Viruses Stink

Bad news: my computer has a virus. Actually, 31 of them I think?? And I am a computer dummy. Luckily, Jen's husband is not. And he is going to try to fix it.

So, pictures and stories of Mary Frances, Thanksgiving, Thomas, and a certain other little baby that's due in May will have to wait until I can give them the attention and detail (and of course, a million pictures to go along with it) that they deserve. Please check back soon! I will be back as soon as I can get my computer fixed!!

A Moment Of Truth

Oprah calls them "Ah-ha! Moments." I call them "Moments of Truth." They are inevitable. They are coming, to you, and to me. You can not avoid them. You can not stop them. You can not prepare for them. They were never meant to be prepared for. That is how raw and powerful they are. They will leave you different from the person you were when they found you.

Sometimes it's hearing a doctor's diagnosis. Sometimes it is your Romeo asking you to spend the rest of your life with him down on one knee (and with some bling, of course!). Sometimes it is hearing the shattering words that over half of our country have heard,"This marriage is over." Sometimes it is hearing your parents say, "Mommy and Daddy are no longer going to be together." Sometimes it is seeing two little unexpected pink lines on a pregnancy test. Sometimes it is the phone call you get in the middle of the night of someone explaining that there has been a tragedy to your loved one. Somtimes it is hearing the man you love more than anything in the world take vows before the Lord, his friends, and family to cherish, honor, and love you unconditionally.

Whatever the specifics of the moment are, it is the moment itself changes your journey here on Earth, forever.

Daniel and I are the typical first time parents. When Thomas gets here, I am sure that we will worry ourselves to death about SIDS, his development, his happiness and security, if he's getting enough nutrition, if I'm a good Mom, if Daniel's a good Dad, if we're teaching him the important things of this life, and if he's the cutest baby in the county. We have read the books, taken the classes, and asked a million pieces of advice from a million different people. However, I am not naive enough to believe that all of this "knowledge" that I have accumulated over the past seven months will serve much, if any, purpose once Thomas is actually here in my arms. Like I said earlier, you simply can not prepare for some things. I am sure that when I look at D and say, "I think it's time we go to the hospital," it will feel nothing like what we think it will, but it will be magical in its own way. Every single bit of our expectations for that day or night will go be blown away and replaced by a much deeper, more geniune, loving experience that we could have even imagined. It will be a moment of truth like none other.

I believe these Moments are a part of God's design for our lives and are critical for the development of our understanding about who He is. They break us of the cycle of trying to live independent from the One who designed us. Sometimes that cycle is where you feel distant and disconnected from God because of whatever current circumstance you are in, so you develop this "independence" from God in your heart where you try to quit relating to Him because you feel abandoned, deserted, and maybe confused as to where He fits into this messy picture that you call your life. Any maybe no one around you even seems to notice this hardness in your heart, so you get good at ignoring it too, and it slowly becomes so natural that it's characteristic of your life. Sometimes the cycle of "independence" is more subtle because it appears harmless. It ocurs at a time when you seem to have life all together. Things are going pretty smoothly. Your relationships appear stable and secure. Your debt is currently under control. Your kids are healthy and well behaved. Your life is full of rich experiences. But somewhere in all of that, you have lost touch with your one True Love, the One we call God.

So see, I think that while these Moments of Truth can be terrifying and have the ability to shake you to your core, they should be embraced. They bring you to a place where you are vulnerable. A place that does not always feel "safe." A place where you are really ready to run to Jesus because you realize that Truth is Truth, and nothing else stands in comparison. Run to Jesus.

I do not have all the answers. In fact, with my curious little personality, most days I seem to have more questions than I do answers (just ask Daniel, I LOVE to ask him questions!). But when I am resting in the Truths of Jesus, I do not worry about all the unknowns.


.....On a lighter note, you will not be hearing from me for about a week on the blog! "What's new?"...I can hear your sarcastic comments now Cassie:) I will be traveling down to South GA to meet my new niece, Mary Frances!! For now, these are the only pictures I have of her. But don't worry, you know I will be back with a million more next week!!



Anyone think she resembles Thomas at all?!? Any comments? I'd love to hear from you!

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Let me start this on a positive note by trying to point out the good of this past week:

(Kirb, this will have to suffice for your pregnancy story for now! I've been sick all week and don't have much to blog about! Sorry friend!)

***We had another doctor appointment this past Thursday, and the doctor said that Thomas is already head down! I am 28 full weeks, and the doctor said since he is already head down then he probably won't move again. Atta boy, Thomas! See ya in twelve weeks! Or you can surprise me and come in ten:)

***I have not been feeling well this week, so I've basically been on the couch since Sunday! You have zero ability to fight off a cold when you are preggers. You've just got to ride it out! And with limited medicine, if any at all! BUT, there is a little good in every situation. Since I have been so sedentary this week, I have had a lot of time to spend feeling Thomas move! It is the most amazing feeling ever knowing that he is safe and warm in there, with everything he could possibly need! I love feeling him squirm around, and now that I am 28 weeks, his movements are pretty strong! I can watch my whole belly shake as he changes positions and gets cozy. Daniel can even watch my belly from the next chair over and see it move! It has truly been nice to have had this time to be so aware of him and his little parties that he likes to have in the womb. Thomas is a healthy, active little baby!

***Due to my sickness, I have been treated like a princess this past week! Mama T and Grandmama (Daniel's Mother and Grandmother) have kept us well fed because I have felt too crummy to even move from the couch. And let me tell you, there ain't nothin' like a good southern woman's cookin'...


***I have felt so bad this week that I have been really needy of Daniel. I just wanted him around 24/7, like, not just him being home, but him being beside me. He was very attentive and gentle, and I keep telling him that we just have to have a little girl one day because he will be such a sweet little girl daddy. Not that he won't be great with Thomas, but Daniel just has such a strong, but gentle, loving side to him that all little girls want and need in their daddy. One night I was really wanting some homemade chocolate chip cookies, but the thought of standing in the kitchen for even ten minutes sounded as exhausting as running a marathon. So, sweet D set out to bake for the first time, with some assistance from Queen Bee, of course. It is amazing how my man can build a tractor or an engine or who knows what else with his hands, yet he stumbled through the step-by-step directions on the back of the chocolate chips package. We all have our strengths. Daniel has been sounding like a bullet-proof Romeo on this blog lately, and trust me, he is! But he does not come without his mishaps. Let me preface this story by saying that Daniel was truly only trying to be funny in this moment and get a laugh out of me. I am only sharing it because I can laugh about it today, knowing that my husband loves me to pieces and had the best of intentions at heart last night. He figured since I can make references to my weight gain with Thomas and we laugh about it when my belly is hanging out of a shirt and I don't even notice because I can't see it or when I grunt when I bend over because the belly gets in the way, that maybe he could bust a joke too and get a laugh out of me...

But it just doesn't work that way...

It just backfired at him. Big time. Bit him in the hinney. He shoved his foot in his mouth, better yet, down his throat. He blew it. I had taken some medicine with an antihistimine in it, so it was making me drowsy. I was sitting in the den watching the tv when my eyes started to get heavy. D suggested I go to bed. I wasn't ready to get into bed yet, so I said, "No, I don't want to". He then jokingly said, "Well baby, I'm tired and I don't want to have to carry you in there tonight. How much did the doctor say you weighed again today?" and he waited for what he thought would have been a laughing moment from me about the conversation my doctor and I had had earlier about how much I had gained the past few weeks. Instead, he got a blank stare from me as I recalled his words in my mind thinking, "Did he really just say that?!?" Daniel realized the moment that I didn't laugh that he had crossed the line. He said, "I knew better than to EVER comment on a woman's weight!! I just thought since you made comments all the time and we laughed about it that maybe I could make one and you would laugh. I swear I was just trying to make you smile Amanda!" And being the mature person that I am, I stood up and stomped off went to bed. You know, just making sure that D didn't have to carry me:) I hope that everyone who reads this knows how innocently D meant this "joke" of his! He is a loving, kind-hearted man who would never reference anyone's weight in any situation, especially mine! He just thought that since I could talk about it, that he could too! Wrong again! Daniel baby, you should have gone with your gut instinct on this one, and never, under any circumstance, no matter how enticing or innocent the moment may be, reference a woman's weight in any shape or form! Except of course, when my butt looks cute in some jeans!:)

***Are you a follower of this blog? There are a few people out there, who I know read this blog all the time, and yet, are not official followers. I am going to be gracious and give you about a week to get your little name in the box over there before I send you a dirty text about it, Cassie!, and you know who you all are! :)

Life Ain't Always Easy...

Do you see anything wrong with this picture?..Anything out of balance or unevenly distributed........

.....do you want a clue?.....

....let me rephrase the question: Do you see anything that is fair about this picture?....

This is where Daniel and I lay our heads down to sleep at night. Can you guess which side of the bed is mine? :)

Since I have been pregnant and have become increasingly larger, I have also become increasingly uncomfortable. Side note: ladies, it’s true what the doctors say, “Watch your weight!! You will be uncomfortable if you gain a lot!!” (True Story: I JUST had to get up after typing that sentence because the timer for my chocolate chip muffins in the oven was going off...)

Does honesty count for anything on this blog?!?

Back to the purpose of this post: I have to credit where credit is due, and today my dear friends, that credit is due to my husband. Bless his sweet heart, he has been a champ over the past six months of this pregnancy. He has thoughtfully slept hanging halfway off the bed as I have barked politely reminded him each night to “SCOOT OVER!!” Not to mention, his poor little toes are like ice cubes each night when we get into bed because you know a pregnant woman isn’t going to turn anymore heat on than her hormones have already provided her with. Speaking of hormones, the soon-to-be Daddy D also encourages me not to “end any friendships or make any other big decisions in this mood swing because another one is just around the corner, and he assures me that I will have changed my mind by then,” which keeps me from making many irrational decisions. He has sat through 14 hours of birthing classes, showed up at the doctor’s appointments, held my hand during ultrasounds, rubbed my back when it hurt, scrubbed the toilets and showers for me, let me choose which restaurants to eat at, taken me shopping for maternity clothes and even told me they looked good on me when I came out of the dressing room! I am thankful for his sweet lies:)

So to all you expecting fathers out there, take notes from my man! And to anyone who loves Daniel, pat him on the back and bake him some cookies when you see him please, cause you know I’m not sharing my chocolate chip muffins:)

No More False Promises....For Real....

Are you aware that my last post was June 29 and that it is now November 9? Can I ask why you are still reading this? I would have given up on my blog a longggg time ago if I were you...BUT, I'm back! And with new motives:) But more on that later...I have so many things to update y'all on!

Let me just start by saying that I am 26 weeks pregnant, and everything is going great so far! Daniel and I have been very blessed throughout this pregnancy. I know that sounds very cliche, but it is very true. We truly feel blessed to be able to have a child. We just finished our last birthing classes last week, and we (like any other first time parents) are sooooo excited and soooo blind/anxious/apprehensive about what is about to happen to us. We do know that our world is about to be snatched from us, turned upside down and inside out, handed back to us, and possibly with a screaming/colicky baby in the mix. And do you know what? We wouldn't have it any other way.

We have decided on a name: Thomas Lanier Smith. Thomas is after my daddy, Tommy, and Lanier is a family name from Daniel's side(Daniel's Great-Grandfather's name). Here is Thomas at 26 weeks:





These pictures are from an ultrasound we did this weekend where a bunch of family was able to attend. Seriously, a bunch: Mama Joan, Daddy, Mama T, Mr.Joey, Heather, Kelby, Donna, Kate, Granny, Summer, and of course, Daddy Daniel! It was supposed to only be ten minutes, but the first ten minutes Thomas was turned away from the camera and would not cooperate so it took about twenty minutes! Finally, after about ten minutes of the woman rocking my belly back and forth trying to stir him up, he turned over a little and we could see his precious little face! At the end, we could see him opening and closing his left fist, as though he was waving "bye-bye" to us! After that, he put his right arm over his face, and he was done with it. Thomas had had enough!:)

Here is a little peak from the past of Thomas when he was at 18 weeks:






I have been getting bigger by the day since about 20 weeks. Once the growing starts, it doesn't slow down! Example: here is me at 18 weeks, right after we found out it was a boy!


And here is me at 26 weeks (this is one of the few pictures of me that you will be seeing for about the next year due to the fact that being pregnant is not-so-cute on me):


Do you know where that picture came from? Do you remember what happened exactly a year ago yesterday? Yep, our 1st Anniversary!!! Considering all the current events going on (we just moved into our new house a week ago, I'm 6.5 months pregnant, my parents were in town visiting...) we did not do a big anniversary trip or anything. We are hoping that we will do a late anniversary/last-minute-get-away-before-Thomas-comes sometime. However, we did reflect back over the past year together and give each other a wide-eyed look, accompanied by a smile, and laugh when we realized what all the past year has brought us: a wedding day...six months later, two little pink lines on a pregnancy test...seasons of disbelief...many seasons of adjustments...a new house...seasons of bliss...seasons of sickness and seasons of health...seasons of learning new things about each other and learning to love those new things about each other...and most of all, learning to hold hands as we walk through each of these seasons together. Had you told us a year ago on our wedding day that we would be 6.5 months pregnant on our anniversary...we both would have said: Ha! Ha! Not us! The proof is in the picture:) And yes, the cake does taste like the freezer after being in there for a year.


Earlier I mentioned that I had "new motives"...and the title hints at it a little bit...y'all are about to be impressed with my frequency of blogging. It is something that I originally started as a way to keep record/memories of our life (kind of like a scrapbook) and as a way to share things with my family who live so far away. But, Daniel and I lived so far out in the boonies that we did not have the internet, and therefore, I was very slack about updating it. But now at the new house we have the internet! As I blog, I think of what it will be like for Thomas in twenty years from now to be able to look at this blog. He will be able to see a glimpse of us and our life during a time that he won't be able to recall by memory. I think that is so neat! Unfortuantly for him, I am not creative beyond the keyboard. He probably will never have a scrapbook unless his Grandma Joan makes it for him. He probably will never have a hand-made quilt unless Mama T makes it for him. But hey, what are Grandma's for!!! Both of his Grandmother's are SO MUCH MORE creative than I will ever be. Seriously. But, what I can do for him is blog. And post picutres on here. And one day, maybe Thomas (and maybe even his wife) will look back at these posts and appreciate the memories. Would you not love to have known the thoughts and seen pictures of your parents at 24 years old?!? If you are reading this one day Thomas, please know that we ABSOLUTELY can not wait to hold you in our arms. We love you and am so proud of you already.

Another update: Katie is almost due (like in less than a month) and SUMMER IS EXPECTING TOO!!!! Can you believe it? THREEEEEEE BABIES!!!! She is due May 17, 2010! We don't know what she's having yet, but you better believe that you can hear it here first once we do know the gender:)

Katie:33 Weeks Me:23 Weeks Summer:10 Weeks


Here at Katie after one of her baby showers with a car loaded down with gifts:



I mentioned earlier that we moved to a new house this weekend, but I think that this post is long enough! I will save it for another day. Maybe tomorrow?! I hear it's supposed to be rainy from Hurricane Ida. Maybe I'll let y'all see what has CONSUMED our life for the past month over a big bowl of cheerios and a cup of coffee (decaf, of course!). Like the title says, "no more false promises...for real"...I promise I will be back, maybe not first thing in the morning, but I will be back soon.

1+1=3

I am busttttting to share this with everyone, and now is finally the appropriate time!!!

ARE YOU READY?!?

Daniel and I are with child:) Meet our precious baby:



Do you love him/her already? We do!!! We went last Thursday for the first ultrasound, and we heard the hearbeat for the first time. It was absolutely the sweetest thing I have ever heard. I can not wait to hold this baby in my arms.

Seriously, seven months seems like eternity.

Are you wondering if Daniel passed out or maybe even tuned out? Well, I'll be the first to tell you (very proudly) that he didn't! I thought he might have been a little uncomfortable at the "female doctor" and all, but he was such a man about it. When the doctor said our baby had a "good, strong heartbeat," we were SO relieved and excited!! Thank You, Jesus, for precious babies.

Do you want some more REALLY exciting news?!? Our baby already has a cousin!! Meet Baby Girl Dove:



Katie and Andrew are about 2.5 months ahead of us!! How fun is that!! She is due on December 5, and I am due February 12. Now THAT my friends, is fun! They are thinking of naming the sweet baby girl Mary...possibly Mary-something, using a double name. Oh, how I love the south! Double names are sooo my thing! Daniel is not too fond of the idea, but maybe he'll warm up to it. So really, it may just end up being Katie's thing:)

I apologize to my "blog followers" (all 3 of you!) for my lack of posts lately. I know I apologize for this every time I blog, but please have pity on this little country girl who can't get the internet at her house. Take it up with AT&T, Charter, or whoever provides your wonderful internet service. Rural people need it too.

Anyway, here is a little recap of where I've been since my last blog:

Jen's rehearsal dinner. From left to right: Laura, Me, The Bride-Jen, and Stephanie

Being a bridesmaid-loved the sunflowers!

Jen's center pieces at the reception...how cute!

Jen's wedding shower with all of my fun high school friends

It has been "wheat pickin' time" which means Daniel has worked around the clock trying to get up all the wheat he planted last fall. Sometimes, precious little girls like Leigh, Mama T, Heather, and myself volunteer (get conned) into helping:) Here is Leigh driving the dump truck as the boys (and Trooper Mama T!) loaded hay. Yes, I just said that. It was hilarious to watch her drive that truck, that is a stick might I add. I sat next to her and giggled at her driving that big ole' dirty dump truck. Oh, the things we do for our men! Or in her case, her man's best friend!

We spent the next weekend at the lake with some friends. It was nice and relaxing as always. While D was gone on the wave runner, I caught a fish! All by myself! Funny thing is, all the boys were gone when I caught it and none of us girls knew how to get it off the hook, nor were we really wanting to try. Poor fishy, he didn't make it through the night.

Then the rain came, and we played pool inside for most of the rainy afternoon. That is where these pictures were taken. Absolute Boredom.



On a side note, have you tried these?

I highly recommend them. They are almost like a frozen snickers bar, but only three points on Weight Watchers! You can find them in the frozen section of almost any grocery store.

Well, it's hot and the air conditioner at my house in broken. Do you know how I feel about being pregnant and having a broken air conditioner?

Hope y'all are having a great summer and staying hydrated!

The Search

We all grow up searching, and even when we are "grown" (which I am trying to figure out if I am really grown if I still giggle every time my husband or I toot?), we are still searching. We are entangled in many searches throughout our life here on Earth.

The search for adventure. Search for our identity. Search for our faith. Search for security. Search for food. Search for our soul mates. Search for our purpose in this world. Search for acceptance. Search for a place to grow old. Search for a perfect, cuddly puppy. Search for significance. Search for a place to call home. Search for a career.

We are all constantly searching. Sometimes our searches are short-lived. Sometimes we give up, or sometimes they just die out. We lose hope. Our motivation diminishes. Whatever.

Or, the more hopeful result: WE FIND WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR. After many years of the Lord molding my faith, character, personality, testimony, and desires, He allowed my search for a partner to walk hand-in-hand with me for the next one-hundred years on this Earth to be over. Hello, Daniel:) And throughout this process, also called LIFE, other searches were successfully conquered too. I got an education that (hopefully) has prepared me for my place in the work force. I developed a sense of dependency on my faith (Jesus) that had never existed before the age of 19. Through learning to see myself as the Lord sees me, I have found my identification. I am fully accepted....JUST. AS. I. AM.

But thankfully, He also loves me enough not to let me stay this way. I am a walking, breathing, flawed human being. Just ask my husband:) But the good news is that the Lord is changing me every day. I am realizing new things about Him and about myself all the time. I have shattered the confidence and trust of many people that I love countless times before because of my own wretched heart (and I am sorry if you are reading this and know exactly what I am talking about from personal experience). This is one search that is never over. I will never "conquer" this search and have perfect faith. It is a life-long process. This daily relationship with Jesus is my hope for continuing on this search and my many others.

The Bible reminded me the other day that the Lord is with me in all of my searches. Even the career one. There are times that I believe many lies:
"I will never get a full-time job because I am underqualified."
"I will never get a full-time job because we are in a recession and soooo many more people are more qualified than me."
"I will never get a full-time job because I don't have any real skills."
"There are just simply no jobs out there".

Hear me say that I believe that there is an element of truth in all of those lies. We are in a recession. Many people are WAY more qualified than me. I don't have a ton of skills because I don't have a whole lot of experience. BUT, they became lies to me when I started believing that THEY were ruling my life and circumstances, not God. "God is big, but this recession is pretty big too" was my thinking. It was a complete and utter lack of faith.

Now, God has not presented any great full-time job opportunity or anything grand like that, but He has redeemed those lies from my heart and replaced them with His truth.

"For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the Earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His...." (2 Chronicles 16:9).

The Lord has not forgotten about me. The Lord is in control of all the economies and markets in the entire world. The Lord knows every CEO and President of every great company out there. He could place me in whatever position He desired in whatever company. But for right now, His purpose is for me to help market my Chick-fil-A store. Period. I must accept His will for my life right now, even though it is not exactly what I had expected to be doing at this point in my life. However, I will continue my job search for full-time work and patiently wait on the Lord to open doors.

The Lord is with you too. He knows what your heart desires. He knows what searches you are on, and what voids you are trying to fill. He knows what lies you are believing. He knows what even your closest friend, mother, or husband may not know is going on in your head and heart. Seek His Truth.

**********************************************************************************
On a lighter note, HAPPY ALMOST EASTER!!

Last night was date night at the Smith residence. Daniel and I really try to be intentional about spending quality time together, so we clear our schedules one night a week and from the moment he gets off work, it is "our time". It's nothing fancy at all, we usually just go out to dinner (so I don't have to cook and do dishes) and enjoy each others' company. So last night "date night" involved picking up fast food and bringing it home so we could color easter eggs! I don't ever remember doing this growing up, but Mom says she knows we did it because one year Summer thought she would continue to enjoy the Easter celebration and hid an easter egg in her bedroom. A little while later, Mom began noticing a smell...you guessed it! Summer's rotten egg! Anyways, TA DA! We hope you have a Happy Easter!


Have time for one more quick story? Daniel will probably KILL me for posting this, but aren't you supposed to skip permission and ask for forgiveness later?:)
I was trying to look at all the nutritional info on Subway before we went to the restaurant so I would know exactly what I wanted on my sandwich and I wouldn't be that girl in the line, but I couldn't help noticing all the chaos around me. I'm not sure who was chasing who, who eventually won, or if there even was a winner, but this was the final outcome.


Lady was in the house (a rare treat!) and of course, she was already bouncing off the walls. Somehow a game of "chase" began...and Daniel and Lady ran in circles and circles and circles and more circles...through my kitchen...more circles....down the hallway...more circles...back through the living room...more circles. Finally, those two passed out in the floor, both panting. Literally.

I think someone has a new buddy:)

A Few of My Favorite Things....

Last night while I was lounging in my big, comfy, over-stuffed chair waiting on D to come home and fix my head ache (I know he isn't capable of doing that, but somehow things just seem to get better once he comes home), I was thinking. Thinking about all that has changed in the past year. Where I was a year ago this time. Where my heart was. Where my roommates were was the real question! We all got soooo busy that the boulevard just kind of became a place where we all stopped by to change clothes, catch a little shut-eye, and maybe mumble "hey i miss you" as we passed each other by. Then, July 31st came, and we all moved out. Just. Like. That.

So anyways, the point is last night, while I was cussing all this bad weather out in my head because it has overstayed its welcome and was the source of my headache, I realized how much I receive from the people I love, and even more so, directly from the Lord, since He is the giver of all things.

Companionship. Laughter. Joyful Tears. Accountability. Encouragement. Affirmation. Honesty. Heart Analyzation. Realizing What Sin Is In My Heart That Is Affecting My Relationship With The Lord. Growth. Compassion.

These are just a few things that come to mind. Today, I am thankful to You, for everything you have given me through my relationships with friends, roommates, sisters, mothers, aunts, fathers, and co-workers.

**********************************************************************************

My Boulevard Girls:
I LOVE when we used to:
1. Put pretend throw-up on Brittney's floor and pretend one of the dogs had gotten sick.
2. Do Bible studies at like 5a.m. in the morning
3. Learn how to cook together
4. Watch Grey's Anatomy together
5. Argue about who hadn't been unloading the dishwasher
6. Listen to Bon-Bon drunkly ramble about losing Maggie
7. Steal the neighbor's kittens and put them in stripped rainboots for a photo shoot
8. Dress Betsy and Lady alike when they were little girls
9. Make Scotty turn off the power to Britt's room while we squealed with excitement from Kirb's room waiting for her to come confront us!
10. Be good neighbors and call the police when strange men used to walk up in our yard at midnight and ask to use our house phone.
11. Watch Aunt Kim lay out in her driveway everyday while collecting unemployment.
12. Watch Bon Bon drive that old little car 2 driveways up to Aunt Kims for a deal to go down.
13. Doing the exercise hula-hoop
14. Having some pretty tense house meetings
15. Making Lady and Betsy "put their head down" before they got anything they wanted

My D:
I Love When You:
1. Pop my foot blisters after a long day at the gym
2. Say things like "I would love to make you coffee to help you wake up but I don't know how to work the coffee pot"
3. Build fires on cold nights while I sit in the chair with blankets whining "Ddddddddddddddddddddddd, I'mmmmmmmm ccccccccccooooooooolllllllllllddddddddd" as though you're not doing anything about it:)
3. Are a handy man and put up blinds around the house because I'm afraid someone could be peeping in on me in the dark!
4. Get up and "check" the house in such a unafraid manner when I wake you up and say that I can't sleep because I "heard something"....you're so manly
5. Come home right at 5:00 after work to take me on dates
6. Lock and dead bolt the doors when you leave in the mornings to keep my safe while I'm still asleep
7. Grill an extra hot dog for Lady
8. Kiss me goodbye every morning before you leave for work
9. EVERYTHING ELSE YOU DO, I LOVE YOU!

Mama T and Heather:
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE:
1. When yall have doctors appointments in Atlanta and we make it a girls day and go shopping:)
2. Helping/Learning how to cook with yall
3. Staying at your house when bad weather comes our way
4. The carpet in the den (take this as a warning, Mama T! I won't be a happy girl when it comes up!)
5. Taking care of our boys together, whether it be talking about having to force them to go to the doctor or buying them new shirts because we decided that it was that time.
6. Going to the beach/lake/concerts! So much fun with yall (Heather).
7. Sitting around in Dahlonega and then going downtown and buying fudge:)
8. Making Christmas plates full of goodies
9. Trying a new diet or at least talking about trying a new one every week

Mama Joan:
I LOVE THAT:
1. I can ALWAYSSS find something to laugh about when you are around...you are just toooooo stinkin' cute!
2. I can always call you and ask you a question about Jesus' life and you ALWAYS seem to know the answer! You are such a little brain!
3. You loved me enough growing up to do what was not always easy or pleasing to me, but what would develop my character and maturity.
**"Those who love their children care enough to discipline them."
Proverbs 13:24
4. We can sit and chat over coffee alllll morning long.
5. We're usually still in our pajama's at lunch time after our morning coffee:)
6. You have excellent style in decorating, and you came and stayed a week at my house helping me paint and get some decorating direction!
7. You love my husband and treat him kindly and with much respect.
8. You are so artsy and love scrapbooking (something I admire, but have not desire to do myself...maybe you'll do it for me one day? :)
9. You and Daddy are not only still married, but still in love after all these years.
10. Daddy goes to see boring plays with you.
11. You are a good hostess when we come home and have everything clean and ready for us (Thank you!)
12. You buy the whole family matching pajamas that we wear every year on Christmas Eve and take pictures together

My Sisters:
I Love That:
1. We grew up sharing rooms with each other...and 1 bathroom...it has made me very efficient at getting dressed, which my husband appreciates because I'm not one of those girls that you have to wait hours on for me to get ready
2. Yall are all another mother to me in one way or another
3. The fact that NONE OF YALL can keep a secret to save your life! If I tell one sister something, I don't even have to worry about calling the other ones and telling them, it will be taken care of for me!
4. We keep in contact with each other and leave voicemails accusing you of being shady if you don't answer your phone when we call
5. We all have the same sense of humor and can take jokes well (you must have thick skin to be a Childs girl)
6. Yall were the best wedding planners a bride could ever ask for! Each one of you were always asking me which tasks could you help with next.

All in all, the Good Lord reminded me last night of how important relationships are. All that He teaches us through them. All that He provides for us through them. They are a good thing, especially when we experience God's love, forgiveness, grace, and compassion in them. I think this is exactly what the Lord was telling us in the Bible when it says, "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins." (1 Peter 4:8). Human relationships are an important part of knowing the Lord, and they can have a deep impact on your relationship with the Lord if you allow them to. So let's get honest with each other and really learn what it means to love each other deeply. I'm up for the challenge.

I must say though, I think I like my relationship with Daniel the best...Sorry girls, I'm a little partial:) No one else would come home on their lunch break to kill a wasp in the house for me!

Spring Fling

Hey Everyone!

I'm here finally doing my monthly post. For those of you who wonder and ask me why I never blog, it's simple. We don't have the internet at our house, and lately, I have not been at my in-laws (internet source) as much because I have been turning this:


and this (our bedroom):

(by the time I thought to take "before" picture, we had already pulled all the furniture out)

into this:





(still need to change the light fixture to match the new room)




(there is a matching plate to the mugs that will hang above this)



and into this:






I had the BEST crew!! My Mama, Aunt Susan, Aunt Kathy, Jenna, and my cousin Mindy all came down to help me! They were the biggest blessing! While Daniel was probably completely overwhelmed by all the women in the house, he handled like a champ, bringing us dinner and even offering to help paint! While I would have handed him a brush and pointed him to the wall to get started, my Aunts and Mama wouldn't hear of it after he had worked all day. Maybe I'm a little hard on him, hehe:)

So, after a week of painting and decorating, I am convinced that I am not gifted with a crafty nature and do not enjoy "art projects". Hopefully, I'll win the lottery and outsource painting the rest of the house:) Yeah, right!

Not much more has been going on here beside wading out the storms and rain. It has flooded! We left our wheel barrel out in the yard for the past couple of weeks (by mistake, but it makes a great rain gauge...I know, redneck) and it is almost full of rain water.

So, besides looking forward to Summer days full of sun (and sunscreen, of course!) the pool, beach, lake, and weddings (go Jen and Annie!!), not much has been going on. My Chick-fil-A just closed down last night for a month for remodeling. I will be working a little here and there but not much until we re-open at the end of April. I guess I can work on getting more freckles in the mean time:)

A Whirlwind Week....

For my South Georgia family who for the most part is probably still unaware of the tornadic weather we experienced earlier this week, don't worry! The Smith's are alive and well. Wednesday evening a tornado hit the road we live on, but luckily not our house! It really hit the beautiful farm down the road from us, which is where most of the picture are from. Daniel and I were not home (Praise the Lord!)...we "evacuated" to Mama T's where we stayed the night. Our house didn't have power for the night, but besides that, everything was fine! Even Lady:) She was inside in her kennel during the storm. As Daniel and I raced to Mama T's (and I say raced because we waited WAY to late to leave), I buried my face in my t-shirt and then in my lap. It just felt safer there. No lightening could be seen. No fear of how fast we were driving because I couldn't see the speed thingy in the truck. In the bottom picture you can see the Channel 2 Action News truck and where a lot of trees has been twisted off...the road used to be line with beautiful, old pine trees along the right side that granted me much appreciated shade on my runs...I guess now I will just got more freckles?

Anyways, so Valentines Day. First one as a married girl...Whoo hoo!! Daniel and I had the BEST weekend, maybe the best weekend ever? We were just both in great moods. We woke up and ate breakfast and drank morning coffee together (a rare but much enjoyed time at the Smith house). After trying to talk Daniel into going with me for a little while, I finally gave up and realized that he was not going to be my calorie burning friend for the day. So, I went at it alone. When I was about half a mile from the house....I heard a car slowly pulling up beside me....a stalker? rapist? murderer? A creep? No!!!!! Just D!! He came to "walk" with me...Daniel's idea of "walking" with me is driving the car beside me and tracking how fast I am going. Hey, it works for me. I enjoy his company in any form.

The best was yet to come...we had 3:00 (only time we could get) lunch reservations at Fogo De Chao in Buckhead! Ever since I came back from Brazil (Summer 2006), I have been wanting to go there. It is a Brazilian Steakhouse. What a treat! The tasty meat and cheese bread reminded me of the many once-in-a-lifetime moments I had in Brazil while eating the same foods with my Brazilian friends and American team! Words can not describe how much I miss both. Daniel and I left feeling SICK we ate so much. I had been saving my calories all week for that meal:) We spent the evening in Dahlonega with my kind-hearted family plus a family friend, Kevin. Kelby, we missed you, you race-fan-redneck-who-missed-valentine's-day-boo!!

Monday eveing Cassie and I hoped in the car and went to Carrollton to eat at the Border, where we ate 3-4 times a week while in college. We got to catch up with a few friends that are dear to our hearts. I love yall girls. And what kind of trip to Carrollton would it have been without a 12 oz. birthday cake/cake batter ice cream from The Marathon? We took it to Heather's apartment (where she opened the door with mace in her hand) and helped her procrastinate from studying for a little while. It was some much needed girl time.

Last night Daniel and I were having a date night which included driving through Wendy's and parking at the Newnan airport with our hamburger and mexican salad to watch planes come in. It was a neat date. I secretly was hoping that Alan Jackson would fly in and we could have a surprise meet-and-greet session with him, but no luck. It was really cool to watch the little planes come in and leave. We ended the night with splitting a cookie the size of my head that was covered with mocha syrup and a big round scoop of ice cream. YUM. And like any good South Beach girl who broke her diet twice this week, I RAN MY BUTT OFF THIS MORNING.

Enjoy your weekend people. The warm weather and long days are coming. My husband has begun mentally "gearing up" for them because the bring him long hours of picking wheat and hay, which makes his heart leap.

A Christmas Like None Other...

I forgot to attach this to my most recent post. This was our first little married Christmas tree. There are no light, no decorations, no angel at the top, and no presents underneath it. However, there was a beautifulll tree skirt that Mama T made us underneath the green needles. We were so busy that we never even decorated the tree. Maybe next year? Also, the tree came down on Christmas Eve. Yes, I took my tree down before Christmas...ok, so I was a little ready to have my dinning room back. Just as soon as we got all the wedding presents out of it we had to put up the tree! Next year it is staying up until Valentine's Day!!

The Journey

So, we're entering week 4, weeeeeeeeeek 4 I said(!!!!), of the 8 week training program. Whoooo Hooo! Our end goal is to complete a 5k on March 28 in Atlanta. And yes, when you are this out of shape, you must actually train for a 5k! I am well aware that some people can run a 5k without ever training, but I am not one of those people who are blessed with any natural endurance. When Cassie is in town to run with me, we ditch the treadmill and take advantage of the beautiful country outdoors where we live. It is so beautiful that I took some pictures to share with y'all.

The dog pen we pass with like a million dogs!











And since I have been labeled the "Worst Blogger Ever" by Cassie for not blogging in over a month, I will upload some more pics of a fun December weekend spent in Dahlonega with the Smith's:)

We usually spend the weekends in Dahlonega doing absolutely nothing and loving every minute of it! Seriously, we just relax. However, this one particular weekend we ventured out to Blairsville to eat at this place called Rib Country. They have the best fanger-lickin' ribs you will ever taste! Then, on the way back we stopped at Blood Mountain where it was "cold as blue blazes" according to my mother-in-law! Here are some pics from Blood Mountain:





And lastly, Christmas! Sorry to disappoint any anxious readers who are looking for the yearly picture of the Childs girls in their matching pajamas on Christmas Eve, but there isn't one this year. I'll post some of recent years so that you don't feel mislead. Poor Mama Joan and Daddy were stuck in the New York airport for 5 days while trying to get home from Spain! So, needless to say, Santa was a little behind on shopping this year. But we didn't mind. It was one of the most blessed Christmas ever. It was our first Christmas married:) And so sweet! We woke up and went to Mama T's to do presents around breakfast, and we spent lunch and Grandmama's and Pop's with presents afterwards. Then, we left and drove to Statesboro to be with my family. Sunday, we drove back up here to do Christmas at Granny's with the Young side of the family. Whew!!! We were exhausted and glad to see things return to "normal". We were out of town all 4 weekends in December...3 in Statesboro and 1 in Dahlonega. We love being home now:)





Ok, now that this is the longest post ever, I'm going to soak my sore muscles in a hot peppermint bubble bath, thanks to Santa Smith:)