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If he could see her now....

This is Erin and Harper Richie, my cousin Steven's wife and only little girl. He was killed in a car wreck a year ago september 13. Erin was expecting w/ his first child when he passed away. Unfortunately i wasn't in as close contact w/ him as i should have been so his death was pretty tough to take. and i've been thinking about him a lot lately. i've become "friends" on facebook w/ his wife. I can not imagine having to live the rest of my life w/ out the love of my life. if you want to read more about him go to my blog archive...2008...then the entry in September about him.

Steven.

how unfair life can be. i have lost 2 special people in my life in the passed year. i still question why. why did the Lord take them.

David, Sue, Brian, and Ryder

Brian's mom passed away 4 months ago. her bday is thursday. i don't know if brian will want to go to the cemetary or not. don't know if i should even bring it up.

the last thing that Sue said to me before the evil cancer took her "mentally" away was this one sentence on Mother's Day...i was hugging her good-bye it was just us in her bedroom...(knowing i was gonna have another baby) she said, "you tell that baby i love her".

it's not fair.

We spent friday night and all day saturday on Britt Hill. Since SueSue's gone i get to be "woman of the house" when we go there. i must say i get angry. there's no candle burning filling up the house w/ it's goodness. there aren't any seasonal decor up unless i put it up. her and david were seperated for 2 yrs before they got back together. and unfortunately she was sick the entire 6 months she was "back" before the evil cancer took her from us. she got to put some of "her" back in the house but it's still kinda cluttered. i don't know if David gets upset w/ me or not when i rearrange things and clean up. but i do it anyway. i guess i'm being selfish. poor me. i have to clean and cook isn't that terrible (sarcasm). i used to just get to hang out and be spoiled...sue would take care of the kids and cook for us when we visited. i love to cook for my family but it's just that i miss her. the house misses her. we miss her.

and here she is....Miss Audrie Rain!

Audrie Rain Britt...born Sept. 28 '09 1:52pm 8lbs 4oz 20" long!!!

The impact of a teacher....

Mattie and I were sitting on the swing this morning waiting for the bus. She, out of the blue, says, "Mrs. Wallace was mean to me". She was mattie's first grade teacher...the first time. Mattie told me the teacher would yell at her when she would get her work wrong and that it would make her - Mattie - so mad. i asked her why she didn't tell us and she said that she did. i said that she had told us a year later not while she was in her class. lets just say Mattie did not do well at all starting from the 3rd six weeks on that year. When she did her 1st gr again w/ a very sweet teacher who didn't yell at her, strangely enough she made A's and B's on her report card ALL YEAR and was always on the A or A/B honor roll. Now in the 2nd grade she's still making A's and B's. Now if you were to ask Wallace why this is i'm quite sure she would quickly say that those teachers are just too easy. i know this b/c she made reference to "other" teacher being a lot easier than her while mattie was in her class.

Sometimes i think teachers forget how they can impact a child's life...negagive or positive. I can freely say that cuz i taught before getting married.

i'm sad today. sad that i couldn't protect my child. let's just say this will not EVER happen again.

vaca '09 etc...

The Davis' and the Britt's...they invited us to go on vaca w/ them...we had an awesome time! Blessed to call them friends.

we love our Matt Girl

brother and sister

Dad and son!

yeah he's mine!



Mattie's first day of 2nd grade!

my new hair do and growing stomach...

me and brian...being silly!...at Fuge Camp


me, hannah, and sarah!....at Fuge Camp in Jackson, MS


me, seth and scott at Fuge Camp!

15 weeks

that is how long she "fought the good fight" and the Lord finally took her home. cancer is evil and it took a special person out of the lives of brian, me, our kids and our family.

thank you friends for your encouraging words thru this time. it meant so much to brian to see faces from his past and present at the homecoming of his mom. she was so young. there were friends from childhood and high school..friends and teachers, friends from our church in texas and friends from our church here. the visitation started at 4pm and when me and my sis and parents left around 745pm people were still filling the church. wow.

in a way i feel relieved that the suffering is over then i look at my growing stomach and my two kiddos and feel they've been cheated.

on another note....brian and i are off to camp sunday and will return friday. the kiddos are going to aunt connies...u might want to send up a prayer for her an levi..heehahaheeheehaha:)

Sue Sue Britt...went to be w/ jesus Friday morning...

Sue Sue's Song...also known as "Sissy's song" by Alan Jackson
Why did she have to go
So young I just don't know why
Things happen half the time
Without reason without rhyme
Lovely, sweet young woman
Daughter, wife and mother
Makes no sense to me
I just have to believe

She flew up to Heaven on the wings of angels
By the clouds and stars and passed where no one sees
And she walks with Jesus and her loved ones waiting
And I know she's smiling saying
Don't worry 'bout me

Loved ones she left behind
Just trying to survive
And understand the why
Feeling so lost inside
Anger shot straight at God
Then asking for His love
Empty with disbelief
Just hoping that maybe

She flew up to Heaven on the wings of angels
By the clouds and stars and passed where no one sees
And she walks with Jesus and her loved ones waiting
And I know she's smiling saying
Don't worry 'bout me

It's hard to say goodbye
Her picture in my mind
Will always be of times I'll cherish
And I won't cry 'cause

She flew up to Heaven on the wings of angels
By the clouds and stars and passed where no one sees
And she walks with jesus and her loved ones waiting
And I know she's smiling saying
Don't worry 'bout me
Don't worry 'bout me
Don`t worry 'bout me

Mattie's Class and busy as a bee...

double click on the pics! they are funny:)

Mattie's '08-'09 1st grade class II :)


the Mrs. Green! we love her:) and her "B" Honor Roll student

First thanks to my friends who gave me crafty ideas:) i didn't read the use of glitter in anyone's comments so i figure that probably isn't a "safe" item to put in my craft box:) oh and it could be because the kids got into a bottle of it yesterday and my livingroom/dining table is all nice and sparkly now.

now "busy as a bee"...
tomorrow:
surprising mattie by: taking her to lunch and a matinee w/ two of her friends.

then 2morrow evening...
we are having her 8th birthday party early. it's a swim party sleepover! 13 girls were invited 2 can not come and 2 will come later tomorrow evening. oh and i haven't heard from 2. i was a little nervous about only inviting a few b/c there's not much room for the "unable to attend". but all is well and she's super excited!

next week/first week of june is open
2nd week...VBS
3rd week... brian will be a leadership camp w/ the high school students and me and the kids are traveling to my parents then to my sistas! cant wait. I LOVE spending time w/ family:)
4th week... open
last week/first part of july...youth camp! woohoo!!

WHEW! i'm tired already.


oh and just for the fun of it...ryder was throwing rocks last night in the church parking lot. unfortunately the tahoe...which coincidently belongs to brians dad...got in the way. and....$215 later. yes thats what its going to cost to replace the back driverside window. fun times i tell ya fun times.

Moms out there....any ideas?

Just wanted some ideas:

i'm making a craft container for the kids and want quality stuff in it...NO "ROSE ART" stuff. i've tried it but that brand isn't good quality. so what are you thinking......

enough already

w/out being able to go into much detail...sorry friends...we've had a rough 36+ hours. nothing to do w/ me, brian, mattie, ryder, #3 or any family member. only to do w/ friends. satan is having a field day. not sure what that means i've just always heard that saying. if you would please pray for our church right now. our church family is and will be going through some difficult days ahead.

also keep in your prayers: Melissa and Bentley's little Annie had another scan today. all melissa has "twittered" is the tumor is the same. sooo thankful its NOT any bigger. pray wisdom, peace, comfort.

whew. i'm mentally done. next.........

I'm not ready.

We went to a high school graduation tonight and i looked over at my two kiddos....i want to see them graduate. maybe i'm looney tunes but i'm not ready for "Him" to come back. call me crazy. i want to see my kids learn to drive...have sweet 16 parties and proms and graduations and fist day of college and weddings. i want grandkids for golly sake.

call my crazy.

Anne. Anne w/ an E:), Double Date, and Love Comes Softly Series:)

all of my friends commented about the GrEAt, wonderful, so glad i own them now!!!!, movie...Anne of Green Gables, from my last post. i LOVE this movie. love it. several of yall commented about when Matthews dies. if you think watching it is bad....try reading it. Oh. My. Gosh. heart (w)renching. i loved matthew. sooo sad when he died. i just love Anne. Anne w/ an E. i'm going to get mattie to watch it w/ me and hopefully ryder w/ watch but not sure...you know boys:) 'course brian has been known to watch it w/ me, oh and meeechawn's joel watched it or read the books when he was younger and liked it so i bet he'll like it too. on a side note i'm kinda worried about the 3rd movie that was made in '03. i've read all bad reviews about it....it doesn't go along w/ the book...it's about Anne and Gill after the marry. i HOPE that the 3rd movie in my box set isn't that one but i'm afraid it is. hhhmmmm hope its not toooo disappointing.



my next hunt i'm on is for the book, Double Date. this wonderful book was written in the '50's and is a great little book. i read it in high school. i just found out after googleing (sp?) that there are 3 more books about the 2 twin sister, Pam and Penny! cant wait to get my hands of them! even though i've read the book umpteen times i still am gonna read it again:)


Love Comes Softly....ok I LOVE this series too! i HATE...refuse to watch them again.... the movies that Hallmark made about the series. they did a horrible job...did NOt go along w/ the book...well somewhat but not good enough for me. you can't trick me. i've read these books several times and i know what they missed or "edited". anywoo, read the books...it's a very good read!

i'm done w/ my "reviews" now:)

birthday fun:)

My Birthday Celebration...
AFter dropping the kids off at our friends, The Henkels, we were off....

we ate at Olive Garden..yumyumyumyumyum i ate stuffed mushrooms first then manicotti...which i had the left overs for lunch today:) the sweet tea was sa-weet!!


after we ate a scrumdidlyuptious meal..i wanted to go wonder around Lifeway bookstore and came home w/: Love Come Softly and Dare to Discipline...watch out mattie and ryder....heeheeheehee


i had a couple of choices for my present but i chose Anne. i love the books and especially the movies. so brian took me to best buy and i picked out the Anne of Green Gables trilogy!!!!!

We ended the evening w/ a drink from Sonic then headed home. I had a great evening:)

My tribute to George....

george...i will see you some day soon:) brian is going to take me to see george! if you know brian in the least little bit you know that he HAtEs loathes and despises CouNTrY mUsIC so for him to even attempt to even google the name "george strait" then to look at his concert schedule meant a lot to me:) taking me to see george is on his bucket list...a list of things that he wants to accomplish in his life...wow.

we're gonna die we're gonna die.....hahahahahahaha

please..... if you do not regularly read my sisters blog begin doing so immediately. things happen to her and her family that are tooooooooooooooooooooooooooo funny. man so funny. you can click on the side under my blog roll under "spying on the swinneys".

this quote, "we're gonna die, we're gonna die......????????? and then we're gonna die." i can't remember the middle part but i've heard this somewhere. not just from jules screaming this as she's running down the driveway into the street in her hoochy mama outfit w/ big sis close behind but i've heard it on tv or a movie.

trying to think of something funny thats happened to our family but nothing comes to mind just yet. i'll keep thinking.

poor kid

after ryder first saw the commercial..."how many licks does it take to get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop...the world may never know".....and seeing the owl eat the kids tootsie pop....his response was, "poor kid". genuinely uspet for the little boy. the second time he said...."thats not fair"....and lately whenever it comes on he doesn't even watch it. he just walks away.

hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

i love this little boy.

my moms day '09! early

Outback and a kitten. brian and the kids took me to Outback..yum! and then we headed over to our friends, the pattersons, who have been keeping a little kitten for mattie and ryder till she was big enough to leave her momma. well, today was the dahy...a kitten which has escaped from her new owners 2x's in the first 2 hours we had her. not sure of a name yet. spent too much time looking under a buiding at church for this sucker - mattie crawled under and got her. then get home and she runs off under the couch and we spend bout an hour trying to find her. she eventually got out and ryder rescued her. picture a dad down in his back and a 5 month pg mom trying to find this creature.

and she isn't an inside cat nonononononononononononono NOT gonna happen. nonononononononononononono way jose'. no discussion. period.

b.e.a.u.t.i.f.u.l.

thats the word i would use to describe my sister and levi's home. love it love it love it. i didn't take any pics cuz she wants to wait till its "put together" a little more:) it is perfect for them. just perfect. great neighborhood. landscaping appears that it will not be too difficult or costly to keep up. lots of trees. fenced in backyard. 4 bedrooms, formal dining used as office space, spacious kichen and living room, breakfast area, lots of closet space - one for her crafty items another for her holiday decorations and another for a tornado closet and if you live in that area you know how bad the weather gets. his and her closests. their bathroom is the size of the kitchen in their apartment:) the girls room is awesome. love it love it love it. soooooo proud for them. they got out of debt then began saving and after 8 yrs in a two bedroom apartment this is exactly what they deserve.

now after helping her get things going its my turn. mattie and ryder are switching to different rooms. we're gonna paint first hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

i gotta get to work....ready. set. go....maybe tomorrow:)

things to do! things to do!

Ryder got a new cut...he wanted to be able to "stick it up" like his dads:) and he didn't want his picture taken but finally got a smile outta him. first i must say... i love this man. seriously. i love him:


before

after







i plan on going to my sisters....NeW BeaUtIfUL home tomorrow to "help" get her home in order. i use the term "help" loosely cuz i secretly want to go to just hang out w/ her and her fab fam:) ryder is coming too. i reckon i help too:) mattie is gonna stay and hang w/ dad and go to school. i'm not telling her we are going. brian can break the news to her later. just wouldn't be fair.

here's what i gotta get done before i leave tomorrow morning:
straighten up house
lay out matties clothes for wed, thurs, and fri
cook up a couple of meals
pack our bags

ready, set, go!

To: Ms. Nena, Ms. Marilyn, Ms. Gayle, and Ms. Francis...and other saline ladies:)

Thank you for the love, support, and food you have been bringing to sue and david over the past few weeks. Cindy (sue's sis-in-law) is leaving to go back home this weekend. she has been here for over a month and been cooking in between meals that aren't brought to them. she commented last night, "david can't cook. he just can't." :) thank you for ministering to them.

Sue's spirits are good. she has really good days then really bad days.

just wanted to put this out there. not sure who all from saline wonders by my blog but i just wanted to say "thank you":):):):)

okie dokie

our girl #2 in 3D!!

don't click on the pic b/c it's not clear. thats the best i could do:) well, ryder immediately cried and mattie immediately cheered. after about 5 minutes ryder warmed up to the thought of his new sis:) well maybe 10 min. he took it pretty hard. brian and i are sooo excited!

and just on the off chance that you were wondering...the scale at the dr.s office is broken. it's always broken. i never beleive what it says. it's the spawn of satan. my scale at home, on the other hand, is always correct. it reads 10lbs less than than "the dang one". i weigh 151 lbs i do NOT weigh 162 lbs. LIES LIES LIES i tell you. LIES.

now for a few more pics from Brock and Auny's Freedom Experience. well not "theirs" but you know what i mean....







mattie being comforted after the second time she hurt her arm. the first being when the skateboard rolled out from under her and she "jammed"/"fractured" her arm.


mattie being comforted by jacob. her new friend:)