~*S*N*O*W*~

Well it’s here, our first BIG *S*N*O*W* of the year~ well actually it snowed last week but this week we got a big ole whaliping of it!

Right now it’s 7F out~ burrr… yesterday a tree broke off and created a big mess.. it went across the road~ thank goodness the city workers were out and helped Ken clean it up..

We got out some – still don’t know why.. but none the less we did. The roads are still covered in ice and snow, it made for interesting navigating… but Ken got us home safely~

Stayed home most of the day and got a lot of baking done~ hopefully I can get these yummy goodies out for Christmas presents… cuz lord knows I don’t need them around here tempting me to eat them~

Hope you are safe and warm where ever you are~

Prayers For Phillip ~

Friday, October 15th is a day I will never forget~

Ken and I had gone to eat at El Ranchero where we ran into some of our favorite kids~ Phillip, Alexis, MaKenzy, Eric, Lauren, and Chris. I can't say that I really knew MaKenzy, Lauren, or Chris that well but still that night talking to them it was as if I had known them for a long time. As we were leaving we stopped to say good bye to Phillip and noticed he and Eric were having a hard time with a hot pepper~ it was pretty funny.... Eric was having a real hard time so I told him to keep eating chips but he was just too wrapped up in how hot it was... it was pretty funny too~ We chatted a bit about the "Big Halloween Party" that Phillips family has every year and everyone was looking forward to the festivities! After hugging them bye~ we left. Little did I know this would be the last time I would talk to Phillip of see Eric or MaKenzie~

Kenton had gone to Charlotte for a church function~ 8:45pm Kenton called upset that he had heard Phillip and some of the other kids had been involved in a horrible car wreck. Kenton had heard that Phillip may not make it~ as we were talking I heard the life flight helicopter fly over~ I called Linda and the next thing I knew I was on my way to Johnson City to see Phillip~ as I was driving Kenton sent me another message that Eric and MaKenzie didn't make it (this is a picture of Eric -in the blue- that I took of him at school during the prayer service on August). It was the sickest I have ever felt ~ to think of these children and their families. By this time I made it to the hospital~

Phillip was in critical condition, on life support and in a coma. He was moved to PICU where he was fighting for his life~

It has been 4 weeks now and Phillip is now in Atlanta in a rehab hospital where he is making a remarkable recovery! He is able to do some things on his own - still in a simi-coma state but is getting there! Prayers are still needed and appreciated.

It makes you realize even more how precious life is and how it can be gone in a blink of an eye~ I pray everyday for the safety and health of Kenton and Peyton and all of the kids in the world. Phillip is such a special kid to me because I prayed for him to be a part of Kenton's life and for his family to be a part of our life~ you see when we moved here I was so sad to leave Matthew and his family and prayed that we would find someone just like them - little did we know they were just down the street~ thank you God for letting us be a part of their life and them in a part of ours!

This picture was taken at school of Phillip, Mouse, Kenton, and Duncan~ gotta love these boys!!

Mitchell High School Kids Gather In Prayer

Friday, August 13 six Mitchell High School football players were involved in a horrific car accident. A couple of the boys were hospitalized for several months~ the others were able to return to school after several weeks. To date all boys are back at school making a full recovery~

As I was dropping Kenton off at school on Monday, August 16 the kids were gathered around the flagpole in prayer for their classmates~ it was a very moving experience for me as a photographer.

Mother Butterfly~

On the day of my Mother's funeral ~ just after they lowered her into the ground, a beautiful black and blue butterfly with orange spots gracefully greeted each flower at her graveside.

However, the first flower she came to was a beautiful orange lily~

Today just as I was leaving a meeting I spied the most beautiful black and blue butterfly with orange spots visiting these flowers~ it's the first time I've seen this same kind of butterfly since my Mother's funeral.. and surprisingly it's exactly a month later... and it was exactly 11:00 when I spied it... I just had to smile and think it was my momma telling me everything's going to be o.k.~

I miss you Mother and love you more~

Saying Good Bye to My Dear Sweet Mother~

Well it's been a while since I last posted~

My very sweet and special Mother - Mary Catherine Prince passed away last month, Friday, June 25, 2010. She fought a good fight with stage 4 lung cancer! She died peacefully with me by her side holding her precious purple hand all the way. We buried her on Tuesday, June 29th.

It's been a month now and everyday is hard~ I think of her all day long; the night time is the hardest. As I try to go to sleep I can't help but include her in my prayers and think of things I want to tell her. I know it will take some time.

The other day I was taking her clothes off the hangers and trying to fold them and put them away~ it just got too much for me to handle. But as I stood there with my hand on her pj's, I somehow could feel her holding my hand.. I know that sounds crazy but it even was enough to make me look at my hand.. I really thought she was holding my hand! It was a comforting feeling and one I wanted to hold on to.

I love you Mother~ and miss you

and the greatest of these is ~LOVE~

Vaneltines day~ the day of LOVE, the day when we show how much we love each other just a little bit more than we do on any other day. I love LOVE. I love the feeling you get when your overtaken with emotion, when your heart sticks in your throat, when you feel butterflies at the glimps of who you are in love with.

Ken was so sweet today~ he gave me flowers and a fun pillow.

Valentines day holds such a special place in my heart for both of my boys~

~for Kenton it was his first Valentines day. This day is special to me because he was only 2 weeks old. Every time I looked at him I thought my heart was going to bust in my chest. I had never felt so overcome with love in my life! It's also a special day because his umbilical cord fell off.. I know as gross as that may seem to others it was sad to me.. it was our last little sign of attachment.. guess that's just one of the quirky things about me~

~for Peyton is was his first Valentines day as well. It was my last week at home before I had to go back to work~ I loved being at home and being a little momma. I loved the was my new baby cooed and smiled. It was hard going back to work and I held onto each and every thing he did. I never knew you could love two people so much at the same time~

Valentines day is also a special day for my mother. It was 34 years ago today that she and George went on their first date. This is the first Valentines day that they are not together~ we called him tonight and they got to share their "I love you"s. He sent her 4 different cards! She loved them and talking to him.

And lastly Valentines day is also special because 84 years ago today my precious grandparents were married! In my eyes, they were the most perfect couple. They loved each other very much~ These were given to them on their wedding day 2/14/1926 and my G-daddy gave them to me on my wedding day when he gave me away~ I love you and miss you dearly Cecil & Eddie~
The handwritting on the bottom of the plate is my granddaddy's.. I hate it that the 6 has rubbed off some, but love knowing that is his handwritting! :o)

I pray that my boys will always keep love in their heart and know that the greatest gift of all is LOVE!

*S*N*O*W*

*S*N*O*W* I love it! I really, truly love it! It's pure and white, soft and so fragile, simply put; it's beautiful! Yep, I love it!

Since Christmas it's been one snow fall after another~ we had 18" of the white stuff and then the day after a big Ice storm! that was beautiful too!

Last week we had another snow storm and now this weekend ANOTHER snow storm~ this time around we only had 8". Last weekend I got Ken a new toy~ a SNOWBLOWER! he loves it!! He got busy clearing our driveway and then a few neighbors. He has a blast!

~H~A~P~P~Y~ ~N~E~W~Y~E~A~R~ !!!

WoW, I didn't realize how long it's been since my last blog post... guess I've been a little busy~

Well here it is another new year. It's always exciting to me and always a little sad~ like saying good bye to an old friend. But then again, a new year is like saying hello to a new friend!

So much has happened since my last post~ I'll give you the quick rundown:

Mother~ since my last post mother became very sick from one infection and another. Physical therapy and home health care came out and helped her along but she soon wasn't able to walk so she became confined to her bed. We celebrated her 75th birthday at home. She was alert and had a good time opening presents and eating cake~ can't ask for any better than that! However, the next day the infection came back and it was off to the ER. We got that cleared up but from there she went to the nursing home here. Dementia has set in and now she is spending her days there. We have good days when she is chatty but then we have not so good days when she can't remember much~ I'm holding onto the good days! just embracing the journey!

Kenton~ had a great year in the 8th grade. He was a track star!! bringing home many blue ribbons and winning the Track Athlete of the Year! He also went to his first formal dance~ he looked so handsome! This school year he started High School and is now a Freshman-9th grade! believe me.. I cried all the way to work! It seems like yesterday when we were taking him to kindergarten~ he looked so small in that big elementary school and today he looked so small among those bigger boys in that high school~ this is the first year we didn't walk him to his class.. man that was the hardest..just dropping him off.. driving away.. He has fit in nicely and seems to like his new school. This year he played football for the first time~ he also made the Homecoming Court as a Freshman attendant!! Again, he was so handsome! He's now playing Basketball and gearing up for another season of Track! ~more to come on that!

Peyton~ he also has had a good time in school! He's been very busy this year! He is playing soccer and is goalie! he loves it!! has to have all the right gear and loves his sweatshirt with his name on it! He was given a music award from the local Kiwanis club~ it was a very big deal!! dinner and an very nice award! He plays his flute all the time and has also picked up a few more like the clarinet and saxophone. Guess he's musical like his dad! This past summer we stayed very busy at the local community theater. He was in Oklahoma and loved every minute of each play! After that he was in The Man That Came To Dinner. He is now taking dance with the dance teacher from OK~ so needless to say we are always at the dance studio! but he loves that too!! He wants to be on Broadway some day and I'm sure he'll make it one of these days!

Ken and I stay busy at work and are very blessed to have the jobs we have!

I promise to post more often~ hope that catches you up on the basics.