I am NOT in High School anymore

Have you ever had relationships whether with friends or family and all of sudden that person(s) stop talking to you and you don't know why? I understand that people move on and some relationships aren't as strong as you might have thought. It just boggles my mind when someone you really considered a "True Friend" all of a sudden quits responding to emails, messages, etc.

I don't force anybody to be my friend, etc. and I know I am very opinionated and speak my mind. Hey, at least people know where I stand. Anyway, I have come to the realization that people like that don't need to be in my life. I don't play around with people's emotions and especially those whose friendships mean something to me. If I had an issue with someone, I would let them know. Life is too short. Besides, those are mind games you play in High School. Honestly, I don't have time for that kind of nonsense.

Tag, you're it!!

Yourself: Trying to decide if I want to have another child.

Your partner: Great husband. Very attractive. Excellent Father.

Your hair: Dark brown, shoulder length, and layered. I really like my current hairstyle.

Your mother: Don't know what I would do without her. She is awesome and a terrific grandmother to not only Sophie, but my nieces as well.

Your father: Same feelings I have about my mom except he is a wonderful grandfather. I couldn't have asked for anything better.

Your favorite item: My Crystal Light packets. You know, the ones you add to water. This is the only way I can drink my water now.

Your dream last night: Good grief, I have no idea. I haven't really slept that great since the time change.

Your favorite drink: Sweet Tea (Either from McAlister's or McDonald's has a really good one) The sweeter the better.

Your dream car: It used to be a corvette, but I do like BMW, Mercedes, Lexus.

Dream home: Probably on a beach somewhere. I love my house I am in now. I feel really blessed to have such a nice home. I just wish I could decorate the house with everything Pottery Barn. I love that stuff.

The room you are in: Office @ work

Your fear: I just want to make sure I am doing everything I can to bring Sophie up to be a successful, loving, caring, confident woman.

Where you want to be in 10 years: Continue to be in a wonderful, happy marriage enjoying my family.

Who you hung out with last night: Jeff and Chevy. Sophie spent the night at Mimi and Pop's house. She does that every Sunday and Wednesday because my mom takes her to school the next day.

You’re not: Very good about keeping my opinions to myself. I try!

One of your wish list items: To continue to have a healthy and loving family. Also, for Sophie to find a husband one day who is as great as her father.

The last thing you did: I am now at my mother-in-laws typing this so I just finished dinner.

You are wearing: Work clothes which consists of brown pants, burgundy shirt and brown heels.

Your favorite weather: SUNNY and HOT!! Ultimate tanning weather. Not too hot, though.

Your favorite book: Ummm...I really don't have an answer for this one. Most books I read now are children's books.

Last thing you ate: Two cheeseburgers (without the bun of course), and a salad. Watching the carbs!! Props to Shari for being my inspiration and go to person on this.

Your life: I am truly blessed to have a wonderful husband who I have been married to for 12 years. A beautiful daughter who I love so much. Great parents (both mine and Jeff's) who would and do anything for us. Two wonderful brothers, great sister-in-law, and sweet nieces. Basically, grateful to have such a terrific family.

Your mood: Relaxed. Wishing I could have worked out today, but had to stay late at work.

Your best friend: Megan (May May) & Emilie

What are you thinking about right now: I need to hurry and finish this so I can go watch Dancing with the stars.

Your car: Black GMC Yukon. Love it, but hate to fill it up with gas right now.

What are you doing at the moment: Back at work now, trying to finish this up so I can post it.

Relationship status: Happily married for 12 years!!!

What is on your t.v: CNBC because it is the next day and I am at work. We have to watch it.

When is the last time you laughed: This morning with Sophie. She always makes me smile.
I am tagging anybody who wants to do this.

Halloween Fun

Another Halloween has come and gone and it was a good one. Sophie had so much fun this year going door to door trick-r-treating. I think she has the concept down quite nicely. She was so adorable in her Raggedy Ann outfit and it just fit her personality.

She really racked up in the candy dept. and Daddy has probably eaten most of it. I don't mind because I won't eat it (maybe just a few pieces) and Sophie doesn't usually eat candy either. I am so glad that there are still people who like to pass out candy to the trick-r-treaters. I have a lot of great memories going trick-r-treating when I was younger and I hope Sophie will have the same. It was so much fun to see the excitement on her face when she got candy. In fact, many times she was given two or three pieces because people thought she was so cute. I would have to agree with them.

I hope all of you had a fun Halloween.

These are just a few of Sophie's 2 year old pictures. They were taken by photographer Shari Barnes. Shari is truly gifted and captures Sophie's personality like no other. If any of you are looking for an excellent photographer go check out Shari's website. It is www.sharibarnes.com. She also does weddings and her attention to detail is out of this world.

"7"

I am sure that most of you are probably scratching your head wondering what is the significance of the number 7. Well, in my line of business the number 7 refers to the dreaded "Series 7". If any of you out there have worked in the financial industry, you know exactly what I am talking about.

Basically, the Series 7 is a license you obtain to become a broker. It is probably the HARDEST thing I have studied for in my whole life. In fact, most people compare it to studying for the bar exam. Anyway, I am back to studying this lovely information once again.

You see, the first time I studied for this was when I was pregnant with Sophie. At the time, my boss didn't understand what I meant when I would refer to pregnancy brain. Well, she does now because after I got back from maternity leave she announced she was pregnant. So, I continued to study and finally took the test.

In order to pass this wonderful test, you only have to score a 70. Easy right? Not quite! Unfortunately, my first score was far from a 70. I guess studying for such a thing isn't too bright when your hormones are going nuts. So, after about a 6 month period I decided to take it again. I studied, studied and studied some more. This time, missed it by 10 points. I was SO UPSET. After that go around, I decided to forget about it. I don't really have to have it, but it is best for me in the long run.

So, that brings us to the present. I am studying once again in hopes of passing this freaking test. I would love to have it behind me and start reaping the benefits of obtaining this license. When I do pass, I am throwing a party!!!!

Anyway, I guess through all of this I have learned that things don't always go the way we want them to. I am one who is used to achieving goals, but this is one goal that I haven't quite accomplished yet. I am very hard on myself when I don't do well at something, so I have to remind myself that I did my best and just try again!!

Wish me luck!!!

Beach Anybody??

In August, we went to Destin with my best friend and her husband. This was our second time to vacation with Megan and Justin and as always we had a blast. Sophie was to little to go last year with us, but this year she was introduced to the beach for the first time. She absolutely LOVED IT! She was so excited to see the "Big Water" and probably would have stayed outside the whole day if we let her.

Sophie had it made with her own pool, umbrella, beach toys, and sand buckets. She was quite fascinated with the sand and occasionally took breaks to go in the "Big Water" with Daddy. Sophie and Daddy had lots of fun jumping the waves and looking at all the fish.

We all had a terrific time and the weather was FABULOUS! I can't wait for it to happen all over again next year.

Say a little prayer

Last night Jeff and I were told that someone we used to be very close to recently lost their baby in the early stages of pregnancy. Out of respect for the family, I don't want to mention any names. Please lift this family up in prayer as they are going through a very difficult time right now.

Hats Off to the Graduate

My brother, Chris/Matt, is graduating from ITT this Friday. I am so excited and extremely proud of him. He graduates not only at the top of his class, but as Valedictorian of the three or four divisions that they group together. Way to go Chris!!!!!!

Baby loves shoes!!

It would seem that at 2 years old you wouldn't know that much about shoes or care for that matter. Well, not so. Sophie is a shoe FANATIC!!!

Jeff has already come to the conclusion that he is in trouble. Sophie already knows where the shoes are in many stores and has often screamed "SHOES" when passing by said areas. She loves to walk around in my shoes, Jeff's shoes, MeMaw's shoes and practically anybody's shoes she can get her feet in.

Sophie has mastered running shoes, flip flops, sandals, and heels. In fact, she is pretty good walking in heels. It never fails that after Memaw (Joanne) gives her a bath she goes to the closet and gets the red heels.

I can't blame her for her love of shoes because she comes by it honestly. Shoes are wonderful. If you go out shopping and have no luck with clothes head toward the shoe department. Shoes will never let you down.

Poppa Charlie

It's been two months since Charlie passed away and it is still so hard for us to believe. We know he is in a better place where there is no pain, however, it doesn't make it any easier. Jeff, Sophie, and I miss him terribly each and every day.

I really wish Charlie was here to see Sophie grow up. He would be so amazed at all the things she can already due at 2 years old. I honestly think she would have him rolling with some of the things she says or does. She and Charlie were the best of buddies and he loved Sophie with everything he had. We knew she meant the world to him and he was so happy to have the time he had with her. It wasn't until many of his close friends and some family told us that one of the main reasons for his fighting the cancer was because of Sophie that it really sunk in . Those two had a bond since the day she was born and probably even when she was still inside me.

I remember when I was getting ready to go to my doctor's appointment to find out what I was having and Charlie told me that he already knew I was having a girl. In fact, he told me that from the very beginning. Well, of course he was RIGHT!! His prediction might have something to do with the fact that most of the Rains' men and their sons tend to have girls first. Anyway, he was so excited to be there in the hospital when she was born and I am glad he was able to.

Jeff and I always made it a point to take Sophie to see Charlie and Joanne every weekend if not more. As she got older and was able to talk some she would always scream "Poppa" when we got off at their exit. When we would get closer to the house she would scream "Poppa", "MeMaw". As soon as we got in the house, she would look around the corner to make sure Poppa was sitting in his chair. He generally was and they would read books and play. Poor Charlie, he could barely speak, but he would do his best with reading her books that she brought him.

The last time Sophie saw Charlie was the Friday that he went into a coma. She was all about him being in the hospital bed and loved to talk to him. She even tried to cover his feet with her blanket that Friday, and as many of you know that blanket along with Sophie's letter and her picture are buried with him.

We knew it would be hard for us to see her go into the house and ask for Poppa after he was gone, but in her own way I think she knew. She did ask for him a lot in the beginning and sometimes still yells "Poppa" when we pull in the driveway. However, for the most part now it is just a yell for "Memaw". She does still talk to Charlie because there are pictures of the two of them around the house at levels that Sophie can spot.

I guess Charlie has been on my mind recently because Jeff told me last night that the headstone had come in at the cememtery. Anyway, it's very difficult to deal with the loss of a loved one, but with prayers and the love of family and friends we all get through it. Time will go on and things will seem normal once again, but Charlie will never be forgotten.

I have included a picture of Sophie and Charlie on her swingset. Charlie designed it and had my brother build it for her. I think this is the last picture of Charlie and Sophie together. Also included is a picture of the swingset itself. It is so awesome and she loves it!

Sophie and Charlie

Charlie's Masterpiece

Skeeta Bites

My sweet angel has yet again been ATTACKED by a mosquito. One lonely mosquito made its way into her bedroom the other night and literally had a feast while she slept. Sophie honestly looks like she has the chicken pox. Jeff and I searched for the culprit last night before putting her to bed and sure enough it came out from the shadows. Jeff saw it and killed it on the spot.

Now, I know that getting bit my mosquitos is normal because I get attacked myself. However, with younger kids it seems as though they don't know how to swat them off, therefore, the mosquito will just keep biting. So, Sophie has all these bites on her legs, feet, arms, and face and unlike most adults they don't just go away after a little while. Oh no, they start out as little red bumps, then turn into huge bites. Also, it seems to take forever for them to heal.

I guess for the most part it doesn't bother Sophie, but she does point at them over and over and says "Skeeta Bites, Skeeta Bites." What can I do? Does anybody have any suggestions? I just don't really see the purpose of these annoying things.

Here it goes!!

Hello to all! I decided to create this blog so that our family and friends could see what's going on in our world. I am new to this blogger thing so I don't know how interesting or creative it will be, but nonetheless it is here for you if you are interested. I will try my best to post regularly and incorporate pictures. So, with that being said this is officially my first post! I will include a few new pictures of Sophie. Destin pics to follow at a later date.