Graduation time!

Well my second daughter has now officially become a high school graduate!

So proud of my Hayley :) She's worked hard all these years and it's paid off.

All my kiddos and grandbaby :)  There's always one in the crowd acting like a goof!!!

With a few really good scholarships under her belt, now we will be headed for college in the fall....**sniff** **sniff**

Hayley giving me a daughterly lick tot he cheek.....bleh!!!! 

Hayley, we are so proud of you and love you very much!  I did good and didn't shed a single tear (in front of you) but I can't promise when I drop you off at college I won't be sitting in the lobby of your dorm crying like a hungry baby and totally inconsolable :)

Love you!

Mom

I'm going to be joining my other high school graduate mom, Daphne, over at Flip Flops and Pearls for Semi Wordless Wednesday.  

Y'all come on over :)

Many blessings, 

Laura

I don't like writing sad posts but I came across one the other day who had lost her mom and it just brought back a flood of memories.

So no sadness here but just a moment of shared memories.

(Cadey, Hayley and my daddy 1997)

It's been 12 years today that I lost the man I called my dad.  We don't share the same eyes, hair color, height, nose nor blood but most importantly we shared love, happiness and family.

He loved me like his own and honestly I never thought any different.  I have a biological mom and dad out there somewhere but I never really think about being adopted until someone mentions it.  I had a wonderful life with wonderful parents and was/am extremely blessed. 

I love hearing about adoption stories because mine turned out so wonderful. 

(Daddy and my Hayley 16 years ago)

My dad passed away while I was pregnant with Katrina and he was hoping I would be bringing a boy into this world.  That didn't come until a few years later and we gave Bubba (Jackson Wyatt Wayne Wilkerson) a piece of daddy's name :)

(Daddy and Hayley 1994)

  My mom misses him every day.  They were first and only loves.  She tells how she left her mommas side and straight to my daddy arms for almost 30 years.  She stays true to their marriage and memories and still loves him to this day.  

(Hayley, Cadey and Daddy 1994)

  I just felt it needed to be spoken about what a wonderful man, husband, father, grandpa and most importantly child of God, Douglas Wayne Culbertson was and still is in our hearts.  

Anyway, no sadness but lots of really great memories.  

Many blessings y'all,

Laura

Hayhay

Hey ya'll...this is just a little write-up for my daughters birthday today in hopes that in between her busy teenage schedule she'll take a moment to read :)

Have a great day ya'll!

May Hayhay....that's what we call my you....Hayhay.

See the little kids in day care would try to say Hayley and it came out Hayhay.  17 years......only 388 more days till you're 18....that's your countdown and such a definite one at that.  You text me often to remind me how many days are left....we both understand why 18 is so important to you. 

I remember the day I went to the hospital to have you.  We got up and left the house at like 4:30 in the morning.  Went to the hospital, got prepped and of to the OR I go.  They wouldn't let anyone in the room with me, not even your daddy and I didn't get to see you when you came out.  I had trouble regaining the feeling back after the epidural and spent 5 hours in recovery before they took me to a room.  When they finally brought you into the room, your daddy had brought Cadey in the room to see you.  She had on a new polka dot dress and was so excited.  The nurse asked her if she wanted to hold her little sister and she said Yeah! She was the first one out of all of us to get to hold you!  So no matter what you two think about each other now and over the years, she really loves you and loved you the first moment she saw you.....like we all do :)

I've missed a lot of your daily life and many of your ups and downs and although many don't see it, it does tear at my heart every day.  That's the past and is something that can't be changed.....only repaired. 

I'm looking forward to seeing you grow in this next year.  I know most parents don't look forward to their children turning 18 and going off to college but I'm excited and happy for you and can't wait to watch you

 begin your senior year, senior homecoming game, spring break, 18th birthday, senior prom and graduation!

So many exciting times ahead and many memories to make.

Well Hayley, If you ever have a moment to read this I just want you to know how much I love you and how proud of you I am.  You have a mindset and determination that I admire.  I only want you to enjoy life and find something you want and love to do but most of all I want you to know that i'll always be here for you.  You'll always have a home to come to, a lake to swim in and b-b-q nachos are only one call away :)

Much love and happy birthday!

Love,

Momma

~Katrina Katrina~

Ah Katrina....

No not hurricane Katrina, although she can very well make her room resemble a hurricane.  My Katrina came a few years before the Hurricane Katrina tragedy.  She could never be know as anything tragic. 

It's been 10 years today when I had Katrina, my 3rd daughter but 1st child with my UPS man :)

I still remember being at the hospital and his face when they gave me an epidural, he almost got sick and they told him to turn around if he felt like he was going to pass out.  All I could think of was what a shame it would be if he messed up his nice clothes.  See he was beaming all morning, didn't even go to sleep the night before.  He had gotten up before me and showered, shaved and dressed in his dress shirt and tie.  All to be prepared to welcome sweet Katrina into the world.  I forgot to mention he picked out her name.

I didn't have a bad pregnancy with Katrina and everyone was more than happy to welcome her into the world.  My daddy was excited and had hoped for a boy for us.  He had found out he had cancer right before we found out we were pregnant.  He then passed away when I was 5 months pregnant.  He would have loved Katrina.  She loves hugs and snuggles and is one of the most caring and kind hearted people I know and daddy loved getting hugs and snuggles and was without a doubt the most kind hearted person I had ever known.

She came into this world and didn't make a sound. Big blue eyes that will still melt your heart.  My UPS man wouldn't put her down and he couldn't stop smiling nor has he quit.  As soon as he saw her he said "this is my little Keke" and so the name stuck.  We still call her Keke or Big-en.  Our friends have a boy a year older than her and he's always called her Ke-kitty.

Keke, Big-en, Ke-kitty, sis or Katrina she'll always be my little girl.  I had mentioned in one of my first blogs about a "year of firsts"  (you can read about it here) and how music brings back thoughts and memories.  One of the songs that is the most meaningful song to me is a song by Dido called "Thank You".  It was playing on the radio while we were bringing Keke home from the hospital.

I want to thank you
for giving me the best day of my life
Oh just to be with you
is having the best day of my life

Ten years has gone by quite fast and unexpectedly I find myself with my youngest daughter now entering the double digit age group.  All too soon it will be cell phones and boys, proms and drivers license.  All too soon it will be college and tests, jobs and life.  And all very, very too soon it will be memories.  Hopefully her memories of a happy childhood and a comfortable home with parents and a family who love her unconditionally. 

So Katrina, If you ever read back on this, I want you to know what a sweet, beautiful and tender-hearted young girl you are.  You've always been a friend to all and enemy to none.  You have such a big heart for those in need and we couldn't be more proud of you.  Your beautiful spirit shines for all to see and I hope and pray that life brings you to many roads with many, many happy moments. 

My love always,

Momma

My blogger friends, thank you for indulging me in sharing my memories of a special day for me and my family.

Many blessings,

Laura

Birthdays and memories

Well my youngest will be turning 6 tomorrow.  My only son or as I like to say, "my onliest son".  As i'm doing what moms do and sitting up during the wee hours of the night, baking birthday cookie cake and wrapping up last minute birthday presents and I just can't help to remember back.  Not so much the day he was born, although a very special moment for me and daddy both, but remembering the day we brought him home.  More specifically the ride home.  Ah, the ride. 
As we all know, certain objects, sounds or smells triggers memories in us all but for both my son and youngest daughter I distinctly remember the songs that were playing on the radio in the car while bringing them home.  I honestly wouldn't even know where to begin by explaining how the most perfect songs played at the most perfect time to describe perfectly my feelings for them both.
Katrina was born in March of 2001 (well before hurricane Katrina but they could be one in the same if you've ever seen her room!).  She was my fist baby with Jason and she was absolutely beautiful and perfect.  The song that brings me to tears every time I hear it is a song called "Thank you" by Dido.  A beautiful love song but perfectly explains my feelings for her at that exact moment.

I want to thank you
For giving me the best day of my life
Oh just to be with you 
Is having the best day of my life 

Being already a mom of three girls, what a surprise when we found out #4 was a boy.  And oh boy is he ever ALL boy!  Jackson Wyatt Wayne Wilkerson, a.k.a. Bubba.  He makes me laugh.  Period.  I can't even begin to explain all the trials our family was going through when Bubba came along but I have to tell you that the day we were bringing him home the good ole' Lynyrd Skynyrd  song "Simple Man" came on.  Now us bonfire blazing, boot wearing, southern girls have heard this song a thousand times but it took on a totally different meaning to me that day.  When it got to the last verse I honestly couldn't stop the tears and to this day I can't help but get a little choked up when I hear it.

Boy, don't you worry... you'll find yourself.
Follow your heart, lord, and nothing else.
And you can do this, oh baby, if you try.
All that I want for you my son,
Is to be satisfied.
Chorus
And be a simple kind of man.
Be something you love and understand.
Baby be a simple, kind of man.
Oh, won't you do this for me son,
If you can?
Courtesy of Mr. Ronnie VanZant & Gary Rossington

I couldn't have summed it up any better than this song.  What mom doesn't feel that for their son or any of their childen for that matter? 
So as I sit here now listening to my little birthday boys snores, I think back to 6 years ago and how much one song can not only bring me to tears but make me feel hopeful for the many years he has ahead of him.

Happy birthday Bubba, Momma loves you!

Football season

Welcome to my first blog! 

 It just so happens that it's also a season of many firsts for me and my family

The beginning of the school year brings excitement of new things to come.  New school clothes, new supplies, new friends, teachers and schools.  Here in the south it also brings excitement over a new football season.  Of course there's football everywhere but down here it's more of a way of life.  Friday night high school football, Saturday morning little league football followed by an afternoon of cheering on your favorite college team.  Maybe your lucky enough to snag a few tickets to an Ole Miss game and go tailgate at the grove.  Whatever the days may bring, one thing for sure, there will always be a game in full swing to enjoy.

This year is extra special for my family as my youngest child, and only son that we appropriately call Bubba, is not only starting school this year but is also old enough to play flag football in our local little league.  Being a mom of 3 beautiful daughters i'm very much used to the whole princess tea parties, pom pom shaking, living room dance recitals and all that implies. But the whole rough and tough, pound and ground flag football experience really worried me.  Even though my boy is ALL boy I just can't help the dreadful feeling I get when I see him laying out on the ground or hobbling off the field and the sense of relief when he jumps up and runs back to the huddle and always gives me the thumbs up sign. 

Of all the memories I am storing of this year of "firsts", the one that tugs at my heart is the image above.  My husband, the UPS man, holding his only sons hand and walking him to his first game.  Being there in that moment it didn't really hit me but then we picked the pictures up from the photo lab.  This is absolutely one of my favorite photos and will always be the image I think of when I think of Bubba's first football game. 

Special thank you to my daughter Hayley for snapping that picture and working your editing magic.  My Hayhay you have such a talented eye!  Thank you and I love you!