January Blog Post – 20 Months of Sweet Judson!

Our sweet little Judson is 20 months old today -

and truly the light and JOY of our lives!!

It has been such a sweet past month –

spent savoring these slower and simple winter memories

It really is such a dream come true getting to be a mommy to our sweet angel baby boy

and raise a little family with my husband and very best friend!

Judson is a bundle of love and JOY, and as my mom always says about him – “truly just loves LIFE!”

He teaches me so much every day about noticing the beauty in Creation all around us

(he always wants to be outside in nature – which I love)

and finding joy upon joy in the littlest things… which is such a gift!

And makes sense why Jesus tells us we are “to be like little children” – how precious!

“This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” // Psalm 118:24

We started off this past month with some sweet time back home in Charlotte with my family (SO sweet getting all of the baby cousins together!!)

before coming back home to Spartanburg to ring in the new year

(with some new year’s organizing and cleaning haha)!

We are super excited for what year 2023 has in store ahead and expectant for all that the Lord is going to do in and through our lives!!

This really has been such a sweet first month of the new year –

full of lots of bundled up playing,

house projects (like hanging lots of new pictures on the walls!),

simple days around the house full of giggles and wintertime snuggles,

a trip back to the beautiful Carl Sandburgh Home,

received my “official” Liberty University Master’s Degree in the mail,

“Jesus books” time with my little love,

trips to the park,

a surprise flower delivery from my boys (the sweetest ever!!),

fun times with my “tiny laundry helper” (Judson’s new favorite task these days),

a day trip up to Rutherfordton (where my Dad’s side of the family is from),

a precious playdate with one of my dearest high school friends and her baby girl,

and just so much more!!

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” // James 1:17

Truly thanking Jesus for a joy-filled and ABUNDANT start to year 2023 – one that I feel like we are going to see so much of the Lord’s goodness and glory in ahead!!

Savoring these precious days with my boys as the treasures from the Lord that they are –

life is such a gift and adventure with them – and I couldn’t be more grateful!!

"Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all." // 1 Chronicles 29:11

…Now onto a little more detail on this past month and some sweet memories we have been soaking in and that I want to bottle up and remember forever!!

So in love with the most precious Christmas gift this year from my thoughtful husband - stacking gold bracelets with a cross and an emerald (Judson’s birth stone) - so so special!! These will be such beautiful daily reminders to me of what matters the most - my faith and my family!

Matthew 6:33, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

My word for 2023 is “Savor,” and I find this so very fitting as my faith and my family are what I want to savor this year… making the most of every moment (and never taking a single one for granted because we are not promised tomorrow!) and soaking it all in during these precious little years with our baby boy!!

Thank you, sweet Wes, for the most thoughtful gift - you truly are the best thing and I adore you!! I love this little life we are building together and am so excited for what year 2023 holds ahead!!

Love, joy, and family… that’s what Christmas means to me!! It sure was a Christmas to remember with our sweet baby boy at the most precious little age… there is nothing sweeter than experiencing the magic of Christmas through his eyes!! We got to carry on so many special Christmas traditions, creating new ones, and soak in the most magical and wonderful time of the year with the people we love!! #achristmastoremember #mostwonderfultimeoftheyear #whatchristmasmeanstome

Click here to watch a precious video I put together of some of our most cherished Christmas memories this year!!

The week after Christmas is always one of my very favorites of all -

sweet and simple days with my family back home sweet home in Charlotte, NC …

with no real “plans” and wearing pajamas most of the day hehe!!

We had so much fun playing baseball in the yard,

alllll the baby assembly lines with all the cousins for meals (cutest thing ever haha),

a lunch trip to one of my family’s favorite local spots from our childhood –

Green’s Lunch (Hotdogs!) -

(and someone couldn't quite stay awake on the drive home haha -

sweet sleepy Judson!!),

all the joy with a bubble blowing Santa, and just such sweet time with my family!!

Just really really thankful for family and sweet memories we were able to make the “week after Christmas!!”

2022… what a JOYful year you were!! Thank you, Lord, for my sweet boys and the JOY, they bring me each and every day!! My word going into 2022 was “joy” - and I am so thankful for all of the sweet memories and milestones this year that marked this as such a big year for our family - we started off the year with the most amazing snowfall YET in our little sparkle city, Wes surprised me with my dream car at Valentine’s Day, we celebrated Judson’s very first birthday (safari-themed… just like his nursery!!), Judson started walking/running (go baby go!!), we have been nursing now for over a year and a half (something I always longed and prayed to be able to do – all glory to Jesus!), we spent lots and lots of time outdoors and playing at the park (including a surprise picnic from Wes celebrating my 28th birthday - sweetest one yet!!), we took lots of special trips down to the beach (our happy place!!), had the sweetest fall season going to lots of farms and petting lots of farm animals (our little country boy Judson LOVES animals and it is the sweetest thing), I officially finished up my Master’s Degree in Professional Counseling Liberty University (which was quite a busy and full season on top of being a mama, pastor’s wife, and running my small business, Emily Mabry Creative, from home), and had the most magical Christmas yet with our baby boy at the most precious little 18 month age (nothing sweeter than Christmas through his eyes)!!

“You have filled my heart with greater JOY” // Psalm 4:7

Thanking the Lord for this year of 2022 that truly taught me a whole new meaning of the word JOY and excited for all that 2023 has in store for our little family ahead!!

My word for 2023 is “Savor,” and I pray I will continue to soak in these precious days with our baby boy and make the most of every moment this year - these truly are “the days” -

and I want to savor every one of them and live the abundant life Jesus has invited us to live!!

2022, thank you for the sweetest moments turned memories for a lifetime with our sweet baby boy!! Life with my sweet boys just keeps on getting sweeter and sweeter… and I am so excited to see what year 2023 has in store… nothing better than livin’ young, wild, and free and chasin’ dreams with my best boys!! 2023, here we come!!

Click here to watch a little video recap of year 2022 for our little family – so special to look back and reflect on all that the Lord did through this past year!!

We rang in 2023 with some new year’s cleaning,

our annual Waffle House trip,

sparkling grape juice,

playing with all of Judson’s Christmas new toys,

new year’s eve snuggles by the twinkly lights,

reading stories (Judson’s current favorite is “night night farm”), and lots of organizing around the house (the very BEST way to kick off the new year) with my boys!!!

Here’s to 2023, we can’t wait to see what God has in store for this beautiful year ahead - chasing dreams and chasin’ our baby boy hehe! Happy New Year everyone!!

PS. If you know Judson, you know he LOVES playing with our big yellow broom, so my mom got him his own little cleaning set for Christmas, and he is OBSESSED!! Now I’ve really got a good little helper around the house haha!!

Another one of my favorite ways to start off the new year is with brand new pictures and canvases to hang up on the walls of our home sweet home!!

(Click here to see them all hanging up!!)

These truly are the best days with our baby boy at THE cutest age yet - and we are soaking it allll in!! #happynewyear #hello2023

Starting the new year off savoring these sweet, sweet memories with my little family - these truly are the days I will always remember!!! I love being a wifey and mommy!!

“Dada” left to take the BSFBC College/Young Adult students to the Passion Conference in Atlanta

(little love muffin and I had some super sweet “mommy-Judson” time while he was gone -

he truly is my tiny boyfriend -

and also listened to so many of the awesome Passion Conference messages online - what a worddddd!!) -

and we were so excited to give “Dada” lots of hugs when he came back home!

Excited and expectant for this new year ahead and all that the Lord has in store for our family as we savor these precious days!!

First little family adventure of the new year going back up to visit the goats at the beautiful Carl Sandburg Home in the NC mountains - such a beautiful and peaceful winter day with my sweet boys!!

Click here to see a little video recap from this sweet day!

“Yeah, that’s us… twenty-somethings…” - I sure do love this little life we are building together, and love chasin’ God-sized dreams and savoring these precious years and memories with our sweet baby boy!! These truly are the days, and I sure do love being a “twenty-something” with you!

Extra thankful this new year for sweet family time and adventures with the people I love the most!!

Soaking in these sweet simple days with our playful and outdoor-lovin’ little bear!!! #januarydays #homeiswheretheheartis

Click here to watch the sweetest video reel of – “just one of those days I want to remember forever” -

just really really grateful for this sweet and simple little life with my precious family!!

I sure do love being this baseball and sunshine lovin’ angel baby boy’s mama and spending these sacred days with him!!

God is all around us, friends - in the sunshine, our loved ones, and in the people, we meet out and about!!

Always seek Him and you will always find!! #savorthesemoments #sacredmotherhood #gratefulmotherhood

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy.” // Psalm 16:11

There is nothing in the world like being a mama! Sweet little moment from the other morning of reading and Jesus time with my little baby bestie that I want to remember forever and ever!! He just pulled up his little chair and brought over his Jesus books… and my heart was officially a puddle!! #sacredmoments #talkingtojesus #sacredmotherhood

And then that same evening, Judson got to see his “Papa Jack” get inducted into the Spartanburg County Council for the second time - he sure was proud of his Papa!!

So thankful for all of the godly role models and leaders he has to look up to - what a blessing!!

My official Master’s Degree in Professional Counseling from Liberty University came in the mail the other week, and let me tell you… that was an awesome and humbling feeling!! Thank you, Lord, for your faithfulness in completing this degree - all glory to you, forever and always!! And thank you for sweet Judson hugs that are the very best celebration of all!! #mastersdegree #happymail #mastersincounseling #forgodsgloryalone

The other weekend,

we took Judson to the Unity Park in Greenville

(he was in HEAVEN with all of the fun playground activities, slides, and musical areas!!),

worked on a bunch of little projects around the house (Judson loved seeing “Dada” being the amazing handyman he is),

read many many books (Judson’s obsession lately -

always wanting to crawl right up in mama’s lap to read),

and lots and lots of giggles -

I sure do love my boys and this sweet and cozy winter season with them!! Life with all three of my sweet boys… just doesn’t get any better than this -

I love this sweet and simple little life we are building together and am so excited for what year 2023 has in store!!

Between country sunset drivin’ the other night and a surprise flower delivery the other day from the hubby…

my heart is just so full of gratitude for this winter season -

wanting to slow down and savor these moments with our baby boy at the most precious little age… click here to watch another sweet video clip!!

thank you Lord for my dream come true in being a wifey to Wes and mommy - you are so good!!

“A thankful attitude opens windows of heaven through which spiritual blessings fall freely - and all I require to rain those blessings on you is your gratitude! Your gratitude opens the floodgates of heaven. Pour out your words of thanksgiving to Me…” // My Jesus Calling Devotional

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” // Psalm 110:4

Click here to watch my new favorite video ever - little buddy slept in the other morning and wanted to help mama with the laundry as soon as he woke up -

another one of his favorite ways to “help” around the house!! It’s the cutest thing ever and melts my heart how much he loves to help mama!!

I sure do love this little baby bestie of mine!

#cutestlittlevideoever #mommyslittlehelper #raiseemup

We took a little day trip up in Rutherfordton hanging out at an old family home (my great grandparents’ house -

love the history here!!)

and even walking the trails to see the mountains!!

I sure do love this handsome forever wedding date of mine!! Judson got to stay with my parents for the evening while we attended a sweet wedding in downtown Greenville!!

The absolute sweetest morning breakfast and park date spent catching up with one of my dearest old friends from high school, Emily, and finally getting to meet her sweet baby girl!!

Hattie Ruth, you are an absolute doll baby, and your parents are so blessed!!

Love you, em, and so thankful for our friendship over the years and getting to raise sweet babies together now -

my favorite season yet!!

Had a sweet little Firehouse Subs date with my boys before our weekly Wednesday BSFBC College/Young Adults small group/hang out night!! Judson in a fireman hat is a wholeeee new level of cute hehe - #cutiealert!!

ALSO, come hang with us if you’re a college/young adult in the area - we’d love to meet you!!! We love this age group and pouring into y’all!! Wes is the college/young adult pastor at our church and it’s so beautiful seeing what God is doing in and through this ministry! And another one of our precious college students is getting baptized this Sunday… and all I can say is… God is GOOD!!!

Beyond thankful for my sweet boys and the sweet little life we are building together…

and somehow,

it just keeps on getting sweeter and sweeter!!

And onto a little EMC note… it has been so wonderful already having so many orders coming in to start off 2023 with y’all - and I can truly never thank you enough for your love, encouragement, orders, referrals, and support!

It truly is such a gift getting to run this sweet small business from home with my baby boy and getting to create and share so many happy & colorful EMC City/Town/School (and Bible verse/encouraging) designs with my sweet EMC customers!

And it has been SO neat seeing what y’all are ordering this time of year to either add to your own EMC gallery wall collections, or to order for loved ones to add to their collections as they start off this new year on all kinds of brand new adventures - with school, jobs, moves, and more!! 2023 is off to an amazing start!!

I can’t wait for so many of y’all to have your fun and adorable EMC city/town designs to frame and hang on the walls of your homes or give as the most thoughtful gifts to love ones this new year - and for Valentine’s Day just around the corner, too!!

Thank you for your orders, love, and support - I love what I get to do over here at EMC and love this little community more than y’all know - always celebrating and cheering you on in your newest life adventures!!

I am BEYOND excited to keep sharing lots of happy art to send out for Valentine’s Day ahead, too!! So as always, message me to place any wall art or notecard orders, and I’d love to work with you!! Lots of custom orders as well as popular EMC prints orders coming in for Valentine’s Day and I’m so excited!!

And for those of y’all who may be new around here, make sure to head on over to @emilymabrycreative over on Instagram to see all the fun lettering art things I’ve been up to and my personal page @emilyjoannemabry to keep up with our little family! I’d love to have you following along, too!! And make sure to message me today to go ahead and get your EMC Valentine’s orders in, too!!

And for those of you who are new around here to the EMC Blog, you can also find me and “shop with me” over on the LIKEtoKNOW.it app. So, if you haven’t already, make sure to download the app and “follow” me there (I put instructions over on my LIKEtoKNOW.it story highlight over on my personal Instagram page @emilyjoannemabry) - where I’m always sharing all my favorite lifestyle products, baby/kids’ items (and cute clothes, of course!), mommy items, and finds!!

You can download the app and follow me here:

https://www.liketoknow.it/emilyjoannemabry

I have also added “links” in the captions below (and throughout this blog post!) where you can click, and it will take you to be able to “shop” that specific photo & what you see!!

Now onto some more sweet photo memories over this past month with our sweet Judson… precious memories and moments that I hope and pray I will always remember!

Always love the week after Christmas back home in Charlotte with my family!

Judson had SO much fun playing with his cousin besties!!

The Carpenter girls (only missing Laura in this photo)!!

Got to sneak off with Wes for a little day-date at the Southpark Mall!

"Nana" riding in the back with the baby cousins on our way to Green's Hotdogs for lunch!

Sitting with "Papaw" at the Green's Hotdog Shop - we had a blast!

Judson loved getting to play with all of his Christmas toys when we got back home!

Flowers and coffee from my boys to start off our New Years Eve - which we spent cleaning and organizing the house haha!!

Our annual New Year's Eve Waffle House Date!

Handsome little Costco shopping buddy!

Playing with his Paw Patrol toy from our neighbors!!

This sweet baby boy is pure JOY!!

Sweet boy lovesss his guitar!!

And loves his montessori play toys, too!

Cutie breakfast date!

Little cutie LOVES feeding Red - one of his favorite household tasks!

Watching the rain out the glass door with his puppy bestie!

Splish splashing through the rain puddles around our neighborhood while on a walk with one of our sweet college ministry friends!

So much fun on a playdate with Judson's bestie, Brewer!!

So much fun riding together in the little red wagon!

So happy to see "Dada" when he got back from taking the college ministry students to Passion Conference in Atlanta!!

I sure do love spending my days with my sweet baby bear!!

Winter morning walks with my cutie boys!!

Fun at the park with my boys!

Baby bear giving Red lots and lots of hugs!

Fell asleep on the way TO and HOME from church nursery haha - sweet sleepy boy!!

Started a new bible reading plan this year to read through the whole bible in a year... and I am loving it so far!!

Little buddy snoozin' while mama was walking with a sweet new friend from church!!

Judson loved watching "Dada" working on some projects in the yard - a fun snacktime "viewing party" haha!

The sweetest, giggliest little boy!!

Winter adventure runs with my tiny bestie!

Nothing sweeter than a sleeping baby with his precious stuffed animals!

Sweet rainy day snuggles with my boys!

Nightly tickles and playing with "Dada!"

Loves his little "water wonders" book!

Love decorating our little front door for Valentine's Day!

Snoozin' on our way up to Rutherfordton for the day!!

One of our BSFBC students was appointed the new Clemson FCA President - and this was such a special moment! Clemson FCA had such a huge impact on my walk with Jesus, and so neat seeing God working across so many college campuses!!

Judson had so much fun at his precious friend Brewer's birthday party at the Children's Museum!! We love this sweet family SO much!!

Judson loves getting all the love and attention from our church college/young adult ministry students!!

Judson LOVES to color!!

Bath time is Judson's favorite time of day!!

Sweetest little helper on EMC mail day!! To the post office we go!!

Chilly evening sunset walk around our little neighborhood!

Thank you, Lord, for the joy and gift of another beautiful month with our sweet baby boy – hard to believe he is already 20 months old!! But truly, we can’t imagine our life before him now!! Thank you for these sweet, slow, and simple winter days and for all that you have in store ahead for our little family this year! Truly savoring these sacred days with our little Judson at the most precious age – and making the most of every moment!