Father's Day...A Month Late

We left for Fayetteville the afternoon of Father's Day and I never had a chance to share about what a great day we had! My mom and dad were here for the weekend. We went to church that morning and than Hal's family joined us for a Father's Day lunch. It was such a great afternoon and yet another reminder of why we wanted to be closer to family. It was so much fun to have them all in our house!

Hal got MS State Tervis tumblers for Father's Day and I added a few Arkansas ones just to balance out our collection.

I forgot to take a picture of them until late in the day. Little man was sooo tired and would rather watch TV than take a picture. :)

Drew (before his haircut...look at those curls) and his cousins Jessica and Madison.

Ed, Drew, Robbie, and Randy

Poor Shannon had to read the Elmo book

I guess lunch and chasing Drew made Jess tired. :) Ha!

What a Wedding!

We got home late last night after a wonderful wedding weekend for my friend Sarah (more on that later). Hal took Drew and I to Fayetteville on July 9th so that Hal and I could go to a wedding shower for Sarah and Jay. Drew and I stayed and Hal came home. He joined us again in Fayetteville on the 22nd. It seemed like we were apart FOREVER and he was sure missing his little man. It was precious to see Drew with him. He had really missed his "Da!" Our time in Fayetteville always seems like it goes so fast and we never get to do all we want to do. Little man's days were filled by seeing family, playing outside, and eating tomatoes from Grampy's garden!

Loving his new car

Working on a popsicle.

I didn't take that great of pictures from the weekend. I wish I had carried my camera around more! Friday we had the bridesmaid luncheon and rehearsal dinner and the wedding was on Saturday. It was beautiful and Sarah was gorgeous.

A pic of Sarah and I before we got dressed.

Sarah and Jay leaving the church under the traditional sword arch.

I didn't manage to get a pic of Hal and I until the very end of the day. I am as tired as I look. :)

Heading Home

Hal, Drew, and I are heading home tomorrow after a longer than expected and emotional trip to Arkansas. My grandmother Marie, my dad's mom, passed away at 1:45 am on Tuesday morning. She had been in hospice care since the previous Thursday. After battling Alzheimer's the last few years, her health had really gotten bad over the last 3 months as she faced a stroke, breaking a hip, and finally internal bleeding. It is a relief to know that she is with Jesus and isn't struggling to piece together memories or dealing with any pain. The visitation was Thursday night and the funeral was Friday morning.

I have been blown away by the love of our family and friends over the last week or so. I think that after living away for 4 years I have a much deeper appreciation for family than I would if we had never left. Don't get me wrong, God has blessed us with people who have treated us like family in the places we have been, but there is nothing like being loved on by your family. You can call them at 7:00 in the morning and ask them to watch your son with only a few minutes notice. You can call and tell them you just need someone to sit with you while you wait on God's timing or ask them to bring you a loaf of bread! You can make a phone call and bare your soul and know they don't think less of you no matter what you say. You have a history with them. You don't have to explain anything. Sometimes words aren't even necessary. A hug or a look into their eyes says it all. Thank you to all who have loved on us in the last week. We needed to be propped up by prayers, kind words, and compassion. And you came through with flying colors.

Drew has been a trooper for the past two weeks. He has been passed around to several houses, missed naps, stayed up late, stayed quiet at the hospital and much more. I know he is ready to get back to his routine!

Hal has also been a trooper! Drew and I left with my parents on Father's Day. He drove up on the 25th expecting to take us back with him, but we stayed because of my grandmother. He then drove back up late Thursday night to be here for the funeral on Friday. I am blessed to have a man who supports me so much. He never complained one time about all the driving and craziness. Thanks buddy.

Our new way to eat an apple....core and all.

Riding on the mower with Grampy

Court...weren't you supposed to be helping babysit??

Not missing momma one bit! He loved spending time w/ his cousins

Grampy lets him get away with just about anything...as you can see!

Waiting and Praying

Tonight we are waiting on the Lord's timing. My grandmother is in the hospital under the care of the hospice staff. They have told us it could be anytime that she leaves this life and enters eternity in heaven. Our hearts are heavy but anxious for her to be whole again. Anxious for her mind to be sound and no longer confused. Anxious for her body to no longer feel the age and the pain. At 88 years old, she is blessed to have lived the life she has and we are blessed to have had her apart of ours.

Please pray for my family in this waiting time. Pray for my daddy as he loses his mom.

Return of Random Friday on a Monday

1) I felt like sharing a few random things today...so I am taking over Random Friday on Monday.

2) It has been crazy hot here the last week or so. I mean crazy hot. Last Friday Drew and I went to Target after his nap and I am pretty sure I looked like I had just taken a shower when I got out of the car. Black leather seats and black interior, not a good idea in the southern summer heat! I must admit that a little Florida breeze would be nice in the afternoon. But my wonderful Hal, worked in the garage yesterday so I could get the car in. At least it will be cooler when we get in the car to leave!

3) We visited a new church yesterday and Drew didn't do so well so they had to page me (more on that to come) we were walking around the church and found the bookstore/library. I thought that might entertain him for a while, so we are looking at books and a man came up to greet us. He says, "Where did he (Drew) get all that curly blonde hair?" I wanted to cry!!! I LOVE his blonde curls, but that is about the 4th person who has said something to be along the same lines. I need to face the reality that my hair isn't blonde anymore and either dye it back blonde or embrace my "strawberry blonde" as everyone calls it.

4) We are really praying for our little man and childcare at church. This is the 2nd Sunday in a row he hasn't done well and VBS didn't go so great last week either. I know it is a phase, but after being out of church for several months we are desperately ready to get back and we want to be able to leave him and know that he will be okay. Please pray for security for him and for wisdom for Hal and I as we choose a church and a preschool ministry for Drew.

5) Speaking of Drew, he is talking up a storm! I hear him say new words every day...yesterday it was apple. Last week as we were driving in the car and listening to one of his Bible CD's, he made me smile. The song about Zaccheus (sorry for the bad spelling) was playing and he started saying the words. For example it says, Zaccheus you come down for I am going to your house today. He would say "down" every time in the song.

6) The 2nd week of swimming lessons went MUCH better than the first. Hoping they get better every week.

7) I am re-reading Elisabeth Elliot's "Let me Be a Woman." I have been so challenged by it the past week. I need to write a post in the next few days about it...somebody remind me if I forget.

8) Mom and Dad are coming down on Wednesday. Originally it was Friday, then Thursday, now Wednesday. I expect to see them tomorrow. Drew and I will go back with them early next week.

Have a great week!

Glad

I hate to overdo the "I am so glad to be close to family posts," but I am so glad to be close to family! What a treat it was for us today to be able to run down to Laurel and back. We are used to family visits being planned weeks or months in advance and they required plane tickets or LONG car rides. I love being able to hop in the car and go. Hal needed to help out in the yard and Drew and I got to spend time with Maw Maw and Paw Paw and pick blueberries from the bushes in the front yard. Hal's dad is doing great! He has handled all of his treatment so well.

This is about the best picture I was able to get. I couldn't set my bucket down for long or someone attacked it.

Friday night we got him this water table for the back patio and it was a hit! I wanted something that he could play with on the patio to keep him out of the sun but that would be cool on a hot afternoon. Little man is a lot like his momma and does not handle the heat well. His poor little face gets so red and he breaks out in a awful heat rash. We have discovered over the last few weeks that he can't wear anything with polyester in it while it is so hot. He had an awful rash all over his chest and back but seems to be better since we switched to 100% shirts.

AMEN

Our food has been VERY blessed the last few days. One of the best things about being in our house is that Hal's commute is much shorter. We have enjoyed getting to eat dinner as a family more often. We hold hands and pray each night. Drew has started reaching for our hands as soon as I get him in the chair. We say a prayer and then shortly after we start eating he is ready to bless it again! This video is him saying his own prayer, with a few bites of cheese in between. Seeing how he picks up on this has been a huge encouragement to make sure that I am speaking of the Lord and praying often. Little eyes are watching!!

A little of this and a Little of That

The title of this post is exactly what we have been up to lately! Last Thursday we went down to Louisiana for Jessica's graduation. It is crazy to me that she graduated from high school! In some ways I want to forever remember her as the 13 year old she was when I met her the summer Hal and I started dating, but she isn't that girl anymore. She is 18...almost 19 and about to start college. I have been one blessed aunt to have the friendship with her that I do. I love that she can call me laughing or crying. I love that she calls me at all! She is funny and genuine and loves big. Congrats Jess! Love you!

Jess and her daddy

Giving her valedictorian speech ( Sorry for the tiny pics. I was chasing around little man, so I stole these of facebook.)

Drew ran up and sat in her lap during the ceremony...opps!

Little man outside of this yogurt place we found. It is kind of like Subway, but frozen yogurt! You pick from 8 or so flavors and then add your own toppings. Yum!

We put him a booster chair for the first time....he is getting to be such a big boy!

Hal was off Thursday and Friday for Graduation and then Monday for Memorial Day. The reality of living in a new place hit me square in the face on Tuesday morning when he left for work. After having my parents, Kim and the boys, and then Hal home for a long weekend, I was a little spoiled. Yesterday morning I panicked just a wee bit when I thought about having the rest of the week with no plans or scheduled activities!!! I had heard about a Women's Bible Study through Crossgates Baptist Church, so I called about it and we went this morning. It met in someone's home and everyone brought their kiddos. They were so friendly and I can't wait to go back. They also invited us to a play group tomorrow and I volunteered to help with VBS next week. It looks like I now have a few activities!

Unpacking and Adjusting

We are getting there...slowly but surely! The movers came last Monday. Hal was here that day to help with the unloading and then left on Tuesday morning for LA. Mom and Dad came down on Saturday to go to an early birthday party for Hal's dad and then stayed last week to help me unpack and we got a lot done while they were here. My good friend Kim and her boys, Blake and Owen, also came over. She watched Drew for me on Tuesday and Wednesday. I would still have boxes everywhere if she had not helped out! Mom and Dad left on Friday morning.

This weekend we took a break from unpacking. Friday night we visited Hal's dad. Saturday morning we hung out around here and then went to an outdoor mall in Ridgeland where we found Fresh Market. I have so missed that placed and loaded up on a few things. Saturday night late and Sunday we were able to hang out with Nate, Kim, and the boys. We had not seen them since last summer except for a short visit at Christmas. We went to church at Nate's old church, Crossgates, and then spent the afternoon with them.

Hal's dad is doing so well. Thanks for praying for him! You can see updates and leave him a message on his Caring Bridge site: www.caringbridge.org/randyramsey.

I have lost my camera in the move, but here are a few pictures mom took.

Dad and Drew taking a break from unpacking to watch The Wiggles.

Playing on his new swingset that both sets of his grandparents got him.

Eating P,B &J in his new kitchen. I love this face!

Today was a challenging day. It was our first full day by ourselves after 3 months of having Paw Paw, Grammy or Grampy with us. He is also battling a little stomach bug and getting molars. I must admit I was relieved to put him to bed, but looking at this sweet face reminded me what a privilege it is to spend my days with him!

Little Things

The last few weeks have been a little crazy on the house front. We thought we were marching toward an April 30th closing date, do the construction work, and then move in around mid-May. To make a LONG story short, Bank of America had initially told us that we could put money in escrow to fix the kitchen, but then when we got to underwriting, went back on that. We went round and round with them for several days and ended up switching mortgage companies as well as decided to ask the seller to do the work first. We are scheduled to close on May 14th and the moving company arrives with their truck on May 17th.

As our time here in Laurel comes to a close, I have been reminded of what a blessing this time as been. I have talked about the time we have had with Randy and how I am glad that we have been here to be an "entertainment" for him. As I sat in a swing with little man at the park this week, I told Drew that we needed to say a prayer of thanksgiving for the time we have had together. I have been able to take him to the park for as long as he wanted, play chase in the yard, blow bubbles, lay on the bed and tickle him, stack blocks and watch him knock them down, go up and down the stairs with him, and let him take an extra long bath every night. I am so grateful the time I have had to focus on Drew and not have the total responsibility of running the house. I am praying that when the busyness of life returns as we move into the house that I take the time every day to enjoy these little things.

Move over Martha Stewart or maybe Paula Deen is more like it

One of the best things about being in Laurel the last few months is that I have learned a lot from Hal's mom. She is an amazing Southern cook. Those of you who are worried I just hurt my momma's feelings, don't worry. She will admit cooking isn't her thing. She has never cooked a bad meal, she just isn't adventurous and prefers cooking things the easy way. For example, I didn't now biscuits didn't come out of a can until I got married. :) Over the last few weeks, I have enrolled myself in my mother-in-law's cooking school! Last week I made biscuits from scratch and this week the lesson was homemade strawberry preserves. I also helped make chicken and dumplings which will make my husband one very happy man if I can master that!

Stirring the strawberries....this took FOREVER! :)

The jars are sterilized and ready

The preserves are ladled in.

Waiting for them to seal

The finished product!

Learning

One of the things I love and hate about being a mom is how routine things become. There are some days that I think, I will clean this high chair tray three times today and then do it again tomorrow. I have a pretty scheduled baby so we do about the same routine everyday. I love that I can know what to expect, but sometimes it does seem monotonous.

Although I love the routine, the last few days I have found myself being frustrated and feeling like we don't accomplish much because we do the same thing everyday! While Drew and I were playing outside today, I was praying and God gently reminded me that I am accomplishing a lot each day. Even if the laundry doesn't get done and I do the same tasks over and over, my goal for each day is "train up a child in the way that he should go." There is value in the mundane and routine. I am teaching and training Drew each day with my words, actions, and attitude. I am praying I do those tasks with joy tomorrow!

Proverbs 22:6 (New International Version)

Train a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not turn from it.

Here is an example of a routine we go through each day. We play outside a lot. Hal's parents have a big yard and there is plenty of room for little man to run around and get in trouble. In the backyard, my mother-in-law has a fountain/water garden. Each day the story goes something like this.

Ooooo....look at that water.

Maybe I can get away with playing with the door....

But that water looks soooo interesting.

So...if I smile at her, while she let me play in the water???

Maybe I can just touch it with one finger???

Mom- "Drew Ramsey, do NOT touch that water!"

Fine...I will find something else to play with

If you won't let me play with the water, you can chase me!!!

Today the scene ended with a happy boy running off. Some days, we have a crying little boy who plunged both hands into the water and got in trouble. If you look closely at the fountain you can see where he knocked it off one day and cracked the top. He is learning. :)

Super Bulldog Weekend

We had a great weekend in Starkville! Two friends of Hal's were also there, Ben and Alicia. We were married within a year of each other and all had boys within 4 months of each other. Hal and Ben also grew up together in Laurel. It was fun to be able to see all of them as well as be in Starkville. We drove up Friday night and Saturday morning we met at a playground so the boys could meet.

Drew and Wyatt (Alicia and Joe's son)

An attempt to get a picture of the moms and the boys!

After the playground, we took Drew back for a quick nap and the headed to the Little Dooey for lunch.

Taylor (Ben and Michelle's son) and Drew. I stole this pic from Facebook, so I guess that is why it is tiny. :)

After lunch we went to an arts festival they were having in the Cotton District.

We also met up with our friends Cliff and Christi and walked around campus. Then we headed to the Spring game. I was expecting the absolute worst. I though there was no way he would sit still, but he was great! We got there about 45 minutes early and made it through 2 quarters until we had a diaper blowout that meant it was time to go! He loved watching all the people and got really excited when he heard the band and the cowbells. He would start clapping with everyone and did his fair share of dancing with the music as well!

Watching the Bulldogs with Daddy.

Taking it all in!

Where are we?

We are in a bit of a lull right now and I must say I am enjoying it. The last few months have been filled with moving, road trips, house hunting, chemo treatments/hospital visits, and lots of little details.

We are set to close on our house in Brandon on April 30th. We did not get the house we originally made an offer on, but are so excited with our 2nd choice! I had seen the house several times online, but just couldn't get over the funky and not functional layout of the kitchen. We made an offer and asked the buyers for an allowance to remodel the kitchen and they accepted the offer! After closing, a contractor will be working on the kitchen and we hope to be in the house by mid-May. I will post before and after pictures later, but here is a pic of the front of the house.

Hal's daddy, Randy, finished up his last round of chemo a few weeks ago and has been feeling pretty good. He is set to begin the bone marrow transplant process this Friday with a chemo treatment in the hospital in Jackson. He will then come home for 10 days and do a series of shots to stimulate his bone marrow growth and will then do the collection. We are praying he handles this treatment as well as he has the chemo. We know the next couple of months are going to be rough on him but are so grateful that he is willing to go through the treatment! Please pray for strength for him as he goes through this first phase.

Fun Day With Family

The last few weeks have been crazy! Drew and I have been to Florida to pack up the house and then we spend Easter in Arkansas. Mom and Dad brought us back on Thursday and they spent the last few days in Laurel. Tonight we had a shrimp boil with Hal's family. My niece, Jess, took the pictures of Drew below. She is so talented...I will have to share a few more of the ones she has taken of him.

He got hungry before the shrimp was done, but as you can see from his face he loved his PB & J.

Playing with daddy

Saying cheese...through the truck window.

Ed and his "lady friend" Shannon. :)

Finally......

I have delayed writing this post because I didn't know where to begin or end for that matter! So here we go, I will tackle it subject by subject! Please excuse all typos...at least I am finally updating. You must get to the very end to see a pic of little man. They are all from IPhone so the quality isn't great. :)

Florida House: We received an offer on our house on March 18th. The offer was quite a bit less than what we were hoping for, BUT we are so grateful to have it and we accepted the offer. Due to some bank owned properties (foreclosures) that have been coming on the market right around us for considerably (like $50,000) less than what we had ours listed for, we felt it was time to move on. We are currently waiting on relocation to get all their paperwork done and then the buyers will do an inspection. Once that is complete and everything is clear with the inspection, we can settle with the relocation company. PRAY that the paperwork can be expedited and that the inspection comes back clear.

Moving: I was able to get a date with the moving company quickly. Drew and I are heading to Florida Sunday-Wednesday. I can't wait to see a few friends and I know he is ready to see his girlfriends, Mia and Mary-Allison. PRAY that Drew adjusts well to be back in FL and does well on the flights.

House in Mississippi: Hal and I have spent 3 different days looking at houses and several phone calls with our Brandon expert, Nate Stroh, and we made an offer on a house in Brandon contingent on our inspection coming back clean on the house in Florida. This offer will have to be approved by the bank. They have until Monday to get back with us. Because of our knowledge of Short Sales from Florida, I am afraid we won't get this house, BUT I trust that God is in control of this and just maybe this is the house He has for us. If not, there are plenty of other house out there for us to live in. PRAY that the bank accepts the offer and we can close as quickly as possibly!

Hal's Dad: Hal's daddy is doing really well. He just finished his last Chemo treatment and we are now waiting on his bone marrow transplant to be scheduled sometime in May. I am so grateful we have been able to be here the last month or so to spend time with him. This morning Drew crawled up in his lap to read a book and I realized this is SO where God wants us to be!

My Grandmother: While I was in Fayetteville in March, my grandmother had a light stroke and was hospitalized. When she came home from the hospital, we learned that she would need care 24/7. While trying to get that arranged, she feel again and had to be put back in the hospital. The doctor then recommended that she be moved to rehab and then transitioned to a long term care facility. She is now in rehab. This was an extremely emotional week for all of us but especially for my dad. I was so proud of the way he handled all of this. I can't imagine what it was like to have to make a decision like this. Grandmother is struggling with the transition and the biggest problem is that she isn't eating well. PRAY that my Grandmother adjusts to her new home and eats well daily.

Drew: Oh my has he changed in the last month and oh my is he BUSY! He loves being outside at Maw Maw and Paw Paw's. He loves their dogs, Sam and Sally. He is talking up a storm these days although none of us are quite sure what he is saying. He is now bottle free and finally sleeping past 6:30 each morning. We are down to one nap a day unless we get really tired from playing outside. He is eating anything and everything these days including turnip greens and grits like a good Mississippi boy. He is showing a little bit of the terrible 2's already with a few temper tantrums! He loves reading books. He runs everywhere he goes and is trying to jump. He blows kisses and loves getting kisses on the forehead from his Maw Maw. He is way more cuddly than he has EVER been and his momma loves it. In Fayetteville, he was Grampy's boy sitting in his lap watching The Wiggles. He gets so excited when Daddy gets home each night. We watch for him out the window and it is precious the way his face lights up when he sees daddy pull up and get out of the car.

Hal: Hal is settling into his new job. I think he is enjoying a new challenge and he is looking forward to really getting rolling once his clearance comes in. He traveled to LA a few weeks ago and will have to go back in April. Other than his hour and half drive each way, I think he is really happy with it. I feel like I have my Hal back. Seen we have been here, I have noticed such a difference in him. The stress is gone and he is more relaxed. Welcome changes. :)

Me: Well...I am busy with Drew, the FL house, and MS house, but I am so grateful to see God moving in our lives. I have learned so much over this whole process about God's timing and His provision. My perspective on a few things has changed along the way. I know the time we are spending here with Hal's parents is precious. There was a time I probably would have revolted and never agreed to this just because I would have been selfish and wanted my own things and my own space, but God is and has changed me. It is more than just about me and my wants and needs. It is about serving others and more importantly doing just what God wants me to do. And for right now, that is to be right here in Laurel. And honestly, I am loving it. I must admit that knowing we have a contract on the house does help. I know that we will get in our own space someday soon, but as I said before, the time here has been absolutely precious to me. Something I wouldn't trade for anything.