A New Year, A New Outlook

Well I thought at first every time I posted people would want to see pictures of the kids. Nevermind, what my thoughts and hopes and dreams are day to day. Well, this blog post has no pictures so continue reading if you wish, or go ahead and close because there are no recent cute pictures of the kids. That will come later, when I feel like sitting in the coldest room in the house to upload on our very old computer.

With a new year, everyone seems to think, new you. Not me, although this past Sunday in Fast and Testimony meeting something struck me. Someone (not naming names) talked about striving to be more faithful. I would like to believe I am doing just that. It is amazing the change in your life when you implement those small and simple things in your life. Your life changes for the better. I have had a lot of time visiting with our wonderful Sister Missionaries and let me just say, WOW!!!! I have gone out with them twice now and every time when I get home, I can't wait to go again. Not at the simple fact I don't have screaming, needy kids, but because of the spirit that dwells with them, the spirit we bring into a home, and the spirit that remains with me. I am feeling so very blessed already in doing service with the Sisters and visiting those who might not go to church at this time, or visit with those seeking answers and truth. It is so hard to sit there and not shout with joy about the Gospel and all the good it has brought into my life.

As the new year starts, I want to be more spiritually minded. Try to serve more not only my family, my church, but my community. I have several hopes for the new year. Start by smiling at someone you don't know, I have done it, and wow it works!!!! Express your gratitude to those who serve you like the cashier at the store, a close friend, a family member. Their reactions will surprise you. Never loose faith. I understand more fully about FAITH, and the power in which it holds. Faith and hope is easier for an optimistic person. Trying to be positive in such a negative world is hard, believe me. But that is where FAITH and HOPE come into play. The more positive things you say, the more positive you are to be. Do not focus on what could go wrong, but will go right.

I am grateful for my life. I am blessed with a wonderful husband who is not perfect, and thank goodness for that. I am blessed with healthy, smart, funny children. I have a roof over my head, heat and food. I need not, and who am I kidding when I say I want not. Aside from that, the gospel is truly the center base for my life and my families life. It has brought me where I am today. I love the ward I am in the, the many friends I have meet here, the many friendships I have developed and some being so familiar to me. I know for certain that I knew some of these wonderful women in the life before this one. I am thankful for my Savior and for the sacrifice he made, so that we may live with him again. That is truly a cherished gift. I am grateful for my eternal family.

Time Fly's.

I have tried many times to start a new post, only to find out that my pics on locked on my laptop. I hope to get getting that checked into. You can look forward to Cori's 2nd Birthday pics, which was back in July, our thousandth trip to the zoo, Fontana, NC, and this weekend....our first camping trip as a family!!!! We are so excited and feel very blessed to have the time together as a family right now. We know it will not last forever.

In other family news, Patrick will have 2 more semesters at UGA, graduating with 2 Associate Degree's and 1 in Bachelor's. We are so proud of him and know he will go far with his blessed education.

Stephen has started back at the ELC this year, he has made really good progress and continues to surprise with big words like Dangerous, and his knowledge about dinosaurs. He loves watching Nascar, playing with his friends, going shopping and watching Tom & Jerry, Scoobie Doo, Thomas, Dino Squad, Super Why, Caliou. He can count, say his ABC's, knows his colors, shapes, his right from left. He is truly growing up. We are working on writing our letters, and matching. I think with the time given we can have him starting to read before Pre-K next year. We take weekly trips to the Library which offers reading time and crafts on Thursday. I am living up this year because after this, he will begin school.

Cori is amazing. She loves nursery and singing time. She loves to read stories to me and Stephen. She knows Jesus Wants me for a Sunbeam, and I am child of God. She loves to play on the piano and sing. She loves to color and can hold the pen in the LEFT hand perfectly. She loves playing babies and of course loves playing dress up in all my shoes. She has noticed my earrings and it is only a matter of time before she wants hers done. I was thinking 8 but we shall see. She is showing interest in dressing herself, and going potty once again. We are going camping this weekend so we will start when we get back. She is still under weight according to the charts. She is tall so sometimes that can present a problem, but I resort to the pants that have an adjustable waist. Thank you GAP, OLD NAVY, GYMBOREE!!!

Me, I am just busy, busy. I have a another calling ontop of Sunbeam Teacher, I am also on the Enrichment committee and it is so much fun! I love this ward, and the opportunities I have been given to serve with such wonderful people. This next year is going to filled with fun family memories.

Catching Up.......TONS OF PICS

Chillin

Father's Day Present One

I turned around and Cori had gotten me a diaper and wipes.....two words, Potty Train!!!!

They were being so goofy.

This pretty much sums it all up.

My Prince

My Princess

Washing the "green hornet."

Cori in my sailor dress I wore one Easter

Celebrating Great-Grandma's 90th, Sarah's 27th, and Samuel's 1st....Ben was around somewhere, he was turning 24.

All the Grandkids-L to R Jacob (2), Christian (3), Stephen (3), Cordelia (22 months), Samuel 5 days from turning one.

My grandma and Dad and her 90th Birthday party

Christian (Sarah's son 3) and Stephen at Great-Grandma's 90th Birthday

to be continued.....

Pay It Forward

So, here's how this game works-the first 3 people to leave a comment on this post will receive, at some point during the year, a handmade gift from me. What it will be and when it will arrive is a total surprise! The catch is that you must participate as well. Before you leave your comment, write up a pay it forward post on your blog to keep the fun going (or be lazy and copy and paste this one). Then come back, let me know you're going to play ( leave me your email in the comment so I can get your address) and sit back and anticipate the arrival of your gift! You know it will be good if I made it right?! I totally have time to be making fun gifts!!! Remember, only the first three get a gift, so you have to be super fast!

To Janet and Lillie

I am feeling rather inspired lately about a lot of things. I want to thank you two for your blogs and the knowledge you share about your faith in the Lord. In a way, you two have born your testimony's about faith and patience. Thank you!!!!

I was in the Jonesboro Ward visiting Patrick's mom and Herb when our Sunday school teacher said something that struck me. It went something like this, when you pray to the Lord, you better get ready to wait. Faith and patience can go hand in hand. Sometimes when we want answers to our prayers its in the Lord's time frame, not ours.

Janet is right to say you sometimes just can NOT plan anything because done right, the Lord has a plan for you. All you have to do is pray and he will guide and direct you to that.

I want ALL my friends out there to know how special you are to me. We never know when the Lord will call us home and for that reason, I want my friends to know what an impact you have had in my life. How special you are to me and how I KNOW we knew each other before we came to earth. I have several friends waiting on the other side, helping me along this journey we call life, but more importantly, I have Father in Heaven that earnestly wants me to make it back to him. So thank you for all your friendships and love. I am always looking to serve my friends which leads me to another story.

This past weekend I had two angels come down and help me. No not the bright beam of light, all though that would be cool. These two angels have names, Emily and John. Since moving downstairs, yes we had far more room than upstairs, but things could never seem to get uncluttered. I went to the Dr about two months ago for anxiety and depression, was given something meds to put it in check. I am not ashamed I have to be on medicine for this disorder. I am much more pleasant to be around. Well, I still could not seem to get things done around here and organized. Lets face it, moving from 1800sq ft to 700-750 would really scramble and jumble things up and together. I love that we are here for now and things have gone really good considering. Emily working full time and John with his back....still took time out of their Saturday to come and help me straighten things out. I got a jump start the weekend before and gave a bunch of things to my friends garage sale. I think Emily saw that I was trying and knew with Patrick going to school and a physical full time job, I was going to need some help. They spent over 9 hrs down here getting things straight and when they left that to go back upstairs that night.........my heart became so very full. Full of gratitude for the ones that love me and were sent here to earth to help lighten my burden. I have had similar experiences with my friends doing the same for me in Covington when I was on bed rest with Cori and my family was too far away. It is amazing when you pray the Lord hears and answers, so thank you John and Emily.

John has recently started his program/college and in no time will become a medical asst, GOOD JOB, we are all so proud of you!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For Whoever Reads My Blog

I do not have a lot of readers of my blog. That is fine, but this is a place for me to be able to write down memories and events in our lives. I guess you can say it is somewhat a public journal, or journey.

Today marks our 9th wedding anniversary. I hope to post a picture or two of us that day. I have a gorgeous frame and looking for that special picture to blow up and place in our bedroom. We are very lucky and thankful we are where we are today, even if that means living in my parents basement. Here is a highlight of the past nine years:

2000-2004 we lived in Oklahoma where Patrick was stationed with the United States Navy
June 2004-August 2005 we lived with Patrick's mom in Jonesboro and he started college, we got pregnant with Stephen
August 2005 bought a home in Covington
December 2005 Stephen was born
December 2006 we found out we were pregnant with our second child and Stephen turned 1
July 2007 Cordelia was born
September 2007 we moved in with my parents, Patrick transferred to Gainsville State
March 2009 we celebrate the past nine years, Patrick gets accepted to UGA, Stephen is talking non stop (an answer to our prayers), Patrick continues being Team Lead at TSC!!!!

In just ONE year, we have had so many blessings and we are so very thankful.

Things to look forward to this year:
Patrick turning 31 and starting UGA this summer
Seeing the Felt Family the first part of April
Cori turning 2 in July
A Family Vacation??? Not yet decided
Attending my first college football game ever, which will be at UGA
Stephen turning 4

Notice I did not put turning 28...LOL!!!!!

In just two weeks I have had two cousins pass away. Both were very unexpected. I can not begin to express the aching in my heart. I am thankful for my wonderful cousins that I have reunited with just right before this all happened. Due to the first death, relationships were reunited and because of the second they will forever be kept alive. We do not know when the Lord will decide to call us home.

This evening I was laying in bed with Stephen, as we do most nights, and I began crying uncontrollably. Stephen asked "Mommy, why are you crying, did Daddy spanks you?" I told him "no mommy is very, very sad right now because her friends are very far away." He then began to rub my hair and tell me not to cry. Of course, that made me cry even harder. I am thankful for his sweet little spirit and the joy he brings along with Cordelia into my life. They make times like these even more precious and bearable.

A Casey Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas, this being Stephen's 4th and Cordelia's 2nd.  Here are a few pictures from the wonderful event.

Daddy and Cori right before we opened presents.Cori trying to get in her babydoll stroller.Stephen with his new shades.  He always was complaining the sun was in his eyes and I would let him use my sunglasses, but now he has his very own.

All in all, Christmas was wonderful and we feel we have been very blessed.  We are grateful for the life we have been given and the oppurtunity we have to be a family.  We hope all our friends and family a Happy New Year.

Holiday Time

This past week was blur.  It has gone by very fast.  I still have presents to wrap, food to make, laundry, dishes, and packing to do.  So this blog today (two in one week) is going to be nothing more than the pics of my sweet, adorable, precious children, enjoy!!!!

Stephen turns 3!!!!!

Here is the setup of Stephen's 3rd Birthday!!!  I can not believe it, time has flown.  I handmade the banner myself.  We had a dinosaur theme party, and everything could not have been more perfect.  We did things are little backwards though.  We had cake and ice cream around 3pm, then around 5pm we grilled hot dogs and things.  Thanks to those who drove so far out of the way to come on this special day!!!!  Here are a few highlights of the party.  

I remember when:

If only time stood still.

The Reason I Blog

I love blogging. I do not do it every day or even every week. I enjoy sharing my life's joys with friends near and far. I miss those that have left the great state of Georgia and live in places that I dream of visiting. (ERICA, that means you) I enjoying reading others blogs who share life's triumphs and victories. Most of all, I LOVE pictures. It could be your children, your home, the sky, the exciting places you go where you live like a park or museum. I enjoy traveling in my mind to those places. So thank you to those that share your life with me. This is a extra special time of the year. It is a time to reflect on the things in your life that you are thankful for. Mine go way back, far past my lifetime or my parents. I will always first and foremost be thankful to my Father in Heaven, for allowing us to return to him, if we are true and faithful to our covenants. I am thankful for Jesus Christ, for his atoning sacrifice and setting a perfect example for all of us to strive after. I am thankful for the Prophet Joseph Smith and ALL that he endured to pave the way, with the help of many, for the Saints. Because of the sacrifices they made, we are here and able to worship today. To stand for truth and righteousness in all things. To have eternal blessings is the greatest gift we can give ourselves and our children. We are so VERY lucky to members of this church. To partake of the blessings the Lord offers us in this lifetime and the next. I am grateful for my birth mother who gave me life and VERY grateful for my parents teaching me how to live it. I am so very thankful for my loving and handsome husband, Patrick. All that he has taught me and continues to teach me. For his love and patience and willingness to provide. For the sacrifices he makes to make sure his family is cared and provided for. I am so very thankful for my ability to be a mother and have to such sweet spirits in our home. They make me laugh all the time and I enjoy being with them all day long. I love my brother and sisters very much. I am truly blessed to have shared memories with them. I love my grandmother and my aunt. They are not members but would do anything for you and show much support. Much like when my father became bishop...they were there front and center (second row). I love them and their allowing me to come over whenever to see their great grandchildren/niece and nephew. I miss my grandfather deeply and every time I see an older person, I think of him. I started making a crocheted blanket for him many years ago, he passed 19 months ago, so now I will do it for Grandma, in memory of him. I could never imagine loosing my father, he is such a wonderful man because of my grandparents. He was a hard worker, great provider, strong, heartwarming and had a heart of a saint. So "count your blessings, name them one by one and it will surprise you what the Lord has done."I missed church again today because Cori has RSV again. I thought I would share my testimony with my good friends and family and know that I may not always call, but I think of you ALL often. I hope to figure out my phone soon so I can post a million funny pics of the kids. I know life is busy this time of year but remember to share those precious moments with your dear friends. It helps of lift them and inspire them. Happy Holidays!!!!! :)