Introducing my family....

Today, I'd like to take a minute to introduce you to my family....

This is my best friend and hubby, Fred. This picture is from this spring when we had the chance to stop in the Smokey Mountains. We absolutely love the Smokey Mountains! We were married there in the Spring of 2000, and it was the perfect place for our wedding! He is a great husband and father...we have both grown up a lot in the past decade, and I am just amazed how far we've come and how blessed we have been! I love him with all my heart and soul!

These three rugrats are our kids whom I am insanely in love with!

Collin is the oldest, he will be 17 in December and has his driving permit right now! I am actually his stepmom, but we are really close and he has been such a blessing to us! This summer he decided to move in with us ~ much to our delight. It has been such a special time having him in our daily lives, and we are so happy he made the move. We always hoped he would decide to come, but it had to be all his decision so we were thrilled when he came to us asking if it was a possibility. I always say when I married Fred, I got a package deal, but more than that it was actually a gift!

Michael is my little charmer, only at 12 years old he is not so little anymore!! He always has a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye! He is always waiting for the next chance to make someone laugh. He is always the class clown, I think I have heard that from every teacher! I even have kids on his soccer team come up to me and tell me he is the class clown! He is also a sensitive child, I think he uses his humor to hide that from people. He looks and acts just like my brother did when we were growing up...so much so that I almost daily slip up and call him Randy. He is a sweetheart, and the girls have already figured that out, much to my dismay!

Allyson is our littliest one and we are glad we have her! She has changed our family dynamic completely! She has been such a joy to us, and we are really having fun with a younger child around again! She has her father and brothers wrapped around her finger. I am amazed by what they let her get away with! Okay, maybe I have let her get away with a few things...she is my baby. LOL. Having a girl has been so different than the boys, but I am so happy the way things turned out. Seeing my husband with her just takes my breath away, and seeing her brothers be so protective of her, it just warms my heart!

Considering how varied the kids ages are, I was worried that Allyson might not be close to either of her brothers. Those fears were so unfounded....I don't worry about that anymore!

I always tell my kids that family comes first, and I hope that they always remember that we have each other in difficult or joyous times! We can always count on each other, and there is nothing better than when the five of us are together!

WE MAY NOT HAVE IT ALL TOGETHER,

BUT TOGETHER WE HAVE IT ALL!