Wash Your Strawberries!

This is for you Doreen!! My wonderful neighbor sparked my already "dirty fruit conscious mind" to full throttle!! While over at her home one day she was washing strawberries. Now, I don't mean rinsing them over water... she was really washing strawberries.. soap and all! She says, "Rabbit's pee on these things!" Now, I don't know about you but..I have always rinsed my fruit before eating it, and I was always very conscious about it, I thought of pesticides and the dirty machines that these strawberries see during packaging, but never rabbit pee!!! Seeing that bowl once she finished I started really washing those strawberries.
I thought of Doreen yesterday while I was washing my strawberries... I decided to take a picture to share with you all. Now you all may enjoy the truth behind washing your strawberries. (Just look at the picture!!) Doreen recommends washing them twice, I do too.

Happy Strawberry washing!!!

Don't forget to disinfect the bowl and sink when you are done. :)

Love you Doreen and all your strawberry washing ways!! ;)

on the back of the card...

Funny how mommies work so hard for everyone else... often times putting themselves, their needs dead last. If we don't take care of ourselves how can we take care of our family? When I first got married an older woman whom our family has known for years gave me the best advice, although I didn't realize then, funny how that happens. She pulled me aside at my bridal shower and asked me, "Holly write down who comes first, second, third, etc... God, spouse, children, self?" She handed me a small index card (which I have still). I wrote..
1. God (DUH!)
2.Children
3.Spouce
4.Self
We are so often taught to deny self.. I thought I had this right on. I thought she would so proud of my answer and I was proud because I really meant what I had written.
She flipped the index card over to reveal what she felt the answer was and it said.
1.God
2.Self
3.Spouce
4.Children
At first I didn't like this. I didn't like thinking I was wrong. I didn't like thinking I had to put myself second, I thought I should take care of everyone else. I didn't like thinking to put my spouce before my children, children should be the first priority right!? I am sure she could see my confusion. There standing in her kitchen, in the middle of my bridal shower, she gave me some of the best advice I have ever been given, I will never forget it and I will be honored to share this with my children someday.
I must say this old lady was onto something. She explained her answer to me, something like this...
God first - (was never an issue... I knew that answer.) Usually hard to do, but I knew the answer. She said, So often it is easier to let God be last. Patient and forgiving it is easy to let Him sit behind everyone knowing He is there, without giving much thought to putting Him in the front. But we know where He should be.. it's putting Him there that is the hard part.
Me second?? - If we don't put ourselves right behind God we cannot take care of the ones we love. Our health, Our spirituality, Our emotional wellbeing... if I am a sick, weak, broken person I cannot be the solid foundation that I need to be for my family. As mothers of little ones, older ones, any ones- husbands included in the ones (sometimes when Tony comes home from work I feel it is like adding another kid to the bunch). It is so easy to put ourselves last- easy; until we are so worn that we cannot take care of everything and everyone and it all just falls apart. Wives and Mothers are the foundation in their homes, you must have a strong foundation.
Our spouce third- Tony should come before our children? I didn't like this either. I thought my children should come before him and before me... but looking at this again, it seems right. If you and Tony aren't nuturing your relationship it makes it hard to be a strong unit as parents to your children. Your future children need you to put yourself and Tony before them so that you can better care for them. Makes sense now.
Children fourth? Once I understood why she said God, myself, and Tony had to be before them... I understood why they were fourth. She said, "Now you know why they are fourth." She gave me a hug and told me to keep the card.
I still struggle with this order, I keep this card in my nightstand. Often times my order looks like, Children, God, Tony, Me. I have found we are all happiest if my order is the same as that 'old lady', the same as what was written on the back of the card. Thank you 'old lady' for sharing your wisdom. :)

What's your order? You don't have to share unless you'd like.. but it is something to think about.

Caring

I try and give Sophia memory verses each week. Something to talk about, something to put into her growing mind. Just a thought. I want her to hear scripture at a young age. I want her to grow into a kind, gentle, compassionate, caring person.
Last week we talked about having a 'good heart'. Sometimes she can be such a little stinker. During one of our talks last week (this talk was followed after she slammed her bedroom door in Troy's face and screamed "get out of here!") She was clearly angry at Troy on this day, for what reason I don't know, but she was not happy with him. I told her she had a good heart, that God made her with goodness inside, so she should let the goodness show on the outside by being nice to her brother. She told me "I'm not good, I'm a mean boy just like Bruder". Out of the mouth of babes. I guess that's what she was feeling about Troy. :) The week wore on and she was in the most hateful mood. I was tired of telling her to have a good heart and be good. I wanted to tell her she must have a mean heart- but I didn't!! I don't believe that either, but I felt like saying it! Later in the week she came and hugged me and said "Mommy, thank you for teaching me about my good heart."
Thank you God! Thank you Lord for making it so clear to me that my talks do matter to her and that she is listening, despite her mouth! Oh the mouth on that child!! That mouth!
Now, back to the 'caring'. This week is 'caring', we have a book called God's Virtues for Little Girls (they all are modified for her understanding but it is a great book)... Proverbs 31:20 says "She welcomes the poor, she helps the needy." We talked about that on Sunday night before bed and I told her a story about ways she can be caring and help others. She seemed to enjoy this, as she loves to be a helper.
Yesturday we came home from the grocery story and the 'trash can man' was picking up our trash, I met him at the end of the driveway and walked the trash can up to the house. Sophia was with me. When we went inside she asked me for a 'hopcicle' (popcicle) from the freezer, I told her she could have it but she had to go outside and eat it on the patio.. she said she didn't want it for her, but for the 'trash can man' he looked hot. She said that would be caring. We took the 'hopcicle' to the end of the driveway and gave it to the 'trash can man' when they drove back by. She was so happy... ran back to me saying "I was caring, I was caring." Sweet girl! She was proud of herself. I took two popcicles and we went down to the spring, sat on a bench and ate popcicles under a big tree and she told me all about how the 'trash can man' was so happy to eat a 'hopcicle'.
How awesome! How smart are our babies. It is amazing how they follow by example, by what we teach them... scary but amazing. How important for us to be a positive role model for our children. What a job we have as parents to instill positive virtues into our children.

Grateful

*This blog was written last night and finished this morning.

Troy took his first real steps today. I was such an exciting milestone. I know it is only a matter of time until he is running all over this house. My joy was followed by sadness at the thought that sweet Landon never got to take his first steps, then more joy... in remembering that our sweet Landon is running all over heaven today. I thought of Isaiah 40:31

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

I smile with that thought and pray that Tami finds comfort in those images. It was a bittersweet moment... more sweet than bitter though, I want to acknowledge Landon's life and the impact he made on our family, on me. Over the past months knowing Landon's (and Marie's) stories have given me new outlook.

Something about being up in the middle of the night. Things seems so cleanr sometimes when I am up with Troy in the night... one night particular I had been awakened by him, for what seemed like the 100th time that night... it was probably the 5th time... I am not the most pleasant person when I haven't had much sleep, most of us aren't, I grumped to Tony while he lay there asleep sarcastically saying "I wish I could sleep through the night" as I got up to go settle Troy back down... Tony didn't budge, he rarely wakes at night- unless there is an emergency, he doesn't even hear me get up. I walked to Troy's room and tripped over a plastic monkey that banged into Sophia's door. I know I had told her to pick up that toy before going to bed. It hit her door with a bang and I literally jumped against the wall- like a secret agent trying to tip toe down the hall. When I got to Troy's room upon opening the door he let out the loudest shriek- I knew it would just be a matter of time before I heard Sophia calling... Just as I got Troy settled back down, Sophia yells from her room, "MOMMY!! I need more water in my cup." Troy popped his head up off my shoulder and looked around. I guess she had been awake in there while I was rocking Troy because I put him down (the crying began again) and she was wide awake sitting up in her bed... it was probably around 3am and I am not going to lie- I WAS MAD! HOT! I was so angry. I cursed in my mind as I filled up her cup while Troy was awake again and crying. I filled her cup, turned on her music, covered her back up, kissed her, and told her to go back to sleep, that I'd check on her when I got Troy back to sleep. I went back to Troy's room picked him up and sat in the rocking chair until he settled back down. When I first sat in that chair I was frustrated, tired, annoyed... under the circumstances understandable. Then, Landon popped into my mind and Marie as well.. I thought-

thank God my baby can cry for me in the night.

thank God my baby girl can play with the plastic monkey I tripped over

thank God my daughter has ears to hear, even when I don't want her too :)

thank God my son can hold me back

thank God my daughter can speak, even if she is yelling across the house at 3am

For all the things I don't enjoy... thank God.

The next morning I was tired but so grateful.
Grateful for a rough night with my two babies.
Grateful to kiss them good morning.
Grateful to hear Sophia tell me her cup was empty again.
Grateful that Troy was a grouch from being up and down all night.
I have never been so grateful for such a tiresome night and such a grouchy morning.

Thank you Landon and Marie for teaching me to be grateful for the things that I don't always enjoy.

How blessed am I to have a glimpse of your sweet lives.

On the eve of Landon's funeral services, I want to acknowledge that thanks to Tami and Shan their children's lives, that aren't long enough, have made impacts on others. These children have a legacy- they have touched others. They matter.

I had never heard of Leigh's Disease before reading Landon and Marie's stories. Raising awareness about Leigh's Disease is another way we can carry on a legacy for these children.
http://www.umdf.org/

To Tami and Shan, thank you for sharing your story. Thank you for being so brave, so honest, so faithful. Thank you for allowing me to know you (even if just through the computer). God Bless.

Sweet Angel Landon

It breaks my heart to type this blog... I don't even have words to type but I know many of you have been praying for this sweet family.

I cannot imagine the sorrow of my friend Tami tonight. After a long struggle, "...Landon grew his angel wings this morning..." (the perfect words from his mother). If you have read my blogs before about Landon he is a perfect angel. Too perfect for Earth. There is no doubt in my mind that God is holding this angel boy in his arms tonight. Join with us in sadness and in prayer for Tami and her family. I know they appreciate the prayers.

May God send his angels to wrap their wings around them as only he truly knows their pain. May God bring strength and peace to this beautiful family. Bring them peace knowing Landon is at peace and is no longer suffering. God Bless them. Amen.

http://caringbridge.org/visit/landonweatherby

A fork in the eye!

Friday afternoon the kids got up from their naps and we loaded up and drove out to my mom's house. I love going to my mom's house. It really is that feeling of, going home. Nothing beats it. It's somewhere I can always go. That farm, that dirt road, that house, will always hold a special place in my heart. My mom has lived in the same place since I was born. Anyway, we were headed out to the farm for some swimming and family time. We went in the pool, hung out with my sister, my mom, and Aaron (sister's boyfriend). It was fun, we laughed and had a great time. Lana and Aaron were taking off for dinner and a movie. Mom was heading to the barn and was going to make some beans and rice. Sophia and I talked her into going to Outback instead. The kids were in there pajamas with no shoes, mom and I got dressed and headed to an early dinner. We were having the best time. We ordered coconut shrimp, my favorite! and we were having an awesome time. The food came and I heard my mom (who was sitting with Sophia) say, "Sophi where's Mimi's fork?"... I looked up...
"Here it is", Sophia said.
As she swung around and accidentally poked my mom in the eye with the fork.
My mom grabbed her eye, Sophia screamed.... we would not be finishing our dinner.
We boxed our food up and off to the urgent care. Mom is an RN and she knew something was wrong, she said she felt the fork go into her eye. (Gives me chills thinking about it.) Luckily, some of her nurse friends were eating there and helped us get to the car.
Sophia was obviously upset, but mom did a great job of telling her it was just an accident but Mimi had to go to the doctor to get it checked out, but she would be fine....
Now, to make a really, really, long story short-
Mom ended up with a scratch on her eyeball... lots of pain... but it should heal... they gave her pain meds and antibiotic ointment.. she will follow up on Monday with an eye doctor.
Horrible!!! Little Sophia ended up pooping her pants from stress- God love her! She said "Mommy, I pooped because I was soo scared when I poked Mimi's eye with the fork." I was worried that the stress would lower the threshold for her seizures, but as far as I know she didn't have any.
I think mom will heal up just fine, and Sophia enjoys telling everyone about her accident with Mimi and the fork. She has talked to my mom on the phone a few times, and mom reassures her that she is fine.
Kudos to Aaron, he was awesome help with the kids. Part of the long story, was, mom didn't have her purse (we were treating her) so I dropped her an urgent care and had to go home to get her ID, insurance cards, etc. Aaron and Lana cut their date short and came home to feed the horses (obviously mom wasn't going to be able to do it). Aaron was soo good. He kept Sophia and Troy for me to get Sophia's mind off of mom's eye. She was so upset and Aaron did a great with her. He was so tender to her. He is going to be a great daddy someday. He held her and loved on her the whole time I was with mom. She told him "Aaron, I pooped in my panties when I was scared"... the straightest face, he said "it's ok Sophi, sometimes I do that too". Funny, but it meant the world to her. She told me "Mommy, do you know it's ok I pooped in my panties, Aaron does that too when he is scared." OH Aaron!! Thank you for being so wonderful!! He was also great support to Lana who hates it when anyone is hurt.
What a night that was huh!!??? Poor Mimi!

Also, now I have to tell you all that my sweet nephew Xavier is 3 today. They live in TN so we won't be seeing him on his birthday :( but my heart is with him today on his special day.
Happy Birthday Xavi-Bop! Auntie Holly Loves You!!!

Godspeed

*Troy playing at Big Bounce Fun Zone (about a week ago).

Troy is the same age Sophia was when she started having seizures. I watch him constantly, any odd face or movement he makes I feel a surge of concern shoot through my body. I am not overwhelmed with fear, but it has been a thought in my mind recently. Troy seems different though. He is bigger, healthier, happier... Troy seems so strong. Sophia always seemed so fragile when she was little.

He had his 9 month, well baby and immunization visit today. He wore little shorts and a muscle shirt with white tennis shoes. He looked cute as a button. His little curls on his neckline... I could just eat him up! I thought of Sophia. Always dressed in pink as a baby. Tiny little thing. She wore 3-6 month clothes when she was 9 months old. Troy was wearing 18 months and a size 4 shoe. She had a bright red mohawk (blond now, but she was a carrot top at one time)... Troy is our mullet baby, with his curly brown hair. Sophia, like most babies, screamed when she got her shots. Troy got two shots and didn't even flinch.. not a whimper, cry, nothing. He just laid there trying to sit up. He was 23.9lbs today.. I looked in the baby book and at 9 months Sophia was 15.2 lbs. At one year she was just 17 lbs. Troy will probably be 25lbs.. LOL. I think Poppa is right, in another year Troy is going to look like the big brother.

I was rocking my sweet baby boy to sleep at nap time. I always sing him the same two songs, "Godspeed" and "I never saw blue like that before", he cuddles with his blue blanket while I rock him. It really is one of my favorite time of days. Today he was extremely tired, I handed him his blanket, and he snuggled into my arm, smiled, and closed his eyes. You could see the joy and contentment all over his little face. As I sang he would smile big, open his little mouth so I could see his teeth, so sweet. His eyes stayed closed. You could tell he was awake but resting, he knew he was supposed to be settling in for sleep time. It was precious.

I felt so touched, so blessed.

I prayed. Thanking God for blessing me with that sweet boy and my sweet girl (who was laying in her bed singing to herself). I prayed for Landon. He is on my heart more today than ever. I prayed for God to hold him in His arms, for God to give Landon the same peace and contentment that Troy was feeling in that moment. To give Tami the comfort in knowing Landon is in His arms. Please keep them in your prayers in the passing days.

I want to include the lyrics to Godspeed, for sweet Landon.

Dragon tales and the "water is wide"

Pirate's sail and lost boys fly

Fish bite moonbeams every night

And I love you

Godspeed, little man

Sweet dreams, little man

Oh my love will fly to you each night on angels wings

Godspeed

Sweet dreams

The rocket racer's all tuckered out

Superman's in pajamas on the couch

Goodnight moon, we'll find the mouse

And I love you

Godspeed, little man

Sweet dreams, little man

Oh my love will fly to you each night on angels wings

Godspeed

Sweet dreams

God bless mommy and match box cars

God bless dad and thanks for the stars

God hears "Amen," wherever we are

And I love you

Godspeed, little man

Sweet dreams, little man

Oh my love will fly to you each night on angels wings

Godspeed

Godspeed

Godspeed

Sweet dreams

Sky Venture

Me flying at Sky Venture
Tony flying at Sky Venture

What a fun day!!!

We left around 2pm for Sky Venture. It was a really neat experience. Something I would love to do again! When we got there we went to a learning room and heard a short explanation of what we would be doing and the correct 'flying posture'. Then we got out flight suits, googles, shoes, helmets, and ear plugs. Then off to the wind tunnel. We both flew twice in 145 mph winds. It was awesome!! When we were done we went to Cheesecake Factory for an early dinner. (yummy!!) Then we were home by 7:30 to put the kids in bed. It was an awesome afternoon. Thanks to Nonnie for watching the kids so we could go .

Hope everyone is having a good Thursday.

Sophia and Troy just woke up from their naps, so I don't have a lot of time to write today. But I wanted to share the pictures with everyone.

Happy Anniversary to me.

God has blessed my life with these beautiful people He has perfectly placed in it.

'Kingdom Thinking', understanding that God gives us circumstance, people, situations, everything to better glorify Him. So that we may look at our life in the past, present, and to the future knowing it is His will.

God has placed us here, in this time to be an example to others, to be a helping hand, to be a flicker of His great light to a dark world.

Tomorrow Tony and I will be celebrating our fourth wedding anniversary. We area going to be spending the morning together with the kids then in the afternoon taking off to Sky Venture for some indoor skydiving, then dinner, before coming home to put the kids to bed. I am so excited. Tony and I both have a very physical and adventurous spirit, I am so glad that God perfectly picked Him for me.

Thinking back on the last four years... "two babies, two houses, at least five cars", as my grand daddy said this afternoon, it's been way more than five... Tony had a thing for cars, I had a thing for wrecking cars... we have been through a lot of cars. Now, we have a minivan and a Camry- a far cry from his cherry red mustang cobra convertible and my BIG Nissan Armada.

Funny to think back isn't it?

I remember when my main concern was if I was going to see Tony at church on Wednesday nights, at 15 I didn't want to go to church if my major crush wasn't going to be there, are you kidding!?

Tony and I have been together going on 9 years this August, seems like forever. I was 16 when we started dating. High school sweethearts, not quite, he was 21, ahh!! He didn't realize how old I was for a short while... I tried to keep that my little secret for as long as I could. By the time he found out, he was so captivated by my beauty there was no running. :) You believe that!? :)

I'd like to think I was that mature, but I think he was that immature.. either way we were a good match, still are, most days. ;)

Lots of rules in the beginning, yes rules... 16 and 21, my mom wasn't going for it. I wouldn't either. Let's just bow our heads right now and pray Sophia never falls for the 21 year old preacher's son at church, and let's pray if she does he won't fall for her! Not kidding, pray!

Yes, a preacher's son!! I know making matters worse right! No, he was a good guy, OK no, he was a guy. :) I adored him, you would have thought he hung the moon. I still adore him. I sometimes can't believe that it really happened. I had been goo goo eyed over him since I was 13- he never knew I existed. JERK! A sun tan, new hair do, and boobs, and I magically appeared... he is a guy right!? Anyway, he finally realized I existed and we were inseparable.

I remember being in high school, he never would step foot in a homecoming or prom, he never discouraged me from going though. He said, he wanted me to experience high school so that I wouldn't regret it later. I hated high school. I wish I had embraced it more. I was a swimmer and Tony came to every swim meet he could, I always did horrible at the meets he came too though. I remember my coach asking him to not come to the bigger meets, she told him he was a distraction- can you believe that!? He would wait in his blue mustang GT for me to get out of swim practice and we would ride all around our small town... I was never happier than riding in that car with him.

College was a blast! I loved being in college, I was engaged, we had so much fun, we had jobs, money, we lived it up! Movies, theme parks, the beach, we went everywhere together.

Then, we got married... funny how that sounds, 'then we got married'... it was great!! We went to Cancun for our honeymoon. It was the best! It was the first time we had gone away anywhere together, alone- ALONE!! It was great! What a fun time. We went hiking in the rain forest, swimming in the ocean, we went in a submarine, saw ancient temples, it was a fun. Something I will never forget, something I can't wait to do again, someday.

After we were married for 4 months, I remember laying in bed one night and I said... "I want to have a baby"... WHAT WAS I THINKING!!!?? Just kidding, I knew my baby girl would be the perfect addition to our family, and forever change our lives- and yes she did. 6 weeks later, I was pregnant.. fertile murtile... 41 weeks later, Sophia Ann was born. 25 months after that Troy Anthony was born... and now 4 years and counting....

Can't help but love him!!

...hold them tight Lord.

In this world of computers- connecting people who otherwise wouldn't know one another. I have had the great pleasure of visiting the life of Tami, her daughter Paige, and her precious boy Landon through Tami's blog page.
Tonight, I am asking those of you who read this to pray, pray hard, Landon has Leigh's Disease and his not doing good. His body is tired, Tami is tired, I am definate that her family is hurting. Tami is facing something no mother should ever have to face. Her hands are tied, she is trying to keep him comfortable, but her fears are overwhelming. Be with us in prayer tonight. Please pray for God's will to be done, pray for Landon to stop hurting, strength for a beautiful mother, pray for God to carry her 'heavy heart' during this time, pray for understanding for sweet Paige while she can only watch and understand as best a four year old possibly can.

God, keep them, hold them tonight, in the next few days, take Landon's hurt...give strength to a mother who is spent.. may your angels wrap their wings around this family and bring them some kind of unexplainable peace during this time, only You know... hold them tight Lord.

I am sure your prayers and thoughts for Landon would be greatly appreciated by Tami-
http://paigeandlandon.blogspot.com/

God Bless and Thank you for praying.