Catch Up!

I can't believe the last time I posted anything was Tanner's birthday!! But so many things have happened and we have been so busy. I'm really glad summer is here and really wish I was at home with the kids playing in the pool.

April was a pretty quick month. We had Easter weekend, then Tanner's birthday the next weekend. Recoup from the previous two weekends the next weekend and then start gearing up for end of the year stuff.

May was even more hectic. We lost an AMAZING lady!! Granny Irene always had a smile on her face and never a complaint. She has an amazing family of which I'm so blessed to be a part of. Tanner got to hear some stories about his Poppa and Great Uncles that had him rolling in the floor. He loved hearing the story of Granny riding on the back of Buck's motorcycle and falling off, how Terry had hit a baseball through the neighbors window and didn't know it, Debbie saying that they could play in a neighbors yard because he wasn't home and the neighbor coming out noting otherwise! Oh, the stories could go on and on and it's all because of Granny and Grandad. Their legacy lives on and they are both missed greatly.

May was also Mother's Day Tea, which I didn't get to be a part of, but someone just as wonderful to Ella was able to be there and she was so proud that her Nesey was able to be there for her! I am too. Then we had end of the year party and graduation for Ms. Angie's. And let me tell you, she does an amazing job with those kids!! I was laughing at Tanner because he was singing along with the little kids at Ms. Angie's graduation, he didn't remember the songs at first, but they quickly came back and he was singing right along. That same week we had Tanner's playday at the football field and baseball field!! Then school is out! It seems like May didn't even happen!!




Now here we are in June and all is going well so far. The kids are swimming and slip 'n slidin' and I'm planning a trip for the kids and hopefully, we will get to go and have a good time!! Tanner is wanting us three, my parents and my sister and her family to all go on vacation like we did when Tanner was little. He said he had a good time and would like to do that again. So my sister and I are working on details of that. I'm excited about it, because we will be getting out of town!!



Ella didn't like the idea of running and sliding on the slip 'n slide, so she would lay down and wait for someone to push her down it!! I loved watching them do that!!





That was quick, but in a nutshell!!

Birthday Weekend

We had an awesome weekend!! We got to celebrate Tanner's birthday on Sunday and had cookie cake, candles, drinks, and several boys having a great time. It seems so surreal at times that he is 9 years old. I remember him being born and not knowing what to name him. (I know, I'm a terrible mom!) The thing is when he was born, I had no idea if he was going to be a boy or a girl. So, I had no boy names picked out. Finally, after many suggestions, he was named Tanner. He was my surprise and continues to surprise me to this day.

Tanner is a protector, a friend, a son and amazing! To this day, he is very over-protective of his sister. He panics when she cries, and worries when she is hurt. Even though they act like brother and sister, anytime something happens to her, he is the first there. He has many friends and loves to be around them all. It is so neat to watch the way he interacts with everyone, because it is different with each of his friends.





God gave me the best gift he could have ever given me, not only Tanner, but Ella as well. They have made me laugh when I didn't know if it was possible. To live life full each day with them.


This is one of the many pictures we take before we can get a good one...


and finally a good one...

I Love....

I love my kids!! One right now is not feeling well, but will recover soon! I love the fact that I never know what will come out of their mouths, especially Ella! She speaks her mind regularly.



I love my family and friends!! I have some of the best family and friends anyone could ask for. I don't always get to spend enough time with them, but I do cherish every minute that I get with them. Just recently I was reminded how precious life is and to not take anyone for granted.



I love Spring!! I am so excited that it is spring time and that everything is turning green, and is full of life and color. I love the cool nights and the warm days. I love the spring showers too.

I love Easter Egg Hunts!! We went to Ms Angie's this morning for Ella's Easter party and I love watching the kids look for their eggs!



I love the sunshine!! Today is such a beautiful day and so nice and warm. I love to see the sunshine and feels it warmth.

I love vanilla Dr. Pepper's from Dairy Queen!! They put a little extra vanilla in mine :)

I love wearing my flip flops!! I have missed them so much. I am not a big fan of shoes and as soon as I come home, my shoes come off. I guess that is where Ella gets taking her shoes off as soon as she comes in!

and last and the best....

I love the life God has allowed me to have!! I have been blessed to have everything I need. He has allowed me to have two amazing kids, amazing parents, amazing friends and I could not ask for more!! I am working on being who he wants me to be everyday. I have had a few struggles lately, but he has given me great peace!! I love it!!

That's the Way We Roll

I must say that the kids have been acting crazy lately, but I think, it's because Spring is approaching and the weather is warmer and they are tired of being inside all the time.

I was running out of ideas for things for them to do. One night after I folded laundry and got it put up, Tanner was sitting in the laundry basket rocking back and forth. For some reason, I told Ella to get in the other basket and start doing the same thing. I then lined them up on one side of the living room and told them to rock back and forth to make the basket move to the other side of the room. Mr. Competitive, aka Tanner, couldn't stand that his sister was beating him, so he decides to use his hands to help scoot him across the floor. I pulled him back and told him that he had to rock. Needless to say, he was sweating in about 2 minutes from working so hard to catch back up to his sister. Ella was laughing at him telling him "I win, I win, You lost, You lost." Can you tell my children are competitive? Then Ella got tired and decided that she was going to climb in behind her brother and make him rock both of them across the floor. He starts trying and then I hear, "Jeez Tanner, your heavy." Needless to say, Ella bailed on him and decided her little basket was plenty big and she would rather do it herself then let her brother squish her!



They had a blast and asked the other day if their baskets would scoot across the grass. I told them I didn't know but we could see when it warms up. So if you see us with laundry baskets out we are just racing in them!

Many thanks

Wow! I just sat down and evaluated everything that has transpired since I have been back from my trip. It's amazing how as you are going through it all that it doesn't seem near as big until you look back and it hits you like a ton of bricks. So much has happened and so many prayers have been said. I do want to say Thank you to those who have prayed, your prayers are tremendously appreciated.

Last week, one of my cousins, went missing. He lives in the DFW area and was missing for 2 1/2 days and was found on Wednesday. He was unconscious. He was brought to our local hospital where he was flown out to UMC in Lubbock. He is still in ICU and is still holding his own. We have no idea what happened to him. Doctors say they think he had a heart attack, but they don't know for sure. Our family has talked to the Sheriff who found him, have talked to doctors, to try to find out what happened. There are a lot of unanswered questions that will remain that way until he can answer them, if and when he does. He has a wife and two daughters who are 20 and 17. Family members who are still in Lubbock, say he is improving. I hope and pray that he is and we all know he will have a very long road to recovery.

Renewed

This past week, I went on a mini vacation. I was in need of one, but didn't realize til I was gone, just how much I not only wanted it, but needed it. It was a great time relaxing and spending some time with my sister. I was able to spend some time with her a reconnect with her in a way that we haven't had a chance to. It was great. We ate, and laughed, and ate, and laughed and shopped and laughed some more. I can't tell you how much I have needed that with her. I didn't realize til I left just how much I had missed her. In our daily lives, we get drawn into the daily tasks that we think we have to get done, and sometimes forget to tells those who mean the most to us, how much we appreciate them, how much we love them or even a simple hello. I had an amazing time just being able to spend time with her.

Then I came home and was wore out from doing really nothing, except driving. I got home late and couldn't get wound down from the drive, so I didn't make it to bed til 4am Saturday morning. But, I did make up for not sleeping and slept til almost noon. I haven't done that in I can't tell you when. I felt better and happier than I have in a while. I started putting stuff up, cleaning and getting laundry done. I'm no where close to being finished putting stuff up and going through stuff, but I started and that is a big accomplishment for me.

Sunday started and ended on the same note. Which for me is unusual. Lately, I have being going to church and renewing my relationship with God. I do have to say, that I didn't know if I was ready when I started, but I must say, the journey til now has helped me the way I always knew it should, but didn't want to face it. I felt guilty for a while for not going, then when I did go (sporadically) I felt as if I were there for the wrong reason, now when I go, it's because I want to be there and can't wait to hear the lesson this Sunday. And every lesson is what I need to hear at that given time, like what I have struggled with that week, or have struggled with in the past or that has bothered me and it's like this is what I need to hear right now. Last night, Tanner couldn't go to sleep. He asked if he could talk to me and I told him anytime he wanted to. I couldn't tell if he had been crying or not and I asked him what was wrong. He and I started talking about baptism and salvation. I must say I was surprised and told him that we would start studying together and reading the Bible. He said he wanted to do that and be ready for when Jesus returned. I told him we would be. I didn't know quite what to do or say, but felt we both need to start studying the Bible more. This morning after I got Tanner up to start getting ready, he gave me a hug and told me thanks for understanding and listening to him.

So today I stand renewed and refreshed and ready to go again. Last week and this weekend have been exactly what I have needed to start again.

Struggles

I'm headed out on Wednesday for a mini-vacation. I'm so excited and ready. Today, as I am preparing things at my office and going through things, I find myself struggling with the issue of addiction. It is this crazy disease. And I don't even know that I would even classify it as a disease. Over the past 8+ years I have learned A LOT about addiction and yet there are times I still don't know nor understand what is going on. It's easy to point out the alcoholic, the meth head, the crack head. But what is not so easy is pointing out the alcoholic who seems to be a social drinker, or the person addicted to adderall, or hydrocodone or muscle relaxers. I find it so amazing that any of these people I mentioned whether it's the meth addict or the hydrocodone addict, deny to everyone they have a problem. I have always had a hard time understanding this concept. You see them stoned or high or drunk or stumbling. They can barely take care of themselves let alone anyone else. My weakness with them is the kids. I also don't understand how they think they are hiding it from them. The kids notice the mood swings, notice the highs and lows, and there is nothing they can do to defend themselves from the ones taking care of them. They love them and yet at the same time are scared of them and are always on guard because they do not know which person they will get. This I guess is the part that I struggle with. I see it everyday. I see it everywhere. The only thing I can offer some of these is a chance to breathe new life without addiction. Some I have tried to help. Some think there is still nothing wrong. Some thinking they are hiding it from others and in reality are not. I am hoping that with this little vacation I can come back refreshed and ready to begin another struggle with whoever says they don't have a problem.