WELCOME WINSTON LAMAR TO THIS BIG WORLD! HE WAS BORN ON 9/17/08. MY SISTER AND BROTHER-IN-LAW, TERESA AND CLINT ARE SMITTEN AND SO IN LOVE WITH THIS LITTLE GUY. IT IS SO GREAT TO SEE THE JOY IN THEIR EYES. I HAVE BEEN AT TERESA'S THE LAST FEW DAYS TO HELP OUT AND HAVE HAD SUCH A GREAT TIME. WINSTON IS JUST A DOLL! HE HAS THE CHUBBIEST LITTLE CHEEKS THAT YOU CAN'T HELP BUT KISS. THIS IS HIS "FIRST PHOTO" AT THE HOSPITAL. I WILL POST MORE LATER.

MARK IS HOME WITH THE BOYS AND TAKING CARE OF ALL THAT REQUIRES SO I CAN HAVE THIS TIME WITH MY SIS. HE IS PRETTY GREAT. I MISS MY BOYS SO I WILL BE COMING HOME TOMORROW TO LOAD BACK UP ON HUGS AND KISSES I'VE BEEN MISSING. I CAN'T EVER GET ENOUGH OF THOSE!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY HUBS!

TODAY IS MY SWEET HUBBY'S BIRTHDAY. HE IS 39 TODAY BUT WILL ALWAYS BE A KID AT HEART! I THINK THAT IS WHAT I LOVE MOST ABOUT HIM. HE IS SO SMART, HARD WORKING AND DILIGENT WHEN HE NEEDS TO BE BUT HE HAS A JOYFUL HEART. THE BOYS GET TO LEARN SO MUCH ABOUT LIVING LIFE WITH JOY FROM THEIR DADDY. HE KNOWS HOW TO FIND HAPPINESS IN THE SMALLEST OF THINGS. I LOVE HIM SO MUCH AND HOPE HE ENJOYS HIS LITTLE FAMILY PARTY WITH CHERRY CHEESECAKE, HIS FAVORITE. I KNOW THE BOYS ARE EXCITED. THEY HAVE PICKED OUT HIS "PRESENTS" AND CAN'T WAIT TO GIVE THEM TO HIM. ANDREW PICKED HIM WORK GLOVES AND MASON PICKED FREE ICE CREAM CERTIFICATES FROM DQ AND SONIC. DAD IS A HARD WORKER BUT WE KNOW WHAT HE LIKES WHEN IT IS BREAK TIME!



HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARK! I LOVE YOU.

STRESS!!!

THIS HAS BEEN ONE WILD RIDE FOR THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS. I HAVE FELT COMPLETELY STRESSED AND JUST ASK FOR YOUR PRAYERS. I REALLY NEED THE LORD'S WISDOM TO NAVIGATE THIS TIME IN MY LIFE.

THE BIGGEST STRESSER FOR ME RIGHT NOW IS ANDREW'S TRANSITION TO PRESCHOOL. HE HAD A HARD WEEK THE FIRST WEEK BUT THINGS IMPROVED IMMENSELY. LAST WEEK HE STARTED CRYING AGAIN WHEN I LEFT HIM. WHEN I PICK HIM UP HE STILL TELLS ME WHAT FUN HE HAD BUT THE NEXT MORNING HE IS APPREHENSIVE AGAIN. A COUPLE OF DAYS EACH WEEK I AM ABLE TO PICK HIM UP AT 3:00. NOW HE IS EVEN MORE UPSET ON THE DAYS I HAVE TO WORK UNTIL 5:00. HIS TEACHER SAID HE CRIED FROM 8:00-10:00 ON TUESDAY! MY HEART IS BREAKING FOR HIM. I AM CRYING ON MY WAY TO WORK SO UPSET BY ALL OF THIS. MARK'S OPINION ON THE SITUATION IS THAT ANDREW HAS TO GET ADJUSTED TO SCHOOL AND I AGREE, BUT SHOULD IT BE THIS HARD? HE WAS CRYING TONIGHT AT BEDTIME BECAUSE HE KNOWS I HAVE A FULL DAY AT THE OFFICE TOMORROW. I AM ABSOLUTELY HEARTBROKEN ABOUT THIS SITUATION.

SECONDLY, HURRICANE IKE HAS CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO 3 OF THE PHARMACIES IN THE REGIONAL CHAIN WHERE I WORK. EVER SINCE SATURDAY MORNING I HAVE BEEN WORKING TO COORDINATE THE DISASTER RECOVERY PLAN. IT HAS BEEN A LONG WEEK TO SAY THE LEAST. IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT BUT HAS COME TOGETHER WELL AND WE SHOULD HAVE THINGS BACK TO NORMAL BY THE END OF THE WEEK. WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DELIVER MEDICATION TO RESIDENTS OF THESE AREAS DAILY AND THAT HAS BEEN A MIRACLE TO SAY THE LEAST. I WORK WITH A LOT OF WONDERFUL PEOPLE THAT HAVE GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND BECAUSE THEY CARE, NOT JUST FOR A PAYCHECK. PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR THOSE IN THE DAMAGED AREAS AND THE WORKERS TRYING TO ASSIST THEM. SEEING FIRST HAND HOW HARD IT IS FOR PEOPLE TO WORK THROUGH THIS DISASTER HAS BEEN HUMBLING AND HAS ME COUNTING MY BLESSINGS...BUT I AM TIRED, EMOTIONALLY DRAINED AND NEED A REFILL!

You guys have to go check out my friend Tammy's blog. She is absolutely hilarious and has a heart of gold to boot! Reading her posts make me laugh out loud so I warn you not to embarrass yourself at work! She has worked tirelessly as the founder of Chrysalis House, a ministry for homeless mothers and their children. She and the team of loving people working right along beside her are getting close to the goal and may soon see this building ready to welcome moms and children to get the support they need and the opportunity to know and accept the love of Christ. Check out her ministry blog to get the latest news and find out how you can help this great ministry.

Well, Ike is now hanging over our neck of the woods and making himself known. The coastal areas were devastated and areas south of us have lost power and many trees down from the sustained winds. The eye of the storm should cross over us about 8:00pm so we are getting ready. We set up a tent in the den to have "camp out" with the boys and watch movies. We are preparing to lose power sometime this evening. The boys see this as a night of fun, just like we want them to, but Mark and I really do not want them sleeping in their rooms on the south side of the house because we have several large trees on that side of the house. Better safe that sorry so we will be enjoying camp out night.

Please pray for those who have suffered loss. I have many coworkers in South Texas that have been devastated. My heart is breaking for them.

What in the TARNATION?

ANDREW HAD HIS APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THAT LITTLE CAVITY FILLED. HE WAS SUCH A TROOPER. HE WENT BACK TO THE ROOM WHILE I SAT OUTSIDE THE DOOR. HE WAS SUCH A BIG BOY. NOT ONE HINT OF FEAR OR HESITATION WHEN THE DENTAL TECHNICIAN CAME TO TAKE HIM. IN JUST A FEW MINUTES HE WAS DONE AND GETTING A PRIZE FOR BEING SO GOOD.

SOMETIME BEFORE THE NUMBING AGENT WORE OFF ANDREW BIT HIS LIP TERRIBLY. IT WAS SO SWOLLEN AND RED AND TURNED IN TO A BIG NASTY ULCER. A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER IT STILL LOOKED PRETTY BAD BUT WAS HEALING UP FINE. WHILE WE WERE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAME HE WAS TELLING HIS LITTLE BUDDY AUSTIN ABOUT HIS LIP. THE CONVERSATION WENT SOMETHING LIKE THIS:

AUSTIN: "WHAT IS THAT ON YOUR MOUTH"

ANDREW: "I BIT MY LIP IN THE CAR AND TAR FLEW EVERYWHERE. IT SQUIRTED OUT OF MY LIP."

AUSTIN JUST LOOKED CONFUSED AND TURNED TO KEEP PLAYING. I, ON THE OTHER HAND, THOUGHT, WHAT ON EARTH IS HE TALKING ABOUT? TAR? I THOUGHT IT MUST HAVE BLED A LOT WHEN HE BIT IT, BUT HE NEVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT THE BLOOD AND I NEVER SAW BLOOD ON ANYTHING...OH WELL. IT WASN'T UNTIL THE NEXT DAY THAT I REMEMBERED THAT MARK HAD SAID, "ANDREW, YOU BIT THE TAR OUT OF YOUR LIP" , WHEN HE SAW HOW BAD IT WAS. ANDREW TOOK THAT LITERALLY AND EMBELLISHED HIS STORY TO HIS LITTLE FRIEND. HOW FUNNY! I KNEW ANDREW WAS FULL OF A LOT OF THINGS...I DID NOT KNOW TAR WAS ONE OF THEM.

CHECK OUT MORE FUNNY KIDS AT MARY'S. I ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO TUESDAYS OVER AT HER LITTLE CORNER OF THE WORLD.

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL!

Well, no soccer this year. We are back to football. Mason played flag football in the fall of 2006 and really enjoyed it so when he heard he was old enough to play tackle, well that was all he needed to hear. For the mom...it was the last thing I wanted to hear. I am trying not to be that mom and let my son play football...and I have to admit, he is pretty darn cute in all that equipment.

His team is "The Bears" and I think his coach is seriously devoted!

Mason is getting a hang of these drills. Here he is doing, what else...the bear crawl

Such a serious look! He must be practicing his game face.

I will keep you posted as the season unfolds. It is so cute to see him working hard at something so "big". We will be heading to the local high school football game tonight. It is the first game of the season. The boys are so excited. I am too! I just love how our entire little town seems to show up to support our kids. One more reason I love living in a small town.