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Memory Lane

I have been kind of misty eyed all day, and I think most of it has to do with the fact that in a few hours, I will be watching my baby sister graduate from highschool. I am still struggling to say those words to myself as I write this post.

If you are not aware, I am the oldest of four girls. Kayla and Jessica, twins born 15 minutes apart (and twins who not only look absolutely nothing alike, but are just as polar opposites in personality) and then Tina (aka The Baby). She also has *ahem* given herself some nicknames such as: Mom's Favorite Daughter, Favorite Aunt Tina (or FAT for short!), The Best, The Cutest, but really do I need to go?

I bet I can speak for Kayla and Jessica when I say her real nickname(s) should be: The Brat, The Pain, The-oh, wait, this was supposed to be a post written out of sisterly love! Nevermind! :)

Tina (who hates to be called by her given name, Christina, in case you were wondering) is a lover of her dog, Harley, anything zebra print, and chicken fingers and french fries. Did I mention she has a niece and nephew who have her wrapped around their little fingers?

Being the oldest of four girls, with the age gap being 13-15 years, I kind of took on the "mothering" role at an early age. And I am happy to say that after years of being shunned because I was "too old" for them to hang out with me, they have suddenly found room for me in their lives again! (Only because I have two small children they worship and adore). Sigh.

Tina will receive her diploma from Stanhope Elmore High School tonight, just 15 years after I received my diploma from them myself. She has so many honors tassles I can't remember all of them. Do I get credit for remembering one of them had to do with Spanish? The only reason I remember is because I called her a nerd! :P

There is nothing I wouldn't do for these girls. Growing up life pulled us all in different directions, especially with them still being young enough to travel with my mom (who was still in the military) and me being here in Alabama. But since my mom moved overseas almost three years ago to work, the girls and I try to find time to spend together whenever possible. I am excited because we get to celebrate Tina's graduation tonight, and then we are continuing the celebration at lunch time tomorrow!

And since Tina is notorious for pointing out (which sounds more like whining
to the rest of us) that NO pictures of her actually exist, here is my proof!

Never in my life...

have I laughed so unbelievably hard. If you ever think you had pregnancy brain when you were carrying one of your children, you have absolutely nothing on MckMama! Check out her most recent post and have a good laugh yourself.

I love MckMama!

HE MOVES!!!

Mother's Day 2010

This is the second year in a row that Gracie has been in preschool choir at our church, and also the second year that Leslie (preschool choir director) has put together a small program for the kids to do. Normally they sing a few songs, and then they have a "special" Mother's Day song they always do. It is very sweet, and I am very glad that Gracie seems to love singing as much as her Mommy does!

Psalms 118:24 (NIV)-"This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Too cute!!

Preschool Program

Gracie's preschool program was rescheduled this year because of illness all over the daycare. If students weren't missing weeks of school for strep, fever virus, or some other ailment, teachers were missing school because either they were sick OR one of their children was sick!

So they decided to do the program this year just for the P3 Class, because these are the students who will "move up" next year to attend the first half of the day at the East Campus, up on the hill on Highway 14.

Enjoy the videos!


Gracie and her classmates - pledge to the American Flag.


Gracie and her classmates - pledge to the Christian flag.


James 1:17 (KJV) - "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above."
Psalms 139:14 (KJV)- "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made."


John 3:16 (KJV) - "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.."


A song the class did called "Rolled Away".

The students also presented the mother's with flowers, since this was the Friday before Mother's Day! Gracie loves her P3 classmates and her teacher Mrs. Lesa, and even though she is desperate to go to "Big School" next year, she will miss being at the preschool where she can see her little brother all day!

Happy Mother's Day!!

Back row: Me, Jessica
Middle row: Tina, Pork Chop, Mom, Princess, Kayla

So I can tell you that I have the world's best mom. Only my sisters would say they think they have the world's best mom. Either way, the fact of the matter is she was my mom first. And that's what counts, right??

My mom was the first person to teach me that the color of someone's skin was not important. It was who they were on the inside that counted. My mother was the first person to teach me that having a broken heart hurts, and she cried with me that night that my first "true" love broke my heart. After having my own children, I understand the phrase "when your children hurt, you hurt."

She was there to share the joy of the Princess' birth we me, holding my hand through it all. And she helped me through the first few months of the Princess' life, when I was terrified that I had absolutely no clue what I was doing.

She wasn't there (physically) when Pork Chop was born, but was the first to tell me after seeing his photo: "OH MY GOSH, HE LOOKS JUST LIKE YOU!!"

My mom is one of the funniest people I know. You can't watch a scary movie with her, because her scream of terror is enough to freak you out; even if the movie itself is not that scary. My mom snores so loud she sounds like she's going to suck the whole world in through just her mouth. And there is not one single thing on this earth that you could not talk to her about. She could not cook if her life depended on it, and we give her loads of grief about that.

Still I can say, without a doubt, that of all the mother's in the world God could pick from: he gave me the best one.

Mom, I love you!!