Together Again

Everyone is back under one roof.  The brothers came home from Pawpaw and MiMi's house on Saturday.  Last week was a mighty long week for SK and I, we are not used to that much quiet for that many days in a row.  Yes, my house was cleaner than it's been in years and Chad and I only had ourselves to cook for and everything I put away stayed put up...but after a few days that wasn't fun anymore and we wanted our brothers back.


They had a great time and I'm sure they didn't miss us near as much as we missed them.  Chad and I went on two dates which is completely out of the norm for us.  Sophie Kate's nurse kept her one night for us and folks from our church kept her the other night.  It was great to spend some time alone together and find out that Amye and Chad still exist inside the world of mama and daddy that demands our attention these days.  


This week finds us with even more appointments at Children's.  Sassy needs new AFO's for school, so she is going to be fitted for those this week and we are seeking a second opinion on Jacob's ear this week with a new ENT as well.  I'm afraid we are headed for yet another surgery on the bionic ear, but we'll see what this new doctor has to say first.  


We have less that a month before school starts back so we are going to pack in the swimming, movies, games and whatever else we can come up with in the meantime. That early morning alarm clock is going to be a shock to all of our systems come August 20th.  


The boys have spent a full two weeks with their cousins this summer.  Here's a picture of the whole group at Smith Lake...

Thanks for checking in on us. 

Fifteen Years

Fifteen years ago today, these two "kids" were married...

July 26, 1997

Yes, Chad was 12 when we married.  He's always looked younger than me, it's not fair, but guess what...he's not, ha ha!!  Oh my we had no idea what we were doing or what married life was really going to be like...at 24 and 25 years old how could we?  

What a journey we have been on together.  We stood before our family and friends and said the traditional vows that couples have been saying for years...it's not the words it's the commitment.  Fifteen years later we have a promise and a commitment between us that is as strong as it's ever been.

We know each other so well and that's a comfort, not something that should lead to complacency but there's an ease and a feeling of security that comes with years spent together.  He makes me laugh so hard, he provides for us, he leads our family and because of his love for and relationship with Christ he loves me like crazy and believe me I don't deserve it.

When we reach our 30 year anniversary and then 50 year anniversary, there will be an even deeper love and understanding between us.  I can't imagine it now, but I can see how we have grown over the past 15 years of marriage and have no doubt that as we continue to mature in our relationship with Christ we will grow closer and closer to each other.

Fifteen years ago those two "kids" had no idea what lay ahead of them, we still don't.  Those words we said before God, family and friends still hold true today.  It's a commitment we've made to God, each other and now our children.  It's a full, blessed life we lead.

Happy Anniversary, Chad.  Thanks for coming home to the craziness every night.  I love you!! 

Back to Reality

We're back from our trip to Smith Lake.  Well, I guess I should clarify...some of us (me, Chad and SK) are back from vacation and some of us (Cooper, Jacob and Grey) are still on vacation.  The boys left the lake and went home with PawPaw and MiMi.  We had a great time and I have sooo many pictures to share, but it's back to reality for Chad, SK and myself.  Chad goes back to work today and SK and I have multiple doctor and dentist appointments.


The boys are going to be gone all week and SK and I don't know what we are going to do without them.  We have never been away from them for this long.  These appointments are nothing out of the ordinary for SK, just the guys she sees every 6 months.  It's unfortunate that they choose not to know more about her.  She's a diagnosis to them and they think they see kids like her every day. They don't take the time to see each child has their own personality, with so much love and warmth to give.  It's a shame that they don't try to get to know her more and provide a little more support than just writing prescription after prescription.  She's so much more than a diagnosis, a chart and a medical records number.  


It will be a long day, but I know there is nothing they can tell me today that is going to change who my girl is.  They think they know her, but they don't.  While making the rounds to all of our appointments today we'll be wishing we were back at the lake.

We're missing our boys, but hope they have a great week. Thanks for checking in on us.

Tubing

The boys tubing on Smith Lake...

We're having a ton of fun with our cousins this week. Spending almost all day on the boat and falling into our beds exhausted each night.  

I think Sassy likes boat riding too!!

Lake Time

Enjoying our time at Smith Lake.

Sassy is loving her pool time too!

Mornings with My Girl

The boys have succumb to the most wonderful summer past time of sleeping late.  I am finding that SK and I are having 2 hours to ourselves in the mornings before the brothers get up.  SK wakes up like sunshine...bright, beautiful and with a warmth about her that no one can touch.  She wakes up with a smile that only intensifies when she hears me call her name.


It's easy for the nurse in me to get caught up in all her morning cares.  That part never changes, it doesn't matter what day it is or if we're on vacation or even if it's Christmas morning.  There are things that have to be done for her on schedule and it's easy to fall into a systematic robotic routine...one in which I am just taking care of business instead of taking care of my daughter.  


In the quiet morning hours we are having together, I talk to her, rub her legs, and look deep into those bright brown eyes.  I pull SK's arms high over her head and she stretches out so big.  She loves doing that so we do it over and over, SK has the best stretches.  I love watching her face, no one enjoys morning stretches more than Sassy.


Finally her brothers are all up and one by one they are drawn to her and tell her "Good morning."  They are the only ones who can make her smile brighter than anyone else...her brothers.

 Proverbs 24:3-4 "By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; and by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches."


Precious indeed, thanks for checking in on us.

Turkey Creek

I was able to spend some time with my two oldest boys and some friends recently at Turkey Creek Nature Preserve.

I know y'all are all wondering why they are wearing gross, dirty socks aren't you?  Well, it has been tested and proven that gross dirty socks provide the best traction on the slippery rocks.  Water shoes have proved themselves useless there.  So each time we head out to Turkey Creek we always make sure we have our gross dirty socks with us, ha ha.

P. S. The socks sacrifice themselves to a day at Turkey Creek, they are not allowed to come home after such a day.

These boys have been busy this month with church camp. When one comes home, the other one leaves...so looking back on the pictures from just a couple of weeks ago makes me smile when I am missing them. 

I don't get many opportunities to have just the two of them all to myself.  I hope they enjoyed it as much as I did. Thanks for checking in on us.

Summer Schedule

The schedule at our church doesn't slow just because it's summer.  Now, it does shift from a regular schedule to lots of comings and goings.  It seems almost every Sunday we are commissioning and praying over a different group that is headed out on mission trips.  It is wonderful to serve in a church that is so mission minded...from Vacation Bible School to middle school students to high school students to men on mission to trips over seas, it seems to be a constant ebb and flow of activity.


I have been in two different services where we prayed over our high school students in one and our 7th & 8th grade students in another.  The front of the church was packed with students, their parents and the mission trip leaders all on their knees as the church prayed over them and those they will be serving on their trips.  Yes, these students are going on mission trips.  They are doing Vacation Bible School in other communities as well as other service projects in North Carolina, Georgia and Louisiana.


These kids have to really want to go on these trips because there are training classes they must attend, scripture they have to memorize and they have to give their testimony of how they came to know Christ.  In addition, in some cases they are required to raise half the money for the trip themselves and they have to help with our church's VBS so that they will be well equipped when they do on their own trips.  All of these things are requirements for these kids to go on mission trips with our church.  My oldest will be able to go for the first time next summer as a sixth grader.  I so hope to figure out some way to be able to experience that with him.  What a wonderful thing for these students this summer...learning first hand what it means to selflessly serve in the name of Jesus!  Learning that it's not all about them all the time.  


We also have opportunities to serve around our own city. Our children's ministry allows 1-6 graders to learn at early ages what it means to put others first.  These students are doing way more than I ever did at their ages.  It's great to serve in such an active church, a church that doesn't believe in staying inside our four walls.


Can't believe the month of June came and went so quickly, we still have a lot of summer left and a lot of fun ahead of us.  Thanks for checking in on us. 

Poolside

Lots of cousins were in town last week so we did a lot of hanging out by the pool at Grandma and Grandpa's house. 

It was so funny how everyone gathered at the steps to play with these buckets of water.  These different sized buckets have been played with by each of the grandchildren at certain ages, but last week they were "rediscovered" and achieved a new status of fun.

Sassy enjoyed a popsicle poolside...

Our friends who struggle with oral feedings will appreciate the picture below.  They know how hard it is for our kids to bring their lips together.  See how SK has her lips pressed together around the popsicle?  Y'all have no idea how hard she is working to do that.  Sweet girl, life is constant therapy for her.

After all that work, SK decided to take a nap poolside...

Lovin' those shades, sister...

Sophie Kate and the brothers had a great time hanging out and swimming with their cousins.  SK had so much fun with everyone in the pool.  Sweet girl is happy in the water or poolside, she's just happy!!


Proverbs 15:13 "A happy heart makes the face cheerful..."