Plumb Tuckered Out!

I took Faith with me to work today! She's really done very well today considering that she just broke her arm less than 24 hours ago. Suddenly, it was very quiet in the other room . . . and this is what I found:



Sweet girl! She was up until almost midnight last night, and was awake after a fitful night of sleep at 8:30a. The arm that is broken holds the very thumb she still sucks for comfort. And since the cast is so straight due to the nature of her break, she can't get her precious thumb to her mouth. She's plumb tuckered out - and I can't say that I blame her!

Rest well, little one! I love you!

Baby Girl Didn't Bounce! Ouch!

Last night Faith broke her arm.

How did it happen you ask? . . . Wrestling with Daddy.

Daddy feels terrible . . . but Faith is doing fine!

Slip-N-Slide Fun!

Slip-N-Slide = $8.99 at Target
Girls laughing and having fun vs. bickering = PRICELESS!

Zoo Adventures!

A week or so ago, we went to the zoo with friends. The kids had a BLAST! It just goes to show that the simple things are the best things! Animals AND friends - what could be better?

Kindergarten Graduation!

Last week Friday, Faith had her Kindergarten Program. She had to dress as Honey Horse, one of their alphabet characters. The two Kindergarten classes combined to show us all that they had learned throughout the year: counting by 2's, letter sounds and their favorite words, Bible verses, beautiful songs etc. It was wonderful!

Faith was very nervous about getting up in front of a huge audience all by herself (to say her Honey Horse line), but she did wonderfully! It was so great to see her face beaming as she sang songs to the Lord, and to see the pride in her face after she said her lines.

I am so proud of Faith for her many accomplishments this year! She has grown so very much - both in height and in character. I am also very thankful for DCS and the Christian perspective she gets on everything she learns! God is Good!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Mom,
Thank you for your unconditional love.
Thank you for your loads of encouragement.
Thank you for being the best grandma around.
Thank you for babysitting at the drop of a hat.
Thank you for your love for the Lord.
Thank you for your example to follow.
Thank you for your prayers.
Thank you for being goofy and fun.
Thank you for being YOU!

I am so blessed to have you for a mom!

Happy Birthday!

My mom and Faith after Kindergarten Graduation.

Grey's = Two Thumbs Down!

Ok, I know my posts have been a little sparse lately . . . which is what is leading to the randomness of the current posts. There's been lots going on, and now I have the time to post, so here ya go:

My Rant:
This picture reminds me of better Grey's days . . . you know when Dr. Burk and the Mrs. Dr. Shepherd were on the show . . . before the weird story lines and gay kissing.

I realize that Grey's has never been a show that represents high moral standards. However, it WAS very well written, witty, funny, there was a good balance between the focus put on the relationships on the show, and the patients coming into Seattle Grace . . . but since the writer's strike - and, let's admit, this whole season has gone a little sketchy. The last three shows have shown gay kisses. A dying army dude and his lover, the two women doctors that are taunting McSteamy, and then the two women doctors again.

Come On!

I realize that the show was full of sexual permiscuousness and infidelity before . . . but, for me, the latest turn in the writing has turned me off of Grey's. ER did the same thing several years ago . . . it just wrecked a good show.

Any thoughts?

13 Blissful Years!

Sonny as a high school junior, Mike as a senior . . . Punk Day and Nerd Day.
Young and in L-O-V-E! I was 16 - he was 17!

On May 26th, Mike and I had the privilege of celebrating 13 years of marriage. That's 17 years total of being together! Hokey Petes are we getting old. You know you're getting old when you've been with your spouse longer than you were without them!

I was 16 when I fell in love with Mike. I knew within a month of dating him that he was THE ONE! If any 16 year-old would tell me that today, I would think they were crazy . . . but I knew! We had been good friends for about a year . . . and that friendship slowly grew into the real thing.

My junior year was a tough one. My dad had left just the year before, and as a result, I was all mixed up trying to deal with all the stuff a teenager deals with, along with trying to figure out life with separated parents. Mike was a good friend who truly cared about me - and most importantly, he could make me laugh during a time in my life when laughter didn't come easy. We were band nerds and Madrigals partners - we even had study hall together (which is where the Punk and Nerd Day pics were taken).

We started dating just after Mike graduated from SCHS. A year later we were both in the same dorm at Calvin. And, it's all history from there. We were married between my junior and senior years of college.

If only we could have known how clueless we were!
Mr. and Mrs. and all of 20 and 21? Yikes!

Just look at what babies we were! We had no idea what our vows would come to mean - how they would be tested and tried. "I promise to be your faithful and loving wife; in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and in joy as well as in sorrow . . ."

Divorce . . . Miscarriage . . . Building a house . . . Infertility . . . Cancer . . . More Infertility and Miscarriage . . . Miracle Babies . . . Mystery Illness . . . Depression

Sheesh! It's a miracle we made it this far still standing! And not just standing, but still 100% in love with each other!

I read somewhere that "it's in the crap that flowers bloom best." We've been through an awful lot over the last 13 years of marriage, but our marriage and our love just gets more and more beautiful and strong each year.

Michael, I love you more today than I did yesterday - and I'll love you more tomorrow than I do today! You are the love of my life; my confidant, my comfort, my security, my best friend. Thank you for loving me the way you do! I am a better person because of you!