Pray for Suz

I went off to the University of Alabama in August of 1991. None of my really good friends from high school were going to Alabama, so I decided to go potluck with the roommate situation. I lived with my first roommate during the first few days of rush until it became apparent that we weren’t a good match {mainly because she was a smoker and I was not}. My mother and Kathy Gray/Clay came down for Serious Night/Bid Day and immediately went down to the main office in Tutwiler to inform them I needed a new roommate {little did I know the impact this would have on my life}.

I remember walking down a hall on the 6th floor to meet a girl named Leanne Stafford. We hit it off immediately. Leanne quickly introduced me to the girls next door…Shannon Shows and Suzanne Gray. The four of us were fast friends and developed an instant bond! We all ended up pledging different sororities but remained close during our years at Alabama. I still laugh to this day at the things we went through and did during our stay at Tutwiler!

Tuesday night I got a message through Facebook from Shannon:

“Andrea, Hope your pregnancy is going well. Just in the last week I'm starting to become more uncomfortable with my growing belly! I got a call from Suz today saying that she has breast cancer. She is having a double mastectomy on Monday. She will have to do Chemo as well. I was of course devastated. She is really at peace with it at this time, but she says her Mom nor Jeff is handling it well at all. Just thought I'd let you know to keep her in your prayers.”

I have been in a state of total shock and devastation as well. People our age shouldn’t have to go through these things! Suzanne is a fighter and I am confident that she will beat this! She has the best outlook on the situation she has been dealt. Please remember her and her family in your prayers! She has set up a Caring Bridge site if you care to follow along with her journey or send her some words of encouragement!

Me, Suz, Shannon and Leanne - Tutwiler Dorm 1991

Shannon, me, Leanne and Suz - New Orleans 1992

Suz and Me - our first apartment, Collegiate Downs {aka Melrose Place} 1992

Family Math Night

Last night Banks had Family Math Night at his school. We went to Mrs. Scott's room next door {Ms. Lowery's room had a flood right after school} to see what they had been learning in Math this year. First, they placed their name on a double venn diagram based on how many pips {spots} were on the domino they had drawn out of the bag. Then they showed us how they had been using the calendar each day to incorporate math:

We also got to use a number generator {dice} to play a game:

You rolled the dice and filled the number of squares on your board based on the number you had rolled. The first person to fill up their board by rolling the exact amount won. Even Mary Reese got to play:

Then Ms. Lowery told them to put 6 squares on their board. Each student told her different ways to add numbers together to make 6 based on the placement of their tiles or the color of tiles they used. Jody and I were amazed and proud at how much Banks had learned this year!

After our math games, we were invited to the cafeteria for hot dogs, chips and cookies!

100th Day of School

This little boy celebrated his 100th day of Kindergarten today:

He made this crown and got to a special snack of punch and chips. He also had to take 100 things to count and sort. He decided to take 100 golf tees. I think they had a wonderful day celebrating!!!

Getting Fit

Santa brought us Wii Fit for Christmas. We just got it out of the box yesterday! They have LOVED doing their "exercises." Hope it continues since it's cold outside!

Historic Day

Apparently Banks spent his school day watching history in the making. He said they watch all the events surrounding the Inauguration today {the only time they broke was to pick up their lunch in the cafeteria}. I asked him what he learned today and here are his facts:

1. Barack Obama is the 1st African-American President
2. He is the 44th President
3. He lives on the 2nd floor of the White House
4. He works in the Oval Office and rides in the Air Force I
5. He has 2 daughters who will each have a guard {Secret Service} outside of their classroom
6. He rode in a limo a bunch of times today
7. Ted Kennedy {whose brother was the President that got killed in a convertible} had a seizure at lunch today and Barack Obama helped load the stretcher in the ambulance because he was his friend {by far my favorite fact of the day}!

Thanks Ms. Lowery for exposing Banks to this historic day! He really did soak up alot of what was happening!

Banks drawing a picture of the White House

How to you shop for a wedding dress?

This is a 4 year-old's idea on how to shop for a wedding dress:

Mary Reese was dying to go wedding dress shopping with me, Debbie and Stacey on Saturday. Reluctantly I agreed. She was entertained for the trying on of the first few dresses before deciding she was bored. Thank goodness I remembered I had some of their favorite t.v. shows downloaded to my phone {you got to love an iphone}. She entertained herself during the rest of the shopping excursion with Zack and Cody and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse...she was a perfect angel!

We also looked at some bridemaid dresses. Thank goodness this is not how I will look in it:

Stacey tried it on first so we could get an idea of how a "normal" person {not a 7 month pregnant lady} would look in the dress. Then I tried it on just for giggles...and we all had a big one! {Notice the princess in the background still into her t.v.}

Practicing Their New Roles

This soon-to-be big brother and big sister:

got lots of practice time in with little one:

{Cousin Baby Carter}

Carter spent a few days with us. Since the weather was so nice, we took some walks around the neighborhood:

Carter thought he was as big as the other two...he was running down the sidewalks to keep up with them.

Here is an attempt of a good picture of the three of them:

{I don't know how anyone gets a decent picture of 3 children}

As soon as Carter saw Banks riding on the neighbor's car...he looked at me and said "Me, Me" while pointing to himself:

Banks took him for a spin around the yard: and Carter thought he was big stuff:

I think Banks and Mary Reese enjoyed have a little one in the house to boss around! In a few months, they will have a permanent addition to boss daily!

Out with the Old, In with the New

2008 ended with a BANG! While we were getting our New Year's Eve dinner prepared, Aunt Stacey called with some news:

That is right, Aunt Stacey is now the future "Ms. Gerald Dean Dunkin Bridge Junkin". They are planning a summer wedding. Mary Reese was asked to be a flower girl but turned Stacey down! We'll see if she changes her mind before the wedding :)

Growing up we always had fondue on New Year's Eve with our family and some family friends. Nicholas, Sue and Carter were in town...so we continued a family tradition with a New Year's Eve fondue:

Before heading off to bed {we all were fast asleep soon after midnight}, we got a beef brisket situated on the Big Green Egg.

Nicholas and Sue headed out this morning to cheer on the Tide in New Orleans. While I was on kid duty, Debbie was on kitchen duty. She whipped out all this yummy goodies to kick off the new year:

We had beef brisket, spicy black-eyed peas, freshly picked turnip greens, sweet potatoes, slaw and hog jowl {cooked by Popsy}.

Here are all the cousins eating their greens for money and peas for luck:

Banks ate both when I told him their meanings, Mary Reese refused to eat either and Carter was "tricked" into eating his {I camouflaged some of each on a bite of yogurt}. We topped off our traditional New Year's dinner with some banana pudding. We even busted out one of our Bingo prizes:

Banks and Mary Reese loved dipping pretzels, marshmallows and brownies in the flowing chocolate. After dessert and a game of Disney DVD Bingo, all the grandkids got a "Debbie Scrub Down":

Then the squeaky clean cousins all piled up in our bed for a little T.V. time before heading off to bed:

Hope everyone else had a wonderful start to a brand new year! Looks like it will be a busy one in our house with a new baby in March and a summer wedding!