4. Letterbox

Day 4: Letterbox

We all have them –  boxes filled with mementos of good times past.  Pictures, love letters, cards, movie tickets, dried rose petals - anything sweet and sentimental that you wanted to save to remember the one you love.  These boxes have one of four fates that await them – they sit and collect dust for years, they are continuously added to and cherished, they are actually emptied and its contents are put in a scrapbook where they belong, or they are thrown away (or burned) depending on how bad the relationship ended.

This box has met the fate of sitting in my closet and collecting dust for years.  I have been keeping this box of things from Brian since September 2006.  I actually haven’t opened the box and gone through it in forever, but  I have added to it.  I just lift the top of the box an inch or so and slide what I have into the slot, but never taking the time to inspect its contents. 

I’m happy I had to take a picture of this today because it made me sift through it.  It was quite refreshing :) Brings back memories of how we started, where we have been, and hopes for where we will go.  I love every note from “I can’t wait for our date tomorrow,” to, “I can’t wait to meet our son.”  It’s the story of us and I love that I have this letterbox to come back to in times of happiness and sadness alike.  It really makes me remember why I fell in love with Brian in the first place. I am one lucky gal <3

3. Something I adore

Day 3: Something I adore

This guy :)

Lock up your daughters, there is a future heartbreaker on the loose. I mean seriously, is he not the cutest thing you have ever seen?

My nephew, Caellum, is the funniest kid I have ever met in my life.  From the second he was born he has been giving my sister a run for her money – filling her days with pee in her hair, poop on the floor, “No no, Caellum!”s, and many trips to time out.  But mostly, her days are filled with unbelievable joy and love that she has for her son.  He is the most ornery little man you have ever met, but also the sweetest in the world. Ok I may be biased, but I’m not exaggerating – he really has the biggest heart of any kid I have ever known.

This little guy absolutely melts your heart when he gives you a hug hello, when he smiles at you, when he gives you his deep throated belly laugh, when he comes over and just loves all over you with hugs and kisses, when he takes your hand, when he wants you to sit and play with him, and even when he tackles you and blows snot all over your face because he thinks it’s funny.  It’s not funny, but you laugh anyway because he is laughing so hard, and then he thinks it’s not only funny but OK to be doing it, so he keeps doing it until both of you are covered in snot with aching bellies from laughing so hard.  Oh that Caellum…

He comes over to my belly and gives it kisses or lays his loving check on it because we have told him that his baby cousin is in there.  And then he smacks it.  Oh that Caellum…

I adore the way he says my name – “Deddsie.”   Really, his sweet little voice turns you to mush when he says just about anything.  In Caellum’s perfect world he would wake up with “Mama,” play with “MawMaw and Lissa,” have a visit from “Deddsie,” drink some “dilk,” get bedtime kisses from “grama and granddad,” and go “nigh nigh.” 

He is such a ham.  He loves attention and thrives when he is getting it.  Jenny taught him how to do different faces, and he loves seeing people's reactions when he gives them.

Happy face:

Surprised face:

Sad face:

Angry face:

Oh that Caellum…

Jenny and I grew up very close in age and we couldn’t be more thankful to have such a close relationship with one another.  I remember growing up talking how weird it would be to one day be “Aunt Jessie,” or that she would be “Aunt Jenny,” but the second that little boy arrived in this world the aunt in me easily, and naturally, kicked in.  I love that little boy like he is my own and I can’t wait to get to know, and hopefully have a part in influencing, what kind of man he will become.  I hope that he and my son grow up just as close as Jenny and I did.

I’ve often joked with Brian about how much I love my nephew.  I have never been and never will be a drug addict, but I always say Cae is like my crack cocaine (hahaha trust me – its not as bad as it sounds)…I love seeing him as much as possible and I crave his little hugs and kisses.  Once I walk in the door and he comes over to me with his little sticky hands and drooling mouth and wraps those little arms around my neck and plants a wet sloppy kiss on my cheek I get my fix.  He made it all better :)  Oh that Caellum…

2. Breakfast

Day 2: Breakfast

Brian was supposed to get me a bagel this morning, and when he got out of bed at 7:45 I was comforted by the fact that when I woke up for the day (probably around 9:00 or so) he surely would have already gone out, gotten the bagels, and had them waiting for me to enjoy for a lovely Sunday morning breakfast.

I got out of bed around 9:30 and walked downstairs anticipating the bagel with cream cheese I had been dreaming about.  I turned on the kitchen light - no bagels on the counter.  They must be in the pantry – not there.  Ok, maybe he put them in the fridge.  I open the fridge - nothing. Ok, so maybe he put them in the freezer.  I open the freezer - nada.  Not a trace of a Manhattan bagel to be found in the house.

Even though I was disappointed and was having a crazy pregnancy craving for a freaking bagel with cream cheese, I was entirely too lazy and too stubborn to go get my own (since he said he was going to do it FOR me!) and too hungry to wait one more minute to eat.  So I gave in.  Cereal it is. Cereal like every other day of the week.

Although cereal was not my first, second or even third choice – it’s always readily available, moderately tasty, and more nutritious than most things people eat for breakfast (like delicious bagels with cream cheese).  So I digress.

You might wonder where Brian was all morning and you may be asking yourself, “Why didn't he go get his loving, pregnant wife a bagel like he said he would?”  Well…he was downstairs in his "man cave" when I woke up this morning and he did not come upstairs until around 11:00, at which point he saw me sitting in the living room with a scowl on my face.

He asked if I wanted him to get me a bagel, to which I replied I thought he would have already done that since he had been up for a million hours.  He simply said he thought I would want the bagel for brunch and I roll my eyes because when have I, since I have been pregnant for 6 ½ months, wanted to wait to eat for HOURS after I had gotten out of bed. 

Driving. Me. Nuts.

I'm just kidding.  It really wasn't that big of a deal but I did REALLY want a bagel.  Anyway, all is well and he is not only going to get me a smoothie for lunch, he now knows the importance of the little things because the little things go a long way and become a big deal to a hungry, craving, pregnant woman :) I love that man.

1. Photo of Me

Day 1: Me

Where I'm From

I am from the hill in my backyard, from baths in the kitchen sink and Illinois Road.

I’m from David and Margie, from the importance of dad’s respect and from the comfort of moms love. From the mind of my father and the heart of my mother.

From Jenny, my sister and my best friend in this entire world.  You are my heart.

From laughing until my stomach hurts and still being best friends with the same two girls from middle school – love you Heath and Leah.

I’m from Church on Sundays and family gatherings at MawMaw Baileys, from cousins who were my first best friends, and a strong family that is still my number one.

I’m from yard saleing on Saturday mornings with the quarters my grandma gave me, the smell of her Charlie perfume as she got in the car, and the embarrassment of pulling up to a house of someone I knew.

I’m from MawMaw Lowery, and sucking on Cheetos while watching Doogie Howser, from writing sentences when I was in trouble, and passing notes to Jenny under the door when we were sent to our rooms.

I’m from the sound of a vacuum on Saturday mornings, from a house cleaned only the way mom can, and dad’s music blaring throughout the day.

From staying up late and eating ice cream with MawMaw Tuck, from watching scary movies too young, and from building most childhood memories in her back yard.

I’m from Mimi Butt and Bobo Brain, He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands, and the Tickle Machine.

From family dinners together, saying grace, and always mixing mashed potatoes with my green beans.

I’m from going to bed early and sleeping late, from singing and dancing even though I never could, and trying to find the best in life.

I’m from my husband, who the thought of brings tears to my eyes because he is more than I ever could have dreamed of. My rock, my love, my life. Lx3 – Love you Boo.

From my son, my growing child, who I can’t wait to meet. Who I dream for, who I care for, who I love.

I am from God. Thanks be to Him.

31 Day Photo Challenge

I have wanted to start a blog for a long time now, but actually starting one was always just a distant desire - never something I would actually ever do.  I am the person who writes 15 different status updates on Facebook and erases them before posting because I can't help but think that people just don't care about what I have to say.

But I figure that if I am a closet blog stalker and continuously read blog after blog about people’s babies pooping on the carpet, or their favorite outfit of the week, or their creative daily dinner recipes, I figure that someone out there can find something about my blog they like.  Or at least I hope :)

I have come to find that I am not a novelist.  I do not enjoy writing short stories or, really, being creative at all in writing.  What I do enjoy is writing what I see.  Writing from the heart.  I tend to view things a little differently than some people, and I like to express my point of view.  Here you will find more commentary and/or random observations from my day to day life.  It’s a place for me to practice writing while sharing all those things I find to be amusing in this world.

To ease into this whole blog thing, I have decided to start with a 30 day photo challenge.  I can't think of any better way for my readers to get to know me through this process while giving me a chance to practice and play in the blogging world.  So here we go…

31 Day Photo Challenge

1.       You

2.       Breakfast

3.       Something you adore

4.       Letterbox

5.       Something you wore

6.       Makes you smile

7.       Favorite

8.       Your sky

9.       Daily routine

10.   Childhood

11.   Where you sleep

12.   Close-up

13.   In your bag

14.   Something you’re reading

15.   Happiness

16.   Morning

17.   Water

18.   Something you bought

19.   Sweet

20.   Someone you love

21.   Reflection

22.   Your shoes

23.   Something old

24.   Guilty pleasure

25.   Something you made

26.   Color

27.   Lunch

28.   Light

29.   Inside your fridge

30.   Nature
31.   You, again