Bahama's Trip...

Heather and her nephews... They were so happy to see her..... She was happy to see them too! :)

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My sister is home from the Bahamas! Yay!!! :0) !!!!!! We Missed her bunches... I couldn't talk to her for like 5 days straight... UGH.... Glad she's home!

Just a couple of pics from her trip!

Words from Charles Swindoll - So true!

I read this on Joy's blog and I asked her if I could put this on my blog... So true and very good! :) Thanks, Joy! :)


The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.

Attitude to me is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, money, circumstances, failures, successes, than what other people think or say or do.

It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company….. a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people will act a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one thing we have and that is our attitude.

I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you……. We are in charge of our ATTITUDES."

The BIBLE said it FIRST, ' let every man be swift to HEAR, slow to speak, and slow to wrath. I have learned that you can hurt others so quickly by opening your mouth too soon. I am working on that daily and hoping for a better tomorrow.

Monday August 18, 2008

Conversation between Sha and Jackson a couple of weeks ago....

Jackson: Sha, are you brown?

Sha: Yes, Jackson I'm brown...

Jackson: Okay, Sha...

Sha: Okay, Jackson...

Sunday... August 17, 2008

Heather left for the Bahama's today.... She was so very excited!!! And Heather if you read this while your gone - you're boyfriend called me to tell me he misses you very badly! :)

Saturday - White Water Rafting...

Kaitlynn sporting Jackson's sunglasses....

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Tara and Kaitlynn being silly....

Eating at the Rib Shack...

We got up this morning and got ready and got something to eat and traveled about 45 minutes to where we go white water rafting... We were having a great time until my sister and Cameron got thrown out of their boat and almost drowned....

I'm so very thankful for Sis. Snowden and Jacob Blazak.... They saved her.... She and Cameron both were under the boat several times and she couldn't get her nose and toes above water (which is the rule if you get knocked out... Get your nose and toes above the water and then hope someone can grab you and pull you back in the boat) ... Anyway, Sis. Snowden finally got a hold of Heather's life jacket and was trying to get her in the boat, when someone started yelling... "Let go of her.. We're fixing to hit a rock..." Sis. Snowden wasn't letting go of Heather because she knew if she did - Heather would be gone...

Jacob Blazek was able to get on the side of the boat where Marlena was holding on to Heather and he pulled Heather out of the water... Stephen was able to get Cameron out of the water too... Heather and Cameron were very shaken up and Heather sprained two of her fingers.... Sis. Snowden was in tears while telling me what happened... Thanks, Mar!

Stephanie (Cameron's mom) emailed me and said - "Bro. Smithson had a burden all day for Cameron and he prayed for him on and off all day and he didn't know why, but then after talking to Cameron and finding out what had happened that day - he knew why he had the burden". Thank Jesus for praying people! God is so good!

Below is the link to our white water rafting pictures....

http://www.photoreflect.com/PR3/OrderPage.aspx?sf=1&pi=035C00OW000292&po=0&c=&a=538943

Picture # 1 & Picture # 2 - Some of our group

Picture # 3 & Picture # 4 - Mine and David's boat

Picture # 5 - This is where it all began... Notice Stephen and Heather's boat is hitting a big rock in the water and that's when Cameron and Heather got thrown out...

Picture # 6 - All you can see is Heather's leg sticking up out of the water... She's under...

Picture # 7 - She's still under

Picture # 8 - All you can see is Heather's hand holding on to the rope on the boat... She was under the boat at this point....

Picture # 9 - Everyone's looking around for Heather and Cameron

Picture # 10 - Still looking - they were both under the boat

Picture # 11 - Sis. Snowden got a hold of Heather's life jacket and is holding on to her

Picture # 12 & Picture # 13 - More of our group

We left to go on our White Water Rafting trip today....

We left Nashville around 4:30 pm to go on our white water rafting trip.... We met Lauren in Murfreesboro to pickup Kaitlynn, Tara, Michael, and Cameron by 5:30 pm.... We arrived in Mcminneville, Tn around 6:45 pm.... We all met at Bro. Snowden's church. We got everyone loaded in two vans and a couple of people drove.... We stopped in Chattanooga and ate dinner and then we headed to North Carolina and that is where we stayed for the night..... We arrived in North Carolina around 12:00 am... We all got settled in our rooms and then Bro. Robinson, Bro. Snowden, Charlene, Marlena, and I went to Wal-mart along with a couple of other people......

Tara and Kaitlyn

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Tara and Cameron

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Michael, Tara, Kaitlyn, and Cameron... The guy in the very back is from Bro. Snowden's church and his name is Cory ...

Stephen was saying - He's (David) the man!

Stephen posing for me!

Bro. Snowden - he had surgery on his foot and so he needed to ride this - but he was chasing Marlena, Charlene and I around the store honking the horn at us...

Hurt foot...

Charlene (as Hannah Montana - I think she makes a cute blond..) and Bro. Snowden...

Hannah again...

Bro. Snowden being silly....

Charlene and I finally got in bed around 3:00 am - we outlasted Kaitlyn and Tara... They were out not long after we got back from Walmart.

Thursday August 14, 2008

Tonight was Open House at Dawson's School.... Papaw and Granny met us at Dawson's school and we toured his classroom and talked to his teacher! I just love his teacher! :)

Tuesday August 12, 2008

For those of you who don't know... My mom sold her house and she is moving.... My mom and Heather have to be out by the end of August.. So not much time to pack up and get out.
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So....

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Tonight I helped Heather start packing up her stuff.... I got really emotional... and in turn Heather got really emotional.... That is the only house she has ever lived in... That is the house we grew up in..... We moved in that house when I was 12 years old and I have lots of memories in that house....

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We are so use to running up the road and seeing my mom and Heather whenever we want too and we do it often, so it's going to be an adjustment on all our parts...

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I'm excited about what the future holds for my mom and Heather, but I'm a little sad as well for the kids and I.... It will be a change for the kids... Grandma has always been less than a minute up the road..

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One thing is for sure... I know God has it all under control and we are trusting God and he will take care of them and us!

One Year Ago Today... On August 12, 2007

Dawson was baptized in Jesus name by his papaw.... :) !!!

Jackson Singing and Signing...

Jackson actually let me video him singing and signing,,, I thought he was too cute! I just love it... The only bad thing is that it is sideways... I forgot I can't change the view like a picture, so it is sideways.. Oh well, he's still too cute! :)

1st Official Day of School - Monday

Today is Dawson's first official day of School... He was very excited... I got him up early and he jumped in the shower and got ready in no time and I fixed breakfast for him and he ate and was ready to go way before it was time to go... He's very punctual and he can't stand to be late! I love that about him! :)

Schools Back In Session....Friday August 8, 2008

Dawson's desk...

Board outside of Dawson's classroom -

I thought this was very cute...

Dawson started school today... He only went for 3 hours to meet his teacher and see his class and all that.... Jackson and I stayed with Dawson in his class and just hung out....

I didn't get a picture of him today... I meant to do that and I never did... I will get one on Monday - his first official day of school!

I think Dawson is going to have a awesome year!

He got Mrs. Mallory Lemley as his teacher and she was our 2nd choice teacher, but I think she would have been my 1st choice had I known a little more about her when I filled out the paper for teacher choices! Our first choice teacher isn't teaching 4th grade this year.. She's teaching 3rd grade, so that's why Dawson got Mrs. lemley! Mrs. Lemley is so positive and motivational... She can make you believe you can do anything!

I'm excited about his teacher and all he's going to learn and he's excited too!

Thursday August 7, 2008 - Aquarium...

Chattanooga Aquarium...

Jackson getting his picture made in front of the otters...

Dawson and Jackson with the fish...

Dawson, Oliver and Jackson...

This is Nemo - according to Jackson...

Marlena and Oliver...

Dawson...

Oliver and Jackson looking at the fish...

The Fish...

Turtle...

Cutie Pie - Oliver...

Oliver looking at more fish...

Trying to get a good pic of the kids - they kept running off...

and again...

Jack - Jack...

BIG SHARK... Jackson's favorite thing... He loves sharks!

Jackson's question of the day... Is the shark angry or happy, mama?

Wow...

Playing in the water out front of the Aquarium...

Oliver and Jackson playing in the water...

Today we went to the Aquarium in Chattanooga with a friend of mine and her little boy.... We drove to Mcminnville and then we rode with Marlena and Oliver to the Aquarium.... We had a really good day... The kids were really good too... We ate TGIF's when we left the aquarium and we came back to Marlena's house and Charlene came over for a bit and we hung out.... What a fun day!