Our baby is 15!

I can't believe this precious baby is now 15!

1st professional picture at 6 weeks old.

 

Jacob Walker Rhone

born 12/29/98 at 10:18 am

9 lbs. 6 oz., 20 1/2" long

 

Seems like yesterday, seems like a lifetime, all at the same time.  Our baby boy we tried so hard for, a rough pregnancy, uncertain if he'd have health issues, but God blessed us with a perfect baby boy!  He completed our family and has brought such joy to our lives!  Even at 15, he is the sweetest, most loving, considerate young man.  Just when we thought our hearts were full, he always shows us there is room for more!

 

 Always a happy baby!

 

 One of Mom's favorite pictures!

 

 Always wanted to sleep after a bath!

 

Jake & Maw-Maw (I wish he could remember her, she loved him so much!)

 

Our birthday boy today!  Happy 15th Jake!

We love you!

 

 

 

Merry Christmas!

From our home and hearts, we wish you all a

very Merry Christmas and a

New Year full of love and blessings!

Brian, Jodi, Jake & Tyler

 

 My beautiful kids, Jake, Marlee, Tyler

 

 Marlee enjoyed opening her gifts!

 

Sure sign of a great Christmas!

Jake loved his new Alienware computer!

 

Tyler likes his new boots!

Today, we celebrate the birth of our Savior,

Jesus, the greatest gift ever given. 

Let there be Peace on Earth!

A Birthday Treasure!

 

You can't read it on here, but Mom faxed this to me the day

before my birthday, on 12/19/96 ... a treasure I'll keep forever!  I read it

every year on my birthday.  I wish Mom were here to celebrate with me, but

I know she's watching from Heaven and I often feel her presence! 

 

48 Today.  Some days I feel 48, some days I feel 38, and some days

 I even feel 78.  Wouldn't it be cool if once we reached a certain age

we could start taking years off instead of adding them?  Physically, anyway,

I'm not sure I'd want to go backwards mentally, spiritually, or emotionally! 

So, today, I'll be happy just being 48! 

 

 

A Time of Thanksgiving

Just a few pics from Thanksgiving week!  It was a cold, wet week, but we had lots of fun!  Zeph, Kai, & Piper were here for the week!

Piper Lynn

 Jake & Zeph

 

Kai, Zeph, Piper

Piper thinks Tyler needs some lipstick on!

Zeph, Piper, Kai enjoying the hot tub!

 Piper & Marlee snuggling

 Outdoor fun!

 Roasting marshmallows, the city way!

 Jake & Zeph clowning around!

The crew playing Risk

Thanksgiving Day!

 

Tyler, Marlee, & Crystal

 

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving and were so

blessed to share it with family this year!

 

My Angel Baby

 

I remember.  I remember the day like it was yesterday.  January 10, 1998.  The day I lost my unborn child.  We had been trying to get pregnant for a while.  I wasn't feeling well right after Christmas, but couldn't figure out what was ailing me.  I was at work this day.  I began bleeding, but it was different than a normal cycle.  I felt sick at my stomach, weak, and just knew something wasn't right.  I left work, bought a pregnancy test, went home and the test said positive.  I was excited and horrified all in the same moment.  I was pregnant, but something was terribly wrong.  I called my doctor, went to the ER as instructed, and was told they couldn't find a heartbeat.  NO, no, not my baby.  The baby we had been trying for.  The baby we so wanted.  What did I do?  Did I take any meds I shouldn't have?  Did the hustle and bustle of the holidays and lifting heavy items cause this?  So many questions and no one to answer them.  I stayed overnight in the hospital.  I left the next day and although I'd only known my precious unborn baby existed for a short time, I felt empty.  I was sad beyond belief.  I grieved for my unborn child.  I wondered what he or she would have been like, looked like, smelled like.  I grieved for our family, our little family of three.  Tyler was 6 and too young to understand.  He just thought mommy was sick.  We picked up the pieces of our broken hearts and mended them the best we could.  Life must go on.  I knew my baby was in Heaven, and we will meet someday.  I trusted God to take care of my child and prayed for another child for our family.  4 months later, we found out we were pregnant with Jake.  Although he completed our family, I have never forgotten my unborn child.  The love of a Mother will never sway and will always stand firm.

 

Until We Meet one day in Heaven,

Rest in Peace

My Sweet Angel.

 

Spoiled? ...not much

Tonight on our way to drop Jake off at youth group, he said "Mom, thank you for not spoiling me".  Wow, where did that come from?  He said "You and Dad have raised me just right and I want to thank you".  Wiping away a tear, I told him that as parents we always want our children to have a better life than we did, that we learn from our parents mistakes, appreciate the things they got right, and try to do better for our kids.  He said "I'm going to raise my kids just the way you raised me, because I can't think of one thing I'd change".  It was all I could do to keep from sobbing.  What a sweet young man we have!  He will be 15 in December and I can't imagine very many 15 year old (especially boys) telling their Mom this.  We truly are amazed by him and often wonder if he really "gets" that he's our inspiration to be better parents.  I can think of many things I didn't do right, or handle right, but evidently they weren't so bad that they made a negative impact on his life.  For this I am thankful and humbled. 

 

When I grow up, I want to be just like my son!

Just when I think my heart is full,

he always shows me there is room for more!

The Heart of Texas

A little late, but Brian, Jake & I took a mini vacation to our state's capitol right before school started.  We have lived in Texas for 22 years and I was ashamed to say that we, with the exception of Tyler, had never been to Austin.  We live close to the coast so driving north west was a treat!  The hills were beautiful and it was a nice change of scenery.  (Although I'm a swamp girl, and my ears started popping as soon as we reached Bastrop!) We stopped at "Little Mexico" on the way and had a little fun!

After checking into our hotel, and of course taking a couple pics, we headed to the campus of The University of Texas!

UT's campus is absolutely beautiful!  Brian was interested in seeing the infamous "tower" from where a sniper went on a rampage many years ago.  I enjoyed the beautiful landscaping!

Then we headed over to the State Capitol and the Governor's Mansion.  Truly beautiful and Jake loved the historical aspect of visiting the Capitol grounds.  I, again, enjoyed the beautiful landscaping!

 

We finished our evening off under the Congress Street bridge for the nightly "bat showing".  The bridge is home to the largest bat colony in North America.  Estimated to be between 750,000 and 1 million bats!  Wow, it was a sight to see!

 

 

Day 2 we headed to Inner Space Caverns.  We went 40 feet below the ground. 

The cave was very beautiful and it's amazing what Mother Nature can do!

 

 

After the Caverns we did the one thing Brian really wanted to do; eat at Top Notch Burgers, a hole in the wall joint that was featured in the movie Dazed & Confused.

 

 

We then rested at the hotel before heading out to beautiful Lake Travis for dinner!

 

 

Day 3 we took Jake to do a little kayaking on Lady Bird Lake, then we went to brave the cold waters at Barton Springs Pool.  The water was about 58 degrees in the middle of August!  I wasn't too impressed, but evidently it's a big hit with the town folks.

 

 

We finished off the day by having dinner and a movie!  We saw We are the Miller's, hilarious movie!  We crammed a lot into three days, but it was a lot of fun!

 

 

We only wish Tyler could have joined us!