Carson turns 2 today!

It is hard to believe that my sweet little boy is turning 2 today. Carson has added so much to our lives. So many memories both funny and sweet. I sit today looking through the many pictures I have taken of him over these last 2 years. Boy how he has grown in the short 2 years. It amazes me how much children change. I was reading April’s blog the other day and she was talking about how you cherish memories, how at the time you think you will remember every little detail and how that’s just not the case and as I sit looking over these many pictures I realize just how true those words are. Just in 2 short years there are so many memories we’ve made and with each new one those details of past memories become just a little fuzzier. Here are just a few of my favorites from the past 2 years to celebrate my favorite little boy. 

Happy Birthday Carson!

Memorial Day 2008 One of Carson's first trips outside

Those 1st few days at home.  Hard to remember how tiny he was.

One of my favorites!  Our 1st morning after our 1st night at home from the hospital.

June 2008


Boy how I miss them being small enough for sink baths!

3 months old

3 months old

October of 2008 5 months old

Summer 2008

December 2008 7 months old

10 months old

Halloween 2008 5 months old 

Fall 2009 1 1/2 years old

September 2009

Summer of 2009 Kids 1st trip to the beach

Carson's 1st birthday May 22 2009

18 month check up

Valentines day 2010

New Year's Eve 2010

1st hair cut December 2009                                 

Snow of 2010

          Summer of 2009

Way to go Caroline!

Caroline with her award for completing her first year.

Over the past year Caroline has been going to an Awanna class at church on Wednesday nights. She has the best time and looks forward to Wednesday nights just so she can go to Cubbies. I am such a proud mommy that she is already learning so much about our Savior and is so eager to share His love with others.  Tonight we had an awards banquet at church. Caroline has officially finished her first year as a Cubbie. She has one more year until she officially moves up, but how do you tell a 3 year old that?

Caroline and the rest of her class lined up ready for the awards to begin

Mother's and daughter's

Mother’s and daughters…

Not always perfect but always perfect in each other’s eyes. I thank God each an every day for the special mother he gave me to and for the special bond he blessed us with.

Here are just a few shots I managed to get at the ladies dinner at my mother’s church Saturday night.

Me, Momma and Christie

Aunt Cathy, Maci and Lia

Our attempt at a photo shoot or Caroline and Maci

Now we are a little happier

Snaggle tootth at 2?!?!

Monday night I was at work on the down hill slide of the day. It was about 6:15 almost time to get off and my phone rang. Nothing alarming, Brad often calls around this time to see if I want him to save me some of whatever he has made for dinner (especially if it is mac and cheese my favorite). Little did I know what awaited on the other end of the line…

Our conversation:
Me “Hello” Brad “CARSON FELL IN THE BATHTUB AND HIS TEETH ARE GONE!!!” Now before I go any further, let me say Brad is not the one in our house hold that deals with accidents well, that falls on me and since the calm one in an accident situation was at work… well enough said.
Conversation continued…
Me “what!? Hold on calm down what do you me gone” (Background noise is Carson screaming at the top of his lungs MOMMY..MOMMY..) Brad “ HE FELL AND BROKE HIS TEETHOFF! AND THERE IS BLOOD EVERYWHERE! WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?” Me “What do you mean broke his teeth off?" Brad “They are broken off at the gum” Me “Um hold on let me run over to the ER and ask. I will call you right back”

Me trying to remain calm all the while in my mind I can hear Carson in the back of my mind screaming MOMMY, MOMMY I leave work early because that is where my heart tugs me. The night was a long one. Carson was worn out from the accident and crying. We finally got the bleeding to stop and thanks to good friends that seem to know people everywhere… Camille called her sister in law Kim who got us worked in with a pediatric dentist the next morning.
Tuesday morning I went to work until about 9:00 and left to take Carson for his appointment. We went to see Dr .Josh Brink in Memphis. Great office, great experience.
The outcome…
After dental x-rays, one of his teeth is broken, the other that we thought was broken off the worst is actually shoved back into his gum most of the way. They are both extremely loose. So for now we will wait for them to heal a little, tighten back up some and see if the one that is shoved into his gum will come back down on it’s own. We go back in July to be rechecked and set up a time to fix what needs to be fixed.
On the bright side, it was better than we thought and I know... he is a boy and they are just baby teeth, but I don’t want him to have trouble with speech learning to talk without his two front teeth which he needs to be able to learn to make certain sounds. On the downside it is going to be nearly impossible to keep things out of his mouth while those 2 front teeth heal, especially since he sucks his thumb at night when he sleeps and still drinks from a sippy cup. Plus he is still a baby to me and he is my last so I am in no hurry to rush him to grow up. 

The night of the accident after we got the bleeding and crying tostop.

The following night we were able to get a few better pictures, although it's a little hard to see exactly how snaggle tooth he looks in person.

Our own mini session

Caroline had dance pictures last weekend.  She has really taken to dance and loves her recital costume so we decided to have a little mini session of our own. 

All poses and faces of Caroline's own imaganative design. 

Enjoy!!

I love being called Mommy!

Just a few of the reasons I work the long hours I do...

It is because of the rewards God blesses me with when I get to stay home on my days off.  No matter if it is running errands or just playing outside all day, I love the time I have with my family.

I remember growing up and if someone was to ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up I would say a mommy.  Even in highschool I assumed my career would be a stay at home mom.  Life didn't lead where I expected it to.  I felt called to help others through the medical field.  And though many days I feel torn between the two I feel blessed to have the work schedule I do.  Don't get me wrong it would be a dream to be able to stay home full time with my children.  I am envious of those stay at home mothers, but I know that God has given me the best of both worlds.  I have to rest assured that God has me where he does for His purpose. I love having 4 days in a row off every week to be able to spend all day with my children.  Even though working 3 long days means that some of the time on that 4 day stretch is spent cleaning the house, bathing the dogs and running errands at least we get to spend the time TOGETHER.  Because no matter what the task is being together always makes it more fun and definately more exciting.

In God We Trust

No pictures today...

... just a prayer to honor our National Day of Prayer.

Dear Lord,

Be with our country and it's leaders.  Help them to do your will.  Help them to seek wisdom and guidance from you.  Help them to come to you in prayer before making any decisions.  Help our country to remember the basis for what it was founded on.  "In God We Trust". Let those words not be just words but hold deep meaning for each and everyone of us.  Watch over our military, our commuities, our churches, our families and friends.  Forgive our many sins. Give us a voice for those that have none.  Guide each of us to walk with you everyday.  Help us to make right every wrong and live each day to praise your name.
Amen

Flash Flooding

The Flood of May 2010 Tipton County

For the sake of documenting things in our family blog that will make up part of our history because our history is a big part of what makes us.

This past weekend, the 1st weekend of May they were calling for severe rain and thunderstorms. I had plans to be out of town for a Junior Auxiliary annual education conference. Brad was going to be at home juggling the kids. My biggest worry seemed to be that Caroline was having dance pictures Saturday morning and Brad was going to have to fix her hair. And let’s just say fixing hair is not Brad’s calling. Momma stepped in to help and all was squared away no worries right?


WRONG! Saturday morning Brad called me and told me it was raining really hard. Me “okay, so are yall not going to pictures?” Brad “I don’t know if I can make it to get Caroline at your mom’s” Me “What do you mean? Is it raining that hard?” Brad “Aimee, everything is flooding I don’t know if I can get my truck through”

Now let me say that I have never been afraid of storms. In fact I really kind of like them. I remember sitting on the front porch when I was little with my dad when it would rain and it always seemed so peaceful. That’s one thing I really miss about having a big front porch. This storm however gave me a different sense of urgency. Not because it was a storm but because I was away from my family. By Saturday night, I was calling Brad frantic to make sure he had the kids in our bedroom and again to make sure he had moved them to the closet because we had gotten word while we were in Mobile that the tornado sirens were going off back at home. As usual, Brad had taken care of everything before I had to ask.

We made it through the storms and flooding with no damage. Not even a shingle blew off. The Lord watches over us and blesses us so much. There were so many families who lost so much. I am so thankful that the Lord holds me in His hand. He enables me to see my many blessings on a daily basis. President Obama has now declared Tipton County a state of disaster. It will take more than that for the many families to return back to normal life.  Thank you to my friends for the pictures so that I could see all that was happening.

Lord, my prayer today is that you will be with each of these families as they pick up the pieces. May you show them how you would have those pieces fit back together.