Good-bye 2010

::::Deep breath out::::

Seriously, I just took a deep breath out.  It's just been a year.  I can say that I am gladly saying farewell to 2010.  It has sucked.  There, I said it.. sucked, sucked, sucked.  SUCKED!

Granted.. not all of it sucked.

We had a wonderful summer.  It was a healing summer.  There aren't words to really describe how much that summer healed my heart.  How the time spent with my kids is what pulled me through.  My kids are what got me through my darkest hours.  They kept me busy.  Swimming, playing, exploring, laughing.  They just kept me going.  If I would have ever just stopped for too long it would have done me in.  Thankfully, my kids don't stop for any long length of time.

I spent time at the beach with my family.  My daddy, brother, sister-in-law, nephew and my family all went to Panama City Beach together.  It was a trying time.  Not in a bad way necessarily.  It was just trying because we all knew that, that place was my momma's favorite place to go.  She lived to go to the beach every summer.  So to not have her there was hard.  Really hard.  But it was a first that we knew we had to get through and I am glad I had all them there to go through it with.

Kent and I had a wonderful trip to Washington, DC.  We spent a week of it being just us and exploring a new city together.  It was my second time to go and his first.  We enjoyed every minute of it.  And since my momma was a VERY, VERY, VERY patriotic person I somehow felt closer to her.  Knowing that she spent her honeymoon in that city and was with me the first time I explored that city.  I tried to stand in some of the same spots that I knew she once stood in.  It was another healing time.

Jon Kent started school this year.  As did Zoey.  That was a day I looked to for years.  Not because I was ready to get them out of the house and off my hands, but it just meant a new milestone was met and new adventures were happening.  When I found out my momma died, her missing Jon Kent's first day of school was the first thing to pop in my mind.

Kent and I got to go watch Auburn play South Carolina in September.  It was a great day spent with old and new friends.  We got to watch Auburn play a great game.  It was truly one of the best games I have ever been to.  We had an absolute wonderful time.

So, looking back, I know it all wasn't bad.  That there were many good times and memories made.  But unless you've lost someone close then you might not understand what I am about to say.  So, I'll try to explain.  Over the past 10 months many good things have happened, but even though they were good there was always an underlining sense of sadness that my momma wasn't a part of it.  That a piece of the puzzle was missing.  That's been the part that has sucked the most.  That through it all, she still wasn't a part of it.

In 2011 I know things will still be hard.  I know that as long as I am here, without her, that life isn't going to be like it would be if she were here.  That there will probably always been that underlining sense of sadness in a lot of things.  But the more that time goes on, I hope the more I can adapt to it.  Let it become my norm and learn from it.

I have several "resolutions" for 2011, most of them are your normal goals.  *Be healthier, spend more time with family, read more, learn more, save more, get more organized.*  Those types of things.  Some maybe not so normal ones are; *to finally get my house painted and decorated like I want (I have yet to hang anything on my walls and we have been here well over a year) and  take the kids to Disney World.  I want to make memories that my kids can hold on to as they grow.  Kind of like the memories that I hold on to when I miss my momma the most.

I hope that everyone has had a wonderful 2010.  And that everyone will have a wonderful, healthy and happy 2011.

Happy New Year!

Snowy Day after Christmas

I almost, almost got my first white Christmas.  And if we still lived in Alabama, I would  have.  But I still think we got the better end of the deal by moving.  Just putting that out there.

So, we actually got measurable snow, in the south, the day after Christmas.  The kids enjoyed it and I am thankful that it was only here two days.  I wasn't meant to live day after day with snow.  God knew exactly what He was doing when He put me in the south.

Now that Christmas is over and we have had a little snow to play in, I am ready for spring.. summer even!

Christmas Eve and Christmas- 2010

I have to say that this Christmas went well.  I was pretty anxious about it.  I'm coming to learn that you just never know what your emotions will be when you know that someone you love will no longer be a part of the celebrations.  I've also found that the days leading up to it are usually the hardest, but once the day is here it's not so bad.  But usually, for me, the days following are pretty tough.  I don't know if that is what it is like for anyone else, that's just been my own experience.

Christmas Eve was probably my favorite out of the two days.  The kids played so well together.  I had a lot of cooking to do, so they would help when asked and would leave me alone when I needed.  Kent was home so he and the kids played off and on all day.  The kids helped me make a gingerbread man.  They then decorated it.  They also helped bake cookies for Santa and decorated those as well.  After we had lunch, we all sat around the tree and opened gifts from each other.  Jon Kent and Zoey had both gone to the "Santa Shop" at their school and purchased a gift for us and Nathan.  So I got some gifts to them from us and Nathan as well.  We had a good time letting each of the kids open the gifts.  The rest of the day was spent with me cooking and getting ready for our Christmas lunch for the next day.


 Christmas Eve night we went to church for our Christmas Eve service.  I just love going.  Such a sense of family and love.  Which is good when we are so far from family.  After we got back from church the kids changed into their PJs and we checked to see where Santa was.  They all got excited to see that he was getting closer.  Then Kent read about the birth of Jesus and the book "The Night Before Christmas".  They set out cookies and milk for Santa, treats for the reindeer and letters to Santa.  Then off to bed they went.  Surprisingly in record time they were all asleep.

Christmas morning came and Jon Kent was the first one up.  Running into my room letting me know that "Santa had came, Santa had came".  He was so excited.  I told him to go and wake up his sister and she soon was bolting out of her room with excitement.  It took us awhile to get Nathan up and going, but once he got out of his morning fog he was ready to go as well.  This year was a bit different.  Usually Santa leaves all the presents in neat little stacks on various spots in the leaving room.  This year he put them all under the tree.  We let Nathan open all his first and surprisingly Jon Kent and Zoey waited patiently and were happy to watch Nathan unwrap all his gifts.  They seemed just as excited to see what he got as he was.  I loved watching each of them opening their gifts, watching their eyes light up and doing fist pumps in the air when they received something they really wanted.  After all the gifts were opened they all went to check if Santa had filled their stockings.  He had.  Santa sure is a great guy, huh.  He even left Nova a little toy.  Once all the gifts were opened and the paper was cleaned up, it was time for me to start cooking lunch.  By the time it was all done we had so much food.  We ate 4 meals off of it. So it was worth it.  By the time night rolled around there were toys everywhere and happy kids playing with their toys.  We even got some snow starting around midnight.  It was mostly mixed with rain until the following morning when it all turned into snow.


It was a good Christmas for us.  My heart ached through much of it, but I had prepared myself for that.  So it wasn't so unbearable.  I am thankful to have that 1st Christmas out of the way now.  That I know I can get through it.  That while it hurts and I wish things were different, I know that God provided for me what I needed to get through.  Even when I don't and still don't know exactly what I need.

So that was our Christmas 2010.  Let the New Year be a happy and healthy one!

Meet Aarron Thomas

Welcoming Aarron Thomas to the family!

Born on December 22, 2010.

Weighing 6 pounds and 12 ounces.

He came about 2.5 weeks early. But I was pretty excited about his early arrival because it meant I got to hold him while he was still a newbie. Otherwise, it would have been early spring or even summer before I got to hold him. I'm one proud auntie!

Christmas in Alabama- 2010

Christmas in Alabama
December 17-22, 2010

We had a wonderful trip to Alabama over the Christmas holiday. We got to spend time with all our family. Although each of the kids was sick or got sick while there, we pulled through it and still were able to fit in everything we wanted. It was also a hard time for me. Seeing as this was my first Christmas without my momma. There were a lot of differences. Even in the small things. It was all noticed. Daddy and I went to her grave to put some solar lights on a tree that was on her grave. It was heart wrenching to know that was the only way we could "include" her. My heart still aches everyday.

While we were in town, my daddy and I got to spend a lot of time together. I am a daddy's girl. Have been since I was born, probably. And to be able to spend any amount of time with him is always a good thing in my book. I love to stay up late and just watch HGTV and talk. We took a late night trip to Wal-Mart, got his shopping done and just all around had a good time together.

While the trip was great, going back home to South Carolina was good too. If it weren't for the 4 hours from here to there, I would go back home everyday.

Snow!

Merry Christmas

From our family to yours.

Merry, Merry Christmas Eve

At least it wasn't Santa's lap

Nathan,

Oh my dear, dear Nathan. You my son are one of a kind. And I don't say that clichely.. (yeah, your momma just made that word up). You are just your very own person. There is no one even remotely like you.. well.. besides your daddy when he was your age. But let's not split hairs here.

Tonight was a prime example.

It probably started while we were in line to see Santa. It took forever to get to see him because it was also "bring your pet night". Which was cool. It gave you and your siblings something to look at. You wanted me to "hold chew". While holding you, you kept grabbing "yourself" and I asked what you were doing. "Just holdin' my 'googi' (that's what we call your little penis.. as do you and your siblings and the last few generations on your Gramsie's side of the family.. digressing...). We finally get up to the front and your picture was taken. You smiled wonderfully. We get the pictures and go to play at the indoor playground inside the mall. You were running around having a great time. Your daddy called you over to tie your shoe. So you climbed in his lap. While he was tying your shoe you grabbed yourself again and said you had to go potty....

And not two seconds later you say.....

Wait for it... wait for it..

"Oh well!" (in a long drawn out southern drawl)

Your daddy gets this confused yet shocked look on his face.. turns to me and says...

*side note here: I am laughing uncontrollably while typing this.*

"Did he just pee on me???.... Yes.. he just did."

And you did.

I held it together all through the mall. Kept my mean mommy face on and told you that you really knew better than to wet your pants. I kept it together while getting you and your brother and sister buckled into your seats.

But when I looked at your daddy as we were driving off to head home (no change of clothes were found) I couldn't hold it together anymore.

I laughed and laughed.

Your daddy found no humor in the situation. Even questioning why I was laughing.

I will probably laugh about that for a good long while. The priceless expressions on your face and your daddy's will keep me smiling for quite some time.

Thank you for the laughs!

Love,

Momma

'tis the season..

To be busy. And apparently that means too busy to keep up with the blog. It's been good though. We had the kids' birthday party last weekend. Had Kent's family in town that same weekend. This weekend my daddy was in town. He actually just left. I love having family in town. It's a nice and cozy feeling. Kent and I got to go out this past Friday night while my daddy watched the kids for us. We went to our Sunday school's couples Christmas party. It was a good time. We did dirty Santa or whatever you call it with Christmas ornaments. Afterward we went to Starbucks for a late night treat.

Also, last week started the Upward basketball/cheerleading season for our church. We were all busy with that last week. I am hoping this week will be better since we will know more of what to expect. I am coach K-2 grade cheerleading. So far they seem like a great group of girls. They were really eager to learn and paid really good attention. I am hoping for a good season.

As for this week, whew. A lot going on. Tomorrow I am helping get together a meal for a family in our church who just welcomed their 2nd boy to the family. We are also going to go visit Santa. Tuesday Kent and Jon Kent have basketball practice. Church is Wednesday. Thursday Zoey and I have cheer practice and then Friday we leave for Alabama for a few days of visiting with family before Christmas.

So as you can see.. very busy. Good busy though.

Happy 5th Birthday, Zoey

How is it that 5 years have come and gone so quickly? How can it possibly be true that you are 5 today. I can still see you so tiny and perfect. I can still remember the exact feelings I had when I saw you. It was pure joy. And over the past 5 years you have added so much spice to my life. You are the perfect "middle" child. Sandwiched right between your brothers to keep them both straight. And girl you do keep them straight. Five years.. wow. I am just so very thankful for every minute of it. Thankful for your health, your development, your generosity and love. I hope you have an absolute amazing 5th birthday! I love you, baby girl!!