Our Precious Memories

Gallbladder Nightmare

2011-06-17T16:19:00.001-07:00

It all started on June 14, 2011. I had a pretty normal day at moms

helping with Nanny. At 5:00 P.M. I left her house to visit

with Allen before going to a Bible study with my teachers lounge friends. After bible study I met with Allen and Christian at a Mexican restaurant and we shared a Mexican dinner ( Fajita Quesidillas) . After dinner, I went back to moms to

continue helping with Nanny. At about 1:00 A.M. in he morning I

asked mom if she wanted to split some bread pudding with me (Not a good idea). About 15 min. after eating the bread pudding, I began having excruciating pain in my stomach. The pain continued for over an hour. At this time I thought... I have to go home and be in my own bed and I need Allen with me if I'm going to be in this much pain. So I woke Savannah up (she was staying at moms with me) and I told her we were going home. She was not happy about that. I managed somehow to drive home with the horrible pain I was having. I got home and tried everything from soaking in a tub of hot water for over an hour, lying on my stomach and in all different positions, and walking the floors and stairs. After six hours of continuous pain I decided that I needed to go to the hospital. We arrived at the hospital around 6:30 AM and the doctors got to me immediately because there wasn't a wait at all in the emergency room. We had prayed on the way to the hospital that there wouldn't be a long wait because I couldn't wait in the condition I was in, so needless to say we were very happy about that. The doctor, after hearing my symptoms, immediately thought it was a gallbladder attack . They gave me some pain medicine (morphine) to help comfort me while I waited for an ultrasound. I was so happy to get pain medicine. As I waited for the medicine to kick in I kept thanking the Lord that we have modern-day medicine to help in circumstances like this. After about 30 min. I thought surely the pain medicine should be working by now it's morphine for crying out loud. So I told nurse but it wasn't working very well and they quickly gave me another dose. Soon, a nurse that came to take me up to the ultrasound room where I would hold my breath for about 30 seconds every other minute, while the technician performed the

ultrasound. The ultrasound showed that I had many gallstones and the next step was to talk to the surgeon. When the surgeon arrived he gave me all the education I needed to know about gallbladders and I've then decided to go ahead and have the surgery that day since he was free to do the surgery that day. After the surgery, while in the recovery room, I was in so much pain. I couldn't believe that in this day and age, after surgery, you could be in that much pain with all the drugs available. I told the anesthesiologist about my pain and he quickly gave me some more medicine and I began feeling much better. After about 20 min. of being in recovery, Allen was able to come back and visit with me for a few minutes. It was such a great thing to see his smiling face, he made me feel at ease immediately. The next thing I remember was being transported to my hospital room and my brother and his wife being there visiting, and cracking some jokes to make me laugh. I so appreciated them being there and visiting with them. After they left I remember telling Allen that I had to have some rest and I couldn't have any visitors. Please tell everybody that I really appreciate all the kindness, but I just need to be left alone. That is so not like me because I love visitors and I love people coming and talking to me, but I was in so much pain and just felt very ill. I didn't want anyone to see me that way.

Well... to make a long story even longer the night of my surgery was the longest night of my life. At around 6:00 PM. I started throwing up every 20 min. for the next 10 hours. That is not something you want to do after having surgery. It was horrible. As soon as I would get laid down in the bed and all the wires and everything attached to me, I would feel the feeling of having to throw up again and then have to rush to unhook everything, wake Allen up, and try to get to the bathroom again. The nurses would come in and ask me if I needed more pain medicine or more anti-nausea medicine and I kept taking it thinking, this might make it better. Bad Idea! Finally at six o'clock in the morning I decided no more medicine I think that's what's making me sick so I told the doctors please no more pain medicine and no more anti-nausea medicine. That day was so long and I felt like the doctor was never going to come in and check on me. Finally he came in at three o'clock and I begged him to go home. He said, "Didn't you throw up all last night?"," The nurses said you had a horrible night" and I said, "Yes, but I promise I can eat some food and if you just let me eat food and keep it down... can I please go home? I know it's because of the pain medicine that I was throwing up, I promise you the only way I'm going to get better is if I go home and get in my own bed.

So… Allen proceeded to order what he wanted for dinner and I ate a few bites and told Allen to eat the rest in a hurry and he did...haha. The nurse came in and said you did a good job with your food and I said, "thank you, can I go home now?" and she said, "well yes I guess you can. I will get the paper work"

So I was able to go home after Allen got all of our stuff together, and the nurse gathered all the paper work and unhooked my I.V. Now I can rest in my own bed. I'm at home recovering and it was so nice to get in my own bed. It felt so good, it was like heaven. I'm still in a little pain. Not much, and I'm just eating very bland food for now, but I am so thankful to be alive and home sweet home with my family.

I don't know what I would have done without my dear friend Vicki, who kept the kids, and my wonderful Mother In Law who kept and fed the kids. My precious mom and dad who helped feed us and transport the kids everywhere. My sweet friends and family who are still bringing food and praying for me while I recover.

Last but certainly not least I want to thank my wonderful husband who never left my side in the hospital and helped me to bathroom all night when I looked like a drunk sailor. He kissed me, petted me, brought me cold rags and prayed with me. I love you more than words can express and I will never forget how you cared for me. I thank the Lord for you everyday! Now on to the next chapter in the Barnes life. I wonder what's in store for us next?

Cindi

Christian's Bold Response to an Atheist

2010-11-06T21:18:00.000-07:00

Christian is blowing my mind tonight. He saw a post that somebody made on youtube about God not existing and God not being real. Well this upset Christian and he took it upon himself to respond to this person without telling us. At first I was like what? Oh no what did he say? Then he read it to me and I wanted to cry. Not because I was upset, but because I was so happy that he was so confident in debating his belief and standing up for what he believed and giving a reason for what he believed. I was also convicted at the same time because I thought to myself, "Would I do that?" or would I worry about offending someone?

Christian son, someday when your a lot older you will look back and read this and I pray you will still be shouting this message. I'm so proud of the Godly man your growing into and the amount of wisdom you have at 12 years old. Thank you for showing me how to bold and stand up for what you believe. It's amazing the things God can teach you through your children.

Below are 2 responses to this unbeliever on youtube.

See, God made us, not out of boredom, HE MADE US TO GIVE GLORY TO HIM! and there is no evidence that he is false...BUT THE OPPOSITE! :D Look at the world around you! The trees, the sky, the intelligent bees. These all require an intelligent designer, such as God, and that is evidence that God is true! It just makes me sad D:< when people say he is fake...BECAUSE I KNOW THERE IS A CHANCE THEY WILL BURN IN HELL FOREVER. THE BIBLE WARNS YOU! See here::http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/

Well, the answer to your first question is: the reason he made us not perfect is so he could show the contrast between good and evil. If we were all good, there would be no difference from us and God, and we would not see him as holy. We would see him as average, and he would not be glorified then because there would be no reason to praise him if he was average and not holy...Oh yeah! Answer this for me. Where could the eukaryotic cell come from if there was nothing there to create it? Does Something come from nothing? There has to be someone who always was...and that is GOD! :D

Surprising the boys at the campground.

2010-10-02T17:44:00.000-07:00

Our Rental Renovations

2010-10-02T14:17:00.000-07:00

Daddy

2010-03-24T14:59:00.001-07:00

I love hearing my daddy sing.

Hilarious video of Allen.

2010-02-01T09:38:00.001-08:00

We had a blast!What an awesome weekend.

Christian's Christmas Surprise

2009-12-25T11:03:00.001-08:00

Savannah won first place in the CHET Talent Show!

2009-11-09T09:25:00.000-08:00

Savannah sang "Legacy" by Nicole Nordeman in the CHET talent show this week and won first place for the Junior High. This year she decided to quit dance, which was her passion, and try voice lessons instaed. I think she is enjoying it very much. She has also started have some knee problems, so I am glad she isn't doing Pointe anymore. She was a beautiful dancer and I loved watching her dance, but I definitely don't want her having all kinds of injuries due to dance. I enjoy listening to her sing so much.

There was so much talent at the show. There were fiddle players, guitar players, pianist, poetry, and even a magician. I was amazed when watching the video of the show at how much talent was in that small group of homeschooled children. They all did a fantastic job. We are so proud of all you!

Pray, Pray, Pray for Kate- Bear

2009-07-05T23:02:00.000-07:00

This adorable little girl, Kate Mcrae was healthy,(it seemed) one day and the next day, June 29th she was diagnosed with an aggressive malignant brain tumor. This little girl's life and her family's life was changed forever that day. She was operated on Friday, July 3, 2009. Since the operation, as you can imagine, there have been many complications. Below I have copied a Journal entry posted tonight by Kate's Mom. It touched me and I hope it will make me think twice the next time I have the thought, "If I hear the word mommy one more time today, I'm going to scream."

I encourage you to read the journal entry below and the whole Journal at www.prayforkate.com and then pray for this family and Kate McRay. Lord please heal this sweet child.

Do you know those days where your kids are endlessly calling "mommy"? I have had many of those in the past. My kids are 6 (she will be 7 in 2 weeks), 5 and 4. There were many times I would say "okay no one can call me mommy for 10 minutes, I just need quiet!". How many times did I complain about how it seemed like they were always pooping and I was always wiping. How I loved those days where I could lazily stay in my pjs and not wear any makeup. One word can change all of that. Cancer. Now I beg for my daughter to say mommy, just once, just for something for me to hang onto. I don't care if she screams it, slurs it, anything, just say mommy. Kate finally pooped today, in the bed (of which I was sharing with her). I was so excited to clean her up. She pooped! I kept telling her how proud I was of her. Now I rejoice that she poops, the surgery didn't effect that. As far as pajamas go, people here in the PICU might believe that it's possible I don't own any clothes. I would love to get out of pajamas. Just don't feel the need most days. Things change quickly and forever. We can never go back. We can never again be pre-cancer days. Our lives are forever altered. Just pray we can have post cancer days. Lives after God's healing. I want it so badly for my baby. So badly for me. So badly for Aaron. So badly for Olivia and Will.
Not sure what tomorrow holds. Possibly another MRI, I hope not. They are going to do another one to make sure the bleeding has stopped and see if the swelling has gone down.. (at least that is what I understood, but I don't hear a lot these days). If she has the MRI again that means more sedation and more intubation. AHHH! Please pray for Tuesday, I am absolutely dreading getting the pathology report back. I know most would think at least then you can move forward, come up with a plan. But the word, the diagnosis, one more layer of innocence torn away. Then it will be studying and hearing facts and statistics and prognoses. I don't want to.
Kate is crying. I need to help her. She is trying to say a word, but can't pronounce it. Help us God. Help my daughter! Heal her body, every single cell. Preserve her spirit. Help her fight. Give her rest.

*Pictures and post copied from www.prayforkate.com If for any reason this is copyrighted please let me know and I will remove from my blog.

My First Tomatoes

2009-06-11T12:38:00.000-07:00

I'm So Excited

2009-05-31T22:52:00.000-07:00

My friend Christy sent me a link to learn how to better customize my blog so I am in the process of remodeling it. I am sure it will change a million times in the coming days until I decide how I like it. Thanks so much Christy!

All this for $15

2009-05-24T12:24:00.000-07:00

I got all of this for $15. My new hobby, Coupon Shopping!

Christian and Ramsey's Music Project

2009-05-11T18:15:00.001-07:00

Wade's Proposal to Jennifer.

2009-04-13T07:00:00.000-07:00

Video Allen and I Did for 700 Club

2009-03-13T07:04:00.000-07:00

Momma, "Don't Cut My Wisk"

2009-01-19T15:33:00.000-08:00

Ok, This is hilarious. Last night I was clipping Christian's fingernails and he said, "Be careful momma. don't cut into my whisk." I started laughing so hard I was almost crying. He was laughing too, but he didn't know why. Then he said, (as he was laughing) "Oh, I mean my wick." At this point, my side was cramping because of my hysterical laughter. I think it took me about five minutes to stop laughing enough to explain that the word he was looking for was "Quick" and that a wick was whay was on a candle. I had to post this so I could remember it years from now. I know there will be a day very soon when I will wish for more of these moments.

Savannah's Audition

2009-01-19T15:19:00.000-08:00

Savannah is auditionng tomorrow for a part in a Lifeway production called coffeeteria. They told her two bring a headshot so I made her one. I hope she gets the part, but more than that I hope she too upset if she doesn't. Say a prayer for her if you think about it.

Dickens of a Christmas

2008-12-23T01:47:00.000-08:00

Tennessee vs Vanderbilt

2008-12-16T22:00:00.000-08:00

Christian got 2nd place in the Geography Bee

2008-11-18T18:04:00.000-08:00

Christian we are so proud of you. You worked really hard for this. I was so amazed at how enthusiastic you were telling the judges about all that you had learned. Below is the Video we made and displayed at the Geography Fair. I will post some pictures of the display board and salt dough maps etc. later.

Getting Better... Mystery Solved

2008-11-02T22:41:00.001-08:00

Well it turned out the reason I wasn't getting any better was that I was having an allergic reaction to the antibiotics that I was taking. I don't think I have had as much pain in my joints ever as I have had this last week. I felt like an 90 year old woman with severe arthritis. The doctor prescribed me 50mg of Benadryl every 6 hours and if that didn't help I would have to go in and get treated at the doctor's office. It turns out I am allergic to Sulfa drugs and Penicillin. Lord protect me from bacteria because I am allergic to the best drugs to fight it. Just do a Google search on Allergic reaction to Bactrim and you will soon see that I could have easily died, but God had other plans. Thank you Lord for keeping me here because I have two wonderful children and a saint of a husband that still need me here. It is Sunday now and I was able to go to church today and listen to that fabulous husband I have preach your Word from Romans 12. Overall I am feeling 90 percent better and I am sure by tomorrow I will be 100 percent. Now lets just pray Savannah stays well this week and maybe the Strep bug will be gone for this season from our house.

Weeks of Sickness

2008-10-29T21:25:00.000-07:00

Ok, I normally don't blog about negative things but I guess this is worth blogging about. I can look back years from now and laugh at it hopefully. It all started two weeks ago when Christian started feeling bad and had a fever. He said his throat felt scratchy. Keep in mind that I hardly ever take the kids to the doctor. I took him to the doctor and low and behold he had Strep throat. He got his antibiotics and was better the next day. One week to the day that Christian was at the doctor, I was taking Allen to the doctor for 102 fever. You guessed it, he had Strep. He got his antibiotics and was great in about 24 hours. Well on Monday, October 27th, after the Thursday that Allen was at the doctor, yep... my turn. I started feeling a little bad on Monday night. I woke up Tuesday morning feeling horrible, but it was Tuesday and that is the day the kids are at tutorial all day and I wasn't going to waste my FREE day at the doctor so I thought, I am sure I have Strep too so I will just take one of Allen's antibiotics and go to the doctor the next day. Then after I swallowed the antibiotic I called my mom and she said, "That wasn't smart Cindi, because you probably will not test positive for strep now and they might not treat you correctly." My wonderful friend Kim brought us dinner that night and I was so thankful for that. I was so surprised when she came by I almost didn't answer the door because I thought it was a neighborhood kid. Thank you so much, the food was delicious. Well I went to the doctor today. Actually, Allen practically had to carry me there, because I could hardly walk I was so sick. My weirdest symptom was that my eyes were and still are really bloodshot and glassy and my nose felt like somebody had stuffed crushed red pepper up in it. It burned really bad. My throat was a little irritated but it was the least of my worries. My head was pounding and I had a fever. I know if your not me or Allen and your reading this you are probably really bored. Anyway I went to the doctor and I tested positive for Strep and I have a severe sinus infection. I went home and slept all day. It seemed like every time I woke up I was feeling worse so I would go back to sleep. I got up around 4pm hungry and limped around the house looking for something to eat. Allen started warming up some Chicken Noodle Soup and the phone rang and it was my sweet friend Vicki. She wanted to bring me something from Panera to eat, she insisted, so I accepted and she showed up at my house we a huge shopping bag full of bread, sandwiches, soups, and a whole pie, brownie thing with 8 slices. I was totally blow away at how sweet and loving my friends are. The food she brought fed the whole family and we have leftovers.
Now tonight my joint pain has gotten a lot worse and I have a rash all over my body so I am guessing I have Scarlet Fever. I pray I will feel much better tomorrow. Poor Allen has been a trooper helping the kids with their school today and taking care of me. I truly am blessed, even though I feel awful, God has allowed me to see how blessed I am with a Mom and Dad who are calling and checking on me regularly, friends bringing me food, children who say "can I get you anything mom?' and a husband who can do anything and does do everything without complaining. Thank you Jesus for the people you have put in my life.

2008-10-25T00:16:00.001-07:00

BubbleShare: Share photos - Find great Clip Art Images.

Another Home Run- Go Christian

2008-10-08T01:16:00.000-07:00

Christian's best hit ever. A True Tripple!

2008-09-30T20:36:00.000-07:00

I am so proud of you Christian for how great you played tonight! You were 4 of the 9 points scored. When you got up to bat for the first time tonight we were behind by 2 runs. The first pitch was a foul ball, then the pitcher through a high ball. At that exact second I prayed, "Dear Lord, Please let him hit it to the outfield" and as soon as I said, "Amen" I heard POW! and that ball soared over the center-fielder's head to the fence. You were running so fast and everyone was screaming, "Go Christian" You hit two runs in with a triple, which would have been a home run if the coach had sent you to home, but he was playing it safe and I don't blame him. It was the best hit you have ever had. I was screaming and whistling like crazy. I am so mad I didn't have my camera. You also played incredible defense. Your team won 9-8. I just have to say that tonight was your best game ever. It is so awesome to get an answer to prayer like that. Thank you Lord.

I thought this was great!

2008-09-30T13:55:00.001-07:00

Rocky Version Christian's Home Run Video

2008-09-14T20:06:00.000-07:00

Christian's Home Run Video

2008-09-13T12:36:00.000-07:00

OK, Can you say, "Happiest , mom in the whole world?" Yes, that's what I was after Christian made it all the way around the bases when the other team over-threw the ball to first and Christian never looked back. He was like a freight train speeding around the bases. It made me want to cry when I saw all his teammates come out and congratulate him. You see, we were behind by 3 runs and it was our last time at bat and Christian was the first batter up. He had two strikes on him and the next pitch, he hit. After he made the home run everybody was pumped up and his team ended up getting ahead by one run. Unfortunately though, the other team had the last bat and walked away with the win. However, Christian was a big winner in this game and he walked away with the game ball. I have never seen a more excited little boy in all my life. It is a wonderful thing to see our children get excited and enjoy the little things in life that our good Lord blesses us with. Hopefully, there will be many more days like this for him to enjoy. I am so proud of you Christian and I love you with all my heart.

Happy 13th Anniversary Honey!

2008-09-09T20:18:00.001-07:00

Family Reunion 2008_06 14 08_2029, originally uploaded by Blessedwifeandmom.

I can't believe thirteen years have passed since our wedding day. I am happier today than I have ever been in my life. Allen, you bring so much happiness into my life. First and foremost you are truly a man of God, selfless in every way. I didn't even know such a man existed until I met you. You are such an example to everyone you come in contact with. You are exactly what I prayed for when I was in Israel. God answered my prayer, every detail of it. You make me laugh until my side hurts. You comfort me when I am sad. You are the most incredible father, I have ever seen, and as far as loving me, I want for nothing. you make me feel like a princess and like the most beautiful woman in the world. I could go on and on all night but then I would miss being able to spend that time with you. Every minute that I get to spend with you here on this earth is a blessing from God and I cherish every one with you. I pray that God will allow us to grow old together here and make many more memories together. Until death do we part. I love you.

Chop House Fun

2008-08-29T23:05:00.001-07:00

Chop House Fun, originally uploaded by Blessedwifeandmom.

We went out with some friends for dinner tonight at The Chop House Restaurant in Hendersonville. It was so much fun. I don't think I have laughed that hard in a very long time. It took us about three hours to take this picture because I couldn't get my phone to take a good picture and as you can see it is still pretty blurry. Bonnie I am showing up at the YMCA in the morning to see your outfit! and Vicki you better meet me there because it is going to be ___________. You fill in the blank with your favorite word! We have got to this again very soon. We are so blessed to have such wonderful friends.

0820081553.jpg

2008-08-29T14:36:00.001-07:00

0820081553.jpg, originally uploaded by Blessedwifeandmom.

Sweet

Christian Stealing Bases

2008-08-29T11:26:00.001-07:00

Christian turns 10

2008-08-26T10:55:00.001-07:00

08 21 08_Christian's Birthday_3538, originally uploaded by Blessedwifeandmom.

I know, I know, that is the ugliest birthday cake you have ever seen. Well I am not very artistic and I really didn't want to spend $40 on a birthday cake from Publix. It might look sad but let me tell you, It was scrump-delicious. Strawberry cake is one of Christian's favorites so I made two for his birthday one with blue icing and one without and I have to say the one without the cheap blue icing was much better. I can't believe he is in the double digits now. Ten years old, How did that happen? Christian, you are growing into quite a young man.

You were fitted for contacts the other day and you are so excited about them you are putting your trial pair in about 10 times a day to practice. That's my Christian. If he wants something bad enough , by gollly he is going to get it. It is all or nothing with him. Sometimes that is good and sometimes, not so good. Enough rambling I guess. I just want you to know I am very proud of you and I love you with all my heart. Now I need to get off this computer and spend some time with you!

Titans Game 2008

2008-08-22T13:00:00.001-07:00

08 15 08_Titans Game 2008_3503.JPG, originally uploaded by Blessedwifeandmom.

This pic was taken after the game when we were thinking. I wonder if it is going to take us an hour to get home like it took us an hour to get here. It was worth it though for the memories.

Presenting... Christian Barnes

2008-08-01T22:31:00.000-07:00

Press the Play button to hear the theme song to my show!

A Few Days at the Lake

2008-07-23T13:21:00.001-07:00

Tims Ford_07 09 08_2583, originally uploaded by Blessedwifeandmom.

I know it has been a while since I blogged but we have been really busy. I am going to try and catch up on my blogging tomorrow or Friday on whats been going on in the Barnes' life. The picture above is from our wonderful trip to Tim's Ford Park on July the 7th-12th. To be continued...

Best Friends

2008-07-06T20:24:00.000-07:00

My best friend Julie posted this on her blog and I wanted to copy it here. We do miss seeing them as much as we use to but when we get together it is like we have never been apart. They are the kind of friends that you can just totally be yourself with. You know, the kind of friend that you can know is coming over for dinner but you don't get stressed at all because even if the house is a disaster, it's Julie and Bruce and they will love us no matter what. I am so excited about this week and the new memories we will make together at the lake. We are so blessed to have friends like them.

(No, we weren’t actually *in* a Colgate Ad but that’s how the 4 of us lovingly refer to this photo. Betcha can’t guess why. HA! Is it that obvious!?)

This is one of my favorite pictures of all time. Not because my teeth look whiter than they have ever been or ever will be, but because it’s of our best friends Cindi and Allen.

Ours is one of those friendships that was obviously Divinely ordained. Cindi and I met in Jr. High School. We were cheerleaders together - “Go Beavers!” (Yes, that was the name of the mascot. I don’t make this stuff up, people!) and we were skating rink buddies. We had sleepovers at each others’ houses and we went to the mall and movies together on Friday Nights. Most importantly, though, we were in the clique together. Now this was not just *a* clique, we were THE clique. You see, we were BEST FRIENDS FOREVER with a group of about 6 girls and “The Clique” was the name we gave ourselves. (Just a fun aside - Cindi’s brother was the school photographer and I was on the yearbook staff that year. Our pictures are all over our 8th grade annual. :o)

We moved on to High School together and cheered together in 9th grade but after that, Cindi moved to a private school. We remained friends but didn’t keep in touch. Until one day…..

When I was about 23 years old, God started professing His love for me so loudly to me that I could no longer ignore Him. I remember spending almost a week holed up in my bedroom reading The Gospels and Genesis with a pen and legal pad and really just dissecting His Word and reveling in how much He loved me. God opened my eyes to truths that I had heard forever but had never really embraced personally. He rescued me from the darkness in which I had been wandering and during that time, he led me to fellowship with other believers. The church that I started going to had a great Sunday School class for singles. I was meeting people my age who were fun to be around AND were seeking to Glorify God - a new concept for me at that time - and it was truly a blessing in my life. One day in the worship service I glanced over and saw a familiar face. It was my Jr. High “Clique Sister” and she was holding her beautiful 4 month old little girl. We hugged and started catching up on our lives and she introduced me to her sweet daughter Savannah and her husband Allen. I went out to lunch with them after church and it was like we’d never missed a minute. I started hanging out with them often and Cindi and Allen were both very encouraging to me in my walk with God.

A few months later I met Bruce in Sunday School and - as they say - the rest is history! Bruce and Allen became fast friends and we spent almost every weekend together.

The picture above was taken by Cindi’s brother who went on to become a professional photographer and would occasionally call on us to model for some shot that he needed. When he gave us a copy of this picture we all thought it was hilarious (especially once I got going with the teeth whitening feature in Paint Shop.)

These days, we don’t see them near as often as we used to and certainly not as much as we would like but we’re going to spend a few days at the lake together this coming week. The last time were there with them was 10 years ago, right after Bruce and I got married.

You can bet next Friday’s flashback will have a few “then and now” photos of our trip(s).

I’m so thankful for Good Friends that God puts in our paths, aren’t you?

Happy Weekend!

Savannah's Ballet Teacher is Moving

2008-06-25T09:53:00.001-07:00

Savannah found out two days after the recital that her ballet teacher, Miss Jessica, who she has been taking from since she was 6 years old is moving to Georgia and has sold her studio to Green Hills School of Dance. Savannah was so sad. She cried on and off for a week about it.

Savannah's Fouettes in Recital

2008-06-25T09:04:00.000-07:00

Savannnah's Ballet Recital 2008

2008-06-13T20:02:00.000-07:00

Click triangle above to view video

Is that really my daughter in the peach dress dancing like
an angel? I am so proud of you Savannah. All of your dedication
and hard work have paid off. You look absolutely beautiful when
you are dancing. Most people, when they watch you dance, say that
you look at peace and very happy on stage and I must agree.
I pray that you will always use your talents in a way the brings glory
to God.

Let them praise His name with dancing; Let them sing praises to Him with timbrel and lyre. Psalm 149:3

Ballet Rehearsal Slideshow

2008-06-12T08:30:00.000-07:00

This is a slide show of pictures I took at Savannah's
Ballet Dress Rehearsal. The song is by Billy Dean
and is called Let them be Little. It almost makes me cry
to watch it because it seems like yesterday Savannah was
a little as the cute mice in the pictures. Enjoy!

The Dangerous sport of Baseball..

2008-06-03T12:17:00.000-07:00

Christian got the GAME BALL!!

2008-04-14T22:16:00.001-07:00

Mt Little Songwriter

2008-04-14T11:18:00.000-07:00

Christian wrote this song during church yesterday. Allen handed it to me to read and I was blown away. I know, I'm a little prejudice because he is mine. However, he is only 9 years old. He could have a great future in Christian music. What do you think?

He’s the Reason

Who knows when the night shall fall and when the sun will rise?

His name is Jesus…Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.

He’s the reason the sky is blue.

He’s the reason that man is here.

We shall fear him, fear him, oh yes, fear him.

All other religions are sinking sand, But Christ our God is the solid rock, oh yes, the solid rock.

We shall rejoice with our God in heaven.

All other religion shall parish in hell.

Who knows when the night shall fall, and when the sun will rise?

His name is Jesus… Jesus, Jesus, oh yes Jesus.

He’s the reason the sky is blue.

He’s the reason that man is here.

We shall fear him, fear him, fear him.

Christians will rejoice.

Others shall perish.

They shall perish, perish, perish, but we shall rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, rejoice.

By: Christian Barnes

04-13-2008

Christian Sliding Home...

2008-04-10T19:50:00.001-07:00

08 04 10_0503_edited-1 1.psd, originally uploaded by Blessedwifeandmom.

Tonight Christian played an awesome game. The coach even said he didn't know what he would have done without him. He hit 2 out 3 and the two he hit he hit hard. You might be wondering why he is sliding when the ball is no where near him, well in this league they make you slide into home every time regardless if its a close call or not. If you don't slide you are automatically out. Christian I am so proud of you for playing your hardest.

Savannah Singing

2008-04-07T15:27:00.000-07:00

This is a video taken about 18 months ago of Savannah singing a solo in a drama performance in which she played the lead role of Gerta. I am posting here so I will not lose it.

Christian Skateboarding at 8

2008-04-07T15:21:00.000-07:00

This is a video I made of Christian skateboarding a couple of years ago and some how it stopped showing up on my blog so I wanted to repost it for safe keeping.

2nd Place for Savannah!

2008-04-03T21:28:00.001-07:00

Savannah Science Fair 2008, originally uploaded by Blessedwifeandmom.

Yea! Savannah won 2nd place in her age group at the Science fair where she goes to tutorial on Tuesdays. Her project was on the density of water and she demonstrated how salt make water more dense. Her question was How much salt will it take to make an egg float in a glass of water. She worked so hard on her project and I am so proud of her. She even typed all of her steps in the scientific method and printed it on colorful card stock all by herself. She is growing up way to fast! I love her so much.

I am finally 12

2008-04-03T21:07:00.001-07:00

08 03 29_0326.JPG, originally uploaded by Blessedwifeandmom.

I can't believe it. My baby girl is 12 years old. That is her in the middle and her friend Emilee on the left and Mackenzie on the right. They both go to our church and they spent the night on Savannah's birthday. This was right before bed when I was taking some crazy pictures of them. We also had about 5 other girl over for pizza, cake and ice cream and karaoke. It was a blast but I still can't believe in one year I will have a teenager. Lord, thank you for blessing me with such a sweet, beautiful, and God loving little girl. I can still call her my little girl for a little while longer. Can't I?

Christian and the Snake

2008-04-03T21:00:00.001-07:00

Senns Visit 2008, originally uploaded by Blessedwifeandmom.

When our friends Jonathon and Linda Senn were here a few weekends ago they brought their pet python. It freaked me out just a little. Anyway, after I took this picture and looked at it on the back of the camera I said, "Let's take another picture Christian, you look kind of scared in this one" and Christian said "Well, I am scared and I will probably look scared in the next picture too. This snake could squeeze me to death you know." By the time the Senns left Christian was begging for his own pet snake. I don't think that will ever happen as long as I am living. A dog is as dangerous as I can handle.

Christian's Summer Sled

2008-04-03T20:44:00.001-07:00

IMG_9034, originally uploaded by Blessedwifeandmom.

The other day Christian got bored and decided he was going to build a summer sled by taping, (yes, I said taping with scotch tape) his skateboard to the bottom of his sled. His experiment didn't work to well but once again he had a great time trying. It is by far better for him than playing video games.

Christian's Rocket

2008-04-03T20:39:00.001-07:00

IMG_8945, originally uploaded by Blessedwifeandmom.

Allen and Christian built this rocket a few weeks ago with a kit and took it to the park to watch it take off. It is fueled by baking soda and vinegar. It says it will go 100ft in the air. Well, as you might have guessed, that was false advertisement. I believe it may have reached a whopping ten feet. However they had a BLAST! (no pun intended) building it and experimenting. Allen is the best dad in the world. Tomorrow he is taking the kids to Mammoth Cave while I get to go to a Kay Arthur Precept conference. I am so excited and thankful that I get to go. Thank you Jesus for my wonderful family.

The Senns came to visit

2008-03-23T19:37:00.001-07:00

The Senns, originally uploaded by Blessedwifeandmom.

Our friends Jon and Linda came down to visit from New York on their way to Washington for yet another move. Since we have been friends (about 4 years) they have moved 4 times. We wish they would stay in Tennessee but they just keep on moving further away. We had a wonderful time with them and their kids. I will post some more pics later from their visit.

Family at the Creation Museum

2008-03-10T19:31:00.000-07:00

Creation Museum 104, originally uploaded by Blessedwifeandmom.

Our Precious New Dog Maggie

2008-03-04T07:53:00.000-08:00

Father Daughter Banquet 2008

2008-02-29T16:44:00.001-08:00

Allen bought Savannah the prettiest earings to wear to the banquet. This event has become one of Savannah's favorite things that she looks forward to every year. It is closest thing to dating she'll get to do for at least 10 more years!

My New Odyssey

2008-01-26T22:48:00.001-08:00

My precious husband bought me a new van on Saturday, Jan.19, 2008. It is used, but new to me. It is almost too good to be true. It is a one owner van and they have every maintenance record ever done on it. The inside and outside are in unbelievable condition. The special things I like the most are the heated leather seats and the the rear DVD flip down screen from the roof. The kids love the extra room and it smells better than our last van. He,He. Too many messes. We will have to take better care of this one since the kids are older and more responsible. I am thankful that the Lord has blessed us with reliable transportation and I also want to thank you Allen for working hard to provide for our family. I love you more than you will ever know! Now, lets go on a road trip...
I

Christian MVP

2008-01-26T22:36:00.001-08:00

Christian Basketball, originally uploaded by Blessedwifeandmom.

This game was the most exciting game Christian has ever played. Christian's team is undefeated and they are usually up by 10pts. in the 1st period, but not this game. The other team was ahead 8-0 after the first period and the coach decided to put Christian in and the game and the team made an incredible comeback and beat them 38-10. Christian was playing incredible defense. After the game the coach really praised Christian. He said "Christian played his little heart out for 6 solid minutes, and before Christian came in the game you guys were doing nothing. I am so proud of you Christian." When the coach started saying all of this I was tearing up and I had to hide my face. Christian has always said I don't think I good as some of the other boys and Allen and I have always said, "just do your best and that is all you can do and to not give up ever! Christian, we are very proud of you too. Go Sonics!!!

Savannah singing at Church

2007-12-04T07:59:00.000-08:00

needless to say I will not win an award for my recording ability. I couldn't seem to hold the camera still. Oh well, you can still hear her beautiful voice.

SEC Championship Game

2007-12-02T20:54:00.000-08:00

Beautiful....

2007-11-19T20:05:00.001-08:00

picture_0782, originally uploaded by Blessedwifeandmom.

I can't even think about how much Savannah has grown up with out tearing up. She is turning into a young lady but it seems like this picture was taken only yesterday.

Christian age 2

2007-11-19T19:37:00.001-08:00

I have been trying to post some pictures of the kids when they were younger so I can look back and reflect on how much they have grown and matured. This was a picture taken at Allen's dad's house in the summer. Allen's dad always had a great garden and Christian used to like to help him pick tomatoes or anything that needed picking. We sure miss Grandpa Joe but we know we will see him again in heaven.

Too cute for words!

Geography Fair 2007

2007-11-19T19:28:00.001-08:00

Geography Fair 2007 (28), originally uploaded by Blessedwifeandmom.

Can you say excited? Christian won 1st place in his Geography Fair at his tutorial. There were about 20 participants. they each had to choose a state to do there project on and he chose Tennessee (imagine that). He had more fun doing this project than going to Disney World. It took many hours and some lost sleep, but it was well worth the hard work. He even played Rocky Top and handed out Little Debbie Cakes. Mom, I now know what it is like to stay up all night to help my child with a project and boy do I appreciate you for the many times you did that for me! Being a mom is hard work but very rewarding!

Fall Pictures 2007

2007-11-16T22:41:00.001-08:00

Cindi and Allen Cottage Cove

2007-11-16T21:59:00.000-08:00

Savannah and Me at the Symphony

2007-10-23T06:51:00.001-07:00

September 2007 073edit2, originally uploaded by Barnes Pics.

I can't believe....

2007-10-18T20:42:00.001-07:00

picture_1416edit, originally uploaded by Barnes Pics.

that this picture was 6 years ago. Are they adorable or what. I am amazed at how much they have grown and matured. Oh how the time flies by. I miss those days but I enjoy the days I am in with them now even more. God is so good!

Grace Bible Fellowship Founding Members

2007-09-26T18:02:00.001-07:00

Moving into Grace Bible Fellowship

2007-09-08T19:41:00.001-07:00

GBF Moving In 020, originally uploaded by Barnes Pics.

This picture was taken on the first work day we had at the new building. We have been meeting in a home for about six weeks with this wonderful group of believers and now it is the night before the church's dedication service. We are expecting about 100 people and are very excited to see what the Lord is going to do. I pray that God will bless all of our families and that he will speak through Pastor Mann tomorrow and teach us all something that will challenge us to live a life that is eternally focused and God glorifying.

2007-08-21T21:43:00.000-07:00

Today was Christian's 9th Birthday. These pictures were taken at his party on August the 19th. He had about 10 friends that came to play putt-putt and ride go-carts. They had a fabulous time. Christian, it is so hard to believe you are nine years old. It seems like yesterday you were driving my van through Peggy's garage door. To think, that was 5 years ago. I sure am proud of the young man you are turning into. You ask so many deep questions about God and that scares me and excites me at the same time. I know it seems weird for me to say it scares me, but what that means is, I am scared you will outsmart me and I will no longer be able to answer the questions you have. I am glad you are a thinker and don't believe everything you hear. I am blessed to have you as my son. My favorite thing about you is the way you make me laugh. You are always coming up with the funniest saying and jokes. One of your favorite things to do is play practical jokes on people. I think you got that from your daddy. Legos and video games are your favorite thing to play right now and when it is not too hot you enjoy riding your skateboard. I can't wait to see what the next 9 years will bring. I pray God will keep you safe and surround you with a hedge of protection. I love you and am so proud of you.

Dinner and swimming with the Bash family....

2007-08-11T22:14:00.000-07:00

Tonight we went to dinner at Amerigo's with our friends Alex, Denise, and Benjamin Bash. Thefood was great but the fellowship was even better. After dinner we went to their hotel and the kids and Dads swam while Denise and I talked about photography and life in general. It was a lot of fun to just hang out and socialize. I wish they lived closer so we could get together more often.

Tomorrow we are going to our Church to let them know that God has called us to help start a new Church closer to our home. It is located about 5 miles from our house. We are very excited about this new chapter and challenge in our life but tomorrow is going to be an emotional day to say the least. I pray that God will give us the strength and courage we need tomorrow and in the weeks ahead.

Goodnight for now...

Christian and Ramsey

2007-08-11T21:00:00.000-07:00

Christian had one of his best buds Ramsey over last night and the night before that Christian spent the night at Ramsey's new house. They are like two peas in a pod and play so good together. I remember when they were about 2 or 3 years old and every week Regina and I would get together and talk and the boys would play. Those were pre- homeschooling days or even better The Good Ole' Days. There was one time when I came downstairs after being on the phone or something and Christian and Ramsey were in the kitchen sink squirting each other with the the sprayer and water was everywhere. It wasn't very funny at that moment but now I look back on it and laugh. It is funny how at the time it was such a huge mess to clean but now I look back and wish I could do it again. Those kind of funny, sweet moments just don't happen as much the older they get. The older they get the easier it gets in some ways but in other ways it gets harder. I miss them being so innocent and curious, but I also love the adventure of what is happening now and what is going to happen in the future. One thing I am certain of and that is they belong to God. They are only in our care for a short time and I need to remind myself of this daily, or before I blink my eyes they will be grown and I will have taken for granted the time and those precious, special, crazy and unforgettable moments.

The Wave Pool

2007-08-10T13:56:00.001-07:00

Today we went to the wave pool and had a great time. We were able to go early because of Allen working there when he was younger. We were able to go down the slides with no wait. I a so glad Allen took the time off of work to go. It is days like these we will all remember forever.

Savannah and Christian both got a part in the play…

2007-08-01T12:22:00.001-07:00

I just got a phone call from the director of play the kids auditioned for yesterday and they both got a part! They are so excited.

The Love of my Life...

2007-07-31T22:12:00.001-07:00

This picture was taken at Allen's Family reunion this year in June.
We were at a picnic shelter roasting marshmallows and playing games.
God has truly blessed me with the best man in the world. I love him
more than he will ever know.

The Kids New Ping Pong Table

2007-07-23T22:19:00.001-07:00

Ping Pong July 2007 002, originally uploaded by Barnes Pics.

While we were out of town a few weeks ago we stayed with some family members who graciously opened their home to us and they had a pool table and a ping pong table. Well, Christian fell in love with ping pong. I felt so bad about having to find a new home for our dog that when we got home from our trip I went on a mad search for a ping pong table. I eventually found one on craigslist for $50. I was so excited but not half as excited as Christian was. We surprised the kids one morning by asking Christian to go out to get the mail and there was a truck in the street with the table in it. I don't think I have ever seen him so excited. Maybe now he will forgive me for not having the patience for a dog in the house. I hope so!

Family Reunion 2007

2007-06-14T11:27:00.001-07:00

Family Reunion 2007 157, originally uploaded by Barnes Pics.

Wow, Allen took this picture at the family reunion last weekend. I am impressed. It looks like a professional picture.

Savannah leads worship at Chuch..

2007-03-02T13:07:00.000-08:00

This is a picture of Savannah singing a solo at our church, Two Rivers, on March 2nd. She looked so grown up. She sang beautifully during her solo and then led the whole church in worship with the praise band. I almost cried...

Father Daughter Banquet

2007-02-09T21:52:00.000-08:00

Father Daughter Banquet 2007 287, originally uploaded by Barnes Pics.

Savannah and Allen went to the banquet the Friday before he left for Israel. They had a wonderful time dancing.

it's kinda crazy...

2007-01-29T18:56:00.000-08:00

when we started hanging out in 7th grade, whodda thunk that we'd go from 2 of us to 8 of us!!!!!

Our precious "SPUNKY JOE JOE"

2007-01-29T11:44:00.000-08:00

Look at how blue his eyes are!

We got a new puppy 10 days ago and I have been so sick I am just now blogging about it. I have never seen Christian happier than the DAY WE GOT THE PUPPY. After the newness wore off and the resposibility of potty training, feeding, playing, and walking came into the picture he wasn't as excited but still Savannah and Christian are enjoying the new addition to our family. I have always said I would NEVER have a dog in the house but I have to say he has been a lot of fun and he really is a good puppy.

Lunch @ Maggiano's!

2007-01-28T22:06:00.000-08:00

We met Bruce & Julie for lunch on Friday to celebrate Allen & Bruce;s birthday.

Subjects discussed: homeschooing, football, church, cattle farming.

Merry Christmas

2006-12-21T21:39:00.000-08:00

Just in case these don't get mailed in time.

Thanksgiving 2006

2006-11-25T19:03:00.000-08:00

Well I think I have eaten enough food to keep me alive for the next three weeks. Our Thanksgiving week started off on Wednesday when the kids put up the Christmas tree all by themselves (they have reached a milestone and boy was it a lot of help). Thursday we went to Aunt Ernie house for lunch and Aunt Patricia's house for dinner. After all that I went home with a migraine headache (probably ate some msg somewhere, with all the casseroles) I woke up with the same headache Friday morning and was sick in bed all day with headache and nausea. By Friday evening I was feeling great again and started cooking for my parents, Nanny, Jon, Lana, Caleb, Evan, Avery, Allen's mom, Kathy, Seth, Cassidy, and Savannah's friend Hannah. We had a total of 17 people. It was a blast. The food was great and fellowship was even better. Thank you to Aunt Patricia, Olin, and Aunt Ernie for your hospitality and great cooking and Thanks to all of my family for being such a great loving family. We are truly blessed to have such a closeness. That is what I am most Thankful for this Thanksgiving, God's Grace and my wonderful Family! Click Here if you would like so see all of our Thanksgiving pictures. Who knows? You might even find another picture of yourself!

Christian and Legos...

2006-11-19T21:51:00.000-08:00

This is Christian's latest thing! He could sit and build with Legos all day. I guess it is better than watching TV or playing video games. He amazes me with his creativity. He sure didn't get that from me.

Savannah's Song

2006-11-19T21:50:00.000-08:00

This is a solo Savannah sang in her drama class production on 11-17-06.

Toasted Buns Song and Dance...

2006-11-19T21:47:00.000-08:00

This is another video from Savannah's play Friday night.

Savannah performing in "The Snow Queen"

2006-11-18T12:31:00.000-08:00

Fall Fest 2006

2006-11-04T12:00:00.000-08:00

It 's Hannah Montana from the Disney Channel and Anakin from Star Wars. The kids had a blast at the Fall Fest at church. Savannah decided this year she wasn't going to get candy she was going to work the games. She worked for two hours handing out candy and picking up ping pong balls. Christian ran around getting as much candy as he could and jumping in all the jumpy things and bungy runs. After it was over Savannah and her friend Lauren and I went to rent a movie. Lauren spent the night with us and the next day.

Our prayer for Christian

2006-10-28T13:25:00.000-07:00

For those of you who do not know, this last week of our lives we have
been in constant prayer for our son Christian. A couple of weeks ago
he started experiencing an involuntary tic or jerk in his neck along
with some personality and behavior changes (much more boisterous and
animated). We went to see the doctor and she ordered a CT scan of his
brain and that turned out to be completely normal (no brain tumors or
lesions). Praise the Lord! So now it is just a waiting game to see if
it worsens or gets better. The doctor has said it could be something
called Transient Tics, which a lot of children at his age get but
outgrow, or it could be Turrets Syndrome. Our prayer is that whatever
he has he will be healed. Many of you have already been praying and
our God is good. Christian has improved by at least 70%. His behavior
and personality changes have pretty much disappeared and the tics have
lessened a lot. The symptoms can come and go and can even disappear
for as long as 3 months, but we have faith that all the prayers are
being answered. Allen and I want to thank you so much for praying and
continuing to pray for Christian. We are so blessed to have friends
and family that are brothers and sisters in Christ and that we can
call on to pray. Please continue to pray that the Lord will heal
Christian.

Allen baptizes Savannah and Christian

2006-09-17T18:47:00.000-07:00

On Sunday September 17th Savannah, Christian were baptized at Cedar Creek Recreation Area, along with their friends Liana and Mitchell. Allen and Kevin spoke and we had beautiful music by Vicki Vaughn and Greg Macdougal. It was a very special day for the kids and us, a day we will never forget.

Still in LOVE!

2006-09-12T15:59:00.000-07:00

Can I just say, "My husband is the BEST husband in the world!" He really is. He surprised me for our anniversary and took me to dinner at Magiono's Italian restaurant (which by the way has the most incredible Tira Misu) and then he took me to the Opryland Hotel and to my surprise he had gotten a room for us to stay the night. In the room there were gourmet chocolate candies on a plate with Happy Anniversary written in chocolate. After 11 years we are still in LOVE! I don't mean just putting up with each other. I mean truly In LOVE! Thank you God for Allen and thank you Allen for loving me! I love you!

Vacation to the Smoky Mountains 2006

2006-08-28T15:44:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Christian...

2006-08-21T08:36:00.000-07:00

What a day! Christian woke up at 7:00am to open his presents. His friend Hughston came over around noon we ate pizza and cake and headed to Circus World for some games and bowling. After that we headed to the Wilson County Fair for a lot of food, fun and games. We got home around midnight. Now the day after tomorrow we are heading to Gatlinburg for a week long, much needed vacation.

Christian, I can't believe it has been eight years since you were born. You are the kindest most loving boy I know and I am so proud of the little man you have become. You are always asking questions about everything.You can solve math equations that I have no idea how you figure out because I haven't even taught that yet and you can build just about anything. But, most importantly you are always wanting to learn more about God and that is something I thank God for everyday. I can't wait to see what else God has in store for you. I love you.

Titans game with Klimeks.....

2006-08-12T20:16:00.000-07:00

We went to see the Titans game tonight with Mike and Kerry. We had a wonderful time catching up. They have been living in Atlanta for the past few years and they are moving back. We are so excited! The Titans lost but we had a wonderful time. Afterwards, we went and had ice cream. Fun Fun Fun!

American Idol Concert

2006-08-09T22:18:00.000-07:00

Savannah and I went to the American Idol Comcert on August 10, 2006. We had a wonderful time. Mom and Dad went with us. It was raining like crazy, but we managed to make it in without getting soaked. Dad said he thought it was entirely too loud but Savannah didn't seem to mind. She purchased a T-shirt and CD. I am already looking forward to the next season of American Idol.

My beautiful daughter.....

2006-08-05T23:24:00.000-07:00

O.K Julie, I finally had time to play around with this digital scrapbooking stuff and I am addicted. Unfortunately, it is 1:00am and I have to get up for church in the morning. I could stay up all night doing this but I would have a migraine in the morning. This is one of my first pages and I had so much fun doing it. I hope I will have time to do more soon. Good Night!

Isn't this great...

2006-08-05T23:08:00.000-07:00

Thanks again Julie for your template! This is so smuch fun. these pictures were taken when we were at Burgess Falls. Now I need to do a couple of pages for Christians book.

One More...

2006-08-05T08:26:00.000-07:00

I had to do one of Christian before I went to bed. This is so much fun. I think that picture is so funny. It looks like he had to go really BAD!

Family fun in a hot air balloon.....

2006-08-01T17:10:00.000-07:00

Well, Allen is out of the hospital and he is finally finished working on the biggest trial of his life and we are back to having some family fun! I have to say the last few weeks have been emotion filled with tears of sadness and joy but God has seen us through and we are back to making memories to last forever. Thank you Lord.

Today after the trial was over Allen met me at my grandmother's house and we took the kids to this event called, A Night Out Against Crime, where they have free stuff like blow up slides, moonwalks, food, and last but not least, hot air balloon rides. That was the highlight of the evening. It was so nice to be together as a family again and have fun. after that we went to Steak and Shake for a milkshake. Thank you God for all of our blessings.