Help!

If you are interested in The Common Bond (TCB) project I am working then I am asking for your help. Please visit the blog site (link on the right hand side) and read my post...I need some assistance.

Also, I'm plugging my favorite blog again--Bring the Rain--check out her latest post, Blink. (I can't remember if I already wrote this...I'm feeling a little de ja vu...maybe I'm just getting old--I'm almost 29 you know?!?!) Anyway, this post was amazingly insightful. I really do believe Angie Smith could be the next Beth Moore...you guys just wait and see. :) And she will have one of my bracelets. I feel honored.

One last thing, please keep praying about TCB...I'm scared to death at times because it seems like such a huge endeavor...sometimes it's very overwhelming. I love the song Voice of Truth by Casting Crowns, that's how I feel...right now...I want so badly that faith to step outside the boat--out of my comfort zone, but the waves are crashing--and I keep being reminded of all of the times I've failed....

Back to School...and Happy Belated Birthday, Cary!!

Well, I made it to Atlanta and from what I've heard the kids and James have almost made it thru a whole day and a half...I can't wait to get home. I know I sound cheesy, and next week I'll be wishing I was in my nice quiet hotel room with no responsibility but for myself...but right now, I miss my husband and kids.
Other than that...the training is going great! I'm learning so much and am very excited about how it will affect the job I do at the Credit Union. (I'm a nerd, I like learning...which is funny because I hated school--I digress)

I made it to Atlanta with no problems (except that I drove in circles for about 20 minutes before actually finding the hotel) so I guess I should say I made it here with very little problems. I love the drive down here. Chattanooga is one of my favorite places in TN (which for those of you not from around these parts you drive thru Chatt to get to Atlanta)....it's just so beautiful. On a side note...when you're driving and worshiping God to some great praise music (song happened to be You Are God Alone...one of mine and Hayden's favs) watch the speedometer...it's crazy how one minute you're going along 70mph...next minute your hitting 95mph. It seemed the more I got into the music the more my foot pressed down just a little more. Luckily, no radars in the area caught me so I made it with no tickets... :) Oh, and one more piece of advice...keep atleast one hand on the wheel and your eyes open!!! (Sounds simple, huh? I caught myself atleast twice raising both hands and closing eyes...I'm sure the people passing me thought I was crazy!!!!)


One last thing...this is a shout out (yes, I know how stupid I sound--'shout out'?!) to my father in law, who's birthday was yesterday and I forgot to call (I'm sorry!!!)...so, Cary this is for you--

"Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthddddddayyyyyyy dear, Caryyyyy! Happy Birthday to you!!!!!!"

(Aren't ya'll glad you couldn't really hear me singing???) Have a great week...

My Mother-In-Law...Joni!

Okay, so I'm not really blogging about my mother in law...she just told me yesterday that she really doesn't read the blogs...she just looks at pictures and listens to the music. I figure if I put this title on the post she might read it!! :) Just giving you a hard time, Joni...

Anyway, not too much going on here...I'm getting ready to leave for a seminar/conference on Sunday in Atlanta. I'll be coming home Thursday night...if you think about it this week, pray for my kids and husband...hopefully they won't starve while I'm gone. Oh, who am I kidding? They will be eating at McDs every night. :) I signed up for this seminar thinking it would be a "mini-break" while gaining some valuable knowledge that I need due to the position at work I am in...I reviewed the schedule...classes (YES, CLASSES) start at 8:00 am and do not conclude until 6:00pm every day...we eat breakfast, lunch and dinner together...and on top of that I thought I was going to atleast get to sleep in a little bit each morning...until James reminded me that Atlanta was Eastern Time zone...we're central...so I'm jumping ahead an hour...8am is really 7am my time...translation--no sleeping in for me! :)

Wish me luck...I haven't done "school" in over 10 years...this should be interesting.

Finally...pictures of Hayden's 7th Birthday!!!

I know...I know...I haven't posted pics of Hayden's birthday and I said I would on Monday...but come on--for those of you that know me pretty well know that my timing is usually off by months...so we're lucky that it's only a few days late. I like to look at the positive. :)

I cannot tell you how much fun I had on this birthday for Hayden...I think it's my favorite so far. I think because he was so excited about EVERYTHING...he just kept saying "It's the best day, EVER!!"...it makes me smile thinking about it.

Well, the whole shabang started on Saturday when Hayden's buddy, John came to spend the night. We took the boys to see Wall-E...which was a cute movie, and then ate pizza, played the wii, had cupcakes (spiderman) and ice cream...then settled in for the night in the tent that James set up in the living room...you'll see a pic in a minute of fluffy sleeping on top of the tent...but let me add this little tidbit...James got a new tent for Father's Day--we've upgraded to a TWO ROOM tent...yes, we're pretty excited about it. I thought it was a wonderful idea to try and set the tent up in the living room so that we know how to do it before we go on our camping trip in September (can't wait-so excited) ANYWAY...James tried to tell me that the tent was too big for our living room...but if you read my previous blog you know I happen to think I'm always right...well, I hate to say...I was wrong. Let me also say this...putting a tent back in to the "bag" it comes with is NEVER an easy feat...in fact you almost have to use magic to get it to work...but I digress...so, since the kids already thought we were going to have a tent in the living room we pulled out the old one and set it up...kids were happy, parents frustrated (just a little bit) but we moved on. Around 9:00, Hayden sacked out. Abby and John were up, and I'm just going to say really quick here--John is so sweet to Abby...he sat in the recliner with Abby, shared popcorn and watched Cinderella. You will see a picture if you scroll down.

Around 10:30, John came in our room and said he thought he wanted to go home. Now, I remember being in 3rd grade at a sleep over and crying because I wanted to go home...I hate that feeling, so anytime someone is at our house and they want to go home...you don't have to ask twice...if the child starts crying I'll be crying with them...so we try to by pass that all together. (It kind of scares the kids when I'm saying I want my mommy, too!!!) :)

On Sunday, Hayden's actual birthday he and daddy went to ride go carts--play arcade games--they had a great time. Abby and Mommy stayed home and took naps and we had a great time too...then we got to open gifts...have cake and ice cream...which I'm making a plug here for my friends Tara and Joe Caldwell of Caldwell Cakes--they are AMAZING...check out there blog http://www.caldwellcakes.blogspot.com/. Phenominal!!

Okay, here's the pics!!

Playing wii in the tent...no we will not take the wii camping!!!

Fluffy (aka ninja) sleeping on top of tent!

John watching Cinderella w/ Abby--Hayden was out like a light!

Rise and shine Birthday Boy!!

A transformer 3D puzzle...this should be fun

A bike AND a scooter...wow--too cool!

Birthday's are exhausting!

His comment: "No way! That's awesome...in all my life I've NEVER had my very own DS!" :) In all his life...

And the coolest cake...EVER!!!

What a great day!

Proud of my husband...

On Sunday, our service was about husbands and wives...(yes, the dreaded 'Wives submit to your husband' sermon) but this time, it was different...our associate pastor didn't say it was just me that was supposed to submit, but that submission is everyone's responsibility. He kept repeating Submission is MY responsibility...and then he discussed what husbands want most out of a wife (and let me tell you it's not what I was thinking!) they want respect. God opened my eyes that I have not done such a great job of this in the past. Ask anyone who knows me...I think I'm always right and my way is the best...but that attitude is not a portrait of a christian wife...and as much as I love James, my actions and words don't always portray respect of him. So, I'm blogging about James today...and yes, it's going to be mushy...but what can I say?

I respect James for many reasons...one of the main ones is that he has always provided for his family.
For those of you that don't know we were married young (and a lot of people thought we were crazy)...but in all the time that we've been married, we have always had a nice place to live--more than enough food on the table and in our refrigerator (unless I haven't gone grocery shopping)--clothes on our backs and plenty of extras...and that's because (#1 God's blessing) and James has always worked his tail off.
One thing I admire in him is that he would work anywhere he had to provide for his wife and kids...and he's always been that way, he would go work at the gas station down the street if he had to...and that makes me so glad that I have such a wonderful husband, but also such an upstanding guy for our kids to look up to. We made the choice to get married young, which meant we made sacrifices...one of those being that James was not able to finish his college degree in the manner most "kids" are able to. But even to this day he hasn't given up, he is still working to complete it. He also didn't let it stop him in accomplishing what he has (again, of course all of this is thru God's blessing on our life) but he has a career...and even without that piece of paper that has almost become "hallowed" for people today. We've had help along the way, don't get me wrong. There have been times, we've been blessed with extra money here and there from family. But for the majority of his college career and our married life, raising kids, etc....he's done it on his own...and that's how he wants it. He does not like to take hand outs...and although, I'm totally okay with accepting free money...I respect him that he's not. This means alot to me as a wife...because I know my husband will always take care of us...but as a mother, it means even more...our son Hayden wants to be just like James...in fact he is just like James. They are so similar it's scarey...but James is laying out a foundation for our son of what it means to be a Godly man and also what a true husband looks like for his daughter one day. I am proud beyond words of my husband...and so I hope this makes a tiny dent in the lack of RESPECT I have shown in the past. James is going to be so embarressed. :)

I told you guys I'd be bragging...and it's my blog...so I guess I can do that...but let me just end with this...of course everything we have, everything we're given..it's all from God. I'm just thankful God gave me such a great guy to spend my life with. Okay, enough MUSH!!

Ya'll have a great day!

Links...

Here is a link to the family that I blogged about previously...this little girl is precious...check out her pictures, but I'll warn you...you may cry...she's just too cute.

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/Missmaddie


Here's another link to our pastor's blog from First Baptist Smyrna...I just read his July 4th--Happy Birthday America post and it's great...take a look at it. It's eye opening to just how good we have it even when things aren't so "good" in American's terms.

www.pathood.org

Thanks ya'll!!

The first step...

Well, I think I've come up with a name for "this"...instead of calling it "this" all the time...

It's going to be called The Common Bond. That's what "this" is all about...we have a common bond, we're mothers, sisters, friends, grandmothers that can relate in the valleys of life. I will be launching a blog with an email address specifically for 'The Common Bond' hopefully this next week. I've contacted a lawyer to see what is involved with starting a non-profit organization. as well, so I'll update on a timeline once I get that information back.

A large part of 'The Common Bond' (aka TCB) will be praying for these families that we come in contact with. And with that I would like to share this story...one of my friends from Washington emailed me on Friday and told me about her friend's 9 month old daughter. When she was 2 months old she was diagnosed with leukemia, and has been undergoing treatment since that time. At this point, the treatments are not helping...and they are starting a "last resort" experimental treatment. Please lift this family up. They are from the Tri-Cities, and have been in Spokane, WA since Christmas...they are now being transferred to Portland, OR. Pray, pray pray for this precious baby and this family.

Faith, Hope and Love...

Regarding my post yesterday, thank you for the response I've gotten in people wanting to be apart of this...I don't even know what to call it yet...I've been thinking about it and thought I'd blog about my "ideas" so far...of course, nothing set in stone... For now--my goal is to sell enough Faith, Hope and Love bracelets to be able to give them to mothers who really just need encouragement while faced with fear, pain, sorrow...etc. As mothers, nothing is more precious to us than our children and that's a common bond between moms.

Here's where I'm coming from on all of this...when we thought we were going to lose Hayden, I wanted something tangible...something that marked that he was real and his life mattered. I had a friend who had brought me a little bear with the July birthstone (Ruby) which was the month Hayden was due to be born. It was something so small...but it was something that signified him because of it. I want to give that to mothers who are in the same position we were in...or to those who didn't get the outcome we got and actually had to say goodbye...something they can wear everyday that is tangible and yet reminds them that there is faith, hope and love in the midst of such incredible sorrow.

The second part of this "dream" stems from my my neice's story. When she was born a premie and in the hospital for 2 months I thought about how difficult it must be for Kristin and Al because they were away from home, and yet life doesn't stop even though you want it to...you want the bills, your job, etc to be put on hold...but it can't and many families that have children in the hospital are faced with having to leave their child in order to stay afloat. Then I thought of how many premie families were in the NICU, and children battling cancer, etc. How would James and I cope in that situation? Hayden was only in the NICU for 10 days when he was born, but that still created a financial burden we struggled with for years. What about the families that faced months in the hospital? I know we can't help everyone...but if we could help one...wouldn't it be worth it?
Let me say this really quick...there are wonderful organizations out there like March of Dimes, Ronald McDonald House, etc and they provide greatly for these families...I'm just hoping to add to what they are able to do. If it means a parent could take an extra day off from work because there's a little bit of extra funds in order to be near their child then I'd call it a success...if it means a mom could hire someone to come clean her house or cook dinner for a week--just to help return to some sense of normalcy, then we've succeeded...

Above all else...what I invision from all of this is simple...I just want these families to know there are others walking alongside of them on this dreaded road they are faced with. If we never make it as BIG as I am dreaming, but we send a bracelet to a mom that's just barely hanging on and it helps her get thru the day...to love them like Jesus...then we've succeeded.

Okay, enough rambling...check out my iMage Jewelry blog (link on the top right side) to see the bracelet....Faith, Hope and Love. Tell your friends...and buy some bracelets (they make great gifts!!!)

The Kids Are Home!!

We met Nana on Saturday to get the kids in a little town called Carlise, Arkansas--exit 183, ate at a place called Nick's BBQ-I'm mentioning all of this because it had the best bbq--and fried pies!! I can't tell you how excited I was to see them...now, 5 days later...I'm ready for another break! Okay, just kidding. I really missed the kids while they were gone...but they had a great time. Hayden's birthday is coming up this weekend...he will be 7...can you believe it??? We can't. He's having a buddy spend the night on Saturday night and I think the game plan is to go play putt putt...eat pizza...then go see the movie Wall-E...I've heard it's good...we'll let you know.
School also starts in less than a month. (Abby "phases" in so she won't start until August 19th...and at that its short days for the first couple then they throw them in full force) We're excited for school to start...can I just say I wish we had year round school...it would be so much better for us and the kids!!! I still can't get over that I will have TWO school age kids...I'm not old enough to have TWO school age kids...let me emphasize that one more time TWO SCHOOL AGE KIDS!!! Wow...doesn't seem possible. :)

So...I'd posted awhile back about what God was leading me to do with "our" miracle...I think I'm getting closer to a game plan on that. It's in the sketchy stages right now, but it's going to tie in my Faith, Hope and Love bracelet...and it's going to involve giving them to mothers who have had to endure saying goodbye to their child or have children that are in the hospital--whether it be preemies, terminally ill children, injured children, etc...but eventually I would really like to take it a step farther and create a foundation/organization/etc. (something--not for sure what yet) to provide money for families who have children in the hospital to help cover living expenses while they may need to take time off from work, etc. I've looked into this in the past, but I think my ideas were too far fetched, so I'm coming down to earth and looking realistically at what we can do. I'm not saying having a BIG DREAM is bad...I'm all for it...and I believe God can do the impossible...but I don't want my ideas to get so BIG that I don't actually START and I really more than anything want it to be God's plan not mine, that seems to be a dilemma with me. Anyway, keep praying for direction and if you're interested in being apart of whatever it is that this is going to be...let me know. I'd love to have others to brainstorm and create this with...I think the more people that get involved the more fun it will be to see it come to life...in fact I need the help...so pray for others to step forward or pray about God using you in this area. Again, I'm so excited to see where God will take this...it will be interesting. Have I mentioned I need the help?!

Anyway, enough blog rambling. Nana took some great pics and will be sending them soon (which could relate to 6 months) JUST KIDDING, NANA!! But I'll post pics of the kids at 'Camp Nana' once I get them. :)

TEXAS!!

**Updated 07/09/08--In response to your question in the comment section, Keith...Round Rock Express (the bad team as my kids put it) won the game. Although, Nashville Sounds had beat them in the previous two games**


Okay, I'm from Texas...born and raised (mostly) there...and let me just take a minute to say--I don't understand why TEXANS are so proud of their state??!! I'm sorry...I just don't get it. Tennesseans should be hanging there state shape all over the place because it is soooo much prettier...okay, now that I've got that out of the way and upset most of my in-laws... :)



We had a great time on our vacation...it was so much fun seeing our family and watching the kids (who are still in the great state of TX as I type) play with their cousins. Here are some pictures of our trip...

Crazy kids...they had so much fun together!!





This is Round Rock Donuts...which has been featured on the Travel Channel and I must say it is the best donut place (even better than Krispy Kreme) The plain hot ones are the best...





Nana has a great pool in her little community...it was perfect especially since Texas gets HOT!!

Round Rock Express is the local farm baseball team...so we went to a game and guess who they played? Nashville Sounds!! It was so much fun. We sat on the grass, but they had a swimming pool at this park, a rock climbing thing--play ground--funnel cakes...what more can you ask for??

One rule of Nana's is that if you don't work you don't eat...so the kids dug tree holes so they could eat dinner every night. They worked really hard and even found some treasure (dollar bills, no less!) that Hayden is sure pirates buried in Nana's backyard a long time ago! He's just sure of it. I'm wondering what kind of work Nana's having them do this week, they really have to pick up the slack since Mom and Dad aren't there to help them out!! :) Okay, just kidding...the kids were just having fun planting trees...but they did find treasures! Nana, can we tear up the rest of your yard looking for money???

I just think this picture is hilarious so I posted it! All the kids eating ice cream...and Madi with no clothes on!! She's going to love that we took this picture of her when she's a teenager. :) Sorry, Madi Patti!!

We had the best view in the house for fireworks and we were in Nana and Grandad's backyard. It was amazing...and the kids loved it!

After fireworks we made smores...or you could say we made a MESS!!!

This is what we did most of the time at the family reunion...played croquet and swam in the lake water (YUCK--not me, though)

As soon as I get more pictures from our familia I'll post them on here...I know I took quite a few using Nana's camera so I should have more fun shots of the kids to come. :)