30 Days of Emily

That sounds so snobbish.

But starting tomorrow.. you will get to enjoy 30 days of me.

So, if you don't want to know more about me.. Take me off your feeds now.

See you tomorrow.

Our WAR EAGLE weekend

This past weekend we went to Alabama. Kent and I had tickets to the Auburn vs South Carolina football game. We had this trip planned for quite some time. We have some friends from church who are South Carolina fans and they also got tickets to the game.

We met up with a friend of mine from high school. Her parents were tailgating and we parked at their RV site. We sat around and watched some football and caught up a little bit. Our friends from SC found us and we sat around for a bit more. Then headed over to "Momma Goldberg's" to eat some supper. It was de-lish!!

After wards, we headed to the stadium to find our seats. We parted ways with our SC friends and took our seats. We watched all the pre-game activities and got pretty pumped waiting for the game to start.

Once it did, it was non stop intense. We would get ahead, then they would get ahead. It would look like we were gonna lose and then we would make a come back. Back and forth the entire game. It was crazy loud in there as well. I am talking about louder than I have ever heard it before and Kent said his ears even started ringing at one point. It was great.

We had an absolute blast. And best of all.. our team pulled off the win. Auburn won 35-27!

WAR EAGLE!

The Chronicles of Potty Training: The Final Edition- Day 10,11, & 12

I think this will be my last post about potty training. Unless something happens and things change.. But, I think he is trained. We had a busy, busy weekend with traveling.. and visiting family and him being with other people and not me. And Nathan still didn't have an accident. Granted, he is 2.5 (almost) and there will be accidents and he is still peeing while he sleeps (which that I am not worried about.. he is still little and it will come with time). However, he is telling us when we has to go. On the way home he told us twice that he needed to potty and then held it long enough for us to get to a gas station. He has been telling us and others who have kept him that he needs to go potty. So, with that.. I think he has gotten the hang of it. I am going to give him one more full week of pull-ups and then we will take a trip to Wal-Mart or where ever and let him pick out some for real big boy underwear.

And with that.. I close the chapter of potty training in my mommyhood book.

The End. :)

The Chronicles of Potty Training: The Final Edition- Day 6,7, 8 & 9

Wow. Gotta lot of days to cover. The reason I wasn't really "reporting" for the last few days on the whole potty front was because.. well.. it wasn't going well. Nathan was peeing and pooping in his pants all the time. And the only time he would pee in the potty was when I made him go. Once again, Kent asked me if I thought Nathan was really ready (Kent has done this, consistently, with every child trained). I told him that I knew Nathan was ready because he knows when he does go. He would pee or poop and then tell me he had to go potty. He was putting two and two together.. just got in the right order. So, I have been trying to just keep him interested in the potty. Reminding him that we don't pee or poop in our pants. We did have two cases were we had to clean poop off the floor and even throw away some clothes. Now that was fun.

Yesterday, he was dry all day. But never would poop. Which worried me because Jon Kent did the same thing, but it was after he pooped in the potty the first time. He felt the need to go, but just wouldn't. Ended up having to give him an enema. Didn't want history repeating itself.

This morning Nathan told me he needed to go potty. So we rush to the bathroom and right when I am pulling down his pants he starts peeing. On the bathroom rug, in the floor and on my foot. Awesomeness. I change his clothes. wash my foot, clean up the floor and put the bathroom rug in the laundry room to be washed.

Not a good start to the day.

I take Jon Kent to school and we come back and get ready to go for a run/bike ride. We do that and come back home. We are playing outside when Nathan tells me he needs to potty. So we run inside and he pees in the potty. Woohoo!! We made it in time! So we head back out to play. A few minutes go by and I see Nathan holding his bottom. I ask if he needs to go poopie in the potty. He tells me yes. So we run back in side. He sits... and we wait.

And wait.

And wait.

He asks to get down, but I tell him no. I get another stool so that he can actually have his feet touching it. Once I did that, he took his hands and squeezed his cheeks (face cheeks) together turned red and pooped in the potty!!! Woooooohooooooo!!! He finally, finally, finally put his #2 business in the potty!!! I cheered, Zoey cheered and Nathan just beamed from ear to ear. After he was cleaned up he finally got to get his toy. He has been lugging Woody around ever since. And.. to top things off.. right before nap he told me he needed to potty and again we made it in time. I do believe we are well on our way!! w00t! w00t!

I have a heavy heart

Today is 7 months.

Seven months of not talking to my momma. Not sharing my life with her. Seven months of memories that she isn't a part of. Seven months of phone calls, cards, emails, comments, talks that will never be. Seven months.

I am fine most of the time. But nearing the 23rd of each month my heart sinks. I become sad. Depressed, even. It's just hard. I am sure it always will be. I like to believe I am a strong person. But there are times.. times like now that I feel so very weak. Most people, in my real life, would never know. I am good at hiding it because I don't won't to be pitied. I don't want to burden anyone and frankly, it embarrasses me for people to see me vulnerable.

It probably doesn't help that it seems like so many people around me are suffering right now. So many people are dealing with losses, scary surgeries, newborn babies who are born sick, etc. Just so many people suffering.

I almost feel like at times that I should "just get over it already". I mean, other than a few people here and there.. everyone else seems to be past my momma's death. Life for them just kept going. My life, part of it anyway, ended. I will never again have a mother to talk to. My kids will never have a Gramsie to share time with. That part is over, forever.

I have been reading a devotional type book over the last few days. It's called, "God's in the Tough Stuff". In a section I read today it said in so many words that there are times we wonder where God is while we are suffering. Because it seems like He is gone when our hearts are the heaviest. When we are in the most pain. But yet He's there. He will never leave us nor forsake us. God knows a thing or two about suffering. He sent His one and only Son to die on the cross. He watched His Son suffer and He did that for me. He is in my suffering. He is in the midst.. pulling me through. Guiding me.

I take hope from that. Because that's what I know to be true. But, as a human, I feel very much alone. Very much left to deal with the shattered pieces myself. But once I am through the valley. Through the pain (at least for that period) I can see how He pulled me through.

I miss my momma. But she is no longer suffering. She no longer has pain or sadness. That's something that, even in my own suffering, I can take comfort in.

No, that wasn't awkward

Today, 4 months late, I finally go in for my "womanly yearly". It's a new place, new doctor. All is new. It took me forever to find a place to park and when I did finally find said place to park, it was a mile (up hill.. both ways!!!) away. I was wearing my cute flip flops. Which means they weren't all that comfortable for walking (seriously.. a mile away..!!).

I finally make it into the main building and find my way up to the GYN floor. I won't even put OB in there for fear that my uterus might simultaneously combust. It was nice. Granted, I was extremely spoiled by my last GYN place. They were the bomb diggity.. furreal. But it was nice. Get my info taken care of. Tinkle in a cup ( NOT PREGNANT!!) and get my finger prick. Wait for a few more minutes and get called back to see the doctor.

I have always used a man doctor for my OBGYN needs. Don't really know why.. but it just happened that way. I have seen a few women doctors during my pregnancies because of the rotation schedule, etc. And they were all nice and I didn't have any complaints.

So, I decided to go ahead and start this chapter of my "no longer birthing years" with a woman doctor. She comes in and has a student doctor with her. I was fine with that. Both were really nice. So she talks to me and gets the low down on my exciting life. Tells me that I look way too fresh and "in shape" (I still laugh at that) to have 3 kids. I thought to myself, "Dang, if I didn't have any kids I would probably be a freaking beauty queen." She then leaves to give me time to undress. I put on my cute little paper vest and skirt (it's all the rage in Europe, if you didn't know) and wait for the doctor and the doctor jr. to come back. They do. Obviously. So, she starts doing a breast examination on me all the while talking about getting the kids Halloween costumes and asking me about Talladega and all that racing stuff that people who don't live there ask... So while I am very much exposed she turns around and leisurely keeps talking to the nurse and student doctor all the while one of my girls is just chilling all out in the open. I am thinking.. "Really.. I mean.. seriously? She does know I am completely exposed and surely my completely red face is signal that she needs to cover the ta-ta back up. I mean seriously here." She turns back around and I continue to count the squares in the ceiling. She finishes the rest of the exam and I am then happily on my way. I am all for saving the ta-tas, but I am also for covering them up when you are done giving them the once over (doctor and husband alike! (:)

Pajama Party in O'ville!

The 3 O'villers wanted to have a pajama party. Stay up late, watch TV and sleep together. So, since it was a Friday night, we obliged. They had a great time playing hide-and-g0-seek outside after dark. They came in filthy, so a huge bubble bath was in order. Then a night on the pull out sofa watching their favorite NickJr shows. However, the clock struck at 11:30 (What? Midnight? Hardly.) and the TV went off. How much sleep do you think they got???

The Chronicles of Potty Training: The Final Edition: Day 4 & 5

Ahh, yes.. potty training. How I haven't missed you. *sigh* Nathan is his own person. No rhyme or reason to him. He can go a whole day and not pee in his undies and then the next day.. pee in them almost every time. I will say, with it being the weekend and us being extremely busy trying to get out backyard in shape, I didn't stay on top of him like I had been. So.. days 4 & 5 didn't go so well. He did go to the potty at church, so that's a plus. He will pee or poop and immediately say he has to go potty or go get another pull-up. So he knows.. he's getting it.. I guess he just still has to put 2 and 2 together. It'll come. Poor ole Woody is still lonely in his box. And Jon Kent and Zoey are itching to play with it, too. Sorry kiddos.. not until your baby bubba puts his poop in the pot!

The Chronicles of Potty Training: The Final Edition- Day 3

Day three went well. Better than day two. Nate put all his pee-pee in the potty except for during nap and then at the very end of the night. He, however, didn't put any of his poop in the potty. So Woody still remains unplayed with while having to sit all alone in the bathroom. I don't think we are too far off until he does it, though. Today he went up to his room because he knew he was fixing to poop and got a pull-up (underwear to him) and stayed up there until he pooped and then came back down the stairs and gave me his new pull-up. He knew it was coming. So that means he is getting used to the feeling of having to go. So, I think we are getting close. I am shooting for him being in for real underwear by Halloween. Here's hoping!

Ice Cream!!

The ice cream truck sang it's little tune and all the O'villers ran out for an ice cream snack before bed. Although, ice cream before bed probably wasn't the greatest idea. It was still yummy though!

The Chronicles of Potty Training: The Final Edition- Day 2

Day 1 went about like I expected it to and day 2 is going about like I expected it to. Granted neither day has gone well, but at least I didn't set my hopes up too high. So far, we have only tinkled in the potty once today. I have explained and reexplained that pee-pee and poopie go in the potty. I then ask him where he is supposed to go pee-pee and he says, "The potty!!!" I then ask where he is supposed to go poopie and he says, "The potty!!!!" So what does he do.... Pees and poops in his "big boy pants".

Awesome, no?

Ahh, it will come. It will come.

I can tell a MAJOR difference in my approach with Nathan verses my approach with Jon Kent and even Zoey. I am much more laid back this go around. I guess you can say it's softening with age or experience or what have you. I hope though that we can get this taken care of sooner rather than later.

If not.. well.. I am not even going to think about it.

The Chronicles of Potty Training:: The Final Edition

So this chronicling won't go exactly like my last two. Where I said, "OK, starting today we are potty training." Nathan has thrown me for a loop and has taken an interest in the potty before *I* was ready for him to be. I still need to gather some "supplies", but since Nathan tinkled in the potty today and was dry for about 4 hours, I will take that as a good sign he is ready. We will see how this goes.

So, Potty Training: Day 1 shall begin!

***For Jon Kent and Zoey's potty training adventures just follow the links on their names***

What could have been.

Most of my blog thoughts happen to me when I am either in the shower or while trying to fall asleep. Does that happen to anyone else?

So, anyway, the thought came into my mind.. What would life be like if I were born a boy? Granted, I do not want to be a boy. They are yucky and I am fairly sure they all have cooties. Thankfully, I am pro-vaccination of all cooties varieties.

Circle, circle.. Dot, dot. Now, you've got your cooties shot.

Wow. Elementary flashback.

I digress..

My parents told me that had I been a boy my name would have been William Hubert and they would have called me Billy.

Thank you Lord for letting me be a girl. Emily Elizabeth has a lot better ring to it.

So, on that same train of thought I started thinking about what would the kids' names have been had they come out the other gender.

Jon Kent ( Jonathan Kent, Jr.) would have been Zoey Taylor (or Elizabeth).

Zoey Taylor (who could have been easily Elizabeth.. had her daddy not talked me out of it) would have been Jonathan Kent, Jr. If her brother would have been a girl and if he was still a he.. then she wouldn't have a name because I was certain from the get go that she was a girl.

Nathan Tyler would have been Lily Rose (or Ruth). But probably Lily Rose.

Crazy how my mind wonders and can be so random.

A story to embarrass my daddy

Although he probably won't be...

It was the night of the terrorist attacks. My mom was away on business with the bank or visiting with friends, something. But she wasn't going to be home that night. So, being all shook up over the attacks I asked my daddy if I could sleep in his bed that night. Yes, I was 18.. in college and soon to be married. And??? I girl is never too old to need her daddy. I finally fell asleep and was dreaming about the towers crumbling. I kept hearing this rumbling sound while blocks from the building were falling all around me. Dust was everywhere and I was just trying to make my way out. All while the rumbling noise was getting louder and louder. I wake up. Kind of access my surroundings when I finally come to clarity that I am in my parents' room. But that rumbling noise is still there.. I can still hear it.. Then I roll over and realize..

It was my daddy snoring. :)

Where Were You?

I was 18. Engaged. And asleep.

Until my friend called me and asked me if I had heard.

"Heard what?"

"That the twin towers were hit. Like just a few minutes ago. Both of them."

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?"

"Just turn on the TV. It's all over the news."

And that's what I did.

I was freaked out. Scared. Worried that for whatever reason the terrorist were probably plotting right then and there to bomb my house. So, I ran through the shower and went to my friends house where we watched the news all day. And of course, we went out and got gas because the world was ending and we needed our gas tanks full. Everyone else had the same thought and it took us forever to fill our tanks.

I was supposed to be in English 101, but there was no way I was going there. Because, again, I just knew it would be bombed while I was there.

I called Kent and talked to him for a bit. He was at work. I couldn't get in touch with my daddy because he was teaching and I talked to my momma for a little bit. But mostly I watched the news and just watched in shock everything that was going on.

I was 18. Engaged. And very much awake.

For a time such as this

A friend of mine mother passed away a few weeks ago. Her mother passed very unexpectedly in a car wreck. My friend is about half way through her 3rd pregnancy. As soon as I found out I was just broken. All the memories of my momma passing away came flooding back as I tried to think about what my friend was feeling and going through. I immediately started praying. Praying for God to just wrap His arms around her and that all the prayers that I knew were being prayed on her behalf would be felt by her and her family.

The next day Kent and I were talking about it. He said that of all the people he knew I would be the most able to minister to her. Since I am fresh from losing my momma, but still far enough out of it to see more clearly.

I was talking to my friend Wednesday at church and she told me that of all the cards she had gotten that she really appreciated mine, because she knew where it was coming from. We talked and she shared some personal things with me. I told her that it doesn't necessarily get easier, but some days are easier than others. You long to talk and share with your mom, but can't.

I think for myself, I have grieved and come to a peace about things. But where I still hurt and cry over is my children. How they will never know their Gramsie like I did. I still mourn for them.

I am coming to see how God has used my momma's death for good. For His glory. In the wake of her death, it was hard to see it. I knew it would come, but at that time your whole reality is blurred. That's where my friend is at now. She knows God is good and He doesn't make mistakes. But in the same thought, she wants her mom back. She wants her kids' grandmother back.

That's why trails are called valleys. It's hard to see the Son with the mountains are in the way. But the longer you carry on, the more of the Son you can see.

Oh Nate-Nate. Momma is sorry.

Nathan,

Bless it. You have crooked feet. OK, so really it's just your left foot that is currently crooked. But your right leg is doing this weird bowing thing and it's making your whole walk kind of.. well.. funny. Cute funny. Because you make it work. However, when you are a teenager you will not think it's cute and will probably curse the day I bore you and your crooked left foot and right weird leg self. So, we are doing something about it now. Could have done something about it when you were a baby, but it went undetected until about 6 months ago. Sorry. Really and truly I am. We have gotten you some "magic" shoes that are supposed to reshape your foot and make sure your right foot doesn't get jealous of all the attention ole lefty is getting and try to do the same. With all that said, once we did get the magic shoes your right leg decided to bow in and now you have to sleep with a bar between your feet. It's only night one of that whole ordeal, so the true test hasn't been completed yet. But I am hoping for the best. And hoping that your sweet little two year old mind can grasp, even if just a little bit, that it's all for your own good. And that I am really sorry we have to do it, but rather it be now than later. I love you, Nate-Nate. Just remember.. when you are the fastest runner on your track team or on the football team or basketball team or whatever team.. this was all worth it. And I'll try to remember that, too.

Love,


Momma

Whirlwind Weekend

War Eagle!

Even though this past weekend was a long weekend with having Labor Day off, it still went by so fast. Weekends never seem to last long enough. Especially with the kids in school now. Just not enough time to relax and enjoy before the week starts all over again.

This past weekend we went to Alabama for a quick visit. We weren't going to go, since we will be going back in a few more weeks (Kent and I have tickets to the Auburn vs. South Carolina game), but Kent's Granny "persuaded" us. It was nice. Got to see family and the kids always, always love going. We got to watch football and grill out. Got to spend time with my daddy and let the kids run around at their favorite park. My daddy spoiled the kids with new Auburn outfits for game day. Kent's Granny and PawPaw let the kids get a new toy. Kent's daddy took the kids on, too many to count, 4-wheeler rides.

Like I said, a great weekend.

Now.. if only the week would go by as quickly.

Penny for your thoughts?

Momma's boy.

Daddy's girl.

Auburn's future quarterback.

Poor Lola. She dreads to see us coming.

Nate cheesing it up

Grilling.

Auburn

It is that time again. It's college football time! Which means fall like weather will soon follow (please, please, please) and Saturdays will be lazy and full of football games.

This weekend we are in Alabama. Spending the Labor Day weekend with family. And of course, watching Auburn football. Oh yes. It is that time.

Auburn has been a huge part of my life.. all my life. My grandfather went to school there. My momma was the. biggest. Auburn. fan. EVER. It's how I grew up and I am glad I did.

I look good in orange and blue.

So let's get this season started off on the right foot and win!

War Eagle!

Nate-Nate

One word sums you up. Stubborn. But not that mean type of stubborn. Just stubborn to the point where you make sure that everyone knows you are still the boss. Once that is made clear, then eventually you will come around and do what is asked. You are a momma's boy. I am giddy over that fact, too. If it ain't momma.. it ain't nobody (pardon my poor grammar.. don't go putting double negatives together in real life). You are my baby and still love to snuggle. You are a horrendous bed fellow though. All over the place and if you're not comfortable.. well no one is. But in the moments where our foreheads are touching and you are sound asleep.. well those are priceless. Thank you for your crazy antics. Even though you give me at least one heart attack a day, you keep my life interesting. Even as I type this, you are walking around the house on your play phone calling everyone you know. "Hello? Hey, Daddy (Papa, Poohba, PawPaw, Granny...). Ahh-huh. OK. Bye." Then you run the phone over to me and put it to my ear and say, "Talk." in a little whisper. You, my littlest son, are a hoot. Thank you for add flavor to my life.

It's gonna be that time soon...

To potty train. I was going to put if off until he was closer to three, but Nathan is showing (has been showing) signs of readiness. Will it happen tomorrow? No. Next week? No. The week after that? Probably not. But here, in the near future O'ville will be a potty training zone. And yes, I will blog about it. It's good material, so why not. So stay tuned. Because it. is. coming.

Please start praying for my sanity now.

Thank you.