I would like to introduce you to...

Okay blogworld.

I need to introduce you to a friend. Or should I say a friend's mom.

This is Susan Longmire's blog.

You have to go over to her blog and if you are ever anywhere near Baton Rouge, LA you have to visit her store in downtown Denham. It is so super sweet and has something for everyone.

If you like, shopping, antiquing, scrapbooking or all of the above you just have to see. The whole family is just so stinkin creative. It's disgusting really!

I am going to be visiting Baton Rouge next week and I am trying to figure out how and when to make a trip to Denham (without the kids in tow). Where there is a will there is a way!

When I was growing up I had the pleasure of being friends with not one but both of Mrs. Susan's daughters. I just can't even put into words of how great this family is. So many memories so much laughter and my oh my, SO MANY PUFF PAINT SHIRTS!!

I hope you all have a chance to visit Mothers and Daughters. But be prepared; cause once you visit, you will want to stay!

I've got the photos to prove it!

See below evidence that my husband has now been living in Texas too long.





Todd started wearing these to work instead of dress shoes. Really I mean next I will be wearing broomstick skirts.

Heavens to Betsy!

I would die for that

You may not know this since my blog started after I had my two babies. Todd and I struggled with infertility issues for years. We were married in 1996 and Madelynn was not born until 2004. I have such a heart for women who struggle with this pain. I will never forget the first time I heard a doctor tell me that I may never conceive a child on my own. But thank God, He is bigger than any diagnosis.

I found this video on one of the blogs I read and thought how amazing it was! I can remember how excruciating Mother's Day services at church used to be for me. To all my sister's out there praying to have a child. Please email me and let me know and I will be believing with you!

 

Life in General

I am realizing that it has been a while since I just posted about life in general.

That's due largely in part to the fact that I am so busy doing life in general, that I don't usually stop to blog about.


But I'm working on it.


So here goes.


This little gem of a girl has just graduated preschool.


She is five and starts kindergarten this fall. She has to go today for her immunizations and she is not too happy about it. (I think she has to get four shots.)


Needless to say, I am not looking forward to it either.

She had her dance recital over Memorial Day weekend. She is quite the little diva. She gets it honest.




Next we have this little guy.


This is while we were at Dinosaur World in Glenrose. He had a fabulous time! He just made 3 1/2 and I have to admit that my sweet little guy that was such an easy baby and tenderhearted toddler, is NO MORE.


About a month ago I woke up and realized that someone or something had possessed my innocent little lamb. I am hoping it's just a phase. Re-Establishing boundaries and testing limits. You know all that fun stuffs. If I survive, I'll let you know how it all turns out.


Mr. Smith is hard at work right now. As many of you know, when the summer hits, the water industry is in full swing. So I think we have a date together sometime in mid September. (HEEHEE)


Life is full right now, but oh so sweet!

FEAR

I have been thinking a lot about fear lately. Not like a huge fear that makes you afraid to leave your house or paranoid to talk to strangers.  I've been thinking about all the thousands of little fears that rule in your life everyday. Those second thoughts you give to everyday situations instead of going with your gut. 

Lately, I have noticed how much I am lead by fear. Not that fear is always a bad thing, but when you realize it is creeping it's way into every aspect of your life, it's a VERY bad thing!

Those who know me well, know that I am addicted to blogs. I can't write nearly as much as I would like to on here, because I spend entirely too much time reading other peoples blogs. Most people don't understand the attraction to blogs. I don't care about blogs that are just a mimic of someone else's. I love the blogs that are in a very real and raw way a window to that person's soul. One minute they are writing about what they cooked for dinner and the next they are unveiling a secret hurt or future goal. It is very enlightening to me.

A few weeks ago I was reading one of my favorite blogs and I felt compelled to leave a comment. Now this is a big deal for me because I would not be an anonymous reader any longer I would be participating on this blog that I read daily. And then she would know who I was, and she would see my blog and how pathetic it is in comparison. All of a sudden I was sick over a comment that was meant to encourage one of my favorite authors.  Talk about sad.

When did I get to this place that I am fearful of even absolute strangers? The other night I started wondering what someone would think if they saw my facebook page. Would they think I was funny, boring, a simpleton, a redneck, a wannabe. I started editing my facebook page and deleting anything that showed me in a poor light. RIDICULOUS!

That's fear. Fear of others, fear of man, fear of man's opinions. What's worse is that my relationship with my Creator in many ways is based on fear. I mean I love my Father God completely, but a lot of what I do in my daily walk is out of obligation and fear.

I am one who likes boundaries; they make me feel safe. Grace makes me nervous. I don't get it. I don't deserve it. It doesn't make sense to me. 

Black and White makes me feel safe. A list of rules makes me feel fine. Do this list, don't do this list and you will be okay. That works good for me. I can measure myself against it. Freedom, liberty these things aren't tangible; I can't measure them. They make me feel inadequate. 

I would love to wrap up this post with the part of the story where I have a moment of Great Enlightment and I figure it all out.

I'm not there yet.

Sorry guys.

For now you will have to accept my useless wonderings.