It's been a couple weeks...

Since my last post...just been busy living. :o) A couple weekends ago, my step-sister Lindsey came up to spend the weekend with us again.   She got in on Thursday night and met me for lunch on Friday.  Nothing says TGIF like good company and good Mexican food for lunch!  Friday evening we decided to take Ashlyn and Lindsey to their first ever University of Alabama Gymnastics meet.  We picked a great one too!  It was the annual "Pink Meet"!  I love that we support the Fight Against Breast Cancer! Click Here to see some great pictures of the meet!  Fireworks inside the coliseum and all!  David caught a t-shirt for Lindsey that they shot out of a potato gun!  Ashlyn danced until she dropped!  Saturday, I packed up the little one for a trip to Mimi and Papaw's house while Lindsey and my friend Stephanie and I headed a little further east to Atlanta, Georgia to view "Bodies-The Exhibition". I know there was quite a bit of controversy surrounding these exhibits, but I don't want to get into that.  Lindsey got extra credit for her science class to go and Stephanie is in her third year of Nursing school - and I've always been interested in the body and how it works (or doesn't sometimes). We all thought it was a very interesting exhibit and learned quite a bit. The drive went by so fast thanks to our big mouths (me and Stephanie that is)! We saw the Ikea store on the way out of town and I'm determined to go back soon to visit it!  I can't believe I didn't get a single picture during the whole trip - but I had such a fun time on our "Girl's Road Trip"!

Sunday of that weekend, Mary had their whole family over for Sunday "Lupper" (as my Granny calls it - kind of like brunch only it's lunch and supper).  It was wild having all the babies together!  I FINALLY got to hold Ashlyn's sweet baby twin cousins!  Of course, I fell instantly in LOVE!  Ashlyn is growing up so fast and this was yet another opportunity to see just how much she has grown.

 She loves cousin Ella - she also loves to give kisses!

 Missing one cousin in this picture - well you can actually see the back of his head in the corner...

 My Goofies having a chuckle!

Some of my happiest childhood memories were spent with my cousins!  Having a lot of cousins, to me - is like having all the good parts of having a lot of brothers and sisters (like having built-in friends) - but none of the bad parts (like having to share a bathroom with a million people)!

True to form...we packed all the fun we could into one weekend, so we needed a weekend to recover.  LOL!  This past weekend we took it easy - David went fishing with his brother and me and Ashlyn did a little housework and shopping.  We met David and Joe for lunch at the most yummiest taco joint in Tuscaloosa (Taco Casa for all you non-natives who were wondering).  Sunday we went to Lowe's to buy some flowers for the front plant beds.  Spring is JUST AROUND THE CORNER...and so is SPRING BREAK!  8 work days and counting until Spring Break!!!

National Championship Do-over

This past weekend, we had the pleasure of having my Dad and Jacque over to the house to watch the DVR'ed National Championship Game.  My dad is doing SO WONDERFUL!  I am so glad that he is having such great success!  Unfortunately, most of his memories have not returned.  He is probably the only person in Alabama (maybe the whole United States!) that can say that he watched Alabama beat the living daylights out of LSU in the National Championship Game TWICE FOR THE FIRST TIME!  I know it's not really funny...but let's make the best of a bad situation.  I'm so glad David wanted to record the game so now my die-hard Alabama Fan Dad got to see the game again.  Ashlyn loved getting all the attention!  We grilled steaks.  I cooked some green beans (Ashlyn's favorite) and made a yummy ranch and cheesy mashed potatoes.  Jacque brought an amazing chocolate cake that was totally not on the diet and totally worth it!  Thank you to all who have prayed for my family and especially my Dad!  God is doing a mighty work in all of our lives through this situation.

Roll Tide!!!

Valentine's Day 2012

We have not really been "Valentine's Day people" historically speaking.  David and I have let Valentine's Day come and go relatively unnoticed for at least the last 5 or 6 years.  This year we really made a day of it! :o) 

 Ashlyn's class at preschool had a Valentine's Day party.  These were her Valentine's for her friends.  I found the idea online and worked with what we already had at home to make them.

 David surprised his little Valentine with three red roses, a balloon and a stuffed bug at school!

 She held that little bug's antenna the entire time she ate lunch!

 Ashlyn LOVES her Ms. Angie!

 She LOVES her Ms. Amber too!

David also surprised his big Valentine with a dozen red roses and Ghirardelli chocolates.

I don't know that I even have the right words to describe how much I love the man I married.  I have said before and I'll say again...he is the perfect one for me.  He is so loving and patient.  He never gives up on me.  He is so supportive.  No matter how many times I change this or try that...he always gives the thumbs up and gets on board, even if he is thinking, "here we go again", he doesn't say it.  He believes that I can accomplish the goals I set...I think sometimes he believes in me more than I believe in myself...and I need that.  He is my best friend.  He is the one I can be completely honest with and not feel judged.  Oftentimes he silently endures when I'm being selfish.  He is understanding when I come to him and apologize for lashing out at him, when I realize that I was the one being selfish in the first place.  He truly forgives and forgets.  He is Godly.  He strives to stay the course when we feel God is calling us to do something.  He listens to my opinions and takes my needs into consideration before making decisions.  He is giving.  One of the things I love most about my husband is his heart for others.  He takes every opportunity he can to help others.  He is kind.  I fall more and more deeply in love with him every time I watch him with our little girl.  His heart is pure.  He doesn't do things with selfish ambition or ulterior motives.  He is probably the most amazing person I know.  I am so grateful that God picked him out for me.

Does teething ever end???

I went to pick Ashlyn up early on Thursday because she was being extra inconsolable.  She had not slept well the night before and her cough sounded so terrible on Thursday morning.  We went for a quick visit to the doc.  Just a cold...lungs sounded fine.  We went home with a prescription for steroid cream for a particularly bad spot of eczema that her diaper had irritated though.  Her school had an in-service day on Friday, so Uncle Joe babysat that morning.  That was a hoot!  She adores her Uncle Joe.  We told her that morning that Uncle Joe was going to come play with her.  She immediately started looking around the room, saying "Joe, Joe???"  So funny!  She had lots of Daddy love in the afternoon since David took the afternoon off to hang out with her so Mommy could stay at work. :o)  Saturday was a fabulous day!  We all slept a little late which was SO nice!  We got up to an absolutely beautiful day!  We took the doggies for a walk, then David made a very Yummy pancake breakfast  David had an evening job, so Ashlyn and I took the opportunity to go visit with Papaw and Mimi in Birmingham!  We didn't get any pictures, but we had such a great time!  We watched a movie about a Zebra racehorse...not sure of the name...Ashlyn had the best time picking out canned vegetables off the shelf in the kitchen and taking them into Papaw in his room.  He would collect a few and then get her to take them back to the shelf.  I love watching her learn to do things for herself.  I love seeing the excitement in her face when she knows she accomplished something.  Sunday after church we went to Mary's for my "Birthday Dinner".  Richard, Mary G. and Ella came and I got to hold Ella for SO long!  She is such a sweet little baby!  I don't think she cried for more than a total of 5 minutes for the entire 2 1/2 hours we were over there.  Ashlyn loves to hug her and rock her in the swing.  It is precious to watch.  The whole weekend bucket fulls of spit were flowing from my child's mouth.  My baby is teething again.  I think her eye teeth are coming in now...she cries when I try to brush her teeth.  It feels like the teething process will never end...I just feel bad for her...poor boogie.  I can't say I got a great deal accomplished this weekend, but we definitely got some family time in, so I say it was a successful weekend.

You are not alone.

My dad had been saying for several days that he thought he had the "flu".  I told him the last couple days that I didn't think it was the flu and that he should go to the doctor.  He kept putting it off.  Last Thursday, I got a call from my step-mom.  She said my dad wasn't remembering some things that he should - like the fact that the boat he used to have is not at the house because he sold it 11 years ago.  I told her I was on my way - we finally got him the hospital and they diagnosed him with an elevated Ammonia level which caused Hepatic Encephalopathy.  They admitted him and the doctors confirmed that he has severe liver damage and the toxin had also damaged his bone marrow.
I've faced adversity from many friends and family members for years because I refuse to abandon my father.  You see, my father is an alcoholic.  I don't remember a time when he wasn't.  I remember good times and I remember bad times, but all the times, there was alcohol present.  I have been proud of my dad and I've been embarrassed by my dad, but at the end of the day, God placed me under him as a member of his family.  My sticking around was my own choice and I have no judgement to place for someone who makes a different decision.  These are very personal decisions.
According to instruction given by Paul in 1 Timothy 5:3-8 "Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need.  But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God.  The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and ask God for help.  But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives.  Give the people these instructions, so that no one may be open to blame.  Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."
This is why I choose to stay.  I feel God has called me to stay.  Now please don't misunderstand.  I mean this is no way as advise to anyone dealing with an alcoholic.  I am sharing this because Paul gave some more advise to the church.  He said: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God." - 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
One of the basic principles you learn in al-anon is that you are not alone. 
As I've shared my story with friends, I've been overwhelmed by how many people have a story of struggle with someone they love consumed by the demons of alcoholism.  This last week has reminded me that through the painful trials that I've experienced over the last thirty years...there has been purpose.  I am continually opening my heart to let God sift through the filth and teach me a new way to live...a way where I walk with peace in my heart, compassion for others and joy in my step.  Everyday hasn't been peaceful, but each day I learn one more new thing, I let go of one more ugly thing, and I praise God that He hasn't given up on me yet.
We all have painful struggles.  We are all dealing with something.  We are all imperfect.  But God knows that.  He loves us anyway, and He puts people in our path to help us feel His comfort as we stumble along the paths of life.  He doesn't want us to hoard His comfort.  God comforts us, so that we can share that comfort.  He wants us to share our stories with others so that people will finally realize....You are NOT ALONE!

Happy Birthday to ME!

Monday, the 16th, I celebrated the BIG 3-0!  I've been asked several times what we did to celebrate...well...GrandMary and Papa Chuck babysat last Friday night, so we went out to dinner at Ruby Tuesday.  I ate so much at the salad bar that I didn't even have room for my dinner!  I slept late on Saturday, then we went to pick boogie up from her grandparent's house.  My step mom and step sister got here Saturday, early afternoon to visit this weekend.  Sunday we went to church, then to Jalapenos for lunch.  SO YUMMY!!!!  We went to dinner at Mary's house and Teresa was there so we got to visit with her too. :o)  We came home and Lindsey kept me company while I started going through all the stuff in the craft closet.  Monday, I got to SLEEP LATE AGAIN!!!  I woke up to a bunch of Happy Birthday texts and voicemails!  Jacque cooked me a yummy birthday breakfast, and I decided that I wanted to spend the entire day in my pajama pants and so I did.  Ashlyn must have known it was my birthday, because every time I turned around she wanted to sit in my lap.  I sat on the couch, with her in my lap, and we snuggled while we watched Little Bear, Olivia and Bubble Guppies.  We ate things that are not on the diet...like pizza for lunch...and ended the day with a Birthday Reese Cup Blizzard from Dairy Queen (that David went and picked up for us so that I could accomplish my goal of getting through the entire day whilst staying in my own house in my pajama pants).  This may not have been the busiest birthday of my life...but it surely was the most relaxing!!!

#14!!!

ROLL TIDE!!!!!!!!

I almost can't believe it...seriously...someone pinch me!  National Champions for the 14th time!!!  Roll Tide!!!!  As much as I'm NOT an Auburn fan...I am proud to say that the National Championship Title has been held in my home state of Alabama Three Years Running!  I know for the majority of the world...it's just a game...but in the South football is a BIG deal!  When I was in college, you couldn't even give away your $5 student ticket to an Alabama game.  We were so bad, people didn't even want to pay $5 to see us lose...I'm enjoying winning so much more!!!  In the last 3 or 4 years, I don't remember sitting down to watch an entire game.  I'm one of those annoying fans who watches the first quarter...sneaks away for 2nd and 3rd, then comes back to watch the 4th (if we are losing I don't even watch the 4th quarter).  Now don't get me wrong...I've stood proudly proclaiming that I bleed Crimson for my entire life, regardless of how good or bad we were.  I watched most of the championship game in 2009, but it wasn't the same as this year.  I sat glued to the television for every minute of this game!  I LOVED seeing us drill the LSU Tigers!  Thanks to Nick Saban's superior coaching skills, we are BACK BABY!!!  21 to NOTHING!  Nothing, hear me!  We didn't just beat them, we SHUT THEM OUT!  They didn't even make it over the 50 yard line until the 4th quarter. 
I was interested to see who has won the most National Championships (or it's equivalent) historically.  I was disappointed at first to find that The University of Alabama was actually third...I was convinced before I looked it up that we would, of course, be number ONE.  I started looking a little more carefully at the dates though...Alabama's first football team wasn't even formed until 1892.  I found this information quite interesting.  Comparatively...I think we pretty much ROCK!

ROLL TIDE!!!!!!!!