Happy Thanksgiving!

Today was a wonderful day! The weather was beautiful, my brother was home and my entire family was together. Nothing makes me happier! While Emmy and Nanny took a nap, John Robert and I went for a long walk. I showed him the places that I used to play as a child. We spent a little time at the creek just listening to it babble. We wound up on the swing where JR took a little cat nap. Granddaddy and Robbi joined us for a while. Three of my favorite fellows on one swing! I was in "hog heaven"! Things were so peaceful. For a while, I felt as carefree as when I was a child. I just sat there thanking God for the wonderful family that he has blessed me with and the peace and comfort that he provides me.

I always feel a little guilty around the holidays because there are people that have no family or food or comfortable home. Sometimes we take things for granted. I pray that God will bless those people and show me ways that I can help them if He would have me to.

I hope that everyone has had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Perhaps I will see some of you in the morning at 5am at Wal-Mart! (I know, I am crazy! I just can't pass up a bargain!)

Kids are such fun!

Emmy and Grammy and I went to Montgomery on Saturday for a girls day of Christmas shopping. Emmy has been wanting to go to Build a Bear so we took her. She wanted to make a turkey, but thankfully we talked her out of that one. She chose a monkey and named HER Freddie. Leave it to my child! She rode the Christmas train and the Carousel but backed out on seeing Santa.

Grammy gave John Robert a new hat that is absolutely adorable. I thought these pictures were cute even though he was wrestling with 2 new teeth that day was was rather out of sorts.

What would you do without family?

I am blessed to live next door to my parents and quite near Rob's parents as well. I don't know what I would do without my mother and mother-in-law to snatch me from the pit of incompetence from time to time. Like the other day, I had to leave for Alabaster at 6 am so Mother was going to take the kids to "school" for me. I laid out all of their clothes, down to socks and shoes. I had John Robert's bottles fixed and Emmy's chocolate milk in the fridge. I thought that I had made things as easy as possible on Mother and Daddy. About the time that I got to Montgomery, Mother called me to ask where JR's car seat was. AHHHHH it was in my car!!! She had a seat for Emmy and a base for JR but no seat! I called Elaine and she was already on her way to work, early and she said that she had put JR's car seat in her car the night before. God sure lined that one up perfectly because normally she would not have had his seat in her car. I'll tell you, I don't know how people with kids live away from their families. I know that you do what you have to do, but God knows that he needs to keep me close to our parents...for my children's sake :).

Anyway, I say all of this to say that no matter how hard you try, no one is perfect and everyone needs a little help from time to time. God reminds me all the time that he is watching over me and taking care of the things that I let slip through the cracks. What a wonderful God that gives you people to lean on and cares for you so! With all the other problems in the world, He still takes care of a little car seat mix up :).

Thanks Mom and Elaine. I love you guys more than you will ever know. I will never be able to repay all that I owe you!

Overdue Update

We have been so busy lately that I have not found the time to post. Here are some pictures of the Bulger Family Reunion and the Fall Festival at Red Oak. We had a wonderful time.



Princess Cinderella (she had to be Cinderella because her favorite color is blue)


John Robert the Sock Monkey with Heather



John Robert and Piper (how adorable!)




Emmy and her cousin Kaitlyn (boy are they into everything!)

The Mixson Family Weekend

We had a wonderful weekend. Lee, Kim, Kingston, and Zadie were at Gabby and Pop's. All four Mixson babies were together. If you think that two kids produce chaos, you should experience four! :) I wouldn't have had it any other way. You should try to get all four of them to look in the same direction and be presentable for a picture at the same time! Emmy and Kingston are 6 months apart and Zadie and John Robert are 3 weeks and 3 days apart. Although Zadie is older, JR is about 3 inches longer and at least 3 pounds heavier.

We don't get to spend nearly enough time with Lee, Kim, and the girls. We all have so much fun together. Next weekend, Emmy, Kingston, Aunt Kim, and I are going to Sesame Street Live in Panama City. Aunt Kim got tickets for Emmy and me for Emmy's birthday. The girls are so excited. I love to see them together! They have such wonderful imaginations and are so full of joy and life. There is never a dull moment with these two. Don't they look like they are up to something?? :)

Reflections of childhood

As I watch Emmy grow, I notice how quickly she is changing. She is so carefree. She is either incredibly happy (which is 98% of the time) or she is totally down (which never lasts long). As we leave Guardian Angel everyday, we pass by the "big kids" play ground and she always wants to play on it. I always say, "when you are a big kid, maybe you can." To which she responds, "but Mommy, I AM a big kid!" That made me realize, as a child, you can never wait until the next big milestone. Going to big school, riding a bike without training wheels, driving a car, graduation... Your family is all well and everything seems as if it will always be just as it is at that moment. As an adult, sometimes the milestones come at you more quickly than you are prepared for. Work, errands, and other commitments seem to make you long for the carefree days of childhood from time to time. I always look at it this way, things may be more hectic now and sometimes life is just down right hard, but I would never go back to the way things were at any other point in my life if I had the opportunity. I would not trade one moment with my husband and children for any of the happiest moments of childhood. Sure, I miss my grandparents who have gone on to be with the Lord, and I wish that my parents were in better health, but I know that God has a plan (Jer. 29:11). Love each person in your life as much as you possibly can. Hold them tightly each day, and thank God that he has blessed you with each moment that you have.

My precious family

My First Blog

Samantha Russell has been trying to get me to blog for the longest time and I have not taken the time to get started. Today I got an e-mail from Dawn that inspired me to start. Thanks guys for encouraging me. I am not promising how often I will post but I will try to stick with it. :)

Things have been rather crazy lately. Daddy just came home today from being in the hospital since October 1. Between working and going straight to the hospital in hopes of catching the doctor, I have been a little strung out. I have never felt so conflicted in all my life. I was torn between my Daddy (which if you know me at all, you know I am the biggest "daddy's girl" that there ever was) and my children and husband. If it had not been for my wonderful husband, I would not have made it through the past few days. He never complained about anything, just picked up my slack and kept right on going. He is such a blessing to me. I have come to realize that when you can't walk anymore, God will carry you. He sends people to love and support you in just the right ways.

Daddy's illness has brought about another issue. Where can John Robert stay? My wonderful mother has been so good to keep Emmy until she was almost 2 and now John Robert but with there becoming more and more doctor's appts. it is difficult to shift JR around. We have decided to put him in daycare full time at Guardian Angel. Emmy goes there and I have been nothing but pleased with the whole situation. They truly care about the kids and teach them Godly values. I am anxious to get him started.