Mommy & Charli Day!

It seems in a flash of an eye my daughter has grown from a toddler to a third grader. We seem to spend a lot of our day chasing her toddler brother around and trying to make sure each other keeps sane. Her in the aspect of a older, bossy, much more mature sister and myself just as this old Mom that I am. Before Bryar was born I tried to make it a regular idea that her and I needed time together, alone. It isnt that I want to spoil her or give her an unfair amount of attention that I strive to do this. I just want her to feel important and loved just as much as her attention seeking three year old brother. 

Charli is such a wonderful part of me. She has always brought out the best of me and anyone around her. To me she is just the right amount of joy in a child. Don't get me wrong, sometimes she can talk my head off for so long I count down the minutes until bedtime or she sasses me and I have to snap her back into reality. But she is everything I wasn't as a child, which was what I exactly should have been. 

I won tickets from a local radio station as well as a news station over the summer to Holiday World & Splashin' Safrai. Obviously, summer has come to a close so we decided to use our last full day of Fall Break to head to Santa Claus, Indiana for their Halloween Weekends. You may not know this but I am a huge Halloween fan. I give thanks to the great Halloween parties we had as children but I am all about the family time, food, candy and matching family costumes rather than a scary zombie apocalypse.

 First we began our day by picking a random family in line and rewarding them with two free tickets. Then We spent our day riding a few rides and roller coasters. We also went through 3-D mazes, as well as a carnival clown maze (by the way I am not a fan of those creepers) and then we successfully completeled a 12 acre corn maze with getting all 8 stops in. We are lots of good food and laughed until we cried at some points. 

I believe one of our favorite parts of the day was the Graveyard Smash. These were men and women dressed up singing hit songs in a monster mash version along with some awesome choreography. They were really really good. Not to mention, they were super sweet to the kids which made it even more family friendly. 

We were going to hang around for th e trick or treat trail but this Momma was tired and really was not prepared for the drive home. 

Charli did dress up as a doctor though. I honk she may very well be the one to cure Ebola....

All in all it was a wonderful day at the perfect place to hang out with Charli Beth. 

Gut Wrenching.

This Wednesday my Dad started his chemotherapy and radiation journey. This process will be for 6 weeks then he will have surgery in hopes of removing the mass. The chemo will be taken in the morning and at night while he has to go into the office for radiation. Because of this process he will not be able to work during this journey. As for any person who is a hard worker and a provider for his family, this is a tough task to swallow. 

With my Dad being an owner-operator truck driver this is also a life changing event. Around a year ago he purchased a dream truck, it was white and chromed out to rhe largest extent. It was so nice that he was asked to bring it to a national truck show held in Lousiville, Kentucky earlier this year. He holds a great passion for his career and he vehicles he drives. You could catch him outside in the rain, sleet or even snow cleaning in rig to make sure it was spiffy for the next go around. 

On Tuesday, my Mom called to tell me that he sold his truck. It was a shocker to us all as we really didn't even see this as an option. He told her that it was a God that and even though it was bittersweet, he was relieved to not stress abou the payments for the time being. Which I admire for having the strength and making the sacrifice. 

I will just be honest though and say that it literally has ripped my heart into pieces for him. I've caught myself crying several times for him and having to give up so much of him because of this, "bad C word." It makes me just want to lay down in the floor and throw a Bryar fit until this person returns the truck. But is that really possible? Of course not. 

This is just a big thing to swallow as his daughter. To know his love and where his passion lies and to see it go. It breaks me for him although I can gaurntee that this kid will never be able to make it shine and sparkle like he can. I continue to tell myself that there are a million other trucks but there will never be a man like him. I just pray that God has the perfect rig waiting to be purchased at the end of this journey with a clean bill of health.

Shine on. 

Officer Bryar turns 3!

It seems so surreal to me that my little "baby Bryar" turned three on October 5 and will soon be starting preschool. We celebrated police style and he seemed to love his party oh so much! 

This was such a fun party for me to plan, especially since Pinterest is not full of very many creative ideas. I pretty much just had to go with what I knew about law enforcement and try to make it as cute as can be. I feel as if it worked pretty well - thankfully.

Bryar's favorites:

T.V. Show - paw patrol 

Food - biscuit & gravy or broccoli

Toy - guns and tractors

Drink - chocolate milk

Phrase - "what dat?"

Book - Jonah or The Giving Tree 

Bryar qualified in June for first steps with a speech delay. The progress that he has made in the last month has been astonishing. He can say 3-4 word sentences now and comes up with a new word each day. Since he does have a speech delay he will be able to attend preschool at the school I work for and where charli attends. He is overly excited about this new transition. He will begin on October 14. 

Dear Bryar, 

I feel as if I am in a dream that you are now a big three year old. Year three is going to bring lots of new lessons and experiences for you and us as your parents but I am certain that we can handle them. You are the firecracker of our little family and sometimes that worries the fire out of me. In just the first two days of being three you have busted your mouth (which is still swollen) and put a knot on your eye. I can only hope these days of being accident prone will

make you tougher and way more strong for the years ahead. 

You have taught me so many lessons over the past three years. The major one being, how to love no matter how sleepy and irritable I am. You still wake up most nights and sometimes, it's only to get a cuddle. Which I am totally okay with. But when you just scream my name for no reason, it slightly drives me over the edge. But you will learn that in time. 

You are already quiet the little sports player. We're still holding out for you to designate life to being a bull rider. I'm kidding. You're actually a really decent baseball player. I'm sure that you many nights of watching Charli Beth play has only helped this factor. 

I pray that this year is full of fun, laughter, love and new memory making moments for you. I am so excited to see you grow and develop over this year. You are my I love you. 

Love, 

Mommy 

The Bad "C" Word.

In 27 years I have always felt blessed to not have known someone personally that has been affected by cancer. I have known of people, I've prayed for others and I have heard of thousands of different cases. But three weeks ago, my 27 year count came to a close when my Dad was diagnosed.

It has felt like a grieving process that we have been going through. I believe that I am grieving that this man, this good, heart of gold man is having to go through a testimony that I wish no one would ever have to experience. I've been sad, I've cried on a playground full of preschool friends as my Mom called to keep me updated with results. I've cried to God in confusion, and in anger. 

Yet the hardest moment I've endured has been crying, arms in arms with my eight year old daughter on her bed. To have to explain to her that her Pa, who we lived with for her first five years of life has "the bad c word." To have to explain to her the unknown and how we cannot let that effect our attitudes or control our lives was gut wrenching to me as a parent. Her attitude and maturity that night was such a blessing to me. As I explained how we cannot let the bad thoughts of "the bad C word" control our lives she states to me a quote that she once heard. 

To see her mind become positive after we prayed, cried and just held one another while talking was such a blessing to me. It is comforting having a young innocent spirit to keep my mind in place as well. 

My Mom has been more than amazing during these last three weeks. Her strength has out poured for her Husband and us as well. This is her one true love and to say that she needs prayers during this time is an understatement as well. 

In closing, I would ask that each of you prayer for my Dad, (Tim.) We recieved the phone call today that it is stage III rectal cancer that is within his lymph nodes. The doctor did visualize something within his bladder during the MRI that seems concerning as well - she will be setting them up with a urologist. The oncology appointment should be made by Thursday and they have told him to expect six weeks of chemo with radiation, then surgery then chemo again. 

This is difficult and has changed his spirits a bit from wanting to make sure that he is able to provide for his family. My Dad is a truck driver and this time off work will dramatically change their livelihood. Yet, I know that The Lord will make these means work. 

It is such a difficult process even just as his child to watch and listen to the details of. It's hard to speak about it and not feel an extereme amount of guilt for some reason. I have not spoke to a great deal of friends because I just do not have the words. To say that he doesn't deserve this experince is so, cliche because of his heart of gold yet I just keep telling my self that over and over. 

I know who is in charge, and my comfort lies there. 

Please pray. 

My Baptism

 To say how beautiful this afternoon was, would truly be an understatement. Since I was saved at an early age in life, it has always been my personal want to be baptized within a creek. My family and close friends were in attendance, the weather was great and the moment was more than perfect. 

I suppose you can say that I am a little old school when it comes to my faith. I love old gospel hymns and I love strong preachings that leave you thinking for the rest of the day. Those are the moments in church that I always remember. The days that pondered on quotes and the notes I've written based on what I got from a sermon. 

I suppose this is the reason that a creek baptism was a must for my announcing of faith. 

Could their be anymore of a sweet moment in life that my husband and children watching upon this? I can only pray that this day touched Charli's heart. 

The farm is so beautiful and hearing the men's choir sing It Is Well With My Soul, made me want to run to the water to be the first. Yet I waited patiently and almost nervous as the third person to be baptized. 

(Only nervous that I would float away and be the only person ever to drown during a baptism. Ha!) 

The water was so cold and I may have squealed a bit when first going under. All I could think about was how amazing it was to come straight up and seeing the sunset through the creekside. It was truly an unforgettable moment. 

I joined our church that morning as I had finished the membership process and interview with the pastor. It's a wonderful feeling being a member of a church that Curtis has attended since birth. 

This church has grown to huge depths over the years and we now feel comfortable in our church home with my "new" church family. Yet in saying new, I also feel that it is given that I should always say that I will never leave my love or family from my previous church. 

8/3/2014

Drakes Creek

It Is Well With My Soul.

A little bit of Summer.

This Summer has been wonderful yet very short lives it seems. I continued keeping children in home throughout the week so most of our days were spent here. We had many days of playing outside and learning the tricks of gardening. 

We also spent some days of sickness. At the beginning of Summer Curtis, Bryar and Charli Beth all caught the stomach bug. How I missed it I have no idea? Then at the end of June all three caught a terrible viral throat infection. It was miserable and lasted for days for each. Their throats were swollen or blistered like I had never seen before. The temperatures lasted for days as well. How I missed out this one I'm not sure either but boy was I thankful! 

Kentucky has had some incredibly strange temperatures. We've got the highest temps to even now record lows. While Charli was recovering from her throat illness I took Bryar out to play in the back yard. His favorite thing is to run naked but playing in the little pool made it even more fun. 

Our Summer is now coming to a close and we have big changes for our family ahead. 

First Day of School - Third Grade

We've been back into school for almost a month now and I've completely failed on blogging. 

Why must you ask? 

Because I am back in the work force, along with a busy softball, church and life schedule. I officially accepted a position
at Charli Beth's school in late July within the preschool and have been loving it since. It was been a wonderful transition even though I miss the sweet babies that I was keeping within my home. 

Look how grown she is? Third grade has been hard on my Mommy heart. It just sounds SO grown up! 

As you can tell she is still horse obsessed and was showing it all around on her first day. It's funny that her "I dream to be..." has not changed in years. This girl is determined to make it happen. 

The first day of school was Bryar's third day or preschool. He seems to be enjoying it a lot and has picked up so many new words within his vocabulary. 

He is actually still on track to head into preschool within our classroom once he turns 3. His speech will continued to be worked on and he will be able to attend for two and a half years until kindergarten. 

The teacher that I am working with is incredibly sweet and she also has a daughter in Charli's class. It has been a true blessing to see them become friends so quickly. 

Third grade has been an adjustment but Charli seems to be doing well! I can only hope and pray that this year brings lots of wonderful memories and experinced for her.