Oh the Places You'll Go (Or Number 7)

Last night I was reading LittleOne this book as a night time story. And it made me start thinking; when I first graduated High School I had this confidence. I knew things would be tough, but I was sure I could handle it. And I realized that a lot of this had to do with the confidence & support my NameSake and her amazing husband, my UncleD gave me through high school.
A while back UncleD & I were talking and he stated how they expected me to get through college quickly and be doing great things. That was my plan, looking back I'm pretty sure I could have done it. I wouldn't exchange it though for what I have now. I have a family I wouldn't exchange for anything. But I don't think I would be able to get through what I need to, and what I needed to without their help. I have accomplished a lot just not what we all thought I would. And I'm not done yet...
Thank you my NameSake! Thanks UncleD! I know the both of you have touched and helped mold more kids than I can even begin to realize but that doesn't make what you do for me any less. Oh the Places I'll go because I'm not a lone, and because when I'm down, someone has already shown me that I have what it takes to get back up out of the slumps. :-D

Christmas Gift Exchanges

So I know it's not Christmas yet. I don't usually do Christmas stuff before Thanksgiving, but I will start making, picking out, and buying presents months in advance. So I've been thinking about presents, and have even started/bought some already.
Granted my family is not financially sound. But even with that we still try to help those we love, and others we don't know. So Christmas isn't about us in our family. We tend to not think about what we're getting, but giving. I have no idea what, if anything, I'll be able to do for my BetterHalf for Christmas.
So Christmas gift exchange lists, I feel are really important. I feel like it was the one way I even began to keep track of all my relatives growing up. When you get a present for them, I feel, you should personalize it. You find out about them, you think of them a lot. It brings us all closer. Thats what I love about Christmas gift exchanges. After all isn't Christmas all about celebrating the gifts He came to give us, don't you think He thought of each of us individually?
I still own a sweater one of my Aunts made me when I was, I think it was, 12. Because she thought of me as she made it. So while other ways of doing it, and other things are good. (Not to put down on ANYONES traditions) I truly feel giving person to person is best, especially in bigger families. We can't all afford to give presents to everyone every year on their birthdays, or even for Christmas. But we can afford to stop and think about someone and truly get to know them to know what they would like & sometimes need.
That's my opinion, thanks for reading.

Happily Ever After

I had an epiphany just now. I was standing in my room looking in my mirror, just trying to figure out my own feelings on some things going on in my life. (I know that's kind of weird, but looking in the mirror makes me feel like I get a better view inside myself...)
I noticed reflecting in the mirror a picture of myself, it was one of my graduation pictures.
My dear 'Bradre' took them. He helped mold me, I love that man. And would drop anything to help any of his family if I knew how. Anyway. The pictures were taken around his yard, he has a rather scenic yard in places. I remember thinking of my future husband, and just my future in general, as those pictures were being taken. When I looked in the mirror just now and saw that picture, I realized that what I was really doing was dreaming of my 'Happily Ever After' . And that made me wonder if I've found it. I'm married, that's usually when it comes in the fairy tales. And I've decided that I have found it.I wouldn't trade my life for anything or everything. I don't think a Happily Ever After would be right without trials. I like it this way. I am Happy, and I think that happiness will just continue to grow.
So here's to Happily Ever Afters. I hope you can all find your Happily Ever After beginnings. (Especially Kare-Bear & Buzz, and Atlas & his Princess who are getting married in the next couple of months.) I'm grateful for my 4 and 1/2 years into Eternity that have begun my Happily Ever After.

P.S. We met the Future Mrs.Atlas and she is everything anyone could ever ask for, for Atlas. Not only everything he wants, but needs. We love her dearly, and I can't wait to see her again. She really is what he's been waiting for.

Time for something New

First off, thanks to everyone who responded to Naming Things. Each of your timings was perfect and helped me a lot.
Secondly... Well, just new things are happening all over the place. BAN was just born & when we went to meet him in Idaho our car broke down. Which was kind of a blessing because then RN was there to help us, otherwise we would have had to take it to a mechanic which would have not been possible.
I really loved this Idaho trip, I especially enjoyed just feeling like I could bond and socialize with my sisters. Normally I get all stressed out and worried. This was nice. I don't remember the last time I felt so loved at a family gathering. (May I just note, that I know this has a lot to do with me & I pray this doesn't offend anyone, it is what it is.)
I'm also SUPER excited for StateStreet who is not only fortunate enough to have an awesome husband. But the two of them are expecting 2, yes TWO, baby boys at the end of March. I wish I could be closer to StateStreet as she figures out being pregnant with twins. Yay for texting & phone calls!
I can't even express how excited I am about the other things going on. Kare-Bear is getting married end of December. LittleOne is SO excited to be her flower girl. I truly believe it will be a WONDERFUL ceremony and will improve lives.
Eight days later my sweet brother Atlas is getting married. I haven't met the amazing woman. But I can't wait to, hopefully we'll meet her tomorrow. I know she must be one of the most beautiful women on the inside & out. Nothing else would bring the peace & joy into Atlas' life like this. (Don't worry, I have no expectations of her being perfect. I have no idea what to expect. I just want to get to know her, & hope she can get to know us.)

Naming Things

So when I named this blog, it just seemed to be a good metaphor for how our life seems to go. I really don't understand my life, I just trust that God does. And right now, I really need that trust. I have so many mixed up emotions going on, and don't know if I could express them even if I tried. I'm so logical that when I get mixed emotions like this I feel like my whole being is in overload because I'm trying to make sense of something that just gets more complicated the deeper I delve in.I'm not sure what to do, but I'll just keep having Faith that He understands more than me. What else can I do but my all and then leave it up to Him?

And the 6th place holding goes too:...............

So this is those I miss part 6. And the holding goes to Joshua, he's Snow White's husband, TooTall's older brother, and well.... Actually I'm not sure I've really even mentioned him. I'll have to put a picture of him here:
Yes this picture is old... I'm thinking about 9 years old. But its what I have on hand. The handsome blonde with the big expression. Yeah. That's Joshua. And while I have been close to his parents family my whole life, it wasn't until about the time of this picture that we really started actually talking. And then not until recently that I've started appreciating him for myself. He was always there as the brother that my brother didn't have. (Yes, he's my cousin. But somehow he's still my brother's brother.... Yeah, trust me.) Anyway.
There have been times in the last year when I have been stranded close to his house, and called on him for a rescue. At first I almost didn't but realized that had it been my Johnny-Boy and one of Joshua's sisters, Johnny-Boy wouldn't be happy about them not calling him. So I called Joshua. And we'd talk. Talk about how we're adults now, about our kids, our siblings, spouses, books, parents, the list goes on and on. I've really missed that lately.
You see recently Joshua & Snow White moved their family back to California. I'm super happy for them, but even though we only saw each other every couple months, I miss them so much.
Joshua is strong, he's a leader. He's animated, which makes him charismatic, he's sincere, & he CARES. He doesn't sit back and let life mess itself up. I know he's not perfect, but he cares and tries to do whats right for more than just himself.
Thanks for being yourself Joshua, you have those to touch now in California & I'm grateful for the extra insurance of being related which means I'm almost guaranteed to see you again. I know you aren't lost. I know I can still call you if I REALLY needed to (it just wouldn't be the same as those conversations we've had before).
Also. I must add that Joshua is more musically talented than he gives himself credit for. While I've been thinking of doing this blog for a little over a week now. It wasn't until I started in a Christmas choir group tonight that I decided that I really needed to do this. I kept thinking of Joshua, thinking of when that picture above was taken. Thinking about driving for hours, at weird hours, together to tire ourselves to the bone. Thinking about all of it. Thanks Joshua for sharing your voice in my life. And again thanks for being yourself. I know my whole family misses you and Snow White, and your charming boys. :D God be with you & yours Joshua!

Yay Pictures!

So if anyone doesn't mind my obsession with putting way TOO many pictures up, go ahead. For I am doing a post simply for pictures of things we've not been posting. So! Here we go, I hope you'll enjoy! :DMi Padre on Father's Day. He is drinking root beer we gave him with a cup we made him that vsaid 'DAD' with all his children's initials on it.These were taken on Father's Day as well: Jelly-Bean, StateStreet, LittleOne, Kare-Bear, and mi Madre.This was when we took PapaAtlas his Father's Day present from LittleOne. So these are PapaAtlas (LittleOne's GodFather), Grandma Wilcox, and LittleOne having fun together.
LittleOne dancing along to 'Busted' from Phineas & Ferb.
They were being cute so I figured I'd take these one day with the thought of one day trying to be as cool as SnowWhite and make a story out of this one day.... Oh well, enjoy anyway.I love this picture. This is the view from LittleOne's room (from her window) during a storm, just wanted to share.
For LittleOne's birthday party we made a Perry the 'Piniatapus', these were the steps.
This is our back yard, starring MomJ and DadJ. I like this swing, it's a famous spot of theirs.
This is the cake LittleOne wanted, yes I did make it with the help of my good friend Amy, my sister-in-law Steph, & MomJ. Thanks guys LittleOne loved it.
Last minute my BetterHalf thought that we needed two cakes, so here's the 2nd one as well and the famous blow out.

Kare-Bear & LittleOne's birthdays are 4 days apart so this is them enjoying being semi-birthday girls together.
And them on Kare-Bear's ACTUAL birthday. They thought cuddling was a good birthday thing.

StateStreet & TC came by and said goodbye to us on their way to Texas. :( We miss them so much! But hey it'll be good for them to be closer to TC's parents' family.
This picture proves me guilty. I took the picture then reprimanded her for playing with it.

Yay! Rissa, Johnny-Boy, & HeidiBelle visited on their way to move to South Carolina. (with Kare-Bear & LittleOne in these pictures.)