Shoney Bear

Yesterday I was pretty sick. I had fever off and on all day. My momma called to check on me last night and we started reminiscing. Here birthday is coming up pretty soon, so I invited her to come stay the night with us and we'd take her to dinner wherever she wants to go. She said that she would as long as no one sang to her! She began talking about one time that my dad took her out for her birthday and she was so embarrassed when the staff began to sing. She was talking about how dad had set all of this up. A few hours before he passed away my dad was talking to my uncle on the phone. He said that he had a special surprise set up for he and my mom's anniversary (he passed away three weeks before their 3oth anniversary). As momma talked I was taken back to a very happy time in my childhood...birthdays! We didn't have a lot of birthday parties, but we did usually go out to eat...complete with singing! We were members of the Shoney Bear birthday club. You would get a free meal during your birthday month. My birthday is on the first so we'd always have to go the weekend after my birthday. The staff brought a hot fudge cake (I'd love to have one RIGHT now) and sang. Gosh, I miss those carefree, happy days. Hopefully Everly will have as many fond memories of her childhood as I do of mine. I can't wait to host my Momma soon at our house...who knows? maybe we'll have her surprised by singing. I know she really would care at all now! I think we've all learned in our family to live life to the fullest.

Also, a huge thanks to my sweet husband this weekend! He's done it all (I mean down to sweeping and mopping floors and making pumpking bread)and taken care of me. Thanks honey! Love you :)

How many words?

A few weeks ago when we were at Dr. E's he asked me how many words that E says. I said alot, but that wasn't exactly the answer he was looking for. I guessed between 30-40, but I really think it's more than that. Here's my attempt to see exactly how many...

People
Mama, Dadda, Daddy, Pop, Gimme (still only seldomly...wonder what's up with that), Mamaw, Papaw, Rah-Rah (Sara her teacher at school), Weesa, Huhsen (Hutson), Embeth (Emma Beth), Nick, Ka care (Katy Claire), Mafhue (Matthew), Mary, Danny, Soosie (Susie), Rose, Pooper (Cooper), Zane

Places
home, cool (school), Auburn, Bama

Things
Micka Mouse, Mimmie, boo (what the cow says), Oso, nana (banana), bites, bubbles, jacket, shoes, Crocs, Nikes, socks, pants, tree, Jesus, bible, book, Aubie (she loved watching the National Championship game), touchdown (with her hands in the air), W'gle (War Eagle!), teeth, bwush (brush), bow, wet (pointing to her diaper), cup, duece (juice), milk, yo-gurt (two syllables), banket (blanket), bye-bye, wuv (love), teese (cheese), Nemo (but she means Elmo), Abby (Abby Cadabby), buce box (juice box), cookie, chips, bubath (bubble bath), baby, keys, trac trac (tractor). fen toast (french toast)

I know that's not all, but that list includes about 70. I guess I should count again before we go to her two year appointment. She is so much fun now and I am so proud to be her momma!

18 months

This sweet thing turned 18 months old on December 23rd. Her 18 month appointment was on the 28th. She is such a big girl now and wants to walk every where. The nurses had a fit over her new Vera Bradley bag that she got for Christmas. They took her all around the office to show it off, because she was not going to let it go! She didn't even want to let me hold it while the nurse weighed her. She had it loaded down with her doll bottle, cell phone, and keys and of course we couldn't leave Mimmie at home.

She now weighs 21 lbs. 14 oz. ( I never thought we'd make it over the 20 pound mark)- 20th percentile
and is 31 inches tall-40th percentile. Dr. E always makes me smile when he says most ladies prefer to be on the slender side. He even commented on her purse. He said, "That looks like a Vera Bradley. Aren't you just a Gucci baby!" I love it when he is in a good mood and we can joke. E did great with her shots and didn't want me to comfort her...she wanted her purse! Can we say girly girl? I love my priss pot! I have had the best time staying at home with her yesterday and today (we have a weather day today).

We're about to get out in the cold and buy a few ingredients to whip up some game day grub! Our team (yes E's too...she's in a house divided) is playing in the national championship tonight. I've taught E to say Aubie and War Eagle! She'll be dressed in her #2 Cam Newton shirt tonight, made by my sweet friend Mandi. She has a new Aubie shirt to wear to school tomorrow. She'll wear it either way, because I am so proud of my Tigers...but we're ALL IN for a victory!!!!

My Christmas Vacation...

was spent in my classroom. I would try to get there before 9:00 and sometimes I would be there at 9:00 at night. I just wanted it to be perfect. I took over for a teacher that retired mid-year. I went through tons and tons of stuff. Brett and his dad cut down a bookcase and hung up my television. Brett built a coat rack. I sorted and filed and threw away old things. It was a job! I could have had all summer and it still would have been a job! I am so proud of the way it turned out. I officially started on January 3rd and the students came back on the fourth. I am teaching fourth grade Alabama History, which is ironic because my very favorite teacher ever taught fourth grade Alabama History and it was then that I decided I wanted to become a teacher. I was hired for an emergency position, so I probably won't have this job next year. Hopefully, I will get to stay at the same school. It is a wonderful place and I would love for E to be a Tiger one day!

 Before

After

Two checks!

I can not believe that I did not blog about one of the most exciting times of my life. They say pictures are worth a thousand words...so I'll post lots of those and maybe that will make up for it.

Well....I thought I would post a lot of those. I can't find my "real" camera. Here are a few from my graduation (the others are on my MILs camera). It was December 10th. It was such an exciting day. I couldn't believe that it was real until they called my row to walk to the stage. I have wanted this since graduating high school, but life (and choices I made) kept getting in the way.

I knew this day was going to be hard for me. I cried on the way there and didn't do my eye make-up until I pulled up in the parking lot. I knew how much this day was going to mean to my dad and how proud he would have been of me. When they lined us up in the auditorium, I had to sit next to this girl who really, really drives me nuts. All I wanted to do was sit and listen to the directions. She came in with three bags of stuff and was doing her hair and make-up while we waited to walk. Isn't it funny how God can send you a blessing when you least expect it? As we walked into our graduation ceremony, I like everyone else was looking around for my family. I found them and it looked empty, someone was missing. My dad was supposed to be up there with a big grin on his face, waving so much it would be embarrassing....but he wasn't. Tears started to fall from my eyes. I didn't want to cry, but I couldn't help it. The girl who drives me nuts looked at me and said that this was happy and I shouldn't cry. She was right, it was a happy occasion. I had to hold back tears several other times.  Then, I had to laugh out loud when I tripped on the way down the stage ramp. At least it wasn't on the way up, that was my biggest fear!

Also, while on stage we had to shake hands with Chancellor Hawkins and several other men. The last one asked me, "Do you have a job?" I replied with a huge smile and "yes!". He said that he could tell by the smile on my face. It was (and is) a wonderful feeling to know that I graduated and got a job within days of one another. That only happens to a very small fraction of graduates. Two of my life's goals happened in one week.

Graduation was such a fun day. My momma and sister came down (and they didn't even get lost). We all went to lunch afterward. We don't all get together often enough.

I have thanked the Lord many, many times in my prayers. I have also thanked my husband and in-laws. I hope they all know that I couldn't have made these dreams come true without their help. I got to check two things off my Bucket List and I am absolutely thrilled!