The Muldrows

21-week update

2012-02-01T15:36:00.002-05:00

How Far along? 21 weeks (Only 19 weeks to go!!)

Size of the Baby? According to thebump.com, Claire is about the size of a banana.

Maternity Clothes? Still loving my maternity clothes.

Gender? Sweet little baby girl :)

Movement? Lots!

Sleep? Sleeping is becoming a little more challenging, which is to be expected when sharing a bed with a husband AND a full-size body pillow. It may be time to upgrade to a king-size bed.

Cravings? I have no idea when I developed such a sweet tooth, but I can't get enough sugar these days.

Symptoms? I feel awesome!

What I miss? I still miss sleeping on my back.

Milestones? We're registering Claire for day school Monday morning. Gosh, our baby isn't even here yet, and she's already making plans for school. They grow up so fast!

Weight Gain? 12 lbs

What I’m excited about? Have I mentioned that I'm really ready for Trent to feel Claire move?!

Your baby at 21 weeks (from thebump.com):
-As her digestive system preps for the outside world, she's manufacturing meconium -- the tarry black substance you'll find in her first dirty diaper (ew)!
-If it's a girl, she's already got a lifetime's supply of eggs in her womb--about six million of them!

Belly bump pics weeks 20 and 21

2012-02-01T14:45:00.000-05:00

Only 19 weeks to go! Check out how the belly bump is progressing.

Week 20:

Week 21:

(casual version)

(work version)

The Return of the Muldrows

2012-02-01T14:35:00.002-05:00

That's right, folks. Trent and I are back in SC. Actually, we've been back since Sunday night, but I've had absolutely no spare time to update the blog.

We had a great time in Snowshoe, WV. Although, I must admit, it's strange to go on a "ski trip" and not ski. Oh well, Trent and the rest of the group made up for my lack of time on the slopes. And, for the first time in Team Muldrow ski trip history, I didn't fall a single time! Woohoos are definitely in order.

And, what did I do for four days, you ask? Well, I spent my time eating a lot and sleeping a lot. Not a bad way to spend a few days off if you ask me :)

Here are the only photos Trent and I took during the trip:

Kelli and Steve

Suzi and Dean

Trent and me

While it was awesome to see snow this winter, it's been nice having 65+ degree temps in Columbia the past few days.

Enjoy your day!
Jamie

20-week ultrasound and belly pics

2012-01-24T10:05:00.001-05:00

Yesterday's ultrasound was incredible! It was the detailed ultrasound where we got to see Claire's major organs, and we received a good report. She's measuring a few days ahead of schedule and her development is right on track.

Here are some photos from the ultrasound:

And, here are some mommy-to-be belly pics plus a half shot of daddy-to-be:

And, we certainly can't forget the big-sisters-to-be:

20-week update

2012-01-23T13:58:00.004-05:00

How Far along? 20 weeks (We're halfway there!! Woohoo!!)

Size of the Baby? According to thebump.com, Claire is about the size of a cantaloupe.

Maternity Clothes? Still loving my maternity clothes!

Gender? Baby girl!

Movement? She's on the move a lot these days :)

Sleep? Sleeping is becoming a little more challenging, which is to be expected when sharing a bed with a husband and, at times, two furbabies.

Cravings? Super delicious Cadbury Creme Eggs

Symptoms? I still feel great! I've experienced some lower back pain, but no leg pain or swelling to speak of.

What I miss? I definitely miss sleeping on my back.

Milestones? We're looking forward to today's 20-week ultrasound :)

Weight Gain? 11 lbs

What I’m excited about? I'm so ready for Trent to feel Claire move!

Claire's first dollhouse

2012-01-23T13:53:00.000-05:00

Remember the illogical purchases I mentioned? Here's another one to add to the list.

So cute, I know! Assembling this dollhouse bookcase was the highlight of Trent's Saturday night. Yes, we're extremely exciting people :)

Cantaloupe Baby

2012-01-22T17:24:00.000-05:00

Baby Claire is the size of a cantaloupe! She weighs about 10.2 ounces and measures about 6.5 inches.

Tomorrow is the day of our 20-week ultrasound appointment. We can't wait to see how Claire is progressing!

Stay tuned for more updates.

Love,
Jamie & Trent

We have paint!

2012-01-17T10:34:00.001-05:00

We purchased paint for Claire's nursery yesterday.

It's Belle of the Ball by Behr. Here's what it looks like:

Only 21 more weeks until our baby girl arrives!

Week 19 update

2012-01-17T07:21:00.000-05:00

How Far along? 19 weeks

Size of the Baby? According to babycenter.com, baby equals a large heirloom tomato in size and weighs 8 1/2 ounces (length: 6 inches, head to bottom).

Maternity Clothes? I love maternity clothes! I purchased a few items over the weekend, and I think I should have enough clothes to last me throughout the rest of my pregnancy.

Gender? Sweet baby girl Claire :)

Movement? I'm so ready for Trent to be able to feel Claire move!

Sleep? I'm sleeping like a baby these days.

Cravings? Thanks to a very sweet friend, I was finally able to take care of my Tiffany's Bakery craving. Thanks, Paula, for the delicious pound cake!

Symptoms? I feel great!

What I miss? I still miss sleeping on my back.

Milestones? We're looking forward to next Monday's 20-week ultrasound :)

Weight Gain? 9 lbs and right on track

What I’m excited about? I can't wait to see the nursery come together! We purchased a dresser and some pink paint over the weekend, and the chandelier for Claire's room arrived last week. Now we just need to get her crib and a rocking chair of some sort (still trying to decide between a rocking recliner or a glider).

Little Suzy Homemaker?

2012-01-16T10:47:00.000-05:00

I've decided it's time to learn how to sew. Of course, I know nothing about using a sewing machine, but I'm ready and willing to embrace this as my new hobby.

If you're an avid sewer, or if you know anything at all about purchasing a sewing machine, please leave a comment with your feedback and advice.

I definitely want a sewing machine that monograms. With baby Claire's arrival only 4.5 months away, I'd love to start monogramming onesies and other items for her ASAP.

Thanks for your help!
Jamie

Baby's gotta swim!

2012-01-12T17:07:00.001-05:00

I couldn't resist!

Check out Claire's Baby Gap swimsuit for this summer:

I'm sure this is the first of many illogical baby purchases :)

Week 18 baby bump

2012-01-12T16:35:00.001-05:00

Yay! The bump keeps growing!

Grow, Claire, Grow :)

18-week update

2012-01-11T07:00:00.001-05:00

How Far along? 18 weeks (4 1/2 months)

Size of the Baby? size of a sweet potato

Maternity Clothes? Definitely! Last weekend, I completely converted my closet to all maternity and pregnancy-friendly clothes.

Gender? It's a girl! Claire Campbell Muldrow

Movement? Claire is pretty active these days :)

Sleep? Thankfully, I'm able to sleep comfortably. I'm mastered the body pillow, which has been a lifesaver.

Cravings? The past few days, I've been craving cake: Tiffany's bakery pound cake, coconut cake and cupcakes. Unfortunately, I've had none of these things :(

Symptoms? I feel great! I have to get up at least once a night to go to the bathroom, and I've been experiencing some joint pain in my hips and back, but other than that, I feel really good.

What I miss? I miss sleeping on my back, although I typically wake up in that position.

Milestones? Feeling Claire move has been so exciting! I can't wait for Trent to be able to feel her kicks. Shouldn't be too much longer :)

Weight Gain? 8 lbs

What I’m excited about? I'm excited about decorating the nursery and seeing our sweet baby girl at our 20-week ultrasound appointment on Jan. 23.

We have confirmed baby movement!

2012-01-06T15:42:00.000-05:00

Oh my goodness, Claire is moving nonstop today!

I've felt similar "flutters" for a couple of weeks, but I wasn't certain if it was her. Today, however, I'm pretty sure it's our sweet baby moving around :)

What an exciting milestone!

Here are some photos from our 16-week appointment.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Love,
Team Muldrow

17 weeks

2012-01-02T08:10:00.000-05:00

Beginning this week, I'm borrowing the following idea from other mommies-to-be to update you on baby Claire:

How far along? I'll be 17 weeks tomorrow.

Size of the baby? Claire is now the size of an onion. According to thebump.com, she's about 5.1 inches long and weighs about 5.9 ounces.

Maternity clothes? I've been wearing maternity clothes for a few weeks now. They're so comfy.

Gender? It's a girl! Her name is Claire Campbell Muldrow.

Movement? I keep feeling a bubbling sensation in my belly. I like to think it's Claire, but I'm not sure.

Sleep? Overall, I'm sleeping well, although I'm struggling a bit with my new body pillow.

Cravings? My cravings have been fairly calm, but throughout my pregnancy, I've been craving ice cream, fruit and cheeseburgers.

Symptoms? I feel some ligament pain in my abdomen and hips, but it's no big deal. Overall, I feel great!

What I miss? I miss nothing so far.

Milestones? Finding out Baby Muldrow's gender has made the experience seem very real.

Weight Gain? I've gained approximately 6 lbs since September.

What I’m excited about? We're looking forward to our 20-week ultrasound appointment on Jan. 23. It's always exciting getting to see our sweet baby!

Thebump.com week 17 update:
-Her rubbery cartilage is now turning to bone.
-And she's growing some meat on those bones -- putting on some fat.
-She's growing a stronger, thicker umbilical cord, too.

Baby Muldrow is a girl!

2011-12-29T10:05:00.005-05:00

After 40 looooonnnnng minutes of trying to determining baby Muldrow's gender, she finally revealed herself! Trent and I certainly hope she maintains that level of modesty throughout her life :)

We are so in love with our baby girl!!!

After our ultrasound appointment yesterday, we headed over to Buy Buy Baby and Target to set up our registries. We also set up our registry online for Pottery Barn Kids. We thought we might as well embrace my newfound energy and Trent's time off. It was a lot of fun, but it was pretty exhausting! Babies require A LOT of stuff!

Thank you all for your support, advice, thoughts and prayers during this very exciting time! We're incredibly grateful for you, and we can't wait for you to meet our sweet baby girl.

Much love,
Jamie & Trent

16 weeks

2011-12-28T08:57:00.002-05:00

Baby Muldrow is now the size of an avocado! Tiny bones are forming in baby's ears, plus eyebrows, lashes, and hair are starting to fill in, and taste buds are forming.

Today is our 16-week check-up, and it's also the day that we're supposed to find out if Baby Muldrow is a boy or a girl. Trent and I are so excited to find out! He still thinks it's a girl, and I still think it's a boy. One of us is definitely right :) Stay tuned...

We had a wonderful Christmas holiday. Trent, Mom and I spent Christmas Eve in Manning with Trent's parents, Granny, aunts, uncles and cousins, and Christmas morning, we headed to Mt. Airy to see my dad and extended family. For the first time in a very long time, (I think) every grandchild and great grandchild was at Nana and Papa's house this Christmas at some point during the day. What a special day!

We came home last night, and Trent went back to work this morning. I'm off until Jan. 3, and I have big plans of organizing my closet and packing up my "regular" clothes and replacing them with maternity clothing. I'm so grateful for the generous ladies in my life who lent me their maternity clothes. The items are beautiful and their kindness has saved us a lot of money.

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, and we wish you much happiness in 2012.

Love,
Jamie & Trent

Baby Bump Watch, week 15

2011-12-23T11:22:00.005-05:00

Week 15 has brought about a major change in my baby bump. My belly has popped, and it's pretty obvious to folks--other than just Trent and me--that I'm pregnant. I love it! I never thought I'd be so excited to see my belly grow, but it's the most amazing experience.

I made a promise to myself from day one that I was going to enjoy every moment of this pregnancy, and I'm definitely doing so. I love it. Although my first trimester was plagued with all-day sickness, I didn't mind it. I kept telling myself it was a good sign, and it meant the baby was healthy and my body was doing its job. I even became a napper, much to Trent's delight :)

So far, the second trimester has been a breeze. The nausea has subsided and my energy level has increased. I feel incredible, and I'm grateful for this symptom-free time.

I bought a body pillow last night, which Trent and I have named Kent Fuldrow. Kent takes up more bed space than Trent and me combined so it may be necessary to downsize to a smaller pillow. I'm a dedicated back sleeper so the transition to sleeping on my side continues to be a slow process. I start out on my side, but I always wake up on my back, even with Kent by my side.

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas! Trent and I are busy bees this holiday season. We're heading to visit family in Manning, Mt. Airy and Mullins over the next week and a half. We're also squeezing in some time to see our baby on the big screen at Dr. Keeton's office next Wednesday. This is the big appointment where we'll find out if Baby Muldrow is a boy or a girl. Can't wait!

Wishing you the happiest holiday season ever!

Much love,
Jamie & Trent

Hello, baby!

2011-12-22T18:06:00.002-05:00

Dear Baby Muldrow, love of my life:

I wish I could adequately convey how very excited I am that you'll be in my arms in 6 1/2 months. I love you so much, and my oh my, does your daddy love you, too!

The past 15 weeks have been incredible--from the moment we found out about you to the most recent ultrasound when we saw your cute little belly, arms, head and legs--and we've never been happier!

Baby Muldrow, you have been busy growing lately. This week, you're approximately 4 inches and about the size of a naval orange. We're anxiously awaiting to find out if you're a boy or a girl. Daddy thinks you're a girl, and I think you're a boy. One of us is definitely correct, and we can't wait to find out who!

Only 25 more weeks to go! We love you so much.

Mommy & Daddy

Baby Names

2011-12-08T07:32:00.004-05:00

After much thought, Trent and I have finally decided on names for our little one.

Drum roll please...

If it's a girl, her name will be Claire Campbell.

If it's a boy, his name will be Carson Cantey.

Clara is my paternal great grandmother's name, and Claire is a variation of that. Campbell is my maternal great grandmother's last name and my grandmother's maiden name, plus it's a name on Trent's maternal grandmother's side of the family. Cantey is Trent's grandfather's name (his full name is William Cantey Sprott, but he went by Cantey).

Now, we just have to be patient for 20 more days to find out if we're having Claire or Carson :) Can't wait!

Much love,
Jamie

What, it's November 28, 2011 already?

2011-11-28T09:51:00.003-05:00

Lord knows I'm some kind of overdue with updating the Muldrow blog. Life happens, and boy has it ever happened to us. Life is cooking in my belly!

That's right, Team Muldrow is adding a new member. Baby Muldrow is scheduled to arrive June 12, 2012. Crazy, right?! Trent and I are beyond excited, and we have every intention of spoiling this kid rotten. We already know he/she's going to discover the cure for cancer and instill world peace when he/she becomes president so what's the harm in a little spoiling?

Besides, we're freaking old, people, and our childhood slipped away decades ago so it's time to relive those glory days with our little one. Words can't express how excited I am about meeting our June bug! Seriously, this whole experience has been one part surreal, one part alien invasion and three parts incredible! Patience has never been my strongest attribute, but a new sense of calm (let's face it, any sense of calm is new to me) has completely taken me over. Hallelujah for Trent, the baby and me!

Today is our 12-week ultrasound, and Baby Muldrow should actually look like a baby today. Hopefully we'll get to hear the heartbeat as well. Yay!

In other exciting news, we've decorated for Christmas, and we even purchased a "real" tree this year. And, get this, we strung multi-color lights! This is the first year I've had a tree with multi-color lights since I was 8. This baby is having an interesting effect on me, but I like it :)

Thanksgiving was awesome, as always. We headed to Granny's and celebrated with lots of family, food and fellowship. It was just what Team Muldrow needed.

Yesterday, we went to Chapin to see Trent's dad, Eddie, inducted into the Chapin Hall of Fame. How cool is that?! Talk about a proud moment for the family! I'm very blessed to have such incredible in-laws, and I can't wait to see them become grandparents!

Happy Holidays to you and yours!
Jamie

2010 update

2010-03-27T19:27:00.004-04:00

Gosh, it hardly seems fair to try and pack almost four months worth of updates into one post, but here goes...

December:
Trent turned the BIG 3-0! Woo-hoo! Finally! We had a very fun party at Suzi and Dean's house along with lots of friends and family to celebrate Trent's big day. Afterwards, we headed to the Jaycees oyster roast, which was also lots of fun. I think it was so much fun that for a few minutes Trent forgot that he'd entered the world of THIRTY :)

Of course, December brings the birthdays of two members of Team Muldrow. We rang in number 3-2 for me with dinner at Hennessey's followed by dancing at Blue. Another fun night to help me forget that I'm getting older. Yikes!

And for the most important birthday of all--Happy Birthday, Jesus! We managed to once again visit all three families over the Christmas holiday. It was a wonderful holiday season, and as always, we loved getting to spend time with family and friends. We were even treated to a visit from the Hamricks and we got to see cutie pie baby Ian.

January:
I'm really having to test my brain power here. I have no recollection of what we did in January. I'm still in shock it's 2010, much less March 2010. Give me a second. I'm sure something will come to mind.

Now I remember...

We went on our annual ski trip to Snow Shoe in January. We had so much fun despite Trent injuring his wrist and an utter regression in my ski skills. I was terrified to ski this year! I even ended up heading down a black diamond and proceeded to make myself fall down and climb back to the top. It was not a pretty sight--or sound for that matter considering I was screaming "I'm gonna die!" the entire time. But alas, we survived although Trent had a painfully long ride home after overindulging at the local watering hole during our last night in WV. I was skiing while the debauchery was taking place. Supposedly, there's a video, but I've yet to see it.

February:
I endured the most painful experience of my life in February 2010--teeth power-whitening. I can only imagine that it's comparable to labor. OMG--never again. I literally thought I was going to drown by my own saliva. It was the most excruciatingly painful experience I've ever gone through, and I've been through some painful experiences, y'all!

March:
Trent succumbed to the seasonal flu. Poor Trent. It was awful. He stayed in bed for an entire week. We lived like a 1950's couple in separate bedrooms.

Luckily, Trent bounced back in time for the St. Pat's Festival in Five Points where I proceeded to dress up as Buddy the Blood Drop and Trent drove the ARC Hummer in the St. Pat's parade. Good times! We didn't last long at the festival, but it was still fun to hang out for a little while before we headed home for a three-hour nap. I'm getting to the age where I'm actually appreciating naps--never thought I'd see the day.

March was also the month for the Junior Woman's Club of Columbia's Baubles & Bubbles 2010 fundraiser. What an incredible event! It was last Thursday, and I'm still trying to recover. Two other club members and I have been planning the event for almost 10 months, and it was so exciting to see it come to life.

Well, folks, those are the highlights for the past four months. Hope you're doing well. We miss you! Take care.

Much love,
Jamie & Trent

Can I get a what, what...

2009-12-03T10:21:00.010-05:00

It's probably not the best sign that our holiday letter from last year is still on the opening page because--oh, I don't know--we've only added a few posts in the span of a year. Shameful, I tell ya.

Or then again, maybe it's a good sign. Perhaps it's an indication of how busy we've been living life. Yes, let's look at it that way, rose-tinted glasses and all.

So, howdy folks--I can say "howdy" now that I own a pair of cowboy boots. How are ya? Don't you just love the festive new image at the top of the site? Pretty dang festive, don't ya think? Sitting on a boat with the wind in our hair holding two dogs against their will just screams "MERRY CHRISTMAS."

For real, y'all, it's almost Christmas which of course means it's almost time to celebrate another year in the lives of Jesus Christ, Trent (Dec. 10) and Jamie (Dec. 17) Muldrow. December is an awesome month. Jesus and the Muldrows--all within two weeks and one day. Something bad is probably going to happen to me considering that was somewhat of a joke in which I included Jesus. "Please don't punish me, God. It's all in the name of good fun." (Surely God has a sense of humor. I mean, come on, have you seen my feet? Hilarious.)

Why does it take me so long to get to my point? Just so you know--this is how it is in my head--be glad you only have to suffer through a short blog post. I deal with this mess on a daily basis.

Anyway, hope your holiday season is off to a fantastic start! That reminds me, I keep looking for ways to work "fantastic" into my daily verbiage, and believe me, it's tough to do. Guess most daily occurences don't warrant the "fantastic" label. Hey, maybe I set up a separate label for posts in which "fantastic" is included. Oh dear, here I go again...

love letter to J. Crew

2009-11-09T13:15:00.005-05:00

Dear J. Crew, love of my life:

Why are you so overpriced?

We've had our share of tough times over the of years. First there was the low-pay, high-stress job, followed by a two-year stint in a male-dominated office where I was ridiculed for my keen fashion sense. And who can forget the lay-off from said office job when I feared years of unemployment and subsequent lack of spending power for jcrew.com?

But, alas, J. Crew, you stood by my side even going so far as to offer 30 percent off sales. You're hard to resist. Why who else can combine shorts, a flower belt and a cardigan with open-toe heels and textured tights? No one. There's no one else who gets me like you do, J. Try as I might, I keep getting lured into your web.

Just today, when I was feeling so strong and still riding the high of paying off my Chase card, you came back into my life. You and your empty promises of always being only a click away tempting me with free shipping and fall sales. But, there's always a catch with you. There's always a minimum--spend $150--to gaining your acceptance.

And you know what, J. Crew? It may be that I need to stop spreading myself thin. I need to stop giving in and finally devote myself 100 percent to the one who truly loves me--Banana Republic. Banana knows how to treat me right with free $10 and $20 coupons, the ability to return "final sale" items and their most recent proposal--spend money and designate a portion of the cost to the charity of my choice.

Those are fighting words, J. Crew. I know you pride yourself on being a lover, but sometimes you just need to step up to the ring. I think you just may have disspointed me for the last time...oh, who am I kidding?

Regretfully yours,
Jamie

TheMuldrows.com must go on

2009-08-16T11:46:00.006-04:00

Despite the utter lack of updates since February, we're very much alive and kicking. Perhaps that's the problem--we're VERY MUCH alive and kicking and there's just not enough time to do everything, so the blog must suffer.

Trent and I have been busy with work, but no news there. Thankfully, we enjoy our jobs, and we're extremely grateful to have careers that are fulfilling and stable.

Serving on the Jaycees board has also occupied a lot of time over the past several months. We have made the decision to not serve on next year's board, but stay on as members. It's been a very rewarding experience being board members, but the time has come for us to pass on the torch to new members.

There have been new developments in the lives of our friends...

Renee and Josh are expecting their first baby, a boy named Ian Joshua, in November. We're so thrilled for them! Talk about a couple destined to be parents and you can't help but conjure up images of Renee and Josh. I attended a baby shower for her in Florence last week, and she looks beautiful! They've had a busy couple of weeks having just moved to Seattle and then boarding a plane for South Carolina two days later. It was SO good to see Renee! Trent and I are planning to visit them in Washington in the spring. Can't wait to meet Ian!

Our friends, Lauren and Adam, are also expecting their first baby next March. We're super excited for them, too! Lauren and I work together at the Red Cross, and she and Adam bought a house in our neighborhood last year so it's great to have them close by.

In exciting Muldrow news, we recently went to Beaufort to see Emily and Patrick. We always have a fun time hanging out with them, and Beaufort is such a relaxing town.

Last weekend, we went to see Coldplay in Charlotte with several people Trent works with. This is our second Coldplay show, and while it wasn't quite as good as the first, it was still incredible.

Hope all of you are doing well. It's hard to believe the summer is winding down. I still can't wrap my head around how quickly time passes these days.

Looking forward to the season premiere of Mad Men tonight. Woo-Hoo!

Ciao!
Jamie & Trent

The Muldrows are slack.

2009-02-21T11:51:00.005-05:00

It's been quite a while since we've updated this page. Life has been KA-RAZY lately. Between work and civic organization commitments, we haven't had a lot of extra time on our hands.

First and foremost, congratulations are in order for Ashley and Justin on the birth of their baby girl, Reagan Annette. She was born January 13 at 9:42am weighing in at 6lbs 7.8oz and measuring 18 1/2 inches long.

In random Muldrow news, Sophie and Bella are "on vacation" this week with their Bamma. I know they're having a great time, and it's been a perfect week for them to be away. Trent and I have been painting the master bathroom this week so our house is in a bit of disarray since we've been splitting our morning routines between the guest bathroom and our bedroom. Our plan is to finish painting today, but it's almost noon, and we haven't done anything productive thus far.

I was in Myrtle Beach yesterday for a work meeting. Thursday was the night of Baubles and Bubbles, the Junior Woman's Club annual fundraiser. It was SO much fun. I danced so much, and my body is still sore from working muscles I didn't even know I had with my new moves on the dance floor.

We're having friends over for dinner tonight so I need to wrap up and go to the grocery store. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Love,
Jamie

Fight Climate Change with Diet Change

2009-01-06T19:15:00.004-05:00

From goveg.com:

Global warming has been called humankind's "greatest challenge" and the world's most grave environmental threat, and science shows that one of the most effective ways to fight global warming is to go vegetarian.1

Stars such as Sir Paul McCartney and Chrissie Hynde are lending their voices to share what science has already proven—that the meat industry is one of the leading sources of the greenhouse gases that lead to global warming.

When asked what personal change people could make to help the environment, McCartney replied, "I think the biggest change anyone could make in their own lifestyle would be to become vegetarian." To read the complete interview with Sir Paul McCartney, visit PETA's blog The PETA Files.

A 2006 United Nations report found that the meat industry produces more greenhouse gases than all the SUVs, cars, trucks, planes, and ships in the world combined.2 Greenhouse gases cause global warming, which studies show will increasingly lead to catastrophic disasters—like droughts, floods, hurricanes, rising sea levels, and disease outbreaks—unless we drastically reduce the amounts emitted into the atmosphere.

Many conscientious people are trying to help reduce global warming by driving more fuel-efficient cars and using energy-saving light bulbs, but they could do more simply by going vegetarian.

The official handbook for the Live Earth concerts says that "refusing meat" is the "single most effective thing you can do to reduce your carbon footprint."3
According to Environmental Defense, if every American skipped one meal of chicken per week and substituted vegetarian foods instead, the carbon dioxide savings would be the same as taking more than a half-million cars off U.S. roads.
The University of Chicago reports that going vegan is 50% more effective than switching to a hybrid car in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

More than Just CO2
Raising animals for their flesh, eggs, and milk is one of the world’s leading emitters of carbon dioxide (CO2). But global warming is caused by more than just CO2. Animal agriculture is the leading source of methane and nitrous oxide emissions, which—combined with carbon dioxide—causes the vast majority of global warming.

Methane: The billions of farmed animals crammed into factory farms produce enormous amounts of methane, both during digestion and from the acres of cesspools filled with feces that they excrete. Methane is more than 20 times as powerful as carbon dioxide at trapping heat in our atmosphere.5 Statistics from the Environmental Protection Agency show that animal agriculture is the number one source of methane emissions in the U.S.6

Nitrous Oxide: Nitrous oxide is about 300 times more potent as a global warming gas than carbon dioxide. According to the U.N., the meat, egg, and dairy industries account for a staggering 65 percent of worldwide nitrous oxide emissions.7

You Can Help Stop Global Warming Today
The most effective way to fight the global warming crisis is to stop eating meat, eggs, and dairy products. Start today by taking the Pledge To Be Veg for 30 Days. Please also take a few moments to encourage Al Gore, the most prominent voice in the fight against global warming, to add going vegetarian to his list of solutions to our climate crisis.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Andrew Pierce, "Global Warming Is Mankind’s Greatest Challenge, Says Prince," The Times 28 Oct. 2005.
2 H. Steinfeld et al., Livestock's Long Shadow: Environmental Issues and Options, Livestock, Environment and Development (2006).
3 David de Rothschild, The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook: 77 Essential Skills to Stop Climate Change (Rodale Books, 2007) 66.
4 NewScientist.com, "It's Better to Green Your Diet Than Your Car," 17 Dec. 2005.
5 "Global Warming: Methane," U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 8 Mar. 2006.
6"Sources and Emissions: Methane," U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2 Jun. 2006.
7 Steinfeld et al.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I certainly understand that shifting to a total vegetarian diet is a big adjustment, but just modifying your diet slightly by reducing the amount of meat you consume to a couple days a week makes a HUGE difference. It's up to each of us to make the world better. Cutting back on your meat intake spares the lives and inhumane suffering of countless animals, as well as helps curtail global warming, not to mention what it'll ultimately do for your waistline (you'll see this difference quickly) and overall health. The results are proven. Make a change that matters.

Holiday newsletter

2008-12-11T20:14:00.002-05:00

Seasons Greetings! We hope 2008 has been a fantastic year for you and your loved ones. We wish you much happiness and joy in 2009.

I still can’t believe how quickly the holiday season has approached. It astounds me that it’s already December and we’ll be celebrating the New Year very soon.
From a new addition and job news to joining a church family, it’s been an exciting year for the Muldrows.

As for our new addition, we added a second dog to our family in February. Her name is Sophie, and we adopted her from Project Pet, a local animal rescue organization. She’s a three-year-old Lhasa Apso with tan fur and an incredibly cute under bite (apparently we have a weakness for dogs with under bites). She and Bella get along very well, and Sophie has been such a wonderful addition to our family.

Trent and I celebrated our third anniversary in April. It’s hard to believe it’s already been over three years since we got married. As you can imagine, we get asked the baby question quite frequently, but for now we’re just enjoying life with our two dog-ters.

In job news, Trent was promoted to the Chief Engineer position at Inner City Broadcasting in January, and I joined the American Red Cross as their new Communications Manager in September. It is a wonderful feeling for both of us to have jobs that we enjoy so much.

As a new Red Crosser, I even gave blood for the first time the week after I was hired. Obviously, I can’t ask others to give blood unless I’m willing to do so myself  It was a great experience, and I’ll be donating again this month on my birthday. Trent is a longtime donor, and he has been encouraging me to donate for years so I’m glad that I finally decided to do so.

In family news, congratulations to Jennifer and Morgan on the birth of their baby girls, and to Ashley and Justin on their upcoming arrival. Also, congratulations to my youngest brother Joe who graduated high school earlier this year. We’re so happy for you guys!

Last month, Trent and I joined Mt. Hebron United Methodist Church in West Columbia. Of course, this means after 23 years of being a Baptist, I’m officially a Methodist. Luckily, I've been told Baptists make great Methodists :) We’re so excited about this new chapter in our lives. We've been visiting churches in the Columbia area for years, and we think we've found the perfect fit in Mt. Hebron.

Trent and I are still enjoying our membership with the Columbia Jaycees. We served on the board of directors this year and will continue to do so next year. It’s been a very rewarding, and often times humbling experience, working with such a great group of individuals in giving back to the community.

While it’s been a wonderful year in many ways, it has also a very heartbreaking year. Grandma Betty passed away in February from cancer, and it’s been the most difficult loss I’ve ever endured. It’s especially tough during this time of year. Please continue to keep my family in your prayers as we experience our first holiday season without Grandma.

We love you all very much and wish you a season full of holiday cheer.

Happy Holidays!

Trent, Jamie, Bella and Sophie

Happy (belated) Thanksgiving

2008-12-04T07:43:00.004-05:00

Good morning, everyone!

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. It's hard to believe it's almost Christmas. I'm still stuck around mid-July. I feel as though I comment frequently that time passes quickly, and boy does it ever!

The following information is probably going to shock you, so brace yourself--
Trent and I have not decorated for Christmas. We haven't even bought gifts. *gasp* I know. I know. Usually, we have the house fully decorated and all shopping completed by Thanksgiving. While I'm not really feeling the Christmas spirit move me just yet, it's not from a lack of trying. I've been listening to Christmas CDs for weeks and I'm hoping we'll get around to decorating this weekend.

Of course, Christmas isn't about decorations and gifts--it's about the birth of Christ. Trent and I have so many things to be grateful for this holiday season. It's wonderful having this joyous time of year to reflect on the miracle of Jesus. Take time to focus on the true meaning of the season. Spend time with your loved ones and force yourself to slow down a bit. It'll be Dec. 26 before we know it. Enjoy this magical time of year.

Love,
Jamie

New home for the Muldrows

2008-11-12T20:04:00.007-05:00

New church home, that is. Trent and I joined Mt. Hebron United Methodist Church Sunday, Nov. 9, which means after 23 years of being a Baptist, I'm now officially a Methodist. Luckily, I've been told Baptists make great Methodists :)

Trent and I are so excited about this exciting time in our lives. We've been visiting churches in the Columbia area for years, and we think we've found the perfect fit in Mt. Hebron.

My mom and Trent's parents attended the service to share the special occasion with us. It meant so much to us that they were there.

Praying for understanding

2008-11-11T08:48:00.004-05:00

It's so hard to comprehend why bad things happen to good people.

A friend's mother was recently diagnosed with incurable cancer in her liver and lungs. This is a woman who, to my knowledge, has never had a drop of alcohol or smoked a single cigarette in her life. In fact, I would be shocked to discover that she's ever uttered a curse word. Despite being the sweetest person I've ever met and an incredibly devout Christian, she has been stricken with this terrible disease. When I found out, I ran the gamut of emotions.

Also, my cousin was recently told there's nothing else the doctors can do to treat his cancer. He's home now and he's on constant oxygen as well as a morphine pump. He's also only 18. He got to walk with his graduating class earlier this year, which was a very important goal he'd set for himself. He's fought so hard, but cancer has no limits.

Cancer doesn't care if you're only 18. Cancer doesn't care if you're the sweetest woman in the world or if you love God with all your heart. Cancer doesn't care if you never get to meet your grandchildren. Cancer doesn't care who you leave behind. Cancer doesn't care how much you cry or try to bargain.

I don't understand. I'm trying to accept things for what they are. It's not my place to question God. He has a plan much larger than I can comprehend. I know He's holding both of these dear people close to Him, and giving them the peace they need, but it's so hard for those who love them so much.

Fall update

2008-11-08T07:40:00.003-05:00

Good morning! It has been such a long time since I've posted an update.

Work is super busy these days, but I'm enjoying it so much. Trent's job is still pretty hectic, but it's slowed down a little since the Google update.

We had a nice Halloween. The Red Cross hosted the sixth annual "Drain the Blood" drive with WARQ that day so I was at work for 13+ hours, but it was certainly worth it--the drive resulted in 163 units of blood! It's a new record for the drive. Halloween night, we stayed home and handed out candy. Sophie and Bella wore their Halloween shirts, but I forgot to take a picture of them, but I'm sure you can imagine how cute they looked.

I'm so thankful the weather has started to change to fall temperatures. Today is the last home football game for USC and Trent is going with his parents and Grace to the game. My mom came in town yesterday afternoon for a visit. Trent and I are joining Mt. Hebron UMC Sunday, and she decided to surprise us with a visit to attend the service Sunday, which is incredibly sweet. Trent's parents and Grace will be there, too, and it means so much to have some of our family members there for such a special occasion.

It astounds me that Christmas is less than two months away. We'll be decorating the house soon. We try to get a head start on Christmas since it has a tendency to sneak up on us.

Trent and I are serving on the Jaycees board of directors again next year. Trent will be the management VP and I'll be the individual development VP. We've really enjoyed being part of such a dynamic organization, and each year keeps getting better.

The girls are doing well. Sophie and Bella are inseperable and we're so glad they've always gotten along well.

We hope all of you are doing well, and we'd love to hear from you! Please feel free to leave us comments.

Have a wonderful weekend,
Jamie

We're still alive (and kicking)...

2008-10-05T14:55:00.006-04:00

...despite our lack of updates.

SO much has happened lately. Oh, where to start?

I guess the biggest news as of late is my new job as communications manager for the American Red Cross South Carolina Blood Services Region. I started two weeks ago and I'm very excited about the opportunity to work for such an incredible organization whose ultimate mission is to save lives.

I became a first time blood donor last week, and I have to admit, I have no idea what I was afraid of for so long. Donating blood is something I had wanted to do for years, especially since Grandma was diagnosed with cancer in 2003 and had to receive transfusions. Unfortunately, I had a long-standing fear of needles and I allowed that fear to prevent me from doing something I really wanted to do. Thankfully, those days, and my fear of needles, are behind me. There's absolutely no reason to be scared.

In other exciting (well, as least entertaining) news the pups got very short haircuts last week. Luckily, they've never been the type of dogs to suffer from embarrassment after getting their hair trimmed. That's definitely a good thing considering their hair is only an inch in length all over their bodies. They're so cute though.

Trent is very busy at work these days and has been for the past month or so with a new Google beta testing software launching soon. He sounds so enthusiastic and energized every time he mentions it, and it's truly wonderful to see how much he enjoys that kind of work.

With my new job and Trent's late hours at the office, we've been working hard to juggle everything in our lives. We were hoping to take a trip to Mount Airy soon and we still haven't been to Tennessee this year. We did visit Granny last month which was a great weekend of rest and relaxation. We still have high hopes of traveling to see everyone (or have everyone visit us) once life slows down a bit. We know God is looking out for us and He has a plan much bigger than we can comprehend.

Although life is crazy busy these days, we love you all so much and hope to see you soon!

Love,
Jamie

Six Things About Me Meme

2008-08-31T23:57:00.009-04:00

I have been tagged by Bryan for the Six Things About Me Meme. Without further ado:

Things:

1. I am originally from "Mayberry" (Mount Airy, NC)-seriously, the setting of the Andy Griffith Show was based on my hometown.

2. I have a crazy eyebrow-the left one (my left). It is always higher than the right one and it is causing me to develop premature wrinkles, but it certainly makes me look inquisitive (or maybe just skeptical).

3. I won a caption writing contest in fifth grade. My mother is still so proud.

4. I can pick up things and pinch people with my toes. HOT, I know.

5. I once sang a solo in a church Christmas play. How hilarious is that?! Well, at least Jesus loves my singing voice (tone deafness and all).

6. I am the master at riding in parades. At last count, I was up to 22.

Tag, you’re it
1. Melanie
2. Brooks
3. Paula
4. Leslie
5. Renee
6. Lori

Here are the rules:
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on the blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know they have been tagged.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

Progress

2008-08-29T11:42:00.005-04:00

Wash my car (check)

Pilates workout (check)

Paint the foyer (check)

Update the blog (check)

It's amazing how fast time flies when you're home. I thought I'd certainly get around to everything on my list and much more within two days, but I've been so preoccupied with updating my resume and job hunting (over the past two weeks) that there's been little time for anything else.

I have a lot of updating to do (and I will), but in the meantime, thanks for being an incredible support system.

Have a wonderful holiday weekend,
Jamie

finally posting from August 2008

2008-08-29T11:33:00.005-04:00

No, I haven't died or even fallen off the face of the planet. As most of you know by now, I was recently laid off. It was a very amicable situation, but nonetheless, I am currently unemployed. A few years ago, something of this magnitude would have probably sent me over the edge, but alas I've grown up a lot.

The past two weeks have been filled with updating my resume, applying and interviewing for jobs, and really trying to do some self-evaluation to figure out exactly what I want to do and what I have to offer. I'm not going to deny that it's been a daunting task, but it's also exciting to be given this opportunity-which is how I prefer to look at it. It's so easy to fall into the habits of life. To take things for granted.

Luring Visitors to themuldrows.com One Internet Search at a Time

2008-08-15T09:59:00.005-04:00

These are just some of the recent internet searches that have led visitors (mostly complete strangers) to peruse our website:

-congratulating newly weds quotes

-wishes for newlyweds quotes

-wish for the newlyweds

-my husband is a wonderful man

-Sheraton Hacienda del Mar wedding

Thankfully, these are all very benign searches. I thought for sure there'd be some weird toe fetish searches thanks to my toe cramp posts. Count your blessings, people.

And, while you're at it, have a great weekend!

Jamie

Quote of the Day

2008-08-14T09:25:00.000-04:00

Never be afraid to do what's right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society's punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way.

--Martin Luther King, Jr.

Beware Blazing Angels

2008-08-13T10:58:00.012-04:00

Ladies, you've been warned.

Do not allow this Wii game into your home:

Blazing Angels

It's all-consuming. Trent originally played it at my mom and stepdad's house last year. It seemed harmless enough. He brought it up from time to time, but nothing obsessive. Then we got a Wii of our very own a few months ago, and again only a few brief mentions of the game. Fast forward to last week. Trent proceeded to rent* the game and has been glued to the Wii ever since.

He wakes up, he plays the game. He gets home from work, he plays the game. He eats dinner, he plays the game. My mom stayed with us Monday night, Trent played the game. Do you see a pattern here? He's teetering on...no stratch that...he is OBSESSED!

There's a level he's stuck on and it's driving him crazy. And geez people, I miss my man TIVO. I've gotten in a full 30 minutes of TV this week and that was Mad Men on Demand (with no commercials, thankfully, or Trent may have lost it during the second half with his Blazing Angels withdraw and all).

*Now my stepdad has offered to send the game to Trent so he doesn't have to rent it. Oy vey.

Loving Wife Disclaimer: In all fairness, it is fun to see Trent so excited about this game. However, I really do miss TIVO. *sniff* *sniff*

Catching Up

2008-08-11T11:31:00.016-04:00

The blog's behind...I'm behind on my Pilates workouts...I'm behind on grocery shopping...the foyer still needs painting...my car hasn't been washed in over a month, possibly two months. EEK!

I don't know where the time goes, but boy does it fly by. And truthfully, none of those things are that pressing. Sure, you guys are anxiously awaiting the next blog post...I need to exercise for my physical well-being as well as a way to reduce stress...we have to eat (but we have enough food in the pantry to last us a week)...no one probably thinks the foyer needs painting but me, and well, my car really does NEED to be washed. It's gross. Even my mom said over the weekend that she's never seen it so dirty, but it'll all get done eventually.

HELLO, I am taking the first step by updating the blog. Y'all, we have been crazy-busy in Muldrow Land. Goodness, does it ever slow down?! We had something going on every night last week and then we had to stay up an extra two hours every night to get in family time with the dogs 'cause, you know, we're insane, but who wants to deal with all that puppy guilt?

As for the weekend, Trent and I ended up hanging out at home Friday night along with a delicious Papa John's pizza. I had big plans of cooking a fab meal and dining outside on our recently revitalized patio, but alas, I was too freaking tired to even think about cooking. I was too tired to even have a glass of wine. Now, that's some kind of tired. And not the good kind, mind you.

Saturday, we headed to Mullins ("Land of Opportunity"--no joke--it's on the welcome sign right in front of the cemetary) to visit my granddaddy and mom. It was so good to see them plus we got to see our friends, Sheila and Jedd and their incredibly cute children Saturday night.

Sunday, we went to O'Hara's for lunch which is this lovely bed and breakfast that has a delicious Southern buffet. I have yet to find a comparable restaurant to O'Hara's or Webster Manor in Columbia. They serve lots of great Southern foods that I grew up eating at Grandma's house. The kind of foods I'll never be able to recreate at home. Mostly because I don't want to know how much salt and butter they contain. My uncle, Buddy, and cousin, Justin, joined us for lunch and it was great to spend time with them. After lunch, we went to Granddaddy's house. Justin brought a balloon animals kit with him. We watched the instructional video and I'm happy to report we made not only snakes and worms, but also a few poodles and even a hat. I seriously missed my calling as a balloon animal "sculptor."

Trent and I left for Columbia around 3:30pm Sunday afternoon. Of course, no weekend is complete without hours of homeownership upkeep, i.e. yard work and house cleaning. I told Trent I've already started looking for houses that include yard service. I'm so over homeownership pride in the form of hours of house and yard upkeep. We're tired, y'all. I didn't wake up until 7:20 this morning. Usually I'm up by 6:30am doing laundry, cooking breakfast, catching up on a week's worth of TIVO. I need my morning time. Holler. It's generally the only time I have any energy. Lord knows I could fall asleep at 8pm if it weren't for the husband and dogs.

Speaking of those *special* dogs of ours, Bella decided to stand in the hallway and growl Sunday morning at 7:00 for well over 10 minutes. Why? We have no idea. Nor do I think she has any idea. Spoiled cocktail dog.

You need to go potty? *growl* Are you hungry? *GRowl* You want a Xanax? *GROWL*

I'm certain this is God's way of saying we're going to be awesome at sleep deprivation once we have (human) children. Of course, 7am is generally my usual Sunday morning wake-up time, but we had so much fun hanging out with Sheila and Jedd Saturday night and didn't get home until 12:30am which meant we fell asleep at 1am. Well, Trent fell asleep at 1am. Marion is way too quiet for me so I lied in bed for an extra hour and dosed off around 2am with Trent and two dogs wedged underneath my left shoulder. Fun. FUN! I tell you. Not only could I not fall asleep, I was also rendered paralyzed by my hubby, my dog-ter and my dog sister while my other crazy dog (you know crazy growling Bella Bean) was sleeping away on the living room floor. We kept my mom's dog, Abby, with us that night. Geez, that was a long paragraph to make a point I forgot about 10 sentences ago.

It was a nice weekend made even better by getting to see family and friends. We love you all very much and hope to see you again soon.

Love,
Jamie

Bowling Championship Not in the Cards this Year

2008-08-01T11:42:00.004-04:00

So, we finished a solid second instead. I bowled the worst game of my life last night...a 66...yes, you read that correctly...66...no, no, not 166...just 6-6. Whoa! That's all I've got to say about that. Luckily, I redeemed myself in games two and three.

Can I just tell you how excited I am it's Friday?! 'Cause I am EXCITED!! And although the majority of my weekend will be spent diving into home improvement projects, I'm so looking forward to being home and hanging out with my hubby and my sweet pups.

Hope you guys have a fab weekend!

Ciao!
Jamie

Birthday Wishes and Weekend Recap

2008-07-29T10:30:00.005-04:00

Good morning!

A very happy birthday to my sister, Shannon (pictured with my little brother, Joe)! We love you and hope you have a wonderful birthday!

Team Muldrow was apart for the weekend. I went to Mullins to visit my grandfather and aunt Mabel, who was visiting from Dallas. I also got to see my uncle Buddy and cousin Justin while I was in town which was a nice treat. It was a wonderful visit and a great time with family. Trent stayed in Columbia to keep the girls and enjoy some R&R. Sunday, we worked on our landscape project in the backyard. It's really beginning to take shape. I'll post some pictures soon.

As seems to be the case lately, this is a busy week. We had a Jaycees board meeting last night. Tonight, I was supposed to have Bunco, but it was canceled so we have a night at home this evening (woo-hoo!). Tomorrow night, our friend Lori is coming over for dinner one last time before heading home to LA (*sniff*, *sniff*). I seriously don't want her to leave. I have so enjoyed getting to see her so often this summer. Thursday night, we have the championship game for our bowling league (and, I might add, a strong chance at first place). Friday, is date night at Nonnah's (hopefully, if Trent doesn't end up having to work too late). Can't wait! Saturday, we're attending a couples shower for our friends, Sheila and Randy, who are getting married in October. We're also (well, I'm also) hoping to paint the hallway this weekend. Busy, busy!

Gosh, I'm exhausted from typing the above paragraph. I'll be glad when life slows down a little.

Hope you all have a great week!

Take care,
Jamie

Quote of the day

2008-07-24T11:16:00.001-04:00

I can live a whole month on one compliment.

-Mark Twain

Weekend Recap

2008-07-22T09:58:00.006-04:00

Good morning! Hope you guys had a wonderful weekend and are enjoying your week so far.

Trent and I went to see The Dark Knight Friday evening with a few friends of ours, and boy, was it incredible. A little too long, but incredible. Believe what you've heard about Heath Ledger's performance. It really is that good.

Saturday afternoon we joined some friends for a cookout. There were plenty of kids there and guess what, Trent and I still want children! I take that as a good sign. Being around children has never really stressed me out. In fact, the only age that scares me (well, other than those insane teenage years) is the bobble head stage. However, after being around several newborns over the past couple of years, I'm happy to report I'm a lot more comfortable with handling newborns now. Whew, thank goodness since Trent and I will more than likely have a baby with a wobbly head for a few months or so once we have babies.

Sunday we planted some new shrubs in the backyard and cleaned the patio and windows. It was a lot of work, but it looks so much better. I also reorganized the pantry and kitchen cabinets. It was way overdue and now I can actually find things which is always a good thing.

And that concludes the weekend recap. Have a good one!

Jamie

Quote of the day

2008-07-17T11:14:00.002-04:00

Originality is the fine art of remembering what you hear but forgetting where you heard it.

--Laurence J. Peter

Gotta love great friends

2008-07-15T15:08:00.015-04:00

There are few things better than great friends! We got to see some of our favorites over the weekend. Trent, Trent's sister, Grace, and I went to Beaufort Friday to stay with Emily and Patrick and Sunday we went to Bluffton to see Taylor, Pancho and their adorable baby boy, Christian. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures while we were with Taylor and Pancho, but here are a few from our visit with Emily and Patrick:

Quote of the Day

2008-07-15T15:06:00.003-04:00

I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.

--Bill Cosby

Without further ado, the laundry room pics

2008-07-11T10:37:00.003-04:00

Trent got a new computer at work with a memory card reader so he was able to download the laundry room photos from the camera. It's blue. It's bright. It's growing on us.

Lil' Trent

2008-07-10T16:02:00.006-04:00

Seriously, how cute is Trent?! I came across these today from my old email account when we were creating our rehearsal dinner slideshow. He was such a cutie, still is!

Togetherness

2008-07-10T13:46:00.005-04:00

I came across this poem recently. It was posted on a website by a mother who lost her daughter to cancer. Unfortunately, I do not know who the actual author is, but it is a lovely poem and it reminded me of Grandma.

Togetherness

Death is nothing at all—I have only slipped away into the next room.
Whatever we were to each other, we are still.
Call me by my old familiar name.
Speak to me in the easy manner which you always used.
Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.
Let my name be the household word that it always was.
Let it be spoken without effort.
Life means all that it always was and ever meant.
It is the same as it ever was;
there is absolutely unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of your mind because I’m out of your sight?
I am but waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near,
Just around the corner.
All is well.
Nothing is past; nothing is lost.
One brief moment and all will be as it was before—only better,
Infinitely happier and forever—
We will be one together.

It's hard to believe it's already been five months since Grandma left this world for the incredible blessing of Heaven to be with God. Time passes so quickly and I believe time heals. It seems to sink in a little more each day how permanent death is. There's a part of us as humans that find that level of permanence hard to accept.

There are days when I think we're all coping and then something happens and it feels as though the levees break and our tears and heartache come gushing out over and over. I talked to my uncle, Buddy, yesterday and he was saying how much he misses Grandma and how much he always enjoyed getting to visit with her and Granddaddy on the weekends. She loved us all so much and would do anything for us. I'm so grateful my cousin, Justin, got to spend close to five years with Grandma. He was the light of her life.

Thank you for continuing to keep our family in your thoughts and prayers.

Love,
Jamie

Sweet Soph

2008-07-09T13:38:00.004-04:00

Sophie had her first vet visit with Trent and me today during lunch. She cut her back right paw pad over the weekend and has been in pain for a couple of days. She was such a champ at the vet's office! We were so proud of our baby girl. She didn't bark once and she laid down by our feet the entire time we were in the lobby. This is our first outing with Sophie without Bella. We asked the vet about her aggressive behavior toward large dogs and the vet diagnosed her with "small dog disorder." Essentially Sophie has a Napoleon complex. How funny is that?! Of course it's not funny at all when she's trying to attack a 150 lb dog, but nevertheless it was funny to hear the diagnosis. You'd never know she had it in her based on how well behaved she was today and is everyday as long as large dogs aren't around. Poor Soph.

Post 4th Update

2008-07-07T09:49:00.008-04:00

I hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July weekend! I for one ate way too much and threw all caution to the wind along with my healthy eating plan. Being at Granny's has that effect on me. For the first time ever in my eight years of going to Granny's, not a single card game was played. Also, Trent and I fell asleep around 10pm all three nights we were there. We were tired, y'all! Of course, it's incredibly hard to sleep late with Bella and Soph in the room with us. They wake up with the sun. Thanks, girls. It was a wonderful weekend though and a great opportunity to visit with family. There's no place more relaxing than Granny's house on the lake. I got a third of the way through my book. I was hoping to finish it, but just didn't read a lot unfortunately.

Vacation's over and we're back to a full week. We have a Jaycees meeting tonight and bowling Thursday, but other than that, we have two free nights at home which is always nice. Friday, we leave for Beaufort to spend the weekend with Emily and Patrick for the annual Water Festival. We're also going to visit Taylor, Pancho and Christian Sunday which I'm super excited about!

Hope you all have a great week! I have no pictures to post from the weekend. Our new camera is broken. Yep, that's right...two broken cameras in less than a year. Oh well, hope to be back to my crazy picture-taking self again soon. Until then, here's the group photo from Thanksgiving at Granny's last year.

Love,
Jamie

Weekend Recap

2008-06-23T10:41:00.007-04:00

Good morning!

This weekend was spent entirely in Columbia and Lexington. There are times when it feels so good to be home! Friday night was one of those times. Trent and I ordered pizza and settled in for the evening. We watched The Bucketlist and I fell asleep around 10:30pm which was wonderful. I have been sleep deprived for weeks now. I just haven't had much time to sleep. There's been a lot going on.

Saturday we attended Mike's visitation at the funeral home. The room was packed wall to wall and the visitation was relatively upbeat all things considered. It was like a reunion of radio stations. There were so many people there. Mike's family had lots of photos on display and the slideshow from Fox 102 was playing. It was very nice. I still can't believe he's gone. I have been in a slump since I heard the news last week.

Saturday night, we volunteered with the Jaycees to help out with the Columbia Action Council concert in Finlay Park. There was a huge crowd and we stayed very busy all night.

Yesterday, we went to church. It was our two new pastors' first day. I think they're going to be a great fit for the church and congregation. I'm very excited to get to know them better.

Yesterday afternoon we went to see The Happening, and despite all the bad reviews, we really enjoyed it. I think it's probably a little too anti-climatic and "Go Green" for a lot people, but I went into it with an open mind after ready all the negative reviews. I tried out two new recipes this weekend: herb crusted chicken parmasean and poppy seed pork chops. Both were delicious and of course it helps that I'm married to a non-picky eater and I'm the same way. Trent is all about my experimental recipes. Over the past couple of months, we've fallen back into eating out a lot. I think summer encourages that in us, but we're making an effort to eat at home more. So, I sat down and planned out our weekly menu Saturday and we're off to a good start. We only ate out once over the weekend and that was at McAlister's on our way to the grocery store (because we had no food at home).

The girls are doing well. We consulted a dog behavior specialist and she gave us some pointers for combatting Sophie's somewhat (and sometimes) aggressive behavior toward other dogs so we'll be trying those out to see how well they work. She was extremely helpful with Bella during her puppy stage so we're hoping her techniques will work for Sophie, as well. It's very random aggression. Sometimes she's great with new dogs and sometimes they just don't hit it off.

Have a wonderful week!
Jamie

God Bless Mike Scott

2008-06-18T15:02:00.005-04:00

My dear friend and former Fox 102 coworker, Mike Scott, passed away today. Mike was recently diagnosed with cancer and suffered a heart attack this morning.

Mike Scott was an incredible man. The first time I met him I felt as though I'd known him forever. Mike could always make me laugh. I so enjoyed working with him at Fox 102. I'm going to miss him so much. No one can compare to Mike Scott.

Please keep Mike’s family in your thoughts and prayers. God bless.

Happy Father's Day!

2008-06-16T10:35:00.006-04:00

Hope all of you dads out there had a wonderful Father's Day (Happy Father's Day, Daddy B., Daddy M., Grandaddy and Jim!)! We spent the afternoon in Chapin with Trent's parents and had a delicious lunch and a nice relaxing boat ride. The girls did very well and even went for a little dip in the lake (clinging to the noodles for dear life). Cruel, maybe. Cute, definitely.

Jamie & Trent

HGTV overdrive

2008-06-11T10:44:00.010-04:00

Trent seriously needs to devise a way to block HGTV on our TVs. We were super busy this weekend with my GNO Friday and a visit from Emily followed by an early morning drive to Mt. Airy for Joe's graduation and working from 5:00-10:00pm Saturday night for the Jaycees. Sunday we were exhausted. We didn't leave the house until after 2pm. When we finally mustered up the energy, we ventured to Lowe's and bought paint for one of the guest bedrooms and the laundry room.

I must admit, I got inspired from Carrie's apartment makeover from the SATC movie. Let me also admit, electric blue paint looks much better in a large space (photos from SATC movie):

We finished painting the laundry room last night. While it is extremely bright and questionably not my style at all, it's staying. I don't have the energy to repaint it, quite possibly ever. We also got cabinets to replace the heinous wire shelf, but the cabinets are still patiently awaiting their installation.

In the meantime, we did finish the guestroom. I present to you before and after photos:

Before:

After:

And here are two new pictures of the girls just because they're so stinkin' cute:

SATC GNO

2008-06-11T10:29:00.008-04:00

Friday night, I saw the new Sex and the City movie with some of my very favorite girlfriends. The movie was very good, but I left the theatre wanting more. I'm just not 100% convinced the show made a smooth transition to the big screen. Some of the scenes seemed a little too forced, but all in all, it was so wonderful to see the foursome together again. Oh, and the clothes, the clothes were incredible!

After the movie, we went out for cocktails and dancing. Below is a Photoshop'd attempt at a group picture (I was not in the actual photo).

There's a new grad among us!

2008-06-08T10:45:00.004-04:00

Congratulations to my youngest brother, Joe, on his high school graduation! We're so proud of you!

Love,
Jamie & Trent

Weekend Recap

2008-05-27T10:05:00.003-04:00

Wouldn't it be wonderful if every weekend were three days? I hope all of you had a happy Memorial Day weekend.

Trent and I joined Kelli and Rebecca for dinner at Za's Friday night. Saturday night we had some friends over for game night and Sunday, we did a whole lotta nothing. We did attempt to go to church, but forgot about summer hours and arrived 30 minutes late so we ate an early lunch and proceeded to spend the afternoon watching movies. We stayed up until 2AM playing Mario Kart on the Wii with Renee and Josh (in Austin). I love the online feature of the Wii. We had so much fun! Yesterday we went to Dean and Suzi's house for a cookout. All in all, it was a very relaxing weekend. It felt so good to be home for the holiday weekend.

Now it's back to work. It actually feels good to be back. Hope you all have a great week!

Love,
Jamie & Trent

P.S. Please continue to keep my cousin, Justin in your thoughts and prayers. His surgery went well and the doctors feel confident they were able to remove all of the cancer from his lung. It's going to be a long recovery, but we're all extremely hopeful. Thank you so much for your love and support.

The twins are here!

2008-05-27T10:02:00.003-04:00

Congratulations to Jennifer and Morgan on the birth of their baby girls!

Emerson Rush Sprott and Elliott Presley Sprott were born Tuesday, May 20, 2008. Emerson was born at 11:07 p.m., weighed 6 lbs. 9 oz., and was 20 inches long. Elliott was born at 11:08 p.m., weighed 5 lbs. 15 oz., and was 18 ½ inches long. Both the girls and mom and dad are doing fine.

Emerson is bottom left and Elliott is top right:

Thank you, Mom

2008-05-12T11:42:00.012-04:00

I can't imagine what my life would be like without my mother.

My mom was only 18 years old when I was born. My grandmother was only 35. I am 30. That means that I am 12 years older than my mother and only 5 years younger than my grandmother was when I was born. That is a profound thought! I've been reading the most recent book by Joel Osteen lately. My grandmother loved to watch his show and read his books and I guess I've started to do both in an effort to keep her memory alive. There's a chapter in his book that mentions breaking cycles in your family. It's about changing your family's path. I like to think my mom did that and I'm still doing so.

My mom didn't go to college until much later in life. She said the word "college" was never mentioned when she was growing up. The best a girl could hope for from the small town in SC where she grew up was to find a good husband and start a family. That's what she did at the incredibly young age of 16. From what I've been told, my mom and dad fell in love instantly. They dated only a short time before getting engaged and eventually marrying in December 1975. Unfortunately, I think their young ages played a major role in the demise of their marriage seven years later when my mom was 23 and I was only five.

It's funny how when you're young you think you know everything. You think you have all the answers. I remember the guy I was dating when I was 16. Chances are good that he's still living in that same small town. While there's nothing wrong with that, I knew it would never be a life I'd be happy with. For me, the word "college" was uttered for as long as I can remember. My mom made a point to sign me up for dance classes and gymnastics. To provide nice clothes and healthy meals even when money was unbelievably tight. She made sure I never went without or felt inadequate compared to others. She wanted me to have experiences she missed out on. She instilled in me ambition and self-confidence.

My mother taught me to stand on my own two feet and support myself which I did for two years before marrying Trent. It was so important to me to live by myself and pay my bills without assistance. I know living alone is not something that's necessarily important to a lot of women, but I guess it depends on your circumstances. I couldn't think of a more fitting way of making my mother proud.

The day I went away to college was one of the hardest days of my life. I cried myself to sleep that night. I cried, not for me, but for what the transition represented. Never again would my mom and I be together as we had been for 18 years. I was growing up and I don't know if either of us was prepared for it when the time came. My senior year of high school was one of the happiest years of my life. My mom had ended a horrible five-year marriage and for the first time in half a decade, we felt like we could finally breathe. It was just the two of us. And we were happy.

It's nice to know 12 years later, we're still happy. My mom has remarried and built a life with a man who loves her very much and I've found that person who makes my life complete. I thank my mom for teaching me to not settle for anyone less than the perfect companion. My mom told me before I married Trent that she couldn't have handpicked a more ideal husband for me. What a blessing it was to hear those words!

Thank you Mom for loving me, for being incredible, for believing in me and for believing in yourself.

I love you more than words could ever express.

Jamie

More birthdays!

2008-05-05T11:21:00.008-04:00

Happy Birthday to my little brother Joe! He turns 18 today.

Happy Birthday also to our friend Kelli who turned the big 3-0 yesterday! We celebrated her birthday at Suzi and Dean's house Saturday night. It's safe to say a great time was had by all:

A Week of Birthdays

2008-05-01T09:26:00.008-04:00

Happy Birthday to some of our favorite people!!

First there was Suzi: April 28th

Then, Rebecca: April 29th

We celebrated Suzi and Rebecca's birthdays with dinner at Salty Nut Cafe Tuesday night (unfortunately I do not have any pictures from the celebration).

And last, but certainly not least, Daddy M: April 30th

Thankfully, I have lots of photos to share from dinner at Yamato:

Grace and I doing our best impression of the Archie smile.

Sometimes life just doesn't make sense

2008-04-25T09:35:00.003-04:00

This has been a very difficult month for loved ones.

My stepsister's father passed away from cancer earlier this month and last week, Trent's uncle passed away from a stroke. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

This morning I received an email from Aunt Bobbie letting me know her grandson's cancer has metastized to his lungs and there are no treatment options. Justin has fought a four-year battle with cancer including the amputation of one of his legs and numerous rounds of chemo and radiation. The chemo destroyed his kidneys and he has to wear a backpack that filters them. Through it all, he has remained optimistic and full of life. He's a teenager and should be concerned with filling out college applications and going to prom, not having to deal with a terminal illness. My heart aches. I have fought back tears all morning. Aunt Bobbie has been through so much with the loss of Grandma and I know this is more than she can take. This is more than any parent or grandparent should ever have to endure. Please pray for Justin and his family and for God to bring them a miracle.

Love,
Jamie

We're back!

2008-04-23T11:41:00.008-04:00

Our trip to Boston with Trent's parents and sister was so much fun! We left Trent's parents' house in Chapin around 8am Friday morning and arrived at our hotel in Franklin, Mass. around 1am. It was a long drive, but not bad at all. We kept ourselves entertained by sleeping (Trent), eating our weight in snacks (this would be my specialty), driving (Cherry Ann and Eddie) watching movies (Grace) and reading US Weekly (me also). As I have stated several times, road trips are a great opportunity to catch up on celebrity gossip.

We went to Martha's Vineyard and Cape Cod Saturday with our tour guides (and distant cousins) Sandy and her son, Andrew. While in Cape Cod, our first stop was Sweat's where I proceeded to buy a Cape Cod hoodie (60 degrees and sunny is ideal, 60 degrees and windy is downright chilly, people). Then we boarded the ferry boat for Martha's Vineyard. We went to the Black Dog Bakery and General Store as well as a nearby famous shop (whose name escapes me). Andrew drove us through several small towns which were all beautiful with their gray shingled houses and white trim. We ate an early dinner at a local pub that had delicious food and a great selection of local beers. Unfortunately, the shops closed at 5pm so we made a quick stop by Black Dog Bakery for coffee and had to catch our boat back to the mainland by 7pm. After an hour drive back to Sandy's house to drop off our "new cousins," we headed back to our hotel to rest up for a full day in downtown Boston.

Sunday, we drove to Brookline which is very close to Boston to meet up with our other "new cousins," Scott and Barbara. Scott accompanied Trent and Eddie to the Marathon Expo while Scott's wife, Barbara, Trent's mom, Cherry Ann and sister, Grace along with myself headed to Downtown Crossing to see some of the most gorgeous attractions Boston has to offer: clothing stores! Our first stop was H&M and we made it out in record time. I even shocked myself. This was Grace's first trip to H&M and she was quite impressed with all the great deals. Since H&M does not offer online shopping, I only get to partake in the experience once every three years or so.

After the fellas finished up at the Expo and we made our final purchases, we all met at Cheers. I must admit, Cheers had delicious food despite their inflated prices. After Cheers, we headed to Quincy Market followed by dinner in North End at an Italian restaurant. Of course, no trip to Boston would be complete without dessert from Mike's Pastry. Unfortunately, the line outside Mike's would span the entire town of Cayce, so we opted instead for Modern Pastry which was equally delicious. I consumed my entire daily caloric intake with two bites of cheesecake and a chocolate dipped biscotti. It was well worth it though!

Monday was the big event and the primary purpose for our Boston trip: the Boston Marathon. Can I just tell you how proud I am of Trent's dad? His dedication astounds me! I was so excited to not only know someone running the Marathon, but to actually be related to someone running the Marathon! Not only did Eddie participate, he finished and beat his time from 2003 and 2005! We met him in Framingham at the seven mile mark and in Brookline at the 24 mile mark. He didn't even look tired at either location. Trent met Eddie at the finish and they rode the T train back to Brookline to meet up with the rest of us who were completely exhausted just from watching 26,000 runners go by throughout the day.

Trent, Grace and I were dropped off at the airport around 5pm which was more than enough time for our 6:55pm flight that ended up leaving around midnight. We boarded the plane at 6:25pm. After preparing for take off at 6:55pm, we were told we had to go back to the terminal because there was a maintenance problem. At 8pm, we were told to deplane the aircraft due to a problem with the computer system. After two hours of sitting in the airport, we were told the plane would leave that evening but they weren't sure when. Thankfully, two hours later we boarded again and set off for Charlotte. We landed around 2am and following a two-hour drive, we arrived home.

As always, it feels so good to be home, but Boston was a great place to visit and we absolutely loved getting to meet our "new cousins"! Thanks so much to Cherry Ann and Eddie for a wonderful trip and thanks to our gracious guides Sandy, Andrew, Barbara and Scott!

Alas, I know you're wondering about the girls. Were they left alone at our house? Were they dognapped by a band of gypsies? Did they set out on a Greyhound for Hollywood? Well, they had a little vacation themselves on Lake Murray. They stayed at Cherry Ann and Eddie's house in Chapin where they were checked on several times a day. They slept late, took long leisurely strolls around Dutchman Shores and ate way more treats than they're used to (hey, that's what vacations are for). A special thanks to Blaine, Yvonne and Pamela for taking such great care of Bella and Sophie!

Have a wonderful week!

Love,
Jamie

Sunday Speedy Sunday

2008-04-13T19:48:00.004-04:00

Sundays pass so quickly. I can't believe it's almost 8pm! Trent and I returned home a few minutes ago from San Jose. It was delicious, as always.

Today has consisted of church, followed by lunch at home and topped off with extreme yard work (Trent) and house work (me) while enjoying an America's Next Top Model marathon on MTV (also me). We are exhausted!

As for how we spent the rest of our weekend, Friday night we had dinner at home. I have really gotten into cooking a lot lately. I've always enjoyed cooking, but generally don't have a lot of free time to do so, but I have make much more of an effort lately to get home earlier and prepare nutritious home cooked meals.

Yesterday morning, we attended our cousin, Archie's, 3rd birthday party. It was so much fun! Emily and Robby did a fantastic job planning the celebration and the birthday boy certainly had a great time. In total, there were close to 20 kids there plus lots of friends and family.

Last night, we went to dinner with Dean and Suzi at Mr. Friendly's. We had a wonderful evening enjoying delicious food and visiting with two of our favorite people.

Trent and I are on the go a lot and weekends at home are a rarity these days, but very much appreciated.

I hope all of you had a fabulous weekend!

Much love,
The Muldrows

Team Muldrow Hits the Three-Year Mark!

2008-04-09T11:17:00.012-04:00

(April 9th, 11:36 a.m.) At this time three years ago, I was at the salon getting my hair coiffed into my wedding day updo. For those of you who know me, you know I'm not always the calmest person, but on my wedding day, I was as cool as a cucumber. In fact, several people commented to my mom and me about how calm I was. Also, let me say for the record, I was not medicated or intoxicated. I was just at peace.

I knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I was marrying the man God intended for me to be with. On that day, there was nothing left to plan, no calls to make, no appointments to schedule. The purpose of Trent's and my wedding day was to celebrate our marriage not our wedding (although the wedding was A LOT of fun!).

And here we are three years later celebrating three blissful years of marriage. I am a better person because I share my life with Trent. I love him SO much. Exactly the way he is.

Happy Anniversary, sweetie!

Love,
Jamie

Bright Lights, Big City

2008-04-08T09:47:00.004-04:00

To be perfectly honest, the subject has nothing to do with this post. I've just had that phrase swirling through my mind all morning, and I'm hoping if I type it out, it'll leave my thoughts.

I hope all of you are doing well and enjoying the extremely speedy passing of days that is 2008. I can't believe it's already April 8th! But you know what that means, tomorrow is anniversary #3 for Team Muldrow! I know, right?! Where does the time go?

I know you're waiting with bated breath for the weekend recap, so without further ado, I present to you "the weekend recap":

Trent and I traveled to Charlotte with the furry girls in tow Saturday morning to spend the night with my stepsister, Shannon and her husband, Jamie. Daddy and Kathy also joined us for the night. It was great getting to spend time with everyone. We went to South Park in hopes of having dinner at Cheesecake Factory, but in usual Cheesecake Factory fashion, the wait was 80-100 minutes (apparently telling people their wait time in minutes rather than hours seems nicer) so we ate dinner at California Pizza Kitchen instead. It was delicious and they serve Clos du Bois which was a nice touch. Shannon made reservations for us at the Comedy Zone so we headed there after dinner. With a hilarious headliner and a plethora of laughter, it's safe to say all of us had a fabulous time!

We got back to Columbia around lunchtime Sunday and went to Lowe's to further our attempt at beautifying our yard. It is really beginning to look better. We replaced the flowerbed shrubs that didn't survive the brutal SC winter and we're planning to plant new shrubs along the right side of the house this weekend. I can't believe I'm actually admitting this, but I think I've developed an interest in yardwork. It's true! Shocking, but true.

This week, as most weeks, is a busy one. We had a Jaycees meeting last night. Trent has engineering training tonight after work, tomorrow's our anniversary and Thursday evening, I have a Junior Woman's Club meeting. Busy, busy! Saturday, we have our cousin, Archie's, third birthday party which we're definitely looking forward to!

I hope you all have a wonderful week. Enjoy the sunshine!

Love,
Jamie

Salty Nut Cafe

2008-03-27T10:17:00.006-04:00

Sometimes I forget how much I love Salty Nut Cafe.

Thankfully, Kelli got the group together at Salty Nut last night in celebration of Joel's birthday.

Happy Birthday, Joel!

Great reason to celebrate, great group of friends, great weather and great food.

Seriously, what could be better?

Hope your spring is off to a great start!

Happy Easter!

2008-03-24T12:37:00.009-04:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter holiday. We had Trent's parents, sister and my mom over for lunch yesterday. My mom spent the night with us and is heading to Marion today to visit my granddaddy.

Friday night, Trent and I were planning a romantic dinner at Motor Supply, but Trent ended up working late so we opted instead for Papa John's at home.

Saturday, we took the girls to the Riverwalk and briefly got to see Emily and Patrick and their sweet doggy, Belle. Afterwards, we headed to Groucho's for lunch and finally took the girls to Three Dog Bakery in Five Points. Then we dropped the girls off at home and headed to Lowe's to buy plants and finally to Publix to get food for yesterday's Easter feast.

I love Easter. It's such an uplifting time of year. I'm so grateful to be a Christian and am eternally thankful for the reassurance Easter brings.

Love,
Jamie

Quote of the Day

2008-03-19T09:49:00.007-04:00

"Childhood is what you spend the rest of your life trying to overcome. That's what Momma always says. She says that beginnings are scary, endings are usually sad, but it's the middle that counts the most. Try to remember that when you find yourself at a new beginning. Just give hope a chance to float up. And it will."

--Birdee Pruitt, Hope Floats

Congratulations and best wishes to the newlyweds!

2008-03-17T15:30:00.008-04:00

Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Michael Montgomery:

The wedding was absolutely wonderful! Beth and Michael are such a great couple and we wish them all the best.

Make a funny already!

2008-03-14T11:43:00.013-04:00

It's been brought to my attention that the blog has lacked in humor lately. Not that the solemn and recap posts aren't appreciated, but apparently I used to be funny. So here you go...

Trent returned from his two day stay in Dallas yesterday. In my usual directionally-challenged fashion, I had to print directions to the airport. Yes, I've lived in Columbia for 12 years. Yes, I've been to the airport several times. Yes, I've even flown out of the Columbia airport and finally, yes, I print directions EVERY SINGLE TIME I have to drive to the airport. It's an intimidating route, people. Combine that complex maneauvering with my lack of direction and chaos is sure to ensue. I break a sweat every time I drive to the airport.

I finally make it to the terminal around 5:30pm (after Trent has called twice to tell me he's there and waiting) and poor Trent is standing there looking at me with so much love in his eyes silently screaming at me to "get out of the car woman, give me a hug, give me a kiss...something, anything!" Rather, I'm all "there's a cop ahead of me and a cop behind me...get in the car...HURRY before I get arrested for not obeying the law of speed bumps and stop signs!"

Finally, FINALLY, Trent arranges his two bags in the back seat (which reminds me, I think my trunk is still ajar) and settles into the passenger seat. It is at this moment I deliver on not only a hug, but also a kiss. Must I remind you? I'm not a bad wife, just a directionally-challenged driver who freaks the *bleep* out when it comes to driving to and from the airport. Upon our departure, I brace Trent for what he has never been privy to--my airport freak out.

There it is, the sign for I-26 and I-20. This is when madness ensues. Which way do I go? WHICH WAY DO I GO? Sweat begins to drip from my brow. My clammy hands slide on the steering wheel. My foot completely misses the brake and hits the gas pedal. At which point, I look at Trent and ask, "I-20? I-20, right? Is that right?!" Could it be (after 12 years) I actually know how to drive home from the airport?

Trent replies, "Um, yeah. I-20. How long have you lived here?" To which I say, "You'll never believe how lost I got when Shannon visited last year and I picked her up from the airport. Seriously, we went 30 minutes out of our way on I-26." Trent calmly replies, "No, I believe you."

But yesterday, yesterday was a big turning point. I got us home in record time without getting lost.

Thank you very much.

(All kidding aside, I have lived in 10 different places since I've been in Columbia (this sounded like a good excuse in theory, but looking at it typed out, it seems to make my defense much weaker). Only recently did we move to BFE (otherwise known as Lexington) where I-20 was added to the direction mix. Thankfully, I feel much better about the daunting task of driving to the Columbia Airport after yesterday's huge accomplishment. It was a big day. Huge really.)

My Love List

2008-03-14T10:44:00.008-04:00

I came across this idea today on www.shelikespurple.com and decided to create my own love list. The rules (according to the creator of shelikespurple.com) are as follows:

"I challenge you to make your own list. The only catch? You can't include a single person you know on your list. No "I love the way my husband laughs" or "I love hearing my little girl call for me." It'll be tough, I know. (Think about it, I couldn't include MOLLY on my list.) But this particular little exercise is about stripping away everyone who defines you and figuring out what you (not his partner; not their mother/daughter/sister/friend) love."

Without further ado, I present to you My Love List:

I love waking up early on a Saturday without any plans...
I love soy chai lattes...
I love the feel of cashmere...
I love curling up with a good book...
I love long bubble baths...
I love the first sip of a glass of wine...
I love roadtrips when the hours pass by and I forget there's a destination...
I love a hearty laugh...
I love the feeling of crawling into a bed with clean sheets...
I love dressing up...
I love dancing in my living room...
I love organizing closets...
I love handwritten notes...
I love having things to look forward to...
I love to be busy...
I love a good deli sandwich...
I love the feeling of accomplishing a difficult task...
I love watching HGTV and the Food Network...
I love the smell of muffins baking...
I love the beach and the sound of waves crashing and the smell of salt in the air...
I love driving home with the windows down...
I love scarfs and accessories...
I love reading liner notes in CD cases...
I love when a lyric is relatable...
I love wearing sun dresses with flip flops...
I love how at peace I feel when I leave church...
I love theme parties...
I love Target...
I love candlelight...
I love Bread Winners in Dallas...
I love going to see movies...
I love the feeling of walking into a store with extra money and wide eyes...
I love acoustic music...
I love fresh flowers...
I love getting a new magazine in the mail and reading it from cover to cover (back to front for some strange reason)...
I love when a breeze circulates in my living room when the windows are open...
I love dry humor comedy...
I love big holiday dinners...
I love when I wake up with clear skin...
I love how my hair feels after a haircut...
I love eating ice cream until my belly hurts...
I love when I manage to say the right thing...
I love fresh salsa and guacamole...
I love the feeling of being content with my life and who I am.

How about you? What's on your love list?

Only in Dreams

2008-03-12T09:32:00.006-04:00

I dream about Grandma often. Last night, I dreamed some of my friends had their wedding reception at my grandparents' house. *I never said the dreams make sense.*

Regardless, the reception was outside and Trent and I decided to go inside to visit my grandfather. When we knocked on the door, my grandmother answered looking exactly the way she did 20 years ago. I could literally feel myself smiling in my sleep. It was a wonderful experience to hug her so tightly.

The multitude of feelings I experience as a result of the loss of my grandmother is such an ebb and flow effect. Some days I feel fine. Other days I feel as though I'm lost in this world with my grandmother. I look at pictures of Grandma every day to feel connected to her and to remind myself how incredible she was. When Trent and I pray, we ask God to tell her "hello" for us. In so many ways, I'm relieved she's no longer suffering, but I miss her so much.

I like to think God allows us time with the memories of our loved ones in dreams. To remind us how they move, how they speak, how it feels to embrace them and tell them how much we love them. I'm so grateful for those opportunities and for years of wonderful memories with Grandma.

Happy Birthday, Aunt Grace!

2008-03-10T13:07:00.005-04:00

We love you, Grace! Happy Birthday!

Love,
Trent, Jamie, the Bean and Sophie

Good morning!

2008-03-10T10:53:00.007-04:00

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. Hopefully you remembered to spring forward yesterday morning. I've gotta tell you, I'm tired today.

I headed to Beaufort Friday after work to visit Emily and Patrick. This was a way overdue trip. In fact, I haven't been to Beaufort since July when Trent and I went to Waterfest. That's a long time between visits!

Friday night, Emily cooked a delicious pan of lasagna and we hung out around the house catching up. Saturday, we did a little shopping in Beaufort followed by a trip to the outlet stores in Bluffton. We got quite a workout along with a bad case of shopper's guilt. Regardless, it was a great girls' day and we had so much fun! Yesterday, Emily, Patrick and I went to brunch and I headed back to Columbia.

It was great to return home and see Trent and the girls. The day passed so quickly on account of Daylight Savings Time, but it was nice having an extra hour of daylight.

Take care and have a great week!
Jamie

Happy Birthday, Mama!

2008-03-03T09:56:00.004-05:00

Happy Birthday, Mama!

We love you,
Trent, Jamie, Bella and Sophie

Where did the weekend go?

2008-03-03T09:45:00.014-05:00

The weekend literally flew by. That's why it was so windy yesterday :)

Friday night, we did absolutely nothing. That's because we had to wake up around 4:30 Saturday morning to report for volunteer duty at the March for Meals 5K at Riverbanks Zoo. Thankfully, it was very worthwhile because I got to try one of the new Krispy Kreme light glaze doughnuts. So good! The event was a huge success (I personally think that's because we had 11 Jaycees participating as volunteers).

My mom arrived around lunchtime Saturday and we took Sophie, Bella and Abby to Cafe Strudel for a late lunch followed by a very long walk along the Riverwalk in Cayce. Abby was the obvious pack leader throughout the duration of the walk. The weather was perfect and the girls were a big hit!

That evening we went to Chapin for dinner with Trent's parents and sister, Grace. They're currently fostering a puppy from Westcott Acres named Casper. He is such a cutie! Bella loves to play with him. He reminds me a lot of the Bean, especially with his flair for biting and scratching. Oh, those were the days :) Just kidding, of course. We very much prefer the current state of Bella Bean.

Sunday, Mom, Trent and I went to Five Guys for lunch followed by a quick trip to Pet Smart to get some food for the girls. Mom left for Tennessee yesterday afternoon. Trent and I took the girls on a quick lap around the neighborhood and I finally got around to washing my car. Last night we got in bed at 8:30pm. That's right, 8:30pm. I guess we were still quite exhausted from Saturday morning.

All in all, it was a wonderful weekend and I'm so glad Mom got to come for a visit and we got to spend time with Trent's parents and Grace Saturday.

In other exciting news, the Bunco group has officially been named "Bunco Babes." Our group photo from Tuesday's meeting is below:

Have a delightful week!

Love,
Jamie

Weekend Recap

2008-02-26T12:14:00.005-05:00

What a fun-filled weekend!

Friday night, we attended Maria's going away party at Summer's house. It was a lot of fun and a great opportunity to hang out with Maria before she moves this week.

Saturday, we adopted Sophie! Trent and I have discussed at length in the past about adopting another dog, but we haven't talked about it at all lately. We went to Pet Smart to pick up a few things for Bella before going to Panera for lunch. Of course, we couldn't resist visiting the dogs from Project Pet and that's when we saw Sophie in her crate wearing a sweater and bow in her hair. It was love at first sight! We filled out an application and were interviewed by a Project Pet staff member. After the screening process, they arranged for a meeting between Bella and Sophie. The girls hit it off! We walked around the store together and they got along very well. Then, Trent proceeded to pick up Sophie and she nuzzled under his chin. That pretty much sealed the deal. Trent was not leaving the store without Sophie.

Saturday night, we attended an oyster roast in honor of Beth and Michael. What a great time! I am so excited for Beth and Michael! They are such a perfect match. We had a lot of fun hanging out with them and their family and friends. Also, Mollie has been deemed queen shucker. That woman knows how to use an oyster knife and isn't afraid to do so!

Sunday, I attended a baby shower for Taylor at California Dreaming while Trent hung out with our girls. Taylor is doing very well. She's due May 18th and is having a little boy. His name is Christian Nikolas. She and Pancho have finished the nursery and it looks incredible! I'm so excited for them!

Have a wonderful week,
Jamie

We've adopted a girl!

2008-02-26T12:02:00.005-05:00

A furry girl that is!

Introducing the newest member of Team Muldrow:

Sophia Louise ("Sophie") Muldrow

Sophie is a three year old Lhasa Apso. We adopted her from Project Pet Saturday. Project Pet rescued her from one of the local shelters. When they found her, her coat was severely matted, but her hair has been trimmed and her coat is growing out nicely. She is such a sweetie! She and Bella are getting along very well, and so far we're adjusting easily to being a family of four. She even has an under bite like Bella.

Hope you all are doing well.

Love,
Jamie & Trent

Belated weekend recap

2008-02-21T15:39:00.005-05:00

I was originally supposed to go to Beaufort over the weekend to see Emily, but opted to spend the weekend at home instead (Beaufort has been rescheduled for March 8th).

Friday night, Trent and I went to San Jose for margaritas and Mexican food. Yum!

Saturday, we had a Bean day which means brunch at Cafe Strudel and a long stroll along the Riverwalk in Cayce. As far as exciting married couple activities: Trent programmed our new TV (which we're in love with!) while I caught up on laundry. Saturday night, we went to see The Eye movie with Jessica Alba followed by Foxfire Grill for dinner.

Sunday, we went to Mt. Hebron for church. This marked our fourth visit. We really like it there and have been quite impressed with the ministers and congregation. Sunday afternoon we hung out around the house and relaxed. It was just what the doctor ordered.

This has been a busy week for both of us at work. Luckily, it's been slow in the afternoons and evenings as far as social commitments. Of course, that's getting ready to change. We have a fun-filled weekend ahead: Maria's going away party Friday, Oyster Roast for Beth and Michael Saturday and a baby shower for Taylor Sunday!

Love,
Jamie

My husband, the most wonderful man in the world

2008-02-14T11:20:00.004-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Love,
Jamie

Grandma

2008-02-05T22:04:00.004-05:00

Hi everyone,

It is with a very heavy heart that I write this.

My grandmother passed away at 9:00pm Monday night. I just want all of you to know how much I appreciate all the love, support and prayers you have provided during this incredibly difficult time.

Grandma fought her battle against cancer with every ounce of strength she had. The past few months have been heartwrenching, but at least we know she is out of pain and her suffering has ceased and she is in Heaven with God.

Grandma was at home surrounded by her family when she passed away and that's what she had hoped for. May God bless Grandma and all the people she loved.

A memorial service will be held Friday at 11:00am at North Mullins Baptist Church (202 E Mayers Street, Mullins).

Love,
Jamie

Mabel "Betty" Campbell Shofner

Mabel “Betty” Campbell Shofner of Mullins passed away Monday, February 4, 2008 surrounded by her loving family. Born February 9, 1942 in Zion, Mrs. Shofner was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend.

Betty was a wonderful Christian example to her family, friends and church. Her faith in God gave her the strength to fight her battle with cancer for she knew the Lord was with her every step of the way.

She is survived by her husband of 49 years, Dudley Teddy Shofner; one daughter, Wanda Shofner Enkema and husband, Jim Enkema of Johnson City, TN; one son, Dudley “Buddy” Campbell Shofner and grandson, Justin West hofner of Myrtle Beach; granddaughter, Jamie Bowman Muldrow and husband, Trent Muldrow of Lexington; four sisters, twin sister Margaret "Bobbie" and husband, Ray Crocker of Norfolk, Virginia; sister Judy and husband, Charles Massey of Raleigh, North Carolina; sister Harriet and husband, Al Morrow, of Raleigh, North Carolina; and sister Hazel Nowell of Raleigh, North Carolina.

Mrs. Shofner was preceded in death by her parents, Pearl Rogers Campbell and Newton Campbell; sisters, Mell Butts and Dorothy "Dottie" Rowell and brothers, Earl Perritt and Oliver Perritt.

An active member of North Mullins Baptist Church and Golden Circle Sunday school class, Mrs. Shofner was always eager to provide a helping hand to those in need. The church family was truly blessed by her kind and generous nature.

Mrs. Shofner retired as a Certified Nursing Assistant from Marion County Medical Center where she gave of herself tirelessly to those in need. Mrs. Shofner is remembered by staff and patients for her compassion and dedication.

Betty’s strength and courage will live forever in the hearts of loved ones and her faith in God will serve as a testament to all those who knew her. She touched many hearts in her 65 years of life and will be dearly missed.

A memorial service will be held Friday, February 8 at 11 a.m. at North Mullins Baptist Church, 202 E. Mayers Street in Mullins. Visitation for family and friends will be held at the church one hour prior to the service.

Memorials may be made to the Mabel “Betty” Shofner Memorial Fund at North Mullins Baptist Church, 202 E. Mayers Street, Mullins, SC 29574 or to the charity of one’s choice.

Weekend Recap

2008-01-29T09:57:00.001-05:00

Trent and I had a busy, yet very fun, weekend.

Friday night, we joined Trent's parents, Grace and Granny for dinner in Chapin. It was great to see them and spend time together. Bella always has a wonderful time in Chapin and I'm happy to report that she had no accidents in the house. The excitement of seeing four of her favorite people is usually too much for her to handle, but it seems our baby girl is growing up :)

Saturday we went furniture shopping and found two wonderful pieces: one for our yet-to-be-purchased new TV and a hutch for the dining room. If you're not familiar with Strobler on Devine Street in Columbia, you probably should be because you're seriously missing out on great furniture and great deals. It's a win-win situation really.

Saturday night, we tried out a new Crock-Pot recipe and watched Bourne Ultimatum (well, Trent watched the movie. I studied the back of my eyelids.).

Sunday morning we went to church followed by lunch at home. Sunday afternoon, I joined some friends for a movie (27 Dresses--highly recommend it) while Trent visited our TV again at Best Buy. I have high hopes that our new TV will be enjoying its new home by Friday afternoon.

That's it in the land of the Muldrows. Married couple excitement at its best.

Also, please continue to keep my grandmother in your thoughts and prayers. She's had a tough past couple of days. I hope you all know how much my family and I appreciate your support.

Love,
Jamie

Puppy Parenting Trials

2008-01-29T09:38:00.001-05:00

This is what happens when Bella gets bored (and misses her mommy and daddy, or so we like to think):

And, as much as she tries to test our patience, it's moments like this that make it all worthwhile:

Merry Christmas (Santa brought us a microwave)!

2008-01-24T10:12:00.003-05:00

Daddy and Kathy gave Trent and me an over-the-range microwave for Christmas. And as of 8:28pm last night, it's happily residing in our kitchen. I've gotta give major credit where it's due...

That husband of mine, yeah, he's awesome!

Trent installed the microwave by himself (except for about 60 seconds of effort on my part). Teamwork, it's beautiful thing.

Weekend Recap

2008-01-21T11:12:00.002-05:00

Well, all the hype over SC from the Republican candidates came to a screeching halt late Saturday evening. I love politics. I especially love when SC gets recognition for something other than low SAT scores and Guatemala adoption scams.

Trent and I hit the polls early Saturday morning, and despite the inclement weather, we were quite impressed with the large number of voters at our poll location.

Afterwards we drove to Mullins to visit my grandparents. I decided to try out a new recipe on Grandma and Granddaddy. I made chicken pot pie (Paula Dean's Lady and Sons recipe). It was okay, but not nearly as good as when someone else made it. I think I got a little overzealous with the Chicken Base. We headed back to Columbia around 9:30pm and arrived home a little before midnight.

Sunday was another pajamas day. We did not bother showering until 5pm. In fact the only productive activities we did all day prior to showering were walking Bella and cleaning the kitchen. Last night we joined our fellow Jaycees at the Nickelodeon to see Lars and the Real Girl. It was a great movie.

Below are photos from our drive to Mullins:

Adventures in Cooking (Hubby Edition)

2008-01-17T11:57:00.002-05:00

My incredible husband cooked this (by himself) last night...

Click here for the recipe.
...and it was delicious!

Advice for 2008

2008-01-16T17:25:00.001-05:00

(My favorites are in bold):

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to.

3. Try to get enough sleep.

4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'My purpose is to____ today.'

5. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.

6. Watch more movies, play more games and read more books than you did in 2007.

7. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, tai chi, and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.

8. Spend more time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.

9. Dream more while you are awake.

10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.

11. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.

12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

13. Clear the clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.

14. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

17. Smile and laugh more.

18. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

22. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

23. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

24. Burn the candles, use the nice china, and don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Forgive everyone for everything.

28. What other people think of you is none of your business.

29. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.

30. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

32. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

33. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

34. The best is yet to come.

35. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

36. Do the right thing!

37. Call your family often. Keep in touch with them.

38. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for ___.' Today I accomplished ____.

39. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

40. Enjoy the ride. Remember that this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass.

Weekend Recap

2008-01-15T10:47:00.001-05:00

Last weekend marked Trent's and my first weekend at home with no plans in over two months. A lot of our weekends have been spent traveling to my hometown and the hospital to be with my family while Grandma has been sick. Grandma and Granddaddy had a lot of company over the weekend so we decided to postpone our next trip until this weekend.

Therefore, we had two full days to do with as we pleased. And it was wonderful!

Saturday, we took Bella to the Riverwalk and spent over two hours there. Afterwards, we went to brunch at Cafe Strudel. Of course, we managed to squeeze in the obligatory trip to Target that afternoon and get this, we finally saw Juno. It was such a great movie. That evening we went to a friend's house for dinner and game night.

Sunday, we stayed in our pajamas until 2pm. That afternoon we went to Lowe's to cash in our giftcards for a new over the range microwave. How exciting! I know, right. Married life. That was pretty much the extent of our Sunday plans other than watching On Golden Pond (which Trent surprisingly enjoyed although I probably shouldn't mention that).

Last night (which I know is no longer the weekend, but I'm not up to writing two entries today), I joined my Girls' Night Out group for dinner at Ruth's Chris. Dinner was delicious! I ordered a house salad and stuffed chicken breast. I also sampled several of the sides: sweet potatoes, potatoes au gratin and onion rings. Everything was so good although I think the sweet potatoes were my favorite. All in all, it was a delightful evening full of girl talk and wonderful food.

I hope you all have a great week.

Jamie

Congratulations to my incredible husband!!

2008-01-11T14:36:00.002-05:00

Inner City Broadcasting has a new Chief Engineer!! Trent has been promoted to the Chief Engineer position at work. I'm so proud of you, sweetie!!

Love,
Jamie

Happy New Year!

2008-01-03T14:18:00.002-05:00

Whew! Where did 2007 go?

With 3 days into 2008, I'm already enjoying the new year. I did a good job of sticking to my resolutions from last year. I'm at my ideal weight, I'm consistently exercising and I'm making a conscientous effort to worry less.

As for my new resolutions, they are (in no particular order):

1. Read the Bible from cover to cover.
2. Smile (even when I don't feel like it).
3. Think before I speak.
4. Focus on the positive and forget the negative.

Trent's one and only resolution (which completely blows my mind):
1. Lose weight

Um, okay. Have you seen Trent in the past 28 years or so? There's no weight to lose. Oh well, you sure are funny, sweetie.

I hope 2008 is off to a great start for all of our devoted readers. If you're reading this blog, you're definitely off to a good start :)

As for NYE celebrations, Trent and I joined seven of our friends on a ski trip to Winterplace, WV for the weekend. Believe it or not, this was my first time skiing. I loved it! Words honestly can't express how much fun I had on the slopes. It was a tough start seeing as how I fell three times immediately leaving the lodge and trying to make it to the bunny slope that leads to the lift, but I stuck with it and had so much fun.

In incredibly exciting news, my grandma is home and feeling stronger each day!! This is such incredible news. God has truly blessed us with a miracle and I'm so grateful.

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-25T13:09:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas to you all!

Trent and I are in Florence at the hospital with Grandma and family. God has blessed us with three very good days. Grandma has made a huge improvement from Friday to Sunday. It's amazing and we are so grateful!

Love,
Jamie & Trent

Hello, 30!

2007-12-19T11:03:00.002-05:00

Yes, it's true. The day has come.

Your baby is growing up...I don't look a day over 18...You remember when I was just a little girl...You used to change my diapers...I really didn't just graduate from high school...I really have been married for over two years...It's all downhill from here...Yes, I realize I'm old...Yes, I need to hurry up and start reproducing...It's official, I'm in the club.

I think that just about covers it.

For me, approaching the BIG 3-0 has been met with feelings of excitement and dread. Over the past year, I've alternated between feelings of exhiliration over the thought of passing through the 30 threshold and anxiety over what turning 30 entails.

Will I wake up with gray hair and achy joints? Will I suddenly be mature and calm-natured? WIll I receive all the answers of the world neatly wrapped up with a bow on top? Or will I feel a lot like I did when I was 29?

To be honest, with Grandma being sick, I haven't had a lot of time to think about the momentous occasion. I do, however, feel as though 30 is a rite of passage. I've learned a lot about life and myself in the past 30 years.

A few of my favorite sayings are "this too shall pass," "if God brings you to it, he'll bring you through it" and "happiness is the key to success".

I know I spent most of my life fearing what I absolutely love and that's being a wife. God has blessed me beyond measure with an incredible husband. Trent has brought so much happiness into my life. Now I love the idea of marriage, especially Trent's and my marriage. Knowing that I get to go home each night to Trent makes each day so much brighter.

I know difficult times in life tend to magnify the positive and negative traits in people. I know that true friends and loved ones are there without stipulation. I know that love is tough, but sometimes forgiveness can be tougher.

I know people come in and out of our lives for a reason. I know that we all have a purpose and it's up to us to figure out what that purpose is.

I know there's incredible power in prayer and when it seems that all hope is lost, God has a way of making everything better. We just have to learn to let go sometimes.

I've learned that if I wait 24 hours, chances are I can live without that new purse/pair of shoes/outfit/etc. I've learned student loans are worth it although credit card debt never is.

I've learned I don't have to have a lot of money to be happy.

I've discovered that being a puppy's mommy is a wonderful thing.

I know I can't wait to be a mother. I know I want to grow old with Trent by my side. I know I've been blessed beyond measure with incredible family members and friends.

I'm so lucky that I've been able to experience 30 wonderful years. Thank you for sharing them with me.

Love,
Jamie "Old Lady" Muldrow

Happy Birthday Trent!!

2007-12-10T15:03:00.001-05:00

Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday to my incredible husband!! I love you SOOOOOOO much, Trent!! I hope 33 is your best year yet!

Love,
Jamie

Happy Birthday, Daddy! You're awesome!!

Love,
Bella

my angel in waiting

2007-12-10T11:59:00.001-05:00

As most of you know, my grandma has been fighting her battle against cancer since August 2003. We found out the cancer returned earlier this year in July. It was absolutely devastating news, but not nearly as horrible as the news we received Friday.

Grandma was admitted to the hospital Thursday. She lost her balance and fell Wednesday night and when she awoke Thursday morning she was unable to walk. Her doctor ordered several tests including an MRI which revealed what we all feared: the cancer had metastasized.

Mom and I met with Grandma's radiologist Friday who told us that the cancer has spread to her brain. She has 15-20 cancerous areas on her brain. There is a large tumor that has bled into the surrounding tissue that is causing a lot of problems with her vision and mobility. She is unable to walk or move her left arm. A couple of days ago she could barely see anything. Now she's suffering from double vision.

Her doctor has her on steroids which seem to be helping with the swelling and edema caused by the tumors. He has ordered 18 whole-brain radiation treatments for the tumors. She started the treatments Friday and will continue them Monday thru Friday for the next three weeks. The treatments tend to cause dementia, hair loss, hearing loss and extreme fatigue.

I can't begin to describe the hurt and angst I feel, but more than anything, the anger. I'm so angry that this cruel disease is destroying the strongest woman I've ever known. I feel as though we keep losing Grandma over and over. I'm so angry that she can't walk or feed herself, but she's holding on to her dignity with every bit of strength she can muster. I don't even know who or what to direct this anger towards. I want to blame someone. I want to hold someone accountable. I want to stomp and scream out "it's not fair," but I know that illness never is.

Illness and death are hard enough to handle without the cruelty of cancer compounding the situation. It is so frustrating to see the cruelty of this disease. Grandma remains optimistic and strong which is certainly a blessing. I don't know how she does it. She is truly an inspiration to all of us.

(I love you so much, Grandma!)

Love,
Jamie

Thanksgiving 2007

2007-11-26T09:39:00.001-05:00

A great time was had by all at Granny's house for Thanksgiving. Trent and I arrived Wednesday evening and stayed until Friday afternoon. There were 44 people in attendance on turkey day.

Trent and I made our usual dishes: green bean casserole (Trent) and banana pudding (me). Unfortunately, we only got in one card game of contract rummy. A lot of people left Thursday and the rest of the group left Friday.

It was so great to see everyone!

Friday we drove to my grandparents house and stayed until lunchtime Saturday. It was so good to see them. Grandma seems to be feeling better which is such a blessing.

Saturday we finally headed back home. Trent and I tackled a few projects around the house yesterday including: setting up the remainder of the Christmas decorations, installing new light fixtures in the hallway and installing a drying rack in the laundry room. Guess which one was my task.

All in all, Thanksgiving 2007 was fabulous! Thanks to Byron for capturing the moments with his camera.

November's here (and almost gone)

2007-11-19T09:37:00.001-05:00

Where on earth has 2007 gone? I remember March. Yes, March was a good month. I vaguely remember July and a hint of September (with football season and all), but October and November...never saw them coming.

It's been another busy week in Muldrow land. We've been Bean-free since Friday which is a completely bizarre feeling. Trent and I went out to dinner with some friends Friday night followed by a late evening excursion to Target. We were like two teenagers without parental supervision. Oh, the freedom we experienced without having to run home to Bella. It's crazy how much our lives have changed on account of that adorable bundle of fur. She's at Granny's lake house this week and we will finally get to see her Wednesday night or Thursday morning depending on when we're able to leave town. This is the longest we've been apart and I've gotta tell you, it's tough!

However, with all this freedom comes responsibility, namely Christmas shopping. Trent and I ventured to Charlotte Saturday to go to Southpark Mall and Concord Mills. Oh my. I'm still exhausted. We walked around the mall for six hours and bought two things: sunglasses and make-up. Not a single Christmas present. Then we went to Concord Mills where I proceeded to buy three pairs of shoes yet no gifts. I'm a horrible mall shopper. I'm much more focused shopping online which is exactly what I intend to do for the remainder of the gifts we need to buy.

Yesterday we tackled the ultimate Christmas challenge and put up our tree (two trees actually). Trent flat out refuses to hang the cranberry wreath on the door until after Thanksgiving. That's fine. Everything else is done so when Friday rolls around all we have left to do is open the door and hang the wreath on the hook.

It was an exhausting weekend and not nearly as productive as I'd hoped, but it was a lot of fun spending an entire day in Charlotte without the puppy guilt.

Happy (early) Thanksgiving!

Love,
The Muldrows

In case you thought Bella would be spared this Halloween...

2007-11-02T12:00:00.002-04:00