Will Returned With Honor

Kim was so excited and who could blame her?? Her third son,Will, is the SWEETEST and BEST young man ever!!! He was gone for two whole years on a full time mission and she only spoke to him on Christmas and Mother's Day but on Tuesday, January 27, he returned with honor!!! Kim's grin could have lit up the darkest room!!!

There were a lot of us at the airport and we were all excited...Kim's granddaughters were never far from her lap!!

Will's dad, my brother-in-law Jerry (aka the Bishop), constantly checked the board and the computer for updates on the flight...I remember the day Will left, he cried and said, "I just don't know if I can let him go." But he did and now, finally, he was coming home!!

My Dad, aka Daddy Tom or just "DT", said on Tuesday morning, "I think I am as excited as Kim!" We disagreed with him but I honestly do not think I have ever seen my Dad MORE excited about anything...he LOVES his grandchildren and even if he doesn't agree with their beliefs, he is proud of their dedication and desire to serve the Lord...and I'm not kidding...everyone adores Will..he just has an unbelievable demeaner that reminds me of Christ!The Edwards Five...note the neckties Jacob and Jared wore with their jeans to honor Will in his suit!! I think David changed the most while Will was gone...only a few more years and we'll be sending him off...but I am so glad that after so many years, Kim gets a break from having her sons far away in another country!! Don't they look happy to be together again? I know it sounds trite but it really does seem like yesterday that Kim and I were burning up the road between Hartsville and Charlotte so our kids could all have cousin time! Those were such fun days!!!
I cried...I was so happy for Kim but sad too because I knew that my sister Jean would love to have all of her children PHYSICALLY in the same room...Noah is never far from any of our hearts and minds...and I shed a tear for Andrew and Peter even though I know they are both being missionaries today and will serve full time missions some day with their wives...but mostly, I cried tears of joy for my wonderful nephew and his return to his mother's arms...and our lives...WELCOME HOME WILL!!!!!

Jenny Craig...Week Three...it's a celebration...

Pete has been unbelievable...no slips...no cheats...eats everything on the plan and not a bite of anything else! Go Pete! AND he started wearing a pedometer and walking more...even walking a few miles on the dirt road next to our house while I was out of town! He is determined to get back in shape and has as his goal...enjoying some excursions on a cruise he and I are taking next fall...those of you that know him know he is unstoppable when determined! He will reach his goal even though he was discouraged by this week's weight loss...Jenny Craig is a BALANCED NUTRITIOUS plan and is not a quick weight loss plan...its goals are 1-2 pounds a week or 1% of body weight which for him would be 2-2 1/2 pounds a week.

DRUM ROLL........

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He was dead on target with a weight loss of

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2.5 pounds!!!!

WOO HOO!!!

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Then there's me. I had a busy week...took a journey in a big rig, was out of town for 2 days and went to the movies, ate out 3 times...yeah, I was scared to weigh in but only because of the theater buttered popcorn...did you know that a large buttered popcorn at the theater has over 1600 calories and 25 grams of fat???????? good thing I didn't eat it all...and I skipped supper that night to make up for it!...and I learned that Longhorn's children's grilled chicken and steamed veggies is very very good and with a small salad and 2 pieces of bread (but hey..no butter!!) it will make you very full! I also found out that Alodia's in Ballentine has rotten service but GREAT FOOD and their grilled VEGGIE panini (is this me talking??) is fabulous...grilled eggplant, zucchini, squash, onions and cheese with basil mayo (oops!) on grilled ciabatti bread is awesome! Other than those splurges, I tried really hard to be good and make good choices and must have succeeded because......duhn to duhm.....drum rollllllllllllllll....

tadatadatadatada...

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I lost 3 pounds!!!! WOO HOO!!!!

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Celebrate good times, come on,Celebrate good times, come on,
There's a party goin on right here,A celebration, to last throughout the years,So bring your good times, and your laughter too,We gonna celebrate ...

A Moment Out of Time...with Aunt Dee (Debbe)

I have an aunt in Mississippi that is six weeks older than me. We were best buddies as kids even though we only saw each other twice a year...we would be so excited to see each other and then spend the majority of our visit fighting (over toys and then boys)...and then we'd hug and cry and cry when it was time to say goodby. Debbe and I were brought up in totally different worlds...and we grew up to be very very different adults. I am a nurse, a mother of 7, and live a mostly SERIOUS, RESPONSIBLE, and BORING life. Dee has always been a totally free spirit...she is a lifelong cowgirl and professional rodeo rider..and after a serious knee injury that ended her rodeo days, she became a "bull-hauler"...in other words, a tractor trailer driver and mostly carries cows and bulls from auction to feed lots all over the southwest. She and I could not be more opposite and these days we go years without seeing or even talking to each other. But there's something about the bond of family...shared memories with someone who has known you your whole entire life and knows secrets only the two of you remember. Today she was here and she had her big rig and asked me to take a ride with her to drop off a trailer in Charlotte. I came home from work drained and sad and almost depressed and eagerly traded sleep for an opportunity to reconnect with my reckless but fabulously hilarious Aunt Dee. I knew she'd shake me out of my doldrums but I didn't realize how completely my time with her would restore my peace!

The twins begged to go for a ride in a real truck...

I allowed them to go but refused to let Sarah Beth drive...
And nope...Connor can't either...and neither can Dee's dog Skip... I don't LIKE dogs but Skip is adorable...maybe not a beautiful dog but very sweet...I really enjoyed him but I still kicked him out of his regular seat and sent him to the back with the kids...
They all loved the big bed in the back of the cab...And Aunt Dee and I had a blast up front. We talked and laughed and acted like silly girls instead of the middle-age women we are! I can only describe the feeling as joyous

On the way home we cranked up the George Jones and belted out songs from our past and just rocked out with the pedal to the metal...much to the twins astonished delight!
For a moment out of time, I forgot about being an adult and just rejoiced in being with my aunt...it made me yearn for my Grandma Nell...I know Dee and I could not be happy living the other's life but for a moment we met each other halfway and it was spectacular!!!

I love you Aunt Dee...until next time...be safe out there.

Ten Four, good buddy.

Anyone interested in a Service Project????

I know many of you are in leadership positions and may need a service project or just want a family project so I am posting below a notice that has been running in our employee newsletter. Please call if y'all are interested! I can personally tell you that either is GREATLY appreciated!

THANKS, my friends!!

From Children’s Hospital
1) Children’s Hospital’s Sew CAPtivating program allows pediatric surgery patients to choose their own hand-made keepsake surgical caps. Available in every color of the rainbow with themes ranging from favorite sports teams to Disney characters, the caps serve as icebreakers connecting pre-operative nurses with their young, typically frightened patients. Employees are encouraged to donate lively fabrics to the Child Life Surgery department and/or spread the word to service organizations (sewing clubs, church groups, sororities, etc.) that might help sew the caps. Contact , 803-434-2151.
2) Children’s Hospital’s Child Life program needs new stuffed animals for comforting inpatient children and patients in the Children’s Emergency Center and Outpatient Surgery. Employees are encouraged to have their local schools, Sunday school classes, reading clubs, sewing clubs and professional groups collect and donate stuffed toys. For more information, contact , 803-434-4368.

Connor's Facebook

Connor loves to learn and is smart because he reads and investigates and asks millions of questions and listens...here he is with a "Book of Knowledge" LaNelle sent him for Christmas...he STOPPED opening presents to start reading it and telling us fact after fact... Our cable is out...who knows why?? I reported it but am not too concerned...it's nice to have a "TV break" and so last night Connor wanted to go onto his facebook. My older boys made it for him as a joke to aggravate me and it did at first but I have come around and used correctly, it is another great way to link farflung families and friends so I allow it. ANYWAY!!!!! Connor knows he cannot accept a friend without our permission and last night he kept asking about the "adding people you may know list", "Do I know Laurel Knuckles?" (yes, she's Aunt Laurel) "do I know Peggy Albrecht?" (no, she's related to a friend of Mommy's) "do I know Nancy (and yes LaNelle he pronounced it simmons) Simons?" (yes, that's Steven's mommy) and while it was a little aggravating, it keeps him safe and I encourage any type of reading and writing...and he sent me the sweetest note on my wall (I loovvvvvvveeeeeee yooooouuuuuuu Mommmmyyyy)...

I always check his facebook out after he has been on it and laughed today when I saw this notification because we have not even covered this in school yet..he is so much like Peter!!

Congratulation you have passed the They/Their/They're Test

Ok, y'all are probably hoping I'll get cable back soon, huh? I should be writing a paper...

CATS!

My best good girlfriend Jackie (in the leopard print..love it!) took us out to Olive Garden and then to a fantastic broadway show...CATS! really hate my picture and will never wear that shirt again but had so much fun anyway!!! I asked Mary Beth if she was done dieting because she looks really really beautiful. Sweet Christi is always taking the pictures and rarely gets in them...she is just gorgeous and though you can't see it in the picture, she had on a really hip outfit and is an inspiration to all of us because she surely does NOT look like she has a less than one year old baby!!! She looks like a high fashion model!! and she and Jackie look so much alike

ok...here is my other best good girlfriend...not that you could recognize her in this shot...it's a fuzzy wild looking CAT!!!!

THANKS JACKIE!!!!!!!

ps: the funniest part of the night was when the usher picked his way across all the people in our row to get to our center seats and so when he had the entire row's attention, he tapped Laurelann on the shoulder (she was just admiring Jackie's new camera and happened to be holding it!) and told her she was breaking a law and had to put the camera away...she turned red and we all howled with laughter!!!!

It Makes Me Wanna SHOUT!!!!!

So this week was a challenge for both of us. We took a quick trip to Virginia and had to turn down Grandma's famous mac n cheese and fried chicken...ok so I used a splurge and ate a tiny portion (and believe me I COVETED that platter and dish..I could have eaten it all!) but Pete stood firm since he knew he had to save his splurge for today's business lunch (steak, of course!).

AND...last night my best good friend Jackie treated me to OLIVE GARDEN and the play CATS! But, I only ate ONE breadstick, salad and the Jenny Craig approved "meal on my own" Apricot chicken (fabulous and I only ate 1/2 the chicken...go me!)

So...drum roll please....................

Pete lost 4.8 and I lost 4.5


We-eee-eeel....You know you make me wanna (Shout!)Kick my heels up and (Shout!)Throw my hands up and (Shout!)Throw my head back and (Shout!)Come on now (Shout!)

Looking ahead...this week is full of treachery also...Will comes home and I am visiting DT and DeeDee but I'm bringing my cooler of Jenny Food!!! Go us!!