Life with my sister

Randall has scored a new job! I am so elated for him. The pride beaming in his smile is something a picture couldn't capture, so I haven't even bothered (plus, I have bronchitis and taking a picture of anything right now is effort I can't muster up at this point). He is finally getting to do what he has worked up to for the past decade. We are in awe at how all this came about and we are praising Jesus for all of it! So, why the butter picture? Well, he is working for Land O' Lakes but he will not be making butter. Since this is the only thing most of us know about Land O' Lakes, I thought it was most fitting. I am still trying to figure out if there is an employee discount on butter, but I am doubting it real seriously. P.S. Yes, the post title is the Land O' Lakes slogan. I am already drinking the Kool-Aid, so to speak. Abby

Are you like that too? Please say yes! Today was the Harmony Association's( the group of Southern Baptist Churches in Jefferson and Lincoln counties) first ladies conference. I was asked along with 3 other preachers wives (Rachel, Melissa, and Stephanie) to coordinate this event. We thought the most that we would have this year would be 150. But 220 signed up and came! It was great! Lots of women, lots of hairspray, lots of cute shoes, and lots of laughter. Lots of music, lots of fellowship, and lots of Jesus! Lisa McKay was our speaker. She flew in on Friday and flew out this afternoon. It was my job to get her to the airport. And I did. And then I left. And she didn't. Apparently they wouldn't let her board because it was less than 30 minutes until takeoff. It was 27 minutes until takeoff! We missed it by 3 minutes! 3 MINUTES!!! And I LEFT her!!! Seriously, I was given charge by my fellow preachers wives to get this darn cute preachers wife back home, and I didn't d...

6 Months This is me with the big belly. All belly, that is me. Sometimes I forget how big it is until I look in the mirror and it tickles me a bit. We are having fun getting ready for Henry. I am working hard and coming home too tired to do anything at night, but I am being a weekend warrior. Randall is an evening and weekend warrior. Someone asked me if I had started my nesting yet. I told them no, that it was too early for all that and I would not have to nest because Randall is already covering that for me. The guy is something else. You have got to love him! I am terrified of the H1N1 virus and in panic mode/germ combat mode. It is amazing how I have acquired a horrible cough knowing how obsessed with germs I have been lately. It is nothing but a cough/cold type thing though. I think I will call tomorrow to ensure there is nothing else I should be taking other than the over the counter, disgusting tasting cough syrup I am consuming every 4 hours. I sound like a sea loin in heat ...

There are so many things I would like to blog about but have neither the time or the ability to write them out so I shall give you a list! I love a list! My sons have fingers like my Pawpaw . I love that. I love that I can remember what his fingers look like and I love that I can look at the boys fingers and think of him. He was a really, really great man. I was in 8 th grade when he died, but my sister and 1 cousin were in kindergarten and another cousin wasn't a year old. They didn't get to know him like I did. I hate that for them. I was at a meeting the other day and the person leading it said, " we know it do work". I laughed inside myself and wrote it down so I would remember it. It was so funny. And so sad. One of my sons, the comedian of the group, was eating Cheetos the other day. He came up to me with his foot outstretched and a Cheetos stuck between his toes. He said, "look mom, a chee -toe!" Isn't that funny?? I know I should blog with pi...

Today we were surprised with a visit from my in laws with Henry's bed in tow in the back of the truck. I came home from a work event around lunch time to find this sweet bed sitting in his little room. It was so awesome to see it just as I had pictured it! Molly (my MIL) then made the bedskirt and the curtains this afternoon before they drove home. Our pal Richard then brought us the mattress for the bed and we were most excited. We have such great friends and family who are loving sharing in all this Henry excitement. I am so thrilled to see it all turning out just as I had planned. It is so much fun! Henry's bed with his mattress and bedskirt. Henry's curtains Henry's Nana, Papa and Daddy working on his room Stay tuned to see more pictures of Henry's room in the coming months. It is a work in progress with all kinds of family and friends helping decorate it with love! Abby

This is it. The first day of school. I have a 6 th grader, 2 3rd graders and a kindergarten -er. All my kids are now school age. I am no longer a mom of a preschooler. My life is changing. The kids are excited about school. I know some of you are wondering about homeschooling. How I do it, why I do it, and how it works. I will attempt to describe it for you. All the kids have their own desks in our office. I also have a desk. The kids each have a plastic container that they keep their books in. They have pencil boxes with everything a kid needs for school, crayons, pencils, markers, calculators, erasers, and pencil sharpeners. We try to start out the day with a Bible reading. Then we go over spelling words, writing them and doing a spelling lesson. During this time, Anna and I will be reviewing her letters and the sounds that they make. As the year progresses what Anna and I do during this time will become more involved but I haven't done any formal school with her so she is not a...

Red Dress Gala 2009 - 23 Weeks Pregnant We have been busy making room for the "new". Tonight we shredded 4 trash bags full of old documents that we have accumulated since we were both in college, our early marriage in our apartment, our home in Byhalia and from our most recent life here. All these things were housed in what is now Henry's closet and we decided it was time to do the dreaded deed. I am actually surprised our little home shredder did not burn up from the 3 hours of me constantly feeding it paper. Randall and I realized we hold on to too much. He had all his report cards from each semester in college ....I mean, come on! Randall made a good statement while we sifted through all the mess of papers, "Well, we are cleaning out our old life to make room for our new life with Henry." It sort of made all those papers bittersweet. I realized how blessed we are as I skimmed over all the history of documents that we have hoarded for the past ten plus years....

...playing in BRANSON!!! Stephen and I received a letter in the mail back in February asking us to come to a pastors and wives getaway for a week in August. So, we are here! In Branson , at Wayne Newton's former house. With four other preacher couples. Doing whatever we want during the day and eating dinner together at night. This could be the best week ever! The house is beautiful. We are staying in the Master suite. The bathroom is as large as our bedroom at home (and it is good size). It is amazing. The view overlooks the lake, the tv ... Well, the tv is amazing. I have never seen such a clear tv . I don't think we will be able to watch the tv in our bedroom at home again. The grainy 16 inch circa 1985 tv may have seen its last day! The other couples here are fun and funny and we are enjoying getting to know each other. I had prayed that we would make friends, and be able to be of help to them, and them to us. God is good and answered my prayers. ( I think I may hate it w...

"A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold. " Proverbs 22:1 I promised you the big name reveal was around the corner and here it is: Henry Patton L. Our son will have a strong, traditional, manly name. Henry is a German name that means "Ruler of the home"...and that I am sure he will be! Henry also happened to be the middle name of my fraternal grandfather and my maternal great-grandfather. Patton is the middle name of Randall's maternal grandfather and he goes by this name. He is the only one still living of our son's namesake and he teared up when we told him our son would have his Great-Grandaddy's middle name. Naming a child is a tough task and I am so pleased we have both agreed on such a precious name for our little one. I can't wait to meet our little Henry and call him by name! Abby

These 2 lovebirds got hitched We had big hats, cake and champagne (not the children, of course) And we were all so thrilled that these 2 fell in love! Happy 24th Anniversary Mawmaw & UD We love you!

We have been so busy since we found out we are having a baby boy! This past weekend Randall "Baby Daddy" worked hard and said "It is all about my boy now!" It was so cute. He gave up weed eating/ edging to work on baby stuff....and if you know Randall you know that is huge! This is an antique high chair my Aunt Babs bought for my cousin to use 8 years ago for her baby girl. The white wood looked good in her bright colored kitchen and Claire looked even cuter in it! My cousin, Hollye is a lot like me. She waited a small forever to have a child and also wanted to try to make her baby things blend with her house. We also did not want a big plastic high chair in the kitchen that we worked so hard on redoing last fall (call us selfish or even snotty..but at least we are honest), so we are using the white antique high chair that Hollye had. We made a few minor changes to it, as you can see! It blends so well in our kitchen and Baby Boy L will look like a little prince e...

This is my sister's special day....happy day to you, Julia! I am so glad God gave the world you all those many, many years ago. I love you! Abby

Tomorrow (Saturday) is my actual birthday. But there was a death in our church and the funeral is tomorrow. That of course put a damper on my birthday plans. As I told you the last time we spoke, we do birthdays up big! So, Stephen declared today Julie Day. Could I possibly have a better husband? NO!!! We headed to Little Rock for a day of shopping and eating. I drug those kids to all kinds of stores and they didn't even complain. It was such a fun day. We are back home now, past our bedtimes and we're all tired and ready for a good nights sleep. Tomorrow I will turn 3? by the pool. It doesn't get much better than that either. Enjoy my birthday, have a piece of cake in my honor. The calories won't count!!!! Julie

Randall and I headed to Memfricia on Saturday morning to find our baby boy's bedding fabric. We took these fine people in the picture with us (Hollye, Daddy, Aunt Babs and Connie). It was fun and we found exactly what we wanted for a price that would make your eyes pop out of your head....it was such a bargain. I felt so blessed when we pulled out of the fabric store. I think I was beaming from ear to ear. I never expected to find the fabric I had eyed online and have it more affordable than I could have imagined. This is the fabric we are using in our baby boy's room. My dear Mother-in-law is making the bedding and I am super excited about it. Randall will start painting the baby's room in the next week and the bed is being ordered this week, with the other pieces to follow. Folks, it looks like we are having us a baby! Abby

Can you believe it? I just love boys. I love browns, and blues. Trucks, balls, hammers, and dinosaurs. I love tennis shoes and the fact that you can put a boy in a shirt and jeans and voila! the boy is dressed! Randall is going to be an awesome boy daddy. And Abby has so much experience with little boys that she will have no problems at all in the boy side of the kids department! OK! Enough of that! Do you know what today is? Yes! August 1st. The beginning of my birthday week and also the beginning of my anniversary month. If you have been reading this blog for long you know that I love birthdays. We do birthdays up big at my house. No school happens. No work happens. Only birthday stuff happens on the big day! My big day is Saturday. (And when I say big, I don't mean big as in a momentous birthday, that will be next year-and I expect a party!) The boys have planned a trip to see the Travelers play in Little Rock. That will be just fine with me, as long as there is some shopping ...