Unexpected

Breakfast time

2011-09-27T07:41:00.006-05:00

Here are some pics from breakfast time this morning. Tucker had just finished eating and he was sitting in his chair watching Super Why. He is just so cute and a total mess! He is into everything now. He is crawling everywhere and pretty fast too! I have to keep my eyes on him at all times!!

I enjoy the days that I get to spend with him. Today was the first day that he sat still for about 2 or 3 minutes and we snuggled on the couch. He is such a blessing from the Lord.

Thank you Lord for blessing us with Tucker. He has made me realize that you are even more real than I knew you were before you brought him into our lives.I need you even more everyday so that I can be the best mother that I can be. Give me strength to be more and more like you.

I love ALL my family!!

Holly

**I added a few other pics from Tucker sitting on his Dinosaur and cooling it in his car.

Family

2011-09-17T20:43:00.004-05:00

I LOVE my family! How about you? I am thankful that I was able to be blessed to have my son Tucker. He is joy to us everyday even though parenting is that hardest thing I have ever experienced!! We recently got our family pictures back and I just wanted to share a few pics with you all. Enjoy!

Laughter.........

2011-05-18T10:29:00.003-05:00

A baby's laughter is better than anything I have ever experienced. Especially if that laughter is coming YOUR baby. I have always loved babies but none more than Tucker Layne Graham. Here is a clip of what I get to experience everyday and thank you Lord and thank you Travis for allowing me the opportunity to be a stay at home mom. When there are tough times because we don't have two incomes or I have been at home for 24+ hours straight without one breathe of fresh air I will try to remember videos like this:http://youtu.be/stfjyz4MD4s

My first Mother's Day

2011-05-13T21:55:00.003-05:00

Mercer and Tucker on Mercer's Baby Dedication Day

The whole crew

Me and Mercer on Tucker's Baby Dedication Day

Travis, me, Tucker and Pastor Steve

May 8, 2011 was my very first mother's day AND baby dedication day at Mars Hill BC. It was a VERY big day for me!! A memorable day...that's for sure!! Travis' parents and sister and my parents, brother, sister-in-law and neice were there to witness the event. It went great and Tucker behaved really well. He didn't scream or pitch a fit or mess up his clothes during the dedication(which I was worried about). I was so proud of him!!

Firsts.....

2011-05-02T21:57:00.002-05:00

Well, today we had a first. Tucker's first swimming experience. Well, it wasn't really swimming, just dipping our feet in the water because the water at our friends the Minter's pool (thanks Chad and Molly!) wasn't quite warm enough yet to actually submerge ourselves in the water. I think we might have started shivering if we would have went for a dip in the water so we decided to just play for a few minutes in the water with our feet. Tucker seemed to not mind the water. But he didn't go crazy for it either. Maybe come August he will really be able to enjoy the pool.

He is such a cute baby! He is smiling and cooing all the time! I just enjoy every moment we all have together....except for when he is screaming his head off in the car. But I still try to just thank God for him even though this is the toughest thing I have ever done in my life. I love Travis and Tucker so much and enjoy being their favorite gal....hopefully :)

Love you all!

Holly

3 months old......already!!!

2011-04-21T13:02:00.005-05:00

Can't believe Tucker is already 3 months old. Boy these months sure have passed by fast!!! He has been such a blessing to Travis and I!

We stay so busy with church and life that this time has gone by so fast with so many wonderful memories!!!

HAPPY 3 MONTH BIRTHDAY TUCKER!!!! (4-20-11)

LOVE YOU TUCKER

Cutest thing ever!!!!

2011-04-18T09:19:00.002-05:00

Look how happy he is in the morning!!!!

Coming out of a fog...

2011-04-13T15:42:00.003-05:00

Well, it has been 2.5 months since Tucker was born and it all seems like a thick fog that is finally thinning. Being a mom is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. After having Tucker I have realized how much my parents loved me and am thankful for all they did for me...even though they may not be thankful for everything I did to them:).

I am going to try, repeat is the key word, to put pictures of Tucker up pretty often so the family can keep up with how he is doing. As of now he is doing wonderful! 13 lbs(as of yesterday) and was 24 inches long at his 2 month checkup!!! He is a growing boy and amazed me everyday!!

Keep checking here to see if we have updated. Love you all!!

I still can't believe it!!

2009-12-27T18:02:00.008-06:00

The view out our front door.

The desk area.

living/dining area

entertainment center

to the right of our door

Well, we have been in Athens for almost a month now and it still seems like a dream. I still somedays wake up and think this can't be our life. After praying for soooo long for a ministry position, the Lord has truly blessed us with the youth and children position at Mars Hill BC. I thank the Lord daily for providing for us in every way we could ever have imagined. I am thankful that he has provided us a beautiful place to live, Travis a job, dependable vehicles, food to eat and a wonderful family that has supported us through it all.

We are now praying that the Lord will make it clear if He desires me to obtain a full time job or be available to help Travis in the ministry when needed. I just pray that everything is worked out to honor Him. I also pray that I strive to listen to Him and be open to do what the Lord desires and not what I want. Thank you for all your prayers thus far and continue to pray that we do God's work here at Mars Hill.

We love you all!

Travis and Holly

Pray, Pray, Pray and Praise the Lord!!!

2009-10-15T20:54:00.003-05:00

hello everyone. We need you to start praying. we are going for an interview on october 22 at a church in Athens, Ga. we have been praying about this job for 2 months and we have made it through about 5 stages of the interview process to this point. please pray that whatever the Lord's will is that we are patient and understanding of whatever he has planned for us and that we have faith that we will take care of us.

thank you for your prayers in advanced,
travis and holly

Beautiful Weather

2009-09-29T14:24:00.002-05:00

The weather today is beautiful! Thank the Lord for Fall!!

2009-09-26T21:44:00.003-05:00

Hello Georgia!!
We are back in Georgia!! We moved back to Georgia in June. We are currently looking for a church to serve in and Travis wants to work on his PhD. We have a lot of high hopes and we trust that the Lord is going to reveal his perfect will for our lives. Please pray for us.

Art Projects

2009-05-05T21:23:00.006-05:00

Here are some pics of some art projects I have been working on:

Travis made the table and I designed the mosaic top. We are a good team!!

Lost in the madness...

2009-02-24T20:52:00.002-06:00

I am sorry it has been soooooo long since my last post. It seemed to get crazy in October. We went home for Thanksgiving but it wasn't long enough. Then came back to work for a few weeks then came home again for Christmas. Being home for two weeks was awesome!! I loved being able to spend all my time with family and not have to worry about working. That would be one perk to being a teacher. Then ever since we got back from Ga it has seemed like we have been so busy with church, youth, teaching, keeping up with the house and everything else that I totally forgot about the blog.

Travis has been very busy also. He has been working at the church with the youth and he has also been substitute teaching almost everyday. He stays busy.

We are praying about a few things in our lives right now that can't be explained but I will let you know when those things follow through. Thanks for all your prayers.

We miss Ga and family VERY MUCH!! We love you all and miss you!

Travis and Holly

Visit from Mama and Daddy West

2008-10-07T20:50:00.010-05:00

This past weekend mama and daddy came to visit my birthday. They came on Friday and are staying until Thursday. Here are a few pictures of our week so far:

We went to New Orleans on Sunday and when we were there we got caught in a parade. I felt like I was at Mardi Gras but with out all the drunks!!

We got beads and we didn't even have to show anything off!!!

We were eating at Shaggy's on Friday night after they first got here.

Tuesday night we went to "Cruisin' the coast" in Pass Christian, Ms. There was a concert on the beach and all kinds of old cars. Daddy and Travis really loved the old cars!

Peace

my favorite car of the night

West Hancock Elementary

2008-09-22T19:38:00.010-05:00

Well, today we went to tour the new school. We have been waiting and waiting to move into this BEAUTIFUL building and we finally got to see it and let me tell you....it is unbelieveable!! I have attatched some pictures of our new building. Man! November can't get here fast enough!!! My classroom is going to be huge and state of the art!!!! I am so pumped!!

First, is the gym. It is top notch!!

Then the cafeteria. I love how colorful it is!!

The library

Me standing in front of the cubbies for the kids stuff.

A pic of the cubbies and some storage

One of the boards

Another view of the room

More Damage Pics

2008-09-21T14:54:00.006-05:00

Devastation Pictures from Hurricane Katrina

2008-09-20T15:39:00.008-05:00

Pictures of property in Pass Christian, Ms that were damaged during Hurricane Katrina. This is the city where the eye wall of Hurricane Katrina passed over. One of my coworkers lives in this town and gave me a tour and this is only a few pictures of what is STILL left over from the storm. Many people are still living in FEMA trailers or cottages. No one ever talks about how Mississippi got damaged from Katrina. All you hear about is New Orleans. It was a real eye opener. Many of my students have suffered mentally from Katrina. It is sad!

The only thing left from this home was the steps. They call them the "steps to nowhere"

Hello again...

2008-09-16T18:03:00.003-05:00

It's been along time since we posted our last blog. Yes, we are still alive after all the hurricanes and we didn't have any damage. Thank God. I sometimes ask the Lord why he moved us to hurricane alley!! But I have to just trust Him.

Anyway, I am counting down the days until my birthday because mama and daddy are coming to visit the weekend before and The Graham's are coming to visit the weekend after. It can't get any better than that!!

Hope everyone is doing well!

Love ya'll

Holly

Pics of My Classroom!!!!

2008-07-23T21:10:00.015-05:00

Here are the long awaited pics of my classroom!!! It is so very cute!! I am excited about finally being a teacher!!!
Travis working in my reading center

My table in front of the window

My bookcase

MY DESK!!

The cutest letters ever!!

My reading center

The welcome for my students

Character poster

birthday poster

The cutest calender ever

Travis First Blog

2008-07-22T22:12:00.003-05:00

Hebrew is hard! This summer, in order to fulfill the requirements to enter into the PhD program at NOBTS, I am taking two Hebrew classes. And might I say that Hebrew is ridiculously hard. For starters the characters look weird. Hebrew has dots for vowels. And it is backwards, that is it is written right to left not left to right. Needless to say, it seems a bit odd and strange.

However, through this experiencing I am clinging to two thoughts. The first is a thought from John Piper. Piper once said something like "if you rake leaves all you will ever get is dirt, but if you dig a little you might just find diamonds." I am praying for diamonds! The second thought is from Psalms 119. Psalms 119:11, "I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." And what better way to store up God's Word than in Hebrew!

Our Princess Izzy

2008-06-13T14:30:00.005-05:00

Izzy finally got a haircut today and she is adorable. Here are some photos:

Isn't she the cutest dog you have ever seen??

The ladies at the haircut place said she about licked them to death! they loved her!

June 20th can't get her fast enough!!

2008-06-12T18:30:00.004-05:00

CARRIE UNDERWOOD HERE WE COME!!!
I am happy to say that Travis and I went to pick up our Carrie Underwood tickets today and I am soooo excited!! We have 10th row tickets!!! I have wanted to see Carrie in concert for a very long time!! Since moving, we are closer to where she stops on her tour! I am very excited!!

Holly

Testing, Testing

2008-06-12T01:09:00.000-05:00

I set up a bulk e-mail to make sure everyone on my list is getting the e-mail when i put new updates on our blog. Just checking

Love ya'll

Travis and Holly

Travis and I went to the movies tonight to celebrate our anniversary and there was a photo booth there. I had to persuade Travis to do it but he was glad we did!!

It sure is strange...

2008-06-10T19:00:00.000-05:00

It sure is strange being here in Mississippi! I haven't gotten use to it yet....that's for sure! I want to thank mama, daddy, tom, linda and lauren for helping us get moved to Mississippi. I am so thankful that I have such a great family to depend on!!

Well I am trying to study for my Praxis test which is this saturday but as you can see i am on the internet. I am very bored out here. I sometimes feel like we live in a retirement community because it is so very quiet in our neighborhood. There is a plus to living here.....the beach!!!!

I am posting a pic of the beach 30 minutes from our house!! It is nice! but I sure do miss my family!

anyway, back to studying!!

Love ya'll

Travis and Holly

This is what Izzy does all day!!

the beach in Biloxi

What a Day!!

2008-05-11T22:03:00.000-05:00

I FINALLY DID IT!!!

On Friday, May 9th, I graduated from GSW in Americus, Ga. I was so excited my daddy said I smiled the whole time. I was so overwhelmed by how all the hard work paid off. Now...it has taken me a total of 10 years to get to this point but better late than never!

I am so thankful to Jesus Christ for all he has done for me and for all the times he has forgiven me when I was not forgivable! He is an amazing Savior! I also want to thank the Lord for Travis! He is the BEST husband in the whole world! I can't believe he even agreed to go on a date with me and then chose me to be his wife!! He is everything I could ever asked for! I want to thank my parents also for always believing in me when I did not believe in myself. For telling me I was intelligent when I kept saying I was too dumb for college. My family is amazing and I thank the Lord for them everyday. I thank the Lord for my friend Joanna! She was there through all the GSW drama and was my sanity when I was about to lose my mind at the awful school!! Thanks Jo I love you!
I love all of you who supported me and gave me encouragement when I needed it the most!!
Holly

Granddaddy Graham

2008-05-06T23:45:00.000-05:00

Well, this week has been rough! Travis' graddaddy fell and broke his hip on Monday. He is having surgery tomorrow around lunch. Please keep him in your prayers. He is in great spirits so that is a plus but he has a long road ahead of him.
Holly

Dun, Dun, Dun, Dun....Here comes the Bride

2008-05-06T23:33:00.000-05:00

My bestest friend Joanna gets married on May 31st. I am excited!! Here are some pics from one of her many showers.

Me and sweet Davis!!

Jaclyn, Mama Lynn, Joanna, and Mrs. Pattie

some of the Bridesmaids

This blog thing....

2008-05-06T21:57:00.000-05:00

Well Travis amd I wanted to start a blog so our families can keep up with us. June 2 we are moving to Diamondhead, Mississippi. These are just a few pictures of our new house. We are very excited about what God has in store us. Travis is taking some classes this summer so he can start his PhD in January and I start teaching in August. We are very excited!

Holly