Beach Vacation

Life gets a little crazy sometimes so I haven't been the diligent blogger that I should have.  I did want to take the opportunity to share some stories from our beach vacation with you.

This year we went to Destin, Florida with Yaya and Poppy.  It was an AMAZING vacation.  Super relaxing, lots of yummy food, a little shopping, and some chubby, sandy toes on my little boys; it doesn't get better than that.  Trace absolutely loved the beach this year, even got out in the ocean boogie-boarding with Daddy.  Noal was still uncertain about the whole thing, but he didn't mind being outside hanging out with the fam.  We were able to see dolphins off our balcony every morning and that was probably my favorite part, I have never seen that many dolphins that close before.  Poppy even caught one (don't worry, he cut it lose!) while him and Chad were fishing on the pier.

It is hard to believe that right when we got back from vacation, Noal turned two.  The boys are getting big so quickly and the saying that the days are long, but the years are short could not ring more true for us right now.

Here are some pics from our amazing vacation:

A lifelong friend...

My name is Megan and I have been an ASA for 9 years.  What ASA has done for me is provided with a lifelong friendship that is immeasurable.  

My big sis, Jodi and I

 About two years ago, I gave birth to my youngest son… 6 weeks early.  My husband and I sat in the hospital scared to death not knowing what was about to happen as a doctor stated, we have to deliver the baby for your health, but I can’t guarantee the health of your baby.   This was one of the most terrifying moments of my life.  2 hours later, I went in for a C-section and heard Noal cry as he was born.  What a great moment that was!  The next two weeks that followed were a blessing, but were some of the most difficult, because my son was here and he was alive; however, he was in the NICU and my health was still in question.  

When you see babies born on TV, you see the family, balloons and flowers that fill the room—which had been the case with the birth of my oldest son.  Our hospital room that included husband, mommy and baby was a revolving door of friends and family coming to meet our new addition.  With Noal, it wasn’t the picture perfect moment.  I couldn’t get out of bed to greet guests and with Noal in the NICU the only visitors he was allowed were mom and dad, so no one could go see our new miracle.  I could only touch my new baby through the hand holes and hadn’t even gotten to hold him in my arms.  I had been okay for awhile, but I hit a point in the hospital where I was at rock bottom.  Just in time, in walked my best friend, my big sister, Jodi.  Jodi came to see me; she was not concerned about the fact that she wouldn’t get to see the baby or that I wouldn’t be good host.  She was there to see me and to check on me and in that moment that was just what I needed-- someone to be there for me and Jodi was that person and has always been that person from the moment we met 9 years ago.  If it weren’t for ASA I wouldn’t have ever been able to meet “my person”.

 

Don’t be worried about us though…  About one year ago today, Jodi was there as we celebrated Noal’s first birthday and in about one month, on Noal’s 2^nd birthday, I will get to celebrate with Jodi as she gets married. I am looking forward to the day I can visit the hospital after the birth of her children, to be there for her.  ASA has provided me with this lifelong friendship and for that, I am truly grateful.

5 years ago today....

I married my best friend. Little did we know on that day just how much God would bless our marriage. For those of you that know our story, we definitely had a rough road during those three years leading up to marriage. It was definitely God that kept us together through some very hard times, but I wouldn't trade a single fight or hard day. They made us who we are today and I am beyond lucky to have Chad Mitchell as an ever supporting husband and as the amazing father to our two precious little boys.

5 years later and stronger than ever, we deal with this loss that has shook our family, I know that God will get us through, as he always has. Amen, and Amen.

Dave Barnes, Amen

We will have love
We will have pain
There will be days and days and days that feel the same
We will have fear
We will have joy
And maybe little girls and little boys

We will have friends
We will have peace
There will be nights of lights and music 'til you sleep
We will be strong
We will still break
We'll live through so much more than we can take

Amen
Amen
With the dawn, we all begin again
Amen
Amen
What is done, and yet to come
Amen

We will have hope
We will have doubt
There will be memories we could never live without
We will have tears
But there will be grace
There will be prayers that we never thought we'd pray

Amen
Amen
With the dawn, we all begin again
Amen
Amen
What is done, and yet to come
Amen

In the sun or the storms
The flood or the flames
Let everything come, and I'm the one to blame
In heartache or hope
I swear I'll say, I'll say

Amen
Amen
With the dawn, we all begin again
Amen
Amen
What is done, and yet to come

Easter 2012

We had a great Easter this year with our family.  Trace and Noal both loved hunting Easter eggs and of course getting more candy than we will be able to eat in a year.  We also had great fellowship with our Sunday School class over breakfast.  However, little did we know just how special Easter was going to be for our family.  It was the last moment we were able to spend with Chad's Memaw who passed away on April 11.

On Easter Sunday, the Mitchell family, gathered at Gramps and Memaw's just like we do every Sunday for dinner after church.  Then we had an Easter Egg hunt for all of the great-grandkids.  It was a very special time then and even more so now since it was the last Sunday that Memaw would be with us for Sunday dinner.

For those of you that aren't from Erin, the Mitchell family is a huge family... 52 decedents from Gramps and Memaw alone to be exact.  It is truly a unique family to have the fortune to be a part of.  Extremely close, extremely loving, and extremely loyal.  Of the 52 decendents, all of us live within a 50 mile radius of Erin, TN where the family resides.  Even though I am not a blood relative, to Gramps, and especially, Memaw, that has not made a difference, I was one of their grandchildren.  I am more than blessed to have become a member of this wonderful family and to have know Memaw for the past eight years.  She was the matriarch of the family and the best role model for being a true woman of God that anyone could have.  Memaw will be greatly missed, but I can only imagine the celebration that is going on in Heaven as God called one of his best home a few days ago.

He is Risen.... and he has called Memaw home.  That is an Easter to be happy about.

EASTER PICTURES

ECN Easter Egg Hunt at Betsy Ligon Park

The Easter Bunny Came and New Easter Outfits

Easter Sunday at Gramp's and Memaw's House

Megan's Personal Yearly Goals

I have never been one to set New Year's Resolutions, because I often think they often only set us up for failure.  However, today I read a blog that has encouraged me to make a list of personal goals (of course, stealing a few from the blog for myself!)...  but let me clarify, these are GOALS, NOT RESOLUTIONS.  I hope that these goals will help me take baby steps to being the faithful follower, wife, mother, friend, person I am called to be. 

Megan's Personal Goals 

• Get healthy... Yes, the perks of losing weight have a strong bearing on this, but it was not until I started Weight Watchers that I realized just how unhealthy I was.  It is my goal now, not to lose wait, but to become a healthier person. 

• Start each day by getting dressed.  (Ephesians 6:11)
  

• Call a close friend once a week, see one at least once a month.  I have been blessed in my life with some amazing friendships and I can honestly say that I am not always the best friend in return.  I want to make sure that my friends KNOW how much I care about them.

• Record a highlight, memory, or blessing from each day..  This one is going to be a toughy for me.  I am horrible about recording important events in our life.  As I watch my babies become, well not babies, it makes me sad that I have already forgotten the who, what, when, and wheres of important events in their lives.

• Have a family dinner at home at least three nights a week.  Even with the boys as young as they are I am already seeing the busy excuses creep into our family dinner nights at home.  The convenience of dining out often wins.  I think family dinners around the home table are super important and I want to make sure I don't let our hectic schedules take that away.

•  Save energy for my boys.  There are so many nights/weekends that I come home completely exhausted from work/friends/life/house chores/etc that my boys too often get my leftovers.  I want to make sure they get a mom that they know is always there for them first, no matter how tired she is!

• Plan one way to bless, serve, or encourage my husband.  Chad is my rock and my best friend and I need to make sure that I am doing my part of being a supporting and loving wife.

• Finish my Master's.  The classes are getting harder and harder and life is getting busier and busier, but I must do this!  December 2012 APSU Graduate - MUST BE!

I know that each of these goals in attainable, I just have to keep up the motivation to make them happen.  Prayers appreciated!  :)