While I was visiting with my friends, Robert had the kids. Victoria loves Chuck E. Cheese, so Robert decided to take them to eat pizza and play while I was gone. I think they had a great time. Then Saturday night we cooked at the the Gonzalez's. The kiddos had a blast running through the sprinkler.

Hangin' out with Old Friends and New Friends

This weekend I had the opportunity to spend some time with some old friends. I was lucky to have graduated from high school in a class that had lots of good, quality girls. There was a group of about fifteen girls that went through all the advance classes together. Some have now moved to different states, some still live in Nashville, but a good number have moved to Central Arkansas. We even have a doctor among us, that just started her residency at AR Children's Hospital. So, one friend, who now lives in Conway, decided that it would be fun to try and get us together. Everyone ended up having something to do that weekend except four of us. It was so much fun to catch up and visit! I had never seen Mica's house and she is expecting her first child in two weeks, so we had tons to talk about!

Long White Cars

Have you ever noticed that many elderly people like to drive long white cars that look like police cars? This past weekend we went home to Nashville to visit our families. I was driving the last little leg of the trip which is a normal two-lane highway. I was on a straight-stretch, but way up ahead I could see a car that looked like a police car waiting to pull out of a drive. So, of course, I do what any person instinctively does when you think there's a cop. I slowed down to the speed limit and became very cautious of following every road rule. When I finally past the car, it was an elderly couple waiting to pull out--not sure what they were waiting on, but they were waiting. I laughed at myself for being so cautious of this nice, harmless, elderly man, and then it occurred to me maybe that's why elderly people choose to drive long white cars. When people see those cars, they slow down and drive safely. I know that with my own grandparents, the older they get, the scarier it is for them to get out and fight traffic. I wonder if when a person goes to renew their license at 65, it is recommended to them. I don't know. My papa loves his big black Chevy truck, but maybe I'll suggest a big Cadillac or Lincoln. Just food for thought.

I am so proud of Carson's new diaper bag that I thought it was blog worthy. I kept seeing lots of people at my church with cute diaper bags and I kept asking myself, "Where is everybody getting those cute bags?" Well, during a visit to Nitzia's house, I discovered that she was the famous seamstress. I was so excited to have discovered the origin of those bags, I'm sure she must have thought that I had lost my mind. I'm pretty sure that I jumped up and down. Anyway, I enthusiastically put in my order and waited patiently. Within a week, she had this adorable bag ready for Carson!! It turned out so cute! Thanks a bunch, Nitzia!

GSFBC Members!

As of Sunday, the Cortez Family is officially members of Geyer Springs First Baptist Church in Little Rock, AR!! The church is a lot bigger than our past church homes, but I feel that if we get plugged in, we can have a positive experience and be used. It's easy to think in such a big church that my small gifts and talents might not be able to be used, but there seems to be room for everyone. I look forward to what God has in store for us with these great people!

The Gonzalez Family

These are our new friends, the Gonzalez family. It has been so much fun getting to know them. We met them at Geyer Springs and we were instant friends. I am so glad that God blessed us with them. Alfonso and Robert have so much in common! It's actually unbelievable how much they have in common. Both of their families are from Mexico, but they both grew up in California and then moved to Arkansas when they were teenagers. Both Robert's and Alfonso's families moved to Arkansas from California to create a safer environment for them to be raised in and both of them came to Arkansas to visit and then never went back. Robert came to Arkansas to visit his aunt and uncle and his parents decided to stay. Robert never went back. His dad went back and brought their stuff, but Robert never got to go back and tell his friends goodbye. Can you imagine being in the 9th grade and getting moved from the life you had always known AND not even getting to tell any of your friends and family goodbye? Also add in there the huge culture shock of growing up in California and then coming to Arkansas. One might think that would be a unique story, but Alfonso's story was almost identical. I think if they had been girls, they would have hugged each other and cried, because it was so obvious that they felt completely understood by the other person. But, being men, they just laughed and shook hands! Their lives are so parallel. They both married an American girl from their Arkansas hometowns. The similarities just go on and on. Plus, Shonda and I have so much in common and love hanging out as much as the guys. They already feel more like family than friends!

Saturdays with Dad

I love Saturdays when we are at home, without a big agenda for the day. Something about Daddy being here with us makes everything more exciting. Tori, Carson, and I hang out at our house everyday of the week, but when Daddy's here the dynamics are just different. During the week, Tori knows that she can choose from toast, cereal, egg, or oatmeal for breakfast. At some point along the way, Robert started this tradition with her that on Saturdays he makes her pancakes! It is such a fun tradition and she loves it! Today we have plans to clean the house, hang some pictures, and maybe even paint the master bathroom! I'll send pictures if we get the bathroom painted.

Last weekend we went home to Nashville to visit our families. Robert's niece had a birthday party on Friday night and then we hung out with my family on Saturday. Going home to Nashville is something that is very special to me. I have really strong roots to my hometown and when I haven't been there in a while, I start feeling like I'm starting to come unraveled. Part of that is the simple fact, that Robert's family and my family both live there. Tori loves her cousins and misses them when we don't see them for awhile. Robert and I are both close to our families and I want Tori and Carson to feel that strong bond with their families, too, so spending time with them is very important to us. On Saturday my sister-in-law took some pictures of the Talley grandkids and took some of Carson by himself. His room has a sports theme, so I wanted a picture of him dressed up in a baseball outfit that I could frame for his room. We went out on the baseball field and took his picture. I think she did a great job!

I hear Robert starting the pancakes, so I probably should go help!