Baking cookies!

We decided to make cookies Monday when Daddy came home earlier from work. What a good time that was had by all...a little messy, but we had so much fun!!!!

Jackson has learned how to use our camera and knows how to pick it up and turn it on and just start snapping pictures...whether you're ready or not, thankfully I was ready, Daddy was not!!!

Happy Birthday Aunt GiGi

Happy Birthday Angie. Love you and can't wait to see you and the kids in a couple of days.

Happy late birthday to Dad Poling, who turned another year older, don't worry Dad, I won't tell anyone that you turned 60 this year.

Love You.

Our New Nephew!

Our new nephew is finally here, after almost a 3 week visit in Toledo Hospital, Amy finally had her new baby boy. Alexander James (AJ) was born on 3-3-09 at 4:46 in the afternoon. 9# 3oz and 21" long. Both are doing very well and are now home enjoying each other. We were able to visit Saturday, here are a few pictures:

Uncle Homey and AJ

Aunt Jen, Jackson and AJ

Jackson with August and Gabby

We were all very excited to see the new family member. Jackson was a little disappointed because he thought AJ would be able to get down on the floor and play like he does with his other cousins. Either way, AJ will grow up way too quickly and Jackson will be able to teach him all his bad habits.

Making Daddy's Lunch

With both Joe and I laid off these last couple of weeks (me...since December 28th), of course, money is tight so I agreed to make Joe his lunches this week since this is his first week back. I thought the process of making lunch would be fun for Jackson and something he and I could do together. Below are some pictures Joe took of Jackson helping Mommy make lunch.

9 YEARS AGO...

It's hard to believe that it has been nine years already since Joe and I lost our first child.

2/17/2000

We try to make an attempt to travel back up to the U of M to look at the Magnolia tree that was planted in remembrance of our baby. I can remember our first trip, the October in 2000 (our first "Walk to Remember") that all of our families traveled to Ann Arbor with Joe and I. What a special and heart warming day that was for everyone. We still have the shovel that Brock used to help plant the tree and we have since received another shovel from 2 years ago when we went back up with Jackson and he helped plant another tree for other babies lost that year.

We were able to go yesterday to look at our tree and see how big it is getting. Below are some pictures that were taken.

Buds already on our tree...

We appreciate every one's support over the years and couldn't have made it as far as we have without every one's help. Thank you all for what you have done, the many talks, the listening without judging and forgiving all the mistakes we have made.

Loosing our baby in 2000 was difficult and only one person knows why we were not meant to be parents at that moment in our lives. In my heart, I believe He thought we were not ready and that our time was when we met Lois and Jackson. I'm grateful for Jackson and couldn't be happier to be his Mommy. He helps me answer why Joe and I lost our baby in 2000.

Even thought we were not able to ever hear our first baby cry, see him or her smile, hold our child in our arms or touch each of the fingers or toes, we heard a beating heart and saw a picture and the loss is still the same. I will forever wonder if we would have had a boy or a girl and how different my life would be today with an eight year old.

Thanks again to everyone who has given us support in the past and continues to provide encouraging words when needed. We love you all.

The Ringman Wedding

Here are some pictures from Ben and Angie's wedding / anniversary party from Friday:

The Poling Family, all dressed up!!!

Mommy and Jackson...

The Beautiful Girls and Handsome Soldiers...

Daddy (Ben) dancing with Riley.

Ben and Angie "feeding" each other cake...lets just say that the bride WON!!!

Picture taken at the church, before the alcohol...

Daddy and Jackson once they got home...

Jackson smiling, but with tears in his eyes because he didn't want to go to bed...

We had a wonderful weekend with everyone. Joe was able to go out with the boys Thursday night drinking. I spent most of Saturday sipping on water and taking Motrin due to my drinking on Friday, but overall we enjoyed every bit of the wedding preperations, the ceremony and the reception that followed.

?????MOVING?????

Are we moving? NO, I just finally got tired of being a pack rat and Joe and I went through each room and did some really good cleaning. I will have pictures of the house posted later this week but wanted to post a few pictures from earlier today and the amount of trash that was picked up. I can only imagine what the garbage truck guy was thinking when he pulled up to our home this morning. It was a huge relief to go through the house and throw away things we have been holding on to for YEARS!

Finally...some pictures!!!

Here is a variety of pictures that I finally added from the trip. Sorry, it's taken so long!

Jackson and I watching the sun set, of course him being cheesy...

The sunset that we were watching...

Jackson eating one of the chocolate strawberries that his Grandma made...he loves his chocolate.


Watching a movie...with Midnight!

Crawling through the "Shrimp Net" at the Mote Aquarium...

Touching a stingray in the touch tank at the Aquarium. He actually touched 3 different sting rays and each time he touched one, he would stand up and cheer, like he had just scored a touch down. Everyone around the tank absolutely loved him.

My dad found a "Gator" hat that fits Jackson, a little big, but he can grow into it. He loves the new hat and as you can see, the camera is another like of his.

Jackson in his "Gator" hat...kicked to the side, just a little, so he can be cool!

Papa would splash Jackson each time he threw a shell at him...I don't know who was having more fun!

Jackson playing in the water, actually throwing shells at Papa...

Another picture of the sunset...but it's cold!

We love you all and miss everyone very much. We both have enjoyed our time in Florida and getting to spend the extra special time with my parents and Grandma.

A little Crazy lately...

I will try to add a few more posts in the next couple of days...it's been a little crazy the last couple of days here. Potty training is NOT going well...between the Jackson melt downs and Mommy melt downs and the fact that both he and I are just as bull headed as the other doesn't help the situation when everyone has to have patience!!!!!! Also Grandma Bales spent a couple of days in the hospital due to dehydration. She got home today and is extremely tired but she is home and that's all that counts.

Love and Miss everyone. More posts tomorrow.

Playing in the Water

I hope you are able to enjoy the video I was able to get the other day while Jackson played in the water in the Gulf. Nothing was better than hearing him laugh and watching him playing in the waves with his Grandpa. Brings back many memories of when I was a kid and doing the same things with my parents.