Taylor Made

Grub Time

2012-02-05T15:32:00.005-06:00

Our little man is growing up, and it's time for eating real food! We started with rice ceral a little over a week ago. He ate it, but didn't beg for more. I wouldn't either, that stuff is nasty!

Then we tried sweet potatoes, and this guy LOVED them! Smacking his lips and everything!

I'm attempting to make my own babyfood. It seems easy enough with veggies (and semi easy with fruit), but we'll see what happens when it comes to full meals and meats. I made my first batch of sweet potatoes.

It was really easy; I'm following my friend Amanda and this site.

4 months

2012-01-17T12:59:00.003-06:00

We've been a little busy around here (see previous post) so I'm a week or so behind doing little man's 4 month post, but here goes...

Weighs 14 lbs. and 10 oz. (32nd percentile) and is 26 in. long (75th percentile)
Wears 6 month or 3-6 month clothes
Eats 5 to 6 oz 5x's a day (we'll probably start solids soon)
Sleeps 11 hours at night
On a good day takes two 1.5 hr. naps and one 45 min - 1 hr. nap (on other days, it's give or take one or two of those)
EXTREMELY active - scoots his bouncy seat across the living room by kicking (sometimes for an hour at a time!)
Mostly screams now to talk instead of cooing
Can roll over from tummy to back and vice versa on soft surfaces like the couch (can only get on his side on hard surfaces)
LOVES talking to and playing with his Daddy, smiles as soon as he sees him
Plays in his bouncy seat (likes this the most), his Johnny Jump Up, and his jumperoo
Favorite books - Fluffy Chick (with the crinkle pages) and Green Eggs and Ham

He's such a sweet, fun little guy. We feel so blessed!

Dream Come True

2012-01-17T12:38:00.003-06:00

It has been a dream (and a calling) to start up a counseling center, especially one that can provide low-fee counseling to those that can't afford it. And thanks to my dad, mostly, and other supporters my sister and I are getting to do just that! Dayspring Center for Christian Counseling's Owens Cross Roads location is now open!

"Like" us on facebook to keep up with us and see all the work we've (including our awesome husbands) been doing. Check out our website too!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T21:14:00.003-06:00

What a blessing to have a bigger family this Christmas with this little guy! But we are most thankful that, as C.S. Lewis said, "The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God."

We had a great time of worship at church, including my dad singing a beautiful Casting Crowns song about the peace of God reigning in our hearts no matter what goes on around us in the world. My favorite lines in the song are

Then rang the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead, nor does He sleep
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, goodwill to men

So comforting to think about, that no matter the hate, trials, and storms that exist in our country and in our world, God still reigns and we can still have peace because His Son gave up everything to come here for us.
Merry Christmas, friends! Hope that you all know this peace!

Joey got his steel toed tennis shoes he wanted :)

3 months

2011-12-09T22:31:00.003-06:00

Today marks 3 months for our little Marshall (aka Martian). Some milestones:

with his buddy, Carter Jones Cameron

"reading" his book

eating 5 oz. 3xs a day and 6.5/7 oz in the morning and at bedtime

sleeping 10.5 hours at night (and we usually have to wake him up in the morning)

until the past few days was still struggling with 30 minute naps, but we may have figured this one out (letting him stay up longer between naps and get really tired and he transitions through the 30 minutes easier), so lately he's been taking 3 hour to hour and a half naps during the day.

must be VERY entertained during wake times! He is extremely active like his Daddy!

only fussy when getting sleepy, really hungry, or BORED!

can roll over from tummy to back, haven't quite mastered back to tummy (can get on his side but can't quite make it)

coos but mostly "hoots" haha! Smiles and laughs a lot, especially at Daddy!

grabs a lot - his books, toys, bottle, etc.

wears 3 month, 3-6 months, or 0-3 months (depending on the brand)

uses his left hand a TON! (not sure if this is developmentally appropriate or we have a problem lol)

We love our little man, and are really getting to enjoy him since he's no longer screaming from fatigue!

2 months

2011-11-09T19:06:00.005-06:00

Little man is 2 months old today! To be competely honest with you, it feels like it's been 6! Had his shots today :( He actually did so well, though! He only cried for a few seconds after each shot (had to have 3!) and then stopped! I was impressed! He's tough like his daddy!

He weighed 10 lbs 11 oz (50th percentile) and was 23 inches (40th percentile). He still takes his reflux medication (which has helped a lot), but he is otherwise a very healthy baby! He does still have his sleep issues during the day - we've literally tried EVERYTHING! Dr. says it's a sleep cycle issue where he can't transition from REM to deep sleep, which is why he wakes up at the 30 minute mark each nap (thankfully, he is still tired enough to sleep at night but it does take him over an hour to settle/fuss on and off to go to bed). Unfortunately, there isn't much we can do about this unless we want to drive him in the car or put him on the dryer for every nap (soothes him through the transition). So I'm praying he grows out of it soon because it's already been going on 3 weeks! I feel so sorry for this tired little man!

Here's some stats on him:
eats 4.5 oz 4 times a day and usually 5 oz at bedtime and at his early morning feeding (with 1 to 2 tbs rice cereal for the the reflux)
goes 6 to 7 hours between feedings after going down for the night
socially smiles a lot (when he's not tired)!! It's adorable, he even smiled at the dr today! He said he's about a month advanced with this!
Coos a little, but the doc said this should increase over the next month
wearing 3 month clothes (0-3 and 3-6 are too big and newborn is too small) which are kinda hard to find
wears 6 month socks (this child has huge feet and toes!)
still loves bathtime, will lay back and relax or kick and splash
no longer swaddles for sleep
still has strawberry blondish hair

We love our sweet boy!

Sleep Issues

2011-10-31T17:03:00.002-05:00

Ok. Can somebody please tell me they experienced this and know what to do or can tell me that it will pass??! Marshall pretty much sleeps fine at night, every now and then we have to let him cry a few minutes at bedtime to fall asleep, especially since we've broken him of being dependent on the dryer for naps during the day. He'll go 4, 5, and 6 hours between feedings at night and pretty much go straight to sleep in between. The big problem is naps. One day he'll do great and stay up about an hour to an hour and a half then go down for a nap and fall asleep on his own, sleeping about an hour and a half to two hours. But every other day or so (since not using the dryer) he picks one nap (usually the lunchtime nap or the afternoon nap) to have issues with. He will go down for 30 minutes, then wake up. Instead of going back to sleep on his own like he does on the good days, he cries for several minutes (5 to 10) then falls back asleep for several minutes, then wakes up crying starting the cycle all over. We do this back and forth sleeping, waking up crying for an hour or so until then it's time for a bottle and he basically gets no nap. Typically after that our naps are shot for the day because he's so tired he does the same thing at the next nap (even if I try to put him down earlier because he's so tired). Somebody please help! I know he's miserable on those days because he's not even happy to be up and awake. Is this just his age (almost 8 weeks) or is it something we're doing or not doing? We try to stay on a pretty consistent but flexible schedule, eating every 3 to 3.5 hours and napping after being up every hour to hour and a half. So I don't know that he's getting "off" or anything. Any ideas??

Halloween

2011-10-30T19:54:00.003-05:00

I'm not a huge fan of Halloween, but I took the opportunity while I could to dress Marshall up...

as a chicken! I thought it was pretty funny considering his Daddy works in the poultry industry and his Gramps works for Tyson. Maybe we can get on the poultry magazine! :)

We went to my sister's church, Mayfair, to their big Fall Festival. Kinda interesting with one this young, but we survived. Caiden had a great time...

Gettin' Crafty

2011-10-29T16:13:00.003-05:00

No, not witchcrafty. I'm usually not the crafty type, I mean I like decorating, but when it comes to actually making something, I'm not usually that talented. But I saw a wreath I liked on pinterest.com, and decided to attempt one similar to it. Here's the finished product.

Bought everything at Hobby Lobby - a grapevine wreath, an unfinished wood letter, a sheet of moss, burlap, and small pumpkins. Hot glued the pumpkins to the wreath, hot glued the moss to the letter, tied the letter to the wreath with fishing line, and hung with burlap!

Jinxed

2011-10-17T15:47:00.002-05:00

Well, I guess I jinxed Marshall when I said at 1 month he sleeps anywhere during the day because at 5 weeks, that's no longer true. He is still sleeping great at night, long stretches and going straight to sleep. But daytime is a different story. He is having trouble going to sleep (unless he has just eaten) and is waking during his sleep cycle transition, right around 30 minutes or so. He is fussy and yawning so I know he's still sleepy and sometimes he's even crying and not alert. Sometimes he will fuss back to sleep and other times it requires a paci or some bouncing in whatever he's lying in to go back to sleep. I know he can't be getting good sleep in like this. Any of you ever experience this (especially this early when I don't think he has formed sleep associations yet, like we don't rock him all the way to sleep at night. We just rock him til he's dozing then he falls asleep himself in his bed), was it a phase, what did you do?

Milestones

2011-10-13T15:07:00.002-05:00

I probably should have put this with the 1 month post, but I forgot. I want to use the blog to have Marshall's milestones "written" down since a baby book is only so big. So here goes...

1 month:
sleeping up to 5 hour stretches at night between feedings
swaddled at night
sleeping in crib at night, wherever (swing, bouncy seat, bassinet, carseat) during the day :)
eating 3.5 ounces per feeding (with 2 tsp. of rice cereal to help the reflux)
loves: bathtime, outside/sunshine, riding in the car
hates: diaper changes, waiting for food, any paci other than the big 6+ month ones!
takes a paci sometimes but spits it out when going to sleep
looks just like his daddy (especially in baby pictures), has his reddish hair
Not sure about weight - weighed 7.9 at 2 weeks, 21 inches long

That's my precious boy!

Fall and One Month Old

2011-10-09T19:30:00.009-05:00

Our little boy is one month old today!

Everybody says it's gone by so fast, but to be honest, it feels like forever to me! Not that he's been a difficult baby because really, he hasn't. We've only had a couple of difficult days before we found out he has reflux (but the medicine has taken care of that) and one other difficult day when he got overstimulated/overtired (which got taken care of with several good naps in a dark room).
He truly is a great baby. Sweet and happy most of the time and sleeps anywhere! I was even able to take a trip to south Georgia to surprise one of my best girlfriends from college at her baby shower. He did so well, sleeping in the car and only having to stop once on a 4 hour trip to eat/diaper change. My sister went with me to help out (very nice of her), and it was great to see Erin's surprised face!

And she got to meet little man for the first time.

We also got ready for fall around our house. I made some pumpkin topiaries (idea courtesy of pinterest).

Might still do some finishing touches...moss under the bottom pumpkin in the pot maybe?
Great backdrop for a family photo!

The great weather also gave us an opportunity to take Marshall on his first sroller ride, with his buddy Carter Jones Cameron, no less!

Update: A Good Night

2011-09-17T08:43:00.002-05:00

Thanks for all the advice and words of encouragement ladies! I really don't expect him to be on a schedule this early - I'm not very Type A. My biggest concern with his late night feasting was that he was depleting my milk supply, and I really didn't want to buy and supplement with formula if at all possible.

Anyway, he did wonderfully last night. He did try to do his late night feast at his 1:00 feeding again (wide awake). I fed him a little more than his usual 2 to 2.5 oz, fed him 3 oz. Then Joey and I were able to take shifts for about an hour and soothed him back to sleep, rocking and with a paci. He also slept a 3 hour stretch (4 hours between feedings) and a 2 hour (3 hours between feedings). So I'm very pleased. I figured it was some kind of habit since he was doing it at the same time every night, not just a random hunger/growth spurt. So it's good to know those instincts y'all were talking about were right! Thanks again!

Advice Again

2011-09-16T18:34:00.002-05:00

Ok, I'm going to love blogging more now that I'm a mommy because I love the free advice!

So diaper update: the size up diaper was way to big to wear around his legs, but we put it on top of his newborn diaper and that seems to do the trick! Yay! Hopefully it will continue to work. Thanks again for all the input!

So, the new problem: We are planning to implement Babywise (or at least most of it), and right now we are supposed to be trying to get in full feedings every 2 to 3 hours. Well, Marshall has insisted on going way above and beyond a full feeding at his 1:00/2:00 AM feeding. He is wide awake (even though I'm trying to keep him up more between feedings during the day) and refuses to be satisfied with his normal 2 or 2.5 oz. (which is still a lot anyway). He will cry and cry (paci doesn't satisfy and won't rock to sleep) until he gets another ounce and then the same thing until he's up to 4 or more ounces!! Dr. Chupp said that since he's back up to birth weight already (in less than a week), we need to try to limit that big feeding. Has anybody dealt with this and what did you do??

Growing

2011-09-15T18:56:00.004-05:00

Marshall had a great Dr.'s apointment today. He is already back up to birth weight of 6.12 after being down to 6.4 when we left the hospital! Dr. Chupp said most babies take 2 weeks to do that! This little guy can eat, let me tell you!

Sunbathing for the jaundice.

Maggie is sooo interested in him! Ty doesn't care.

We had a really good night last night. Hopefully, its a habit because I started getting him up every two hours during the day to eat because he seemed to want to sleep all during the day and be up eating often at night. So last night he went 3 hour stretches between feedings without waking up! I actually got in almost 7 hours of sleep! Pray it's not a fluke! :) My wonderful sister is staying with us tonight, though, to let us get a full night's rest. Pretty sweet huh?!

Diaper Situation

2011-09-14T09:39:00.003-05:00

Ok, so we made it home. Not gonna lie, the first night was the pits! Pretty much no sleep (he slept some, but by the time I would pump, clean up, and get to sleep he was up again).

But y'all, he is so sweet! He sleeps anywhere - in his crib, swing, or in your arms (though we're not doing that much). He really only cries if he's hungry, has a dirty diaper, or cold/wants to be swaddled. So precious! Look like his daddy or what?

So back to our diaper situation. Part of our night issues (including last night, which was a little better than the first) is that we're spending a lot of time changing clothes and sheets because he's leaking through his diapers, then the cycle starts because he's all stimulated and awake! Did it twice each night so far! Here's some details you might need to know - we are using Pampers swaddlers (Huggies little snugglers aren't as tight around his legs as these). He doesn't leak during the day, but he is also eating a lot more at night and more often than during the day, guess his days and nights are confused. Joey says it's because we jinxed him by putting owls in his room!

Anyway, does anybody have any advice/tips or dealt with this before? Do I just put a changing pad under him and still have to change his clothes? Do I try to fit two diapers on him at night?

Birth Story

2011-09-10T14:30:00.004-05:00

Our little blessing arrived Friday, September 9, 2011 (one day earlier than his due date).

I figured I would go ahead and write the birth story (because I hear you tend to forget the details especially with the fatigue).
I had been in some form of labor since Monday. I say some form because I was hurting and even on a regular schedule but not enough to be what I thought contractions should be like. They would never increase in intensity or closeness together but just moderately hurt about an hour apart. I was very much hoping all that discomfort wasn't wasted and that on Tuesday the Dr. would tell me I had dilated from the 1 cm the week before. Thankfully, it was music to my ears when he told me I was at 3!

Then I had a difficult decision to make...he offered to induce me that night because he would be leaving to go out of town Friday (when he thought the baby might come on his own). I had said from the beginning I didn't want to be induced (unless medically necessary) because I had heard too many horror stories of how long it takes and all the complications due to your body's not being ready. So after discussing it with Joey and some other friends and family, I decided to let things happen on their own.

So Thursday rolls around, and I'm very uncomfortably wondering when this thing is going to happen. Joey decided to go in to work because he had been waiting around on this little guy for a week and a half. He thought maybe if he left, Marshall would be spiteful and come :)
So that evening I decided to take a bath to try to get comfortable (thinking to myself, even though I know it won't happen would I know if my water breaks in the bathtub?). Not many mintues later, just that happened!! Joey was halfway between home and Huntsville on his way home, so I told him to just turn around and head to the hospital and that my parents could take me.

So mom and dad picked me up and we got to Huntsville about 9:00 PM. At this point I was mostly hurting in my back but still not as bad as I expected. When we got to the hospital, they were packed in L & D! A nurse came out and said I could come with her and that I had gotten the last room! She said she picked me out of everybody waiting because I was bent over holding my back, ha!

I met my wonderful nurse, Bethany, who checked me and told me I was at 4 cm. The contractions were coming about every 6 minutes or so but still weren't too bad. I was grateful, hoping that I could hold out on the epidural til the last minute. About an hour and a half went by and I was at 5 cm. Then the contractions picked up. They first were coming about every 3 minutes and were getting stronger, then they picked up to where I only had about 30 seconds rest between and they were awful!! Joey was awesome - letting me lean over him to try to take pressure off my back. I was so hoping I was 7 cm or so since it had been probably 2 hours. But unfortunately, I was only 5.5 cm. At that point I decided I wanted the epidural and would just hope it didn't slow down my progress.

The nurse got the ok from the dr. (thankfully, my doctor was still in town and decided to wait until I delievered to leave probably Friday) to use pitocin with the epidural so my progress wouldn't slow. Thankfully, either because of this approach or because I finally got to relax, I progressed to 8.5 cm in a couple hours. That epidural was so wonderful. The nurse put me in a "wedge position" to drop him as much as possible. About an hour later, I was ready to push! I did a few pushes with her before she called the dr. because he had crowned. Dr. came in and I pushed several sets with him, and there my baby boy was!! After just 45 minutes of pushing and 9/10 hours of labor, John Marshall was born at 7:19 AM, weighing 6 lb. 12 oz and 19 1/2 in long (not much different from his daddy at 6 lb 14 oz, 19 in)! It was such a physical relief, emotional relief, and pure joy to finally see him (and exactly what I hoped - his strawberry blonde hair!).

He's such a great baby already. I'm sure it can change in the coming days/weeks, but right now he loves to sleep (wherever, however) and nurses very well. Maybe this won't jinx him :) We are so in love! Amazing that God entrusted such a sweet little human to us!! We already pray that we'll be parents that point him to his Heavenly Father!

Almost there...

2011-09-06T19:57:00.003-05:00

I got good news at the dr. today. I was hoping all my discomfort would mean progress from my being dilated 1 cm last week. Thankfully, I'm at a 3!!

I had to make a difficult decision, though. He offered to induce me tonight because he will be out of town this weekend (when he predicts the baby could come on his own). I had said from the beginning that I would not have an induction for convinience, only if the baby were in duress. It was so tempting, though, to know that I could be over this discomfort sooner (and that my doctor would for sure be the one to deliver him).

Finally, after discussing it with Joey and a few other family members/friends I decided I shouldn't let my discomfort and desire for control/convinience outweigh what I think is best - the natural process.

So that's where we are! Just uncomfortably waiting to go into active labor!

Full Term!

2011-08-22T18:00:00.004-05:00

So we're 37 weeks and full term!!

Doc said he's dropped even more! So much so that he had to move his head to examine me! Started dilating too! Contractions are making themselves known but not with any regularity. Sorry for the TMI to any of you that can't handle that kind of talk :)

Hopefully John Marshall will be here soon!

The Reveal!

2011-08-13T19:38:00.013-05:00

So yes, it took a lot longer than I wanted to finish the nursery, but it's finally done, with 4 weeks, give or take, to spare! (other than some accessorizing/arranging here and there).

The walls were pretty involved (for Joey and family that helped, that is).

But I LOVE them!! Got my inspiration here It's pallet wood!

The awesome bookcase my father in law made!! This is where some more accessorizing comes in.

Repainted changing table and initials by a friend's sister.

Light made from a Target basket.

Lamp was an Ebay find and table was an antique store find.

Paintings done by my niece and a friend.

Owl dream ring and awesome name photo by my sis in law. (for you Auburn fans - not me - the letters were all photos in downtown Auburn)

I'm so happy with the results and sooo grateful to all who chipped in! Now just waiting for John Marshall to arrive!

Shower

2011-08-08T16:59:00.001-05:00

I was very blessed to have several wonderful ladies host a baby shower for me. Beautiful setting, good food, and great company.

Of course, everybody was so generous and gave us such great things.

Hopefully, nursery pics to come soon...gotta finish! This little guy has already dropped - a lot!!

Nursery...slowly but surely

2011-07-31T15:00:00.005-05:00

Well, the nursery is coming along piece by piece. Still just have to get a few things like a side table, stain the bookshelf Joey's dad made, and a mirror (any tips on DIY twig or birch mirrors?).

But here's the rocking chair I got! Found it on Craigslist for 30 bucks!

and here it is reupholstered, and with more cushion :)

I also love this pillow my friend Brigett made for the nursery. I think it will look great in the rocking chair!

I'm very ready to see it all put together!! Don't have much more time...
We're at 34 weeks!

Growing Together

2011-07-16T21:36:00.005-05:00

So cool how God worked out one of my "dreams" that I never thought would actually happen - several of my friends are pregnant with me. I always thought how cool it would be to share that with a friend(s) and then get to raise kids together, experiencing all the ups and downs of it all with someone I've shared my life with.

These girls have been through a lot with me. Melissa (end) and I had tons of beach trips together in middle and high school. Claire (middle) and I grew up throughout school together, and I had the priviledge of seeing her come to know my Savior as well as perform her marriage ceremony to one of my best friends. As the goalkeeper in high school, both of these girls were also my defensive backs, and I relied on them a ton! Claire's fiesty fearlessness and Mel's skills got me out of lots of binds!

Now we all three get to raise boys together. Me - due September 10, Claire due a week later, and Mel due about a week after that! And this doesn't even include a best friend from college who is due in November! I'm loving it! Thank you, Lord, for precious friends and babies on the way!

Nursery Preview

2011-07-15T16:56:00.005-05:00

Marshall's nursery isn't coming along as quickly as I would like, but I'm probably being a little impatient - maybe it's the nesting. But, thankfully, we do have his bed ready which I guess is really the only necessity.

I also had a friend's mom show me how to paint and glaze this changing table/dresser, and I'm really pleased with how it turned out. I'm bad about taking before pictures, but it was a light colored pine.

More to come soon - hopefully! :)

Gulf Shores

2011-07-04T19:11:00.011-05:00

We got to take a (much needed) trip to the beach with Joey's parents and brother and sis in law. We went to Gulf Shores, even though our usual destination is Florida, but it was really nice and seemed less crowded. The boys' first day was pretty exciting because they went parasailing! 1,000 feet up in the air!!! Look like brothers at all? The guys ejoyed some body surfing... as well as "rafting"

right after telling Heather, "we won't dump you out, promise!"

We had some good food...

and this is how redneck guys load and unload luggage to a 2nd story condo...

Such a good trip!

Final Stretch!

2011-06-19T19:08:00.004-05:00

28 weeks!! Can't believe this little guy will be here in less than a few months!

Have my yucky glucose test tomorrow, so hoping that goes well. My body loves overreacting to things (allergies, asthma, morning sickness, etc.), so I'm trying to keep my mind off the horror stories!

I'm trying not to freak out that the nursery is nowhere near where it needs to be, but here's a preview (because this is all that's done as of now!).

One of my friends' mom painted and distressed this bed I found on Craig's List. I love it!
I found a lady to make my crib bedding for $70 total for bumpers, crib skirt, and all! She came highly recommended from Wilson's fabric and a friend, so I was really excited! I'm getting the fabric together as we speak!

5 years!

2011-05-20T09:06:00.003-05:00

Sometimes I really can't believe it's been 5 years! I mean partially, it feels like it's gone by so fast, but on the other hand, it feels like we've known each other forever (I guess because we were friends for 2 years and dated for 4 before getting married)! I truly feel blessed when I think about what an "easy" marriage we've had especially in comparison to others'. I mean of course we've had our ups and downs, but for the most part I feel like it just keeps getting better! It really is a blessing to have a husband that challenges me to be more Christ-like through his patience, determination, and generosity. It has also been such a blessing this year to get a preview of the kind of father he will be to John Marshall. Since having Casey here, Joey has matured in a way I could have never imagined - he's so confident as a "father" and yet still humble enough to seek and listen to my input as well. It's been really neat to open up a new aspect of our relationship where we really team up and seek God's wisdom together about our family.

I so look forward to growing old together and see how God will continue to bless our family! I love you, babe, and feel so blessed to be your wife!

Help!

2011-05-20T07:53:00.002-05:00

Any of you moms out there have horrific heartburn when you were pregnant? It is literally making me sick! The dr. said they might could call me something in, but I'd rather not take a prescription if possible. Any suggestions? I've tried all the OTC antacids - they used to work, but have quit. And it seems to do it with anything I eat or drink!

The Revealing...

2011-05-16T10:38:00.002-05:00

So I figured I'd reveal Baby Taylor's name to the blog world. We've been telling people, so most of you probably know, but...

It's John Marshall Taylor. We'll be calling him Marshall. Joey's dad's first name is John and Joey's middle name is Marshall, a family name. We've actually considered this name for a long time, so it's neat to finally put it to use! Joey says he already takes after his daddy, picking on and poking at me since he pretty much kicks all day long! Should be interesting to see what he's like! We can't wait to meet him!

It's a......

2011-04-18T18:21:00.002-05:00

BOY!!!!!!!!

We are so excited! I don't think either of us had a preference, we were mostly just so happy to see healthy limbs and organs. I do know, though, that this little guy's daddy is happy to have a little one to teach how to hunt, ride 4-wheelers, and fix things! He's already such a blessing! It's so miraculous to think about how God knit him together and already knows all the plans He has for our little man.

We're still deciding on a name...have one that we both like, but aren't fully committed to it yet, and there's still a few others on the table. We'll announce it when we decide!

As far as the nursery goes, if anybody knows of anywhere I could find an older white (wood or iron) crib, please let me know!

Lovin Spring at our House!

2011-04-10T15:40:00.008-05:00

Spring means busy outdoors for us, but I love the results! Plus, I felt Baby T. move for the first time (and constantly since!) the other day! We find out boy or girl next Monday, so exciting!!

The boys were busy doing this...

building a fence, and putting up my new (well old) gate.

Lots of planting...

Even a garden! With tomatoes (cherry, big boys, and romas), strawberries, and okra!

And my little mini herb garden with parsley, basil, yellow bell pepper, and chives to come...

Showing

2011-04-01T19:11:00.005-05:00

So at almost 17 weeks I finally have the evidence to show that there's been a lot going on! (If I wear tight clothing, that is!)

It is becoming so overwhelming how much I want to know the gender of this little one! I actually don't have a preference at all, I just want to know!! So funny how spoiled we've become with technology, huh? Won't have that ultrasound for another several weeks though.

Planned a beach trip for June, so hopefully I won't be massive by that time! Will keep you posted!

Busier and Crazier

2011-03-07T18:26:00.003-06:00

Things are about to get even busier and crazier around here...

God has blessed us with a Baby Taylor to be born in September! 9/10/11 is the due date, so that makes us 13 weeks!

We have had to keep in mind what a blessing this is because, let me tell you, it has been a doozy! Found out I was 4 weeks pregnant when I was battling the flu! Rough! Then had some issues and had to take progesterone supplements until recently. Have had what I thought was horrendous evening sickness (which we think and are experimenting to see if it's issues with vitamins). And add on a bulging disk in my back and asthma problems! Whew! I am definitely so thankful everything is healthy so far with the baby though. It is hard to not be anxious with all of that going on, even though I know (in my head, probably need to work on the heart part) that God is sovereign and has a plan greater than I can imagine for our family.

I was hoping for a cooler ultrasound picture to put up, but evidently I won't get that until 21 weeks when we'll also be able to find out the gender (beginning of May). It has always amazed me to see how babies grow and develop, but it's even more miraculous when it's happening to you. Such evidence of a Creator.

Taylor Made for Taylor

2011-02-02T21:12:00.002-06:00

Here's Joey and his Dad's latest project...

They made this for some friends of ours daughter, Taylor's 5th birthday. She adored it, and they did such a great job!

Crazy Busy

2011-02-02T21:02:00.003-06:00

I did not remember moving being this involved and busy! Maybe that means we have accumulated too much stuff? :\

We are happy, though, to be back in my hometown, Guntersville. We have been in the new house since Sunday and are slowly getting settled. I don't know what we would have done without the help of our amazing families and friends! Thanks to all of you!

Come by and see us if you're around...

We also have a new family member...
I should have included a description/explanation in our Christmas cards, sorry about that. Anyway, we have/are in the process of getting guardianship of a 16 year old young man, named Casey. He moved with us to Guntersville and will be enrolling in GHS!

God continues to bless us, and we are so thankful!

The Blizzard

2011-01-10T17:43:00.005-06:00

I had mixed emotions about this snow. It was definitely pretty (and lots of it, 7 inches!)

And the dogs had a blast...

And the boys played...

But I must confess...I'm a little ready for it to go away already. Time to get things done and get back to work!

For Sale!

2010-11-20T08:23:00.007-06:00

I know it's been a while, I apologize. But I wanted to let my blog friends in on the newest thing going on at our house....
It's for sale!

We always knew this place would be temporary, but the opportunity has presented itself for my sister and I to start a non-profit counseling center near the Hampton Cove area (more details on that later when we officially know how it's going to happen). So we are hoping to move back "home" by the summer! It will be bittersweet - maybe more sweet because I will be closer to my family and starting this non-profit is my dream, but also this is the first home we owned and we put so much elbow grease into it. Plus we have met some great people that we will miss.

So all of this is obviously in God's hands, so we will see how he works everything out! Check out the listing here.

Charleston

2010-10-02T10:31:00.006-05:00

Thanks to credit card points for gas and hotel points from Joey's work traveling, we got an almost free trip to the beautiful city of Charleston! I had always wanted to visit this town because I love all the old charm of it (reminded me of Savannah).

We took the dogs with us which limited us a little bit (kind of like taking children!), but it was still fun to watch them have fun. Their two favorite parts, I believe, were watching the squirrels in Battery Park and playing on the beach.

The history was so visible in the scenery everywhere! Gorgeous!

I loved all these old trees!

We ate great food, whether it was seafood (amazing shrimp and grits) or wonderful Southern cuisine. If you ever go, we highly recommend Bubba Gump's (I know it's a chain, but it really is good), A.W. Shucks, Hominy Grill, and Southend Brewery.

The Windy City

2010-09-11T18:55:00.009-05:00

I had a wonderful opportunity to visit my childhood best friend who's in a doctoral graduate program in Illinois. So she, of course, showed us all around Chicago.

I really enjoyed Chicago...much more than NYC. It felt so much cleaner, maintained, and less crowded. Plus, the pizza. Oh my gosh! It was amazing!

Heart attack on a plate, I'm sure, but oh so good!

We did some sightseeing, saw the Bean...

and the Fountains

We also went to the Field Museum and saw "Sue," the largest, most complete T-Rex.

One of my favorite parts of the trip, though, was the view from the Skydeck at the top of the Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower).

My other favorite part was the gorgeous architecture downtown and in the Sheffield/Lincoln Park neighborhoods.

I would definitely recommend Chicago!

The Longest Yard Sale

2010-08-16T19:07:00.003-05:00

Joey and I decided to check out the World's Longest Yard Sale this year since it does run right through Chattanooga. I have come to figure out that my design style is very rustic and antique-y, so I found TONS of furniture I would have loved to have...maybe another year when we have built a house that needs to be furnished.

I did find something cool, though, that we could afford. I found this really neat old ceramic butter churn. It was missing the lid and stick, so I got it very cheap compared to other ones we saw. I figured I didn't need the lid anyway because this was my plan for it...

We also found a working VCR for 4 bucks! I'd been wanting one since ours began eating tapes (yes, I still have some VHS tapes), but I didn't want to spend 50 or more dollars on a stupid VCR! So if you like deals like that check out The 127 Sale next year.

Godly Legacy

2010-08-16T18:41:00.005-05:00

As most of you probably already know, my Granddad, Fred Gunter, went to his eternal home several weeks ago. I'm finally getting around to writing down some of what he meant to me.

I found these Scripture verses while writing something for my Dad for Father's Day, but as I was thinking about my Granddad, these verses came to mind again...
"Hear, O Israel!
The Lord is our God,
the Lord is one!
You shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart
and with all your soul
and with all your might.
These words,
which I am commanding you today,
shall be on your heart.
You shall teach them diligently
to your sons
and shall talk of them
when you sit in your house
and when you walk by the way
and when you lie down
and when you rise up.
You shall bind them
as a sign on your hand,
and they shall be as
frontals on your forehead.
You shall write them
on the door posts of your house
and on your gates."
(Deuteronomy 6:4-9, NASB)

The legacy of Godly men in my life began with my Granddad. He embraced these verses as he raised my amazing dad and several of my uncles to also live by these words. I can't imagine my life today without God's grace having poured out on my Granddad (and Granny) at a Billy Graham conference 60 years ago. Granddad was a man who stood up for what he knew was right and loved people, especially my Granny and his family, through Christ's love. It was so amazing to hear and see at the funeral (and through conversations) the many people whose lives he touched for the Kingdom. Between him and my dad, I have an amazing Godly legacy. Thank you Lord for blessing me with Fred Gunter as a grandfather!

30?!!

2010-07-20T21:27:00.009-05:00

I cannot believe my man is 30! He's been 30 for about a week now, but we just had a surprise get-together for him on Saturday. If Joey's 30, that means I've known him for over 10 years! That seems so crazy to me! I could have never imagined 10 years ago, at age 15 or 16, that I would be married to the guy I was crushing on! I'm so grateful that when I finally got "old enough" for him to date me that he did!

We've never done huge things for each other's birthdays before, but I thought 30 was a pretty big milestone, so I figured I'd put something together. He was absolutely surpised. He had no idea that when he came back from shopping at Mike's Merchandise (and visiting with Bro. Bill Millican and looking at his guns) in Guntersville that so many of his family and friends would be there waiting to celebrate with him.

Even the Humphrey family (Tanner and Taylor pictured here), friends of ours from when we lived in GA, came over 4 hours for this!

And the very talented Alison Humphrey made this awesome cake for Joey. If you've been around Joey lately, you know how obsessed he is about McCulloch chainsaws. He will do his best to sell you one that he's fixed up! She even made parts of it off with a screwdriver and screws lying there.

We had some of his favorite foods...

Hot wings and sliders.

He got some pretty good gifts too...

To help with his OCD shower routine.

and Mountain Dew chapstick since he's having to cut back on the caffeine.

His big surprise, though, was the pressure washer he'd been lusting after...

Caiden enjoying some cake...

Happy birthday to my wonderful hubby! I love you! (Even though you're the only one that doesn't read this).

Happy 4th of July!

2010-07-04T11:34:00.003-05:00

Hope everyone had a great celebration of our country's birthday. We celebrated by taking the boat out on the River in Chattanooga, grilled burgers, and watched the fireworks.

I'm not a city-girl by any means, but I do love Chattanooga. I love the history, natural beauty, and slower pace of it.

As I was thinking about how grateful I am to live in this free country, I also began to think about the freedom we as Christians have in Christ. An amazing man, Larry Crabb (a Christian counselor, author, and old professor of mine) put it in a way that really hits home for me and my struggle-

In the Old Way of life, "you've decided that what you most want out of life is within your reach, and you're doing whatever you believe it takes to get it." But in the New Way of life, "you've realized that what you most want is beyond your reach, and you're trusting God for the satisfaction you seek. You want Him. Nothing less, not even His blessings, will do."

I am so thankful to live in a country where I am free to worship and so grateful to the people who worked, fought, and died for that. But even more, I am thankful to a Savior who rescued me (and continues to rescue me daily) from the bondage of that Old Way of life, giving me freedom to live in the New Way.

Joey + Lindsay = handy + design

2010-07-02T21:27:00.003-05:00

I'm so blessed to have a husband who complements me so well. I get these design ideas in my head of things I would like to have, and either nobody makes them or they're way expensive. So I had been on the hunt for a clock for my guest bathroom. It's kinda a shabby chic decor, but nothing I found was what I had in mind. So I did finally see this on one of my favorite websites, etsy. I loved it but wanted a different color and thought I could get one for less money.

So I found the plate, and Joey of course put it together - drilling the hole and all.

In place in the bathroom...

We make a good team!

Family Beach Trip

2010-06-24T18:41:00.006-05:00

Joey and I joined my parents, my sister and Mike (and Anna and Caiden), as well as Mike's mom and his sister at Seacrest Beach (between Destin and Panama City, close to Seaside). It was beautiful! There was no oil!

And we stayed in a great house with a private pool just across the road from the beach...

The guys tried skim boarding for the first time...

even Dad!

We went to Fudpucker's...

But the hands-down highlight of the trip was swimming with the wild dolphins!!!
I can't even begin to explain the awe of these animals. It felt like, in a way, I was experiencing God through one of his magnificent creations.

They even swam up against us (they don't feel wet or slimy at all, more like velvet or very soft skin). And they squeeked and clicked at us!

If you ever get a chance to do it, I highly recommend it!

Caiden's 2!!

2010-06-13T20:42:00.007-05:00

I can't believe my little man is 2 years old!!! (Well, he has been for over a month
now, but Aunt Boo has been slow on the blogging).

He had his party at KidVenture and wasn't scared of anything!

Maybe it wasn't meant for Pop...

But Uncle Joey had fun.

And of course, Caiden had his "ga-ba-je tuck" cake (AKA garbage truck).

The guys in the fam...

Cammie (Mandy's (Mike's sister) husband), Joey, Dad, Mike and Caiden, and Rick (Mike's dad)

Lake Days

2010-06-13T20:20:00.005-05:00

I know it's been a while since I posted something, but I'll catch up, I promise!

Days on the lake are back! Maggie had not been on the boat yet, but she actually did really well. Unlike Tyson, she stayed IN the boat. He, on the other hand, likes to jump out into the water after anything that moves, including the trolling motor!!

All is at peace on the water...

Bedside Table

2010-02-27T16:34:00.002-06:00

Joey finished my bedside table, and I must say I think it turned out very nice!

I'm so blessed to have such a handy hubby!

New Lamp

2010-01-31T19:37:00.004-06:00

I love taking old things and making them new to me...

And I love that I have a hubby who doesn't mind helping me do that!

Found an old whiskey jug for really cheap on ebay, then Joey wired it up as a lamp for me!

Now a bedside table is in the works...

2010-01-30T10:20:00.004-06:00

We ended up getting a good amount of snow yesterday. I think about 3 or 4 inches.

Maggie and Ty enjoyed running around in it for a while (but then their feet would get cold, and they'd want to go back in).

Joey had fun too. He used my 4-wheel drive Explorer with winter-rated tires to pull several people out of the ditch (he wanted me to make sure I wrote that there was one Nissan, one Dodge, and one Chevy).

I'm a little embarrassed to admit...

2010-01-15T20:29:00.004-06:00

that we went to Monster Jam in Atlanta (monster truck competition), and not just that but also that it was kind of entertaining. Joey and one of his good friends, Jonathan, love going to watch these things. So me, Jonathan's wife, and another couple went with them this time.

Like I said, it was actually entertaining to see those huge trucks do all that stuff. Aside from the minor panic attacks while walking out smushed in a huge crowd and riding the MARTA (oh and the seeing the large man's butt crack way too many times when he stood up in front of us), it was a pretty good time!

Not really sure how I feel about the fact that I could have been seen on TV here with this crowd (evidently it was the first live broadcast of Monster Jam on Speed channel).

Baby, It's Cold Outside

2010-01-08T10:38:00.006-06:00

It was cold enough at our house to snow and stick. Tyson loved it.

Maggie's not a big fan of cold, but she ran around in it for a minute, then ran back inside.

Ty just sat out there not understanding why everybody won't play outside with him.

Cause it's freezing out there, you nut!

Meet Maggie

2009-12-31T17:46:00.002-06:00

So this is the late Christmas present we got...

We had been approved by a couple of rescues and were waiting on them to find the right dog for us, but I ran across this girl on PetFinder. She was at a kill shelter and had been there a while, so I thought we should truly "rescue" her since the dogs from rescue organizations are actually in foster homes, not on death row. She's a sweetie. We went staight to the vet to get all the medicine she needed, and she's been sweet to every person she meets. Not so for Ty though. She's usually fine around him and was the whole drive home, but as soon as she got comfortable here, some things trigger her and she has started trying to be dominant over him. They got into a little fight that I broke up, and unfortunately she bit me by mistake. Neither she nor Ty have gotten hurt, and she really didn't break my skin much, just bruised me. So we're still working with her so that she knows that Ty is safe and that we're the dominant ones. But it'll get there with patience and consistency.

We took forever finding a name for her. Joey and I have never had female dogs, so it was really hard for us to think of one. He liked Harley, I thought that was too boyish. I liked Darcy or Ginger, he thought those were bad. So we finally settled on Maggie. She has a sweet face like a Maggie, plus that was the name of the female boxer in the movie Million Dollar Baby.

I feel like Rocky's smiling down on us because we saved a doggie's life, so it really makes the grief and sadness a little easier to bear.

Happy New Year to everybody!

Christmas

2009-12-30T20:37:00.008-06:00

We had a nice Christmas with family this year. Rocky was very missed, but being around our wonderful Caiden did help. He had a blast, since he's almost two, and has fun opening presents. He LOVED the My First Craftsman drill and toolbox we got him. Leave it to his Uncle Joey, right?!

and of course his F-150 from his parents...

and Anna got a motorized scooter!

The boys (Dad, Joey, and Mike) traditionally get some kind of "toy" from Mom. This year, mini cars.

Yes, my dad got a Snuggie.

What was my favorite present? Everybody chipped in and got me this...

Please excuse the clothes in the mirror, I had not had a chance to put them in yet. But how awesome is that piece of furniture?! We found it at a consignment shop in Arab, and then one of my friend's mom painted it and distressed it.

But we're not finished yet! Christmas with Joey's family is this weekend! We also got another late Christmas present, but I'll have to blog about her, I mean it, later :)

While You Were Sleeping

2009-12-24T11:04:00.007-06:00

While You Were Sleeping - Casting Crowns
a very powerful song, if you want to hear it...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jddK0JlhLjg

Oh little town of Bethlehem
Looks like another silent night
Above your deep and dreamless sleep
A giant star lights up the sky
And while you're lying in the dark
There shines an everlasting light
For the King has left His throne
And is sleeping in a manger tonight

Oh Bethlehem, what you have missed while you were sleeping
For God became a man
And stepped into your world today
Oh Bethlehem, you will go down in history
As a city with no room for its King
While you were sleeping
While you were sleeping

Oh little town of Jerusalem
Looks like another silent night
The Father gave His only Son
The Way, the Truth, the Life had come
But there was no room for Him in the world He came to save

Jerusalem, what you have missed while you were sleeping
The Savior of the world is dying on your cross today
Jerusalem, you will go down in history
As a city with no room for its King
While you were sleeping
While you were sleeping

United States of America
Looks like another silent night
As we're sung to sleep by philosophies
That save the trees and kill the children
And while we're lying in the dark
There's a shout heard 'cross the eastern sky
For the Bridegroom has returned
And has carried His bride away in the night

America, what will we miss while we are sleeping
Will Jesus come again
And leave us slumbering where we lay
America, will we go down in history
As a nation with no room for its King
Will we be sleeping
Will we be sleeping

United States of America
Looks like another silent night

A Sad Goodbye

2009-12-16T22:12:00.005-06:00

Rocky
November 9, 2001 - December 15, 2009

As most of you know, our wonderful dog Rocky had been battling cancer for the past 8 months. He'd been such a fighter, and really only had a few bad days throughout the whole thing. When the cancer came back this time, there was nothing more to do. We decided to say goodbye to him yesterday before it became really bad. At this point he was still very much enjoying food, just not wanting to be up and around much and having some breathing issues. He even got to enjoy a couple of days of vienna sausage treats and some canned wet food at the vet's office yesterday.

I have lost some friends in my lifetime, but I will have to say that this has been the hardest thing I've had to do in my life up to this point (I know some of you think this is silly). Rocky truly was MY first dog. I trained him, took care of him, and he slept with me from day 1. His unconditional love has taught me so much about God's love for me. No matter my frustration with him or ignoring of him, he was always happy to see me and be with me. Sounds familiar when it comes to us and God, huh?

I miss him so much that it physcially hurts sometimes, but I do have hope of being with him again someday. Some of you may disagree with my theology, but I'm with C.S. Lewis (who I greatly admire) in his belief that when things are "made right" by our Creator for eternity, it will include our animals (animals may have an immortality through their masters). *If you would like to read his beliefs, check out Lewis' Problem of Pain and the chapter on animal pain* Anyway, despite theology I am comforted knowing that God understands my hurt as "not even a sparrow falls to the ground apart from His will" (Matt. 10:29).

I feel so blessed that God allowed us/chose us (whatever your theology) ;) to be Rocky's parents. He has given us so much joy, laughter, and comfort over the past 8 years. God did a lot of cool things to prepare us for this tough time. He led us to the wonderful vet who ended up loving Rocky as her own and crying with us yesterday as we said goodbye. He led Tammy and Bill, who love Boxers so much they resuce them, to buy my parents' old house where Rocky grew up. They are going to let us spread Rocky's ashes there (and really want us to eventually, when we get ready, adopt one of the Boxers they recently rescued). God also provided us with Ty to make this a little easier by not coming home to a completely empty house and still have a furry one to pour our love into. We are so thankful for all the people God put in our lives who understand the love for a pet and the devastation of our loss.

There will never be another boy like Rocky. His gentleness, sweet spirit, and slobbery kisses will be so missed. We love you puppy dog!

Love the Details

2009-11-18T12:03:00.007-06:00

I'm a pretty organized person when it comes to projects, meaning I like to have them completed in a certain amount of time. Joey, on the other hand, has A.D.D. so the challenging things are most important to him, and the details, not so much. (Let me say this though, by no means am I bashing Joey. He does a ton around here, and without him most of these projects wouldn't have the challenging parts completed at all). So I asked him very desperately if we could finish some of the projects that have needed final details for a while, and being the wonderful husband he is, he got it done!

The first on the list was the kitchen cabinets. If you remember, this is what it looked like when we moved in...

Then we got the top panel off the cabinets and painted...

Now we finally have the crown moulding on the top of the cabinets...

And Joey's shop (aka Man-shed) finally got painted thanks to the help of my brother-in-law who was repaying Joey for his help on Caiden and Anna's playground. This has actually been done for a while, but I'm just now getting a picture of it.
Before...

and after....

And the back porch got stained, railings repainted, and lattice put around the bottom.
Before...

and after...

Yay for details!

Birthday Hike

2009-11-15T18:58:00.004-06:00

I got to pick whether I wanted to go shopping for the day or something else for my birthday, and I chose to go hiking with my hubby and doggies in a gorgeous area. We went to Fall Creek State Park. The 256 foot waterfall, Fall Creek Falls, is located there, and evidently it is one of the largest east of the Rockys. Our Rocky did so well, and that made my day. He didn't get too tired or weak at all! This is very good to know because since being on the prednisone, he's put on a lot of weight (at least for a dog), and he really needs exercise. So it's good to know that he can handle walking up and down the mountain to a huge waterfall.

Notice the sign in this picture...Ty didn't seem to care what it said.

Very nice birthday enjoying God's beautiful creation in my favorite time of year.

Love this Season!

2009-11-01T20:38:00.006-06:00

Fall is so wonderful. Especially living in the TN mountains now, the leaves are absolutely amazing! The dogs are loving the weather too. Rocky even likes being frisky and playing out in the yard in the cool grass. It was pretty difficult to rake leaves when a puppy wants to play in them. But last weekend Caiden was the one wanting to play.

Rocky's Saving Grace

2009-10-15T19:43:00.004-05:00

So most of you know that Rocky has been fighting cancer since April. He's been through many rounds of chemotherapy and was in remission up until about a week ago. The cancer is back. There's not much more that can be done. We really thought we were going to have to let him go this week because most of the cancer was growing on his spine and causing him to not be comfortable walking and getting up and down. But his vet upped his dosage of predisone (a steroid which slows cancer growth) after analyzing why he was doing better at certain points of the day. Anyway, now he's had two full good days in a row, jumping, playing, and eating a ton, so we are just taking it day by day until he gets uncomfortable again. His vet is absolutely wonderful. She spent the day crying when I called to tell her that he wasn't doing well and that we would probably be letting him go by the end of the week. She has attached to him, worries about him when he's not there with her, and has done all the research necessary to give him the best treatment and the longest amount of happy time with us. We will be eternally grateful to Dr. Liz.

He loves her so much, and loves going to see her!

By the Power Vested in Me...

2009-09-29T11:04:00.005-05:00

I was so blessed to be able to perform the marriage ceremony for two of my best friends this past weekend. Yes, I know I used to be Baptist, and Baptists do not ordain women, but I guess I've gotten a little more liberal in my years (not crazy though, politically or theologically). These two friends of mine, Jeremy Cameron and Claire (Jones) Cameron, are fairly new Christians and did not really have a pastor they felt close to, so they asked me to do this for them since I had been a large part of their spiritual lives. So this will probably be a one-time special occasion thing.

Anyway, it was such a blessing to see these two (one of whom was a non-believer and one who was non-committed), who I had prayed for for years, become these two solid Christians who I look up to and admire. Therefore, it was even more of a blessing when the two of them got together and then allowed me to be a part of their becoming one.

It wasn't a traditional ceremony, but it was so sweet. I got to share their stories, my thoughts about them, and they wrote their own amazing vows. They got married at the bride's childhood home on the gorgeous front porch. She used sunflowers in memory of a childhood friend who had passed away and used the "program" for each of them to write sweet things about all the bridal party and people involved it the wedding. I was so happy to be a part of something when it was so right. Of course, I love that Cameron was marrying one of my best friends because it makes it easier and more appropriate to watch out for him, but mostly I know God blessed their union because they are so wonderful for each other, complimenting each other in all the ways you're supposed to, but most importantly putting God smack dab in the center of their relationship. What a beautiful thing!

BUT...I guess as a first-time reverend, my blessing are a little inexperienced (just kidding). But really, the groom had been feeling under the weather for several days before the wedding. It finally caught up to him the day of the wedding because he was definitely dehydrated. God allowed him to somehow make it through the ceremony and reception, but the next day he was in the hospital, severely dehydrated. As of today he is still there, and after several tests, they are still unsure as to what is causing his problems. So please pray for this new family. As I said, they are amazing Christians, so Claire has even been encouraging me through this by saying that she is seeing the silver lining as they are getting to spend a lot of time together (they wouldn't have been able to otherwise because they were putting off their honeymoon til later since she is in nursing school and still has classes). Anyway, like I said, amazing people, so please pray that their new marriage will only be strengthened by this and that they will be able to use it to God's glory.

God's Provision

2009-09-10T17:54:00.003-05:00

Well, it has been a rough couple of days, but I thought that as I am coming out on the other side of it, I should share and blog about it. Most of you know that we have been battling cancer with our sweet dog, Rocky. It was kind of a roller coaster as he came out of remission and we had to change treatments, but he has been doing very well on this new protocol for a lot longer than expected. Well, Tuesday evening, Joey got home from work, and Rocky did his normal very excited greeting. But it turned very ugly. He began to look back and forth like he was dizzy and started losing his balance. Joey laid him down, and I was certain he was having a seizure. He got up what seemed like forever later and immediately got sick. We rushed him to the ER (since it was after vet hours), and found out several hours later after an EKG and echo that he has conjestive heart failure. His only symptom had been a cough here and there that we got checked out the day before which evidently was the fluid build-up in his lungs. Unfortunately, he had to stay overnight which was extremely hard not knowing if leaving him would be the last time we'd see him. They medicated him with Lasix and some other things to get rid of the fluid, keep the heart contracting, and dilate his vessels so that his heart wouldn't have to work as hard.

I picked him up the next morning and took him to our vet. Evidently, cardiomyopathy (disease of the heart muscle) is very common in Boxers (50/50 chance) and so it was most likely genetic and not a side effect of first chemo protocol. He had chest X-rays only a couple of months ago which showed no signs of an enlarged heart (which is what the heart does when it's trying to make up for damage), and he had the drug that can cause heart damage back in April. So this happened pretty quickly, again pointing to genetics. Our vet encouraged us that this condition is treatable with medications and that he can continue his chemo without any interference. Most dogs do not survive their first collapse from heart failure, so we feel like he's definitely here for a reason.

Rock is home now and doing well, you wouldn't even know anything was wrong. We're so thankful for every moment we have with him because he's so special to us. God has immensely provided for my emotional needs through this. I was so distraught, wanting this precious and truly wonderful dog to just catch a break. But this only helps me understand loss and better help my hurting clients. I have also been able to see how God can take care of me in ways that I was not expecting - especially through people I wasn't expecting. Pray for Rocky, but mostly pray that we honor God even through something (that most may see as) small like facing the death of a pet.

Mini-cation

2009-08-04T22:20:00.004-05:00

Thanks to Joey's dad and the Alabama Poultry and Egg Association, we got to tag along on a several day vacation to Destin, FL. Long drive, but nice to have that beach scenery, some authentic seafood, and time in the sand and ocean looking for seashells. It's funny how many people you'll see that you know at the Poultry and Egg Convention.

I'm not a big fan of the ocean (at least when it's deeper than my waist) just because of sharks, jellyfish, etc. But I let Joey convince me to get out there and search for some seashells. This did not help my anxiety...

Nevertheless, I tried to put that aside. I still love that scenery, salt water smell, and sound of the ocean though. Doesn't get much more relaxing.

Wiggin' Out

2009-07-24T17:45:00.004-05:00

So the first one of my good friends is getting married (up to now, I haven't been a part of any weddings because they've mostly been Joey's friends or people I'm not as close to). Therefore, I got to experience one of my first bachelorette parties. I didn't have one of these (I guess I didn't realize it could be something fun but still not too crazy). Anyway, Erin's little sister threw a fun party for her. She called it "wiggin' out, Erin's getting married."

We all went out to eat and then on to dancing and karaoke all dressed up....

I'm not a huge fan of dancing (because I can't do the kind of dancing people do now), but this was actually fun. I sound like such an old person. Oh well. I did have a good time and loved seeing these great girls!

Neil is 60!!!

2009-07-21T19:20:00.004-05:00

Sorry it's been a while again. I have several things to share, but I'll just post in order. We (my sister, bro-in-law, and mom) decided to surprise my dad for his 60th birthday with a party. We waited until the weekend after his actual birthday so that he wouldn't expect anything. Sure enough, he walked into the house, and even after Caiden handed him a piece of paper that said "surprise" he still had no clue until he walked around the corner and 30 of his friends yelled "SURPRISE!!"

Playing the part really well...

He got some pretty interesting things....

But this was his favorite...

Can't believe the poor man has gone 60 years without his own recliner! We're so blessed to have you Dad! You are an amazing man of God and we're sure He's as proud of you as we are!

The Project

2009-07-07T20:58:00.003-05:00

Joey's been pretty excited about the project he and his dad have been working on. It's a 1st generation '77 Bronco. Joey's always wanted one of these, and they got it painted and running recently. Here's their first ride!

About Time

2009-07-07T19:51:00.006-05:00

Sorry it's been so long since I blogged. I figured it's about time. We had a very nice 4th. We took the boat out on the River and watched the fireworks with some friends and Joey's parents.

Not really sure what they're looking at...

I didn't get any pics of the fireworks because I forgot to charge the batteries for the camera (even after Joey reminded me, oops).

Mike, Leah, Anna, and Caiden also came up this past month to visit and go to the Creative Discovery Museum.

Not sure who had more fun, the kids or Mike.

This is how Caiden occupied himself at Aunt Lindsay's.

A Day with Little Man

2009-06-12T11:17:00.004-05:00

Yesterday I went to spend the day with nephew because my brother-in-law has been having horrible kidney pain (not really sure what's going on, but just pray the anitbiotics keep helping him). Anyway, so my sister had things she needed to get done, but with a sick helpmate and a clingy toddler, that wasn't going to happen, so I tried to come to the rescue. Since Caiden is the most precious child in the world, I couldn't turn down a day with him.

He wanted to wear his shorts on his head instead of where they belong. Oh well.

Then he wanted to play in the box of yard sale stuff.

This child does not need toys. Just an old playstation manual and a box for reclining.

He's so much fun now because he mimics everything, gives zerberts on your stomach, and laughs at my dancing and tells me "no no," wanting me to stop. He just keeps getting better and better!

Joey's Anniversary Present

2009-05-22T17:58:00.004-05:00

I knew this would be a good anniversary present for Joey because it had to do with a massive truck and boat. It was called a Chattaooga Duck, and it was an old WWII DUCW that was used in D-Day. It was a huge truck that could turn into a boat and go in the water. Evidently that's where the term "sitting duck" came from because the boat was so heavy and slow that none of the soldiers wanted to ride on them and be "sitting ducks" for the Germans. It took us on a tour of Chattanooga by way of the river, and we learned some very neat things about the city. My sister and bro-in-law were in town for their anniversary, so they went with us.

Of course, Joey would be talking "mechanical stuff" with the captain.

Going down the ramp into the river.

HGTV Dream Home

Day at the Creek

2009-05-21T20:24:00.005-05:00

Today we spent the day at Suck Creek with the dogs. Unfortunately, Tyson still can't swim very well, or at least it doesn't look pretty. And I think the mountain water temperature was too cold for Rocky because he didn't really care to swim, which is unlike how he was at the lake last weekend.

We did find out, though, that even though Ty still can't swim on TOP of the water...

amazingly, he can swim UNDER the water...

Movin' on Up

2009-05-13T13:07:00.004-05:00

Well, it's official...I'm now have my M.A.M.F.T. - Master's of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy (not exactly though because I have to finish my intern hours) But I at least got to walk in graduation and feel like I'm finished! The ceremony was wonderful. Before it though, we spent time as a class with the faculty sharing our testimonies about our journey through this program and how much God has blessed us. I truly could have never imagined a program that equips you clinically, scientifically, and technically for counseling but also focuses on growing you spiritually so that you can live out the "transcendent life" with your clients. The speaker at graduation spoke on the transcendent life and how it is the power to heal. They also prayed over us like a commissioning service as we go out and "minister to the Kingdom." Again, I say I would have never imagined that a graduation service could be so meaningful.

As far as moving up in the world, I mentioned in the previous post that I have a job lined up. Well, since it's actually official that I will start with them as soon as possible (maybe even get to finish my intern hours with them), I can tell you that the name of place is New Discoveries Counseling Center and I will soon be pictured on their website!! It truly has been a blessing and such a learning experience to walk with these clients through their pain and healing that I am so excited that I get to continue on with them and others in a private practice. Why do we ever doubt that God will provide us with a better plan than we can ever imagine?

On another positive note, Rocky had his 5th chemo treatment and has been able to start moving up to the stronger, more effective drugs as his white counts have continued to rise. He is now on the Vincristine with the L asparaginase and should be able to start the best one, the Doxorubicin, maybe next week. The vet said she considers him in full remission because he no longer has the spinal symptoms or the enlarged lymphnodes!! He is still feeling so amazing. We feel so blessed every day to have him just that one day longer. We took him and Ty up to ride in the Wildlife Management Area this weekend where they got to bark at two turkies and a rabbit. So he's enjoying every minute of life. We'll continue to keep you updated.

NO MORE SCHOOL!!!

2009-05-05T10:41:00.003-05:00

So I finally finished my academic career last Thursday! Everyone says, "what about your Ph.D?" and I say, "Nope." You know, I feel like I've been in school forever and will still have hoops to jump through just to counsel people, so why continue just to have some more letters behind my name to do the exact same thing? Joey and I would like to start a family some time in our lives! I'm still finishing up my internship hours, but I will basically just be continuing seeing those clients and others when I start my NEW JOB! That's right...the Lord really provided with this job. I had been looking and looking trying to find a place where I could jump through all the hoops necessary to get licensed in both TN and AL. I will be working with another Christian couple, one of which is an alum from my school. I'll get to see my clients that I've been seeing in Chattanooga a couple of days a week and then also get to use their office here in Whitwell a couple of days a week too. Thank you Lord for reaffirming my calling by providing this job for me!

On another note...
Rocky had another treatment yesterday. His white counts were up to be able to do the vincristine which is an IV treatment (he was only able to do l asparaginase injections which are not as strong). If his counts continue to climb, next time he'll be able to do the doxorubicin which has been shown in lots of research to knock out lymphoma. It's crazy because these are all the same chemos they use in humans but without the side effects in dogs. He's feeling great and continuing to run around and play with his brother. So I went to pick him up yesterday, and poor guy - they had to shave both front legs because they couldn't get one of his veins to take.

He wasn't too pleased about having two shaved legs or about the vet's color choice for his gauze.

Caiden's First Birthday

2009-05-02T19:46:00.005-05:00

I can't believe it...my nephew's 1!!! I can barely remember going to see him when he was born, but yet it feels like he's growing so much everyday because he knows something new every time I see him. His new thing now is shaking his head and his finger while saying "no, no, no" if he does something he's not supposed to. He also every now and then when he wants to will hold up his pointer finger when you ask, "how old is Caiden?"

He had a great time at his Hot Wheels 1st birthday party....

This was his big present that his dad and Uncle Joey slaved over to get finished before the party, but they didn't get to use it because of the flood in the back yard....

Anyway, thanks to Leah and Mike's church, we still got to have the party, and Caiden had a blast!

Ty "swimming"

2009-04-24T21:50:00.007-05:00

First of all, I want to say what a blessing it has been to be able to see Rocky's response to (even just one day after) his first chemo treatment. All the "knee" and "hip" problems we thought he was having were evidently because he had a mass pressing on his spinal cord. The funny thing is that this is how cats usually present with lymphoma, not dogs (and if you know Rocky, you know that his biggest enemy is the cat). So anyway, after the treatment, he went from basically crippled, falling down easily, tripping on his feet, and having difficulty getting up, to this...

We're so enjoying every minute of time with him that he is feeling so well.

While we were letting Rocky run around at the lake, we knew he'd want to swim, so we thought it would be a good time to let Tyson swim too. We had NO idea that this is what that would like....

Guess he needs some lessons because that was embarrassing.

Rocky Update

2009-04-21T21:39:00.002-05:00

Well, I thought I'd update y'all on Rocky and bring somewhat of good news. He had his first chemo treatment on Monday. He couldn't get the strongest does because his white blood count was too low (oddly because lymphoma actually means an overproduction of white cells, but the vet thinks maybe it was suppressing his bone marrow somehow). Anyway, today he has been a very different dog than he has been the past couple of days. He's doing his happy boxer prancing and wiggling that we're used to and got lots of exercise walking around outside. This makes me think that his white cells have come up, giving him some more energy. He has an apointment on Thursday to check his blood counts and see if they're up enough to start the higher dose of chemo. They'll also do an X-ray of his hips because he's been really favoring them lately. We originally thought he had torn ligaments in his knees, but the vet really thinks it's his hips. We're hoping that it has somethin to do with the cancer and will get better with the chemo (which he was definitely acting like they didn't bother him as much today) and that it's not hip dysplasia. So that's what's going on for now. I'm just happy to see him somewhat back to his old self. I definitely know now that we do not want to see him get to the place he has been the past couple of days. We'd be willing to let him go at that point, long before he gets physically sick because he is miserable when he has no energy and is in too much pain to prance and shake. Please just keep us in your prayers, that we'll always do what's best for him and not just think of what we want.

Rocky's Fight

2009-04-18T14:13:00.004-05:00

We got some horrible news this past Thursday evening; Rocky was diagnosed with cancer - lymphoma, a very common cancer for dogs. We were both devastated. If you know us, you know that Rocky and Ty (but especially Rocky) are our children. They do everything with us - trail riding, going to the store, hanging out, and even sleeping. I got Rocky as a Christmas present from my dad when I was a junior in high school. Ever since, he has slept with me and been there for me (except for two of the years I was in college, and he lived with Joey). The most difficult part for me about the diagnosis was wondering if it was going to be so progressed that we wouldn't be able to treat him. I was paralyzed with fear about making a decision about Rocky's life or death. The good news (given the situation) is that he is in the pretty early stages (not physically sick yet) and should respond well to chemotherapy. He will start his first treatment on Monday or Tuesday. This was such a relief to me and gave me peace because I feel like if we try this (whether it works long term or not), I have given him a fighting chance, and we'll get to enjoy our time with him. He shouldn't have side effects from the kemo, and the average remission time is a year (give or take). Please keep us in your prayers, and pray that Rocky will fight the best fight yet to give us a little more time with him. Thanks so much to family and friends who have already done so much to support us!

It's Been a While

2009-04-12T22:06:00.004-05:00

Sorry it's been so long. School has slowed down long enough for me to study for my boards and look for a job(keep that in your prayers, by the way, please), but in the meantime I wanted to share some pics from the weekend. My nephew has shot up and started spitting out words everywhere. So most of these pics are of him... and one of his new favorite things to do is run through clothes like a maniac...(sorry the video is sideways. I don't know how to rotate it)

And Ty decided to become a psycho jumper....

How We Save Money

2009-02-28T10:36:00.003-06:00

Joey and I had talked about making our own "rustic" bench to put out by our firepit. Well, we price a big flat rock at a nursery place, and he wanted $150 for it! He even shared with us that he just goes up in the mountains, finds these rocks, and brings them back to sell them for pure profit (minus gas money). Those of you that know Joey, know exactly what I'm about to tell you that he decided to do. He and his buddy, Randy, (and me) went up into the mountains yesterday to find one of these rocks. They definitely found one, and I'm surprised they didn't kill themselves trying to get it because Joey thinks it probably weighed around 600 lbs.! Anyway, we're very pleased with the result, and because it was that cheap, we'll probably make another one!

Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T09:06:00.005-06:00

I thought our Valentine's Day was starting off pretty badly because poor Joey had been out of town and working over 12 hour days for most of the week, and then he got a call this morning at 4:30 and had to go out to fix something. Well, I ended up giving him his present earlier than planned because we had planned to sleep in. Here's his present...

Homemade biscuits and gravy, eggs, bacon, deer sausage, and a Merle Haggard CD. He's so sweet though that he did most of the clean up. That's the worst part for me and the whole reason Joey only gets this breakfast as a present.

My present....

Some flowers and awesome chocolate - dark with mint and milk with caramel! He's also taking me out to dinner at some surprise place. We're not really big Valentine's Day people, but we like to do a little something. One year, Joey got me a great present - a mountain bike so we could ride together. Anyway, hope y'all's Valentine's Day is great!

P.S. The puppy found a home thanks to a friend of my sister-in-law.

Another dog needs a home

2009-02-03T14:28:00.002-06:00

Well, around this time last year, some of you may remember that I was trying to find a home for a beagle mix dog and her two puppies. So here we go again. I'm actually more desperate this time to find a home for this little girl dog because she's actually been staying with a friend of mine who already has 2 dogs and 2 cats. PLEASE PLEASE tell everyone you know about this beagle mix female. They think she's about 1 or 2 years old. She's probably around 30 lbs. or so (I'm not really good with that) and she's had all her shots and has been spayed. She's fine with cats and other dogs. Here's some pics of her.

PLEASE let me know if you or anyone you know is interested.

God Gave Us Instincts

2009-01-15T13:34:00.003-06:00

I know it's been a while since I've blogged....sorry, classes have started back, I have a lot more clients, and I'm preparing to take my boards this semester. I'll try to do better with the blogging though.

Well, I wanted to share a story with everyone that will hopefully inspire you to trust your instincts, especially those of you who are females. Last night, I stopped off at Wal-Mart to get a few things for dinner; it was around 6:00. I began to notice that the same man kept showing up in the isles I was in (and I was being very random in my shopping, not going down adjacent isles), and he had no buggy, only a 6-pack of cokes and some chips. He kept making eye contact with me and smiling. So I tried to keep from being paranoid, but then as I was checking out, he walked right in front of my line toward the door (which happened to be right in front of the doors), all the while looking back at me several times. So that was when I called a good friend to see if I was just being paranoid (I don't tend to be paranoid, distrustful - maybe, but nieve - not very). As I was telling her the story, the guy stopped right outside the sliding doors, stepped off to one side and began staring back inside through the doors. That's when my heart began to start beating faster and faster, and I began to feel very nauseated. I have a history of panic attacks, so I tried to keep myself calm, as hard as it was not to think of all the things that could happen. Thankfully, my friend on the phone encouraged me to get security to walk me out. By the way, Wal-Mart was very nice when I requested that, and the security guard told me to always trust those feelings. The guy wasn't waiting outside the door anymore as we walked out, but I have a strange feeling that he was waiting at the other set of doors since I had to go toward the other doors to get to the customer service desk. Anyway, the whole point of this is to say that, sadly, we don't live in a safe world. I'm not trying to make anybody scared or worried because that's obviously not what God would want for us, but I'm just encouraging everyone to be careful, aware, and to trust those feelings that I believe God gave us for a reason.

On this same note, God is really helping me through my anxiety and desire for control the more and more I am willing to listen. I feel like I have experienced so much this year that has been so out of my control - losing Sam and Steve, the horrible wreck, and now my experience last night. God has used all of these to bring me to a place of surrender. I'm sure I still have things I'm holding on to, but I have definitely seen my personality go from a very controlling, organized, planning, got-to-have-it-all-together person (in a freakish way, not that those things are bad things) to a more take-it-as-it-comes person. I know I'm not completely there, but I feel like this will be something God will work on in me for a long time. As chaotic as it feels to be this different, there's that peace that passes all understanding too. The lyrics in Sanctus Real's song "Whatever You're Doing" really encompass what I feeling:

Whatever you're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos, but somehow there's peace
It's hard to surrender to what I can't see
but I'm giving in to something heavenly

The Uncle Joey Face

2008-12-29T22:09:00.005-06:00

Well, Caiden decided over Christmas that he either doesn't like his Uncle Joey or thinks it's really fun to look at him like he doesn't. I doubt he doesn't like him, but it was definitely funny that EVERY time we would mention "Uncle Joey" or Joey would look at Caiden, he would make the same face....

Thought these were cute too...

He decided, all by himself, to do this in his play pen...

And I think this is so funny that he shows his teeth when he smiles; he looks like a little bunny rabbit!

Christmas in G'ville

2008-12-27T13:58:00.009-06:00

Christmas was extra special this year because it was my nephew's first. Even though he enjoyed the wrapping paper and ribbons more than his presents it was still very cute!

His favorite present was definitely his wagon. Now who do you think asked Santa for it to be an all terrain one?

Joey was also a happy boy Christmas day.

But I think my brother-in-law Mike was the happiest.

Mom always gets the boys some kind of toy. Last year, it was marshmallow guns. This year....

remote control helicopters.

Even Rocky and Ty got in on the Christmas fun.

But in all the gift giving, we were reminded of the Ultimate gift God gave us - sending His Son to become like us and give His life for us. Thank you Jesus!

God's Sovereignty

2008-12-17T14:30:00.004-06:00

I was very much reminded of God's complete sovereignty yesterday and hope to continue to use my experience as a reminder. I debated whether or not to post these pictures because I didn't want to be dramatic or trying to get attention, but I was convicted that I need to be using this experience to honor God. Therefore, know as a preface to reading this that this is all for HIS attention, and not mine. I was very much reminded of God's complete sovereignty yesterday and hope to continue to use my experience as a reminder.

As I was standing on the side of the road, looking at this and taking these pictures, (but more so when my husband got home and I got to hug him) I realized how miraculous it is that I am alive and even more so, that I was not even injured. I literally crawled out of that driver's seat with nothing but scrapes, bruises, soreness, and sticky coke-glass-filled hair. To me, that is a huge testimony that God still has things for me to do here on this earth. I know we can never truly know why God in His sovereignty allows some of us to survive and some of us not, but I do know that the only way I am typing this today is because He has a plan. I may not understand in my finite mind why I survived that crash yet several of my other dear friends are no longer with us, but I will say that I am so thankful that God knows and that He gave me another oportunity to share His amazing soveriegnty, grace, and mercy with others. Any of you who are Christians reading this, please consider every day you have as a blessing and take every oportunity you are given to share about you're amazing life in Christ. I type this knowing that in our sinful nature, it is very likely that I will be tempted to let this passion for living in the moment fade away, so please hold me accountable to that. If you are reading this and are not a Christian, I challenge you to explore your questions but know that we may never get those answers, just also know that in these passing days which we are never guaranteed, Christ is the only one can give us hope in a hopeless, scary, and depressing world. He is worth not knowing the answers.

Blogger Tour of Homes

2008-12-07T17:36:00.004-06:00

I was tagged by a fellow blogger to post my Christmas decorations so that we could all "tour" eachother's homes for Christmas. I think it's a great idea, so I thought I'd participate.

Hope to see others!

Can Things Ever Be Simple?

2008-12-06T12:51:00.005-06:00

So we had this ugly brass and stainless tub and shower faucet. Sorry I don't have a picture to show it in all it's glory. So we thought in all the other upgrades we were doing, we'd get an oil rubbed bronze one to match the towel bars and sink faucet we had gotten. First of all, the oil rubbed bronze finish is ridiculously more expensive than any other, but after much searching and determination I found a tub and shower faucet for $55 on ebay as opposed to the $200 ones in stores (ebay is the best thing ever for remodeling)! Well, lesson number one: order the same brand faucet as the one that is already installed even if it comes with the valves. The valve that came with the one we bought was too big to fit in the hole, so no big deal, we'll cut A hole in the wall to get to it, patch it up and be done.

Lesson number two: either we have bad luck, or things are never that simple. We tested the faucet, and it kept stopping up, so Joey tried to do it by himself, bless his heart - go under the house, turn off the water to the tub, clean out the sawdust in the pipe (sawdust was from having to drill a hole in the stud for the valve to fit), going back under the house to turn back on the water, and then testing the faucet again. Over, and over. So he finally asked me to help. So I sat under the house, walkie talkie in hand, facing one of my biggest fears - that I might see a rat- waiting for Joey to tell me to turn on or off the water. Finally Joey got all the sawdust cleaned out, and the tub faucet worked. Next, (lesson number two continues) Joey takes off the old shower head and pipe and puts the new one in. Thinking, "whew, we're done," Joey takes a shower. Well, then we see our carpet in the bedroom behind the wall of the shower is soaked as well as some of the sheetrock. So Joey, bless his heart again, finds out the pipe for the shower head broke when he was having to keep twisting it so that it would quit leaking. Therefore, hole #2.

Thankfully, it is finally finished AND works. I don't think Joey thinks it was worth it, but man that old faucet was ugly and didn't match any of the new stuff. Oh well, just the glories of being a homeowner, right?

Thanksgiving in the Ozarks

2008-11-30T09:57:00.003-06:00

Sorry it's been so long. It's been kinda busy. But I had to share some of the pictures from our annual Thanksgiving trip out to the Ozarks in Arkansas. The trip started out well, then late Wed. night took a turn for the worse. I had been talking to my family who were back home in north Alabama, extending my sympathies because Caiden, Dad, and Mike were all sick with a stomach virus. "How awful to not be able to eat Thanksgiving dinner," I was saying. Then it hit me, Wed. night, the night before we were to eat Thanksgiving lunch! Not fun, not fun at all. Thankfully, it wasn't a long virus, so I did get to enjoy leftovers Thanksgiving night and go on our annual post-Thanksgiving hike in the Ozark Mountains and this time with my brother-in-law and sister-in-law. Joey and his brother had a little too much fun being dare devils.

I LOVE this kid!!

2008-11-10T19:37:00.004-06:00

So you can't tell me this baby isn't the most precious thing ever! Oh, and by the way, he said "ma-ma" for the first time this weekend! And the crazy thing is that he stops at "ma-ma." He doesn't say "ma-ma-ma-ma." Ok, so maybe I'm a little to proud, but I have a right to be as an aunt, right?!

Mallows

2008-11-10T19:26:00.002-06:00

So what did we do with the gigantic stump left in the yard from the tree Joey and Randy cut down? We turned it into a fire pit! This is one of my favorite things, especially in the cooler months, sitting around a warm fire. It takes me back to my high school and college days when me and some of my greatest friends would sit around at my now-husband's house down by the creek in his backyard around the fire pit he and some of the guys built - known as "the camp". So that's where Joey and I got started as good friends. And here we've come full circle - married with a house of our own, two babies, and a backyard with another fire pit. Anyway, we roasted marshmallows to break in our fire pit, and the doggies seemed to enjoy too.

Timber!

2008-11-02T18:35:00.003-06:00

What do you do when you have a rotten tree in your yard right next to your house? You call a tree service to cut it down, right? Well, not Joey. He just calls up his friend Randy to cut it down with him. They tied one side of a strap to the tree and the other side to the F-250. I stood on the deck videoing and praying that the tree wouldn't hit our bedroom. Well, Joey started sawing and Randy had the truck in 4-wheel drive pulling the strap tight. The tree started to crack, so Joey ran, leaving the chain saw in the tree because it was stuck. Thankfully, the tree fell the right way (away from the house) and only took out one limb on my dogwood tree. So they got it done! I would post the video, but it's too big.

It's Fall!!!

2008-10-20T18:44:00.003-05:00

To me, no other season displays God's beauty and majesty more than fall. I absolutely love the leaves, cool weather, and outdoor fires. I can't wait to go up to some of the lookouts we've found and take pictures of those views with all the fall colors (those posts to come).

I went home for a couple of days this past week while Joey had to go out of town. We got to use Mom and Dad's outdoor fireplace to make smore's. Such a great fall night.

Some pics I took while at home....

Huntin' Dogs

2008-10-16T22:00:00.002-05:00

Joey finally got squirrel #13 which he has been after for several months. Rocky has always loved it when Joey pulls out his .22 because that means he gets to grab the squirrel when it drops to the ground. He's very good, though, about giving it up when we make him. Well, as Joey was taking the squirrel away from Rocky, Ty (who had not yet seen a live, well recently dead squirrel) immediately snatched it out of Joey's hands and ran off with it.

It took Joey a long while to get that squirrel from Ty. I never knew Boxers were a hunting breed, but I guess a little bit is in them all.

2008-10-03T09:08:00.003-05:00

What better end of the week treat could you have than to spend time with babies and puppies! (And of course, family too). Caiden and Ty love each other! Caiden even laughed when Ty licked him all over his face.

Wouldn't Joey be a proud uncle - Carhart overalls and a thermal shirt.

Another Advantage to Marrying a Redneck Man with a Big Truck

2008-09-29T19:04:00.003-05:00

Well, when most people want to make natural areas/flower beds in their yard, they either:
A. Go buy the trim, mulch, plants, etc. and then do the work
or
B. Hire a landscaper

What does my husband do? After seeing how much it cost to do the flower beds up next to the house (see previous post), he decided to brainstorm. That metal trim is like $1 a foot! To do the natural area we wanted in the front yard, just the trim would be over $200!! I mentioned that I wished we had access to more of the rock that was used in a wall beside our driveway. Well, Joey thinks, "There's no way we're spending tons of money on rock either." So he left this evening, and drove up the road to a place where we ride around off-road, and this is what he comes back with...

So I guess, it makes sense - the earth is made of rock, so why pay for it when you can drive down the road and pick it up for free?

Yard Work

2008-09-21T20:23:00.004-05:00

Well, for us, fall weather also means landscaping. Thankfully, my wonderful parents came up and helped us plan everything and do a lot of the labor. We're pretty pleased with what we've done so far, and we know it will just continue to look better as everything grows.

The Gunters working in the yard, and the Taylors working on the shop. Love productive weekends!

We also met with a couple after church for lunch who will be in our community group. We get to meet with them and one other couple next Sunday and discuss the Bible study we'll be doing. We're really excited to start getting more plugged in with this church so that we can feel more connected to this body of believers.

Camping Weather

2008-09-20T20:32:00.004-05:00

Fall is here!! We are absolutely loving this cool weather! I have never really been a big camper, and the only reason I can figure is because my family wasn't big camping folks. I'm a big outdoor/nature person, so it seems that I would really enjoy it. Well, since we have this great state forest and wildlife management area, Joey thought it would be a good idea to check out their camping areas. We're pretty excited about this because we've never been camping as a couple! I mean we went to the mountains for our honeymoon and stayed in a cabin, but not in-a-tent camping. Ty and Rocky got to go along to ride around and check out the campsites.

Maybe the dogs should get to go camping too. Anybody have any experiences taking their dogs camping?

Well, on the way out of the state forest and back home, Joey had just gotten out of his mouth, "I wish I'd see the park ranger so that we could find a map of this place," when the park ranger turns on his lights and pulls us over. He said we were out there too late - the park closes to thru traffic at sunset. He asked if we had firearms in the truck and wanted to look in the back. Joey got out because he told him we have two dogs in the back that he would need to get out and hold on to. Well, as soon as Joey opened the door and the park ranger was face to face with Rocky, he decided he didn't need to check out the back of the truck anymore!

Need Feedback

2008-09-13T20:03:00.003-05:00

So the outside of the shop is completed! I know Joey's getting excited! But now it's time to paint. So I need y'all's opinion...I was thinking about painting it the same color of the house (tan/toupe) with white trim. The reason I was thinking that is because it's so big - 18 x 18, so almost the size of a 2 car garage. Does anybody else have any ideas? It sits off to the left side of our house (if you're looking at it from the road) kinda behind some trees.

Hard to see in this old pic the realtor took, but it's over to the left where that old small shed was.

So what do y'all think?

To him, innovation....To me, just redneck

2008-09-04T09:17:00.003-05:00

Joey has always been loyal to Justin boots because they last forever no matter how hard he is on them or how often he wears them. Justin started being manufactured in China, though, so Joey has tried several other brands to try to find something that lives up to the quality of the old Justins. Well, the most recent try has been with Rocky boots. They very quickly began wearing, even causing holes in his socks. Well, finally the other day, the sole was completely hanging off on one side. So, what was Joey's solution to not spending another ridiculous amount of money on new boots?

Glue the sole back on with some kind of locktite stuff. The directions say to put pressure on it for 90 minutes. This was his way of putting pressure on it.

Labor Day Weekend

2008-09-01T10:10:00.009-05:00

Joey and his dad were still busy working hard on the new shop, so I trecked to Guntersville for Friday and Saturday with the dogs. They love to ride, yet this is what they look like when they do: Of course, the dogs had an amazing time with their Cousin Mollie when they got there. Ty tired after playing....this is actually how he sleeps, weirdo. We also had an amazing lunch on Saturday with family...the best baby back ribs ever, baked beans, potato salad, slaw, and garlic bread. And I have to say my homemade ice cream cake was a hit. But obviously the best part of the weekend was seeing the best nephew in the world! He had gotten so big since I had seen him a few weeks ago. He got this new toy that he gets to sit in and bounce around because it has these bungee things attached to it. Sorry the video is sideways, I don't know how to turn it around.

Good times, family, happy dogs, good food, and a precious baby - can't beat it!

House or Shop?

2008-08-28T19:29:00.001-05:00

This is what has been going on this week at our house (in the midst of the leftovers from Tropical Storm Fay), a little rain doesn't stop the Taylors:

One of Joey's friends asked him where he was going to put his bed. He has a mini fridge, microwave, coffee maker, and mini TV to put in there, why not a bed, right?