because my husband is awesome.

A friend recently made a comment that reminded me of how truly blessed I am. She stated that I had found one of the "good ones". She was referring to my husband. This was no surprise to me, I know I've got a good one. I just forget not everyone else does! It made me realize I might not be telling him enough how truly thankful I am for him. So, in honor of his birthday I would like to publicly declare just a few of the many reasons that he is a "good one".

1. He kindly smiles while eating the crumbly lump I am calling meatloaf.

2. He gladly holds my purse/ diaper bag/ shopping bag with out complaint.

3. He goes for a walk with our son instead of taking a nap, even though he worked till 11:30 the night before.

4. He indulges all my crazy plans for trips to museums, zoos,  or shopping on his day off.

5. He loves my family.

6. He drives 15 minutes out of his way because I mentioned a Bojangles' sweet tea sounded good.

7. He listens when I talk ( unless it's basketball season .... I mean he is only human!)

8. He laughs at the same things that I do.

9. He drives the van with two screaming children, and let's me drive the quiet, peaceful car.

10. He tells me I'm pretty at least once everyday.

Happy birthday hubs! Thank you for being such a good one.

a letter for teenage girls ( but you can read it too!)

I spend an overwhelming amount of time each week with students. This would probably be creepy except for the fact that it's my husband's job and mine too. Sometimes, hanging out with these crazy kids makes me feel like I'm still young and fun. Other times, it just makes me feel old......very old. But, as I watch them navigate those horrendously hormonal years, I am reminded of my own journey. I watch as these young ladies make some of the same mistakes I made. So this note is for them, and probably still for me too.

Dear teenage girl,
I am thirty one. I know this seems impossibly ancient to you, but you will be flirting with your thirtieth year before you know it! As an elder of the tribe I wish to share with you some nuggets of wisdom I have collected upon my journey.

First, it is not the end of the world. I don't know what it is, but I know it's not the end of the world. So calm down, take a deep breath and drop the hysterics. It could be your boyfriend dumped you, your best friend isn't talking to you or something that actually is serious. It's a bummer right now, but I promise you will one day laugh again. Now, I know some of you actually will be dealing with truly heavy stuff ( divorce, sick loved ones). You may not believe me, but this isn't the end of the world either. It may alter your world, but it won't end it. (This is the perfect opportunity for you to focus on the fourth topic of the letter. )

Second, take a break from your boyfriend! Go hang out with your girls! Dare I say it- spend time with your family ( you know those people you live with, birthed you, give you money)
  Ladies, chances are you will not marry this boy you are now dating. So,if he isn't the one why waste all this time on him? And, if he is the one, well you have the rest of your life to hang out with him! My husband and I were high school sweet hearts, and we fell victim to this as well. Trust me, we never sit around and say, " Man, I wish we had gone on more dates back then!" No, we normally talk of our regret for not spending more time with friends and family. 

Third, stop trying to be a grownup. Trust me, it's not that awesome. I know you think you are busy, overscheduled, and tired now... but you're not. I snicker when I hear teenagers say they are tired. You've never met tired! But, one day you will...and it's as horrific as you can imagine. So, enjoy these years of freedom. Act silly, stay up late giggling, sing with the radio at the top of your lungs ( cause when you do that as an adult people begin to worry). 

Fourth and final, start growing now. So many teenagers say they will get serious about their spiritual walk later. Guess what? They normally don't. If you aren't making your relationship with the Lord a priority now, chances are you won't in the future. Don't waste this precious time to explore God's word. You are going to need this foundation as you head off to college and adulthood. It's a sad reality that the majority of students walk away from the church after graduation. I've watched it happen, and it breaks my heart. It' s the effort you put in now that will keep you from being a statistic later. God wants to you use you for His glory right now! Let Him! I mourn the time I wasted as a teenager. There were people I could have impacted for the kingdom of God, but I didn't because I was too busy saying I'd do it later. Learn from my mistake.

So teenage girl, go do something fun, build meaningful relationships with friends, spend quality time with your Creator, and enjoy all that energy you have.

Sincerely,
The haggard old woman you saw pushing a stroller at the mall

The best friend I never knew I always had

Today I spent time with two very special people. One is a dear friend who was visiting, and the other is my sister. 

My sister is three years older than me, and spent everyday of my childhood reminding me of this fact. As children, we were built in playmates. We spent hours playing barbies, having tea parties with our dolls, and running through the woods. We enjoyed being sisters. 

As we reached our teenage years things began to shift. I would become irate at the sight of her wearing my clothes that she had not asked to borrow, yet I felt free to take from her closet. I became annoyed when she would spend time with "my" friends. I remember evenings when her presence frustrated me, and I know she often felt the same way. We simply existed in the same house.

We eventually went off to college, started working, met boys, married those boys, and moved off to different states. We talked, but not often. Honestly, I would have considered several of my friends to be closer to me than my sister. I would always look at people who were very close to their siblings as if they were a bit off. 

Then, we became parents. My sister had her son first. A little over a year later I gave birth to my little boy. The woman who previously had been just my sister was now a source, someone who understood, someone who I could ask for advice, and I often did. But, it wasn't until we both ended up living back in our home town that we really began to grow a friendship. We arranged playdates for our boys and conversation time for ourselves. We began to share life, and I learned things about my sister I had never known. We now enjoyed being sisters and friends. 

In the past few years my family moved an hour down the road. My sister and I have both had more children and more responsibilities. We are both busy, yet still make time to call and visit one another. Our children beg for these visits. My son will tell you that J, my nephew, is his best friend. I love to here him say that because J's mom is probably mine. 

Autumnal Bliss!

Fall is officially here!

 I L-O-V-E this time of year, and can not wait to enjoy every aspect of this glorious season. So I dedicate today to all the things I love about fall!

fall decor- one of those things that I can NEVER have enough of....

 ( i might be obsessed with pumpkins)


overalls and holiday onesies (yes that is a turkey on the bum, and it's stinkin' adorable)

Boots!

 Colored leaves- like the one I found in my yard today.

Classic tv specials!

Family trips to the pumpkin patch.

My boy dressed as buzz lightyear...for the third year in a row. Now I need to convince the hubs to buy the Woody costume for our little one.

 Delicious fall treats- like the pumpkin cheesecake donut from Krispy Kreme. 

So, here's to cooler weather, cuter clothes, buying more fall decorations, and eating anything and everything pumpkin!

Regrettable

Have you ever done something and almost immediately regretted it? I am the queen of regret/ remorse. Sometimes it is an immediate, " What have I done?" Other times it takes days, weeks, maybe months or years for my mistake to become apparent.
Here I will share my top ten most regrettable moments.....

1. Buying a house.....with only two bedrooms.....at the height of the market.....in florida ( one of the hardest hit places during the real estate crash)

2. Buying a pair of skinny jeans. No they are NOT for everyone. I should have listened to Stacy and Clinton.....

3. Spending a year of college as an art major. I can't even draw! I had a professor laugh, yes audibly laugh, at one of my "works". 

4. Letting my husband sell our Nissan titan. I miss my truck. Yes, it was crazy bad on gas, but I was bigger than most the people on the road. Vehicular intimidation.... priceless.

5. Everything I wore between 1996-2000. No wardrobe should have that much flannel, cheap denim, and velour. Rough stuff.

6. Not paying attention while my mother was cooking. Who knew cooking would be a skill I would need later on in life? 

7. Not traveling more b.c. ( before children). I had the time, money, and energy to go anywhere in the world! But, for some reason I didn't. Now, I can't even muster the time and energy to step outside. Let's not even discuss the money....

8. Eating. The majority of what I eat or drink on any given day will be regretted within a 2 hour period. For example, that pumpkin cheesecake donut and coke I had earlier were not my best moment.

9. Watching Downtown Abbey. I still haven't forgiven them for the final moments of season three. I gave them three seasons, and they broke my heart. I'm boycotting season 4.... let's see how long that lasts.....

10. Not buying the brown leather Aigner riding boots that were on sale at the outlet 3 years ago. I still dream about them.

As I compiled this list I realized I had way more than 10 major regrets. One day I might have to add my other top 10 regrets. Until then, share yours! What is your biggest regret? 

Learning Grace

There are some things that come naturally to me. For example, sarcasm, lifting one eyebrow, and finding a good deal are all areas in which I excel. Unfortunately, grace can not be added to that list. I am more of a justice girl. But, I was recently reminded of the beauty and importance of showing grace. 

There is a woman who has repeatedly hurt my husband's family. She gossiped about them, stole from them, and spread false information. They continued to forgive her, and she continued to hurt them and others.

Recently, she needed surgery, and my husband learned it would be preformed at a nearby hospital. He decided to go so he could pray with her and encourage her. I watched from the comfort of our warm bed as he awoke early and dressed quietly so he wouldn't wake our newborn sleeping in his bassinet. I shook my head as he climbed in the car. I spent the day watching the clock and tsking. This undeserving woman had monopolized my husband's entire day. 

When he finally returned home he shared how this woman wept when he walked into the room. She had been all alone and had assumed she would remain that way. He sat listening for hours as she poured out her heart and shared stories of her life. As he finished telling me about his day he simply stated, "She just needs Jesus".

I was humbled and slightly embarrassed about my attitude that day. My husband had chosen to show grace and compassion. I had chosen judgement. At the thought of her need for Christ I was reminded of my own unworthiness. I am so thankful God showed me His grace and compassion when I deserved judgement. And, I'm thankful for a husband who is helping me learn to share grace with others.

Super Baby

My baby has magic powers. It's true. They are not spiderman type powers ( to the disappointment of his older brother), but powers none the less. Unfortunately, we have yet to harness these powers for the greater good. He currently uses them to torture and cause discomfort.
  
   When trying to explain these powers I normally liken them to animal intuition. Not just dogs that sense their owners are sad or a certain person is danger, but prediction level. There are dogs that can predict on coming seizures, and some even assert dogs can predict earthquakes! My baby's powers are earthquake predicting level. 

Example:
Super power 1. My baby knows when I have an early day or busy day coming. This morning I needed to be up by 6 am. That is unheard of crazy early for our house. My baby knew. He woke up every 2 hours last night. This is after weeks of 5-6 hours of sleep in a row. You now understand why I consider these powers malevolent in nature. 

Super power 2. My baby knows when I am going to pour milk on my cereal. When the last drop reaches the toasted flakes a wail will rise from my child. He now needs attention, love, food, or to be changed. This may not sound terrible to you, but you experience two months of soggy cereal then come talk to me.

Super power 3. My baby can predict when Curtis Stone is going to reveal who was "chopped" from Top Chef Masters. That wail I mentioned earlier becomes an ear piercing scream that blocks out all other sound and temporarily blinds you ( that might be an exaggeration). Let's just say I'm thankful for dvr. 

Super power 4. My baby can predict when the waiter will bring the food. He can be in a coma like sleep and wake up the second the waiter turns the corner. 

Super power 5. And last, the redeeming power that restores my sanity. My baby knows when I need to hold him. Whether I'm sad, discouraged, lonely, or just ready for a snuggle he is ready for one too. My hubby says it could be the pinch I give him to wake him up, but I prefer to think it's our bond and his super powers.

What could your little one always "predict?"
    

why now?

 After years of flirting with the idea, I have finally decided to take my narcissism to a whole new level.
            I am starting a blog. 
I can see the question forming in your mind, "Why now?"
Well, let me explain......

1. Today is my 31st birthday. No, I do not feel sad or older. I do not feel the need to prove my worth. I just feel the need to do. I am finally ready to explore new opportunities, and to find new hobbies to enjoy. 

2. I can. My circumstances have recently changed, and I now have more time to write.... and ponder...... and blog.

3. I love to join a trend late! I was the 8 year old desperately clinging to her walkman when everyone else was carrying their new cd player.  And I was the college student listening to her clip on RADIO while all the other college students listened to their mp3 player. So, considering my own mother has now had a blog for a little over a year, I figured it was time for this girl!

4. I have a voice, a life, and ideas that are worth sharing. 

So join me as I start this new adventure. I hope to explore aspects of my life in ministry, my experiences as a mother to two awesomely adorable boys, the new path I'm beginning to navigate, and just pearls of wisdom and entertainment in general.

Mama said there'd be days like this, and I'm going to tell you all about them!