Inspiration...

I read an article today that brought tears to my eyes.... A friend from Booneville is married to a man and shortly after they were married, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She shared an article from her blog about everything that had happened. Right now he is learning his numbers again. Can you imagine? Genie Alice (my friend and the wife) had said how frustrated he was getting when he could not write the number nor say it. She shared some other stories that have just inspired me to be a better mother and a wife. I have sort of been in her shoes wih my daddy and while reading her article, flashbacks kept popping in my head. But the tears I shed this morning has also inspired me to be a better nurse. I have recently changed jobs to be a hospice nurse. So far I love it! I think my experience with my daddy had a lot to do with this career change. I hope that I can only be the best nurse I can be.
Genie Alice stated that God was telling her that she needed to share her story and the only way she felt she could was to blog. She has a blog and I will try to post the link. This young lady is so courageous and kind. She said it was difficult to see people with children knowing that her plans for children were not in the picture now, but she knew that God will show her the way. I guess the purpose of this blog is mainly for me to just write down my feelings right now. However, I want to challenge each of you or whoever reads this to never take for granted what you have. I know I am starting right at this exact momment.
I have muh more to catch up on on here so I will definitely be blogging tonight. This is hard to do on my phone! Hope you all have a nlessed day!

Weekend drama

What I thought was going to be a peaceful, kid-free (no offense to my precious babies) weekend on the water, ended up being a weekend to remember....and not a good memory! Zack and I went to our friend's cabin in Pickwick for the weekend of Memorial day. We left that Friday and had such a good time that night and then on the boat Saturday. Our plans were to stay until Monday, but my moma instinct kicked in and I wanted my babies. They didn't want to stay away from us and I felt the same way! Anyways, I will post some weekend pics after I get to the story...I came home bright and early Sunday morning to find out that Ella Kate had an accident. Turns out that when she was with moma at the country club swimming that she fell down and hurt her leg. They did not panic because no symptoms of injury were not present at the time. Therefore they thought there was no need in calling me...However, the OCD nurse that I am, I took one look at her leg when I got home and knew it was broken. She would not walk and screamed with pain. Every urgent care was closed of course since it was Memorial Day weekend, so I had no choice but to go to Booneville ER. Ella Kate, Barnes and I sat and waited for FOREVER! I know those people felt sorry for me with 2 kids both screaming in terror, but we made the best of it. Anyways, long story short Ella Kate has a broken leg and we are now in a cast. A cast that looks like I plastered pepto bismol all over it! But she had to have pink so we got pink.

She doesn't walk, so my two year old has now turned back in to a baby and has to be held at all times. She does crawl at times but refuses to walk on her boot cast. By the way....my back is killing me! You add her weight and the weight of the cast and compare it to me....not a good thing! This past week was our first of many with a cast. Taking baths are horrible and swimming is not even a subject we discuss. Ella Kate just wants to be held or pushed in her stroller or wagon. It is SO pitiful to watch her. She just cries and tries to take her cast off because she wants shoes on. I sometimes cry myself! But with God's help, she will heal fast and eventually walk. And oh yea, he will help me remain sane!

Today we went back for xrays and cast check and guess what???? There was a small object showing up on her xrays. It was located on the right side of her foot. I knew what it was...pee gravel. That's what they have at the swing set that she plays on while Barnes has Tball. And then guess what....they had to remove the cast and put a new one on! Talk about one mad little girl. When he sawed off her pink "boot" as she calls it, she had a fit! But she was relieved to find that he put one right back on. Can't wait to see that huge bill...uh!!! Here is what she looked like before with the first cast. I didn't take any of the new yet but it looks the same....looking forward to a boring summer with no water....yay....uh. We will make the best of it though. Only 5 weeks to go!

PS... I have lots of pictures from Ella Kate's birthday party that I will post asap. FYI: she wore a tu tu to match her cast!

Checkin' In

Well....I thought I was going to get to blog in peace, but I was wrong....very wrong... As I sit here in my pjs (the same pjs I put on after church today) Ella Kate is sitting in my lap saying "hold me, hold me". However when I plopped her prissy tail up here she only wanted to mooch off of my diet coke and green beans! Now she is saying "I see, I see" (see the computer). Notice that she repeats herself twice. Now multiply the word "passy" minus the P times about a thousand and see what you get! My answer is "CRAZY"! Or that's how I feel when she says it over and over again until she finds the exact passy she wishes for. She is so dramatic! But she is so funny! I want another baby like NOW and she tells her daddy all the time, "baby, baby"! I can't wait!

Anyways, lots to tell about our lives here lately. First of all, I want to say that Zack, the kids, and I have officially joined East Booneville Baptist Church and I am SUPER excited! I fell in love with this church the first day we went. I feel more and more welcome every time we go. And Barnes and Ella Kate love going to Sunday School. That is the one thing that means so much to me. Barnes was actually hesitant when we started Sunday school. We had just been attending Big Church for about 4 months and we sat in front of a dear couple that immediately made us feel so welcome. They are the Beasley's. They have probably been married over 60 years. They remind me so much of Moma Tom and Pop. (speaking of, please if you read this keep Moma Tom and Pop in your prayers. thank you) Back to the Beasley's, Barnes loved them and hugged Mrs. Liz's neck every Sunday (even the first time we went!). He said "She looks like Tom"! I knew God had brought us there for a reason. It turns out that Mrs. Liz was Mr. Jimmy Scott's (a dear family friend that has past away recently) sister. I knew I had seen her before. It was when I took care of Mr. Jimmy in the hospital that we first met. So long story short, one Sunday I saw Mrs. Liz come in with a bag full of kid's drawings and of course, Scooby Snacks. I then asked her if she taught Sunday school and she told me she had been teaching for over 40 years! We talked and then she asked Barnes would he come to her class. She taught 4 year olds and at the time Barnes had just turned 3, but she insisted he come and Barnes told her he would. The next Sunday we went to her room and he ran in and she picked him up like he was her own. I about cried. She is the sweetest lady I know and I hug her every Sunday for helping Barnes learn about God and caring so much for him. I just LOVE her! Ella Kate enjoys her class too. She will move up soon from the nursery but I know she will enjoy it.

We attended Booneville's Relay for Life at the beginning of May, and had TOO much fun! It is a sad event, but I wouldn't miss it for the world. I wish I had a recording of what all Barnes sais about my daddy that night. It was so sweet. I will post pics. The sweetest thing about the night was Barnes and Mrs. Liz. I am not sure what kind of cancer survivor she is, but Barnes spotted her out while they were making the survivor lap and he ran to her. It was the sweetest moment. And of course she picked him up and hugged him! I will post a picture! I think I spent over $50 that night on spray paint faces, mohawk hair, 4 jumping houses, food, etc but I wouldn't have it any other way!

This is from Barnes, EK, and Jackson

Barnes getting "sprayed up"!

Mrs. Liz and Barnes! We love her so much!

Barnes running after Mrs. Liz....priceless!

What she does best....eating!

Tball is in full speed now. We have played two games and ...... well it wears me out! There is NO purpose in Tball besides kids jumping on top of each other trying to get a ball. Might I mention these kids are on the same team! And my son of all people just wonders around and could care less! I don't know what his deal is. I think he is just bored. O well, I think we will skip next year and go straight to Coach Pitch! Here's a few pics though.

As you can see we stay busy busy busy around our house! I wish I could share lots more but I have got to get these sleepy kids in the bath and off to bed.... They have had NO NAP today so you can imagine how ill I am! I will try and blog again tonight when kids go to bed...key word TRY!! That is if I am not dead asleep myself! Happy Sunday!

Barnes' First Tball Practice!

Barnes had his first Tball practice this past Thursday!!! I think I was more excited than he was! I was ready for him to meet the team and well just get to play with kids his age. All but 2 team members showed up so I thought that was pretty good...

Barnes was decked out in his "real" baseball pants and jersey. He was making me hot just looking at him! But he would NOT have it any other way! Nothing was missing...he had his cap, helment, batting gloves, cleets, socks, and of course pants and jersey. This boy is going to put me in debt buying this stuff! But when it comes to my baby, I don't care!

Anyways, Zack is the coach...period. I will say no more. However...I (the moma) have been doing most of the coaching at home...calling parents, dealing with parents, dealing with coaches, setting up practices, ordering uniforms.....and well you name it, I have and am still doing it.... But I won't complain.

He is playing at Baldwyn this year because they have to be 5 to play in Booneville, which by the way I think is CRAZY! So we will make an exception just this year.... and hopefully he can play at 4 in Booneville. I just want him to be around children his age and learn who he will be going to school with. I know right now it is good for him to be around those that he will attend The Honey Tree with. Believe it or not, Barnes had an experience with some MEAN kids at Shannon where moma teaches and well lets just say he and I both were in tears. I won't go into detail but the MOMA came out in me that day, and it was NOT a good one. When your child comes up to you and says "Mommy I can't make friends, and they won't play with me..." with tears rolling down his cheeks...I had no idea what to say. What I wanted to say was NOT good! Needless to say those kids were horrible. How does a 3 year old know that he can't make friends?? Where did he learn this? All I could do was get mad and cry. I mean, how did I make my first friends? I cannot remember..... I just remember having LOTS of them. And all I could think about the rest of the day was.... will my baby not have friends? I was so upset. I am such a worry wart but this one topped it off. Nothing makes me more angry then someone picking on MY child. Oh, I was one HOT moma....But we did end up finding one nice little boy to play with Barnes and he survived the rest of the afternoon.

Anyways back to Tball, I just want Barnes to have fun and make friends...I sound like Mr. Rogers, but I do...He is finally attending Sunday School by himself thanks to Mrs. Liz who Barnes adores! She invited him one day and he walked right in!!! The boys are a year older than Barnes but he hangs right in there with them! And now he loves to go every Sunday. I am SO thankful fo that!

As for the Red Sox Tball team... I can't wait for our next practice! It was so much fun! Here are some pics!!

He is getting TOO BIG!

Making friends with Maddox. This is Shanna McCarley's little boy. She and I were friends at this age! Barnes said "I wike (like) Maddox"! Yay!

Another lefty!!

I hope they become good friends!!!

Walking to first base!

Our team ready to run the bases!

Coach Zack...

Bon Bon helping Barnes get the ball!

Running bases with Maddox!!

Okay this one makes me cry... my little baseball player!

Jackson is 1!!!

Okay so I know this is a REALLY late blog but I was going through pictures on my camera and absolutely HAD to blog about my Jack Jack turning ONE! By the way...I have got to get pics developed....I have pictures on my card from last year (like before Thanksgiving) that I haven't developed yet! I know... I know... I have got to get on the ball!

Anyways, back to Jack Jack....I really wish this crappy printer over here would scan his invitation because it was priceless! I have it in front of my desk at work....even though he has bulldog tatoos on both little cheeks! I just love him!

The party was at Maggie and Seth's on March 20 after Jackson was baptized that day. Now I really wish I had pictures of that! He kept reaching for us in the audience. My kids did the same so...But anyways, the party was GGGGreat! We had so much fun and there were tons of people there! Here are the pics. Hope you enjoy!

P.S.This poor baby is actually getting to eat REAL food now...Thank the Lord!