Life has Changed...for the Good!

Well its been awhile since i posted.... Life has changed HUGELY!!! On Oct 16th, 2008 Addison Gray Manning our little Angel was born! She is the most amazing little baby you have seen. She was perfect in every way. Our hearts melted right away.

We have been getting adjusted to life as parents...The sleepless nights (actually those aren't to bad), the putting everything on hold for this little person, because they are your everything now. And of course all the extra stuff that goes along with a baby.

The Holidays are upon us and we CAN'T WAIT!!! For Thanksgiving we are going to NC to eat at the Dillard House with family and then will stay up there for the Holiday weekend. It will be a nice change outside of the normal year to year we do.

December will be a big month, for us too. Since its Addi's First christmas, we are planning on going to our Yearly Mickey's Very Merry Christmas with the Family, and then we will be having Christmas at our house this year with all the Family!!! After That Kate, Emily, Addi and I will be going to NC for New Years for that week. It will be so nice to just be out of FL, and be someplace fun for the Holidays!

Life is changing a lot, but for the good! We are soo happy, and can't believe how amazing it feels to be parents!

Cherishing the moments...

So after a long week of TS Fay teasing us, it finally decided to head for Gainesville. UF (my work) decided to not stick it to the man anymore, and closed the campus tomorrow. As i found out I got a nice 3 day weekend, (something i had been hoping for all week). I got excited, but my excitement wasn't that i didn't have to work (ok maybe some), but was more the fact that i get to be home, with my wife. I get to have another day to spend with her, and just be close together. I know i know, it sounds cheesy. But lately i have more and more realized how blessed I am. I have a roof over my head, a nice job, a baby on the way, and a amazing wife! I more and more cherish the extra moments i have to just sit back and breathe out. 

A pastor friend of mine once brought up a good point to me, that is beginning to reveal itself more and more to me. He said that on the 7th day God rested. That He rested for a reason, and that reason was to sit back and see all that was happening, and enjoy it. He hadn't worked so hard on everything, just so that he could keep moving on, and never enjoy it. His point was, that God was also showing us something. He wanted us to also mimic that action. He wanted us to sit back and just breathe. Breathe out all the busyness and stress that we fill out lives with, and breathe in His presence and ENJOY the blessing's he has given us.

For me, that has become so relevant anymore. I am so happy that i get to spend extra time relaxing, and enjoying the blessings he has given me. I am so blessed that i not only have a wife who i GREATLY enjoy being with, and grow to love and cherish every minute, but that she also wants to be with me, and enjoys me, and feels the same towards me. And that doesn't get old! Everyday it gets better!

I have a Daughter who is growing more and more each day. I am so excited that God has blessed me and Challenged me to be the Father of such and amazing little girl. Even before she is born, she is amazing. I pray over her every day, knowing God has a plan for her, knowing that she will be a mighty woman of God, and that she will bless others. It's hard to believe you can already love someone so much, and you've never met them. But thats part of the blessing. I will do all that i know and can, to be the best Dad and man of God to her so that she always see Him first and follows in what she is called to in her life.

Life is so good, i truly am blessed, and know its only getting better. I can't wait for what the future holds, and can't wait to sit back and breathe in the blessings and cherrish the moments it has to bring!

-Brian

Life is good!

Well we are almost 31 weeks... Kate is sooo ready for October to be here. This Sunday is the Baby shower and Kate is so excited about it. We are going to paint the nursery Tommorow and Saturday so that we can get it all setup after the shower. I'm exicted because while the girls are doing the shower thing, me and the guys will be having a "diaper party" (a.k.a. Grilling out and having beers). This is much needed time of R&R.

It's hard to believe that pretty soon we will be meeting our little girl for the first time. It seems like this pregnancy has flown by, but gone so slow at the same time. August is going to be over before we know it, and then its just 1 more month! If someone had asked me a year ago if I would be were im at, in my life now, i would have laughed. But God is amazing, and has a plan, even when its hard to see. I am so blessed to have such an amazing wife, and soon to be little girl.

Life is just exciting now, and keeps getting better and better....

~Brian

Wedding Day

Well Our wedding day was an amazing day! We were so blessed to be joined by our Family and Friends on our special day. It was the day we have been waiting for, for so long. It took a lot of work, but it all came together in the end. We joined our lives in front God, and became one! This is the most amazing thing in the world. God has blessed us both so much. We have been through some hard times individually, but God had a plan, and knew what He was preparing us for. Today we are starting our adventure together. We can’t wait for what God has in store for us. It may be hard at times, but the good WAY out-ways the hard times. This is just the beginning of so much, and we know God’s plan is so great! This is what was meant to be, Mr. and Mrs. Manning!

Our Vows:

~You are my once-in-a-lifetime, my miracle. 

May our lives intermingle and our love grow as we become one.

You are all I could ever need in my life,my friend, my lover, my everything.

I promise to be faithful to you, to love you, honor you, live with you and cherish you, according to the commandments of God, in the holy bond of marriage.~