Ringing in 2010!

I can't believe another year has gone by! 2009 was a great year for my family. I am excited to see what 2010 has to bring. This year I received my masters. I am so glad to be done and proud to have accomplished a goal I set for my self in high school. There is nothing like looking back and reflecting on your past. The other day I got out my senior book and looked to see what I had wrote. Isn't funny how differently you see your self when you are younger? Some of the things I had hoped for the future came true. I am blessed with a husband and children who love God. I have a good roof over my head. I LOVE my job. I have the best family and friends a girl could ask for. Sometimes I wonder how things could be any better. I remember the times when I thought nothing was going the way it should. Getting married at 19 and a child by 20 was not what I saw for my self in my senior book but its what made me the person I am today. I was blessed to have a supportive husband and family to help us. A personal struggle in my life came after Zachary was born. It caused me to question who I was, where I came from, and how could I have been lied to for so long. At first I was very bitter, mad, and sad but as time went by I realized that it could shape me into someone I did not want to be or make me stronger. I chose to become stronger and forgive the way God forgives me daily. Chucky supported me in finishing college even when baby number 2 came at age 22. He was there in my corner supporting me. A year after Chase was born we hit a rough patch in our marriage. I also hit a rough patch in my health. Both were very scary. The whole time the one thing missing was slapping us both right in the face GOD! After we moved from Horatio we never found a church family and started to let the ways of the world rule our life instead of God's way. After completing college and starting my teaching career, I met a great friend who invited us to church. Chucky got saved and I found my way back home to God. Who had never really left to begin with! As I read my senior book that is one thing I hoped to have a God fearing husband and a family in church. I am glad to say I have both. And we could not ask for a better church family than Spring Lake Baptist. Then baby number 3 came and I was blessed with 3 sons. As I read the page out of my senior book I saw I wanted 3 or 4 kids. I guess I accomplished that one as well. It is nice to look back and reflect on who we were and where we are now. I am glad to see that my life is so much more then I could have ever hoped for.
As I look at the boys playing together on the floor I start to think about the future. I am hoping that 2010 will be a year of new adventure, exciting and fun times with family and friends, and new opportunities in my job. But most importantly I want to live in the moment cherishing my precious sons not wanting the year to go by to fast. Not wanting them to grow up before my eyes. So here is a toast to the past may we remember where we came from and to the future my it be better then we can imagine! I hope 2010 is a GREAT year. God Bless and Happy New Year!

I cherish these times!!

We had a WONDERFUL time in Dallas this weekend. It was once again time for the Smedley Christmas at my Nana and papa's house. The only thing missing was the latest addition to our family Thomas Marc along with his parents my Uncle Mark and Eileen. But little Thomas is only 2 weeks old and not quite ready for a long trip.

We had a really good time visiting with my mom, Nana, papa, sisters, brother-n-laws, aunts, cousins, niece and nephews. The kids played well together minus the occasional little fight. But when you place that many kids together it is going to happen. Or that many sisters! Since there are 4 of us and we are all VERY strong headed. But the love is there no matter what!! That's the best thing about family you forgive move on and love each other no matter what!

This time with family is something I cherish. Seeing my boys with their cousins remind me so much of my cousins Bryan and Tori, my sisters, and myself playing together growing up at our family Christmas. Sharing, using their imagination, making up silly sayings, or telling secrets. Those are the things I love to see while their innocents are still in place, the bonds being formed, and a friendship growing. Its priceless! My brother-n-law Will had two boys when my sister Kasie married him.They have always fit right in like they have always been apart of our family! Austin and Zachary are a few months apart and Jordan and Chase a little over a year apart. They love playing together. Garett is right there in the middle of them all with my niece Adalyn making her self know in the group as well. She is a bossy little thing for only being 2. She is cute and she knows it. Its hard not to laugh at her sassy little self. My cousin Bryan has a daughter Taylor she is 3 months younger then Zachary and holds her own in a group of boys. My nephew Dominic wants to hang with the boys and is quite a character. Its hard to imagine Candi not always having him. I still remember to this day being in the court room when he was adopted. Definitely another blessing to count! Avery (Candi's youngest) was full of laughs. He is such a doll and has been one healthy little boys since the scare he gave us all at birth. Watching them together is the best gift I could get this year.

Chuck, the boys, and myself went down to Dallas Friday morning to help get things ready before everyone came on Saturday. We helped do some cooking and just spend sometime with my Nana and Papa before the mad house started with 20+ coming over. The boys had a great time cooking with Nana while Garett snuggled in papa's lap. I love that my boys have great-grandparents to spend time with. It is really neat. I had the BEST great granny until I was in 8th grade and God called her home!! I have the BEST memories of times with her in DeQueen, AR. I am glad my boys will also have those same kind of memories as well.

It is always hard when the time comes for everyone to go home. You want one more day, a few more hours, another game of cards, another talk, just a little more time before everyone leaves and another family Christmas comes to a end. I cherish the time I have with my extended family. I could not ask for a better family. I love them all!
Until the next Smedley get together I will cherish the memories we made, the fun we had, and most importantly the time we spend together!