Lakely Loo just turned 2!!

Wow!! Lakely's birthday week was absolutely fabulous! It started last Saturday with a fun day on the playground and a great Father's Day spent at Harbor Park for the Tide game Sunday.


Big girl crossing the bridge by herself


Play time @ the park with Daddy!





Ready for the game!


He stole a kiss on the ferry ride


I Wuv Daddy!

The Monday after Father's Day, Lakely and I headed back to Atlanta to see my best friend Lauren. She was in town from Germany for only one week and I had not seen her in a year! Lakely also got to spend some quality time with family, which was completely necessary for a birthday girl =) Lauren and I also took Lakely to the Georgia Aquarium one of the days we were there. She loved it! Her enthusiasm was much greater than when we took her at 6 months old!



Lunch with Great-Grandma Jane


Look Mommy!!!


Watching the dolphins


They were HUGE!


W/ Aunt Lauren


Say CHEEEESSSSEEEE!


Fish!


Doll house fun with Gramma


One last visit with Nana before we left


Sleepy girl heading to the airport w/Papaw

We flew home to Virginia accompanied by Papaw and Memaw for several days of birthday celebrating! We went to the beach, shopped, and enjoyed a house full of little ones on Saturday @ Lakely's party. All went as planned and every one seemed to have a great time!


Let the festivities begin!


Birthday Girl!


Amazing art work from a family friend!


Yay for presents!


Sweet girl


Chllin'


Cheese!


Our lil mermaid


Lakely & cousin Ava...so sweet!

Thankful...

This post won't be about our precious baby girl, but about the trials and tribulations of life in general. This particular week of June has been tough for me the past couple of years. It was this time in 2008 when I was working at Wachovia and everything took a turn for the worst. I had been with the company for a couple of years and at the time, was running the drive-thru. Nothing too peculiar had ever occurred while I was working at any branch, but this particular day was different. It was early morning, the drive-thru opened at 8:30am. We had regulars come through, nothing out of the ordinary...until 9:30am when hell broke loose. I was in the drive-thru alone helping a well-known customer when out of the blue, I hear screaming and yelling from behind me. I turn to see two masked men with rifles jumping over the front counter and then another rushing into my secluded room with a gun in hand. I fell to the floor and covered my head hoping I would disappear. Only to find a double-barrel shotgun in my face when I removed my hands to see if he was gone. He screamed at me and told me to get up and give him my money. I did as I was told holding my breath the entire time. I didn't want to look, touch, smell, come in contact with, or anything else that would make him feel threatened in any way. I just wanted him gone! As hours, (minutes really), went by, the three thugs threatened, robbed, and scared enough people for their liking, and decided to leave. My manager briskly followed them out and locked the door. Oh how the emotions set in. Seconds after realizing the ass hole that had scared me like non other was finally gone, the dam broke. I was alone, hysterical and in a ball on the ground having life events flash through my head. Just days before, Tony and I had started the "family planning" talk. What would have happened if the terrorist had ended everything for us? I could have been gone in seconds. I HATE him for making me feel that way and having my mind play the coulda, shoulda, woulda game.

I say all of this not to bring back the awful memories, but to recognize and remind myself that life is short and not to take things for granted. My little family and I just returned from a fabulous day at the beach and as I watched Tony and Lakely playing in the water it made me thank God for the way every thing worked out. We are all here, healthy and happy and there shouldn't be a thing in life that I question or pity. We have it made and I THANK GOD for it.