Contest!

My blog buddy Michelle is having a contest. It is for everyone! Go on over there and check it out, enter and wish her beautiful little girl a Happy Half Birthday!!!

And then she melts

So we have a little ladies man on our hands! Gryfinn has started noticing more things about people, and is so very sweet about it!

Last week, Kelly had just gotten showered and dressed. She walked out of the bathroom and he said 'Mama, you got shower?' And she said 'Yes I got a shower.' He then looked at her and said 'Mama you got pretty!' And then she melts!

Friday night Gryfinn, Caelyn and I ran to Walmart. When we left there, we met Kelly and her friends for dinner. And I realized that I had left a bag at the register. So after dinner we go back to Walmart to get it ( I called and it was at the customer service desk waiting on us!) So we get there, and of course there is a line at the customer service desk. It was windy, so my hair must have been wind blown. Gryfinn looked at me, put one hand on each side of my head and said 'Oh Mommy, you pretty!' and then his little fingers tousled my hair more! And then she melts!

Today, he was going to the bathroom, and I was there, knealing in front of him, making sure he didn't pee through the lil crack between the toilet bowl and the toilet seat. And he said 'Mommy you purdy'. I said 'Pretty? and he said 'No, purdy!' And then she melts!

We have been hit with 12 1/2 inches of snow! It is really a winter wonderland out there! I had wanted to go out and get some pic's of the kids in the snow while it was snowing, but I was working and wasn't able to. I will try and get out this evening and get some of the kids in the snow! Although Gryfinn will probably be swallowed up in 12 1/2 inches!!!!!

HaPpY bIrThDaY bEaUtIfUl!!

Please join me in wishing my Kelly a very Happy Birthday!!

Kel, I hope you know how much you mean to me. I know life gets busy and we don't always have time for 'us'. Just know that you are and always will be 'the only one'! I love you baby!

Happy Birthday, My Love!

A Year Ago

A year ago today, life was cut short.

A year ago today, a mother, a wife, a daughter, a sister, a friend, was taken home.

I still question this.

Why someone so young, someone so needed by her kids, was taken away.

But I know that she is no longer sick.

That she is no longer suffering.

But I also know that her loss is still felt daily.

By her sister, by her parents, and her friends.

I know her husband is trying to move on with life.

And I know that some of his decisions upset me.

And they make me question his love for her.

But I am not in his shoes, I have not felt his pain.

Nor do I ever want to feel his pain.

So I try to forgive him.

To forgive him for for finding comfort in another woman.

Forgive him for bringing another child into this world.
Already.
It is just hard.

But I do try.

I know he loved her, and I know he still misses her.

I know that his pain is far deeper than my own.

I still feel that emptiness. That feeling from when I was told.

I can not explain the pain I felt. This loss was so deep.
Thinking of that moment, I get nauseous.

Like I am being told all over again.

I think of her often.

Actually, I think of her pretty much daily.

And I always wonder if that twinge on my heart will ever get lighter.

But I know that it won't.

The pain never goes away,

you just learn how to deal with it.

How to comfort yourself.





Alexa, my Dear Friend.

I love you.

I miss you.

I wish you were here.

But I know you are healthy now.

I know you feel no more pain.

I know that He had good reasons as to why He took you home.

Please continue to look after all of us.

And please help me have the strength to forgive Daniel.





In Loving Memory



Alexa Layne G.
June 5, 1978 - January 23 2008

Happy Birthday Sydney!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAREST SYDNEY!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!

Please go here and wish dear Sydney a VERY HAPPY 3rd BIRTHDAY!!

his 'PEOPLE'

So - he is only two years old, and he already has 'PEOPLE!' It is so funny to here him say 'me got people' or 'oh, no sissy, MY people!'. Just too funny! Santa and Mamaw both did a GREAT job when they got them for him. Cause he plays with them nonstop! He will lay them down and say 'Mommy and baby go night-night' and then stand them back up and say 'Mommy and baby wake up!'. And he will put two of them face to face and say 'Ming-Ming and Mickey House are talking'! It is just too cute! I just love to sit and watch him play!


His people all lined up


It looks like a parade of figurines - wait - PEOPLE!!


Ming-Ming having a heart to heart with Diego


Ming-Ming still chatting it up with Diego while Gryfi adjust Mickey


Close up of the heart to heart! Looks like Diego is leaning in for a kiss!
Muno in the background waving!


Gryfi aggravated at Lennie cause he fell down - AGAIN!


Setting up Diego and Dora for their next adventure!


Watching Widget as she stands on her hands!


Happy with the end result of Widgets flip!


He loves these figures!


He requested I take a picture of Muno!


And also one of Lennie!


And here is Ming Ming and Mickey Mouse (aka Mickey House) talking


Dora and Diego in action! Not sure what they were doing, but you
can tell that he is narrating! (look at his lips!)

We were separated by death....

And now reunited by death.

My Dad passed away over 11 years ago. And I have lost touch with my siblings on his side of my family. I have not spoken to my sister Pam in nearly 11 years. I have not spoken to my other sister Marsha in almost 6 years. I have not spoken to my brother Greg since my Dad's funeral, but have spoken to his wife Beth several times. I am not sure why, but I do know that it has always bothered me, and that I have always missed them. But I guess I just did not know what to do to reconnect. I just know that with Dad dying - it separated us. And that I not only lost him, but it seemed that I lost that part of me completely. He must have been the glue that held us together. There is a significant age difference between us - maybe that had something to do with it. Maybe they just saw me as a kid, and maybe not as an actual sibling. Thinking that, makes me sad, and brings on the tears. Cause to me, they were always my siblings. I loved them, I love them, and I really have missed them.

So, this year, I decided to maybe I guess reach out. Make contact. I looked them all up online, got all of their addresses, and sent them all a card for Christmas. I am not sure why this year of all years, that I felt compelled to do this, I just know that I did. And I did receive a return card from my sister Pam. In it was a picture of her kids - and they are GROWN. They are ADULTS! Which I guess took me by surprise, but shouldn't have. The last time I saw them they were kids, I mean, like under the age of 10, kids. And now, they are grown. It doesn't seem real, but considering 11 years has passed - it is just the reality of it.

The next thing I receive is a MySpace message and friend request from my sister in law, Beth's, daughter. They were trying to get a hold of me and could not locate a phone #. They wanted to let me know that Beth passed away on New Years Day. She was diagnosed with lung cancer in April.

So, for the first time in over a decade, I am reunited with my siblings. And I am so saddened that it was due to the death of my brothers wife. He is aching, his heart is breaking. And I feel his pain. As his sister, I feel his pain deeply. His tears, I feel them fall on my cheeks, cause I shed my tears for him.

And although I am saddened, and that my heart aches for the years that have passed, and that I hurt that we are reunited like this - I am happy that after so long we are reunited. And then I feel guilty, for even feeling any kind of happiness out of this, knowing that my brother is hurting so badly.

It was great getting to talk to them, and to hug them. To wrap my arms around a part of me that I was sure was gone forever.

I don't know if this is the beginning of a new chapter with them, or if this was just a brief interlude. I just know that it was awesome, and that I hope that it is a new chapter. They are my family, they are a part of me, they are a part of my Dad. They knew him longer, and could tell me so much more about him. And I would love that.

I guess I will just have to see what happens. See where this leads. And pray that it leads to a newfound friendship, a rekindled family.