Happy 44th Anniversary!!!!!

June 25 marks a very special day.  Today, 44 years ago, God brought two very special people together to fulfill their purpose as a couple.  They have persevered through the tough times, and have remained faithful to what God has asked of them.

Some of you may have guessed already, but for those who are still wondering, it is my parents anniversary!  I can hardly believe that they have made it 44 years when so many things could have torn them apart.  I am forever grateful for my mom's steadfast love for my dad and her ability to remain to what she knew God was telling her.  I am forever grateful for my dad's humility and steadfast love for my mom.  They have been a model for what marriage should be.

It has taken a lot of hard work to get to 44 years.  Thank you so much for setting the bar high!  It is because of your example and legacy, that Erik and I have something to aim for.  We love you both dearly.  May today be filled with much love and excitement!

Your SID!

My Friend, Tara

Meet my friend, Tara.  I've only known Tara for about 8 months.  In those 8 months, I have been fortunate to really get to know this lady's heart.  She has become one of my closest friends.

I am dedicating this post to her because in the next few weeks, she will be moving to Atlanta.  I have been trying my hardest to "hold it together" and pretend that this is some cruel joke and that at any moment someone will say, "Just kidding!  We're not going anywhere."  I told her today that denial is sometimes a good thing, right?

So, in order to force myself to face the music, I am writing.  Here are some things I have learned about Tara:
1.  She is completely honest with EVERYONE!  Something I admire greatly about her.  She stands up for what she believes and isn't afraid to speak her mind.  It has shown me that sometimes, it's okay to say the things that need to be said.

2.  She is spiritually mature and loves the Lord and worshipping him.  She has an amazing voice and I have been so privileged to share the platform with her and bring others into His presence.  I am going to miss that time together!

3.  She is a fabulous mother and takes her job seriously...but not too seriously.  To watch her play with her boys is soooo entertaining and her gentle, but firm, way of dealing with them is something to strive for.

4.  She is a great friend, who took time to get to know me and not just on a surface level.  We have a lot in common and I believe that is why we bonded so quickly.

5.  Age doesn't really matter.  She is 8 years younger than me and I didn't feel like it mattered.  She taught me many things.  I only hope that I have also been able to give to her.

I could go on and on, but in case she reads this, I don't want to blow her head up toooo big.  I know that this move to Atlanta is exactly what God wants for her and her wonderful family, but it really stinks for me.  I selfishly would like to keep her here.  It is so hard to know that I am going to have to say good bye in a few short weeks.

Tara, if you are reading this, I want you to know that I love you and your family.  I really am excited for Davon and all that God has for him to do.  I know this is not the end of a friendship, but I sure will miss singing with you and hanging out with you at your house.  You are an amazing woman of God and I know he will use you greatly in the lives of the kids you are going to be working with.  I thank you for your friendship.  I think you know how much you mean to me.  It's been unreal how close we have grown in such a short time.

So, there you have it.  I've let out some of the emotions that have been building up and pushed down over the last few days.  I'm sure there will be more tears to follow, but this was a good start, right?

Update on Mr. Socks

Well, it looks as if this little kitten is actually a girl, so we must change the name to Ms. Socks.  Oops!

She is doing quite well considering Mr. Putty, or the girls for that matter, won't leave her alone.  She sort of disappears most of the day.  She is cute as anything and loves to chase her tail, which is absolutely hilarious!

Mr. Socks

So, Wednesday evening before church, I asked Erik if he wanted to get another cat.  I fully expected a swift, "NO!" from him.  Instead, he responded with a laid back, "Sure."  What?  Did I hear that correctly?

I gave him the details I had about the kittens that needed a home or they would be taken to the humane society.  Nothing more was said.

Fast forward to church and I find Erik is speaking with Sam (who has the kittens).  Again, total surprise!

We decided that night, we would go ahead and get one and surprise the girls.  At 6:30 Thursday night, Liz and family arrived with our new kitten.  The girls were excited and surprised for sure.  The kitten, not so much.  Apparently, he hid for a while.  When I arrived home, I found him laid out on the couch looking quite content.  I truly hope this will be the case tomorrow.

You may be wondering how Mr. Putty feels about this new "friend."  He wasn't quite as excited as the girls.  See the next picture for a visual:


Our new kitten's name (for now is Mr. Socks), however, we are not 100% sure what his/her sex is, so the name could change.

I really hope these two cats learn to love each other!  Only time will tell.

Summer

When summer break first began I wondered how we would make the weeks fly by.  I completely forgot about Family Film Festival at the movies and that, my friends, is how I will be keeping cool and keeping my kids busy!

Someone so kindly reminded about the free summer movies and I am so grateful.  Here is the link to their website with a list of the movies they are showing.  The have 2 different movies, each week.  You can go either Tues, Wed, or Thurs to see either movie at 10:00!  And did I mention, it's FREE.  Okay, now here is the link (for SC theaters):

http://www.regmovies.com/nowshowing/familyfilmfestivalschedule.aspx?state=SC

You'll know where to find us and if you want to join us, feel free to contact me!  We love bringing our friends along!  What do you do to make the summer days go by?

Beginning of summer vacation...

So, last week, I wondered if I was going to make it through summer break.  Our transition from school to no school was NOT smooth.  The kids fought non stop, were bored, tired...the list could go on and on, but I won't bore you with the details.

It's a new week, and we all turned over a new leaf.  The key to my families happiness:  busyness.  Not a mindless, purposeless busyness.  Rather, a busyness that means a good combination of fun and laughter.  We've already had many trips to the library, playdates, and movies.  Thank you to all those friends of mine who have made this past week ridiculously fun!  Love you all!

Here's to hoping for a quick summer!

SCHOOL IS OUT!!!!

Let the chaos begin!!!!!!  Well, maybe not chaos...hopefully.  I'm sitting here and waiting for my girls to get off the bus so we can offically say, summer vacation has started!  I've said it before and I'll say it again, I cannot believe how fast this school year went.  All in all, it was a great year!  It most certainly had it's challenges, but it also had it's triumphs!

I watched my children learn so many new things and it's always fun to watch them discover for themselves, the world around them.  I've had to help my children learn how to deal with difficult situations and I've had the joy of guiding them through it.  I've made new friends and in some unexpected places.

I am looking forward to a break (no more early mornings, dragging kids out of bed and rushing them through the morning routine)!  I'm sure, before any of us realize it, the summer will be over and I'll be writing about how I can't believe how fast THAT went.  Next school year will be here before we know it!  Enjoy your summer and I hope that we'll be seeing you soon!  Until next blog!