Ty's surgery

Ty is having a tonsilectomy and adnoidectomy along with a tube removal and patch to cover this Friday. These are all separate procedures being done at the same time. His breathing is worse and its breaking our hearts hearing him gasp for air while sleeping. We can't wait any longer. Please say some prayers for him and us this week if you can.

Ty

Some things that I want to remember about Ty at this age:

-He has added "Ya know" to the end of everything he says.

-Does not want to have anything to do with any food except for superman or spiderman fruitsnacks or hotdogs

-His favorite color is green

-His favorite shows are Blues Clues, Go Diego, Legion of Superheros, and Spongebob

-He loves to "nuggle" and shoeves his feet under your legs

-He asks everyday to wear a green striped shirt with brown pants (like Steve) In fact he makes us call him Steve sometimes.

-He LOVES to play outside- help mom water plants (his favorite), gather sticks, play catch, chase Murray, pick flowers, squash bugs, play bubbles and draw with sidewalk chalk

-He has a crush on a girl named Jenna in his class (the youth minister's daughter, she is one of two girls in the class and his friend Joshua Clausen says he is going to marry her). They hold hands in chapel at school he tells me that she puts her head on his shoulder.

-When Dad's away he makes us call him Dad, me Trent, and says things like goodnight honey!
He also says frequently, "I am going to my office" and then heads out the back door to drive his big red car to work!

-His prayer at night, "Dear God, tank you for dis bootifull day, tank you Popneata, MemeG, all are frenz, all our famly, food, house, and dog, and JESUS.........AMEN.


-If there is a corner, he will more than likely hit it with his head!

-LOVES to take baths but especially in mommy's tub with the jets on!

- He calls Olivia "baby" or Wivveeee. He hugs and kisses on her A LOT. When she gets hurt or in trouble she goes to him first and puts her head in his chest. He just holds her and says in the sweetest little voice, "It otay baby......" while patting her little back.

-Getting independent, likes to put his shoes on BY MYSELF (even gets them on the correct feet!), as well as socks and clothes.

-Still enjoys wearing Trent and my shoes around the house. We find them later in the strangest places!

-He loves to help with ANYTHING he can. He always begs to hold the door for people. If someone drops something he runs to pick it up.

-He uses his manners without being told the majority of the time. Even knows to take his hat off upon entering a building thanks to his Daddy.

-Loves to talk about the Bible, in fact he is very possesive of his and enjoys sleeping with it most nights! He reminds me that Jesus is real and He keeps us safe.

-He raises his eyebrows as he smiles when he is embarassed, also turns red very easily!

-If he thinks a girl is pretty he can barely look at her, has very good taste by the way!

-Calls Murray his dog Blue

-His favorite songs are Away In A Manger and My Only Sunshine. I catch him singing church songs quite a bit as he is playing or just riding a long in the car.

-He always points out that we are nearing his house and gets real excited when he sees it, asking. "Do you see my house!!??!!! I DO!!!!"

He has the sweetest spirit and kind little heart. He is still a Mamma's Boy and I hope that NEVER changes. I pray every night that God keep him safe and protected from harm surrounded by Angels at all times. He has his moments but they are fewer and far between. He likes to pretend he is a baby and say things like his sister, asks to be held alot. I think he is just real ready for his Daddy to be around for the summer!

WHAT TH

No, its not snow..........HAIL! We had a thirty minute down pour of itabout 2 today! Pure craziness! Scroll down for the latest happenings.

The rest of these are just ones that I thought were sweet. The Broncos have been Trent's favorite team since he was not much older than Ty is now. We have a hand-me-down jersey from his cousins and he sported it for his Dad's birthday dinner last Friday night. Our friend Colt and Trent share the same birthday so Suzanne and I planned a little surprise birthday dinner for them and the friends we have in common. It was hard to get them to cooperate but they were surprised none the less and it was a good time. Of course I did not get any pictures of that... sorry. I can't believe we are 'in our thirties'!!!!
I must say its been the best time in my life though! It IS just a number and Trent still gets mistaken for one of the golfers instead of the coach so he has nothing to worry about! Well..... we are going to be keeping our internet so the blogging does not have to cease afterall! (I think my most avid readers never comment, I have gotten a lot of surprising verbal ones on this issue!) Just nixing the cable and phone- just cell phones now. No more Diego or Spongebob for Ty or ESPN for Trent. I will not even be effected! Will just have to wait until 7 for longdistance! Not a big deal. Also, I can now see 100%!!!!!! So weird not to be putting contacts in or glasses on! It was all worth it and SO nice! I would encourage everyone who struggles with sight to look into finding out if you are a candidate. I feel very fortunate to have had that option and although it tried my patience........I am all around a better person for it! Also reached that 21 days...........it was not a perfect 21 days but has really caused me to think before I speak and make a conscious effort to not complain in any area of my life. What a challenge! Until next time...................

P.S. Congrats to Holly and Casey McLean in the birth of Kyley a few weeks ago! I can't wait to meet her!

P.S.S. Harpers......did you get that house?

Happy Easter!

We go to early service and the kids saw their baskets this morning but were still pretty out of it as we were getting them dressed in front of them. It was not until we got home (which was when I took these pictures) that they really enjoyed them. They got into their sacks of jelly beans first thing! Yesterday we woke to heavy snowfall and this morning it was still on the ground! I asked Trent this morning, "Why would God make it snow on Easter of all days!" His answer, "Maybe he is trying to make a point that the meaning is not about new spring Easter outfits!" I thought that was a good thought! He got to come with us to church this morning but left with the girls after service. Please be praying for their safety as they travel and for a good tournament all around in OKC. I am about to go start a fire, yes on EASTER and Ty and I will finish watching Alice and Wonderland in front of it while sister is in, as Aunt Linda calls it, noo noo! In other news, I keep forgetting to mention it, Liv is now in a normal front facing carseat!!! She is only almost 18 months old, the 11th!!!! Have a great week!

Pictures and Prayer Request

Here are some more recent pictures, some of the wonderful spring weather we WERE having! Now of course its in the 40's..........good ole Texas! LOVE my lil Al Bundy at the top!

Well I have a prayer request. We went to the ENT yesterday and it looks as though Ty is going to have his tonsils out within the next month. They are so large that there is no space between them and Dr. Potacki referred to them as an obstruction to his airway! Well we are waiting to schedule for two reasons. The first being we want Dad to be there and have to work around his tournament and recruiting schedule. The second being insurance and the lack of coverage. Since we have had a job change we have also had a provider change. Something I realize now that I always took for granted. Our new provider "provides" nothing along these lines until you have been with them for at least 6 months and after that a small percentage, I think. Anyhoo... I called the Dr.s office to see just how much we are looking at and the person I need to talk to was not there and will not be back until Monday. I had this procedure done two years ago and its not a small price. Actually, our entire family have had some sort of procedure done every year for the past three years with this same ENT. Ty had tubes at 17 months old, My tonsils were actually the first when Ty was just 10 months old, and Trent had sinus surgery last year. Olivia has an appt. at the end of the month for ears after 9 ear infections, not consecutively. Its just a lot to swallow all at once and I know God will provide. He ALWAYS does. Just pray for us that we don't get stressed out about all of it and that Ty gets the care that he needs in the time that he needs. His speech is even effected by his tonsils! Also for my patience as I call around getting information and as children are carrying on in the background oblivious to an important phone call! Thank you for being people I can call on for prayer and encouragement. I am SO very blessed by all the people I have in my life.

Spring Break Pics

Waiting in the back of the suberban for mom to
load the stoller for the stockyards! Later that
night we ate at Catfish Sam's. ...mmmmm.....


Ty pushing Olivia at our friend's the
Rupert's home. They have a GORGEOUS
backyard!

/
Olivia chillin in the stroller waiting for the train to leave.

While Pop and Ty road the Turantula Train around

Fort Worth, Liv, Cita, and mom shopped and ate fudge :)

WOOHOO CHOO CHOO!!! Ya think Ty is excited?

All Aboard!

The talking Tree at The Rain Forest Cafe

The Giant LIZZARD!






My Maternal Grandfather reading to Ty in the waiting room at Aunt Linda's office. We surprised her for lunch!

Later that day we went back to 'Paw Paw's" house and Ty thouroughly enjoyed his dog Lulu








Cita, Great Aunt Linda and kiddoes

It rained one day so Cita made us play-dough!

Ty got his first dental check!






Sister is so silly!

The Lucas sisters surprised us with a visit and what a ball they all had in the sandbox!

21 Day Challenge

I have always heard that it takes 21 days to form a habit or discipline. I had the t.v. on today for special Liv time while Ty was down for rest time. We were playing on the floor and I heard a preview for an upcoming Oprah show where she is challenging a member of her staff to go without complaining for 21 days!!! She, being Oprah, responded with, " I think it would be hard to go 21 hours!" I have been pondering (that word shows my current location coming out in me doesn't it?!) the idea ever since .

I have a dear friend named Denise, whom I admire for SO many reasons, but mostly for her genuinely positive spirit. I have always wanted to be more like her in that way, well many ways actually. I think I do well at it when things are for the most part normal and good but things like my house being on the market and just not whole lot of showings has given me the revelation of how negative I can be when things are not going my way or on my time frame.

All of this leads me to take that challenge on myself in hopes of forming a habit of being positive. I would like to open that challenge to anyone who is reading. If you accept, comment so. We will have to go on the honors system and report if we are out of the game, myself included. I tend to be more successful at goals when there are others keeping me accountable.

I know that this something that God has always expected of me but I struggle and want to change. I will blog again in 21 days regarding the challenge to report the outcome. Those I see on a regular basis, feel free to call me out on anything you see or hear. I really want to know! I am mostly scared to tell Trent about it, but I know he will hold me to it which is what I need!

Have a great weekend!

Pictures from this past month

Sister used a spoon for the first time tonight! She did great! The rest of these were all taken over the course of the past month. I laugh because everytime It got quiet and I got suspicious of what havoc was going on.......I found them looking at books together! I was SO pleasantly surprised! Well we are off to spring break- hope everyone has a nice week!

update from the land of DIRT- YUK!

Explanation of these pics is written later below. I don't know how to put them where I want them within my writing!

Well we are all still dealing with the effects of breathing in dirt over the past two weeks. Olivia had a real hard time two weeks ago. She ended up with a severe double ear infection right after dealing with a tummy bug :( The good news is she is on the mend and eating better than ever! Its like she is making up for lost time! Yea for that, let's just hope it shows in her weight! I would love to turn her around and into a real carseat before she is two!

Trent's girls's came back from Temple placing third! It is the best they have ever done as a team in their conference despite the fact that they all played the worst he had ever seen! The weather wasn't real cooperative either but if they regain focus and all goes well, Tyler should be even better! I am so proud of him and the leader, example and coach that he is.

We had a great time spending time together this past weekend. We rented a few movies, and snuggled on the couch while going through SEVERAL boxes of kleenex due to all the sinus problems we are having!

There is a group of girl friends that I have been doing a casserole swap with over the past couple of years. Its really kind of deceiving to call it 'casserole' swap because a lot of the things exchanged are not exactly casseroles! I have ended up with some great crockpot meals, lasagna, chicken pot pie, etc. Anyhoo... there are 8 of us and we all make something freezable and get together to assemble/exchange about once every three months. It's great- I spend about $40.00 and go home with 8 different things to put in the freezer! This time another 'Taylor' joined so we will have 9!!! Well I decided to do Green Chicken Enchiladas this time. I made my monthly trip to Walmart Friday night ( yes monthly, a whole other post in itself) and had no place to store everything so I went ahead and made them yesterday afternoon. Ty was a great helper and did the stirring for me! This is the first time I have actually let him help in the kitchen. I am a little controlling I guess and learning to be more patient with the mess that might come along with that. Yesterday, no mess and he did a great job! I thought it was a monumental picture! Our exchange is not until next weekend but I will just take and help others assemble. If you do not already do something like this you should get a group together to, it doesn't matter how many and it saves you SO much time as well as money!

I have a few pictures that I will post later but March is going to be a full month for us and probably won't be blogging again until it is over. We have a class party this next weekend, Spring Break, a trip to the ENT for Olivia, as well as lots more tournaments. Basketball is over so no more reffing or stating for Trent! Yea for that! Those days he is in town we will be able to enjoy him! Happy March everyone!

The Weekend Update

My 'highschool' long time buddies: Deawn, Heather, Linnea, Holly, Me, Melissa, and Thea. The only girl missing is Maria who now lives in VA beach. Eveyone else besides me are in the metroplex. We had a wonderful time anticipating the arrival of Holly's little girl. We will always be friends and seem to just pick back up where we left off every time! We all went to different colleges except Holly and I at ACU and Heather and Deawn at TCU. We used to have a camping trip every year post highschool but when we got married and especially started families, just not as easy to do. We still have a holiday party every year and I am able to see everyone just about every time I come in town and have fun play dates and dinner and such. There are also about five or six guys from our little group too and the majority of them are still in that area too with the exception of two but they still occassionally make the Christmas Party. We all got really close during Young Life our sophomore year of Highschool. Holly is now the director in Arlington! Our leaders Bob and Debi still come to our party every year and various showers. We have been through a lot together and these people are very close to my heart.

I also was able to enjoy a lovely dinner with my old college roomie Jodi and her husband Mike, also very much a part of our fun college days! Man, seeing people you don't get to real often just makes you miss them even more.... like a big tease!

The eyes: third week seems to be a charm! I woke up seeing great today! Road signs and all! Every day is getting better. Looking at the computer however is the worst thing and brings the fuzziness back. That being said I am signing off.

Linnea's Birthday

Today is my oldest, not by years of her age but by years of our friendship, friend's birthday! I posted this picture back in the summer but this is the only recent one I have that is digital. I will change that this weekend. Linnea is the one in black with her babies, Parker and Holly is holding Drake. My friend Linnea and I met each other in first grade and have grown into women together! Our birthdays are almost exactly a week a part so we spent many years celebrating together. We live in different towns now, both married with two children, and still carry a bond that will never be broken. So glad you entered this world sweet girl and blessed to have you as a friend. Looking forward to seeing you this weekend!

Be patient....Be patient Don't be in such a hurry.....
Amy Dickey (Smith) used to sing this song to me often when we lived together- in fact she taught it to me. Okay .........Okay!!!!!!!!!!!! God is teaching me and I am now forced to be. Today is the best day I have had yet. I had an appt. today and they are healing! There are a few dry spots on my eyes right in the line of vision which have been obstructing my view and adding a nice little glare to everything. I am legal to drive now but not for long distances b/c of the number of times and amount of drops I have to use in my eyes which is crutial to healing. So.....my sweet parents who came in Friday will be assisting me in my track to Arlington this weekend. The original plan was they were coming to help with my children while I attneded Defensive Driving Saturday and then would take Ty back with them for the week and I would meet up with them Thursday. Well........... My dad is leaving Tomorrow and my mother will be staying to make the drive with me Friday since Trent gets back late Wednesday and then leaves again on Sunday. I don't want to completely miss seeing Trent so I will at least get a day with him.

Speaking of ole Trent, I didn't mention our little Valentine date last week! In the midst of losing Grandmother, he still made my birthday and Valentine's Day special. He let me sleep in on my birthday and completely took care of the kids and then took us all out for a fun Sushi lunch, its my favorite. Well sort of.......... I am not a REAL sushi eater because I only eat rolls and seaweed salad. Its so much better than it sounds. Wednesday, one of the sweet girls from his women's team came and kept the kids while we went to eat and to the movie. I was still having a little trouble seeing the huge screen at that point but had no trouble seeing the blood and gore of Smokin Aces. Don't waste your money. Still.........it was nice to laugh about it and enjoy a night out on the town with such a hottie. So fun that I get to call him my husband! Man, I sure miss him! He is in San Diego with the men's team for the first tournament of the season. I would say lucky dog, but he is experiencing cold wet weather while its 72 and beautiful here! Well, almost beautiful, of course there is always this fun wind we get from Jan-March every year. Oh the joy, and soon we will enjoy the dust along with that wind and the rain of mud! Its a small price to pay for the awesome dry heat and actual enjoyable spring and summers we have. .... at least that is what I keep telling myself :)

Well the screen is a little too bright for my eyes and still VERY fuzzy to read so this will be a quick update. I am closing my eyes as I am typing so it might be filled with errors! This is a very slow frustrating process. I hope I can say I am glad soon. I have had to really learn to be ptient and to depend on others which has been very hard for me to do. I had an appt. today and they took out my contact bandagees. My left eye is progressing faster than my right. I can see very clearly for about thirty seconds after putting my re-wetting drops in and I do that every half hour. I still cannot drive for another week which ahs put a real damper on some plans. .

A lot of other sad things happene this week too. Sunday evennng Trent's grandmother passed away. She had been doing bad for the past week but had really started to go down hill over this past year. The funeral was yestreday and it was harder than we all thought it would be. Trenat and I had a lot of discussion last night about that and how death is still just so beyond comprehension. I hope I don't have to live woithougt him. Gerandmother was so blessed and blessed everyone she knew as well. Trent was SO blessed to have her all this time. I lost my paternal Grandmother whome I was very close to in sixth grade and my maternal a few years ago, however she had been ill for a long time and never met my husband or children. I sort of took Grandmother as my own. We used to have Thursday night dates with her every week when we moved here. We would take her out to Acuff steak house, meet at the DQ in Idalou for a coke, and out to eat numerous times. I sure will miss her but am so happy for her for where she gets t ob e now.

I also sturned 33 on Tuesday, not my favorite birthday but it was still good. My MIL is one of the neatsset people I know and how blessed am I to have such a wonderful relationshipe with her. With all she is going through, dealing with het passing of her mother, seh still got me and my BIL a cake for our birthdays and gifts that Tuesday evening after the visitation!!! There are so many ways that I want to be like her but her loving caring giving spirit is just incredible.

Well if there is anyone out there who has had PRK, please let me know how your recovery went. The doctor seai everything is looking good and normal but it could be 6-7 weeks from surgery before I am totoally 'normal'. I knew it would be long but I thought it would be SO much better by now. I want to wear my glasses so bad but they don't make a difference now b/c of thesc cells forming on my eyese which is part o fhealing.


Thank you for your prayers.

Tomorrow "I will See the light"

Many people have been asking me the difference in PRK vs. LASIK. I found an article:
http://www.allaboutvision.com/visionsurgery/prk.htm

This article explains it well and have copy/pasted it below. I am sure my parents will be the most interested in this information since of course they are the most concerned. Everyone else can just ignore if they choose, however I find it very interesting. Beware that it is sort of lengthy but just takes a minute to read. There is an animation you can click on to see how it works.

Again, I would GREATLY appreciate your prayers. I have butterflies in my tummy and have all day. I feel good about my decision to have it done but am nervous about the recovery. I know God will see me through it and I am praying for peace and a good night's sleep. The only thing I am looking forward to during recovery is the fact that I HAVE TO REST! That just doesn't happen real often for me so I am looking forward to the forced sleep :)


It may be hard to believe these days, when everything is "LASIK this" and "LASIK that," but PRK (photorefractive keratectomy) used to be the most common refractive surgery procedure. Both are grouped under the umbrella "laser eye surgery," but each is a little different when it comes to advantages and disadvantages. LASIK patients have less discomfort and obtain good vision more quickly (with PRK improvement is gradual and over a few days or even months), but many surgeons prefer PRK for patients with larger pupils or thin corneas.
PRK was invented in the early '80s. The first FDA approval of a laser for PRK was in 1995, but the procedure was practiced in other countries for years. In fact, many Americans had the surgery done in Canada before it was available in the U.S.

PRK is performed with an excimer laser, which uses a cool ultraviolet light beam to precisely remove ("ablate") very tiny bits of tissue from the surface of the cornea in order to reshape it. When you reshape the cornea in the right way, it works better to focus light into the eye and onto the retina, providing clearer vision than before.

Both nearsighted and farsighted people can benefit from PRK. With nearsighted people, the goal is to flatten the too-steep cornea; with farsighted people, a steeper cornea is desired. Also, excimer lasers can correct astigmatism, by smoothing an irregular cornea into a more normal shape.

Before Surgery
If you are considering PRK, your first step is to choose a surgeon. [Read our article on how to choose a surgeon for advice on this subject.]
Your doctor will examine your eyes to determine exactly what kind of vision correction you need and how much laser ablation is needed. A corneal topographer will be used; this is an instrument that photographs your eye and creates a kind of "map" of your cornea. No one has a perfectly rounded cornea, and the topographer will display the corneal irregularities and the actual steepness or flatness that the surgeon must address.

During Surgery
PRK is an ambulatory procedure; you walk into the surgery center, have PRK, and walk out again. In fact, the actual surgery usually takes less than a minute, and you're awake the whole time. Occasionally, the doctor will give a mild oral sedative beforehand.
Most people don't feel pain during PRK. Your eyes are first anesthetized with special drops. The doctor will have you lie down, then make sure your eye is positioned directly under the laser. (One eye is operated on at a time.) A kind of retainer is placed over your eye to keep your eyelids open — normally, this is not uncomfortable. It has a suction ring that keeps your eye pressurized and immobile.

The doctor uses a computer to adjust the laser for your particular prescription. You will be asked to look at a target light for a short time while he or she watches your eye through a microscope to make sure it remains in the correct position while the laser sends pulses of light to your cornea that painlessly remove the tissue. It's important to keep your gaze fixated on that target light in order to get the best results.

The laser machine will make a steady clicking sound while the laser pulses are happening, and you may smell a faintly acrid odor during the tissue removal. Don't worry, that's normal.
The higher your prescription, the more time the surgery will take.

The doctor may prescribe medication for any postoperative pain, but many people feel no more than mild discomfort or "scratchiness" afterward.

The surgeon has full control of the laser and can turn it off at any time. After the procedure is finished, you will rest for a little while. If you're having both eyes done the same day, the surgeon will probably do the other eye after a short period of time. Many people choose to have their second eye done a week later.
After PRK

As with any kind of eye surgery, it's important that you follow your doctor's instructions to the letter. Get proper rest, fill and use any necessary prescriptions, and call your doctor immediately if you suspect a problem. What occurs after the surgery can affect your vision just as much as the surgery itself.

Immediately after PRK, the doctor will have you rest for a bit, then you can go home (someone else must drive). At home, you should relax for at least a few hours.
You may be able to go to work the next day, but many doctors advise a couple of days of rest instead. They also recommend no strenuous exercise for up to a week, since this can traumatize the eye and affect healing.

Avoid rubbing your eye . In fact, you will be examined just about every day to make sure the epithelium is healing properly. You will probably wear a special "bandage" contact lens, use antibiotic drops for a few days, and apply anti-inflammatory drops for several weeks.

My Ground Hog Day

- Woke up to snow covered ground, and icey roads. Roads were fine by noon but there is still some snow in our yard.

-Took my kids to my sweet friend April's house at 8:30, in their pajamas and a blanket. Whew! A cold day to be getting out so early!

- Went to my pre-op appt. for FIFTEEN more tests on my eyes. They are SUPER thourough!
I am scheduled for PRK a week from today at 10:30 in the morning. I would appreciate some prayers. This is very similar to LASIK but instead of creating a flap with the laser, it reshapes the cornea. Same outcome but I do not have enough tissue to do LASIK. The bad news is, I will not be seeing great at first, in fact it will be quite blurry for at least three days! I did not realize how much you cannot do after surgery. My MIL will be taking the kids for the day of surgery and Trent will be home all weekend to take care of me. They want me sleeping and putting drops in almost constantly until that Tuesday! The other bad thing is there is usually more discomfort than with LASIK but should be better by that Tuesday. I am just glad to finally be getting it over with. I have been in glasses for almost four months now.

-Had lunch at April's and a nice visit to finally do some catching up.

-The rest of the day was quite a challenge with my three year old and girl is sick and clingy. They both have runny noses but girl has had fever on and off. She is now sleeping pleasantly with the help of some Benedryl :)

-Watched one of my favorite teeny bopper movies, "Ten Things I Hate About You."

-Watched another Heath Ledger, "A Knight's Tale."

-Been dreaming about a house we found that we love and just praying that it all works out. I know God will put us where he wants us but it fits our needs perfectly and is actually the right price and I hope that its His will for us to be there. If not, I hope that the looking period is not too long and that the selling time is even shorter. I would appreciate prayers about that as well.

-Finally going to bed to snuggle with my little man because his dad is off recruiting.

Hope everyone had a nice winter day! Hope the Ground Hog is NOT right!!!

For Pop & Cita

Our Morning Ritual, Milk and snuggling














Liv playing Babies















Why are dog toys better than our toys?
Side View of the haircut I gave Liv.
Ty is peeking in!

I love watching them play when they
don't know I am watching.












I tag Em and April on the 6 weird things you do! I meant to do that last time. I am just encouraging you to update your blogs!

Wierdness Tagged By Candice

Okay, big time procrastinator here, I was tagged over a month ago- I checked back it was December 11th. I have so many wierd things about me that it is hard to narrow it down to just 6 and I did this a while back sharing five others (April 6 '06 on Quirks) so I had to decide which ones are not TOO embarassing to include this time. Here is a shot at it:



1. I have a fire, thanks to the inherited gas logs from my aunt Mimi, almost every morning regardless of the temperature outside. Its easier to get away with these days since its darn cold here! But even if it were late spring and less that 70 out, it would be lit!

2. I have decided to keep my manger scene up year round starting this year. The head has been missing off of Joseph for two years now and I just glued his pewter head back on AFTER Christmas this year. Its a rustic little set and looks great with the rest of our stuff so its not real 'Christmas-ey" but are we not supposed to celebrate His birth year round????

3. I say "Praise George" after hearing a George Strait song on the radio- after all he IS the King of Country music.

4. I occassionally watch "Vegas" if we happen to be home only to get a glimpse of the guy from "A Date With Tad Hamilton". What a hottie, I have no idea about the story line its shearly a lust thing. Yes Trent is okay with that. Its the same reason we watch things with Ashley Judd in them.

5. I put things in a "special" place in order not to lose them. The place has been TOO special on too many occassions. For instance, one year we never found our tickets to a concert that we had received in the mail before hand, thank goodness for the will call booth. Also, when we moved here before our house sold in Lewisville, I mis-placed the key to my passat. I had the neighbor in Lewisville looking in all sorts of weird places for the extra one. We did not want to go to the expense of getting another from Volkswagon because it was knife key. We ended up finding it when we moved in the recipe box! I have no recolection of putting it there. I am curious if we will end up finding those concert tickets when we move this time-among other things!

6. Love Onion rings, or purple onions on supreme pizza--Tomato Sauce for spaghetti or hot sauce for chips, or sun-dried ones in pasta. Hate onions or tomatoes on burgers by themselves or on anything else. I used to like foods that I now don't like ketsup and like things now that I never used to like egg rolls, peanut butter, avacados, squash, sweet potatoes, coffee, sweet tea, and just occassionally a glass of wine. I guess my tastes have really changed. Is that weird or normal?

To the anonymous person who asked about Liv's crib, I commented on that post with the info.

I know I am doing a lot of blogging here several days in a row but I got this in an e-mail from our East Texas friend Sharon and thought instead of doing a mass forward I would post it here. I think its very interesting considering that the country is trying to take Religion out of politics.

One detail that is not mentioned, in DC, is that there can never be a building of greater height than theWashington Monument. With all the uproar about removing the ten commandments, etc... This is worth a moment or two of your time. I was not aware of this historical information. On the aluminum cap, atop the Washington Monument in Washington, DC, are displayed two words: Laus Deo. No one can see these words. In fact, most visitors to the monument are totally unaware they are even there and for that matter, probably couldn't care less. Once you know Laus Deo's history, you will want to share this with everyone you know. But these words have been there for many years; they are 555 feet, 5.125 inches high, perched top the monument, facing skyward to the Father of our nation, overlooking the 69 square miles which comprise the District of Columbia, capital of the United States of America. Laus Deo! Two seemingly insignificant, un-noticed words. Out of sight and, one might think, out of mind, but very meaningfully placed at the highest point over what is the most powerful city in the most successful nation in the world. So, what do those two words, in Latin, composed of just four syllables and only seven letters, possibly mean? Very simply, they say "Praise be to God!" Though construction of this giant obelisk began in 1848, when James Polk was President of the United States, it was not until 1888 that the monument was inaugurated and opened to the public. It took twenty five years to finally cap the memorial with a tribute to the Father of our nation, Laus Deo .......Praise be to God!" From atop this magnificent granite and marble structure, visitors may take in the beautiful panoramic view of the city with its division into four major segments. From that vantage point, one can also easily see the original plan of the designer, Pierre Charles l'Enfant ... a perfect cross imposed upon the landscape, with the White House to the north. The Jefferson Memorial is to the south, the Capitol to the east and the Lincoln Memorial to the west. A cross you ask? Why a cross? What about separation of church and state? Yes, a cross; separation of church and state was not, is not, in the Constitution. So, read on. How interesting and no doubt, intended to carry a profound meaning for those who bother to notice. Praise be to God! Within the monument itself are 898 steps and 50 landings. As one climbs the steps and pauses at the landings the memorial stones share a message On the 12th Landing is a prayer offered by the City of Baltimore; on the 20th is a memorial presented by some Chinese Christians; on the 24th a presentation made by Sunday School children from New York and Philadelphia quoting Proverbs 10:7, Luke 18:16 and Proverbs 22:6. Praise be to God! When the cornerstone of the Washington Monument was laid on July 4th, 1848 deposited within it were many items including the Holy Bible presented by the Bible Society. Praise be to God! Such was the discipline, the moral direction, and the spiritual mood given by the founder and first President of our unique democracy . "One Nation, Under God." I am awed by Washington's prayer for America. Have you never read it? Well, now is your unique opportunity, so read on! "Almighty God; We make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy holy protection; that Thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government; and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow citizens of the United States at large. And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without a humble imitation of whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." Laus Deo! When one stops to observe the inscriptions found in public places all over our nation's capitol, he or she will easily find the signature of God, as it is unmistakably inscribed everywhere you look. You may forget the width and height of "Laus Deo", its location, or the architects, but no one who reads this will be able to forget its meaning, or these words: "Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain." (Psalm 127: 1) It is hoped you will send this to every child you know; to every sister, brother, father, mother, or friend. They will not find offense, because you have given them a lesson in history that they probably never learned in school. With that, be not ashamed, or afraid, but have pity on those who will never see this because someone failed to send it on.

Appt. Update

We met with the Endocronologist and his dietitian today. Everything went great and basically we just have a skinny girl! No concerns from the doctor since she continues to gain and is thriving and where she should be developmentally. She did great letting he and the nurses check her out, smiled the whole time! Not a big surprise but also a releif. We go back in three months just to make sure she is still progressing. Thank you for any prayers that might have been said. We really are SO blessed with this little girl.

These are random and for no reason really. The first one is obviously after bath time. The second is a month or so ago actually but shows her with two of her favorite things- her baby (the favorite one-I love that it has dark hair like she does) and the blanket that our friend Denise made her before she was born. Its just the right weight and is oh so soft. She loves to snuggle up in it.

On a completely different note lots of things going on around here. A very busy week!




Tonight, the dreaded pictorial directory pics. We had to re-schedule from 5 to 7 because all those
games Trent was supposed to ref were cancelled b/c of snow and ice and changed to tonight. He won't be done until 6:30, just enough time to change and be there. Should be interesting.

Thursday at 9:15 we head over to the Health Sciences Center to see the Endocronologist. Olivia ended up with another ear infection last Friday and actually lost some ounces- normal-but none the less not great.

Thursday night, a baby shower briefly and Trent stating basketball games. I will probably be missing our women's study because I have no where to put my children.

Friday afternoon, we meet to sign papers and do all the other stuff that goes along with putting our house on the market! I am a little nervous about this for many reasons. I need some prayers for the stress that goes along with that as well as for me not to put so much identity into a house! I am super picky and after all, its just a house. I should just feel blessed to be able to live in one regardless of what it looks like. I know it will all work out. I think I am cursed with my background in Design! I need to post some pictures in case any readers in town might be interested! We have outgrown the space and would also like to be able to have a place for my parents to be when they visit. Its just a good time for a change in this way. Trent would like to be closer to the University because our church is on campus too and we are there almost every day of the week, well he is for sure except for Saturday but lately that day too with stating games! Its not a must, its only 15 minutes to get anywhere in town so it doesn't really matter on location.

Ashley, you inspired me to make time to read. I have started doing so after kids are in bed at around 9 every night. I am reading a short one right now by a lady that goes to our church and spoke in Ladies Class last year. She is also a professor at the University and several of you would probably know her who went there. It has been so long that I read any lenght of time that my eyes blur when I look up! Anyway, thanks for the inspiration. I have been doing a lot of organizing in my life and its so freeing. Having to get the house ready has made me do so and also prioritize my time better. I guess change isn't so bad afterall!

Congrats to Scott, Krista, Kayla, Caroline, and Kaitlyn on having a baby boy in May!!!!! I cannot wait to see you next month!