Beth Powers

PLEASE BE IN PRAYER FOR OUR SWEET AUNT BETH


Aunt Beth is very sick in ICU at Lexington Medical Center. Please take a moment and pray for her, her family and all the medical team.

Just the way I see things...

In South Carolina's governor's debate produces many opinions...so here is mine.

My background and to my beliefs! Born and raised as a southern republican girl from a middle class family, I am proud! My parents always made government interesting and debatable. I was sheltered and protected as a small child and saw very little evil in our world (thank goodness my parents let me be a child!) In high school, like most teenagers, I questioned EVERYTHING. I believed everyone to be treated equal and when I saw my first homeless shelter I was completely angry and totally confused! I spent a lot of time in volunteer programs helping with children who had no home and children who had no parents or had parents who they were taken away from due to neglect and abuse. There was a whole cruel world out there!!! How could we have people starving in such a rich nation. I remember in high school I loved to watch the 7 o'clock report with my Daddy at night. He and Mama answered each and all of my questions with such patience and heart. My curiosity continued to grow through my high school economic and government courses. I just couldn't get enough politics. Directly upon graduating high school I committed to a summer internship with Lt. Governor Bob Peeler's office before college. Wow, was my eyes opened, it was so exciting and to watch our leaders come together over an issue or situation and just listen to them brainstorm the best most efficient solution to whatever the issue at hand was fascinating. I, of course, learned about the ugly side of politics as well. After this summer in the school of life, I went on to obtain my degree in Behavior Science/Human Services. However, 15 years later I'm just as fascinated, if not more with our local and national politics....because it matters! My children and future grandchildren will be living a life style because of the decisions we are making today!
Issue number 1... funding problems with education. Now I think most everyone shares the opinion education is very important to everyone! However, I do not agree with Sheheen wanting to have public pre-school....come on, first of all let a toddler be a toddler. Most middle to high class individuals go to school what...from 5 years old to at least 21 = 16 years!!! Now don't get me wrong, I am not opposed to maybe 3 days a week for acouple of hours a day preschool, but let's face it people we are so far in debt right now this just isn't possible to do without damaging our economic status even more. We really have to think through what sunshine and daisies are being fluffed our way. Public preschool would create more public transportation cost, more power and other utility cost, insurance cost, etc...let's also face it, a 5 year old has a huge adjustment to staying at school for 7 hours in a learning enviroment....no way could a 3 or 4 year old last all day, so if it isn't a half day program...it will be a babysitting program paid for by our tax dollars...and if it is a half day - transportation and all the cost I mentioned before for 3 hours a day? Does not make sense at all!!! So yes, Mrs Haley shares my opinion in welcoming our local charitable and Churches to unite together and make a change and help with our very young children. Education budgets do need an overhaul...you know I never met a teacher that said I went to college to be a teacher so I will be rich...most teachers chose their career as a public service, sometimes I wonder about some of our education administers.
Issue 2 Control over finances and all human resource departments within government in one office/one committee....Come on, people this is giving ALL control to a very few elected and maybe elected hired persons to decide over all and every department in government...No way Buster! Sounds great to a few people probably due to not having to pay each government department to have a resource staff or a finance committee, but at the total life cost of giving over so much control and power is way too costly...also think about Sheheen and his "biggest goal"...creating jobs...Well so far he is cutting some very important jobs right there!!!
Now for my biggest pet peeve of all!!! The negativity from Sheheen is really disappointing, the lies/exaggerations is just plain cruel. Let's not teach your and my children how to play ugly. Let's be ladies and gentlemen, debate the facts and issues and let the better person come out on top with everyone keeping their integrity!

Being a tourist in my own home town!

THE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE FAIR



With Hannah and Brunson growing up way too fast and Chris never wanting to grow up...I was the total tourist at the fair this year. Yea, I was the Mama who was toting the camera bag, the drinks, the stuffed animals, etc! All while my three children (2 beautiful children and 1 wonderful child at heart husband)went from ride to ride in pure excitement. Hannah absolutely is in love with riding all the biggest and scariest rides, she is my little dare devil...and Brunson has finally gotten tall enough to ride most all the rides now. The fair trip was all about the rides, the food and a game or two this year. While Hannah and Daddy rode a super scary, fast ride, Brunson challenged me in a game of shooting the water guns at a target....yep he beat me. He was SO excited with his win and especially beating his Mama! Hannah later won a beautiful cloth flower by throwing darts to pop the balloons and Chris won me a new soccer ball. It was a wonderful family evening with perfect weather and the fair wasn't too crowded!

Brunson's on the ball!

Brunson had another fantastic game! He went 4 for 4 (four times at bat and four hits) and I think he made four outs! Does a Momma's heart good to see her son do so well!!!

Sweetest Babies Ever!!!

For those who know me well, know how I have been suffering from tummy/female issues for quite awhile now. Well this episode was pretty painful yesterday. Finally I had to lay down and my precious babies were to be my nurses and take care of me while Daddy worked. They were so good and quiet, I drifted off into never never land for over an hour (the medicine really makes me sleepy). I woke to this sweet homemade card, and it surely put a smile on my face. I'm so blessed with these two beautiful angels! Feeling so much better now!

We hoped, We played, We won!!!

The most fantastic Gamecock football game of the season!!! Carolina upsets #1 team in the nation! Alabama tide rolled a little short and the Gamecocks WON! 35-21!!!
Another tailgating weekend full of fun and celebrations! We really enjoyed having Christen and BJ (cousins) along with many friends with us for all the festivities this weekend!

Happy Birthday HANNAH!!!!!

 

My sweet baby girl is 10 years old today! We started the celebrating a day early, since Mamaw was in town! Hannah is such a blessing to me each and everyday! I never imagined the feeling of love and pride could be so strong until the day my Hannah was born. Each day we grow older, my love grows as well. One day I know I will just pop with love for her. She was my Hannah Nana as an infant because when we called her that she would swing her head back and forth in a dance fashion. As a toddler she was Miss Mama...she bossed little Brunson around just like she thought she was his Mama. Early elementary school days she was our softball girl. And now she has moved on to Miss Thing because she sure does take the time to make sure she looks just so with clothes and hair. She has to check out the latest fashions and styles in magazines and online all the time. She has always had her pull toward music and it is stronger than ever. She loves singing and dancing and really wants to learn the guitar and piano (pretty soon my house will look like a music store!) This birthday the favorite gift has to be the electric guitar (she already had the regular one) with the Crate amp and her mic stand. I absolutely love to hear her let go and really sing her songs (even if she is alittle off key) and watch her lose herself in the music. It brings tears to my eyes...she takes after her Papa, with the love of music. I love the innocents of the songs she writes, it really is the key to knowing what thoughts are in her little head. Their are hints of pre-teen situations already coming out in her songs and that does scare this Mama! Hannah has continued to grow into a little lady, remembering her manners, always thinking of others and their feelings, and focusing on the importance of making great grades in school. She has surely grown and matured in this last year and I am so blessed to be her Mommy!!!

 

Weekend in Camden

We enjoyed a relaxing, fantastic weekend in Camden. Camden is a little slow paced and I think it is exactly what we needed...some family time with beautiful weather, being outdoors and enjoying each other! Spent most of the weekend at the farm. Hannah and Brunson love being around all the horses and feeding them their special treats! We also went hunting, boys against girls. Hannah and I sat in the ground blind (it is just like a tent with windows) deep in the woods while Daddy and Brunson sat in a two man tree stand on the outside of a duck pond. We got in our stands right about six o'clock, by six-thirty Hannah and I had a doe (nice size) eating the corn about 35 yards from us! We were so excited to see some action and so quickly. Never have I ever seen a deer act so dramatic (and I have been hunting all my life). She was jumping and running around in circles, it really was amazing to see...not sure if she was just frisky with the cool weather or if she was showing her stuff to a close by buck. It was really a sight to see, Hannah and I had so much fun!

I'm such a proud Mama!

As always, I am proud of both of my sweet kiddos! Hannah has really taken on the challenge to help out a classmate of her's. She has a student from Mexico that speaks little to no English. Hannah makes no judgements and is so completely patient with helping her friend in every little task while in school! She takes this responsibility to heart and gives it her all! Luvs it!!! Now Brunson really makes him Mama proud! Brunson is all boy and would rather be doing anything with any type of ball at all times (yes he even sneaks baseballs in bed with him at night). Brunson is now enjoying to read! So for Brunson to take time and sit still is amazing! However while he is amazingly smart...he never really has to study at all - homework takes about two minutes tops! His book of choice is...The Picture Bible! It is written in a comic like form and it really keeps his attention very well. In two days he has read over 200 pages, and loves to tell Hannah and I all about the stories! It is always about the little things, which makes me the proudest!!!