Vacation - Memphis, TN...

We have always wanted to be able to stop and visit many of the kids that have been in our care at Happy Hill. While we've seen a few of them, when they've come back to visit, we just aren't able to go visit as often as we'd like. So, we are in Memphis, TN...visiting Sophia!! Sophia graduated this past May and at graduation, her parents extended an open invitation for us to come visit anytime we're coming to or through the Memphis area. We aren't crazy...so we took them up on it! We're on our way through to Gatlinburg, TN...so we left a few days early and we're visiting with them.



It's been so nice! We arrived Wednesday, late afternoon. Of course, if you know anything about my wonderful husband...we stopped at Graceland first! We didn't pay to take the tour, but we walked the shops and just looked at what we could see...it was really interesting. We went into downtown Memphis. We rode the trolley through town. We walked down Beale Street...it was 'Bike Night', very cool!! Just all sorts of sight-seeing. We stopped at this amazing cheesecake place...we all shared a piece of white chocolate caramel cheesecake and a piece of blackberry cheesecake. All I can say is, I'm glad that place is nowhere near my home...it is fabulous!









Yesterday, Thursday, we did a little more sight-seeing. We went back to Beale Street, to browse through all of the shops that were closed the night before. Miss Vicki (Sophia's mom) bought Josh a cool little sign with his name on it that looks like a license plate from Memphis. He loves those kinds of souveniers! Then, we drove through several riverside areas...just looking at the scenery...along the Mississippi River. It is simply beautiful. We returned back to the house and Tony (Sophia's dad) made a traditional Jamaican dish for dinner...peas & rice and jerk chicken. It was delicious! The chicken was spicy and grilled...mmmm! Sophia had her dance crew over for practice. It was fun sitting outside, watching the kids dance in the driveway. Cami joined in for a little bit...that was hilarious! A couple of the kids stayed for several house...awesome kids! Very awesome, in fact, one of them offered to fix my computer...it has had a virus on it and now it is working like a charm...thanks Brandon!



Today has been the relaxing day. We slept in this morning...I woke up at 10:30, and the kids shortly thereafter! We're on vacation time! We had a traditional Jamaican dish for breakfast...a cod fish mixture of some sort with toast and eggs. It was different, but like my husband says "I'll try anything once". We went swimming after breakfast...it was very nice and just what we needed. Vicki decided that we needed to go to the mall, because she wanted to pick up a little something for Cami. So, we stopped by the Pink Palace, just to take a peek...she found a cute litle purse that she got for Cami, as a surprise! Then, at the mall, she let Cami pick out a gift at Claire's...if anyone knows Cami, they've already guessed what she chose. Yep, lipgloss! A lipgloss cellphone...what a girl!


These people are the sweetest. We are so blessed to work right where God wants us to be, we get the unique opportunity to minister to these kids and watch them grown into awesome adults. This is a rare occasion, for a family to thank us and truly understand why we do what we do. It makes it all very worthwhile!

We will be having dinner tonight, at Corky's...BBQ that we've heard lots about!! Then, we're heading out tomorrow, early in the morning...heading onto Gatlinburg to hang out with the Minder crew!! We are very excited...

Summer Days...

We woke up this morning at 6am...way earlier than normal for me! John had airport duty (the kids left for break today and he drove some of them to the airport), therefore he wasn't here to get the meat started!! Let me start with something here...I have never operated a grill before, not even for a hot dog! With that said, I (succesfully, I might add) started the grill (for smoking, not grilling) got the meat on, kept the temperature where it needed to be...and didn't mess up a thing! John got back around noon...I kept it all going for 5 hours, by myself! Though, I did have an awesome neighbor come chop some wood for me...thanks Chris! So, John finished the meat...we had brisket, chicken and sausage. It was delicious.

It's funny how our senses can take us back to earlier days in our lives...specifically, smell. The smell of the mesquite wood took me right back to the day that I met John. It was 4th of July BBQ at Hallmark Baptist Church, 2001. Rick & Alycee had invited me to the BBQ. I was with Alycee and John was helping Rick out back, with the huge smoker. From that day on, John and I were a pair! I knew right away that we were meant for eachother...but that's another story. That smell, that smokey smell took me right back to that moment. I also remembered many other times that John stayed up with Rick all night long, at church, smoking brisket in that giant smoker. Some nights were warm Summer nights, some were cold Winter nights...but the smell never changed. We lived near the church at the time. Often, I would bring the guys snacks during the night...it was just a nice trip down memory lane. Rick left us a few years ago after a long, courageous battle with cancer. There is no doubt in my mind that Rick has made himself at home up there in Heaven. I once heard Rick referred to as a 'social butterfly'...that is so true. Can you even imagine just 'fluttering' around in Heaven, just socializing? Wow! That's all I can say, Wow! But for now, memories is what we have...I miss Rick, but I know he's in a better place and I know that he wouldn't want to be back here...especially after experiencing what I'm sure he is experiencing there!

After dinner came the clean up...not my favorite part of the day, but it has to be done! Josh did a great job of helping out...don't know if he was trying to be on his best behavior while his girlfriend was here or not, but I'll take it! They both helped out a lot...carrying dishes here and there, bringing things inside, putting away chairs...things my kids normally whine about when I ask them to do it.

While Josh and Claire were watching a movie (in the next room, with the door open, being checked on quite often...lol) Cami decided that she and I were going to have a tea party! Cami loves to have tea parties...but they are normally reserved for sis. Lately, she will have a tea party anytime. That's fine with me, she'll only want to have tea parties with Mommy for a short time, so I'm enjoying the time I have now. It is so sweet...she lays out the porcelain dishes just the 'right' way, then she gives each of us a napkin and pours the 'tea'. Tonight, it was actually tea. She prays. "Dear Lord, thank you for this day, thank you for keeping us safe, please keep us safe tomorrow at the ballgame, Amen" Cheers! I love it. We chit chatted and enjoyed our little tea party for a while.





Cami then decided that it was time to rain on big brother's parade...she went to sit and watch the movie with Josh and Claire! Actually, the movie was ending, so she didn't irritate them too much. Josh mentioned baby pictures, so we pulled out his baby scrapbook and showed Claire his baby pics! It was really cute. My baby boy officially has his 1st real girlfriend...uh oh!



Now, Cami is sound asleep, Josh is passed out, John is snooring in the recliner and I am not quite ready for sleep just yet. I will be soon though...it's been a long day! Tomorrow, we are taking Claire and Lace with us to the Ranger game...

Just visiting...

We had a special visitor today. Devin, one of the girls that lived in our residence for the past year, she graduated this past May. Devin has been talking about visiting for a while now, but finally came out today for a little bit. Cami tried with all her might to dominate every bit of Devin's time while she was here! Cami misses having girls around, sometimes. So, we gave into her a little. We had a Tea Party...Cami LOVES having tea parties! She sets the table with her porcelain dishes, finds some sort of small snack and pours whatever liquid she sees fit! Today, we had chocolate covered pretzels, an oreo cookie and strawberry lemonade Crystal Light! What a combination! When Cami 'hosts' these tea parties, she insists on having these conversations that totally revolve around her, of course! Devin and I sat there, participated with her and had our little tea party...but we were really ready to have conversations of our own!! Devin and I finally got the chance to 'catch up' and spent a couple hours together, I really enjoyed her visit!



I try to get pictures of my kids, just random pictures. But, they hate taking pictures most of the time. I pull out the camera and they disappear, I hate it. Josh is becoming so social that he's not around as much as Cami is, and of course he's 'older' so I don't get the opportunity to take his pictures as often as I did when he was younger. I just love taking pictures of them...I love capturing those moments in time of them. So, for the time being, I will have to take what I get and sometimes I'll have to just explain the nasty looks they give while mom is 'forcing' them into taking pictures. I am such a mean mom!







We are leaving for Tennessee soon. We'll be staying in a cabin in the mountains. I really hope to get some good pictures while we're there. We will be seeing lots of family and friends, so we hope to come back with pics to share! We'll be visiting another one of the girls that graduated this year, Sophia...we hope anyway. We are staying with her parents in Memphis, on our way to Gatlinburg, TN. Sophia is leaving for college a few days before we arrive, so we're not sure if we'll get the chance to visit with her or not?

Vacation...we are SO ready for you!!

Family fun and random thoughts...

Since we work where we work and on the schedule that we're on (4 days on 2 days off), our days off are different every week. I love it!

A few days ago, we went to the beach at Lake Granbury, the kids played in the sand, played football and just had fun. It's funny the things you enjoy as a child and then as an adult. I don't remember ever being bothered by flies as a young child, now they drive me insane! It didn't bother me to have my feet covered in sand, now I can't stand it! The heat definately didn't bother me as a child, we would play outside for hours as children. Now, as an adult (and a mom) I am aware of such different things. I am a people watcher. I've learned some good tips from watching others, I've also realized what not to do by watching people! So, back to the beach...here are just a couple of pics from that day...






I love my kids...I know all parents say that, but I really love my kids. Sometimes I just watch them and wonder so many things...what they will be like as a teenager (I'm learning that with Josh now), what they will want to be when they grow up (Josh says a Police Officer, like his Brother in Law), who they will marry, and what their kids will look like! I guess this is just something parents think? I don't know, I just cherish my family and I thank God for them every day.

I am a step parent. It is a hard job, in some ways it is harder than parenting your own children. You know that these kids aren't yours, yet you must treat them as if they are. Loving them isn't always immediate, but you learn to love them and eventually you love them unconditionally, as if they were your own. I have 3 step children...Christopher, Hailey and Lace...they are all very special to me. My heart doesn't play favorites or distinguish the differences. To me, it is similar to having a biological child and an adopted child. I had 2 step children before I even became a biological mom. I have my Josh and then I inherited Lace, my other step child...though I never use that term, to me, they are all just some of my kids! When we adopted Cami, I realized that the love and devotion that I have for is no different than it is for any of the rest of my kids! I think God blesses a step parent with a different kind of patience and ability to love, maybe not, but I don't think our human nature just accepts other people's kids and loves them as if they were our own? God has blessed me with incredible kids...all of them...Christopher, Hailey, Josh, Lace and Cami (and our other child, that we inherited...Lace's best friend, Erika)! If any of you are reading this, I love you all very much...I pray for you all every day and I feel very blessed that God chose to put us in eachothers' lives!

*Side note: Lace gave me the best Mother's Day gift this year...a charm bracelet with a charm representing each of my kids: Christopher, Hailey, Josh, Lace, Cami and Erika*

I love my husband...I suppose not all wifes say that, but I really love my husband. We were both married before, so we had that "practice run", we both like to say! That experience really showed us what not to do in another relationship, and what not to tolerate! Typically, divorces aren't 100% one persons' fault, both parties contribute to the misery...we've learned from our part of our past mistakes. We don't communicate as well as we should at times, but that is our biggest problem! Sometimes we just assume that the other person knows what's going on. My husband isn't the most romantic guy around, but he's perfect for me. There is not doubt in my mind that God intended for us to find one another. He has been the perfect match for me in every way...he has helped me work through so many issues, he has loved me unconditionally, he prays for me and for us daily, he is sensitive (don't tell him I said that...lol), he is athletic, he is understanding, he is funny, he is the most awesome dad...and you can't tell who is "his, mine or ours"...he treats everyone equally...that is something special!

We went swimming last night, at the pool here on the Farm. We were off, so we were down there by ourselves. There were wasps everywhere! Josh & John decided they were going to kill them. So, they beat the wasps in the water with our swimming noodles! It was ridiculous. They killed at least a dozen or two. I guess you had to be there...it was really funny!!

Perspective...

Music has always been an important part of my life...and NO, I don't sing or play an instrument. But I LOVE music.

When I was a child, my mom listened to music all the time. Back in the early days of MTV, when it actually showed music videos. I remember quite a bit of the music that she listened to. It's funny how music, like scents, can bring back memories. My mom listened to Journey, Foreigner, Loverboy, Reo Speedwagon...and the like. I still say that 80's music is some of my favorite.

I broke off into my own musical individuality stage, aka: the teen years. That consisted of New Kids On The Block, Debbie Gibson, Poison, Motley Crue, Van Halen, Green Day, GooGoo Dolls...yes, a major amount of diversity there, I guess I am a rather diverse person! It's funny to see my son liking Green Day...lol...he thinks it's funny that they were actually around when I was in high school.

Since I became a mom, I tend to actually focus on the lyrics of music. I am very guilty of listening to music and never knowing exactly what I'm listening to. When you sit down and realize what some of the lyrics are, you'd probably be shocked. Anyways...I listen to a very wide spectrum of music. On my computer, I have my music sorted "Christian", "R&B", "Country", "Rock", "Pop" and "Random" (that's the music that doesn't fit into the other catagories). So, I have quite the selection when I get into my music moods.

I was searching through my music this morning. We're getting ready for vacation, so we HAVE to have music to listen to on the road! I'm getting my playlists together. But there is one song that I have been going back to, daily for a few days now. We had Youth Camp here last week, and this is one of the songs that the band played. I searched and finally found it! Like I said above, I don't sing, but when everyone is outside or asleep, I sing this one...and I can barely get through it without crying! This song just brings it all into perspective for me. I thought I'd share...look it up and listen to it, it is awesome! Here are the lyrics...

Lead Me To The Cross
~Seventh Day Slumber

Saviour I come
Quiet my soul, remember
Redemption's hill
Where Your blood was spilled
For my ransom
Everything I once held dear
I count it all as loss

Lead me to the cross
Where Your love poured out
Bring me to my knees
Lord I lay me down
Rid me of myself
I belong to You
Oh, lead me, lead me to the cross

You were as I
Tempted and tried
You are
The Word became flesh
Bore my sin in death
Now you're risen
Everything I once held dear
I count it all as loss

Lead me to the cross
Where Your love poured out
Bring me to my knees
Lord I lay me down
Rid me of myself
I belong to You
Oh, lead me, lead me to the cross

To your heart
To your heart
Lead me to your heart
Lead me to your heart

Lead me to the cross
Where Your love poured out
Bring me to my knees
Lord I lay me down
Rid me of myself
I belong to You
Oh, lead me, lead me...

Lead me to the cross
Where Your love poured out
Bring me to my knees
Lord I lay me down
Rid me of myself
I belong to You
Oh, lead me, lead me to the cross..

New to this!

Okay...so, I've done the "social sites" and all, but I've never blogged before. Here we go...

We are off for the next 2 days...Saturday AND Sunday, doesn't happen too often! I think we'll just be lazy, since we're planning our vacation, to Tennessee in about 10 days. John's brother is getting married there, so what a better reason for a family vacation? Since we work the schedule that we do (4 days on, 2 days off, and we have frequent 'breaks' in addition to those off days) we try to take mini vacations several times per year. Can I just take this time to say how I love my job? Really, I do!!

John and Josh are watching Avatar right now and Cami is sleeping (Lace & Julian bought it for him this past weekend). I have been told by numerous people that this movie is fabulous! I disagree. I tried and tried to 'get into it', and just couldn't. I'm just not a sci-fi fan, I guess. Now, Eclipse...I can't wait...haven't seen it yet.

Josh is now in the 'interested in girls' stage of life! Am I thrilled? NO! He will always be my baby boy, no matter how many girls come along. It just baffles me that he's old enough to like girls...it seems like it was just last week that I brought him home from the hospital (well, in some ways)! We are taking him and his little 'girlfriend', Claire, to a Ranger's baseball game next Friday...pics to come. He gets irritated with me when I take pics of him...WOW, I am definately the mother of a Teenager...Ahhhh! No matter how old he gets (or how interested in girls he is), my baby he'll always be, regardless of what he says!



Now, Cami is a whole other story. If two kids could be any more different, it's these two! Cami must be intertained at all times. She is very head strong and opinionated. We are working on her 'attitude' right now. Or I guess I should say, modifying her 'attitude'! We have been living amongst teenagers for a little over 2 years now and some of the negativities have rubbed off on her. We are making it though, and we're seeing improvements...no matter how small they are at a time, we'll take it! School time is quickly approaching, she stars Kindergarden in August. It's funny...I cried when Josh started school (and so did he). I doubt I'll cry when Cami starts school. Not because I'm not a little sad that she's growing up, but because she needs to go to school. She is the smartest thing, she can figure anything out and I no longer challenge her. As a matter of fact, she often tells me that she is 'bored'. Off to school we go...soon!



Last, but certainly not least...Lace & Julian. See, when you get married you both get put into a together catagory! It's not just Lace, our daughter anymore. It's Lace and Julian. They are awesome, and not just because they're ours. They are truly remarkable people. Lace works her little rear-end off no matter what job she has. She gets her work ethic from her daddy, for sure! There is no way I'd tolerate half of what they do, but that's another blog. Julian, WOW...we've had our moments! Now, correct me if I'm wrong, parents out there...no one is good enough for your kids, when they are of dating age. Especially the first child. Poor thing, we picked Julian's flaws apart back in their early days. He could do nothing right! But, he eventually won us over...and he makes us very proud now! He is a Police Officer, fulfilling his dream! Now, we can't wait for Bonilla/Minder babies!!



I guess that's enough for tonight...really, I guess it's just a background/history type lesson on US!!