It is hard to believe that 29 years ago, On May 1, 1982........I married my best friend! It really does not feel like it has been that long. We have known each other since we were six years old and starting first grade. Oh, my! That was forty three years ago! Yes, we have literally spent a life time together!
I am not going to sit here and pretend that it has always been easy because, it has not! We have been through so much in our twenty-nine years of marriage. That first year......wow......I did not know if we were going to survive! Then we made a hard decision and moved six hours away from everyone and everything we had ever known! I had our first son in South Carolina and it was just the two of us at that hospital. We had no family there. We moved back when our oldest was a year old.
We went through several years of disappointment as we tried to have a second child and instead faced numerous miscarriages. After six and a half years of trying, we finally had our second son!
We went from joy to fear as we had our third child.....our only girl. She was so sick and we did not know if she would survive! Through this, we became closer instead of allowing it to break us apart!
We have had our ups and downs financially and emotionally, we have gone through the uncertainty of sickness and we have made it through the physical and emotional toll of a horrific car accident.
Through all of these ups and downs, the fear and sorrow, the one thing that has remained constant, is the love and respect we have for each other. Each trial that we have been through has just made us closer.
Even though we have had some really rough days, we have had way more wonderful days. We have brought three beautiful children into this world. We have watched with pride and joy as they have grown into the wonderful adults they have become.
Most of all, we have enjoyed each other. We know each other like we know ourselves. We can laugh at and with each other and we can just look at each other and know what the other one is thinking!
I still get feel a thrill when my phone rings and I know it is him. I love to see him smile and laugh and will do silly things just to get him to do both! I love his hands. I know those hands like I know my own. They are strong hands. They are the hands that dried my tears and tickled me until I laughed so much I could not breathe but most of all they are the hands that have held mine for twenty-nine years.
I don't know what makes a great marriage but, I do know what makes ours work. Respect, Trust, Laughter, Communication and Love......lots and lots of Love!
So......today.....I want to say to my "T".......I love you even more today than I did Twenty-nine years ago! Happy Anniversary! I am looking forward to all the years ahead of us! I Love You!
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
She Said Yes!
My middle son Big E bought his girlfriend a ring! He wanted to surprise her and wanted to propose in a special way. The plan was hatched to tell her we were going to the Botanical Gardens to take some couple photos. Me and Big E got there early and found the perfect spot for him to propose. We found a place that Me and Squirrel's Mom could stand and take pictures without being right on top of them.........we wanted to witness the proposal but, not intrude on the special moment.
The pictures I got were so special.....
.......and of course........she said YES!
This is just one of many special moments for these two as they embark on the next chapter of their lives. They will face many changes and challenges over the next year. They are preparing to become parents and well as becoming life mates.
I could not be more proud of the two of them. They are making mature, wise decisions as they move forward. It won't always be an easy road but, it will be a road filled with laughter, joy and most of all LOVE!
Thank you to my Big E, for allowing us Mama's to be witness to this special moment in their lives. I love you both and wish you all the the happiness and joy that life can bring you!
The pictures I got were so special.....
.......and of course........she said YES!
This is just one of many special moments for these two as they embark on the next chapter of their lives. They will face many changes and challenges over the next year. They are preparing to become parents and well as becoming life mates.
I could not be more proud of the two of them. They are making mature, wise decisions as they move forward. It won't always be an easy road but, it will be a road filled with laughter, joy and most of all LOVE!
Thank you to my Big E, for allowing us Mama's to be witness to this special moment in their lives. I love you both and wish you all the the happiness and joy that life can bring you!
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
The Wedding
I have been neglectful in my blogging duties in the last year and I really need to rectify this. I am going to start with the biggest event of our lives last year and that was my oldest son, The Fireman's wedding!
My three babies were beautiful as always...........
The Fireman's Bride was gorgeous!
T and the Fireman were so handsome in their tux..
Me......well.....I was happy, sad, proud and near tears.......all night.....
The whole day was filled with special moments. The Fireman had two grooms cakes, one was an Auburn football helmet and the other was a exact replica of his firemans helmet!
Most couples leave for the honeymoon on a car or sometimes a horse drawn carriage.....not my son and his sweet bride.......they left on..........can you guess?
Yep........a firetruck! How cool is that!
As everyone knows, planning a wedding is stressful and this one was no exception. We also know that once that wonderful day gets here......all the stress is gone and instead we become a witness to the next stage in a young couples life. My wish for them is that they always look at each other with those stars in their eyes and that they always remember the overwhelming love they felt for each other, at that exact moment when they said I DO!
My three babies were beautiful as always...........
The Fireman's Bride was gorgeous!
T and the Fireman were so handsome in their tux..
The whole day was filled with special moments. The Fireman had two grooms cakes, one was an Auburn football helmet and the other was a exact replica of his firemans helmet!
As everyone knows, planning a wedding is stressful and this one was no exception. We also know that once that wonderful day gets here......all the stress is gone and instead we become a witness to the next stage in a young couples life. My wish for them is that they always look at each other with those stars in their eyes and that they always remember the overwhelming love they felt for each other, at that exact moment when they said I DO!
Monday, March 28, 2011
Never Giving Up
When the Princess was younger she had a hard time in school. We worked and studied and worked some more but, it just seemed like something was just not clicking. After having her tested, we discovered that she had a learning disability. Through our school we were able to get her the extra help she needed. It could be so frustrating because she was very intelligent. She was also very artistic and could do anything on a computer. Yet, her reading and spelling were way below level.
I was told that she would probably never read above a 6th grade level. I was told by some (not teachers) that she would most likely drop out of school. Mostly out of frustration. All of this was told to the wrong Mama!
I made sure that I made all of her IEP meetings, I met with teachers and stayed in contact with them. I helped her with homework, sat and listened to her read and I read book after book trying to find different techniques to help her learn and study.
Slowly but surely, we started to see improvement. She worked so hard and by the end of the eighth grade her reading level was on a twelfth grade level. As she started high school, I was so worried about her passing the exit exam. For those of you not in Alabama. This is the test that each child must pass in order to graduate from high school. There are several parts and each one has to be passed.
I watched this child who had struggled so in school go from mostly C's and occasional B's to A's & B's! Recently she took the exit exam. My anxiety has been high, just waiting on the results. Today......we got them. She passed every single section of that exam and did it on the first try! I laughed, cried and smiled until I thought I was going to be sick!
Our schools have some of the best teachers around. They helped us and worked hard to get her where she is! I don't care what anyone says......if you want to make sure a child with a learning disability succeeds, it takes hard work on the part of the child, a parents interest and involvement and the diligence of some truly wonderful teachers.
During all these years we never once gave up. She never gave up on herself and I never gave up on her. Today I felt like we made it! I know she still has two more years of school but, she did it......she really did it.
The best part of all is the confidence she has gained in herself. I came in from work and started telling her how proud and excited I was for her. She just looked at me and nodded. I said "aren't you excited?" She gave me that look like "whatever"! This told me all I needed to know. She knows what she is capable of and the things that used to be a struggle for her has now become routine and second nature. My little Princess has turned into a mature confident young woman. She knows what she can do and she doesn't need a test to tell her!
It is all about never giving up......never give up on yourself as a parent and most importantly......Never.....Ever.....give up on your child!
I was told that she would probably never read above a 6th grade level. I was told by some (not teachers) that she would most likely drop out of school. Mostly out of frustration. All of this was told to the wrong Mama!
I made sure that I made all of her IEP meetings, I met with teachers and stayed in contact with them. I helped her with homework, sat and listened to her read and I read book after book trying to find different techniques to help her learn and study.
Slowly but surely, we started to see improvement. She worked so hard and by the end of the eighth grade her reading level was on a twelfth grade level. As she started high school, I was so worried about her passing the exit exam. For those of you not in Alabama. This is the test that each child must pass in order to graduate from high school. There are several parts and each one has to be passed.
I watched this child who had struggled so in school go from mostly C's and occasional B's to A's & B's! Recently she took the exit exam. My anxiety has been high, just waiting on the results. Today......we got them. She passed every single section of that exam and did it on the first try! I laughed, cried and smiled until I thought I was going to be sick!
Our schools have some of the best teachers around. They helped us and worked hard to get her where she is! I don't care what anyone says......if you want to make sure a child with a learning disability succeeds, it takes hard work on the part of the child, a parents interest and involvement and the diligence of some truly wonderful teachers.
During all these years we never once gave up. She never gave up on herself and I never gave up on her. Today I felt like we made it! I know she still has two more years of school but, she did it......she really did it.
The best part of all is the confidence she has gained in herself. I came in from work and started telling her how proud and excited I was for her. She just looked at me and nodded. I said "aren't you excited?" She gave me that look like "whatever"! This told me all I needed to know. She knows what she is capable of and the things that used to be a struggle for her has now become routine and second nature. My little Princess has turned into a mature confident young woman. She knows what she can do and she doesn't need a test to tell her!
It is all about never giving up......never give up on yourself as a parent and most importantly......Never.....Ever.....give up on your child!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
The Detour
You know how it is when you head to a particular destination and you have your route all mapped out and suddenly you come to a detour? Your first thought is great! I'll never get to where I am headed! Then you start following the little detour signs.....you turn here and you turn there and suddenly there you are......right where you were planning on going in the first place.
Have you ever noticed how our lives are just like this? This has really come home to me in the last couple of days. As parents, we start making plans for our children from the time they are born. Along the way we have to make these little detours and sometimes we even change our plans for them but, they always arrive at the exact place they were meant to be.
Today, I want to tell you about our plans for our middle son Big E. The last couple of years he has been in college with plans to get his nursing degree. He has worked at our local grocery store, while going to school. He is a hard worker and a good student. We had a path planned out and his path was set until........we ran into one of those detours!
Our son and his girlfriend's lives have suddenly come upon a detour called a baby! Yep, I am going to be a Grandma (um yea....gonna have to come up with a better name than that!). Any way, my first thoughts were...."What about school will they finish....can they finish?" My answer is yes!
Even though he had a straight route planned toward finishing school and now he has run into a detour, he can still do it. The path now has a few twist and turns that we did not expect but, in the end he can still reach his destination.
A baby is a blessing regardless of the circumstances or the timing. Even though this little one was not in our plans, it WAS in God's plans. We are going to take this little detour as the gift God meant for it to be. My son and his sweet girlfriend will reach the destination they are meant to and they will do it with the love of their families behind them.
Today, I am thanking the Lord for his many blessings both big and small but, I am especially thanking him for life's little detours!
Have you ever noticed how our lives are just like this? This has really come home to me in the last couple of days. As parents, we start making plans for our children from the time they are born. Along the way we have to make these little detours and sometimes we even change our plans for them but, they always arrive at the exact place they were meant to be.
Today, I want to tell you about our plans for our middle son Big E. The last couple of years he has been in college with plans to get his nursing degree. He has worked at our local grocery store, while going to school. He is a hard worker and a good student. We had a path planned out and his path was set until........we ran into one of those detours!
Our son and his girlfriend's lives have suddenly come upon a detour called a baby! Yep, I am going to be a Grandma (um yea....gonna have to come up with a better name than that!). Any way, my first thoughts were...."What about school will they finish....can they finish?" My answer is yes!
Even though he had a straight route planned toward finishing school and now he has run into a detour, he can still do it. The path now has a few twist and turns that we did not expect but, in the end he can still reach his destination.
A baby is a blessing regardless of the circumstances or the timing. Even though this little one was not in our plans, it WAS in God's plans. We are going to take this little detour as the gift God meant for it to be. My son and his sweet girlfriend will reach the destination they are meant to and they will do it with the love of their families behind them.
Today, I am thanking the Lord for his many blessings both big and small but, I am especially thanking him for life's little detours!
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