Ribbon Cutting Ceremony!

For anyone who would like to come, the ribbon cutting for Victoria's street, "Victoria Lane" is next Friday May 29 at 4pm. The ribbon cutting will take place in front of the Towne Lake Parkway Publix behind Chili's (just park towards the back of the publix parking lot). My family and I would love to share this special moment with those of you who can join us.

Home Bittersweet Home...

As I type this post, I am sitting at my parent's kitchen table back home in Atlanta, the same table we spent so many hours pouring over all the cards of condolences when Victoria died. I am discovering that the tears flow more freely when I am here and my heart is heavy. This is where we all lived together, and last night Alex and I slept side by side in Victoria's old bed. Ava even joined us early (a little too early!) this morning.


I always look forward to coming home because I miss my family dearly, but it never fails that the tears start to fall during the drive before I even get here. Ohhh I just miss her. And yet, Victoria comforts me like no other sister can: I had about an hour left on my drive home yesterday, and I just started sobbing. My Zune decided to play "Cinderella" by Steven Curtis Chapman, and I almost changed it feeling the lump in my throat begin to form, but I didn't. I decided to let the tears come. Within about 20 minutes of this happening, I saw not one, not two, but 3 YELLOW JEEPS in a row- all within about 5 miles! Oh victoria, I said out loud as a most welcomed smile came across my face, and I felt her love and God's love all around me.

You know, when I started this blog, I wasn't really sure of it's purpose, but I figured I would mainly just update every once in a while about our little family in Franklin, but I am finding that this is the place I turn to after talking to Bobby and my family to share my thoughts, feelings, and hard moments about missing my sister. Funny thing is that I feel like a recurring theme is her darn Jeep! I guess I talk about it alot because it is so surreal to me that I see one every day, and I am realizing more and more each day that it is God's special way of consoling me that Victoria is with Him.

Thank you Lord for continuing to shower my family and I with your delicate and tender love. Victoria has been gone from us for almost 5 months, and not a day goes by that I am not reminded of how intimately you know our hearts for you comfort me at the exact moments when I need You most. Thank you, thank you for letting it be Aunt MaryBeth on the phone just now when she called and not a salesperson, because there was no denying in my voice that I had been crying and she was just the person I needed to share that difficult moment of grieving with. Lord help me to return the love you have given me with a greater love for others and a generous heart so to serve and comfort them in the same way that they have comforted me.

Told You!

Ok, so today I just had to take a picture to show you all that I really do see a yellow Jeep EVERYDAY! Today was extra special because this one followed me for a couple of miles and kept turning on the same roads as me. I loved every second of it with a bittersweet joy. Finally the driver pulled up next to me and I was able to snap a quick picture on my phone of my jeep for the day :) I love how Victoria is loving me in this way! Because yeah seeing one every once in a while would probably be just because I am paying attention to actually notice them, but considering I have seen one pretty much EVERYDAY since she died, I have to admit there must be a little supernatural love at work here. I miss you Vic. 

Hehehe, on another note, this picture is of Ava at Mom's school when we came in town to visit her a while back. I came across it when I was looking through pics on my cell phone. She's already got the mouse figured out and everything! Too funny!

M is for Mother

M is for Mother A is for Alliteration but M is for MOTHER...

My man makes me married. Marriage means I may multiply : ) Multiplying makes minis (mostly of my man so far). BUT, my children make me a mother. Mothering is mind-boggling, many times manic AND massively magnificent.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all you precious mothers, those with children here and those with children with the Lord. What a day to celebrate and remember... time with our children and time with our mothers.

"And the peace of God, which transcends ALL UNDERSTANDING, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."- Philippians 4:7

April seems like it flew by, but here are a few pictures from April and May so far! Ava is 21 months old and I am 34 weeks pregnant!! Almost there!

Ava & I at the Nashville Zoo May 8, 2009

Well...Ava discovered Mommy's panty drawer...and thought they made pretty necklaces!

Bobby has begun a new workout program called P90X, so Ava decided to work on her abs too!

Ava, John Paul, and Max- her 2 best buddies!

Lunch break on the lawn at the Franklin Spring Festival!

Double Bummer!

Well, it was a rainy weekend for us here in Franklin, and I think Bobby and Ava went stir crazy...I was the lucky one to get out of the house not only for a pedicure on Saturday, but also to help host a baby shower for one of my best friends Kristi! It was tons of fun, and I am soo excited for their 1st baby to arrive later this month! It is definitely baby season because I think I can count about 14 beautiful moms who are having babies between now and October!
So the first bummer was that it rained SOO much this weekend and today all we could come up with to do was go to Walmart and sleep! hahaha! Luckily Ava surprised us with a 3 hour nap, so Bobby and I both got some rest which was especially nice for me since I am working tonight.

The double bummer was for the first time with this pregnancy I was asked if I was having twins! Haha! One of my patient's moms asked me! I sweetly replied, "No, but sometimes I feel like it!" which was honestly a lie because I am so grateful for how good I have been feeling even up to this point at 33 weeks!

Today started out a bit stressful because we barely made it on time to Mass this morning at 8:30am and then asked the usher to seat us as close to the front as possible because we are really wanting to keep Ava with us during Mass so we can teach her about Jesus and allow her to see all the beautiful parts of the Mass. We realized that when we sit in the middle or the back, Ava simply sees a sea of people and is more prone to wandering around, fussing, etc, but when we sit right in front, she is able to see the priest, the altar servers, the crucifix, etc and pays a little bit more attention as we whisper in her ear how much Jesus loves her and we point to Him on the cross. Well, this morning didn't go so well and she was so unsettled and kept pulling EVERYTHING out of my purse searching for "eat, eat" aka snacks...Bobby is so patient with her and kept "barracading" her in our pew with his leg, but I was feeling the tension rise in me, and I hated that because I love going to Church and seeking that time of prayer and peace...not so easy with missy Ava! But I pray that the effort we are making to have her there with us adds to the graces received and I know it definitely increases my patience and helps me with my humility...
The day ended well because Bobby and I are always making bets for different things and tonight I won a foot massage! hehehe! A little "obsession" of Bobby's is timing EVERYTHING- especially stop lights- so today on our way home from WalMart, we made a bet of how much time we would spend waiting at red lights before we got home. My guess was 1 min. and 10 seconds- he guessed 2 min and 20 seconds! The total time was 1 min and 2 seconds, so I won! Oh the little joys in our life- especially on a rainy day :)