Thursday, September 22, 2011

Weekend with Connor

A little late in getting these up but we had our sweet Connor this past weekend and had such a great time. We decked him out in some Panther wear and headed out to the football game. I am always so excited when I get to show off my grandpeeps to everyone. They hear me talk about them all the time. 

Connor has a hard time just smiling for the camera. He is at the age where he is mischievous all the time. Oh wait - he has ALWAYS been at that age!

He also likes to make funny faces all the time and we have contests regularly to see who is the silliest. I vote him.

 
Connor stalked the Panther all night long. Screamed for them, hollered for them and said to me at the end of the night, "GiGi, you know that is not a real panther. It is someone in a costume." Thanks for telling me sweet boy :)

More stalking..........

Showing a little love for the panther.

This is baby girls best friend who Connor loves a lot. He screams her name loudly until she pays him some attention! We had a blast at the game. Connor got a football, a clapper (which we lost in the trunk....Oh darn!) and had a blast running around the track.

Then Saturday.. RACING SEASON BEGAN! Whoop Whoop! I love watching the kids run and they had a fantastic opening race. Boys won first place (reigning state champions) and the girls won second. They were one point under the first place finishers - ARGH! Run baby girl, run.

I love these girls.

Then it was off the Mimi and Old Paw's house for some fun. Is this face not the sweetest. He melts my heart.

He and Aunt Savannah did some baking and this was Connor's favorite part.

Connor has always been a wonderful little helper. Mimi had some yard work to do and Connor was all set with his "glubs" (gloves for those of you that don't know!) and boots and shovel. He is so precious to us and we love any time we get to spend with him. Hope everyones weekend was great - 
Blessings,
Michelle 

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Happy Birthday Josh!!!!!


Happy Birthday Josh!!! You are making us feel old! Cannot believe you are 27. Just seems like yesterday you were playing with your army men, or whatever other object was keeping you occupied. You were such fun to watch because you could busy yourself with anything. Now you are all grown up and I am glad you get to spend the day doing what you love - hanging out in the woods. Just think if there was an LSU game on today it would be near perfect!!!


You bring such joy to your whole family. You are generous, kind, helpful, sincere and you love your family. We could not be prouder to be your parents. You may be 27 today but you are still and will always be our sweet brown-eyed baby boy! We love you so very much and hope you have a great day today. Your meal is coming and I promise you will not have to pick one veggie out of anything!
I love you,
M

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Remembering

As so many are remembering that fateful morning ten years ago, I can’t help but be transported back to that moment. I was sharing with my first block AP students about several events that had transpired on a trip my husband, in-laws and I had just returned from the day before. I thought many times how thankful I was we had not returned home on that day and been stranded from our family. My sister called me and told me to turn on the television as a plane had just hit one of the Twin Towers. We thought it was an accident at that point but it did not take long to discern this was no accident but an evil, calculated terrorist attack. We watched in silent horror as the second tower was hit. Then another teacher came down the hall and told us she heard the Pentagon had been hit. I remember the sheer terror I felt as I wondered what the rest of the day would bring. I felt a tightness every time I thought about our oldest boy we had just dropped off at college the week before. He was only an hour away but it seemed a continent. Our baby girl was in a kindergarten class at the elementary school a parking lot away from me. Our two middle children were at school with me. I could get my hands on them in a second if I needed to. I called my husband to make sure he was tuned in and he simply said, “I am watching.”


I then was jolted back to the stunned faces in my classroom. The questioning faces, that seemed to want to know “Why?” It was a difficult day as a teacher when you are supposed to have the answers and have to admit that you have none. Nothing. We followed our bell schedule and as each different class came in throughout the day we were all glued to the television. Some teachers tried to carry on with class, but I teach seniors. Their world, just like mine changed that day. They should see it. They should remember everything about this day and never forget, I told myself.

We have a military base two miles from our high school. It was actually the base they flew the President to and many of our students were outside and watched as Air Force One was about to touch down. I taught a young girl who came up and shared that her parents were stationed in DC and her dad worked at Dullos and her mother worked at the Pentagon. All I could do was hug her and pray. She came and found me later in the day to say contact had been established with both of them and they were okay. Many were not that lucky that day.

I have never been more proud to be an American than I was that day. To see a nation come together in prayer and grief and assistance from all over our country for the people in New York and Washington was a pride that I cannot describe. I guess my middle son felt the same way as a couple of months later he decided to join the National Guard. That was not one of mine and my husband’s happier days. As a matter of fact it was a rather low one. He was adamant and to this day I still do not believe he understand on that day the magnitude of what his decision would mean. He certainly does now and spent a year defending our freedoms in Iraq. I think about that year often with mixed emotions. One of the hardest years of my life, yet one I would not trade for anything as my faith grew stronger every day that passed. I learned to trust God in a way I never had before. I prayed so hard for all those soldiers that were deployed with our son during that time. It shames me to say that after he was home I was not as diligent in prayer for our other troops that were deployed. I think about my brother-in-law who has a career in the military and the strain it puts on my sister and their children when he is gone. Yet they do it gracefully because they too love our nation. I am in awe of our military families. They are certainly a special kind of people.

I don’t know if our country is better off ten years down the road than we were then. That is probably a post for another day, but I do know we still live in a free country. It saddens me how that freedom is abused over and over to satisfy self-serving people. I pray for the survivors of the people who lost their lives that day and every day that we have been battling terrorists since then. I am so encouraged when I read some of their stories. The human spirit is a remarkable thing.

It was hard to comprehend on that day what our world would be like ten years later. But here we are and life goes on. I have been a teacher for seventeen years and before 9/11 when I taught about heroes, I would get answers that centered around sports figures and celebrities. After 9/11 I noticed a shift in their mindsets. When asked about what they thought being a hero meant, I got answers like, “selfless actions”, “courage”, “others before self”, “helping those in need”. Yes, something good can come from tragedy. Look for the signs today. Pray for our military. Pray for those who will mourn their loved one s today. Most of all though, think of our country and her resilience and be proud to be an American. I know I am.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Glorious Weekend

Our three day weekend started off with some much needed rain, but some icky I just want to take a nap weather! However, when I got up yesterday morning I was in near euphoria! Had to have been one of the most beautiful days I can remember. It was glorious. I was so thankful as I was having a party at my house yesterday... someone had a birthday........

I won't tell you which birthday it was............

But oh my - my man is the handsomest I am not going to tell you his age looking thing I have ever seen!
Graham is quite dapper as well.

We had such a great day. Great company.....

Great food..........

And a great time blowing out candles and eating all manner of desserts!

Sweet man got a lot of funny gifts.....

Graham loves to watch PawPaw and Aunt Nanna play the guitar and listen to them sing. We all do.


We had a great weekend and are looking forward to a busy week with some more great weather! More birthdays to celebrate this week and running season is about to begin!!!
Blessings,
Michelle



Thursday, September 1, 2011

SSMT #17

Isaiah 40:28

"Do you not know?

Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom."

This scripture gave me such comfort when I read it. Even in our weariness, our loneliness at times, our frustrations over our situations, we have a God who NEVER  grows weary or tired and knows all.

The following song pops in my head:

"It makes me wanna shout
Hallelujah, Thank you Jesus
Lord You're worthy
Of all the Glory, and all the Honor
And all the praise!!!!!

Blessings to you today!
Michelle