Jeff and Blair- Nashville, TN
August 15, 2011
Charleston, SC
August 12, 2011
Here are a few fun photos from our recent vacation to Charleston.
Miss Ada Tomata received a new nickname on the trip . . . . Ada Gata.
You know- since we were in low country and apparently there are lots of gators. But I didn’t see any.
Ada Gata turned 2 months on this special tip.
sister, sisters, there were never such devoted sisters . . .
First time swimming. I believe she will love the beach and water just like her momma!
We had a great first vacation with the gata!
On this very special occasion
June 23, 2011
Last week we celebrated Ada being one month old (I cant believe it) by going out to eat at one of our favorite restaurants, Burger Up.
We have a chunky baby on our hands. She knows how to pack on the pounds!
Happy One Month Miss Ada Tomata!
Yesterday was Chad and I’s 4 year anniversary and we all went out and celebrated. We had a great time just hanging out around town.
Happy Anniversary babe! I love you so much.
Perfect timing
June 9, 2011
I always said I would be late to my child’s birth because I feel like I am late to everything. A characteristic I have been working on. Well Miss Ada didn’t let us be late. She came on her due date. I had just about the perfect pregnancy, semi perfect labor (everything went so smoothly- I just had horrible back labor the entire time) and now a perfect baby.
Here is a quick recap for those who haven’t heard. My water broke at 5:30am Sunday, May 15th. My contractions started within 30 min and within 2 hours my contractions were about 4-5 min apart and really intense. I was looking at Chad asking “Isn’t this suppose to be the easy part?” I had no time to mentally prepare myself, eat a light snack, or even get dressed to head to the hospital. The contractions were so intense because of my back labor and because they were coupling (one contraction on top of another before the first one ended- no breaks!) I couldn’t do anything. I started getting nauseous and vomiting so we decided go ahead and head to the hospital so I could get something to make the nausea stop. We had what seemed like the longest car ride ever! Got lost in the parking lot and went up the wrong elevators. We looked like something straight out of a movie. Chad was carrying his bag, Ada’s bag, my birthing ball, our pillows, the camera bag and I was following behind him trying to roll my suitcase, wearing who knows what with wet hair because I had tried to take a shower when I had first started contracting. I would stop and just squat where ever we were when a contraction hit, try not to make too many weird noises and make the innocent bystanders uncomfortable. It took all I had not to throw up right there in the elevator. I wish someone had taken a photo of us. We were a mess.
We arrived and my sister was there waiting on us. She rubbed my back as I stood over a trash can while Chad checked me in. It was a long, extremely hard process and I couldn’t have done it without my amazing partner. Chad knew what to do the entire time, helped me cope with the pain, encouraged me when I was asking for an epidural, and communicated to others to make sure everyone knew what I needed and wanted- especially when I couldn’t communicate what my needs were. It was a team effort and my mom, sister and Chad helped me through it all and we achieved my goal of having our baby naturally and with no epidural. 13 hours of intense back labor and I did it!!!
Here are a few photos of right after Ada was born.
Our family was waiting out in the waiting room all day and finally got to meet our sweet baby around 9:00pm Sunday night. The next day we had so many visitors. We felt so loved and blessed to have such great friends, family, and such a supportive church. It takes a village to raise a child and we couldn’t ask for a better community to help us raise our sweet girl.
We were so blessed to have our friend Josh Reeder come visit and take some amazing photos of our baby on Monday. Here are a few of my favorites.
Chad the swaddling master!
We named Miss Ada Carden Hill Tuesday morning as we were leaving the hospital. I think we drove everyone crazy waiting to name her but I am so glad we did. Her name suits her. We just wanted to make sure the name fit.
Week 36
May 2, 2011
I will admit- I am running low on time and energy trying to finish up this series! I am feeling pretty good for the most part- I can’t complain. We will take Week 38 photo tonight. Oh man- the time is getting so close and sometimes seems like it will never get here. Baby’s room is almost complete, I am wrapping up work at the office, finishing up last minute freelance photos and videos, getting ready for my sister to graduate college this coming Saturday, and finishing up the planning for a big event I am helping put on that is happening this coming Monday (which i am really pumped about). I just need to make it to next Tuesday the 10th. We can do it! Here is Week 36 and hopefully I can catch up soon and post 37 and 38 this week as well.
Week 35
April 26, 2011
Week 34
April 19, 2011
The Invisible Children Screening went really well this past Friday night. We had a great turn out and lives were changed because of the event. Everyone worked so hard to put the event on and it was a major success. Big thanks to everyone who took time out of their busy schedules to come. Here is a photo of Chad and I with the IC team- they were an amazing group to work with and I am honored to know them.
Here is my Week 34 photo. I am now 36 weeks and hope to get caught up soon on the posts.
Week 33
April 11, 2011
This Friday night, April 15th, the organization Invisible Children will be at our church, Brentwood Church of the Nazarene, at 7:00pm and will be showing their newest documentary about the work they are doing in Uganda. After the documentary, Evelynn will be sharing her story of how Invisible Children impacted her life while growing up in Uganda. Our good freind Caleb Maitland will be playing a concert later on that evening. Childcare will be provided.
This organization is dear to my heart and they are really changing the world. I would love it if you would come out this Friday night and support this great mission and the children of Uganda.
Friday, April 15th
7:00PM
Free event, free childcare, free Starbucks coffee and snacks.
______________________WHO IS INVISIBLE CHILDREN? _____________________
We are story tellers. We make documentaries about war-affected children in east Africa and tour them around the world.
We use the power of media to inspire young people to help end the longest running war in Africa. Our model has proven effective, and hundreds of thousands of people have been called to action through our films and the volunteers that tour them.
We are made up of a tireless staff, hundreds of full time volunteers, and thousands of students and supporters. We are young, we are citizens of the world, we are artists, activists, and entrepreneurs. This fall, we are using our voice to ask President Obama to spearhead efforts to bring peace to Northern Uganda. We are mobilizing a generation to capture the attention of the international community, and make a stand for justice in the wake of genocide.
But our work extends far beyond storytelling.
With the support we receive from our tours and young supporters, we are able to implement cutting edge programs on the ground in Uganda. To prioritize and understand the needs of the community, our Uganda staff is 95% Ugandan. We focus on long-term development, working directly with individuals and institutions, to best understand the needs of these war-effected areas. We rebuild schools devastated by war, benefiting over 8,400 Ugandan youth in the areas of water and sanitation, books and equipment, refurbishment of structures, teacher support, and technology and power. We provide 690 scholarships to specifically chosen secondary students and 180 full ride scholarships to University. We employ mentors that holistically oversee healthy development for our students. We have also implemented micro-economic initiatives that are impacting 360 Ugandan’s in transition from internally displaced camps to their original homes as well as 13 formerly abducted child mothers who are now self-sufficient through our tailoring center that provides training in savings, investment, numeracy, literacy and health. These savings-and-loans initiatives have allowed villagers to save money and earn interest for the first time, freeing them to start their own businesses and provide for their families like never before.
We believe that the problems of central Africa need to be tackled comprehensively, from peace to education. Solving them is no easy task, and it will take all of us doing all that we can to ensure it. Join us in the race for peace.
_________________________FOR MORE INFORMATION_____________________
Brentwood Church of the Nazarene
584 Franklin Rd, Franklin, TN 37069
Watch the trailer for the Documentary Invisible Children will be showing.
Week 32
April 6, 2011
Chad and I had the best time in Destin. It was so nice to get away and just be by ourselves for a few days. Our friends Josh, Annie, and Simon ended up coming down the same time we were down there so we also had a blast meeting up a few times to hang out. I’ll post a few photos from our trip later. Here is the anticipated (late) belly shot.
Week 32
Week 31
March 20, 2011
Wow My stomach is looking large! It’s really crazy. We are heading to the beach after church today. Can’t wait. Next week’s photos should be fun. I think we are going to spice things up and take them on the beach. We will see if it works.
