Visit with Santa...

As you can tell, C.J. was more than thrilled to sit on Santa's lap with Owen. But I thought it would be cute and I am sure deep down, C.J. will be happy to look back on this picture one day. It is amazing to look back to last years Santa picture to see how big Owen has gotten. He is a little boy now - but both of them will always be my babies!

But we made it up to him by letting him play in the Brookstone store. Every guy loves gadgets, right? I cringed when he put this on his head (I am a germ phobe). Though it looks like a brain sucking machine it is actually a head massager and C.J. and Nick really liked it. I got Starbucks so we were all happy campers!

My favorite time of year...

I know this is probably your favorite time too. CHRISTMAS!! I love it! Everyone seems happier, the spirit in the air is sweeter, everyone says (or should say) Merry Christmas (instead of the alternative but politically correct Happy Holidays). Nobody cares if you add a few extra holiday pounds as long as you enjoy the cookies and fudge they brought to you. As a family we love to curl up in front of our wood burning fire place and watch the Hallmark channel's Christmas movies drinking hot chocolate. The house is a little more cluttered, but who cares, it's Christmas! The lighting is perfect thanks to the glow of our Christmas trees. We get to display the village that we each have painted a building in. All of these happy thoughts bring me back to my favorite Christmas tradition as a kid. We had several, but this was by far my favorite. All of my dad's family would come over to our house for a big dinner a week or two before Christmas. Everyone would bring something from dressing, vegetables to this famous stack cake my Aunt Sadie would make. Then after stuffing ourselves we would head to the Singing Christmas Tree at our church. It was magical to a little girls eyes. It is probably the most memorable for me because it was at one of these events that I realized that I was a sinner and in need of the love and forgiveness that only Christ could give. I was saved at a Singing Christmas Tree. This proves it could happen at any time and any place. Of course it took years for me to realize just how much of a sacrifice it was for God to give his son for me. I strayed as many Christians do thinking I could do it on my own and religion was a good fuzzy feeling type of thing to fall back on if needed or go to church on Sunday to remain a good christian. I am now so thankful to know the love I have available to me. All that said, each Christmas I think back to my childhood and that decision I made all those years ago. Thankfully I did not know or understand it all then, nor do I now. I get to learn more each day. But I think Christmas has a way of bringing out that child in all of us. The bible says we should come to him with child like hearts. I think at Christmas you have that child like heart God seeks us to have year round. May you find that inner child and share that spirit with others. Merry Christmas!!

Happy Thanksgiving

Our family wishes you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving!

Owen is becoming such a little person... Tonight he mimicked so many things that Nick, C.J. or I did. Tonight I rubbed Nick's back, Owen helped. But after Nick left for a fire run Owen brought the lotion over to me, laid on his belly in front of me and lifted his shirt for me to rub his back. He is so much fun! He is playful and amusing. Owen really is a joyful baby. C.J. is doing awesome at school. He has only one C. The rest are mostly A's and a couple B's. I am so proud of him. He works hard managing his time. He gets home from ball practice late and then works diligently on school work, studying and reading. He has little down time but the rewards are worth it. Wildcat madness is this Friday. Go cats. We will be there cheering on all the sports at WA, tailgating and the whole bit. What fun!!
Today Owen and I laid down for a little nap. It was nice to cuddle with him (I used to lay down and take naps with C.J. many moons ago). We took a 2 1/2 hour nap - oh my. Luckily we woke up just in time to pick up C.J. from basketball practice. Since I was being lazy, Nick was nice enough to treat us to skyline. Like that wasn't unhealthy enough, I also went to Starbucks. They have the holiday drinks available now. Hello peppermint mocha!! Then off to Lifeway where I could spend hours and a lot of $$. Luckily we just spent 30 minutes and stayed within our budget. Budget is very important. Nick and I are taking the boys on a cruise for Christmas! Yeah! We are so excited. Mom had talked about doing a cruise together around the holidays so we are going thru with it. Plus it will be a great distraction from missing mom at Christmas. But I am so excited. I cannot wait. I need to get one of those timers / countdown things.
Well, off to get ready for bed and curl up with my deals from Lifeway.

There is a Tigger on the loose...

Owen is Tigger this year. Perfectly fitting for his personality. He is all over the place these days! This is the most still we could get him for a picture. Nick walked around with him at our Fall Festival this year while I worked. The festival was great with record crowds at 3 of our campuses. yeah!! His favorite thing at the festival was playing with an unpopable water balloon! Isn't he just too cute!

Check It Out!

http://www.knowitfightitendit.org/

Check it out!! November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. Change out your pink ribbons for purple ones. do it - do it now!! :-)
Seriously - this is a horrible disease that can go undiagnosed, with no symptoms until you only have months or weeks to live. We have to know it to fight it to eventually end it!!

I am helping with our Sunday night discipleship with our Middle School ladies. The series is called Reflect. Our studies so far have focused on how our image and speech should reflect our relationship with Christ. It has been great. Each time I lead a small group I am amazed at how much they teach me. I love my group. You can tell these ladies really want to grow in their Christian walk. I am just very honored to be a part of it.
Owen is coming down with a cold I think. He has allergies, another great trait he got from me. :-( So it is hard to tell if it is just allergies due to the change in seasons or he is getting koodies. Koodies are flying around work and school like crazy! C.J. and I are washing our hands like crazy and we have hand sanitizer in every room.
C.J. made the basketball team which monopolizes our schedules these days. This is a good thing though. They were conditioning last week so C.J. could barely walk the last few days. But he is improving his time on the stairs and running a mile. But now I understand completely when mom kept repeating "teenagers and babies don't mix well". My brother and sister were teenagers when I was born. By the time we load Owen up in the car, drop C.J. off to practice get home, unload Owen, play, change diaper, it is time to load back up and get C.J. picked up. By this time it is usually past bedtime or a feeding time. Ughh... But it is soooo worth it. I love watching C.J. play and Owen is just so darn cute! Luckily Owen is so laid back and easy going. God sure knew what he was doing when he picked this little guy out for us. :-)
C.J.'s grades are good. He has one C but all the others are A's and 2 B's. Yeah!! He has caught up to WA's level pretty well. We were worried about him being behind since he went to public school last year. But he has worked very hard to catch up. He is going to camp for church this weekend and when he gets back we turn around and ship him off to basketball camp. He will be one tired pup come Tuesday morning! Whew!!
Nick is working hard at the Post Office and two Fire Departments. He and C.J. went to the gym today. Nick has to "qualify" for the fire departments soon. Good thing I don't have to take a physical course to work at the church! I would be looking for another job!! But thankfully I don't because I love my job and all the lovely church ladies I work with. I am so very blessed in many ways. You know - it is very true. You cannot know joy without the sorrow. The sorrow just shines more light on the joy and the things you have to be thankful for.
Well, I am turning in for the night. Another relaxing weekend but not enough rest for what Mondays bring.

Nice, relaxing weekend...

It has been rainy here in the ville. The sun did make its appearance today though. But the Stone house has had a wonderfully relaxing weekend. Those are few and far between! I cherish them greatly! I read two chapters of my book - which is a rare thing with a toddler. When Nick got home we had family game night and watched a movie. Loved it! I am so thankful for my family. They are what hold me together when I don't think I can take any more. God has blessed me in many ways.

What we do while C.J.'s at school...

C.J. often asks what Nick, Owen and I do while he is at school on Tuesdays. Nick and I are both off and it is kinda like our Saturday since Nick works every Saturday. Usually it is pretty boring - we do laundry, chores, errands, etc. But today - not so boring. It was awesome! It started off having a few minor things done on the van - no worries. Things we knew about when we bought it that we just had to schedule for warranty repair. After that Nick and I had Paneras where I got an Icee Mocha - already sounds like a wonderful day - but it gets better. I had a massage done today that the proceeds benefited cancer research. Ahh - I can barely type this with my wet noodle like body. I wish I could get a massage once a month at least. Actually they say it is good for you to do so once a month but who has the time and money for that? What did Nick and Owen do while mom was getting pampered? They went to Gymboree. Owen loves this place and their classes. It is pretty much a play time on steroids for toddlers! They have bubbles, balls, slides, monkey bars, sing along, a parachute, rings and tunnels to climb in. At 16 months old - what more could you ask for. Nick had a ball too watching him. Luckily today there were 2 other dads in the class. It is mostly mom's when Owen and I go. After their play time and my relaxation we had Qdobas - Nick's favorite lunch spot and then we picked up the van - all in time to come home and enjoy a nap before picking up C.J. from school. He asked what we did today - "Not much!" :-)


Watch My Slam Dunk

Ooohhh - Bubbles!!

Hello God, it's me Mendi...

Poor Owen has a double ear infection, AGAIN! He began with a low grade temp on Sunday and pulling at the ears. Of coarse he does this on a holiday weekend. So we just kept him doped up on Motrin hoping it would ease his pain. Which it did - the tough guy is so happy and never gets too upset. So today we saw the doctor to confirm our suspicions. Not just the left ear that he was pulling, but both.
Last week C.J. went on complete lock down (grounded) for a bad grade and being dishonest. He was being dishonest about the bad grade - double whammy when he got busted. Poor guy!
As you read in my previous post our Oven blew up. We get a new oven Saturday! Yeah!! But do you have any idea how much you use your oven? Thankfully we love to grill out. Tonight however when we went out to turn on the grill, the gas hose is busted making it impossible to grill. Can you believe it? God - what are you trying to teach me? Obviously I am a little slow and God is definitely trying to get my attention.
As I tell everyone - and the more you read my blog you see why - Our family is comic relief. When God is ready for comedy hour he tunes into us. :-) When you feel down, call me. The funny thing - I hate drama and I don't do crying! There is a reason God gave me boys. But I guess it is a good thing I am not a cryer or get dramatic. Could you imagine my home or my family if I did under these circumstances? But isn't it amazing how we handle the big stuff with grace but can blow up over little things? I recently lost my best friend and mother - but I have peace knowing where she is and I have no regrets. I really am o.k. My oven blew up, I couldn't cook dinner tonight - I just shrugged and said I guess I get to go out to eat tonight. Last week I went to the dentist for my normal cleaning and they discovered that a few years ago when they did a crown (which I have had nothing but problems with since) that they did it on the wrong tooth! I tried to explain to the dentist then that my root canal was on the other side but the dentist in there at the time showed my the xray of my dead roots on that side. How could I argue with that. Come to find out thru the xrays done last week that the xrays taken 3 years ago that led to this crown - the images were flipped - making it appear that I also had a root canal on the left side in which in reality I did not. At the time of the crown I explained that I felt the whole thing - it really hurt. The dentist explained it was a dead tooth in theory and that I shouldn't feel anything. Well no wonder I felt it - it was the wrong tooth and it wasn't dead. The new dentist apologized profusely. Did I get upset - not at all. It wasn't her fault and what is done is done. Getting mad would not fix the fact that I have this crown that causes me problems and it is one that was not needed in the first place. Ha! But C.J. put a keyboard on the floor and Nick couldn't decide where to eat - You would have thought I was going to make them sleep outside! Why do we do that? I think it is because we expect big things to happen and it is not anyone's fault. But simple things, they should be accomplished with little effort. Does that make sense? Taking care of your computer and picking a place to eat is simple. So that is my theory on the tolerance level difference. Let me know what you think.

New addition to our family...

I know most of you are so excited thinking I am pregnant - WELL I'M NOT!! We traded in our Jeep and got a much needed Nissan Quest Minivan. It was hard to say bye to Jeepers - yes I had a nick name for my Jeep - as I have for all my vehicles. My last Nissan Quest was called Van-nessa - instead of Vanessa - get it? The name for this one is still out. We just picked it up yesterday. It is quite hilarious watching me back out in it. I have hit a few curbs already and one man laughed and held his kids back to stay out of my way. How embarrassing! I was very stressed about spending the money - I am extremely frugal. Then to top that off, Last night I turned on the oven to put in amazing pot pies that a friend had made for us - and my oven caught on fire. Luckily Nick, my super fireman had just gotten home. We were standing in the kitchen talking about the van when a very loud noise came from the oven and sparks began flying. OH MY!! Luckily no damage - just a nonworking oven right now. Which has made me realize I seriously need to teach my family how to cook. C.J. flipped out that I put aluminum in the oven (around the crust of the pot pie) mocking me saying that is what caused the fire. I explained to my bright child that the rules for the microwave does not apply to the oven. But then my wonderful husband adds that we can cook the pot pie in the microwave - but we'll just go out to eat instead. Rolling my eyes thinking he is joking (he had to be, right?) I put the pies back in the refrigerator and we leave. But today when I asked what we are going to do about the oven - he was in no hurry since we can cook in the microwave. OH MY - He was serious. I explained how we could not cook meat in the microwave he did not understand why. I'm telling you - living with all boys is so hard sometimes. I have obviously failed as a mother and wife. Oh well - I might get a new oven out of this. I think the wall oven we have was probably the first wall oven made - it is so old. Finding a part may be hard. But I have my new van for solitude from the madness of my men.

I'm still here...

Gosh - It has been a long time since I have posted anything. Oh that is so bad. I have been busy updating mom's that I have neglected the Stone's blog. This week C.J. and Owen started at Whitefield. Yes, C.J. has returned and is so excited about that. Public School was such an endeavor! Owen loves his class and teacher. Luckily his teacher is a very dear and good friend of ours. One that we were actually going to leave Owen with if we were not able to take him on the Thirst Trip to Atlanta back in April. But he is doing great. Doesn't cry at all when he goes in. Heads straight to Mrs. Allan to give her kisses and then off to the toys with a "see you later mom" look on his face. It is so nice to get them to school and just head upstairs to go to work. However with two kids to pay tuition for, I joke that I will owe money after I get what would have been a paycheck! But I am so blessed with the opportunity to have my kids there. It is such an awesome program. Plus, with all the things going on with Nana, C.J. needs to be surrounded by those that love him. WA is the perfect place for that.
I am the kind of mom that is happy when school starts. I like being back into a routine. Though I have to admit, I got very spoiled with not getting up early. Last year C.J. got himself up (as always) and kissed me goodbye while heading to his bus stop at 6:30 am - ridiculously early. He has always been an easy kid in the morning. I am blessed. So me and Owen would gradually wake up. Then when he began the mothers day out program, he couldn't get there until after 9:00 so why get up before 8 am. Now both boys have to be at WA at 7:45 - Yikes! I know you are thinking - it is 10:45 pm - mornings would be easier if you would go to bed. My new goal is to be in bed by 9:30. However I have been at moms and my laundry is backing up. I am waiting for the washer to stop so I can switch a load out and I am off to dreamland. Nick is exhausted also. He responded to a house fire at 2 am and didn't get home until 6:30 when our alarms were going off to get up.
Many have asked for updated photos of my growing guys. I will get pics up from our vaca that seems like a distant memory at this point. But not tonight - the washer has stopped.

Getting ready for vaca...

C.J. still does not know where we are going. He has guessed everything from Canada, Paducah KY and Disney World. Right now he thinks it is Bardstown. Little does he know we are going to Cedar Point on Lake Erie in Northern OH. I am excited but very worried about leaving mom. This is a girl that cried every time mom left the country on one of her international excursions and the last vacation I took was with mom to Fripp. So leaving her on regular conditions is hard, but now with her sick it is really hard.
Owen has another double ear infection. The doctor wants to see him back when we get back from vacation. He may be bidding on tubes soon.
C.J. has asked to return to Whitefield Academy for the fall. I am not sure where the money will come from but Nick and I are discussing the option. Just when you think you might be getting ahead, you realize you are not even close! But God provides.
I hope to have some fun pics next week from our fun break. Tune in for more later.

Here are some pics from our Father's Day trip to the Highland Renaissance Festival. Though it was quite hot we had a blast. They had an awesome band playing and it was neat to see the costumes and learn a little about history.

It was masquerade weekend - so the boys wore masks.

They had a henna booth - I fell in love with these on our mission trip to India in 2005. It is not permanent - it wears off in less than 2 weeks. Isn't it cute?

Owen's first ride on the Merry Go Round

1 Corinthians 13 for Moms
I can read bedtime stories till the cow jumps over the moon and sing "Ten Little Monkeys" until I want to call the doctor--but if I don't have love, I'm as annoying as a ringing phone.
I can chase a naked toddler through the house while cooking dinner and listening to voice mail, I can fix the best cookies and Kool-Aid in the neighborhood, and I can tell a sick child's temperature with one touch of my finger, but if I don't have love, I am nothing.
Love is patient while watching and praying by the front window when it's 30 minutes past curfew.
Love is kind when my child says, "I don’t like you anymore!"
It does not envy the neighbors' swimming pool or their brand-new mini van, but trusts the Lord to provide every need.
Love does not brag when other parents share their disappointments and insecurities, and love rejoices when other families succeed.
It doesn't boast, even when I've multi-tasked all day long and my husband can't do more than one thing at a time.
Love is not rude when my spouse innocently asks, "What have you done today?"
It does not immediately seek after glory when we see talent in our children, but encourages them to get training and make wise choices.
It is not easily angered, even when my 15-year-old acts like the world revolves around her.
It does not delight in evil (is not self-righteous) when I remind my 17-year-old that he's going 83 in a 55-mph zone, but rejoices in the truth.
Love does not give up hope.
It always protects our children's self-esteem and spirit, even while doling out discipline.
It always trusts God to protect our children when we cannot.
It always perseveres, through blue nail polish, rolled eyes and crossed arms, messy rooms and sleepovers.
Love never fails.
But where there are memories of thousands of diaper changes and painful labor(s), they will fade away.
Where there is talking back, it will (eventually) cease. (Please, Lord?)
Where there is a teenager who thinks she knows everything, there will one day be an adult who knows you did your best.
For we know we fail our children, and we pray they don't end up in or therapy, but when we get to heaven, our imperfect parenting will disappear.(Thank you, Lord!)
When we were children, we needed a parent to love and protect us. Now that we're parents ourselves, we have a heavenly Father who adores, shelters us and holds us when we need to cry. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Double Ear Infection

Whew - Owen does it up right. He must get that from his Nana! We made it 13 months without a single ear infection. Today at the doctors - horrible double ear infection. We were up a bunch last night and he has been irritable for a day and a half. That is not like him at all. So - it is good to know and we started antibiotics and ear drops. I am hoping for a nice long nap today so I can get some zzzz's also. We'll cross our fingers.

View this site to get updates on mom...

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/deannaclassof1959

Take a moment to visit this website to get updates on mom and her treatments. Read the many ways God is moving in this situation. Mom has confirmed herself as my hero by her grace through this. Strong Lady! She rarely complains, has not broken down, remains strong and encouraging to others even when this is going on. While she could justifiably curl up and complain and ask why me constantly... She has chosen to remain her lovely self. Making sure her kids are happy, still putting others before herself (though we are working on her about this one). OH - and she ate a half of a sandwich at lunch with 2 pieces of candy and then had a fish sandwich for dinner. Go Mom!!

First Week of Chemo

Mom had her first round of chemo on Friday. She did great Friday and most of Saturday. Saturday night she started felling the flu symptoms that we were warned about. Sunday was the worst of it and Monday wasn't a lot better. Today she did get up some and I took her to get a hair cut, but that exhausted her. My brother Doug and sister Robin stopped by for a visit. She did eat a bowl of soup - which was great. Taking deep breaths is very hard and she still has abdominal pain. She tires very easily and fights nausea, all because of this ugly disease. But she still has that fight in her which I love. She has been so graceful through this. She remains positive and uplifts others around her. Those of you who know mom understands what I am talking about. She is such a positive role model for anyone walking through this valley. She remains faithful to our Lord and says she will accept anything He gives her. I told you she is amazing! I am one lucky girl to have her.

Owen loves playing in the water. I was watering the yard today and Owen could not wait to get in. So I took off his clothes and let him at it for a few minutes. The water was pretty cold, but that didn't bother him. He had a ball. Speaking of having fun, my mom went to lunch today with some friends. This is a group of GE gals that get together every Thursday and mom called and said she was on her way to join them. Yeah! She said she was going to force herself to eat, which is another awesome thing. I know this is hard on her because she is tired and hurting, but I am SO proud of her for going. Told you my mom is strong! Cancer should be scared!

Footprints

Footprints In The Sand

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one only.
This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints, so I said to the Lord,
"You promised me Lord,that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me"
The Lord replied, "The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you."

I fell in love with this poem when I was a teenager. Never did I imagine how much I would lean on these words in my life. The Lord has carried me at times of need. I don't know how long it took before I saw my footprints again after losing my dad. Fortunately I had mom to lean on and she gently nudged my prints back into the sand. God is now carrying me and mom together. Mom has a battle ahead of her. On Monday we met with the surgeon. He explained that we were facing Stage 4 Pancreatic and Liver cancer. He advised admitting mom into Jewish Hospital that day for a liver biopsy to see what type of cancer cells we were dealing with. Due to confusion over a blood thinner the nurses gave mom the biopsy was delayed to Wednesday and the put a port in on Thursday. The port is basically a central line for the chemotherapy. She went home on Thursday and asked that I leave and let her sleep. As you can imagine, she did not get much rest in the hospital. On top of all this, they gave her a pneumonia vaccination, which she already had in October. This caused an ugly reaction so now her arm hurts, the biopsy site is quite painful and the port site is hurting. She is home on pain medication and resting as best she can. However, through this she is still sending out e-mails to friends to remind them of a luncheon this week. Mom is the most amazing person! I love her so much and just cannot lose her. We have an appointment Monday at 2:00 with the Oncologist. I know my God performs miracles - I am pleading for one now. Mom is fighting. We are all praying hard. Now the doctors must do their part. I ask you to do your part. Pray - pray hard with an expectant heart. We can do all things through him who strengthens me. Even fight cancer!

Pray without ceasing

Matthew 21:20-22 (NIV)
When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. "How did the fig tree wither so quickly?" they asked. Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

As most of you know I have the best mother in the world!! Though you do not need to be jealous of me (ha!). She shares her love to everyone. I am not boasting about mom just because Mothers Day is this weekend. She is having some health problems right now that are quite serious. A CT scan found a large mass in the pancreas and several in her liver. Her family doctor is referring her to an oncologist and a surgeon. So this is a scary time but I know that My God can move mountains!! These masses are not beyond Him! Please pray for mom, the doctors, these masses, me. Mom is my best friend and my rock. She is the strongest woman I know. Again, thank you for the calls and support. Keep them coming because I will need it! But never stop praying!!

Who does our sins hurt?

http://vimeo.com/4122848

Please check out this video. One of the Pastors here at Highview had this on his blog and I thought it was amazing. It is from a Good Friday Service at Buckhead Church.

Bath Time and the Balloon Race

Every baby loves bath time, but Owen takes it to a whole new level. He loves the splashing and swimming, just all of it! We are no longer using the baby tub any more. He just wanted to take nose dives out of it and you just cannot contain him - he wants to be free!! So has the whole tub to wander around in. He thinks it is the coolest thing. For his birthday some family and friends gave us bath toys. Oh my!! It is funny to watch him when we now say it is bath time. He shakes with excitement and begins trying to take his own clothes off. We also have a bath CD that plays silly bath songs. Owen amuses me by laughing when I sing along. I think I may enjoy the CD more - but who says bath time should only be fun for them? C.J. even likes one of the bath toys. It is a basketball net with little balls that also squirt water. C.J. shoots the balls - Owen laughs. C.J. squirts the water balls on him - Owen laughs. C.J. was a baby that loved bath time also. I think he is reliving his infant/toddler days now!! It is so much fun to watch both my babies have so much fun.

It is Derby week here in Louisville, meaning we have lots of fun activities going on. Saturday was the balloon race - well, they actually took off on Sunday due to winds. So before church we watched them take off from the Fairgrounds and then followed the heir balloon to Wesport Rd. This is one of my family's favorite traditions. Last year we missed it because I was in the hospital having Owen. But this year he got to see it. He really didn't know what to think. These balloons were a lot bigger than the ones from his party. You have to pardon how beautiful we look. The balloons took off at 6:54 am (avoiding the higher winds of sunrise). We literally took showers and walked out the door.

Lots of pics from the birthday bash

We had so much fun. Thanks to everyone who made this day so memorable for us. We started with pizza, then opened gifts then to the cupcake which ended up with Owen taking a shower afterwards! Thanks Willie for letting us use your towel. C.J. had a few friends over to play basketball in the gym. They had a ball too. I tried to narrow down the pics as much as possible. But a lot of friends were unable to make it due to VIP night at Highview and the WA play so they asked to put as many pictures up as possible. So here you go.

Owen turns 1 today!!

Can you believe it? I cannot! Stay tuned for pics from his party tonight. :-)

My Darling C.J.

Sitting here watching The Biggest Loser with C.J. and Nick. Well, I don't really consider it watching with Nick since he is asleep, but on the couch with me still the same. I just showed C.J. what twitter is. He checked out our blog and felt there was not enough about him. So... C.J. oh Mr. C.J. - Oh how I love you, Mr. C.J. You are the grandest son of all. Hopefully this will suffice. Seriously, C.J. is a wonderful kid. I am so proud of him. Though there has been bumpy times, he rose to the challenge and grew from them. That is all any of us can ask of anyone, including ourselves. Right?
This week I am looking back to this time last year. I was HUGE and preparing for a delivery in a few days. I cannot believe Owen will be one on Friday. SAD!! Where did this year go? He slept thru the night last night by the way! YEAH! I may be saying bye bye to the bags under my eyes! Today we went shopping for all the Elmo B-day party supplies. Owen's face lights up when he hears Elmo's voice. C.J.'s face lights up when he sees Owen. My face lights up when Nick gets home or when I hear any of my guys laugh. Aww!!
Well - it is weigh in on the show - gotta go and focus. You know watching them work out this hard makes me feel really bad on eating the yummy banana dessert while viewing on my couch! But that is why I can't run a mile and they are getting healthy!

Gymboree Day

Today was Owen's Gymboree Day. He had so much fun. It is a great way to burn all that energy that babies at this age have. He took a nap when we got home which allowed me some down time to rejuvenate as well. After the fun we had today and the time that I was able to relax a little (which I never do) made me realize how important it is for moms to take care of themselves. Normally when Owen finally goes down for a nap I would take the time to vacuum, dust, mop, sweep, do the laundry, etc. All of that is important but more importantly moms need time to focus on ourselves so we can be a better mom, wife, friend, daughter and all the other hats we wear. And you know what? Because I was more relaxed I still got laundry done, the kitchen cleaned, dinner done after Owen woke up and even had time to sit down and do this tonight. I am not saying that we as moms need to self indulge in anything in the name of making us better moms. I know I need to take better care of my health, the way I eat, exercise and all that fun stuff. Being tired all the time because I do not take a time out does not do my family any justice. And God has blessed me with a wonderful family. I notice that when I do take a time out I do not get upset with C.J. as often and I really enjoy hanging out with him more. I am a better listener and encourager to Nick. Hopefully I have made my point - so ladies go for a walk today or read a magazine or check out a book and actually schedule time to read it. Whatever it is, do something you enjoy today!!

I also hope that everyone had a fantastic Easter Holiday. Below are some pics of our Easter Egg Hunt. Ly explained to us her traditions back home. She said that boys go with their fathers knocking door to door looking for girls. If a girl is home she gets whacked with a switch until she gives them an egg. Jokingly of course. I guess it is their version of an Easter Egg Hunt! Sounds like fun - unless you are a girl without any eggs. But Ly did great finding eggs. C.J. did a great job hiding them.

Life back to normal??

Well - What is normal exactly? C.J. has done a great job getting up and getting ready for school. He is such a great kid! I wish I was a morning person like he is. But I am not - especially after getting up 5 times in the night with Owen. :-( I think he is teething because of his crankiness (which is not like him), sleeplessness and gobs of drool. We are loving Ibuprofen these days. Plus I think last week in Atlanta took a toll on the little guy. But he was a hit and we all had so much fun. We collected over 3,000 lbs. of food for the Atlanta Community Food Bank. We were so blessed to be a part of this event. I am looking forward to Thirst 2010!
Today I am taking Owen to Borders. He loves reading books, well having them read to him. I have a coupon so we are going to see what we can get and then here comes my favorite!! A wonderful friend got me a Starbucks gift card recently so I will be making a stop for a cup of happiness!! It is amazing how just looking forward to getting a Raspberry Mocha makes me smile! And tonight I have Bunco! A night with the girls. Can life get any better? Starbucks and Bunco all in the same day. I can barely stand it! I am a lucky girl!

Our Last Night

We canvassed again this morning and then had lunch at the hotel before going to the MLK Museum and grave site. That was very interesting. Did you know that MLK's original name was Michael Luther, then his mom changed it to Martin Luther. I wonder why?? Oh well. Tomorrow we are going to get up early and head to the Coca Cola factory for a couple of hours. Shh - the students don't know that yet. But since it is 1:30 AM I figured the secret was safe with you for now. After that fun we will have lunch at Olympic Park and then head for Louisville. We have had a great week. I have watched the Lord move in our students and pray that we have left 1027 Church with a mission completed that will glorify our mighty God. Thanks for those who have followed and prayed for us this week. It has been amazing. A lot of hard work but very rewarding and so much fun. See you in Louisville tomorrow night. I think our goal is to leave Atlanta by 1pm. But again, we are on a mission trip - so you never know. :-)