“If you’re going to let your boy wear a dress, teach him to sit like a lady. That’s all I’m sayin’.”

Today is my first baby’s sixth birthday. It’s hard to believe it’s possible that she could be that old. Time has really flown since this day six years ago. I still remember it all like it was yesterday. God sent us a special blessing when he gave us our Kyra Joy.

We had her birthday party…as well as Owen’s… last Saturday, since her Daddy was off that weekend. She had a Creation party, since she has been all into the Creation story since she went to VBS at my mom’s church. Here are some photos from their party:

Kyra and Owen’s Birthday Party

Happy birthday, Kyra Joy! I love you more than words could ever express. I got my beautiful baby girl six years ago, and you were everything I ever dreamed of or hoped for. I love you, Baby!

Today, Amy Jo and I got up early, went and had her hair cut, and then went to Knoxville. We were gone pretty much all day, and we had SO MUCH fun! Really, it was awesome. Chris was off today, so he kept the kids.

We went birthday shopping for Kyra and Owen, and went to the party store to see if we could find some decorations for Kyra’s crazy “Creation” themed birthday party. They didn’t have much to choose from, but we managed to entertain ourselves while we looked.

We tried on a few hats…

…and then a few more.

Our shopping got interrupted when I was attacked by a giant cockroach, but everything turned out okay.

Then…we had the BEST pizza at the Mellow Mushroom. It was so, so good, people!

Me and my yummy pizza…

…and Amy Jo and her’s.

On the way home, we stopped at Weigel’s for a drink, and we were absolutely overjoyed to see the Icee Bear! He was overjoyed to take a picture with us, I think. He gave me a little squeeze, and then we ran away. (Maybe. I might have made that part up.)

All in all, it was a fantabulous day. I am going to miss my friend when she leaves. We’re having a blast together. Makes me sad to think that there will soon be nearly 600 miles between us.

The kids’ Aunt DiDi sent them all birthday cards. They were so excited to get them in the mail today.

Owen LOVED his Thomas the Tank Engine card. It made a “choo choo” noise when he opened it.

One more video of Owen for you, DiDi.

My best friend is back in Tennessee to visit me for two weeks, and we are having so much fun. I picked her up at the airport in Nashville on Friday night, and she’ll be here for about a week or so longer. We’ve had lots of fun doing things together, and just hanging out here at the house.

Yesterday, we went to Frozen Head State Park, and went hiking. It is one of our favorite things to do together, and it was so nice. My wonderful mother-in-law babysat, and Amy’s kids are in Texas with her mom. So, that means, friends, we went hiking sans kids.

We had lots of fun. There were lots of these cool vine thingies hanging down from the trees, and they were very tempting to me.

We hiked to the top of the mountain to the observatory. It was about an eight mile hike there and back. We saw three or four deer while we were hiking, which I thought was awesome. It was nice and cool up in the mountains, and it was so very peaceful. We had a great time together. I can’t wait to go back.

Here are some photos we took along the way. Pay attention to how cute we look in the first photos…it didn’t last.

Frozen Head June 11 2008

My first nephew was born today. My brother, Aaron, and his wife, Tasha, had their first baby boy today. His name is David Wyatt. Just look at him! Isn’t he adorable?

Welcome to the world, Baby Wyatt, and congratulations Aaron and Tasha!!!

My sister-in-law, Misty, (my brother, Malachi’s, wife) and I made a garden this year. It’s on my mom and dad’s place, and it is quite large. It’s meant to be a garden that the entire family helps tend, but, so far this year, it’s been all up to me and Misty. Malachi plowed and tilled the garden with his tractor, but all the hard work has been all me and Misty. Seth helped plant the corn the first time (it didn’t come up and we had to replant yesterday), but that was it. Other than that, it’s been all me and Misty. Are you all following me? The work has all been done by me and Misty.

We have planted beans, corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, yellow squash, zucchini, okra, red, green, and yellow bell peppers, jalepenos, onions, cantelope, and watermelon. Mmm…sounds good doesn’t it?

I keep bringing up the story of the Little Red Hen, when people come and stand by the garden and give us obnoxious helpful comments or yell accolades from their recreational vehicles. No one seems to be worried, though.

So, all alone, Misty and I plant and hoe and weed and water. I am so very sore from today and yesterday. I have three blisters on my, oh, so delicate hands, and a weird, spotty line of sunburn on the back of my left arm where I apparently missed applying sunblock.

I’m very sore, yet, somehow, very content in the work I’ve done. Most of today I worked alone, while Misty was at work. With no one to have conversation with, I listened to Grace, my trusty mp3 player, and she sang sweet music in my ears as I hoed and weeded. It was like 92 degrees today, but it was beautiful and there was a breeze. I couldn’t help but enjoy the backbreaking work. God’s creation is beautiful, and it’s kind of completely amazing how we can plant a little seed and reap an abundant harvest. Ya know what? God is really cool. He just really, really is.

Gardening

P.S. I’m having trouble putting pictures in my posts lately. That’s why I’m linking to Picassa albums. Amy says she’ll help me get it worked out soon.

One year ago today, Chris left for Fort Jackson. I went to church, and spent the rest of the day (pretty much) talking to this girl I had just started talking to online a few days earlier. She was a Chaplain Candidate, and had sent me an email a few days before Chris left, just to be nice. We had chatted online a few times before Chris left, but not for any real length of time. We were just kind of getting to know each other. Her husband was deployed, and mine was fixing to leave for most of the summer.

One year ago today, Chris was gone, and my new friend’s husband was gone, too. He was deployed, and this day was their anniversary. We were both kind of sad. We spent so much time talking that day and night, and the next several days. We got to know each other really fast, because of all the time we had to be online, since our husbands were gone. Her friendship helped ease what proved to be a really difficult time while Chris was gone.

One year ago today, we had no idea where God was going to take our friendship. I remember saying “if we ever meet…” and it seeming like an impossibility. It seemed crazy to think that, since we lived nearly six hundred miles apart, we would be likely to meet in person. We had no idea that only four weeks later, we would be meeting in person for the first time. It’s crazy how many times we’ve been blessed to see each other in person since then.

One year ago today, I had no idea that I was making the best friend I would ever have. God has been really good to both of us. Amy’s friendship is a gift.

I’m thankful for you, Amy Jo! Thanks for being my best friend.

I have been a mom for six years, but I didn’t know this until today…

I really like making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Like, really, I do. I am not crazy about peanut butter. It’s not my favorite by far. Kyra doesn’t like it much at all. Elijah, however, thinks it’s pretty great, and Owen seems to agree with him. Normally, Elijah either eats a plain peanut butter sandwich or a peanut butter and honey sandwich. When I went to the store yesterday, though, I bought a big jar of grape jelly and a jar of peach preserves. Today, after church, I made Elijah a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He loved it!

A few hours later, everyone was hungry again, and I made Elijah and Owen another PB&J. It looked kind of good, so I had one, too. Turns out, I like them pretty well after all these years of thinking I didn’t.

This is pointless, for sure, but something about spreading the peanut butter on one slice and the jelly on the other, putting them together, and giving it to a grinning kid…well, it made me happy. It made me feel like a mom. Just so you know…you can’t really beat that.