For My Son

My handsome Son,

I will try not to cry as I write this to you, but you know how I am. The biggest gift I have for you on your 16th Birthday are these words written from my heart!

The day you were born we we're expecting a baby boy. We didn't know he would almost hit the 10lb mark and we didn't know he would impact our lives in a way that would make us want to become better people so that he would always be proud of us.

You have a way, a very special way, of making people smile and of filling a room with love just because you walked into it.

You have a wisdom about you that is inspiring and a patience that is calming. You are a gentle giant! It is an honor to know you and we have been more than blessed to be your Parents.

I consider every conversation with you a gift! You make me laugh, smile, chuckle and half crazy when you don't move as quickly as I think you should. But that my son is what is so special about you. You never do what "We" think you should do. You ALWAYS do what's right. If the sign says 45mph we're gonna go 45. If it says no left turn for ten miles. We're not turning left for ten miles even if we could.

You are the person who doesn't lie, cheat, or steal. And in these times that is extremely rare. You've gone through some very difficult times at a very young age. Times that would push a grown person to their breaking point. You handled it all with grace and God by your side. You never wavered from truth!

The Very best years of life are ahead of you! you have grown taller than me and stronger than me! You now mow the grass and drive me around in the car! You do laundry, cook , clean and hold my hand so that I don't slip and fall. All the things I used to do for you I watch you now as your do them for me and for yourself.

You have gown into a fine young man, but never doubt that I will always see you as my baby boy!! I'll love you forever, I'll love you for always, as long as I'm living my baby you'll be!

Someday you and I will dance at your wedding and I will cry tears of joy for I will know that like your brother you will have found the very next best part of your life. She will be a very special woman to win your heart and she is worth waiting for!

So until then, we have many things to look forward to! Graduation, College and many adventures in-between!

I love you Buddy!!!!!!!!!

Happy B-day!!!!!!!!
Love MOM

September

Here it is the end of August and we have survived a summer full of things breaking. Here's the list: Refrigerator, Garbage disposal, Central Air, Garage door (again), Lawn Mower, Weed Eater, Part of the Fence fell down and last but not least a bed frame. These "things" are all items that can be fixed with money.

So as the summer draws to an end and the fall season starts to make it's way around again, I am grateful for a life that is nothing less than normal. I have watched too many of my friends and family lose relationships, peace of mind and loved ones. These are the things of value and importance that cannot be replaced with money.

September brings with it the promise of comfort foods, awaiting holidays and the start of school days. And the return of the squirrels that will be running in a frantic rush along the back fence trying to ready themselves for the coming winter. Time to get out the BB Gun!

Palm Sunday

So here it is Palm Sunday and I am in a frenzy over what to cook Easter Sunday. I have watched the Food Network channel and have decided that I am not Paula Dean. I would like to live a long life. Notice I did not say healthy I just said long and the amount of butter, sugar and carbs that are cooked in one episode would send both me and my guests straight to the ER.

I've thought about trying to cook like Emeril. But I like a little too much BAM of the bad stuff he cooks with. That Giada of Everyday Italian is another really great cook but she is NOT ever going to put on one pound. Honestly I am just jealous of her. The fact that she can cook like that and then look like that is just flabbergasting to me.

What about those Iron Chefs!? Aren't they something! I've tried to chop and dice like they do but after I almost took out one of my fingers I decided that perhaps I should stop.

I like Jamie Oliver aka The Naked Chef. But now he's off on a mission to save the children from the Lunch Ladies from the Black Lagoon. Have you seen that show? Those Ladies didn't seem very helpful to poor Jamie and then when he asked about knifes....well I just thought that the head lunch lady was going to stab him.

Martha Stewart is always a safe menu but that would require me to have my own farm animals, garden and make bread from scratch. Not happening.

Which brings me to Sandra Lee and her semi-homemade cooking. Now that's my kinda cooking. It requires a trip to the supermarket and the rest should be easily found in your pantry. Problem is I don't have a pantry like that and I hate to grocery shop.

Which leads me to take out at the Honey Baked Ham Company! I think it has all of these fabulous Chefs ingredients on the menu and they cook it for you! What could be better? So a very Happy Palm Sunday to all and don't forget to put the Chocolate Bunnies out for the kiddos!

I see a trip to Honey Baked Ham in my future!

Haiti

It's been a little more than a year since my last post and so many life events have taken place in that time. Nothing in that year could even possibly compare to what the people in Haiti are living through right now.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said that "tens of thousands, we fear, are dead" and said United States and the world must do everything possible to help Haiti surmount its "cycle of hope and despair."

President Barack Obama said "one of the largest relief efforts in our recent history" is moving toward Haiti, with thousands of troops and a broad array of civilian rescue workers deployed to aid the stricken country — backed by more than $100 million in relief funds.

To the Haitians, Obama promised: "You will not be forsaken."

In the midst of tremendous tragedy, we see help emerge. It matters not what your politics are at this time for this is the time that people must help people. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Haitians.

I'm back!

Hello all! I'm back and who knew I would be missing for so long. I got lost among the mayhem of the holiday season and have now managed to escape my way back to reality. Yes I do still believe in Santa.

I have never been soooo happy to do carpool and I swear that I will never (at least until the beginning of school in the fall) complain about the carpool newbies or the moron that cuts me in line again.

I have eaten my way to a weight I care not to expose....but it's a biggie! I have played sixty thousand games of Monopoly, Mad Gab, Sorry, Chess, Scrabble, Boggle and Uno. Cooked three turkeys, two hams and enough Mac and Cheese to feed a third world country. I have wrapped and tagged and made promises to my children I swore I would never make just to find some piece and quiet in the Bathroom of all places.

I have survived two weeks with my family at home and found that any New Year's resolution that I could have possibly made couldn't match what I already have!

Hope your Holidays were the best and wishing you a Happy 2009!