easter 2006

This marked our first Easter as a family of four. We spent the afternoon out in Centenniel with Grandpa Gbo, Grandma Sade, Auntie Afusat and Uncle Tolu. Here are a few pictures from the day.

We enjoyed good, good conversation over a great meal. I loved listening to my dad and his wife talk about decisions they made as parents. How amazing to hear their perspective and insight now that I'm a parent. It was even more amazing to watch my kids love on their grandparents. Here they are with their "Dampa Bo"

It was a treat to see and spend a little time with Tolu, especially since we weren't expecting to. He found a last minute deal into town - to our good fortune. He returned to Dallas Sunday evening to finish his last quarter of school. Unbelievably, he graduates with his MBA from SMU in a few weeks... it seems like he just got there, and now he's nearly done!

This is one of my favorite memories from the day... sitting back and watching my kids with their daddy. In many ways, Cole and Maya don't "get" what Easter's all about, but then again, they do. Just in little moments like this one, they are learning about the Father and His heart for them. I love that.

the short of the long

Our story has been in the works for 10 + years. It began in January 1995, when we had our first conversation on the "convo stairs" at Pepperdine. Paul and I became friends almost instantly and began dating while studying abroad in Heidelberg, Germany in 1996. Our five year courtship was thrilling, tumuluous at times, but always transforming. It culminated on our wedding day, April 1, 2001. So far our marriage has been an amazing ride. Our friendship is strong and so is our love for each other. We celebrated our fifth anniverary a few weeks ago.


This is Maya. She joined our family in of 2004, but visited me in my dreams a year before. She is the most remarkable little two year old. She has an amazing sense of humor and a compassionate, considerate heart. She loves to sing, dance, paint and play. She loves to make her brother laugh, and she is enamored with her daddy. She is in the throes of potty training, and recently said goodbye to her nighttime companion, her passy. Right before our eyes, she is becoming a little girl.

And this is Cole. He has been the most pleasant of surprises. He was born in June 2005, but I dreamed of Cole the night before we found out we were pregnant with Maya. What an amazing moment it was to finally meet him two years later. Cole is a passionate little boy who is ALWAYS on the go. His laughter is contagious and his smile will melt the hardest heart. He adores his sister, likes to play catch, and recently discovered the wonder of stairs.


This is our family. A blessing. A gift. These are our stories.