The Weekend

This was another jam packed weekend, well at least for the most part. Friday Josie spent the night with Elias, Annaleigh, Aunt Crystal, and Uncle Chris. Elias had been wanting Josie to spend the night so Friday was as good as night as any. They had a blast. With Josie gone me and Lol went to dinner with my dad and then went to Lowes to price all the cosmetic stuff I'd like to do to the house. I still want to put in new countertops in the kitchen, put a new vanity in the bathroom, new floor in the bathroom, new mirror and light fixture in the bathroom, new surrounding walls for the tub, and new light fixture in the hallway. Dad and I priced everything and it will take between $500-$700.00 to do everything. Now of course that isn't everything because we still need new carpet, new windows, new doors throughout, we'll need a new roof soon, and we have some electrical stuff that needs to be worked on. But we're doing a little bit at a time. I'm sure by the time we finally get everything the way we want it, we will have outgrown the house and it will be time to sell. At least we should get a good bit more from it after all the improvements. For the meantime, I love our house and it is perfect for us for right now. Anyway, all of that to say that Lol and I had great quality time with Pap-paw. Jolie kept saying Pap-paw and helped him eat his hamburger and I really feel that it just made his night for her to be so in love with him. Joe spent the night in Greenville so that he could have some guy time. I'm not really sure of what all he did.

Saturday I took Jolie to Aunt Crystal's and Uncle Chris' so that she could be with the rest of the gang while me and Mama went to Tiffany's grandmother's funeral. It was a beautiful service and I cried almost the entire time. I really hope that when I die they can say the same things about me. It is definitely something to strive for. After the funeral I picked up the girls and I took them home for naps. They woke up about the time that Joe was getting home around 4:00-4:15 which gave me just enough time to get ready for my shower/Wetumpka After Dark. We had a lingerie shower for a close friend from church who is getting married and after the shower part we did the Wetumpka After Dark. It is like the Corks and Canvas place in Montgomery but with no alcohol. You paint a painting and there is someone there that tells you how to do it, step by step. Our paintings were angels. They all turned out fabulous. I need to take a picture and post it. I'm so excited. I keep looking at it thinking, I painted that. I put her in the hallway overlooking all three bedrooms, so that she can watch over us.

Sunday we had church and we were supposed to go swimming with Aunt Sheila, Uncle Quint, and Caden, but Josie kept misbehaving so we decided to end our empty threats and bribes, and we did not go as punishment. We did however go to Wal-Mart so that I could lunches for them at Erica's for the next two weeks. She was good enough to be able to spend some of the quarters that Uncle Ben had given her so that she could ride the rides they have in the front of the store. However her behavior went downhill from there and she had to go to bed early. She did wake up in a great mood this morning and got herself dressed all by herself and was a great helper this morning. So maybe us taking a stand to her yesterday actually did something. I don't know, we'll see.

So that was our weekend. This week is going to be busy as well. Joe and I have something tomorrow night. Thursday night is a crawfish thing we are supposed to be going to with some Robert Trent Jones people. And Friday I have a doctor's appointment. I have been having some health issues and so hopefully finally Friday I will get some answers. I am really nervous, but mainly just because I do not know what is going on with me.

Hopefully I can post a picture of my beautiful angel soon.

I like Uncle Ben

So often people tell me I need to write down all the hilarious things that Josie says, and I keep intending to do so, but to date have not started. Well last night what she had to say wasn't funny, it was sweet. Everytime I get off the phone with someone she always asks me who I had been speaking with. There are several people I talk to often and usually her response is "You were talking with _____ again!" Well last night I had called Ben and when I hung up Josie asked me her usual question of who I had been talking to. I told her Uncle Ben. She said I like Uncle Ben. I said awwwwwww, Uncle Ben loves you too, honey. It was so sweet and sincere. We always tell the girls we love them and they always hear us say we love you to other people, but we don't often talk about liking people.

Uncle Ben (and Aunt Tiffany, most of these include Aunt Tiffany) swam and played with her (and Jolie) in the ake on the 4th. Uncle Ben will give her the extra quarters he has in his pocket so that she can ride the horses at Wal-Mart. Uncle Ben will let her ride back to his or our house whenever we meet them out some where. Uncle Ben always wants her to sit on his lap and talk to him whenever he sees her. Uncle Ben always shares his food with her. Uncle Ben was waiting at the house the day she came home from the hospital. Uncle Ben came over to see her after both of her surgeries. She has lots of reasons to like and love her Uncle Ben and it was so sweet to hear her say that without any promtimg from me.

We all love you Uncle Ben and Aunt Tiffany:

Happy Birthday Sheila

Tomorrow is a very speical person's birthday-- Sheila. Sheila is one of my best friends and also my sister-in-law. I am so lucky and blessed to have her in my life. She and I have been through so much together and we both know that we can depend on the other no matter the situation. She has overcome so much and dealt faithfully with everything God has presented her with. I was often amazed at her courage and strength as she went through everything that Caden went through from knowing something was wrong while she was pregnant, to him having surgery a few days after he was born and spending time at Children's Hospital, to him having his kidney removed last August. There have been many other times that she has been faced with heartbreaking situations and while I was crying with her through them, I was amazed at how she handled them. I still do not know how she got through all that she has gone through.

Sheila is an awsome aunt to my girls. She spoils them and loves on them as if they were her own. She keeps up with everything they are doing and always checks on them when they are sick or not feeling well.

Sheila, I truly hope that you know how much you mean to me. Your friendship and sisterhood are very important to me. I treasure the memories of the trips we took before we had kids, and look forward to the ones we will take in the future. You always think of us when you know there is a Bible study going on at your church that you think we would be interested in. You were there when both of my girls were born cheering us on. You have comforted me when all I could do was cry. God could not have given me a better sister. I love you so much and can not wait until one day we can look back over the life we have shared and enjoy our grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great nieces and nephews and tell them about all the crazy stuff we did together.







Happy Birthday! I love you!
Jess

Generations

God has truly blessed my family and me with so many wonderful people. It is hard because I only get to see some of my family every 5-7 years or more. However, it does make me treasure what time I get to spend with them even more. My Grandma Berdine is an amazing woman. I have always looked up to her and have very fond memories of her. All that to say I want to share with you a few more pictures:

This is my 4 generations picture:


Here is my girls' four generations picture:


Two Pictures of me with Grandma Berdine aka Gigi:



My girls with Gigi:


Jolie with Gigi:


We love you Gigi!!!