when girlie peas hurt

As Momma Peas, we deal with throw up, diarrhea, sniffles, cuts, bruises. We even deal with bullying, name-calling, and mean girls. So much we can deal with. So much we can handle. So much we take on with our kids. We fight their battles; we cry their tears. When they hurt; we hurt.

There is a family hurting more than I can even imagine. They are the Kelley family. I don't know them and they don't know me. But, I can't get them off my mind.

Jordan Kelley was a 15 year old honor student and athlete that altered my family's life, maybe forever. Last Saturday night, he chose to take his own life. He jumped off a balcony at hotel in downtown Dallas. He landed on the second floor, shattering his body, and glass.

The shattered glass hit my daughter. As one onlooker put it, "...we heard something crash and a chunk of glass fell almost hitting a young woman, about to go onto the escalators to the second floor...." That young woman was *my* young woman.

Anne was at the hotel that night for a friend's birthday. A posh downtown hotel stay, dessert at Wolfgang Puck's 360 degree, spinning, tower restaurant and a trip to the Dallas Museum of Art to see Jean Paul Gaultier's fashion collection; it should have been a 13th birthday fit for a pea princess.

I can't "fix" this and it sucks. I feel helpless and mad and sad and...hurt. Hurt for my baby. I should feel more hurt for the life that was lost, for the boy that felt he had no way out of his problems and for the family he left in shambles. But, like him, I am selfish. I want my baby to be okay. I don't want to see her in pain. I don't know how this story ends. I don't know when she will be "healed."

I am learning as I go. I am having to trust that God will heal in His time. I have no patience; so I am learning.

Pray for peace in the souls affected. Pray for comfort and strength. Pray that these peas who witnessed this suicide will witness God's love to others. Pray that something good rises from the shattered glass. Just pray for your babies. And tell them you love them right this second.

holiday hangover

We peas made it through the holidays all in one pea-ce! We were so blessed to spend Christmas with King Pea's side of the family in Tennessee and Georgia. It was way too short, but so fabulous! Grandpa and Paula Pea were the best hosts, as always! We spent time in Georgia with our family peas that we haven't seen in way too long. Our girlie peas were sweet and wonderful. We couldn't be more blessed! Here's my pea-utiful family! We were missing a few, but it's joyous that we were together! And Grandpea Tim's eyes are open! Yay! 

We then went to good ol' Hale Center for New Year's Day/Christmas! I didn't quite get my fill of my niece peas! I needed several more days of them! Rylee Pea was so sweet. She is four, and Christmas with a four year old cannot be beat! She was precious and so thankful for all of her gifts. And she has the cutest pea-rsonality! She's funny like her Daddy, but she definitely gets her sweetness from her Momma! Preslee Pea was a joy! I don't think she spent more than two minutes *not* being held! I missed the baby girl smell even as we drove home! Nina and Papa D made the whole weekend wonderful! If only King Pea had been there....


And miracle of all miracles...I got to see my two best childhood friends! AND their baby girlies! I may have two teenage girl peas, but they have baby girl peas! Cody is my first best friend I ever had. I could tell you really funny stories about us growing up (but I'll spare you this time!). He and his beautiful and sweet wife have baby twin girls! Carlie and Sophie are just precious! 


My Cindy is my best friend from junior high and high school! I love her like a sister! She has *three* baby girls, who are all pea-utiful! I wish I would have seen her under better circumstances, but I wouldn't trade those few minutes for anything! I miss my awesome friends!


Last weekend is when I had planned on having my blog updated since it was the first after our travels. But, Queen Pea had a head cold and I pretty much relaxed. Even as I type this I am looking at our half-untrimmed tree! 


Our Christmases were chaotic, beautiful, over too soon, and blessed beyond our dreams. I ate too much, gained too much, and now it's time for normal life. Yeah, right!


Merry Christmas! It's never too early or late to celebrate our Lord's birth!