Life with my sister

Abby isn't home yet, so that means one more day of my kids. And then I will let Abby have you guys for a while! I know, I know! ...I don't know if David and Daniel are identical or fraternal. The doctor didn't do the test, so I don't know. But I wish I did. It always makes me sound so strange when people ask me and I tell them that I don't know. ...All of our children's middle names are family names. Samuel's is from Stephens dad, my dad, and my grandfather. David's is from my dad, Daniel's is from Stephen, and Anna's is mine, my mothers and my great grandmothers. ...I went in to have 2 babies on a Tuesday about 3:00pm and was discharged Thursday before noon. I went in to have Anna at 6:00AM on a Tuesday and was discharged after noon on Friday. Why I had to stay an additional day and a half when I just had one baby I'll never know. ...I never got the steak dinner the hospital bragged about when I had any of the boys. Abby, your hospital owes ...

Anna. Our only daughter and our last child. Anna was a complete surprise. As with Samuel I suffered from a kidney stone at the very beginning of my pregnancy. That should have been a tip off, but I was clueless. When I finally decided to take a pregnancy test I was at the pregnancy crisis center where I volunteered . I took the test, saw the results and cried. I told Kim, the centers' director and my dear friend, that I needed counseling! Right at that moment, the phone rang. It was for me. This is how the conversation went. me: This is Julie Stephen: Is this a pregnancy crisis center? me: yes Stephen: I have a crisis. My wife isn't pregnant. me: yes, she is. Stephen: (yelling with excitement) really? Is it a boy or a girl? me: the line was pink if that means anything. To say this was an unplanned pregnancy is an understatement. We had no maternity insurance and no plans of anymore children. One of my friends was married to an obgyn and he took me as a non-paying patient. I wi...

Are you bored yet? Don't worry we have 2 down and 2 to go! Daniel is the last boy. I thought he would be the last child but we'll talk about that tomorrow! While David was being Mr. Wild Child in utero, Daniel was just laid back and chillin'. I remember a lady at church telling me that when the boys were born she didn't want to know which one had given me such a hard time and which one hadn't. She was afraid she would like one more than the other. Isn't that funny? Like that could even happen. You can't help but love both of my D boys. Daniel is a hoot! I remember when he was little and still in the car seat. He would make a funny face and laugh out loud. He knew he was funny! And he was. And he is. His laughter brings a smile to my face and most often makes me laugh also. Daniel loves to cuddle with me. The other boys do too, but not to the extent that Daniel does. This boy will practically sit on my lap everytime I sit down. There is no doubt that he loves...

David is the oldest twin by about 2 minutes, And he claims all 120 seconds! While I was pregnant with the twins one of them gave me quite a hard time. He kicked, punched, layed on every nerve and in general made pregnancy a pain! The night before I had the twins he actually flipped from head down to bottom down. He weighed 5 lb 6 oz (Daniel was 5 lb 8 oz) and he still managed to find room enough to practice gymnastics. Stephen and I tend to put off giving names to our children until the night before they are born. The fact that this delivery was 4 weeks earlier than expected put us in a time crunch. So as the anethesologist (I know that is spelled wrong but spellcheck will not help me with this word!) was getting everything ready, Stephen and I began talking about which baby was going to get what name. I decided that the baby that had caused me so much pain and anguish should be David. After all King David caused the Lord much anguish but still was a man after God's heart. But G...

Instead of telling secrets about Abby I have decided to write about each of my children for the next 4 days. This isn't so much so that you can get to know them, but so that I can have something written about them at this age. But I do hope you enjoy these little snapshots into their lives. Samuel Charles was born October 11, 1997. My pregnancy with him was very unplanned but once we found out that what the doctors thought was a kidney stone actually turned out to be a baby we could not contain our excitement! Samuel was born 2 weeks early due to a once-in-my-lifetime bout with pre - eclampsya . As the doctor looked at him for the first time he called him a miracle baby. His cord was in a knot. The dr said most babys don't live when this happens. He didn't think it had anything to do with the car accident I was in 4 weeks prior, he said it probably happened early in the pregnancy. Samuel is the first born grandchild on all sides, so to say he got everything he wanted or ...

We are preparing for spring. These warm sunny days are making us antsy. In the last 2 days we have made 1 trip to Lowes and 2 trips to our local feed store. We (and when I say we, I mean everyone but me) are making 4x4 raised flower beds. Our hope is to plant lettuce, broccoli (that takes 16 weeks to grow!), cucumbers, tomatoes, a few herbs, squash, peppers, and watermelon. It should be a good-eatin kind of summer! When I went to The Pioneer Womans website today she had pictures of her own raised beds with step by step instructions. So, I wanted all of you to know that we had ours up and filled with dirt, which also contains poop(which Anna says so cutely) before she had hers posted on her website. I'm just sayin. We will be without any posts from Abby this weekend as she is otherwise occupied. So, I might just hijack this blog and tell Abby secrets all weekend long. So, if you have any let me know! Julie

This time last year we began our journey back to God's country . It has been a fun filled , fast paced year. Randall started his job in March . I quit mine in May and became a desperate housewife until July . We sold our house in June and bought our new home in August. We remodeled the new house all fall and put in many hours at work . We celebrated in our home for Thanksgiving and at Christmastime with new friends and family . Here we are in this place , thanking God for his provision and many blessings . Last year if you would have told me I would be this happy , I would have cried bitter tears . Now, I catch myself crying tears of joy . Wow, how this ole world turns ! I look back at our "We have Moved" card and we look scared . I look at our Christmas card and we look tired and overwhelmed . I look at us now and we look comfortable and in our element . I will cherish this journey , always. *the red words link to previous posts from the past year. Abby

#1- I took Anna to the Dr this week, while there I mentioned to her that her ears were yucky. To that, Anna replied, " you need to get the pickles". I said "pickles?" she said " what you clean my ears with" I said "q-tips?" she said "oh! whats a pickle?" I said "the green things that you don't like to eat" she said "oh" #2- Yesterday the kids and I stopped by a quick mart to pick up something to drink. I decided it was cheaper than a fast food place, and I think I was right. ANYWAY! The clerk that rang our drinks up was on her phone the whole entire time we were in the store! So, when we left, I said "guys, what do we know about people that talk on the phone like that?" I was thinking that they would say something like that isn't what you should do while you're at work or it wasn't very polite. Samuel quickly answers with "we aren't supposed to marry her!" Apparently I am spen...

This morning I was finishing up my run and this song came on my ipod. I have heard it a zillion times, but this morning it was rather refreshing. It IS so wonderful to be here now. I hope your Friday feels wonderful! Abby

Sissy is my sister's look-a-like, but she is me in a nutshell. Oh, how I love it. I miss this sweet little face, the little giggle and the adorable little attitude. "My Boys" rule the bonus room and staircase at my house . So cute, the sound of an elephant herd running overhead. It is truly the sound of fun and I just love it. I miss these handsome faces, tender hearts, and great big imaginations. Have I ever told you how much I LOVE being an aunt to these sweet faces? I think I have, but I will give you a friendly reminder. I miss them a lot this week. Looking at their happy pictures from their last visit at my house makes me smile. I am so thankful God lets me love them like I do. What a blessing. Aunt Abby

Okay....it is time for "Ask the Sisters" Comment on this post and ask us anything sisters related, etc (within reason, of course). To comment you only need to click on comment below this post and type your comment and then click on annonymous. You do not need to log in. Updates: Q: OK, Julie.... does anyone else tell you how much Anna looks like Suri Cruise? (from YFA TBEO) A: YES!! All the time. Q:Anonymous said... I thought this would be a great time to de-lurk and ask a question I have wondered since reading your blog: You both have the most gorgeous skin!! What are your skincare routines and what products do you use? How about makeup? I need ALL the details!! Thanks so much. I love your blog!:) (We would love to know who asked this???) A: Well, we both laughed outloud at this one. To be honest, we take the worst care of our skin out of anyone else we know. We use whatever, whenever and however. I guess it is good genes. What a nice compliment you paid us though, thank y...

Abby, Sarah and Julie - in the mid '80's. Please welcome our cousin, Sarah to blogland! We are so glad Sa has joined us. We can't wait to keep up with all her latest crafts and read about her baby girls, Molly Claire & Gracie. Stop by her blog and get to know her, she would love it!

After 6 months of living here with no master bathroom, today I moved into it and claimed it as my own! When we moved here I would not step near the bathroom. If you will remember, we bought a foreclosure. The people trashed the house before the bank took over. We had to re haul the whole bathroom in order to make it liveable / useable . Randall has done all the work himself after work and on the weekends. It is finally completed and ready to use! It is a monumental day for us. Julie said it was blogworthy , so here I am writing about it. She, Mama and Molly knew the "wall" I had built up about the bathroom, so it is a HUGE deal that I have set up shop in it and am ready to decorate it a bit. Yay for this place becoming more of a home, room by room! Abby

Yesterday Stephen and I celebrated our 16 th engagement anniversary. The year he proposed, Valentines Day was on a Sunday, so he proposed on Saturday night the 13 th . We went to a nice restaurant (that is no longer around.) I was dressed in my most figure flattering dress and heels. The restaurant was packed with people all around us, but we didn't mind at all. We were in love. When we were finished eating, but I don't think my rainbow trout dinner had been cleared yet, Stephen handed me my Bible. I knew he had it with him when we walked into the restaurant, and I thought it was very strange but remember I was "in love". So he hands me my Bible, turned to one of the blank pages in the front. He had written his marriage proposal in my Bible. It was based on James 1:2-6. It was our favorite passage at the time. It talks of being joyful in the trials we face, and that through those trials we gain patience and wisdom and that he wanted us to do all that together. So sw...

When most of us think airbrush we think of the tacky license plates you see on red neck trucks or the t-shirts you see for sale at a mall kiosk. Well, I must say I have given airbrush a new name! I got an airbrush tan today. Yes, the lady sprayed me with the same airbrush gun they use at the kiosk in the mall. No fear. There is no "Randall loves Abby" written anywhere on my body in hot pink and purple. It is a nice little golden tan that will last about 6 days. I got it for an event I am attending on Saturday night. Without the tan I would have looked like a half burnt marshmallow in my LBD. So, airbrush it was. It stinks like crazy...almost like that tanning bed smell, sort of. I cannot bathe until tomorrow morning, that is the catch with the paint on tan...you have to let it dry real good or you defeat the purpose. I am looking forward to that shower in a.m. hours, for sure. Abby

Last night Samuel received the Arrow of Light award from his Cub Scout troop. The Arrow of Light award is the highest honor you can earn in Cub Scouts. And the only award that transfers over to Boy Scouts. Samuel had to accomplish several goals to be able to earn this award. He had to go on a camping trip and hikes, he put together a first aid kit and learned basic first aid, he assisted on basic maintenance on our car and learned how to tie a square knot. He also had to memorize the Scout Oath, Promise, 12 points of the Scout Law, and was able to discuss the basics of all of those with his family. And that is not all, but I have chosen not to bore you with all the push-ups, charts, skits, and other activities he had to complete in order to get this award. It was a lot of work for him (and I must say, for me as well) but he was so proud of his accomplishments last night. The Boy Scout troop was at the ceremony and after he was handed his Arrow of Light award from his Pack Leader, the B...

So sorry about the picture quality. I need to work with my scanner just a bit more. We have just endured,lovingly, The Week of Love, with Abby and Randall. What Abby failed to mention was my part of the whole relationship. So, I will take this opportunity to let you know my part of the story. The picture above was Moving Day 2001. Samuel was 4, and the twins were 6 months. No one was happy about having to get up and move to a new house this day. God had guided us through a most difficult time and we were looking forward to starting a new adventure in a new place. Stephen had been called to be Pastor at a church in Augusta. This was his first pastorate. He had been in the ministry for 8 years but had never been the Sr. Pastor. We met many people and everyone made us feel welcome. A lady wanted to help me repaint and wallpaper some rooms in the house. I was all for that! So, we named a day and time and set out to paint the bathroom. As we were both in the bathtub trying to sand and get ...

I believe we both had tears in our eyes...love it! Our Wedding Party Tim, Sarah, Ben, Julie, Me, Randall, Melissa, Rick, Lindsey, Zach, Hollye, Caly, Samuel, Matthew Beginning this journey together I love that song. Our friend Paige played it on the piano and sang it at our wedding. Today I have been married to RWL for 6 years. I am so thankful God gave him to me. He keeps me level (or at least tries), loves me for who I am, reminds me of my dreams and goals when I loose sight of them, provides a wonderful life for me and makes me laugh about simple things. I could go on and on, but today those are the things I am most thankful for. We spent the weekend with friends in north Mississippi and ate lunch with Daddy & Connie on the way home today. Tonight we will do the anniversary tradition - watch our wedding video, look through the two wedding albums, drink a fruity drink through a straw together and laugh at it all. What a full and fun 6 years it has been for us! Abby

I know you didn't know my dear husband was out of town. I decided not to post such information. I get scared enough as it is, I sure didn't want to advertise the information. Yes, you read correctly, I get scared. Before we had children, and well, even after Samuel was born, I would stay with a friend of mine when Stephen was gone overnight. When we moved from that town I didn't have anyone to stay with, so I would just sit up and watch tv all night. Fear kept me awake. Isn't that silly? Well, it didn't seem so at the time, but when I look back on it now it seems silly. That is until I have to be without a manly-man in the house. I'm telling you what, I hear every noise, sound, creak, croak. It's awful. Sunday night (the first night) while I was lying AWAKE in my bed I was praying and telling God that I knew He didn't want me to be fearful and that I knew there were many verses in the Bible that told of His being with me at nighttime . I just couldn...

Happy Birthday, Granny! The Davis cousins with Granny Mawmaw & UD'S wedding, 1983 Our Great-Grandmother defined Proverbs 31. She died with I was 13 and Julie was 21. Today would have been her birthday. She would be 103. I can only imagine the party in heaven tonight. I can hear her laugh. Oh, sweet music to my soul. Today is also Granny's grand-daughter's and our aunt's birthday! Granny loved having one of her girls share her birthday. It was so much fun for both of them. Happy Birthday, tbeo! All the girls, Christmas 2004 We love you the biggest much!

The Kissing Bandit This is the beginning of Love Month for us. I know, it is cheesy, but I am cheesy! The Kissing Bandit has been part of Love Month since 2002, when Randall and I fell in love. Last year the Bandit was not able to hold air. We blew him up for 6 years...yes, the same balloon for 6 years! I took it to random florists, Walgreen's, etc and begged for helium. It is too fragile to hold air anymore. This picture was taken during his last year with us in 2007. In order to get it aired up that year I had to buy a balloon at the flower shop...so I tied it to its arm. You do what you have to do! Here is the history of the Kissing Bandit: Randall came to my cousin Hollye's backdoor V-Day of 2002 with this balloon in front of his face and body. It scared the pee-waddling out of me, at first glance. Claire Allyn was only 1 year at this time and it was taller than she was. It walked on the floor as the air hit it. She was scared to death, as you can imagine. We took it acros...