Happy 18th Birthday Kate!

This one, my only girl child... she turned 18 in February. 

Yeah, 18. I can't believe it either.

Will's 15th Birthday!

This is what happens when you neglect your blog. You spend countless hours trying to catch up on life that has already happened. You write posts about birthdays that have come and gone. You sit in front of a blank computer screen thinking, "Geesh, It's the end of July and I'm writing about my son's birthday that we celebrated back in November." Don't be like me. Don't neglect your blog!

A Birthday and My Frustrations

My oldest child celebrated his 22nd birthday back in April.

Happy Birthday Kate

  We celebrated a birthday around here in February.

 

My baby girl turned 17.

Thankful in 2012

Well, it's 3:00 am and I'm wide awake. That's one thing about being on break from school... we (that would be the kids and me) stay up late at night and then sleep late the next day. So, my internal clock is out of whack!

Random Summer Stuff

 I couldn't help but share this picture. It's our little diva after her first trip to the groomer's this summer. :)

 

 

 

Also, this summer a certain someone (who shall remain nameless) celebrated her 43rd birthday.

A Birthday and a Story

We celebrated a birthday this month. Our oldest son turned 21.

Ryan, 1 year old

This is my favorite picture of him as a baby! I am flooded with so many memories when I look at this picture. I just want to reach into the photo and pick him up... he's so adorable!

After Kate's ballgame, we celebrated Ryan's birthday with dinner at Chili's. Then we followed up with dessert at La' Berry's Frozen Yogurt Cafe.

Sweet Sixteen

We recently celebrated a birthday around here. I can't believe my Kate is 16.

her flowers that her daddy hand-delivered to her at school



 Why, it seems like just yesterday...

Birthdays

We've had the privilege of celebrating 3 birthdays in the past two months, well actually 5 in both sides of our family, but only 3 that we were directly involved in celebrating :).

In October, my dh celebrated his 43rd...

out to eat lunch on his birthday

Birthdays and Wisdom

Another year older, another year wiser? Hmm... Maybe so. I turned 42 on August 26th. I've never really had a fear of growing older. In fact, I look forward to growing old with my husband. You know -- gray hair and rocking chairs kind of old. I don't think he feels the same way though. Not about growing old along with me, just growing old in general :).

My birthday fell on a Friday this year. Which means we spent my special day traveling to north Georgia to watch our Appling Christian Academy Eagles play football. It's a good thing I love watching football! We don't have a cheer squad this year. Only four girls showed an interest in cheering and the cheer coach decided that four was not enough to have a proper squad. So instead of standing on the sidelines, cheering the boys on, this year Kate stands on the sidelines serving the boys as "water girl."

He's No Longer a Teenager

20 years ago yesterday, I journeyed into that realm of life known as motherhood. I do love strolling down memory lane, reminiscing, recalling, remembering. Care to join me?

It really isn't even my due date yet. My doctor has plans to be out of town the following week, on my actual due date, and he recommends labor induction. I am young, naive. I don't know better. I am ready to meet my baby.

Fifteen Candles

Fifteen years ago, on February 24th at precisely 11:24 am, the Lord saw fit to bless our family with a beautiful, healthy baby girl. She weighed 8 pounds, 8 ounces and she captured my heart immediately. She has brought me so much joy (and some anguish, of course) and my life has been so much the richer because of her. I thank the Lord every day for the joy and privilege of being her mom. I love you Kate!

Through the years...

On This Day in 1998

The day began like any other day. I was heavily pregnant with my third child. "Bay Will," as he was affectionately called by my almost-three year old daughter, (she couldn't quite pronounce the word 'baby') was exactly one week late, according to my doctor's timetable.

My doctor had encouraged me to consider labor induction, but I had gone that route with my two previous pregnancies. This time I wanted to wait and let God bring this baby on His timetable.

I had been having contractions off and on for the last few days, but this day was different. As I have already stated, I didn't go into labor on my own with my previous pregnancies, so I didn't have much with which I could compare it. But these contractions felt different. I knew that my baby was getting ready to make his debut!

I spent a good portion of that day walking, as per instructions from my doctor's office. By around 8:00 pm, the contractions were regular and timely, and after a call to the hospital, things were set in motion. A quick call to our parents, followed by dropping our kids off at a friend's house, and we were off to the hospital.

At about 9:00 pm, as we walked into triage at the hospital, we were greeted with these words: "Oh no, not another one." These are not exactly words you want to hear at a time like this. As it turned out, all the labor and delivery rooms were full that night. And two more expectant couples came in behind us!

We were taken to the waiting room in labor and delivery to await a room. I was restless and felt the need to walk. As I walked around in that small, confined waiting room I actually felt my baby drop! The nurse instructed to me to stay put in my wheelchair, telling me that it wouldn't be long for me. I was scared and excited, all at the same time!

After a short wait, I was taken back to be checked, finally. This nurse was surprised to find that I was dilated to an 8 already, and as she was checking me, my water broke. She informed me there would be no time for the epidural I had requested. Now I was no longer excited, just scared.

I was moved into a recently vacated labor and delivery room and literally, after just a few pushes, at 12:07 am on November 18, 1998, William John left the safety and comfort of my womb and made his entrance into this world. My precious baby boy weighed 8 pounds 6 ounces, and measured 21 and 1/2 inches in length. He had ten tiny fingers and ten tiny toes, and was perfect in every way.

Later, in the wee hours of the morning, comfortably snuggled in with my new baby, we discovered that a meteor shower had passed through. The labor and delivery nurses were attributing the meteor shower to the onset of all these labors.  :)

At the time, I didn't know what was happening outside the walls, but I do know that inside those hospital walls, I was falling in love all over again. This tiny bundle had already captured my heart when I found out I was expecting him, but seeing him for the first time, holding him in my arms, I was overcome by that fierce love for him, gripped with that protective instinct that is motherhood.

Today we celebrate his 12th year of life. Happy Birthday Will!

his first night home, with Kate and Grandmama

Christmas 1998

the game he wanted for his birthday

Family Matters

We attended the last football game of the season for our school last Friday night. We made it to the State Championship Game! But we didn't win. So we're not state champs, but our team certainly had a good season!

Kate, cheering at her last football game this year

Since the game was close to our families' hometown, we made plans to spend the weekend with them. With my husband's birthday being October 27th, and his dad's birthday November 1st, of course we had to have a birthday celebration!

My father-in-law is 84 this year, and my husband is 42. Exactly half his father's age. We had a joyous celebration... we love parties! God is so good to have blessed my dear fil with 84 years thus far.

 

my children with their granddaddy

with his children, except for his oldest son (who couldn't join us this time)

 We are so blessed to have him in our lives and are very grateful for the time we can spend with him!



We also spent some time with my family. Weekends at Nana and Papa's house are spent "hanging out" in the barn behind their house. They have converted part of the horse barn into a gathering place of sorts. Inside the barn is a wood-burning stove, which I absolutely love. On chilly nights, I spend most of my time there standing in front of this stove, or sitting in a chair pulled as close to it as I can get without burning myself or the chair. I'm not sure what it is about me and this stove, or a fireplace for that matter... lol.

my daughter, my brother and his two daughters, and my daddy

my son and his friend

my son and my brother

my brother and his son

my niece cuddling with Lizzy

Yes... when I count my blessings, family is pretty high on the list.  

Happy Birthday to my Wonderful Husband

Today is my husband's birthday.

his birthday celebration in 2007

We probably won't do much school today, just the basics. I want to have time to prepare a celebration for him! There are decorations to hang, a gift to wrap and brownies to bake (he prefers them to a cake!) And since we are trying to eat a little more healthy around here, I decided to try the dark chocolate brownies this time (hehe).

I'm not a fan of dark chocolate, but my husband likes it. So... we shall see what he thinks about his brownies!

I am so thankful for my husband. I am grateful that God picked him out just for me! Do we argue? Of course. Does he have quirky little habits that get on my last nerve? Certainly. (Don't we all?) But he is also kind-hearted and compassionate in his role of husband and father. He provides for us and tries hard to meet our needs.

So when his birthday comes around, we try to make it extra special for him! Of course, our goal is to show him our appreciation every day, but on his birthday we really want to show him just how special he is to us.

his brownies

his cake, which he might not want, but the rest of us do :)

So today we will celebrate. Tonight we will eat pizza with friends after church, and we will thank Him for another year with a wonderful husband and father. We will celebrate the life that He has given us, and we'll be careful to give the glory to our God, the source of all life and the source of our joy.

Celebrating Life

The calendar says I'm another year older. I, with all my physical aches and pains, can laughingly concur. These days, I would just as soon not recognize these yearly reminders of time passing by, but my children find delight in celebrating birthdays. No matter whose. No matter how many candles. Just simple joy in celebrating life.

And that's as it should be. Not celebrating me, specifically, but life in general. My heavenly Father has seen fit to bless me with 41 years in this realm of life. It hasn't always been an easy life; there have been many bumps along the way. But those have been the times when He has taught me much, when He has drawn me closer to Him.

He has blessed me so much in my 41 years, saving me from my wretched sin and granting me the opportunity to tell of His wonderful grace! He has given me the desires of my heart. As a little girl, I would dream of some day being a wife and mommy, and a teacher. I now hold all three of those titles close to my heart. I don't teach in the school system and I don't get paid (in money, that is), but my job (and the pay) is far better, imo!

If He chooses to give me another 41 years here, it won't be long enough to tell of His marvelous grace, His wonderful mercies, His enduring faithfulness to me. If I have one year left or 41 years, I want to spend it singing His praises, blessing His holy name. I don't want to get caught up in the negativism that I see all around me, the gloom and doom of the current economic situation, the ungodliness that has found its way from the large cities to the small towns, the less-than-perfect church with its less-than-perfect leaders. Life is too short to live that way.

If there's one thing (well, two things) that I want my children to say about me one day when I've gone on to be with Jesus, it's that momma loved Jesus, and she celebrated life. Because God values all life, and I think He wants us to celebrate it.

Our Oldest

Another year has been added to the life of my firstborn. I can scarcely believe that he is 19 years old.

Here we are out celebrating his birthday at his favorite restaurant in our small town, Village Pizza

You can tell that he is thrilled about me taking his picture!

I know I say this EVERY time we celebrate another birthday in our family...but really, WHERE does the time go? I guess while they're little it seems as if we'll be in a certain stage of life forever, but it truly does go by faster than we think!

I'm reminded of the words in the song, Don't Blink, by Kenney Chesney. I'm not a big country music fan, but I do like a few songs, like this one, with poignant messages. The chorus goes like this:

     Don't blink

     Just like that you're six years old and you take a nap and you

     Wake up and you're twenty-five and your high school sweetheart becomes your wife

     Don't blink

     You just might miss your babies growing like mine did

     Turning into moms and dads next thing you know your better half

     Of fifty years is there in bed

     And you're praying God takes you instead

     Trust me friend a hundred years goes by faster than you think

     So don't blink

Lately we've been having some struggles, my oldest and I. I had such a hard time when he moved out for college, and then when he moved back home at Christmas, you'd think I would have been thrilled! I guess the young man that moved back home wasn't exactly the same one who moved out a few months before.

I think it has been a series of power struggles for us...him becoming the independent young man God created him to be, yet me, trying to hold onto his youth and keep him under my wing, so to speak.

Yes, I know there comes a time when I have to really let go...and let God. I thought I had already reached that place, but apparently God is still teaching me how to let go. It hasn't been easy, but I daresay that we have grown in our relationship with each other, as well as with God.

I have two more following closely behind him...

Hopefully, God will help me have this parenting thing all sorted out by the time we reach this point with them. But, most likely, He will not. After all, if I had it all figured out, then I guess I wouldn't need Him. And that would be a sad day, indeed. May I never get to the point where I feel like I don't need God!

I am proud of the godly young man he is becoming, and I am genuinely thankful for the blessing he has been to me. I can see that God has great things in store for him; I can see that God is growing him in wisdom, and in his relationship with Him. I am thankful....

Party Scenes

the girls on Friday night

scenes from Saturday

They've decided to play King of the Hill, with my oldest being King; but if you'll look to the left of the photo, you'll notice my dh is on his way up to challenge the King.

Everybody knows you can't have two Kings!

I suppose you'd have to call it a tie.

They decided to try something different...kind of like pole-vaulting,

without the pole.

I don't think anybody actually cleared the wall.