A Day at the Park with Dad

It's such a beautiful day. The sunshine is beaming, the wind is just blowing so so and both of these lovelies together are enough to tickle the skin. It's a Sunday in February, the last one to be exact. February 28, 2011. This day Dad took you guys to the park and guess what Mom did?...yep. That's right, Moms stayed home for a nap. It's Sunday, and oh, how I love those on Sundays...To be honest today was such a beautiful day I would have been willing to make an exception; however, I am down with the stomach BUG, So it's just Dad and the kids.

I wanted to remember this day, this event, this hour, minute, second...sweet sweet memory. I want to record this for you Allyssa, because I feel surely that none of it was an accident, every single last drop of this sublime experience was a divine intervention created to mold you and make you into what you are to be....You are a beautiful little girl, a beautiful human being with a sweet, sweet soul. A soul that Jesus Christ kissed with his goodness before you ascended from heaven into Mommy's womb.. I want to give you as many puzzle pieces as I can so that you can put together the pieces of yourself one day. I want you to know from whence you came and from what you are made. I want you to see the beauty in things and people...I don't want you to EVER be robbed of your joy because you can't see the beauty in things...ALL things my sweet girl possess beauty, we just have to be taught where to look. If we look for the beauty in things we will always find it.

We do get lots of stares. Everyone is always curious about your baby arm, and for the most part we pay it no mind, but as you get older you are "getting it" more. You do take notice more than you used to. Mostly it strikes you as annoying...Your there playing, having a great time, minding your own business, enjoying yourself, then BAM..theres the question out of the blue.."whats wrong with your arm?" I can see it on your face...i can hear your heart screaming, "what does that have to do with anything?" You are your mother's daughter. :)


So this is what happened today. Dad took you 3 knuckle heads to the park. The day was majestic... It's been such a snowy, wet and cold winter. We have all had cabin fever and you guys were all ready for a day at the park. Today was the day.

Tuscumbia Park is where your Dad takes you today. You haven't been there playing long. You ask your Dad to take you to the bathroom. He agrees. There you have him all to yourself, you ask him the question that brought you to the privacy of the bathroom stalls, the question that made him cry when he came home to tell me about it. You asked your Dad "Why is everybody scared of me?"

Daddy did his best to answer your question. He did his best to make you feel better. He always does his best. He loves his babies so much. He would take the heart ache away for you if he could. He never misses an opportunity to let you know how much he loves you. He thinks you are the most beautiful girl in the whole world, and its at this particular moment that you sweet girl needed to hear these words from your Dad...and he willingly and lovingly gives them to you. With this little talk you seemed satisfied. Dad told you that nobody is afraid of you and it's just their curiosity that looks like fear...and once they get to know you, they will love you as much as your momma and daddy do. He kisses you and hugs you and tells you that you are beautiful. Then off you go... for the most part, sure of yourself with a tad of apprehension that your Dad can see, but feels helpless against..... it cuts him to the bone...he wishes so much that he could fix it all and he silently says a prayer.

You exit the bathroom still vulnerable, and there she is. Standing there, close to the monkey bars, sauntering around..with her dark hair shiny and straight, Cut in a bob and pretty as a picture. She smiles at you as pretty a smile as your Dad ever saw and she says just 5 little words, and they couldn't have been chosen more perfectly..."wanna come play with me?" and that tad of apprehension fades away.

I know in my heart nothing about this day was an accident. From Mom not being there to, the staring eyes at the park that sent you into the restroom, to the sweet angel that was standing beside the monkey bars.

Embrace your life Allyssa...embrace every experience that makes you who you are. Look for the beauty in this world, because its there sweet girl, the beauty is there...and in this case she was standing beside the monkey bars...

I just wish i could tell her Mom and Dad what she did and just how beautiful it truly was.

White Christmas in Mount Hope 2010

White Christmas 2010

It was so Beautiful. In 36 years I never remember a white Christmas, but this year we got one. It was perfect and unsuspected and magical and exciting and white...it was soooo white!
MiMi and PaPa spent Christmas Eve night with us as they usually do. They love to be here when the children get up and see their presents. This has became one of our most special traditions. Christmas Eve night is usually spent at Nanny and PaPaw Jerry's house with Uncle Rodney, Chase and Amanda...then it's home to prepare for Santa. There are cookies to bake for him and carrots and lettuce for the reindeer. Lot's of times we watch a Christmas movie with MiMi and PaPa all snuggled on the couch, but this year we didn't. MiMi always cooks a big Christmas morning breakfast then we play the rest of the day. It is such a joy to watch you kids play and interact and be happy. It brings peace to my soul when I can see you and touch you and smell you and know that each of you are safe and well. This Christmwas was especially wonderful because of the Beautiful snow. I was mesmerized with it and Brock asked me, "Momma, what's so great about the snow, that's all you can talk about." I replied, "I have never once in 36 years remember snow on Christmas Day...and 5 inches of it at that!"