In the last 12 days, there have been a lot of exciting times and included in those 12 days are my 32nd birthday, high school graduations of 2 cousins, Uncle Robert's horrendous life-threatening wreck, and a triple baby baptism. And in there somewhere, I have held a more than full-time job. Sounds like life to me....
This blog entry will be the "mega blog" of all blogs. As most of you may know, I have purchased a new "grown up" camera and I enjoy it more than I should. So....enjoy the pics and forgive the amateur flaws. Events are chronological:
Birthday: I look forward to my birthday (June 10) every single year with more anticipation than the year before. Strange? Maybe...
Have you ever seen a white Iris? I had not and I just fell in love with them in this arrangement (front left) The arrangement on the right was sent my my parents and the gerber daisies (my everday favorites) were given to me by my team at work. I really love flowers, and I was not disappointed!
I've blogged about my friend who has a pre-teen daughter who is starting to really enjoy baking. Erin baked me these muffins for my birthday breakfast and made a card to go with it. They left them on my doorstep....so sweet and yummy! (muffins were blueberry)GRADUATION 2009:
It is not uncommon for there to be multiple Sullivan graduates in any given year, but this year there were NO Sullivan graduates and TWO Joseph graduates! I cannot believe these 2 great cousins are actually old enough to graduate! I am so proud of the young man/lady that Craig and Stacy have become. Both are enrolled at Ole Miss this fall and plan to pledge (won't give away their secret until later as to which one they have chosen....)
CRAIG THOMAS JOSEPH
Briarcrest Christian School
Germantown, TN
Craig-man lined up and ready for the graduation march!
Craig receiving his diploma from the Headmaster
Uncle Tom, Aunt Andrea, Craig and Steven (reverse order) after the ceremony
The entire family in Memphis AFTER graduation...about to enjoy BBQ from Wild Hog at Tom & Andrea's house! (yours truly is never in any pictures because I am the photographer!)
The Joseph family waiting for Craig's name to be called...glad everyone is paying attention! (L-R)Robert, Steven, Lisa, Tom, Andrea, Mamawgran, Grandaddy, Mom, Dad
(Drew & Laura Eidt and Donna, Andrea's parents and sister, were sitting right behing my parents)
STACY BROOKE JOSEPH
Myers Park High School
Charlotte, NC
This smile says it all.....
So proud!
The Joseph's waiting for the ceremony for 650 students to begin...Robert, Ashley, Mom, Dad, Andrea, Tom, (Ron and Brenda Smith, Stacy's step-dad and Mom)
Pre-Graduation Dinner on SaturdayAshley, Me, Stacy
Mom & Dad(Dad asked me to count before I snapped the picture...guess he wanted to be candid...LOVE this picture!)
Tom & Andrea
Robert, Mom, Dad, Tom, Andrea, Ashley, Patsy, Stacy, and MeJoseph Family after a fantastic meal at Village Tavern
(wonderful outdoor patio restaurant in downtown Charlotte)
After Graduation on Sunday afternoon, Robert, Mom, Dad, me, Stacy, and Ashley enjoyed the Charlotte Symphony in the Park. It is a wonderful evening of picnics, live bands, and then the Charlotte Symphony. We had a wonderful time relaxing and enjoying just being together. Ashley is always a ham and I thought that this picture was so fitting of her personality....this reminds me of the Parent Trap movie scene when the twins are under water playing a trick on their soon to be step-mom...ha!
Ashley Barrett JosephROBERT
Stacy's graduation was on Sunday, June 14. The next morning, we all headed to the airport to make our way back home to Mississippi, Tennessee, and Arkansas. Robert had driven so that he would have a vehicle to run errands, take care of some business, and hang out with the girls (he came a few days before the rest of us). So, on Monday, he started driving to Mississippi instead of flying with the rest of us. He usually takes his time driving and this trip was no different. He broke the trip up into 2 days of driving. On Tuesday evening, when he was in Port Gibson, he hit the bridge on the Natchez Trace that crosses Hwy 18. He was airlifted to University Medical Center in Jackson, paralyzed from the chest down. He had fractures on C4-9 vertebrates and had to be put on a ventilator. In an instant, his life changed forever. Today is the 1 week anniversary of this accident. Today, he was taken off the ventilator and was able to breathe on his own. His legs moved involuntarily, but we are greatly encouraged! As he comes to our mind, please say a prayer for him. Pray for healing, guidance, and acceptance of God's second chance.
Robert and the girls (Stacy & Ashley) at Stacy's graduation on June 14.Infant Baptism
This past weekend was a very special time for the Sullivan family at large. THREE Sullivan children were baptized at Meadville United Methodist Church: Callie Rivers Sullivan, Charles Verne Herring, and Kale Sullivan Thomas. They are the children of Chris & Stephanie Sullivan, Brett & Vista (Sullivan) Herring, and Scott & Summer (Sullivan/Robertson) Thomas. Adding to the speical meaning of this weekend is the fact that these children mark another generation of Sullivan baptisms at MUMC.
A little history: My Great-Grandparents, Herbert & Margie Kate (Cain) Babington, moved from Franklinton, LA to charter the Bank of Franklin, where he was a VP and she was active in teh community and started many organizations. They chose Meadville UMC as their home church. They raised their children: Herb, Mary Ann, and Margie Townes in this church. Herb and Mary Ann married and moved away, but Margie Townes married Verne Sullivan and also chose their home church as Meadville UMC. They raised their family in this church and each one was baptized there. Their children are Bo, Steve (my Dad), Bill, Rex, Pat, Cindy and Judy. Each of these married and raised their families in Meadville, but only my Dad kept MUMC as a home church. When my Mom and Dad had me, Chris and Sarah, we all were baptized as infants in MUMC. Now, Chris has a daughter and he and his wife, Stephanie, have chosen to come from Canton, MS to baptize Callie. Even though they do not live in Meadville and attend MUMC regularly, they claim it as their home church because "there just isn't any church in Jackson like it..."
Recently, Vista and Brett have moved from Oxford and have chosen MUMC as their home church. Summer and Scott live in a Chattanooga, TN surburb, but chose to have Kale baptized in MUMC because of the special family meaning of this church and the awesome opportunity to share this special day with other cousins. I am so glad that they did!
Here are a few pictures from the weekend:
Saturday:
Saturday:
Kale and CallieKale wasn't real sure about the "green stuff" and Callie just loved it
Callie examining a flower in Sue-Baby's flower bed...wonder if she will be a future gardener like her Mom and Grandmothers????
I absolutely LOVE this picture...Callie is just kicked back resting on Chris' legs. She doesn't have a care in the world and was watching Kale and the rest of the crew
It's near impossible to get this many babies coordinated for a picture, but I tried!
The cousins and Mamaw Sullivan
Callie's family (L-R) 
The Herrings:
I failed to get a picture of Uncle Rex and Vista, Charles Verne and Brett...he snuck away before I could get a photo! BUT he was there and very proud! 
Callie has learned that pulling paci's out of other baby's mouths is very fun! Kale didn't think so...
MONDAY: 
Notice that she has her "bracelet" and had been playing with her paci...
Isabella Ann
Callie examining a flower in Sue-Baby's flower bed...wonder if she will be a future gardener like her Mom and Grandmothers????
I absolutely LOVE this picture...Callie is just kicked back resting on Chris' legs. She doesn't have a care in the world and was watching Kale and the rest of the crew
It's near impossible to get this many babies coordinated for a picture, but I tried!The babies and their parents: (L-R)
Vista, Brett, Charles Verne
Stephanie, Chris, Callie
Summer, Kale and Scott
The cousins and Mamaw SullivanVista, Charles Verne, Callie, Chris, Mamaw, Summer, Kale
You will notice that the girl cousins had boy babies and THE boy had the girl
Callie's family (L-R)Pete & Tina Robertson (Stephanie's parents from Huntsville, AL)
Stephanie, Chris, & Callie
Mom, Dad, me, Sarah & Elliott Stebbins
Tim & Cindy (Sullivan) Robertson
Summer, Kale and Scott Thomas
The Herrings:Cliff/Clint (twins that I can never tell apart...)
Niki, one of the twins girlfriend (sorry, cannot remember whose!)
Vista, Charles Verne & Brett
Myra & Howard
I failed to get a picture of Uncle Rex and Vista, Charles Verne and Brett...he snuck away before I could get a photo! BUT he was there and very proud!
Callie has learned that pulling paci's out of other baby's mouths is very fun! Kale didn't think so...(Callie doesn't take a paci, but prefers to play with hers...and everyone else's)
MONDAY:
I got to keep Callie on Monday ALL BY MYSELF! It never happens where I am able to do that, so I jumped at the opportunity! We had so much fun hanging out!
An added bonus to an already wonderful day was that my friends Lorrie and Crystal brought lunch out to me in Canton! I was SO excited to see them and am so thankful that they would take time out of a busy Monday to visit me! They were only able to visit for about 2 hours, but I am so THANKFUL!
Callie loves her swing outside on the porch. She fell asleep in it twice and on the 2nd time, I just had to snap a picture....
Notice that she has her "bracelet" and had been playing with her paci...TRIPLETS:
Monday afternoon, Stephanie and I took Callie to meet the Triplets. These are the new babies of Josh and Elizabeth (Sullivan) Isles. The Triplets were born on April 28 at 33 weeks. They all were home within 4 weeks of birth. AMAZING! They are now 8 weeks old and have doubled their birth weight. Their original due date was June 20 (this past weekend) and they weigh 8, 7.5, and 5 lbs. They so sweet and tiny...see for yourselves:
Isabella AnnShe never cries and is SO GOOD!!
Ian Knight
Isaac William
Ian KnightHe decided to yawn real big just as I snapped the picture. Guess he wanted us to see his tonsils?? Such a sweet boy!
Isaac WilliamHe "wants to be an only child" according to his parents. He is independent already...definitely the leader of the bunch.
TUESDAY-SUNDAY
This week, I am in New York, New Jersey, and Philadelphia. I am working up here, but already having a great time! Tonight, we spent the evening at 230 Fifth Avenue on a rooftop bar and then walked Times Square and had dinner (at 10:00) at a local NYC pizza by the slice place. Loving the city already....more to come on this trip later.
