Looking Back.....

I have been thinking a lot lately about when I first got pregnant with my first daughter April. I was so young and had no idea what to do to prepare my 18 year old self for a baby. Me and Boogs didn't have a "pot to pee in" as they say. But by the grace of God we became parents to a sweet newborn baby, that we just had to learn as we went to take care of our new bundle of joy. Our whole outlook on life changed in an instant! Our life revolved around taking care of and loving this new baby. We had no time to think of anything else. Looking back now I wonder how we did it. We lived in a one room studio apt. that had a bathroom and a kitchenette but somehow that was enough at that time. I don't even remember wondering to myself if we would ever live anywhere bigger! We were surrounded by family and that seemed to be enough at the time. But of course we did move to a bigger place and we did have another baby and then we went through some pretty difficult times, divorced and then our Mighty God brought us back together. I know that our journey was tough and I used to be embarassed to tell our story but as I have grown older I feel like it's a love story and I don't care who knows about it and I want to tell the world!!!!

I guess all this has been on my mind so much because BreeAnn will be having a baby of her own soon and she will be going through something similar to what me and her daddy went through and what I mean by that is that she is so young. I know her world has been turned upside down in an instant. I pray she never gives up. I want to encourage her to always focus on her little family, to lean on God to get her through tough days and to always make it her priority. I lost my focus on my marriage and just didn't want to work hard at it and gave up to easily. I pray that she and Will not let "giving up" or "failure" be an option, that they will always dig deep and remember what brought their sweet family together.

April and Brandon will be traveling next week to Taiwan to meet their son, our grandson Harrison and bring him home for us to have the chance to show him all the love that our family will be showering him with. It is so surreal to me that my first daughter will be a mother to this sweet boy. I so remember so well the day she was born. When they handed her to her daddy she was wide eyed and looking around then sneezed. It was just like she was excited to be in this world and couldn't wait to explore. And that is just how she is today. She loves to explore, loves to learn, and loves everyone!!! I have said so many times that I wonder who and where she got all that energy from!! So, April I love you so much and you have made me and daddy very proud. We may not have had a lot of material things while you were growing up but I hope that you felt the love that we have for you. I pray that you and Brandon have a safe flight over and that when you meet sweet Harrison that you will feel all that love that we had and have for you. Be safe and I love you very much.

I know I take my husband for granted sometimes and I know I don't do this on purpose. I am so lucky to have a husband that is selfless, encouraging, patient and most of all loving. He is a great dad and papa, a hard worker and loves life. I love him more today than ever!! We may not have much in the way of material things but what God gives us everyday in blessings with such great and loving children and grandchildren, our home, job, and the best gift all, of knowing that we all have the chance to to be or become one of His children at no cost is enough.

So I lift up all my children to Him and ask that He will watch over and protect them during their exciting new journey that He is taking them on because all my chilren are on journeys right now and I hope they will take advantage and make it count so one day they can all look back and say " Wow I made it!!! I made a difference!!!!! And my life has meaning!!!! And I never gave up!!! What a story that will be for my grandchildren one day.

Ok, I'm gonna post this now. I feel like it's all over the place but it's my blog so here goes.......