SISTERS....

Oh how the memories came flooding back to me as we prepared to welcome our 2nd baby girl to the world.. We felt so blessed and we're over joyed with another girl.. Through the joy and excitement memories of me and my sister came flooding back... If you grew up with a sister (younger-older) you know where I am going with this.. Lindsey and I fought worse than boys!! We were at each other 24/7... We were so mean one another and although I looked up to her that did not keep my feisty girl attitude at bay.. I will throw this out there 5 years between kids is TOO LONG! Her and I were 4 and Kay and Kenz are 5 and its rough... Even with a 5 yr difference those two are at it every second they are around one another, but still say their good nights and I love yous. Even when we drop Kay at school there isn't a morning they don't exchange I love you.. It melts my heart.. Kenz looks up to her sister and it reminds me so much of me as a wee one.. I wanted to hang out with my sister and her friends, I wanted to wear makeup, I idolized her and Kenz is the same way.. I have to remind Kay that everything she does, says, acts, is being absorbed my her little sister. We tell Kay that she has to be the bigger one and set examples for her to follow... Kay is almost 8 and is driven nuts by her little sister all while loving her at the same time.. I explain to Kay that I was that the pest at one time and I drove my sister nuts but remind her how blessed she is to have a sister cause ONE day she will look back and appreciate having a sister.

Having a sister is having a true best friend.. Linds and I can talk for hours... I have missed our relationship these last few years as we let things come between us but our Awesome God got us past these humps in the road and regardless of what ever down fall comes our way I know her and I are sisters and our love will never change, and the what ever disagreement it was to cause the down fall will be thrown in the past and as friends sometimes seem to hold grudges a sister will not.. 

Lindsey is 4 yrs older than I am and no kids.. She loves to call and chat with the girls.. They get so excited to talk to their Aunty Lindsey and its so cute..... Last time me and Linds saw one another was a;most 4 yrs in April, at my mothers funeral. I have missed her to no end and she is coming out MARCH 1!!!!!!!!  I am so excited... Sisters are your other half.. your guardian angels, and as we start off in life fighting and not being the best of friends, remember as we grow into adults the bond you have with your sister is everlasting and something to cherish....... 

Just a little EXCITEMENT and teaching my girls that one day they will be best friends and to never stop loving one another unconditionally .... 

On a side note ... Justin's cousin is having a baby boy and I am so excited to spoil him...Rochelle and Ryan are due any day with a sweet baby boy ... all these babes !!!!!!!!!!! I spoiled baby Turri and ready to start spoiling baby March.... 

Much Love, 

Jamie

WE DECKED THE HALLS... RANG IN A NEW YEAR... AND THEN CAME VALENTINES DAY....

I have been such a slacker... Last I posted was in November and here we are already in FEBRUARY!!! We had a wonderful holiday season ... Christmas was so blissful. I adore and feel so blessed having children of my own to capture these memories such as their faces on Christmas morning... I have quite a story for Kayleigh and Kenzie when they get older ... Kayleigh came in our room on Christmas morning and was so excited.. She had already gone through her stocking and well obviously her sisters too. As she started to announce what santa had put in her stocking I had to stop my self from laughing as I had pulled this stunt with my very own sister when I was younger.. She had switched several items in the stockings.... I finally said oh dear maybe santa was in such a rush and you should share some with sissy.... Kids ... We had a wonderful day and feel so blessed to have such an amazing family to celebrate with.. New YEARS... This was the first New Years in years I made it till 12... We did not do much but it was a lovely evening in and safer to stay in then to be out and about.... SO sorry for the delay but Happy 2012... We have done some major remodeling and what a difference it makes on a house...  Hard work but it pays off in the end.. We still have our room and bathroom... Oh and laundry room ... Thanks to my new addiction PINTEREST I have several ideas for the laundry room ..:) The Kids are growing and changing by the minute... Kay and I have finally started to regain a relationship.. She will pull her attitude but seems to always come and apologize.. Hey it's a step  in the right direction.. She is finally taking responsibility for her actions when before she would just blow them off and we'd just keep plowing through our day/night... Kenz is wanting to go to sleep IN HER BED... WHAT?!!!!!!!!!!!!! She has always laid with me while Justin took a shower and I would put her to sleep... She is speaking in full blown sentences... Hannah is 6 months and into EVERYTHING.. Most days I feel like she is my 3rd child... Cute as can be but she is exhausting to say the least... Today was Valentines day and we have never been ones to celebrate much but we still leave little notes and what not... I took Kenz to Build a Bear and it was her first time.. She was having a blast and made a sweet monkey ... I made Kay a Hello Kitty necklace and she got a dvd and a sweet bear from dad... Time is flying and I am so ready to get into Spring and start exercising and gardening and just being out doors... I can wait for the girls turning 8 and 3..... My sister is coming out at the end of March and I am so darn excited... The girls can't wait either... Justins cousin is due with her first baby in July and I am so EXCITED.. Another baby to the family.. She finds out the 22 what she will be having and I can't wait... I have been buying BOY stuff for a friend Rochelle and Ryan who are due with a sweet baby boy beginning of March and I have had a blast with all the boy stuff.. I know all you who have boys wish you could buy girl stuff but us with girls feel the same... Babies everywhere..... I have some pictures but I am off to bed tonight.. I will update the last few months with pictures tomorrow..

MUCH LOVE
Jamie

INTRODUCING HANNAH....

Here is the newest member of the Rawls family.. Hannah

Much Love
Jamie

TAKING A PEEK INTO OUR LIFE LATELY...

Life has been a wee bit on the CRAZY side. It all began with a short but lovely visit from my parents. They flew in Friday Nov 18 and out the 20th. Short but wonderful. That Sunday they left we noticed a mass that had been on our Sophie dogs foot suddenly get huge very hot to the touch and things seemed to get worse. Monday came and I was upset stressed and knew. I called our vet and was adament on who I would see. Years ago I worked there and Dayna was a tech. She now is Dr Pauly and has a background with boxers. She is who I wanted my Sophie dog to be in the care of.
We got an appt. Her last appt of the day. I took her and Justin met me there. He said he did not understand why he needed to go ( In the back of my head I knew... I knew this was not going to be a quick fix appt ) but I knew Justin had not came to that point. Dayna took her back to see what we were dealing with cell wise...
20 min went by and as she walked by in she did not even need to say the words.  I knew. I knew it was not good news. Tears started flowing from each of us even Dayna. We knew it was time. It was too late to do anything that night and we had the kids with us which is not something I felt kids should witness and especially when she has been your daughters best friend since the day we brought her home from hospital...
Dayna did not work on Tuesday and I only wanted her to be the one who started our Sophie dogs new journey into Heaven. So I thought to my self this is Angel Sophee girls first birthday and a feeling came over me. A feeling of there is no better date I would want Sophie dog leaving this earth. My friends daughter who passed  June 12 would get such a glorious gift as her first birthday was Nov 23. We took kids to in laws and had an appt set for 12:00 Wed the 23. Kay had wanted to paint her nails so we did that morning. It hurt walking out of our house knowing we would not be returning with Soph. Hubby and I balled like babies and Dayna was so kind sat on floor with us shared some tears and even some laughs. That was our first child. 10 years of great memories.
Sophia you were a damn good dog. You are loved and missed... We will all meet again.

Daddy promised Kay a pup! I have alot more to catch you up on. Off to bed but will finish my updates tomorrow and introduce Hannah! Hannah is the newest Rawls.

Much Love

Jamie

WHERE OH WHERE......................

When I was just a little girl I remember wanting so bad to be older.  Pretending to drive my grandma's car, sneaking my sisters makeup.. Oh how I just wanted to be older!  Fast forward 20 years and as I tuck my kiddos into bed I wonder when they grew to be such big girls.  Where did my babies go? Kayleigh prefers her hair straightened in the morning, and Kenz has an input on what shoes she wants to wear that day... It seems like I was just seeing 2 pink lines or the words PREGNANT..  I love watching my girls grow and learn more than I ever did at their ages. Being a mom is simply amazing and I am thankful Our Lord trusted me to raise these children of God.

This year has gone by so fast... I sit and try to recollect all the memories through out the last year. It seems almost impossible Thanksgiving is less than 2 weeks away and Christmas is so close.. HOW??? I just can't seem to put into realization that in just a blink of an eye we will be grandparents.. SCARY..

Makes me want to spend every sec I can with my family. I dare not miss a single moment in my kid's life...Kenny Chesney has a song " Don't Blink" and it's so true...

Nothing new just some bittersweet thoughts...

Much Love,
Jamie

LIFE... SOMETIMES WE NEED TO STEP BACK AND TAKE A LOOK .....

JUST A QUOTE I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED!! AND IT FITS SO WELL WITH WHERE THIS BLOG IS GOING... 

Close to a month ago I suddenly was hit with an emotional road block. I sat there and took some time to revise my life... Where my priority's fell, who came first, the people I had in my life.... And it hit me like a ton of bricks.. I may not be the girl that goes to church on Sunday's, that prays at meal time, and yes shamefully I do have my sins, BUT I am a believer and do pray more often than not, I follow the paths he leads me down , and I am a child of God. He gave us this life but we choose how we want to live it, who we want in it, and where we go with it.. As I sat and revised my life, it was revolting.. I had let the demon in and found myself in a whirlwind of gossip.. I don't do gossip! I am so one that will come forward and express my feelings up front. I was so guilty of this vile behavior.  Who am I to make any judgement on ANYONE.  No one can make judgement on other's PLAIN & SIMPLE!! Due to this immature behavior I started to back out of certain peoples life's.  One person was a friend whom suffered a devastating loss and everyone was so focused on her grieving that it never dawned on ANY ONE that we do not know what it like.. The day I was hit with a huge pile of bricks, I sat there and asked for forgiveness. I changed that day. I opened my eyes and apologized. People making comments regarding personal choices, I did not respond, I simply said I don't know. I started to linger away from the negative behavior of others.  I started to pull closer to this heartbroken friend everyone had left in the drifts.. I am a true friend and will do anything for anyone, as most of you know.. I am a friend, a mother, a wife, an aunt, a daughter, and was raised with out my mother for the most part.. It hurt but as I grew older it became easier. My mother made some horrible choices through out her life and it lead to her death ( will be 4 yrs in April) and although it's different I needed a friend during this time and I know she may not come to me to talk about her loss or cry on my shoulder she still is hurting and I am still a friend.. It does not matter, I just want her to know regardless I AM HERE.. Not just for the good as she had mentioned in a blog of hers but for the bad as much as the good.. I have put God first to lead me, my family which mean the world to me and I am so blessed , and friends.. I have always been told and oh how true it is.. YOU DON'T NEED A HUNDRED FRIENDS , IF YOU HAVE ONE JUST ONE GOOD ONE that is good enough. My husband is my Best Friend and I have maybe a handful if that of friends and even smaller of GOOD friends. I tend to trust too easily, care too easily , give too easily, and always have.. I have only been a friend that is human and makes mistakes at times, but all in all a friend.. After revising my life I decided to put my focus on my MAKER, FAMILY , BUSINESS, AND TRUE FRIENDS.. It seemed quite mind blowing how the ones that were being so cruel backed away from me when they saw I had changed the way of my lifestyle.. I have been wanting to lay this all to rest and doing so feels awesome.. My point of this blog is  ~ Live your Life and let others live theirs with out being ridiculed ~ We were not put on this earth to judge others ~  A few more quotes and scriptures....

 this last one is something we all should remember daily..

Much Love,

Jamie

OCTOBER 15 NATIONAL PREGNANCY AND INFANT LOSS REMEMBRANCE DAY...

Having friends that have faced the harsh reality of loosing a child has made me want to show my support and raise awareness... Just wanted to say Bless our sweet angels and may they forever be remembered! A few pics of the candles I lit tonight... Hug your babies and even the moments you get angry at something silly remember how blessed you are to have them here with you... 

Much Love,
Jamie