Off to Mena

I'm excited because I'm finally going home today. Its funny really Fayetteville is home. I love it and when I'm gone I always am ready to get back, but when I've been away from Mena (the town I grew up in) for a long time I'm so eager to go back. There really is no place like home. Most of my family lives there so its always fun.

SO today I have to attack the task I have put off all week...you know laundry, cleaning, organizing and packing. Yuck. Oh well it will feel good to get it all done.

I also get the chance to go to the funeral of a very sweet lady while I'm home. Funeral use to really freak me out and I would avoid them at all cost. Not this one at at all. This women was an incredible women of God. She loved her husband with her whole heart and adored her family and made everyone she ever came in contact with feel like a million bucks. When her husband died I, of course, was at the funeral and several things happened at that funeral I will never forget. One, during the lunch grandmother went by herself into the church and sat on the front row and looked at the casket that held the man she had been married to for the majority of her life. She had a few more minutes being in his physical presence. I didn't realize she was in there so I stood at the back of the church, quietly and just watched. I remember thinking i hope that I get the opportunity to live a long, happy life loving the man God has giving me all the way to death and that I would have the peace that she had sitting in his presence knowing with full confidence where he was and that I would be with him soon. What a blessing.

Secondly, during his funeral the preacher said that when you were around this couple you understood what the Bible meant when it says the two will become one. They really were one. What a cool thing to have said about you and your spouse. So when I'm sitting at the funeral Thursday, I'm going to be celebrating a women whose life touched everyone she came in contact with, celebrating that she has a new body and renewed health and that she is finally reunited with the love of her life and the God that thy both loved so much. It's a celebration and I'm so glad I get to be there.

Hope you all have a blessed rest of the week and wonderful weekend. Did I mention that Saturday is my first baby shower and I'm so excited. Can't wait to see all that pink everywhere. 6 weeks to go. pray the next 6 weeks go by fast ; )

I will leave you so pictures of my little man

My baby is 2

Roman Saturday you turned two. For as much party planning as I have done it really came as a surprise. These last two years have be the best ever. you have brought me an abundunt amount of joy and I can't even wonder what life would be like without you. Your dad and I never could have imagined how much we would love you. It's incredible. It's such an honor to be your mother. If I had words to describe to describe the joy you bring to my life i would, but there are no words.

You are an amazing little boy. You are kind and gentle. At your party Saturday night you stroked the small baby's head with such gentle touch. As you touched her you said "baby waaaa". Thats what we tell you that babies say waaaa. You are going to be such a great big brother and I can't wait to see you and Avery's relationship as it grows. I know you are going to love her so much.

You love to play especially with daddy. you guys play basketball in your room and you would happily do it all day if you could. You love watching Madagascar and Open Season--those are your absolute favorite. You love the animals and laugh in all the right places. You love to dance and when you have everyone's attention you will bow. I love it.

You have so much to say these days and although you aren't speaking in sentences you can get the message across. You do know a lot of single words and are starting to instantly repeat what we say. For example daddy was giving you a bath the other night and was putting the bubbles in and he said bubbles and you repeated it just as clearly as he said it. I can't wait until we can just talk through the day. I know you will have a lot to say-- your like me that way ; )

For your birthday you got the coolest airplane track and you love it. You work the remote control like a pro and when the airplane takes off you get so excited and say "weeee". When you get excited you are so animated. It keeps us all laughing.

You love church which makes me so happy you are always ready to go to your class, and your teachers enjoy you so much. When we bring you into our service in the end for the singing you love to dance to the music. You are so helpful at home you are quick to throw stuff in the trash and whatever we are doing you like to help. So if we are dusting you like a rag so you can "dust" too. What a sweetie. You love your alone time too. When you want to be alone you go in your room and shut the door. You will play in there a long time by yourself.

You are precious to me Roman Carter Laney. I speak blessings over you. I pray that you will grow to be the man of God you were created to be. I pray that you come to know the Lord personally at a young age, and that you have wisdom beyond your years as you grow. you have such a kind heart and I pray that you always show kindness and grace to those you come in contact with. I pray as you grow you walk in purity. I pray for health and safety over you.

In about 6 weeks we are going to bring home a new baby and I know that you are going to be an unbelievable big brother and like I already said I can't wait to watch the bond between you and Avery grow. I love you Roman so much. Happy 2nd birthday.

Love,

Mom