Cleaning, Cleaning, and more cleaning

Well, I've been cleaning house all day and reorganizing my closet and dressers. I have gotten rid of some old clothes and almost finished all the laundry. Hopefully by tonight or in the morning I will be able to say that "every stitch" is clean. I do this every year before school starts back. It makes it much easier for me to get everything in order. Then I do in again at the end of the winter season. I know that our lives are soon going to be very hectic with me starting back to school, finishing my grad work, and Scott starting training to be a firefighter. I am preparing myself as early as possible so that I won't be so overwhelmed. We are really going to have to rearrange our schedules. Scott will be going to work much earlier than he did at the previous job. But the good thing is he'll be home earlier (hopefully). The training has 2 sides: the physical side which I'm sure will be very exhausting and then the mental/academic side which will also be exhausting and challenging. It will be like having two full-time student/workers in the house. The good news is that this will all be temporary. He will finish all of his training by the end of the year and I will finish grad school by June 2010. Pray for us as we embark on a new journey. We know this is all part of God's plan.

How we're doing....

My sweet little girl is growing up fast. She is 33 in. tall and weighs 25 1/2 pounds. I took her for the 2 yr checkup on July 10th. She was sooooo good at the doctor's office. I can't believe she is 2! She is an absolute blessing to all of us. Her vocabulary continues to blossom. She can really talk BIG now. She counts and sings her ABC's with a little help. We are working on potty training to finally rid ourselves of pull-ups. She is doing well considering all the inconsistencies that the summer has entailed with my Grandaddy's care. We are hoping to establish a sound routine before she goes back to Grandmomma and Grandaddy's house. Sadly, school starts back in a couple of weeks. I wish I could stay home with her a little longer. Just so I could hear her say. "Momma, lets snuggle," at naptime. She is always HAPPY with a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye. She's a charmer and has a personality that is out of this world. Scott says she's just like me. I am flattered and humbled. Especially that after almost 9 years together he still feels this way. We are truly best friends. Time has strengthened us and our marriage. Simply put, we just enjoy each other. We have fun, no matter what we're doing. He has put in his 2 week notice and will finish this job next Friday. Tomorrow, we go for orientation and he begins firefighter training on August 3rd. We are excited about the changes but we know that they will take some getting used to. The schedule will be the toughest for us and Raegan to get used to but it will be worth it. I am so proud of him and I love him with all of my heart.

A tribute to Grandaddy

Listening to the humming of the tractor

as the disc hits the ground,

he opens the earth to a new day

where life can be found.

With every hour he plows the dirt

and takes hold of the wind,

leading him back to his childhood

to remind him of where in life he has been.

As he plants the seed...

it reminds him of how he has grown from a child.

The words from the Lord told him

the pasture that he should sow.

The love and care from his family,

was the water that helped him grow.

As he sprouted up to a man,

the crops began to grow.

With each field he gave to the Lord,

the more blessings God would show.

As the fields turned into acres,

the Lord sent people his way,

to help him with the blessings

and prepare for the harvest day.

Little did he know that every soul that was sent his way,

a tiny seed was planted in their hearts and that's why we're here today.

The Lord has called him up for the harvest,

and it's time for him to take his rest.

The memories of fields, overalls, and diesel tractors

are the ways I will remember Mr. Thomas the best.

----Mary Joy Simmons (friend and neighbor)

Happy Birthday, Sweet Girl!

Our sweet baby girl turned 2 today! Raegan, we are so glad that you enjoyed your special day with family and friends. You all had so much fun in the kiddie pool, slip n' slide, and the swingset. Raegan we are so proud of you. We love you more than you'll ever know.

Love,

Momma and Daddy

5:15 am

Grandaddy went to be with Jesus this morning. Please pray for healing for our family during this time of grief. We have peace knowing that he is safely in our creator's arms.