15 years ago....

Fifteen years ago, my dream came true. I became a momma. As Hallmark-y as it sounds, it was truly what I always wanted to be.

Fifteen years ago, right about now, I was "explaining" somewhat adamantly to a nurse that if she did not take me down to NICU soon to see my baby girl that I was going to walk my drugged behind down the hall, with said behind hanging out the back of my hospital gown for all the world to see. And given that I was, at that point, pretty medicated, the chances that I would fall in transit and sue and rename the hospital "Natalie's Exposed Hiney Memorial" were execeedingly high, she really needed to consider if she wanted to work in a hospital with that name on it.

She took me to NICU.

That moment, that day, when I looked at her through the glass, I made a million promises. Some I kept, some I tried to keep and failed and some, that involved ponies and castles and never letting her heart be broken ... well, some were just too grandiose to keep.

That said, you break her heart, and you will have to deal with me. I have already threatened to expose my hiney, fall and sue. You really wanna go up against me? I think not.

Alannah, thank you for showing me the ropes. Thank you for being such an amazing young woman. I wish I could take the credit for the beautiful person you are, inside and out, but I can't. You are a gift and a blessing and one I am certain I have never been worthy of. But, I promise to keep trying to be. And that's a promise that will go in the "KEPT" folder.

I love you. Happy 15th birthday!!!!



Love to all~

So much to say, so little words to say it

I have never been accused of being too quiet or of not having anything to say. That said, it has been quite some time of me not having much to say on here.

I'm sorry.

We have had a seemingly endless array of a variety stress lately, and to be honest, I can't seem to organize my thoughts enough to put together a coherent post.

So, for starters, kids ...

Alannah is away at orchestra camp for two weeks. She made 3rd chair out of 13 violas in an age group where she is the youngest. She had a killer early birthday party, of the boy/girl variety, which was more than enough to give me (more) grey hairs. She will be 15 in a matter of days and eligible for a learner's driving permit, which is more than enough to give me (even more) grey hairs!

Zachary is back to competitive swimming and loving it. He is in constant motion and always looking for something to do/somewhere to be/someone to make laugh.

Mandy is good. We will be extending chemo an additional 6 weeks past the original end date and barring any complications or growth should be looking at ending this treatment at the end of September. Hopefully it is a permanent end to treatment, but we know with her neurofibromatosis that it may very well just be a break.

Her last scan was last week and was stable in both the optic glioma and the left parietal lobe lesion. We had a very scary couple of moments when after her MRI she started to run a little bit of a fever. For Mandy, due to her Malignant Hyperthermia susceptibility, any kind of post anesthesia temperature is cause for great alarm. They held her for an extra hour or so and it passed and all was well.

We hired a company to re-roof our house. Their "work" allowed it to leak, causing several thousand dollars worth of damage to the inside of our home. The fourth occasion woke Mandy in the middle of the night, when it leaked directly onto her, as she slept in her bed.

Yeah.

They? Were relieved from further duty.

A second company came in and did the job with no leaks.

I am tired. And in need of a vacation. And quite possibly stressed out. And tired. Did I mention tired?

All of this has led to my head being the word version of that quote, "It's too crowded so no one goes there anymore." Which has led to me not being able to finish a post, though in my incredibly weak defense, I have started several.

That's the gist of it all, in a nutshell. I promise to try to do better about posting.

Love to all~

What love is....

Love is patient....enough to to stand in the sun selling tickets or collecting change or manning a garage sale.

Love is kind....enough to show up with dinner every single Wednesday for a year and a half.

Love is never boastful, nor conceited, nor rude; never selfish, not quick to take offense...enough to endlessly, selflessly support another family.

There is nothing love cannot face....especially when faced together.

there is no limit to its faith, its hope, and endurance...enough to share when someone else's faith, hope or energy runs low.

In a word, there are three things that last forever: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of them all is love. And we are incredibly blessed to be enveloped by all three.

Thank you to each and everyone of you who has reached out to our family in a million different ways over the last year and a half.

Love to all~

Carnival tomorrow!!

Come on out, y'all! Kid friendly fun all day Saturday from 2-8! Lightning Girls, bounce houses, pony rides and even a margarita and beer bar. Seriously, what more could you ask for on a Saturday afternoon?! There are some great raffle items also! Hope to see you then!!



Love to all~

Mandy-isms

Mandy on the credit crisis

Alannah(trying to explain the concept of credit cards): "Mandy, you borrow the money from the credit card company and then have to give it back, plus even more money called interest."

Mandy: "Huh????"

Alannah: "Well, Mandy, you know what an I.O.U is?"

Mandy: "Vowels?"


Mandy on dining choices

Mandy: "Momma? When will there be another event with cotton candy?"

Me: "I don't know, baby. Maybe the carnival?"

Mandy: "I think everyone would be happier if there was ALWAYS cotton candy."


Mandy on differences

Mandy: "Momma, butterflies are are so pretty."

Me: "Yes, baby, they are."

Mandy: "If all the butterflies were exactly the same, I don't think they would be as pretty. Do you?"

Me: "No. No, baby, I don't think they would be as pretty at all."

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Really, isn't the answer to most of the worlds problems somewhere in those three conversations?

Love to all~

Some good old fashioned family summer fun

We continue to be amazed and overwhelmed by the love shown to our little girl and to our family. A few of our wonderful neighbors are putting on a carnival that promises to be a fantastic day. I mean come on, pony rides? The Lightning Girls? A DJ? Bouncy Houses and a raffle? What's not to love?!

We hope to see you there!!

Old English

As part of the Great Bedroom Flood of '09, the insurance company decided that our furniture needed to go.

I was glad someone else finally agreed with me. And even better, that they were going to pay for it.

My first instinct was sweet, gimme your check, I will keep my crappy furniture and we will call it even. Ok? No? Whaddya mean no?

Seems the insurance company is onto people like me ... they send a salvage company to come get your old stuff, thus forcing me to go on a hunt for new stuff.

Here's the thing. I don't like new stuff. I like old stuff. Well, not MY old stuff, someone elses old stuff from long ago.

So, I found the most amazing, breathtaking bedroom set from the late 1800's brought over from England that made me swoon. It was well under my insurance company appointed budget and came home to live with me.

I love it!!!! It makes my heart all gushy everytime I think about someone else opening the drawer a hundred years ago. I love the old oak with it's amazing inlay work and love to think about the man who toiled over creating it. I love, love, love it.

Until....

One of the pieces was a nightstand, known in its former life as a chamber pot stand.

I explained to Zachary what it was.

He looks at me like I have two heads.

He opens the cabinet door.

He sticks his head in.

He sniffs.

He looks at me and says, "Funny, it doesn't SMELL like old English poop."

I still love it, but, he may have sullied that piece for me just a little. Just sayin'.



Love to all~