Polka dot tights...aren't they cute? They'll look even cuter on my BF's baby girl when she arrives in August. Yep, that's right...BF and Matty are having a baby GIRL!! I'm so excited!!...now there will be little toe nails to paint to pink perfection and pig tails to tie up in polka dot ribbons! I'm sure she won't be spoiled or anything. ;)

Meanwhile...here are some little lovelies in my life in their Easter best....

Baby Leah...lookin like a big girl in first Easter dress...
Ethan and Lola (no one told them to hold hands)

Today's Matt's first day of work, and I'm anxiously awaiting news of how it went. I'm sure it was fine...since it was just Day 1 of training. He thoroughly enjoyed our first weekend apart. While I attended Easter service alone, went to lunch with the maternal unit, and came home to clean...He went to visit one of his childhood friend's in Tampa. The friend just so happens to be in flight school. So, Matt got to fly with the friend to Daytona Beach. Sounds like he's having a rough time without me, eh?? He called me from the beach...and I could hear the wind whipping through his hair...err...I mean, I could hear the wind whipping. =)

Matt and DJ (not his real name, but I can't try to pronounce it. ;)

The coast...

The itty bitty plane....

He also sent me a few pictures of our trip to Florida...

My uncle, Cousin Ansley, and Aunt....we stopped in to pay visit when we drove through Houston

Sunrise in Beaumont, Tx

The lovely city of New OrleansI went along on the trip to help Matt drive. But, instead, I slept...waking up only long enough to take pictures of the states we were crossing..and then falling back asleep again.

Happy Easter....

To me, Easter is about more than grass-filled baskets, colored eggs, and half-eaten chocolate bunnies. I think that the cross symbolizes different things in the hearts of different people. To me, it symbolizes "Grace," and that is what I reflect upon on Easter.

My life has been touched by God's grace...for many reasons. When I led a faithless life, He was always more than faithful to me. There have been countless times when I've ignored him, denied him, and doubted him, but He still stood with me. And then, beyond all of that...there is the cross. The shame Jesus bore, the pain that was inflicted, the abuse He took....for me and you.

My prayer for all you this Easter is that you would take a minute to reflect on the cross and that you too would be touched by His grace. Our minds can't comprehend how much love the Lord has for us...the only thing we have to do in order to receive this love...this grace...is to believe. Sometimes the easiest things are the hardest to do.

I'm finally back from my hellacious road trip to Florida. Matt and I left OKC Friday night, stopped in Houston on Saturday, and were back on the road to Florida early Sunday morning. We had very little sleep, but lots of caffeine to keep us going. I have lots of pictures that I took of the various states we drove through, but alas...they're in Matt's camera, and he's no longer with me in OKC. I'll post them just as soon as he emails them to me.

Life without Matt is very quiet. The house is very empty and Moussey keeps waiting by the door for Daddy to come home. We will all have to be strong for a few months until I make the transition over...it's one that I know I can get used to. The weather in Florida is just glorious and since I'm solar-powered, that works out well. ;) Plus being around my sister and fam and BF and Matty has its perks. ;) And, I simply can't wait until the new baby is finally here...It will be lots of fun to live close enough to hold and spoil him/her.

Anyway, I hadn't posted in a long while because I was falling behind in keeping up with my ever-changing life. But, I think I've finally gotten to a place where things have slowed down enough to catch my breath and post a blog. ;)

The Last Supper...

The last supper at Buffalo Wild Wings on I-40 and Rockwell, that is. Tuesday night is our favorite night of the week because it's "Wing Tuesday." So, Matt and I decided it was a great night for a celebratory dinner.

What are we celebrating? That's a great question...Well, for one, we've survived our first six months of marriage. Time definitely flies. I can't believe it's been half a year!!! This six months has brought about a lot of changes for us. It's funny how life works. There was a time when my life was so monotonous...and I craved change. And now, I've been dealing with one change after another.

Which brings me to our 2nd reason for celebrating....Matt got a job!...In Orlando, Florida. It's a great opportunity for him...and I am quite sure he's going to do great in the new position. So, after 23 years, I'm moving out of Oklahoma City.

It's bittersweet really. There's a lot of people and things that I will miss. I'm excited about all the opportunites we'll have in Florida...but also a little nervous. But then I think about my parents, who moved to another country! ...and I know that we can handle this.

I'll be in OKC for a few months...until Matt gets acclamated to his new career and environment. But, by the time the summer rolls around...I'll be in sunny, Florida...and not just on vacation.

Where's the Beef??

They ate the meat...and left me with nothin but the bone. =/

Baby Updates...

On Sunday, I went to go see the babies...the eej and baby Neela....Elijah has grown up a lot. I think most of his weight is contained in his cheeks. He had just had a bath and was a wittle bit cwanky...so I sang to him "It's ok, it's Ok, it's gonna be okay. It's ok, it's ok, it's oooooooo kaaaaaaay." I thought it was a pretty snazzy tune...and the eej did too. It calmed him down and he closed his eyes. I kept singing, assuming that he was enjoying the tune....but then very slowly....his little hand made its way to his ear...and his pointer finger slipped dow inside....HE WAS PLUGGING HIS EAR!!!...One month old, and he's already a smart alec like his mother!

Neela is a beautiful little girl. She has the most beautiful eyes and eyelashes. She's just a little doll...

Last but not least, baby Leah is growing so fast. She was recently visited by her cousin JP, who looks like quite the giant next to her. I'm sure he was giving her all sorts of great advice...like what chips taste the best. ;)

A Retrospective Weekend...

Last week, a man from my church died, and this weekend was his funeral. Although I didn't know him and never spoke to him, he was the husband, father, grandfather, and uncle to people that I do know...and it was difficult to see them grieving. As I sat in the service on Saturday, it was inevitable that my mind reeled back in time to remember another funeral 21 years ago.

With the memories of my father's funeral fresh in my mind, I asked my mom if I could take home the photo album of pictures from his funeral...it was something I wanted Matt to see. Although, I've only seen it a handful of times, I was sure that I was immune to the sadness that it might cause....I was wrong.

21 years later, many of the faces in the album have changed, and many of the people who attended that funeral are now with my father in heaven...It was hard to hold back tears when I saw my sullen-faced uncles and aunts...20 years younger, with slimmer wastelines, and darker hair....and the tear-stained faces of my cousins...then in their early twenties, others not yet teens, and others just babies...but all sad and confused. And then, there was the four of us...the grieving images of my mom, brother, sister, and me...I remembered my thoughts at that time and I'm sure their thoughts were the same. I wondered then how we could ever go on with out him....how life would be without his presence...
I realized that my grief now is not the same as my grief then...I grieve now about what he's missed...the grandchildren he's never held...giving away his daughters...retiring with his wife. And I grieve thinking about the 4 of us...and how much we had to get through...alone...with out him...and how very difficult it has been.

People say that time heals all wounds, but it doesn't. Time pushes you forward and forces you to keep going. And God gives you the strength you need to do so. But the wounds are always there...and although the pain doesn't sting as much as it does as the day you lost your loved one...it's still there...a dull, sharp pain that never goes away.