I am thankful that the Christmas season is upon us.


I am excited about Christmas shopping.


I am excited about sitting each evening and admiring our Christmas tree.


I am excited about dressing my girl in all her Christmas attire.


I am excited to celebrate Jesus' birth.


I am excited to sing "Silent Night", "Away in a Manger" and "Jingle Bells".


I am excited to watch A Christmas Story, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer and other Christmas favorites.


I am excited to carry on traditions and start new ones.


I am excited to attend the candlelight service in the church I grew up in. And then to eat at Mammie's. 


Did I mention how thankful I am for this season?

I am thankful for my family. 

My family is probably THE most important thing in my life.

Family comes first. Always.

Family warms my heart.

Family makes for great memories.


And fabulous stories.

Family is there through thick and thin.

Good and bad.

Happy and sad.

I could not be more thankful for each and everyone of my family members. 

More catching up.

Friday I was thankful for...

my camera. Oh, how I love my camera. And because of my camera I am thankful for photos like these...

Saturday I was thankful for...
my Carolina Gamecocks! We played Clemson, our state rival and won 34-13. Woo-hoo! A proud day to be  Gamecock!


Sunday I was thankful for...
time at home to begin decorating my house for Christmas. Christmas is one of my absolute most favorite times of the year and I LOVE decorating for the big holiday. 


Today I am thankful for...
a cold, rainy day. Makes for good snuggling on the couch.

I've got some catching up to do.

Wednesday I was thankful for...

a nice afternoon full of fun with Aunt Jan. We all met at a local park and played for a long time. We all played hard! After our time at the park we grabbed lunch and headed to Aunt Jan's place to eat. I was thankful for a nice afternoon. I was thankful for fun and food. And most of all, I was thankful for time with Aunt Jan.

Thursday I was thankful for...

THANKSGIVING. A time to be with family. A time to remember all that we have to be thankful for. My family has an enormous amount to be thankful for this year - three new babies (Reid, Abigail and Addison), another baby (Zoe) due in just a few weeks, two new family members (Trenholm and Claire) thanks to two weddings and two future family members (Grant and Tina) thanks to new recent engagements. Wow! We are growing, growing, growing!

Thanksgiving is also a nice time to reflect back and remember where we've been and where we are headed. I like to look at "old" Thanksgiving day pictures of Morgan Kate. Enjoy the trip down memory lane...

Thanksgiving 2008

Morgan Kate's first Thanksgiving, still in the hospital. Travis and I spent the night with her and didn't sleep a wink. I'd like to tell you it's because we were admiring our newborn baby, but that would be a lie. We didn't sleep because her monitors went off the entire night. It was nerve wracking to say the least. While we didn't sleep, we did enjoy and were thankful for that time with our baby girl. And little did we know at the time, that in less than two weeks we would be taking our baby girl home. 

Thanksgiving 2009

Our first Thanksgiving together, at home with family. It was definitely a Thanksgiving to remember and be thankful for. We had dinner at Mama Jean's and then headed to the see the lights at the gardens. So many firsts for all of us!

Thanksgiving 2010

Morgan Kate's first Thanksgiving eating "real Thanksgiving food". From the looks of this picture you can tell it was definitely a success!

Thanksgiving 2011

Our first Thanksgiving that we celebrated in Summerville. With all the new additions, we decided to head down that way. We all had a wonderful time! Chad and Corrisa have a beautiful home that is so inviting and warm. Everyone brought a side or two and we had quite the feast! It was a day of family, fun and food - so you know that I was in heaven.

I'm thankful to be a mommy.


A mommy who is blessed beyond measure.

A mommy who loves to sleep late.

A mommy who tries to pick and choose my battles carefully.

A mommy who does NOT have it all figured out.


A mommy who uses words like "tee-tee", "poo-poo" and "tootie".


A mommy whose love for my baby girl is unimaginable.

A mommy who sometimes gets frustrated and raises her voice.


A mommy who lets her baby girl stay up late on the weekends.


A mommy who prays with her baby girl every night.

A mommy who gets up and 2:00 am, grabs my girl and brings her back to bed with us. Just cause I want to. 


A mommy who's not sure what to do with a three year old that throws tantrums and constantly says no. 


A mommy who leaves dishes in the sink and clothes in the dryer.

A mommy who reads two books a night to her sweet girl and then sings lullabies.


A mommy that loves her baby's daddy. A whole bunch.


A mommy that allows her girl to go barefoot. All over the place.

A mommy who loses her patience.

A mommy that hugs and kisses her baby girl every chance I get.

A mommy who's not afraid to use bribery.

A mommy that couldn't imagine life any other way.

It may seem trivial. Simple. Or even ridiculous. But, I don't care. Today I am thankful for Warm Cinnamon Sugar Cookie coffee creamer. Oh. My. Goodness. Deliciousness. Wow. This makes a good start to any day. Thank you, Nestle, thank you!

I am thankful for good friends.


Friends who make you laugh until your sides hurt.


Friends who know exactly what to say by not saying anything at all.


Friends who will listen for hours as you vent about your issues.


Friends who will watch you dance and love you anyway.


Friends who you might not see or talk with on a daily basis, but can pick right back up where you left off.


Friends who know practically everything about you and still choose to be your friend.


Friends who are more like family than friends.


Friends who will laugh with you, cry with you, rejoice with you and feel pain with you.


Friends who are truly happy for you.


Friends who complete you. 

I left early Friday morning for a weekend trip to Summerville to visit with family. There were so, so many things to be thankful for.

Friday, I was thankful for...

One on one time with my mom.

Safe travels to Summerville.

Meeting Baby Reid for the very first time. Melt my heart.

Moments like these...

 Getting my picture taken with Addison.

 And Abigail.

Saturday, I was thankful for...

The opportunity to celebrate Kelly, Tommy, Abigail and Addison and to shower them with love and lots of goodies.

 A beautiful day.

Cute decorations and yummy food.

 Time with all of these wonderful, gorgeous women.

The chance to love on Baby Reid some more. Love him!

Seeing my grandmother with her third of five great-grandchildren.

And today, Sunday, I was thankful to come home to these two precious people. I missed them greatly and I think they even missed me. 

Fifteen years ago I noticed my husband for the first time. Granted, it wasn't the first time we met. I knew him and he knew me. Matter of fact, my friends and I used to give him rides to and from school. But, it was on a cool October night fifteen years ago that I really noticed him. You know, the notice like, "Wow, where has he been all my life?" The notice that makes your heart beat fast and causes your palms to sweat. To this very day I remember exactly what he was wearing and I might I just add that he was wearing it very well. That cool night in October led to numerous dates and time together and then on November 17, 1996 it became official. We were an item. He asked me those six little words, "Will you go out with me?" I know, I know. Go ahead and laugh. But, it was all I wanted to hear and I had heard it. We were an offical couple. (I am laughing hysterically just typing this.)

Fifteen years later I love this man more than I could have ever imagined. He is my absolute everything. I could not be more thankful for him and for who he is and what he does for his family each and every day.

I am thankful for his love. He speaks the words, "I love you" many, many times in a day, but his actions speak even louder. He is a loving and supportive and caring husband. He is one of my biggest supporters. He makes me feel like I can do anything I put my mind to. And he is the most amazing father. Seeing him with our daughter literally brings tears to my eyes. He is so grateful to be a daddy. He is so grateful to have his baby girl. Melts my heart.

I am thankful for his patience. I know this may be hard to believe, but Morgan Kate and I aren't always the easiest females to live with. (Ha, ha!) She has her occassional fits and tantrums. And me, well I have even more fits and tantrums. But, he is always so patient.

I am thankful for his drive and motivation. I am a natural born procrastinator. Travis is a natural born mover and shaker. If something needs to be done, he does it, almost immediately. He works hard at work and works even harder at home. He provides for our family in so many ways and takes pride in doing it.

I am thankful for his humor. He keeps me laughing and smiling. There are nights when my sides hurt from laughing so much. And anyone who knows Travis, at all, knows he can be quite sarcastic and even somewhat of a "smarty pants". But, it's all in good fun and it's a side of him that I love dearly.

He is my rock. He is my heart. He is my very best friend. He is my everything. And I am so thankful to be his wife.

Tonight my heart is thankful for three very special people. It's because of these three special people that my baby girl learns so much, is cared for so carefully and loved so immensely. 

There are no words to describe Roddey. Amazing, awesome, terrific - they just don't cut it. She has been an absolute blessing to our family. She has been the perfect fit for Morgan Kate. She has taught her so much more than we could have ever imagined. Not only is Morgan Kate learning "academic things" while with Roddey, but "life things" as well. She knows to cover her mouth when she coughs, to say "Bless you" when someone sneezes. She knows how to share and how to speak kindly. There has not been one day since we started with Roddey that I have worried. And if you know me at all, you know that's huge. We are beyond thankful for Roddey and for her entire family and all that she does for our baby girl each and every day.

I am also so, so thankful for Mrs. Watson and Mrs. Pollok. They, too, are such blessings to our life and to Morgan Kate's. They have just been so caring and so kind and so wonderful with our baby girl and we couldn't ask for anything more. We had our very first parent-teacher conference this afternoon and it went fabulous. This mommy was grinning ear to ear when we walked out. It was so nice to hear that my sweet girl shares, speaks kindly, cleans up, plays well with other, sings and dances her heart out and is always happy. It also makes this momma's heart just burst to hear things like "her verbal skills are amazing",  "she's so smart" and  "you can really reason with her". Not only was my heart bursting wide open, but tears were streaming down my face (of course). I could go on and on about all the things she has learned in just the few shorts months she has been at Union.

Our hearts will be forever thankful for these special people and all they do for Morgan Kate and for us every single day. We feel like the luckiest people ever!

I am thankful for November which is Prematurity Awareness Month. A time to make others aware. 

It's because of this month,


the March of Dimes,


the good Lord above,


the love from so, so many, 


and many, many, many prayers -


that my baby got see her first birthday,

 her second birthday,

and her third birthday!

What an amazing miracle she is! 

I am so very thankful for this special woman.

My mommy. 


She is beautiful, inside and out.


She is strong.


Independent.


She has enormous faith.


She is ever so helpful and supportive.


She is always there to listen.


Her love for all is unconditional, especially for her children.

She can rearrange a house in minutes and make it look like the cover of a magazine.


She fixes the yummiest salads and the tastiest corn fritters.


She is THE party planner.


She is stylish and fun and energetic.


She makes amazing french toast and the most delicious "Strawberry Hi".

She is an amazing grandmother and friend.


She is my biggest encourager and cheerleader.


She is one extraordinary person and means the absolute world to me! 

I am thankful for weekends at home with my little family.


Don't get me wrong. I love going and doing. But, sometimes, my heart and mind and body need a little time at home with nothing to do. 


This weekend we have enjoyed staying in our pajamas for most of the day.


Leisurely cooking dinner.


Watching movies beside the fire.


Sleeping in.


Taking rides around our little town with no exact destination.


Lounging on the couch.


It's been a weekend of relaxing and just being. And it was a weekend I definitely needed.

I am thankful for my Daddy.

The man who is the apple of my eye.


The man who knows how to have a good time.


The man who knows how to cook boiled peanuts just like I like them.


The man who has serious dance moves.


The man who taught me how to swim and scuba dive.


The man who taught me to always take a jacket wherever you go.


The man who gave me the nickname "Skeeta".


The man who took the lifeguard certification course with me, so that I didn't have to take it alone.


The man who has always shown how much he loves my momma.


The man who has always kept candy on the top of his dresser for me. And now for Morgan Kate.


The man who has never raised his voice to me. 


The man many refer to as "Gator".


The man who cooks a mean pot of spaghetti.


The man, who today, is getting a year older.


Happy birthday, Daddy! I love you muches!

I am thankful for these beautiful people.

Photo courtesy of Emily Grace Photography

These beautiful people are very dear friends of ours, and as an added bonus, they are also our neighbors. They are two of the sweetest, kindest, most thoughtful people that I know. They have the biggest hearts and are always doing for others.


Just three short weeks ago they were blessed with a beautiful, healthy baby girl - Emirie Hall. She is just so perfect and gorgeous and if my own baby girl didn't get so jealous I would be down at their house seeing her every single day. I could just eat her up!


I am so thankful that she is healthy. I am so thankful that she was full term. I am so thankful that there were no complications. I am so thankful that they are all doing so well. I am so thankful that God blessed their lives and ours with this beautiful baby girl. And I am so thankful for her little life. 

Last night I was exhausted, therefore, I was thankful for a night that I could crawl into the bed only minutes after putting MK down.

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Tonight I am thankful for my job. It's a hard job. A job that requires long hours and an enormous amount of patience, that I don't always have. But, it's a rewarding job and a job I enjoy, most days. I am also extremely thankful for the people I work with, especially my awesome fifth grade team.

Our team, minus one more chick and our rooster

We help one another. Encourage one another. Support one another. Listen to one another vent. We share ideas and plans and even children, at times. 

We share stories about work and home. We share responsibilities and duties. We make each other laugh and we enjoy one another. 


In my teaching career I have been so fortunate and so blessed to work with such strong teams. Working with people you enjoy makes the biggest difference in the world. It makes hard days easier and good days even better. 


Love you much, Meesh, Amy, Debbie, Craig and Anna and all of my other OPES peeps!