Lucky #100...

May was an awesome month...to say the least.

So much happened that I figured I would pack it all in in one post and I am sure that I will forget a couple of things. First of all, my bestie and I went on a girl's weekend to Atlanta. Lyndsey's birthday was on May 1st so we headed out of town to visit ATL for the first time for me. We had the best time. We saw an Atlanta Braves game, ate some yummy food, went to IKEA, and just were on no schedule for 3 days. I missed Maggie and Josh terribly, but I would be lying if I said that it wasn't great to get away and just be for a while. Lyndsey is one of the funniest people I know so we pretty much laughed off the pounds that we ate while there.

Couple of funny things about ATL:
(Clem-you will love this!)

1. NO ONE in Atlanta uses turning signals...at all...for any reason.
2. Atlanta does not have designated turning lanes for you to turn without backing up traffic for 5 years, which is super annoying.
3. EVERYONE in ATL honks all the time. Lynds and I would hook sometimes just to fit in!
4. IKEA is rid-i-c-u-lously huge...seriously, pack a lunch and a nappy blanket if you plan to visit. Oh!!! and don't dare get off the gray path to look at something...It might be your next birthday before you figure out how to get back on.
5. IKEA has the BEST hot dogs and chips on this planet. enough said.
6. Take a Garmin GPS. Genieve the Garmin was a lifesaver...especially if we listened to her!
7. Go to ATL with someone fun, someone you love, someone you can laugh at yourself with.

Shortly after ATL, Lyndsey graduated from Western. It was one of the coolest moments ever to watch my Student Teacher that I had become so close with, walk and graduate...all the while knowing that as soon as she gets a teaching job, she is going to ROCK IT OUT!

Josh and I both finished up our school year. My 6th (OMG) and Josh's 1st. I am so excited to have the whole summer with my best friend and daughter to do whatever we want. On this day, we were heading the Green Hills to run some errands. I bought Maggie's shirt that she on before she was even born. It is a 2T...at the time it seemed like it would be a lifetime before it fit her...guess what...she is almost 2! I can't believe it!


Field Day this year was awesome. Beautiful weather and awesome children and parents that were just happy to be there. One of my awesome teachers loved it so much she and her students decorated my office door with the sweetest letters and pictures.

They even decided to post-it note my car! I LOVED it!
Thanks Smells!!! Your the best!

Meet Amani...She is an absolute doll. She was having the time of her life. I loved that she will always remember Field Day and how cool it was to get soaked and love it!

Good ole' sack race...How sweet!

JuJu and Poppy Eddie were kind enough to bring Maggie to Field Day to see me. I loved it. I just remember thinking that I hope Maggie grows up and realizes that both of her parents love children so much that they devote their lives to teaching them and making a difference. Thanks JuJu and Poppy for bringing my Mags. I always love for my parents to see me in action!

Last night Molly Lolly came in town to stay a night with us and have some yummy steaks with the whole fam. She got to meet J.T. and see the rents. It was SO good to see her. She has been my bestie for 10 years now and we are just as close now as we were then. Actually, I think closer. When you grow and rely on each other, you learn and love someone more and more.

She couldn't believe how big Maggie had gotten and what a little character she was. We had a great visit, which included church this morning. We always have the best time, no matter what we are doing. I love you Mols. Thank you for coming to visit and being lovely as always. I miss you already.

Thanks for hanging with me on this long post, but #100 has to be special-right?

Happy May and come on June. Beautiful sunny days and laughter is hopefully in my future!

Craft Show Tomorrow...

Come see me tomorrow at Beech Cumberland Presbyterian Church Market Festival.

Right down the street at Beech Cumberland Church between the blinking light for Centerpoint Road and Beech High School.

9:00-3:00

I would love to see you all there. Come see all the cutie keychains, burpcloths, hair pins, children's custom clothes, and more from Maggie Moo's Mom.
Josh will also have some photography information available.

Live band, great food, silent auctions, and lots of fun for the whole fam.
Hope to see you all there!

Mother's Day...More than Just May 10th...

Mother's Day...I remember Mother's Day so vividly as a child. I always remember that time of year coming around and going to the store to get JuJu a card and something. If you know my mom, she just loves everything...yet, is hard to buy for because she has most of what she "needs." Mom was NEVER one of those moms that had a list of items that she expected to receive or else! She just loved the day and looking back I think that she loved the handmade cards and flower pots from school more than she did just "stuff."
(feel free to correct me if I am wrong JuJu!!)

I have been a mother now for two years. But really, so much longer. I remember my first year teaching when my awesome principal said to me..."Congratulations! Your now a mother to lots of children." So true. I love my students more and more everyday and honestly, I do believe that I might be the best example of a mother to some of them. Children now days carry so much "baggage." They come to school and know way to much for their own good. They know that their Mom can't pay the bills and their Dad is not at home. They know that their brother is in jail and the have no lunch money because they don't have money, period. They know that the stuff of the world is just really stuff because they are covered with love by the people that they do live with. They love their life because it is the best life they have to live. I am a mother to some of those children.

Then Ms. Maggie came along. Have you met her? She is quite possibly one of the coolest kids I know. I know, I know...she is mine and I am totally on her team, but seriously, have you met her? She loves life and that silly little adorable bunny more than anything. I admire her awesome spirit and love for a fresh new day. She loves Mrs. Donna and her friends at daycare so that is the highlight of her day. She loves when she sees my car pull up and can't wait to love on me. She loves when I sing silly songs and just sit with her. She loves it when her daddy gets her out of the bath tub and throws her over his shoulder to "find" her. She loves to reach for Josh during prayer time just to play with the fan strings because he is tall enough to get her up there.

After I had my miscarriage in August of 2006, I remember feeling like I had failed as a Mom, even though it had nothing to do with me. I just wanted to be the best Mommy to the child that was inside of me, but it didn't work out. That sweet child never formed and it wasn't meant to be at the time. When we got pregnant with Maggie, I felt like I was so undeserving of the ability to devote my life to loving a child. I knew that the Lord had placed that child in my life for a strong reason...and boy did He ever!

Last Thursday, my sister, Brea, became a Mommy again. Number 5. Mr. Joshua Tucker was born in Texas and Jonathan and Brea are, as I type, on a plane home with my newest nephew. Some people say I can't believe that your sister has five children...Honestly, I can't either...but have you met her children. They are the best kids and love their parents and life just as much as Maggie. Brea and J are awesome parents and if they want to have a house full, my heart will just grow bigger to love more and more. I can't wait to get my hands on little J.T. He is just beautiful. I am so thrilled for them and for the awesome life that this little man is going to get to experience because they loved him enough.

Moms are such special people. I doesn't really matter how many children you have or if you don't have any, your always special to someone. Like Mrs. Patti that I love so much. She is JuJu's bestie and I love her like mother. Or Mrs. Jamie...Molly Lolly's mom...what a lady. Or Grandmother Barbara...Jonathan's mom...She loves my family just like we are her's when we really aren't even related. And then their is my AWESOME grandmother Norma Jean. O Mercy...get to Greenbrier and meet this lady. She is responsible for my love of Dr. Pepper's and Little Debbies and so much more. She has love for me that I feel everyday. If you ever knew my Granny, LouEllen or LuLu as I loving called her, she was a woman that loved Hallmark, Yankee candles, and Shoney's on my birthday just to make me feel special. There are so many special people within my life that have molded and shaped me into the woman and Mom that I am today. I am so grateful for all of them.

My Mother's Day was so low key and lovely. I loved every minute of it. I asked Josh to do a shoot of us out in our back yard to just have some pictures of the day after church. I love them. I love the love you see in our eyes. I love that my daughter is growing older and going to "chuuurrrcccc" to learn about the Lord and looks like her daddy while doing it. I love that we live in a community were I see lots of those children that I "Mother" at church and they hug and love me and then say they can't believe I had on "real clothes" the next day at school.

I love that I am a Mom. I thank the Lord for that opportunity.