Favorite Valentine Memory

I'm joining in on Kelly's "Show us Your Life" party. This week the theme is your favorite Valentine memory. . . .

My favorite Valentine memory happened almost 14 years ago. Jon and I had our first date to a Candlebox concert (we were BOTH very different people back then). It was on February 13 at The Roxy in Atlanta, GA. We were meeting some of his college buddies up there.

Jon picked me up after he got off work. My Dad was so impressed because he was still in a suit and tie. We went back to his apartment so he could change into his jeans and a T-shirt. There we met a friend of his and headed to Atlanta.

I was so excited because he had just gotten a new Mustang and he let me drive!!! I thought I was the coolest thing to hit the town. . .

I really didn't know who Candlebox was. . . I'd heard of a few of their songs, but wasn't what I would call a "fan". Jon and I were really great friends. I really had a secret crush on him that I never breathed a word of it to ANYONE. In fact, in my efforts to cover up my crush I tried to set him up with one of my friends. We would talk to one another about different people we were dating, what we thought of them, etc. . . .everything from A to Z. In fact we were such good friends, he actually started flirting with some girls while we were at the concert.

Didn't matter to me. I had been dating this guy, Trey (who Jon knew about). . . so all was out in the open. . . NO BIG DEAL!!!

During the night I started feeling sick. There was this HUGE line to the bathroom. I ran past everyone, threw open a stall door, and threw up (sorry for the gory details). I felt so much better when I was done. I put my arms around Jon's back and said, "Let's rock and roll" (funny the stupid things you remember).

After the concert was over and we were walking out to the car I said, "Oh, somebody is going to be mad at me" (I was referring to Trey. . . although he and I weren't dating exclusively, I knew he really liked me a lot). This didn't really set well with Jon, and it was obvious.

Jon drove home. His friend Steven rode up front with him. I sat in the back and actually went to sleep. Talk about a date!!! It was now the wee hours into Valentines' Day.

Jon took Steven back to his apartment and I was actually still asleep. Before he took me home, he pulled into The Home Depot parking lot. He just didn't think it would look very good if my Dad saw me getting out of the backseat of his car.

Jon woke me up and told me I needed to get in the front seat. As I climbed up there I started telling Jon, "Jon, I'm sorry this date was so bad. You are a really good friend to me, and I would never want anything to come in between our friendship. I value your friendship. I'm sorry if I've made you mad."

There was a short pause of silence and he said . . . .

"Can I kiss you?"

That was not what I was expecting to hear!!!!

It was actually so very sweet. No guy had ever asked to kiss me before. It showed me how much Jon valued me and respected me.

Wanna know what I said?

"Yes".

And there you go folks. . . here we are 14 years later, a gazillion kisses later, 3 kids, a house, and a dog . . .and a lot of wonderful memories!!!

Join in on Kelly's party. I'd love to hear your favorite Valentine memory.

10 on the 10th

Time for Mer's 10 on the 10th. I've missed the last couple of months. . . but here it goes for the month of February. Since February is a month of love and it involves the heart I thought I'd do 10 things that make my heart race. . .

Here's 10 things that have made my heart race this past week.

1. Running always makes my heart race. . . and I'm training for another marathon in March and an Ultra Marathon (this one is 31 miles) for April. I love running with my partner. She started out as someone I could run with. . . she has ended up a dear friend. . . and I love our conversations whether we are running 8 miles or 26.

2. Jon was out of town Monday night. Don't like that at all. However, I decided to work on Monday night instead of Tuesday morning. NEVER AGAIN will I do that!!! As I laid down I heard every single noise my house makes. Normally I'm the type of girl that falls asleep within 5 minutes of my head hitting the pillow. Not this night. It took me over an hour to fall asleep. Grrrr.

3. Tiffani accomplished something really big. I am so very proud of her. I know she will probably be blogging about it, so that it is ALL I'm going to say. Nevertheless, my heart pumped for joy for her.

4. Alec's band is playing at this event this coming on Monday where Mark Richt, the coach of the Georgia Bulldogs will be speaking. This is "Footsteps" biggest event YET!!! I will definitely be the backstage mom, and I hope we get to meet Coach Richt.

5. This past Monday night I had a discipleship group at my house. Our church is really big into discipling. Me and several friends are not apart of a discipleship group, so we thought, "Why not form one ourselves?" My friend Angela came and really blessed all of us. We are going through the books, "Respectable Sins" and "The Mischief of Sin".

6. Seeing my hubby walk through the door after being gone . . . makes my heart race. I'm so blessed to have such an amazing husband!!!

7. I got new K-cups for my Keurig. I actually had the Keurig put in the cabinet, but since I was having a group of ladies over I decided to splurge and treat them to some great coffee. I'm so loving having it out again. It also forces me to drink more green tea. . .it's full of antioxidants, you know?

8. A clean house. . . very.rarely.happens. Sometimes my heart races because I can no longer stand the mess. Sometimes my heart races because I am giddy with excitement when it is clean.

9. Whenever my children accomplish a goal they sought or when the see God's hand in things concerning everyday life. Just being a Mom period makes my heart race!!!

10. Being with people that are near and dear to my heart, being with old friends, making new friends. . . people period. I am definitely the kind of girl who loves people and is energized by being with people. This week we had a Sunday School Super Bowl party. The Super Bowl certainly didn't make my heart race. . . but the fellowship sure did!!! I got the chance to get to know a new friend of mine better. . . a missionary who is just absolutely precious!!! Her life amazes me! I also got to hang out with old friends and joke aroiund with new friends who seem like old friends. A wonderful night was had by all, and it had nothing to do with the commercials, who won the game, or even the food. . . . okay, maybe the food did play a small part . . .

Meanwhile. . .

While Jon and the girls were be-boppin' away at the sock hop. . .

Alec and I headed to a pizza place here in town.

I hear so many moms talk about their kids at this age not talking to them. . . I love the fact that Alec is a chatty thing. . . sometimes his mouth gets him in trouble. . . but I guess I'd rather be expressive than to show me nothing at all. We laughed and talked just as if I was talking to a miniature adult.

Originally we were going to go and see a movie. However, there is NOTHING. . . did you hear me screaming? NOTHING appropriate at the movies for a 12 year old. He's too old to see "Alvin and the Chipmunks" or "Tooth Fairy", yet all the other movies playing are sexual, violent, and bad language.

We were at a loss as to what to do. I think he was a little disappointed. I explained to him that it's hard to find wholesome things to do for a 12-year-old . . .it's not like I can take him to "Chucky Cheese" or a jumpy place. . .

Then, it hit me. . .

What about Barnes and Noble?

My boy's eyes lit up and a smile beamed across his face. . .

I told him we would not be rushed. We would take our time.

And we did JUST THAT!!!

Right now Alec is fascinated with all things military. . . sure does scare this Mama . . .but I always encourage my children to pursue their interests. I know these are God-given things. . . even if Mama doesn't like it.

He chose this book to take home with him.

After we got his book we got a quick cup of coffee (decaf for both of us) and looked through his book.

Alec is not one to be very touchy-feeling. He told me at least 4 different times throughout the night, "Thank you Mama". Sweet words to my ears. I told him I was the one who needed to thank him for spending an evening for a date with his Mom. He could have asked me if he could have spent the night with a friend while the girls went out. . .

P.S. The next morning he was so excited about what he was learning in his Army book, as I was getting ready for Ash's basketball game, he was practicing his military tactics on the girls. . . yikes!!! Thankfully I heard giggles rather than cries.

We're Goin' Hoppin', We're Goin' Hoppin Today

It ALL started with this one. . . the persistent, "will not take no for an answer" one. . .

And then, this one joined in . . . the one whose Daddy is truly the apple of her eye. . .

It didn't take much begging or pleading from the girls. . . once I started belting out "Butterfly Kisses", I think Jon agreed to the Daddy/Daughter sock hop so I would not sing ANYMORE!!! Just kidding. . . . well. . . sort of. . .

We started out our week by going to Joanne's and picking out a great color for the poodle skirts and scarves to match. . .

I got to sewing, and thankfully I saw a picture on-line how to make one of these bad boys. . . otherwise, there's no telling what they would have looked like if I would have made them from the written directions. . .

Well, where is the boy in the family amongst poodle skirts, scarves, sideways ponytails, and bobbie socks?

He's here . . . being as cool as ever. . . actually enjoying their excitement. . . he had a date himself that night. . .

And this one? Well I told this guy I'd be his Joanie if he'd be my Chachi. . .

A local ministry in our area put on this Sock Hop. . . a friend of mine is one of the cofounders of this ministry, and I was so grateful she included us in on such a fun night. . .

I think these guys were too. . .

This picture gets my Mom every time. . . I think she thinks it is so funny these men all dressed like Fonzie wannabees. . .

Not ONLY did Jon agree to take the girls.. .

Not ONLY did he agree to dress up in 50s fashion, and actually do his own shopping for his white T-shirt, catheads, and jeans (the only pair of Wranglers he's EVER owned). . .

Not ONLY did he smile and be such a good sport. . .

But. . .

He danced . . . YES, he did. . . He danced. . . on the dance floor with the girls. . . in public. . . in front of everyone.

I informed my sweet girls they had accomplished more with their Daddy than I ever could. We took dance lessons last year. . . and we dance here together at home. . . but in public. . . NEVER, EVER have I been able to get him to dance with me!!!

The little girl in red. . . the shy one. . . was a little painful to watch for the 20 minutes I crashed the party. . . she is painfully shy. . . in fact, so much so, I almost cried for her. . .

As I would watch her she would walk around the room, following her sister, with her hands inside of her scarf. . . I guess kind-of like a security blanket. . . She was smiling, and I believe she was having a good time. . . I think she just wanted too make sure she was doing everything right.

Ash took the lead and is BOUND to have fun wherever her feet place her. . . so not only did Hanna follow her big sister's lead, but other girls joined in as well. . .

Ash is so much fun to watch. She just loves life!!!

This girl started to warm up more as the night went on. . . maybe she just needed a bit of caffeine. . .

I informed Hanna that if she was going to dance with her Daddy, she would have to cut in. . . otherwise, Ash would take him over. See what I mean?

She listened to my advice. . .

And warmed up and got to cut a rug with her Daddy.

Before Jon knew it he was a lucky man with 2 dates. . . I wonder if that's ever happened before?

What a tremendous blessing God has given my girls to not only have a Daddy who loves them, but a Daddy who loves Jesus. . . who is not too busy to pray with them, not too "hard" to cuddle with them, not too preoccupied to listen to them. . . a Daddy who is not "too manly" to not get in the kitchen and cook with them. . . a Daddy who will get them to doing yard work right along beside him. . . a Daddy who will step WWWAAAAAYYYYY outside his comfortable zone to give them (in their own words), "the best night of their life". Oh, what a precious, priceless treasure my children have. . .which has NOTHING to do with anything I've ever done. . . but it's all because of God's great grace. These are riches that no amount of money can buy.

Makes Me Teary-Eyed Every Time

Oh, it gets me every.single.time.

Last week Alec went on his 2nd overnight trip with the church. . . without me. One was at the beginning of the school year. I really wanted to go and even asked him if he minded me being a chaperone. He, unconvincingly said, "That's okay, but I think they have plenty."
I was fine with that. . . because next year. . .when he moves up to the youth. . . the youth director will be sick.of.seeing.my.face.

He got just a teensy bit of that before they left.

I have this HUGE problem with kids and cellphones (sorry if this offends). . . I just don't see the purpose. Actually I think they do more harm than good. . i.e., sexting. . .

At first they said the kids could take them. .. then one morning I was running with Angela (who just happens to be my pastor's wife). . . I was talking to her as my friend, not as my pastor's wife, and just venting my frustrations about the cellphones and the ipods that were allowed.

That evening the youth director called some of the parents who were going and said, "A parent called David complaining about the cellphones." I was hoping it was another parent who felt the same way. I don't know and I don't really care. It is something I feel strongly about.

Well, low and behold they are loading up the bus and here comes these kids with their cellphones and ipods. UGGGHH!!!

I told one of my friends who was going as a chaperone my concerns with the cellphones (sexting. . . if you don't know what that is, it is where kids/adults send pornographic images via text). . .She has a middle schooler and wasn't even aware this stuff went on. She told me I needed to talk to Todd.

Todd is getting in the van to leave and I go and tell him I need to talk to him. I voiced my concerns and went ahead and warned him I am one of those parents he is going to hate. . . ha!ha!. . . half kidding, of course.

He was very nice and explained me that is entirely a miscommunication. Never in a group this large do they allow kids to have cellphones or ipods. He made the kids put them in their overnight bags. . .

Chalk that one up to Mom, Alec!!! I hope I didn't embarrass him. . . . but I am learning quickly . . . if it is important to me to not let the church look like the world. . . then I'm going to have to be vocal (in love), and I can't care if someone doesn't like me or doesn't want to be my friend because of it. . .

See my boy back there. . . I know he is thinking, "I wish she'd put that camera up."

I was a bundle of nerves when I got into my car. My stomach felt like butterflies were having a hay day in it. . . confrontation is NOT my thing!!!

I wouldn't leave the church parking lot until I could no longer see the church bus. As it got to rolling I had to fight back the tears. . . tears that symbolize my son is getting older and with that I certainly don't love him any less. . . but I can't hold my grip so tightly anymore. . . letting go is hard. However, I know if I don't gradually let him go. . . little by little. . . I will choke the life out of him. . . He's a really good kid, and I trust he will make good decisions. However, if and when he should fail to do so, I pray God will use his failures and mistakes and triumphs (for that matter) ALL for His glory, and His glory alone.

P.S. Alec had a GREAT time!!! I'm so grateful he was able to go.

His Tombstone Will Read. . .

"I told you I had a fever."

Earlier in the week Jon came home from working out of town. He had not been feeling well. He asked me if he had a fever.

I did the forehead kiss test. . . which is very tried and true when it comes to my kids.

I told him, "No, you feel fine to me."

He got up anyway and got the thermometer.

Sure enough, the man had a fever.

He said, "You're just like Mama. Every time Daddy was sick he'd tell her he had a fever, and she'd tell him no he didn't."

Laughter. . . oh yeah, I had forgotten.

Jon's Dad used to tell his Mom that on his tombstone he wanted it put, "I told you had a fever".

Sometimes I forget who Jon's Dad used to be. He's been battling a form of dementia for a couple of years now. Although is still one of the greatest men I have ever known, sometimes it really slips my mind who he used to be. The LORD is so good and gracious to all of us. There are times when Jon's Dad will act like his old self. . . glimpses here, glimpses . . . but oh so refreshing.

Coffee Date

For Christmas this year rather than giving my Mom something to crowd her house with more junk, I decided to give her a memory. . .

My family drinks coffee like the French drink wine. Anytime we are all together having coffee together is a MUST!!

So, for Christmas, Mom got a once-a-month coffee date to Starbucks.

I travel about an hour to meet her one Friday a month. . .

But it is so very worth it!!!

Last week we had our coffee date for January. The kids had hot chocolate. . . $3 for hot chocolate is so pricey at Starbucks. . . , but I must let them on the ritual of coffee drinking. . .

I am officially 23 + 10, 1 week and 1 day

Just kidding. . . I really did celebrate my birthday for the entire week last week. .. but I wouldn't go back to my 20s for anything. I LOVE being in my 30s. I'm much more accepting of myself. . . although I still have quite a way to go. . . Well, I love everything about my 30s except these little forehead lines that I see creeping up. I've started researching face creams. Anybody know of anything worth trying?

Although Monday was my actual date of birth. . . I celebrate all week!!! It started the day before my birthday with my family.

My in-laws had our family over for lunch after church. My mother in law had BOTH birthday cake and chocolate delight. So very yummy to my sugar-deprived tummy.

That night after church Jon and the kids and I headed to Buffalos. . .

For. . . you guessed it? WINGS!!!

I so love these calorie-laded, artery clogging, morsels of goodness to my taste buds. However, my birthday is the only day I will eat them guilt free. Any other time I eat them I feel I need to go and run 20 miles and go on a juice fast for 3 solid days.

The day of my actual birthday my friend Angela H. and I ran a 12-miler, I came home and got the kids ready to go to this ministry our new church has. . . The Tabitha Ministry. More on that later. . . but oh what a precious day it was. .. to sit in the counsel of these older women. My other friend Angela L. (I've 2 friends named Angela) were the youngest chicks in there. But, oh, what a precious time we had.

I then later met Angela L. at the track and she and my kids ran. I helped watch her little girl. . . somewhat. . . her little girl wanted to run with her mommy. It was fun to hang out for a little while.

The kids and I came home, finished up school. . . I treated myself with a nap on the couch.

We got up and headed to band practice.

This day was precious to me. My phone rang off the hook, I got text after text after text, my facebook overflowed with such love from friends and family wishing me a happy birthday. I really feel so very unworthy to have so many amazing people in my life. I just thanked God over and over again for being so good to me.

Tuesday night my sweet friends took me out for dinner.

Jennifer makes me this cake EVERY year for my birthday. I can pass up a lot of things, but this cake certainly isn't one of them. The piece I cut for myself took up my entire plate.

The restaurant closed at 9:00. . . so we headed to Jennifer's car to finish talking. With 4 women together 2 hours is NOT enough time to say everything that needed to be said. Going out to eat and then to Jennifer's car is becoming quite a tradition. Normally I can't hang with these girls because they go to bed about the time I get up. . . Ha!Ha!. But. . . the birthday girl just couldn't bail on her own party.

I hung until 11:30!!! Can I get a what?what? (as this little boy on Jon's basketball team would say)

Funny thing is, the next day I told Jon we went to the car about 9:00 and all left around 11:30. He was floored!!! He told me that was the difference between guys and girls. If that were a bunch of guys, they would have run out of things to talk about after about 10 minutes. . . I'm so glad I'm not a guy!!!

Thursday I went over to Jennifer's for lunch. Her kids were so sweet. They wanted to make sure we were still getting together as we normally do for birthday. Normally she will have me over for lunch and that yummy cake. Time flew waaaayyyy to quickly. . . but we had a WONDERFUL time!!!

Friday I met my Mom in Macon.

She brought me what we both teased was a piece of cake.

We all just stuck our forks in it and dug in. . . I think we each got 2 bites. . . ha!ha! Mama knows how I'm always watching my waistline. . . and I know she knew it would be wasteful to buy anything bigger than what she did.

To end my birthday week, Tiffani took me out to my favorite restaurant here in town. I so loved catching up with her and hanging out. Life keeps us both very busy, and we don't get to hang out as much as we both would like. I think we stayed maybe close to 4 hours? We got to talk about from everything about what I'm going to do with my stinkin' hair (can you tell I'm trying some new things with it) to matters close and dear to our hearts. We should have talked about these stinkin' forehead lines that are popping up on my forehead. . . oh dear. . . definitely next time.. .

Grace. . . God's Grace. . . I certainly don't deserve this life He's blessed me with. . . but I am ever, so very, very grateful for His grace. . . for the people He has put in my life. . . for the family and friends I have. . . for my amazing children and precious husband. A birthday week would certainly be void and empty if each and every one of these people were not apart of it.

Thank you all for making me feel so special, for your gifts of love, for your sweet words, but most of all. . . for loving me.

So. . . here it is. . . getting it all out in the open

I think anyone who has been blogging consistently for a good while has probably been in the place I just came out of .. . after all you put your hopes, your feelings, your thoughts, your very lives out there in the open for everyone and anyone to read about, right?

We all have different reasons we blog.

. . .Some want to make life better than what it really is. . . tending to embellish things with words a wee bit
. . . Some tend to be more on the negative side. . . tending to emphasize our negative emotions and be a bit of a drama queen. . .
. . . Some blog to have a creative outlet, to have a hobby of sorts
. . . Some have developed amazing life-long friendships from blogging
. . . Some blog for company. . . while in the confines of home life day-in and day-out, some blog to feel like they have company
. . .Some blog to let friends and family know what is going on with the daily grind of life

And. . . some blog for the same reason I do. . . to have a record/journal for their families. That is why I blog. In fact, I so desire to be truthful and honest with our lives, I have my hubby read my blog to keep me in check. . . and he will DEFINITELY let me know if I have misconstrued things on here.

I recently went through a time where I wouldn't blog about things going on because I didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. . . . whether I was afraid their feelings would be hurt because they weren't included in something. . . whether I was going through growing pains in different relationships in my own life. . . things I wanted to document so my children can see truly what type of woman their mother is. . . I felt very bound by blogging. . . very inhibited. . . because. . . the last thing I would EVER want to do is hurt anyone. . . that is never my intent. . . so I would just be silent. . . OR, I would beat around the bush. . . I just felt so.very.insincere.

So. . . I thought about giving up blogging all together. . . .

That thought didn't last long. This blog is too special to me.

So, I decided to start a new blog. . . oh, I wince as I type those words. . . I told no one here on this side of the computer. . . not my Mama, not my sisters, not my friends, not my children. . . only Jon.

His first question was, "What are you going to say when people ask you why you aren't blogging?"

Oh it was easy, peasy, I thought, "I'll just say 'I'm Mama in High Heeled out'."

Easier said than done.

Because in the last few weeks several people have asked me about blogging.

Not once have I said what I thought I would say.

Not once did I not feel like I was being dishonest.

I would kind of hem-haul around, hoping the subject would change quickly. I've even said things like,"I still think in blog mode", which is very true. . . just not totally true. You know what a half-truth is? A lie!!!

Yuck!! I felt so very yucky at my sin. . .

Authenticity and sincerity are so very important to me.

So, I just had to get it out. I, of course, repented to my Lord, and asked His forgiveness.

And now, here I am at mamainhighheels.blogspot.com . . . confessing before you all and asking for your forgiveness. . . for anyone I have misled. . . please forgive me. My intent was never to hurt anyone's feelings or heart or to make anyone mad. . . I just needed to time to break away. . .

Now, the next question, what to do about my previous feelings? Of feeling like I was in blog jail?

Well, here I am, a vessel of clay, being molded and shaped in the the image of Jesus Christ every day. . . all becuase of His grace. . . certainly nothing in and of myself. . .

I will say things or do things that people disagree with.

I will hurt people's feelings. . . unwilling and unintentionally, I pray.

I will make people mad and offend people because I will post things that I am convicted about to the very core of my being.

But. . . from here on out, I will be bold, brash, and honest. . . no holds barred.

To those who want to join me, please do so, I invite you to join in this new-found freedom.

For those who are mad and never want to read this blog again, I SOOOO understand.. . and I still love you.

Please understand, it would have been very easy for me to have hit the "new post" button, typed in what I did last week, and act as if nothing had ever happened. That would have been the easy road.

But, I am willing to take the hard road. . . all because virtues like honesty, authenticity, sincerity. . . are all virtues I hold very dear. . . and, although I fail daily, I am striving to be more and more like my Savior, Jesus Christ.

This Post is for Christy at Husband, Kids, & Big Hair

Christy,

Tiffani has told me how funny you think my "loser" stories are. . . so, just for you, I wanted to post the latest one. . .


As far as my neighbor. . .I've started backing off a little . . . not being overly friendly, peppy. . . what have you. . .

that is . . .

until. . . .

yesterday. . .

It started snowing (which here in the pit of the South is a rarity). I needed to get a run in, so I thought, "How cool would it be to run in the snow?" So. . . off I go.

Towards the end of my run I saw the back of her walking, in the snow, very slow. . . like always.

I started praying for her, and I was really wondering what the Lord would have me do. . . back off? be nice? just smile? just say hello? just look down? do nothing?

I just recently read "Same Kind of Different as Me". It tops my ALL TIME FAVORITES!!! Please read it if you have not. Part of the story is about a woman who tries to befriend a man who doesn't want to be pursued . . . but because of her persistence and the fruit he saw in her life. . . he came to know Christ. . .

So, with that being on my heart. . . here is my neighbor who obviously doesn't want to be my friend. . .

What do I do?

I immediately had an idea that I know came straight from the Holy Spirit. I should send her cards telling her how God loves her no matter what she has ever done. . . backing all of my words up with scripture. . . I was delighted inside.

But, what do I do when I see her in a minute?

I glanced her way and saw her staring at me. I smiled, but didn't make eye contact, and waved my hand.

She uncovered the scarf she had over her mouth and said, "LOSER!!!"

Weekend Recap

This weekend I was quite the sewing bee. Hanna needed a Christmas dress, so on Friday the whole family headed to Hobby Lobby. I got some fabric and ribbon and came up with this. . .

Saturday night I popped some popcorn, lit the fireplace, made some hot chocolate, and put in my very favorite movie of ALL TIMES . . . It's a Wonderful Life. The kids have never seen the movie before and they really liked it. Poor little Hanna couldn't hang. . . she fell asleep during it.

Sunday morning Jon wore a coat to church. He looked so grown up and so.very.handsome. The kids snapped a picture for me. . . I don't particularly like this picture of me. . . but Jon looks so handsome, I just had to post it.

My girls and I had to leave church a little earlier. We were meeting some other moms and their girls for brunch to have a little Christmas get together. It was a lot of fun for the girls to see their friends and the moms to see one another.

Suzanne dropped the girls and I off at home, and I headed straight for the bed for my, very much anticipated, Sunday nap. . .

After my nap, we were all sitting on the couch watching TV. Hanna got up to go do something. She came back and said, "I lost my tooth". I think she may have swallowed it. We searched and searched for it, but so far, it hasn't turned up anywhere. . .

I can't believe my baby has lost her first tooth!!

Sunday night we headed back to church to see the adult Christmas program. It was WONDERFUL!!! I'm so glad we went. . . Two of my dearest and closest friends sang their hearts out. The acting was great. . . the singing and orchestra were out of this world. . .

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend as well!