Joshua Stephen Collins

Jenn and Tim before surgery.
Joshua Stephen Collins
Daddy and Josh in the nursery.

WOW! My newest nephew must take after his mommy's family! Josh decided to make his appearence early Monday morning. My sister was scheduled for a c-section on Friday the 12th, but Josh had other plans. After my brother-in-law and I went for a sail with a couple of his friends we picked up Jennifer, Mother, and Jack to go to the yacht club for a BBQ. After we all (including my very pregnant sister) walked around the club following Jack and ate our fill of hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, salads, and desserts we took a drive to a pair of historic lighthouses. We walked around enjoying the view. We could see about fifty miles out...it was a beautiful day!! We then went for a drive to see the house Tim lived in before he and Jenn bought the house they live in now. On the way we stopped for ice cream at the cutest ice cream parlor. I mentioned to Tim at the ice cream parlor that Jenn was having contractions, but I don't think he was listening to me at the time. We head back to the house, and upon getting there Jenn said she needed to call her Dr. Tim was like "Why didn't you tell me!!!!" I then told him that she had been having back labor since that morning and had been having full contractions for about two hours (remember, she has to have c-sections).

Tim starts ordering everyone around. He has to go back to his sailboat and get his blackberry that he left that afternoon. I am to make sure Jennifer lays on the couch and drinks water, then bathe Jack. Grandma was to worry...lol. He gets back from the boat about 1/2 hour later and tries to rush Jennifer our the door. Jennifer tells him that the baby isn't coming immediately and sent him to take a shower (he had been on the boat for two hours that day). Then off to the hospital.

About thirty minutes later we get a call that Tim's mom is coming to get my mom so they can be there for the birth. I stayed at the house with Jack. Mother got back to the house about 4:30 am and gave me the particulars.

Joshua (after my Dad's grandfather, John Joshua) Stephen (after Tim's Dad) Collins. He will be called Josh. He was due on September 25, but born on September 8 (exactly 18 months after his big brother, Jack, born on March 8, 2007). He is 19 1/2 inches long and 6 pounds 12 ounces. He looks as much like his mommy as Jack looks like his daddy.

Jack isn't doing well with his parents gone. He keeps asking for them, and cried himself to sleep tonight because they weren't here to sing him to sleep. Grandma and I just won't get it when he wants Mama and Daddy. Even the dogs are depressed because they miss their parents. Mom and I are taking Jack to the hospital tomorrow to see his Daddy, but he can't meet his brother yet because he has a little cold. He will meet Josh when he gets home.

Okay, now that I have bored everyone with my nephew worship, I will sign off....more later!!

Ann B

I have not disappeared!

Wow...there have been tons of stuff going on. I have been reading everyone else's blogs, but not posting on my own.

I will make a quick update (in no particular order):

1) Thank's to the Singleton/Presley families for letting me host Allie's wedding shower here. It made me get the living area of my house in order.

2) The pool is in. We have had a lot of fun in the evenings going out and playing in the water. The only exception is the night Alan found a snake in the water. You have never see an overweight woman in her 40's jump out of a pool faster!!

3) I now have contact lenses. I have tried them before and they didn't work because I have an astigmatism. Now there are contacts for this problem and I am enjoying them. I bought my first pair of regular sunglasses in years today.

4) I finally found curtains to match the bedding in my bedroom. It only took Randy going on night shift so he had to sleep during the day to hang them ;).

5) I finally found the end table for between mine and Randy's chair and the bench for the entry that matches the furniture in the living room. Now I just have to order them.

6) Randy and Alan used the tractor and a chain to pull the bushes out of the ground in the front. I have ordered twelve miniature blueberry bushes to replace them. Now all I have to do is dig out all of the roots, level the ground, put in the landscaping fabric, put in the landscaping timbers, and put in the mulch. Then I will be ready for the delivery, hopefully in October because.....

7) I leave for New Jersey on September 4. My sister is having baby boy #2 and I will be there for the month of September to help her out. The c-section is scheduled for September 12, but she has been having pre-term labor and goes off the meds to stop contractions tomorrow. I told her she needed to tell the little one that he had to wait until September 5 when his Aunt Ann was there.

I guess this is it for now. I now wish I had taken pictures of Randy and Alan ripping out the five feet tall bushes...but I am sure you can imagine. We are still planning on having a big party in October so everyone can come over and see the house, play in the pool, and eat some bbq.

I will keep in touch from NJ....until then SEE YA!

Ann B

My Quirks

I don't really know how to do this one. I am going to try to list my quirks, or peeves, or whatever they are...

The RULES
1. Link the person who tagged you...Susan
2. Post these rules.
3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours.
4. Tag 6 fellow bloggers by linking them

1) I can't read with my glasses, but cannot see to drive without them. I also find it hard to see in parking garages when I am wearing my sunglasses (ask any member of my family, I will not go into it...lol).

2) I wait until the last minute to do everything. And I mean everything! I plan to make Christmas presents, and am still making them on Christmas Eve. I make all of my plans for my lessons or talks, and am still preparing the night before (or the morning of!). I invite a crowd of people to my house and am still cleaning or cooking when the first person arrives, and still need to take a shower....I could go on forever!!

3) I hate wearing shoes. I walk in and the first things I do is kick off my shoes. The second thing is to take off one uncomfortable piece of clothing that won't be mentioned in a public forum!!

4) I answer or interrupt people with my opinion before they are through talking, especially my husband. He HATES that! I can't help it, it comes from growing up in a family of women and all of us finishing each other's sentences. I also talk too loud on the phone, and when I get excited when talking with someone I start getting too loud too.

5) I can't watch the racing video games without getting dizzy. I get into them so much that I put myself in the game and get dizzy from them just sitting still.

6) I am extremely competitive playing any game, and tend to pout when I lose. I guess I have the oldest child syndrome, but let me get in a board game, card came, or video game and this evil person comes out that must win.

I can't tag anyone, because all of the people I know have been tagged. Do you think I need more friends???

Ann B.

Our Last Sunday

Next Sunday will be our last at the Mobile Ward. We will already be moved to Semmes by then, but I have one last lesson to teach in RS. I was discussing this with Lisanka this morning and I want to make this official.

I hearby bequeath the Beck/Mason pew in the chapel to the Parkes family. I have noticed that the Singleton family is growing and they will need more space. This means that when you go into the chapel don't sit on our pew! It is now officially the Parkes pew.

I have wonderful memories of our pew. It is in the perfect spot to see what is happening on the stand, and to glance around and see most of the chapel. We have had many years of Randy putting his arm around me, or teasing the Parkes and Emmertson kids...whichever he is in the mood for at the time. I have heard many inspiring talks and testimonies from our seat. Megan has grown up sitting beside me, and brought another member to our pew. Alan...well, he sleeps a lot, and has turned out to be a fine young man. He is also the one that brings chocolate the the Emmertson and Parkes kids on holidays...I wonder who will take his place?

We love the Mobile Ward. We are sad to be leaving it. As this chapter in our life closes, another one will open. We will make new friends in the Semmes Ward, while keeping the old ones in the Mobile Ward. The most important thing to remember is this...The church is true. There may be different people, and different callings, but the Gospel will always remain the same. This is a blessing to all.

Ann B

I Hate Moving

Can I say that again? I HATE moving!! I hate packing boxes, I hate moving furniture and finding half of a dog under it (my spaniel sheds WAY too much!), I hate lugging boxes back and forth, I hate that I haven't cooked a decent meal in way too long because what I need is always at the other house, I hate eating out so much because it costs too much and everything is starting to taste the same, and I hate that I had to drive to the new house this morning to get ready for church because all of my clothes are there.

Now this is what I love. I love the fact that this will be the last move I make. This will be our home. I will still have to clean up the dog fur, but at least it won't be from white tile! It will be over soon, I keep repeating that to myself!

Actually, my blogging is keeping me from packing up the office. You know, the one that Randy said he was going to pack????? Oh, well, that is what I get for having a wonderful husband that works so I can enjoy caring for our home...If we ever get moved!

Ann B.

Stealing a post...

Okay, it's my turn to steal a post from Andrea and Susan.

Here is a totally different game of tag.
1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew us a little or a lot, anything you remember!
2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.

Ann B

We are Homeowners!

The closing was yesterday! Randy and I started very early yesterday morning. Randy was up at four am and was changing the oil in the truck as the sun came up. He hooked up the trailer to the truck, and everything was ready by the time I woke up. We were at the Sears store in Saraland by nine in the morning getting our washer, dryer, and refrigerator. We get them over to the house and Randy and Alan get them into the house. The washer and dryer were easy, just put them in the garage...the fridge was another story! Apparently door sizes and refrigerator sizes haven't stayed in line with each other! Randy and Alan took the front door off and got the fridge into the living room. Then they had to take the doors off of the fridge to get it into the kitchen. It is finally in place and chilling water!

I am so amazed with my washer and dryer. I got the front loading LG brand. They aren't as big as Lynne's, but I don't have five children!! I took a load of towels with me to wash and it was amazing how fresh smelling they came out. I know that part of it was using city water instead of well water, but it was great to have towels that smell so good!!

Back to our day....We had to be at the title office at eleven. I was only fifteen minutes late...lol. We signed everything, and then went to OUR house. I am so excited, and slightly scared. It is a huge responsibility, but we are up for it.

We have started working on the changes we wanted to make to the house. Okay, the changes that I want to make and am dragging the rest of the family in with me. We went to the Home Depot and purchased new door locks, lights for the dining room and entrance, things to hook up the dryer and fridge, and assorted things that Randy thought he needed. We get to the house and while Randy and Alan are fighting to get the fridge into the kitchen I am priming the pantry and the closet under the stairs.

Okay, this pantry needs a paragraph of its own. This closet was disgusting! I don't know what exploded in there, but I can't believe people put their food in there! Ther was a gross stain on the back wall that took three coats of kilz primer to cover. It is finally fresh looking and smelling with a nice coat of paint. Now I will feel safe putting the food for my family in there!

I will write more later. It is time to wake up the man and get going again. I need to use him while he has his last off day for a couple of weeks!

Ann B.