From my sister...

My sister, Shawna, had this to say after reading my comments from yesterday. I thought it good to preserve them here too...

"I think about mom and it makes it all worth it, cause I remember her always being there for us and that means so much more than material possesions. She was there when we got home from school and was at all our school functions. She made us dinner every night and every morning made sure we had our breakfast. She wasn't too tired to help us with our homework in the evenings and sometimes made us rice krispie treats and would bring them to us as we watched TV downstairs! I can only hope to be such a wonderful mother.Dad's sacrifice was working so hard so we could have our mother at home. He got up every morning and I can't remember him missing a day of work whether he was sick or just tired (like I do now!). I remember him loving to horse around with us in the floor and giving me wisker burn! They love being our parents.Its worth everything you have to do without. I'm sure they would say the same." -Shawna Byrd Shockley

-BYRD

This Day in History...

On March 25, 1977, Ronald Dale Byrd and Pamela Jane Stapler were united in Holy Matrimony at the Big Cove Free Holiness Church in Big Cove, Alabama. Rev. Hoyt Dalton officiated the service, and apparently did a good job as thirty-three years later, they're still married. I have known this couple as Mom and Dad.

I'm so thankful for my parents and everything they have done for me. For my whole life, they've been nothing but givers - both sacrificing unselfishly so that my sister and I could have not only our needs, but also a lot of our wants. Spoiled? No - never spoiled, as they also instilled in us the value of working for what we have and taking care of what we've earned or been given. My dad worked hard the entire time I was growing up - sometimes more than one job, so that my mom could be home with me and Shawna. Mom kept probably two or three church dresses at the most, so that she could buy us nice clothes for school and church. I never knew how much to appreciate these things until now.

They raised us to fear God and to trust in Him. They taught us to respect our elders. They taught us to love one another. They taught us so many things that I will never forget - through the examples in their lives.

Did they ever fuss? Yep - don't you and your spouse? But what I remember more than that, was that my dad kissed my mom every day before he left for work. Of course we thought it was gross at the time; but now, I look back at how special that is. My mom mentioned the other day that Dad STILL kisses her every day before going to work... it just made me feel good. So anyhow, that's just a few random thoughts about my parents on their special day.

Happy Anniversary, Mom & Dad - two of the most successful people I have ever known.

-BYRD

Kensley

I was sitting here at my desk today and ran across some emails and pictures I had saved from back in October – days after some of my best friends and their children had been involved in a horrifying accident in Florida. Anybody who might be reading this probably knows who I’m talking about and all about it; but just in case someone doesn’t, Dustin, Melissa, Konner, and Kensley Kelly were on their way home from Disney World when they hydroplaned on I-90 near Pensacola, Florida, causing their car to leave the road and flip. Dustin and Melissa were trapped in their vehicle – but Konner and Kensley were ejected from the car. Dustin, Melissa, and Konner were all banged-up pretty bad; but Kensley sustained a very serious, life-threatening head injury and her life hung in the balances for what seemed like an eternity. More about the accident and everything that has occurred since, can be read at www.prayingforkensley.blogspot.com.

Today, when I found the pictures and thought back to what kind of condition she laid in for SO many days, I just kind of got overwhelmed for a few minutes. The outcome could have been SO, SO, SO very different. You don’t like to think about that; but to be truly thankful for the way things ARE, you MUST consider how things could have been.

If you don’t know this kid, you’re missing out! She is a mess and little more on top of that! Whenever I’m around her (and from what I’m here, whenever I’m NOT around her too), she never stop talking! Praise the Lord! We didn’t know if she’d be ABLE to talk – I think the only thing about that’s she’s not able to do is STOP talking! She fell this week and broke her wrist. Praise the Lord! The doctors weren’t sure that she’d ever walk again; but she IS – and that’s how she fell and broke her wrist! She’s still a little under 100%; but we all believe that with more time and prayer, she’ll get there! She’s just a miracle as she is.

I’m just sitting here today with a thankful heart and teary-eyes.

-BYRD

Not Too Baaaaaaaaaad... :)

Okay, that was corny! :) But that stinking goat (Marty said it was a lamb) baaaaaa'ed all day LONG! :) Here's a few samples from our Easter pics! Let me know what you think!

(CLICK TO ENLARGE)

Coming soon... The McKenzie's - Keepsake

I have almost completed everything for the McKenzie's compilation album; and I'm already getting inquries about them, so I thought I'd go ahead and post about it here!

The McKenzie's, Keepsake - Volume II, will be available HOPEFULLY by Friday, March 26th! This CD contains all twenty songs recorded by The McKenzie's on their 1990's albums, In Memory of Daddy and Thank You For Loving Me. These were transferred from cassette-tape and edited to attempt to remove some of the tape-noise, then professionally duplicated. I think it sounds GREAT!

The songs included are:

1. Somebody Touched the Lord
2. I'm Trusting In You
3. Christ Is Precious To Me
4. Holy Power
5. He Just Picks Me Up
6. He Walked Upon the Water
7. Go Get My Children
8. He Leads Me
9. Take Me Home
10. Fountain of My Soul
11. Get On Board
12. Oh, What a Savior!
13. Thank You For Loving Me
14. Shield of Love
15. I Will Sing a Millions Years in Heaven
16. Give Up
17. He's All I Need
18. Don't Ever Let Go
19. He Will Stand By Your Side
20. King's Highway

Copies of this album will be available for $15.00. If you're interested in reserving yours, please email me at shannon@byrdprophoto.com.

Thanks!

-BYRD