51 reasons I love my dad

51. He makes me laugh
50. He is very calm
49. He loves to say Oh boy when he opens gifts
48. He is a giver
47. He brought home Aubie the best dog ever
46. He knows how to calm mom down when she gets a little hyped up
45. He makes a mean chicken and rice err never mind.
44. He has a really great laugh
43. He never yells
42. He helped me learn to drive
41. He doesn’t sweat the small stuff
40. When mom made us go outside in the rain to the cellar because of the “rain” he always found a way to sneak back in the house to check the weather, and would never come back!
39. He thinks it is important for his daughters to be respected
38. He was brave enough to coach me in softball
37. He thinks that Hawaiian shirts are cool
36He never got upset when I was to afraid to sleep in my room by myself
35 He laughs at my jokes.
34 He is a man of tradition
33 he is devoted to his family
32 the twinkle in his eye
31 the way he knocks his knees when he is excited
30 he would do anything to help anyone find God
29 he is sure if the man he is and does not bend
28 he makes my mom so happy
27 he makes me so happy
26 he has given up so much to provide for his family
25 looking in his eyes when I have ever been in trouble have soothed me
24. He thinks that the black and orange wrapped candy at Halloween is actually good
23. He loves his grandbabies, and they adore him
22. He does crazy things like driving through the mountains in a convertible
21 he used to read us the polar express until we were seniors in high school every Christmas Eve
20. He finally shaved that scary full beard several years ago
19 he thought that a skirt was a shirt when we were shopping
18 He loves the lord
17. He tried to teach me to golf
16 He is honest
15 he loves my hubby
14 he gets my craziness
13. He always wants to make red weenie dye stew
12. He is a problem solver
11. He turns red when he is embarrasses
10 he survived living in a house with six women and two female dogs and lived to tell the story
9. He never forced me to love him
8. He always gave us everything we needed growing up
7. He wants to make a difference
6. He supports me in everything I do
5. He loves me in spite of my craziness
4 he is the best dad a girl could ask for
3. He gave me sisters
2. He gave me a family and would do anything for us to be happy
1. He chose me


I love you and hope your birthday was spectacular!!!

Stick Figure Family

Make your Stick Figure Family at FreeFlashToys.com

Wow this week has gone by so fast. It seems like Monday, but here it is Wdnesday. That means two more days until my sweet hubby is home. We are all still getting used to him being gone, but it has been much easier this week. I do have good news to report. He passed his first responder test, and he was sure he was going to fail, and he made an A on his first major exam at the academy. He was so excited and so was I. Only eight and a half more weeks, until he is home. Thank you all so much for keeping us in your prayers.
There isn’t much going on right now, so sadly I have nothing to write about. Well I take that back I am going to register Isabelle for kindergarten next week. I can’t believe we are already at this milestone, but we are. I am sure that I will have to wear my waterproof mascara. I will let you know how that goes. Well have a terrific week, and God bless

Love,
Lexie

in a lsump

Well Matt is at the Fire Academy, and I have been okay until about five minutes ago. We haven’t really talked much because his phone has really bad reception, and now that the girls are calm for the night I keep finding myself wanting him to be sitting next to me on the couch. I honestly didn’t think it was going to be this hard to be away from him, but I find myself counting the days until I get to see him again. We make each other laugh, and I haven’t laughed since he left. It is amazing how much a love can grow in a short time. We were strangers when we first became a family, and have had some very rough times, but for the past year and a half we have gotten to know each other and actually dare I say fell in love with each other. I am just rambling, so I am going to stop writing, but I do miss him, and am thankful he doesn’t read my blog, because I would hate to hear the taunting I would get for this one! I am praying that this time goes by quickly.

Quiet little Bird

Quiet Little Bird
Today is Ava’s second birthday, and as I reflect I am taken back to when I was choosing a name for her. I always look at the meanings of names, because I think that they are important. I picked Ava because it meant quiet little bird, and Faith, because that is what has saved me all of my life. Well, for those of you who know my sweet girl you are fully aware that while she is pint size however, The quiet part of her name never took. Bless her heart once she got the first word out she hasn’t stopped talking. We talk and we talk and we talk. Even still she does remind me of a delicate bird. The way she flies from heart to heart bringing smiles to everyone she meets. I can only imagine the plans that God has for her. It is my greatest prayer that I can show both of my girls the beauty of God’s grace and the power of his love. I still can’t believe that two years ago today we were all awaiting the arrival of this sweet girl. Where does the time go?
Ava,
While you can’t read this now, one day you will, and I want you to know what a gift you are to this world. Your smile has brightened so many days for so many people. You have brought so much joy to us. I pray that you never doubt who you are, and that you discover God’s purpose for you with ease. I love you so very much and am so glad that I get to be your mommy.

Happy Birthday,
Mommy

The Power of some words

Have I ever mentioned what an incredible family I have? Well I do. Now don’t get me wrong, some of us have a few screws loose, but we love each other with a love that runs much deeper than the blood we share. I was reminded of that today when I was paying my respects for someone very special to my uncle and aunt. I thought I was going to show them my support and love, but instead my uncle did that for me. We were standing in the lobby, and to be honest I was nervous. For one thing this was only my third funeral. And for another, I didn’t know what to say, to show support. What do you say? I am sorry? It will be okay? You are going to be fine? The truth is I hated when people told me that after Pops died. They seemed so scripted. My uncle was talking to my parents, and when he turned to Allie and me. I was so afraid of saying the wrong thing, but then out of no where he said hi and he called us his blog buddies. He told us how much he enjoyed keeping up with our stories. He said that he looks often to see if we have written anything, and told us to keep them coming. I was so shocked and dumb founded that I don’t think I responded. I couldn’t believe he liked what I had to say. I just kept thinking wow! I sure do love you!. My uncle and I have always had assort of love hate relationship. We are always cracking jokes on each other. It doesn’t help that we are from a family of notorious teasers, so it is a rare moment when there is true sentiment. That left me thinking it is so funny how are words and actions can impact someone so much without us even knowing it. He probably has no idea how much it meant to me that he enjoys my craziness’. It reminded me of a time when I was younger and my aunt and uncle were getting ready to leave after a weekend visit. I am still not sure why, but I was really upset. I mean the tears were flowing, and I may have it wrong, but I remember my uncle going to the store and getting me this huge Beauty and the Beast puzzle. Like I said before we had a love hate relationship, and while this was not out of character for my aunt Jackie who is the sweetest woman on earth; she was even sweet when she was scolding us. It was for him. When he gave it to me it was like Christmas came. I sat and worked on it for hours, and couldn’t wait to show it to them when they came back into town. He probably doesn’t remember that either, but it was another time in my life where his actions made me feel special and loved. To bad for him that after that gift the love hate act didn’t work, because I knew without a doubt that he like me, and the truth was I liked him too. I now know what I should have said to my aunt and uncle today. I love you! Those words are really powerful. It can’t take their hurt away and it isn’t making false promises of healing. It is simply reminding them that they are loved and special, especially to me. Thanks Uncle Doug for your sweet words. I love You, Jackie, Lauren, and Chance so much. I hope that I will go out and use my words of love and my smile more often. Because you never know whose day you might make better by just simply saying something kind and from the heart. I love you all and hope your day is spectacular.



Oh and Doug if you are reading, just so you don’t think this is too mushy, That first part about some of us having screws loose. I think we both know who that is!!!! HA.

Where does the Time Go ?

Wow, how time flies. Next week my baby is going to turn two. It seems like such a short time ago she was still kicking in my belly. She is such a big girl now. okay, well at least in her mind she is. She is still very tiny in size. Weighing twenty three pounds at two is not exactly giant size, but don’t tell her because she thinks she is already my size. She is so independent, but has such a sweet cuddly nature about her that absolutely makes me melt. She loves to do anything her big sister Isabelle does, and even though they squall, Ava adores her Isabelle. I sometimes try to picture my life with them as teenagers and I just can’t. The thought of them not being little and pulling on my legs or sitting on my lap makes my heart ache. I love there little voices in the morning, and even those sweet needing cries in the middle of the night when they wake up and need me because they are scared. I swear if there was a job kissing their boo boos I would do it for the rest of my life. However,I am excited about the little people they are turning into. Isabelle is getting to the age where she wants to do activities, and I am so excited about that. We start dance class this week, and in a couple weeks she is going to try horse back riding lessons. She fell in love with them a couple of years ago, at a parade. Now any chance there is a pony ride in a thirty minute distance we go. And she never wants to get off! A bit ironic, since I am scared to death of these beautiful animals, but I want her to try everything that her heart pulls her towards. It isn’t about me, after all. And I will admit that I am really excited about the memories she will have. Now the tricky part will be keeping Ava calm, cool, and collected while her big sis is riding what she thinks as a big rocking horse. Ha! Wish me luck. This could get interesting