Time4Learning

I've been invited to try Time4Learning for one month in exchange for a candid review. Time4Learning can be used for homeschool, afterschool and summer skill sharpening. Be sure to come back and read about my experience. Please note, we cannot process requests for blogs which have been active for less than six months. Time4Learning does not honor requests for a 30 day free membership for reviews posted on Facebook , Twitter, private blogs, groups or forums of any kind. As always, please feel free to contact us anytime at reviews@time4learning.com.

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Trip to Selma

The girls and I went to Selma for a short, but long overdue trip to Selma on Friday and came back tonight. We really did have such a great time. My sis-in-law is right though, Selma has to be the hottest place on earth! It was unbelievable!! We managed to stay cool by staying inside, except for a few photo shoots of course, and drink lots of sweet tea :)

Thanks Nana Reed and Papa for everything! We had a great time. Here are just a few (honestly it is just a few) pictures that I put into collages.


Emi

Payton

Graci

All of them :)

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Paw Paw Update #2

So we went back to Tennessee to see Paw Paw. I went with my mom, dad, little brother and took Emi and Payton with us. The girls did great and I am so glad that they were able to go and be part of today. It was such a special time.



I handled today better I guess because I just saw him on Friday. I had explained everything to the girls and what to expect. It was such a special time today. PawPaw had a hard day yesterday and so we really didn't know what to expect. He had a "rally" day today. He ate a good lunch and was coherent and talkative to us before he napped.



Emi was soooo very compassionate and loving to him. She crawled up in the bed with him and took a nap next to him (see picture below). It was such an incredible thing to see and be a part of. She helped feed him and love on him and rubbed his hands and arms. The pictures are something I know I will cherish forever and I know Emi will one day too.



We also got to go out in their backyard where Jere has a disc rope swing and play on it. The girls loved it (and so did I). It's amazing how therapeutic swinging can be (even for adults). It was a special day and I am glad the girls got to go before PawPaw goes home to be with the Lord.



It was very difficult to say goodbye to him without knowing if I will see him again before he passes. Tears of sadness fell again....



I love my PawPaw and Jere.....
(i'll post some pics later on today)

Friday, June 12, 2009

Update on PawPaw

Well, daddy and I just got home from Tennessee and seeing my Pawpaw.


This is one time that I had my camera but just couldn't make myself use it. You see, the PawPaw I remember is one that was an overweight jolly fellow with the fluffy white hair and always ready to go play some golf. That is not what I saw today.


My mom and my dad had told me that I would be shocked at how he looked, but for some reason, I wasn't as prepared as I needed to be. He was soooo skinny and all you saw was his bones, sleepy/watery eyes, and exhausted body. This is not an image I wanted to save in my camera that I would look back and remember him by. I think I will stick with images I took the last trip and during his baptism.

He started running a temperature and coughing a good bit while we were there. The hospice nurse started him on some antibiotics and some medicine to help loosen the the mucus in his chest. He was wheezing pretty bad and is having to do breathing treatments about 4 times a day. He just looks so tired. I just crawled up in the bed with him and held his hands and rubbed his legs.

It was a sweet time that dad and I got to spend with him, but I can tell it won't be long before he gets to meet Jesus. We are trying to figure out a time when we can get everyone else in the family up there to see him.

Prayer Requests:
Jere - for her strength, her comfort, her energy and peace for her

PawPaw - for him to continue to feel no pain, that his passing would be quick (not soon), that he would comprehend what we are telling him about Heaven and that he would feel a peace that could only come from God

Daddy and the rest of the family - for comfort and peace and for everyone who wants a chance to see him that they would get there in time

Heading to Tennessee

I am headed to Tennessee today with my dad to see my pawpaw. Pray for safety and for our time with him to be a blessing. Will update when I get back.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Girls Night Out






I am so thankful for my closest friends (some of which were not in on this latest venture). We had so much fun going out and celebrating Jamie's birthday. I don't think I have laughed like that in a long time and I know I haven't had that much fun in a long time. Cara, Jamie, Caitlin and I went to Margarita Grill and had some chips and salsa, tacos, nachos and of course, some a.w.e.s.o.m.e. margaritas!!! I love you girls!!! Thanks for the laughs!! WOOHOO!!!!

Bowling (First post of hopefully many to come)

Not sure if all of you know or not, but you can sign up for bowling for your kids to get 2 free games of bowling a week!!! You can go to www.kidsbowlfree.com and it shows you the list of participating ones. However, Oak Mountain Lanes in Pelham is doing the same thing but you have to sign up through their website which is www.oakmountainlanes.com

Anyway, my friend and I took our kids bowling and we had a blast!!! The kids did great and even Graci enjoyed it. (Now please, I am not sure who the person is on the video talking because they are MIGHTY country, so please forgive them (wink wink)) Believe it or not, Payton came in first out of the crew and Graci even beat her big sissy!! Sissy is going to stick with gymnastics :)




Wordless Wednesday

Pool Time Fun at Nana & Paw's


Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Pray for My PawPaw Please....

I have so much I am trying to organize and upload and try to remember what I wanted to say but this takes priority over that all right now...

Please pray for my PawPaw, Dale Roberts. He was diagnosed with lung cancer on March 5, 2008. He has been fighting this battle very hard and has been doing a good job until now. The cancer is taking over. He isn't in any pain but they think it might have spread to his brain. He is falling a lot and cannot get up to go to the bathroom now and is having trouble feeding himself. His weight has dropped to 123 pounds from his normal weight of between 225 to 240. This is my only granddaddy. I have always been close to him and I love him soooo much!!! He lives in Shelbyville, TN with his wife, Jere, who has been a rock during this time. She loves him so much and I am so thankful that they have each other. Pray for her. This is her soul mate and this is hard on her too. Pray for peace about everything. Pray for strength. Pray for my daddy, Richard (he has both parents still living). Pray for PawPaw that his mind stays clear.

I am so thankful that last year I was able to go and see my PawPaw be baptized after finally committing his life to Christ after so many years. (see this post) At least now I know where he will be spending eternity. I am just not ready for him to go right yet.

Pray that I can work out the details so I can go up and spend the day with him this next week. I really need to go soon and I want to be able to spend some time with him, just holding him and hugging him. I need this before he does pass.

I think that is all for now, but I would appreciate the prayers.