Sunday, November 13, 2011
Mandisa
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Halloween
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Swimming Lessons
Have started as of this morning for the girls. i am really excited about it. Morgan loves to swim, and I think this will be super good for her. As a lucky child of mine that gets overheated easily AND is going to struggle with her weight. I am hoping she really excels at this and it can be her form of exercise. Praying..... till praying for that.
Megan just likes to do..... do anything that is. So she had a blast too.
It had been a while since I had checked Maddy into the kidz zone (she was in a car seat carrier last time) so she was unsure of it, but was happy five minutes later.
I sat and watched with Amelia and Olivia (who were perfect little girls) while lessons went on. The plan is in the future to be able to go work out while they do it.
Sooooo why do you ask did i have Amelia and Olivia... well. Nathan is out back redoing our tiered flower beds..... FINALLY.... and brought the girls along with him today. Nice surprise.... but kind of threw a kink in my plans. So the girls skipped their first gymnastics class and will make it next week. The big girls don't get to play with their cousins that often, so its nice. but they match up nicely, and that leaves Maddy to me.
Megan just likes to do..... do anything that is. So she had a blast too.
It had been a while since I had checked Maddy into the kidz zone (she was in a car seat carrier last time) so she was unsure of it, but was happy five minutes later.
I sat and watched with Amelia and Olivia (who were perfect little girls) while lessons went on. The plan is in the future to be able to go work out while they do it.
Sooooo why do you ask did i have Amelia and Olivia... well. Nathan is out back redoing our tiered flower beds..... FINALLY.... and brought the girls along with him today. Nice surprise.... but kind of threw a kink in my plans. So the girls skipped their first gymnastics class and will make it next week. The big girls don't get to play with their cousins that often, so its nice. but they match up nicely, and that leaves Maddy to me.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Back to School & Other Fall things
The girls will start swimming and gymnastics next weekend at the Y.... we will see how it works. swimming from 10-10:45 then gymnastics from 11 to 12.
Apples of Gold for this year is starting, I have the notebooks done.... Just need to get the final names on the fronts. I am soooo excited for these girls. I know 3 of them this year. So many blessings for them. They will be spoiled rotten by the mentors and the behind the scenes former girls. I just can't wait. :)
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Last post didn't save......
Well, It looks like my last post didn't save. Mom and dad are in the house. They got in the weekend before he 4th of July. They were just 6 days shy of it. I was surprised at home much the girls noticed the noises and the booms from the fireworks around us. Morgan was particularly upset by them, being the oldest I understood. She just kept worrying our house would burn down. And part of me couldn't blame her as i saw the remnants falling in our yard fromt he people behind us. The surprise was Maddy. She went ballistic... of the charts TERRIFIED. Of all things, my tuff little girl melted on. And thus, my rule "no kids in my bed" went out the window.... and after the 4 day weekend of her in the bed because she was scared it took until now to get her in her own bed.... and she doesn't like it much.... :(
So much that I am seriously thinking of doing bunk beds and a trundle in the girls room and putting all 3 of them in one room... that's right... all 3 in one room 3 chests of drawers and 3 beds... then making the little bedroom a guest/study room... toying with it... Phil doesn't know yet..... well.... not how serious I am anyways.
Life just seems to be getting away from us. My birthday came and went... another year closer to forty.... blink and that will be here before i know it.
Megan is going to get Mrs. Hollinger for Kindergarten. I couldn't be happier. I am so excited or her to start school in a few weeks..... 4 weeks...... that's it... and she will be in school. sooooo hard to believe.
Morgan is going into Mrs. Morrison's class... and so far we don't know anyone who is going to be in her class. That is OK.... the ones I know of for sure aside from one... i could give or take. There are a few I love I hope hope hope are in her class.... a couple we didn't have last year. That would be soooo wonderful for her. I hope this year is a good one for her. I pray for her I pray all the time..... I want her to have friends... and not be the one the laugh at... but i can't seem to get across to her that not all attention is good attention.. that sometimes they are laughing AT you...... I will just keep praying, it have faith that it is as it should be. It is what it is.......
I also promise to be more faithful to the blog. I really want to get it down here and saved for the girls.
So much that I am seriously thinking of doing bunk beds and a trundle in the girls room and putting all 3 of them in one room... that's right... all 3 in one room 3 chests of drawers and 3 beds... then making the little bedroom a guest/study room... toying with it... Phil doesn't know yet..... well.... not how serious I am anyways.
Life just seems to be getting away from us. My birthday came and went... another year closer to forty.... blink and that will be here before i know it.
Megan is going to get Mrs. Hollinger for Kindergarten. I couldn't be happier. I am so excited or her to start school in a few weeks..... 4 weeks...... that's it... and she will be in school. sooooo hard to believe.
Morgan is going into Mrs. Morrison's class... and so far we don't know anyone who is going to be in her class. That is OK.... the ones I know of for sure aside from one... i could give or take. There are a few I love I hope hope hope are in her class.... a couple we didn't have last year. That would be soooo wonderful for her. I hope this year is a good one for her. I pray for her I pray all the time..... I want her to have friends... and not be the one the laugh at... but i can't seem to get across to her that not all attention is good attention.. that sometimes they are laughing AT you...... I will just keep praying, it have faith that it is as it should be. It is what it is.......
I also promise to be more faithful to the blog. I really want to get it down here and saved for the girls.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Light at the end of the tunnel?????
It just might be peaking through. The house looked ready. Just a few odds and ends, and needed to be cleaned today. Oh please say it is done today and they get the occupancy approved. Mom and Dad sooooo need to be in there today. t looked like all that needed to be done today are a shower head, a few cable/phone outlet covers, and like i said cleaning.
Well at least on the inside. but the outside can wait. and its just landscape and drive stuff that is left. THANK GOD! Its almost been a year.
Soon. we shall see what the steamatic team as able to save and what they were not. Should be interesting.
Well at least on the inside. but the outside can wait. and its just landscape and drive stuff that is left. THANK GOD! Its almost been a year.
Soon. we shall see what the steamatic team as able to save and what they were not. Should be interesting.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Another weekend gone. They seem to just fly by. I can't say I accomplished anything, barely even laundry. Yet I am still sooooo exhausted. Bravely going to make some life choices. Tomorrow, I am going to start and make some food choices that should be right for me. Hold my hand as I start this journey again. The plan is next week to then start walking. I did "run" in the pool today for a while. I am going to try and keep that up with the girls all summer. We shall see. I am going to try for me and my girls. I want to show them the right thing. I don't want Morgan or the other two to have this struggle. Hopefully I can nip what Morgan is experiencing in the bud, and the end of it will be this summer. No more new uniforms for another year. that would be great. I soooo want to be the person who loves running. I want Morgan to become that with me. So if you are reading this, pray for us. I want us to be runners by the end of the year.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Holding Pattern
Well, everyone seems to be in a holding pattern. Mom and dad are still not moved into their house... maybe they will next week. So for now they are at the "resort" as they are calling it which is the one room, smaller than my living room hotel room at the Value Place. I think they finished installing the carpet today. There are a few plumbing things that need to be finished up, they need to finish some appliances, and touch up paint, and clean..... then the inside should e done. It better be done by the middle of the week, or my dad is going to come unglued I think, and can't blame him. Mom and he are miserable, and just want to be HOME. They want their bed, their chairs, their stuff...... nothing seems to have been easy for them since the fire.
On other fronts. The two little girls had their first week back at Amanda's. Amy White is still in AL and thinks she needs to focus on Allie Beth. Can't blame her there. If I could stay home and snuggle my girls all the time I would to. Just wasn't an option. Megan and Ellie seemed to get along all week, so that's a good thing. All seemed fine on that end.
Morgan had the dance theme at camp this week, and it wrapped up with a performance today. Grandma got to go see it and said Morgan and her partner were the best, the only two that were dancing "together" and to the beat of the music and its tempo. So that is good. She had a blast.
Phil worked last weekend Fri/Sat/Sun, and worked today, he will work tomorrow. Sunday is up in the air, but too much work is making him a cranky camper. He needs a day off. He will definitely have next weekend off with Morgans bday and Fathers day.
Myself. Desiree is in town, so i will get to see her and the kids a few times while they are in town. So excited for that. I have a baby shower on Sunday as well as I have to serve during 2nd service. Then Wednesday I signed up for dinner to take to Kathi Staton. Then next Friday i have to clean and be ready for the party on Saturday. Its going to be crazy until then. then maybe i can breath for a second, because mom is having surgery on the 27th..... so it will be back to helping her full time.
And so it goes....................
On other fronts. The two little girls had their first week back at Amanda's. Amy White is still in AL and thinks she needs to focus on Allie Beth. Can't blame her there. If I could stay home and snuggle my girls all the time I would to. Just wasn't an option. Megan and Ellie seemed to get along all week, so that's a good thing. All seemed fine on that end.
Morgan had the dance theme at camp this week, and it wrapped up with a performance today. Grandma got to go see it and said Morgan and her partner were the best, the only two that were dancing "together" and to the beat of the music and its tempo. So that is good. She had a blast.
Phil worked last weekend Fri/Sat/Sun, and worked today, he will work tomorrow. Sunday is up in the air, but too much work is making him a cranky camper. He needs a day off. He will definitely have next weekend off with Morgans bday and Fathers day.
Myself. Desiree is in town, so i will get to see her and the kids a few times while they are in town. So excited for that. I have a baby shower on Sunday as well as I have to serve during 2nd service. Then Wednesday I signed up for dinner to take to Kathi Staton. Then next Friday i have to clean and be ready for the party on Saturday. Its going to be crazy until then. then maybe i can breath for a second, because mom is having surgery on the 27th..... so it will be back to helping her full time.
And so it goes....................
Thursday, May 26, 2011
In transition
In transition.....That is certainly what my parents are in. They moved out of the apartment today, only to move into the extended stay hotel.... hopefully only for a week or so. It seems like this journey with them has taken forever. I know the impact this has had on my direct life, and it wasn't my house, it was my parents.
This week a tornado destroyed 1/3 of the town of Joplin...and killed so many. The devastation is sooooo overwhelming. I can't even imagine it. And if it took my parents a year to start to get back to normal, with a new house... I can't even imagine what its going to be fore the folks in Joplin. I think about it, then I think back to Hurricane Katrina and the devastation created from that. New Orleans is still not back to what it once was... and that was YEARS ago.
No change for my sister-in-law... they have moved her out of intensive care and into another building in the hospital. She is stable... but still on the ventilator. They talked to my MIL about moving her to a nursing home. I guess this didn't go over very well. Once again, I can't even imagine.
I look around and see how much bigger everyone Else's problems are. I say to myself....MY PROBLEMS ARE MINUSCULE... QUITE WHINING!
So i did.... no more whining.
This week a tornado destroyed 1/3 of the town of Joplin...and killed so many. The devastation is sooooo overwhelming. I can't even imagine it. And if it took my parents a year to start to get back to normal, with a new house... I can't even imagine what its going to be fore the folks in Joplin. I think about it, then I think back to Hurricane Katrina and the devastation created from that. New Orleans is still not back to what it once was... and that was YEARS ago.
No change for my sister-in-law... they have moved her out of intensive care and into another building in the hospital. She is stable... but still on the ventilator. They talked to my MIL about moving her to a nursing home. I guess this didn't go over very well. Once again, I can't even imagine.
I look around and see how much bigger everyone Else's problems are. I say to myself....MY PROBLEMS ARE MINUSCULE... QUITE WHINING!
So i did.... no more whining.
Monday, May 23, 2011
The beginning of Summer
Last week marked the end of the School year for two of my girls. I now have a 2nd grader and a Kindergartner. Imagining the next one in a uniform next fall is overwhelming. They sure do grow up fast.
Summer is off and running... and its a bumpy start. Phil's sister is still in the hospital on a ventilator. They have put in a tracheotomy and put the vent in that way instead of down her throat. Late last week she was able to breathe for about an hour on her own before they had to turn the machine back on. She is still sedated and we don't know if this is going to be permanent or if she will ever get better. Right now... all we can do is pray and wait.
Amy my good friend did have her little gift from God given to her on the 13th and made her way home to us on the 17th... Little Allie Beth is just precious. Poor Daddy Dale.... had to go back on rotation on the 18th, but at least Amy's mom Deborah was hear to be with her. They will leave tomorrow to drive back to AL so Grandpa can see her and they can be there for his retirement party. Then on the 5th Amy's hometown church will have a "tea" for her.. not a shower but a tea... can't get more southern than that. Dale will finish his rotation on the 1st, and fly into AL. They will come home the 6th or the 7th.
In the mean time my other wonderful friend Aimee is going to watch the girls for us. What a blessing to have these two wonderful ladies to help me out. My girls are so excited to play with Taylor, Roman, and Emelyn again now that they are back. And Amy will be back to watching my girls on the 13th....hopefully by that time Mom and Dad will be back in their HOME.
That's right... finally maybe the end to the bumpy road for Mom and Dad at least will happen sooner than later. Its hard to believe its almost been a year since the fire burned their house to the ground. They are definitely tired of apartment living. But they next few weeks will be bumpy again....In with flames, and out with a bang. The builder told mom and dad they would most definitely be in by the end of May. So they signed the 30 day notice to the apartment complex to be out the 31st. And the apartment is rented right after them.... however... last Friday they said, you might see if they will let you stay an extra couple weeks... we won't be ready.... so the movers are coming on Thursday to take what little furniture they have (that's a whole other story), and put it in the basement of the new house. Then they will move into an extended stay hotel until they get the house done.... Please God we pray for sooner than later.
Soooo this summer is off to a bumpy start. But hopefully by the end of it we will have lots of stories to tell.
Morgan starts summer camp on the 31st. Desiree will be back in the states and visiting us from the 9th thru the 25th. Morgans birthday will be on Fathers day this year, and her party will be on the 18th. Mom has her other knee surgery planned for the 27th of June. Then we will have rehab on it.
In the meantime... I think we are going to try and relax in the pool and have a good time. I want to make sure i soak in all the memories... the girls are just getting too big too fast.
Summer is off and running... and its a bumpy start. Phil's sister is still in the hospital on a ventilator. They have put in a tracheotomy and put the vent in that way instead of down her throat. Late last week she was able to breathe for about an hour on her own before they had to turn the machine back on. She is still sedated and we don't know if this is going to be permanent or if she will ever get better. Right now... all we can do is pray and wait.
Amy my good friend did have her little gift from God given to her on the 13th and made her way home to us on the 17th... Little Allie Beth is just precious. Poor Daddy Dale.... had to go back on rotation on the 18th, but at least Amy's mom Deborah was hear to be with her. They will leave tomorrow to drive back to AL so Grandpa can see her and they can be there for his retirement party. Then on the 5th Amy's hometown church will have a "tea" for her.. not a shower but a tea... can't get more southern than that. Dale will finish his rotation on the 1st, and fly into AL. They will come home the 6th or the 7th.
In the mean time my other wonderful friend Aimee is going to watch the girls for us. What a blessing to have these two wonderful ladies to help me out. My girls are so excited to play with Taylor, Roman, and Emelyn again now that they are back. And Amy will be back to watching my girls on the 13th....hopefully by that time Mom and Dad will be back in their HOME.
That's right... finally maybe the end to the bumpy road for Mom and Dad at least will happen sooner than later. Its hard to believe its almost been a year since the fire burned their house to the ground. They are definitely tired of apartment living. But they next few weeks will be bumpy again....In with flames, and out with a bang. The builder told mom and dad they would most definitely be in by the end of May. So they signed the 30 day notice to the apartment complex to be out the 31st. And the apartment is rented right after them.... however... last Friday they said, you might see if they will let you stay an extra couple weeks... we won't be ready.... so the movers are coming on Thursday to take what little furniture they have (that's a whole other story), and put it in the basement of the new house. Then they will move into an extended stay hotel until they get the house done.... Please God we pray for sooner than later.
Soooo this summer is off to a bumpy start. But hopefully by the end of it we will have lots of stories to tell.
Morgan starts summer camp on the 31st. Desiree will be back in the states and visiting us from the 9th thru the 25th. Morgans birthday will be on Fathers day this year, and her party will be on the 18th. Mom has her other knee surgery planned for the 27th of June. Then we will have rehab on it.
In the meantime... I think we are going to try and relax in the pool and have a good time. I want to make sure i soak in all the memories... the girls are just getting too big too fast.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Stop and smell the roses.
No change for Phil's sister. And the doctors are talking about a long term vent. That is not good. This is hard for everyone. I just pray those 3 boys can heal. Heal from everything they have been thru, exposed to, about to go thru, and to live with out.
It is amazing how some of us take the wonderful things in our life and don't stop to appreciate them every day. I so appreciate the family I was born into. I can't imagine not having the love I always have had surrounding me and supporting me.
I remember how I thought my parents were awful when I was little and how I was going to "run away" because my mother was awful. If I had awful, I can't begin to image the NIGHTMARES other children were living in. If only I had been able to peek into their homes and see just how amazing it was for me.
I am so blessed to have what I have. Right now. I appreciate everything a little more. Even in this tragedy for my husband and his family, I can see what I need to be thankful for.
Give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. I Thes 5:18
It is amazing how some of us take the wonderful things in our life and don't stop to appreciate them every day. I so appreciate the family I was born into. I can't imagine not having the love I always have had surrounding me and supporting me.
I remember how I thought my parents were awful when I was little and how I was going to "run away" because my mother was awful. If I had awful, I can't begin to image the NIGHTMARES other children were living in. If only I had been able to peek into their homes and see just how amazing it was for me.
I am so blessed to have what I have. Right now. I appreciate everything a little more. Even in this tragedy for my husband and his family, I can see what I need to be thankful for.
Give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. I Thes 5:18
Friday, May 13, 2011
New Beginnings + Uncertainies = God's Perfect Plan
I had been meaning to start posting on this blog many many months ago. I just never got around to it. I have spent the last two weeks checking one of my closest friends blogs as she waited for her baby. I kept refreshing and going back and forth, hoping for news of the new life they would have. I even told her more than a few weeks ago to start putting her blog up and updating it every day so she would be sure to have it all recorded. I have always had the best of intentions or doing that myself... Yet I haven't quite made it.
Obviously you see I am posting today. This day, as the last week has been a total roller coaster ride. I was reminded that our futures are uncertain, and we don't know if tomorrow will always come. Be that figuratively or reality.
As I have watched my friend blog about the wonderful journey she has been on to bring precious Allie Beth into the world, the excitement has been building, and my heart has been filling with joy for her and her new family that is just beginning. And as happy as I am for her, my heart was also breaking in another part of my world.
My husband's sister fell into a coma, and has been on a ventilator since Monday morning. My heart breaks for her. It breaks for my mother in law, and my 3 nephews. And my heart not only breaks but aches for my husband and his hurt. He hasn't been particularly close or in the day to day lives of his sister or his nephews for quite some time now. It doesn't mean he doesn't love her, because its his sister, of course he does. Our family was just going in a different direction than hers was, and we just had different goals for where we wanted our families to be. So now, I watch my husband in pain. I want to make it go away, and I can't. Even though he knows he has been right to distance himself from her... he feels guilty for having done so, as if he betrayed her in some way.
Likewise for my Mother-in-Law. It is no secret that there is a pretty substantial divide between her and I, but today, I didn't see the woman that has hurt me or hurt my husband. I saw a woman whose child is about to die, struggling not to melt into the floor. I saw a woman who is trying to hold herself together for 3 grandsons at home about to lose their mother. I can not even begin to imagine how horrific it is for her. I can't even begin to put myself in her shoes. As I do, the enormity of the emotions begins to wash over me and i shrug it off because I can't allow myself to go there and feel it. She doesn't have that choice. Its not going anywhere. She has to face it. That too makes me ache for her.
As she left the hospital today, she came up to me and told me how good a wife I was, and that I was a good mother, much better than she had ever been. She choked up at the end. I am in no place to judge her. I was in no place to say Thank You. I just told her I did the best that I could. She broke down in sobs and walked away.
That's the point tonight. Always do the best that you can. That's all we can ask of ourselves or anyone else. You can't have regrets if you do your best. No matter the situation, and no matter if tomorrow never comes, if you have done your best.... then the best happened.
Tomorrow may be the last for my husband's sister, and it may not. Either way, its a beginning, and I will do my best in everything I do. I don't want to have a tinge of regret in my heart.
Commit to the lord whateverr you do, and your plans will succeed. Proverbs 16:3
Obviously you see I am posting today. This day, as the last week has been a total roller coaster ride. I was reminded that our futures are uncertain, and we don't know if tomorrow will always come. Be that figuratively or reality.
As I have watched my friend blog about the wonderful journey she has been on to bring precious Allie Beth into the world, the excitement has been building, and my heart has been filling with joy for her and her new family that is just beginning. And as happy as I am for her, my heart was also breaking in another part of my world.
My husband's sister fell into a coma, and has been on a ventilator since Monday morning. My heart breaks for her. It breaks for my mother in law, and my 3 nephews. And my heart not only breaks but aches for my husband and his hurt. He hasn't been particularly close or in the day to day lives of his sister or his nephews for quite some time now. It doesn't mean he doesn't love her, because its his sister, of course he does. Our family was just going in a different direction than hers was, and we just had different goals for where we wanted our families to be. So now, I watch my husband in pain. I want to make it go away, and I can't. Even though he knows he has been right to distance himself from her... he feels guilty for having done so, as if he betrayed her in some way.
Likewise for my Mother-in-Law. It is no secret that there is a pretty substantial divide between her and I, but today, I didn't see the woman that has hurt me or hurt my husband. I saw a woman whose child is about to die, struggling not to melt into the floor. I saw a woman who is trying to hold herself together for 3 grandsons at home about to lose their mother. I can not even begin to imagine how horrific it is for her. I can't even begin to put myself in her shoes. As I do, the enormity of the emotions begins to wash over me and i shrug it off because I can't allow myself to go there and feel it. She doesn't have that choice. Its not going anywhere. She has to face it. That too makes me ache for her.
As she left the hospital today, she came up to me and told me how good a wife I was, and that I was a good mother, much better than she had ever been. She choked up at the end. I am in no place to judge her. I was in no place to say Thank You. I just told her I did the best that I could. She broke down in sobs and walked away.
That's the point tonight. Always do the best that you can. That's all we can ask of ourselves or anyone else. You can't have regrets if you do your best. No matter the situation, and no matter if tomorrow never comes, if you have done your best.... then the best happened.
Tomorrow may be the last for my husband's sister, and it may not. Either way, its a beginning, and I will do my best in everything I do. I don't want to have a tinge of regret in my heart.
Commit to the lord whateverr you do, and your plans will succeed. Proverbs 16:3
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