For the Lord is Good, and We are Filled with Joy!

Seasons of life. 

I absolutely love Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:

 a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time for war and a time for peace.

I feel that we have experienced most of these over the past couple of years, which has been beautiful even if it felt like the ugly beautiful. 

Some of you know our infertility journey. Some of you do not. 

I haven't even shared the half of it. 

However, that is a story for another day, because this day is about celebrating the good! 

Celebrating that when it rains, it pours, whether it is blessings or not. 

Celebrating that we now have a booth for our signs at University Pickers. 

Celebrating my new job back at the school I started with. 

Celebrating that even more dreams will come true this month. 

And celebrating that GOD strengthens the weak so that we may be strong enough to see and accept 

HIS grace. 

With great joy, we would like share the double blessing that GOD shared with us 12 weeks ago ...

This is the day that the LORD had made. 

We will rejoice and be glad in it. 

Psalms 118:24

Love and Projects

My sisters know me so well! For Christmas, they turned my first year of blog posts into a book. 

It is thick with recipes, 

memories,

even your comments! 

There are flower posts

and pictures of my favorite people! 

The first page has one of my favorite pictures of my sisters and me from my wedding along with the Shel Silverstein poem, "Sister For Sale," in which Middle can recite by heart. 

This book will be cherished and loved not only for me, but hopefully future generations. 

So in case there is a fire, Sweet Brown here will make time to grab this book after getting a cold pop of course. :)

Almost 30 ...

I am almost 30 and yet, I am feeling that life is just beginning. I don't feel as old as I once thought 30 was, but I have noticed some changes

I am older and I have more insurance.

Just kidding ... maybe.

I notice that I care a little bit more about my appearance. I got a mini-makeover recently at the Clinic counter and the first words out of my mouth was "Wow, I look younger!" My sweet, darling, thank-goodness-his-eyesight-is-not-that-good husband agreed!

This is my almost 30 outfit ...

but after trying on those hose, um, those are a little too much for an almost 30 year old.

I also have the desire to want to exercise and be healthy. Desire would be the key word because my motivation is lacking.

I will think about that tomorrow.

I am looking forward to my birthday gift from my friends. One thing my friends and I have always done for birthdays is to combine our money for whatever the Birthday Girl wants under a certain amount. This year I have asked for a Victoria Secret gift cards.

Why you ask? I need a new bra. I feel that proper support may be necessary in my near future.

;)

I am older and I have more insurance.

A Phone Call

So got a phone call this morning. I thought it was my alarm and when it didn't turn off, I realized it was my phone. Someone on the other line, who is never up this early, said that she would be on the Today Show. I quickly called all the family - some more appreciative than others for being woken up - and stood in front of my TV with a camera in one hand and was on the phone with my mom with the other. So who did I see - my sister Brook and her friends Bonnie, Melody, and Jen. I was so excited! I love the Today Show! I was even asked to join them last week, but stupidly thought I need to clean out my house rather than going to New York! Yes, I am kicking myself now. So, I just took lots of pictures and just pretended that I was there.

Jen Ingram is the girl looking toward the left.

My sister is the one with the only thing you can see is her eyes. The darker haired girl is our favorite hairdresser, Bonnie, and the blonde headed girl is Melody!

Melody

Brook

It looks like they had a great time!

My Mama

My mama is a very talented woman! As I said before, she runs circles around me! I wish I the energy that she seems to always have! She was married at 19 to my wonderful father! Had her first and favorite daughter (j/k) at 21 while she was finishing her undergraduate at Blue Mountain College. She had two more daughters by the time she was 28 as well as two Master's degrees and a Reading degree. She made a lot of our clothes as well as smocked beautiful dresses. Mama not only raised us, she took care of our house, taught school, worked on furthering her education, went to ball games, helped with homework, and was also a positive, Christian role-model to us! She has amazing faith, wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and strength! Mama also finished her doctorate degree this summer too! What a path she has made for us!

She recently got to stay home for a couple of weeks due to having foot surgery on both feet. While at home, she made these beautiful curtains for our home! I bought the material to try to make them myself, but never did. Thank goodness I have a wonderful talented mama who can make beautiful curtains! Don't you think?


Breakfast Nook Roman Shades. I just love the neutral colors!

Kitchen Roman Shades

Table Runner

Guest Bedroom Curtains! I love the colors!

And of course, I could not have done it without my wonderful husband who is so handy with a drill and level! He did such a good job as always!

Party on the Weekend!

We had a wonderful weekend in the wonderful town of Potts Camp as well as Holly Springs, Hernando, and a few minutes in Memphis! We were able to go to two birthday parties and catch up on some valuable family and friend time!

We came home due to a surprise party for my friend, Alyssa's husband Chris's birthday! We were able to stay at the lake house with wonderful friends - Lea Ann, her husband Steve, and Laura. It was so nice and peaceful that Ken and I stayed another night since neither of us had to work on Monday.

On Saturday, Alana, Laura, Lea Ann, Steve, Ken, and I went and ate lunch at Michael's Cajun Country in Holly Springs! I had a delicious Fried Green Tomato and Bacon sandwich! Later on the girls went in one vehicle to Memphis and the boys in the other. They were supposed to pick up Chris to take him to his birthday party, but ended up almost to Jackson, TN. This cut our quick trip to Garden Ridge short, but we were glad to pick him up. Poor thing, he probably thought no one was going to pick him up! He knew when I called, we would be a little late! I am almost always late to everything! It was nice to arrive with the birthday boy, so every one was glad to see you! We got to catch up with Sarah, Brad, and their precious boys Will and Reed. I loved holding Reed! He was so sweet! We also got to catch up with Mary Martha and Don. Mary Martha is always fun! I loved how our husbands gathered on one end, and us on the other. It was quite fun that all the girls were talking about blogs they enjoy reading! The party was at Cedar Hills Farm outside of Hernando in the community of Love! I always thought it would be fun to say that you lived in Love! I always smile going through there! Alyssa had great plans for Chris's outdoor party, but unfortunately the rain to cooperate! The food and cake was great! I practiced eating with a sleeping baby on m shoulder! It was quite interesting and will probably be great in a couple of years! Everything was wonderful! Fun was had by all!

On Sunday, we celebrated my dear sweet grandmother, Mama Betty's birthday! She is so precious, kind, thoughtful, and truly the most beautiful woman on the inside and out! I like to call her Little Sophia (like on the Golden girls) because you never know what funny thing she will say next! She is wonderful! She is one of the main reasons I started a blog, because I knew she would probably be the only one to read it and enjoy it! When I was little, any time any one asked who I looked like, I would say, "Mama Betty!" Don't you think that we look a like? Isn't she lovely?

Happy Birthday, Mama Betty!!!

Blessed

I am so blessed! I have married the man that I dreamed about! The funny thing is he has lived less than 2 miles of where I grew up! We also went to school together! We have always known each other but never dated until October of 2008! This is the picture he sent to get my attention! I mean what girl enjoys looking back at her skinny days, and thinking how on earth was I that thin? I told him revenge was sweet! I guess it is, because I married him! (I am on the far right.)Ken is so wonderful! I cannot explain how much I love him! He never ceases to amaze me! He helps me around the house, loves Tootsie, and can build just about anything! I love having a handy husband that likes my ideas and can accomplish them in the house with me just looking on! He is my best friend! This is one of my favorite pictures of him!

I am also blessed with family. My parents are great! They are so young at heart and love to go and find good deals! My father always was entertaining with us! He is so giving and loves us with all of his heart! Anyone that has visited with my family also knows that my father can cook a very mean steak as well as many other delicious meals! My mother is so talented! She made our clothes, taught school, went to school, and took care of everything! She can run circles around me, especially shopping! They taught me everything I know, except for sewing, which my mother tried her best! I am still learning! My sisters are also wonderful! I love being with them, because it is never dull by any means!

I am so blessed to have wonderful in-laws! My mother-in-law is so creative, and we talk a lot about decorating! My father-in-law makes me laugh! They are great! My brother in law is also great! Ken and I enjoy working on projects with him as well as have a good laugh! He always is saying something funny!

I also have some fabulous friends that I would not know what I would do without them! We all met in college and have wonderful memories staying up refurbishing furniture, eating, and just creating memories! We absolutley loved the "W" and often spent time exploring it - in tunnels, old buildings, and fountains. We normally were dressed in black because it was night and we were sneaking around! Good thing were good friends with security and the maintance men! It helps to have friends in high places! We were also in a washband together, student council, and many other activities on campus!

As far as jobs go, I could not have been more blessed! I had a 2 years at a school in Horn Lake, were I learned from fabulous people on how to be a great teacher! 3 years at a school in Southaven, where I learned from talented people how to be a great counselor! Both jobs were so much fun, and I miss them dearly. When I moved to Alabama, I thought it would be very easy to get a job! I was wrong and very worried! I was blessed with a long-term maternity leave for special education which led me to another long-term maternity leave for an elementary school counselor! I will begin my next long-term maternity leave for another school counselor in February until the end of the year! Talk about blessed! GOD told me that He would take care of me! I just had to have faith!

I have had so many experiences in my lifetime and could not be more blessed by GOD with my husband, family, friends, jobs, and of course Tootsie girl! Thank you for loving me even when I did not deserve it!