Happy Halloween!!

Last night Mason and I carved our pumpkin. He really had fun helping me clean out all the pulp and then washing the seeds. We put the seeds in the oven with a little salt and baked them... YUMMY!

While we were carving the pumpkin, Mason kept looking over at me and saying, "I love you mommy." Then he would reach over and hug me or kiss me. He was so excited to be helping that he was overcome with emotion. He must have hugged me 10 times. I started thinking about how busy I have been lately. It seems like I have something planned for every night of every week. Weight Watchers, church, holiday parties or whatever. When I am at home, I'm busy doing laundry or dishes or catching up on cleaning. I realized last night that I haven't been doing enough fun things with Mason. That's why he kept hugging me. Normally while I'm cleaning or whatever, he is in his room playing. I really need to make a point of going in and playing cars with him or coloring. I'm not saying that I ignore Mason but while I am busy living my life, I'm missing little pieces of his.

It is so easy to get caught up in life and you look up to find that weeks have passed you by. My prayer today is that I can slow down and enjoy my family more. I don't want to look up one day and see Mason graduating from high school and wish that I could go back to play cars with him or color a picture of a Power Ranger. Shame on me for being so busy. Shame! Shame! Shame!

I was reading a book today called "Peace Above The Storm" and I came across a story that really touched me. I want to share it with you.

"Grandpa George had a failing heart. It was so diseased , his doctor had told him he would need a heart transplant or die. So his name was placed on the waiting list for a donor. Each night his grandchildren prayed that if it was God's will a heart would soon be available for him.

Then it happened but not in the way anyone could have guessed or wanted. George's grandson, Scott, was an active teenage, who loved riding his motorcycle with his friends. Scott prayed daily that his grandfather would get a heart.

Then one day Scott became the answer to his own prayers. He was in a terrible motorcycle accident. His friends stood around helplessly as he lay on the payment, his body crumpled at an odd angle.

The ambulance soon arrived, its sirens wailing, and sped Scott to the hospital. Their tests revealed that though his heart was still beating, he was brain-dead.

Scott's parents raced to the hospital in shock. When they heard that his death was inevitable, they knew what he would want them to do. They signed a form releasing Scott's heart to his grandfather.

The surgery was completed within a few hours and in the following weeks Scott's grandfather recovered nicely. He told reporters, "I have a new heart, but it's broken."

Scott's grandfather lives each day to the fullest in honor of the gift his grandson gave to him. "If I waste this life, Scott's gift will have been in vain," he says.

What about you? Somebody died so that you could live forever. That's how special you are to Him. Don't waste His gift."

Bernie's Graduation Speech - Part 1 & 2

Have you ever seen anything as cute as this? Mason is officially a Lil Dragon. He starts karate on Tuesday and he is so excited!! I hope that he likes it because he looks really cute in his outfit or whatever it's called.... a gee I think?

Random Thoughts

Let me start by telling everyone that I bought a pair of size 8 Levis today and guess what..... THEY ARE TOO STINKIN BIG!! I didn't try them on at Belk but was pleasantly surprised when I got to work and tried them on!!

Tonight Sandy and I are taking the boys with us to church. I admit that I haven't been to church in a few weeks and there really is no good excuse.

My Halloween costume should be here any day. Brett and I are both going to be devils. Now, that doesn't mean that we are devils... we are just dressing up as devils. We are more like club devils, sort of punk devils. Our costumes match and I am hoping that they look decent on us. I guess we'll see!

I totally got ALL my hair chopped off today! I look like a different person. It is boy short and I absolutely love it!! Brett is going to be happy because he likes my hair better when it's really super short.

Mason is doing great! He is going to be a green Power Ranger for Halloween. Although lately, he thinks that he is a dog and even barks and crawls around on the floor. I have to tell him every morning that he can't be a dog at school.

I will close with this.... Mason told me that for Halloween, Brett could be the cow and I could be the utter! Isn't that nice??? I'm sure that he heard that from his daddy!

The Faith Home Choir

Pictures From the Faith Home

These are a few pictures that mom took while she was visiting Bernie this weekend. He looks really great and so stress free. He graduates this coming weekend. There will be 11 graduates and they all get to speak. I am definitely going to pack my tissues. My prayer is that this weekend will be all about giving God the glory for all that He has done and will continue to do in Bernie's life. I am so excited to see him. It is going to be a fun weekend! I wouldn't miss it for the world! Who wants to go???

Happy Birthday Ivette!

Have you ever had a friend that you just wouldn’t trade?

One of the sweetest people that God ever made?

Someone who wipes away your endless tears,

She knows your weaknesses and all of your fears?

I have this friend that God made just for me,

We are as perfectly matched as friends can be.

She has walked with me through fire and rain,

She has stood by me through the greatest of pain.

She laughs when I laugh and cries when I cry,

She tells me the truth, looking me straight in the eye.

She’s been there through the good and all of the bad,

She can just look at me and tell right away if I’m sad.

God knew what He was doing when He brought us together,

He knew that our friendship could withstand any weather.

So, today I celebrate the day of her birth,

The day that God sent an angel down to the earth.

So Happy Birthday my friend, Have a great day,

And may our friendship stay strong, come what may!

Vacation Pictures

Now back to blogging.....

After being gone for over a week, it is so hard to get back into the swing of things. We had an amazing time in Florida. The kids were as good as they could be staying in one room. Angie and I really had a good time talking and laying out by the pool. When we are at home, we don't get much time to just hang out.... it was almost the best part of the trip. Want to know what the best part of vacation was? Brett surprised me and came down on Monday. He called my cell phone from the lobby of our hotel and told me that he was going to a meeting for work. I looked up and there he was! I caused a commotion around the pool! He only got to stay until Wednesday but Mason and I enjoyed every minute that he was with us!!

Ok, so, Angie and I could totally be on the show Girls Gone Wild because we sort of did. Sunday, Angie got her belly button pierced. I wanted to really bad but I chickened out. All day Monday I thought about it and tried really hard to build up enough courage to do it. Finally, at about 8:45pm Monday night, I said, "Let's go before I change my mind." I knew that if I at least got in the van with Angie that she would not let me chicken out. So, I got my belly button pierced!!

Then on Friday evening Angie and I both got tattoos. I already have one on my back that I got about 7 years ago. I forgot how bad it hurt! Oh my, I thought that I was going to have to squirm off the table and run out the door. I had my fists clenched and my toes curled. I was making some really ugly faces. I had no idea that there was surveillance cameras all around me. I really hope that no one was watching me for those 30 minutes.

Mason had a blast. His hair turned five shades lighter. He almost has white hair. He swam everyday and learned how to doggy paddle. He really looked like a puppy with only his little face out of the water.

Anyway, we had a great vacation! Now back to reality......