Home   |   Our Adoption Story   |   About Me

5.24.2011

Help for Joplin

If you are like me you are overwhelmed with the news out of Joplin, MO. 
This story hit close to home for me because one of my dearest friends from school, Joey Brown,  lives in Joplin now.  She has been keeping us updated on the happenings in the area.  Having updates from her view point is so much more personal than anything you see on the news. 

Today she has asked for help! 

Here is a portion of her note:

"No doubt you all have some idea of the situation we're dealing with in Joplin. Me and mine are all safe and damage-free. However, seven of my friends have lost their homes and all their belongings. I'm particularly concerned for two of them: Amelia Parks, the English Department secretary, and Mike Rodgers, one of our English professors.

Amelia and her husband Matt are in their early 20s, both recent college grads, an...
d married just over a year. They are expecting their first baby in July.

Mike and his wife Sherry also lost their home. Mike has been teaching at MSSU for more than 20 years, and Sherry has been a special-ed teacher in/around Joplin.

Both of them have family and friends looking out for them, and they will be able to receive available aid. Meanwhile, their situations are pretty dire.

I'm calling on my old friends and colleagues to help out. Here's what you can do:

If you can send a note or card of encouragement, that'd be wonderful.

If you're able, make a donation to Red Cross or a faith-based organization of your choice.

If you want to send money to me, I will give it directly to Amelia and Mike. That's a lot to ask, I know. Times are hard for lots of us. But a few bucks will go a long way in these cases.

If you can't give anything, don't worry and don't apologize. I know it's a lot to ask. Prayers and good thoughts will go just as far.
"

It only takes a minute to send a card or note.  Please consider doing something to help out!
If you can help with this request,  please leave me a comment or contact me directly through email at letitsnowblog@yahoo.com and I will get Joey's contact information to you.

She is my personal friend.  She can be trusted and has a great heart!  If you want to send money directly to her to go directly to the victims I can assure you it will be given to those in need!

5.20.2011

10 things about me

1.  I can't stand for my feet to be dirty (espically the bottoms) therefore I NEVER walk bare footed.  Never - I even leave my flip flops at tubs edge while bathing.

2.  I have an abnormal phobia about snakes.  Ask anyone that knows me how severe it is and they can explain.

3.  In my dreams I am a neat freak but in reality I am messy marvin.

4.  I don't watch network TV.  They only thing I watch for myself is reality TV....mostly "The Real   Housewives of" Anywhere.

5.  I secretly long to be British Royality....or just British would be really cool too!

6.  I love the fact that I am Southern with a tingy of Okie thrown in....it provides the best of both worlds.

7.  I rarely go anywhere without my camera being at least in the car...most times in my purse.

8.  I am an only child but blessed by amazing but totally different families on my Mom and Dad's side.

9.  I hate to watch movies.  I can't stay interested that long.

10.  I would love to be a reader but I hate to read ...... see #9....same problem.

Now that you know 10 strange but unique things about me join the party by linking up with me.

Here's how - Blog 10 things about you, include a link to my blog or grab the button, and link your blog post up on inlinkz below


Embrace the Camera - May 20

So I have been AWOL from blogging for a couple of weeks now.  We have had a couple of really bad weeks at work and since I work on broken computers all day the last thing I wanted to do at night was get on the computer for anything.  Please forgive me!  I will try to do better!

EMBRACE THE CAMERA

Today I am embracing the camera with new pictures we had taken the day Jake turned 18 months old. 
Juno of  Juno Avent Photography did the photos of us and they are all awesome!  I am just having trouble deciding which ones to have him edit for larger prints for the house.  I would have them all in 11x14 and paper the walls if I could get by with it! 
The day we did the photos Jake had been sick for a week and he was not happy.  He ended up doing very well and Juno got some amazing shots but some of my favorite are of Jake having (as we say in the South) "a spell"....otherwise known as a good old fashion fit.  I actually love the pictures because he is in the "spell" period of the terrible twos right now...yes we are already there.  He is very determined and wants to do it Jake's way more so than ever lately.  Anyway, I love the photos because it is so us right now and we will have them to look back on and laugh! 
So here are some of Jake having his spell.


And here is a cute one of me and Jake laughing at something.....


Mrs. Anderson is under the weather this week so she is not blogging but to check out others that have Embraced the Camera go to



5.09.2011

Happy Mothers Day!

Happy Mothers Day to My Momma!

Christmas 2010

I am beyond bless to have the most amazing mother in the whole world!  And even though we have our ups and downs we have more UPS than downs!  She is my biggest support, my toughest critic, she is always willing to listen and give me good advice even though sometime it is not what I want to hear.  
She has sacrificed and struggled to give me the best life possible!  She was (and still is) tough on me but in a good way.  She expects alot from me but she knows I am capable of giving it and stands by me to help me along the way!  She raised me in a Christian home and tought me good morals and values. 
She is my best friend!  There is nothing I love more than to have my Momma spend the night with me. When I am sick, scared or worried I still want my Momma.  We have a very special relationship that not many mother/daughters get to experience.  I can not imagine not talking to her everyday and I don't go more than one day with out seeing her unless it is absolutly necessary and then I am not a happy camper.  There is no way to describe how much she means to me!  I am a Momma's baby and don't mind admitting it!

I hope that I can half the mother to Jake that she has been to me!

I Love you Momma!

5.05.2011

Thankful Thursdays

What Am I thankful for? 
Oh my, I am glad there is a Thursday in every week because there is ALOT!

This week I will start with what most of you come here for anyway! 

I am thankful for Jake
Cutie Pootie extradionaire! 
I am thankful for him for the obvious reasons of course but then there are other reasons!
He is funny!  Yes even at 18 months he is FUNNY!  He is sweet!  He loves his Mommie!  He gives the best kisses to his Mommie when he is just about asleep and he is trying to stay awake just another minute.  He is smart!  He is overall healthy! He is mine!  My prayers have been answered!


I am also thankful for the following people (and so many more) that helped us along our journey to Jake.

I am thankful for Gloria
Gloria was our case worker when we were going through the adoption process.  There is not enough good things I can say about Gloria.  I know the Lord sent her to us because we were gonna need her wisedom, strength, and faith to get through the process.  There were days that I would have honestly given up if it had not been for Gloria.  She flew to Iowa to be with us when Jake was born and then flew back when we had a hickup in the road afterwards.  She was wonderful!  And best of all she is still wonderful and she is my friend!  She is Jake's very own YaYa and we love her very much! 

I am thankful for Dr. Dudley!
He took care of Jake's birthmother while she was pregnant with Jake and then took care of her and Jake while we were still in the hospital.

I am thankful for Ashely
 She was Jake's nurse in the hospital and she answered a ton of questions and took great care of all of us while we were there!

I am thankful for our team of Attorneys in Iowa!
John Daniels, and Susan Boden
They helped us make the whole adoption legal and guided us through some very tricky tough days!

I am thankful for Giles King, our Mississippi attorney!
He helped us through all of the legal stuff here at home and still helps us when we need him!

Of course, I am also beyond thankful to Jake's birthmother
I have wonderful pictures of her with Jake and us but I did not want to post them because I do not have her permission.  I am so thankful for the gift of Jake and without her it would not be possible!

What are you thankful for?
Check out other people and what they are thankful for at

Embrace the Camera - May 5th

Today is Embrace the Camera Day! 

I love my little man so much there is no way to describe it!  Sometimes I think about it and try to tell him how much I love him and just give up!  I mean really...how do you explain it?  I just hope that he can feel the love and someday understand! 

Here is a picture of me and Jake and his buddy Ryley taken at the zoo this past Saturday.
(See my previous post for details and link up while you are there) 
Ryley and I are trying to get Jake to look at the camera for a group photo but Jake is more interested in what his Dude is doing behind us.  I love it because it shows how determined Jake is, how he makes me laugh ALL the time, and how determined Ryley is to get a good picture.  Ryley LOVES the camera and is always ready for a photo op!  Love these two sweet little boys!  We had a great day together!

Take a step out from behind the camera and Embrace the Camera then share it with others at:


5.02.2011

Happy Birthday's and Our Weekend

First off let me say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to a couple of friends of mine!

First up, Nancy Rhodes Ferguson is a May Day (May 1) baby! 



This is Nancy loving on my little man at the ball field last year.  It is the most current picture I have of her and I think we need to change that! 
About Nancy........
she is one of my childhood friends.  I have literally know her all of her life...yes she is younger than me!  We grew up with just one house between ours and there were not many days that we didn't play together all day long.  Nancy is a Mommie to 3 adorable kids and has a schedule busier than anybody I know (can you imagine 3 kids playing on a combined 5 ball teams in one season) but she is always "with it" and is a great Mommie, wife, sister, daughter, and friend.  She is HILARIOUS, always smiling, always knows the right thing to say to make you feel better, never to busy to say hello, always says "I love you", loyal beyond measure, and the sister I always wished I had.  Nancy was blessed to have two sisters and they were an everyday part of my life growing up and a part of my entire Pierce family.  We love her and her family like they belong to us...in fact we actually claim them! 
Nancy is just awesome and I love her! 
Happy Birthday Mrs. Nancy!

Next up.... Amy Brewer Burks is a May 2nd baby!
 I have not been friends with Amy all that long, in fact I met the wonderful Mrs. Amy Burks after Jake was born.  Amy is a photographer who lived in Southaven and she took Jake's newborn pictures.  I had never met her before that day but some friends had used her and some of my family knew her so I thought "oh well it can't hurt".  Little did I know that I would meet a great friend that day!  We went to the same church and didn't know it!  She was so sweet and patient with Jake and when the photo session was over she held him and rubbed his little eyebrow until he went to sleep (a trick that still to this day hasn't worked for me).  We talked long past the photo session was over and I knew I had met a friend!
About Amy....  HILARIOUS too, sweet sweet spirit, is a great Mommie to two almost grown boys, a great wife to Steve, when you meet Amy you just know you have met a good person, loves her family and friends, and loves my little Jake!  Amy has since moved from Southaven and we don't get to see her and we have found a new "official photographer of Jake Snow" but gosh we miss our Mrs. Amy!  We keep in touch through text messaging, Face Book, and Words with Friends (Amy is a master and always beats my by at least 200 points but she is very sweet about it).  I am hoping that sometime this summer we get to see each other and catch up in real life!  Maybe at Cracker Barrell on Wednesday so we can eat Chicken Pot Pie? 
Happy Birthday Mrs. Amy!  I love you!

Now to our weekend.....
Saturday we took Jake and his buddy Ryley to the zoo.  Mikey came along for the ride and we were all glad he was there.  I will let the pictures tell the story!

 Jake and Ryley riding in the wagon.
 Posing in front of the Ape
 Juice Break
 Mikey, Ryley, Jake, and Jeff at the Sea Lion Show.  The boys didn't want out of the wagon...go figure?
 Trying to figure out how to get under the rope to the area that says "do not enter"
 Finally a good picture!
And a group shot!

Sunday we went to church, ate brunch, took naps, and cleaned the garage!  Busy day but no pictures!  Sorry!

Create your own blog post about your weekend and Link Up to my post below and Tell me about your weekend!