tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861768485902480182024-03-05T22:02:58.793-08:00Jerry, Elizabeth & the 3 A'sElizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12476661470803450574noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886176848590248018.post-7861915465105695252010-08-31T12:09:00.000-07:002010-08-31T13:11:42.202-07:00Running the RockSeveral months ago, while sweating away during a typical gym session, Jenny Nott, one of the girls I have befriended at the gym, proposed we run the White Rock Marathon in December. The first thing that crossed my mind was, "Holy Moses...26.2 miles? Are you kidding me?" But as I continued to ponder the idea I became more excited to embark upon a new journey...create a new goal...challenge myself beyond anything I've ever accomplished. And with that we marked our calendars to begin our <span style="font-weight: bold;">4 months to a 4 hour marathon</span> training. Training commenced August 9th.<br /><br />For the last 3 weeks as we've completed different steps in the training we both have discussed food journals, mileage progress charts, perceived exertion. I felt it was time to bust out the 'ol blog and bring my few readers along for the ride. Let the journey begin! (Future posts won't be this long.) :)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">Week One</span><br />Our first week consisted of a 40 minute jog on Monday which I completed on the treadmill at the gym, 30 min. cross-train...my cardio of choice was the elliptical (XT) on Tuesday, track work on Wednesday...running 6x400 in 2:05-2:15 per 400, 30 min. easy jog on Thursday (again on the treadmill), XT on Friday and a 7 mile long run on Saturday morning. We ran our first long run in the neighborhood at 6:30 am. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Struggles:</span> Surprisingly it was more difficult for both of us than expected. <br />Wednesday we took the kids to the track with us and they played as we clocked laps. It was fairly warm for 8:00am but they were troopers!<br />Jenny quickly figured out having margaritas on Friday night was a "no-no" from here on out. :) I didn't get as much sleep as I needed because 7 miles is not usually a difficult feat. Unfortunately it caught up with me.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wisdom:</span> More sleep, no drinking, no more runs in the neighborhood (too monotonous).<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 102, 255);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Week 2</span></span><br />Our second week was fairly similar. Wednesday we upped the number of laps to 8x400 with kids in tow. Saturday we ran 9 miles around White Rock Lake at 6:30am. I purchased a new pair of shoes for training and struggled with them the entire week.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Struggles:</span> The kids started having a difficult time at the track towards the end. It was hot and between a 10 min. warm-up, 8 laps with 2 min. breaks between and a 10 min. cool-down, they were out in the sun for too long.<br />Jenny said our Saturday long run was challenging. My knees were hurting quite a bit toward the end of the day on Saturday. I returned my shoes and purchased a pair from Luke's Locker.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wisdom:</span> Training with a partner is the ONLY way to go. I had a great long run on Saturday. I could have kept running beyond the 9 miles. Jenny was pushing through but is an amazing partner...she won't stop and won't give up. Perfect combo in a training partner. I told her the fastest way to become friends is to ask someone if they're willing to get up at 5:00am on Saturday and run with you. If they say "yes" they're a keeper!<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span><br />ICE! ICE! ICE! the knees and STRETCH.<br />Keep trying shoes until you find the perfect pair.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">Week 3</span><br /></span></span>All soreness had dissipated by Monday morning and I was pumped to get back in the program.<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>Jenny and I have talked about how hard it is to take Sunday as a rest day. You're muscles are fatigued but you're so energized from the Saturday long run that you just want to get out there and run a few easy miles.<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>I never thought it would be difficult to lay on the couch and put my feet up.<br /><br />We added another 2 laps to Wednesdays track work for a total of 10. Our daughters started school on Monday so we had our boys...Jenny has a son who is 4 named Aidan. With my 4 year old Aidan and 3 year old Austin it is non-stop fun for these little dudes. It was a very cool, overcast morning. We brought scooters, big-wheels, toys...anything that would keep the boys occupied long enough for our run. One warm-up lap complete and the three guys needed to go potty. After they're potty break it began to sprinkle. Outdoor track work was not in the cards this morning so we were off to the gym. I'm sure we looked absolutely insane carrying a mass of toys to and from the track with three little ducks following behind.<br /><br />I exchanged my 2nd pair of training shoes at Luke's and went back to the old faithful...Nike Pegasus.<br /><br />Saturdays run consisted of 11 miles around White Rock Lake. It is only 9 miles around so we had to run passed the car by one mile and turn back to finish our eleven. This was the first long run we popped BlokShots. I highly recommend them for a long run. Unlike GU or any other carbo gel you don't gag trying to swallow fruit flavored phlegm. Jenny said she had a great run on Saturday. Her comments sounded similar to what I had experienced the week before. I just pushed through the run with no intention of stopping.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Struggles</span></span>: I pushed it a little too much during Fridays XT and really regretted it Saturday morning. My thighs were sore and screaming by the end of Saturday. I was a little hesitant about the now third pair of new training shoes because I really didn't want pain at any point during the long run.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wisdom: </span></span>Take Friday workouts easy. There is no need to go into Saturday morning feeling sore or rundown. Working with a partner is again, the only way to go. Jenny pushed me through the 11 like I had pushed her through the 9 just one week prior. Ice and stretching make everything better.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Challenge for week 4</span>...determine what meal is best before Saturday long run.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85715/jwebinfo/bce84e4368c09bb62fe5e085b4dc9877.png" border="0" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12476661470803450574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886176848590248018.post-83020295531711069252010-03-22T18:03:00.000-07:002010-03-22T18:08:05.959-07:00SFM - Day ThreeYesterday was about the same as the day before. I did really well until a certain friend brought over chocolate cake. I did only have one small piece but COME ON! I can't even say "no" to one piece of cake? What is the deal here?!<br /><br />Today I noticed that I need to probably pay more attention to exactly what I'm eating. I did very well not eating refined sugar today but I'm a little concerned I may replace it with too much protein. Unfortunately a lot of protein sometimes means a lot more fat...and that's a no-no in my book!<br /><br />But this is an experiment...trial and error. Success with no refined sugar today. One point for me :) Hoping to see that cutting out sugar has minor physical benefits as well as health benefits.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85715/jwebinfo/bce84e4368c09bb62fe5e085b4dc9877.png" border="0" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12476661470803450574noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886176848590248018.post-90378700394733857942010-03-21T12:15:00.000-07:002010-03-21T12:21:55.994-07:00SFM - Day TwoI was feeling pretty good about yesterday...thinking to myself I didn't have any sugar except one cookie. But DANG it! That is a big fat zero for day one. It may sound a bit harsh but this is not something where I can, kind of, succeed. It's a pass/fail. And yesterday I failed.<br /><br />Cravings weren't too terribly strong. Like I said yesterday sweets are not a huge part of my life. But the true kicker was watching labels and actually seeing how much sugar is in EVERYTHING. That's where the tough part comes in. So I've decided to view this as more of a raw food challenge...organic if you will. Staying away from sugar is actually pretty easy if I don't eat anything that comes in a box. Woah - did I just say that out loud!? This may be tougher than I originally thought.<br /><br />This will also be an experiment with new foods and flavors. I'm sure I'll find some recipes along the way that quench my sweet tooth and I'll be sure to share them. Day two - up and running.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85715/jwebinfo/bce84e4368c09bb62fe5e085b4dc9877.png" border="0" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12476661470803450574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886176848590248018.post-65986258791136542010-03-20T12:10:00.000-07:002010-03-20T12:24:05.286-07:00Sugar Free MeIt's always good to have goals that are difficult but still attainable. I also think it's important to award oneself for accomplishing goals....even for sticking out the tough days while striving for the end result.<br /><br />I workout 2 hours a day, 4-5 days per week. I eat healthy for the most part, but my one true weakness is sweets. I don't overly consume sweets by any means but they are definitely a part of my diet. Sometimes on a daily basis. Truth be told, on a bad day they probably sneak in more than once. And with this I have decided it is time for a new challenge...a new goal.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">For the next 30 days I will not consume any refined sugars...and hopefully live to blog about it.</span><br /><br />Overall, I am satisfied with my appearance. I am extremely happy with my physical health. But I'm ready to take it to the next level. I also signed up with a personal trainer for the next 8 weeks who is fully aware of how hard I want to push my body. I'm ready...let's do this!<br /><br />Today is the first day of a 30-day adventure.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85715/jwebinfo/bce84e4368c09bb62fe5e085b4dc9877.png" border="0" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12476661470803450574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886176848590248018.post-70746886033173713762009-12-27T18:58:00.000-08:002009-12-27T19:34:12.628-08:00Surprise! It's Jerry's 35th Birthday<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwJDT3-eRiuJU_fFxWJPSJGtsVbICLyRbe1E6Yak5ghjv-nmEn-t-ACxRUaUDZTZQATaDp3rMyuDkAZHLNdnx4iRJOCYlE5CZgJ7pzY5_BIy7V3aGLh_GNcmCH9rjipR2EgJUS5YKsZDv5/s1600-h/HPIM1468.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwJDT3-eRiuJU_fFxWJPSJGtsVbICLyRbe1E6Yak5ghjv-nmEn-t-ACxRUaUDZTZQATaDp3rMyuDkAZHLNdnx4iRJOCYlE5CZgJ7pzY5_BIy7V3aGLh_GNcmCH9rjipR2EgJUS5YKsZDv5/s320/HPIM1468.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420124720806719762" border="0" /></a><br />The year of "Sweetness" (Walter Payton, #34 of the Chicago Bears) has come to an end for my sweet husband. I decided to throw a surprise party for his 35th birthday and help him celebrate the last 5 years of his 30's in style.<br /><br />With the help from family and friends we were able to keep the party a secret. If you know anyone in either of our families then you know this can be a difficult feat. But...we pulled it off!<br /><br />We ate at Luigi's Italian Restaurant in Rockwall. Great fun, great food, and great friends.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOrbyHK68PEapLxMEMb_wm-aX-QEK8Tlzzs3RgIR1qjCTV60_JOWPsAW76n4ejgSQ30lglHlQ_UNHyh40JyIC5I8AQsB0TCGeb6C9kK_j8Nk_ZJWPvRDPtfr9wi2yMX7F7IvIqvybuD5kk/s1600-h/HPIM1465.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOrbyHK68PEapLxMEMb_wm-aX-QEK8Tlzzs3RgIR1qjCTV60_JOWPsAW76n4ejgSQ30lglHlQ_UNHyh40JyIC5I8AQsB0TCGeb6C9kK_j8Nk_ZJWPvRDPtfr9wi2yMX7F7IvIqvybuD5kk/s320/HPIM1465.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420123455799915506" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWRLXYOg_8-tXXsAKiyUbyhK1SvvlPysxY3j-XXttOng7gaoEt9Wue0f0_PDozV7ld8t_52Q7FKPs94gHmt8GT9qK2S5ZUcIfFdwMMbqT4emXP2ifpD2ZO3-pFCoZfEKHgQeXbXzOcxjag/s1600-h/HPIM1463.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWRLXYOg_8-tXXsAKiyUbyhK1SvvlPysxY3j-XXttOng7gaoEt9Wue0f0_PDozV7ld8t_52Q7FKPs94gHmt8GT9qK2S5ZUcIfFdwMMbqT4emXP2ifpD2ZO3-pFCoZfEKHgQeXbXzOcxjag/s320/HPIM1463.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420123440013099858" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEunhaKDq9jedpC60PZup2M-6oypy2MqEoM15arzDE7xltqMEYS5VP1ewAqUiLoo90C1-Z3vspQ1_fQgsxUh-tPlYOQ8U-tzOB6bNMCtx0ab6o5bDNmFkDrtrh77cBScYpZxeohTWGZn2B/s1600-h/HPIM1467.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEunhaKDq9jedpC60PZup2M-6oypy2MqEoM15arzDE7xltqMEYS5VP1ewAqUiLoo90C1-Z3vspQ1_fQgsxUh-tPlYOQ8U-tzOB6bNMCtx0ab6o5bDNmFkDrtrh77cBScYpZxeohTWGZn2B/s320/HPIM1467.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420123461495477906" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhofyEjxJM4ygH1mJTReLSGki1IozHBFzB0s_LydBzLDlRvGiv6uY54oyuTYMhaee2bZ6wC-w5GIAzthLWqRcVzZ4rROhKtxtSHBKb6IK7TbujT3binyUm9ef5WZ2MsofSz6SSDVoaevLPh/s1600-h/HPIM1474.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhofyEjxJM4ygH1mJTReLSGki1IozHBFzB0s_LydBzLDlRvGiv6uY54oyuTYMhaee2bZ6wC-w5GIAzthLWqRcVzZ4rROhKtxtSHBKb6IK7TbujT3binyUm9ef5WZ2MsofSz6SSDVoaevLPh/s320/HPIM1474.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420123474824036098" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVHhVP-6kxIZh_YxQ7bE0JwTe0NbJAjnbHITOs78Fq8YIydZzeRoEIdWn8uRgumFdE_LMyV0zCPNiXLT9roT6f2lZ7yf6E-gWoHn-Nl6nJWnFnAkdWwmHau75swl8BBEPZhTDvYaYNSzMG/s1600-h/HPIM1464.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVHhVP-6kxIZh_YxQ7bE0JwTe0NbJAjnbHITOs78Fq8YIydZzeRoEIdWn8uRgumFdE_LMyV0zCPNiXLT9roT6f2lZ7yf6E-gWoHn-Nl6nJWnFnAkdWwmHau75swl8BBEPZhTDvYaYNSzMG/s320/HPIM1464.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420123450448576274" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf8-S1akjGyUsoaiTuRyyYxNY1NLy0d-Unkh5OWrbm-XUg5itnQOI_ozZOUJJHyA6Pw5IvOzDzIddR79y3jBNG9BSH0Qh_9LslZi1hJWs79j-OaQTDhpndquovo7wwljT9M1H2f__CyV81/s1600-h/HPIM1475.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf8-S1akjGyUsoaiTuRyyYxNY1NLy0d-Unkh5OWrbm-XUg5itnQOI_ozZOUJJHyA6Pw5IvOzDzIddR79y3jBNG9BSH0Qh_9LslZi1hJWs79j-OaQTDhpndquovo7wwljT9M1H2f__CyV81/s320/HPIM1475.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420124712772765922" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQRRnWBOOCeYTWBRA81P64vV7imTe9MpLCyWyTYzTVKQnfHXe7Lqq0ru_FgHhAW03gbztz_-P0WEtlaLdk43ieTj9sgoTTWEV-4fMbZv5VXqCo6BHK8Wpv9RdXvQhaFvdU138SNN5MuvK/s1600-h/HPIM1483.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQRRnWBOOCeYTWBRA81P64vV7imTe9MpLCyWyTYzTVKQnfHXe7Lqq0ru_FgHhAW03gbztz_-P0WEtlaLdk43ieTj9sgoTTWEV-4fMbZv5VXqCo6BHK8Wpv9RdXvQhaFvdU138SNN5MuvK/s320/HPIM1483.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420122023674930898" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix0Urg06jbN_7rIv1s5SoI9oAykMnr8Ylf-JCKrzzJ1zsdj7-2NwX4yDT-GfEaOPVg9hRz1IQeTUyEshWapBXAfeg6BGNONtzaQxjzKPQdKoxLqBVrnEeeWltCnG6qaGl_KwfZWQFCbE_f/s1600-h/HPIM1486.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix0Urg06jbN_7rIv1s5SoI9oAykMnr8Ylf-JCKrzzJ1zsdj7-2NwX4yDT-GfEaOPVg9hRz1IQeTUyEshWapBXAfeg6BGNONtzaQxjzKPQdKoxLqBVrnEeeWltCnG6qaGl_KwfZWQFCbE_f/s320/HPIM1486.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420122002967657970" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxXkpKKvGWJ_UcgPQyQe09Ld9v6CmWMdggio5h7R6Np_kPTJMH2-Vgf2R2toF_r7K8f91dUGgvABBKQl_JTOcKzuILFQ4mJ1oqsXkiSXZ5PgAGJ3ihDAPJ5KPdUih2tZCAvFv5VPrX80MZ/s1600-h/HPIM1488.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxXkpKKvGWJ_UcgPQyQe09Ld9v6CmWMdggio5h7R6Np_kPTJMH2-Vgf2R2toF_r7K8f91dUGgvABBKQl_JTOcKzuILFQ4mJ1oqsXkiSXZ5PgAGJ3ihDAPJ5KPdUih2tZCAvFv5VPrX80MZ/s320/HPIM1488.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420120696711535106" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9TZwdzjc8wxffupp3pVBlL-tIONHm_Tp_xr46rQPRgCqUP3nuxvBsrDh07hKUGgKOkPMqfg6MQdSVQkgmEtPNOxQRoxL8FNulvlBG0zpDpcJx7VSvtkzeS18s_9Ekct7RHiEMtcBZo6cb/s1600-h/HPIM1489.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9TZwdzjc8wxffupp3pVBlL-tIONHm_Tp_xr46rQPRgCqUP3nuxvBsrDh07hKUGgKOkPMqfg6MQdSVQkgmEtPNOxQRoxL8FNulvlBG0zpDpcJx7VSvtkzeS18s_9Ekct7RHiEMtcBZo6cb/s320/HPIM1489.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420120693498109122" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhCgtjv2dVQeHF4F2-jzHcoeQTlsDflOHXaNEYaMoB4PadXqO00qzZ41wfGb4enlvSl7PL4frKFN6_075V3UcEBDgAJUdvW5WpUa3aoKkhxEyDpRoYNKmb6AwKqkDfcYemKRng3acemlUx/s1600-h/HPIM1491.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhCgtjv2dVQeHF4F2-jzHcoeQTlsDflOHXaNEYaMoB4PadXqO00qzZ41wfGb4enlvSl7PL4frKFN6_075V3UcEBDgAJUdvW5WpUa3aoKkhxEyDpRoYNKmb6AwKqkDfcYemKRng3acemlUx/s320/HPIM1491.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420120685284930370" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW-k2n3Mgcu4MD7oTc5BpA8EifUzYQQ8G5U2Ir7TA0JbOL02Dm1V3pyQCmYrObh_ppQSxDyzTcr7IlksqynV_xa1RY2xwlTyqM5v2p9lRS6AgiKMQbatv0ncF9bNxk36bPKD1ZB3QcDi3d/s1600-h/HPIM1492.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW-k2n3Mgcu4MD7oTc5BpA8EifUzYQQ8G5U2Ir7TA0JbOL02Dm1V3pyQCmYrObh_ppQSxDyzTcr7IlksqynV_xa1RY2xwlTyqM5v2p9lRS6AgiKMQbatv0ncF9bNxk36bPKD1ZB3QcDi3d/s320/HPIM1492.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420120674426953394" border="0" /></a><br />Happy Birthday, Jerry! I love you :) ~YG<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85715/jwebinfo/bce84e4368c09bb62fe5e085b4dc9877.png" border="0" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12476661470803450574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886176848590248018.post-31767067256148431292009-11-12T11:35:00.000-08:002009-11-12T18:54:18.079-08:00GO IRISHOn Halloween morning we set out for San Antonio to watch the Notre Dame vs. Washington State game at the Alamodome. We had a great time getting away for a night with good friends.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8rT467I_mJKNguhwdbMo8BzEpXM_eLiRai4VOf8N8P2TYWAg6baWb-5b3bBAJ6SQLBLRtUK58zXGkPQoDqpSxPw41Cqz3sV0eJSOvfYZttaapnqc-nRsPkqUyPE6Zwl954znGlv_CFfOf/s1600-h/299.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8rT467I_mJKNguhwdbMo8BzEpXM_eLiRai4VOf8N8P2TYWAg6baWb-5b3bBAJ6SQLBLRtUK58zXGkPQoDqpSxPw41Cqz3sV0eJSOvfYZttaapnqc-nRsPkqUyPE6Zwl954znGlv_CFfOf/s320/299.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403413272395223154" border="0" /></a>The Notre Dame Fighting Irish Band played, "Deep in the Heart of Texas." It was great :)<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQURkP6MKZDKV7Fwc75HuUToA9I9_VG-ySv9SRAM29DILiimcLszPBIjTAy1b5NUVVu00vBafwJIn3G7qTv7ZgFA19bQsSWS7yqAKcmf4qEZxWhb7NDU-XWQS5gwhFvA6kEqbLGTknP-Rm/s1600-h/280.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQURkP6MKZDKV7Fwc75HuUToA9I9_VG-ySv9SRAM29DILiimcLszPBIjTAy1b5NUVVu00vBafwJIn3G7qTv7ZgFA19bQsSWS7yqAKcmf4qEZxWhb7NDU-XWQS5gwhFvA6kEqbLGTknP-Rm/s320/280.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403412565514561906" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIRGG8ZR6wI3QZ-Im-UzqqwnMkkDoVzu-L3eaZFXK8ABLewNyArpj6lc-4c7VangRvmg5plRPeGSIcbwdkAC2aIxnxeAyHz0YTz8kUZ3La8oWsEe3g4cytjWAKeRxe_mmnN9mEsx0eZS3M/s1600-h/291.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIRGG8ZR6wI3QZ-Im-UzqqwnMkkDoVzu-L3eaZFXK8ABLewNyArpj6lc-4c7VangRvmg5plRPeGSIcbwdkAC2aIxnxeAyHz0YTz8kUZ3La8oWsEe3g4cytjWAKeRxe_mmnN9mEsx0eZS3M/s320/291.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403413271662944674" border="0" /></a>Jerry's parents gave us the tickets. His dad is standing behind us. Great pic, Dad!<br /> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDk54Cvd4yy4QneiEJxWZ5ojF5utiluVqI4OXi4AMpi-QcxLv_x6pPs_CLCPCAh58wuenoiu0TLWJCmJOkaE83r7WBVZICKoYeC6P-LAeED2Ds1atFO0fW_iGBo916VtnmvPpWt1BPJCYh/s1600-h/288.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDk54Cvd4yy4QneiEJxWZ5ojF5utiluVqI4OXi4AMpi-QcxLv_x6pPs_CLCPCAh58wuenoiu0TLWJCmJOkaE83r7WBVZICKoYeC6P-LAeED2Ds1atFO0fW_iGBo916VtnmvPpWt1BPJCYh/s320/288.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403413263895576674" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGsjTPCBEF2CrOc5TVW_W97lCYgrvWow9XMe6oyrkU1b7etbc8TIVS-558-W2ensQomcuTZZlUgUniystPcGI_vYjQHyibC-EoGvV2SLkDTQNNg9IzrzZVHwTKLF_jhK4c37kWXxG3uQiC/s1600-h/286.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGsjTPCBEF2CrOc5TVW_W97lCYgrvWow9XMe6oyrkU1b7etbc8TIVS-558-W2ensQomcuTZZlUgUniystPcGI_vYjQHyibC-EoGvV2SLkDTQNNg9IzrzZVHwTKLF_jhK4c37kWXxG3uQiC/s320/286.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403413261241355810" border="0" /></a>Make sure to take note of Kevin's Longhorn hat. You can take the boy outta the country...<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_wnqvaO8095sTysCjjnLgat0B-CPUIVAteYVRb0N_WFYn6a0ut9Oc5UYExprguWFB5vPMcx7kUnp5sipt5JaDPB8xasccQrWtXLq-qYktGvVG27U2LbXSHugQAC8mVTWwc9K10RyMEpi/s1600-h/280.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_wnqvaO8095sTysCjjnLgat0B-CPUIVAteYVRb0N_WFYn6a0ut9Oc5UYExprguWFB5vPMcx7kUnp5sipt5JaDPB8xasccQrWtXLq-qYktGvVG27U2LbXSHugQAC8mVTWwc9K10RyMEpi/s320/280.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403412556426522402" border="0" /></a><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Betsy/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-4.jpg" alt="" /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Did I mention Notre Dame <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">SPANKED</span> Washington State...40-14?<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKPHNswTi_vfrrXnvljeN1vMOecoDQcgs7OjBfx1pbY8AEOBlUk3ra6RatqeNbGEdVLuEg32RBw3tcd3q80QemOsVgrnnL86GLj_SiSUwNfVot8MqTprecPqmOoH5lpZNhtliqFLjhONJC/s1600-h/irishfan.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKPHNswTi_vfrrXnvljeN1vMOecoDQcgs7OjBfx1pbY8AEOBlUk3ra6RatqeNbGEdVLuEg32RBw3tcd3q80QemOsVgrnnL86GLj_SiSUwNfVot8MqTprecPqmOoH5lpZNhtliqFLjhONJC/s320/irishfan.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403411758369987378" border="0" /></a><br />Must have been the shirt. :)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85715/jwebinfo/bce84e4368c09bb62fe5e085b4dc9877.png" border="0" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12476661470803450574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886176848590248018.post-24372045508660394442009-10-27T20:16:00.000-07:002009-10-27T20:40:11.485-07:00For the Dogs...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigG1-V05fIbR9EyXnpQK1-t58TFJOtmDuSCRQ3nzrOT0wmFLXuBGgszUeODsukqyQFgdkuevOeMyfLmlfJnD0S-aBJImaiRxR5nrtjNHuVX0UvpSqydwHHAYv2KgSKMjezbyyhP22BQG0C/s1600-h/HPIM0056.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigG1-V05fIbR9EyXnpQK1-t58TFJOtmDuSCRQ3nzrOT0wmFLXuBGgszUeODsukqyQFgdkuevOeMyfLmlfJnD0S-aBJImaiRxR5nrtjNHuVX0UvpSqydwHHAYv2KgSKMjezbyyhP22BQG0C/s320/HPIM0056.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397489296007280722" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXn5jIEa1MDdaafwzbsgZ5aRqg956SAIXi-_yritcBEiIE16bPoQhmYnNIOnd40dRqNhja6vCY6BfXfO3Rig1IlUv7b1dAIDVmpm5SIpElX0R1hyphenhyphencIN6C9jxQIr8ZyTZCOsQla6oeXQZzx/s1600-h/harley_suki.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXn5jIEa1MDdaafwzbsgZ5aRqg956SAIXi-_yritcBEiIE16bPoQhmYnNIOnd40dRqNhja6vCY6BfXfO3Rig1IlUv7b1dAIDVmpm5SIpElX0R1hyphenhyphencIN6C9jxQIr8ZyTZCOsQla6oeXQZzx/s320/harley_suki.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397489291370707794" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDakKVMP_VZ3a1egp9fdYE1r_olXJN0F0kCzSil6N91noPg1aT0s54yWZ_40zAIscqFY8Od_0gi1UnrnnTi_ozeXY7LC2iLybqxvf2DfquwAZzk7NKS3bg_015CiMFx4i-Z-bYvmWfqzmL/s1600-h/HPIM0277.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDakKVMP_VZ3a1egp9fdYE1r_olXJN0F0kCzSil6N91noPg1aT0s54yWZ_40zAIscqFY8Od_0gi1UnrnnTi_ozeXY7LC2iLybqxvf2DfquwAZzk7NKS3bg_015CiMFx4i-Z-bYvmWfqzmL/s320/HPIM0277.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397489283807063634" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIzDO7nayMbPMS9_VEaaJrxwz9PJmKDhsE5ExtR8FULIfAYUou5dykWSQJxEOAnB4Fu1XWDS6YvbFpLy8lMq1HOq9mIoFEF5YnP9ErbC9sasg40g1aVrOFgOnqJ8k-EM_G5fH02uzwk8j/s1600-h/101-0119_IMG.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIzDO7nayMbPMS9_VEaaJrxwz9PJmKDhsE5ExtR8FULIfAYUou5dykWSQJxEOAnB4Fu1XWDS6YvbFpLy8lMq1HOq9mIoFEF5YnP9ErbC9sasg40g1aVrOFgOnqJ8k-EM_G5fH02uzwk8j/s320/101-0119_IMG.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397489283182571042" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjetK3BZ_J19F7RO5CA1Nt1XG4_chFdJtxBAMq1-irBjjxO9g3tkjJsa7KBPANEr_7oyaaB71egxWKIZdpvQUoPEE9PdNMbYJSmAfL_upvG6azk7oxE1sl2HtT8GEBrpKqDJlELWGGLAqls/s1600-h/101-0124_IMG.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjetK3BZ_J19F7RO5CA1Nt1XG4_chFdJtxBAMq1-irBjjxO9g3tkjJsa7KBPANEr_7oyaaB71egxWKIZdpvQUoPEE9PdNMbYJSmAfL_upvG6azk7oxE1sl2HtT8GEBrpKqDJlELWGGLAqls/s320/101-0124_IMG.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397489275802469954" border="0" /></a><br />On July 3, 2009 things changed in our household. A typical day of going to the gym, running errands and taking care of the kiddos. When we got home I performed my usual duty of letting the dogs out to do their business. I got caught up in normal household chores and totally spaced the dogs were outside. About an hour after letting them out I heard Lady, our yellow lab, barking at the back door. I opened it to find her rapidly panting. Suki, our Yorkie, was not with her. I let Lady in for a drink slightly puzzled as to why she would be out of breath since she's not a very active dog. I walked out in the back yard to call Suki, walked around the side of the house and noticed that the gate was open. Since this has happened before I wasn't terribly worried that Suki wouldn't return. She is known for digging out, running out the front door to greet the neighbors, waltz out an open gate when available. I went back inside and went about my business expecting a neighbor to bring her by. But the doorbell never rang.<br /><br />We put up signs the next morning, called the local shelters...no luck. The next weekend we received a call that someone spotted a Yorkie down the street but they were unable to catch the dog. We never saw the animal.<br /><br />Though the loss of an animal will never compare to the loss of a child I can honestly say that a part of me is gone.<br /><br />I got Suki when I was 20. Things in life at the time were rocky. She was my bud...the one that listened, the one that let me cry. I've joked with my mom about how great it is that she could never talk because Oh! the things she saw and heard!<br /><br />Thank you Suki for being everything a dog is meant to be. I miss you so...<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85715/jwebinfo/bce84e4368c09bb62fe5e085b4dc9877.png" border="0" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12476661470803450574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886176848590248018.post-12151535305122405412009-05-06T12:23:00.000-07:002009-05-18T18:24:50.196-07:00Being Thin is OverratedAt least that's what I'm trying to convince myself.<br /><br />I have been working out at the local gym for 5 days a week since I was 10 weeks pregnant with my third child. I gained a good bit of weight during my first pregnancy...65 lbs to be exact. I did lose almost all of it (all but 10 lbs) before I found out I was pregnant with our second child. I didn't gain quite the same amount with pregnancy #2 but didn't really feel much of a drive to lose the baby weight after giving birth. By the time I got pregnant with our third child (#2 was only 5 months old) I was tired of my clothes being too tight, having to purchase new clothes because what was in the closet didn't fit, and not being happy with the size of clothing I was purchasing. As soon as I found out baby #3 was on the way, I signed up for a membership at the gym and haven't looked back.<br /><br />After recovering from a c-section I was back in the gym full-throttle. Arms, legs, cardio, eatin right...and the weight started to fall off. Before I knew it, the clothes in the closet were starting to fit again. I felt like I looked better...but I still wasn't in a maintenance mode. Fast-forward...my third child is now 2 years old and I STILL haven't hit the maintenance mode. I am working hard...1 hour cardio everyday, eating healthy, changing strength training routines so I don't hit a rut. And still no washboard abs. I'm constantly looking for the next best thing that will FINALLY take off those last 10lbs. I'm not overweight. I'm not at risk for heart-related or weight-related disease. I'm actually really strong and in fairly good shape overall.<br /><br />I've been really down on myself, frustrated with just about everything. So I took a step back to asess what was out of line. <span style="font-style: italic;">Listen to how self-centered I sound.</span> The "Ah-ha" moment...my relationship with Christ is what's really out of whack. The more I have focused on my outward appearance, the more I have neglected my soul. <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">That</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">is why I'm so unhappy with how I look. </span></span>The real, stripped down, naked, soul-baring me isn't lookin' so good. But, you know what's so great about knowing and loving our Lord? The minute I ask for His forgiveness and redirect my attention back toward Him, I'm lookin' <span style="font-weight: bold;">really</span> good once again.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1 Samuel 16:7<br /></span>"...The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span>Although, I must say, it would be nice if I got the same instant results from one 5-mile run. :)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85715/jwebinfo/bce84e4368c09bb62fe5e085b4dc9877.png" border="0" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12476661470803450574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886176848590248018.post-16054990912881854462009-04-16T21:17:00.000-07:002009-04-17T12:42:52.281-07:00For the Glory of GodSin is a nasty little (okay, BIG) problem. We are all born with a sinful nature. We struggle throughout our entire lives fighting off sin. But what exactly <span style="font-style: italic;">is </span>sin? One definition is <span style="font-weight: bold;">estrangement from God</span>. Wow..<span style="font-style: italic;">.anything</span> that separates us from the Father is sin. So why do we think we have the right as humans to place levels on sin? Can one person be <span style="font-style: italic;">more</span> separated from God than another? If so, is it our place to point this out?<br /><br />I started thinking about different things that people have an opinion about that may possibly considered sin. Liar, cheat, fornicator, thief. Is being gay a sin? Is being obese a sin?<br /><br />Who am I...a lowly, wretched, sin-drenched earthling...to rank one persons sinful nature against another? So many "Christians" screw this up. It is not our place to dabble in the emotions of others and so crassly stab at flaws in ones character.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Luke 6:41<br />Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?<br /></div><br />So I came away with this. It doesn't matter if you're living with someone and not married, it doesn't matter if you cheated on your SATs, or stole a pack of gum from the local convenience store at the age of seven. Is your life a testament to your faith? Do you look for ways each day to reveal God's glory to others? If you are a Christ follower, EVERYTHING you do, say, think, and feel should be for the Glory of God. When you wake up in the morning ask God to bless your day and remind you that every task you complete, no matter how significant or menial it may be, is all for <span style="font-weight: bold;">His glory</span>. What can you do tomorrow to make His presence known in your life?<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Lord, help me not to judge others. Give me your eyes to see them as children of God, just as you see me. Convict me in the areas of my life where I need more of you and less of me. It is all for you, Lord.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85715/jwebinfo/bce84e4368c09bb62fe5e085b4dc9877.png" border="0" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12476661470803450574noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886176848590248018.post-8728350258432750502009-03-30T12:20:00.001-07:002009-03-30T12:38:21.889-07:00Prayer for StellanAs I begin the yearly task of Spring Cleaning, my heart is heavy. I am thinking of organizing closets, planting flowers, and wiping down baseboards. I am reminded of how insignificant these tasks are when I read about a precious 5 month old boy that I have fallen in love with. I have followed <a href="http://mycharmingkids.net">MckMama's</a> blog for almost a year and have had the pleasure of watching how our Lord works, heals, and holds steadfast in times of uncertainty.<br /><br />Long story short...during her pregnancy, Stellan's mom was told that he would not survive because of heart complications. I'm not a doctor and won't try and give the accurate details of their struggle, but Stellan was born a healthy baby back in October 2008. If you are interested in following their story I suggest subscribing to her <a href="http://mycharmingkids.net">blog</a>. Recently Stellan's heart has flipped back into some of the issues he had while in utero. With little to no success, his doctors have tried numerous drugs to get his heart to break out of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supraventricular_tachycardia">SVT</a>. They are currently in the process of introducing yet another treatment. The fear is that no one is sure how long his tiny body can endure the strain that is on his heart.<br /><br />Please pray for Stellan. As a mother of three I am grieved by what this family is going through. I know their hope is in the Lord but it is human nature to doubt, to question "why," to sometimes feel, "Where are you, God in all of this?"<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Father, give them strength. Give them the peace that surpasses all understanding. Show them your mercies. It if is your will, allow us to carry some of this burden for them. We know we are never alone, Lord. Make your presence known in that hospital room and in their home. Heal him Jehovah Rapha...</span><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85715/jwebinfo/bce84e4368c09bb62fe5e085b4dc9877.png" border="0" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12476661470803450574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886176848590248018.post-69511043357881491242009-03-10T11:38:00.000-07:002009-03-10T17:53:56.556-07:00A Testament of FaithThe women I meet with on Thursday evenings for Bible study recently wrapped up the "Bride of the Week" stories. Each Thursday before reviewing our reading we get together and one of us shares the tale of how we met our husband, fell in love, our marriage proposal and wedding ceremony. It has been an amazing way to get to know the history behind each magnificent couple we share life with. We decided that once the BOTW stories were complete we would take a deeper look into each others lives by sharing our testimonies. I shared my testimony with the women last Thursday.<br /><br />Instead of going straight from mind to mouth, I decided to write it down to make sure I didn't miss any of the important details of how I came to know my Lord and Savior. As I pecked away at the keys on my computer I had the opportunity to reflect on my life as a child, my years as a wayward young adult and the night the Lord revealed Himself to me. Emotions I had not tapped into for years came flooding back...joy, anger, frustration, rebellion and brokenness. I could physically feel His love pour over me as I reminisced about the day I asked Him into my heart at seven years of age. I felt His arms around me as I remembered the wretched, self-destructive behavior of my twenties. I felt the hem of his garment brush my hand like the woman in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark%205:24-34&version=31">Mark 5:24-34</a> as I envisioned myself laying beside him on the ground bleeding and in pain from the utter mess I had made of my life. Not worthy of his attention, He picked me up, dusted me off, and forgave me. My sins were washed away. In the midst of gathering tales from my past, I fell in love with Jesus all over again.<br /><br />If you have not taken the time to sit down and remember who God is to you and why He is Lord of your life, I suggest you do. He revealed His grace and mercy to me in areas of my life that I had chosen to forget about.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Mark 5:34<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">..."Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."</span><br /></div><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85715/jwebinfo/bce84e4368c09bb62fe5e085b4dc9877.png" border="0" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12476661470803450574noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886176848590248018.post-61940523298314308332009-03-09T11:40:00.000-07:002009-03-09T11:57:00.964-07:00Happy 5th BirthdayWow...Five years have gone by since I gave birth to my first born child...a 7lb. 8 oz. beautiful baby girl born at 3:49 pm on March 8, 2004!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZllFFJsJDzoKhd1Pr3Eed-v1A_LsjowgCtrlL7PrmkyEIQaVm7E14RiYKETpFBe6ylKkqQgG9-MA90YXUhSwMY8vnL1KwyiCTxjmgwaDoDVsSS90EPGnSYNco4u3jojvl3dfODG5VBP75/s1600-h/105-0504_IMG.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZllFFJsJDzoKhd1Pr3Eed-v1A_LsjowgCtrlL7PrmkyEIQaVm7E14RiYKETpFBe6ylKkqQgG9-MA90YXUhSwMY8vnL1KwyiCTxjmgwaDoDVsSS90EPGnSYNco4u3jojvl3dfODG5VBP75/s320/105-0504_IMG.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311262460582476210" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqKKKPz08nwVyS2lebRsqh7AVV-lUP4IjvlXRQEbduLsQna9qEPOrnyTAj7RC7H9vcwjMf8_-sZKs2Vcs6JjDHat-H0KWhqJzXUNgLeUn0corEOpgigrgZmdO1xdk1672wO_KP8zd5Htx2/s1600-h/108-0829_IMG.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqKKKPz08nwVyS2lebRsqh7AVV-lUP4IjvlXRQEbduLsQna9qEPOrnyTAj7RC7H9vcwjMf8_-sZKs2Vcs6JjDHat-H0KWhqJzXUNgLeUn0corEOpgigrgZmdO1xdk1672wO_KP8zd5Htx2/s320/108-0829_IMG.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311262473377745042" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhYo2ycz5WBgyNgIDYiTpvU2F8Cfth-7daDMojxDUWXL1BPwoF2itacdRr897EI9YMfCctoc9E23BjThbJgj3mdA8GY2UMANQV7pON11KTWBZOllRlR-tFVYPaTWuTlBJGHr0op0RDlj68/s1600-h/IMG_2144.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhYo2ycz5WBgyNgIDYiTpvU2F8Cfth-7daDMojxDUWXL1BPwoF2itacdRr897EI9YMfCctoc9E23BjThbJgj3mdA8GY2UMANQV7pON11KTWBZOllRlR-tFVYPaTWuTlBJGHr0op0RDlj68/s320/IMG_2144.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311262457072229026" border="0" /></a><br />After seeing a picture from another blog site, she requested I create her "Mii" as her cake. I think it turned out pretty good!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSGOTvIqLqc6ZL-dzCYkJTxM9aCTMLvWxEHLny9ql2Ok2zMgk79qMVkd0qq4A9Lg1-d_-udKZ1zSnIyzFNaKjCDqClXZVIk9wUI7M14o3eDjZBFBS26QMq0GwBHVUuO8HxGIn3g73Y5u1V/s1600-h/miicake.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 246px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSGOTvIqLqc6ZL-dzCYkJTxM9aCTMLvWxEHLny9ql2Ok2zMgk79qMVkd0qq4A9Lg1-d_-udKZ1zSnIyzFNaKjCDqClXZVIk9wUI7M14o3eDjZBFBS26QMq0GwBHVUuO8HxGIn3g73Y5u1V/s320/miicake.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311260834744424194" border="0" /></a>We rented a bounce house and hung out snacking on munchies with family and friends. This is a memorable birthday because this is the first party she requested friends be invited and probably the last family birthday.<br /><br />Here are a few pics from the Wii Extravaganza!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFvhW-yDJsL_NBynWVfcGDGeGJRlMbicLzMi1ucvgi5Uyn1m1YIfvSEkfveEAINRJVd9B8Un3FdrZgB1iKhdGzynV-4Tt4uTZt6cI-lpOnTttA8epvEkbsQcH_EEJE5ujBCv-an8XIFLTk/s1600-h/ashlynmii.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFvhW-yDJsL_NBynWVfcGDGeGJRlMbicLzMi1ucvgi5Uyn1m1YIfvSEkfveEAINRJVd9B8Un3FdrZgB1iKhdGzynV-4Tt4uTZt6cI-lpOnTttA8epvEkbsQcH_EEJE5ujBCv-an8XIFLTk/s320/ashlynmii.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311260822967979266" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdhtL4wc_EqskfkYYgoEIvo4MG9jyHPPyQORdg6z-XhMcLTXiV91yHmq1A5nE2vy2X2uHydQ1c38_p4l-pOxD2zpFYRbetoOXlsB_8FPymLlZyW9r6ciDATLYsst6DDAGnlq9p1R9KR1md/s1600-h/ashlyn02.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdhtL4wc_EqskfkYYgoEIvo4MG9jyHPPyQORdg6z-XhMcLTXiV91yHmq1A5nE2vy2X2uHydQ1c38_p4l-pOxD2zpFYRbetoOXlsB_8FPymLlZyW9r6ciDATLYsst6DDAGnlq9p1R9KR1md/s320/ashlyn02.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311260812102826770" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2QZH1MXvJFeP0GjXad6mRZ6-0ymHHeJt43Ti5ZsjCsWECnYpZkkFvDMq2JuQCE00hKUyd3aeZ3qEg_5wEMoUCgaDpfatVeFEhMZUU6mpj4DRDkLEyIivnGrX1bHByYXWZDokxTYSeCMyT/s1600-h/ashlyn01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2QZH1MXvJFeP0GjXad6mRZ6-0ymHHeJt43Ti5ZsjCsWECnYpZkkFvDMq2JuQCE00hKUyd3aeZ3qEg_5wEMoUCgaDpfatVeFEhMZUU6mpj4DRDkLEyIivnGrX1bHByYXWZDokxTYSeCMyT/s320/ashlyn01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311260805397054162" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBQuXRFhd-nxVTCBqnt90PWWDHwvsA8DavA1kqcJPp_sAIa_xuFxOE_KWAdd97t5KvrSgc309WrFa5C6wyA9x1Is2rCYuWJcpM64k8AyOAI9BaR4JO0eyhms_pe523cfc9zXmZ0iMBZHcS/s1600-h/smokinmii.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBQuXRFhd-nxVTCBqnt90PWWDHwvsA8DavA1kqcJPp_sAIa_xuFxOE_KWAdd97t5KvrSgc309WrFa5C6wyA9x1Is2rCYuWJcpM64k8AyOAI9BaR4JO0eyhms_pe523cfc9zXmZ0iMBZHcS/s320/smokinmii.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311260839919245394" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Happy Birthday, Ashlyn Elizabeth!<br /></div><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85715/jwebinfo/bce84e4368c09bb62fe5e085b4dc9877.png" border="0" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12476661470803450574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886176848590248018.post-24914880267661421452009-02-09T19:13:00.000-08:002009-02-09T19:41:12.524-08:00Not Me! Monday<center> <a href="http://www.mycharmingkids.net/"> <img src="http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r208/jennisajoy/BLOG%20DESIGN/ONCEUPONABLOG/NotMeMonday.jpg" /> </a></center><br />Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by <a href="http://www.mycharmingkids.net/">MckMama</a>. You can head over to <a href="http://www.mycharmingkids.net/">her blog</a> to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.<br /><br />I have never joined in on the <a href="http://mycharmingkids.net/">MckMama</a> fun, but I'm feeling a bit saucy tonight...so what the heck!<br /><br />This week, while playing at the park with our three kids, my littlest one <span style="font-style: italic;">did not</span> come up to me with his hand stretched out and exclaim, "Yuck!" I most certainly <span style="font-style: italic;">did not</span> almost lick his fingers before realizing he had been diaper digging. I would <span style="font-style: italic;">never</span> lick foreign substances off my children's hands...who would do that?<br /><br />I<span style="font-style: italic;"> did not</span> update my Facebook status at 8:00pm this evening to wish my son a happy 2nd birthday. What kind of a mother would forget to announce their childs birth date to the world until after he was in bed? <span style="font-style: italic;">Not me!</span><br /><br />I absolutely <span style="font-style: italic;">did not</span> drive 3.5 hours in the car this weekend to a motherhood retreat only to find that the retreat material had nothing to do with mothering whatsoever. I <span style="font-style: italic;">did not</span> sneak out of the retreat at 9:00pm on Saturday, throw my bags in the car and haul outta that joint as fast as lightning to arrive back home after midnight. I would <span style="font-style: italic;">never</span> do such a thing!<br /><br />I <span style="font-style: italic;">did not</span> teach my 3-year-old the phrase "jacked-up" only to find that he now tells people when he needs to go potty it is because "his front bo-bo is jacked up". <span style="font-style: italic;">Not me.</span><br /><br />I most certainly <span style="font-style: italic;">did not</span> suggest starting spring cleaning early when my husband got laid off this week. I can not imagine the type of wife that would think of organization at a time like this! <span style="font-style: italic;">Not me.</span><br /><br />I hope anyone reading this post has had a good laugh and a fantastic start to their week.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85715/jwebinfo/bce84e4368c09bb62fe5e085b4dc9877.png" border="0" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12476661470803450574noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886176848590248018.post-11700042562010765722009-02-05T11:16:00.000-08:002009-02-05T12:34:28.772-08:00The Fast and the FuriousI grew up in church hearing messages of fasting...one is to abstain from certain foods, or all food, for a period of time to grow closer to the Lord. Honestly, I didn't get it. My first question was, "why would anyone ever want to go for a prolonged period of time without eating?" And close behind that came, "why does it make a difference...can't God speak to me with a full belly?" This has always been my view of fasting...until now.<br /><br />I am on the last day of a seven day fast. Over the course of several days of praying over my youngest son and his persistent issue with eating, the Lord kept bringing the word "fast" to mind. I shrugged Him off for several days. I even questioned why on earth He would think such a thing would be good for me - doesn't He understand what it's like being a mother to three small children that are in <span style="font-weight: bold;">constant</span> need of attention? How am I actually supposed to have any opportunity to get alone with the Lord when the requests for potty, juice, snacks, and T.V. never come to an end? It didn't matter how disobedient I was He kept telling me the same thing..."fast, fast, fast." I knew this had to have only come from Him because I <span style="font-style: italic;">really</span> like to eat. So I cratered and started my fast on January 29th.<br /><br />There were times when I did eat...and this sick little thing called guilt started to set in. How evil! Satan is so good at manipulating the truth and making us feel like we are failures. One of the most important lessons I learned during this week is that there <span style="font-style: italic;">are </span>no rules when it comes to hearing from the Father. I wrote down several questions I wanted answered during this past week pertaining to my youngest offspring, parenting, and selfish behavior. As each day ticked by I became more frustrated (and yes, furious) when I didn't see the immediate answer to my questions. Had I asked them enough? Were my questions not worth answering? Was I not spending the quality time with the Lord that He required of me? (again...satan rearing his ugly head) After my seven days my answer came in Psalm 121.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I lift up my eyes to the hills—<br />where does my help come from? </div><p style="text-align: center;"><span id="en-NIV-16084" class="sup"></span>My help comes from the LORD,<br />the Maker of heaven and earth. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><span id="en-NIV-16085" class="sup"></span>He will not let your foot slip—<br />he who watches over you will not slumber; </p><p style="text-align: center;"><span id="en-NIV-16086" class="sup"></span>indeed, he who watches over Israel<br />will neither slumber nor sleep. </p><p style="text-align: center;">The LORD watches over you—<br />the LORD is your shade at your right hand; </p><p style="text-align: center;"> the sun will not harm you by day,<br />nor the moon by night. </p><p style="text-align: center;">The LORD will keep you from all harm—<br />he will watch over your life; </p><p style="text-align: center;"> the LORD will watch over your coming and going<br />both now and forevermore.</p>Three words keep ringing in my ears, <span style="font-style: italic;">"I am here." </span><br /><br />What about Baby A eating? <span style="font-style: italic;"> "I am here."</span> <br /><br />How do I spend more time with my children and have enough time for me? <span style="font-style: italic;">"I am here."</span><br /><br />What do I do about the guilt of failing as a parent? <span style="font-style: italic;"> "I am here."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Thank you Lord for just being.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85715/jwebinfo/bce84e4368c09bb62fe5e085b4dc9877.png" border="0" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12476661470803450574noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886176848590248018.post-6019328491085571342009-01-15T13:48:00.000-08:002009-01-16T12:30:03.073-08:00Created and Loved by GodEarlier this week I took a trip to the grocery store with the kids to pick up a few items necessary for the rest of the week...milk, bread, etc. Nothing out of the ordinary. The idea of strolling through the store gazing at "items of want" with my three beautiful, well-behaved darlings always seems like well-thought out plan until its execution. Yet it is a daunting task buttoning coats, loading them in carseats, unloading them, positioning them just right in the grocery cart so there is no hair pulling, hitting, fighting, or stealing (yes, I have an unintentional clepto :) ). But...the call of the pantry is much stronger than the voice of reason.<br /><br />We rushed through the store picking up our necessities and ended up in the frozen food section. I casually walked from case to case looking for what would be the next great meal in our home. As I approached one of the cases a man and a woman were coming toward us, she on the phone, he pushing the cart. She was ordinary...he was not. He appeared handicapped, hunched over, eyes separated, with an amazing smile that lit up the room. As we passed him, he looked at me and said, "Wow, you sure have your hands full!" (As a mother of a 4, 3 and 2 year old, I hear this often.) I smiled and said, "I sure do, but they're worth it." (My standard response.) Our conversation was a mere 10 seconds. Two steps passed him, my oldest whips her head around, looks at me and says,<br /><br />"His eyes..."<br /><br />"Stop." I whispered.<br /><br />She hushed as I knelt down next to her seat. I asked her if she knew who made that man.<br /><br />"Um...No?"<br /><br />"Miss A, who made you?"<br /><br />"God did."<br /><br />"So, who do you think made him?" By this time I had tears in my eyes.<br /><br />"God did." And as the tears began to well in <span style="font-style: italic;">her</span> sweet, baby eyes she exclaimed, "and God loves him very much."<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">She gets it.</span><br /><br />I hold such a special place in my heart for people with a physical defect because I too was born with one. I was born severely cross-eyed. My parents agreed to eye surgery at 6 months and I had to exercise my eyes every night as a child. I had to wear a patch on my "strong" eye to help strengthen the weak one. I was questioned by kids throughout elementary school about what I was looking at, what could I see, did things look different to me because of the way I look. I fought my physical ailment and tried to hide it from the world for years (including my optometrist). The thing is, EVERY one of us was born imperfect. At some point in our adolescence we were ridiculed for something that was out of our control. By the time we reach adulthood, most of us have learned to hide it...some better than others. Genesis 1 tells us everything God created was "good." We are created in His likeness.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">(<a href="http://aroyalallegiance.blogspot.com/2009/01/genesis-k.html">A Royal Allegiance</a>)<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote>Sin messes everything. God made all humans perfect and unique, all together bearing God's image.<br /><br />But this cancerous disease called sin broke everything.</blockquote>Maybe this is why my daughter "gets it". Even though she was born into a world full of sin, she is still innocent. She is not shackled by the image of who she "should be" or what she "should look like", in order to be accepted by the ever-judging eye of society. My challenge is to see the world through the eyes of a child, just as He sees us.<br /></div><br />God made each of us unique...short, tall, skinny, robust, athletic, couch potato, cross-eyed, crooked smile...and loves every stinkin' one of us. We are not merely damaged goods...we are all a masterpiece in the making.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Thank you Lord. I praise you for making me exactly the way I am...warts and all.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Isaiah 64:8</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the </span><span style="font-style: italic;">clay</span><span style="font-style: italic;">, you are the<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span><span style="font-style: italic;">potter</span><span style="font-style: italic;">; we are all the work of your hand.</span><br /></div><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85715/jwebinfo/bce84e4368c09bb62fe5e085b4dc9877.png" border="0" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12476661470803450574noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886176848590248018.post-62688147613208174332009-01-09T21:48:00.000-08:002009-01-09T22:22:16.155-08:00TransparentOver the holidays we typically spend more time with family, focusing on the good of the past 365 days, reminiscing about Christmases of past. In 2008 I spent time with my new blogging friends and I was given the opportunity to share life with people all over the world who I probably would never have come in contact with this side of heaven. I read of growing families, daily life, difficult pregnancies, heart-wrenching losses, miracles of life. What an adventure!<br /><br />Recently I have had trouble falling asleep and have used that time to think about my day - what I've done, seen and read. As I thought about each blog I subscribe to and those that have made a lasting impact on my life I questioned "why?". What is it about some of these friends stories that moves me from my foundation? One word: <span style="font-style: italic;">transparency</span>. These saints hold nothing back. They allow me to take a full look into their lives (some on a daily basis). I am not a window shopper gazing at merchandise from outside. I am a full paying customer. I am given the chance to browse through their laughter and pain, joy and tears and pull from it whatever I choose. They place every emotion out on a page for all to see. But this kind of transparency comes at a cost...a very high cost. In order for them to be transparent to the world, they first have to be transparent to the One who created them. They have to allow Him to come in, set up shop and clean house. And by being completely vulnerable to Him, He is able to use them for His glory and touch millions of peoples lives with their tiny hands.<br /><br />So for 2009 I will have the usual resolutions: eat less, spend more time with the kids, get more sleep. But for 2009 I will commit to being more transparent. This blog has been, and will continue to be, a documentation of our life as a family. But from today forward it will be seen through different eyes. I want the world to see me as I am...an imperfect child of God trying to focus more on Him and less on me. I want to sit for longer periods of time at His feet and listen.<br /><br />From a blog I joyfully subscribe to (<a href="http://thelukesponbergfoundation.blogspot.com/">light your world</a>):<br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 85%;"><blockquote></blockquote><blockquote></blockquote>Jesus told His disciples in John 15 that they could do nothing without Him. He told them to abide in Him and then watch what He would accomplish thru them. He told them to abide in His love and keep His commandments, just as they had watched Him keep His Father's commandments and just like He had abided in His Father's love. <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">And He told them to do these things so that His joy would be in them.</span></span> [emphasis mine]<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85715/jwebinfo/bce84e4368c09bb62fe5e085b4dc9877.png" border="0" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12476661470803450574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886176848590248018.post-56977086822401640542008-12-20T10:17:00.001-08:002008-12-20T10:17:54.955-08:00The 5 Elves of Texas<div style='background-color:#e9e9e9; width: 425px;'><object id='A58949' quality='high' data='http://aka.zero.jibjab.com/client/zero/ClientZero_EmbedViewer.swf?external_make_id=ZYc2Jiy0yoAco2G0&service=sendables.jibjab.com&partnerID=ElfYourself' pluginspage='http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' wmode='transparent' height='319' width='425'><param name='wmode' value='transparent'></param><param name='movie' value='http://aka.zero.jibjab.com/client/zero/ClientZero_EmbedViewer.swf?external_make_id=ZYc2Jiy0yoAco2G0&service=sendables.jibjab.com&partnerID=ElfYourself'></param><param name='scaleMode' value='showAll'></param><param name='quality' value='high'></param><param name='allowNetworking' value='all'></param><param name='allowFullScreen' value='true' /><param name='FlashVars' value='external_make_id=ZYc2Jiy0yoAco2G0&service=sendables.jibjab.com&partnerID=ElfYourself'></param><param name='allowScriptAccess' value='always'></param></object><div style='text-align:center; width:435px; margin-top:6px;'>Send your own <a href='http://www.elfyourself.com'>ElfYourself</a> <a href='http://sendables.jibjab.com/ecards'>eCards</a></div></div><img style="visibility:hidden;width:0px;height:0px;" border=0 width=0 height=0 src="http://counters.gigya.com/wildfire/IMP/CXNID=2000002.0NXC/bHQ9MTIyOTc5Njk3MjQ1MSZwdD*xMjI5Nzk3MDcwOTUxJnA9NDE4ODEzJmQ9MjAyNjc1Jm49YmxvZ2dlciZnPTImdD*mbz1iNGI4MzgyNTFkMmI*YWM3OTE3OTc1NjE1YzA1ZjQ5OQ==.gif" />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12476661470803450574noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886176848590248018.post-31207109182646559412008-12-17T12:42:00.000-08:002008-12-17T13:17:23.195-08:00Christmas Tour of Homes 2008<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://boomama.net/2008/12/15/christmas-tour-of-homes-2008/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h134/boomama205/boomamachristmassmall1.jpg" alt="BooMamaChristmasTour" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />Tis the season to be jolly! A blog that, dare I say, I am addicted to (<a href="http://audreycaroline.blogspot.com/">Bring the Rain</a>) invited readers to partake in <a href="http://boomama.net/">BooMama's</a> 2008 Christmas Tour of Homes. And what better way to share in the joyous birth of our Lord Jesus Christ then to post pictures of my humble abode?!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTJilP4oPfAkpH_YkPY-ojnElZoB6gjt4u41_BknVwYuUHjzJRLB7dFsVSOOueQcbEHN2fk5-rtwhyZ9kWrN_-UOOb_1JEZf1ridag9XbnZweximplanmj7b0efdXELFWInB2GuWziFbUB/s1600-h/004.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 190px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTJilP4oPfAkpH_YkPY-ojnElZoB6gjt4u41_BknVwYuUHjzJRLB7dFsVSOOueQcbEHN2fk5-rtwhyZ9kWrN_-UOOb_1JEZf1ridag9XbnZweximplanmj7b0efdXELFWInB2GuWziFbUB/s320/004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280865437238628674" border="0" /></a>The outside of our house...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwYzWJR7vtT0oxz9cyq9BaCPI-rvUzQ06F_Wl8HbduOxcidaXL5B7GlHYmMiRucgTG_ZjjXVtPd4q_lex7MVXw2MrEJ4HRLI46pHKR0QdpZEXH2whRzvifa2OBxuKqL09rIOf-vZBJfAgx/s1600-h/pic06.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 241px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwYzWJR7vtT0oxz9cyq9BaCPI-rvUzQ06F_Wl8HbduOxcidaXL5B7GlHYmMiRucgTG_ZjjXVtPd4q_lex7MVXw2MrEJ4HRLI46pHKR0QdpZEXH2whRzvifa2OBxuKqL09rIOf-vZBJfAgx/s320/pic06.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280865694440991634" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK0tAUfegbui4h-tKY6-ALzabkZEFE0Zcm9_X5pZWJWf5xScIgC7f-gYGuokyU2zeXd8MWTMVC-eV9PgUOtBVrKSq8UEqwYtcsk35E5O6Vb1TELIWdDnVHQIEYuO0Pt9HRQE3S2fuyvQAi/s1600-h/pic07.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 229px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK0tAUfegbui4h-tKY6-ALzabkZEFE0Zcm9_X5pZWJWf5xScIgC7f-gYGuokyU2zeXd8MWTMVC-eV9PgUOtBVrKSq8UEqwYtcsk35E5O6Vb1TELIWdDnVHQIEYuO0Pt9HRQE3S2fuyvQAi/s320/pic07.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280865696546240786" border="0" /></a>"The stockings were hung by the chimney with care..."<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfKbzlmRPC4d0hZo4aNoQ9rPtiyd7BZCcgShTsoqvk8u1nH6YRcxv58-wUIL08n4xODyy9_lluXa7ipuYb_vFvmqPefsqV5Rjr8cpI76MM2ETYBCu6rydouN9H352Be73pbx8ytgozvyss/s1600-h/pic01.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 195px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfKbzlmRPC4d0hZo4aNoQ9rPtiyd7BZCcgShTsoqvk8u1nH6YRcxv58-wUIL08n4xODyy9_lluXa7ipuYb_vFvmqPefsqV5Rjr8cpI76MM2ETYBCu6rydouN9H352Be73pbx8ytgozvyss/s320/pic01.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280865443387940802" border="0" /></a>This Nativity was given to us as a wedding present. It is from <a href="http://www.frankenmuth.org/">Frankenmuth</a>.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjznn8N_5oELAzuWYuo0pVqp8LrfV-OrKo4-m5Wsod9PBkDYV8Hquik5DnhCF5hZiYO79EW4azEk1KO0Sdbt5yXhGfEY-EyX0Y9jDZtmKBM9fikYpAMguuNHrRIJM1pfPUN9KN3hyphenhyphenbOlCmB/s1600-h/pic02.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 241px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjznn8N_5oELAzuWYuo0pVqp8LrfV-OrKo4-m5Wsod9PBkDYV8Hquik5DnhCF5hZiYO79EW4azEk1KO0Sdbt5yXhGfEY-EyX0Y9jDZtmKBM9fikYpAMguuNHrRIJM1pfPUN9KN3hyphenhyphenbOlCmB/s320/pic02.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280865452972288130" border="0" /></a>A few of my snowmen on the cabinet in our foyer.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDY00W6aavyzSrVuu0nR173_7npn6AEifoJk59IGpVQwT25XMBp63wbSFUx6f2dTm36E6HeBLjFItrVX6hptTasGce3qLyhE9JRYEk0ePAYPASQOESMCjCfspT-TxxmIyxVb104VQGiYu4/s1600-h/pic03.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 241px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDY00W6aavyzSrVuu0nR173_7npn6AEifoJk59IGpVQwT25XMBp63wbSFUx6f2dTm36E6HeBLjFItrVX6hptTasGce3qLyhE9JRYEk0ePAYPASQOESMCjCfspT-TxxmIyxVb104VQGiYu4/s320/pic03.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280865460632707570" border="0" /></a>I stole this idea from Cottage Living Magazine...(I realize I don't live in a cottage).<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4AGHPUOi7ykzNPev4tNOi3ne6xphcs4iBQmsIzyEBuTuWKOPrp5xJukMd0TNS620fxyRIJNZ1vBTIq8weLTza0PZPTV8HantznNk9Bh6ukHFh7W2s3yHqGJIRKwzeARxL30zaTIvVP1zs/s1600-h/pic05.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 182px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4AGHPUOi7ykzNPev4tNOi3ne6xphcs4iBQmsIzyEBuTuWKOPrp5xJukMd0TNS620fxyRIJNZ1vBTIq8weLTza0PZPTV8HantznNk9Bh6ukHFh7W2s3yHqGJIRKwzeARxL30zaTIvVP1zs/s320/pic05.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280865464985495058" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDoEWgNA0AD6ctcPjFb-wi3FXmgR0yAuAMPvaSRzFzzayTZcIbTGbvYnetzZ5LzfFxIp1wd8GyVdDiKKi-7ELBmzetvsMPyHbebtPNylY2pmrakHdUmi6zYU0z-LsRkFxjYtqSiIL_l3Sh/s1600-h/pic08.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 203px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDoEWgNA0AD6ctcPjFb-wi3FXmgR0yAuAMPvaSRzFzzayTZcIbTGbvYnetzZ5LzfFxIp1wd8GyVdDiKKi-7ELBmzetvsMPyHbebtPNylY2pmrakHdUmi6zYU0z-LsRkFxjYtqSiIL_l3Sh/s320/pic08.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280865710672977986" border="0" /></a>O Christmas Tree...a gift from my <a href="http://jerrywelch.name">sweet husband</a> two years ago.</div><br />Have a Merry Christmas!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85715/jwebinfo/bce84e4368c09bb62fe5e085b4dc9877.png" border="0" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12476661470803450574noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886176848590248018.post-77878026455638171452008-12-02T14:14:00.001-08:002008-12-02T20:09:06.768-08:00Turkey Trot 2008I completed my first 8-mile Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving. I finished in 1:28:59...very important because my goal was to finish under 1:30.<br /><br />The first mile was a breeze...soaking in the sight of downtown Dallas on a crisp Thursday morning, sun shining, iPod cranked up, local bands playing on the side of the road, couple thousand rear ends jiggling in front of me.<br /><br />Surprisingly by the second mile the street was littered with miscellaneous energy gel packs. Apparently there are quite a few people that can't run over two miles without sustenance. I was actually amazed at this sight and at one point considered counting them. <br /><br />The run really didn't get challenging until between mile 4 and 5. I'm not sure if it was because the hills really started kicking in or if I just wasn't as prepared for the run as I should have been. Nonetheless, the beat of the pavement began to take its toll. Though I never considered quitting, at mile 5 I questioned how long it would take me to walk the remainder of the course. I prayed the Lord would sustain me...such a trivial request when there were homeless people within walking distance who didn't have a hot meal to enjoy on this day of giving thanks. <br /><br />Up to this point in my run I had been listening to upbeat, Top 40 music....Pink, Justin Timberlake, Avril Lavigne. I started to think<span style="font-style: italic;">, "Sexyback</span> can only carry me so far". I kept feeling this pull to switch the music to Praise & Worship. Urgh. For those of you who don't run, Praise & Worship is <span style="font-style: italic;">NOT</span> good running music. But I switched anyway. The first song I heard was Phillips, Craig and Dean, <span style="font-style: italic;">Everday.<br /><br />What to say, Lord?</span><br /> <span style="font-style: italic;">It's You who give me life</span><br /> <span style="font-style: italic;">And I can't explain just how</span><br /> <span style="font-style: italic;">How much you mean to me</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Now that You would save me, Lord</span><br /> <span style="font-style: italic;">I give all that I am to You</span><br /> <span style="font-style: italic;">That every day I can be a light that shines your name</span><br /><br />Fortunately, this <span style="font-style: italic;">is</span> an up-beat Christian song, but this music began speaking more to my soul than to my soles. I felt re-energized, moved by the Spirit, ready to conquer the final portion of the run.<br /><br />And here comes the <span style="font-style: italic;">Ah-ha!</span> moment. This world can only take me so far. When I decide that I can't carry the load (which I was never supposed to bear), I can no longer go on (as if I sustain myself), I can no longer keep up with the rat race (like somehow I thought I was in control in the first place), He is there...waiting for me. <br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Every day, It's you I'll live for</span><br /> <span style="font-style: italic;">Every day, I'll follow after you</span><br /> <span style="font-style: italic;">Every day, I'll walk with You, my Lord</span><br />(or in this case, run) :-)<br /><br />I have been put on this earth to glorify God. My duty isn't running, or finish times, or dishes, or laundry. Everything I do is to bring honor to His name...<span style="font-style: italic;">Every Day.</span><br /><br />I am thankful He has carried me this far. I am grateful He sent His son to earth to live a perfect life and die for the sins of all man-kind so that one day I can stand before Him and be welcomed into His kingdom. I am thankful He so graciously placed a amazing, loving man in my path who pledged to love me above all others 'til death do us part. I am so appreciative He gave me the opportunity to carry three beautiful children in my womb and graced me with the extreme joy of hearing them say, "Mama." <span style="font-style: italic;">Thank you Lord.</span><br /><br />I am on the <span style="font-style: italic;">LONG</span> distance run of my life...keep the pace, watch my time, never lose focus of the finish line.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His love endures forever.</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">1 Chronicles 16:34<br /></div><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85715/jwebinfo/bce84e4368c09bb62fe5e085b4dc9877.png" border="0" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12476661470803450574noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886176848590248018.post-69373332749339067812008-11-20T13:59:00.000-08:002008-11-20T19:12:56.303-08:00Too Cute for Words<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi99In2z01-YAG9jr7Xw37zVKbdYQqPOPwfGeEVRDcHNQs6QizegqVRfLduBUk9uYBGSH2JCqqRxnJz4GaVwVAsiVFMVjCFy55wiiQHqTHAuyUIAMJLV_usg0JD-0WtGZOb0-9ai3jovsqI/s1600-h/HPIM0766.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi99In2z01-YAG9jr7Xw37zVKbdYQqPOPwfGeEVRDcHNQs6QizegqVRfLduBUk9uYBGSH2JCqqRxnJz4GaVwVAsiVFMVjCFy55wiiQHqTHAuyUIAMJLV_usg0JD-0WtGZOb0-9ai3jovsqI/s400/HPIM0766.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270863318398907266" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtNHtoM0hLSrAnCiZSGhF21870oTF9BchjkmuvXjaiCFmKTsNExqb0qOVcbyvWpdDAH-_y0JgPh0uUb4HjRELOJWEmCurdJjFP6JoX9JTZg-CPrFJtP_1MXHyPuouInefMqbEqJRg7xHK1/s1600-h/HPIM0767.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtNHtoM0hLSrAnCiZSGhF21870oTF9BchjkmuvXjaiCFmKTsNExqb0qOVcbyvWpdDAH-_y0JgPh0uUb4HjRELOJWEmCurdJjFP6JoX9JTZg-CPrFJtP_1MXHyPuouInefMqbEqJRg7xHK1/s400/HPIM0767.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270863041279548946" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85715/jwebinfo/bce84e4368c09bb62fe5e085b4dc9877.png" border="0" /></a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12476661470803450574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886176848590248018.post-67726706639636172492008-11-20T13:40:00.000-08:002008-11-20T13:51:52.978-08:00A Window to the World<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTk1A7SWa63pVWDJZBWnLe3XhB-e3ikY2hnV4tzm19AUNca8mPkiUx5DpjznjM5V0_jMt1pX3VtrXLe7_eqO26KJzJj5z5vdr6Iihj7zPF-wNj_e9VaMKpAMrpVx5uh8veFY9FcGxrIUW5/s1600-h/HPIM0771.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTk1A7SWa63pVWDJZBWnLe3XhB-e3ikY2hnV4tzm19AUNca8mPkiUx5DpjznjM5V0_jMt1pX3VtrXLe7_eqO26KJzJj5z5vdr6Iihj7zPF-wNj_e9VaMKpAMrpVx5uh8veFY9FcGxrIUW5/s400/HPIM0771.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270860656536443362" border="0" /></a><br />Sister A has had a loose tooth for a couple of weeks. I originally thought it possibly was loosened by a recent encounter with her brother's head. But she didn't say anything about pain and there was no blood. I did research losing teeth online to see when is typical for a child to lose their first tooth. Apparently, 5 1/2 years old is typical though it is not uncommon for children to lose a tooth before their fifth birthday. Good thing since my baby is 4 1/2.<br /><br />Regardless of how it was loosened or what age is "normal", Sister A lost her first tooth on November 18, 2008 at Mimi and Granddaddy's house. Her tongue now has a window to peer out at the world. I'm still shocked that I am mother of a child that is old enough to begin shedding baby teeth. Where does the time go?Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12476661470803450574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886176848590248018.post-15532809116580382352008-11-18T19:27:00.000-08:002008-11-18T22:15:07.875-08:00A New Kind of Pick-up ArtistEver hear this one...<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">"Hey Baby, are your legs tired?"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"No, why?"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"'Cause you been runnin' through my mind all day."</span><br /></div><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span><span>Gone are the days of crowded bars, loud music and "old school" pick-up lines.<br /><br />I am a new kind of pick-up artist...<br />Pick up the half-eaten bowl of Cheetos off the living room floor that is sitting next to Buzz Lightyear and one of the characters from the Cars movie. Grab the DVD remote that is now missing its batteries (which are cleaverly hidden underneath the couch amongst the tufts of long, blonde dog hair). But wait! Don't forget the box of baby wipes sitting on the couch along with one child's shoe and sock, Wii remote perched atop the back of the couch, a sippee cup of milk, a hairbrush from the morning primping session and a napkin from the first snack of the day (peanut butter and crackers). And that's just one room!<br /><br />And exactly who are these ungrateful, selfish individuals who haphazardly leave their belongings strewn about my humble abode? They are Cheetos eating, milk drinking, Disney watching, pretend playing, sock wearing, potty training, scripture learning, music singing, rays of sunshine. They are my breath, my life, my babies. They are three little dumplings...giggly angels...Sister A, Middle A, and Baby AJ.<br /><br />I will pick up after these three until my body is too arthritic to bend over. Then I guess they'll have to start to pick up after me!<br /></span>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12476661470803450574noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886176848590248018.post-46688971488055877072008-11-01T12:19:00.000-07:002008-11-01T18:25:07.068-07:00Happy Halloween<div style="text-align: center;">We had a fun time trick-or-treating in our neighborhood with some friends. Here are a few pics from Halloween.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGLqnVFfMAT72_PzfGJa3jAo_vqP5fv6meK7v49-J4zZOv_orrYcfHusx-LBTKJxdpxWFPyK5AhFopjJ9mn35UKZaobVJtVHAbRguAmR1V8kbtCcUMA-0Ohat6MLzD5Qh7mBNiB14BR_jm/s1600-h/HPIM0763.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGLqnVFfMAT72_PzfGJa3jAo_vqP5fv6meK7v49-J4zZOv_orrYcfHusx-LBTKJxdpxWFPyK5AhFopjJ9mn35UKZaobVJtVHAbRguAmR1V8kbtCcUMA-0Ohat6MLzD5Qh7mBNiB14BR_jm/s320/HPIM0763.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263804494203172002" border="0" /></a>Dorothy, the Wicked Witch of the East and Buzz Lightyear.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1FF6R6xHmGiGLSJdUme-KSCQXRL_iYW_7LR2OmcJyP5WCU8i700Jv6CyVuakCVBAX-Cxc875dBhoIe0JNdCzUHIcRPUffWSlqH9nlvnw7znbPKwR-LSByy3RY3hHHar1p67aVRXH5zEAS/s1600-h/HPIM0761.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1FF6R6xHmGiGLSJdUme-KSCQXRL_iYW_7LR2OmcJyP5WCU8i700Jv6CyVuakCVBAX-Cxc875dBhoIe0JNdCzUHIcRPUffWSlqH9nlvnw7znbPKwR-LSByy3RY3hHHar1p67aVRXH5zEAS/s320/HPIM0761.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263804478333580818" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">"We're off to see the Wizard..."<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEIeXD_oZ2bcW_I7phfEnZgBfQH0gD-YgGs1_Hpc179zLplQ5m2jp96-v_LJv5-3XN0DnPKKikhI1qSQY7RJadmfVoO55HvaJlfOWG64_QKSNtOoIMe95KlmZ4uKHyMK_4ZjLrGbkDNgBH/s1600-h/HPIM0758.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEIeXD_oZ2bcW_I7phfEnZgBfQH0gD-YgGs1_Hpc179zLplQ5m2jp96-v_LJv5-3XN0DnPKKikhI1qSQY7RJadmfVoO55HvaJlfOWG64_QKSNtOoIMe95KlmZ4uKHyMK_4ZjLrGbkDNgBH/s320/HPIM0758.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263804460137778130" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">"If I were king of the forest!"<br /></span>(Cowardly Lion...just not so cowardly)<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisXR2Bk9uPsDFMvK2c8ehdnXVo_QP8LQpu_wCX_HIwlqYE-tPRPFhjTtHnVAUKocEG4ujrdJrL3XxWo3thccL-lWYFpiSXXSKKJjdWc169vNLfmv6lKLCfkPPfI3Yy-anqaXTHkTzw3sDl/s1600-h/HPIM0757.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisXR2Bk9uPsDFMvK2c8ehdnXVo_QP8LQpu_wCX_HIwlqYE-tPRPFhjTtHnVAUKocEG4ujrdJrL3XxWo3thccL-lWYFpiSXXSKKJjdWc169vNLfmv6lKLCfkPPfI3Yy-anqaXTHkTzw3sDl/s320/HPIM0757.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263804451708613522" border="0" /></a>Sweet Ms. K was a monkey (SO cute).<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYyoWvWUiqhaGWlfleaHaHmBr2D094WpTu8H2pYg06uF9r-I6L7ewjoJxGMYyJXV3lMJJ_Sa7V1oT-AMMMyySP_aesPgCltdUJ_QR0VR7GqtgdOPuFlSWAZbEkvcEWSuEHOKUQ0tdDExZT/s1600-h/HPIM0755.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYyoWvWUiqhaGWlfleaHaHmBr2D094WpTu8H2pYg06uF9r-I6L7ewjoJxGMYyJXV3lMJJ_Sa7V1oT-AMMMyySP_aesPgCltdUJ_QR0VR7GqtgdOPuFlSWAZbEkvcEWSuEHOKUQ0tdDExZT/s320/HPIM0755.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263772223753699954" border="0" /></a>This is Ms. K's brother (and her mama) Mr. K...he's the monkey's banana.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvMVJE_dmd6x_YqajXosXgNDbXYC-TiU6qrJhnNJUg5pBdaiS7ZJY7wLu6JSZwivPEQnq1UchYeA-FfoN1cs9FmlDyi_ua5UKEb3TZ__E809WXrHSwPSGfUL_66d314t-66-aBcvl2CluN/s1600-h/HPIM0753_edited.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvMVJE_dmd6x_YqajXosXgNDbXYC-TiU6qrJhnNJUg5pBdaiS7ZJY7wLu6JSZwivPEQnq1UchYeA-FfoN1cs9FmlDyi_ua5UKEb3TZ__E809WXrHSwPSGfUL_66d314t-66-aBcvl2CluN/s320/HPIM0753_edited.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263772208963265906" border="0" /></a>Our three little munchkins.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4UxcPlVAzxtbEzqCuhb1_tZ7wceOU7ec7vknhsObMfdiOBAQ4O_6B0_ordK7_vm75_Hgw0RNCuu0A3elKAqHSp_HRwibSRxvRyJ8p3o4hTSgMm1ryeM04gr2lSR9URQfmXCg-iKcY7a_9/s1600-h/HPIM0495.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4UxcPlVAzxtbEzqCuhb1_tZ7wceOU7ec7vknhsObMfdiOBAQ4O_6B0_ordK7_vm75_Hgw0RNCuu0A3elKAqHSp_HRwibSRxvRyJ8p3o4hTSgMm1ryeM04gr2lSR9URQfmXCg-iKcY7a_9/s320/HPIM0495.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263772198573334162" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">"To infinity, and beyond!"<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicm0k1imMcdetADkZpi5Wlllk7CCQy4xfIvrKzQrGD3EQ2hsjheQ9Hp4B_wl44oG8kNMUkfax_kg0vAs4PJVDeUYA2578ML2hKY1mDw_69fawvIitmSOTDV6w_L8jXZEraSA1MvvqqIFM1/s1600-h/HPIM0489.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicm0k1imMcdetADkZpi5Wlllk7CCQy4xfIvrKzQrGD3EQ2hsjheQ9Hp4B_wl44oG8kNMUkfax_kg0vAs4PJVDeUYA2578ML2hKY1mDw_69fawvIitmSOTDV6w_L8jXZEraSA1MvvqqIFM1/s320/HPIM0489.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263772188576393314" border="0" /></a>Dorothy loves Buzz (this is how they act when no one is looking).<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhByvBXot35MAvKv4JAQ2DNvGxPwSwxM0B_JFkVztQ3ujUqWCLFDTmRgwjqbooVkCuH3FhfQVSwwCgBYKLUbH4sHM8H3rVLYf1EMHSycTQ_nbtmzjmT5xExPcN7giW7yT-Ig0v1ZgWJtT9H/s1600-h/DSC_0009-2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhByvBXot35MAvKv4JAQ2DNvGxPwSwxM0B_JFkVztQ3ujUqWCLFDTmRgwjqbooVkCuH3FhfQVSwwCgBYKLUbH4sHM8H3rVLYf1EMHSycTQ_nbtmzjmT5xExPcN7giW7yT-Ig0v1ZgWJtT9H/s320/DSC_0009-2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263772169088851154" border="0" /></a>Introducing, the latest version of the iPhone, the iJerry.<br /></div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12476661470803450574noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886176848590248018.post-17015737020587705712008-10-27T18:46:00.001-07:002008-10-27T19:13:25.127-07:00Autumn at the Arboretum<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYelC_ROZ4T-rjmrNDJS4hsVrFF5P3JzJuAne5m0kdHHqurbG_vNLu3XW7_1NNgqkYK9P3qMNB-hBXe_gI0WV84iYD8OgcoxzJGB9LQ4Mlomwu5waLPdMyIRda9C55IbrL11I5-lBxVXkk/s1600-h/arboretum.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 93px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYelC_ROZ4T-rjmrNDJS4hsVrFF5P3JzJuAne5m0kdHHqurbG_vNLu3XW7_1NNgqkYK9P3qMNB-hBXe_gI0WV84iYD8OgcoxzJGB9LQ4Mlomwu5waLPdMyIRda9C55IbrL11I5-lBxVXkk/s320/arboretum.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262016842072129298" border="0" /></a>We took a trip to the Dallas Arboretum on Saturday afternoon for the annual fall festival. It was a fairly uneventful outing, except for Aidan wandering off at one point. **panic** There was a wedding taking place when the park closed...I most certainly <span style="font-style: italic;">did not </span>tell my daughter that Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, from <span style="font-style: italic;">The Wizard of Oz</span> was getting hitched and she didn't want the public ruining her event. Alas, amid the craziness of large crowds, we were able to experience autumn in Big D...80 degrees and not a cloud in the sky.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL6ko0YeKdb_N6ofMeesrfXzvg6Z6ekHevgwJX_bqERFprS_n2yzSmFb02lFI4GP5H-WZcqkw8QQjKK1UH7I4GcW7WJHZA70GzB1MZF-OCC5BvrZJ6YL2OKr1lZqtBBhUmVRjXqlqgXbva/s1600-h/HPIM0746.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL6ko0YeKdb_N6ofMeesrfXzvg6Z6ekHevgwJX_bqERFprS_n2yzSmFb02lFI4GP5H-WZcqkw8QQjKK1UH7I4GcW7WJHZA70GzB1MZF-OCC5BvrZJ6YL2OKr1lZqtBBhUmVRjXqlqgXbva/s320/HPIM0746.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262020120969971378" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHGJ8a1l0bzZIiEfOw3Pw4mY7ugos2tqKjhKQtgUT1_0GNIqdj8LkTf_DqucNtn_GYNVwom_Lgs1yfYGfVV06M-dJQQ6XJLZiKnxq2plGw4hYnM-tuaUnWJg_n3eyyVa6yqLaCjhAg8kBu/s1600-h/HPIM0747.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHGJ8a1l0bzZIiEfOw3Pw4mY7ugos2tqKjhKQtgUT1_0GNIqdj8LkTf_DqucNtn_GYNVwom_Lgs1yfYGfVV06M-dJQQ6XJLZiKnxq2plGw4hYnM-tuaUnWJg_n3eyyVa6yqLaCjhAg8kBu/s320/HPIM0747.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262020129811854866" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAwel5s_TduobmeH4yIyKm9qxUKOxVTMzDLheziBQzAh_3BUDLLMvmwIRshQ6ssoBTFrN0DMGknAfWnULckmO32irUaMdDjT3KJ9aBrCkJ-BceVu7PW3x2dmGKlRdn6Ik49fIG-HgK0BH9/s1600-h/HPIM0743.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAwel5s_TduobmeH4yIyKm9qxUKOxVTMzDLheziBQzAh_3BUDLLMvmwIRshQ6ssoBTFrN0DMGknAfWnULckmO32irUaMdDjT3KJ9aBrCkJ-BceVu7PW3x2dmGKlRdn6Ik49fIG-HgK0BH9/s320/HPIM0743.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262020107434264178" border="0" /></a>Imagine this conversation...<br /></div><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS0mr8EkSgNtv8bEogGaK0TtuvIP-8F945aWOvI0FgVZvGl8TRyFffQTmwBRsxhWKKGbOJ6QXbeN8qtI7rzaCC0k-qfvIVUUawh12j3YDFaFhwgAnlRLpxrj7-ZuSRHd8Vb_yV4Dl4Y13o/s1600-h/HPIM0736.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS0mr8EkSgNtv8bEogGaK0TtuvIP-8F945aWOvI0FgVZvGl8TRyFffQTmwBRsxhWKKGbOJ6QXbeN8qtI7rzaCC0k-qfvIVUUawh12j3YDFaFhwgAnlRLpxrj7-ZuSRHd8Vb_yV4Dl4Y13o/s320/HPIM0736.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262020097827009026" border="0" /></a>Little Ms K., Ms. M. and Ms. A.<br />(the sunshine was getting in Ms. K's eyes)<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjurIXjPw_ZvLb40L26mX8uXH44BZAU762eEDRyLlWDkh-Q39IGAfcOzoy_dJonWalgiQmd5SWQ2kcoeC0aQX12vT7yLX_DR_CEbxFDao4QIL9Btt8pgeDo-ByXh9p4qYd6QOUxGJ66elSo/s1600-h/HPIM0731.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjurIXjPw_ZvLb40L26mX8uXH44BZAU762eEDRyLlWDkh-Q39IGAfcOzoy_dJonWalgiQmd5SWQ2kcoeC0aQX12vT7yLX_DR_CEbxFDao4QIL9Btt8pgeDo-ByXh9p4qYd6QOUxGJ66elSo/s320/HPIM0731.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262020092121733410" border="0" /></a>You know what he's thinking...<span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></div><span style="font-style: italic;">"In about five minutes, I'm going to disappear...Mommy and Daddy will be so surprised 'cause they won't be able to find me. I'm really good at hiding!"</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJZ2baIyrKwqmHVSdhfTtWtu07FKIdw8citUan7upqvwuO4KNQfdFtjh2JGGEYHiKFB1uIVJzzu0LB5ePhlxGZuoH5hnRvYD0ZZh-tW6ngDdEthD8fwprxvZ7khAMvmlNFWAlYu3ZdXgK/s1600-h/HPIM0725.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJZ2baIyrKwqmHVSdhfTtWtu07FKIdw8citUan7upqvwuO4KNQfdFtjh2JGGEYHiKFB1uIVJzzu0LB5ePhlxGZuoH5hnRvYD0ZZh-tW6ngDdEthD8fwprxvZ7khAMvmlNFWAlYu3ZdXgK/s320/HPIM0725.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262018796209376882" border="0" /></a>Little A <span style="font-style: italic;">loved</span> all of the pumpkins!<br /></div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12476661470803450574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886176848590248018.post-76982101449458387552008-10-20T10:54:00.000-07:002008-10-21T11:27:18.215-07:00Happy 3rd Birthday<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2-XuONJnzKf8ZTeg5YJ0pbwcn_HeZF_G-9yw0H8a0kUyS5fe9HhyphenhyphenoFiw9UaZJ0Bf4_23TnGxysByS4GJLi22YJgZIPpp5Khl9Bw_7fJ7505cQGsFb1q0eYWmp6hqH-Dta1DDK1uBK9sUH/s1600-h/111-1196_IMG.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2-XuONJnzKf8ZTeg5YJ0pbwcn_HeZF_G-9yw0H8a0kUyS5fe9HhyphenhyphenoFiw9UaZJ0Bf4_23TnGxysByS4GJLi22YJgZIPpp5Khl9Bw_7fJ7505cQGsFb1q0eYWmp6hqH-Dta1DDK1uBK9sUH/s200/111-1196_IMG.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259671706604608066" border="0" /></a>Three years ago today I walked into the hospital at 6:30 in the morning, ready to begin induction. Your original due date was October 28th, but the doctor said you were going to be a little bigger than your sister (7lb 9oz) and felt induction was the way to go. After being hooked up to various IVs, machines and monitors, I sat...anxiously awaiting your arrival. As the medication <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDXFgRGdk8ng7OONCE9u8NJfeXyKWmGgfl6yKhQnmj4e-1mXi3oMXFN0qz9hGwtlQk904J1Tudz5-js-7_eHm1hRQ3W5yrwwvFTn4sbXbuMRW497dtWxnVBepxGybk2jyetoG9A7vlVPPk/s1600-h/111-1185_IMG.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDXFgRGdk8ng7OONCE9u8NJfeXyKWmGgfl6yKhQnmj4e-1mXi3oMXFN0qz9hGwtlQk904J1Tudz5-js-7_eHm1hRQ3W5yrwwvFTn4sbXbuMRW497dtWxnVBepxGybk2jyetoG9A7vlVPPk/s200/111-1185_IMG.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259670967746752354" border="0" /></a>started kicking in and contractions increased, I anticipated your birth, but oddly relished the last few moments I would have with you in my womb. I spent eight agonizing hours in labor only to be told that you had no intentions of making your appearance the "normal" way. After much hush-hush discussion, the doctors felt it would be best for both of us if you were delivered via c-section. Because the medication had not worked properly, they informed me I would have to be put under general anesthesia. I cried. I was crushed that I would not get to lay eyes on you the moment you entered this world, but...it was all for your health and safety. I was so nervous...I prayed for you, my sweet son.<br /><br />After I awoke from surgery, Daddy told me you had been born at 4:09pm and weighed 9lbs 2oz. WOW! What a big boy! Daddy was so sweet and waited patiently for me to "come to"...he wanted you to meet both of us together for the first time. The nurse then wheeled you into my room in your clear plastic bassinet. Even for a "big" baby you were still SO small. I studied your chocolate brown hair and your steel blue eyes. 10 tiny fingers, 10 tiny toes. You were truly a beautiful newborn...I know I am biased but several people stopped and confirmed my opinion.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdY8O6Ymj2q8JsrIBx9OCXxdmVHPaMHLjluxNUpgFRfdlJBS5R0j57WCydgWgYYQImJyyds6AUKPyI01_GJuMU7Ic8rzR2bQD9aukyQjKM_vooYOwrWoWivlY5Z4SyICw9itxzsrVtizAW/s1600-h/111-1192_IMG.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdY8O6Ymj2q8JsrIBx9OCXxdmVHPaMHLjluxNUpgFRfdlJBS5R0j57WCydgWgYYQImJyyds6AUKPyI01_GJuMU7Ic8rzR2bQD9aukyQjKM_vooYOwrWoWivlY5Z4SyICw9itxzsrVtizAW/s200/111-1192_IMG.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259671335180608146" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSsCx7vYZP8403VOnZA1ZI0jLZc9qvPqJZXcWFUEkUt_TCLJQNAX6wkjN91lIvaq-L-xw3vTegtO48wg0dmi32XAo2Fm7AitKWHQHaqV2tui5tBMNhUeP_YNj5Hfm6KYDvkFMCDG9W1TuR/s1600-h/cannon+088.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSsCx7vYZP8403VOnZA1ZI0jLZc9qvPqJZXcWFUEkUt_TCLJQNAX6wkjN91lIvaq-L-xw3vTegtO48wg0dmi32XAo2Fm7AitKWHQHaqV2tui5tBMNhUeP_YNj5Hfm6KYDvkFMCDG9W1TuR/s200/cannon+088.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259671937536334306" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIfZCoJb4yVaa9hdfROm56s48elU1SOC-OBeXH7zi5zOdS1R8gb-d-rbLLG5oVtZDKMMIqzplroBe_HMFJ8Yok6OvHuqiuD29o3341U9t0OkFTdTLW8GWiHT8PqmDkcunoNvweXeGdPzwc/s1600-h/IMG_2333.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIfZCoJb4yVaa9hdfROm56s48elU1SOC-OBeXH7zi5zOdS1R8gb-d-rbLLG5oVtZDKMMIqzplroBe_HMFJ8Yok6OvHuqiuD29o3341U9t0OkFTdTLW8GWiHT8PqmDkcunoNvweXeGdPzwc/s200/IMG_2333.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259672268859827122" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihroN2pbP1fkSya7QuQ8SPAmMko9tjO-e04f36gLY9xt0yp_G40OEMiEDnOXugpOmQDvKkiBeFfRlDXhooyvtytoP4dPVG07K0QPp1SXgT6emNtO0mSNglf0JlpSeqFOfSj-WPbpvlST7D/s1600-h/IMG_2440.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihroN2pbP1fkSya7QuQ8SPAmMko9tjO-e04f36gLY9xt0yp_G40OEMiEDnOXugpOmQDvKkiBeFfRlDXhooyvtytoP4dPVG07K0QPp1SXgT6emNtO0mSNglf0JlpSeqFOfSj-WPbpvlST7D/s200/IMG_2440.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259672516387066786" border="0" /></a>And now here we are...three years later. Your smile lights up the room. You have an amazing sense of humor with FANTASTIC comedic timing. You are so smart and so sweet. You are a joy to have as a first born son...you still are a truly beautiful child.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEEDqtwgo2LsbgO8Hi7Knw2kY9XjIPts0cFhN1KGXr4OFkqFgp6d2wn9CtWxFoLaA1vKxSVr9boYMdR8c_CTe_TBIiTWsojERRTXM4HDpFSmYwDJgAFariFYiaSHmyonm5JG0jH2oYZfaK/s1600-h/HPIM0650.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEEDqtwgo2LsbgO8Hi7Knw2kY9XjIPts0cFhN1KGXr4OFkqFgp6d2wn9CtWxFoLaA1vKxSVr9boYMdR8c_CTe_TBIiTWsojERRTXM4HDpFSmYwDJgAFariFYiaSHmyonm5JG0jH2oYZfaK/s320/HPIM0650.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259674068301177106" border="0" /></a>I love you Aidan Michael. Happy 3rd Birthday.<br /></div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12476661470803450574noreply@blogger.com4