Happy New Year!!!

I hope everyone has a very great and safe Happy New Year!!

Lauren's College Graduation

My oldest daughter, Lauren received her B.S. degree in Elementary Education from Middle Tenn State University this past Saturday! So very proud of her :)

This is Lauren with her boyfriend, Ben!

I am so proud of both of my daughters! Leah is a freshman at Tenn. Tech University and now Lauren is a graduate of MTSU! Can you tell that I am a proud mom??

Laurens roommates are education majors too and they all graduated at the same time!! Isn't that too special!! I thought they did a great job decorating their graduation hats!

I wanted to make the graduation cake for the girls to have at their party that they had that evening.

This is a picture with my mom aka- Gran!

So very proud of you Lauren and all your accomplishments! Congratulations on your new teaching job too!

Very Proud Mom!!!

Here is Lauren at her Granny's. She is 4 years old and "teaching up a storm" to someone or anyone who would listen and be her students !! :) Little did we know........

Here is Lauren at 22 years old and we have such great news to share with our blogging friends!! She will be graduating this month from MTSU! Receiving her B.S. in Elementary Education! The best news of all is that she was notified at the end of last week that she has been hired as the new 2nd grade teacher at an elementary school located close to where she is now living and has been doing her student teaching!! We are sooo very proud of her!! Lauren has always loved teaching as you can see from the picture above! It just goes to show that when you are small the things you are interested in usually end up being your career in your adult life!! Love you so much Lauren and so very proud of you!

More prayers needed!!

As another week begins there are several who are needing prayers this week. I am asking that you please include them as you say your prayers please.

Lecredia Woodlee Rutledge (my teaching assistant) father Jewell is in serious condition at this time

Chad Crabtree

Andy Dunn

Aubrey Haley

Prayer......

There is a special little boy, Andy who will be returning to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital this week for his extensive round of tests that he has to undergo on a regular basis to check to see if the "c" word is still gone from his system.
Please keep Andy and his family in your prayers that he will remain cancer free! God has answered prayers for this family and he will continue to embrace them.
Also, please keep in your prayers Amy who just lost her husband in a motorcycle accident this past weekend. They laid him to rest today. She is a wonderful, sweet woman. She kept my oldest daughter when she was little when I had to go to the football games at the high school.
I am also praying for all who need prayers at this time! There are many who are hurting, undergoing treatments, family problems, sick not only physically but mentally and those who have no families during the holiday season.

A Fresh New Start!!!

Seems like I have been out of the blogging world for quite some time now. I have had a lot of changes happen in my life since the middle of summer. With the biggest change being the mid-life divorce that I have been going through and is now final after being married for 27 years. That is why I have decided to add on the "new beginnings" to my blog title. Because life it too short to not move on to bigger and happier times and that is exactly what I am doing. Life is too short and I intend on living my life to the fullest and be much happier than I have been in many years!! I don't know what I would have done if I had not had the support of my daughters, mom, sister, other family members, my close friends and my church family! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for standing by me and helping me get through the hardest thing that I have EVER had to get through in my entire life! But you know what??? I made it and I am stronger than ever! I just hope that I can in return help someone else that is having to go through a mid life divorce like myself one day.

Prom 2010

Our daughter, Leah with her date Mason to their senior prom!

These pictures were taken in Mason's yard. Aren't the azeleas beautiful??? Such a great place to take special pictures!

These pictures were taken inside the gym at our civic center where they prom took place. The colors were teal, black and silver. The theme of their prom was called "A Black Tie Affair".

I thought the waterfall made out of balloons was so cute! :)

These are Leah's friends who were on the dance team with her and are seniors as well. Aren't they all beautiful girls? They all went together to eat and enjoyed riding in the stretch limo that held 20 people! Whew a tight squeeze for sure but fun!

Is Spring really here???

I am pretty sure that last Saturday was the first day of spring but......today we had "SNOW" on the buttercups! Which is pretty typical for Tennessee weather.

I think it is suppossed to warm up tomorrow though :)

Christmas 2009

My mom with all her grandchildren - Leah, Lauren, Chelsea, Marcus and Trevor


This picture cracks me up!! The nintendo DS is fun for all ages from 5 years old up to 17 here in this picture! Look how they are concentrating!

This is my husbands mother and his step-dad.

Trevor, Marcus and Leah watching Lauren opening presents.

Chelsea is digging into her stocking.

10 Days of Giveaways!!

Brandie Mansfield of Custom Artwork has put together the best idea and is having some very talented people donate something to her 10 days of giveaways.

This starts today!! All that you have to do is leave a comment on her blog and you will be entered! :)

Just go to her link on my blog called the 10 days of giveaways and you will be right there!

Happy New Year to all my blogging friends!