OUR FIRST BIG MILESTONE

MY BABY IS TEETHING....EARLY! WE WEREN'T REALLY POSITIVE, BUT WE'VE BEEN READING UP ON IT AND SHE HAS EVERY SYMPTOM NOT TO MENTION SHE HAS MOVED ONTO THE "HURTING" CRY AND BELIEVE ME I CAN TELL THE DIFFERECE. IT BREAKS MY HEART THAT I CAN'T HELP HER MORE THAN ORAJEL OR BABY TYLENOL. SO ANYWAY..JUST WANTED TO KEEP EVERYONE UP TO DATE ON EVERYTHING THATS GOING ON WITH THIS BUNDLE OF JOY.

UNTIL NEXT TIME..

OH PS WE'LL BE IN VIRGINIA ALL WEEKEND SO WE WON'T BE ONLINE.

MY SWEET BABIES

I LOVE MY SWEETIES. MY HUSBAND AND MY SWEET BABY GIRL ARE MY WORLD.! SHE KEEPS AMAZING US MORE AND MORE. SHE DOES SOMETHING NEW ALMOST EVERY DAY. SHE WAS GIGGLING AND SMILING AND TRYING TO TALK SO BAD! I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE THAT SHE WILL BE THREE MONTHS OLD TOMORROW (SHES 13 WEEKS TODAY!!) I CANT BELIEVE ITS BEEN THAT LONG SINCE I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL GIVING BIRTH TO HER! SHE MAKES ME GET UP EVERY MORNING. SHE IS THE REASON WHY I BREATHE. SHE IS THE BEST THING THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED TO ME! THANK YOU JESUS FOR MY BABY GIRL!

PS TRENT LOVES BOXES AND GRACIE LOVES HER BEBE POD ESPECIALLY WHEN SHES WATCHING TV WITH HER DADDY.

AHH

I WANT TO GO HOME AND SEE MY GRACIE GIRL!!! I MISS HER LIKE CRAZY!!!

HAPPY LATE FATHERS DAY PAWPAW

HEY PAWPAW WE MISS YOU LIKE CRAZY!! CAN'T WAIT TO GO FISHIN' WITH YOU THIS SUMMER AT SANTEE COOPER!!! SEE YOU SOON'!
LOVE MOMMY AND GRACIE

HAPPY FATHERS DAY!

SO TODAY IS WILL'S FIRST FATHER'S DAY. HE AND GRACIE ARE GONE TO EAT BREAKFAST WITH HIS DAD BEFORE CHURCH. AFTER CHURCH, WE'RE GOING WITH MOM AND STEVE OUT TO EAT FOR THE REST OF FATHERS' DAY. TODAY IS A DAY TO CELEBRATE DAD'S. WITHOUT DAD'S WE WOULDN'T BE HERE, YA KNOW? I WOULD JUST LIKE TO TELL EVERYONE WHO READS THIS HOW VERY GRATEFUL AND FORTUNATE I AM TO HAVE MY DAD IN MY LIFE. I KNOW EVERYONE GOES THROUGH THAT ROUGH REBELLIOUS STAGE WHEN PARENTS DIVORCE, BUT MINE LASTED A LITTLE LONGER THAN NORMAL...OVER A DECADE.
I LOST A LOT OF TIME WITH MY DAD. A LOT OF TIME THA COULD HAVE BEEN SPENT DOING THINGS TOGETHER. AND NOW THAT WE ARE GETTING ALONG, I LIVE 600 MILES AWAY WITH HIS GRAND-DAUGHTER! I DO MISS BAMA WHEN I VISIT, BUT CAROLINA IS MY HOME. MY LIFE HAS BEEN CHANGED SO MUCH SINCE I MOVED HERE. I HAD MY FIRST BOYFRIEND HERE, MET MY HUSBAND HERE, ALMOST LOST HIM HERE, GOT MARRIED AND HAD MY DAUGHTER HERE. LOTS AND LOTS OF LIFE CHANGING EVENTS. BUT ANYWAY I GOT OFF ON A TANGENT.
FOR ALL YOU PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT ARE DADS....HAVE A SPECTACULAR DAY. SPEND IT WITH YOUR BABIES...DONT' TAKE ONE SINGLE MINUTE, GOOD OR BAD, FOR GRANTED. I KNOW I KEEP ON ABOUT THIS BUT I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE IF SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED TO MY DADDY DURING THOSE ROUGH YEARS WE WENT THROUGH. LOTS OF PEOPLE THAT I KNOW DONT HAVE DADS ANYMORE. SO YES I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY THAT I AM LUCKY...I AM BLESSED. HAPPY FATHERS DAY DAD! I MISS YOU LIKE CRAZY! I CAN'T WAIT TO HOPEFULLY SEE YOU AGAIN THIS SUMMER!

UNTIL NEXT TIME...

PS THESE PICTURES ARE FROM MINE AND SARAH'S DUD OF A YARD SALE YESTERDAY AND SOME ARE FROM THIS MORNING BEFORE GRACIE LEFT WITH DADDY. THE LITTLE BOY IS GRACIE'S COUSIN TRENT, SARAH'S LITTLE BOY

T.G.I.F!!

THANK GOODNESS ITS FRIDAY. I WAS SO ANXIOUS TO GET HOME AND SEE MY GRACIE GIRL. I NEVER REALLY GOT UPSET WHEN I HAD TO GO BACK TO WORK. I KNEW I HAD TO AND I KNEW SHE WAS IN GOOD HANDS WITH HER DADDY ALL DAY. BUT TODAY THOUGH...TODAY I COULDN'T SIT STILL WAITING TO GET HOME AND SEE HER AND PLAY WITH HER. A FRIEND OF MINE SAID IN HER BLOG A FEW WEEKS AGO..."HOW BORING LIFE MUST HAVE BEEN BEFORE MOTHERHOOD"..ID SAY I HAVE TO AGREE.
MY STEPMOM JUST CALLED AND ASKED WHERE I GOT THE NAME "JOHN MICHAEL" FROM. WILL AND I JUST THOUGHT OF IT OFF THE TOP OF OUR HEADS BUT SHE JUST INFORMED ME THAT THEY ARE MY BROTHER AND MY STEPBROTHER'S MIDDLE NAMES. COOL HUH? OR BAD RATHER...SEEING AS HOW I DIDNT EVEN KNOW MY OWN STEPBBROTHERS MIDDLE NAME!! SHEESH!



OH YEAH I NEED TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT NANA. SHES HAVING SOME ISSUES SINCE WE TALK ABOUT MAWMAW AND PAW PAW ALL THE TIME.EVEN THOUGH THEY LIVE FAR AWAY AND DONT GET TO SEE GRACIE EVERY DAY LIKE NANA CAN.
GRACIE WENT TO NANA'S WORK TODAY AND SAW THE TRAINS GO BY AND PLAYED IN NANAS LAP WHILE SHE WORKED ON THE COMPUTER AT THE TRAIN STATION. NANA LOVES TRAINS BUT I DONT. I HATE THEM ACTUALLY. THE FIRST OUTFIT SHE BOUGHT GRACIE WAS A TRAIN SLEEPER TAHT JUS ABOUT DOESN'T FIT ANYMORE. THIS CHILD IS GROWING BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS. I LOVE BEING A MOM. HOW CAN SOMEONE NOT WANT TO HAVE A CHILD/BE A MOM? ITS EVERY WOMAN'S GOD GIVEN ABILITY TO CARRY A NEW LIFE FOR TEN MONTHS INSIDE OF THEM AND CREATE A BOND UNLIKE ANY OTHER. MOMMAS AND BABIES HAVE A CLOSENESS THAT A CHILD AND THEIR FATHER CAN NEVER HAVE. I LOVE MY LITTLE GIRL SO MUCH MORE THAN I COULD HAVE EVER IMAGINED. SHE IS MY WORLD. WHAT WAS MY LIFE LIKE BEFORE HER? I HONESTLY DON'T REMEMBER. SHE AND HER DADDY ARE MY ENTIRE WORLD. (WELL, BESIDES GOD, NANA & PAPA, MAWMAW & PAWPAW AND OTHER VARIOUS FAMILY MEMBERS)

YA KNOW I REALLY DO LOVE EVERY ASPECT OF MY LIFE...EXCEPT FOR ONE THING... I AM SUPER LAZY WHEN IT COMES TO HOUSEWORK AND I WISH I WEREN'T. I HAVE SO MANY THINGS I WANT/NEED TO DO AND I JUS HAVE ZERO AMBITION TO GET THEM DONE. AS SOON AS I GET DONE WRITING THIS BLOG, I'M GONNA COME UP WITH A GAME PLAN TO GET THIS HOUSE ORGANIZED AND MAKE SURE IT STAYS THAT WAY. I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH A BEAUTIFUL HOME BIG ENOUGH FOR OUR FAMILY EVEN IF IT GROWS BY ONE MORE IN THE FUTURE.

I STILL LIKE MY JOB. I LIKE GETTING UP IN THE MORNING AND GOING TO WORK.. WASN'T LIKE THAT AT MY OTHER JOB. JESSICA HAD AN INTERVIEW AT MY WORK FOR A POSITION THERE. SHE ACTED EXCITED, BUT I'M NOT SO SURE SHE IS. I REALLY DON'T THINK DUCC WIL BE AROUND MUCH LONGER AT ALL AND IF SHE DOESN'T ACCEPT THIS POSITION, SHE NEEDS TO LOOK SOMEWHERE ELSE WHILE SHE HAS THE CHANCE. I'D SURE HATE FOR HER TO NOT HAVE AN INCOME WHEN THEY SHUT DOWN SUDDENLY. GOD DOESN'T OPEN DOORS FOR NO REASON. THERE WAS A REASON THAT MY BOSS SUGGESTED SHE COME IN, I DIDN'T ASK HIM TO INTERVIEW HER..IT WAS PURELY HIS IDEA. ANYWAY, PRAY FOR HER THAT SHE FINDS A STABLE JOB. I CAN'T REALLY SAY I KNOW WHAT ITS LIKE TO WORK AT A PLACE WHERE YOU DON'T KNOW IF YOUR JOB WILL BE THERE THE NEXT DAY.
WE ALL ASSUMED IT BEFORE I WENT ON MATERNITY LEAVE BUT WE DIDNT REALLY THINK IT WOULD BE THIS SOON. GOD SENT ME TO THIS NEW JOB FOR A REASON. HE HAS TAKEN SUCH GREAT CARE OF US SINCE THE BOYS ACCIDENT AS WELL. WE HAD NO MONEY COMING IN UNTIL TODAY AND WE'VE NOT HAD TO WORRY ABOUT HOW OUR BILLS WERE GOING TO BE PAID. WE HAVE FOUND A WAY EVER SINCE THE ACCIDENT BC OF GOD. HE IS AMAZING. IF I DIED TODAY I BELIEVE I'D GO TO HEAVEN, I JUST DON'T WANT TO GO RIGHT YET. I WANNA SEE MY BABY GIRL GROW UP. THE TWO HARDEST THINGS FOR ME TO ACCEPT ARE: KNOWING THAT EVERYTHING HAPPENS IN GOD'S GOOD AND PERFECT TIME AND LETTING GOD HAVE HIS WAY WITH MY LIFE.
)
OK SO ANYWAY AFTER ALL THAT HERE ARE SOME PICS OF MY GORGEOUS DAUGHTER. WHAT CAN I SAY? IM BIASED:) PS THIS IS MY FAVORITE PICTURE OF GRACIE AND HER PAWPAW:) HAPPY FATHERS DAY PAWPAW!! I MISS YOU (<--GRACIE TOLD ME TO TELL YOU HEHE

I LOVE MY LIFE!

EVERY SINGLE DAY I CAN'T WAIT TO GET HOME TO SEE MY BABY GIRL! I LOVE HER SO MUCH MORE THAN I COULD HAVE EVER IMAGINED!! EVERY DAY SHE AMAZES ME MORE AND MORE. SHE'S ALREADY GETTING A LITTLE PERSONALITY ALL HER OWN. SHES A LITTLE MINI PERSON.
IT'S SO COOL AND I'M SO GLAD GOD HAS ALLOWED WILLIAM AND I TO EXPERIENCE THIS. WAKING UP IN THE MORNING AND SEEING HER SWEET SMILE MAKES ME WANNA STAY HOME ALL DAY LONG AND JUST PLAY PLAY PLAY. SHE STAYS HOME WITH DADDY EVERY DAY BC HE'S STILL OFF FROM THE ACCIDENT. THEY ARE GONNA BE SO CLOSE. I'M NOT JEALOUS THOUGH, BABY GIRLS NEED THEIR DADDIES. THEY ALREADY HAVE A SPECIAL BOND WITH THEIR MOMMIES THAT THEY WILL NEVER HAVE WITH DADDY. WILL IS SUCH A GOOD DADDY. HE'S GONNA BE THE TYPE THAT LETS HIS BABY GIRL PUT MAKE UP ON HIM AND PAINT HIS TOE NAILS. I AM SO BLESSED. I ALSO LOVE MY JOB MORE AND MORE. GOD HAS JUST BLESSED US MORE THAN WE COULD EVER BE DESERVING OF.
THIS CHILD HAS CHANGED MY LIFE IN MORE WAYS THAN SHE WILL EVER KNOW. ME AND MY DADDY ARE CLOSER NOW THAN WE HAVE EVER BEEN. I HATE THAT I LOST NEARLY 15 YEARS WITH HIM. I DONT KNOW WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE IF SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED TO HIM DURING THAT TIME. MY STEPMOM AND I GET ALONG REALLY WELL AND THAT MAKES ME VERY HAPPY TOO. SOOO LONG I HATED SOOO MUCH ABOUT MY LIFE. NOW I LOVE AND CHERISH EVERY MOMENT THAT GOD ALLOWS ME TO LIVE ON THIS EARTH AND SPEND TIME WITH MY AMAZING FAMILY. WILL AND I HAVE DECIDED THAT WE DO WANT ANOTHER CHILD, JUST NOT RIGHT NOW. WE WILL START TRYING AFTER GRACIE'S FIRST BIRTHDAY. THAT WAY THEY WILL ONLY BE 2 YEARS OR SO APART AND THEY WILL HOPEFULLY BE "CLOSER" GROWING UP. I'D LOVE TO HAVE A LITTLE BOY. WE ALREADY DECIDED BEFORE WE FOUND OUT GRACIE WAS A GIRL THAT IF WE HAVE A BOY WE WILL NAME HIM JOHN MICHAEL WHITLEY. MAYBE HE WILL LOOK LIKE ME SINCE GRACIE LOOKS LIKE HER DADDY SPIT HER OUT. ANYWAY HERE ARE SOME PICS LIKE I PROMISED. I FOUND MY CHARGER FOR MY CAMERA SO FOR EVERYONE OTHER THERE (MOSTLY DAD AND CARY) I WILL BE UPDATING EVERY DAY OR EVERY OTHER DAY AT THE MOST. ON A LIGHTER NOTE, CHECK OUT GRACIE WITH HER FAVORITE MAWMAW AND PAWPAW. SHE MISSES THEM LIKE CRAZY AND WE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THEM AGAIN!! ALSO CHECK OUT THE SUPER COOL CRADLE THAT PAWPAW MADE HER. SHE LOVES IT!! IT STAYS IN THE DEN SO SHE CAN SLEEP IN IT (OR WATCH TV FROM IT) WHILE WE'RE WATCHING TV. I HAVE SUCH A GREAT FAMILY! LOVE YOU GUYS!

NEWNESS

<
SO I LOVE MY NEW JOB! IT'S AWESOME. I WAS A LITTLE LEARY ABOUT GETTING A NEW JOB, GIVING MY NOTICE, LEAVING MY OLD FRIENDS.. WELL GOD DOESN'T OPEN WINDOWS FOR NOTHING. I GOT A CALL FROM MY FRIEND JESSICA THAT I USED TO WORK WITH AND A LOT OF THINGS ARE GOING AWRY AT MY OLD PLACE OF BUSINESS AND NEEDLESS TO SAY IM SO GLAD IM AWAY FROM THERE. BEST NEWS YET? JESS MAY GET A JOB A MY NEW JOB. I TOLD MY BOSS ABOUT THE GOINGS ON OVER THERE AND HE ASKED IF SHE NEEDED A JOB.
SHE HAS AN INTERVIEW WITH US WEDNESDAY SO EVERYBODY PRAY THAT IF ITS MEANT TO BE, THAT SHE GETS THE JOB. SHE NEEDS SOMETHING STABLE. I DONT THINK MY OTHER PLACE OF BUSINESS IS GOING TO BE AROUND THROUGH THE END OF THE SUMMER. ON ANOTHER NOTE, MISS GRACIE BORROWED HER COUSIN TRENT'S FLOATY CAR AND JUST CHILLED ALL WEEKEND IN MEMAW'S POOL. SHE WAS PASSED OUT AFTER SOME 50SPF, A BOTTLE AND ABOUT TEN MINUTES;)
OK WELL I GUESS IM DONE FOR NOW. I CAN'T BELIEVE MY BABY GIRL IS 11 WEEKS TODAY!!

let's try this pic thing again

gracie chillin at aunt kathy's house


my uncles dog cody had to check out the baby...he was very intimidated..



gracie with her pawpaw that she misses:(


gracie and my nanny


gracies tv watchin chair..:)





gracie in the pool with poppa

MY NEW JOB

...SO I STARTED MY NEW JOB YESTERDAY AND I WAS SOOO OVERWHELMED BECAUSE IT WAS ALL GREEK TO ME...LITERALLY. SO TODAY I GOT TO DIG IN AND DO SOME HANDS ON STUFF AND ITS ACTUALLY BETTER THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE. I LOVE IT SO FAR. EVERYONE IS SO LAID BACK AND EASY TO GET ALONG WITH. IM SO GLAD TO BE SO MUCH CLOSER TO HOME AND TO NOT HAVE ALL THAT NASTY DARN TRAFFIC IN FAYETTEVILLE TO DEAL WITH. STILL GOTTA FIGURE OUT HOW TO TELL MY OTHER JOB IM NOT COMING BACK. IM DUE BACK JUNE 19TH SO I JUST HAVE TO GIVE A TWO WEEK NOTICE. I'M GONNA MISS JESSICA TREMENDOUSLY. I LOVE HER SO MUCH SHE'S AWESOME! MY BEST NC FRIEND EVER! SHE WAS WITH ME THE WHOLE TIME I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL HAVING GRACIE AND SO WAS KARA AFTER SHE AFTER MICHAEL ARRIVED FROM FLORIDA. I HAVE GREAT FRIENDS. YA KNOW SOME PEOPLE GO THROUGH LIVE AND DONT HAVE ONE SINGLE CLOSE, GREAT FRIEND AND I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH MORE THAN THAT. I CONSIDER JESSICA AND KARA GREAT FRIENDS AND MY HUSBAND IS MY FRIEND TOO! I THINK GOD PUT ME WITH THIS JOB FOR A REASON BC SOME PPL AREN'T CHRISTIANS. AT OUR COOKOUT YESTERDAY, I WAS ASKED..." YOU AREN'T ONE OF THOSE OVERLY RELIGIOUS PEOPLE ARE YOU"? AND IM LIKE ACTUALLY, YEAH I AM. THEY WERE JOKIN ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING AND THE RAPTURE AND SUCH..JUST JUVENILE THINGS THAT THEY DON'T REALIZE ARE ACTUALLY PRETTY HUGE THINGS....ITS OK THOUGH BECAUSE I WILL NOT WAIVER. AFTER ALL THE TREMEMDOUS STRESS WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THE PAST FEW MONTHS I HAVE NOT ONCE QUESTIONED MY BELIEFS. HOPE EVERYONE IS DOING WELL. HOPE YOUR MEMORIAL DAY WAS SAFE AND ENJOYABLE. TALK TO EVERYONE SOON. OH IVE ATTACHED SOME PICS OF GRACIE. SHE WENT SWIMMING WITH HER POPPA SUNDAY AND SHE LOVES TO BE SITTING UP LIKE ALL THE TIME SO WE WHEELED HER HIGHCHAIR IN THE DEN AND SHE WAS WATCHING TV UP HIGH LIKE A BIG GIRL...SHE LOVES IT. OK THE PICTURE UPLOAD THING ISNT WORKING..ILL ADD THEM LATER..



LOVE JEN

happy memorial day!

happy memorial day to everyone who reads this! we aren't going out of town since we were gone for a week and a half and just returned home. that was by far the most amazing trip home. mom is alright she was released yesterday afternoon with only bruises and a fractured ankle.
she's still very sore but shes alive. i start back to work on tuesday and hopefully will can start on wednesday since the doctor finally released him to return back to work. so we have had a very eventful past 2 months since boo boo was born. although its been tough at times with everything going on i wouldnt change it for anything. i also just talked to my dad and he and my stepmom are just itching to come see the baby again. im so glad!!
they are supposed to come up at least once this summer. i can't wait!!! ok im done for now. here are some new pics of miss gracie and the top one is she and her godmother:)

thank the lord!

ok guys i know this seems a bit scary but my mom was in a head on collision this morning at about 7:45. yes this is almost two months to the day since my brother and husband were in their head on collision. everyone in my immediate family has been in the hospital in the past two months except for my stepdad. lets pray he doesn't either. anyway same scenario as the boys. someone was in too much of a hurry and turned left in front of her and hit her head on. God was with them and he was with her today. pics are at www.bastarache.info/donna. on a lighter note the baby is growing by leaps and bounds. she weighs about 10.5 lbs now. this is not per the doctor this is me getting on a scale and then me holding her and getting back on the scale. anyway we're doing fine. will update later

love jen

out of commission

at moms work on her computer. our internet is not working properly so until we can troubleshoot we will not be online. see everybody soon! ps our trip was amazing! ill add some pics when we get our internet back.

family

Hey guys. I just wanted to check in and let everyone know that my trip is going spectacular. Halfway down I got a call from one of the jobs that I interviewed for *the one i wanted most* and they offered me the job..and of course i accepted. it ended up takin us around 13 hours but thats ten of actual road and 3 of gas, potty breaks and baby burping breaks. not too bad. wednesday we went to columbus to see jenifer and meet ms mackenzie. she is sooo cute! we put her and gracie in the crib together and they were holding hands it was sooo cute!! i had a blast! i have also had a great time with my daddy. he and my stepmom hold gracie from the time they get in until they go to bed. its so sweet i love them! i think he's gonna come to NC and visit. he's not gonna be able to stand being away from her until christmas. i also have seen a few people i knew just around town and such. i will post pics from the trip when i get back home. im at my aunts right now so i cant upload pics or anything. anyway hope everyone has an amazing weekend. my baby cousin graduates tomorrow! i cant believe it! i remember when he was born! ok so im done now. best visit ever..no competition.

til next time..