Good evening all!!  I just finished watching “Facing the Giants” for the second time.  It’s a Christian movie about a football coach who teaches his players to trust in and lean on God in all things at all times.  It’s a wonderful movie about facing the “giants” in your life.  It made me stop and think about this past year and the “giants” Beau and his family had to face.  In Beau’s case, the giant was neuroblastoma.  His family had to face several giants.  They had to face not only the fact that Beau had neuroblastoma but the fact that our little warrior’s time on this earth was most likely going to be shorter than any of us wanted it to be.  The night we found out Beau had neuroblastoma was probably the worst night that any of us had ever faced!  That night on the way back to the hospital G-Paw reminded me that Beau was God’s child and he was on loan to Jennifer and Parham.  God would give us the grace to face what was ahead and He would see us thru each day.  All we had to do was have faith and trust in him.  I don’t think any of us had any idea that night that God had such an awesome plan for Beau’s little life.  And, none of us could have ever imagined that God was going to use Beau in such a mighty way over the next year. Who would have ever thought that this little blue eyed boy with the infectious smile would end up touching so many lives – thousands of lives all over the world.  The main theme of the movie was “with God all things are possible”.  I think that became very apparent to all of us as the days turned into months and we witness the courage and strength of our little warrior.  He taught us all about determination, courage, strength and love. We lived on faith, learned patience and we trusted in God even when we couldn’t and didn’t understand what was going on.  Neuroblastoma was “Goliath” and Beau was “David”.  He fought that giant with all his strength, with great courage, with heart and determination.  You might say but he didn’t win “Goliath defeated him” – yes he did win – in ways you may never understand.  God used Beau to touch peoples’ lives in ways we could never have imagined especially in such a short time and across thousands of miles.  We kept praying for a miracle but as Auntie Nay said all along Beau was the miracle - God’s miracle.  Even today, God continues to use Beau to touch peoples’ lives.  What a legacy!!!  Beau continues to be our “David” our little warrior.  Jeremiah 29:11  “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Mathew 19:26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”  All things are possible with God!!!!  All you have to do is trust and believe.  God Bless!!  Love, Grammy

Good evening!  Most little boys love hats and Beau was no exception.  He had so many hats and he loved to wear them. Some times mommy would pick out the hat but often Beau decided what hat he wanted to wear that day. He had hats from State, ECU, and Carolina.  He had camouflage hats, hunting hats, various baseball hats, etc.  Most of the time when you saw Beau he had on a hat and his "pappy" in his mouth.  Those were two of the things that made Beau "Beau".  Mark 12: 30 & 33 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.  To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength,...  God loves us unconditionally because we are his children.  Let us love Him in the same way - unconditionally without question and with all our heart, strength and understanding.  I've said this many times before Beau loved unconditionally.  God's love flowed thru him and was like a beacon of light reaching out to others.  Our little warrior - Beau of many hats - reaching out to all those he came in contact with.  I hope you enjoy these pictures of our precious little one.  God Bless!  Love, Grammy 

Good evening all!  I mentioned in an earlier update that I had a small kitchen Beau and Kayla played with at my house.  On this particular day, they were playing mommy and daddy.  Beau was trying to cook and Kayla was cleaning.  I have play food that goes with the kitchen and in this play food are plastic realistic looking hotdogs.  Beau was playing with them and carried them around for the longest time.  We also have play silverware and he found the knife.  He spent the longest time trying to cut the hotdogs.  He put them on the floor and very carefully tried to cut the hotdog down the middle.  The hotdog would roll and he would start all over.  He was so cute and it ended up being so funny because he was trying so hard to get the hotdog to be still so he could cut it. He finally realized he wasn’t going to be able to cut the hotdog and he gave up.  The kitchen had gotten dusty so Kayla was spending her time with paper towels and Windex cleaning the kitchen.  Ecclesiastes 10:10 (Amplified Bible) If the ax is dull and the man does not wet the edge, he must put forth more strength; but wisdom helps him to succeed.  Beau finally realized his knife was not sharp enough and the hotdog was too hard to be able to cut it no matter how hard he tried or how strong he was.  So, he finally let “his wisdom” take over and he went on playing.  Often, we start out on a project only to find that we don’t have the right tools or the right skills to be able to succeed and sometimes we are too stubborn to admit it or ask for help.  Or, we may start out on a trip and don’t have the correct directions and we won’t stop and ask for help so we wander aimlessly around until we finally figure out where we are going.  The one thing we should do before we start any task – minor or major, start out on a trip, etc. is take time to pray and ask for God’s wisdom, help and guidance.  Ask, Him to help you make the right decision and to help lead you in the right direction.  You can’t go wrong if you do that.  And, always take time to thank Him for being there taking and taking care of you.  God Bless!!  Love, Grammy

Good evening everyone!! I hope you all had a great weekend.  My memories today are of Beau and Kayla racing.  There were many times during the year Beau spent time in the hospital that we had to get the cars and go racing around the nurses’ station.  Beau would always get the one with the bottom in it and the handle on it so mommy could push him.  Kayla would get the one that she had to push with her feet.  They would race around and around the nurses’ station.  Nurses, doctors, residents, caregivers and visitors would have to jump out of the way before they got ran over.  Sometimes, Kayla would turn around and see how fast she could go the other way and catch back up with Beau.  God Bless all the staff on 2 West because they never complained or asked us to be quite or slow down.  They would laugh and wave and often times count how many times we had gone around.  Of course, Beau never wanted to stop. He always wanted to keep going.  The Christmas he was a year old he received numerous vehicles.  He got what we call the “EGG Car”, a Diago car, and several other vehicles.  He had enough vehicles in the garage that Jennifer couldn’t put her car in it.  Last year for his 2^nd birthday he got a John Deer Gator and John Deer Tractor.  There were always vehicles to ride in and race with.  What wonderful memories and pictures we have of these times.  1 Timothy 6:18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.  Beau had a precious, loving spirit.  He was generous with his love as well as with his toys.  Now, he could be your typical 2 yr. old when he wanted to – but what 2 yr. old isn’t that way sometimes.  You could always see God’s love shining thru in Beau’s face.  He’d ride in his gator and always had Kayla or Katie or Brianna with him.  These were precious times – times that we’ll hold close in hearts for all the days of our life.  Next time you are watching your kids or grandkids laughing and having fun take a moment to just step back and watch them.  Etch that picture in your mind forever.  Remember how their faces looked and how their eyes crinkled up when they laughed.  Every moment of every day with your family and friends is precious.  Always remember the scripture above. Do good for your family and friends, be rich in your good deeds because they are more precious than gold.  And, always be willing to share and it doesn’t have to be material it can be your time.  That too is more precious than gold.  God Bless!!   Love Grammy

Good evening everyone!!  In just a few months, spring will be here.  The spring Beau was almost a year old we took him and Kayla to the “Buttercup Patch”.  There is a big field of buttercups close to Winterville and in the spring, people go there with their kids and take pictures.  Jennifer, Julie and I decided we’d go there with Beau and Kayla and try to get some good pictures of them.  Kayla wanted to run thru the flowers and pick them.  That was a no no since you aren’t supposed to pick the flowers.  We took a blanket for them to sit and would try to get them to sit on the blanket and pose for us.  If you have little kids, you know how hard it is to get kids to be still much less to pose and take a picture.  We’d get Beau situated just right and start to take the picture and he would crawl off or lean over trying to get to the flowers.  He and Kayla would start squirming when we’d try to get them to sit together.  We did finally get some cute pictures and it turned out to be a fun afternoon.  The best part was the five of us being together having fun.  You could see the love in Beau and Kayla’s faces that afternoon as they played together and enjoyed the beautiful buttercups.  1 Corinthians 13:8 (Amplified Bible) Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].  Little children are so full of love – unconditional love and they tend to see the best in everyone. The scripture above is so true – love endures everything, it withstands anything and everything that life can throw at you and it will see you thru the worst of times.  We all need to be more childlike in our faith, hope, and love.  We need to see the good in others, have faith and trust in God and love unconditionally.   For as 1 Corinthians 1:13 says when talking about faith, hope and love … but the greatest of these is love.  Have a great weekend!!  GOD BLESS!!  Love, Grammy

Good evening all!  I hope you all had a good day today in spite of the rainy dreary day.  Kids love Halloween and dressing up and Beau and Kayla were no exception.  We tried each year to dress them up to match.  Beau’s first year of trick or treating he was a cow and Kayla was a ladybug – the animal theme.  Beau was only 4 months old so he really didn’t know what was going on.  He just enjoyed riding in the wagon and watching all the kids that were out that night.  I imagine he was thinking to himself “what in the world have these people done to me putting me in this funny looking thing”.  The second year Beau was a cowboy with chaps, vest and bandana.  He wasn’t too happy when we first dressed him up but he finally got use to the costume.  Kayla was an Indian “princess” as she called herself with moccasins, and headband w/feather.  This time Beau was able to walk and carry his trick or treat spider bag.  They got lots of candy and Beau was able to eat some of his.  This past year Beau was Bob the Builder with a hard hat and tool belt and the boots he had to get at “Malmart” so he would be like his daddy.  Kayla was a one of the Disney princess with a tiara and high heels – we had the character theme going on.  Cousin Briana was with them this year dressed as a sweet little Bumble Bee.  Beau’s friend Caleb came too and was dressed as a cute little monkey.  We took two wagons loaded up the kids and off we went – four kids and 9 adults – mommies, daddies and grandparents.  We had more adults than kids.  Beau really got into trick or treating this year.  The more candy he got the more excited he would get.  We got some great pictures all three years and have wonderful memories that will last forever.  1 Samuel 7  …The Lord does not look at the things man looks at.  Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.  Everyone that saw Beau trick or treating saw a cow one year, a cowboy the next year and Bob the Builder this year.  They weren’t looking beyond the costumes to see the sweet, courageous and brave little Beau that was God’s special miracle.  They might have noticed his intense blue eyes and huge smile, but they couldn’t see that precious sweet heart beating inside that would end up ministering to and touching thousands of peoples’ lives in a span of a year.  God made Beau and had mapped his life out day by day before he was even born.  He knew the “plans He had for Beau’s life”.  When Beau was born, we saw his “outward appearance” never giving a thought to his “heart and soul”.  Never in a million years could we have imagined what an impact Beau was going to have on so many.  The old saying “don’t judge a book by its cover” is so true.”  We all need to remember the saying and look beyond a person’s appearance and take time to find out what is in their heart.  God Bless!!  Love, Grammy

Good evening all!  Today’s update is about baseball.  Parham played baseball in high school and still enjoys going to watch ECU baseball games and little league games.  He, Jennifer and Beau went to some little league ballgames last summer as well as ECU baseball games with Grand-dad Miller.  Also, last summer Grand-dad took them to a Kinston Indians game.  Beau got a glove and ball while he was there and had a great time playing and cheering the Indians on.  Beau loved going to the ECU games and sitting in the “jungle” at Harrington Field.  He would wear his ECU hat and t-shirt.  Even though he was only two, he would watch the game intently and cheer when ECU got a homerun.  Beau liked watching all the folks sitting around him in the “jungle”.  He would laugh and cut up and sometime put on a show.  And, he loved eating all the “junk food” you can get at the games.  Of course, Grand-dad would indulge him and he always got what he wanted.  They were lazy summer days spent at a few baseball games with Grand-dad and Grand-ma Miller and sometimes other friends.  Beau, Jennifer and Parham shared these special times of laughing and being silly and living a normal life in an abnormal time.  Beau had a lot of good days in the year he was sick and did a lot of fun things.  There were a lot of good memories made that will never be forgotten especially since we have photographs to look back on. We’ll carry these memories in our hearts forever.   Ecclesiastes 3:1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven  3:4 ….a time to laugh   3:8….a time to love  Beau’s family had a lot of different “seasons” in this past year.  The times spent at baseball games were times to laugh and love and enjoy being a family.  We look back on these pictures and we know without a doubt how happy “Beau Diddley” was and how much he was loved and is loved.  Don’t ever take your family and friends for granted.  Enjoy even the simplest times with them and make memories that will last forever.  God Bless!  Love, Grammy

Good evening everyone!!This evening’s update reflects back on the time when we were trying to get Beau to walk.  He wasn’t showing much interest in walking but boy could he crawl.  We (Jennifer, Julie & Grammy) were working out at the gym with Uncle T during this time.  We’d go in the middle of afternoon when it wasn’t very crowded and most of the time we’d put Beau on the floor on his blanket and he’d play with Kayla.  But when he started crawling he wouldn’t stay in one place and Uncle T would have to chase him down.  He’d crawl over to the big exercise balls and try to play with them or he’d drag all the jump ropes and exercise bands out of the box. Uncle T called Beau and Kayla the gym monkeys and they were little monkeys.  One day after we had finished working out we just hung out for awhile talking.  Kayla decided she wanted Beau to walk.  Jennifer would get him to stand up – which was hard to do sometimes because if he didn’t want to stand up he wouldn’t – then Kayla would take his hands and say come on Beau you can walk, come on you can do it don’t be scared. She was so serious about it all and wanted him to walk so bad I guess so he could run and play with her.  Beau put up with it for awhile then it made him mad and he wouldn’t stand up anymore.  At that point he could get where he was going a lot faster by crawling.  Isaiah 41:13  For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.  Kayla was only 2 yr. old but she knew enough to tell Beau not to be afraid.  She was holding his hand and Jennifer was behind him.  They were both watching over him and taking care of him just as God does with us.  He’ll take our hand and tell us not to be afraid.  God wants us to take steps in our lives that we are sometimes afraid to do but He’s always there holding our hand so we won’t fall.  Beau was a brave little boy and showed us all what courage and strength was all about.  He’s holding Jesus hand now how awesome is that!!  I miss him so much but his memories live on in my heart and thru my pictures and I look at them every day.  God Bless!!  Love, Grammy

Good evening!! 











I recall more good times with Beau and Kayla as I continue to go thru my pictures.  As you all know, Jennifer is a respiratory therapist at PCMH.  When she went back to work after Beau was born, Ma kept Beau for her.  When Jennifer had to work on Fridays, Beau would stay with me and Kayla.  Jennifer had a play fence that you could put up in the house and she would bring it over when Beau stayed with me.  I would put quilts and comforters inside to make it nice and soft for them and we would fill it with toys.  The kids could play inside it and I didn’t have to worry about Beau trying to climb my steps or get into things – that way Grammy could get a few things done while they played.  This particular day Kayla wanted to make a tent so we spread a blanket across half of the top and secured it with clothes pens. Beau thought it was so funny being under the blanket.  He was just a little over a year old and I’m not sure he understood the concept of a tent.  They kept pulling part of the blanket down so it would cover them up and you couldn’t see them.  They would laugh and giggle and be silly.  Once in a while they would want the same toy and get in a tugging fight but that only lasted a moment and they were back laughing and having a ball with each other.  They played for hours under that tent and even had their snacks in there.  I tried to get them to take a nap but that didn’t last too long.  It was a fun day for the both of them.  Proverbs 17:17  A friend loves at all times….  Kids love unconditionally.  Their love is pure love.  Beau and Kayla loved each other without question it was definitely unconditional.  Beau loved everyone that way.  It was the only way he knew how to love.  You could see the love in his eyes and in his smile. Beau’s love lives on in all of us.  We miss him so much but we’ll always have his love and his memories with us.  God Bless!!  Love, Grammy

Good evening!!  Wasn’t it a beautiful spring like day today?  Auntie Nay reminded me of a cute story about Beau.  Beau loved boots.  Parham bought him a pair of cowboy boots – I think before he was even born.  Parham owned a pair and wanted his boy to have a pair as well.  They sat in Beau’s room – beside his little rocking horse – until he was able to walk and wear them.  If I remember correctly, Beau even wore them at the hospital once with his gown.  He could be very determined when he wanted to wear them and would not take them off.  One day last fall, Jennifer, Beau, Kayla and I went on one of our excursions to “Malmart”.  We had finished our shopping, bought a toy for both kids and was headed to the checkout when Beau started hollering “I want boots like daddy”.  We could not get him to change his mind so we got out of line and headed to the shoe department.  We were already running a little late.  Jennifer was supposed to meet Parham at home to go somewhere so we knew we didn’t have much time.  We flew thru the children’s section of shoes and finally located a pair of rubber boots that was Beau’s size.  They had one pair.  They weren’t really like the boots Parham wears but Beau didn’t care he liked them and said “like daddy’s”.  We ran – we really did run – to the checkout and then ran to the car, thru the stuff and the kids in and took off back to Jennifer’s house.  Beau had to hold his boots and he held them like they were made out of gold.  We turned into Jennifer’s neighborhood and as soon as we could see her house we saw Parham was already home.  Beau saw him right away and tried to get his harness on his car seat undone.  He was ecstatic to see Parham and kept hollering daddy, daddy, boots, boots.  It was all I could do to get him unbuckled and out of his seat.  He had the biggest smile on his face – you could tell how excited he was and how much he wanted Parham to see his boots.  He literally jumped from my arms into Parham’s arms.  He was talking and showing Parham his boots.  Beau was so proud of his boots.  2 Samuel 7:14 & 15 I will be his father, and he will be my son….  But my love will never be taken away from him….  Parham had a short time with Beau but he was such a good daddy.  The love he had for his son was beyond words.  You could see it in his face when he looked at Beau.  Those two crammed more time together into the 2 short years than some of us will share with our kids in a lifetime.  They had a special bond – a bond that will never be broken.  As I look back at the pictures of those two together and remember the times they shared my eyes fill up with tears.  Thank you Lord for giving Beau such a wonderful daddy and for giving the two of them some wonderful times together.  Thank you Parham for being a wonderful and loving father to Beau.  He will live forever in your heart and in your memories.   God Bless!!  Love, Grammy 

Good evening all!  Our update and pictures today comes from Jennifer.  As some of you know, Parham loves to deer hunt and has hunting dogs as well.  His father-in-law, Hodgie as Beau called him, loves to hunt also.  He and Ma gave Beau his life-time hunting license for his 1^st birthday.  While Beau wasn’t old enough to actually go hunting, he loved to go riding around the hunt club in Daddy’s big trunk.  Sometimes Mommy would go with them as well.  Since they were back in the woods and going slow, Beau would stand on the seat beside Parham and would put his arm around his neck.  They would ride around the club looking for deer.  Sometimes they would go let the dogs out to run and later go back and round them up.  Beau’s favorite dog was Peanut.  Parham always had his binoculars with him so he could look for the deer or dogs which ever they were looking for at the moment.  Sometimes Beau would say to Parham “let me see”.  He would take those big binoculars and hold them up to his eyes and look thru them with the most serious look on his face.  He would scout the area looking for the deer or dogs.  He knew exactly what to do.  He would wear his orange hat just like Daddy and sometimes the boots we had to buy him at “Malmart” so he would be just like Daddy.  The last time Beau got to go to the hunt club riding with Daddy he got to see a big buck.  He and Mommy both went on this particular day.  One of Parham’s friends got a big buck that day and they had it on the back of Parham’s truck.  Beau kept telling them the deer had gone “night night”.  He was so cute.  Wonderful memories of a special time!!   John 5:20   For the Father loves the Son and show him all he does.  The relationship between a father and son is very special.  Parham and Beau had a very special relationship.  Their time together was short but their time together was precious.  Parham took Beau riding with him in his truck on many occasions not only to the hunt club, but to feed the dogs and to check on his houses and sometimes to just ride because Beau loved to go riding.  Parham was a very good example of a wonderful father who loved his son more than words could every express.   God Bless!!  Love, Grammy