Two days until Christmas Eve :)

Dear Friends,

I will begin blogging soon, again. I can't believe I've been this long without blogging. I loved it so much. I will say that all of my friends that did blog have pretty much phased out, and that makes me sad.

On another note, our girls are getting ready for Santa's visit. They are anxiously awaiting the toys, the sounds, the sights, the smells of Christmas. I'm sure Santa will be good to them this year! They are a wonderful group of little ladies!

At the end of this year, I'm reflecting on all that God has placed in our lives this year. We have a new family!! New adventures. New happiness and hope. Even though most days aren't a "walk in the park," as you may have guessed with 4 girls trying to learn to get along .....I am so thankful for everything He's given us this year. The good outweighs the bad by a ton.

Please take time to count your blessings. I don't do this as often as I should, but I plan on making 2011 a totally different year .... a year to reconnect with our Lord in a way that I never have before. Its been so long since I've been able to feel Him right beside me. I want that peace again, you know?

Yes, I'm extremely happy ....but peace is hard to come by in a big family, on most days. It helps when you feel peace inside; it makes for peace on the outside. I would love for anyone to share their stories/journey to a personal peace with Jesus. I've had it before, and I plan to have it again.

Counting down to a New Year ....up on Hawkins Hill :)

Merry Christmas to you and yours. May you experience a Christmas miracle & peace like you've never known!

Love to you,
Melanie Hawkins and Family

Did you miss us??? Exciting news !!!!

Hey There!!!

I haven't forgotten this blog! We are so busy! And there's a lot of catching up to do! We had an awesome holiday season and a beautiful Christmas!!!! New Years was THE BEST EVER! You see, I had an unexpected surprise that very afternoon. In a very special way, Doug asked me to marry him. :) We (me and the girls) are now engaged to Doug Hawkins and Company (he and his girls)! So, very soon, we will be a family of SIX! God bless Doug in a family with 5 girls !!!! I'll post the link to his proposal after this weekend!

It seems everyone is receiving snow but Grenada, MS!!!!

Off to celebrate Valentine's Day! More updating later!

Much love,
Melanie and The Divas

Just so you know ....

No.Thing.

Romans 8:38-39


"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

He.Lives.

Doug Hawkins had a birthday, too !!!!!

I think a huge part of knowing me is knowing that I truly believe in purpose. I believe that there are no coincidences. I'm a firm believer in "signs," as I've known too many signs in my life to NOT believe. I am superstitious. I opt to NOT step on cracks in the sidewalk; I prefer to NOT walk under ladders ....Well, you get the drift, and I DO HAVE A POINT TO THIS!!!! :D

As you know, I'm crazy about Doug Hawkins ...and HIS BIRTHDAY HAPPENS TO BE THE EXACT SAME DAY AS ANABELLE'S!!!!

"Signs, Signs, Everywhere there's signs ......."

We celebrated his birthday, as planned by The Anders ...and I was his surprise :)

From Collages

We had FUN in the SUN!!!

Well, part of every kid's summer is FUN IN THE SUN :)!!! I've had the same best friends for years and years ...always went to school together and lived in the same neighborhood! I think its neat that our kids get to play together, and I'm so excited that they finally live close enough for us to visit and play!

Here are some pics of Steph's girls and Caroline from this past summer:

From Collages

7/1/09: Anabelle's 2nd Birthday! JOY :)

Hey there!

As promised, I'm trying to finish up with summer of 2009!

I cannot believe that Anabelle Katherine Hodges is 2 years old! Two years of wonder and surprise. She is absolutely one of the sweetest, most gentle babies I've ever known ....and I'd say that even if she weren't mine :)!!! Here is a collage from her 2nd birthday! I thank God every single day that He chose ME to be this precious baby's Mommy! I'm Honored !!!!

~Philippians 1:6 ~ "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus"

From Collages

What a Wonderful World (Bringing you up to date with a Spring & Summer 2009 Recap)

Hey Friends ....

I'm doing this backwards, but I've just learned how to do collages. Instead of doing a slide show, I've done collages for each special event of this past spring and summer.

Anabelle's Smiling Feature (Like I always say, AnaB smiles like its her JOB ....like she gets paid to do it). Here she is again. You guessed ....she's SMILING !!!

From Collages

Caroline's Preschool Graduation (her beloved daycare in Water Valley, MS: "Little Professional's Daycare" ...where Ms. Virginia took great care of her for 2 years ...and truth be known, she took care of me too :)

May 2009

From Collages

Bath time with The Fabulous Hawkins Girls!!! Caroline and Anabelle LOVE Maggie and Olivia ....here are some bath pics from one of our stays (AnaB, unfortunately, did not visit this time)!!!

May 2009

From Collages

We attended Amber and Watson's High School Graduation at Tad Smith Coliseum in Oxford, May 2009. Here are some precious pictures of THE MEEMAW and her ANGEL:

From Collages

Mommy squeezed in some ME TIME with a GIRLS NIGHT OUT with old friends:

From Collages

We went to Ole Miss baseball games with the Hawkins! Anabelle was pooped, so she slept through the game, all warm and cozy in her stroller.

From Collages

Easter 2009: Don't know if you remember, but Easter was chilly! AnaB watched Caroline from inside (Caroline found eggs for both of their baskets), then outside once Meemaw got her wrapped up! My job was hiding the eggs! Here is AnaB all wrapped up and watching her Sissy collect eggs for the both of them. (April 2009)

From Collages

And here are some of Caroline's Easter Egg Hunt ....she wasn't worried about the chilly air ....just finding the "goods"! (April 2009)

From Collages

Caroline found ways to keep busy when the sun wasn't shining and it was nasty and cold outside! For instance, sneaking into Mommy's makeup, then refusing to take it off :) !! "What? Your makeup? I didn't mess with your makeup!" (March 2009)

From Collages

And here she is playing "Dress Up" in the bathroom (Early March 2009):

From Collages

Here are both girls playing "Dress Up" (Late February 2009):

From Collages

Caroline started dance lessons and gymnastics in February 2009. Here are some shots from her first day. Don't you just LOVE her leg warmers?

From Collages

Here my girls are just being their cute little selves ....around our house (January 2009):

From Collages

My girls love their Meemaw and Pop! Here are some shots of Papa and Caroline in January 2009. Just look at the way she looks at Papa. He's been their Papa and their Daddy, too ....and he's done a DANG GOOD JOB OF IT! Shameless plug for Rowsey's Phone Service, too :)

From Collages

Please excuse all the late photos, but I'm sure you've enjoyed catching up with us just as much as I've enjoyed making the photo collages! I will post more later of July, August, and September ...and October pics are getting closer and closer :)!

Happy Fall, Y'all!
Melanie and The Fabulous Hodges Girls

I'm headed on my first trip to the mountains ...with the LOML (Love Of My Life) ...and I am GIDDY about it !!!

Hey There!

I don't know if you remember this, but my favorite time of year is Fall!!! I love everything about it ...the leaves turning, the crip cool air, the smell of woodburning fireplaces, wearing my boots and sweaters, dressing the girls up in their cute, warm clothes ....apple cider with red hots, pumpkins and scarecrows out everywhere, yellow and orange mums ....Halloween, eating chili, cocoa on cool nights, snuggling. Well, I really could go on and on about Fall!

So, in October, Doug Hawkins is taking me to the mountains! I've never been before, and I am SO anticipating this trip. We timed it right when all the leaves are supposed to be the most colorful, so I promise to take tons of pictures. The cabin that he's reserved is called "Close To Heaven," and it is beautiful! It sits on the side of a mountain, so the view should be spectacular !!!!

Here is a picture of the cabin:




Here's the view:




Here are 2 of my favorite things: Doug Hawkins + Fall Weather = CLOSE TO HEAVEN :)








"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." ~ Matthew 6:21

Can you tell I'm excited? Here's hoping you enjoy Fall as much as we do ...and I hope this Autumn finds you warm and cozy :)

Happy Fall, Y'all!!!
Melanie and "The Fall Girls"

This touched me today, and I wanted to share it with you !

Hey there!

I was reading a blog today, and I came across this poem. It's beautiful and thought provoking .... and it makes you stop and think about the "things" that really matter in this life (and they aren't really "things" at all, are they?)! It also made me think how God has to shake us sometimes to open our eyes. Hope you like it, too!

Disturb us, Lord, when
We are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.


Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.


Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wider seas
Where storms will show your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.
We ask You to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push into the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.
[Sir Francis Drake]


More later,
Melanie and The Cutie Patooties :)

Dancing Queen (better late than never ....right?)

Hey there! Well, I'm starting with May dance recital pictures of Caroline ....her dance recital was so long ago, it was really very fun uploading these pictures and "reliving" her excitement that night!!!! I will add more throughout the week to this particular post ....b/c there are SO many pictures from her FIRST dance recital! I'm sure you could already guess this, but Caroline Kenley Hodges LOVED, LOVED, LOVED being on stage and in the spotlight (and everyone else knew it, too)! You would not believe the people that came up to me after the show, commenting on what a "ham" Caroline was onstage! They also had a gymnastics "show-off," so there are some pictures of her doing her backbend ....

Without further ado, here is our DANCING QUEEN:

From Collages

More of Caroline's other dance number (and pre-recital, the "getting ready" is the toughest part for a girl :)

From Collages

Gymnastics pictures:




**There are a few more of her in her white dress, and I will add those later this week! Also, I'll be posting pictures from her Preschool Graduation (May 2009), also!

Happy Week ....its beginning to look a lot like Fall!!!

Melanie and Her Cutie Patooties!

Have you accepted yourself?

"Our entire life, with our fine moral code and our precious freedom, consists ultimately in accepting ourselves as we are." ~ Jean Anouilh


As Summer 2009 comes to a close and a new season begins, I am reflecting on all the things I continue to learn. I will be 36 years old in one month. A person learns their whole lifetime, but I can totally pinpoint when I began learning survival skills. Summer 2005 and Summer 2007 were tremendous learning stages in my life ...and the education was all about survival. God gives you what you need, when you need it; not a minute before He deems it necessary. During those summers, I totally doubted my decision making. I felt weak. I KNEW I wasn't weak, but I found it hard to draw strength from anything. I had what I needed, and while I felt as though I was hitting mountain after mountain, I didn't realize it then, but I was climbing those mountains. I was harder on myself than anyone else was. I expected more of myself than was necessary. I thought to cry was to exhibit weakness. I made life harder than it really was. Do you do that? I've found that particular skill (making something difficult) to be my greatest personality trait (laughing to myself)! Since those summers, I've continued to grow as an adult, but also letting go of some of my inhibitions about myself and becoming more accepting of the "not so flat" tummy and my frequently appearing gray hairs, becoming denser and denser with every single day :) !!! I'm finally feeling comfortable in my own skin. I enjoy my life; enjoy my mistakes; enjoy my triumphs. I look in the mirror, after many years, and I feel comfortable in what is Melanie Rowsey Hodges. I'm strong! So what if my tummy isn't Sports Illustrated material. My kids are healthy and happy; I'm healthy and happy & life doesn't get much better than this. I've noticed this summer that with "old age," I'm gaining a self-confidence that I'v never felt before, especially with my control over my own life ...... or rather, letting some of my control factors go and learning to love this life. Peace. I've blogged about it before. Not only have I accepted where I am in life, I've accepted who I am in life. And, let me tell you, friend ....IT FEELS FABULOUS!!!!! I continue to seek acceptance of myself and the ability to laugh at myself ...and I wish the same for you.

**I have a ton of pictures to upload from our summer adventures and activities, from May to July. Bear with me, during the next couple of weeks, as I'm going to try and make a collage of all of these events.

Here's hoping your August is filled with the full schedule that "back to school" brings, as well as the excitement :) !!!!

Fall is coming!

Much love,
Melanie and Her Cutie Patooties

Have you ever wondered how YOU were chosen?

How Preemie Moms Are Chosen(Adapted from Erma Bombeck)

Did you ever wonder how the mothers of premature babies are chosen? Somehow, I visualize God hovering over Earth, selecting his instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As he observes, he instructs his angels to take notes in a giant ledger. "Beth Armstrong, son. Patron Saint, Matthew. Marjorie Forrest, daughter. Patron Saint, Celia. Carrie Rutledge, twins. Patron Saint ... give her Gerard. He's used to profanity ;)!

"Finally, he passes a name to an angel and smiles. "Give her a preemie. "The angel is curious. "Why this one, God? She's so happy." "Exactly," smiles God. "Could I give a premature baby a mother who knows no laughter? That would be cruel." "But does she have the patience?" asks the angel. "I don't want her to have too much patience, or she'll drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wear off, she'll handle it. I watched her today. She has that sense of self and independence so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I'm going to give her has a world of its own. She has to make it live in her world, and that's not going to be easy." "But Lord, I don't think she even believes in you." God smiles. "No matter, I can fix that. This one is perfect. She has just the right amount of selfishness." The angel gasps, "Selfishness?! Is that a virtue?" God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she will never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect. She doesn't know it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take for granted a spoken word. She will never consider a step ordinary. When her child says 'mama' for the first time, she will be witness to a miracle and know it. I will permit her to see clearly the things I see – ignorance, cruelty, prejudice – and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life because she is doing my work as surely as she is here by my side." "And what about her Patron Saint?" asks the angel, his pen poised in the air. God smiles. "A mirror will suffice."



*I am a CHOSEN MOMMY! I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I was chosen to mother a preemie, specifically for God's purpose in Anabelle's life ....and that makes my heart smile and beam with pride! I just hope I'm living up to His expectations!*

I ask that you continue to pray for Anabelle. At her 2nd year checkup, our pediatrician was a little harsh in judging Anabelle's weight. Her weight is still 19 lbs., despite pushing food like crazy ...she is picky and doesn't LOVE food (she's the only one in our family that doesn't :)! So, we are taking another approach. We've cut the appetite stimulant (which is an antihistamine and makes her super thristy = LARGE AMOUNTS OF JUICE THAT FILL HER UP B/F SHE EATS); we've cut the juice and we are steering away from babyfood!!! Please lift Anabelle up and ask for an increase in her appetite to help with her weight gain. Also, pray for our patience b/c it is so discouraging to try and find something - ANYTHING - your baby will eat and love.

Much love to you ... from a "chosen" mommy,
Melanie (and the Fabulous Hodges Girls)