Just wanted to do a little something (for myself) and post some pictures of Kip & I over the years. It is hard to believe he has been a part of my life for over 6 years! December 13, 2005 was a wonderful day! A day I will never forget! :)
2005
Kip was 15 and I was 17. Yes, he couldn't drive when we first started dating! It was a little embarrassing at first, but looking back it is a wonderful memory I will forever keep close to my heart! :)
2006
Well, unlike many thought, we made it through a whole year! And what a challenging/fun/memorable year it was! Lots of awesome memories that I will never forget! It was my first year of college at JSU, and Kip was still in high school...which made for challenging moments at times!
2007
2007 was probably the most challenging year for us. Because of some events that happened, we took a break for about a year. But that did not mean that we didn't talk to each other just about every day & still spent a little time together when we could. Kip was in his senior year of high school, and I was in college. It still breaks my heart that I was not able to spend a lot of time with him during his senior year, but we made it through. It was a very extremely difficult year for me.
2008
But we made it through and from 2008 on it just gets better and better! One day in July 2008, I didn't know how much more I could take, and I just prayed that God would give me a sign of what I should do. I was so heartbroken. I hadn't talked to Kip in a few days and it was killing me. A few days after I cried out to God for a sign, He gave it to me. (God definitely works in mysterious ways!!) I got a phone call from Kip saying that he was going to be coming to JSU in the fall. He asked me if I could show him around the campus and everything. So we met one day and ever since, we have been going strong! :) I just get happier and happier with every year that goes by! :)
2009
Christmas of 2009 was the year he gave me a beautiful pearl ring that I have worn every single day since. I just love him more and more every day!
2010
2010 was the first year Kip went on vacation with my family in Panama City. It is now a "family tradition". We even stay in the same room we stayed in 2010...and getting ready to head down in a few weeks for another trip! :)
2011
In celebration of our 6 year anniversary, we spend the day at Callaway Gardens in Georgia with 2 of our friends, Brandon & Haniah.
2012
And here we are today! I loved seeing how far we have come over the years. Started out in high school, and now close to graduating college. We were so young back in 2005, but I would not go back to that day for anything. Life is awesome right now, and I know it just keeps getting better and better! I love this boy more than anything! :)
I saw this on Law Enforcement Today's facebook page and absolutely love this!! It is written by Chaplain Allison P. Uribe of the San Antonio Police Department.
Our days are filled with
schedules, deadlines, and time sensitive agendas. These obligations may
keep most of us from ever truly being able to engage in a moment of
making a difference. The busyness in our daily lives can rob us of
slowing down and taking time to listen to another. It can affect how we
listen to our very own families, and many times our very own officers.
Although we seek to be a support system and encouragement to our
officers, there are times we miss the mark. We miss listening. Listening
requires full attention and focus. It is the ultimate form of
communication. Not only do we learn more about what is being expressed
to us, but we gain knowledge of what is in the heart. By listening, you
gain knowledge of what your loved one is battling.
It was a hot afternoon and I was doing my daily cleanup around the
house. I was cooking, caring for my baby boy, and folding laundry when I
noticed my husband had been quiet since his arrival at home. He usually
arrived home with a smile and was quick to jump into his father and
husband role with joy, but this particular day was different.
His smile was not so genuine and his demeanor was very serious. I
could always tell a good day from a bad day by the sounds made from the
Kevlar vest. On a good day, the Velcro sounded quick and fast as if
something was ripping apart. On a bad day, as he pulled of his vest, the
Velcro sounded long and drawn out as if he was trying to take it off
without making a sound.
The Velcro sounded like a bad day that afternoon. I proceeded to ask
him about his day and he said it was ok as he tried to get comfortable
on the couch. I did not want to push him to talk to me as I knew if he
wanted to talk, he would eventually. My officer was never one to talk
about his day on the beat back then, so I silently prayed for the next
few hours.
Dinner time came, we ate with few words spoken, and as I began to put
all the dishes in the sink, he looked at me, gave me a half smile, and
said, “Thank you”. I asked, “For what?”, and he proceeded with, ”I know
you know I had a bad day but I was not ready to talk about it and not
sure I even wanted to talk about it. I am now.” With a dish in my hand
and a towel over my shoulder, I knew I had to stop what I was doing and
focus on my husband.
I said, “Okay honey, I’m listening.” He proceeded to tell me about
the horror he had faced that day and although my heart was racing and I
couldn’t bear to hear much more, I fought back tears as he told me about
what he saw and heard. I was frozen and made sure he knew I would not
budge till he was through. Although I had many questions, I never once
interrupted him or took my eyes off of him. I nodded my head each time
so he knew I was following him and listening to everything he had to
say.
I could see his eyes watering, and noticed his fists clench as he
spoke, and I could only wonder what kind of a mental battle he was
facing. I could tell from his watery eyes that he was hurt by what he
saw and his clenched fists showed me he was also angry about the
situation. After he shared with me what was on his heart, I heard him
take a deep breath and noticed a sense of relief in his face. I held his
hand, smiled, and stood up to give him a hug. I told him how much I
loved him and how sorry I was he had to deal with that.
Although every LEO is different and some may want to talk while
others may not, it is vital to be ready and willing to listen when they
are ready to speak. It is healthier for an officer to talk to someone
about how they are feeling or handling themselves after any form of
traumatic stress. At times questions could be helpful in getting someone
to open up, while at times, it may even just frustrate them if they are
not ready.
Effective listening should be learned and mastered. Listening
requires full attention, it is not just hearing. We can hear noises all
around us but to truly listen to what is being heard is a different
thing. Are we hearing our officers or listening to them? Listening is
one of the best ways we can express our love and dedication to our LEO.
They walk many dark valleys, see things no one could bare to see, and
run toward what majority of us would run away from.
The benefits of listening to your LEO are countless. The number one
thing listening will show your officer, is that you support them.
Because you love your officer so much, what better way to show them that
you care? Listening will also help you to better understand what they
may be feeling at the moment in case there is need for concern,
especially paying attention to any underlying meanings in what they say.
As we care for our LEO’s we must remember that they need to be heard
and we need to be ready and willing to listen. We may not always have
the answers or solutions, but at times, listening is the answer and the
solution. Our ears are our greatest communication tool and our greatest
ministry.
Winston Churchill said, “Courage is what it takes to stand up and
speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.” As our
officers show courage to speak about what they face, what they see, and
what they feel, let us be ready with open hearts and listening ears.
Allison P. Uribe is an auxiliary chaplain with the San Antonio
Police Department. Allison’s husband has been a San Antonio police
officer for 10 years. She is also a chaplain with Serve and Protect,
serving the spiritual and emotional needs of law enforcement, fire/
rescue, and corrections; www.serveprotect.org or 625-373-8000. Allison
is the founder of Wives on Duty Ministries, designed to support and
encourage wives of law enforcement and other emergency services through
the word of God; www.wivesonduty.com or email Allison at
wivesonduty@att.net. She is also the lead community chaplain and
student with Global University Berean School of the Bible and speaks at
many law enforcement events. Allison wrote “Because I’m Suitable-The
Journey of A Wife on Duty”, geared toward wives of law enforcement;
http://www.amazon.com/Because-Im-Suitable-Journey-Wife/dp/1449740839
I am going to do a little bit of complaining and defending in this post. I am just so tired of seeing and hearing people talk down about law enforcement officers. Now I have had my run-in with a few that were pretty much jerks, but not all of them are that way. With Kip being a Reserve Deputy with the county Sheriff's Office, I have met a lot of the officers in and around the Gadsden area, and almost all of them are very nice, normal people. I can't stand to see people post on facebook about police officers are just out to get them and "are always picking on me" and "the same officer has given me a ticket the past 4 times..now that is harassment!" Oh please..give me a break. I will say what I always say when people complain cops...You shouldn't be doing something wrong in the first place and they will leave you alone. Here is my FAVORITE one that I saw about cops...it has to do with the Miami incident of a man eating another man's face. Now this is a true story and I am not making it up...someone posted on facebook that "If the cops had gotten all the bath salts off the street this wouldn't have happened. I blame the cops for this." Ok..first of all, the bath salt seizure that we heard about was for Alabama, not Florida. Second, are you seriously going to blame the cops for this crazy man who decided to eat this homeless guy's face and then growl at the police when they got there...ummm pretty sure I would have aimed right for the head and killed that guy on the spot. Personally, I think this person has had too many run-ins with police and might want to either, A.) drive more cautiously and carefully or B.) stop breaking so many laws. And the next thing I have an issue with is certain people just assuming that all law enforcement officers "think they are better than everybody, stand with their chest poked out, trying to look big and bad because they carry a gun." People are saying these things about LEO's they don't even know!! I have gotten to where I will say "do you even know him/her"? When they say, "No, but I know their type.", then I respond with, "All LEO's aren't jerks like the ones you apparently know...they are people too!" Maybe I am just partial to officers, because Kip is (sort of) one. LEO's do more things on a routine shift (most of them for YOUR safety) than you do in a week of work! Not only do they PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE every time they put that uniform on, but they are out there to serve (YOU) and protect (YOU). Think about Officer Justin Sollohub from the Anniston Police Department: did he think that he was going to be shot in the head in just a few short hours that morning as he was getting ready to go to work? Nope..probably not. Did he think he was going die of his head wound just a few days later? Nope..probably didn't cross his mind either. But he did, and he is a hero, because he put his life on the line to protect the citizens of Anniston, AL. If that guy was willing to shoot a police officer IN THE HEAD, just think what else he would have/could have done to an normal citizen! Scary to think about! So for those of you who think LEO's are just out to get everyone, think they are better than everybody else on the earth all because they carry a gun, just remember who you call when you need help. What if someone kidnapped your child? Would you still hate LEO's? What if someone was putting your child in danger? What if someone was breaking into your house? Just remember, if you don't break the law, you don't have a "bad experience" with LEO's.
This weekend Kip & I went to what we thought was an Alabama Football signing at Gadsden Christian Fellowship, "Lily Fest". Prince Wimbley from the 1992 National Championship team was going to be there along with Eryk Anders from the 2009 National Championship team. When we got there, they had a small worship service, and we were extremely confused as to what was going on. Little did we know that this signing was a fundraiser for an sweet couple's adoption from Taiwan. The tickets were $25.00 a piece and they had a silent auction with tons of autographed memorabilia. I couldn't be more excited to be "helping out" this sweet couple (that I didn't know) when I found out the reason we were there, but this story gets even better. Kip & I were looking at the autograph memorabilia outside the sanctuary and a girl comes up to me and says, "You don't know me but I know you. I am Mandi's friend Missy. You look JUST like her!" (For those of you who don't know, Mandi is my precious cousin who passed away in December 2004) I was in awe that Missy even recognized me! Mandi's mother, my aunt Barbie, always says that I look so much like Mandi, especially when I wear my hair curly. It really brought tears to my eyes talking to Missy. After the short worship service, we got in line to get autographs from Eryk Anders and Prince Wimbley. While we were standing in line, Emily, the lady who is adopting from Taiwan, was speaking to everyone and introducing herself to people she didn't know. When she introduced herself to me, she said, "You look really familiar!" She looked really familiar to me too, but I couldn't figure out where I knew her from! I talked to her about her adoption and told her about a family at the church I work at who just adopted from Ethiopia. I gave her the blog address so she could read about their adoption process, its yestoadoption.blogspot.com if you are interested. Emily told me what her's was, sweetsmithbaby22.blogspot.com. It was just a really wonderful Saturday that I was definitely not expecting! I ask that if you would, pray for Emily and her husband Jason as they wait that oh so very important email saying they can get on a plane and go get their sweet Lily from Taiwan. Also, pray for Will & Rebekah from Jacksonville who just brought home baby Israel from Ethiopia as they continue learning all the ups and downs, ins and outs of parenting. Adoption is really a beautiful thing, and I just love seeing these precious children who are without parents and in and out of homes finding a forever home!
It seems as though more and more children are being diagnosed with different types of behavioral & mood disorders these days! It has been something that I have had on my mind for quite some time now and since I work in a daycare, I have done numerous amounts of research on these different disorders. During my research I have come to realize there are a lot more different disorders than I thought!
The most common Behavioral & Mood Disorders:
Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
Conduct Disorder
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Bi-polar Disorder
Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
Surprisingly, 1 in 10 children who are under 12 years old are diagnosed with ODD. It is hard to diagnose, because all children experience episodes of defiance at one point or another. However, when the behavior stands out far beyond the other children in the classroom it is cause for concern. When there is an ongoing pattern of uncooperative, defiant, or hostile behavior toward teachers, parents, or others in authority, this is a cause for concern and parents should seek help immediately.
Symptoms of ODD in Children:
Frequent temper tantrums
Excessive arguing with adults
Often questioning rules
Active defiance and refusal to comply with adult requests and rules
Deliberate attempts to annoy or upset people
Blaming others for his or her mistakes or misbehavior
Often being touchy or easily annoyed by others
Frequent anger and resentment
Mean and hateful talking when upset
Spiteful attitude and revenge seeking
These symptoms are seen in multiple different settings, but mostly at home and a school. The cause of ODD is unknown.
To help a child with ODD, try the following things.
Always build on the positives, give the child praise and positive reinforcement when he shows flexibility or cooperation.
Take a time-out or break if you are about to make the conflict
with your child worse, not better. This is good modeling for your
child. Support your child if he decides to take a time-out to prevent
overreacting.
Pick your battles. Since the child with ODD has trouble
avoiding power struggles, prioritize the things you want your child to
do. If you give your child a time-out in his room for misbehavior,
don’t add time for arguing. Say “your time will start when you go to
your room.”
Set up reasonable, age appropriate limits with consequences that can be enforced consistently.
Maintain interests other than your child with ODD, so that
managing your child doesn’t take all your time and energy. Try to work
with and obtain support from the other adults (teachers, coaches, and
spouse) dealing with your child.
Manage your own stress with healthy life choices such as exercise and relaxation. Use respite care and other breaks as needed
Conduct Disorder
Children who have conduct disorder have a problem following rules and behaving in a socially acceptable way. The cause of conduct disorder includes brain damage, child abuse or neglect, genetic vulnerability, school failure, and traumatic life experiences.
Symptoms of Conduct Disorder:
Bullies, threatens, or intimidates others
Often initiates physical fights
Has used a weapon that could cause serious physical harm to others
Physically cruel to people or animals
Steals from a victim while confronting them (e.g. assault)
Has broken into someone else's building, house, or car
Lies to obtain goods, or favors or to avoid obligations
Steals items without confronting a victim (e.g. shoplifting, but without breaking and entering)
Often stays out at night despite parental objections
Runs away from home
Often truant from school
"Treatment of children with conduct disorder can be complex and
challenging. Treatment can be provided in a variety of different
settings depending on the severity of the behaviors. Adding to the
challenge of treatment are the child's uncooperative attitude, fear and
distrust of adults. In developing a comprehensive treatment plan, a child and adolescent psychiatrist
may use information from the child, family, teachers, community
(including the legal system) and other medical specialties to understand
the causes of the disorder.
Behavior therapy and psychotherapy are usually necessary to help the child appropriately express and control anger. Special education may be needed for youngsters with learning disabilities.
Parents often need expert assistance in devising and carrying out
special management and educational programs in the home and at school.
Home-based treatment programs such as Multisystemic Therapy are
effective for helping both the child and family.Treatment may also
include medication in some youngsters, such as those with difficulty paying attention, impulse problems, or those with depression."
(This information is from http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/conduct_disorder)
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Children with ADHD have a problem with inattentiveness, over-activity, impulsivity, or a combination of these. ADHD is the most commonly diagnosed disorder in children (3%-5% of children). The cause of ADHD is unknown; however, it does run in families. There are 3 different categories of symptoms for ADHD.
1. Inattentive symptoms:
Fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork
Has difficulty keeping attention during tasks or play
Does not seem to listen when spoken to directly
Does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace
Has difficulty organizing tasks and activities
Avoids or dislikes tasks that require sustained mental effort (such as schoolwork)
Often loses toys, assignments, pencils, books, or tools needed for tasks or activities
Is easily distracted
Is often forgetful in daily activities
2. Hyperactivity symptoms:
Fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat
Leaves seat when remaining seated is expected
Runs about or climbs in inappropriate situations
Has difficulty playing quietly
Is often "on the go," acts as if "driven by a motor," talks excessively
3. Impulsivity symptoms:
Blurts out answers before questions have been completed
Has difficulty awaiting turn
Interrupts or intrudes on others (butts into conversations or games)
Some children are incorrectly labeled with ADHD. On the other hand, many children who do have ADHD remain undiagnosed. These are guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics for the diagnosis of ADHD.
Children should have at least 6 attention symptoms or 6
hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms, with some symptoms present before
age 7.
The symptoms must be present for at least 6 months, seen in two or more settings, and not caused by another problem.
The
symptoms must be severe enough to cause significant difficulties in
many settings, including home, school, and in relationships with peers.
Here some ways (other an medication) to help your child with ADHD.
Set specific, appropriate target goals to guide therapy.
Start medication and behavior therapy.
Follow-up
regularly with the doctor to check on goals, results, and any side
effects of medications. During these check-ups, information should be
gathered from parents, teachers, and the child.
Communicate regularly with the child's teacher.
Keep
a consistent daily schedule, including regular times for homework,
meals, and outdoor activities. Make changes to the schedule in advance
and not at the last moment.
Limit distractions in the child's environment.
Make sure the child gets a healthy, varied diet, with plenty of fiber and basic nutrients.
Make sure the child gets enough sleep.
Praise and reward good behavior.
Provide clear and consistent rules for the child.
Bi-Polar Disorder
This is something very near and dear to my heart as I have done a whole lot of research on this, because someone I know has a child with bi-polar disorder. Bi-polar I is when a child experiences at least one episode of mania. (For an episode to qualify as mania, there must be elevated mood plus at
least three other symptoms, or irritable mood plus at least four other
symptoms.)
Mania Symptoms:
elevated mood - silliness or elation that is inappropriate and impairing
grandiosity - unrealistic sense of superiority
flight of ideas or racing thoughts
more talkative than usual or pressure to keep talking
irritability or hostility when demands are not met
excessive distractibility
decreased need for sleep without daytime fatigue
excessive involvement in pleasurable but risky activities (daredevil acts)
poor judgment
hallucinations and psychosis
Depression Symptoms:
lack of joy and pleasure in life
withdrawal from activities formerly enjoyed
agitation and irritability
pervasive sadness and/or crying spells
sleeping too much or inability to sleep
inability to concentrate
thoughts of death and suicide
fatigue or loss of energy
feelings of worthlessness
significant change in appetite
An episode must last at least one week and stable periods occur between episodes of mania and depression.
This is taken straight from thebalancedmind.org. I think it is a wonderful checklist and can help identify if your child may have bi-polar disorder.
Since its founding in 1999, The Balanced Mind Foundation has reviewed
numerous family accounts that repeatedly report similar behaviors. If your child exhibits more than a few of these behaviors and you know something is wrong, follow through with our First Steps plan.This is especially crucial if there is a history of mood disorders or substance abuse in your child's family.
Severe and recurring depression Explosive, destructive or lengthy rages, especially after the age of four Extreme sadness or lack of interest in play Severe separation anxiety Talk of wanting to die or kill themselves or others Dangerous behaviors, such as trying to jump from a fast moving car or a roof Grandiose belief in own abilities that defy the laws of logic (possessing ability to fly) Sexualized behavior unusual for the child’s age Impulsive aggression Delusional beliefs and hallucinations Extreme hostility Extreme or persistent irritability Telling teachers how to teach the class, bossing adults around Creativity that seems driven or compulsive Excessive involvement in multiple projects and activities Compulsive craving for certain objects or foods Hearing voices telling them to take harmful action Racing thoughts, pressure to keep talking Sleep disturbances, including gory nightmares or not sleeping very much Drawings or stories with extremely graphic violence
To read more, go to http://www.thebalancedmind.org/learn/library/about-pediatric-bipolar-disorder?page=all
Causes of Bi-Polar Disorder:
Bi-polar disorder tends to be genetic, meaning it runs in the family. Over half of the children who have bi-polar disorder have a family member (usually a mom or dad or both) who suffer from a mood disorder, usually depression or bi-polar disorder. A child who has one parent with bipolar disorder has a 15% to 25% chance of having the disorder. A child who has 2 parents with a mood disorder has a 50% or higher chance of having a mood disorder.
If you suspect your child has any of these disorders, it is necessary to talk to your child's doctor. If these are treated at an early age, it is much easier overcome the battle later in life!!
I have witnessed way too much rude behavior and smart a** comments made by employees to other employees in my day. Personally, I don't think that is very business appropriate. I guess being a business student I have learned a lot about how to run a successful business and just find the rudeness between a boss and an employee or 2 employees to be a very negative thing for a business. First of all, I would not want to work in a place where my boss or other employees are rude to me or smarts off to me. It is not a very healthy working environment. Secondly, I do NOT want to be put down or feel like I just asked a stupid question. If you can't put on a happy face for 8 hours while you are at work, then you shouldn't be working anywhere dealing with the public. Another thing that pushes my button to no end is when an employee openly talks to other employees or even customers about how much they hate their job and that they need to find a new job. That is not a good thing for a business, especially a new business that has just opened. So if you want to draw customers to your business, you should First: Be nice to customers and other employees. Don't be rude and or get an attitude with them. Second: Put on a happy face, at least while others are around. Third: Don't run your mouth about how your hate your job to customers or other employees. You want to draw people to your company/business not make them go running away as fast as they can. Remember: Customers bring in CASH MONEY, and that is what ALL businesses main goal is: TO MAKE A PROFIT. But you can't make a profit if you are rude to customers.
"...And when he is old, he will not depart from it." - Proverbs 22:6
Yesterday I had the pleasure of being a part of my precious little Graison's baby dedication. Graison was born the day after Thanksgiving in 2011, and when I first saw him, the tears started flowing and wouldn't stop!
He was the most beautiful baby I have ever laid eyes on. I loved him from the second I got the phone call from my best friend telling me that she was pregnant. I loved him for 40 weeks before he was born, and I didn't realize how much I loved him until I laid eyes on him for the first time. He was so cute, cuddly, and just down right lovable! I couldn't keep my eyes, or my hands off him...and neither could Kip! He didn't want to give him up!
It broke my heart to leave him on Saturday, but Kip & I were going to the Alabama/Auburn football game. I was checking my phone every few seconds to see if I had a new picture of lil man sent to me (I was waiting on the picture of him in his Alabama/Auburn outfit I bought him). I finally got the picture and I teared up when I saw it! He looked so cute!
The next few weeks, I was at Jillian's at least 2 days a week to love on that little boy! And MY MY MY how time flies. He is ALREADY 5 months old and growing like a weed! And of course he LOVES his LaLa (yes that would be me! :] ) and his Kip too...I think he loves his Kip more than me sometimes and that makes me sad! :( He would PITCH A FIT if Kip gave him to someone else or put him down one night when we cooked out with Clai and Jillian.
He definitely stole his LaLa's heart from the day I laid eyes on him! Yesterday, Clai and Jillian submitted Graison to God's will and pledged to raise Graison up in God's Word and God's Ways. They made a promise to the Lord to do everything within their power to raise Graison in a Godly way until he can make his own decision to follow God. Graison has AWESOME parents that I absolutely love with all my heart and who are a man and a woman after God's own heart. They are wonderful parents to that sweet angel and will always be. I long for the day that Graison accepts Jesus into his heart! The tears will once again flow like they did the first time I saw that precious face! I am so thankful that I got to share that special day in Graison & Clai & Jillian's, life yesterday. I love their family like my own! Here are some pictures of precious Graison's little life!
I love this little boy so much and I am so thankful that Jillian has allowed me to be a part of his life! I cannot wait to continue to watch him grow up!
Graison...Your LaLa loves you more than you will ever know and I cannot wait to see the MAN that you will become one day! I love you sweet baby!
