Merry, Merry Christmas!!

Reflecting on the true meaning of Christmas and thanking God for sending his perfect son to save me from my sins. Jesus Christ, the reason for this celebration, He's my Lord and my Savior, and there isn't a better gift anywhere! How truly blessed we are to be loved by God so much that he would make that kind of sacrifice for us!

Here's wishing a very Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Snow Day Fun!

December 19, 2009

Dresser Makeover

Remember this old wood dresser from our house before the one we live in now? It served as our master bedroom dresser ever since we got married.

When we moved, and got new bedroom furniture, the old piece settled into the garage, and kinda became the catch all for storing things. Sad, isn't it!?The knobs were coming off, and the finish was slowly but surely peeling off. This piece belonged to my dad when he was growing up, then followed him to his family where it was my parents dresser for a while, then became Ashley's changing table when she was a baby, and finally found a home with me and was my dresser for years. I took it with me when we moved. It's a solid wood dresser and is still standing strong after so many years. I would never think of trashing it or giving it away, soooo....
We revamped it! It now lives in our "shabby" guest room. We went with a robin's egg blue.

We replaced the old broken handles with crystal ones.

And, creatively, banged it up a little, so it has that shabby chic look.

Complete with some new "shabby" decor and picture frames, I think it completes our guest room PERFECTLY! We couldn't be happier with the outcome of our dresser makeover! Old furniture can be as good as new furniture!

And Last, But Not Least!

Here is our master suite, walk in closet (that I am in love with), and bathroom:

You Guessed It...We're Still Touring the New House!

Our Guest Rooms:

One more to go, y'all! Next..the master suite!

Happy Birthday Honey Bunny!

I am SO happy to have you home in time, not only for Christmas, but for your birthday! You are my soulmate, you truly are, and God has blessed me beyond measure with you as my husband, and I thank Him for giving you to me to walk through this life with, hand in hand. I love you so much!!! You are my prince charming, my knight in shining armor, my hero, my best friend, my support, my rock, my one true love. And I honestly don't know what I would do without you. Thank you for being everything I always wanted and needed.

Welcome home, babe. My world is complete again. Happy Birthday, sweetie. I hope it's the best one yet!

A Little Break from the House Tour

We came home last night. After word that home was getting lots and lots of snow, there was no stopping Jason from getting us here. He missed our last much anticipated snow since he was in Iraq, and he was NOT going to miss another one;o) We got here at about 12. AM that is. . We had lots of rain up until about Durham, and it started turning to ice/slush/snow. It was an automatic halt of everyone on the highway..65 to 30ish. We were still doing pretty good until Greensboro, and then things slowed again. Not for the tractor trailers though, they scared me SO bad! One flew by us so fast and close that we could've reached out the window and touched it! I screamed. Probably didn't help Jason's nerves! It also didn't help that we have a weak-tummied dog, who puked twice before we even got to the highway. I was not a happy girl. Thank goodness for Benadryl..we knocked his tail out. When we FINALLY got to our exit, we had seen several people wreck, cars that just given up and pulled over just to get snowed under, and many a car tangled up in the guard wires. We talked with God alot during our trip, and He delivered and got us home safely. Thank you Lord! Our exit was covered with ice and snow. The roads were completely white. We drove the rest of the way home at about 15 mph. A 7 minute drive took about 25 minutes, but we got there! Ashley and Matt were patiently awaiting our arrival and helped us get unloaded. We hit the sack at about 1:15.

It wasn't completely decided at first for us to come home, but we all figured out how to get us HOME! Matt and Jason will head back tomorrow for Jason to work a half day and check out for leave, while Matt will be working at a bank in a nearby town. Jason will get his car and hit the road back here Monday afternoon, and Matt will be back Tuesday.

We had a very eventful day of sledding at the school across the road, got some great pictures that I will share soon. Then we came home to a cozy fire, shared (and laughed) at the pictures, ate a warm lunch courtesy of Momma, and then all crashed for naps. We are now rested, awaiting the baking chickens, and will all snuggle in for goodies, hot chocolate, family time, and maybe a Christmas movie tonight. We are all spending the night at Daddy and Momma's. Things couldn't be better.

The House Tour, Continued...Again

Our bonus room at the top of the stairs (a.k.a. the craft room, Kojak's bedroom, the military room, and extra sleeping space for big family get togethers!), our laundry room, and the guest bathroom.

If you are still hanging with me, the next group will be of the guest rooms (hopefully one will be a nursery in the not too far off future *praying and crossing fingers*).

The House Tour, Continued

Welcome to the Dining Room and the Kitchen. This is where the food happens:)

Next up on our tour, the upstairs!

A Much Anticipated Post:)

That's right...our new house! First on our tour...the foyer and living room. Hope you enjoy!

Stay tuned...next will be the dining room and the kitchen!

Today's the Day I've Waited For All Year!

In just a couple of short hours (which in fact, will seem like years), I will be reunited with my sweetie! It's 3 am, I've been up for about 2 hours, only getting about 2 1/2 hours of sleep. But I am wide awake and rarin' to go! Everything is done. The house is clean, the Christmas lights are on, Jason's favorite goodies are made and awaiting him in the pantry, and his car is washed and waxed courtesy of Matt:) He is currently on the hour bus ride back to Camp Lejeune, where they will get their blood drawn, and turn their weapons in. After that, they will be headed to the homecoming location! Ash and Matt will be videoing and taking pictures, so I'm sure I'll have plenty to show you! Oh, if this time would just hurry up!

Moving Update...Sorta

I know some of you are waiting on a much anticipated "moving post" (cough cough..Renea:o)), BUT I am waiting until Jason comes home and sees it in person first, and I know if I post pictures here, he will cheat and look at them (I know you well, honey). But, we are all moved in, most everything is hung up, put up, set up, and arranged. I even have all of my indoor Christmas decorations up (I know, you are all impressed, lol). I'm putting my outdoor stuff up after we return from Thanksgiving back home. Kojak is settling in nicely, and LOVING his big fenced in yard! I will, for sure, have lots of pictures of not only the house, but Jason seeing his new house for the first time, in a few short weeks. 19 or 22 days is the time of arrival. I have had SO much to do lately that it really hasn't sunk in. I think after Thanksgiving, everything will hit me with a big dose of reality! I will come back from the holiday, do an overall cleaning of the house, and get Jason's car ready (which he hasn't seen that either!), and then the real countdown begins!

I've been fighting a bad cold this week, and I'm going hoarse, so that has put a little damper on things, but I'm pushing on as much as possible. I had to get a new military ID and a new base sticker since Jason reenlisted, I'm trying to help a friend that is moving back from Arizona find a house here, and the base pharmacy won't let me transfer my prescriptions over unless I have all new prescriptions. How retarded is that!?! Sooo, I had to make a doctor appt. to get all new Rx's, and nobody can see me until Monday (the day we are supposed to be leaving to go home for Thanksgiving). Gosh, I'm ready for a week of relaxing with my hubby! When he gets back, he has 3 half days of post deployment briefs, and then he has 4 days off, and I am SO SO SO looking forward to that!!!

Our Sweet Little Austin

Is 5 years old today! I really can't believe how fast it has flown by. I remember how excited I was on this day five years ago...impatiently awaiting your arrival. We planned and planned for that day and when you came, we were all so happy. You gave us a little scare that first week, but you pulled through and you are such a strong, beautiful boy. Your love for God, for your family, and for life in general is so pure, so genuine. The fact that you tell people that you love them just because your feeling it warms my soul. You have blessed our lives in so many ways, that I can't even begin to name them. I can't imagine what life was like before you, nor do I want to! So, on this day, your 5th birthday, I hope you have a wonderful day. I'm so glad I get to spend this day with you. I love you so much!

Ouch:(

Crutches...Check. Knee Wrap/a.k.a. the Ace Bandage...Check.

Advil...check.

Ice Pack...Check.
Nurse Ashwee...Check, Check!


Dang it, if I didn't mess up my knee the very week before I move! The pain got so unbearable by Thursday night, that I went to the doctor Friday morning, followed by an MRI of my knee. The doc thinks I have a torn meniscus (I have NO idea how I did it because I didn't feel it when it happened). As for what happens from here, I don't know. I've heard minor surgery may be needed if that is what it is. Praying that that's not needed! I've been staying off of it as much as I can, using crutches, icing it, wrapping it, elevating it...or, I should say Ashley has been icing it, wrapping it, and elevating it. She is a spectacular nurse! She has been at my every beck and call (and if you were wondering...beck and call IS the correct term, I googled it because I thought it was beckon call). She has taken really good care of me and just jumped in and is doing everything to help me feel better and to keep me comfy. I'm lucky to have such a good live in nurse:) Plus, Alaina stayed over last night and helped out with everything I needed too. I got me a good family, that's for sure!