The Smith Family

The Smith Family
April 2008

Wilderness at the Smokies

Friday, August 20, 2010

Thinking of you today and everyday.

When I come to the end of the road
And the sun has set for me
I want no rites in a gloom filled room
Why cry for a soul set free!
Miss me a little – But not too long
And not with your head bowed low
Remember the love we once shared
Miss me – But let me go!

For this is a journey we all must take
And each must go alone
It’s all a part of the Master’s plan
A step on the road to home
When you are lonely and sick at heart
Go to the friends we know
And bury your sorrows in doing good deeds
Miss me – But let me go!

-Anonymous-
I love you Grandma.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

She does exist!!

When church was over and we were going up the stairs to find Jordan, I hear "Mommy, that's Jagger, that's Jagger!" So I look at my 4 year old and with the biggest smile across his face, he says "Yep, that's Sarah." She is a very sweet little girl with long dirty blonde hair and a cute pink dress. (Exactly how my daughter would look if I had one!) He was so excited to tell me at lunch all about Sunday School class, and what he and Sarah played. He asked Sarah if she wanted to come to his pool party, and she said not today which is good because we really don't have a pool, and I am really not planning a party. I am just very happy that Sarah was there, that she does attend that church, and that maybe next Sunday we will not go through the hang to my leg for dear life routine because Sarah might be there! So yes, she does exist...and she seems to be as smitten with my little boy as he is with her! To bad he, like Jordan, has an arranged marriage already planned by his mother:)

Saturday, August 14, 2010

New Look

I will never admit to how long I have been working on this new look for our blog, but I love it. I hope you do too because it is probably going to be this way forever!!
I thought this week would never end. I was excited school started, but 6am comes way too early for me. I couldn't wait for Saturday so I could sleep in. Then my alarm goes off at 6am!! Yes, I forgot to turn it off so I laid in bed until 7. So much for sleeping in. School seems to be going well for the boys. Jordan is liking 7th grade. (I still can not believe he is in the 7th grade!) Jackson really loves 2nd grade. He is still mad at me though for making him wear his glasses everyday. I am glad that he is only slightly near sighted, but it sure would be easier if he actually needed his glasses to see all the time. Then maybe he wouldn't fight me so hard about wearing them. Jagger loves, loves preschool. I have to say I am really impressed with the school already myself. His teacher, Mrs. Brandy, is too sweet, and she is so good with the kids. God has blessed her with the teaching talent for sure. He had so much fun his first day and was a little disappointed on Thursday when he learned that he didn't have to go back until Monday! He doesn't even mind taking naps and wearing tennis shoes as long as he gets to go back.
I finally pulled out all the stuff for the consignment sale. That is it...I have just pulled it out. Nothing else. If I sale all this stuff, someone better do something about making "no more babies" permanent. Or it better be a girl. Well I need to get to consigning so I can guarantee that I will get pregnant and it will be a boy because that is how life works...right?

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Beech Bend

What a day we had. Who would have ever thought we would make it 8 hours at an amusement/water park. The funny thing is...the entire day seemed to fly by!! We picked up Amy, Ryan, Casey, and Evan that morning and arrived around 10AM. We rode most of the amusement park rides first so we could cool off in the water after lunch. Our friend, Melody and her two boys, Collin and Cade, happen to run into us that morning too. I bet we were a sight. Three women with 8 boys trying to run in 5 different directions. We had so much fun though. We had a picnic lunch, lounged in the lazy river, fought the waves, and rode more rides. Jagger rode a roller coaster! The Wild Mouse, which became his favorite ride. Jordan liked the round and round rides. I realized from the start that I can no longer do those rides...I can't even watch them! Jackson said every ride was his favorite. I think the Kentucky Rumbler roller coaster was my favorite. The best part was the last ride of the day. Everyone picked their favorites and rode them one last time. Amy, Melody, and I chose the Rumbler. Amy kept joking with Jackson about her being a screamer all day. Before that last ride Jackson asked Melody if he could ride with her because Amy and I screamed too much. So Amy and I sat side by side and screamed together....We had a blast!

FAREWELL FLIPPERS
On a sadder note, we lost our beloved Flippers yesterday. He was a sweet little turtle. Jordan was very close to him and is taking it the hardest. He will be missed terribly, but we will NOT be replacing him. Bert took him back today to be buried on his home ground (the dealership where he was found). I am very thankful for my husband taking care of this very difficult task for me. When I put him in the cup this morning he just looked like he was sleeping. So sweet. Farewell our turtle friend.

School starts tomorrow, and I am so excited. Now my children will have something to do and somewhere to go everyday of the week. They will no longer have to whine about not being out and about every minute of everyday because they are so bored. I am also excited to get back into some sort of routine again...hopefully. I think Aunt Mallory is coming next weekend for a quick shopping visit. Uncle Dean and Aunt Kelly, Kenny Dean and Vance Parker are coming for a visit too around Labor Day! We look forward to having company because we don't have it often. Then there is the consignment sale, and preschool for Jagger. Busy but fun times ahead. Good luck to you all on your first days of school!

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Summer, football, school, turtles, and girlfriends!

Yes, I know, once again it has been too long. Summer has flown by. The boys went to Memphis a few days before I did. Bert and I had a really great time just the two of us. We went downtown, listen to music, and I got new boots! Yes, me. Cowboy boots. Hard to picture, huh. Well you will have to wait until winter to see them because it is too hot to be wearing boots right now. (Spoken like a true none cowboy boot wearing girl huh!) I went to Memphis at the end of June for Hannah's 5th birthday (so hard to believe!) It was great to see everyone. I spent a lot of time with my sister and my dad. We went hiking through the woods at midnight the first night I was there. We went down to the land that we grew up on. No one has lived there in many years so it is completely overgrown. I think I only went to prove that I am no longer a scaredy cat. Guess what? I'm not. Well I won't fill you in on all the details, but I will tell you that it was really fun. Just me, my dad, and my sister. The only thing that freaked me out was the two ticks I found crawling on me later!
Anyway, it was a fun trip. I enjoyed all of it. Hannah came home with us for a few days. I miss that beautiful little girl so much. She is starting Kindergarten in a few days. Wish I could be there to see her off.
So here we are a month after that. I have been sick with some weird rash which Jagger got too. Jackson got sick last week with sore throat, earaches, fever. So now that we are all better, school is about to start. We have been busy getting ready. Our turtle, Flippers, is doing well. Thriving in his little habitat outside. Bert put him out while we were in Memphis because his water was staying too cold in the house. He loves it out there, and he is getting so big. Not sure what we are going to do when it starts getting colder. Speaking of weather...geez it is hot!! Really hot. I always thought summer was my favorite season. I am now sure that it is spring and fall!
Yesterday Jackson had his first flag football game. He was so pumped. He pulled the first flag of the game, which was a big deal. The really great part was the end though. 2 seconds left in the 4th quarter with 20 yards to go. The ball is passed to Jackson, and he takes it all the way for a TOUCHDOWN! Final score 28-0. Go Steelers! He is still on cloud nine. It was awesome, and I got it all on video which scored me a few brownie points!
Jagger is starting preschool in two weeks, and he is not excited for two reasons. #1 He doesn't want to take naps at school, and was not pleased with the nap mat I bought. #2 He can't wear flip flops (which is all the kid wears). He doesn't want to wear tennis shoes. Fun times ahead. On a brighter note, he met a little girl at VBS named Sarah, and he can't seem to quit talking about her. Just one story, but he tells me everyday. Sarah thinks he is silly. He told her he had a pool at his house and she said "You're so silly Jagger." It is the way he says it though. Too cute. He is a mess. Getting too big too fast.
Jordan, well not too much to report with him. He thinks he is grown. I was talking to mom the other day about him. She says he is so much like me. I told her she should have smacked me in my mouth more! It is crazy all the times I have needed to call my mom to apologize. Really, it does come back 10 fold. So much for thinking I was a perfect little angel. One thing I know for sure. I was sweeter than my sister so Lord help her now!!! She is in BIG trouble.
So I guess for now that is it. This is going to be a busy month. School starts on Wed. so I told the boys we would go to Beech Bend one day. I signed up to consign for Little Angels Attic so I have less than 5 weeks to get all that together. Bert got tickets to take the boys to a pre-season game at the Titans stadium when they play the Saints. And me, well, I am going to try to get my head straightened out. Like blogging and scrapbooking and going to the gym and cleaning the house. All the things that I seem to have slowly stopped taking interest in, I want to get the passion for those things back. Because I have a great life with some really amazing boys and a super handsome, loving husband. I have been blessed, and I know this. I just need to start showing it!

I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. Psalm 40:1-2

Finished reading Beth Moore's Get Out of that Pit. Really good book.

Just in from Jagger "Is one toe suppose to be bigger than the other toe?"
Me "Yes it is"
Jagger "Well that is good because I have two really big toes on both of my feet."

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