Big Socks to Fill!

Precious Last Moments with Dad

There's never an easy deployment if it means you're separated from your best friend and eternal companion. The final 24 hours you spend together could be your last. So I think that, along with the "good bye" is the most difficult part to overcome. Once you make it through that it's just a matter of putting yourself in a "function" mode and then plugging away at each day. Our marriage has always been about living every moment together as if it's our last, and we really do live it! I think that's part of what makes our love for eachother increase each day and what keeps our relationship feeling so new. (I love you, Luke! You're in our prayers!)

Precious

Having had him for only 2.5 weeks at this point, we couldn't believe the love we had for him already.

Welcome! We've waited so long!

We welcomed our first bundle of joy into our arms on August 18, 2006 at 2:42p.m. It was a long labor, 27 hours...20 without any drugs and the final 7 with an epidural! Porter Austin weighed 8lbs 9oz and measured 21 1/2 inches long. We had to remain in the hospital a little over 48 hours due to some complications during labor, but everything is great now!