our current situation

So this has been the situation for what seems like quite sometime now..We are being held prisoner in our own house by sparrows that have decided to build a condo right outside the front door. One day it wasn't there and the next day..boom, there it was..this mud and straw nest with eggs in it. I know this because Andrew got on a ladder to see if anything was in it a few weeks ago. When we go out the front door, which is quite often and daily, these parents will take your head off. Not just as you come out the door, but they will follow you halfway down the street letting you know how much they dislike you invading their space. Not only is it the parents, but 2 or 3 more...aunts and uncles I presume..but they are NOT happy with us. When we got back from NOLA, it happened..the babies had arrived and the family was out to get us with a vengeance. I probably really should explain to my neighbors why I am waving a broom around every time I come out the front door. Today, a baby had fallen out of the nest and was lying directly by the door. From my dads instruction, I gloved up and got a ladder (while Hannah stood in the driveway and waved the trusty broom) and very gently dumped the baby back over into the nest. I keep checking on it..through the blinds of course..and lo and behold if it is not up sitting on the edge of the nest like it could tumble out again any second...Hate to break it to the birdie..it may just be on it's own this next time it falls...Then again, maybe it's "falling" on purpose. I have fallen many times and God always continues to gently pick me back up and put me in the nest. Isn't that what a parent is supposed to do?

Here's the maniac sparrows...
And all had fun at Camp Wesley Pines this week!! So glad to have my baby home!!
Thanks for praying for us and for Drew. He made it safely out of Kuwait this week and into Iraq. Continue to keep him in your prayers. It's hot and it's dusty, not to mention 115 degrees (not counting the heat index) Psalm 91 will come into play now!!

are we there yet?

...that questions was asked many times over the past 4 days. I even caught me asking myself the same question too. Hannah and I took the train to New Orleans for my 40th birthday...there I said it..40th birthday. I miss Drew more than I can explain. He always makes my birthday so special...makes me feel like a little girl again..waiting on a cake or a special surprise.

We watched the most awesome fireworks show from the riverwalk....the Dueling Barges fireworks extravaganza!! There were several bands that we listened to...did ALOT of people watching..one of my favorite pastimes..

I lost count of how many beignets we ate and how much we laughed at each other while we ate them. We just about had to change clothes each time we ate them from all of the powdered sugar. Too bad I don't have any pictures of that..

one of MANY self portraits we took of ourselves over the weekend. We found that they are really the best ones!!!

Had to eat at Bubba Gump Shrimp..It was probably the best place we ate at I think! Not to mention it happens to be our favorite movie of all times. Hannah even asked me while we were eating there..."Mama, is Forrest Gump a true story??" Seems like it could be huh?

sure fire signs of summer...

If nobody has told you, summer is here. I know you are miserable like me when you get in your car and have to drive for a few minutes with just the tips of your fingers cause the steering wheel is so stinkin hot.

Our tomatoes are doing very well!! Just wish some would hurry and turn red...there's tons of them just waiting for me to eat them!

This needs no explanation. Can't you just smell this bacon cooking? My absolute most favorite thing to eat in the summer. You just can't make a bad one. Almost feel guilty eating them without Drew. He loves'em as much as me. Sure do miss that guy!

Another sure fire sign is the dragging out of the neon polish! We have a different color each week on our toes. Not sure when or why we started this, but we aren't the only ones...something fun to do in the summer for girls!

I think I should probably OWN Pop-Ice by now...or at least stock. I say every summer I should stockpile them cause they only sell'em in the summer and we love'em so much!!! VERY cheap and taste great on a 100 degree day. Oh yeah..dogs like'em too.

Last but not least...the pool with friends. Of course, now you have to go to the bottom of the deep end to feel the coolness of the water. Oh what am I whining about...my husband is in the desert. He would probably welcome some lukewarm water right about now to swim in.

Another one of my favs is all the fireflies out right at dusk. Wish I could capture on camera all of them behind our house. Looks like white twinkle lights...just beautiful.

Whirlwinds are good..

That's what last week was....but it was very, very good. We went to Hattiesburg last Sunday to see Drew. He was able to come off base and stay with us Monday night. Tuesday morning was the Farewell Ceremonies of the 155th at Camp Shelby...yes it was 100 degrees I'm sure of it, but it's the least we could do for all those guys that are about to be in another country, where it's 10 times hotter than it is here..not to mention the 50+ pounds of gear they are wearing. I try to remember that when I get in my hot car each day.

Don't these guys look like their Dad!!??!?

This was only a small portion of the group!!

Here is Drew giving Matthew a nice military shave last week. It's a 2...whatever that means...

Wednesday night, Drew and I got to have a night out to dinner alone while good friends took all the kids to eat. When we got back, I returned to a surprise for my 40th birthday!!! (actually on July 5) They wanted to throw a party while Drew was still here. I was completely

surprised!! They pulled it off very well!!!

I know I asked for prayer that time would drag by..but I promise..it really did. We had a wonderful week...got up early, went to bed very late, ate till our hearts content, talked, played games..spent true quality time together. We have great family support and we love all of you!!

Now, get busy with PSALM 91!!!

tick, tock, tick, tock....

Do you ever feel like you're on the game show Jeopardy? Well...minus the winning money...that's what we've been doing lately. Waiting around to see and spend time with Drew just one more time before he leaves for Iraq..

The swimsuits I bought I've been spending ALOT of time in...a little too much probably...doing lots and lots of girlie things, seeing friends we don't see alot of, boating, science museum, Mermaids (restaurant at Caroline) Picked 4 gallons of blueberries last weekend... See last May 31 post on that. Once I get ready to deal with them again, I'll make jelly. I've already made 2 blueberry cream cheese pound cakes. That about wraps it up since the last post. This weekend I will do one last clean sweep of the house to get ready for Drew to be home next week. I know this is a weird prayer request (if that's possible) but please pray that next week will just drag by..each day will seem twice as long. Oh yeah...don't forget Psalm 91.

do I look fat in this??

If you happen to be of the male persuasion, stop reading right HERE. This post will not interest you in the least...unless of course you have trouble shopping for swimsuits.
Every woman of every shape and size will be able to relate to this one. Shopping for swimsuits rates about at the top of the list for "worst things in the world you can do for your self-esteem." Rule #101 of shopping for swimsuits should include..Do not ask your 10 year old daughter what she thinks. That's all I've got to say 'bout that. As I'm sure you know already, there are rules for buying a swimsuit...depending on what shape body you have right? Or so they say...the infamous THEY. I would like to meet them one day. Since I'm not quite the size I was PRE-Hannah and especially early 20's...I had always felt a little more comfortable in the suits that have that very attractive, as I like to call them, "mamaw skirts" on them. They seemed to do the trick at camouflaging the ham hocks. I have seemed to notice lately at the pool that there are several women that are quite larger than I that seem to get away without the mamaw skirt. Could I possibly do this? I did check with Hannah on this situation to get her opinion and she said what all girls her age say.."Duuuh..." The next day I drove myself right down to Academy Sports and got 2 new suits...no mamaw skirt involved...one even ties on the sides. Of course, I know that just because I'm minus the mamaw skirt, it doesn't by any means make me all that and a bag of chips like I was in my early 20's....but hey, I look like every other average woman at the pool. Just don't ask your kids or your husband if you look fat in something...they won't give you a straight answer. Probably better they don't. Better yet ask them, "Hey, do I look PHAT in this???" If you do not get this...ask a teenager.

things that make me happy

It is HOT today, but I got down and dirty planting things. It makes me happy. If anyone knows my parents, I got that honest. They love plants and flowers.

Caladiums are one of my favorite. I planted these bulbs not too very long ago and they are already springing up. I chose the pink and green this year..

I bought this tiny little sprig of asparagus fern about 3 years ago and it's turned into a monster. It's so happy in this pot so I gave it a little colorful company!

I wish I had a video of me planting this planter of begonias.. I got down on my knees and started pulling old pansies from the winter out..only to find that it was absolutely full of fire ants!! I quickly did the fire ants dance and checked my arms and legs to make sure none had gotten on me..didn't see any...moved on to the next planter to do the same thing and let the mad fire ants die down. Soon after digging into the next planter, my right armpit started to feel like fire may be shooting from it. I did the dance again and found 2 fire ants under my pit. I know...total over share, but thought it was worth sharing. It was quite comical!

I recently planted 2 hibiscus on each side of the front door and they look great! LOVE the peach colored ones!!

Planted several orange marigolds out front...

This is my little croton baby...it's died several times and always seems to come back to life.

some extra begonias I had left for the outside table..

and last but not least...the tomato plants Drew planted right before he left. We LOVE fresh tomatoes in the summer..but who doesn't?