Texas Lovin'

Since I kinda like this goofy guy, and this goofy guy kinda likes me, we decided we'd take a little trip for our five year anniversary!



So, off to Texas we went! We decided to go visit our good friends, Chad and Donna and their way cute girls, Keana and Kameha. We were in the big city of Brenham! Woot! Woot! We had fun just kickin' back and relaxing. I just have to say... I ABSOLUTELY LOVE TEXAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!







This is us at the house from the movie "Hope Floats". This house is soooo beautiful and it was so awesome to be there! Don't worry, we asked the owner if we could take pictures on his porch. He was very nice!



So, a great story about the next three pictures... we decided to go to SeaWorld in San Antonio. We get there and it's flippin' expensive to get in, right? So, the lady at the ticket booth tells us if we have a coca-cola or pepsi (can't remember which it was) product of any kind then we'll all get a good discount. Well, we didn't have anything... so... to the recycling garbage we went!!! And guess what?!?! Donna was the one who ended up getting the prize! We got a discount... but, still, even with the discount it was ridiculously expensive.





We, of course, HAD to feed the dolphins! They are so cute! I just wanted to pick one up and HUG IT!








Just playin' around at SeaWorld!




We stayed in San Antonio for a couple of days! I love San Antonio! It's such a fun city! We had a great time... minus the scorching heat. Ug.






We did the Riverboat Ride! It was so cool to hear about the history of San Antonio... the floods, the buildings, the roads, the river... it's all so fascinating. I really enjoyed this!




We also visited The Alamo. I loved being in the Alamo. I love history and I especially love being in a historical place and FEELING the spirit of the past there. This was a big highlight for me.



We visited Lake Travis. This lake is absolutely stunning! Just beautiful! If swimsuits don't suit you... there's a beach here that probably will. Nothing like going swimming in the nude. :(


This actually looked a lot cooler in person...











We didn't think to bring swimming suits, so Chad and Nic made the most of what they had. Nice thighs, ya'll!!!



Donna and I gathered seashells along the shore line. Donna is such a cute and thoughtful mommy! She wanted to get these for her little girls so I decided to help. It was incredible to see how tiny some of them are! Heavenly Father is in the details.




There was a HUGE biker group at the restaurant at Lake Travis. I asked one of them what the big ride was for (charity, fundraising, etc. etc.). Apparently it was just for fun! Hundreds of bikers, and their amazing custom bikes! Nic's a motorcycle man and he was droooooooling all over the place!







We stayed at a cute little Bed and Breakfast while we were out there. It was on a working-farm. It was really fun!




And to finish off the trip, we HAD to tour the famous Blue Bell Ice Cream Factory! Mmm, their ice cream is so creamy, so delightful! Keana looked so cute in her awesome hat! Nic and I had hats too... but we forgot to take a pic of us looking so stylish.

tHe lAst WeEk aNd-a-hALf...

Just wanted to post some pictures of what we've been up to the last while. Seems like I am generally writing down my deepest thoughts, so I thought I'd take a minute and put up some pictures that capture some cool memories, and some great fun, we've had recently...

One of my best friends, Wanda, Me (holding cute Keegan, who is my sisters nephew), and Nic. Yes, Nic has a stache on his face in honor of Mustache May. Ug. But, guess what??? IT'S GONE NOW! Now I love to kiss his hot face!



Braxton, Travis & Adrienne's other nephew, out cold on the CONCRETE basketball court. We all got an AWESOME laugh outta him!



Brother vs Brother. Nic and Jon played some awesome Volleyball at the BBQ!




Grayson had a blast finding all the bugs he could during the BBQ!



Kacey, yes! my YOUNGER brother, decided he wanted to wrestle. I was wasting him (wink, wink), so he decided to take matters into his own hands. He picked me up and did probably a good hundred FAST twirls. I thought I was going to puke.



So, then Nic decided to protect his princess (ha!) and he picked Kacey up and flipped him upside down! Eat that Uncle Bug!




Finishing OUR fight... but then he went on and attacked....



Travis and Adrienne (he just doesn't know when to stop!)



Then Nic and Kacey attacked my mom and held her "swing" style while they jumped on the trampoline. How's your back Mom?

... Needless to say, the BBQ was quite eventful... and fun!


Last Saturday, May 30th, Kacey, Crystal, my mom, and I went to a hospice butterfly release. It was beautiful. I thought I had great control of my emotions, but of course, when it came time to release my butterfly into heaven, my emotions for my sweet baby took over. I miss her so much. Yes, I still laugh and smile. Yes, Nic and I still go on dates and express our love to each other in many different ways... but we're still hurting. We still miss our girl. We always will.

This was my envelope with my monarch butterfly inside. Indian tradition has it if you whisper a message to the butterfly and release it, the butterfly will take your message to heaven and deliver it to your loved one. "Mercydez, Daddy and Mommy love you."



Mom and Crystal with their butterfly envelopes.



Kacey with his butterfly envelope.

The butterfly, free and getting ready to fly to heaven.



Crystal holding a piece of heaven in her hands.


Later, we spent some time chillaxin with some friends roastin' mallows and eating banana splits! Mmmmm!



Nic had a great time in a competition against Kacey... who could stack the most quarters on their elbows and catch them. I think Nic got up to 35. Kacey got to, like, 10. Ha! Just kiddin'.



Mmmm. Tasty.

Yesterday we spent the afternoon at Seven Peaks Waterpark with Travis & Adriennes nephews and niece and some friends/family. It was pretty fun! I haven't been feeling like myself because I've been dealing with some weird and very random health issues. I'm on some drugs that cause drowsiness and yesterday was my first day taking them. Wow. It was all I could do to stay awake. I was tempted to lay down on the concrete and take a nap (kinda like Braxton in the pic WAY up there). Regardless, it was fun to be out and about!


Crystal looking all model-ish while protecting our second tube... our first tube was STOLEN! What punks!


Our good friends Rhett and Tracy with their ADORABLE little girl, Sierra. She's so darn cute!


Nic and Braxton chillin' in the kiddie-pool. We've decided the kiddie-pool is our new favorite hangout... the water's warmer there.


Crystal, Makenzie (Nic and my niece), and Marin (Travis and Adrienne's niece). Don't they look like they're FREEZING? Well, they are. It wasn't super warm yesterday.






Travis hiding from the sun. Looks like he's have a fabulous time, eh?


Makenzie, Marin, and Nic getting ready to go on some slides! Wahoo!

I still have more pics I want to post, just for the memory, for the history. I am a picture person. I love to SEE the fun people are having.

PS I know there's some fancy way of compiling a bunch of pictures together so it takes up less space... but I guess I'm just not that cool. I like the bigger pictures.

Heaven

Today is Mercydez's 17 Month Birthday. Mmmm, how we miss you. It's amazing... even though you're spirit is no longer in your body, and you are no longer physically next to us, the tender mercies and the many miracles haven't ceased.

I remember going to one of my little brother's basketball games. It was up at the E-Center (I think) and we took our little Princess. Yes, we packed her and all of her many pieces of equipment, and off we went! It was just a few weeks before she passed away. I remember watching as a young man, who wore a jersey for the opposing team, got up during half-time to practice playing. From his movements, and from my perspective, it appeared as though this young man had Cerebral Palsy. Cheers were made for this young man every time he took a shot... every time he attempted anything, that for a "normal" person, would be easy. I had to look down at my little girl in my arms and say a silent prayer of gratitude.

Mercydez was diagnosed with severe CP.

I couldn't watch this young man continue to practice or I would have wept. Wept for gratitude, for joy, for an immense amount of love I couldn't express. That moment gave me hope for Mercy's future. A parents love, if allowed, is unconditional. I was never worried about if I would love my little girl, I was always worried if OTHERS would.

That moment gave me so much hope, though. Perhaps, one day, she would be that young person on the team. The one who never really gets to play, but is allowed the dream. Perhaps those around her would cheer for her, rather than mock her. In that moment, I was overwhelmed with love for those who chose to love another who is very different from them... this one was physically different, but equally worthy of love. This one could have been ignorantly and selfishly viewed as a "thorn in the side", but these wonderful people surrounding this young man looked outside themselves and saw that their love could change a person... and that persons love could change them.

I was, and still am, overwhelmed with gratitude for the tenderness and love shown. As a mother, I felt my heart melt. As a mother, I felt reassurace that things would be okay. Those who are closest to Heavenly Father have the ability to see past the physical hardships and differences. Those who are closest to Heavenly Father look at the heart. And because they do, they are forever changed for the better. And those they love are too.

As a mother of a "disabled" child, I thank those who so lovingly showed compassion to another.

This is what Heaven is going to be like.

In Memory

This Memorial Weekend has been beautiful. It's been very difficult for me, but I'm so grateful there is one day a year when the rest of the world "remembers". I will never, never forget my li'l princess. She is my hero. She is my inspiration. Everything I do, I dedicate to her. She makes me try my hardest to be better today than I was yesterday.

I am building a garden in my parents backyard, in her honor.

I am exercising EVERYDAY in her honor. I'm doing for her what she couldn't do for herself.

I am doing my best to serve those around me, in her honor.

I am being the best wife I can, in her honor. This girly loved her Daddy. I love her Daddy too, with all my heart. I have always wanted to be the best wife possible, she has just inspired me to try HARDER. I know she wants Mommy and Daddy happy.

Until my last breath, my life is in her honor.



I will never forget.