the Beach

I had a blast at the beach. I truly have some of the best friends in the entire world...and the best church family ever. I have never seen so many ladies work so hard, to make other ladies happy. Service. They truly have a heart for service. What a blessing!! I will post a few more details later, but for now, here are some pictures of our craziness.

Tracy and me.
Mandie and me....cutting up on the bus home.
Me and Tracy making funny faces.
View from our 11th floor balcony. I would have been panicking if my kiddos
were with me.
Another balcony view.
Tracy, Angie, and me.
Rhonda Brown, who put on the whole event, and me.
Angie and me at our final group function. So much fun!!

Heading to the Beach.

At about 3:45 am on Wednesday, I am with great reluctance heading to the beach with the ladies of my church. I know we are going to have a ball. I know it's going to be so much fun....but I honestly don't know the last time I left my husband, kids, and place of business just for a few days of fun. I totally don't think there is anything wrong with anybody that does do that on a regular basis, I just don't seem to. It gives me anxiety. I guess a selfish feeling. As if I'm saying..."hey ya'll....figure it all out on your own for a few days...I'm heading to the beach!". I don't really like to feel like that. Some of my very best friends are going, (but some aren't), so I know we will have tons to laugh about for a long time to come. But if you think about....say a prayer for all the chaos I'm leaving behind. I really want it to go so well that I might even be able to go back again next year.

A Few New Favorite Pics...

My Maddie Lee. Isn't she beautiful?
Jillian playing with her birthday cake.
Collin getting frustrated that our food is taking so long to get to us. He actually said, "Let's leave. I'm starving! I'm leaving...I'm going to China."....whatever that means. LOL!!
I dearly love this picture!! And this face says it all!!

Now, I feel a little guilty not posting any new pictures of Chandler, but I don't have any great ones. He's in that, 'I'm too cool for the camera, so when I do have to take a picture, I'm not going to cooperate very much' stage. Oh, and the fact that he has new braces doesn't help either. Although, I do have one of he and my nephew Cole...

Chandler's on the right...and he was trying to cooperate here, so there he is. He really is such a great kid. We are so very blessed!!
Update on my pic here...since I can't sleep...shocker...I decided to get on picnik and see if I could manipulate this picture to be a really good picture of Chandler. And I think it worked. A great close up of him that he is so not wanting me to get right now. I love it!!!

Peach Tea.

I love peach tea. I mean, I really, really love peach tea. Crystal light has one that truly is delicious, and is a good runner up to the peach tea from Sonic....which is delicious also. The odd thing about my addiction to peach tea....is that I like to drink it out of Mason jars. How weird is that?? I think of drinking my tea, and it takes me back, (again) to Mayberry. As most of you know by now, I also really, really love Andy Griffith. And I guess it's not just the peach tea, but the whole frame of mind that it puts me in. Does anyone else have a mind that chases rabbits?? My trail goes kind of like this...I think of peach tea, peach icees, summer, fresh vegetables like tomatoes, squash, and cucumbers, then I think of country living, sitting out on the porch, watching the kids play, and drinking my peach tea. Makes perfect sense doesn't it?? One of my dearest friends' family is mostly from 'the country'. And every single Saturday, the entire family goes out to the Grandmother's house for lunch. The grandmother cooks for everybody.....and it usually is something like...deer steak, or chicken and dumplings, with garden vegetables cooked to perfection. My husband and I have always thought how wonderful that tradition is, and how much we wish we had it in our family. And then we have our fleeting thoughts of moving out to 'the country'. And then we remember gas is $4.00 a gallon, and we have 4 kids, 3 of which are in various activities. Bummer. So, for now, I'm going to sit here in my office, in mostly the dark, while my hubby and babies sleep, drinking my peach tea out of a mason jar....and it feels so very nice.

Comments...please.

I have a little thing that tells me some of the cities that visit my blog daily. I know there are some of you that visit at least once or twice a week. I so wish you would leave me a comment. I don't really know why. I am always curious who reads my blog, and why. I read others that are intriguing. I love reading the ones of people who kind of tell it like it is. It makes me feel like we are all in this non fairy tale, fairy tale together. Does that make sense at all?? I know I am usually a way too honest person, but that is who I am. I'm not fake, or 'plastic' as a friend once called some people that were only for show. I am who I am, faults and all. As a general rule, I have a great life, but I'm not afraid, (or ashamed) to say when it's stressful, or imperfect. Honestly, to get off on another soapbox, I really think if more people were honest about their life, more and more people would be happy. I know so many people that are living lives that are WAY beyond their means. They don't know how they are going to afford this or that, but they are so concerned what other people are going to think about them if they don't have just the right clothes, or cars. Why? Let's all be ourselves, and let the chips fall as they may. That's just what I'm thinking anyway!

Pictures....cause that's really why your here...right??!!

One day after vacation bible school, she went home with a friend to play. Brayden, Jillian, and Thomas Wade were all born within a month of each other. Madison always insists that Jillian and Thomas Wade are "dating"...which tickles me. In fact, since we only did a family birthday, Madison was so upset because Jillian's "boyfriend" wouldn't be there for her first birthday party!

So much, yet so little.

There has been so much craziness going on around here, but almost nothing profound to tell about. We had Jillian and Madison a little birthday party which was so very nice. They both loved opening the presents, and having family over. We grilled burgers, and hot dogs, and enjoyed the afternoon. In the next week or two, we'll have Madison her own party with her own friends. Maybe a trip to the movies, or a sleepover. Nothing too major....again.

Our church is having VBS this week...so the kids are heading to that every morning. It's been a good break for them. Unfortunately, we have very little planned for the rest of the summer...other than church camp. I've got to get on the ball and get some plans going. We regularly say we are going to take a quick trip up to Hot Springs, and take the kids to Magic Springs, and Crystal Falls, but we just never seem to do it. Now with gas at $4.00 a gallon, we have to really think about everywhere we go and do.

We did learn that Jillian is allergic to ants. She stepped in an ant bed on Wednesday night while we were all out in the front yard. I immediately picked up her up and dusted them off of her. At first, I didn't even see a bite, but then she quickly started breaking out all over. Then her lips started swelling. My nephew is allergic to ants, so instantly I put 2 and 2 together and ran her up to the after hours clinic. By the time she got a shot, she had clawed herself to the point of bleeding, and I was not a happy mama for having to wait as long as they made me. Of course, my logic was at the emergency room, she would have had to wait much longer. So, we are now in the process of killing every ant that comes anywhere near our house!!! Living in the south, and Louisiana doesn't make that very easy....but so it goes.

So that's really about it. Hopefully something wonderful and fantastic and amazing will happen real soon that I can tell you all about!! But for now...that's it! Sorry!!

Loving the New Look!!!

My friend and travel to China buddy Carla, fixed up my blog. There is a little link to her blog of creations on the side of my blog. If you have a blog, and want a makeover....contact her. She's the best!!!

No Title for Today.

We’ve had serious computer problems as of late. Some months back we had a virus attack our computer, and now we are having internet problems. I'm not sure what's going on, we even had somebody come out yesterday to no avail. Hopefully, we'll have this problem fixed soon, and I can get back to my therapy...I mean blogging.

Today, I need to post something that isn't too pleasant for me to address. I don't really want to, but I just have to get it out there. So here goes....I think it’s been clear, whether on this blog, or to my friends that see me on a daily basis, that this has been a very stressful season in my life. It’s not just one area of my life that is being tested, but several. I don't want to go into all the boring, real life issues here, but it's just one of those times in my life that I know will pass, yet we have to make it through the hard times to get on the other side. We all have times like that, and the Lord will guide us through, and we can look back and share our testimony when it's done. However, I have had a couple of people lately inform me, and couple of others (thank God it's only been a couple) that have been informed…that they feel like the stress of Jillian is just too much for me. Someone even had said that Jillian might actually have been a ‘bad decision’. I cannot even put into words how devestated this has made me. I want to make this perfectly clear……Jillian is my daily reminder that the Lord has not left us. I hold her and pray, and remember what the Lord has done in my life, and hers. She is 2 now, which isn’t always a bed of roses….but she certainly is not more than I can handle. Literally, some days I look at her, and think the Lord put her in my life right now so I would be aware of His presence. How anyone could characterize her as a ‘bad decision’ is truly devastating to me.

I want to caution people to not make judgments, or statements that are not founded by fact. I learned during the entire Chase saga, that people are going to talk. And unfortunately what I found was that for some strange reason, people want to repeat, or think the worst case scenario. My children heard so many totally insane rumors at their school, not just from the children, but the teachers, about Chase. And now here I am. Some people know I’m stressed….and for some reason, they have to blame someone. So, clearly it must be Jillian. And for the life of me I can't figure out why. I always expected the comments about her being a different race…but these have hurt me to the core. The reality of my stress is....I own a retail store. I personally, with no help, am in charge of it. I do the hiring, the firing, the ordering, the inventory, the taxes, etc. I have 4 children, included a 12 year old and a 2 year old, and the 2 in between. My husband is in ministry, which brings its own stresses into the situation. Why would anyone decide my stress is my Jillian's fault? It's just simply not the case. Period.

Random thoughts and Random pictures...in Random order.

Maddie and Jillian eating burgers on the back patio. It was a wonderful evening tonight!!!
Her happy moment in the heat of the ballpark last night.
Watching Chandler's last ballgame.

Random thought #1: I thought for all of you who were interested in Chase's status...I would give you an update. He is doing miraculously well. Everyone that has been a part of his story has been touched beyond measure. The doctors that have been involved in his recovery literally cannot believe what they have seen. When he walks in for his various check ups...they take a double take. Nobody can believe it's him. So, things are doing exceptionally well. Thank you all for those who have prayed, and continue to pray. His sight in his bad eye is still very poor, but we are all still believing that will come back too. In the Lord's time.

Random thought #2: Tuesdays Jillian has speech therapy. She absolutely LOVES her speech therapist. In fact, when Mrs. Megan gets here, Jillian gets so giggly, and runs to the spot where they normally sit and spend their hour. At first, most people I mentioned speech therapy to thought I was crazy, but I am so very thankful I went ahead and did it. Jillian is picking up so well now. If nothing else, Jillian is attempting to repeat every single thing the other children say. Of course, I have to regularly tell the other kiddos that Jillian is not a circus act, and it's not wise to CONSTANTLY ask her to repeat words or sentences. I will have to admit though, it is fun to say..."Jillian, say I love you!"....and then to hear her say I love you to the best of her ability. It really is precious!

Random thought #3: Baseball is over...and I am so glad. Man it gets HOT in Louisiana in June. Last night, with both boys having back to back games....we were ready to be done. I almost did a little dance when we lost. Ok, not really, but it's been a long season, and it's time for those boys to have a rest. Right? Sure, that's what I'm saying anyway.

Random thought #4: Chandler got braces yesterday. He looks so incredibly different. And so old. I know so many kids are getting braces at much younger ages now, but Chandler is 12, and officially looks it. Truthfully, I'm not sure I like it. My comfort when he started middle school was that 6th graders were kept seperate from the 7th and 8th graders. Well, now he'll be kept seperate from the 6th graders because he is one of those dreaded 7th graders. Geez...how did I get so old???

My Random thought #5 is that I'm working on some pics from yesterday and today...and hopefully I'll post them a bit later....so you'll have to come back to check them out. Update...ok clearly, I got the pictures posted...but they posted at the top. Weird. I can't anything on this computer to work right tonight...so I'm going to quit trying to move them down to the bottom.

Happy Birthday to my sweet Jillian.

Today, June 2nd is Jillian's birthday. She is officially 2 years old. I thought I would be so excited on this day. I had been thinking about what kind of party we were going to have, etc. for so long now. But truth be told...over the last couple of days...I have felt very odd with the anticipation of her day coming up. Not terrible...but certainly not excited. When yesterday evening came, I realized that it was already June 2nd in China. For some reason, the difference in days was trying to play tricks on me. When actually should we celebrate her birthday, etc? Clearly, the answer is on June 2nd...America time. But I just haven't been thinking too clearly about it I guess. I then began to think of her birth mother. Does she even know that today was her daughter's birthday? Has she had more children hoping for that baby boy? I thought about her so much, that I physically ached. Does she care...or is she in a constant depression wondering about her child that she abandoned on the side of a road? And then, very quickly, birthday parties with balloons and cake became very much of a non issue. We are going to put together a family party next weekend, and we will have cake, and presents, and balloons. But the celebratory nature of this first birthday with my precious child was lost for today. I hope it was just this year. Certainly as the years go on, she will be excited, and we will follow her lead. But the harsh reality of China adoption came back to me today. Way too many children there are being abandoned. Truthfully, I can't even tell you all how many people do not believe me when I tell them Jillian was found on the side of the road. I have to explain to them that she is absolutely not an exception. It's everywhere. And way too many of those abandoned babies are living their lives in orphanages. I am so thankful Jillian is not one of them. She has so much personality, I cannot even imagine her living in an orphanage. How many more Jillian's are out there, left in orphanages?? I thank God for Jillian's life. I thank Him that He has blessed us with such a miracle child. And I wish her a happy birthday...for many years to come.