“I’m getting a baby. Another sister.”

Keegan shared this news from his dad’s house tonight. Although it’s too early to know, he seems resigned to having 5 sisters and isn’t going to even entertain the possibility of the baby being a boy.

Big Changes Are Coming

Sophie and Keegan are expectng a new baby next spring at their dad's house.  They are very excited. Keegan is really hoping for a baby brother. I hope he gets his wish. 

Big Guy gets Married

Sophie and Keegan extended their family even more this week when their dad and Sarah got married. She has been good to them and for them and I'm sure they are happy with this event. 

Soccer 2014

Soccer has come to an end for the year. This will be the last time Sophie and  Keegan are on the same team. From now on, it is a boys team and a girls team. They had a good year with their dad coaching them and of course, the all important medals made it all worthwhile.

Sophie's 8th birthday

In what can only be described as unbelievable news, Mamawland opened 8 years ago today with the birth of Sophie Grace.  This little girl brings sunshine with her everywhere she goes.  She is a true joy and I love her to pieces.  

She is having multiple birthday parties this year. We had a dinner here at home this week, with cake and presents. She went to Sky Zone Trampoline with her dad and then out for pizza.  She is having a party at her mom's tomorrow with a bounce house and a cotton candy machine. Today, I surprised her at school and whisked her away for lunch, which included of fried chicken and ice cream. Ice cream first, naturally!

Such a loved little girl.

Wesley Levels Up to 15

Wesley's very first picture I took of him when he was dropped off is on the left.  Today, we had his birthday lunch and he got all things Minecraft.  It's his favorite game and he was one happy miner.  Big Guy even made hand decorated wrapping paper, which Wesley put up as a poster in his room. 

Soccer time!

Benjamin is "playing" in a soccer tots league this year.  He loves it.

Big Guy is coaching Keegan's team this year as the original coach quit after the first practice.  Keegan is really enjoying having dad as his coach and Big Guy is really good at it.

 

Sitting on the bench isn't nearly as much fun as scoring.

This picture is of Keegan running to get his high fives after scoring his second goal of the day.  On the way back he's yelling, "Now I get 2 dollars!"  It was hilarious.

A near miss

Andi and Big Guy were camping last night with the kids when a storm blew up and they heard a tree limb fall about 1 in the morning.  This picture was taken this morning and right where the corner of the tent was where Sophie and Keegan were sleeping is where the tree limb fell.  Another foot and it would have hit them.  Thanking God today for His protection over them.

4 LONG years

Today marks 4 years since I held my daddy's hand as he left this world behind. So much has happened in that time.  Some of it  would make him proud, while other stuff would have broken his heart.

I miss him.  Every day.  There are times I still cry when I think about him.  Times when my first thought is "Daddy would have loved this." He's never far from my mind.

One day this week as Keegan and I took a little rest, I spent an hour telling him stories of Pappaw.  I told him stories of how we would go camping and roast marshmallows, fly kites, ride bikes, play army men and cards.  I told him how we would walk and hold hands, tell jokes and laugh at things together. I explained how I knew how to do so many different things because Pappaw had taken the time to show me. I told Keegan it didn't matter what we were doing, whether it was fun or not, I enjoyed it because I was with my daddy.

I told him how my daddy would take me with him places and we would have long talks in the truck,  play in the yard and work together on projects.  I told him how much he loved ice cream and animals.   And his family. 

I told Keegan about how much Pappaw loved him ~~ even though he only got to see him a few times, he loved him and always would.

Keegan, always intuitive, asked me if I still got sad that Pappaw lived with Jesus.  I explained that I was sad he wasn't here with me, but so happy that I knew he lived with Jesus and we would live together again someday.

He laid there quietly for a moment and then he said, "You know what, Mamaw?  Your daddy and my daddy are so much alike, I think they must have been brothers."

And you know what -- he's right.  Jacob is an amazing dad, he's patient and kind.  He's fun and loves to spend time with his family.   He makes them feel safe and they know he loves them.

We are so blessed to have him in our family and Sophie and Keegan are certainly blessed that he is their dad.

I know Pappaw would be proud of the man he has become.  I certainly am.

School lunch

Keegan loves to go to the little school down the street and surprise Sophie by having lunch with her. Today, when we went, we were both surprised because Big Guy was also there to have lunch with her.  Wednesday is chicken nugget day ~ pretty much always a sure bet.

It was funny for me to sit and just listen to all the little first grade boys telling Big Guy there were going to be cops and asking him all kinds of questions.

The things I go through to get a picture

with the adults of the group - the leaders, if you will. The ones the younger ones look up to for guidance in all things. This is why my pictures look like they do.

This is the picture I got when I asked them to lean their heads in together a bit.

 Which cracks them up so I get several like these.

 

 Till I tell them to get serious -- which leads to this.

 

And finally..they cooperate.  There's a reason I only try for pictures once a year!

I see a Red Ryder BB Gun in the near future

Not quite 5 years old yet, but Keegan went hunting today with his dad ~~ and loved it.  I'm not so sure how he will feel about reverting to Nerf guns tomorrow.

Blast from the Past

Here's a picture of Andi and Big Guy shortly after they started dating.  He was only 15, so she had to drive him around.  She was all of 16.

Happy 10th Anniversary

Ten years ago I watched two young, headstrong teenagers get married on a hot, August morning.  Jacob had turned 18 the week before, Andi had turned 19 earlier that month.

They had been engaged for almost a year, Jacob having come to me when he was barely 17 requesting permission to ask Andi to marry him.  He showed me the engagement ring he had purchased and in his eyes I could see the love and respect he had for Andi and I knew he would do everything in his power to make sure she was happy forever. 

There were some people that thought the whole idea was crazy. For one thing, Jacob had just started his senior year of high school when they got engaged.  So when they married, they were surrounded by a small group of family and friends who supported them. 

On that day,  I watched my daughter marry her best friend. I think it was one of the best decisions she ever made.

More photos from our family

I love this picture of Keegan - he looks like he is headed off for big adventures.