2 months? Has it really been 2 months since I last blogged? I haven't even made a post about our Christmas! Good grief...

This was the first Christmas that we had 2 little sets of feet pattering down the hall on Christmas morning. I made Cory put up a baby gate to the entrance of the living room so that they couldn't see "the goods" until we came and let them in...I didn't want to miss the surprise!!!

Reid and Sissy got a kitchen and ALL the necessary accessories...I can't tell you how many times I have had to pretend like the cookies and sweet peas they have cooked for me is the most delicious pretend meal I have ever had...

We also had to get our little cowboy and cowgirl new boots and hats.

My sweet family...Georgia is wearing the nightgown I wore my very first Christmas...

so thankful my mom saved these things!

It is hard to believe another year has come and gone. So much has changed for our family. This blog started off as the ventings and memories of a stay-at-home-mom. Now that I am working, posts will probably be fewer and farther between. But Cory and I always knew the day would come that I would start working outside of our home...it would be necessary to provide for our family the way we wanted to. God provided. His way. His time. I know I am exactly where I am supposed to be. Not only am I able to work flexible hours and be Mom, my job matters...I am able to watch lives change daily. My time with my family is more intentional, and I'm more productive. I have the privilege of seeing God's miracles each day.

One of my volunteers called me last week crying, "My husband was diagnosed with cancer. We have to travel to Mobile twice a week for treatments, and we can't afford the gas. I don't know what to do. Do you have any suggestions?" I was crying too because I could say, "YES!" I was able to direct her to available assistance, and her husband is now able to get treatment. I also listened to one of our Heroes of Hope speak a few weeks ago. She lost her mother, father, uncle, brother and 22-year-old son to cancer. She had her large intestine removed because of colon cancer, and she found out a week prior that her small intestine was covered in pollyps. She literally stood before us dying. But she had hope...she swore until she had no more breath in her body she would tell anyone with an ear how Relay For Life was her saving grace...it was the only hope aside from her faith. She went to the doctor last week, and all of her pollyps are benign...she will have them removed and be just fine...another miracle.

My eyes have been opened. I see daily how fragile life is. In the shortest moment a life can be changed. It only takes the words, "You have cancer." I have seen the fight in a woman's eyes as she is determined to live for her small children. I have seen the fight in a father's eyes as he is determined to walk his daughter down the aisle. I have seen the fight in an 80-year-old woman as she walks around a track for 12 straight hours because she knows that's the only way she can fight for a cure...to cure the disease that killed her husband and the father of her children 15 years earlier. I am privileged to meet these men and women daily. By no means am I their saving grace...I am just involved with an organization that is able to help and gives me the means to fight for them. These people inspire me...to be more intentional.

When I walk through the doors of my home, I am more present. I see the faces of the three people I love most in this world, and I soak up every moment with them. I do not beat myself up for going back to work...I'm thankful...that I'm able to provide for those I love, and help those that God has placed in my path...those that give me purpose and drive. Heroes.

"I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you." 2 Kings 20:5

3 years and "Tanks-gibben"

Reid turned 3 and boy did we celebrate! Three parties to be exact. I'm not really sure how it happened...but it did. On his actual birthday (Nov. 11) we had the grandparents over for celebration number 1...and of course they came bearing gifts. Since his birthday is on a holiday we decided to take cupcakes to school the day after, and he celebrated with all of his buddies. Then of course, planning around football season, the actual party was on Nov. 20th. Unfortunately Reid and Georgia were both recovering from upper respiratory infections, so we had to cancel the party, but Francie and Foster still came over the celebrate...yet again!

Pop and Reid celebrating after Reid's cupcake party at school.

Reid and Sweet Carrelline

Reid, Tucker, and Britt

The "Berf-day" Boy!

Sissy celebrated with us.

We love anything with wheels, propellers, or wings!

This year we celebrated "Tanks-gibben" with the Joneses and Hawthornes. Good food and sweet family make for a good time. Pop and Uncle Wayne even rode up in a mule drawn buggy...and of course the kids had to check it out.

God provided for our family in an extra special way this year. I accepted a job offer with the American Cancer Society the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. I will be over Conecuh, Escambia, Monroe and Covington Counties' fund raising efforts. I have been ever so blessed to stay home and watch my children grow and change during their first 2 and 3 years of life, and now God has blessed me with a job, driven by great passion, to help provide for our family of four. I'm excited and challenged by these new changes and opportunities! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Happy Halloween!

On Friday, Reid and Georgia had their Halloween parties at school. Reid wanted to be a cowboy, and Georgia has a turtle costume (that Reid would not wear last year). Well, them being at school all day, I decided Sissy could be a cowgirl to match Reid...that way she could wear "real clothes" and not be in a stuffy costume. Reid, who cried hysterically last year when we tried to dress him up, wanted to be a cowboy, and I immediately agreed, because we could use clothes he has in his closet, and he wouldn't really be "dressing up." I guess the thought of dressing up terrified him. He kept saying, "Me be a cowboy at Mommy home!" He didn't want to wear it to school. He cried the entire way there, cried when we went in his room, cried when he sat down at his chair (even after he saw that everyone else was dressed up!) I finally calmed him down enough by taking off his vest and hat...then he was just wearing a button up shirt and jeans! He even cried when I left!!! In his defense, I never liked dressing up when I was little...and he was having an asthma flare-up. He ended up getting a steroid shot later that day.

ANYWAY...here are the pictures I was able to take before we left. Yes...Reid is crying in them...

We have our Fall Festival (Trunk-or-Treat) Sunday at church...I guess we'll try this all again. I'll post pictures later!

Jack-O-Lantern

Here are the pumpkin carving picture I promised! Reid and Georgia were not very interested in the actual carving...Reid thought it was gross. However, they were mesmerized (as always) with the finished product. Just thought you would enjoy these sweet smiles!

"I don't want my picture taken, Mommy!"

"What is it, Bubba?"

Home Again, Home Again...

When Cory and I got home from Boston, we decided to go ahead and do our yearly pumpkin patch run. The kids had a blast. We took tractor rides, train rides, and of course, picked pumpkins. Expect some jack-o-lantern carving pics soon! Here are the pictures we took. Yes, I went along too...but of course, I'm behind the camera! = )

Reidster riding the train with Mommy.

Sweet Sissy. She's finally growing hair, and the longest eyelashes to frame those HUGE brown eyes!

Trying to find just the right one...


Imagine her grunting and straining...she wanted to pick this pumpkin up so badly!

My three favorite people...this picture makes my heart smile.

Before the pumpkin patch, Cory and I made our way to Boston (pronounced Bah-ston by locals) and back. We had a good time, but I missed my babies terribly. We ate the BEST Lobster Roll at Neptune Oyster (found out while we were there that Ben Affleck filmed a scene for "The Town" there...they are eating oysters), we walked around the campus of Harvard, we ate our first cannoli and lobster tail (pastries), we had a drink at the Hand and Bell the oldest bar in Boston , and we walked the Freedom Trail. Here are a few of the highlights from our trip.

Paul Revere's house. The oldest standing building in Boston.

Cory and I standing at Paul Revere's front door. Pretty cool!

The Indian made famous on "Cheers." We visited the original bar, and the replica. We even got to meet Tom the lawyer from the show and got his autograph...not Norm, but he had to do. = )

This is the sign outside of the original "Cheers." The show was based and designed around this bar. Some footage was taped outside the entrance, but the actual show was filmed in L.A.

The BEST part of the trip. Cory and I standing outside of Fenway Park. We left at 2:00 am on Sunday so that we could make it to the last Red Sox game of the season. They played the Yankees and won!

Yankees' dugout at Fenway...the oldest baseball stadium in the US. AWESOME...I could have come home after this! = )

Right before Cory and I left for Boston, Cory said, "I am leaving for this trip expecting to come home and appreciate my small town life." It's so true. It is a completely different lifestyle in a huge city. Babies cannot run barefoot in the back yard. You can barely drive a car for the traffic and lack of parking...It take at least an hour to get most anywhere. I couldn't imagine sacrificing that much "face time" with my family. Thankful for "trips" but even more thankful for "HOME!"

Everything's Just Fine

This has been the PERFECT birthday week. Reid and Georgia stayed home from school (just because) and it has been so much fun. We have been soaking up every minute of this perfect weather and getting in as many hugs and kisses as we can before Cory and I leave for Boston this weekend. Here are some pictures of our fun!

This morning I woke up to this sweet face and thought, "Wow! He's getting to be SO HANDSOME!" He's growing up too fast...and I am so proud of the little man he is growing up to be.