Being a Parent

Before you become a parent, everyone feels the need to tell you how much your life will change once you have a baby. There is no more sleeping in on a Saturday morning. Adult conversation all but ceases to exist if little ones are awake. Dinner out with friends...? Only if you can find an available, trust-worthy, reasonably-priced babysitter. Or if you take your children to dinner, just don't expect to enjoy what you eat or even have the time to realize what you are shoving into your mouth....

Funny, isn't it, that as many times as you hear that "your life will change," no one ever mentions the big ways it will change. No one tells you that you will see the world in an entirely different light the moment you find out you are pregnant. You will want the world to be a better place ~ one that is worthy to house your child. You will worry about things and become scared of things that never really crossed your mind previously. Teenagers look at their parents and angrily say "you can't control my life," and realize only when they themselves become parents that it never was about "control" but about a desperate desire and need to keep them safe. You would think that new parents would wish their little one to sleep through the night ~ well, they do wish that, but the first time it happens, they are nervous wrecks, making countless trips into the nursery to make sure that their sweet baby is still breathing. Either way, you don't sleep, right? Yes, everything changes the moment you find out you will be a Mommy or a Daddy.

No one mentioned to you that the pool that is so much fun on hot summer days becomes a dreaded loaded gun, once your biggest fear is your precious child falling into it. No one mentioned to you that a routine issue with which you must deal, like a faulty heating system in your home, could claim the life of your child. No one mentioned to you that you would give your life to save the one of the baby in your belly that you haven't even met yet, or how much you worry about that baby before s/he arrives ~ is s/he kicking enough during the day? Am I gaining too much or too little weight? Am I drinking too much caffeine? Or, Heaven forbid, you find out that something is wrong with that baby....

Each of these things has happened to people we know this past week. Please pray for these families.... Brody Johnson, a 20 month old in Boots' MDO class fell into a pool and is in the PICU at MCG; he is not doing well and will never recover, if he lives through this at all. Brian Kirby and his wife, Samantha (Brad knew him during med school, the Greers knew them in Galveston, and they live next door to my friend, Ali's parents), lost their twin boys earlier this week when their faulty heating system kicked on while they boys were sleeping upstairs. Lucy Dean, my high school friend, Brad's baby girl, had heart surgery last week at the tender age of only 4 days; they had found a problem with her heart in utero.

My heart is breaking for each of these families. As a parent, I cannot even begin to imagine what they each must be going through. I look at my little girls and thank God for their health and safety, which really are so fragile and possibly so temporary in our world. Just knowing these stories, and others, brings me to my knees.....

Afterall, what is being a parent, if not falling to your knees in praise of God for giving them to you, in thanks for their health and safety, and in desperate request of letting it continue that way?
This is what no one tells you.
Please keep the Johnson, Kirby, and Dean families in your daily prayers. Thank you.

Up and Running!

I told you all I would keep you updated, so here goes.... I finally have a blog for my jewelry up and running. It still needs to be tweaked a bit, but at least this is a start. Just go to http://mcallisterlanedesigns.blogspot.com to take a little sneak peek! Get 10% off your first purchase if you say you saw this post here! :)

"McAllister Lane Designs"

As many of you know, I began making jewelry as a hobby several years ago, after Alli Lane was born. I slowed down for a while, busy with our two little girls :) but I have begun making it again. When I first began, Brad and I named the jewelry "McAllister Lane Designs" ~ and now it returns!

I hope to be getting a website or a blog up in the next few weeks, but here is a little taste of what I have been making so far. I currently have a stock of about 50 pieces, although some of these pictured have already sold. The one above and two below are from my Vintage Collection and are Limited Edition, one of a kind pieces.

Pearls are HOT HOT HOT this season! So I am making lots of pearl necklaces to go along with this trend. Some pearl rope necklaces will be coming soon, as well....

Metal continues to be very popular, and one of the "must haves" for this fall is a "Statement Necklace."

And for those of you who are looking for a fashionable piece to wear as a gameday accent, we have those, as well.

I have gotten a group of friends together who all make products to sell, and we are having a Holiday Show in November; it will be sometime the first week of November, but we haven't picked a date yet. I will keep you posted. We are excited! And I have having a lot of fun. Not to mention, I have put Brad to work; in his "downtime" at work (Haha!!), he is selling it at the hospital. :)

Boots Starts The TODDLERS Class!

It just didn't seem right for Alli Lane to have a post dedicated to her first day of school this year, and not one for Boots, too! :)

These are not pictures from her actual first day, but this is her backpack! :) She loves her backpack and feels so big carrying it around ~ in fact, she often carries it and her lunchbox with her around the house.

Boots is in MDO on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at FBC in the Toddlers classroom. So far, she has followed in AL's footsteps with her teachers, which has been such fun! Last year, she had Barbara and Melanie in "Babies," just like AL. This year, she has Ellen and Sandy in "Toddlers;" by the end of AL's year in their class, I was pregnant with Boots, so they are especially excited for her to be in their class. They say she has a great time, and she tickles them with her frequent, precious belly laughs!

13 Years...

Thirteen years ago today, my Daddy died very suddenly. I don't know where those years have gone, because although so many things have happened and changed since then, it still seems like yesterday that I saw him or spoke to him on the phone. I am so thankful for those memories.

Daddy, I still think of you and miss you every day, sometimes so badly that it physically hurts! Mostly, I remember your amazing smile, your support and encouragement, and all of our special times together, and it gives me strength. And every day, I feel your arms around me ~ still there, still supporting and encouraging, still watching out for and protecting me.... I will always love you so much.

Thankful Thirds for September

This month, I am especially thankful for our many blessings ~ especially blessings in disguise.

With all of our financial issues right now (centering around our other house, which is for sale), Brad and I have been going through a very stressful time. But through it all, we are keeping our eyes on God and His promise that He won't give us anything that we cannot handle. And it has made us both especially grateful for all of the blessings that we do have!!! We might be having a tough time with the other house and with money right now, but we have our health, and we have each other and our precious girls. We have God and His promises. We have our faith, and we have family. Thank you, especially, to Mom, who has helped us out so much and who is such an amazing support!

Thank you, God, for our many blessings....

Alli Lane Goes to Pre-K!!!

She's just getting SO BIG!!!
Alli Lane started Pre-K at EDS on August 19. Her new teacher is Mrs. McGlone, and the assistant teacher is Mrs. Leonard. What really blows my mind is that she is going FIVE DAYS A WEEK!! I was not ready for that (she went M-W-F last year in the 3's), but she definitely is!! She is LOVING it!!

On her first day, AL asked her Daddy if she looked "hot" because she wanted to look "hot" on her first day of school. HOT?!?! Well, needless to say, that was just the beginning of our pre-k drama to date. :)

She was especially excited about wearing her shiny pink shoes with sequins that her Dede bought for her! Dede is helping to grow Alli Lane's love of shoes by taking her shopping each season, and their shopping excursion before school starts is always an exciting success and a big deal! Needless to say, Nordstrom and Buckles (in Atlanta) love to see them coming! :)

But, back to our pre-k drama. As some of you have heard or have read on Facebook, Alli Lane has had all kinds of drama going on since her first day of school. For one thing, there are 2 boys who have apparently been "fighting" over her ~ Reid, who is in her class and a "new" friend to AL, and Jack, who is not in her class this year but who was in her class last year, and they see each other on the playground. Apparently, there has been a lot of "falling in love," kissing, and marriage proposals on the playground. As AL told Mom and Keith on her second day, Jack caught her on the playground and kissed her on the mouth! She clarified that he didn't catch her "in a net," but he used his arms. :) Whew! :) She told both boys that she wasn't going to marry either of them ~ she is going to marry her Daddy, because he is the most handsomest of all!

Well, since then, there has been another little boy added to this version of "The Young and The Restless" that is playing out on the EDS playground. Duncan, who is in AL's class this year and is apparently very sweet to her. :) Brad now has competition, because AL is trying to decide who to fall in love with between him and Duncan. Reid is getting discouraged at all of this, and Jack is still fighting for her but is now having to deal with his "jealous" girlfriend, Carlisle, who has told him he can only love her and kiss her. I wonder what will happen this week...?

I guess I should mention that she is loving SCHOOL, as well. She misses her buddies from her class last year (especially Abby!), but she has been making some cute, sweet new friends in her new class. She comes home talking very excitedly every day about something new and is already learning a lot!! She is so big and is having such fun! And since her teacher is teaching them sign language, as well, she loves being the only one who already knows a lot of what they are all learning. I love that she is loving school at a young age ~ just a good start in the right direction, I think. :)

Have a great year in Pre-K, Alli Lane!! We love you and are so proud of you!!