Father's Day 2013 ~ Celebrating Brian!

I loved Brian, but ...

 

 

I never knew how much I loved my husband,

until I saw how much he truly loved our children!

 

Our boys are the luckiest boys in the world to have a father they are

 proud to lovingly call "Dad".  I wish every child was so fortunate. 

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for giving our family a man who

we're blessed beyond measure to have in our lives!

 

Father's Day 2013

 

We love you Brian!  Happy Father's Day!

Jake, Injured Reserve List!

Last day of school for Jake at Victory Lakes Intermediate.  My baby is now in high school.  This picture is before we left for his awards ceremony.

The awards ceremony was, to say the least, very hard for me.  Every milestone my children make/finish/cross is very emotional for me.  He received an award for A/B honor roll.  Would have been all A honor roll, except he took the 9th grade Pre AP Algebra class his 8th grade year and made a steady B the whole year.  All A's in my book!  Here's a pic with his award.

I shed more than a few tears.  The slide show was awesome, the music did me in.  He wanted to celebrate with a Starbucks Frap and a croissant.  We went home and chilled for awhile.  He went to his friend's annual end of school swimming party at 2:30, called me at 3:30 with the words no mom ever wants to hear, "Mom, I think I need to go to the hospital".  Oh boy, okay.  Here's what I saw when I picked him up.

 

Yes, I think we need to go get a few stitches.  We went to our favorite ER, and got him all fixed up! 

 

 

 

Doctor said laceration was to the bone.  Hard area on foot to heal.  Used the largest sutures available, will need to stay in for 14 days.  How did he do this?  In the pool, caught his toe on an inlet.  Now we have another "battle wound" to add to his long list.  It's been 4 years since he required stitches, so I guess he was due!

 

 

All fixed up and ready to go.  The doctor who treated him was the same doctor who did his first stitches at 16 months old.  He didn't have to use a straight jacket this time though! 

 

 

Two weeks of no swimming, no activity, and wearing the boot.  What a way to start the summer!  There's never a dull moment in the life of a Mother raising boys! 

 

Memorial Day 2013

Memorial Day, a day to remember our soldiers who have lost their lives while defending our freedom. 

 

I get so aggravated with people (Americans!) who don't seem to know what this holiday is all about.  People being interviewed on TV haven't a clue.  People on facebook posting comments and/or pictures that represent a different Patriotic holiday (just as important, but wrong one).  I think the families of the soldiers who paid the ultimate price for our freedom would appreciate us remembering their loved ones on the day that is set aside to honor them.  (...and every other day)  So, when people say "Thank a soldier" on Memorial Day, NO, unless you're going to the cemetery to thank them.  I haven't lost a loved one (not anyone I remember) that was defending our country.  But, I do have a brother who served three tours in Iraq with 20 years of service.  I do have another brother currently embedded with the military in Afghanistan who is a international police advisor.  So, pardon me, while I get all upset when our own people (Americans) don't seem to know what our national holiday's are all about.  Veterans Day and Armed Forced Day is the day to honor our veterans and current military.  (OR every other day of the year as well, just NOT Memorial Day!)  We visited Arlington National Cemetery in 2009.  It was truly the most humbling place I have ever been.  The magnitude of emotions seeing all the soldiers buried there was something I cannot describe.  There were several services and burials going on while we were there.  Hearing the bagpipes being played, seeing the flag draped caskets, and witnessing the gun salutes was enough to drop me to my knees.  The Changing of the Guard, (I'm shocked how many people have no idea what that means) was,for the lack of a better word, amazing.  I could have sat for hours watching our military guarding the grave of the unknown soldier, who died defending our great country, and we don't even know who he was.  (There are many unknown soldier's, all buried across the US in our national cemeteries.) 

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Arlington National Cemetery

Changing of the Guard

Arlington National Cemetery

Arlington National Cemetery

 

Street sign at Arlington National Cemetery

World War II Memorial

Korean War Memorial

Vietnam War Memorial

(Jake paying tribute)

 

One of my favorite pictures.  Jake on Memorial Day

dressed in my brother's military combat uniform.  2006

Bye, bye junior high! Hello High School!

I cannot believe my baby is done with intermediate school and will be starting high school in the fall.  Seems like yesterday he was just a baby, starting elementary school.  He sure has changed in the last few years!

A few more pics from this phase in his life!

August 2010

August 2011

 

August 2012

 

May 2013

 

Our boy sure has changed, matured, grown up!

We love you Jacob Walker Rhone!!

My Greatest Blessings call me Mom!

 

Mother's Day, a day we set aside to celebrate Mom.  I have two special sons who call me Mom and I am so blessed that God chose me to be their Mother!  Sometimes when I think I can't do anything right, I look into their eyes and know I got this one right!  They are perfect, to me, anyway.  I never truly understood what Mom meant until I was one.  I knew what my Mom meant to me, but I didn't really know what I meant to her until I was a Mom myself.  My life, my every breath, is for my children.  Everything I do, strive to do, want to do, dream to do or be, is for my children.   I have watched them grow, learn, make mistakes, try again, love, hurt, acheive, and the list goes on.  I've been happy, proud, sad, mad, and that lists goes on too!  But, at the end of the day, my Kids are what makes me want to do it all over again the next day!  So, this Mother's Day, I celebrate my children and the love they have brought to my heart and my life!  I love you Tyler & Jake! 

 

...and, to My Mother, in Heaven, I miss you more than I can even say.  I wish you were here.  Thank you for being a wonderful Mom, a Mom who taught by example, and by words.  I was watching, and listening.  I hope I make you proud!  To my Grandmother, in Heaven, I miss you too!  Your words of wisdom I carry with me daily.  You are missed as much as you are loved!  Happy Mother's Day in Heaven!

Happy 22nd Birthday Tyler!

April 30, 1991 at 7:22 pm our first son was born.  He was 8 lbs. 3 oz. and 20 1/4 inches long.  He was perfect!  Tyler Sean Rhone.  We were so happy and proud!  12 hours of labor, high blood pressure, and a faint heart beat sent us into an emergency c-section.  Daddy carried him to the nursery from the OR. 

When they brought him to me later, I cried, like I'd never cried before.  I was crying tears of joy and tears of fear all at the same time.  He was perfect and I so wanted to be a perfect Mom, a Mom he deserved.   Was I a perfect Mom?  No, of course not, no one is.  But, I hope he knows I tried to be, and tried to be all he ever needed when he needed it, plus some! 

Tyler has brought so much joy to our family over the years and I am truly blessed and a better person because he's my son! 

 

Happy 22nd, Tyler!  I hope this year brings lots of happiness, health and love!

 

(P.S....I love you the Mostest!!)

A Furever Home

Meet Marlee!

 

Welcome to our hearts and home. 

Your furever home!

 

 

On Monday, April 1, 2013 we welcomed the newest member of our family!  Marlee is a two year old female white lab.  She needed a new home and we needed a new love.  The decision to bring her home wasn't a hasty one, I gave it much thought.  I cried a lot, I miss Mocha so much that part of me felt guilty for wanting another baby, then the other part of me knew Mocha would want us to share our love with another pet.  So, four months after Mocha's death, we welcomed her into our family.

 

 

 

She is so sweet, gentle, well mannered,

and everything else I hoped for. 

She has filled the emptiness in my heart and home

and I am so thankful to have her in our lives!