We have had a whirlwind of a couple of weeks. I am focusing more on the rental properties and that is time consuming, but also very physically tiring, considering I do a lot of moving furniture, painting, and some really nasty cleaning. Ugh....won't give details. I actually would like to forget about it.

Kevin was out of town a few days last week, St. Patty's was in the middle of the week, and Kevin's Mom had a procedure done to remove some cancerous cells from her breasts. Although, she is fine and it was such an early detection, it still hit hard to me. I don't know if it hit Kevin as hard as it did me, but just hearing cancer makes me tear up. She is doing great and I believe her outlook on life has changed some too (not that is was a bad outlook to begin with). She seems cheerier and I have heard her use the term "I love you" a lot more. I think I would use it a lot more too.

St. Patrick's Day was fun, but it was just me and Sallie Rose trucking it down to the parade. And this is no Spearman, Texas, casual fun parade. It is large and crowded and loud and a lot more. The Budweiser Clydesdales come if that gives you any indication of how big it is. We had fun, but we didn't stay long and then we came home and took a very long nap.

I am looking forward to April and I am looking forward to the Summer too. I can't wait to get back to Texas and see my family and friends and enjoy the beautiful rivers. Until then, we will hang out at the beach some, but it gets to a point here when it is too hot and the bugs are so bad it is crippling. I can't stand the bugs.

I am also looking forward to some family visiting us this next weekend as well as Easter weekend. Woo hoo.

Willie Nelson braids

We went to the Tybee Island St. Patrick's Day Parade and I gave Sallie Rose her first Willie Nelson braids. So cute. Her hair is so long. They looked really good on her. Or it could be her adorable pink, ruffle shirt too. Or just her face, it's just adorable.

Kevin has decided he is going to start a garden again. He got it made and Sallie Rose actually help him plant his onions. They had a good time.

The weather has been so nice this weekend and I am looking forward to a few good months of nice, not too hot weekends.

I thought I might give an update on Sallie Rose and all her fine new discoveries and talents. She is now 29 months old, I would consider that 2 1/2. She is not potty trained and really has no desire to be potty trained. She likes to take her poos behind the curtains, couch, in the closet, wherever she can hide. She has no interest in sitting on the potty to poo. However, she loves to sing a song called "Everybody poo poos on the potty". I guess it should really say everyone, but Sallie Rose. I am in no hurry and will not be forced by society (or teachers with their judging) to force my child to hurry. I would like to get her potty trained by Summer so that we won't have to wear swim diapers to the pool/beach.

She slept in a big girl twin bed for 2 nights and then she discovered the shadows and was so frightened she didn't sleep for 2 hours in the middle of the night. So, she is back in her crib, fine with me. I am in no hurry to do that either.

She sings, she dances, she talks in full sentences and can carry on a conversation if you ask her questions, most days. She loves to play outside and she loves to watch videos. Lately, she has loved her Mommy more than usual (can you blame her). She cries when I drop her off at school and she cried the other day when Susan was with her and I was leaving to go work. I don't like it at all. It makes me very sad and I feel bad or wonder what is wrong, because she hasn't really done that lately. She will phase out of it I am sure.

She is super sweet and will kiss us on the lips now. As she does it, she usually laughs. She thinks kissing is really awkward and funny. She is a doll. She told me yesterday she wanted brothers and sisters. Hmmmmm.....I wonder who told her to say that? I could guess a few people. I am not in a hurry to do that either. I guess now that I am writing this, I am not in a hurry to do anything. Am I getting lazy in my old age of 30? Possibly, or maybe it is because I feel like I haven't relaxed and enjoyed my life as much in the last year as I wanted too. I have a wonderful life and a lot of wonderful people in it and I just am feeling like taking things slowly lately. Breathe it all in and not be in a hurry right now, when I don't have to be. Nothing is on fire. Right?


End with a picture of Sallie Rose's fabulous parents. We went to a Gala, to work. Ok, it was volunteer, but they might as well have paid us, we were the hardest working ones there.

The Train to Charleston

We took a trip on the train from Savannah to Charleston. It was fun. It was easy. It was inexpensive. It was however a long day, because we did not get home until 9:30 PM. I assume we will be riding the train again. Maybe to Miami next time. Or Orlando. We'll see. I wish it was easy to take a train to Texas, that would be nice. I would probably go once a month.

We went to the Aquarium while in Charleston. It was a nice one.

All Aboard

The stick lady

This girl loves sticks. She loves to pick them up and pretend to paint with them. We have sticks in our car, our backyard, and in her playroom.

Doesn't she look adorable in that coat? What a doll she is.

Is everyone a gift from God?

Lately, I have been doing some soul searching. I have had a lot of time to really examine where my life is and what I am doing with it. The thing that has helped me start this thinking is being able to do some work that I feel makes a real impact in the World. I used to sit at my desk and stare at the computer and know that God had bigger plans for me. What were they? How would I know what the right one was? Well, thanks to the rental properties, the question was answered in a way that I did not expect. I was forced (by time and sanity) to quit my job at the Architectural firm to help my husband and in turn help our family. Well, the Summer was extremely busy, but then during the "down" time I have had time to help with Urban Hope with great strides. I have also found time to pick up side jobs in design.

So, now that I am in the full throws of my soul searching, I had an epiphany the other day. I get so frustrated with some people, one being my husband, and sometimes I get so wound up over the most irrelevant things. At the time, they seem important, but in the grand scheme of things they are not.

So here is my epiphany. It will sound like a Church sermon to some, but hear me out:
I believe God has a plan for us all. I believe that some plans are not followed through in that direction, because of human pride, error, or just plain confusion. I now believe that every person that enters our lives is a gift from God. This might seem silly or totally off base, but if you really think about, they are. Not all gifts are wrapped in pretty ribbons and have a retail value. Some gifts are learning experiences for us. We ourselves are learning experiences for other people.

For instance, you are a waitress and you are working very hard and doing the best you can, but you have a customer who no matter what will be rude to you or disregard that you are even alive. Well, it sucks, but what can you learn from it? I have actually been in this situation and it made me feel so little. Looking back, I also learned that I did not want to be like that to other people. I did not want to make anyone feel little.

I think marriage is the hardest of these situations for me. I love my husband. We have a great relationship, but there are times (weeks, days, months) where I would rather not have to worry about being respectful and kind to him; however, he is truly a gift from God. I have someone to share the rest of my life with and this someone happens to be a hard working, loving, generous, fun person. How could I not enjoy this gift? I am now waking up everyday and reminding myself that God personally gave me Kevin and Sallie Rose. And for that matter all my family and friends. He hand picked everyone in my life for me.

I hope that from this day on I will remember that everyone in my life is in my life for a reason. They are all gifts from God and I need to look for the positive in them, not necessarily what is positive about them, but rather what I can learn from them to improve my attitude or give back to someone else.

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Will I ever blog again?

Well, the answer is yes, but shorter version maybe? I tend to go too long between blogs and then I end up writing a short novel, that I am sure everyone gets lost in. Not today peeps, just a short hello and tell you all we are doing great and we are really looking forward to a new year and exciting things happening. Maybe this year we will be millionaires (doubt it and we don't need it, we have everything we ever needed), run marathons (doubt this too, I do not enjoy running), or maybe give Sallie Rose a little brother or sister (this might actually happen, but don't hold your breathe), and maybe I will find a paying job again. That last one would be nice. I am working round the clock on my volunteer jobs and I am enjoying it, but it would be nice not to have to ask my husband if I can buy an US Weekly magazine.


I head to a secret destination this weekend (can't tell because it is a surprise to the person i am going to see) and am very excited.


I'll leave you with this little picture of Casey sleeping in Sallie Rose's chair. Sallie Rose ran in and told me Casey was in her chair and I thought, "What?". Then when we went in Sallie Rose said "How'd that happen?"