Cousins

Check out my sisters blog for cousin extravaganza week a few weeks ago http://expandingtylers.blogspot.com/ Sorry I'm not clever enough to know how to link you there myself.

Missing Caleigh

Once we got back into Charlotte all Maggie could talk about was how much she missed her good buddy Caleigh. So, we let her invite her over for some fun in the pool. Maggie loves her friend so much...I think these pictures speak for themselves...but of course I will dialogue for them.
"Here Caleigh have a duck..."
"Here have a ball.... no really I insist"
"I love my friend Caleigh"

Fun in the Sun!

To all my faithful readers I apologize for the lack of blogging lately. And, I can't promise it will get much better this next month. We have a pretty busy June ahead of us complete with a couple of trips and one big moving day. But, I will do my best to keep all of you family and friends up to date with the Dirks family happenings. To make up for my lack of blogging lately I am stuffing this post with lots of pictures from our recent family beach trip with the Zaepfels. We just got back and these pics are hot off the press. We had a great time and wish we could stay another week or two or three enjoying the Isle of Palms.
In this picture Maggie is not quite afraid of the waves, but she developed a healthy fear when they knocked her on her tush a couple of times. So, we mostly played in tide pools and with sand.
Maggie really enjoyed the beach with her daddy. Tyler dug several wonderful holes for Maggie to enjoy. This is the makings of one of them.
After a hot day by the ocean Maggie really enjoyed chowing down on some watermelon.

Maggie really enjoyed hanging out with her cousin Brody. I think that we are talking about the upcoming election or something political here.



This was one of our favorite things to do on the beach. Other favorite things included walking up and down the beach and pointing at anything and everything, but mostly dogs or Poppa, Grandma or "Bro-bee" also called "bro."
Enjoying Uncle Peter.
Enjoying a snack in the monkey chair with Grandma.
Maggie also enjoyed the pool at the house. By the end of the week she had turned into a real beach bum.

Pigtails

I have tried several different times to get Maggie to wear pigtails and yesterday she actually let me put them in her hair and she only took one side out once in the span of two hours. It is a fabulous thing. She looks pretty darn cute...take a look for yourself. More pics of last weeks cousin extravaganza coming soon!
Please disregard the strawberry stained shirt.
Does this kid look happy to have pigtails or what?

Loving May

We Dirks love bubbles. Here is a unique bubble mountain made specifically to amuse our one year old...for ahh maybe two minutes.
We Dirks also love to visit the JWU campus. On this specific occasion Maggie chose to sport the logo on her t-shirt and she was a smashing success during exam week with faculty and students.
We also love seniors and transferring students. So, we hosted a little shin dig for those specific types. Good bye and we'll truly miss you guys.

We also love our mommys. We celebrated mother's day a little early this year. Here is my awesome drawing and gift from Maggie. Happy Mother's day to all mommys, grandmommys and great grandmommys!

The polls have closed

How appropriate that the results of our little baby poll get posted today of all days. You voted America and here are your results...you think our next baby will be a boy. And, you are oh so smart (or at least 60% of you are) because that is exactly what we are having! Or at least we are 92% sure that we will be having a boy. I mean let's face it we won't know absolutely until we see the little guy on his birthday in october. But, I am glad the ultrasound is over, they make me nervous. They shouldn't though because my God is sovereign and has planned perfectly the life of this baby whether sick, healthy, boy or girl. And, that gives me such comfort. Thanks for all who voted that was fun. And, we are soooo excited stay posted for more updates and don't forget to keep this little guy in your prayers. He's got a long road ahead and is in desperate need of our God's sustaining hand.

Outside fun...

May is finally here and we'll be finding out the sex of our new baby this tuesday and so begins the start of a very exciting month. This weekend was an example of just that. I started my weekend with a lovely welcome home from work. I wandered outside when I got home and this is what greeted me.
A great big welcome sign and two of my most favorite people in all the world waited outside to greet me from a hard day at the office (well the OR, but you get my point).
The artist'.
On saturday we headed to Frazier park in Uptown and enjoyed an end of the year fish fry with many of the students from RUF at JWU. We had a great attendance and the Lord held of what looked like a rainy afternoon so that we could enjoy dry fellowship.
Our good friend Jake helped us fry the fish, chicken wings and hush puppies. He did a tremendous job and we are so thankful that he was there to help. God has blessed us with some great and talented friends!
This is just a slice of the crowd that dropped by on saturday, we think there was about 80-100 students and "park inhabitants" that joined us during the evening.
This is another dear friend that joined us at the park, Jessica. Jessica has been a huge asset to the ministry this year in helping with the ladies at JWU. She's in the middle and we appreciate all she has done this year, what a servant!
Some of the girls.
Maggie enjoying her buddy Michael and his long arms and loving him despite his Clemson t-shirt.

We have truly enjoyed this year of ministry at Johnson and Wales and we are thrilled to be in the midst of a God at work in a campus in desperate need of a Saviour. We love these students and we love being at this school in a ministry capacity. It is so amazing knowing that this is what the Lord has chosen for our family. This summer we will be moving closer to the campus and are excited to see how the Lord will use our family again next year. Please be in prayer for these students, our family and the spread of the Gospel in the hearts of the students at JWU. We truly covet them and count on them.