Friday, April 28, 2006

I believe...

Boy, with all the changes lately, I am so sentimental that this should just flow right out of me. But"I believe" I'm a bit spent in the emotional department. I do know one thing that I believe definitely though. I believe, like Brooks and Dunn said in there beautiful song.. "There's more to life than just what I can see".

Monday, April 24, 2006

More Life Preparing for Graduation...



I love this time of year. The flowers are in full bloom. The allergies are in full attack. I'm full of energy and excitement and sentimental feelings.... Poor Hannah's having a hard time with the allergies but Kristin's ok and the boys never have a problem... strange how the goes. Kristin's bonfire on Friday night was a "wash"... so much for that cuz it POURED!! For some reason they all still came over though and took over my house. Speaking of the gang - here's a few of them in my new "early" birthday present! You know, I am so paranoid though of them being out there and having a tragedy... Only thing is... that water is not even 5 feet deep out there where they are in the first picture! Oh... back to the graduation preparations... Hannah and I spent the day going around taking pictures of the island for Kristin's Graduation Slide Show... Well just a warning if you ever decide to do this... try making sure you already have good pics of things as they are growing up..cuz going back to get them later -- boy, how things change! But it was so much fun going to all the places (well it hasn't been that many places) and going back to her Elementary school and taking pictures of the cool things painted on the wall of the gym. Funny thing is, the more I ran around to all her old places, the more memories and places came to mind...like the spot behing the shopping center where I took her to learn to ride her bike - cuz she was 9 and didn't want to be at home where her friends might see... Or the place that I took her to learn to drive and we practiced all the time... and I even got a shot of the drive-thru at Mc'd's where she's been a thousand times... he he! Funny thing with this slide show though, I made a rough draft and was so excited to show it (shhhh it's a secret and Kristin can't know until her party!) to someone so of course, hubby gets to be the guinea pig.. well, he sat there and cried and cried and said to me," Oh my... this is just making me cry!"... he was so sweet. Ok, so I decided to try it out on John Paul (her oldest brother) and he didn't make it through 6 pictures before he went running out saying, "I can't watch this!"... I just broke out laughing and laughing! He was in tears.. I haven't seen that boy cry in years! I think I better pick so more upbeat music or something cuz goodness knows, if they then her Grandmother (my Mom) will be beside herself! I just hope Kristin likes it. I never want her to forget where she comes from and I want to make sure she always knows the way home....

Friday, April 21, 2006

I made a kit!


ahemmm... I am quietly (shhh) so excited to announce that ... I made a kit! http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=92128&cat=500&ppuser=39153 and that's the link to the layout I made with it! I do have to complain though about this blogging thing.. I've made such a mess of it, I even lost the title to my daughters post about her being accepted in college~!

Ok, back to the kit :) It is called "Royal Lilac" and if I ever can figure out how to put it together to share it with you, I'll add a link here so if you want it, I can share it with you :)

TGIF Everybody! Have a nice weekend!

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

She Got Accepted!!


What an emotional roller coaster ride. How do you stand and watch your child open an envelope that will forever change their life? How do you describe the feelings that wash over you when they are reading that piece of paper and say those words "I got accepted"! -- ? Now we have to get through the Prom and actual Graduation. Most of the time these days are spent holding back tears. Lord, thank you for all your blessings. I have so much to be thankful for.

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

The Story Tellers Story - Why I Love Digiscrapping

Just in case you can't read it... here's what the text says:

We are the chosen. In each family there is one who seems called to find the ancestors. To put flesh on their bones and make them live again, to tell the family story and to feel that somehow they know and approve.

Doing genealogy is not a cold gathering of facts but, instead, breathing life into all who have gone before. We are the story tellers of the tribe. All tribes have one. We have been called, as it were, by our genes. Those who have gone before cry out to us: Tell our story. So, we do.

In finding them, we somehow find ourselves. How many graves have I stood before now and cried? I have lost count. How many times have I told the ancestors, “You have a wonderful family; you would be proud of us.” How many times have I walked up to a grave and felt somehow there was love there for me? I cannot say.

It goes beyond just documenting facts. It goes to who am I and why do I do the things I do? It goes to seeing a cemetery about to be lost forever to weeds and indifference and saying I can’t let this happen. The bones here are bones and flesh of my flesh. It goes to doing something about it. It goes to pride in what our ancestors were able to accomplish. How they contributed to what we are today. It goes to respecting their hardships and losses, their never giving in or giving up, their resoluteness to go on and build a life for their family.

It goes to deep pride that the fathers fought and some died to make and keep us a Nation. It goes to a deep and immense understanding that they were doing it for us. It is of equal pride and love that our mothers struggled to give us birth, without them we could not exist, and so we love each one, as far back as we can reach.

That we might be born who we are. That we might remember them. So we do. With love and caring and scribing each fact of their existence, because we are they and they are the sum of who we are. So, as a scribe called, I tell the story of my family. It is up to that one called in the next generation to answer the call and take my place in the long line of family storytellers.

That is why I do my family genealogy, and that is what calls those young and old to step up and restore the memory or greet those whom we had never known before.

(Unknown Author)

Back from Disney


Wow, we made it back from Disney! What a crazy trip to Scott's that was. We left on Friday morning early and met John Paul & Jason at the airport. Hannah and Jason watched Narnia, The Lion, the witch & the wardrobe and Jason handled the flight well.

Friday night was a mess and saturday at disney was even crazier but Hannah loved it so all was worth it! She sure loved riding Dumbo and getting her face painted like a pink kitty! We all had a ball riding Its a Small World - lol...the only ride we all managed to get on at one time (17 of us total!)

Sunday at Animal Kingdom was somewhat tamer and we all really enjoyed the safari ride with all the animals although we were disapointed that there weren't any lions seen - sorry John Paul :(
Sean, Jack & Theo seemed right at home and Jack & Theo and Hannah had a great time in the fossil park digging up bones and getting buried in the sand! Hannah especially loved riding Sarah the Dinasour but she was frightened by "It's A Bug Life" while everyone else - especially Jason - seemed to find it hilarious!

Back to Scott & Cathy's for the barbeque and easter egg hunt was fun. Wish the boys didn't feel the need to drink and party so much but I guess that goes with the territory when you're young and carefree in your early twenties!

Poor Lauren was such a trooper having us all share her house. She just walked around eating her goldfish and watching her blues clues! She sure is a cutie though! I hope Cathy and Scott like the thank you cards and I hope Brandon gets a good grade on that project of making the Great Wall of China he was working so hard on while we were there overtaking his home!

Managed to get Kristin off to Daytona to meet up with Roseanne and she'll be gone until Friday...lucky dog getting to stay there in Fl! We miss her though...

Made it home Monday night and it was sad to go our separate ways the boys and us... I'm so glad we got to get together just once for a few days as a family....lol... although not going to head for Disney again anytime soon!!!