New Jobs and New Beginnings

In the midst of everything our family has been going through since January, there has been a very bright new spot in my professional life. I was offered a new job at a young firm in Buckhead at the end of January. They hadn't had my role of process organizer there before, and they wanted the best, and for some reason they hired me anyway! After I cleaned out my desk and things at JWT, it came to light that I had a little secret: a razor scooter (see above) that I rode only at work. That's right. I am 33, and I ride a scooter at work. This, folks, is why I am in advertising. That, and I can wear jeans to work.

2 days after I accepted the position, I learned that Mom's cancer had returned. I had already told Sparks Grove, my new employer, I wanted to start in 3 weeks to give my old employer plenty of time to find my replacement. After I learned Mom was sick again, when I resigned, I told JWT that I would be leaving in 2 weeks to have my last week home with Mom. Little did I know at the time what a real blessing that would be. By the time I came home, Momma was already hospitalized and within days we would learn her cancer was terminal. Sparks Grove was wonderful and understanding and allowed me to delay my start until after she passed away.

I was able to spend the last weeks of Momma's life at home with her, cuddling with her, talking with her, sleeping in her bed and helping her in the night. Sharing old memories and saying the things that simply couldn't be bottled up for an eternity. It was such a treasure, and words will never express how sacred those weeks are to me. And I've come to realize through it all, it is just as precious to watch a loved one enter this world, as it is to witness a loved one leave it.

Less than a week after Momma passed, I celebrated my 33rd birthday. Ben and Matty got me a big surprise! Ben got me a new digital camera! I love it! We'd been thinking about it for a while and it's so fun to have a camera that seems to take great motion pics, since the subject of most of my pictures never stops until he sleeps! Matty got me a carrying case and disc for the camera...I mean, how did he know!? :)

Last weekend, Daddy came up for the weekend and it was so wonderful to have him with us. The 4 of us went to the Acquarium on Saturday. Dad was seriously impressed and he made it known he was no stranger to awesome acquariums, but ours certainly impresses. I was afraid Matty was going to be a little freaked by the crowds and sharks, but he really loved the experience! Especially the room with the giant wall of fish! I could hardly keep up with him! If you haven't been yet, you really need to!

Matty was all about his Bop last weekend. I think we sort of wore Daddy out! Matty only wanted to play and read books with his Bop. Forget that Kentucky was playing basketball, it's like Matty didn't even care! And this here, is just the cutest pic ever!

Come back soon, Bop! We love you!

A Look Back

This post spans the first of the year: 2 fun months of Matty-isms, playdates and new experiences! All the while, his sweet smile getting bigger and his hairs getting redder!

We started 2010 on such a happy note. A fun New Years celebration with the McNeely's and the Fingers. Oh the kiddos had such a great time too. Brenden is sort of the Danny Zucko of our crowd of boys, he is the oldest and therefore, the coolest thing in the world! Not only is he cool, he is also the sweetest big brother to little Colin. How cute they were sharing a ride on Jake's truck!

January weather was as cold as I can remember in Atlanta, and rainy and snowy and let's just say that it made for some pretty cranky weekends when we wanted to get out with no place to go in the rain, so we tried Kangazoom for the first time one Sunday and to quote Matty, "Oh my goodness!" Was it fun!? Matty had a blast and so did we watching his face light up at the colors and fun! I mean a whole room that made you bounce around? Seriously, if you are 2 is there anything better!? It was one of those experiences where I completely saw it through his eyes and I felt like a little kid again, right there with him in the inflatable castle!

Matty and Jake got some more fun play time together, their most favorite thing, when we got to watch Jake while his parents went out to celebrate their wedding anniversary. These kids never cease to crack me up! Climbing everything! They set up camp in the living room taking turns climbing our chairs and of course laughing hysterically! Jake impressed Matty and us with his puzzle skills...he's the fastest solve in the East people!

We were so saddened in January, when Ben's Memaw passed away following a year's battle with lung cancer. She was such a special lady, faithful and sweet and loving, but don't kid yourself, this was one feisty lady. I will always remember such stories as the time Papaw was traveling to Japan for work and she decided to (completely against her husband's wishes) take up the brand new marble floors and put down hardwood. Or another time when (also completely against her husband's wishes) she had a pool put in the backyard. He came home a bit early to find a GIANT hole in his backyard! I sometimes wish I'd been a fly on the wall during that conversation, but I feel certain Myrtis had the last word :) We loved her dearly and will miss her so.

While Ben was in Texas for Memaw's memorial service, the Howlett's were in town for the first time since Lucy James came into their lives. And while we missed having Ben there, we were so happy to have them and the McNeely's over for some pizza, beers and child-chasing! Jake and Matty are always rascals together and even though LJ was a little younger, she certainly holds her own with these guys - much like her mother must have with their dads! Matty was so sweet showing her how to play with some of his toys and I only wish I had video of how passionately he says Loooo-ceeeee!

Starting Over

Every single person who regularly visits this site already knows that we lost my darling Mom on February 24 to Ovarian Cancer. But I hope you'll bear with me and understand that I must mark it down here. This is "The Browning Family" blog after all. And there would be no Browning Family without the dear woman who brought me into this world. 

It only took 5 weeks from re-diagnosis to the moment Momma transitioned from this world to the next. And there are just no words to fully express what we've been through as a family: the heartbreak each step of the way as what would happen to Mom became more and more clear, the very dark days of total disbelief, and the tremendous love and support that we've been given by wonderful family and friends. Each card, email, meal, phone call and hug has been like a strong hand reaching out and holding us up. How blessed we've been not to have to go through this alone. 

In terms of Matty, I have so many pictures and stories I want to share. Our little man turns 2 in just a few days, and certainly very soon this blog will be filled again with the little moments that mark his precious life.  But something about not touching this blog, for me, has kept Christmas frozen in time - kept Momma seemingly healthy and at her happiest. And it's kept me from having to fully start over. But I know it's okay to start over. It's what Momma would want and it's what the rest of us have to do. Matty surely isn't slowing down.  Guess I gotta get off my bench and get on our way. 

Yes...More Christmas Pics!

This is what I get for having too many folders to house all the pics I took in December! While you may have thought the last few posts would be enough pictures for one Christmas, you'd be wrong! I have even more I meant to share!

The week before Christmas we had our traditional mini-Christmas with Aunt Mimi, Amanda and Ansley. Though between Aunt Mimi and Mattys' Mimi (Mom), we should start calling this Mimi-Christmas! Aunt Mimi was nice enough to host a wonderful Christmas brunch this year. Wonderful food, desserts, music and of course lots of presents to go around! Ansley loved the bean bag chair we all got for her!

Our car was filled to the gills when we headed for Highlands so two presents needed to be revealed after we got home. Matty also got a bean bag chair from us which he loves and says "fall down!" But probably the most fun present of all was the John Deere Tractor he got From Mama O and Daddy O! He knew exactly what to do with it too! Climbed right in, pressed his foot on that pedal and was off! It's been too cold and rainy all week to play outside and when he saw it the other day through the car window he started crying for it! He's still learning that he has to continuously hold his foot down, but trust me, given a little more practice, he'll be running errands to the grocery for me in no time!