Our Fantastic Family Of Four Forever Believes

"Other things may change us, but we start and end with family" Anthony Brandt

Thursday, November 27, 2008

OUR THANKGIVING DAY 2008






What a wonderful day we had! Thanksgiving is my favorite time of year! As must of you know, I am now "giving Thanks" everyday now, instead of one day of the year! The kids woke up this morning with a wonderful smell of my cooking!

Normally, they wake up to wanting breakfast, but they were wanting sample a bit with what I had cooking! What a wonderful childhood memory to have! I can soo remember waking up at my home, with the smell of my mom cooking her special recipes. My mom to this day,the best best cook in the world! I wanted to be like her so much! She was the best mom in the world! She was taught very early the secret of our family's old recipes by her grandmother Minnie, who was my grandmother's mother. I never got to met her, but I know she was a very special woman. I do remember my great grandfather, Paw Trout, who used to join us at Mammaw Faye"s every Sunday for Sunday Dinner.I have some of the most special memories at my grandparents house. They used to live in the plant village in the good old town of Fairbanks. Me and my brother and sister used to climb the old trees that were in their yard. We loved to visit the pecan orchard that was there, picking pecans, and we will never forget the little tree swing we swung from for hours! Especially with our dear little friend Marsha, who was slightly mentally challenged. I can remember going to my grandmother crying over her, because I felt so much sorrow for her and I wanted her to be normal. But Mammaw Faye reminded me that God makes all people special in His own way, that she was a blessing in disuse. Thank you Mammaw Faye for explaining things where I could understand them! I love you! Marsha is the reason why I felt so much compassion for those less fortunate, and I soo wanted to make the world better!

I was so happy that Bailee wanted to help me cook, again, it was a flashback of me, helping my mom cook, I spent many of days of the holidays, stirring over the stove, sitting on a stool, cooking my mom's special buttermilk candy, and it was soo good! Thank you mom for including me in on those specials times, I soo love being your first born daughter, Bailee is me soo much, and I cannot wait to teach her like you have taught me! I love having a daughter, and I hope she will carry on the Franklin tradition, we have such strong woman in our family! And our Little Bailee Grace is so special. God has a special plan for her, she is truly a blessing from God!What would my life be without her, I cannot even imagine! I love the nightly talks we have in bed, about how much she loves me and our family, and she is always so grateful for everything she has, just like Jerry, she would give the shirt off her back for someone in need! How blessed I am to have her!

Caiden and Bailee has some time together, playing games, and even some basketball! I love to have friends over to play, but I also love for them to just have each other. They need to learn to appreciate their relationship together. Yes, they fight sometimes. more than I like, but they really appreciate each other, the different views on certain issues, and they know that when it comes right down to it, they will always be there for one another, this is just one of the benefits of having more than one child. One day, when they least expect it, they will need one another and will rely on them for many things!

I have been planing my Thanksgiving menu for weeks! And I also took into consideration that Jerry might not be with us. I always try to look on the positive side, but then again, I am a realist! It is what is is! I have had a hard struggle with it, for this makes 2 years that he was not with us, and I was kinda upset with it. But then again, I was also grateful for having a family at all. My family is the most important thing in my life, and with out God, and his blessings, I would not have a family to love, to care for, to look after.

Even though Jerry was not with us, I had placements set for four, like I said, he may not be with us physically, but in spirit, he WAS THERE! Jerry, we missed you , but you were with us, you were sweetie!

This is our family spread with me and the kids! I had fried turkey, the kids loved watching me carve it, and even wanted to help, and I so gladly let then help. I had dressing, good old famous self-rising rolls, barbecue beans, seven layer salad, corn, for my Bailee Grace, onion rings for my C-max and for dessert my famous pecan pie!

Ok, I did not fry the turkey, but i was so proud of carving it! The look on the kids eyes when I was doing was so was like a kid at Christmas!

My famous pecan pie!! I love cooking this dessert, when eaten with a strong pot of coffee, yum yum, so much a southern tradition!

I let the kids go first, of course, and they were so ready to eat!

After we made our plates, and settled in Caiden volunteered to say our prayer of Thanksgiving! I thought it was very mature of him to do this, I think he felt it was his duty to be the man of the house, since Jerry was not there! Thanks Caiden for stepping up, you are going to be an awesome dad, and man! I love you!

We has a great lunch and talked about what we were most thankful for. Caiden and Bailee are really grateful kids! They recognized the struggles and problems of the world, and they are have such a awesome concept of it. They are most grateful for family, and I could not be more proud of them. They are not prefect, but they humble themselves from time to time, and that is all I ask of them, they are awesome children, and I am soo blessed to have them!



Thank you Dale, for the well prepared turkey and Ham! He is absolute the best male cook I know! I love going to my mom's house for dinner. He loves to cook, and even better, he cleans up the kitchen! Mom, you have a great husband, and you deserve nothing but the best!

This is me and my Bailee Grace and my sister Erin, she is the best aunt, and even though she does not have children, she treats Caiden and Bailee like her own. Thanks Erin for always being there for them, supporting them, you are the bestest aunt in the word! You are going the be a awesome mom! I love you!






My mom is a decorator at heart! When we have a special occasion, you can rest assure that she will have the best prepared! Her table settings are the up most. She has such a wonderful table set before us! Even a fabulous dessert table. Thanks mom for the wonderful prepared setting, it is always so prefect and it make me feel right at home!

I love seeing my mom and Dale together. They are 2 peas in a pod! God knew what he is doing, when he brought together 2 people who have always know each other for years! Dale always helped my mom with Christmas when my father had died at such a young age. Thanks Dale, you are so special!

OMG, my Mamma's famous chicken and dressing! There is nothing better than this!! You rock Mammaw Faye, and you know I have to always make a to-go-plate with lots of this!

I know they will not always be with us, but I love for my Mammaw to be with us! Bailee is the second Great grandchild, and I am soo glad that Bailee got to spend some time with her this week . Bailee also got to play with her cousin Marlee!


Mammaw Faye and her first born child, AND my favorite aunt in the world!! I love you aunt Deb, I will miss you dearly!Please keep in touch! When I listen to Neil Diamond and Barbra, I will think of you, the great times we had, nothing will replace it!

We had 17 people with us this Thanksgiving! Minus my brother Chad, his wife, Casey, and My niece Isabel. Also my cousin Judd and his wife.
So , we would have had 23 people present. Wow, what a great Family! Thank you Lord for our family and for continually blessing us! I am soo thankful for each member of our family!
The Things that I am so thankful for!
1. My salvation, with my hope of a better life, I could not go on!
2. My family, I so longed for a family of my own, and I am soo blessed to have them, they are the reason why I live!
3. I am soo thankful for being a mother, I soo long for many years for a child, praying to the Lord to give Jerry and I one, in turn, the Lord soo graciously blessed us with two, Thank you Lord for these great bundles of Joy!
4. I am thankful for my mother and for the Lord allowing her a second chance. She has been thorough soo much, and I almost lost her, but the Lord had something special in mind for her! She is such a strong person, and she has lived a life that is such a testimony! You are truly the best mom in the word! I love you J.K.
5. I am thankful for brothers and sisters, you made me realize the bond that goes on between blood, you will forever me a part of me that will live on forever, I love you more and more everyday!
6. I am thankful for food, shelter, and a place I can call home! Jerry has worked soo many cases in where people have lost everything and had to start all over again, and I feel so much for them , I wish I could help rebuild thier lives, but I realized that a simple"I am praying for you" is all they wanted to hear.
7. I am thankful to be able to wake up in the morning and breathe in all the sunshine, and all the things that the good Lord as in store for me!
8. Most all of, I am thankful for LIFE, A chance to bring glory to the Lord, God All Mighty!
9. I am thankful for Jerry, you put aside all your hopes and dreams for the better of your family, you always make such a huge sacfrice for our family, and that always asks a lot of you! You are the best man, I love you soo much!

Thankgiving should be a everyday thing, For the Lord blesses us eveyday, God bless everyone! His blessings will forever humble me!






























HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM OUR FANTASTIC FAMILY OF FOUR: WE ARE SOO THANKFUL FOR SO MANY THINGS!

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

GIVING "THANKS" FOR NATURE

For some reason, my camera is always with me.
Maybe its because I want to capture my feelings on something I see. I am so interested in how a single picture can show my expression and emotions. The exact moment I focus in on a subject, and see something that moves me, that really has a profound affect on me.
I am a southern gal, I love to hunt, and I love being outdoors. And for some reason, I am moved by nature. Just the knowing that our Lord provided this earth with little critters, and the mere existence of beautiful trees, that provide us with many resources. For shade, and simply for us to enjoy looking at.
The kids and I have spent a lot of time with my mother this week, and she lives on the bayou.
I love to go down to her dock and just sit on her pier, taking in all the beautiful surroundings.
These are images that were taking on Bayou Bartholomew. I am thanking God for the blessings in nature. He has really blessed us with soo many things. What a joy to be able to look at our world and see the nature in the making of the hands of the Lord!








Sunday, November 23, 2008

THANKSGIVING SHOULD NOT BE ONE DAY OUT OF THE YEAR, BUT ALL YEAR LONG

Let me first day that I LOVE Thanksgiving! Besides, Halloween, It is my absolute favorite holidays of the year. I have been looking forward to Thursday. I so love the times I spend with my own family as well as my extended family. To have times with my grandparents, thank God they are still with us, and my mom and siblings. To have absolute well prepared meal set before us, holding hands around the table, each of us giving "thanks to God" for all things in our life. I have spent many hours preparing my Thanksgiving day menu, and looking at my family's recipes. I love cooking to begin with, but I LOVE cooking the old traditional meals, fried turkey, turkey and dressing and my famous pecan pies! I am also enjoying the extra time with the kids, for when the house is filled with laughing, the blaring tv, and the occasional, "They hit me first!" I am reminded how blessed am to have it all, even sometimes I wonder if things will calm down! I am also concerned with Jerry, if he will be home to share this wonderful time with us, for this is the most special time of the year to be with family, and to "give thanks" for all be have been blessed with. I have to admit, I have been a little on the edge because I want him home with us right now, to share the little outings me and the kids have. But, at the same time, he has a job to do, so we can have the little things that make us happy, but should I want those little "extra" things that we could live without?? Should I just say, Hey Jerry, I know you were soo happy with being a policeman, and it is your true calling, do what makes you happy!" We have had this discussion many times, and leaving it at We want what is best for the entire family. There are sacrifices made on each of our parts. He works several hours a day, away from our home, sleeping in uncomfortable hotel beds, eating lunch and dinner alone, and I feel so bad for him, because deep down, he just wants to be with our family. He loves to have me cook his favorite meals, for me to say, " is there anything I can do for you?" He longs to tuck our children into bed, and here them say"Goodnight daddy, I love you." And I want it too, and sometimes I have bitterness, for others who have their spouses home all the time, hey, I am not perfect, and I will never sugarcoat anything, for some can pretend that their little family has the greatest times ALL the time, but I know that is not true. But, after going to church today, my outlook on life had done a 180 degree turn. While I was going on with self pity, and soo realized that Thanksgiving is a everyday thing, that I should give God thanks EVERYDAY for all the blessings in my life. We should not say" I am so Thankful for this and that on the exact day of Thanksgiving." but it should be a everyday thing.For blessings happen to us everyday, not just on Thanksgiving. We should praise God for every situation that is place in our life, whether it be a good thing or a bad thing. It so easy to praise the Lord when things are going OUR way and everything is good, But when obstacles are placed in our life that don't always agree with us, we asked God "why me?"Then I am reminded of Paul, who was a great man of faith, who had many obstacles placed in his life. Having read the Word, and him saying that he had a thorn in his flesh. It was not "literally" a thorn but an affliction that kept trying to pull him down, that tried to question his faith. Paul did not have an easy life. He had been beaten, thrown in jail, and betrayed by his friends. But through it all, he gave glory to God, for everything, good and bad.He gave thanks to God for EVERYTHING.Why? I have been reading scriptures upon scriptures to understand his faithfulness to God.These verses really spoke to me.

"For I reckon, that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Romans 8:18.
"But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happen unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel, So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places." Philippians 1:12, 13.
"And we know that all things work together for the good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" "He spared not His only Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with him also freely give us all things?" Romans 8:31, 32.
So what does this all mean?That I should not dwell on the things that are happening right now, that I should put all my trust in the Lord, because in the end, it is all about glorifying Him and working to please Him, by giving thanks for all the things in my life. Even though things might not go my way, He places things in our life to bring us closer to Him, to be more Christlike. Paul knows this better than anyone, for He was under some trying times, but He realized the things that matter was that giving God ALL the glory would bring him to a understanding of appreciating the sacrifices that the Lord made for us. When we humble our self to the Lord, we come to an understanding that without Him, we would have no life, no hope, no reason to go on. And isn't it wonderful to know that even though we don't get all the answers to our questions in our time, but we have God that hears us, and loves us, and only wants the best for us. His ways are higher and above our ways, and ultimately, He knows what is best for us better than us. So, we should always thank Him for everything, good and bad everyday of our life.I believe that God place things in our life to teach us about the greatness of his power. He place things in our life sometimes that are not so great to help us take a bad situation and turn into something that will bring glory to Him, and for us to understand that good things can come out of bad situations.We should thank Him that we are able to breath, wake up in the morning and see the sun shine, that we have food and shelter, family. But most of all, we should thank him for being a Loving God,a forgiving God, and a provider. May we all this season start praising God for all the things in our life! Jerry may not be with us on the day of Thanksgiving physically, but spiritually, he is with us, just like our loving God! May God be with all families this Thanksgiving Day! And let us thank Him daily! Not just "one day out of the year." God Bless you all!

Friday, November 21, 2008

BAILEE'S FIELD TRIP TO THE BALLET OF CINDERELLA

Bailee had her first field trip Friday and she was so excited about it! She has been talking about it for weeks!
Matter of fact, she had a hard time going to bed Thursday night, because she was so looking forward to it!
The field trip was to the Cinderella Ballet. It was so amazing! I love Ballets, the music, the dancing, and just being there watching the beautiful movement of the dancers.
I got to sit by Bailee and her friend Ashley and they were so mesmerized by the whole ballet. Bailee has actually spent the last 2 days in her costumes from her dance recital. She is interested in taking dancing again!
We had so much fun watching it.
I actually did more videos than pictures , for I felt I would not do the Ballet justice by pictures, for I was moved by every scene.To actually watch the ballet and feel the moment was so extraordinary.
After the ballet, Bailee got to ride home with me and we just spent the rest of the day around town, enjoying time with each other. It is so nice to be able to take each one of my children and spend one on one time with them, Caiden had his field trip last week , and I did the exact thing with him!
I am soo grateful to the fact that I can attend these special times with my children!










Wednesday, November 19, 2008

WHAT MY CHILDREN ARE THANKFUL FOR...

As Thanksgiving approaches,I am remained of How much God as blessed me and my family.I am so grateful for so many things, and I could never list all the things that are so important to me. For the gifts that God has given me are infinite, and He will continue to bless our family. I wanted to do something different this year. I wanted each one of my children to share their own feelings on my blog and tell you what they are most thankful for. I am the one who does all the blogging, but I wanted my children to attribute their feelings on Thanksgiving. So, you are about to hear the exact words of Thanksgiving from my children!
Caiden says... that i have a good family, that my parents let me have dogs and i have a cellphone, that i live in a country where i can be free,and that God loves me no matter what, i love my friends, and i am so glad that my momma lets me have friends over,i love my sister even though we fight sometimes. I am not happy about the president, but i hope they will let God be back in our schools. I am thankful that my mom buys me binders for school because i have to have so many and they keep tearing up.i love my parents so much and my momma always takes care of me while daddy is gone working


Bailee says...I am thankful for shelter,fresh water,good food,to have wonderful mother and father ,toys,to live in a great country,electricity,computers,cable,to have friends,bed,clothes,ponytails,aircondtoiner,to have my parents that are getting along,my mom cooks me supper,let us talk about our bad times,to have a family that cares about me,and everything else. and most of all i love God