Looking back, looking forward

On August 8, 2012 we made a big change in our lives.  HUGE!  We bought a new house and we’ve (and by that I mean my very talented hubby) been in the process of renovating it for the last 3 1/2 months.   While this house is our new home, it is not new by any means, nor is it new to me.  It was built in 1946 by my grandfather and my two great-grandfathers!  My Grandma and Pa lived in this house until the day they left this earth to soar to heaven.  They raised their five kids in this house.  We had Sunday dinners and Christmas dinners and too many fish fries to count in this house.  There are so many memories wrapped up in this house that I become completely overwhelmed!  I am beyond honored and blessed that this house will now be our forever home.  That I will raise my boys here  and that my hubby and I will grow old here surrounded by the love and the memories of the past as we move forward making new memories.

Before the renovation could begin, I had lots of photos to take, starting with these…

Getting ready for one of our many fish fries.  The original photo was taken around 1977-1978 I think.

Showing off my new book bag for kindergarten!  Original photo taken in 1980?

My sweet, loving, wonderful Grandma Lorene!  Oh, how I miss her!

My strong, stubborn Pa Hut just the way I remember him!  How I wish he could be here to watch my boys grow up!  They would be kindred spirits hitting all the best fishing holes!

What precious memories I have to look back on!  What precious memories I have to look forward to!  Extremely blessed!

Flashback Friday: Trey’s 4th

Last Friday, I shared Jesse’s 5th birthday with you.  However, that was not our first Toy Story birthday.  Trey’s 4th birthday party was also Toy Story themed and he too insisted on wearing his Buzz Lightyear costume.  Buzz is one costume that we have most definitely gotten our money’s worth out of :-)

      

Oh, what memories!!!  I so enjoyed looking back at all the many photos from this day…seeing how my big boy and all our friends kids have grown, seeing myself 7 months pregnant with Jesse, seeing Granny Rene enjoying the festivities with us…what a wonderful time to flashback to!

Our Baby Boy is Four!!!

We interrupt our many, many Easter postings, to wish Jesse a very happy 4th birthday! And it's entirely appropriate to interrupt Easter with a post about Jesse because 4 years ago, on Good Friday, our sweet baby boy made his entrance into this world two weeks early, totally throwing a monkey wrench into all of our Easter weekend plans. Back then, Trey didn't mind giving up his egg coloring because Jesse was coming. He was soooooooo very excited to become a big brother and he couldn't wait till Jesse got here. He was so mad that we wouldn't let him stay in the delivery room so he could see Jesse as soon as he arrived! My, my how times have changed;-) But, although Trey gets very frustrated with Jesse at times, he is a great big brother, and Jesse is our rambunctious, loving, sweet baby boy who completes our little family perfectly.

These sonograms were taken about 6 weeks before Jesse was born. I was amazed at the detail and now I can look at them and see his sweet face.

Just born
April 14, 2006 ~ 5:03 pm
8lbs ~ 10oz ~ 21in

Brotherly Love

Jesse was born on Good Friday, came home on Saturday, and celebrated his first Easter with all our family on Sunday!

Four Generations
Grandma Lorene holding Jesse, Trey, Ah-ee, and Me

Happy Birthday to my amazing baby boy! You have brought so much joy, love, and sweetness into our lives. Thank you Lord for allowing Jesse to become part of our family. Thank you for his sweet spirit, his determination, and his love. I pray that you watch over him every day keeping him safe and healthy. I pray that as he grows, his love for You continues to deepen and grow also. I pray that You continue to grow and develop his gifts and talents and that he uses those gifts and talents to bring glory and honor unto You. I pray for a long, healthy, happy life and that all his dreams come true. Thank you Lord for our Jesse!

Happy Birthday Jesse! We love you very much!!!

Flashback Friday 2: Trey's 1st & 2nd Thanksgiving

I was sitting here this morning trying to remember how many years we've been celebrating Thanksgiving in Macon. I know that Trey has always celebrated it in Macon, before that I couldn't tell you. I didn't go digital with my pictures until November 2003, so while I have lots and lots of pictures of Trey's first Thanksgiving, they are all in scrapbooks. However, since all my flashbacks seem to be of Jesse because his first pictures are much easier to access, I scanned in a couple of pictures of Trey so that you can see how cute my baby boy was (& he still is by the way!)

Mama, Trey, & Grandma Lorene
Macon, Thanksgiving 2002

Trey & Grandma Lorene
Macon, Thanksgiving 2003

Flashback Friday

It has been almost a year and a half since Grandma Lorene unexpectedly and very suddenly made her journey to heaven. I have missed her every day since, but for some reason the pain of missing her has been stronger these last few weeks. Today I share with you one of my favorite photos of her. It is the one that I have in my living room. The one that I look at every day. The one I talk to. This was taken in the hospital, the day after Jesse was born. We were going home in just a few hours, but Grandma couldn't wait to meet and get her hands on the newest addition to our family. Grandma loved us all unconditionally, and somehow she made us each and everyone feel like she loved us best, but the babies held a very special place in her heart.

Grandma Lorene and Jesse
April 15, 2006

Portrait of the Past...Thanksgiving 2007

I usually post about the current happenings in our lives. Today I am taking us back almost a year. You see it will soon be five months since my incredible grandmother flew very unexpectedly and suddenly into the arms of Jesus and while I know that she was very ready to make that flight, those of us left behind were not ready to lose her. Her death has been something that I have struggled to accept these past months and as our first Thanksgiving and Christmas approach without her it has become harder.
I recently received my e-vite to Thanksgiving dinner at my aunt’s home. We’ve celebrated Thanksgiving there for many years now. It’s a pot luck Thanksgiving, with everyone bringing our specialties and us winding up with enough food to feed a small army. Every year in her e-vite, my aunt includes a list of what everyone brought the previous year. Listed there with everyone else was Mama Lorene (Grandma to me)—mustard greens and cracklin cornbread. And it reminds me how we will never taste Grandma’s specialties again and the tears start to flow again. However, my aunt put it very well when she said, “Yes, we will miss her and her contagious laughter but we all know she will be us in spirit and laughing right along with us”.
Last year Grandma was very happy and excited to meet her newest great grand child. Grandma loved babies!!! She loved holding them and cuddling them, and always hated it when they got too big for her to hold any more. This year she will be sorely missed, and I am sure that we will shed a few tears as we remember Thanksgivings from the past. But we will also know that Grandma is right there with us, laughing with us, and watching over us always.