Flock of Flamingo

Happy Belated Birthday to ME!! As most of ya'll know I turned the big 3-0 on Saturday. I know I am officially old because Greg and I ate dinner at like 4 o'clock on Saturday. No, we did not go to Golden Corral, but we did eat early!

I awoke on my birthday to find this....a flock of 30 pink flamingo in the front yard. Thank you Lindy and George and Greg. I know ya'll worked very hard to get them out there! It was the highlight of my day!

Greg bought me a shower curtain rod and some great picture frames for the living room. Also, my favorite napping movie, The DaVinci Code.

I'm off to nap...

PS--I would post pics but my ilife software was deleted at the mac store and now I have to wait for it in the mail! Whoopee! So you'll have pics when I can upload them!

AHHHH I'm Back

I promise that I will be more dillegent about posting. I just got my computer back and I am looking forward to spending much time with it :) For those who don't check our turkey melt down blog here are some pics from an awesome website www.yearbookyourself.com

Believe it or not...

my computer is getting fixed again! This time they sent me out a brand new computer with faulty software. It had the old operating system on it and I installed the new operating system and it didn't fix matters...it made them worse! ACK...I purposely bought a mac so I wouldn't have these issues?!?! So excuse the short blog and no pics but I am working with very limited materials!

All is well here....I am going to be taking on a short term subbing job, for two weeks starting tomorrow and Sam is going to a sitter for the VERY first time...I'm sad. I am so torn. I love him to bits but sometimes I like to work to get out of the house and actually feel like I am in control and have somewhat of a planned day but on the otherhand I miss playing with my man and snuggling him to sleep for a nap! Wish me luck!

ttfn-chris

My Baby....

No longer. He is officially a little man. Many of you probably don't know that I still have feelings of guilt and sadness over that "loss of my normal pregnancy/birth" and that our little man has some residual health issues because of that. Many of you say, oh get over it and there was no guarantee to begin with so suck it up. Well, I am stealing this story from my friend and also a preemie mom to help you non-preemie having parents and friends relate to my quandary. I am getting better and many of you are saying...be more concerned with yourself you old lady (30 is creeping up on me or barreling down I should say). But here it is....

By Emily Perl Kingsley........

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability [or having a premature birth/preemie] - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......

When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."

"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."

But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.

But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.

1987 by Emily Perl Kingsley. All rights reserved

I hope that this gives you all perspective and I hope that I will put my big girl panties on and enjoy and love Holland.

Number ONE!

Today is the day! He's one! I can't believe it! The past couple of days I have really been thinking about the past year and man has it been a doozy. I am so happy that Sam is healthy, for the most part, and a happy little man! We truly have been blessed to have such an awesome family and a miracle baby :) When you are single, you listen to all the parents and all the books talk about the miracle of childbirth and the growing baby and you are all...yeah, yeah, blah, blah, yada, yada....but then you have a baby and it's all you ever want to talk about! We LOVE him soooo much and can't imagine another day without him!

Thank you to everyone who has sent us warm wishes and prayers! Send your good thoughts Sam's way today for a healthy happy year!

My Little Soap Box

Since this is my blog, I think I can voice my own opinions right? Well if you are on the right, just don't even read this...if you are on the left then can I get an AMEN after this is finished?!

Um...did any of you listen to Sarah Palin? And for that matter Mike Huckabee....what was that desk story all about? Now listen, I am patriotic. I love this country. I love our freedom most of all. And I think that is what it boils down to...freedom. Yes, John McCain was a POW. Yes, he loves his country. But I don't think Barack Obama loves America any less that John McCain.

Our freedom of choice...it has lots of different meanings for me. The obvious, abortion. Maybe not so obvious....so Barack CHOSE to go back into an urban area and be a community organizer and CHOSE not to be a dirty politician. Why do a majority of the republicans have to be so negative and attacking? Good for Obama taking the high road.

And Palin's daughter being knocked up?!?!?! Holy crap....well here it is....proof that abstinence ONLY education does NOT work. Is it just because they are Christian (Gulliani/Palin) it seems ok to cheat on a spouse and have a baby out of wed lock because their sins will be forgiven? Oh, I don't think it is ok to cheat on a spouse and I think you can have a baby out of wedlock...by all means....but don't judge others and then ask not to be judged. Aren't these the same people that condemn gay marriage and gay adoption too? God forbid we the those people raise a family!

Alright, enough. So I guess you know who I am voting for!

Busy, Busy, Busy

Hi all--we are busy. Short and sweet! I LOVE going over the top apparently. I have swamped myself in pirate gear and maps and paint and games and stickers and skulls and crossbones! I think I may need to adjust my meds!

I have been steadily going to the gym which takes a lot of time. I wish it was just a quick 30 min walk...but no...it's change clothes, sweat, Sam sweats, change his clothes, give him water, change my clothes again, drink water and 2 hours later I can regain some normalcy of a day! Not that I am complaining! I am down to 171 and loving it!

Sam is teething and hates it....I hate it too! My very happy go lucky baby is now a crank pants and he has a new cry and shriek that peels paint off the walls and the dogs next door come running!

I love him!

PS happy birthday dad!