Mother's Day

Becca and Puddin

Memaw opening birthday/Mother's Day presents

Mommy and Emma

Mommy and Mac

Me and my Mommy!!

Ok, I know this is a little late, but the last few weeks of school are always hectic, so I haven't had time to post lately. We had a great Mother's Day. We started off by going to church. Carrie Dalton, a church member, took pictures of all the moms with their families. The moms got a free 8X10 of the picture. After church and Sunday School, we headed home to change, then went to Aunt Debbie's house. We ate a wonderful lunch of hot dogs, hamburgers, chips and dip. We had great family fellowship while celebrating Mother's Day, Puddin's birthday (how old?) and Memaw's birthday. Emma and Mac had a ball playing with Sammo (Aunt Rita's dog). We had a few family members who were missing, but all in all we had a great time. We got updates on my cousin, Kristie, whose twins should be here the end of June. Update from this week...Izzy and Mekhi both weigh 3 pounds, 6 ounces!! Way to go babies!! Way to go Kristie...Randall says you bake babies better than I do!!

My Big Boy!!

Ok, Mac is getting a little too big for Momma's liking! My baby isn't a baby anymore!! He has decided this week that he needs a pillow to sleep on...I have been putting this off because it is pulling away from the "baby" that I want so desperately to keep!! He absolutely LOVES it. As you can see in the picture, he has his two constants with him...his "get-it" and Mater (yes, we FINALLY found him!!). He is talking up a storm, and has finally started putting more and more sentences together. He is becoming more independent and wants to do things for himself. However, he is still a Mommy's boy, and he loves to kiss and hug me! A couple of weeks ago, he went straight into the nursery at church and starting playing. I signed him in and was about to walk out the door when he hollered at me, "Mommy, love!!" Of course, who can resist a chance to hug and kiss on their kids? Not me!! I thought it was so sweet, and I absolutely DREAD the day when he no longer wants to give me love because it's embarrassing!! Can't they stay little forever?

Emma's First Softball Game

Emma's first softball game was Thursday, the same day she was sick. She said she wanted to play, so we let her try...it was NOT the best experience. She went out in the field during the first inning. As you can see, she enjoyed putting her glove over her face. She played 3rd base, and the sun was right in her eyes. It was all downhill from there. I am not sure if she got hot, if she didn't feel good, if she was intimidated by all the people, or if it's just her age. We couldn't get her to do anything once she came off the field!! We did stay for the entire game. Maybe next week will be better!! We took her back out to the ball field last night just to get her used to being there, and she cried when we left because she wanted to stay!! Maybe that's a good sign!Playing 3rd base#9 was Momma's number when she played!! (High School and after!!)

Pre-game face!!

Testify

This is a terrific group of guys who are definitely doing the work of God. These three guys, Testify, brought the music at the revival we had a church in April. I feel that their ministry is great! The spirit of the Lord moves through these men.

And the Doctor says...

it's a virus! Emma was tested for strep and mono, and both tests came back negative. Dr. Thomas seems to think she has a virus that flairs up when she has drainage down her throat. We are going to see if this happens one more time, then Dr. Thomas wants to look at possibly having her tonsils taken out. We got new medicine, and hopefully it will work. She can resume all normal activities, so we will be playing our first softball game tonight!! We will be the ones on the 6 and under field adorning the hot pink shirts!! Go Diamond Girls!! (oh, I have to go get the video camera charged!!!)

Emma is sick...

AGAIN!! This is the third time in the last month and a half. Her throat swells up and she gets pus pockets. She has been tested for strep, and the tests are negative. Today we are going to see Dr. Thomas, her pediatrician, at 10:00. Hopefully we will get some answers. Everything we've heard so far is, "It's just allergies." If that's it, I hope we get some new medicine to fix it!! Today is not the day for her to be sick...she has a softball game tonight at 5:30 (her first!!) and Field Day at preschool tomorrow where they are going to Camp Wyldewood. I just hope she feels better!! (at least I did get to take the day off!!)

I love this song!!

I hope this works. I've never tried to embed a video!! This song brings back so many memories. It tells me how mighty my God is...This is the first song I heard on the radio on February 7, 2007...the day I left my 4 day old son at Baptist Hospital in the NICU. Although I cried the entire time, I knew that God had his healing hands wrapped around my tiny baby and all his caregivers. Never once was I scared. Unhappy, yes, because I felt I was the one who should be taking care of Mac. No mother should ever have to leave the hospital without her child. However, God has a plan for everyone, and I believe His plan for Mac is to show how powerful God is...

Emma's Gymnastics Recital

Emma and Vivi

Emma on the low bar of the uneven bars.

Future gymnast?

Emma and Vivi

Emma and Coach T with the flowers we gave her...gerber daisies...her favorite!!

Today we had Emma's gymnastics recital at GymStars. She absolutely loves GymStars, and she loves her coach, Coach "T". Over the past two years, gymnastics has been a great outlet for some of Emma's energy. Her favorite part is flipping, so we are thinking about taking a tumbling class next year instead of gymnastics. Either way, GymStars offers a great variety of classes that can take her where she wants to go...either competative gymnastics or competative cheerleading. The atmosphere there is great. She loved the recital today!!

Mr. Al

I took off from work today to help chaperone Emma's class as they walked from Curtis Preschool to Harding University. They got to see Mr. Al in concert. Since I teach older kids, I wasn't exactly sure who "Mr. Al" was. I have to give the man props...he was WONDERFUL!! I wish I had taken money to get a cd!! As you can see in the pics, he was dressed in tye-die. He had the kids up and down in their seats, singing and dancing!! It was wonderful. We were hoping the rain would hold off since we were walking, and it did. As I look out the window now, it just started raining...30 minutes after we returned to school!! I enjoyed spending this time with Emma and her friends. It was well worth the money. Emily, Anna Catherine, Chandler, and Emma

Emma and Alexander dancing

Mr. Al

Emma and Chandler with their feet up to put their "GROOVE" on

Best Buddies!!

Emma's birthday pics from Wal-Mart

Emma's Preschool Program

My sweet little girl before her program. The girls singing along with another group.

Emma's buddy, Job.

Emma's church buddy, McKinley

Mrs. Jonna, Emma's teacher last year.

Emma's friend, Ty.

Mrs. Cherisse, Emma's teacher, singing along with the kids.

Anna Catherine, Emily, Chandler, Emma, Emma M., and Payton singing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."

Patiently waiting on stage for Mrs. Cherisse's SuperStars to sing.

Payton and Emma

Emma's flowers

As I said in a previous post, this year Randall and I decided to give flowers at church in honor of the kids' birthdays. This is a picture of Emma with her flowers. They were placed at the organ.

Emma's birthday 5th birthday party

Mac and Emma

Mac was still eating once the girls went to play.

Emma and Chandler outside eating cake and ice cream.

Momma bought trick candles!! This one wouldn't go out!

Singing "Happy Birthday!"

Mac hanging out with the girls!!

Chandler, Emma, and her friend Emma!! They were watching "Camp Rock."

Just a few pictures from Emma's 5th birthday party.

Emma's 5th Birthday

I can't believe Emma is 5 today!! It seems like just yesterday she was born...since I didn't blog at the time, I thought I would give her birth story here, If for no other reason than just to remember it!

On the day I told Randall I was pregnant, we also got the call that he was being deployed to Iraq. The day was a little bittersweet for us to say the least. Randall spent most of the pregnancy in Ft. Hood, Texas training, and then headed to Iraq at the beginning of April. On April 24, 2004, Momma took me out shopping all day. When we got home about 5:00, I turned on the news (which I never did) and heard the news that Randall's camp in Iraq had experienced a mortar attack. There were casualites. When this happens, internet and phones are turned off until the next of kin can be contacted. I went through all of Saturday night and Sunday without knowing if he was safe or not. About 12:15 Monday morning, I woke up to a wet spot in my bed. I called Momma and Daddy and told Momma that I thought my water had broken. She asked me if I was having contractions, and I told her I wasn't. She told me to go back to bed and go back to sleep...and I did. About 3:15, I woke up to what I thought was cramping, so I took a hot bath. I called Momma and Daddy a little after 3:30 and told them I thought I needed to go to the hospital. They came over, picked me up, and we headed to WCMC. We walked all the way to Labor and Delivery, and as I rounded the corner, there stood Brandi Lindsey, a nurse at L&D. I was thrilled to see someone I knew. She put me in triage and checked me. I was dialated to 4cm. They got me into a room about 4:30. They had called down to get my epidural. A few minutes later, I told Brandi that I had to push. She told me that I didn't. After insisting that I did need to push, Brandi checked me again. She crossed my legs, looked at the other nurse and said, "Call Dr. Burns to get here NOW, and call the anetheisologist and tell him to go back home." I was dialated to 10. Emma was born at 5:26 am. Randall had tried to call me that morning at home and call my cell phone to let me know he was ok. He finally got in touch with my dad on his cell phone as Daddy was going back to the car to get my suitcase AFTER Emma was born. About 5:40, I was holding my newborn daughter and talking to my husband who was half way around the world. WHAT A DAY!! Emma weighed 7 pounds, and she was 20 inches long.

Emma talking to her daddy on the phone minutes after being born.Emma and the dozen pink roses from her daddy.

Emma's birthday cake

Emma is having a Camp Rock themed birthday party today. I couldn't find a cake anywhere, so I had her pick out a picture she liked. We took it to Sexton Food and had it scanned. I thought the caked turned out great, and Emma really liked it!!