And...They Continue To Grow Up...

I pulled up to the elementary school my younger two attend always glad to hear what they have been up to, how their day has been, what they have learned always brace myself for the bad stuff they might have learned at school that day, we unfortuantly can not shield our children from bad stuff. Well today Abigail hopped into the van all happy bursting with excitment as she always is when she gets out of school and into the van at the end of the day. She was pleased to report she lost yet another tooth and that the toothfairy must come see her tonight. For a second I was taken back in time when she got her first few teeth and it reminded me just how much she has grown and it made me sad. Sad is a normal feeling that most mommy's feel when their little people grow up it's been an overload of that lately. My eldest has been a married woman for a week now, she got her social security card today in the mail with her "married name" on it...I hate to tell her and no offence to my son in law she will always be my little Katherine Olivia Nance, my baby girl that weighed 8lbs 12oz, the one who gave me many sleepless nights as a baby and continued to do so as a teenager lol. But one day this will be my Abigail she is my youngest and I can't stand to think of her growing up or getting married, each milestone with her has been bitter sweet. Adreanna will be 16 this year the boys are growing like crazy Matthew has hit that wonderful world of puberty Lord help me he ran up to me a few weeks ago saying hey mommy look I got hair under my arms (ewwww)! Noah he's growing right along as well, enjoying Boy Scouts hating school we have many arguements over homework. I know it seems it's only been a blink of an eye and my oldest has grown and I know before I know it they all will be making their own lives.....just some day's I wish there were a way to slow it down or rewind time. I miss those moments of holding them in my arms and rocking them..the coo's the toothless smiles.....

To My Daughter Katherine and Her Soon To Be Husband...the day before your wedding...

Katherine, Today you came home and showed me the receipt where you applied for your marriage license. I think I was more at ease with you having your drivers license than this one. While driving is a big responsibility marriage is a bigger one and an even bigger commitment! Tomorrow you will stand beside Kyle and you both will pledge to love and honor one another in sickness and in health, for better and for worse forsaking all others till death do you part, you will do this and you two will be tied together forever, that is a very long time. I know there's such a thing as divorce but really I don't want that for you, I want what I have always wanted for you, for your entire life and that is happiness. Tomorrow when you and Kyle exchange your vows I want you to remember that marriage is a commitment the biggest one you'll ever make beside having children. Marriage isn't a game you play and then get tired and toss one another away. Marriage takes work and effort it takes two people who know how to communicate without yelling or hitting, who know how to compromise, who know how to be understanding of one anothers feelings. There will be times you will look at each other and wonder why did I marry him or why did I marry her let me give you this advice...do not ever utter those words...words cut so deep and they hurt! Think before you speak, seek God's wisdom and God's knowledge and make him the center of your marriage, trust me I have been in marriages where God wasn't the center and it is not easy, not saying it's even easier with God just saying when you have faith in God and you talk to God he hears you and he answers your prayers when you live your life together and for him it'll make all the difference. Love each other there are going to be tough times but they don't last just hold on and hang on! When you have children you'll see so many things I tried to tell you and you'll understand that your mama wasn't always being mean or hateful she just loved you so much and wanted the best for you! You have been my baby for 19 years now we have been through it and back again I love you so much and I hope you realize that, I'm not ready to really let you go honestly I thought this would be easy but right now I'm sad to see my baby step into the new role of wife but I'm also happy that you feel like you have found someone that you want to spend your life with so it's a mixture of mommy emotions ! It seems like you should be still running around playing, watching cartoons...and being my little girl. There have been so many days lately I wish there was some device that I could use to turn you back into a little girl again..sadly there isn't and I can't stop time or make it go back! Just know where ever you go, whatever you do you will always be my little girl, I will always love you with all that is in me! I will always pray for your safety, your happiness and you! 
Kyle, You are marrying my first born, my oldest daughter she has been with me the longest. You are taking part of my heart. I believe you love her son, I think your a pretty good guy, please don't ever make me think less of you! A woman should be loved and cherished and respected and I expect you to love my daughter, cherish her and respect her actually that could go for both of you. Please remember before you ever get mad at her that she is someone's daughter and think of this one day you may have a daughter yourself treat my daughter the way you would want yours treated. You both need to think before you speak because words are hard to take back, so are actions so be careful with each others hearts! We welcome you into our family tomorrow you've already been apart of it for a good while now. We will love you and care about you just as you are one of our own and we have. 
I hope that you both have a lifetime of happiness that you a long wonderful life together!
In closing this blog out I have some scripture I want to share with you both:
^{Genesis 2: 20} So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals.
G But for Adam no suitable helper was found. ²¹ So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. ²² Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
²³ The man said,

“This is now bone of my bones
    and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called ‘woman,’
    for she was taken out of man.”

²⁴ That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.

1 Corinthians 13: ⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

  

My Babies

I'm staring this blog for my children, so they will always have this to look back on and know my thoughts, feelings, advice and most of all how honored I am God chose me to be their mother even though I've made my mistakes as a parent, I have always given it my all. The picture to the left is one of all five of my babies, they are much older now I really need a good picture of all of them now I must make that happen and soon! They are my pride and joy and my greatest accomplishment! No matter what awards I have received, or degrees I have earned they are the greatest of all of these things. My oldest is Katherine Olivia she was born on October 23rd of 1993, I was 19 and I was clueless when it came to being anyone's mother. We shared many sleepless nights together, we have been through so very much together. Tomorrow she'll make her way from being just my daughter to being a married woman, wow how surreal that my girl has reached this huge milestone in her life that she is ready to be someone's wife! But she best remember that she will always be my baby first and foremost! Adreanna Isabella is my next to oldest she is 15 and will turn sweet 16 this year! She was born June 19,1997 I was almost 23 years old when she came into my life and when she did come into this world she did so and broke her collar bone all at the same time poor baby Annie but it didn't bother her any all. She has always enjoyed her sleep from the time she was 2 weeks old she was snoozing through the night. She is my drama queen, but she can be so very sweet and tender and easily hurt but she is growing and she is coming out of her shell I have seen her become more outgoing in this first year of high school! Matthew James Monroe (yes 2 middle names) was born on March 15,2001 I was just about 27 years old when Matthew was born. He gave me a run for my money thought we were about to lose him when I was first pregnant with him but God blessed me and allowed me to have my first son. Matthew still gives me a run for my money! But even on day's when he is over the top with his ADHD I wouldn't change my choices for anything! Matthew got saddled with 2 middle names because I loved the meaning of Matthew(Gift from God) and James from my grandpa Widener and Monroe from his fathers grandpa Nance. Matthew proved to be a very fitting name for him because it was because of having him I found out about the precancerous cells I had going on so in a sense I feel like sometimes that he saved me otherwise I would have never known and it would have transitioned into cancer.Noah Wayne was born May 5,2005 I was almost 31 then! He was my biggest baby almost weighed in at 10 pounds he was 9lbs and 13oz! He is my teddybear shhh he'll be embarassed if he knew I posted that on this blog I have been told I can't call him teddy bear at school anymore cause you know that's just not cool in 2nd grade he has a reputation to keep up with! But when he's home he is mommy's boy for sure! Noah had a few rough spots there he had surgery when he was about five weeks old because he had pyloric stenosis, and then he had to have another surgery when he was 1 year old but I'll keep that off the blog so it wont embarrass him when he get's older but it was minor. He's a rough and tough boy though and pulled through everything just fine.Abigail Elaine was born July 18,2006 I was just about to turn 32 when she was born. We had her while we were stationed in England, and the only one of my five that was delivered via c-section because she was breech, it's okay I just said she was ready to just walk out into this world and take it all on!She was and is my final addition, she completed my heart they all are peices of my heart and she was the last bit to make it complete! Abigail is my song bird she loves to sing, she loves church, she loves to praise God she blesses my heart with her love! There was a time I wasn't in church for a really long time and shortly before we started going back to church I mean like the weekend before we started she was sitting on my bed with me watching TV and she looked at me and said mommy you know what before I was here with you I was with God and God gave you me...how profound for a FOUR YEAR OLD, who had never been to church who had never heard me hardly ever mention God except maybe to take his name in vain (sorry about that but that was me way back when but things have changed a whole lot)! But that day it was like a wow moment you know.Each of them are very special, very different and each of them were choices I made plenty of people find it totally nuts that I planned each pregnancy but I did and maybe I was kinda nuts but God saw fit to bless me with them and they have taught me so much about life more than I could ever have learned in any classroom or lecture. They have brought me happy tears, sad tears, mad tears, headaches, heartaches,moments of extreme joy, moments of extreme confusion, moments of anger, moments of frustration, moments of insanity...but I wouldn't change not one thing they are mine and I am theirs and we'll always have each other no matter how grown they get. So to my five babies remember no matter where your life takes you in this big old world I am your mom, I will always love you, and I will always be there for you even if you wont listen and take my advice when it's perfectly good advice, you five are my heart, my soul my very world the reasons I keep going when I want to give up! And though I'm not perfect and I never will be I hope you know first you were always wanted and I will always love you!