Look Who Has Grown...

Miss Jaiden is 19-Months Old!

Peek-A-Boo!Hmmm...I wasn't aware of that fact. Reading is quite insightful...
Well yes, go ahead and take my picture if you must... However, I do have an appointment to get to...

Well, our little girl is growing up and almost all too quickly! We have passed her first year and one half and she is getting smarter and taller by the minute! It's amazing how quickly the time passes. It seems like it was just yesterday when she was barely crawling and just beginning to say "mama" and "dada." Now, we are chasing after our little girl who is running here and darting there seemingly at every second that passes! She is now communicating with us verbally and through sign, her needs and thoughts. It's simply amazing to see the transformation that has taken place in the past 19 months.

I thought it would be neat to list some of the milestones and favorites here on our blog to share with our friends and family. So below I've begun to compile a little list for Jaiden... feel free to add/share any ideas or comments that I may have overlooked!

Jaiden's "people" Words: Mommy, Daddy, PawPaw, Grandma, Granny, Grandpa, Chloe, Ewwa (used for both Emma and Ella), Kstin (used for Aunt Kristin and neighbor boy, Christian), Jessy, Wandon (used for Landon), Lisa, Riann, Sommy (for Sammy), Ooper (for our neighbor Cooper), Elsie (for neighbor Kelsey), Jake

Jaiden's Animal Words: Puppy, Dog, Cat, Kitty, Kitten, Cow, Duck, Raf (used for giraffe), shish (used for all marine animals, trying to say "fish"), Eera (used for zebra), snake,

Jaiden's sentences/phrases: Yes please! More please! There she is! We're home! Almost home! Light on! Light off! Oh Boy! Come here! Outside please! Sorry! Oopsies! Mama eat, please? Very hot!

Jaiden's sign language signs: more, please, eat, hat, yummy, daddy, mama, grandpa, car, train, tree, play, thank you, swing, baby, chair, giraffe, ball, cracker, milk, socks, blocks, elephant, sorry, thank you, my turn, your turn, and probably more but I cannot recall off hand!

Jaiden's favorite things to do: Read books, CLIMB!!!!, play outside, swing, draw/color/write, DANCE DANCE DANCE, and starting to "sing" along with songs

Jaiden's favorite shows: Blues Clues, Dora, The Wiggles

Jaiden's favorite books: anything with the alphabet in it, rhymes, and Baby Einstein collections

We have been so blessed to have such a happy and healthy baby girl. She has been on a pretty tight schedule since she was about 2 months old and we could not have asked for a better child. The Lord has truly blessed us through Jaiden and we are excited to see how the next few months and years will go.

She is getting into that communication part of her development whereby she knows more of what she would like to express than she is capable of doing, so there are episodes here and there of "tantrums," but we are dealing with them like most parents do.... Either laugh or pull your (graying) hair out!!! :) So wish us luck in the months to come!

Like I said, we've been blessed by a beautiful baby girl. I find myself some nights just thinking about how far we've come with her and the joy and struggles that await us. I'm both excited and fearful. She is such a piece of God's work just covered in innocence. When I hear of the things of this world, the scary things, I am just swelling with worry and fear. How am I going to protect her? How can I keep her from experiencing those pains? Well, I have to constantly put those worries in prayer and give them up to the Lord. It's so amazing. She isn't even two yet and I am laden with fears of her future already.

I was fortunate to go see the movie, "Flicka" a few weeks ago and there is a theme song from that movie that I'd like to share the lyrics. When I heard them, I immediately thought of our little Jaiden... with her spirit, personality, and innocence. Perhaps they will remind you of your little girl(s)...

Beautiful Baby Girl, By Tim McGraw

Gotta hold on easy as I let you go. Gonna tell you how much I love you, though you think you already know. I remember I thought you looked like an angel wrapped in pink so soft and warm. You've had me wrapped around your finger since the day you were born.

Beautiful baby from the outside in. Chase your dreams but always know the road that'll lead you home again. Go on, take on this whole world. But to me you know you'll always be, my little girl.

When you were in trouble that crooked little smile could melt my heart of stone. Now look at you, I've turned around and you've almost grown. Sometimes you're asleep I whisper "I Love You!" in the moonlight at your door. As I walk away, I hear you say, "Daddy Love You More!".

Beautiful baby from the outside in. Chase your dreams but always know the road that'll lead you home again. Go on, take on this whole world. But to me you know you'll always be, my little girl.

Someday, some boy will come and ask me for your hand. But I won't say "yes" to him unless I know, he's the half that makes you whole, he has a poet's soul, and the heart of a man's man. I know he'll say that he's in love. But between you and me. He won't be good enough!

Beautiful baby from the outside in. Chase your dreams but always know the road that'll lead you home again. Go on, take on this whole world. But to me you know you'll always be, my little girl.

Rings true, doesn't it? Well, like I said, we are only 19 months into Jaiden's journey. We would like to ask that all of you join us in perpetual prayer for our little angel. We pray that we would continue to keep our family grounded in Christ, equip our hearts with God's Word, and lean on Him in raising our baby girl. She's such a gift, such a miracle, and such a blessing.

We will keep you posted on her continued growth and development... but until then, we will put our helmets on and get back in the ring...after all, we now do have a toddler!!!

Take Care and God Bless,

Jods

We Give Thanks...

Thanksgiving 2006

This year, we made our way to New Iberia, Louisiana to spend Thanksgiving with Aden's family. We all stayed at his parents' house and it was a full house! Scott, Kristin, Chloe, Emma, and baby-in-the-belly were there and slept out in their camper. Lisa and Buddy made it as well! Sonia and Sarah (the Keeter's neighbors and friends) made it for our Thanksgiving meal as well.

As I suspected, the menu was plentiful and the conversation was great. We all ate so much, yet the serving platters seemed to be as full as they were when we started after the meal had come to an end! Nonetheless, we had such a wonderful lunch.

The girls all went shopping on Friday and came home with bags-o-plenty from the Lafayette mall, while the boys played with Jaiden and watched TV (Chloe and Emma spent time with Kristin's aunt during this time). It was an enjoyable day, even with all of the traffic and packed stores!

We had planned on coming home Saturday morning, but decided to stay an extra day and it was so wonderful. The time spent with Mr. and Mrs. Keeter was so enjoyable. We were even able to get in an entertaining game of Dominoes in on Saturday night after Jaiden went off to dream. We were all laughing so hard; I'm not sure if it was the lack of sleep, the wine, or a combination of both, but there were several times we were all nearly in tears. Oh, and if you are looking to play a game that you can almost certainly succeed in beating Mr. Keeter (Aden Sr.), play dominoes. He he he... sorry Mr. Keeter.

The drive home was uneventful and safe (thank you, Lord!). Jaiden did remarkably well and we owe our thanks to Pops for lending us his laptop computer so Jaiden could watch some of her movies during the trip.

We were also able to spend some time with my parents upon our return from Louisiana. We all spent some time outside while Aden grilled out chicken. Pops and Leslie played with Jaiden in a pile of leaves and she had such a good time. We did get out the video camera and will get that video attachment to our blog in due time. The meal was great... Jaiden enjoyed her food, but couldn't wait to get down and play. Of course, it didn't take but a few minutes for her grandparents to give in to that!

Well, we are home now and things are back in order. Jessy, Landon, and Christian will be coming to visit us this Thursday-Sunday and we are greatly looking forward to that! We have a Christmas parade on Friday, a 5K race scheduled for Saturday morning, and much relaxation planned for the rest of their stay!

We will also begin our preparations around here for the Christmas season! We have to pull out the Christmas tree, decorations, The Christmas Story and get started! I am looking forward to it, Aden I am sure is dreading it, and Jaiden has no idea what is yet to come!!!

I hope and pray that you all will be able to enjoy the upcoming month without losing sight of the true meaning of this season. It is so easy and worldly acceptable for us to all go crazy, keeping ourselves busy, our wallets empty, our debt and credit card balances full, and our minds on everything but what is important. I pray that we can all stay focused and keep each other both in prayer and held accountable.

In closing, I am so glad to be part of this family. This Thanksgiving was so wonderful and I am so thankful for the wonderful family to which I belong.

Winter is coming! November 2, 2006

Jaiden Claire Keeter enjoys her new slide!











The temperatures are dropping in Texas and we are beginning to enjoy (well, some of us) the cooler weather that the South has to offer.

We've been experiencing 40-75 degree days here in Coppell, TX and it seems to only be getting cooler. Praise God!!! (Are we all not rejoicing here?!)...

I love the feeling of waking in the morning and you actually hesitate to emerge from underneath the covers because as you start to lift the blankets,
a chilly breeze seems to find its way right to your warm body! I love it! (Until I realize that I actually do have to get up)!

There has been so much happening in the Keeter and Kent families. First, the Keeter side: Mr. Aden Sr. and Carol have purchased their Montana, mountain property for retirement! I was fortunate to be able to join them on their last trip out West and I got to experience firsthand what they will be doing for the rest of their lives. It was breath-taking. Oh, and a sidenote, they DO have an apartment attached to their garage...they do not know I am disclosing this information, but if you find that they do not return your calls while they are living amidst God's glory, well, just fly out there. I'll find out where the key will be hidden and keep you posted (he he he)...

Scott, Kristin, Chloe, and Emma are all anticipating the arrival of their baby sister/brother in April. Kristin is looking beautiful as ever and is finally getting a little relief from the troublesome morning sickness! She is continuing to try to keep her business up and running (www.cocoandems.com) during the pregnancy and is keeping incredibly busy with the girls (could we expect anything else from this incredible woman?!) Let's all keep that family in our prayers~

Miss Lisa is continuing her career in real estate business and seems to be doing quite well. She also joined us on our recent trip out west. She did officially name the mountain that Mr. and Mrs. Keeter own as "Mt. Lisa." However, I don't know if that city girl is going to be able to handle the mountain weather, so I'm sure she won't be stealing that aforementioned apartment. That's one less fist in the fight!

Now the Kent side: My sister Jenny has relocated to the Minneapolis, Minnesota area with her two girls. Please keep them in your prayers as they begin a new adventure in a new city. The girls will be cared for by a nanny which is a blessing for Jenny as she will no longer have to have them in a daycare setting. Jennah (the older daughter) is actually attending a prep school a couple of days a week and really seems to be enjoying it! While her younger sister Abigail is thoroughly enjoying spending time with her baby dolls. And as for Jenny... she's in love with one of my best friends, John Vande Castle. (Sure, she's going to immediately call me and reprimand me for saying so publicly!). She can call, but she can't complain; I'm the matchmaker after all! She is also in the start-up phase of her own little marketing company...stay tuned for details!

My twin sister Jessy has rapidly moved up in her company (Express Personnel). She is also becoming active in her church and has joined the choir (we can all make a joyful noise, right?!). Landon is doing well in Sunday school, too. He earned his first patch for memorizing Acts 10:38! His first Bible verse memorized with pride! He attends a class on Wednesday nights (called "Rainbows"). When he's 6, he will graduate to Religious Rangers. How sweet! Jessy and Landon will be coming down for a visit shortly after the Thanksgiving holiday. We are excited to spend time with her son Landon as well. Grandpa Kent seemingly has a calendar of events already scheduled for the visit!!! 5K races, parades, picnics...what else would you plan when it's going to be in the mid50's? (Insert sarcasm emoticon here please)...

My parents have been enjoying some of the benefits Leslie's job has to offer and have traveled a little together. Leslie works incredibly hard and is such an asset to her company, but is starting to finally be able to enjoy the flexibility of working from home. She's going to be in better physical shape than all of her kids...but more power to her, I say! Pops is continuing his Forrest-Gump-like lifestyle and seems to be running every time we turn around. He has another half-marathon this weekend. So lets cheer him on (and be glad it's HIM running this race and not us)! I guess he's got the right mindset, though, as God's word tells us in 1 Corinthians 9:24 "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize." Trust me folks, he usually takes home a prize, too! Even if it is a miniature 1st place trophy made out of plastic, that has a runner on top that resembles anything but a runner! Keep up the hard work, Pops!

We are continuing to search for our mountain property and are beginning to narrow it down to a few locations. It's a difficult decision to make; the entire state is gorgeous, I presume, and we are going to be retreating there for quite some time! We will be prayerful in our decision and God will more than likely reveal himself to us and His plan before we know it!

Well, as for now, those are the family updates. We are so truly blessed, aren't we?! 2 Thess-alonians 1:3 comes to mind when I think of my blessing that I have through each of you: "We ought always to thank God for you, brothers (and sisters), and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing."

I hope that through all of the new adventures and trials that may (and will!) come our way in the days/weeks/months to come, we all continue to keep our faith grounded in Christ. The holidays always seem to be a prime time for Satan to creep into our lives, families, and marriages. We are easily distracted by the ways of the world and dwell on the 'earthly matters' and hustle and bustle that occur during this busy time of year....and I believe this family has the strength to come together during the holiday seasons and keep the focus on what matters most.

I would like to challenge us all to personally take a step back and a deep look at ourselves, to see what we could do for the others that surround us. There is something special about this Keeter-Kent clan and I believe that God is up to something big and has a pretty impacting Kingdom Assignment in store for us!

Speaking of Thanksgiving, we will be going to meet with Aden's side of the family for Thanksgiving 2006. We have not been able to spend an actual holiday with his family the past two years. Scott and Kristin and the girls will be joining us for a meal as well. I feel truly blessed to share such a wonderful family. And I feel even more blessed that I have been able to keep perspective on what it means to be given this family as well. This year has been full of miniature acts of kindness that have been impossible to forget. I have seemingly grown closer to each of you and it has been such a joy and honor each step of the way.

Please, this Thanksgiving, enjoy your holiday time off, enjoy your friends and family. I pray that we all remember what we are thankful for and as we indulge in delicious and bountiful meals together, remember that 2 Corinthians 4:15 reminds us "All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God." Let us all be an example, wherever we may travel, whomever comes on to our path. We are truly blessed!

I will continue to pray that we all will be a Godly family as described in Acts 10:2: "He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly." and Galations 6:10: "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." He has given us such a promise and I cannot wait to accept his command: "For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?" 1 Peter 4:17.

May God continue to use this family and bless it as well. The weather is getting colder, but I am excited to be a part of this warm and endearing family.

Warm wishes to you all~
Jods

Halloween 2006

Jaiden's 2nd Halloween

October 31, 2006

Our Little Dancer...

With the recent daylight savings time change, "Halloween" didn't come at a convenient time for this little angel! I tried to get her in her outfit ~5:30 p.m. (thinking we could just visit with the cul-de-sac children) and she was already asking so sweetly, "Mama? Night night?"

So, needless to say, we spent ~5 minutes in the front yard, snapping as many pictures as I could! She did spend a few minutes talking to our scare crow that is propped in front of our tree, but that's about it!

I was hoping she would help me hand out candy to all the little trick-or-treaters, but she was fast asleep before the knocking began...

Well, there's always next year.....