Squicky Squirt

Crosby, or Squirt as I call him 50% of the time, has a little bit of a sore throat right now and isn't feeling top notch. It is nothing serious just a little virus causing a sore throat. When he tries to coo or cry he sounds both pitiful and hilarious at the same time as you will see in the video below.

Smiling and Cooing

I cannot believe that our little Crosby is 12 weeks old today! He is now officially melting his parents' hearts through lots of smiles and cooing. We think he would make great seal and whale sound effects for a cartoon. We've been able to capture that precious smile in a few pictures, but not nearly enough. I tried to attach a video of him smiling, but it would not work. Hopefully, I can figure that out and post it soon. Enjoy these pictures from the past few weeks.

Wow, look at my airplane mobile!

Chris and Crosby celebrating the Saints' Super Bowl win!

Crosby and his friend, Benjamin, are making their parents proud in their Saints onesies.

Move 'em on, head 'em up, Head 'em up, move 'em out

Movin, movin, movin, yep the Kears are movin.

Arkadelphia has been our home for over 3 and half years (this time around) and it has been a great place to call home. I happen to be one of those that believes what he reads on water towers. The theme of our life these days is transition.

• Crosby is transitioning out of the womb.
• We are transitioning to having a kiddo.
• Tara is transitioning out of the workplace.
  

And most recently...

• I'm transitioning jobs.
• We are transition communities.
  
• We are transitioning homes.
• We are transitioning churches.
  

I've had the privilege to work at my beloved alma matter the last 3 and half years, but God has been working on my heart and steadily calling us to work in a church. We didn't know what that would look like until this fall when I ran into our former pastor from our church in Conway, Ken Wilson. Ken mentioned to me that Fellowship Bible Church Conway was looking for an Executive Pastor and after describing the gig asked if I was interested, and I told him that I was. Long story short it looks like a perfect fit. So after much prayer and discussion with the staff and elders we signed on to join the team at Fellowship Bible Church Conway. This is my last week as a Ouachita employee, and I will begin work up there next Monday, Feb. 15.

So, that also means that there is a beautiful hilltop home in Ouachita Hills for sale. You can check out all the pics and specs of the house at http://990carter.com . If you know of anyone in the Arkadelphia area that is or might be looking for new home please pass the word that we have a great one available.

We will certainly miss our friends and our church here in Arkadelphia greatly but are also very excited to get back to Conway and Fellowship Bible Church. We'll keep you posted on the next few months of transition.

The Adventures of Snow Puppy

Our good friends in northern Arkansas are going on 9 + inches of snow. Down here in Arkadelphia I think we got 0.5 inches. Some might call it a dusting. None the less, when it is your son's first snow you have to take pictures. We went out after the first AM feeding to capture the event on film, well memory card but that doesn't sound as nostalgic. Now mama is back in bed, rightly so, and I'm chillin with Snow Puppy.

Of course thanks to Clint, Sara, and Genuine Care Pharmacy Crosby was equipped with the right gear to go out in the cold and show us just how good life is.

Anyone see a smile?

This is the house last night.

Here is the house this morning.

Happy 1st Month, Crosby!

This weekend marked Crosby's 1 month birthday. Last week we also celebrated 4 weeks and happy due date day. haha. I cannot believe how fast this first month has flown by, and how much Crosby has grown. He graduated to size 1 diapers yesterday, as well. Crosby still screams at most diaper changes, but we actually made it through a bath without him crying a couple of days ago...a real milestone! He is eating and sleeping really well, and he loves going places in the car seat or stroller. He is the funniest thing to watch wake up from his naps, too. Crosby is a noisy little guy, making all sorts of grunting and squeaking noises. He is so precious!

I (Tara) am enjoying being home with Crosby and watching him grow and develop each day. It is so fun to see Chris light up when he gets home from work and sees Crosby. He is such a wonderful dad already. Here are some pictures that we have taken of Crosby and friends in the past few weeks.

Crosby's first Christmas

It is amazing how much our blogging has slowed down now that we are home with an infant. We are doing well. Mainly adjusting to a whole new world, true for both Crosby and Tara and I. As we celebrated Christmas for the first time with Crosby we had a living object lesson of how crazy it was for our God to redeem his people by sending an infant. I found myself just holding my little 6 something pound son and just in awe that the Lord himself indwelt flesh in a little body just like Crosby's. We are very blessed to have Crosby healthy and home with us this holiday, but even more blessed that Christ took on flesh in the shape of a babe so that we might be redeemed and restored to fellowship with our Father.

We stayed put here on top of our hill in Arkadelphia for most of the holiday with the exception of a quick day trip to Dumas to get all three of the Loyd grandsons together at last.

Once again I think that pictures will sum it up better than my rambling...