Tuesday, September 30, 2008

I'm Going Home!

I leave tomorrow for Orlando! I am so excited to be going home already! I will be spending a couple of days there with my best friend Brittani. Isn't she just adorable!?

And then headed to Jacksonville with all my precious friends from Westwood. I can't wait to spend the weekend with all of you! Lots of late nights and Starbucks! Here is a picture of a few of my friends. There are so many more I just don't have a picture. But don't worry, after this weekend I will!

I know this time will be great. I am already praying for my departure. I have had this to look forward to since I moved and when I come back I won't have it to hold on to anymore. :( But, I am flying home with my new friend Elizabeth and her little Avery who are going to the retreat as well. So that makes the flight home pretty sweet. :) I can't wait to see all of you and hear about what you've been up to! See you in a couple days!!!! Love you!! ~Jen

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Vacation in Georgia

Well, after a much needed vacation we are back home. We had such a wonderful relaxing time in Georgia. The drive was about 4 and a half hours if you count losing an hour once you get there. But it was a nice drive. Especially through Ocoee Tennessee. We drove along the river where you could see people white water rafting! It was awesome! I hope I never become numb to the beautiful sights here in Tennessee. I have plenty of pictures to show the beauty of the land and my precious boy of course! :)
Here are some pictures from Anna Ruby Falls. What a sight to see. The hike up was pretty long but way worth it once you got there.


Here are my boys looking at the scenery on the way to the falls.

And this is what I saw the whole way up. Andon wants to play follow the leader all day every day! And somehow he's almost always the leader! :)

The next day we went out on a canoe for the afternoon. Andon absolutely LOVED it! He was helping Jared paddle the canoe.


And every night we built a fire and made smores. I don't know why because Andon dosen't even like them. He ends up cooking the marshmallow handing it to me to eat and then eating the chocolate and graham cracker all by themselves. :) Here are some pictures of them collecting fire wood for our nightly fire. They loved to go out in the woods collecting logs and sticks. :) Boy stuff...


And here is a picture of Andon down at the lake.

We had such a nice time staying in the mountains. Thank you so much Larry and Terri for letting us use your beautuful cabin!

Thursday, September 18, 2008

All in One

Like I said in the previous post I had a lot to catch up on. I was tagged by my sweet friend/mentor Jackie. There are rules and everything to it but one of the rules was to have fun breaking them, so that's what i'll do. :) Sorry Jackie, I know that kills you. :) The tag was all about the impact blogging has had on your life. And you were supposed to write five specific ways blogging has affected you positively or negatively.
Well, I started this blog a couple of months ago. The only reason I started it was to keep in touch with my family and friend's after we moved to Nashville. I am no writer, my grammer is probably a big mess so I was pretty intimidated to start. That's why if you scroll back to the first post's on this blog they were written by Jared. He said we were going to do this thing together but once I blogged a few times he rarely has again. Now he say's he was just getting me started. :) I love to post pictures on my blog so everyone can see my little Andon growing so fast and see all the fun stuff he has been up to. I really didn't expect anything to come from blogging just wanted to post what we were up to and keep up with all my sweet friends that I miss so much. But, some wonderful things have happened because of it! I met a girl who has a blog here in Tennessee and joined a bible study that she is leading and love it! I also joined another bible study that she spoke of on her blog. We went yesterday and God has already challenged me in so many ways from this one. I am so excited about getting to know the women in my new studies! I also met my sweet friend Elizabeth from blogging. She lives here in Tennessee and was writing something about her son going to soccer and I contacted her about it and we have been hanging out since the first week I got here! She is also coming to the Westwood Women's Retreat with my church at home! I'd love to say it was all because of me but I know she just adores Brandi and would love to see all the other girls she once new. :) So, without blogging I don't think that after a month and a half here in Tennessee I would already be getting connected!

What else, the weather here has been beautiful!! It's nice and cool in the mornings and get's warmer throughout the day but still has a nice fall breeze. I love it! I love the Fall, I wish I could put all my cute Fall decor out but really I think it would make me feel too crowded in this apartment. So i'll have to pass on that this year. :(

I FINALLY started running again. At home in Florida I would run 5 or so days a week with my precious friend Christie. Who I miss SO MUCH! :) We would run anywhere from 3-5 miles during the week and step it up on the weekends with anywhere from a 5-10 mile run. Well, we only did 10 twice but i'm pretty proud of us! :) So, when I first got here I went running with these women I met on one of my trips here (before I moved). That run was horrible! I got so sick, we were about 2 miles out on a 9 mile run and my body was shutting down! Oh boy was it bad. I felt terrrible. I didn't want to slow anyone down so I kept pushing until I couldn't any longer. I finally told one of the ladies I had to go back and she was so kind to stay with me. I was fighting off throwing up and going potty in my pants! I know, WAY too much info here but it was bad! Anyways, after that experience I was starting to give up on running until I saw this girl running through our apartment complex one evening. I stopped her to talk and asked her how often she runs and we have been running together for a week now! Yeah! I am in need of some exercise here! :)

We went to the Nashville Zoo last weekend. It wasn't anything special, but i've never really been a huge fan of looking at trapped animals sleeping all day in these made up environments. Andon had a blast though! He is such an animal lover, he made sure we stopped at every single animal to take a look. :) Here are a few pics from that day...


This is a viewing area for the prairie dogs. You climb under and peek up at them.

Andon and I on the carousel..


We also went and walked around downtown Nashville one day. Here are some pics of Andon sitting next to a statue of a man playing a guitar.



I still have more but don't want to be overwhelming. We are headed to Georgia for a vacation Friday! I can't wait for some relaxation! But am sad to miss church and my new bible studies. I'll be sure to post more soon. And pics of our trip!

Thanks for sharing in this journey with me...

Jen

Monday, September 15, 2008

Fishing


This will be a quick post of our fishing trip this weekend. I am getting ready to get in the shower and then go to a bible study I joined at the church we have been going to for the last three weeks (which by the way we LOVE)!! I am very excited about finally joining a bible study. We have only been here a month and a half but I really miss being in a study. I can't wait to meet all the girls and start the Stepping Up Beth Moore study. We have been really busy with company for the last two weeks. I have quite a few posts in my head and someone has tagged me. So I have a lot to catch up on! :)
Here are some pictures of our fishing trip. It was such a nice relaxing day. Jared and Andon did all the fishing while I hung out and took pictures...


Andon is so good at casting! He hasn't caught any fish yet but that's ok, it is so fun watching him try! :)

I'll be sure to post soon! The Women's Retreat is in two weeks!! I am getting so excited! Love you all! ~Jen

Monday, September 8, 2008

First Day of School


Last Wednesday was Andon's first day of school. Sorry for posting a little late, we have been busy with company. As you will see in some of the pictures, Jared's Dad and his girlfriend Abbe are here. So, the morning of school, Abbe made Andon and Papa pancakes and eggs. Upon Andon's request of course. :) That is his favorite breakfast. Here is a picture of them having their big breakfast together.

We already had his clothes picked out from the night before. It was a very exciting morning around here! Here is a picture of Andon outside ready to go. The big red thing is his mat for rest time. :)

Here are some pictures of us at his school waiting for the classes to start.



Here we are signing him in for class and checking it all out.



And a picture of him and his Daddy....

It all went better than I could have expected. He started to say "I'm scared" right before we were about to leave but Daddy came to the rescue and everything was fine. The five hours went by so fast! But, I was watching the clock once it was getting close to time to get him! I was so excited to hear how it went! :) He was very hyper and excited when I got there and said he couldn't wait to go back.
So, then came Friday. I took him all by myself, no entourage and no Daddy for backup. I should have known something would happen because he woke up on the wrong side of the bed that day. We even stopped off at Daddy's work before we went to school just to have a little chat. :) When we pull in the parking lot of school Andon say's "look at me mom" so I put my mirror on him and he say's "I just want to look at you all day". :) It was so cute! But I knew he was up to something. We go in to his class and he start's saying "i'm scared, don't leave me here!" That went on for fifteen minutes. He was crying, wanting me to hold him. I didn't know what to do, I wanted to cry myself but I know that would not have helped the situation!! :) Finally the teacher started talking to him about something and I had to go. All the way down the hall I could hear him screaming. I was so upset, I got in the car and called Jared. He said just wait a few minutes and go back to listen but don't let him see you. So, I did and he had stopped. But really, I was a mess the whole time he was there.
Once again, I couldn't wait to go get him and he was so happy and excited about his day at school. We will see how this week goes. It's just going to take a little getting used to. But really, it's only five hours two day's a week. I know this is what God has called us to do right now so I am excited to see all the things that come from it. :) ~Jen

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

The whole truth and nothing but!

OK, I had to post here. I was reading over Jen's last post and she missed a few details of the "event" I thought made the story. The night started out with playing (we actually called it Family Fun Friday, which in turn sent my creative brain off on an exploration to find as many F words as I could make the night into... I got to nine!) Anyway, we played hide and go seek and then a game I named Body Letters. Actually a cool game where we challenged Andon to form his body into a letter that me and Jen had to guess. Blah blah you get the picture we were having some fun!

Jen went out on the porch and was talking to a neighbor while I was sitting down (body letters had me completely worn out!) The neighbor is some man who has a couple of nasty little rats (oops, meant dogs). Everytime I walk our dog his dog barks, growls and stands on its rear legs as to intimidate me (its a schnauzer... small dogs complex.. nuph said). So Jen is making nice with the neighbor and out runs Andon... a growl, viscious bark and a scream (Jen screaming like in a horror film, Alfred Hitchcock movie, real loud, means the sky is falling, the end has come and the earth is opening up to swallow us all). In a reaction to that sound I am about 7 foot off the floor legs moving at mock speed (cartoon version of road runner) moving towards the porch when I meet Jen. She is holding Andon and screaming he got bit! I am now out on the porch yelling at that man, I know what your thinking, what am I doing yelling at a man I barely know but... (always a but) Every time I see this man his dogs are out of control, add that to the fact that the only time I "lose it" is when Andon or Jen are being harmed and you have mean Jared. So... I stop yelling at the man because he is now walking away and all I can hear is Andon screaming in the bathroom. Again I am 7 foot off the ground, legs moving like a cartoon etc and in the bathroom I find myself.

Jen on one side of me and Andon on the other. Jen is walking in circles trying to catch her thoughts, Andon is MAD... "That dog is GUILTY" (sooo funny) and I am trying to assess and do damage control. As I am calming Andon down and looking at his finger Jen announces "Is that his finger tip on the floor" Andon looks at me, eyes widen to the size of saucers and here it comes, the flood of emotions. I immediately look at Jen and shoot lasers from my eyes as to say "not the best timing for that remark" I remark NOOOOO! and focus back on Andon. As I looked over his finger inside Jared (the voice in my head) says "Holy Moly the tip of his finger is missing, was that it on the floor" but was surfaces to my mouth is "oh it's not that bad". Inside Jared is planning the route to the nearest hospital, coordinating Jen to get ready for the trip etc but what surfaces again is "Hamburger"! I decided to make light of what was a possible bad situation so I knicknamed Andon's finger Hamburger! It caught his attention and I think Jens and we came down from RED ALERT!

Actually I knew it was not an issue. Based on my vast knowledge of the human anatomy and countless medical degrees I could assess that the pinky finger (other wise known as the useless digit) was cut in a place that could not be stitched. A band aid, a joke and a funny memory is what we are left with (and Andon's new knickname Hamburger!)

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

He Got Bit

By a neighbor's dog! He used to be so afraid of dogs until we got him Sadie (a yellow lab) for his 4th birthday. After we brought her home he just loved all dogs. He goes up to every dog he see's to pet them and we have told him time and time again that you shouldn't do that. Jared even showed him how to go up to a dog with your palm facing them or something. I usually just pull him in the other direction and don't let him go near. So, a couple nights ago I saw someone out our window in front of the apartment and went out there. Sadie followed me to see as well. I see this man walking his dog, Sadie goes toward the rails to smell the dog and the guy let's his dog come close to smell her too. Well before I know it Andon is out there, sees the other dog and say's "hey doggie", sticks his hand through the rails and the dog bites him!!! He starts screaming, I see blood and I start screaming. We go in to take a look and the tip of his pinky finger is GONE! He was so upset saying "Sadie's friend bit me! that dog is guilty, he's a nugget!" We took him to the doctor but all they could do was put him on antibiotics for infection. I guess you can't stitch something that's not there. They had to call animal control to get the information about the dog, to make sure it had all it's shots. It's starting to heal but stills looks a little yucky. Here he is with his finger all wrapped up. Stinky little boy! :)