Paris

I can't help but think i should be in Paris right now. Last summer Archbishop (knowing how badly I want to go to Paris) offered to take me there in January of 2012. It wasn't his first choice of a trip, since he had been there already, but he always noticed my pictures of the Eiffel Tower and would tease me about all the places in Paris HE had been (little stinker). I would ask him a ton of questions and he would get such a kick out of me wanting to go there. He LOVED to travel and he would often tell me he would take me after the New Year. When he started to get really sick, i would try to get him to eat by telling him he had to get better so we could go to Paris. The 2nd time he was in the hospital I tried telling him he needed strength to travel, but he told me I had better go without him. I told him I wanted to go with him (which was the truth) and he told me he would send me there one day. I don't doubt him. I think he will. I don't know how, but i think he will. Because he knows how much i miss him! He knows that I dream about him all the time and I would give anything to have him sitting next to me in my car as we run errands. He knows that I have pictures of him all around my house and at night when i am alone, i break into tears just thinking about how much i miss him. He knows all of that and he knows I will wait until the time is right. But for now, at the end of January 2012, i can't help but think I should be in Paris right now...

Meghan's blog

no, not me. obviously you already know about MY blog cause you are here, duh..hehe. i mean the OTHER Meghan! The one you read about on MY blog from earlier last summer. Well, she started a blog and usually i don't give out other people's blogs without their permission but hers is way too good not to share.

http://inthekitchenandonthecouch.blogspot.com/

it is awesome!! she talks about her 2 favorite things...reading and cooking. Tonight we tried one of her soups and it was awesome!!! so have fun my readers, and enjoy my friend Meghan as much as I do!!!

Being pro life

This weekend marks the 39th anniversary of Roe Vs. Wade. 39 years ago abortion was legalized. What a shame. Amazingly enough, the woman who worked so hard to get abortion legalized so she could have an abortion, now speaks out against it because it ruined her life. It is no secret or surprise that I am pro life. If you have ever spent more than 5 minutes with me in conversation you will know that I am, without a doubt, 100% pro life. FOR LIFE!

When I tell people I am pro life the first thing that usually pops in their head is that I am against abortion. Yes, I am. But I am much more than just anti abortion. I am PRO LIFE. I am against bullying. I am against rape. I am against birth control (including but not limited to condoms, IUD's, women getting tubes tied, and men getting a vasectomy). I am against child abuse. I am against domestic violence. I am against stealing. I am against Euthanasia. I am against capital punishment. I am against stem cell research when it uses fertilized eggs. I am PRO LIFE. I am FOR life. I LOVE life!! I believe that life begins at conception and that every person deserves the dignity and respect of being a human.I believe being pro life is so much more than just being anti abortion. It is sitting with the teenager in the lunch room that doesn't have any friends. It is helping the struggling family who has been out of work maybe by paying a bill or 2 for them. It is knowing that we are all made in the image and likeness of God and therefore waking up every Sunday and getting our butts to church even when we don't feel like it. It is about loving the life God gave us and using our talents and abilities to serve Him! We do all of this because we are PRO LIFE...FOR LIFE!

Today Allen, Noah, and I walked in the pro life march in downtown Atlanta. We walked to say that we don't agree with what happened 39 years ago and we will fight for life....at every stage of life. It is important. It is the most important issue one can take a stand on. Dr Suess had it right when he said "A person's a person no matter how small". He understood, as do all those who are pro life, that the only thing worth dying for, is life!

mama said there'd be days like this...

I really am trying to be productive today but the world is not allowing it.

• I planned on going to the gym this morning but instead a lady hit my car in the school parking lot and I had to file an accident report with the police and all that jazz causing me to miss my gym time.
  
• I planned on taking Chewy to get his heart worm pill (off exit 14) and a haircut (off exit 13) but somehow i messed up the pill thing and when i got there they told me he wasn't due for one for another week. Then the whole haircut thing didn't work out either so i drove all that way for nothing.
• I spent 45 minutes picking out a paint color for my bedroom, got home, put the tester paint on my wall only to realize I picked the exact same color that i just painted my living room in. EXACT!
  
• I planned on taking Chewy to a park or field to run around and get some energy out, but as soon as i pulled into the parking lot it started pouring so I drove home.
  
• i was going to do some laundry so i decided i would take Chewy out to pee real quick but as soon as I stepped outside i stepped in dog poop because my neighbors let their dog poop in our yard and they don't clean it up (don't get me started!). So instead of doing laundry I spent 30 minutes cleaning poop out of the creases in my shoe. joy.
  
• so now it is time to leave for carpool to go pick up Noah. I have done NOTHING productive today even though I tried. Mama said there'd be days like this....
  

My Voice

Yesterday i had an "A-HA!" moment! Allen and I were at Noah's flag football game and we were sitting next to our friends who have a son on the team. One of our friends noticed that Noah was too far in front of line so he yelled to Noah "Noah, back up". Noah was in his own little world and didn't hear so Allen yelled the same thing. Noah didn't hear Allen either. Soon, several parents were yelling to Noah to back up but Noah was oblivious. Not thinking he would hear me but not knowing what else to do I gave my best mom shout "NOAH" and "a-HA!, he heard me and looked at me. I motioned to him to back up and he did. For the first time EVER, Noah heard my voice over everyone else! In the past I would usually have to ask someone to yell to Noah for me if he was far away because of my paralyzed vocal cord but not anymore!!! My voice is loud and clear and it felt AWESOME!!

Christmas Season 2011

Christmas break has gone by in a flash! I can't believe Noah goes back to school tomorrow. I LOVE having him home with me everyday!! Allen and I helped in Noah's classroom for his class party right before the break started.

Noah and I made a craft of the manger scene which made me realize how much i am NOT cut out to make crafts....but it turned out great!!
We spent Christmas Eve at my dad and Diane's house but somehow i didn't get any pictures. Christmas morning we hung out at home and opened presents and then went to Mass.
Then we headed to my mom's house for Christmas dinner. Barrett and Aimee came in town with their dog, Ecko. Chewy and Ecko loved playing together and wearing each other out!!
Over the break, we all made Gingerbread houses...basically mine was pretty awesome!
Mom and Noah's was pretty awesome too...
And Barrett and Aimee had the best roof by far...
Then we all went to Stone Mountain for their Christmas festivities...Noah loved the air guns in the 4 story barn filled with slides and guns!
and the life size gingerbread house...
goofballs....

we rode the train....



and went snow tubing....




and for New Years Eve we celebrated with fireworks in the back yard....



It was great to spend so much time with family!!! Merry Christmas to all!!!

Happy New Year!!!

I know I have been so bad about blogging lately and i am sorry! Many of you dear readers have called begging for more posts and I promise I will update Christmas pictures and posts soon, but it is Jan 3rd so I thought I would write about New Years! Because of Archbishop dying in November, lots of people say to me "I bet you are glad to see 2011 go" or something along those lines. They are quite surprised when i tell them I am actually sad to see it go. 2011 was one of the most incredible years of my life. Not only did I get to spend every day with ABD and THEN come home to my 2 loves, but because of the time I spent with ABD, I grew so much in my faith. And THAT is what I accomplished most in 2011. God, once again, showed me He is faithful and just plain AWESOME!!! The Austin's did lots of things in 2011, took a trip to Disney World, traveled to St Louis, Michigan, and Ave Maria Florida, took Noah white water rafting in North Carolina, enjoyed hosting Thursday night pot luck dinner and movies with our friends, but none of these even come close to experiencing how much God loves us and seeing it in such a tangible way as I did this past year! For that reason, I am sad to see 2011 end. What does 2012 hold? Well besides the end of the world (haha) I just don't know! But I hope it continues as such a blessing as 2011. We are still in the Christmas season and I love looking at our manger and reflecting on the mystery of how God humbled himself so much to send his only son to give us Hope and Love! Happy New Year to you and your family!!