June Update on Eli's Eyes

I apologize for taking so long in posting this. We had our last check-up for Eli's eyes on May 15th. The vision is still uneven in his eyes. That means more patching. He went from 2-3 hours per day last December to 4-6 hours in February and now its 8 hours per day, essentially all of his waking hours. The doctor has made it very clear that we will just continue to patch until the vision is even. He cannot get a good measurement of the muscle for surgery if they are still uneven.

The hard part is that Eli HATES his patches and can pull them off. Some days we go through 4 or 5. It tears his skin which only makes the problem of keeping them on even worse. We are praying that this is the last session of patching! Please join us in that prayer.

ON ANOTHER NOTE:

At that same visit Lily had her first eye exam. She had been squinting a lot, getting really close to the television, and having crossed eyes. Fortunately her problem is just vision not muscular so no surgery for her. Her glasses are super thick but the eye place makes kid lenses from very light polycarbonate. This way the glasses don't weigh down her face.

Here are some pictures:

Update on Eli's Eyes

The vision in the right eye has improved but not sufficiently enough for the doctor to feel comfortable about doing the surgery. We are going to be patching him for the next 6 weeks for longer periods of time during the day. Then we will go back for another follow-up. Hopefully that will be when we schedule his surgery.

Beware of the 6-Toothed Monkey

Recently spotted in our neighborhood was a rare but beautiful 6-Toothed Monkey. His trademark look features 4 top teeth and 2 bottom teeth with his tongue hanging out. He has 2 calls currently, "Ba-Ba" and "Mom." He moves about with a skidding motion on his belly pulling himself with his hands. He enjoys eating and pulling hair. He is very friendly but will drool on you if given the opportunity. Below is a picture of this wild creature!

He readily feeds on just about anything but especially loves fresh pears, carrots, beef, chicken, and yogurt.

Abortion without Restriction

The newly inaugurated president has promised that one of his first acts of business will be the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA). Its deplorable, despicable, and homicidal.

Boiled down to center, the FOCA is wholesale murder that removes any and all restrictions on abortion including reinstating the gruesome practice of partial-birth abortion and withdrawing all parental rights where teenage daughters are concerned - parents won't even have to be told! A girl could have her soccer coach or math teacher take her for an abortion and no one would be the wiser.

Though the unborn babies are the most vulnerable victims, this unconscionable piece of horse manure legislation - actually it would do well to be equated with horse manure - is dangerous for the women, too. Less restriction means less safeguards and more casualties and side effects.

The FOCA also states that any hospital or clinic that refuses to offer abortions will receive NO federal funding including Medicare and Medicaid payments. This holds true for faith-based hospitals as well. Right here in Nashville the St. Thomas group which owns Baptist Hospitals as well is a Catholic based institution. They have already decided that regardless of legislation and losing federal dollars they will NOT perform abortions! Congratulations to a large organization that isn't buckling to leftist, pro-abortion, anti-life wackos that want to force murder on the hands of the entire country.

Please go to the Fight FOCA website and sign the petition, I DID!

Elisha's 1/2 Birthday!

Imagine you just turned 1/2. How would you celebrate? Take a lesson from Elisha. Find a comfy spot (in his case,momma's arms), grab a snack (teether biscuit), and eat your way to a nap!

Pictures of My Babies

I took these on Thursday while we were doing school.

Thomas is doing Literature.

Thomas mugging for the camera while doing Literature.

Thomas and Lily coloring between class and lunch.

This is what most pictures of Lily look like when taken with a digital camera. Everything around her is still, and she is in motion! ALL THE TIME!

She is only still in this one because I asked her to show me her crayon.

When Lily is tired she finds a blanket, whether it is hers or not, this one is Eli's from Aunt Leanne, and beds down like a cat or deer. That spot is where she sleeps unless we move her.

I had the hardest time finding a stocking for Eli this year because we wanted to continue the penguin theme. My dad found this one. The running joke was that Elisha could fit in it. As we took down the Christmas decorations and prepared the tree for burning I decided to take this picture. (This was taken New Year's Day)

Once Thomas and Lily saw Eli in his stocking they had to try their own on for size. Their fits were a bit more snug. (This was taken New Year's Day)

Elisha and his ever-faithful friend Lou the Penguin.

Resting on Mom. What's cuter than a diapered baby?

Signs of Good Parenting

At some point or another every parent wants to know if they are successful. We all want to be sure that we are raising little people that will one day be wonderful ladies and gentlemen.

There are thousands upon thousands of books about parenting. Some are good resources. Some are a waste of perfectly good trees.

Everyone is a guru. Spank. Don't spank. Time out. Blah, blah, blah, ad infinitum, ad nauseum . Rarely is anything they say of value.

It drives me crazy to hear, "Children don't come with an instruction book." UHM, Bible, anyone?

Anyway.....those very children often gives us signs that we are doing well. I recently got some hidden affirmations that I almost missed.

• Last week, I got a loaf of sourdough bread which is one of my personal favorites. As it happened it wasn't a very sour loaf. It was rather disappointing. My lovely older children said, "Mom, this bread is weird. Its white, and it doesn't have any stuff or nuts in it." I'm paraphrasing, of course, but you get the idea. My kids think white bread is weird. Dark bread with seeds and nuts is normal! Hallelujah!!!!!!!!!!

• Lily and Thomas are such veggie hounds that when they ask for seconds we say no until they eat their meat. They would rather have olives than candy. Thomas goes to a sit down restaurant like Logan's or O'Charleys and asks for the steak. Inevitably the waitress says, "fries with that?" He says, "No, salad with honey mustard, please."

• Family and friends who hold or watch Eli for any length of time ask, "Is he always this happy?" That alone would be great but then I can truthfully say, "yes."

• Just the other day Thomas used his words very poorly and hurt someone's feelings. He got punished and since it was late evening he was sent straight to bed. That's not the victory. This is: The next morning he climbed up in my lap, said good morning and asked to call the person he hurt because he "didn't use good words" and needed to apologize and invite them back over.

• Lily was at the mall with my parents and Thomas. They stopped for a treat. When Dad and Thomas went to the restroom, Lily said, "Nanny, thank you for this drink. It was very thoughtful." What a precious girl! (No, that wasn't paraphrasing. That was verbatum.)

For those that think I am tooting my own horn, well, maybe just a little and some for Thad, too. But the reality is that we just venture to raise them as God sees fit, not us. We planted the seeds but those tender baby hearts allowed them to grow.

As long as I'm here I might as well add my two cents to the blah, blah, blahs of the world.

Children that only eat junk food aren't the problem. Parents that only feed them junk food are the problem. If your kid won't eat vegetables its because you don't serve them. If you serve them and your kids refuse, they shouldn't eat. In our house, I am not a short order cook. I don't take orders. You eat what I serve or you go hungry. If you think that's cruel, you're wrong. Children have a very active survival instinct. They won't allow themselves to starve. They'll eat eventually and might even discover that broccoli isn't all that bad. At our house, this has never lasted more than about half an hour.

Never turning away a hug or kiss shows them that you value their affection. Children that are loved will love others.

"Do as I say and not as I do" is pathetic. Be a good example.

Lastly, we all make mistakes. We all need counsel. Don't turn to a book or a stranger. Go to God first then turn to your parents and grandparents or a trusted close friend that has grown children. They have wisdom with experience. Oprah and Dr. Phil are not parenting or relationship experts, especially when compared with the One who wrote the manual on children and parenting!

Love to all....

Eli's Eyes

It's scary to think that something is not quiet right with one of your children. Thomas was in the NICU for 11 days after being born 6 weeks early. God once miraculously healed Lily of Meningitis, and now, Elisha needs surgery.

Bea, I, and many others have noted how cross-eyed Eli is. He is 5 months old now and his right eye tends to settle right up against his nose, while his left eye is tracking straight or off looking at something else in the room.

My sister, who also had a lazy eye when she was young, and currently has a son with a lazy eye, said, "Hey little brother, you need to get Eli's eyes checked out. They are a little too crossed." We didn't really pursue it initially because both Thomas and Lily had googly eyes that passed with age. A few weeks later Bea took Eli in to have a rash looked at when the Dr. noticed how his eyes were tracking differently. (They sometimes remind us of those plastic eyes that wobble all over everywhere.) She says they are "way too googly." It noticeably concerned her.

So, she made the arrangements for Eli to go see an ophthalmologist. I managed to arrange for some time off of work, and off we go.

The nurse that first examined Eli was wonderful. She had definitely worked with kids before. She was able to keep Eli's attention, and get all her initial testing done fairly quickly. She also worked well with Lily and Thomas in the room.




Then the Dr. came in and did several more tests (pictures below). After some discussion, the Dr. did confirm that Eli is cross-eyed, and that it is pretty severe. Ultimately, he recommend surgery to reposition muscles on his eyes. The surgery is more successful when the vision in both eyes is even. Of course the vision in his left eye is stronger. So in the interim, we will be using a patch about 3 hours a day to try to get the eyes to equalize for the next 2 months. In February we will go back to have his vision reevaluated and to see if the disparity between his eyes has improved. Surgery will probably be scheduled that day. It is possible but highly unlikely that patching alone will cause improvement enough for the surgery to be unnecessary.

We have been patching for a couple of days now, and Eli seems to be dealing with it well. He is starting to look at things more with both eyes, instead of just with the one.

Lumber Jack Family

Last week during some heavy winds, a mostly dead tree in my in-laws yard was blown down. A couple of months ago, I got a new electric chain saw. Fallen tree, Chainsaw... What better combination....

So, I start out triming limbs off and making my way towards the trunk. After a couple of hours, I have things mostly cleared up, except the main trunk and a couple of large branches. Thomas always wants to help with my tools, so I figure these logs are good, thick, and stable. It should be safe for Thomas to help, and learn how to use another tool.

First order of business, some talks about power tools safety. Note: Thomas has his ear and eye protection on. He was very attentive to the instructions, and I was there with him every step of the way.

He looks like an old pro now. He did a great job cutting carefully. He was safely able to make a couple of cuts, then he wanted to go play some more. Something about being at Nanny and Granddaddy's house that he wants to play as much as possible.


Well, Thomas wasn't the only one who wanted to get into the act.






Ggggrrrrrrrr!!!!


Bea decided she wanted to use the saw too. So, another safety lecture, a few helpful tips, and off she goes.





She made a couple of cuts as well. She too found a reason not to make any more cuts....




She got saw dust in her shoes... My wife, the girly girl :)


It was a fun time had by all. In the end we got most of the tree broken down and stacked. And, the yard was mostly cleaner than we found it. There was also lots of family fun. And that's the most important part.

BTW, does anybody need any tree work done.... I happen to know a crew.... :D

Beautiful Minds

My husband is brilliant. Plain and simple. He can have entire conversations in nothing but acronyms and numbers. He can tie a hundred different knots. He has an uncommon amount of common sense. He can tell which spiders are poisonous and which aren't but he kills them all for me. He is just awesome. He astounds me sometimes with what his mind produces.

Which is why this quote is so funny......

Tonight we were driving home trying to be cryptic with our conversation so we could get surprise plans past Thomas because spelling doesn't work anymore. I told Thad we were going to have to develop hand signals or facial expressions or something.

His reply?:

"Yep. I'm thinking we should go to the Tennessee School for the Blind to learn sign language."

It doesn't get any better than that! My near-genius husband gets the prize for quote of the year!

However, I'm pretty sure I have the second best quote locked in with this:

I was getting ready to pump breast milk for Elisha while Thad was making dinner. I don't like when he has to do one of my jobs because I can't so I say this:

"Sweetie, I can finish dinner if you want to do the pumping."

This just goes to show that no matter how intelligent people are they can still suffer from flatus of the cerebellum!

I'm Addicted

My wonderful, intelligent, logical, analytical, handsome husband enjoys Sudoku. One night as I was reading in bed and he was working a puzzle I asked how they work. I had no idea what I was getting myself into! Up to this point I had not even tried one or had the desire to try one. He explained them to me and the rest is history.

I now do one online every time I log on. They are addicting. I swipe his Sudoku book when he's not using it. I do the one in the back of the TV Guide and Sunday newspaper. I am hopelessly addicted with no hope of recovery.

For those who don't know Sudoku is basically a logic puzzle that uses the process of elimination to fill in a 9x9 grid with numbers or letters. I've even found them that use symbols. They are enjoyable and thoroughly frustrating and infuriating at the same time! They make me crazy. Yet I can't avoid them.

So now that I am hooked, I'm doing my best to get everyone else addicted, too! Check out this website or this website or the side bar for a puzzle!

Tennessee State Fair - A Late Update

We had great fun this year at the State Fair. It was held in the first half of September but I'm just now finding time to update everyone.

The fair had all the usual trappings (rides, overpriced food and drinks, rigged games, etc) and the traditional agricultural exhibits which is what we enjoyed. We don't do the rides for obvious safety reasons. We limit games to one per child. As for the food, only because we have too!

At any rate, we prefer the traditional in almost all things. The fair is no exception. Once you get past all the flashy, shiny moneypits there is a great deal of education and fun to be had. We visited the veggie exhibits and saw gigantic pumpkins and a couple of 200-lb watermelons! There were beautiful specimens of vegetables, fruits, canning, and crops all around. The kids asked questions and were engaged in one thing after another. The dairy association had a booth that was manned by Purity and Mayfield with free chocolate milk and ice cream! That was a big hit with Thomas and Lily, not to mention Daddy and Mommy!

We visited an exhibit called Tiny Acres Farm. It was an interactive exhibit that taught farming from harvest to market. Thomas and Lily had great fun!

Thomas' plan for getting his milk to market was to drive his tractor right up to the cow, milk her into the trailer, and head to market!

Thomas was careful to walk among his crops!

Lily wanted to ride the calf.

She also wanted to plant her eggs instead of digging potatoes.

Eli and Momma with the Tiny Acres cow.

The animal barns were a hit, too! Chicken, ducks, geese, rabbits, mules, hogs, cattle! Every barn was fascinating and exciting. And stinky!

Petting the mules was a new experience. It was relaxing until my allergies kicked in!

The allergies were a nice problem to have when we got to the hog barn. I couldn't smell a thing!

We also checked on my entries into the fair. I entered 2 photographs, a framed cross-stitch project, and a pie. It was the same pie I took to the National Pie Championship last April. I didn't place with either of my photographs which was alright because my competittion was stiff! There are many wonderful amateur photogs in Tennessee.

I got an Honorable Mention for my cross-stitch project. The picture is blurry but it is a large version of the poem "Footprints" surrounded by shells, seaweed, waves, and footprints.

As you can see, my big win was with my pie! I baked the best fruit pie in the state! I got first place with my "Delightful 'Pear'-ings Pie." I was astounded. I had to double check the results sheet more than once.

After the National Pie Championship in April I said that I would give out my pie recipe should anyone want it. If you do want it, you can comment on this blog or email me. I only ask that you keep it for personal use.

Though the prize was only $8 which covered all of my entry fees, just participating was grand, indeed. I highly recommend participating in your county or state fair. I am already thinking about what projects I'll do, what pies I'll make. Will I do other baked goods? Its up for consideration. And everything I see gets evaluated for photograph potential!

At the end of the night we had an overwhelming and fulfilling time. Partly because of the animals and exhibits, partly because we spent a day as a family but also because we helped to keep alive the traditional of the fair.

This is what we found when we were getting out of the car that night:

How do they sleep in those positions?

Because he is a Socialist

I normally don't post anything political on this blog. Today I am because I want this to reach the most people possible.


This election is so very important. As a nation we are turning from our roots toward massive socialism which has never worked in the history of the world.


I am voting for the McCain/Palin ticket. Not necessarily because I agree with everything John McCain says but because I wholeheartedly disagree with everything Barack Obama says. He is a socialist to the core of his being. Most of his views fly in the face of my faith which is where I base my votes. I vote my values not my party. I am more dedicated to furthering God's plan than I am to the GOP.


*I do not agree with Obama's mission to redistribute the wealth of the rich. I think people should work, and those that do should not be stolen from for those that do not. Bill gates should get to keep his money instead of sending it to someone who chooses not to better himself.


*I believe abortion is murder in any and all situations. Barack Obama wanted to keep the horrific, barbaric practice of partial birth abortion LEGAL!


*I believe babies born as a result of a failed abortion should be given immediate life-saving medical attention. Barack Obama does not. He voted against the Born Alive Infants Protection Act. See Here.


*I believe that I have the right to keep and bear arms. Barack Obama thinks that as a law abiding citizen I should be restricted while criminals aren't going to the local gun store for their weapons. See Here.


*I am in favor of and fully support the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. There were actually weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Saddam Hussein repeatedly used them on his own people. They were moved to Syria. See Here. And Here.


*I believe small business is the driving force in America's economy and the only thing that can turn it around. Barack Obama does not support small business issues the way he should. He was invited to the NFIB Small Business Summit as was John McCain. Only McCain attended. Thad works for the National Federation of Independent Business, an organization of small business members who vote on what is important to their business. NFIB is the most effective lobby organization in the country. They are the voice of small business. Here is a link of candidate comparison on small business issues.


*I want to drill for oil here not take OPEC handouts and accept their dolling out to us to increase our costs. Obama is against domestic drilling.


*I am absolutely opposed, to a degree I can barely express, to homosexual "marriage." I support a constitutional amendment to define marriage as between 1 man and 1 woman.


*I am a Christian. This is a Christian nation based on Judeo-Christian beliefs and values. Obama doesn't believe that. He even thinks that evolution does not conflict with the Bible.


So as you see, I am thoroughly opposed to an Obama administration. It would be the edge of a very slippery slope toward full-blown socialism which can only lead to communism. I want to live in America. The real America, rooted in the Constitution. If I wanted to live in a socialist nation I would move to Europe where there are many from which to choose. Many whose citizen's can't protect themselves, abortion is rampant and gas is $8 - $10/gallon to pay for socialized health care.

Again, socialism has never worked in the history of the world. Its not good for anyone but those in power. The average citizen gets the short end of the stick.

I hope you will take the time to research Obama's true beliefs and vote your values not just your party. Faith and values are far more important than whether you are an elephant or a donkey, red state or blue state, Republican or Democrat.

Update From Bea's Earlier Video

I hadn't seen the video Bea posted before, but when I did, I had to figure out who it was. So, I visited the site where she found the video. Figured out who the people where, and googled their name. (Yes, I know I am a Geek. That's what I get paid for...) Their names are Dick and Rick Hoyt. They are Team Hoyt. They have completed in over 900 races, ridden a bicycle across America, and competed in the Boston Marathon for the past 27 years save 2 when one or the other was unable to compete.

Their story is amazing. I won't retell it all here, but you can read more at their website (www.teamhoyt.com). Dick is the father, and Rick is the son. Rick has Cerebral Palsy along with several other disabling conditions. Dick is a father determined to see his son included in everything, regardless of the person sacrifice required. What an amazing example of what our Father has sacrificed for us.

Today's Reading....

So I am trying to get back on the wagon with this goal. No guarantees other than my best efforts.

Here is a passage that touched me as we did Bible study this past week. Though this was the prayer that Solomon spoke at the consecration of the temple after its built there are points that apply to us today.

"Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant. The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us: That he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers. And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before the LORD, be nigh unto the LORD our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel at all times, as the matter shall require: That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else. Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day."
1 Kings 8:56-61


Continually Solomon speaks of walking in God's ways and keeping his statutes. If we strive to do that then God will honor that by keeping His promises to us.

Love HIM, seek HIM, honor HIM.

Love to all. Pray for me as I pray for you.

I Couldn't Do Anything but Cry

This is possibly one of the most powerful things I have ever seen. I sat at my computer ignoring everything else for 4 1/2 minutes with tears streaming down my face.

Please watch and listen ALL the way through.

I hope this touches you as it has me. Love to all!

Lily Says (3 Stories About Our Little Chatty Cathy)

1.

With Thomas now in 1st grade his lessons are becoming longer and more in depth. When we do his schooling at home Lily is always around. She absorbs everything around her and finds a way to repeat it or work it into a conversation.

Right now in science and history/geography/social studies we are learning about sounds and communication. She wants her own worksheets as Thomas does his. I was going over different types of communication with Thomas like talking, sign language, etc. Lily is coloring on her worksheet when she suddenly says, "Momma, I'm talking. I'm communicating!"

So amazing! She had picked up the entire lesson.

2.

*Warning: Toddler Potty Humor*

One of the ways we got Lily to stay on the potty while she was potty training was to read books to her. She would climb up and either Thad or I would sit on the floor and read to her. Her book of choice was usually Big Sister, Little Sister which gives cute little phrases on each page about the relationship between sisters. Its also in rhyme which makes it very easy to remember. We read it so many times that she memorized it. Eventually we began to ask her to "read" it to us while she is on the potty.

One day she was going great with her "reading" when she got to the page where Big Sister is a cheerleader. At just the right moment she started to go in the potty. She was exceedingly proud of herself so she announced it right on the tail end of reading the page. This was the result:

"Big Sister teaches me to yell and cheer, 'I'm pooping, Momma! I'm dropping one in!'"

I completely lost my composure, literally falling over laughing! There was no pause between the reading and her pronouncement. Running them together created quite a laugh for me. I had trouble later even relating the story to Thad. I couldn't stop laughing. Even now I got a chuckle as I typed.

I have no idea where, "I'm dropping one in" came from but, WOW, was it funny!

She is so very, very, very vocal its astounding. Every now and then she comes up with something too funny to keep to ourselves. Even if that something might be potty humor.

3.

Just now as I was typing this post Lily pointed to the travel section of the Sunday newspaper asking, "What's that, Momma?"

"It's a cruise ship."

"Noooo, it's a BOAT!"

It Rained in Nashville Yesterday....

....and all the crazies were out driving.

It seems to me that Nashville has a high number of people that want to test the efficacy of their auto insurance companies. They come out on rainy days and muck up all major thoroughfares in the city.

As a whole Nashville drivers are average. What qualifies me to say this? I have been to and through a great number of our United States. I have experienced more than one 65 mile per hour traffic jam in San Francisco. I have been on the Bay Bridge in San Fran at rush hour. Los Angeles is some sort of civil engineer revenge plot against society - a giant spider web of concrete and cars. I have navigated Daytona Beach and Orlando at Spring Break. I have nearly wet myself twice riding in a taxi cab in Mexico. We won't even talk about Jamaican driving habits, OY! Washington, D.C.? Again, lets not go there. A little closer to home there is the ever popular "Malfunction Junction" right down the middle of Knoxville.

So now you know that I have the credentials to go along with my assessment, here it is:

Nashvillians suffer from a Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde disorder that emerges as the chance of precipitation rises. If water does actually fall from the sky - WHOA, NELLY! These people lose all manner of sense and basic skill and become all thumbs behind the wheel.

Its just our little mark on the world. Forget "Music City" just change our nickname to
"We have a wreck on I-65 Southbound at Trinity Lane."
Its not as catchy but it would most certainly be truth in advertising. Not to mention a nice warning for tourists.

I love you, Nashville! Have a great day and drive safely!

A Couple of New Adventures

In the past few weeks there have been 2 significant changes for me. I am truly excited about both.

Most of you know that Thomas takes home school tutorial classes in fine arts every Friday at Family Christian Academy. One of the classes offered to the middle and high school students is Creative Writing. The teacher from last year followed God's call to Europe and the space was vacant. In early summer I offered to tutor if a student needs a little extra help. (That's the joy of homeschooling, we share our talents with each other!) The administrator asked if I would consider teaching the class! Of course, I was thrilled to be asked but let her know that it probably wouldn't work since Lilianna and Elisha are home with me. She said she would pray about it, and I did, too. Weeks went by without a solution and nothing new from the administrator so I figured God's answer was no.

When I took Thomas on the first day of school, a Wednesday, the administrator approached me again. I started to explain the I had found no solution for see to Lilianna and Elisha. She cut me off halfway through my sentence with a gleeful, "Oh and I have someone to watch the babies here in the school while you teach!" I was so excited I got teary eyed. I had really wanted to teach this class and just as I had given up hope, God got me with a sneaky "yes." It got even better a week later when they asked me to teach Speech class also!

So that's New Adventure #1, I now teach middle and high school students Creative Writing and Speech on Fridays! Its amazing. I love the curriculum I chose and my students. The sitter is working out well. If the kids need me she just brings them to me. I even taught Speech a couple of weeks ago while holding Eli because he wanted to fall asleep on Mama.


New Adventure #2 is something I've done before but not in 9 1/2 years! I am now a consultant for The Pampered Chef. I am selling again. I thoroughly enjoy their products and their company. Everything is high quality and long-lasting. I have pieces that are 10 years old and work like the day I got them. If you are interested in hosting a Cooking Show in your home or just a catalog show please let me know! I love this new business, and I am excited to help you!

Our Family Celebration

September 6 was a very fun day! We took this day to mark our 10th anniversary, renew our wedding vows ans dedicate Elisha to God. We had a wonderful time. Here are some of the details:

As with our wedding, my dad presided over the vow renewal. He also did Elisha's dedication. Both were held outside under an arbor on the waterfront of Drake's Creek which is an offshoot of Old Hickory Lake. It was a beautiful day.

After that we went inside to continue our party. Thad and I danced our "next dance" to "Walking Her Home" by one of our favorite Christian artists, Mark Schultz. Our dance instructor, Dana from DanceQuest, LLC, choreographed a routine for us that was perfect for us and the song.

Dancing helped us work up an appetite which was taken care of with some FANTASTIC food from our venue, Latham's Lighthouse Events Center. Mr. Latham provided us with an amazing spread. We had tenderloin, chicken breast, corn with chipotle and garlic butters, green beans, crostini with three toppings including the best spinach and artichoke dip ever! We also had three cakes from The French Confection, golden butter, strawberry, and Jack Daniels double chocolate chip - all covered in dark chocolate ganache!

We played the music of our youth - a compilation of essential 80s and 90s music. All in all it was a fabulous day. Our centerpieces were adorned with lovely hot pink Gerbera daisies and carnations from Flower Express. We enjoyed the company of the friends and family that were able to be with us and missed those who weren't.

If you would like to see the photographs that our photographer, Jon Warren, you can click here to go to our Shutterfly album. Once there you can order the photos of your choice.