Ready to talk real estate?  Give me a call at 706-296-4610.

Ready to talk real estate?  
Give me a call at 706-296-4610

Living Free

Our Life

My youngest, she’s a free bird.

When our oldest was little Jeremy and I thought, “Let’s have another”. We were rocking it at this parenting thing and thought we were ready for another one. A new adventure. Welp, here came Sam, and boy what an adventure it was. Sam stopped us in our tracks, and as you can tell, was our last. She was like having three kids in one. My sister Terri tells me now, that she used to beg for pickup time when I was working and she was watching them for me in the summer. She asked, how in the world did I do it. Lol. I tell her, I just did. I didn’t have a choice. It was a wild ride, and I mean wild. One that I wouldn’t change for the world.

If anyone knows Sam from a young age, you know that she was a handful. Everywhere all at once, just 100 miles an hour. All. The. Time.

I remember a teacher in elementary school telling me the best advice anyone has ever told me. I was crying to her and explaining how I was struggling with feeling like I wasn’t parenting Sam right. She told me that Sam was unique, she was so smart, so talented and beat to her own drum. To make Sam fit a mold or a box, was like taking her spirit away. I had to allow Sam to flourish outside that box, and allow her to be the person that God has made her to be. All while allowing her to make her choices and suffering her own consequences. And so we did. She pulled 72 cards in one year of elementary school. No lie, and something Im not proud of. 72. I kept that agenda, just so we wouldn’t forget how those years were. I actually have kept every one of my girls agenda, don’t ask me why lol. I look back to those days and some cards honestly were silly, but Im sure she drove her teacher insane. I say that to say this, she still has turned out to be a pretty awesome kid, in spite of those early days.

There was one time I took Sam outside at home when she was in middle school. I had been out there and the birds were crazy beautiful. She loves things like that. I knelt down and asked her to close her eyes. I whispered in her ears to listen to the birds, to be still and just listen. The wind started to blow and her hair was blowing ever so slightly in the wind. I told her to feel the breeze against her face, and she smiled. I told her to enjoy the beauty God made and to always be proud of who she is. I told her to open her eyes and to look at me. I told her that I loved her, and that I was so proud of her. And that she was special. I can still remember this day like it was yesterday. It still feels so real to me. Its a memory, I will never forget.

Sam is a pretty talented softball player. God gifted her with an ability to play, and has even made it possible to get an education out of it. She committed to play softball at Clemson University her junior year of high school. With that, came a lot of jealousy. Friends that she thought were her friends, that weren’t. People who have lied about her and turned others away from really getting to know her. What a missed opportunity to really get to know someone so unique and cool, based off others opinions. She’s lost a lot, but has gained something much more important. God replaced those jealous people with people who truly care about her and that believe in her. And for that, we’re grateful. She lives a free kind of life, where she enjoys nature, the water, outdoors, animals and the simple things like a cookies and cream milkshake. I hope that she always remembers that day in the yard, to be proud of who God has made her to be be. To enjoy life, and to live it wild and free.

When you think your parenting may be failing and you feel like its a loss cause, just remember this- that kid who pulled 72 cards in one year, turned out to be something pretty awesome. And so can your kid. There’s never a loss cause. You’re doing a freaking awesome job.

Oh, and for Sam’s pleasure, Go TIGERS!

Until next time!

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  1. kam says:

    Awww, she truly is a remarkable, unique young lady! Yes! She was a spitfire but I loved every year with her! I knew at times she probably didn’t like me but I knew she loved me! Kinda like my own daughter!
    And you guys should be commended for being loving, involved parents for both of your girls! They are great young ladies! (But Sam or any of my kids didn’t pull cards with me. We just plowed through it)😉🥰

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