It sure doesn't seem like nineteen years ago, but alas, it was. He was completely worth the thirty hours of labor and nine months of throwing up. I love you Timothy!

First Day of High School!

It is so hard for me to believe that my baby is a high school student! Surprisingly, I didn't cry as I thought I would, but I did get a little misty. He wasn't nervous, that is, UNTIL we drove towards the school. When it was in sight, he said, "ok...now I'm nervous." It was a fairly stress-free day, with only 15-minute classes, up until the last one of the day which was a complete block. He is doing well with band and has learned his music and marching patterns quickly. This year will not be a breeze...he is in the Honors Academy, and much is expected of those students.

Camp Buck Tom's 2009!

Trey and Brother Blackburn look like they are enjoying a little time to rest from the day's activities at scout camp.

Timothy, Our First Graduate!

Here he is! This is the picture where I'm supposed to be standing beside him, but Moms with the cameras don't get their pictures taken very often! We were thankful that so many cousins and Uncle Garnett showed up! The tassel and cord around his shoulders signifies his position as senior class treasurer.

Path to Harvard~Path to Missionary Service

Timothy with his very good friend Josh Garcia, right after graduation. Josh was the 2009 Ridgeland High School valedictorian and is headed off to Harvard this fall. Timothy now will be getting ready for his mission after his nineteenth birthday in August. The next day after graduation, we all headed down to Disney World and Josh came along.

When the awards were presented, we were very pleasantly surprised to hear Trey's name called when Mr. Zinkhann announced the recipient of the highest award given in music in the 8th grade graduating class, the Director's Award. He told us afterward that Trey is very talented; something we knew but love hearing it from someone who isn't so biased!

Trey Times Two!

Here are the two Trey's on the day of their 8th grade graduation! It doesn't seem so long ago that they were having their picture taken at Kindergarten graduation! Look below for their picture from that day!

Trey Times Two!

While I was searching for something else last night, I came across a bunch of pictures that I haven't looked at in YEARS, literally! This is a picture of Trey with his best friend, Trey Howard, at Kindergarten graduation. Because of their shared name, they bonded instantly and have remained friends to this day. And by the way, Trey Howard towers over my Trey just like in Kindergarten, much to my Trey's dismay!

Timothy at the Vatican

This past Sunday was our monthly Fast & Testimony meeting at church. For those of you who don't know, anyone who wants to can go up and talk about their testimony of Jesus Christ or anything else that might be uplifting and special that has helped to bring them strength, comfort, happiness, etc. It is completely voluntary; no one is made to do it. As an LDS mother, one of my greatest desires is for my children to come to have a testimony of their own, and then express those feelings publicly. Since I have boys, it is likely that they will all serve a full-time mission when they turn 19, and the public bearing of their testimony is something they will do a lot. Timothy struggles with shyness in a terrible way. A lot of folks do not realize this about him because he handles himself well around people. From the time they were very small, we have taught and trained and encouraged our boys to have at least the basic people skills, so that they will not be "socially retarded." As I said, in Fast & Testimony meeting, the bearing of testimonies is completely voluntary, but I was beginning to worry that Timothy's fears were going to keep him from taking that step. Well, Sunday was the day for him, and he stood in front of everyone at the microphone and bore a sweet testimony of the Savior and the Church he has come to love. My "motherheart" was bursting!

With the long President's Day weekend, Tyler and Trey decided to have a campout by the creek. They set up their tent, built their campfire, roasted marshmallows, ate some of those nasty army ration meals, and just had a big time! That is, until around 9:30 p.m. and then their comfortable beds in a warm house became too much of a temptation!

What a hoot! Those marshmallows better beware!

My firstborn son. He is such a precious gift. His name, Timothy, means "gift from God" and that he is. I am so blessed.

Tyler had a wonderful opportunity this week. He was invited to play tuba with the Covenant College orchestra!The director, Robyn Wilkes, was his band director at Ridgeland. She's the greatest! I found her on Facebook a couple of weeks ago, and in talking about what is going on in her life, she told me of the Spring Concert she is getting ready for. She said that their orchestra has five beautiful tubas and no tuba players! Did I think Tyler would be interested in joining them? Oh my goodness, are you kidding me!!?? He loves getting to toot that horn!

Tyler and I are standing in front of the tower at Covenant College. Most everyone traveling through Chattanooga on Interstate 24 can't help but notice the castle-like structure on the top of Lookout Mtn. In the early 1900's, it was a very plush hotel for the rich and famous. It is now Covenant College, a presbyterian school. The campus is very beautiful. Believe it or not, I have lived in Chattanooga all of my life, and this was my first trip to the campus!

Tyler and Trey at Covenant College looking cute as can be!

Some of the sisters at the church, quilting for charity. (l to r: Lauren Jackson holding Sadie, Sarah Griffin, Leona Wimpee, Linda Griffin, Rita Vanderslice, Elaine Thomas, and Janice Massey.)

Happy Birthday Mamaw

January 7 would have been my Mom's birthday. I found this picture that was taken at church the day Trey was blessed. You can see how Timothy and Tyler just worshiped her! Just look at the expression on Timothy's face; complete adoration! She was the most perfect Grandmother, and of course, a perfect mom to me. We miss her so much!

Switzerland!

This is the castle of Chillon. (Want to try to pronounce it with your best French accent? Try to say it like this: "Shee-own" Say both syllables quickly!) This beautiful castle is built on the shore of Lake Geneva (Switzerland). It is a magnificent place to tour, giving it's visitors a peek into life long ago. A good effort has been made to keep it as original as possible.

As we entered the grounds, there were many groups of school children there touring the castle. One group was sitting on the grass outside where they were about to have lunch. They were such cuties in their school uniforms, smiling and speaking French! I wish I could have gotten a picture of them! We couldn't help but notice their sandwiches made on those glorious crusty baguettes. As I passed by one little group, an impish little boy looked up at me and said, "Bonjour!" As I answered, "Bonjour," he made a hungry growling noise at his sandwich and then said to me, "Bon Appetit!" Cute, Cute, CUTE!

Chillon is built along the edge of Lake Geneva, with parts of it in (or hanging over) the water.

On special holidays like Christmas, we miss the people that we can't be with. Today, we have been enjoying going through our pictures from our "dream" vacation. The best part of the entire trip was the time we spent with Yves and his mom, Jacqueline. We met Yves 25 years ago while he was an exchange student, and before Ellis and I even thought about getting married. We have stayed in touch, with a few visits scattered over the years. They are precious to us and ARE our family. This picture was taken at the castle of Chillon.

As I write this on Christmas Eve, I can't help but wonder how this beautiful little town of Zermatt, Switzerland looks right now. We hear from our Swiss family that they have had plenty of snow this season, so I am sure Zermatt is quite the winter wonderland!

Here we are window shopping in Zermatt, Switzerland with Yves. Zermatt is the picturesque little town in the Alps just below the famous Matterhorn. To visit Zermatt, you drive as far up into the mountains as your car will safely go, then board a train to get to the town. Now, what do you do for a car when you get there? Walk! It was great!

The last game of the season! I was originally pretty glad that Ridgeland got into the playoffs, but on this night, the temp got down into the 20's and I swear I thought I would freeze to death. Tyler's tuba actually froze to his lips!!!!

Here's my little saxophonist, ready to play in the Christmas concert at Chattanooga Valley Middle School. I love watching Trey and Tyler when they are participating in their bands.

Nothing like a little excitement while I'm cooking for Thanksgiving! Trey went out to check on the kittens, when a "flash" went past him and hid behind the porch swing. He told me that he wasn't too sure what it was, but after describing the tail (which could be seen sticking out), I knew we either had a possum or a rat. Luckily, Joe Vanderslice showed up, and the brave soul~ bless his heart~ went over and coaxed it out with a stick. It was a big ol' possum! Now I know to take the kitten's food inside at night!

Here he is, my Eagle Scout! I don't know if I'll ever get him back into his scout uniform now that he's accomplished "THE BIG ONE", but it was great while it lasted! Two more Eagles to go!

I am thankful for.... scouts who don't mind helping others accomplish their goals; scout and young men leaders who inspire~ even if it means giving a little nudge here and there; Dads who end up at the chiropractor after a day of digging, shoveling, and pushing a wheel barrow; missionaries who don't mind getting out of their white shirts to serve their brothers; scoutmasters who, even though they might feel a little out of their element, strive hard and show the pure love of Christ as they help these boys grow into honorable men; and little brothers who look to their big brother to help lead them down the path of adulthood.

A "before" photo of the Brotherton Cabin at Chickamauga Battlefield. There is a footpath leading up to the cabin from the highway, but it is not well-defined, nor does it have eye-appeal. When considering what his Eagle Scout project would be, Timothy spoke with the rangers, and they expressed an interest in having this pathway built for aesthetic reasons and also for the safety of the many people who visit the park.

This is an "after" picture of a small portion of the pathway done for Timothy's Eagle Project. The cabin sits along the highway that goes through Chickamauga Battlefield, sight of one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. Timothy and his associates did a wonderful job; it looks so beautiful. The rangers and employees of the Battlefield were very pleased!

So thankful for everyone who was able to come.

Pinning Timothy's Eagle medal on with his Dad and Jonathan Poon, his scoutmaster, looking on.

Over the years, we have enjoyed several trips to DisneyWorld and I believe to my soul that we love the place more than anyone we have ever known. I love this picture of Trey in his "Incredible" costume that we found while we were there. The movie had just come out and the costume wasn't available anywhere else. He looks so little! It wasn't such a long time ago....was it?

Ici, Tyler apporte une rose au tombeau d'Edith Piaf. Il aime beaucoup sa musique et aussi le film de sa vie: "La Vie en Rose". Son tombeau se trouve au Pere LaChaise pas loin des tombeaux de Chopin, Proust et Gertrude Stein. Apres cette visite nous sommes alle's au tombeau du Marquis de Lafayette qui est 'a Picpus pres de la Place des Nations. "Lafayette, nous voila'!"
Tyler loves Edith Piaf, and is shown here leaving a rose on her grave. Tyler is my "old soul" who loves cars, music, weapons, airplanes and most anything else that is from about WWII and older.

This is Michaelangelo's "Pieta", and one of my top favorites of the trip. It is housed in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican. The picture is a little unclear because I had to take it from a video. As we stepped up to look at it, a choir in another area of the cathedral started to sing, as if right on cue. The hands of the artist could have only been guided by God. It is perfect. There is a temptation to look at Mary to see if she is breathing, or try to see her tears as she holds the crucified body of her Son. I don't understand how a big block of cold formless marble could end up as this magnificent piece that evoked quite strong emotions in me.

Timothy, Tyler and Trey at a restaurant in Rome. The food in Italy was some of the very best we had! And the Italian ice cream, known as Gelato, was completely heavenly. We learned to ask for water that was "flat" or else we would end up with fizzy "sparkling" water. Pop of any sort was sky high; it averaged around $6 for a serving at a meal, except near the Eiffel Tower and it was $12 there! The folks on that continent haven't discovered the glorious experience for the taste buds that a of a full glass of ice offers. We finally got enough ice with our drinks in England.

Germany, so very beautiful! This is the view from the trail to Neuschwanstein.

Here are my darlins in Germany, with the famous Neuschwanstein Castle behind them. It was an overcast day, unfortunately, so the castle is hard to see in this picture. It is so huge that you cannot take a good picture of it, unless you have access to a helicopter for a fly-over! I bought some beautiful pictures at the gift shop, so I will attempt later to scan a couple and post them. If this castle looks familiar to you, you may recognize it as being similar to the Cinderella castle at DisneyWorld. This is the one that inspired Walt Disney's design.

This is the tunnel in Paris where Princess Diana died. There were hundreds of memorials left on the overpass.

Notre Dame. It is quite a sight to see on the inside. A bit distressing was the number of gypsys outside begging. They have it down to a science. They pretend to have an infant (or they really do have a poor little baby) in their arms, and they motion to the baby's mouth, as if to offer food. They are all over Italy, France, and England. By the time we got to London I had gotten fed up with them and fussed at one outside Harrod's department store.

This is the train station in Paris where we first arrived. Travel by train is a wonderful way to see Europe. These buildings are very similar to our malls, equipped with eateries, shoppes, etc. Our hotel was just around the corner from this station, and just a little further away was the street where I was spat upon by the drunk French woman.

Recognize this lady? She's a little blurry, but remember she's pretty old. Mona Lisa lives at the Louvre in Paris. She seems to be pretty happy there.

This is the whole crew on St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. Along with our family is another branch of the family tree, Gary & Carmen Forrester, their daughter Katie, and nephew Josh. They joined us in Geneva, Switzerland where we caught the overnight train to Rome (which, in itself, is a whole 'nother story!). We were having dinner at an outside cafe when I overheard a lady at the next table speaking my favorite language, SOUTHERN! I "tuned in" and overheard her say that the Pope would be saying the rosary in about an hour on the Square. We were just around the corner from there so we all decided to go see. Not being Catholic, or Italian, we had no idea what to expect. After about two hours, the Pope did come out and speak. They gave everyone lighted candles; it was a sight to see. To this day, Trey can recite the rosary in Italian because they repeated it so many times!

This was our day at the beach in France, but not like you might think. This is Omaha Beach in Normandy where the famous WWII battle took place...right in these waters. Tyler is our WWII buff; this was his special place. On the hill high above the beach lies a plot of land, perfectly manicured and shining brighter than a new penny. This piece of land offers a view of the ocean which is absolutely magnificent and would certainly be a fine spot for a luxury hotel. Instead, it is an American cemetery, honoring the thousands of soldiers who lost their lives serving their country and the French people. The American flag flies in the center, and each half hour our national anthem is played over the speakers. If you didn't know better, you would think you were at home in America. After visiting churches and cathedrals all over Europe, Tyler says that this place was the most spiritual. I felt it too, and couldn't hold back the tears.

On our trip to Europe this summer, our first stop was in Switzerland, and this is the view out our window of our B & B! It was magnificent! On a clear day, the Matterhorn could be seen peeking through the wispy clouds and snowy peaks. At this B & B, our host, Madam Udry, spoiled us with breakfasts of wonderful crusty breads, homemade jams, homemade yogurt, cheeses, and meats! It was glorious to wake up to the spread on the table accompanied by the view of the Alps! I'll never ever forget it!

Here are my four handsome guys! I love them all so much! I took this last winter when we stopped in at Glen-Gene Deli. Trey looks really small in this picture, but he has gone through such a major growth spurt in the last several months. Our boys are so awesome! Can't you just see what a good Daddy Ellis is??

This is a picture taken in 1928 of my Mom's side of the family. She was six years old, and the baby girl in her family of eight children. Her parents were well into their forties when she was born! She is the little dark haired girl with the pixie cut sitting on her mom's lap on the second row, just to the right of center. To her left is her oldest sister and her husband. Looking at them, their age differences are obvious! I never knew my maternal Grandfather, however, I love him with all my heart. He was a precious God-fearing man who loved his family with all that he had. And my maternal Grandmother, Mama Jennie (after whom I am named), was a part of my life every single day from my birth until she passed away when I was in fifth grade. She lived with us; such a great blessing for me! I love this picture. In it are many aunts, uncles, cousins, and a great-grandfather, many of whom I never knew.