bucs for first in the division. (they are no longer, btw. go panthers!) so there were 3 businessmen there from the lake norman area that we talked to a bit. when it was over, we were having terrible storms, tornado sirens and everything. they asked for a lift back to their hotel, so they piled in the backseat. Patrick was telling them how nice it was for us to be out finally, and how he appreciated me using up our rare date night on a football game. there was complete, somewhat awkward silence in the back, then one man said somewhat sarcastically, "what are you guys, honeymooners?" we didn't know what to say. but it served as a sad reminder that for so many people, marriage is not the incredible gift of a best friend God meant it to be, and to cherish each other and our relationship so when we have been married as long as those 'gentlemen' have, we still want to spend time together. by God's grace, we will. so, the pictures. you can't really see on the left, but she had more yogurt on her clothes than in her mouth, i'm sure. i could just give her cheetos, like patrick saw one mother doing. that wouldn't make such a mess. . .

even if we can't do much else at christmas, i always do a shoebox for OCC (operation christmas child). patrick was so funny picking out the toys for his little boy - he took forever deciding! next year, hannah can do one too, i hope.

she was having a great time looking at herself in the mirror, before patrick put it up on the dresser. i hope that isn't too indecent :-). if there are any idealistic, somewhat self-righteous, childess women out there who are criticizing me for letting her run around naked, i'm terribly sorry. she pitches a fit every time i try to change her. and if you go back to the yogurt picture, you'll see we have to change her alot. sometimes it just isn't worth it. reading back on this after i published it, i realized i am being the idealistic self-righteous one for critizing the mother feeding her child cheetos. sorry. but at least running around naked isn't actually going to hurt her, right?

i know my family laughs at me, but here's my baby getting ready to enjoy the texas winter. yes, texas has a winter. of sorts. it was at least 50. on the right, you can see patrick's going to open a salon if the whole aircraft sales doesn't work out.

these are from our churches's all saints day festival. i got this outfit for $5. do you think if we have a boy next he can wear it too? i love it. my little strawberry!