Happy Birthday to my brother..........

Happy Birthday, Wayne!!!

April 22nd is my brother's birthday! Some might think, "She made a mistake, Wayne is her brother-in-law." NO, Wayne is my brother!

Wayne has been in my life since I was a pre-teenager. He has been with me through some of the greatest, and most definitely the hardest times of my life.

One of the first Christmas gifts I received from him was a beautiful, white Bible with my name on the front. On the inside he had written me a note saying, "This book will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this book." On Jim's last birthday I gave him a new Bible. On the inside I wrote the same note to him. I must admit, through the years I have had several Bibles, but I've never forgotten what Wayne told me in that first one.

Other than my Daddy and Granddaddy Barrett, Wayne is one of the greatest men in my family. (And I don't think he minds taking a backseat to either of them.) When Daddy died in 1989, he stepped up to the plate and became the male role model our family needed. I know, without a doubt, that Daddy is very, very proud of the way Wayne helped Mother, Anita, Krisha, and me through those dark days and how he continues today to always be there for all of us.

I am so very thankful that Anita, Paige and Stefan have Wayne. I am also very thankful that Chloe has such a caring and loving Grandfather.

And, anyone who knows Wayne, knows he loves to have a great time....................

I love you, brother! Jim and Eli say HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOO!!!

(Did I mention he cooks the BEST steaks ever? Makes the BEST sweet pickles you will ever taste? Cooks the only fried fish that I will eat!)

April Happenings..........

Happenings in April that I haven't blogged about (but should have!):


April 12th was Dan and Krisha's one year anniversary! We still thank God daily for sending us such a wonderful son-in-law.

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April 12th was also Easter. We hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday with family and friends. Jim and I missed not getting to be with family, but had a nice three-day holiday together.

Below is a picture of Krisha and my Daddy on her first Easter! (If Aubrey and Lainey can wrap Jim around their little fingers just half as much as Daddy was Krisha's, they will never want for much!)

Our church sponors a wonderful program that is presented each Easter, "The Last Days of Christ," and this was our first year to attend and it was a true blessing! It takes you back in time as you enter through the city gates of Jerusalem. The area comes alive with more than 500 actors portraying some of the most dramatic scenes of the last days of Christ. There were Roman soldiers on horseback, as we walked down the city streets through the market place and viewed drama players reenacting the Last Supper, Christ before Pilate, Roman Centerions flogging Christ, Jesus carrying the Cross, the Crucifixion, and the Glorious Ascension of Jesus into Heaven. We saw Jesus ride in town on a donkey, a carpenter hueing the cross from a tree, Roman soldiers doing marching drills and practicing sword fighting in the streets, Jesus telling stories to children on a rock formation, a cave signifying the empty tomb, and a petting zoo for children. There were also scenes including a potter, chariot, brick making, water well, threshing floor, straw cart, olive oil press, and the judgment throne of God.

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April 13th was Dan's birthday. After the storms came through Bankston and left everyone without power for days, he is finally getting to enjoy one of his presents now, his Wii. He keeps saying that he can't wait for Jim to come back to Alabama so that they can play golf, bowling, and other "competitive" games on it! (I wonder if it has a game to see how fast you can change a diaper or get a bottle ready for a midnight feeding?)

I have been getting things ready for Alabama. I think that I have all of my stuff organized enough so that when Krisha calls saying "It's time for you to come on!" that I will be able to throw everything in the car and go!

Please continue to keep Aubrey, Lainey and Krisha in your prayers.

Reanna and Savanna turn 2

Today we traveled to Point Blank, Texas (which is on the lake, mid-way between Huntsville and Livingston....TEXAS, that is, not Alabama. We also have a Jasper, Texas nearby too. However, we are a long, long way down that yellow brick road from these towns in Alabama!)
We were there to help celebrate the second birthday of two very special little girls, Reanna and Savanna. It doesn't seem possible that they are already two years old.

Allan, (with a little help from "Uncle Jim" and a few others) boiled crawfish, shrimp, and sausages with potatoes and corn. Delicious!

We also have to give Darla credit for a wonderful peach cheesecake! Everyone went back for seconds (and some even thirds!).

We promised the girls that as soon as Aubrey and Lainey were big enough that we would plan a special play date together.

The hardest thing about leaving Texas will be that we will not be able to see these precious girls as often. THEY are the best thing about living in Texas!

Below is a new friend we met at the party, Mark. Mark is "from UP north"....a Yankee. He was visiting to get away from the 20+ inches of snow! He enjoyed eating his lunch in "the good ole Southern sun!" (He also mentioned several imaginary friends surrounding him, but we didn't see them!)

Thanks to everyone............

Thanks to everyone for making our weekend in Alabama so special. Dan and Krisha are so blessed to have such wonderful friends and family! The baby shower given on Saturday at Holley's house and the one on Sunday at the Cleveland Church of Christ were amazing!!!! Aubrey and Lainey received so many beautiful, precious gifts.

Since the day we were told Krisha was pregnant, I have prayed that God would watch over the babies as they developed and also for Krisha to have a safe and comfortable pregnancy. However, I have added a sentence to that daily prayer........."Thank you, God. Thank you for the "village" of wonderful people that you have surrounded Dan and Krisha with as these two precious little girls are born and grow up." There are so many wonderful people to share in this amazing time with us! We thank God for each of you!

Jim and Dan worked Saturday getting the RV set up and ready. A BIG thanks goes out to Sherry for supervising them and getting things done correctly! (Sherry, you know they could not have gotten it level without your expertise! We LOVE you!)

Also, it was very nice to finally get to meet so many of my "blogging" friends over the weekend. I won't start naming names, because I don't want to leave anyone out, but, you know who you are.

So, now we are just waiting for the call from Krisha that it is time!!!!

Only 88 more days...........

When Dan and Krisha first told us they were expecting, we thought that June 15 would never arrive for us. However, the countdown shows only 88 more days to go!
For those of you that don't already know, we have purchased a 5th-wheel RV to set-up on a lot beside Dan and Krisha's house. We will be taking the RV (aka: Eli's Cabin) this weekend for Dan and Jim to set-up while Krisha and I are having fun at two of her baby showers.
Once Krisha decides that it is "time" for her mother to be close by as the twins arrival grows closer, Eli and I will return to Alabama to live in the Cabin. (I don't think that Dan could handle two women with OCD in the same house!)
Everything has fallen into place for the twins arrival so far. We continue to pray that the remaining 88 days will go as smoothly. Please keep all of us in your prayers, especially Aubrey, Lainey, and Krisha.

Jim got me on this one!

I have always wanted a pencil drawing/portrait of Eli. When Coahlton Whitehead, an up and coming local artist, personally presented it to me on Saturday I was speechless.........and very, very tearful! It was part of my Valentine's Day present from Jim!

This is the photo used for the drawing. It is also Eli's favorite spot to nap....and to be sure that he is protecting me too!

Eli has enjoyed looking at the drawing almost as much as I have!

As stated, Jim really got me on this one, I was NOT expecting this. However, I must add that lately he is getting good at giving me big surprises - on my birthday he presented me with a NEW Pandora bracelet! (If you have followed the blog, you know that he just completed one for me during hurricane season).

The new one has two baby carriages and two baby booties with pink crystals! Yes, this bracelet will be completely devoted to Aubrey and Lainey. I am looking forward to getting many new charms as they enter the world and I reach new milestones as Moma D!

PS........Thanks Krisha for coaching him on the bracelet purchase!

Visiting Reanna and Savanna

We went to visit Reanna and Savanna on Saturday. It is amazing how much these two little beauties have grown since last year!

This is Savanna trying her best to ride a scooter. She is going to be the engineer of the family one day. She is constantly trying to put things together and figure out how to work things!

Below is Reanna, she is the "I want it, and I want it now" girl. ha. She had rather be entertaining herself in a mud puddle (and occasionally taking a bite of her mud pies)

Jim and I spent time "riding" the girls in their strollers in the yard. At one point I looked over to Jim and said, "Can you believe that we are going to have two of these in 4 months!"

Thanks so much to Allan, Darla, Reanna and Savanna for a wonderful Saturday on the lake with them. Also, a HUGE thanks for all the great "hand-me-downs" for our girls. They will get so much use out of all of it.

Looking forward to seeing you again in March for the girl's 2nd birthday party!