WOW, I can’t believe it’s been 2 years

 

2 years ago today, my Momma grew her heavenly wings! She had wings here on earth, they just weren't seen so to speak, but felt by many.  I never knew a person could hurt so bad and so much, as I do. A Void that no one else can ever fill.  Some days are more bearable, and others are not so. What I wouldn't give for some more time with her.  She was the GREATEST Momma and Mamaw!!! She is the reason I am who I am today. She is also the reason I always wanted to be a stay home mom. I wanted to do what she did. I hope, that I can have half as much of an impact on my babies, as she did me! She was so much to me! I miss the nightly good night phone calls, I miss the good morning, how are you feeling today calls. I miss calling her and asking her how to do something or make something. I miss picking up the phone when I was mad at James or frustrated with the kids, and she would be able to calm me right away, like NO ONE else can! Or when I needed someone to just listen! She was the best listener! I miss our late nights playing games. Or clearance shopping! Btw, I did a little of that today. I have this dear friend (Deanna) who reminds me of my mom in some ways, well her and the girls and I had lunch and went out clearance shopping. I did find me a few tops. I said, I shopped this way today, just like my Momma would have. She taught me well. I miss so much, the little things the most! Like just chilling out! We had a great time together! And she was the GREATEST person I have ever known! She loved my girls like no one else (besides hubby and myself). I miss the closeness she and James had. She was the Momma he never really had. She taught him lots, and they had a special bond. When he was working nights, and she would get up in the middle of the night for a potty break, she would often call him. Those calls would be so simple and caring and go something like this “I was just calling to see if you were doing ok. If you are getting sleepy I can talk to you.” Sometimes it would be brief, and others they would talk for awhile. The girls miss calling her and being so silly! She was fun and would do the silliest things with the kids, heck with us all! From singing crazy songs, or dressing up silly, or letting you put 50 pony tails in her hair (that’s where Lil E gets it), or maybe the time she put all the birthday hats on her head and around it at once. She is one of a kind! She is a RARE and special gem!

 

Today not only did us girls do some shopping, but we celebrated her life at dinner time, but talking about our favorite memories and such. Each one of us talking about things. It was teary and happy! It really beautiful. I want the girls to know as much about her as possible.

 

I am thankful she is out of pain and able to rock the babies, her precious great grandsons and her first born beautiful daughter. Who were all there waiting to greet her two years ago. But I would so much prefer her to be here with us! I have a promise to see her again, and oh what a day it will be!! And I’m thankful for this gift of salvation, and ever lasting life I have waiting for me, because of our Savior Jesus Christ.

 

Momma there isn't a day that I don't wish for you to be here with us! You are the most awesome and wonderful person! There is so much I want to call you on the phone and tell you. Well I tell you lots now, but I wish I could hear you for real, not just know what you would say.  Thank you for being all you were to all of us. And for loving my babies the way you did. Thank you for teaching me so much and guiding me through life. I can't imagine where I'd be today, if it wasn't for you. I find myself more and more like you every day, and I thank you for this! It makes me so proud to be like you!! I strive to be like you, and to keep your memory alive with the girls, especially K Bugs. She was only 2 years old, you know just the age I was when Memaw passed and you kept Memaw alive so well for me. And it helped. So I hope that I can do the same for K Bugs. You are always with me, in my heart, but I want all the little ones to really know you. Not just a vage memory. I really do, strive to be like you! You are in all our hearts forever! And Missed more than words can say. I thank you so much for instilling in me to never give up, and that I could do anything! Thank you for loving and helping James the way you did. You are the BESTEST Ever!!!! WE love you so much!!!! Always and Forever!!!!! I love you Momma!!!! I miss you!!! I love you!!!!

 

Hugs and Blessings

Jan, a long while back!

We moved New Years Eve and had been so busy getting settled in. But the kids loved it and were so happy and were having a great time being silly! They so loved to ham it up while being crazy and funny!! Anything to make ya laugh!!!  This between fighting illness and such. It had been a long icky winter already! And we still had a ways to go.

 

Jan was actually been pretty low key! We hadn’t much due to all the icky yucky junk.  Lil E had pneumonia and we left public school and returned to homeschool!!! Thank you Dear Lord for answering our Prayers! It was something we had been praying about and knew it was the Lord making the way! No matter what others had to say or thought.   We were so very happy with the decision! All of us were!

 

   

Mid Jan rolled around and it was my birthday. They got me the Paula Deen Humming Bird Cake (you can find it at Wal Mart). It is very yummy!!! But the girls said it had to have the writing on it, or it wasn’t a birthday cake. So they picked one of my favorite colors.

But it didn’t stop there. We were heading out to dinner, but much to my surprise it was a surprise party dinner at my favorite place, Cheddars! YUM and so nice to see everyone! The day didn’t start out so well. I felt alone and missing my Momma. James was sleeping, and I just really out of sorts, but it in ended up being a nice evening and way special!

 

 

Since we knew we were moving and Daddy would a nice size Garage, for Christmas, he had been given several signs to decorate. He wouldn’t say decorate, but you know what I mean.

 

I love each of them. They are too funny and true! :) I have to say I really love our “Workshop”. 

 

All four of us!!

 

Little miss is all feeling better, and full of some real sass! Now Lil K is under the weather. It’s been one nasty fall / winter. The extreme drought here has wrecked havoc on allergies and strep. Even with Lil E’s tonsils being gone, she had had strep 3 times by this point!

 

Lil K doesn’t like getting outside much, it’s told cold! She is not a fan of really cold or hot weather. She is a spring and fall kinda kid.

 

Out of no where, Lil E wanted her training wheels gone off her bike and she learned to ride right away! :) Yeah!!! How exciting!!!

It’s the last week of the month. We had spent months planning and preparing for Baby B to make her way home to us, but the case workers decided to give birth mom another chance, and we got the ruling she was to be reunified with her birth mom. (this is a huge issue in that state, parents have way more rights.) We were crushed, angry, and beyond devastated. It was a hard blow to take. But rest assured, Baby B, we love you always and forever, and you are in our thoughts and prayers! We would love for you to be with your family, but right now, that isn’t the way it has worked out. We pray for your safety and well being! We love you sweet girl! Your sisters would give anything for you to be with them! But know that no matter where you are, we love you!  Then the very  night that the news was made official to us about Baby B, our sweet special Papa grew his wings and flew home to be with his best friend, Jesus.  He always said, if you only had one friend, all you needed was Jesus. Papa is a special man, and one we will forever love and cherish! He and Lil E had a very special connection, and had since she was a tiny baby. We will miss listening to him play the steel guitar, and all the fun times we have had. He really enriched our loves, and the way he loved Grandma, was so special!!! A wonderful example of how a man is to love his bride! Papa, we love you!

 

As we prepared to travel for Papa’s funeral, the night before we left, Momma and Lil E decided to cut her hair off again.

 

Ta da!

 

Then we were getting ready for bed for our travels north for Papa’s funeral.

 

Early Sat, Daddy gets home, and we hit the road.

We stopped in OK  a couple of times, on our way.

We are a Texas Proud Family!

Crossed Missouri (sorry no pictures).

The girls pictured, way late at night. in IL, at a rest area. It had been one long day, we had left home early morning, and drove all day, and still had like 4 hours to go. We arrived in the middle of the night, or should I say early morning. But we were in Indiana finally.

(one of my favorite pictures, a beautiful farm that i feel in love with)

 

 

WOW!!!!! Why haven’t I ever been here!!!!!

You guessed it, I had fallen in love with Indiana!!! It’s beautiful!!! Way prettier than I ever dreamed!!! I loved the farms and finally saw, why so many times I had heard it referred to as God’s country! It was true!!!

Grandma was so lost without Papa! It was so hard to see her like this. But I am so glad we were able make it. Lil K is named after Grandma.

 

The girls had a great time playing with their little cousin! And this trip was such a blessings, as we got to spend time with him and his parents, and see lots of other family. It was nice to get that time with him and his mommy and daddy! And I’ll be forever thankful that we had this trip, that led to a relationship, that I don’t think would have ever happened other wise.

 

 

While in town, I was so blessed with visits from 2 of my dearest friends in life! It was so nice and even made me want to move there more!!! We had a great time, and I know that one day I will get to live near them both and we will have some way fun times!!! (I am not giving up on this dream!)

 

Don’t you see, how special this time was? I love them all so much!

 

I hated to say see ya later! Wish we had had some more time. But I am so glad that each of them made the drive (several) hours to meet up with us while in the area.

 

Daddy and the girls after getting ready for Papa’s funeral.

 

 

Good Bye Indiana! See you next time! (Hopefully soon)

 

Next it was time to say Hello KY!!

Hello Nashville ~

It was finally dinner time! And we sure were ready for our favorite, Mexican food!

It was one long night of driving home! We left there and drove and drove and drove some more! By morning, we had made way to OK, but we were so very tired, and it was along day across OK, and then home here in Texas.

It was a very long day, and when we finally made it home, we all went to bed. It was for sure hard long fast trip, but filled with many blessings! I wish we could have stopped along the journey home and visited way more friends, but we just didn’t have the time, as Daddy had to get back to work. It was the very last day of Jan… So there you have how we spent our Jan. It was a hard month in lots of ways, but a month I am so thankful for the many blessings that came our way. Even the the dark and sad times, we were greatly blessed!!!

 

Hugs and Blessings,