It's been a while

I find that my life has been consumed of late by various things. The majority of which has been the birth and life of my great-nephew... who is beyond adorable. I know this is fact as all the pictures I take now have him in them. Here are a few to update you on his great progression:

 Why yes... he will be a Kentucky fan when he grows up. We are seeing to it.

He even went to see his Uncle Joey play a little football. Here's Uncle Joey... who also completely rocks.

Halloween rolled around and we had the Incredible Hulk on our hands. Though I'm not sure the Hulk was ever this happy. It may have been the puppy... who has become a fast friend.

We started eating real food (well, real to a baby)

But still enjoyed using Great-Aunt Cathy as a teething tool.

I took a trek to Panama City Beach with my friends John & Lou Ann:

We enjoyed Pineapple Willy's a couple of times... my fave!

I even studied for school while on the beach. That's the kind of dedicated student that I am! :)

I came home early due to a  personal tragedy. My dear friend Connie was rushed to the hospital because of a massive anneursym. I came home early and found there was nothing that could be done for her. The bleed was too massive. We removed her from life support on a Tuesday and she passed away on Thursday. Connie was a beautiful girl who had been trapped within her own body for more than 20 years due to an initial anneursym. It was such a difficult time for her family, but we rest assured that she can once again walk and talk without any impediment on streets of Gold. My best friend, Brent Gambrell, went far beyond the duties of friendship and stayed with the family and ministered to them during the last days of Connie's life. He had only met Connie and her mother once about ten years ago, but he was with her when she passed away and brought the message at the funeral. If you ever need a man of God to minister to your congregation, you need to go to http://www.brentgambrellministries.com/ and contact him. The work he does is God-breathed.

I thought that was going to be the hardest part of the year. But then, Dad was diagnosed with a heart condition: A-Fib. His heart is not beating in rhythm. We found this during a pre-op exam for a biopsy of his prostate. So, it was off to the cardiologist for him.

Before you jump on me for posting these pictures... you must know my father wanted them taken and wanted them posted. We're a funny kind of family. This was the heart monitor he wore for two days to confirm his heart was out of rhythm.

Whilst we were digesting this bit of news, we were preparing for Thanksgiving. What we didn't prepare for was my mother to have a stroke on Thanksgiving afternoon. So, a ride to the local ER and a transport to Centennial Hospital in Nashville later, and the mom and I spent Thanksgiving night in the ICU. By the time we arrived there, she was back to normal, for which we are supremely grateful.

Oh, and the stroke was caused by, are you ready for this, the fact that the Mom's heart is in A-fib. Yep. Same thing as the dad. (Don't think I don't plan to get checked out myself very soon) So, Mom jumped way ahead of Dad as far as treatment was concerned. She's had a cardioversion twice, but her heart does not like to stay in rhythm. So, she's on various medications and we continue to seek doctor care to get this under control.

She wouldn't let me take pictures. :)

So, I will show you pictures of the baby again... because he makes us smile. He's at that stage where EVERYthing goes in his mouth. Including fall foliage.

But I'm pretty sure he's the most handsome of little men.

Which brings us to the end of the fall semester for my school. I was tickled to learn that I had As in both my classes - which really is a miracle considering we were in and out of the hospital for the last few weeks of the semester. And then it was Christmas... so there should be more baby pictures. It's his first, you know...

He still likes to put stuff in his mouth.

He certainly brought smiles to all our faces this year.

Merry Christmas to you all and blessings for a wonderful New Year!

What a great celebration!

So... it's my birthday today. I'm older today than I was yesterday. But on the bright side... I am younger than I will be tomorrow.

How's that for optimism?

I woke up this morning rather sick to  my stomach. I worried that I didn't feel good because I was older. But then I realized that other family members were dealing with the same problem and I didn't feel so bad! :)

But, feeling under the weather did not stop us from celebrating the birth of Liam in such a sweet way. Today, Kristin and David dedicated Liam to the Lord at their church. What a wonderful way to start the day.



Liam and Pastor Ronnie Meeks






He was quite mesmerized!






Mom and Dad looking on.






Along with the rest of the clan!






This is a sweet moment! I love the interaction between father and son






Liam's great-grandmother got to hold him during the service.






What a cutie-patootie!



Hey! Did I tell you I'm a great aunt?

No? Well... let me remedy that and just show off some pictures of the Cutest.Baby.Ever.




Liam discovering rattles for the first time






He's not that impressed!







It is so hard to believe this baby has had a baby!!






My goodness... but he is adorable!







His grandmother... we are calling her Nina... thinks so too.






Liam letting his Aunt KK how he really feels about the humidity in Tennessee







This child can almost get his entire fist in his mouth!







He has some of the best looks!






This look is my favorite!



But first... a break in the action

I realized as I was going through some photos that I did not include the baby shower the family threw for Kristin about six weeks before the baby was born. So... I thought I would share some of the photos with little tidbits of the day, for those three people who happen upon my blog occasionally! :)

After realizing that the wedding shower we'd had a few years ago maxed our home out (too many bodies, not enough space) we held the shower at my mother's church, Stones River Baptist Church. It is a wonderful room that allowed everyone to spread out and visit/fellowship.



Our color scheme... fun boy colors



Kristin picked out a specific pattern from Party City for the decorations. The wonderful people at Julias' Homestyle Bakery in Murfreesboro took one of the napkins, and decorated the cake exactly the same. I love them there. They did Kristin's wedding shower cake and matched my specific colors and designs that time too. Double Score!!



Welcome Little Prince - Liam Alexander
Cake by Julia's Homestyle Bakery, Murfreesboro, Tennessee





Gift table... there were lots of presents!



Candy pieces on the food table.
I didn't take enough pictures of the food table!





Mother-to-be, Kristin
A/K/A my baby



Mother-to-be with the soon-to-be grandmothers, Kim & Jean





I'm a little prejudiced to some of the gifts.
Liam's first little UK outfit from his great-grandmother





And blanket from his Aunt Karen





Bears and blankets



Aunt Sarah and another great-grandmother
Sarah handled the games

Kristin was rather surprised when she received a gift from her brother, Joey. He was not in attendance, but had a special little something he wanted to give to Kristin, for Kristin. Just from him.




Kristin is a little suspicious of a gift from her brother, Joey

When Kristin saw the gift for the first time. Well, let's just say, she threw her little head back and had a good laugh. She laughed hard enough to lose her mother-to-be tiara!



Giggle Box



What, pray tell, brought all this merriment and mirth? Diapers? Baby Wipes? Another Kentucky outfit?

Nope. It was (insert drum roll here)

A jump rope.

That's right. A jump rope.

Now, lest you think her brother is trying to suggest she get her grove on as she is approaching her eighth month. The answer is no. He wasn't. This was an inside joke.

Apparently, when they were much younger, Joey swiped a jump rope from Kristin and made her so mad, that she kicked a hole in the wall of her bedroom. As Kristin begins to enter the newest phase of her life... parenthood... her brother decided to make amends.

But, perhaps my favorite gift of all... The Pee Pee Teepee. It is a cover for when you are changing the diaper of your little boy to keep him from "christening" you. I have seen the Pee Pee Teepee in action. Let me tell you people, it works!



The Pee Pee Teepee

 A good time was had by all. The mother received many wonderful gifts... and we loaded up and got everything to their home in preparation of our Little Prince.