Football in the rain!

Cody, today you had football practice, and it was pouring down rain.  At first, mommy and I didn't even think that your team was even going to practice, but then we heard from some of your teammates that said that practice was ON!!  We got to the field and it was POURING down rain...there were HUGE puddles everywhere on the field.  It was your very first practice with full pads on...upto this point, you had just practiced in your helmet and shoulder pads.  But, today, you guys started hitting!!  Everyone was a little but scared to put that first hit on somebody...including you.  But, I believe that you will pick it up pretty quick.  When practice was over, there was not a dry spot on you...you were soaking wet!!  You were covered in grass and mud!  We stopped at Wendys on the way home to get you some lunch...you earned it this morning!!!

Grammy & Grampys vow renewal

Boys, today we went to Grammy and Grampy's renewal of their wedding vows.  They have been married for over 39 years and had the renewal on the 40th anniversary of their very first date.  They got married when Grammy was 14 years old. All of our family from mommy's side was there, and everybody commented on how handsome and how big the 3 of you were.  They had the vow renewal at Zion Hill Baptist Church in Gainesville.  Mommy got Grammy a shadowbox and put her original wedding dress in it.

Boys, marriage is one of the toughest things that you will ever experience, but is also one of the most rewarding.  I can't explain to you how great it is to know that I have someone like your mom that loves me unconditionally.  To know that I have someone like your mom that is going to be by my side for the rest of my life is such blessing for me...and for you boys.  Marriage takes a lot of work from both the husband and the wife....it is not easy at all.  Like everything else, it has it's ups and downs.  The trick is to love each other unconditionally and to respect and honor each other.  Treat your wives better than yourself.  I'm positive that Grammy and Grampy would tell you that their 40 years of marriage have had it's tough stretches, but they would also tell you that they would do it again with each other tomorrow.

My parents divorced when I was in college (after they had been married for over 20 years).  Mommy's parents were never even married at all.  Both of us have made a commitment to God, to each other, and to you boys that the word "divorce" is not even going to be in our vocabulary.  We promise that we will do whatever is necessary to keep us all together as a family for the rest of our lives.  We both love you so much, and we hope that we are setting good examples for what a husband and a wife and a daddy and a mommy should be for you boys.

I pray that each of you find a woman that makes you as happy as your mom has made me.  I pray that each of you find a spouse that will love you unconditionally, and one that will stand by your side for the rest of your lives....but unlike Grammy, you don't need to find a spouse when you are 14!!!

The Home Depot Kids Workshop

This morning I took Cody and Riley to The Home Depot's kids workshop.  They have it the first Saturday of every month, and the kids get to make some type of craft, usually with wood, hammers, nails, glue, etc.  It gets them to using tools and is a great way for me to get to spend time with them.  I was trying to think of way to get to spend time with Cody, since he didn't want to do the Falcons Training Camp with us last weekend.  This was right up Cody's alley.  He and Riley both had a blast.  They got a kids Home Depot apron just like their employees wear, and they got a pin to put on it.  The craft today was a divided pencil holder with stickers that made it look like a school bus.  The pin that they got for their apron was a picture of the school bus.  I guess that the pin changes each month to match whatever craft is being made.  I believe that we will make it a point to go back and do this again on the the first Saturday of each month.  We really had a blast!

1st day of school!!

1st day of school today!!!  Hard to believe that our babies that were 5, 2, and 1 years old just a little while ago are now 5th, 2nd, and 1st graders!!  You all woke up this morning excited to go to school...I wonder how long that's going to last??  All three of you had on your Atlanta Braves gear for "opening day"....and you looked cool!!  We are very proud of you boys!