The Hawks

Update
The Hawk's made safely to Tennessee after driving really slowly due to the trailer attached...but discovered Jonathan's grandmother passed away today. What a sad thing to come home to, but I know they are glad to be with family. Please remember his whole family in prayer!

I am writing this post, not wanting to..because it means our dear friends Jamie and Jonathan are leaving E-town. This is the last weekend for them to be here..and I am not excited about it! She was reading my blog one day and I mentioned something she had done and she said, "Well, you could have mentioned my name, at least then I would be famous"! LOL..

Well, Jamie..you get a full post dedicated to you! Jamie started working at our school February of last year. She was an aide for special ed..and continued this year, even though she has her special ed degree..just in Tennessee and it is an act of Congress to get it transferred over. So how lucky were we to get a special education teacher to be an aide?!? I don't think we truly knew until we put her in place this year. There have been 3 special education teachers and two aides..one a certified elementary teacher..and the other Jamie..so we decided to take grades and it has been awesome..Jamie has done EVERYTHING for the 5th grade. She has worked so well with the teachers and they have spoke phenomenal things of her. I too have so enjoyed all her input and her dedication! I can only say I wish we had gotten closer sooner! This year, our families became close..and let me tell you, Brylee just loves them! She calls the Hawks, her "families"..secretly, I think Jonathan wants her to come live with them..ha ha..those two aggravate the mess out of eachother..and I KNOW Sophie, their puppy really wants Brylee to come. She is scared to death at times of Brylee..all though they have mentioned she is the only kid that she has ever really got close to. Jamie has helped me get through what could have been a tough school year..by telling me to remember to smile! And that is what I have done..we go to church together, eat together (She usually cooks, or we go to Santa Fe...he he). I can't even begin to tell you the funny stories we have, or the things she knows..I don't open up personally to a lot of people until you have completely won me over..and she is one of those people..one of those you find only a couple of times in life. She loves my child like she is her own and they are those good friends you hate to see go. But welcome to my new world of the military living...that is just part of it..and you hope that some day you all make a circle and come back to here..example..Jamie was living in E-town, born in Dothan and then her family moved to Saudi..she lived there for a very long time..went to school in Chattanooga and then got married and her mom moved to Murfreesboro..that's where they were and came here, back where she started..(hopefully, I got that all right)..and if all goes as planned..in 3 years they will be back here. Will we be here? Who knows...but I sure hope that if we are, we will pick up just where we left off! We are definitely going to miss them..and miss her calling to get peroxide or borrow our mixer..and I will definitely miss just popping over to approve a dress or borrow a key to get in the classroom..because I don't know where one of my 15 keys is! But I know that the same God who watches over me here, will be there with her and Jonathan and taking care of them just the same..and I know that He will answer ALL of their prayers..(IN HIS TIME)! We love you 2 so much, and thanks for being a part of our lives!

From time to time we straighten Brylee's hair to see how long it has grown..well, a lot since last time! Here it is April 26, 2009. Excuse the nakedness..she just got out of the bath and excuse the mattress..she took the covers off to jump better! She really loves her hair straight..she loves how it hangs down her back and how can move it so freely..too bad Mommy is not a professional! I am sure that SOME day when she is old enough to really want it, we will eventually wear it straight some..just don't want the curls to go away permanently!!!







We also got to play outside in the sun this weekend..it was warm enough to get in the sprinkler too! Here are a few pics from Saturday! Again...I love the curls!!!

"Campaign for Petey"..Will You Help?

Good afternoon Friends!

I am starting something that I hope you will join me in. My Uncle Petey is still in the hospital. He has been in the hospital since Feb. 5th..May 5th will be 3 months of him lying in a hospital bed with a ventilator, trach and at times completely out of it. He is improving, but is not well enough to come home. I can't even imagine what he is feeling or is going through. Until this week, he was only able to communicate with his eyes and the nodding of his head. He is such a trooper and is really fighting the fight of his life and we are so proud of all he has done so far..and totally confident that with prayers, his strength and determination, and with God's miracle business, he will make a turn around. When he first got to Birmingham, I sent him 3 balloons..(they are still floating) and he loves them..especially the one that sings "Don't Worry, Be Happy"...when mom and dad are there, he will point to it and want it to play and start smiling. He is becoming more aware of his surroundings and has been pushed around the hall today in his mobile bed. God is so good and the progress he is making is amazing.

So, here is what I wanted to start.."Campaign for Petey"..since he is becoming more aware, I really want him to see and know how many people are thinking of him and praying for him. I know they are there, because they are working...and I just want him to feel the love through cards or letters. I would be so happy if you as my friend would take a moment and find a card for him..(if it sings, it would be great)...and for him to start receiving mail and letters to encourage him. My family is rotating visitation days and I know that they would be more than happy to read them to him..and it will make him smile. It doesn't matter if you don't know him...just let him know prayers are going up! I will really appreciate it if you take a moment out of your day to do this...in fact, if you are a card person, a card a week would be even better. I know I am about to go stock up and keep them coming to him!

After all..laughter is so good for the healing of the body! Thanks in advance!!! And I can't wait to see his room filled with the love from you my friends!!!

Trinity Medical Center
c/o David Whitehead Room 910
800 Montclair Road
Birmingham, AL 35213

I will Rise

I know..2 posts in one day..but I so wanted to share our Easter choir special..this song truly touches my heart and I tear everytime I hear it! That's our awesome choir director Bro. Darin!

"An anchor for my soul...I can say it is well..Jesus has overcome and the grave is overwhelmed"...whoo..that's shouting ground!

Sing With Me....

Just had a song on my heart tonight..and wanted to share the lyrics..sure most of you know it..so read it and let the song get into your head..you know where you just can't quit singing it!!!

"Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things." Philippians 4:8 NASB

The splendor of a King,
Clothed in majesty
Let all the earth rejoice,
All the earth rejoice
He wraps himself in light,
And darkness tries to hide
And trembles at his voice,
And trembles at his voice

How great is our God,
sing with me
How great is our God,
and all will see
How great, How great
Is our God

Age to age he stands
And time is in His Hands
Beginning and the End,
Beginning and the End
The Godhead, Three in one
Father, Spirit, Son
The Lion and the Lamb,
The Lion and the Lamb

How great is our God,
sing with me
How great is our God,
and all will see
How great, How great
Is our God

Name above all names
You are Worthy of all praise
and My heart will sing how great
Is our God

We have had a blast! We left out Friday and headed to Baton Rouge..Yes, we are LSU fans..if you didn’t know! We love some purple and gold…T-I-G-E-R-S…I have honestly never really cared for football growing up..although my Daddy and the majority of my family have always been Alabama fans..I remember always going against him..which is crazy..b/c I adore him..but it always made things fun. When Kenny and I married..I decided pull for LSU..they just happened to win a National Championship in 2007, which is why I have been accused of “jumping on a bandwagon”. Yes..I did..the bandwagon of love! Because if they don’t win, then I don’t have a very happy husband. I love the team. We got to meet most of the players, and I just love the Cajun Spirit..on game day and their attitudes after. So, to end up our spring break, we decided to make a quick trip down and go to a few LSU sporting events. We had a pass that if you went to 4 of 6 sporting events this weekend, you got a free t-shirt. Wow, what we will do to get a free t-shirt!



We went to a baseball game on Friday night, Softball on Saturday, grand opening of the Tiger Shop, and the LSU spring game on Saturday evening. It was jam packed, but we had a blast!!! LSU’s baseball team is currently #1 in the nation and we enjoyed watching them play Tennessee..Those balls were flying and out of the park. The score was 18-3! On Saturday morning, we headed up to the stadium to hit the store..We all bought a few items and got to see Mike the Tiger in his $5 million habitat! He was massive huge..and he is just a cub! Brylee got a mermaid balloon and a sweet lady drew her picture.










After that, we headed to the softball game to watch LSU girls take on #1 ranked Florida. Unfortunately LSU lost both of those games..couldn’t touch Florida’s picture. According to my cousin, Jessica, the first string picture is an all American and the second string has never lost a game in college! It was very fun to watch and brought back a lot of memories..(Definitely not that I was college material, but sure did enjoy playing softball). Since we weren’t dressed for the spring game, we had to go back to our hotel, which was downtown by the mighty Mississippi River, and get dressed. I love a good hotel! Let me tell you..dinner delivered to the room, valet parking, comfy beds and pillows, clean up while we are gone..and free internet! I could go and just stay in the room sometimes! Spring game here we come..traffic was NOTHING like we have experienced on game day before, but definitely packed, so Kenny let us out with my cop friend to wait while he parked.





I say my “cop friend” because we first met in Atlanta. He was an official cop with the team to “protect” them from crazies like me! He He! I would follow him around with my camera and he would give me insight on which way the team would come or go..and all their secrets! Yeah RIGHT!!! I begged but he wouldn’t dare let it slip…he just laughed at me and never made me leave him alone. When we saw him, I just knew he would remember me! And he did! He just busted out laughing and told me I had just missed Les Miles! Spring game was much fun and Brylee was in “Tiger Heaven”. She got her picture made with a couple of cheerleaders, so she was very happy!





Notice Brylee is prepared for the rain that did NOT come..had I not been prepared, it would have rained like it had never rained before! LOL



After we got our free t-shirts, we met up with a guy Kenny is friends through some LSU tiger site. He works there and Kenny has given him a few insights on some players. He was very nice and they were glad to meet up in person. After we headed back to the hotel and ordered in for a picnic as Brylee called it. Called it a night around 11..ha or so we thought! At about 1:30, they announcement came on that an alarm had been set in the building to evacuate not using elevators!!!! My first thought was “TORNADO”..don’t ask why..I guess because of so many lately, and because it was storming outside..but then I remembered, why would we go outside for a tornado? So, we get up, throw shoes on, grab a sleeping Brylee and head down 7 flight of stairs along with a lot of other frazzled hair, bad breath, occupants! Did I mention it was raining? Well, it was and it was a cold rain coming off the river! Kenny says, “Remind me to tell you something when we get back up”..the announcement is made that it was a false alarm..which could be a good thing..we get to go back to our room..but why was it a malfunction? Did someone pull it, or is it not working? We head back up and Kenny just bursts out laughing! He tells me the story which is a proof of “WHAT GOES AROUND, COMES AROUND”!!! Apparently, when Kenny was at Mercer University, he and his roommate thought it would be “funny” to pull the fire alarm of another dorm..and it too was raining outside! He and his roommate watched from their dry and warm dorm as hundreds of boys went running outside! Can you believe this??? I know if Ms. Reba is reading, she is not shocked! So, in all actuality, I was getting Kenny’s payback! LOL




We had a pretty uneventful night after that..and got some much needed rest before the long journey home on Sunday. Brylee has had car sickness issues since she was about 1…a gene she inherited from her daddy’s side of the family. So we finally got the go ahead from the doctor to give Benadryl while young and then eventually go to Dramamine. Brylee gets her half pill of Dramamine about 30-45 minutes from when we are about to leave. Apparently, it didn’t get in her soon enough as we were leaving Baton Rouge..within about 15 minutes, she was throwing up. Yuck! What a way to begin a 6 hour journey home. Once she was done, she was done and wanting to eat! So, we stopped and got some food and then headed on to Enterprise. Traffic was really not bad and we had a great ride with no rain..which was surprising, because we just knew we would hit all the storms that were coming.

Made it home to CLEAN carpet I might add! We had Joe from “Abracadabra” come clean on Thursday before we left..and he does a fantastic job! If you ever need your carpet cleaned, we TOTALLY recommend him!

Back to work tomorrow…but only a few more weeks and it is SUMMER!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY DIDDY!!!! Tomorrow will be my Daddy's birthday! If you know me, you know I love my Diddy! And you know that he is a big part of my world..we often talk about 2-3 times a day! I have always been a diddy's girl and have the utmost respect for the man. I won't blow him up too much on here, b/c he will say..don't say all of that..he is such a modest man and takes no self credit. He always pretends to be fine and always does for others never putting himself first. That is just fact! I think if you ask anyone who knows him would say the same..for his 50th birthday, we had a fake funeral. It was a pretty neat idea..kinda weird now that I look back on it..but it was a very neat way to see what it might be like someday..and very funny! Daddy didn't know what was coming. Slideshow, preacher, singers, hearse..you name it..I only wish I had a few pics to put on here..(it was before my digital days)...Every since my daddy's accident back in 2005..I have always had the fear of losing him..and so with every birthday, I totally thank God that he is still here with me, mom, Brylee and Kenny..Brylee loves her Poppa..he is the Poppa that gets down in the floor playing and never tells her no! She loves when Poppa and Nenne are coming to visit! She knows it will be a very special time! So, on this day, I hope he has a HAPPY BIRTHDAY..and knows how much he is loved, appreciated and cared for! Here are a few pics I wanted to share of him! We just love him!

Please Pray

A prayer request:
UPDATE David is in ICU..and is talking and knows everyone..God is so good..I was so happy to hear he came through great! Thanks for praying!

UPDATE: Just found out David is having his surgery today (Tuesday)..so please say extra prayers for him!


David Burnett: He is the father of a dear, dear friend of mine and Kenny's. Molly graduated with Kenny and she has always been a wonderful friend. Her father found out last week that he has a rare, but aggressive brain tumor and it is devloping fast. He is in Birmingham and is scheduled for surgery sometime next week. Please keep this whole family in your prayers..her mother and I worked together too while I was at Collins..and I just think a lot of this whole family..and I know they would appreciate you lifting their family up!

Easter 2009

Happy Resurrection Day! Well, our Easter has been quite different than any other Easter we have had..first thing..we had no Easter outfits..not because we couldn't afford it, not because we didn't want any..just because we haven't had time to get anything and because when I decided to go look yesterday at the 2 shops we have in Enterprise, there wasn't anything..and nothing I wanted to stand in line for along with all the other last minute Easter dress shoppers. So, we decided we would make due with what we had and it was just fine! This Easter holiday started out with Brylee getting a package from Nanna..it was the biggest doll I had ever seen and a pink bunny who dances and sings..So funny..what was more funny was the reaction I gave when I came in and saw it laying on my bed..and I thought it was a person! Brylee loved it and Kenny was fortunate enough to catch it on video. She was so excited. .
Next my parents popped in. They brought Brylee a few goodies as well. She always loves to have visitors in the house..and if it is Poppa and Nenne, she is super happy! We spent the weekend at the park for Saturday morning..she participated in the city egg hunt and found a few eggs. We went to the Waffle House for breakfast..mom and I got our toes done, Dad and Mom took Brylee to the Fun Factory..came home and everyone napped. We then all took naps. When Poppa woke up, he had a surprise waiting on him in the kitchen..we had ice cream and birthday cake, because his birthday is next week. Then we took a trip back to the park for Brylee to ride her bike..supper at Santa Fe..that was so much fun! Today has been a great Sunday..we woke up to Brylee's fun surprises left by the Easter Bunny. We had a great time..Poppa and Brylee played with Barbie and her dog..and the puzzle..then unfortunately they had to leave. They were headed back to Bham to check on Uncle Petey..Brylee kept saying she wanted to go check on "Little Petey".. It was tear jerking to say the least..and Brylee was not happy to see them leave, but she calmed down a few minutes later. On a side note..he seems to be doing somewhat better..he loves the balloon we sent him..and had dad and mom play it over and over today..it sings "Don't Worry..Be Happy"..he wants to tell them things so badly but can't..I can't wait until he can talk again! We all began to get ready for church..and I started feeling super bad..I still have this cold mess and a little worse than before..going to the doctor tomorrow..I have got to shake this stuff! I was completely ready and decided not to go and let Brylee and Kenny go without me..after they left, I started thinking geesh..it's Easter..resurrection day..I am not staying home..so I put my clothes back on and got to church just in time to walk in with Kenny..so glad I went..songs were awesome, message was awesome and the spirit was there..and I only coughed once or twice..that was God Himself..trust me! Again..glad I went and didn't let the devil stop me from going! Here are a few pics from the weekend..and today..I hope everyone had a great day!