Daniel and Renee Miles

Little Drummer Boy

2012-01-27T14:02:00.003-05:00

Jack l.o.v.e.s. to make a beat on anything he can find. I caught these during our worship band practice. Jamie is a great encouragement to our little drummer boy! :D

Christmas at the Beach

2012-01-16T15:44:00.003-05:00

This year was Christmas at the Beach. We were fortunate to have all of my immediate family there. My sister who lives in Korea was home, and my sister whose family has been having some health issues was able to travel and be with us! We even got to have Papa and DiDi White with us! It was a wonderful time together and I felt really blessed with the family the Lord has given us.

Very curious... and only looking with his eyes!

Baby Rachel. Looking healthy and hasn't had any seizures in awhile! Thank the Lord.

Aunt Katie with Jack. He's wearing the Korean shirt she brought him.

***I realize that I didn't have a picture of my mom and brother, or Grandmother! I stopped taking pictures after awhile because there were so many cameras around and decided to get other's pictures... but failed to do so! ah! All that to say, there will be more pictures to come!***

Great-Grandparents, pt. 2

2012-01-16T11:50:00.002-05:00

What a treat to spend Christmas with ALL of Jack's Great-Grandparents! For Christmas day we were able to spend it with my Grandmother and then over New Years, we were able to spend it with both sets of Daniel's Grandparents. We are so blessed to have them and to know them so well! They have truly left a legacy that honors and blesses the Lord. Thank you, Lord, for them and how they still speak truth and love into our lives.

Great-Grandparents, pt.1

2012-01-16T11:21:00.003-05:00

While with Daniel's family, we were able to go spend some time with his Grandparents (Jack's Great-). It was a very special time of just enjoying each other and visiting with Grandpa Miles since he's been very sick lately. Daniel loves old pictures of his family and he found this one on the refrigerator while we were there. Can you guess which one is Daniel?!

Grandpa with the newest great-grandbaby!

A Shared Love

2012-01-16T10:57:00.003-05:00

Jack has a shared love with his Father and Grandfather Miles... fish tanks! It was almost as mesmerizing as the television. His cousins loved it, too.

Jack and the Box

2012-01-14T22:30:00.004-05:00

This is what Jack looks like when he watches TV...

...must have been an intense moment.

The good guy always wins!

Okay, now he can take a break for a picture.

Sharp Shooter

2012-01-14T14:37:00.002-05:00

Just thought I would take a moment to brag on my sharp shooting husband, who shot this DIME on his first try!

He's Electric!

2012-01-14T14:27:00.003-05:00

A before and after that was just too funny not to share...

Before

After...

Jack and all his glory. :D

Merry Christmas 2011

2011-12-27T19:41:00.001-05:00

Bella at the Lake

2011-12-03T14:17:00.003-05:00

Jack versus the Exersaucer

2011-11-28T15:11:00.004-05:00

I can't really find words to describe this, except "hilarious." Maybe he had flashbacks to awesome moments in his excersaucer or maybe he saw the other cousins enjoying it and wanted in on the fun! Who knows!? I sure would love to know what's going on in that little brain.

A Few Favorites from Thanksgiving

2011-11-28T15:08:00.005-05:00

Of coarse, Thanksgiving wouldn't be Thanksgiving without this little man. We count him one of our many blessings.

We are definitely thankful for the lake... what a view to wake up to every day!

I think a Thanksgiving snooze is in order every year!

Family! Thank you, Lord, for our wonderful family.

Halloween High

2011-11-08T22:31:00.002-05:00

New miles-stone

2011-10-26T15:07:00.002-04:00

Jack is walking full-time now! haha.. I guess that is how one would say it. He's also started pointing at things and learning words faster; some of his new words are ball and fan. His little boy side is coming out as well... as you will see in the video below he's learning all kinds of new tricks. Mommy's not getting much done these days.

The Itsy-Bitsy Spider

2011-10-11T16:37:00.005-04:00

We've been talking about our Fall Festival at Church now for a couple of weeks and so we decided to get Jack's costume out and try it on before hand. Can you tell that he likes it?

Really, really likes it.

Showing off all his leggs... he's walking more than he's crawling now a days!

His outfit came with a hat; he didn't like it as much.

So, he went to find his own...

...and Mommy wore his and took a funny picture.

weekend photo-journalism style

2011-10-05T15:37:00.007-04:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-05T15:25:00.003-04:00

Step by Step

2011-09-15T22:16:00.002-04:00

We apologize that the video is sideways; you do what you got to do to get these moments on tape. He won't do this often, but when he does it is usually about 4 steps. He's gaining confidence though. It won't be long!

Red Fish

2011-09-08T21:19:00.006-04:00

Jack and I were excited to tag along on Daniel's fishing trip last week. Since we've moved to the Inlet, Daniel has been getting into saltwater fishing and learning the ins and outs....which I love. My family used to saltwater fish when I was a little girl in the same spot.

We went out to catch Red fish, but caught Blue Fish instead??? [Anyone singing the Dr. Suess rhyme in your head, like me? (smile)] They actually caught a Blue fish, Black Bass, Puffer, and numerous Pin fish.

As you can tell I didn't have a fishing license and Jack wasn't excited about being the object of a two hour photo shoot.

Papa love

2011-09-06T08:18:00.003-04:00

Happy Grandparent Day to all our (and greats, too!) grandparents!

We love you all!

She's here!

2011-09-01T11:31:00.007-04:00

Rachel Rambo, or “baby Rachel” as she has been so lovingly nicknamed by her brother and sister, has finally come! My sister’s third child was born last Wednesday, as healthy as could be; weighing 7 lbs. and 19 inches long.

“Isn’t she just the cutest thing” – Maddy

Proud Grandma. This is number 4! Two girls and two boys.

Whispering to her while in her swing – “You’re my very best friend.” - Alex

A little perspective on her size.

Jack looked so grown up next to baby Rachel.

Holding Rachel brought back lots of memories about Jack's birth day. He was practically the same size as Rachel - 7 lbs. 1.8 oz. There was something different about a baby girl though.

The siblings were able to come up the next day and meet Rachel for the first time! Maddy was so proud. They both wanted to hold her all the time.

Home coming Day! Maddy wanted to throw a surprise party for Rachel so bad. So she and Grandma made a banner, alot of sweet notes, and a bow (out of a pair of Maddy's pink pants!) for the mailbox!

Three generations

The Rambo Family

Birthday Boat Ride

2011-08-20T13:58:00.003-04:00

We decided that we would take a birthday cruise of sorts with Papa and DiDi the next day. It was a beautiful, cool morning and we rode the Waccamaw and PeeDee Rivers to look at the beautiful homes. Unfortunately, only a few of my pictures turned out decent. They were beautiful though.

As any good boat ride should do, it put Jack to sleep.

DiDi being funny on the boat.

As the noon day sun was starting to warm things up, we decided to stop and take a dip. Jack watched from the boat for awhile, but not for long!

Somebody turned 1

2011-08-20T13:22:00.002-04:00

Happy First Birthday to my Jack Finn. You are a wonderful gift from the Lord; I thank Him for you every day. You have filled your Daddy and my heart with so much more love and joy than we ever knew was possible. You're such a fun and funny kid. We look forward to all the adventures we will share. I cherish every smile, hug, snuggle, and kiss. You are my sweet lovin' baby who's now a boy. I love you as deep as the sea, Mommy

Pappa and DiDi came down to celebrate with us! We love and miss you! It was very special to have Great Grandma there, too!

We decided to have a small dinner with family for Jack's birthday. We cooked out and grilled a Boston Butt and some delicious vegetables and had lots of desserts!

We actually had three birthdays to celebrate Papa Calvin, Mine, and Jack's. Jack loved singing Happy Birthday three times, that was probably his favorite part.

Jack actually did very well with the cake. I anticipated the worst, with cake all over his head and face, but he must take after his Daddy because he was very clean about it. Notice the spoon in his right hand, while he dives in with the left.

We need to say a special thanks to Steve and Renee Large who made the cake for us! It was delicious; we all loved it.

And that is as dirty as he got!

Blue Pearl Farms

2011-08-10T09:29:00.007-04:00

Early Monday morning we set off in search of blueberries and dolphins. Rest assured we weren't looking for them at the same location. :) Unlikely combination, you might say; not in McClellanville, SC. We were invited to Blue Pearl Farms for some Blueberry picking and pulled our boat down, so that we could pop over to Bulls Bay in search of some dolphins.

These are actually Muscadine grapes. The owners told us that they found these vines in a patch of overgrowth! A true diamond in the rough.

I think we've found a new nic-name.

It was a neat place. And if you can see the bottom of the sign, it is advertising their Blueberry Jam! (Live music, Local foods, Blueberry Toss, and Bake off!) I think we'll be returning.

This was our crew. Altogether we picked 27lbs.!! They are so delicious, too.

The dolphins were very playful yesterday. This pair was alot of fun to watch. Unfortunately, I could only catch a few seconds because my memory card was full.

Bubble Wonder

2011-08-07T20:45:00.004-04:00

Santee Cooper: Family and Flatheads

2011-07-10T20:18:00.006-04:00

This picture is of Jack's foot and his great Grandpa's hand. The hand is approximately 28,000 days older than the foot...this picture tells me a great deal about life and all its seasons. Renee has a good eye.

When Katherine Bates wrote her rhyme about America she mistakenly left out the verse about Santee. I have tried my hardest to visit all the places she references in her poem, and they are all nice places, but they don’t beg me to stay. Santee asks me to stay, I tried to get this place out of me but it won’t let go. Other places may capture my immediate attention with their natural beauty, but Santee has made an indelible impression on me. And sometimes when I like awake at night and struggle to sleep, I look at the pictures of Santee in my memory and it is hard not to smile. It is peace. It is safety. It is family. It is frustration. It is biscuits, bream, catfish, eagles, watermelons, country ham, skip-bo, rook, bottled pepsi, gators, purple martins, and more than I can put a pen around.

This past week, 4 generations gathered to celebrate our independence. And as we celebrated, I remembered that we need each other…That God, being rich in mercy, has given us a few people in life we call family. These are the people we cannot get rid of, though we sometimes try. Stay close to your family. Santee is a place for me to reflect and let my heart start breaking again after it hardens in the real world. It is a place to be still and know that He is God.

On night one we caught a 30lb flathead, and on night two we caught a 40lb flathead.

Helicopter Ride

2011-06-24T00:03:00.004-04:00

Apart from the helicopter ride, we spent some time on the big tractor. Which was a huge hit! He's supervising his dad and uncle as they load the wood pile... pointing that finger telling them which one to get next!

Creek Heaven

2011-06-23T23:19:00.004-04:00

A family in our church allowed us to come over and rest at their home one Sunday afternoon. It was wonderful.

Not really sure where he learned that one. It's not one he sees at home! :D

Jack doesn't seem to be interested in crawling, so he's resorted to other methods. Which is fine by me. He's so wiggly I can barely hold him, now a days... I can only imagine what my days will look like when he's mobile.

Jack loves dogs. It would be hard not to feel special with the greeting Bella gets each morning. This is Gracie, our wonderful host's pet. Jack would just squeal with delight when she came near, but she kept a safe distance. I don't blame her. With Jack's love for pulling hair, I'd stay away as well.

Play hard, sleep hard

2011-06-07T21:22:00.003-04:00

I have been helping Daniel on his outdoor projects lately and to keep Jack entertained we pulled out his pool. It didn't take long and he was having a blast!

This picture cracks me up because I can hear myself telling him, "Jack, look at Mommy.... Jack." At least his face is turned my way! Too funny.

He loved playing with the hose. I would squirt him and he would just laugh and try catching the water. It was so wonderful and new to him...

He crashed pretty hard. This is the first time he's fallen asleep in his exersaucer.

Santee, Someone turns 30, and Snuggle time

2011-05-28T17:33:00.004-04:00

Those three sound like they should go together, right? We love Santee and go anytime we get a chance. So when Daniel's brother called for help on his house, we were there! All we forgot was Jack's bag! :) Which had a few essentials, like diapers and clothes. Thus the nakey photos.

The day was great for splashing in the water. Bella entertained Jack by showing off her mad retrieving skills and Mommy watched for alligators and snakes!

Jack didn't seem to have a care in the world.

Grandma stopped by the other day to rest for awhile. She has experienced another retinal detachment and was waiting on a call from the Dr. So while she was resting, Jack got to snuggle and "read" with Grandma. Made both of their days!

Mom is doing very well. Thank you to those who are praying. She had surgery last week and now has 6 weeks of laying face down for 45 minutes of every hour!

Daniel turned 30! We were with his parents for his actual birthday.

His mom made a wonderful icecream cake!

This last picture is what has occupied some of Daniel's free time! The weather is perfect for fishing! Some of our friends from Virgina were down and the guys got to go fishing (their catch below) and the girls (and Jack) went to the beach. Here are the 26 they kept... they caught around 50!

Jack's new toy box

2011-05-16T20:26:00.004-04:00

I guess we all knew this day was coming...

Caught him red-handed. Check out those chompers!

He is so pleased with himself.

Mother's Day Gardening

2011-05-06T13:59:00.006-04:00

For Mother's Day Grandpa bought Grandma a bunch of colorful flowers to go around the yard. They are gorgeous! And it is the perfect day to be outside working in the garden. Daniel helped them, while I watched the boys and took pictures! I would have an end results picture, but we had an afternoon shower while they were finishing up, so we came in early.

Their work...

My work... both cheerful options, but I think I had more fun!

It didn't take long, Jack is more fond of eating his glasses now than wearing them.

He's still all smiles, though. He l. o. v. e. d. watching his cousin run around and play ball. Jack wanted a "gun" (stick) like his cousin and enjoyed beating Colt in the head with it! Sorry, Colt! He really does love you. ;) We'll have to teach him to only shoot the blue and white deer....

Colt loved playing with this beach ball. I think because he could really make it move! As you can see below.

Bella enjoyed watching all the activity and going on a "hunt"with Colt.

Here Colt has sited a blue deer. Unfortunately, we had some malfunctions with the gun... we never could figure out what was wrong with it...

The Church: Your Home in this World

2011-05-03T10:34:00.005-04:00

It should not surprise us that in these last days the Church is being attacked even from within. My brother told me one time that “Christians are often times the first to kill their wounded”. However, the church is also being maligned from the outside. In recent days I have met numerous individuals who claim to wear the name of Christ but who blatantly refuse to meet with Christ’s bride. They say they do not need her or that they worship at the Ocean. This was not the attitude of those who went before us. While today people argue that there is no life with the church, saints before saw that they could live without the church.

Two unrelated books I have been pouring over correlate very well on the idea of dependence upon God. In The Indwelling Life of Christ, Ian Thomas makes the following statement concerning the subject of dependence:

“Every step you take, every attitude you adopt, every decision you make, everything you do and all you hope to be, is either in dependence upon the God who created you as His own dwelling place, or else the byproduct of the demon spirit of this world, “who now works in the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2), and who perpetuates his lies through a mind of self-reliance in fallen humanity” (The Indwelling Life of Christ, p. 33).

Next, J.I. Packer, in his introduction to the book The Art of Manfishing, states:

“The world-wide church, of which all Christian congregations are members, is the sphere of salvation as it maintains the ministry of the word and the sacraments and worships God according to his command. Christ is the Head of the church and through the Spirit the source of all its spiritual life, and the church must be the Christian’s home as long as he is in this world(The Art of Manfishing, p. 11).”

So while this world is not our home, the Church must be our home while we are in this world. We will fail to thrive if we attempt to live the Christian life apart from the bride of Christ.

It’s hard to improve on Samual Stone’s poem called “The Church’s One Foundation”:

She is from every nation,
Yet one o’er all the earth;
Her charter of salvation,
One Lord, one faith, one birth;
One holy Name she blesses,
Partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses,
With every grace endued.

The Church shall never perish!
Her dear Lord to defend,
To guide, sustain, and cherish,
Is with her to the end:
Though there be those who hate her,
And false sons in her pale,
Against both foe or traitor
She ever shall prevail.

New MILEStone

2011-05-02T14:48:00.004-04:00

Jack's finally up on all fours!

Dragon Boat Race 2011

2011-05-02T13:44:00.008-04:00

This past Saturday, we spent most of the day at the Annual Dragon Boat Race. The event benefits Ground Zero Ministries which works in local high-schools and middle-schools. This is our first year participating and/or attending, for that matter. We weren't quite sure what the day would hold, but we had a great time! Daniel rowed for "Parson Brown's Paddlers". Their color was Neon Orange. Between races we had fun hanging out with some of our good friends and fellow church members and getting to know some of the other boat "rowers".

There were many enthusiasts... here is a tamer one. There were quite a few people with spray painted body parts. Maybe its a new trend?...

As you can see, each boat had a drummer. They dressed up and were judged for best costume. Here are some of the boats.

O Captain! "our" Captain! Parson Brown.

A few last minute instructions. Paddling in-sync was the key to speed!

The instructors on the back of the boats were the professionals. They would paddle to her count.... while she would steer the boat. Daniel is the fourth from the back.

This is their first race... they pulled a full boats length ahead for the win! The races were quick and there was only one boat to flip over. It was a boat full of firemen. (smile)

Renee(#2) and I watched over the kids. I think we had the easier of the two jobs.

Poor Jack, played hard and slept hard, too!

Go, Labor On: Spend and be Spent

2011-04-27T15:39:00.003-04:00

Horatius Bonar (b. 1808, d. 1889) was a pastor in Scotland and a writer of hymns. His friend, Reverend E.H. Lundie, made the following statement at Bonar's memorial service:

"His hymns were written in very varied circumstances, sometimes timed by the tinkling brook that babbled near him; sometimes attuned to the ordered tramp of the ocean, whose crested waves broke on the beach by which he wandered; sometimes set to the rude music of the railway train that hurried him to the scene of duty; sometimes measured by the silent rhythm of the midnight stars that shone above him".

Today I learned of one of Bonar's hymns in the book, The Art of Manfishing, by the old Puritan, Thomas Boston. This hymn is entitled, "Go, Labor On: Spend and be Spent":

Go, labor on: spend, and be spent,
Thy joy to do the Father’s will:
It is the way the Master went;
Should not the servant tread it still?

Go, labor on! ’tis not for naught
Thine earthly loss is heavenly gain;
Men heed thee, love thee, praise thee not;
The Master praises: what are men?

Go, labor on! enough, while here,
If He shall praise thee, if He deign
The willing heart to mark and cheer:
No toil for Him shall be in vain.

Go, labor on! Your hands are weak,
Your knees are faint, your soul cast down;
Yet falter not; the prize you seek
Is near—a kingdom and a crown.

Go, labor on while it is day:
The world’s dark night is hastening on;
Speed, speed thy work, cast sloth away;
It is not thus that souls are won.

Men die in darkness at thy side,
Without a hope to cheer the tomb;
Take up the torch and wave it wide,
The torch that lights time’s thickest gloom.

Toil on, faint not, keep watch and pray,
Be wise the erring soul to win;
Go forth into the world’s highway,
Compel the wanderer to come in.

Toil on, and in thy toil rejoice!
For toil comes rest, for exile home;
Soon shalt thou hear the Bridegroom’s voice,
The midnight peal, “Behold, I come!”

Thomas Boston was a very intriguing character in his own right. He bore his heart on paper with a vivid transparency that is lacking in leaders today. I am thankful that we have a collection of the emotions of these old saints, here is one thing Boston said:

I think I have Spirit; that is, that I have life…from the following grounds…I have light that before I did not have…This light lets me see my heart-sins…and is still discovering the baseness of my heart to me…It makes me see Christ as precious…makes me trust in him…I lean on him for help in his own work…in temptations and trials, I endeavor to lift up my soul to him. I feel help…from the Spirit…Many times I have gone to prayer very dead, and have come away with life…I find a threefold flame, though weak, in my heart. (a) A flame of love to Christ…I have a love to his truths…I love the promises…I love his threatening as most just…I love those in whom the image of God appears…I love his work…I love his ordinances…I love his glory, that he should be glorified, come of me what will. (b) I find in my heart a flame of desires towards the righteousness of Christ….My soul…acquiesces in justification by an imputed righteousness…Sometimes my soul longs…to be dissolved, and to be with Christ…(c) I find in my heart some heat of zeal for God…I move forward towards heaven…I am more acquainted with Christ and his ways than before…there is a growth of love in me…I can, I think, trust God more now than before…my soul is habitually more watchful than before. Nor do I dare give such liberty to my heart as sometimes I gave…I see growth of contempt of the world. And this, blessed be God, is on the increase in me (The Art of Manfishing, p. 13ff).

Flounder at North Inlet

2011-04-27T13:25:00.003-04:00

The Southern Atlantic Flounder is finally finding its way back into the salt creeks after a long winter at sea. There were hundreds of flounder hanging out on the ocean floor Sunday night, but too many of them fell under the 14" limit. We came home with 10 which provided a great meal on Monday night.

Spring Cleaning

2011-04-22T20:54:00.006-04:00

One of my goals this week was to get the yard cleaned up. The inside of the house can wait... I can't be inside with this beautiful weather.

Jack was able to join me, between naps. I believe this was after several hours in the stroller. He was sitting upright, but must have become bored with that, turned himself around and upside down! This is how I found him when I looked over. I never saw it happen! I quickly corrected the situation and decided it was time to take a break to play.

When he was laying on his quilt, he would laugh at the swaying branches and the light playing through the leaves... it was a sweet noise to listen to as I worked.

And this is the final product. It looks alive... I love that about Spring - the dead is gone, the new has come! That reminds me of 2 Cor. 5:17, "If any man is in Christ he is a new creation. The old has passed away, and the new has come." And how timely on the weekend we celebrate our Lord's resurrection.

Here are some truths from his Word to meditate on as you prepare for Sunday.

"For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old [former] man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. . .
...Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him.... Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 6:4-11

"...you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience...

but GOD, who is rich in mercy! Because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ, and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus...
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." Ephesians 2:1-9

2011 Spring Lesson

2011-04-20T00:35:00.003-04:00

This past week the tent caterpillars came out in full force. They are everywhere. And I had the great pleasure of introducing them to Jack. I love my job!

IF...

2011-04-18T08:51:00.001-04:00

If you see this face, you know...

...He's about to do something that will either melt your heart or make you laugh!

...He could sleep if you laid him down, but he doesn't want to miss a thing.

...The melody that is continually playing within has found its way out.

...He's lost in loving thoughts toward you.

...He's not really sure what is going on.

Stacking Jack

2011-04-16T23:52:00.004-04:00

Jack and I have been enjoying a lot of time outdoors lately. The weather has been beautiful. This is where you will find Jack as he watches me rake leaves. The azaleas are beautiful right now. These were taken on his 8 month birthday.

This is one of Jack's toys, given him by my grandmother. [Thank you, Grandma.] You wouldn't believe it but he can stack some of them.. matching the shapes and colors! No, just kidding. I think he's that amazing, but I'm a little biased.

Check out his hair! The sunlight was catching it just right. It looks like electric arc. I love how the little tuft of hair behind his right ear is catching light as well.

New Favorite

2011-04-16T01:18:00.000-04:00

Bald Eagle at the Inlet

2011-04-11T19:57:00.000-04:00

HOPE. RENEW. SOAR.

Aren't you glad they outlawed DDT? Bald Eagles are making a comeback because of the ban on the worst man-made pesticide.

I appreciate how the NIV translates Isaiah 40:31 with the word "hope".

Hope in the Lord.

Strength will be Renewed.

Soar like an Eagle.

Jack had his first encounter with the King of all the Winged-Predators this evening at the inlet.We are fortunate enough to live within walking distance of a beautiful salt marsh. Our Boykin, Bella, enjoys swimming in the salt creeks and watching all the pelicans play in the pluff mud. As we were taking her down for her evening bath, I noticed a Bald Eagle rising out of the marsh grass with a fish of some sort. We were about 200 yards from this bird, but even at that distance it was impossible to mistake it for the more common Fish Hawk. After running home to retrieve our camera, the bird perched on a post and we stared at each other for 25 minutes. The timing of all this meeting was impeccable; I’d like to think it was an ordained appointment! Young Jack likes creatures of all kinds, he likes the noises they compose. Today was a good bird day, on the river I saw the following birds:

- Swallow Tail Kite

- Pileated Woodpecker

- Wood Duck

Jack's new trick

2011-04-11T15:35:00.002-04:00

Jack decided to show us his new trick yesterday, as we were sitting on the porch enjoying the Sunday afternoon. We can't help but laugh and hope it brightens your day, too!

Spring Break

2011-04-04T14:17:00.006-04:00

Check out those sunglasses! I was sure he would rip them off the second I put them on but he loved them and wore them every time we went outside. I think he liked them because he could look around without the sun bothering him.
This wasn't Jack's first time to the beach, but it definitely was his first time playing in the sand and waves. He wasn't a fan of the frigid water. I can't blame him, I wouldn't have stuck my big toe in either.

It was beautiful. So crystal clear and amazing color.

Jack wasn't sure at first... and then he became a little more curious and tasted it to see if it was alright... and then...

I turn around he's being buried in it! And he was loving every minute of it. This sweet girl was around all week and loved playing with and taking care of Jack.

It was great to spend some time with Jack's P.K. friend, Henning. Neither of them were really interested in taking a picture; there were too many new and interesting things capturing their attention.

I couldn't even get a decent picture with Jack myself. Each picture he is staring at the ground.... actually I think the shadow was entertaining him. He does this a lot at home as well, loves to watch the shadow of his arms on the ground.

We also spent some time at the pool! Jack was given a swimming ring and LOVED it! It was so funny to watch him with the other kids in the pool. He loved being in the middle and taking in everything they were doing. You can see Henning there in the background of the above picture enjoying his ring.

Number 7

2011-03-29T10:15:00.000-04:00

Carter Strickland Miles. Born, March 26th . 8lbs. 21 in.

I <3 Jack

2011-03-17T14:13:00.000-04:00

Happy St. Patrick Day!

February Memories

2011-02-22T13:56:00.005-05:00

Happy Jack

2011-02-22T13:27:00.004-05:00

On Leaving and Looking Forward

2011-01-25T21:59:00.002-05:00

Jack and Renee have helped me rehearse my “good-bye’s” in a more meaningful way. This expected custom has never come easy for me, nor has it felt very natural. Perhaps it is deeply selfish, but I prefer to avoid the phrase all-together. However, the other day as I was preparing to leave Jack and Renee for a weekend excursion two things occurred to me; namely, we are not promised another breath in this life and we face a strong opposition who seeks to kill and destroy. Jack was fast asleep when I was preparing to leave but I pretended for a moment that his five-month mind could hear and understand even in his subconscious state. So I told him that I was leaving to fight the bad guys; every time I go, I go to fight the bad guys. Boys like battles. I told him we were both warriors and that he must fight on the side of Jesus, God’s Son, who died for him. Next, I told him that if I did not come back he must take care of his mom. This is what they used to say in the old westerns where justice was always realized. Then I told him the battle would end and that if he fought on the side of Jesus we would meet again.

Typically, when I leave I become more introspective and am compelled to take inventory of my life and the unbelievable memories I have been afforded. A reading from Hunting and Home in the Southern Heartland: The Best of Archibald Ratlidge struck a chord with me recently (click picture to enlarge):

Rutledge notes, “I began to feel that it is a terrible thing to love a place--if one must leave it”. He goes on to say the following concerning places and people: “my loyalty to all these was attested by the consciousness that they would always be kept beautiful in my heart”. I struggle to watch people and places change but as I reminisce and smile at the old pictures, I have come to realize that these things will always be kept beautiful in my heart.

The deeper and more significant truth is that the path of our battle leads us to another land where there is genuine rest. The Scriptures are replete with fascinating images from the natural world that help us picture the scope and grandeur of our journey. Today we are probably in the middle of the Jordan River and while Canaan seems closer we are not quite there yet:

On Jordan’s stormy banks I stand,
And cast a wishful eye
To Canaan’s fair and happy land,
Where my possessions lie.

There generous fruits that never fail,
On trees immortal grow;
There rocks and hills, and brooks and vales,
With milk and honey flow.

No chilling winds or poisonous breath
Can reach that healthful shore;
Sickness and sorrow, pain and death,
Are felt and feared no more.

When I shall reach that happy place,
I’ll be forever blest,
For I shall see my Father’s face,
And in His bosom rest.

“Generous fruits… Immortal trees…no chilling winds…no separation…nothing to fear”… yet the true wonder of Canaan is that we can rest in the presence of our Captain and King.

^“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”

A Winter Day at Santee

2011-01-25T21:58:00.001-05:00

On January 1, 2011, Renee and I loaded up our boy, our boykin, and our boat and headed to Santee for a "romantic" anniversary. Saturday promised to be mild, around 70 degrees, and we wanted to watch the migratory birds that take their Winter rest in Santee Cooper country. Our goal was to spot a Bald Eagle, and though we did not see an eagle on this adventure, there were many other birds that entertained us for the afternoon.

Here is how Eugene Peterson paraphrases Psalm 104 in The Message:

What a wildly wonderful world, GOD!
You made it all, with Wisdom at your side,
made earth overflow with your wonderful creations.

Oh, look--the deep, wide sea,
brimming with fish past counting,
sardines and sharks and salmon.

Ships plow those waters,
and Leviathan, your pet dragon, romps in them.

All the creatures look expectantly to you
to give them their meals on time.

You come, and they gather around;
you open your hand and they eat from it.

If you turned your back,
they'd die in a minute--
Take back your Spirit and they die,
revert to original mud;

Send out your Spirit and they spring to life--
the whole countryside in bloom and blossom.

The glory of GOD-let it last forever!
Let GOD enjoy his creation!

Like Father like son...

2011-01-18T11:11:00.004-05:00

Since Jack was born people have compared and likened him to Daniel, myself, and other close relatives. We can't really tell a striking resemblance to either of us... he's just Jack. A little of me and a little of Daniel. I do however like to take note of all the little quirks that show he belongs us. I'll share a few:

Quirks from Mom:

- His smile and heart shaped face
- Abundance of facial expressions
- Easily startled
- Loves to eat & sleep
- Has short legs and long torso
- Likes the covers all around his face at night

Quirks from Dad:

- Rubs his feet together
- (Blue) eyes & tow headed
- Keeps an eye on his surroundings
- Plays with the hair behind his ear when sleepy
- Loves music
- Very ticklish

If you have noticed others...please comment below!

Winter Weather

2011-01-11T21:23:00.007-05:00

Winter weather just does something to me. It makes me want to bake all those yummy comfort foods. This morning we woke up to patches of snow on the ground and 1oo% chance of freezing rain. So Jack and I made sure to feed Dad a hearty meal before his day started, something that would warm his bones. Nothing tops bacon, egg, and cheese mcmuffin.

I couldn't resist sharing a picture of the fun Jack and I were making on such a dreary morning.

My helper. Every morning Jack comes with me to the kitchen to get the day started. First we start the coffee..... mom eats a quick breakfast..... we have devotions in the living room..... and then there's snuggle time with Dad, while Mom makes his breakfast. And then he's off to bed again, as Mom and Dad get to work. He's got it rough right now, let me tell ya.

There's something about a baby's smile that you just can't get enough of. I have thousands of pictures of Jack smiling, but each time he bears that gummy grin I want to capture it. Why is that? Here are some of Jack's recent smiles.

Gram always helps mom get great pictures!

Miles Christmas

2011-01-11T21:03:00.011-05:00

We had such a wonderful Christmas at the Miles’ Home. There were sixteen people total. Thankfully all the kiddos are small and each family only needs one room (Jack slept in our closet!). I’m not sure what we are going to do in 2012 when there will be 9+ children. Jack has 5 cousins and 3 on the way: one of each and one that we will have to wait until it arrives to find out the gender. Just to be clear, I am not one of the three. Thanks to Momma T, I have some Christmas pictures to share with you! I love the chaos of a full house. We didn’t have a full schedule, but we did spend a lot of time catching up. Christmas is so much more fun with children running around. I wish we didn’t grow out of that sense of wonder. We did all kinds of things: baked, made a gingerbread house, played games, ping pong, raced slot cars, took a walk, watched Grandpa’s train go around the tree, watched movies, ate lots of food, sang and played music, had a quadruple date night (Thanks, Grandma and Grandpa!), and the list goes on.

Moving On

2010-12-03T13:29:00.004-05:00

We’re moving on… in multiple ways. I haven’t been good about posting since we’ve been moving and settling in. I also accidentally deleted a lot of my photos from his 2^nd month (I almost cried). Life hasn’t stopped though. Hopefully, we’ll get some pictures of the house up soon.

Jack is now 3 ½ months old. (which is incredibly hard to believe) He’s in the beginning stages of mobility! The second day in our new house he rolled over and nearly gave me a heart attack; and that was two weeks ago. He’s only done it once since, but he’s not holding back for anyone. He can hold his head up very well. He’s not completely stable but he’s nearly there. He’s been holding his head up and pushing up with his arms since the beginning of his 3rd month. I had an amazing picture of it and deleted it (sigh). We’re working on those legs… He has some serious hammy for you to get, Grandpa. They are getting very strong. I’ve also been trying to get him to reach out and grab things I dangle in front of him. He’s getting that pretty well. Yesterday, I took him to the grocery store and he was grabbing my list and waving it around. He’s such a sweet baby… smiling and cooing at everyone that talks with him. It is such a sweet aroma, like the Lord talks about the sacrifices of His children being to Him, in the Old Testament. I couldn’t relate to that before I had Jack. The idea of animal blood being a “sweet aroma” grossed me out. But I think God is really talking about the obedience of His children being a satisfying pleasure. The compliance of Jack, even at 3 months is a very satisfying pleasure.

A fun picture of Connor. He came to see us yesterday and loved Jack's Bumbo.

Some 2 month pictures:

Jack's 2 month shots!

Annual Camping Trip

2010-11-01T23:03:00.006-04:00

Our Site...

Enjoying nature...

What the girls did...

What the guys did...

a WINK and a SMILE

2010-10-14T15:35:00.003-04:00

Here are some of Jack's many faces. He is such a happy baby. Each time he smiles it steals my heart. I love those chubby cheeks and the way his eyes squint. "Your mommy has it bad for you", as Pastor Chris would say. Real bad.

Birthday Visit

2010-10-14T15:14:00.002-04:00

My sister and her family came down this past weekend for a Birthday Visit. It is her daughter and her birthday this month. Grandma always likes to celebrate with them. This year there was more incentive, since their new favorite (only) cousin, on the Ragsdale side, was there. We had so much fun. It was a weekend of the beach and pool, garage sales, cake and sweets, staying up late, toys!, and time with family. We love when we can get together with family. Thanks for coming down guys!

Favorite Sleep Positions

2010-10-14T14:53:00.003-04:00

Jack is becoming mobile! It is happening way to fast for Mommy. So far he has only managed to roll from side to side and twist side ways in his crib (how he did that, I don't know!).

He is doing very well. He is 24 inches long and weights 12 lbs. Occasionally he will sleep through the night, but his normal waking hours are at 3ish and 6ish. And I can handle that. He's trucking through diapers and clothes. He is in 3 months clothes already. He's my chunky monkey.

A visit from Windy Hill

2010-10-06T16:11:00.004-04:00

It is always good to visit with friends from NC. We miss it and the family that we had there. So, it was wonderful to see Ronnie and Martha and catch up with them. It was a pleasure to watch them with Jack. I love how a baby opens one's heart and makes them do silly things, all for a smile or giggle.

One stop on their Journey of Jubilee

2010-10-06T14:00:00.007-04:00

We love all the company that has been coming to see Jack. We know that we have been knocked down on the totem pole of importance, but we still get to partake in the love that has been lavished on Jack. He has no idea how much he is loved. We had a great time visiting with Daniel's cousins and hearing about the adventures of their year long sabbatical.

Jack and Tante Michelle. As you can tell, he hasn't been outside that much and his hat (or hood) isn't really doing the job.

Miss you Aunt Michelle and Dane

Cousins, cont.

2010-09-27T11:47:00.003-04:00

This week we had the pleasure of visiting with Jack's cousin, Brooke. She is getting ready to be a big sister! We all enjoyed watching her with Jack. She was so attentive to him, letting us know what he was doing, bringing him blankets, gently loving on him, etc. She had her own baby doll that she would walk around in the stroller, or strap her in the bouncy seat, and carry around. She's ready for her sister to come. And I can tell she's going to be a big helper.

Cousins

2010-09-21T20:06:00.005-04:00

We had the chance to spend time with some of Jack's cousins this week. They wanted to play with Jack so bad. I can't wait until he gets to partake in these weekends with Grandma and Grandpa Miles. The boys did get to spend some time holding him and gave him lots of kisses.

These two guys weren't seen apart.

We had fun playing the ABC song on the piano, building a tent, wrestling and playing Cops with Grandpa.

Jack est tres beau

2010-09-09T16:21:00.008-04:00

"Jack est tres beau." = Jack is very beautiful.
Of course, I couldn't agree more. A few days ago, we received a package in the mail containing this great outfit from Daniel's French cousins. We were so excited; it was such a thoughtful gift. It's one of our favorites. And Jack seems to like it, too.

Jack in his Euro overalls

Details

We'll leave you with a smile...

Une message spécial, pour mon cousine:

Je vous REMERCIE! Nous aimons les salopettes. Jacque les adore!
Nous étions si heureux d'obtenir votre colis! Nous avons été très impressionnés par votre niveau d'anglais, aussi! Il est très bon! MERCI BEAUCOUP

The Blair Street Mugwumps

2010-09-04T09:28:00.004-04:00

Jug bands are still alive. The Miles' are in Black Mountain and this is what's happening on the local music scene...we're thinking about tuning Jack into the jug music station.

Low Country Flounder and Spottail

2010-08-31T07:07:00.000-04:00

Yesterday Papa Ragsdale and I went fishing in Jones Creek and North Inlet. We felt pressure because next weekend is their church's annual mission conference, and as part of the conference they always feed the attendees local flounder and shrimp. We gigged several flounder and caught some nice spottail bass. This was my first spottail and it was a great fighting fish for its size. We caught several but only two were keepers. Bella traveled along with us and enjoyed swimming in the ocean. I was a little frustrated initially because she was catching more fish than we were. She had several mullet in her mouth and enjoyed playing with them, but the highlight of my day was watching her chase crabs down the beach.

We also got in the middle of a shark feeding frenzy that was a little unnerving. Bella wanted to jump in so badly that we had to tie her to the console of the boat.

First Bath and Tummy Time

2010-08-25T11:20:00.006-04:00

So, I have to brag on Jack for a minute, the doctor couldn't check him the other day because he was holding his head up for so long. So she told us to go ahead and start tummy time at 5 days old! So here is his first tummy time.

Mommy hasn't gotten her bath yet! :)

Desired result