if mom were here....

she would leave me a note reading this.....

either under my pillow, in my bag, or in my car..... i would find it and tear up thanking God for giving me my mom.... She had a way of letting us all know how proud she was of us NO matter what.....and i have a feeling 'if i know her' she will continue to do small things to "SHOW" us here left on Earth that she is watching us from above and is PROUD of us....

via all the best

my brood of FIVE

....still takes my breath away to write that.... where did all these boys come from? (thats a whole nother post....) 

headed down to the lake this weekend with our BIG DADDY....and tried to relax and enjoyed our get away....remember my family and our big daddy have minor problems relaxing but we did manage to spring clean, plant a bajillion plants, enjoy new stairs our big daddy built, some got to go to the lumber store and build a gate to keep half of the boys from drowning before our very eyes, weeded the WHOLE yard until past dark, blew the driveway and all outside things, the dock ( we aren't in Fairhope, i mean POINT CLEAR, i can say DOCK not warf, right?), we freshened up mom's planters which are still looking GREAT, blew up all our floats/rafts, uncovered the boat, enjoyed some boat rides, almost got the see-do in....it got COLD! and just enjoyed one another's company.... It felt good to get down there! 

 Its safe to say my biggest baby has not left big daddy's side since last Tuesday night... They have stuck together like glue....They are still together as i type....They are tight like that, i know our lolly is smiling down and is so proud of BOTH of them (i kinda am too!) As my monkey says "they are SO BRAVE"

sorry to say i have NO pictures of my own.... just haven't wanted to document anyone this week.... i owe each friend and family member an allowance of time before i have concrete photos of them going through a tough/sad time, right? 

I have come across some great photos of my mom though.... As she always said "i have enjoyed each phase of my life and have NO regrets" i can see that through her pictures..... i have some of her and her girlfriends riding roller coasters last summer, enjoying the beach, laughing like crazy in almost all of them, lots of her and dad at elegant events, TONS of her and her babies, and those are just the loose ones she hadn't put in an album yet of THIS year.... 

My mom lived a great and FULL life.  If you learned anything from her, i have concluded from your many calls, emails, and personal convos. that everyone loved my mom for welcoming you in ALL THE TIME, inviting you to her house for whatever/whenever, a trust worthy ear to let you vent with NO further talk (she took many secrets with her to heaven, she was an honest person like that), she never judged anyone (although, i can name a few people my older wiser brother and i dated in our past that she had choice words for.....always something like "they just may not be RIGHT for you".

i am thinking i may have laid it out like 

"they are worthless and NO GOOD" but she was a kind hearted soul, quiet, a tid bit shy, and so very girly!   She was always wanting to cook and clean for all God's children...always wanting to help.  In this past year she really struggled with allowing others to do for HER.  She came around and let friends sit with her and keep her company although, she WOULD NEVER ask them of anything....just go thirsty or hungry until big daddy got home. that was just her!  She was born to care for others and she took good care of us all.  

THis mothers day i hope you remember my mom, she was mom TO MANY and a second mom to more of my friends i can name on both hands as is my dad.... Two great people i am proud to call MY Own.

we love ya mom!  

oh. and some of us have itchy throats, runny noses.  Is that allergies? should we go to dr.? or do you think its a cold?  Oh and mom, don't you love the spot at the lake where big daddy hung that painting your sister did.  Perfect! We looked at stars last night, Did you send us that shooting one?  Charlie spotted it.  lots of love. oh and what about the enormous bugs big daddy and charlie caught and the frog.... I KNOW... and he almost got that slippery lizard... EEEKKK!!! i could go on forever. i miss you like crazy!  but you are leaving me with a smile like always 'cause i can hear your response to all my remarks and questions.  thanks for that memory mom.  off to run with big daddy, we gotta get back in shape. wink wink.

Isa 66:13 
As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem."