2006 - Recap

Since the new year is just hours away, I thought I'd recap some things that happened in 2006. The thing that really stands out the most in my mind is that PaPa passed away on January 9, 2006. That was probably the saddest day in my life. Our family held on tight to each other and we made it through that rough time, with God's help. We had A LOT of birthday parties at mom's and several anniversaries. Brett and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary on July 7. We spent the weekend in Charleston at a Bed and Breakfast. It was so nice! I joined Weight Watchers and have lost 25 pounds. I was blessed with new friends and we became the Flip Flop Club. I can not even begin to tell you what this group of girls has meant to me. I look forward to many years of flip flopping through our lives together. I started going to Sunday School and let me just tell you that it has blessed my life more than words can begin to express. Our Sunday morning group is really unique and I am glad to be a part of it. Through WW and Sunday School, friendships have formed that will bless me forever. Ivette and I made it through another year of great friendship. We have held each other up through tears and laughter. She is my sister and I love her so much. I started playing golf again. I'm not that good at it but it is so much fun. Angie, Jessica and I played in our first tournament and we did not come in last place. Yah us!! Speaking of Jessica... she has been an amazing friend!! I know that God put her and Jeremiah in my path this year for a reason and slowly I am seeing that reason. It's because I needed them and I didn't even know it. God always knows what we need, even before we know it. (Sniff-Sniff) This year, I caught the "crying at the drop of dime disease" from Jessica... thanks for sharing that with me. The people who make Kleenex are certainly benefiting from that! Mason started taking karate. He can karate chop you and do it with a smile! He has been such a good boy this year, aside from the occasional, normal things. He turned four on September 17. He has a "girlfriend" at school. She is very pretty. He tells us that he is going to marry her when he grows up. He is growing way too fast. Brook and Justin got a new puppy named Remi. He is really adorable and full of energy. They love their pups! We got a new puppy and named her Layla. She has been a great addition to our family. Ripley is very happy to have her to play with.

I finished my 12th year at Real Estate Professionals. That's a long time, huh? Time has really flown by! Bernie graduated from the Faith Home in October. He is new man and continues to grow in his faith and his recovery. Bobby and Diana moved in two doors down. Mason loves having them so close because he can play with Robert and Wes more. Billy and Amy built a beautiful home in Walling Grove. It is their dream house and I couldn't be happier for them. They also got two new pups. Maverick and Bailey. They keep Billy and Amy very busy! Angie went back to work and seems to like it. Her purse business is also doing really well. I went on vacation with her and all the kids in September. Angie and I both got tattoos and belly button piercings. We had a great time! I'm sure that I left out a lot about 2006 but if I wrote about everything that happened, it would be 100's of pages long.

All in all, 2006 has been a good year. There has been a lot of laughter, tears, and disagreements but we made it through the year together. I hope that everyone has a safe and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I know, I know! I haven't blogged in over a week. We have been so super busy since before Christmas. Now it is almost a new year and we are still busy!

We all had an amazing Christmas. On Christmas Eve, Mason, Jessica, Jordan, Jackson and McKenzie sang Happy Birthday Jesus at church. It was so precious and of course, I cried. I think that I am catching the cry all the time thing from Jessica Y. because I cry at the drop of a dime.

Christmas day, I made breakfast for Brett's mom, dad, aunt and uncle. They came over about 8:30am. Mason had been up since about 7:30 and plowed through the things that Santa left for him. He was so excited. His favorite gift was a trampoline! It was raining on Christmas day but he jumped anyway and Grandma (Brett's mom) jumped with him. Needless to say, he was soaked when he came back in but it was worth it to see the smile on his face.

We went to mom's at noon to open presents and eat lunch. It was really crazy but really fun, as always! After mom's we went to Brett's aunt's house for dinner. We ate all day long but it was all yummy and worth it!!

Mason is loving all the days off of school that he has had over the holidays. He has been trying to fake sick every morning that he does have school so he can stay home. This morning he told me that his tummy hurt. I asked him if it really hurt? He said, "No, but my knee hurts." Again, I asked him if it really hurt. He said, "No, but my elbow really does hurt...... for real." He did go to school today but he has three days off now. I am not looking forward to Tuesday morning when he has to go back to school!! Little Faker!!

Happy New Year Everyone!! Be safe!!!

Date Night

Friday night, Mason and I had date night. Brett had to work so it was just the two of us. We had such a great time. We went to see Charlotte's Web. It was so super cute and Mason agreed. He sat as if in a trace and stared at the screen. I have always loved Charlotte's Web and now so does Mason. It was fun of humor and we laughed and laughed! Templeton, the rat, was the funniest character. Mason's favorite part was when Templeton got a rotten egg and took it into his rat hole. He rolled it down and put in a spot where he thought that it would be secure. Well, it started rolling and Templeton started running. The egg eventually caught up with him and broke. Yucky, rotten egg went all over him. Mason laughed and laughed. I told Mason that I thought I could smell that rotten egg. He looked at me and said, "No, mom that's not rotten egg you smell. I passed gas!" Talk about giggling!!

The most special part of our evening was while we were in Belk before the movie. I don't remember what song was playing on the radio but Mason looked up at me and asked me to dance. Of course, I accepted and we did a little slow dance in the junior section of Belk, complete with twirling and dips. It was truly a memorable moment in my life.

According To Mason.....

On the way home from school today, Mason and I were talking about Heaven. I'm not sure how the subject came about but it was priceless. I asked Mason what he thought was in Heaven. He answered, very matter of fact, "Well, there are little floors because you walk on clouds and we won't need floors. God's bedroom is on the left and mine will be right across the hall." He named all the people and animals that he knows are in Heaven, waiting on him. Buster, Sabre, Jackson's grandfather, Cooper, PaPa and his hermit crab. Then he asked me if the "real" Joseph would be there. I told him yes. He wanted to know if the real Mary would be there, too. Yes, she will I told him. He sat in the backseat lost in his own thoughts. Then he asked, "Mommy, were you there when Jesus died on the cross?" I told him no, I wasn't. He told me that he thought that PaPa was there because he was old. He asked me how Jesus died on the cross. I told him that some men beat him and he died. He sat looking really sad and then said, "Mom, did you know that when people die that their eyes stay open?" I asked him how he knew that. He said that he was at Mr. Asa's house and that he had an alligator in his freezer. He told me that the gators eyes were still open but he was dead. He told me that he thought that Jesus died with his eyes open so that when he got to Heaven, he could look down and see what we were doing. Sort of a morbid thing for a four year old to consider but it makes sense to Mason. Can you believe this kid of mine??? He is truly amazing!

Mason's Layla Bear

Busy Days!!

I know, I know! I haven't blogged in a few days but I have several good excuses. Mason, Brett and Layla!

This time of year is always so busy but this year seems to be a lot busier. Mason is in the Christmas program at church so we have been back and forth to church a good bit to practice. He is Joseph so he thinks that he the luckiest kid around. The program is Sunday night. I know that it will be so good because all the kids have worked really hard.

Santa came a little bit early and delivered Mason a puppy. Her name is Layla and Mason really loves her. She is already fitting in well with our family. She EXTREMELY prissy and SUPER foo-foo!! Today her hair is up in pig tails on the top of her head with hot pink rubberbands. Foo-foo, huh? I'll post some pictures later.

Brett and I went on a date last night. We haven't been out alone since our anniversary in July. We really enjoyed it! We went to Moon Doggies for dinner. It was really yummy and definitely not Weight Watchers friendly... oh well! Thanks to Jessica and Jeremiah for letting Mason come over so we could go! We owe you one or two! You name the time and we will be there to keep your girls so y'all can go out!

Last night while I was tucking Mason in, he was telling me about his day at school. He told me about the letters that he learned, the crafts that he did and about his friends. Then he shocked me with this, "Mommy, I told Henry that if he was a good person in this world that when he dies he will go to Heaven." Mason told me that Henry started to cry because he didn't want to go to Heaven without his parents. Of course, the idea of Heaven to a child must be sort of scary if they have never been to church and heard about how wonderful it is going to be. Mason told Henry that his parents could go to Heaven too if they loved God. Just as simple as that, my four year witnessed to another four year old.

Although Brett doesn't go to church with me every Sunday, we both agree that Mason should be raised knowing and loving God. Brett and I were both raised going to church and we want Mason to understand and love the Lord. Isn't it amazing that now Mason is telling other kids about Heaven and God? I am very proud!!!