12 degrees!!!

Yes - when I checked the weather channel this morning to find out the temp where Austin is it was 12 degrees!! Yikes! They didn't call off school there so he had to drag out in the cold and go!!

I have done pretty well this week. I haven't cried yet but did have to fight some tears when I went to the vet this afternoon to get some medicine for Olsen. I decided that I was going to try to wait and let Austin call me and he has everyday so far. He was 3 weeks old when my mother passed away unexpectedly so he has been my little savior. I had this new baby, Britni started kindergarten and Kylie was almost 3. I had to keep going with a new baby so yes - he was spoiled. But so were the girls!! Anyway . . .this book Kylie bought for me says that we plan for things like weddings and babies but we don't "plan" for the empty nest. I sure didn't. I realized that the kids would all grow up and go to college and get married and have families of their own someday but NOBODY said it would happen so quickly. It just slipped up on me all of a sudden and I wasn't ready. I didn't even have time to plan for it!!

I haven't slept well at all since Austin left which is funny - I thought I would actually get some sleep when he left because I wouldn't be waiting for him to get home every night. I wake up in the night and immediately pray for Austin and then Britni and Kylie and then I guess I fall back asleep eventually.

I have the cross that Britni bought for me laying on the kitchen table because I can't decide on the best place to hang it but I see it every time I pass through the kitchen and it reminds me that God is with Austin and will continue to take care of him.

So if you haven't started planning for the empty nest- you might as well get started because I am telling you - it sneaks up on you and happens whether you are ready or not!!

I will survive . . . even though I am not ready to!!

Or at least that's what my daughters think. My girls are soooo sweet and take care of me. Britni bought me a cross to remind me that God has everything under control and is going to take care of Austin. And she bought me some potpourri that I like that I had mentioned to her at one time and some note cards so I can write to Austin. She bought a card that plays the song I'm a Survivor and wrote a sweet, sweet note in it. I told her that I like to read the note over and over but I don't like to hear the song right now. Right now I don't want to be a survivor. I am not ready to feel good about Austin leaving home just yet.



Then yesterday I got a package from Kylie. It is a sweet book about dealing with empty nest. She had included a sweet, sweet note as well. The book is really good and things it says are exactly how I am feeling. It has bible verses that help and bits of wisdom from others that have gone through empty next syndrome and survived. :)

Since I didn't have to work on Monday, Chandler and Rainey spent Sunday night with us. So I had some distractions so I wouldn't totally focus on Austin being gone. We had a little photo shoot. This was a dress that my mother crocheted for Britni when she was a baby. Rainey is actually too tall for it. Chuck took her this week for her 15 month check up and she is 33 1/2 inches tall and weighed 24 lbs 11 1/2 oz. She was off the chart with her height and in the 90-95 percentile with her weight.



I found this outfit the other day and I couldn't resist it for spring and summer. It has little white capri's with the navy trim and it is so precious. I love anything that has that precious smocking!!



Chandler had some homework to do so Prissy thought she would help him out. She crawled up in the chair behind him and thought she was big stuff. Notice Austin's lab, Olsen at the back door. He misses Austin too!!!

Baby boy left the nest!

Our last little birdie left the nest this morning and this momma has a big ole' hole in her heart. I really am excited for him because I know how it is to want to get out on your own and he does need to be responsible for himself but that doesn't make it hurt any less. And he is going so far away and I don't know when I will get to see him. All three of them grew up way too fast and I don't feel like I had them long enough. You know - did we teach him all that he needs to know and will he remember it and rely on it before he gets in sticky situations. My girls and my sisters have been awesome with their sweet, encouraging words and I know that God will take care of him because He loves Austin even more than I do. I have loved every minute of being their mom.

This is how I feel!!

More birthdays. . .

Monday was my little brother's birthday. Jim, my little brother is about 6'2" but he will always be my little brother. He was always a fun brother- and still is. I just don't get to see him as often as I would like.

Tuesday would have been Bob's (my father-in-law) 88th birthday - I think. Gunda-as the grandkids called him-was a very special man. He liked to dance with the grandkids or play catch. He always made them smile.

On Friday is my older brother, Steve's birthday. Both of my brothers were big cut ups and we had a lot of fun growing up. On Saturday is Steve's wife- Tina's birthday. She is a sweetheart and is always a lot of fun. We are planning to get together at the Fish Fry to celebrate the birthdays. I can't wait.

Happy Birthday to all of you January family members.

HTAED

You will never figure it out so let me just tell you. It is death spelled backward. No I am not trying to be morbid. We have just had a lot of it lately!! One of my cousins passed away before Christmas and it seems to come in 3's. One of my former students was killed during the holidays. My brother-in-law's mother passed away this week and another one of my cousins passed away last night. I got to school today and found out that the mother of one of my co-workers had passed away. WOW!!

My brother-in-law's mother was a sweet, sweet lady and the pastor at the service said that death has always been looked at as something dark. You know people always used to wear dark clothing and then funeral cars were always black. Well- he said it shouldn't be that way. He wished all the funeral cars were white and maybe have polka dots- something fresh and cheery. Yes- our human nature is selfish- we don't want to see our loved ones go but wow- when they meet the Lord God Almighty they are made whole- fresh and cheery. I try to imagine meeting God. I think when my daddy met God he walked right up to him and heartily shook his hand. I know there's not supposed to be any tears in heaven, but I think when my mother met God she was so excited that she shed happy tears. When Austin was in Little League, he scored the winning run in one of the games and as he crossed the plate his coached grabbed him and raised him up high. I think that's the way it is- that God is there as we cross that plate and grabs us and holds on tight!!!
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD,“ plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).



And isn't it great to know where our eternal future is!!

Happy Late Birthday, Erin

Happy Birthday to our daughter-in-law, Erin!! Her birthday was yesterday and we forgot. Sorry Erin. Starting back to work after two weeks off really put me behind. I couldn't even remember the password for the students to AR test when I got back to work. When I left for Christmas vacation- I flat left!!!



We hope you had a great day!!!

Family Christmas

We slid into the new year with my side of the family's Christmas get together on January 1st.


We usually have to wait until after Christmas due to my brothers' work schedules. We had a good time, lots of great food and lots of laughs . . .







. . . and lots of hugs!!

. . . on to New Year's.

Chuck stopped by on his way to our house New Year's Eve and picked up a ton of fireworks. Chandler couldn't hardly wait to start firing away. Chuck's parents came over to watch the fireworks.









It was so cold that I only went out for a few minutes to take pictures and then Kylie, Steven and I watched from the window. Chandler had a blast.

Christmas vacation continues. . .

On December 26th, we loaded up and headed to Robert's mother's home for a few days.


We met Kylie and Steven there. I took their Christmas gifts. Background information - Kylie always wanted to be a dentist/orthodontist/doctor so one Christmas when she was about 3rd grade we bought her a green tool box for a medical kit and filled it with a real stethoscope, bandages, and other medical stuff. I also bought her a lab coat and made a name tag that said Dr. Kylie. Well - now that she is nearing the end of nursing school, I decided to update the "medical kit" - green tool box - with nursing scissors, neosporin, hand sanitizer and other goodies. I think she liked the surprise.



We also attended our niece's wedding while we were there. This is a picture of the bride and groom with the bride's parents, 2 grandmothers, 4 sisters, 1 brother, 3 brothers-in-law, 1 sister-in-law, 9 nieces, and 2 nephews. Whew!!! Yes - Robert's sister had 6 kids-5 girls and 1 boy!!



We came home on December 29th and by then Chandler really needed to shave. I bought him a little Batman shaving kit that he thought was pretty cool. After the 2nd night of shaving he said, "My face is really getting white." I said, "yeah!??" He said, "When Austin shaves his face gets white." LOL



This shaving is serious business!!

Happy Birthday, Jesus!!

Britni and Chandler made a birthday cake for Jesus on Christmas Day. Chandler is such a big helper in the kitchen!!




In case you can't tell- it is a "J". Some of the guys at our house kept saying it was a "1". :)


They had fun making the cake and then we all sang Happy Birthday to Jesus and enjoyed eating the cake.

Christmas with the Taylors

What did Santa bring??



The kids were excited even though Chandler is alot like Britni in that he doesn't show alot of excitment. Miss Priss is going to have a bow on even if it is early in the morning and she is wearing pajamas!! She is a girlie girl. She got beads in her stocking and she wore them around all day!!

Chandler got a bike from Santa and he was pretty excited about that.



Rainey got a slide that she really liked.



She also liked the fruit that Santa left in the stockings.







Oh - there are apples too!!





What do you mean I can't have everybody elses fruit too!!



It broke her little heart when her mommy wouldn't let her start in on another banana.



We hope to put this to good use in the new year!!











This was the most fun of all. Enjoying the holidays with my precious children and grandchildren!!



Steven and Kylie didn't get to be here for Christmas so I was texting her all the videos of the kids on Chrsitmas morning. It was not the same without all of the kids here!! :(



I hope you and your families also had a very blessed Christmas.

Congratulations, Lindsay!

My niece, Lindsay graduated on December 19th. We are so proud of her. She will be working as a Physical Therapist Assistant.


Lindsay and her favorite aunt, Lisa. :)


Lindsay and her mom, Tina.


Lindsay and her dad (my brother), Steve.


Lindsay and her husband, Jeremy.

Congratulations, Lindsay and good luck with your new job!!!