These days...

you can find me here:

http://stephanieperdue.me

My Judd

Dear Judd,

Your sixth birthday has come and gone and I am still in shocked that it happened so quickly.  In a flash you have grown taller, more able-bodied, and smarter. Though I tease you all the time about not "letting" you grow up, it is so fun to watch. You are such a neat, special boy and there are so many reasons to be proud of you.

You love sports.  Sports is your thing.  You will tackle any and all sports with gusto insisting that you must be the best at any you try. You have a determination and a willingness to practice and succeed that I have never seen before.  Not in someone your age.  You are such an amazing baseball player and have such a heart for the game. It amazes me how quickly your brain works, and that doesn't include only in baseball.

You started Kindergarten this year and you are doing so well. You continue to amaze me with your reading abilities and math is still a breeze.

Do you see this smile?  Your smile lights up my day, everyday.  You have such a pure heart.  You love to see other people happy.  I love to see you happy.  You get so excited about simple things that sometimes it makes me pause to think about life and what it really means. Judd, you are mature, smart, social, athletic, committed, and polite.  I could go on, listing your qualities, and it would sound like I was bragging.  And, perhaps I am.  But, really I list them in true amazement because, even I, as your mother, am blown away by some of them.

You are 44 inches tall and 52.6 lbs.  You are going to be taller than me before we know it.  I love you so much Judd.  I think about that day 6 years ago when you were born.  You changed my life for the better and I'm so happy I'm your mom. 

I haven’t completed and interview with you in a few years so I thought it would be fun to do this year.

Interview with a 6 year old, Judd Perdue:

What is your name? Judd Perdue

How old are you? 6

Who is your best friend? Jake Perdue/ Jake Lane

What is your favorite food? Egg Sandwich

What is your favorite animal? Meerkat

What is your favorite color? Red

What is your favorite movie? Wreck it Ralph

Who is your favorite person? Brother and sisters

Who is your brother? Jake

What does mommy do? Shrug shoulders: wash clothes

What does daddy do? He plays with us.

What do you want to be when you grow up? A Pastor

What’s your favorite sport? Baseball

What do you love?  Daddy and Mommy.  I love you too Judd Perdue, I love you too.

Sadie's TuTu Cute

As the sun sets on your second birthday, I want to take time to reflect over the past two years.  My little spitfire, you turned two today.  What a fun little personality you have.  Well, it’s fun most of the times. It's been a wild 2 years too! You are so sweet and spunky and sassy and a bit crazy.  You are a great source of joy and my biggest energy drain (next to your siblings). You keep me going, you keep my laughing and man, oh, man do I love seeing you smile. You are very resilient at finding creative ways to get what you wants, whether that is climbing on a table, standing on top of a chair, using scissors, or whatever else it may take.  I feel like I am always on my toes watching after you, little munchkin! I want to attempt to take a snapshot of what you look like right now. I never want to forget these sweet days of your life. 

Sadie's Sayings 
hep you mommy
i go with you mommy
i do it mommy
me self
sure mommy
you like eggs?
your toes so pretty mommy
pretty dress, Anna Kate
Don't touch it, Anna Kate
my baby sleeping mommy, don't touch it
Write name, mommy
Play Piano on phone, mommy
Go high, Daddy
You amaze us everyday by the things you say. 

Sadie's Songs
Jesus I know (Jesus Loves Me)
Joy
Bible

Favorite Books
Jesus is with me
Brown Bear Brown Bear
Fancy Nancy
Quick as a Cricket

You thoroughly enjoy going to SBC Kindergarten on Tuesday and Thursday. I do believe it is the highlight of you week. We have come to realize that you LOVE to be around people. however, you are much more social when I am not around. You can count to 10 skipping 6. You sleep with your blanket and a pink kitty. I look forward to the miraculous day that you are not miserable in the car. Oh what a day that will be!!! We are so thankful for these two precious years since you joined our family and look forward by God's grace to many many more. You are loved. 

For the time you have given us with this sweet girl.

I know that each year, each minute is a gift

I do not take that for granted.

Please, please, please, give us many more birthdays with her.

Put in her heart a unique love for you.

May she recognize your voice when you call her by name.

Help us to train her well, to love her well, to know her well.

Thank you.  Thank you, Lord.

Amen.

The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. - Numbers 6:24-26

Thankfulness #551-558

551. I simply love Thanksgiving. 

552. I love my kids excitement to help with anything in the kitchen

553. Christmas trees adorned in sparkling lights

554. spending a day Christmas shopping for the kiddos

555. the love and salvation from Jesus Christ

556. rearing our children through the love of God

557. rearing our children to grow in the knowledge that salvation is meant for them

558. being Jim's wife and mother to his children - there is no one I would rather share my life with

This Little Book

In a series of random events within 24 hours, I began to figure out some pretty life altering news. Early in the morning on October 16,  during school I was discussing with the children how God designed fish to have fish, dogs to give birth to dogs, people birth babies, etc... They all looked at me and said "Let's have more babies." Why would they say such....

Later,  I took the three oldest kids to the library. This is a pretty normal outing while Sadie is in her class at Second. I like to go get the books that we will need for school without help from a two year old.

As soon as we walked in the library, Judd walked up to me and handed me this book:

I kind of chuckled and said "Why this book? You are already a big brother, twice." He said "I think we should take it home." So, I put it in the bag. What's the big deal right, its just a book!

Once we got home, I started thinking hmm..! Why so much baby talk today? I whipped out my handy dandy iPhone and started counting days on iCal. Just about the time I should have stopped I kept on counting. I was up pretty high for me...OOPS!! It was at that moment I recalled a conversation that I had with my mother-in-law just the day prior. We were discussing OB/GYN doctors. I specifically told her, "We are not having a baby. It wasn't happening." She proceeded to tell me "you never know what might happen." YIKES!

I talked to Jim that night and we both just laughed and said there's no way. So, I waited and waited and waited a good week before buying a test. On October 22, Sadie's second birthday, I was positive we were having baby #5.

In disbelief, we waited 4 1/2 weeks to go to the doctor to see that tiny little heartbeat. It is such a precious sight to this mommy's eyes. We are due June 25. A summer baby will be a total change for this family. We are surprised, extremely grateful, and anxious as we await the arrival of this new little one. However, I can tell you that these four and beyond excited:

Flag Football

The past few months our Saturday's have been filled with football. This is the boys first season playing flag football and they both LOVED playing. They have anticipated playing for several years. Jake scored 10 touchdowns this year and Judd scored 8. The Perdue boys are sad to see the season end.

October Update

This is what we have been up to this month: