Struggle...

Every day is a struggle...
I believe that whole heartily and anyone that says otherwise doesn't have a wife/husband to come home to, a child or children to love and take care of, a job they are responsible for or answer to a single soul on this earth in one way or another. Struggles are what make us stronger- what show us right from wrong, good from bad and love from lust. Anything made easy...is never worth what it may seem.
Life is a struggle...
Every day we are struggling to survive- struggling to reach for that alarm button and snooze for the final and fifth time that morning...struggling to get ready, dress your kids, send them to school all without miss placing a lunch or forgetting today was picture day or saying I love you before you speed of to your job. A trial to make your month end quota, outshine that peer striving for the same promotion as you- the one you know could "make your life so much easier".
Love, is a struggle...
One of the first an most important things anyone can teach you about love, is that its a struggle. Whether its to love your best friend unconditionally, your children as they disrupt Sunday service with screams of "he did it!, NO she did it!?!", your husband as he works late into the night, coming home with out even a hello or goodnight marching his worn tired body into bed after the shower he's spent more time with that week than you. Love is forever a struggle....but if it wasn't- would you want it? Would you work so hard and put in so much just for- like?
Health is a struggle...
If you just sit for a moment one day, and realize all that goes into you just being able to sit...to do one solitary thing- you will then realize your faith in God. Running, and playing, walking, sitting, eating, kissing, hugging- so many struggle and fight for their lives everyday, in one way or another. Your heart struggles to beat blood to your entire body as you stretch its limits, testing it to its very core-when others...don't have a heartbeat at all. Life is so fragile and yet so many take it for vantage. There are so many wonderful people in this world, with loving hearts and helping hands who die, who's love ones parish from the incautious mind of a drunk drive, who's children never had a fighting chance to survive their "high risk" pregnancies, or their traumatic births. Health and life, should never be taken lightly.
Appreciation is a struggle...
Being happy with what you have, finding joy in the end of every day that brings new beginning to the next, is a struggle. Saying thank you when it's needed, sending cards that you know can brighten a day or even a moment. Holding hands and falling in love, the miracle birth and lives of your children- whether through your body or another, your beauty inside and out, even when we have bad days we should try to find a way to appreciate the fact that we can feel that emotion...that as bad as it may seem at that very moment, there is always potential that life could be so much better, and yet so much worse as well.
Faith is a struggle...
To believe in God, you could say is easy...but to have faith in God will try your very soul. I don't believe anyone can truly appreciate or love God unconditionally with words from a book or songs from a hymn. Love and faith come hand in hand- to love something, you have to have a personal connection. An experience that makes your eyes open and your heart wonder...but, everyday God gives you that opportunity. He shows you greed, he shows you hate and war and sorrow and then...he shows light, and hope, and life, breathing, and growing...he opens your eyes to new and amazing things that only he can provide for you. YOU are alive because of HIM...because of his struggle, his sacrifice....his appreciation for the human race...

So, in the end....whats not worth a little struggle??

Happy 4th Birthday John-Mark!!

Today (well really May 10th...today was just the party!) is my son's 4th birthday!! Happy birthday big boy, Mommy and Daddy love you SO SO much and can't believe how much you've grown! I hope you remember in later years, how much you loved your party the gifts and spending time with all the special family and friends that came! We rented a HUGE water slide, had pools and games and tons of yummy treats for everyone to snack on- it turned out to be quite the event (even if the jumper showed up an hour late ;-) ...hey, we roll with the punches around here!)











BIG thanks to Granny for being the glorified photog. and Popo for helping with the bbq. It's always good to have so much support from family during these events, anyone that knows me knows I LOVE to throw a good get together anytime we can, so its great to know we have so many people here to support us! Can't wait to get together with everyone again! Hope you all enjoy the photos!!

Mothers Day 2009

Happy mothers day to all the moms!!!

This year mothers day was pretty relaxing, which is exactly what I needed after the week we had.... My grandpa passed away on 05/05/09 at the age of 90 years old! Even thought I know he had a long and wonderful life, it still stings that he couldn't get to know the kids better and really see what wonderful treasures they are. My dad. his dad, and my son are all spitting images of him...We will miss him terriably but know that he is in a better place with our wonderful creator waiting until we can all join him again!

The kids made me beautiful cards at school, with little bags they glued paper flowers to and put "mommy flower pots" inside...they were so excited for me to open them up and help me to plant the seed and continue to wather them with me daily hoping for something to grow! They also made a really sweet hand print cut out card with the "10 things they wanted to tell mommy on mothers day" written inside, incredibly sweet and I couldn't thank my mother in law enough for helping them out with that project!!! It is something I will always treasure!

Along with everything else, John-Mark turned 4 this past Sunday, YES mothers day!! I still can't believe he is 4 years old now...its crazy how fast he has grown up and how funny and smart he is... Mr.man is defiantly know as the family "haggler" he is constantly trying to bargain his way into getting extra run time, building blocks, or to get out of doing a chore!! Some of the things he says on a daily basis make me smile for days when thinking back on them.

We're going to be having his birthday party this coming sunday at the house- I've ordered a moon walk water slide, small splash pools, setup the air hockey and dome climber and are going to let the kids run wild for a few hours! Im going to take lots of pictures and try and get them up here as soon as I can! This weekend is jam packed with tons of activites, dinners, party planning and moving but Im looking forward to it all!

Camp-I-Wanna-Stamp!!!

This past weekend I was introduced to something new... Stamping!! OMG... I've found my new passion! I've always been a big scrapbooker... i love taking photos of the kids and and doing fun things with them in these scrapbook that have turned into gigantic books of memories for them to have for years and years to come. But, the whole idea of stamping seemed a little outdated to me, and sadly to say I was quite the skeptic about going to the party. After realizing I could use some much needed me time, I went along with it. Once I got to Diane's house I knew I was in for something amazing...All the tables were setup with crafting tools, stamps, card stock and ribbons- not to mention tons of tasty treats too! =0)

We met our "stamp leader" Penny and she began to tell us about all the different techniques with stamping and how far its come in recent years. I had no idea what you could do with some decorative inks and a little rubber stamp!

She set out 3 different card and gave us an example of how to create all three... they were beautiful! Every corner was neatly cut, every word PERFECTLY straight and every ribbon and bow perfectly tied and laced... As soon as she finished her demo, she let us loose with our own creative touch we each crafted the cards as we saw it in our eyes...some were exact replicas, some were far out complete total opposites and other simply changed a step here or there to make it their own. Its amazing how many different things a group of 10 women can make with all the same tools at hand, just their own unique gifts applied.

I was so lost in the moment- I loved every minute of it and ended up spending several hours there perfecting my cards!! By the end of the show I knew this was deffinatly something I was very interested in, I signed up for Penny's camp and now once a month Ill attend an all day class at her home where she will show us how to create 7- yes SEVEN different cards and scrapbook pages each month. I can't wait!!

Here are 2 of the actual cards we did!!!

More fun Photos!!

I love this Picture of Owen and I, this was at Kim and Troy's house in Orange!

Don't they look so much alike? Owen has gotten SO BIG since we last saw him!

JM loves to hold his baby brother!


Kissey Face!

Just the 3 of us!!!

Easter Morning, 2009

~So Sweet~

JM & B

Crazy faces!

Can you tell who the family goof ball is??

SWEETEST PICTURE OF US!

5 AM EASTER MORNING!?!?

(mommy was NOT amused!)

My girl!

School Pictures! April 2009

I couldn't be more proud of the kids on these ones!! They did such a great job (especially for them being done at the school!) As you can see, Bailee's skin was really irritated that week...she's been switched back and forth on so many med and steroids and its finally paying off...once I finally upload the photos from Easter you can see how beautiful and clear her skin is now! John-Mark is just as handsome as ever, and man does he stay on cue!! =0) We practiced the poses so many times the night before and JM was in charge of making sure it all went well- excellent job baby!!

The Dudleys!

It's April of 2009 and I can hardly believe as i stare at the calendar on my desk that my son will be 4 years old in less than a month! John-Mark is such an amazing little guy....he continues to amaze me every day with all he knows and how much he grows! Our little girl Bailee is not far behind him, at 2 1/2 she can already spell her name, (HER FULL NAME) her brothers name and mommy...Its an amazing feeling to be so loved! I can assure you that you will never know love like that of a child! We have all been through so much this past year...The hurricane we lost our house to, the birth and hospital stay and adoption-placement of our 2nd son Owen, and many of our own personal struggles. God has really tested us, and we struggle daily to get through it all. Amongst all the struggle though, God has shown real light on us and given us a reason for why the things that happen to us, do. One of the biggest blessings of last year was meeting Kim and Troy Tucker...I will forever hold them highly in my heart! I may only be 21, but I have gone through much more than a typical person my age...some of the things I thought I could never get over, but I have and I continue to grow strong and learn more and more about myself every day. I am a strong woman...I'm a hard worker and a very dedicated mother- no need will ever be too far out of reach if it is for that of my children. I started this blog for the kids; although I love scrap booking and will continue to do so- I wanted a sure fire way for the them to have lasting memories of myself and Travis and their childhood which is so quickly passing by and to show all the wonderful people we have in our life and the support that we gain from them. I hope to keep everyone up to date with our crazy lives, and all that the kids have been up to, we love you all...Please enjoy!