Thankful for Birthdays

Today I would also like to share that I am thankful for BIRTHDAYS! I have always loved celebrating birthdays. Now that I have given birth and will soon be blessed to do so again, I love birthdays even more. It is a true miracle! So...today I am thankful for birthdays...

I am thankful for the birthday of Jesus and the upcoming Christmas season to celebrate our savior's birth! One of my favorite Christmas songs is a childrens' song, "Happy Birthday Jesus"! I am looking forward to teaching our children about this special BIRTHday!

I am thankful that I share a birthday with my brother. (December 13) He was born on my third birthday and we have always found it to be so special!

I am thankful for Tyson's birth (April 10) the most amazing day of my life so far!

I am thankful and anxious for the birth of Baby Juel (due December 30) and can't wait to meet our sweet little daughter.

I am thankful for Grandma Juel's 87th Birthday on Monday (November 29) and feel so grateful for how wonderfully she has handled her cancer. She is an example of the power of prayer and lives her life as a reflection of God's grace.

AND...

I am thankful for daddy's birthday today (November 25) and miss him so much. I am glad to have a day to celebrate his life and to feel grateful for all of the wondeful memories we shared. For me, it is extremely important to never forget him, so even though it hurts to miss him, I am glad that I still long for him just as much as I ever have...


I like to imagine him holding Tyson. They would have loved each other so much!


In this picture, daddy was holding my sweet nephew Jackson when he was Tyson's age. Dad loved being a granddaddy ("T"). The hand on Tyson is my brother's hand. Michael reminds me so much of daddy and is doing a great job of loving (spoiling, entertaining, candy-feeding, hyping up etc..) Tyson for both of them!

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgivng to our wonderful family and friends! We have so very much to be thankful for and I am so glad we have this special day to stop and count our blessings. This year I am so thankful for an amazing, patient, and gracious husband, an energetic, happy, loving little boy, a sweet baby girl due in just over one month, a supportive mother/best friend, a fun, giving brother/Uncle Mike, a caring and supportive brother-in-law/Uncle Jeff and his family, three example-worthy grandmothers....lots of great family, church family, and wonderful friends. I am thankful for our warm home, secure jobs, welcoming church. I could just go on and on about the boundless blessings in our lives! I am above all thankful for a God that can handle my stress, loves me regardless of how I handle my stress, and has taught me to believe in Him to take care of our every need...and some of our wants too!

Despite my attempts to concentrate on the blessings in my life, this day also makes me miss daddy. Today is his 58th birthday. (He always loved it when his birthday was on Thanksgiving Day!) I wish we could all celebrate together, however, I can only imagine that his celebration in heaven will certainly outshine! Although I miss daddy so much, I am thankful for the reassurance that he believed in God and spends his days with him in heaven!

Rainy Day Cuteness

Halloween 2010

This year for Halloween, Tyson dressed up as a farmer...specifically my Grandaddy Biddy! Grandaddy always wore pin-striped overalls, a plaid shirt, a tobacco hat, with a white hankie in his back pocket. I loved this man more than words can say!

Baby Juel was a pumpkin...sometimes Grandaddy grew pumpkins, so Tyson was the "pumpkin farmer" too!

Little Biddy loves riding on my daddy's old John Deere tractor. It is an antique that we are so happy to have. Travis is working on restoring it for the spring time!

Halloween with Grandma Juel

Knock, knock, knock...Little Biddy is coming to see Grandma Juel!!

Look at Grandma's goose...it dresses up for every occasion!

Trick-or-treat...Grandma puts money in my pumpkin!

Very excited!

We were so happy to get to see Uncle Myron too! (Two times more!!!)

Let's go back outside!!

Hey "Kitty Kitty Kitty"!

Sweet Granmda Juel on the Swing

Many memories have been made on this swing.

In front of Grandaddy's Barn

Halloween with Grandma Raye

Growing up one of my Halloween highlights was Grandma Raye's pumpkin...it was always the biggest and best carved! This year she carved one for Tyson...he loved it!!

She also always made a "special" treat bag for the grandkids and their friends. Tyson loaded up on cute candy, little toys, and a play phone!

Who is the most excited??

Can you see why he loves going to Grandma Raye's house???

Trick-or-Treat

Uncle Hill and Aunt Faye

"Miss" Kim

Bitty Baby-all dressed up!

"Bitty" Tyson and Bitty Baby

"Leigh Leigh"

Halloween Eve

Daddy and Tyson

Trunk-or-Treat at Pearces Church

The Budackis with ROO!!

Look at that face...so excited for an apple!

Crystal, Emerson, Mommy and "pumpkin"

The baby girls!!

Trunk-or -Treat at Flat Rock

Carter...grabbing the little girls monkey tail!!!

My Babies!!

I love these sweet moments at night when I am rocking Tyson and saying prayers. Sometimes he puts his little hand on the "baby" and we pray for her. He will be such a sweet big brother!

Mommy's Little Helper

School Work

One of the ways I am albe to work part-time is by teaching online teacher education classes at Vance Granville Community College and tutoring. I love it so much and feel very blessed to have the opportunity. When I am doing my school work, Tyson likes to sit at my tutoring desk and do his "school work." I will keep these pictures to remind one day that he loves homework!!

Feeding Ralph

Tyson loves to feed Ralph....Ralph loves to be fed!