Iron Bowl, Hunting, Auburn & Baby Jesus

We thought Fall was crazy, then Christmas time hits! From here on out there is something not everyweekend but everday!

First we start out with a sad thing......the Iron Bowl. UGH! My Daddy said he wasnt even gonna watch, I should have done the same thing. We went to Lakeland to watch the game at Matt's Mother's house because her parents were down. I have mentioned before that Matt's Papa is the reason he loves Alabama. So I had to watch the game with a bunch of Alabama fans. It wasnt that bad but there was this annoying Alabama fan I wanted to hit in the face......my husband! And to make it worse, he does this to my sweet baby boy.......

He puts him in Alabama clothes! I just have to remember that little boys want to be like their Daddys.

The Bama fans, Papa, Matt & Parker.

The following weekend Parker stayed in Lakeland. Matt & I had a whole "date" weekend. First I got him to try sushi, that is a HUGE thing for Matt. He doesn`t like anything, and he did like this. Then Saturday morning we woke up at 5:30am and went hunting on the ranch. This was my first time hunting, we didn`t kill anything but I had a great time with my hubby!

The double tree stand we sat in. It is actually my brother-in-laws, Matt's is just a single. It was not bad at all but the mosquitoes! I was trying so hard not to move around but they were every where! It was peaceful and I`m ready for the next time we get to do that together again.

We didn`t see anything after sitting there about 2 hours, so we started walking.

We did see some does BUT it wasn`t doe season anymore.

I was in full camo but my polka dot boots!

When driving back to the house we saw a new born calf. It wasn`t scared so it let Matt walk right up to it. I keep asking, "where is his Mommy?". That is the bad thing about living on a ranch, always worrying about the cows. All I kept thinking about was Parker wondering around by himself!

Saturday night we had another baby shower for Brannan, Tim & Auburn. This one had a great theme, AUBURN!

The cake at the shower. The girl who made it is from Sebring. I can`t remember her name but she did great. I`m really thinking for Parker's first birthday to use her!

Miss Maysen came in full Auburn attire!

Sunday night Mr. Parker had a big role to play, Baby Jesus! Parker was the 4th generation that has been in the Christmas pageant at our church. This is the first time this has happened! The pageant has not changed from even when my grandmother was in it. All this just makes my heart happy: God, Christmas, family & tradition!

He just comes out at the end when he is suppose to be born. He did such a great job, he was happy the whole time!

I was on the side through just in case we had to snatch him up.

Daddy, Baby Jesus & Mommy. We were so proud!

Me, My Daddy & Parker. My Daddy was just beaming, he loves him some Parker Bany!

Here are just some random photos of the two guys I love!

Ummmmm, like father like son?!?!

Wearing Matt's Hat

Can we say Christmas Card???

Coming Home

Being an Army wife, I watch Army Wives on Lifetime (cliche I know!). One of the soldiers died on the last episode. While I watched I was balling my eyes out because 1. I`m pregnant 2. That was my biggest fear. It is weird to think that almost 2 years ago Matt left for Afghanistan & almost a year ago he returned. I missed him so much, he was always on my mind. And to be honest always in the back of my head was the thought he could never come home.

So this morning when he came in from PT, I went up to him & hugged him & started crying. Now my husband has learned that while I`m pregnant I just start crying for no reason. He is use to it but I told him I actually have a reason this time. I was thankful to the Lord that he made it through that year safely & that we will most likely never have to go through that again. It is so easy to take him for granted. My husband can be messy, he leaves a trail of clothes when he comes in, tracks in dirt, can`t seem to throw his dirty clothes in the hamper & all the other things husband do that annoy us wives. Some days he makes me want to scream, but last year at this time I would have gave anything to have him with me. It seems I so easily forget that time.

So next time he does one of those things I`ll smile & thank God I have him here to do those things. There is a lonely wife out there right now who would give anything to have her husband track in dirt. If you are interested in reading post from the time Matt was gone click on Deployment on the right side under Tags.

The day he left, pretty sure I have never cried that hard in my whole life.

When he came home for R & R, we had not seen each other in 9 months.

My favorite photo of us. One of the happiest days of my life.

The HAPPIEST day of my life, his deployment was OVER!!!

I prayed every night to God to please bring him home safe. God did just that, but not everyone is so lucky. Please remember the troops & their loved ones back home.

Living in This Moment.....

This is a picture of my morning at 5:30am. The dogs woke me up because it was time for them to eat AND my Benadryl had just wore off. I have a stuffy nose, ugh. While you are pregnant you can take certain medicines but not all. And I did not have one congestion medicine in my cabinet that was on the "approved" list. So I made myself a little "sauna". I boiled some water, then put a towel over my head, & breathed it in! I sat there for about 10min & it really did help. I`m going to the store later to get medicine but that did the trick for now.



If I haven`t said it before, I`m saying it again.....GO CHECK OUT THIS BOOK, "Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl." I finished it this morning & I was actually sad. I think I`m going to go back through & highlight somethings I can to work into my daily life.

The last section today really hit me. I had talked about in a recent post about Matt & I being frustrated because we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We are pretty much at 2 months till we move home. We are so ready to get our lives started, getting jobs, a house, & being with family. Our "plan" is move into the ranch house, Matt work for my Dad while he searches for jobs. Once he gets a job, we will buy a house, have the baby & then I will get a job too. This is all we talk/think about right now. I even found a house in my hometown we both LOVE and the price dropped recently. Well, this morning I read this verse in my book, "Many are the plans in a man's {woman's} heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails," Proverbs 19:21. Well Hello God, are you talking to me??? Then Lysa goes on to say,

God promises many times in the Bible that He has a plan for our lives. Since our lives are lived moment by moment, that must mean that He has a purpose for right now. I stopped looking for God in this moment. I stopped lingering with Him and considering His activity right in front of me. I stopped remaining and abiding closely with Him.

I started viewing this moment as something I just had to get through so I could move on to better things in the future, my great plans. I wrongly discerned that only meeting my future goals would bring satisfaction, significance, and self-worth.

The second paragraph is what really hit me. I`m looking at these next two months as something to just "get through". I`m ignoring the present and am caught up in the future that "I" not God have planned out. I should be looking for God & what He wants from me in these next two months. My husband is carrying this load on his shoulders, he is the head of the household. Maybe God wants me to encourage my husband, instead of leaning on him so much. Whatever the plan is it is not mine to make, it is God's. Easy to say, harder to actually think. Do you also plan, plan, plan for the future & ignore this moment now? I`ll admit that is exactly what I have been doing. I just love it when you read something & it hits you that God was talking right to YOU!

My Heart Went a Flutter

Today I had my monthly check up and celebrated my 2 year anniversary with my husband. Actually yesterday was our anniversary but we went out to eat today. Went to Olive Garden & hit up Bass Pro. I cherish those moments because in 5 & a half months, we will not be able to do this as easily. I can`t believe we are have been married 2 years. Sadly though we have only been in the same place for a whole year, but that is the life of an Army wife. I love my husband & I would do it ALL over again. He is my best friend <3

Now off the mushy stuff, next topic "it". On January 24th, 2011 @ 11:55am we will not have to call our baby "it" anymore! 27 days & we both can not wait! The check up went great. I weigh 127, Dr. said that I was doing great. My blood pressure she said was perfect. We heard the heart beat again, in the 150s-160s. She said it had a good heart beat. We have to go for another ultrasound for them to look at the baby's heart. I have a heart murmur & Matt's sister was born with a hole in her heart (which went away on it's own), they feel they should check it. But that isn`t until sometime in Feb. when I am 22-24 weeks. I`m really not too worried, but if you want to shoot us a prayer, we would appreciate it.

Some very exciting news, we felt the baby flutter! This morning while I was brushing my teeth, I felt a strange feeling. It was exactly how they explained it, a butterfly flapping it's wings against you or a muscle twitch. I can see where someone would pass it off for gas (excuse me). I ran & woke Matt up & he got to feel it too. The look on his face is something I won`t even forget. When the Dr. walked in this morning the first thing she asked was, "Have you felt it move yet?". I explained it & she said yes that was it. It was so cool, I keep hoping it will happen again soon.

I have added a poll on the side for yall to vote on what you think we are having : )

When He Proposed.......

I wasn`t in total shock when Matthew proposed. He had decided to join the army @ the start of May. So we talked and we decided we would get married before he got to his duty statation. Which we figured was November or December. I had printed out the type of stone I wanted, emerald cut. So I knew it was going to happen in those 2 weeks before he left, I just didn`t know when. But I wan`t like on my toes the whole time or anything like that.

The day was May 16, a Friday. I wasn`t in the best of moods because of work when I talked on the phone with him. In my head I was thinking, "he is being weird". Usually he doesn`t care if I am in a bad mood, but he was trying to cheer me up & kept saying, "don`t be mad." WAY in the back of my head I thought, "I wonder if he was going to propose?". But the thought quickly left. So I got off work and headed out to the ranch. When I got there Matt asked if I wanted to go fishing, I said yes and went inside and changed. So we headed down to the lake, parked, got out & started fishing. I lost my fake worm, he said he would put it on for me. I walked over to the back of the truck & Matthew was on one knee with the tackle box sitting on the bed of the truck. I proceed to say, "why are you on your knee, those are good jeans, you are getting them dirty?!" He just ignored me & told me to get the worm out of the tackle box for him, he said it was all the way at the bottom. I still didn`t know what was going on hahaha. SO I opened it, nothing was in it, so I opened the bottom, and there was a little black box. I started crying, he asked I said yes & that's it : )

1 day : ) Afghanistan is 9 & a half hours ahead of us. So Matthew is leaving on the 9th there. His Friday right now is pretty much over, (8:38am here) it is about 6pm there right now. He should be getting here Monday, we think.

Steak & Shake

I missed a day, which is kinda good because I was actually busy! So just to catch yall up yesterday was 3 days : )

It was fall, & it actually was quite cool (which isn`t normal here in Florida!). We skipped our classes & went to Lakeland to get his truck worked on. The place was closed, so we went to the Steak & Shake where it is just the drive through. We ate outside & just laughed and talked.

That's it. Really that is one of my favorite memories of Matt. Just the feeling of it just being us & we had no worries back then (other then skipping school). That is my go to memory when I`m feeling sad. I wish SO BAD I could be there with him @ that Steak and Shake just eating fries and talking about nothing.

2 days : )

When We Got Back Together

Okay okay, Matt dumped me once......jerk haha. I always tell him even we are 90 years old, I`ll still bring it up. I always joke, "Yeah well you dumped me". Anywho, we had dated I think about 4 to 5 months. It was summer time and he moved back to Lakeland. I was here in Lake Wales. But every weekend we hung out. Then one weekend he stayed here with me, it happened. We had just woke up & I could tell something was wrong. He said those un-fun words. I was heart broken. Ugh...those 2 months sucked. But I knew in my heart he was the one, so I waited.

School was about to start and I didn`t want any awkwardness so I e-mailed him and said call me. I was gonna tell him I was totally over it (I wasn`t) and that it wasn`t a big deal (it was) and that I wasn`t waiting around for him anymore (but I was). I was trying to play it cool. So he called me but I was coming home from somewhere & said I`ll call ya back later. And I did, I was actually getting ready to go have dinner with my sister. So I told him I needed to tell him something, & he said he had something to tell me. I told him to go first. I was totally blown out of the water. He said he loved me, regretted breaking up with me & pretty much asking me to be with him forever. I didn`t say a word, I was about to tell him I was over him and here he is telling me he wanted to be with me. That was God stepping in there. I knew in my heart I was suppose to be with Matthew, but I wasn`t gonna force it on him. But God knew what He was doing! So from there on we were always together. Funny how you get to that low point and God picks you right up. I`m not a Grey's Anatomy person at all but I heard this quote right after he told me & it is SOOOOO true. Meredith Grey: "At the end of the day faith is a funny thing. It turns up when you don't really expect it. Its like one day you realize that the fairy tale may be slightly different than you dreamed. The castle, well, it may not be a castle. And its not so important happy ever after, just that its happy right now. See once in a while, once in a blue moon, people will surprise you , and once in a while people may even take your breath away." That couldn`t explain it better : )

4 Days

First Time We Talked in Person....

The first time we talked in person is actually quite a funny event. By this time my other relationship had ended and most everyone knew. BUT only a few knew that Matthew & I had started "talking". After our phone conversation, I told him I would go to his baseball game and he has said he was coming to watch me cheer @ the basketball game. So I went to his game & then left to go cheer. He came to the basketball game but left early before we got to talk. I was pissed! I was just thinking, "well what the heck?". The game is over and he had not came back, so I start to walk to my car. Well one of my guys friends I guess had a crush on me and started walking with me and started to ask me out on a date. I was half listening because I was looking all over the parking lot for Matthew. I was a little thrown from his question, I`m not even sure if I answered him because I was alittle shocked! I some how just said no, but in a nice way and started running to my car.

Well guess who was waiting by my car, Matt Brown : ) He was wearing jeans (AE, yeah it is funny he ever wore those types of clothes now!) & one of those "baseball" shirt, it was white & blue. He had went home to change and take a shower, explains why he left early. So we talked, couldn`t tell you one word of what it was. All I remember was he went to hug me. **Disclaimer** I`m not a hugger, at all! We just don`t do that in my family. There are few people I hug always" My Grandma, Colton, Grady & Finley. I will SOMETIMES hug my parents. I have never hugged my sisters, EVER. It's a running joke with my friends, don`t touch ML. So if you go to hug me and I act weird, it's because it is weird to me. I would rather shake hands** So I was TOTALLY thrown off and it was one of the most awkward moments. He says he thought at that time that I didn`t like him since I was acting weird. It is just one of those moments you look back @ and laugh.

5 days : )

First Time I Heard His Voice....

If you follow my blog (I know there are so many of yall!) you have read "The Boy Sitting on the Cooler". If you haven`t go back down and read it, it explains how Matt & I started dating.

Anywho, we had e-mailed back and forth for awhile. I gave him my number & then waited....and waited....you get the point. I`m not patient at all, so I said, "Screw it, I`m calling him!". So I called a friend who dated one of Matt's friends and got the number. Now Matt swears he tried calling but I must have gave him the wrong number he says, whatever haha. So I called him and this southern accent came across the other end. My heart melted : ) I remember being like, "You grew up in Florida, right?" and he said, "yes". I go to Alabama every summer, & my mother was born and raised there. But he has the accent, not fair.

EVERY TIME someone in my family/my friends goes to tell a story about Matt, when they get to the talking part they ALWAYS talk with a southern accent. And he doesn`t understand why?! Being in the Army he meets lots of people. And no one ever believes him that he is from Florida. He says, "People always make me sound dumb (say it with the accent)!" But I love it! I remembering being like in my head, "cute & southern accent.....I`m done!"

6 Days : )

And the Count Down Begins......

Matthew will be home in 8 days.....well in 10 minutes it will be 7 days (1 week)! I can`t even explain it to you how I feel. We have not seen each other in 8 MONTHS! We have been together 4 years & going 8 months without seeing him is killing me! Going from everyday to nothing, yeah it sucks, take my word for it. 8 months with out kissing & other married people stuff (wink wink), I hope I`m still good lol. I feel like I might be alittle rusty, but I`m sure we can pick up where we left off! Sorry yall I`m married & love my husband, I`m allowed to talk about it ; )

This week is gonna be the LONGEST week of my life (add only getting on Facebook once a week), I`m gonna be NUTS! So I have decided to blog about favorite memories I have about Matthew. I know yall are on the edge of your seats for this haha. But I got to kill time some how!

P.S. Shout out to my team....WAR EAGLE! Outback champs! What a game!

20% There, 100% Love

When Matt comes home at the end of April 2010, he will have been in the Army 2 years. In those two years, we will have been around each other 5 1/2 months.......yeah I know.

He went to basic first in OK, I saw him maybe 3 days when he graduated. Then he went to Maryland for AIT, I saw him 2 days there. He came home for a holiday for 3 days. Then he came home for 2 weeks for the wedding and honeymoon. That is around 3 weeks. Then we lived together for 4 months. He was then deployed. Then in January he gets his R & R which is like 2 weeks.

Now I know it is sad that I have only seen my husband that much in 2 years. And if you would have ever told me that before I met Matthew, I would have thought, "well that wouldn`t have worked out". But my love for him has not changed since that first day. It doesn`t even phase me too. I`m just so thankful God sent me Matthew. There is no one else other then him that I could have done this with. My love for him has gone beyond what I ever thought I could do. It just shows me that God really knew what he was doing.

God is Banging on my Door!

I talked to Matthew on Thursday before I left for Auburn. I waited all weekend for a call but.....nothing. I texted (not sure if that is correct English??) him and usually he will text me saying, "Calm down, I`m fine, call you when I can," but.....nothing. So Sunday night I was WAY worried. Now, I`m not always worried about him, just some days are worse then others, and this was one of those days! So I laid in my bed and balled my eyes out, usually the only place I like to cry. I just prayed and prayed to God. "Please keep him safe and please let me hear from him soon" I prayed for probably 5 minutes. Then I heard my text alert go off. It was Matthew saying, "I love you. Glad your home, everything is fine." Then I started crying harder. I was pouring my heart out to God, and He took care of me. This is the second time this week that I just felt like God was talking RIGHT TO ME!

So God, you have my attention! I already felt last week that I needed to try harder at being a better Christian but WOW now I just feel rude if I didn`t! Even though I feel alone, like the third wheel, like everyone's lives are going on like normal and mine's on hold, that my best friend is not here to confide in & kiss......even though I feel like I`m on my own, I have God. He is always there listening to me and watching me. (sigh) He is such a great Man!

Half Full or Half Empty

Today is a big day..........................HALF WAY THROUGH DEPLOYMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can not believe we are this far. And now it is all down hill from here. Also today Matthew and I have been married 10 months. I miss my husband more then ever.

Today I was thinking about how it is a little over 2 months till Matt is home for R & R. Last February was 2 months before Matthew left. Those 8 weeks felt so short. I wish so bad at that moment that time would slow down. Now it is close to being 8 weeks till he is back and now it feels like the longest time ever. I wish time would speed up! This is where the saying, "Glass half full or half empty" really fits. It is weird you can take the same amount of time but have two totally different perspectives. Last February the glass was half empty, I was depressed and sad. Now the glass is half full, I can not even explain to you my excitement for when he is home.

But always, it is how you see it. Trust in God and He can always make you see not so fun situations as half full : )

That Boy Sitting on the Cooler.....

I LOVE this weather! I love when you can wear jeans and a long sleeve shirt and not have to carry a jacket. It's the best.....but it does make me miss Matthew. This weather reminds me of the time I met him and feel in love (sappy, I know).

First semester of my sophomore year of college started off normal. Once the weather changed, we had bon fires about every weekend. One particular night at a bon fire I looked up and saw this boy sitting on a cooler staring at me. My first thought was, "Who is that? He is cute!". I realized I had a class with him, he was a freshmen, and I knew his name was either Case, Brad or Matt. I was dating someone else that first semester of college. But every bon fire "that boy sitting on the cooler" was there staring at me, and I couldn't help but stare back at him : ) One bon fire he was trying to act cool. I was sitting on a tailgate with some girlfriends and he went to sit in a chair right in front of me. One of his friends pulled the chair out from under him and he fell right under my feet. I leaned over and asked, "Are you okay?" hahaha If we only knew! Anyways, second semester rolled around and my relationship at the time ended. I went to workout and the only other person in the gym was "that boy sitting on the cooler". I got home and wrote him an e-mail and it was all over from there. The first time we "talked" in person was a cold night after a basketball game. The first time we kissed was a cold night after a bon fire. The first time he told me he loved me was a cold night sitting outside his house.

So every time it is cold and I smell a fire. I think of "that boy sitting on the cooler" in jeans, boots, a long sleeve shirt with a short sleeve shirt over it and his (BLAH) Alabama hat on. It just makes a huge smile come across my face. It takes me back every time. I can not wait for the day I get to see "that boy sitting on the cooler" again <3

3 Months till R & R

Today is 3 months till Matt comes home for 2 weeks for R & R. At the end of this month he will have been gone 6 months, half way! I can not wait for the day to see him again. Just searching for a picture for my blog made me get butterflies just looking at his pictures : ). It will have been 8 months when we FINALLY see one another, crazy huh?!?!

With him being gone a year, my life has been "on hold". Couples are buying houses, having kids and enjoying being married. Part of me is jealous of all those happy couples. Now I`m not saying we are going to have kids soon. We got about 2 years or so. But the fact that they CAN is what I`m jealous of. I wish more then anything in this world I could lay down in my bed tonight and Matthew be there. I wish when I have a crappy day I could come home and cry about it to him. I wish I could just sit and watch TV with him. I wish we could do "married people activities" (wink wink).

So any happy couples I know or pass by if I: a.) ignore you b.) give you a mean look c.) run away crying......don`t take it personally.