20 Months Old

Hello Everyone,

Today my grandson is 20 months old. I can't believe that he is getting so big. Just a cute little story then a video for your entertainment. My daughter called me the other day and said "I think Ray is ready to be potty trained." I said "Why?" She replied "He followed his dad into the bathroom and copied what he was doing. He pulled it out and then put it back in." So after laughing I said "Yeah it's time". She said "Oh I'm not done, after they came back into the living room and he sat down to play a little bit, he stood up, pulled it out and then peed right there on the spot." lol He has been telling us for a couple of months now that he has peed in his diaper. He has patted his butt and said "caca". So I think it is definitely time. He is right on time because I have read that 18 - 24 months is the ideal time to do it.

Ok on to the video. Yesterday Summer, Ray and I had lunch together. I met them at the restaurant and we were having a good time. We noticed that Ray was dozing off. Now when his mother was young she would walk in her sleep. We always had to make sure that the doors were locked so that she couldn't get out. She now sleeps against the wall so that she has to climb over her husband if she walks, that way she will wake him up and he can monitor her like we use to do. Now Ray talks in his sleep. LOUD. He also, it seems, eats in his sleep.

Sorry about the turning of the video. Yes he is trying to eat the end of the table. He never did wake up. lol Oh and by the way right after that we went and got his hair cut. lol Until next time


Have a blessed day!

Photo Story Friday - Football Hat

Hello Everyone,


Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek
Well it has been a while since I have participated in Photo Story Friday! I've missed doing it. Today I want to call your attention to an Easter picture I posted, well I posted it after Easter.



Do you see his Easter basket? It's a football. For quite sometime now Ray has been pushing in the handle of his football Easter basket and wearing it.



We can't ever get a picture of him wearing it but finally the other day my daughter managed to sneak one. How in the world was she able to sneak it? Well as you can see he was totally engrossed in eating Cheerios. lol Food is the only thing that keeps him occupied enough to where you can sneak up on him. lol

Hop over to Cecily's and MamaGeek's blogs to see other participates' Photo Story Friday!


Have a blessed day!

Puppy Love

Hello Everyone,

I thought I would show a few videos of Ray with our other little man Chico. When we first brought Ray to our house Chico was all over him. Smelling him, licking his fingers. He couldn't get enough of him. He also is very protective of him. Now that Ray is bigger they are so cute to watch. When Ray sees me or his Paw he's always saying Chi-chi. Then he'll just come out of the blue and say 'I love Chi-chi'. He is just too cute. So I hope you enjoy them. Sorry for the moving, shaking and shortness of these videos. I have to sneak and take them because if they think anyone is watching they stop.

This first one is when Ray was about 3 or 4 months old.

The following video is more recent. Ray is kissing and loving on Chico. Again sorry for the awkward positioning but as I said I have to get these the best way I can. lol



Ray giving Chico a quick hug.



This one doesn't have Chico in it but Rays laughing is just so cute I included it. He and his dad are playing with a box. lol I think Ray was around 5 or 6 months here.




Here's a little listening pleasure - Puppy Love by Donny Osmond. lol

Go to folder - FileFactory.com

One more thing - I am nearing my 200th post. So I will be having a giveaway. My 100th post was the same day as the One World One Heart Event so that was basically my giveaway for that. So come back on Thursday and enter my giveaway! Until next time

Have a blessed day!

Isaiah 40:30-31

Hello Everyone,

This Bible verse is very special to me and my family. You all know that I have a grandson named Ray, well what you may not know is that he is named after my brother. My brother passed away in 1988 from a head injury he got in a car accident when he was 17. You can read this post if you want it is about remembering my brother Ray. Here is the verse:

Isaiah 40:30-31 (King James Version)

³⁰Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

³¹But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

I can't really remember who gave this verse to my family during the time my brother was in his coma. It could have been my old classmate Coach Billy Hughes, who later was a teacher who relayed to my daughter about his coming to pray for my brother. It might had been the man who came with him. It might have been a speaker that was in town and heard about my brother. He came to the hospital being a survivor of a brain injury himself. He was a walking miracle and a preacher.

We were so close to the Lord. I could feel his presence with me at all times. I KNEW he was in me. He has never left me. But I have left him. Though my family all loved the Lord and worshiped him when my brother died a little of us all died with him too. A friend once told us that a lot of people were questioning their faith when my brother died. We all just knew he was going to make it.

My family slowly migrated away from church. Although we all loved the Lord, we still prayed to him and knew Jesus Christ was our savior. Still we weren't living the life anymore. I have slowly been getting back to where I was with the Lord. When I was sick I seeked him a lot and here I am, still here. I know that he is with me and that he blesses me continuously. There is no way I can deny that with every thing I have been through.

Isaiah 40:30-31 is a special verse for my family. It seems like when things aren't going well or when we need a little something from the Lord this verse pops up. We call it Ray's verse. Well it has happened to me a couple of times. I've been just living my life, going about my day and then there it is. I consider it always a good sign when I see or hear this verse. It usually makes me smile.

So Wednesday as I walked into church I was handed a leaflet that has all the Bible verses and a few fill in the blanks that we do during church. I sat down and started talking and didn't even look at the sheet until the preacher started preaching. At that time I just followed along never looking ahead. As I was sitting there my mind began to drift. I was looking around and you know that old doubt comes into your mind. I was wondering am I suppose to be here at this church.

Now I love this church. Before I started going here my spirit was telling me to attend this church. It had literally told me for years to attend this church. I finally listened to it. So as I was wondering if I should be there, it was time to turn the page of the leaflet. I turned the page. When I turned the page and looked at it. I was flabbergasted. I felt overwhelmed. I felt like standing up and praising God and crying. As I turned that page wondering if I am suppose to be where I was this is what I seen:

Isaiah 40:30-31 (King James Version)

³⁰Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

³¹But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

I got my answer! Until next time

Have a blessed day!

Remembering My Brother Ray!

Hello Everyone,

Well today it has been 20 years since my brother Ray passed away. I have been meaning to tell you about him since I started my last blog, but it's just kinda hard to do it. I'm just gonna blog like I'm writing to him, that's about the only way I can bring myself to do it without crying here at work.



TWENTY years! It hurts to think that you have been gone that long. You have missed out on all of our children. You only knew Tash and Tony. I know you loved them and loved playing with them. You would absolutely love all of the other kids. There's Matthew Ray, Dakota Andrew, Nikki LaShae, India Megan, Steven, Larissa Desirae, Steven James, and Keely Shay. All your nieces and nephews know about you. Now you have a great nephew Ray. I have often wondered about your children and what they would have looked like and been like. We have missed so much, you have missed so much.

If only you hadn't died. What would it be like? I try to think of what you might look like. Who you might have married. How many kids you might have had. It's just so sad and unfair that your life was cut so short. It was an awful time for us after you died. We were so positive that you would live. We had our faith in God. We thought the peace we felt was because you were going to live. We were so angry when you did die. We were hurt and mad. If it hadn't been for God in our lives there's no way we could have handled it.

When you died you were all alone in that cemetary. Not for long, Mrs. Hacker joined you just two months later, when you died she kept saying it should have been her. Then Polly Tucker who also loved you, she was buried in the memorial building facing your grave. Now you know that Grandma and Grandpa are with you, Uncle Paul, Uncle Joe, Uncle Troy and Uncle Junior have all passed. You have lots of company now. And just last year Kristy passed away. I know there are others but those are just a few that come to mind.

Please know that you are never forgotten. Every gathering, every dinner, every day - you are always a part of it and always will be. It's been TWENTY years but the hurt still seems like that day. You are always in my heart, mind, thoughts and life.

I better go now I am getting teary eyed and still have a lot to do here. I love you little brother and always will! I'll miss you forever.

Have a blessed day!

Valerie