The Joy of My Salvation

Daddy and Me

2012-02-01T14:53:00.005-05:00

Today, Momma took Britt to town with her so that she could do some pricing for her list of things she's going to buy when Daddy gets a job again. It must be a long list because they were gone all morning. Daddy and I had the house to ourselves. Usually Daddy and Britt go to town and Momma and me stay home, so it was a nice change. Daddy and I played together in the floor. Then we watched some show called Farscape. I got bored with that so I called Memaw. Eventually Daddy and I took a little nap together on the couch, we were tired because Britt woke us up at 2 and at 4:30 and at 7. I don't know why he doesn't like to sleep like the rest of us, he mustbe somebody else's kid. This afternoon Daddy raked leaves, and I refused to help. Infact, I rolled around in his leaf piles and made a big mess. Daddy says Momma won't be really happy about that, she wants the yard raked up before the Fellowship Meeting, and there are a lot of leaves out there. After a while, Daddy pushed me on the swing. I love the swing. Anytime I can trick Britt into unlocking and openning the door for me, I head straight for my green swing. Britt sometimes asks to sit in it, but Momma always tells him no, because it is my swing! It's been a great day with Daddy.

Brittisms for the Month

2012-01-31T14:14:00.006-05:00

Some of these may be a repeat for those of you on Facebook. I thought I should save these "perfectly normal" conversations with Britt, so enjoy.

Brittism #1 - The following is a conversation I had with Britt today, after he repeated for about the 400th time in a row, my marching orders to Ruth. She seems to think I am bossy with my sister sometimes.

Momma: Britt, I give the orders, you sit quietly.

Britt: (quieter now) But, I wanna give orders.

Momma: You can give orders when you grow up and become a Daddy.

Britt: When I be a Daddy?

Momma: In a long time.

Britt: Ohhhhhh. (long pause) You're not a Daddy. Momma's a Ma'am!

Brittism #2 - Occured during dinner the same day...

Momma: Britt, could you please eat one bite of carrots?

Britt( who is on his third helping of mash potatotes): No, thank you, Momma. I am eating pobabos right now. Sorry.

Daddy: At least he's polite about it.

Brittism #3 - During our annual meeting Britt had on my brown suit for Church and Daddy was putting his shoes on for him...

Momma: You two are handsome.

Britt: I not handsome. I a wittle boy.
Momma: Handsome just means you look nice. Do you look nice, Britt?

Britt: I not nice! I a wittle boy, Momma!

Brittism #4 - Britt was outside standing up next to the cows talking to them. After I watched him for nearly an hour from the kitchen window, I walked to the door and called...

Momma: Britt are you ready to come inside.

Britt: No, Momma. I talking to the cows.

(She walked out to me with mine chair. I said thank you and sat down.)
Momma: What are you talking to the cows about?

Britt: Cranes.
Momma: Do they like the cranes in their pasture?

Britt: Yes, Momma, but they would like me to feed them more. Let's feed them oranges!
(She didn't have any idea that cows were so conversant, but sure enough we got some produce from the house and they rather enjoyed the pretty wilted, left over celery.)

Brittism #5 - In our attempts to potty train Britt...

Momma: Let's go to the bathroom again.

Britt: No, thank you Momma. I don't want to go.
Momma: Don't you want to be a big boy, and wear big boy underwear like Daddy?

Britt: Nope, I like my bapers (diapers) just fine!

Brittism #6 - On cows...

Britt: Cows drink milk from a cup?

Momma: No, baby cows drink milk from their Momma.

Britt: Their Momma give them milk like Momma and Daddy give Britt milk.

Momma: Yes.

Daddy: You drink milk, and cows drink mild. Are you a cow?

Britt: No Daddy, I not a cow. I a little boy!

Brittism #7 - You should know that Britt likes "Cat in the Hat" alot and that in one episode Sally goes to get silk thread for her swirly, swirly, princess dress. In what is beginning to be an every Sunday occurance...

Britt: Ruth has on a swirly, swirly princess dress?

Momma: Yes.

Britt: Momma has on a swirly, swirly princess dress, too.

Momma: Yes.

Britt: I want a swirly, swirly princess dress too!

Momma: No, you are going to wear a handsome suit, like Daddy.

Britt: I not want a suit, I like a swirly, swirly princess dress.

... (Hours later in the lunchroom at Church, surrounded by all of his cousins - Brystal, Lilli, and Julia - who are spinning in circles) ...

Britt: (grumpily muttering) Everybody has a swirly, swirly princess dress but me!

The Grovey New Stroller

2012-01-29T17:28:00.006-05:00

I've borrowed Mom and Dad's double stroller a few times, because it's hard to get out with two kids so close in age. Ruth even now refuse to walk anywhere out except very rarely, and then only in the direction and speed at which she wants to move. So by default she's almost always the one in the stroller. Poor Britt likes to walk, but eventually he gets tired, and then he wants to sit or be carried. It's way easier to let him sit and carry Ruth, but she holds on about as well as a sack full of potatoes does, except she's far squirmier, imagine trying to carry a big fat, lazy cat (minus the claws). Let's just say it doesn't work out that well for us. As a result I often limit trips out and about to either one day long thing a week, when Gary can come, or very short trips.

I had also mentioned to Gary back when we were in Gainesville, that it would be nice to have a jogging stroller. I would kinda like to start running again, or at least walking enough extra to lose some baby weight. But once again unless someone is watching the kids daily, they need to come along too, and we still have the problem of what to do with the kids as far as the one stroller logistics. When Ruth was still small and weighed much less than she does now, I could wear her and push Britt in the stroller, but she is at the weight limit for the front carrier now, and to be honest to wear her very long makes us both immensely sweaty and she is super heavy these days.

Enter the totally awesome new stroller that I mentioned yesterday. It's new to us anyway. The second hand shop down the road from us gets a fair amount of business from us, we carry girl clothes in from time to time (we have enough for triplets so some of the stuff me and the girls decide we don't care for goes down there), and we buy stuff for Britt, especially shoes. Well the Carousel Kids Consignment shop has had a double jogging stroller I've been eyeing a few weeks now ever since it was at $75. I finally bargained with Gary last week to let me cash in our change jar for it. I had 31 dollars in silver change, and thank goodness he didn't make me carry the pennies in. We got it for $50. I knew I had gotten a great deal, but I didn't realize just how good of a deal I had gotten until I started looking around online to see if I could find a manual for it.

Turns out it's a Dream Design Ditto Jogger Stroller (we have the older model in navy blue), and the older model and the newer model both sell for anywhere between $350 and $450, which lots of people say are totally worth it, but I would have trouble justifying that expense for any stroller, even if we were making tons of money. Even the used ones I saw online were going for no less than $150, so I really did get a steal. My only complaints are that it's pretty bulky, but I've yet to see a double stroller that isn't. I did learn online, that the wheels have a button to pop off, and then the stroller will fold flatter. And my other complaint is that the hood seems to be pretty close to the top of Britt's head. He doesn't mind, and when it's folded up, he uses it as a

pillow, but I read that most kids seem to be close to the top of it. It really does turn on a dime, and is very light (considering the size). It drifts a bit to the left when you run with it, but I think it's because Gary took off the front wheel, piddled with it, and didn't get it one quite right. It's really easy to push, and they will almost run away without me. Britt told me "We all wide together, Momma. It's soooo fun!" I saw where the company has gone out of business so the 20 year warranty isn't any good, but I think it's a great design, way better than any of the other double strollers I've played with. If you need a double stroller have the chance to get one second hand, I would recommend it.

McClenny's January Meeting

2012-01-29T16:32:00.004-05:00

This past Friday we headed up to McClenny. We headed up early so that Gary could meet with a chemical rep to look over some product that they are interested in Gary selling for him. He was really impressed and had a nice long nearly 2 hour visit. Me and the kids played on the playground and walked with the new jogging stroller. (A great topic for another post.)

This weekend was McClenny Church's annual meeting time, which was the real reason that Gary arranged to meet this gentlemen there on Friday. It was wonderful to head up and visit with some dear friends that we made in the year we spent in Gainesville. Gary and I greatly enjoyed the visit with members we love and respect like the Whiteheads and the Connors and the Crawfords. We also enjoyed the chance to hang out with some other young families our age like the Mizells and the Fords and the Ferrells (you know, all those blogs we, I mean, I stalk).

The most endearing part of the weekend was the chance to watch Britt and Ruth play with kids their age. I didn't grow up with kids my age in the church, as a teenager we visited a few other churches like Zion's Rest were there were some kids my age, but for the most part that was something I missed out on. And I cannot express how much it thrills me to watch Britt jump on the trampoline with "Ate" and see him have the opportunity to play with some boys his age. It cracks me up to no end to see Ruth follow the big girls around and plop herself down in the middle of whatever they are doing and mimic them. We all had a great time together, and shame on me, I had the camera in the car the whole time, and never got it out.

Aside from the great blessing in and of itself that fellowship is. We were blessed immensely with 6 powerful sermons. Eld. Tim McCool, and his brother, Lic. Chris McCool were the invited ministers. I was especially impressed with Bro. Chris's gift since it was my first time to hear him, and he's not been among the Old Baptist long. He has a great knack for explaining things in a way that makes them very easy to picture. We heard them each preach twice. We also heard Eld. Gordon Smith and Eld. Jon Mizell preach.

Friday night Bro. Chris began with talking about the experience on the thief on the cross and how he could only be saved by grace plus nothing. Talked about how he asked the Lord to "Remember me." He said that is the cry of every child of God born again, not remember my works, he didn't want him to remember his life of crime and sin. He didn't say remember my words, he didn't want him to remember how he railed on him. He asked him to remember him, himself. He told how that was the cry of the Publican in prayer, of the child who you lay in the crib in a dark room at night, of all who come to see their own worthlessness before God. And he pointed out that God didn't say, "Absolutely not you vile creature" as He had all right to, but He comforted him and promised him that this day he would be with Him in paradise. Bro. Tim followed up with how on the cross Christ went where he had never gone before, by becoming sin. Christ went thrill great physical pain yes, but that was just the serpent biting his heel, the true horror of the cross was that "he became sin for us, he who knew no sin." and that all this time, he still sees that his mother is carried for, he still comforts the cross next time him. There is utter chaos around him, Jews mocking, soldiers gambling, great physical pain, and yet he is going somewhere, and enduring something he had never done before, for each of us. Those two messages were my favorite from the weekend. Song service began with such a fervent spirit that it was obvious that the Lord was with us, and that many prayers had gone up about this meeting.

Saturday morning they again had good messages. Bro. Tim went first starting in I Peter 4:5 "Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead." and II Peter 3:4-9 about how some say that all things continue as they always have and that the Lord isn't coming back. He preached an able sermon about how the Lord isn't "slack as some men count slackness" and that the only reason he delays in coming back is to wait for the last child of God to be regenerated. He talked about the Lord being ready to judge and that we should be in all readiness. Not that we must do such and such to get right and be ready, but like the servant who was prepared for his master's coming (Matthew 24:42-51). Bro. Chris followed him up with the story of the Samaritan woman at the well found in John 4. He talked about how she repeatedly doubts him, and asks him questions. Gary and I have heard several sermons on the woman at the well (oddly enough several all at McClenny) and each person we've heard has had a different take on her, and all brought out insightful points. Bro. Chris in his experience as a prosecutor says he has seen women like this who have had multiple husbands who need a man to define them, who are often beaten and have little to no worth in their own eyes, and he talked about how Christ "must needs go through Samaria." Many would say that she was a Samaritan, a harlot, and not worth his time, but that the Lord goes and brings comfort and hope to her. She came beaten down in the middle of the day, when she wouldn't have to see the other women who would be at the well in the early morning or early evening, but she leaves her bucket (something important in the hot desert, and runs back to the village to report something far more important that there is a man like no other man.

Saturday afternoon Bro. Gordon Smith took as his topic the letter to the Philippian Church and said that it was a warning to us today. Philippians isn't a great doctrinal treatise like Romans or Corinthians, because they Church at Philippi had no great doctrinal errors, but that their problem was that a spirit of pessimism and cynicism had come to roost in that Church. He talked about how that no matter the circumstances and the problems that may surround us in the world, or even in the Church that we should be happy in Christ. That the words joy, rejoice, or rejoiced are found over 20 times in those four chapters, and that we must keep our focus on the joy we have in him always. It was a warning and an encouragement. Bro. Jon Mizel followed up with a sermon on Romans 8. He said we needed a good hardshell topic to complete the meeting. haha. Seriously though he did an able job of expounding the end of Romans 8, and telling us about all the things that couldn't separate us from the Love of Christ, in a quick and succinct manner. Perfect for an afternoon service.

Of course, between and after most every service we talked and visited. We laughed until our

sides hurt, and shared some parenting challenges. The love and fellowship that we all have together brings two verses to mind. "Behold, how good and how pleasant for brethren to dwell together in unity!" (Psalm 133:1) and "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." (Ephesians 4:1-3)

Pizza

2012-01-27T10:47:00.002-05:00

As you may have guessed we've been trying to do a little more cooking around here lately. I would like to be a better cook, and I know it's unfair to expect Gary to do all the cooking, even if he does enjoy it. I have about three meals that I can cook without too much trouble, and no one wants to eat oven fried chicken, tacos, or roast every night. It would be nice to expand my horizons a bit. When Gary and I first got married I cooked dinner almost every night, until I got pregnant with Britt and merely smelling cold, uncooked food made me sick. Gary took over cooking, and he really loves it, but I would like to help him with that when he starts back to work. (Which we hope will be very, very soon.)

I've been saving interesting or easy looking recipes on Pinterest. One that I came across was for pizza crust. I liked it for a couple of reasons, one being that I wanted to make pizza for Britt's birthday (Gary nixed the idea, because of time constrains), but the other is because it would give me the chance to try baking bread with yeast. I've been thinking awhile about doing some serious bread baking. I always enjoyed baking (it's nothing like cooking) and I've been wanting to try out the kneading attachment on my Kitchenaid for a while. And this seemed to be a simple initial recipe to try.

The dough recipe comes with a cheesy bread recipe which is fantastic. The explanations are very clear, and there are plenty of good pictures. The only time consuming part was waiting for the dough to rise. The recipe makes enough for either two pizzas or a cheesy bread and a pizza. We made one of each. Gary says he thinks the pizza was too expensive to be worth it. (Do you have any idea what a quarter pound of mozerella cheese cost? and pepperoni too?) Oh it was so delicious though. We ate tons of it, and liked it so well, that we made the dough to make more cheesy bread for Britt's birthday. I have a feeling we'll be trying more of her recipes.

Swedish Potatoes

2012-01-26T12:53:00.002-05:00

One of the first links I found on Pinterest was this recipe for Swedish Potatoes. Gary and I finally got around to trying them Monday night. The recipe was surprisingly simple and incredible tasty. To go with them, we had the grilled chicken a recipe that I got from Sis. Liz York (which by the way, is one of our standbys now that we eat almost every week), and a Strawberry Spinach Salad.

The thought that the potatoes were fabulous, but Gary thought the garlic was a little too strong, so next time we won't use as much garlic in them. I think he put a bit of garlic in every other spot where he cut them. We ate them with a little more butter drizzled across the top, and some sour cream. If you are a fan of baked potatoes or pan fried potatoes I suggest you try it.

We have modified the chicken recipe a little bit. Since Gary typically grills the chicken out on the grill, we don't use the liquid smoke when cooking outside. We also add 2 teaspoons of onion powder. We have used several types of mustard, the regular, honey mustard, and the spicy brown, and we like the spicy/bold brown mustard best.

The Spinach Strawberry Salad is actually a recipe that we have quite a bit, in fact it's the only way we like to eat spinach. (Well, actually I love a good spinach cheese dip, but Gary doesn't.) It goes with almost everything. I was surprised to find it on allrecipe.com awhile ago, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised at it, I'm sure I'm my family isn't the first family to eat it. The key to it, is in how long you leave the dressing in the fridge before you serve it. The shorter time it's there the warmer and spicier it taste, it's got a great slightly sweet taste if you leave it in there long enough. I personally like it slightly vinegary taste over the sweet Florida strawberries.

Eease!

2012-01-25T16:53:00.002-05:00

I babble alot, not all the time. Britt talks all the time, and it's usually about cows. I mean, did you see his post yesterday? He managed to answer with cow in a third of his answers. I mean sheesh, what's so great about them? They are big. They slobber alot. And, they can be very noisy. There are so many better things to do outside than spend all your time staring at them.

Anyway, so I'm talking more. Momma and Daddy still don't understand that much of what I say, for some unknown reason. I saw "MaaaaaMaaaaa" really clear and "DaDaDa". After Momma is done getting me dressed or fixing my hair she always looks at me and says, "There!" So, I have started saying "dar" and nodding my head too. I usually point and screach when I want something, but sometimes I do rarely say "cup" clear as day. I can say "bye-bye" though Momma laments that I only choose to say it after everyone is gone. I tell Britt "ni-ni" (night-night) at the end of the day. And Momma has convinced me to say "hay" (hey) a time or two when someone comes to see us.

I don't say a whole lot, because I don't really need to. It's much easy to just yell "ehhhh" and wave wildly around, lots of people jump to do lots of things then. Britt brings me all sorts of stuff if I start crying, and he always asks for me a cup when he gets one too. He usually brings mine first. He does have his useful moments. Momma has been working on me yelling though, she says it's not polite or very lady like. When I want something she has started asking me to say please, so I now say "eease!" If you don't believe me watch.

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15 Questions

2012-01-24T14:13:00.007-05:00

Today since Britt just turned three I asked him about some of his favorite things. I got the idea from another blogger. Here were his answers...

What is your favorite color? "Blue like my Gator cup."

What is your favorite book? "Choco book." (A Mother for Choco by Keiko Kasza)

What is your favorite movie? "Gator movie." (Peter Pan)

What is your favorite song? "Cow Jump Over the Moon."

What is your favorite animal? "An orange cow, hahahaha! There no orange cows, Momma!"

What is your favorite things to wear? "My tiger clothes." (Auburn stuff)

What is your favorite thing to do outside? "Ok, checkin da chickens." (Check on the chickens.)

What is your favorite drink? "Juice."

What is your favorite thing to eat? "Chicken nuggets."

Where is your favorite place to go? "Go outside."

What is your favorite thing to help Momma and Daddy do? "Pick sticks." (pick up sticks out of the yard for the fireplace.)

What is your favorite part of our day? "Movies and milk and cacorn!" (popcorn)

What do you like to take to bed with you at night? "Grumps and Ahna and Aunt Maghen and Unca Clint. No, they don't sleep wiff you, hahahaha! Moo Cow, cowboy blanket, my blanket, and Gwow worm." (Glow worm)

Who is your best friend? "Lilli, no Lilli mine cousin. Moo Cow is mine friend."

What do you want to be when you grow up? "A cow... I not a cow. I a wittle boy!"

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Britt's Birthday Party

2012-01-23T13:42:00.001-05:00

Yesterday for Britt's birthday, we a just did a little something for him. We started to just do him a couple of cupcakes and the four of us be here with him, but I'm glad we did a little more. This was the first time he seemed to understand what was going on. When he got up I asked him if he knew what today was and he didn't so I told him it was his birthday. I kept randomly asking him all morning what it was until he would answer me "It's mine birffday!" I tried to tell him he was 3 and he kept telling me no, that he was a "wittle boy." We finally got him to tell us he was three and show us when I asked him what number he was now. We told him it was also Sis. Mildred's birthday, so that he could tell her happy birthday at Church, but he kept insisting that no it was Sis. Wid-e-a's (Lydia's) birthday.

He sung to himself at Church, and was very excited after he realized that he got some special surprises for his birthday. We let him pick out breakfast, and Gary thought he would pick cinnamon rolls, but I wasn't surprised at all that he picked pancakes. I let him eat a cookie before supper, and he got as many capri-suns as he wanted yesterday. I wanted to make him a pizza that looked like the ones from Pizza Planet, but Gary didn't think we had enough time so we just made cheesy bread. The cheese bread was fabulous. I tried making two different kinds of cookies - Woody's star badges and a brown version of Jessie's Cowboy hat (to be Woody's hat), but the stars just didn't turn out at all and the hat would have probably looked better if I had actually remembered to by some icing for them. I looked at a couple of different ideas for cupcakes: Buzz, the aliens, but I decided to let Publix do that. It was out of my limited baking ability range. Pinterest was great for ideas though. I asked him if he had a good birthday several times and he always replied "Yes, Momma!"

His three cousins came over the the house and they all played outside on the swingset, and ate pizza and cupcakes and cookies, and all after dark destroyed the living room and bedroom. Meanwhile us adults sat around and visited, it was a great evening. Britt was thrilled to death with all of his presents and I read him the cards and messages on the computer, and he was surprised how many people wrote him notes for his birthday. After everyone went home Britt and Ruth spent some time in the bathtub while I cleaned up their room. Then Britt called Grumps and Ahna and then Grandmother and Granddaddy on Skype. By the time he got in bed at 11:30 he was wore out, a little cranky, but went to sleep fast!

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3 Years with Britt

2012-01-22T23:45:00.007-05:00

Britt,

Today you are 3 years old. Happy Birthday, little man! Even as I type this I can hear you say, "I not a wittle man, Momma. I a wittle boy!" You are full of mischief and are constantly telling us what you do and don't like and often push the line to determine you can stretch the boundaries of acceptable behavior. We butt heads often, mostly when you conveniently don't hear what I said. (Ahna is probably laughing as she reads this, and Grumps will say something to the effect of, "I'm glad those days are behind us now.") But as your Daddy has pointed out, you decline to obey in such a well mannered way. Just a couple of nights ago, when I asked you if you were ready for a bath you replied, "No, I'm playing right now. Sorry, Momma." You didn't say it with a mean thought or a bad attitude, just a matter of fact, no I'm busy right now. After saying you were sorry, you reach over and patted my knee, as if to comfort me.

You are the most loving little man for all your stubbornness. You are quick to run to Ruth when she is crying and rub her hair and say "What's wrong Roof? Don't cry!" in your most concerned voice. When I don't feel well, you are quick to come and cuddle and pat my arm and say, "I wuv you too Momma." Somewhere in the last few months your "super independent do it all myself" outlook on life, did a sudden 180 and became "Momma must do everything for me." While it is wonderful to be needed, I'm pretty sure you are more than capable of picking up your toys without help, and eating your food without my assistance.

I know that you are a bright and capable little boy, you are eager to approach any challenge, and dislike being told that you can't do something or that you are too little. You often tell me that you are not a baby any more if I try to tell you that you are too little to do something. And after all, you are a good helper, as I often tell you. You can load laundry like a pro, even if I have to help distribute it around the agitator since you can't actually see over the top of the washer. I have to watch you carefully, since when you put a load in, you'll start on the next load too, if I don't stop you. You can open the drier and carry everything to the couch to be put away now, and I have caught you unloading it a time or two after the bell went off, even when they might need to go another round. You are a pro at washing dishes now. Infact, it's pretty rare for me to have to go back and wash out one of your cups behind you now. Of course, washing dishes often turns into a free for all with water and suds going everywhere. Each day you feed Mara, with a little help in opening the door and scooping the feed at the bottom of the bag. Then we go and you check on the chickens. While I rinse out their water bucket, you like to throw feed in the pen. And after I lift the eggs out, you can carry them back to the house without breaking them. At night you love to help Daddy cook. You stand on your little chair/stool, and he lets you mix things and shake things to your hearts content. You are quick to go and get Ruth a toy, if only to trade because you want what she has.

Your sister and you have a special bond. You lay and watch movies together or play side by side. You wrestle in the cardboard box, that you have named "Mine home." Other than your attempts to completely soak her in the bathtub each night, you play really well together. Often if I let you do something different while she is napping you want her to play too. You will go in the room you two share a hundred times during naptime, until she finally wakes up, and you shriek, "You wake up now Ruth. We can play!" Naptime is beginning to fade from your life. You promise each day to take a nap in exchange for a cup, and as soon as it is downed you come to tell us that "I wake up now!" Sometimes we get a late evening nap, but not always.

Son, you are bright, energetic child, with lots of love (especially for cows). You are a wonder to behold in action. You are trying and exhausting. I very often wonder, what in the world goes on in your head. You laugh your manic laugh often, and think your jokes are amazing... especially the one where I ask you who someone is, and you always reply with the wrong name (usually Daddy or Grumps). You will do almost anything for cookies. You are the most wonderfully endearing person and the child most likely to drive me crazy. I hope you never lose your wonder at the world, your drive, and your enthusiasm. I do hope you learn over the years to train that will of yours. Determination and a strong will are wonderful traits if you can learn to direct them. A water hose left running in the yard will just make a muddy mess, but a water hose with a tight nozzle and a little aim, can carve a mini grand canyon in the flowerbed. If you can tame and direct that will you can do anything you set your mind to accomplish.

Your Daddy and I look forward to watching you grow into the man you will one day become, and we love you dearly.

Love,

Momma

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Looking Back...

2012-01-18T14:53:00.018-05:00

I might not look much like Momma, but there's no doubt that I favor Daddy's side of the family. I have heard that I look even more like Daddy than Britt does. I've heard that I look just like my Granna and Memaw. I have heard that I have Aunt Manna's smile and chubby checks. I have heard most often that I have my Aunt Joan's eyes. No matter how many pictures Momma shows me, you can't find a one that doesn't look at least a little like me.

(Ruth, 4 months) (Gary B., 3 months old, 9-1979)

(Ruth, almost 1 yr, 8-9-2011) (Gary B., 1 yr old, 6-1980)

(Ruth, 16 months old, 12-25-2011) (Gary B., between 15 and 18 months old, end of 1980)

(Ruth, 15 months, 11-24-2011) (Gary B., close to 2 years, 1981)

(Ruth, 10.5 months old, 7-5-2011) (Amanda, around 8 months, Fall 1981)

(Ruth, 7 months, 3-2011) (Joan Ellen, 1 year, 6-1984)

Looking Back...

2012-01-17T14:14:00.007-05:00

People sometimes say, I don't look as much like Daddy as I did when I was little, but I definitely don't look much like Momma either.

(Britt, 35 months old, 12-29-2011) (Danielle, 30 months old, 11-29-1987)

Sometimes Momma thinks I look like Unca Maffew, she says we have the same crazy face, when soemthing is about to happen. But we don't look much alike.

(Britt, nearly three, 12-21-2011) (Matthew, barely 2, 7-1989)

Sometimes Grandmother thinks I look a little like Unca Nick did when he was small. I guess I can see a little more resemblance there. We have the same cowlicks all over and the same eyes when we smile.

(Britt, nearly 3 years, 1-4-2012) (Nicholas, 3 yrs and 4 mons, 9-8-90)

However, who I think I look most like right now is Unca Benji. We both have squishy eyes when we smile, we both have weird smiles, and we both have the same flat noses. Ahna says Unca Benji was a cute baby, when Momma and my other uncles make fun of him, and she says I'm cute too, so she must be right.

(Britt, nearly 3, 1-1-2012) (Benjamin, nearly 2, 12-14-1991)

Like Mother, not Like Daughter

2012-01-14T08:28:00.008-05:00

I've been meaning to do a blog for me and Ruth like I did for Britt and Gary for the last 6 months or so. The only problem with this plan is that Ruth still doesn't look a thing like me. In case you thought she did in some way view the following exhibits.

(Ruth, 3 months, 12-3-2010) (Danielle 2.5 months old, 7-31-1985)

Ruth has those cubby cheeks, and the quintessential Cunningham ears, I have a much narrower face and strange elfish looking ears. She has those squish half moon eyes and I have big saucer eyes. The only resemblance there is we are both tiny girls.

(Ruth, 6 months, 3-15-2011) (Danielle, 5.5 months, 10-27-1985)

Once again same vast difference in features. Ruth has cherub cheeks, I look a little on the thin side. She has crazy eyes, I look normal for a change. The only resemblance I see are two happy babies.

(Ruth, 1 yr old, 8-14-2011) (Danielle, 1 yr old, 5-13-1986)

This is the only set of pictures I've been able to dig up that I see a little resemblance. We both have squishy eyes and crazy faces. And why wouldn't we, it's our first birthday and we are getting ready to eat lots of cake.

(Ruth, 16 months old, 12-29-2011) (Danielle, 19.5 months, 1-1-87)

The only resemblance in this set of pictures is that we are wearing the exact same set of clothes. Really. This is one of the few outfits that were saved from me. While she may not look a thing like me, I couldn't be more proud of the little girl who comes to show me her treasures, who runs to me to kiss away bumps on her head, and how snuggles better than other living creature (I'm sure of it).

Sometimes There are Moments that You Want to Save Forever...

2012-01-13T12:07:00.000-05:00

(You'll have to have the house very quiet to hear it, because Britt is whispering most of the time.)

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New Year's Camp Out 2011

2012-01-12T14:22:00.000-05:00

... or How Many PBs Does it Take to Put Up a Tent?

This year since New Year's Day fell on Sunday, we had a slight change to our usual plans of camping out down at the Church. This year we set up our tents and camped out on the 30th, and had the big New Year's picnic on the 31st. While everyone was putting up their tents, I let the little one's play on the air mattress in ours. It kept them corralled and I enjoyed listening to them laugh and play.

We had a great time. There were 7 tents this year, and a few more of the sisters stayed in the Church house. We had a camp fire in the yard, grilled hot dogs and sausage dogs, Bro. David cooked some pizzas, and we had smores. Dad made his famous peach cobbler in a cast iron pot over the camp fire. We ate and visited. We talked about politics and church stuff. We talked about raising kids and making spouses happy. We had the best time visiting late into the night.

The kids had just as good of a time. They ran around the Church yard playing Ghost in the Graveyard, tag, and sardines all with Bro. Chris. We all suspect he's just a big kid sometimes. Britt had no idea what most of the games the kids were playing were, but when Bro. Chris would start counting and they would all run, he would take off behind them.

After all the kids got to bed, I had a nice time pulling out the binoculars to look at the stars. There were tons of stars in the sky to see with the naked eye, despite a half moon, but then to us the binoculars you could see hundred more. To me the starry sky is the most wondrous part of His creation, and the bible tells us it was the work of his finger tips, that he also made the stars, almost like an afterthought a final touch.

I didn't sleep too well, who ever does in a tent? Britt got off his air matteress in the middle of the night, and got on ours, it was pretty cramped sleeping between Gary and Britt, and it got pretty cold. But the experience of camping out with everyone is one I hate to pass up, after all we only do it once a year.
Dad cooked a big breakfast the next morning, and we all visited inside and out on New Year's Eve. We sat around the camp fire and talked. Several played with the bean-bag toss, and the kids ran wild on the 9 acre church yard. Some of them walked down to the creek and around the wildlife preserve that is next to the Church with a couple of adults.
Around noon, we had hamburgers and hot dogs, and gradually after lunch the crowd began to thin out. The kids began to run on fumes, and those of us who had spent the night weren't far behind them. We talked and visited as long as we could stand, before heading home. Britt fell asleep in the car and was in bed around 6:30. Ruth managed to stay awake through a bath, but wasn't far behind him.
Gary said it was strange to not sing out the old year and in the new for the first time in about 17 years. We caught part of my ball game though, and laid around the house watching old episodes of Merlin. It was a peaceful end to 2011.

Flirt

2012-01-11T19:20:00.000-05:00

Momma says the more my personality blossoms the more of a flirt I become. She doesn't understand where I've learned it from, it must just be me. I love my Daddy best at all. He's no good at rocking me, so I got to Momma for that, but I love to cuddle up next to Daddy on the couch and watch tv. Peter Pan is my current favorite. I love to sit with him in Church, and next to him when we eat lunch. He's MY Daddy.

One of my favorite things to do with Daddy though, isn't to give him kisses. We just put our heads together, and smile and laugh together. He knows it means I love him. I hate when Daddy goes off to do something with out me. If he leaves me behind when he goes to church I mope around until bedtime. If he goes and gets more firewood I stand at the door to wait for him to come back. Momma says I'm going to have issues when Daddy starts back to work. I think I'll just go with him. After all, I already know he can't resist when I walk in the room and hold my arms up to him. He knows it mean I want to hold him.

Return of an Old Friend

2012-01-11T18:24:00.002-05:00

One of my dear quilting friends and Church sisters, Rachel is back from her blogger hiatus. She's been busy with work, school, and lots of studying. She's revamped the blogspot, and you can now find her here. Swing by she has tons of beautiful horse pictures up already.

Going Fishing...

2012-01-10T22:41:00.003-05:00

About a week ago, Daddy and Mister went fishing and they took me with them. I was so excited to go. I've been asking Daddy to carry me fishing for a couple of months now. The day before we left, we had to go to town to buy me a "Fishin' vest" and my own "fishin' rad" The vest was pretty much just like my church vest, except big and fluffy. I was especially excited about my fishing pole. It is red and blue, and has spiderman on it.

I couldn't hardly sleep the night before we left. I got up several times to ask Momma if it was time to go fishing yet. She came in my room the morning of the big day and woke me up. I bounced out of bed, and put on jeans, and my fishing shirt, and a coat, and shoes, and I ran into the kitchen to tell Daddy lets go. It was cold and it was early but Mister came in the truck with the boat, and off we went.

First we had to go and buy some worms, but they didn't have any. Daddy wanted me to stand still while he and Mister unloaded the boat, but I just couldn't I was too excited. Daddy kept pulling me back from the water. Then as soon as it got in the water, I jumped in. They had to get me back out because they had to put all the stuff in first, and then Mister had to get in the back, and then I could get in.

Daddy tried to show me how to cast, and after I threw the pole in the water several times, they tied some extra fishing line to it, and to the boat, so that we could retrieve it when I lost it. Daddy said that I was suppose to put the line at the tip in the water. Just to be safe though, I stuck the line, "the rad", and my whole fist in the water. I wanted to be sure that the fish could see it and get on it.

Daddy and Mister told me that I was suppose to be quiet and still so that I didn't scare all the fish away. Well, I was too excited to sit on my stool in the middle of the bottom, sometimes I leaned over to see the water better (Daddy says I have no fear of water). Sometimes I would climb up to ask Daddy something, and sometimes I would have to go back to check on Mister. I had lots of questions too. Daddy said he didn't know one little boy could make such racket on such a little boat.

Around noon, we left to go buy worms from Daddy and Mister's normal guy. They had a pile of cats, I couldn't count that many or that fast. After we got the worms, we went to a different place to fish. We had lots of good things to eat like a Cuban. I had cups of juice, and some Mountain Dew. But the best part was Daddy's Oatmeal Creme Pies. I like to eat "Da-e's Pays."

I was the only one who caught a fish. Daddy said it didn't count because it was the red rubber fish that came with the pole, but I'm really proud of it. We had a great time, and I can't wait to go back again.

When we got back home, I showed Momma my fish, and how to reel. It lead to lots of laughter.

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Sometimes it's just one of those days...

2012-01-05T17:04:00.002-05:00

Things I Can Do

2011-12-28T10:20:00.001-05:00

Momma said that I should tell you about some of the things that I can do know, that I am getting big and strong. I helped get ready for Christmas, I tried to put balls on the tree, but they wouldn't stay on. Britt and I also undecorated the tree almost every morning. We just thought the ornaments should be moved... and moved often.
I can get Daddy to do almost anything for me these days. I just cry a little and lift my hands in the air and he comes swooping in to the rescue. I don't have to say a word, and I don't. When I want to go to be rocked to sleep I go and find Momma, but Daddy is who I go to when I want to play or I'm hurt.
Momma says it's hard to get a good picture of me these days because I'm getting so fast. I can almost keep up with Britt. They make fun of my little waddly walk, but I'm short and sash-shay when I walk. I'm running a little bit now, especially when I'm trying to catch up to someone or go to fetch a toy that I want.
I can understand most everything that I'm told. If Momma asks me if I'm ready to go to bed, I waddle to our room, and I pull my blanket out of the crib and sit there or lay there and wait for her to come and put me in bed. I can put up almost all of my toys, and I know where my shoes and diapers are and can fetch them and bring them to Momma when she asks for them.
I can climb up on the couch and back down. I can climb most steps, though I'm still very cautious. It's increasingly difficult for Momma and Daddy to keep things out of my reach. I still like to climb up on the hearth to the fireplace, but my favorite place to sit is in the little rocker. However, everytime Momma comes over with the camera I get out of the rocker, and try to steal her camera.
Grandmother and Ahna have remarked about how much my hair has grown. Momma tries to stay on top of my hair more and more these days, my bangs are in my eyes now when ever she doesn't have a bow or headband in there. It's also starting to get kinda curly in the back, so Momma doesn't plan to cut it any time soon.
I'm a real pro at upwrapping presents, I'm even faster than Britt. Daddy says if you don't watch me I can shred anything in a matter of seconds. I love to swing and slide, and I'm loving our new play set. As busy as I stay I still have my cute little rolls.
While I haven't figured out how to push my riding car around, I still spend all my time awake with my favorite brother. Sometimes he's still too rough, and he's all the time stealing my toys from me. But I love to go where ever he goes and try to do whatever he does. I love him.

My Christmas Gift

2011-12-27T18:41:00.000-05:00

When I went to bed I didn't see anything outside, and when I woke up it was a normal day, and we went to Church. When I got back Momma told me I had a Christmas surprise. I got to play for an hour and a half that day, and Ruth and I played for over 3 hours yesterday, but we couldn't play today because it rained all day. I'll just show you the video now.

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Building the Fort at Night

2011-12-26T21:09:00.003-05:00

This 200 lb-8 foot box was very solidly packed, and supposedly carried everything to build the fort and swing set. We wondered how they got the slide in there until we openned it up and saw that we would have to assemble the slide too. It wasn't a solid, single piece.
On the afternoon of the 21st Dad came over. The laid out all the pieces and hardware, and accounted for everything before they began working. The put together the swing beam, the ladder, and the walls to the fort. They worked nearly 4 hours. During this time I shut all the blinds on the backside of the house and deadbolted the door. Britt in Ruth in totally ignorance played with Lilli and watched moves.
On the 22nd, Gary worked alittle more, but we didn't work in earnest until the 24th. Before dark, while the kids napped, we managed to assemble the fort before heading to Memaw and Mister's house to celebrate Christmas with them. After we got back, Gary took the chicken brooder lamp to use to work by, and I snapped a picture of our progress.
Around 11 with the kids finally to bed we resumed work. We had to finish the beams that held the tarps and attach them, build and attach the slide, attach the ladder, and attach the swing beam. We managed to complete it in a remarkable good time. About half asleep, we completed it just after 4 am. I guess this means we had our first Christmas Eve where we stay up all night to assemble a present.
While I staggered inside to get a shower and collapse in bed, Gary went ahead and took some pictures of the completed project. It turned out great and very sturdy. We had two cracked boards in the wall that will need to be replaced (Gary submitted a defective board request and they will be sending replacements). But I was really pleased with how well it turned out.
Above is the slide, and below is the back side of the fort. By the time Gary got done taking pictures and came in and locked up, I had already fallen asleep. We decided to wait until after Church to let the kids see it. I was afraid that it would turn into an all out battle to get Britt back in, dressed, and off to Church. It was a big hit when we took them out Sunday afternoon. But I'll let Britt tell you all about it tomorrow, when he blogs.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T21:41:00.003-05:00

From our house to yours Merry Christmas! We appreciate each and everyone of you, from those we see each week, to those we only get to see a time or two a year. We are so thankful for our family and our friends!

Santa's midnight flight...

2011-12-24T21:56:00.000-05:00

If you don't know you can track Santa across the night sky with a little help from Norad. They've been doing this since 1955, when a misprint in a Sear's ad gave out the number to that little red phone. (You know they one the pentagon uses to issue the orders to nuke the old Soviet Union.) Colonel Harry Shoup quickly caught on and he and his fellow elves gave phone updates to children and radio stations. Today you can track Santa online and by phone. Colonel Shoup has since passed away, but below he tells the story of that first call.

Common Ground revisited

2011-12-21T22:20:00.001-05:00

Momma and Daddy carried us to this very fun park last week. My favorite part was the slide. Momma insisted that I wasn't using it correctly, but Daddy encouraged me to persevere and so I climbed it. I was rather put out when after all that work they made me go down it again. I don't know why anyone would want to go down a slide after all that work to get up it. I thought I should be allowed to sit at the top and cheer for myself, but about the time I got ready to clap real good, down I went.
Another part that is alot of fun, is the tunnels under the mountain. Momma says these pictures remind her of the last time we went. She says Britt was about my size, and she was pregnant, but we hadn't shared the news quiet yet. She says that Daddy took one almost just like the one below of Britt. And it's funny how much we look alike, and yet different. I don't know about all of that, but I do think the tunnels were fun. I didn't like them as much as Britt did though, boy, he was a little crazy running around in there and yelling.
I really liked... ok, so I really liked everything at the park. Britt wanted to ride the tetter-totter, and so Momma helped him up and Daddy went to the other side to bounce him. I've never ridden one, but I decided to follow Daddy and reach to be picked up. He helped me up and what a rough ride! It was fun though, I laughed alot, and then cried when they took me off to move over to the swings.
Daddy swung with us, and that was funny. Momma swung some too. I swung until I was about to fall asleep, and it didn't take me any time to go to sleep in the car seat. And that was despite Britt having an epic meltdown for having to leave the park because it started raining. That boy has issues. If he just listened like me we'd all be happier.

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From the Mouths of Babes

2011-12-20T09:41:00.004-05:00

Momma says I should share some of the memorable things I've said over the last few weeks, so I here it goes...

I spend 75% of my day yelling, "Come on, baby Ruth. Come on, Ruth. Come oooonnnnn, baby Ruffie!!!" I drag Ruth every where with me. She's a good wingman.

Every time we get into the car I am convince that we are going to either "church, e-maw's house, or to town." When we go to town I know it means that "Alright! We are going to Brudder Chris's house" or we are going to the "ocery store for a cookie!" Every time we get back home and start pulling down our dirt road, I'm convinced we are finally at "emaw and Mister's house!"

For over a month I've been insisting to anyone who asks that it's "Joey the Snowman". Then while we were looking at Christmas lights last week Momma pointed and said, there's Joey. I laughed and her and said, "No, that Fwosty tha Snowman."

Momma says I only have two answer to everything. I either say "ohhhhh, okay" (to which Momma somehow always seems to know, I don't have a clue what she means) or I say "Or not" (Momma says it's smartalecky but sometimes I catch her grinning).

Daddy says it's even more annoying the way I randomly insert into every conversations "sisteenmoredays". Which they finally figured out was me saying sixteen more days. I've been saying this ever since before Thanksgiving when Momma told it was sixteen more days until we go to Alabama. She's been counting down the days with me until Christmas, but I'm still insisting it's "sisteenmoredays".

Today Momma got upset and was crying and I climbed up in her lap, and brushed her hair with my comb, and asked her "What's wrong, Momma. Why you cryin?" She gave me a big hug and laughed. She's so confusing, but Daddy says all women are.

Speaking of Daddy, he likes our Netflicks. He'll pick a show and watch all the episodes from every season, before he picks a new show. I can tell by the music when he's watching "Daddy's music". He was watching "Deep Space 9," now the music changed, and Momma says it's called "How I Met Your Mother".

Maybe Daddy's favorite story though is how I sing at the top of my lungs. Momma says it's made up words, but she just doesn't understand me. Daddy says I'm a note behind him, and sometimes it throws him off. But I know that they laugh because they are so happy that I like to sing with them at Church. After every song I always tell Momma "That's a GREAT song, Momma. Great song!"

Momma says her favorite thing I say is that I randomly come up, crawl up in the chair by her, snuggle up against her, throw my arms around her and say, "Momma. I wuv you! I wuv you, Momma." Then when she hugs me back, and says "I love you, Britt." Then I whisper, "I wuv you, too Momma."

Dancing with the Fish

2011-12-14T08:35:00.001-05:00

While we were at Grandmother and Granddaddy's for Thanksgiving, they pulled out the singing fish. It's something they do pretty much every trip up. I'm told that it started because Britt was scared to death, but fascinated with the thing. I don't know what he thinks is so scary about it. I like it, it's fun to dance with the fish. Of course, Momma tells me that I like to dance with anything that sings or makes music. I guess she's probably right.

The only thing I'm not sure that I like about that fish, is that one time, he kissed me. I was sitting there dancing and bouncing around just like usual, and that impetuous fish, just swung his face around and kissed me on the head. I stayed a little further away from him after that. He's a slippery fellow, not to be trusted.

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The Park

2011-12-13T10:22:00.002-05:00

I love to go to the park. We don't go anywhere near enough. I like the swings, and the slides. I especially like it when Momma goes down the slide with me. I like to run in circles and dig in the mulch. I like everything about the park. While we were at Grumps and Ahna's house, we went to Wilson-Morgan Park. It's a great park, with lots of tunnels, slides, stuff to climb on, and swings. It even had a swing with a recliner! I had a great time playing. Ruth liked it too, until she got too sleepy.

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Deck the Halls

2011-12-12T09:30:00.001-05:00

We are in full swing for Christmas here at our house. The morning after arriving home from Texas, we headed down to Home Depot with Memaw and Mister, to pick out a tree on the first. Britt wanted to take almost every single tree home from the store. Gary and I found a GREAT tree our first pick. I like the Douglas firs better than the Fraiser firs because they have longer needles. While Memaw and Mister picked them out one, Britt and Ruth ran around the tent playing with the twine they cut off of the trees.

That evening after finally arriving back home, we began to decorate. The only draw back to the Douglas firs, is that because they have longer needles, their branches aren't as sturdy. They are a bit more flexible, making it a little bit more difficult to hang the heavier ornaments. Britt needed quite a bit of help. Ruth was mostly content to spend the time wallowing on whichever parent was sitting in the floor to help Britt. After getting the kids in bed I hung the rest of the ornaments up high, hung up the wreath, and decorated our mantle.

The next two days we spent trying to revive Christmas lights, exchange old ones for new ones, and hanging them on the house. I love the happy look for twinkling lights when we pull in the driveway after being gone all day, it's almost like the house is welcoming us back. Britt really loves to look for the Christmas lights this year, and is quick to point them out to Ruth. She is once again this year thrilled to watch the lights. Last year as a 4 month old she would lay under the tree and just stare, this year she feels the need to walk from side to side around the tree, touching each light and ornament within her reach.

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A Handwritten Post

2011-12-02T11:31:00.001-05:00

So a week or so ago, a friend on facebook posted a blog she had happened across where they talked about doing a handwritten blog, and I thought, well that's a neat idea. While, we were traveling back from Texas, I had alot of time and no internet connection, so I thought I'll write a blog. So pardon any messiness, misspellings, etc...

An Anniversary of Sorts

2011-11-27T20:41:00.000-05:00

Dani - This weekend five years ago, I met my ever so wonderful love of my life. He drove the 750 plus miles from South Florida and showed up at Wendy's where I was working at the time. I didn't know what to expect, after all I had only meet him online. To top it off, he only had 2 pictures up online and both were taken 50 feet away of him, a sister, a cousin, and a friend in the Bahama's all wearing glasses. I will confess I was wondering what I had gotten myself into. After all, I could have meet a crazy ax murderer online. So as we prearranged, he walked up to my register and ordered 200 chicken nuggets. I knew instantly it was him and took my break.

Gary - I spent the entire ride, the entire long nine hours telling myself, "Are you crazy? You told her you were coming, you can't turn around and go home now!" I arrived, and it took me 30 mins to clean up, buy her favorite flowers, and drove around to make sure that she wasn't working the drive through. I finally got up the courage to actually walk into the store, and then I ordered 200 chicken nuggets. Don't you know it, I got no free chicken nuggets and I only got to spend 8 minutes with her before heading to her house to spend 8 hours with her family. At 2:30 in the morning, someone finally showed up. She said, hang on a few minutes and she went to take a 25 minute shower where I could here her singing church songs. And as the great story teller Forest Gump would say and "And that's all I got to say about that story."

Dani - We visited over my supper break and the 30 minutes passed far too quickly. I can remember walking back into the kitchen and telling one of the girls that I worked with that he was it. I just knew it. I called home and told him that he was on his way. And like my father before me, I told them if they ran him off before I got home that I would kill them all. When I made it home that night around 2:30am, I had to hop in the shower after all I couldn't go in there to talk to him in a tacky Wendy's uniform smelling like chicken nuggets and hamburgers. We spent Saturday talking, visiting, playing games, and reluctantly called it a weekend on Sunday evening. The best part of the weekend was the ride with Gary back to Atlanta and we talked about a little bit of everything. Our dreams and fears, dark moments, and funny things. We were so busy talking that Daddy called to remind us to find a restaurant for supper, and we had already passed all the good places. We said good-bye after a quick supper at Long John Silver's, and Gary continued back to Florida, and Daddy and I headed to South Carolina to visit grad schools. I was on cloud nine.

Gary - So, I find out that Danielle and her dad are going to some loser school on Monday, and that they will be traveling in the same direction that I will travel. So, Danielle and I were able to ride together all the way to Atlanta, Georgia. I had already passed my turn off onto I-75, and we stopped at the classy Long John Silver's. About 30 seconds later her daddy pulled in and he paid for her supper and she never kissed me. She went North and I went South. And less than a month later, I bought her a ring.

Un-Thankfulness

2011-11-24T07:54:00.001-05:00

Brother Sonny, recently posted on Facebook about the concept of Un-Thanksgiving from a daily devotional. It suggested that you make a list of things you are not thankful for. He wrote, "As I meditated on this principle the following thoughts occured to me. My Thanksgiving (Blessings) list is alot longer than my Un-Thanksgiving list. Also For everything on My Un-thanksgiving list there are many things related that I am Thankful for. As an example at the top of my Un-Thanksgiving List I have. I am Un-Thankful for Cancer: But I am Thankful for a God that Heals. I am thankful for God giving us Dr. Dupont and her great staff for taking such good care of my dearest precious wife which by the way God blessed me with and who I am also Thankful for. And I am Thankful for such wonderful caring and supporting children. And I am Thankful for our caring and supporting Brothers and Sisters in the church. etc.etc. I think this is a good exercise in seeing that we have more things to be thankful for than things to be Un-thankful for." Well, that got me thinking.

Then on the way up to Alabama last weekend, I was reading the sixth Mitford novel by Jan Karon (great books by the way), and the pastor in the books, had gone through a hard spell with a diabetic coma, an accident that seriously injured a pedestrian, and a general sense of despair and depression. Near the end of the book while studying for a sermon, at the 12th hour, so to speak, he found the Lord giving him his topic, I Thessalonians 5:18 "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." His point in his following sermon, was that this verse doesn't say give thanks when everything is going great, or give thanks when you are on the mountain top, but give thanks in everything. Well that got me thinking a bit more.

Then this week, Gary and I listened to the messages from some of the brethren at Little Union last Sunday. Since the Church was unable to find a minister to fill in last Sunday some of the brothers in the Church gave testimony of what great things the Lord has done for them, and told of things that the Lord had laid on their heart. Bro. Jamie posted the messages to the Churchwebsite, and then Bro. Matt wrote a little more about his thoughts. And well, that got me thinking some more.

I choose on our blog to only record the happenings, to give little happy snippets into our life. I don't use this as a place to gripe and complain, or to moan and cry. I don't think it edifies anyone, it doesn't make for good reading, I'm not trying to get sympathy, and frankly I don't know that I like those inner feelings out on the internet for any and everyone to read. Some people are great at balancing the trials and joys of everyday life with amazing grace and a touch of humor (I can think of a few blogs I stalk that fit that description), but I'm not sure that I'm able to do that. So sometimes when I can't find something interesting to report or can't stop a little whiny voice in my writing, I'm absent a little while.

These thoughts got me thinking though. Sometimes we should be real with one another and real look at ourselves, our lives, our attitudes and evaluate what we see. I will confess that I can make a very long un-thankful list. To top it off would be the startling, and frightening revelation...

We have been without work, gainful employment, a real job, a career for my husband for over two years now.

Believe me, I am a control freak, an organizer, a planner of things, I like to know what is coming and in great detail to prepare for it. I do not like uncertainty, out of the routine, or flying by the seat of my pants. (I even envy a little those who can seem to so easy roll with the punches and handle whatever happens along, making major course changes with no stress, map, stars, or other visible guiding factors). I cannot tell you how many times Gary and I have said, if we just knew the date and the job that we would have next, this would be so much easier.

HOWEVER, even in this great trial there have been so very many blessings. Gary has often said what a joy it is to spend this much time with the kids, most working parents miss so much of a child's life in the day to day happenings, not big things necessarily, just the every day things. And while Gary might enjoy missing the finger painting on the walls with dirty diapers, the truth is that he has had the remarkable joy of spending 24 hours a day with our children. Britt was 8 months old when Gary lost his job. What a blessing to spend that much time together the four of us as a family. What a blessing I have had to have him at home to tag team on diaper changes, feeding children, and handling messes. I get to sit and eat lunch with him each and every day, while the kids take a nap. These little things when you stop and think how rare they are in today's world are a great blessing. After all what may appear to be little and insignificant isn't really. We take for granted often the rising and setting sun, the fact that we wake up each morning, but each day is a gift, a gift from God. What is even more amazing is God's providential care for us in the big things. We have not had any major illnesses or accidents in this time without health insurance. Due to the generosity of the Church and our family, we have never been without food, a home, clothing for the kids, or gas money. In fact, we have had more than our needs met. Every time I start crunching numbers and panicking, Gary finds a part time or temporary position, or we find a letter in the mail box where someone had us on their heart. A truely humbling experience, a great blessing from God when you stop to consider it. Too great to truly grasp perhaps, definitely too great for words.

You know there are many things that Gary and I regularly thank the Lord for at night, our children, good health, "all of Your many rich blessings" is a phrase Gary often uses. But even in times of hardship, even when all looks hopeless, there are things that we can find to be thankful for. Because even when the valley is dark and deep and oh so lonely, even when I stumble and wonder can He hear our prayers, why does nothing get better, there are many blessings even then. He is the Lily of the Valley. He is in the valley and along the way He can be seen if we just look around. Too often I am too busy looking around and wondering when will we have a job, when will life no longer be on hold, when can we have more children, when can we have a house of our own, when this, when that. There is nothing wrong with any of those things, but I find that the problem is that I am too busy focusing on the "when" of non guaranteed future blessings, to enjoy the blessings that we already have right at this very moment. Life isn't on hold, it's happening each day, all around us, each moment.

This Thanksgiving I am thankful for more than the food and the family, not to diminish those, but there is so much more I can be thankful for. I am thankful for the continued providence of God in our lives. I am thankful for the Lord who sees and cares. I am thankful for what may be seemingly small, every day blessings. I am thankful for even the valleys, because how else would we know the blessed glory of the mountain tops without the darkness of the valleys.

Christmas with Grandmother and Granddaddy

2011-11-23T09:35:00.000-05:00

Sunday afternoon, we went over to see Grandmomer and Grendae as Britt calls them. We had a big thanksgiving dinner about 3, and I slept through everyone eating. It was ok though, they left plenty for me. I ate lots and lots of broccoli, cheese, and rice casserole and a little dressing. I tried dressing again Monday night, but I don't really like it. Momma says that's ok, she doesn't like dressing either.

Then after we ate, we played and opened our Christmas presents. At Grandmother's house we have the rule that the youngest opens presents first and we all open them one at a time. She kinda let that slide this year for me and Britt, we were so excited. Britt opened up a big box of clothes first and I climbed in the box to open all of my presents. I got some clothes, too. Britt and I both got some books, and he got some trains and a race car, and I got a few little people.

I had a good time sitting with and playing with everyone. They all made fun of me when I cried and fussed, and put my head on the floor. Unca Benji said I looked like an ostrich. The funniest part of the whole night though, was to watch Britt and Unca Nick play with the wooden whistles that were in Britt's stocking. They looked goofy, I'll let you see for yourself.

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Choo-choo!

2011-11-22T14:34:00.000-05:00

I love trains. I have a big Thomas the train that Aunt Maghen got me for Christmas last year, and now I have three little trains that Grandmother got for me this year - Arthur, Stanley, and Dodge. I like to watch Dinosaur Train on tv, and I know exactly how they sound. My Christmas stocking at Ahna's house even has a train on it. My favorite pjs are some that Nate gave me they have Thomas on them. (I know this is true, even if Momma is insistent that they are really Jay-Jay the Jet Plane.)

A few years ago at Christmas time, Unca Benji put together Grumps electric train around the Christmas tree, and I had the best time laughing and watching it go. Momma says it's so unbelievable to watch the video of that time, and again of this time and see just how big I've grown. She says some things never change, like my excitement of watching that train fly by. Momma worked for a long while last night setting up the train track to circle the entire living room, and go behind the couch. She and Daddy worked and worked on the connections until the train would go the whole loop. She said it was all worth it though, to see how excited it made me to watch it. Ruth got to see it this morning, she was napping late yesterday evening when we were running it. She seems to like it almost as much as I do, running around trying to get the train, and picking it up to carry back to Unca Benji whenever it falls off the tracks.

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Totally Unorthodox, I Know

2011-11-21T21:16:00.002-05:00

Today, I put up Mother and Daddy's Christmas tree. Gasp, I know, one of my big pet peeves is Christmas music before the week of Christmas, putting out Christmas items in the store in July, and the way that Thanksgiving as the most wonderful holiday of the year is always getting skipped over. This year we came home for Thanksgiving, and we won't be back to visit with my side of the family again until probably sometime around Mother's spring break in April. It's always our long stretch of the year.

Anyway, we made the collective decision to have Christmas for the kids while we were here. They could have mailed their Christmas presents or sent them back with us for them to open on Christmas day. After all the first Christmas, Gary and I were married they did that. However, they want to enjoy the looks on their faces as they get to open presents. We had Thanksgiving-Christmas with Mother's side of the family last night. Ruth plans to tell all about that on Wednesday so I won't steal her thunder. Tomorrow night we plan to have our little family Christmas here with Mother and Daddy and my three brothers, and I thought we NEEDED to have the tree up to be in the spirit of things. You knew I would make it back around to the whole point of putting up the tree early.

I love the look of a Christmas tree, if I could figure out how to do it I would use those bright, happy, little, white lights all over my house all year long. With all the lights in the house out, and the just the tree lights on it's so peaceful. I love the process of putting the things on the tree. Some people have themed trees, and I'm not knocking that, because they look really, really cool (even though I can't seem to pull them off), but my family has the best eclectic totally random tree of all times. There are ornaments I made in Kindergarten, my brother's Angel of Death, there are the engraved ornaments that Mother got for each of us when we were first born, one that says our first Christmas together 1983 for my parents, there is one that is a basket ball when Nicholas played b'ball, one neat candy cane that Benji made and no one has ever found the stuff to make more, there are the ugly Santas, and all of Daddy's many, many, many Loony Tunes and Disney ornaments. I've mentioned a few of these in older post here and here.

Each of those old ornaments have memories associated with them, but we also get new ones each year. From now on when I see the cow that Daddy picked out this year I will have memories of Britt kissing it over and over all night and straining and saying Moooooooo at the top of his lungs. The way he begged and begged to hang "so more balls pwease, Momma?" After hanging the 3 dozen or so that Mother all ready and and the 3 dozen more she got at Hobby Lobby this year. The way Ruth kept going back to the new MM's ornaments. Or perhaps my new favorite memory from this year will be the way that Britt and Ruth after hanging their two Sesame Street ornaments, brought me all the little Sesame Street toys and asked for hooks for them to add them to the tree. They still needed a little help here and there as Britt but nearly 10 of the orange balls all together, and 8 of the 10 candy canes (which he insists by the way are candy bars) all together, but it was a great time of togetherness.

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(ps - if you are curious about how I took the totally awesome tree pics I must confess that I'm not that talented of a photographer, I found out how by going here.)

Bubbles

2011-11-15T09:34:00.000-05:00

I love to blow bubbles. In the last week or so Momma has been letting me blow bubbles by myself. She says I haven't quiet figured it out yet, and she tries to help me, but I don't have a clue what she's trying to tell me. You watch and see what you think.

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15 Months with Ruth

2011-11-14T13:15:00.004-05:00

Ruth,

Today you are 15 months old. Just two weeks ago we had your one year appointment so late it could have been your 15 month appointment. Your daddy couldn't remember the exact measurements, but you are weighing in now at a little over 23 pounds, and you are a short little thing at about 27 inches. You mastered walking in about 2 weeks, and have the funniest little sash-shay. I don't know if it's a girl thing, or just your particular way of walking, but it's adorable. You don't run persay, but you sometimes do pick up speed and have this funny run/skip thing you do. You are still very cautious, you quickly learned to climb backwards down steps, and off the couch or chair that I'm holding you in. You have mastered climbing on to the hearth, where you then stand and walk along it, dancing, and showing off.

You have several words, and seem to understand anything I say to you and ask about. You still say mama, dadada, and baba (for Britt), but you know also say "cup", "biiiiii-biiiiiiiii" (dragging out the ending for bye bye), hey-o (for hello), and ni-ni, (for night-night). You also have several signs that you consistently make for other items. You hold your hands out and open and close them if you want me to come and pick you up, you rub your cheek when you want your satin monkey (that you have developed a huge attachment for), you put the flat of your hand to your mouth to blow kisses and your fingers to your mouth when you are hungry, you wave outward now, and rub your hair when you want a bath. You will go and get your blanket and bring it to me, when you are ready for a nap, or bedtime. You chatter constantly and are very animated, you probably have more words, but Daddy and I often have trouble understanding you due to the high pitch of your little voice.

You more and more show a little temper, but I don't have to spank you very often. We've started having to take you out and spank you during church some, but you never need more than two little pops, and you settle right down. You are typically happy and eager to please. You always cry for Britt when he is taken out of Church. When he comes back in you lean over and pat his shoulder and pet his hair. You are a comforter at heart. I am continually amazed at your big heart and sweet spirit. When we fuss at you, discipline you, or don't let you have something you want you almost never get mad, but you cry like we've broken your little heart.

You are growing so fast, and it has been so much fun to look at different pictures of you. Your first Halloween to this Halloween, your first trip to the beach and your last, watching as you grow and change from picture to picture reminds me just how quickly time passes. Momma and Daddy love you so very much little miss.

Love,

Momma

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Trick or Treat!

2011-11-09T15:35:00.003-05:00

Last Monday, we was Halloween, and after the unfun things like doctor's appointments. We got to go to a pumpkin patch and then trick or treating. Since Momma was sick the whole week before we never went and got a pumpkin this year. However, Momma wanted some pumpkin patch pictures, so we did that before we got all dressed up in our costumes. Britt really liked all the pumpkins. I didn't care for them. Daddy kept trying to get me to hold a little one, but I kept shaking my head and saying "No, tak to" (no, thank you). Britt's favorite part was probably all the scarecrows sitting around holding baskets. He kept carrying all these little pumpkins and putting them in the baskets. I tried to tell him he didn't have to and that the scarecrows weren't real, so it didn't matter, but he didn't listen to me. He never listens to me.
After the pumpkin patch, we got all dressed up in our costumes. Britt was Woody from Toy Story. He wore his Woody pjs and his boots. Momma pulled out a bandana for him to wear and Mister found him a hat that was way too big. Britt seemed really happy with his outfit. I got to be a fairy, but everyone kept thinking I was a butterfly. I don't know why? I mean I had a dress on. We went to see Grandmaw Bea, Memaw and Mister, Uncle Charles and Aunt Yvone, Granddaddy Garland, Aunt June and Uncle Jerry, and finally Aunt Joanna and Uncle Quintin. We had a good time playing at everyone's house. Aunt Joan and Lilli went with us.

I don't think Britt has all of the brain cells that he should have. I mean, I figured out at the first stop what to do. Smile, they hold out candy, I grab as much as possible, say "tak to", and then I try to open and eat it all. Daddy carried this nifty little bag around all night for me to drop my candy in. After I figured out that I would need some help to get the candy out I stashed it all in there, and made him carry it. Britt on the other hand wouldn't say "Trick or Treat" like Lilli, he said, "Pumpkins!" everytime someone openned the door, and then he would yell for Momma and refuse to get any candy. See what I mean? Anyone who doesn't grab as much candy as they can before Daddy steps in to get you out of the bowl is insane!

The only thing I don't understand about this whole process is what happened to all that candy I netted? I've looked all over this house for it since then, and I haven't eaten very much of it, but I can't find it anywhere. Something tells me that Daddy is to blame.

Washing Dishes

2011-11-08T15:34:00.001-05:00

I have helped Daddy cook a few times over the last month, and now Momma is letting me help her wash dishes. She still doesn't let me wash anything breakable, but she lets me use the bottle brush on mine and Ruth's cups, and I get to help her use the wash rag to wash our plates and bowls. She says I'm a big help, and I sure think it's fun to play in the "bubble water." Momma says I'm getting to be a regular little man helping her out in the house or in the yard. She says if I would just work on the clingy-ness and whiny-ness then we'd be in good shape.

West Palm Beach

2011-11-07T08:46:00.000-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, Gary had an interview at a business in Boyton Beach, which is next to West Palm Beach. Just the Sunday evening before we had been talking about the Gold Coast as it is called, and I have never been that far south, so I asked Gary to ride along.

After his interview we drove around. The place was amazing! Gary has always told me that you have to have money to live over there. Alot of folks have had the land for many generations, and as it is the oldest settled area of North America, it has some very old families with alot of money. They have tons of enormous old oaks and towering palm trees, the landscaping was unbelievable. Everything, everywhere we looked as if it had just been trimmed. There were clean lines, elaborate shapes, circle trees, hedges that grew into arches over drive ways. It was all a little unreal. We even saw some trees around a golf course that had to be at least 40 foot tall according to Gary that they had trimmed to look like massive box hedges.

Oh and the houses, wow, I didn't think to take any pictures until we got to the area of town, where you almost couldn't see them except in little glimpses through the landscaping, but I have never seen anything like them in my life. Each one was spralling, they looked like 20 bedroom houses, most had at least 3 floors, and different wings to them. We saw one that had 3 mother-in-law suites, except each of the little outlying homes where twice the size of our house. It was unreal. Each house had such amazing architecture and each one was so very different from their neighbors not cookie cutter at all. Some had Spanish tile roofs, others had your typical shingles, and still others had a different sort of tiling on the roofs. Some looked like classical Georgian homes, others looked like something from an ancient Spanish country estate, there were some

that looked straight out of the Italian Renaissance. The truly amazing part though was the attention to detail in each home. The carving on the eves, the detailed columns, the glass in the

windows. It was something alright. I've seen lots of nice homes, and I've even seen some beautiful historical houses that have been restored, but I've never seen anything like these.

After driving around an hour or so looking at the houses, we found a place where we could walk out on the beach a little ways. The sand was dark, and not as powder fine as what we've seen on the Gulf side, but pretty none the less. As always Gary found me a few pretty shells to put in our vase at home. He always picks me out a few shells each trip we take to the beach. It was incredible windy and the surf was pretty high, but it was nice.

We took a few back roads back to Fl-60 and enjoyed the drive. It was such a nice day to spend together. We don't get many trips without the kids, and it was nice to be able to ride together and talk and just sit together and enjoy the almost magically sound of silence.

Scary Lions

2011-10-19T17:36:00.000-04:00

On Monday we went to Momma's old school the University of North Alabama. They keep two real live, very large lions on campus. Momma says they are UNA's mascot, whatever that means. We liked looking at the lions, though I think I saw Una lick her lips when I got out of my stroller and leaned on the bars. However, there was one very, very bad part of the day. There was a lion that someone had let out of the cage, and Momma and Daddy kept trying to get me to sit on it. I cried and I screamed, Daddy said it was the first time he has ever seen me scared of anything. But did they stop torturing me when I started crying? No! They did not! Daddy feed something to the lion and then it took off jumping and running and roaring and then they tried to put me back on it. I think I'm scared for life, Momma showed the video to everyone when we got back to Grandmother and Granddaddy's house, and I was still terrified. Today, Britt told Granddaddy all about the scary lions and how we all cried when they roared. If you don't believe me, just watch I'm sure I can so for child endangerment, after all, who takes their kids to ride on lions!

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Story Time With Unca Benji

2011-10-18T15:34:00.001-04:00

Last week, Ruth told you how we went to Auburn to visit Unca Benji, but she left out the most important part of the day. After roaming around campus, we were all hungry, and I sat between Unca Benji and Momma. While we were waiting on our food, I got Unca Benji to tell me lots and lots of stories. Momma said that I could only post of the four good stories that he told me, but I got Daddy to help me edit this video to include more stories. I never get tired of listen to dragon stories. Momma says she doesn't know what I like about these grusome stories Unca Benji tells me, but I like them they are different and funny. Besides, you never know what might happen next in one of Unca Benji's stories.

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War Eagle

2011-10-15T23:33:00.002-04:00

Today was the Auburn-Florida Football game. I planned ahead and didn't bring any Gator stuff for the kids to wear, and since Gary was gone to the PMA in Atlanta, I got them all dressed up the way I wanted. Britt in his overalls, and Ruth in a little cheerleading outfit. We had originally gotten the headband for Ruth, but Britt likes to wear the "Tiger Ears" so he wore it alot this week.

We got no end of compliments in town about there little outfits particularly Ruth in her cheerleading outfit. She smiled and flirted with everyone, and even left her bow in her hair longer than usual. She walked around clapping, and pushing Aubie over and over to hear the fight song. Then she danced around in circles

Perhaps the funniest part was to watch them play with their shakers all week.

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Her Second ER Trip

2011-10-13T09:39:00.001-04:00

As most of you have probably heard by now, Ruth had a run in with a TV tray back at our house on Monday afternoon. It was a nice, but busy day. I did alot of final cleaning, so that we could come home to a clean house. I had already packed the kids stuff, I was running the final load of laundry before packing our stuff. Gary had already cleaned out the car, taken care of some projects that needed attention before we left, and had decided to take a nap in his chair. Britt was down for a late nap. I was waiting for the paint to dry on a project for a friend, before I could finish it up. So while Ruth amused her self with a few dolls and a book in the middle of our floor, I decided to try to finish my book, so that I could return it to the library before we left for Alabama. I would read a few pages and stop to verify that she wasn't eating anything she discovered in the floor or attempting to climb our bookcase again. She would periodically come and bring me something to show me before going back to playing in the middle of the floor.

At one point, I looked up and she was attempting to stand and move Gary's tv tray across the center of the room. Gary had it out clipping coupons Sunday evening, something he does pretty often these days. That morning he had put the coupons away and gone grocery shopping, while vacuuming and cleaning I thought I need to put that away so Ruth doesn't turn it over, but I got side tracked with another project. I was leaning forward to get up, go get it, and put it away when she put weight on it wrong and flipped it over her head, and fell landing partially on top of it. She started screaming, Gary jumped up and I grabbed her up and started rocking her. She just wouldn't settle down and so after a minute I pulled her back to talk to her, and saw blood running all down her check. Sure enough she had cut her check just under her eye all the way across, and it was gaping open a little bit.

Gary saw no need to carry her in, it wasn't right at her eye, and it didn't look to deep, but I thought she needed to see a doctor, it looked deep to me and did want to stop bleeding. Gary called his folks for a second opinion, and his mom backed me up. So, we woke Britt dropped him off at Memaw's house, and took Ruth to the ER. After we got there, nearly an hour after it happened it had just about quit bleeding, and she didn't seem bothered at all. They took us right back and within 5 minutes the doctor came by and told us that it was just superficial nothing to worry about and it would heal up just fine. Since we were there though, he said he would put a little of that surgical glue on it, and that would probably decrease the amount of scarring. He said he'd be back in about 5 mins.

About 10 minutes later the "Stitches Guy" came back, cleaned it out and looked at it. He verified that it was just superficial, nothing to worry about and that the doctor would come back and take care of it. About an hour and a half later, they came in and apologized, both doctors thought the other one had taken care of it. So they wrapped her up, put a little tape on, then some glue, and held her still for 4 minutes while it dried. Ruth was NOT happy about being pined to the table and having a nurse hold her in a head lock. They wanted to be sure though that it didn't run back in her eye and glue it shut too though. After that they went to go and get our release papers, but right before the doctor could sign them he got called away on an emergency. So after about another half hour he made it back to sign the papers, so we could go.

She was sporting a bruise above her eye from the edge of the table, and one under her eye running along the cut from the metal bar under the table, but they haven't been as bad as I expected. She's got a bit of a black eye now, particularly under her eye, near the cut, but it hasn't seemed to slow her down or bother her one bit. I'm so thankful, if it had been too much higher it might have gotten her actual eye and that would have been bad.

The Loveliest Village of the Plain

2011-10-12T12:18:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, we went to see Unca Benji at Auburn. We got up really early in the morning, and drove, and drove, and drove some more before we got there. It took a long time to arrive but it's ok, we watched Allison Kause, Toy Story, and Sesame Street. I really like to watch tv.

When we got to Unca Benji's apartment we got on the bus with him and rode to campus. When we got off the bus, there were more buses coming up behind it. Britt kept asking, "Where dat bus going?" And Momma would say, "I don't know where it's going." This happened over and over, until Britt finally informed Momma, "No, not I don't know, buses going to Auuuuu-burn!"

First Unca Benji took us to Stamford Hall. It's the oldest building on campus, and orginially all the classes where held here. Momma told me that Oliver Goldsmith once wrote a poem that began with the lines "Sweet Auburn! loveliest village of the plain" and it was for this poem that Judge John J. Harper named a little town that sits on a plain in South Alabama in 1836. Another line in the poem later gave the college their mascot, "Where crouching tigers wait their hapless prey." For this poem, the students of the college are often termed the Plainsmen (and sometimes today Plainswomen), and in fact the school paper is "The Auburn Plainsmen". Momma knows alot about Auburn, I have to take her word for it though since I can't read.

Next, we walked along College Street to Toomer's Corner, and saw all the trees. Britt and I thought they looked like all the other trees that were loosing their leaves, but Momma thought they looked really bad. Unca Benji says that he thinks they will cut them all down at the end of the year, maybe even before the Auburn - Alabama game as motivation to beat Bama since they destroyed our trees. Anyway, after that we walked along Magnolia Street and saw all the engineering buildings and stopped to see where most of Unca Benji's classes are at in Lowder Hall. Of course, when I see we walked, I mean everyone but me. Daddy carried my mostly but Unca Benji and Momma carried me some too. They say I'm too slow, but Britt is the really slow one. Every time someone offered to carry him though, he said no and insisted on walking.

Next we headed over to the Hailey Center, and as we walked in and out of it, we could see the stadium. It isn't as big looking as the one in Gainesville, and we couldn't go in and walk around it, but Momma says maybe next year we can all go see a game together there and cheer on our Tigers. In the Hailey Center, we stopped by the book store. Oh boy, did we have fun playing in there. Britt pointed out every AU and said, "War Eagle!" He also kissed the tigers and threw them in the floor to wallow with them. I got to try on head bands and hats, and when I got tired Daddy found me a chair to sit in and I played with some streamers. Britt kinda embarrassed us, him and Unca Benji were running around in the clothes and being really loud. Momma had to go and calm them down. We picked out a few things before we left.

Unca Benji wanted to show us the old Auburn mascot outfit that they had hanging up on display in the student center, but we got up there and couldn't find it any where. Instead we all looked at all the eagle and tiger statues everywhere. Britt's favorite was a Tiger wearing a tie and clothes. I like touching the big wooden eagle. After that we were ready to leave campus and go find some lunch, so we headed out and on our walk back to the bus we saw the stadium again, and walked by a bunch of dorms that sit next to the stadium. Unca Benji should live there.

So we left Auburn, the loveliest village of the plain, and headed over to Unca Benji's apartment building. He had a really tiny room, and Britt rearranged all of his stuff for him while we were there. Then we ate lunch together at Loco's which is across the street from where Unca Benji lives. Britt colored, I ate, and Unca Benji told us both lots of stories, that Momma says she'll load on facebook later. We had a good time, and hated to tell Unca Benji bye, infact I refused to. Momma says that didn't change anything though, because we really did have to leave to go see Grumps and Ahna. I was pretty tired though, so I went to sleep pretty fast. We had a wonderful time with Unca Benji, and I hope we can visit him again.

Calling the Cows

2011-10-11T10:17:00.001-04:00

One of my favorite parts about where we live now, is that "cows live in our backyard." They spend alot of time laying under the trees during the day. Other times they eat grass way out in the pasture. But, every evening they make their way over to "come see me." They come and stand at the fence, and I talk to them. Sometimes they moo and talk back to me. I especially like to watch the calves, they run and jump alot. I always, make a point to look for the bull too, but usually "I don't see 'im." They are nice cows, and two of them love it when Momma scratches their face between their eyes, or by their ears. Sometimes I pet them too, but not usually, because then they want to lick you and their tongue is alot like a cat's but bigger and way more slobbery.

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The Beach in October

2011-10-10T09:22:00.004-04:00

I'm hoping we don't have a repeat of this post for November. I don't think I could have stood the water if it had been much colder. On Saturday we drove down to meet Bro. Matt and Sis. Kerry Johnson and their family and Bro. Tim and Sis. Charlotte Montgomery and their family at Anna Maria Island. There is a front moving through, and most of Florida has gotten nearly 24 hours of rain from Saturday to Sunday, but it wasn't raining at the beach. The wind was pretty high and it was pretty cool, but it wasn't too bad. We had the beach almost completely too ourselves.

Britt spent every available moment, shadowing Brady. Poor Brady, not sure how he felt about his little leech, as Uncle Benji would call him, but Brady was a great sport. Britt looks for him as soon as Church is out, and sometimes tries to convince me at the beginning of Church that he needs to go sit by Brady. In a few more years we'll see.

Ruth of course loved it, she always loves crawling in and out of the water, and for me to carry her around. She ate tons of sand apparently while on shore with Audrey, the Montgomery's 20 month old little girl (about). Britt thought she was something too, and made sure to show her the art of carrying fistfuls of wet sand to then throw in the ocean.

The older boys got into throwing the football, while some of the younger kids played with the boogie boards. Britt alternated between tailing Brady and wandering around looking for moose and starfish. We were able to see several dolphins fairly close. A school of fish kept swimming and jumping around us, and they were circling them to catch some dinner. I even got to have a nice long visit with Bro. Matt as we supervised the kids.

After the wind started really getting up, and it threatened rain, we all cleaned up, changed, and headed over to the Sandbar to eat some supper. All the adults and high chairs were at one table, and Bro. Matt sat with all the kids. At one point the waitress looked at him and asked if he was a parent, almost like she wasn't sure, we all got a laugh out of that. We had a wonderful time visiting, it's been a long time since I've seen Sis. Charlotte and the family, and we just had a ball visiting together. We worried a little that we wore the preacher out too much. After all it was 10 till 10 when we got home, and they had further to drive, but Bro. Tim had a wonderful sermon yesterday morning, so it must not have bothered him too badly. We look forward to hopefully doing it again sometime.

Gary's Graduation

2011-10-07T16:20:00.000-04:00

Look what we got in the mail this past week! Gary graduated back on August 5th. I am so proud of all of the hard work that he did to get to this point. We made the step to go back to school last year, even though Gary swore he would never do that again. We made the step on faith, believing that it was the next step the Lord would have us to take. Everything we applied for wanted Gary's experience plus a Master's degree. Now we are just praying for the Lord to bless us with a job.

Congratulations honey! I am so proud of you and am honored to be your wife.

Ray's Games

2011-10-06T09:20:00.005-04:00

I can remember as a child riding home from one of Matthew and Nicholas's T-ball games and thinking "That looked like fun." I enjoyed playing baseball with the two of them for a couple of years, and then I started playing fast pitch softball. I wasn't great or anything, but I did really enjoy it. I loved playing in right field, there's alot of movement there, backing up first and second base, catching popflies or hard hit grounders. I called the balls and strikes out there, and kept up with the outs. I wasn't much of a batter, but I really loved running and trying to steal bases.

Growing up we watched the Cubbies alot, Daddy liked the cubs. I very faintly remember going to a Cubs game when I was small. The only reason I know it's a real memory is because one time I mentioned it to Daddy, and said what stood out most in my mind was the memory of a really big pole out in front of us, and Daddy said that part of the seats were positioned behind a grey concrete support to the deck above us. The boys really followed the Atlanta Braves, and I can remember us all going to see a Braves game and sitting up high way down the third base line. We watched them when Chipper Jones and Maddox played for them, and my favorite player was David Justice because he played right field too. That said, I didn't really care for watching baseball. After all it is kinda boring to watch, not like football with all the action.

However, since marrying Gary who is a big Tampa Bay Rays fan, I have watched more baseball, and we've had the opportunity to see several games now. I still don't really enjoy watching the game on tv, after all you can't watch the entire field and it's not the same view as sitting in the stands. I do though really love going and watching a game. The tickets in the outfield are really reasonable.

The first year after Gary and I got married, the Rays went to the playoffs for the first time, and they even made it to the world series. We didn't have cable at the time, but I can remember us sitting on our bed and watching one of the games with rabbit ears on a really grainy 13 inch tv, and Gary jumping around going crazy. I was pregnant, past the morning sickness and not uncomfortable yet, we had a ball! In these four seasons, the Rays have gone to the playoffs 3 times.

Each year, Mosaic allows Dad to get tickets for the family to go to a game on a Sunday afternoon. Britt has been to three of those games now. Last year Ruth was born on the day before the game, so she's only been once. Britt has always enjoyed the experience, watching people eat boiled peanuts, and getting to eat hot dogs, all the noise and excitement, the many things to see. Ruth is like that now. Britt is now beginning to pay attention to the field. He knows that our pitcher's name is "Shields" and he thinks our catcher's name is "Stop It" (Shoppach). He can tell you the difference between them is that the "pitcher pitches the ball and catcher throws the ball." He always wants to know if it's "our turn to bat" and when Gary is watching baseball he want to go and watch it too... for a little bit anyway.

We have been able to go to three games this season. Gary took me for my birthday, we took the kids with Gary's family back in August, and then we went with the Church a few days after that. And I really enjoyed every minute of those games! I would have loved to go to one of the Rangers - Rays games but those tickets don't just materialize. We aren't going to be able to see them win the world series this year, but there's always next year.

Walking and Talking...

2011-10-05T09:18:00.003-04:00

Momma says I am getting better and better at walking, even if I don't get any faster. She doesn't understand that if I were to go faster I might fall down, and then I wouldn't be walking any more. This weekend we went over to El Bethel to hear Bro. David Montgomery preach. Momma liked his sermon on Endurance on Friday night, and Daddy said he did a really good job with Psalm 139 on Saturday, but I wouldn't know, I wasn't listening. Momma and Daddy had to take turns taking me out. Momma says that not something to be proud of. Anyway, I liked going to Church on Saturday, because I got to dress up and see lots of people. I didn't much like it on Friday though, I was ready for bed, and these people drug me across town. On Saturday though, I got to practice walking and they all watched me and talked with me. Sometimes though I get the impression that no one understands what I'm saying. They just smile and nod alot. Momma says I should post some video now for Grumps and Ahna, I don't know why, they can watch me walk for themselves this time next week.

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Cooking with Daddy

2011-10-04T10:17:00.007-04:00

I like to watch Daddy cook. Sometimes I think I drive him a little batty, is always warning me that the stove is hot, hot and to back up when he opens the oven. He trips over me alot because I sneak up behind him to watch him cook. Daddy is a really good cook, everyone says so. Every now and then when I eat, I can attest to him being a good cook.

Friday night, Daddy was cooking while Momma got our clothes laid out for church. Daddy had put the okra in a bowl, and was stirring an egg in it. He left to go and turn the food on the grill, and Momma came back into the kitchen to wash dishes. I then pulled up my little chair next to Momma where Daddy left the okra, and I started stirring it, just like Daddy did. He then dumped it all into another bowl where the flour was, and he let me help him shake it up. I then got to stand by the counter and watch Daddy fry it. Since in was "my okra" I decided to try a bite for the first time. It wasn't bad. Maybe we'll try this cooking thing again sometime.

Our Vacation with Ahna and Grumps

2011-09-27T08:58:00.009-04:00

[Britt] Well, Summer is now over, and Grumps has FINALLY gotten around to helping us with blogging about our vacation with Ahna and Grumps.

[Ruth] Yeah! FINALLY!

[Britt] Yeah, Grumps has been making up some excuse about working a lot of “over time”. Just when I start thinking that I have this “time” thing figured out, Grumps tells me he has been working “over time”. Even though I still struggle with “time” sometimes, I do know it isn’t like a table. I can be over, beside, or under a table, but “over time”? Grumps is pretty good at pulling my leg so this “over time” thing must be him pulling my leg – yet again! But I’m getting pretty good at catching on to him.

[Britt and Ruth giggling together]

[Ruth] What is “time”?

[Britt] I’ll tell you later. Right now, Grumps is helping us with our blog.

[Ruth] Britt is so smart!

[Britt] We were with Ahna and Grumps for five weeks. One week with Momma and Daddy there, three weeks with Ahna and Grumps all to ourselves, and another week when Ahna and Grumps took us back to Momma and Daddy.

[Ruth] What is a “week”?

[Britt] I don’t know. I think it has something to do with “time”. I’ll tell you later.Right now, concentrate real hard so that Grumps can pick up our thoughts for our blog.

[Ruth] Britt is so smart!

[Britt] Anyway, during that first week while Momma and Daddy were with us at Ahna and Grump’s, we got to get in the “Big Water” (kiddy swimming pool).

[Ruth] No, it was the “Big Splash”. [Britt] Big Water! [Ruth] Big Splash! [Britt] Big Water! [Ruth] Big Splash!

[Britt] I’m telling this story! Anyway, where was I? Oh, yeah. We had so much fun playing in the “Big Water”. [Ruth] “Big Splash!” [Britt] The most fun was scooping up water in my pail and dumping it on Ruthie and pouring it out on the ground. Grumps said I was making a “moat”. I don’t know what a “moat” is, but it must be fun because I sure did have fun dumping water out on the ground.

[Ruth] Ahna and Grumps said that I am the only person they know that can splash and splash and splash without even blinking! When I wasn’t splashing, I would crawl round and round in the “Big Splash”.

[Britt] Yeah, I can’t splash without blinking. Sometimes I would play with the water hose. Daddy can be so mean. When I would look in the water hose, Daddy would turn the water on.

[Ruth laughing hysterically]

[Britt] We went bowling close to where Grumps works. Momma, Daddy, Unk Benji, Unk Nick, and Grumps were all there with me and Baby Ruthie. They weren’t very good, but it was very entertaining.

[Ruth] The great thing about the bowling was that everybody took turns holding me and playing with me.

[Britt] We didn’t see much of Unk Nick and Unk Matt. Unk Nick lives in his own house, and Unk Matt had to work a lot. But I got them both real good. When I saw Unk Matt, I called him Unk Benji on purpose and would laugh and laugh, and I did the same thing to Unk Nick.

[Ruth] Unk Nick and Unk Matt are so easy. All I have to do is smile at them, and they would hold me and play with me.

[Britt] One day UncaBenji made these BIG bubbles for me. He would make several at the same time. I would chase them and see how many I could pop before they hit the ground.

[Ruth] Yeah, I wanted to chase those bubbles, too, but I just wasn’t able to make my feet go where I wanted them to go.

[Britt] One night Grumps took me out to look at some bugs that have their own green light. Grumps called them “lightning bugs”. He said they are also called “fireflies”. I wanted to touch them so Grumps caught a couple in his hands. But I got to thinking that “lightning bugs” might make lightning, and I didn’t want to get struck by lightning so I just let Grumps hold them. I never did see any lightning or fire. All I ever saw was green light so I call them “green light bugs”.There were so many of them in the yard.

[Ruth] Grumps showed me the Moon. I don’t know why, but the moon isn’t always there when I look.

[Britt] I like the Moon. I tell Grumps to let me touch it, but Grumps said he couldn’t reach that high. I am absolutely sure he can reach it. Grumps is always so mean to me.

[Ruth] Ahna sure is a good reader! She would hold me, and rock me, and read to me. We read so many fun books. Ahna would make the stories so interesting and fun even though I didn’t understand a lot of the words.

[Britt] I like “Duck, Duck, Moose”. Ahna didn’t seem to know where Florida and Alabama were in “Duck, Duck, Moose” because she kept asking me to show her where they were. So I showed her again and again. Ahna must be getting forgetful.

[Ruth] The most fun was when Ahna and Grumps would get down in the floor with me. I crawled to them and crawled over them and laughed the whole time. I think Britt was jealous because sometimes he would get between me and Grumps.

[Britt] I am NOT jealous!

[Ruth] It was so much fun when they got down in the floor with me to play – I couldn’t stop smiling and laughing. People don’t realize how much fun it is for me to have them at eye level. When they stand up, they seem so high and far away. Afterwards, Ahna and Grumps would moan about how hard it was to get up out of the floor. Yeah, I know about that because back then I couldn’t stand without holding on to something either. Ahna and Grumps must be pretty young because you have to be older to stand without holding on to anything.

[Britt] One day Ahna, Grendy (Granddaddy), Granmomer
(Grandmother), and Ant Meeawee (Melanie) took us to go see Ant Rea and Yoid (Lloyd).

[Ruth] Yeah, I remember. Ant Rea was making chocolate pies and I … [Britt] Let me tell the story because you don’t know many words yet. [Ruth] You’re forgetting that Grumps is helping us with our blog. Remember? [Britt] Oh, yeah. [Ruth] Britt, I don't know if you are so smart after all.

[Britt and Ruth laughing hysterically]

[Ruth] Anyway, before I was so rudely interrupted!

[Britt and Ruth again laughing hysterically]

[Ruth] Ant Ree was making chocolate pies. Making chocolate pies is so interesting. Ant Ree made something called “filling” which Ahna let me lick off of a spoon. It was so tasty! Ahna let me lick chocolate off of several spoons. Ahna said I probably had too much. [Ruth now whispering] And

Ahna said not to tell Momma so we won’t tell her.

[Britt] That filling didn’t look good to me, but Ant Rea had COOKIES! So I ate cookies. Later, Yoid (Lloyd) took me outside. We had fun collecting rocks. I liked those rocks so much I took a pocket full back to Ahna and Grump’s. I don’t know what happened to those rocks because the next time I wore those shorts, the rocks weren’t there.

[Ruth] We stayed a couple of days with Ant Meeawee (Melanie), Cousin Maggie (Maghen), and Unk Clint. Ant Meeawee laughs at everything. I bet she is ticklish all over.

[Britt] They have two dogs named Sophie and Callie. Callie is so big that I wasn’t sure about her until I found out she made a very good pillow. Every time I see Unk Clint I say, “Unk Clint happy!” He is so happy and funny.

[Ruth] I didn’t have any trouble getting Ant Meeawee and Cousin Maggie to pick me up, and hold me, and kiss on me, and play with me. All I have to do is bat my eyes and show them my toothless smile and they fall all over themselves to give me attention. They are such pushovers.

[Britt] One day we went to Tennessee to see Grandma, Billy, Ant Brenda, and Ant Cindy. So many Ants and Unks – I can’t count them all.

[Ruth] That was another fun day. Grandma, Billy, Ant Brenda, and Ant Cindy all picked me up, and loved on me, and played with me.

[Britt] Grandma had a perfect sitting box. I don’t know why she had all those Legos in a perfectly good sitting box. It took me a while to get all of those Legos out.

[Ruth] There were a couple of times when we stayed at Grendy (Granddaddy) and Granmomer’s (Grandmother) house during the day.

[Britt] Granmomer is the best puzzle fixer there is. She helped me with the farm animal puzzle, the car puzzle, and the clock puzzle. And any time I wanted cacorn (popcorn) she would fix it for me.

[Ruth] Granmomer is a very good reader. I can see why Ahna, Ant Meeawee, and Momma are such good readers. Granmomer would hold me, and rock me, and crawl in the floor with me. And every time we are there, I play with “One-eyed Sal”.

[Britt] Grendy is the world’s best “Wooler”. He always says, “I’m going to wool you!” I don’t know what “wool you” means, but I definitely know what comes right after he says that – the most crazy tickling I know!

[Ruth] Yeah, wooling makes me laugh and squeal. I can’t get away because I am

so busy laughing and squealing.

[Britt and Ruth laughing hysterically]

[Ruth] Another funny thing is how Britt is afraid of the fish.

[Britt] I am NOT afraid of the fish. “Fish be happy!”

[Ruth] On another visit to Grendy and Granmomer’s we met Ant Annie and Unk Hoyt. Just like everyone else, they make me laugh and smile, too.

[Britt] They kept getting in the way of me playing with my puzzles. I was just starting to warm up to them when they had to go. Just about every day Unk Benji would tell me this wonderful story about a dragon that breathes fire. Unk Benji is my hero because he always “beated up” the dragon. He is the only person I know that “beated up” dragons.

[Ruth] And I was the princess that was always saved from the “beated up” dragon.

[Britt] I was sure that Unk Benji was going to go back to Florida with us, but he wasn’t able to make it. He said we were leeches. I don’t know what leeches are, but they must be a good thing because we had so much fun with Unk Benji.

[Ruth] Yes, we are Unk Benji’s leeches. We had so much fun with Unk Benji that everyone must want to be a leech. Ahna stayed home with us every day while mean old Grumps left us to go to work. One day Ahna showed us a green frog that was on the outside of the window. That frog was there all day on that window. I think that frog liked to listen to Unk Benji tell the story about how he "beated up" the dragon.

[Britt] Ahna and Grumps know how much I like “Cowboy” (Toy Story 3), so they got me my very own Woody and Buzz. Woody is so funny. He talks every time I pull his string.

[Ruth] I like to play with Woody, too, whenever Britt isn’t looking.

[Britt] One night, Grumps played “Pooh” on the tar-tar (guitar). “Pooh” is one of my favorite songs. I didn’t know Grumps played the tar-tar. Granmomer told me that “surprise” means “cacorn” (popcorn) so every time we get to the part of the “Pooh” song that says “surprise”, I say “cacorn”!

[Ruth] After Ahna and Grumps took us back to Momma and Daddy, Ahna and Momma found my first tooth. Ahna called it an “eye tooth”. Ahna must be pulling my leg because I don’t have an eye on my tooth, and I don’t have a tooth in my eye.

[Britt and Ruth laughing hysterically]

[Ruth] I am smarter than they give me credit for.

[Britt] Grumps wanted to go see the last Shuttle launch so we rode in the car FOREVER to see that. I don’t know what all the fuss was about. We watched a rocket make a cloud from the ground up to other clouds – and just like that it was over. We then drove FOREVER to get home. I mean, like, what was that all about? I could have drawn Grumps a picture of a cloud going from the ground to other clouds with my crayons.

[Ruth] Yeah, what was that all about? At least we did get to go to the beach for a day.

[Britt] Yeah, I like the beach. We always have fun at the beach.

[Ruth] Yeah, always.

[Britt] Well, Grumps is sending word that all of this talking with thoughts from hundreds of miles away is giving him a BIG headache.

[Britt laughing manically, Ruth laughing hysterically, thought signals across hundreds of miles slowly fade]

[Grumps exhausted and head throbbing takes two Tylenol and heads to bed]

A Final Look at the Beach

2011-09-22T09:20:00.000-04:00

We had a really good time at the beach last week. A way better time than I expected. If you know me, you know I don't really like the sand. It gets in everything, I mean Britt even brought a pocket full home with him, and I'm sure it's still in our laundry room from all the clothes I've been washing this week. I only want to be in the water when it's really warm, what Gary refers to as a giant bathtub. I don't feel very comfortable going out too deep, because I don't swim well, and don't want to loose my balance. I'm just not a water or a beach person. I like to sit out a little bit with the kids, watch the sunset, and head home. In times past when we've been it's been a little difficult to keep the kids coralled together. Britt didn't carry for the beach for a while, and Ruth was eating as much sand as she could get into her mouth. Not relaxing in my opinion.

All of that said, this trip was a blast. Britt was cautious at first. Only going in a little bit, only going in with Momma, and making frequent trips back up to the dry sand. By Saturday he was going out up to his neck in the water, and then going a little further and jumping the waves to keep his nose above water. His favorite thing to do was to walk the length of the beach. Everyday he wanted to go look for starfish and moose. One of his favorite books is "Duck, Duck, Moose". The general story line is that Moose goes along with Duck and Other Duck South for the winter. They get to sunny Florida, and their first stop is the beach where Duck finds a shell, Other Duck finds a starfish, and Moose pretends to be a sea monster. As a result we spent all week looking for those things. We found lots of shells, we even found a few starfish, but we never found Moose.

Ruth has very little fear of the water. She wanted to be out with everyone else. She would crawl into the water, and even stand up and stand through a few waves. Unlike the bathtub, where she throws a fit if she gets water in her face, she didn't seem to mind the ocean. Over the week she got splashed several times, and even tried licking the water a few times. It never seemed to phase her that much. A couple of days, Gary dug her a hole and sat her in it to play, because she wouldn't stop bee-lining it to the water. Saturday was the best day for her because at low tide it was so shallow so far out. I think she's going to be alot like Lilli in the respect that she is fearless of water and loves the beach.

We were able to see tons of beautiful sunsets. Even days that weren't completely clear, the color of the clouds was amazing to me. God is truely the greatest artist there is. I always enjoy watching the birds, and was able to get some neat pictures of a few different ones. But the most fun thing to watch was the kids. Ruth standing in the water was priceless. Julia chasing the birds all over the beach. Britt would find shells and bring them to me to ask if they were alive. Lilli would run screaming and laughing into the water like a banshee. And, Brystal surfing like a pro. To watch their wonder and excitement was contagious. And of course, having some adult company with their Memaw and my sisters-in-law made it all the better, because after bedtime we could play cards, talk and visit, and even take a midnight swim in the ocean. It was a great week.

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My First Steps

2011-09-21T19:41:00.000-04:00

Momma says I have gone from her little baby to a toddler in the last month. She says that I'm talking alot more and starting to walk. The truth is that I've been talking for ages she's just starting to recognize a few words here and there. In fact, I often try to repeat back words she says to me, and sometimes I don't just try, but succeed. In addition to mama and dadada, I now say "Ju-Ju" for Julia who is my favorite cousin, and cup, and bye-bye, and "hao" for hello.

The big news of course, is that I have finally decided to try to walk some on my own. Last week I started standing from a sit and standing and squatting to get things I couldn't reach. Momma said if she had known what a motivator Oreos and chocolate chip cookies could be, she might have tried it sooner. Yesterday, I managed 8 steps before falling down, I haven't managed quite as many today, and sometimes Britt in his excitement that I am standing and trying to walk knocks me down with hugs, but I keep trucking away. I hope to have a new skill to show off when we go up to Alabama in a few more weeks.

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My First Big Movie...

2011-09-20T19:50:00.001-04:00

Today around 11 o'clock, Momma told me that we were going to go and see and see a movie, so I told her I would go and sit in Daddy's big chair, where I always watch movies. She told me no, that we were going to see a "Big Movie." At first I thought she meant we were going to watch "The Pig Movie" (which she says is actually called "Charlotte's Web"), but she said no that we were going to go the the movie theatre for the first time and watch "Lion King" at the Big Movies. She told me that I was going to have to wear special glasses to see the movie. So we got dressed in clothes that we could wear out of the house, and carried Ruth over to visit with Memaw and our adventure began.

First, Daddy asked me where I wanted to eat lunch Beef O' Brady's or Steak and Shake, since I didn't pick he picked. I got to eat some chicken and some of Momma's cheese off her salad, and some of Daddy's fries. Then we went to the Big Movie. Daddy got our tickets and we went inside. It was so big and pretty, I kept telling Momma how pretty everything was. I was most amazed by all the cacorn, and was so happy when Daddy said that he would get some popcorn for us to share. I told Momma I needed to go to the baffroom before the movie started so we made a trip by there, and then went in to see the big, big tv. We climbed the steps and picked out a seat. At first I wanted to stand in front of Momma, but then I decided to sit with her. I thought it was too loud at first, and kept asking Momma, "Lion King, now?" and she would reply, "No, another preview first."

Then it was time to put on my glasses and watch the movie. Momma had to put them on me a couple of times, I'm not sure why because I don't have to wear glasses at home when I watch Lion King. Anyway, I loved watching it at the big movie. I sung all the songs, and danced a little in my seat, and told Momma what parts were coming next incase she had forgotten. Daddy feel asleep and snored some. When he woke up I had drunk not only all of my cup, but most of his coke too.

After the movie was over, Momma talked to these nice ladies in front of us for a few minutes while Daddy and I walked up and down the stairs to see the whole big room. They seemed to think my singing was funny, and enjoyed sitting in front of us, much to Momma's relief. I begged Momma "gin, Momma, gin?" but she said that we would watch it again at home with Ruth. On the way home I feel asleep, it was past nap time after all and I was tired after such a busy day. I hope we get to go back real soon, and asked Momma several times tonight about the big movie, but she just says we'll see.

The Beach in September...

2011-09-15T09:04:00.000-04:00

Here's a few clips of what our week has been like on the water. The kids are absolutely loving it.

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Standing Alone

2011-09-14T09:19:00.001-04:00

Over the last few days I've been perfecting my ability to stand from a sitting or squatting position. Sometimes I stand awhile, and sometime I sit right back down. Sometimes I hold things, or not. Today I even stood on the sand, and made it through two waves before all the sand washed out from under my feet and I fell down.
I've had alot of fun sitting down and grinning right when Memaw, or Granddaddy Garland, or Daddy goes to take a picture. They did catch me a few times today on camera, and once on film. I have started clapping for myself whenever I stand up. Everyone else does, so I guess I should too.

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Our Swayback Horse...

2011-09-13T20:20:00.004-04:00

We've been at the beachhouse this week. For some reason they won't let us stay out at the water all the time, so this is what Lilli and I have been doing between trips down to the water.

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Our Very Small Gardener...

2011-09-08T19:05:00.008-04:00

Gary has been helping me with a few time consuming and larger projects in the yard, since he doesn't have any work this week. A bunch of new oak trees have taken root in the flower beds, and a few plants needed to be moved, so those were projects that he helped with. There were also all of the old leaves needed raking out of the flower beds and plenty of weeds to pull. I like yard work, it's so much more full filling than house work. You can see everything you've accomplished, and I love to hang around in a nice yard. The temperature this week hasn't been anywhere near as high as it has been over the last several weeks, and rain has caused us to take a break a time or two. I have a few more little projects that I hope we can knock out tomorrow or Saturday, before we take a trip to the beach for a week. (It's all fun and games for the kids, but Gary's going to be doing some more work on the beach house.)

Anyway, Britt is big into helping now. The only problem is that he's not half as helpful as he thinks he is. For example, you might recall that a few weeks ago I found him with a cereal bowl full of toliet water, Ruth sopping wet and Britt saying "Ruff all cwean. I warshed baby Ruffie." Or perhaps you might remember the time earlier this summer where in his desire to clean the bathroom, he dumped large amounts of water all over the floor and I found him using one my dresses to scrub the floor. Or even more recently he was standing on a little chair in the kitchen pretending to cook, and then throwing every dish he could find in my sink of dirty water while I went out to throw out some cooking grease. Oh and did I mention that I had just washed each of those dishes?

So today, after asking over and over to get out of the pool and help rake, help cut the plants, help Daddy, help Momma, etc. I kept telling him to help Ruth play in the pool, but that didn't last long each time. Finally after putting Ruth down for a nap, I told him he could help pick up leaves and put them in the bucket. Gary and I sat on the swing and took a good 20 min break while he proceeded to take a handful of leaves at a time and transfer them to the garbage can. He almost knocked out one whole pile by himself. After our little break I got up and showed him how to push the leaves on the rake so that I could then lift the rake and dump most of the pile in the trash can at one time. He then carried limbs to the burn pile, and for a while picked up acorns to add to the garbage can.

He was a good little helper today. I've heard it said that if you channel a great force of water you get beautiful carved rivers (think the Great Canyon on the Colorado River), but if you don't have any direction you just get a muddy flood. Maybe we're instilling some work ethic in the boy, he just needs a little direction. Then again maybe not, after all the end of the yard cleaning season was Britt running in circles and throwing leaves in the air. Shame I didn't manage a picture of that.

War Eagle Baby!

2011-09-07T20:55:00.000-04:00

I'm a good girl. I'm an Auburn Tiger, and I make my Momma proud. Sometimes I humor Daddy by wearing his boring and incorrect shade of orange and blue, but just you wait I'll be yelling "WAR EAGLE" soon enough.

It was a Tiring Sort of Day...

2011-09-06T23:01:00.002-04:00

I have decided that I am going to no longer sleep in pajamas. Momma said she's documenting this to embarrass me later in life. All I can say is that I'm comfortable.

The Final Shuttle Launch

2011-09-05T21:30:00.005-04:00

Daddy had never seen a shuttle launch. It was one of those things that he has always wanted to do. One of their last trips down we went over to see the Kennedy Space Center, but there was no shuttle launch going on then. He works on the Redstone Arsenal writing software for a company that NASA has contracted work out to. He has tried several time to enter the drawing for tickets to go and see a launch, but never won any. Part of the reason that they kept the kids almost a month is so that Mother and Daddy could come down and try to see the final shuttle launch while they were here. We were worried that it wouldn't go off, but we got up early and made the drive over to Titusville, to sit along the bay and hope to see Atlantis's final flight.
Gary and I had driven over almost two years earlier to see Atlantis launch. It was a clear beautiful day, and Britt blogged about it. The launch on July 8th was totally different, it was cloudy, there had been alot of rain, and even with the zoom, the massive NASA structures looked hazy through the mist and fog. Unlike before, where Gary and I pulled off the road in a residential neighborhood and sat alone on the grass, there were tons of people and we actually needed to pay for parking.
I was nervous and excited, not sure if at the last moment they would call off the launch. Someone had a radio playing with the official chatter, and they finally began the countdown. As we said blast off, on the horizon you could see the smoke billowing up, and then the glow of all that fire, and the shuttle was off. We didn't see it long before it hit the clouds and was gone from sight. Mother saw it flash, and light up the clouds in thinner spots once after it disappeared from view, and like that the shuttle program that I followed and as a child dreamed of traveling to space in was over. As we sat there, clapping and cheering (why I'm not really sure, it's not like the astronauts could hear and appreciate us), the thunderous roar of the lift off, finally rolled across the bay to us around 13 miles away. All that was left to see was the huge plume of smoke, that was even then beginning to drift away.

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It was amazing to be there at the end, but sad to think it was over with nothing to replace it. Britt and Ruth have no idea what they saw, but I got to be there with my own space hero; who writes all that amazing software to be able to read the experiments that happen so far away on the international space station and who wrote programs for the Chandra X-Ray space telescope - my Daddy, who does amazing and important work, and that was as special as all the rest.

Moved Again...

2011-09-04T16:20:00.003-04:00

Sorry that we've been MIA so much lately. It's been a busy summer, that is quickly fading to fall.

At first, when Gary was done with classes for the summer, we just wanted to collapse and catch up on sleep, so after we carried the kids to my parents that what we did for two days. Then we had to pack up and move yet again. The kiddos stayed with my parents for almost a month. It wasn't so bad until that last week, when I didn't have much to keep me busy. I think everyone had a good time, and maybe that's something I can plan to let them do again next summer. By the time the kids came back, June was gone.

The month of July was filled with seeing the last shuttle launch, Church meetings, Ray's games, and planning for Ruth's birthday party. Here and there along the way, we had to finish up Gary's final research assistanceship/project/thingy, he presented and by the time graduation rolled around July was gone.

After graduation, August was full of days in the swimming pool, Gary working a new temporary position, attempting to find a new routine, and Ruth's birthday party. Along the way again there were many Church meetings, and alot of fellowship with the different men who have been filling in for us at Little Union, while we continue to search for a pastor.

Now that September is here I'm hoping to get back to blogging. I'm going to go back a dig out a few photos from our more memorable summer happenings, and try to be a little more dilligent about blogging this month.

Sing Along with Britt

2011-09-03T23:11:00.002-04:00

Britt loves to sing. He will sing most anything. We checked out a Sesame street sing along dvd from the library not too long ago, and Britt has asked to sing "Cow Jump over the Moon" daily since then. Of course, that was his favorite on the DVD. He liked to sing "Elmo's Song" too.

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Laughing with Momma

2011-08-31T17:37:00.000-04:00

So Momma made me use outdated video too. I guess I'll get over it, after all I'm pretty much the same. Still crawling and rolling around in the floor, still happy and giggling at everything. The only real difference in two months is that I'm way too long for that sleeper now, and my hair is getting long enough for bows.

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Learning Swahili?

2011-08-30T11:42:00.001-04:00

This video is a little old, but Momma seems to think you might enjoy it. I like to act out movies now as I watch them. I'll like to sing the songs with them too. One of my favorite movies these days is The Lion King. UncaBenji got me hooked on watching it. I have to be sure to tell everyone all the animals in case they don't know what they are, and the first song as it comes on is my favorite. The only odd thing, is that they all fall asleep after the baby lion gets held up in the air. Momma insists that they are bowing, but I'm quite sure that they are asleep because they close their eyes.

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Helping Memaw

2011-08-17T09:37:00.001-04:00

I'm a very good helper these days. I want to be a part of what everyone else is doing. If Britt is eating you can't forget about me. If Momma is picking up toys I want one to put in the box... and then of course take it out again. If Daddy is in the kitchen cooking, I want to be right there under foot to give him my thoughts. I even help Memaw when she's cleaning the kitchen. She was going to be having company, so I had to help her out. It's not fair for Memaw to have to do all the cleaning, when me, Julia, Britt, Lilli, and Brystal all tag team her to destroy the house. Hehehe.

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Now I know my ABC's

2011-08-16T10:42:00.001-04:00

So I've known my ABC's for a while, but I have finally learned the song. I want Ruth to sing with me, but she won't.

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Ruth's 1st Birthday Party

2011-08-15T20:41:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, was Ruth's first birthday party and after Church we had a party for her. We had alot of Gary's family and the Church over to celebrate with us. After all, it was a great excuse to have everyone over, grill out and visit. Since we didn't get home from Church until 3:30, and the party was at 5, I was a little crazy trying to finish up everything. Luckily Mom and Dad and Aunt Patricia helped me finish getting all the food out.

We had a great turn out, Gary cooked about 50 hamburgers and we only had 7 left at the end of the night. We had out a couple of inflatable pools, one with just a little water for Ruth, and then the other with more water for the older kids. They had a great time jumping from pool to pool, and Ruth just laughed and laughed at them. The pools helped keep everyone cool. We had a pretty nice breeze and in the evening most of the back yard is shaded, so we had a good time visiting.

Ruth was so enthusiastic about the entire proceedings. She played in the pool and smiled for everyone. She ate half of a hamburger and then we got out her cupcake. Oh my she absolutely loved that thing. At first she wasn't quiet sure what to think, but after Gary put a piece in her mouth, she was in heaven. First she tried to lean over and eat it because she couldn't figure out how to pick it up. Finally she just grabbed it with both hands and practically inhaled it. She was just so excited. We had to give her a second one, and while some of it ended up crumbled all over the place, she ate an awful lot. After all of that she needed a bath.

After she was cleaned up she opened her presents. She still isn't that great at tearing the paper off of a box, but boy she had pulling that tissue paper down pat. She yanked that stuff out and just laughed and laughed. At the end of the evening, the family was out playing the bean bag toss, and Mom had corralled the kids in the living room with Toy Story 3, while A. Patricia helped me out by doing the dishes while I dried and put them away. We had such a wonderful day, but boy were we tired by the end of the night.

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1 Year with Ruth

2011-08-14T13:59:00.003-04:00

Ruth,

Dearest little girl, you are at this very moment 1 year old. This morning when you woke up, you were almost there, but just as Ahna wouldn't have wished me a happy birthday, I didn't wish you one yet, but now the time has arrived and you are finally 1. Finally seems such a silly thing to say, after all this year has pasted in such a whirlwind that at times I feel like I've blinked and missed milestones that I should have noticed.

This weekend, as I try to catch up your scrapbook, I have looked at the many pictures we've taken off you over this past year, and I marvel at how much you have grown. Like all babies you have progressed from a tiny and helpless creature to an increasingly active child with your own unique personality. In the last week in particular you have tried to assert your independence by clearly demonstrating what it is you want and when you want it, in the last week you have also shown the first since of a temper that we didn't know you had. However, you are still pure sunshine almost all day, every day.

Despite the fact that you are quickly approaching toddlerhood, you have a babiness that your brother didn't have. A babiness that I love. You are still so cuddly and love to lay your head against my chest, suck your thumb while I rock and sing to you. I never get tired of cuddling with you. I never tired of watching you suck your thumb as you drift off to sleep either for that matter. One day you'll have to give it up, but no time soon.

Last night for the first time you were so caught up with watching Britt play his guitar that you let go of the couch and stood for about 30 seconds, until you tried to reach and step for him and fell. For a moment you forgot you were afraid and you forgot that you weren't holding on to anything and only saw what was ahead of you. Life is like that sometimes, you don't see anything around you, only what is ahead of you. I don't know what life has in store for you little miss, but I do know that where ever you go you will have Daddy and Momma's love, and the Lord will always be there to watch over you.

Love,

Momma

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11 Months with Ruth

2011-07-14T22:53:00.005-04:00

Ruth,

My little miss, you are getting so big. It's amazing just how much you have changed and grown in the last month. I'm sure I think so because you spent most of the last month with Ahna and Grumps and the changes seem so much more sudden.

Of course some of those changes have been sudden in the last nine days you have cut 6 teeth. The four in the middle on top are easy to see now, but the two front bottom teeth are just barely poking through. You absolutely hate to have me put my fingers in your mouth, so each evening I lay you down in the floor and tickle you until I get a good look at all of those teeth while you laugh at me.

You went from standing against furniture and taking a few halting steps as you move hand over hand along the couch to cruising around the room with ease. You even manage bigger gaps now like reaching from the couch to Daddy's chair and then around the end table until you fall down to crawl up the step to leave the sun room.

You are asserting yourself more and more these days, much to Britt's shock. He can't get away with taking any and every toy away from you now. There are a few toys that you crawl over him and steal right back. The first time I watched you take a toy back, Britt just sat there and looked shocked then came and told me "Ruth get Woody." Neither of you have a clue what sharing means, but I'm beginning to attempt referring the two of you. Your new favorite thing to do together is to pull all they toys out of the cabinet and get in it. Britt will get Woody or his "tar-tar" and you will get your doll or the musical stacking rings, and then you two shut the door and laugh and play in the dark in the cabinet. For all I know you two have been to Narnia as long as you've stayed in there.

You remain cuddly, especially when you don't feel well. Cutting teeth has been a real trying experience for you, and you just want to sit on my shoulder against my neck and chew on Mr. Potato Head's arm. Sometimes I worry that our cuddle time is drawing to an end, after all you will be walking before long, but then you come and raise your arms to be picked up. You still like me to rock you and sing "Grace 'tis a Charming Sound". Other times we sit and have little conversations in the rocker. I talk about Daddy, Britt, what we will do when you get bigger, and often things from history. You are faithful to answer in your babble and smile in all the right places. Before long I imagine these conversations might be more two sided.

We love you so very much and we hope you never forget that.

Love,

Momma

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Playground Time

2011-07-13T17:30:00.004-04:00

In lieu of Britt and Ruth's regular post, I'll provide some video from when they went to Milan to visit my dad's side of the family. Grumps has been helping them to get their thoughts on paper to blog about their exciting month in Alabama, so tune back in next week.

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Happy 4th Anniversary

2011-07-07T18:03:00.002-04:00

My dearest Gary Britt,

Today marks our 4th anniversary, and I love you every bit as much and more than the day we wed. you are the more adventuresome risk taker of the two of us, and I am the more leery one, we balance each other out with just the right amount of spontaneity and routine. You have me following all the Rays games, and I've even gotten you to see a few plays. I've learned more about steers than I would have ever imagined there was to know, and you have put up with me reading books aloud. Together I think we can handle anything life throws our way.

After all we have endured a lay off and two children. Throughout our difficult moments and days we have each other. Life has mostly been joyful days though. For all the trouble those kids can be they seem to be the best of the two of us. They both have your laid back easy going personality and look so much like you; and they have my inquisitiveness and desire to learn and explore. I'm looking forward to a houseful of them and a life time with you.

This last year was a roller coaster, and seems to have passed so rapidly. We talked about that on the night we moved back down from Gainesville. It seems like we had just moved up there a short time before. We hope to get a good job, get situated, and not need to move for a long time to come. The past year we survived a year of college and a new baby, we didn't get much sleep but we made it through. I don't know what this next year will hold but I'm sure we will have many more adventures.

I love you!

~Your dani~

Father's Day 2011

2011-06-30T21:18:00.007-04:00

Howdy Cow-bay!

Father's day has come and gone again and I find myself writing your yearly letter. Things have changed so much in a year for you Britt and you are almost 2 1/2. You now have a new sister, Ruth, who is getting big enough and old enough to pester you. It seems when you are playing in the living room floor that she has a talent for getting in the middle of things to play with you. Usually the two of you play good together. But, there are times where she wants to play, and you fuss and try to climb up to the landing to get away. She would try to follow you, and I wonder how you will respond in the new house with no stairs to escape up.

On that note, I can't wait to show you our new home. You'll have a big yard to run and play in. Chickens, cows, and even a baby calf to watch again. You are upgrading because while you are still sharing a room with your sister, you are moving out of a closet into a real room. You are also getting a new twin sized bed, your first adult bed ever. You should be able to play with your cousins more often now, and you adore following them around. You are content to let the girls take the lead and just be along for the ride.

Your favorite past time is to go swimming or as you call it the "big water". Other favorites are still drinking your cup, eating cookies, and chasing cats. Your first favorite movie was Jungle Book which we still watch alot. You also like Robin Hood, Aristocats, and Winnie the Pooh. Your current favorite movie though is Toy Story 3 which you call "Cow-bay." You love to play with your "racket" while you watch bluegrass, sometimes it's your "tar-tar" and sometimes it's a banjo or a "men-do-win."

You no longer pose as well as you should when we try to take pictures, but rather run away. Speaking of running, in contrast to last year you are also running around and climbing on everything. You can get into anything that you want, and nothing is safe. You are still a bit clumsy on your feet though. You are communicating more and more, and I hope to be able to talk with you more as you understand more.

It will be neat to teach you to throw a baseball and a football, you know the little stuff, but I guess what I really want to teach you is how to build on what you are now. You have a happy and content spirit and I hope you always keep that attitude in life. I want you to build on that and learn integrity which is doing the right thing no matter what.

I love you, Britt and I look forward to moving on in the next chapter in our life. It seems like you change so rapidly, and I am amazed how fast you've learned the letters in the alphabet and how you can pick up things seemingly overnight. The time passes all to quickly. The one thing I have not regretted about not having a job, is all the time I get to spend with you each day. This time passes too quickly and cannot be gotten back. I have fun outside with you, and hope to do more together. I never want to get to the point that I have to tell you that we will do it later, because time passes too quickly.

I love you,

Daddy

10 Months with Ruth

2011-06-28T22:25:00.000-04:00

Ruth,

I started this post on your ten month birthday, and even called and had Ahna and Grumps email me a picture of you with Uncle Nick's old teddy bear "Chocolate". However, I failed to get it finished, and then we had to turn off the internet, pack, and move. We finally got internet back this week, so that I can finish your letter now that you are 10 1/2 months old.

During this past month, you quit nursing entirely. I'm glad we made it a bit over nine months, I was hoping to make a year, but also, I'm so relieved to be done, I don't enjoy it. You are a ferocious eater, you speed through almost every meal and always complain when we run out of food. You have a healthy appetite. You aren't really wild about green beans and your favorite food remains squash followed by bananas, but there isn't a single thing so far that you turn down cold. You have mastered hold your sippy cup, and you are very adept at picking up finger foods. Despite the fact that you have no teeth you manage a variety of foods. I was only giving you things that would dissolve in your mouth (no not M&M's, but Gerber stars), when we caught you sharing a bowl of Cheerios with Britt. Your lack of teeth doesn't seem to stop you in the least. You chew on everything, and often look like you have been hosed down at the w

ater facet, but for all that still no sign of teeth.

You were cruising around on furniture a little back at the beginning of the month, but have abandoned that mode of transportation for Mowgli style crawling, and boy have you gotten fast at that. You follow us around, and hate to be left alone. You don't play well by yourself, and why would you? You've always had a playmate. You are quick to let us know that you don't appreciate being left by yourself, and when we pick you up you are just as quick to smile and babble away. You have been quiet talkative lately, particularly in the afternoons. You have been saying "mamamamama" for over a month, but now you say mama to me, you also say dadadada to Daddy, always four syllables. You also say "babababa" sometimes at Britt and sometimes and whatever you have in your hand, so I don't think that means anything yet.

Much like your brother you love the water, but just like me you hate it in your face and your eyes. You splash and splash in the pool or the bathtub, but when you manage to spash yourself you always stop and look annoyed. When Daddy rinses out your hair by dumping a cup over your head you fuss and let him know just how displeased you are. Oh, and when Daddy dunks you in the pool you come up spuddering, red eyed, and looking confused. I don't blame you after all I have no idea what's so fun about getting cold water in your face. You sure enjoy playing in the bathtub or pool with Britt. It's one of the highlights of the day. I'm going to have to get you two a little pool to play in the backyard on these hot summer afternoons.

Much like your older brother and your Daddy you remain even tempered, never out of kilter. It's a rare day when you are fussy, and usually just holding you a bit extra cures that. That big, beautiful, toothless grin is so endearing. We love you very much little miss, and look forward to you coming back home this weekend.

Love,

Momma

Bathtime with Cousins

2011-06-02T13:19:00.000-04:00

Last weekend, we were down visiting with Gary's parents. James and Heather went to Daytona for the weekend, so Brystal and Julia stayed there at Memaw and Mister's with us. The kids all had a great time together. Britt followed "Be-tal" around all weekend, anything she did he did too. Ruth especially loves to follow Julia around, so she was crawling just a few steps behind them all weekend. They would jump on the air mattress, and she would climb up and sit in the middle and laugh. They would get on the slip in slide, and she would sit next to it in the grass getting wet. They would dance and sing while Britt played tar-tar, and she would clap and cheer them on. In Gary's words, Ruth is Britt's first groupie. Brystal thought it was her personal duty to be sure that no one hurt Ruth and to take care of her all weekend. She even wanted to wash her hair.

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Munching

2011-06-01T11:37:00.001-04:00

I had a wonderful time with my cousins this weekend. They couldn't get enough of me, and I just adore following them around. They take such good care of me, and when everyone else was so busy Sunday morning Brystal even helped me get my breakfast.

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Driving with Britt

2011-05-31T10:42:00.003-04:00

So I like to drive these days. On Wednesday nights when we head up to Salem Church in Lake City a couple of the sisters are bad about going to their car, opening the drivers side door, and then popping the trunk. They then go and put away their supper dishes and stand around talking, all while leaving the drivers side door open. While no one pays too much attention, I inevitable try to drive off in their car while Momma and Daddy are standing around talking, or other times I like to get in the passenger seat and ask to ride. The following is some video of while we were waiting for A. Melanie and Maghen at the airport.

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Pool Time

2011-05-30T14:44:00.002-04:00

Since the weather has been warm, we've started carrying the kids back down to the pool. Britt absolutely loves the "big wa-wa" as he calls it, and asks almost every day to go. He know which are his "swimmy clothes" and will bring them to me, in his attempts to head down to the pool. We don't go anywhere near as often as Britt likes (all day, everyday). After all, I don't enjoy even slightly cold water, and for some reason Britt thinks he can only swim with me. Britt jumps to me from the side of the pool, and then he kicks and sometimes "does his arms". Ruth mostly sits on the ledge, splashes, watches Britt, and laughs. Sometimes she ventures out in the water with Daddy.

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My Birthday

2011-05-27T10:11:00.001-04:00

My 26th birthday was 2 weeks ago today. And for my birthday, Gary really spoiled me. We left the kids with his parents and had an afternoon and evening child free for the first time in who knows how long. It was a most welcome break. First we went and had lunch at Olive Garden, and then Gary surprised me by letting me pick out two dresses from the dress barn, one for my birthday and one for Mother's Day.

After that we went over to Tip to Toe, where I got a pedicure, and we sat around talking to Ms. Connie the lady who runs it and who's daughter graduated with Gary. After that we swung by Payless for me to find a new pair of white Church shoes. The heel broke off of the really nice pair I had, and I was sad to see them go, but I found a super comfortable, if not all that dress pair for REALLY cheap so that was great.

The ultimate surprise was getting to go and see the Tampa Bay Ray's play, and they beat the Boston Orioles 2 to 0. One of their young new pitchers, pitched the entire game and allowed a few hits, but played great! After the game they allowed people to walk through the outfield. You could enter by the dugouts and then exit through centerfield. Gary and I had just been talking about how in the Rays outfield the warning track wasn't all that great, because it wasn't dirt, just the Astroturf changes color. Well we got to walk around on it, and I even took off my flip flops. It was kind of scratchy, not like grass, but it was really spongy. I couldn't get over how weird it felt. The warning track though in addition to being red wasn't spongy at all. I stood as close as I could get to right field, and thought man this is a huge area to cover. Then we stood out in center field, and looked back to home plate, and wow! I knew that the field was really big, and that it was bigger than a high school or little league field, but WOW! The field the stands it was all so enormous. It was the best part of the night, getting to stand out in the middle of center field on the star.

After the game, and 4 wrong turns by Gary we eventually made it back over to Brandon where we picked up a burger for a really late supper, and headed over to hang out with Amanda and a few of her and Gary's friends from way back. We sat around and visited until well past my birthday. At last it was time to call it a night and meander back to Mom and Dad's, but it was the BEST birthday ever.

Evolution of Movement

2011-05-25T11:37:00.005-04:00

I've had this video of Ruth crawling back on April 22nd, just sitting on the hard-drive waiting for me to load it. It was the second or third day that she crawl. (She seriously started the day after my parents left from down here. I told them if they hadn't held her so much then they could have seen her crawl.) I thought I would get a little video of what all she's doing now to compare. The second crawling video was from last Saturday May 21st. Last Friday she started climbing the steps and attempting to cruise. Yesterday, Gary managed to catch her climbing the stairs on video. It's so hard to believe how quickly she is progressing from one thing to another.

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My Music

2011-05-24T10:42:00.004-04:00

Anyone who knows me, know I like music. I like to sing and dance, and pretend to play lots of different instruments. Sometimes I play tar-tar, or sometimes I play a ben-jo, I even like to play a men-do-win. I like most kinds of music. I like the silly songs that Momma sings in the car and the Church songs Daddy sings to try to convince me that it is time to sleep. I even liked the man playing a tar-tar at the restaurant the other night while Daddy was trying to watch the Lightning win in hockey. He was playing songs like Grumps and Ahna listen to, and I danced alot. I think he liked me to.

My most favorite kind of music though is gween gwass. (Momma calls it bluegrass, but then she corrects me every time that I say grass is blue, so I decided this morning that it was green grass.) And of course, my most favorite gween gwass musician is Allison Krauss and Union Station. In fact, I have recently started watching it 2 or 3 times a day. Sometimes it's my background music, and you better not think you can change the channel because I'm not paying attention. Other times I hold my "racket" and play right along with them.

Anyway, since I have not asked Momma to load any video of me lately I thought you might like to see my wonderful playing abilities. The first song, is my favorite it's by the ben-jo player, even though he doesn't play ben-jo he plays tar-tar on this song. The second song is Momma's favorite and its about a lazy farmer who wouldn't hoe his corn. She says I must be learning from Isaac because I have just as many expressions as he does when he plays ben-jo.

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Easter

2011-05-23T09:08:00.000-04:00

We spent Easter weekend down with Gary's family. The day before we dyed eggs with the kiddos. No easy feat since three of them are between 22 and 30 months. Let's just say by the time we were done it was just Joan, Heather and me dying eggs for the kiddos. We had a great time though.

On Sunday, we were at Little Union and at the end of services we had a couple ask for a home at the Church. After lunch they were baptized, and then we headed over to Gary's great uncle's house, where the entire Varnum family gets together. They get together twice a year for Easter and for Christmas Eve, and there is always a ton of food and visiting. We didn't get to visit near as much as we liked since we were at Church until after 3, but then again like most family get togethers, we never seem to have enough time to visit.

Britt did a pretty good job with hunting eggs last year, as long as we helped point out where they were. This time after Gary got him started he didn't need any help finding the eggs. Occasionally he would need a little direction. He had no trouble finding the eggs on the ground, but the ones up higher sometimes he needed a hint. He was still young enough, that his focus was on the eggs he was hunting not the eggs in his basket. Gary took his eggs out two or three times to re-hide. I really think he could have hunted eggs till dark.

Ruth didn't hunt for eggs, but she did sit around and talk with everyone. She would watch a conversation, and look oh so serious before she would launch into her own opinion on the topic. Aunt Joanna loved on her for the longest time, and I was quite content to take a break from her. All in all, we had a wonderful day.

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Hello from the Sunshine State!

2011-05-21T11:22:00.003-04:00

We have been incredibly busy over the last two months and have oh so many things to share with you, hopefully we'll get back to blogging very soon! Stay tuned...

9 Months with Ruth

2011-05-14T18:19:00.005-04:00

Ruth,

It is so hard to believe that you have been with us for 9 months. I feel like I say this every time I sit down and write your monthly post, but it remains true. The time seems to pass all too quickly with you.

In the last two weeks you have gone from a slow little army crawler, to an efficient real crawler, to attempting to pull up on everything. You seem to have gone from not so mobile to frighteningly fast and trying to keep up with you with us to be in the middle of everything.

This month has marked another big milestone for us. You started waking up in the night again and wanting to eat. I had been concerned that you weren't nursing enough, and it confirmed to me that you needed more to eat. So we have swapped you over to formula for every meal except breakfast.

Your personality continues to be cheery and content. If Britt takes away your toy you just head off to find a new one. He shows his love for you in the most rough and tumble way sometimes and you rarely cry but grin and laugh at his silly antics. This may not continue as you two grow older, but I would like to hope that you treasure each other as close siblings rather than evil arch enemies.

Your smile and laugh are endearing, and I often hang out with you in the bed a little too long since you are a sunny, cuddly girl. Your Daddy and I love you so very much, and we hope you never forget that.

Love,

Momma.

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8 Months with Ruth

2011-04-14T12:23:00.006-04:00

Ruth,

Today my little girl you are 8 months old. It's unbelievable just how much you have grown, and just how fast! You were 8 lbs and 19 1/2 inches at birth, 10 lbs 4 oz and 21 1/2 inches at 1 month, 11 lbs 15 oz and 22 1/4 inches at 2 months, and 15 lbs ans 7 oz and 25 3/4 inches at 5 1/2 months. At your doctors appointment a couple of weeks ago, you were up to 16 lbs 12 oz and 26 inches long.

You are getting around now. There has been a time or two that you have coordinated your knees and hands to crawl a step or two, but for the most part you lay on your stomach, stretch out your legs and push with the tips of your toes, then you stretch out your arms, and grab with your fingers and pull and wiggle yourself toward whatever toy you are trying to get. Since you are heavier than Britt was at this age, I'm not surprised too much that you are crawling or pulling up on the furniture yet, but I doubt it'll be long. You still like to rock on your hands and knees and often look like you'll be taking off after Britt, as you laugh and smile.

You are still an incredibly happy child. You got your first pop on the leg a few nights ago from Daddy for misbehaving, I told him you are still too small to know better. Most of the time, I can look stern and say no, and you immediately stop and get teary eyed. Sometimes if Britt is getting fussed at and he's near you in the floor you assume we are fussing at you and cry. It's so pitiful.

You are up to eating twice a day, two servings of cereal, one of fruit, and one of vegetables. You like applesauce and squash best, and the only thing you really dislike is green beans. You chew on absolutely everything from toys to Britt's hair when he lays in your lap. We aren't regularly giving you a sippy cup with juice yet, but while Grandmother and Granddaddy were here you seemed to all of a sudden make a connection with it. You don't hold it up very well on your own, but when it's up you sure have figured out how to suck that thing down. You still have no teeth, so I guess I'm crazy. Who knows when you'll get them. I thought my allergies were acting up over the weekend, but I guess I had a cold, because you've had a bit of one yesterday and today. That's another first.

People continue to be surprised by how easy going you are. You will sit in the floor and just watch people, and when you catch their eye, oh how you grin. You are only fussy about 6 in the evening when Daddy and I are working on supper and different things. You love to be held and cuddled. You nestle up against my neck and suck on your thumb, and sing your sleepy song. You love to talk to your Daddy, and especially enjoy laughing and babbling at Britt whenever he pays you the slightest attention.

We love you so very much,

Momma

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Swinging At the Park

2011-04-13T10:37:00.001-04:00

I'm now big enough to swing with Britt at the park. I like swinging outside even better than I like my swinger in the house. I like the wind and the trees and all the sunshine. Britt and I have lots of fun swinging together. When Ahna and Grumps where here, I took a break in the middle to play with my rattle with Ahna. It was a fun game. I would play and then drop it, and she would fetch it EVERY time. Then I would take it back and grin at her, and we would do it all over again. While we were at the park, Daddy also taught me to play chicken. I'm not sure who had more fun doing that Daddy or Grumps, they were both laughing so much. Britt and I were trying to out squeal the other one. It was a great day.

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Sliding at the Park

2011-04-12T22:43:00.006-04:00

I like the slides at the park. About the only think I like more than the slides is the swings. Momma usually carries me and Ruth down to the park about once a week while Daddy is at school. Sometimes we get some lunch first and eat at the park too. It's our chance to get out of the house during the week. Momma hates to be cooped up at home all the time. I wonder if chickens hate to be cooped up?

Anyway, while Grendy and Grandmomer was here, we went down to the park. I got to show them all the swings and the slides. I've also been very persuasive in getting people to go down the slides with me. Momma even got proof on the video camera. Also, while Grumps and Ahna were here, we went to the park. In addition to getting people to go down the slides with me, Grumps and Ahna brought me some very fun bubbles to go in my Easter basket. I'm not sure who had more fun with that Grumps or me. I chased bubbles all over the park, and I was wore out. We had to go home and drink some juice after that. Then Grumps and Ahna took naps while I played upstairs. I've had a good time with all of our company.

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Prayer Request

2011-04-11T23:01:00.002-04:00

Updating the prayer request list tonight, we have added Sis. Janice the mother of Sis. Sherry Crawford. They found cancer and did surgery on her foot a few weeks back to remove it. The site where they did surgery appears to be healing well, and the skin graft seem to have taken. However, testing returned the news that the cancer had already spread to other parts of the body. they will be meeting with Doctors again this week to determine a course of action, and believe the will be removing more lymph nodes soon. They are a dear family, loving servants of Christ, and have been so wonderful to welcome, comfort and pray for our little family since moving up here and attending MacClenny Church. Please pray for Sis. Janice.

Washing His Sister's Feet

2011-04-10T16:23:00.000-04:00

I've recently started sticking Ruth in the bathtub with Britt, now that she is big enough to balance well, even with Britt as rowdy as he is. The relationship the two of them seem to have, warms my heart. Britt is forever trying to take care of Ruth. He brings her endless amounts of toys, and pets her hair, and is forever trying to hold her. Now that she is in the bathtub with him, he feels it's his duty to help with her bath. He "scrubbies" her hair, but far more gently than he washes his own, and especially loves to wash her feet. He talks and talks to her and laughs and shares his rubber duckies, and she grins and kicks and babbles back. I hope they are able to retain the joy they seem to have together for a long time, and not become siblings who can't stand to be in the other's presence.

Britt on the Moped...

2011-04-09T08:46:00.002-04:00

Several of you may know that Gary bought a moped when we first moved to Gainesville. He had the idea that he could ride it to school and that way I would have a car when I needed one. Even though it was a good idea, it didn't really pan out so well. He rode it most of the summer and part of the fall, but I just didn't feel good about him on it, and he felt like we were a little to far away from campus for him to be able to make it through the traffic safely. We've been meaning to sell it, but we just haven't gotten around to it. Gary posted it on craigslist back a few weeks ago, and has been talking to a girl who has decided to buy it.

So of course, yesterday Gary was riding it around one last time to make sure everything worked alright, and of course Britt wanted a ride. So Gary carried him on a few loops around the parking lot. Britt of course, LOVED it and didn't want to quit riding. Gary told me if I wanted on it, this was my last chance. I might have ridden with him, but I had no interest in trying to drive it myself. Since there was no one to watch Britt if I got on with him, I just watched them ride. I can already tell Britt is going to be like Nicholas trying to go faster and faster, pulling stupid stunts on his bicycle and then losing teeth. I recall one particularly spectacular wreak, when I went to get Mother because I was sure he was either dead or had broken something. Within an hour he was at it again.

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