Here Lately

  The P and I visited my sister in the tiny community she lives in.  Morgan lives in an adorable old rent house right smack on Main Street.  We took a walk down the street to the itsy bitsy grocery store.  This store was the cleanest little store I have ever been into.  It scored extra awesome points in my book due to an aisle dedicated to Little Debbie snack cakes.  (Dear Little Debbie, you are ruining any chance of me recovering my post baby body.  You're cute and all, but seriously, you gotta leave me alone.  P.S.  I still love you.)

Aunt Coach Hobbs buying cow juice and a giant Butterfinger.  Notice the computers in the background. No, it's not a communnity internet hub, but SLOT MACHINES!  Double high five for the bologny and  in the fridge.

  Our friends Evan and Laken Vanderwall came a callin'!  We spent the afternoon in the cave and enjoyed brinner complete with Ed's scrambled eggs, Laken Bacon (bacon fried until it is uber crispy), and a cereal bar consisting of Coco Puffs, Golden Grahams, Lucky Charms, and Trixs.  Our evening unintentional revolved around the paranormal.  What started off as conversation about unexplainable events in our lives, led to the water hose turning on and jumping about, as if, someone was shaking it.  Oh, and an UFO...but only seen by the boys.  Laken and I saw no UFO, but did see lightning bugs!

Chino, as taken by the talented photographer, Evan Vanderwall:

  I took some photos for my friend, Becca and her adorable one-day-shy-of-being-two year old, Kaelyn.  Oh, and you can see sister is well on her way!

 

This is what little country girls are made of:

Love, 

Shalayne

Baby Cakes!

Mmmm, yummy.  I love me some Sweet P Baby Cakes:

So what if her head measures a little huge at the doctor's office?  It's Adorable!

Baby Cat Cakes!

Love, 

Shalayne

This is What Happens

  When an eight year old brother accompanies his sister on a photo shoot:

Play Super Mario Brothers while sister gets her pose on.

Play Super Mario Brothers while running through a meadow.

Wears awesome Incredible Hulk T shirts.

Eats a giant bag of Funyuns.

OMG!

Asks to take a picture with his beautiful sister in the yellow flowers.

Love,

Shalayne

Rain

  I just don't get it.  I just don't realize.  It's been here the whole time...the rain.


  I love rain.  Hands down, I will take a cloudy, miserable- by -other's -standards, dreary day over a sunshine filled sky.  I have always been this way.  Sometimes, it gets a bit out of hand.  If I notice the forecast predicts days of sunny skies, it can put me in a foul mood.  Silly girl.  It rains everyday.


  Don't you remember?  You requested the song to play during your own wedding.

  "Hallelujah, grace like rain falls down on me

Hallelujah, all my stains are washed away, washed away"

 My God.  

 It rains everyday.

  I love epiphanies.  The're just big, fat, grace filled raindrops.

Little Things in Life

  I'm a cheap date.  When Ed asks me to accompany him to run errands, he might as well be saying "put on your sexy shoes, we're going dancing!"  Which, never happens because, A.  Me dancing is like watching that girl back in middle school cheerleading tryouts.  She's really, really bad and everybody knows she's not going to make it, so she should quit now and save herself the adolescent emberrassment....wait, that WAS me. B. The nearest dance hall is over an hour away, and the dancing doesn't start until 4 hours after we've already watched American Pickers, and passed out halfway through a dvr recording of Hoarders. Or, C. is both A and B.


  What I am trying to say, is that it does not take much to make me happy.  Really, it's the little things in life, like:

•   Coffee in the morning.  Swiss Mocha, please!
•   Unsolicited smiles from the Sweet P
•   Getting lost in thought about art & life while driving
•   When Julio does that half purr, half meow thing.  Purmow?
•   Finding one last Cadbury Bunny Egg in the fridge when you were more than sure you ate the last one for breakfast yesterday morning
•   Christmas Time!
•   When a 7 year old stops you in the hall to tell you, "I love you, Coach Mayfield"
•   When a 4 year old butchers your name because they are 4 years old and calls you, "Miss Coash Cakefill"
•   When folding laundry and you win the Mega Lotto after finding $20 in the left pocket of a pair of jeans
•   Doing the "Dr. Laura Dance" in the car when my favorite on air psychotherapists' theme song plays.
•   Mmmmm Church Lady food
•   The smell of MeMaws home
•   Flying in the Piper Cub in my pajamas
•   Resting my head on your chest right before I fall asleep
•   Red Polka dotted dishes
•   Thunderstorms

  

  Oh, There's lots more.  I'll save that for another time.  What are you're Little Things in Life?

  Love,

  Shalayne

  The stuff of life is not always rainbows and butterflies.  Sometimes, it is just downright sad.  Today, is one of those days.  Even during the most heartbreaking of times, their lies something beautiful.  Perhaps in the comfort of a sweet release, or even a relief knowing that a loved one is no longer suffering.  The most Godly woman I know WON her battle against cancer today.  You've rested long enough, now it is time to rejoice in your new body and spirit.

  As for you, my dear friend.  You have been my neighbor, classmate, teammate, college buddy, and now one of my closest friends.  For almost a dozen years, I have watched God prepare you for this role.  I have witnessed you care for, love, and sacrifice for all those lucky enough to call you Mom, wife, sister, family, and friend.  You are only twenty five years old, but God has trusted you as the epicenter and matriarch of an amazing family.  This is going to be rough, but you've got me.  I look forward to pushing our strollers side by side again real soon.  I love you.

Love, 

Shalayne

  

She thinks you're an angel

because you are an angel.