A Girl's Night

Sometimes in life it takes something frightening to grab you by the neck to get your attention. Our marriage has been such a blessing in my life. My husband has beyond surpassed all that I prayed he could be. It's hard in life when you hit a speed bump. When the blue skies turn grey. (Which has been normal in the weather with us lately) Last weekend I received a scary phone call from my husband. He was at work, and they told him that he needed to be admitted to the ER for some scans. They had found a mass and were worried it was cancer. Um. Wow. One day, you're at a baby shower, planning on leaving to go to a house warming and BAM! Hello life! So I sped (not really, honey :-) to to ER to be by my precious husbands side. All the way thinking of how this was even possible for my husband, my superman, my rock, to be sick. There was no way. I hate hospitals. I hate hospital rooms. I hate hospital beds. I hate blood and nasty IV's that hang everywhere. I hate the smell. I was NOT ready to see my husband in this setting. Nope. I was a wreck the entire way there. Once I got to my husband's side, I was calm and at peace. I was strong. I have this crazy gift to be incredibly strong in difficult, and trying situations. Thank God. We were there all night waiting for more detailed scan results to see if it was cancer or infection, or what! As I sat there, I stared at my husband. In the hospital bed. With and IV in and cords all over the place. In pain. It wasn't fun. At all. After what seemed like days of waiting, the fabulous doctors finally came to a conclusion. My wonderful superman of a husband does not have cancer. The mass was an infection. They treated it with medication and we were told to keep an eye on all of his symptoms. If they went away in 10 days, he would be fine, and there would be no reason for him to follow up. Thank God, after the longest 10 days of my life, the infection is gone, and my husband is healthy! Praise God! I love my husband so much, and I am even more thankful when God blesses our family with another day of gorgeous life.
During this same week, we were informed that my granddaddy of 94 was put in the hospital as well. Shoo. It was a long and discouraging week to be honest! He's now home and healthy. I swear, that man conquers everything!
On the first day my husband went back to work, my sister and I had had tickets for a while for an event. "Death By Chocolate" Florida's Funny Lady. We were very excited, but didn't really know what to expect. So we met up for dinner and headed to the event. Once we walked in, all we saw was a sea of women, chocolate, boas, tiaras, and PINK was EVERYWHERE!!! We both gasped and if you know me, you could only imagine my reaction to all of this! It was amazing! Then we sat down. The Florida's Funny Lady is a Christian Comedian who can make you laugh until your cheeks hurt! (Isn't that the BEST feeling! Especially after the week we'd had!) Then she shares her testimony and makes you feel like God loves you more than anything. And He does! It was JUST the EXACT thing that I needed (God knew! He's so clever!) after such an insane week that we had had. God loves me, He thinks that I am beautiful, and I can survive anything!

Mamma Mia

It's a fabulous musical. Created all off of fabulous music from ABBA. I grew up dancing with my father to ABBA on his record player. I love them, and always will. When we found our Mamma Mia was coming to Nashville again, we knew we just had to go! John had never been and was so excited, and well, I've been a time or two, or 6, so I was excited to go too! One thing led to another and before we knew it it was us plus our friends Holly, Leslie, and my sister, April! We were so excited to spend the time together! We met up and left for dinner at PF Changs. It was so delicious as always! While we were there I couldn't help but look around our table and feel so thankful to be eating with four of my most favorite people in the world! I love my friends so much. Yes, I'm classifying my husband and sister as my friend, because they are! They are my best friends! I love all them so much, and I was so grateful to get to spend the fun evening with them! The show was phenomenal! It was opening night, and the cast had great chemistry! The voices were fabulous and we soaked up every ounce of it all! Once it ended, we were all so energized and filled with excitement I'm such a blessed lady to have these special people in my life. Thank you for loving me, supporting me, and being my friend John, April, Holly, and Leslie. I love you guys!

My Mother

That's a bold statement above. We just celebrated the fabulous day of birth of my amazing mother! We had our family over and my grandparents for white chili, dark chili, and an array of desserts! We had a blast all being under one roof for a change! We three kids went all out for our mother this year! You see, it apparently takes a lot to be a mother. So I've heard! It's the hardest job. So I've heard! It's the most rewarding job. So I've heard! And to raise me was a toughy to say the least. I was a little, well, "spit fire" as they all say. As I grew up, things didn't get easier either. Yikes for teenage years! Shoo! So to be MY mother was TOUGH I know for a fact! And rewarding too I'm sure. As I've gotten older, I've learned, respected, and admired my mother more and more. My mother is my best friend. She is my rock. My lovely teacher. She taught me to place a napkin in my lap. She taught me to love a child. She taught me to give the "evil eye". Well, maybe that was just genes! Yes! She taught me how to be a wife. She taught me how to throw a perfect party from start to finish. She taught me how to love, to be loved, to raise a Christian family, and to be a mother. Although, I may not be a mother myself just yet, I know that I had the BEST influence growing up!
I know one specific event that I will always remember. Someone once said that you have to practice what you preach. You have to not only teach your children to love God, but you have to SHOW your children that YOU love God. That's easier said then done sometimes huh! One specific day back at home I was getting ready in our one bathroom for something. It was just me and mom home. I kept yelling her name and she wouldn't respond. Over and over, "Mom! Mooom? MOOOOM???? MOOOOOOOOO-AAAAA!!!!!!!" (See, "spit fire") She would not answer me! I KNEW she heard me! We lived in a very small country home and you could hear everything all over the house! We loved it! So, being the "spit fire" that I WAS (heh) I stormed through the house looking for her furious of course because she didn't drop what she was doing to help ME, the number one most important person in the world at the moment! After searching through every room. ( It didn't take long) I found her dropped to her knees at her bedside crying out to God. Talking to Him like He was there. Just talking to Him like I would talk to a friend. I'll never forget my emotion at that moment. I was amazed. It was right there at the bottom of her steps in her doorway that I realized that God was the most important thing in this world. God was there for us, and He is our friend. He is most important. Not me, not my question that I had at the time, not her, but Him! She knew that. She showed me that right there that day. Whether she realized it or not. She did. It was such a beautiful thing, and I will never forget that about my mother! I love her for her values, love towards God, love towards her husband, and love towards her children. She has above and beyond truly shown me what a mother is supposed to be to her family.
I love you mom, and Happy Birthday to the most fabulous queen ever!!! Truly, a class act.

Beauty

I had the privilege to help my favorite two girls get ready for a very special evening the other night. I love these two girls so much! I am so proud of them! They are two wonderful, Christian ladies. Can you believe they will be in high school next year? Goodness, time flies! I got to pick them up from school early and take them back to their house to do their hair and help them get ready! Aren't they beyond gorgeous!

Happy Valentines Day!

Valentines Day was all spread out for us this year since it fell on a Sunday. For our Valentines for each other this year we picked out a kitchen table and got tickets to see John Mayer. Both were simply beautiful. We have been using a kitchen table that we had borrowed since we've been married. We figured almost 2 years of marriage made us due a kitchen table that fit in with our house. We love it! In fact, we love it so much that we stayed up all night the day we got it to put it together. Sadly, I don't have pictures from it because it was, as I said, very late, and we were very determined to get it finished. There was no time for photographs! John Mayer was a blast! When he came several years ago, I had actually won tickets to see him. If you know me, you know that several years ago when he came I was on a van with Centri-Kid approaching Nashville. Not at the concert. John went with my sister instead! Too cute! So this year, we decided we should go together! It was a beautiful concert, and we were very thankful to be a part of it! Sadly, the only pictures I have from that night are on my phone. Geeze, what is with me! So those were our Valentines for our Valentine!
This weekend, mom and dad came over to make Valentine cookies for her Sunday school class. We got a bit carried away and decided to make ever MORE so we could share with everyone! It was so much fun cooking in my kitchen with them! I have so many wonderful memories growing up cooking back at home with my parents. The yellow cakes with chocolate icing that always crumbled because dad and I weren't patient enough to wait for the cake to cool, the fried okra that mom would have to explain to me several times, the pancakes, the brownies...well, the list could go on, but I'd prefer to not get sappy and start crying thinking back to the little girl days. So it was a definite treat to have them cooking in my kitchen with me! They all turned out so great!
This morning I made toast. Ha. Not exciting I know! Those were my thoughts exactly when I asked my husband what he wanted this morning for breakfast. So, knowing me, I got real creative! Heart shaped, powdered sugared, red sprinkled toast. It was complete with Hazelnut coffee with whipped cream and topped with a heart shaped pink marshmallow. This Valentines day was special is so many ways to us.
We were so excited to get to celebrate the ultimate love of Christ this morning together at church. What a more better way to celebrate the day of love then to worship our King! The Creator who loved us so much that He gave His only Son to die on the cross for our sins. What an amazing sacrifice. We loved praising His name, singing as loud as we could to Him, and learning even more about His greatness on this precious day of love.
From our home to yours, Happy Valentines Day!

What Are We Doing Today?

Absolutely nothing!

Two Birthdays in One Week

This week has been a blast in our family! We have celebrated the birth of BOTH of John's parents! Monday night we celebrated his father's birthday at his parents home with his family and grandparents. We had Cajun Broil, salads, and cherry cheesecake and coffee for dessert! So delicious! It was a real treat! We enjoyed an evening of catching up and celebrating what a great father John has. He's a pretty cool cat if I do say so myself! I honestly would not have wanted any other man to have raised my husband but him! He did an incredible job of raising his son to be a wonderful husband and one day I know that he'll make a wonderful father to his own children! I'll tell you what I like most about Steve is that he loves his family. He'll do anything for them! He's such a hard worker; I don't know how he does what he does everyday. His family appreciates him and respect him as a wonderful father figure. I will always respect him as a father-in-law. He's goofy, hilarious, he'll kick your bootie at Army video games....(well...), he can play one mean guitar solo, he accepted me with loving arms into his family, and loves his family to pieces!
Tonight we got to host my mother-in-law's birthday party at our house! I was so super excited, because, again, if you know me, I'm huge on birthdays being special! I couldn't wait to make hers extra special for her tonight! John and I worked all day on the house making sure everything was spick and span. We cooked, and baked the best desserts ever! We couldn't wait for everyone to see them; it was too much fun! We made chili for our meal, which was actually her dad's recipe. For dessert we made a variety of brownies topped with cream cheese icing, pink heart shaped marshmallow, and red and pink sprinkles, with a new recipe of coffee sugar cookies for their coffee which was topped with whipped cream, sprinkles, and pink heart shaped marshmallows. Her special "cake" was made of four brownies to create one large one that had a large cream cheese icing heart, sprinkles, and candles on top! It was all themed (of course) and was absolutely adorable! I think that she was very excited about her "Birthday Table" She said she never had one before! I was honored to get to share our "Birthday Table" tradition with her! I told her in our house we'll always have a birthday table!! It's a HUGE deal people! After dinner, she split to the bathroom (TMI?) We saw this as the perfect opportunity to set up the table again, light up the candles, and sing as she came back in the kitchen! It was too cute! I think she was surprised! We had a blast planning it all out today and then spending time with family. It was an honor celebrating Andrea's life tonight. A mother is the most important job a woman has, especially when raising a son. My oh MY, how is a woman supposed to marry off 3 men? I dunno! But I guess we'll ask her and my sis after they've done it! I hope I'm dead and buried before I have to marry one of my children away! Too tough for me to handle people! Anyways! All my life, I prayed for a man. I prayed for John. I prayed for his family. When God sent me John, He sent me an incredible family. When John's mother raised him, she taught him how to be loving, compassionate, and a caring man to his wife. I thank her for that. She did a mighty fine job! I thank God that they prayed for me too, and that God sent us together. I'm very blessed to call them all family. We hope these two days were special to you both, because you two are so special, and mean the world to us!

Everything Has a Theme

If you know me, you know that I'm a themed kinda' girl! Everything needs and deserves a theme! Everything! It's how I work, it keeps life fun and exciting! So, keeping with the theme of the upcoming celebration of Valentines Day, I brought out some "love" stuff! What better theme to decorate for than love!
Especially when there are gobs and gobs of wedding pictures I can display right? So I pulled out some fun little albums I've put together in the past, pulled out some rose petals and pink, pink, pink! What better way to create a table center piece then polka dots, rose petals, and feathers!! Anyone remember where those came from? So glamorous!

Saturday Updates

We have really enjoyed our past few weeks here in our little world. I've been greatly (being an understatement) adjusting to a short term teaching position. Harley got his "big pup" hair do. God's been tearing up our hearts for many, many different decisions. We have soaked up our family as much as possible. While soaking up each other as much as possible. Needless to say we have a lot to be thankful for. Early in the weekend, we went to a basketball game and spent time with John's family. We ate dinner, watched basketball, talked, yelled, played with baby Baylee, yelled some more, played with baby Baylee some more, and really enjoyed each others company! I am so thankful for all of them! Today, we celebrated one precious baby girl's first birthday! It was an absolutely adorable birthday party from start to finish! It was great to see all of my mom's side of the family together with all the babies running around. Trust me, there are a LOT! And it is a BLAST! I thank God so much for blessing our family with these healthy, happy children! They are really a treat to be around! Later, my parents, sis, bro.in.law, and boys came over to visit. We had a blast together! Played in the floor, played the wii, talked about God, and simply enjoyed each others company. Again, we have a lot to be thankful for. Weekends really are my favorite time of the week. It's the time when I get to see all of our family and spend quality time with everyone. Here in our little world, we would love to ask you to pause and pray for us. We have a lot of things that we feel God is laying on our hearts, and we are asking for His will in our marriage. We want to answer His call, whatever it may be. Join us in prayer if you wish. We thank you for it!

Finally

With Christmas, illness out the wazoo, snow, snow, and more snow, I finally got to see my family today! And finally is actually a HUGE understatement! I haven't seen my dad since BEFORE Christmas, and actually, haven't even talked to him! That's sickening! And I haven't seen my own mother or adorable sis and nephews in weeks and weeks and weeks! OK. I'll stop moaning and groaning! Because today I did finally get to see them and for that I am VERY thankful! And I got to take lots of fun pictures of them!

I love my family so much, and I soaked up every moment that I got to spend with them today! The boys are growing at rapid speed and getting cuter by the minute!

Oldest, B, is talking about playing basketball. I educated him on jammed fingers and how that is totally normal and NOT a big deal. We played checkers together and "Old Man" (Bible version of Old Maid).Middle, A, is off the wall hilarious with jabber and giggles every moment. I taught him to stick out his tongue of course, and we are working on pointing and saying "No, no, no!" Nana is in on the action as well, so it's all fun and games for everyone!Youngest, C, is cooing, drooling, and smiling at every little thing! He's ticklish like none other, and smells like the most beautiful baby in the world!My sister is adorable as always, looks like she's never had children, and always has useful coupon information for me! And my awesome mother was fabulous with the food and her over all presence and laughter. And Daddy was wise and hilarious as usual! Geeze! Can you tell I missed them! I am so blessed and very thankful to have enjoyed such a wonderful day with them.

A First

One priority that we have in our marriage is to continue to live every day to its fullest. It's so easy to get into the "routine" of things and live each day as the last. We like to keep things interesting. Another fact about us is that we love learning new things about each other. It's a life long process and we love every moment of it! The other night, John learned that I had never been to a hockey game, and I learned that he was oddly in love with hockey. So, we decided we would have a date and go see the Predator's. So, we fought the treacherous snow storm and headed to the game! (...snow storm?...) Now I am really one to get into sports.

I may not enjoy watching them continually on TV, or freak out if I miss a "big game", but live sports are a blast for me. You know, stand and scream, yell, really get into it, yes, that's me! And apparently, learning something new everyday, my husband loves them too! It's so nice to be married to someone who is competitive like me!We arrived at the game nice and early, got some rocking tickets and enjoyed the game! It was so awesome! (For lack of a better word!) It really was too cool! I was into it the entire time, and was actually sad when it was over. Needless to say, we will definitely be returning to another game!