For my brothers: I thought about you all day, I don't know if it is the soldier we had an obit for here in Kingsport, that got killed in Iraq the other day, or if it is because of your time to leave is coming so quickly..

But whatever the reason that my heart feels heavy tonight, just know that I love you both very much. You are both great men for doing what you are doing. And our country is going to be served by two great men. But as a sister, it is hard to think you will be so far away, or that you might lay in your bed and be lonely, or be out somewhere and be cold without a way to get warm, or for some reason going hungry because you are working so hard you haven't had time to eat, or that you might be scared because you don't know what the next second will hold, or God forbid even injured.

I pray for you, I tell God to watch over you and bring you home safely. I also tell God to help you both with things that you need help with.

Our family is an amazing family if you really sit and think about whatall we have overcome, all the sacrafices that mom made to keep us all together, and to keep us fed and clothed. And we all came out ok. We aren't drug addicts, we don't drink or smoke. And other than the stupid family fueds we are an amazing group of people.

It is going to be hard for me to know that you are in Iraq and in harms way, but I have to trust and have faith that God is in control.
People make decisions in life that others don't understand, but we have to be thankful that they do, or else we would have no one fighting for our freedom to sit here on a computer and be free enough to not worry about being blown apart, or our families being harmed. Someday a time will come that we don't have to worry about anything or anyone, we will have that wonderful heavenly peace and eternal happiness.

I love you both with all of my heart. Please know that I do. I wished I had you both here right now to wrap my arms around and tell you face to face that I love you.

Please be safe and know of the love that I have for you will be eternally strong. You will be thought of daily and prayed for daily.

We got to babysit Gabriella today and these are some of the pictures from that adventure... Karissa just kept saying "We are good babysitters aren't we Mom" and "What if this was our baby".... So precious they both are!!!

This is a new day and has been a new week. I am trying to count my blessings and not think about how many more days we have to go this week....
Just a few things that has been sitting around....
Life is good.
God is great.
Family is love.
Home is Ahhhh.
Love is precious.
Time should be cherished.
Touch is breathtaking.

This is a video of my sons band competition when it was held here at Dobyns Bennett High School. They have the competitoins every year and most of them are out of town and I don't get to go to them, so this one I was lucky enough to get to go to.

This is my family at Bays Mountain Park. We had a great family outing at the park that day, something we need to do more often. Bays Mountain was beautiful during the fall. It was the perfect weather and a perfect day

Karissa dressed up for Halloween.. '09... She was the cutiest vampires ever!!!!

Justin on the night before he left for Kentucky...

This is Karissa playing in the snow... This is our second snow this year and the first one knocked out all the power in the area... She made plenty of angels in the yard and had a good time eating all the snow...

This is another niece that is just as sweet as her pictures... Her name is Madison.. she is the grandaughter of my sister Melissa. Her mommas name is Nikki.. She is just a joy to be around.. I wished I got to see her more often because she lives in Greeneville, Chuckey, or somewhere far enough that I don't see her alot.. But she is so darn cute.. I mean look at her!!!! And as you can see Karissa loves her too! She likes to be the little mommy...

Another wonderful blessing has happened this year... I might be having my niece, (in the pink) move home from Ga.!!!!! We are praying about it and I really think this will be her year to come home.
Words can't describe how much I love this girl. She feels like my own at times. She is the sweetest person I know and can also put you in your place just like her mamma... (my sister, in black)... Crystal, has always been so special to me. I felt like she was my baby doll when she was born.. I think I was 12(?) and she has always been so special. Just has always had a great personality and can warm your heart just by smiling at you!!!

This is all of my brothers and my sister together.. It is hard to get us all together like this but I am so very thankful for this picture now that my two brothers are gone. I love each and every one of them. (even if we do fuss, argue, and get mad) We are all my mothers children and she did a wonderful job raising all 5 of us with no money, no father, and definatley no child support. It was just her and she is amazing.

This is my wonderful sister Melissa and her husband Steve. She is my sister, my strength when I am weak, my friend who does all the girly stuff with me, my earpiece when I need to fuss about lifes struggles, and my childrens favorite person. I am sure I can go on and on and on about what she means to me but I think she has an idea. I am so thankful for her and for our sisterhood, and friendship. I would truly be missing out if God had not blessed me with a sister. But not just any sister. This sister!

And in other news... Two of my brothers are gone to Mississippi for training before leaving to Iraq... Tim my oldest of these two is the father of 3 beautiful daughters, Kayla, Brittany, and Ashley. He is married to Misaki who has a son named Tyler. I know they will miss him terribly as do I. But I pray that God watches over them and brings them home safely after they serve their year. Jeff, is the youngest Brother and he has a beautiful Daughter, Tiffany who is the same age as Tyler. And Carla his wife. It is very heart wrenching to watch these two people that I love and have grown up with, leave to such a terrible place. It is also hard to put all your trust in God and not worry about them at all. I know I shouldn't worry because God is in control and what happens is his will. God help me to have enough faith to put it all in his hands. I know my brothers don't read my posts because they don't even know I have a blog, maybe I need to change that. I love them both so very much!

We were blessed with a new niece in November of 09... Her name is Gabriella Mulkey.. She is a cutie!!! I have gotten to babysit her a few times and done some pics with her of course.. this is one of them.

Ok, I know I am so bad, that I haven't even kept up with my page, but I have no one that reads it but myself and everynow and then my sister. So it don't much matter. But I guess it helps me when I write some stuff down, I at least feel better that I made an effort.
Anyways, Alot has happened since my last post... And then also just a lot of plain ole boring days.... Just like everyone else...
Lets see, Justin our oldest is gone to school in Kentucky.. Greenville, Ky. to be exact... Where it is very very cold... He is taking Pharmacy Tech and I hope and pray that he does well with it. He needs something good to happen and for him to be the one to make it happen!!! He also has a girlfriend and her name is Kayla, he gave her a ring for Christmas.. A promise ring... Justin is now 18 years old as of Dec. 30th... He is now an adult, well at least in the laws eyes.. I am no longer legally responsible for what he does wrong. But hopefully he wont do anything wrong.

Tyler is finished up with Band for the year, it was long time coming, since he has let some of his grades go for band. He is doing well otherwise. He turned 15 on Dec. 22................

Karissa is doing well too, she is in the first grade and likes her teacher but she says she hates school. Says it is boring.. Plus she tends to get into trouble for eating things that she shouldn't or for doing stuff that she shouldn't.... I hope that gets better.
Bryan and I are both doing well. We have been happy as ever. We are hoping to start the year off right and get our debt under control and be free finally. God help us with this that we can do it!!!!
Everyone else in the family is fine. Will update more later.....