Exciting News!

We are building a house!!!! This LOOOONNNG process has been going on since last summer really. It really seems like a long time since I am so anxious! We have been looking for a larger house for some time. Last year we realized that building might be a better option. I just wasn't sure if we could do it. Me being the planner and OCD person like I am, I had to really analyze everything and make myself sick over it. Well the good Lord above worked it all out in his time and just the right way. It amazes me how God sees in the future and works things out just right. God proved me to in the Fall of last year that we could do this. In the last 2 months he really opened my eyes and I saw just how well he worked things out.
So the lot is cleared and ready. They started the footing yesterday and we are beyond excited. It is in Scottsboro!! :)

After the tornados and devastation I was feeling very guilty over the whole thing. I know it was something we were planning way before the tornados came along, but I still felt it was trivial compared to the loss some were experiencing. That is why I am just now blogging about it. I don't want to take for granted what God has gave us!!!!

I am sure I will keep you all updated!!

Power restored

I am SO glad to say our power is restored. I am so grateful to all those workers working around the clock. I appreciate them so much!!
I am back to work today and its been a zoo. I have been so thankful and happy to be at work. God has ways of making us appreciate things. Lord knows I am appreciating things much more today than I did last Wednesday.

I was sad to find out one of our employee's lost his 13 year old son in the storms. My heart just broke!!!!! I can't even fathom that.

You know you hear of such bad things in this world, but these hard times show me how many good people are out there. I was shopping in Belk while we were in ATL picking up some household items for a family that lost their home. We are having a household shower for them tomorrow night. Anyways, I ran into a lady I knew and was telling her about it. After I walked away a different lady came up to me and just gave me money to give to the family. She said she over heard me and wanted to help but had no clue who they were. I literally had to hold back tears.

Checking in

We are safe thanks to our almighty God!! So many others can't say that though. Alabama and Georgia are disaster zones. It doesn't even seem real. Wednesday I worked all day and around 4pm the storms started showing up in our area. It was unreal. I stood at the front door and saw shingles, tree limbs, and clothes flying through the air. It felt like a dream. I was seriously scared for my life. I was in a metal building with no safe place to hide. It passed by though! I went to pick up Ava and the power went out at 5. That started our power outage that is still ongoing. I went home to light candles and prepare for the night ahead. Adam was schedule to work nights. I was SO worried for him going into work. He left Scottsboro around 4:50 and the tornado in Athens hit minutes after that. What I didn't realize were our cell phones were not working. I was sooo worried after he didn't call. It took him 3 hours to get to work. Basically TVA at Brownsferry is running off of diesels, which isn't good. The transmission lines are down. Adam had a rough night....not only busy working but he found out one of his Friends got killed in the storm...along with is wife. They left behind a 2 year old child. Adam is not a crier but he was shedding tears that morning. Lord help he has seen me cry about a million times. He called me that night about 8 so that relieved me SO much. Me and Ava made it through the night good....actually really good for no power. The only thing is Ava don't understand we can't turn on the TV. She has enjoyed playing outside a lot though. It has been so gorgeous outside. You would never know that devestation struck just days before.
Thursday we managed to get some gas in my SUV. I was almost on empty. I sat in line about 40 minutes, almost saw some guys fight, and saw a guy drive off without paying. We cooked out on the grill and it was mighty good. You just don't realize how much we take for granted. This experience has humbled me in so many ways. Adam had to work again Thursday night so I stayed with mom and dad. Friday after adam got some rest we headed to Adams parents house. That is where I am blogging today. It was so nice to get a hot shower in the light. I brought all my laundry and did it here too.
Adam has to go back to work Monday so we are heading back tomorrow. I hope our power is back on this week.
Please keep your throughts and prayers on these that have lost loved ones!

Easter 2011

Hunting eggs!

My beautiful cookies :)

Ava's basket (Tangled, princess bubbles, and a thing of candy)

Twirling :)

Posing with her basket and paw paw...well minus paw paw's face. LOL

Wow, I have been so busy. I am slacking on my blogging :(

I was off Good Friday so me,mom, and Ava went shopping in Chattanooga. I took Ava's dress that I bought a few months back to match me up something to go with it. Adam worked all weekend and Easter Sunday :( Anyways, we shopped all day and had a great lunch at J Alexanders. I got home and realized the dress is no where to be found. I thought for sure mom had just mistakenly took it out with her bags. Well I called her and she said "NO". She remembers me having it in the bottom of the stroller and that's the last time she saw it. So she figures somebody stole it out of the stroller when she was letting Ava play at the playground. She had to park the stroller outside of it and it was SUPER crowded. Oh well maybe they needed a dress really bad!!! I am just thankful it was on the cheaper end of what I normally buy for her. :)

Saturday me and Ava had a nice day. I got a lot of housework done, and I spent some time with her. We watched Tangled a few times :) It was WONDERFUL. I was so ready to watch something other than Barbie, Toy Story, or Diego. That afternoon I ran out to Heritage House and bought her a last minute dress. It turned out great and she looked adorable :)

We made Easter cookies and despite what they looked like they were good. I didn't quite get the color right but they still were yummy. I was trying to go for pastel colors....little did I read the directions I was going by was for a whole tub of icing....whoops.

Sunday we did church both times and in between had the Easter Egg hunt and dinner at moms. Ava had so much fun this year. She caught on to what she was suppose to do and she filled her basket full. The bad part is Ants had attacked the eggs I guess while church was going on. Her basket had ants all in it. Dad took it out and cleaned it. Bless her heart, unless they gave her some today she didn't even get her eggs/candy.....stupid ants!!!!

Church was good....such a sweet service!!!

Early Easter pics

Just a couple pics of Ava in her festive Easter outfits.

Sorry they are not so clear!

I am excited about Ava hunting Easter eggs this year. I think I might even let her dye some.

So much has been going on. I haven't had time to post or read blogs. I feel so behind and I hate that feeling. Work has been very crazy lately. I have been training a new person, and I have been stressed out. The transition is going so good though. I know God had a hand in it. I had a good feeling when I interviewed this woman. When it came time to narrow the list down I just told the other guys I had a gut feeling about her. They agreed and I thank God for helping me pick the right person!

Ava is still struggling with that ear infection, and the remnants of a cold. I am ready for her to be 100% better!

2 Year checkup

Well my baby is just going to be small. She only weighs 23 lbs and is 30 something inches long. She is growing and progressing well. She had a Hepatitis B shot and did pretty good with it. She also had to have some blood drawn :( She has another ear infection.....if the last one ever really went away. She is getting in her 2 year molars. The DR. prescribed her some Zantac for her acid reflux issue. I hope it helps. So to reward her for being such a big girl I got her a cookie from the Cookie Co. I also rewarded myself for having to deal with my baby in distress. I got a preztel with cheese and a double doozie I just enjoyed at work :)

Ava's 2 Year Pictures

Check them out!
Go to Ajpbaby.com, click on baby website , then proofing, Estes, and the password is nestes2.

Can you tell the difference in her facial expressions inside verses outside?? :) She so wasn't feeling like being inside that day!!!