Update on the Blazi's....so much to say...so little time!!!!

So, here is the latest in the Blazi world. We just got back from our retreat to Panama City Beach and wow what a great one it was. Ric preached in the evening services and some of our youth leaders taught classes in the morning. I think the kids really learned a lot and grew in their faith. I enjoy our teenagers so much...what great kids they are. We also got to spend time with our good friends from Florida, Gerald and Tammy! He did the music for us. There are some people that you just genuinely love being around, that make you laugh...well that is Gerald and Tammy. He even knows about PeePee Johnson! Overall it was a great trip, but boy am I tired. We took the kids for the first time and I had to travel back and forth from the camp to our condo. Poor little Jesse went everywhere I went and he was just the best little boy ever. Charlie, Addie, and Shelby swam so much...Pops and Nemaw may not get in a pool for a while. Charlie and Addie are swimming so good. I am blown away at how good they are at things that they really work at. Shelby enjoyed the pool too. She was swimming all over it before weeks end(in her swimmies of course)! Glad to be home in our own beds but we miss the pool. Maybe it will rain really hard one day and our back yard will fill up and we could swim in that...nah!

Well Shelby is finally going to get her cast off this week. She so broke her arm a few weeks ago and had to have a cast put on it. A pink one to boot! So weird right, I have never even had a broken bone...poor Shelbs. She has handled it like a trooper though...hey, she has a new weapon and might I add that she has used it many times!

Charlie lost his two front teeth...too bad Christmas is six months off! He looks so cute and was super excited about it. Getting two bucks helped too. He is a hoot an growing up way too fast.

Addie is turning into such a beautiful young lady. She is so excited when she learns how to do something on her own. They had a tv in her room at the beach and she figured out how to use the remote. She had that thing in her hand the whole trip. Changing channels and the volume. She was extremely proud of herself. She is a blessing.

Jesse is rolling over. Stop...hold the phone! My baby, my last baby is already rolling over. I wish I could stop time for just a little while. My heart aches when I think that I will never do this again. That he is the last baby of mine that I will hold and rock, that I will smell that sweet baby smell on, that I will get up blindly in the middle of the night to find a lost noonie(Paci), that I will sing too, that I will nurse, that I will pray over...oh the list will go on! I praise God that He let me do this four times....my life is definitely moving in a different direction. It is no longer about when we will have our next child, no more ultrasounds, no more C-sections, no more maternity clothes,. no more swollen ankles, no more baby kicks....it is now about shaping these little lives into Godly young men and ladies. I am sad that I will never do that part of motherhood again. I am sad that I will never hold a newborn baby in my arms, but I am excited about the journey ahead. Everyone asks if I am done...I so wish in my heart that I wasn't...but know in my head that I am. Four is plenty...my quiver is full. Plus Ric would kill me if I got pregnant again :)!

Now I will have to hold the newborn babies of my sister in laws...we can't wait to meet them all one day...in God's perfect timing.

It is the final countdown...Kelly is getting married in 2 months and I have 20 pounds to loose...can I do it. So hope so! I am in training(sort of)! If I could just have Bob from the Biggest Loser come live with us I know I would be ripped by her wedding day....I wonder if he makes house calls???!!! I will keep you posted...that is if anyone ever reads this!!!

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Happy Father's Day!

Father's Day........

I am sitting here on Father's Day thinking about my sweet loving husband and my unbelievable dad. The two men that I look up to most in the world. I will start with Dad first because you know how the saying goes....age before beauty?!!!! Just kidding, but Dad you are 60 now!!!

My daddy is just the best ever. Growing up, he was just such a constant in my life. There for everything. He was the one that taught me to shoot a basketball(although he always tried to change my shot), throw out a fishing line, ride a bike, and beat up any boy who messed with me or my family(which I would still do today if needed)! He always took time to be with us. I can remember him coaching literally every little league team we were on and when he wasn't coaching us on the floor he would coach from the stands. Even in college I knew the sound of his whistle. He would whistle and I would look for him in the stands so he could give me encouragement and pointers! I had the honor of him walking me down the aisle almost 8 years ago to marry the father of my children. I will never forget those moments before we walked down and the look on his face. He was proud, yet sad that his little girl had grown up. I can remember leaving my reception in tears because I was leaving my family and moving 8 hours away. I looked back for one last look because I didn't see my dad when we walked out to get in the car. I caught a glimpse of him standing in the doorway with more tears in his eyes than I had ever seen. All I could think of for the next 4 hours in that car was that I had left my daddy in tears. I still get choked up thinking about it today. He loves me...and I know it!

He has for the last 8 years fervently looked for jobs in the Lynchburg area so that Ric and I can move back. He will call me on occasion and tell me about job openings, even ones that are completely random! He so just wants his family back together again. I talked to him this afternoon and was just so proud to be his little girl. What an unbelievable man he is. He loves with all his heart. I love you daddy!

Ric...where do I start with him. Almost seven years ago I remember seeing my husband holding our little boy Charlie for the first time. I remember falling in love with Ric all over again. I am not sure if he had even ever held a newborn, but he was just so natural with Charlie. Now four kids later I still am amazed out what a great Dad he is. He knows exactly what our kids need when they need it. He knows how to make them each feel so special...like they are the only kid on earth. He will show Charlie how to beat a level on one of his games and Charlie thinks he is the world champion of PSP games. He took Addie to see the Hannah Montana movie and buddy she thought she was a princess for the day. Shelby loves to ride with Ric. To church, to the Dollar General, I think she would enjoy just sitting in the driveway in the car with him. They love their Daddy! He makes time for each of them. Better than all of those things above, he teaches them about our Lord and Savior! He makes sure that they know that they are a child of the King! He listens to their questions about the Bible and can explain it in a way that they truly get it. He prays for them continuously and desires to see them be Godly. His proudest moment yet was the night that Charlie got saved. I remember when Charlie called Pops(Ric's dad) and told him that he got saved, Ric just sat there and cried! He is the best dad, coach, teacher, and comedic relief that any child could ever ask for. I thank God for the spiritual leader that he is in our home. I love my husband and thank God for him and for the dad he is to our kids. I praise God that they have a Dad who will tell them about Jesus and His love for them.

I truly am blessed....I have the best dad and husband ever!!!!

Some pictures from the last few weeks!

Addie Boo singing in the rain on her last day of Pre-K

Swimming at Nemaw and Pop's pool

Shelby...Bless her!!!!

Addie took this next shot...not bad

Shelby...bless her again. She is such a nut!

Charlie at his graduation

Jesse Poolside

The kids singing at church

Shout out to my little buddy Clint...he is so stinking cute. This is my friend Stephanies oldest!

Addie and Maddie saying their verse at Cubbies

Graduation

We have been so busy these past few weeks with the end of school, end of Awana's, and Memorial day cookouts! But we are excited that with all these endings, there is a beginning...SUMMERTIME! As Addie's favorite song from HSM2 would say....What time is it? Summer Time, it's our vacation! So sad that I find myself singing those songs on a regular basis:) We have lots of plans for the summer. We are heading to Panama City for the Youth Retreat in June, Hilton Head Island with the so called Stinnett's in July and then to Virginia at the end of July. We are looking forward to some good times!

Charlie graduated from Kindergarten in grand form...with a white T-shirt on and his new Mark Ecco Rhino shoes. His Nana got them for him for his graduation and boy was he stoked! He is wearing $50 shoes while I tread around in my Target specials. Oh Well! Addie got to say a verse in front of the whole church for the end of the year Awana program. She and her best friend Maddie said it together(not sure who's bright idea that was), but they stood up there and giggled for a good 2 minutes before they attempted to say their verse in unison. So cute though...glad Ric had the video camera!

We went down to the Blazi's for Memorial Day as usual and had a blast. I think my kids were out of the pool for a total of 20 minutes the entire day. Addie even tried to eat her lunch in the pool! We had several near drownings...Addie making up most of them. I swear that child is crazy in the pool. She will just jump in and plan on someone saving her. We had a great time and ate too much food. I got extremely motivated to loose weight after I put my swimming suit on. So not good!

Jesse is growing up so much. He is smiling and talking and he finally found his hands yesterday. I heard a crazy sucking noise and looked in on him and he is just sucking away on his hand. Maybe this will help him sleep better now! He is a sweet baby and I am savoring every moment with him because I know he is my last baby. No wonder the youngest children are the most spoiled. It's hard not to spoil them when you know there are no more coming after him.

We are so busy but so thankful for all the Lord is doing in our lives and in our church! We have truly been blessed by our church family and their kindness. We have been getting meals fixed for us nightly over the past three weeks, random folks will pay for our meals in a restaurant, and I can truly feel the prayers of our church family. Ric has been so busy since he took on multiple roles at the church and I couldn't be more proud of him. He is doing a great job...who says men can't aren't multi-task? God is so good and we look forward to seeing what He has in store for us in the days ahead.