Hopeful Hoopers

How is my little boy four?! Seems like just yesterday he was a baby. Time slow down! We celebrated at our church with a paw patrol party. We are so blessed with people that love us and take time out of there busy schedule. Thanks to everyone who came to celebrate with us!!  Big boy blowing out his candles  Us with the birthday boy  Owen & Aidan  Boys will be boys  Can't ever have enough balloons  "Time for a train ride!!" Pops made Owen his very own corn hole boards 

We are so thrilled to announce that Owen is going to be a big brother June 2016!! He is very excited and says it's going to be a girl named Jackson- haha! Owen has been wanting a baby for about 6 months now & we are so thankful God allowed us to be blessed with another baby. Please pray for us through this pregnancy. Thanks in advance! 

🔹You can make many plans, but the Lord's purpose will prevail- Proverbs 19:21     I have always been the type of person that tried to plan everything. I wanted to have my whole life planned out from today, tomorrow to a year from now.  Up until I met Bradley I was able to plan every step in my life but once we met our life together happened very unplanned. Within the first year of meeting Bradley we started dating, got pregnant, moved in together, got married & had our first child.  June 18, 2014 our divorce was final. That date was special to us because it was our wedding anniversary. Our divorce was one of the hardest most unplanned things I have ever had to go through. Coming from having everything planned and then having a lifestyle change where I didn't even know where to start planning mine and Owen's new life was very stressful.  John chapter 13:7 " You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand   After about two and ...

About two months ago I had an idea to start a bible study group, me being the shy person that I am (sometimes) told one of my close girlfriends and before we knew it we were having a bible study.  We decided to meet once a month since we all have kiddos and our schedules are packed so full.  The first study there was about 12 people and 9 kids. We had food, fellowship & devotion. It was the perfect way to spend a Saturday night. The September bible study was this past weekend, it was nothing short of amazing!! We combined our bible study with a surprise birthday party for one of the girls in our group- there ended up being about twenty-five people at this months bible study. Each one of us brings something different to the group. We all have different strengths and different struggles. We are much more than just a bible study group... We have turned into great friends, more like family!!  For the past year  I have prayed God would put more Christain friends in mi...

Today at church the sermon was about the storms of life and how when a storm hits your life the first thing you need to do is pray instead of panic. Our Pastor Brother Jon mentioned three couples in church that had been through a storm and turned it over to God to help them through it. Bradley and I were one of the couples he mentioned. Although I knew we had survived many storms together it still touched my heart to hear Brother Jon mention us. Sometimes I get caught up in this busy life that I forget to take a step back and let everything soak in. Today I am letting it all in and giving God the glory!! I know it's just a matter of time before another storm comes our way but there is no one else I would rather ride out the storms with than Bradley. He is my best friend, my soul mate, my rock! Although I may not always show it I am thankful for him and the life that we share!  Our God is bigger than any storm that we may go through, and if going through a storm means bringing us cl...

Birthdays are a big thing to me. I always try to do it big and memorable, especially for Owen. He is only little once, right? Well Bradley's birthday was August 11th, I wanted to do something to show him we love him. The weekend before his birthday was the music festival in Albertville. We hung out with some of our friends from church all weekend and had Bradley a surprise birthday dinner with them Saturday night. The next day I planned a family dinner with both sides of the family at Top O' River... He loves that place!! Monday night Owen made Bradley a birthday card and a birthday cake, and Tuesday we woke Bradley up with his card and presents. Now that Bradley's birthday is in the books.. Let's start planning Owen's!!  Bradley's cake my soon to be step sister made  Our group of friends from church at Bradley's surprise dinner .

Last year, this weekend was when God started working in mine and Bradley's life. Bradley got rid of his girlfriend, decided he wanted his family back, and we started going to church. It was so hard to love him a year ago. Today as I look back at how far we have came, it's hard NOT to love him. Our life together is completely different now than it was before we gave up on our marriage. Without God we would of never made it this far and Lord knows we need him daily. This world is an awful place and the Devil will do anything to get at you. Even attacking your spouse and your marriage. Don't let the Devil win, turn to God and he will get you through anything. Never in a million years did I think I would be where I am today, and I'm thankful for that. It just goes to show there is always hope so just have faith. And never say never!! 

Back in February, I was offered a new job. I was skeptical to take the job at first. It would add ten minutes to my commute & it was more hours. I prayed about it and God showed me that I needed to take the job. It's been five months now and I absolutely love my job. I love the girls I work with, the dentist I work for, the patients. I just love what I do (clean teeth). This past week our office was closed to celebrate the 4th of July. Ten day weekend!! Whoop whoop!! (That's another perk of the new job, we get vacations) I am so thankful to have a job that I love & a job that allows me off time to spend with Bradley & Owen. If I am off work, Owen doesn't go to daycare so I wanted to make this week with Owen as special as I could.  Fridays are mommy & Owen days.. I'm off on Fridays so we normally go shopping or hang by the pool. Or both. Saturday July 4th- we had a cookout at our house for some of our closest friends & shot fireworks. Owen loved th...

I always try to go all out for holidays, this Father's day I wanted to do something extra special for my wonderful dad. My dad absolutely loves NASCAR, if a race is on he is at home watching it. He has never been to a race so I decided to get him tickets. He was so excited whenever he opened his card and saw the receipt for the tickets. He even told me he bragged to some people at work about what I had got him. It warms my heart to know that I got the perfect gift for my perfect dad!! Owen & I made a Father's day craft for Bradley and got him two things for his guitar. We also spent the day at church and then went to Bradley's favorite store, guitar center. I am so thankful for these two wonderful men in my life. Happy Father's day to all the dads out there!!

Every once in awhile I get caught up in the motions of life that I forget to live a little. Bradley, Owen & Myself are ALWAYS on the go, not even talking about the work week and the 40+ hours a week that Bradley & I work. We haven't been going to church regularly like we used to and the devil has been trying to come between Bradley & I. As if that wasn't enough here lately I haven't been putting as much effort into our marriage, I even told Bradley that I just didn't care. That was a lie! I do care about Bradley & I do care about our marriage... So I planned a date night for Bradley & I this past Friday night.. It was way over due (our last date was in March, I think.) We went to eat Japanese food, Yuck! and went to the movies. I was trying to make effort and to show Bradley that I did care about him & us. The movie we watched totally opened my eyes. (Don't want to go into detail about the movie incase y'all haven't seen it) It made m...

What a weekend this has been, full of emotions!! I feel like the devil has been working against me in every way he possibly could for the past three days. Friday night Bradley & I got in a huge argument, my feelings got hurt and Bradley & I both said some things we shouldn't have said. We hardly ever fight, but Friday night we did & it reminded me of how we used to be pre-divorce 2014. We went to sleep mad (I know your not supposed to do that, but I'm hard headed!) One thing we have both got better at is apologizing.  Saturday morning we both apologized and went on with our day. It was Upward Sports Soccer Saturday at our church. Owen decided he was going to play. He did good and majority of the time he was on the field! I think he is getting the hang of it, only two more games! I got in trouble at the game by Bradley because I wasn't friendly enough to his mother. Her & I don't have the best relationship- I thought I was nice to her but apparently I was...

Upwards sports Soccer started today!! Owen was so excited & ready to play. It was so funny watching all the kids running around after the same ball. Owen slipped down a few times and after that all he was worried about was looking for ants on the field. At halftime (wait, is it halftime in soccer? I don't even know!!) Owen got a Gatorade- what was funny he would be on the field and whenever he got thirsty he would just run towards the bench. We all said "Owen run after the ball, he yelled I'm getting my Gatorade!!" All in all he did good to have never played soccer before. We did learn that it's best to give him his Gatorade AFTER the game. Lol!  We can't wait to see him play again!! 

I am always ALWAYS taking pictures. One of my dear friends said one time "You won't have memories if you don't take pictures" and that is so true! I try to capture all that i can so that I can always remember them. I read an article the other day about how pictures can be deceiving to others, especially on social media. Which is so true. Ever since I read that article it got me thinking about what's behind the pictures that I take. This picture was from Easter 2014, It was mid-divorce, but I bet you couldn't tell just by looking at the picture. We look like a happy, little family, but we weren't. What I remember from this picture was not wanting a family picture, just wanting a picture with Owen & the Easter Bunny, (I even told the lady that) I remember all the fighting on the way home that day,  And I remember Bradley & I going seperate ways as soon as we got home where we wouldn't have to be around each other. Although this was one of the sad...

This weekend marks a year ago when hell was breaking loose at the Hooper household. My life was falling apart, Between lawyer appointments, looking for a house for Owen & myself, and trying to find a cheaper car I was stressed to the max! During this time I had went with my friend Elizabeth to a consignment sale with our little boys. I was a hot mess, constantly crying. Well on our way home I got pulled over by a cop, of course I was still a mess, & still crying. I couldn't find my insurance card or anything but the sweet man let me go with a warning ( I know it was because he felt sorry for me.) He said "slow down & I hope everything works out for you." I remember as soon as I left i called my mother (still crying) telling her "Something has got to give! I just got pulled over & the cop wouldn't even give me a ticket cause he felt so sorry for me!!" As I look back on my life a year ago, I laugh. Yes it was one of the hardest things I have ha...

Our first marriage we didn't go on a honeymoon. I was 5 months pregnant & just didn't feel like going anywhere. Since we are trying to do everything right this time, we booked a honeymoon!!  We found a cabin in between Pigeon Forge & Gatlingburg. It was perfect!!  We went to see Cade's Cove  Us at Cade's Cove  Of course we had to go to the COACH store, no trip is complete without that!  We had a good time spending the weekend together just the two of us, but we are ready to see our Owen!! We got him so many presents can't wait to see him open them!  To God be the glory!