I got to have dinner with my Cuz Christy while we were in Charlotte this past weekend. It's been since we were kids that Christy and I saw one another. I got to meet her husband and we had a fun evening eating dinner with them and reminiscing about old times with the family. Tim got to meet some of my family that he's never met before and get to know them a little. All Christy's kids are grown now. She and I got a pic together after dinner. We look green because of the lighting in the restaurant...LOL!
Welcome to our blog page. This is to keep you updated on how God is blessing us. It's also to have one spot where our family and friends can see what's going on in our lives. Most of the posts are of our son. Outside our relationship with God he is our world. Enjoy!
Family Pic 2024
Tuesday, January 30, 2024
Monday, January 29, 2024
Charlotte Carolina Triple Crown Meet PR Videos...
I'm only going to post his Meet PR videos because they are the only ones that really matter. The first will be his 60kg Snatch and that second will be his 75kg Clean & Jerk lift.
The Charlotte Carolina Triple Crown 0n 1/27/2024...
Wednesday, January 24, 2024
New Patch On The Way...
Tim has a new patch on the way for us to put on his gear bag. He's so excited for this one because it's his gyms logo.
Tuesday, January 23, 2024
When We All Get To Heaven (Acoustic)...
Here's the acoustic version of this old hymn that has been in my head for days since Louise's passing. Just click on the picture and it will take you to listen to the song.
Old Gear Bag = New Gear Bag...
We turned Tim's old gear bag for sparring into a new gear bag for him for weightlifting. It used to have Tusah's logo where the upper patch is now and it used to have the TaeKwonDo school's logo where the American flag patch is now. Love how we transformed it and kept from having to purchase another $100 bag. Plus it's unique from everyone else's gear bags and he'll be able to spot it a mile away and keep up with it much better because it won't blend in with the others. The upper patch reads like this:
Monday, January 22, 2024
This Weekend's Meet...
This weekend's Meet is coming upon us fast. Tim is preparing for this invite only event this week with his coach. He is so excited to be getting to go to another Meet. He loves what he is doing and all that he is learning. Now that he's eating more than he has ever ate before he is growing and gaining muscle like you wouldn't believe. I still can't get over how happy we all are now. Life is so much fun and we are enjoying this sport with Tim. Love how much more relaxed we have been since he's changed what he's doing. We will keep you in the loop of how he does this weekend once we get back home on Sunday. Pray for Tim to do well and pray for safety as we travel and as his competes too. Thank you.
Sunday, January 21, 2024
The 3 Musketeer's...
It's been a little over a week since Louise's passing. I've been remembering all the good times we have had through the years especially from our youth group days. Our youth leader from back then sent me some photos from those days. They were fun times. Times where we all had such great times together. We cherished those times. Now it's just two of us. Louise was the glue in our little group. She was the compassionate one. The one who always cared more about everyone else than herself. It makes sense that she became a nurse because of how she naturally was. Even just a little over a week after her death I still feel like it's all a dream and we are going to wake up and she's still going to be here with us. It's much easier to accept the death of someone who has lived a good long life but when a life is cut short it's a harder to accept. Her's was a life that was cut short on this earth but God knew this day was coming since the day he brought her into this world. He knows every hair on our head, our begin and ending. So now my prayer is for His help in the days and weeks ahead for us all who loved her. For His help to accept and to be able to move on with life because we know that she is with Him. She is happy. But us who are left behind need healing from the loss so that we can continue to live life and be happy because that is what she would have wanted. Here are some of the pictures that our youth leader sent us that I wanted to share with you here. See if you can find Louise, Kris, and I in the pictures if you knew us all.
I was always making silly faces if I knew that my picture was being taken...LOL! Such great memories that I will hold near and dear to my heart for the rest of my life. I really hope that she knew that I loved her like family even though we didn't get to spend much time together in recent years. She was always like a sister to me having known one another for so very long.
#gonebutneverforgotten
Saturday, January 20, 2024
New PR's for Tim Today...
Tim did new pr's in his snatch and clean & jerk today. He amazes us each week with how far he's coming in this sport.
Friday, January 19, 2024
Tim's 100kg Clean Pull....
Tim did a 100kg = 220# clean pull last night. He is inching closer to being able to do a clean a jerk with that weight. This was just a stepping stone to being able to do just that. We are so proud him.
Thursday, January 18, 2024
Sports Then & Now...
A then and now pic of Tim. He's grown and changed so much. We have cherished every ounce of his growing up thus far. He is growing into such a strong, smart & capable young man. I see more of his maturity that expands beyond his years each and everyday. I'm so thankful that God gave us such a great gift in Tim. It's a blessing being his mom and I know his dad feels the same about being his dad too. We are blessed beyond measure and so very thankful.
It's Thursday...
It's two days after Louise's Celebration of Life service. She was cremated. It still feels like it's all a dream and not real. I have such mixed emotions from it all. I'm happy that she's in heaven and no longer suffering with her seizures anymore but I also regret so very much that we didn't stay in contact more over the years after our kids went their separate ways from their Taekwondo days together. Tim was training with a coach in Charlotte as an elite athlete in sparring. Greyson moved on from sparring to track at his school. Addy moved on from TKD to riding horses. Our lives were a whirlwind with our kids and we just didn't make the time or effort to keep in touch as we should have. That's the part that bothers me the most. She was my oldest friend. She knew all my stuff and her memory was so much better than mine in remembering our youth. What a pair we were and then there were three when Kris came along. We were quite the 3 Musketeers. That's what everyone who knew us called us because where one was the other two were almost always.
At the service I got to see folks I haven't seen in years. I hate it had to be under those circumstances though. Our old youth leaders had the photo albums out in the foyer and Louise, Kris and I were in almost all of them.
Our 3 Musketeer group is no more. I take comfort that we will see one another again someday when we are all in heaven together with our Lord and Savior. Then we can have quite the reunion. Until then it's not goodbye it's just see you later.
I think of the old hymn: "When we all get to heaven, What a day of rejoicing that will be! When we all see Jesus, We'll sing and shout the VICTORY!"
When We All Get To Heaven
Sing His mercy and His grace;
In the mansions bright and blessed
He'll prepare for us a place.
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We'll sing and shout the victory!
Clouds will overspread the sky;
But when trav'ling days are over,
Not a shadow, not a sigh.
Trusting, serving every day;
Just one glimpse of Him in glory
Will the toils of life repay.
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We'll sing and shout the victory!
Soon His beauty we'll behold;
Soon the pearly gates will open;
We shall tread the streets of gold.
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We'll sing and shout the victory!
We'll sing and shout the victory!
Monday, January 15, 2024
Funeral Service for Louise....
Friday, January 12, 2024
This is not our home...
Thursday, January 11, 2024
No Words...Just No Words...
This morning we got a call from my oldest and dearest friends husband. He called Scot's phone. Scot came up stairs urgently. I could tell by the look on his face that something bad had happened. This was not the kind of call you want to get. He said, "Louise passed away last night from a seizure". He said this all broken up and in tears as he spoke every other word to me and Scot. She and I hadn't spoken a lot in recent years. Our lives, or should I say our kids lives, had us traveling different and very busy paths. Whenever we did speak or see one another it was like no time had passed and we picked up right where we left off. My heart is broken. There are no words. Just emptiness and heartache that she's gone and for her husband and kids who are now without a wife/mom. These pictures are from 2021. They didn't take very many family pics together. Please keep this family in your prayers.
Tuesday, January 9, 2024
Athletic Lab Spring Open...
Tim's home gym is going to be hosting a weightlifting meet. Tim is really looking forward to it. It will be his second meet of 2024 unless his coach wants him to do another one before April 6th when this meet happens.
Full Armor of God...
For those women still looking for your life mate keep the statement above in mind. It doesn't matter if they are the best looking man around if they aren't covering themselves in the full armor of God then you have to ask yourself are they right for me? God wants you to have the absolute best and there's someone out there that is perfect for you. He won't be perfect but he will be perfect for you!
Bald Eagles...
Falls Lake is maybe a 30 minute drive from where we live. Last year there were maybe 5 bald eagle sitings. This year there have been 16 and there are probably more. They are such beautiful creatures. Here are a couple of pics that a friend of mine took when he was at the falls lake dam recently. They aren't in the best focus because you have to be quick if you are going to get a picture of them. Regardless, they are so beautiful.
Bad Things Best Things...
Thursday, January 4, 2024
Lesson Learned from Last Year...
Braces Are Off!!!
Tim got his braces off yesterday and he is loving it. He also got his retainers yesterday and he's not loving that...LOL! Mostly because he has to wear them all the time except for when he eats for the first three months. We told him three months will go by in a flash and it will. We love his smile. His teeth look so good. Here's some pics to share with you all.
Tuesday, January 2, 2024
Tucker's Christmas 2023 Pic...
Our Tucker is so sweet. I was able to get this pic of him while his dad was holding a pizza bone for him...LOL!
Monday, January 1, 2024
1993 and 2023....
This is how our sky looked in 1993 compared to 2023. The difference is the chem trails that they are putting in our sky calling it "artificial cloud cover" to supposedly help with global warming. Does it look like it's anything that is good for us? I don't think so. There is no telling what them spraying that into our sky is going to do to us down the road either. So many have no clue that this is not normal or healthy either. Pray like never before. Pray! Pray! Pray! This is so concerning.
This Year....
Everyone does New Years Resolutions at this time of year. I'm not much for doing those because in the first week I always blow it. Goal setting is what we do. Once we achieve one goal we set another one and just go from there. We always say, that it's ok to try and fail but get up and try again and never ever quit!
This year it is my hearts desire to see my family healthy whole and complete from the tops of their heads to the soles of their feet and that includes me. I want to see us all thriving like never before.
I personally want to make a new commitment to God to grow an even deeper relationship with him as I seek him more than I ever have in my entire life. I want to know him on a much deeper level than I ever have. I want the change to be so incredibly evident in my life that it turns heads.
I want to work on being a better version of myself physically than I ever have been. I want to be the best version of me that I can be not only for myself but most importantly for my family. I love them so much and we so enjoy doing this life together. I want to get every area of my life health wise in check so that I'm the healthiest that I can be for my guys especially. I love them so much. Outside of my relationship with God they are my entire world.
I want to see my husband the happiest that he has ever been. I want him to be able to work less and enjoy life more and I'm committed to seeing that happen for him. I'm seeking God for his direction in making our work life much easier so that we can enjoy life more. To that end I'm looking to God for Him to drop into our spirit what it is that He would have us do at this time in our lives. We are seeking a "God Idea" that makes making money physically easier on our bodies than what we have been doing all these years with our carpet cleaning business. It's been a great season but we need something that isn't so taxing but that will also pull in the same revenue if not better. I know that God has our backs and that He will show us exactly what our next move is supposed to be and until that time we will continue doing what we are currently doing. I trust God completely. I always have. He's been so good to us!!!
I'm also committing to continuing our blogging journey too. I want to continue to write things down so that it will be here for Tim to look back on years from now. So that he can see all the ups and downs, the good times and the bad. I want him to see every ounce of love that is poured into this blog when he takes the time to pour over it once he's grown. Scot and I love him to moon and beyond!
For our son we want to give him the moon of course. Tim has been through so much in his young life. He's been in the hospital because he never tested positive for strep throat and ended up having his GI messed up so bad that it could have killed him. He's had to have a hernia repair surgery. He's been hospitalized from losing all the salt in his body from training hard with sparring causing him to go into a seizure that could have killed him. Twice satan tried to take his life and twice he's made full recoveries. He's our miracle. God's hand has always been upon him protecting him every step along the way and Tim knows this too. We are committed to helping him to achieve his goals in weightlifting in 2024. He has accomplished so much at fifteen and he still has so much more that he desires to accomplish and we will be there supporting him every step of the way.
2024 is going to be a great year!!! Not because I wrote it but because we are in an overall better place as a family than we have ever been. One thing I can say for certain is that without God we'd be just as much of a mess as this fallen world that we are living in. God is our constant. He's our everything. We are so thankful for everyday that we get to spend together. And we all know just how much we mean to one another and when you know that, I mean really know that, it makes every ounce of all that we go through in life worth it. God Bless You All This Year!!!
Welcome 2024...
Happy New Year!