Christmas with the Fowlers

To start off the Christmas season, we went to the Braselton Parade a few weekends ago. Here is Bay with his balloon.

Here is the whole group waiting for the parade to start.

Beautiful Hill waiting patiently

She loves her Mommy

Dan was bundled up ready for the parade to start

Bay was thrilled for the candy donations by all the participants in the parade. He was also sporting his new cowboy boots...growing up to be just like his Daddy.

The next weekend was time to get our Christmas trees. We have a tradition that includes lots of food in Dillard, GA and then cutting down a tree in Mr. Dillard's backyard. Unfortunately, he stopped planting new trees and the only ones left were around 20 ft. tall. We thought about cutting one in half,  but decided we would try our luck up the road in North Carolina. In my family, the bigger the tree- the better! The only problem is that in our first house, our ceilings are about 9ft; therefore, we got a tree exactly 9ft. tall. Here is Dan getting it ready with the chainsaw before bringing it in.

This is the tree before decorations:

And after...

Dan and I have a running joke with a decoration in our home. See if you can notice the difference between these two photos...What is in one picture, but not the other?

If you look closely, there is a large bird on the mantle in the first picture, but not the second. Dan likes to place it strategically around the house (hiding in plain sight). It is a little hard to miss the bird if you ask me and I often make this game little fun because it blinds me wherever he places it. Nonetheless, it is a fun game we play. Maybe we should try Catch Phrase or something more traditional???

This last picture is of our little book nook. I love it and enjoy updating it throughout the year. I hope that our home will always have an area like this. We added our manger scenes and have a few more details left to add. Here's to more Christmas decorating! 

Prayer Requests

There have been two families on my heart right now. 

Please pray for the Arnette family. Their sweet girl, Ansley, went to heaven the day before Thanksgiving. She fought a rare form of cancer for over a year before passing at home. I am close to her aunt and besides grieving the loss of her niece, she is also in need of prayers. Ansley's aunt is extremely giving, motivated, and kind and I know she has been trying hard to help her brother and his family during this time. She is currently having some tests of her own and also needs our prayers. Please pray specifically for her to find time for rest, for peace that whatever happens will be for God's glory, and that she finds joy in the holidays.

Ansley was a dancer and they had created a foundation called Ansley's angels. At the funeral, everyone was given an angel ornament with a card showing Ansley's picture and a quote: "Dance like no one is watching; Sing like no one is listening; Love like you've never been hurt; Live as if it's heaven on earth."

The other family on my heart is the Green family. Katie is pregnant with her third child and has been told her baby has a diagnosis of Trisomy 13. They have a specific prayer on their blog:

God, give us more hours of joy than pain. Allow us to turn the corner of sorrow, to celebration. Cause us to see her as a gift. And allow us to cherish every moment she’s with us. Change our hearts.

Please pray for their family as Katie nears her delivery. 

The joys of Photobooth

This is Hill. We like to take pictures together, but not in typical fashion. She loves the photobooth on a Mac. I thought I would share some of my favorites. She's still beautiful even through all the crazy effects, but I'd have to say I've seen better days. Enjoy!

Solo shot

Baylor got in on the action last time, but it was not as fun for him. 

Well, until our next visit and photobooth fun :)

Happy Halloween

This year we celebrated Halloween with dinner and candy. We experienced our first year of trick-or-treat with the neighborhood children. We saw people from Star Trek, Minnie Mouse, vampires, and many other costumes.  

Sorry not to excite you with our creative costumes...

or our overly decorated home, but we'll be better prepared for next year.

Senior Night

William Ross Mahaffey

Senior Year is Here

Before Carrie and Kyle had children, I had the Mahaffeys. My dad's sister Joan and her husband Ross have always been like grandparents to me and my siblings. They have a son, Jeff, who married Julie and started a family in the early 90s. I was nine when Will was born. We recently celebrated his Senior Night at Grayson High School. We are so proud of him and excited to see how he changes the world with his charisma and charm all while being modest, cool and collected- of course :)

Here's to you, Will. You still have a few more months before graduation, but savor all these moments. High school is awesome, but then again college was better and now married life is pretty amazing, too. Hoping it only gets better! Thought you might enjoy a little snapshot of our lives together. I love you. I will never be too far and even though I may be an old married lady now, I will always listen and will ALWAYS be cooler. 

Love, 

Your favorite cousin- no contest

The world was changed- he's here!

You're rocking a cool onsie, but Mom wins most fashionable in her windsuit.

Fun times at the cabin.

I needed help blowing out all those candles :)

Watching Kyle play ball in Tennessee, but I cheer for Team Tigger, too.

Mark Martin has always been cool. So has Pippy Longstocking.

Showing me some love before singing at the Braves game.

More love at the wedding. My cup overflows.

But shave your chin, boy.

 Summer ball with Grayson



Senior Night at Grayson vs. Brookwood
Grayson 14  Brookwood 7 

Each senior got their program photo made into a poster and hung around the field

MaryBeth, Julie and Sarah before the game started

The proud and oh-so fashionable parents

 Here is Will and Jeff and Julie being introduced.

(When they started the introductions it started pouring. My camera is not super high-tech so the pictures didn't come out great.) 

Mom and Sarah

Me and MaryBeth

Dad holding G-man who is almost 7!

Dan and I at halftime. 

Some of you may have heard, but the rivalry between Grayson and Brookwood was so big this year that instead of a pep rally, the school each made a rap video. I am posting Grayson's because theirs was the best and because they won. It was neat seeing the run through sign before the game, too. As a previous cheerleader, I know how long it takes to make and how it can really pump up the team. Here's their sign to get Grayson fired up before the game. Pretty cool...

Never the same...

Charles Jackson Venable

April 29, 1935- October 18, 2007

There is a quote that I've heard many times that states: "Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Others stay for a while and leave footprints on our hearts and we are never the same." This is my current circumstance.

I was born April 29, 1985, exactly 50 years after my Mom's uncle Charlie. I only have a few memories of him before I was about thirteen. I blame that on the fact that every time he saw me he rubbed his scruffy beard on my cheek and gave me a big kiss. I was, and am still not, a fan of facial hair, and only remember up until that time that he was a relative who had a scratchy face. 

Some time in my teenage years we began going on outings with Charlie and began celebrating our birthdays together. Then we began celebrating Memorial Day together with Dacula's parade that Charlie and the dogs would ride in with the other antique tractors. He became a fixture at important events and would always make time for me. 

                        This picture is from the day I got a new car. He helped my parents surprise me.                        

This is my high school graduation with Charlie, my mom and Granddaddy Sam

He moved me into my dorm room freshman year of college, took me on countless dinners to Raffertys, introduced me to restaurants with all you can eat policies like The Redd House and Journey's End, went to Blue Willow every Christmas. 

Our time together was not enough. 

Charlie never married. He was one of the only farmers left in Gwinnett County. He worked all of his life at General Motors and didn't turn from hard work. He loved his dogs: Mike, Josh, Lady, Tank, and more. He had a huge heart. He went to Dacula Methodist most all of his life. He was a small town southern man in every way possible.

I was driving home from Athens on the last day of September 2007. I graduated that May with a degree to teach, but felt the need to get another degree. I decided on nursing school at Auburn University. I registered and went for orientation. I had always wanted to go to Auburn, but once there I felt sick and something didn't feel right. I couldn't place it and didn't understand it, but ended up coming back home with plans to re-evaluate my life. Driving home in September, I called Charlie as I do most times on my way home from Athens. Another voice answered the phone and told me that Charlie was ill and couldn't come to the phone. I did not understand this because he was a strong man and loved me and even if he was sick he could at least tell me that himself. But he didn't, and I drove home upset and confused. 

I told my Mom what happened and the next day we went over to check on Charlie. Long story to say, he was shortly admitted to the hospital. There were so many problems along the way and I truly believe that  we were not given the appropriate care. This post is not about the health care system, but please do not use Emory Eastside in Snellville. I try not to remember all the mistakes as I remember his last month. 

On October 18, 2007 I was babysitting at my sister's house. I would get updates throughout the day that told me to get to hospital as soon as possible. I couldn't leave until about 5:30pm from Cumming to get to Duluth. (He was at Gwinnett Medical Duluth at this point). God ordained the rest of the night. I got to hospital at 6:30pm and went directly into his room. All I remember is climbing stairs and then going through a walkway straight into his room. I somehow bypassed all security and the visiting hour policy. For about thirty minutes I told him to hang on, that I would hold his hand the whole way. I was at home (now I know why I didn't stay in Auburn) and could take care of him. Eventually my Mom and I stepped outside. We were the only two there and she told me that she thought he needed to hear me say it was OK. She said that she thought he was holding on for me and that instead I needed to tell him I would be OK if he decided to go on to heaven. My mom is an angel. She has a way about her that is divine. She was right, but I was angry. How could I do that? At 7:15pm, I told him. All the family members came in around that time. He died at 7:40pm. 

One of the reasons I am a nurse today in the ICU environment is because of Charlie. When he was passing, I was on his right holding his hand. He looked over at me and there were bells and whistles going off on all the monitors, but I held his hand and then he closed his eyes. The nurse came in after a while and told me that we would have to step outside for a while. She said, "He must've really loved you." I asked, "How do you know that?" She said, " He looked at you. " I didn't understand. She said, "He had his head turned to the left since he arrived and as he was going he turned and looked directly at you." She was right. I didn't think anything of it, but he looked at me right before he closed his eyes. That nurse's name was Laura.

I think about her. Her shift was over at 7:00pm, but it was well after 7:40pm and she was still there talking to our family and helping us understand what would happen next. Maybe somehow I carry Laura with my at my job and Charlie, too. Maybe someday some family will lose a child and I will somehow be an encouraging voice in that darkness. Maybe I am able to understand that as much of a gift the birth of a child is, it is also a miracle to be present when someone goes to heaven. I will always treasure that moment and remember. 

Four years later. Never the same...

Happy Birthday, Danielle!

A few weekends ago we were able to celebrate the start of fall and Danielle's birthday at the Fortner's lake house. We were sufficiently stuffed with a chocolate tres leche cake made by Lauren's Mama who also decorated the home for the occasion. Danielle was also given a candle crown that she wore almost every minute of the weekend. 

This is probably where we are telling her that she has to make a wish. 

Every birthday girl has to make a wish...

The gracious hosts, Mr. Bobby and Ms. Teri

Lauren and Danielle

 I had to jump in on the fun :)

Dan better watch out... Mr. Bobby's got his eye on him!

 Fun birthday gifts

The boys toasting to Danielle

Ms. Teri and I snuggled on the couch during our domination of the boys in Catch Phrase

 Lauren's job is rather hazardous and we had to nurse her arm after a burn at the store. 

These two were a part of mine and Dan's story from the beginning. The first time Dan met my parents was at their wedding. They will be celebrating three years in March!

Dan's sitting a little awkward in this photo, but it makes me laugh because I can tell by the photo that he just did something that he probably shouldn't have. oh, Dan...

The highlights of the trip were another victory for Team Woo in a rousing game of wiffle ball, our (Dan's) dog surviving his first trip with only about thirty minutes of him being lost, Georgia beating Tennessee, amazing food, and of course Danielle's birthday. Happy day, sweet friend!