Caring Bridge set up for Miss Katie

Thank you all for praying for our friend's daughter, Katie. She has not woken up and the prognosis is just to wait. It is extremely hard on her folks and family! They set up a caring bridge page for her today. Please visit and leave them an uplifting message!
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/kaitlynhathaway

Here is a few shots of Miss Katie! She is beautiful and full of life! These were about a year and a half ago so think 5 year old now!

Casting Crowns

I took Steven last week to see Casting Crowns.  I really enjoyed it and had such an uplifting experience there.  Now, it is not my type of music, which was fine.  This was for Steven and not me.  I do enjoy listening to them but I really like a little more jam in my music.  Their message is wonderful and their words are even better.  Steven really enjoyed himself and that was the most important thing!

Doesn't Steven look big?  He has really grown in the last month.  I think he looks a lot like his dad in this picture. 

Katie Cakes

Our visit with Ryan and his family went well last night. There was not a ton of changes but some minimal ones. The best news was that Ryan was allowed to hold his daughter so the staff could change her sheets. That really had brightened his day. They have removed all the oxygen and had taken out an IV. The doctors came in yesterday and explained the situation. Basically, this is a brain injury and unfortunately there is no way of knowing when anything will happen. The accident was about 4 on Friday evening and she has been unconscious since then. Her eyes have opened more and more since Sunday but it does not seem that she is focusing on anything yet. The nurses took off the neck brace yesterday and that has seemed to help calm her. Ryan said it seemed as if she was relieved and able to rest better. She did forcefully take her oxygen off twice yesterday. There is some talk of a feeding tube being put in by the end of the week if she is still unable to eat. They also would like to do a MRI but need to wait until her esophagus is healed from the vent tube being pulled out. It is a shear brain injury and right now all the family can do is wait and pray. We took Ryan and Heather out of the hospital last night for dinner while the grandparents were there. That seemed to help them some. Heather is a lot like me...she likes to have plans and have her order and this has really thrown a wrench in that. They are focusing on Katie right now and they know that they have enough support to help them with whatever is needed. Please continue to remember them. This is just so hard. Pray for the doctors, nurses, Ryan, and Heather. More specifically...pray for improvements and rest.


UPDATE: The doctor told the family today that a shear injury is harder to recover from than a concussion. They are expected to see some difference in 10-14 days. Please pray for patience!

Little Katie

Our news isn't much better today about our friend's Katie.  It's still a lot of just wait.  She has not waken up but is moving around more and has opened her eyes for a few seconds once or twice.  It's been a rough weekend for our friends and we are just in a state of shock.  I am so thankful for my boys health.  Please continue to remember Katie in your prayers!

Just checking in

Just an update before we head to the hospital...Katie is still critical and has not woken up yet. I don't believe that they have spoken with a doctor yet this morning but I will let you know. Please continue to pray for her. Pray that her body will fight. Pray that the Lord shows her mercy.

Please Please Pray Now!!!!

Our good friend's wife and daughter were involved in an accident tonight and it is critical!  Their daughter Katie was in the backseat strapped in and is now unconcious and on a ventilator.  She has opened her eyes just a couple of times but has not become coherent at all.  All the family needs right now are prayers.  My heart is hurting for them.  Here is a link to an article:


http://blog.al.com/breaking/2010/03/5-year-old_critical_following.html

I am participating in this weeks I "heart"... at You and Me Plus Three. Go there now to add yours and read others!!
This was started by Crystal, the author of the above blog. Her youngest Bentley has a heart defect that is called Tetralogy of Fallot. This was found early and she has already endured an open heart surgery. During this very trying experience she always tried to be thankful for positive in life, even if it is hard to find. I urge you all to do the same.

I heart that Steven and I are going to see Casting Crowns tonight. He is so excited. It is just going to be me and him, something that hasn't happened in years!

I heart that I made a new group on facebook just for our boy scouts.

I heart that Steven has so many opportunities right now. This boy suffers NADA! He leaves soon for NOLA with the band and next June the scouts are planning to go scuba diving in the Florida Keys! He also is participating in the county roundup for 4-H, competing in photography. He just turned in a "video project." (something new at school where they make videos) And the scouts are going to see the Corvette Museum and camping at Mammoth Cave during Spring Break(no, we haven't had ours yet). On top of this, football starts next month and during the summer he will be attending Nick Saban(yes, THE NICK SABAN) football camp. Whew! I am already tired.

I heart when I went upstairs to get Bryce this morning he was still asleep and looked just so cute!

I heart that Bryce now says I love you all the time!

I heart that Steven's mop will be getting cut next Wednesday! So very needed!

I heart that I have boys!

I heart my workplace! Even if we may not make it through these economic times, I feel as if I am in the right place with some great people!

I heart Crystal for starting this. It always brightens the week!

I heart that Bryce has his first eye doctor appointment on Friday!

Please Watch!

This could easily be one of the cutest things that I have ever seen.  A friend from softball growing up posted this to her facebook today.  Please go to this link and watch these two cute CUTE girls sing a happy go lucky song!  This is some sort of contest and they are asking for views.  The more views, the closer to the win!  I knew we could help them out a little! 


Don't forget tomorrow is I heart Thursday!!!

Lovely Sunshine!

So the sunshine has returned and I am in flops and a sleeveless shirt! Yesterday, snow! I know, I know what a crazy weather pattern! We also didn't get another job today. We have now had the reality talk at work today. It sucks but we are not stupid. Commercial construction is not recovering yet unlike many other areas. Not going to let it get me down though. We have a great company that does not cheat. I hope to ride it out with them but I am actively pursuing also!

Saturday was wonderful!

We were up bright and early this last Saturday. Steven was to participate in Solo and Ensemble and go straight to a scout shooting campout right after. We got up and cooked breakfast. Well, Blake cooked and I watched! Blake is not a pancake lover but I am. So, he cooked me some pancakes and then made eggs, biscuits, and homemade white gravy for the boys. I love this picture of all of them eating together.

After Solo and Ensemble, where Steven received a superior, we met his dad and off Steven went to boy scouts. Blake and I took advantage of such a gorgeous day. We went to Academy and got Bryce a new bat, ball, and glove so we could go and play some ball. Bryce loved it. We stayed up at Steven's school and surprisingly there was not a soul up there. Bryce ran the bases and kicked a ball and played in sand and played some ball. I must admit, that I just sat there in their gorgeous grass and let the sun shine on my white legs! The ballfield is all fenced in so we could just let Bryce run to his little heart's desire! We headed back to the house after a little bit so the little man could nap but he knew we were going fishing and to a party so he never slept.

After my friend's tool and gadget party we headed to the river. We couldn't decide which would be a better spot but I think it was the other location. We caught nothing but Bryce kept thinking that his bait was his fish! Cracked me up! He is also pretty dangerous with the casting part. I thought I was about to have a hook in the eye! Our wonderful Saturday was rudely interrupted with a deary, nasty day on Sunday and now it is snowing in Alabama!

Old Friends

This weekend I attended a tool and gadget party for one of my oldest friends. Angela's mom called my mom up one hot summer day before 3rd grade. She asked if I could join them for the movies. We went to see Mac and Me. I will never ever forget that! She rescued me because our AC had given out that week and we were cooking in our house. We became best buddies and were inseparable our elementary school years. I moved schools in 6th grade and we did grow apart but we are still good friends today. She is getting married in May and I cannot wait! Below is a picture of all of our old friends! Ashley, Beth, Angela, and I were all softball players and girlscouts together. Beth used to be Bryce's babysitter! I love these girls!

Happy Spring!

I got an award! I got an award! I got an award!

Carrie over at Little Mommy gave me this cute little award the other day. I must admit that I had forgotten about it. I am sorry Carrie. I have been a bad bloggy friend. So, with this award I must tell you ten things about myself:

1. I love my kids and pray for more!
2. I love the Grateful Dead. Their music is so relaxing to me.
   
3. I love to go to concerts of jam bands. We are currently trying for Phish tickets for August. Jam bands are a little different. Phish has a lottery for people before the public sale. Pretty cool, I think!
4. I am so excited that I am taking Steven to see Casting Crowns on Thursday!
5. I shake my leg constantly. I think I am a little ADHD and this has to be the way I contain myself.
6. We leave for the beach in T -3 months. That is really not that long from now!
7. I have two tattoos. I really wish I didn't have them or had something just a little cooler looking!
8. I love shopping for my kids.
   
9. I do not love shopping for myself.
   
10. I am listening to reggae right now and it makes the sunny day even better!
    

I am supposed to give this to some blog friends also! So here goes
Anna
Crystal
Hattie
Bridgette
Maegan
Lauren
Candi

Simple Gratitude!

I recently went through a drive thru of course it wasn't Chickfila and as I was pulling out the employee and myself both said "Have a good day" together. This was surprising because I don't usually hear it anymore. It is something that I have always said. I am a glass half full kind of gal and society is changing drastically to a half empty world. We only hear negative, as I said yesterday, and that makes me sad. One reason I love Chickfila so much is because they always respond with my pleasure! It just makes the day a little brighter!

I was speaking with someone yesterday about their job. They were telling me how the manager in charge is so rude. He uses horrible language on the job, will ignore questions he doesn't want to answer, and expects much more than the what the job calls for. I told them, "well at least you have a job with some awesome benefits." I felt that this person should be thankful that their job is there and that they are not unemployed. Our nation is struggling yes, but we are still one of the richest in the world.

I suppose my I heart Thursday has just rolled into my rant.

I am thankful I have a job. No, it may not be in my career choice but I have not been blessed to find something in marketing up here. I have no experience except for working for small business owners and that makes the application process harder. Of course, I am also looking for flexibility like my current one has with no weekends or nights. Picky!? I know! But I am employed in a nice position. Not one I want for life but one that I could grow if our economy ever picks back up.

We must remember that it is the little things that count. Yes, I love my nice house and car. I like being able to send Steven on school trips, play in the band, and play football. We have tons of extras that many cannot afford. I know...I have been there. When I look back, I cannot believe how far my life has come. How in the world did I make it 10 years ago? But I did and I wouldn't change a thing.

So today guys, find one thing that makes you happy and hold on to it. I know a lot of us out there are struggling right but there has to be something that makes you happy. God blesses us everyday and every struggle is a lesson. Let's learn from them!

Now, here's something that has always made me happy. Forgive me because my scanner is not installed correctly, so I took a picture of a picture! I loved this picture in high school. These where some of the best pictures that I ever took. I found it and I thought about all of you guys!
This is from fall 1994. I was a deadhead then too.

I Heart Thursday!

I am participating in this weeks I "heart"... at You and Me Plus Three. Go there now to add yours and read others!!
This week is chugging right along and it is already Thursday! Crystal started this to help to remind all of us what is important in life. Life really starts to get moving and sometimes we tend to stop remembering the good things and only report on the bad. We are that society now. Just think about all the negativity on the news. It truly makes me sick. There are so many good things that happen daily and it is never shared but make one mistake and the whole world knows! Okay, I will get off my soapbox now.

I heart youandmeplusthree.com!

I heart all the bloggy friends and connections that I have made.

I heart that Steve's dad was able to go to scouts with him on Tuesday.

I heart Bryce singing.

I heart that when Bryce received his orange cream soda at Cracker Barrel the other night he said loudly, "Oh yummy Beer! My faaaaaaa-vrit!"

I heart that the sun is shining right now!

I heart a large coke from Chickfila!

What do you heart today?

Do you like Good Housekeeping?

Do you read Good Housekeeping?  I have read it since I was little.  My mom always kept it in our downstairs bathroom.  I would always stretch our phone cord in there to talk on the phone growing up.  I suppose that statement shows my age since most folks have cordless phones today.  We had a few cordless phones growing up but I really only remember one.  It was the kind that had an antenna that you had to pull up to use.  I know, I hear Zach Morris calling me on his cell phone now!  Anyway I digress....Amazon has Good Housekeeping on sale this month.  You can get a one year subscription for only $7 here, or go ahead and spend a few dollars extra and get the 2 year subscription for only $10 here!  It always has at least $5 of coupons inside of it, so it pays for itself over two years.  This is a special for the month of March and it is a great price!

iPhone Photos

I always forget my camera and then end up taking a pic on the iPhone. I love this phone but geez the picture quality stinks on it! You would think it would be so much better but no. Luckily, I am not an Apple fanatic so, no harm done. I love that we can have a camera at a moments notice! So many of my memories do not have pictures to go with them. Film was expensive and those little one time uses still had to be developed. I have a grocery sack at home that is full of things that need developed. One day I will bite the bullet and go have it done. I should probably do that sooner than later because the digital revolution is here! I honestly use my camera almost daily. Not that all my shots are great or even good. I just like to have them. My new project at home is gathering my photos and planning to write what was happening and have the dates added to the backs. This way when my children are looking through my things they will not have to wonder. I have seen pictures of my grandparents from way back when and have no idea when that when was. Does that make sense!? I have a lot of work to do on them and have not even really started yet but that is the plan. Hopefully, I will have it done this year! So, all these pictures were taken from my iPhone and today when I plugged it into the computer to charge I said, "Self, you should really take those off and show the world!" So world, Here you go!

Don't worry, he is drinking hot chocolate!

This is Baloo the Bear. He's our new Build a Bear.

Wordless Wednesday

Prayers Needed

I am asking for those who pray to please remember a sweet Arkansas family today. Their son was just diagnosed with a very aggressive form of cancer. It seems to have been found in his testicle so on top of the cancer I am sure there will be some sort of damage to his reproductive organs. How scary to be doing something as simple as bathing and to find something so scary.

Here is their blog: http://harperhouse4.blogspot.com/

Boys!

I know the song goes that girls just wanna have fun but did she have any boys?  Was she a parent to said boys?  We are working on 8 days of no sunshine here in Alabama and my boys are wound so tight that they are ready for action!  The first couple of pictures I took on the last day of sunshine back when I had the flu. 

Isn't he big?

Bronson came over on Saturday while his mommy and daddy where working and keeping them entertained was becoming hard.  These boys are dying to get outside and feel the sun against their faces.  Bronson and Bryce ran around the house like a bunch of heathens most of Saturday afternoon.  They can race around our living room and into our kitchen.  The doors are open on both sides so they get their riding toys and have a blast.  There are numerous arguements on who is going to ride what.  We have a train and a car.

We also love to dress up!  

Here is Bronson the Cowboy!

My two sweet little troublemakers! 

Bryce was a super hero most of the day.  He really loves those stinking Wonderpets!

No matter how busy they are or if they can be stinkers I wouldn't trade them for anything!  I would love to be a gosselin or dugger and be able to provide for multiple children.  I think a houseful would be awesome!