Happy New Year

Make a postcard - it's easy!

13 days until Christmas

OK so the title of this blog in itself stresses me out. Which is exactly the opposite of what my pastor as been preaching about. It is so hard to keep your focus and not get stressed out. The presents, the parties, the money, the wrapping, the traveling, the cards (that I am sure I will not mail again this year) - oh my!!!

So if you read my blog and have great ideas on how to focus on Christ this Christmas and not on all the other stuff that HAS to be done, please respond. My kids are getting older and I am feeling like I need to come up with more grown up things to help them focus on the real meaning of the season. Of course we will have a happy birthday Jesus party, read the bible story all month, buy gifts for others, sing the songs but I would love to hear if you have any other ideas to share.

I plan to post some pictures of the house all decked and the girls in their Christmas outfits but in case I don't blog until the new year - I pray you and your family will have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Happy Thanksgiving

I wanted to post a quick note to tell all of you how thankful I am for so many things, including you. God of course is at the top of my list, without Him I would be nothing but lost. So to my God, my Savior thank you for ALL the ways you have blest me.
Thank you for the big things like my amazing family of four. I am so thankful you gave me Karl to live life with. I am so thankful you allowed me to have the girls who fill our lives with so much joy. I am so thankful you allowed me to be born into a christian home with loving parents. I am so thankful for my two big brothers who watched out for me and still do. For my little brother who let me practice my parenting skills as I tried to mother him. I am thankful he turned out ok in spite of me. For my brothers wives who gave me the one thing in life I always wanted, sisters. For my in laws who raised an amazing man for me. For my brother and sister in laws who make Karl laugh like no one else can do and who make the holidays a joy to be a part of a large family. For my 19 nieces and nephews who are so beautiful and I am so proud of each of them. For my friends oh I wish I could name you all. Thank you God for blessing me with so so many friends here in TN and all over the world. For my church family, Tn would not be our home with out you. For my staff family who make coming to work every day a joy even during the stressful, busy times. For our health, for our home, for all the extras that we have we are so grateful to our Lord and Savior.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Fall Break in Gatlinburg

This is a picture of the girls racing each other. Madie tried to cut Karly off and they had a huge 3 or 4 car pile up. It was the funniest thing, watching them blame each other to the worker. We were on the side rolling, just imagining what they were saying, "she did it, it's her fault", fingers were pointing and heads were shaking.
Karl and Karly raced to the top. Neither of them made it and I thought we might have to call for an ambulance Karl was so winded. This to was hilarious!

This turned out so cute. We took this down town Gatlinburg while we were shopping. The girls favorite thing was the cool inside pool we had. It had tunnels and waterfalls built into it. The hot tub was what I enjoyed the most. It was a cave inside the pool.
A little golfing (putt putt) lesson for Madie. Who did not enjoy the challenge of getting that little ball in that little hole.

This was on top of the Sky Lift mountain. It was so beautiful. I would have loved it if more of the trees had turned but my fourth grader explained to me that the weather had not been cold enough for the roots to pull the chlorophyll out of the leaves into the roots thus changing the color from green to fall colors. Are you smarter than a fifth grader? NOPE, not even a fourth grader.
This was a great little family get away.

Double digits for Karly, the big 10.

Karly turned 10 today, October 15th. We took her and some friends out to eat pizza
and skating.
Madeline, Alexis, Abbie, Tori, Madie and Karly - The Party Girls!

We celebrated with her girlfriends on Sunday.
This morning for her actual birthday her daddy woke her up with a muffin and candle singing "happy birthday Karly". I took donuts to her class as we walked down the hall everyone was saying "happy birthday, Karly". She was beaming. Then Rebecca and Derrick sent her balloons at school. She loved all the attention.

Karl and I have both agree that 10 years ago on October 15th was the best day of our lives. Honestly, it was perfect. The deliver went so smoothly. Our doctor made it, my parents made it and Karly made it safe and sound. We could not believe we had a baby. She was so cute, so fat and hairy. I know that doesn't sound cute to you but to her mom and dad it was. (She wants me to take off fat and hairy but she was. She had a head full of hair.)

Happy Birthday Karly, you are an amazing little girl. I am so proud to be your mom. I crawled into bed with you this morning held you and prayed for you. I am so thankful that God chose you for me but I know you are really His. I trust Him with you and know that he has an amazing plan for you. I can't wait to see the women you become. I don't expect you to be perfect. I know this journey of life gets rough but I will always love you no matter what. I will always be here for you. I pick you up now when you fall and I will pick you up later when you fall. We will brush it off and learn from it, together. Love you mean it, Mom.

Melanie's Wedding Day, Sept 29th 2007

Karl and Karly dancing.
Karly, Emery and Madie what dolls. We missed you Parker.
The Bride
The Groom

Karly and Madie with Mel at the rehersal dinner.
How sweet is that?
Minutes before the ceremony we snapped a few shoots on the church lawn.
Mel and all her girls. 2007 BFF's Mel and Ruth

On September 29th my dear friend and co worker, Melanie married Tony.


It was so beautiful. She did a great job putting everything together for her special day. The whole weekend was fun the rehearsal and wedding day. So I am going to post several pictures that I snapped. Hope you enjoy!
Ok this was suppose to be at the top and the pictures are all done backwards. Oh well I tried.

Madie's Baptism

I know this was quick but Madie wanted to get the baptism over so since I have a few connections at the church (ha ha), we were able to get her baptized Sunday. It was a very emotional day, I can't imagine how I am going to feel on her wedding day.

The sweetest thing was in her video she thanked Karly for leading her. Oh man, I lost it. Plus Karl being the one to actually be able to baptize her was priceless. My girls have no idea how blessed they are to have the daddy they have.

I am sorry to my friends who did not know and missed it. It just happened so fast.
If you would like to view her video testimony and baptism, go to http://www.fbcsmyrna.org/media/video/madie%20meyer.mov .

Thank you to all of you for sharing this precious moment with us. She loved all the notes and hugs and presents. We are so blessed with wonderful friends who love our girls.