Sea World Fun!

Here are a few pictures from our AMAZING day at Sea World!!! Two is the best age to go...Briley had so much fun!!!


















Today we are headed to the Children's Museum and then the Alamo!!

I love vacation!!
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On our way!

I just downloaded the app blog press so I will be able to update while we are on our trip!!

This morning we stopped to release Hadley's balloons. I will do her 4 month post when we get back, but here is a sweet picture of my girls :)



We are on our way to Sea World and I am so excited for our time as a family. As much as I wish Hadley was here I know this is God's perfect plan and Daniel and I are so thankful for our angel in Heaven and our sweet little girl here!!

Briley can't wait to see "Shampoo" at Sea World as she likes to call him :)


Next post will be from San Antonio!!
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If you're happy and you know it...

Shout AMEN!!!!

Have a beautiful Sunday!!!

In Christ's Love,

Three Things Thursday

1.  We leave for Sea World in 5 days and do we have a hotel booked yet??  NO!!!  I still can't decide which hotel to stay at.  I'm thinking I want to stay close to the Riverwalk so we can have something fun to do for the 3 nights we are there.  I should probably get on that very soon!!  Luckily there are many many hotels in the San Antonio area and still lots of availability.

2.  We have had two play-dates back to back this week and they have been so much fun!!  We had one yesterday with my sweet friend, Heather, and her son Landon.  Here is Heather reading a book to Landon and Briley....

Heather has been such a wonderful friend to me these past few months.  She lost her son Logan to premature birth and it is so healing to be able to talk to someone that knows exactly what you are feeling and going through.  I am SO thankful to God for her friendship!!  Love you Heather!!

We also had another playdate today after my boot camp (which is going GREAT by the way), with my friends, Tracy, Trish, and Tiffany.  Wow, all T names...I feel a little left out...ha ha!!  Their kiddos, Elliott (Tracy), Tristan (Tiffany), and Grayson, LD, and Sadie (Trish), all came to check out Briley's new playroom and they had so much fun.  The Mom's had a great time talking and catching up.  I love these 3 so much and I know our kiddos are going to grow up loving each other too...we make them hang out A LOT!!  Here area  few pictures I captured when the kiddos weren't running around!!

 Cutie pie Tristan

 Briley's best friend...Elliott!!

 Who doesn't love to play the cymbals in heels???  Briley you crack me up!!

 Sweet Sadie!!

 Briley watching Grayson play instruments

Briley, LD, and Tristan and the playroom a disaster...that's how you know kids are having fun right??  (I promise to post a picture of the playroom all cleaned up and the before and after soon!!)

3.  My Mom gave Briley a trunk for her birthday to put all her dress clothes in and I ABSOLUTELY love it!!  She found a lady that covers trunks in fabric and puts the child's name on the front and top of the trunk.  Of course my Mom filled the trunk with goodies as well and here are some pictures of Briley opening her dress up trunk from Gigi and Pa!!

In Christ's Love,

A Father's Day to Remember

Our Father's Day was one we will never forget.  It was a VERY hard day for Daniel and myself.  We miss Hadley so much and a day like father's day and mother's day can't help but bring up more emotions.  I have been working on Daniel's present for quite sometime and I'm so excited to be able to now share with you what Briley and I gave him...

I knew for this Father's Day I wanted to do something special and memorable for Daniel.  It all started when my dear and very special friend Tracy emailed me this picture around the end of April for Hadley's name gallery...

Yes, it says HADLEY Fire Dept.!!  I was so excited when she sent this to me.  We immediately talked about where it was located (Massachusetts) and I knew that I needed to somehow contact them. 

Part of being a fireman is that you are in a brotherhood.  It doesn't matter what fire department you are a part of...you are immediately in a special family (wives and children included).  One thing a lot of fireman like to do is swap shirts with other firemen.  Daniel has been lucky enough to get shirts from different places and they are really special to him...he even took one of his fire departement shirts on our honeymoon and we shared a taxi with another honeymoon couple and the husband was of course a fireman and they swapped shirts!!  So, it was pretty easy for me to realize that I HAD to get a shirt from Hadley FD.

I started doing my research online and was able to get a hold of someone.  I told him a little of our story and he said he would leave a message for his captain to call me back.  The next day, I had a voice-mail from their Captain (not going to share his name for the sake of his privacy) and we talked for probably 20 minutes.  I told him about our family and what we had gone through in the past 5 months.  I told him a lot about Daniel and what an awesome son, dad, and fireman he was, and how I really wanted to make his father's day special and if he would mind sending a shirt to him with their department name on it.  He said that he didn't think this would be a problem at all and we exchanged email addresses to keep in contact about the shirt.  I thanked him over and over again and I was so excited to be able to present this to Daniel on father's day.

A couple of weeks later, I received another call from the Captain.  He said that he would definitely be able to get a shirt sent to Daniel and he also wanted to know what color shirts Briley and I wanted.  I couldn't believe they wanted to do this for our family and I offered to send money several times and I was always turned down.  He said that he talked to his union and they not only wanted to send shirts for Daniel, myself, and Briley, but also wanted to send a check from their union in honor of Hadley and Daniel's Mom to go to the charity of our choice.  I couldn't believe that firemen in another city, miles and miles away from us were thinking about our Hadley and Daniel's Mom.  It was such a God thing that we were brought together.  I thanked him once again and he reassured me that the package would make it to our home before father's day.

It did of course!!  I hid it from Daniel and I was literally bursting to give it to him!!  But, I knew I had to wait until father's day, there couldn't be a more perfect day to give it to him.

Sunday morning, I woke up Briley (still exhausted from party fun the previous day!!) and then we woke up Daniel so he could open his presents before we headed to church.  I'm not going to share the pictures of Daniel opening the gift because it was a very special moment for us and I want to keep it between our family...but I will share with you what was inside!!

The first box he opened had this inside...

I framed the picture that Tracy found online...he was pretty surprised to see that there was a Hadley FD!!  I told him to open the other box now but to read the letter on top first.

I want to share with you what the letter said...

Dear Daniel, Melissa and Briley, 

The Hadley Fireman's Association would like to extend  our deepest sympathy for the loss of your Mother and also your precious Hadley.  When we were first contacted by Melissa in regards to getting a Hadley Fire Department shirts for Father's Day it really touched all of us here on the department and it is our hope that this small token will provide some comfort and joy to you all.  The Fireman's Association also voted to donate the enclosed amount to a charity of your choice in memory of Daniel's Mother and Hadley.  Enclosed please find a check made out to your family.  Please fill in the "in care of" with the charity of your choice.  Daniel, from your brother's and sister's in service at the Hadley Fire Department we wish you a Happy Father's Day and we are proud to have your wear our department name and we are honored that your family contacted us for such a request and to share in the celebration of Hadley.  If your family should ever make a trip to this neck of the woods, please feel free to stop in or contact us as we would love to meet all of you. 

Sincerely, Hadley FD

Isn't that an amazing letter?  I can't believe how much time and effort they put in on behalf of our family.

Once he read the letter I directed him to open the rest of the box and here is what was inside...

 The shirts they sent us.  I love that mine and B's are pink!!!

Close up of our shirts!!

A Hadley FD Patch

They also sent a few things for Briley...really sweet!!

We can't thank the Hadley Fire Dept. enough for what they did for our family.  I know we will treasure the letter, shirts, and other gifts forever.  Thank you also to my friend Tracy who was the one who searched and found Hadley FD to begin with!!  I am so grateful to her. 

It was definitely a Father's Day to remember and a wonderful way to honor our sweet Hadley!! 

In Christ's Love,

Daddy Daughter Date Night

On Saturday night after Briley's party, Daniel and Briley headed out for their Daddy/Daughter date at Chick Fil A.  I was afraid little miss would be super exhausted and she was, but she was still in a great mood!!  Of course, I had to snap a few pictures of them before they left on their date!!!  I love that Daniel wanted to get dressed up with her...of course I was ALL about it :)

Taking a picture next to Hadley's tree

Daniel said when they got there they had reserved tables covered in black tablecloths with flowers on them.  There was a lady at the door that took your name and she directed you to take a picture with the cow first!!!

I love that they gave you your picture to take home!!

Daniel was a good husband and made sure to take a few pictures at dinner for me!!  He said they took their order at the table, refreshed their drinks, got napkins, ketchup, or anything else they needed.  So cute!!

After they were eating the manager came up to them and asked if they would like to ride in the Limo next...what????  Yes, Chick Fil A had a Limo there for the Daddy's and Daughter's!!!  The Chick Fil A is located in a shopping center and they just drove around in it, so this overprotective Mommy wasn't too upset that she wasn't in a car seat.  How could I be when she got to have her 1st Limo ride on her 1st date with her Daddy?!?!

I love this picture of them!!!

Daniel made me even happier when he took a video of them in the Limo!!!

Daniel made sure to get an extra flower to put on Hadley's grave.  He put it there yesterday on Father's Day.  I am so grateful to have such an amazing husband that loves his girls so much.  Briley has a wonderful example to look for in her own husband one day.

I love you Daniel!!  Thank you for being such a wonderful Daddy to our girls and a wonderful husband to me!!  Tomorrow I will post about Father's Day...I can't wait to share with you the gift we gave Daniel!!

In Christ's Love,

Splish Splash Birthday Part 2

As promised, here are the fun party pics from yesterday...Briley and her friends had a blast!!  Our house was filled with lots of grass from the backyard afterward but it was SO WORTH IT!!  Thank you to all the family and friends that made Briley's day so special!!

 

In Christ's Love,