The Good Life

My family has always had a dog running around our house.Since I can remember, I've always had a german shepherd in my life. As a kid, we had Reno. Reno was a male dog and from what Mom and Dad tell me, he always watched out for me and my sister when we were out playing or hiking. After Reno passed on, we got Tonto. Tonto was another male dog. He was more active and hyper than I remember Reno being, but Tonto was a puppy when we got him (and I can't remember Reno as a puppy). Tonto disappeared on Halloween night back in 1992 or 1993 and we never saw him again. Then there was Samson. Samson was the most amazing dog I have ever been around. He was my Dad's dog really - for days my Mom had to feed him in the back of Dad's truck because he wouldn't get out (he was always ready to go). He was massive in size and had the sweetest personality (unless you were a groundhog or a skunk). Samson was tough and used up every bit of his strength protecting and loving us...right up ...

I look up to my older sister so much -- I always have. When we were kids, she was the one who helped me get my bike on the porch, when it was my turn to set the table, she got the dishes out of the cabinet for me because I couldn't reach them. She could aways beat everybody when we raced to the tree and back (even most of the boys). She always knew how to do EVERYTHING and she always had an answer for my questions (even if the answers weren't totally correct all the time). I just knew I had a best friend for life in my big sister. As we got into our high school years, my sister and I had our arguments (like most siblings). We shared clothes, shoes, friends and secrets. There are times we wanted to kill each other but there are memories that I will never forget. One of my best years was spent as a sophomore in high school. We were on the Varsity Girls Basketball team at Tri Jr. Sr. High School. Our team was like a family -- and lucky me had my real sister right there with me. ...

People can't help it...they want to guess if you're having a boy or a girl. Whether they base it on how you're carrying the baby, your symptoms, family traditions and patterns or just plain out guess it to be what they want it to be...people can't help but give you an opinion. This bothers some people. It didn't bother me at all, I actually enjoyed getting the feedback :-) Some people just want to wait until the baby is born to know -- and I thought I was one of those people that could go either way. My husband was not one of the "wait and find out" types. He knew he wanted to know the gender as soon as we could possibly find out. I have to be honest, the excitement from him and our family and friends was contagious and I just had to know too!!! On August 7th, at 19 weeks, we went in for our 2nd ultrasound of our bundle of joy. We were both so excited and nervous - mostly beacuse we just want our baby to be healthy no matter the gender. The ultrasound ...

Once I found out I was pregnant, I was worried about everything. I was worried if I had eaten something I shouldn't or enough of what I should. I worried about miscarriage and birth defects. I worried if I could travel or not and if I could continue to dance or jog or camp or hike. I worried that I was going to get really fat. I worried that I wasn't going to be a good mom or not know what to do. If there was something to worry about...I worried about it. Then...I met my OB. I love my doctor and I think it's very important for any mom but especially a first time mom to be totally comfortable with her doctor. My first visit with her was amazing. She took time to explain what was happening with my emotions and hormones, with my body and the baby. She answered so many questions. She had so much helpful information but the one thing she said that really brought me peace was nothing medical at all. She said to me "honey, if you're worried that you're not going to be...

Matt and I moved from Indiana to Tennessee in March 2012. We just decided it was time to start over and come to the mountains to raise our family. We had no jobs, no place to live and no plan (I, for the first time, had no plan at all and wasn't even worried about it) and we just moved. I trusted God had a plan for us and that He would provide, and provide He has. :)) Matt and I had decided that we were ready to think about having our first baby, but we weren't trying to get pregnant. I finished out my birth control for the month and didn't think another thing about preventing or trying for a baby. Well...on May 17th, I peed on a stick and our lives were changed forever! It didn't take long for that 1 line to turn to 2 lines and tell me "yep, you're pregnant". It was the best feeling in the world. I stood there in the bathroom just staring down at this little stick. I felt every emotion you can feel and I thanked God right then for this blessing in our l...

My husband and I met in 1994. My family had moved from Madison County, NC to Henry County, IN to start a new adventure, and an adventure it was. I met lots of new friends (including a boy named Matt Neal) and was involved in school organizations and athetics. We only lived in IN for 4 short years, but it seemed to me like a lifetime. I met so many amazing people that I would never forget, and haven't to this day! But after 4 years, we picked up and moved back "home" to the mountains of Western North Carolina. During my first year of college, my family moved over the state line to Greeneville, TN and we've been in Greeneville ever since. I never saw Matt Neal again...until January 2008. Matt and I had been in contact a few times through email and a crazy site knows as MySpace. He was bringing a trailer from Indiana to Tennessee and called to invite me to dinner. I said I would think about it, I was pretty busy that weekend. I avoided him most of the day and aft...