In Recent Days

Just wanted to share a few photos of what we have been up to recently.

We had some friends stop in for a few days on their way to Florida...so we let them ride Zeke & also got some family pictures of us riding him. He has been getting ready for show season so we don't ride him a lot just to make sure he stays show ready. When he has other people riding him (like me since I don't use "show riding" technique) he tends to get off track & does his own thing, but he is the sweetest horse & anyone can ride him even if they don't ride the "show" way. He likes that. 

We had fun. Greyson loves riding. He kept signing more, but finally we had to get him down & he was not happy. He loves real horses but is terrified of little toy rocking horses...go figure.

Later we went out to the farm & took a ride in the double seat Kubota. It was a tad chilly, but nice to ride around & see the animals =)

 Who knew we had "hiking" so close to home! Our house is in the little neighborhood in the bottom left picture. LaDonna took lots of pictures but I hardly got any of her...except this one! 

 Another day we drove up to Mt. Cheaha. It was overcast & very windy but the drive was nice. LaDonna took these cool pictures. Jera came too but she napped in the back seat with Greyson...

We celebrated G'pa's birthday last week too. I took this photo on my phone & my mother in law was in the background talking to someone else. My amazing sister in law Richelle, edited this picture & I love how it turned out. We got an 8x10 size & framed it...we also made a customized mug with this picture & had "Happy Birthday, G'pa! Love Greyson" written on it inside a horse shoe. It turned out cute.

Helping blow out the candles...

Present time!

We've had a lot going on since our trip to PA but things are slowly getting back into our normal routine. It was great having our friends visit & now we look forward to Easter & having the Nana & Papa come visit soon! 

Colic Calm & Diaper update!

I was recently asked to be featured in an article in the Colic Calm Journal.

I found Colic Calm shortly after delivering Greyson & was amazed at the results! During that time you could only buy CC online, so I was pleased to find out that you can now buy it in stores like CVS, Walgreens & Babies R Us.

Read my story here! And check out their website at www.coliccalm.com

I definitely recommend this for new mom's to be & moms who want to give natural ingredients to their babies =) 

I love this product & tend to be one of those moms who does a lot of research on ingredients or different things that will help benefit us & the baby in the long run so this was a win, win! 

The ONLY thing about CC that I would watch is the fact that since the liquid is in its all natural state of color (which is BLACK!) this can stain clothes, so I kept a tissue handy in case Greyson spit any of it out or it ran out of his mouth. He really liked the taste so it didn't happen often. Periodically as his body would digest the liquid, I was afraid it would stain my cloth diapers too bad & would tend to put a disposable on him after administering this to him. However, the few times he did wear cloth, the stains came out completely & I haven't had any permanent stains to clothing either...so I guess just be extra careful not to get any of it on clothing to be safe & if it happens, wash or soak immediately... mentioning cloth diapers brings me to an update~

Diaper News

I found out about the "new" way to cloth diaper a couple years ago when I was looking for different ways to save us money. I had been working full time for over 5 years & was now going to part time so anything that would help in the financial aspect of adding kids was a plus. 

After more research =) & having my hubby help figure the research/cost I found out just how much cloth diapering can save & we invested in a 12 pack of bum genius elementals (one of the more expensive brands) I have heard that you can CD your babies for as little as $50 or go as high as $500 total. Either way, it still saves you $$ since the average cost is anywhere from $1,040 ($20 a week for disposables) to $2,000 in one year...times multiple years until your child potty trains. Since we also still use disposables for sitters, when we are away from home & for out of town trips, we know how fast disposables can go so we are happy with the results from CD & use them as much as possible. CD has worked for our family in a number of ways...whether it's poop, throw up, spit up, etc...I realize a lot of people can't get on board with cloth because it grosses them out...but mess happens & you will have to clean it up eventually so whether you save with CD or in another area of bringing up your baby...make this decision based on what is best for YOUR family. In our case I was having to wash poop out of Greyson's cute clothes from blowouts on a weekly basis! I figured washing a diaper would be better than having to save our clothing & since switching to cloth, we haven't had a single blowout so this decision has definitely worked for us, not just from that, but eliminating G's diaper rash as well! 

I have used CD's since G was 8 weeks old....I have not needed "more" & love the ones I have but did find that the longer Greyson slept at night, the more absorption was needed. He would leak out the top from time to time & since that was the only time leaks occurred I knew I needed something else. In the last couple weeks I was invited to a cloth diapering party. From the party, I was able to get 3 fitted bamboo diapers with an extra insert. (pictured below)

These are super soft & the extra layer of fabric in the insert takes care of the problem 100%! They need a separate cover (which I've never had to use) but I only need one cover for the 3 diapers so I didn't add a lot to my stash & this is definitely helping us get through the nights! This combo definitely makes his bottom a LOT more fluffy!! His pants usually fit over the BG Elementals no problem, but these just seem huge in comparison. I love the coverage though & they seem to be pretty comfortable all around. Greyson likes them so that works for me!

I ordered these from my friend at the party along with some liners that have worked like a charm! I never invested in a sprayer & felt like the liners would help with the clean up a lot better. While it hasn't bothered me to clean a poopy diaper prior to these, it does make it go faster, is less messy & I am happy to say that the liners accomplish everything I was hoping for! After figuring out the best placement that is... I have had nothing but good results. They keep the diaper fabric a lot cleaner & it doesn't take a lot of extra time to add the liner to the diaper during a change. They advertise being flushable, but I would check your septic system first. We are supposed to be in a good area for flushing these, but we have had trouble in the past being in an older house so I've flushed a few, but most of the time I just take them out to the trash.

 I got all of these new items through Imagine Baby Products! I will have a party soon & I can also share through facebook so be ready. They have lots of other little accessories & things to make cloth diapering a breeze like dry/wet bags, liners, rash ointment, & everything for the different kinds of cloth diapering that include all in ones, fitted with covers & prefolds. If you are up for saving lots of money on diapers for your baby, this is the way to go! Each of the items are super soft & relatively inexpensive. I have yet to find liners this cheap anywhere else online. Stay tuned for information about my upcoming party around the beginning of April & how to order =)

Losing Loved Ones

The past few weeks have been quite emotional! 

As you know about a month ago I wrote about my Mama Ritchey. She had been fighting for her life for several months & kept miraculously making it through each set back. The Dr's were amazed that she was still alive. 

Over the course of these months in & out of the hospital, she NEVER once complained!! She always just wanted to go Home as in...her heavenly home. She didn't mind that her body was giving out...she lived a full life & she was ready to go. 

She passed away on February 10, 2013 at 86 years old. 

One week to the DAY that Matt's G'daddy passed...I am SO thankful that even though these loved ones were taken so close together, that they didn't happen at the same time. I don't know what I would have done without Matt by my side.

We drove to PA the day before the viewing, spent the night & got to the funeral home 15 minutes before people were supposed to arrive. The Family was supposed to be there at 2pm but with us just getting in, we didn't make it...even then when we arrived, people had already come & gone & there was a large line already forming to pay their respects. 

Over the next 6 hours we met & talked with people from all over!! My dad, uncle Jerry & my aunt Debbie never took a break! Aunt Debbie is my uncle Jim's wife...he passed away when I was 8 & he was the oldest son & brother to my dad & uncle Jerry. I know my family likes to talk too...but we planned it that way with no breaks because when my uncle died, people stood outside down the street waiting to get in because there were so many people & my family ended up staying till midnight greeting everyone.

This time they made the viewing earlier & longer so that if they went over the time, it wouldn't be that late. It was supposed to end at 8pm but we stayed till 9pm...so it worked out great. It was amazing to see so many family, friends & acquaintances who took the time to come...whether it was states away & hours of driving or those that lived in the same town...people stood in line for hours & it really was amazing to listen to all the wonderful things they had to say about my Grandma.

I cannot do it justice...I cannot begin to describe just how much she meant to me & everyone around her. If you knew her...then that sums it up.

These roses represented the 11 great-grandchildren... 9 pink roses were for those that are already here & the 2 white ones represented the new babies due in May & June of 2013. I thought it was a special way to include them because Mama knew they were coming & wanted to live to see them... Some of her last words were that if the Lord wanted to take her now, that was alright with her because she was ready to go, but it would be nice to live a couple more years to see these grandchildren...she passed away that night. At the end of the funeral service, each great-grandchild took their rose & placed it with Mama in the casket...my brother Matt took the white rose representing his little one & placed it for their family. It was one of the most touching, emotional things I have been a part of but I was so glad we did that. 

I didn't know how I would feel during the funeral & the grandchildren were asked to share a special memory or something that we wanted to say during the service. I ended up being too emotional to get through it so I backed out, but I'm including part of what I wrote here~

For the past 8 & a half years, Mama claimed to be the match maker that brought my husband Matt & I together. If you were ever around her when we were home for a visit, you would hear her tell the story of how she brought the 2 of us together. Matt & I had been hanging out a little bit during a summer camp we all attended & Mama noticed…as she says “She could see the twinkle in his eye” So she took the liberty to give Matt a little nudge. She told him that if he didn’t have a date to this banquet at the end of the camp, that she had a granddaughter right here that would LOVE to go with him & she thought we would make a cute couple. 
I was completely embarrassed since we hadn't even said we liked each other yet, but it worked & that was the first of many dates. Over the next several years whenever she saw us together, she would say 

“I knew he liked you, I just had to get the ball rolling “or “I could just tell you liked each other so I decided to play a little matchmaker.” 
When we got engaged & later married she always reminisced about the part she played in our relationship. However, once we actually went through with it all, & she realized this boy lived in Alabama, she wasn’t happy with the thought of me living so far away. She would cry at every goodbye, but she always knew it was HER fault in the first place & she couldn’t be too upset.

Over the years of being apart, there were little things that always made our trips home more special. She always fixed our favorite dishes or desserts, so you can just imagine the feast we had when ALL the grandkids were home on the same weekend. We loved having her visit us in Alabama & spent our summer vacations with her. She was so excited to learn we were having her 9th great-grandchild & the moments she shared with Greyson his first year are priceless. She never let us forget that she was the reason we had this precious baby boy….so when that day comes & our kids wonder how their dad ended up with a someone above the mason/Dixon line…we will make sure that Mama gets ALL the credit.

Some of us grandchildren sang "Sheltered in the Arms" at the funeral & I'm glad Matt & I got to be a part of that. It was a really nice service & there were several new faces of friends & family that got to be there. I can't thank everyone enough for all the cards, words of encouragement & prayers that we felt over these last few weeks. Yes it was hard, but we know where they are & I wouldn't wish them back for anything.

I recovered a few of the Gerber Daisies, roses & other flowers from the arrangement over the casket while we were at the graveside ceremony. It was so pretty & reminded me of Valentines Day since that was the day she was buried. It would have been her 65th wedding anniversary!

After everything was over & we were back home, we spent a few days with my parents. Greyson got a few Valentines presents & it was so cute to see him open everything.

Nana & Papa got him a really cute picture frame with his engraved all over it & their names too! I will have to post a picture when I get a photo in it.

The photo she wants included is the one below...LOTS & LOTS of kisses & hugs from Nana & Papa. You can tell he is thrilled about it! =)

It really was a precious time to be together & I am happy that it worked out for us to be there. It will be sad not seeing Mama greet us when we come home to visit or taste her amazing cooking, but God has big plans & He gained a true Proverbs 31 Women!

One exciting thing that happened in the midst of ALL that went on... Matt & I were packing for PA & that's when Greyson decided he was ready to start walking for real. 

He had taken his first steps at 11 months & refused to take any more than 2 for the next 3 months. When we would coax him to walk to us, he would laugh & plop down. At 8 months he was pulling himself up & cruising furniture, then a little later he could stand by himself if you put him down, but he always had to climb up something to stand & never just stood up in the middle of the room by himself. That is until the day we were packing. It was so random...neither of us were paying attention to him when all of a sudden he just got on his hands & knees, then popped up to a standing position by himself! I saw him out of the corner of my eye & when I realized what he had done I said Matt's name & by the time I could form the words, he just took off across the room. No coaxing, no nothing...just decided on his own he was ready to walk. I hear that happens a lot so I'm glad we were both home to witness it! After that, there was no stopping him...he walked all over the funeral home, all over Nana & Papa's & was REALLY ready to get out of the car after traveling 13 hrs...so he has been going non-stop. He was exactly 14 months old when he did this...I expected him to walk after a yr because he was so late crawling but I thought it would take longer since he showed NO interest in coming to us when we tried to coax him. O well...I guess that's another point for the "They'll do it when they're ready" quote...=) 

Communication

Who doesn't love communicating? 

I mean sometimes it's hard when the other person isn't doing much of it...for instance a lot of the problems in our relationships have to do with communication. It's either the wrong kind, a lack there of OR none at all. 

Now I'm turning this in a whole new direction. Communicating with KIDS!  

When we talk to someone we expect them to listen, understand, respond or at least talk back. With babies...you get nothing. They don't always understand, they might be listening, they might respond, but they certainly don't "talk"...they CRY! That's their way of communicating. It's a whole new learning curve when you become a parent & figuring it all out is quite the journey!

Sometimes you don't know what they need...or want...but eventually you figure it out....or not. HA 

 I'm saying all this to say....

A baby can go from THIS - a helpless little infant, brand new in the world, with only the instinct to cry when he's unhappy...

To THIS - a mischievous little toddler, who has probably figured out MORE than you are even aware of, knows how to test you, cross boundaries & all the while gives you the sweetest little grins even when he KNOWS he's in trouble!!! All of this in just a few months...that's right. They learn fast...these little buggers.

Doesn't that face just say it all? The finger in the mouth is a nice touch...I'm telling you...SMART!

I have been told I have a very well behaved, good baby. I would have to agree because I nannied for 6 years & worked in a day care...I could say I've seen it all...but I still hear stories.  lol

However, he HAS his MOMENTS! 

Don't they all?  No child is going to be absolutely perfect! 

Some babies learn faster than others, they sit up, crawl & walk sooner, or later & hit milestones at different points... but in the learning department you still have to teach them all these things while trying to stay one step ahead of them to figure out what their next move will be! 

That's always fun...Thank the LORD He created women's intuition! 

Well, today I just had to share a little break through with our communication level.

I've seen parents teach their babies sign language. Somehow this tiny person who can't form sentences yet, can communicate to their parents what they want. Its pretty cool & I hear their IQ is better after learning to sign...I haven't checked into it but hey, why not give it a whirl. 

SO, at 6 months I learned a few signs & decided to start working with Greyson. He was just starting solids & I thought this would be a good time for him to be able to tell me if he was thirsty, wanted cereal or more, etc. Every time I fed him I would sign what I was doing...which resulted mostly with blank stares or hysterical laughter. I got no results so after about a month I forgot about it. 

What's ironic is that Matt's aunt (who keeps Greyson occasionally) used to work at a deaf school...she knows how to sign & taught deaf kids for years. Somehow in a few hours (while keeping him from time to time) she would say to Greyson "Where's my pal?" & she taught him to pat his chest in answer to her question that he was her pal. We would go days without seeing her until Sunday morning rolled around & she would ask him the question. Eventually he started patting his chest & now every time he sees her he starts patting his chest before she even asks!! She has since showed him actual signs & I'm beginning to think she has a magic method because the question is...how could he remember what to do without seeing or working with her for weeks at a time & still know exactly what to do with in a few minutes in her presence...when I worked with him every day, every meal with  just ONE sign & got nothing!!! I was baffled...

Eventually, I quit using signs altogether until he started whole milk at a year old. I decided "milk" was something he might actually ask for. I also brought back the sign for "more" during meals & when we were through I would sign "all done" & got him out of his chair. I figured those 3 would be good enough for me IF he ever picked up on it. 

Well, he signs "milk" with me every now & then, but has never USED it to actually ask for the milk...he just lets me know he wants it in a louder, more forceful way. THEN he started saying ALL DONE instead of really signing it & even then he would only sign after I showed him what to do about 10 times in a row...still...I get the communication so that works.

BUT today....while eating breakfast...he actually signed something without me showing him first!! 

He was eating other things on his own & occasionally I would give him a bite of yogurt (while cleaning up the kitchen). I asked him if he wanted more yogurt at one point & without hesitation Greyson said, More? & signed it like he'd been doing it all along...... Really?  

I cheered, clapped & praised him. It was definitely a surprise. Not that big of a deal to some people, but it made me think about just how much he has picked up on without me knowing it. He had tucked that away & even though I never saw a result, didn't mean he didn't know how or when to use it. He is talking a lot more so it is easier to figure out what he wants, so signing kind of fell to the wayside, but even when I didn't stick with it, he understood & pulled it out of nowhere. 

It may just be a small thing...but I guess it makes me believe the saying even more that the moment you stop trying so hard for something...it happens on its own! And that can apply to the baby AFTER it gets here! =)

I am loving this age & every time Greyson does or learns something new, it gives me a sense of pride. Now I know how it feels, now I know what those parents were talking about. There are new accomplishments everyday & I couldn't possibly share them all, but every now & then I am just happy to enjoy the small things!

G'daddy Locklin

G'daddy Locklin went home to Heaven around midnight Feb. 3rd, 2013. He was 85.

When I married Matt, I met the greatest grandparents anyone could ever ask for! G'mama & G'daddy welcomed me into the family & treated me just like one of their granddaughters. I have SO enjoyed my time with them & my greatest joy was giving them another great-grandchild to love. 

 4 Generations at Greyson's dedication
G'daddy was so much fun to be around...a true 'southern gentlemen', funny, classic but also very serious. He was always concerned about everyone & always wanted to know..."Who's got Greyson? Someone better keep an eye on him!" =) My dad got to become one of his best buddy's. Whenever my parents came to visit, G'daddy would take dad out for breakfast (or vice versa since G'daddy couldn't drive =) It was a special time for them to be together & G'daddy always spoke highly of dad & always tried to call him & keep in touch. He loved checking up on everyone.

 He always called to check on us & always wanted to know what was going on in our lives. We spent many hours at G'mama & G'daddy's house. We even spent the night on occasion! We had countless conversations about life, the old days & all the new fangled things coming up in the world. I'll never forget when Matt & I drove them to Monroeville to visit their old "stomping grounds". We got to see & learn more about their lives back then & learn about the family we are a part of. 

G'daddy was considered legally blind even back when he was a teenager. Even with this little bump, it never slowed him down from getting an education, making or refinishing furniture or making it through his every day life. One of the first things G'mama said after he died was that he could finally SEE! How awesome it is, that the first thing you could see clearly was the face of Jesus! Not many people could say that, but he got that privilege I'm sure =)

 There are so many things that we could say & Matt has so many more memories than I do, each one is more cherished than the last. We have loved reminiscing about all the funny things G'daddy did or said & how much of an impact he has had on each one of our lives. G'daddy loved giving & he did so much for us. I never really knew how to thank him enough.

When G'daddy had his stroke, it seemed like one thing after another came up & his health declined.  During the last few months of G'daddy's life, Greyson learned to say "Hey G!" It was so cute & G'daddy always got a kick out of it. I found it ironic that even though Greyson doesn't say much, he still picked up that G'daddy was important...he somehow realized that he was something special even at his little age & learned to look for him & call his name.

After we heard the news of G'daddy's passing, we went to their house the next day. Greyson was so used to seeing G'daddy in his hospital bed & as we walked up the driveway he was already anticipating seeing him. He started saying "Hey G!...Heeey G" What really got us is when he started looking for him in his bed, but it was empty. 

Of course he doesn't understand where G'daddy is right now, but I am so glad that I will be able to tell him that he is in Heaven with Jesus! During the last few moments G'daddy told one of his nurses that he was going home. What a wonderful feeling to KNOW where you are going in your final moments. He wasn't scared, he wasn't unsure...he was ready.

G'daddy loved God & prayed a lot. He was so many things to so many people & did so much, but most importantly he was a Christian. He left a legacy behind him & those that have received Jesus as our Savior will have the hope of seeing our loved ones again.

Today we had the funeral service for G'daddy...It could not have been a more perfect day. It was absolutely gorgeous-warm with a slight breeze, the sun shining & not a cloud in the sky. Over 200 people attended the service & it was probably one of the longer funerals I've been to. It lasted at least an hour & a half, but you wouldn't have known it because everyone enjoyed it so much. I can't remember the last time I actually "enjoyed" a funeral! Yes there were moments of sadness & you can't help but cry at these times, but G'daddy wanted a celebration of life & I believe that's what he got.

Matt & his brother Jac sang "He Came to Me" as a duet. It was awesome...all the grandchildren (except spouses...I don't think I would have been able to get through speaking in front of a crowd) got up & made a tribute to G'daddy. They shared funny stories & memories of who G'daddy was & what he meant to them. It was such an amazing time of sharing love & laughter. My Father in Law sang "Look for Me at Jesus' Feet" before the message & it was so fitting to think of G'daddy doing just that. I was surprised at how well my brother in law did during the message. G'daddy wanted him to preach it & I wondered how hard that must be for a grandson to preach his grandpa's funeral! It was one of the best messages I have ever heard, making references about G'daddy's life & the importance not to live for this world, for it will pass away, but to live for Jesus who has prepared a place for us so that we can meet those that have gone on before us. There were so many other powerful things said & I know G'daddy would have been so proud of his family sharing so much on this day. I know when you love someone so much & they pass away you can never say enough about the person & what they meant to you. I laughed & cried but never once felted drained of emotions. God was our strength & allowed us to actually "celebrate" this day without feeling so sad...just like G'daddy would have wanted. 

 G'daddy we love you & will miss you, & will always have a place for you in our hearts. Can't wait to greet you in Heaven one day soon. 

Snow!

We had our first snow of the new year on January 17th!

I took some pictures on our video camera, so they aren't as clear, but I just had to capture this moment. 

Greyson experienced his first snow day up in Pennsylvania when we were there for Thanksgiving...but this was the first time it snowed in Alabama & that doesn't happen very often. =)

He hasn't been walking very much but he took a few steps while reaching for the snowflakes. It was really coming down.
We had gone to a work lunch around 12:15 that afternoon; it was sleeting & wet outside. By 2pm I was seeing a few snowflakes & by 3 it was a full blown blizzard! It was a pretty wet snow so it was coming down pretty fast but some of the clumps were HUGE!

We finally had to come in because the snow was piling up on our heads & covering my video camera!! It lasted until the next morning...but most of it was gone by midday. Greyson really loved it, but it was too wet to really play in for us. Maybe when he's older, we'll get to make snowman. I really do love living in this part of the south so we can still experience ALL the seasons.

 I was used to living in cold weather 9 months out of the year & having snow about 4 months (give or take) out of that time. Living in Pennsylvania in the "snow belt" off of Lake Erie, will make you pretty accustomed to snowy weather & nothing would close unless the roads were super icy. That meant that even if there was 15 inches on the ground, but the roads were clear...we still had to go to school.

 However, it is the complete opposite in Alabama. We have WARM weather 9 months out of the year & a few months of cold...SOMETIMES it snows & when it does EVERYTHING shuts down. We laugh because schools will close at the mere mention of snow...but I will admit that I am very happy about it. Our town is not equipped with everything needed to make the roads safe & people aren't used to driving in it either so I would much rather have everything close down, than risk having an accident. 

I love that we have Winter, Spring, Summer (even though our temperatures sometimes reach record highs) & Fall & that our weather is beautiful 85% of the time! Minus the tornados...it would almost be perfect year round.

We enjoyed our little piece of snow so far! 

~Stay Warm!~

Mama Ritchey

For the past several months, my grandmother has been declining in her health.

It started with an emergency surgery (that she was not supposed to recover from) & ever since she has faced one thing after another. Just as she would work to get stronger, something else would set her back...she spent 8 weeks in the hospital! The Dr's have been amazed that she is still hanging on & have said countless times that the only reason she is here is because of the love of her family, being well taken care of & most importantly...God!

This was during one of my long visits to PA in September 2012. She was in the rehab part of the hospital. 

She has been one of the most godly influences in my life. She doesn't go away from a conversation without mentioning her faith in God & witnessing in some sort of way. She is a fighter...she LOVES life but she also knows what awaits her on the other side. 

Eventually she was put back in the hospital with another complication...she was so weak she didn't even want to eat...but guess who made her! My dad & Uncle are making sure she does everything she can to get well again. She finally made it out of the hospital & into a nursing home.

Our last visit to Pennsylvania was during the Thanksgiving Holiday. We were able to visit her in the nursing home & get a few pictures of her & Greyson.

She loves Greyson so much & is always so excited to see him. I don't know how much longer we'll have with Mama but we are thankful for the legacy that she has left with us in her life & the fact that she showed us all what it meant to truly be a Christian. She loves the Lord...that is evident =)

During Thanksgiving, we always celebrate Christmas with Mama. It has been a tradition ever since my grandparents became snow birds & left right after the Holiday to go to Florida over the winter months. My Aunt had signs made for everyone in the family of what we have deemed...Mama's slogan. 

As we opened the package & read the sign...I remembered hearing her say these words SO often over my lifetime. In fact, as I left her room in the hospital, during my September visit, this was the last thing I heard come out of her mouth =) 

"Snuggle up to Jesus" - Mama 

I love my Mama, & she is an inspiration! We have precious memories...& however long the Lord sees fit to keep her with us, we will continue to be blessed by her presence. 

This was the last photo I took of her with Greyson (to date). Her hands, holding his little ones. It is & will be a treasured photo for the rest of our lives. Her hands hold so much wisdom in the wrinkles they show, & Greyson's tiny, innocent, smooth hands...they haven't done much, they haven't been aged, but they have been held by an angel!