Justice

Passing this along... Please feel free to sign!

Hey Everyone! There is a petition addressing the trial for Ryan Crick and Eric Gregory. Please check it out and sign it if you agree. Feel free to make comments as well. I do want you to know that this petition is not to be vindictive. It is simply for justice to be served. Please pass this petition around any way possible... email, facebook, etc.
http://www.gopetition.com/online/20363

Oh Baby!

Kelly and I are going to be parents! Honestly, I have had about two months for this reality to sink in and it still feels surreal. There have been so many emotions-shock and disbelief, joy and excitement, fear and uncertainty. To think that Kelly and I will have a little part of each of us here in another six months is amazing and that doesn’t even begin to describe it. July 4 will forever and always be a special date for more than the obvious reason now, because that’s the day Kelly and I learned that we were going to have a baby. We kept the news a secret until we could make the first doctor visit on the 28th. The weeks have never crept as slowly as they did leading up to that day. The morning of the visit, Kelly and I were so nervous. It was all that we had anticipated and more. I think I can speak for Kelly too when I say that it was love at first sight for the little ‘fuzz ball’ we saw on the screen that morning. We surprised our family with the news that night and needless to say they were and continue to be thrilled! I was thinking a few days ago about how God already knows this baby. He has known and loved this child way before we as its parents ever did. He already has a plan for this little person’s life. There is something so indescribable about knowing that while parents play such an important part in this miracle, it is really quite a small role in the grand scheme of things. In saying that; however, I can tell you that the responsibility He has placed upon Kelly and I to raise this little one according to His will certainly doesn’t seem like such a ‘small’ job right now! Nevertheless, Prov. 3:5-6 is definitely reassuring. So, thanks to those of you who already knew our news and have sent your sweet well wishes and most importantly your prayers! I’m happy to finally share this special time with the rest of you out there in blog land. ;)

Change

So it’s official, Mississippi University for Women’s name will change. MUW began admitting male students in 1982 and so also began the more than 20 year debate over what the institution should be called. As a proud graduate of “The W”, as it’s affectionately called by many, I meet this change with mixed emotion. MUW, founded in 1884, is recognized as the first public college for women. This institution provided countless opportunities for females during a time when women’s rights were very limited. I was and continue to be very proud of this fact; however, I didn’t choose to attend The W because of its name. I chose MUW because of its size, friendliness of faculty members, cost, beauty of the campus and the opportunities it afforded me. You hear the cliché many times that you want to go to a college where you aren’t ‘just a number’ and that was honestly the truth for me. I felt that I would be given opportunities at MUW that I wouldn’t at other larger institutions and you know what? I was right! Heck, I had such a great experience at The W that I didn’t leave immediately following graduation. I worked in Admissions for four years. Now, as a former MUW Admissions Counselor, I am encouraged by the decision announced today to change the institution’s name. As you can imagine it was, and still is, very difficult to recruit male students to a university with “for Women” in its name. The challenge was increased even more when recruiting out of state, where people may have never heard of MUW. The natural assumption was that it was an all-women’s university and that it was private. Male students were already automatically ruling MUW out as an option. Marketing and aggressive recruitment efforts have been increased year after year but there is still only so much that can be done. Although this is a highly debated topic, I think there is one common thread among graduates and friends of MUW. That is that we share a love for the institution and desire to see it prosper. Changing the name will not change the institution. It will simply provide a more appealing and equal sense of opportunity for every student to learn and succeed. If changing the name of the University is what it will take to reach continued success, I am for it! (Ok, I will now take a step down from my soapbox.) ;)

Another Birthday!

I celebrated my 28th birthday August 7. It was a blessing to be reminded of all the special family and friends I have who called, emailed and sent Birthday ‘happies’ to me. Thanks everybody!! Wednesday night Jade, Tara (our close friend from high school), her sweet baby boy Kane and I went to dinner to celebrate both of our Birthdays (Tara’s was on the 10th!) Then, Thursday night Kelly and I went to Anthony’s for my Birthday dinner. It is probably our most favorite restaurant and we hadn’t been in awhile so that was an extra special treat. Then Saturday night Kelly and I went to my parents for my family Birthday party. We had grilled steaks and all the yummy sides that go with it. So, as you can tell, I celebrated my big day in the best possible way…EATING!!! Did you know I was almost born inside a bank and then a car? Yep, according to my Mom she woke up that morning with ‘mild’ contractions but figured she really wasn’t in labor and went to work anyway. I guess since I was number two for her she thought she knew what to expect. (Apparently not!) She worked up until lunch before she finally decided that she might actually be in full blown labor! She had someone call my Dad while another co-worker took her home to get her suitcase. By the time my Dad picked her up and they got to the Dr.’s office she was almost ready to push. The Dr., not very happy with my Mom as you can imagine, told my Dad to take her straight over to the hospital ASAP. As luck would have it, their car wouldn’t crank!! My Dad said he was praying for the car to crank while my Mom was in the back seat praying too I figure! No doubt the prayers worked because they managed to get to the hospital just in time for me to be born. Now wasn’t that a sweet story???
I can’t believe I am almost 30. Honestly, where did the time go?? I always heard Birthdays come around a lot more frequently the older you get. Now, I think there just may be some truth to that!

Swanky Britches!

One of my sweet college friends, Conner, has recently started a new business, Swanky Britches. Check out these reversible cotton diaper covers on her new blog! What a neat idea!

Recap

July has been a month to remember. Westley’s 11th Birthday was on the 11th. Here are a few pictures of him at the family party. He went to culinary camp a few weeks ago. Cooking is his new favorite hobby, so among his gifts were an apron- so he could be stylish while in the kitchen- and cookbook- so he could make something really tasty and invite me over!


I’m also a little behind in posting a picture of our new ride! After the car accident left our car totaled, we had to get something else. Kelly’s truck is about to bite the dust. It may have another year or so left on it, but not many. So, we were looking for something that I could drive for a year or so and then pass on to him. Kelly has always liked jeeps. I must admit that I was a little apprehensive about owning one at first, but I like it now. We’ve had some fun times in it and more to come no doubt! The cats seem to really like it as well! We have to put towels down in the seats at night when the top is off!

Kelly and I went to the beach with Jason and Jade again this year. I’ll have to post a few pictures of our trip later. Until then, have a good rest of the week!

Long Time, No Post!

Well, hello! I suppose for the very few of you who read this blog on a regular basis you likely have given up on me ever returning. I don’t blame you! Life has been very hectic for me since February, the last time I posted anything. Just to catch you up on what has been going on…Spring is an extremely busy time of the year for me with work. I was in Orlando, FL for a few days before leaving for Philadelphia, PA, where I spent seven days. I finally returned home and back to a normal work schedule, FINALLY! JonParker is growing like a weed, and we have had so much fun loving him since he arrived in January. His features seem to change everyday. He smiles a lot and makes sweet little sounds in an effort to ‘talk’ to us. He is sleeping through the night for the most part so his Mommy and Daddy are pretty happy about that! Brandon had his 15th birthday March 30. He now has his driving permit which is still hard for me to believe! We also celebrated Kelly’s 26th Birthday on March 18. Westley has been busy with baseball. April 15 marked a year of construction for us on the house. So, needless to say I am more than a little proud and relieved to announce that we are officially living here, in the new house! I know, can you honestly believe it!!? We spent our first night here May 9!! It is ironic how that happened. We had already planned to begin moving that weekend anyway. Our bedroom furniture was delivered that Friday morning. By Friday afternoon, the air conditioning in the old house went out! It DIED!!! The house was like an oven by 10pm. So, we got in the car and came up to the new house with nothing in it but the bedroom furniture! We have been here ever since. I suppose if the air conditioner had to bite the dust, that weekend was the best time! We are still very far from having everything in its place, but that will come with time. We get more and more accomplished each weekend it seems.
I suppose you could say our priorities were changed for us too. On Memorial Day weekend, Kelly and I were in a car accident. To make a long story short, we were basically run over by two cars that were attempting to race down the highway. Kelly and I were in the right lane, and I was driving. I had just a few seconds to see them flying up behind us in my rearview mirror. They were trying to share the left lane. One of the cars apparently lost control and ran into us. Sending our car flipping into the air and back down onto the ground. We then slid off of the road and down into a deep ditch. The car that hit me also flipped and the second car got away somehow. We later learned from the accident report that the cars were going about 100 mph. According to several nurses at the hospital, racing down this particular stretch of hwy is becoming increasingly common as we weren’t the first ones they have seen this happen to. The driver who flipped along with us was “too intoxicated to give a statement” and arrested. To our knowledge, he wasn’t hurt. Of course, he also had NO insurance. I was discharged from the hospital the same day of the accident with a few scrapes and bruises, a jammed finger and some minor damage to my teeth.
I now have a nice little row of braces on the inside of my bottom teeth. Yep, I sure never thought I would have to revisit the braces era but here I am! The orthodontist seems to think that I will only have to wear them for about 8 weeks. I hope he’s right! Kelly, on the other hand, wasn’t as lucky. He had to stay in the hospital for two days for a severe concussion, more than 30 stitches to the forehead and broken teeth. Needless to say the dentist has been our new friend over the past few weeks. There is no doubt that our guardian angels were with us that afternoon. I can’t help but think about how bad it really could have been. If there is ONE good thing that has resulted from that experience, Kelly now beats me putting his seatbelt on! So, to those of you who have read this long post, THANKS! I have honestly missed blogging and reading about everything that’s been going on in everyone’s lives. I am recommitting!