Ten years ago today...

Fred and I started talking about June 24th, 2000 the other day. We began a discussion about things that are the same and things that are different. Out of that discussion came the following lists...

Ten things that have changed over ten years:
1. I drive a van. I like it.
2. Fred no longer has hair.
3. We have three, count 'em three, precious boys.
4. Three people from our wedding photo have gone on to live with Jesus. We miss them and think of them often.
5. Fred and I both have cell phones. We would never travel anywhere without them.
6. We live in Paris, Tennessee. (Which we LOVE, but ten years ago neither of us would have believed it or entertained the idea of it!!)
7. Technology has changed. Ten years ago, we did not have digital cameras and only had a VCR hooked to our television.
8. When we got married, all of Fred's siblings were in college and/or high school. Today, they are all mature, happily married adults. It's been fun to see them grow and grow with them.
9. Fred and I are both in better physical shape than was when we got married. I actually enjoy a good, sweaty work-out.
10. Fred and I continue to grow and change in our relationship, but also in our love of our Heavenly Father. As that love for our Savior deepens we seem to love and respect each other even more.

Ten things that have stayed the same over ten years:
1. Fred is messy and I am neat. (Although we have both given some in this area.)
2. Fred is still my best friend. I can laugh, cry and share with him unlike any other person.
3. I still do at least one load of laundry every day (But, thankfully, Fred has grown accustomed to rotating his underwear!).
4. We went to the beach on our honeymoon. We continue to go to the beach (at least) once a year.
5. Fred and I have been serving Jesus Christ and His church together now for ten years. 10 years ago, the ministry was new and exciting. Today it's every bit as fun and exciting as it was then.
6. Fred's dream car is a Jeep Wrangler. Maybe some day he will get one!?!
7. Fred is still extremely absent minded. He misplaces his keys or phone on a weekly basis. If I had a dollar for every time I've heard, "Have you seen my (fill in the blank)?" I'd be a rich woman!!
8. We still have the same couch. (I wish this was on the change list, but alas...the kiddos have to eat.)
9. I'm still the most unsentimental, unromantic woman on the planet (this list is me trying :)).
10. Our resolve to make this marriage work is still what it was 10 years ago. Like any couple, we've had our ups and downs, but the effort has paid off in ways we could not have imagined.


This was taken the night before a wedding shower. We went to Mrs. Barefoot's house to open early presents.

Our wedding day...
Fred sent me roses on our wedding day. I got them when I was getting ready. (I should have added this to the change list. I would not want him to send me flowers today. Refer to #8 (and #9) on things that have stayed the same.)
Ten years later...

Jack swimming

Jack has always been timid in the water. He doesn't jump off the side, stray from me or get his head wet. He is content just to wear a life jacket and tootle (is this a word?) around in the water. Well, Monday this all changed. We got to the pool and he announced to me that he was ready for a swimming lesson and he no longer wanted to wear his life jacket. I told him briefly how to kick and paddle his arms and he was off!! He just started swimming! It was the cutest thing I've seen in a long time. He was grinning from ear to ear. He even jumped off the side! I got a video of him today to share with everyone. Hope you enjoy!

Five on Friday

1. Fred is pretty excited this week because we've gotten several things out of our garden: bell peppers, hot peppers, dill, tomatoes and squash. We canned several jars of pickles and made zucchini bread as well. Yummie!

2. We have had Vacation Bible School this week at church. I am always overwhelmed by how the week comes together. I pray it is pointing children and their families toward Jesus.

3. Clayton and I are reading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (along with other things) this summer. I've never read it and it's getting good. I pray he sees the picture of Christ that C.S. Lewis so beautifully paints in his book.

4. I told Jack to go get in his bed Wednesday to take a nap and the following was our conversation:
Me-Okay Jack, it's time to go rest.
Jack-No. (in an extremely whiny voice)
Me-No Jack, it's time to go rest. Please don't whine.
Jack-No, I don't want to rest.
Me-I didn't ask you if you wanted to rest. I said go. I'm counting to three and you better be on your way.
Jack-(Folding his arms and poking out his lips). Okaaaaay, but I'm not going to smile about it.

Also, this morning Jack told me he was hungry. I told him I was getting his breakfast to which he replied, "Could you get it a little faster?"!!

5. Andrew has started acting shy when someone speaks to him and I'm holding him. It is too sweet!

Five on Friday

1. Fred's brother and his wife (Dan and Tami) had their baby this afternoon. She weighed 10 lbs., 6 ounces! Whoa! Big girl. Her name is Sierra Nicole. It is reported that mom and baby are doing well. We are waiting patiently to see pictures!

2. Fred has been out of town since Sunday. He got in last night. I told him when I agreed to have a third child it was under the assumption that he would be here with me. He is not allowed to go out of town again until Andrew is 4.

3. Clayton has really been interested in learning all things math, especially multiplication. I have explained the basic concept to him and he seems to get it. He amazes me with how his mind works!

4. Jack turned four this week!! Four!! He does not know it, but he will have to have a well check up at the doctor in which they give him four shots. Four shots. I have not scheduled the appointment in an attempt to delay the inevitable.

5. Andrew started waving bye-bye to people this week. I thought he was just moving his arm, but then I realized he was waving when people were coming and going. Too sweet!

Happy 4th Birthday Jack!

Today was Jack's fourth birthday!! Fourth!!!! I cannot believe it! He has looked like a four year old for the last thirteen months, but now he is finally four! No longer will he eat from the children's menu for free...sniff, sniff!! I asked him what he wanted to do for breakfast and he picked the donut shop around the corner from our house. Since today was Wednesday we met up with Jerry and Patsy for lunch. We took a cookie cake with us to celebrate. Later that afternoon he said he wanted to go see a movie. Once we got back we had his favorite dinner--tacos! I feel certain we will continue to celebrate through Saturday when he has his party. Happy Birthday precious Jack!

The O'Neals last Sunday

Before we left for vacation we had to say good-by to the O'Neals. Jeremy and Lauren were at Springhill when we came six years ago. To say our kiddos are close would be an understatement. Jeremy and Lauren decided to move to Texas for him to go to school. When they first told us there were lots of tears from our boys. Jack even said Katelyn was not leaving. He suggested that she could stay in our guest room. I assured him that she would have to leave with her family. It's hard to imagine life at Springhill without them. They are part of our family! We know God has called them to go and we are excited to see all he is going to do through them!

Pit Stop, Part II

We are on our way home, but made a quick pit stop in Fairhope, Alabama to eat at Panini Pete's. We saw Panini Pete's on the Food Network on Diner's, Drive-Ins and Dives. It was "off the hook" as Guy would say!! Well worth the stop! Fred says he's turning into his dad by stopping at off the beaten path places. When I start looking for Christmas ornaments we are in trouble!! ;-)

Five on Friday--Vacation Style!!

1.  In spite of the beaches being closed we had a really good time!  We thought about going to the mountains, but decided to come south even if we couldn't get in the ocean.  We had the best time riding bikes, watching boats, playing with light sabers, playing at The Track, grilling out, working out, eating out and just generally relaxing (which we don't do very often)!  

2.  The was a moment last week when I called my 100th condo that I wondered if we would pull this week off, but we did and it was worth EVERY phone call!

3.  Clayton ran and jumped in my arms Monday night.  He wrapped his arms around me and said, "This is the best vacation EVER!  Thanks mom!"  Did I mention every phone call was worth it?!?

4.  Jack told me Monday night on the way to dinner in his sweet little voice that "he really liked where we were living."  Have I said yet that it was all worth it?!?

5.  While we didn't get Andrew out in the heat too much we did take him out one afternoon.  He L.O.V.E.D. the water!  Loved it!!    Once again, every minute of planning and stress...paid off!!

Pit Stop

In our condo we had a magazine with an article about a dairy, Sweet Home Farm, in Elberta, Alabama that produces its own cheese.  We had to stop!  We got all kinds of goodies!  Can't wait to get home and try some of them! The boys are pictured here with the owners, Doug and Alice. 

Orange Beach-2010

We booked our vacation to the beach in February.  We have gone with the Mauldins for the past several years.  When the news broke about the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico I never dreamed our vacation would be affected.  I was watching the news several weeks before we were to depart and saw the forecast.  I called Erica.  We called our condo. About five days before we headed out I saw Erica in Jackson.  She told me the oil was supposed to make land by Wednesday.  My heart sank.  After much deliberation we decided to stick with the beach, but maybe a different complex with different amenities.  We could not have been more pleased!  Our condo, Phoenix on the Bay, had a lazy river, a water slide, outdoor pools, indoor pools, hot tubs and a water slide.  It met our needs just perfectly!  If you have plans to go to the beach...GO!!  We highly recommend the place where we stayed. 

*Fred and I did ride our bikes to the beach one day.  It looked fine.  There were crews in haz-mat suits and tar balls.  Fred had his shoes off and stuck his feet in the water.  We didn't think anything about it, but when he went to put his shoes back on his feet were streaked with oil  So, if you are planning on going to the beach you may not want to plan on getting in the ocean.  Try to find a condo with other amenities and have a ball!!  We sure did...even without the ocean!! 

Five on Friday

1. While I was in Jackson earlier this week Fred called me to let me know a precious man at our church passed away. He died suddenly with a massive heart attack. Mr. Wallace taught our senior adult Sunday School class. He really cared for them. Our heart aches as we think about the loss of his life, but we take comfort in 1 Thessalonians 4:13: "And regarding the question, friends, that has come up about what happens to those already dead and buried, we don't want you in the dark any longer. First off, you must not carry on over them like people who have nothing to look forward to, as if the grave were the last word. Since Jesus died and broke loose from the grave, God will most certainly bring back to life those who died in Jesus." (Taken from The Message) Please join us as we pray for the family of Wallace Parrish

2. My check engine light has been on in my van for a good two months. It does not bother Fred, but it bothers me! I've had it in the shop and had several things done to it, but nothing has worked. I finally took it to the Mazda dealership Tuesday. It is Friday and they still have my van. They think they have found the problem. We are just waiting on the part. I drove back to Paris yesterday in a Saturn L3. Good times.

3. While Clayton and I were working in the garden we saw some squash. Clayton said, "Yes, they look nice, but I won't eat them and I'll probably be dramatic about it."

4. Jack is staying at Aunt Janice's house, otherwise known as Land of 1,000 Snacks. She has oatmeal cream cakes upstairs by the computer. This morning Jack spotted one. To my knowledge he has never had one. Janice said he quickly finished it and replied, "I ate ALL my cupcake!" Only at Aunt Janice's house to you get to eat "cupcakes" for breakfast!

5. Andrew cut another tooth this week. If anyone is counting, that is two teeth for Andrew! Two!! Where has the time gone?!?