At Last.....I found it.....

So, as you all know I have been on a very long trip recently. Thank you for the prayers for my Granddaddy. I have heard from many of you via email that you have us and Him in your prayers.

So, about the 9 hour excursion home.

Luke fell asleep right off the bat! Probably due to my lack of parenting while away on a trip of that nature - we had no sort of semblance of a bedtime or a nap time! We just did the best we could juggling him and trying to keep the most rambunctious 3 year old you have ever laid eyes on content.

Awake two hours later - He says to Mommy, I have to pee pee...  Mommy says Luke hold it - I have to pee pee too. After all I am 28 weeks preggo and have had three cups of coffee by now. Luke says I can't hold it - so we pull over at a gas station to pee pee and load up on healthy snacks I mean candy. Why start now, we have been eating bad the entire trip. This is where I found these.......

I have been looking all over to try these. I have not found them anywhere. Well don't waste your money. They dark chocolate overpowers the peanut butter and that is just a sin! So I ate one - made my decision and brought the other one home to Emma - who happens to be a dark chocolate fan.

My mileage rolled over to 48,400 on my Tahoe this trip. Sort of looked neat on the odometer.

The clouds looked as if they had no bottom, I mean puffy tops and all, but sliced off perfectly straight edge bottoms - never seen anything like that before.

I got to live on the wild side - well sort of - I had to drive on the shoulder for 10 miles or so during a road work area. I have always wanted to do that without getting in trouble. But I am not sure what smart person put orange signs in the shoulder every so often that "cars could use the shoulder." If we get to use the shoulder, why in the world is there a metal sign blocking our drive? I'm just saying......

Luke said, Mommy, my foot is asleep. I didn't know he knew what that was!

We had Taco Bell - right next to a Donald's and Luke had a melt down when he saw it out the window of Taco Bell. I told him no playing this time, because I was ready to get home. You would have thought I killed his dog.

Had to stop in Atlanta for gas... filled up on ice for Luke and I. Glad he is a cheap date - besides I was still full from all the candy earlier.

We finally got home - four stops and nine hours later.... how is it that we only stopped once on the way out and made it in eight hours? Upon arriving home - Luke says, "So are we going to granny's for dinner?" Does the boy ever slow down??????

Lots and lots happening - from Waynesboro to Mississippi

Hello Again - This will probably be pretty random because things are so scattered right now. For everyone who prays out there, go ahead and start praying for my Grandfather again. He needs all he can get - but mainly to get pain relief. He is an older generation who doesn't like to take pain medicine but has a new diagnosis of bone cancer and desperately needs the pain medication. Also we do have some answered prayers already - regarding his medicine to reduce the cancer cells. Normally would cost $6,000 a month - first call insurance denied it. Second call - they approved it! With a fabulous co-pay of $9.00 a month!

Luke has enjoyed his visit with my Mom - his Mimi - who's neighbor has a jumpoline. That would trampoline in the English language. He wakes up at 7am only asking to go to the jumpoline.

Luke spent the night with Uncle Frank and Aunt Heather one night. He was a trooper. Frank only has girls - so they think Luke is pretty cool. He was looking for their nightly visitors of raccoons that eat the cat food. He pulled a fast one on them the next morning. Luke requested Donald's for breakfast. (McDonald's in the english language) Once they got there he wanted to play on the playground - only this McDonald's didn't have a play set! So they asked what he wanted for breakfast - he said "pop tart".

Getting ready for the 5k race in Waynesboro to benefit the Center for New Beginnings. Each year seems to get easier on the planning end. I hope we have a big turn out!

Emma is almost 13 - November 29. She is trying to figure everything out - just per personality, hormones, friends, etc. She has moved into the youth group at church. So far she seems to enjoy it.

Dougie fresh is still being a 10 year old boy - He is trying to teach Luke to play baseball. The boy loves to cook and eat and cook.

I am not looking forward to nine hours in the car on the trip home -but I am looking forward to seeing my hubs tomorrow. I miss him dearly. I know Luke misses him too.

I wonder why after 13 years of marriage for some folks - they want to throw in the towel? I know I did after only five years of marriage, but I really feel differently about it now. Wondering why people give up so easy instead of seeking counseling and help. It makes me sad.

Well, I guess that is all for now.....

A Woman's Heart

Tonight my heart is very heavy. I attended a bible study entitled A Woman's Heart by Beth Moore. It is the first night in a series of 10 weeks. This heaviness has nothing to do with the bible study, but about the women who attended. When we think that things really aren't going our way or we had a really crappy day just know that there is always some one or many "some ones" that are far more in need of love, hugs, and prayer than we are.

We have a group of about 9 or 10 women that rush to get to one house by 5:30 pm to spend time learning about the tabernacle. Tonight people had all sorts of issues -  One lady has a daughter about to deliver twins any day - daughter lives in Ohio mom lives in Georgia. Daughter has MS and is very sick right now. Mom has been there all summer being a grandma to her 3 year old grand son and helping her daughter get around. By the way, daughter's husband is a med student......Mom has to come home to begin her school year and write lesson plans for the next month while she plans on being out to help her daughter after the delivery.

Another lady has a husband who is newly diagnosed with diabetes - she has to learn to cook differently and they have to adjust. Their daughter in law and her toddler just moved in with them due to being put on bed rest at 19 weeks of pregnancy. This is her fourth attempt at pregnancy after three miscarriages. Her sister has cancer every where !

Another lady just lost her unborn grand baby less than a year ago.....

Another lady is excited to get the news that she will be a Grandma..... in April but is missing her daughter because she is in Texas and Mom is in Georgia.....

Now my problems don't seem so bad...... just know that God has control of it all and knows all the outcomes of each and every situation. I can only imagine this ten week journey ahead and what we will learn.

Love to all

The Cat is Away.... Mice will play......

So the cat I am referring to is Doug and the Mice are Luke and I.......
Doug is gone on his annual bike trip with his buddy from Chicago. Every year they a pick a bike rally and go ride their motorcycles for a few days. This year they are in South Dakota and Wymoing. He actually has the best of both of his hobbies because there is a fly in during one of the bike rallies! Ha ha - boys and their toys - they never grow up!

So, while Daddy is away, Luke and I are hanging out doing what ever we PLEASE ;). We have had cereal for dinner twice, drank a lot of apple juice, and we went shopping last night for a toy. We went to the Wal*Mart in our massive town and purrosed the toy aisles. Luke is a lot like me - he carried around this one set of building blocks for about three ailes then He stumbled upon the ultimate toy! He quickly set down the building blocks and picked out this dress up outfit. When I stroll through TJ Maxx I put all sorts of things in my basket, but end up strolling around the store until I have seen everything and then I return it all to it's rightfull shelf or hanger. I usually leave with nothing after an hour.

But Luke would be different - we came home with it. Luke immediately pulled off the tags and stripped naked to don his new clothes. He played all evening, wore it to bed, and inisted on wearing it to Granny's house today! Mind you - it is 100+ degrees here! When I got to church tonight, he was STILL in the spidey outfit. I finally peeled him out of it for a bath and threw it in the washing machine for a much needed cleaning!

Now, at bedtime, He is next to me passed out in Doug's spot in the bed. Well, it is a special occassion. ;)

Things I am Thankful for - and it's not even November......

1. My Salvation
2. Grace
3. My husband Doug - who truly is my soul mate
4. My children - Emma who makes me laugh at her silliness, Dougie who is so stinking sweet for a boy and Luke who is just in his bad phase right now. oh yeah - and child #4 for keeping me awake with such strong karate kicks.
5. My family - such as brothers, Mother, and Grandfather - I miss them dearly.
6. My blessings - a good job ( yes that I have to work most days, but it means I am able) , a house ( even if we have a mortgage - I am not in this terrible heat with no where to go) , my friends (who are all just as busy but we still find time to laugh and hang out)
7. Last but not least - Ice Cream - I have attempted to make a deal with myself - only one time a week! We will see how that goes!

Luke-ism

Tonight we stopped in Publix (grocery store - for those that don't have Publix) to shop for cupcakes - I know - no I wasn't craving them. Doug and I decided to celebrate Dougie's birthday even though he is with his Mom this week. Since we had baseball all weekend, we really didn't get to do the cake thing yet. Anyway........ back to Publix - We walked in, and front and center was this bag...........

Luke proceeded to say to us, "When I get big I want to take these hunting to feed to the animals!"

He must be planning on big game hunting since the pictures on the front elude to such animals. 

Hilton Head - Thank you, I needed you -

It has been a couple of weeks since we went, but I have been extremely busy with work since our vacation! Here is the update with pictures!

So we set out to Hilton Head - this is our first visit there and Wow - we really enjoyed it! We rented a house in one of the local communities near the beach and only had a short drive to the beach every day. I know, I know, but with me being preggo, Luke being three, two pre-teen girls, and two boys, and a Hubby - we had a lot of stuff to haul back and forth.

The beach here is absolutely beautiful and there was no evidence of jelly fish or the recent problems with sting rays. The only night we had jelly fish, apparently there was a storm brewing and the waves were absolutely huge and fun! The kids really enjoyed the boogie boards and playing in that. Luke would even ride the waves in. The fun all ended for me when I got stung by one of those lovely creatures. I have yet to figure out why God made them. Thankfully none of the kids got stung. Dougie is usually "bait" for the jelly fish. We set up our umbrella every day, took a cooler full of snacks and drinks, and played the days away.

One day, Doug and the kids went "off shore" fishing. They seemed to really enjoy that. We ate at the Salty Dog Cafe for lunch that day - and my sweet Emma who saves everything - saved the napkin for her scrap book! Hehe...

We had a very relaxing time - we rode bikes, went for walks on the beach, and swam constantly when we were at our house. Ice cream every night, lots of shopping at the outlet mall, and good food.

That is my type of vacation!