Content

It's just so nice to wake up every day to my beautiful babies and my amazing husband. I can't imagine spending every day any other way. I know I have my moments when I take it all for granted, but most of the time I am completely overcome with astonishment at how immensely blessed and gifted I am. Ahhh.. It's just so good.

Just Your Average Friday

It's just your average Friday around here. The babies are sleeping. Everyone enjoyed an amazing supper and is full and sleepy. :) Even though sometimes people or things may try and take us down, they never will. We're a happy family; invincible, unbreakable.

Happy Independence Day

Happy Independence Day! I gotta say this was one of the best ones we've had. My babies were old enough to really enjoy the festivities. We had dinner at the river on Saturday, then on the 4th we had wings and pizza with good friends and then fireworks last night. It was great. The kids didn't dig the fireworks very much, but I did get some good portraits of them before we went to see them. We even got in a family snapshot. Hope you all had a great holiday! Remember those who fought and are fighting to allow us freedom.

Here I Am!

I haven't disappeared so don't freak out! I just have been lazy when it comes to blogging and even lazier when it comes to taking photos. I just realized I don't have a folder for May or June 2010. That's awful and I am setting a goal for myself right now to be more active both mentally and physically in my family. I guess I just fell into a rut.

School is good. I did fail Insurance Billing and Coding class. I will retake it when I start clinicals next quarter! WOO HOO! For now, I am going to enjoy my little vacation from school.

The kids are amazing. They are getting so big. I have a couple pictures of them and I promise a family portrait is coming SOON!~

I have so much I want to do with myself and my family. I'm so glad to be rid of my ugly past and just moving to a bright and happy future. I have forgiveness from all whom I need it from. . . mostly The Man Upstairs! He loves me. I love Him. I love my family. I am invincible.

Anyway, I'll have more exciting news tomorrow. I'm exhausted from finals!

Just a quick note to say. . .

There's a couple new things at the boutique!

www.keishalynn.com

www.keishalynnphotoandmore.blogspot.com

Growing

I relish the fact that I am growing with my kids. I learn things every day right along with them.

I have learned that I need put a soundproof wall up between me and all negativity or either be sure I'm strong enough to ignore it and not participate in it before I put myself around it.

People in this world are rarely what they seem to be. People are negative. They talk about you and kick you when your down. They spread your personal and private life like news and they only call when they want you to do something. I have even had some call me to look up a phone number.

However, once in a great while, you will come across someone who loves you no matter what; someone who enjoys your company and is there to celebrate the good times and support you in your down time. These are called BEST FRIENDS!

I have been blessed with just a hand full of goood friends and my BEST FRIEND, Leah!

I love ALL of you and thank you for being there in THICK and THIN times and only when something bad happens or when I'm wrong.

My BFF is just perfect. She stands by me. She disagrees with me and lets me know when I'm wrong while keeping appropriate distance. A BFF knows just when to step in and just when to back up a little. Family doesn't even know how to do the things a BFF does!


Show your BFF some love, too!

Giraffe Letters for my baby boy!

Here are some giraffe print letters that spell my son's name. You can of course buy them in my boutique, but I just wanted to show them off here to those who follow my personal blog. They are SO cute on the wall. Maybe I can get a better picture of them once my camera charger arrives in the mail.

I think I may try zebra next!

Potato Soup for the Soul!

Nothing warms you like a bowl of hot soup when it's cold and figid outside. I can say that most of us have had enough of this long winter!

Yesterday, I cooked a pot of delicious potato soup and I wanted to share the recipe here.


Ingredients:

8 - 12 Potatoes (Your choice. I don't have a favorite. I just use regular potatoes)
3/4 of a small can of Cream of Chicken soup
1 bag of real bacon bits
Chives
1 bag of shredded cheese
1 small container of sour cream
Seasoned Salt
Pepper


First, of course, you'll want to peel your potatoes and cut them in the quarters. Boil them until they are JUST done enough you can cut them in two with the spoon you're stirring with. Reduce heat to medium or medium - high.

Next, drain off water until there is just enough water left to cover the potatoes well. Add your cream of chicken soup and stir vigorously to make sure you have a creamy chicken/potato broth, but not so hard that your potatoes all turn to soup. You want to keep some chunks of potato. Salt and pepper to taste.

Finally, pour your serving of steaming hot soup into a bowl. Top with a small handful of shredded cheese. Then add a tablespoon of sour cream and sprinkle bacon bits on top of that along with a few chives.

It is absolutely delicious! If you happen to try this, let me know your thoughts!

Happy 1st Birthday, Kody!

Happy Birthday, Kody!! I'm amazed at how quickly our first year went by. I love you with my entire being, my sweet little boy. You are my handsome, happy, awesome little man and I can't wait to watch you grow even more in the years ahead.


Love you!!!


-Mama

Two Years Ago

Two years ago today my baby girl came home (2/6/08) from the NICU. I can't even describe the emotions I have felt over the last two years. In addition, we welcomed our son on 2/21/09.

I have felt fear, anxiety, anxiousness, eagerness, excitement, sadness, happiness, and array of other feelings. Mostly I felt LOVE. When Addalynn opened her eyes for the first time I opened mine as well. I saw the whole world in a new light. I knew life would never get so bad that I couldn't endure it as long as she was with me. She appreciated life, fought for life, loved life. She still does and so do I. Even though things may not be just how I want them, I LOVE life. Life is worth fighting for. I appreciate life. I know that every breath I take and every moment I live is to be cherished. It's a gift. I'm thankful. I'm more forgiving. I'm more patient (though not much more). I'm closer to God... He gave me my life and let me keep my daughter. Thank you!


What did I ever do to deserve such an amazing family? I will never know. <3<3<3

Whoa!

School has started off with a bang! They aren't cutting us any slack for it being the first day back. I have 150 pages to read in one book and plenty of math homework, too. I'm starting to freak out a little about it!! I need to just calm down and take it one step at a time.

I think tomorrow I will head to the coffee shop and sit there and study for a few hours! It's quiet there and hopefully the aromas of the coffee and espresso will keep me alert.


Things are fairly peaceful other than that. Addalynn is showing off those terrible 2's. Today she's throwing a major fit. She's been crying and pouting and all for about 2 hours just because Adam took away her glitter stuff she got for Christmas. She was trying to eat it! She's been mad ever since.

Kody is still my sweetie, but he is even pressing his luck. He in the biting stage. We're going to stop that before it becomes a habit!


That's really it for today. It's gloomy and rainy. It's supposed to be that way tomorrow, too. I did add a new dress to the shop. www.keishalynn.com Check it out if you don't mind.


See ya!

Keisha

It's Been a Long Day

Here's Addalynn calling it quits after a long day!!

Back to School

I start back to school in 3 days. I am excited but nervous. I feel ready to get this degree out of the way but lately family stress and drama is making me scared that I won't be able to focus and study as I should.

But I will put away that negativity and I WILL do well and pass. I have Math and Diseases of the Human Body this term.


Feel free to leave me any encouragement. I can sure use it.


xoxox!

Nosy!

I can't understand why people are so nosy. Life would be better for every individual if they would withdraw their nose just a little from the life of others when it doesn't concern them.

There is one thing that annoys me greatly and that is a local news source we have here in Baxley. Our regular and respected news source is The Baxley News Banner, but I'm not referring to them.

The people I refer to run a website. I think they are beyond rude. They post pictures of every accident they can get to, homes burning, police beats, and more. They post photos of accidents where people have been killed. I just find it profoundly disprespectful to the family to plaster pictures of that on the internet. The obituary for the deceased is quite enough notice without having to see the horrible scene. It's a shame that they post this and it's a shame that others enjoy looking at it. I certainly feel nothing but sadness when I see someone's house burning in photos. I can't stand to visit this website. I feel like even I am invading the privacy of others. .. Ah well.. enough said.


I guess I just needed to rant.

School starts on the third. I can't wait. I'm excited to be back in the groove and learning again. I'm half way done.

Also, it's almost tax time for us!! I can't wait to catch up and pay some things off. I wish I had enough money to help the ones in my family who are struggling, too. Soon enough.. soon enough.


Goodnight y'all.

01/20/2010 - My Preemies

Ahh. We are nearing my son's first birthday. It's a time of reflection for me. I can't believe that one year ago I gave birth to my second preemie. He was much bigger, of course, than Addalynn. He was my "hefty preemie", weighing in at 5lbs 12oz at 33w6d gestation.

Both my babies are big enough now that we don't get the questions like "Aww, how old is she? OH! She must have been a preemie. How much did she weigh?" and so forth. I was always proud to share that information because I was thankful that she came out of it healthy, but it kept the memories of the NICU fresh in my mind. I wanted out of that place for good.

I still haven't gotten out. I keep it tucked away but I can still hear the distant beeps and dings of the alarms in the NICU and the quiet "sshhhh" of oxygen flowing. I can still hear the whimpers of restless preemies and the cries of the grumpy ones during diaper changes. I can still the the nurses' faces welcoming me each day and I think more than anything I can remember the smell of the NICU. Of course, I'll never forget the sinks at the entrance that I used to wash my hands daily.

I guess I will never forget the NICU. It's something all preemie moms keep in their hearts and minds. It takes a special kind of mom to live the NICU life. We are Preemie Veterans!

I hope that soon I can do something to help other preemie moms even if it's just small gifts like the ones we received. I still cover up with a blanket I was given when Addalynn was in the NICU. Kody and Addalynn both use blankets that were given to them as well. I still have knitted hats and other gifts as well as the Christmas stocking and presents given to Addy by Santa himself after her birth. I want to give something to a preemie mom to help them get through or even just smile.

I'm Getting Excited!.. and Emotional!

I'm super excited these days. I can't believe that I'm half done with my degree in medical assisting. I can only move up from there. I want to become a registered nurse next. I'm nervous to have to study again. I haven't done school in three months! Will I pass? Eek. I have to have confidence and not allow negativity to interfere.

I'm super emotional these days as well. My baby boy, who was also a preemie for showing up at 33w6d, will turn 1 next month. It's time for me to start planning his first birthday party. It doesn't seem right. It feels like just last month I was sitting at Addalynn's first birthday party pregnant with Kody! Ahh. He's so sweet as well is Addalynn. Life as a mommy is just heaven.

My website is up and running. It's still having things added to it day by day, but I can proudly give the link out now!

www.keishalynn.com

xoxox

Keisha

Busy Busy

I'm about to find myself very busy. I have to go out to my dad's tomorrow and help clean up the house he's moving out of as well as the one he's moving into. I'd like to get my website up and going again this week and I would like to make a few pieces of jewelry to add to it. In addition, I return to school on February 3rd if all goes smoothly with the re-enrollment process. I'm going back to Kaplan for medical assisting. I'm extremely excited.

The babies are still doing well. They are happy and growing. Kody eats far more than I would think is necessary, but I let him eat until he feels like he's done. I guess I'm used to seeing Addalynn eat very little. She's a petite girl and always has been. I know that they both eat when they're hungry and that's the important thing.

I'm so happy Adam and I can give our babies everything they need and almost everything they could want. Life is great for the four of us. I'm blessed.

Welcome, 2010!

January 1st - Adam has a blowout on the way to town in the Explorer. We had to buy a new tire. I thought it was a bad start to the year.

January 8th - My dad's pathetic excuse for a wife packed up and left him with nothing with next to nothing. While she may have had valid reasons, she gave him no notice and no time to get on his feet.

So, we have had our share of negativity for this year so far, but I am still optimistic that we can all make this year the best yet. We will recover and even gain from all that's happened. I have my babies, my hunny, my mom and dad, and my BFF, Leah of 10 years.

Christmas was great. The babies saw their first snow while we were in Kentucky. Miss Addalynn turned 2 on the 22nd of December. It's hard to believe that just two years ago I was begging and praying for her to come home and to be healthy.

We came home Christmas morning and spent a great time with my mom and dad, too. I refuse to let anything or anyone take away happiness, love, and health from my hubby, kids, or any of my family.

By the way, here are a few pictures. I know I looked rough. I was tired and dreading the 12 hour drive we had ahead of us to get home.