Last night as an AWANAS Cubbie, pickin some strawberries and a drive thru zoo......

Last night was Sam's last night as a Cubbie in our AWANA's program at church. He has done it for the last 2 years and has learned so much. It has always amazed me how he memorized bible verses so easily, I pray he will always hide those verses in his heart and never forget them! Next year he will move up to Sparks. This whole transition to a big kindergartner is gonna be tough! Here are some pictures of Sam and his other cubbie friends singing their motto song and getting awards.

Today we ventured out even though we were supposed to be home because of the swine flu. We went to Browns farm to pick strawberries. I thought that Sam would enjoy it and I was right. He thought it was the greatest thing ever to pick his own strawberries!!!! He had to try one before we could even get done picking them. These are the best ever, juicy and sweet!! No need for sugar! Anybody have any great strawberry recipes they want to share?????

Here are some pics of us havin fun pickin them!

Then we went to Harmony Park Safari, it is a drive thru zoo!!! This was all new to me. They give you food to feed the animals and you just drive through..... all the animals start coming to your car cause they know its eatin time!! Emus, rams, deer, lamas, horses, monkeys..... then there are aligator, turtles....... The Emu kind of scared us a little bit, they just wanted to get right on in the car with us!!! We had to be careful when they were around to just crack the window a little and it scared Sam a little too. The horse was real friendly and just ate from your hand, the other animals you just threw the food out to them. It was definitely a different zoo experience, but we enjoyed it! Here are some pics of the zoo as well.

I know it looks like they are kissing but theres is a window between them, cute huh?

This is what we have been doing today......... playing....... eating a popsicle........playing some more!! I love love love this weather! It was cloudy and rainy looking this morning and turned into a beautiful afternoon :0) and it just puts a smile on my face to be outside playing with Sam!

Last night we took off the training wheels on Sam's bike...... and thats when I figured out how out of shape I really was from running right beside him trying not to let him fall...... whew, that wore me out fast!!! We'll have to get some pictures of that to share huh???? I hope it doesnt take him too long to figure it out cause he wants so bad to be able to ride his bike like all the "big boys"

Last night I also went to a Gold party at a friends house. All you do is find all your old gold that you dont wear anymore and they give you cash for it. I got out my old gold chain, some old rings from those teenage days and I made a whopping $305 :) :) :) :) That really made my night. Was thinking about having a party of my own, we'll just have to see. I know that when I left the party around $4000 dollars had already been made! Isnt that CrAzY!

Hope everyone is enjoying this BeAuTiFuL weather as we are! Tonight we have an end of the year program for AWANAS at church and a T-Ball game tomorrow night! Looks like a busy rest of the week!

Things That Matter

Heard this song below "things that matter" for the first time today and thought what a great message. I dont know about you but it seems the days for me seem to be going by faster and faster. Sometimes I know I get wrapped up worrying about things that really dont matter. I have and awesome God who forgives me for all my sins and is always there for me, such a wonderful husband, the sweetest cutest little boy I could have ever imagined, a wonderful family and great friends!
Even though I seem to get caught up in the daily struggle of wanting to be pregnant again so bad, I still have so much to be thankful for. In the end the blessings that Ive been given are the things that matter.
Today I've been going through the motions, was cleaning out closets and of course doing alot of thinking. Does God really want me to have another child??? I want Sam to have a sibling so bad.... I feel myself getting jealous of friends that have 2 or more children and I see the relationships their children have and then I have to tell myself stop, I cant have those feelings.Im also worried about the cost of all the fertility treatments, money these days doesnt go anywhere, and Im real scared to just deplete our savings while trying to have another baby and still make ends meet. As a stay at home mom, I have been so blessed and thankful that Ive been able to stay at home but it scary to think about all the treatments and expense that continues to arise with all the fertility treatments, dr. visits...... Maybe Chad and I should just say forget it, going through this roller coaster ride isnt so much fun! Maybe we should just spend our time focusing on what we've already been blessed with. So, I'll think Ok Im gonna talk to Chad, maybe we'll just call the fertility battle quits and I just wont have this to worry about anymore, then a few minutes later, Im thinking NO, I cant do that, my heart longs for another baby.... I dont want Sam to be an only child. SO you see where Ive been going today, back and forth..... then I hear this new song by rascal flatts, "things that matter" and I just felt the need to share my feelings today. Im sure some of you may get tired of hearing this same ol story, but its what Im going through and its such a struggle and it helps so much to just get it out sometimes! I just dont want to miss out on my time with "things that matter" because Im so stressed, so worried, and so caught up in this "struggle". Please Lord give me strength to be patient and wait on your will and your timing Lord.


Just wanted to share the song/lyrics with you, dont forget to pause my playlist.

Fun Friday Field Trip to Kids Space

Today Sam had a field trip with his class and the other 4 year old class from his pre-k to go to Kids Space park. He was so excited this morning, he woke up early ready to go. The funny thing is what he said he was most excited about was that I was gonna let him ride the bus!! (I went along for the fun but drove my car) How funny is that!! So 8:30 they're loading on the bus ready to go. The weather today is absolutely beautiful, a perfect day for the kids to run and play. Sam and his friends had a great day at Kids Space.
The school year is close to coming to an end and they have been getting ready for their end of the year program, which I cant wait to see. I try to get Sam to sing some of the songs or show me what they are gonna do and he says its a suprise, I'll have to wait till the program. Still cant believe my baby will be a kindergartner next year!?!?!?! We have to decided to go with the private Christian school Bethelehem Christian Academey for "K" and then just see how it goes from there. But we sure cant wait for the summer!!! Swimming, staying up late, playing outside all the day long, fun with friends, vacation bible school, swimming lessons, finishing up T-ball, vacation to the beach and maybe a Braves game or 2. Can you tell Im ready for summer???
Hope you all have a great weekend as its gonna seem like summer with sunshine and 80 degree temps. We'll be at the ballpark tomorrow and then a family b-day party with grilling out hamburgers and hot dogs tomorrow afternoon, yum! Here are some pics from today.

Why couldnt have I thought of that?.?.?.

I have to share this wonderful birthday present I recieved yesterday. My aunt had been telling me about these new shoes for a while and I kept telling her I hadnt seen them anywhere. They are called switch flops www.switchflops.com. You buy a base pair and there are tons of different colorful straps that you just swap out, its velcro. How cool is that??? Here are the ones she got for me. She found them at the Hallmark store in five points. I love them!!!! Thanks Judy!! A girl in high school created these for a project and then her business began.... Why couldnt have I thought of that!!! Here are some pics of the ones my aunt got me and then a youtube video clip that shows you how they work. (dont forget to pause my playlist at the bottom)







So anyways yesterday was my birthday and unfortunatley I spent the day at home in bed with none the less "CRUD", allergies, sinus, whatever you want to call it but I felt horrible. Thanfully today I am feeling some better!! My little Sam is feeling better too and went back to school today. Although he is still having trouble hearing out of that ear that ruptured. I called his Dr again today and they say it's completely normal, give it till next week. So we shall see. Im just ready for us to all be well and stay that way!!!! So since we didnt really celebrate my anniversary last week or my birthday yesterday I am looking forward to doing that soon, maybe this next weekend???? Hint Hint Chad!!!

Have a great Monday!!

Please say a little prayer

If you read my previous post then you know whats going on with Sam's ears. Well today he woke up saying he couldn't hear, it was so pitiful, and its freaking me out!
He then asked me "mommy, what are you gonna do about it, i cant hear" BROKE MY HEART.
So I called the Dr on call and they told me that since his ears were full of pus that it would be "common" to have trouble hearing, to continue with the antibiotics and ear drops and if he's still having trouble on Mon. to take him back in to Dr Dudley. Then I google it I read ruptured ear drum can cause temporary and some permanent hearing loss. Ok Im sure all will be fine but as a mother its only natural to worry and always think of the what if's. So if you could just say a little prayer please!! Thanks in advance :) (Sam has never really had trouble with his ears so this is all new to me)

Taking a step back

This has been a week of stress...... I have been dealing with a sick child, loss of a relative, and yes again the fertility battle (which I havent said alot about lately)
Sunday night I get a call about 10:00 that my step dads sister passed away at the age of 55 from a heart attack. I already had attended a funeral home visitation last week from a previous pastor who had passed at the age of 45 from a heart attack. Life here on earth is so short, it just makes you realize how you need to take a step back and be thankful for every day that you have with your loved ones! Time here is flying by.....

Monday I am up and ready for a Dr appt. that was to get me prepared to start my fertility shots. I've had them in my fridge now for several weeks and it has been killing me every time I open the fridge I see them (fridge is just to prolong the shelf life of the meds). So Im getting my blood work and ultrasound to make sure all is well and I have 8 yes I said 8 ovarian cysts. The protocol for starting the Follistim shots is that if your u/s shows cysts they cant be over a certain size. Well 3 of them were above the size so again another month of what they call "rest".
Rest, I call it depressed!!! It seems we just keep taking a step back.....
So the plan is now I am on birth control pills for this month to see if that will help the cysts to go away and then reultrasound in a month. So needless to say I came home very upset and down about all of this. Im trying desperately to keep the faith. I never planned for my children to be so apart in age.... I had dreamed of 2 little ones that would be close in age, and I can go on and on and then I was just in the shower thinking about all of this and God said to me Jennifer take a step back, be faithful, let me be in control........ why is this so hard to do??????

On another note Wed was our 9 year anniversary, Im sure you read my previous post about that. Oh how I love my husband and how he puts up with all of my "stress" he is so laid back and nothing ever seems to upset him. You think God gave him to me for a reason???? I need him during all these stressful times to calm me. Well hopefully we will be able to have a night out soon to celebrate. As I was saying on another note Wed. night about 9 pm Sam started screaming uncontrolably of ear pain, just out of no where!!! I gave him motrin but ended up having to call after hours Dr and they called in some numbing ear drops that I had to drive all the way to Madison at 11pm to get because there was no other pharmacy open while my sweet calm husband stayed home to comfort Sam the best that he could. That was a very sleepless night needless to say and the next day at Dr Dudley's we find out both ears are infected, full of pus, and the right one looks ruptured. What??? how did it rupture he just complained for the first time the night before. Now we are on Augmentin and some antibiotic ear drops. I just want my sweet boy to feel better, yesterday his temp got up to 104 and that was very scary, today has been better, so maybe tomorrow will be even more so! He hates that he's missing Tball but all Im concerned with is that he is better REALLY soon.

Ok so have you had enough of my whining and stress??? I stop and I think I know there are so many other people that are going through much much worse situations.
Please God I pray that you will help me to take a step back, be faithful and patient in you and know that all things will happen in your will.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, enjoy this beautiful weather. Sorry for the long post!

9 years ago today.....

9 years ago today I married my wonderful husband Chad. We started dating the summer of 1994 and then married April 15, 2000, wow I was just a junior in high school when we started dating, that makes me feel so old!
I am so thankful that God gave me such a wonderful husband. We've shared so many good times and I am so thankful for them. Hope we have many many more! Happy Anniversary, I love you Chad


(sorry for the quality of the pics below, they were scanned in to my computer)

Easter 2009

I have lots of pics to share. Sometimes its easier to just let the pictures tell the story. We had a great Easter weekend. Hope all of you did as well. It was great just spending time with family, going to church, and that yummy meal we always have at MawMaw's (she makes the best homemade strawberry pie). I've enjoyed looking at everyones blog posts full of adorable Easter pics and figured it was time that I shared mine as well. ENJOY :)



We started our Sat. off with Sam's first T-ball game and they won but it was oh so cold that morning!

Sam and Daddy after winning their first game. Go Meridianville Diamondbacks!
Then we were off to color some eggs, what fun!!

Sunday morning checking out what the easter bunny brought .........

getting ready for church

our only pic we got together and it turned out a little blury, oh well, at least we got one.

Easter egg hunt at MawMaw's after a yummy lunch!

found an egg, yea!

my sweet boy :)

MawMaw helping Sam hunt for eggs

Me and my precious MawMaw

my nephew Wes and Sam being silly, sam follows him around everywhere and thinks he is the greatest !