A Lifetime of Love

Thirteen Things about South Carolina Mom 13 Reasons to live in SC. . . 1. Mild winters- it only snows about 1 time per year (unless, of course, you live in the mountains, although I don’t know how much snow even falls there). The average temperature hovers around 50 degrees Fahrenheit. On a cold day, it may drop into the low 40s. On a really cold day, it may be in the 30s, but those are few and far between. 2. Hot summers- summer is my favorite time of year. I love to swim, as do my kids, so we spend a lot of time in our pool. We also like to travel to the beach (we went 3 times last summer!) 3. Friendly people- most everyone waves as you drive down the street. Also, gathering in the warm summer evenings on the front porch is common and a great way to meet new people. 4. Sweet tea- I know you can get this in any Southern state, but I live in SC and that’s why it’s on my list! 5. Peaches and Strawberries- these are the main fruits grown in the part of the state where I reside. I love fr...

T.G. has a bug of some type. She is over the vomiting part, but now has diarrhea, which lead to diaper rash and a raw bottom. She reluctantly sat down in the bathtub last night, but after she did, it seemed to provide some temporary relief. Please pray for her (and me!) to get over it so we can still go visit my sis. I don't want to go if either of us are sick, and I know Erin wouldn't want us there, anyway. I aced my test yesterday! Thanks to all who prayed for me. I will be the first to admit that I could not do well in school without divine intervention. I pray before I study and before I take every test. . . it is only by the grace of God that I am able to go to school and be a wife/mom. If I tried to do it on my own, my life would be in more disarray than it already is. I picked up some gifts for my sis and sis-in-law. I am using the guise of their birthday to give it to them. It is really special and something I have been wanting to do for a long time. I hope they both u...

We had a great weekend! We spent all day (I’m not exaggerating- from 10:30AM – 4PM) at the Monster Truck Show in Greenville. It was awesome and the boys loved it! We went early to meet the drivers in the Pits. We arrived shortly after the Pits opened so there were no lines for each driver. Th wore a hat to the show, so he was able to get it autographed by each driver. Ta was in heaven- unlimited amount of dirt, big trucks, and tractors. He didn’t know what to make of it all! We attend this show every year. It’s something that we’ve done since TJ and I first started dating. It just so happens to coincide with my birthday and is shortly after Christmas, so it’s kind of a combined gift thing for the family. T.G. stayed with my in-laws, although next year we will probably all attend. Ta attended his first one last year, and he wasn’t even 2 years old. He enjoyed it much better this year because he remembered it from last year, plus we frequently look at the pictures from last year and wa...

TJ "casually" questioned me about Valentine's Day while we were playing with the kids last night. Him: "Do you want your Valentine's gift now?" Me: Chuckle a bit. "Like you really have one now anyway. It's still 3 weeks away!" He sits quietly and continues to press buttons on his phone while the kids drive trucks around him. Me: "Do you really have one already? Wow! I'm impressed!" He changes the subject and we continue to play with the kids. A while later we trek downstairs for a snack before the kids get ready for a bath. H: "Would you believe me if I told you we got into the Wilds?" (We were 10th on a waiting list to attend a couples' conference the weekend of Valentine's Day). M: "No way! I don't believe you! Seriously?" He proceeds to show me the email on his phone that confirms his statement. Yeah, we got in! I am so excited! The speakers for the retreat are Ron and Shelly Hamilton. Many years...

Thirteen Things about South Carolina Mom 13 places I have been or would like to go. . . 1. Santiago, Chile, South America This was my first trip when I was in the military. It was awesome! 2. Virginia Beach, Virginia, U.S. Traveled here with the military. I had a great time, although I only stayed for a few nights. It was too cold to swim in the ocean but it was nice to see the beach. 3. Palermo, Sicily, Europe This is my family's roots. My great-grandparents immigrated to the U.S. from Palermo, and it was so awesome to be able to share in my heritage. I traveled here while in the military, and I loved every bit of this country. Mt. Etna is also located in Sicily, and on several occasions (I've been to Sicily several times), Mt. Etna was erupting. It was majestic to see, especially at night. Too many highlights to say what my favorite part of this country was, but the memories I hold will definitely last a lifetime. 4. Rota, Spain, Europe Again, traveled here with the military....

Conversation I overheard this morning between my boys. . . Ta: “Where’s the crale?” (in his Southern accent) Th: “Where’s the whale?” Ta: “No, where’s the crale?” Th: “Where’s the mail?” Ta: “No! Where’s the crale?” Th: “Where’s the nail?” Ta: “NO! Where’s the crale? A-R-H-O-T-B. Crale.” (he’s attempting to spell what he’s trying to say because he overhears TJ and me spelling things when we don’t want the kids to know what we’re talking about.) Th: “Oh, where’s the grill?” Ta: “Yes, where’s the crale? It was really cute to overhear. It put a smile on my face and made me chuckle a bit, and I’ve been thinking about it all day because to hear them get along together is something that occurs few and far between (as anyone who has young children understands). ************************************************** T.G. had her ENT appointment this morning. Not sure when, but she will be having tubes put in both ears, her adenoid removed, and a procedure called an outfracture done. The doc explai...

Please pray for the Avery family. Julian passed away this morning. His mother's own words: "Time of Death ,11:22am ... Never thought I would ever hear these words about my 4 1/2 year old son. But this morning , those words got engraved in my mind and my heart forever. Julian fought until the last painful breath. Again NOTHING peaceful about this process until , until he stopped gasping for air. Julian looked like a fish out of the water, trying so hard to fill those lungs ,but nothing. You could see the normal breathing motions his body made, but nothing got past his throat.Finally he stopped fighting. When he started having a hard time breathing I went to get Ken . He stood on one side of the bed and i was on there with Julian . We talked him thru his transition . We told him it would be ok . We told him we were proud of him . I told him to say Hi to Jesus for me. I told him that Cody and Jacob were waiting for him . I told him that we would be ok . I told him he wouldnt hurt...

I know about AD/HD. I know about the symptoms and treatment options. I have studied and even worked with kids who have this exceptionality. And I know Th does not, although he does have the hyperactivity part down to a 'T'. Th has an excellent attention span for a 5 year old. He can sit and draw or color for a good 45 minutes to an hour. He does not have trouble watching television (unfortunately!) or a movie, nor playing games. He likes to read books and have books read to him. But, he is constantly moving while he does all of these activities. I never worried before because I just knew that he was an active child. I am not really worried now, either, but I am becoming more concerned, especially the closer he gets to entering kindergarten. His current preschool teacher has even talked to me about it, especially because it has gotten worse since returning from the Christmas break. She, too, agrees that he is just an extremely active child and so far it is not disrupting her tea...

Thirteen Things about South Carolina Mom 13 jobs I have held. . . 1. Special Olympics Swim Coach Best job ever and very rewarding! 2. Preschool/Youth swim instructor My first job (I volunteered until I got hired on at the Y, then I was paid.) 3. Lifeguard This was my first paid job. 4. Crew Chief/aircraft mechanic on the KC-10 I loved it- I saw the world on this plane and pushed myself the farthest mentally and physically I ever have or ever will again. Of course I missed my family and friends, but if I had to do it all over again, I would in a heartbeat. 5. Debrief personnel I talked with aircrews after they landed about their flight/mission. I learned the logistical side of flying. 6. Tool Crib personnel I gave the mechanics tools for various jobs needed to fix the airplane. I also inventoried and ordered new tools, and that was fun. Until this job, I had no idea that tool companies have a representative drive around in a truck full of tools for people to use and try. It was during t...

I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: “O Lord, save me!” The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. The Lord protects the simplehearted ; when I was in great need, he saved me. Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. For you, O Lord, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living. ~Psalm 116:1-9 NIV This is me. This is my life. This is my God. As I live each day and struggle with the mundane and not so mundane, I pray I meditate on these words as a reminder of God’s love and mercy and kindness and grace for me. Thank you Lord for who You are. I challenge you to keep a journal or log (or blog!) of God...

Well, my wonderful husband spilled the beans yesterday. . . he was planning to surprise me for my birthday with another couple's conference at the Wilds over Valentine's weekend. But, there is a waiting list and we are number 10. I am praying for some others to cancel but am not counting on being able to go. How did I get it out of him, you ask. Let me back up to Friday night. We had a T-n-T event at church and just as we were about to begin the adult game time, TJ's phone rang. It was his grandpa who lives in PA. He was calling to tell TJ he had just registered for the Spring Family Camp in April at the Wilds and he wanted us to attend with him. Yesterday I was filling out our registration form and writing the deposit check. I inquired about the Valentine's conference (I really want to go as the speakers are going to be GREAT!) because I wanted to register for that, as well. He opened his email to show me he had already attempted but it was full. So, while I am disapp...

I ended my last life post when I went on my first date with TJ. That was in April 1998. I was 19, he was 23. We have been together ever since, but here is the story of how our relationship has evolved over the years. We began to date seriously, and I moved in with him and his friends in June or July 1998. I know it was sin (1 Thessalonians 4:3-8), but I still didn’t understand how the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 1:7) should shape my decisions. Even though I was saved, I wasn’t spiritually growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord (Colossians 1:10). TJ and I occasionally went to church together, but our schedules changed and I was going back and forth between swing (3:30-11:30pm) and mid shift (11:30pm-7:30am). Plus, there was a hurricane that devastated Puerto Rico that summer, so TJ was gone every weekend supporting the hurricane relief effort. One weekend while he was away, I got a phone call from one of my commanding sergeants and went TDY to Chile, South America and some other ...

I finished the main bag this afternoon; I still have a smaller bag that I need to make (to hold diaper creams, loose change, ink pens, etc). What do you think? I love it- I think it turned out better than the one I made for myself! I will be personally delivering it to her the first weekend in February. My mom and I are going to visit together. I am excited and looking forward to it! I begin school on Monday. I am a little nervous about taking 4 classes; I haven't taken this many at one time since my first semester. I have a break between classes for about an hour and a half on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I am hoping to be able to get some uninterrupted work done on those days. Please just pray for me. I am looking forward to the semester, especially one class in particular. I will be working one-on-one with students who have autism. If you know me, autism and mental retardation are "my thing". These two areas of special education are my passion and I have extensive k...

Thirteen Things about South Carolina Mom 13 of the many places I have lived in my almost 29 years of living. . . 1. Columbus, Ohio- born here 2. Houston, Texas- moved here at age 2 3. Richmond, Texas- moved here at age 5 4. Mayfield Heights, Ohio- moved here at age 8 5. Cincinnati, Ohio- moved here at age 9 6. Boys Town, Nebraska- moved here at age 10 7. Akron, Ohio- moved here at age 12 8. Tallmadge, Ohio- moved here at age 13 9. Wichita Falls, Texas- moved here at age 18 10. Vacaville, California- moved here at age 19 11. Travis Air Force Base, California- moved here at age 21 12. Belmont, North Carolina- moved here at age 23 13. Somewhere, South Carolina- moved here at age 24 Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others' comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment link...

I just read Mimi's latest update on Julian. I am convicted with each update I read. I take my children for granted every day, and I have found myself trying to be more thankful and kind and loving towards them. We are trying to break Ta's habit of wanting someone to lay with him until he falls asleep. We want him to be an independent sleeper. Well, the past 2 nights I haven't stuck to my guns. I've laid with him, talked with him, hugged and kissed him until he couldn't stand it anymore. Then I kiss him one more time before taking my post until he's asleep. His last images before he drifts off to dreamland are me standing at his door. Speaking only for myself, I guess I just realized I was being selfish by wanting to hurry up and get downstairs. I know, I know. I do need some time alone with just TJ, but at the same time, my kids are growing so fast and soon they won't need me to lay with them, let alone want me to. I think this is another meaning behind A L...

She looks just like my brother-in-law! I have never seen a baby with light colored hair; quite a change from my own kids' dark hair. I can't wait to meet her- hopefully it will be soon!

Kaylee Madison made her debut at 8:14pm and weighed 7 pounds, 2 ounces. She was 19.5 inches long. I haven't received any pictures yet, but hopefully soon. Mom and baby are doing great, Mom is trying to figure out the nursing thing. It's amazing how much I love this little girl and I haven't even met her; I can't even describe it!

I was talking with my sis about 11:45 this morning and in the middle of our conversation she stated, "I think my water broke." Yeah! She had a friend drive her to the hospital, but thankfully along the way they saw a police officer (the hospital is a good 45 minute drive) and flagged him down. He wasn't able to provide an escort but he did call an ambulance to take her (she was feeling extreme pressure). I am assuming she is at the hospital now, well on her way to delivering baby K. Please pray for her and the baby, and I will update as I find out more. . . ~T. Oh, above is a picture of the bag shell. I was dropping it off to be embroidered when talking with my sister. It's not completed, but the lining and shell are both done. All I need to do when I receive the shell back is attach the lining to the shell. I had it embroidered using green thread. I'll take another picture of the final bag.

I have been busy working on a diaper bag for my sister. I had hoped it would be done for Christmas, but with school and everything else, I didn't even have time to go to the fabric store. I finally got a chance to buy the fabric yesterday, and this morning I began cutting out the pattern. I gave myself a deadline of Monday because I have other sewing projects I need to get done around here before my semester begins. I'll post a picture of the bag when I finish. I hope she likes the fabric I chose for her! Speaking of my sister, I have been really concerned about her lately. I have been praying earnestly for her, and ask that you do the same. I can't go into the details, and I don't really want to, but please lift her and baby K. up in prayer. I appreciate it!

Thirteen Things about South Carolina Mom 13 Goals for 2008, in alphabetical order. . . 1. Appreciate the Lord’s blessings more 2. Attend a ladies’ retreat 3. Attend another couple’s retreat 4. Be a better listener, especially to my family 5. Be a better sister 6. Be a better wife and mother 7. Be an encouragement to others 8. Become more physically active 9. Lose between 15 and 40 pounds 10. Spend more alone time with my hubby 11. Spend more alone time with the Lord 12. Spend more time playing with my kids 13. Visit my grandmother (who will be 94) before I miss the opportunity Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others' comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted! View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

I had T.G. at the doctor again today. Turns out she still has a double ear infection. I left with another prescription. . . and a referral to the E.E.N.T. The doc wanted to begin a series of Rocephin shots on her but I opposed. I went through the same thing with Ta- the series is 1 shot per day for 3 days. The shots did nothing except traumatize Ta. To this day he is petrified of the doctor, even if the appointment is for a sibling. It's the only appointment I don't mind having him with me because he is on his best behavior out of fear of getting a shot! I am waiting to find out when the E.E.N.T. appointment will be. Also, Ta broke his glasses again. He just got this pair last Thursday, so it hasn't even been a full week. I believe this was pair number 5, and unfortunately his spare pair is broken too. TJ is going to see if he can somehow take parts from both frames to make a complete pair until the new ones arrive. It just really stinks because all of this is happening no...

I rejoice in the opportunity of having a fresh start at a new year; I wish you all a happy, healthy, blessed New Year! ~T.