While I Was Napping ...

Don't think less of me.  Some days I nap.

Last week, the girls were on their own in the house while I napped.

Hannah dressed Lily all up & did some serious make-up on the girl! 

 Woke up to find this going on out in the front yard.

Photo shoot fun.....oh my!

Toddler's & Tiara's, here we come! 

All God's best from Kentucky,

 

Lily's Birthday Weekend

As of 9/15/2012, 

she is F.I.V.E.

 Hard to believe!

 

  Lily got a haircut ....

and a violin (thank you, Grandma & Grandpa for the violin!). 

Oh the sounds! 

Her violin literally looks like it is from the American Girl store.

So tiny!

Started off the weekend by reading a book to her kindergarten class on Friday morning.   

"I think I can, I think I can, I think I can!"

A personal motto & my favorite book from back when I was five.

Saturday was her actual birthday ...

The girls were waiting for Lily's birthday party to start!

Some friends came over to our house on Saturday morning.

Hannah had planned games & took care of most things for the first half of the party.

These are friends that Lily went to preschool with & now two of them are with her at the elementary school.  

So nice for them to still be together!

Elmo cupcakes ... 

Happy Birthday Sweet Lily!

The kids spent more than 30 minutes jumping on the trampoline & rolling down the hill in our backyard. 

Just a nice party .. and both of these activities were FREE.  :-)

Sunday afternoon we got out on the water ... 

new fun times in Kentucky!!!

A perfect day for a boat ride ..

 

... the last Sunday of Summer to take a swim

A great weekend ... 

just being together, enjoying life & being grateful for all we have!!

In Lily's class, the teacher has a "Birthday Journal" 

where the parents write about the day their child was born.  

Well, I couldn't really write any details about the day Lily was born 

but I was able to write about how loved Lily is, how wanted she was (& is!), 

how much she was hoped for & prayed for!  

I had a hard time not crying my eyes out writing about 

how much I wish I had been there the day she was born ... 

apparently when the teacher read it to the class she had a hard time not crying! 

Lily's story is pretty special and 

I treasure the many miracles God orchestrated to bring her into our lives.

I am so thankful to be her Mommy!

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Happy 5th Birthday, Lily Sha Hope ...

I am grateful for the life God gave you and for the plans He has for you!

 

I love you with all my heart & couldn't imagine life without you.

School Has Started!!!

So, here they are: my elementary school students!! 

 Both going to the same school this year --the only time they will do this since there is six years between the two of them.

They are both riding the big yellow bus that stops @ the end of our driveway. 

Life is good. 

Lily has adjusted without a hiccup to life as a full day kindergarten student. She was created to learn & is just soaking up all the teachers says (and more!). 

She started violin lessons through the school & was jumping up & down telling me they are going to be doing a performance "ON A STAGE!!!!" 

She has made friends without any problem (not a surprise!) 

and has not had one moment of visible apprehension about the new routine (not a surprise!). 

Hannah is very happy in 5th grade!  

She absolutely loves her teacher, Ms. W. 

I am so thrilled for Hannah!!  

Her teacher is challenging but also very nurturing & caring. 

Truly a perfect combination for Hannah & I am so thankful for the way the Lord blessed her with Ms. W. 

This is Lily headed to the bus on the first morning of school with her bag & lunch box.  

Adorableness ... 

until she started imitating what I was going to be doing when she rode off on the bus: 

"WAAAAAH!, crying like a baby!!"  

Thanks, little stinker ... get on the bus!

As for me, I just left my full time job. 

What a fun year that was....ummmm, not really. 

I loved the people I worked with & the clients I met but the stress of full time sales, full time goals and demands that 

weekly overlapped home life was just too much for me. 

 I cried A LOT over the last year. 

 So, right now I am kind of figuring out what I am doing. 

Well, I guess I am always doing that. 

The Lord has good plans & 

thankfully, I have complete peace about this next chapter.

All God's best from Kentucky,

 

Summer 2012!

We are at the end of 12 weeks of summer.  12 full weeks of being completely off of routine & schedule. 

I cannot believe it is over.  Lily starts kindergarten & Hannah is starting 5th grade!  This is the only year they will be riding the school bus together to the same school.  Lily has been ready for kindergarten since 2 years ago when Hannah rode off to 3rd grade.  Lily didn't understand why she wasn't getting on the bus ... now, it's finally her turn!!!

This summer, the girls & I took two vacation trips: One to Philadelphia & One to Idaho (to see Auntie Mom, of course!) .  Somehow my pictures from Philadelphia are not saved on my computer (help, Sarah! ... copies are on a computer at your house!!!) but I do have pictures to share from Idaho since we just got back a week ago.

All summer Lily has been enrolled in the pre-school for full time day care & Hannah has been working there each day as a helper.  Hannah has L.O.V.E.D. going to preschool each day!!!  It has been a dream summer for her...and a dream for me to have both girls so well cared for!  Hannah wishes she didn't have to go into 5th grade but could just going to the pre-school as a helper.  The owner just told Hannah that she has a job secured as an aide soon as she turns 16 ... she was OVER THE MOON with excitement!

I'm working full time & re-building my Arbonne business on the side so that I can hear my three favorite words: "Mom, I'm home." 

Three years ago was Hannah's Make-A-Wish trip & we thought we were off to a Bone Marrow Transplant.  She continues to do well living life in remission and her blood counts this summer were 100% completely normal.  NORMAL.  ALL NORMAL.  Just amazing!!!  To say I am thankful feels like such an understatement.  Truly, our God is a God who answers prayer & heals!  Hannah's life is a testament to God's healing hand & every day we are thankful.  Every.  Day.  

Tomorrow school begins.   The bus will stop at the end of our driveway at 7:29AM & Summer 2012 will officially be over.   Sad but we have had a wonderful 12 weeks being totally off of routine.  Time to tighten the ship around here & get back into the swing of a scheduled life & a VERY early alarm clock!!

Life is good.

I am grateful for God's goodness in the midst of life's difficulties .. and in the midst of life's joys ... and fortunately, there have been many joys this summer!!.

Here are some pictures from Summer 2012:

Hannah & Cousin Sarah!!!!!

Lily driving the boat & trying to get me, Kim & Hannah to fly off the tube!!

Michael & Lil ...

Auntie Mom & Lil ... Forever a Shared Love!!!!

Hannah driving the boat!!

Still Lily's favorite: DRIVING THE BOAT!

 Goodbye Summer 2012~ It was wonderful while it lasted!!!

All God's Best from Kentucky,

Are you there blog? It's me, Debbie

Now, where was I? ...

Life is wonderful but life has been a blurr.

My muffin top has somehow become a total complete muffin.  Not sure how but some serious action is being taken.  Well, not starving myself or purging (like I kind of wish I could) but I am eating less & did 17 push-ups today (that has to count for something!).

The girls are doing great.

Really great.

I am so thankful.

Every. Single. Day. Is. A. Gift.

We are already into Summer 2012.  The girls both finished school on May 18th.  Insanely early but apparently Al Gore was right & global warming is for real ... no snow days this year to keep the girls in school til June.

Kentucky-Living is wonderful!  It is such a beautiful place here & the people make it even better.  I am so thankful the Lord brought us here 2 years ago (has it been T-W-O years???).   

Hannah completed 4th grade & Lily graduated from pre-school (but is still attending full time for the summer program).

Lily's pre-school invited Hannah to come for the summer as a helper.  Thank you, Lord!  I really did not know what I was going to do with both girls all summer.  Hannah LOVES being at Lily's school so when I asked her if she was interested to go for the summer she jumped up & down like I had asked her if she wanted to go to Disneyland all summer.  She is having fun helping at the school & the kids love her!!  By the afternoon she is ready to come home but overall, it is great. 

Lily keeps getting taller but only weighs 32 pounds.  Just a tiny thing full of life with the loudest voice of anyone (thanks to Auntie Mom).  Lily started t-ball again this summer & loves it. Hannah & I love cheering for her .. but Hannah also loves saying "Mom, come sit down ... let's talk" while I am trying to take pictures of Lily playing.   A little sibling rivalry for Mom's attention never hurt anyone. 

I went to Churchill Downs, with the rest of Kentucky, the first weekend in May.  Was super fun & loved being all dressed up next to my sweet man!

I am excited to be in the swing of summer.  We have trips planned & despite working full time we are going to have a lot of summer fun!

Life is good .. just very crazy.

Until I blog again ...

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Mother's Day weekend ... near the Ohio River.

My sweet girl ...

My other sweet girl ..

It's Summertime ...let the t-ball begin!

Graduation ... singing "Lean on Me"

Meet Dillon ... 

Lil says when they get married & have a baby they will take the baby to the park. 

First time at the races! 

Sometimes the horses race on the grass  ... I had no clue but there they go!

and sometimes they race on the dirt.

Who knew?  

I obviously didn't grow up at the track like Bethenny Frankel.

Meet my man .. 

and my big hat! 

Good times.

All God's best from My Old Kentucky Home,