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....