What a man, what a man, what a mighty good man.

Okay, seriously, I had to sneak this blog. Jared begged me not to do it, but I had to. Its my blog. Not to mention, I am one proud wife! My husband won the 2010 Leadership Award for U.S. Pipe. He is so amazing and derserving of this prestigious award! He works so hard for our family and for his job. He has been with this company for almost 11 years now, and has worked so hard to get where he is at!
This is what the award says in case you care:

Customer Service

Employee of the Year

Leadership Award

Jared Jones

For the Customer Service Team Member that demonstrates the Greatest level of Continuous Commitment to the Mission and Vision of U.S. Pipe Customer Service.

2010

Wow. So proud, so very very proud.

In Sickness and in Health

Another blog to brag about my man. Sorry, its not mushy just really to say thank you Jared. Thank you for honoring your vows. What a trying time this has been, a flare-up that lasted a year and a half and then ultimately ended in surgery. So thank you Jared. Thank you for loving me, taking care of me, and keeping your words you vowed to me on September 25, 2004. I am forever grateful for your love. You make me the happiest woman alive.

I'm forever yours, faithfully. I love you Jared.

What's been going on

Hello blog world. Its been a long time! A long time that has gone by entirely too fast! Probably because Wednesday is the big day, surgery day for mommy. If you have no idea what I mean, read the post below this one. I am still extremely scared but I do have a peace. Its what the prayers are doing, giving me a peace I can't understand. Please keep praying. Let's put that aside and see what's been going on in the Jones' household the past couple months.

Jared and his babies watching cartoons one morning. They love when daddy doesn't have to go to work. Mommy likes it too.

I took the girls to the Mcwane Center with some friends and had a blast. My girls and I had never been before and it was so much fun! I really can't wait to go back, the girls were so entertained, they have such neat things there and a little kids area for the younger babies. My girls were dead tired by the time we left! The picture above shows the girls faces.

Basically this was a huge light-brite. We have a small one at home and love playing with it, so this was cool. Jared won't buy us a big one like this. Boo.

The Mr. Potato Head Exhibit

Gus Brown and Sittre Paige checking out the fish.

The babies hanging out at Mcwane. Trust me they got to play alot, they were totally exhausted by the time we left.

The air blows out of that hose and you have to try to keep the ball up in the air. Sittre Paige enjoyed this.

Sittre Paige's 4k school closet. This is at my mom's house. My mom and I began school clothes shopping a couple months ago and didn't realize how much we had aquired. She is certainly set for school. She will start 4k on September 7th and we are excited about her new teacher Mrs. Newberry.

I got a date night with my hubby!!! ALL ALONE!!! We had an awesome time together laughing and enjoying each other. We actually do still enjoy each other! yay!

We went and spent a weekend in Hilton Head, South Carolina with my brother Jacob. We only took this one picture! We were so busy, we couldn't stop to take a picture!! The beach is awesome in SC. Look at the background with all the people and umbrellas! Its incredibly crowded there!!

Jared turned 31 and Sittre Paige thought that he would like the Pretty Pretty Princess game for his birthday gift, and let me tell you, its exactly what he always wanted!! He has been a princess ever since we got the game!!!

My brother and Jared after a ride on their toys. Why do boys love to get dirty? I will never understand apparently.

Jared turned 31 and I made him a chocolate cake with peanut butter icing. HOMEMADE! Yes, I did it myself, and I was so proud because I don't do alot of baking. Okay I do NO baking. But this is my husband's favorite flavored cake so I made his wish come true and made it for him. I got the PB icing recipe off all allrecipes.com and it really was good. Extremely sweet but atleast Jared enjoyed it. He is already asking for another one.

My angel and I out to eat one night.

My little Lady Liberty. We spent 4th of July at the lake and in the boat. With awesome food. With family. Does it get any better?

Jared took a day off one Friday so we could have a family day just us 4 on the lake. Sittre Paige and I rode the tube together for the first time! I love hanging with my girlies and husband!

I got to take a beach trip with just my girlfriends at the end of June. What a much-needed vacation!! Wonderful girl time with wonderful friends. I am already pumped for next years trip!! I missed my family terribly but had to enjoy the quietness and packing just for myself and no sippy cups and getting to take a shower without kids watching me and taking a nap when I wanted to, wow it was nice. Do I not hang with the prettiest moms ever???? I love these girls, we had a blast. I also love the ones that were not able to join us.

Getting ready to head to the pool one day. Showing off her new Hello Kitty cover-up.

My little princess. With her baby that she ruined when she tossed it into the pool.

Look at the twins. Like father, like daughter for sure. Atleast she has my attitude. I guess thats good?

I'll be back soon. I might can get Jared to write an update on the surgery later this week. Please keep my entire family in your prayers this week. God is good.

August 18th

Well, this is a day I have dreaded for a long time. A really long time. I'm sorry if this happens to be your birthday, or a day you are excited for. To me, this day makes me what to throw up. This is the day I will say goodbye to my large intestine. Yes, there goes my colon. I h.a.t.e. Crohns/Colitis. I had to type both of these losers because the doctors can't seem to figure out which one of these diseases I actually have. I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis when I was 15 but then later rediagnosed around 21 with Crohns because of different symptoms. My doctor now believes that it is Colitis, but the surgeon who is performing my surgery says that what she can see its Crohns. Soooooooo, to say I want to have a mental breakdown would be an understatement. All I can really think about is this life here on Earth is the closest I will ever come to hell. Is that horrible to say? I don't think it is, I just know that this struggle for me on Earth makes me long for my pain-free eternity with the Ultimate Healer, Jesus Christ. I have to remind myself everyday that I can't expect this life to be perfect because God doesn't call my life to be perfect. I am a wretched sinner ONLY saved by his grace. Why should I expect to not have trouble? I want to struggle so that God's glory can be revealed. But that doesn't mean I can't be scared.
I am terrified. 1. because everybody knows I am a big fat baby and 2. because I really do truly want to live a long life, and when I say long that means seeing my great grandchildren get married. If thats even possible?? and 3. because I don't want my mission here on Earth to be complete. I mean if Jesus says its done, then that would be it but I don't want it to be. Can you tell I'm scared of dying? I know this is practically a routine surgery, but in my mind I am calculating everything that could possibly go wrong, and because I am an idiot, I asked the surgeon to tell me things that could go wrong!!! WHY????!!! I don't know, because again, I'm an idiot. So now the hour and a half long surgery consultation of what the surgery consists of and what will take place has now all been forgotten and the only part I remember is the things that could possibly go wrong.
I just want to say that death doesn't scare me, I know the minute I close my eyes and my heart stops I will be in the arms of my Savior. Dying, however, does scare me though because of what I am leaving behind, my husband, my 2 girls, and my family. That is scary. (And yes, to me there is a difference between death and dying, atleast to me, because I am weird like that.)
Okay, thats my spill about whats been going on in my head. I know right, you do NOT want to be in my head!! It is not a fun place to be right now, and probably won't be until I wake up after the surgery.

If you read this, I just ask that you be in prayer for me and my family. For peace of mind (mine), and for the surgeon, for the decision that had to be made and for a very speedy recovery. I really want to get back to life and actually enjoy it.
Thank you for praying for me. I appreciate it more than you will truly ever know. I have so many pictures I want to post from June and July but am just consumed with this surgery. I just can't seem to think about anything else so hopefully soon I will grow up and quit acting like a poor pitiful baby and move on then you can see what we have been up to.

MY Men

Well its Father's Day and I have ALOT to be thankful for!! Look at these 3 very handsome men in the picture with me!!!! Am I the luckiest girl in the world or what??!! They are all mine and I wanted to take some time to tell you what they each mean to me.

Let's start with my daddy since it is Father's Day. I don't know if you can get a better dad, actually pretty sure you can't. I love this man more than words could ever express. He is a superhero, I am telling you this man is a BEAST! I don't think there is one thing he is afraid off?? He makes me laugh so hard because he is such a manly man yet.........he can go with me to Bath & Body Works and smell different scents with me and loves it!!! He loves candles!! I feel so incredibly blessed that God sent him to be MY dad. I am a very ummmmmm, needy daughter. And he is always there for me, I am NEVER put on hold. To my girls he is known as Poppy. The funniest part about this right now is Stella says PoBBy, which in turn sounds like Bobby. So its a big joke that we are calling him Bobby now! Dad I can't tell you how much you mean to me and my babies, my family is my world and I'm so proud to call you a best friend and my dad and now my Bobby. Not to mention you are a HOT dad, but trust me, you know that!! We can barely get that ego out the door! You are so awesome! Thank you for always taking care of me and loving me so that I never had to look for love somewhere else. I love you sooooo much!!!


Next, my man. I think we all know how I feel about my man. He is my ROCK. I never dreamed that I would have a husband like Jared. I knew I would be married one day, but to have a man like Jared is just rare. GOD PREPARED HIM JUST FOR ME. I had to caps that to stress that God is in control. I know that being married to someone who is constantly sick and in and out of hospitals is probably not something he signed up for yet Jared is perfect for me. I am tearing up writing about him because I don't think I will ever be able to repay him as a wife. Not that he would ever want me too. You are an amazing man Jared, and such a wonderful daddy to our girls!! You make me happier than you will ever know, I can't imagine walking through this life without you holding my hand!!! You are an incredible daddy and husband and have 3 girls that can't get enough of you!! Thank you for being my baby daddy. I have never wanted anybody else but you!!! You top them all Jared and are in a husband league of your own!!! Thank you for loving me for just me. I love you!

And last but certainly not least, my brother. No, no he is not a daddy but he is such a outstanding man in my life. (hopefully one day he will give me some neices and nephews :)) But what a great brother he is. We have been through alot together, and he makes a sister soooo proud. One of my most favorite memories of my brother and I is when he was younger I would pester the crap out of him. And he hated it when I called him Jacob Marley. He would cry and punch me so hard everytime I would say it. Where did I get that? I have no idea but he hated it. We joke now that he is going to name his one day daughter Marley. I had to babysit him all growing up and thought he was my son!!! I am that sister that says, "I can mess with him but you can't". If anybody messed with him you can bet they heard from me! I love you baby brother!! You have grown into such a wonderful man and I can't wait to see what other things God has in store for you!! I am ALWAYS here for you, you know that. I love you!!!

Radical Change

You and I have an average of about seventy or eighty years on this earth. During these years we are bombarded with the temporary. Make money. Get stuff. Be comfortable. Live well. Have fun. In the middle of it all, we get blinded to the eternal. But it’s there. You and I stand on the porch of eternity. Both of us will soon stand before God to give an account for our stewardship of the time, the resources, the gifts, and ultimately the gospel he has entrusted to us. When that day comes, we are convinced we will not wish we had given more of ourselves to living the American Dream. We will not wish we had made more money, acquired more stuff, lived more comfortably, taken more vacations, watched more television, pursued greater retirement, or been more successful in the eyes of this world. Instead we will wish we had given more of ourselves to living for the day when every nation, tribe, people, and language will bow around the throne and sing the praises of the Savior who delights in radical obedience and the God who deserves eternal worship.

Are you ready to live for that dream? Let’s not waver any longer…
David Platt - Radical


WOW. WOW. Everytime I read this, I just get tears in my eyes. Its just so beautiful. So, this is a quote from David Platt who wrote the book Radical. Have I read the book yet? No. Am I dying to read the book? YES. My friend Rebecca bought the book for me at her church and I have yet to pick it up from her but I am literally dying to get my hands on it. Basically its about turning the American Dream upside down. Being a TRUE disciple of Jesus Christ.
I want a radical change in our life, because I know that we don't have time to live our happy American Dream. People are dying and going to hell. I am working for my eternity and boy does it feel good to just work for Jesus and not for Earth.

www.radicalthebook.com

You can visit the website if you like. Pretty cool stuff. Be sure to watch the video.

We got this

We got this down pat. Sittre Paige was a flowergirl for the 3rd time friday night and had a blast. She is such a little diva. We went to get her hair done and she loved having curly hair, she also loved someone pampering her! It was a beautiful wedding and very stress free. I was able to really enjoy watching her. The other 2 weddings she has been in were my very best friends and I was in those with her. So not only did I have to make sure she was doing the right thing, I had to make sure I was doing the right thing as well. I got to sit back and just watch this time. That was nice. Congratulations Kerry and Danny!!!!

Yes, that is gum in her mouth.

She started being silly but this is actually one of my favorite pictures. I loved her headpiece!

Taking a trip down memory lane. This was the 2nd time she was a flowergirl in Caris' wedding, August 1, 2009.

First time flowergirl! Lauren's wedding, April 4, 2009. Sittre Paige looks so young here!!

Thank you Kerry, Lauren and Caris for inviting my daughter into your weddings!!! She has enjoyed every moment! I appreciate you three allowing my daughter a moment to shine!!!

We get to have a 4th go-round next summer when my cousin Kaitlin gets married! Stella will make her flowergirl debut in this one as well. Should be extremely interesting.