Monday, December 21, 2009
This Christmas will be the last time...
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Wow! Did you guys see this?
Looky what I found! You can win a prize valued at up to $675. Verrry cool stuff. Even without the giveaway it's a very cool site. Head on over there and get yourself entered. And be sure and tell them that melissa-justanotherdayinparadise.blogspot.com/ sent you. Good luck everyone! Click on the link here: Fantabulously Frugal
Monday, November 30, 2009
I won! I won!
She made the announcement in such a cute way. She made a video of her little granddaughter, Avery drawing the winner out of a little Christmas bowl. Oh, and the cutest part was that Avery actually let her stuffed Minnie Mouse do the actual drawing. I was so engrossed in watching the cuteness of Avery that I forgot that my name was actually in that little bowl. So when Pat said my name I was beyond shocked. Anyway, I just wanted to let you guys know that people actually do win these giveaways and it's tons of fun.
I'm going to pay it forward and come up with my own little giveaway here soon. I think I'll hit my craft room and come up with something. Stay tuned.
And Pat, thanks a million. I will so enjoy cooking from this great little cookbook.
And Cindi, if lightning should strike twice and I win that gorgeous little angel, she's coming to your house!
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Too many to count...
I'm speaking of blessings. I simply have too many to count. We have not had the best of times in regards to my husband's business for the past several years. There are many times when I feel like throwing up my hands and giving up. But then I look around and see all the blessings and realize that I am rich beyond measure. It's the people in our lives that matter, not the things. And when it comes to people, I'm truly blessed. I have both of my parents living and happy. I have wonderful brothers and a sister and their families. And then the icing on my cake are my wonderful children. I know my children aren't any more wonderful than yours, but their mine and they are my reasons for breathing. Children truly are the most wonderful treasures. And then, of course, (just in case it escaped any one's notice LOL), we were all blessed with our little Brooks this year. He makes up for any lack we may think we have around here. So fresh from heaven, so very loved and wanted.
I have to work a double tomorrow so I won't get to spend the day with my family, but that's okay. I have Thanksgiving every day just knowing that these wonderful people are in my life. I also console myself with the fact that the patients I will take care of tomorrow don't want to be there either. And so, I will try to make their Thanksgiving a little brighter since they have to spend it being sick. Blessings are everywhere if we look for them.
But....today...I got to keep Brooks! I shot a minute long video of him playing and 'talking'! So, I just had to share it with you all. Can you believe he is soon going to be 4 months old!? It seems like yesterday we were praying for his existence. And now here he is, a gift to us all. We are so very rich in all the ways that count.
I wish you all a wonderful day of Thanksgiving every day of your lives. The blessings are everywhere if only we take the time to look.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
More Giveaways. Because they're FUN!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
I sooo heart this little scale!
Vintage Junky
I am working on a plan in my head for redoing my kitchen sometime soon and I have been browsing some decorating blogs for inspiration. While reading through a very neat blog tonight called Vintage Junky I almost jumped out of my chair when I got to the bottom of her post and saw this little gem. Would you look at the words on the face of that scale!!! OLD KENTUCKY HOME!! Helloooo! There is my inspiration. I absolutely love this little scale. Is it not the cutest thing??? And she is giving it away!
Anyway, even though I want to win it, I want you all to have a chance to win it too, not to mention you'll get yourself introduced to a very cool blog. So head on over there and feast your eyes on some inspiration.
Monday, November 23, 2009
I really am alive!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Brooks' Bad Manners
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
The New Mr & Mrs.
First of all I must say that the wedding was absolutely beautiful and everything went off without a hitch. They were both so happy and the fact that they are very much in love couldn't be missed.
I have loved Amber like my own for a long time now. Patrick married the perfect girl for him and I couldn't be happier with his choice. Because of how I feel about Amber I really didn't expect to have the feeling and emotions that I experienced in the lead up to and during the actual wedding. Now matter how practically I tried to talk myself out of feeling what I was feeling, the thought simply wouldn't go away. I was losing my son. Now, I know I haven't really lost him. He's a self-professed mama's boy (aren't most boys?), and we have a very close relationship. I know that I will continue to see him very often and that the love he has for Amber is a completely different kind of love from the love he has for me. One doesn't push the other away any more than one child being born takes love away from the other children. I know all of this and yet I had several emotional moments (don't worry, I kept them to myself!). I am so proud of the man he's grown to be and the way he lives his life. He has the biggest heart of anyone I've ever known and I am so grateful that I am the one God chose to be his mother. When Patrick loves you you know it. He's the first one to help out a friend or anyone in need. His compassion for other's is often witnessed running down his cheeks. He's the champion of the underdog and every child's best friend. I've never met an old lady who didn't love him.
Patrick is every one's "go to guy".
Patrick is love personified.
Patrick has married a wonderful girl and we love her.
Patrick's mother misses him.
*****************************
These pictures were taken by a friend, when we get the professional pictures back I will share them, I'm sure they'll be much better than these snapshots. But for now you at least get a little idea.
I love this picture! Look at what is going on between Patrick and Austin. I didn't catch this as it was happening but someone told me about it. Apparently right before Patrick and Amber turned around to face everyone after they'd been pronounced man and wife, Austin reached over to give Patrick a fist bump. Then, when they turned around Patrick turned his palm up kind of behind his back and Austin "gave him five". I can't wait to see it on the video. Candid things are sooo awesome
Patrick and Amber's Engagement Pictures
Here is the post I was trying to get up last week BEFORE the wedding. Needless to say, I didn't get it done. I did sit down and try to put into words what I was feeling as Patrick's wedding was just days away. I, quite simply, couldn't find the words to express all that I was feeling. So, after this post, I will put up one about the actual wedding and try once more to give you a glimpse into a mother's heart.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
Engagements and more engagements!
Later I'm going to post Patrick and Amber's engagement pictures and post about their upcoming wedding, but first I want to announce (if I haven't already) that Emily and Wendell are engaged and are going to be married in May. While they were here for Amber's bridal shower last month they went to the park and had their engagement photo's taken. I love them! They are so happy, and to see Emily so happy after what she's been through in the past several years is absolute balm for my soul. Wendell is an answer to prayer and we look forward to having him as a son in law. The love between them is evident to anyone who sees them and I think these pictures capture that.
I FIXED IT! I FIXED IT!
Maybe I can now get back to checking blogs and finding out what's been going on with everyone all summer.
As for me, I'm so smitten with a certain little baby that it's ridiculous. All those things they say about grandchildren are true. He, quite simply, has stolen my heart. He's the best little thing and some people have had the nerve to accuse me of being a "baby hog"!! Hmmmph! As if!!!
And so, it's only fitting that my first entry back should contain pictures of Brooks, right? So here they are!
Here he is wearing his Daddy's hat. It's not often that it comes off of Bennie's head. He looks so much like Bennie anyway and with his hat on....well, can you say clone?
Here he is in one of his many Bengal outfits. And speaking of the Bengals, WOW! Football is fun again!! I've been a die-hard Bengal fan since 1980 and they've broken our hearts so many times. I cheered for them when they didn't win a game and always held out hope for "the next game", or "next season". So believe you me, I'm celebrating and having a ball watching these games. Having Brooks there with us is just icing on the cake. (Cindy, I know you'll love this picture! lol)
The next two pictures are just darn cute! I tell ya, I could just eat him with a spoon!
Friday, August 14, 2009
Want to see some adorable pictures????
http://www.our365.com/newbornportraits/babydetail.aspx?birthid=76d4fbbc-65d5-483b-8ea1-d82cd7c0fa35&babyid=dc519e17-91c7-4d0d-bb26-d0c0a2a5181f
Austin and I are still at Sarah and Bennie's doing the cooking, laundry and cleaning. Oh and we're also getting in a lot of cuddle time with Brooks. I tell ya, this Grandmother stuff is the BEST!.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
More pictures from Grandmotherville!!!!
Pictures from Grandmotherville!!
Here is Aunt Em getting her turn...
Here I am playing with that precious little mouth. He has very sensitive skin and is covered in a rash that has us all horrified. It looks like it would be so itchy but he doesn't seem to be bothered with it. They say it will just disappear over the next couple of days.
On Mommy's lap. She is a natural mother!
Brooks just being precious!
Sweet Bennie holding his boy....I tell you guys, it would melt your heart!
Friday, August 7, 2009
My Heart Is Full With The Joy of Being GRAND!!!
Sarah has had placenta previa for the entire pregnancy and although it did move a little bit in the last couple of weeks, it didn't move enough to allow her to have a normal delivery. She was scheduled for a C-section for 10:00 this morning. They were to be there at 8:00 and we were going to get there about 9:00. I talked to her at 7:30 this morning and she was ready and waiting for Bennie to finish getting ready so they could leave. Ten minutes later she called me back in a panic. She was putting the baby's bag in the car and she felt a gush of fluid. She thought her water had broken but it was bright red blood. I told her to call an ambulance immediately and we hung up and I started moving fast. They didn't call an ambulance (the hospital is a 10 minute drive) they left all their "stuff" at home and Bennie drove her to the hospital. When I got there they had her back in a room with the fetal monitor on her. The birthing center was packed and BUSY! They started prepping her for surgery and since I'm a nurse and I work at that hospital, she asked if I could go in with them and they said YES!! I got myself garbed and masked and off we went.
I cannot describe the emotion I felt seeing my baby girl on that OR table It was just surreal. I tried to keep the fear out of my voice and tears out of my eyes and I managed it all okay until that precious baby was out of her and I heard him cry. At that point, all bets were off and I was just a blubbering Grandmother. I've asked so many of my friends what it feels like when you see your first grandchild and it seemed that no one could really put it into words that I could grasp and understand. Now I know why. It's just not something that there are words for. The closest I can come to explaining what I felt would be to say that an enormous love bomb burst inside of me and I know for certain that I will never be the same. It's love squared and then some! MY BABY HAD A BABY!!!! And he was PERFECT! And she was SAFE!. I just kept saying, "Thank you, God, thank you!"
To see Sarah and Bennie finally have the baby they've prayed for for so long was so wonderful.
Have I mentioned that he's beautiful??!!! He was born on 8/7 and weighed 8 lbs 7 ozs at 11:07. Sarah has always said that her lucky number is 7 and after today, we all believe her.
I work tomorrow night (but guess where I'll be on all my breaks!!!) and then I start a week of vacation on Sunday when they will probably come home. I'll be staying at Sarah's next week to help take care of her and be the chief cook and bottle washer ( even though she's nursing!). I promise to post A LOT of pictures from her house.
When we called Emily in Florida to tell her he was here today she decided on the spur of the moment to drive up here and as I type this, she is somewhere on this side of Atlanta headed home to get her hands on him. Some of you understand what a miracle that is in itself!!! My cup runneth over.
Let the Grandmothering begin.....I'm in heaven.
For every one of you who offered up prayers for my sweet girl and her husband I thank you from the bottom of my heart. God is so very good.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
You won't believe these pictures!!!
Sarah had her medical ultrasound on Thursday, but this morning they went for the non-medical 3D ultrasound. I thought the picture of his face in the last one was incredibly clear. Well....that was nothing compared to THESE!!!!
He is SMILING!! In the womb, he's smiling!! Know why? He knows that he has a grandmother waiting for him that is going to be completely blind to any faults he might ever have!
Along with a cd of 39 still pictures, they also got a dvd of tons of video of him moving around with a baby themed soundtrack. Priceless! I love this one of him with his mouth open
I love this one too. It's like he's bored with this whole picture taking thing and he's thinking, "Would you all PLEASE just let me grow in peace?" They also say he's "chunky", get a load of the meat on his little arm....and he's got 11 more weeks to grow! His mother weighed 9 pounds 1 ounce. I can't wait to see how much he weighs.
Check out his meaty little thigh.