Life with my sister

I always love talking to my niece & nephews on the phone. Since we live so far apart, it is our most utilized form of communication. It also provides much entertainment for me and the rest of the family who get to share all the funny stories. This afternoon I called Jules to gab about life and hear her gab back. She left me on the phone with Dave, Dan and Sissy (a.k.a - Anna) while she ran Sambo up the street. Yep, I was a telephone babysitter. Don't call DHS on us, please! David and I chatted first. I asked if it was David or Daniel. He said "It is D-A-V-I-D". He was so proud of himself and I was pretty proud of him too. I asked him what he was learning in school and he told me that he was learning to tell time and to add his 3's. I asked him what 3+1 equals and he said "4" real loud. I am so proud of his teacher! Anna was screaming in the background to talk, so Dave gave up the fight and handed her the phone. Sissy LOVES to talk to Aunt Abby. She has a...

"Can you see God, have you ever seen Him? I've never seen the wind. I've seen the effects of the wind, but I've never seen the wind" How many of my "homies" can hear Billy Graham reciting this line in Mind's Eye on the famous Jesus Freak album by DC Talk? As the wind whips around my house this evening I thought of this line and it made me laugh. It is so true though and a great lesson about faith. Ok, while we are on the Jesus Freak album, I have to mention Mrs. Morgan. Do any of you remember her? "Well, I'm Catherine Morgan and I'm the next-door neighbor to the Gotee's a nd uh, the Gotee's were over there and they had a drummer that came in here t o play the drums that day And he played it early in the mornin', and he played it. I had him for breakfast, and for lunch, and for dinner. So I hollered at Todd and told him t hat I couldn't stand that drummer any longer, that he was driving my crazy! And Kevin spoke up and ...

I have some of the best friends. After my post about the treading water and being helped out by a raft, my bff emailed me and said she couldn't send me a "raft" but she was sending some "cool floaties"! Well, my cool floaties arrived by UPS today while I was gone. Let me digress- Samuel woke up yesterday with a runny nose, and headache, so today I called the dr to get him in. Well, even though this dr was his pcp, Samuel had never seen her, and they couldn't get a new patient in until Feb. Well, I was thrilled with that news as you could imagine. Their solution to the problem was to take him to the ER where they have a kind of "quick care" set up. We've been there and done that, and don't care to repeat! So I called the local village dr and they can get him in but I first have to change his pcp. Once again you can imagine how thrilled I was with that. I get that done, and head out to the dr office with all 4 kids (hubby is in LR with a chur...

I like to make a point to thank God often for special friendships. I blame it on moving away from everything familiar and safe when I graduated from college and got married. I love making new friends, but nothing replaces those solid, "been through it all" friends. Friendship. It comes in the most unlikely places. God has blessed me with a handful of long-lasting friendships and my heart swells with pride when I think of each one of them. One of those beautiful friends is, Paige. We met one another while working at a fitness center in our last year of college. I knew who she was. She was Miss. Conway…and the chance of making this girl a friend of Abby Jo's was well….slim! God had other plans. We became instant friends the first night I folded towels with her at the front desk of the gym. We found out we had the same major, same quirks, same sense of humor, same faith, some of the same friends and we wore the same Conway Regional Lands End polo three or four days a week. ...

Last night one of the womens Sunday School classes and I hosted a womens dinner in the fellowship hall at church. Our goal was to get women of all ages together, and get to know each other so that we could form relationships that would help us along our spiritual journey through life. We had 59 women sign up to attend! We were so excited! The class did a wonderful job of decorating, they chose colors of turquoise and black. They hand delivered invitations to the women in their SS classes and then made place cards that were little bags with candy inside them at each table. It was so much fun. We made sure that everyone had a "buddy" to sit with but other than that we tried to put everyone with someone they wouldn't normally come in contact with. We had 6 teenage girls work as servers, they even dressed in white shirts and black pants. They did a wonderful job, of plating food, and making sure everyone had enough to drink. The class, whose name is the Joy class, so the ev...

I was sitting here tonight thinking about my chore tomorrow afternoon and thought "You know you're a redneck when you trade a cooler of duck for a cooler of deer." Yep, that is what the mother-in-law and I will be doing tomorrow afternoon when I get off of work. Tonight I have made room in the deep freezer for a doe and picked out some good looking duck for her freezer. Oh, the joys of marrying a hunter! Love it. Abby

I am not one to boast too much, but this is so stinking cute! I am hosting a baby shower in a few weeks and made this diaper cake for the gift table centerpiece. Having only seen one of these before, I really had no idea what I was doing. With my hubby's engineering help and the Internet, I made this sweet little thing last night while he watched football. I think I could make these and sale them....you think? Abby

I'm not sure who reads this blog, it may just be my mom and dad. On the off chance that it is more than just that I thought I would share with you my thoughts and see what you think! Do any of you feel like you are just treading water? You are doing all the things you are supposed to be doing, washing clothes, cooking dinner, vacuuming, dusting, bathing the kids (and yourself!) but it seems like you never have time to clean the baseboards, sit and read a book for more than 5 minutes at a time, or even put the clean clothes up, because it is time to start the list all over again? I am with you if you feel like that! Now that I have the Internet at home, I have begun reading different blogs of people I don't know ( i just find them through links on other peoples blogs) and man do they seem to have it all together! One girl has 3 kids under 6 and is knitting sweaters, hats, and even the 3 little pigs, wolf and all! I am trying to teach my children the 3 R's, obedience and, com...

As some of you know, I am planning the annual auction & dinner for my school. I work for a private Christian school. Many of our families are very wealthy and have expectations for this event ever year. It is my job to make sure all those expectations are met and that we raise the money we need for our Annual Fund. We plan for months to make sure the food, decor and auction items are pleasing to our audience. This auction raises money for tuition assistance which was given to 318 students this school year. The event is in 2 weeks and it is crazy times. I have a very energetic lower school mother who has helped me get random auction items. She told me the other day that she had asked the pet store for a puppy. I said "A PUPPY!?!?" with a sheer look of horror on my face. She almost squealed with excitement and gave me a big hearty "Yes! I am so excited!!!". I think my eyes rolled up in my head as I broke out in a mild sweat. Anyway, I said a little prayer and aske...

It seems like I am always talking about Anna so I decided to share something that David did at school today.Yesterday I gave D&D a writing assignment, they were to begin a story and add to it each day this week. Daniel raised his hand (yes, I know they are homeschooled, but they will one day go to "real" school and have to know about raising hands) and asked when he could write a letter to the President. (Samuel had written a letter to the President a few years ago, and got a picture and letter back and a Christmas card the next Christmas). I told them that I would hold off on the story assignment and let them write letters to the President this week. This was going to be a whole different learning experience for them, they were going to have to learn to write a formal letter, and address an envelope have a rough and final draft.. Samuel studied this this year in 4th grade!So here is David's letter. Even though the idea was Daniel's his was very short so I am lett...

I was cleaning up the pictures on my computer tonight and found this prize. I was in my first year at UCA (my third year of college) and living with my BFF , Melissa. Jules lived in Camden at the time and Samuel was still a "special only". Oh, those were the simple days! A winter storm was on its way to central and south Arkansas. I decided I wanted to be snowed in with my sissy and Melissa decided she wanted to be snowed in with the parentals. Before Melissa & I lived together and while growing up, we always tried to get snowed in together...fun times and funny memories with that whole situation. Anyway, back to the original story... So after my parents tried to speak common sense to me over the phone about going on a road trip in a storm, I booked the turquoise Caviler to south Arkansas ahead of the snow. I prayed the whole way that it would really snow so I wouldn't have to drive back to class early the next morning. Well, snow it did! We played in it for a coupl...

Anna just came in with Becca. She said Becca's mom had been shot in the eye and it hurt real bad, but the hospital had put it back in with super glue! Poor Becca's mom. The Mom died before Christmas but is now in the hospital recovering from a bullet wound to the eye. Oh, what a house full of boys will do to a little girl's imagination! (Read the early December post to learn more about Becca) Julie

Pray for my old marathon coach and favorite 5k bud this weekend as he participates in the Goofy Challenge at Disney in Orlando. He will run a half marathon (13.1 miles) on Saturday and a full marathon (26.2 miles) on Sunday. Yep, he is one goofy guy! John has trained for this very event for about a year and has stayed focused on the goal. We are lifting his knees up in prayer for the next few days...thanks for doing the same! Abby

I have the bestest mama in the whole wide world! (I guess that means Jules does too, huh?) Yesterday I had a huge box sitting on my porch from the USPS. Mama mailed me a beautiful and fun furry vest to wear to my winter gala (she wants me to be the prettiest one there). Also in the box was a scrapbook she made of my childhood. She redid the one she made when I was little into an acid free album and journaled the pages. It is most precious. I thank God for parents who love me by their actions and not just their deeds. When they buy me stuff I love it but just hearing them tell me they love me and having them spend time with me because they just want to be with me, means the world to me. I cherish saying "I love you" without reservation to my family. I hate to hear that not all people use these three precious words without reservation to their loved ones. I can't imagine how sad that must be but I would love to show them how easy it is...come meet my people...you will learn...

I was headed to an off site auction meeting this morning and running a bit early so I decided to treat my self to one of my most favorite things. As I pulled in I was greeted by a white Honda Pilot. It came out the entrance and without anywhere for me to go...I stopped. She must have liked the Maxima too much to swerve the Pilot because she rammed that thing right into my drivers side door. We were stuck together and window to window. I rolled down my window to tell her we were stuck and she needed to work with me a bit and all I saw was Tinkerbell. She had Tinkerbell dice, a steering wheel cover and a licence plate. I knew then it was not going to be a cool situation. After being harassed with profanity from a super nice Memfrican man who wanted his Toaster meal real bad, we finally got our cars apart. She moved to three different spots until she parked the Tinker mobile. I was getting worried she was going to roll on out there and drive off. I called the cops and the sheriff...

It is beginning to thunder and rain here. Anna grabbed her phone and said "I'm going to call God and have him stop this noise." So she got on the phone, and started telling him that it was too loud. When she got off the phone she came to me and said" God said he is going to stop this". It has been about 5 minutes since she "called" and she said that "he needs to hurry and stop this or I can't give him any candy when he comes down here!". Julie

It is from early December but I thought it was something ya'll would enjoy! This weekend was our family Christmas with our Dad and his family. We all met at Abby's house for pizza and presents! I walked into Abby's home and was immersed in Christmas. She had Christmas music on, wassail on the stove which smelled wonderful, and decorations everywhere-even on the toilet seat lid!The ornaments on her tree all have special significance and all have a special place. She even adjusts them when they get moved on the tree by someone passing by. I was so tempted to move all of them after she went to sleep!We had such a good time with our aunt, uncle, cousin, her husband, and daughter, dad and his wife Connie, and of course Abby and Randall. I haven't spent time with that side of my family in about 2 years, it was so good to be with them again. We laughed, cried, and opened great Christmas gifts. Dad played Santa's helper and pulled fun presents out of a huge stocking for al...

We have completed a full week of a new year. I wanted to update you on how I am doing on my goals. I am beginning my 2nd non-fiction book and haven't read a fiction one yet. Which, I know for those of you that really know me might find hard to believe, but it is true. I am on my way to the Library though, so things could change very quickly!!! I have also done much better about not yelling at the kids, which they are thankful for. OK, so it isn't a big update on my goals, but those are the only two that have even been started and they are coming along quite well I think. A funny story about Anna! She came into the bedroom the other day, spinning around, and she said" the house is falling down!". I asked her why, and she said when I go like this (spinning around) the house is going to fall down! Isn't it funny how kids find out about being dizzy. Samuel used to call it being busy! Tomorrow the 8th of January is one of my best friends daughters birthday! Hannah will...

I live outside of the city limits in a very redneck county in north Mississippi. We live on a 2 lane highway that is part of a subdivision, which is located behind us (we get the covenants of the neighborhood without being attached to it). Anyway, I sometimes drive back in the neighborhood to walk. I take my Ipod, phone and a cut off 2x4 to scare of dogs or crazy country people. A few weeks ago I had to swing the cut off 2x4 ( I guess it would be a 1x2 as my sister nicely pointed out to me today) at a little mutt a few weeks ago when it kept running on my heels. Until today that was the only time I had used my wooden weapon. When you live in the sticks outside of the city limits you can burn your trash, let your dogs run loose and kill a deer from the front seat of your car whenever the mood strikes without much fear. I have yet to familiarize myself with this way of life and hope to never do so. In our little area of the dirty south people love a pit bull. We have them all over the ne...

I just read my sister's post with her 2008 goals and it inspired me to make a list of my own. I also think posting it will make me feel more accountable, otherwise I would not be so candid & transparent on the world wide web! So, here goes... I will learn how to REALLY sew and use my Janome Exercise more Reach Lifetime with WW To invite those most precious to us to visit us more often or for God to take the Hospitality gift away from me....one or the other! Think about having a mini-me or mini-Rand Join a new church Finish scrapbooking my vacation & friend albums (up to present date) Pray about volunteer missions Take more time to visit my family and bestest girlfriends that live away from us Those are my goals. Thanks for the motivation, Sis. By the way, Rand has set his 1 goal...it is to be nicer...he is 3 days into it and he is still nice to me. Really, he is always nice but 2008 has been much nicer! I love my Rand. So, who is coming for a few days to help me with goal...

New Years Eve, Stephen, the kids and I went to a bonfire the youth group was having at some friends house. I noticed that my friends daughter-in-law wasn't there and asked why. It turns out Rebecca had not finished her goals for 2007 and she was spending her NYE making sure she could check everything off her list. I got to thinking that I had not even made a list and maybe I should have. So, I have decided to set goals for 2008 and I thought I would share some of them with ya'll , maybe if I put them here, I will feel more accountable. I will scrapbook a years worth of pictures. I will read 1/2 as many non-fiction books as I do fiction ones. I will exercise. I will work on not yelling at my children. I will invite people to church every week. I will visit Mamaw and Uncle David. I will successfully potty train Anna.(If I had a list for 2007 it would have been on that one too!) I want to find a job that I can do at home and make a little money. OK, there is a partial list. A lo...

My Boys Shooting their New Guns at Nana & Papa's Anna Loves Christmas Christmas at Marmie's Gracie & Anna had Great & Loud Fun Stuffed in and Bound for Home We have partied, decorated, undecorated, celebrated, traveled, visited, worshipped, and now we are getting back to normal! We had a wonderful Christmas season visiting with our families, and exchanging gifts. Some families I know have stopped exchanging gifts, but not us. Giving gifts is a huge part of who we are and how we show our love to each other. My hubby gave me the Internet for Christmas! I can' tell you how excited I am to be typing this at my own desk in my own house. I feel like a big person now!Back to Christmas, we sent the kids to Fort Smith the Saturday before Christmas so they could have some alone time with Marmie and Abby and Randall. I think the kids pretty well wore them out, but everyone had a good time, and it gave Stephen and I some time alone that we really needed. (I tell people ...