Andy is 30!!

Happy 30th Birthday to my wonderful and amazing husband. We've spent our teens together, our twenties together and I can't wait to spend our thirties and beyond together!!

For his birthday we went to eat at the Cracker Barrel which is one of his faves. Then we took the kids to see The Lion King in 3D. KInda funny that we went to see a movie from our childhood on Andy's 30th birthday. The kids loved it and we did too. It was a great night out with our family.

Happy 30th to the love of my life!! :)

success

Sometimes as a stay at home mom it is hard to consider yourself a "success." And often times others look down on you for your choice to stay home with your children. Society does not consider us moms "successful." We don't have power, and we certainly don't have money... so we aren't successful... right?!?

I used to struggle with the questions people would ask like, "What do you do all day?" and comments like, "Well anyone could do that job." It would eat me up. I was too concerned with what others thought about me and my "job" rather than focusing on all the love I was giving to my children. I am not exactly sure when I stopped worrying about what other people defined as "success," but I am pretty sure it wasn't until after I had Emma. I love what I do. I love spending every possible moment with my children. I love my job. I can truly think of nothing more rewarding than my job. I am so blessed and thankful to be able to stay at home with my babies... though they really aren't babies anymore.

Anyways... Deacon Frank shared a poem at church a while back and I really loved it and wanted to share it.

“Success”
Inaccurately attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson

To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people
and the affection of children;
To earn the appreciation of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;
To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child,
a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded.

So go out there and be successful in whatever you do!

9-11

10 years have passed since September 11, 2001.... that is still so hard for me to believe. That day still forever be etched in my memory. I even remember what I had on that day. I was in my sophomore year at UK. It was a beautiful Tuesday morning. I got up and went to my 8AM SOC 342 class with my strange professor. After class I walked with Ali back to her dorm and then I headed to my car which was parked in K-Lot. Everything seemed normal. Students were rushing to class. I got in my car and started to drive to Stein Mart because I was scheduled to work 10-6 that day. I got into my car about 9:30ish and headed down Alumni towards New Circle. I turned on the radio and it was not my usual morning show... it was a news broadcast. I figured my tuner had been switched to AM, but it hadn't. I remember hearing something about the World Trade Center, but at this point I still didn't understand what was going on.

I was stopped at the stoplight at Alumni and New Circle. Then I heard something on the radio about a plane hitting the Pentagon. I was confused. The light turned green. No cars moved. We were all frozen listening to our radios... trying to make sense of what was happening. After a few seconds, which in the moment seemed much longer... we drove. I pulled in the parking lot of Stein Mart. I was still confused. What was going on?

I walked in the store and headed to the back. Everyone was crowded around the TV in the break room. My manager was crying. It was then I realized what exactly had happened. I shed a few tears. Then I watched as the first tower collapsed. We were all crying at this point.

I had to go up and open the store at this point it was after 10AM. I remember opening my register. I called Andy, then I called my parents and then I called my roommates. I didn't want to be at work. I wanted to be at home with family and friends. I wanted to be watching the news. I wanted to know what was going on. I wanted everything to make sense.

No one shopped that day. Possibly my slowest day at Stein Mart ever. Those who did come in wanted to talk about it. My manager sent me home early. thanks. I went back to the apartment where my friends were all hanging out together. We all watched the coverage together and then we celebrated Molly's 20th birthday. It was so good to be surrounded by friends on this day.

I remember watching the news the next few weeks, the stories of survival, the heroes of flight 93, the firefighters who were risking their lives. Somehow these stories seemed to make things better... to see people loving one another.

I still don't exactly understand what happened that day or why it happened. I do know that it forever changed our country. It is a day I will never forget and a day I will soon share more about to my children.

God Bless our country and God Bless all the service men and women who defend it each day. We are blessed to live here.

My husband is amazing!

Go ahead and puke if you want... but really my husband is amazing and I feel so blessed to have him! :)

Last night was Bunco night. My sister and my friend Dawn needed babysitters for their children and my husband kindly volunteered to watch ALL of them... and our two kids. 5 kids all under six after a long day at work. We played with them, wrestled with them and then at the end of the night we got them all bathed, showered and ready for bed.... without us asking him to do so. Isn't he great? All this without ANY complaining. I love this man.

He even took a picture of the kiddos all ready for bed in a tent he made for them. love him.