For My Friend, Kevin

Let me begin this blog by saying this is not about religious beliefs. I have mine, my friends know mine, and that's the end of that. The purpose of this blog is to let a dear friend of mine know that I hate to see him hurt.

Kevin, my friend and co-worker, has lost the love of his life, Mark. Mark gave up the battle to cancer early Friday morning at home with the ones he loved, including Kevin, Kevin's mother, and Mark's parents. He left this world as he slept. Mark was to be taken to his family's hometown in Ohio and cremated.

Kevin went above and beyond by caring for Mark during his illness from diagnosis until his passing. When Mark was in the hospital, Kevin only left his side to come to work. I can only hope that I can be as faithful a partner to my husband, or he to me if needed, as Kevin was to Mark.

Kevin, I hate to see you hurt, but I know it can't be helped. We both work in the healthcare business and know this happens, but it never prepares us to give up someone we love dearly. I never met Mark, but I know he must have loved you as much as you loved him. Remember the good times, even though I know the last days will never leave your thoughts. We can all be taken from this life at any time, sometimes it seems too early.

As the flowers appear to be dead in the winter, they come back in the spring. They only sleep in the winter. So remember that Mark is only sleeping and this is his winter. You will see him again in the "spring". I know I can never bring him back, which is what you desire, but if there is anything at all I can do to help ease your pain, please let me know.

I love you and I would do anything I could for you. You are a dear friend and I'm not ashamed to tell anyone that. Just know that my thoughts and love are with you always.

I love you...Vicki

First T-Ball Game

Saturday was Billy and Shelly's first t-ball game. It was hilarious! All those little kids trying to act like pros. One little boy hit the ball and the coach told him to run so he did...right toward 2nd base. And Shelly was hilarious at one point, but more about that later. Hannah didn't feel good so she mostly just sat on her mommy's lap:

But then she stood up and decided to watch some of the game:

When they first went into the dugout, they all sat there like pros (or was it loverboy?):

Catcher for the team is none other than Billy:

Shelly played outfield

It was so funny, Billy was calling for the next batter, calling strikes, and calling people safe at home plate. Who needs an umpire with him around?
First up to bat was Shelly, who singled but made it home with an RBI from another player:

Seventh batter was Billy, who also singled:

Now for the video of all. Shelly was trying to mark her place of where to swing the bat and accidently tapped the ball and it fell off the T. Everyone started laughing at her and she got embarrassed and refused to hit the ball. One minute she was smiling and the next was just too funny. She is a funny girl anyway. This is how she is all the time, not just when she's embarrassed. When she doesn't get her way, also:

NO PICTURES!!!

Okay, I'm going to try to do this. I'm actually going to make a post without pictures. I have been off for 8 days and have to go back to work tonight. I really don't want to go back. I feel like I haven't had any time off. As far as relaxing, I haven't done that. We are rearranging the upstairs (the kid's room). We took the bunk beds and made them into what they were originally meant to be...bunk beds. I had broken them down and put them up there as twin beds. It took so long because I had put slats and things on the wrong bed and we had to keep taking them apart and changing things out. But now it's done. Next we are going to put the entertainment center and tv from downstairs in the computer room up there and get rid of the tv that is there. Now that's going to be a job. That entertainment center is HEAVY!!! And the tv is a 32 inch. Can we say "Goodbye back"? Anyway, when we get done we'll have more room down here and the kids can go upstairs to play (except Hannah, and she's a little young to be climbing stairs). I haven't weighed this week because I haven't really stuck to my diet. So I'm going to try to get back on it and lose some more. I'll close now and scream because I'm in picture posting withdrawal. LOL Until next time...

Odds and Inns

Finally all the kids got to be here together. The 3 little ones had a great time outside blowing bubble and playing on the little trampoline thing:



You'd never know, but Nic is under those blankets:

Oh! There he is!

Rebecca is learning how to sew. She wanted to suprise her mom with a new apron. She sewed the entire thing by hand:

She worked on it for 2 days:

It was cold outside today, so I made Nic wear his jacket. Nothing would do except for him to go out and blow bubbles:

The people who live next door have solved the fuel cost prices and show their love of wildlife at the same time:

We were watching old videos on tv today. It was fun to see the kids as babies. Since I don't know how to change VHS to digital and put it on here, I just made pictures of the tv. First we have Billy. Don't be blinded by the reflection:

Then we have the original star of the Nana movies, the lovely Rebecca:

Don't know what made the shadow, but you can still see her smile:

Here's her and her mom on Christmas Eve at Mamaw's:

There were a few videos of Nic as a baby, but I didn't have my camera out right then. After that, I got in to digital cameras and forgot about the video camera. SHAME ON ME!!! I missed out on movies of babies! I'm gonna have to start filming again so I'll have it to look back on when they're grown and don't have anything to do with me.

T-Ball

Billy and Shelly are playing T-Ball this year. They haven't had a game yet, just practices. But I finally got to go to a practice and guess what I took with me? Right! The camera! One of these days I'm actually going to make a post without pictures. Here's Shelly rounding second, heading to third:

At third base getting ready to steal home:

Running toward home:

Finally, at home plate! What a long run for such short legs:

Billy running toward first:

Going to second! RUN BILLY!!!

HOME RUN!!!

Then comes batting practice. Check out that form!

Yeah! She hit the ball!

She has the swing that just doesn't stop:

Up to bat next is Mr. Billy Carter:

"I'm going to put it right out there over the fence":

Look out! Here it comes!

Meanwhile, Hannah's happy just taking a bath:

And eating the ducks:

My Babies and Their Babies

My son, Doug, brought the kids up on Friday and stayed awhile to play Nintendo:

I had bought this car for Billy when he was a baby. It's now on it's 4th trial of being ridden around and abuse:

The horn is gone now so she has nothing to blow:

Sometimes she can look really bored:

But she's still a happy baby, even if she did keep me up til 3:30 the next morning:

Shelly was enjoying watching a movie:

Billy just danced to the music:

Then he got bored with the dancing thing:

Hannah decided to help herself to the stuff under the bar:

I thought Shelly was going to come to my rescue. Boy! Was I ever wrong!


Billy enjoys playing wrestling on the Nintendo:

I think he has a beautiful smile:

Now here's a rare photo, one that you may not see again for quite awhile, my daughter, Bambi. The hickey on her head was from a suction thing I've got:

Rebecca now has pink and purple braces. She also got all that beautiful hair cut off:


Nic likes to take bubble baths with the rubber duckies that light up, but then they all do:

After Billy, Shelly, and Hannah went home, I couldn't find my keys. Shelly had said she didn't want to go home. So she hid my keys thinking she wouldn't have to go. But her daddy and mommy came to get her anyway. Doug found my keys yesterday morning in the garbage can in the bedroom. She is so sneaky! But I love them all, no matter what they do. They're still my babies.