HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, DAD! I LOVE YOU!

SISSY

SUPERBOWL SUNDAY!

Superbowl Sunday was last weekend! The Saints beat the Jaguars in a fun-filled game. We are so proud of you, Bubby! We love you!!! Mommy and Daddy

What a pass! ;)

Way to go Saints!!!!

So proud of him!

That's my boy!

His biggest fans!

His cheerleaders!

MY HEART IS ACHING...

I miss my friend. Steph and I became good friends when she started working as an Associate at our law firm. You can imagine when she walked in the door and I saw how beautiful she was...talk about intimidating! It didn't take but a day before we hit it off. We had many girl nights over drinks and mexican cheese and chips sharing our life stories or quick lunch hours just so we had time to spend together. Steph was always there. We could spend every day talking and emailing or we could go a couple of months and pick up the phone as if it were yesterday. Steph was so successful and I couldn't be more proud of her. I idolized her in every way. She was an incredible attorney, a wonderful mother, and one of the most sarcastic people that I've ever known! She would always laugh at me because I was slow in getting her sarcasm. I would laugh 5 seconds too late. She'd just put her arm around me and say, "Oh, Nick. What am I gonna do with you?" She inspired me. She always achieved her goals. She was my inspiration for taking the PACE Exam to become registered and she was the first person I called when I passed the exam. I couldn't wait to tell her and she couldn't have been more proud. On several occasions, Steph asked me to come work for her. Oh, how I wanted to... Now, I wish I had if only so that I could have spent more time with her. For some reason, I've always been afraid of change and I never got the courage to go. Speaking of courage, I've never known someone who had so much courage. Her fight with cancer was unbelievable. I remember her telling me not to worry because she was told that this was the best type of cancer that she could have...good cancer she called it. She was so positive and she didn't want me to worry. That was my Steph. My only regret is that I wish we had more time together. I wish I had more photos to remember our moments together. I just wish I had one more chance to see her before she left this world, but I am so thankful that she is no longer hurting. I'm just struggling with the fact that I don't understand...why her? She was too young and too wonderful to leave this world. I can't wait to see her one day. Until then, I will hold every memory close to my heart. Thank you to all of those who kept Steph and her boys in your prayers. I think she was just too good for God to wait any longer. I'm thankful that I have another angel in heaven now.

CALLING ALL PRAYER WARRIORS

Please, please, please pray for my dear friend, Stephenie Jocham. She has been battling a major battle with different types of cancers. She is someone that I have idolized for all of her accomplishments and she has been a true friend to me. She is amazing. She is currently physically incapacitated, but is resting peacefully. I'm struggling for words right now, but I ask that you please pray for her and her two boys. Please pray that God helps her find the strength that she needs to beat this. Please!

TAKING IT TO HEART...

My DVR is about to explode. There are so many shows that I want to watch, but never seem to have the time. I try to watch them while I'm doing laundry or grabbing a quick bite of supper before the next feeding and bathtime. But, I never seem to make it all the way through and often use the fast forward button. I usually skim through my Oprah recordings just to see if there is anyone on the show that I like or anything that I think might be interesting. On one of her more recent shows, Oprah had a "Memorable Guest" show. She had a family on there that had been on the show years ago. The mother had been diagnosed with cancer and never got to see her daughter grow into the beautiful woman that she is today. She passed away when her daughter was 6. From the day that she was diagnosed, she made hundreds of recordings (video and audio) giving her motherly advice and sharing her love to her daughter so that she could have them through every stage in her life. I could not stop crying. I thought it was so incredible that she was able to share every thought that she ever had and every bit of advice that she could give to her daughter. Her daughter is a freshman now at Duke University and she listens or watches her mother's recordings once a month as it becomes harder for her to do it as often as she gets older. She misses her Mom, but she is so thankful that her mother did this for her. What a blessing that she is able to hear her mother's words of encouragement and to know her mother's thoughts on everything from potty training to what to look for in a husband.

While I may not always be able to record videos to express my thoughts or advice, I can't help but to think that if something should ever happen to me, I hope that I've done everything possible for my kiddos to know that they are loved more than a person could ever be love, cherished more than my own life, and that I could not feel more blessed to be their mother and to have them in my life. They are my life, my love, my world, my heart, my everything... I love you, Bubby, Bayleigh, and Avery!