Gray's First Road Trip

The weekend of October 12, we hauled the boys up the back roads of East Texas to stay at my parents' house.  We met up with Jeremy's parents there, as they had not seen Gray since he was a month old!

When I say back roads, I mean we wanted to avoid I-35, so we tried a new route, which ended up being quite lovely, taking us 6 hours or so with all of our pit stops.  Gray did pretty fabulously since he napped a little more frequently then.  

Uncle Scott and Madison came over for dinner one night too.

I'm sorry, Gray.  I have no idea.

Practicing a little soccer with his cousin, the soccer champ.

It's That Time Again...

Time for the Barclays to pony up and head out...southeast.  We are moving again!  Clear Lake, Texas, here we come.

Jeremy has had the honor to accept a position with a new company at hospital currently being built in Clear Lake, a part of Houston, as the Chief Administrator (aka CEO).  He is very excited to have the opportunity to start up a brand new hospital and they are thrilled for him to arrive.  Life never levels when you're a Barclay it seems.  God is at work and He is always good.

For me, I think I will be leaving my heart in central Texas.  I cannot begin to express my gratitude to the Lord  for our time here.  He has literally changed my heart and soul through this place.  I've come a long way in knowing and loving Him.  I'll never stop thanking Him for the people I've come to know and love and walk through life and fight sin and chase after Jesus with.  I've never had community like this before.  And I now truly understand the meaning of John 13:35 when Jesus said, "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”


I kept meaning to post about the Women's Development Program that I've had the privilege of being involved in at our church this fall.  And maybe I'll still get around it.  Suffice it to say, these few short months have been a challenge and a blessing.  I am sad that I cannot complete it with my ladies, at least not fully.

Besides all the beloved friends and amazingly cool city that Jeremy and I hate to leave behind, there are the people, and places, that Noah will leave behind.  This is a really tough part for me to swallow.  I hate change for him.  We will have to say "see you later" to our precious Mrs. Sam and her crew (who are more like family to Noah), all of his friends, another school, class, and teachers, his Kids class at church, and even our outstanding pediatrician who has been through a lot with us.  I can't even get through typing this paragraph without tearing up.  He will probably handle it better than me. :)

However, we are excited to see what God has in store and how this part of the plan for us will be bring him glory and our joy.  We appreciate your prayers as we head out today to officially begin the journey with a house hunt.  We are begging God to swiftly move and provide us with the perfect place to do his work.

Lots of love!

Gray at 5 Months

Our little monkey weighs in at about 18 pounds and has slowed a bit on the growth chart.  :)

He is rolling from tummy to back (creating nighttime havoc!) and waking up at all hours of the night.  It's lucky he's so cute.  Gray is also recovering from his second ear infection in the right ear.  You only need 4 ear infections in one year to qualify for ear tubes these days, by the way.  He is "tripoding" quite well and I think we'll have a sitter on our hands soon.  He is already attempting to get into everything, but alas, immobility is not in his favor.  I think I'll have my work cut out for me when this guy gets moving. :)

When I sing to him (especially "Green Alligators") he stops crying, pulls back to see my face, and laughs.  I'm sure I would laugh too.

Here are pics of Gray having his first round of baby oatmeal.  I think we're going to have a good eater on our hands!

Photos by Kelly Korkmas, who happened to be visiting us on this evening!

My Little Punkins

Got some pics of my skeletal sweeties in the pumpkins that a little church in Cedar Park puts out every year.  Oh, the cuteness.

Fall Fun!

The first weekend in October was a lovely one!  A cold front blew in on Saturday and made the weather wonderful and the October skies brilliant. :)

Mimi and Papa came in to watch Noah play soccer and go to the pumpkin patch at Sweet Berry Farm with us.

Gray enjoys soccer too.

We picked up Storm burgers and had a picnic at the farm.

We love the babywearing.

So beautiful out there.  Reminds me a little of WV. :)

First dirty feet!

I laughed so hard.  Noah sat down next to Gray, who was chewing a teether, with his Halloween Oreo dessert.  Gray looked so intensely at those cookies, looking back and forth between them and his yummy plastic chew toy.

Help a brother out, man!

The boys and their Papa shirts.

Here's to more fun fall weekends ahead!  October begins my favorite time of year!