Month: October 2018

Aunt Antics

Always loved

As I imagine you can tell by the title this is about one of my very favorite name given to me by 3 little monkeys! Nieces and nephews bring a type of love to my life I never would have imagined I needed! This is the closest feeling of parenthood I have felt to this point. I would do ANYTHING to keep my babies safe! I wasn’t SUPER close with any of my aunts, but now being an aunt, I understand the love they had even though we weren’t and aren’t close!

A monkey

At 11 years old I met the baby that would eventually become family. He was loved as ours from day one! He spent every weekend at our house, I LOVED IT! Because even then if I could I always had a baby on my hip (some things never change)! My Blane was such a sweet boy! Hearing him say my name for the first time is a heart melting experience I can’t express! I knew he was always ours but when his mom and my brother got married, my brother adopted him and now not only is he ours at heart, he’s ours by name! He will always be my baby. But this baby will be 9! *Hold back the sappy tears*! To this day, he gave me the title of “aunt”! He is the only one who no matter where we are or who is around, he will come sit in my lap or lay on me! The love I have for that boy is indescribable!

A Firey Red-Headed Princess

When I found out I was going to be an aunt again, I was ECSTATIC! When I found out it was a girl I was even more excited! Now I would have a nephew and a niece! We should have known from the day she was born she was going to do things her way! Because after HOURS on waiting in a hospital to make her appearance, my mom and I went to get coffee before the cafeteria closed on this COLD November night! By the time we walked across the hospital and came back she was already born! And she has certainly done things her way since then! She had strawberry blonde hair at birth but it didn’t take long to come in full on RED HAIR! And boy it didn’t take long to figure out she had the temper to go with it! Our Braelynn Aurora, She sure is a spit fire! Having (now) 2 brothers, she is TOUGH. But she will knock them out, dressed as a princess with her make up and nails done. She gave me a side kick! Aunt Sissy has probably gotten her into things mom and dad wouldn’t likely recommend! 😉

Baby Bug

The last of my babies! To find out I was going to be an aunt to 3! I was happier to have another kiddo to love! Realizing sister would probably rule the roost if she had a sister I was voting boy, and I was right! Our little Rowan Tucker! He made a fairly quick appearance and ironically completely the opposite from Sister, as a baby he would NOT let me hold him, but later on he has decided I’m okay! Lol! He’s the sleep fighter but he is a snuggle bunny when he sleeps! It’s so sweet o hold sleeping babes! His personality is far different that both of his siblings! He reminds me of Eyore! He just does his own thing, he’s pretty quiet, and does things kinda slow! 💖

Aunt Sissy

Well my sister in law has a sister name Danielle, as well so I am Aunt Sissy! And hearing my babies say my name for the first time is so heart melting! The youngest two I have been able to get one of their first times saying my name on video! Aunt Sissy loves all 3 of them with my whole heart! If you didn’t notice, the titles about each kiddo, is their nickname from me! Blane is “Monkey”, Braelynn is “Princess”, and Rowan is “Bugs”! Odd but they are fitting! I love being an Aunt more than words could ever say!

 

 

Blane at 8 months old
Braelynn at 1 year old
Rowan as a New Born

Favorite Fall Feeling

All Things Fall

I love Fall. I love everything about Fall! Cooler temperatures, days get shorter, and it is time for my favorite things!

 

I love Fall bonfires. Cold weather, comfortable clothes, late nights, sitting around a bonfire with great friends is my FAVORITE way to spend any fall night.

List of Fall Activities to do:

  • BONFIRE
  • Pumpkin Patch
  • Hay Rides
  • Bake Home Made desserts
  • Roast Marshmallows
  • Carve (or paint) Pumpkins
  • Star Gaze in a field with lots of blankets
  • Decorate for Fall
  • Go to a school/church Fall Festival
  • Decorate a vehicle for Trunk-or-Treat
  • Go to a Haunted House
  • Drink Hot Cocoa
  • Watch scary movies
  • Burn fall scented candles
  • Take Fall pictures
  • Go Hiking
  • Jump in a pile of Leaves
  • Navigate a corn maze
  • Make Fall meals
  • Go for a scenic drive
  • Have a Picnic
  • Go to a Football Game
  • Make Caramel apples
  • Make Pumpkin flavored Everything
  • Wear all things Flannel

 

Enjoy my favorite time of year!

 

Of love and loss

My Best Friend

This guy, oh where to begin! To say I loved him and he loved me would be such an understatement! The love we had was much deeper than worldly matters. We had a Christ-like love that will last for eternity! Shane was one of my best friends starting in third grade! We had been in the same class since kindergarten! In 5th grade my mom started working in the school cafeteria with his mom! Which meant by default he, his brother, and myself would be at school at 6:45 a.m. every day! We spent countless hours being rebellious children. Such rebels we were, when nobody was around we would bounce a basketball in the hallway, throw a paper wad ball back and forth, and on really wild days, we would listen to music on his phone (without headphones)! This friend became my best friend! We get to high school in 7th grade and at that point girls were gross in his friends’ minds! So when he was with them they stayed away. But as soon as they left we were attached at the hip! We did EVERYTHING together! I did most of his homework so he would pass classes! He was the best!

Homecoming

I was never popular! I was the outcast. But in my group I was deeply loved! In 9th grade we had a class meeting at X-period. My Shane, jokingly says “I’ve campaigned for you. You’re going to be homecoming maid for our class” the reply with an eye roll, “yeah right, and when I do you have to walk me!” immediate response! He says “you’ll see” I didn’t give it another thought we went to our meeting, to which the votes astonished me! Only 5 votes weren’t for me! He DID indeed ask people to vote for me! He hugged me and said “I told you so” I went to my mom and told her I had won. His mom hugged me. I told her what he had done, I told her he needed a tux because he was walking me! And he did! I had never felt more amazing. Having your best friend by your side tends to take all the nerves away! He always brought peace and calm to my world!

Faith

Shane and I both grew up in church! But we did not grow up in the same denomination of church! I had gotten saved when I was about 8 and he got saved when we were about 13! He had a fire about him that consumed him. He wanted nothing less that to be assured I was saved and going to Heaven with him if either of us were to pass away! We spent HOURS every weekend just talking and praying through scripture because he just needed to be sure! There is no deeper love that I have ever experienced than the love he had for me in being 100% sure of my salvation! He was the BEST!

Growing up and apart!

Our 11th grade year Shane ended up going to homeschool at their church while I stayed in the school we had been in since kindergarten! He had surrendered to the ministry, and I was focused on getting out of high school, doing what I was supposed to at church, and being a good moral person! As we got older we never doubted our friendship but we weren’t as close. Adulthood does this and it really stinks! We still talked but there was far more time in between! But the love we always had for the other was always evident! He ended up graduating early, and I surprised him at his ceremony (picture above).

Losing a Legacy

It has snowed real bad one weekend in January of my senior year. I was concurrent so I didn’t attend high school. But school was dismissed for snow. About 1 p.m. my mom came in my room crying. To inform me my best friend, through all these years. Had passed away. And so had his mother! The heartbreak that over came my heart was like none other! But to this day I always know Shane is waiting on me in Heaven, he loves me. I love him! And we will see each other again!

I’m loving Memory

Shane!

Mrs. Amanda!

Encouragement

I just want to bring a little sunshine! First of all God love’s you! He loved you so much he sent his son to die on a cross to pay the debts we owe, so we might spend eternity with him! Secondly, I want to remind you He hears our prayers, he knows our hearts, and he knows our hearts and desires better than we do! He is writing our story perfectly to fit us! Third, be patient! You don’t want to rush things. When you rush it’s sloppy work (in the words of my 6th grade science teacher) do you want your life to be a sloppy mess? Then don’t rush God or yourself! It will all happen how it’s supposed to in HIS timing! Third he will never leave you nor forsake you as the scripture tells us. We can trust his faithfulness! I hope this encourages you even a little bit! To trust him. And wait on his timing! His plans are perfect!