Big changes are coming and...

I'm not sure that I'm completely ready for them.

You see...my husband and I are parents of a high school senior set to graduate on May 23, 2011. While I've known this time would come and have been dealing quite well with the progression of the school year, the one thing I thought I was ready for caught me by surprise.

What caught me by surprise? My reaction to my daughter receiving her acceptance letter to Jacksonville State University. I quite literally burst into tears when she opened the envelope and a JSU bumper sticker fell out. She didn't even have to read the letter...we knew that she'd been accepted. Then, she actually read the letter. C was running around the house, screaming and laughing and what am I doing??? Bawling my eyes out in the kitchen. As she's making the phone calls to Dad and all the grandparents, I'm speechless and even when I did try to speak, I burst into tears all over again. The whole time I'm thinking what's wrong with me...I should be laughing, screaming and running all over the house with my girl.

Don't get me wrong...I'm SOOOOO very excited for her and this new chapter in her life. I suppose it's a normal reaction. I just wasn't prepared for my reaction. Truthfully, I wasn't sure how I'd react. It's been a roller-coaster of emotions for me these last few days as I come to grips with the fact that my angel will be leaving home in 7 short months.

There is so much to do between now and then that I don't really know where to begin.

Suppose it's time to start my lists.

Bear with me these next several months as I document my family's adventures in preparing my eldest child for college.

Big changes are coming...

And I'm going to do my best to adapt to/with them.

Going out like it came in...

January, that is.

The New Year started off warm and rainy, so it seems fitting for it to end the same way.

Just hope that February, which will also start off warm and rainy, doesn't have the snow like January did.

I'm going to enjoy the day by reading and surfing the net.

Happy Monday!!!

I could get used to this!!!

Do you remember where you were when...,

at 10:38am CST, the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds into its mission?


I do...

As a senior, I was sitting in my Majority at 18 class at Burnsville Sr. High in Burnsville, MN. I remember a teacher coming into our classroom in tears...telling our teacher to turn on the television.

It's one of those events that forever stay with you. Like JFK and Bobby Kennedy's assassinations were for my parents and grandparents.

It's the reason that I hold my breathe and pray during each launch of a shuttle.

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that one event would shape my adult life. While I'm not working in the space industry, I am connected to it through my husband and his job. My husband works on the Internation Space Station Program, so we have an even more vested interest in the shuttle launches. That's what brought us to North Alabama in 1990. We've had the privilege of being VIP guests at KSC for the night launch of the first U.S. piece of the ISS in 1998. The shuttle program has been a vital part of the ISS program and I really hate to see them retire without a viable alternative in place.


May we always remember those who sacrificed their lives so that we may continue our space exploration.

Happy Birthday, Claire!!!

18 years ago at 12:52am on a cold, rainy Monday, Richard and I welcomed a beautiful 7 pound 3 ounce little girl into the world. She has blessed us in more ways than we can count.


You have grown into a beautiful, talented, intelligent young woman!


Happy Birthday, Angel (aka Claire)!!! We love you more than words can say!!!

Starting the year off with a bang...potentially

Don'tcha just love it when the weather people use 'Potential' in conjunction with major weather events.

I'm not sure what to think of the weather forecast for this upcoming weekend. While I love a good snow storm as much as the next person, I don't relish the thought of being snowbound for more than a day or two. I start to get cabin fever. It's for that very reason that I don't live where snow happens all the time. Been there...done that...don't want to do it again.

I can just imagine what the local school systems are thinking...to close/cancel school or not. Unfortunately for us, our school system did not build in any weather days. So...any days we miss will have to be made up at the end of the year or on Saturdays. Looking at the forecast for next week, if we get any measurable snow, we could be out all week.

My kids are hoping for snow and lots of it. For them, I hope we get it.

Here's to lots of snow, snowmen, snowball fights and hot chocolate!!!

Happy Friday, everyone!

Happy Birthday to...

my handsome husband!!!

Happy New Year!!!

Be sure to eat lot of black-eyed peas and collard greens!!!