Animal Expo, Trips to the Mall, and Back to School

Well School starts on Tuesday for Miss Madison. She is going 2 days a week this year, and I am ready for another exciting year. She really enjoys going to school, and is well equipted with a Hello Kitty lunch box and backpack. Her teachers this year are Mrs. Renee and Mrs. Sherry. Her class includes a set of triplets, so that should be pretty fun and interesting. I will keep you posted as the year develops.

This weekend I took Madison to the Animal Planet's, Animal Expo at Shelby Farms. It was a huge bust! The lines were just too long, and she was not tall enough to do any of the fun slides. She was not too happy with that decision or the long lines. She thought it was time to do whatever, RIGHT THEN! Oh, how she will learn...

We went to the mall later in the evening, and surprisingly ran into Grandy and Pop! Grandy went shoe shopping with us, but we had no luck. No size 7's in the one we wanted.

The weekend closed with a visit from Poppa A, and they had a big time. Poppa A brought her some washable markers (Thanks Dad!!) and they colored, and even colored her feet (see the last photo).

All in all a pretty relaxing weekend, and gearing up for a busy September. It's football time!!!!

Be safe, and Go Dawgs!!

JA & MGA

Madison with her Sunday Polka Dots on

Daddy, please quit taking my picture!

Naked Madison playing with Daddy's I-phone

Look at that RED hair!!

Excited to go to the Animal Expo!

My lil' Meerkat!!

Just a very unhappy girl at this point! She could not get on the slides


The Alligator slide!

They wouldn't even let her in the baby gator slide!! grrrrr

A Porcipine!! Pretty neat

Snakes!! Not a fan of these

Madison loved the lizards!

She choose to stand on the blocks, vs stacking them

Daddy, look at those slides I can't get on!

Leaping over the blocks!

Hiding from Grandy and Daddy in JC Penny's

Madison was really curious as to where her head is?

Grandy and Gracie on Merry-go-Round

Even Grandy rode the Merry-go-round

She hearts her Daddy!!

She wasn't too sure about the guy making the balloons?

Poppa A decorated her feet for her!

Happy Birthday Car-Car!!

Well yesterday was pretty bittersweet! I will never forget the feeling I had on 8/4/06 @ 7:45am at Germantown Methodist. It is one that I do not wish on anyone, and one that I sometimes wish I could get out of my mind at times. That is when my wife, my best friend, and mother to my baby girl left this world. I remember the feeling of complete emptiness, and how I could not believe God was taking Scarlet from Madison and I. I had issues for awhile wondering how a loving and caring God could cause so much pain for one family!! Why could he not just heal her??? In time that feeling of resentment went away, and I realized that God knows all, and his plan is greater than we realize. That is hard to swallow because we lost Scarlet here on earth, however God had a greater plan for her! She is now free of her deadly cancer, and is thankfully in no more pain. Those who were around Scarlet the last few months could see the pain she was in, and how it was just eating away at her. That tore me up more than anything! I was suppose to be the one who took care of her, who comforted her, and who made her feel better. However, I couldn't do anything to stop this aggressive cancer. For those who know me well, you know I am a control freak, and that one really threw me for a loop. The thought of her resting comfortably now (pain free), and watching over Madison and I on a daily basis, really makes me smile. We may have lost her here on Earth, but she is still around on a daily basis, and her memories will never fade!

I have now moved on to a new part of my life, but Scarlet will never go away. Memories of her, stories of her, will continue to be a part of my life whereever it may lead me. Madison Grace is a spitting image of Scarlet, and I know 100% where she gets all her wit and charm. We went to bed last night with an agenda this morning and boy did Madison make me stick to it! She woke up calling for Balloons, Birthday, Mommy, Get them, Sing....She knew what today was, and what our plans were.

Below are some pics from this morning, and a cute video as well! She wasn't super chatty this morning, but she gives "Mommy" a big kiss at the end of the video, and even gives some sound effects to let you here the "Muahhhhh!!".

In closing, I want to wish Scarlet a Happy 30th Birthday! She was fantastic, and know if she was here today we would be having one heck of a Birthday Party tonight!!

Love Always....Jody

On the way to see Scarlet this Morning!!

Of Course, Madison had to carry the balloons

Madison didn't quite want to leave the balloon!

She always, always goes and points to Scarlet right when we get there!

RIP Car-Car!!

Madison getting ready to let the balloon go!!

She called the Grave area, "Mommy's Yard"

Hope you get this Scarlet!! Lots of Love...JA & MGA

Great Video of Madison this morning (8/5/08)