Some Special People (part 1)

So last night after I was woke up at 2 A.M., I couldn't go right back to sleep so I started thinking about a good new blog that would be positive instead of negative, which at the time I was SOOO thinking negative! :) I decided that I was going to write a series of blogs about special people in my life that really just make my life better because they are in it. I am going to do one of these each week to reflect who has really impacted my life that week. :) So here are this weeks!

1. Kinsley Fipps (And Jenn :)) She is so so so funny and so happy!! She is content to just be passed around because everyone wants to hold her and she just makes me smile! I am so glad I have been able to get to know Jenn and Corey and little Miss Kinsley :) And look at that cute face...how can you not love her?!?!

2. Morgan Ann :) This little girl makes me smile like none other! I can be having an awful day and just seeing that sweet little smile she gets when she sees someone she recognizes just makes my day! She is so happy and so fun! I hope I have a little girl that is as out going as her at 1! :) And that smile makes my heart melt! And if you ask her momma or really anyone that has been around us...she knows she can come to Aunt Leigh Leigh and get what she wants :)

3. Seth Jones I could write a novel about this guy...He came to Faulkner the year after I did and we became friends...the friendship grew and grew and before long we were best friends. He became the person I talked to about everything because I knew he wasn't judging me. Well 2 years later he left and I was so sad. Well we kept in touch and he has come back to Faulkner this past fall so he could finish up. I was so excited. He is just one of those people that it is hard to be in a bad mood around. And he will do everything in his will to try and make me feel better and laugh! And most of the time he succeeds!

4. My Nate :) Last but certainly not least is Nathan :) He has been great this week. He has just listened to me vent and that is so nice. Sometimes I don't want advice on how to handle things I just want to vent! A lot of people don't understand that and so it's a little frustrating at times but I know that sometimes that is why people vent. But I love him for putting up with my moods and mean words sometimes and still loving me back :) I am a pretty lucky girl.

So stay tuned for next week special people :)

(And please don't be offended if you didnt make this weeks post! I just don't want to have a NOVEL for everyone to have to read...and they won't come back for more. :))

SICKNESS!

I absolutely HATE being sick! I hate it hate it hate hate it!!! But last Tuesday I woke up with the worse feeling throat and I thought...oh it will be fine..I have a little cold and in a couple of days I will kick it! Nothing too serious that would keep me down and out! Little did I know then....

So Tuesday about 10 I came on in to work because it was coming up on one of our biggest scholarship days and there was stuff that needed to be done....well after being here for just a short while and talking to Keith we decided I would just take the rest of the day. So I took the rest of the day and Nana and Papa were in town so I spent the afternoon with them and Louise, she took off also! :) It was fun and I didn't feel all that bad by this time....that soon would pass.

Wednesday I woke up and it wasn't really any better so I decided just to stay in bed and get better.

Thursday I woke up and decided I would try to make it at least half a day and so I came in work at about 11. That day was pretty productive getting everything ready for Scholars Day.

We had a snow day on Friday so I was taking that day to my advantage and getting some extra rest. And I did just that...I stayed in bed a majority of the day and still felt horrible.

Well Saturday morning rolled around and I got up to get a shower and got that "feeling". That feeling I know oh too well from before of the "I'm about to pass out in the shower" feeling and just wishing I had brought my phone in the bathroom with me...you would think that I would have learned my lesson the last time but NO! So I sit down and open the shower curtain to get some fresh air...and well lets just say that passing out didn't happen but I would've rathered that then throw up...which happened next. That was it for me...my stubbornness had subsided and I was ready to go to the dr. So as soon as Laurie got home I got ready and we went to try to go to the dr. Well NONE of them opened before 9. So we went back home and I crawled back in bed til 8:45. We got there right as it opened and well IT WAS PACKED and HOT in the waiting room. I was in 3 layers and before long I got "that feeling" again and started striping off layers in the waiting room. At first I thought I was going to pass out and all I wanted to do was lay on the floor and well Laurie was NOT going to let me lay on that nasty floor. And besides if I passed out maybe that would move me ahead in the line right?!?! Sometimes you just gotta take one for the team!! After the pass out phase passed, I knew what was coming next. I was trying to scan the room for a bathroom and the only one was OUT OF ORDER! GREAT! Just my luck! So then Laurie gets up and and starts yelling at the ladies to get her a blue bag...I was about to throw up and I needed it. So finally I got my blue bag and luckily...if that works here...I just had dry heaves...which well still hurts just as bad and is still just as embarrassing!

Finally we got called back and the woman was so nice. The temperature difference was about 20 degrees cooler in the back than in the front. It was a nice change of pace except I was having chills now. So we get back to the "symptoms room" as I like to call it. She ask me when my last cycle was and on my birth control I have very light to none every month. (In case you are wondering...No it never worries me because I know that is what it's supposed to do AND I'M NOT HAVING SEX...That is a key point here...but I guess most single 24 yr olds are :)) And I go over all my symptoms; sore throat, a little nauseated from the drainage, headache, and a very low temperature for a day. She looks at me kinda funny and ask, "Are you pregnant?" Well me and Laurie both laugh. I look at her and say, "If I am I know a couple people that are going to be pretty ticked! My boyfriend for starters!! And NOT because its his!!" She laughs and we go on talking about my symptoms...and she looks at me again and says, "ARE YOU SURE YOU AREN'T PREGNANT??" By this point I am like YES I AM SURE I AM NOT PREGNANT!....and Laurie is sitting there saying, "Leigh if you are this is a VERY BAD way and weekend to tell me!! :)".

So finally after I get that through her head we get to go to a room. She comes in the room and says someone will be with us shortly to take blood. My face went white...I was a little panicked since the last time we were at pri-med and had to have blood taken the guy that TRIED to get it, TRIED 6 TIMES AND STILL COULDN'T!! I was in so much pain and miserable! But this time I was just hoping it was a girl...and about that time she walked back in and said it would be her that was going to be taking the blood. I was still nervous but I just looked the other way and she got it on the first try. :) I was REALLY happy about that! A few minutes passed and the Dr. came in and told me that the blood samples came back fine and it looked and sounded like I had an upper respiratory infection....(side note here is that this SAME TIME LAST YEAR-Valentines day-I had this SAME THING!!)...and that I needed to get my prescription and be in bed for the next 48 hrs. So that is exactly what I did. :)

So fast forward to say that I am finally back among the land of the living and feeling ok today. ;)
Just thought some of you might enjoy that little story :)

The Blog I've Wanted to Write for a LONG Time! :)

Well it's been a long time coming for this blog! I am so excited I just can't hardly stand it! So let me just start from the beginning!

This past month has been crazy for me! I have been getting over Christmas, and preparing for Jewels. It's an all girls youth rally that Faulkner hosts, that I have to plan every detail with the tremendous help of my co workers Erin and Molly! It was the weekend of the 22nd. That took every bit of my focus! In the midst of that, my best friend Taylor's husband came home from Afghanistan. Saturday the 30th was spent cleaning to get my house back to where I could live in it! So on Sunday the 31st it was going to be just as busy! Nathan and I left right after church Sunday morning and went to Newnan to meet his parents and sister for his sisters birthday lunch! We got there and ate at Ruby Tuesday then walked around and shopped for alittle bit with them, then it was back to Montgomery. :) We got back just in time to make it for church.

Mom and Dad had come in to spend a few days with us and celebrate Louise's birthday! Dad and Dirt walked into church and mom, Laurie, and Louise were all trying to finish up a 31 party that Laurie had that Sunday afternoon. (They all walked in a few minutes later! :)) So after church we decided that we would go to Jason's Deli (Louise's favorite restaurant) to eat. It was fun and Seth, Kesha, and Devin joined us for dinner! After dinner we went to Louise's house and just hung out for a little bit. After everyone left, the family was just sitting there and Laurie and I were about to leave. Louise got up and said she had been working on a new project and she wanted us to look at them. At that point I wasn't thinking anything was up because Louise is crafty and creative and always trying new things. So we all get our card (attached below!) and all start reading it....I look around and see Mom and Laurie's faces and I just scream at Louise.... "ARE YOU KIDDING ME????" And at that point I knew she wasn't! I was so excited....I started crying, of course, and just hugged her and Dirt! She was very creative with the way she told us!

So now is part to gush about how spoiled this precious child is going to be and where I ask you all to keep Louise, Dirt and our precious new baby in your prayers! Our parents have told us from the beginning that they were praying for us before we were ever thought of and I know that is true. And i know Louise and Dirt have been praying for this little one! Louise is going to be the BEST mommy and we have all known it since she was about 12 and babysitting. She was meant to be a mom! :) If there were ever 2 people that were made to be parents, they are it. they are precious with Morgan and I know that no matter what sex, they will be so excited!! (Even though I selfishly REALLY want a little girl!! :))

These are just a few pictures that I think are appropriate!

This is totally Louise's child!

And I just thought this was too cute :)

This is where he is his father's child! LOL

And well this is fitting because this will be the closest holiday to his/her birthday!! :)

SO there is my BIG news!!! I AM GOING TO BE AN AUNT!!! YAY!!

New Year....and beyond!

So it's a new year and a new beginning in a way. I love the beginning of a new year...I feel like I can start over in a sense. It is crazy that it is 2010! I still can't believe it and its been 19 days into already!!! A lot has already happened in 2010! Here is a recap of some things!

• I celebrated New Years Day with Laurie and Nate...the same way I have for the past 3 years!


• Louise has had her birthday!! YAY! :)


• I FINALLY HAVE A NEPHEW!! Lisa had Braden on Saturday the 17th! He weighed 7lbs 7 oz! He is precious!!


• Lisa had her first birthday as a momma!!


• Jessica is 9!! WOW I can not believe how fast time flies!! I remember Gin-Gin being pregnant with Jess and her being born! Crazy how 9 years flies! People always told me growing up that time would fly by the older I got and well now that I am approaching my 25th birthday this year...well lets just say boy I believe them now!


• I am approaching my first REALLY big Faulkner event that I planned! JEWELS!!! (With the help of Erin of course! :)) I am really nervous and I hope we have a great turn out!!


• I have new friendships and rekindled old ones :)


• I have realized how lucky I am to be living in the United States of America! My best friend's husband got home from Afghanistan on Saturday...and well I consider Blake and Taylor part of my family. I am so glad he made it home and I know Taylor is loving him being here....even if it is only for 2 weeks then he will go back to Afghanistan til July! Please keep him and all the troops in your prayers!!


• And last but certainly not least...I have remember just how truly blessed I am! I am so thankful for everything I have and I want to make 2010 the best year yet!!

Hope this is a good enough update!! JEWELS is this weekend so I will post more next week to tell all about it! And I will post about my weekend at the Lake! :)

It's been a while I know....

...so I decided I should probably get back into this whole blogging thing! I know I have been out of the swing of things but I think it will be a good thing for me to get back in the habit of doing! So I am going to start out by blogging about CHRISTMAS!!!!!! (For those of you that do not know me very well....well Christmas is my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE time of the year!) I am happier this time of year than I am most of the year....and yes Louise I know I should be happy all the time :P. But there is just something about getting a REAL tree and digging out all, and when I say all I mean all, of our Christmas stuff!! One thing my mom handed down to all three of us is our ability to collect more Christmas stuff than anything else! I mean seriously it took me and Laurie a FULL week of decorating with some help from Louise, Dirt, and Nathan on occasion! :) But even though I do not love devoting a whole week to it, after its done I am so excited and happy its out I find myself going to bed smiling and even getting up smiling when I walk by the living room and see the lights are on from the tree! I JUST LOVE IT!!!

And I love, LOVE buying gifts for Christmas! I always try to see if I can get the best presents....especially for Laurie and Louise! It is so fun to listen actively from about July on (the reason for July is bc honestly we start shopping off QVC in July because of the Christmas in July special they run...and well we got it honest from my dad's side of the family...its only right! :)). SO needless to say I am always so excited about getting their presents! But this year I am most excited about Dad's present from Me and Nate :) I can't write it on here like I did last year because Dad has a blog now but I am super excited about opening gifts there this year!

I also love going to look at all the Christmas lights! They are so much fun and I just love it! I like to take a cup of hot chocolate and bundle up and go look at all of them! Don't worry after I look at them I will blog more and with pictures! :)

Well I guess that is it for today! I am really excited about Girls' Night tonight at Kim's house for our ornament swap! It is so fun! :) I promise I will be better about blogging! :)

****16 days til CHRISTMAS!!!!****

My New Thing....

...is working with the prison ministry! I had been thinking about it for a while and decided that the next training class I would go to it...so i did. I was a bit nervous but Louise, Dirt, Nathan and Kristen all were going too so it made me feel a little bit better! The training class was interesting to say the least!



After about 3 weeks Mrs. Karen got in touch with Louise and told her that I was good to go and I could start going with Louise when I wanted to. So I told Louise I would go with her the next time she went...well she had to fill in for someone that next week so I was on my way to my 1st trip to Tutwiler!



Well June 30th came and I was SUPER nervous! Oh man was I nervous!!! But I loaded up with Louise and Michelle Latham and we headed to Wetumpka! I was getting an ulcer I was getting so nervous! So we got there and it all started and it was GREAT (even though one woman walked up to me at the end of class and told me I looked SUPER nervous...and well I had to admit I was!!!!)!!! I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Louise's lesson and putting my 2 cents in where I felt it was needed. it was wonderful! All the ladies just love all of the New Life Behavior women that come and especially "Black Molly" AKA Mrs. Elizabeth! :)

It was an amazing experience for me and I really think this is going to help me to grow stronger and delve deeper into the Bible...because those women READ THEIR BIBLE and will challenge you to everything and want to know your opinion of a verse and I don't like to be unprepared which I know sometimes you will be but I want to have some kind of knowledge! I am very encouraged by these women and please keep all of them in your prayers! Some of them have families that wont speak to them and that never have visitors so we really are all they have and we are responsible for teaching them about the Bible. So please just keep this ministry in your prayers. I am sure I will have some good stories for you later!

Things I am Thankful for...

My dad wrote a blog similar to this last week sometime and I was reading it and it struck a cord with me...and boy have I needed a little wake up call to really how truly blessed I am....so in an attempt to be like my daddy I am going to list somethings I am so very thankful for.

First and foremost I am thankful for God and Jesus. I am so very thankful for my loving and forgiving Father. And our Savior that went to the cross for all of our sins. I would be nothing without Him.
I am so extremely thankful for my family. I have been so blessed to have the most amazing parents that have taught me so many lessons and that with God ANYTHING truly is possible. I have the most amazing sisters anyone could ever ask for! They will support any kind of party I have and normally have a party themselves!! (Premiere, Thirty One, Partylite, etc. :)) All in all they are pretty amazing!!!I am thankful for Laurie and the fact that she is always there no matter what! I am thankful for Louise and her kind nature and always being calm even when she is aggravated with me! I also have the best brother!!! (In law :)) he is great and will always come to my defense no matter what!! It is nice to have a brother finally! I am so thankful for my relationships I have with my Aunts and Uncles! I don't know if my childhood could have been any better living so close to both sides of my family...GinGin, Kaka, and Aunt Beth are the best!!! (And all the uncles are too...just alot more of them to name!) I also have the most amazing sets of grandparents! Grandma is such an example of a strong Christian woman and I could not be any more thankful that she is in my life! Nana and Papa are so devoted to the Philippine missions and so generous!
I am so thankful for Nathan. He puts up with alot from me and I know I am not the easiest person to date, but he still sticks by...even when its really hard too. I am glad he is in my life and very thankful for his patience.
I am so thankful for Mrs. Strange. She was my kindergarten teacher and she is one of the most positive people I know. She is always there to listen and give GREAT advice. And she also taught me about "Germs" :)
I am thankful for the struggles that I have went through in the past 5 years. Some life changing some not so much but struggles none the less. They have taught me patience and what unconditional love really is. I hope if anything ever happens to me that I have a devoted spouse and children that no matter will be at my side and be my cheerleaders. I am so very thankful for those struggles I truly wouldn't be the person I am today provided I wouldn't have gone through those tough times.
I am thankful for my disappointments, they have taught me not to always rely on other people to do things...sometimes you must do things yourself.
I am thankful for Blake and Adam for not being afraid to stand up and fight for our country and our freedom. Even if it means dying.
I am thankful for those Army wives, Tay, for being strong and knowing the risk and consequences of marrying a military man.
I am so very thankful for my true friends. Few and far between but mean more than anything to me! Thanks for always being there and just listening! Sometimes that is all I need!
Those are just a few things right of the cuff! I am sure i have left something out because the blog that had everything in it would be FOREVER long! I hope that everyone is alittle uplifted today and I hope that even if you don't blog about it you can take sometime to think about all the blessings you have and be thankful for them! We are all truly blessed!