HAPPY MOTHERS DAY TO MY GIRL

                      
I am lucky to have a daughter and a daughter-in-law that are both wonderful MOTHERS.  This post is to tell Amanda how over the top PROUD I am of her, especially this Mother’s Day.  The almost 12 year old PARKER above is the little boy that made her a Mom and me a Grammy years ago at the very young age of 18.  For the next 11 years she worked for a doctor and had a very good job, BUT she always wanted to go back to school and finish college. 

Fast forward to last October when her Dad had his stroke and something changed.  She encountered many nurses through our 6 week hospital stay and realized the difference a GOOD NURSE makes.  A few weeks later she first told her Dad and then me, that she was quitting her job and going back to school to become a nurse.  It was huge to give up a good job and an income. 

With Micah’s blessing and encouragement, she did just that. Took a HUGE leap of faith.   In January she enrolled in school and has studied until her eyeballs have almost fallen out.  She finished her first semester this week with all A’s and 1 very high B.  
I cannot tell you how proud we are of her.  She is going to be an awesome nurse. Staying home has given her a new lease on life. 

The extra amount of time she has gotten to spend with her boys has been the big BONUS.  She has even taken up golf and she and Micah play several times a week.  She is just HAPPY.  And that makes a Mom and Dad HAPPY. 

This little boy below, Jack aka Woody made her a Mom for the second time. 
This Man made her his QUEEN and shows his boys how to treat her everyday!
         
                     
           

           Happy Mother’s Day Amanda

Tomorrow I will get some new pictures of Dana with her boys and post them soon.  She is a great Mom and I am proud to call her my daughter-in-love. 

Remember there is a giveaway tomorrow….and because I need you to do something for me, I will give away another “Card Box” on Wednesday.  My little nephew is in a contest that I so want him to win. 

Would you please go to this link and vote for Sweet William.  You do not have to sign up, just click on his name and that’s it.

Come BACK HERE and tell me. Your name will go in the drawing for tomorrow and Wednesday.
 
http://exploretexarkana.com/pages/Contest/view/1

If you have not read this post on my other blog, it may be my most read post since I began blogging.  I am shocked at the email and all the requests to repost it..(be sure and turn the music down)
Happy Mother’s Day to all my blog friends. 

A SUNDAY THE TEARS ARE ABOUT TO SPILL

This is not the funny post I promised, but I do have the pictures now and will post it tomorrow. This has been one of those days, a Sunday where my eyes have had water in them most of the day.  The kind of eyes where you know they are about to spill tears but you are afraid if they do you might never stop crying.  Happy tears and sad tears.  I don't cry a lot, at least not in public...I rarely cry in movies..I have a friend that cries when they start showing the trailers.(she will know who she is) I just don't cry.  Number one it gives me a terrible headache, number two I always fear I will not be able to stop.  But today is not one of those days.  This could be a book if I wrote everything that moved me today so I will try and describe three.  As praise and worship began the pastor came to the platform and he is broken as his Mom is near death, but he talked about how we all wear masks and when asked how we are we reply GREAT!  I have been guilty of that more times than I can count..He talked about how LIFE is just TOUGH.  I got that... he then invited anyone that needed to take off the mask and come to the altar to come...I looked up to see Will's family making their way down the stairs and to the altar, where so many people gathered around them and prayed.  Parents came with their kids.....and then the praise team began to sing the Casting Crowns song I WILL PRAISE YOU IN THIS STORM and I saw Wills Mom and Dad stand up with their hands raised to heaven singing from their pain.   Then the pastor said in years past this is how we would have said it and he began to sing HOW GREAT THOU ART... and my thoughts were how in the world can they be worshipping and singing How Great Thou Art, when they buried their boy on Wednesday. Their three precious boys standing with them and their world upside down and yet they worshipped...Tears about to spill. I had a chance to talk to and hug Tyree after the service. There are not enough hugs for a Mom that has lost a son. I wish you could see her. She is beautiful to begin with but she has a glow, a grace, a presence that could only be there because she knows with all her heart that she will see Will again.


Then I ran into a friend that I have not seen in awhile. A friend that is so wounded. It's too personal a story to share, but it's a hurt that makes you not want to get up in the morning. Actually a hurt that I have been through years ago and I can tell her she will survive, but that does not lessen the pain now. Tears in both our eyes and mine about to spill.

And then there are those good tears. I looked to my left and Amanda was sitting next to me. Next to her was Micah and Parker...with Micah hugging on Parker the entire service.
(have I told you that he is the worlds greatest hugger?)I would give you a visual, but Amanda frowns on me taking my camera out in church.  Four years ago I was just sure that he could NEVER be a good step dad to the little boy that I loved more than life. I begged and pleaded with Amanda...Micah's not the one...Please do not marry him. AND guess what, THIS MOM was SO WRONG. I can tell you today that there is no one that loves Parker more than Micah. And that was from day one...and the bond has just gotten stronger and stronger, so much so that I forget he is not his Dad. He is constantly planning for his college, for his future, for his first car, and loving on him all the time. He is always thinking of new ways to make Parker's life good. He provides for him far and above anything I ever dreamed. No one loves him more than Micah...and when I glanced at them in church today all hugged up, tears were about to spill.
Micah, I love you for loving my girl, for giving us Jack and more than you will ever know for loving Parker Powell. And in case you did not know, he really loves YOU!


And I will probably shed a tear when BF takes the field tonight since I already have eyes full of water...Headed to Amanda and Micah's to watch the game and have some family time.  I promise to give you a LAUGH tomorrow.

I WILL BE BACK SOON

Three brothers that are going to miss Will!

Just taking a short break....this has been such an incredibly sad week. Tomorrow is Will's service...Tonight I was able to talk to his Mom and Dad and hug their necks...They were so strong as they encouraged the hundreds and maybe thousands of people that came for the visitation. They stood for hours and talked to each person. I know they are in that period of time when God is just holding them up. One week ago today their boy had a headache. I will be back in a few days...my heart just hurts this week...

And since this family is a SPORTS FAMILY, I am sure they would not mind me mentioning in the same post, that HE'S BACK and I could not be happier...20 seasons sounds like the perfect number. Amanda read a cute post on FB today..."There are only two people that can give a long press conference with no commericals...Obama and Brett Favre"...I will take a Brett talk anyday.