Giveaway Winners!!!

Promise a better post later, but wanted to announce the winners!

Winner #1:  Jill

Winner #2:  Kristin

Winner#3:  Chickie

Yay friends!  I couldn't have picked a better bunch.  Y'all are the best.  And Jill, this is your pressure....you better get that blog up girl!   

Email me your order of preference for the earrings, and I will let you know which pair you'll be getting!  

My biggest hugest (is that really a word?) thanks and welcome to all of my precious readers/followers/supporters/tweets/blogmies/prayer warriors....

I love you and thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Now go, and buy some jewelry!!!  You will LOVE Natalie's stuff.  

(p.s.  if  you didn't get me a birthday gift yet, I totally love the Copper ones)

Times are Tight Giveaway - 2nd Edition!

***Update***

Still time to enter!

Comments will be closed at 4:00 (ish) CST

Thursday, April 30th

Don't miss out on the fun!

I'll announce the winner sometime later this afternoon!

Thanks for stopping by!

Want to know the story behind the

Hold it Up to the Light Times are Tight Giveaway!?

click here for the long version !

Here's the short version....

Times are Tight!

You probably have friends who have lost their jobs,

or others who can't find one.

It is impossible to turn on the TV, read the paper, or surf the web

without hearing about what a bad state our economy is in.

We are all cutting back in one way or another, and

many of us are trying to find ways to make a little extra money.

I have friends who have small businesses.

Some of them have been around for a while,

and some of them are brand new.

I want to help them, and that's what these 

giveaways are all about!

Each month or so, I will highlight a friend's business.

It will give them a chance to show off their stuff, and of course....

Give Something Away

This month's featured friend is an amazingly talented girl.  God has gifted her with stunning beauty, a great husband (all the way from Australia), precious children, and the voice of an angel.  She comes from a beautiful family, and is amazingly funny, too.  Best of all....she loves her some Jesus!!!  

Natalie recently discovered a hidden "crafty" talent (the apple doesn't fall far from the tree), and this self-proclaimed "Hot Mama" is makin' a business out of it....and boy has it taken off.  Buyers all across town are snatching these up, and she is quite busy trying to keep them stocked.  I hear she is loving it, though, and I wouldn't want my readers to be behind the fashion times!  

Wouldn't you love to say you were one of the first to sport such awesome ear candy?  

Japanese Bamboo

Tropical Punch

Simply Sophisticated

For this giveaway, there will be 3 lucky blessed winners.  I will rank them using random.org.  The #1 winner will pick her favorite, the #2 winner will choose from the other 2, and the #3 winner will get the pair that is left.  Clear as mud?

"How do I enter", you ask?

Doing any of these things will score you a vote:

Leave a Comment (Anonymous Comments count TOO!)

Tweet about it

Blog It (feel free to grab the Giveaway Button to use in the post)

Follow my blog

Follow me on twitter

Just let me know what all you did by leaving one comment per entry, and I'll tally the votes sometime Thursday morning.  You could potentially win all 3 pairs if you play your cards right....

Look for the winners on Thursday afternoon/evening!  In the mean time, check out Natalie's Etsy site for LOTS of other designs.  I have my eye on several pairs!!!  Aren't they adorable!?

Giveaway Day is Tomorrow...It's a fun one!

It takes a village.

I worked all weekend.  Don't get me wrong, I really do love my job, but sometimes it's hard.

It is something that will be coming to an end soon (thank the good Lord), but not soon enough.  Come Summer, I will only work 1 weekend a month and will pick up more weekdays.  I love working 12 hour shifts (2 days a week gives me 24 hours and full benefits....can't beat that), but most nurses have to work on the weekends, too!  These past few years I have chosen a schedule that allows me to be with the kids during the week  (big plus was the cut in childcare expenses)!  Chris gained a healthy respect for how tough (and rewarding) the day to day can be, and he is awesome at!  The hardest part is missing a lot of fun times.  This past Saturday was the perfect example! 

Reeves described it as...

"The greatest day of my whole, entire life!!!"

Yes, it is quite depressing that I missed that monumental event in the life of my first born.  My only solace is that I have an inkling it might be the first of many great days in his little life.  I love the outlook of a 7 year old!

Reeves is out of his slump.  He went 4 for 4 at bat, and the Braves beat the #2 team in the league 25-5.  If you follow me (or Chris) on twitter, you already knew that, but if you didn't know it.....it was totally worth sharing!  Yes, the Braves won a big game and Reeves made some big plays.  I am so proud of him them!!!

Wanna know what got me through missing that game?  Here are just a few of them...

Carrie, DeeAnn, Bethany, Charcey, Aunt Becca, Papa, Jamie, (Cole's) Mimi, (Cole's) Papa, Daddy, Greer, Harriet, Dana, Amy, Barrett, Mike, John C., Landon, Honey, Jeff, John T., Lucy.....not to mention all his baseball buddies!

This big group of loving support has been just as broken-hearted as I have that he has struck out his past 3 games.  They hurt for him just like I did.....

You wanna know what they did when he finally hit it this weekend?  

They screamed extra loud just for me.  They cheered him on and picked him up and told him how awesome he played!  And I knew he felt loved.  He felt just as loved as if I had been there.

Thank you friends.  Thank you!  

Surfin' Saturday

Cause some things are just too good not to share!

When I put up my "What's in a Name?" post the other day, I totally forgot to link you to this little snippet of goodness.  It's a really cool article about David Wilcox, and it even has a little video where he plays a bit from his new song "Beyond Belief" (oh, and he talks a bit about his mission for making music).  Very Cool.  Did I mention how much I love his stuff?

Don't you just love my new blog design?  Wish I could take the credit, but I must give credit where credit is due!  Danielle is just about the sweetest, most fabulous blog designer ever, and you could be a cool kid like me in no time!  That's right, Danielle is giving away a blog makeover to one lucky winner.  And if I win it, well, I'M gonna give it away (sorry, mine's not up for grabs....I have a very special person in mind already)!

Yesterday on my birthmark email group, we had a little discussion about sunscreen.  I know that most of my readers don't have a birthmark like Greer, but we all need good protection from the sun.  When I asked Dr. T what we should be putting on Greer (at our very first visit last year), her answer was an emphatic Blue Lizard Baby!  

Remember, the rule about not putting sunscreen on a baby under 6 months of age no longer holds true (as long as you use a chemical free, baby formula like Blue Lizard Baby).  It is much safer for you to put this cream on that baby than to let them burn.  A little goes a long way with this stuff, it's effective immediately, and that 9 ounce bottle will probably last you an entire Summer.  

Speaking of fun in the sun, wanna know what we bought today?  These are our must have summer shoes, and neither of my girls had a pair that fit them anymore.  Yesterday I bought theirs at a local kid's shoe store for $30/pair, but just saw that Kelly's Kids has them for $28.  I promise you, these are the greatest all purpose sandals in the entire world!!!  Dressy enough for church, but functional enough for the playground.  A must have for every little girl down here in Dixie.  (Hey, they're even cool enough for Suri!) I am serious friends, trust me on this one.  These are the best sandals ever invented!

Now I get it: Baseball

I get how nervous you are every time he is up to bat.  I realize how exciting it is to watch him make a great play or almost knock it over the fence.  I get how heartbreaking it is to watch him strikeout every time he is up to bat 3 games in a row.  I get that he is frustrated because he used to hit almost every ball with perfect form and now he's in a slump and thinks he is the reason they lost the big game.  I realize that this, too, shall pass, and soon he'll get his groove back.  It still stinks.

I get how delicious a sweaty little 6 year old is after playing all afternoon under the hot Alabama sun and rolling around in red dirt.  I get that they love this game and that the only reason they play it is cause it's fun.  I get that the parents are the crazy ones, but most of them are crazy cause they love their boy so much.  I get that I am one of those parents.

I get how hard it is to be the wife of the coach.  I get that he labors and frets over every line-up and play.  I get how horrible he feels for them when they lose, but that it is frustrating when they don't listen.  I get that he just wants them to learn the game and have fun doing it.  He wants to teach them to be good sports and to play fair.  He wants them to feel good about themselves.  Not all the other coaches get this!

I get what it means to "live at the ballpark".  I get that the families you spend every Saturday afternoon with become like family.  I get that even my girls have a blast with their friends at the park and probably never even watch a single play their brother makes.  I get that they love being there just as much as he does, though.

 

And I get why you do whatever it takes to keep your 15 month old entertained so you can watch him make that big play on first base.  I get that the sugar high is worth the smile he flashes from the outfield when he knows you saw him catch that pop fly.  

Yep, I get it.

What's in a Name?

John 8:12 says....

Then Jesus spoke to them again: "I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows Me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life." 

I know that some of you are new here, but some of you have been here since the very beginning. I've wanted to author this post for a while now, and I am feeling the need to explain myself for some reason....so I feel like the best place to start is here.  I've never really explained the meaning behind the name of my blog, but to me it is such an integral part of my being.  I define myself by this title, and to put it out there without explanation seems irresponsible (or at the very least arrogant....how are you to know my heart if I never fully explain myself?). 

Around the time that I met Chris, I was introduced to the music of David Wilcox.  Like most people, music moves me.  More than that, music with meaning moves me.  I love hearing a song and dissecting every note and lyric.  I love honest music.  Music that speaks to my heart.  Lyrics that transform me.  The music of David Wilcox does that for me.

He's not your typical Christian music artist.  He isn't marketed as a Christian Music Artist, and you have probably never heard of him.  That is just a shame. 

I love the raw honesty of his words.  The realness of his lyrics.  I love that I have to listen to something over and over and over again before I truly grasp what it means....what he means.  He is honest about life and faith and that is what gets me.  Most of his songs aren't even about Jesus (who he calls the "outrageous carpenter").  But the ones that are?  Man!

So.  My blog title is actually the title of one of his greatest songs (or at least one that is great to me).  I pray that he won't sue me for plagiarism, and that he knows how much I adore him and his work (hey, I'm giving him the credit, aren't I?).  I'm just gonna trust that he takes it as a compliment.  If you want to hear a bit of it, it's in my playlist at the bottom of this page.  Just scroll all the way to the end to play it.  

So here are the words that basically define me.  They speak of places I have been and places I will be.  They challenge me to speak the truth, to own up to what I believe, and to trust in the One who has given me life abundant.  I will forever Hold it Up to the Light!

It's the choice of a lifetime - I'm almost sure
I will not live my life in between anymore
If I can't be certain of all that's in store
This far it feels so right
I will hold it up - hold it up to the light,
Hold it up to the light, hold it up to the light

The search for my future has brought me here
This is more than I'd hoped for, but sometimes I fear
That the choice I was made for will someday appear
And I'll be too late for that flight
So hold it up - hold it up to the light,
Hold it up to the light, hold it up to the light

It's too late - to be stopped at the crossroads
Each life here - each a possible way
But wait - and they all will be lost roads
Each road's getting shorter the longer I stay

Now as soon as I'm moving - my choice is good
This way comes through right where I prayed that it would
If I keep my eyes open and look where I should
Somehow all of the signs are in sight
If I hold it up to the light

I said God, will you bless this decision?
I'm scared, Is my life at stake?
But I see if you gave me a vision
Would I never have reason to use my faith?

I was dead with deciding - afraid to choose
I was mourning the loss of the choices I'd lose
But there's no choice at all if I don't make my move
And trust that the timing is right
Yes and hold it up hold it up to the light
Hold it up to the light, hold it up to the light

Coming One Week from Today!

I decided to start a little monthly giveaway during this past Lenten Season.  Next Wednesday, April 29th, will be the next installment, and I hope you'll check back and join in!  It's all about friends helping friends helping friends!  If you have no idea what I'm talking about, just click on that button up there to read about it from the beginning.  Remember that the posts are in reverse order, so you may want to skip to the end and read them backwards. 
Gotta run....Greer is finally waking up from her monster nap.  That girl is a fah-reak of nature when it comes to sleep.  Seriously!  Remind me to talk to her pediatrician about it again tomorrow when we go for the 15 month check up.  It is seriously insane! 

Mother of Invention

Only Charcey (my mom) could have come up with something so cute and creative.  This is the same woman who used to pour a bag of flour on her kitchen floor and let me and my sisters play in it in nothing but our panties!  Hours of messy fun with measuring cups and bowls.  I have yet to be that desperate brave.  But this, this was genius.....

Sweetgum Balls + Duct Tape = Major Fashion Statement

Watch for it on the Runways this Fall! 

Praying that the creative gene fell on me, too!

How far would you have you gone

for some creative entertainment???

I'd love some ideas of my own!!!

Lifting prayers.....And Wearing Orange!

****Update****

As we type speak, Stellan is in surgery.

Reeves picked out this Orange shirt to wear in his Honor....

Hit it Out of the Park, Stellan!

Praying all day today for all the things mentioned below!

Lord, Hear Our Prayers!!!....

for baby Stellan as he heads to surgery (for an ablation) tonight or tomorrow (probably tomorrow morning at 8:30 Eastern)! Please pray for peace for mom Jennifer (aka MckMama), wisdom for the Doctor and his team, and for complete healing of sweet baby Stellan's heart. Click that button below to keep up with everything as it happens.....OH, and wear Orange tomorrow in their honor!  Jennifer and I have actually become pretty good friends through the blogosphere and I know that she sincerely treasures and appreciates each and every prayer and kind word!  She's the real deal, y'all!





for Mary White (aka Princess Bob) as she was readmitted to the hospital last night after her short-lived weekend home.  She has had a terrible ordeal the past few months with headaches.  She was born with hydrocephalus and has to have a shunt to drain the fluid off her brain.  If I am not mistaken, she has been in the hospital close to 50 days this year and is most likely facing her 9th surgery this week.  Mary is our friend and neighbor and we just love her.  Please lift her up and pray for her to have relief from these horrid headaches.  It just breaks my heart to know that sweet girl is hurting (not to mention how her mom Jana is hurting for her)!
and for Corey and Billy who will be welcoming full-term twin babies into the world sometime very soon.  These babies are extraordinary miracles.  Pray that Henley and Davis are born safe and sound and that mom has an uneventful delivery.  She is delivering at my hospital and I am at peace knowing my friends are taking good care of her!  

Tagged....8 Things!

I've been tagged, and I'm really loving this one!  Danielle, my fabulous blog designer friend, picked me for this one, and I thought it was pretty cool.  It's a fun little way to get to know more about me (and my fam)! 

8 things I am looking forward to:

1.  Walt Disney World....we leave for our trip on May 17th, and I. can't. wait!  WDW is just about my most favorite place in the whole wide world, and this trip is going to be amazing.  We are leaving Greer behind, and looking forward to making it awesome for the big kids.  Lucy has only been one time (when she was 9 months old) and she is going to just die!  We are all so excited!

2.  Summer....I am so ready for all things summer (well, everything but the insanely humid Alabama weather)....Popsicles on the porch.  Flip-flops.  Late nights and Lazy mornings.  Bare Feet.  Dinner at the pool.  Hangin' out all day in our bathing suits.  Vine-ripe tomatoes.  Lightening Bugs.  Sleepovers on Tuesdays (or Mondays or Fridays or Thursdays).  No schedules and nothing much to do.  Fresh basil from the pots on my deck.  The smell of fresh cut grass and barbecues.  Playin' outside till dark.  Dirty feet.  Goin' to the beach!!!

3.  Meeting Henry!...My sister Rachel had her first baby boy in March (she already gave me 2 precious nieces).  She lives pretty far away, and we probably won't meet him for a while.  I can't wait to hold him and love on him and tell him how much his big cousin, Reeves, appreciates him coming into our world.  We are so excited to have another boy in the bunch!  He is just beautiful!

4.  My new work schedule...I'll be working less weekends (just one a month) and having more time with my wonderful husband and kids.  I really miss a lot when I work every other weekend, and this schedule is going to be so much better for us!  I'll start the new schedule mid-May!

5.  Getting to know our new church family!...I haven't really talked about it much (yet), but our family has been visiting a new church and we are pretty hooked!  God was so in this move and we are so excited about this ride we are on.  Our kids love it, we love it, and we are on fire about what God is doing there (and how we can be a part of it all).  I promise to expand on this more later.....it is a big transition for us!

6.  A new business venture....still working out the details on this one, but it is looking pretty promising.  TOTALLY not something you would expect from me, but v. cool none-the-less.  Stay tuned!

7.  Date Night....I love being with Chris alone, and well, that doesn't happen very often.  We don't have a date planned yet, but I'm gonna talk to him tomorrow about what/when we want to have our next one.  Being together alone is so vital to our relationship....  I just miss him so much!  Since he started back on Rick and Bubba last week, I feel like I never see him anymore!   I love my husband!

8.  Sleeping late one day.  One day.

8 things I did Thursday yesterday (I started this post on Friday and just finished it today....so SUE me!):

1.  Woke up alone.... Chris leaves at 4:30 or so, and usually one or both of the big kids comes down and crawls in to bed with me between 4 and 5.  We had a late night because of the ballgame, and they didn't come down till after 6:30......that rarely happens.

2.  Thursday playgroup at Angela's!....The kiddos played, we ate (really yummy goodies:  turkey avocado wraps, fresh fruit, and banana pudding), and in general had a great time (as always)!

3.  Went shopping at Costco.....The plan was to just run in for some diapers, wipes, and Kashi waffles, but...well, I am sort of a Costco fanatic, and that just didn't happen.  My most awesome finds included:  3 Baby Lulu outfits for Greer, a Hartstrings dress for Lucy, and a 3-pack of Speedo's goggles for Reeves.  Did I mention that I am addicted to Costco?

4.  5 (Plus!) loads of Laundry (and I put them away, too!)......Oh, and I washed crib sheets that Greer tee-teed on, got the sucker stains off of Lucy's most favorite dress, and cleaned cat-poop out of the sink.  Picked watermelon out of the carpet, took the garbage out and fed the animals, and took pictures of my friend's children.  I live a fabulous life!

5.  Cheered on the 7 year old Braves (who didn't win, but fought a good fight!).

6.  Stubbed my toe on the sidewalk (while I unloaded groceries in my bare feet) and burned my hand (cooking pasta).  Did I mention that I'm a clutz!?  And just a little side-note:  My burn is a nasty mess and I may have to make a visit to the doctor to have it checked it out....eww!

7.  Prayed for Mary, Jennifer, and Stellan.  

8.  Pined for a nap.....And begged my children to cuddle up with me and take one, too!

8 things I wish I could do:

1.  Have a bigger Laundry Room (yes, this is totally my #1.....how sad is that?!....where are my priorities?).  In fact, I want a Laundry Room that spills over into a family closet.  It is my dream to have a huge space for ALL our clothes.  And my big dream would have separate areas for each person:  dressers, mirrors, a sink, an ironing area....it is quite obnoxious.  Yes, I'm serious.....I have a ridiculously frivolous elaborate dream!

2.  Sew.....I would love to learn how to make clothes for my kids, and I really think I would be decent at it if I really set my mind to it.  I just can't seem to find the time!?

3.  Sing.....Well, I can sorta sing, but I'm no "soloist."  I am blessed with several gifts (aren't we all), but singing solo is not one of them :(

4.  Vacation More.....I want to visit so many places, but time/money/little children do not allow for that as often as we would like.  One day, one day.  Top Destinations?  Hawaii, Australia, Ireland and Costa Rica.  I also would love to take Chris to Europe and the United Kingdom to visit some of the great places I went in college.....that was an amazing adventure that I will treasure forever!

5.  Go on a Medical Mission trip......I would love to do this one day.  I think I could really dig into this and fear it might become a regular thing once I get the "bug" to do it (while praying I don't get a bug doing it ..... HA!).  

6.  Exercise Regularly.....I have fallen off the horse terribly in this department, and I really need to get back on it.  That is something I am really striving for!  Now that I've reached my goal weight, I need to tone it up!

7.  Quit Apologizing.....I have a problem with "people pleasing" and am really trying to follow God's will for my life.  I say "I'm sorry" way more than I should.  I want to be bold with my faith and real about where I am in my walk with Him.  This is my biggest struggle right now (the apologizing part, not the walking with Him - but I'm always working on that, too).  

8.  Be a better mother/wife/disciple/friend/giver/witness/

daughter/sister/employee/housekeeper .....the list goes on and on and on and on (and has a little bit to do with the people pleasing thing).  I'm doing my best and trusting God to help me.  That's the best I can do.

8 shows I watch to be honest, I don't watch much TV, but when I do....:

The Today Show

Dancing With the Stars

American Idol

The Bachelor type shows

Anything on the Food Network.  

Grey's Anatomy

Oprah (not a big fan of her, but she has awesome guests)

The Office

Tag 8 friends:

Adorabus

My Heart Runneth Over

It Feels Like Chaos

Then I am Strong

Addie Marie

grass stains

My Edge of Heaven

sugar and spice

Have fun, and hope you got to know me a little better!

Surfin' Saturday

Cause some things are just too good not to share!

While I was pokin' around trying to find some stuff for my baby nephew, Henry, I found a new seller had come to one of my most favorite websites!  There is a huge sale on these 

Tony Tierney outfits....and they are cah-Ute!

Reeves Chris is currently obsessed with the games on this site.  Looking for more great sites for kids?  Shannon compiled a whole list of them for us!  Click on this cute button for the link...

This post from Amber really spoke to me.  I love her raw honesty and the way she always seems to write exactly what I'm thinking.  We have gotten to know each other a little bit (she grew up in Alabama and is a Rick and Bubba fan), and she is the real deal.  Love you girl!

If you live 'round here, I'd love for you to join us at church tomorrow!  It's sure to blow you away.....it sure has blown us away!

Chew on those for now....promise to have some more

cool links next week!  

Happy Saturday!

Y'all, this is so funny!

You have to read what my haven't met her in real life but we live right down the road from each other, went to the same college, and have lots of mutual friends friend Katherine had to say about this picture. I seriously can't quit laughing about this....it is hysterical!

And the Winner Is.....

...well, we'll get there in a minute.  First, you have to hear this!

My mom called me today (all cheery and bubbly), and asked if I had given the book away yet. I told her that the contest would run till late this afternoon, and explained the whole random.org thing.  I just thought she had some great fascination with how this whole bloggy, giveaway thing works.  We talked about a few other random bits of information, and then she made a confession....

She said she saw the Expecting book in my room on Easter Sunday, and she thought I was expecting!  Dear heavens....I scared that woman to death!!!!  I think she's ready for a little break.  Between my sister, Rachel, and I, we have given our parents 6 grandchildren in 7 years.....

To say she was relieved is an understatement!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And NOW for the winner!  The book goes to.....

Beth!

Beth said...

I would love to give a copy to one of my very closest friends. She had a little trouble getting pregnant but after almost a year of trying she is pregnant with TWINS!! We are so excited! I know she would love this book!! Maybe when she is finished with it she can pass it along to me, but no time soon! 

I do follow your blog (by the way...I never see your updates in my google reader. I always have to actually go to your blog to see if you have posted or not.) 

I also follow you on Twitter.

I swear I am not a weirdo!!

April 15, 2009 4:57 PM

Woo HOO!  Congrats girl!

You are always such a sweet friend and follower,

and I was so excited when random.org picked you!

Email me your address and I'll get it out to you ASAP!

Expecting....a giveaway!?

I can't tell y'all how much I have appreciated all the loving support you have given me these past few days. You've flooded my inbox and Facebook page with prayers and well wishes. You've posted sweet comments and sent me supportive text messages. Yep, you're the best!

Greer is doing great today! She is at home in the capable hands of my little sis, Erin....aka Aunt Becca. I don't usually work the day after a laser treatment, but in order to have the opportunity to be off on Easter, it had to be this way. My God has a way of answering so many of my prayers, and working today is no big deal (especially since I have a pretty excellent job). I know my little one is safe in her Aunt's loving arms and I know she is feeling great. Feeling the need to give a little back, so I've decided to share a little love today....

I happened upon the amazing blog of Marla Taviano a few months ago, and I fell in love with her charming spirit, beautiful family, and solid faith in Jesus. She is a pretty cool person and I feel blessed to know her. When I saw that her newest baby was about pregnancy, well I knew it would be a must-read for me! I was honored when she sent me a copy of the book and I have been overwhelmed by it's beauty! I'm so sad it wasn't around when I was expecting!

This day by day devotional carries you through your pregnancy with scripture and prayer and stories of loving support. It has space for you to reflect on those moments you want to capture forever.....moments you can share with that baby one day. It is so beautifully and lovingly written, and something that could only come from a Godly mother like Marla. What I wouldn't have given to have had a journal just like this when I was praying for my babies as they grew inside of me!

Since I'm not planning to be expecting any time soon, I thought I would share the book with someone who is. Or someone who hopes to be. Could that be you? Or your best friend? Or your sister? Or your daughter?

Just leave me a comment and let me know if you would like this book for yourself or a loved one...and I'll give you a vote for a chance to win it! If you follow me (or want to start following me), I'll give you 2 votes. Just remind me when you leave your comment. Comments will be open till late tomorrow afternoon!

And if I believed in luck....well, I'd say GOOD LUCK!!

Just like any other night....

Our day started out bright and early.  Not as early as the other times we have headed down to the outpatient hospital, but still early for my insanely great sleeping baby girl!  Of course we were running a bit late (if you know me well, you know I'm always a bit late).  But this time, I actually had a good excuse.  Reeves felt a little warm to me when I cuddled up next to him, and I made sure he was OK for school before going to snatch Greer out of her peaceful slumber.  He was fine, and I left the older two kiddos in the capable hands of my awesome younger sister, Erin (by the way, if you live in my area and need an awesome babysitter....she's your girl!).

We arrived a little after 7, and Greer was happy as could be.  It is always a relief to arrive without any signs of fear (i.e. crying, screaming, fussing in general).  I have read/heard of children who have laser treatments frequently (like my Greer) who basically fah-reek when they drive into the parking lot.  Greer showed no signs of fear or anxiety, and that gave me great peace.

We waited the normal amount of time.  For a 5 minute procedure, it seems to take forever!

Check in. Sign consent forms.  Wait to be called back.  Weight check.  Vital signs.  Change into gown.  Talk to nurse.  Sign more forms.  Talk to anesthetist.  Talk to anesthesiologist.  Play in playroom.  Drive around in little red wagon.  Talk to Dr. T.   Mark the site.  Wait.  Walk to the OR doors.  Hand baby girl off.....

But this time, that part wasn't so easy.  She cried, and screamed, and cried....

And it broke my heart....and I knew it was what 15 month olds do.  She did it at church on Sunday, and sometimes she does it when I leave to go to the bathroom.  It was separation anxiety, pure and simple.  

I got coffee....and I waited.  and PRAYED.  

I prayed for the doctors, the nurses, the scrub tech, the cleaning lady.  

I prayed for her to be OK.  I prayed for me to be OK.  It's unexplainably difficult to put your child through something like this....electively.  I always question myself, even though I know I am doing what is best for her in the long run.    

I had peace and anxiety and fear....all at the same time.

I thought about how lucky blessed I am to have a healthy child....that this is as bad as it gets for us.....hopefully forever! I prayed for Stellan and Mary and Rollins and Alan.....

Thank you God.  For we are so blessed.  For this is a privilege.  A gift.  A blessing.  The chance to give my baby girl the best life possible.

But it's still hard.  It still exhausts me.  It still hurts her.  She still needed double the normal dose of pain medicine, and she still cried and screamed in Recovery.  The anesthesiologist still had to come and get me cause he knew I could hear her screaming.  He made sure I was OK and assured me that she was OK.  And she was....especially when they brought her back to me.  

We rocked, and I sang to her.  She looked up at me....all drunk and spacey.... and I knew she was OK.  She was safe.    

And you prayed, and I prayed, and we made it home safely.  And she slept......

and slept and slept and slept.  Then she woke up....and ate and ate and ate.  And you know what?????  Tonight turned out to be just like any other night!

  

She drank her bath water.

and tried to catch the drops coming out of the faucet.

She went swimmin'  and gave me a big ole' smile!

And when she was all done, she stood up, flashed her big blue eyes...

and she begged for a bite of her brother's ice cream.

It is Well with my Soul....Thanks be to God!

Color Me Purple!

Cause Purple is the New Black!

(and on Greer, it means great fading!)

8 weeks old

3 months old

5 months old

8 months old

11 months old

13 months old

Tomorrow is treatment #7....

we sure would appreciate your prayers!

Wanna read Greer's story from the beginning?

Click here to see how far God has brought us!

(and check out the slideshow on the right sidebar)

Not me!, Monday

Y'all,  it's been quite a while since my last "Not Me!" Monday post, and I must say, I sure have missed it!  Poor MckMama (the inventor of this fabulous, bloggy fun) and her precious baby boy Stellan have been in the hospital for almost a month, and well, Not Me-ing has not been pushed to the bottom of her ever growing "to do" list.  Can't say that I blame her, but I can say that I'm still praying and waiting for Stellan to be fully healed.  I hope you'll head over and read their story and join in the fight.....the more the merrier!!! 

As for me, well, I thought I'd give you a little "Not Me!" 

Easter Monday edition!!! 

To look at him in that picture, you would never believe what an Act of Congress it did not take to get my Reeves into that shirt for church yesterday.  No, he did not act like a complete lunatic (not kicking and screaming and testing my usually patient soul) and I was not brought to tears as I stood firm in my discipline plan.  My mom did not make me giggle through the tears when she compared my perseverence to the patience and tenacity it takes to remove lice from a child's hair.  And it wouldn't be that funny had my sister not done this last week.  

Greer and I will not be getting up bright and early in the morning to head to the hospital for her 7th laser treatment on her Port Wine Stain.  I am not as anxious as ever, but know that through my own prayers and the prayers of my friends, I will not feel a peace wash over me as I always do when they carry her off to the operating room.  I am not sure that we are doing what is best for her in the long run and that she will not thank me for the choices we have made to give her the best life possible.  I do not thank God every day for her sweet, precious soul!

Lucy is not thriving in her new school.  She does not wake up happy and ready for a great day, and she has not fallen in love with all her new friends and teachers.  All that to say, she has not gotten a bit sassy for her own good lately, and we are not hitting a whole new phase in our relationship.  It is not true what they say....it only gets tougher as they get older.  I am so thankful to not have her keeping me on my toes!

It is not harder and harder to get a decent group shot when you have three little ones, but as I've not learned through the years.....

It's NOT totally worth it to take your time and millions of shots.....

cause you just might get a few great ones!  

Thank GOD!!

Cause I sho' didn't deserve it today!!!

Thank you, God, for giving me such an awesome gift,

I promise to do better tomorrow!!!!

Friday Good

I do not understand suffering.  I cannot fathom how it can be just for a child to hurt, for a mother to hurt, for a Father to hurt, for such pain.  I love God, I trust God, I know that He knows what is best.  I still don't get it.  

But I do know this, God's been there.  He, as a Father, knows what it feels like to hurt for your child.  He watched his baby die on a Cross, and he felt that pain too.  He does get it!  And in the words of one of my most favorite musicians (who totally gets it, too)....

"But if God felt a Hammer in the Palm of His hand,

then God knows the way we feel...."

Wow

It's appropriately dark and gloomy here today.  I am comforted when the weather outside reflects the spirit of a day, and it helps me stay focused.  For today I will be mourning.  I will be devastated.  I will be weeping for the loss of our Savior.  

I will dwell in sorrow today.  I will remember all that he did for me and all that he has promised me.  I will be thankful.  Thankful that He loved me that much.  Thankful that He loved my children that much.  Thankful for a gift that I do not deserve.

Good thing I know what's coming soon....

and that makes this Friday Good!

And one day, because of HIS great sacrifice,

I will get it!

44 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, 45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit."When he had said this, he breathed his last.

47 The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, "Surely this was a righteous man."

From the gospel of Luke, chapter 23

As you reflect and pray today, will you please add my friends Jana and Mary to the list.  Last night and today have been full of suffering for sweet Mary and she has had a really rough couple months.  Pray for her as she goes to surgery this morning.  Pray that she may be completely healed and that her suffering would end.  Please click here to read her story....

Just when you thought you'd heard it all!

I am proud to say that in 5 years of preschool/elementary school, none of my children have come home with head lice.  I know it's bound to happen, and we've had several notes home announcing that the inspections should begin.  One such note even suggested searching your child EVERY night as part of the bedtime routine. 

Supper, Bath, Story, Brush Teeth, Prayers....

Lice Check

That lasted about a day....didn't exactly illicit sweet dreams and

peaceful slumber, ya know???

So, my mom (that's her with my niece Caroline cooking cornbread dressing) spent the past 2 weeks up in Northern Virginia with my sister Rachel and her family.  Big sisters, Caroline and Olivia, were so excited to welcome home a baby brother, Henry.  The visit was wonderful, and the girls loved their time with Charcey.  I can't wait till I can get up to love on my new baby nephew (and did I mention how excited Reeves is to have a boy in the mix?).

Just two days before my mom was supposed to come home, they discovered that Caroline (who is in Kindergarten) had head lice.  Not just a few....that girl was COVERED in the little boogers.  I mean, check out that hair.....it's a dream home!

So they set to work, and in Rachel's words.....

It was a complete and total NIGHTMARE!!!

scrubbing, professional treatments, combs, mayonnaise, shower caps,

big black garbage bags, dozens and dozens of loads of laundry,

vacuuming, cleaning, and worst of all.....

Pick, Pick, PICKING!

(and did I mention that they had a newborn and a 

3 year old around, too)

Good Heavens, bringing a third baby into the mix is stress enough!  I felt sooo sorry for my sister so many miles away.  It was horrible!

When I hadn't heard from her in a few days, I assumed that the ordeal was over, that the lice were long gone.  I decided to phone her last night on my way home from work, and didn't expect what I was about to hear!  I will admit that I found it quite hysterical, and I am still not over it!

Rachel spent 6 hours (and $250) visiting a professional nitpicker!  Yep, that's right, there are people who do that for a living.  Can you imagine?  First of all, can you imagine listing that on your kid's preschool application:

Mom's Occupation:  Professional Nitpicker

I seriously wonder if they would accept your kid if that was your job I am totally joking, but seriously!!  And how creepy would you feel all the time?  I mean, the thought of the lice gives me the geebs....I can't imagine touching those things everyday.  To each his own, to each his own.  

Rach said it was actually pretty cool.  Caroline got to watch "Camp Rock" on a big screen while the nitpicker got to work (with magnifying glasses and bright lights).  Poor thing had the baby and the 3 year old in tow, too, but she said it was worth every minute and every penny.  They found 3 nits in Olivia's hair, and now she is being treated.  Thankfully, Rachel and the baby are fine.  She made it home with some cool tools and peace of mind.  Those nasty boogers are finally gone!

I did a google search, and so far I can't find a nitpicker in my area.  Do you have one in yours?  Let me know....I am fascinated by this.  What gets you into that line of work?  

I did find this article though, and it shed a little more light.  Learn something new every day!!!