Wednesday, September 7, 2011

I Never Want to Forget

Well I've tried to keep this blog pretty private or as private as a public blog can be. But the Lord has been at work on me and I can't keep it "private" We are less than a week from moving from Huntsville back to Montgomery. Am I excited? Yes. Am I sad? Yes. And everything in between. I'm waiting for someone to pinch me and tell me its all a dream. Before we get back to Montgomery I wanted to write down a few things I never want to forget from this moving experience. The Lord had to pull me from home and put me in Huntsville to teach me some hard lessons. He has completely opened doors to us back home and every single detail has fallen exactly into place for us to move including we already sold our house here in a week and a half! We are going home but we are coming back changed. I pray my experience here will allow us to go home and reach out to those in Montgomery who are in the same place I was when I arrived here!





I Never Want to Forget...






  • What it was like to come to Huntsville not knowing anyone.



  • What it was like to complete paperwork for John Parker's school and when asked for a name and number of an emergency contact I had to leave it blank because I didn't know anyone



  • What it was like to go from a calendar full of things to do to a calendar completely empty. Made me realize how too busy I was back home.



  • What it was like to have a newborn, post partum and new town all within a few month of each other



  • What it was like to put on a mask that "everything is wonderful" for my family back home when I was a complete disaster.



  • What it was like to have strangers from church show up at my door each night with meals after Jake was born...talk about humbling. Never before our move would I have ever made a meal for someone I didn't know.



  • What it was like to have neighbors drop off goodies to welcome us to the neighborhood.



  • What it was like to take walks around the neighborhood with John Parker and make tons of friends because he talked to everyone



  • What it was like to make one sweet friend Holly who literally pulled me out of my house and made me join her at biblestudy and become involved. She even got me in a cooking club now you know that's definitely out of my comfort zone.



  • What it was like to take hours to locate a post office and car wash.



  • What it was like to learn I could make a friend in the grocery store.



  • What it was like to take John Parker to his first birthday party here and not even know who the birthday boy was.



  • What it was like when the highlight of my day was to pick up John Parker from school because I was able to talk to people, they didn't know they were my only friends.



  • What it was like to hire a babysitter. Amy you will never know how much your friendship and trust meant to us!



  • What it was like to sit on my stairs and cry and pray for hours "Lord please get us home!"



  • What it was like to have a baby who screamed every day for for four months 23 1/2 hours a day.



  • What it was like to have a pediatrician who wanted to help Jake as much as I did.



  • What it was like to be the "visitor" at a church



  • What it was like to not have family at John Parker's 1st t-ball game, soccer game and school programs. My family would have been there if they could weekday events didn't make it easy for them to attend.



  • What it was like to leave my children with strangers in a church nursery.



  • What it was like to miss birthday parties of our friend's children back home but their sweet invitations meant the world to us!



  • What it was like to be so selfish for months and not allow the Lord to use me where he placed me



  • What it was like to have my prayers slowly change from "Lord please get us home" to "Lord thank you for our home!"



  • What it was like to go eat lunch with strangers and feel so comfortable.



  • What it was like to realize the Lord had to put me here because I was too comfortable in Montgomery



  • What it was like to finally let the Lord take me and use me



  • What it was like to let my guard down and form friendships



  • What it was like to see all the special friendships the Lord placed in our life-I wish I could list every single one of them but the list is too long!



  • What it was like to have neighbors who literally became family-The Davidsons and The Clarks are truly the best neighbors ever!



  • What it was like to have a husband who stood next to me in all of my selfishness, uglyness, and bitterness. A husband who has been an amazing provider, father and best friend!


  • What it was like to serve a Lord that never left me nor forsaked me. When I was all alone He was the only here with me all the time.

Huntsville we will miss you! We will miss all of our sweet friends who have become our family! We will never forget lessons learned and family formed in this great town!


"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Beach Boys












I decided I'd better update the blog with pictures of our first beach trip to Destin this year before we head out on our next one soon! We had a great trip in April with my sis, brother-in-law and nephew. We went down a few days early and they came shortly after. The boys had the best time. John Parker still says "Mommy I miss the beach!" John Parker was totally into the sand castle building he didn't really go in the ocean alot. The water was still super cold. Jake loved the sand! He thought it was fun to eat! Oh he was such a mess! The beach was actually easier than going to the pool. Jake pretty much stayed away from the ocean and at the pool he just thought he could swim and not be in his infant float. Another favorite of John Parker's was going to play putt-putt. That boys loves some golf! We of course ate some yummy food. Some dinners were better than others. Eating in restaurants is so hard right now with Jake. ha! I absolutely love the beach! Nothing better than spending all day on the beach having good quality family time! Can't wait for our next trip with the Bowmans!





































































































Monday, May 9, 2011

Mother's Day 2011

We had a great Mother's Day just our family of four! Yes I'm on a roll...two holidays actually staying in Huntsville. I had a wonderful Mother's day! I did miss seeing my mom and Glenn's mom. Glenn got up early with the boys and cooked breakfast and then we went off to church. I must have been an extra special mommy this year because I got two sets of flowers(roses from Glenn and spring flowers from the boys) along with some sweet cards and patio furniture. We were in desperate need of patio furniture. We left our old furniture in Montgomery at the old house and haven't bought any since we moved here. Glenn picked it out all by himself and he did a great job. Even bought some cute pillows! We ended the day with steak on the grill. Yum! Jake did have a rough little Mother's Day he's been screaming the last few days. We are praying it's not another scream phase for him. Whew! I can say honestly Jake has made me work hard for my mother's day this year! ha! I love my boys more than anything in this world! Before I had children I had "plans" of what I wanted to be and do when I grew up. Ha! Then becoming a mother changed everything. Everyday I just live for the simple moments with my children. Nothing else matters in this world but my family. I will take the title of mommy any day over any corporate title. I now know what I want to be when I grow up...a mommy!


Friday, April 22, 2011

Days I Live For....

The sweetest moments with my boys are doing the most simple things...like baking pizza!















Sunday, April 3, 2011

The BIG 30!!!

Oh I hit the dreaded BIG 30! My husband actually made it the best birthday ever! He reserved rooms at the Westin here, scheduled a massage and pedicure and had some sweet friends from Montgomery come up for a surprise visit! The day of the big surprise Jake was sick with tonsilitus. I was in nurse mode and didn't have a clue what was about to happen. Glenn came home early then the door bell rang...first my sister, then Ellen and Whitney, then Beth from Valdosta. Kelli and Jessica joined us on Saturday. I don't do surprises real well! I was just shocked...my clothes were in the washing machine, had to get packed and take off my nurse hat and pass it along to Glenn for the weekend. It was the perfect low key weekend...lots of eating, sleeping, spa, and shopping. The PERFECT weekend! Thank you so much to my sweet husband and amazing friends that made the long trip up here to celebrate my birthday! Maybe we can do this every year! ha!

Saturday, April 2, 2011

So Let Me Hold On Longer, God, to Every Precious Last

This is a MUST read book if you have children "Let Me Hold You Longer" by Karen Kingsbury. Jake had his "last" bottle a few months back but I wanted to be sure I documented it. We are always so quick to catch the "firsts" and forget about the "lasts". Life is moving so fast!

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Mr. Fireman!!!

Yes Halloween is long past and John Parker is still wearing his costume!!! Ha!!! He is obsessed with firemen and fires. He drills us daily on what we would do if there was a fire. We have done several actual fire drills too just so he knows where to go if something horrible happened and we did have a fire. Everyday after school he comes home and wants to be "Mr. Fireman" He will not answer to John Parker. We have to call him "Mr. Fireman" If I need something done immediately I've learned the best way to get him to do it is to say "Mr. Fireman I need you to..." He responds right away! Firemen always listen to their mommies, eat all their dinner and go to bed when their parents ask. Ha! Oh and don't worry Jake isn't left out of the mix, he's Mr. Fireman's fire dog! I love this stage with John Parker or rather "Mr. Fireman"!


Monday, March 21, 2011

Jake is One!!!

Well Jake turned the BIG #1!!! What a year it's been! Thanks to my friend Kelli for taking these cute pics!!!

This is what the first four months were like....full of screaming!

YAY I'm a happy boy!

Happy Birthday sweet Jakey!!! Mommy, Daddy and John Parker love you!!!