Hanging with my lifelong BFF!!!!!!!!!

 Almost 2 years ago I hugged this sweet girl and said "see you real soon."  She and her family were heading to England for 3 years.  We knew unless something crazy big happened they wouldn't be home until 2016.  Well that all changed when her sister got married.  Heather just felt like she could not miss this moment in her sister's life.  So what else do you do but block out the entire two weeks on your calendar hoping for a quick visit.  We narrowed down today and couldn't wait!  We met at my momma's and had dinner.  The kids had so much fun playing together while we had a chance to catch up.  There aren't too many people who have been in my life as long as this sweet girl...we met in 4k and have been as thick as thieves ever since!  We can go months without chatting or years without seeing one another and pick up right where we left off!  She is an amazing friend but an even more amazing momma!  I don't know how she does it but she does and she does it well!  Love you HAT!

Caroline showing the girls Granny's kittens

 these two were a hoot together!!!  I think they both gave each other a run for their money...Maggie met her match and we laughed as we watched it unfold. :)

 giving sweet love!

 the kids sitting in birth order...notice my two are on each end while her four are sandwiched in between!!!!

 we may have bribed the youngest two with puffs to get them to stay on the couch!

Happy Birthday Jack and Grace

Last night we got to celebrate some awesome 14 years old!  YIKES!!!!!!!!!  I so remember them being the same age as Maggie and then Caroline.  I can't believe these sweet babies are now 14!  Thankful Andy brought me into the family before these sweet ones arrived...Jack and Grace, Bubba and I love you so much!  So thankful we get to be a part of your life!!

Happy Birhtday Daddy

Today would have been my daddy's 71st birthday.  It's so hard to believe that it has been 9 LONG years since he left us...sometimes I feel like we are just learning to live without him...after 9 years.  Celebrations and anniversaries don't hurt as much as they did...but the unguarded moments, the moments when I tell the girls a story about Papa George or see a favorite of his...those still hurt like crazy!  Maybe because it's a reality that he's not here to share them with the girls.  I know he would absolutely LOVE this group of crazy grandkids.  The sad fact is that when he left us, there were only 4 of them...that means he never knew the other 4 precious babies.  AND THAT STINKS!

But the older I get I realize that we can't focus on "what could have been" we have to focus on what is or was.  My dad was a wonderful man.  He had his flaws and was by no means perfect but he loved us, worked hard for us and provided us with a wonderful foundation to survive in this crazy world.  One of the last things he said before he left us was "I can leave knowing that you 3 children are prepared to take care of yourself...your momma and I did what we needed to do in order for you to be able to support yourself."  Thank you daddy!  I can promise you we didn't always like your rules or your discipline or your reasoning but you taught us to survive in this hard and unfair world.  THANK YOU!

This year Daddy's birthday fell on a Sunday.  Momma planned to put flowers in the church and invited us to join her at church.  After church she had prepared a FEAST for us to enjoy together.  It was so fun being together, enjoying each other!  The kids always have a fun time.  Maggie wanted desperately to keep up with the bigs kids.

Sadly we don't get to see family as much as we would like but I am thankful that when we do, it's a fun time.  Pretty crazy but fun!!  Daddy I would give just about anything to have you here to enjoy this season of life with us...but the hard truth is we wouldn't want you to suffer the way you did in order to have you back.  I give thanks regularly that you were a believer and that you are enjoying your days with Jesus!  Until we meet again, memories are what we have!

GO GAMECOCKS!!

So anybody that follows football knows that the Gamecocks are off to a rough, rocky, no good start this year...I got a feeling it's gonna be a long year.  However, we still love them and will make it through I hope. :-)  Wednesday night at church Andy and I were given 2 tickets to today's game.  We were struggling to find a sitter and therefore I thought Andy and Caroline might get to go.  I was so excited when the sitter called yesterday and said she was available!!!!!  We had so much fun!  Just the two of us-nobody needed anything, our conversations were held without interruptions, pure Bliss!!!  (side note-we never remember how important couple time is until we have it...it really does make a difference in this busy season of parenthood to connect with your spouse regularly.)

As we sat in the drizzly rain and watched the brutal first 1/2,  I couldn't help that this was my 15th season as a gamecock.  Andy took me to a Carolina game on our first date in October 2000.  Our first date was a noon kickoff as well.  He picked me up around 8, we went to the game, came back into town, ate at Red Lobster and watched a movie.  He left my apartment shortly after midnight that night.  Coming home today I mentioned, what are the odds we will put the girls to bed and be in bed ourselves before 9!!  Yep, times they are a changing!!  

I was thankful for the day with my main man!  Thankful we both enjoy football-good seasons and not so good seasons...I love my man!

I didn't take any pictures of us as we were a little wet and the hair was pitiful!

7 year old check up

Lord help me...somehow we had this sweet girls 7 year check up today.  I am amazed at how brave she is...she asked if she was gonna get shots and when I told her I wasn't sure, she was ok.  I would have worried about it all day and during the appointment.  But not my big girl...she was ok with it.  I told her that now that she is a big girl, Dr. N would be asking her the questions and she would need to answer.  She did a great job.  Everything looked great!  Dr. N reminded us that we have a tall girl in the making...oh how we know that!

weight: 56 pounds =75%
height: 49 1/2" or 4ft 1 1/2 " =75%

The weight of what could have been...

today has been a tough day...a day where i felt the weight of would could have been...andy's accident could have ended much differently...i am well aware of that!  we are so very thankful that the Lord not only chose to spare his life but that he also allowed him to walk away with minimal injuries.  this morning i felt so thankful yet so burdened...i know that the lord loves us even if the outcome would have been different...but the fact that he protected us, that we are his, that he calls us his children...sometimes it's just too much to take in...what a blessing and a gift to have a father like we do!

Horse Lessons...

About a month into dance class last year, Caroline decided she didn't really like dance class, just the recital.  We made a mental note not to sign her up again.  As the year went on she decided she really wanted to take "horse lessons" as she calls it.  We didn't give it much thought...but she did.  So we planned to sign her up for summer camp at the horse farm but that didn't happen.  So I checked into lesson and discovered it was a wee bit more than dance.  She could get a whole month of dance for about 1 1/2 horse lessons...we explained to her that it just wasn't something we could do right now.  However they offered Saturday's at the barn which was like summer camp 1 Saturday a month.  

Then came her birthday and folks gave her money.  She quickly decided if she saved her money, she could go to several Saturday's at the barn.  Then we discovered that Mrs. Sandy will do 1 hour individual lessons on Saturday mornings for the same price as Saturday's at the barn.  Well this girl kept saving and saved enough for 5 lessons!!  She was SO EXCITED!!!!!  

Today was her first Saturday lesson.  She was awake and ready at 7am for a 9am lesson!  Her dream had finally come true!!!!!

One extremely happy girl!

Mrs. Sandy teaches them everything they need to know in how to care for a horse.  

And they are off!!!!!!

She learned how to make Cocoa go around the barrels. I couldn't believe that she was actually able to ride by herself...wowswers!

She had a blast!!!!!  I loved watching her.  She was listening to EVERYTHING Mrs. Sandy said!  So I am guessing that we have traded tutu's and tights for boots and a saddle.  Here's to hoping Santa decides to add a few lessons to her stocking and maybe some riding gear under the tree this year! ;-)

So very thankful!

Today seemed like any other day.  We woke up, packed lunches, went to work/school, came home, etc.  Tonight we had big plans...we had a babysitter lined up and were headed out on the town.  We needed to do a few things before our sitter arrived at 5.  So Andy got ready first and headed out to do our errands.  I was working on snacks for the girls and said goodbye from the kitchen...I took something to the trash can outside and thought "hmm, wonder why he took my car, he never drives my car."  

Back inside I was running around, getting my clothes ironed when the phone rang, maybe 10 minutes after he left.  It was a number I didn't recognize but something told me to answer it.  It was Andy...calling from a strange number..."I've been in an accident.  I am ok.  I am waiting for the police and EMS."  My heart skipped a beat or two and then I began to figure out how I was gonna get to him without the girls...I had no idea what I was about to find.

I ran to my neighbor's house because she gets home early on Friday's.  THANKS MEGAN!  I jumped in the Envoy and headed towards him.  A sweet friend Kim saw the car and my hubby and immediately called me.  "Where are the girls?  I am coming to get them so you can be with Andy."  I told her my neighbor had them and off I went.  

My mind is racing...what will I find?  I turn the corner and all I see if emergency vehicles.  I couldn't get my hands on Andy fast enough.  A precious fireman saw me running and said "Ma'am he is ok.  Give us a minute to clear traffic and you can cross.  But I promise he is ok."  He happened to be a former parent... :-)  I saw him standing in what seemed like a mile away...but he was standing!  Praise the Lord!

I went into "control" mode.  I hugged him, praised Jesus he was Ok and began thinking about what needed to happen.  He informs me he denied the ambulance because there were only cuts on his knuckles.  Seemed like a good idea at the time.

We waited for the police to complete the paperwork and for the wrecker to arrive.   Andy and I were discussing how this happened.  I left my school bag in the front seat of the car today because Maggie fell asleep on the way home.  When Andy turned the corner, the bag slid over.  He was pushing it back over and took his eyes off the road for a second.  The car went off the side of the road and as he pulled it back on, the front tire caught the pavement wrong and sent him flipping...3 times he flipped this beauty!  He was concerned he wrecked my car...I was thankful he took my car!  Every air bag deployed, side mirrors were gone, front bumper gone...

We decided about this time that he really should get checked out at the hospital.  So we loaded up in the Envoy and headed to the ER.  The Lord got us in and out in less that 2 hours on a Friday night!  Everything checked out FINE!  Nothing!!!  They warned us he would be fine but pretty sore for about a week.

My friend Kim bought the girls dinner and the babysitter took good care of the girls while I was with Andy.  It wasn't until I sat down to write and look at these pictures that I have decided to fall apart...y'all instead of laying her listening to Andy snore, things could be so different right now!  We both realize just how blessed we are that things aren't different right now!  The Lord truly had his hand of protection on our family tonight!  All I could think about when I got the call was "I didn't even hug his neck when he left...kiss your love ones, don't take these crazy, circus days for granted...I saw mine flash before me today and it scared the patoot out of me!

These images are what I keep staring at tonight and praising Jesus my man WALKED away with 2 scratched knuckles...

Did I mention we are fans of Toyota's safety features...and our Father's safety features too!

Books

This kid loves a book!  She is usually an on the go kind of girl...give her a book and she will stay in one place for 5 minutes!!!  We take a book everywhere we go-in the car, on a stroller ride, in the grocery store, you name!  And to hear her speak "Magneese" is hilarious!  She definitely puts a lot of "emotion" in her reading!