Journey With Jen

Joey in 2005 & 2010 Isn't it amazing that he really looks the same? :) Yes, of course, a lot bigger. He is now 5'6" and wears a size 10 in men's shoes. But, still the same Joey. I remember being pregnant with Joey. So Sick! Not the glowing pregnancy every woman dreams of. I soon realized that an 8 month pregnant lady should not be sick over a toilet. Very hard to get up! :~D But, with the joy of preclampsia, he arrived four weeks early. A very loud screaming five pounds! He was SO tiny. But, with God's blessings, he was healthy enough to come home when I was released from the hospital a few days later. He was a very easy baby. Happy. As a toddler, he was so funny. I think one of his first words after 'mommy' and 'daddy' was 'wipe-y.' Every time he'd get his hands dirty, he would hold them up and want a 'wipe-y.' Of course, at the time, it was cute. (as a teenager, I have to remind him to wipe his hands on a napkin!) He became...

Faith, Cara, Abby, & Summer Spring Break 2008 (Faith was in kindergarten) Cara, Faith, Summer, Joey, Luke, & Abby Spring Break 2008 Looking at those photos makes me realize how quickly time goes. It doesn't seem that long ago but look how little they are! Luke was in 3rd grade like Faith is now. Faith was in kindergarten like Abby is now! It's so hard to believe that it's the end of another year. The kids have gotten so big physically and mentally. I now have a teenager!! And he's 5'6" and wears a size 10 men's shoe!! Don't get me started on the mouth of a teenager. Why is it that I have to 'pay for my husband's' raising? LOL :~D Both of my boys are in middle school trying to find their ninch. My daughter is now in third grade. It's already the middle of the school year. She will soon be in the blue hallway with the big 4th & 5th graders! I know that each workday we wish away so we can get to the weekend to be home with our f...

The cousins: Luke, Summer, Faith, Cara, Joey, and Phillip My niece, Abby Cara and Grandma Yarbrough Faith, Summer, and Cara Tonight I am once again feeling blessed. I was downloading my pictures to see what I got and just felt that warm fuzzy feeling deep inside. Must have been what the Grinch felt when his heart grew. My heart just feels full of love. I look at these pictures and think of how they have grown and changed. How their love and acceptance has changed me. That first Christmas years ago, I remember sitting on the floor by the fireplace being quite (unusual huh? lol) Just watching trying to remember any one's names and trying to figure out who was who. My niece, Cara, was about 5 at that time. She curled up in my lap and stayed there. Aaawww...the love and acceptance of a child can make a weak person brave. I remember watching Phillip and how clearly you could see how much he loved his Uncle Brent. The love and acceptance of a child is not hid, but shines through. N...

This time of year is filled with so many things. Some good. Some bad. So many times I feel like the meaning of Christmas is lost in the shuffle. Christmas is to celebrate Christ, His birth, His love, His grace. It is not "Happy Holidays." It's CHRISTmas. It's not the pushing. The shoving. The shopping. This wonderful time of year does not always bring out the best in people. I guess that is why my favorite holiday has always been Thanksgiving. I grew up in a home that REALLY 'celebrated' Christmas. Well, when I say 'celebrated', I mean my parents made sure that was lots under the tree. That was the one holiday a year that my mom did some major shopping! Which as a kid, made it an awesome day!! LOL The tree would be empty and in the morning, it would be full of presents. Even now, she makes sure that Kent & I plus my three kids have stuff to open Christmas Day. I just want to take back Christmas to a simpler time. I don't know if it's possi...

One of our favorite things to do as a family is put up the Christmas tree. We unwrap each ornament and each of the kids get to place 'their' ornament on the tree. Until a couple years ago, they each picked out a new one each year. When they started kindergarten, they each got an ornament for school. Now, we add a family picture to the tree each year. As you can see, it's not just about my kids. It's about family. I love to see how much they've grown and changed through the years. Look at my niece and nephew in the corner picture. They are both in college now! My niece at the top is in kindergarten. My Dad passed on last year. My tree may not be the fanciest tree with ribbons and bows. But, I look at my tree and I see the connections of family. The love of family. It's become so large that my pretty ornaments don't even make the tree anymore! And ~ I wouldn't have it any other way! This year has been harder for me to get into the Christmas spirit. It has ...

The Brooks Madison, MaKinna, and Jaden Brooks When I was growing up, I didn't have aunts or uncles that lived by. I honestly can't tell you the name of any of my cousins. I only saw them when my Grandparents died at their funerals. But, I had a friend that was like a second mother to me. She took on the role of what I think of as an aunt. She was the one that I could talk to that was kinda' like my mother ~ but wasn't. LOL :-) I knew that no matter what, she would always love me. I also knew in the back of my mind that if something major happened, she would tell my parents. But, for the little dramas of just growing up, she would keep my secrets. I remember going to Sonic and ordering a couple cherry limeades and just sitting their talking. About boys. About mean girls. About the life of a girl growing up. God chooses our family, but we have a say in who we choose as our friends. I want my kids to have that relationship with some one. They need it. As much as I want my ...