Yesterday we spent alot of the day running around in town and then we went and had my 1st birthday pictures made, so then it was dark and nearly bedtime, when we got back home. So Momma said I could blog today. First I played in the yard a while, and then it was nap time, and then it was time for supper and then I had to rip up the last of the newspaper that I hid so that it wouldn't get thrown away, and now, before bathtime and then bedtime, I have to hurry and blog. So here is a video from me in the yard today.

And since Ahna and Grandmother requested (really demanded it), here are a few pictures of my haircut.

Yesterday was Britt's first birthday, and last night we had a party here at the house. It was a perfect night for a party: cool but not too cold, a breeze but not too windy, and crystal clear skies. We had plenty of yard to the side for folks to park, and plenty in the back for the kids to run and play.

We ate way too much, and Little Union will get to see the other boot (only one got eaten) again tomorrow for lunch at Church. We had a good time visiting and everything went pretty smoothly. I was only slightly panicing that morning, when there was still so much to do. You can talk to Gary for that story.

Britt spent the first part of the day in the kitchen with Gary, he was a bit confused by the baby gate since he's normally on the other side of it. I was working on his scrapbook, and trying to get the living room picked up. Then after his nap he was in the living room while I was picking up in the kitchen. Gary got most of the food ready and did alot outside. But it was all worth it. Britt had a ball playing with almost all of his favorite people, and the adults had a great time visiting.

The video is lengthy, but really I hated to cut out any more video and pictures. Enjoy...

Britt,

It's so hard to believe that you've been with us for a whole year as of this exact moment. It seems like just yesterday that we were secretly sneaking up to the hospital to be induced. We barely kept our trip there a secret till noon, but thankfully you had arrived by then. You were the most beautiful thing that I had ever seen, and when they took you to weigh you and stuff, it felt forever until they gave you back to me, to hold all snuggled up. I have had many blessings in my time here - but nothing compares to the wonder of God giving us you, for however much time we are given.

Over the last few nights I have been looking through all the photos and video from the last year, wondering how I could possibly only choose 3 1/2 mins worth. I have wondered where that tiny, completely helpless baby went. This has been such a fast year, and wow, how you have grown. You went from barely being able to inch over in your crib, to rolling, to crawling, to nearly walking. You went from crying, to cooing, to all out babbling. You went from nursing to eating chicken nuggets, crackers, and any fruit around.

You have become a very adventursome, curious, independent little man. I tell your Daddy quiet often that we are going to have to quite calling you baby. You know exactly what you want and will climb or rock any piece of furniture to knock it down. No only deters you when you think I'm watching, and you are determined to figure out how ever remote works and where ever wire goes in our house. You are a boundless fountain of energy and boy do you wear me out! You never tire of playing outside whether it's climbing in and emptying my flowerpots, or just laying on the swing. You are truly a joy who has never meet anyone but friends and who readily laughs at everyone and everything.

We cannot express how much we love you, silly little man, but we like to think you know. Happy 1st Birthday!

Love,
Momma

Gary Sr had his appointment with the doctor today. They have scheduled his surgery for Wednesday, January 27. After the surgery they will determine whether or not he will need radiation or chemo to follow up. However, they are hoping that they caught things early enough that they can get everything with surgery.

Sis. Ann, Aunt Joanna's mother, was transfered to Shands in Gainesville. They were able to meet with another doctor who did surgery to remove the portion of the mass that was in her lung. They are planning to do chemo for the portion of the mass that is between her lungs. Testing on the portion that they removed, has indicated that it is the lung cancer and that its stage four cancer.

I've been taking a break from blogging around here, but there are several little updates that I can't put off updating on anymore.

First Prayer List Updates:

Dad had his CAT Scan and they have finally scheduled him an appointment to have it read and to meet with the surgeon to determine exactly when they will have surgery and what all he can expect. This appointment is on Monday, January the 18th.

Also, I have tried to get in touch with A. Joanna to get an update on her mother, but haven't been able to reach her. Over Christmas Aunt Joanna noticed that her mother was weezing really badly again, and made her an appointment to see her doctor when she got home. The doctor said that she only had 20% of her breathing capacity and ran a scan to see why. A fast growing mass has formed in between her lungs and is slowly choking her. The doctor (who A. Joanna and her mother really haven't liked from the get go) told them that she had a week or so to live and that all he could do was make her comfortable because it was inoperative. Aunt Joanna has dealt with alot of Granna's doctor's with her bouts with lung cancer, and just didn't feel that this doctor was doing enough, so they are seeking to transfer her to the UF hospital in Gainesville or a hospital in Tampa. So far with steroids the mass has shrunk some and she is breathing easier. All this happened last weekend, and I've not been able to get more up to date information, but when I find out I will post it.

Finally a random tidbit of information:
Remember our totally awesome chicken coop? The one that Gary built and I entered into an online contest. There were a total of nearly 300 coops entered and guess what. We were part of a 4 way tie for 1st place! Isn't that something? I'll link the other coops of you are interested in taking a look. By far ours was the cheapest constructed and poorest quality in our opinion as the others mostly have insulation, heaters, lights, and the works; but hey, we are in Florida we aren't suppose to need all of that.

The Feather Factory, Athol Coop, Built in Coop, and finally our coop Biddy's Barn

As custom here at Little Union we have a New Years Eve meeting. On the 31 we get together and have a normal night service and have some snacks afterward. We then gather back into the sanctuary and sing the old year out and the new year in. Its a great time of worship and fellowship and what better way to start off the New Year. You can take all that ball drop and fire works and whatever this is ten times better. It was a custom when I was younger for us kids to camp out down at Bro Leroy Carlton's place all night long after the meeting. As we got older we stopped the camping out. So this year a few of us decided to start camping out again and this time we were going to do it down at our church property. We are blessed with over nine acres at our church building with plenty of area to camp out and a large area to to play in. So on the 30th and 31st of December we gathered down at the church with a fire pit and our tents. We cooked right on the fire with supplies that we brought. For the first night we had hamburgers, hot dogs, bratwurst cook with grilled onions and peppers, fried okra and other little stuff but for desert Dad made peach cobbler with his dutch oven that topped everything. Peach cobbler never tastes the same after you have had peach cobbler in a dutch oven in the woods. That morning we got up and we fixed a large breakfast with scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, biscuits and sausage gravy with coffee and hot chocolate. We then spent the day doing various things outdoors: we went down back behind our property to Hurrah creek which a river that sits about a half mile behind the church., some of the kids got to try out their new BB guns and had target practice, while a few of us just sat around the fire and enjoying the moment with friends in the outdoors.

Then on New Year's Day the rest of the Church joined us. For great fellowship, games and food. We played a game called corn hole toss which will be in the slide show and for me a new card game called hand and foot. Its just a wonderful time we get to spend with church family and friends.

I was a little disappointed to hear Momma tell Daddy this morning that when I took a nap that the Christmas tree was going to come down that it had been up too long. But when I woke up, something even better had taken it's place. All of my toys were together, and I have my own place to play in the living room. It's the best. I mostly played in there all evening, though I did have to drag a few things out into the rest of the house.

So I've been giving this a bit of thought, and think that some how, for some reason, that we should do something on our little bloggity home to mark the passing away of 2009 and the beginning of 2010.

Does anyone remember how when we were 7 or so that the day passed so slow? I distintly remember this one day in the early summer, when we still lived in our old house. I had been given a journal for Christmas from Grandmother it was purple with little cats all over it, and I had stopped and put it up against the wall to write something down. I asked Mother what time it was, and she told me. And then I put the journal back in my room, and after what seemed like years I asked what time it was again, and not even five minutes had passed. I remember how in grade school weeks dragged as Christmas break approached, and then when it finally did the count down began for when Daddy would be off with us. Then in high school when everyone was looking forward to prom and then of course graduation... those months dragged it couldn't get here fast enough. But somehow time passed faster and faster and faster, until now this year has become a blur.

I mean seriously did someone dump some miracle grow on Britt? He's not suppose to grow this fast is he? He's not much of a baby anymore. Has it really been nearly a year? Last night Gary and I thought back to 3 years ago, the night we got engaged. Then he went wait a minute has it been 3 years, are you sure about that? Yep dearest, it has indeed been 3 super fast years. However it seems to me as the days are swiftly passing by (swift as an indian arrow flies), that maybe for once I should make some resolutions, I mean with no goals how do you get anything accomplished?

~ Journaling, I'm going to start it again for me... even on days I have not too much to say. My writing skills are getting rusty from lack of real use, and besides, Mother got me this BEA-U-TI-FUL green journal just begging to be filled.

~ Lose 30 lbs, this is my big one. 15 of that is still left over from Britt and 15 magically appeared when I went from the college diet of daily raimen to the married diet of oh-so-delicious-oh-so-much-butter-and-wow-look-at-all-that-sugar.

~ Just one more and that would be to recapture Mary and kick Martha out of this house, I am finding that more and more often I am getting caught up in the stresses of daily life and forgetting to really enjoy all the little daily blessings. I need to gather as much from the sermon as possible, and stop wanting to kill my son when he interfers. I need to take a chill pill a little more often. Not that I am cool with the house going to disaster zone or anything, but maybe I worry a little too much about keeping everything in order at the sacrifice of just being crazy and fun, more like I use to be. I want to do more than survive this year, I want to really live it. So look out world, 2010 has arrived!