A New Journey

Vacay Anyone?

2008-08-19T08:42:00.004-05:00

I have been telling Greg for months now that I wanted to go on vacation. We NEED to go on vacation. That if I have to spend one more day cooped up in this house in this town, I may seriously pull my hair out.

He told me that we would "when the house is done." That is a stinkin' long process. We broke ground in NOVEMBER and we're still not done. Very, very close, but still not done.

About a month ago, we loaded up for a daytrip across Tennessee and almost to Kentucky (we were maybe 10 minutes from the KY line). I was excited about going and getting away for a little while, but before you feel joy for me, I should tell you that we trekked all the way there for this.I know what you're thinking, and yes, we drove 2 1/2 hours one way and 5 1/2 on the way back to get a hay baler. Can't you just feel the excitement now. . .

Greg was excited. A baler is one of those must-have things for a farm. At least I wasn't cooped up in the house for the time being and we did see some pretty country, so I made the best of it.

He came in the other day and said that in about a month we were going on vacation. As of now, I think we are heading to the mountains since the beach is too hot and my very pale son would blister (and I would never hear the end of it). I have been thinking of things to do while we are there, and frankly, its hard to think of very much since Clayton is just 6 months old. We can't ride the go-carts or go to Dollywood and ride everything there. I know there is so much to do there, but I've really never done any of it. Growing up, we went to Dollywood all the time and that was about it.

Any suggestions for baby-friendly attractions?

God Bless!
Shaunta

Another Prayer Answered!

2008-08-15T18:27:00.003-05:00

Awhile back, I posted a prayer request for my pawpaw's neighbor, Harve. I had been hearing good things about his cancer treatment, but earlier today, I was able to talk to him myself. He was so thrilled to tell me that he had went back to the doctor on Monday and was told that he is now CANCER FREE! How great is that? This was after only 2 chemotherapy treatments. He said that the Lord has blessed him and he praises Him everyday for what He has done! I was so thankful to hear that good news. I also asked about his grandson, who has yet to make his grand debut, and you could just hear the excitement in his voice when he talked about him. Thank you to everyone who prayed! God heard all the prayers for Harve and JC loud and clear!

God Bless!
Shaunta

Times When You Just Don't Say Anything

2008-08-07T12:12:00.001-05:00

Just before he left for work, Greg got on the scale.

"Boy the heat is getting to me. I've lost 7 pounds."

He could have just stopped there, but no. He continued.

"How much weight have you lost?"

Everybody thinks they're a comedian.

He said he was being serious. He told me I felt smaller when he hugged me.

For the record, I have lost weight. But then my weakness for chocolate cake set in and I gained it back. Fortunately, it's disappearing again. I forced myself to do crunches the past few days. Last night, I did 100 (half of what I normally go for). 50 of those were done with Clayton sitting on my belly.

I'm considering marketing that idea to fitness companies.

"Workout with a 17 pound, wiggly, teething little boy and the pounds will melt right off! Act now and we will throw in spit up for free! You are guaranteed to lose even more weight while dodging the line of fire! Only two easy payments of $49,999.99."

Richard Simmons, watch out.

We're not sweating to the oldies here. We're sweating with the newbies.

God Bless,
Shaunta

Half A Year Gone By

2008-08-03T21:30:00.000-05:00

BEHOLD, CHILDREN ARE A HERITAGE FROM THE LORD, THE FRUIT OF THE WOMB IS A REWARD

PSALM 127:3

I have always heard that children are our greatest blessing, but I never really knew how great until 6 months ago today. On that day, we welcomed Clayton into the world, and he has certainly been a blessing to Greg and I. He has showed us what love really is. You don't know love until you feel love for your child. It is an amazing feeling.
In honor of Clayton's 6 month birthday, we decided to celebrate by having cake.Well, half a cake. We kept the decorated half for us to eat, but we had to have a picture of him with it before we got our sweet fix.

He was so thrilled. . .

He got to have the other half of the cake to play in.

He wasn't sure about getting messy at first. . .

so he did just what any other southern gentleman would have done.

He stuck his foot in it.

The idea of being messy quickly grew on him and before long he was working on the cake with both hands and both feet.

By the end of playtime with the cake, he was covered. He also realized during this time that he doesn't like chocolate. He wears it well, though.

Of course, this venture led to a bath. . .

which led to trying to catch the water. . .

which led to getting too close and managing to get under the faucet.

Through funny faces, tearful eyes, or pitiful cries, I love that sweet little baby more than I ever knew that I could love anyone, and I thank God everyday for him.

Happy half year birthday my precious baby!

God Bless!
Shaunta

I've Been Caught

2008-07-23T16:31:00.000-05:00

Yes. It's true. I sing. I have been singing for many years now, but I have managed to keep fairly quiet about it. Until now. Thanks to Myspace and Blogspot, and the places where they both ask about hobbies, the world now knows. I have had a few people ask me about this just within the last few days.

I think singing is one of those things that I was just meant to do. My grandparents played square dances when I was growing up and I have been around music my whole life. Now, I'm not saying I'm any good at it, but our dogs have never howled due to the noise. I love to sing, much to my sons dismay. He tends to scream everytime I really give a whole-hearted attempt at it.

I have played around with the idea of pursuing a recording contract, and at one point, I was in contact with the Eddie Crook Co. in hopes of getting my foot in the Southern Gospel door. That was shortly before (like, seriously, a week) my son was due. Well, as of now, that venture has been put on hold. Clayton is the most important thing in my life and I will have plenty of time later on to go after other things.

I decided to share with you all a video of one performance from 2004. My Aunt Charlotte is doing sign language in the video. A few months before this, she traveled to New York to have an aneurysm removed from her aorta. She said she wanted to share what God had done for her and she felt led to do this. This was at her church during their Senior Citizen's Night.

The video isn't the best quality in the world, and getting it on here was complicated. But, without further adieu, I give you our version of "Trophy of Grace." And as my friend Uncle Derwin would say, if you like it, tell everyone, but if you don't, just keep your mouth shut!

God Bless!
Shaunta

Believing in the Power of Prayer

2008-07-13T15:34:00.001-05:00

Update 07/19/08: JC's new doctors decided to try antibiotics in hopes that it would dry the ulcers on his colon up. It's working! If it continues to work, he won't have to have surgery. Please continue to pray for him!

Update 07/09/08: JC was moved to a different hospital on Monday but as of now they haven't done the surgery. The doctors at this hospital are questioning the diagnosis of the previous doctors and are now running tests.

I know that there are a lot of faithful Christians in Bloggerville and today I ask that you please remember these people in prayer.

Greg's Uncle JC has been very sick for several weeks now. He has lost 47 pounds since he first got sick and is now waiting to be transferred to another hospital as soon as a bed becomes available to have his colon removed. On top of all of this, he has developed a staph infection in his lungs. His strength has to be built back up before they can operate, and from what we were told, he may have quite a way to go to get there. Please pray for JC and his family as this has taken a toll on them all.

Secondly, a few weeks ago my Pawpaw's neighbor, Harve, was diagnosed with lung cancer. The doctors were initially going to operate but have since decided that they couldn't. He is going to start chemotherapy soon. His daughter is pregnant now and is due next month. This baby will be Harve's first grandson. I know she is having a rough time with this as well. My sister and I dealt with a very similar situation and it is unbelievably hard. Please remember them and their family when you pray.

God Bless!
Shaunta

The Pastries are Laughing at Me

2008-07-09T19:11:00.000-05:00

I went to Walmart today with weight loss on the brain. I emerged from the sea of somewhat needless things with a workout dvd, some Slim-Fast, and a box of Special K bars. Somewhere in my spare time (which is limited these days), I figured I could handle that. I could tell you that I have already done the workout twice, and that all I had for dinner was a Slim-Fast, but that would be dishonest, and I frown upon dishonesty. I did, however, have a salad for dinner. A really good, artery-clogging, fried Zaxby's Zalad loaded with really good, really fattening, ranch dressing (which was a mistake since I have had an allergy to ranch dressing since I was a wee child). It was followed by two chocolate fudge PopTarts. I still have yet to figure out why PopTarts come two to a pack when the serving size is one. Not one pack. One tart. How can I resist the wonderful chocolatey goodness of the second PopTart in the pack? I can't stand to leave it in there all by its lonesome. Since the pack is open, it might as well join its friend deep in the black hole known as my belly.

As for the workout, I think I managed to do 5 minutes of it before Miss-Peppy-Skinny-Smiley-Blonde-With-A-Bad-Southern-Accent lost me. I proceeded to watch the rest from my desk chair. If watching counted for anything, I lost a good 5 pounds. Unfortunately, the PopTarts weren't willing to melt away just at the sight of a hiphop dance workout.

I will not eat PopTarts.

I will lose weight.

Someone should recommend something low fat or low calorie to the PopTart people.

God Bless!
Shaunta

One Year Ago Today. . .

2008-06-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

Greg and I were headed south to the beach. We were excited and couldn't wait to get there. That night, beneath the most beautiful full moon, we stood on the beach and exchanged our vows. It was simple and special to both of us. I never wanted a big wedding and on a whim, we decided on the beach. No one went with us. It was just us, the minister, and the photographer. I wouldn't have had it any other way. It was perfect.

I am so thankful for such an amazing husband. He is caring and kind, a wonderful provider, and a loving husband and father. The past year has had plenty of ups and downs, but through it all, he has been there by my side, offering a hug or an "I Love You." I prayed for God to send me "Mr. Right" and He knew just who I needed in my life. Greg came in at just the right moment and I have been on Cloud 9 since then.

Happy Anniversary to my one and only! It has been a wonderful year with you and I know the next 100 will be even better! I Love You!

Shaunta

Clayton's Newest Adventures

2008-06-19T13:38:00.000-05:00

Hi! This is Clayton, stepping in for my mommy again. Since I last blogged, a lot has happened in my world. I have grown a lot and now I am getting to eat real food!

This was after I got to eat sweet taters. They were yummy!

Mommy was feeding me squash, but she wasn't feeding me fast enough, so I took matters into my own hands.
I love peaches. They are one of my favorite fruits so far, but Mommy got a new brand and they aren't as good. I tried really hard to eat them, but they were just way too yucky.

Mommy and Daddy took me to my very first bullride last Saturday. I only saw three bucking bulls and then I decided that sleeping was a better idea. I got to wear my Uncle Wayne's cowboy hat for a little while. It looked better on me anyway.Memorial Day weekend we had decoration where my Nana is buried. After that, we had lunch with my Aunt Charlotte, whom I love very much! I got to spend some quality time with my cousins Natalie and Victoria while I was there.

One of my favorite things to do now is ride the tractor with my daddy. He says he is going to buy me one soon so that it will be good and broke in by the time I am 3, and then I can help him in the hay fields.

(Of course, Mommy said "no way" to him buying me a tractor now, but we're working on changing her mind!)

Thanks for stopping by!

Until next time,

The Great Hollywood Disaster

2008-06-04T19:12:00.000-05:00

It absolutely cracks me up to get online and read the headlines on Yahoo and MSN. Some are funny, some sad, some we all saw coming. I think one of the funniest ones that I have seen in sometime is the one I just saw. Apparently, Sarah Jessica Parker went to her new movie premier wearing a dress she thought was brand spankin' new and never worn. Well, guess what?

It had been worn.

Twice.

Once by Lindsey Lohan.

This is hilarious to me. She is making it known that it is "unethical" that the dress was worn before (and yes, she said that). That makes me laugh to no end. If I wore everything once and then told Greg that it was unethical for me to wear it again, do you know what he would tell me? You can get over it. Plain and simple. That to me would be like buying a new outfit before every church service, because Heaven forbid I should wear the same one more than once. And it would be a major disaster to show up wearing the same outfit as someone else. When I was in school, I competed in pageants. I wore the big frou-frou dresses with the Texas sized hair. I guarantee some of those dresses had been worn before, and I know there were some worn after the fact. In the 4th grade, my classmate and I showed up on pageant night with our huge hair, and lo-and-behold, we had the same frilly-frou-frou-takes-half-a-dozen-people-to-get-you-in-it dress. Did we care? No. Her mother seemed a little aggravated by the situation, but my Granny thought it was amusing and couldn't wait to see how the possible drama of the same dress panned out. In the end, my friend and I both won. Same dress and all. We actually tied and they called us back on stage for the tie-breaker. It wasn't unethical. It was a memory in the making for the two of us.

Now, I'm not knocking shopping, cause you know a girl likes to look good. But geez, if people are paying more attention to the fact that I am wearing my broke-in comfy t-shirt that has obviously been worn more than once, they have way too much time on their hands.

I'm going to wash the spit up out of said shirt now.

God Bless!

The Newest Journey

2008-06-03T23:16:00.000-05:00

Lately, my sister and I have stayed busy with either birthday parties or baby showers. It seems like we are constantly on the go for some event, which means we are usually in the market for the "perfect gift." There have been times that we needed help in planning an event, or decorating for one, or just in need of a gift with no idea where to begin. We got to brainstorming and from that brainstorm we birthed a new creation. I am happy and excited to announce the formation of Wish Upon a Star Parties & Gifts. This is something that we have talked about doing for a while, and now seems like the time to get it up and going! We plan and decorate for parties, weddings, and showers and also put together gift baskets and diaper cakes (if you have never seen a diaper cake, follow the link to our Myspace page. They are adorable!). Nicole and I are both excited about this and can't wait to really get going in it. Whether you need a gift for one or a party for 100, Wish Upon a Star can help! Feel free to contact us for more information. We are more than happy to help!

God Bless!

A Big Heart and A Good Deed. . .

2008-05-20T18:03:00.001-05:00

a.k.a. Why My Husband Is Liable to Kill Me

Update on the puppies: I was able to get in touch with a very sweet lady named Melissa who operates a no-kill animal shelter. She found a foster home locally that would take all of them until they are adopted.

Today, my sister and I, along with her three children and my one, went by the cemetery where Granny is buried to see how our flowers that we chose for decoration were going to look. I think they look beautiful.Our florist, Gary, always does a wonderful job on any arrangement. After we cleaned the monument off and began walking back up to the car to put the flowers back in (our decoration isn't until Sunday), I looked up by the church and something caught my eye. Or should I say 8 somethings. Someone had dropped off 8 absolutely adorable puppies. I, being the big animal lover of the family, couldn't bear to leave them there with no one to take care of them, so we went and found a box and loaded them up. Which is why my front porch now looks like this. . .

And also like this. . .But tell me, who can resist a sweet face like this. . .Or like this. . .Or like all of these. . .Greg can, that's who. He told me that I can't keep them. Not even one for Clayton. I am sure that he is probably convinced that this is the dumbest thing that I have done to date. But, at least I feel better knowing that they will be taken care of for the time being. Hopefully we can find them all good homes soon.

God Bless!

Babies Having Babies

2008-05-16T10:41:00.001-05:00

Next week will mark the 4 year anniversary of my high school graduation. It really isn't a very momentous occasion for me. I had the big moment when I walked onto the football field to receive my diploma. Like always, things have changed since I left. By the time I graduated, things had changed since my sister graduated 7 years earlier. My brother graduated last year and I was amazed at how much things had changed in 3 years. Now, I am completely in shock at one of the biggest changes.

I was looking at some of the profiles on Myspace earlier, and I couldn't get over how many teenage girls, still attending the same school that I attended, are pregnant. My heart breaks for them. I never fully understood how hard it is to be a mother until I became one. I can't imagine being a new mother and having to deal with all the drama of high school at the same time. High school was a hard time for me, but since I had my baby, it has been an emotional roller coaster. Having to deal with both at the same time would have certainly caused an emotional breakdown for me. It seems like there is a baby boom going on now, but my goodness, half of those babies are being born to single teenagers who have yet to graduate. I have heard from people at the school that there are at least a dozen who either are pregnant or who have already given birth. I cannot comprehend how the parents of these girls must be feeling, much less what is going through the minds of these girls. I know that I am young, but I got my education, and I have a husband that is going to support me and my baby. A lot of the fathers of these babies are teenagers theirselves. They are still in high school without full time jobs to help pay for their baby's raising. Pray for those kids who are now facing the task of raising their own child.

I attend church with several of you here in the blog world and some of you have teenagers. Your children are wonderful. I remember them from my school days and can see that they are still some of the sweetest, most polite, and very well mannered kids. Above everything else, they all have strong morals and a Christian attititude, something that is evident both in church and out. Kudos to all of you for a job well done in raising extraordinary kids.

God Bless,

Getting Closer. . .

2008-05-12T21:37:00.000-05:00

Our New House

View of the back

Utility Room (that's a tiled shower in the corner)

Kitchen

Dining Room

FoyerLiving Room

Bathroom Guest Bedroom
Clayton's Bedroom
Master Bedroom
Master Bathroom
Master Bathroom Tub
Master Bathroom Shower (I LOVE the tile work!)

Hopefully, we will be moved in within the next month. We have to put down the hardwood flooring, paint the exterior and utility room, and do a few other minor things, but other than that, we are almost finished! Thank God!

God Bless!

Happy Mothers Day!

2008-05-10T10:36:00.000-05:00

My wonderful Christian friend, Lisa, posted this on Myspace. I wanted to share it with all the mothers here in Bloggerville.

This is for the mothers who have sat up all night with sick toddlers in their arms, wiping up puke laced with Oscar Mayer wieners and cherry Kool-Aid saying, "It's okay honey, Mommy's here." Who have sat in rocking chairs for hours on end soothing cryingbabies who can't be comforted.

This is for all the mothers who show up at work with spit-up in their hair and milk stains on their blouses and diapers in their purse. For all the mothers who run carpools and make cookies and sew Halloween costumes. And all the mothers who DON'T.

This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they'll never see. And the mothers who took those babies and gave them homes.

This is for the mothers whose priceless art collections are hanging on their refrigerator doors. And for all the mothers who froze their buns on metal bleachers at football, hockey, or soccer games instead of watching from the warmth of their cars, so that when their kids asked, "Did you see me, Mom?" they could say, "Of course, I wouldn't have missed it for the world," and mean it.

This is for all the mothers who yell at their kids in the grocery store and swat them in despair when they stomp their feet and scream for ice cream before dinner.

This is for all the mothers who sat down with their children and explained all about making babies. And for all the mothers who wanted to, but just couldn't find the words.

This is for all the mothers who go hungry, so their children can eat. For all the mothers who read "Goodnight, Moon" twice a night for a year. And then read it again. "Just one more time."

This is for all the mothers who taught their children to tie their shoelaces before they started school. And for all the mothers who opted for Velcro instead.

This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook and their daughters to sink a jump shot.

This is for every mother whose head turns automatically when a little voice calls "Mom?" in a crowd, even though they know their own offspring are at home -- or even away at college.

This is for all the mothers who sent their kids to school with stomach aches, assuring them they'd be just FINE once they got there, only to get calls from the school nurse an hour later asking them to please pick them up. Right away.

This is for mothers whose children have gone astray, who can't find the words to reach them. For all the mothers who bite their lips until they bleed when their 14 year olds dye their hair green. For all the mothers of the victims of recent school shootings, and the mothers of those who did the shooting. For the mothers of the survivors, and the mothers who sat in front of their TVs in horror, hugging their child who just came home from school, safely.

This is for all the mothers who taught their children to be peaceful, and now pray they come home safely from a war.

What makes a good Mother anyway? Is it patience? Compassion? Broad hips? The ability to nurse a baby, cook dinner, and sew a button on a shirt, all at the same time? Or is it in her heart? Is it the ache you feel when you watch your son or daughter disappear down the street, walking to school alone for the very first time? The jolt that takes you from sleep to dread, from bed to crib at 2A.M.to put your hand on the back of a sleeping baby? The panic, years later, that comes again at 2 A.M.when you just want to hear their key in the door and know they are safe again in your home? Or the need to flee from wherever you are and hug your child when you hear news of a fire, a car accident, a child dying? The emotions of motherhood are universal and so our thoughts are for young mothers stumbling through diaper changes and sleep deprivation...And mature mothers learning to let go. For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers. Single mothers and married mothers. Mothers with money, mothers without. This is for you all. For all of us. Hang in there. In the end we can only do the best we can. Tell them every day that we love them. And pray.

God Bless!

Hi, I'm Shaunta, and I am a sap.

2008-05-05T21:01:00.000-05:00

I have never been one to really show a lot of emotion, but there are a lot of things that tug at my heart, like new babies or old love. People say that there is nothing better than new love, but in my opinion, there is nothing better than old love. The kind of love that has withstood time. After Granny got sick, I guess I noticed old love more than I ever had before. Granny and Pawpaw were married for 48 years, 6 months, and 6 days when she passed away. Pawpaw has been doing well since then, but he seems so lost without her. Having to do everything on his own and not having her there has been a big adjustment. He takes time with things now, where before he would have just hurried through it. When he was picking out the headstone for her grave, he took time and put a lot of thought into it. It is beautiful and I think she would certainly approve. I have always been sappy over them and their love, and sappy over the things that Pawpaw is going through now, but lately, the sappiness hits at the weirdest times.

Like when I am in Walmart.

My sister and I were there today. We were in the craft department looking around, slowly making our way toward the flowers to find some for an arrangement for Granny's grave. As I walked past one of the flower aisles, I noticed an older gentleman looking through the flowers. He had some in his hand. I couldn't help but wonder if maybe he was picking some out for the same reason that we were. Or maybe his wife was at home and he was choosing some for her. He was a kind man. He spoke to us and played with my sisters kids, laughing at my niece and the faces and sounds that she would make. He reminded me of Pawpaw. In a few minutes, he went on his way across the store and we didn't see him again.

Then there was the time I was in the local grocery store.

People always have the assumption that small town folk know each other. Not true. I was in the checkout line one night paying for a few groceries. There was an older gentleman in front of me. As he was thumbing through the money in his wallet, his silver wedding band caught my attention. It stood out among his hands that were worn from years of work. He, like the gentleman at Walmart, was kind, speaking to the bagboys and cashiers. I didn't know him. I had never seen him before, and I haven't seen him since. I wondered how long he had been married, how many years he had worn that silver band. I smiled when I left the store thinking about the everlasting love shared by that man and his wife.

Then I cried when I got home and saw Pawpaw taking care of Granny because she was too weak to care for herself. Yes, it was a sad situation, but when they said their vows, in sickness and in health, they meant it. Forever. People these days take that too lightly. My grandparents love was as strong, if not stronger, on the day that she passed as it was on the day that they wed.

Maybe the world could use a dose of old love.

God Bless,

Clayton's Big Day Out

2008-05-04T15:32:00.002-05:00

Hi! This is Clayton. I am blogging today in place of my mommy to tell you about the adventure that I had yesterday. Mommy and Daddy took me to Lake Winnepesaukah to celebrate my 3 month birthday (even though they kept saying they were there for Daddy's company picnic). I was too little to ride anything other than my stroller, but I plan on going back when I am big enough to ride the Cannon Ball, or at least the Wacky Worm.

I wasn't sure about being strapped into my stroller.

I tried to tell Mommy that.

But I decided to make the best of it. . .

because I knew that if all else failed, I could stare at my hand. It's pretty interesting.The fish there are bigger than me. I had to have a bottle break after a little while.See where I get my good looks? After I had another bottle, I got bored and decided to take a nap.Then I woke up to ponder the world around me. . .but all that thinking wore me out.Mommy and Daddy wanted a family picture before we left, but I had better things to do.
When I got home, I dreamed about all the fun that I had at Lake Winnie.

Thanks for stopping by!

No Nappytime Here

2008-05-01T11:05:00.000-05:00

I asked Clayton, who is only 3 months old, if he wanted to take a nap.

If I had to guess, I would say his answer is no.

Oh me. They learn so young.

Our Search for Happiness

2008-04-23T10:39:00.000-05:00

I have been working on bookmarks for my family this morning that have my granny's obituary on them. It has been almost 4 months since she passed away and I am just now getting around to doing this, but better late than never I suppose. Last summer, Granny began seeking alternative cancer treatments after everything else failed. The option that was put before her was going to the Bahamas for treatment there. She prayed about it and felt that it was in God's will that she go. At the end of July, we bid farewell to her and my aunt for 8 weeks. Granny had never been away from Pawpaw for any length of time in the 48 years that they had been married, nor had she ever been on a plane. This was a trip of firsts for her. Two days after she flew out, her mother passed away and she wasn't able to come home for the funeral. That really hurt her, but it put a lot into perspective for her. While she was in the Bahamas, she kept a journal. In each entry, she would write about how the weather was, or what they had done, or how she was feeling. Many of the entries had prayers that she had prayed while there. No one read the journal when she came home. That was how she wanted it, but she told my aunt that if anything happened to her, then we could all read it. In all honesty, we had all forgotten about the journal. The day that she passed away, Pawpaw found it. As he read through the pages she had written, he found an entry at the back of the book. He told my aunt that it had to be read at the funeral. "She preached her own funeral in that," he said. It was her final message to everyone and it makes me smile everytime I read it.

Our Search for Happiness
I have felt for sometime that we were just about to enter into a place where God wants us to be. A place where we speak everything positive and nothing negative. A place where we have what we say because we speak His word and not what the world says. It seems we are pursuing happiness and maybe thinking if I had that house, or that car, or perfect mate, all would be well. I would be so happy, or plenty of money, or many things. But I believe we have to look inside to our Spirit. Greater is He that is inside us than he that is in the world. To look to the world is vanity, not true: false. But we have a treasure inside us where we truly find all our needs. God has given us that gift. We have to believe everything God’s word says because it is true. God wants us to walk in perfect health, have abundance enough to meet our needs, plus bless others. He will give us houses, perfect mates, money, more than enough, if we please Him. We can’t please Him without faith. We must keep our thoughts positive. He wishes above all things that we prosper and be in health.

Granny had found that happiness. If the rest of the world could find that same happiness, we would all be a lot better off. Even through all of her pain and obstacles that she dealt with during her battle with cancer, Granny was still happy. I would visit her often and could tell that she was in undescribable pain, but she still smiled. I love her always and miss her more everyday, but I know that I will see her again one day in Heaven.

Granny beside her favorite plant in the Bahamas

God Bless!

Pollen, Paint, and Spit Up

2008-04-16T17:25:00.001-05:00

I love this time of year. The weather is wonderful, but my only complaint is the pollen. It has wreaked havoc on my sinuses and turned my black vehicle a lovely shade of lime green. Don't get me wrong. I have nothing against that color. My room at my parents house was lime green, but we bought a black vehicle and I am kind of partial to it. This morning, I woke up with a sinus headache, but being as stubborn as I am, I went to the new house to paint. We are so close to being ready to move in and I want it done NOW. I painted my son's room yesterday. Today, the hubby said to paint our room.

Boy, did I mess up by being stubborn.

Our room is fairly large, 16x16 I believe. I chose a dark bright blue (if that makes any sense) for it. I don't know if its the work I had to put into painting the room, or the color, but I hate it. I am hoping its just the work. I think I am allergic to that along with the pollen. I have a big blue smudge on the back of my leg and when I look at it, I like the color. I would have liked it even more had I let the hubby do it all.

When I got home, not only did my sinuses hurt, but my back was hurting as well. It has been out of place for around two weeks now, and I haven't went to the chiropractor. I am paying for that now. I laid down with the baby to take a nap hoping that I could relax enough that the pain would go away. We had only been laying on the couch for maybe 5 minutes when the baby spit up. All over my chest. I had on a scoopneck tank top, too, so needless to say, I was soaked. I wouldn't trade him for anything in the world, but I am thinking the blue paint and pollen need to go. I'm off to find sudafed and aleve now.

God Bless!

Here Goes...

2008-04-14T14:17:00.000-05:00

Lately, I feel like my life is anything but normal. In a years time, I have married, lost the woman that I considered my mom, had a baby, and am currently (along with the hubby, of course) in the middle of building a new house. Yes, I am beginning to think that I have lost my mind. If it isn't gone by now, I give it a month.

Adorable, if I do say so myself.

I married the love of my life, Greg, in Orange Beach, AL, on June 30, 2007. He is my best friend. I couldn't have asked for a better husband. He is there for me when things are wonderful, and also when things are falling apart.

January, 2008

We broke ground for our new house on November 16, 2007, and we are almost ready to move in (I can almost hear the Hallelujah Chorus).

December 22, 2007

My grandmother raised me and my siblings. Almost two years ago, she was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, a rare bone cancer. She fought with everything she had, and never lost faith. Granny knew that no matter the outcome, she had won the battle, whether it meant she was here with us or Home in Heaven. Her health rapidly deteriorated last fall and early winter. She passed away on December 26, 2007. At the time, I was 34 weeks pregnant with my first child. Losing her was a devastating blow to everyone in my family, but it hit hard with me because she would never see my baby. I kept my head up and knew that it was all part of God's will.

Labor was completely worth it.

On February 3, 2008, my beautiful baby boy, Clayton, was born. He is the most remarkable and amazing little thing! He is so content and isn't phased by anything.

So, things have been odd trying to figure out all the new things in my life, but I know that God has put me in this journey for a reason. I can't wait to see what He has in store for me next.

God Bless!