The Days

"When they ask me what I liked best, I'll tell them it was you." 

- City Of Angels

My Own Pilot

I am officially married to my very own private pilot! 

That's right!  Drew passed his oral exam and his check flight today!  He is a real live pilot now.  I was so excited and proud of him.  He can truly accomplish just about anything he puts his mind to.  We went to celebrate at La Caretta's and discuss our first trip!  Of course it's going to pick up Andrew for Thanksgiving!  He seems so much closer now that he's less than 3 hours away from us.  I can't wait to see the look on Andrew's face the first time he flys with us.  This is what childhood memories are made of.  When I talked to Andrew this morning and told him his Daddy was taking his final tests today to fly airplanes, he said:  

"I think that's what I'm going to do.  When I get out of college I have to get a job, right?" 

Me:"Yea, that's pretty much how it works."

Andrew: "Well that's what my jobs going to be something with planes, like my Dad."

Andrew looks up to his Daddy so much...and what's more important is that Drew gives him so many reasons to.  They both make my heart swell with pride!  

Congrats my love, you never cease to amaze me. <3

All Hallow's Eve

Since Halloween is falling on Sunday this year our parish has been in a tizzy trying to decide when to trick or treat.  Our paper's Call and Comment section has been very active to say the least!  I was raised in a Baptist (notice the spelling) household so most Halloweens were spent at our church's Trunk or Treats.  It seems like Halloween has become a much more active dynamic for families compared to when I was a kid...our neighborhood goes all out with decorations, blow ups, and almost every house hands out candy.  Our neighborhood as opted to trick or treat tonight instead of on Sunday, so we are going to our extended family's house to hand out candy. :)  Matt and Drew cook while Brittany and I hand out candy and decide on our favorite costumes.

A visit from Halloweens past

Last year we had Andrew's birthday party on Halloween.  It was a blast!

 When Andrew's here for Halloween we always host a hay ride, the kids love it!

 3 & 4, two of a kind. :)

Sweet kisses for Mimi

 Optimus Prime

The cutest Buzz Lightyear ever!

I wish we could keep him little forever. :(

This year he's Yoshi!

He's pretty much obsessed with Super Mario Bros.  

Happy Halloween!

The First Man I Ever Loved

Today is my Dad’s 72^nd birthday.  I called him first thing this morning to wish him a happy, happy birthday and to find out what he was doing today.  I told him how much I loved him and that I hoped he had a great day and hung up the phone.  And then tears started running down my face.  

I have reached the point in my life where I dread my parents’ birthdays.  I can’t even bring myself to imagine life without them…just putting that fear into words brings on a feeling of suffocation, like my throat is closing up.  I’ve been thinking about my Dad a lot this week and the type of force he’s been in my life.  I think most parents hope to provide their children with the a foundation of character, morals, passion, and strength to get them through this world and into the next with the least amount of damage possible, my Dad is no different.

So many people my age recall their childhoods with disdain and sadness, blame their parents for their shortcomings...I consider myself both blessed and lucky that I will never be one of those people.  My parents have given me enough happy childhood memories to last me a lifetime and they were always, always there for me.  Even when I pushed them away.  There was never a gray area with my Dad, he is consistent in everything he says, does, and believes, he is steadfast and true...qualities that are so rare these days.  He has guided me thus far through life, even miles away I can feel his hand on my shoulder... and I always will.

Happy Birthday, Daddy.

Birthdays, Brides, and Babies

I love the letter B, and not just because my name begins with it but because so many great words do! ;)

Since our wedding we have been busy gearing up for our reception party:  finalizing our menu with the caterer, creating centerpieces for the tables, (I think the employees at Hobby Lobby know me by name now!), being Erin's yes man for her mini-dessert bar ideas because I love them all, ordering fresh flowers from our local florist Pretty 'n Pink (Thanks Mrs. Brenda!), getting our house exactly how we want it- or rather how I want it ;) and even with all of that we have still had time to enjoy our family and friends.

Layla Turns the BIG 3 Ohhh!!

Layla and her husband, David, are in the process of turning their shop into a party/entertaining room and it is looking so good!  I wish I would have taken some more pictures of the place.

 Little Miss Avery :)

Day Women

Happy Birthday Layla!!

The Future Mrs. McCumsey's Bridal Shower

I can't believe Syd-a-Rue is A) Getting married! or B) Going to be a mommy!  Truth be told I knew Syd way before I knew Drew through FFA.  She was this cute, little freshmen girl who showed pigs and kept the boys on their toes!  I'm going to have to dig up some pictures from her FFA days.

Future wife, future mommy.  She's busy, busy but still looks radiant! :)

Sydney and Brian will be tying the knot November 27th! 

We are all so excited that Andrew will be here for Aunt Sydney and Uncle Brian's wedding! :) 

Lookin' good ladies! 

A Side Note and A Sigh of Relief:

Our wedding photos came in today!  Yay, I was a little worried our larger prints wouldn't be here in time for the party.  But thanks to Mr. Terry at Caesar's Imagine Studios, we'll have lots of pictures to show off. :)

Simple Words of Encouragement

Have a mentioned lately how much my husband (I think that's the first time I've typed that word in refrence to myself...I like it!) means to me?  Just when I think a situation is hopeless he brightens my outlook in the most unexpected ways. 

In Drew's lifetime he's dealt with all sorts of "crazy" so I would consider him an expert of sorts, based totally on first hand experience.  My alarm went off this morning and as I was sluggishly rolling out of bed he reaches over grabs my hand and sleepily says, "Some types of crazy we'll never understand.
I'm crazy about you, you're crazy about me, and we're both crazy about Andrew.  And that's all that matters."

And he's right. 

In the Blender?

When Drew and I were engaged in 2007, I fully embraced Andrew as being a permanent fixture in my life...and ever since he has brought me nothing but happiness.  However, I never in my adult life imagined the role as stepmom would be so convoluted, frustrating, or challenging.  As I've stated many times I'm a reader and after everything I've read online, in books, and from first hand accounts on blogs...my conclusion is that it's one of the most difficult jobs around.  It’s a role that has no definition. I mean most people aren't even sure how to spell stepmom, step-mom, step mom, you get the point...there are no clear rules. No standard protocol.  But one thing that all of us caring stepmoms have in common is that we think it's worth it.  We would all put up with whatever we have to, to have our stepchildren in our lives.  Most of the conflicts are cause by the "adults", communication break downs, or bitter feelings.  

blend: To combine or mix so that the constituent parts are indistinguishable from one another

I used to believe that this was possible, that a "blended family" could do just this...but I am beginning to have my doubts.  Selfish people will always put themselves or their feelings first and bitter, irrational, selfish people will put themselves or their feelings before their children.  I think "hurt feelings" and the "blame game" are a common obstacle for many blended families.  

I can't force someone not to feel the way they feel, I can't force someone to put the past behind them, and I certainly can't force someone to like me.  But I can be a GREAT stepmom- I am the only one in control when it comes to the type of stepmom I am to Andrew.  And it is in that knowledge that I find a certain peace of mind.  

The number one tip in most books:  "Remember you are not their mom."  At first I wrote this on my heart when I first started dealing not dealing with Andrew's biomom.  Now every time I hear/read this sentence I laugh...There is no one more aware than a stepmom, as to who a child's mother is.  And most of the time we're happy about it...No one wants to share custody of their children with anyone, and God willing I won't ever have to.  I hope never have to miss a summer break, birthday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas morning with my own children.

Society has made step-parenting a role filled with negative connotations.  This year the number of blended families surpassed the number of nuclear families.  I think it's time we try a little harder for our children and stepchildren- children of divorce are scarred, no matter how you cut the cake- but parents and stepparents can do so much together to help the healing process and act as an emotional Neosporin instead of pouring salt into the wounds.

I guess this is the beginning of my life in a blender. :)

 

Holiday Excitement

I'm looking forward to the holidays more this year than any other year.  Why you may ask?  Well pretty much because I'm a newlywed and I feel like these holidays will be the best ever...but more importantly because my little family will be all together.  I can't tell you how excited I am that Andrew will be here for our first holidays together as husband and wife, as step-mommy and stepson, as family.  God has given me so much to be thankful for this holiday season!! 

A few pics from holidays past:

2006

2007

2008

2009

We are looking forward to many happy holidays together!

Such A Bookworm

So far I've read 32 books this year!  Not bad considering we also built our home, moved into it, traveled, got married, and I work full time!  Let's face it I love to read.  No matter what's going on in my life I always take time to read a page or two of something everyday.  I've also noticed a trend this year...series books.  I'm one of those readers who can almost literally fall in love with a character and when an author only writes one novel about that character by the time I reach the last chapter I'm already dreading saying goodbye.  I know, what a nerd right! :)  I've always loved to read.  I can remember asking my Mom to read to me every night when I was little and my Dad always had a Louis L' Amour book in his hand. 
I was trying to remember what the first series I might have read...besides The Cat In the Hat and The Cat In the Hat Comes Back...I'm thinking it was probably Judy Blume's SuperFudge books.  (Definitely books I'll be reading with Andrew one summer.)  But I think the person who is responsible for my love of series books is my 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Gaylord, who read Lynne Reid Banks' The Indian in the Cupboard to my class.  When she announced it was a series I remember my Mom taking me to the library and check out each of the five books as a read them.  I saw my library card as a passport to anywhere I wanted to go...and man have I been some places!  All over the world, experienced all types of cultures, traveled to outer space, into the future, blasted into the past, inside the human mind, inside the mind of alien buggers (thanks to my HS English teacher Mr. Cooper), I can only imagine where else I'll go.

Here are  the series I've read so far this year, I hope you'll check them out today!

• The Kane Chronicle- I just started this one.
• The Hunger Games Trilogy
• The Fallen Series
• The Charmed Life
• Three Kisses Series
• Sookie Stackhouse Novels
• Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Some of my all time favorites:

• Ender's Saga
• Twilight Series
• Harry Potter
• Redwall Series
• Chronicles of Narnia 

The Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon should be a stop on everyone's Bucket List.  It was awe inspiring and rendered Drew and I both speechless with it's raw beauty.  Enjoy.

 Here's our ride into the Grand Canyon!

 Can you tell we were giddy with excitement! :)

Hoover Dam:

 The Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge opens to traffic later this week.

It's the second-highest bridge of any kind in the United States and 14th in the world!

The Mighty Colorado River flowing into Lake Mead :

 

 Yep that's exactly where we landed, right in the bottom of the canyon!  It was an amazing ride!

 Our picnic spot

 A toast!

 The rock formations amazed me, but then again I've always loved rocks.

I collected them when I was little, but what kid didn't.  Andrew is going through a collecting stage right now...I found a pretty special rock to add to his collection! :)

 

 Riding shot gun back to the airport!  My little pilot!

And so our Happily Ever After begins....