On Sunday, we had Annie's 3 year old birthday party after church at the "Rocket"Park. We all endured the gusty winds, ate lunch, and enjoyed cake and ice cream. Thanks to everyone for celebrating Annie with us. Thank you to everyone who came, called, mailed something, or sent an email or FB message to Annie.
Monday morning, Annie had presents waiting for her at breakfast from Gran-nola and Papa, Grandma and Grandpa, and us. We had lunch at Chick-fil-a. Then we had fun shopping at Goodwill (hat and sunglasses), and at Academy for new shoes. To finish the birthday day, we had a pizza and cake dinner with Kirsten and Madalyn.
Annie you are such a joy and a blessing in our lives. We love you so much!
My Justin Rocks~ He always has and will will always rock my world, but I haven' t told him(in print) lately.
I am currently reading three books right now. Two of which Justin gave me for my birthday. I want to share a part from one called "Passionate Housewives Desperate for God": Remember that God has given you your husband to lead and protect you. Go to him and seek his counsel. Most times he will be able to see things more objectively than you. Perhaps he can help you work out a doable schedule without all the emotions, false guilt, or hormone fluctuations that may cloud the decision making process of a tired mom. Remember that God works through our submission for our good as well as for the good of our husbands. Trust that God will work through him. While we learn to trust, our husbands learn to lead.
The past nine months has been an emotional roller coaster for me with a kindergartner, a preschooler, a toddler, and a newborn. This paragraph was a great reminder of the strength of a strong husband and to lean on God and on my lord.
Justin, you lead our family in the ways of the Lord. You are gentle, kind and loving. You are faithful, brave and true. You are tall, handsome and strong. You calm me when I am overwhelmed. You guard me and protect me. You guard my time and give me assistance.You are trustworthy. I am thankful that you are my husband, because my husband rocks!
A song from the Fairfield Four, a gospel group founded 90 years ago. Some of you may remember them from their work on O Brother Where Art Thou? Isaac Freeman is my favorite bass of all time. I hope this song gets your blood flowing and helps you through the week.
My God Called Me This Morning
Well my God called this morning
Just a little while before day
Well I stopped and I listened
How sweet the voice did sound
It sounded like a beat beat beatin’ of an angels wings
I seen him from the heaven coming down
and then I stags
and I steadied myself I looked but I saw no one
til I go away up in glory and I saw God’s darlin’ son
let me tell you that the prayer wheel
started to turning and the Spirit of God
said my son was murdered and the prayer wheel
turned over and I moved one step on to glory
and I rose up a shoutin’, shoutin’ Lord God Almighty
Well, my God called me this mornin’
just a little while before day
Annie is two weeks shy of being three. She can swing all by herself and sing/dance the words to Hannah Montana's Hoedown. Check Fb for the videos.
Georgia wants to take a bath several times a day. She enjoys writing her letters and numbers and coloring. She is reading some words. She missed Thurs. preschool because of a high fever.
Jonesy's two front teeth are loose. She received her fourth report card this week and her K-graduation pictures. She looks so grown up. She is reading more and more everyday. She missed a couple of days of school this week because of a high fever.
Our dear friend took this picture of me and the kids. We gave it to Justin for his valentine along with a new bicycle seat. The girls received a new necklace and some lacing cards. West's valentine was a car track tower. I was blessed with a delivery of beautiful roses and chocolates. We had a roasted turkey, corn casserole, and green bean dinner with chocolate covered strawberries for dessert.
Jones and Georgia made a decorative plate for their teachers for Valentine's Day.
I've been planning on using this song for a good while now, but have held off because I was trying to find a better video. I couldn't find one. Today is St. Valentine's Day and the song is appropriate so here it is. The Bellamy Bros. make their second appearance on TOTP with "When I'm Away From You".
Very fitting for my relationship with my Valentine. I spend far too many nights on a train or in a hotel while she is at home alone in our bed. That absence makes the heart grow fonder thing is true, but it isn't always easy to deal with.
You can ignore the video, or at least keep in mind that it was made in 1983? when music videos and MTV were still new.
"When I'm Away from You"
When I'm away from you,
I can't stay still
My thoughts won't move
From the way I feel
It happens time and time again
And the circle never ends.
When I'm away from you
Well, it hurts to say
My sense has gone
So far away
I'm up all through the night
And I can't tell wrong from right.
When I'm away from you
I see great big clouds
In the fog and rain
All the lonely crowds
They seem to be so blue
Every night I'm missing you.
When I'm away from you
Well, the sun don't shine
The moon don't come
The words don't rhyme
When I'm away from you I can't let go
And you know, oh you know.
It's all the things you do
That make life worthwhile
Like the way you talk
And the way you smile
It's all the things you do
Keep me hanging on
And you know, don't you know?
West is now crawling forwards. He is still slow and he hasn't figured out he can leave the living room. He has been moving backwards. rolling, sitting up and pivoting for the past month, but now he has figured out how to get those arms moving forward. He is also pulling up on the fireplace. Maybe he will walk before his first birthday? His eyes are still blue. He has the greatest belly laugh. He gives the best hugs and kisses. He gets mad if you walk by and don't say something to him or pick him up. He likes to play with the wheels on his car and truck. This is the first (ok, second if you count that he is a boy) difference that I have noticed from the girls. He likes to eat his baby food fast and he has liked all of the food he has tried.
West's outfit and hat is from Great Grandmother Brown. It's one of my favorites on him. Jones took the picture of West at the table. Georgia took the picture of me and West. Annie took the picture of Georgia singing. I wish the camera had been set to video.
Jonesy and I were in the waiting area of the Quicky Lube yesterday afternoon and I was asking her about her day at school. When I asked her about what she did at recess, she looked at me and told me she didn’t want to talk about it. I asked her why and she said that “it wouldn’t be appropriate in front of those two men and that lady.”, referring to the other customers in the waiting area. Later when it was just the two of us again I asked her about recess again and what they did that was inappropriate. “Well, a bunch of girls were chasing this boy and this girl and this boy were gonna get married and they were gonna kiss! But they didn’t.” I didn’t say anything. Just looked at her. “But not me daddy. I was just watching”, she was quick to add.
That leads me to this week’s song. It was penned by Mac Macanally and originally released by him in 1990, he recorded it again in 2009 with Kenny Chesney and it became a #1 hit. I pray that my daughters will chose good husbands.
"Down the Road"
When I was a boy
Four houses down from me
Was a family with an only child
She was the only girl
In this whole world that could make me smile
Down the road
I made up reasons to go
Down the road
Somewhere inside of me
There was something she took a liking to
Well I asked her to marry me
She said she really wanted to
Down the road
To see what life’s gonna hold
Down the road
Her momma wants to know
Am I washed in the blood or just in the water?
Her daddy wants to know
If I make enough to take his daughter
Down the road
Before he can let her go
Down the road
Now down the street from here
There’s an engineer with an only son
And our baby girl says
She believes that he is the only one
Down the Road
Her momma wants to know
Is he washed in the blood or just in the water?
And I want to know
That he makes enough to take my daughter
Down the Road
When it comes time to go
Down the Road
Down the road
You know I want to help her go
Down the road
Last night it began snowing around 8pm. We woke up this morning to snow covering the ground and to no school. Jones and Georgia geared up and went outside while Annie chose to finish her breakfast first. I stood on the porch for a few minutes watching and taking pictures. The girls enjoyed throwing some snowballs at me. Jones and Georgia put snowballs in our freezer to remember the day. Justin and the girls went outside for a brisk walk/run around the block after lunch, but West and I opted out and stayed warm inside.
~An interesting note about clothing. Jones was wearing tights, three leggings, jeans, three shirts, a scarf, hat and headband, and gloves for her snow day attire. Georgia was wearing tights, two leggings, two shirts and gloves. Annie was wearing two pants, one shirt, gloves, two hats and a jacket.
West has cut his first tooth! It is on the bottom and we will try to get a picture of it soon, but he likes to cover it up with his tongue.
