Hug and Release

Starting new one year later

2011-08-26T05:44:00.000-05:00

This is the first time I have posted in almost a full year. I want to start by saying that no I did not find extra time and think to myself that I can start blogging again. That would be just silly! It's 5:30am in the morning and I have been up since almost 3:30am. That is one thing that still hasn't changed....UGH! But, here are a few things that have! I am hoping that if I get on the ball and prioritize I can start blogging again! Can't I just post the changes in list form and touch base on them later? Yes! I think so!

We got the house! Yes! The foreclosure that darn near killed us to get! Ummmmm. Almost one year ago. On Oct. 1st it will have been one year that we have been in it.
I am now a Director for Thirty-One Gifts. This is HUGE.....Atleast for me! www.mythirtyone.com/together
Sawyer is now 3 years old and potty trained (Thanks to my awesome husband)
Memphis is turning 6 years old next month. He would have been a late start Kindergartener this month but I have made the decision to home school. We just finished up our second week!
Dad is in remission and no longer has Bladder Cancer. We got this news some time ago! So thankful!
After starting the Dothan moms group a little over 2 years ago to which it saved my life http://www.meetup.com/Dothan-Moms-Meetup/ I now have stepped down as the Organizer and came on as a slightly silent Asst. Organizer just to help out a bit. That was a huge step for me relinquishing control. I am so happy that i made that decision though.
The hubs and I are another year older and doing fine. We are coming up on our 10 year anniversary soon and cannot believe we have been together for 11 years! Time really did fly.

That's me in a nut shell! No that I have started I want to re-do my blog, post different pictures and make a different scrolling photo album. I will in fact do it but just don't time me!

It is well with my soul

2010-08-22T15:52:00.003-05:00

There is not a day that goes by that I wouldn't want to here this song 100 times in a row!

This face.... I love this face!

2010-08-22T15:28:00.002-05:00

Losing my Religion

2010-08-18T13:43:00.005-05:00

Wednesday, August 18th

No! I'm not! I think?!?!

Well, that's the sermon topic for the month "Losing my religion". I for sure can relate and feel as if I am 100% sinking into that topic of Losing my religion. I found myself saying to God the other day "show yourself!" and "Gimme a sign God!". Okay so it was more like "SHOW YOURSELF!!!!" and "GIMME A STINKIN' SIGN GOD!" but either way that's what I said.

So that's probably not the best way to start off my first post after month and months of being away from my blog. But it is, what it is! Seems like every time I get on I have about a million and one things I want to write about and so much has happened since time has gone by! Such as the last time I had posted about my group (Dothan moms through meet-up.com) we had maybe 150 members and were searching for sponsors. We now have 211 members and have so many sponsors I had to start turning people away cause I can't keep up. We were also contacted by Phillip-Morris that offered to sponsor us for a 6 month period. I obviously didn't pass that up! We also now have 4 organizers and officially (just recently) gave up on trying to be every where at once! I just can't do it anymore. Thankfully the group is kinda taking off on it's owe now. I see occasional by other members of the group and I am seeing more involvement at a lot of the meet-ups.....Thank God!

Sunday, August 22nd

I lose thought....
It's Sunday and the house is quiet. Brent took the boys and headed to church and I clipped coupons, cleaned the bathroom, mopped the floors and did a load of laundry. I occasionally peered out the window at the blue sky wishing it was Fall already so that I could open all the windows in the house and feel a cool breeze.

Losing my Religion....
My Grand father died the day before yesterday. The next morning I looked out my kitchen window and seriously asked for a sign that everything is going to be okay. Yes, I'm a sign ask-er for-er. I don't know if my grand father excepted Jesus. I know that he is an amazing man with a loving heart. I know that he excepted me for myself and all my mistakes and flaws when other didn't. I saw my Grandpa a week and a half ago. We got word that he would not make it much longer. He wasn't sick! Just old and tired and his frail body just couldn't go on. So my brother to whom I have only seen 3 times in 10 years flew in from Las Vegas with his 6 year old son. Him, my parents and Brent the boys and I drove four hours over there not knowing what state we would find my Grand father in. He was not well and maybe seventy pounds or so. Yet for some reason he still looked so tall and strong as I sat and stared at him. In the few moments we were able to grab his attention in and out of being awake and asleep I had touched the side of his face so that he'd look at me and I leaned in closely only to tell him "I love you, Grandaddy!".He then said "I love you too." In and soft quiet voice. I was then okay....

I'm not angry about the house, just angry with no results.....
In between the months of not posting quite a bit has happened. My husband got a Raise or I should say he was promoted a GS level. I am so proud of him. So proud that I sometimes sit back and smile just thinking about him and how incredible he is. I wish that I told him more often. I hope he knows. Maybe I'll write him a letter stating that if I don't ever tell him that much that he needs to know that there's not a day that goes by that I don't think about how truly lucky I am.
We also decided we are going to buy our first house. This is an amazing thing and a wee bit crazy! We already lost out on one house we wanted and we walked around saying that there had to be a reason. We only lost out because the other people offered cash. I do understand that! We have now decided to buy a foreclosure. It is without a doubt the most perfect house! So, so perfect! except dealing with Freddie Mac and seeing first hand the incompetence of our government and our tax payers dollars! We came to an agreement on price pretty quickly but as of this coming up Wednesday it'll be three stinkin' weeks and we still don't have our contract! We have locked in our rates which is good but I keep saying to myself that I'd be okay if we had a contract. I don't care if it takes us forty years to get into the house....I just want a contract. I also know that my anger does nothing but harm and annoy myself. No one else! Just me!

Not in control....
Again between my last post and now my father was diagnosed with Cancer. Or I should say a Cancerous tumor (and small other spots). Sounds so confusing and vague....huh?!?! Yup! That's how I feel. Three weeks ago my father had surgery to cut out the tumor and some suspicious sides around it. A week went by and he was suppose to get his results back and they told him that they had sent it to the VA hospital in Washington for a second, third and fourth opinion. Then another week went by and still no results and now he is suppose to call Monday to see if they have the results so that he can keep his appointment on Tuesday. So we know nothing, have nothing and have not heard anything. As posted above---> I'm not angry about the house, just angry with no results! Even when we were turned down for the first house I was okay. I was sad but I was okay. It's been so long that I am okay with not getting this one either. Again I would be super sad and even probably more so than how sad I was losing the first. But, I say to myself that I'd rather have my father by my side and rent a shack then not have my father here at all and own an incredibly beautiful house! Yes, I know God sees all and God hears all! I know that it's okay for me to pray for a house and a decision and for my father at the same time. But, I have yet to do that. I have yet to pray for a house...the house! I'm okay with that! Please God let my dad be okay!

Struggling....
Yes, I know I'm hurting right now. I literally feel as if my heart is in my stomach. I also know that this to shall pass. I know that God hears my prayers and tomorrow is a new day. I know that it's okay to be sad and I know that eventually things will work themselves on out. I know that there are people struggling way worse than me and they know no God to talk to. They have no Religion to lose....

My sign was a yellow butterfly....
Crazy or not my sign was a yellow butterfly that flew in my sight as I looked out the window the other morning. Yeah, it probably was nothing but a random butterfly flying past. But, I like to think it was my sign that everything is going to be okay and that my Grand father is okay. So, I'm going with it! It's my butterfly....my answer.

Tomorrow....
Tomorrow I think I am going to stay home and make some macaroni art work with the boys

Under Construction!

2010-07-02T08:13:00.003-05:00

It has been a while but I am working on the layout of my blog and then eventually will be back! Hang tight! For now see how cute!

2010-04-29T07:17:00.000-05:00

The three Z's

2010-04-14T07:33:00.002-05:00

The day before yesterday I had officially became that crazy MaMa! Yes, it is true! But out of complete disappointment! I haven't posted about the three Z's yet but I have been meaning to. The three Z's are my neighbors kids. Zian age 7, Zain age 5, and Zachary age 2. So often we have seen these kiddo's swinging on the tire that is attached to their huge tree. We have watched as they road their dirt bikes through their back yard. We had heard them playing tag and have watched Memphis our son stand at our fence wanting to join in on the fun. Well a few weeks ago while we were out gardening we had decided to let Memphis walk over to their back yard. By the way big properties all connected by back yards but are's just happened to be fenced. We figured since we were right there and watching that although Memphis is four that it would be okay. It was official! Our son was a big boy and playing in the yard with neighborhood kids. Sawyer, being that he is only two years old couldn't tag along with his big brother so he had cried and cried literally for an hour!

After that day of play the two boys Zian and Zain would come knocking on the door to play with Memphis in the back yard. Our backyard! Everyday! Brent met their mother for but a second as she came and got her 2 year old daughter. We found out that she is in the middle of a divorce and that she is a nurse. A few days later she allowed her daughter that is 2 yrs. old come over and I then began feeling like we were babysitters. Is that awful to say? It just seemed so inappropriate and a little scary because I won't even allow my two year old to leave our sight yet alone our yard! We have yet to say anything probably because I have not figured out what to say or how to say it.

Anywho, the day before yesterday the boys came over to play. Occasionally we have to scold them on their behavior and the things they say. Our home! Our rules! They talked about how they like watching American Gangster which I have not seen, but, they spoke of Scar Face as well! YIKES!!!!! Really! Seven years old and five years old watching scar face. Despite the fact that it's drugs and blood and shootings and violence! Does anyone remember what he said when he was asked how he got the scar on his face! I could not believe it! I then began to feel so bad that children of this age think that it is okay see say the things they do and do the things they do. Zian stood beside my as I watered the garden telling me how much he loved gardens and was going to have one, one day. I asked him if he had had squash, zuchini, artichokes and egg plant. He did tell me he loved Broccoli with cheese on it! Cute! this is the type of conversations should be having. Just tell me you want to be a fireman one day!

Later that evening my boys had to come in for baths, jammies, milk and a snack. It's our usual nights routine. I started around the house closing windows and closing blinds and noticed Zian and Zain standing behind their neighbors newly built fence which is connected to their yard. It just looked suspicious! I watched and watched and then saw a flick of a lighter. YIKES! They were SMOKING!!! Five and seven years old and they were SMOKING! Why does a five year old even know how to use a lighter? He was the one lighting the cigarettes. Either way I walked out back and hopped our fence and screamed their names like they have never heard before! I found my MaMa voice! They flipped around and a lighter was flung into the air and they sat still as I marched over to them. They then received a mini lecture of cigarettes and CANCER as I walked them to their back door. They said nothing at all and had fear in their eyes. I tapped on their back door with the tip of the lighter and their mother answered...yessssss. I looked down at the boys and said "tell your MaMa what you were doing!" and they both stayed silent. I repeated myself and they then began to tell on each other. so much for a united front! I stopped them mid sentence and told their mother that her boys (Ages 5 and 7) were out back smoking. She just seemed as if she wasn't surprised or almost as if she didn't care but the boys cried and cried. She told them to come into the house as Zachary her daughter clung to her leg.

The next day...yesterday....we did not get a knock on the door to play. My heart hurts for them. My heart hurts for Memphis as well as he stared out the window watching them in their back yard playing and wondered why today they did not come over and ask to play in our back yard with him. How would I even explain that? I am not knocking anyone. I smoked my first cigarette at age 8 and smoked regularly at age 13 and a pack a day by age 15 and quit at age 31! All I keep thinking about is that Memphis is 4 1/2 years old and Zain is 5 years old. I was picturing Memphis with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth in 6 months and the boy still screams for me from the bathroom to wipe!
Did I do what was right?

Look what I learned to do!

2010-04-13T07:34:00.002-05:00

Okay, yes, I know I am a dork and half maybe even more than half of the world knows how to do this....but I did not! This is my best friends Blog called Tammy on the go and I stumbled across this blog one day and so thankful I did. She is so cute and I love to hear about her everyday happenings! Her blog is Jenna's Jargon and she takes the most incredible photo's ever! See for yourself here at her project 365 and then another blog that I had stumbled across while blog hopping is A moment in grace She is just incredible! I live off of Fiddledeedee for all my couponing needs. She is AWESOME and incredibly sweet. I use to go to church with her. I read i love you best and never gone once without crying. She makes me truly thankful for my children. My heart hurts for her daily. Okay, so you get the point of what I learned. I probably could go on and on about the blogs I love and the hyper links! YAY! ME!

MaMa love, Daddy love!

2010-04-11T15:44:00.000-05:00

Tri-state BBQ Fest! I loved these photo's but honestly I should have taken photo's of the 19 different kinds of BBQ Sandwiches we had eaten just a short time before. Yesterday was a GREAT day!

Ben's last and final posting in Margo's caring bridge site

2010-04-08T06:25:00.000-05:00

I wanted to share one last thing with you all before bringing a close to this journal for Margo. It was about the living water that Jesus spoke of to the Samaritan woman in John 4:10-13 and then again in John 7:38 when he said:"The one who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, will have rivers of living water flowing from his heart.”
This living water that God imparts to his children through his vessels comes because of the great needs that God wishes to fulfill. When we grow in our relationship with God and continue to strive toward growing that relationship we can reach a point of faith where we no longer talk about the word of God or merely believe the word of God but we actually begin to live the word of God and our lives become a reflection of his nature. From living with Margo and watching her grow in her faith and love for God, Jesus, and for others I could see this spring of living water begin to flow from her and start to touch so many lives it was breathtaking. God reached out and touched lives through Margo, to provide healing , to provide comfort, to provide light in the midst of darkness, to provide hope, to minister to those in need. Her love for God and unwavering faith were as such that it far outweighed any fear or discomfort she was feeling or experiencing. I know this because up until the very last moment she was still thinking of God and of others rather than her own situation. I may have mentioned before but when she was fading and well aware that the time she had to impart words before becoming to tired or confused to speak was quick upon her she told my pastor to let everyone know that she didn't want anyone to turn away from God in despair or anger because of her passing, she wanted them to know that it was not worth it to turn away, instead she wanted them to move closer to him, to receive the living water that God was pouring out of her, to receive their healing. After all, she was a daughter after her heavenly father's own heart while she was here with us. I know this because I was with her through thick and thin for five wonderful blessed years, and because I got to know her very well. while we were here together I loved her very much she was my best friend and one of my personal heroes. I still love her very much and always will, I'm very proud of her for her strength and willingness to allow God to use her to touch so many lives, she had a choice, she could have said no to him, but she didn't she said yes, and because of that people I have never met have had a taste of that living water that only Jesus can provide. I hope that I am just like Margo a person after God's own heart, if I am not then I pray with all that is in me that I too will be that person that God can use to impart living water to those in need, that I too can attend to people's welfare and well being just like Margo did when she was with us. Margo has moved on from us, she is in heaven in her place of eternal glory dancing, singing, and praising in the presence of God and Jesus surrounded by a love and a peace we can only imagine of here. I ask for God to give her a big hug for me every time I pray, since I cannot do it for the time being I'm sure that he does with joy. Margo left us with a challenge as well, a challenge to also become the people that not only read the bible, not only believe the bible but grow so strong in our walk with God that we live it. all of us, each and every one of us can be the source that God can use to impart living water to all who are in need. We can reflect his nature and care for others well beings and welfare. I'm not saying people wants or desires for often they fall along the lines of a path of destruction, but I think that everyone has needs and the most basic one is for someone to care about them. It may not be popular in a society that has been promoting self absorption and selfishness more and more every year, but it can happen when we seek God and grow our relationship with him. We can become the springs of living water with his help. I would like to ask you to please consider that this love can not only fill you but also be passed to other through you. We have seen but one powerful example of this through Margo's walk with God. I promise you this will not be the last example but even greater still you could be the next one that God moves through to heal others lives! I hope you will consider it, as for me and my house we will continue to serve the Lord, for I await the day when I shall meet Margo at the designated place and she will lead me to Jesus and I pray that he will look upon me and say "Well done my good and faithful servant", until then I have seeds to sow and living water to impart to the best of my ability.

God bless you all and thank you for your support, your prayers both in the past, the present , and in the future.

-Benjamin Menger

Just a few "favs"! Up and blog hopping again!

2010-04-06T05:44:00.010-05:00

I guess we all love pictures for different reasons. This picture isn't the greatest at all. It was actually like a billion degrees under the"big top"! But it reminds me that I actually ventured out while my husband was out of town and took the boys to the circus by my self. I wished that Brent could have been there as well but we had a ton of fun.
Memphis and I being silly!We put veggie stix in our mouths and we were being coodie bugs....can't you tell?!?!
Sawyer can pull of any outfit! My lil' cutie
I love that my husband is such a dork! We can always be dorks together! This was our first ever pizza making night!
Just a fun day! This was about a week ago or so at the 4th annual paws fest. That's right a festival of paws. Not sure why I was annoyed when I stepped in poo! Such a fun day....until our car broke down! But still a fun day!
I have always loved this photo. I can't emphasize enough of what a daddies boy Sawyer is.Nothing has changed since they day he was born. I now look forward to his screeching and leaping across the room when daddy arrives home from work everyday as if he hadn't seen him for a year!
They are brothers and are at each other constantly but I love the times when they hug all over each other or Memphis looks back to check on his brother and take him by the hand.I love being around my friend Tammy. I can always be myself and she loves me for who I am....even if I act a bit stupid!

I love this photo! Not only because Memphis is kissing on me but I know that it is also the day we found our the sex of Sawyer. We celebrated with a visit to Chuck E. Cheese!

I didn't cry until she sang!

2010-04-05T17:33:00.000-05:00

I know, I know! Every time I get on my blog I say that I am officially caught up and will be posting again and then I find myself just swamped with stuff to do. I miss posting! I miss a clean house to! I think as my meet up group grew it kinda consumed me along with growing. Everyday I kinda feel myself stepping back a bit and once again after getting 177 members I am looking for a third Asst. Organizer. I'm not saying that it's all been crazy but right now it's all so over whelming. I'm not good with over whelming...nor sad, scared, nervous, angry, and many other feelings! But yesterday I felt them all. Yesterday was Good Friday. Although we had plans of walking through our church to see a small set up for good Friday they had I spent my evening learning about a friend that had passed. Margo Menger! I had posted a photo of her previously. She had a rare Liver cancer and she was only 30 years old. She was a wife and a mother to a sweet little three year old girl named Tahiri. I'm going to show you how my brain works. It took about 35 minutes to drive up there and I had been running late. Brent hadn't filled the AC in the Trooper so all the windows were down. It was 84 degrees and sunny. Do you ever look up to the sky and the sun and think how beautiful and get goose bumps and think it is a God thing. Well I'm a dork and I do! When I arrived I parked and once again running late so I walked up to the church that was quite large for such and itty bitty town. I stopped for a second and looked up and it was one of those churches that would be amazing for a wedding. HUGE front to it with four huge pillars and all white. I can picture it in my head and then stopped to think for a moment about Margo's husband. The service had just started and that talked about her life and about she wasn't even suppose to have had one or at least not a fruitful one. The doctors said she wasn't suppose to live 12 hours into her life and she did and then they said that her life would be short due to a bad liver and she was now thirty. They told her she couldn't have kids because it would kill her and she had little Tahiri! When she was diagnosed with Cancer they said it was stage four and she would be gone in 6 months and no doctor would help her! But many did and she eventually went into remission although the cancer came back. I wonder what they considered fruitful because I don't think their definition was the same as hers. Although my group is over whelming I do think God chose me to build it and through that group I got to meet Margo.During the service I got to see a slide show of photo's as they do at most funerals and memorials. I watched her smile, dance and roller skate as well as other things she loved so much. I found out that even when she had been diagnosed with Cancer that she had continued her studies to finish her degree during surgeries and chemo therapy! She had her mind set on missions trip to Japan and that's what she had needed! I looked around at so many people as I sat alone on that pew of that big old church. I watched to see who had a continuous smile and I watched through my own swollen eyes who was crying after every word. I did cry! A lot! But, I didn't start crying until this woman stepped to the front and started to sing. She had this amazing voice! You know the kind of voice that sang swing low sweet chariot.....blah, blah, blah. I held it together so well until then. by the way, no, she did not sing that song. After the service the family stepped to the front so everyone could share their condolences and such. I decided I was going to take a moment and say good bye to Margo's mom I had just recently met before she flew back to New Hampshire. Beside her stood Ben her husband and I could feel my heart creeping into my throat and beating faster and faster until I thought I was going to vomit. Seriously! I then decided to leave. I never had the chance to meet Ben but I love how even in the time of sorrow that he stood at the front of the church and flung his arms open wide and yelled to the crowd come and hug with a huge smile on his face! I do want to leave you with one story. On Ben and Margo's first date Margo almost never went. They told a story how he got all dressed up and grabbed a big bouquet of flowers like a gentleman does and headed on over to her house. He rang the door bell and as she answered he stopped her in her tracks by saying "Hey, before we even go out I need to tell you something! God, said I'm going to marry you! You are going to be my wife! I just wanted to let you know that!" She was taken back a bit and almost never went. Thank goodness she did! Because if you could only see love!

It's been a long time but here I am!

2010-03-11T08:04:00.000-06:00

Wow! It's been a while since I have actually had a moment to just sit and write. My days are full starting from 6am (some times 4:30am wahhhhh!)and are just plain old non-stop! After the rough start to 2010 I am happy things are calming down. Between the oddly strange couple days of snow that we had in Southern Alabama I have slowly watch the days grow warmer. I know I should say Thank you God for every beautiful day that you have given me but it is so much easier to say on a nice warm spring day! During my hiatus I had a birthday and turned 35. I love my birthday and swear that I will be doing a birthday happy dance at 101 years old. Brent's birthday is three days after mine and he turned 35 as well. We have had this on going thing to where if my birthday didn't turn out as planned he has always given me his...poor guy should only be 25 then! This year was AWESOME though! We decided to throw our own birthday BBQ. We had a few families over and I think there was a total of 16 of us. It was great fun and the day couldn't have been more incredible! About a week after that I had taken my first trip away from home....ALONE! Yes! Alone! I couldn't believe it but I did it and the kids and hubby survived although a little annoyed by all the notes I had left. This was no ordinary trip though! My friend Tammy had introduced me to this great family via internet. The Freeman's. A year ago while I was anticipating my birthday little Joshua was being diagnosed with stage four liver Cancer. Wow! That kinda just put things in perspective. So I have kept up with Joshua through her blog and through phone conversations and eventually friended Nadene his mom through facebook. Man! The faith this family has is amazing and un-shake-able! So towards the end of this February they had confirmed that Joshua's Cancer has spread to his brain now. The doctors are already scratching their heads at this little boy because he is already a true miracle! It's been a year already. They have stopped all treatments now and it's in Gods hands and our prayers. Whoops I got off track. Anyways, Brent said I could drive to Tennessee over night with Tammy to go see Nadene, Tim and lil' Joshua. Nervous as I could be I did it! We left quite early and it felt like the shortest trip I had ever taken! Tammy and I talked for a solid 5 1/5 hours non-stop! It was amazing! When we arrived with Spider man and fire truck gifts in tow we were greeted by the smiling face of Nadene. We spent that whole afternoon playing with Joshua and talking with the family. We watched as family came and went and then came again. We heard knocks at the door by groups of young kids from surrounding churches that drove 1 1/2 hours to just lay hands on Joshua and pray. We heard occasional cries from Joshua about how much his head hurt and at times he couldn't climb up far enough into his dad's lap for comfort. If he were able to climb inside of him it still wouldn't be close enough! He loves his daddy! They would waiver back and forth over Tylenol or Morphine to ease his pain. You could see the struggle on her face on what to do but oddly enough it came through a smile of faith and prayer. When people arrived to pray over him I had to leave the room. I stepped into the bathroom to cry...ALOT. I couldn't help being angry. I'm sure everyone, everyone has a why moment.I just didn't want to sob in front of everyone and eventually left with a crazy headache from crying. All in all it was a wonderful afternoon and if you could only hear the sound of this sweet little boy with his southern drawl saying daddy it would melt your heart.

That evening after grabbing some dinner we headed over to Tammy's Aunts house to stay the night. All I have to say is WOW!!! My day was even more exciting! Tammy talked of her family and it is really neat to hear but I think meeting her Aunt was the best thing ever! Darn near everyone in Tammy's family were missionaries! Not all but quite a lot! Tammy's Aunt Frances had lots of stories and a lot to talk about. She giggled as we talked about Facebook and showed a proud smile as she showed us her cell phone that she just started texting on. Her house was immaculate and she had a back room that was nothing but post cards, letters, photo's from and of missionaries and decor of her travels. There sitting on a chair was her husbands clothing that had been made into pillows. Her husband was a missionary as well and died in 93' I think she said. I may be wrong but it is a real inspiring story. I'm guessing that they went a lot of places together but this time they weren't together. He had traveled to Uganda with his best friend that is a Pastor and a group of other men. They traveled to prisons and talked to the condemed and hundreds and thousands gave their life to the lord. You are probably wondering how I know this but I actually heard it straight from him through his words during his last days here on earth. He had recorded his whole trip and Aunt Frances had put it all on CD for everyone and gave Tammy a copy of it. We listened to it most of the way home. It was so moving and you can almost hear a smile on his face. Is that possible to hear a smile? You could though as he spoke of how many people were saved that day and then you would hear the music and drums of the locals as he went into tribes. Then you would hear the excitement of his voice as he travels beside the Nile river and started hollaring Oh My goodness! I see 1,2,3 ....4..5..6, 7! Water falls! You can hear the WHOOSH! Ever so slightly of the water and him talking about the Alligators in the water. The excitement put you at the edge of your seat! What an amazing man! He died the day after this conversation about the water falls and it was a strange fate. There was a gentlemen from Uganda that had driven them for days and days and loved the missionaries so much. He was tired and simply didn't want to tell them and he fallen asleep at the wheel of the vehicle. Oddly enough they had all sat in the same seats everyday the whole trip. This one day his best friend the Pastor was a bit late and jumped into the vehicle and Tammy's Uncle had scooted one seat over so his friend could sit down. When they wrecked and rolled the door came open and he was thrown from the vehicle and rolled on top of. His friend the Pastor had attempted to save his life. The driver of course was then a broken man. He was hurting and so sadden and obviously took responsibility of the fact that he had caused this to happen because he was tired. A year later Aunt Frances flew to Uganda to find this man and hug him and tell him she loved him. AMAZING! So those pillows I talked about. Well, they are actually a shirt that he had worn there in Uganda and her children had them made into pillows for her.

I am so thankful for this trip. I got to meet an amazing family and a little kid that is 3 1/2 and has more fight in him then I had ever seen in anyone in my life! I got to meet Aunt Frances and swear that EVERYONE should have an Aunt Frances! I also got to learn so much about a best friend and brought us closer together. I always feel that when I spend time with Tammy she speaks to me. No! Not like hey how ya doin' kinda speaks to me. But speaks to me biblically! She just makes me want to grow! I think that God sent her into my life and even though she is in my life that he sends her farther into my life in specific times when I may be drifting or questioning things. I am thankful for her everyday!

I am so proud of my husband for taking care of the boys while I was gone and I know how exhausted he probably was. I didn't call as much as I wanted to and all in all it turned out great! I now know that I can have a wee bit of me time...that is if I wanted to! What a great trip!

I'm still here just not ready yet

2010-03-10T06:43:00.000-06:00

As much as I want to jump on the computer I either don't have the time or it's just NOT the right time. Sound strange? For now just please pray with me for Joshua! His Cancer has spread to his brain and they have stopped all treatments. That is except prayer! Join the praying for Joshua Facebook page to keep up with friends, family and loving strangers! praying for Joshua

A bit behind but wanted to share.

2010-02-22T06:25:00.000-06:00

I am so behind on blogging and seriously want to get caught up. While I have a moment I wanted to post some photo's. I always add how truly blessed I am to have such great friends. Even though we have moved away from Tallahassee, Fl. I am thankful that we are close enough to take day trips over there. Well, my friend Leah is about to give birth to a baby boy and we were all lucky enough to celebrate this with her by throwing her a baby shower. She already has two amazing little girls so this is all real exciting for everyone. Beside the baby shower and having such a great time. Memphis was able to tag along with me to see he girl Elizabeth while my hubs stayed home with Sawyer. Fun day!

One amazing smile!

2010-02-11T05:57:00.004-06:00

I had mentioned Margo quite some time ago. I believe before Christmas. She is a member of Dothan moms meet up group and a friend. She has stage four liver cancer and went up to John Hopkins? to receive Chemo treatment for her Cancer and praying that they can battle it by injecting it straight into the tumors. I think everyone could learn about Faith from Margo and her husband. She has a beautiful two year old daughter and a wonderful caring husband and knows the out come of life in general whether it comes sooner or later but she never takes her eye off GOD! She heads back up to J.H. for another round in a day or two so please pray for her and her family. Visit her here and see her updates:http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/margomenger

Fire Station meet-up! FUN!

2010-02-08T12:50:00.003-06:00

This is always such a treat! I have always gone to the fire station meet ups with other groups but this time was different! I scheduled it and it was my group that I'm an organizer of and to top it all off the newspaper wanted to tag along. I am so truly blessed by having such an amazing opportunity to be involved in so many peoples lives and to make so many wonderful new friendships. We have 152 members now and yes I could probably name 75% of them! I try and make it a point to always make people feel welcome in every group activity we do and that takes studying every ones picture profile! I was thrilled when the news paper contacted me and said they had heard a buzz about the group. They sent out the photographer and everything. Memphis and Sawyer were actually in the paper to but the on-line story showed different photo's. That's okay though because I saved the original! Oh! Happy Day!Click here to read the article and view some photo's!http://www2.dothaneagle.com/dea/lifestyles/local/article/internet_group_brings_local_moms_together/124672/

Sunday Morning!

2010-02-08T12:48:00.003-06:00

Just one more!

2010-02-08T12:44:00.002-06:00

I know that I had previously added photo's of Brent's car but I never added the peoples car that hit him. Seriously not dwelling on the past since I got a sweet new ride! Love being a mini van driving MaMa now!

Another morning of Peek-a-boo Sawyer!

2010-02-08T12:41:00.003-06:00

Dothan moms! We were in the paper!

2010-02-08T12:24:00.000-06:00

http://www2.dothaneagle.com/dea/lifestyles/local/article/internet_group_brings_local_moms_together/124672/

How did I get so lucky?

2010-01-23T14:06:00.004-06:00

So I some how was rewarded for my hubby's accident. We were lucky enough to get an AMAZING deal from one of my closest friends and got this mini-van. That's right! I am now a "soccer mom"! This is my sweet little baby now! (my old car)
Is'nt she cute! and this is my new ride! So pretty! It does some crazy things too! I have only had to call my friend twice now (in a matter of 30 minutes)to figure stuff out. Like how does the radio shut off? It kept right on playing after I turned the ignition key off. Apparently it shuts off when you open the car door. I guess everyone gets to hear me jammin' to Veggie tales now!Brent is getting my car and although it isn't new it will be exciting for him to have a little bit more of a manly car! He won't have to cram his really, really tall self into a car the size of a clown car. YAY! For us!

Thankful for my husband being safe!

2010-01-19T21:46:00.004-06:00

I got a phone call today and new instantly something was wrong. It was "Gina, Gina, I was in an accident and my chest hurts". Fear, pure fear! I honestly don't know what I'd do without Brent. My best friend. My one true love. The love of my life. Brent was driving 55 MPH and a guy turned right in front of him. It's like hitting a wall! Not only that they guy had a daughter about age four in the front seat in NO CAR SEAT! Thankfully she is okay with only a head bump. The car is obviously totaled and the most exciting news is that the guy was un-insured! Woo! Hoo! If you didn't get that, that was sarcasm.
There's my cutie all dressed...well...in a dress!
Here's a look you get why you say a pretty girl in a dress!
He's home resting now...thankfully!

Two things I regret and one thing I didn't have to

2010-01-16T06:38:00.006-06:00

2010....WooHoo...Yippee...YAY....Not so much! I am seriously not trying to start my what I think is the first post of the year off like that but I am finding it so hard not to. Let me vent, just vent! I'm going to start by going back to right after Christmas and the passing of Brent's Grandfather. The day after Christmas Brent's mom was in town to visit and it was great. The day after that how ever was not. We had received a phone call that Grandpa had passed away and we all scrambled on what to do. Does Brent's mom fly back up? Does Brent and his mom just go and fly up together? Do we all go together including the kids? Every thing was just so last minute and we decided to leave the next day and drive a straight 16 hours to Pennsylvania. But before we were going to make that trip Brent had to drive and hour and a half over to my parents house to drop off Elvis our dog which has stayed with them numerous times. We made the trip to Pa. and there was lots a people, lots or family, lots of food, lots of stress and a family that is amazing about not showing their feelings and capable of crying when no one is looking. Not being immediate family I felt a bit useless although I felt like Grandpa was as if he had always been my own. I think the hardest thing for me was to sit and occasionally get a glance of Grandma sitting every so sweetly in a chair in a quiet room by herself just starring off. I kept wondering what she was thinking. Yes, I'm sure she was thinking about Grandpa but what about Grandpa. 60 years of marriage what one specific time was she thinking of exactly. It made me want to cry. My first regret is that every year we go up for hunting season and this year we didn't do to a new move and finances. This is the time when we get to see Grandma and Grandpa and this year we didn't. So I regret the decision we made even if it was the right one.
When we got home I didn't even un-pack. I had a day and a half and we were to be heading to my parents house for the weekend to pick up Elvis. Brent was to leave from there to Mobile Alabama for a business trip for a week. The day before I was to head over my folks called and said Elvis ate up their throw rug and he wasn't well. What possessed my dog to do that is beyond me. He is almost 9 years old and is not a destructive dog at all. I tried to get some kind of idea of how bad off he was and asked if my father would take him to the vet for an X-ray to which he did. The vet couldn't see much and said he wasn't quite sure. Unfortunately they didn't have an ultrasound machine. When I arrived the next day I was in the house for 10 seconds and scooped him up and raced him to the vet because he was for sure ill and going to die. They allowed me to sit if on the surgery since I used to work for another vet there into town that was a friend of his. The process is amazing and wonderful that we have people that make life choices like this to save animals and people. I actually took photo's of the whole process and took photo's of what was in his system and he confirmed that he would have died be the next day. Elvis never got better after that and went back in for another surgery and the day after that (yesterday) I had to take him to the vet and put him down. I couldn't even breath and I couldn't be there while they did it. I feel selfish that I didn't stay by his side but I couldn't even breath. Even on deaths door through my tears he'd try to comfort me with his cold nose up against my face. I kissed his head and left.I then went to pick the kids up and headed home! After a long, long week of being at someone else's house with two kids going stir crazy, a husband out of town for a week and tending to a sick dog and oh! I had to deal with food poisoning! 24 hours of pure awfulness and that was like nothing I had to ever had to endure. I'm not entirely sure what my second regret is exactly. Do I regret not taking him to a kennel? Do I regret not just staying home? Do I regret not just holding and petting him one last time instead of rushing him out of the house. I do regret getting mad at him for constantly following me to the bathroom. There just wasn't enough room for both of us in there. He was 87 pounds! He was my first baby. Besides Maka that passed away of Cancer a month after Sawyer was born. Elvis was one of my first babies almost 9 years!
Before all this was going on I did have plans to go to Destin on that very weekend that I went to pick Elvis up. My friend was getting married. This is no ordinary friend you see. Brad was my maid of honor for my wedding. No I did not dress him up in a dress. We were married on the beach and he wore a Hawaiian style shirt. I met brad almost 16 years ago I think. He is truly an amazing person and a amazing friend. Obviously capable of alot if he has been friends with me for so long! I swayed back and forth on the decision of whether to go to his wedding. I'm not quite sure why either. I never met his soon to be bride or if I did we had met briefly some odd 15 years ago and maybe not in the best....hmmmmm... shall I just say light. I wasn't swaying on my decision out of ugliness or jealousy or anything other than not knowing where I stood still in Brad's life. He was going to have a wife now and I know that if my husband had a close friend that was a girl that I would not be having it at all. Our past was silliness and fun. It was speeding through town listening to the Gap band. It was late night BBQ rib eating. It was 4am drunken swims in the ocean. It was him holding me as I cried after numerous break ups and after my divorce. It was us sitting in the back yard of the town house talking about our past and our lives. It was his first tattoo and me getting the same thing in the same spot so we had something ever lasting. We didn't need a tattoo to show our ever lasting friendship. Now that I am typing it seems as if he did more for me then me him. So... Brad thank you! I'm so glad that we went to the wedding. I realized the love he had for her as I watched him stare at her as she talked. As he teared up when she teared up. I watched his thumb rubbing her thumb as they held hands in comfort and in love. I cried. I cried. Did I cry because it was all so strange or because I felt old or because I was truly happy for him. I am so happy for him. The next day on facebook I had friended her and my happiness grew stronger. I watched as her posts throughout the day were I love my husband and I am so happy. I am so glad that I went and that I did not have to regret not going to my best friends wedding!

Time for school!

2010-01-07T21:30:00.000-06:00

So I have never been one of those mom's that went around saying to others "Look what my kid can do" But today I am! As I was washing dishes when Memphis says to me "Mom dog is spelled D-O-G Right?" I wiped my hands and walked over nodding yes and low and behold I see this piece of paper! He had already spelled horse and had just finished spelling dog!!! He just turned four in October and he has never had any interest in anything that included writing, drawing or coloring until two weeks ago.I just couldn't believe it! I wish I could say it was because of his awesome mom and dad teaching him but knowing my luck he learned it from Barney or Curious George or something! Either way.....Woo! Hoo! Look what my kid can do!!!!

This is for Luke

2009-12-31T20:15:00.005-06:00

I wanted to get some pictures posted from Christmas but things just didn't go as planned. It was a wonderful Christmas and we got lots of fun stuff. My parents came over Christmas Eve and stayed the night. It's always so much fun to watch the excitement on the kiddo's faces when they see that Santa came. My parents left Christmas night because my mother in-law was due in early the next morning for a visit all the way from Pennsylvania.I was hoping for a great visit with hopes of her relaxing a bit since she had just took on the task of caring for Grandma and Grandpa. If you seen my previous post about grandpa being ill and in the hospital. He was doing better yet his lungs were never going to get better. They had decided to put him in the nursing home down the road to get that much needed around the clock care. The day before my mother in-law headed down they transferred him over and he was settled in just fine. Anyways the visit was going great and we had decided after a long day of rest and hanging around the house that we'd take a 2 hour trip over to Albany Georgia to an aquarium. when we arrived it was a bit frustrating. We sat at the pay window what felt like forever. A long game of who's on first and what's on second! All we had asked is if they gave a military discount. We wanted to see the movie (kinda like IMAX) of the dinosaurs. The kid (maybe 25) not only forgot to ring up one of the kids granted that could have been our mix up to but he didn't add the movie payment. My mother in-law had numerous payment slips now. We finally finished paying and by the look on all of our faces we were quite exhausted or maybe a bit annoyed from that whole process. But quite honestly who wouldn't be in this rush, rush, rush fast paced world. We headed in to the exhibit and it was great fun. Fish every where and lizards and birds! We were about to head to the third floor when we received the phone call. The only thing that I had prayed for before Ann (my mother in-law) came to visit was not to get this call. I was thinking about it the other day that I didn't even pray for her safety flying like I usually do. I just prayed that Grandpa wouldn't pass away while she was gone....and he did. We were walking up a ramp and for some reason in my gut when I heard the phone ring I new.Maybe this is how it was suppose to be. Maybe she was not suppose to be in town or even there. But I am sure in some way she feels guilt. Grandpa was an amazing person and it's amazing that a Grand father IN-LAW can feel like as if he was my own my entire life. I'm not good with words and what exactly I should have said. But, we did in deed start trying to figure out what we should do and it meant leaving the aquarium. We had only been there for 30 min. or so ...I think. I had told Ann that I was going to ask for her money back ( it was super pricey). I just dreaded the fact that I was going to have to talk to the guy. You know the one from before. Just getting in was a ridiculous process and here I was going to try and get money back. So I headed to the window and he could see we all had been crying and were visibly shaken. I explained the situation and he got his supervisor. Whew! Thank goodness! The process still takes a bit of time so I talked with "the guy" who's name is actually Luke. As we talked he stopped mid sentence and said "I have a prayer book" nothing more just that. I told him that was great. He then asked if he could have Ann's name and Grandma's name to add to the prayer book. He then explained that he had read the book the Purpose Driven and how that and other things had changed his life and he lives for God! The other things were heart breaking and humbling and made me want to curl up and cry. See Luke actually had a Brain Tumor and then had two strokes which made him go into a coma for six months. They were going to pull the plug and he went on from there. He explained that he had to learn to talk, walk and eat again and is still a bit slow but said he had so much love for his Lord! He then came walking out of his glassed in room to give his condolences and hug everyone. I still wanted to cry. Cry for the lose of a great man and cry for meeting one.

So this is snow?

2009-12-31T14:05:00.003-06:00

2009-12-31T13:05:00.000-06:00

2009-12-27T06:37:00.000-06:00

A Merry Christmas it is...I made bread!

2009-12-25T12:07:00.003-06:00

So I know that you think that I should be posting fabulous photo's of the "fam" and huge smiles of excitement from the kiddo's and I eventually will! But for now I wanted to post that I have mastered the "Weller rolls"! Woo! Hoo! Love you Grandma Weller! XOXO! Yes, one is missing cause we had to try them out! Tee! Hee! What?!?! You say you want a closer view of all that yummy-ness! Well than here you go!

So this is Christmas....

2009-12-24T06:07:00.012-06:00

I feel like I am a hamster running in circles on that squeaky wheel! I know there is a million things I have to or need to get done! This morning I woke up (again not by choice) at 5 am and just couldn't believe that it's Christmas eve! Where did the month go? Anywho, I know I am not going to have time later to get some photo's up so wanted to post them now...yes...at 6:11am! We did some running around last weekend and had only a small list of errands to do. Starting with fixing the spare bedroom bed. I'd love to say I have no idea what happened to it or that the kids broke it by jumping on it. But, that is not the case...I sat on it! Well, actually I plopt down on it. Is that a word? Plop, plopped, plopt? Either way it was quite sad and maybe a tad bit of an eye opener. In my defense it's a home made bed, bed frame and head board! Yup! I'm going with that! Bad craftsman's ship! So anyways I wanted to get a few photo's of this past weekend posted because I have a feeling I'm not going to have that much time to do anything here in the next week or so. It was a pretty good low key weekend which is always nice! So we headed to Lowe's to pick up some wood to fix the bed and actually got there right when they had started their Lowe's kids craft making class. We decided to stay and do the craft with the kiddo's and it was great fun! We were making Pet treat keepers or at least that what they said they were suppose to be. I am not great at following directions and am a totally hands on or visual kind of person. I think Brent was leaning away from me so I couldn't peek at him and Memphis's "Pet treat keeper"! So mine...um...I'm mean Sawyers and mine ended up looking like an actual "pet treat keeper"! You may be saying to your self "Yes, you already said that and what is the difference between their (Brent and Memphis's) pet treat keeper and your pet treat keeper. Well see below...I think we just kinda gave up. Well after that we headed on over to Ace Hardware. Memphis asked if we could go to the MAN store and go look at all the dead stuffed animals. So that's just what we did! I'm not sure about anyone else's Ace Hardware but ours sells guns, ammo and has an outside shooting range! Simple and free entertainment for the boys! ALL THREE OF THEM!When we got home we decided to do a Christmas craft and that to was great fun but always stressful when they'd rather play with a tub full of glue then actually do the craft! Mom what can I glue now? Mom what can I glue now? Hmmmm? Your Mouth?!? Nah! I didn't say that but I'd wonder if they'd do it though. We ended our evening the same as usual with a little computer time for Memphis after the kiddo's bath. It always makes me laugh because that poor boy can't do anything with out his brother being right next to him. Sawyer just adores his big brother! As crazy as this month has been and as fast as it has flown by. It was nice to have a simple down time kinda weekend! If I don't get to do it later I want to tell everyone to have a Very Merry Christmas!

Christmas for the kids and fun with friends!

2009-12-23T07:04:00.001-06:00

Wordless Wednesday: Grandad O. & Memphis...long ago!

2009-12-16T10:00:00.002-06:00

My favorite time is also my saddest

2009-12-16T08:03:00.002-06:00

The photo above is of Grandpa Weller. Grandpa Weller is Brent's grandpa but feels very much so like he is mine and as if he has been my entire life. I truly love and adore all my grand parent in-laws. I am also lucky to have married into an ENTIRE family that I love so much. I know that's not always the case with a lot of people. Right now Grandpa is in the ICU in Pennsylvania and of course we are sad that we can't just pop over to see him. Grandpa is almost in his 90's and has been married forever to grandma. I wish I could figure out how to work this darn scanner because I would have posted the sweetest photo of him and grandma on their anniversary. I have the photo on our fridge! we received an e-mail this morning from Brent's mom letting us know whats going on with him. I had previously stated in an older post about how Brent's mom had recently taken on the position of caring for Grandma and Grandpa and let them move into their house. Grandpa became ill maybe days after they moved in. I told Brent it's almost as if his mind and body new that grandma...the love of his life...was in good hands and now safe and being taken care of. Grandpa has ALWAYS been wide eyed and aware of everything at least until yesterday. He has now been talking about things like an airfield in Rhimersburg and smoke. Obviously, Grandpa was in the military! These times in my grand parents lives are my favorite times and they are my saddest times. My favorite because they are so often remembering things about their pasts and I get to learn so many things about them but it goes hand in hand with the fact that they are elderly and they aren't in a right state of mind.Dementia of some sort maybe.
This makes me actually think of my grandma. I was never a really great kid growing up and at young ages I was crazy naughty and fought alot with my brother and the teen years..well...that's a whole long drawn out story! I was never real close with my Grand mother on my dad's side and wasn't even sure she actually cared. When I married Brent later in my mid 20's I took Brent to Tennessee to meet her and by this time Alzheimer's had already kicked in pretty bad. She would repeat everything..alot! But, I got to hear amazing stories. My grand mother was CRAZY SMART and had a ton of degrees she also taught in Africa and wrote books that were published. I can only remember her watching one show my entire life and that was Jeopardy! To be fair I don't think that I truly appreciated her until later in life either. While we were there she told us a story of her in Alaska and bob sledding with sled dogs. She even pulled out photo's of the whole experience! Our visit was good and a bit short. While we were there we hit up the pink palace and the Memphis Zoo and of course Graceland! She only met Brent once and that was the last time I saw her but til the day she died she said how proud she was of me because we went to museums when we visited her and how much she adored Brent. She was proud of me and I am so thankful for her being so proud of me and as much as I wished that I had taken the time to see her again... I am good. I have this glorious image of her standing next to sled dogs like in the photo and great stories whether she meant to tell us or not.
We never got a chance to make it to Pa. for hunting season this year and that's when we usually get to see all of Brent's side of the family. We just moved to Alabama and we aren't financially stable enough to make the trip since the big move. We will be going up during the spring and have had the trip planned now for a while. I can't wait to tell Grandpa how much I love him and give him a hug. Of course Brent feels the same way. He has an amazing love and a truly amazing respect for Grandpa Weller. Please pray for his healing!

Yee Haw!

2009-12-15T16:05:00.000-06:00

Making Cookies with grandma!

2009-12-15T10:53:00.001-06:00

Obviously not my cookie!

2009-12-10T10:07:00.000-06:00

So as I posted before we were heading to mom and dad's to do the annual cookie decorating. This was Brents masterpiece! Yes, by the way that is Deer blood he had made dripping from the arrow and I'm thinking the deer was someones pet by the silver collar it was wearing...Hmmm...maybe Santa's!

One for the "fam"! Beautiful brown eyed boy!

2009-12-10T10:03:00.000-06:00

One for the "fam"! Sawyer's smile!

2009-12-10T09:56:00.000-06:00

Don't touch, Don't touch, Don't touch!

2009-12-09T15:27:00.000-06:00

This is the first year that Sawyer has been mobile and we have had a tree up. I'm exhausted just writing Don't touch! I have said this for a couple weeks straight now! He's just so darn cute!

Creepy little lady bugs!

2009-12-09T15:15:00.000-06:00

So one more crazy new experience here in our new home of Alabama. All of a sudden we have lady bugs EVERY WHERE!!! Honestly there are like 30 in each window ledge of our house. Not on the outside either! I have no idea how they are getting in or where they came from. I have no idea if it's their "breeding season" or what. But, I do know that it's all male lady bugs because girl lady bugs aren't the pretty red and black ones. So I guess that throws out the whole breeding thing...I think?!?! Seriously where did they come from and why are they clinging to my window screens? It's not like the were in the house and screaming to get out now. They have to know how all one million of them got in. Memphis walks around with them on his hands and that's kinda creepy too. But, it's even worse when he tells me that he wants to take his "lady bug brother" to Walmart with him...to which he did! I later found him dead on the floor board of the car!

This face...that smile!

2009-12-09T15:06:00.000-06:00

Shhhh! Don't tell me your name cause' I can't sleep as it is!

2009-12-03T12:14:00.002-06:00

Just to let you know this is gonna be a super long one! So it seems as the days and weeks are just flying by. I can't seem to slow down and that just happens sometimes. The last time I posted or actually "wrote" a post I talked about my mommy meet up group and a few people here and there. It's amazing what just a few weeks can do to a person. I know not many of you know this but I have posted it time and time and time again that I am a thinker, a stewer, a dweller,and a wonderer! After I received the news about Margo and her cancer coming back I think it all went down hill from there. I have been keeping up with her and the next steps that they are taking and you can to by going here http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/margomenger .Anywho, the night before Thanksgiving we drove to my folks and I spoke with one of Margo's friends and she was trying to give me the run down on whats going on but for the most part people are trying to stay away from time frames and doing a whole lotta praying for God's healing! When I was at my folks I was taking a shower and sat there for a few and just thought... why? Why her? Why anyone? Who does the picking and choosing? I know I haven't known her long but I cry for her and adore her. I want to do all I can for her! That day...Thanksgiving...was great! But, I need to add in some where that I have had a headache since Nov. 21st and it was now Nov. 26th. So great as it was my head was throbbing and couldn't believe it had been so many days in a row that I had been dealing with not just a mild but a severe headache! Through the days I started to feel like a bad wife because I felt that I wasn't showing Brent any such attention a husband should be shown but I was physically spent and hurting! I received another e-mail from the woman from the mommy meet up group (not a pushy or ugly one) but just asking if anyone had been willing to donate anything used for Christmas for them. I just became angry and hurt and sad and I know I shouldn't. I was mad that we now have 89 members or so and only ONE PERSON mentioned about wanting to help out! I know times are tough and trust me when I say we know what it's like to be a day late and a dollar short! Goodness! Have you ever seen me post ANYTHING on here about us doing something or going somewhere...NO! But, don't think I wouldn't cut some corners somewhere to figure out how to help some one at least a little bit. I know I shouldn't be mad and sad but I am and it's eating at me. Now I am on to my 9th or 10th day with a headache! We then received a message from my mother in-law that My grand father in-law was very, very ill and taken by ambulance to the hospital and he was in the ICU. We didn't even realize how sick he was until the Doc's reiterated it to everyone! I feel bad for my mother in-law and some times wished we lived closer to her so we could help out. She has recently let Grandma and Grandpa move into her house...Thank Goodness! This is a huge task and on top of taking care of them you have to completely re-do your entire life's ordinary day agendas and doings. She had a rough thanksgiving as well and I wished now that we had been there so I could have helped out. Grandpa is doing semi okay now but he is still in the ICU because he has Mercer now! Please continue to pray! By my 11th day of a head ache I told Brent I just couldn't take it anymore and he took the day of to stay with the kids and I head to the urgent care and there I sat for 1 1/2 hours for them to tell me they couldn't see me because I'd have to go to the ER to get a Cat scan! It wasn't all bad though because the Urgent care is a super Religious Urgent care with about 20 bibles laying about and a few "our daily breads" and scripture all over the walls. I say it wasn't all bad because I picked up a pamphlet on the story of Christmas and read it to pass the time. I know people were looking at me and kept thinking I must be in some serious pain because I was sobbing. Trust me I was in pain and did cry cause I wanted someone beside me and there was no one because my folks don't live here and Brent had to watch the kids and I was hurting. But, I was actaully sobbing because I was reading about how Mary was kneeling below Jesus as he was on the cross and how she looked up at his face and saw streaks down his face from which his tears were shed and wiped away the dirt. Every time I read this I for some reason put my self in the position of Mary as if I were looking up at one of my two sons and how bad my heart would hurt but still knowing that I had to have faith in my God and his plan. See here I go again...don't cry, don't cry! Anywho, I left there and headed to the ER and I new it would be a long, long wait so I took one of those Daily bread books with me to read. I like those! I read the story about Anna and Simeon again and it still amazes me...all that faith! I was finally called to the back after to which felt like an eternity. They asked tons of questions, stuck an IV in me, did a Cat scan and then pumped me full of drugs! Anti-vomiting medicine, anti-inflammatory, some kind of drug that made me seriously loopy! and two others before I left. I had to call Brent to come get me and we left his car there at the hospital. So much for the anti-vomiting meds because I got sick ALL THE WAY HOME! UGH! They said they really couldn't find anything wrong but they did say between poor vision, poor sleeping habits, stress, poor eating habits and everything else that this could be the out come...week long severe headaches! I have a follow with a neurologist next week some time and they sent me home with some medicine that I couldn't even take if I wanted to unless I could teach the dog to tend to the kids! Yesterday I was still woozy but I am feeling a bit better today although I still feel a bit anxious. I am Queen of anxiety attacks! They come and they go but thankfully don't stay as long as they use to. When I checked my mommy meet-up group when I got back home some one had posted something new. It was a message about a mom of four (real young kids) had just fled an abusive situation (husband) and left everything and I mean everything behind. They were looking for help and once again I can feel my head spinning and my stress level rising. I know I can't fix the whole world but I always feel compelled to try! Thankfully my friend Misty stopped me in my tracks and made me understand that this person has posted this on our site as well as one of the largest churches here in town and I can always pray for people to put aside themselves for a bit and to help out others. That's the key...pray. Isn't it strange to say that you have to PRAY for others to think not only of themselves. Trust me when I say that I do know we are all human and all have flaws and all do this from time to time...think of only ourselves. I'm tired and stressed and am going to find a couple Asst. organizers for my group because I need to relinquish some control now that we are so close to 100 members. The Holidays are approaching and I want it to be enjoyable and not stressful. I know I always come up with these odd titles to my posts but honest to goodness I spend half my night praying for people I know, people I don't, people I wish I did and our president! If I meet one more person I think I might never sleep again!

Thanksgiving...a little late posting!

2009-12-03T07:17:00.001-06:00

Family Traditions! (I almost broke out into song..Ha! Ha!)

2009-11-30T07:44:00.006-06:00

Wow! This one is easy and I'm sure for the most part every ones answer to this blog hopping question is going to be some what similar. Decorating, cookies and the story of baby Jesus! My ENTIRE life my parents have gone over the top when it comes to decorating. I honestly couldn't stress the words over the top enough. It takes my folks a week and a half (that is working diligently) to set up their entire house. They have a Christmas tree in every room in their house and have themed bedrooms for the holidays. Memphis's favorite is the "snow man room"! It is CRAZY! My mother has always gone all out when it comes to cooking making. She mails them all over the world as well. I think when my brother was in Iraq or one of those places she even mailed them to him. She makes cookies ALL DAY and EVERY DAY for a solid week. Thousands and thousands of cookies. Once again I cannot stress the word thousands enough. The sugar cookies of course is where the family tradition part falls into place for us. We have always gone over to their house to decorate them and that is exactly what we will be doing next weekend! I will be sure to post more recent photo's of us decorating them since I can only find photo's from a couple years ago. I say this because the photo's I am posting I am actually pregnant with Sawyer and he is now 18 months old! You are probably wondering why I don't do the cookies myself since I cook all the time and I'm almost 35 years old. I'm not quite sure?!?! I think because my mother has done this forever and my holidays just wouldn't be normal if she wasn't doing it. I guess that for almost 35 years this is what I have always known at Christmas time. Maybe one day I will do this for my kids but I hope that day doesn't come to soon. That is because it means my mom isn't doing them. Lastly, my mother has always ready the Christmas story from the bible every year right before we opened our gifts!My mom and Memphis!PREGNANT! I was probably helping him finish the cookies faster so I could snatch them out of his hands and eat them!I don't know how we kept him from eating the candy!
I'm not sure who's tray this one was but if you think they are pretty then it was mine!

Hunting Season opens soon....get your toddlers!

2009-11-25T06:32:00.002-06:00

The boys are ready for hunting season! Can you tell? This photo makes me laugh alot! You can't tell but Memphis has on camouflage slippers to. He was so excited to see that he could finally fit his hands into the gloves that Brent bought for him when he was I think about 1 yrs. They are the type that flip back and expose your finger tips...but camo! Sawyer of course does what ever Memphis does at all times! Brothers! I wouldn't have it any other way.

2009-11-24T12:36:00.000-06:00

I'm Awesome..now I'm sad!

2009-11-23T12:42:00.003-06:00

I feel like I never have a second to spare anymore. My house is atrocious!I'm not exaggerating either! I have been so run ragged lately and I'm not gonna lie because I did it to myself. The holidays are approaching and I don't have a clue where to start. I'm actually multi tasking right this second by eating soup at a very small desk and trying to type at the same time while the youngest is asleep and the other is watching Yo Gabba Gabba! On top of the fact that I am tired....I'm truly happy right now as well. I know when we first moved here I posted and wrote about how sad I was and how much I missed my friends in Tallahassee. I still do of course but I take so many trips over there that it's almost as if I have never left. I did declare one thing when we moved though and that is that I wasn't going to wait around to make friends this time. I wasn't going to stay lonely and sad and wait for people to find me and love me. I was going to put my self out there and talk to everyone and love everyone and yes! Pretty much force people to adore me! Ha! Adore me! I crack myself up! I should've put tolerate me! Either way I could sit around and wait for people to approach me or I could make it happen and that's what I did! So I went through meet-up.com. NO IT'S NOT A DATING SITE!!It's a site that you can actually start groups based on things like Protesters of America, Moms with twins, or Owners of dogs that like to poop on mail boxes! Well, I haven't exactly seen that group yet but they could start one! I do have to pay for the site but I thought it would be so worth it...to me! Does that mean I am buying friends? The logo I chose is the one above and I entered in all my specs. Christian parenting, Stay at home moms, Hips moms, Fit mom's (don't laugh!), Mom's with toddlers, blah, blah, blah. Anywho, it e-mails anyone that was originally looking in this area for a mom's group and WOW! Did I hit the mother load! In three months there are now 82 members! Well, there were actually 84 but I'll get to that in a minute. I actually have it set up to approve people because I prefer for it to be a group of only women. There's a message board and I can start a poll if I want and monthly calendars that I attach events to. We have done krispy Kreme donut tours, park picnics, Chuck E. Cheese meet-ups,craft days and mom's nights out. Just all sorts of things.It started off exhausting since I was waking at 5am and doing research on the area so I could post events...remember I just moved here!I eventually met Misty that was so gung-ho and offered to be the assistant organizer of the group and I am so thankful for that because she is also now my closest friend here in town. I don't think there is a day that goes by that we don't call each other at least 2-3 times! So now I am good and have a friend. I love this group and we have a thread that is labeled "Tell us about you" that gives everyone a chance to share a little about themselves and I love to learn about everyone. But, it cracks me up a little each time because each message usually contains a "Gina, I am so thankful for you starting a group like this!" or "This is such a good idea and thanks for making the group" WOW! If they only new that it was all for me...okay...and for them! I sound selfish but it's true. Like I said I wanted friends and playmates for my kids so I made it happen....viola'! Only thing is now I'm sad....sometimes. I also hear from women that they prayed for a group like this and sometime I hear how lonely they have been or don't have any friends or are in need of friends because they are newly divorced. I have met two women that have recently lost their husbands! I met another family that's husband has been laid off from his job and they are struggling hugely financially. They are struggling to pay their bills and can't afford anything for their children for Christmas. We also have another woman that joined and I am so thankful for her. Her name is Margo and she is a wife and a mother of a two year old daughter. She has battled liver cancer after being told that she had 6 months to live and she had WON! A this moment here and now she is at a hospital a few hours away in Montgomery were they have just told her that her cancer has come back and I am now waiting to hear from her. I am now not sure who needs who more. When you are around so many people with so much going on and so many back grounds and so many different views to just about everything it really puts life into perspective. The two women that are alone have now found each other as a support system and we are in the process of raising money to buy a Gift card to Toys R Us for the family that is without. As far as Margo goes...we are praying. We had 84 members but two people have left the group without me knowing why. At first I took it personal but I realize that I shouldn't and I for sure can't please everyone. To say I am awesome for starting a group like this here in this town would be silly because I seriously think it was God's plan not mine. To say that I am sad is so true sometimes, but, mostly I am just thankful.

Pizza Makin' a new family Tradition!

2009-11-17T10:07:00.000-06:00

So we decided that we were going to try a once a month new family tradition. Making homemade pizza's! Honest to goodness this is the funnest and funniest thing that we have every done! I really don't know who was sillier the kids or Brent! We tried game night once before but Memphis can't grasp the fact that games have rules and that you are suppose to follow them. He had a ton of fun but it about drove us...the competitive folks..CRAZY! Yes, I know he was only three at the time...Ha! Ha! Brent decided that he wanted to become the master pizza flipper but after it hit the ceiling a couple times (want to mention we have a popcorn ceiling) he decided to stop! The pizza's were yummy!

Brent and his pizza making abilities...NOT!

2009-11-17T09:40:00.002-06:00

I laughed until I thought I was gonna pee my pants!

2009-11-14T13:58:00.002-06:00

This photo cracks me up every time I look at it. I know I look absolutely ridiculous because I was laughing so hard but here's the story. Every year we go to some kind of fair and every year I always get to go with Memphis into the fun house. Every year the same thing happens....Memphis smashes into the clear glass in the "glass house" part of the fun house! I swear I know he must be shy of a concussion but I seriously couldn't stop laughing because it was just so darn funny. As we started our journey into fun house I anticipated it happening and even that made me laugh! What's funny is that this year he gave me a sassy look and started off through the maze with his hands up feeling for the right spot to walk through and then he got to sure of himself and then ...Whammo! He got it good! Poor thing! I'm sure all he needed was a hug , but, atleast this year he laughed about it! I soooo can't wait til next years fair!

Peanut Festival!

2009-11-14T07:15:00.000-06:00

The Orange Fest!

2009-11-10T14:32:00.000-06:00

A Question Blog Hop! YAY!

2009-11-09T13:54:00.007-06:00

This is Memphis saying to me at the fair..."Mommy I have a bit of the flu bug but I'll kiss you on your cheek!"

I have always wondered the who, what, when, why and how's that people came to seek our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and if you don't have a personal relationship with him then why? There are so many that have seeked him through hardships (my hardships being stupid choices) such as myself! Others through their family and just being brought up with their Faith. So that's my question! You may not feel comfortable telling everyone but I don't know all my blog hopping friends and so you can spill it and run!

The definition of cute!

2009-10-28T16:02:00.002-05:00

Where's Sawyer?

2009-10-26T11:48:00.003-05:00

Harvest fest! Get your old school soap making on!

2009-10-26T11:39:00.003-05:00

Okay ya'll only one more post after this one! We had a great (busy) weekend and this was something we attended. We went out to L.M. Park and hit up their harvest fest. If was super fun and we learned alot! One being that Sawyer is a cow kisser! The two cute little old men had to be about 250 years old combined and were an absolute thrill to watch and banter back and forth. Okay maybe a little exaggeration about their ages but they we old and cute! I of course made my self look stupid sawing some wood and then end the day at the park there and watching a Tractor parade. By the way check out that tree! It had been around a long, long time.

My lil' Peanut!

2009-10-26T10:56:00.000-05:00

Sawyer had his 15 month check up at 17 months! I just found a pediatrician here in our new town and didn't realize I was behind! They said that he looked awesome and will grow out of the whole meat texture thing he's got going on. He'd totally prefer fruits and veggie's and it's hard when we are a meat and potatoes kinda family! They said my little peanut is in the 21st percentile....CRAZY! Memphis was and always has been in the 98% percentile and or off the charts! So hearing the 21st percentile through me for a loop! Here's my cutie! Once again refusing to take off his hat and they even had to weigh him with it on!

Yet another Pumpkin painting playdate!

2009-10-26T10:48:00.000-05:00

Man! If ya'll thought that the pumpkin painting playdate was good when I organized it then you haven't checked out my friend Sarah's! I drove back to Tallahassee to have a little fun with all my friends. We are always so silly when we get together! I also love being around all my friends kids which at times they feel like as if they are my own. Anywho, Sarah really showed me up! Fun games and painting pumpkins! HUGE party gift bags and a ton of yummy food! It was so worth the drive!

Many faces of Memphis!

2009-10-24T06:31:00.000-05:00

Scariest thing in a small town I have ever heard!

2009-10-21T14:01:00.002-05:00

About two and a half months ago I had mentioned here on my blog the craziest thing I have ever heard! Seriously this is for sure the smallest place that I have ever lived considering I grew up in Miami. I love it here and there is a lot that I am still getting use to. For instance this! When we moved in or I should say about a week later I heard this noise.I honest to goodness was running around like a chicken with it's head cut off. Hmmm. Do chickens actually run around when you cut off their heads? I was hyper ventilating and grabbed my cell phone and called my hubby and held up the phone up in the air outside! I screamed "what is this!?!?! Should we take shelter in the bath tub?!?! ARE WE GONNA DIEEEEEE? So after a couple odd looks from my neighbors and Brent screaming for me to calm down. He let me know that it's a small town volunteer fire departments fire alarm. CRAZY! First off I think it's crazy that it's 2009 and they still think everyone works close enough to the fire station and can hear it! Helloooo! We have one stop sign and my street is "The town"! If we had a fire I could walk across the street and flip the switch to turn on the siren myself! Wouldn't you think that calling them on the cell phone would work better. Because I ain't lying when I tell you that I know I've seen those peanut farmers out on their tractors with a cell phone in their hand! I was prepared this time! So here it is!

Ask me and I'll tell you!

2009-10-20T14:56:00.001-05:00

I am MckLinky obsessed I think! They have come out with a few different things and I am trying them out. So be aware there is more to come. This is a question blog post. I'm sure there are some of you out there that think I'm nuts, fun, crazy or even awesome. But, do you have a question for me?!?! Ask away! I'm pretty honest so feel free asking me anything you like!

All about me!

2009-10-19T19:33:00.008-05:00

Do you know what time it is! Blog hopping Monday...WooHoo! Obviously if the theme is going to be post some of your favorite photo's then I am going to tell you how awesome my family and friends are! If you are bored by that then you can just pop down to the next post about my traumatic Rat encounter! I wish that I could say that I have incredible photo's of rolling hills and crashing waves but no! I do however have an occasional accidental photo of my toe. I have no idea how people have an eye for that. My sister in law takes amazing photo's and she is self taught. Matter of fact my ALL TIME favorite photo EVER is hanging on my wall and she is the one that took it. It is a photo of Brent and I on our wedding day...non-posed! So here we go....
(If you find that you want to read the small print then just click on the photo)

This one was hard. I had to scroll through old photo's of Memphis and it made me sad. You know when people say your kids will grow quicker then you think you should believe them! Memphis is Four now and this is a couple things that I have heard from him this past week. Mommy I'm four now so I get to use a big fork. By the way he wasn't using an infant fork just a small dessert fork. Then on Sunday on the way to church he says. Mommy why do you always come and check on me at church? I told him that I just worry about him and wanna make sure you are safe. His reply was mommy we are just learning about God and stuff and no ones gonna steal me so you can go check on Sawyer now. A four year olds way of telling me he's a big boy. ((sniff))((sniff))
I had to take a photo out Ya'll....so sorry!
Here is Sawyer who is SASSY as ever. WooHoo! This boys got an attitude and he's only 17months old. He just cracks me up and I love to watch how he apes Memphis's every move. He adores his big brother. One thing that I have done since he was 11 weeks old is tell him I love him and kiss him on his forehead the second he wakes up every morning. You may think that everyone does this but he came close to death at 11 weeks and I remember thinking that I never told him I loved him as much as I should have. Now it's a cuddly routine!

This is my family and they are awesome! They are always so supportive. I'm missing a couple on here like Pappy Pappy (Brent's dad), Pappy Jim (Brent's step dad) and Grandma Wanda. I am truly lucky to not only have great parents but AMAZING in-laws that I truly love with all my heart. Sometimes it's strange to hear people say that they dislike their in-laws.

These are our dogs. Maka is in heaven now and even though it has been over a year we still think about him alot. Maka was my baby before I had babies! I got him when he was three days shy of four weeks old. He lived a great life and was an amazing dog. He got Cancer and it wiped out his body in a matter of weeks and had no other choices. Trust me I would have payed anything to fix him. The other dog is our Hound. We still have this silly goofy 87 pound hound. He is super protective and occasionally thinks he's a lap dog...UGH! He misses Maka alot!

I just figured I'd give you some randoms! I couldn't even imagine my life not being as exactly as it is right here and now. I am truly happy and extremely thankful!

Call me the Pied Piper...But I won't like it!

2009-10-19T13:33:00.002-05:00

UGH!!! This is an awful post! Say it ain't so!!!!! It is so though! I guess I should start off to when Brent and I were dating. See we have a long, long history of mice in our relationship and it is almost a little funny. I said ALMOST! See when Brent I were dating and he lived in a house with a couple other guys that were in the Coast Guard.He told me a story about how he had been battling a mouse forever. Eventually he ended up killing this witty little thing that almost out smarted him. Although they new it was dead (by the smell in their house) but they could not locate the dead rodent. I think it wasn't til Brent and I moved in together is when he found it behind their ironing board...YUCK! When Brent and I got married we rented a two bedroom townhouse in Destin,Florida. It was our first place as a married couple. Brent, me, and our dog Maka which was a 120 pound mixed boxer/bull mastiff! Eventually after we moved in we noticed Maka kept freaking out at the sliding glass door and soon as we let him out he'd bolt on over to our grill. A RAT!!!!!! Yes, a Rat was living in our grill and eating up all of our delicious remainders of grilled fish and T-bone steaks! So we had the exterminator come out and put out poison which by the way he sucked down like it was an appetizer! So, Brent had told me the next time I saw the dog run to the grill to hit the Quick start button and light it on fire. I was a little freaked out by this and new this just sounded to easy. If you know me then nothing sounds this perfect in the land of Gina! Back in the day Brent and I were both Bartenders for a huge night club and he occasionally managed there as well. Along with that he was in the Coast Guard reserves and went to school. This one evening he had to work and I had the night off. So sitting around late night watching a little t.v. I see Maka the dog jet to the back sliding door. I just new that he had seen the RAT!! So I opened the door and he took off to the grill and so did I. I remember Brent saying to just hit the Quick start and catch this sucker on fire but I was just so darn nervous. So I did it! I lit it up! The grill was afire! I heard nothing?!?! I had to peek! I lifted the grill and out jumped a RAT ON FIRE! Bad part was I forgot to close the sliding glass door and I now had a rat that was literally on fire running through the down stairs of our house! Maka chased it under the chair and then into the corner. I was thinking quick and grabbed the lid to our Angel food cake that we had sitting on the counter and caught him. But, what was I to do now? Cry of course! I was bawling and a little ill by the smell of this ALIVE burnt up Rat. Amazed that this little creature apparently had nine lives. I called my husband and was in hysterics and told him he had to come home mid shift and dispose of him. Of course our boss and everyone we worked with laughed at me and thought I was a little off my rocker. But, it was gone and it was all so traumatic! We eventually moved to Raleigh and of course once again we had a mouse. I never saw it because Brent killed it when he saw it one early morning. See ya'll I would like to add that it doesn't matter how clean you are or what you do because anyone can have a mouse. I am a little OCD and I scrub, clean,and bleach everything and I vacuum almost everyday because what I can't see freaks me out! Here is a photo of my fridge that everyone use to make fun of me about. I AM A NEAT FREAK AND GOD SENDS ME RATS AND MICE TO LET ME KNOW I'M NOT IN CONTROL!! So here we are in our new state of Alabama in our new house. The cutest and best house we have ever rented. Big! Roomy! I love it! So last night I got up and went to the kitchen to get some carrot sticks (what I call chips to make me feel better) I scream and jump because what do I see...a MOUSE! Yes! Running across my kitchen floor! Brent comes running out screaming what? what? So I start to spell it R~A~T~.....R~A~T because I didn't want the kids to hear. So what does he do? He says "Speak up Gina did you say a RAT!" Luckily Memphis wasn't scared but he did however decide to name it! I can't wait til we buy our first house. At least we'll own the rat!

Pumpkin Painting Party!

2009-10-16T08:09:00.001-05:00

I know I had posted yesterday about what is to come and that I was preparing. This is what I was preparing for! As I had said before that I am an Organizer for a moms meet-up group through meet-up.com and I had hosted a pumpkin painting party here at the house. It was so much fun! We had about 10-15 kiddo's running wild through the house and shoveling Doritos's and chocolate chip cookies into to their mouths. They played and played and played and it was great to be able to sit and talk with other moms about something other then lack of sleep and poo! I thankfully have an AMAZING husband that came home from work and instantly helped me out by defrosting chicken for dinner, emptying the dish washer, vacuumed up all the little kids dirty foot prints every where and helped me put Memphis's and Sawyer's room back together! I was actually able to get dinner on the table by 5:30! I don't think that I'd be able to do the stuff that I do with out him! So.... fun day, new friends and as always and awesome hubby!

Preparing! More to follow!

2009-10-15T10:40:00.000-05:00

Happy 8th! Me and the love of my life!

2009-10-13T07:33:00.009-05:00

I'm excited that this weeks blog hop fell right on my anniversary. The theme today was anything that makes you feel good ie: joke, person, scripture. No matter the theme though I would still be posting on how much I love my hubby! Not only is he an incredible husband he is also an amazing father! I am one of the lucky ones that married a man that prefers to be home with his family. Except hunting season when he thinks turkeys and deer are way more entertaining then me and the kiddo's! He doesn't lie and he doesn't curse. I'd say that he doesn't raise his voice but he is only human! I have some how conformed him into my ridiculous ways of cleaning as sometimes I sit back and see how he scrubs out the kitchen sink with comet cleaner after the dishes were done.I'm a little OCD but in the clean house kinda way! Even after a day of being at work in the hot sun and on the air boat all day doing his job he still comes home to play hide and seek with the kids and fly them around like a space ship!
This morning I woke up and walked to the kitchen automatically looking for some kind of card (he always leaves me a card). But, it wasn't there! For a second my heart sank, that is until I opened the cabinet to get my coffee cup for my morning coffee. There sat a card. A homemade card that told me how much he loved me and how much he appreciates me and how he is amazed at all that I do and yet can still keep a smile on my face.He wrote that he wished that this would be the year that he could do something amazing for our anniversary.
But we have found through the eight years of marriage and the nine years total of being together that some how we are always a little strapped. I am truly thankful for my wonderful husband and happy that he is an amazingly great provider. I don't need anything shiny, pretty, or expensive. All I want is him and yes he is the one thing in my life that makes me happy and feel good....along with my kids! Happy anniversary Brent! I love you!

Just because...

2009-10-11T05:59:00.002-05:00

I haven't had much time to do any postings but was sad seeing the one that was last written.So, I am making myself smile! Here's Sawyer....must youngest!

Would've, Could've, Should've!

2009-10-05T07:08:00.004-05:00

Blog Hop! As I mentioned before I have entered this blog hop through McKlincky.It's great fun and tons of people come and view your blog. Each week they have a "theme" and this was this weeks. Fill in the blanks! The theme was e-mailed to me and right under that e-mail I received an e-mail that a friend had just passed away and his funeral was yesterday. No, no, no this blog post isn't going to be terribly sad. But, I did a lot of thinking yesterday. I'm a stewer! (once again is that a word?) I sit on stuff and it consumes me. I think , I think, I think! Like everyone I am finding that as I am getting older more people are passing away. Whether it be family because they are aging as you are aging or friends. I'm only soon to be 35 yrs. old. I still feel 21 yrs. old! Anyways, that's not my point! Along with the e-mail about my friend I received this and it got me thinking "What would I do?" I'm obviously not really wanting to fill in the blanks since I haven't (don't much care for this one honestly!) but, I would love to tell you about my friend. It's kinda sad with a wee little bit happy.Not sure if some of you are aware of the fact that I wasn't always a stay at home mom. I used to be a Restaurant manager. Well technically the bar manager but you are over the entire restaurant to of course. But with my main focus being the bar you make sure where all your inventory (liquor) is going, take care of your bartenders, scheduling, ordering, doing inventory and making sure your "regulars" are happy! I worked between 60-70 hours a week! Anywho, Dave was a regular. When I met Dave he was surrounded by people all the time. He drank a TON! He was in and out of the bar restaurant all day everyday and didn't miss a beat. We would talk from time to time. When the restaurant was in between rush times I'd sit and talk with him about his day and eventually deeper talks about his life. Dave was about early to mid forty's in age and him and his family owned a timber company. They had a TON of money. People were always around him because he would always spring for the bill or they just plain old wanted something. As our "restaurant" friendship grew I learned that he was once married and he still loved her dearly (he actually never got divorced). I saw his Mom and dad on occasions when they'd come into eat after church on Sundays. He was an alcoholic and thankfully he never drove...ever! He had incredible cars that everyone drove for him. People flocked to him because if you remotely said that you wanted something then he would get it! He frequented strip clubs and occasionally a girl would come into our restaurant for lunch with him. It was all quite sad. If you know me then you know I'm very honest and blunt! He LOVED that in me...thankfully! I would ask him why, why did he do the things he did? Why would he spend time with the people he did if he new that all they wanted was for him to buy them things and pay the bill.He wasn't dumb by any means and he just told me he didn't care. If you really sat and talked to him you'd know that all he wanted was someone to love and he was a truly caring man that really would do anything for anyone. I'm sorry his life was cut short. When I found out that Brent I were going to have a baby I had told him and he did the funniest thing. He went to the Kroger's behind the restaurant and bought about $200 worth of groceries and brought them to me in the restaurant. He said the baby needed to eat! I want to add he must have bought about 10 jars of pickles too! He was always wanting to do for me and I would have to say NO! and explain that I didn't need him to do for me that others needed him to do for them. I would still have my afternoon conversations with him and sometimes not so nice ones when I was angry about the stupid stuff that he'd do. Brent and I and Memphis moved away about 3 1/2 years ago and we still stayed in touch through cards. I sent him a Christmas card every year and he did the same. This was huge by the way because he is so not the type of person to do this. He always wrote such great letters in the card to us updating how he was doing...whether I approved or not! Two years ago he wrote and told us that he had quit drinking cold turkey. I was a little un-believing at first but after I spoke with some old Co-workers of mine they as well said that he had quit. They also said that he looked amazingly great! He died just recently and they said that they thought it was a blood clot. Our friend Art found him on his couch. His funeral was yesterday...at 3pm. I watched the clock yesterday and waited for three o'clock. I felt a little strange and just kept thinking of all of our many talks. I was so excited that this man was getting his life together and now it was cut short. His birthday is Nov. 11th. I had just bought him his birthday card that I of course send to him every year...still! He also once told me that I was the only person that ever remembered his birthday that is besides his folks. So even though we moved I just couldn't stop remembering.So I didn't feel much like doing the "fill in the blank" blog hop theme this week. Actually it's not something that I even remotely would want to do even if I wasn't sad today. I want to treasure what God has given me right here and now! An incredible husband, great children, a wonderful family and amazing friends and another day and with forgiveness for my sins. Also, God has given me a chance to know this man...David Norwood! I had his phone number and was thinking about him the other day. I would've called him if I had the time, I could've called him if I made the time, I should've called him now I can't!

You just found out you have one week to live. The first person you call is _________________ and say __________________. Immediately after hanging up the phone, you leave the doctors office and before heading home you go to _________________ so you can ____________________.

You gather your family at home that night and say _______________________ then all of you together _____________________.

You book a three day trip to three different places because you've always wanted to _________________, _________________ and _________________. On the way back from your trip you stop off at ________________________ to _________________ because you've been meaning to for a long time.

For two more days you spend your time reading _________________, writing _____________, and _______________________. You make sure you _________________, _________________ and _________________... three things you know you should have taken care of but have been putting off.

The final day is too personal to write about but you wonder to yourself: why did I have to get a death notice before I finally did all those things this week?

The reason I'll probably keeping putting off all those things is ___________________________ but __________________________.

Special thanks to Shoplet.com-Purell Hand Sanitizers for sponsoring this blog hop.

Memphis's 4th Birthday party!

2009-10-04T15:23:00.005-05:00

Well technically Memphis doesn't turn four until Tuesday so I will save my tears for then. But, we were able to drive back to Tallahassee and celebrate Memphis turning four with all our friends. It was great seeing everyone and Memphis has such a love for all of his friends. It makes me sad that we aren't near them anymore but happy that we don't have to drive real far if we are having absolute friend with drawls! I'm a lucky girl to have such great friends. They really helped us out with this party! My friend Tammy made Memphis's cake this year and it was amazing! I talked like she had a choice...Ha! Ha! I think our conversation went something like this. Me...."Hey, watcha doing next week?" Tammy...."Oh! nothing I think." Me..."Will you make Memphis's birthday cake and Oh! check your inbox I e-mailed you a photo of Bob the Blob!" She is truly amazing! Her children weren't feeling that great and she just got home recently from a long trip to Tennessee for a MOPS convention but still made our cake! YAY! US! And YAY! For friends like her!

We all had a really great time eating pizza and playing games. Tammy's cake was yummy of course!

Our friend Amanda (Madison her daughter) got Memphis tickets to the Dinosaur exhibit at the Hands on Mary Brogan Museum downtown. So after loading all of our stuff a bunch of us headed to the Museum to see the Dinosaurs and play with all their hands on craziness! Thank you Amanda we loved it and it made Memphis's day!

I just want to add this message for my friends! Thank you for all of your help and being there for us! I honestly don't know what we'd do without having friends like you in our lives. You love us unconditionally, pray for us, take care of our needs as friends can do and make us laugh! I hope that anyone that reads this has the chance to have friends like this in their lives

Peanut Stacking, Farmers Market & a Stump Chuckin' festival!

2009-09-28T08:41:00.003-05:00

Like usual life is great when daddy is home! On Saturday we tried to get out and about and have some fun. It's amazing how much we got done by 1pm! We hit the Farmers market at 8:30 in the morning and I was a able to pick up a Ginormous bag of fresh wheat flour and a jar of homemade Salsa. We then hit up the Peanut Stacking event. I figured since we live in the Peanut Capital we should learn all about it! It was super fun and a little hot out! Yuck!Thankfully I was prepared with Veggie stix (chips)and lots of water. The two older gentleman were super fun to talk to and we learned alot about the old school ways of using a mule to dig the ground, the shaking process and then the stacking! It's now my fall back job! Ha! Ha! After we grabbed a little lunch we went to a small, small town and checked out the Stump Chuckin' Festival. Still not quite sure of the whole process of Stump Chuckin' but the kids had some fun in the bounce houses they had there. It was an early day when we got back to the house but we had gotten so much don so early! Fun!

Struggling a bit and kinda in a rut!

2009-09-25T11:38:00.002-05:00

I haven't posted anything in a while and I either have nothing to say or haven't done anything interesting enough to write about. I am how ever tired of the up and downs of my emotions. Today it's a little rough! So we have decided that we are going to try out new churches. I'm not saying that the one we were attending was awful but for some reason deep down in my gut it just doesn't feel right. UGH! I just want a church! On the same note we received a letter from our old church letting us know that they are taking us out as members because we no longer live there and don't attend the church. I feel like I was just kicked while I was down but I know it had to be done. Brent has been traveling a lot lately and the first week I headed over to my parents for a few days while he was gone. It helps a tad with the kids and all. My father started growing Cotton and the kids enjoyed Granddad (dad) showing them that. The next week I stayed by myself for the first time in the new house. I can't stand it when hubby is gone because not only do I hear the words Mommy, mommy, mommy a million times more but I can't sleep. When he is gone I put the kids in the room with me. So I either can't sleep because of the houses noises or I have a toe shoved up my nose! Train, Ice maker, neighbors dog, toilet bowl, our dog snoring, kids snoring, cars driving by, TRAIN! It's all scary! Anywho, he is back now and life is good. But, I will tell you that I actually ventured out without him and I was so glad that I did. I'm sure you are saying that I am always venturing out but not like this. I took the boys to their first Circus! I didn't tell Memphis where we going and said it was a surprise. I thought that he was going to explode! I was little nervous because the circus was crowded and Sawyer couldn't be in a stroller to restrain him from walking away. But, it was amazing and fun and great all rolled into one! The kids were so unbelievably great and very excited! I really wished that Brent could have been with us though so it kinda just didn't feel the same...complete I should say. I still haven't made any real close friends yet or at least not someone that I want to call and hang out with often because I like to talk to them. So I am still feeling a little lonely. I did start a mommy meet-up group that has officially 30 members now and grows daily. I started this group for moms, families, kids and ME! I'm not gonna lie I am hoping to meet some friends through members of the group. It has also forced me to find out whats going on around town to post on the events calendar and get out and about! I have also signed up to be a vendor at a small town harvest day festival. Little nervous about this because it's my first time being a vendor but I hope that it goes great and I meet tons of people and maybe sell a few products too! If ya'll are questioning what I sell you have to see my site http://mythirtyone.com/together
I have made one huge decision in my life and ALOT nervous about this. Memphis is going to be 4 years old in about 2 weeks and Sawyer is 1 years old. Brent and I have never left or children with anyone. Memphis maybe once or twice with my parents but never both of them. Oh! except with my best friend when the movers where there for a couple hours but three of my friends were watching them there at her house. I have decided that I am going to join a gym that has child care. So I can go to the gym at 8:30am in the morning and then off to all the kid's stuff throughout the day, lunch, straighten house, then daddies home! I met a girl that works out there and wants me to be her work out partner and I am wanting this soooooo bad. So I have decided for once that I am going to do something for me...a little scary! Especially since I'm a germ-a-phob! But as this girl says in her cute little southern drawl. Put your hands on them, pray over them and then kick their booty's into the play room and go work out! So it's official that's my plan! Atleast it is when we get the extra money...Tee Hee! I talk a big talk!

Cock-a-doodle who? Art!

2009-09-14T06:51:00.007-05:00

I love looking at what everyone considers art! This is my first attempt at the MckLinky blog hopping and I'm pumped! I was also excited to see the subject was a photo of art. They also suggested even a photo of your children's art. But honestly when I see them drawing on the walls grabbing my camera and saying "Awwwwww! How cute let me take a photo!" is really not the first thing that comes into mind! Hee! Hee! This is my rendition of Fog Horn Leg Horn...art!We just moved to a new state and ventured out to the flea market. We found more piglets, roosters, chickens, and rabbits then we did fleas! I snapped this photo and I love it! You have never heard "Mommy can I have a pig?" come out of a three year olds mouth so many times. Seeing farm animals out and about is something we are not use to and are enjoying very much! Happy Hopping fellow blog stalkers!

2009-09-02T15:44:00.002-05:00

I just want to start off by saying yes! I now I am almost 35yrs. old! Hee! Hee! So I'm sure all my passer by-ers for the most part are on Facebook. Obviously you see here on my blog that I sell Thirty-One gifts and My Best friend is actually the person who Signed me up. I started a Thirty-one Gifts group on Facebook and she did as well but under the name Tammy's thirty-one gifts. I have maybe about 56 members and she has been working hard and has a ton more! She stated that she would do a little dance if she reached 100 people and she had that happened while she was in town visiting me! So I was kind enough to film that goofy little "I reached 100 people" dance for her. So here it is! Ha! Ha! Love you much Tammy! So are so silly! Oh! here is my shameless plug! Shop with me at www.mythirtyone.com/together

Fun with friends!

2009-09-02T15:41:00.000-05:00

Some fun times!

2009-09-02T11:40:00.007-05:00

I am very lucky to have such great friends! Thank you Amanda for loading up the kiddos and Driving 1 1/2 hours and coming to visit us for the day!
I love it when Brent is home and we get to spend some family fun time out and about! We were able to make it to another town about 30minutes away and have some lunch at a park and play a while.

While we there in town we also went to the Army Aviation Museum. It was super neat and Memphis and Sawyer had a great time!

I wanted to post a couple photo's that show the crazy stuff that sawyer has been doing lately. He never wants to take a hat off his head and the new oddity is that he likes to wear Memphis's flip flops on his hand.....even when we leave the house!

These are some goofy bonus photo's for you to view! I love my boys! All three of them!

Did I offend?

2009-08-31T07:53:00.003-05:00

So I wanted to post this because I wanted to see if you think I offended him. Him being the Pastor of my new church! I just have so many questions and so many thoughts running through my mind ALL the time! I didn't really get the reply that I wanted but that's for me to deal with. I almost felt it was a little "in your face" or maybe just rushed because he was on vacation. I kinda wished he waited til he was back. if you have been keeping up with my blog and don't know me personally you do know that I am very blunt and never mean to offend anyone. Sometimes things just don't come out of my mouth right! So here it is my letter to the Pastor.
Hi friend!
Okay so I'm so torn I decided to write you and ask for your opinion! So yesterday was our second service and we of course thought it was great! There is so much truth to having your family love the Lord and it was a great sermon! But, I am having a hard time. Ya see I'm a baby Christian and I need a teacher. I look for a "teacher" of the bible (and maybe someone that can make me laugh a bit to keep my attention) and that is some what why I asked you if you just choose a topic and preach on it. I am so use to going book by book and learning. You probably think I'm lazy and that I should take with me what you have said and read the bible myself but that is not it at all. I am wondering if you possibly go through the books of the bible in your small groups?!?! I was also wondering and haven't noticed if you have a women's bible study? I didn't see one listed and that is for sure something that is needed in my life (with child care) during the day! Isn't it Titus 2 that you really shouldn't be going to a man about questions that you should be going to the wise women of the church! Not so good for women to be going to other men for answers! I would love to say that I have all the time in the world to sit around studying the bible and reading it but I would be a liar and so would every other mother out there that said it was so...I think?!?! Because...geez! oh! pete! Between breakfast, lunch, dinner, daily routines, bath times, twenty billion dirty diaper changes a day, screaming kids, crying kids and maybe a shower and a wee bit of time to spend with your husband I try to fit in some reading in there but all to many time interrupted! That's why I said a bible study during the day with child care =)! I just have so many questions and so often! I am surely not trying to compare you with my old church (okay maybe a little bit) I love your children's program and think that is awesome! My son is three and I love the fact that he knows scripture and you too think that it's not to young to start forming their hears! I know there are a TON'S of Godly women running around your church and know a lot about the bible and I think that's great but what about us peep's that don't have a clue. I have been through Luke and 1 Corinthians and have a whole lot to say about that!!! But other than that it is just pieces through out the bible. Man I just found out that Presbyterians believe in predestination and know I have a whole lot to say about that. I need an outlet. We will be at the 101 class for sure (Unless we have ill children) and are looking forward to loading you all down with questions! I apologize to if I come on to strong because I am one of those people you either love or just don't want to be around! We will however be giving you all a break by not being in town next Sunday but will hopefully be listening to your sermon via Internet! Thanks for your time! Gina Mortimer
So the it is and here was my response that I received:
Hey Gina, sorry for the delay in response. My family and I are on vacation this week. We will return this Saturday. I will be preaching on Family Ministry pt 2 this Sunday. Labor Day we will observe the Lord's Supper. Starting September 13, I will start an 8 week series on Matthew 5. After that I probably do a series on Psalm 23. The next book that I will preach through will "probably" be Hebrews. I will go verse by verse, chapter by chapter. The exact date I am not sure. However, preaching through Matthew 5 and Psalm 23 will great and I am excited. My small group will be studying Luke 15 for a couple of weeks and then we will venture into Matthew 5 along with the series I am preaching on Sunday. So we will talk about Matthew 5 on Sunday morning and during Small groups.

I will comment next week on the womens Bible study, etc...
I am sure I am reading to much into this but I like the church a lot and I feel horrible if I was rude in any way!

Days that have passed & finding a church is like trying to find a husband!

2009-08-17T06:49:00.003-05:00

So it has been a bit since I have written but it has been a crazy couple weeks! Four days or so after we moved into our new house my in-laws came into town and then after they left my other set of in-laws came into town. We had a great time visiting with our family and the kids were over joyed! It is however nice being able to have a chance to get the house in order so that it feels like home. For me to have a house feel like home everything has to be hung on the walls. My poor hubby has a honey-do-list a mile long and he keeps yelling at me that every time he gets to mark something off I add more. I told him he better work faster then...Tee Hee! We got alot done yesterday and this morning when I woke I sat on the couch and just looked around. I really like our new house but Brent has come to terms with the fact that we are never going to sleep again. Between the neighbors barking dog, a hooting owl (that's days are numbered), and a train that goes by twice a night it seems to be never ending. I however am able to sleep through the train. Strange! I'd prefer not to have a stuffed owl in my living room though. So for his sake I hope he finds a new hooting home. Hmmmmm! I wonder if there is a recipe for owl stew? Has to be more meat then squirrel...huh? Anywho, once again I want to add that the nicest people on earth live in Alabama! The other day Brent was mowing the lawn and I like it golf course short. Not such a good thing when we have let it go a bit. The man behind us came up and introduced himself and wanted to run "fetch" his riding lawn mower for him. Brent of course declined but it was to sweet of him to offer.by the way, I'm not that mean to hubby cuz I like to mow the lawn to! Okay mainly to get a little bit of a tan but still! I miss us just hanging out as a family and this whole move thing has really thrown us for a loop and is sometimes hard! Hard you ask? Like trying to find a new church. The Saturday night before the Sunday we tried our first church (did you get that)I seriously had to pray that I wouldn't sit there comparing that church to my old church. It was so hard not to. I had such an awesome church that I threw myself into. Sunday mornings, Wednesday bible studies, Sunday night fellowship groups, picnics, children's nursery! It was just so great and the Pastor Erik Braun was a crazy hoot that you just were dying to hear more of his sermons. It was just so darn hard not to! So we went to this new church which started at 10:45a.m. which actually didn't really get started til 11:00 and when I dropped the kids off it was basically into a small room that had a couple nursery workers sitting in chairs. I just new from that second this place just wasn't for us! I'm not trying to be critical but when I asked Memphis what he did and learned that Sunday he said "I played Kung Fu Panda!" Hmmmmm! Was God a Panda? and did Jesus Kungu Fu Fight his way into peoples hearts to repent and gain forgiveness for their sins? Did I miss something? I'm just joshing! But seriously! I am so use to Memphis telling me he colored a picture of Jonah and a big ole' whale and telling what song he sang. I'm use to him telling me his memory verse that he learned. The Pastor seemed nice and his Sermon was okay to. Although I am use to Pastors preaching from the books of the bible not just subjects and throwing some verses into it to make it relevant! My title comes from this! Church is like looking for a husband! I want in a church what I have found in my husband!I was picky when I found the love of my life and I personally think it's fair for me to be picky when finding a church! This is what have in my husband now put in regards to a church! Friendly, honest, loving, nurturing, teaching, trust worthy, faithful, beautiful(obviously not church looks), make me hunger for more, supportive, feeds me, takes care of me and my family, loves me despite my failures and flaws, loves me unconditionally, prays for me, loves me for me, wants me to grow, I can go on and on. I know it's not all about me but I do know it's me growing in the eye's of the Lord! I want that community again. Knowing we can call someone and ask them for prayers. Knowing that I can help others. Knowing that I am saved and forgiven for my sins. Listening and learning the bible and Gods word and maybe since I am feeling a little bolder...spread it! Yesterday we tried a new church yet again and we really liked it. We went to the first service a little early to ask alot of questions and the children's program rocks! They even told us that they were really surprised when they asked if anyone wanted to pray that Memphis stood up and said he would. I wish I had the boldness of my three year old! We met the Pastor and he was a hoot and was a little caught off guard talking to us...you know...because of me! Yup! My bluntness! Caught of guard by my first question. "Do you preach the WHOLE BIBLE or skip over parts like sex and homosexuality so you won't offend everyone?" I'm not big on pastors that try to keep their approval ratings high by not telling everyone what is right and wrong! Geez! Louise! You're blocking people from heaven! Anywho, he smiled and he laughed at us...obviously cause we are goofy! Okay maybe just me! But, he wants us to join HIS fellowship group. This guy doesn't know what he is getting himself in to! But if there was a group to join to where I ask a billion questions then I guess it should be the Lead Pastors group. Can they kick you our of Fellowship groups?

Update on Joshua!

2009-08-16T11:29:00.003-05:00

Joshua! A beautiful three year old's fight to rid his body of Cancer! This is Nadene's latest update!

I spoke with mama Nadene yesterday. Considering what Joshua has gone through, she said he is doing incredible. His hair is starting to show some regrowth and he has a few eyelashes back! Nadene is so trusting in God and I hope you are continuing to pray with us.

Here is a little of Nadene's last update:

We give Jehovah Rapha the praise for all Joshua's healing and guiding the doctors and nurses to help improve Joshua's way of life again. I continue to meet more and more people that I testify and witness of God's goodness to us and they add Joshua to their prayer chains. Please, if you know of a prayer chain, please add Joshua's name. This new chemo therapy is cutting edge and Joshua is a test patient in their study. Only God knows how this will play out. I pray that I will continue to hold to the faith I have in my God and everything else just will take care of itself. I want to be a witness but I want to remind everyone that I am first and foremost human and secondly a Christian. I'm working hard to allow God to use me as his instrument on this earth, especially during this battle for Joshua's life. Please remember to pray for Tim and I to have the strength and wisdom each and every second of everyday so we may care to the nth degree for Joshua. Don't forget that we love y'all but God loves y'all more!
Christ...The Cure All,Nadene

My boys playing! Oh! and the dog too!

2009-08-12T12:37:00.003-05:00

Check out Fiddledeedee : Enter to win a Melissa and Doug Standing Easel

2009-08-11T07:34:00.002-05:00

Fiddledeedee is giving away a Melissa and Doug Deluxe Standing Easel! Enter for your chance to win it here: http://www.fiddledeedeemom.com/2009/08/kids-furniture-toy-giveaway-melissa.html

Hide & Seek1

2009-08-10T19:45:00.002-05:00

Whoa Nelly! The pros and cons of being a small town!

2009-08-05T07:59:00.004-05:00

So I want to say that I'm not making fun of anyone...I don't think. But, Wow, I guess growing up in a military family then Miami and then Destin that I'm really and truly not use to a small town! I will start off saying that I think Alabama has some of the nicest people I have ever met! Things are still all so new and we haven't been here that long. We finally got moved into our house which I love by the way. My in-laws came to visit about four days after we moved in. It has been a lot of fun and has been nice having them here. We always do so much when they visit! They like to get out and explore! Besides cooking up a storm (Salmon, chicken and dumplings, pork chops, blackened shrimp ceasars, homemade apple crisps, homemade peach cobbler) we also went to the historical park here and was able to make a trip out to see Brent's new work! See below!I was super excited about going to Brent's work because we haven't gotten a chance to see it yet. We live in Alabama and he works in Georgia! It's not that far of a drive though. Maybe about 30-45 minutes or so. It's a little strange though because it is smack dab in the middle of a smallllllllll town! There is only two places to eat and one of those two places was located in a gas station! That was the one we ate at! You have never seen so much fried food in your life! Fried chicken, fried okra, fried, fried, fried! It was good and a little strange I might add. I also had to add that it was strange seeing some of the things that the gas station sold that I saw on the way out. For instance who needs a 6XL-X-long T-shirt anyways! Holy Moly! In every color! White, Gray, black......When we were leaving we decided to grab some gas and I sat and watched all the small town residents chatter back and forth about their doings! (Ha!Ha! I said doings..I'm country!)Then I noticed something that you would NEVER see in a bigger city. There was a young woman getting gas and talking to everyone walking by and I heard her mention something about her newborn and I looked over and there was the sweetest little baby fast asleep in the car with the windows down. Then there she went walking off right into the store to go pay for her gas leaving that baby sleeping in the car....with the windows down! CRAZY! I guess everyone knows everyone and if anyone even did steal that baby it was probably your neighbor!Anyways, I really like Brent's work and I know he is overwhelmed by everything that he is cramming into his head (thus that stack of papers that he's gotta know which is one of three) and I know it doesn't help with a crazy wife screaming at him to hang pictures when he gets home! I'm glad he likes his new promotion and his big boy office and such! He deserves it! He works hard! Anywho, it was nice taking the in-laws over there to his "small town" place of employment! We have had a lot of fun and the kids always get so excited to see them and obviously sad when they go!

Spaghetti!

2009-07-31T14:33:00.001-05:00

Update....on us!

2009-07-22T09:36:00.008-05:00

I think it's been about two weeks that we have lived in our new town. It has been crazy! Between me being sick and then Sawyer getting sick and Memphis being bored and Brent getting sick of hearing about me being sick and bored. We were able to get out and about a bit and we were able to find a house! Trust me it wasn't easy though!I'm about over living in a hotel and eating out! Ahhhhhhhhh! Seriously! If I see one more chicken nugget I think I'm gonna scream! Here we go! So, I'll start with the house hunt. We or should I say I found an INCREDIBLE house outside of town towards Brent's work and we put down a deposit on it only to find out that two people were taking deposits on the same house...soooooo...they took it away! They wanted to find us another house but I absolutely had no respect for their company and refused to use them. Not a good way to run a business! Grrrrr! But, I guess God had other plans for us. That has to be the case! We did find a house and it's cute! We are renting but plan on buying a house after this lease is up. Here is the house.
When Brent was off over the weekend we got a chance to drive around for a bit. We went downtown to a little mini farmer market and met some great people. They invited us to their church but we weren't able to get our selves up and going on Sunday! We really do miss our church in Tallahassee! The people in green are from the church and the other photo's are from downtown and they also had a tent set up for kids book reading and activitiesI know I'm going collage happy but bare with me. It's the easiest way to show all the photo's. If you just click on a certain photo you can view it closer. Anywho, The kids have come up with ways to make the hotel room fun! Between jumping on the bed or playing with Memphis's underwear by placing on their heads. They seem to have found a way to make it fun. we also have found a couple parks to which Memphis announces himself as so "Hi Everyone! My name is Memphis and I live in here now! Do you want to be my friend?" AT THE TOP OF HIS LUNGS!!! It's just so sad that he is so shy! I did add a couple photo's of us out to dinner eating at a Hibachi place.
Another night daddy was the hero when he had asked Memphis if he wanted to go play games at Chuck E. Cheese before we went to dinner. Memphis must have told him I love you a million times that night. I'm not sure who had more fun. The kids or Brent?!?!
I know that my last post was so sad and I'm not going to lie to you....I'm still so sad! I miss my friends and their kids. I really do have the best friends ANYONE could have. Be Jealous! I pray and pray and pray that God would send someone that is just as amazing into my life. Then I can take her to go visit my friends in Tally! Anyways, They loaded up the kiddos and drove to see us yesterday. Between six children playing in a hotel room, a one hour sleepy no nap and hungry time change! A hot day at the park and a trip to McDonald's. One trip in two cars to see our new house and an afternoon in the hotel pool I think everyone was exhausted and they still had to drive back! I LOVE YOU GUYS! I thank you for making the trip and loving me enough by acting like it was no problem and a breeze to do it! Know...I would do anything for you all too!BTW I have know idea why the font and underlining just was added to this post! Geeez oh Pete! I have to figure out this blogging thing..TeeHee!

Praise & Tears! Joshua Update

2009-07-19T07:09:00.000-05:00

Praise and Tears
From Nadene-

Great News!
Posted 3 hours ago
Joshua had his left chest tube taken out and will have another X-Ray in another hour or so and see if his lungs are doing well. He seems to be doing well. He just maybe going home if all goes well. Please continue to pray for him as we know you will.
Early last week I heard the news that Jayden; a precious, young boy from TC Thompson Cancer Clinic in Chattanooga, TN; lost his battle with Neuroblastoma and went home to be with the LORD. Now he is able to run again on the streets of gold in heaven!
This was a post from his Mommy this past Sunday..
**************************************************************************Good afternoon. I just wanted to let everyone know that my baby boy Jayden as of 14:30 this afternoon unzipped his old earth suit, and put on an incorruptable glorified body. No more neuroblastoma. It is defeated, and Jayden is well. Thanks to everyone who prayed for him and for us. We are so heartbroken, but we're looking in hope for HIS appearing, when we will see him alive and well again. We did everything that we could do, prayed every prayer that we knew to pray, and we (all 3) fought as hard as we could."2Ti 4:6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.2Ti 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:2Ti 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. "*************************************************************************
Early this week when I heard the news about Jayden, fear and panic came all over me. God has sent His Spirit and His Messengers to comfort us all through this cancer ordeal with Joshua. Please continue to pray that God will heal Joshua of this cancer. I just am a selfish momma and want Joshua around 'till he's a ripe old age. I'll keep y'all posted. Thank you all and we love you.
Christ...The Cure All,Nadene

Only a face a mother can love!

2009-07-19T06:46:00.001-05:00

This is Sawyer's new smile! It's a little disturbing.......

He won't give me more than I can handle!

2009-07-13T10:41:00.005-05:00

Ugh!!!! Well, I'm here in our new town and I want to say it has been a crazy couple weeks! The Military puts us up in a hotel until we find a house so I'm sitting here at my mini hotel desk. I don't really know where to start. We finally received our orders and instantly set up a moving company date through the military once again. United is the company they are using. The last couple weeks I have been coughing and thought that it was allergies but literally the day the movers came to pack up the house I had been vomiting since 1:00am that morning.On top of that I left the kids with my friends and it was the first time I had EVER left Sawyer with anyone! Poor Brent! I had to leave him alone with the movers and have faith in the movers that they were doing their job right and not robbing us blind. I HAD to go to the urgent care!!! I was there for quite a while with a breathing treatment, two steroid shots, anti-biotic, other breathing thingy's they gave me and I still kept vomiting. The next day the movers loaded the big old moving van and I had tons of help with the kids from my sweet little 18 year old neighbor. She's married and has a baby on the way and has ton's of Motherly instinct kicking in! After the movers left I had about 4 hours to scrub down the house til the landlord showed up to inspect the house and give the keys to the new tenants (which I new). She obviously had faith in me to have the new tenants meet her there and give the keys to them to move in the next day! Of course she knows me! So for four hours I scrubbed base boards, scrubbed walls, bleached two entire bathrooms, vacuumed & Steam cleaned. I was smart and did the oven a couple days prior. Needless to say we not only received our deposit back but we also go our non-refundable pet deposit back! That night at 9:30pm we drove to our new home 1 1/2 hours away. So once again here I am in the hotel until we find a place. The hotel is amazing!! But, I am already over it a bit I think. Sawyer is now sick and I am on the mend, Brent is at his new job and Memphis is stir crazy! I have yet to sit and think about everything...that is until just a bit ago and now I hurt! I am happy and proud of my husband and I am excited about new opportunities but I am inpatient and outgoing and loud and NEED PEOPLE!! I miss my friends and hurt for my son that he doesn't have anyone to play with and am sad to see on Facebook them making plans. I want plans! Why does my heart hurt and I feel like a bad mother if I don't constantly have stimulation for my children. Ugh! Okay I think my pitty party is done.....maybe! I think this is maybe the second time I really sat and cried. They say God doesn't give you more than you can handle. When I prayed last night I asked him if he might possibly have gotten me mixed up with another Gina....Seriously! Hey God! I am the one that stresses and has anxiety attacks and has to have a system in place and vomits when I'm scared! Tonight I am going to pray for me to realize that he is in control but to help me deal with relinquishing it again! Seriously...Gina M....Right?!?!

Spread the word please!

2009-07-07T06:31:00.000-05:00

I want you to meet this family...if Autism has touched you, someone you love or even just a neighbor then you know how much more there needs to be done. This family needs us, so spread the word, e-mail the blog out to your friends. You may not be able to help them, but there is someone you know who will reach out and be the answer to a prayer.

Visit them today at: www.gentryrose.blogspot.com

There is a sale on her site for a kids dress that is just adorable. The proceeds go to their needs for treating their Daughter. Hope you will go and at least leave a post to support them.

My sweet Elizabeth!

2009-07-02T12:38:00.002-05:00

Today we celebrated my best friends daughters birthday. Elizabeth turns three on the fourth of July and celebrated with a party today! She is my little sweety and for sure feels like my own but without the birthing part...WooHoo! We love her so much and I have enjoyed watching her grow and change daily. Wooooo! You should hear her talk and the things she can say and the looks she can give. She is for sure ALL girl! I don't think I have ever met anyone that Memphis has loved so much! For a couple years now Memphis has loved her and even before Tammy and I even met. They were in Church toddler class together and Memphis would run around the room kissing her. We had such a wonderful time celebrating today and of course it was all so perfect! Tammy had a pool party and made little paper "food" bags with of course the perfect daily diet food allowance meals! Hot dog and bun, lil' bag of goldfish, lil' bag of crackers, lil' bag of sliced carrots and water. Her goody bag table was decorated to the hilt and had instructions for everyone to pick and choose from items. She made an amazing four layered heart shaped cake and her cakes are always yummy! To top it off it was a NO GIFT PARTY! Leave it to Tammy to always be so amazing and generous and loving even on days that they can just receive! She decided to have everyone bring as much diapers, wipes, clothing, formula, etc. and donate it all the the woman's pregnancy center in honor of Elizabeth's birthday. It was nice that I was able to explain something like that to my son when he asked if we were going to buy her a gift. I hope he learned why! She did however have a mail box set up for Elizabeth to receive cards and sweet messages. Even though we didn't do gifts Memphis(mommy) did go and buy her, her first bouquet of roses. We made them into a little tiny bouquet and he gave them to her when we arrived. What an amazing day and an amazing message to share with the kids. Thanks again Tammy for a wonderful day!

I must vent!

2009-07-01T10:55:00.002-05:00

So, just to let you know...I am going to vent! Honestly you need not read this but I think if I don't vent I am truly going to explode. Here we go!!!!!! It took five long weeks to get our orders (military talk for moving to be ok'd) FIVE WEEKS!!!! Seriously why can't people work together. Why do others not take family seriously! Like jobs!!! To them they are an employee, to me he is a husband, to the kids he is daddy. I'm sure later in life he won't matter to them. EVERYONE DO YOUR STINK'N JOB! I personally think the whole world is sitting on Facebook at work! (Of course myself included!) As you have seen here I started a new Journey. Selling Thirty-one gifts products. I think that in two days I have had everything in the world to possibly go wrong.....go wrong. declined credit cards, angry customers, exchanges, and I can keep going. It's not the company and it's not the products. The exchange is not really a problem because I of course had to learn anyways. But why do people feel they have to lie or be ugly. I do have a temper and a mouth but when it comes to stuff like this it probably is the only time you'll ever see me be quiet. I am Physically hurt is probably why!!!! I just don't understand the need for people to be like this. It just has to be a hard, hard way to live! Exhausting for me to even peek into the lives of people like this. I'm sad and yes I did cry! I'm stressed and I don't feel real well! The movers are going to be here next Tuesday. I worry about others watching my kids while they are packing us up and I don't even know why because they are my closest friends! We had a frozen pizza last night for dinner because we have nothing in the house and I feel bad about that. I can't stand it when my family doesn't have a well balanced meal. seriously kills me! We are a meat and potatoes kind of family! I really don't even know what to do with my time right now. The laundry is done, the house is clean and just going to get messed up by the movers, I can't grocery shop, I don't go shopping in general (for other stuff). I am happy that it's Memphis's true loves birthday party tomorrow. Elizabeth turns 3 years old! I love that little girl! You can see her photo if you scroll down on the right side of the blog. It's the one where Memphis looks like he is putting a ring on her finger. I'm tired! I'm stressed! I'm scared of the un-known in a new town! I'm scared of no friends! I'm scared of no new church yet! I'm scared to do it all by myself again while hubby's working! I'm scared the kids are going to be off their rocker living in a hotel til we find a house. I just need to vent! I know it'll be okay and things will seem so much easier tomorrow. But, I just need to vent for today. I know that I am blesses for having a great husband! I know that I have a great life and great kids! I have great friends here and every ones healthy...well except my cold?!?! I just needed to vent! I know tomorrow will be different, I know this! I am now going to read the post from Michael's mom on her blog. Today is Michael's birthday. He would've turned 10 yrs. today. Obviously my pitty party is nothing compaired to the lose of a child and life of learning to live without him. I seriously need to remind myself of this! check out here blog but grab a tissue first. http://iloveyoubest.blogspot.com/

The Frog!

2009-06-30T06:29:00.002-05:00

Girls night out!

2009-06-29T09:14:00.001-05:00

So we are down to our last week in town and my friend Tammy planned a girls night out for me. Actually it was called an "All about Gina night!" she knows me soooo well! We went to Osaka for some Hibachi and sushi! YUM!!! I loved it and we had such a great time. It was nice to be able to get out for a while without the kids and eat, talk, and just be plan old goofy. I say goofy because my friend has some way sillier photo's than me. My friends had a great idea to start a scrap book for me. Each person was to create a page for the scrap book and then they bought me a book to place the pages in. It was to say the least the best going away gift anyone could have ever thought of. When I arrived I saw the first page and instantly started to tear up. I then decided that I wasn't going to read the rest until I arrived home later that evening.Thank you so much for a great evening and thank you for being such wonderful friends. I of course am going to miss you so much. when I got home I did read and look at all the photo's in the book and sat and cried and cried and got may hugs from the hubby to console me!

My new obsession!

2009-06-23T08:36:00.007-05:00

So this is without a doubt the girliest thing I have ever done! They are way to cute though!
Have you ever found yourself searching for a pen while you were on the phone? This solves that problem!

I was out and about and saw these and thought Hmmmmmm! I can do that and Viola! My plant pens!

I love making them and I think it is the first "crafty" thing I have ever done!

I Love them!

Fathers Day!

2009-06-22T08:14:00.006-05:00

We had such a great Father's day! Actually, it was a wonderful weekend! Saturday we did some running around and had a nice lunch out and Sunday we went to church came straight home and jumped into our swim suits! Brent had a plan that he was going to take the boys fishing. We had tried this once before but Memphis wasn't into it to much because nothing as biting......and I'm mean NOTHING! But, Brent wanted to try again. We headed to Silver Lake and of course when Memphis saw that it as like a "mini beach" he wanted to swim. The water as so warm and even though it was 102 degree there as a slight breeze. We had such a wonderful time swimming and really didn't realize how long we were there for.

Eventually Memphis said he wanted to fish with daddy. Sure enough the second he put that worm on the hook and pole in the water he had caught a fish! I'm not sure who as more excited Memphis or daddy. But, I can tell you who as that proudest! That was for sure daddy!

I can only imagine what it's going to be like when he gets his first deer! Sawyer had a good time watching! When we got home I made some fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn and a black berry cobbler for dinner in celebration of fathers day/great hubby day. It was a treat because we got to eat homemade ice cream with it. Yes! After two years of saying No! I broke down and got Brent an ice cream maker for fathers day. He got it on Saturday because Memphis couldn't keep a secret. I think he lasted for 3 hours until he sat next to daddy and said "Daddy, I love you!" Brent replied "I love you too!" then he said "Daddy, I have a secret!" Brent then replied "Memphis don't tell me because mommy will be upset!" then he smiled real big and blurted out "We got you an ice cream maker!" of course Brent couldn't wait til Sunday so we started the ice cream on Saturday afternoon! Mmmmmm! It as good! Memphis did better this year because last year he only waited 2 minutes to yell out what we got daddy!

My sweet hubby & Michael's name!

2009-06-22T08:02:00.003-05:00

http://www.iloveyoubest.blogspot.com/

I have posted here about how I as trying to think of a way to write out Michael's name for the Michael name project and it was driving me crazy trying to figure out hat to do. My sweet husband e-mailed me this photo from work this morning. I LOVE YOU BRENT! Thank you! I ill be adding it to their site to remember him. Must have been hard on his dad yesterday with Fathers day and all.

She has just written an update.

2009-06-18T15:25:00.002-05:00

Has anyone thought of a unique way to write out his name yet? Please give me so kind of idea. www.iloveyoubest.blogspot.com
I'm not quite sure why I can't get my silly blog to be able to click on the link I have add so you might have to copy and paste it...sorry! I'm sure it's user error!

My heart aches!

2009-06-17T11:26:00.002-05:00

So I posted or should I say copied and pasted the "Say my name" post that my friend had e-mailed me. I have mentioned a few times here that I love to blog hop and so does she. But, she usually finds her blogs that she follows through other blogs. I hit the next blog, next blog, next blog key. I usually will stop at blogs that make me laugh or ones that involve couponing or maybe some photography. My friend has the ability to find people that are in dire need of prayers. I am strong and loud mouthed and I don't necessarily find myself to be a cryer but I for sure can't follow the blogs she does. I seriously would be crying everyday! I don't know if I just feel as if I don't read it then it's not really happening or what?!?! I do know that I am one of those people that lets things consume them! I keep up with Joshua mostly because it's my friends real close friend but doesn't change the fact it still hurts. Geez! Three years old and cancer! She has sent over a few more blogs to view and some I have and some I haven't due to the fact I would be crying all day. I did take a peek at this one though. I guess I felt a little more connected to her because she had a son. I didn't know how he died though. I'm not sure if you jumped on there to see the whole name thing. But, for two days now I have been trying to think of some witty way to spell out his name in memory of him.....edge of consumption! I watched the video of him on u-tube and it gave me a stomach ache. So young and so vibrant. I sat and cried and cried...alot! Of course Memphis wanted to watch the video of "the big boy" he called him and asked me why I was crying. I don't usually hold things back from him because it always gives us an opportunity to talk about Jesus. Even if he is only three you have to start some where. I explained that he had passed away and went to heaven. He then asked if the angels walked him there....because I have been listening to the Alan Jackson "Sissy's Song" in the car often. I said to him "well maybe?!?!" He then asked me if I thought he was playing with our dog named "Maka" that died and went to heaven. Again I could only say maybe but I sure bet that he is having some kind of amazing time being there in heaven where everything is so glorious! I'm a good talker but Lord knows that if it were to happen to me I really don't know what I'd do. They say that God never gives you more than you can't handle. I have to remind myself of that daily! I know how hard it was for me when Sawyer was deathly ill and I prayed an prayed that he would get better and also felt helpless. Helpless for one because we at first didn't know what was wrong with him and helpless to my older son which was only about 2 1/2yr and spending so much time visiting his brother at the hospital. I felt like a bad mother and I'd pretty much do or give anything to make everyone happy and healthy. Now this woman lost her son and no I don't know if she has any other children but I'm thinking not (I may be wrong). What do you say to someone like this. I could only think of hugging her. My words never, never come out right! You can't fix it but you can hold her and pray that eventually her pain will become a little less or should I say live-able?!?! I got back on her blog today to try and find out why her son passed away and it was because of some kind of heart problem. I read a post about how she picked up his death certificate and how they gave her five copies and she only had two of his birth certificate. I cried! I cried so hard that my heart ached. I read her words and it is how I feel about watching my son's do the things they do. I relate and I hurt! I pray that I never have to endure the pain of having a child die before myself and I pray that God will give them some kind of peace over losing their son. We still haven't even gotten around to getting our son's birth certificates. Tomorrow is pay day.....I'm getting six of each!

Say his name!

2009-06-15T15:27:00.005-05:00

I love it when my friend e-mails me something that touches my heart or in general is amazing. Please visit this sight and start planning out how you are going to photograph his name......

Say His Name
Our city lost one of it's bright futures this year. His mom is doing something special to remember him for his 10th birthday on July 1. Will you visit http://iloveyoubest.blogspot.com/2009/06/say-my-namesay-my-name.html

Here is a video that was shown at his memorial... get to know him a little. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxYn0wzBULY

One great weekend!

2009-06-15T13:03:00.010-05:00

I love it when the hubby has Fridays off as well as the weekend! I'm not gonna lie...it helps having a second pair of hands to take care of the kiddo's! They are both the biggest daddy's boys in the world. Things just seem so much more fun when he's off! We started the day by me running over to Costco. I don't have a membership but my friend does and I wanted to pick up the kids favorite freeze dried Brothers all natural fruits. So did Tammy! See photo below!

Below here is Leah with her kiddo's. She was kind enough to let us intrude on her day and met us over there to buy our stuff...love you!

It was nice being out and about by myself for a bit too!Oh! Here is me and my shameless plug for Brothers all natural!

We spent the afternoon at home playing outside.The next day we cleaned quite a bit because we were to show the house because we are moving and all and afterwards we went to the park. This was Sawyer's first time being able to run and play at a park. He only learned to walk a couple months ago. He LOVED IT!

As always Memphis had a great time!

Every time we go somewhere Memphis tells me he is going to make some new friends. There were a ton of people out BBQing Saturday at the park and Memphis ran up to everyone. His greeting is always "Hi! I'm Memphis and I'm 3 1/2 are you going to be my friend?" When he gets ignored I watch him laugh and play with them by mimic-ing everything they do whether they notice or not. He has such a loving, caring,gentle heart. He wanted so much for the "Big Boys" as he calls them to play with him. He says he's a big boy to and will go to school soon! This is him saying exactly what I wrote....

After church on Sunday we had some lunch and later in the day we had a water balloon fight. Actually it only consisted of about 6 balloons and daddy getting hit in the stomach!

How I was able to take a photo of him actually get hit is beyond me!

Here is Sawyer trying to pull the dog in the wagon. Obviously it wouldn't budge!

It was a fun weekend!