Baseball fun!

What a season! Barnes played for Land Office this year and had such a great experience. This was his first year in the 5/6 year old coach pitch league. The boys played their hearts out and are professionals compared to where I was playing at age 5/6. I was doing cartwheels in right field at 5. These kids may get drafted by 7. :)

They only lost one game this year and were able to win the division and the end of the season little league tournament for their age group. But the most important thing is that they learned sportsmanship and love of the game. Way to go Hammers!

And now you are six...

2190 days. Give or take a day or two for leap year. That's how many days I've been a mommy. So many days. But they have flown by. This year was so special:

You gained a sibling
Started junior kindergarten
Played coach pitch baseball
Learned to read
And so many more firsts!

But it's the things you continue to do everyday that make you so exceptional.

You are so loving
So helpful
A protector
Genuinely interested in others
Kind
Gentle
Enthusiastic
Motivated

I'm so proud of the boy you are growing up to be. This year you have become really affected by those serving our country in the military and have asked lots of questions about fighting for our country and what freedom means. About 6 months ago you saw a commercial on tv about the Wounded Warrior Fund. You asked if you could send them money and it brought you to tears. I said sure and didn't really take you serious at first. But then you saw the commercial again a week or so later and came to me specifically to ask for help sending your own money to help. I said okay and you decided you wanted to send $20. We wrote a letter and mailed it. Months later you saw a story on the news about a child that got $$ for her birthday instead of presents. She asked for $$ to donate to cancer research. You were so excited and said you could do that for the wounded warriors. We talked about it and you were 100% you wanted to get $$ instead of gifts. We were just about to move so we haven't mailed the $$ yet but I'm so proud if your giving heart. You raised almost $300 for wounded warriors from your party. I hope and pray that God always touches your tender heart and that the good shines through in you. Happy Birthday to my BIG six year old. I'm the luckiest mommy. The last 2190 days have been the best ever!

Moving day #2

Here are a few more pics!

Moving day!

What a busy few weeks we've had. Packing, packing and more packing. But today was the day and thankfully it was all ready to go! Our movers were supposed to come yesterday. But they had the truck break down in Nashville. Oddly enough, we had another company show up yesterday morning and think they were supposed to move us!! How funny. I never talked to the guy again once he gave me a quote. It's been a highly stressful day and we have crammed everything we own into one 18 wheeler and moved it 80 miles due west. Tomorrow it gets even crazier when it all gets dumped at the new house.

I've been fine all day and have been at peace with the fact that we are moving. Until all our wonderful neighbors started coming over to tell us goodbye. We had kids coming over hugging my sweet babies goodbye and moms and dads coming over for hugs and handshakes and well wishes. How blessed we are to have had such amazing people in our lives while living at our old house. The truck driver came over as they were about to leave and gestures upward toward the house and said, "I just don't understand, why would you leave such a beautiful home and neighborhood." I just about lost it crying. If he only knew how true a statement he'd made.... Leaving today is one of the hardest choices I've made in my adult life. Leaving everything behind and starting over is scary. But I know in my heart that God has a plan and this is part of it.

Goodbye, Jackson. You are forever in our hearts!

Home is where our hearts are

Today we closed on our new house. We love it and can't wait to get settled in. This is our fourth house we've purchased together and I love it more and more! I hope our family will make many wonderful memories together there. I'm so sad to leave our current house. It is a house we built from the ground up, a house we put our hearts into and a house surrounded by those we love. I hope the new house can be just as filled with love and warmth as this one has been.

14 days and counting

I'm terrified. I may seem like an extrovert, but that's an act. I'm actually an introvert that has happily stayed home in my pjs with three preschoolers for the majority of the last six years. I have a small, core group of friends and get WAY uncomfortable in large groups of people when I have to make any conversation. I'd prefer to stand I the corner with one friend and not mix and mingle. So... The thought of me, at 35, leaving that safe city and safe neighborhood and safe group of friends, is really about more than I can think about. I have a total of one friend in my new location and I haven't layed eyes on her except once in 5 years. This move is not about my sob story, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. I'm excited to get settled and build a life there. But I'm nervous about putting it into action. Praying The Lord puts great people in our path and helps us find a sense if belonging and community, along with a strong church group that we can become part of. 14 days and counting...

In the blink of an eye...

How cliche to use the term, "time flies when you're having fun!" But nothing captures my sentiments better.

Brad and I were married 10 years ago on April 3! It feels like I've known him for as long as I've been alive, but it also seems that in the blink of an eye, 10 amazing years have passed. I'm blessed by his love, dedication, patience and investment in our family and in me. I know not a better man than he.

Happy Anniversary! I love you more!!