1095 Days.....

It has been 1095 days since Heaven gained our Angel.  We miss our Jeanine Renee Baker more than words can say.  There hasn't been a day in those 1095 days that I haven't thought about her. 

Jeanine was an Earth Angel while she was here.  I remember admiring her style, her laugh, and her amazing clothes from afar.  One day before starting my shift at AT&T I was waiting in line at the lunch counter for my tuna melt, Jeanine was behind me waiting as well, she was wearing a pair of amazing red wedges, form fitting jean capris, a white top, and carrying a tan Coach bag (sure it may seem weird I remember what she was wearing but if you knew Jeanine you know what I mean). 

She tapped me on the shoulder and said "Your eyes are so blue, are they real?"  I wasn't sure if she was talking to me because why would somebody that pretty be so nice to compliment ME?  I said, "Um, are you talking to me?"  She responded by saying, "Girl, who do you think I am talking to the cook?  Of course I am talking to you, your eyes are great, I like your make-up too." Stunned, I simply said, "Okay, thank you....I like your eyes too." Then we both started laughing hysterically....from then on out we were forever friends.

Jeanine was the kind of girl you wished you could hate.  She looked like an exotic Princess Jasmine Barbie Doll, as a matter of fact I used to tell her that her feet were just like the Barbie Dolls she collected....so perfect.  I swear even if she wore flats her feet looked like she was wearing heels.  Her laugh was contagious and if you heard it you couldn't help but laugh yourself.  Her hair was something to be envious of, always perfect.  She had the most amazing EVERYTHING, purses, shoes, clothes, make-up.  Jeanine had all of this, but it was nothing compared to how pure and sweet her heart was.  If you were her friend, she made you feel like you could rule the world. 

We had such good times together at a job I hated.  Danielle, Jeanine, and I were connected at the hip.  We would take turns deviating from our schedules so we could take lunches together (sorry Jean Casey if you are reading this).  We played Uno and put customers on mute to cuss at them for being mean.  Jeanine would walk in on Saturday mornings when our start time was 4 am and look like she just stepped out of a salon.

One of my favorite memories was one day when I pulled into the AT&T parking lot, I drove by a HUGE sparkly white Yukon and I saw Jeanine standing in the back of it waving and posing like a super-model in her heels and shorts.....I had never seen her smile so BIG!  That infamous day after she got her brand new Yukon we decided to take our lunch at Taco Bell.  Danielle and I were so happy and completely in awe how cool it was.  We sang to JT on the way there and laughed and laughed.....after a fabulous Taco Bell lunch we left in good spirits and got back into the fancy ride.  Houston we have a problem!!!  Jeanine was in a tight  parking spot and couldn't back out.  That is when a random man appeared from out of nowhere and decided to help her, he directed her out of the spot like he was landing a plane.  We thought we laughed on the way TO lunch.....I think we all almost peed our pants on the way back after a random man helped her.  Really only Jeanine could make a random man stop what he was doing and stand in a hot parking lot to help a life sized Barbie out of her parking spot!

The day she found out she was having a baby girl she was beside herself.  She came in late to work that day (which NEVER happened).  She walked in with a smile from ear to ear (it was bigger than the Yukon smile) and I just knew what it meant.  I had bought things for a boy and a girl so we would be covered either way and she could have a prize on her special day......when she said  she was having a girl Danielle and I were just as happy as she was.  I took pictures with the little girl dress and bib sitting on her stomach and her face was glowing like never before.  Danielle and I  both knew that was going to be the luckiest little girl in the world to have a Mama like Jeanine.   Amerie only got to have her Mama for a short time, but those years she got to be a Mama were years I am sure Jeanine cherished. 

Words can't express how everybody who knew Jeanine was saddened by her death.  We were sad for her Mama, Mary and her daughter, Amerie.  We were sad that her baby girl would never be able to remember the way she smelled or how her laugh and smile would pull you in.  We were sad we wouldn't be able to get texts and phone calls out of the blue from such a special friend. 

I am sure we all remember where we were when we found out Jeanine had left this earth....I remember where I was and I remember falling to my knees, crying and praying it wasn't so.  I remember calling everybody I knew to see if it was true and trying to sound brave and not sad on the phone speaking to them.  I remember calling her cell phone just to hear her voicemail and leaving two messages just in case the news wasn't true, because it couldn't be true....I just talked to her 5 days earlier and emailed her the day before.  I remember trying to get in contact with Danielle and being so sad that I couldn't find her before the funeral.  When Danielle and I finally spoke we knew we had to go see Jeanine and just be together.  We visited Jeanine just the two of us and laid by her grave and laughed and cried and told story after story.....I know it meant a lot to the both of us.  We both decided she was where she was meant to be in Heaven.....also on a side note you can see the Cardinal's Stadium from her grave and anytime they score a touch down, the fire works are in perfect view, she would love that.

A week before she had been gone for a year, I lost a baby.  For months after I would dream of her holding my baby telling me it was all going to be okay, she had this......I believed her then and still believe her now....she has this.  She has us all and watches and helps us through the hard times.  We all miss her and need her, I strongly believe He needed her more.

See you on the other side sister.

She swims with a smile....

She really does.

Every Monday and Wednesday morning before my work day begins, I get to watch my blue-eyed dolphin swim her heart out with a huge smile upon that lovely little face of hers. 

Waking up an hour earlier and sitting in the hot sun in my work clothes, doesn't seem so bad when I see how happy it makes her to be in the water, it makes my heart smile.

She has never competed before this year, but she has been swimming since she was 2 (we love you AJ Parks and Rec).

She now LOVES competition.

Every Saturday it's up at 5 a.m.,

Team Smitty is ready to go cheer on our littliest of the Smitty clan.

AJ Dolphins (can you spot our dolphin)

Daddy Smitty couldn't be prouder of his little dolphin, his face beams with excitement every time she finishes a race.

I have promised this little lady that I would not scream her name on the side of the pool as she swims.

Instead I use Smitty as a code word and scream that instead....nobody could be the wiser.

I did make a Team Smitty shirt just for swim meets......I haven't promised I won't wear it to EVERY meet because I would most likely break that promise.

Her favorite strokes are the breast stroke and the butterfly.

She has finished 3rd for each of them at both meets so far.

I think Team AJ holds their own since the teams we have swam against are teams who swim year round (and I think may take performance enhancing supplements).

I am kidding, no judgement here!

James and I are so proud of her.

Words can not express how proud.

This little dolphin is also playing basketball this summer.

She is so cute when she plays....I think we may need to work on her "mean" skills.  She doesn't want to be mean to anybody on the court and take the ball from them.  It is really funny to watch her from the side lines. 

We love you Coach Loftis!

Nick has mad skills.

Let's go Sun Devils!

xoxoox

TEAM SMITTY

AbsolF*#kin'lutely......

Cassie and I went to see Sex and the City 2.....we loved it.

We just love hanging out

AND

To be able to hang out on a week day with just the two of us, well that just doesn't happen very often.

So even if the movie sucked, we wouldn't have cared.

The last movie we saw just the two of us was Sex in the City 1.

We were both pregnant then.

I was sick as a dog and suppose to be on bed rest and sadly lost my baby about a month after.

Cassie didn't know she had a baby Madee in her belly.

Cassie giving birth cured my sadness of losing my baby beyond words.

This time, Cassie might have given birth during the movie.

She didn't, thank goodness!

She didn't have the happiest birth with Madee

AND

I am sure me delivering her 2nd born at the Movie Theater, doesn't rank high on her dream birthing list!

Here is to you sister and your baby ???

The Smitty's are AbsolF*#kin'lutely happy for you and Steve!

We were trying to get our faces....but we got her belly, perfect picture!

These pictures were taken at midnight.

The car was dark and these are not the best pictres of two VERY tired Mamas.

BUT

The best memories were made.

Love -

Auntie Jasmin

Get to the Pointe

We took a much needed staycation at the Pointe Hilton.  Mr. Smitty needed to get away and we were happy to go with him.  We had so much fun, nothing new.....we always have fun together.

The first night we headed out to a yummy dinner....first we had to take everything in, it was amazing!

After dinner we took a walk around the resort. 

We found the spa and the gym (note to self don't walk into a gym at a fancy resort and NOT work out if you don't want mean looks from people)!

Calista and I needed to walk around the edge of a fountain, it was calling our names.

We looked at their water park......it was closed so we made our plan of attack for Saturday.

We decided to go swimming in one of the other pools since it was still open.....I mean staycation isn't a staycation unless you swim all night and all day.

Before we left for the pool, James and I decided to order mixed drinks and they were oh so good!

Grey Goose...you dirty yummy little bird!

When we got to the pool, the water was FREEZING!  I do not do cold water, unless I am drinking it, however, this happened:

Look at those faces, who could say no to those faces?

It was cold and I made James and Cali carry me around the pool so I could snuggle into them and try to stay warm....I am a baby and I am okay with that,

The next day was time for the Lazy River.....and all the other water park treasures

We played HORSE, I won.

I am bragging...I am not very sporty, this was a big win for me!

We went to Aunt Chilada's for dinner.

That place is amazing, LOVED it!

When we got back to the resort we decided to go on a journey.

We found all kinds of places we probably weren't suppose to find, but we didn't care.

We found a reception area on one of the third floor balcony's.

I found the elevator so we made our way up,  we felt like we were ninja's sneaking around.

When we got to the top, it was amazing...we could see all the lights of downtown.

So amazing in fact, I pretended we were at our wedding reception since we never had one.

I was wearing a purple wedding dress, don't judge.

A wedding reception isn't complete without a dance with my groom....

AND of course a dance with my Maid of Honor

We then found the biggest fountain on the grounds....I had to get in.

The water was cold AND it was slimy...but worth it.

While I did that Calista did this.....

Then she decided to do this...

We found a nice little cozy bench and snuggled a bit....

Calista of course danced and did super cute Cali things....I just can't get enough of that one.

A fountain wouldn't be complete without a "fountain fight"

My Blue-Eyed Girl had some amazing one-liners....

We were at one of the smaller pools by ourselves, just the two of us AND

two guys walked in.

About five minutes later Calista goes, "Hey Mama, check out combs over there."

When I looked, one of the guys was combing his hair IN the pool with a giant neon green comb.

I of course started laughing and Cali goes, "I think they are in the wrong pool, the Jersey Shore is that way."

Oh MY she is funny!  It only got funnier from there!

Oh Staycation we didn't want you to end.

We did miss our furry girls, they were getting spoiled at Nana's.

All is well at the Smitty Casa......good times and good memories were made this weekend.

Love -

The Bride in Purple

Thank you for Thursday......

You are in a better place now, dear Mama Trudy.
I am sure as you are watching me type this, you are hanging out with your brother Terry and your Dad...please tell them we said hi!
I want to thank you for so many things, things I never knew.....

Thank you for spending Thursday with me and letting me hold your hand the whole day.
Every squeeze of my hand during the moments you were awake and the moments you were napping meant the world.
Thank you for keeping us laughing with your antics right up until the time you met Him. 
My goodness, when you started grunting and we all thought something was the matter and you simply said..."Nothing, I am trying to figure out which foot to kick his (Rusty's) a** with." I almost peed  my pants from laughter.
Then when asked what you wanted for Mother's Day....you said three magical words........Jimmy Choo Boots ...my heart skipped a beat, I knew we were kindred spirits! 

When you asked for a cigarettte, I didn't know what to do at first because James warned me that nobody could smoke in your house, in fear it may blow up with all of the oxygen. 
You said, "Go get Rusty and Jimmy, they will fix it."
Well...they did and when they tried to convince you there were NO more cigarettes, you just didn't believe them so they gave in and gave you one.
When you knew it wasn't YOUR cigarette, again with the laughter.
Nobody could find YOUR pack of smoke sticks in your purse but when you asked to do it yourself....under 10 seconds flat you found two packs.
After your second smoke break when it was just you and me sitting on the couch together you said, "Are Jimmy and Cali outside, good then it will just be you and me that blow up in this house together!" 

I now know that your baby boy Jimmy is JUST like you.
For instance, you both love scratchies....and both will ask for them shamelessly.
You both have hearts of gold and would do anything for anybody.
You both can not sit still for more than 5 minutes at a time.
You both love animals and treat them as humans.
The list could go on and on....but I am sure you already know.

James has shared all kinds of stories with Cali and me, we love listening to them. 
One thing is clear, even if you did have a crazy life, it was one filled with love for your kids.

Your family seems lost without you, the Matriarch of the Smith Family.
They will be okay, because you raised them to be strong....and with you looking over them they will keep their heads held high.

We love you and will see you on the other side, Mama Trudy!  Until then I will do my best to take care of Jamesie.....

Hugs and Kisses -

P.S. I also wanted to say a BIG Thank You for raising my soul mate.....you did a fabulous job!  Oh, and if you see a REALLY fancy angel up there, her name is Jeanine....please tell her I now have 4 Coach bags....she would be so proud of your son and his taste for picking out marvelous bags!  You can talk Jimmy Choo with her....she will understand.

To Whom it May Concern......

Dear Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch,
I want to apologize for my puppy girl, Sookie Loretta Smith, jumping in one of your many swan lakes. I promise she was not trying to eat any of your endangered swans or ducks....she was trying to make friends. You see, her dad thought he could let her off of her leash and she would stay by us.....your lake was too tempting for her and she HAD to jump in.

I want to thank you for making us feel like we are in Ferngully each time we walk your lovely trails. I am scared of birds, however, I do not run when I see random geese walking RIGHT next to us on these said trails......we are in Ferngully for goodness sakes, those birds must be magical! Here are some lovely pictures from our last visit to enjoy.

We will be visiting you again soon.  Sadly, I can not guarantee Sookie will not jump in one of your lakes to make some feathered friends.  Until then.........

The Smitty's