The Adventures of Tristan

  Friday night the kids braved the icy roads (ok, parents did) and drove to Iris and Anna's 16th birthday!  Bummed because there was going to be a live monkey and the ice storm ruined it!! It was so fun to watch the kids dance and have fun... and watch my boy come alive when he finally figured out the girl he wanted to be his real first girlfriend.   World, meet Iris. Julie and Iris Bell and Anna and Carroll Gurganus who I looooove!! Anna and Iris The studs The professional version Dance:30!! She somehow got him to say yes to going to the JSB... it's a BALL. Tux, button down, the whole nine yards.  WHAAAAT?!?! He had a busy fun weekend full of errand and stuff. Then, Saturday night, he asked Iris to be his girlfriend! She said absolutely!  How cute is that? --------------- He's been so happy all weekend and then... well Monday. This is Tuesday, his 16th birthday and he wasn't thrilled. But he looooves balloons! So 16 balloons blown and thrown all over the r...

  My post on Facebook and Insta today summed it up. HOW is he 16!? 16 Years old. Where has the time gone? I scrolled through 16 years of photos and I don’t know how to choose 10 photos to capture his beautiful heart, his competitiveness, his sarcasm, his love for animals and for the less fortunate. He can’t help but help people. He loves big, he’s fiercely loyal to his friends, he’s an amazing athlete, he’s smart, he’s overcome so much. Today he passed his driver’s test and Friday he gets his license. And then, he’s off. I miss that little boy that used to run up to me and smile the biggest smile just because I was there. I miss his hugs and miss hearing him say “I love you Mama”. But I wouldn’t trade a second. Every thing that I gave up to make your life better was worth it. Watching you shine is my greatest joy. There is no greater gift than being your mom. I love you Tristan!! Happy 16th Birthday to my favorite person in the whole wide world!!!! Started with 10 ... ended up wit...

  Tracy is one of my favorite memories of my life in Charleston, my marriage to Rally, and my days learning how to be a woman. I learned how to pray, how to sing and how to be a woman of God. I learned how to be strong in my faith, and loving with my words. I learned how to act. I learned how to be a mom. They gave me a job and I learned all about helping people after disasters... I've always been told I always have a job at Disaster Plus.  I'm sure that's true. That's just who they are. I learned about Jesus.  She is probably the greatest factor in my early stages of my faith walk. Julia Ann, Keating, Tracy and Fred were always in my life.  Miles and miles away but there. Always. Until I opened Facebook to a photo Julia posted and I said "to of my faves"... only to scroll a few moments later and see that Tracy passed away. WHAT?  NO!? My brain was telling my heart this was true but my heart said NO. My mouth quickly followed, then tears. I texted a mutual fri...