Memorial Day 2008

We had a nice Memorial Day with our family. We got up early and made our rounds to put flowers at the Cemeteries...both of Brett's grandfathers, two of my grandfathers and one grandmother. It was good to remember them on this day, and to include our children so hopefully they will understand the importance of this day. I've attached some pictures.

Once we were through, we headed back to the house to swim. Hudson has a new Wave Ryder, so we let him try it out. We had so much fun with the kids. The highlight of the day was Megan sitting in the living room eating a PBJ sandwich and Hudson decided he wanted a bite. He climbed up on her lap and when she least expected it, he went in for a bite! haha See pics...he was hilarious! Megan finally made him his own PBJ and he ate the whole thing by himself! He is getting to be such a big boy. He will be 1 year old on May 29th.

Another Memorial Day has come and gone...and a lot of great memories to remember.

KB

SHE'S HOME!!!

We went to the airport last night - along with about 40 other people to greet new baby Shiloh. (Photos: Jenn and her brother holding Shiloh at the airport, and Jenn, Shiloh and Flipe getting off the plane). She is as beautiful in person as she is in her pictures. It was so awesome and touching moment when they walked off the plane. We all had pink balloons tied around our wrists and Brett had made a sign for me to hold up that read "WELCOME HOME SHILOH". Flipe and Jenn were very touched, and tired. It has been a long journey, but they are finally home. Jenn's parents and two brothers were there and they couldn't wait! One of her brothers is leaving today to pick up their new baby boy from Ethiopia. What lucky children to have such loving parents.

Brett took a lot of pictures at the airport and we will post them as soon as possible.

KB

God is Good!

This has been one of those weeks where God is present. He is So Good!

WELCOME HOME SHILOH!

Tonight we are headed to the airport around 10:30pm to welcome home our friends, Flipe and Jenn with their new baby girl Shiloh (see picture attached). It has been a long journey for them, but the adoption from Guatemala finally went through this week. They are going to make wonderful parents and that is one lucky little girl.

GOD IS GOOD!

Fun Times

We had a great weekend...

Brandon and Lindsey got engaged last week, on her birthday - So Saturday was a Birthday Bash/Engagement Party at Fox & Hound. Brandon organized the party, but Brett and I got there around 9pm to help set-up and put up balloons. Around 10pm, we were still the only ones there. We started wondering if we had the wrong date, time or place?? Then the people started flowing in around 10:30 and hadn't stopped when we left at 12:30am. I would guess there were around 50+ people. Guess we are getting old because about the time we're ready to go home and get into bed, they are just getting started! In fact, Brandon said they stayed until 2am and then went to a friends house until around 3:30am. He was up and at work early the next day. He is now a bartender at Louie's in Edmond. We went there to eat around 3pm Sunday and some of the guys from the party were there and still had on the same clothes from the night before! haha The party was a hit, we're adding a new daughter-in-law (which we like very much), and Brandon is out of school for the summer and ended with a 3.4 GPA, not bad.

After we ate lunch/dinner at Louie's, we went to play golf. Brett and I have taken up golf, well, I have because Brett's played for a long time. If I have to be honest, I started playing because I knew it was something he enjoyed...but I quickly started loving the game! It's not hard to love the scenery. Golf Courses are all so beautiful...but playing is another thing. It can be a very frustrating sport, but now that Brett is working with and teaching me the game, I Love It!

Last, in between parties and playing golf, we worked in the yard. We are having so much fun with our backyard this year. I mentioned in a previous post that Brett built a fire pit in the backyard, but this weekend he re-built the fire pit. He added bigger landscaping stones to make it taller and we also added white landscape rock in between the flagstone sitting area. We also added some more moss in between the rocks. It looks really good and we both love sitting in our backyard.

Here's to another great week. We are loving life and having fun - hope you are too!

KB

Majesticsix...and growing!

Congratulations to Brandon & Lindsey! They got engaged today!!! Last night (or early this morning) when Lindsey arrived home from work at midnight, Brandon had rose petals all over the floor. He proposed when she came in the door - it is her 24th birthday! They make a great couple and are very happy. We are excited to add another addition to our family.

We feel very fortunate to have Heath and Lindsey in our family. We are going to have to change our title to MajesticNine with the addition of Heath, Hudson & Lindsey.

We're Blessed.

Moments

This weekend was full of great moments in our life.

First, I want to thank my husband for leading our family. Not only as the head of the household in teaching our children choices, direction and love, but also spiritually. I think this weekend was an eye-opening weekend that confirmed to both of us that they are getting it.

We prayed a lot this weekend. Together, as a family, and individually with the kids. Saturday evening before Sierra went to bed, she came in to the living room and asked if we would pray with her. It was great to have that 1:1 time with her and really experience her in that relationship with God. She is growing up quickly. After she went to bed, I went in and played on the computer with Pierce. He was so tired he could hardly keep his head up, but determined to play his Ben10 game. He was sitting on my lap in our office and Brett came in and asked if he could stop for a moment while we prayed together. He did, and when Brett was finished, Pierce said "thank you, Dad" Brett looked at him and asked what for? Pierce told him for praying with me. It was one of the best, most eye-opening moments either of us have had. To hear your 5-year old "thank you" for praying with him. How awesome is that? As Brett started talking to him and telling him how proud we are of him, his head slowly started to fall into my hand - until he finally fell asleep on my lap with his head in my hand and his hand still on the computer mouse. Brett took pictures (I will attach once we download). It was one of the most precious moments as a family.

To top it off, I had a wonderful Mother's Day. We invited everyone to come to our house this year. I wanted my Mother & Mother-in-law to be able to enjoy the day without worrying about hosting everyone. I got to spend time with all four of my children and my grandchild. I couldn't have asked for a better day. And all four of my children gave me a very personal, heart-felt card. Now I know what my mother meant when she used to tell me, all I want is a card - that means more to me than anything.

What great memories were made this weekend. As Brett has told me, it won't always be perfect, we're both going to fail every now and then, but weekends like this make up for every thing else.

Romans 12:12
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

KB

Mother's Day

~A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie~

How true that is. Isn't it funny how much your world changes once you become a mother? Your whole world is wrapped up in your children and your family. When at other times you would have been famished, all of a sudden you are no longer hungry now that there is only enough food for your children. I used to hear people say I don't know what I did before I had children. Once you have them, you know exactly what they mean. Even grandchildren...when Hudson comes over, we stop everything we're doing and all of our attention goes to him.

I guess not all mother's are the same - a lot depends on their role models. I, for one, had a mother that would give her life for her children. She sacrificed her own happiness many times so that my sister and I could do what made us happy. She not only came to all our dance competitions, cheerleading clinics, etc... she never missed any of my children's events. She is one of a kind. She has a kind heart and supports me, no matter what the circumstances. She may not always agree, but she is there to support me and help me through. She was an excellent teacher and mentor and I couldn't have asked for a better mother. And 3-1/2 years ago, I was fortunate enough to marry into a family that is similar to my own. Very caring - that are now our "friends" rather than our parents.

As Mother's Day approaches, this year is a little different. Not only am I celebrating my mother, mother-in-law and grandmother, but I'm also celebrating my daughter as a new mother. Hudson will be 1-year old May 29th. It has been such a joy to watch Megan this past year raise her own child. She is an excellent mother and doesn't take anything for granted. She spends all her spare time with Hudson and as most first time mothers do, she never quite trusts anyone to care for him the way she does. GOOD FOR HER. That just means she loves him enough to make sure he is being cared for properly. What a wonderful circle of life to experience...being a daughter, mother, now a grandmother. I am surrounded by wonderful, caring, women in my life.

What a great way to spend Mother's Day.
KB

Attitude

This is one of my favorite quotes...

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.” ~Charles R. Swindoll~

It amazes me everyday how easy it is to be happy or in charge of our own attitude...but how difficult we make it on ourselves sometimes. I come in contact with people every day that for some reason or another, have a bad attitude. Then I stop and think how blessed we are. Isn't it funny what a "spoiled" society we have become. I sometimes stop and think how much we have compared to other countries...but yet we still seem ungrateful at times. I am going to work on being thankful every day for the things I have. I am also going to get into the routine of going through our things and giving away what we don't use. Funny, we have so much we never even use and it just sits around collecting dust. How easy it would be to give it to someone who would cherish it and "actually" use it. If everyone would give away monthly the things they don't use - including food, clothing and all those other items sitting around, we could help others right here at home.

We all need an accountability partner to help remind us to give to others. Not that we don't want to, just that so many things get in the way. You know, the small things...like shopping for more stuff to collect dust. I'm at the front of the line, but I'm going to change that about myself, hope you will too.
KB