Home Is Where The Heart Is...

Well, we're here (okay, at the moment, I'M here...the kids are with their Dad..) and we're pretty well settled in. So far, the kids and I are loving it down here. So many friends, so much to do, and of course being with family definately doesn't hurt, either! This is home, now. Jordyn told me the other day, "Mommy, I'm really glad we're going to live here now!" And, truth be told, so am I! It made me so happy to hear her say those words, so I know that she is content and truly happy with the changes I'm making in our lives. It's hard to know what is right, sometimes, and though I felt in my heart that this was the best decision for the kids and I, it was very nice to hear her say it.
As the old saying goes, 'Home Is Where The Heart Is.' This is so true, but I want to elaborate. Home IS where the heart is, but you know as well as I do that your heart is capable of being in more than one place at a time. Just think... you have your first child and you think that there is no possible way you could ever love another baby/person/child as much as you love this one. This child is/has such a huge part of your heart that you feel like there's no way you can extend that amount of love to another. However, along comes baby number 2, and low and behold, you love that child just as much as the first. It's like your heart just expands to encircle the 2nd child as much as the 1st.
My hometown will always be just that - my HOMEtown. My parents, brother, aunts, uncles, grandma, cousins, friends, etc etc etc are still there. Each of those people hold a significant part of my heart, and always will. That being said, there is a HUGE chunk of my heart that will always belong in that town. That will always be home to me.
Our new town though, my sister, brother in law, nephews, and lots of new friends are here. Plenty of people that already hold yet more pieces of my heart. This is definately home now, and will be for the forseeable future, at least. But should the day arise that we feel it's time to move on, there will always be a part of hearts here. This will always be home in some way, also.
We're home, and we're happy, but we'll NEVER forget our roots and where we came from! :) We miss all of you back home, and we'll be around this weekend for the county fair! Hope to see as many of you as possible!!! Love you all!!!

7 1/2 Weeks Later...

This is now about 7 1/2, almost 8 weeks since Drew had his tubes put in. I'm not going to mess with putting a link back to the post of him talking "before tubes" (sorry!!) but there is one in June. His surgery was June 17, so somewhere just before that, if you want to compare. I'm so excited about how far he has come, and the progress he has made. He amazes me every day, and I'm still in utter disbelief of the job those Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny tubes do....what a change they make, what a total difference!!! He feels better, he's happier, he TALKS to us!!! Unreal, absolutely unreal! Anyway, I took this video tonight, and even though I said no more posts, I had to share! :) Enjoy, and we'll post soon from our NEW HOME!

On Our Way...

This is such an exciting time for us. This weekend, the kids and I will be packing up our clothes, necessities, SOME toys, and heading south. We're moving!!! We'll be moving in with my sister, brother-in-law, and my 2 {and 1 on the way!!!!!} nephews! My (soon-to-be, but not soon enough) ex-husband and I had actually considered the move when we were still together, but couldn't make it work. Once we split, this thought has weighed heavily on my mind. Our current town is very special to us. We are super close to my parents, the kids father and his family {this is important for the kids - not so much me!} and some very good, supportive friends. Although I have weighed this for a couple of years now, the timing couldn't be better. There really is not a question in my mind that this is the direction we're being led. Short of big, bright, blinking arrows and a voice over a loudspeaker, every sign is saying go. We'll miss our current home, neighborhood, and the closeness of those around us. We won't miss the constant reminders of the past or those that try to bring us {ME} down. Once we get settled, my oldest nephew and Jordyn will be starting preschool, and I'll drive them there, and pick them up. I'll keep Drew and my younger nephew at home, saving the money spent on childcare for myself and my sister. I'll be getting registered for classes, most likely online as much as possible, soon. I have yet to decide what I want to go back to school for, but I know for certain I need/want to go back. There are those that succeed in life without a degree. There are many, many people making lots, and Lots, and LOTS of money with no degree. However I'm not naive enough to believe this is the norm! I don't want to forever depend on others to support my family. I have for long enough, and I'm forever indebted to many of my closest family members and friends. I appreciate so much the help, support, and graciousness we've been shown in the past few years, however it's time that I take the bull by the horns. The financial aid is there, the timing is right, and I'm ready. I never want to be stuck in a position where I feel I've reached the top of the ladder. The sky is the limit, and damnit I want to climb higher!!! Jordyn is super excited to live with her cousins, aunt, uncle, and of course Oliver (the dog!) and she's absolutely stoked that we'll be playing such a huge role with baby #3! I'm excited to become even closer this part of my family, and the friends I've already made in that area. Jordyn already has met lots of kids she'll get to play with and spend loads of time with. Although it'll be an enormous adjustment for everyone involved, I wholeheartedly believe this is what is right for us. The kids will still see their dad often, and I'll be in a position to better life for all 3 of us. I can't wait to be able to stand on our own and know that we've made it. This will be the last post you see for awhile as we get moved and settled, but we'll be back with a vengeance! ;) Wish us luck, say a prayer, or flip us the bird....whatever you want to do as we drive away is fine.....but look out new neighborhood.....HERE WE COME!!!!!!

suMmer =

SUMMER =

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Evening Walks In The Sunshine!!

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We love to go for walks!

With Grandma (above)

With Mommy

In the wagon

At the cemetery

Down the road

With our microphones

Singing Bibleschool Songs!

Lovin Us Some Summatime!!

Out Of The Mouths Of Moms!

I took this from MckMama - her blog link is on the right-hand side of my page. Love it!

• "Yes, you have to wear your shoes into Wal-Mart. Because that's the rules!"

• "Please don't wipe your mouth on my shirt!"

• "Why would you put ravioli in your hair?"

• "Please don't put your toothpaste on my shirt!"

• "Sure you can pretend I'm not your mom, but you still need to call me Mom."

• "Because you don't have any clothes on, that's why! The neighbors don't appreciate you going outside in your underwear, and Mommy doesn't either. Well, that's fine, but you have to put clothes on first!"

• "Thanks, buddy, but I can wipe my own bottom."

• "Sweetie, please make sure you always wipe before getting off the potty!"

• "No, elephants and gorillas won't come in your room when you're sleeping. Because they don't live here. Probably in Africa. Yes, or the zoo."

• "Please don't pull your dress down in front of people. Because that's the same as pulling your shirt up. No, people don't need to see your boobies, and lets not use that word, ok?"

• "Please take the leash of your brother!"

This too shall pass....

Most of you know, as of yesterday, I no longer have a job. As upsetting as that was, I'm looking to the future. I don't want to be around people that don't care about my best interests or my well being. I don't want to be another number. I've been working very hard to re-learn who I am, and I want to surround myself with others who appreciate ME. I will not dwell on hardships, or ask WHY ME? It's not worth the time or the energy. I will be MUCH better off, and I will be HAPPY. All the money in the world can't buy happiness (although it does by things like food, and toilet paper..) and I'll be just fine. WE'LL be just fine. Because, see, I don't care how rough and bumpy the road may be, I'm going to keep on focusing on the destination. The hills we already went over?.....those are BEHIND us. Sure, there will be plenty more hills and bumps and rough spots ahead. Probably even some sticky situations since other people like to 'spit their gum' right in your path just to watch you squirm. That's ok! That's LIFE! And as I keep on walking, that gum will get covered in dirt and will lose it's stickiness. Those bumps will even out, the hills will spread into wide open fields. And that's when we'll know we're there. We're HAPPY. And everything is FINE! :)

Hut

Tonight, I picked the kids up from the babysitters, and headed straight out to dinner! Just the 3 of us, we went to Pizza Hut. They actually did pretty great, aside from Drew telling the little boy at the next table "No!" repeatedly...

All for me?! I'm up for the challenge...

My tummy is hungry, Momma!

And she FINISHED it!!!!

He didn't...he colored...

Might have even considered coloring his sandwich if Momma wasn't sitting right there...

Off to the zoo in the morning...Love summer weekends!!!!