Life is a test. We are not present on earth to just exist; we are here to learn. Life is a lesson. Love one another unconditionally. Love thyself unconditionally. We spend our whole lives learning to do this. Some succeed and some never have a clue. I'm trying. Love my fellow man. Don't react and don't always have to be right. This is one I'll have to work on for the rest of my life. Appreciate each day and recognize positive and negative as a part of life's experiences. Look around me and see life at it's best. The joys of living come as you strive to achieve your dreams. Its the quality of each day that is important, not the distant dream once achieved. Teach and nurture my children. You can never give them too much love. -Randa Jex 1/1/94

Tuesday, November 27

So thankful!

We packed lots of family and food into this Thanksgiving holiday.  We were so thrilled to actually leave town by 8:30 on Thanksgiving morning with a packed car, full tank, and fed baby!  I know the days of leaving on schedule are numbered, since I still can't wrap my mind around how I plan to make it to work on time with 2 kids going to 2 different places every morning (Austin to school and baby girl to Grammy's).

We went to Steve and Sue's first to have lunch with them, Kellen, Becky, Julia, and Sue's mama!  Zach and I loved spending some time with Jules and enjoying her adorable personality....she will repeat everything you say which can get dangerous with the 2 brothers around telling her to "say this".  It was a great day with family and Julia Claire and Austin played for hours!  Their favorite things at G-Pa's were the golf cart rides around the property and racing tricycles all over the driveway.




I take my tractor time very seriously! 
Julia Claire Racing the Jex boys!  It was hilarious!

 Then we continued onto my grandparents home in Texas just in time for dinner.  We spent a few days relaxing at the lake, feeding the ducks, spending some much needed time with family, and shopping/dining in town.
We had lunch at the most awesome little cafe in Athens, Winnie and Talulah's.  It had an adorable cafe/coffee shop tucked right in the middle of a vintage "everything" shop.  They sold everything from antiques, to jewelry/clothing/purses, to fine linens, to old iron cribs.  They seriously had everything and most of the store was staged as beautiful shabby chic rooms and I was dying to get my hands on everything for Baby Girl's Nursery.....I did manage to walk away with a sweet pair of white feather angel wings that I just couldn't resist.  I am going to mat and frame them in our little angel's nursery!

One morning we ate breakfast on the dock and watched the ducks and birds.  I really think he could have stayed out there talking to them all day.




Austin loved watching the birds flying overhead and the ducks on the lake and every time we went outside he would wave towards the lake at the ducks.

Saturday we headed to Grandma Marilyn's for another plate of turkey and a whole lot of love.  She couldn't get enough of Austin's sweet cheeks and he was such a little ham.  Austin is totally in love with the outdoors and my dad is the best papa in the world.  He would take Austin on long walks through the leaves, golf cart rides, and explore the porches of Grandma's house for hours!

I think he was showing off for Grandma with all of his words, songs, games, and new tricks.  One word and motion he perfected while we watched the Ole Miss game was TOUCHDOWN!!!  He would throw his hands in the air and he got a lot of practice there towards the end of the game as the Rebels rolled over those dawgs.  Go Rebs!

TOUCHDOWN REBELS!
Just chilling on Daddy during the big game!
Every time we walked into a new home, Austin would wear his "thankful for my baby sister" t-shirt and surprise everyone with the news.  I think there was a tie for best reaction between Sue and Grandma Marilyn.  Both screamed with excitement.  Everyone was so thrilled and my mom's side of the family informed me they all knew since it was family tradition on that entire side to have a boy first followed by a girl.

Sunday it was back to Natchez and I have never been so happy to sleep in our bed and have Austin in his...IN ANOTHER ROOM.  I really don't understand how people get any rest when their kids sleep in the same room or heaven forbid in the same bed as them.  By the end of the weekend I was totally worn out from having Austin in our room.

No comments: