9.18.2012

Catfish Festival;

This past weekend, we took our Waylon to the Catfish Festival in Hardeeville, Sc. 
HE HAD A BLAST! 
It was like a mini fair. There was funnels cakes, live music, rides, bouncy houses, etc. 
He rode his first horse, ever. I am so determined to have our own little mini farm one day for him. He's an animal lover, just like his mama! 





Breakfast Grilled Cheese

Yes, you read it right. 
I found a recipe for a breakfast grilled cheese the other day, and I just had to try it this morning. 
You'll need your choice of bread, spreadable cream cheese (I got the flavored kind), blueberries, or your choice of fruit, and butter.
You would make it just like a regular grilled cheese. 
Butter the under sides of the bread, spread the cream cheese on both side of the inside of the bread, layer your fruit. Then, fry in a frying pan. I used a sandwich maker to seal everything in.
I am hooked! Needless to say, it was ahhhhhhmazing!
Here are pictures of the steps!
Enjoy! Let me know how ya'lls turns out.

1.22.2012

The rescuing hug.

Brought me to tears.....This picture is from an article called "The Rescuing Hug". The article details the first week of life of a set of twins. Each were in their respective incubators and one was not expected to live. A hospital nurse fought against the hospital rules and placed the babies in one incubator. When they were placed together, the healthier of the two threw an arm over her sister in an endearing embrace. The smaller baby's heart stabilized and temperature rose to normal.                   

6.18.2011

The scariest day of my life!

Earlier today, I was cleaning out my facebook, and I got to April 19, 2011. Instantly, my mind starts racing back to that day, and I realized that I hadn't really talked that much about it. So, for the first time, I am going to tell the whole story from the second it happened. [This may get long].


Jake and I had been broken up for a few weeks. [We're not going into detail about all that]. So I decided to let Travis go stay the night with him for the first time, ever. Of course I was scared, even though I knew his daddy would take care of him. He called me and told me Goodnight, and that he loved me, then we got off the phone. A few hours into the night, Jake called and told me that Travis woke up and was crying for me, so I got on the phone for him and calmed him down. We said our goodnight's again, and he was off to sleep.

The next morning, I had to get up bright and early to go to the doctor with my sister and my mom. I believe we were a little early getting to Savannah, so we went to the mall to get an Easter dress, and shop around to kill some time. After that, we made it to the Doctor, which went great. [my sister is having a baby in October]. We went and ate lunch, then headed home.
On the way home, we came back down Hwy 80 to get on Hwy 280. As we passed Sandhill rd, my mom said, "we should go pick up Travis." I really wanted to, but we all agreed that he needed to spend some time with his daddy. We made it home, and I called Jake to tell him that we were back from town. He said, " okay, well we're playing frisbee in the yard, so I call you later."
So I started cleaning up my room. I also started taking all of mine & his picture's down [remember I said we broke up], and putting all his stuff away. About fifteen minutes later, I heard the phone ring, and I heard my mother answer it. She came to my room, and gave me a weird look. After handing off the phone, she still stood in my doorway, and told me it's Donna.[Jake's mother].
I said hello, and all I heard was crying. Hysterically. I immediatly said, "what's wrong, what happened," & she said Jake and Travis have been in a wreck. I automatically start crying and flipping out. Donna could'nt even talk, so Gary [Jake's dad] got on the phone with me. He was trying his hardest to calm me down, bless his heart, but I could'nt even stand. He told me that Travis was fine, and I needed to go to the site and get him, and that he could'nt tell me anything about Jake. Of course I think the worst, that he was dead. My daddy, mom, and myself jumped in the car, and was at the site in five minutes. It happened at the intercetion of Hwy 80, and Hwy 280. The traffic was so backed up that we rode around the cars in the ditch and stopped where Cowart's cafe used to be. I immediately jumped out before daddy even got it in park, and started screaming, "where's my baby? Where's my baby?" I ran in the middle of the highway, and saw the truck. I started sobbing even more. The emt pulled me over and told me that I couldnt see them. They both were in the ambulance. She started naming off what was wrong with Travis...bleeding from the mouth, contusion behind his ear, big knot on his forehead, cuts all over him, bruises everywhere, laceration on the back of his head, etc. I started to lose it.  I asked about Jake, and they still wouldn't tell me anything. They both were in the same ambulance together. She told me that I could peek in there for a second. I looked around the door, and I lost it. My child was screaming looking so zoned out with blood all over him, all I could see of Jake was him laying on a stretcher with a neck brace on. There were so many people around him, that I couldn't even get a good look. I lost it even more, and due to that, I couldn't be in there with them. As I was standing to the side with my parents, I saw Jake's mom and dad pull up. Right when they got to us, they were transporting Travis to his own ambulance...on a stretcher with a neck brace on. He was crying his eyes out. I started sobbing. Donna got in Jake's ambulance, and they pulled away. They had to talk me into calming down before I got into the ambulance with Travis so that it didn't upset him even more. I thought to myself that I needed to be strong for him, so I pulled myself together and got in. We pulled off. As we were riding, I buckled up and started answering questions. The emt was hooking him up to monitors, as he was talking to me. I noticed that he was having a hard time staying awake. THAT worried me, because Travis never acts that way. Then I noticed his heart rate dropping. I saw that this made the emt VERy uneasy with him drifting in and out of sleep, so my automatic thought was that he was dying. My head started spinning. With every, "travis, wake up for me buddy," and every shake that he would give his little body, my head started spinning faster and faster. I couldn't take it anymore, I blurted out that I was about to pass out, and immediately had to lay down. As I lay there, I cried my eyes out. I had never felt such fear in my life.
Minutes later, we arrived to the hospital. We were rushed out, still trying to get him to wake up all the way. I was basically running beside the stretcher. They put him in a room, and got the doctors, and nurses. It was hectic for a few mintues, then it was calm. After a few mintues, it was just he and I. I was crouched over his bed, talking to him..praying, crying. At that moment, I realized that I was completely alone. I thought to myself, how in the world am I suppose to be strong for him, when I have no one here helping me?
My parents arrived, along with a friend. We all started crying when they got into the room. The trauma team came in and out, in and out. We were so desperate for answers. After about ten minutes, Donna came back there to see Travis. FINALLY, I heard about Jake. His hand was cut open, he had abrasions all over him, and his hip was hurting really bad. All I could think was, THANK GOD he's alive! Travis was calmed down a little bit, so I asked my mom and dad to stay with him for a few minutes while I went and seen Jake. I followed his mom, shaking so bad. When we turned the corner, I saw him lying on his stretcher in the hallway [the hospital was SO crowded], and I started crying again. I walked over to him, and hugged him for the longest time. We both bawled our eyes out. The first thing he asked was how Travis was, so I told him. He told me how the wreck happened, but my head was such a slush that I really wasn't even listening. He then told me that he was on his way to suprise me [I didnt even know he had been on his way], and give me my promise ring back. He told me to get it out of his pocket, and as I was trying the nurses made me get out of the hallway. So I told him I'd go back to Travis, and that I would check on him later.
I got back to Travis' room, where my mom and dad, and friend were waiting with him. He had stopped crying, but still looked so zoned out. Five minutes after I got back, Travis sit up and vomited EVERYWHERE. I freaked because it was SO much. The nurses came and grabbed him and moved him into another room, and gave him something for nausea. We sat and waited some more. Then he started complaining of his belly hurting. He was so pitiful. It broke my heart to sit and watch him hurt, knowing that there was nothing that I could do. He finally went back to X-ray, and then back to the ER. As we waited for hours, I was going back and forth between Jake's room and Travis'. Jake got his hands sewn up, and got medicine for his pain. He also went back to X-ray at some point of time. In the wee hours of the morning, we finally got moved to a room. Jake had also got moved into his own room on a different floor. I didnt get any sleep that night. I laid in the bed with Travis and just cried. I was so scared about what was going on with him. He didn't really sleep either. He has that awful neck brace on, and everytime he'd fall asleep he would jerk and then wake up crying.
The next morning, the trauma team came in with the results of the x-rays, and ct scans. Nothing was broken, thank the lord, however he did have fluid in his pelvis area, and a concussion. We ordered his breakfast and tried to get him to eat, he did. About fifteen minutes later, he was dry heaving all over the place, bless his heart. I noticed that he was really sleepy. Which wasn't like my Travis at all. I mean so tired that he couldn't even hold his head up. THAT worried me, so we went and got another set of x-rays and scans done. It all showed the same thing. EVerytime he would eat, he'd throw it up or start dry heaving.
When my family got there, I went to visit Jake. He seemed to being doing a whole lot better than the night before. He had breakfast, and was just resting. I told Donna & his Aunt to go get something to eat, that I'd sit with him. A few minutes later, he started throwing up. Turns out, he had a concussion also. After I knew he was okay, I went back down to Travis' room. Jake's Nana had arrived to visit with them, which meant the world to us. A couple of hours later, I got a call from Donna saying that the nurses were gonna let Jake come down and see Travis for the first time. It made my heart feel good knowing that they were gonna get to see eachother, but I was nervous to how Jake would react knowing that the wreck was his fault. Jake was wheeled down to the room, and the whole room was just automatically filled with love! We all were so thankful that they both were okay. Travis was more less acting the same way, really sleepy and just exhausted. After awhile of sitting and visiting, the nurses called Jake back to his room. Later that night, he got released. It killed him that he was going home, and his son was still in the hospital. He begged me to let him stay the night, but I knew he needed rest.




That night, Travis was finally able to keep some orange sherbert down! Thank God! I don't know if I could have handled anymore throw up. They tried to take his neck brace off, but he complained of his neck hurting, so they put it right back on him, and sent him down for more x-rays and scans. We slept a little better the second night than we did the first, but he was still so restless.
The next morning, the trauma team came in & evaluated him once again. They took off the neck brace, and said that if he kept down his food, then they would release him later that day. He ate his breakfast, and we waited & waited..he finally kept his food down! We were so excited. After three days, my sweet Travis got to go home. We were greeted by a bunch of friends, and family. We all are just so thankful that Jake and Travis both made it out alive.

The officers on the scene told me that they are LUCKY to be alive. Travis was in the front seat, in a booster seat. Which was basically a seatbelt! NEVER again! Right after the wreck happened, the first thing Jake did was jump out and grab Travis. Travis was sleeping when it all happened. What I didnt know until we were at the hospital was that Travis was actually knocked unconcious.


Night one. Still in the ER.

He was SO pitiful. Night one.

Jake. Night one

Night two. His Willie stayed by his side the whole time.

Day three. Neck brace is off and he is walking.
Where Travis' carseat was. Jake landed where the glove box was.
Drivers side. Jake's hip took out the console.

Travis was sitting in the passengers seat.



I just want to thank everyone that came to see him, that called, and that sent us messages showing us their concern. All the prayers that we recieved were appreciated so very much. An accident like this, shows just how much the power of prayer is. I don't know what I'd do without my son. I have never felt any pain like I did the night of the wreck. I know that I never want to go through something like this ever again. I truly believe that my sweet Granny was watching over both of them that day. Travis' life is such a blessing. You never know what day is gonna be your last. Don't take the people that you love for granted.

5.26.2011

Sunshine, Summertime & Veggies ;D

A few months ago, My daddy & Papa decided that they were going to plant a garden. After lots of money, and time, daddy's hard work has paid off! He has beans, potatoes, squash, tomatoes, & corn which isn't ready yet. We have cooked some of it, & I can tell you, there is nothing in this world like fresh veggies. Especially when they're cooked by my mama (:

We are so proud of our garden!!

We will have corn soon!

3.29.2011

The day my Granny got her wings.

On January 27th, 2011 my sweet Granny went to heaven. Most already know the story, and I definately don't have it in me tonight to re live it through my words, so I'll just say that I'm missing her. ALOT. Alot more than I realized that I would. She was my first Grand-parent to pass away. & Honestly, I have never felt any pain like that. She was a beauty, that's for sure. Her eyes were blue as the skies, and she used to clip her hair back in the front. I always loved that! Her smile could light up any room, and she was sweet as can be. She went through more than I could say or even imagine, five feet of conrete, and PURE SUGAR!. She loved her babies without a doubt. As well as her grandbabies. Lord knows she lived for us kids, she may not have gotten our names right everytime, but she knew who we were. <3 Every sunday for years, we would have what we called Granny day. Which consisted of us going out to eat, going to shopping to get her "tights," and then going to the nursing home to visit for a few hours. My parents did this for years, and I regret the sundays that I didnt go, whether it was because I didnt want Travis to catch an illness, or the selfish fact that I would'nt wake up early enough. I hate myself for that..
Now on some Sunday's we have a little Granny day & go visit her grave. Take her some flowers, clean up the leaves & straighten everything out. We talk to her. We know she can hear us. 
I want to share a little story about my nephew Kaleb when we go visit Granny at the cemetary. There is a small little grave right behind my Granny's, Thomas Brantley to be exact. We didn't know him, or his family, but he was four, and passed away back in the seventies. Well, everytime we go there, Kaleb knows that he was four, just as he is, and he goes and talks to him. He calls him "tommy," and says he's playing with him. It is SO moving.
I love going to the cemetary. I know that she really isn't there, but it's so very peaceful. Awhile back when she fell, and was hospitalized, she told my mother that she didnt know why "he" [God] didn't just take her. I can't remember what my mom replied back with, but she is with him now. I can just see her with her big beautiful wings. I know she's up there with her husband watching in awe at the family they created. I know they're proud. 


Her Beautiful Headstone that just arrived last week! Gorgeous!

"And I bless the day I met you, And I thank God that he let you, stay beside me for a moment that lives on. And the good news is I'm better for the time we spent together, and the bad news is..your gone."