Why we do what we do.......

TEAR JERKER ALERT!!!

I just watched this, and quite simply, this is why we do what we do! I've made it no secret that Amy George has "virtually" supported our family through our walk of losing Olivia like many could not - she's been there. Yes, the circumstances are different, but the hurt, the loss, and more importantly, the FAITH that God has everything in control is the same. Oddly enough, Amy and I have only met in Publix, once! Hopefully I will get a chance to hug her and thank her for what she does for millions of babies tomorrow as Abby participates in her first Swim for Melissa.

This was aired last night on Channel 19.....enjoy! And contributions are still welcome if you'd like to support Abby for tomorrow. Scroll down to the post below for the link - and thanks to those who have already contributed!!

http://www.whnt.com/videobeta/5d7c389d-94be-406e-a6f9-c85a3d3a86ba/News/Ann-Catherine-Gets-Ready-to-Swim-for-Melissa

Abby Good - Mommy NOT!

WOW! What a great start to the school year for Abby and Stewart. Me - NOT SO MUCH! I have no idea where this came from, but I fell apart Monday!! This shouldn't happen to me! I am THE ONE who had the responsibility of kindly escorting crazy, crying Kindergarten mothers out of the building every year! I'm THE ONE who told mothers over and over, "They'll be just fine - it's where they need to be, etc."

Well last year was a breeze - Abby was and IS a school pro! She marches right in, hugs about 10 different adult's necks (because she seemingly knows everyone and everyone knows her!) and glides right into her new routine just barely remembering to look back and wave bye! That is SUCH a blessing! I think last year I was so overwhelmed with my own job (we started the same day Abby did), and I literally had time to just drop her off and RUN! That afternoon when the bus forgot to drop her off and she took a joy ride, I wasn't worried because I was responsible for 300 other kids getting where they needed to go and had 25 other mothers spazzing. I knew she'd get home - eventually!

Enter this year! We breezed in like normal, but somehow the further down the hall I got, the more of a panic attack I had! She marched right in, put her stuff away and sat down for morning work while I just stood speechless!! She gave me a hug, I got my pictures, and I went into the hall - but I couldn't leave!! So I went over to the K hall to check on a friend (who was having a great time - go Mason!!) and then went BACK to peek at Abby! I was so bad all morning that I cried off and on and even went back to eat lunch with her. Stewart's response, "You went back? On the first day??" Then I even left work early to meet the bus even though her grandmother AND great grandmother were there to do that! Part of it was probably a little out of pocket "I should be starting school too" syndrome. Don't get me wrong, I do not doubt the change I made, but after you've had the same schedule for 12 years change is a little strange sometimes!

Oh well - chalk it up to Mommy Syndrome! All is well if we could just get a morning routine worked out.......ahhhh...you can't have it all!

So, here are the pictures. Notice there are none of me or Stew - Stew left at 6:00 that morning, and I was too panic stricken to even think of getting any with me! Maybe we'll recreate the day later!




School isn't all we've done this week! We had a homecoming singing Sunday and our good friend Cassie joined us. In case you don't know - CASSIE ROCKS!!!!! Drea - make sure you tell JD that. It will make him SO nervous :)

We also had friends over Saturday night for a little Steak Out and playing Rock Band. Check out what the kids rigged up while we were waiting on the food - can we say redneck Riviera?? They LOVED it!!

So, I'm getting my Strong Mommy face back on to finish the week, but I tell you I could cry right now if I let myself!!! Babies shouldn't grow up (unless of course they are in that lovely "I will scream for 2 hours until someone comes in here with a bottle and rocks me until I am unconscious stage like EK is treating us to right this very second!) Ahhhh......love my life :)

Fabulous Flippers!!

Hi friends!

We hope you are all having a wonderful summer! Our family is currently gearing up for the 5th annual Swim for Melissa. As you all know, this event benefits the Melissa George Neonatal Memorial Fund at Huntsville Hospital Foundation, which purchases life-saving equipment for the Regional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children. This cause was established by Amy and Chris George after the death of their daughter Melissa. Amy spends countless hours raising money to help other children and has been a tremendous source of strength for our family over the past few years. Ellie Kate spent a few days in the NICU after she was born, and we are so thankful for the care she received there! On Saturday, August 14, Abby will take part in a non-competitive swim at the Hampton Cove pool. She will try to swim as many laps as possible in a set amount of time and all of the money she raises will go towards the purchase of state-of-the-art equipment for critically ill premature babies. Some of these babies are so small, they can fit in the palm of your hand!

Would you please consider supporting Abby as she swims in this year's event? To visit her page, click on this link:
http://foundation.hhsys.org/abbythorson . You can make a donation by clicking on the "Support Me" button. You can even leave comments on her page to cheer her on! Your donation will go to help fund critically needed equipment for the NICU.

Thanks again, and if you'd like to come see her swim, come out to the even on Saturday, August 14th. Email me for specific times :)

Hamster, Hamster Where Is Your Wheel??

I'll tell you where it is - I'M ON IT!!! I can't believe it's been a month since I posted!! I won't bore you with the mundane, busy busy, no time, talk. I just re-read my last couple of posts and it seems the whiny/too busies are a theme for me this summer!!!

We've had TONS going on! Nothing super exciting, but LOTS! We just got back from Destin from our first Alfa trip! It was great! I remember Alfa trips as a kid, but there was something cool about knowing we were there because I earned it :) Praise the Lord - that's all I can say! I go to work, work my tail off, come home to wild children, go crazy for a few hours trying to get things done, and then lay in the bed thinking of all I didn't do, should do, or could do! I keep telling myself that change is hard, it will get easier, etc..........it will, I know it - but WOW what a transition! All in all - LOVE IT!

Stewart is crazy busy, as ALL educators are right now. Whoever says, "Well you get off all summer" should be horse whipped!! He's been working 14 hour days, going to class in Gadsden, and other random things. Tonight Abby looked at me and said, "Where IS Daddy? I haven't seen him since I was 5!!" It's almost a true statement!

Here are tons of pictures - I wish there were more - got to do better with that! Maybe a new camera and time and talent to know how to Photo Shop :) Ahhh....add it to the list! We did enlist a professional photographer to take some pictures of the whole fam while we were there......this is while we waited on her to get there. Still waiting to see proofs......



No vacation in our family is complete without a trip to The Track!

We have this same picture with Dad and Abby over every year of her life - couldn't leave EK out :)

Another try for beach shots :) Abby took this one of me and Stew - it's basically the only picture of me.......hummm.........


EK's new favorite - "Kiss on Lips!!"
My brave Abby decided to ride a VERY tall zip line!! I thought she was too young, I thought she'd chicken out when she had to walk off the platform - NOPE! Check out Miss Thang waving from the air!!


Here's a few shots from the Alfa party Wednesday night.

Hey - there's a Cantrell on my blog :) Cuties!!
Dance, Dance girls!! Pretty sure this was to "Baby, Baby!!" Gotta love the tongue out - total concentration!




Looking for inspiration to get through this "grind" time! Seems like I usually get some spark to write, and that helps me in turn. No sparks flying now - I guess they're worn out too! I'll read all of your blogs - INSPIRE ME - PLEASE!!!

Coming up - school starts in less than 2 weeks!! Goldsmith Schiffman Elementary here we come!! SO excited for the new adventures ahead!

ALSO - Abby will be swimming in the Swim for Melissa event this year. Much more to come, but here's a link until I get the info up!

Happy Anniversary STEWART!!! 9 Years!!

(I didn't want to be accused of posting about whining and Too Late for Supper, and NOT about my anniversary :)) Much to come - maybe I can even scan a picture - oh the days!!

AND - while I'm scanning, I may just have to find some of the pictures from "the good old days" just to remind some of us what we USED to look (and feel) like!!

Got to run - hubby says no posting on HIS anniversary!

Whiner!

OK - so I'm copying Drea......shoot me!

I am SUCH a whiny baby tonight! I think whatever this MONO bug is caught up with me this weekend. (Either that or it's just over-worked, over-tired Mommy syndrome!!) Either way, life is an endurance right now!

We started the weekend at Mom and Dad's, spend some time Saturday for Abby to spend some birthday money (Oh LORD never give a girl money and unlimited time in Target. I LOVE me some Target, but I have never been more ready to leave!) Of course, somewhere in the middle of the trip is when I could have laid down, face-first on the nasty store floor and not cared. Seriously, if Abby could have driven home I would have let her!!

Sunday was just pure exhaustion! Stewart did blow up the pool Abby got for her birthday and the girls loved splashing around in that (there are pictures, but that would require effort to go get the memory card!)

Today was filled with work, as will tomorrow and Wednesday. I am so not used to this end of the month push!! Whew - at least Thursday and Friday are the beginning of the month, and let's just say they may just need to include some ME time which must include a NAP (any Alfa readers better not rat on me!!)

Tonight we went to Gunter's Mountain. Steadman sent out a special invite to come after church. Let's just say I must REALLY love "Steadmuffin" as Abby says to endure the torture EK put me through!!! We made it, made our appearance and left as soon as socially acceptable! (Drea - only old people and NO Late for Supper!) You know what's sad - we USED to be the ones who really only went to church to go to someone's house after and see and be seen - we are SO OLD!!!!!! I somewhat fondly remember the days of having like 75-100 teenagers bombard my house!!! (Speaking of - I have LOTS of old pictures!! I will have to post them one day just to torture a few bloggers around here!!!)

So - I'm whiny, tired, half-sick, half-mono - whatever!!! Sorry - no inspiration here - just ick!!!!!

Praying for a better - non-whiny - week!!!! Love and perky days to all!!

Thankful Recap

I NEEDED to catch up! I NEEDED to remember the good things that make my heart thankful every day! It's a vicious cycle - the pointless, time consuming, mindless details of our every day grind seem to take up SO much more memory space than these wonderful, memory making events. Why can't I focus on those times, and being thankful for these times and NOT stress over whether the laundry and dishes are done, if every file on my desk is in order and taken care of, what to where when and what time we'll have to leave to maybe get there on time......that's not to mention bills and all those other lovely things to clutter your day!

I am SO thankful! Thankful for my wonderful husband who is an even more wonderful father to our two beautiful girls. Thankful for my two beautiful, healthy, full-of-themselves daughters who I would do anything for! Thankful for our precious daughter waiting on us to join her in Heaven for the ultimate family reunion. Thankful for our wonderful parents who are always there to support us (Special kudos to my wonderful, rock-solid, ever "wisdomous" Daddy - HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!) Thankful for our jobs, our home..........mostly just for our Heavenly Father for allowing me to experience this long list of "thankfuls".

The "thankfuls" go on and on......I am SO thankful that another healthy baby was born to our friends. They walked the terrible road of losing a child before us, and were there for us when we joined them on the journey. After many years of praying, worrying and wondering, they welcomed a beautiful, healthy baby girl to complete their family. Praise the Lord!

SO thankful for those close to us who have had a transformation that can only come with the saving grace of our Father. What an awesome blessing to see what HE can change in a person's life!

Just Thankful.............I needed that reminder :-)