Little ones

 I am now in my Gigi era!  My oldest and his wife had added a little girl (finally) and a little boy to ur family. We are crazy about them. I never understood all the people who yammered on and on about their grandchildren, like there were no other kids in the world. So annoying.

And now I am Sooo Annooyying...!

I mean who doesn't want to see pictures and hear cute ancedotes about these two precious souls daily?

I just cannot stop. It's like my brain is telling me to not be that person but my mouth doesn't get the message. And the pictures....seriously. I have more of them now at 2 years and 10 months, then I probably had of all my 4 children put together.

The best feeling ever is hearing that little voice say "hey Gigi"

I'm telling you...hold out for grandkids!! Totally worth it.

Year 3, 27, 30 ? 100 ? Who knows?

 At the beginning of each school year, you not only see posts from moms showing her child's first year of school, middle school, high school etc. You also see teachers posting how many years they have been teaching....isn't that cute?

I have no idea what to do with that social pressure. So.. I have been in this school system for 3 years now...this is year 4!  Yeah me. But according to the state of N.C., I have been teaching for 24 years. But technically, since several of my years were in non-public schools, I have been in the field  in some capacity, either as a teacher or child care director for 36 years!   I have been teaching as an adjunct faculty at colleges for about 10 years now.  So yeah, it's been a minute.

 And I still get excited to get my class ready, to meet my students and to learn new things!

The Band!

 These boys have known each other their entire life, well, the two on the ends. The three in the middle met at about age 3, and the only girl in the pic married into the crazy.  For one night, they were able to all get together and play music together. It was one of those really cool times when you see the children you once knew all grown up and having their own lives but still connecting with each other.  The only two missing from this bunch is my oldest, he was unable to make it and my God daughter.  But I am so glad that I got to see them. 

Tattoos

So upon moving to GA, I did something new. The first tattoo was the outline of NC on my right wrist. A salute of a type to my place of origin. I then went back and got a 4 leaf clover on my left ankle, the 4 leaves representing my 4 kiddos. I added the three dogwood flowers around the outline of NC to represent, my grandparents and my sister Dona.

I added a teddy bear on my right upper arm to represent the hubs. Then in April, on a trip to Charleston with family I got the outline of Georgia with the Georgia state flower, the Cherokee Rose surrounding it. My sister Ragan also got a tattoo at the same time of Cherokee Roses, and my DIL got a favorite quote on her arm.

The family that tattoos together.......

 

Country Classroom

My classroom decor last year! Trying to teach them right...haha

 

Answered Prayers

As a mom, we pray for our children. We pray for their safety, their discernment, their health, and for years I have prayed for their future. The friends that they will hang around and the people that they bring into their confidence and trust. I have prayed for girls that are true, helpful, loving and that can care for, support, encourage and bring out the best in them.

I have prayed that their future partners are wonderful, secure, positive and kind people. I feel God was listening because my four boys have bought 4 delightful girls into my life and I love each of them dearly.

#1. I was beginning to despair. He had taken a job several counties away where he knew no one and was lonely. I was repeatedly telling him to go out, find a church, meet people. I reminded him that the odds of God dropping a girl on the football field and saying 'here's one for ya" were very slim. Well, God laughed at me and instead when #4 was pulled to coach Baseball that year ( a sport he knows little about), there was the girl. She was arriving with her sister to take her nephews to ball practice and noticed him. I'm told she noticed him because he was rude to her as he got out of his vehicle hurrying to get to the field. But eventually they talked, he apologized ( I am told) and now.....

2 kids and 7 years later, they seem to be doing all right.

#2      I knew her before he did. She worked for me at the child care center that I managed. She had loaded up her truck and her pet goldfish after college graduation several states away and moved to N.C.  I was so impressed by that. She knew no one here and was determined to make it. She became friends with a co-worker who had gone to school with #2 and they all went out on a group get-together one evening to bowl.  He met her and was instantly sold!  She took a little persuading. We continued to work together. When I moved to a new position in the public school she came with me as my assistant. It was later that they got engaged. They are married, love traveling and being dog parents.

#3   Met her in college. He told me that he noticed her in class and that they had 2 classes together. She says that they only had 1. She was an athlete and he was there studying agriculture. Two different worlds. She has since gone on and completed her Masters degree and he is raising cattle. She has moved here from her homestate and they are currently living together in our old home in N.C. We are excited for their future.

#4  This relationship began in high school and it has been sweet following them along as they have grown up together. They both went into the work force after graduation and are just now hitting their stride in their respective careers. They were living in our old home in N.C. and have recently moved out into a neighboring city to their own apartment. They support and encourage each other, love to travel and are cat parents.

I never knew how much these girls would bring into my life as they love my sons. I am so grateful for each of them and try to be loving, supportive and good to each of them in ways that speak to their individuality and needs. Cause heaven knows, these boys can be trying!

Painting!

I have never claimed to be a painter. Once, as a child, I was helping my granddaddy paint their new porch and painted myself into a corner, and that level of skill is what I bring to the table.

So, upon looking at our new home and the darkness of the walls, I knew it would have to change and I also knew that I was the only one available to complete the task.

So, gathering supplies, consulting with #2, who conveniently manages a hardware store, I got down to it. Here are some before and afters.

Before!

After!

I like a bright and airy home.