We Moved!

Back in June 2015 we put our house we had been living in for the past seven years up for sale.

We had been wanting to move for a while and just finally made the decision to do it. We needed more space. It was such a pain trying to get the house decluttered and cleaned to be able to show at a moments notice. There were many days/nights we drove around Troy. I mean y'all, there are only so many places you can drive around Troy, it got old real quick. But hey, if it meant someone was going to buy our house then I would drive for hours. In the meantime we had been looking at a few houses that we liked. We finally put in an offer on another house contingent on the sale of our house. It took our house around three months and it finally sold. Those three months seemed like forever!

We had only 3 days to get out of the house...ahhh!! We had a few things packed up already but still had tons to do. We rented a huge U-Haul and got things moved out.

It took Rob half a day just to get everything out of the attic. Not only did we have to get everything out of the house we had to clean the house too. I mean I couldn't leave the house a mess. We got everything packed up and moved out in 3 days. We worked non-stop for 3 days until it was done. Talk about tired, we were worn out!
The kids loved the U-Haul. Jack wanted to drive it and Alice just had to check things out.

We said goodbye to our old house that held so many precious memories. This is the first house we purchased as a married couple, the first house we brought both of our kids home to and the only house that my mom was here to see and enjoy. Lots of memories. It was a little sad and exciting all at the same time.

We are absolutely loving our new house. We have so much more room and we love our new location. It's all been a little bittersweet. It has been so hard going through all of this without my mama here. There have been so many times I watned to pick up the phone to tell her what is going on or to ask her what I should do. She would absolutely love our new house! The new house is still a work in progress. It's hard to get things done with two little ones constantly needing and wanting your attention. We are definitely more settled but still have lots to do. I just have to say I never plan to move again, moving is for the birds.
Here is a little comparison photo. The photo on the left is us in 2008 when we bought our first house, the picture on the left is when we bought our new house in 2015. Just a little bit has changed in those few years!! I am so excited to watch my family grow in our new home for many years to come!! I am blessed!!

My Babies

Jack is now 4 1/2 and Alice is 22 months. Y'all, they are so much fun! Jack is turning into a little boy and wanting to do lots of things by himself without any help. I do love that, but the mama in me is a little sad because my first born is growing up. He talks all the time and is constantly telling us about something or asking questions. He has a great imagination and is so funny. He is super smart and always loves learning. He is so sweet and thoughtful. He remembers everything so if you don't want him to know something don't tell him because he will remember it months from now. He is definitely a mama's boy when it comes to snuggling and bedtime, but is a daddy's boy when it comes to playing and rough housing. He is all boy and so much fun!!

Our Alice girl is growing way too fast. She is talking all the time now. She says everything is "mine" and wants to try and do things herself. She absolutely adores her big brother and wants to do everything and I mean everything he does. She definitely has an attitude and it comes out when she doesn't get her way. Jack was and still is so laid back, i guess that's a boy thing, and Alice is a little feisty, definitely a girl thing. She has the sweetest little voice. She is a mama's and a daddy's girl. That girl loves her daddy. She is starting to try and count, she loves to color. She is definitely turning into a little girl and not so much a baby any more. She loves her baby dolls, she loves putting on pretend make-up, she loves jewelry and loves shoes!! She loves to be rocked at night and is a great sleeper! She is a lot of fun these days.

After we had Alice, our lives got so much crazier. Having two kids definitely rocked our world at first, it took some adjusting...ha! As crazy as our life seems right now and will be in the years to come, I am trying to soak up and savor all of these crazy days. One day my kids will be grown up and not need us as much anymore. I have definitely realized lately how fast these years are passing by. As fun as it is to watch my kids grow, it makes me a little sad. I love the sweetness and innocence of these ages, I don't want my kids to know any bad or meaness in this world. I pray everyday that I can raise my kids to the best I know how and pray they will take that with them as they grow.

A New Year...most difficult post I have ever written

So I haven't posted in a while. Life just got too busy. Let's see I haven't posted since Mother's day of 2014 and here we are about to head in to 2016.

2014 was a good year for us, we had our baby girl Alice in March 2014 and Jack turned 3 in September of 2014.

2015 was one of the most difficult years EVER and in ways I am glad to see it go. In January of 2015 we found out the cancer that my mother had been battling for eight years was getting no better and that she had decided against any more treatment. As hard as that was to hear, her body just couldn't take it any more and she wanted to enjoy what time she had left with those she loved. The weekend of Valentine's Day we had a girls weekend in Monroeville. We had such a great time talking, laughing, watching home videos from our childhood and most of all just being together.

In March of 2015 our Alice girl turned 1. Although mom didn't feel up to coming, we got to talk to her over the phone and my dad was able to come help celebrate.

After Alice's first birthday things were taking a turn for the worst with mom. They decided to call hospice in to make things easier. Me and my sisters went home as much as we could.We are forever grateful for my mom's best friend and our Aunt Ty for always being at mom's side. During this time as my mom's health was deteriorating, my dad's health rapidly went down and he was rushed to the ER in Monroeville and then transported to Birmingham. He is doing much better now. Me and my sisters were going through so much at this time.
In the early morning of April 12, 2015 our mother peacefully passed away. We were all at home. We were able to tell mom multiple times how much we loved her and just be by her side.

My mom is such a part of me. I'm so used to calling her several times a day just to talk and tell each other about our days. If I needed any advice she was my go to person. I feel absolutely LOST without her.  Up until just a couple of days before she passed away, she could still talk to us and tell us she loved us. So much has been going on in our lives that I have just wanted to pick up the phone and tell her about, so many moments she is missing. Although she is not missing them, she is just viewing them from a different place. In lots of ways, you want to ask why, why did this happen to our mother?! Why did this happen to one of the best people I know?! There is no answer. God is the only one who knows why! As much as I miss her and want her here, I am thankful to have had 34 years with her. I think what makes me so incredibly sad is that my babies will not know what a truly AMAZING MaeMae they had. They will know from us talking about her and from pictures but they will not truly get to experience the MaeMae that my mother wanted to be. Life is different now and it always will be. But I rest in the fact we will see her again one day. She is free from her pain and suffering. I am thankful for my sisters, I am thankful for my precious daddy. I am thankful for my husband and children who keep me going every day.

"When you die, that does not mean that you lose to cancer, You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and in the manner in which you live" ~Stuart Scott~
Our mother was one of those extraordinary people. She had faith and lots of it, she knew where she was going.

It is now on to a new year. As my sister Sara said over on her blog, it will be tough because this will the first full year without our mother. We just have to hold onto our faith and each other and we will make it through.

This year Jack will turn 5 and Alice will turn 2. My where does the time go?! They keep us so busy and are so much fun.
Hopefully I can do better blogging in 2016 to keep friends and family updated!