It was NOT my cell phone!

It was Sunday morning worship as usual. The congregation had just gotten through singing a hymn. Our music minister felt the need to have a "moment of silence" in order for us as individuals to pray to God.

I had been having problems with my asthma that morning, typical coughing and such. And it was during this "moment of silence" that it decided to act up again. So I quietly left the pew, all the while trying not go into a coughing fit that sounded as though I was hacking up a lung.

Just before standing to leave the pew, somebody's cell phone went off. I didn't realize how it looked with me leaving the sanctuary as this person's cell phone rung during our "moment of silence". When I walked out of the sanctuary doors gasping for air, several of the ushers asked, "was that your cell phone?". Without hesitation, I answered, "most certainly not." "I may have an asthma attack during church, but I will not have a 'cell phone' attack."

Meanwhile, while it took a few minutes for me to get myself together and get over my coughing fit, the choir departed from the sanctuary as they normally do. Again, as they came around the corner several asked me if that was my cell phone. I repeated, "no, I was the one hacking up the lung, cell phone not mine."
After all was calm with my coughing, I proceeded back into church and enjoyed our sermon. When I sat down, Jeremy leaned over and said that it appeared as if it was my cell phone due to the timing of me leaving and the phone ringing. And sure enough, after the service as we departed to Sunday School, I had several people stop me and ask, "was that your cell phone."

I mean really, nobody seemed concerned that I was hacking up a lung and gasping for air. As one of the ushers left to go into the santuary, he looked at me and said, "you on your own". But oh my gosh, they sure wanted to know if it was my cell phone.

So to set the record straight, it was NOT my cell phone and I am doing much better with my breathing, but thanks for asking anyway.

Until next time, HB :)

the 3 Mop-ka-teers

One of the joys of staying home is that "Babbey" bka Abbey gets to come play with the boys. Yesterday, my sister had an appointment so naturally "Babbey" came to play. We played in the backyard and of all the toys we have that litter our yard, all 3 wanted to play with the mops. Ridicously so, I have 3 mops. I just bought a 4th to use inside because for some reason or another, these have worn out. If I could just teach them to use the mops properly in the house... It wouldn't take nearly as long if I had these "teenie moppers" helping.

Until next time, HB

Daddaw got new wheels

"Daddaw" aka Pappaw got new wheels this week and the boys got to try them out yesterday. We had been thinking about getting the boys a wagon, specifically a Radio Flyer, but I think this one may work even better. Especially when it comes to the budget. This one is less expensive and bigger than the Radio Flyer.

The boys had fun riding and zooming around Meme and Daddaw's driveway.

Daddaw pulling the boys down their driveway. BB enjoyed taking over the wheel.

Until next time, HB

Not all tubs are created equal

I must first thank my dad and JB for the hard work they recently did in remodeling MY bathroom. They both worked many hours and did their best in doing what I wanted.

You will probably think this blog is odd and silly but my new bathtub is worth the time to write about.

I grew up using a big, luxurious claw-foot bathtub with an incline on one end that allowed you to lay back and relax. The tubs in our previous house were not claw-foot, but did have inclines that allowed for the same relaxation. I never realized what a luxury it was having an incline to relax while soaking in a hot bath until we moved into this house and I started using the bathtubs. Neither tub had inclines, so if I wanted to lay back and relax, I had to break my neck. (side note for those who do not know...I have a herniated disk in my neck, so trying to relax in a tub without an incline literally felt like my neck was broken). Also the previous tub was so long that my feet didn't touch the other end. I had to tread water in order stay afloat which only add to the discomfort.

Well, if you notice in the picture above, I now have a tub with an incline. Just look at that beautiful incline, one that makes for such a relaxing bath. Oh, and another good thing, it's short enough that my feet reach the other end of the tub. Now I don't have to tread water in order to stay afloat. Makes me feel like a mermaid and I can truly relax...that is until I hear "Mama, Mama" outside the door.

Sorry, I don't have a picture of me relaxing in the tub...I'm sure you all appreciate that. Having said that, I will now go and relax in my new tub in MY bathroom.

Until next time, HB

The Memphis Blues had us Crying in Memphis

This past weekend, we joined some friends from our Sunday School on a trip to the Memphis Zoo.

I can sum up our trip with one phrase...fun was had by none---at least for our family.

We thought it would be best for us to travel up Friday night and stay in a hotel in order to keep us from having to get up so early on Saturday. Well, what a mistake. I would rather have gotten up early and gotten less sleep than the no sleep we actual got. In trying to save time, we lost sleep.

The boys were wired after traveling about 3 hours, so naturally they ran around screaming, playing, and having BIG fun in a little room.

I even bathed them thinking that would calm them down. It had the opposite effect which led to further disasters. The tub was so much shorter than ours at home, while I was getting CB out, BB crawled out and proceeded to run around naked. He even "hiked his leg" on the side table and peed all over it. They both laughed at the fountain of urine that continued to flow for what seemed like forever. Life seems to be in slow motion during incidents such as this. By the time I could make it to BB, he was through. And by the look on his face, I think was "sniffing" for his next marking.

You may wonder where JB was at this time. He had to go back out to the car to get somethings that he had forgotten.

Needless to say, none of us slept which made for a very fussy and whiney day at the zoo. CB cried to play in any water that puddled or pooled. Even if it was in the cages or exhibits. BB cried wanting an endless amount of goldfish to eat and to climb on the park benches. Both of which he could do at home.

After about 2 1/2 hours of this, we just packed up and headed back home. We didn't even take the time to change their diapers before heading out. People had begun to look at us as if we were one of the exhibits. I can't blame them, we do tend to be a "dog and pony show" everywhere we go. They were so tired that they were asleep before we pulled out of the parking lot.

Regardless of our outcome, our friends had a great time. You will notice that I have posted a few pics, well the only pics that we had a chance to take. These are pics just before the big meltdowns...notice it's plural.

We definitely left our mark in Memphis. Especially BB, FF Inn, room 322.

We have been talking about taking a short family vacation to the aquarium in Atlanta. We are re-thinking this idea...I think we will spare Atlanta and its hotels. Maybe the beach. I think they can handle us..they are used to hurricanes.

Until next time, HB

The highlight of the trip for CB, splashing in any water

The highlight of the trip for BB, climbing on the park benches.

Puddle Ducks

Last Tuesday, Madison had to drain the fire hydrants in our neighborhood due to a pipe busting (or something to that nature). Lucky for the boys, there is a hydrant across the street from our home. Since it was such a beautiful day, we went outside to be puddle ducks for awhile. The boys loved it. And I enjoyed watching them laugh and play.

Puddle duck, CB

Puddle duck, BB, had a look as if to say, "mama, is this a trick to get me in trouble?"

It's moments into memories like this that make me feel blessed to stay home with my boys. It was definitly the best gully washer I've ever had.

Until next time,

HB

It's fun to stay at the Y M C A

I blogged about this in February on Myspace and thought I would update ya'll with it on this site:

For my birthday back in February, JB gave me a membership to the YMCA. At first I was like "what are you trying to say to me?" But he actually gave it to me as a way to get out more. Remember, the twin thing kinda keeps at bay from the world.

I joined about 1 1/2 months ago. I am working with a personal trainer in order to have a program that fits my personal needs. Sounds good, huh? I think it's actually a program that allows your body to feel self inflicted pain.

My goal is to loose 15 to 20 lbs. Which I think is obtainable. I can't blame my pregnancy for my weight gain. I only gained 24lbs from that. I guess when you throw up 3 to 4 times a day for 9 months, it's easy not to gain. However, since I am not currently pregnant with daily vomitting and bulemia is not an ideal weight loss program, the only other option is exercise. Along with dieting.

I can't be too hard myself. Before I got pregnant, I had gained about 15 lbs due to hypothyroidism. And I never got the chance to loose that weight before I got pregnant.

So now is my chance. The boys and I will venture to the Y, hopefully 3 days a week. I will post my progress as a form of accountability.

Until next time, HB
PS. To this day, I have lost about 5 lbs. I will continue to keep you updated.

The Tragedy at Virginia Tech

I wrote this blog earlier during the week for my profile on myspace and thought I would post here, also:

The title of this blog is just that. I sit and try to come up with a title that describes my blogs or adds character. But what kind of character can you add to such a senseless tragedy.

I have always had a tender heart for people who experience such tragedy. Not because I can relate in any way but I guess just because God made my heart that way.

I remember sitting in my room as a little girl watching the tragedy of the California earthquake that killed so many on the bridge and just crying myself to sleep. Thinking about all the mamas and daddies that would not come home to their children. And thinking about the children that would not have their mama and daddies. I hurt for the children because I, too, was a child and couldn't bear the thought of loosing my parents. For awhile I asked my parents not to cross any bridges while traveling to and from work. This remains in my memory so vividly.

I remember watching beaten and bruised POW's from the Gulf War being televised by the Iraqi's as a prized trophy for all the world to see. I cried for their children that might have been watching their daddies or had parents fighting for me. I, too, had a daddy and couldn't imagine if that might have been he.

I remember watching the tragedy of 9-11 unfold, and once again crying myself to sleep. I was still that "little girl" only grown up and living in a much more realistic grown up world. In the bittersweet of growing up, I learned more about the realities of life. And for this tragedy I learned that I would grieve for new and different reasons. I grieved and cried for the victims' families. I still had parents so I grieved for the sons and daughters who lost their parents and again couldn't imagine that happening to mine. But for the first time, I grieved as a spouse. I had only been married about 9 months and found myself grieving in a new way. I grieved for the wives, husbands and fiances that lost the love of their life. I couldn't imagine if that had happened to JB. My heart hurt in a new way and I realized just how much you can loose in this grown up world.

In the wake of this tragedy, I find myself once again grieving as I did as a little girl, yet still in a grown up world. And again, I have realized and felt a different kind of hurt. One that I hope to never experience. One that would be the most tragic and most devastating of all. One that would wound the very core of my heart and life. I now grieve as a mother. My heart grieves and breaks for all the parents that received a phone call no parent would ever want. The phone call that ended the hugs, kisses, hopes and plans these parents had for their children. The phone call that delivered the worst of humanity and wounded the very core of their heart. And beyond the phone call, comes the actual heartbreak, a break that can never be fully healed, comes grief that will never fully end and the reality of loss that no words can ever describe.

I myself will soon have to send my children off to school one day, just like these parents did. They knew that this world is unsafe but never imagining they would have to experience the reality of this. Praying that their children will make the right decisions while away from the safety of their wings. Never imagining, I'm sure, that their life would end the way it did.

Now as I grieve as a mom, I realize more that life is not in my control. And that is the scariest thought I could have as a parent. We want to protect our children under our wings and to know that we will not always be able to do this gives me the most helpless feeling I have ever had. I also realize that I cannot always control what others do to my children. I love them so much and this tragedy only reveals the intensity of that love.

I also truly grieve for the parents of the shooter. What parents want their child to commit such an act and then to be remembered by it. His parents are also grieving. Possibly wondering what they did wrong or what they could have done. They, too, now have a tragic life to live. One, I'm sure they never thought they would have to experience.

Despite all the tragedy in this world, I could not end this blog without acknowleding that I find peace in my Savior, Jesus Christ. I don't have all the answers and I never will, but I know that God is God and I am not. He is still in control and He already knew all that has happened in this world and He knows the future. Some wonder why He doesn't "stop" it and why He allows it. I wonder the same, but I know that my mere wondering is far less than His control. He is more than I can comprehend. The best way to describe him that I have seen, is shown in the video on my profile. We live in a fallen world and because of that we sometimes suffer from other's sin. My most consistent prayer is that my children come to know Christ at an early age. Therefore, if God chooses to take them home before me..I at least have the assurance that there is eternity with them--which is far longer and better than life on this earth could ever offer.
Until next time, HB

There's a first time for everything

Well, I guess I will give this blogging a try. As they say, you never know til you try it. I have several friends who blog. Some just about their families, some about themselves, and some about issues pertaining to politics, religion, and sports. I currently blog on myspace profile and I found myself blogging about several topics. I have received many comments pertaining to each blog and thought I would try it through this website. More will have access to my world through this blog whereas, myspace only allows a select few.

I must forewarn some of you, you may come to know a different side of me or you may get to know me for the better (or for the worse) . I am a realist; therefore, you will read blogs from my "realist" point of view. I am not a superficial person therefore, my blogs will be about my life and the loved ones that I call family and friends. Some will be about my personal struggles and victories. Some will be about my husband and me and some will be about my family. A few might make you cry and some will make you laugh. However, they will all be from my heart.

I hope you enjoy the adventures of The Family Bond.