Free At Last!! Free At Last!!

Thank God Almighty we are free at last!!!
Well we made it. School is out for summer. Although we had to go 2 extra days because of the tornadoes (yes I said tornadoessss) we finally made it to the last week of school.
Bayley was suppose to get out on Tuesday, May 20th. Due to the damage, their last day was Thursday, May 22. Maci's last day was not until Friday, May 23, however she is in 6th grade and their graduation was held Thursday, May 22nd. Does that make sense? I had to put a post it note on my forehead every day to make sure that I was where I needed to be when I needed to be there.
As if my schedule wasn't hectic enough, on the morning that Maci was going to graduate, I went into work a little early to get a jump on some of the end of the year stuff that needed to be done and I came in to glass everywhere. Someone had broken into the kitchen and smashed the window going in and then the window in the door to my office. I guess they were looking for money. They even tried to break the lock that was on our walk in cooler. What in the world is that all about?
Anyway, needless to say I was a little out of kilter the rest of the day. I was able to go to Maci's graduation anyway. They did one of those heart wrenching videos. You know the ones that you have to send one of their baby pictures, and they put them in there to make you realize how time has passed, and you feel as if you missed way too much of their precious lives. Yeah one of those. Then she gets her awards and comes over to me. When she stands next to me, I take note of how tall she has gotten. Then, as if that isn't bad enough, here comes Bayley. She is almost as tall as her sister and she is leaving the 3rd grade. My baby is going into the 4th grade!?!?!?!
I'm going to post some pictures for you to see of Bayley and Maci's last awards and graduation day as a 3rd and 6th grader. Oh my goodness. Maci is going into the 7th grade!!!!! I would say I don't feel any older.... but I do.

Until next time.

Whew, that was too close!!!

Talk about praising Him in the storm. I never thought I would have to be literal in that translation. But at 5:30 Sunday morning, as we were crammed in the hall closet, I had to put that into practice. Don't give me too much credit, I think it was more pleading in the storm than it was praising in the storm. As everyone know, Bayley is petrified of bad weather. I hated to even wake her up, but we had to get to a safe place. I mean really, how do you calmly wake your children up and tell them the sirens are going off, get in the hall closet!
I have two children that couldn't be more different. We woke them up and I think Bayley dove from her bed to the closet, and Maci sauntered from her bed to the close. In fact, I had to raise my voice at Maci to get her to hurry and save her own life. By the time Maci got in the closet, Bayley was already receiving her mail there.
I have to say, that was one of the scariest times in my life. I am trying to keep (I would say the children, but we all know I'm talking about Bayley, because Maci is trying her best to go back to sleep.) calm when I can see a glimmer of fear in Paul's eyes as well. It looked as if there was a disco gong on outside. The lightening was so constant. You could hear this rumbling, moaning sound as well. It lasted for a while and then calmed down. We checked things out and realized that the immediate danger was over and we plucked the girls from there safe haven. We all decided to wait the rest of the storm out in our bed. I was to wired to just lay there, so I got up and came to the living room and watched outside.
The sun was beginning to come up by this time. Then it happened. Even with the sirens still blasting in the background, I heard them. What you ask? BIRDS!! I knew it was officially over because the birds were singing. I believe, next the first cry and the laughter of my children, that was the sweetest sound I have ever heard.
We were very fortunate that nothing was damaged. There are thousands that weren't so fortunate. Paul and some other men from the church grabbed there chain saws and set out to help anywhere they could.
So even though it wasn't the normal Mother's Day, it was a good one all the same because everyone was safe and unharmed. Thank you God for sheltering us from the storm.

I'm just getting to post because our power has been off so Happy Belated Mother's Day!!

Ode to Granda!!!!

I know it has been a long time. I have been cheating on the infamous blogger. Maci came home one day asking if she could get a shoutlife. This is a Christian alternative to My Space. I finally gave in and let her have one under the stipulation that I would check it on a daily basis and I had to approve the friends she accepted. Well, I kept up my end of the bargain and have somehow got sucked into it myself. There are a lot of people here that have shoutlife pages. So, I have been posting blogs on that page almost daily.

But since it is Mother's Day, I thought I would grant my sweet Mother's request and update my blog. So, here goes. I am writing this blog to honor her. I mean after all, as I have been so often reminded, she did suffer death to bring me into this world. Its the least I can do to take a few minutes of my time to reflect on the greatness that is called my MOM. (How was that mom?)

Seriously, I could have never in my wildest dreams have picked a better mother than the one I have. Bayley handed me a note that she had written for me the other day that said "God must have been thinking of me when He made you." I'm more than certain she didn't come up with that on her own. In fact, I think I have seen that somewhere before. But, it still rings true. No other mother would have sat and held this blubbering idiot all day when I started my menstrual cycle. How many mothers would crawl into your room in the middle of the night and bark (you heard me right) bark at you in your friend right in the middle of an intense conversation about boys. How many mothers do you know that would send you congratulation cards when my friend and I made the color guard at school. How many Mom's would paint countless pieces of furniture for their grand kids, plan annual leaf jumping events, marshmallow roasts, and hayrides every single year. I could fill pages upon pages with wonderful things she has done to make my life and the life of my children memorable.

But its not just about the things she has planned and done for our entertainment. It's about the countless times I've seen her praying and reading her Bible. The times that she has reminded me that God is in control and that he will be faithful. The times I have seen Daddy have to carry her down the stairs int he middle of the night. Take her to Atlanta to the hospital, call her the next morning and never hear her complain about her situation. She always showed us that she trusted God to bring her through whatever situation she was in. I never detected bitterness, complacency or contention. Only joy, peace, patience and faithfulness.

So yes, this blog is an Ode to Granda. She is truly a legacy. I would love to be 1/3 of who she is.

Thank you Mom.
I love you,
Shelley