Belly Picture

 

As promised, my 20 wk belly picture.

20 Weeks

On Wednesday, December 14, we will be finding out if we are having a baby Kaylyn or a baby Beau! I can't believe that we are half way there already (almost). On Tuesday I will be 20 weeks. The baby is growing and my baby bump is showing a little more now, most people still can't tell I am pregnant. A lady at work made me stand up because she couldn't see that I was pregnant then she proceeded to tell me that she was jealous of my size this far along. That made me feel great! I know that one day I am going to wake up and it's going to be like BAM there is baby. It has been a while since I have posted a belly picture. I am thinking about doing so, but my camera is in the car and I am too lazy.

Maybe one day soon, talk me into posting them! :)

It's Simple!

I said this when I started writing my blog, and apparently I need to say it again. This is my own personal blog... my thoughts, and my feelings. I will say whatever I want, and I honestly do not care what you think! If you don't want to know what I have to say, then stop reading the blog. It is as easy as that. When you open up my web page, you are entering at your own risk. If I write something and you don't like it, too bad! Stop reading the blog! How much more clear can I make it.

Example, we are not friends, and I say something that might be about you or you think it is directed to you it is because it happened in my life and I am voicing my opinion about something..... 1st off, congratulations on being nosy. 2nd off, if I wrote it, it is probably because I don't care whether you see it or not. 3rd off, congratulations on being nosy again!

How much do I have to dumb it down or spell it out for you... IF YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR WHAT I HAVE TO SAY STOP READING MY BLOG. WE ARE NOT FRIENDS FOR A REASON.

Thanks, come again. Or not.

Here's to Growing Up

It has been about 18 weeks since I found out I was pregnant. Since that time, I have made several changes in my life. I got a job at the Child Development Center on post. I am loving it for the most part, with a few exceptions. But like Weston always tells me, there is going to be bull shit at any job that you have no matter what, and you just have to deal with it. So I will. I have made some changes in my friends here as well. Weston and I used to fight all the time. It seems like we fought more when we were with our friends. If it wasn't us fighting, then it was one of the other couples that we were hanging out with. There was always drama, and I couldn't stand it. Gossiping is not my thing, and I was getting wrapped up in it. It was not a healthy friendship at all. A finally drew the line, and decided that I was better off without all of it.

When we first moved here I told Weston that I didn't want friends here at all. I have great friends back home, and they will support me through thick and thin. It is not like my friends from home don't understand what is going on, because some of them are in the military as well. We may not be stationed at the same place, and we may not talk every day, but we understand.

I started hanging out with a couple people from work every once in a while, and Weston came along too. He has made them his friends as well, and we all get along. There is no drama, no gossip, no drinking until things are thrown at walls, or walls are punched, or people go stomping off down the road. There is no lying, no distrust between each other. No bad influences. I am glad to say that I have made "adult" friends. People who understand that life isn't about nit-picking at each other. People who are fun to be around. People who don't piss me off on a regular basis.

This Thanksgiving, we accepted an invitation to go hang out with those "old friends". I told Weston that if fighting started happening that we were out. Not only that, but I had to be up at 4am the next day for work. They didn't drink until they got drunk, but just as soon as the drama began between one of the other couples I decided nothing had changed. It was nice to see the people we hung out with all the time before, but the gossip and such is still all there. I am not that person. Even if one of them did apologize to me for what had happened before, I can't go back to that situation. They will probably never understand, and I am ok with that. I don't fit in with a lot of people, and that is my own decision. I don't have a whole lot of friends, I don't need to go hang out with someone every day, I don't need special attention. I am an independent person, and I always will be.

I enjoy spending quality time with my husband, and soon it will be 3 of us. Things may change when it becomes time for the baby to be here. We won't be able to stay out late partying with our friends, without getting a baby sitter, or having special circumstances. But I know that they will be understanding, and we will work something out around that.

I am so happy with where I am in my life. I married my high school sweet heart, and the love of my life. We are both working, and making something of ourselves. We are accomplished, and 100% in love. Together we are building the perfect family. Weston is set to deploy next year, and we will deal with that when it comes. Until then, we will keep on keeping on, one day at a time. So here is to growing up, and making choices that change our lives.

Names

Well, I am almost 17 weeks now. We have an appointment this week with the OB. Probably no ultrasound though. That is scheduled for week 20 on Dec. 14th. Then we will know the sex for sure.

We have picked out the names though.

Weston chose the girl name: Kaylyn Bre Wells
I chose the boy name: Beau Wayne Wells

We are getting more and more excited every day! I felt the baby kick this week, only one step closer to seeing out peanut!

The Pieces Fall into Place

I ran out of most of my "girly" scrap fabric last night and decided to go buy some more. I am very disappointed in the fabric selection at Hobby Lobby. They had absolutely nothing that I was looking for, therefore, I didn't get to use my 40% off coupon :( I headed a couple of blocks over to another fabric store in Clarksville and found a few fabrics that the colors were similar in.

Tonight, before and after Biggest Loser, I worked on the quilt. It seems like the most time consuming part at this point is cutting out the pieces, but I got a bit more done. It is starting to look more like a quilt. At this point, it could be a baby quilt, but I am thinking maybe I want to make it bigger into a twin-size one. I can't have all kinds of awesome new fabric laying around. We will see what happens.

Baby Quilt? Twin Size? King Size??? We will see!

The new fabric I got today.

As long as Weston is on this crappy schedule I will probably keep making it bigger. Look out, it might turn out to be King Size!

Veterans Day/Quilting

Happy Veterans Day to all of the brave men and women who have served our country past and present. All of my Grandpas, several uncles, my step dad, husband, cousins, and many more. If it wasn't for all of you we wouldn't have our freedom.

We got home from Colorado on the 10th and I went to the Emergency Room. We were hoping to be able to just go to the urgent care but they were closed. DANG IT! So we spent forever in the ER. The Dr. gave me some advice and some medicine to help me out. This weekend Weston had to work, so I pretty much just laid around the house. I am feeling sooo much better! Sometimes a voluntary bed rest will do the trick, well, along with the Dr's advice.

Yesterday and today I took out all my left over fabric scraps. I sorted them into boy and girl categories and I am going to make a couple more quilts. Since the last one I made was for a boy, I decided I would begin with my bright, girl colors. It is looking great. Unfortunately, I don't have enough scrap fabric to make it look spectacular so after I print a few coupons to Hobby Lobby, I will go get some more. I am afraid I am going to have to do the same thing for the boy quilt as well. This does not make me sad though, because that only means that I am using all my fabric and don't have a whole lot sitting around.

This is the beginning of the girl quilt. It doesn't necessarily have to be for a baby. I guess that just means I need to decide how big I want to make it.

I'm still an amateur.

Baby Wells

While in Colorado, we had our 15 week ultrasound. Not really one that is included, but just for kicks and giggles. The baby kept kicking off of me and it was really cute. The profile picture is my favorite, but the 3D one is pretty great too. He or she didn't really want to share any information. As you can see in the 3D picture, face covered, and legs crossed. However, the ultrasound tech said it looks like it is a ___. Sorry, no further information at this time ;)

FAVORITE!

 

My next ultrasound is on December 19th and I will share the sex with you then when we know for sure.

Catching Up

I have so much to tell you! We went home and I got to see my Uncle Paul. He looks great. I have all kinds of pictures to share with you. I will explain everything after the pictures. This is going to be a long post. Get ready!

 

These two pictures were taken on the way to Buena Vista where we went to see my Dad. We surprised him, and him and it was pretty funny. He thought Weston, who was laying on the floor in front of Jackie's couch was her grandson. When he finally came around the corner he asked what I was doing there. Perfect!

Like I said, we went to Wescliff to see Uncle Paul, and every one at the Ranch. I'm not sure how long this sign has been there, but it looks like quite a while. There sure is some Schneider history on this piece of property! It was so great to see everyone there and enjoy the cool mountain weather!

We watched my little brother, Peyton, play a game of football in Canon City under their lights. It was the championship game, and his team lost, but it was a great game and they really played their hearts out!

Weston gave Christopher a hair cut, then I evened it out. Weston had never used a Flobe before.

We knew Mike was going to be home. Then we found out Kris was home.... But we had no idea Taylor was coming home from deployment too. What a great surprise to have all the military guys home!

More to come, Weston is finally home after a late DUI case, and now we can eat our Redneck Seafood Platter. Get excited, its a pretty cool meal and I will tell you about it later!

Prayer

I would like to share a few quotes with you. If you get anything out of this post, let it be to "take everything to God in prayer!"

Man is never so tall as when he kneels before God-- never so great as when he humbles himself before God. And the man who kneels to God can stand up to anything. --Louis H. Evans

Why Wonder
If radio's slim fingers
can pluck a melody
from the night and toss it over
a continent or sea;
If the petaled white notes
of  a violin
are blown across the mountain
or a city's din;
If songs, like crimson roses
are culled from the thin blue air;
Why should mortals wonder
that God hears and answers prayer?

- Ethel Romig Fuller

Lord fill my mouth with worthwhile stuff,
and nudge my shoulder when I've said enough!

The quickest way to get back on your feet is to get down on your knees.

Pray when you don't feel like it,
Pray when you feel like it,
Pray until you feel like it.

God answers prayers. There are NO unanswered prayers. You may not like His answer, but it is the correct answer for the time. All prayers are answered with one of three things... Yes, No, and Wait.

You've Got a Friend in Me

All your life there are going to be people who come and go. After high school, your friends disappear. You move away from each other and lose contact. In college, you may make some amazing friends and have roommates that you never want to lose touch with. But in all reality, you will lose contact with most of them over time.

They say that you find out who your friends are. I've decided that I choose who my friends are. There are some people who will make it a point to stay in your life just so they can know what is going on with you. They will talk about the things you say or do. They may gossip, they may spread rumors and talk crap. To me, this is not a friend. You may care about this person, and enjoy their company. But do you really need that in your life.

What is a true friend? A true friend is someone who you can go almost two years without talking to and know that in the end, he/she will always be there for you. My bestest friend in the whole wide world was in a relationship with a guy for two years. It wasn't the best relationship, and eventually it ended. At this same time, I was also in a relationship that more or less, did not last. She and I hardly talked to each other in these two years except to say hi and talk about how much of an idiot our boyfriends were being at the time. We began to grow apart, but really, we were only growing closer together. You may not get to see your "true friends" every day. You may not even be able to talk to them but maybe a few times a week. But I guarantee you that they will still be there no matter what.

When I moved to Ft. Campbell, I told my husband that I didn't want or need friends here. There were the people I worked with, and I saw them at work and that was it. I didn't really talk to them outside of work, and didn't feel a need for it. Weston introduced me to people, and we were "friends". Not any more. I have made a decision to stop hanging out with the people who only cause more drama and stress in my life. I don't need to go watch people get drunk and fight because they can't handle themselves and their relationships. I am done with that.

You might be wondering... Do I still hang out with people here? Do I hang out with other Army Wives if I am so against the drama that they create? Well, I see a million and a half of them every day at work. Are they my best friends? Let me tell you... No one will replace my best friend. There are some people that I hang out with on occasion from work. They are grown-ups. They don't get in drunken fights. They are mature enough to know when to stop, they are mature enough not to start drama and the bull crap that goes with it. It is nice to be around other people who have kids and know what I am going through with this pregnancy.

I will always depend on my friends from home. We have a tight knit group of friends from Pueblo/Pueblo West and I know that they support me 100% no matter what. My husband sure does have some of the best friends in the world from home, and I am so happy that they have welcomed me into their families!

I will stand up for myself, and I will get rid of the problem causers in my life. There are very few Army Wives out there who really care about you as a person. Most of them are bored and have nothing better to do with their lives than start up drama. It is about time that they got off the couch and stopped living off their husbands. Get a job, grow up. That's all.

Website!

Everyone is always asking me if I have a website for the photography business, so this weekend I took the time to finally make one. Eventually I will pay for my own web address, but right now it is going through WIX.com.

Therefore, the new address is www.wix.com/armywifey74/wellsphotography

Check it out, and let me know what you think!!!

Career Development

I have been thinking a lot about school and college and finishing my degree. It pains me that I am not finishing in the 4 year time frame that I set for myself when I graduated high school. However, let's face it, life happens. From a business major at UNC to a sports management major at CSU to an athletic training major at CSU-P to general classes at PCC to putting college on hold.

I have since opened my own photography business and have questioned taking photo editing classes on how to use Adobe Photoshop 7. I have wondered if the college here on base has a photography program. So many days after work I want to go into the education center and ask questions. I want to take them all 4 transcripts and see what kind of degree I could get REAL soon with the million credits I have now. I want to find out if they have a photography major, but....

I hate how there is always a "but"...

But WHAT IF when Weston deploys I decide to go home? Then there is just another transcript to add to my others. WHAT IF we are not here long enough for me to finish that degree and the schools I live by next don't have that program or the credits don't transfer. I have transferred WAY too many times already and I dread doing it again. I hate paying for each and every transcript to be sent from each college. I really kind of just hate college in general. Then again, I WILL graduate college with a degree. I don't know when, but I will. I have made that promise to myself. The Army will give me a $4000 scholarship to go towards college classes that I take now, before Weston is an E-5, but I truly am scared to go back to school again until we are living in a steady place.

Maybe one day I will have the courage to go see what the education center here thinks... Maybe!

Journies

If all difficulties were known at the onset of a long journey, 

most of us would never start out at all. - Dan Rather 

See the sunshine in the rain!

 It seems like I start a lot of my posts off with a quote, or a picture, or something that inspires me. If I can't inspire myself, then how am I supposed to inspire others. My Dreadful Deployment blog is all about being inspirational. I haven't written in it a whole lot since my husband has been home, but as we now know, it will not be inactive forever. Next year, that Dreadful Deployment will make its appearance. Once again I will have to say "See you soon" to the man that I love with all my heart. I knew about all these things when I started dating a soldier. I grew up around a military base, my step dad was in the military, and I know what happens. My husband signed up in a time of war so that he could deploy and so that he could defend our country no matter what. 

Yes, I am scared. Yes, I know it is going to be difficult. However, as an Army Wife, those are not the type of things that I am focusing on. I don't know about a lot of the other wives, but I do know that I try to stay focused on the good. I try to stay focused on the here and now. It doesn't matter right now that he is going to be deployed, because God gave me today. It is a gift from the Lord, and I will live today like there may not be a tomorrow. There are so many obstacles in life, but if you focus on those then you will get no where. 

If I got in the driver seat of my car worrying that I was going to get in a wreck, then I would never drive. Don't get me wrong, you have to be cautious and there is always that opportunity. You can't control other drivers on the road. But there is something that I can control... My glass is half full. I am looking forward with a positive, inspiring attitude. I've been making changes in my life, and every day is a new day. 

There are good days and there are bad days. No matter how the day was, I was blessed in some way. I pray and I thank God for the things He has given me. I thank Him for my salvation and for the love and generosity that He has given to me. There are people who love me and support me through the good times and the bad, and I thank the Lord for them. I pray for the health and wellness of others, of my family members. That they see the bright side and that the Lord gives them the courage and strength that they need to get better. For their salvation, and that God's will be done in their lives. I pray that the Lord helps me in my life to be that better person, and to strive to be more like Him. 

Honestly, I couldn't get through each day if it wasn't for the Lord. He has given me my life, and I owe everything to Him. I am not going to focus on the difficulties, I am going to pray about them and try to give them to the Lord. That is so much easier said than done, but when you pray about it, God will take care of you. This journey isn't going to be easy, and I know that. Deployment or no deployment, we will make it through this, and in all situations, God will bring me through. Rain or shine, everything will be fine.

Army Strong

I've been an Army Wife all my life, 

It was destined to be. 

I'll remain an Army Wife until the end of time, 

Because my soldier loves me. 

-Melissa Wells

"I am an Army Wife.

I can stand alone on foreign soil because of my strength.

I can care for myself when I am sick or lonely because I am brave. 

I can dry my own tears because I know the cost of sacrifice. 

I can give support to my soldier because I have devotion. 

I can say goodbye when I don't want to because I have courage."

- Unknown

Maternity Pictures

I got asked to do a maternity photo shoot using a flag as props and that's it. Here are some examples. It is a little harder to take pictures of yourself though. The ones I do of her will come from much better angles. I am going to do some laying down ones rather than standing, that seems to be more relaxing to the model, in my own experience. 

Surprise, I got my hair highlighted and cut today :)

Baby Bump

My baby bump isn't very big, but Weston did make a comment about it getting bigger the other night. Therefore, I guess it is time to post another picture.

This is Week 11.

 

 

The end. 

Say YES!

If Weston says yes, this is our new puppy. He is from Florence, CO. A lab mix, and is adorable!!! He is free, and the guy who owns them is willing to keep him for me until I can come home. So please, please husband, say yes! I'm in love with him already!!!

I wish Weston's phone wasn't DEAD! Who gets mad at me for not charging my phone???

Home, Home on the Range

Oh how I just want to go home. I want my husband to be able to go home with me. The Army really has been getting on my nerves lately. We were going home because we wanted to see a friend who is deploying soon. But now things have changed, yes, he is still deploying. And yes, we still want to see him. But I have a sick family member that I MUST see soon. There is no Army telling me we can't go. Well, I pray that they don't tell Weston he can't go, because going home is something I have to do no matter what. I have made up my mind, and I would really like for Weston to be able to come home with me. I understand that the Army needs Weston's unit here to play cops and robbers, however, there are more important things calling us home right now. If I have to get a red cross message, then I might try to do that. But I pray that Weston's unit is a little more understanding than this. They were when we went to Wisconsin to see Great Grandma, they should be now too. I keep saying prayers, I keep hoping for the best. I found plane tickets. But there is nothing set in stone. I've been one who usually always has a plan. I would have purchased these plane tickets a long time ago if it was my choice. But it is the Army, and I'm sure I would have had to cancel my plane tickets and lose money more than once. So I will go with the flow. But I pray that the Lord does work in these other soldier's lives so that we can go to Colorado very soon.

The REAL Week 11

Well, I am not officially in week 11. We all know that there was a 2 week difference than what we had thought in the beginning. Yesterday morning I had to go to the Emergency Room and they sent us to the OB/GYN. After waiting plenty of time, they decided to do an ultra sound. The Dr. said that the baby was doing great. It was bouncing around and heart was beating like crazy. You could see the brain developing and the knuckles and toes. Weston was excited to see the baby as well. Overall, having to go in because of a scare sucked... But getting to see the baby and know that everything was ok was a relief.

Here is our week 11 picture. 

Thyroid Suggestions

I don't have a thyroid, they killed it when I was ten
with radio-active iodine. But here is what it
looks like in a normal person. lol

From now on I am going to take what my primary care Dr. and my OB have to say about my thyroid with a grain of salt. I will write down their opinions and ask my Endocrinologist about it. Apparently they left out some very important information. My thyroid levels have been more whack than normal for the last almost 3 months. I knew that being pregnant would affect the levels, the Endocrinologist said by 30% when I saw him today, but no one told me that prenatal vitamins needed special attention. I have been taking these vitamins since July 6th, approximately. As the thyroid Dr. reviewed my lab results he noticed a significant drop (actually rise in TSH) in my levels. They are at ridiculous amounts right now and need to be under control, especially while I am pregnant. When I told him that I am on prenatal vitamins he told me that I have to take them at least 4 hours after my thyroid meds. If taken together or any sooner, the vitamins will bind with the Levoxyl and I will not get the proper amount of medicine.

Well shoot, that would have been nice to know a long time ago! I am a little bit frustrated with the military Dr.'s but overall I am glad that I am finding this out sooner rather than later. I can't take my vitamins at night because they make me sick, so I was taking them in the mornings with my other meds. From now on, I will be taking them at lunch time. I have to go back to Nashville in two weeks to see the Endocrinologist again. It sounds like I will be making A LOT of trips there during this pregnancy, then have more time in between visits once the baby is here. So, now here is praying that my new dose is the correct one and I can get steady thyroid levels back in my body.

Shelby & Mark's Photo Session

I had the opportunity to take pictures of a great couple on Sunday. We had a lot of fun at the river walk and downtown Clarksville. Here are some of the pictures!

  

 

I've come to realize that every photographer has their own style and it is up to me to create my own. I love bright pictures, but I also love black and white photos. As I continue to grow my business and style I can't wait to see if a pattern turns up in my photography style.

Weekend Escape

I've seriously typed this post like 5 times and every time something happens and it gets deleted. Computer has died- TWICE! (you'd think I would plug it in huh)... I accidently hit the refresh button. Computer froze. Internet stopped working and had to be shut down. It is really frustrating. This time I am only going to post pictures instead of a huge long story.

We went to Land Between the Lakes.

 

We also went to Fort Donelson National Battlefield. 

 

Overall, it was a good weekend.

Bedtime Prayers

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep,
If I shall die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take.

Tonight's post is mostly for my mom, but for all the others out there who are struggling with worries and fears. God is the only one who can take these worries away. God is the only one who can "fix" our problems. Therefore, we must give them to the Lord. There is no better way than to pray for comfort and courage and strength. 

I find peace in the Bible, and in the Lord. Here are some verses that will give you the peace of mind to make it through the night. I pray that you will be able to lay your head down tonight and let the Lord keep your worries so you can sleep peacefully. 

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 

Psalm 46:1

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

John 14:1

Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. 

Isaiah 12:2

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, 

I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Psalm 23:4

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6

We don't always understand why things happen in our lives, and the lives of others. There usually isn't an answer written down on paper, there probably never will be. We can ask why, we can ask how, but this is something that only the Lord will know the answer to. I always refer back to one of my favorite poems. If you read my blog, or you have read it for very long, then I am sure you have seen it before. I always refer back to it in the hard times. You must look for the sunshine in the rain. In all things there is a blessing. 

" Lord I've often wondered,
Why people have to know pain,
Why when they need sunshine,
Do You give them rain?
I've tried hard to perceive it,
... Why things happen the way they do,
That I've often felt so hopeless,
frustrated and furious, too.
But somehow I've come to realize,
At last I can finally see,
That You have given me my life,
And how I live it is up to me.
So You can't be blamed for my sorrow,
You can't be blamed for my pain,
And I need to stop hoping for sunshine,
And instead, see the beauty in the rain.
For someday I might be there,
Standing happily by Your side,
And I want to be worthy of heaven,
and leave only good things behind."
-Cheryl Castello-Forshey

God bless, sleep well. I love you! 

Borrowed Time

I'm living on borrowed time. 

Today is a gift, 

but not one that came free. 

I'm living on borrowed time. 

Tomorrow isn't guaranteed. 

The Lord blessed me with one more day.

For today I shall pray. 

Thank you, Lord, 

for dying for me. 

For hanging on that cross,

for making me free. 

Today I'm living on borrowed time.

"Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth."  Proverbs 27:1

The Bible tells us again and again in different ways that tomorrow is guaranteed to no man. You should not worry about what is going to happen, because the Lord is in control. Yes, I know that it is much easier said than done, but really, we must give our worries to the Lord. In Matthew, chapter 6, the bible reads, 

"Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." Matthew 6:34 

So you see, God will take care of us. He will give us one day at a time, and that is the day that we are to be thankful for. Life is way too short to say, "I will do it tomorrow." You don't know if tomorrow is going to come for you. The Lord calls us up in His own time. They say the good die young, but in the end, we all die. Back to the Garden of Eden, when they disobeyed the Lord, the Bible tells us that we will all die an Earthly death. It may not say it in those exact words, but I promise you, we are not getting younger, and we are not going to live forever. This is when I am ok with that though. I am okay with knowing that I am going to die here on Earth. God died for me on the cross, and He took away my sins. I am saved by the Grace of God. I will go to Heaven, because I have accepted the Lord into my life as my Savior. 

If you died today, where would you go? Take a moment and think about it, if you have not accepted the Lord into your life, then you will go to hell. There is no buying your way to heaven. Going to church isn't going to get you there. Doing good deeds and being a "good person" won't get you there either. There is only one way. You must ask the Lord into your life to be your savior. You must admit that you are a sinner, and see that God has died for your sins and mine. 

TOMORROW ISN'T GUARANTEED. 

I'M LIVING ON BORROWED TIME, AND SO ARE YOU!

Power of Prayer

Today I was given some news that sure hits the heart close. As soon as I got off the phone, I said  a prayer. There is so much that God can do when we ask Him. There really is power in prayer! The Bible says that we should turn to God with all things. 


Matthew 7:7-11 states, "⁷Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: ⁸For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. ⁹Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? ¹⁰Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? ¹¹If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him."


Sometimes we just have to have faith. I believe that faith is believing even when we can not see it. There are so many people who do not believe in God because they say that there is no proof. Are you serious? Just take a moment and look around. Look at the beautiful mountains, the rolling hills. The trees, that are now changing colors. There are the waters that spread across the earth. There is nothing more beautiful than what God has created here on Earth! I really just do not understand how so many people can believe that this amazing place that we live in was created from some dirt and rocks in a big boom. How can people believe that we came from monkeys. There is no way that is even possible. God created the heavens and the earth. He created us. He created woman from man. Read the book of Genesis, then tell me that it is a lie. It all makes since. God has given us the Bible to tell us about the ways of life. There are things that we should and shouldn't do, and the Bible outlines it all for us!
⁶Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.


One of the most important things is to pray to God. Pray in hard times, and thank God when things are going well. Always see the blessings in the rain. See the power of prayer. Take your requests to the Lord. 


Philippians 4:19
 ¹⁹But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.


1 John 5:14-15

¹⁴And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

 ¹⁵And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

And so I pray. I pray that the Lord does His will in the lives of others. I pray for courage, and faith in the Lord. I pray for comfort, and for good health. The Lord will take care of us. He always does! 

Address in the Stars: Dear Chance

I wrote you a letter today, but I have no where to send it. There is no address in the stars. Reality is I could send it to God, but it would get no where. It really breaks my heart because in high school I saw you every day if not more. We would hang out at your house in the evenings. 4-H meetings were so much fun. I will always remember being president of Go For Broke and you being Vice President. The one meeting when I told you that you were going to have to run next months meeting and you looked at me like I was crazy. You told me I better cancel whatever plans I had because I had to be the one to run the meeting. But I didn't, and you ran the next meeting just fine. County fair really is unforgettable. Some of the best memories were made at county fair. Watching you show you steers, lambs, and pigs. The water fights, and you putting people in the water trough. Every one loved you. Every one wanted to be your friend. You really were amazing at everything you did, and I am thankful that I had the opportunity to have you in my life.

Chance, you were the most congenial person I know. Our rides to church together, and our long talks. You really helped me to realize what a real Christian is like. We are all sinners and you helped me realize that no one is perfect but that striving to be the best that we can be is what we should do. You were always joking around with every one in Sunday School. In church service, you sang along with the songs just low enough that only the people directly around you could hear. Sometimes you would even just kind of mumble along, but you always at least made it look like you were singing. Every Sunday after church you would pull your roping dummy and rope out of the back of the truck and work on your roping. You would rope the girls. Your laugh is so catching, that is a sound that I will never forget. I wish I could set it as my ring tone, because I know that I would always have a smile on my face.

Before I had my license I would ride with you and Calvin every where. Calvin had his little red car, and you sure loved the emergency brake in that thing. Actually, you loved the emergency brake in every car that you could get your hands on. Going around the corners to your house I would brace myself in the back seat because I knew exactly what was going to happen. We would all laugh as the car screeched around that corner. When I got my license I was so scared that you would do the same thing to my car. And you did. But it was ok, I already knew what to do.

In high school, Florence was known for it's football team. It was team that you played a very large part in. You were the center. My brother played on the team with you too, so did Mike, and so many others. I will never forget your number, 74. Only ten more than Calvin's, 64. Our families had a pregame ritual, ESPECIALLY on Saturday morning games. Your dad and Joe were always the first in line, and I was right behind them. They would have their stereo playing music, sitting in camp chairs with their duct tape and blankets close by. Usually there was a small table too. Your mom would come a little later bearing gifts. Oh, she makes the most delicious biscuits and gravy ever! She would bring breakfast and we would all enjoy it before the game. As soon as the gates opened up we would rush to "our spot" aka "the rowdy section" and tape down our blankets to save enough room for our crowd. Everyone knew they better not sit there "or else" but we taped down blankets to ensure it. The playoffs were the most exciting games of the season, and when you all won the state championship was the best.

After high school, you went to college, and I didn't see you as often. You would come home for the holidays and county fair of course. I regret not going and watching you rodeo, something that you loved so much. I graduated and went to college too. Switched schools a few times. I was working in Fort Collins when I received a text message from my best friend, Jenna, saying "Melissa, people are saying that Chance Threet is dead..." I couldn't even think straight. I couldn't believe it. Instantly I began to cry. I called Calvin, the phone call went like this... "Calvin...." a long pause.... He returned saying, "I know, Melissa, I know." It was then that I fell apart. I told work I had to go and I called my mom. I couldn't think straight, I couldn't believe it. Chance, you were the most amazing person I know, you can't be dead! I will see you at church soon. I will see you at your parents soon. There is no way. It isn't possible. You have a rodeo this weekend, you will be there. You will ride like nothing is wrong. You have so many things going for you, you are almost done with college. All these thoughts ran through my mind. I couldn't believe that after only 20 short years, God called you to join Him in Heaven. They say that only the good die young. You must have accomplished the tasks he had for you.

The next weeks were really kind of a blur. Of course I remember them. I remember being sort of in denial, but wanting to go see your family right away the next day. Amber sat on the couch by your parents. She hardly spoke. It was so devastating to see them hurting. Your mom had a peace about her. Chance, your mom is one of the strongest women that I know. She has built her life around God, and she knew that you were in a better place. Her and I talked a lot and she helped me to know that you were right where you needed to be. We will never know why, except that God had bigger plans for you in Heaven.

So many things have changed since you left. I am now married to Weston, you met him back in high school. He is the one from Pueblo West, he came to church with me a few times, and homecoming. We live in Kentucky by Fort Campbell, and have a beautiful house. We are expecting our first child. I wish you could still be here to share in the joys of our lives. Every once in a while I see a truck that looks just like yours and it brings a tear to my eye because I know deep down that it isn't you. I have dreams about you a lot. Last night in my dream, we were at the Lamar Rodeo sitting next to your mom and you told us both not to worry because you were right there. You told us that you are doing fine and to smile because we will all be reunited one day. I know that you are riding with the best of them up there, Chance. I can just picture you gathered around with Chris Ledoux listening to him sing instead of a CD. You are roping, riding, and having the time of your life. It is not like anything that you experienced on earth, it is something that not even words can explain.

I miss you. I miss hearing your voice, hearing you laugh, hearing you teasing every one. I will forever cherish the memories that I have close to my heart. You will never be forgotten. I really wish that I could send this letter to you and know that you got it and opened the envelope. You would be saying, "Damn, did you have to write a book?!" But again, I know that you are probably reading this as I am typing it and tell me that it is going to be ok. I know I never told you how much you meant to me as a friend and brother, and I pray that you knew, and that you know now. I have learned to never let words go unspoken. I learned to always tell people how much of an impact they have on your life and how much you care about them. You never know when God is going to call your number.

Chance, it has been hard for us here on Earth. I can't say that is gets easier, but I can say that I am learning to cope with you being gone. I pray for your family and friends. I pray for Amber. God gives us challenges in life, but how we handle them makes us who we are. Keep watching over us, Chance. Keep watching over your baby brother. Peyton misses you so much, and he is turning into quite the little man. He looks just like you, he has your personality too. You sure taught him well. I pray that God gives him the courage and strength to live life and be the best that he can be, knowing that his big brother loved him so much. He knows you are in a better place. PJ is so strong.

Keep on riding Cowboy! We miss you CWT! 

 ADDRESS IN THE STARS

I stumbled across your picture today
I could barely breath
The moment stopped me cold,
Grabbed me like a thief.
I dialed your number, but you wouldn't be there
I knew the whole time, but it's still not fair
I just wanted to hear your voice,
I just needed to hear your voice.

What do I do with all I need to say
So much I wanna tell you everyday
Oh it breaks my heart,
I cry these tears in the dark
I write these letters to you,
But they get lost in the blue,
'Cause there's no address in the stars.

Now I'm drivin'
Through the pitch black dark
I'm screaming at the sky
Oh cause it hurts so bad
Everybody tells me
Oh all I need is time
Then the mornin' rolls in
And it hits me again
And that ain't nothin' but a lie.

What do I do with all I need to say
So much I wanna tell you everday
Oh it breaks my heart,
I cry these tears in the dark
I write these letters to you,
But they get lost in the blue,
'Cause there's no address in the stars.

Without you here with me,
I don't know what to do.
I'd give anything
Just to talk to you
Oh it breaks my heart,
Oh it breaks my heart,
All I can do
Is write these letters to you,
But there's no address in the stars.

Liebman Photo Session

Today Ashley came over so I could take some more pictures for my fall photo portfolio. I decided to set up two spots to take pictures in my back yard. One was against our barn with the fall set up, but the other had a little more American Pride involved. I strategically placed a flag in the front corner of the yard with a stood and a chair. I am going to offer the flag background to the Headstart tomorrow when I meet with their principal and PTO committee. I'm guessing they will stick with the Fall theme, but you never know!

Here are some pictures from the photo shoot.

 Also, I have at least 4 more shoots waiting to be booked. Plus, another preschool wants me to do their Fall pictures. God is good!

Autumn Fun

I received a surprise call the other day. It was Ms. Charlotte from the daycare asking me if I still wanted to do their fall pictures. WELL YEAH! I am so excited! I have a meeting with their PTO to do a presentation on Friday after work. I began putting together my portfolio. Today I had Ms. Angie come over and I took some fall pictures of her son, Riley, who is a great model! Here are some of the pictures that we took. More can be viewed at WELLS PHOTOGRAPHY ON FACEBOOK.

I have a bunch of pictures at the printing press that I will be picking up tonight. I am so excited to have something to show off at the meeting. Wish me luck, although Ms. Charlotte sounded very happy with what I presented her with already!