I'm in love with this song

Can't stop listening to this song.

The music will start about a minute into the video. Sorry. It was the least cheesy of all the videos available on YouTube.

Family Pictures from Long Ago

I think its time for some picture candy. Our good friend, Jacob Goodlin and his wonderful wife, Noelle came to visit us in April or March...I don't even remember when. They are about to head out to Cambodia to live...for a while...indefinitely....check out their website for more info on what they'll be doing. Believe me, you want to know them. They are super fun people, living with purpose. * Jacob was our team leader on the missions trip to Morocco, where Cameron and I met and fell in love :)* Jacob is also an amazing photographer (and Noelle, the master design director). Check out his work here. Needless to say, we coerced them into taking some pictures of our little family as we traipsed all over Seattle with them. My little heart couldn't be happier to share them with you.

And hello 6 months later!

Hi friends. My name is Marelize. You might not remember me. I haven't written in a while. Why? My husband was in a very sandy, warm place and for safety reasons, I didn't want to have it all over the Internet that he was gone. But alas, he is back now.

Let me remind you of who I am. I have blond hair (as of right now). I like Damien Rice, Lady Antebellum and the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs. I bake to relax. I have a really cute and amazingly brilliant husband. We had a super funny, smart, beautiful little girl together. Her name is Malone. She is almost 2! I like to read. Currently, I'm smack dab in the middle of Jane Eyre (don't spoil the end for me, please!) I like to do laundry. My husband and I are nerds. We like to watch documentaries. I hate refried beans. Oh, and I love Jesus.

Remember me now? Maybe you could remind me who you are.

So here's an accounting of what we've been up to for the last almost 6 months:

- Malone and I have travelled almost 10,000 miles

- I have made 16 trips to the airport

- I was husband-less for 96 days

- I got pregnant with a little boy due Feb. 2, 2010

- Went to the beach

- Got a throw-up bug so bad I had to go to the ER

- Malone is talking like crazy. Her new favorite term is "Oh, NO!" and "I poo!"

- During Cameron's first week gone, Malone had a sinus and ear infection. The best week ever!

- Saw my bff, Sarabeth twice (she lives in Denver)

- Squeezed into a cute black non-maternity dress for a wedding when I was 5 months pregnant.

- Saw my belly grow much quicker than before

- Drawn a billion pictures with Malone

- Felt the kicks and somersaults of a little boy inside my belly.

- Fell more in love with my husband

- Fell more in love with my baby girl, Malone

- Started a bible study with some girls from Cameron's squadron

- Got my first flu shot EVER!

And I think that catches you up to date pretty well. You?

Girls Night

Sometimes mamas need a full 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Sometimes mamas need some good quality girl time. Sometimes mamas need some shopping time. And I got all that and more with my friends, Stephanie and Melanie not too long ago. It was the first time that all three of us left our kids with our husbands for a whole night. Yes, my friends, we left the kiddos with their awesome and gracious daddies and we were on I-5 headed to Seattle faster than you can say, "Freedom".
Oh, it was bliss. We drove up to Seattle, ate at PF Chang's (in peace), enjoyed wonderful conversation, got some cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory to go, checked into our hotel, attempted to go swimming (who would have thought there would be so many people in the pool at 10pm?) and talked until the late, late hours of the night. Eight hours of uninterrupted sleep later, we got ready to go shopping in downtown Seattle.

Although we all love our kids dearly, it was so good just to get a little break, getting recharged. The day ended with lunch in heaven...ummm....I mean, Chipotle and a sad drive home.

To Melanie & Stephanie, thank you for an awesome weekend/night. It was truly amazing! You are the greatest mama friends a girl could ask for!! And ps: thanks for letting me steal you pics.

I returned home to a little Malolo and her daddy, anxiously awaiting my arrival. Everything went fine. Malone even slept through the night for Cameron. This isn't a huge deal, except for the fact that I was hoping that she would show him a little of what a "hard" day without him is like. BUT apparently, she had mercy on her wonderful daddy and I am so grateful that he gave me this tiny night of freedom.

Back to reality and what a wonderful reality it is.

Pretend this is April

Lets pretend I just wrote a whole paragraph about why I haven't blogged in almost and two months. Lets also pretend that you have forgiven me and we are friends again. :) OK?

We are currently back in Altus, Oklahoma for some training Cameron is doing. Yes, we are here again. But just for a little bit longer then back to green, cool, wonderful Washington. I heart Washington.

I'll spend the next couple of posts recapping what we've been up to this forever.

Easter- OH how I love Easter. Its a day filled with remembrance of what Jesus did for us and the promise and hope that lies in it. We went to church, came home in a hurry, went to our neighbor's house for lunch and rested the rest of the day. It was a great day except for 2 things: 1) Cameron had to work. Yes, on EASTER!!!! I could not even believe it when he told me. So he came to church with us, grabbed lunch real quick and left. Aghhh! 2) Somewhere between church and lunch, Malone picked up a REAL nasty cold. The worst yet. Runny nose. Runny eyes. Fever. Oh, it was sad. It got so bad that her little cheeks got chapped from wiping her nose so often. I know, feel sad for her.

Here she is before her Easter makeover (in more ways than one)
Here she is in her beautiful Easter dress (thanks to Auntie Lyddie)Later in the week, please note her little chapped, red cheeks and her ponytails (a first). So cute!

Then when Malone got all better, we finally saw the sun again and decided to go explore at the park. She loved the grass. And doesn't she look cute in her little flip-flops?
Alright friends, I better get back to hanging out with the coolest kid in town. She's beckoning me to read with her. But, here's a little preview of things to come:

Spring has Sprung

By golly, it was a nice day in these neck of the woods! After months of clouds, rain and grayness, we thought the sun got lost and couldn't find its way to us anymore. But today it found us! Yay!

Not only did we have a great weather day, but Malone looked cuter than a button. And she did so great at the nursery in church. She didn't cry at all. Yay!

This is Malone before church. She was a little tired. But soooooo cute.

Loving the new car seat.
My favorite of the day
Apparently we like to smoke green beans now...just kidding...we don't smoke.
Oh and then we eat them.
She's such a big girl now. She even has gotten a new big girl car seat.

cute new pics

She's a real Air Force baby
One day while I was at the gym, Cameron called and said Malone fell asleep...while eating her lunch.
How cute is this?! I caught this picture in the 5 minutes she was watching Baby Einstein. *RIP: Moo-moo. We hope you're enjoying your new home somewhere in Victoria, BC.