Sneak Peak Portraits

This past Friday we had our family pictures made for the holiday season...since Q will be deployed by then, I wanted to get them done now. I could not be more pleased with the results! Jenny did an amazing job and I'm dreading having to choose....Here's some of the faves right now...

Everyone's smiling...that in itself is amazing! This is definitely one of the best family portraits we've ever taken.

Me & My Soldier

Handsome Feller ain't he?

I love this picture of Mallorye...dreaming of her daddy.

And this one just about rips my heart out..Blake's eyes are like windows deep into his soul...how she captured that I'll never know.

Check out more of Jenny's work at Reflective Memories

Love, Unconditionally

**disclaimer; no wedding photos :( scanner down, so I had to use what I had in the laptop.

**ok, felt guilty...so I took a picture of my wedding pictures to put on this blog...they are super poor quality, but maybe you can see how young and naive' we were!! LOL!

Our love story begins nearly 17 years ago....back when it was the "cool" thing to do to cruise town on Friday and Saturday night and burn a tank of gas or two. That's when Quentin first laid eyes on me. I was 17, he was 23. He was cruising town with one of his buds (who I happened to know) and I was walking into Dodge's Chicken Store to get some gum...isn't this romantic?? He told the guy I was pretty and that he was going to marry me someday...his buddy politely informed him that I was a little young. End of story.

Enter his ex-girlfriend's mother. Friend of my family for a long time, but oddly enough, Quentin and I had never met. Our paths had somehow never crossed. She decides to set us up...I'm not sure of her logic, afterall, this was her daughter's former beau. I stood him up 3 times before I finally went out with him. I still can't believe my parents even let me, but they did. He was so nice and polite....I wish I could say that I fell in love then, but I didn't. I did however, fall in lust. Which is how Mallorye came along.

I thought my life had ended, but man oh man...it had really just begun. From the beginning Quentin has loved me. And loved me unconditionally. Even when I didn't love him. Even when I wasn't loveable. Even when I was downright mean. We had Mallorye. Married. And began the trials of marriage. I had alot to learn! I failed on almost every test, but he just kept on loving me. Mallorye may have taught me what love was...but Quentin has taught me HOW to love. He does it so well, that I sometimes take it for granted.

Quentin supports me in everything that I venture out to do....whether it be singing on our Praise Team or competing for Mrs. Arkansas...he's always my #1 fan. He helps me around the house...much more than I give him credit for...but he doesn't mind washing dishes, laundry, or even scrubbing floors. He understand that I need girlfriend time and he makes a way for that to happen. We may not have alot of money, but we are rich in love....all because I have a husband that refused to give up on me. Quentin fought for us, even when he was the only warrior. I'm so thankful!

He's a wonderful father and I love seeing him interact with his kids. That's something I missed dearly while he was in Iraq....having him beside me at the ballgames...cheering the kids on. He has such a playful side with them (and brings that out in me).

On August 8th we'll celebrate 16 years. The first 10 were ....nearly impossible...it's a wonder any of us made it out alive. The next 3 were hard. The last 2 have been wonderful!! I finally know how to love and can accept the love that Quentin has been trying to show me for so long.

Happy Valentine's baby....I love you to the very depth of my soul!

Check out Andrea's blog for more love stories and while you're there...write your own!

My Little Man

Blake has always been my snuggler. When he was a baby he would nestle into the nook in my neck....now, as a 12 year old, he still crawls up in momma's lap and snuggles. We have unique bond. I'm not sure, but it may come from the early years being in and out of the doctor's and hospitals.

Blake is the nurturer in the family (even more than I am) and is extremely tenderhearted. He never wants to hurts someone's feelings, and is very compassionate. He's one of those that doesn't understand when you don't empty your wallet to help someone less fortunate...but don't let that tender exterior fool you.

He is all boy! He loves sports of every kind....baseball, basketball, football, soccer, even racquetball...and he's good at all of them. I've never seen Blake pick up a ball he didn't know what to do with. He's also an avid outdoorsman. Fishing and hunting. This year he killed his first deer and duck.

We're just entering our teen years with Blake and they are proving to be a bit challenging. Just this week we had an incident that landed him in "groundedville." but I seen the repentance in his eyes...that's what I love about him. He does everything wholeheartedly...if he's sorry...he's genuinely sorry. If he's playing basketball...he plays with all heart.

All heart, that's my Blake....and no doubt, he'll break many along the way and comfort twice that much.

I Loved You First

I thought in honor of Valentine's Day, I would post about the people in my life that I dearly love over the next few days. I'm starting with my daughter, Mallorye...the person I loved first.

Mallorye came at a time in my life that was completely unexpected....I had the world by the tail, or so I thought....my senior year of high school. I remember holding this tiny little girl with a head full of hair for the first time and wondering what in the world I was doing?? She taught me unconditional love....she gave it to me first...trusting me for everything, loving me in spite of my unloveable ways, smiling at me when I felt like screaming. Then, slowly, I loved her back. The first person that I truly loved without reservation....expecting nothing in return.

I'm so thankful that God chose to turn my mourning into dancing! Mallorye is definitely the music that fills my heart. She has such an exuberance for life and a servant heart. Opinionated. Head strong. Intelligent. Free spirit. There are so many sides to her that I get dizzy just thinking abou it all. She loves her Jesus more than anything. She's not afraid to stand up for her beliefs and to be different. I think she actually likes being different! Her friends are as varied as the colors of the rainbow....she makes no preference...rich or poor, athletic or nerd...doesn't matter to her. She just loves people. Oh, she can get under my skin and don't even get me started on her housekeeping ability (her room should be declared a health hazard!)...but I can't help but love her. Afterall, Mallorye taught me to love.

She wants to change the world. I know she will! She started long ago when she changed me.

Christmas Update & Pictures

Wow! I just realized that I haven't blogged since before Christmas and here it is, about to be the New Year!! (*gasp)So, how about a recap??!

We spent the Saturday before Christmas with my family...just eating and hanging out. Blake guessed the right number, thus winning our family a box of homemade fudge! Oh man, it was yummy!!


This is my little sister (she's 27) and her kids...nothing like a little race of the human horses to stir up some laughs.

Christmas Eve was spent with Quentin's parents. Christmas morning was reserved just for Quentin, Me, and the Kids. Don't you love that "I just woke up to open my presents look?"

Blake received a ton of hunting stuff to feed his new obsession and Mallorye got some kewl new things to update her room (like paper lanterns in hot pink, and black and white). Of course there was the ever present clothes and candy!! Quentin got me an IPOD shuffle (I was wanting one so I could use it to run on the treadmill...no excuses now!) and I pulled off the ultimate gift...surprising Q with tickets to see the Transiberian Orchestra!!

Later, we headed to my grandmas for lunch and to spend some time with my dad. He's the one in the middle that looks scared!


The kids...Blake and Mallorye in the back...and my sister's boys in the front...Caleb and Daniel.

Oh...back to the TSO concert...that was this past Saturday and it totally rocked!! If you ever get the chance to see them it is totally worth the money. Complete sensory overload...lights, lasers, fire, fireworks, moving stage, orchestra, narrator, incredible violinist! It was just awesome. My best friend from high school, Amy, was also there with her family. We don't get to hang out as much as we'd like...she has four kids and I have two and someone always has something to do...so we ate supper at Corrino's after the concert.


Me & Amy

Me & Quentin....Surprise complete!

That's it! In a nutshell...sort of!