Christmas 2009

Okay, so I'm still a slacker when it comes to blogging. I did, however, want to post a few pictures from one of our awesome youth activities this year. All of our youth, along with senior primary, and our fantastic missionaries, sang Christmas carols at a nearby senior residence center. We walked up and down the corridors singing carols and wishing each resident a Merry Christmas. This is an annual event for the Theodore Ward and one we've been privileged to participate in the last two years. It was a great experience. Of course, I forgot my camera - as usual. Luckily, our always prepared wonderful Young Women's president snapped a few.

The Merry group ready to sing

A stop at the nurse's station -

after all they need singing too as well, don't ya think?

The kids singing to one of our sweet sisters, Gracie Milburn. We sure do miss her at church!

Kendal's Christmas Concert

We recently attended Kendal's Christmas Concert. Kendal is in advanced band and plays the clarinet. The evening included music performed by both the band and the chorus. It was a great show! Here are a few pictures I thought I'd share - a few more reminders of how quickly she is growing up! (I know I've posted more about Kendal than Justin lately. Now that he is in high school I have a harder time tracking him down to get pictures. I will definitely get some over the holidays - even if I have to take pictures of him sleeping, lol!)

A Great Story

Marc used this story in his talk on Sunday and I loved it so much that wanted to share. It was originally told by our beloved President Gordon B. Hinckley:

Years ago there was a little one-room schoolhouse in the mountains of Virginia where the boys were so rough that no teacher had been able to handle them.

A young, inexperienced teacher applied, and the old director scanned him and asked: "Young fellow, do you know that you are asking for an awful beating? Every teacher that we have had here for years has had to take one."

"I will risk it," he replied.

The first day of school came, and the teacher appeared for duty. One big fellow named Tom whispered: "I won’t need any help with this one. I can lick him myself."

The teacher said, "Good morning, boys, we have come to conduct school." They yelled and made fun at the top of their voices.

"Now, I want a good school, but I confess that I do not know how unless you help me. Suppose we have a few rules. You tell me, and I will write them on the blackboard."

One fellow yelled, "No stealing!" Another yelled, "On time." Finally, ten rules appeared on the blackboard.

“Now," said the teacher, "a law is not good unless there is a penalty attached. What shall we do with one who breaks the rules?’"

“Beat him across the back ten times without his coat on," came the response from the class.

“That is pretty severe, boys. Are you sure that you are ready to stand by it?" Another yelled, "I second the motion," and the teacher said, "All right, we will live by them! Class, come to order!"

In a day or so, ‘Big Tom’ found that his lunch had been stolen.

The thief was located—a little hungry fellow, about ten years old. "We have found the thief and he must be punished according to your rule—ten stripes across the back. Jim, come up here!" the teacher said.

The little fellow, trembling, came up slowly with a big coat fastened up to his neck and pleaded, "Teacher, you can lick me as hard as you like, but please, don’t take my coat off!"

“Take your coat off," the teacher said. "You helped make the rules!"

“Oh, teacher, don’t make me!"

He began to unbutton, and what did the teacher see?

The boy had no shirt on, and revealed a bony little crippled body.

“How can I whip this child?" he thought. "But I must, I must do something if I am to keep this school."

Everything was quiet as death.

“How come you aren’t wearing a shirt, Jim?"

He replied, "My father died and my mother is very poor. I have only one shirt and she is washing it today, and I wore my brother’s big coat to keep me warm."

The teacher, with rod in hand, hesitated.

Just then ‘Big Tom’ jumped to his feet and said, "Teacher, if you don’t object, I will take Jim’s licking for him."

“Very well, there is a certain law that one can become a substitute for another. Are you all agreed?"

Off came Tom’s coat, and after five strokes the rod broke!

The teacher bowed his head in his hands and thought, "How can I finish this awful task?"

Then he heard the class sobbing, and what did he see?

Little Jim had reached up and caught Tom with both arms around his neck.

"Tom, I’m sorry that I stole your lunch, but I was awful hungry. Tom, I will love you till I die for taking my licking for me! Yes, I will love you forever!”

To lift a phrase from this simple story, Jesus, my Redeemer, has taken “my licking for me” and yours for you.

Declared the prophet Isaiah:

“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: …
“… He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 54:34-5)

Just a gentle reminder of why it is we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

Love,

Some thoughts on Christmas

Yesterday, our family was asked to speak in Sacrament on the subject of Christmas. I thought I would share my talk with you. You see, at first I was a little irritated that Marc volunteered for me to speak. It was his high council assignment to speak in our ward but I didn't see how that meant I had to speak. I know I should have had a more positive attitude, after all, it is a growing experience right? But here I am, just finished finals, trying to catch up with Christmas shopping, trying to catch up around the house. I just didn't think I needed one more thing to do! Well, let me tell you, I am so happy that I was asked to give this talk. To others it may just be an ordinary talk about Christmas - the kind you hear every year. But for me, it was a wake up call. I guess I had lost sight of the true meaning of this wonderful season. Well, I suppose it was somewhere back in my soul. Back behind my to-do list and obligations. Anyway, here it goes - hope you enjoy it - I know it is a lot to read. May you have a blessed holiday season!!!

At this time of year, my mind is flooded with good memories from my childhood. Just like most families we had many family traditions. As most of you know, I grew up in the Catholic Church and one of our family traditions was attending midnight mass. Now, I wasn’t actually allowed to participate in this tradition until I became a teenager. Until that time, I was left at home with one of my brothers to sleep so that Santa could come. Well, that was easier said than done. I recall trying desperately to fall asleep all the while tossing and turning. I would still be awake when my family members returned from church and even after they had retired to their beds. I used to imagine Santa patiently waiting outside my window until I fell asleep (in fact, I even thought I saw him once). In my entire childhood I never remember falling asleep on Christmas Eve, I only remember waking up on Christmas morning. As soon as I awoke, I would shout “Merry Christmas” and one of my brothers would come bursting through my bedroom door to give me a piggy back ride to the tree. This was another family tradition – me getting a piggy back ride to the tree on Christmas morning – I’m not sure who started that one though I have my suspicions. I guess you could say, being the youngest of five and the only girl had its perks – I don’t think I walked to the tree on my own until I was at least 10! Once I arrived at the tree I recall staring unbelievably at the gifts Santa had brought for me. Through the years I received many wonderful presents. There was my easy bake oven, my raggedy Ann and Andy dolls, not to mention my roller skates, my skateboard and my bike with the banana seat. Oh, and best of all was the year I got my very own small black and white Sony TV. It had its own antenna which allowed me to not only get ABC, NBC, and CBS – I could get PBS as well.

Yes, I received many wonderful things for Christmas throughout my childhood but the greatest gift I ever received was the knowledge of what Christmas is really all about. You see, when I look back I don’t think about the actual material possessions I received. As a matter of fact many have been long forgotten.

Instead I think about my loved ones who sacrificed to purchase gifts for me despite their meager circumstances.

I think of my mother who made sure we had a good Christmas but never received a gift for herself (except for the homemade variety created by her children.)

I think of my dad who answered every phone call with a hearty merry Christmas and was even known to open the front door wide and shout it to all of the neighbors.

I think of the foster children who joined my family every Christmas and how we loved them as our own.

I think of family and friends who stopped by with warm wishes and greetings.

And, I think of parents who taught me to love the Lord and that he loved me.

I think of the warm feeling in my chest when I read the account of the Savior’s birth from the scriptures. Though I could not define the feeling, I somehow knew it was real. I would feel that same feeling years later when a couple of missionaries came to my door with the Book of Mormon. But that is another story for another time.

One of my favorite Christmas stories was and still is How the Grinch Stole Christmas, written by Dr. Seuss. As you may recall the Grinch was very mean and hated Christmas. He was in fact, determined to rob Who-ville of every holiday treat. The Grinch dressed as Santa himself, he moved through Who-ville taking every package, tree, ornament, and stocking. He then left the city, chuckling to himself in delight over the pain he will have caused children like little Cindy-Lou Who.

Three thousand feet up! Up the side of Mt. Crumpit,
He rode with his load to the tiptop to dump it!
“Pooh-Pooh to the Whos!” he was grinch-ish-ly humming.
“They’re finding out now that no Christmas is coming!
“They’re just waking up! I know just what they’ll do!
“Their mouths will hang open a minute or two
“Then the Whos down in Who-ville will all cry Boo-Hoo!
“That’s a noise, “grinned the Grinch,
“That I simply MUST hear!”So he paused. And the Grinch put his hand to his ear.
And he did hear a sound rising over the snow.
It started in low. Then it started to grow …
But the sound wasn’t sad!
Why, this sound sounded merry!
It couldn’t be so!
But it WAS merry! VERY!
He stared down at Who-ville!
The Grinch popped his eyes!
Then he shook!
What he saw was a shocking surprise!
Every Who down in Who-ville, the tall and the small,
Was singing! Without any presents at all!
He HADN‘T stopped Christmas from coming!
IT CAME!
Somehow or other, it came just the same!
And the Grinch, with his grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow,
Stood puzzling and puzzling: “How could it be so?”
“It came without ribbons! It came without tags!
“It came without packages, boxes or bags!”
And he puzzled three hours, till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before!
“Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store.
Maybe Christmas … perhaps … means a little bit more!”

It is so very easy to get caught up in the sometimes hectic Christmas preparations that we forget to take time to remember that Christmas is indeed a little bit more.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said: “Maybe the purchasing and the making and the wrapping and the decorating—those delightfully generous and important expressions of our love at Christmas—should be separated, if only slightly, from the more quiet, personal moments when we consider the meaning of the Baby (and his birth) who prompts the giving of such gifts.”

We should understand that Christmas celebrations need not be competitions to see who can give or receive the most expensive present. In fact, what would happen if we gave gifts of another sort. Gifts that could be given freely, at no cost but were in fact priceless. There are many such gifts we can give this Christmas season.

Our most valuable gift is our love—love for the Christ child, who was born in a humble manger; love for our families and our neighbors; love for the beautiful world Heavenly Father has given us. On one occasion an inquiring lawyer came to the Savior and asked, “Master, which is the great commandment in the law?” The Savior responded, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” It is usually quite easy to say we love the Lord, to say we love one another. But how do we give the gift of our love? We give the gift of our love by what we do, by serving one another which brings me to another gift..

Another valuable gift is our compassion—the feeling that causes us “to mourn with those that mourn” (Mosiah 18:9), to lift the weak, to visit the lonely, to dry the tears of those who are sad. President Thomas S. Monsons has said: “There are hearts to gladden. There are kind words to say. There are gifts to be given. There are deeds to be done.” When we serve others, we serve the Lord – what a precious gift. Recently my sweet visiting teaching companion and I visited a dear 95-year-old sister in a nursing home. While we enjoyed this visit greatly I couldn't help but feel sad when I asked about her family. She told us that only her son visited her once in a while and that her daughter lived in Georgia and she rarely heard from her. I couldn't help but think what if that were my mother? What if that were me? This beautiful poem was written by Mary Dow Brine:

The woman was old and ragged and gray
And bent with the chill of the Winter’s day.
The street was wet with a recent snow,
And the woman’s feet were aged and slow.
She stood at the crossing and waited long,
Alone, uncared for, amid the throng
Of human beings who passed her by
Nor heeded the glance of her anxious eye.
Down the street, with laughter and shout,
Glad in the freedom of “school let out,”
Came the boys like a flock of sheep,
Hailing the snow piled white and deep. …
[One] paused beside her and whispered low,
“I’ll help you cross, if you wish to go. …
She’s somebody’s mother, boys, you know,
For all she’s aged and poor and slow,
“And I hope some fellow will lend a hand
To help my mother, you understand,
If ever she’s poor and old and gray,
When her own dear boy is far away.”
And “somebody’s mother” bowed low her head
In her home that night, and the prayer she said
Was, “God, be kind to the noble boy
Who is somebody’s son, and pride and joy!”

Another gift is our gratitude—gratitude for our Savior, who taught us how to live and who lovingly and willingly bore our sins, our griefs, and our weaknesses as His Father had commissioned Him to do.

We are told by the Apostle Paul, “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God."

Remember the account of the 10 lepers? “And as [Jesus] entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:“And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.“And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.“And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,“And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.“And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?“There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.”

Let us follow Him. Let us emulate His example. Let us obey His word. By so doing, we give to Him the divine gift of gratitude”

I know for a fact that the gifts we give this Christmas need not be expensive at all. Like Kendal said in her talk, we sometimes long for material things only to find that we grow tired of them with time. But I know for a fact that there are gifts that we will never grow tired of, that will last forever. Let us all consider giving those gifts this holiday season.

I know that Jesus Christ lives.

I know that He was born to save our very souls.

I know that He loves each and every one of us.

I know He bore the burden of our sins.

I know without a doubt that He is the greatest gift ever given.

I am so very thankful for that precious gift.

I leave this with you in His holy name, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Love,

Gotta Love A Christmas Story! (Pause my playlist and enjoy=)

YWIE

One of the best things about serving in the Young Women's organization at church is getting to be a part of all of the fun activities.

This week was our Young Women's in Excellence Program. It is an annual event highlighting the accomplishments of the the Young Women throughout the year.We had a county fair theme which included a pie eating contest...

I'm not sure if Kendal won or if Lauryn won...

But I know they both enjoyed the competition (and the pie=)

We also had a duck shoot...

And guess who got to be the ducks?

Yep, you guessed it...

We had popcorn, hot dogs, and a yummy dessert competition...

There were games and prizes and best of all good friends...

Oh, and I must include a picture of the pillowcases we gave to our YW as a gift. They were created by our YW secretary, Sister Britt and they were a BIG HIT!

In fact, Kendal has already replaced her favorite pillowcase with this gentle reminder...

One of the best things about the night is that we shared it with the Mobile and Semmes Wards. I'm really not sure why we don't do more together.
After all, the more the merrier right?

Plus, they never fail to put a smile on our faces...

Or, even crack us up entirely...

Should I Be Worried?

Not much time to post an explanation. But, I ask you - based on this picture - should I be worried?

I mean, what's up with the rapper pose?

Hmmm... is this what happens when they turn 13?

Now, scroll down a bit and compare the photos taken only about a month apart.

Okay, now you understand my confusion...

Lovely young lady turns into a rappin' football player overnight?

So again, I ask you - should I be worried??

(disclaimer Kendal is actually dressed for a Halloween party - hee, hee)

Happy Birthday My Sweet Baby Girl! Are You Sure You're Really 13?

I'm thinking there must be some mistake. Surely 13 years have not passed since we brought our beautiful baby girl home from the hospital. Honestly, it seems like only yesterday...

I'll never forget our reaction when we found out you were going to be a girl. We were so excited we cried both tears of joy and tears of disbelief. As you know, boys run in both sides of the family. Girls are a rarity indeed. Could we be so blessed? Had our dreams really come true?




Oh, and you were so anxious to come to earth that you arrived two weeks early (and at 9 lbs. 3 oz. I'm sooo glad=) Your dad was out of town with the National Guard. As soon as he heard you were on your way, he took the first flight to Mobile. Well, he didn't quite make it to the hospital but an amazing thing happened. Just as you were born, the phone rang in the delivery room. It was your dad, calling from the airport. He heard you screaming in the background. He couldn't wait to get to the hospital to meet you.

I wasn't alone in the delivery room, though. Nana and Gram were right there with me. They were among the first to greet you. I know it is a day they will never forget...


Justin was so happy to have a baby sister. Finally, our family was complete. And, believe it or not, he loves you with all of his heart...

As you grew, it was obvious you'd be a beauty. Not just your ordinary pretty girl, mind you. But, a true beauty that radiates from the inside out...

Over the years you have developed very special relationships. The kind of relationships that are honest and true. You can find a friend wherever you go! More than that, you seem to attract others who are in need of a true friend. You do not judge, you accept...

I love that you have a desire to do what is right and to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love that you remind me to do what is right. I love that you are a quiet example to me and to everyone in your life.


You also have a love for animals. And, they love you too! They seem to sense your sweet spirit and are drawn to it..


Kendal, I want you to know that it has been a blessing and a privilege to be your mother. You are the daughter that others dream of having.

I wish I could stop you from growing up so quickly but I know that is a selfish desire. You have so much in life to look forward to and I am so very proud of the young woman you are becoming.

For me, the next 13 years are sure to pass by as quickly as the first. I know you must grow and spread your wings. Always remember who you are and what you stand for. You are a choice daughter of a kind and loving Heavely Father. You can count on Him!

Once Again, Happy Birthday My Sweet Baby Girl! I LOVE YOU!!!

Service With A Smile

Saturday, I was blessed to have the opportunity to accompany a group of youth and youth leaders to Baton Rouge, LA to help clean up debris left by Hurricane Gustav.

I wasn't really expecting much damage, after all we are only about two and a half hours east and we received no damage at all.

Unfortunately I was wrong.

We saw countless uprooted trees, severely damaged roofs, and huge piles of the former belongings of local residents.

I cannot tell you how humbled I was serving these people. Some were quite poor and lived in substandard housing.

One sister was in tears as she told of the heartache and devastation she'd experienced. A huge oak tree fell on the back of her house during the storm. Although they'd tarped the roof, enough water came into the house to cause mold to grow inside. She was thankful no one was injured, devastated by the destruction of her home, and grateful for the help.

I'm not posting this to boast about what we did. On the contrary. I'm writing this first to tell you how proud I am of our youth. They never once complained and worked with enthusiasm. They were quick, respectful and a joy to be around.

The other reason I want to talk about this is to express how much I believe in service. As you know, I've been very busy lately not to mention stressed. On Saturday, I lost myself in service and forgot my troubles. I was humbled by the people that we served and realized how much I need to grow, spiritually.

Our Saviour Jesus Christ taught:

"For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." (Matt 25: 35-40)

Feeling a little stressed? Overworked? Busy? Angry? Remember what the Saviour taught and lose your troubles in service (and remember serving your family counts too=)

I've been a bad, bad, blogger!!

When I first began blogging, I considered it an outlet for creative energy that I rarely had a chance to express. Also, it was a great way to stay in touch with distant relatives and long lost friends. And, truthfully, I do enjoy blogging - both the writing and the reading.

However, my days have become pretty full with school, the kids, school, my church calling, school, housework, school, etc. And, every time I sit down to write, I find myself either

a) with a mental block or,

b) with drool on my keyboard because I dozed off.

For those of you who don't know, I went back to school several years ago to finish my degree in elementary education. Earning a college degree has been a life-long dream for me, and I can hardly believe it is so close to being fulfilled. I am currently in my final semester of classes and will student teach in the spring. As wonderful as that is, I am a bit overwhelmed! The amount of coursework is tremendous!

So, that being said, I'm sorry I've been such a bad blogger. That is, if anyone is still reading my blog. Have you all given up on me? Moved on to Pioneer Woman? Maybe so, I wouldn't blame you!

There is one more reason I haven't blogged as much...I've been two-timing with facebook. That's right, I've actually spent more time there than here. The thing is, I don't have to think much about facebook - just a word or two and I'm done. You know, it is easy to become my friend there too so if you want to join me, let me know...

Although, I haven't written much, I am still reading your blogs. Thanks so much for you updates, funny stories and family pictures. I enjoy them more than you'll ever know! Sometimes when I'm up late at night, working on a paper, I'll take a break to read your blogs. They always bring a smile to my face. What a GREAT way to keep in touch!

Anyway, I'll try to do better, so please don't give up on me!

Hugs, Susan

The Next American Idols

Step aside, Carrie Underwood and Leona Lewis! Lauryn and Kendal may just be your biggest competition yet! Check out their premier music video and you'll see what I mean! (pause my playlist before clicking play=)

We Survived!!!

Well, we survived another hurricane! Gustav proved to be less impressive than our usual, everyday, afternoon thunderstorm! Not that I'm complaining, mind you! I can't tell you how grateful I am! Surviving a hurricane feels a bit like dodging a bullet. We've seen what they can do and feel it a blessing when they miss.

One of the really bad things about hurricanes is that they're so very unpredictable! No matter what you might hear on the Weather Channel, you never know where they're going or how bad they'll be until they hit!

Several years ago, a monster hurricane was headed for our part of the gulf coast. It's name was Dennis and it was a category five! Now, I'm not one to leave town for a hurricane but a Cat-5 is pretty big and very dangerous! That in mind, my friend Andrea and I packed up the kids and headed to North Carolina to hang out with Marc's parents until the storm was over (Neither Marc nor Mike could leave because of work.) Dennis was scheduled to make landfall on a Sunday. So, before heading off to church, we called home only to hear conditions were quickly deteriorating. When we returned, we called home again expecting to hear the worst. Instead, we learned the winds had almost completely died down and there was very little rain. Upon landfall, the "monster" hurricane broke apart and posed little threat. Now, I still have to wonder if this happened because I left town, lol. The fact is, however, we were spared that time and that's a blessing! No matter what the reason!

I stayed for Ivan, that was pretty bad. And, I stayed for Katrina and that was really bad. I've lived through countless false alarms and am thankful for every one. For me, though, the worst hurricane I've ever experienced was Hurricane Frederick. I was only in sixth grade but remember it like it was yesterday. The storm passed through at night and the next morning you would have thought a war had taken place on our street! Trees uprooted, roofs torn off, power lines down, no electricity, no water, and for a moment no hope. I pray I'll never experience that again!

The key to surviving a hurricane is being prepared! You need water, food storage, ice, bread, flashlights, batteries, a 72 hour kit for each family member, gas in the car, cash in your wallet, games to pass the time, a weather radio, dvd's are nice, a generator is really nice, but the one thing you cannot do without - listen carefully this is very important-

The one thing you cannot do without during a hurricane is...

JUNK FOOD!! YOU NEED LOTS AND LOTS OF JUNK FOOD!!!



Is it just me or are hurricanes much more pleasant with a cookie or two? Well, maybe it is just me...

Here's to a quiet rest-of-the-hurricane-season!

Hurricane Katrina

In August 2005 Hurricane Katrina hit the gulf coast. Did you know more than 1,800 people lost their lives? Did you know countless more lost everything they had? I guess when you're living through it you don't always realize how bad it is. Don't get me wrong, we saw how bad it was! There are images that will be etched in our minds forever. But when I heard how many actually died, I was a bit shocked. Was I too busy cleaning up to bother with statistics, or have I just forgotten...

Here is a little reminder, let's not forget those who were taken away that dreadful day! And, let's pray it never happens again! And most of all let's be thankful for those who survived and for all we have.

What are your memories of that time? Did you live through it or see it on the evening news? After watching the video, please leave me a comment letting me know what you remember. Oh, and don't forget to pause my playlist before you start the video.

Update: When I posted this entry, I had no idea there would be a storm headed our way! Apparently, Hurricane Gustav is following the same path as Katrina. However, those of us who have lived on the Gulf Coast for a while know hurricanes are incredibly unpredictable. So, I just want to say GO AWAY GUSTAV!!! Here's hoping you break apart somewhere over the ocean!

A Totally Awesome Tag, Mosaic of ME!

I saw this on another blog (while out stalking) and decided to give it a whirl. To take it a step further, I made it a tag. It is, however, a little more time consuming than most tags but well worth it! So, that being said I tag Andrea, Lisanka, Brooke and Kerry Jo.

Here's what you do:

• Go to Flickr search and pick out a photo for each one of your answers to the questions below. Click on the picture you want and copy the URL
• Open another browser, Mosaic Maker, and paste the URL for each picture into the desired space. (You'll see directions)
• Once you have selected, copied and pasted all of your pictures, click Create to make your Mosaic
• Click Share ( at this point you can copy the html and paste it into your post but when I tried, my mosaic turned out very small. So, I saved the mosaic to my computer by clicking the little disk under the mosaic. Then, I uploaded it to the post just like a regular photo. Does that make sense? You may find a better way...)

Now, for the questions:

1. Name? (Susan)
2. Favorite Color? (Purple)
3. High School? (Theodore Bobcats)
4. Favorite Food? (French Fries)
5. Celebrity Crush? (None - just Marc=)
6. Favorite Drink? (Diet Pepsi)
7. Dream Vacation? (Italy)
8. Favorite Dessert? (Cheesecake)
9. What you want to be when you grow up? (Mom)
10. Your favorite thing in this world? (My Family)
11. One word to describe you? (Nut)
12. Your Nickname? (Banana - but only my dad could get away with that)

Justin's 15!!!!

Wow, Justin! I can't believe you are 15 years old today! It seems like just yesterday we were bringing you home from the hospital!

Speaking of the day you were born, have I ever told you that story? I am sure I have but bear with me as I tell it again!

We were living in Central Texas and your dad was stationed at Ft. Hood. We couldn't wait for you to become part of our family! As the due date approached, and then passed, I prayed every day that you would come soon.

Finally, On Friday, August 13, 1993 - two weeks past the predicted due date - I started having a feeling that you were on your way. (Dad wasn't so sure since I'd gone to the hospital twice with false labor - hey, it was my first baby!) We arrived at the Darnell Community Hospital (on the Army Base) at around 4:00 in the afternoon and you were born at 11:45 p.m. Yes, that's right, you almost made it to the 14th but Friday the 13th it was!

Luckily, you're dad and I aren't the superstitious types. In fact, we now consider Friday the 13th a lucky day for us. And, we consider August 13th one of the luckiest days of our lives!

(Yes, a lot occurred between the time we went to the hospital and the time you were born but I will spare you the details. Let me just say that when you were born, everyone was surprised at how big you were - 9 lbs 1 oz and 21 1/2 in. long - but I KNEW you were gonna be big! Also, when you were first born you cried for less than 5 seconds and then went back to sleep. This sort of alarmed the doctor but luckily you were fine, tired, but fine!!)


So what else do I want you to know about the day you were born? Well, I mostly want you to know how much we wanted you!



We were all so excited that you had finally come to earth and were part of our family!



Everyone celebrated! They thought you were the cutest thing they'd ever seen (even when your cried!)



Everyone wanted to hold you! So much so, that I often pretended you needed to be "fed" just so I could have you all to myself! (maybe that's why you weighed 20 pounds at four months?!)



You grew really quickly and made friends easily!



You and your dad were (are) like two peas in a pod!



You loved hanging out with your Papa.



And your Nana too!



Before we knew it a year had passed!


Over the years you've enjoyed many things including...

Pretty girls. (that's Birdie & Allie by the way=)




Your sister (yes your sister!!!)




The beach.



And the jeep (only you liked working on the engine more than driving!)



Chuck - E - Cheese



The creek in North Carolina.



Thomas the Tank Engine!


Star Wars (and you're still there!)



video games (still there too!)



Your dream of being a pilot!



And, the Gospel (baptism day)



I could post another 100+ pictures and never get tired of remembering your life thus far but, alas, it took me a half an hour just to post these! I could tell of your adventures in Fencing, Young Men's, on the Scholar's Bowl Team, as a People to People Ambassador, and your favorite, just hanging out with good friends. I don't think my blog is big enough to post all of the adventures you've had!

And, now that you're 15, and in high school, you'll soon be driving (EEK!) and dating is just around the corner (DOUBLE EEK!!) You will be faced with pretty big decisions and you'll have loads of fun!

Justin, your dad and I are so proud of the young man you have become. Please always know how much we love you and how much your Heavenly Father loves you! And, could you do me a favor and slow down a little? You're just growing up too fast!

*Note: turn up your speakers, I finally changed my music!