I'm Impressed

For the past seven or more years of Joe's and my life, September and October have been ruled by the LGPA tournament in Prattville. When Joe worked in Prattville he always started working later than usual getting the course ready for the LPGA. This is a huge tournament. Well now that he has been in Greenville for the past two years, this tournament affected our lives for the better. Joe actually gets to work closer to home for a few days. This year he is only working the tournament yesterday and today. Yesterday he was asked to leave after lunch and be back at 6:00p.m. to spray. He called me to ask if that was okay. My response, "I don't really have a say, do I?" (I then told him to tell the guy over Prattville that he would do it if he would give him a job in Prattville.) So Joe left Prattville around 1:30 p.m. and went and got the girls so that they could see him before he had to leave again. When I got home a little after 5:00 p.m. Joe had the girls fed, sippy cups made for bedtime and for this morning, the dishwasher going, and their shoes in place for this morning. I was very impressed with him. Of course the girls did not take it very well that he had to leave to go back to work. Before leaving Joe searched all over for flashlights. Once he found some that he could use, he had to find some for the girls because they wanted one after seeing him with one. So after he left we went for a walk with our flashlights.

Sometimes I feel that we live separate lives. Either he has the girls or I have them. Almost like an episode of John & Kate Plus 8. It is not very often that you see both of us with them. This is very hard to deal with, especially because it is me alone with the girls the most. As we have been teaching the kids in Sunday School-- God has a plan. He had a plan when he put Joe in Greenville, and his plan continues to play out. We still do not know the outcome, but we are just living it one day at a time doing the best we can. It just makes the time we do all get to spend together that much more special and the things we do for each all the better.

Weekend Report

Jolie had her 2 year check up on Friday. She is doing excellent. However, I was right and they are referring us to an ENT because her tonsils (like Josie's) are quite large. So I foresee another surgery in our near future. Thank goodness she doesn't have the ear problems that Josie has had.

Friday night I had a Mary Kay party and we had an absolute blast. Josie and Catie (her friend) even got to partake in the fun. It was a spa party and so everyone had their own tub to soak their feet in. Josie and Catie thought they were big stuff. It was so cute watching them.

Saturday we had a family get together at Aunt Elisa's house. The girls wore themselves out and the food was sooo good. We left around 2:00 and headed home for naps. Later that evening Mary Kelley, Tim, Catie, and Jesse came over. We cooked out and watched sports. Tim even played the guitar for us. I wish all of you could have seen Jolie Hannah dancing. She had us all cracking up laughing. She was really getting in to it and was signing along (well not along, but she was singing).

Sunday morning was busy. We all got up early because Joe had Men's Breakfast at church and at that time we had planned to go to his grandmother's after church so we wanted to only take one car to church. The girls and I dropped him off at chruch at 8:30 a.m. and went to Wal-Mart to get some things that Erica needed, and we got back just in time for early morning singing at 9:15 a.m. where Jolie Hannah again amused the crowd with her dancing. She really gets in to it with her head and body. This was the first Sunday that Joe and Tim taught Sunday School. They had three little girls: Josie, Catie, and Ava. Josie came out knowing that they had talked about Joseph and had pictures that she had colored as proof, so all went well. We ended up not going to Grandma Green's because the family was not going to be in until later in the day so we went home and took naps. When we got up we watched a movie and then went outside for play time. A couple weeks ago I bought Josie a bike with training wheels that I found for five dollars, but she won't let us teach her how to ride it. I guess we need to get someone else to teach her. She won't listen to us not to put the brakes on and gets upset with us when we try to show her how. I know there are some things in life that it is better to have someone else teach you, and I guess this is going to be one of those things. So I guess now we just need to recruit someone. After playing for a while we decided to take Browning (our dog) for a walk. The Town of Elmore is just a great place to walk because there is hardly any traffic and tons of places to go. We ended up walking down a road that goes over the railroad tracks (which Josie thought was so cool). Well when we came back over we could see a train coming way down the tracks. So we waited around so that the girls could watch it pass by us. Well Josie got so excited and was running beside the train. Her face just lit up. Again, if I could freeze frame certain moments.

Joe is woking in Prattville today and tomorrow for the big golf tournament. Then this Saturday I am volunteering for a triathlon type thing here in Wetumpka. I am really excited to be a part of this. Our SOS group will be manning the mental challenge stations at Corn Creek Park.

We have a lot of family members that need prayers right now, so please keep all of our family in your prayers.

Happy Birthday Jolie!!!!!

Today is my sweet precious Lollie Girl's 2nd birthday. She is such a blessing to our family and our lives. I just could not imagine my life without her. Two years ago today she was welcomed into this world by a room full of people. Joe, Grammy, MeMaw, Other Mama, Aunt Sheila, Aunt Crystal, and of course me where all there when she took her first breath. I think almost all of us were crying as we looked at her for the first time. Shortly thereafter she met the rest of the family that was at the hospitla awaiting her arrival. It was the next day before Josie would meet her new best friend. Jolie has taught us so much and my heart overflows with joy and love for both of my girls. She is so outgoing and is in a constant parade. She loves talking to people when we are out and she loves to sing and dance. She has gotten more brave at church and sings and claps along as we have our early morning singing at church. She gives the most wonderful hugs and loves to make you laugh. Her little smile can light up the room. She was the cutest thing ever at her birthday party Saturday. She was oblivious that it was all for her until she heard us say "Happy Birthday to Lollie" and then her little face lit up as she realized it was for her. It was one of those moments I would love to freeze frame in my mind forever. My girls are my world and we are so blessed that God has entrusted them to our care. I truly believe that every single child is a miracle and a gift from God. I love her more than words can express. I want to thank everyone that took the time to come share this special event with us. Like I said earlier, this was a once in a lifetime thing and it is two hours that we will never get back. Thank you everyone for the cards, gifts, and your love. And thank you so much to those of you that have called or wished her a happy birthday today. She just lights up every time she realizes that today is her day.




Joe put her up on his shoulders so everyone could see:




Jolie's awesome birthday cake:

Our Weekend and Birthdays

Another week has passed, and here I am reporting on our weekend. Josie has turned into quite the little shopper. Friday evening after Lol was asleep Josie and I headed to Montgomery for a consignment sale. She was ready to go with her "Hello Kitty" purse filled with toys. She was equally excited because she got to wear jeans like mommy. Everyone commented on how cute and grown up she looked walking around looking at all the clothes and other stuff for sale with her little purse on her shoulder. I was able to find a couple of winter items along with a bike with training wheels for Josie for $5.00. She would have rode that thing out of there if she could have.

Saturday Joe got some much needed Joe time and went fishing with his buddy Tim. Mary Kelley (Tim's wife) and I decided to take our kids to the zoo. Everyone had a blast and I think our favorite exhibit was the potty. Well at least that is where we spent most of our time. But hey, we have young kids, what can we say. Josie was cute enough to tell me that her favorite animal was the zebra. We wore out the kids and ourselves.



We left around 10:00 a.m. and got home a little before 4:00 p.m. Me and the girls took naps when we got home and woke up around 6:00 something. I think that was the deepest sleep I've had in a while. We had promised Josie that she would get to ride her bike the night before so around 8:30 Saturday night she was trying to learn riding on a real bike as I pushed Jolie in the little red car. Sunday we got up and went to church. Me and the girls went home for naps while Joe stayed for his session meeting. After waking up we headed to Montgomery to look for Jolie's birthday present. We finally found what we were looking for after stopping at many places.

All in all it was a great weekend.

Also this week we have three important birthdays. Maw's (Marcia's mother) birthday was the 12th. She took Ben and I like we were her own grandchildren and loved us and taught us things that I hold very dear to me. With her pretty much everything went and she always had money for us to go across the street to buy some candy. She was very care-free, but a very good Christian woman. This Thursday is Other Mama's (Marcia) birthday. I would not be the person I am today had it not been for her. She also loved us and raised Ben and I as her own and continues to do the same with my girls. She is in every sense of the word a mother to me. I love her so much as do my girls and I could imagine our lives without her. And of course, we have sweet Lollie girl's birthday on the 19th. We are so blessed to have such beautiful women in our lives.

Once in a Lifetime Moments

Recent events have caused me to step back and take a look at my life. I have had to ask myself some really hard questions, are my priorities in order? Does God and family come first? Do I treasure the time I spend with those that mean the most to me? Sometimes I am great at this, and sometimes I flat out suck. However, I have decided to start looking at life from a new prespective. The "this is a once in a lifetime" prespective.

On Monday, September 21, 2009, our youngest daugther turns two. We are having a birthday party for her on Saturday, September 19, 2009. As you all know, it is a Minnie Mouse party (or as Josie calls it a Mickey Mouse Disney Clubhouse party). This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. This will be our daughter's one and only second birthday. God willing she will have many many more, but this is her one and only second birthday. This will be her one and only second birthday party. She is already excited as we have been talking about Minnie Mouse. Aunt Sheila, Uncle Quint, and Caden bought the girls little Minnie Mouse stuffed animals at Disney World. Jolie carries hers around saying Minnie Mouse. Life passes us by so quickly and sometimes we forget what is truly important. Now it is easy for me to stop and take notice of a birthday and a birthday party because, of course, those are big things in our lives, but I am having to make myself slow down and realize that with the every day moments as well. Raising my girls is a once in a lifetime journey that God put Joe and I on. Kissing them goodnight, reading stories, coloring, praying, bath time, each moment is a once in a lifetime moment because like snowflakes, although they may all appear to be the same, each moment is in fact different. The girls are one day older, one day smarter, one day closer to being grown. We will never gets these days back. I am slowly learning that I need to live each moment, treasure every second, and realize that every day that I spend with my husband and girls is a once in a lifetime moment.

Enjoying the moment is my sweet precious nephew Tanner sporting his Mickey Mouse ears that were included in his invitation to Jolie's birthday party:

Projects

It is so hard to belive that it is already September. The older I get the faster times goes by. Life has been so hectic these past two weeks and right now I do not see an end in sight.

Mary Kelley and I worked almost every day on our sunday school room last week. Even stayed up working on it until 12:30 a.m. Friday night or should I say Saturday morning. But it was finished by Sunday and the kids loved it. They had all the adults of the church coming in to look at it. So I guess mission accomplished. We painted chalk board paint along the bottom chair rail of the entire room. The upper part is bright, but not to bright green. We painted the wall length cabinents a bright orange and painted each door a different color. One of the doors is the same green as the room, one we painted with the chalkboard paint, one we painted purple, one a kind of turquoise blue, and one a bright yellow. Thank you so much to SOS for donating $250.00 to the room to help us really make it nice. We bought little foot stools for the kids to sit on as they draw on the chalk board, we bought posters and other wall hangings, Betty from our SOS made the curtains, and we bought all kinds of cute storage options for the bookcase.

The night before we started working on our Sunday School room I had stayed up til 2:00 a.m. working on painting my kitchen cabinents. The bottom cabinents are painted and all have their new knobs. I think it is going to look great once I get it all finished. I still have the top ones to go, but I just didn't have time this week to work on it. Joe really stepped up last week being at home so that I could work so much at the church. My plan is to have the cabinents done by Lol's birthday party on the 19th.

Going on to my next stressor, Lol's birthday party. I have been so busy with the Sunday School room that I have not had time to do much for her party. Thank goodness my mom has been working on getting a lot of the stuff together. Hopefully the invitations will go out. We are just inviting our immediate families because if we go more than that our small little house won't hold everyone. Joe and I have a huge family between the two of us. I still have to come up with games for the kids to play. I had some really cute ones for Josie's in January, so I want to make Lol's just as fun.

Besides working at the church, we have not done too much else. Sunday evening we did have dinner at my dad's and grandma's. We had a great time and the food was good as well. Yesterday Joe had to work so me and the girls chilled at home all day until we went to Wal-Mart. We had almost no food in our house. I did manage to get my kitchen cleaned yesterrday. Still working on catching up all the laundry.

Last night we made homemade pizzas with the girls. They both absoutely loved it. Joe and Josie made the pizza for Josie & Lol and Lol and me made the pizza for Joe and me. They had so much fun putting all the toppings on and then they stood at the oven and watched it cook. Lol just kept saying "look." They were both so proud and the pizzas turned out really good.

A lot has been going on at our house behaviorally and personality wise. Jolie is finally really coming into her personality. She is going to be the more outgoing laid back one. She loves to make people laugh at her and already knows just what to do to push Josie's buttons. Her vocabulary is starting to increase. Her newest phrases, "I did it" and "I walk." They both sound so cute when she says them. She is getting where she tries to repeat the words you say to her. She is becoming more and more independent and she can tell by her newest phrases. It is so hard to believe she will be 2 in two weeks. She has her two year appointment on the 25th, but a couple weeks ago when Joe took them to the doctor there was only 3 pounds difference between the girls. We get asked all the time if they are twins, even when they are not wearing matching outfits. I do feel though that she is going to have to have her tonsils taken out. I will have her doctor look at them on the 25th and they have her refer us to Josie's ENT. Her tonsils are starting to look like Josie's did right before her surgery. Now, Lol's are not giving her as many problems, but if they keep growing she will almost have no passage way like Josie had.

Both girls love to sing. Before Sunday School at church we have singing where some of us get together and sing fun songs. Sunday, Jolie sang the entire time holding her little finger up (like she would for "This Little Light of Mine.") Then we always end signing with a song titled "Jesus is My Rock and He Rolls my Blues Away." For a lot of the song you sing Bop Shoo Bop, Bop Shoo Bop. Well Sunday Jolie just sang Bop, the entire time. She had everyone laughing and impressed that she was signing.

Josie is finally starting to calm down a little bit and we are seeing more of Jolie's attitude. Jolie can lay down flat on the floor on her belly and cry now when she doesn't get her way. Awwwwwwww, the terrible twos. It is so funny to watch. It is so hard not to laugh at her. We finally have Josie on a sleeping routine that has worked for the past couple of months and Joe and I actually are getting some together time in the evenings. Josie continues to learn tons of things at Ericas and at home and just amazes me with how smart she is. She also does not forget anything. So if you tell her something or promise her something, be prepared to follow through with it.

Joe and I have been getting along really well the past couple of weeks. -Knock on wood- He is still looking for a job closer to home if anyone hears of anything. He and a buddy of his have a fishing trip for this week, so that will be some good down time for him.

Well I think that wraps up this chapter of my continuing novel.