Month of July...

Not really alot going on, just trying to enjoy the summer while it lasts.  Here are some random snaps I've taken recently...

Here is Ry and his new toy, he LOVED it!



Brandon and I trying to play catch on July 4th





Brandon and Ry on a trip to Norris Dam











Trip to Sterchi Park...Ry had a good time.







Us in the car...



Rylan putting money in his moo bank





And us being silly, we do this alot!



So this is July wrapped up in pictures.  Fall is right around the corner, everyone enjoy the last weeks of summer!

Summer summer summer time...

Wow!  I can’t believe it’s been 2 months since I’ve posted anything.  Time just flies!  Well in that two months a few things have happened.  We’ll start with vacation.  We took a week and went with our adopted family to Holden Beach, SC.  It was so nice to get away from here for a whole week!  Rylan did better this year than he did last year.  He enjoyed playing in the sand from the start…



…but it took him a few days to get in the ocean.



When he did get in, it wasn’t passed his knees.   And once he got used to the pool, he just kept jumping in.



It was so cute watching him running around so free!



We had a great time and can't wait to go again next year!



Thanks everyone for making a great vacation!

Two of my good friends both bought their first house so a BIG CONGRATS to both of you.  A new step in this crazy thing called life.  Speaking of, I know this may seem crazy but its like God’s up there playing Sims with us.. You know, going thru life, getting jobs, having families….just a thought.  Just brings up that famous question, ‘what is our purpose here?’

We just got back from a beautiful wedding in Johnson City.  As you may remember Julia and Ben from my photography blog a few months back, they got married on Saturday.  I also did some bridal portraits for her that I’m hoping to post soon, so check that blog as well!



It was such a joy to be a part of such a happy day.  It brought back so many memories, mostly good memories but also a few that left me in tears.  I watched Julia’s mom a lot and it just reminded me of my mom on my special day.  How much time and money and patience she put into my wedding to make it perfect for me.  Looking back, that day was a perfect example of how much love a mother had for her only daughter.  Of course I thanked her for everything she did but looking back on it, I could never thank her enough.  Not just for the decorations and the wedding itself but for the overwhelming love that was shown and the happy tears she cried that day.  So much was taken for granted and that’s one bad memory I have.

So last week was crazy with the celebrity deaths, not that it rumbled my world or anything but still, it was crazy!  Between deaths, marriages and having babies....people are busy!  I know 4 people that got married this past Saturday and nine, yes NINE people who are pregnant right now.  Busy, busy people!

Well that's my summer update so far, happy days!

Let's play catch up

First Trip to the Zoo… 

…didn’t go as I thought it would!  I’ve been waiting on the weather to warm up some cause I couldn’t wait to go to the zoo.  Rylan is pretty big into animals and their sounds so I thought this would be a fun trip.  So a few weeks ago, Brandon and I decided to pack up Ry and go.  Well Rylan didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought he would.  He just looked at the animals like he didn’t care if they were there or not.  If the zoo had dogs, he would have been thrilled but huge elephants and giraffes didn’t phase him much!  Anyways, here are some pictures and I added an album on the right for you to look at.  As you will notice, he was out of it by the end of our trip!

          

 

 

 

 

 

Easter Sunday... 

Here are a few pictures from Easter.  We didn’t really dress up much but I did manage to get a few pictures.

       

 

 

 

 

Rest in peace...

As some of you already know, my mamaw whom I was taking care of, passed away last Thursday morning.  It wasn’t a shock by any means, being in and out of the hospital for a few months.  Seems like ever since mom passed away a little over a year ago, she has just went down hill.  She was 82 years old and her body was just worn down.  We did however get a chance to talk about it since she knew her time was near.  That meant a lot to me since I didn’t have that luxury with mom.  She was ready and that’s what mattered most.  After her passing, we had some insane road blocks and I couldn’t fill her last request of being cremated but I’m trying to get passed that and move on.  I tried my hardest and there’s nothing more I can do.  Thank you to everyone who had us in your thoughts and prayers, you are deeply appreciated

 

 

Is it selfish to ask people to pray for you?

I was wondering.  I know that may sound silly, but really, is it? I don’t like asking people for help, that’s just a part of who I am but I seem to have to do that quite often, this week especially. As some of you may know, my mamaw, who I’ve been taking care of constantly since Mom passed, was put in CCU at St.Mary’s this week. She is currently still in there for many reasons. She had a heart attack while she was in the ER on Monday, she has lots of fluid build up around her heart and lungs and in her lungs. They actually drained some out the other day but I expect it to fill again. As for her heart, it’s barely beating. They didn’t do a heart cath to see how severe the heart attack was or how much damage it caused. She is becoming ‘rambunctious’ as one nurse told me this morning and very confused. She is a feisty little lady when she wants to be and apparently she threatened to bite a couple of nurses the other night, even though she didn’t have her teeth in! I have realized though, even though its embarrassing, I can’t do anything about it. She is her own person and won’t do anything unless she wants to. So as much as I tell her to behave, it doesn’t matter, I’m wasting my breath. So, I have had to find someone to watch Rylan while I go to the hospital every night. I cringe every time I have to do that, I know I shouldn’t cause people want to help, but I do. As far as mamaw, she is so ready to get out of this world. IF she does get through this, it’s going to happen again and if she gets out, I’m gonna have to find somewhere to put her. I just hate thinking about that, I have no idea what to do. I hate to have her spend the rest of her days unhappy, suffering in a nursing home. Someone I love dearly told me, there are worst things than death and I think that would be it. So I will continue to wait, wait to see what happens. I just hope whatever it is, it goes smoothly.

As some of you have read on here before, I am trying to rebuild my relationship with God, and I’m ashamed to say, I’m not doing a very good job. I know I need to go to church, but I haven’t. I know I need to pray all the time, but I don’t. For some reason I just keep letting myself and God down. So, if asking you for prayers isn’t selfish, I need them, for many reasons.

As I continue to run, run, run all the time, I don’t forget all of you that have helped me along the way. I deeply appreciate everything and am sorry if I haven’t kept in touch. I had a really cool book sent to me this past week with no return address or name on it, if you sent it, please let me know. I want to thank you personally for thinking of me and my mom.

Hope everyone has a great weekend, enjoy the weather tomorrow.

(sorry no pictures!)

Boys will be boys

The very first time I heard “It’s a boy!”, I wondered how in the world was I going to raise a boy!?  Probably sounds silly but I had no clue what I was going to do with him.  I had never been around little boys and didn’t know the first thing about them!  So my story begins…!  Rylan, not quite being a year and a half yet, has managed to only hurt himself two times, which some will say is pretty good.  Boo-boo #1 happened by tripping and busting his lip.

We got some ice water to get his paci cold since he wouldn't stay still long enough to keep ice on it.  That made him happy, then he started playing in the water!

     

 

Boo-boo #2 happened at daycare last week.  Being the daredevil he is now, keeps climbing on the table.  They try to keep him off of it but he always gets back up.  This time, the teacher had just gotten him down and turned to get another child when he was back up there again, lost his balance and fell.  His forehead hit the chair and bled everywhere.  When they called, she mentioned that he may have to have stitches.  We took him to the doctor just in case since it was close to his eye.  No stitches, just some steri-strips and Neosporin and he was good.

 

One good thing I realized is that I didn’t get upset during either experience.  I stayed calm and didn’t panic.  So needless to say, I’m proud of myself for that!  

As for the remodeling, we started painting the living room and have got the majority of the floor down in the living room and hallway.  I say we but Brandon has done all of it pretty much. My job has been keeping Rylan from being in the middle of everything.  He loves construction work and wants to be right there helping.  He’s a good little helper.

Here are a couple more pictures.  I haven't had the camera out much lately.