My Favorite Cowboy

WELL, I don't know if he'll really grow up to be a cowboy:
but he sure does make a cute one.
Except for the fact that his head was too big
for his darn hat.

Some of my favorite people in all the

world wore a cowboy hat.

Not sure if it's the hat, or the

kind of man who is underneath it that I love so much.

Something about it just seems to stand for hard work,

honesty, and a man you can count on.

Grandad.... I wish you were here to see my sweet Brady.

I know you're looking down upon us.

Every time I see a straw hat flipped over upside down

I think of you.

You were the most wise, honest, genuine man I have ever know.

I miss you, and think of you all the time.

The lessons you taught me live in my heart always.

Little Brady's First Birthday has come and gone..
What an angel that precious child has been to our lives.
God never sprinkled so much personality
into one little fellow as he did
into my main man.
How quickly a year has gone by.
May every year of his life be as blessed & happy
as his first.

Together Again

I'm headed to Snyder today to see Lance,

my baby boy, and the pack.

I'm so excited he got to come home for Christmas

and has his buddies to help push him to get well.

He is doing so much better than

anyone first expected.

Thank you to everyone for your prayers.

As I get ready to travel today my mind always

has time to travel as well. It seems like driving

tends to send me either backward

or forward in time.

Today I'm choosing to head backward.

Back to a time where

I felt like I could protect my kids from any dangers

the world might throw their way.

Back when they sat in my lap and thought I

was going to grow up and be their girlfriend.

Oh how precious those memories are

when I look back and remember.

Time goes faster than any mother would want.

So take all the pictures people will let you,

and even some they won't. Because looking back,

those are the times you treasure.

Here are some more of my favorite images

of these wonderful, "growing up too fast" guys.

The memories must have been special to them too....
because they always remember the pose.

May we always take the time to

look back and remember.

Make a moment Last a Lifetime........

Staci

Lance is Coming HOME

I've missed a lot of fabulous shots in my life while my camera was not

glued to my side...........

But one that I am so thankful that I DID NOT miss was with these boys.

I had to make them let me do the first shoot the day before they started Jr. High.

Then we took the exact same shots the day before they started their Senior year.

This time they wanted to do it.

All four of them remembered right where they were standing and whose arms

were where. Our only problem was that they had grown so much

they hung over the tracks on both sides.

God (& time) had added a little meat to the size of their shoulders.

Of all the hundreds of shots I've taken over the years this is still

one of the most priceless. I have a 24x24 hanging in my house.

I look at it everyday and remember how thankful I am that

God picked me to be Brent's mom. How wonderful it was to

be a part of those boys lives while they grew up.

And how amazingly thankful we all are that they will be

there to see a member of their pack come home today.

There are just some things that time can not alter,

and the friendship between those 4 is one of them.

How lucky I feel to have been a part of their lives....

To watch them play football, to see them ride off all dressed up in a limo

for prom, the many "spend the nights" that lasted all weekend,

the countless amounts of food they ate, and the State Championship

they all won together their Senior Year.

May time never erase the joy, the friendship or they moments they

have shared together.

Staci

Please Pray

As I write this message today by heart is choking me in my throat.

I feel like someone has punched me so hard that it has taken my breath away.

My son's dearest lifelong friend is still in the hospital.

They were jumped by several other guys at a party this weekend,

and Lance was hit so hard in the head that he was knocked unconscious.

He later had 2 seizures and they had to call 911.

After several days in ICU he was moved to a room.

He continues to not really open his eyes much,

and has incredibly painful headaches.
The trauma to his brain was a severe blow.

These boys have been best friends for as long as I can remember.

Since becoming blood brothers in the second grade

they have remained through the years as close as any true brothers can be.

They got the same scholarship to play college baseball

and again got to be together.
They are roommates at Midland and continue to spend everyday together.

I have often wondered how they will ever make it when life takes

them in different directions.

But I never dreamed it would be now.

To everyone who reads this BLOG

I am asking for your prayers for Lance.

I know head injuries can change from day to day,

and God can do what no doctor can.

"What is impossible with man is possible with God."

May we all have a buddy that grows up to be our "brother."

Staci

Christmas Over-achiever

I LOVE Christmas..... Every year I say that I'm not going to get all

of this stuff out to decorate for just one month.........

but every year I do.

I just can't help myself it seems.

But.... I did realize that every year around this time

I end up sick.

I finally went to the minor emergency clinic and told them

I had to be well

by Saturday for Little Brady's birthday party.

I got 2 shots and 3 bottles of medicine.

Those steriod shots are just the best.

The dr. was right. In about 2 hrs. it felt like someone

had taken the bowling ball off of my head and

given my old one back again.

So, now that my head feels like a head again

I thought I'd share a little of my Christmas Fun.

This is my Front Room and the dresser I had so much fun painting.

I filled this room full of whimsy and fun...

Brady has loved playing in here. He points to all the Santa's and smiles.

Our tree in this room (we have 5) is filled with Santa Clause

and polka dot balls.

Of course the balls didn't come that way.. But a girl just needs

more polka dots.......... so I painted them.

I even painted polka dots on the railing on the stairs.
It took Brad 3 days to notice, and he stared at it and said
"Did we want that?" I said well I think WE did. ha


Next is the piano in the hall. It's covered with little trees of all shapes
and colors...... and of course more pictures.

I put stuff everywhere. My friends are wondering

where I had all of his stuff stored.

It was all in an extra closet. But.... I must say,

I can pack like clowns in a circus car.

The guest bathroom is filled with the "White Christmas"

My new favorite thing is my little Frong PRINCE..

Our tree in the living room had to go up high this year.

Little Brady has made it his goal to try and reach the balls......

Birthday Thanksgiving

What a fun, wonderful day we've all had today... I am so very thankful indeed that

all of our parents are able to come to our house on Thanksgiving.

It's not everyday that your divorced parents come to all the events & somehow

remain a family unit. For that I am, & have always been....

truly grateful.

My children have always gotten to have ALL of their grandparents

at their important events and holidays celebrating TOGETHER.

Brad's family was all here too, and we had a wonderful

house full of people we love.

I know some people dread big family events. But... for us it was such fun.

Today was my Daddy's birthday too. He was 64 years old.

So he and Little Brady got to eat cake together.

We had a joint birthday song and candle blow out.

Then................
The real party started. Little Brady has never gotten to play in something

quite like chocolate cake before. Especially without someone taking it away,

or cleaning up his face.

We all sat and watched him. Wondering ourselves

what could be going through the little guy's mind.

We laughed and nearly cried with giggles as he

began to dig in. Not knowing if he was going to throw it or step in it was

half the fun.
There are certainly a few things that become funner with age, & letting your child

play in their first birthday cake is one of them.

I wasn't (at the time) one bit worried about the clean up.

I just watched in awe as he discovered the thrill of Chocolate.

After a great deal of digging, smearing, and

watching me to see if I was watching

what he was really doing.....

Brady found his desire to eat that darn cake.

What a joy to see. We nearly fell over laughing as he crammed

cake in his mouth. He seemed to know he'd better hurry

this adventure up before someone discovered how messed up and fun this

little "thing " he was doing really was.

Thank you Lord for this day.

May we all be filled with JOY & CHOCOLATE.

Staci

Granbury Getaway

Brad and I had our first "getaway" weekend since before Little Brady was born.

Neither of us realized how much time had gone by since it had just been the 2 of us.

We stayed at the new Hotel right on the water in Granbury.

Our room faced the lake; and we got to fall asleep with a gorgeous view,

and woke up to it again the next morning. If anyone is looking for a fun weekend

getaway I'd sure recommend the new Hilton on the Lake.

Granbury is a fun little town to play around in for the weekend.

All the shops were buzzing with Christmas shoppers. I love this time of year. The

chill in the air and Christmas music even makes the grumpiest of old farts smile.

Of course I walked around shopping with the best of them.

And... of course taking pictures like a tourist.

I seem to always find some shot I think I can't live without.

I have a fascination with old buildings.

I love the windows, doors, and walls the most.
Little strange I'm sure,

but they seem to hold the entire character of the building

in just those few little places.

Sweet Brad walked into every single shop with me and never griped once.

He did ask someone if they knew the score of the Cowboy game,

but I overlooked that.

He even pretended to like the vintage clothing store.

I had the best time looking at all the old hats. I have always told my mother

that I was born in the wrong generation. I would have loved to have been

Scarlet O'hara and had a bonnet to wear with all my big poofy dresses.

A few feathers, some bling, and I'd be set.
Instead I just looked and pretended. It was almost as fun.

Then, we stopped to eat an old Malt Shope. Now that was something to see.
I can tell you that Elvis is still alive

and he is hanging out right there in Granbury.
The place was straight out of the movies. All the way down to the shinny red
bar stools, the juke box and the greasy burgers and shakes.
I couldn't help but giggle inside the whole time.
It's just the silly little things that seem to make the best memories.

I had the best time. We both missed Brady,

but realized the best present we could

ever give that sweet boy was for him to know

that Momma and Daddy love each other.

At 41 years old I am still crazy in love with that man.

He makes my heart bubble when I see him.

And to hear his voice still gives me a chill. I have never really known exactly what

it is about that guy............. but it's something that 20 years couldn't take away.

He brings a shine to my life that no one else ever has. A spark that never seems to fade.

Of course some days he drives me nuts, but those are the days I give him a break

because I'm hoping he'll give me one on the days I drive him nuts too.

It took me a long time to learn that marriage is not supposed to every day

be like the movies. But, when you have a weekend that is......

Now that is worth holding on to.

Staci

The Sweetest Thing

I know I'm partial to babies lately. Here are a few precious samples of a shoot I had this week. What an angel she was. Dressed like a little doll. I remember the wonderful excitement of that first born child. The pride in a parent's eyes is just priceless.

Since Brady has come into my life I have found

such wonderful joy in watching children.

I guess I was too busy the first time around in my parenting

to notice all the wonderful faces and silly noises that little kids make.

I think I missed some of the best parts waiting for the BIG moments to happen.

In the end it's actually not those moments that you remember most at all..... it's the journey that got you there that makes the biggest impression. For those of you out there who know me, you know that I have made it a very important commitment to cherish and hold on to the "little things" from now on. Because NOW is really all we've got. I have looked Little Brady in the eyes and promised that I would play in the floor more, laugh more, color more,

hang more pictures on the refrigerator, and stop what I was doing to

"Watch Me Momma." For those are the most dear memories my big kids have to this day. They are always telling me "Mom, remember when......" It's sad to say, but sometimes I don't. So, to everyone out there who has children of any age. It's never too late to start.

I've even found a new place in my heart for teenage drama, driving and dirty clothes in the floor. Because... now that Brent's off at college, I'd love some of that again. Brook doesn't know just how lucky she got on that. ha Enjoy the little moments. They go fast, and you never know what kind of memories you are making.

Staci