Aiden Levi came home today and is settling in with his brother and sister.  I just came from getting my newborn baby fix, and wanted to update everyone.  Thanks for all your prayers!

Aiden Levi

This past Sunday, August 29th, at 6:47 a.m. and three weeks early, we were blessed with our tenth grandchild, (which just happens to be the 6th grandson), Aiden Levi.  His daddy and mommy are Aaron & Tasha, and he has a big sister, Kylie Brook, and a big brother, David Wyatt.  He weighed 4 lbs and 14 oz, and was 18 inches long.  It is a blessing that he even made it into this world, as there was a knot in the umbilical cord.  Had the blood flow been restricted, he would have been in distress long before his birth day.  However, he was born a healthy little man.  As they day wore on Sunday, he was having trouble keeping his blood sugar up, which is not uncommon in small babies.  They needed to start an IV, and as they do not have a NICU unit at Parkwest, he was transferred to Children's.  This was very hard on Aaron and Tasha, but Tasha was released from the hospital on Monday morning and then was able to go be with Aiden.  His blood sugar has slowly improved this week and he was taken off the IV last night.  His blood sugar has stayed up and they removed  the port today.  He did, however, have an elevated billirubin (jaundice)yesterday, so he was put under the lights.  He will have to remain under the lights one more day, but should be able to come home sometime this weekend.  I want to say "Thank You" to all those who saw my posts on Facebook and have prayed for little Aiden.  You will never know how much it means.  God is so good!

Needless to say, it has been a very busy week around here.  What with trips to the hospital and NICU, taking and picking up Kylie from school, work and watching the grandkids, there has not been much free time.  We are really looking forward to Aiden being at home so that we can all love on him.   He is a little cutie pie, and looks an awful lot like his daddy.  He has a headful of hair (but not as much as Kylie & Wyatt).  He has dark hair but it has alot of blonde in it.  He may be another cotton top like his daddy and his uncle Seth were.  I did manage to take several pictures and am very pleased to show him off. 

The Time Was Right

In May, 2009, I went to visit my great aunt Hassie.  I was so blessed by that visit.  (You can read about it here.)  We were able to talk a long time and part of our conversation revolved around her health.  She told me that she was just waiting on the Lord to call her home. She said that sometimes she hurt so bad that she wished He'd take her on, but she knew she'd go when her time was right. She said "He's always there to hold your hand if you'll just reach up and take it".

Well, this morning at 11:10,

the time was right. 

God called her home and heavens gates admitted a beautiful saint of God.  

Dad, Debbie, me and my aunts, Bobbie and Bonnie, went up early this morning to see her.  We had been there about an hour or so when she left this life behind.  We were able to be there for a while with Uncle Clarence and her son, Everett.  Please remember them in prayer.  Hassie would have been 91 next month, and she and Clarence had been married for 62 years. Clarence took such good care of her.  His love was very evident in the way he talked about her, and all that he did.

Hassie will be missed.

She was a very special lady.

And I loved her! 

16 or 61...doesn't matter

My "baby" turned 16 yesterday!  So hard to believe!  On the way to school yesterday morning we had this conversation:

Mom: It's hard to believe my baby's turning sixteen.  You'll always be my baby, even when you're sixty one.  You know that, right?

Seth:  Yeah, I know.  But you'll be dead by then!

Hmmm....thing is, he's probably right, cause that would make me 93!

And today, he got this:

Can you tell he's proud of himself?  Passed his driver's test with no marks against him, 100%!

So proud of him!

Guess I know if I'm not dead when he's 61, he'll be able to chauffer me around.

That's six kids taught to drive and got their driver's license, and none to go.  He's the last one.  Woo Hoo!!

Happy Birthday, Seth, I love you!

Hmmm...what not to do on your vacation...

On your summer vacation to the beach, I highly recommend that you NOT get sun poisoning so that you look like you could star in Avatar minus the make-up application, sit for three and a half hours in a walk-in clinic and get a shot in your nether regions.  I guarantee you it will not be the highlight of your trip. 

~

 I know.

~

Been there. 

~

Done that.

~

 Definitely not fun.

~

Finding Me Again

My life has been really crazy lately.  So much so that sometimes I feel like I can't find myself anymore.  Alot of things going on, and alot of things concerning the people I care about.  Really quite stressful. 

But...we are experiencing a much needed break and I'm enjoying every minute of it.  We left really early (4:30 a.m.) Saturday for Charleston, SC and then on to North Myrtle Beach.  We spent the afternoon in Charleston.  Misty and I went there last summer and had a great time.  Charlie and Seth have heard so much about it, and they finally got to see some of what we were talking about.  After dinner at the Noisy Oyster and a trip to the Sweet Shop for some bear claws (absolutely the best candy I've ever ate) we headed for Myrtle Beach.  We are staying in a condo at Cherry Grove Beach with two other families and are having a blast.  My favorite spot is on the balcony, where I can watch and listen to the waves coming in.  I've spent a lot of time there already.  Plus, it's alot warmer there than inside where the a/c's cranked up.  (I'm always freezing, specially now that I've got a bit of sun).  Sitting there and reflecting on all  I see, I've been reminded of so many things concerning God's power and grace, and His control. 

I feel like I'm finding a bit of me again.

Cakes

Here are some cakes I've made in the last couple of months.  This is one I made for the shower they gave Misty at church.  The shower was on a Thursday night, so I didn't have much time to create after working.

The letters are made out of fondant, and all the things little boys like are wood cutouts from the scrapbooking section.

This is the cake I made for our friends Benny & Amy's daughter, Kerri's graduation party.  She graduated from Oliver Springs and their colors are purple & yellow. 

The letters and flowers are from fondant, as is the tassell.  The graduation cap is a 6 inch round cake and the mortar board is made from fondant covered cardboard.

This last cake I made this past weekend for Benny's little friend Tristan's birthday party.  He loves dinosaurs.  At Kerri's graduation party, he told us he wanted to be a "paleontologist".   It was his fourth birthday!.

The sand on the cake is graham cracker crumbs and the rocks are sugar babies and raisinettes

What do you think?

360 Degrees

My life has been so very busy lately, there has been very little time to be on the computer and none to actually post a blog post.  Tomorrow will be the last day of school for the year, and Seth will officially be a Junior.  You would think things would be slowing down in my life and I'd be anticipating "empty nest syndrome".  

~

HA.   HA HA HA!  

~

Never gonna happen! 

~

My life has done a complete 360 degrees and I'm back where I started.  Once again, my car contains 3 car seats, my house is full of baby paraphernalia, and there's usually a few toddlers and children running around.   That's what happens when you have six kids with 13 years between the oldest and the youngest.  Before you get the last one out of the house, the grandkids come along. 

~

And the grandkids like to come to Mammy's. 

~ 

Don't get me wrong,

I AM NOT COMPLAINING. 

~
I LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF IT!!

~

I have learnt though, that I'm not as young as I used to be.  I tire alot easier than I did when my six were little.  But it's a good tired.

~

I AM A VERY BLESSED WOMAN!

~

A Heartfelt Thank You

I just want to say a very heartfelt "Thank You" to everyone who prayed for Isabella.  As you can see, she is no longer on any type of life support and is doing very well.  Rob sent me this picture and message a little while ago:

"Her tests are good and everything is perfect. She is getting ready to come with us."

God is so good, and I am so thankful for all that He has done and for all the prayers offered up in Isabella and Rob's behalf.

THANK YOU!

Cousins

The cousins had fun playing together at Misty's shower.

This is Carson, my cousin Talisha's oldest son, and my granddaughter's Abby & Kylie.

Kylie is always ready to have her picture made.

And Abby decided to pose and smile for me.

Kylie, Kyra & Abby, three of my four granddaughters.

Carson was "driving" the girls around.

They all seemed to have fun playing together.

Misty's Baby Shower

One of our friends, Amy, and Misty's Mom, gave her a baby shower Saturday. 

This is Amy.  She did a really good job decorating and making party favors and gifts.  She made it all very special with her talent and craftiness.

This is the cake I made for the shower.  It's a large sheet cake with butter cream frosting with the basket made out of 2 8 inch round layers and a 6 inch round.  The basket is done in chocolate buttercream.  The baby blanket, teething beads, butterfly, Micah and pacifier are all made from fondant.  The giraffe and elephant are wood cutouts and of course the  teddy in the basket is stuffed. I was pleased with the way it turned out.  What do you think? 

There were about 25 family and friends in attendance.

They played several games, including the clothes pin game and the baby food tasting game.  Tasha & Stephanie "volunteered" for the baby food game.

I'm not sure whose expression was worse, Roxann's or Stephanie's, and Roxann was just watching.

Same thing with Rebekah and Tasha.

Those expressions are priceless.

Misty received alot of nice gifts for Micah.  Everyone was very generous.

Several of the gifts were handmade.  Including this crocheted blanket,

and this quilt.

Steph made her a beautiful picture frame and blocks that spell out "Micah".  Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of those.  I'll post one later when Misty gets everything in the nursery.  Our church ladies are giving her another shower this Thursday.  And I get to make another cake.  Hmmm....what shall this one be.  Stay tuned!

Rob & Bella

Please continue to remember Rob & Bella in your prayers.

Pray for Bella

Through the years, raising my family, there have been several boys that we've kind of "adopted".  They've spent alot of time at my house and become a part of the family.  Each one of my own boys has had a friend that has become one of my "adopted's".  Aaron had Ricky, Malachi had Jeremy, Lucas had Andrew, and now Jared, and Seth has Anthony.  Jason's friend was Rob. 

Rob is a special part of our family.  He even lived with us for a while after he graduated and before he and Jason left for Parris Island and the Marines.

~

Rob's daughter, Isabella Mae, was born Saturday morning, Februay 27th, at 6:32 a.m.  She weighs 5 pounds and 2 ounces.  Bella is in the NICU, listed in critical but stable condition.  She was born with the cord around her neck and is having problems with her breathing and heart rate.  They almost lost her twice Saturday night.  The doctors have said it will take about 5 days for her heart and lungs to be somewhat normal.

Please, Please pray for Bella and Rob and the rest of the family.

We love Rob and already love Bella. 

I'm praying for the chance to get to be "Mammy" to Bella, too.