Manning Beach Trip 2012

What a blast we've had with Steven's family this week at Emerald Isle, NC. This week has certainly confirmed how blessed we are to have the family that we do. I have loved watching my niece and nephew play enthusiastically with the twins and to see them be so sweet all together. We went to the aquarium this morning, it's the twins second year going but this year they REALLY loved it!!! Berkley was the most excited about the jelly fish and Meredith loved splashing in the water while sting rays swam by. Berkley didn't get into the ocean the entire week, he did however love the pool. His favorite was holding onto daddy and jumping into the pool. By our final night he jumped in all by himself and kept asking Steven to get further away. Meredith is my ocean beauty. She loved going into the ocean, as long as it was calm. She'd ask to go further and further out. What a great week!

Manning New Addition

Steven and I are excited to announce that we are expecting a new little Manning, due to arrive on March 21, 2013. I'm nearly 8 weeks along and had an ultrasound last Tuesday that showed the pitter patter of our new baby's heartbeat. What a welcome sight indeed! This pregnancy was unexpected, we were actually thinking how content we were and had agreed to not even discuss having another child until next year...then, enter God! I mean, many of you recall the struggle we had to conceive. We had to use clomid, to have the twins and now, we get pregnant when we're not even trying! This is God's baby and He's got a plan for him or her already! We're surprised, but very happy that God has given us this blessing that we didn't even know we needed:). We've already told the twins and they are excited. Meredith asks me why it takes so long to grow a baby. They will be just shy of their 4th birthday when the baby arrives and I think the timing of everything is perfect! And for those of you who can't help but think it, no, this is not twins. Only one baby this go round and I'm pretty excited to see what caring for one infant will be like! Here's out first glimpse at our new miracle!

Time With My Bestie

July was a good month for us for many reasons, but one of the greatest was that I had the opportunity to spend some time with my best friend, Andrea Sutton, and her beautiful family who were visiting from Mesa, AZ. I only get to see her about once a year, but it's crazy how it feels so normal to have our families together, we pick up right where we left off. Her grandparents hosted a scrumptious feast in her honor and we were so blessed to take part. Andrea's mom has a great eye for photography and captured some beautiful shots during our visit. By the way, Andrea and I are totally scheming to get her son, Benjamin, and Meredith together one day. I think they are pretty adorable together:)