Mel's Redefined Life

Christmas came to our house!! We were very blessed this year.  An anonymous donor adopted our family through the elementary school and brought us big black garbage bags full of goodies for all three kids! Aunt Sally, bless her beautiful heart, got several amazing gifts for the kids too AND lots of new clothes! Nana & Papa Barnett send each boy a toy, and Aunt Susan and Aunt Amy & Uncle Brad also sent gifts. The boys had a GREAT Christmas! William did not feel well. He spent the whole night on Christmas Eve very sick to his stomach and when we started with presents on Christmas morning, he was laying on the floor, just watching everyone else. Poor kid! Still, he powered through and joined in the festivities. James is slightly spoiled :P We made a delicious dinner! Between me and Lia cooking, everything was fantastic. And the one thing I wanted was a giant teddy bear :) I got my giant teddy bear!! NEXT (Link)...

Christmas Eve. Today is my birthday. I woke up to being brought breakfast in bed by the boys, courtesy of Kellie, which was AMAZINGGGGGGG.... I have mixed feelings about my birthday this year. I don't want to get older - of course - but I am SO THANKFUL to have made it to another birthday. This year I turn 38 years old. 2017 has been the most difficult year of my life... I was diagnosed with cancer. I lost my breasts. I lost my car. I lost my home. But I GAINED so much. I gained new family within in sisterhood of survivors. I found a new home with a landlord who is the most amazing man and has the most amazing wife! To be blessed with a landlord who has been thoughtful and wonderful and prayed with me and over me so many times has been a blessing beyond all. I replaced the car. I replaced the breasts. Life is short, y'all. LIVE each day - don't just exist. LOVE the people you love. Don't hold back. Don't pretend you don't care when you ...

It's not ACTUALLY a cat... it's a puppy! How does this happen to me? :P On December 1, 2017, I was heading to Wal-Mart with the boys and in the edge of the parking lot was a lady with puppies. It was getting dark. I couldn't tell what kind of puppies she had and I got curious. I turned the car around the look. I thought, hmm, small dogs... Nope. Pit Bull puppies. Game over. Mic drop. Meet Miss "Princess" - aptly nick-named because she is the only girl animal in residence ;) Her "real" name is Rosalie Mary, aka Rosie. Her momma's name is Indica, so I felt like Mary Jane was a great name for her. (FYI Indica is a type of marijuana, hence "Mary Jane" as a descendent - lol!) Then I somehow started trying to call her Rose... not sure why... it just came out. So Rosalie stuck and she became Rosalie Mary. Rotten? Never... That is one James, one Rocky and one Teddy all curled up... see...