Merry Christmas from the Irwins!

What a precious day we have had celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior! From our home to yours...MERRY CHRISTMAS!

July 4th

We had such a wonderful time on July 4th celebrating our freedom with close friends! Jackson enjoyed all the inflatables. This was the perfect kid-friendly celebration, and was a wonderful evening with friends. I didn't catch many pics while there, but here's a pic of Jackson sliding down the huge slide. I think his facial expression says it all! He had a wonderful time!

Mercy Me

Last Friday at the last minute, we won tickets to hear Mercy Me in Edenton, NC from the local Christian radio station. We were ecstatic as we never seem to win anything, and we enjoy listening to their music. We decided to make an adventure of it, as neither of us had ever been to Edenton before, and it was a 2 hour road trip from here. We loaded up as soon as Donald got off work, and the 3 of us headed out for a night of worship. We knew there was a possibility it was going to storm, but decided we had just got back from Florida where it rained almost the entire trip, so we packed out ponchos and decided to brave the storm. It stormed most of the ride there, and once we got there it was clear for about 5-10 minutes before the bottom fell out. Luckily, there was a nice covered shelter where we were able to stay dry, and the concert was postponed as the band's bus had broken down in SC so they were late arriving. We ended up bumping into a guy that Donald went to ECU with 7 years ago, and talked with him for a while until the concert started. The band didn't begin to play until around 9:30, and the concert didn't end until around 11.
It was such an encouraging evening, and exactly what I needed at the moment. The past month has been a bit trying as I've really missed my dad, and often wonder how different life might be if he were still here. That evening proved to be a wonderful encouragement that life is but a vapor, and the impact we make for eternity is the only thing that really matters in the end, so no matter the hurt, the pain, the disease...it's all used for God's glory and to impact eternity.
We didn't capture many pictures from the evening due to the rain, but it was a lot of fun, and we look forward to many more family outings such as this!

Disney World

Jackson's First Glimpse of Mickey Mouse

Last month we decided we had so many things to celebrate, that we'd celebrate by having a family vacation to Disney World. We celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary, my graduation from ECU, and Donald's 30th birthday. It was a fitting vacation for lots of family memories, and lots of fun to be had together!

We spent 7 nights in Disney World, and were able to stay in a Disney World resort, and visit all of the Disney parks at least once. It rained over 10 inches in the week we were there, but it made for an interesting vacation, and we made the best of it, and still had a fabulous time. We were willing to brave the rain, and dance the puddles, so the crowds and waits were less than they could've been. Here's a few pictures from our vacation. Jackson is already saving his pennies in his bank to go see Mickey again. He loved it! Several times he has said, "Mommy, Mickey misses me. I need to go see him in Disney World." Ha ha ha! The laughter we shared!

Jackson has just reached the 40" mark, so he was big enough to ride most roller coasters there. He loved the roller coasters and many times made us ride 5-6 times in a row. Here's a picture of us on one of his favorite roller coasters there.

Happy Birthday Papa

(This picture was taken in 1989 on Papa's birthday)

Today's my Papa's birthday. I can't express in words how much I miss him, how often I think of him, or much I wish he was here so I tell him "Happy Birthday" and share a pineapple cake with him. I do know however, that God is in control, and will use every situation we encounter for His eternal glory. So, while I may not understand right now why Papa isn't here, I know that God is working in this situation to bring about good to honor and glorify Him. Until then, I'll look forward to the day I celebrate with Papa in Glory. Oh what a sweet day that will be!

I love you Papa!

Merry Christmas!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!



I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas! We had a delightful Christmas. We enjoyed time with out families on Christmas Eve as we celebrated with food, laughter, and gifts. Jackson was so excited about the gifts he got. He has enjoyed these gifts so much since he got home, and now I'm trying to figure out how to add onto the house to fit all the toys he got (Just Kidding! We will be working to figure out a plan to be able to fit all these items into our house, which will probably include donating some of his older toys.) Considering his train set is approx. 5' x 5', which takes up a large space in my living room, but it's essential to have it in there, and have it running at all times. Just ask Jackson, he'll tell you so. He also loves his remote control dinosaur which needs lots of space to roam and attack innocent bystanders (poor Gizmo!).

Donald and I were so truly blessed at Christmas as well. We received items that we will use, and things we would never buy for ourselves. We enjoyed the fellowship with our family immensely. Nothing can compare to this time we spent with our family, and we're so thankful for that.

I hope you had a Merry Christmas as you and your family reflected on the true meaning of Christmas.

Wedding Weekend

What a busy week we had last week! Donald's brother David was married this past weekend, and we spent this past week tying up loose ends before leaving for the weekend of wedding activities. We had a busy, but enjoyable weekend. We try to stay in contact with our friends we have had for years and years, but it's always so hard with us all living in different places and many of us now having children, but we were able to spend lots of time with friends and have already planned our next time together.

Here's my favorite picture from this weekend...a sweet picture of Donald and Jackson before the wedding. Jackson was determined to spend time with his daddy before the wedding. He would continuously tell me, "I need to talk to daddy," and he would make his way over to daddy to say "I love you." He'd come back to where I was sitting and do the same thing again. He sat through the entire wedding ceremony and only said he wanted to be with daddy 1 time which I thought was quite impressive.

Where have we been?

Here at our house, we have been quite busy now that summer is here. Jackson and I have been enjoying the weather as we can, but it's been a little hot the past few days for us to get out until later in the evening.

Good news! Donald is now working 4 day work weeks for right now. We are still adjusting a little to his new schedule, but Jackson and I have enjoyed him being home a extra day during the week. We're not sure how long this schedule will last, but it works out great for us during the summer, and we'll enjoy it while we have it.

Hopefully more posts will be coming in the coming days along with some new photos of Jackson.

Happy 4th of July!

Hope everyone had a nice 4th of July. We enjoyed some great family time, and enjoyed having Donald home from work. We grilled hamburgers on the grill, and then headed to Clayton to enjoy the fireworks. We set off a few smaller fireworks in the yard and had sparklers here at the house, but Jackson was scared of those. As soon as we lit those fireworks, Jackson ran to us with open arms saying "Mommy-scared!" I didn't know if he'd like the "big fireworks" as Jackson calls them, but when we got to Clayton, we found a nice grassy area to put our blanket down, and we enjoyed strawberries while waiting for the fireworks. Jackson had a great time, and was sad when they were over.

I'm truly thankful that we live in a country that gives us the freedoms that we hold dear. Were it not for the men and women who faithfully fight for our country, we might not enjoy those freedoms, so thank you all that you and your families sacrifice for our freedom!

Phrase of the Day: "Not Bad"

The phrase of the day has been "not bad." Anytime you ask Jackson if he likes what he's eating today he'll say "Not bad mommy." Not sure where he picked it up but it's so cute. When he says it, you just get the feeling he's such a big boy and knows exactly what he's talking about. I love it =) He says the cutest things somedays!

Happy Father's Day tomorrow! Father's day is always such a hard day for me as I miss Papa so much! During days like this, I remind myself all day how thankful I am that I had such a good dad, and I had him for the 24 years that I did. I'm constantly reminded of what a positive influence Papa had on my life, and how many people never have that influence from their dad in their lifetime! What a privelege to have him as my dad, and to have all of the cherished memories I have of him. I love you Papa!

Happy Mother's Day!

**A beautiful rose from our rose bush in our yard.**
We had such an enjoyable today as we celebrated our mothers. Jackson was fascinated today by a necklace they gave me for mother's day. He wanted me to look at his neck as if he had a necklace on too, but at any rate, he was very cute and lots of fun!

After church, we headed to Rocky Mount to celebrate Mother's Day with our families. One thing I can honestly say is that I have been so blessed to have such a wonderful family. What a blessing it is to be raised in a Christian home that is loving as our home always was. The memories I have with my family and continue to make with them are ones that I will always cherish, and I'm very thankful that God saw fit to place me in this family. So, I enjoy celebrating holidays such as Mother's Day because it is such a special occasion when you are able to celebrate a mother as wonderful as mine!

Being a mother is such a special role and such a unique ministry that occurs right in your home. I feel priveleged that God has called me to this role and ministry by blessing me with such a special little boy.