HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RACHEL!

Today is Rachel's birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY RACHEL! She, (Like I did!), is celebrating every day this week going out with friends taking her to lunch to celebrate her birthday AND her exciting news! She looks great, still TINY, but we still got her some maternity wear! We had a nice lunch at BRIOS to celebrate her special day! HAPPY BIRTHDAY , RACHEL!  P.S. check out what the little red baby onsie says! "SMALL FRY"! AND I found a FRENCH FRY toy to go along with it!

I've got a secret!

Tonight the secret I've kept for over a month was told!!!!! THE SECRET?????? Well...........let me just say for those you out there (you know who you are!) who say "MAMA CAN'T KEEP A SECRET", well guess what???? THIS PROVES I CAN! Right, Pat Pat???? Yes, I kept the secret!! What IS the secret???????????? Well, on June 23rd Patrick called me and took up the offer I gave him---to give him my first engagement ring when he was sure he was ready to give it to the girl he loved. And, he said, "I'm ready for the ring, if you still want to give it to me". Of course, my heart melted and I said "yes"! I went into my jewelry box and pulled out the ring that Terry gave me 37 years ago, in the parking lot of the jewelry store (he was NOT one to pick romantic places to propose! HAHA). I wore that ring until my 40th birthday when he gave me "the ROCK". But, my old ring? Well, it meant more than this one does. Why? Because it was given to me when we were young and so in love and had the whole future ahead of us (I wouldn't ever have imagined that I would have 5 kids that long ago day in the parking lot!). That ring sparkled and danced on my finger and I could NOT quit turning it around and gazing at it and couldn't quit crying either. How I adored that ring!!! WHen Patrick asked me if he could give it to Stefanie it just thrilled my heart! So, I wrote him a note to read to her and wrapped it up in a beautiful box and ribbon. But, how could we hide it for him to take back to Destin?? I thought and thought! THen I decided that I would say, in front of Stefanie, "Pat, those flannel sheets you wanted to take back to Destin are in that WalMart bag"! Inside the  pillowcase was the ring! So, for over a month I have kept that secret! Stefanie's birthday is tomorrow (Rachel's is Tuesday and Kadie's the NEXT Tuesday! And Mimi's the next Tuesday and Katie's the NEXT  Tuesday! WHEW!). Anyway, I was waiting and waiting for the call! Terry was at a Jamaica meeting and wasn't here when Patrick and Stefanie called! Both were crying and just beside themselves! We're so thrilled. So happy for Patrick and Stefanie. I think that they have decided to take the diamond in my old ring and add it to diamonds from Stefanie's mother's ring. It will be beautiful! I can't wait to see it!

OH NO< a Scrapbook Class!

You would THINK that after scrapbooking for so MANY years and even teaching scrapbook classes so many times, that I would go into a scrapbook class with much head knowledge and an edge on the "newcomers"! WRONG! In fact, I was probably the WORST student on Saturday !I was "all thumbs"---couldn't keep up with the instructions; kept losing my stuff; had the wrong ruler; cut my papers wrong! Had my papers in the WRONG order! You name it, I did it WRONG! I was soooo frustrated! Especially when I looked over at Mary Margaret who was way ahead of me on her little recipe book!! She was doing fine, this was my little STUDENT, I have been "teaching" and she was WAY ahead of me! I was reminded of my days in school where I had to CHEAT on my neighbor's paper, soon I was looking over at HERS! Thank goodness I had 2 people , one on each side of me, to check their work! Mary Margaret, who just started doing scrapbooking in APRIL, was way ahead of me ! Think THAT didn't make me feel like a dork?! Well, Look out, girlfriend, I'm back and I'm ready for the next class! And next time I won't be making so many PICTURES and I'll be listening! HAHAHAHAHA

Attack of the giant tomatoes!

 

 Are you ready for some time lapse photography?! Well, check out this crazy garden of ours!MY GOSH! I've never seen so many tomatoes ! At first I went out every single morning for even a HINT of a little pretty yellow bloom. I FREAKED out when the first one appeared and I made sooooooo many pix of the, well, BLOOM! Then, the tomato. And it was a GIANT one, too! Stayed green for quite awhile and then, glorious blood red!!! We sunk our teeth into that meaty mass of redness and it was pure heaven. I couldn't wait till more tomatoes appeared! And appear they did! Soon, every morning, Terry laid out at least 5 MORE tomatoes! Suddenly, I was overwhelmed with them!! Yesterday afternoon (AFTER CHURCH)  Katie and I came in from the mall to find the many tomatoes you see on the island!!!!!!!!! I almost croaked !!!!!!!!! Now I'm almost SICK of them and DON"T want to sink my teeth into another tomato, for a long long time! Well, that is until WINTER, of course!

P.S. We also have Jalepenos, squash and okra altho the 'MATERS have far surpassed any of those!

Kemp and sweet, sweet JON !

Kemp is totally obsessed with Jon! WHY?! Because Jon: Plays trains with him; hides in the tent with him; chases him; reads to him and just never tires of "Kemp Time"! Jon is so sweet and sooooooo patient! Last night, JON had to lay in the bed with him until he fell asleep. And, this morning, he wouldn't ride to church with me---had to RIDE WITH JON (and Katie!). Then, after church, pouted when Aunt Cutie got him out of the nursery, "I WANT TO SEE JON"! Then, when Natalie went to leave church, Kemp left screaming his head off! (I think Jon was secretly proud! HAHA)......  Katie, you've got yourself a catch in Jon Jon!  If you don't believe it, Just ask Kemp!!!!!!!!!!!!

Charles' new office

Charles' law firm has moved. In a beautiful new building right next door to Brookwood Mall! We went to see his new office last Sunday and he gave us a tour.  The building is gorgeous! From the Conference Room that is unreal to the smaller conference rooms up and down the halls to the huge bookcases filled to the brim with law books to the Break Room (retro 1950's except for the Big Screen T.V. which is NOT 50's haha) to his own office----it's just a "WOW"! They still are unloading and most offices aren't even unloaded yet. Charles says his firm has some of the most incredible art work you've ever seen so I can't wait to go back when it's all been fully decorated.  Even outside of his office , they haven't even gotten the brass plates for names yet. Hey, the paint is still wet! HAHA < but even so, it's awesome! His view, from his window in his office, overlooks the bridge you go over when you go into Brookwood mall! that means everytime I go shopping he will know! Yes, it's hard to hide an electric blue BUG! HA HAHA! In fact, Katie and I were at Brookwood this week and I called Charles and said, "Look down! We're coming by!" HAHAHA! Around lunchtime, we were walking around and sure enough, there he was! He was taking a client to lunch but he got my message! I love it that he's there vs. downtown now! Easier to meet him for lunch and easier to PARK than downtown, too! The firm must've listened to my prayers! HAHAHHA

Little Vera Wang!

Here's my little Lily Belle. Terry calls her "BELLE" and sometimes so do I! , AUNT CUTIE, however, calls her LITTLE VERA WANG!!!!!!!!!!!She's a little fashion diva all right! Still loves her shoes and clothes and tells all the GIRLS in her life "what MATCHES and what does NOT!" Katie and I had her on Tuesday and met Kadie in Parisian to pick her up. While waiting , she got about 5 pairs of shoes and went and matched them to purses in the purse dept! It was hilarious! And last week, while in line at the store, she reached up to my earrings and said, LOUDLY I MIGHT ADD, "GranJan, these  earrings don't MATCH!" I laughed and then she said, "But you can PAINT them!" She is hilarious. I hope she'll continue being my fashion co-ordinator. I might need her in a few years to dress me in the latest fashions!

My new Camera! (yes, Another one!)

I have another new camera! It's the cutest , tiniest little thing! Just perfect for hiding in my purse for those moments I never want to miss!! Katie surprised me with it, I guess in part b/c she was tired of me sneaking hers off ! While my "big daddy Canon"  is the most awesome camera in the whole world, this small (Olympus) makes great pix and has some really cool features on it (like the cool graphics you can put on the pix, like the WINGS beside Jezebelle)! I'm having fun learning all it's capabilites! THANK YOU KATIE!!!!!!.......Here are a few pix I made with it yesterday morning upstairs, here, in the computer room. JEZEBELLE (who happened to be lying on the floor!) and my "Aussie Corner"---my bulletin board of my trip to Melbourne, Australia and my KOALA collection on the desk and my very first pix---my CUP OF COFFEE (that's the first thing I do every morning, have my JAVA!)!! I just love this new little camera and am having sooooooo much fun playing with it!  So, watch out! You'll never know when you'll be on CANDID CAMERA!!!!!!! (Since it loads a little differently on the computer, etc., and i'm still learning, I only have a few pix to share! But, don't worry, more to come!!!!!!!

7-17-07--MY BIRTHDAY!

Well, I have 2 hours left! WAAAAAAAA! I don't want my birthday to end! I have to admit it. Yes, indeed. I love my birthday! I mean, I LOVE It! I have the coolest time of the year for a b'day and I enjoy every minute of it each year! I'm like a kid on my birthday!!! THIS year I am celebrating for almost a week straight! Started Sunday night with C/R and last night with B/N/K! Then, tonight, THE REAL NIGHT, we ate with M/K/L! Tomorrow I will eat with my mom and Thursday celebrate with my friends at Bible Study and then on FRY-day will eat lunch with Konie/Beth. Then, on Saturday, I'll finish up the week with M/M doing my scrapbook class! SOOOOOOO, I have REAAAAAAAALLY enjoyed my b'day!!! 

P.S.  ON A SAD NOTE:

Please keep my niece's husband on your prayer list: SCOTT BISHOP. He was diagnosed with rectal cancer a few days ago and will begin chemo/radiation soon. The good news is that they don't think it has spread but the next few weeks will be tough.  He and his wife, Becky, my niece have 4 little boys ! Please Keep him and the rest of their little family, in your prayers!

MY BIGGEST BIRTHDAY SURPRISE!

WOW! What excitement last night!!!!!!!!!! We had such a surprise for my birthday dinner! Charles and Rachel took us out to eat and before dinner arrived gave me my gifts! I opened them up and there was a scrapbook---a BABY scrapbook! I said, "THANKS" and smiled and Rachel said, "You can make it for Natalie"! I said, "OH O.K.!" Then I opened the other gifts and suddenly they said, "you can make the album for US"! WHAT???????? WERE MY EARS DECEIVING ME???????? DID THEY SAY WHAT I THOUGHT THEY SAID??????????????? Yes, indeed!!!!!!!! Charles and Rachel are having a baby!!!!!!!!!! Due on Jan. 22, 2008 (Natalie's b'day, give or take a few days! HAHA). We are sooooooooo excited. SOOOOOOOOO Thrilled ! TWO BABIES AGAIN!!!!!!! Just like when Lily and Kemp were born! HOW COOL IS THAT?!!!!!!!!! We can't wait and are praying for two healthy babies! I am in baby heaven!

Managing TWO journals????

Wow, I must be crazy! I offered to put up a  webpage for JUST the little ones, too! Now I'm really going to be loopy!!! HAHA! It's fun , tho. Good thing I make lots of pix and took TYPING from Miss Shilah in High School!!!!! .........Terry called and is on the way here from Atlanta!! It seems like he's been gone for the LONGEST time! I'll be glad when he finally arrives and can't WAIT to have some Jamaican coffee in the morning!!!  Between SCRAPPING and BABYSITTING and BIBLE STUDY and MAKING PICTURES and occaisionally doing HOUSE WORK, I am as busy NOW as I was when all 5  kids were home. Well, ALMOST! HA!........Here's a few shots of Lily and Kemp playing PLAY DOUGH and some of Cutie and Kemp....

THe Baby's Name?

We all love the name! So so precious!!!!!! see if you can guess by these clues! 

It's a GIRL!

We are estatic! I still can't believe the news! It's a GIRL!!!!!!! how exciting! I so remember when I heard those words for the first time when Natalie , herself, was born!!! Immediately I wanted to get everything I could PINK! PINK PINK PINK! Obviously, Aunt Katie felt the same way---she went and bought her  sis (and future niece) some adorable frills! Just like with Lily and Kemp she will dote on this little tot! We can't WAIT to meet her!!!......Nat and Brad decided to go ahead and FIND OUT! I'm so glad they did!!!!!!!!! I asked a million questions! "Did it take long to find out? Could you see her face? Are they SURE it's a girl!?" WHen they called, I had Kemp and Lily. I screamed and they ran into the room and said, "WHY ARE YOU SCREAMING GRANJAN?!" They are so sweet and I know this new little one will be soooooooo sweet , too!............HER name??????????????????? I was going to wait and post it to at least have some surprise later, but I can't! It's DAISY KATHERINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Daisy, because they love the name and KATHERINE after, well, guess who?

Yep, Aunt Cutie whose real name is KATHERINE, of course! How precious and b/c of that, KATIE found out the GIRL NEWS >>>>>> FIRST!!!!!!!! I love the name and can just see that little magpie, with ponytails like her mama had ,running around !!! ...... OHHHHHHHHHHHH! I can't wait for Terry to find out! He'll be sooooooooooooo excited! He loves little girls, too! Well, duh?! Who DOESN"T love little girls?!

Ain't she sassy?! (MIMI , that is!)

Katie always laughs and says, "Mimi is soooooooooo PRISSY! I say, "Mimi's so SASSY!" Always has been! I can only imagine how she was when she was Katie's age! Here she is, showing off, beside her walker!!!........I'm holding up a picture of my grandmother (katie's great G'ma!), FLORA DeArman, when she was around 18. Mimi always told me I looked like her. Funniest thing, Katie picked up the photo and said, "MOM, You look like this picture!" BTW, I hand tinted that photo a few years ago. I love it! And, yes, I can see the FAMILY RESEMBLANCE!

7/7/07 and Jamaica Bound!

 ADIOS, Isaiahsixeight Team! You're on the way! (actually, you just might be in the air on the way to Miami right this moment! I can't wait to hear from the team and see how things are going! Hopefully, they sailed thro airport security,etc. and on the way! After loading up at 1:30 A.M.,  it's going to be a LONG day ahead! Hopefully, the team will get to snooze on the flight there!! The van and trailer were filled to the brim and kudos for the super servant who drove them to Atlanta in the wee morning hours!  More to come!

Port Morant, Jamaica!

Terry, (and the mission team!,) leave late tonight (wee morning hours actually!) for Port Morant, Jamaica. Again, he is going to be working with the team on the orphanage for the week. Please pray for the team and check out the website below! This is a great project and one that Terry is most involved in. So much so, he plans to go down every 3 months from now on! Check it out and pray for the team this week!

http://isaiahsixeight.org/

Happy 4th of JULY!

It's July 4th! (BTW, 13 SHOPPING DAYS left until my birthday!!!)> Oh, how I love JULY! JULY IS THE BEST MONTH IN THE YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We celebrated  July 4th all day! Nat/Brad and Kemp came over for lunch and we "cheated" and Terry went and picked up Johnny Ray's "Q" (vs. fixing it ourselves). It was great! Then, at 5:00, we went to Kadie/Michael's. It was YUMMY! Kadie's mom did the  Kadie's mom/dad/grandmother and sis Jamie, were there along with Nat, Brad and Kemp. Yes, HOP A LONG, is doing GREAT! He got out TWICE today! I hope he didn't do too much walking, b/c his leg is bruised all the way down, so we made him prop it up some but otherwise he is doing GREAT. They did go home after lunch and they all took naps before going to Michael/Kadie's. Frank brought his little girl, Kate, over to watch fireworks, too. They are having another little girl in a couple of days---Kate is so precious......Pat called and said he was on the way to see Charles/Rachel and the Dodson's. Katie and Jon are in Clanton with Jon's dad/step mom. So, it's QUIET now after being with the kiddies this afternoon! Lily was in rare form---wigging out about what she was going to wear! That girl! She LOVES her dresses and shoes and jewelry!!!!! Kemp looked adorable in his AMERICAN BOY/July 4th outfit!! What a fun day! 

 And now 13 days and counting! Hahahaha 

Brad's fun surprise!

Just when boredom started creeping in, my friend Becky to the rescue! Becky , who lives in Daytona Beach---sent Brad this fun filled box of fun stuff to open! As a nurse, she put all these funny references to all the items, like, a water gun to "squirt the nurses with when they come to give shots", etc. It was certainly a BOREDOM BREAKER yesterday! KEMP, of course, loved everything in the box, too and the items  HE can play with!!!!!!!! Also, see the pix of his SCAR! YIKES! The staples are still in!.......BTW, both Nat/Brad went to their respective doctor's appt's yesterday and both are doing great! Brad can now use a cane to walk around with, some, too. But, the boredom might kill him worse than his hip! I guess next week, when Terry is in Jamaica, we'll be playing a lot of: SCRABBLE; MONOPOLY; YATZE (sp?); BALDERDASH (Michael?).............

BRAD IS HOME!

Brad is home! He is doing really great! But, last night, I heard Natalie fussing at him! WHY???????? Because he was BENDING OVER and helping Kemp pick up toys. Yes, he was holding onto his walker, and using "the grabber" (like Mimi has!), but still! SO, all of us screamed, "STOP BRAD!" I think he worked so hard at his excercises that he overdid them some. Wow, he is really motivated to get well! I think all the well wishes from Australia are making him stronger! THOSE wishes and all the sweet cards/gifts from people here! Check them out on my pix page!..... It seemed strange to see Terry fixing the kabobs on their grill last night! But, maybe Terry needs to do them from now on! They were delicious! HAHA! After dinner, we asked Kemp if he wanted to come back to "Big T's and GranJan's house". His answer???? He ran out the door to the car! SORRY, Nat and Brad! HAHAHAHA! His mommy had to run and grab him for a good-bye kiss!.......Nat/Brad BOTH have doctor's appt's this morning so hope both get good reports.......more later

Pool Playtime!

Cutie and Jon took Kemp swimming Saturday. Everyone had a wonderful time! They played hard and Kemp fell sound asleep on the way home and woke up saying, "Where's JON JON , GranJan?!"