I'm typing in Arkansas...Chad has the Odyssey packed up and the plan is for us to leave around 4am. Although I'm looking forward to being home, I'm so sad to leave my hometown. We have had such a fabulous stay - my mom has spoiled us rotten with good food, babysitting,...but more importantly - with love! This has been such a great trip, despite the fact that it was less than a week long. We were able to attend LRC (Little Rock Church) and see many childhood friends....families who had a hand in raising me. There are way too many to name, but that is one of the things that I appreciate about LRC - it's truly like a family. We were able to visit with both sides of my family and even had time to go to two movies (Madagascar II and Four Christmases). I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving - I for one am more thankful than I think I have ever been!!

Happy as lark (thank goodness) as we drive to Arkansas...
Happy to be in Arkansas...and happy to have each other!
Rauly staring at the monkey bars...wishing she was just a lil' longer (as if she needs more height on those legs!).

Picnic at Pinnacle Mtn with Gigi, Pappy and Uncle Jacob...
Tuesday evening we met the Neal Family at Cici's Pizza. Zach and Sara Jo are friends from HU. Zach was one of Chad's closest friends and Sara Jo and I met through the two of them. We've managed to keep up with them over the years and Chad and I feel so blessed to count them as friends...it's rare that you meet a couple where you get along with both the wife AND husband, but we laughed and talked and reminisced for several hours...in fact, we thought the restaraunt was going to close on us. :) It was Carters b-day (he turned 6) on Tuesday, so Shepherd picked him out a b-ball present and it reminded me of the HU newborn sweatshirt we got for Carter when he was just a baby...my how time has flown!!! I got a picture of Zach and Chad but it wound up being blurry...hmmm...wonder why?...could it because of the 4 children that were running around us?!?! ;)



Carter teaching Shepherd how to shoot a gun...Carter is a pro!

We wound up paying a visit to HU - one of our favorite places in the world! We were only there for about 30 minutes...we had to meet my dad in Cabot and decided on a spur of the moment to drive to Searcy FIRST to see Harding. This is one of our favorite places on earth and we feel so blessed to have attended here - our kids are already excited about coming here one day!

In front of Kendall...one of the dorms I lived in while attending HU - it's pretty neat to stand in front of it and tell the kiddo's about the fact that momma' and daddy started dating while I lived there. They thought that was very cool!...especially when daddy started talking about his old motorcycle. :)


Daddy with our lil' Bison wanna-be...Shep was soooo proud of his jersey!

The Bison stompin' ground...
Gigi let Rauly pick out her b-day cake...it was pink and Hello Kitty themed - perfect!
Rauly's new cell phone and carrier - thanks Uncle Jacob!

Rauly's 25 year Anniversary Cabbage Patch Doll - Audra...thanks Gigi and Pappy!


Rauly turns 3 years old on Sunday - I can hardly believe that my baby girl has grown so fast! I'll post more about our lil' fire cracker later this weekend...