Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Dear Santa...

This is Leon's third Christmas and he is really into it this year.  He's oohing and ahing over all the lights and trees, asking for things, opening presents, and talking to Santa.  :)  Shelbi and I went to Gulfport (where he and his mommy moved a few months ago) and picked up Leon for a few days.  I haven't seen him in three months and it was getting unbearable.  On the way home we searched for houses lit up in the dark.  He would get so excited every time he saw "Krismus wights."  I said, "Leon, you like Christmas lights, buddy?"  He answered, "Yeah!  and cheese... and cereal."  LOL  This kid cracks me up!  Later, he snuggled up in the recliner with his Poppa and just sat staring at my living room tree.  In awe, he looked up and asked, "Poppa, did you make that tree?"  Larry told him, "No, Mimi did."  Leon looked up at me with the sweetest expression and said, "Mimi, good job on that tree!"  Man, this boy melts my heart.  :)

Saturday, we went to my dad and stepmom's in Pearl, MS, for their Christmas dinner.  Before my stepmom could finish her plate, Leon was under her telling her he was "ready to open pwesents."  heehee  After lunch, we took him to Bass Pro near their house to see Santa.  His first Christmas with Santa picture was pitiful~ a local Santa with an eye infection produced a creepy looking picture.  Click HERE to see that one again.  Last year, another mall Santa was no better~ he closed both eyes and looked asleep when we got the picture.  (Neither mall allowed me to take my own pictures.)  Bass Pro let me take my own.  I couldn't take many because I didn't want to hold up the hours long line, but I got a couple of keepers.  :)

Leon walked right up, took Santa's hand (probably didn't hurt that it had a "canny cane" in it), and climbed right up into his lap.  He looks a little stiff in the first picture, but at least he's not crying like some kids.  :)


Then, I suggested he tell Santa what he wanted so I could get a "relationship" picture I was craving.  He turned and said, "I want a wagon."  Then he proceeded to tell the big guy that he has been "peeing in the potty."  LOL  Santa was very impressed and told him what a "big boy" he is.  :)

I LOVE this picture!


One of the gifts he got Saturday was a Woody doll from my sister, Becky.  He loved it!  He pulled the string several times on the two hour drive back to my house.  "There's a snake in my boot!" cracked him up every time.  Then, he'd tell me, "You're my favorite dekudee."  (deputy) 
In case you're wondering if we've discussed the real meaning of Christmas with him, he also piped up with "I love Jesus!  I love birfdays, too!"  :)
So far, this has been the best Christmas~ and it's not even Sunday yet.  This is why two to five is my favorite age span.  :) 

Monday, May 9, 2011

Urgent Prayers Needed

I know after neglecting my blog since Christmas, I probably have very few even checking it.  :(  But the Bible says, "Where two or more are gathered..."  I'm sure by now, even if you live far away from me, you've heard about the Mississippi River and all the flooding surrounding it.  Towns and cities are being flooded up and down the river.  This month is supposed to break records from 1937!  My little Louisiana town sits right on the Mighty Mississippi and flood stage here is 48 ft.  On the 21st of this month, it is expected to crest at 64 ft!  The highest I've ever seen it was when it reached almost 58 ft. in 2008 and it was mainly just up on the riverfront then~ not even to the buildings. Even though officials and the Corps of Engineers believe our levees will hold, our town is frantically working around the clock to build temporary levees around buildings on the riverfront and our water wells.  Some towns (in Mississippi and Louisiana) that are not even an hour away are already flooding.  A lot of our residents are fleeing for higher ground or, at the very least, are packing up family heirlooms, photos and other irreplaceable possessions.  That is where my husband and I are~ in the process of packing sentimental things.  No mandatory evacuations will be ordered unless the levee breaks or water comes over it.  You can see pictures or read more about it in our local paper  http://www.natchezdemocrat.com/
 
Yesterday, my Mother's Day was not spent with any of my girls (they couldn't come home).  It was spent digging through my closets and cabinets searching for pictures and other sentimental things.  I came across my children's old art and work from elementary school and spent hours reading old Mother's Day cards my girls had made and reading sentences formed in Kindergarten and written in little journals.  Very sweet memories.  In spite of our circumstances, God gave me a Mother's Day gift.  :)  (I also got a Kindle in the mail today from my daughter, Mallory and her hubby, Daniel.  Thanks, M & D!  I love y'all.)

Anyway, please pray for all those along the Mississippi and its tributaries.  We're just blessed to be given this time to pray and pack up our things.  Time that many recent disaster victims didn't have.

Unless God intervenes, it will be a long time before I get pictures of Leon (or anyone) on our Riverwalk.  :(
Not that that's important right now, but see what a pretty background our river makes?!  Now, between the walkway and those rocks everything has been dug up in order to make a temporary levee.  Just praying it helps.

I miss this sweet face!  Haven't seen him in two months and won't get to keep him again until we are out of danger.  I know all you grandmas out there will sympathize with that!  ;)

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Leslie and Her New Family!!! :)

My youngest, red-headed stepchild, Leslie remarried today.  The bride was beautiful, the location (in an old chapel) was perfect, and we gained a new son-law and two new grands.  :)  Omar, the groom, is a great Christian (most importantly) and father to his two kids.  We actually didn't meet him until an hour or two before the wedding.  lol  Everyone there, though, kept telling us how wonderful he is and how much he loves Leslie.  He also came with two of the cutest, sweetest, funniest kids!  (I sound like a Mimi already.  lol)  I can't believe my baby stepdaughter is now a stepmom herself!  :)   

The ceremony.
"I do."  He was so nervous!  It was cute.


With this ring...

Love the look on her face... pure joy!


Another picture of joy!

Cinderella's slipper  ;)


Our newest granddaughter~ Hayley.  Isn't she pretty?


The newest grandson~ Gian (John)  He wouldn't smile until his dad tickled him!  So cute!

The whole family

Leslie, Omar, Hayley and Gian
I LOVE this picture!  (and the people, too)
We are very happy Leslie got such a great instant family!  :)



The reception.....
The cake was beautiful... and delicious.  :)

The bouquet and the rings.


Omar's favorite!


The kidnapped bride~ She's yelling, "HELP!"  Hilarious!!! 

My absolute favorite!!!!  :)  What a cast of CHARACTERS!
They should have a LOT of family fun!


CONGRATULATIONS, LESLIE & OMAR!!!

Welcome to our family, Omar, Hayley & Gian!  We are so blessed!  :)

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Updated Photography Blog :)

It's been MONTHS since I posted on my photography blog.  Just been really busy and the only pictures I've taken in forever were of the grands.  Those I posted on here and Facebook.  Finally took some Senior portraits again.  This post is for my niece, Hayley, who begged to be on the blog.  LOL  Soon, I'll post the other Senior girl's pictures.  And maybe a few from the wedding last month and the one I'm doing in a few hours.  Busy~ but FUN!  :)
Click HERE  to see the updated blog post.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Sanctity of Life~ My Thoughts

I am more a patriotic person, than a political activist.  Politics, other than voting my conscience, turns my stomach.  This is my first ever post about a "political issue," but I am discussing it only from a moral, personal point of view. 
Before I begin, I feel led to clarify that I have always been and always will be Pro-Life.  I am very extreme, even in some Christian circles, in that I do not believe there is EVER a valid reason to justify terminating a pregnancy.   I am fully aware of the arguments that even some Christians give to justify terminating a pregnancy.  I've heard them all.  Usually, when I state my opinion that I don't believe in it for any reason, I am asked, "What if you were raped?  Can you honestly say you could love that child?"  No, I have not been raped~ and have utmost sympathy for those who have.  But does it justify murdering your own child???  If every child whose father, or mother, committed a crime (violent or not) were aborted, or murdered after their birth~ how many fewer people would our planet have?  I have two beautiful daughters whom I love with my whole heart.  I won't go into details of what kind of "father" they had before I married Larry, but suffice it to say that if those standards were applied to their lives, they would not be here.  I do not love them in spite of who fathered them.  I LOVE THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE MINE!  I do not love their sister, born of a good man, more than I love them.  How, as a mother, could I hold something beyond their control against my own children? 
"What about when the mother's life is in danger?"  My answer is, "What if it is?  I would DIE for my children.  Even before they were born~ I would have given my life for them.  How can a mother choose her own life over her child's, even if she hasn't met him/her yet?"
"What about a child conceived because of incest?"  That goes back to my original argument about the child of a rapist.  Again, why should a child be killed because of who his/her parent(s) are?  How does putting one through the trauma of an abortion help erase/ease the pain and trauma of rape or incest?
"How do we know when life begins?"   (I haven't heard this one from Christians.)  Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I won't answer that one.  I will show you.  HERE, HERE, and, my personal favorite,  HERE.  In the words of Forrest Gump, "That's all I have to say about that."  :)

In spite of all my arguments against abortion, (here's where it gets political for some) I have an issue with the demonstrations (not candlelight services, not rallies raising awareness), but demonstrations that bring shame and condemnation on ones who have chosen to have an abortion.  I know some of you are thinking, "WHAT?  You just said you do not believe in abortion under ANY circumstances?!"  I don't and never will.  I'm not condoning those actions.  I am still saying it is sin.  I am still saying it is murder.  But how does condemning, and not loving, ones that have made that choice help the cause?  How does calling someone who, I believe, made a great error in judgment a "murderer" help?  How does throwing blood on women outside a clinic, blowing up a clinic, or murdering an abortionist help?  Instead, I believe we (the body of Christ) need to show compassion to women who felt/feel they had no other choice.  Some actually did not have a choice~ I know some personally that were forced by their parents to have an abortion~ parents who mistakenly thought that a baby would "ruin their child's life/future."  Parents who were told their daughter could die giving birth to a baby at their age/size.  Parents who panicked because "everyone would know."  I am NOT condoning that they sacrificed their own grandchild for any reason.  But I hate that these girls (now grown women) are still made to feel ashamed of a decision they did not make on their own.  A decision that many are still struggling with~ punishing themselves for~ seeking counsel for.  Some did make the choice for selfish reasons.  Have I ever made a choice for selfish reasons?!  Even though it was not a choice that took a life, it is still sin.  If Jesus did not approach people with condemnation, but with compassion and love, who are we (that call ourselves by His name) to think we are justified in condemning them?  I am not saying we should not make it known that it is wrong~ Jesus called sin "sin."  But as he condemned the sin, he loved the sinner.  He told them, "Go and sin no more."  Shouldn't we do the same?  Aren't we called to do the same?  Maybe the best way to cut down on the number of abortions is to love the ones who've had one or the ones comtemplating one.  Wouldn't standing outside the clinic telling these women they have other choices, providing support to unwed mothers, making them aware that God loves them and their baby, be a better way?  Obviously, not enough women that find themselves with an unplanned/unwanted pregnancy know the Lord, His forgiveness, or how great His love is.  Who's fault is that?  (Asked while pointing at myself.)

Promoting adoption and supporting our daughters/sons if they make that decision, may have a larger impact than if Roe vs. Wade were revoked.  As much as I would love to see that happen, I also know that if someone wants to get an abortion~ they will find a way, which leads to more death.  Do I think it should be legal?  NO!  Murder should never be legal.  God is the author and giver of life and death and I believe those matters are to be left only in His hands.  I don't have all the answers, and won't even pretend to.  Stand by your convictions, while reaching out to hurting people is my best advice.  What if abortion could be prevented simply by convincing someone that her life is valuable~ translating to her that her baby's life also has value?  That is truly "sanctity of life."  Just my two cents worth.    

Friday, January 21, 2011

Leon's Christmas Pictures~ Take Two

After the botched, but funny, attempt at getting a decent Christmas portrait of Leon before the holidays, I did a retake the week after Christmas.  Here are my faves.

This time went much, much better.  He was in such a great mood!  :)

Love the little finger pointing at Poppa or Shelbi.  Love the mischievious grin, too.

Showing off his new shoes that help him "kick ball."

Like I said, GREAT mood! 

Silly face!

Someone asked him to show his belly.  Probably Aunt Shelbi.  lol

Love his sweet smile!
Now this is more like it.  This one's my favorite.

Love this one, too!


Leon stayed with us the week after Christmas.  This is truly one of the sweetest little guys ever!  Christmas Day posts coming soon.  (I know~ I am SO far behind.  My desktop crashed during the holidays and we just got it back up last week.  Thank God my brother-in-law got rid of the virus and my pictures were all still there.  :)