Sweet Caroline

Sweet Caroline.....I have been singing that song to her since she was born.

We celebrated Caroline's 7th birthday yesterday.
Its so special to me that she was born on March 20th~ the first day of spring. A day that symbolizes new life, new beginnings.
You see, March 20th was also the same date that Gregg ( my first husband) was diagnosed with cancer several years ago. She's a gift from God , as all children are, but her birthday makes it even more tender & sweet for me. Sort of like the rainbow after the storm.

After Dan & I were married we knew we wanted to have another child. I suffered two miscarriages , both of them late in the first trimester. I worried ( as i always seem to do) if something was wrong with me.
When I found out I was pregnant with Caroline, my ob informed me that he was unable to find a heartbeat. He told me to prepare for another miscarriage. We were leaving for the beach the next day---he said he'd see me when I returned but not to be surprised if and when I miscarried while on vacation. ok....
Upon returning we had another sonogram & guess what....there was that beating heart!

I think this precious blue eyed, blond haired baby girl is the perfect completion to our family. There is not a day that goes that I am not hugely aware of how blessed I am to have her in my life. She fills us with giggles & hugs. Savannah, Madison, & Emily have doted on her from the first moment they saw her. She is personality plus!

We love you sweet baby girl
Happy Birthday Caroline Elizabeth!!
xo

Gratitude

Gratitude is the fairest blossom

which springs from the soul.

~Henry Ward Beecher

I want to thank each of you for taking a moment of your time to send a precious note to a woman whom you will never meet, but a woman who is fighting bravely for her life.
Thank you my dear friends.....

I wanted to share this image today. Years ago Lil & I decided we would attempt to smock. One of my precious friends spent a few patient mornings teaching us. Lil & I each smocked a bishop dress for Caroline who was one at the time.....I made a pink gingham & Lil made the blue gingham.
I loved the colors of this little dress!
I know I've said this many times, but the above photograph is one of my favorites of all time. Such a precious image of her in the dress lovingly made by her grammy.

A couple of years later, another dear friend called to tell me she had a special present she wished to bring to me. She presented me with a 24x30 framed oil painting of Caroline. I was blown away! I sat there speechless for what seemed like forever. My sweet friend had seen the photograph of Caroline & asked for a copy. She spent the better part of a year painting this image for me. She also had two replicas printed to give each grandmother. She had 100 cards printed with a tender text inside. This was one of the most amazing days of my life. She gave me a gift I could never afford & more importantly she gave me a gift from her heart~ talk about a labor of love. Words can not express how special , how treasured that painting is to me. Thank you sweet Fran.

Today I walked by that painting & smiled.
The tulips are again blooming here in Atlanta. I can hear, smell & see all of nature declaring the glory of the Lord.
& I am grateful.....


Thank you again my dear friends in blogland.
I pray you have a blessed weekend
I am thankful for you
xo

Once again~

My mother in law, Lil, was diagnosed with cancer of the uterus in 1958. She went through radiation & was told she'd have no more children. Radiation in the 50's, can you imagine?
In 1984, she was diagnosed with colon cancer.
In 1997, she began and continues to have multiple basal cell carcinomas removed from her skin.
In 2004, she was diagnosed with cancer in soft tissue of her abdomen. She went through surgery & chemo. She has been doing great with the exception of some residual effects from the chemotherapy.
My husband found out this week, that cancer has returned. She will begin chemo next week.....once again.


I would covet your prayers for her as she begins this journey, again. She has fought & conquered this nasty ole disease before and I pray she has the strength to win over it again.
She doesn't know I have a blog.
She doesn't even know what a blog is. However, if you feel led to leave a comment & let her know she was in your thoughts or prayers, if you would please also let me know which state you are from. I would love to print these out & give them to her next week before she goes to the hospital. I know it would touch her heart & lift her spirits.

Thank you my friends....

A beautiful day....

I love beautiful sunny days. That might sound funny. Of course we all love beautiful days, right?
For years & years I loved rainy days~~ even preferred rainy days.
But this winter, some of the cold dark dreary days have just about done me in. I have struggled with blahness, blueness, and lack of motivation. yuck.
Here in Georgia, we are often times teased in the late winter with gorgeous warm 75 degree days but in the same week we will also have a chance of snow flurries.
I am longing for the sunny days where I can open my window & feel and smell the wonderful breeze. Where I can awaken to the beautiful sound of those little birdies chirping outside my window. Sun kissed days where we can light up the grill. Thankfully today is indeed one of those days!

Switching gears~
This season I am totally into Idol. In years past I thought Simon had become just down right mean & I didn't watch until the bitter end. My older girls love this show. Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday evenings we have all been gathered together from the start of this season. I have been able to spend some fun times with my girlies!
& Yes, I have felt Simon has been much more tame.
The guys this year....holy cow, are they talented or what! There is about 4 of them that I think are so fab!
Jason sang Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah-- OH MY--LOVED that!! love that song!!
David Archuleta sang Imagine last week--that was incredible.
But my word--what David Cook did to Lionel Richie's Hello was insanely awesome!!
& Yes, we love Micheal ( our atlanta boy!)
We are big fans of Brooke --I love how great she sounded singing Carly Simon last week. Wish they could always sing music from the 70's!

So between today being a gorgeous day & the fact that Idol is on tonight....I'm feeling pretty good.
What's a post without a picture--a silly one from last year

She's a teenager now!

Happy 13th birthday my sweet Madison Grace!
As i look back through some of these, my most favorite pictures of you, there are many thoughts and prayers I have for you.

You are delightful. You are always smiling & you have such a cheerful disposition. I pray you continue to enjoy life, enjoy where you are , enjoy the moment.

You are beautiful. People have always commented on your gorgeous blue eyes. I pray that you see the beauty around you. That you see the good in people.

You are fearless. I pray that you continue to be strong & brave in all you do. That you believe that you can do anything you want to ....that you can be anything you want to be. That you focus on what is good, what is true, what is beautiful.

You have a creative spirit. You are our fashion plate. You effortlessly can turn anything into a fabulous outfit. I pray you continue to be grounded, that you not follow the crowd. That you continue to be the steadfast, quiet leader that I see you becoming. You never demand the spotlight but you just keep on keeping on.

You are so easy to please. I pray you continue to have a grateful spirit. That you enjoy the simple pleasures. That you not get caught up in the world nor take what you do have for granted. I know that spirit will bless those around you & encourage them to have a grateful heart as well.

You are a graceful dancer. It has given me much pleasure for the last 10 years to watch you dance. To see your enthusiasm grow & watch your talent unfold. I pray that if this is indeed the road you choose, that you will find favor with your instructors & that you will stand out in a profession that is filled with often times, self absorbed people. That you will rise above any of those tendencies & just be the natural sweet spirited young lady that you already are.

You love well. You are kind, encouraging, considerate, compassionate & tender. You make me proud to be your mom. You are loved so much. I pray you always know I'm here for you, I'm your #1 fan & I'd do anything for you.


On March 2nd 1995, coming 3 weeks early, my perfect little 6 pound 6 oz blue eyed baby girl came into my world. You have been a source of great joy to me ever since
Happy Birthday, my little bird.

Good bye Princesses

We had planned on our vacation this year being a trip to Disney World. The older girls have gone before ( the two older girls have actually been twice) and we thought Caroline was at the perfect age for her turn . She's a fan of all the Princesses--ariel, cinderella, belle, etc.

She climbed into bed with me recently & asked

"mamma, when can we go back to the beach?"
I reminded her that this was going to be her year to go to Disney & how very magical it would be for her. She sorta sighed & replied " well, ok, as long as you promise we can go back to Seaside next year."

hmmm....... made me stop & think ......not that we are allowing the 6 year to decide our family trip by any means, but this really was for her. Sounded like she was indifferent to going. Not that I'm suprised. She's been asking for sometime now when I'll allow her to start reading the Harry Potter series (insert eyes rolling here).

Anyway, I played it up somemore & told her what a fantastic place it would be & how much she'd love all the rides and the characters. Still, she really preferred the beach ( what can i say, the apple didn't fall far from my tree!)

So Dan & I thought about it, talked about it, slept on it & talked somemore. Taking 6 people to Disney was going to be quite an expense--we really couldn't swing both trips this year. However I really felt Care was the perfect age to go to WDW and wanted to make sure she had the opportunity to go. Despite the fact that the older girls say they barely remember anything ( yikes---$$$) I truly felt 7 years old would be such a great age. But I tell ya, we love our beach trip. We love Seaside , we love the food there, the shopping, the cottages, the white sand, riding our bikes, the shopping ( did i say that twice) & the just whole Seaside experience. If little one really prefers the beach over Belle, who I am to say this year would have been the only year to get there?

So~~ the reservations are made & the shopping has begun......
Seaside Florida we'll see you first week of June!!!!
Or as Caroline said when we told her "YIPPIE~~goodbye princesses, hello white sand!"

My Valentines Day girl

My baby girl turns 15 today!
I'm so proud of you Savannah.....so proud to be your mom!! You make it easy for me~ i hope your heart is full of joy today!!! & more importantly I hope you feel totally loved !

a little letter I wrote to her last year.....


Your due date was to be February 28th, but honestly I knew you'd come on Valentines Day. As I told friends & family no one believed me. Firstborns rarely come early.

But, you did! My sweetheart warmed my heart Valentines Day 1993. I had talked about my baby-girl-to-be "Savannah" before I was ever even married. Your daddy Gregg would be so proud of you cutie, so proud. My heart hurts for you that at such a young age you had to witness loosing him to cancer. You were so special to him. Never forget that…keep it in a special place in your heart that you can always go back to!

You were such a bright young little girl. I know you have heard us talk about how you memorized the "birthday girl" book on your 3rd birthday. You loved books, you loved your preschool. You were my best little buddy those few years without a daddy~always my helper, always my sweet little friend. When I look back I realize you were always so much more mature than your actual little age. I guess being forced to grow up quickly will do that to you. However, I hope when you look back on those days you remember being days full of joy, games, books & fun.

I will never forget telling you I was to marry Dan. You so sweetly looked up at me & said " I will always love my first daddy and miss him. But I'm really glad we are getting a new daddy".
You are an amazing big sister, they all look up to you. You have always had leadership qualities , an outgoing friendly personality, and such a cheerful happy disposition.

Honestly I was quite concerned when I knew we would move you from the little private school you had grown up in to a huge public middle school. But -wow- you never missed a beat. You have been so inspired by the academic and social opportunities only a large school can truly offer. I am so proud of you!!

You have made all A's your entire K-8th grade!!

Many of those grades were made in advanced placement classes. You were chosen a leader in FCA & a leader in your church youth group. My heart just leaped when Randy ( our beloved youth leader) introduced you as one of his favorite people....what a compliment!

Your hearts desire since you were about 3 years old has been to be a cheerleader. What a proud moment for me a few weeks ago to witness you making the JV Football & competition Squad at Parkview!

When I think of you I remember ~ pink & green, chocalate chips & peanut butter waffles, Harry Potter, IM, winning an iPod, tumbling class, poms, a new chi, your bff annie, wonderful days at Seaside, silver hoops, all A's, confidence, loyalty, wisdom, laughter, secrets, a girl with more friends than she can count, and an amazingly beautiful young woman who loves the Lord.
I know the Lord has so many wonderful things ahead for you.

You can do anything!
I will always be here for you!
I am so proud to be Savannah's mom!
I love you sweetheart!

Happy 15th birthday my valentine baby!

Sweet baby boy

In the midst of a crazy couple of weeks, I was blessed to have some precious time with a dear friend of mine and her adorable baby boy! Think I may need to find more time for some of this....

This was my favorite shot of the day.

I don't think she was even aware that I was about to take this shot.....I just love her expression~~the priceless look of a mother's love....is there anything more beautiful than a new mommy?

Have a blessed day!
xo