Still here

I'm still here...just really busy lately. I have some things to post, as soon as I can get it all done.

Check back again...

By the way, Barbara, if you are reading this, please email me. I tried to email you the other day and it came back undeliverable...hope all is well.

To everyone else, I will be back in a couple of days...
Thanks for your patience.

Happy Birthday My Sweet Child

Happy Birthday to my first born daughter! Twenty years ago today I was lying in a hospital bed in Alexandria, Louisiana getting ready to become a mom for the first time. I was so excited, but a little afraid. I didn't know if I would do a good job, or if I would know how to be a mom. But through the years, with the help of God, I managed. There were times when I didn't know if I was making the right parenting decisions, and most of the time I was flying by the seat of my pants, (skirt). But God was always there nudging me along on this journey...

You were my little angel girl, and you helped me through so many things. I can't imagine where I would be today if God hadn't blessed me with you and started me on this journey that I have been on for the last twenty years.

I am so very proud of the young woman that you have become. I know that you will find your way in life and if you continue to put God first, you will find that life you desire...

The last few months have been difficult, having to be so far away from you...but I understand as I understood on the day you were born, that you were a gift from God, loaned to me, for me to care for until you could care for yourself. I only hope that I taught you what you needed to know to be on your own...at least I know that I gave you love. I did the best I could to be a Godly example before you and took you to the house of God so that you could develop your own relationship with Him. In the end, giving you love and raising you in church are the two most important things I could have done for you...

I know I made mistakes, parents always do, but I tried to learn from them and readjust my parenting so that I didn't continue to make those mistakes. I hope that you will forgive my short comings and my ignorance's and remember the good times and all the love that we tried to express to you. I wanted so much more for you than I was able to offer at times, but years from now, it won't be things that we will look back on, but times...times spent together and the feeling of family that we created...

I know that there are things you wish would have been different...I know you wished we could have been stable and lived in one place while you grew up...I am sorry that didn't happen. But we did what we thought was best to provide a better way of life for you, Megan, and Noah...But you have to admit that we had some experiences that those who stayed in one place their whole lives never got to enjoy.

I just wanted you to know how much I love you! How proud I am of you and how much I pray for you. I want nothing but the best for you in your life...I wish I could do more...but sometime, in the long run, you will have gained more from having to be creative than from being handed it all on a silver platter...Although I don't think you have ever done without the necessities.

May you have the blessings of God on your life and put Him first, always! Do what you know is right, and follow your heart...but remember God gave you a good mind, so use it!

Happy Birthday Sweetheart! May God keep you in His hands and bless you always!

Today is August 12th! I can't believe that 21 years ago this morning, Andrew and I drove to Alexandria, Louisiana to embark on our new life. We became parents for the first time!

At 3:46 in the afternoon we said hello to Amanda Lauren Thomason. Wow! Where have all those years gone? I can't believe my first born is now officially an adult. It is almost as scary as it was all those years ago. We now move into a different phase of life with her. We have raised her, for good or bad, she is the woman that we raised her to be.

Which with a first born seems like a trial and error type thing. As first time parents, we made mistakes and had to learn from those mistakes. However, in spite of our clumsy attempts, she turned out well.

Would I do something differently? Yes. Am I thankful for the person she has become? Yes! But I don't take the credit for that, I owe God all the credit. Without Him and His help, things wouldn't have turned out as well. So I just want to say Thank you Jesus for the precious gift you gave to me 21 years ago today. And thank you for seeing us through those 21 years, guiding us and helping us to bring her up the way she should go. I trust you to continue to guide her and lead her throughout her life.

Andrew celebrated his 44th birthday on Monday. And we will celebrate 22 years of marriage August 27th. So we have a lot going on in the month of August.

My parents are coming up for a visit. They are planning to head this way on Sunday or Monday. Be glad to see them. I wish they would come more often and stay longer when they come.

Andrew and I had planned to run our first 5K this weekend. However, due to unexpected circumstances, we aren't going to be able to participate. The problem? Lauren has to work early that morning and Megan has a lock in the night before. So that left no one to be at home to see to my little man. We decided that we would forgo the 5K run so Megan could participate with the youth group. There are always other runs...in fact, I found the perfect first 5K for us to run. September 18th is the Asheville Citizen-Times 5K and half marathon. So we decided since my parents are going to be here, and since August 27th is our anniversary...we are going to go to Asheville for the weekend to celebrate our anniversary and run the 5K! I am so excited about this. Asheville is one of my favorite cities anyway. I attended University of North Carolina in Asheville for a short time many years ago. I fell in love with the city then and have always dreamed of one day living in the area again. So how great is it that I can go there to do something that I have dreamed of doing for years...running in a race! Even though it is only a 5K, it is a start and "the journey of a thousand miles" begins with a first step!

Have you seen these things? These Kettlebells? I first saw them on The Biggest Loser and then I started seeing them in the workout magazines. I really wondered if it lived up to the hype. After finding this workout in Prevention Magazine I decided to buy one an give it a try. Today was my second day of doing the 20 minute workout and I have to say, Wow! I am sore! It is moving muscles that I haven't worked lately, that is for sure. The workout is designed to be done three days a week plus cardio on the other days and it touts that you can lose 11 pounds! We will see...Since my weight loss has not just stalled, but stopped, I needed to do something to kick it up a notch, so hopefully this will do it! We will see. I am going to continue to run three days a week and train for the 5K next month, along with the kettlebell workout three days a week and we will see if I can lose some weight between now and the Asheville Weekend!

Today's Quotes

"The positive thinker sees the invisible, feels the intangable, and achieves the impossible."

~unknown~

"Oh, my friend, it's not what they take away from you that counts. It's what you do with what you have left."

~Hubert Humphrey~

"So often times it happens, we all live our lives in chains, and we never even know we have the key."
~The Eagles~ Already Gone

"The greatest discovery is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes."
~William James~

Happy Birthday Sweetheart!

Today is Andrew's 43rd birthday! Wow!

Where did the years go?

In two weeks we will be married 21 years!

My the time seems to have flown by in such a rush.

On Wednesday our oldest will celebrate her 20th birthday!

That is hard to grasp! I have a 20 year old daughter!

Wow!

In a little over two years she will be the same age I was when I gave birth to her! That blows my mind!

There have been so many things that have happened in the last 21 years, so many changes, so many experiences, so many memories.

No matter what the circumstances my sweetheart has always had the ability to make me laugh, or at least smile...

I love you honey, with all my heart!


Happy Birthday and may we celebrate many more together.

More on Noah

Going through some photos, I found this one of Noah that Megan took at least a year ago, if not longer. It was in the backyard of our previous house and she was just getting started into photography. It is such a sweet photo and so much little boy, that I just had to post it.

In a month Noah will be four years old! Where have the years gone? I know I am always talking about how quickly time is getting by, but I am continually amazed by the passage of time. I am trying to enjoy every moment possible with my children because I know how quickly they grow to become their own person and into adulthood. I just wish I could slow the progression of time and really get everything out of each day possible...

Children are such an awesome gift from God...I thank Him everyday for entrusting me with three precious gems...