Ten Little Toes...

Our Wedding...

2009-09-09T07:12:00.000-05:00

Wanted to share some photos from our amazing day...

ConGRADulations

2009-05-25T09:34:00.004-05:00

Lil Man has graduated kindergarten! Wow, really? So quickly? Yep! Here are some photos of his special day... What a cutie patutie!

Cousins, together since they were 1! Day care, Preschool, and now kindergarten...

Proud mommies!!!

The family... Wendell and KD were off getting last minute stuff before the graduation started...
Getting his diploma...

I really love this picture...

My NaNa

Cousins... so precious!

Look at the determination on that face!

I am.........

2009-04-19T20:45:00.001-05:00

ENGAGED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just so you know!!!! More to come later.... really had to get that out there!

Easter...Forgiveness...Eternity

2009-04-15T08:39:00.003-05:00

Dressed for a Luau... not sure about the funny face!

The sick one and her doggy! Still as beautiful as ever!

My Man!

The family minus NaNa...

Wow! Easter has come and gone... and yet there is a bit of lingering there for me. I am really focused on forgiveness, unconditional love, parenting, and family.

To celebrate we watched The Passion of Christ Saturday. What a hard movie to watch! Yet, still a painful reminder of what was given so that we may be forgiven! As in our everyday life some of the best blessings come from very painful experiences. We often allow ourselves to forget the price paid for the blessings we receive. However, to me this can diminish the value of the gift. It's so much easier to wash our hands of the painful parts and just be happy... yet the painful parts are so much of the gift itself. I'm not communicating it very well... but what I'm trying to say is that there is so much more value in the prize if I remember what the prize cost. When we win the race we are grateful for all the hard work put into getting conditioned... we appreciate winning so much more. And if by chance we don't win we take pride in the fact that we did our best. Sometimes it seems the trophy is all that matters in the end!

So, in watching the passion, in cringing to see the pain inflicted, in knowing the huge price paid for our forgiveness, well... it makes life not being perfect easier to swallow, it makes it easier to try our hardest knowing that we don't each have to pay the ultimate price... does that make sense?

I am constantly reminded of my imperfections... in a convicting kind of way. I know that the more time I spend in reading the Bible, the easier it is to feel convicted, and thus allows me to relate to my life in a Godly way. I am learning that conviction does not always have to mean that "God is frowning at me" but can also mean that he has sent the Holy Spirit to gently remind me to go in the way he has planned.

Others often remember us for our mistakes. It was said that going to church will not change some bad things done in the past (not exact wording). This is true, it doesn't change the past, however, it can change the future. I don't mess up little. I most often mess up big. But I am amazed at this gift of forgiveness God has given. I don't take it lightly. I don't go about my life doing as I wish and pray about it on Sunday expecting it to all go away. In all honesty, sometimes, after I have messed up, I take some time before even giving it to God and asking for forgiveness, so that I can focus on it, feel it, and know that when I hand it to him I am able to also forgive myself. I trust that he has forgiven me long before I ask for that forgiveness, but it isn't given with a flip of the hand. So, nope, going to church doesn't make the past just go away, I don't want the past to "go away", because it is from those mess ups that I am who I am, who I will become. In saying that, I want to follow God's plan for me, live a life of purpose and spend eternity with him. That will not be an easy task, nor will I be perfect at it. Thank God for his forgiveness!

On a lighter note... the Easter Bunny came! YAY! We had a quiet weekend as a family. It, in itself, was a Blessing! NaNa was sick all weekend so we holed up in the house and watched movies and played outside. You will not see her in the Easter morning picture as she was in her jammies, forgoing church to keep the "disease" home! We are good sharers and all... but some things are best kept to oneself!

SHARKS!!!!

2009-03-30T11:54:00.005-05:00

Somebody needs to shave! The 3 clowns!

This was about the 3rd picture... hence the funny face!

Super Cool in our 3d glasses!

I have never before seen an IMAX 3D show. How in all 29 years of my life has this been possible? Well they had SHARKS at the Houston Museum of Natural Science on IMAX so we went Saturday. All 6 of us! It was amazing! Really, everything looked like it was right there and we were right there and you get the pic... So, Lil Man and I spent the whole time trying to touch the sea lions, and the jelly fish and jumping when the sharks came at us!!! It was a really good time! We now are season ticket holders so we will be going back soon to see more than the little we were able to see Saturday! It was a fun weekend, girls went skating Friday so Lil man and I had us a date! This meant ice cream for dinner from Ben & Jerry's followed by some train playing and book buying at Barnes and Nobles. We actually had a real dinner after we picked the girls up! Then Saturday the museum and Sunday church and the dreaded house cleaning! Ah it is Monday again isn't it?

Crazy Girls in their 3D glasses.

My guys, Lil man trying to be "gangster"
Oh... and me! Just posing!

NUF SAID!

2009-03-27T15:06:00.003-05:00

All I can tell you all is that this one is mine! MINE OH MINE OH MINE! He has been wanting a tie for a bit now. Once it became clear he would only be getting it from his momma.... she took care of business! He insisted on wearing it today and man was he sharp! I treasure these moments with him! Look how proud he is! Doesn't even know yet how much charm that little smile holds, okay, well maybe he does.... just a little bit!

Memories...

2009-03-23T09:31:00.004-05:00

The summer before my senior year in high school... that would only be like 2 years ago!!! I was going to teller training to work at the local bank during the rest of the summer and during my senior year. There was a girl from my school in the class with me and she had me listening to this song called Boot Scootin Boogie by Brooks and Dunn. It was my favorite song for years! I went to Ohio and attempted to spread the love there too! Now if you have heard the song you will not find deep meaningful lyrics, just a move your feet happy in the heart kind of song! So, who did I get to see at the rodeo Saturday? Brooks and Dunn! What was the last song they played? Boot Scootin Boogie! Now, when I say I know every single word... I do! The guys in Iraq who had to hear me sing it daily... and no I can't sing... will attest to the fact that I can, and will sing every word! SO... that was the highlight of the rodeo for me!

My baby girl came home from her daddy's Saturday too. What happens to girls when they become little women? They just aren't so nice anymore! Do they not know that you have invested 13 years into them and that you dream of the day when you will be women together and be best of friends? I am still dreaming! I am dreaming of the day when the eyes don't roll so far back in the head I have 911 speed dialed into my phone in case I need to call someone to help get them back where they are supposed to be, or when the sigh of all the wrongs done to this poor girl doesn't take the air out of the room! I could blow dry my hair in that sigh! Really! She is beautiful... really.... and she is going to be an amazing woman... and I am BLESSED beyond words to be her mother... she is funny and has all the best parts of her mommy and daddy... and well, I just don't get to see them parts all the time! So pray for us, because I know it's hard being 13, there are so many things to get through at that age and I remember being just like her... but worse, much worse! I am going to love her when she is most unlovable... and hopefully she will do the same for me!!

2009-03-18T13:30:00.002-05:00

I know it has been ages since you have seen our lovely faces! So, here we are!

This was last weekend as we waited at the airport for NaNa's flight to take her

to her daddy's for spring break!

I caught his never sit still, keep going like the energizer bunny, self sleeping! Ha! And I took a photo for proof! Since the surgery to remove his adenoids and tonsils he has been sleeping like a baby. Though I have noticed that before, regardless of the sugar intake, he was always ready for bed. Because he was chronically tired! Now, a little bit of sugar sends his little butt over the walls! So precious! This is productivity! We have a palm tree in the bathroom in my building. Out of some random act of silliness I decided to take a photo behind it and send it to my coworkers with the comment "where am I". I got a good laugh which was the goal!

Why is this photo of my beautiful girl so blurry you might ask... It's because she refuses to let me take a picture of her. Now, I am confused! She spends hours taking photos of herself... her facebook is evidence of this... and yet if I try to take a picture she says she takes terrible pictures. Hmmmm, I don't understand! This was her birthday dinner on her 13th birthday!

Not much else going on. Working, hanging out etc. Basketball season is over, Little Man won't be back into soccer for a couple of weeks, and it is spring break! Not sure about the break part... but I can definitely see evidence of the spring part! I have even planted some flowers. Anyone who knows me, knows that those poor flowers don't have a chance! I will keep you posted though!

Did You Know?

2009-03-16T09:34:00.003-05:00

Did you know... that there are not enough hours in the day?
Did you know... that it has been months since my last post?
Did you know... that Christmas can be really really stressful if you have no money and all of your bills get behind and your ex does not pay all of the child support?
Did you know... that you can get bronchitis, dual ear infections and sinus infections in the beginning of December and they can last for months!!!
Did you know... that you can go away to school in another city for 7 weeks, still see your babies on the weekends, and graduate with a 96% as a material manager?
Did you know... that at women's retreat I was reminded by God's gentle whispering that I do not always love WELL. That the ultimate love is to love your enemies, and that you can actually learn to do that... very slowly!!!
Did you know... that a week home in the cold and with family, can refresh your spirit and fill your heart to overfull?
Did you know... that little girls turn into little women on their 13Th birthday?
Did you know... that when said little girls turn to said little women that they can quickly challenge your new talent to love WELL?
Did you know... that there are surgeries that take out adenoids and tonsils that can truly change the personality of little boys?
Did you know... that little man was on yellow (the best color) only 2 times in 1 month and since his surgery has been on yellow every single day for 2 weeks?
Did you know... that Boston terriers that snore should have their tonsils out too (per said little man) and that they then won't be able to eat dog food but will have to eat ice cream which will give them terrible farts?
Did you know... that little women make A's and B's in school and the curriculum is way more challenging? Thus not having to be grounded!!
Did you know... they also play a mean game of basketball and are called "Red" by their coach and team mates?
Did you know... that you can fall in love... again... with the same person! And be thankful for their never ending patience?
Did you know... you can learn to do that by learning to love WELL?
Did you know... I could not think of a way to play catch up with this blog... so this was what I came up with?
Did you know... that I miss my family again... but will be seeing my baby brother graduate in May from college?
Did you know... that my most recent addiction is facebook?
Did you know... that it's easier to rebuild a city than to rebuild a heart?
Did you know... that regardless of the pain and the hurt... our hearts are always healed and full of love... unconditionally from God. So no matter what we can and will learn to love again!
Did you know... that now that I am posting I really missed putting all my business out there for the blog world!
Did you know... that court is in the future again... so pray really hard!
Did you know... that my new job really rocks! It's great to be around nice people every day!
Did you know... that I lost 17 pounds? OH YES I DID!!!!!

2008-11-09T20:20:00.003-06:00

Hurricane Ike has come and gone but there was still some fence damage to deal with! Fortunately the insurance paid a portion and I had great friends that came along to help! Couldn't have done it without those who worked and those who shared their truck and drove across town at o'dark thirty! Best part... none of us had ever done this before! It looks great... is perfect and I get to do it for 2 more days on the other side! But this whole stretch, which is the back fence, is complete! I think it is so lovely I will sit outside and drink my coffee and admire it in the morning!!!!
Thanks to Little Man, he takes the best photos... all the following are by him!

Some of THE CREW...

I was so happy to be able to get the pickets up! I could see the progress!

My arm is still tired from all of those nails... still many more to go though!

And a bit of raw power!

BOO!

2008-11-03T12:21:00.004-06:00

Some pictures from Halloween...

Shouldn't I wear it this way everyday? Oh yes it is my hair... no wig here! Dangit!

Little Man the Ninja

Elizabeth as Dorothy! SO MUCH CANDY!

Candy enough to share... and yet they won't!

The quilt show was also on Friday. It is the International Quilt show and it is HUGE! I also look forward to it all year long! Here are a couple of my favorite quilts. They are amazing! I am so in awe of the talent. I love quilting but do not have the time... and how I wish I could do some of what these amazing quilters do!

The pictures wouldn't go where I wanted them to!

2008-10-29T09:36:00.002-05:00

Hard at work...

The 3 of us out to dinner...

Hardly working...

BUGS and a very pretty girl!

The resident chef...

Wow, the holidays are coming so quickly! The air is changing and we are getting our Texas versions of "fall"! It's not quite what I like most about fall but in terms of Texas it's good! It's cooling down, but not cold, and the air really is changing. I think it's the best time of the year to begin feeling rejuvenated and it's time for fresh new beginnings! We have been enjoying some down time together and just being us! Silly, funny and busy!

Little Man had his first soccer game last weekend. He is so dang FAST! Really, he runs laps around those kids! He had a great time and kicked 2 goals.

He is also my partner in the kitchen. He loves to help out. We made a cake last Monday and I let him do just about all of it, aside from putting it in the oven! It was delicious!

NaNa did this project a couple of weeks ago. She had to collect 25 bugs and do a little research on them... it was amazing that she got so close to them! YUCK! She did get an A and did an awesome job! Plus I actually have a picture of her... those are hard to come by these days!

Saturday evening we went for Japanese with World's Greatest Grandpa. The food was great and all had a good time. It was Hibachi where they cook in front of you and Little Man thinks that's pretty cool!

Here I am still...

2008-10-21T10:11:00.002-05:00

Wow! 2 posts in the same month! Not sure what to post about... just tried to log on from work and it worked! Hmmmm...
Oh, I had a parent teacher conference with Little Man's teacher yesterday. It must be known that he is brilliant and the star of the world. Also, that he will one day be president and that no one will run against him as he will be ruling the world! HA! No, he really is brilliant! He is getting A+'s in all areas aside from behavior and even that has drastically improved! He has been working so hard to be good. It is noticed all around! I am very proud of him!
NaNa didn't have a conference but she is also brilliant and getting all A's and B's. She still has a math tutor who is a 10Th grade math teacher and she is surprised that the 7Th graders are doing the same work her 10Th graders are doing. It is a lot of hard work but she is doing amazing and staying focused... and still having fun!
I am so proud of them both!
We are looking forward to all of the upcoming holidays. Can't wait to see snow this year!
That is all for now... until I get a more focused train of thought!

Hello World

2008-10-18T19:30:00.004-05:00

I am doubting there are any readers to this blog as it has been so long since my last blog! Things have been hectic and at the same time I have been a lazy one! We did have hurricane Ike. Not sure why he came here... I am left to believe he was looking for Tina. Ah well. We fared well. We had all and part of 7 trees down in our little yard. However, by the grace of God they managed to fall all around the house with only a bit of damage to the corner of the back patio. That was amazing! It was a lot of work though working all day and helping with the recovery in the community for the Air National Guard and then coming home and doing as much as possible here before the night took over! I was Blessed with the help of many friends! The kids were able to be out of school for a week and a half. That was great for them! They spent time with World's Greatest Grandma and Grandpa and their Aunt Micole and Uncle Charles. So they were having a good time with it all! The power was out all over the city but we were Blessed again! We returned to the city from my niece and nephews in Fort Hood to Grandma and Grandpa's who had power and stayed there for 1 night and ours was on the next! Others were out for more than 2 weeks! I believe there are some still without power.
The city still looks worn down. I can imagine we are all suffering from the same thing! Waiting on the insurance companies to look at things and pay out as well as the contractors being so busy all you can do is get your name on a waiting list! We need our roof on the corner fixed, the chimney stabilized, and the fence replaced in back and on the side.

A photo from my back door. This part of the yard was filled with trees! You can see the little spot of the patio roof the tree hit. Such a small amount of damage considering.

This is actually in my front yard looking to the back yard on the side by the garage.

This is one of the areas where we did a lot of work cleaning up and helping where we could.

These poles were this way for 2 weeks. Folks just drove under them as it was this way if not worse all over the city. It became normal!

So, what else! It has been so long!

Oh! The motivation for my getting on here today. I received in the mail today the most lovely package! It was sooooooo cool! There were treasures for the three of us. My little man received a sign with his name and cars on it! He has already said he will be taking it to school for show and tell, my daughter and I the most beautiful jewelry! Hers in her very favorite color! I will share some photos. This little bit of heaven came from my dear friend Retha all the way in South Africa! She is so dear to my heart! There are goodies in there too... yummy! (she even sent a little something for World's Greatest Grandma and Grandpa... I will be delivering that tomorrow!

All the cool treasures from Retha

My beautiful jewelry that I will be wearing to church tomorrow.

NaNa's and she loves it!

Little Man's. He is so proud! There was so much talent and care put into these treasures!

Wait... we finally got to see Chantell dance last night! It was fun! Here are some photos from the night!

Not the clearest photo but I can see here beautiful smile!

2008-08-19T07:12:00.000-05:00

So how does one write about themselves? From my perspective, from where it's at. All the things you think you hide, and the things you take pride in.
I am a 33 year old mom of 2. That's me in the short of it all. I take the most pride in my kids. When they do great, and when they don't. It's who they are, their smiles, their tears, their hugs, their kisses, their triumphs and their failures. Each step being that much closer to who they will one day be. Knowing that the most painful moments will be with them the longest and have the strongest impact. Having the courage to allow each moment and to not lay over them and try to protect them from growing.
I know life is precious and it can be gone before we have the chance to go back and fix each mistake so I try to let things go and move on.
I have made many mistakes. I continue to look for the positive in things. I know sometimes that I am making a mistake and still try to go for it with all I have. Sometimes it just doesn't work out, and sometimes it is the best thing that I could have done. It's still worth it... that risk. What would I take back and do over again? NOTHING. It is what it is. Sometimes though, I keep going even when I know better and have exhausted it to the point that there is nothing left!
My first marriage... I wish I had tried harder because I was so young and I really wanted this ideal picture of a family.l Trying to find what I had never had. I wanted someone to really try for me. I wanted to feel worth it. Not sure what I put into that relationship, but I know it wasn't enough. So, moving on there was the second marriage. I had figured out by that time that I hadn't put enough into the first one and was ready for the long fight. Until it started to effect my babies. When your little girl is trying to take care of you, and you wonder what your Little boy will get out of it... it's best to go. I knew I had given up, and at the same time knew that it was worth it.
The positive to all of that is that I took time to try to figure out who I am. Every time I think I've grown, I find out there is more growing to do. Each time I think I have figured it out, it gets more complicated and challenging.
I know I have a purpose... not sure what that is just yet, but for some reason God has trusted me with the care and keeping of these beautiful children and I have to do better than I know how to do. Sadly, sometimes I make HUGE mistakes and there are just somethings you can't take back. So I cry and then I move on. Hoping that forgiveness is something my children will learn. Knowing that God will forgive me. Working on forgiving myself.
When I was 16 I learned about forgiveness. I learned that it isn't something that has to be earned, and that there are times that the other person won't even know they have done something wrong. I learned that there is no kinder gift to ones own spirit than to let something go. I started by forgiving mom. I let my childhood go and grew in knowing that it was not intentional and that those were times that couldn't be taken back, changed, or erased. It helped when I was pregnant with Elijah when I talked to mom about everything. She said this to me: I can't take back that time in my life. I can't make any of you forgive me or forget. I know that I made mistakes, and that I did all that I knew how to do. I know that it wasn't enough and that each one of you has to live with those mistakes that I made. I know that there is no way I can make it up to you, and that I can't make anyone forgive me. Most of all though I know that I am sorry, and I know that I have been able to forgive myself because God has forgiven me.
There were several things I got out of this conversation. 1. she knew what she had done to us and she accepted responsibility. 2. she was going to be in heaven one day. I don't know that about dad. I don't know that I will ever see him again, but I know I will see mom again and I take great strength in that. 3. that forgiveness was the best gift I could have ever given to her and myself.
I also learned from a conversation with Grandma Pestoff. she described dad's childhood as a very sad thing.; That he was never shown love from his dad. Not a hug, or a kiss or an I love you. He had never been taught it, and had never learned to give it. I suppose what I got out of that was to give one hundred percent more than what I knew how to give. To let love be the guide and to not hold on to my past but to create my own future or it would always be there holding me back.
That's what I try to do everyday. I try to smile, I try to stay strong, I try to do too much, I try to be the best mom, the best friend, the best sister and at one time the best daughter. I will never be famous, I will never be rich. I will just be me and hopefully that will leave a mark somewhere.
What I want most is a peaceful heart and a spirit that is connected to God. I want to serve His purpose. I want to do the right thing (not always the right way) and to be in the right place at the right time when He wants me to be there. I want my babies to know that I loved them with everything I had and with more than I knew how. I want them to be strong when they need to be strong, weak when they need to be weak, and confident in doing the right thing at the right time. I want to be here to watch them grow, to see their lives unfold, and long enough to say sorry when it takes me too long to figure out I need to.
I don't want to be known or remembered for my childhood or for my mistakes. I do want to be remembered for the strength I tried to show, the moments when I was at my weakest and it was all "real", and for having a happy heart.
So who am i in all of this jumbled mess? I am the daughter of the King of kings, I am a princess, I am the mommy to God's very own children, I am BLESSED.
There are so many things we DIDN'T struggle with, so many situations we DIDN'T have to go through, and the ones we DID have only made me stronger.
I love my family and my friends. I have found that there are just the right kind of people in our lives and that love does not last forever.. but it's lessons can. Knowing how it has felt to be loved has taught me that I can love with all I have and sometimes it just isn't enough. But I tried and I have to be okay with the end. Someday I will get it all right, or maybe I won't. Hopefully though it will be just the way God had it planned!

Contemplations...

2008-08-10T17:28:00.003-05:00

I have been going about my homecoming and at the same time contemplating this post. My first post after my return. I have asked myself what I should write about. The trip away or the return home. It has been 2 months and so there have been adventures and moments, yet, it is the homecoming that I have anticipated the entire time and that has been most important to me. I suppose, in speaking of the homecoming, I will undoubtedly speak of my trip. That is where I will start then. Can you hear the wheels turning? The cobwebs falling away from my brain? That is the thing about these deployments. You get away from home and you suddenly become responsible only for yourself. Of course there is work, and those responsibilities. However, ultimately it is you and only you that you are responsible for. So for 2 months I only had to be sure that I was awake and on time to work, and that I did my job to the best of my abilities. I didn't have to put any little ones to bed, or worry about dinner or go shopping or put gas in the car. There were no chores around the house to be done, or plans to be made. Really my brain and I suppose my body were on a vacation while I, as a whole, was away working.

I've been distracted... it is so easy!

I will tell you my little ones are amazing in every way! Their laughs, their smiles, their smells, their voices, every little bit! I arrived back in country on the 5Th and made it into Houston on the 6Th. They greeted me at the gate as I departed the airplane with balloons and hugs. I could only hold them and cry. It was such an overwhelming feeling! It was the one moment above all others that I held closest to my heart the entire time I was gone!

We have not stopped going since then! I have only, finally, unpacked today! Not that it was a big concern, as I hope to not see the items that were packed for a while!

Since that first day home there have been so many things to do! There was dinner with friends that first night home. They were so good to see!

There has been court which was tough, but I so desperately needed there to be some boundaries in order to parent this precious Little Man. It is always a war, a never ending cycle that goes no where. I am fine with this and at the same time why should he be caught in the middle of something that should be all about him but isn't? Anyway, that is over, and God again answered prayers.

A night at the theater that of course was perfect until the rain came! The Outdoor Theater is, well, not the place for a heavy rain! We ate our chicken though it was a bit damp and hung out for a bit. However, it got a bit uncomfortable and it was time to head home!

There was the Mustang convertible we rented for a day for Little Man. He liked it but preferred the top to be closed!

Hmmmm, what else? Oh yes, there was breakfast with my best girl and so you know, I didn't get up on time! Migraines in the middle of the night are not so good! It has been a while since I had one and it was really mild, so all is okay. Must have been from too many emotions in such a short time! There was a birthday dinner for Wendell (I forgot his birthday in all of the excitement). Oh yes and some time at the beach with World's Greatest Grandma and Grandpa, Lindsey and Paige, and our best girl Chantell!

Am I boring you yet? Can you imagine how hard it is for me to try and narrow all of this down? I am sure my thoughts will be much more focused for the next one. This will be my goal, and until that time I will leave you with some pictures.

I am so very happy to be home!

Here we go

2008-06-04T06:59:00.002-05:00

Just a little post to tell about the last couple of days. Not knowing when I will be able to post again!
We had a party Saturday (sorry I didn't get to post the pictures as I ran out of time!). It was great fun! So many family and friends there to support us. We celebrated Elijah's and my birthday, and it was also a going a way for us all. Little Man is off to spend a couple of months with his Daddy. I know that this will be a fun filled time for him. It is a blessing to get to see him so happy to see his daddy. NaNa will also be off to see her daddy for the summer. She will get to hang out, and though not as exciting as Little Man's trip to Germany it will be just as exciting for her to hang out with her daddy as she truly is a daddy's girl! I am now off to my short trip in Iraq. It will, again, be a trip to remember, though not an exciting one I hope! The less excitement the better!
I am presently in up state New York. But only for the night!
We thank all of you for your thoughts and prayers...
I am really just sad right now. Missing my babies and my heart is so sad without them!
My e-mail while gone will be bekahbyrd@yahoo.com, so feel free to drop me a note every now and then!!
Until next time, Be Blessed!

Class of 2008

2008-05-29T21:09:00.003-05:00

Little Man and My Niecy!

My Little Man and I. Such a cutie! You can't even see the BoBo's in this one!
The very serious graduate!
So handsome! Even with his little BoBo's!

Tonight Little Man graduated from Pre-school and is officially (to his greatest delight) a "for real" school ager! He is a cutie! He got his BoBo's on his face from playing with his Tonka truck (which of course is fine) and going much too fast while pushing it. It seems the truck took off and Little Man had a run in with the pavement! Poor boy! He seems to be fine and it took lots of kisses!

Fun in the sun...too much sun really!

2008-05-26T21:35:00.004-05:00

But the little ones had a blast! We went Sunday to the beach with Aunt Micole (Nicole) and Chantell. We were there for like 5 hours! Here are some photos... Aunt Micole was not allowing photos even though she looked HOT! So, here are the rest of us! This one doesn't fit, but they were so darn cute!

The wedding and the fun that followed!

2008-05-17T09:09:00.001-05:00

Beware what you might find on MySpace!

2008-05-07T18:03:00.012-05:00

A friend from high school posted this... she thought it was funny! I have to admit that it is... I was laughing my butt off! Still am actually.

Can't have a good laugh and not share. That would just be selfish!

This lovely piece of history is a photo of me in my junior year which would be about 1991/1992

Hee Hee Hee! Hope this doesn't send any of you to bed with night mares... though you could always be a good sharer and put up a photo of yourself to share! then we could all just laugh and laugh and laugh!

Good Night!

Frustrations abound!

2008-05-07T18:03:00.009-05:00

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

Psalm 118:24

It's that time... school is almost out and it seems I have to deal with the Spawn of Satan more (the ex), and get the kids ready to go off for the summer, and getting things together for next school year (as my Little Man is graduation from pre-school) as well as trying to get my NaNa into private school (we won't mention my honor roll student doing less than average)! In addition to all that, there is the Iraq deployment coming up in weeks now! We won't even talk about the daily things, and the days spent at the soccer field, and the evenings spent with tutoring and homework and just plain old life! It's a bit overwhelming sometimes, especially with so much hanging in the air!

Fortunately, each day I get to look at these beautiful children and know that life could not be better and that I am so very Blessed! Every little step is worth it, every tear, every smile, every sigh, every drop of sweat... it's all so very worth it!

But know, that it is overwhelming! Truly, Truly, Truly!

I am coming out of the funk, and trying really hard to hand it all over to God. I will keep putting one step in front of the other and when it's time to sleep I will remember more than anything to ask for less than I offer up in thanks!

Smile today, love those you have in your lives, make good choices always and no matter what put God first!

A New Hair Cut!

2008-05-07T18:03:00.005-05:00

Look at my Little Man!

I've been tagged...like a week ago!

2008-05-07T18:03:00.002-05:00

Now, I really did get tagged and it really was like a week ago! So, being true to myself and my friends I had to be a little slow and late on this one! I did, however, do this whole thing. I typed it up at work and e-mailed it home. Apparently I didn't do anything with it at that point and now I can't find the dang e-mail!
So now I get to do it again!
Here are the rules and how the game is played! Thanks Dawn for tagging me! (if anyone reading this post happens to go by hers and give it a read; that is really cool. But keep in mind that she is a lot more creative than I, and be nice!
Again, here are THE RULES:
1. Once you are tagged, link back to the person who tagged you.
2. Post THE RULES on your blog.
3. Post 7 weird or random facts about yourself on your blog.
4. Tag 7 people and link to them.
5. Comment on their blog to let them know they have been tagged.

Alrighty then... 7 random things about the coolest person you will ever know!
1. When I am sleeping I have to have the pillow for my head, and the one for my legs. I also have to have one for between my pillow and the headboard because if my hand touches anything but a pillow I will wake up! I do not know why!
2. I am addicted to candles. I love them! They are all over my house and I burn them all of the time!
3. My favorite feeling is my baby's cheeks pressed against mine when he cuddles with me! It is the most perfect thing in the world!
4. I take a camera EVERYWHERE I go and take a bunch of pictures! During the off chance I don't have it, I am saddened with every photo moment I think I am missing!
5. I love news shows. Dateline, 60 Minutes, etc. I check the news either on-line or on the TV at least 20 times a day.
6. I love hot dogs. I crave them with mustard and relish and ketchup on them! I am sure most would rather have a steak or something but most of the time you can sell me on a hot dog! And I never have them at home! Not sure why!
7. I am not very good at coming up with random stuff! Especially these days!

Now who do I tag? I don't know many people that blog! I can't tag Dawn again...
I will just tag a couple, and hope that they will play along!
I tag:
1. My friend Retha.
2. My Godly friend and sister in spirit Lady T.

So what's another 6 years...

2008-05-02T21:42:00.003-05:00

Just a blink of the eye! I re-enlisted on the 30th of May. I was not due to re-enlist until August time frame. However, I am leaving for Iraq soon... so it needed to be done! No biggie though, as it's not as if I wasn't going to do it anyway!

So, on that note...

In addition to heading across the pond soon, I am hoping to run a 5K run for Impact a Hero.

There is a story to that. First off...I have not smoked in a month now...or I think more like 31/2 weeks or something like that. In addition to that, I have been running. This all coming from my 40 days of purpose bible study.

I began the study and got to the part of being God's design, exactly as he wanted me to be. I realized that God had made me, i had just done a lot to mess it up. Smoking, and not being healthy and fit. So, in order to be confident and happy, I had to stop complaining and do something about it! So, I did!

I quit smoking, and I started getting fit! It's working! This morning alone, I ran 3.6 miles, and did 100 sit ups! So I am moving right along!

This gets us back to the 5K! My goal for quitting smoking was to be able to run a marathon... in a year! But it seems that God's plan is a little faster than I had expected!

So... that's the plan! If it works out time wise, etc. I will let all of you know and if you would like to sponsor me, you can!

Well, I have much more to post. I have been tagged, and need to get on my duties in that department, as well as it being the weekend and there are always lots of things to post on the weekend!

So this will hopefully give you a little to read and I will catch up again tomorrow!

Oh, I will leave you with a picture from the baccalaureate party I went to last weekend!!!

Peter Pan...

2008-04-18T23:29:00.003-05:00

Tonight we went to the Miller Outdoor Theatre. During the warmer months of the year they have shows every Friday and Saturday night. They are shows put on by different groups, like the Houston Opera, the Houston Ballet, etc. It's always an awesome show, and the theatre is outside. You can bring a blanket and some food, some wine, your puppies, your kids, whatever! And the even better part is that it's FREE! So, we always have a nice time, and it's relaxing and fun.

It is dark when the show starts, but we get there a little early. So this is a photo of the

theatre from where we were sitting. You can see the blue/grey

near the bottom of the photo. That is the stage. Though at night you can see

everything very clearly.

The show for this weekend is a performance of Peter Pan.

The description from the website:

HITS pulls out all the stops with this beloved Broadway musical fantasy about the young boy who refuses to grow up, in a lavish production using the spectacular set from the Peter Pan national tour starring Cathy Rigby. Produced by HITS Theatre

The kids, World's Greatest Grandma and Grandpa, rowdy and lacy, and myself went. We had a great time, though our bottoms got a bit wet from the still soggy ground!

World's Greatest Grandma and Grandpa and of course their littlest babies!

Cuties! Yes...me too!

Tomorrow will be another day of soccer! It will surely be fun as the weather here is supposed to be beautiful.

I ran a total of 3.25 miles today. Oh, wait I haven't told about that yet have I? I think there might be a post due! To be continued...

First Games of the Season

2008-04-13T17:59:00.005-05:00

Well, here I sit sipping on my (angels singing) white chocolate mocha, typing away and trying very hard to stay focused! I am exhausted. Really! We were so busy yesterday. With out the "getting ready" parts our schedule included the following:

Grocery Store, Little Man's Soccer parade, Little Man's first game, The school carnival, Nana's soccer game, Nana off to a movie (with world's greatest grandma, and our dear Chantell), Watching over my niece and nephew (they slept over and were angels!) and a Big Daddy Weave Concert.

Okay, so on that note, Little Man and I slept in until almost 11 today. I know that's horrible and most couldn't even imagine...we both love our sleep! It truly is under-rated!

So how were the games you ask? AWESOME!!!

Little Man... those cute little legs running all over the place has definitely learned from watching his sister play her entire life. He scored 4 goals, and "for real" he was all over that ball! He and another little girl really were the leaders! After, of course, he figured out the right goal...there was a lot of this coming from the side lines "the other way!".

Some photos...

Before the parade...he is so cute!

Cheese!

An action shot...he was on the way to take the ball!

Jaguars are #1

This is Little Man exercising extreme focus!!!

NaNa's team decided they were too BIG for a parade...and she frowns at me whenever I want to take a picture! So, next time you see that carnival commercial seeking the smile in the daughter who finally smiles at the boy from the jet ski...well that's the way it is!

So here she is playing some soccer ball!

She is #8 this season. Her favorite number.

She is really just looking away from me and wondering why I am taking her picture AGAIN!

Big Daddy Weave!

Now this Little Man is not worried about the camera at all!!

Who's tired? Not us!

I am so very proud and so very BLESSED! Every moment is a gift from God and I treasure them all. The sidelines at both games were crowded with our family and friends. It is so awesome to see so many people supporting and loving my babies! Thank you all!

Soccer Ball!

2008-04-09T17:50:00.003-05:00

It's that time! NaNa had her first practice on Sunday and Little Man's was last night. Here are some photos from Little Man's. None from NaNa's practice...I didn't have the camera (it was right after work) and she won't let me take a picture anyway!

My "Baby" girl's Military Ball

2008-03-29T22:30:00.004-05:00

The Military Ball

My beautiful NaNa. So grown!

That is a lot of curlers!!

Lots of pictures. This was her first formal type of event!

With World's Greatest Grandma & Grandpa.

The table setting! We couldn't wait for it to get started...we were hungry!

The proud momma shot!

There was some dancing...and watching!
Smile girls or this will never stop!
It was a really fun time. NaNa looked like a princess...though a much too grown princess! Her friend was a true sweet heart and they had a good time together! There was much ooohing, aaaahing, and snickering and giggling! Much fun was had and there are some tired people in my house going to bed right.....now!

Working Hard For Real this time!!!!

2008-03-23T21:05:00.008-05:00

Another truck load of mulch to put on the playground and around the trees and such. Little Man was the biggest helper ever. He took that mulch one *Tonka* truck at a time! And yes the hard hat was a must...for him!

My little king of the mountain!

I'm not nearly as cute...but I did work hard!!!The fruit of our labors was well worth it. The yard looks much better, though there are still some projects planned.

On another note my baby girl has a military ball Saturday so check back for pictures of her first formal event!!!

Hard at work or Hardly working...

2008-03-23T21:05:00.007-05:00

He has risen...

2008-03-23T21:05:00.006-05:00

And for that I am so very grateful, we are all Blessed.

We spent our Easter with friends, it was so much fun. The church service was great, the music BEAUTIFUL (though I might be a bit partial...Rachel) and we even got a visit from the Easter bunny!

Some pics to share...

Coloring eggs...

Making sure it is dry...

So pretty!

Easter egg hunt at Jamie's! Thanks Jamie, he had so much fun!

My baby girl is home... just in time to find some eggs...

Little Man found lots of them with his cool spider man basket from his Aunt MIcole, Uncle Charles, and Chantell...thank you!

The car show...Thank you Darin!

Leaving carrots for the Easter Bunny!

The Easter Bunny seemed to really like his carrots!

I do hope that the weekend was spent focused on how wonderful and good it is to be loved so unconditionally by our Lord and Savior!

Little Man's new bike...

2008-03-17T19:00:00.007-05:00

What fun! We did have a good time. The first ride yesterday resulted in a bo-bo. Today though was a huge success!!!!!!

I have to add a disclaimer as it was Pajama day at school today so that is why he has those on! He does have on all of his pads and felt invincible!

Thursday is also game night and we play games and eat junk food. We are back on track for the most part. We really had a great night. I love being a mommy. In all of life's moments I know that this was my purpose. To be the best mommy I can be. To be accountable for all of my actions and to always remember that they are only mine during this time on earth and that one day I will stand in front of God and have to answer for all I have done in their lives. I pray that I bring them up in a strong Christian home and with strong values and morals. Please continue to pray for all of us mommy's!

Hello...

2008-03-17T19:00:00.005-05:00

I am dog sitting my "niece" Noel. She is such a big baby! So loving and sweet and totally unaware of the fact that she is too BIG to be a lap dog!

WOW! It's been so long, and then so long before that! They blocked access at work about 2 months ago (maybe longer) and that was the best time to get on and blog. So how is everyone? I have so much to tell you about, so I will do it in bullet statements. Bear with me here!

1. (this being the most important but not in order of when it happened!) my NaNa turned 12 last Saturday. We had a surprise birthday party for her at 7 in the morning! There was so much going on and I always wake the babies in bed with birthday cake so I thought...hmmm...I will just invite everyone to come along and we will follow with a yummy breakfast. So that is what we did! We had sausage gravy and biscuits, scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon and other stuff and of course cake and ice cream. Then we went for tea ( my dear Dawn as all special occasions go there was the "I miss Dawn" from my baby girl and then my "oh I know" and a moment of quiet for you my friend). We had a good time. That night my girl went to see Martina McBride with Rachel and her sis, and she was able to bring along her Grandma and Chantell (thank you Rachel...you are so loved)! I know there is more about this day to share, but again, if I wait to long, I lose the great details!!!

World's Greatest Grandma myad NaNa this beautiful quilt.

Some of the girls...there were about 20 people here and the moms were great dropping off their girls at 6:45 in the morning...she was definately surprised!

Aside from our Little Man this part of the day was "Girls Only"!

2. Little Man's been trying to learn to ride a bike...not there yet, but he's having fun trying and the training wheels have been on and off a lot lately!

3. I got my hair cut!

4. There was a girl's night out...the ending is best left at the end...though it was sooooo much fun!

5. I am working on growing more spiritually. Again working through the 40 Days of Purpose by Rick Warren, and also doing the Crown Financial with my small group. Oh and a personal bible study! So much, and I am really trying to focus time on all of these things!

6. I got a letter from Retha. This has been a few weeks now as I got it on my way out to go to the women's retreat (another great and fun thing, and Rachel came with me... so much fun!). It was covered with beautiful stamps and full of smiles. Retha, you can describe your life so well. I feel as though I am there with you! Someday I want to come see you!

7. Little Man is into kites right now! Here he is "flying" one he made at school...

Just a cutie pie...

I know this is just a bit of so much going on. I didn't want anyone to think I wasn't coming back. I am. I promise to do better! Just harass me every once in a while!

The return of.....ME!

2008-02-24T18:18:00.002-06:00

This past weekend was our women's retreat. How nice to go and just be...whatever it is that God is calling me to be. The theme this weekend was "The Joy Of Friendship". It focused on the love and care we have in our friends but most importantly I learned that God WANTS to be my friend. Maybe this isn't such a new realization for all of you... for me though I have loved and respected Him. I have known He is my Father. But to know that I can have Him as my friend and that He wants to be my friend. WOW. Here is a verse I will share with you.
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead I have called you friends, for everything I learned from my Father I have made known to you. John 15: 13-15.
So that was the big one for me. I know now, that God wants to be my friend, and I want Him to be mine.
My dear friend also went to retreat with me. So it was wonderful too, to be there and celebrating our friendship. To share that time together and to love and support one another. It seems that she was smiling when I dropped her off, and so my mission was accomplished. So, again I am thankful to God for blessing me with amazing friends, for teaching me to be a good one, for holding my hand when I feel alone, and for giving me the strength to be honest and as loving as I know how! There is so much I want to say. So many new things going on in my life. I am studying the Bible again, setting goals to serve God's purpose, and of course this whole weekend.
In addition I still have these amazing children and all of our fun times. Not being able to get on here from work is really putting a dent in my blogging! I really have not gone anywhere...I am here missing all of you, and, well, slacking on the whole blogging thing. Not from being bored with it or anything, just needing to work on that whole time management thing!
May your day be filled with smiles, and I do hope you feel as blessed as you are!
Thank you to my dear friends. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

Six Meme

2008-02-07T18:42:00.000-06:00

Retha from Rethasrambles tagged me...and I have been so slow in doing this having been traveling and stuff! So here goes...
These are the rules:
1. Link to the person that tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
4. Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
5. Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

So here goes...
1. Everything has to match. It is an obsesssion. My babies do it too!
2. I would rather put ... than a . and I do not know why. It must be called a bad habit.
3. I am a straight A student in lit classes etc. but you would not know that based on how I write on my blog!
4. I love aprons. I am presently addicted to them!
5. I solve all the puzzles on wheel of fortune, it's my favorite game show!
6. I eat way too many chicken wings!

Now I am supposed to tag some other people. I can't think of who. Maybe Bri, Chantell, Dawn, Treasa, and whoever else would like to play along. And no one that doesn't want to has to either!

Happy Mardi Gras!

2008-02-05T20:45:00.000-06:00

I had so much fun! My family was there from Indiana, us from Houston and our family that lives there... so in a way it was a bit of a reunion.
The parades were so much fun, and the kids came home with huge amounts of treasures!!! So my score was seeing my family. All of whom I love and miss very much!
For the babies, it was BEADS!
And these ones here were just Little Man's beads...crazy I tell you!

The Chapel in downtown New Orleans...

My baby loves and I!

My beautiful Niece Brienna and Nephew Brandon and my baby loves...

That's my big sis' being sweet to me...FINALLY!

That's me taking my nephew down...you know for the fun of it!

Little Man and Brienna being cute! She is so good with the babies!

THe best of the bunch, THE RED HEADS!

Aunt Jami and Little Man!

There they are again...inseperable!

Working on getting more beads! There can't possibly be enough!

What a day!

2008-01-27T21:32:00.002-06:00

Today was great! It was a day date kind of day! It started with a 1 hour massage followed by a lovely lunch, and then on to see the movie Juno (thanks for the idea Dawn). After that I picked up Little Man from school and we did a little baking. What a blessed and wonderful day!

He is the best helper!

and can even do it himself...

While the cake was cooking, Little Man decided to wash his car...

And the end result is Mommy's upside down pineapple cake.

The Story of the Sock Monkey...

2008-01-27T21:32:00.000-06:00

Well sort of! For CHRISTmas I made NaNa a sock monkey. Because she collects them I had wanted to for a while but didn't know how or where to start! Then I came across this over at SusieJ's. I also bought this book for Little Man with sock monkeys in it. In the book the sock monkey needs a dance partner so he makes a sock buddy. Sock buddy just so happens to be black Izod. So I made Little Man a sock buddy! They are such fun and the kids act out the story with their monkeys. Little Man even has all his parts memorized perfectly! And NaNa is such a great sister when she does this with him!

Yummy's were made!

2008-01-21T21:22:00.000-06:00

This weekend was a fun one. In my mind at least! Friday night was date night! It was fun, we went to dinner and watched "the Bucket List" which put some tears in my eyes! Then Saturday we hung out and played around until evening when the BOYS went to the monster truck show. I was able to do some sewing. Silly sock monkeys as they seem to be in demand these days! Sunday morning Little Man went to hang out with his uncle Charles and I was off to drive to get the girls from camp. It took about 6 hours total time there and back. SO some quiet in the car on the way there was nice and of course seeing the girls was GREAT! They are such beautiful girls. Then Sunday evening we just hung out and watched a movie or something. Nothing too big! Today I did some baking and made this yummy Chocolate Chip Pound Cake, A lasagna for later in the week and we had soup tonight for dinner. So nothing huge but all very pleasant and relaxed! I hope everyone else had a nice weekend too. I am looking forward to my Tuesday night with my friends watching American Idol. We are hooked and we get to spend time together and that makes it so much better! Have a great week!

Yummy and Moist Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

Some of the action...

And the final test...how fast they fall asleep!

Through pain we find our path.

2008-01-18T18:36:00.000-06:00

From Leaving The Saints by Martha Beck:
We believe without question almost everything we learn as children, stumble into many potholes and pitfalls that mar any human endeavor, stagger around blindly in pain and outrage, then slowly remember to pay attention, to listen for the Silence, look for the Light, feel the tenderness that brings both vulnerability to wounds and communion with the force that heals them. Don't worry about losing your way, I tell my clients. If you do, pain will remind you to find your path again. Joy will let you know when you are back on it.
A little further on she says: Even if I never know the explanation behind what happened to me as a child, I do know this for sure: Whether or not my father had the freedom to choose his thoughts and actions, I do. I am free, and always have been; free to accept my own reality, free to trust my perceptions, free to believe what makes me feel sane even if others call me crazy, free to disagree even if it means great loss, free to seek the way home until I find it.
My thoughts on this...
This was a light for me, a reminder of all we endure and the importance of each moment. Though some of us deal with regret, hurt, and heartache, I want to constantly remind myself to be thankful for those very same things and get back up and find my path again. I can not let my past determine my future, I cannot let others decide my future. I alone am responsible for my own happiness. I can wallow in others and my own mistakes or I can get up, clean myself off and move forward. I am moving forward. Every minute, every day, always.
For this I am Blessed! I choose to always trust in God's plan for me, and know that there is nothing in my life that I will ever endure without Him being there. Again... I am Blessed! I hope that you can look at your life, your happiness, your struggles, your joys, all of it and find God there with you. Know too that you are Blessed and it is when we cannot see it, or feel it that He is with us most. Just because we forget Him does not mean He has forgotten us.
Have a great weekend!

The Strength of a Woman...

2008-01-15T21:14:00.000-06:00

Lies within not only herself but in those who lift her up! This is my story and I am sticking to it! Many know, because I say it often, that I have been Blessed! Through the toughest times of my life and the best times as well, I have had the most amazing friends! So this one is for my girls, thank you for loving me unconditionally, and laughing at me or with me, and for being there every single day!

My Christine... you are an inspiration, and the kindest person I could ever know. We have been sisters since childhood. I love you! Thank you for knowing the thought without my having to explain it, for believing in me when I don't, and for being my other half and best friend!! Never forget there is a couch in a yard somewhere yelling our names!! (cats too)

My Treasa, my dear sister in spirit. You are amazing beyond words, strong, sincere, loving, kind, generous, and my best friend. Thank you for loving me, and guiding me. I cry when I think of how much love you have brought into my life!

And my dear Dawn... Henny Penny! You are the laughter that spills out, the smile in the rain, the silly little girl in all of us screaming to get out. You are the go to girl when we need lifted up, and you are the best cheerleader EVER!! You are the tree in the driveway (okay, well you know what I mean!). You are Coffee and "naughties" and you are my best friend!

Just for giggles! We had so much fun that night! Those girls are still talking about our antics when the 3 of us got together!!

When I wonder what God's plan is for, when I ask when I will have accomplished what I plan on accomplishing, when I look in the mirror and wonder who the old lady is looking back at me, well whenever I need it I think of my friends, and how I have been so abundantly Blessed that the rest is just "gravy"! (and you know, how you always seem to overlook my run on sentences!)

"Let me explain to you something"

2008-01-10T08:14:00.004-06:00

This is what my Little Man says to me on Tuesday on the way to the doctor. From the backseat I get in a most serious voice, "Mommy, let me explain to you something". You have to first know my son. Most of our conversations are random. You never know what will come up. You might be talking monster trucks and from nowhere he will want to talk about the "Heavenly Fodder". So when he says this I brace myself. Mostly to laugh. I didn't know that what he would say would frustrate me, so though from the mommy adoring her son view it is hysterical to hear him say, from the I am his mommy view I want to throttle his father.
Anyway, what he wanted me to know is that he doesn't want to call his step-mother Mom. This bothers him and comes up regularly. So, I am going to put it out there. So, in Little Man's words "Let me explain to you something". When someone spends every day loving, caring for, and being with this beautiful boy, when they bring him into this world, and change his diapers, and spend 5 hours a night holding him while he screams from colic, when they hold his hand in the ambulance, when they go to every school program, when they spend the whole night in the recliner so he doesn't have to lay flat and to help relieve the cough, when they EARN THE RIGHT to be his mommy, then he can call them mom!!!! Not until then. For now, they can be them, they can love him and be sweet to him, which they seem to be very good at, they can wrap his presents, and can hug and kiss him. He can love and adore them, I am okay with that (and he does, and their love and kindness to him is appreciated). I am not okay with anyone confusing him or trying to get him to call someone else mom. Sure, if I were not a good one, or if I were not here for him, if I were to die, then when he felt ready he could call that person mom. But I am a good mom, I am here for him, and I am not yet dead.
Since this has come up more than once a week for several months now, I have addressed it. It needs to be known that my Little Man has his own father figure here everyday that does all the things that would more than earn him the right to be called dad. More than his actual dad does, however, that word DAD, it's already reserved and unless my son wakes up one day and asks to call another person DAD, it will be left alone. It's just not a place you go. So, DON'T GO THERE!
Now this MOMMY is going to go hold her sick baby and rub his back and kiss his cheeks and watch horrible cartoons all day until he feels better... We are even going to cuddle under our special blanket and maybe even sleep a little. If I am lucky I will get through the not feel good part and get to hear his laugh... if not, it will be there tomorrow and it will be the sweetest reward!

The Virus has hit our home....

2008-01-10T08:14:00.003-06:00

It seems it is Little Man's turn. This is my baby right now....

Little Man

2007-12-30T20:03:00.000-06:00

Little Man's MRI came back and there is nothing there! This is a huge answer to many prayers! So aside from treating him to avoid any further seizures all will be well! Thank you so much for your prayers!

A day at the Zoo.

2007-12-29T21:27:00.000-06:00

I threw this one in. As it takes so much time to straighten my hair! This was on our way to see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

All went well... Prayers still needed...

2007-12-26T15:01:00.000-06:00

So, it was a Blessed Christmas (though my NaNa was very very missed). We did have a wonderful time! My big brother is here and we had so much fun! Family came for dinner too! So there was lots of food and desserts. Today we had to be at the hospital at 6 a.m. for Little Man's MRI. They had to put him to sleep for it so that he wouldn't move. All went well though and I only cried a tiny bit when he went to sleep in my arms. He of course was brave and strong! He had a patient advocate that was there just for him (us), that joined us when we registered and gave little man toys and coloring books and explained everything that was going to happen and came out to us every 5 minutes to tell us that all was well! She was such a blessing and had even came in during her vacation. We were very appreciative for her!

Here are a couple of pictures. We are continuing to pray and ask for prayers that they will find nothing in the MRI and that the medicine he has been started on for the seizures will be effective and it will all be outgrown!

Still getting registered. It was so early!

Little Man in his gown. Ready for his MRI.

Still sleeping but all went really well!!!

Hey Sunshine! Time to wake up! In his arms is Topper that the advocate gave to him. He got to hold it the whole time!

Thank you so much to my friends and family that keep us constantly in their prayers. I know that God answers our prayers!

A birthday celebration for Jesus!

2007-12-26T15:00:00.001-06:00

CHRISTmas eve waiting for Santa.

CHRISTmas morning singing happy birthday to Jesus... Wake up Little Man!

Santa came...

Lots of presents. (too many really... but that is another story!)

Yummy cake for breakfast! We love birthdays!

Of course a couple of pictures of our early CHRISTmas with our NaNa. (She is with her Daddy)

Even Tahlia was feeling the holiday spirit!

From us to you...

2007-12-21T09:27:00.000-06:00

"I pity the fool"

2007-12-20T20:20:00.001-06:00

So I am a big old softy! Yes... HUGE! My little man had a seizure about two weeks ago. We think it was a seizure and he is seeing a neurologist to be sure. We will know the results of that tomorrow. I am very very nervous. I am trusting in God that he knows all and will protect my baby. So, will you please take a minute to pray for my Little Man?
After seeing the neurologist the other day I was so proud of him. I am always proud of both my babies, but he was so good. He layed perfectly still and was awesome. So after I took him to get the dreaded Mohawk he had been begging for. Okay, so a selfish side note in case you are thinking I am such an awesome mom, I waited until after the Christmas pictures to do it!

Check him out! And the yellow is some spike gel we used.

In case you are too young to know... "I pity the fool" is Mr. T. My little man has him beat in coolness!

2007-12-17T20:05:00.000-06:00

So much going on! I am not too stressed... just trying to stay caught up! There is so little time on a day to day basis that if you add just a little bit it seems too much! I have been busy quilting and sewing as much as I can to get things done for Christmas. We made almost all of our gifts this year... trying to focus on things that would be special and cherished! It is a lot of work! There has been lots of fun too though! So I will put in a couple of pics though there aren't many as my camera has been messed up and is just now working again! Here are some from our ride on the KC-135 and of it refueling the F-16's from my unit! I was able to sign the World's Greatest Grandparents up as a family lift for all their support and I was able to go too... it was a fun experience!

World's Greatest Grandma and I getting ready to board the KC-135

An F-16 coming up under the jet to be refueled... that was awesome to watch! They did it with a joystick type thing! It was like a video game or something!

This F-16 is hooked up and getting fuel!

After they refuel they wait for the rest of their "group" and for our entertainment did it along the wings! They would wave at us if we waved at them!

Such and awesome photo. You can see the wing of the KC-135 we were in in the bottom of the photo. If you see the missiles under the wings of the F-16 that is what I do.

Thanksful Part II

2007-11-27T15:21:00.000-06:00

I was reading this the other day and here comes my own little funny! So I would like to share... I will of course post a picture soon. It seems that my camera went on a little "vacation"!

Little Man brought this home from school:
Recipe for Flat Meat Turkey: My Mom cooks Flat Meat Turkey. She adds pepper on it. The oven is on Fire Hot Degrees and she cooks for 5 minutes. The Flat Meat Turkey gets hot. Then we eat it when it cools off. I love my Mom.

And I love my Little Man!

Thankful: Part I

2007-11-19T10:15:00.000-06:00

With it being the week of Thanksgiving I wanted to focus on some of the things I am thankful for. Each night we tell God the things we are thankful for... but I think it is often a bit generic. Depending on how late it is and how tired we are the list can often be brief as well. Not to say that I do not thank God often for my many blessings... only that sometimes I need to focus on it a bit more! So here goes:
The lighter side:
1. I am thankful for cotton underwear... there is nothing more comfortable when it is a thousand degrees outside!
2. Fake Plants- because I can't keep any other kind alive... not on my own at least!
3. The Schwan man. Makes a quick meal look like it took forever!!!
4. Games on my cell phone. Great for a brain dump or during a long meeting if you can get away with it!
5. Free T-shirts. They make the best night shirts!

For Real Though:
1. So many Blessings. My babies alone have brought me so much joy and fulfillment!
2. My extended family! I have the most amazing people in my life.
3. A job that pays the bills (sometimes) and the opportunity to serve my country.
4. The freedom of being an American.
5. Living a fairly quiet life.
6. Being free to worship God.
7. The gift of forgiveness.
8. A home of my own.
9. My friends, both new and old.
10.Good health!
11. I am thankful for each day that I wake up.
12. I am also thankful for every yesterday. Whether a hard one or not, I am thankful! Every experience was a gift even if I didn't know it at the time!!!

Time for CHRISTmas pictures!

2007-11-17T22:07:00.003-06:00

So I thought I would share a few of my favorites!!

All of us...

She is getting so tall!

Her hair against the black is awesome!!

So handsome! His features are maturing too fast for my liking!

My Little Man indeed!

I love this!

I should send this in our CHRISTmas cards this year!!!

It was a late night... but it was fun and both of my babies really had a good time! We did a couple of funny ones... so I am grateful to the photographer for being silly right along with us!!

May your Sunday be Blessed!

If you Pretend, you Can Believe!!!

2007-11-14T12:55:00.000-06:00

Sounds much deeper than it really is! It's supposed to be Fall! Really, it's November, a week before Thanksgiving. It should be Fall! Not only because the Calender says so, but because it's the best time of the year. So why, WHY, WHY is it 87 degrees in Houston right now? It makes no sense!!!!!

So, I will pretend! I will smell the smell of Fall (that won't be hard- the leaves are covering my front yard even though I just raked them Monday) and I will just act like it is fall! Dangit!

Can you tell this is devastating for me? Can you hear the sadness?

Maybe I am being dramatic... that's entirely possible... and I am okay with it!

Anyway, we had friends over for dinner last night! World's Greatest Grandma, Treasa and her babies. Nothing special, just family getting together for fun and fellowship. So, I suppose it is special. Let me not underestimate it!!!

For desert we had this yummy cake from a local bakery.

So pretty, and festive for the season!

So, 87 degrees or not... Fall or no Fall... I am BLESSED!!!

Look what I made today!

2007-11-12T17:54:00.000-06:00

It is a special gift for a special friend! Be gentle though as it is only the second one I have made!

The front...

The yellow plaid is the back...

Have a great day!!!

A VERY Special Day

2007-11-11T19:45:00.000-06:00

Today was a day that was beyond words for me. But I will try my best to tell you about it. Today my daughter was baptised. The cool thing is that at 11 she wanted to be and was excited about it. It was her CHOICE! This is the coolest part! So it was with a happy heart that I watched her be baptised. Here are a few pictures of this special day.

God's princess after church this morning.

Do I look Proud? I can't imagine feeling anything less! Proud and BLESSED!
NaNa with The World's Greatest Grandparents right before being Baptised.

NaNa being Baptised!

My beautiful babies. Little Man and NaNa!

We have had a really nice weekend! Lots of cuddling, and relaxing mixed with fun times and lots of Blessings. I am so very Grateful!

Lavender,Lilac and Old Lace Give-Away

2007-11-11T08:00:00.001-06:00

Okay... another giveaway! Thanks Retha for sharing this one!! It is over at Pink Faded Roses and it is all things beautiful! Of course if I were to win I would share with Retha...! Check it out if you love pink, or roses, or vintage, or beautiful! I was in awe of all the pretty things! Have a Blessed day!

And the winners are...

2007-11-10T23:30:00.001-06:00

We had such a good time tonight. We got to go to the Aero's hockey game! I love hockey... though it must be noted that I am a HUGE Red Wings fan! The Aero's rocked though! They won 5-1 against the Sharks!

Here we are goofing off in the car on the way! All of us are silly! I just don't know where they get it from!

A snapshot of the action...

The final score... GO AERO'S!

APRONS!!

2007-11-09T18:41:00.001-06:00

Yes... I am presently fascinated by them! They are so cool! The vintage ones being my favorite! So... I found a blog that is AWESOME... and Fabulous! Check it out here it is called apronista. Someone tell me that this old lady living inside of me who loves all antiques and vintage things will be there forever... because I truly love her! Oh and don't tell anyone.... hee hee... they are having a contest to win an apron. I really really wanna win! So, I think you should enter... but if you win... send it to me! Okay, not really, but if you really want to I wouldn't want to stop you!

Night all... I am off to spend some quality time with my beautiful babies!

2007-11-09T08:40:00.000-06:00

What fun we had! We went to see the Barlow Girls and Toby Mac in concert last night! Barlow Girls being NaNa's favorite Contemporary Christian Group and Toby Mac being mine it was perfect that they were in concert together! We had the best time and did lots of dancing and screaming!

Some photos of my babies and I.

I had to share this photo! My Tahlia was after a squirrel and found herself in a tree! I cannot believe she jumped up there, but they are both like cats! I wasn't able to get the camera fast enough to get her in the tree, but managed to get her jumping out!

Catch up time!

2007-11-04T17:05:00.000-06:00

Halloween has came and gone! We had a great time and there was candy to be had by all! Now it is time to start sneaking it away a bit at a time! My little man was a power ranger and NaNa was my 50's girl! Both so very cute! I was a... ummmm... something! So you know it is my hair and there is NO hairspray or teasing involved! Just a brush and a blow dryer! Very scary!!!

These are from last night. There was a 90th anniversary celebration at work which was a semi formal event. We had such a good time. I have the most amazing friends and family! Plus we got to play dress up! In the photo are World's Greatest Grandma and Grandpa. My dear friend Rachel and her husband Darin. Wendell and Uncle Jim! I am so Blessed!

More to come. I am going to relax with my babies and watch some movies while eating a big tray of absolutely bad for me Nachos. And work on that Breathing I was talking about. Retha... thank you SOOOOO much for your friendship!

I think I have some work to do!

2007-11-03T13:57:00.000-05:00

You Have Good Manners 64% of the Time

Your manners are quite excellent. You are well versed in etiquette.Of course you have the occasional slip up, but you even apologize with grace.

How'>http://www.blogthings.com/howareyourmannersquiz/">How Are Your Manners?

Breathe...

2007-11-02T14:36:00.000-05:00

Yep, I am way overdue to do just that... breathe! It has been crazy here for a while now. I hide stress pretty well, at least from those that are not "in the know". So now that this inspection has passed us by I finally feel as though I can BREATHE!
This week was a good one. The inspection is over, my babies had a great Halloween, the Quilt show was awesome, and the weekend is here (never mind that I still have to work!).
I have some fun pictures to post so as soon as my computer at home will cooperate... I will get them posted.

Angel Kisses...

2007-10-19T09:03:00.000-05:00

I was reading This over at SusieJ's and it made me think of when my own mom passed away.
I have talked many times about my mom in my blog but I don't think I have said much about her with my babies. Some funny things and then I will tell you about the "Angel Kisses".

NaNa LOVED her Grandma Linnie. When she was a baby and couldn't quite say it yet she called her GaGaw Ninnie. My mom LOVED this. I think hoping the name would stick... it didn't! NaNa had her Grandma's pretty red hair and being smart and sweet and funny she had a blast with her Grandma. When my mom would come to visit they would be silly. NaNa would dance around the house touching things and my mom would follow her and do whatever she did... for hours! This would be to the Paul Simon music... and my mom would be in her night gown with her hair sticking up all over the place. How I wish now I had a video camera at the time! One day she told NaNa to tell me I was a great gal... NaNa said it but it sounded like this "Your a great COW mommy"! My mom got a huge kick out of that! When we moved from Louisiana to Indiana we lived in a farm house near my Grandmother. This was such a special time for my mom as she was able to share her grand baby with her own mother. At the farm house my mom bought a trampoline for my nephew's birthday.
Well, my mom used to do the "Shake Shake Shake" with NaNa. This was them making chocolate milk. They would take a Mason jar and put in the milk and chocolate syrup and dance around the house singing "Shake Shake Shake" until they were ready to drink the chocolate milk. Well... my NaNa being an early riser one morning woke up her grandma...and wanted her chocolate milk. I will just say I was awaken at about 6 in the morning to the sounds of them in the yard. I looked out to see my mom and my baby jumping on the trampoline in their night gowns singing as loud as they could the "Shake Shake Shake" song. It was always my moms way to create a wonderful memory. I am laughing now just thinking of that morning. Later when we moved to Virginia my mom would come to visit and while I was working my mom would ride her on the bike to the beach and they would have a picnic each day. Always special memories to be made...
Jump ahead now to my Little Man. Most can tell but just in case you can't he is mixed. His daddy is, according to Little Man, brown and I of course am not... Well my mom loved the fact that he was mixed and when she came to visit when he was 5 weeks old she was shocked to see he had straight soft hair and was as white as I... most know this is not unusual, but my mom was might I say, a little disappointed! Well, anyway, Little Man was a preemie, weighing in at 4lbs 10 oz when we left the hospital so he was just a little bitty thing. We went to the mall to have photos taken and my mom goes up to a black girl and says "My grandson is mixed when is he going to change color?". She was really looking forward to this. I can say that I was MORTIFIED but at the same time it was really funny! When people would comment on how beautiful he was (yes he was gorgeous!) she would say he's my grandson and he's mixed. As though they were equal in importance! I know, having known her, that it was all said with pride, but I do think it is very funny!
Anyway... on to the angel kisses.
My mom liked to say that freckles were angel kisses. Whenever you got a freckle it was to be a kiss from an angel.
My Little Man didn't have any, and who would have expected him to have any? I know my babies, every inch of them and so what a treat it was to notice only days after my moms passing that he had 2 little angel kisses. One on his knee and one on his little neck! I do believe in these things. I believe that it was her way of leaving something for Little Man as she had only had that one week with him. She was such an amazing Grandma...
An Aside: She told NaNa and Little Man that freckles were angel kisses, but she told my nephew that he got them from sleeping on her arm... as she and he had lots of them! She was so silly, but she left her kisses and Nephew will always have his Grandma's freckles!
I know I am not the best story teller... I hope you were able to enjoy this though. As it is such a sweet memory for me and a reminder that my loved ones are close by, always.

Desiderata By Max Ehrmann

2007-10-17T16:11:00.001-05:00

This was one of my mom's favorites and my sister and I read it at her funeral. It has special meaning to me as well as being an amazing poem... I hope you enjoy.

Desiderata
Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrmann, Desiderata, Copyright 1952.

2007-10-16T08:15:00.001-05:00

More pictures to share! Though not very exciting! World's Greatest Grandma, 2 friends from work, and myself, volunteered to help the Houston Food Bank on Monday. We had fun, and once we got started it was actually a bit of work! I am under the impression that I am always acting silly... so on that note here are some pics from our day! There were several funny moments but I am just not a good story teller...

We waited for 2 hours. There was a convention going on so lots of people walked by with bags of goodies. I finally got me one (empty but still very cool!)... While waiting I leaned on a friend, and in my most beautiful singing voice sang "Lean On Me"... I had fun!

Before the packing of the food... we had to make the boxes... thank goodness there was a person "in the know" who instead of laughing at us.. helped us!

There were 400 thousand pounds of produce to pack up. We didn't get to stay long but it is always nice to do a good thing. Makes for a bit more fulfillment in ones day!

I hope that you are Blessed this week... remember the little things!

Interesting title goes here...

2007-10-14T20:07:00.001-05:00

I know... something original and catchy!

Well, our weekend was planned out and it was to be a great time. I sound so blah. Really we did do some wonderful things and they were all fun. However, my little man was a bit moody and so there were some moments where I wanted to throw my hands up in frustration and just go home! But I didn't, and honestly I hope I faked it well enough that the kids didn't so much notice though I am sure my NaNa who sees all could figure it out!

Friday night NaNa went skating until MIDNIGHT!!! So Little Man and I had our movie night on the couch. We had our dessert before dinner night (this is so yummy and fun!). The kids eat so well all week and so on Fridays we try to have dessert first! They enjoy it! Elijah chose Ice Cream and so that is what he had. We then had a snack tray of cheese, meat, crackers, fruit and popcorn. Here is a photo of how the night ended!

Saturday morning NaNa had a soccer game and it was Grandparents Day. I even remembered my camera!!!

Pretty NaNa...

Little Man getting into the action!

World's Greatest Grandma and Grandpa!

We then went to the pumpkin patch after a yummy lunch at the Greek Deli!!! We got some really cool pumpkins!

The fake smiles as we had Mr. Grumpy pants...

Though he was still a cutie!

So we cleaned it out...

and carved it...

We finished off the weekend making caramel apples, and cookies! They all look so yummy... the kids loved them... I am too tired to try! Tomorrow... I will... I promise!!!

Aiming High!

2007-10-12T14:30:00.000-05:00

Just thought I would share a couple of pics... as I just got them today!

This is one of our F-16's flying over Houston. The pictures are so pretty they don't look real. But they are!

In my Service Blues ... a very rare sight indeed!

So it can be like my very own show-n-tell Friday!

So now he's gone...

2007-10-11T14:18:00.000-05:00

I know I should be shouting for joy, but I'm not. I should be sighing a huge sigh of relief, but again, I'm not.
It was a hard week. Each day was wonderful because my little man got to spend time with Daddy and his new wife. Then, he had to come home. Now, of all of us in the world who, after not seeing someone we love and idolize for a long time, wants to say good bye to them after such a short visit? Now imagine that same feeling of sadness in the heart of a 4 year old that has not a bit of understanding. It is very, very sad. I, being the wimp that I am, cry right along with him, because it hurts me to see him hurting and knowing that there is nothing I can do about it. We try with all of our might to protect our babies from hurting and then when it is happening you often realize that you have no control whatsoever and it is so hard!
The month to come will be just as hard, though day by day it will get easier. It is so hard on him, and to see a 4 year old depressed is enough to just make me want to scream. So I often take this frustration out on Daddy, as it is my only outlet.
So, for now things are looking better. For now, I am being more positive.
Hopefully this weekend we will get to enjoy the weather, buy some pumpkins, and do some snuggling on the couch! It should be a good time, with a slow pace and plenty of time to focus on the kids and their happy hearts!

Finding the positives...

2007-10-08T14:09:00.001-05:00

Well I was getting pretty negative... feeling bad and I don't like feeling that way! So, this post is dedicated to the silver lining... as there are to be a couple more frustrating days to come and I need to try really hard to find that lining right now!

Friday we spent the night at Treasa's house. Just the girls! Little Man was off with his daddy so the girls had snacks galore (nothing good for us) and a couple of drinks! We also did some quilting (finally) and I am almost done with my best friend's quilt I have been promising for 3 years! This will be THE year!!! NaNa also had her first dance. i straightened her hair and she wore her cutest clothes. I was so nervous for her. You know, wondering if she would even dance or if she would just stand on the wall. If she would dance with a boy(dread!) or just hang with the girls. I am (happy!!!) to report she danced the whole time and NOT with any boys (relief!). She had a blast and was hot and sweaty when I picked her up! Then the night was on with just us girls! For Saturday, NaNa had her first soccer game... now is where I get the bad mommy award because I FORGOT the camera!!! Unbelieveable! She did great (as usual) and we had fun. World's Greatest Grandpa came as well to cheer her on (and brought me Star*bucks), so I was a very happy girl!

Saturday evening we all went out to dinner at the Japanese Hibatchi restaurant and then NaNa got to hang out with World's Greatest Grandpa that night and the next day. I had to work but they were close by at the Air Show! She had a great time and is such a special girl!

So aside from missing my Little Man (that's hard) we had a good time. There was fun, family and yucky ol' work!

I hope that this post was a bit more positive. Thank you SusieJ for sending me some light... it was much needed!!!

Word of the day.

2007-10-05T08:58:00.001-05:00

Today's word will be DISAPPOINTED.
The definition for this word is: A selfish control freak father who only worries about himself.
Little Man's daddy was supposed to be in town on the 4Th. There were many heated e-mails that went back and forth about times and days for visiting Little Man. In all of them the 4Th was mentioned. You can imagine the delight on Little Man's face yesterday morning when I told him his daddy was going to pick him up. Still groggy from sleep but laughing in pure excitement. Now imagine his face when, not daddy, but mommy shows up to get him from school. I could do little but cry with him. I knew deep down I should have never told him he was coming. I apparently didn't listen to my own heart. I did try to tell him daddy's plane was broke. I also told him I knew he was disappointed. He said "that means sad when daddy doesn't come". I couldn't have said it better.
So, it was a rough evening as it always is when Little Man is missing his daddy. There were tears at times for no reason. There was a fight to get him in his own bed after a month of sleeping on his own. There was his need to hold me the entire evening. I lay in his bed with him and we did our usual tuck in. He began to cry and asked if his daddy was going to live in Texas since he is done with Korea. I told him no that he was going to Germany now. He said he didn't like Germany. I explained that it wasn't Germany's fault that Daddy chose to go there. He said daddy makes bad choices. At bedtime he didn't want to go to his daddy's anymore. We talked a bit about things. He wanted to know if he gets to have his toys now (the ones his daddy packed up and put away rather than letting Little Man have them while he was away). I told him I didn't know. He fell asleep crying his cheek pressed against my cheek. I woke him this morning and the first thing he said is he doesn't want daddy to pick him up. Again, when time to put his shoes on came he didn't want to go he wanted to stay with mommy. I did all I could to get him excited because I know how happy he will be when he sees his daddy. My heart hurts for him. We do all we can to protect our babies from being hurt.
The same person that is so concerned about helmets on bikes, and rare brain eating diseases in the water in Arizona is the one single handily hurting him daily. The same person who claims that his selfish decisions are in the best interest of his son, is the one hurting that son daily by those very decisions. He doesn't deserve the smile on Little Man's face or hearing the word "Daddy" when Little Man sees him.

So today:

I am DISAPPOINTED.

Today I feel REGRET.

Today my heart HURTS.

TODAY I NEED LOTS OF PRAYERS FOR MY LITTLE MAN AND I.

Because, though last night was tough, the next month is going to be tougher. We get to start all of it over again when he leaves. Little Man will be sad, and angry, and truly hard to deal with. He will be dealing with emotions he doesn't understand and I have to try to help him through it while being angry and mad and hurt too.

Pickles and Cupcakes!

2007-10-03T22:05:00.001-05:00

Nope I am not Pregnant! Just wanted to share a couple of moments from the week!

The other day we were wanting some yummy snacks so we made cupcakes!

They are so much better when you get to put your own stuff on them!

Here is little man with his... sooo yummy!

And this is my very own PICKLE!

NaNa is in LDC (leadership development corps) and this is her uniform. She claims she looks like a pickle! I think she looks wonderful and should be nothing less than proud!!

It is late now, so this is a short one. I hope all of you are having a very Blessed week!

It's the little things!!!

2007-09-29T21:49:00.000-05:00

Before the day got started... little man and T-bone chillin'

Just goes to show it doesn't take millions of dollars to have a good time...especially when you have little ones!

My little man is into all things fast, or big and if it has wheels on it...he is all over it! So I talked to the fire chief and asked if I could bring my little man by. He said of course and so we went today. The guys were great and gave Little Man the opportunity to see what ever he wanted. He was really shy at first and didn't have much to say but it only took a few minutes! He didn't want to do the siren so I did it for him! He did get to go in all the trucks though... I thought he would have been more excited but he was busy soaking it in and being a little shy! But he hasn't stopped talking about it yet!!! He is so proud of having been able to see the fire trucks!

He looks so tiny in that big ol' fire truck!

He was seeing what he could do! (note the cars in his hands...always)

Look at me!

He might have been a bit disappointed this hose didn't have water coming out!

They are sooo cute! Funny socks and all!

I love this picture! It was taken on our way to the movies...

What is necessity?

2007-09-28T10:09:00.000-05:00

As promised in my previous post I am sharing some pics from our most recent adventures! In addition I wanted to share something.
Today a dear friend told me that I do too much (definitely not in a negative way). More in the context that I need to take a break. They told me I do a lot and that they know a lot of it is stuff I have to do, but that some of it is stuff that I choose to do (not exact words but a summary!). They are so right, however, the things I do that some see as a choice; well I don't see it the same. I suppose a picnic at the park or an hour at the book store reading books and playing trains can be considered a choice. But to me, I consider it something I have to do.
I have been so extremely Blessed with my babies. They are the most awesome gifts I could ever receive. On that note, I realize that they are gifts. They are also really God's children and having been trusted with their care I am responsible for them on more levels than just food, housing and clothes! I want to feed their spirits, their minds and their hearts. I need to fill them with love and I need to provide them with a strong and secure foundation. Once they leave my home they will start their own, and I am, in part, providing them with the necessary tools to do that. They are also children and as children I want them to experience fun things, and just being KIDS! Playing in the park, splashing in the mud puddles in their church clothes, picnics when they don't expect them. So much time is invested in work, school, and sleeping. Very little time is left for all the other things they can experience. After a long day at work, I am tired. Not my little ones! They are just getting started. They have been sitting all day. It is time for them to play. Once they are gone I will have so much time for rest and I will wish these years back. I don't want to let them pass and wish I had done more or taken more time to play with them. I have to tell myself often that when they are 30 they won't remember the dishes were in the sink or that the floor hadn't been vacuumed. But they will remember that I played tag with them in the dark or that we ate sandwiches in the park and chased the run away dogs!
So our recent adventures! These were taken last weekend...

The first were at the park where we had a picnic after church.

NaNa wanted this picture! It's one of my favorites!
Go Little Man!
We are dorks... but it's fun!
We love this park! It's pretty and quiet and has 2 play grounds!
When you play hard you sleep hard! My flash makes it look really bright but it was dark!
We went to the races... Little Man called it a MASCAR race... I love what they say!

We are so super cool we got to get IN the race cars... not so easy for my big butt!

Family, Fast Cars, Hot Dogs... Nope not missing anything!

Alright so I am very proud of my babies! Isn't she BEAUTIFUL?

Little Man is all about all things FAST!

Not so sure she was so into it all but she did like this guys purple car!

She's Come Undone! The Undercover Unraveling!

2007-09-27T11:46:00.000-05:00

Oh and I am here to tell you it can be done!
How to unravel: First take a person with a sense of responsibility and give them a bunch of it! Then when they have a lot give them 2 amazing children to care for. Make sure both of those amazing children have lots of interests and activities that they MUST participate in. Add to this mix, a house, 2 dogs and some interests for the responsible person. What you get is a person coming undone. As a fan of all of Wally Lamb's books I will borrow his title "She's Come Undone".
It's not too much. Really it isn't, the other 320 days of the year. But for about 45 (did I do the math right?) days a year I truly feel as though I am coming undone! I go at full speed and fill every imaginable moment with Dentist appointments, PTA meetings, Soccer games and practices, Bible studies, time with family, trips to the zoo, meet the teachers, and whatever else in addition to trying to keep a clean house, a cut yard and laundry in the drawers and not in the baskets (this I find to be the ultimate challenge)! I go until I can't go anymore... or wish that I couldn't... and then I just crash! I cry (a lot, in the car on the way from work to the daycare center) and I get a little snappy, and then I become completely isolated aside from being a mommy! I wake up under a dark cloud and have to convince myself to get up. I keep moving but inside I really don't want to. Then for some reason I bounce back. I just wake up and the dark cloud seems to have lifted.
It's like a ball of yarn wound tight and put away and for some reason every time you look at it; it has gotten looser and looser until you have to pick it up and tighten it again!
I call it undercover because I am able to come completely undone and to the unknowing still make it appear as though I have it all together, and as though it is somewhat effortless for me.
Don't get me wrong...
I am a happy person. I am extremely Blessed. I have the most amazing babies. I have a good job. I love my home. I have the best friends in the world. I have and have and have. I wouldn't change it for the world.
I just wanted to share that I have "Come Undone".
Now that I have shared it's time to get it back together...

Lots of Pictures from our latest adventures to be posted this week sometime AFTER I get it back together!

Frustration abounds!

2007-09-21T08:49:00.000-05:00

I want to rant and rave. I would like to scream. I would like to curse. For someone that doesn't on a daily basis, I do let a word or two slip when I am really really angry. And guess what? There is only one person who is able to get me this angry! They've done it again and the worst word I have said is jerk! I am very proud of that!
For all of the mothers out there, we all know a little one needs consistency. They need a schedule and they need things to happen on time on a daily basis. A little slip up here and there is okay, but when you have a strong willed child you stick to the basics. Breakfast-snack-lunch-nap-snack-dinner-bath-book-bed. The in between can be sorted out. Sometimes it doesn't work. Sometimes the doctor appointment is at nap time, or the day is spent out and about. But you don't take them away from their nap for an entire week.
A certain someone is coming to town. It is inconvenient for them to have to visit here. INCONVENIENT!!!!! Really, I don't care.
It is even more INCONVENIENT that I won't let my little one travel across the country from state to state again for a month.
Oh, and it is completely unreasonable for them to visit this little one here, from after nap time until evening. Do they realize how hard it is to get said little one back on schedule after spending anytime away from home? Do they realize that little one cries for weeks for them and that they have already packed their bags and taken off? Do they even care?
When someone has a choice to live close enough to visit at least bi-monthly but chooses to go to (where they have been wanting to go) because it has better possibilities and it is more important to them to be able to provide (now we are not talking from broke to big money, we're talking from really good to better) and they choose the latter even though their little one will only see them at the most once a year... I don't feel sorry for them. I am not very tolerant. I don't give a crap how sad they get because when they come to town I don't let them do whatever they want even if they don't come to town that often. They chose this situation. The one suffering is their little one. THE LITTLE ONE HAS NO CHOICE! Cause if little one had a choice, little one wouldn't care if daddy lived in a card board box as long as he was around.
I am tired of someone trying to manipulate me. I am tired of being evil because I fight for what my little one deserves. I am tired of HIM making excuses for why he screws up, and continues to screw up and I am just plain tired!
Someday, someone is going to have some explaining to do, and I pray that little one is strong enough to get past the words of manipulation and that ability of HIM being able to rationalize every single situation to suit him and can see that LITTLE ONE deserved better.
Until that someday and probably far beyond I will fill little one's days with lots of love and will treasure every experience and hopefully the only one who hurts SOMEDAY is HIM!
I'm done.

Lions and Tigers and Bears...

2007-09-16T19:59:00.000-05:00

Oh My!

What a fun weekend. As usual we went until we couldn't go anymore! But what fun we had!

We spent all of Saturday at the zoo... so much fun! World's Greatest Grandma and Grandpa went too!

We are too cute for words...I am so BLESSED!

Little man is afraid of NOTHING!!!

She is so past the petting zoo... she's only doing it for me!

God has been so good to me!

Little Man and World's Greatest Grandpa. Goofin' off!

NaNa and Grandma are taking a break...

This is how I know they had a BLAST... (not even 5 minutes from the zoo!)

So when you spend the whole day at the zoo what else can you do? You get up early and start the day with God... then you enjoy some of his amazing miracles. Like: family, friends, water, sun, and the list goes on and on... We went sailing with World's Greatest Grandpa.

We weren't the only ones on the water. There were hundreds of boats.

This little guy loves the sail boat.

Here we are at the front of the boat trying to get our feet splashed!

I suppose so many things could be said. I just want to say 2: thank you GOD, and phew! I will again work on focusing on the Today's this week. I am so very Blessed and must take the time to savor all that I have been given. Remember to hug your family, forgive your enemies, and smile for all you have!

Lovin' my babies.

2007-09-15T12:01:00.000-05:00

Just a couple of pics of our Friday night...

2007-09-14T18:28:00.000-05:00

Just spent a couple of days in San Antonio for work so I haven't been posting for a few days! We had a good time, since I got to go with the cool guys!

A couple of highlights...

We spent the evening on the River Walk. It is so beautiful down there...

Along with the scenery, the Margaritas are great!

Where did they go? I was just getting started...

This is a couple of guys that decided that politics should be put aside and we should support our troops regardless of how we feel about the war. I had seen them on the news in the morning as they were marching across Texas, and then as we were driving there they were on the interstate! So I stopped to shake their hand and to get a picture with them...

And of course... some pictures need no words!

In A Week...

2007-09-08T13:35:00.000-05:00

So much has been happening. It gets hard to keep track of sometimes! My little ones are well into starting school. They have both adjusted well and are having a great time.
Little Man has decided that all the girls in the class are his... He loves his teachers and has decided that he likes to make good choices! Each day he tells me "I choosed to be good today". I love it!
NaNa is in middle school and is having a good time. Lots of homework and stuff though! On top of the regular homework she had an assignment that was supposed to be done over the summer. I won't even get into why I was never sent the information... only that I wasn't! So, she had 1 week to read to fairly large books, one of which we had to order and a lot of writing to do on each. She did it though with no complaining, and she worked so hard! I had to contact the teacher and I think it worked! She got the full amount of points available for the project being late even though she only had half of it done. I hope she feels protected and loved when I get involved and stand up for her.
So many people feel like they (our children) should be standing up for themselves. I know too well what that feels like. To work each day on something, and work hard at it, and no one to say "hey look at the progress made". Life is hard enough. So often we are focused on the end result, the final grade. But when it comes to our babies, I feel like we are teaching them that if they can't get it done; then don't waste your time doing the job. I want my girl to work as hard as she can and do the best she can... for now that is all she can do. Really it is all she will ever be able to do. But I want to instill that in her now. I do want her to have goals as well, and I want her to accomplish them as often as is possible. But mostly I want her to be proud of giving it her all. Pride is only valuable when it comes from within first. If she is always looking for that approval from someone else... I feel like she will be working for nothing. So what I am saying... yes there is a point... is that she is working really hard, and I made sure the teacher knew that she had, and because of her hard work and a louder voice she was given credit for that hard work! Be there for your babies no matter what. Love them and build them up so that they can be strong for themselves one day.
Okay... enough of that rant!
What else has been up? Well we had the open house at school for Little Man. His teachers love him and are as impressed as I in how much he has grown in just the last month. He is really communicating and we are talking through things. He is still stubborn... just a little less difficult!
Poor thing has that head though... he fell from the recliner (where he had fallen asleep during a movie) and bumped his little head. It was a bad bump though and it began to swell.. I freaked! Not really bad, but I didn't want to drive as I have a tendency to pass out when I get nervous. So I called an ambulance. They didn't take him in, but I had to wake him often and it was a REALLY LONG night! All is well again though.
We started back to Wednesday nights at church. Little Man is now in Pioneers and NaNa is off with the Jr. High Kids.
I am doing some much needed bible study.
I have drill this weekend... so I won't get to spend much time with them, but if I get the chance there is a great video I need to post of Little Man getting his Jam on!

What about today?

2007-08-28T09:55:00.000-05:00

As I watch my babies growing, made more prominent by new milestones, I am left to wonder about all of the yesterdays. The Woulda-Coulda-Shoulda's that pop up now and then...
I wonder what would have happened if...
I hadn't chosen to join the military, or marry so young, or if I hadn't lost my father at the time I did, what if I had kept my career rather than giving it up to be with my second husband, where would I be now?
I don't necessarily have regrets or wish that things would have been much differently, though I do wonder what decisions I make today will one day be the hard learned lessons we try so hard to avoid.
So many what ifs to ponder and yet I am constantly thinking about tomorrow as well. The Should I's and the What abouts. So much thinking and at the same time trying to focus on today.
Today of course being the most important...
The memories we make today being the things we will look back on in the future... the decisions we make today being the things that will determine the future.
My babies will continue to grow and slowly the possibilities will dwindle (for me). I am past the point of changing the course of my life but just beginning to watch my children be who they will one day be.
I can only hope that they will enjoy each day and not focus so much on "when I am's", so that someday they will also notice that time has passed and that they were so focused on where they have been, and where they want to go that they didn't notice all the amazing moments happening each day.

Today...only a few short hours of a lifetime of hours... but so were the hours when my babies were born, the day at the zoo, the afternoon spent at the ballet recital, the first day of school, the first few days of walking, the first words that were only seconds, the telling of a funny story, a special day spent with my babies. All leading to the hours that will someday be a wedding and the birth of a grandchild.
Today...I will look at my babies and see them as they were when they were little... the funny moments, the laughs that kept coming, the tears, the boo boo's that mommy's kisses could fix. I will look at my babies and see them as they might someday be and think of them as strong adults with a path in life and a happiness in their hearts. Mostly though I hope to look at my babies every day and see them as they are... beautiful and precious, funny and silly, kind and loving, and free to be... I will look at their eyes and look at their toes and I will listen when they talk to me and I hope, above all things, that I will be able to let today be full enough to last a lifetime.

First Day of School...

2007-08-27T21:36:00.000-05:00

Yep, it's official... both my babies are in school. Here are some pictures of NaNa and Little Man on the first day of school.

NaNa off to Junior High! (She "gets" to wear uniforms now!)

Little Man off to Preschool! (with a little water from brushing his teeth on his shirt)

They are too cute (if I say so myself!)

Little Man being, well, Little Man!

It's back to school time...

2007-08-26T08:08:00.001-05:00

So how better to get ready than to be pampered, and preened? My NaNa is starting Junior High. This means a major day of fun to get her ready! We have planned most of the summer for a girls day! That said... it was time! Greatest Grandma, NaNa, Chantell and I were off.

First we were off to get our nails done. Manicures and Pedicures were wonderful...

Then, Chantell and I were on to a bit of waxing...(Dawn I was thinking of you, she didn't yell!)
From there we were off to the Queen's Crazy Kitchen for a girls only lunch...
After a filling lunch we were off to get our hair done.

Elijah met us here... He starts Pre-school Monday!!!!!
We finished the day doing a little shopping for the necessities... no pics on this one!

It was a tiring day for all! Oh, but what fun it was!

I am not perfect...

2007-08-23T10:10:00.000-05:00

Though I have never thought this the case, I find it important to share that now. Maybe just to myself, or maybe I need it to be known! As a Christian I hope to live a good life, but I have to accept that I am not perfect and know that I make mistakes. Some of them HUGE! I can only hope to understand when I make these mistakes, be sorry when I do, go beyond forgiving myself by asking for forgiveness and trying to not make that same mistake again. I recently did a very hurtful thing. I apologized, and yes I realize that sometimes an apology doesn't take the hurt away. I was truthful, but you know sometimes it is best to keep ones mouth shut. I needed at that time to do that (keep my mouth shut)! Anyway, I was accused of not being a Christian and it has weighed on me. That someone so far from Christ for such a long time would accuse me of this. It is important as a Christian to know that we are not perfect. That we have a forgiving God, and to know that is not to continue sinning, but to know that mistakes are made, and we will not suffer in eternity for this. My rant...

Da Bears!

2007-08-13T12:15:00.000-05:00

You all know I love the bears. Well... it is a love that developed slowly and is thanks entirely to a dear friend. Anyway, I finally got to go to a Bears game. It was pre-season against the Texans and a Friend from work took me. And yes OF COURSE the Bears won!

In the gear getting ready to go!

Reliant Stadium...

Da BEARS!!!!

Just a picture of the field!

Pictures of our most recent Adventures!

2007-08-05T20:33:00.000-05:00

NaNa going for the Strike!

Little Man bowling. My little Pro!

My baby love!
Someone is gonna be like his daddy!
At the Strand. Always striking a pose!

Our picnic in the park. It was great until T-Bone ran away!

T-Bone and Tahlia not being psycho!

Little Man's favorite... picnics in the living room!

Silly Girls!

2007-07-23T13:14:00.000-05:00

Let's Party!

2007-07-23T12:59:00.000-05:00

Little Man had his birthday party and it was perfect! All of our family and friends were there! The cake we ordered from a local bakery and he was the one who picked out the design, the flavors, all of it! Enjoy the pictures of his day!

Happy Birthday Little Man

2007-07-17T20:29:00.000-05:00

Well my baby is now 4. How did it happen so fast? I think he was just born like yesterday and here he is all of a sudden being grown... but to me he is still my little baby boy!

Well we did our birthday wake up. Grandma was here with us and it was sweet.

We must not be singing loud enough! He won't wake up!!!

Yummy! Cake for breakfast!

How old is the little man you ask??

Best birthday present yet! Go Greatest Grandma!

More presents!

Working on his tent with his new tools.

Okay... so this is for my little man.

There are a million things I love about you! It will be really hard to keep it at 4 so it will be a list of 4 OF the things I love about you...

1. I love the way you snuggle so tight and with all your strength. You wrap your little arms around and hold on so tight!

2. I love the way you can say the funniest things and you know it well in advance! There is a twinkle in your eye and I know it is coming!

3. I love the way you can't stop from smiling if I tell you not too! No matter what... you always smile!

4. I love the way you correct me when I call you different nick-name. I am to always call you my baby. Not Mijo, or whatever. You are my baby! And sweetie, you will always be my baby.

I love you soooooooo much and hope that your birthday was special just for you!

We're back!!!

2007-07-13T18:49:00.000-05:00

Well little man had had enough! It was a complete breakdown and he really needed his mommy. Not to mention that I needed him just as much! So, I came home a day early! We spent the evening shopping for fish because I had promised him 2 of them. And then today we went to the zoo, picked up the girls and then went to the pool! I am exhausted... but it was a wonderful week and a wonderful day!!!!!

Silly boy!

Elijah and Kenzie riding the train!

Little Man and I posing for Kenzie!

Hanging at the pool!

Pretty NaNa!

Camping???!!!!!

2007-07-13T18:38:00.000-05:00

I am not the outdoors type! But... I went with the girls from church! We did have a great time... though I missed my little man so much that I came home a day early! We rode bulls (the mechanical type) and swam and played ball and all kinds of great stuff! Just a couple of pics!!!!

The entrance to the camp!

The girls and I.

NaNa and I!

The whole crazy bunch of us... not the whole camp though! There were almost 200 kids!!

Little Man is back too!!!!

2007-07-13T18:36:00.001-05:00

We only had a couple of short days before I was off to fcamp with NaNa but we made the best of them!!!

Welcome home NaNa...

2007-07-07T11:17:00.000-05:00

Well she is back! I couldn't wait and then there she was! We had fun with the camera waiting for her! Thank goodness Chantell was with me... the tears almost came!!!!

On the way to get my girl!

Chantell and I waiting.... hurry up NANA!
We went skating! What fun we had!!!
And then a little swimming! Watch out world these girls are gonna be something really big!!!
Fun times!

Happy Birthday America!

2007-07-07T10:30:00.001-05:00

It was a great 4th of July. We had a cook out at my house with family and friends and then went sailing with The World's Greatest Grandma and Grandpa! It was a lovely time with only Little Man missing!

If you are wondering who the beautiful blond is, well that is our very own Chantell's Mommy Nicole! She has officially been BLOGGED!

Pretty girls and crazy Greatest Grandpa!!!
In the spirit! Crazy Girls!!!
My NaNa and I! Isn't she a beauty?
World's greatest Grandma and NaNa along with pretty girl Lindsey!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!!!

The strike continues...

2007-06-24T21:35:00.000-05:00

It has been a while. My babies have been away and I miss them desperately! So I had decided not to blog for a while. As they are what I mostly blog about! Apparently I need to post something... as I have been directed! So I will share some things I have been up to since my babies have been away!

Little Man and I swimming before he left!

On the way to the Norah Jones concert. A birthday gift from Andy. Thanks Andy!

Just cruising around!

At the bowling alley celebrating Andy's birthday! He is now older than me!

Well, my baby girl will be home this coming Saturday. I can't wait! Then only a couple more weeks till my little man comes home. I miss them! I know I already said that! I will catch up soon with all of my blogging buddies!!!!

How Bout Them REDS!

2007-05-31T12:59:00.000-05:00

As luck would have it (though I am not a firm believer in luck) my Beloved Reds play here in Houston against my second loves the Astros right about time for my birthday each year! So, each year we get dressed up in our Reds gear and head to the game! And, again, as luck would have it (see above) my Reds usually win! We went last night, and had a great time (minus a couple of set backs) and here are some pictures of me and the Little Man (WE MISS YOU NANA)!

The Reds won 4-3! YIPPEE!

It's fun to see how many people take a second look when it register's that we are wearing Red's stuff rather than Astro's stuff! The first time I wanted to yell "I am normally and Astro's fan, but I am from Cincinnati". i no longer have this urge! I just smile and say hello, in true Texas fashion and go on about my way!

Gotta Be

2007-05-30T15:49:00.000-05:00

A story I forgot to share from this weekend... Saturday on the way to soccer a song came on the radio. Suddenly I was transported back 8 years (at least)! I looked at my baby girl in the back and told her I used to sing this song to her when she was a baby. I would dance around in the living room holding her in my arms and she would look at me with the whole world lit up in her eyes, and I knew that she loved and trusted me. Mostly I wanted these words to go all the way to her soul and carry her through, if I was not there to do it for her. How easily we pack these memories away, in places where we think we will never find them again. Of course I cried as I sang the song, and looked back at my baby girl, and it wasn't so much sadness as wondering if I have done enough in the last 11 years, or if I will do enough in the coming years to prepare her for this big old world and all it holds in it. If she will be strong on the inside, love who she is, and feel the confidence she so rightly deserves! Anyway, after all the boo-hooing, we were off to the soccer game, and of course, she gave me her shy smile, and in her eyes I could still see the whole world lit up in them! I suppose, with all of God's help, she will be just fine!
Here are the lyrics to the song:

You Gotta Be Lyrics
Artist(Band):Des'ree

Listen as your day unfolds,
challenge what the future holds
Try to keep your head up to the sky
Lovers they may cause you tears
Go ahead release your fears
Stand up and be counted,don't be shamed to cry
You gotta be..

Chourous:You gotta be bad,
you gotta be bold,
you gotta be wiser
You gotta be hard,
you gotta be tough,
you gotta be stronger
You gotta be cool,
you gotta be calm,
you gotta stay together.
All I know,
all I know
Love will save the day

Herald what your mother said
Read the books your father read
Try to solve the puzzles in your own sweet time
Some may have more cash than you
Others take a different view
My oh my,hey hey hey

Chourous

Time asks no questions, it goes on without you
Leaving you behind if you can't stand the pace
The world keeps on spinning, can't stop it if you tried to
The best part is danger staring you in the face

Remember Listen as your day unfolds,
challenge what the future holds
Try to keep your head up to the sky
Lovers they may cause you tears
Go ahead release your fears
my oh my,hey hey hey....

Chourous (2x)
Got to be bold.
Got to be bad
Got to be wise.
Not ever sad
Got to be hard.
Not too, too hard
All I know is,
love will save the day

Chourous (repeat till fade)

Our days; A Novel!

2007-05-28T08:44:00.000-05:00

Okay, so again, I have let time slip by me! Hence the novel you are about to read!

My NaNa graduated from 5Th grade and is officially a Junior High Student. Pray for me! She did great, and was as beautiful as ever!

We did lots of beautiful curls in her hair (I am full of envy!). Best yet, she received honor roll for the whole year! Go Girl!

Then... there are some pics from her last soccer game of the season!

We had lunch at Fudruckers and she got her trophy!

We went Bowling in the evening and of course we are kick butt! Check us out!

The three amigos!

Our dear friends are back from Iraq as well... and of course I didn't get all their pictures.

However, but here is a picture of our dear friend Andy.

The day seemed to be too exhausting for all.

Precious moments indeed!

Then my baby girl was off to see her daddy! My girl went off on the jet plane... I would sing the song; but we all know I am not a good singer! I cried some... okay A LOT!

Little Man took these pictures! He is GOOD!

Last night me and the little man... in our "missing NaNa" stupor headed out to see Shrek 3. My head hurt, so I wasn't the best of company. I blame that on missing my baby girl!

Well this was fun! More to come this week, as I will be turning 29 AGAIN and so we will be heading out to see my Beloved Reds play my second loves the Astros! I am sure that there will be fun to tell you all about!

Comfy Spots

2007-05-21T13:28:00.000-05:00

Awwww... Tahlia's new favorite place to sleep! She is actually sleeping on the back of my neck while I drive! She stayed like this both there and back so a good 45 minutes in the car! Silly Girl!

Sorry for the yucky picture. Again, it was with my phone and I was trying to get the picture to come in better, so that should explain the funny face I am making (besides, I just look funny!)