The Three Mc's

Did you ever wonder how mothers of handicapped children are chosen?

2012-01-30T16:44:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I was cleaning and organizing Jaden's Book shelf and came across a neatly folded paper tucked inside one of the books. As I opened it up, I remembered exactly when I was handed the paper and for unknown reasons, I never read it until yesterday. It was given to me during one of our long stays at the hospital from one of Jaden's great nurses. I'm sure with all the craziness that went on at the hospital, somehow never found the time to read it and it eventually ended up where I stuck it. To think that Jaden is almost four now and I'm just coming across this paper, not to mention that it came just at the right timing. I so needed to be re-reminded that God has blessed me beyond measure. With all that being said, here's what was handed to me:

Most women become mothers by accident, some by choice, a few by social pressures and a couple by habit.

This year, nearly 100,000 women will become mothers of handicapped children. Did you ever wonder how these mothers of handicapped children are chosen?

Somehow I visualize God looking over Earth with great care and deliberation. As He observes, He instructs His angels to make notes in a giant ledger.

“Beth: son, Carrie: twins, Marjorie: daughter”

Finally He passes a name to an angel and smiles. "Give her a handicapped child."

The angel is curious. "Why this one, God? She's so happy."

"Exactly." says God. "Could I give a child with a handicap to a mother who does not know laughter? That would be cruel."

"But has she patience?" asks the angel

"I don't want her to have too much patience, or she will drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wear off, she'll handle it."

" This one is perfect. She has just enough selfishness."

The angel gasps. "Selfishness? Is that a virtue?"

God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she'll never survive.

Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with the child less than perfect. She doesn't realize it yet, but she is to be envied.

She will never take for granted a spoken word. She will never consider a step ordinary. When her child says 'Momma' for the first time, she will be present at a miracle and know it! When she describes a tree or a sunset to her blind child, she will see it as few people ever see my creations.

"I will permit her to see clearly the things I see - ignorance, cruelty, prejudice - and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life, because she is doing My work as surely as she is here by My side."

~A column from Erma Bombeck~

so as I was sitting in Jaden's room reading this, oh the tears that flooded my face...I had to re-read it over and over again...Isn't it something to think that God allowed me to read this just at the very moment that I needed to read it...I believe that nothing is by chance...Jaden's Pre-School teachers are planning his 4 year evaluation, with this comes all the anxiety that I have of where Jaden should be and where he actually is... no parent wants to sit and listen to someone telling you that your child is developmentally delayed. So as I prepare myself for this, I will have this column stored in the back of my mind and remember that I was chosen by God to take care of Jaden and that He said He would never leave my side.

February Heart Month

2012-01-28T18:55:00.002-05:00

February is American Heart Month and that means it's a good moment to think about a disease that kills more than 600,000 Americans each year.

Congenital Heart Defects are the #1 Birth Defect in the United States.
40,000 Babies are born each year with CHD.

The month of February for our family means taking time to reflect on

a miracle that God allowed us to keep.

He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. Psalms 147:3

Jaden after his 1st Open Heart March 19th, 2008 He was 1 day old...

Jaden's Diagnosis:

Hypoplastic Right Ventricle

Pulmonary Valve Stenosis

Ventricular Septal Defect

Atrial Septal Defect

Missing Patent Ductus Artery

Jaden underwent his 2nd Open Heart March 23rd, 2009

His Heart Team were able to close his VSD and by God's DIVINE MERCY

his Right Chamber grew in 1 year to a normal size.

Jaden after his 2nd Open Heart March 24, 2009

for others

there's lots we can do to stay heart healthy. According to the American Heart Association, making these healthy lifestyle choices can help:

Choose lean meats and poultry without skin and prepare them without added saturated and trans fat.

Select fat-free, 1percent fat, and low-fat dairy products.

Cut back on foods containing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils to reduce trans fat in your diet.

Cut back on foods high in dietary cholesterol. Aim to eat less than 300 mg of cholesterol each day.

Cut back on beverages and foods with added sugars.

Select and purchase foods lower in salt/sodium.

Keep an eye on your portion sizes.

It's also important to know the signs of an impending heart attack, because they can start slowly and symptoms may seem mild. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, these are the signs that may mean a heart attack is in progress.

Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain.

Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach.

Shortness of breath. May occur with or without chest discomfort.

Other signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or lightheadedness.

For more information visit the American Heart Association website at http://www.heart.org/

Thanksgiving 2011

2012-01-28T17:04:00.000-05:00

1 Chronicles 29:11-13

"Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,

for everything in heaven and earth is yours.

Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom;

you are exalted as head over all.

Wealth and honor come from you;

you are the ruler of all things.

In your hands are strength and power

to exalt and give strength to all.

Now, our God, we give you thanks,

and praise your glorious name."

Birthday Parties and Cakes

2012-01-25T16:04:00.002-05:00

November and December were busy months for Birthdays...with Birthday's comes

Cakes...So here's what I've been up to the last couple of months...Baking and Decorating...

something that I love to do...so wish I could do more of them but for now will stick to close

friends and family because Jaden wants all my attention...enough said...

Celebrated our Nephew Jagger's Birthday at Mr Gatti's...It's so

hard to believe that he is now 7 Seven years old...

Here's the Hot Wheels Cake I made for him...

Uncle James and I with the Birthday Boy...

Jagger loved his cake...and so did all his friends...

love, LOVE the looks on their faces in this picture...

they couldn't believe that they could really drive the cars down the race

ramps...thanks to Uncle James for helping me design the CAKE this way...

Next up...our little niece Hensley Kylan Ann's 2nd Birthday...

Hello Kitty Theme...

her Kitty Cake I made...she loved it so much, she had to stick her

finger in it...

I love her face in this picture...we were all singing the Happy Birthday Song

to her and she was taking it all in...

Blowing out her candles...

I barely got this picture with her...she was on the move and was not

wanting her picture taken...Love this little girl, BIG BUNCHES!!!

last but not least Braden, one of Jaden's little Buddies turned the big 2 two

also...He had a Farm Party...

matched his cake to his invitation...

3 tier

Pig Cake

Cow Cake

and Grassy Fence Cake

Mr. Rooster on some Hay Bales

A pond of Ducks...

Mr. Fluffy Sheep...

and the Mr. Piggy with his curly tail...Braden's Daddy owns a Fencing Company

and wanted a fence all along the bottom of the cake...loved how it turned out...

What a busy couple of months indeed for Cakes...

No More Night-Time Pump Feedings

2012-01-14T15:20:00.002-05:00

3 months ago we took Jaden for a Follow-Up with his Feeding Team at Cincinnati Children's Hospital.

Our main focus was to get Jaden off of Infant Formula and switched to a more Healthier Diet for his age.

They suggested that we start him on a Pureed Diet, which consisted of Vegetables, Fruit, Meats, and Olive Oil. We did a trial run for a month and started him off very slowly. Jaden's tummy just couldn't take it. His body has never had to break down real foods. So after the trial run failed they talked with us about another Food Supplement called Complete Pediatric, which consists of all the same ingredients we were using in the Pureed Diet all except it's already broken down and comes in liquid form. We thought perfect. Jaden's Pediatrician for the last year or so wanted us to switch Jaden to Pedisure for his whole Nutrition and we were totaly against it considering all the main content is sugar based calories. We knew that there had to be something out there better and healthier for Jaden that we could supplement through his G-Tube. So we started a trial run of the Complete Pediatric for a month and Jaden done super with it.
In the meantime we had our closest Church Family and Friends PRAYING that Jaden's tummy would tolerate the new food. When we went back and shared with them how well Jaden was tolerating the new food they told us that if we could get Jaden to 28 ounces of the Complete in 5 different feed times through out the day we could STOP ALL NIGHT-TIME FEEDINGS BY THE PUMP.

Jaden has been pump fed each night of his entire little life. Since we brought him home from the NIC-U we have had to prime feed bags and hook it up to him every single night, UNTIL one month ago. WE HAVE BEEN PUMP FREE FOR 1 MONTH. When Cincinnati shared with us goals for Jaden, their NUMBER 1 GOAL was to get him off the pump, that's been our goal for him for a long time too but we knew that he was so volume sensitive and coupldn't take on more volume BUT this new food has allowed us to get off the pump because it is thicker in consistency and has more calories that makes up all the difference from his other food we were giving him. We began to pray for 28 ounces that very day, that Jaden would tolerate it, and he has.

We praise the Lord for Jaden's Feeding Team. We praise Him for allowing us to find the right food for Jaden and that we got to stop the Night-Time Feedings. We praise Him for 28 ounces, that Jaden's stomach tolerates it. It has made the world of difference in his sleep patterns. Just to be able to lay him in his bed at night and for him to be able to just SLEEP without his tummy getting pumped all night, a little bit more of normalcy, if you will.

was a GREAT day to box up this old pump and ship it back to

our Supply Company. TEARS of JOY fills my eyes as I type this.

A huge milestone for Jaden and we praise the Lord for it.

Happy Birthday to Me

2012-01-13T14:45:00.000-05:00

October 27th, 2011

So how do you like the three candles on the Left side of the cake and then the one to the right of it?!!!

suppose to stand for 31 I guess...but now I always say that "I'm FOREVER 29"!

My gifts from Jaden and James

which was a big package of Bubble Gum from Jaden and the new

Photo Shop from James...still learning it though

The Birthday Girl with her 2 favorite Boys!!!

Jaden and Mommy

My Momma and Dad

This picture says it all minus the hand to the right of the picture...

This was a very special Birthday for me considering it's been about

12 years since my oldest Brother Troy has been a part of a Birthday Party of mine...

He's been gone for too long...so thankful he was home for it...

Jaden and James, Nate (my lil Brother) Troy (my Oldest Brother) Tess (my lil Sister) then Hanya (my Oldest Sister) and her little one Ralph then there's Shelby (Hanya's) holding Hensley (Tess') and look at what she's doing to Shelby...pinching her favorite thing to do...

Troy and I

My Sister In Law Michelle, Niece Heather (Makyna) and Nephew Justin

My Mother and Father In Law

My Sister In Law Janay, Niece Jenna and Nephew Jagger

Hanya, Michelle and I

so in case you're wondering why I was wearing 3 different shirts all on the same night, well
I started off with the Plum Sweater, then James bought me a new Texas Rangers Shirt that I had to try on then switched from that to the black shirt...there that makes me feel better because after I uploaded all these pictures I was thinking wow did I change that many times in just only a couple short hours...

Had a great night of Family Time...Celebrating 31 years of life and all the wonderful blessings God has given to me...

Google Chrome

2012-01-12T15:46:00.002-05:00

ME on the night of my Birthday 10-27-2011

Let me start off by saying I'm so far behind on blogging...My Blogger account has been locked up. Locked up meaning that I needed to update to a new version of Google Chrome...Say WHAT?!!! Have any of you experienced this, or have been asked to do this???? James downloaded the new version and it still would not let me log into my blog. I haven't even been able to leave comments on any posts either...So If you have been wondering what in the world happened to Kacey, now ya know...I have been reading each of your posts as well, but couldn't leave any comments...So after logging into today, everything opened up for me with all my new settings, so whatever James did to my computer somehow fixed it all...I'm one Super Excited Girl...so with all this being said I have got to get to updating...but the only problem with all this is, Jaden has only been taking about a 1 hour nap nowadays...so it might take me awhile to get around to doing this...But I'm determined to get it done...Next Posts coming up goes way back to October to my Birthday and then on to the month of November with more Birthdays and Thanksgiving Pictures, then December with all our Christmas Pictures and Finally New Years Eve...so stay tuned...

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words...

2011-12-03T14:13:00.001-05:00

I'll let you be the judge if you think Jaden liked Santa Claus this year...

Jaden's shirt...

Took Jaden to see Santa today...he didn't want no part of him...but he did get

to tell Santa that we've moved and gave him our new address...He also gave him

his wish list for Christmas:

1. All the sick kids in the World to feel better

2. IPad

3. A Goldfish

4. Daddy a New Shiny Truck

guess who helped Jaden make his list this year...

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T17:44:00.001-05:00

From The

McBride's

Our Home All Decorated For Fall

2011-11-22T15:18:00.001-05:00

Mr. & Mrs. Smith

2011-11-17T08:10:00.001-05:00

This past weekend my sister Hanya and I shot our First Wedding. It was an Outside Country Wedding, hay bales and all overlooking a Beautiful Lake. Have lots of editing to do, but wanted to post this shot I took of the couples Wedding Rings.

Thanks David and Tiffany for allowing us to share in your Special Day.

More Wedding Pictures coming soon...

Halloween 2011

2011-11-07T15:09:00.000-05:00

Jaden had a Pirate show up to see him Halloween Morning

Mrs. Debbie (Jaden's Physical Therapist) brought Jaden all kinds of goodies in her

Pirate's Bag...He especially loved the Pirate Rubber Ducky...
was so funny watching a Pirate

do therapy on Jaden...

Before we headed out to take Jaden Trick-Or-Treating we had a couple of Treaters
to stop by our home...

Madison (our newest little neighbour) with her new Candy Corn bow

on that Tess (my little sister) made for her...we knew she was too little

for candy...

and Makynna our Niece Heather's little girl aka Minnie Mouse

James and I with our Big Green Monster

Jaden loved Minnie's ears...he tried pulling them off...

but Minnie wasn't so sure about that Big Green Monster...

Now Madison on the other hand, she slept right through Trick-Or-Treating at our home

and she didn't even mind a kiss from the Monster...

Our first stop was right next door...Madison's house...they had some yummy suckers

next stop was Mamaw Dots

then on to Uncle Jimbo and Aunt Tonya's House

then to Mrs. Reva's house

then to Papaw # 3 Lee and Linda's House

then we all met up at Papaw and Mamaw McBride's for a picture

of all the kids...

Seth aka Lovable Lion...Jaden wore this same costume a couple of years ago...

Super Sweetness...

Jagger aka Bones and Jenna aka Bat Woman

Uncle Jerry Aunt Janay Bones and Bat Woman

Hensley aka Louisville Cardinals Cheerleader

James and I with Shelby aka Cowgirl and the Lovable Lion Seth and Nate aka Mummy

Bat Woman and I

Uncle Jerry and the Big Green Monster

Bat Woman and Papaw Jerry

then we went on to visit Aunt Lisa

Aunt Brenda's

Troy aka JASON and Erica's House

then to Papaw and Mamaw Warren's House

Aunt Tess with the Big Green Monster

Uncle Troy and the Monster

The Big Green Monster with Daddy...he dressed up as a Texas Rangers Fan...

What a FUN FILLED night Trick-Or-Treating

this Monster was EXHAUSTED when we returned home

TrIcK oR tReAt...MoNsTeR fEeT

2011-11-04T00:00:00.001-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, Jaden's teacher came and she brought with her a book called Go Away Big Green Monster...while she was reading this, Jaden just kept laughing and giggling at her...when she finished the book, he would say "again"...after about 3 or 4 times I had to tell Mrs. Courtney she didn't have to read it over again and again for him...He loved this book so much that James and I made a special trip to Barnes and Noble to buy one of his very own...we gave it to him for Halloween since he's not much on candy anyways...

With all that being said...Guess what Jaden was for Halloween?!!!!!!

He was a BIG GREEN MONSTER...when we asked him if he wanted to be this, he shook his head up and down really fast with pure excitement...

now isn't he the CUTEST BIG GREEN SCARY MONSTER you've ever seen?!!!!!!

a BIG THANK YOU to my little sister Tess for making
his costume
to match his book character...it turned out perfect...

he loved hiding his face and then pulling back his Monster Face to scare everyone

What a fun night we had with our MONSTER...

more trick-or-treat pictures coming soon

Fall Pictures 2011

2011-10-24T11:37:00.004-04:00

Priceless Memories

2011-10-21T15:20:00.001-04:00

Granny

Her smile can light up a room

Her presence is of grace

Her opinions are heard without one word

but by the look upon her face

Her touch is so gentle

Her heart as big as the moon

Her spirit is kindhearted

and warm as a summer’s afternoon

Her hair a river of gray

Her eyes radiant as the sun

Her time she’ll take no matter how long

until the work is done

Her kisses are so soft

Her hugs preferred from the rest

My granny is mine forever and ever

and she’ll always be the best

~dean~

Jaden's First Pre-School Field Trip To...

2011-10-14T16:48:00.005-04:00

The Pumpkin Patch...

Jaden got to see all different colors, shapes, and sizes of Pumpkins...In the picture above Mrs. Courtney is showing Jaden the difference between Bumpy and Smooth...

We were so excited that Daddy and some of Jaden's Uncle and Cousins got to come with us...

At the Patch Jaden rode the Barrel Train with Uncle Nate...He chose to ride in the Brown Horse Barrel...

Shelby and Hensley rode in the Pink Pig....
along with Avery (Mrs. Courtney's Daughter" and Seth in the Donkey

He loved riding the Train...Choo Choo..

Jaden loved all the animals they had at their Petting Zoo...

Not only did Jaden get to ride on a train, he also got to ride on a DONKEY...

He loved hearing the Donkey say "eee awh , eee awh" and he would tell the Donkey "again Donkey"...

James and I took turns climbing up the big mounds of Hay and Straw to go down the Big Slide with Jaden...

He loved the Slide...and of couse he would tell us "again"...

Hensley, Seth, Nate, Shelby, and Jaden

from the looks of this picture you can clearly see that Hensley and Seth wasn't happy and that Jaden wasn't so sure about putting his face into the hole...priceless Memories!!!

James and Jaden inside the Corn Maze...

Pumpkin Patch 2011

Jaden and I with his Teacher Mrs. Courtney

after we took in all the fun things at the Patch it was time for us to pick out some Pumpkins for our front porch...Jaden picked a Bumpy Pumpkin and a Smooth one too...

What a fun 1st Field Trip to the Pumpkin Patch we had...

Beginning To Look Like Fall Here At Home

2011-10-13T16:30:00.000-04:00

Fall, my most favorite time of year...

Catching Up

2011-09-27T16:23:00.000-04:00

Ever since I got my new camera it has been such a hard task for me to download pictures to my blog, meaning it taking 3 hours to download just only 1 picture...James and I got to looking and my picture size was too large for blogger.com...we changed a couple of the settings and it has gotten a bit faster but now all the pictures I've taken since Summer before we changed the setting I haven't been able to blog about including several Birthday Parties, Jaden's Day Golf Scramble, Our Vacation with the McIntire's, meeting a sweet girl by the name of Brynn for the first time, a couple of Baby Showers and the list continues...this post is the beginning of Catching Up from each of these great events because I do not want to ever forget about all these things happening and I so want them to be in my 2011 Blog Book...was very hard to pick the best pictures from each one because we never figured out how to downsize all the pictures before we changed my camera setting, there's so many good one's but it would take me forever to download them...so hope you enjoy the best pictures of the pictures Catching Up from the last 5 months...

James and I with the Coffman Team...they were the winners of our 1st Annual Jaden's Day
Golf Scramble...

us with my parents and little brother Nate

my oldest sister Hanya and her family

us with Uncle Jerry and Aunt Janay (James Brother and wife)

the Three of us...took over 400 hundred pictures, but had to pick just a short few because
of the picture size...until I can get it figured out, how to change the size I'll post more...

back in July our family from Texas (James Cousin, his wife and kids) came to Kentucky for a visit...we had such a great time together...we got to meet their newly adopted Daughter Brynn...she sure was super sweet!!!

our first time meeting her...look at that adorable face!!!

we met up with them in Bowling Green, KY at the most famous place on earth, the Corvette Museum, so my husband thinks...don't ya just love our group picture!!! One good looking group of people!!!

sweet little Barrett (aka Barry~Blake~Barrett)

and Blake...Jaden was so glad to see these boys!!!

Brynn holding Makynna

each night the kids would have a couple of turns Bowling...Jaden loves to hear the pins when they knock over...look at his face in the background...priceless

Brynns turn

Barrett, Jaden, and Blake

Brynn, Blake, Jaden, and Barrett

James showing Barrett how to hold the feed in his little hand so he could feed the cow at the Creation Museum

Brynn loved to push Jaden in his walker

Super Sweetness

James and Brynn at the Creation Museum

she loved James playing with her

Jaden with Robert and Blake

Jaden and Aunt Janay

after a short period of time Brynn had totally warmed up to all the new faces
and she had a great time in Kentucky

James, Jerry Jr, and Robert (Cousins) with their families

us girls had to get a picture all by ourselves

then the Boys had a turn

Brynn and I together

The kids first time to Lincoln's Birthplace

Jaden's first time to Lincoln's Birthplace too

the three of us in front of Abraham's Cabin

group photo

loved the shadow of the flag pole in this picture of Lincoln's Monument

Hensley and Brynn

Barrett hugging Hensley

Brynn holding Jaden's hand...so sweet

along with our first time meeting Brynn came all of our family gettting to meet her too...
this is my momma and Brynn

Shelby (my little niece) and I at the LaRue County Fair...she was in the Miss Princess on one of the nights Robert and them were in

along with Shelby was her little brother Seth...he was in the little boys contest at the Fair

Hensley was also in the Baby Show

Susan and I went to watch them in their Special Shows

this dirt pile behind our house was calling Nate and Blakes names

another picture of Brynn holding Jaden's hand

so love all these pictures of the boys together
Barrett, Blake, Jagger, and Jaden

and of couse this one with Sweet Brynn in it with them

can you tell that Jaden loves these boys

priceless picture

Susan and Jaden

Our time together with the McIntire's is never long enough...can't wait till our next vacation together with them

I promised these two kids all Summer long that I would take them somewhere and
do something together before school started...with us moving and trying to get all settled
and Jaden having Summer Pre-school, time got away from us...so long story short, I took them to Mr. Gatti's
the night beofre Shelby became a 4th Grader and Nate a 3rd Grader...shew cut it so close, but they were not gonna let me live that one down, had I not taken them...

So one summer night James took Jaden and I out in his little boat for a picnic...James knows how much I love sunsets, so we picked the perfect time, loaded up the boat and set out on the lake together...was an absolutely most beautiful sunset James and I have ever watched together...love this picture of Jaden and his Daddy

Jaden and I

he loved the boat

just the three of us...love the background...so thankful my camera has a setting on it that
gives a couple of seconds and takes the picture without someone having to take it!!!

"Peace..... is seeing a sunset, and knowing who to thank."
Author: unknown
"The sunrise is Gods greeting - the sunset, his signature"
Author: unknown

Jaden and Daddy sitting on the best Motorcycle James picked out of all he bikes that came to our Biker Sunday at church

Jaden loved the time when it came for all the bikes to start up...he loves the RUMBLE sound they make

us at Biker Sunday...we forgot to wear our leather and stuff...LOL

was such a blessing to see the number of Bikes and Bikers that came

this past summer has been so busy with trying to get all our outside work completed

Our Sidewalk Crew

have made a couple of cakes this summer as well...this one was for our new neighbours and their Daughter's Baby Shower

matched the cake to her quilt that her momma made for the baby

Amber and I in front of her cake I made

took Jaden out for his First Bowling Game this summer...he bowled a whole game all by himself...

he was one happy little guy...

getting ready to roll the Bowling Ball

Jaden with his Giant Check...turning in all our proceeds from our Golf Scramble to the Kids Center (his Gym)..
We raised $4,664.00

Jaden, Sheby, and Justin Bieber at Shelby's Bieber Fever 10th Birthday Party

Bieber Cake I made for her

she loved it

can't believe she's Double Digits

her putting her 10 candles into the cake

Happy Birthday Shelby Ann...We love you BIG BUNCHES!!!

Our New Nissan Murrano

we had been praying for months for a bigger car, considering all the therapy equipment we haul around for Jaden...it just wasn't all fitting into our little Mazda 6...the Lord allowed us to purchase this from a great 1 owner...we just wasn't ready for a Van yet...we love it and all the room it provides for us...

This now brings my blog up-to-date from Summer...thank goodness!!!!!

~Our Beach Photos~ Cancun, Mexico

2011-09-23T11:11:00.000-04:00

Cancun Days 2 and 3

2011-09-22T15:24:00.002-04:00

Sunrise at Moon Palace Resort Cancun, Mexico

Our 2nd trip back to Mexico was unbelievably awesome...We so needed this time together...the best part of our whole trip this time was that we had absolutely no where to go, unlike our last trip here where we went on an excursion of the Island each and every day...there was no sights to see, no tours to take, nothing, just only time together at the Beach, pool, and of course all 15 Restaurants...So in just 4 short days we made our way around the Resort visiting each place and took advantage of our All Inclusive Food Plans...We had no diet to abide by while we were there...James made certain of this before we left home...he told me that "we had to get our monies worth"...and we did...

this is what we had to lay on while we visited the Beach...let me re-phrase that wanted to lay on
because we have never had a nice comfy couch and lounge chairs to sit on before at the beach...

We went to the Spa together...the only thing that disappointed me with our whole trip was that I couldn't
get the massage I had been longing for...Since it had only been 1 week post-op from my emergency gallbladder surgery, they wouldn't allow me to get one, so instead I settled for a facial which was very nice, but wasn't a massage...James on the other hand was Pampered and got his...I was VERY Jealous...

I so love everything about Weddings, especially ones beside the Ocean...The
Resort was planning and getting ready for a Wedding this night...

One of the many pools at the Resort

the backside to each room

this addition was just built at the Palace...James and I toured through all of it...So we know exactly where we will be staying on our next trip back...

the sun setting

the sunsetting from the backside of our balcony

Our Salad...was the most dressed up Salad I've ever eaten and the home-made Salad Dressing
was Super DELICIOUS...

Our Lobster and Fillet Dinner ...
served to us by the Chef that prepared it along with the Restaurant Staff and a picture for them to keep of us together celebrating our 10th Anniversary with them...

Mine was served with this pink rose on the side...When you sign in at the Restaurant it lets the
staff know if there is any special occasion for our stay with them...Ours of course they knew was our 10 year Wedding Anniversary...

the best cheesecake we've ever shared together...they brought this out to us for our Dessert...
by far was the best Service at any Restaurant we've ever gotten to experience...

James and I in the Lobby of our Resort...along with my Pink Rose

Our View each morning when we woke up...

Each morning we took advantage of the Unlimited Room Service 24 hours a day...
we thought why wast time brewing coffee in our room when we could sign up each morning for Fresh Coffee
and breakfast delivered to our Room...

Our Breakfast

not sure what made this the best breakfast we've had together...the food or our view while we were eating our food?!!!

Our Poolside waitresses

James took in a game of Water Volleyball

While I relaxed and soaked up some sun...I wanted to play so badly but my stomach wouldn't let me...

James under our Hut at the beach

Us standing outside our Room beside the Ocean

enjoying the shade at the Pool

the strip Downtown Cancun

the view from the Sky on top the 14th Floor, Beach Palace

look real closely...you can see the Rainbow we saw this night...it was Beautiful...

James and I took the Shuttle Bus into town to visit the Beach Palace...we took some Beach Pictures here this night...
it rained for about 10 minutes and then the sun came back out...

we wanted to get a picture of us and the Rainbow

while we waited for our Photo Session we took in all the sights and smells of the 14th
Floors beautiful view along with an open bar for any kind of food or drink you could
possibly think of...

we saw another Beach Wedding

the pool all lit up at night...

after our Beach Pictures we went shopping for some souvenirs

took this picture as we were leaving the Resort to head to the Airport for our Flight back Home

from inside our plane...taxing out to the runway

up, up, and away we went...this is the view of the Resort we stayed at taken from the Air

looking at this picture allows everyone to see truly how Big the Palace's Resort is...and to think that James and I walked along side the Ocean way down there each morning when we were there...I miss it already...but we had an amazing time together...We were so ready to get back home to Jaden...he missed us so much...

the view from our Window of the Plane ride back home

wanted to end this post with a couple of Funny Signs at the Beach...In no way did I ever have to be re-minded that I couldn't go topless....

nor re-minded that we couldn't feed the Alligators...

up next post : Our Beach Photos

Good Morning From Cancun

2011-09-17T10:16:00.000-04:00

Celebrating Our 10th Anniversary in Sunny Cancun

2011-09-16T10:54:00.000-04:00

I know, I know it's been forever since I've blogged....I wanted to do a quick post of what we are doing this Weekend.....

James and I are in Sunny Cancun, Mexico.....We flew in yesterday.....We got to celebrate our 10th Anniversary all day here........We celebrated our HoneyMoon here 9 years ago and are staying at the same Resort.......you might say 9 years ago and it's our 10th Anniversary......Well, it's a long story but we married 4 days after 9-11, 2001 and didn't get to take our HoneyMoon till the next year.......so that's what it's been just only 9 years since we were here.......

Short but sweet post, hope you enjoy our pictures

will post more pictures when we are back home.........

Flying in......our view from our Window on the plane

BEAUTIFUL

yes I had to take a picture of our plane

a little blurry.....our Shuttle Driver was drving a little way too fast, he was trying to get us to our Resort QUICKLY....

James leading the way to our room

Our room number.....6117......when we were here 9 years ago our room number was 1617 how weird is that.....

This is what we had waiting for us when we cam into our room.....

Our view from our Balcony this morning.........

Us enjoying the pool yesterday

this is where we dined lastnight for our Anniversary Dinner

Double Digits

2011-08-15T08:57:00.001-04:00

Shelby at 1 month old

I could get her to do anything...She was the sweetest lil baby

Unbelievable that it has been TEN years since I held her in my arms like this

Shelby and Uncle James fishing out at our First Home on Dangerfield Road...
I'm pretty sure this was her first time Fishing...

Sweetest little face

Shelby Ann, you made me an Aunt 10 years ago. I am in awe at what a fine young lil lady you are becoming.

And it brings tears to my eyes, my lil baby girl is "Double Digits" today but not only just TEN but a DECADE. A decade of watching you grow from a tiny little baby in my lap to this Sassy, Rambunctious girl. As I watch this new season of your life begin to unfold, I am overwhelmed with how beautiful, mysterious and passionate you are. In just only a few short years you'll be a teenager and the journey of being a little girl will be behind you...tears...tears...Happy Birthday!!! We love you BIG BUNCHES!!!

Prayers

2011-08-08T09:07:00.002-04:00

Just gonna open up and share what's been on my heart...It's so hard to keep it all in, sometimes it's best but other times it helps to just let people know how you really feel...Ever since Vacation Bible School, I have been dying inside...Seeing the 2 and 3 year old class this year really HIT ME HARD...Jaden was suppose to be in this class this year but instead he hung out in the Nursery with all the little Nursery Kids and his Mammaw of course...I HATE everything about Jaden's BRAIN BLEED...it has effected him and James and I in ways I can't even explain...Seeing all those little 3 year olds running around at VBS just makes us realize even more that that's what Jaden should be doing now but no his brain was all messed up from blood that should have never been there...Seeing their little personalities and hearing all their little voices talk to their teachers and now here comes the biggest part about whats been HURTING me the most...Seeing them EAT...I stood back from a distance and just WATCHED them...Each night the Kitchen had something different for them to eat...One night in particular they had McDonald's Chicken Nuggets for them...A sweet dear lady from church that was working in the Kitchen came up to me and handed me a couple of extra nuggets to give to Jaden...In no way, form or shape did she mean anything by this, to her she was just giving him extra, she had no idea that Jaden is fed through a G-Tube and that he has never had a Chicken Nugget in his life...It was just a nice gesture for her to hand out extra to all the kids and she had saved some extra for Jaden...At that moment my heart was CRYING out not at her but at the WHOLE SITUATION of where we are at this point in time...3years old still on Infant Formula, feeds every 4 hours just like a newborn, can't eat anything with Textures, Priming Feed Bags, and Setting Pumps for continuous feeds through the night and I could go on and on and on...It's not Jaden's fault, he can't help it...Something is keeping him from wanting to eat, we just have to figure out what it is...Eating has been our BIGGEST STRUGGLE so far...I can handle all the surgeries he's had, all of them but it's so hard for me to sit and watch a kid eat...Just the little things that some parents may never even think about...We are longing for the day Jaden can eat, eat all by himself...Longing for the day he can have his G-Tube removed...We know that everything Jaden has been through is for a plan and purpose, but it's still so hard to face these struggles daily...And seeing all those little kids eat and eat and eat with no problems just makes us want that OH SO MUCH for Jaden. so with all that being said...

Tomorrow, Tuesday August 9, 2011 we will travel to Cincinnati Children's Hospital with Jaden to be seen by their Interdisciplinary Feeding Team...Our prayer is that they can help us to overcome some of the Eating Disorders Jaden has. Our biggest task is getting him off of Infant Formula and switching him to a Healthy Pureed Diet. He's 3 now and has to come off of this Formula and slowly switched to something a normal 3 year old eats. It will be a slow process but we know this is something that has to be done. In doing this, there is so much to be in prayer about. It's just not, Oh let's just switch him, it will be something that has to be Professionally handled and his weight closely watched along with making sure nothing triggers possible seizures for changing his complete diet and method of nutrition.

The Feeding Team at Cincinnati Children's Hospital specializes in kids with Poor Weight Gain, Limited Ability To Take Fluids, Problems Coordinating Sucking and Swallowing, Coughing, Choking, and or Gagging While Feeding, Problems Adjusting to Foods With Different Textures, Complex Medical Conditions, Picky Eaters, and Preparing To Move From G-Tube Feeding to Oral Feeding. When we arrive Jaden will be evaluated by a Physician, Nurse, Dietitian, Occupational Therapist, Speech Pathologist, and the Whole Feeding Team.

Help us pray that it's something simple as to why Jaden will not eat textured foods, something easy as to why he only wants liquids, and they can figure out why he always wants or feels the need to gag himself during his g-tube feedings.

Summer Friendly Visits

2011-08-05T16:49:00.000-04:00

This Summer has been so busy...Jaden has been visited from all kinds of Girls, whom he calls "Baby"

Jaden with Meagan

Jaden with Meagan and Sarah from Illinois (our Pastor's Grand kids)

Jaden and Emily

Shelby (Sissy) and Jaden

Jaden with Uncle Pat's nieces Morgan and Emily...they travelled here all the way from Florida to visit with Jaden...They stayed a couple of weeks with Aunt Hanya and Shelby this Summer

Jaden with Aunt Tonya and Patience...Patience lives in Tennessee...She came to stay with Aunt Tonya some this Summer and had never gotten to meet Jaden...

he really liked her...he kept saying "Pretty"

Jaden with Patience and Kaitlynn

Had great visits from all these sweet girls!!!

Thoughtful Thursday/First Day Of A Full Year Of Pre-School

2011-08-04T07:44:00.000-04:00

Woke up this early morning and prayed for this NEW School Year that begins today...This will be Jaden's First Full Year of Home Pre-School...

Jaden stayed busy all during Summer Break...This is one of his teachers Mrs. Courtney, she came last week for a visit and brought a really FUN game to play with Jaden...BOWLING!!! We worked on using both hands to roll the ball, practiced naming all the colored pins, and counting each one that Jaden would knock down...

Jaden would get so excited when he would hear the pins fall over...

Oh look, he knocked some over

Priceless Smile

Love the seriousness of Jaden's face in this picture...You can tell that he's really paying attention to Mrs. Courtney as she counts each pin one by one to him

Mrs. Courtney also knew that we were having company coming in from Texas...She let Jaden keep the bowling pins and ball so he could play the game with his little cousins that were coming in to stay with us...She is so thoughtful...She said she knew it was a game that Jaden and the kids could play together and have a FUN TIME!!!

Looking forward to a GREAT NEW SCHOOL YEAR...Our prayer is that Jaden will continue to learn lots of new things...We praise the Lord for sending us such great TEACHERS to help us work with Jaden.

Vacationing With Our Texas Family

2011-07-29T00:56:00.000-04:00

Since Tuesday we have been busy visiting with our Family from Texas...We met them at the Corvett Museum in Bowling Green, KY on our first day together...We have since then been to the Creation Museum, visited the Birthplace of Abraham Lincoln, and took a trip down Amish Lane to visit with all our Amish Friends to purchase our traditional Amish Baskets we have been collecting through the years...

More pictures to come after our Vacation together...

A FUN Filled Week of VBS

2011-07-22T09:47:00.001-04:00

Can't believe that tonight is the last night of our Vacation Bible School. James and I had the pleasure of teaching the 11 and 12 year old Class this year. We couldn't have asked for a better class.

Our Pit Crew

Our Class fell in love with Jaden, so during our craft time we would take Jaden out
of his class so they could spend some time with him each night...Can you tell he
enjoyed them?!!!

2011 VBS Theme "Rev It Up full throttle for God.

Our Pews in Church

As James taught the Bible Lesson each night, our class would
listen word for word. It's as if they were soaking it all in just like a sponge. Our
desire is that something that was said will leave a lasting impression in the hearts
of these young people.

Our decorations...All of James tools that's used to work on a car "race car" that is...

Each night, each class Teacher would pick the best boy and the best girl
to run in "The Mad Dash" for prizes...

One night the kids we picked from our class to run in the "Mad Dash" didn't
want to run, instead they wanted James and I to run for them...Well needless
to say we did and here's proof of us doing so...

I had to sort through the pictures to find the best ones because my camera
wasn't on ACTION Setting...We were so FAST that the camera couldn't keep up...
yeah, yeah I know, this is too funny...And of course James beat me...We had a blast
doing this and the Kids got a real BIG KICK out of it...

During one of our Bible Lessons James picked 2 volunteers to come up and do a
demonstration of how important it is for Race Car Drivers to wear helmets and
how that the helmet can protect them. The demo was used with 2 eggs... The first volunteer
held her egg waist high and dropped it onto a cookie sheet.

it busted open as soon as it
hit.

her egg was unprotected

The second volunteer James had her to wrap the egg all up with paper and secured it really good
in between 2 plastic bowls to represent a helmet. She dropped her egg from waist high just like the
unprotected egg. She picked up the wrapped egg, unwrapped it all to find that the
egg didn't even have one single crack on it...The kids loved this demonstration and how James went
on to tell them that God does the same for us. When we trust Him as Savior and accept Him into
our lives, He protects us...

So thankful the Lord has blessed me with a wonderful Husband that loves the
Lord!!!

Most importantly, the Plan of Salvation was given each night...

Jaden has had the best time each night...

Jaden and Daddy at VBS

More VBS pictures to come...

Dirt Work

2011-07-20T08:14:00.000-04:00

Here's some pictures of what's been going on at our House the last couple of weeks...

Dirt Work, Dirt Work, and more Dirt Work...

Jaden helping Daddy dig our Curtain Drain around our house...He loved

sitting on the "Dig Dig Digger"

Mr. Gardner brought his Bulldozer over to help us get our land all

leveled up and ready for our Finish Grade...He was the nice man that

cut out for our House...

Getting it all smoothed out

Cutting out our Driveway

Our Driveway with all our new Rock on it

Lowes delivering all our Blocks for our Wall beside the driveway

Our Wall that James is building...he has been working so hard on it

each night when he gets home from work...

We still have so much to do outside but little by little it's all coming together...I told James

one way of looking at it, is that at least we don't have to worry about mowing this Summer...Here it

is the middle of July and we haven't mowed the first bit of grass...Not rushing Fall at all but the one thing

we are excited about when Fall arrives is that we get to sow all our seed for grass...Can't wait to see some green in our yard instead of all the MUD and DIRT...

Here Fishy Fishy...

2011-07-11T11:04:00.002-04:00

Jaden has been so busy this Summer. He has been learning how to count, coloring with different colors, and learning opposite words. He also has been fishing, but not the kind of fishing you might think.

Jaden has been fishing for words.

This is Miss Jonie. Jaden's Speech Teacher for the Summer. She has been teaching Jaden

Opposite Words. Jaden loves her Fish Game that she brings each week. He especially likes holding

the Fishing Pole with the magnet on the end of it. He has been catching some really cool fish with words on them like Up and Down, In and Out, Hard and Soft, and On and Off.

He gets so excited when he catches one on the end of his pole.

So after he catches each fish, Miss Jonie will show it to Jaden and says the word to him. He tries

to repeat it back to her, it's really unbelievable how much he has been learning.

Big Boy Smile

He caught the Fish of the Day...He was Super Proud...

After the Fishing Game Miss. Jonie reads to Jaden

Ten Friendly Fish...Jaden tries so hard to count with her...It's so cute

to listen to his BIG WORDS when he is counting...it goes like this...

Mommy says One

Jaden says Two

Mommy says Three

Jaden says GO

Mommy says Four

Jaden says Five

Mommy says Six and Seven (he hasn't gotten these 2 yet)

Jaden says Eight and Nine

then together we say Yay Ten

he has learned so much in the short time he has started pre-school. We are so thankful and praise the Lord each day for all the new things Jaden is learning and for blessing us with GREAT Teachers!!!

Thoughtful Thursday / 69 Days and counting...

2011-07-07T08:18:00.001-04:00

69 days till September 15th, 2011 which on this date will also be our 10 YEAR WEDDING ANNIVERSARY. We will begin celebrating by boarding a plane at 7am and leaving Louisville, Kentucky

to fly into a different Country arriving into Cancun, Mexico at 11:30am to stay at a place called ~~The Moon Palace Resort~~ also known as Heaven on Earth. We spent our Honeymoon here and knew that someday we would go back, well what better way to celebrate 10 years of Marriage?!!!

CANNOT wait till James and I will be
laying in one of these chairs!!!

Our last trip to the Palace did not require Passports but a lot has changed in the past 10 years when it comes to flying I guess...James and I applied for our Passports last week and are anxiously waiting for them to be mailed to us...Our travel agent has helped us to make the most of our time when we arrive into Mexico and has everything all planned out for us. We were hoping to be able to stay in the exact same room but instead we will be staying in a better room than before. Our last room was an Ocean View Room, well needless to say this one will be an Ocean Front View, which you know the difference between the two, HUGE DIFFERENCE...

We are so excited we can hardly stand it...But with all this excitement comes the anxiety for us as parents leaving Jaden...ever since we began planning our 10 year trip, we started to pray that the Lord would bless the entire trip including all the things that could happen while we are so far away from home. We are trusting that the Lord will take care of Jaden and Us as we are away. I do know that he will be well taken care of, but it's still so VERY, VERY hard leaving him behind. My sweet Momma, I do not know what I would do without her told me the day we booked our trip that, "Jaden will never even know we left him, and that HE WILL NOT MISS US"...now doesn't that sound like something a Grandmother would say?!!!!!

So the countdown begins...69 more days...Cancun, Mexico here we come...

~Happy 4th of July~

2011-07-03T20:15:00.000-04:00

God has been so good to us...Thanking Him for our Freedom

235 years of Liberty and Freedom

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord;..." Psalm 33:12a

Sneak Peak...

2011-07-01T15:48:00.002-04:00

Wanted to post a Sneak Peak from our 4th Annual Jaden's Day Golf Scramble Benefit.

The Lord BLESSED us with the most perfect Golf Day. It was 80 degrees, sunny, with a slight breeze that blew steady all afternoon. We had a GREAT turnout of Teams that played. All our proceeds this year went to Jaden's GYM The Kids Center for Pediatric Therapies in Louisville, Kentucky. This year our MAIN FOCUS and Theme was Cerebral Palsy Awareness. Jaden's therapist from the Kids Center was there with tons of brochures that talked about what all the Kids Center does for children with Special Needs and was there to answer any questions some people had regarding CP.

So far we have raised over $3, 000.00 and there's still more coming in with all our Jaden's Day shirt sales.

Want to post a BIG THANK YOU to all the people that bought a shirt this year. As you may know the color this year for our shirts GREEN, which is the MAIN color for Cerebral Palsy Awareness. It was so awesome to see the out pouring of SUPPORT that flooded the Golf Course with everyone wearing their GREEN shirts and to think that the front of the shirt states " I wear this shirt because someone I know battles Cerebral Palsy", and to know that, that person is our sweet boy. With all the TEARS streaming down my face as I type this, it just encourages us as parents to know that we are not alone in this battle of CP. Our prayer is that someday Jaden will overcome the many obstacles that this CP has affected in his life and will be able to be an encouragement and a help to someone else that is battling it with him.

took 3 memory cards full of pictures. Still editing, so more 2011 Jaden's Day Picture's coming soon...So be on the lookout for them...

Take me out to the BallPark...

2011-06-30T07:51:00.000-04:00

This summer has been SUPER busy and with the warm, sunny weather comes countless games out at the BallPark. James and I have been wanting to go see Shelby, Nate and Jagger play since they all 3 were on Teams this year. So thankful that we were able to go and catch them all playing on the same night. Jaden does not care so much about all the screaming fans, so we made our BallPark stop short and sweet. Long enough for us to take some quick snapshots and away we went.

Our Little Nephew Jagger's Team

Jagger with his Daddy (James' Brother)

Shelby Ann's SoftBall Team

Shelby (my niece) and I after her game

Nate (my little Brother) during his game

Nate's Team

Nate at Bat

The Big Swing

And a BASE HIT...WOO HOO

So glad I got to see him HIT ONE...
can you tell he was excited for his HIT

Seth loves all the excitement, he has spent most
his Summer out at the BallPark, but I believe
that he mostly likes these YUMMY Popsicles
they sell at the Concessions Stand...

Our little Nephew...Super Sweetness

Jaden and his Daddy

Jaden and Aunt Hanya

What a FUN night out at the BallPark

Thoughtful Thursday / 4th Annual Jaden's Day This Saturday June 25th

2011-06-23T08:35:00.000-04:00

Mr.& Mrs. Lewis

2011-06-21T18:10:00.001-04:00

My husbands Best Friend Tim finally tied the knot...We have been waiting for this day to come for what seems to be an eternity...He has been there for us through it all...James couldn't have asked for a better friend...We knew when the time came for him to marry James would be his Best Man, but we were not expecting him to call and ask if Jaden would be his Ring Bearer...Tears filled our eyes after we got off the phone with him, to think that he wanted Jaden to be a part of his Special Wedding Day, we couldn't have said no. Jaden was Timothy's Ring Bearer, let's just say he was the cutest little Ring Bearer I've ever seen, EVER...Tim had it all planned out how he wanted Jaden ~~to walk ,~~ RIDE down the aisle...He wanted his car all shinned up with a sign that read "Gettin Hitched" on the back of it, the Pillow tapped to the hood and Jaden ride down the aisle in his Sport's Car...After the Ceremony he wanted the sign the be changed out to read "Just Married"...So that's exactly how it went, all except for the part Jaden ridding down the aisle with his paci in his mouth...I forgot to take it out before he took off...

Jaden and his Daddy all Tuxed Up

Tim and his Ring Bearer

Jaden with the 2 Flower Girls before the Wedding began...he was blowing
kisses to them

He then had to play some ball with them...He kept saying "pretty" over and over to them...
it was so sweet...

Jaden riding down the aisle with his paci...everyone loved
him mostly because they knew that he
couldn't walk down the aisle all by himself so instead
Guss Tim's Nephew (an usher) drove Jaden down...After the Wedding
I thanked Guss for driving Jaden's Car down for him, he looked at me
with pure excitement and said "no thank you for letting me, that Remote Control car
is AWESOME"...so he loved doing it...

Jaden's little Girl Friends

Laura and her son Mason

Lighting their Unity Candle

The Kiss

Mr. & Mrs. Timothy Lincoln Lewis

Laura and her little Ring Bearer

Jaden was stealing some of Tim's kisses here...

The 2 loves of my life

The Cutest Little Ring Bearer

I had to capture a picture of Jaden's little Shiny Shoes...They were SUPER cute!!!

The Ring Bearer with his Momma

Jaden loves to give Fives...He was giving Larry (Tim's Daddy)
Five here...

Tim and Laura with Tim's Parents
Larry and Sally Lewis

James and I with the Bride and Groom

I so LOVE Weddings and everything about them

The Groom with his Best Man

Their Wedding Cake
I made for them

~Garden Cake~

the view of the cake from the Back Side

Cutting Of The Cake

They were nice to each other

James giving his Best Man's Speech to the Bride and Groom

wasn't a dry eye in the Reception Hall

Mother~Son Dance

The Garter

Tim thought he was gonna get off easy here, but we wasn't gonna let that happen...
James had to remove my garter at our Wedding with his teeth and no hands...So
that's exactly what Tim is doing here...James told him it wasn't fair that he had to do that,
so he made Tim remove the Garter the same exact way...No hands only Teeth...

James giving the rules...

Tim tossing the garter

James and all Tim's Friends decorating their Car

actually they were nice to them

Jaden's Ring Bearer Pillow taped to his hood

and the back of the car..

What a Beautiful Wedding it was!!!

Mother's Day 2011

2011-06-16T18:53:00.000-04:00

I know, I know im a little late, but better late than never hugh? This Mother's Day was truly a great one and no not because James and Jaden bought me a Rebel Camera, but in fact for this simple reason; the Lord has blessed me beyond measure and the rewards of being a mother are priceless: Carefree cuddles and sweet slobber kisses arms that hold me tight and sweet prayers good night. Unconditional love and a new view of God above. Few things in life are as exciting as the anticipation of a new baby. Your graduation, your Wedding Day, and of course the day you begin life as a Christian are some of life's most exciting times. But nothing can compare to the newness and wonder of having a baby. There are so many who cannot have children and would give anything to get to experience something the Lord has allowed for us to experience. This Mother's Day I thought about how much our lives has changed since Jaden and how the Lord gave us an opportunity to be part of a wonderful miracle! Amazing isn't it?

So I must ask a question, what kind of mother are you? Are you a mother that reads your Bible to your children, do you sing songs about Jesus to them, do you talk about God and all the things He has done in your family's lives, do you pray each day for them? Each of us moms should be praying of the day when we will see our children accept Jesus into their own lives. With all the love we mothers have for our children, what greater pleasure is there than the knowledge that we will be together with them forever in Heaven? Life will last an eternity, while this world is only tempory.

Jaden and I

our lil Family

my momma a lil brother and sisters

Jaden's card to both his Mammaws...

he colored them a "Yellow Flower" picture...this was Jaden's reaction when he gave
Mammaw Theresa hers...can you tell that he was proud of himself.........He colored it
with a lil help from Mommy.....

Heather and Makynna on their first Mommy and Daughter
Day

James' Sister Michelle, Heather, Makynna, and Justin

Jaden and Daddy with Mammaw Brenda

Jaden and I with Mammaw

We stand as a link in a long chain of mother love, blessed and held together by God

~Faith Billings~

Thoughtful Thursday

2011-06-09T10:58:00.001-04:00

Seems like Thursday's rolls around quickly each week...We have been so busy unboxing and getting things all settled here at HOME...have gone through box after box deciding what we are keeping or what we are getting rid of...We will be having a HUGE YARD SALE soon...can't believe how much STUFF we have that we do not need...So for now I'm posting our China Hutch...this is the one thing that we have gotten completely organized and all set up...After about 3 boxes of glasses and crystal that went into the Yard Sale pile, I now have room in the bottom of my hutch to store some other things that could never fit before...

Eventually I'll get this blog all caught up...

Thoughtful Thursday

2011-06-02T07:30:00.000-04:00

Pre-View to Uncle Tim and Laura's Wedding...This was their Wedding Cake I made for them...

I'm so happy how it all turned out...They loved it...

they picked it out from one of my Wedding Cake Books...
Garden Cake with Garden Cake Stand...

took over 24 hours to do including bake and decorating time...made all the icing, fondant,
and polka dots for it the Thursday before the Wedding...

The Topper

The top and bottom layer was White Cake with homemade butter cream icing
rolled with fondant...the middle layer was Strawberry Cake with homemade butter
cream icing rolled with fondant...all the roses were made with Gum Paste Icing
and all the Polka Dots were made with Royal Icing...

More Wedding Pictures coming soon...wait till you see Jaden in his Tux...Super Sweetness!!!!

Little Red Hen

2011-06-02T07:01:00.001-04:00

For Pre-School Jaden has been learning the color Red...his teacher Mrs. Courtney brought with her something fun to work on with Jaden, RED PAINT...Her and Jaden painted the Little Hen together RED...

Jaden's Little Red Hen

Pappaw Henry bought Jaden some chickens for Easter this year and at Mother's Day I took several pictures of them together down at the Chicken House. I thought it would be so perfect to include them with this post of Jaden's Little Red Hen...

Jaden and Pappaw sitting together watching the Chickens peck...

Jaden loves to go down to the Chicken House with his pappaw...
he will sit on his lap and make "Buck Buck" sounds...

I couldn't imagine my life without my grandparents growing up...I pray each day
that Jaden will have the kind of memories stored inside his heart of his grandparents
like how I do of mine some day when he's all grown up...

love this one...

Nate goes down each night to gather all the eggs for Jaden...
This is FogHorn LegHorn "Mr. Rooster"...Jaden's lil Rooster
that says Cock a Doo...it is so sweet to hear Jaden say this...
Pappaw taught him how to say it...

so you might be wondering why Pappaw bought all these Chickens for Jaden? Well
to be honest, he said he bought them for Jaden and Seth (our lil nephew) but really deep
down inside, he wanted them too...along with the Duck, and the Pig...So Pappaw has a Mini Farm now...

Jaden and Pappaw will go down each time we come over for a visit...Jaden likes to
stick his little hand way down into the Feed Bucket and grab a handful of crushed
corn to throw into the Chicken House for them to eat...they are the friendliest little Chickens...they love it
when the kids come to visit them...I guess it's because they were so little babies when dad got them and
that they consider us their family...it's just so sweet...

yes Corn goes everywhere...all in Mommy's hair, Jaden's hair and have even found
corn down his diaper as well...

This is Mr. Quacky...he's the only little duck that pappaw has...his little companion
not long go got eaten by a Coyote...he was so sad and lonely, so Pappaw placed him
in with the chickens...they accepted him with open (chicken legs) and now they are all
Happy Friends...

oh and we can't forget that they all love fresh Green Grass too...so we each will pick
a handful to give to them...They love to see all of us walking down to their house...

So there you have it...The story of Jaden's Little Red Hen and all ~~his Chickens~~ or should I say, Pappaws Chickens...

A Birthday To Remember...

2011-05-29T00:41:00.001-04:00

So no we have not fallen off the face of the earth, it's just that we finally got to MOVE and just got our Internet hooked up today. We have been living out of of boxes and without any TV or Internet which basically feels as if we actually did fall of the face of earth, in a sense, of feeling totally lost. I believe it's been a record for me to go this long without Blogging or checking FaceBook. Somewhere amongst all of this CRAZINESS we made a Wedding Cake, attended 2 Weddings back to back, celebrated James Birthday and moved all in the same weekend. James wanted to celebrate his Birthday by MOVING, so that's what we did. He called all our Strong Muscled Friends and Family and they came and helped us. James will always remember his 32nd Birthday because he said that he got a New Home for it. We stayed our first night here at home May 24th, 2011, a date that we will always remember.

With all that being said, you kinda now realize how Super Busy we have been. Be looking for our catching-up posts : Mother's Day, Ashley and Matt's Wedding, Tim and Laura's Wedding, The Cutest Little Ring Bearer In The Entire World, Moving, Boxes Everywhere, and The Color Red (little Red Hen and Jaden's Chickens). Will post them soon.

Although the guys were super busy packing
and moving out all the Big Stuff, we still made
time to read our Special Cards to Daddy and
let him open up his presents we got for him

Jaden's Card to his Daddy

with Mommy's help, Jaden signed his
name with the color of the week we
are working on (BLUE) on Daddy's Card and
he made all the scribble lines all by himself

Jaden helping Daddy open his presents...so at this point in the
day the Living Room was pretty much cleared out, which made for one
happy guy...James was super pumped that on his Birthday he
was gonna get to spend the 1st night in his new home...

Some AWESOME smelling cologne and a new saw to help us with
our next up-coming project "Building A Much Needed Shed". His old
saw was not gonna be up to completing such a big task.

A Big Day For Uncle Tim

2011-05-22T00:41:00.000-04:00

Rehearsal

the soon to be
Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Lewis

Thoughtful Thursday

2011-05-20T07:11:00.001-04:00

Our Mailbox is up and ready for mail...Oh how I LOVE MAIL!!!

Hoping to move SOON!!!

My NEW Best Friend

2011-05-18T16:41:00.002-04:00

OUR INTERNET HAS BEEN COMING AND GOING HERE LATELY...

Our Internet went down right during the time of me uploading this post "My New Best Friend"...I wasn't ready for it to post but it posted anyways...I woke up Mother's Day morning to three pretty presents sitting on our coffee table...So to my surprise, Jaden got his mommy one of the best presents he has ever bought me so far, however it was one of the most expensive presents I've ever gotten in my entire life...This made for one Happy Mommy on Mother's Day...I was in desperate need of a new camera...my old one, the flash was burned out on it, no not really just the viewing screen didn't work any longer...

Also I have to admit and confess that I've been SUPER JEALOUS of my sister and a couple of other people who follow my blog REGULARLY, they also have one of these Rebels...Ever since I took a couple of snapshots with my sisters camera, I've been in love ever since...So I have been for many months making little comments here and there about how terrible my old camera was and how I would so love to have a new one...Then Mother's Day rolls around and I get one...I wasn't thinking that I would have gotten such a pricey gift for Mother's Day, I was thinking maybe on Christmas but I'm for sure not complaining...The Lord has been so good to us and we have been blessed beyond measure and I'm so thankful that we had some extra money saved up for something but that something was for this and I'm praying that I will be able to capture all our MEMORIES to come with it...

It takes AMAZING PICTURES and I cannot wait to post all our Mother's Day pictures...let me say that again, ALL our Mother's Day pictures...all 200 hundred of them...I'm still learning how it all works, still reading my manual...

EOS Rebel T3

Camera, Camera Bag, and extra 300mm Lens

Looking forward to my new camera and capturing some great MEMORIES!!!

Our Little Artist

2011-05-17T14:55:00.002-04:00

Jaden's Art Piece made it all the way to our local art gallery called MellWood Art Center...

His Art Piece, along with many, many other kids Art Pieces from the Kids Center (Jaden's Gym) were

on display to be AUCTIONED OFF...Buyers came from all over...we cannot wait to see how much

Jaden's Art Piece brought in for the Kids Center, who bought it, and where it travelled to...

Last year several of the pieces were bought by different Doctors and now are hanging in their

offices throughout Kentucky...

The Art Gallery has several different floors...Jaden's Piece made it to
the K.A.S. Gallery Room called Kentucky Art Speaks...

So many different pieces were throughout the Gallery...

The Three of us standing beside Jaden's Art Piece

after Jaden had worked so hard on his piece, after it reached it's
completion, James and I could not wait to take Jaden
to see his special art that he had made...we thought in our minds where it
was gonna be hanging and how it was gonna look with
all the fancy lights shinning on it...we also had the option to
reserve his piece if we didn't want to sell it...We told the Gallery
that that's why he made his, was to help bring in money for the Gym...
we went on to say, that we are very certain that he will continue
on making more special art pieces along the way that we will be able to keep...

the title to Jaden's Piece
Sensory Fun

Jaden and Daddy looking at his Art Piece
hanging on the wall...Jaden was touching it...

We are so proud of him!!!

Aunt Hanya, Shelby, Seth, Mammaw, Uncle Nate, along with
one of Shelby's Friends and us of course all rode together to Louisville
to the Art Center to see Jaden's Piece

After we were finished looking through all the Galleries we took
Jaden out for a special treat...Ice Cream, his FAVORITE...

I just wanted to type out what Jaden's therapist said about him, "The Artist"

Jaden is a wonderful 3 year old who has a diagnosis of Hydrocephalus and Visual Impairment.

Jaden enjoyed the texture of the Canvas and putting the birdseed on to create this Master Piece.

I'll have another posting about the Total Raised for the Gym and exactly how much Jaden's

Art Piece sold for coming up soon...So stay tuned in...

Jaden's First Spring Break (from Pre-School)

2011-05-17T09:40:00.000-04:00

was looking back through all my pictures and I realized that I had forgotten to

blog about Jaden's Spring Break...Mammaw took all the kids swimming...

She booked a night stay at our Local Super 8... the pool was heated and the Kids

had a BLAST!!!

Jaden loved the warm water...he thought he
was in a Super Big Tub

Shelby and Jaden

Hensley and I

he's gonna love this Summer

Jaden with his Mammaw

Jaden and Aunt Tess

What a fun night we had!!!

~A Royal Wedding~

2011-05-17T08:52:00.001-04:00

~ April 29th, 2011 ~

A day I have been looking forward to ever since I found out about Prince William and Catherine's Engagement...Woke up just a little before 6 in the morning just in time to see her get into their Rolls Royce and drive through the town...James couldn't believe that I was taking pictures of our TV...So I must say, I took over 100 pictures of this Beautiful Wedding as it unfolded and had to sort through and pick all the best shots of our TV Screen...

Absolutely Amazingly Beautiful

I got it...I got it...I got a picture of William telling Kate that she

looked BEAUTIFUL...

on this day...viewed from around the entire World

The Giving and Receiving of Rings...So glad he was able to get it

on her finger...he had me worried a bit...

the KISS.....I could not have waited that long on my Wedding Day, to be able to kiss
my Groom...but it sure kept everyone in pure anticipation though...wow

What a Fairy Tale!!!

Seth's 1st Birthday Party / Magic Show

2011-05-17T07:29:00.000-04:00

Seth had a HUGE Mickey 1st Birthday Party...he even had a magic show to go along with it

I think Hanya invited the whole neighbourhood...

His Cake

made by his MOST FAVORITE AUNT...
that would be me by the way

along with all his Mickey Cupcakes

they turned out Super Cute

his cake was white and his cupcakes were all CHOCOLATE

love my Stencil Set for my letters

Birthday Boy...his momma made his lil cake

love this picture of him looking up at Mickey...this balloon was HUGE

The crowd watching the SHOW

me and my Sweet Nephew

not a very good picture but was the only good one we took
of Jaden and his Cousin together

James and I with Seth

~Happy 1st Birthday Seth~

Uncle James, Aunt Kacey and Jaden

love you BIG BUNCHES!!!