Happy Birthday!!!!!

Just wanted to send some Happy Birthday wishes out to my niece, Harley, who turned SIX years old today!

Harley, it's so hard to believe that you are already six, it seems like yesterday that your Uncle Josh and I went to meet you at the hospital when you were born. You have grown up so fast and are a very smart and pretty girl!

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday to you!!! We love you and hope you have a wonderful day!!!

Ballerina Maddie

Maddie started her 2nd year of dance tonight and she was so excited! She couldn't wait to get there and she Mrs. Shelia, her dance instructor.

It took me a while to get her to stop twirling so that I could take a couple pictures. I can already tell she has come a long way since she started last year!

Hasn't she grown so much!

She's already been showing me the things they've learned this year and I can't wait to see her in the Christmas program!

In Loving Memory

Recently my family and I have experienced a great loss. On August 8th, while my family and I were gone out of town, my Nanny passed away. For all of you who know us personally, you know how close we were to her. The past few weeks have been very tough but through prayer and the wonderful Lord, we have made it through.

My Nanny was a wonderful person, words cannot even begin to describe just how wonderful. She was also a very stong woman that fought some tough battles with her health throughout her life. As it nears a month from her passing I keep replaying all these different special things about her in my head that I do not want to forget.

In May 2008, we planned a family photo shoot. Naturally, we wanted Nanny to be a part of it but since it was suppose to be outside, in the heat of summer, we didn't know if she would be up to it. Aside from the fact that she was on oxygen and had to take it with her everywhere, she never really loved having her picture made. Regardless of all of that, she agreed to have some shots taken with us. I'm so thankful she did because I now have these wonderful pictures.

My Nanny was full of love and it always seemed to show right through when you were around her. She enjoyed joking and laughing and she always loved it when the whole family would come to her house so that she could watch her great grandchildren play. I spent a lot of time over at my Nanny and Papa's when I was little. I remember that no matter what was hurting on my body, my Nanny always had a way of making it better. She loved to cook and she knew how to make everything taste just right.Although Maddie only had 3 1/2 short years to get to spend with Nanny, she loved her as much I did. Nanny was right there when each of her 5 great grandchildren were born and she wouldn't have had it any other way. She loved them with all her heart and she truely enjoyed spending time with them.

Nanny always had a way of making you feel special.

Maddie LOVED going to Nanny's to play and she especially loved for Nanny to paint polish her nails.

No matter how tierd Nanny was she would always be willing to take the time to paint her hands and feet whenever Maddie asked her to. I think the part that made it extra special to Maddie was that Nanny would always let Maddie paint her fingernails too. Of course Nanny knew that Maddie would make a mess of them and she would have to re-do them after we were gone but she never minded. She would always let her without a moments hesitation. I'm so thankful to have all these wonderful memories and that I was blessed to have a Nanny in my life that was so very special. But I still can't help but hate the fact that she won't be there to hold my next baby when they are born and that she won't be there to see Maddie start school. I just wasn't ready to let her go and I know I would never have been. I miss her so much and I know I always will. I miss her calling to check in on us and all the little things that she done and said that meant so much. My Nanny was one of a kind and I pray she knows how much we all love and miss her.