A Day in the Life

Firsts

2008-08-11T12:52:00.012-06:00

As I was downloading the pictures from my camera today, I noticed that there were several "firsts". Are there enough to blog about? Probably not. But then the most noteable first would be the fact that I am actually writing an entry on my blog. It's the first in a while (a while = 6 months). Of course, I have a lot of bloggers guilt, but it hasn't started keeping me awake at night. And if I'm sleeping peacefully, I don't feel the need to disrupt the harmony. However, I did receive an email from the "mother of all bloggers" inquiring about my lack of production. It felt a little like being called to the principal's office and being asked why I was no longer completing my homework assignments, and why was I occupying space at a desk if I wasn't going to use it. But if anyone could make me come out of the blogging black hole, it would be the "mother of all bloggers"....because I hold her and her Ocala blogging budddy high upon a pedestal in this world of web logging!

So....on with my firsts!

Knox's First Titans Game

Richmond's First Day of First Grade

And last, but not least.....

My first car with under 75,000 miles on it at point of purchase....and a sunroof, too! We're forming quite a bond - my little black beauty and me. And its a good thing, because we will no doubt be getting to know one another well. I suspect I'll be looking through her sunroof for the next 10 years. And today, I'm okay with that.

On that same note, anybody wanna buy a Tahoe.....190,000 miles, totally ragged out on the inside and out, no driver's side interior door handle (we use the "mechanism" to open it). Not one first remotely associated with this machine - except maybe the extensive carpet cleaning I gave her last weekend. That was a first! And a last. The good news is, you could probably pay cash for her. The bad news is, you'll have to take out a loan to quench her thirst. She sucks gas faster than my kids suck down a chocolate milk at the "Pancake House" on Sunday morning! Whoa Nelly!

Yessiree, she's a beauty.

As a side note....when one doesn't blog regularly, one forgets the ins and outs of blogging. Then one can spend countless hours trying to figure out how to fix the things one has screwed up. And then one says, WHATEVER! and moves on. Thus, my titles under my pictures don't line up. But as I mentioned in a previous post, I am not an attention to details person. So. WHATEVER!

It's A Girl

2008-02-17T14:22:00.010-06:00

Julia Avery Thompson is here. In fact, she's been here for 10 days now. She is the beautiful, black-haired, big-cheeked daughter of my sister, Marcy and her black-haired, big-cheeked husband, Tre. (Do you see a pattern here?) She arrived on February 7th - a Thursday - and I could not be present for her arrival. So...I did what any normal person would do - I begged them not to tell me one little detail until I could get there on Friday - not the sex, not the weight, not the name - nothing. Because in my family, we don't find out what our babies are until they are this side of the womb. It's somewhat controversial in this nursery decorating and monogrammed gift giving world that we live in, but it works for us. We like surprises! And I didn't wait 9 months for somebody to call me on the telephone and give me the details.

So I arrive in Birmingham the next night and I'm walking through the halls of the hospital checking out the blue and pink bows on the doors. And I'm thinking....I don't want to find out what this baby is by way of the door bow. As I approach Marcy's room, I am elated to see the naked door...a no-go-on-the-bow, if you will. Excellent. I open the door, expecting to see pink or blue ribbons or balloons or something. No, it is the most sterile room I have ever laid eyes upon....except for the blinding smiles of my sister, my mother, and Haley (my sister's sister-in-law). And there she is....the bundle of joy, swaddled in a blanket with the traditional blue and pink stripped baby hat. I take the baby and practically assault it trying to get it de-swaddled so I can find out who she/he is at long last. But all I see is white...just like those crazy (almost evil) smiles on those around me. She is dressed in white from head to toe. Ya'll. They made me go to the diaper to check parts. Parts is parts, but there was definitely one part missing. IT'S A GIRL!!!! We haven't had a girl on my side of the family for a while - 7 years to be exact. And the name, well, it was my grandmother's. And you know how we love my grandmother. (As a side note, I wanted to name my child Julia, but after I married Richy that became impossible. I was not going to have a Julia Roberts...wasn't gonna happen. Also, both of my children have "parts", so apparently, God made that decision easy for me.)

The next day we performed the most incredible "Extreme Nursery Makeover"! We turned the neutral nursery with its green walls and yellow bee bedding into a suite fit for a princess. Fortunately, Tre's mom, Shelayne, happens to be a decorator - which comes in handy when you are trying to rebuild Rome in a day. It also helped matters that the next door neighbor, Amanda, had some extra pink toile crib bedding and she monograms on the side. OK....she was a big piece of the nursery puzzle. The crib bedding - that was HUGE, but at 10:00 that night she is monogramming the window treatments with Julia's initials. I love it when a plan comes together!!

Ahhh, it was a lovely weekend! Thank you to my husband for staying home with our children so I could spend that time with my sister. I'm thinking that Extreme Nursery Makeover would not have happened had Richmond and Knox been on the scene. Or Julia would have had her room decorated with Mater and Lightning McQueen with some touches of Spiderman. Yes, all hail to Richy! It was a special time...

Here's hoping that Julia will forgive me when she's old enough to realize that it took me 10 days to blog her arrival into this world. But by then, she'll know me. And by then, she'll know she was lucky it was only 10 days and not 10 years! And she'll forgive me....because she had the cutest nursery E-V-E-R!

Stuff

2008-01-05T08:14:00.000-06:00

Stuff....just uttering the word makes me want to crawl into the fetal position. We have a lot of stuff. Anyone who has ever had the misfortune of seeing the inside of our garage, or who has been a guest in our home and hoped to hang their clothes in the closet, can attest to the fact that the Roberts have some stuff! And to make matters worse, organization is not my strong point. In fact, Richy and I recently took the Myers Briggs test in our Sunday School class, and yada-yada-yada - we're not attention to details people. I'm sure that I was suppose to get something deeper from the results of my test, but mostly I just thought....no wonder our garage looks like it does - it's our nature! As a couple, we have a lot of fine qualities - just none that are visible in our garage or closets :)

Last month as we were preparing to decorate our house with Christmas stuff, I had a stuff meltdown. I became overwhelmed by the stuff - the Christmas decorations stuff, the everyday stuff, the autumn stuff, the toys stuff, thoughts of the new toys stuff that would soon be coming our way, my work stuff. I began to vent to my unsuspecting husband that the stuff was making me crazy. Much like this post, I am sure that I used the word "stuff" approximately 167 times as I ranted and raved on and on until my husband began boxing up the stuff and taking it away. To this day, I'm not sure what or how much stuff was carted away during my meltdown.....but it wasn't enough!! Though I give my husband much credit, he knew just what to do in that moment....and it made me feel better. Seeing him carry out garbage bags of stuff....I'm not sure I've ever loved him more!

So I started thinking....in this new year, what if I made a deliberate effort to only purchase and bring into my home the stuff that we need - not the stuff that we want. Not necessarily to save money (though that will be a nice side effect), but to save my sanity. Someone may want to warn Target and TJ Maxx, so they can be accountable to Wall Street for their declining numbers! I mean seriously, how often do I go to Target and peruse the aisles just to find a deal....on anything....because it's a deal....and I'm sure I will need it for something....one of these days....in the next few years.....before I die. This is a problem. How does it come to this? (I am sure there are spiritual implications here, but we can't go there today.)

Also, I think it will be a great exercise in determining what it is that we really do need. We need toilet paper and milk, but do I really need another pair of black shoes? Not so much....I think the 10 I already own should cover it! Odds are, I will find that we have everything we need.....and then some. By posting this, I suppose I'll have some accountability to the 4 people that still read my blog! I'll try to post some updates and let you know how my "stuff-less" adventure is going.

Lord, I pray that You will be the "stuff" in my life. You, alone, are sufficient.

He Might Be Learnin' Something

2007-11-29T21:34:00.000-06:00

Conversation overheard at bedtime:

Daddy: Knox, are you ready to go night-night?

Knox: Nooo, I don't want ni-ni!!

Daddy: You want to stay up all night?

Knox: Yes!

Richmond (very matter-of-factly): Maybe he's nocturnal.

I'm not sure that I knew what "nocturnal" meant until last year. He's 5. I'm dreading the homework in 1st grade. Will I be able to hang? Stay tuned for the next episode of "My 5 year old is smarter than me".

First Day of Kindergarten

2007-08-14T13:01:00.000-06:00

and we survived!!!

In uniform and ready to go.....

But not without a hug from Dad. Is he holding onto his leg? Not a good sign.....

In his classroom

Teacher's pet already?

Mrs. Tracy's busy bees!

Slow Down Already

2007-05-31T07:40:00.000-06:00

In the past several days, it has become shockingly apparent that my baby is not a baby anymore. Oh, I've had subtle hints - like his vocabulary which now consists of "dude", "awesome", and "for real?". But this week, I feel like I've been hit in the head with a two by four called reality. On Tuesday, Richmond turned 5. On Wednesday, he lost his first 2 baby teeth. What the heck? Can't a girl be eased into reality instead of being hit over the head with it? All of this, together with the whole Kindergarten thing....it's almost too much for this mom to grasp. It doesn't help that I was in my mid 30's when I had him. You know what they say......the older you get, the faster time goes. It's soooo true! In fact, I'm now old enough to realize the truth in all of those things people told you when you were younger. You know the "old people logic" that you totally blew off because old people don't know what they're talking about! Oh to be 20 and ignorant again.... (Not that all 20 year olds are ignorant, but I was. Maybe "unaware" is a better word).

Anyway, I now am the proud mom of a dynamic and toothless 5 year old. He has made my world a more interesting place. Quite frankly, he has rocked my world. He is the sunshine of my days, with a scattered thunderstorm always on the horizon ready to reap havoc at any minute. He is very bright, and he challenges me to look at things from a new perspective. He is lots of fun and loves life just about as much as anyone I know. More than anything, he has a precious and caring heart. He plays hard and loves hard. And if your sick or hurting, he is a wonderful prayer warrior. His teacher was bothered with a sore back for about a week at school in the winter. He is still praying for her back. I wish I was more like him in that respect....

I simply could not be more blessed than to be a part of this little man's life. I am so honored!

From this......

To this - in the blink of an eye

He's 5!

The Boyzzzz

Party!

We Lost the Tooth

We Found the Tooth!

It's Gone!

And a Few Hours Later....Tooth #2

Hitch A Ride With An Angel

2007-04-30T21:13:00.000-06:00

We recently visited the doctor for Richmond's physical that is needed for his Kindergarten registration. (Yes, Kindergarten! This Mom does not have the energy to post about that topic - too much emotion to invest) Anyway, at each of the yearly visits, we receive a handout that explains typical behavior, development, etc for that particular age. As I was reading it, I noticed that it stated that 5 year olds often begin to show a keen interest in death. And one day after reading that tidbit, this is what Richmond says to me out of the clear blue as we are driving through the Mickey D's:

"Hey Mom, I'll bet when we die...the angels swoop down from the sky with their huge wings. We'll just hop on their backs, and they'll carry us up to Heaven to see Jesus. Won't that be fun?!!!"

Well, I don't know about you, but that is the way I will choose to view death from now on. Just. like. that.

Isn't it wonderful when we can view the world through the eyes of a child!

How They Grow

2007-04-13T08:33:00.000-06:00

Conversation with Richmond at our breakfast table on this rainy Friday morning:

Richmond: Mom, this is a great day for flowers!

Me: Oh, really.....why do you think that?

Richmond: Because Mom, here's how it works. This is the way flowers grow. First, God gives lots of rain. They love that. Then He gives them lots of sunshine. Then, we give them lots and lots of love. And then.......we have to give them lots of seeds. They need that. Then the flowers will grow and grow and grow!

Not necessarily in that order.....

Everytime a 4 year old opens their mouth to speak, it's an adventure!

Twidlin' My Thumbs

2007-03-26T07:13:00.000-06:00

NOT!!!!

Below is a short list of just a few of the eleventy-hundred (a number borrowed from Richmond) events that have transpired since our last meeting here in cyberspace:

1. Visited Memphis for the first time.
2. Did not visit Graceland.
3. Did visit my favorite young newlywed couple, Heather and Paul.
4. Loved, loved, loved their little house.
5. Ate the best bbq ever.
6. Went to a place called Raifort's Hollywood Disco and danced to 70's music.
7. Received a fabulous offer for a "part-time" job.
8. Accepted the offer.
9. Had a mani/pedi with the birthday girls - Laura and Jill.
10. Because I can....because I have a new job!
11. Took Knox to the Dr. for Chicken Pox.
12. It wasn't Chicken Pox.
13. No diagnosis....must be allergic to something.
14. DUH!
15. Changed our minds on whether or not to send Richmond to Kindergarten in the Fall.
16. Again!
17. Put a backup contract on a house.
18. Panicked about selling our house.
19. Painted the front door - because if you're gonna sell your house....
20. The front door is the first thing people notice.
21. Went to pick up Richmond from his 5 day stint at Papa's and Nana's.
22. Began detoxing treatment from Richmond's 5 day stint at Papa and Nana's.
23. Celebrated Laura's birthday with a surprise gathering at Rosepepper Cantina.
24. Lost out on the house. Original contract went through.
25. Wasn't meant to be.
26. Somebody explain that to my husband.
27. Celebrated Laura's birth(month) at the lake with the kids.
28. We like to celebrate birthdays to the fullest extent around here.
29. Found out Knox has a bad case of eczema.
30. Not sure why that was hard to diagnose the first time.
31. Spent a small fortune in co-payments to our pediatrician.
32. Mourned UT's loss to Ohio State in the Sweet Sixteen.
33. For 2 days.
34. Enjoyed a Sunday afternoon with my boys, playing in the kiddie pool.
35. Praised God for His many, many blessings!

I'm sorry.....did I say "short list"? That was terribly misleading!!

Celebrating My Sister

2007-03-08T07:46:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday to my little sister, Marcy! She is celebrating her 4th annual 29th birthday. Marcy holds a very dear place in my heart because, well.....she's had to put up with me her entire life - since day one. I was almost 6 when they brought her home from the hospital. Oh, I thought she was cute and all - at first. Then for the next 12 years, I really had no use for her at all. She totally cramped my style - following me around, wanting to do everything that I was doing. She was such a "little sister". The truth is I really had no style, and she probably made me look better. But what did I know?? She definitely suffered undue physical and mental anguish at the hands of her older sister.

Fast forward to her high school years, she suddenly became very cool in my eyes. I don't know why the sudden change, but I began to like her - even enjoy being around her. I admired the way she seemed to be so grounded, maybe because at that time I was out there doing my "wilderness walk". She was my safe place. I would go as far as to say that I began to love her during those years. Of course, I always loved her - she was my sister and that falls into the "given" category. But those were the years that I discovered that not only was she my sister, but my friend. Always.

Bless her heart, she has put up with a lot from me. There was that one incredibly stormy night that I called her up begging her to drive a half hour to deliver the community ski attire. She was in college at the time, so I promised her and a friend a free meal at the restaurant where I was waiting tables. I ask you, what college student doesn't love a free meal?? So she came. She ate. She brought the necessities for my weekend ski trip. She left. On the way home, the car decided to do a little water skiing of its own and hydroplaned into a concrete wall. Yikes! To make a very long story short, she has a fully paid for home.....in her mouth. That's right, the value of the dental work that she has endured (and is still enduring) as a result of "the accident" is equivalent to that of a small home in a nice neighborhood. Yes, I harbor much guilt. No, she has never made me feel that way. I do that on my own. Luckily, I did save her life at one point, so it all equals out. Right??

She still loves me, in spite of me. She always has. Without a doubt, she is the most loyal person I have ever had the privilege of knowing. If she loves you, consider yourself loved - big time. She has had the same best friends since she was in the 2nd grade - and they live in different states. Now that should tell you something! If you capture her heart, she loves you forever.....faults and all. It's funny, she's always considered me to be the strong one. Really, she is. She just doesn't know it!

So Happy 29th (again), Marcy! I hope you are celebrated in grand fashion - just like you deserve! I love you bunches.....

Opening the Door

2007-03-02T14:25:00.000-06:00

I love to open the door to Knox's room in the morning. It is one of my most favorite of God's blessings each day. The unknowns lurking behind that door make my life just a little more exciting! First of all, there is the hair.....you never know what you are going to get. It's so much like his personality - quirky and unpredictable. And then there's the emptying of the crib. He likes to throw everything out of his crib when he wakes up in the morning, as if to say, "I've been with this stuff all night, and I'm over it!" When I walk in, he is quick to point to his stuff laying all over his room, much like he is explaining a crime scene. Over there is my dog, he was the first to go over the edge. Hasn't moved since he landed. He loves to come up with something new to surprise me, as if he knows the thrill I am seeking when I open the door. Sometimes it is just a word or an expression that I haven't heard or seen before. Sometimes it's a new game such as "hide the paci". He likes to hide his paci in his pillow case. When I walk in, he will shake the pillow so that I hear the paci, and then he will hold his hands up in the air and say, "Paci? Paci?" And all of this adventure while his hair is usually standing out in every direction - it totally cracks me up! But today had to be one of my all time favorites. I walk in and he has unzipped his pajamas down to the feet, which in and of itself is not too funny. But never in my life have a seen a child more proud.....of what, I can't be sure. It was tough to know if he was proud of the act of unzipping, or the unveiling of his physique. I truly think it was a combination of the two! He was dancing around his crib and clapping his hands - you would have thought he had just been cast in the latest Baby Einstein production. (Richy actually calls Knox "Baby Einstein" because....well, he's a baby with Einstein's hair. You thought it was because he is extra smart, didn't you?) Anyway, I clapped and danced too, and then I broke the news......clap and dance today, because tomorrow a big, round, white belly might not make you clap and dance. Unless you are working out with Richard Simmons to get rid of your big, round, white belly....and that's a whole other story!

U-Haul

2007-02-16T15:01:00.000-06:00

In all of my years, I have never heard the U-Haul ad that says, "U-Haul our favorite neighbors out of the 'hood and break the hearts of our children who will no longer be able to take a walk and see their best friends every night after dinner in the summertime". Maybe they never used that one because it's a tad wordy. Nevertheless, truer words have never been spoken in regards to U-Haul - at least in our book! I'm glad they are moving in the wintertime, so we don't immediately feel the effects of the after dinner walks without Ella. We have a couple of months before the whining begins. Richmond has already started planning the days that would be perfect to invite Ella over - like Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. This morning, after seeing the "big moving truck" in Ella's driveway, he decided that the only possible solution is to marry her - then they would never have to be apart. Oh, he has talked marriage with Ella before, but never with such conviction as today. Bless his big, sweet, broken heart......good thing she's just moving across town!

Random Thoughts on Valentine's Day (Very Random)

2007-02-14T07:58:00.000-06:00

As I was pondering a Valentine Day post, my thoughts were all over the board. I couldn't pull together anything that stayed on the same subject long enough to be interesting, so.......I'll just post my random thoughts......which probably won't be very interesting either!

Random Thought #1 - I decided to look up the history of Valentine's Day; after all, I was certain that it existed before Hallmark, Zales Jewelers, FTD Florist, and Victoria's Secrets....right? My husband has long declared this day a marketing ploy by the previously mentioned companies, among others. I will say, he has fallen victim to their evil schemes on several occasions despite his accusations! (Love you, honey) So, I Googled the history of Valentine's Day. Wow, can you say obscurity? There are several theories out there. I will choose to believe this one:

Some experts state that it originated from St. Valentine, a Roman who was martyred for refusing to give up Christianity. He died on February 14, 269 A.D., the same day that had been devoted to love lotteries. Legend also says that St. Valentine left a farewell note for the jailer's daughter, who had become his friend, and signed it "From Your Valentine". Other aspects of the story say that Saint Valentine served as a priest at the temple during the reign of Emperor Claudius. Claudius then had Valentine jailed for defying him. In 496 A.D. Pope Gelasius set aside February 14 to honour St. Valentine.

Random Thought #2 - What's up with the kiddie Valentine Cards they put out these days. I was shocked the first time I had to buy these after Richmond was born. They were nothing like the Valentines that we had in the 70's when I was a kid. What happened to the envelopes? Why are they so small? When did Disney/Pixar/Nickelodeon take over? Why aren't there any cards with cute cuddly characters that don't belong to the aforementioned group? Have I mentioned that I have always thoroughly despised anything with licensed characters? Before I had children, I envisioned just saying "no" to all things licensed. We would not have Pooh bedding, no Buzz Lightyear shoes, no Thomas the Train backpacks, and absolutely no Barney anywhere in my house. Ahhhh, the dreams of future Moms are full of grand illusions. Then reality sets in when we actually give birth to these little Pooh-Buzz Lightyear-Thomas the Train-Barney loving creatures, and we give in. No amount of Mommy strength can keep us from buying a little vehicle named "Snot Rod" for our 4 year old Cars fanatic for his Valentine surprise! (My licensed merchandise rambling was totally a random thought within my random thought.....see, all over the board) Anyway, we bought the Cars cards because I did not want Richmond to be labeled a "generic geek" before he even starts kindergarten. But bless his heart, his odds of gaining this label somewhere along the way are very, very good. After all, remember who his parents are. Having had a career in retail, I prefer the term "private label" as opposed to "generic". I also prefer the term "financially savvy" as opposed to "cheap".

Random Thought #3 - Richmond has been loving the whole Valentine thing for the last week. He is really into "being Valens". He has asked me on numerous occasions to be his "valen". So sweet! Last night, he really wanted to discuss the matter of who would be whose "valen". Unfortunately, I could not concentrate because, ya'll......the Vols were playing Kentucky in a little game of hoops on ESPN. I wanted to be there for him....to declare my heart forever his. But, but.... Chris Lofton and the boys were knocking down 3's like it was nothing. Oh, joy!! However, I regained consciousness during a commercial long enough to hear him declare that he shall be my "valen", along with his brother, Knox. Realizing that his Daddy was left "valen-less", he decided that one of our female neighbors (who shall remain nameless to protect the innocent) would make a perfect "valen" for his Daddy. Ummm, I was a little freaked out by that for just a minute. But then Lofton hit another 3.......

Random Thought #4 - This day never passes without one special memory from the past. I was 23 with no Valentine in sight. (This was the same year that the Lord blessed me with my permanent Valentine!!) For some crazy reason, when you are 23, you think you are old - especially with no marryin' prospect! So I am at my mom and dad's house hanging out with my family, who are all preparing for their Valentine dates. Feeling a little sorry for myself, I had created a Valentine jingle that I was sharing with my sister. It went a little something like this....."Mom has a valentine, Daddy has a valentine, Tony has a valentine, Marcy has a valentine - Missy has no valentine - pooooor Missy." (Yes, I live in Nashville; no, I am not a songwriter) It was a very sad tune, but my 17 year old sister found it to be hilarious. Of course, she did.....because she had a valentine. In fact, she found it so hilarious that with all of the laughing and snorting and such, she sucked one of her valentine M&Ms down her throat and proceeded to choke. For real. I had left the room for a minute and returned to find her on the floor, holding her throat and turning blue. As luck would have it, I had just completed the Heimlich Maneuver training. Also, for real. I grabbed up all 5'11" of her off the floor and commenced to thrustin'. The M&M shot out of her mouth like a Patriot Missile. That's right.....I saved my sister's life.....even if she had just been reveling in my non-valentine-having situation. We've had a lot of good times since then, so it was worth it :)

Random Thought #5 - Conversation at my house this morning:

Me: Richmond, it's time to do our chores and put on our clothes.

Richmond: Mom, it's Valentine's Day. I thought we were just suppose to sit around and love each other all day, not do chores.

Me: Well, we can love each other while we do our chores.

Richmond: That's not love.

Last, But Most Random Thought Of All - Richy had a friend in high school who had lots of girlfriends, but he had devised a grand plan. He always broke up with his girlfriend in early December and maintained his bachelor status until after Valentine's Day. You got it......no Christmas gift, no Valentine gift. And if he was really lucky, his new post-Valentine squeeze had a birthday that fell somewhere in between - mid January was perfect! Now that's brilliant...... Please note that he is 38 and still single. Not that there's anything wrong with that!

Now, we can all be glad that I didn't try to weave these stories into one. I was not an English Lit major, as is evident. I was a business major which is also evident, thus the bullet points/highlights theme. And maybe, just maybe - I am a bit random by nature.

Happy Valentine's Day to all!

Let It Snow

2007-02-03T08:42:00.000-06:00

Scenes from yesterday's "snow event"......

Is is Knox, or is it Randy (Ralphie's Brother) from A Christmas Story?

Ella and Richmond

Claire wasn't loving the snow

"I can't put my arms down"

"Help....I can't get up!"

Party Hardy

2007-01-31T15:29:00.000-06:00

It was off to Birmingham last weekend to celebrate "The Big 3" for my nephew, Hardy. And party.....we did! The festivities began at The Fun Factory - one of those places with the plethora-o-inflatables. Everytime I step foot into one of those kid's paradises, I begin to sob uncontrollably, and not because I'm afraid my children will get hurt (Richmond has catapulted himself off of the top of one before). No, I am insane with grief because I didn't think of this inflatables-in-a-big-room concept. Such an elementary idea with such big bucks involved. Oh well......after I regained my composure, it was time to party! In taking in the scene, it was hard to tell who was having more fun, the 15 kids there or Richy. Who knew? I guess its The Fun Factory for Richy's 38th! Even Knox, who has typically been less than interested, joined in the fun and gave us a few smiles. Hardy had a blast - he's such a funny little kid, very expressive. When he was first learning to communicate, he would laugh hysterically like Woody the Woodpecker....absolutely hilarious. His new thing is toddler cussing - only it's not the four letter words - instead, he says, "NUGGETS!" And he means it........whatever nuggets means. I guess my sister is just grateful its only nuggets. I accidently taught Richmond to say dang it while watching a UT football game when he was 3. For about a month, I had to lay low around town, for fear that my little dang it boy would let it fly at the most inopportune moment. It's true, we reap what we sow. No more potty mouth for this mommy!

When we returned to the Thompson hacienda, it was naptime for the kids. So what do all normal adults do when they have been to a birthday party all morning and then put their children down for naps?? They play HORSE, of course. That's right.....basketball....about 20 games of HORSE. The only adult who did not participate was my mom. Her idea of fun on a Saturday afternoon when the kids are asleep is to shop, not play basketball. What can I say......she was in the band. And yes, I realize that it is she who is the normal one. I'm not sure why all of her children turned out weird, and then chose weird spouses?? Nevertheless, a fun time was had by all, and Richy totally dominated our HORSE tournament. At one point, I thought he might let my Dad win. He didn't. I also thought he might let me win. He didn't. He won every game. Congratulations Richy.....you won every game. I'm not bitter. Really.

And then, we ate. It's what we do best when we get together as a family. We all love it, and we all do it well. We talk and eat, eat and talk. We drag it out as much as possible. I just love eating with my family. Sounds very simple, but to me - there is no place I would rather be than gathered around a table with all my "peeps".

The weekend came to an end much too soon, as always. Richy completed a few "honey-do" items for my sister on Sunday. Yes, she has a honey-do list for my husband on each visit. It's the price he pays for being a do-it-yourselfer. She is soooo glad "we" married him! Me, too. Although, one of his projects involved two big holes in their siding made by woodpeckers and a can of "Great Stuff" - not Richy's best work. But, hey.....the woodpeckers can no longer call the Thompson house their home. I think my brother-in-law, Tre, just thinks we're rednecks. He loves us anyway!

As a side note: For those of you following our progress on Richmond's training program to be Nick Saban's successor, please know that no trips to Alabama are complete without some side training. We were sure to indoctrinate him with as much high quality Alabama literature/cinematography as possible. Please see pics below for documentation.

The Birthday Boy and His Mom

My sister and me......and our hats!

Richmond and Hardy......looking guilty

Knox discovers powdered donuts

Yummy.......

Nick would be proud (and so would the Bear)

He's so dedicated! Even at age 4, he knows 30 million is a big number.....

Saying Goodbye to our Day Camper

2007-01-24T21:03:00.000-06:00

We knew when Cousin Camp began in late October that the day would come when we would have to say goodbye to our most favorite day camper, Will Barrett. What we didn't know is how difficult it would be. We have enjoyed him even beyond our expectations! I am a little sad that Will Barrett will not remember just how much his cousins loved having him be a part of their day. Knox woke up every morning saying, "Bebe, bebe?" Actually, he still does. At least 10 times a day, Richmond would say, "Look how cute he is, Mom!" We are so thankful for the time we were given to love on him. I know that his precious, toothless smiles will be etched into our hearts forever!

And since he won't remember, we took lots and lots of pictures........

Our little Prince.....and the Court Jester!

Little Cutie

Sweet Smiles

The weather outside is frightful.....but our hats are so delightful!

The Next Huggies Model

So long "Little Chief".......We will miss you!

Forget Reading......Let's Talk X's and O's

2007-01-04T14:45:00.000-06:00

That's right.....let's learn some football 101. I have a grand plan for Richmond's future after yesterday's 30 million dollar announcement by the University of Alabama. Before yesterday, Richmond and I had been spending some time each day working on phonics (and by the way, he is NOT hooked). He starts school in the fall, so I am trying to prepare him in advance - just a little. We don't spend too much time on it because I know that he is going to be spending the next 16 or so years in school. So, most of the time, we are just having one big party! But alas, the University of Alabama has taken me off the hook. I don't have to worry about being that Mom who works on phonics, math, and all of that other stuff we're suppose to be doing before our children go to school. Does anybody have an old copy of the Alabama playbook? An hour a day of studying the in's and out's of Alabama football - and maybe a couple of hours a week looking at old footage and films about the Bear - and my plan is in place. Who needs phonics and math......we need to know about blitzing and screen plays. By the time Nick Saban decides to retire from Alabama with some crazy nickname and a statue in front of Bryant Denny Stadium, Richmond will be ready to take over the program. That's right, I have begun grooming Richmond to be Nick Saban's replacement as the Head Football Coach at Alabama. Today we just simply began by learning to say "Roll Tide". You have to start somewhere. And, yes, we are huge fans of the Tennessee Vols, but when it comes to our son's future......we're willing to convert. For $30 million over 8 years, we, too, can say "Roll Tide". Of course, by the time Richmond steps in, no telling what he'll be worth......I just hope he'll be able to part with the Tennessee Titans. We'll probably add that scenario into our learning program - so he's prepared. In this crazy world, you have to have a plan for your children's future!

OK.....so if he decides to do his own thing and not be swayed by the dreams of his mother, if he doesn't want to be a legendary coach of the Crimson Tide........well, there's always Knox.

Coach Knox, I like the sound of it!

A December to Remember

2007-01-03T21:02:00.000-06:00

Wow....what a December - crazy, just like when I was working, but much more enjoyable because I wasn't! December brings standard events no matter what season in life you find yourself. Christmas shopping is a given, but when you do it is the key. For the first time, I found myself in the malls and shops during the week in the middle of the day. Now that alone was worth giving up my career!! No more nighttime jaunts and weekend haunts....... My little day camper, Will Barrett, and I hit the stores on Tuesdays and Thursdays when Richmond and Knox were at school. The only problem shopping with Will Barrett - I found myself distracted by his "cuteness" sitting in his infant carrier smiling at me. The great thing about shopping with Will Barrett - all Christmas secrets were safe with him :)

Our Christmas tour around the state was fun. Lots of excitement with kids galore at every stop! Remember that lull when you hit the teenage/college years and there don't seem to be any young children in the picture at Christmas? What did we do? B-0-r-i-n-g. No boredom in our families - 7 kids under 12 in the Mitchell family and 7 kids under 16 (4 under 4) in the Roberts family - a nonstop party!

On a very sad note, we lost my Grandmother, Julia Mitchell, on December 16th. She was 89 years old. She had a long and beautiful life. She had been ill for several years, and in the last year had lost the ability of communicate. She is at home now with the Lord, a place for which she spent her life preparing. Every memory that I have of her is wrapped tightly in love - the unconditional type that only exists in the heart of a grandmother. I will miss her. I feel so blessed to have had her for 38 years. I wanted to do an entire entry about her, but I haven't had the strength or courage to do it justice. Perhaps another day......after all, she was an incredible woman.

Below is the "visual" of our wild and wooly December:

Our first attempt at the Christmas card picture

It got progressively worse!

Will Barrett......a Huggies model??

Richmond and the Roberts' Initial Tree at Grandmommy's house

Christmas morning cheer!

Where did Santa go??

Hardy and Richmond with Light Sabers.....the Force be with you!

Two of a kind!

The 3 oldest stinky boy cousins

The Barrett Boys

The Whole Roberts Gang

My Sweet Grandmother......can't wait to eat at your table in Heaven!

Weekend Wonders

2006-12-04T08:32:00.000-06:00

Weekend Wonder #1:

A beautiful sunset on Sunday evening.......absolutely breathtaking!

Weekend Wonder #2:

The Titans beat the colts with a 60 yard Field Goal!! You'll notice Rob Bironas, the kicker, warming up on the jumbo tron....right before he kicks the game winner! Of course, I was too excited to get a picture of the real thing!

(I apologize for my obsession with football. I can't help it!)

Tailgating with my friend and former boss, Ken, a.k.a. "The King of Clean". It was a frigid tailgate experience -wind chills in the low 20s. It was Ken's birthday......what a great gift!! A win over the Colts!

The winners in action!

And last, but not least.....

Weekend Wonder #3

My ugly artificial tree turned out much better than expected!!!! Still ugly, but not hideous :)

Artificial Discrimination

2006-11-30T15:29:00.000-06:00

Last year, in what was a total chaotic holiday season, our Christmas tree died on December 10th - 5 days after we purchased it and 15 days before Christmas. It wasn't just a little dead, it was stiff, brown, can't-turn-the-lights-on dead. And during this total chaotic holiday season, there was no time for undecorating the dead and redecorating the new. In my state of trauma, I sat down and typed an email to the Lowes corporate offices to express my frustration surrounding this dead tree in my living room. Kudos to Lowes for showing true customer service.......they called me and offered a new artificial tree and my money back on the dead tree. The only thing they could not provide was someone to come and take down my old tree and replace it with a new one - fully decorated of course. I did request this in my email, but they mentioned something about legal ramifications blah, blah, blah. Nevertheless, I am a loyal Lowes customer because of this.

I did go and retrieve my brand new artificial tree, which brings me (over the river and through the woods) to last night. I should preface by saying I have never had an artificial tree - never, never, never. Everything that is in me is against this concept, but I cannot risk another dead tree 15 days before Christmas. My heart just can't take it! So last night, out of the box it came. Richy and I put it together. Put it together. I don't even like the way that sounds. We fluffed it - I think that's what artificial tree lovers call it when they pull the branches and twigs away from the metal pole they're clinging to. The first glaring issue was that it is too small by about 2 feet. Knowing that I am near tears, Richy decides to use his engineering skills to raise the tree to appear taller. I am not going to reveal his "raising" secret, just in case anyone visits us. I don't want them to know what is under that tree skirt. So we plug the tree in and stare at it. We stare some more. I can tell that Richy is struggling with it too. On the other hand, Richmond absolutely loves it! He thinks it is the most beautiful tree ever. Doesn't he know that this tree was manufactured in some factory in China - not grown on a beautiful mountain farm somewhere in North Carolina?? Well, no......he doesn't know that.....thank goodness. But I do. I gave Richy the look, and he knew. "Box it up, and we'll put it on Craig's List", he says. I loved him so much right in that moment - for knowing that I hated it. I didn't even hesitate for a moment, I was off to get the box. But wait a minute, remember the little boy that thought it was the most beautiful tree ever? When he caught wind of our plans to get rid of this eyesore, he went into a state of 4 year old panic. You would have thought we were on our way to the trash can with his matchbox car set. He went ballistic - not in a temper tantrum sort of way, but in a heart broken way. So what do you do? In the name of love, you suck it up and have a hideous artificial tree. I was not going to break his heart, it just wasn't worth it. We'll decorate it, and it will be beautiful - at least that's what I keep telling myself.

If anyone is in the market for a pre-lit 7 ft artificial tree, I know where you can find a great deal on one after Christmas............only used 1 season.

Food, Family, and Fun

2006-11-29T15:21:00.000-06:00

I love, love, love Thanksgiving. Everything about it just makes me warm and fuzzy inside. I love the fact that family and friends gather together over a royal feast that takes days to prepare and eat until they are miserable......all because we are thankful. Thankful for the blessings of our relationships with one another - thankful to the God from whom all blessings flow. God is so faithful to bless us with small glimpses of His heart through our relationships with others. Oh how faithful He has been to me in showing me His heart through the people in my life!

We spent the first part of our Thanksgiving holiday in Carrollton at the Teague's house with Richy's family. We would like for this to become tradition, because it means the Carrollton Trojans are in the playoffs. Yes, we will hope that Thanksgiving is in Carrollton every year that Coach Teague is :) We had a fabulous time with family, food, bonfires, and football. I ask you.....does it get any better than that?? Friday, we packed up Beth's SUV and headed to the Northeast corner of Georgia to watch the Trojans play the Stevens County Indians on "The Reservation" in the 2nd round of the playoffs. It was a thriller with the Trojans coming out on top 24-13. Go Trojans!!

On Saturday morning, we packed up and moved on to Birmingham to visit with my sister and brother and the whole gang. That gang consists of 7 kids under 12, so things were rockin'! It was fun to be with all of them under one roof. My brother and his family live in the same subdivision as my parents, so normally we don't get to have a big slumber party with all of the kids - they just go home to sleep. There's just something about all sleeping under one roof that I love - no matter how crazy it gets!

This was one of the more enjoyable Thanksgivings that I can remember. I can't put my finger on just why.......was it because my kids behaved (for the most part) like little angels or was it the stress-free feeling of not having to go back to work after it was over? Truth is.....this has been a year of change in my life in so many ways. I can never remember a time where I have been more thankful - more aware of God's presence, so thankful that He is loving and merciful.

My cup overfloweth......................

Giving Thanks.....The Original Way

2006-11-22T11:29:00.000-06:00

Prompted by one of my favorite bloggers, Heather Bruce, I surfed the net this morning to find Abraham Lincoln's Proclamation which established a day of Thanksgiving. I wanted to post it as a reminder for all of us on this Thanksgiving - a wonderful reminder of a time in our country's history when our government freely acknowledged the blessings of our Almighty God upon this nation!

Proclamation Establishing Thanksgiving Day
October 3, 1863
The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe had enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years, with large increase of freedom.
No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.
It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the city of Washington, this third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-eighth.
A. Lincoln

Happy Thanksgiving to all!!

The Blogger Blues

2006-11-08T15:59:00.000-06:00

OK.....nobody said it was going to be easy. I mean, I had my doubts going into this whole thing. But who knew there would be so much pressure to document all details of daily life, and if you get behind - the stress of it can send you into a tailspin. Not only is there the failure to document, but the fear of alienating family and friends. At the risk of sounding like I believe that more than 5 people actually read my blog, I do sometimes feel guilty if I don't blog about a special/fun time that I have spent with someone - like it wasn't worthy. I can assure you that it is not personal but merely a lack of organization and discipline on my part. (Unfortunately, this problem, lack of organization and discipline, was pre-existing and is unlikely to be cured by a personal blog site). At this point, I am so far behind that the thought of going back and trying to catch up makes my head hurt. So what's a blogger to do? Hang it up??

Well, I am not going to hang it up. I am going to press on with a renewed blogging spirit. In doing so, I am going to attempt to "bullet point" a few highlights from the last 4 or 5 weeks.......in hopes that I may salvage any harm done to the feelings of those 5 people that read my blog. After all, a fabulous time has been had in those weeks - so fabulous that I haven't had time to blog about it!!!

So here goes:

Fun times were spent with my family back in early October. We went to Jefferson City and made an appearance at my alma mater, Carson-Newman, for homecoming. Celebrated my birthday with my Oct birthday buds......Linzee and Papa.
Thanks to my Milly and Laura for the fun birthday lunch at The Veranda.
The pumpkin patch with the boys was loads of fun despite the unexpected chilly temps and the extremely small size of the pumpkins in the patch. Strictly for decoration - not for carving.
Richy and I attended the UT/USC game in Columbia with our USC friends, Jonathon and Deanna. We also met some new UT friends - Lincoln (who could be the subject of an entire blog), Chris and Angie. We had such a fun time - great tailgate party with our USC friends - great atmosphere. Thanks Jonathon and Deanna for hosting us! Jonathon, sorry about your phone. Also, thanks to Granddad and Grandmommy for hosting Richmond and Knox for the weekend so we could go to Columbia. We loved the bonfire!
Thanks to Cami and Carter for going with me to the Lifeway live taping of Angela Thomas' new bible study series. How cool was that?
Halloween was a blast this year. Knox, the pumpkin, was too funny! Richmond was so excited to be Dash - and with good reason - he looked just like him. This was his first year to really "get it". He was on a mission for the candy! Please don't leak it that I sent 3/4 of the candy to work with Richy the next day.....
We are hosting Will Barrett during the daytime hours for the next couple of months until a spot opens up at his daycare. He is such a sweet baby and has been a joy to have around. Does it make me have the fever for 3? Ummmm.......he is really sweet - I mean super sweet and I love him to death..........but he goes home at 5. So, I don't know. If any baby could give me "the fever", it would be Will Barrett!
Happy Birthday, Milly! You are the best!!

Well, there it is.......my sad, doesn't-nearly-do-it-justice attempt to recap the last couple of weeks. I really hope I don't have to do that again because it is really sad......and boring. But I can't promise it won't happen again. Did I mention that I have a problem with organization and self-discipline????

2006-11-08T15:55:00.000-06:00

What's love got to do with it??

2006-11-08T15:54:00.000-06:00

Richy and Richmond throwing rocks into the lake

2006-11-08T15:52:00.001-06:00

Enjoying an awesome autumn day at the park behind our house

2006-11-08T15:52:00.000-06:00

Knox cleans his mouth out with wipes.....and he can't even talk yet!!

2006-11-08T15:50:00.002-06:00

Daddy and Knox enjoying a beautiful October day

2006-11-08T15:50:00.001-06:00

Our bonfire on Signal Mountain

2006-11-08T15:50:00.000-06:00

Grandmommy and Richmond

2006-11-08T15:49:00.000-06:00

Finally.....the Vols win a game with the Roberts in the "house"!

2006-11-08T15:48:00.001-06:00

The Vols vs. The Gamecocks

2006-11-08T15:48:00.000-06:00

Kirk Herbstreit working the UT crowd....after he picked the Gamecocks to win

2006-11-08T15:45:00.000-06:00

Two things going on here - it's really cold and Knox has discovered his love for popcorn balls!

2006-11-08T15:44:00.001-06:00

Did I mention that Knox loves popcorn balls??

2006-11-08T15:44:00.000-06:00

Slim pickins' at the Pumpkin Patch

2006-11-08T15:43:00.001-06:00

The Great Pumpkin and his candy!

2006-11-08T15:43:00.000-06:00

Ella and Claire.....my future daughters-in-law :)

2006-11-08T15:41:00.001-06:00

He was born to be "Dash"

2006-11-08T15:41:00.000-06:00

Give me some candy!

2006-11-08T15:40:00.000-06:00

The "scary" Roberts boys

2006-11-08T15:39:00.000-06:00

Introducing our newest day camper.....Will Barrett

2006-10-11T09:26:00.000-06:00

Papa and the grandkids

Happy Birthday, Dad

2006-10-11T09:24:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday to my Dad.......the greatest!

Although it is highly doubtful that my Dad will ever see this - in case he becomes computer savvy one day and checks out my archives, I want him to know that I was thinking of him :)

Extreme Heart Makeover

2006-10-01T19:36:00.000-06:00

This weekend I had the privilege of attending the Women's Conference at my church. The theme was "On My Way" and was centered around Phillipians 3:12 - I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me.

The guest speaker for the event was Angela Thomas. If you have never had the opportunity to hear her speak, oh - my - gosh! The message that the Lord delivers through her is absolutely incredible. And what a delivery she has, so funny........yet so focused and powerful. Check out her website at www.angelathomas.com.

The Lord definitely set up shop in my heart this weekend. He knocked down some walls - walls of bitterness and insecurity. He took away some of the clutter that I had been hoarding. He replaced the drab and dark paint with fresh new colors of joy and hope. He wiped away the dust of the past - so I could breathe. And it was all free.........by His grace.

It was, by all accounts, an Extreme Heart Makeover.

2006-09-22T14:48:00.001-06:00

Enjoying the "Big Birthday Surprise"

2006-09-22T14:48:00.000-06:00

Heather and her "Neutral" Husband, Paul

2006-09-22T14:47:00.000-06:00

Heather and me enjoying the festivities

2006-09-22T14:46:00.000-06:00

The "T"

2006-09-22T14:45:00.000-06:00

Richy's cake - decorating compliments of Richmond

2006-09-22T14:44:00.000-06:00

Knox celebrates with a big sippy of milk

2006-09-22T14:43:00.000-06:00

The Birthday Boy......with his Boys

2006-09-22T14:32:00.001-06:00

Ummmm......cake

2006-09-22T14:32:00.000-06:00

Life is Good....Indeed

2006-09-22T14:31:00.000-06:00

The Keens....Richy's Other Birthday Surprise

Richy's Big Birthday Surprise

2006-09-22T13:35:00.000-06:00

I couldn't let the week get by without a little blurb on Richy's Big Birthday Surprise! The surprise telephone call went a little something like this:

"Hi, Missy....it's Milly (my chosen name for Richy's mom). What are you doing this weekend?"

"Not sure yet.....trying to find a babysitter so that we can go watch the UT/FL game at Tate and Laura's."

"Well, how would you and Richy like to go to the game?"

"Of course, we would love to, but....."

"We have 2 tickets that you can use, and we will come to your house and keep the kids."

Ummm, did I hear that correctly? They are going to drive to our house from Chattanooga (a 3 hour trip) to keep our children and as a bonus, give us their two tickets? Because I took the phone call, for a brief minute.....I felt like it was my birthday! I was just an innocent by-stander who happens to be married to the receiver-o-gift. As a parent of small children, is there any sweeter sound than that of your parents saying...Go, take a little time and get away for a night or two. We'll take care of the kids...?

And so, we were off to Knoxville......caravaning with our favorite Gator fan, Heather and her "neutral" husband, Paul. For some reason, I seemed to soak in the atmosphere of gameday (which I love so dearly) a little deeper with each breath. I don't know why it felt that way - we have been to quite a few UT football games since we had Richmond - only one since we had Knox - but it was at Notre Dame. Whatever the reason, I was simply relishing the opportunity as though it might be my last.

We were invited to a fun tailgate party hosted by the family of one of Heather's co-workers. Sunny made sure that we all of our tailgating needs were met - she was quite the hostess! We enjoyed our time with Heather and Paul, along with seeing many other friends throughout the day. Then it was on to the game........ if you love college football, the atmosphere was absolutely electric. Our tickets originated from the hands of Duke Hagood, so we were surrounded by Gators and their chomping hands, but even that didn't dampen our Big Orange spirits!

We all know the outcome of the game was in favor of the Gators, but it was a great game! There was a time in my life that I would not be able to say that after a loss to Florida. But under the circumstances, we were determined that a loss was not going to cast a shadow over Richy's Big Birthday Surprise! A big hearty thank you to Richy's parents for making it possible :)

If only the Big Birthday Surprise would have included 2 more points for UT......even my in-laws aren't that good!

Apparently, neither are the Vols.

Happy Birthday, Richy

2006-09-19T15:30:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday, Richy! I know the angels in Heaven must have been dancing in their high heels the day you were born! You are blessing to all who are honored to know you. I am so proud of who you are as a man and consider myself to be the luckiest woman in the world to walk along side of you. I love you!

As a side note......I am so glad that we no longer measure the "Happy" in your "Happy Birthday" based on the outcome of the UT vs. Florida game! :) I had such a fun time losing with you this weekend!!!

Dinnertime Drama

2006-09-13T08:29:00.000-06:00

Every once in a while, I decide that I am going to lay down the law on my children's eating habits. I spend the day psyching myself up for it - making sure I can be strong, stand my ground. "Tonight I am only cooking one healthy meal," I tell myself proudly. "They will eat it, and they will like it!" I feel like Richy and I make mostly healthy choices about eating, why would our children be junk food junkies?? Okay, maybe junk food junkies is a bit strong, but Richmond does love some Cheetos! I try not to keep too many unhealthy foods around the house, but I do let him have Cheetos for lunch with his peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Is this bad? Should I discontinue the Cheetos buying, and work through any withdrawals that may occur? Maybe that's the answer, but sometimes I think, "Can't a boy have a little Cheetos while he's young enough to burn off the calories in a matter of minutes?" When it comes to dinnertime, Richmond's choices are limited - fishsticks, spaghetti, hot dogs, hamburgers, turkey and cheese sandwiches accompanied with mandarin oranges or grapes. What about chicken? What about veggies?? I just want him to eat a little chicken and broccoli. Is this too much to ask? And then.......there's Knox. Basically, its bananas, yogurt, raisins, french fries, chicken nuggets and peanut butter on a bagel. Um.......yeah, that's it. No vegetables (unless you want to count the potato that is a french fry) and only one fruit. Nice diet for a growing boy!

So in an effort to convert my children to the healthy eaters that I want them to be, last night I fixed a nice meal of baked chicken, broccoli, and roasted red potatoes. About half way into the preparation, Richmond begins asking, "What's for dinner?" So, I tell him what we are having. To which he replies, "No, what am I having?" So, I tell him again, and that's when the whining, the bargaining, and the rebelling begins. He assures me that he is suppose to be having spaghetti because that is what he wants. I respond with, "I would like to have seared ahi tuna, steamed asparagus, and a caesar salad, but we are having chicken, broccoli, and potatoes." Nice, mature response, huh? Richmond, sensing that this is a "healthy" thing, begins to think on his feet, "How about I have grapes, oranges, and raisins?" I tell him that he can choose one of those fruits to go with the rest of his meal. "Noooo Mommy, I don't want that stuff!" And the whining continues until the meal is ready. Knox would have been whining too, if he understood what was coming his way.......

I cut up the chicken (which is quite tasty I might add) and put it on a plate for Knox which he promptly throws in the floor while Richmond continues to whine. "See, Knox doesn't like it," he says. Well, duh.....Knox doesn't like anything. You'll be happy to know that I didn't say that one out loud. So in defeat, I make him a peanut butter bagel. Score: Knox 1, Mommy 0. But I am determined to defeat my eldest, even if it kills me. I cut up the chicken and place it on his plate along side a dollop of ranch dressing for dipping, a little stalk of broccoli to start, and one roasted potato. I even begin the meal asking the Lord to help Richmond eat his broccoli and chicken, that his heart may be opened to all that broccoli and chicken have to offer. What was out of seemingly a total sense of obligation because it had been prayed over, Richmond quickly took a bite of ranch-covered chicken. He seemed no worse for wear as he swallowed it. But after the second bite, it was straight to the trash can spitting and gagging.......reminded me of my reaction to tasting my first bite of seafood after I became pregnant. Yuck! How in the world can a bite of chicken make someone spit and gag (unless they are pregnant)?? Oh, the drama....... Needless to say, not another bite of chicken was consumed, and Heaven forbid if the broccoli or potatoes should touch his lips. So after a half of a can of mandarin oranges, his dinner was over. What to do? Will these children ever eat the healthy fare that I long for them to love? Will it be hotdogs and chicken nuggets at their wedding receptions, instead of shrimp and asparagus?? Who knows what tomorrow brings?

But for this night, it was......'Da Boyz 2 - Mommy 0.

Yet, I live to fight another day!!

Saturday's Soccer Scenes

2006-09-11T13:15:00.000-06:00

2006-09-11T13:11:00.000-06:00

A Star is born

2006-09-11T13:10:00.002-06:00

Game Time

2006-09-11T13:10:00.001-06:00

Water Break

2006-09-11T13:10:00.000-06:00

Elizabeth and Knox cheering on Richmond

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The youngest fan in attendance - SBW

2006-09-11T13:08:00.000-06:00

Richmond and Justin enjoy a snack after the game

2006-09-11T13:07:00.000-06:00

A victory pose with Elizabeth

On The Road Again

2006-09-05T20:33:00.000-06:00

Friday morning, we packed up the car and moved to Carrollton, Georgia. Well, okay.......we didn't really move to Georgia, but why does it feel like we're moving every time we take a weekend trip? It's possible that I am the world's worst packer. Oh, I've tried to be one of those savvy packers - you know the ones - the "I'm only taking one outfit for each day and one pair of shoes that matches all of those outfits". It doesn't work for me. I must have options. You never know when a good grilled hamburger with lots of Dales Seasoning is going to be served. And if it is.......break out the fat clothes. Nobody wants to be stuffed into their clothing like a vienna sausage because they weren't prepared for the Dale's bloating. So.....there it is, I have a packing problem - now let's move on.

We arrived in Carrollton in time to "move in", eat a bite, and then head to the Trojan home opener against Douglas County. My brother-in-law, Rayvan, is the head coach at Carrollton High School, and when there's family involved - it's never "just a game". I know this all to well, having grown up in the role of a coach's daughter. When there is family involved, it's not just a game - it's life! Not too many people really understand that concept, but I wouldn't trade the experience of being a coach's daughter for anything. What could be more special than getting to actually watch your father touch and influence the lives of so many young people?! Rayvan's children will know this someday, if they don't already. It's not just about the football with Rayvan, it's about shaping lives and that's what makes him a great coach. Well, that......and he wins a lot of games! :) As was the case on Friday night, when the Trojans sent Douglas County home with a crushing 35-14 loss. As a bonus, we got to see Laurel march with the flag corp in the college-sized Carrollton Band. She was fabulous, of course. Taylor and Barrett kept the Trojans in balls and water - a very important job!! They, too, were fabulous. What a great atmosphere for high school football! The place was rimmed out with people decked in black and gold. And it's true what they say, "There's nothing like being a Trojan on Friday night, in Carrollton, Georgia!"

We enjoyed the rest of the weekend with the whole Teague/Roberts/Williams crew (minus Tate who was laboring on Labor Day). It was a wild and wooly time at the Teague compound, with 4 children under 4 ruling the roost. Luckily, for sanity's sake, the adults outnumbered the kids -and it took all of us to keep the peace! Saturday night, we feasted on grilled hamburgers and homemade ice cream. See, good thing I had my fat clothes. Not only did I have a big, fat burger, but I also returned for seconds on the ice cream. The reality of it is, I could have eaten the whole container - I just love it that much! Can you say "gluttony"?? Fortunately, we had "popcorn church" on Sunday morning, so I was able to ask for forgiveness for my homemade ice cream sins (among others). What? You've never heard of popcorn church? Well, here's the breakdown: you can come in your pajamas, sing off-key, eat popcorn, and hear the good Word from someone you love. Taylor, Barrett, and Richmond were the organizers of our 1st Popcorn Church at South Bend. They turned the Teague bonus room into a sanctuary complete with Bibles, music, and a pulpit that doubles as a dining room table. The only thing missing that the 1st Popcorn Church could have used was a nursery! Fortunately, the congregation was tolerant of the indiscretions of our children :) Fun times......

From one sister's house to the next, it was on to Birmingham to visit with Tre, Marcy, and Hardy. When we arrived, the cul-de-sac was all abuzz with the neighborhood kids. It's a kid party everyday in my sister's neighborhood. We migrated into the next door neighbor's backyard upon invitation. Little did we know that we were entering a virtual kid's paradise. This backyard looked like a city park! There were kids swinging on tire swings, jumping on the trampoline, scaling the rock climbing wall, riding on the plethora-0-riding toys, and digging in the rocks with various construction vehicles. It was pure kiddie madness. The owners of this Taj Mahal of backyards, Evan and Amanda, were quite the host and hostess. While I was busy trying to keep up with Knox, Amanda was preparing and serving dinner to every kid on the block, including my kids. Feeding the kids of your neighbor's sister approximately 30 minutes after introductions, now that goes way beyond neighborly. Little place settings with little kiddie cuisine and sippy cups for all. It was the darndest thing I've ever seen! Did I happen to mention that she is the mother of 2 year old twins? And the hospitality didn't end when the kids went to bed.......we came back (with baby monitors in hand) to enjoy more of what they had to offer. We lounged in the hot, humid Alabama evening - no kids, just adults - eating, laughing, and sharing our stories of life. It was a nice end to a holiday weekend.

Thanks to all who hosted us this weekend...........we had a wonderful time! We miss you already.

What Happens At Papa's House Stays At Papa's House

2006-08-30T12:43:00.000-06:00

Last Wednesday, Richy traveled to the far right-hand corner of Tennessee on his annual trek to the Bristol Motor Speedway for 5 days of "work". Yes, he calls it work. What it boils down to is days spent playing golf and nights spent watching the races. The golf and racing combo reminds me of my favorite definition of the famous mullet haircut - business in the front, party in the back. I attended my one, only, and last NASCAR event at the Bristol Motor Speedway. Can you say, "Ricky Bobby"? Anyway.....not really my scene!

With Daddy gone for the greater part of the week, the boys and I decided to pack it up and head to East Tennessee to Papa's house. My Mom (a.k.a. Nana) was on a beach trip with her friends, so we thought Papa could use a little company. Now Papa's house is quite a legend in the mind's of his grandchildren. Going to Papa's means NO RULES. You name it, anything goes - especially when Nana's out of the picture. You want to eat donuts 3 meals a day - no problem. You want to wrestle with your cousins on Nana's bed or couch - no problem. You want to stay up all night long and have a party eating donuts and wrestling - no problem at Papa's house. He's a total pushover when it comes to his grandchildren. As a child growing up in his home which he ran like a football camp, I find this no rules thing intriguing. He sometimes had trouble separating his children from his linebackers, although I think most of the time his children behaved better than his linebackers! We were expected to know the game plan and stick to it. If we didn't stick to it, there were consequences. For his grandchildren, the only consequence might be one meal of donuts is replaced with pop tarts. Now that'll show 'em!

We had such a grand time on our visit! Papa is always a wonderful host, making sure we have everything we need. On Friday, he insisted that I take Richmond to Dollywood while he kept Knox for the day. I hadn't been to Dollywood in over 10 years - in fact, I last went when I took Heather Hagood when she was probably 10 years old. (Yikes, now there's a close encounter with Father Time). Wow.....what a kid's paradise that place has become! I think Richmond was in total shock and awe that so many wonderful things could exist in one location. We had a blast - we rode it all, played it all, and ate it all!! Thank you, Dolly Parton, for making my little Richmond so very happy :) You are big on entertainment! (Please pardon the pun - I couldn't help myself. Every since my sister received the "Dolly Doll" for her 5th birthday, I've never been able to look at Dolly the same!)

The rest of our visit was spent enjoying quality time with family. It is such a blessing that my brother's family lives right down the street from my parents. That way, we always get 2-for-1 when we visit. My sister-in-law, Sherry, and I spent a lot of time sharing ideas on parenting, exercising, cooking, cleaning, decorating, budgeting, and anything else we needed to conquer. Mostly, it was Sherry doing the sharing and I was taking notes. I call her "Sherry Heloise" because she always has the most practical tips to offer. She has 4 children........need I say more?

My boys were able to spend plenty of "cousin time" with the Mitchell's 4. Abby, who is 7 and #3 of the 4, took a special interest in Knox. She basically took over his care when we were with her. After all, she "knows a lot about 1 year olds". I say, "Have at it, girlfriend!" As always, William (the only boy of the Mitchell crew) and Richmond were attached at the hip. And they, in turn, were attached to Papa's hip. Of course they were, because boys love it when there are no rules!

It was a fabulous time......one of those that sticks in your mind.......a "remember that time?" kind of time. I love those times with all of my heart, because in this rat race of a world we live in, they just don't come around as often as I would like. It's worth every minute of the "Papa detoxing" that must take place when we come home!! Yes, indeed......

2006-08-14T07:14:00.000-06:00

Our Weekend Visitors

2006-08-14T07:13:00.000-06:00

The Carrollton Crew with the Hendersonville Crew

2006-08-14T07:12:00.000-06:00

Knox is "going teradactyl"

2006-08-14T07:07:00.000-06:00

Laurel has the younger "stinkys" under control

2006-08-14T07:06:00.000-06:00

Let me get that door for you, mam

2006-08-14T07:05:00.001-06:00

Barrett with his new cousin

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G and Knox

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Heather with her new "Vera" Diaper Bag

2006-08-14T07:03:00.000-06:00

A New Bear for Cooper

2006-08-14T07:01:00.000-06:00

With Connie and the Mommy to Be

2006-08-14T06:58:00.000-06:00

Heather and her sweet Mom

Friends and Family

2006-08-13T20:30:00.000-06:00

This weekend began Friday with the late night arrival of the Teagues, a.k.a. "the Stinky Cousins". They were weary from their long trip when they arrived around 11pm - a 5 hour trip from Carrollton, GA. We visited for a moment and then off to bed. Morning came and we visited some more and then went our separate ways. The Teagues mission - they came to meet SBW, their new nephew/cousin. Would this be the last visit to the Nashville area for a new arrival?? The jury is still out on this one, but chances are that it could be. The two most recent child bearers (Laura and me) are "getting on in years", so it may be 2 and out for both of us. However, neither Laura nor I can say 100% that there won't be more grandchildren for G and Granddad - and we'll just leave it at that!!!

I attended a baby shower for my dear, sweet friend, Heather Hill. We worked together for several years, even sitting a mere 5 feet away from each other in the cubicle maze that was our office. She was closer than she probably wanted to be when I was pregnant with Richmond. The lucky recipient of all the latest and greatest news of my changing body during that first pregnancy, she probably felt like she was having a baby too! And now, she is. Cooper Christopher Hill will be joining us in October.......and so, we celebrated on Saturday. Heather was as bubbly and beautiful as ever, and I so enjoyed being a part of her first pregnancy - because she was so much a part of mine. I also got to spend some quality time with my former boss and friend, Connie. We rode to the shower together, and I always enjoy being with her, though it is never enough time. She's a once-in-a-lifetime kind of friend!

So, from baby showers to the real thing - Saturday night was the welcome home party for SBW. (That's right.....the birth certificate patrol must not work on Saturdays, so the Williams were able to escape the hospital without naming the baby. Who wants to be pressured to name their baby because of paperwork?? Yuck! ) SBW was welcomed with grilled hamburgers and hotdogs.....and lots of stinky cousins. For me, that first night at home with the new baby was the most difficult. It was the night that I grieved for my former life. The night that I was sure my life would never be the same. The night my life was over. But alas, morning came and I survived. The hormones started to settle down, and I realized that it would get better. I had this experience with both babies, because just about the time I thought I had figured out how to be the parent of one, along came #2. Therefore, I am glad that we were able to be there for Laura, hopefully to distract her mind from some of those thoughts that can overwhelm a mother with a brand new baby. And hopefully.....she was glad too!

Sunday morning was spent enjoying the Teagues and their sweet family. It's always fun to be exposed to the dynamics of their family - Laurel, Taylor, and Barrett are a hoot! We said our goodbyes as they were off to Gallatin to take one last peek at SBW and then home to Carrollton. "Back to reality" as Beth put it......Monday does have a way of doing that!

Lord, thank you for the blessing of a new child and the opportunity to gather with family and friends......

2006-08-09T23:15:00.001-06:00

Sweet Baby Williams

2006-08-09T23:15:00.000-06:00

Brand New

2006-08-09T23:14:00.000-06:00

The Profile

2006-08-09T23:13:00.001-06:00

The Proud Parents

2006-08-09T23:13:00.000-06:00

"G" and "Mimi"

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Sweet Pea

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Big Sister, Elizabeth

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Jill and Drew with Mommy and Baby W

2006-08-09T23:11:00.000-06:00

Meeting My Nephew

2006-08-09T23:10:00.000-06:00

Uncle Richy and SBW

What's In A Name?

2006-08-09T20:21:00.000-06:00

Today, my sister-in-law and dear friend gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. He arrived at 12:09pm and was a healthy 8 pounds and 9 ounces and measured 20 inches long. He outweighed his older sister, Elizabeth, at birth by a little over 2 1/2 pounds - they do tend to get bigger each time. Case in point.....Richy was the 4th and last of his siblings. Rumor has it that at a whopping 11lb 4oz, he was practically ready for Little League at birth!

We got to meet SBW (Sweet Baby Williams) as he was escorted down to the nursery by Daddy Tate. We watched through the nursery window as he was welcomed to the world in the usual way - lots of poking and proding. There is something about watching that through the nursery window that makes this mother's heart long for that experience over and over. Problem is that you have that whole nine months of pregnancy that precedes those nursery moments, which tends to pop you back into reality faster than you can say "maternity clothes"! So for today, I live vicariously through my sister.....

Back up to the room we went to greet SBW's mommy. Of course, she looked like she could have hopped out of bed, thrown on some cute flip flops, popped the baby in the stroller, and headed down to Green Hills to do some afternoon power shopping! What's a little surgery? So they made a incision in my abdomen, moved most of my internal organs to the outside of my body momentarily, retrieved an almost 9 pound baby, massaged my uterus a little, put my organs back, and then super glued me back together........you don't expect me to lie around in this bed, do you? Just give me some lip gloss and we're outta here!!

But not so fast sister - there's one small issue..........this baby has no name! That's right, they've known for approximately 8 months that they were going to have a baby. How can they not have a name?? This totally freaks people out - especially those people who had their babies named shortly after the engagement. But not me, because I was in the no name baby club for 2 days after Richmond was born. It took us 9 months and 2 days to decide to name our baby Richmond Lee Roberts II. Yes, 9 months and 2 days to name him......after his Dad. So, I am not shocked that SBW does not have a name. A name is a commitment - as long term as it gets. It's definitely not something entered into lightly. So I say, take your time and make it count!

Meanwhile , back at the name farm, there was certainly no shortage of suggestions. There were so many names flying around, I felt myself ducking to avoid the onslaught. Even nurse Josephine got in on the action. She was saying things like, "Have you thought about Forest?" (just using that one as an example) Did she think she was going to throw a name out there and Laura and Tate were going to say, "Yes! That's the one! Why didn't we think of that? We are eternally grateful to you, Nurse Josephine! If we have another and it's a girl, we will name her Josephine, after you!" Ummm, no, that was not going to happen. Not only did she throw out names for consideration, but she also provided the "whatever you do, don't name your baby this" names. Nurse Josephine said that she cares for about 5 babies a week named this. Unfortunately, this happened to be the name that Tate had in the hat. I'm thinking that name got squashed right then and there, but we shall see. She meant well anyway.

Then there was the name book that showed up on the scene. Who did that? That was just cruel and unusual punishment. I think they probably had it somewhat narrowed down to the point that they didn't need to introduce the name book. I mean, certainly they had a few conversations regarding the name prior to this post-partum name game event. It was an absolute hoot!

So, what's in a name? Everything......that's why SBW is SBW on this first day of his life. Because his mother and father want to make sure he has a strong name to carry through life. And rest assured, this baby will not wander aimlessly through life without a name!!

It was a special day, and I was so blessed to be a part of it! The birth of a child is a miracle in the truest sense of the word. SBW was presented with the most precious gift today - his wonderful parents. They were chosen for him by God - what a blessed baby boy he is on this day!

Congratulations Tate, Laura, and little Elizabeth Tate on your new family of 4!!

Lunch at Sam's

2006-08-01T12:51:00.000-06:00

Here's to the sweet little sampler ladies at Sam's Wholesale Club that fed my blonde haired boys today! I always hesitate going to Sam's because I know I can't get out of there without spending more than my "budget" allows. However, today we hit the jackpot! Little ladies (not a one of them under 70) at every corner offering unsolicitated treats to my children. Richmond would normally have to beg for that kind of mid morning buffet, but he just stood back and let the goods come to him. He played it like a professional - the sweet eyes, the quiet "thank you" in a voice to make you melt, and lingering around the ladies as if to say, "My mother never lets me have anything good to eat". Even Knox - Mr. Picky Pete - decided to get in on the action. I think the "yogurt lady" gave half of her samples to him when she saw how excited he was to eat yogurt from that tiny sample spoon. The "ice cream sandwich lady" shoved so many bite size portions of her stash into Richmond's hands, I thought I heard him singing Happy Birthday to Me as we moved to the next aisle. I think she gave him extra when she realized I was not going to purchase the box. She felt sorry for the kid whose mom can't have ice cream sandwiches in her house because the mom will eat more of them than the kid. Same goes for the pizza rolls and the cheesecake - we're just all better off if those don't make it through the front door of the Roberts' home!

This whole scene put a smile on my face - not only because of the way my children were "workin' it", but because the Sam's ladies seem to enjoy them so much. It reminded me of my own grandmother, lovingly dubbed "the Food Pusher" by my brother. When we visited her as children, she always had our favorite treats on hand - the ones that she knew we didn't get at home, only at her house. I remember traveling to her house one time, arriving around 10pm and proceding to eat 3 big bowls of Frosted Flakes - until my stomach hurt - and she would have fixed me another if I hadn't been about to throw up! As we got older, she still loved us with food, full course meals in addition to the sweet treats. It was her way.....and she did it well.

Food has become so tabu in our society - it was nice to forget about that for a few minutes and let my kids be loved with food! They got a glimpse of my grandmother today........in the form of four sweet little ladies at Sam's Wholesale Club.

10 Years and Counting.....

2006-07-24T11:48:00.000-06:00

I promised a blog entry on the subject of my 10 year wedding anniversary (which was July 13th), but it is not without great apprehension that I begin. Apprehensive because I am afraid of sounding very "pollyanna" and just downright cheesy! For those of you who may sicken easily at such sap and sweetness, close this window immediately......because I just can't help myself!

My first 10 years of marriage to Richy Roberts have surpassed all of my expectations - and they were high. I found it somewhat disturbing how many people spoke negatively regarding marriage as I was preparing to take that step. Friends, co-workers, and random people had no problem venting their issues with wedded bliss (or miss), as if they were trying to talk me out of it. Even so, I never had any doubts that I was marrying the right man. I knew God's hand had led me to Richy. Afterall, it was a long and winding road that I followed to get to him - there were many forks along the way, but God definitely kept me on the one road that utimately brought me to him.

A short recap:
After graduating from Carson-Newman, I moved to Nashville to make it big! No, I am not a country music singer, but I did have a Business Management degree with zero experience and even less maturity - so well-equipped. Needless to say, I didn't make it big......I worked for the IRS and then the Small Business Administration. Wow, now that's exciting work for a 22 year old! I had a friend who was attending Vanderbilt that was planning to pursue his Masters Degree at the University of Georgia in Sports Management. I had never even heard of such a degree but was intrigued. After thinking about it for, oh........at least a day, I decided this is exactly what I needed to do. One problem.......no money! So, I said goodbye to the Government and moved home with my Mom and Dad to save some money. I had an idea to make as much money as I could between January and September, so I set out to find a job waiting tables. I had my sights set on Grady's in Knoxville, but I was having a hard time getting hired. Is that totally scary? A college degree and work experience evidently was not enough to join the elite at Grady's restaurant, so I had to make a phone call to an old college friend. Yes, I had to know somebody to get hired! It was there that I met Richy. I remember how friendly he was when I met him - he had a big smile and warm eyes. Oh yeah, and he was handsome.......very handsome. He also had a girlfriend. Oh well, bummer. But we became friends, and I always enjoyed hanging out with him. In the meantime, I was sending in my applications for schools all over the south. My sights were set on UGA - the ultimate Sports Management program. At the time, they only accepted 12 students a year into their program. But with my Dad's sports world connections and a decent undergraduate GPA, I strongly believed that I would get in. I wouldn't find out until August, so I applied to UT as a backup - a just in case they are crazy and don't accept me kind of thing. Meanwhile, Richy is on the rocks with the girlfriend and about to be a free man. Not something that I was focused on at the time, but as fate would have it.......we spent some time chatting at a friend's birthday party - a chat that led to a "Hey, let's do something tomorrow night. I'll call you." And so..........we didn't.......because he stood me up. That's right, no call. I was living at home with my parents at the time, so my mom and I waited, and waited, and waited. Finally about 8pm, I punted and went out to dinner with my sister. He did, however, call the next day and was apologetic. Seems a day out on the lake had gotten the best of him. We went to dinner that night, the start of something wonderful. But wait, I would be leaving in a couple of weeks for school - in Georgia. What to do? Well, not to worry because I was denied. Can you believe it?? And so, off to UT I went - my tour guide and orientation director - none other than Mr. Richy Roberts. And the rest is history...........

So I am grateful that I had a friend that was pursuing his Masters in Sports Admin at UGA - which lead me back to Knoxville. I am grateful that I knew someone who worked at Grady's who helped me secure a highly coveted position there. I am grateful that Richy broke up with his girlfriend. I am grateful that I didn't get accepted at UGA. I am grateful that I did get accepted at UT. Yes, it was meant to be!

Glad I made that recap short :)

Of course, the most important anchor in marriage is keeping Christ at the center - this is what keeps people grounded and focused on their commitment. But beyond this, I am thankful for the friendship that Richy and I developed before we ever dated. We were friends first, and we're friends now. Best friends. I think this is such a catalyst for our happiness. On those days when we don't feel like playing any of the other roles that marriage requires, we're still friends. The first years of our marriage were spent living in Columbus, GA. Those of you who know me, know how much I aspired to get the heck out of there. I referred to it as "doing time". But hindsight is 20/20, and I now realize what a blessing those 3 years were. There we were, just the two of us - we didn't have anyone else, so most all of our needs were met in one another. What a bond we formed there - solidifying the foundation of our marriage - one hot, humid day at a time!! As time has passed and I am able to reflect on what those years meant to our relationship, I have such a warm and fuzzy feeling for Columbus and that time in our lives. Praise the Lord, that He knows what is best for us!!

For the last 4 years of our marriage, I have had the priviledge of getting to know Richy in a new light - Richy the Dad. I really, really love Richy the Dad. I'm so proud of him, of how he has taken the responsibility of fatherhood on and truly owns it. There is something about a man who is a great father.....and that something has opened my heart to more love for my husband than I thought possible. He inspires me to be a better Mom! I look forward to seeing how he continues to grow in this role. I look forward to the day that our boys are old enough to realize how completely blessed they are to have such a Dad. I look forward to the day they tell him so.......

Have there been bad days? Sure, there have been a few character-building moments, but they have been just that, character builders - not character destroyers. They have been few and far between, and for that I am grateful. Neither one of us enjoys confrontation - it's definitely not our comfort zone - we enjoy peace and harmony! I don't know if that's good or bad? I once heard someone say that arguing is healthy for a marriage - that it is a strong sign of good communication. I'll admit that my mind asked the question, "Should we be arguing more?" To which my mind then responded, "Yes, Ms. Gullible, stir up as many arguments as possible in the name of communication!" (My mind tends to lean towards the sarcastic side) I guess for today, we'll stick with the non-confrontational method. It seems to work for us!

Has our 10 years been pefection? No, of course not. But in my eyes, it has been pretty darn close - and Richy is as close to perfect as it gets. I have had so much fun living the last 10 years along side of him. I'm full of anticipation for what our future holds, and I look forward to growing with him - in our faith in God, our love for each other, and as parents of our two beautiful boys!

Lord, bind us closer to you and to each other with each passing year..........

Memories from the 2006 Summer Tour

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The Jefferson County HS Reunion - Class of 1986

20 years.......seems like yesterday!

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Carey, Martie, Robin, Angie, and Teresa....

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Martie and Angie

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With Carey and Lynette

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ST. GEORGE ISLAND, FL

Two of a kind!

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The family photo

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Elizabeth on the Tour de St. George