5 years and counting, WHOO HOO!!

         I always say I don't like to blog until my heart is full of pure joy!!! Well, here it goes as my cup runneth over! On this day 5 years ago, I said "I sure do" to daddy! I can't begin to express the love I have when it comes to being married, it's my most favorite thing in the world well, after the first year anyways! You girls bring us tons of joy on a day to day basis, but so does the sporadic, surprise of our marriage. BY KNOW MEANS IS IT PERFECT..I could lie and say it is, but hahahahahah!  If there are any two people who know the importance of our marriage it's you girls. You can see it's no ride in the park, but you also know it's our happily ever after! The one thing we know for sure is the Good man upstairs provides us with a free marriage counselor 24/7! I mean really, It don't get any better than that! I will always remember this one walk I took with two of my favorite people. On this very same day 2 hours before my wedding my Pepaw walked through the pearly gates of heaven, oh how I miss him, but as he was taking his walk here is mine!(what a wonderful chaotic day) This walk with my husband and our child will be cherished for a lifetime!

        On another note, we got the best news ever at the doctor Monday" Yes, Yes, Yes, Praise the Lord" we have another surgery scheduled in the near future and daddy gets to keep his foot, just not his bones!!!! This along with our 5 years of marriage is our biggest praise report of the year! God really is amazing, and if you don't think he has control over your life then you should sit back and watch our life story. Between our marriage and all of our health issues, all I can tell you is GOD IS GOOD! I sure hope I'm teaching you girls what it's like to live by faith and not by sight. I have to say, there is not much that you ever ask for, Madisyn..(I don't know this, but I have to hope it's because you already realize how rich you really are) In our home, being rich is having a family, home, and siblings to fight with, it has absolutely nothing to do with a dollar sign. Money doesn't make you rich, love does. Being successful is not becoming the President obviously, but being a well mannered, selfless, child of God. It's our job as parents to make you realize the true meaning of wealth and success! With that being said, I'm tying to make you the richest kids in the world! When we told the oldest nugget daddy gets to keep his foot, she was just as crazy and excited as we were. Is this not the most precious picture ever?

and here we are as we got our news

So much excitement in one week!!! This mama will be more than happy to take in every bit of it a hundred more times!! Braylee, you were so sweet as you spent the day in Memphis with us. I really think you may be slowly coming out of your terrible 4 stage! You are by the far the funniest, most loving, sporadic 4 year old ever. Last night you were playing in your room before bedtime , then you come in there to me and daddy and tell us you have a problem. We ask you what's going on and you tell us this "mama I just feel black" you couldn't explain it but that was your random thought of the night..and I personally couldn't keep a straight face while you were telling me (This is not a racial comment we love each as own) but it's just the mind of our 4 year old! You still tell us daily that you love us most all the way to the fairies and rainbows. I love you baby girl! I wish so much  that I could just sit back and soak in this life that we live , but I'm one of the characters in it so I have to keep on trucking.

       Can you believe it's Christmas time already? Geez it comes and goes so fast. As if everything we have going on is not enough, Christmas time is an overload itself..How selfish for us humans to make it this chaotic..Jesus wouldn't want that, but we do it anyways grrr. So since our family has so much free time not I am about to give someone else some of our time and love. As a child I grew up in a nursing home as my meme took care of her mom, and it has stayed in my heart forever. You girls have developed the same passion for the elderly as I have, which is why we are "adopting a resident at the nursing home who has no family" I can hardly wait to start this relationship and to see someone else's eyes light up when you girls go to see them! Special thanks to our friend Liz who is helping us out with this! My goal is not to buy gifts, but to give as much love as we can to someone who needs it most. I really thought your daddy would tell me I was crazy when I explained to him I wanted to do this, but he jumped on our band wagon without any struggle! This will not just last through the holiday season but as long as God allows us to be a part of ones life.

              Here are a few pictures we had made this Christmas THANK YOU SAMANTHA BUFORD, I TOLD YOU IT WOULD BE CRAZY..I'm not real sure what Katie and I were thinking trying to keep two hunters out of the woods, they were worse than the kids.

and then there are these precious pictures

Anyways, that's all I got!!! I love this family of mine more than you will ever know! Love with all my heart, mama!

P.s excuse all my grammatical errors today, for once I beat my ocd problem!!

 

 

Tis The Season To be Jolly...Love the Gillilands

          Where oh where should I begin, since I've obviously been slacking here lately (I'm really sorry my sweet babies)!!! First off, you girls totally kicked butt at your first cheer competitions, and showed no fear at all!!! Most of all, I'm so excited to finally be the loud mom!!! Really, I laugh as I watch your videos because I'm so loud as I root you girls on!!!! I know really, that's hard to believe. Madisyn, I have to give you a BIG OLE THATTA GIRL!!! To have your coach brag on you is one thing, but when she brags on you because you got some girls together to stop and pray (without anyone telling you to) is another!!! I can't tell you enough how honored that makes me feel (not only did you pray one time, but like 7 times)!!!! I am so proud of you and all your friends for realizing what comes before ANYTHING! I love the friends you have in your life. As parents, it brings us so much joy to know your friends are just as loving, silly, and spiritual as you are!! You, Bray, and daddy are my biggest rewards at the end of each day!! You all three let me know what all I have accomplished at the end of the day, good or bad. Here are some pictures of your first competition.

Ok, I'm done with the picture overload, can you tell I'm a proud mama?

While daddy escaped us for a week and went hunting, you were treated to Disney on Ice (Thanks Gigi)! I have to say, I had butterflies and absolutely loved it as much as you girls did. Pretty sure you can never be too old to want to be a princess. You girls will always be our little princesses! We had so much fun and the highlight of it all was seeing your little eyes sparkle! I wouldn't miss that sight for the world.

 

Bratlee(I mean Braylee), you threw a horrific fit over some Rapunzel hair. I now have a strong dislike for this princess, thanks to you. You continue to talk about it 2 weeks later grrr. You still make us all mentally challenged but we love you even in the terrible 4 stage. I am convinced you will be a well mannered, minded, child. We do love everything about you, even when you act rotten.

Next, we had the best Thanksgiving ever this year! We have so much to be THANKFUL for and deserve so much less than what we are given. We are all so spoiled by God, yet he is often unrecognized in so many situations.

Your daddy and I have two of the most BEAUTIFUL girls ever!

Finally Elfalfa came back to visit you girls this year. I really have a strong love for this creature, he is great! You never know what he will do while you girls are sleeping.

 

That's the life of Elfalfa so far.

On another note,  Madisyn, this is the picture I received after daddy took you to get your eyebrows waxed for the very first time. I must admit, I was devastated that I missed this. I'm so thankful you have such a wonderful daddy! I tried to get him to facetime me while you were getting this done , but being a typical man he refused because there were other people in the shop.

Bless it! This picture is hilarious, yet sentimental. I'm not real sure why daddy didn't think this was such a big deal because it's huge in a girls world anyways!
The thing I'm most thankful for this holiday season is this:

This just melts my heart and makes me completely "Bipolo" as meme calls it! My heart smiles and cries tears of joy all at the same time!!  It is such a privilege to raise you girls... especially raise you through eyes of the Lord! Your daddy and I love you more than you will ever know, Love us!

 

Just A Little Bit Of......

Here is what you girls have been up to lately! You both are getting ready for your first competition. I really hope you girls do great, but regardless you will look cute!

 

Braylee, I have to admit, I'm a little nervous about your performance. You have a tendency to get carried away when you dance and well, let's just say I'm already banking on your college being paid for as a minority at JSU ...SONIC BOOM!

It has been a couple of weeks since my last blog so here are a few from Halloween! You girls make life so much fun for us! I was amazed at how well your costumes fit your little personalities.

Why not be be Lalaloopsy with a Hello Kitty umbrella and Cinderella shoes?

Braylee, I was so in love with your pink hair I decided to be Frenchie!!

 Don't you love having fun parents??????

Madisyn, there is not a day that goes by that you are not a little Southern Belle. I'm not real sure how you ended up so prim and proper, but you are one of a kind! You also still amaze me each day with your tender, loving, caring  heart

 

You girls really have the best of friends! We are some lucky gals with all the sweet friends we have!!

I love having friends who never let me surprise them with my spontaneous ways!

 

And those who help me fight my skin cancer battle!!

 

Madisyn, daddy took you hunting this past weekend.. since you are silently in competition with your boyfriend.. The only problem is he killed two and you....well..I think you may have scared the deer away

I really fought a battle with your daddy and explained if girls hunt...It's a must they look cute! I obviously lost the battle, this is what you looked like when you got home! On another note...I love the fact that you two often spend time together..no matter what you look like, this is what I'm most thankful for!

I'm also EXTREMELY thankful for the large group of kids we have in our church! It's such a blessing to be a part of this group!

This is the group of kids who went to mission madness this year! One thing is for sure about this small town we live in.. WE ALL LOVE THE LORD!

After we got back from Mission Madness, Bray had her own little photo shoot!!

 

These pictures make me belly laugh! Bray, this is your little personality in a nut shell! I'm forever grateful for your fun sense of humor!

I have decided that I just may be giving you this book each year! I really just don't think I can hold out for several years!!

I have a footed pajama obsession! For some reason they bring the baby out of the four year old, and make you look so sweet and cuddly! We all may get some for Christmas...even daddy!  Also, I'm not real sure why you think you have to sass every picture!

 See what I mean???? You seriously are the cutest thing I've ever seen!

And then there is this little southern belle

Your beauty lights up the room!!!! I'm so proud of the young lady you are becoming!! You make us all so proud!

 

Look how stinkin cute you girls are!!! Your dad and I love raising you as a child of God! We are by far perfect parents and fail you daily, but we do our best to give you all we got and make sure you both know how much you are loved!

Love the parents you are now embarrassed of...Well, Madisyn anyways!!

Ok, seriously we love you most.....all the way to the fairies and rainbows!