You Know Your Daughter Is Getting Married When...

You look online at the proof for her wedding invitation. There it is in real life...I mean like she is a real adult getting married. Surely, this is just a little pretend fun my little girl is having, isn't it? No, I don't think so. She is really getting married...the invitation says so.(They are beautiful by the way!)

She calls you to come to a furniture store to see furniture her and her future husband are about to buy for their "home". Oh my...it was like seeing myself 24 years ago. I was very proud of Mitchell, the future husband, for the way he handled himself in his business dealings!!!! It reassured me that I was right in the fact that this man can take care of my daughter.

They are officially registered for wedding gifts. Mitchell was the official "shooter" of the "gun" while they registered. It was fun helping Kristyn look for the wonderful items they were going to register for before they registered. It makes a mom proud to watch her daughter pick out things like her moms. 

People have switched from "oh you have a while to get ready" to "we need shower invitation list" and "oh that is going to be here before you know it." GULP!

You see this beautiful young woman in her wedding gown. Just a glow about her when she has it on. Words are just not there to describe the feeling of seeing your baby walk out in her wedding gown. I will have to ponder this to come up with the appropriate words!

You see all her bridesmaids gather to be fitted for their dresses and try their shoes on! They all looked gorgeous! And even though they don't all see each other all the time, when they come back together, it's like they have never been apart. They just fall right back into their friendships. Love that!

Boxes and containers are being gathered so she can pack up her bedroom. She is leaving for college next week and when she comes back home for semester, she will be getting married. So, she has decided to pack her room COMPLETELY! I cannot hardly go up there! I went up the other morning to tell her bye because she was going out of town. I looked at that room and as I started back down the stairs, I just began to cry! There will be boxes for things to stay with me and boxes to take when she is married. Oh there are so many emotions around this event. When she goes to school next week, she really will not be living with me again. Just coming home for visits to do wedding planning and going to showers and having bridal portraits made. Then, December will be here and she will come home and head to that chapel and walk down that isle and become a Mrs. A Mrs. mind you. This child that I just birthed yesterday and was keeping me up all night because she was a night owl from day 1, is going to be a Mrs. She is going to be a wife. Seriously!

But, you know, a mom can tell when its time for them to leave the nest. I watched Zachary go thru this process and watched as he began to pull away and become his own person and I knew I had to let this happen. (ugh, talk about a weird feeling, going upstairs and seeing his room being clean all the time and his bed always made because he rarely comes home :(. )I see that in her now. It has just been of late that I have began to notice the switch. Be assured it is there, her heart is going to be with Mitchell already and she is preparing to be a wife. She is so excited to make her home with her almost husband. This is how it should be. 

One of my favorites times as of late has been when we have been in the pool and she has no make-up on and her hair is wet and slicked back. She looks like that little girl that I raised instead of the young woman she has become. It is just fun to get a little glimpse back in time. Doesn't last for long though, she may look like my "little girl" but she does not act like a little girl any longer. Oh she has her moments. We can get so tickled that I almost pee my pants (Pretty Woman comment!) Ok, sorry, I have gotten off the beaten path. Starting to head down memory lane, another post perhaps.

Seeing my closet and office fill with bags of stuff being purchased for the wedding. The goal is to have everything possible done before she goes back to school. We are pretty darn close. Granted there is still plenty to do but we are doing great with the planning.

Ok, well I feel better getting all of that out of me. Next week, I will turn 48 and take my daughter to school for the last time. I am so excited for her and I know she is so ready to be married and settled and for this I am grateful. I know its going to be so hard to let her go, I get a lump in my throat just thinking about it but I know its the right thing and all will be well. It will be well with my soul!!!!! I'm Trusting!

As a side bar - I apologize to those of you that I haven't called like I should or gotten with like I should. I don't think I have ever had a summer go by so fast and been so busy. Please be patient with me thru the end of this year. I love you all but my girl is getting married and my boy has been in Fayetteville all summer and they have kept me busy. I'm enjoying it while I can!

Love ya!

 

It's Bailey Anne James who will be 3 months old this Friday, the 24th. She is just so darn cute and hilarious to watch. That first month it was like having a newborn/toddler in the house...about wore me out. We now have our little routine down and she has settled into the family dynamics. She is just a joy to watch. She loves being outside all the time. She chases moths and grass that is blowing and has now discovered a frog that gets on the porch every night, she just barks at that frog. She rarely barks which is nice, I didn't want a yapper!

I KNOW it has been sooooooooooooooo long since I have posted but life has just been a little busy. My sweet Kristyn has been home this summer, going to school, working and we have been planning the big event, her wedding. Her goal is to get everything done that we can possibly get done before she goes back to Fayetteville on August 20th. We have gotten so much done. We have her entire wedding ensemble and the bridesmaids dresses and shoes. We have picked out the flower girls dress. We have the chapel, the reception, the photographer, the cake, the flowers, there have been shower dates planned. It is just rolling right along. It is now less than 5 months away and I cannot believe it. It will be here before we turn around.

When Kristyn goes back to school its going to be really sad for me because that will mean she no longer lives with me. She'll come home for showers etc. and then when the semester is over, she will come home to get married. So surreal. I'm so happy for her and Mitchell but am shocked that this time has come. I want to enjoy every last minute I have with her.

Zach has been in Fayetteville this summer going to school and coaching the West Fork Sr. Babe Ruth baseball team. They came in 1st place for the season, won the championship tournament (I was there for this and it was so exciting!!!! The look on my boys face when they won that game was priceless.) He has now been the assistant coach for the allstar team. This past weekend they went to Jonesboro for the state tourny. They won all their games to become the state champs. How cool is that!!!!! He is done for the summer now. The team goes on to Texas but Zach cannot go.

I guess that is whats happening in my world right now. Hopefully, I will be back sooner to post. I'd love to get a laptop for my birthday, then I would be able to write a lot more!!! We'll see.
Have a great day!

Bailey!

Hi, everyone! It is Kristyn, I'm uploading pictures for "Granny Beth" (the name I decided me and Zach's children should call her...haha). I'm doing the pictures because "Beth" isn't so good at it :)


For Mother's Day this year we decided to get my mom a new puppy. She has made suggestions here and there of getting one...but I knew she would never go all the way... and buy one. So, I set out to find one...and man did I find some crazy people selling dogs. Anyways long story short...I found a lady in Crossett, AR on the internet here "PUPPIES". She was very legit and had a fresh litter of miniature dachshunds. I called her up on the phone and she had a female which is what we wanted. The puppy was chocolate and tan which is so beautiful and something we never had or seen before. She sent me pictures and I fell in love. But, the puppies would not be ready to leave their mom until May 29th. So I went to Petsmart and bought a collar, dachshund key chain, puppy bones, and a puppy toy. Wrapped all the goodies up in a cute puppy "paw" bag and pink tissue paper (because it is a girl) and got a "Congrats on the New Pet" card!
On Mother's Day Eve we sat "Beth" down and made her close her eyes. We placed the bag of goodies in her lap along with my lab top with a picture of the new puppy on the screen. She was so excited and loved her as much as we did. YAY!!
So, today we drove down to Crossett (2 1/2 hours) to see her and made a deposit.


As of today she is officially Moms and we are so happy. My mom also decided a while back if she ever got a new pup she would name her "Bailey"...so folks we got a "Bailey" and we will meet to pick her up to join the family officially on May 29th. It was a great time and she is so darn precious. I hope that "Granny Beth" is pleased and I know they will have fun times together! I love you MOMS!!

The puppies with their mommy (which is very PRETTY)!

Bailey just being...soo very cute! :)
Can you believe how tiny she is?


We love her so much already!!

p.s- If you want to see more pictures of Bailey click here "Beth"!

TO "G"

G,

You left a post on my blog about my friend Robin Wooten. I have no way of responding to you. I'm just wondering who you are.



Who was Robin's new best friend? Where did she work?



Are you the same person that responded a long time ago to my blog about Robin? I had sent that person an email back but never heard from them.

It's just so interesting to me how you found my blog and two people out here in blog land know the same person from so long ago.

I hope to hear back from you. I'm just being curious :)
b

Easter Weekend

Easter 2009!

Friday I went grocery shopping for the kids being h0me and for Easter dinner. When I got home I made a "from scratch" cream cheese pound cake that Zach loves. You bake it and then wrap it alum. foil for 24 hours before cutting. Oh my it is soooo good! I then made the batter for what I call TQ's sugar cookies. My friend TQ gave me the recipe years ago and this is the first time we made them. I put the batter in the frig. for us to make on Saturday. I also made all the easter baskets and hid them so I wouldn't have to do it while they were there!

Zach and Kristyn got home Friday night. We watched Doubt when they got there and just hung out together...love love love this time with them.

Saturday, everyone slept in. The kids are so tired when they get home for a weekend plus I think it just feels good to be in their own beds! We made sugar cookies on and off all day. I rolled out the dough and cut out bunnies, circles, eggs and ice cream cones ( I know these aren't easter but they are so cute). Zach and Kristyn did the decorating, well Kristyn did most of the decorating, Zach only decorated a select few and they were quite interesting. He decided one of the bunnies needed male private parts! BOYS! Kristyn and I also made the deviled eggs for Sunday. Saturday night, their dad wanted to take them to a BBQ place in Little Rock and the kids wanted me to go so I did. We had a good time.

Sunday, the three of us got up and went to church at 9:00. It was a good service and then left in the pouring rain. Got home and I finished up lunch while Kristyn set the table really pretty and made bags of cookies with ribbon for Mitchell, Susanna and her dad.

I invited Dave and his parents over for lunch so they could see the kids. Zach is torn when he comes home over who to spend time with and I don't want him to feel that way so I decided its easier for me to endure so that he can be comfortable and want to come home. All went well except some frustration inside of me.

We had...honeybaked ham, potato salad, green bean bundles, corn casserole, homemade macaroni and cheese, deviled eggs and rolls. I made strawberries in sugar to go with the pound cake for dessert and cookies of course. I divided all the left overs up and sent them with everyone so they wouldn't be left in my house. I love sending food back to school with the kids. For the first time at a holiday meal, I asked Zach to pray and he did. Touched my heart!

They liked their Easter baskets. I get them things they need and then add the kind of candy they like. Kristyn got perfume and a couple of bracelets, scarves and socks. Zach a shirt, socks, sunflower seeds and candy. Mitchell a shirt and sunflower seeds and candy. Susanna got dark chocolate, candy and socks.

Kristyn surprised me with a coffee cup made by the art students at UofA, its so unique, I love it. She put some candy in it and a charm that has the shape of AR on one side and a razorback on the other for my pandora bracelet.

We did a lot of laughing this weekend which I LOVE. Also, I had bought a tower of crayons and new coloring books. Both of the kids colored such pretty pictures. Its a tradition for us.

I so enjoyed having my kids at church with me and to be able to worship with them on this special Sunday of Jesus' resurrection. I am a blessed mom!