In loving Memory

I am so sorry it has been a while since I have last blogged. I good friend of mine passed away unexpectedly last week and I went home for his funeral. Davis was like a brother to me and we shared many special times together. He played football and fought off many injuries, but I have never met anyone as passionate about life and football as he was. I am a very passionate person as well, so I guess that might be why we understood each other so well.

Death is a part of life; however, you never expect to attend a 25 year old's funeral whose last facebook message read "Davis is Roll Tide: I love Saturdays!" When I read this I could not believe how perfectly this described Davis and his life. Both of us are ardent Crimson Tide Fans and Davis was able to attend our last national championship in 1992. Ironically, the last time Alabama was ranked as high as we are now #2 in the polls was in 1993. I sincerely hope that Alabama wins out this year and I know for a fact that they will have an angel in heaven cheering them on and helping the Tide Roll!

Life is precious and Davis is a reminder of that to me everyday. To everyone reading this.... Love everyday and remember that all that really matters is our relationships with God and our family and friends. To all who read this and those that I call my most dear family and friends, please know how much you all have influenced my life and how much I love you.

Davis, you were a great friend and your friendship will never be forgotten. I know that Heaven has been brightened by your passion and smile! Love you always!

Roll Tide Roll!

Well here we go! What a start to the football season. We were very lucky to be at the game that started this wonderful season and this weekend will be attending the Kentucky game! I am so excited because this will be Ella Kate's first Bama game! Well let me clarify that, her first time actually in Tuscaloosa. She has seen many games, even from when she was in my belly during that awful 2006 season in which my mother reminded me every Saturday that the "stress was not good for the baby."

This season has been so wonderful. We have been clapping and jumping up and down more than I have collectively done in the last two seasons. Last Saturday night, after JPW's pass to Julio Jones we looked over and Ella Kate had her hands straight up making the TD signal and then began clapping. She is definitely my child and has learned at a very young age what Alabama football is all about! I am so excited that she can hopefully remember this season if it keeps going the way it is going.

I just found out that my brother is going to get to be there with us in Tuscaloosa as well as both my cousins! I am so excited that we will all get to experience Ella Kate's first trip to Tuscaloosa and a Bama game together... because if there is one thing that can be said about the four of us, Trent, LLL, Maggie and me, we sure are passionate about Alabama! I promise to post all of the pictures from the game and give a full report on Monday. Until then have a GREAT Rest of the week and ROLL TIDE ROLL! Lets hope that the winning keeps on coming!

Okay I am back... unofficially

I have been so bad about posting. I worked for the AG this summer and am still working there all while taking 16 hours in my last year of law school!!! To say the least, I am extremely busy!

Oh and the other BIG news!! We are having another little girl, Addison Elizabeth (Addie) and she is due on February 14th! :)

We are so excited and very busy with life! Ella Kate is walking and talking and becoming very independent! This weekend we were watching Alabama put a clinic on against Arkansas and my little Bama fan clapped and got so excited everytime Alabama scored! It was so great having a mini-me watching the game! We are so excited about what Coach Saban has done with the team and are looking forward to the next few years of Bama football! Along this note, Stephen and I were able to go to the Georgia Dome for the Alabama/ Clemson stomping... I mean game and it was AWESOME! Stephen won husband of the year for getting those tickets! It was an unbelievable atmosphere and hopefully we will make another game this year! ROLL TIDE!

That is really all I have to ramble on about now, but promise to make a better effort of blogging! I hope to put up some more recent pictures of Ella Kate too!

So I have fallen off the face of the planet...

Wow it has been a long time since I posted. We have been very busy around here. I went home for two weeks and then came back and then flew to Atlanta for my aunt's 50th b-day, boy was that some fun! Then I started my summer clerkship. It has been a busy month.

Yesterday was Ella Kate's first day at her new day school. She was not such a big fan of me leaving her somewhere new, but when I went to pick her up yesterday she was having a blast. They had just had popsicles on the playground, now what kid does not love popsicles after playing on the playground. Our little girl is growing up..... it is crazy how fast they change. I even had to get her a kindergarten mat for her to sleep on, which she does not like very much considering she napped for only 45 minutes total yesterday.

What I really like about the day school is that when you oick your child up they give you this piece of paper that tells you everything your child did that day. I am talking diapers, food, and then a little note about their personality. I was very happy to see that Ella Kate's note was "Ella Kate loves to give kisses.." Aren't I so lucky to have the kid that loves to give kisses, rather than the one who loves to bite, etc! Now, I am not going to count my chickens before they hatch, because there may be the day that I do get that note, but I am a wishful thinker!

Speaking of all of that, Ella Kate is entering the wonderful toddler world where the independent personality comes out and as my parenting magazine says she starts to "experiment" with disobedience, or hitting or biting, etc. Well Ella Kate has mastered shaking her head "no" (Thanks Moms!). So everything is no! Whether she really means it or not! Oh the joy of toddlerhood! Seriously though, it is really fun! Especially now that summer is here and we can play in the pool or at the park with her! Parenthood is wonderful and we are so blessed!

So I have been tagged! It was a few weeks ago, but give me a break I finished my last law school exam today! I am now officially a 3L. One more year and pending a little thing called the bar I will be a lawyer.

What was I doing ten years ago...
I was fifteen and a freshman in highschool running into things with my mom's car because I "knew" how to do everything. I did not have a care in the world and me and Laura S. used to walk all the time and talk about when we got our driver's licnenses things would be so different, and they really did change, no more long walks! :( Come to think of it I miss that, a good long walk with a friend is so wonderful.

5 things on my to do list:
sign up for the bar
re-organize my closet(sorry mom)
get some much needed rest and relaxation
spend more time with hubby and ekt(exams have kept me away)
work-out (also been neglected during exams)


5 foods i love:
toast with butter and jelly
pancakes
chicken salad (most any variety)
my mom's spaghetti
poopyseed chicken from the KD house in college


Where do I see myself in 5 years:
a successful attorney with ella kate plus 1 or 2... whatever God has planned for me. In Ms still, pending no big changes, or back home. Either way hopefully happy and healthy.


Favorite TV shows:
(first of all, I need to say that I would not survive without my DVR)
Days of our lives * while this seems cheesy, it has gotten really good again, and I have watched it all my life
So you think you can dance (it is about to start again!)
Lawyer shows: Shark, Boston legal. Eli Stone (new show and it is GREAT!)
and Stephen and my personal favorite.... CSI: MIAMI


Things I need to work on:
not wishing my life away, or parts of it now that EKT is here and I don't want to miss anything
patience, patience, patience
procrastination though I think that it is an attribute that most lawyers possess


New things I love:
going to Wednesday night supper and bible study
waking up in the morning and walking into EKT's room and her smile and excitement

Happy First Birthday!!!

Today in just a few short minutes at 2:39 my little angel will turn 1! She is wearing her little birthday girl suit and looks adorable! Tomorrow will be here first birthday party! We cannot wait and I promise to post and put pictures up after the party!!!

We love everyone and miss those who cannot be there to celebrate with us!!!

Stephen and I have been attending Wednesday night church at our local First Methodist church (the same denomination that I grew up in). The food is AMAZING and the menu is always 1st class. For example, last night we had crawfish etouffe, squash casserole and broccoli and romaine salad! YUM!!! It is only $4! You cannot get food like this at a high class restaurant and especially not for the price. What we also have come to love is the adult Bible study after dinner. Stephen and I have really learned so much in the last four months. When we moved a few years ago it was my goal to get into a Bible study because I knew how much I really needed one. Well, life got in the way, but we finally are in a great one.

Last night the study was particularly pertinent to what is happening in our lives. The passage we talked about was Psalms 23 "the Lord is my Shepperd, I shall not want... everyone knows this from funerals. It lead us to the most pertinent to our lives Matthew 6:25. It is so remarkable how God knows exactly how to make you get through tough times with his word. We are truly blessed to have our family and our health and know God will get us through this time.

I encourage everyone to read this passage and try to apply it to your everyday life. Now, when I find myself worrying I will think of this passage and I have faith that God will take care of us all!

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[a]?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Happy Anniversary!

Two years ago on this date, Stephen and I were married. Since then we have embarked on many new life experiences. We moved six hours away from our families to a new state, I started law school, and the most life changing and wonderful life experience of all being the birth of Ella Kate last April.

April will always be a very important month in my life. Obviously the weather is generally beautiful in April and everything is in bloom. My mother was born on the 3rd of April so I should have know long ago that this would always be a special month in my life.:) My wedding was on a beautiful Saturday afternoon after some awful storms had come through that morning (not unlike the storms last Friday). Then last year Ella Kate was born in April. What a wonderful month full of blessings!

I cannot believe that it has been two years since my wedding day! People have asked me "does it seem that long?" My answer is "no" which I think is a good thing and reflects a strong marriage. Watching Ella Kate grow in this last year, I wish I could slow these years down. I know I cannot so I plan to enjoy these wonderful April celebrations in my life!

Biscuits....mmmmmmm.....

This morning Stephen and I wanted to go out for breakfast. Since there are not that many places to choose from and since most of them are in Ridgeland where there is no power from the horrible storms yesterday, we decided to go to the favorite Chick Fil-A and have a chicken biscuit. (side note, to all our friends effected by the storm yesterday you are in are thoughts and prayers)

On the way out the door I realized that we had not breakfast food for Ella Kate and even though I am sure that she would not know the difference I just could not give her spaghetti for breakfast. So we decided that she would probably like the biscuits as much as we do and thought now was as good a time as any to let her start trying "big girl" food. Also, we are weaning her off formula and starting to give her milk. Well let me just tell you that she loved every minute of her "real milk" and biscuit. It was so cute to watch her pick up the little pieces that Stephen and I had torn off for her and put them in her mouth, then pick up the bottle and drink her milk. I on the other hand am in shock that my little baby can eat real food now and drink real milk. I find myself asking where the time has gone.

In just a few short weeks my baby will be a one year old and a toddler. CRAZY!!! She is the best thing that ever happened to Stephen and I. Now, a whole new world of fun is upon us. Teaching her to eat with a fork and spoon and seeing what "real food" she likes. I can't wait. She does something new every day. It is so exciting seeing the little girl she is becoming. I will say that she is a pretty good combination of Stephen and I. She has just enough sass and loves looking at herself all dressed up with a bow in her hair in the mirror, but she also loves the deer that hangs in our guest room/office and loves it when her Daddy does turkey calls. So we have collectively decided that she will be a sassy outdoorsy little girl. Thank God for living in the south where those two things can go hand in hand!

Hurry! Before I turn into a pumpkin!

This past weekend was Barrister's Ball or what we in law school call "law school prom." You get to get all dressed and go out with friends that are usually sitting in class with you day in and day out. Well, let me just tell everyone how much FUN it was for me! I do not get out much these days (with an almost 1 little girl) and so for me to get to put on a dress, some highheels and feel pretty was amazing. Stephen went with me and looked very hansome as always, I married him didin't I ?! :) He was so nice to drive me as well, which meant I was able to partake in some "mommy and daddy" drinks as my friends little girl calls them. Needless to say I was a bit of a chatty Cathy, but nonetheless enjoyed conversing with my fellow classmates. I love going to events like this because it is so fun to watch everyone "let their hair down" so to speak. It was also good because I finally got to meet my good friends' husband, who was very hansome I might add, and he got to spend the night talking with Stephen.

I think it is so funny though how adults still tend to seperate themselves, boys over here and girls over there, just like we did at a 5th grade dance. Here we are adults at a "ball" and I look over at the circle of my husband, Amanda's husband and Misti's fiance and they are all talking and we are all talking together as well. I think this kind of subconciously happens without anyone meaning to actually seperate themselves.

Anyway, back to the ball and the reaon I was able to go! Baby Einstein!!! Thank you Lord for the invention called Baby Einstein, specifically our new favorite "A Day on the Farm." Ella Kate is going through what I like to call separation anxiety. We have been fine up until about a week ago and now when I leave her at Rhonda's (daycare) she fusses and reaches back up for me. I just cannot stand it and now what took 3 minutes can take 15 because I cannot leave her until I know she is happy. Well, for us to be able to go to the ball Saturday we had to get a babysitter. Enter a wonderful 15 year old!!! She was great;however, Ella Kate was not so sure. So what did I do? I turned on my old friend Baby Einstein!! (hear the angels singing) That little head whips around and she starts smiling and clapping and laughing and Stephen and I head for the door! I tell you I wish I was the one who invented this wonderful product because the person who did is a genius! On some days I would love to give her a hug!!! (I would assume it was a woman and after some checking my assumption was proven correct!)

....So after enjoying some wonderful adult time, time with wonderful friends that I do not get to see "socially" very often and some "mommy and daddy" drinks it was time for me to go, before I turned back into a pumpkin! (Mother, Wife and yes, law student)

What would/will you do???

Last night after putting a very tired little girl to sleep, Stephen and I watched a Dateline NBC on a case of mistaken identity. We absolutely love these types of shows, i.e. 60 minutes,etc. and they always lead to good dicussions. Last nights program was about a really bad car accident with some students from Davidson University and how two girls identities were mistaken. One set of parents were told their daughter was in critical condition, while the others were told that their daughter had died in the crash. In reality it was the other way around, five weeks went by befoer the discoery was made. Many wondered how the parents of the dead daughter did not realize that it was not actually their daughter in the rehab center. Stephen and I discussed this and could totally understand how after such a tramatic accident and being told that the injuries were severe and she might not look like herself, etc. that all you want is for your child to heal and when the swelling goes down and she looks a little different you just want so badly for recovery and so are so close to the emotional process that you don't see the differences.

Now I must say these two girls did look very similar and in some pictures Stephen and I could not tell them apart. What struck us the most though was how strong both families were in their faith. Throughout a funeral for a daughter who was actually still alive, to caring for a brain injured girl, who in five weeks would turn out not be actually be your daughter both were so strong and now the families are life long friends. These families could all teach us a thing or to about trusting God and the plan he has for all of us.

Whitney was the one who survived and here favorite saying is now that her work on earth was not done yet. God has a purpose for all of us, Here is hoping that we are all being faithful servants and fulfilling the work that he has laid out for each of us here on earth. I know that I turned my television on to watch this show for a reason. God wanted to remind me to love with all I have and remember that everything happens for a reason and that the most important thing is to trust in him and the plan he has for all of us.

Hope everyone has a wonderful evening. We love all of our family and friends so much. God Bless!

I have finally started...

Hi Everyone! After reading everyone else in the world's blog, I decided that it would be a GREAT idea to start my own. I know that for most this is not a big deal, but I usually do not do these things and so this is a big step for me. Our family is 6 hours away and this will be such a great way to keep them updated. My husband Stephen and I are so excited because our daughter Ella Kate is 11 mos and on her way to 1 year. I personally have no idea how this is possible because it definitely does not seem like it has been a year since my ankles were cankles and all my shoes among other things did not fit. Nonetheless, here we are almost a year later and with a little cutie, well sassy monkie, as I like to call her(Stephen corrects me and says she is not a monkey). I like to call her a monkey because she crawls on everything and likes to pick. For instance, Stephen has a mole on his neck and she will push his head to the side just so she can try and pull it off his neck. She is a very determined little girl. Also, she is probably going to be walking in no time and is very ready. So ready, that for the last two nights at around 2 AM she has been sounding off in her crib standing. Now the first time I went in there to see what was going on imagine my shock when my baby, who usually sleeps so sweet sucking her passy, was standing there ready to play in the middle of the night.
Yes, I know this will happen more and more and am not surprised by her sassiness, even in the middle of the night. Those of you who know me are probably not surprised that my child is sassy. This said "sassiness" comes out more and more everyday. For instance, now when she decides that she is done eating not only does she push the spoon back in my face, but she shakes her head back and forth and says something that comes out Nah but I take to mean "no." Also, we are "trying" to teach her what "no" means, which might explain what I just said. When her Daddy says "no m'aam Ella Kate" she whips that little head around and looks at him and extends her right hand and points back at him. Now because I know the importance of her learning some discipline I have learned not to laugh, but let me tell you the first few times I had to bite my tongue to not laugh histerically at her. She is definitely my child.
I hope everyone has enjoyed my first rambling post. We love all of our family and miss you all so much, but hopefully this will make the miles between us not seem so far.