August 30, 1958

How do you thank your parents for a lifetime of love?

I wish I knew the answer to that question.

Happy 50th Wedding Anniversary to my WONDERFUL parents!

I love you both so much.

Thank you for the amazing example you have shown my sisters and me!

BirthDAY Magic!!!

In case you don't know or haven't figured this out, I am ALL ABOUT birthdays ~ in fact, birthday WEEKS! We had Walker's party last Saturday, but his actual birthday was Wednesday which also happened to be his second day of kindergarten!

Hadlee was so excited to give Bubba his card and couldn't wait for him to get in the car after school...


Birthday Boy came bebopping out with his teacher and in his birthday hat! He took cupcakes to celebrate with his class. He jumped in the car & immediately wanted to show me the pictures he had colored at school (it was red day). I was telling him how good they were when he said, "I know. I am going to skip a grade!" I was so caught off guard and laughed out loud! Nothing like confidence during your first week of kindergarten?!?

Then Daddy showed up with a VERY special gift from Golf Father. This is a good friend of Troy's from work (and a great family friend). His name is Larry (actually we call him Big Guy) and he loves to play golf. When Walker was born we chose Kelli as God Mother & Big Guy as GOLF Father. He has been wonderful to Walker especially on Walker's sixth birthday...

He got Walker a REAL golf set!!!

Walker was so proud...

...and so was his Daddy!

What a COOL gift!!!

Golf Father, what time on Saturday morning?!?

Golf Father even treated Haddie Girl to a Toys R Us gift card...

Thanks, Golf Father! We love you!!!

The Big Birthday Boy...

More presents including a model airplane from Daddy, a slinky, new cars from Haddie, trains, and even locks like Luke has!!! Haddie had treats, too!

We love LOVE love our six year old boy!!!

Off to Chuck E. Cheese (Walker's choice) for a birthday dinner...

Walker is a CHAMP at Skeet Ball! Where do I sign him up for the skeet ball team?!?

Walker wanted to take these two pictures for his new teacher, Mrs. Hentshel. Walker says that she loves Clifford (the big red dog has always been a favorite around our house, too!)...

Nothing like a little sibling rivalry...

Grand Prize Winner at SKEET BALL! No joke!!!

Haddie Girl makes a pretty cute present in my eyes...

...and so does Walker!

Happy Birthday, Sweet Boy.

Mommy loves you the most times infinity!!!

(If you look very closely at my picture, you'll see the beautiful clip on earrings that Walker won for me at Chuck E. Cheese! I will treasure them forever! That's my boy!).

First Day Bliss (and Blues for Mommy!)

Check out my BIG BOY who started kindergarten on Tuesday!!! What a day!


He be-bopped around the entire morning & all the way down the hall to his classroom! Miss Prissy Pants was the one who was not so sure about Bubba leaving...

Arriving at South Bosque Elementary...bliss for my boy & blues for mommy (and I think Daddy, too!)!!!

Waiting to walk down to his classroom...

AHHHH, Walker's sweet & beautiful teacher this year...
Mrs. Hentschel!!!

We could tell that Walker was all of the sudden rather apprehensive, but he was so brave and got right to work on his coloring...


It was a loooooooong day (FOR MOMMY!) wondering about Walker all day and I couldn't wait to pick him up (in fact, I got there so early - before anyone else - and felt silly so I went shopping and then returned)! Walker needed a first day treat anyway...

This is what I relied on throughout the day. Walker made this in Pre-K in Mrs. Cox's class & I will treasure it forever! Thanks, Mrs. Cox...we love you!


Finally, I had my boy & he was SO HAPPY!!! Right when he got in his seat he had this grin on his face and said, "I had a good time." Then with a funny little smirk he said, "Even though I didn't think I would!"

Here he is telling Daddy all about his first day...

He opened his gift and it was the SKUNK Webkinz...

...I chose this to remind him that kindergarten doesn't STINK!!!

We then went to pick up Hadlee at Grandmother's...
they were so excited to see each other!

As you know Walker's birthday was the very next day. He begged, pleaded and pulled out all the stops...

...to open one present early (of course the biggest one!)...

How could we turn down our new little kindergartener!?!


WOW, I can't believe we have made this rite of passage...I must admit that I think it was a little bit harder on mommy (oh well!)! My dear friend Robin texted me as I was leaving Walker's school that morning and she said, "GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF HIM" (Robin knows me all too well!). That was just what I needed to hear at that time ~ and oh how true it is. I am excited for this new beginning and all that lies ahead!

Way to go, Walker Man! We are so proud of you!!!

The Birthday Boy

Happy Sixth Birthday to the Little Boy Love of my Life...Walker Dalton Pierce!!!

I really can't believe it has been six years since I gave birth to this little guy. WOW! Six amazing, wonderful years. Troy and I tried for almost two years to get pregnant with Walker. It didn't seem that long to me (except for the seven day stretches of you know what each month!). Troy was definitely ready for kids sooner than I was, so this time period was really okay with me. God knew what He was doing on the timing thing (as usual!).

I remember hugging and jumping up and down and crying and running around our house the night we got the positive pregnancy test. I remember taking THIS picture of my flat stomach ~ yes, that was the last time it was ever that flat! ha!
It was just an unbelievable time. The pregnancy was fairly easy ~ just extreme fatigue, a pair of brown cordury Gap pants that literally made me vomit if I saw them or thought of them, and kankles like no other. Then Lil' Guy as he was referred to during the pregnancy decided he really didn't want to come out of Mommy's nice, big comfy tummy. Two weeks after his due date, my doctor finally induced me ~ and after about 27 hours of that & one moment of me telling my Aunt that I really didn't think I could handle a minute more of labor (to which she replied, 'oh honey you don't have a choice at this point!'), Walker Dalton Pierce made his debut into this world. He was plump and pink and so handsome!!! Weighing in at 8 pounds 13 ounces, Daddy was over the top excited with his long awaited son & I knew at that moment my life was complete. We had a huge crowd in the waiting room ~ I guess about 25 or so people. Proud Daddy Troy went out to announce the arrival ~ with tears ~ as he shared the name and the meaning of the middle name (Dalton). The 'Dal' is for Troy's favorite man - his Grandfather Robert Dallas and the 'ton' for my favorite man ~ my Dad Welton Harold.

Right after we checked in August 26th ~ I had NO idea what that night & the following day was going to hold...

Here are probably my most treasured pictures...these were taken in the wee hours of the night (or morning!) when Walker was about five or so hours old. Unbelievable.

Walker was a DREAM baby from day one. He slept through the night every night we were in the hospital! It was CRAZY wonderful! Those nights of just Troy, myself and our beautiful baby boy in our dark, cozy hospital room were truly some of the most amazing moments of my life. I was just consumed with love and gratitude and faith and peace. If ever I had doubted God, those moments were washed away.

We brought Walker home to his beautiful baby blue room his Mamaw and PaPa Jimmy helped create and to his precious bedding his Grandmother and PaPa had bought for him. Oh and the sweet clothes and toys from ALL of our wonderful and amazing friends and family. These were just precious, precious times.

Walker continued to be such a good baby! I really didn't have to work very hard at all to get him into a routine...he was a natural (and all of my good reading paid off, too!)!

I fell in love with my husband all over again watching him in his new & most coveted role ~ Daddy.

"Walker D" as we often called him came fully equipped with a personality like no other! As he became mobile, I quickly realized my 'easy' days were over. That boy was EVERYWHERE, ALL THE TIME! All boy and always 100%! And smart, he has always been like a sponge ~ he would sit in the bath tub and find the specific foam letters I asked for before he was even TWO! These six years have been one fun & interesting ride with that boy!!

And the phases...oh my his phases. I think I'll just allow his birthday party pics to demonstate this point ~

First Birthday...okay, so I got to choose this one ~ baby boy baby blue of course!

Second Birthday...Choo choo chugga chugga, Big Red Car, Walker was WILD about The WIGGLES!

Fort Walker was built for this birthday!

Then we had to see the Wiggles LIVE in Dallas...

Walker was in shock (so were we!)...

That's Walker on Troy's shoulders on the left ~ Jeff is waving at him! ha!

Such an adorably sweet two year old...


...AND wild!!!

Third Birthday...Thomas the Train and nothing but Thomas the Train. Whether it be wooden, battery powered or take along ~ it was Thomas and his friends. Surely Troy & I own part of the Thomas the Tank Engine Empire.

Our first 'Day Out With Thomas' in Grapevine...

Early on in his collection...

"Day Out With Thomas" in Austin...

He knew (knows) every single train's name...

My THREE year old...a pure delight ~


It was in April while Walker was three that he took on his biggest role yet...BIG BROTHER! And in such a sweet, amazing way. He loved Haddie from the moment she was born & he hasn't stopped!





Fourth Birthday...Lightnin' McQueen fast ~ we are nothin' but into Dixney Pixar CARS. Full Speed!

He wanted to live in this outfit that Kelli G. got him (as a joke to me!)...

Fifth Birthday...snakes, crocks and Steve Irwin mania "CRIKEY"!!!

You guessed it...the Steve Irwin stand-up was a gift from the Reeds!!!

This was the craziest party yet...

First team sport...SOCCER!

Sixth Birthday...pretty much still all of the above (except for Wiggles!) and now soccer, lots of friends, t-ball, riding bikes and Under Armour clothing!

Throw in an Aggie jersey and hat for the last three years; add in the sweetest, most devoted love for a little sister; and a heart that cares and loves quite deeply for a little boy; a sweet love for Jesus and you have my six year old little man, Walker Dalton Pierce. I have laughed more, loved more, smiled more, and thanked God more since August 27, 2002. For this, I will forever be thankful.

Happy Birthday to the best little boy I've ever known!

Mommy and Daddy love you more than words & pictures (even on a blog!) could EVER express!