baby mine.

Porter McKay at 27 weeks

he sure was a stinker
when we first got in.

he had both arms and fists up 

in front of his face like a little boxer. 
he kept punching the ultrasound wand 
in protest of his picture being taken.

my little bruiser!

i love knowing exactly where 
he is laying now and 
where his feet and hands are.

i hope october gets here fast! 

i can't wait to meet this little guy.

[i think we're going to have to get this set for him! love it!]

if you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself then make a change. - michael jackson

when i look in the mirror,


i like what i see.


i may not be perfect,


but i am finally 'ME'.




1000 days SMOKE FREE!!!!

. . . took me years to get there,


but it was SO worth it.


i used to hate to look in the mirror.


i kept looking for what i could be.


i saw a lost, miserable girl in front of me


scared to death of the future


and of who i was becoming.


i went kind of nuts for awhile.


that's what happens 
when you don't know who you are.


i tried to end my life. several times.


i ruined my relationships.


i was empty inside,


but one day,


I CHANGED.


i like who i see in the mirror now.


i'm familiar with this woman looking back at me.


i know where my future is headed.


things around me may not be perfect,


financially things are tough,


but i have a loving, righteous husband


who takes good care of me


and beautiful children 


that i am blessed to raise and take care of everyday.


i don't try to be someone i'm not anymore.


i have faith and stand firm in my beliefs.


i know that no matter how rough life gets,


there is always a way to overcome 


ALL and ANY


obstacles placed in my path.






 Only if you’ve been 


in the deepest valley 


can you ever know 


how magnificent it is to be 


on the highest mountain.


 - Richard Nixon

i know God will not give me anything I can't handle. i just wish that He didn't trust me so much. - mother teresa

Strength from Adversity

- Unknown

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. 

One day a small opening appeared,

he sat and watched the butterfly for several hours 

as it struggled to force its body through that little hole.

Then it seemed to stop making any progress. 

It appeared as if it 

had gotten as far as it could 

and it could go no farther.

Then the man decided to help the butterfly, 

so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. 

The butterfly emerged easily. 

But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that,

at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand 

to be able to support the body, 

which would contract in time.

Neither happened. 

In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life 

crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. 

It was never able to fly.

What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand 

was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required 

for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way 

of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings 

so that it would be ready for flight 

once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes, struggles are exactly 

what we need in our life. 

If God allowed us to go through our life without any obstacles

 it would cripple us. 

We would not be as strong 

as what we could have been. 

And we could never fly.

Don't You Quit

-Unknown

When things go wrong as they sometimes will

When the road you're trudging seems all up hill. 

When funds are low and the debts are high. 

And you want to smile, but you have to sigh. 

When care is pressing you down a bit. 

Rest, if you must, but don't you quit. 

Life is queer with its twists and turns. 

As everyone of us sometimes learns. 

And many a failure turns about 

When he might have won had he stuck it out.

Don't give up though the pace seems slow - 

You may succeed with another blow. 

Success is failure turned inside out - 

The silver tint of the clouds of doubt. 

And you never can tell how close you are. 

It may be near when it seems so far: 

So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit 

It's when things seem worst

that you must not quit.

freedom is nothing else but a chance to be better. - albert camus

Americans have the 

freedom 

to CHOOSE to be happy, 

prosperous and healthy.

A birthright given to us by our fore fathers and clearly outlined 
in the Declaration of Independence.

The 4th of July is a time to reflect and appreciate all that we have

REGARDLESS

 of position, rank or material wealth. 

We have within ourselves 

the power to be ALL 

that we can be.

 How many of us choose to let opportunity pass us by? 

How many of us choose to blame others for our lack?

Many Americans that have had the opportunity to 

live in another country under another government can see all that we have. 

Many have said they didn't realize the opportunities that 

we have until they are no longer available. 

These past few years have enabled many Americans to see 

from this perspective as lives have been forced 

to change during the economic crisis.

This also could have a different perspective, one of 

opportunity to change for the better. 

Growing pains

 have never been easy 

but when we finally reach 

new levels of understanding, 

we can see how we are stronger and better for it. 

This is a time for new opportunity for Americans as 

individuals and as a nation to grow 

stronger and  better.

When you read the Declaration of Independence, 

our fore fathers had a dream and a vision of 

what they wanted to build for their children and future generations.

 As a nation, town or individual, 

we live today what they created yesterday.

 Of course, 

we are people united as one nation. 

We share in the joys and prosperities as well as the adversities. 

Ideal growth for an 

individual is to grow,

 become stronger and

 build on adversities 

when they arise. 

"Make lemonade 
when life hands you lemons". 

When we take the opportunity to use the 

challenges that life throws at us, 

to grow and learn from them verses 

throwing blame and anger onto others, 

we grow as a person and as a nation.

The power to change the future for a better nation 

starts with 

each individual. 

When we do our part as an individual 

we contribute to the growth and strength of our nation, 

building upon the hopes and dreams

 our fore fathers left for us. 

In turn, 

what we create today, 

we leave for our children.

When celebrating this Fourth of July, 

whether it's a Bar-B-Que with family or friends or watching the fireworks, 

take a moment to reflect. 

As you watch the fireworks bursting in the sky,

 be thankful that you have a CHOICE to be 

free, happy and live a prosperous life.

Whatever you choose to do with your holiday 

remember 

where this day came from and what it stands for.


Life, Liberty 


and the 


Pursuit of Happiness.

Click on image above if you would like to read the full transcript.

(source: Article by Jennette Royster)