This is a silly myspace survey. You title it "How I met _____." Mine would be "How I met Al" Make sure you are ready for this before you read any further.

1. Where did you meet?
At a Rooster Fight in Biloxi Mississippi

2. What was the first thought that went through your head when you met?
nice eyes

3. Do you remember what was he wearing?
probably cordoroy pants and a polo shirt. (I was only 16)

4. Where was the first time you kissed this person?
His house, in the kitchen, yes there were fireworks, need I go on....

5. How did he/she ask you out?
there was never any "asking out" we just became a couple

6. Where did you go for your first date?
A drive in movie after we were married.

7.How long did you know this person before you became a couple?
Saw and met him at 16 didn't see him for 2 and a half years, saw him again and we were married 6 months later.

8. Has this person ever proposed to you?
Yes, the first time was our 15th wedding anniversary.

9. Do you and this person have kids together?
2 daughters

10. Have you ever broken the law with this person?
Other than speeding - no

11. When was the first time you realized that you liked this person?
The first time I saw him.

12. Do you get along with any of the ex's of your partner?
don't know them now. I met a few along time ago, before we were married.

13. Do you trust this person?
absolutely

14. Do you see your partner in your future?
forever

15. Whats the most expensive thing this person has given you?
my children

16. What is one thing he/she does that gets on ur nerves?
??? I can't think of anything.

17. What is the thing you do that gets on his/her nerves?
I don't know

18. Where do you see each other in 15 years from now?
At our grandchildren's weddings then we'll come back home, right where we live now.

Please feel free to leave comments and questions concernign this. Our meeting was definately God's plan. We could have never done it on our own!

I felt like I needed to post something silly because life has been so serious lately. My mom died December 31, after being in ICU for weeks and deteriorating before our eyes. Our friend Lee Russell died the same night. Our friend Carol Slaught lost her mother, our friend Melanie Monistere lost her father. One of my daughter, Alanna's school friend Daniel Raiford passed away after a motorcycle accident. I am just ready to claim victory over this season.

Good news:
We are expecting a princess. We went to the Texans ultrasound and found out they will be having a girl in June. That will be 1 boy and 3 girls for them.
Our granddaughter Hope is doing great. She goes back to the specialist in Gainesville in March. I think she is planning a Disneyworld trip along the way.
I have been handling the thank you cards for my Dad, (sympathy cards) and it is amazing to see and you truly feel loved and cared for. Our God is Good!

Mercy Me - Homesick (Live)

Listen to the Words. This song is inspired. It can be helpful, We must allow Jesus to heal us of our losses.

Good Parenting Part 2

One day, she was the meanest mom on the planet. The next: the coolest.
Jane Hambleton, 48, gained a worshipful parental following when news of a classified ad she'd placed in the Des Moines Register was picked up by the Associated Press. The text of the ad:
"OLDS 1999 Intrigue. Totally uncool parents who obviously don't love teenage son, selling his car. Only driven for three weeks before snoopy mom who needs to get a life found booze under front seat. $3,700/offer. Call meanest mom on the planet."
Sold! Hambleton, a radio DJ in Fort Dodge, Iowa, received some 70 calls from buyers. And other parents. And emergency room workers. And school counselors. And scores of others wanting to congratulate her for being so Dirty Harry awesome.
"I don't think you can print" what Steven, 19, said to his mom, she told the Register. But then they became instantly famous, and by Thursday morning they were appearing on "Good Morning America," which got the television booking wars started, as ABC producer Chad Parks recounted it. "Today" wanted them.
The Hambletons were about to book that when folks from "Oprah Winfrey" called, demanding exclusivity, so the family leaned toward that, Mom being a huge Oprah fan. But then Ellen DeGeneres called.
And while Mom likes Oprah, Steven loves Ellen, and Mom was inclined to give this one to her son, considering she had taken away his car and all.
They were going back to Iowa to sort it all out, and were unreachable Thursday.
All of which proved one thing: America needed this. Oh boy, did we need this kind of tough love, the kind that says: "I am not your friend. I am your mother. Eat your peas. Now."
The kind that says: "I don't care what the other mothers are doing. I am not buying a pony keg for your party, even if I take away the keys to make sure your friends don't drive home plastered."
For the record, Steven, a student at Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, told his mother that the alcohol in the car did not belong to him, but to a friend. For the record, Hambleton believed him. Nonetheless, it violated one of the two rules she'd set forth when she bought him the car at Thanksgiving: No Booze, and Keep It Locked.
Steven was originally "very, very unhappy," the Register reported, but he and Mom seem to have patched things up. It's amazing what a free trip to New York can do.
As for the car, it was purchased by another couple in Iowa who planned to give it to their 19-year-old son. Hambleton told the Register: "I told the kid when they were leaving, 'Do not have any booze in that car. And if you do, don't hide it under the front seat.' "

I applaud this Mom. I also applaud my daughters and son-in-laws. It is great when God shows you that you did something right. Our grandchildren are very pleasant, well-mannered children. I have often said that I would rather go out to eat with my grandchildren than some adults that I know. Our Children are raising their children Biblically, you reap what you sow, i.e. there are consequences for your actions. Our two oldest grandchildren know the 10 Commandments and try to live by them. (They are unsure of the adultery thing, that will make sense in time).

I would like to thank all of you again for praying for my Mom during her illness and passing. I do understand that it was God's timing but it was hard to see her and my father go through what they did. This was sent to me in an email and I think it has a good message for those afraid of death:
A sick man turned to his doctor, as he was preparing to leave the examination room and said, "Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side."
Very quietly, the doctor said, "I don't know."
"You don't know? You, a Christian man, do not know what is on the other side?"
The doctor was holding the handle of the door; on the other side came a sound of scratching and whining, and as he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness.
Turning to the patient, the doctor said, "Did you notice my dog? He's never been in this room before. He didn't know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here, and when the door opened, he sprang in without fear. I know little of what is on the other side of death, but I do know one thing... I know my Master is there and that is enough."

Please continue to remember my Dad, Kim Russell in the loss of her husband Lee, our friend Hoppa dealing with his medications, our SS teacher Mark Gray, The Hill family, and all of our grandchildren's health.

We praise God for the year 2008, and the blessings of His work that is going to be accomplished throughout this year.

Good Parenting!

Sometimes it seems our generation and those after us have chosen to be "friends" of our children rather than parents. The Bible says:

Eph 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

Eph 6:2 “Honor your father and mother”–which is the first commandment with a promise–

Eph 6:3 “that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."

Eph 6:4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

If we don't teach them, who will? They will make choices in this life. Do you want to Train your child in the Lord? Or, do you want this earth to be their main influence? This causes one to think doesn't it?

DES MOINES, Iowa — Jane Hambleton has dubbed herself the "meanest mom on the planet."

After finding alcohol in her son's car, she decided to sell the car and share her 19-year-old's misdeed with everyone — by placing an ad in the local newspaper.

The ad reads: "OLDS 1999 Intrigue. Totally uncool parents who obviously don't love teenage son, selling his car. Only driven for three weeks before snoopy mom who needs to get a life found booze under front seat. $3,700/offer. Call meanest mom on the planet."

Hambleton has heard from people besides interested buyers since recently placing the ad in The Des Moines Register.

The 48-year-old from Fort Dodge says she has fielded more than 70 telephone calls from emergency room technicians, nurses, school counselors and even a Georgia man who wanted to congratulate her.

"The ad cost a fortune, but you know what? I'm telling people what happened here," Hambleton says. "I'm not just gonna put the car for resale when there's nothing wrong with it, except the driver made a dumb decision.

"It's overwhelming the number of calls I've gotten from people saying 'Thank you, it's nice to see a responsible parent.' So far there are no calls from anyone saying, 'You're really strict. You're real overboard, lady."'

The only critic is her son, who Hambleton says is "very, very unhappy" with the ad and claims the alcohol was left by a passenger.

Hambleton believes her son but has decided mercy isn't the best policy in this case. She says she set two rules when she bought the car at Thanksgiving: No booze, and always keep it locked.

The car has been sold, but Hambleton says she will continue the ad for another week — just for the feedback.

My Mom Died

This picture was taken in September 2006 about 3 months before my Mom was diagnosed with throat cancer. She was living with it then, she just hadn't been diagnosed. Thank you to all of you for your support, emails, prayers, and everything. She is in a better place. Her last month was very difficult. Please continue to pray for my Dad, Russell. They have been married 54 years. On a future blog I will tell you their story. Please forgive me for not writing and my briefness right now. I love you all.

Tokie Holley
HOLLEY Mrs. Tokie Holley, a native of Jefferson Co., AL and a long time resident of Mobile, AL died Monday, December 31, 2007 in a local hospital after a long battle with cancer. Mrs. Holley was a former majorette at Murphy High School. She was a member of St. Pius X Catholic Church. She was a baton instructor and active in the Performing Arts community in Mobile. Mrs. Holley was a former member of the Parish Council and active member of multiple committees with St. Vincent DePaul Catholic Church. She was very involved with all aspects of her children's and grandchildren's lives. She was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Myrtle Sims; brother, Bob Sims; and two nieces, Leigh Anne and Lindsay Sims. Survivors include her loving husband of 54 years, Russell Holley; four daughters, Norene (Bill) Swanson, Mobile, AL, Kelley (Al) O'Connor, Robert, LA, Russanne (Chip) Howell, Mobile, AL and Tre' Holley, Mobile, AL; one brother, Frank H. (Peggy) Sims, Jr., Mobile, AL; one sister, Snookie (Paul) Garrett, Mobile, AL; sister-in-law, Judy (Don) Wright, Tampa, FL; brother-in-law, Terry Holley, Mobile, AL; six grandchildren, Holley Spivey, Mobile, AL, Billy Swanson, Mobile, AL, Januarie Morrison, Lumberton, TX, Alanna Traylor, Destin, FL, Louis "Lou" Howell, Mobile, AL and Hadyn Holley, Mobile, AL; nine great-grandchildren; Davis, Will and Carter Spivey, Blake and Madelynn Swanson, and Luke, Lydia, and Abigail Morrison and Hope Traylor; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Funeral services will be held Saturday, January 5, 2008 at 12:00 p.m. from the chapel of Mobile Memorial Gardens Funeral Home with Pastor and close friend, Rev. Matthew J. O'Connor officiating. Visitation will be Friday, January 4, 2008 from 5-8 p.m. at the funeral home. Interment will be in Mobile Memorial Gardens Cemetery. Active pallbearers will be Billy Swanson, Louis Howell, Al O'Connor, Paul Garrett, Chip Howell and Bill Swanson. Honorary pallbearers will be Don Wright, Buddy Garrett, Barry Garrett, Casey Garrett, Rusty Garrett, David Hamilton Sims, Peter Morrison, Tripp Spivey and Matt Traylor. Arrangements are by Mobile Memorial Gardens, 6040 Three Notch Rd., Mobile, AL.