And Then There Were Three

In July of 1986 things were busy.  We had just finished building our new home. I was working full-time and teaching so many aerobic classes I can’t remember.  We had been living in an apartment with our two boys, ages 8 and 6 so the move to the new house couldn’t have come any sooner.

The perfect house – three bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, with a remote master.  Each boy had their own big rooms with their own bathroom on the other side of the house from us.  Perfect, right?  Not quite.

Two weeks after moving in I couldn’t understand why I was so tired and nauseated.  It had to be my schedule, had to be the move, had to be something but the obvious.  I ignored the symptoms which didn’t help – yep, we were pregnant!

So now I have this new house, a full-time job, plus teaching aerobics, and a new baby on the way.  A bonus baby.  A surprise, guess what, who knew, a little package from my Heavenly Father who had a plan better than mine.  You see my plan was to be a working mom with a crazy schedule, pursuing things that I felt were important.  Ignoring my responsibilities of being a mom to my two boys and many times putting aside the very ones I loved the most to pursue my selfish wants.  Not a good thing.

My little package from heaven was another boy.  Thank goodness because I really don’t know how a little girl would have survived on that side of the house with two older brothers.

This is Colin in his bassinette with our kitty keeping him warm.Today is my little package’s 23rd birthday.  Happy Birthday, Colin David!

Each and every one of my sons are uniquely different. Each one has special talents and giftings that make me proud.  But there’s only one that can say he’s the baby.

I must say even though he is the baby, Colin is mature beyond his years. I guess being around older brothers and also hanging out with his parents and our friends influenced him more than I knew. He can hold his own in a conversation with people twice his age.

Colin works at Best Buy as the Geek Squad Manager.  Look at that one dimple!  He was three weeks early so I’ve always told him I didn’t have time to cook the other one.

He is married to a beautiful Russian girl from California and they are expecting a baby girl this May.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So Happy Birthday, Baby Boy!  Happy Birthday, Bonus Baby!  Thank you for coming into my life when you did. I love you and your beautiful wife so much.  And I especially can’t wait to love that little girl you are bringing to us.

Birthday Week

This is going to be a crazy week around here.  Two of my three sons have birthdays – Jared Ross is my middle son and he will be 29 tomorrow.  Colin David is the baby son and he will be 23 on Thursday.

When did these guys grow up?  I’ve turned around and now they are married with children.  So today I want to introduce you to Jared and then in a couple of days you will get to meet Colin.

Jared is a deputy with the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Dept. and sometimes works in the Special Investigations Unit.  That job is so suited for him being the middle child.  He didn’t take anything off of anybody and constantly irritated his younger brother.  So he is perfect to work with criminals. 

Jared married a beautiful young mother with two boys from a previous marriage. 

 

 

And then they had precious Alex together.  So he now has three boys just like his Mom and Dad.  

 

I love this picture of Alex – swimming lessons last summer.

 

 

 

 

 

This is how our kids play in the snow. Since we never get it here in the South, Alex thought it was okay to play only in shoes and underwear.

 

 

Here are my two “instant” grandsons, Chance and Will.  Precious boys and gifts from God.  

So Happy Birthday, Jared.  You have made your Daddy and me so proud.  It makes me smile and cry at the same time to see what a great father and husband you have become. We love you!

A Better Way to Blog

This has got to work or I’ve decided blogging is not for me.  So here’s my test blog with Windows Live Writer.  I sure hope it works because I’ve got lots to say.

  

Here’s a cute picture of me and my honey.

 

 

So all I really want to do is put in a photo and not go crazy trying to move it around.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And this was us the summer before we got married in 1973.  Cute as can be.

Is this working?  By golly, I think it may be and I haven’t lost my temper once.

Look out here I come and thanks to everyone who suggested I try this before giving up.  You rock!

More Happy Room Photos

I know this -- I am so terrible at this blogging thing, I can't get pictures to go to the place I want them in my blogs. They always end up at the top and then when I have to move them around I am definitely NOT HAPPY. Time to go to my happy place.

Welcome to the Happy Room

There's a room in my house that makes me happy. It evolved because we had no place to put all the grandkid's stuff -- clothes, toys, diapers, and all the little munchkin things we need to take care of these little ones.

It seems when most of the kids are delivered to us to babysit, all we get is the kid. No food, no clothes, no diapers, no shoes. Just the kid. So we keep sets of everything here.

Now we have a place to put the toys, change the diapers, and just hang out being grandparents. I love this room. It makes me happy. And I know it makes lots of little ones happy who come to visit.

So here are a few pictures of my happy place.

Cubbies for toys, a makeshift changing table on top of the dryer,

a special rack for books.

It's all here making lots of happiness, 'cause if Ninny's not happy. . . .