Little One Turns TWO!!!

Two?!?! Two years old? How can this be Little One?

It seems like only yesterday that I was taking that pregnancy test. Scared to death if it was going to be positive. And when it turned positive, I cried. It was scary to be pregnant again after so many years. 

But after a phone call to Mama Jo--she relieved my stress when she said, "You are a good mother, what are you worried about?". And then I calculated the months and realized you would be due around the one year mark of Papa's death.

I knew at that second, at that very second, you were sent for a purpose (as all babies are) but yours was to heal my heart and I knew that exactly at that moment.

This 24th month finds you entering the terrible two's! But you are not so terrible. Although your favorite word is "NO, I DO IT!"

So stubborn! 

You are little miss independent.

I love that and I dread that!

You make me smile. I loved watching you interact with Nanny and Moma Jo this last trip home. You LOVED Mama Jo. You called her everyday we were there and kept her on the phone! And watching kiss your fingers and touch Nannies made me weep.

They love you so much and despite the terrible distance between us, I hope you will always know how much they love you!

Here are some pictures of you this last month and your birthday party!

dropping off Jonathan to college

 

 

Beach Trip

My little sister and mom surprised me and the kids with a quick 3 day trip to the beach. They knew that money was extra tight with Jonathan heading to the University of Charleston. So they graciously paid for our hotel room and gas.

We spent 3 glorious days at Holden Beach. We laughed, played in the sun and made wonderful memories. It was the first time we had all been to the beach together in over 10 years!

My mom even surprised me with  a Sea Shell book my Papa Bud had given me over 30 years ago. I was determined to find a Sand Dollar. Something Papa Bud and I enjoyed looking together for. I searched, dug holes and walked endlessly searching for a Sand Dollar to no avail. On our way off the beach to head home, my mom looked down and found a dollar bill stuck in the sand. We figured that was Papa's funny way of showing us a sand dollar. That was his sense of humor. It made us smile.

Karsen and my mom

Larry, my hero

Last week we traveled home for a quick mini vacation. I will blog about that later.

The week was going great until I received a phone call.

"Larry Brown died this morning of a heart attack", my mom told me.

I was in shock. Instantly saddened. Tears instantly flowing.
I had just spoke to him on facebook last week for my birthday. He had told me "Happy Birthday Baby Girl".

Larry was our former town mayor in Kernersville. He was also a member of the NC House of Representatives. He gave over 30 years of his life to being a public servant.

He was perhaps, the most influential person I had ever known. I called him "pops'. We had a inside joke that we shared that he was secretly my father and my  mom had kicked him to the curb. Of course, this was not true. Just light hearted fun but I loved him as though he was Pops. My mom and sister were also very close to him.

In 1997, my first husband abandoned me with a 3 year old Jonathan and 2 year old Justin --just 7 weeks before Christmas. Larry quietly gave me $100 dollars and refused a payback. He wanted my boys to have a nice Christmas. He would never let me tell anyone about this charitable donation because he didn't want people to think he did it for attention or for the wrong reasons.

He was always there ready to dispense sound advice to me. Whether it was about state funding for Jonathan's college or when I needed help writing letters to Senators about the housing crisis, I always knew I could turn to Larry for the best advice.

He was fiscally sound and despised wasted money. You could guarantee that if Larry was in charge of something, it would be done correctly and on budget.  Even if you disagreed with him, he was a true southern gentleman. He worked tirelessly to improve the state of NC and the city of Kernersville.

He was up for re-election this May but lost on a 3 person primary ballot. It didn't help his district had been eliminated. I wrote to him and told him that God must have something bigger in store for him. I didn't know it would be Heaven. But that is where I am sure he is now.

I will miss you Larry. You were so much more than just a friend to me. You were family. you were "pops". My mom should have never kicked you to the curb because you were the finest person to grace our lives. We will miss you so much!

 

He's Off to College

Saturday was a bittersweet day for me. A mixture of pride and sadness. Pride that my baby boy was headed to a private University. The recipient of a prestigious scholarship. All the hard work had paid off. Despite several moves, two of them to different states, he stayed the course.

Leaving him was hard. But leaving him in good hands makes it easier.

I am very proud. He was born to a teen mom. I was only 19 when he was born. My first marriage was rocky and at the age of 4, his father abandoned us for another woman who immediately became pregnant. A few years later that same man would have his parental rights terminated.

By all means this little boy should not have excelled but he did. And continues to do amazing things.

What I am most proud of his his conviction and sense of spirit. He does what is right most of the time and prides himself on having a strong character.

If he holds true to those traits, I have no doubt he will continue to be blessed by God in his amazing journey.

I love you Jon Jon! I will miss you but I know this is the right journey!

 

Black Eyed Susan

Isn't she beautiful? Her name is #4 Black Eyed Susan from the NASB Flower Series.
She is missing her hair ribbon, and her wig is a wreck. She also needs her sunflower retied to her gown. But her big, sweet beautiful brown eyes are so precious. And she is a rare "Judy Ann" version. I heart her.