My Grandpa

Haley here. My Grandpa (dad's dad) passed away yesterday. I thought about him all day yesterday and most of today. We didn't get to see him much these last 5 or so years because he moved to Iowa, but my sister and I kept in touch with him through letters and pictures. I was able to go visit him in Iowa a couple of time when I was in college.
So this morning while feeding Griffin my mind traveled back to him as I thought about who he was and all the things he loved. I thought I should write them down. It's from my sister and mines perspective.

"Our Granpa" By Haley Hicks

Our Grandpa was a Colonel.
He was a leader
He was a fighter.
He loved to golf.
He loved the Texas A&M Fighting Aggies.
He taught us when we were little girls to say "Gig'em Aggies!" to anyone and everyone.
He taught us to putt and drive a golf ball.
He taught us to have a love for our military and a very high respect for our soldiers, because he was one.
He loved his country.
He fought and protected it once.
He always wanted us to go to West Point.
He loved Texas, but lived in Iowa, his home state, for the last years of his life.
He loved our Grandmother, Barbara, and she loved him.
He loved a martini every day at 5pm because that was a tradition in the Army.
He also didn't mind blue bell ice cream every now and again.
He was a serious person, but had a sweet smile and a great laugh and it was a treat to see it and hear it.
Everyone always respected him, especially us.
He was a good Grandpa, and we always wanted to make him proud. We hope we did.
Now we will watch his great grandchildren grow up- "his legacy" as our dad would say. Grandpa never got to meet Griffin or Ty and didn't get to see Landry much, but we know if he had he would have been so proud and would have loved them so much!
Grandpa, everyone that knew you is going to miss you, and everyone that loved you, always will.

Thank you, Lord, for giving us such amazing grandfather's. Both of them are gone now. We will never have another one. Thank you for the time they spent with us and for teaching us through them.

Over at Grandma Jan's

Yesterday Griffin and I went over to our close friend, Jan's house for a visit while Tyler went to MMA class (yes, he is still going and loves it). Jan has two daughters, Lauren and Ali, who are good friends of mine too and they were both there as well. We had such a sweet time eating blueberry toast, pepper bacon, and strawberries, and just talking and laughing. While we were there Jan got some great shots of Griffin, which these are two of them. I was so excited about them because I have been wanting to take Griffin to get some portaits made while he is still around 3 months old and these turned out perfect! There are more but I didn't know how to rotate them.

Dear Jan,
Thanks for taking my picture. Thanks also for sitting outside with me in your lawn chair under your big tree. That was my favorite part. I had alot of fun over at your house. I will come back soon with Mommy. I love you. Love, Griffin

Ty McRae Langley

Naunie (my mom) holding her third grand baby. She is such a wonderful grandma.

We officially have 3 nephews and 1 niece. Added to the clan is Ty Langley, my sister's and brother-in-law, Matt's new addition to their family. He was born on Wed. Aug. 19 and weighed 7 lbs. and is 21 inches long. He is healthy and happy. The Lord is so good. He is so handsome and we cannot wait to meet him. Griffin especially is eager to play with is new cousin and teach him all he knows so far in life (which isn't much just yet) :) We love you Becka, Matt, Landry, and Ty! Congratulations!

Bath time & Planet Pjs

Bedtime with Daddy

"Wow I like these cool planet pjs!"
Scrub a dub dub, Griffin's in the tub....



This week I found these adorable PJs that I had stuck in another drawer for later when Griffin was big enough to wear them. When I found them I realized they were 3months and that it was time already for him to fit into them! I was excited because they have planets and space theme all over them and are just the cutest baby pjs I think I have ever seen. Tyler's grandpa, aunt, and uncle gave them to Griffin and he looked so sweet in them! Thank y'all very much! Griffin loves them!
I also decided to take some bath pics since I really haven't since he was just a wee little guy when my mom and I were still bathing him on a towel with a bowl in the middle of the nursery floor. Remember those days, Mom??? He made it to the bath tub. :)

Our weekend

At the Fair

Griffin loves his daddy..

This weekend has been so much fun! Friday night we finally had the chance to get together with some friends that we have been meaning to get together with, Tommy and Julie and their 3 1/2 month old daughter Kelsie. It's a funny story how we ran into them one night. It was back when I was pregnant and Tyler and I went to the mall one night. We were in Bealls and Tyler turns to me and says "Hey there's a girl over there that has an ETBU shirt on." So I turned and looked and saw Julie standing there. I knew that I knew her from our sorority Delta Pi Theta at ETBU. We never really got to know one another since she was a few years younger than me. I marched over to her and said "HEY! Do you remember me from ETBU?" and she did and so then we got acqainted again and learned that they live in Farwell, TX where Tommy is the student pastor at 1st Baptist church and that they were expecting a baby girl two weeks before Griffin was due. So the Lord has just really blessed us with them because they are they only other couple we know that has a baby the same age as Griffin. We went to Chilis with them on Friday and it was Griffin's first trip to Chilis and he did so well! I feed him right before we left and so he was awake most the time and I think enjoyed being in a place full of people with a lot of noise.
So anyways we took some pics Fri. before we went and then also we went to the fair last night and had such a good time. We only stayed about an hr and 1/2 but we got to see so many kids in the youth group and others we know and ate some delicious fair food which consisted of cherry lemonade, corn dog, fried cheese, and a funnel cake. It was awesome! Tyler and I love fair food despite it's unhealthy state. Griffin did great at the fair too. I bought him a fan that sits up in his stroller and he seemed to like that to keep him cool. He has been taking such good naps this week and has been enjoying being home to take them in his own bed. He takes three 2 hour naps and then a little cat nap in the evening before his bath. It's funny how much more happier he is when he's awake when he gets plenty of rest and naps good. It has been nice for me too because I can get a lot done during those naps and even take a nap myself.
Today though I was a little anxious about taking him to church. I wasn't sure which service to take him to. He's been waking up at 7 am so I figured I would take him to the early service at 8:30. He ended up waking up around 8 so I feed him and then rushed to get ready and made it in time. He did ok but I had to take him out into the lobby right before the sermon started, but I got to visit with some people out there so it was fun. And then I put him back in his carrier/stroller and he went to sleep right at his nap time and slept up until we left after Sunday school around 11:00. He was such a good boy! I'm telling ya having him on a schedule makes life so much easier. I am thankful he has done well this week. I think it has just been good for him to be home for the last couple weeks and get into a good routine that is consisent.
The Lord has blessed us with such a good baby. Thank you, Lord, for Griffin.

Youth MiniStarz

Hey guys, Tyler here. This video almost makes me ashamed of myself. Then again... it's always good to laugh at yourself.

The Griffin Roll

The Griffin Roll from Tyler Hicks on Vimeo.

We caught Griffin rolling over on camera. Here it is!

A Stay At Home Mom

A lot of people are asking me the question lately "So are you getting ready to go back to work?" It's funny because a lot of people, I think, just assume that I am. I don't know if it's because Tyler is a student pastor and they just assume that we will be in poverty if I don't work. ha... someone told me before Tyler and I got engaged that I shouldn't married a potential pastor because I would be poor the rest of my life! Isn't that funny? I mean I was like "what do you mean poor? Are we going to starve to death, have no place to live, or no clothes on our backs?" There was nothing that was going to stop me from marrying Tyler because I knew he was the man God wanted me to marry. Plus, I knew the Lord would always provide for us. My time with the Lord yesterday was exactly what I needed for this time when I am choosing to obey the Lord and stay home with my son and "be busy at home".
1 Timothy 6:6-8 "Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content."
I am doing my quiet times from Table Talk magazine now. I was reading through the Old Testament but then needed a break so back to a devotional book it is.
Anyways, it was wonderful and the Lord really ministered to my heart. It talked about how we shouldn't use godliness as a means of gain. There is great gain in godliness but the gain in which Paul talks about is not financial. John Calvin once said "Godliness is a very great gain to us, because by means of it, we obtain the benefit, not only of being heirs of the world, but likewise of enjoying Christ and all his riches." The gain from godly living is its promise "for the present life and also for the life to come" (1 Tim 4:8)

So, with all that said. I am staying home with Griffin as long as the Lord permits. And I will stay home with all our children Lord willing. Tyler doesn't want me to work. He would rather me be with Griffin all day than someone else. And I would rather do without some things than forfeit seeing my baby every day all day. I pray the Lord will continually make us content with what He gives us, by allowing us to be godly people who trust in Him and who remember each day that we get to enjoy Him now and forevermore.
I do not think it's wrong for mothers to work though, please don't get me wrong. If a momma has to work then she has to work. If the Lord hasn't put the conviction in your heart to stay home then that's ok. This is just what I feel the Lord has called me to do. A lot of women have no choice and I am thankful that I do.

I am so excited about not going back to work too. It was not the easiest thing to get up so early and drive to Bovina every day with the time change. I will miss having a classroom full of students to see each day, though. But I am going to go visit Bovina this year to share Griffin with all my friends and former students there. That will be fun.
So here's to being a stay at home momma! :)

7 am & Rolling over, & the fair

Griffin woke up at 7 am this morning. He has been going to bed earlier though. Last night he went to bed at 9:00. He is getting better at his naps. :) He hasn't even cried yet since I put him down for his morning nap just now. Now that's a new record! He always cries when I put him down for a nap! This is Griffin Hicks History! ha...

This week has been good so far. I have been able to get a lot done, besides getting the video of Griffin on the blog because I need Tyler's help to do it and his computer which he has at work every day. But I did catch Griffin on video rolling over Monday. He rolled over 5 times one day a couple weeks ago and then wouldn't do it for a while. Then Monday he was having play time on his tummy and he rolled over! And then did again 3 more time! He's funny. If he feels like it he will and if not well no big deal to him he just won't. I see a lot of me in him already sometimes. He is such a good baby and just so sweet and cuddlely now as he had plumped up with his little fat rolls. But I am bound and determined to get that video on here, Mom. Tyler said he would help me on Thurs.

Anyways, the Curry County Fair is this week so we are going to take Griffin Friday night with some friends after it cools off a bit. The fair here is so much fun and is one of my favorite things about Clovis. It's a small fair which makes it nice and you get to see so many people and farm animals :) We are looking forward to going. Not much else going this week. Just enjoying the rain the Lord has blessed us with the last few days and enjoying being home with Griffin each day. I am trying to enjoy every single moment with him as I have noticed he won't be so little for too long.

Friends come to visit

Griffin started getting upset..it was his bed time.




Our very sweet friends, Will & Alyssa Laing, came over for a visit Sunday night. They loved Griffin and played with him and held him. Alyssa helped me give him a bath and combed his hair down very nicely, which we hardly ever do, and we decided it makes him look like a little man. We all liked it. It was so much fun getting to hang out with them since we never get to because they live in Kentucky. Will's family lives in Clovis and so whenever they come to visit them we get to see them too! It was so sweet to get to share Griffin with them. He loved them and now misses them.

Come back soon Will & Alyssa! Love, Griffin :)

Dear Griffin

Dear Griffin,

You will be three months old tomorrow. You are such a big boy now. Your daddy thinks you weigh at least 15 lbs. now. That seems like so much compared to your birth weight of 6.9 lbs. We love you very, very, very much! These past three months have been some of the best in our lives. We love watching you grow. We love listening to your baby jabber and cooing. You enjoy sucking on your hands now. You particularly enjoy your thumbs. You like to stand up on your legs now for a short time. You also like to roll over from your tummy to your back when you feel like it. You can also sleep through the night and have been since you were 8 weeks old. You sometimes like to sleep late, till 9:30 or ten. You love smiling at us real big. We can't wait to hear your laugh. You You have accomplished so much in these three months of your life. We think you are the best baby in the whole world. Thank you for being such a sweet baby boy. We love being your parents. We hope you have loved being our son. We will take good care of you, don't worry. We love you so much.

Love, Mommy & Daddy