Birds, Babies, Boy are we tired!

I am not sure that we could have packed more into a weekend, but I'd sure love to try!  This past  weekend Larry and I headed to 'Ole San Antone for our (now) annual dove hunting weekend with our friends Matt, Kim and Co.  For the past couple of years Matt has invited us and a bunch of his friends down to their family's place near Floresville for a little dove hunting along with a strict "no work talk" policy.   I'm also considering suggesting a "no politics" policy however, I'm pretty sure we'd have nothing left to talk about and I wouldn't be half as entertained.

Matt & Kim:  I introduced this awesome couple =)

And now Braelyn makes 3

Larry decided to go camp out with the boys Friday night, so I got to spend a relaxing girls night with my mom.  One of the many things I love about my mom is we pretty much share the exact same interests.  God, old movies, animals, and things in the shape of animals or have animals on them.  Ok well that last one is mostly her, but I get a HUGE kick out of it.  Almost every gift she gives anyone will have at least one item with an animal on it....if you have ever been the recipient of a Patti Sue gift, think back and I can guarentee that there was an animal incorperated in some way.  I guess we know that she didn't miss her calling as a veterinarian!

mom and me

Bright and early Saturday, Larry went on a morning hunt while my mom and I went for a jog around the farm with the dogs.  It was great to run some hills because the area where I run here in College Station is pretty flat and hills will remind you real quick that you may not be in as good of shape as you thought before beginning your journey.  I sort of planned with Mom that we would lay low during the day so she could work on her paper (her last step in becoming a certified accupuncture vet), but I was chomping at the bit to see family and friends, so we decided to head up to San Antonio to go pick up my Grandma for lunch.  We had a really great time and like always it was much too short of a visit.

Later we headed to La Vernia to see one of my dearest friends Amy her husband Stephen and their brand new baby boy Ryan.  They have such a great life and have the two sweetest kids anyone could ask for.  Easton their eldest who just turned two is not in our picture, because he was deathly afraid of me at the time.  Poor little guy...

Then I rushed home so that Larry could meet me to head out to a ranch belonging to a family member of Matt and Kim's.  I ended up being the only female as it was hot humid and muddy....not exactly ideal conditions for Kim and her daughter.  The hunt was AMAZING, the birds were flying and I shot better than I ever had before!  Larry was really proud.....He of course limited out both days.  I did remind him that its a lot harder to knock them down with a 20 guage than a 12, but really he is THAT good of a shot.

Happy =)

The boys - all super great guys!  Such gentlemen, they wouldn't let me clean my birds.

I first learned to dove hunt with my grandma and in fact I hunt with her gun to this day.  It is so special to me and it holds with it such great memories of my childhood (and sometimes horror when our little feathered friends hadn't exactly passed on).  One of my most treasured hunting was one of the first times grandma ever met Larry.  She decided she wanted to come hunting with us at the family ranch, so we loaded up and headed south.  Grandma and I hunted together, which consisted of me loading her gun, handing it to her, and Grandma Graham BLASTING away at anything (and everything) that flew by.  She harvested two birds that day, but the thing I remember most about that evening is her commentary for each shot.  As a bird would come near she would say "FLY AWAY BIRD WITH YOUR HEART SHOT OUT! (BANG)" or "WEE HA! (BANG) or "GET DOWN BIRD!" (BANG).  If she missed, its possible that some sort of 'colorful' word would come out of her mouth followed by a "don't tell Larry I said that!"  She must have said that about 15 times.  It was priceless and something I'll never forget as long as I live.

Sunday after church we met up with Kitty, Christian, and Ewan.  I can't believe he's only 6 months!  He's pulling up, crawling, and would be running circles around us if we'd just let him.  He is the most special thing ever and we absolutely love him to death.  I was so excited to see Ewan, that I forgot to get a picture of Kitty and Christian.  Kitty, who just gave birth 6 short months ago, had ran 18 miles that morning and met up with us at La Fonda on Main. Delicious!

This is the look of a champion.....

The proudest Aunt & Uncle in the world!

Ewan loves Uncle Larry's beard!

After all that we are exhausted but wouldn't trade it for anything.  Thanks to all our family and friends that make our lives so rich.  We are so blessed!



Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire."

Hebrews 12:28-29