Sunshine and Open Hearts

My New Blog

2010-09-15T12:37:00.003-04:00

For anyone who actually still reads my blog, you know, all 2 of you (ha ha) I am now blogging at Legos in My Shoe. So feel free to check me out over there.

Homeschooling and Giveaway

2010-07-18T09:44:00.004-04:00

Well, I've posted 4 times in the last year. Surely I'm up for "Pathetic Blog of the Year" award. I probably have about 3 people that still even read this. Oh well. I might actually start blogging more because next month I start a new journey..... homeschooling. My son will be beginning Kindergarten. Hard to believe. Don't they grow so quickly? Speaking of quickly, my baby is now almost 5 months old. It's a little sad.

Even though I haven't been blogging I'm still reading blogs like crazy. I've narrowed down the ones I read and some of my new favorites are about big families. Yep. Because that's what's on my heart. I've realized that even just having 3 children now puts me in a different bracket. It's amazing how many people couldn't believe we were having 3. And I pretty much didn't tell too many people that I'm hoping for several more. Yes, several. :) I have a fixed heart (still thankful for all your prayers) and I plan on putting it to good use, chasing after a houseful of blessings.
Some of my new favorite blogs are (in no particular order) Raising Olives, Smockity Frocks, Raising Arrows, and Life in a Shoe.

One of these blogs, Raising Olives is having a giveaway that I want to win!!! So I'm here to tell you about it and I will begin posting a little more about our homeschool adventures.

He's Here!!!

2010-03-03T17:23:00.003-05:00

Our new arrival!
Born 2-28-10
4:37 pm
9 lbs, 14 oz
21.5"

Thank you Jesus! One year ago I was recovering from heart surgery and now here I am with a great heart and holding my sweet son in my arms.

20 week ultrasound

2009-10-15T20:35:00.003-04:00

We have another BOY on the way! Thank the Lord my heart is fixed and I can keep up with another boy. :)

Thankful

2009-08-11T11:37:00.007-04:00

This week marks my 7th month after surgery. It's hard to believe. Those first 2 months were so hard. "So hard" is pretty much the understatement of the year. The pain, the needles, the helplessness, the pain, and did I mention the pain. :) I mentioned in this post how I would be thankful when needles hurt again. Well thankful might have been too strong a word but I am happy to say that when I had my lab work done last week wow did that needle hurt. So here I am 7 months later, doing great, pregnant (with my doctor's OK), and so blessed. I've said it before, but I can't say it enough...I am SO thankful for my Great Physician.

Over at Fort Thompson there's something new and fun going on. It's re-posting an old post that you want to share again. In the spirit of my 7th month post-op post, I wanted to share one my hubby put up after my surgery.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

GREAT NEWS GREAT GOD
GREAT NEWS!

Shannon is out of surgery!

Her valve was repaired!

The surgeon said he was able to repair the valve, and that it went well. They will be watching her closely in ICU for the next few hours and days.

No replacement was necessary. What awesome things the Lord Has done! I know Shannon will be happy when she finds out that they were able to repair it instead of replacing it.

More details later.

TVB

Wordless Wednesday

2009-08-05T11:11:00.003-04:00

Doesn't look like much now, but there's a steady heartbeat and we're excited!

10 weeks pregnant, due March 1st.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-07-15T20:24:00.004-04:00

Discovering.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-06-17T08:10:00.005-04:00

Wild Olive Tees Giveaway!!

2009-06-09T07:00:00.003-04:00

Check out Wild Olive Tees for a great giveaway and some awesome t-shirts. MckMama was raving about them recently and I checked out their website and Wild Olive Tees really are so inspiring. Eye catching on the front with a scripture verse on the back. Too cool!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-05-27T12:57:00.002-04:00

Bringing Mommy flowers. She really does love him. Promise. :) She didn't want to sit still.

Not Me My Son! Monday

2009-05-18T21:49:00.004-04:00

Not Me My Son! Monday

This week instead of venting about all the things I did NOT do, I thought I'd share some of the things my 4 year old son most certainly did NOT do recently. He keeps me somewhere between laughing hysterically and wanting to pull my hair out. (For those of you who keep up with me on facebook this list is old news.)

My son did NOT try to pee on my mom when she wasn't looking. He's much more civilized than that.

My son did NOT have a emotional meltdown when I mentioned eating an egg he found in my nephew's chicken coop. Poor thing thought there was a baby chicken inside.

My son did NOT try to rake up his sister this week. He was NOT mad that she cried instead of just willingly rolling into the pile of leaves.

My son did NOT pee on the bushes outside of church with a fair sized audience watching. Again, he's more civilized than that.

My son did NOT yell out a friendly Hello to some convicts cleaning up the road in front of our house. Yikes!

My son did NOT kill a bug with my cell phone. Yuck.

My son did NOT pee on the dog. Again, what's with all the inappropriate peeing. Such a boy. :)

Be sure to check out MckMama for lots more Not Me! therapy.

Obsession

2009-05-05T21:55:00.009-04:00

Embarrassed.

Ashamed.

Humbled.

Sheepish.

All these words and more describe how I feel about writing this post. You see, I am not the person I once was. For there was a time, in the not-so-distant past, that I mocked Twilight and the many obsessed fans out there. There was a time when my heart didn't swoon or feel faint when the name Edward was mentioned. But, alas, those days are past. Thanks to my friend Angie who loaned me her Twilight books. I have now become that which I mocked. A hopeless, adicted, swooning, sighing, daydreaming Twilight fan.

So, if I were to post a Wordless Wednesday picture.....

sigh

Wordless Wednesday

2009-04-28T21:57:00.005-04:00

Just some pictures of my little girl.

I'm not sure if I've ever really had a Wordless Wednesday. There always seems to be some words and explanation involved. :)

Our 3 New Additions

2009-04-20T21:46:00.003-04:00

We've added 12 more legs and 3 more tails to the family.

Fancy

Shiloh & Abby

They are so great with the kids.
We're in love with our new Beagles.

3 Months Post-Op

2009-04-08T23:57:00.005-04:00

It has been 3 months since my surgery. Sometimes I'm doing so great it's hard to remember that it's only been 3 months. Other times I'm in pain and it feels like just last week. BUT, those days are very few and far between. In fact, this week I went out and mowed the yard. Yes, it was on a riding mower (that the kids love). But to think that 3 months after MAJOR open-heart surgery I'm out mowing the yard. God is so good. I am so blessed to know the Great Physician.

January 2009, a couple days after surgery. (I was FURIOUS that they made me get out of bed and sit in the chair a couple times a day. It hurt so much.)

Now I only wish I had a picture of me out mowing!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-04-07T23:32:00.002-04:00

The princess puts on a little bit of pretend lipstick.

Wordless Wednesday from a comic strip

2009-04-01T18:23:00.002-04:00

Giveaway Winner, Prayer Requests, and Edward

2009-03-28T19:42:00.004-04:00

I finally got around to choosing a winner for the giveaway I posted before my surgery in January. Almost 3 months later. But I didn't forget! And I sorta changed the rules...if you posted or said you would pray for me you were entered.

Congrats to Stacey over at McCrakensX4. I am so thankful for ALL your prayers during the time of my surgery!!!

Several people have been heavy on my heart this week. Most of you know about the problems little Stellan is having but if you aren't up to speed please head over to MckMama's blog and find out.

Next, heavy on my heart has been my sweet friend's son, Philip. So head over to AmyB's blog to find out about Philip. And while you're there, take some to time learn about Amy and the issues she is dealing with. Here's another family that could use some prayer warriors to lift them up.

Now on the lighter side. Edward Cullen. sigh The problem is with the sigh. See, it's not how most people sigh when they swoon over the name Edward. I am really out of the loop when it comes to Twilight. Haven't read the books and until a couple hours ago hadn't seen the movie. In fact, after the movie started I found out he was a vampire. My sigh is the sigh of someone who is slightly let down by Edward. I just didn't swoon. The movie was... decent/weird/twisted/vampire-ish. It just didn't click with me. Maybe I'll be more intrigued once I read the books. Just give me time I suppose. I'd really rather spend my time obsessing about a group of people who were in a plane crash on an island and are LOST. That I love.

My Strong Little Man

2009-03-19T19:55:00.002-04:00

Yeah, he dropped it on his foot.

Yeah, I kept taking pictures. Bad mommy, I know.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-03-18T12:31:00.003-04:00

Wordless except for saying that these pictures are lousy. The girl is cute but I shot away without paying attention to my ISO and it was set way too high because I was playing around with it last night. Oops. So just look at the pictures and tell me how cute she is but don't mention all the noise in them. :)

My Birthday Boy

2009-03-17T11:37:00.010-04:00

Happy 4th Birthday my Firstborn!

My due date was March 26th but my boy was true to his Irish roots and was born on St. Patricks Day.

9 lbs. 3 1/2 oz.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-03-11T11:19:00.003-04:00

What's a girl supposed to do when she gets beautiful flowers and can't find a vase?

My house....where sophistication & redneck live in harmony.

Family Day

2009-03-07T20:37:00.009-05:00

First we started with a little picnic.

She just ate a little mac & cheese, not the shoe. Well, the shoe did spend time in her mouth too.

A trip to a local tunnel.

It goes back about 800 feet and was cold and damp. We had our flashlights and had some exploring fun.

Then the guys climbed up some rocks.

Finally a decent family picture. Gotta love a remote for a camera.

Then to a waterfall.

The guys hiked down to the bottom and had fun in the water. Well, the little guy did!

A great day!!!!

How Great is Our God

2009-03-03T15:30:00.003-05:00

Lately, this song has meant so much to me. Every time I hear it on the radio I have to stop what I'm doing, turn it up, and worship. For me these days, that means a lot of crying. In a good way. Take time to listen to even a little. Let it play while you surf or facebook! :) Just click on the picture.

A Bit of Snow

2009-03-01T23:48:00.008-05:00

We got snow today but most of my pictures were taken before it became too white and pretty. By the time it was so beautfiul we were frozen and back inside. We actually got a few inches and it's a rare treat for around here.

The little princess of the house stayed inside warm and cozy.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-02-25T13:13:00.010-05:00

Here's some before and afters....

Decaf got her ~~big~~ ever so cute ears pierced.
Before

After

Latte got his tooth pulled.
Before

After

Shannon had heart surgery. (This is one of my better pics.)
Before
After (Last week at my niece's soccer game)

I'm Back.....Again!

2009-02-21T22:56:00.004-05:00

Where to start....I haven't posted in a few weeks. I've even managed to lose 2 followers. Oops. We've just had a bunch of little stuff going on that has taken my time and energy (which I don't have much of) and while I have still been on and reading some other blogs I haven't done anything with mine.

I have come so far in my healing. It's really amazing. To think of where I was 6 weeks ago, even just 4 weeks ago, to now is unbelievable. I can dress myself, take a shower with out pain meds, get out of bed by myself, and even drove the car for the 1st time yesterday. Since the kids came home my sister has come to help out almost every day for weeks. She has helped cook, play with my son, called doctors for me, given the kids baths, and just been there. Her help has been priceless.

I could fill you in on weeks worth of stuff but I'll just pick up as if I had been posting all along. Tomorrow my sweet boy has to get a tooth removed. Front and center on the top. He had an injury to it about a year ago and we knew this day was coming. There is a little bit of infection in it that just won't go away and could end up infecting his permanent tooth. I'm so sad about this. It's years earlier than it would fall out naturally. And there's a chance that the other one may have to come out in the next year or two. :( His big fear is eating. Will he still be able to eat bologna? Yogurt? Chips? Ice Cream? (Can you see what healthy eaters we are?) I've been telling him that, yes, he'll still be able to eat but he's not too convinced.

My baby Decaf is walking all over the place. She can really move! Today I washed and put away her bottles for the last time. They are now back in storage until baby #3 comes along. Which we're not rushing by the way. I still have to recover from this little heart surgery issue. HA! Little nothing! This has been life changing for me. I have to say again how much your prayers meant to me. Oh, I haven't forgotten about the giveaway I promised. Just haven't got around to doing it.

For those of you reading this, thanks for sticking around even though I haven't been posting much and they haven't been all that great. Hopefully I'm on the upswing now.

I'm Back!!!

2009-01-27T11:07:00.007-05:00

I've actually been keeping up with everyone's blogs for the past two weeks. Except that anything I read the first few days I had to re-read because of all the meds I couldn't remember what I had read. I can't type for more than a couple minutes before I'm hurting. So this post might take all day to write, a little at a time.

Isn't my husband awesome?! I loved reading (and re-reading) all his posts. They were just like him. A mix of serious and humor. I actually think he enjoyed it but probably wouldn't admit it.

I am so incredably thankful that my valve was repaired. The agony of choosing a replacment option was truly awful and I'm so thankful we didn't even have to go there. I really do thank God every day for the repair. And the surgeon said it's a great repair despite running into a lot of scar tissue from my first surgery. I'm on Coumadin (blood thinner) for 3 months and having to get my levels checked about 3 times a week. It's rough. I feel like a pincushion. And now my veins have literally gone into hiding. The ones on my arm are hiding and rolling, the ones on the backs of my hands are deflating. I'm running out of good veins. I'm so tired of the needles but honestly it's become so routine that they don't hurt too much. I will be thankful when needles hurt again because that means I'm far enough from recovery that it's not routine.

My pain varies from bad to awful. OK, I do have a few hours now and then that are pretty good. Plus, I have been able to sleep at night and that's good. I have to sleep in a recliner because the few times I tried to sleep flat I woke up in very bad pain. I hate starting my day with a couple Oxycodone. Most of my pain is from a muscle on the right side of my chest that was apparently severely pulled during the sternum spreading. It's even painful to the touch.

I have a few new scars. I obviously already had the one down my chest and so they went in right on top of that one and you can barely tell the difference. I now have about a 4 inch scar on my leg that crosses my pantie line where they had to go in with the heart-lung machine. It's awful looking. It's not painful anymore but I swear I was cut and stitched by a high school student. You'd think with a 10 inch scar down my chest that the 4 inch one wouldn't but me but it does. Then I have a tiny scar on my neck from various tubes, including the other end of the heart-lung machine. There is no way anyone could have ever prepared me for how hard recovery would be. No one could have told me unless they'd been here themselves. Not their dad or aunt had the surgery, but them. That is the only way anyone could relate. Yet, at the same time I know that 6 months from now this will be a thing of the past. I will be healed, off meds, pain free, able to lift my children, and this will just be a horrible memory. In that sense I am incredibly blessed.

We did get the kids back after them being gone for 3 weeks. Thankfully for almost all of those 3 weeks I didn't mind them being gone. I just wasn't "with it" enough to miss them to much. Now that they are back I'm so thankful. I think it's great for my emotional well-being even though it's now harder on my physically. My mom and sister are a big help when TVB is at work but I still find myself trying to do more with the kids. My sweet girl is walking all over the place. She's not too steady but getting around. She started blowing kisses yesterday and she just melts my heart. I can hold her when I'm sitting but can't lift her and that's tough. My son has been amazingly gentle with me. I'm shocked by how sensitive he has been to the situation. He's still a little boy and forgets sometimes but overall is gentle with me. And that's a big deal because he's a miniature tornado. I was worried about him hurting me but I think I'll be OK. Again, it's hard to not pick him up and hold and wrestle with him but we do get to snuggle lots on the couch.

I just can't fully tell you how much your prayers and comments have meant to me. Many of you have posted about me asking for prayer and I have been so touched by the outpouring of love from you all. To think that I started blogging just for fun and it has turned into so much more. A community of prayer warriors who have been there for me when I needed you. A hundred Thanks to you all.

A Heart Pounding Season Finale

2009-01-14T18:28:00.003-05:00

Shannon does nothing by the book. This time is no different. One day away from being released from the hospital, she starts wincing from the excruciating pain radiating from her chest. Several doctors were called. She was given an exotic cocktail of narcotics and other pain-killing chemicals, which only served to dull the pain. A sonogram was preformed on her legs to look for deadly blood clots. A monster-sized, portable x-ray machine was brought into her room to get a look at her chest, and if that weren't enough ... she was wheeled away for another round of contrast dye and another angiogram. When all the dust settled, and all the really bad possibilities were ruled out, they said must have been transient muscular/skeletal issues. I think it was a final test for me, and boy was it a doozie!

Well, she is feeling much better now. Of course she is on some powerful stuff! We will see in the next few days how she feels (at home) ... at home ... oh yeah ... we will be heading home tomorrow (Thursday). I am looking forward to seeing my kids again. Oh, I didn't know this was supposed to be "wordless Wednesday" ... too bad ... I didn't just type this whole paragraph for nothing ... you'll just have to read it, and like it. This is my last post on Shannon's blog. It hasn't been too bad. Though I don't see myself doing it on a regular basis. I am glad to have been able to keep everybody informed. Nothin but love for ya!

TVB

In Her Own Words

2009-01-10T19:11:00.003-05:00

In her own words ..

TVB

I look like a Hobbit!

2009-01-09T17:06:00.004-05:00

Today, Shannon has been more alert than ever. She asked me to read her blog out loud to her. Kinda weird since her mom and sister were in the room. She was loving the LOVE from all of you.

Her humor is back again. She noticed her hands for the first time post-surgery,and because of some "minor" swelling ... she exclaimed "I look like a Hobbit!' Very funny. You just can't script this stuff.

Well, that's all for now.

TVB

She Loves Me

2009-01-08T22:38:00.004-05:00

Shannon came off the breathing machine. Wonderful news. She was awake, but only marginally lucid. When I entered ICU to visit her for the last time of the evening, I said "you probably don't remember who I am." She responded in a very labored voice "Fabio." Her eyesight is as sharp as her wit!

I have had about an hour's worth of sleep in the past 36 hours, so I am tired and am going to sleep a long, deep sleep. I'm not whining though ... compared to what Shannon has been through, I've had a walk in the park (the kinda park that you got mugged, stabbed, robbed, and beat down in ... but a park none the less).

Oh yeah ... the best part of the evening. When I was leaving, Shannon said to me . . . . . . "I LOVE YOU." . . . . . . . . . . My heart is whole again!

Good night.
TVB

GREAT NEWS GREAT GOD

2009-01-08T14:45:00.003-05:00

GREAT NEWS!

Shannon is out of surgery!

Her valve was repaired!

The surgeon said he was able to repair the valve, and that it went well. They will be watching her closely in ICU for the next few hours and days.

No replacement was necessary. What awesome things the Lord Has done! I know Shannon will be happy when she finds out that they were able to repair it instead of replacing it.

More details later.

TVB

So It Begins

2009-01-08T08:15:00.008-05:00

Shannon is in surgery now. I am in the waiting room with family and my pastor and is wife. I slept a total of 1 hour last night. Shannon and I awoke around 04:30 this morning and came immediately to MUSC for the big event.

After Shannon was taken back to be prepped for surgery, we were able to see her one more time before she was taken to the OR. She was still smiling and happy. It was difficult for me to walk away from her. I tried not to think about the possibility of this being the last time I would see her.

I'm thankful for being extremely tired right now. Being emotionally drained has it's benefits in moments like these. It keeps me from being a basket case. I'll keep you updated as I am able to. Thank you all for intercession on Shannon's behalf.

On the lighter side of things ... even in the highest class hotels (Marriot Charleston), a little redneck must fall. Can you say "jiggle the handle"?

TVB

We're here!

2009-01-06T12:32:00.002-05:00

My first blog ... ever ... If you haven't guessed by now, this is not Shannon. I am code named "Tall Vanilla Bean."

'Tall," because of the greater than normal vertical distance from the ground to the top of my head, or perhaps for my imposing, iconic, almost super-human, chiseled-from granite stature.

"Vanilla," because of my nerdy 'whiteness.' Yeah, that's pretty much right on target.

"Bean," because of similarities to Mr Bean. Well ... actually it's just a beverage at Starbucks ... but a fellow can dream ... can't he?

Now that introductions are out of the way. A long drive to Charleston is behind us. We are now at the hospital. Shannon has left me here in the waiting room to get her a venti-mocha-angiogram (extra hot) with two pumps of contrast dye (and a side of whipped cream). Thanks everyone for your prayers.

That's it for now.

TVB

A Giveaway

2009-01-05T23:13:00.006-05:00

OK blog friends. I'm finally having a giveaway. It's not the one I originally intended, but that will have to wait. This giveaway is somewhat self-serving. See, in order to be entered you will have to post about me. Nothing big. Just a "pray for this gal, she totally freaking out about her surgery" kind of thing. My goal is really to have lots of prayers for me and I figured a giveaway could help things along. I truly believe that if I just asked you all to post on your blogs for prayer, you would. But this is fun too.

Honestly, I'm not totally freaking out about the surgery. Yes, I'm worried, scared, and anxious. But God is helping me to not be a major basket-case. My hubby will post for me after surgery. Might not be too soon after but he will update you all.

Just leave me a comment and let me know when you've posted. Oh yeah, since I'm really loving some prayers right now, the giveway will end the first time I get back on to blog after my surgery. Me, not my hubby. So if you're reading this and it's already past Jan 8th, you could still have time to win a mystery gift. :)

Tonight

2009-01-03T22:16:00.008-05:00

Tonight is my last night with kids before they go to Grannys for a couple weeks. They are tucked in bed now, but we crammed in some fun time tonight. A couple weeks ago we got a gingerbread house to make but it was pretty much demolished by a 3 year old before we ever got to decorate it. The icing was just too tempting and in the process of trying to eat the dried icing, the whole thing was broken. After Christmas I found one for $2.00 and thought we'd give it another try. It was a success. Obviously decorated mostly by a 3 year old but beautiful none the less.

What's interesting are his windows. Ummm....remind you of anything.

I guess the interest starts early in boys. :)

We had a nice night. I'm feeling a little melancholy. When I was playing trains with my son, I cried. Watching my daughter give my hubby kisses, I cried. I can't help thinking, What if something happens to me? What if tomorrow is the last time my children see me? I know the odds are so slim that anything will happen during surgery, but you can't help but wonder. Honestly, I'm not as worried about dying as I'm worried about the impact on my family. Because if I die, I'll be in Heaven. I won't know the pain they are going through. So I'm scared for them. Have you ever thought about the letters you would write your loved ones if you knew you were dying? My situation is different because I don't know I'm dying. I'm probably not going to. In two weeks I'll probably be on here blogging about how stupid I was for being so depressing. But still....I will be writing the letters. And I hope to come home from the hospital and put those letters away and laugh about it. But just in case, I want to write them.

Thanks to AmyB for giving me the encouragement, through her blogging, to Keep it Real!

Dustpan Fun

2008-12-29T21:07:00.004-05:00

Yesterday Decaf was playing in the kitchen and decided to climb into the dustpan. Of course, being the ~~obsessive compulsive clean freak~~ blogger that I am I ran for my camera. Then hubby came in and added a little fun.

Only the finest in entertainment for us!

Christmas

2008-12-26T22:39:00.006-05:00

A couple pics and videos from Christmas.

My crazy, wonderful son with the Thomas gift he wanted most of all.

My daughter, now a year old, with her new baby doll.

Latte playing with a Wii knock-off my sister got her kids. You might be able to tell he really had to go to the bathroom but didn't want to take a break to go.

Decaf riding on a pink pony. Watch how she hangs her tongue out. :)

I hope everyone had a great Christmas. We did! We have great family and so much to be thankful for. Oh, and my little Decaf started walking on Christmas Eve!!!

As I was saying...

2008-12-19T22:08:00.006-05:00

Tonight I ran some errands with my mom and we had the kids with us. Our first stop was Arbys and at the drive-thru I started saying I wanted a number 7 with coke when a 3 year old voice from the back seat yelled, "Grande Hot Mocha!"

Busted! Again! Maybe they can hook me up to this at the hospital. :)

For the record, much of my buying comes from gift cards or Mom splurging when we're out together. Also, I figured posting about Starbucks two days in a row was more fun than posting about how in 20 days I'll be on a heart-lung machine for 6 hours while my heart is stopped.

AHHH!!!!!

So I'm keeping it light while I can. :)

You know you're hooked when....

2008-12-18T21:12:00.007-05:00

Tonight I had to run a couple errands and I did NOT stop at Starbucks.

oh wait, this is Thursday...

Tonight while running errands I went through the drive-thru at Starbucks. Usually I have my son with me and I get him a cup of whip cream with a spoon. (see this post) Tonight he was home with Daddy and I didn't request the whip cream. I ordered my drink (Peppermint Mocha Twist Frappuccino) and one to bring back to my mom. At the window she took my money, handed me my drink and napkins, and then I remembered the whip cream. If he's not there I take a cup home to him. So I said, "Oh, I forgot to ask for some whip cream." And her reply was...

"I thought you looked familiar."

Now, this Starbucks is in a small town with a ginormous university. They must serve LOTS of people every day. Yet somehow I'm in there enough to have left an impression. Surely I'm not the only one who orders a side of whip cream? I don't know, maybe? But if I'm in there enough to "look familiar" when they see so many people each day, then I think I can narrow down where these few extra pounds have come from. :)

For a chance to get your own Starbucks card check out this giveaway, but be sure to do it quickly! It ends tomorrow!

Wordless Wednesday

2008-12-17T10:05:00.005-05:00

This Wordless Wednesday is a little different than some. That's because I finally have a surgery date!!! Surgery will be Jan.8th. I have to go to Charleston on the 6th for a CT Angiogram and pre-op work-up. We'll just hang out there the 7th and be admitted the 8th. Surgery will be about 6 hours long, maybe longer depending on the scar tissue they might run in to. 2 nights in ICU then about 5 nights in a private room.

So here's some pictures of the hospital. It's actually not the whole hospital, just the heart and vascular center.

Now that I have a surgery date I'm nervous and having anxiety issues. It's what I've been waiting for but now I'm not sure I'm ready. Keep praying for me!

Random Thoughts

2008-12-16T08:48:00.002-05:00

My kids are finally home. They spent 2 weeks at my mother-in-laws. It started out as 1 week but circumstances turned it into 2 weeks. That's half a month!! We missed them so much. They had lots of fun and my son had to be begged to even talk to us on the phone. It's actually good knowing they aren't crying and missing us or I'd feel horrible about leaving them. They'll end up going back when I have my surgery.

My son picked up a new word while at his Granny's. "Ain't" He uses it "correctly" too. And he's asked me 52 times since he got home Sunday night for some candy. Hmmm...I'm guessing there was plenty at Granny's house. I keep telling him he can't have any. Finally in a very exasperated tone he asked, "Well, at least do we have any in the house?!" As if just knowing it's in the house will help.

I should know today when my surgery is scheduled. The doctor's assistant called me yesterday to let me know they'd be calling today. :) She didn't want to leave me hanging. She asked if I'd thought of any questions and the only one I had was, "How long after surgery until I can lift things, like my children?" She said that they recommend nothing over 10 pounds for 6-8 weeks!!! That was disappointing to hear. We'll have to do lots of gentle snuggling in bed. I have no idea how to get my son to snuggle gently. We'll see....

Our Trip to MUSC

2008-12-11T12:42:00.003-05:00

We had a long day yesterday down to Charleston and back. The surgeon was kind and went over things thoroughly. He is 95% sure he can repair my valve. However the unknown factor is how much scar tissue he'll find from my 1st surgery that will hinder a repair.

He went over my replacement options in some more detail. For the tissue valve they would use a calf valve. It averages 5-10 years before needing to be replaced. Then my 3rd surgery would carry more risk. He said they don't have many patients that get 3 or more surgeries so they don't have as exact statistics. He said the 5-10 years is an average and depends on my body. Some will only last 2 years and he's had some last almost 20. One good thing was that he also said that pregnancy wouldn't speed up how quickly it wore out.

With a mechanical valve I wouldn't need any more surgeries. I would be on an oral blood thinner for live. I could possibly get pregnant but would have to switch over to a daily injection before I tried to get pregnant and throughout the pregnancy. It also carries some fetal risk. He said that 1-2% of the people on blood thinners die each year from complications. If I fell and skinned my knee while playing soccer with my son, not such a big deal. If I fell and hit my head it could cause fatal bleeding into my brain. So no horses, bicycles, contact sports (not that I play any!), etc.

So now I have more info to help me make this decision that I hate having to make. Yet, it has to be decided before I go to surgery. Our big prayer is for REPAIR!!!! That being said, I'll have my surgery in January. They will contact me the beginning of next week to set up the date. He wanted to give me some time to think of more questions. I will be 1 week in the hospital, 2 weeks at home doing nothing, 4 weeks getting back to doing stuff then 6 months until I really feel normal. He said by 8 weeks post-op I'll feel 90% back to normal but that last 10% takes up to 6 months.

So please continue to pray. I've already told my hubby he'll have to blog for me while I'm in the hospital. :) Gotta keep everyone up to date.

Time to Meet the Surgeon

2008-12-09T19:29:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow afternoon I meet with the surgeon for consultation. I'm so anxious and excited to meet with him. I picked him out after hours of research online and even though we have to drive to Charleston, I know it's worth it. I should find out when I'll have surgery and I'll get more info on my valve choices.

If you haven't checked out MckMama's Raffle-Way, now's the time. Only a few days left.

I'm holding my breath & crossing my fingers in hopes of winning. :)

Seasons of Life

2008-12-07T15:43:00.000-05:00

Two nights ago I was in the car waiting for my mom to come out of a store. I turned on the radio and In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley was on. His broadcast was on "Encouragement Through the Seasons of Life." Here's the gist of it.... Often times we go through different, changing seasons of life. Through these seasons many of us turn to the Word for encouragement and look for just the right verse to minister to us. However, there is a verse that can sustain us through every season of life.

Lamentations 3:22-23 "The LORD'S loving kindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. "

Great is Your faithfulness!!! Through everything. Everyday. Every season. Every battle. Anything and everything that life brings us. Great is His faithfulness.

Christmas Spirit Award

2008-12-06T09:41:00.005-05:00

I received this award from Kelly at Our Family Ramblings last week.

Of course with receiving awards, there are some rules that come along with it. For this particular one, the rules are very simple.
They are....You must be a true Christmas lover to receive this award.
The person to whom you give the award must also be in love with Christmas.
You must link back to the person who gave you the award.
You must list 5 things that you love about Christmas. If you can't limit it to 5 things, then keep going till you run out of space! :o)
Pass the award along to as many people as you like. That can be 1 or 45; it's up to you. But, you must pass it on to at least one person in order to keep the Christmas cheer going!
Let your recipients know that you have tagged them by leaving them a comment on their blog.

5 things I love about Christmas:

1) That we celebrate Jesus and His birthday.

2) That it's my daughter's birthday.

3) Decorating the tree with sentimental ornaments.

4) Christmas parades with the kids. I enjoy the local ones that are small with horses and lots of candy. :)

5) Gifts! Giving & Receiving!

6) I also like that my son thinks Santa is Noah. We have a Noah picture book and he has a long , white beard. The last 2 years I've been at the hospital for Christmas (once with somebody in labor & once in labor myself!) so we haven't done much of the Santa thing. Hopefully I won't be in the hospital again this Christmas! :)

I tag my friend Jessica for this award. So don't forget to check out her answers in a couple days.

Turn Back Time Thursday

2008-12-04T20:07:00.005-05:00

I thought this was a neat idea from Lisa at My Journey Through Infertility. So here are a few pictures from way back of me and Jessica aka Florida Girl. I think we were about 15 at the time.

Jessica always wore the prettiest hats....well, back then they were pretty. Not sure I'd hang out with her now if she was wearing that. :)

Hmm...I definitely could have used a little style advice. Can you see today's 15 year olds wearing an outfit like that? I don't think so!

Wordless Wednesday

2008-12-03T07:23:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure if a video counts as wordless. This is a photo montage from Decaf's birth and the couple of days after. My hubby made it, another of his many talents. The heading is Falling Photographs but it's not actually the title, just the style he used. He had to resize it big time to fit on the blog but it still looks good. Be sure your volume is on and pause my playlist at the bottom of this page first. (And I won't be too offended by those who don't watch the whole thing. I understand it's just not as sentimental when it's someone else's kid.)

Decisions To Make

2008-12-01T21:30:00.007-05:00

I met with my cardiologist again today but didn't get too much news. He consulted a local surgeon and he agrees I need surgery soon. I have also researched hospitals and surgeons and I talked to him about getting a specific one. He's fine with that and will be contacting the surgeon, sending test results, and then scheduling the surgery. He kind of chuckled when I mentioned that I had a hospital and surgeon picked out. Hubby reminded me that most of the doctors patients are probably over 60 and don't get online and do too much research on their own. :) So now I wait to hear back this week on a surgery date. What exactly does "soon" mean to a doctor?

He said that the #1 choice is to do a repair of the mitral valve. If they have to replace it then I need to decide between tissue (pig or cow) valve or mechanical (metal). With a mechanical valve replacement I should not need future surgeries. I would have to take anticoagulation medicine daily for life. Because of this I could NOT ever be pregnant while on this medication. If I choose a tissue valve replacement I can most like have another pregnancy, but those valves wear out and need to be replaced every 10-15 years. So these are the choices I have to weigh now. It's quite overwhelming. Obviously, the best thing would be a repair. That is something they just can't know until they go in for surgery and actually see my valve. If they can't repair it I have to know ahead of time which replacement I want.

On a much lighter note here's some pictures of the kiddos for our Christmas cards. Out of a hundred pictures I think we got about 5 where Decaf didn't have her thumb in her mouth. A big thanks to Stan for the pictures. His comfort zone is more along the lines of the Georgia Dome and not trying to pose a 1 & 3 year old. And please overlook my lousy cropping. :)

And check out Focus on the Family's contest. You might win an iPod. :)

Wordless Wednesday....Mostly

2008-11-26T22:43:00.004-05:00

Passing on the addiction. Except he only gets whip cream, no coffee of course. The picture's not the greatest because it's from my cell phone.

Did you check out my new header? Isn't it cute! A big thanks to my hubby for making it. He actually made it animated where the snow is falling in the background but we're having technical issues. :) He's so creative!

Word Verification

2008-11-25T08:16:00.006-05:00

I have officially set my word verification setting to no. Why? Not because Davisix ~~complained about~~ mentioned it, but because when I went to leave a comment over at Pizza and Potatoes this is the word I was given.

I'm pretty sure if you said that with the right accent you'd be cussing at somebody. :-) Now, I actually laughed when I saw it but I thought I'd go ahead and take mine off for now. If I start getting spam I'll turn it back on.

Not Me! Monday

2008-11-24T08:25:00.009-05:00

I did not have several pity parties this week. I might have a broken heart but I can still have a grateful one.

I did not stack 3 loads of clean laundry on the living room chair....Friday....and they are not still there.

I did not go out this week and forget Decaf's bottle. She did not cry for almost 30 minutes on the way home. This is my 2nd child and she's almost a year old. I'm a much better mom than that.

I did not forget to feed the dog twice this week. I gave her extra on the other days to make up!

I did not make a 7pm Starbucks run one night. (decaf of course...the coffee, not the baby) I am not that pathetically addicted. I'm not out of money on my gift card now....oh wait, I really am...hint, hint mom....

Be sure to check out MckMama and get a good laugh.

Bloggy-world

2008-11-23T21:49:00.002-05:00

I haven't posted much this week but I've been on a lot. It's been a long week. I've been tired, overwhelmed, and a bit short-tempered. I've been dwelling on myself a lot and I'm very anxious to find out when my surgery will be. I've been doing some actual journal writing this week as opposed to blogging. I have literally spent hours online reading blogs and laughing, crying, sobbing over some. I haven't commented a lot, just been reading. Some I can read and they are sweet and funny and it takes my mind off me and then others I read help me realize that I'm blessed to only need open-heart surgery. It could be so much worse. I have been inspired and amazed by many of the blog authors who are such shining lights for Christ. I'm so grateful to be involved in the world of blogging and "meeting" so many awesome ladies.

Now I have to head to bed and get ready for my Not Me! Monday. :-)

Small Fryday Contest

2008-11-22T22:44:00.001-05:00

I've been gone all day and since I got in bed I've spent so much time reading other blogs I'm pretty much too tired to blog myself. Except to tell you to check out the Small Fryday contest over at MckMama's blog.
And....pretty soon I will be having my own contest. I've got my hubby involved and we're getting our ideas together. Keep checking back!

Contest

2008-11-21T11:59:00.002-05:00

I wanted to spread the word about a contest that would be good for anyone in the SC, GA, or TN area in particular. It's called Memories in the Mountains and it's for tickets to Stone Mountain and Dollywood. There's a couple weeks left until the drawing. Check it out! I'll be blogging more later.

My Broken Heart

2008-11-19T09:39:00.003-05:00

My test yesterday wasn't too bad. I love the sedation part and don't even remember them inserting the tube down my throat. Last night and this morning my throat hurts and feels scratchy but nothing I can't deal with.

My test results showed a Cleft Mitral Valve with severe regurgitation, a small leak from my tricuspid valve, and my left atrium is slightly enlarged and pumping at 40% and the lowest they would want to see it is 50% so I'm below that. The outcome is that I do indeed need surgery and they aren't going to wait too long. I meet back with the doctor on Dec 1st and he'll have gone over the test again and have information for me regarding my surgery options.

While I knew that the results of the test would be along these lines it's still overwhelming. And I now know that I've been having symptoms for a few years that I've just attributed to being out of shape and having 2 kids. Oops. :-)

Now I have to give a big THANKS to Davisix for babysitting my kids last minute. They both fell asleep in their car seats about 2 minutes after we picked them up. I think they had a blast.

Lastly, check out JuJu's giveaway in honor of the Christmas season. A creative little gift.

Not Me! Monday and other stuff

2008-11-17T13:49:00.003-05:00

I only have a couple but thought I'd go ahead and list them. Be sure to show MckMama some love too and check out that miracle baby of hers.

1. I did not to go Wal-mart this week only to discover that sweet Decaf was still in her pj's. I must have had a brain fart. I figured I'd get in and out quick and no one would notice. That being said, Decaf did not proceed to wiggle around until she was half-standing facing backwards. Then she certainly did not start waving to everyone like she was in a parade. She really should have had on a tiara and dress instead of pink pj's and blue socks.

2. I did not forget to take the dog we are fostering up to Pet Smart Saturday like the contract says to. Oops! The lady was pretty understanding once she tracked me down on the cell phone. Good thing I'm not a foster parent for humans.

3. I did not have Starbucks twice in one day this week.... again. That would be pathetic. (Thanks for the gift card, Mom)

That's all folks! Well, for my Not Me! Monday. I'm not done blogging yet. :-)

My very best friend has finally started her blog. When I say started I mean literally less than 2 hours ago. So be patient as she works the kinks out but she's got her first post up. So check out Florida Girl!

I have my TEE test scheduled tomorrow and I just found out that my cardiologist will be there and be able to talk to us afterwards about his findings. Hallelujah! I didn't know how I was going to wait two weeks wondering about surgery stuff. I've been waiting since August so I'm anxious. I'll update everyone tomorrow night.

Have a great Monday!

The Wall that Heals

2008-11-16T20:25:00.006-05:00

Today we went to see The Wall that Heals, a half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in DC. I saw the one in DC when I was about 13 and I remember being awed by it even though I didn't understand the importance of it at that age. I'm so glad we got to see this one today. It seems like the names are endless. 58,000 names.

There were flowers here and there along the wall and small flags with photos attached. This one made me cry.

It says, "Bob, I still miss you after all these years. Love Always, Barbara."

I'm thankful for the blood that was shed for me on Calvary and for the sacrifices of these men and others.

Faith

2008-11-15T21:01:00.004-05:00

I'm way too tired to really blog anything tonight so I thought I'd just share this doodle (with permission) from Rick at Organized Doodles. Rick writes, "The fellow depicted in this illustration doesn't hold his arms out while blindfolded - as a person with a blindfold normally would. He leaves his hands in his pockets. He is able to have confidence that when he takes that first step, he will discover that the things, or the One, he had hoped for is there."

Thanks, Rick!

And it's not to late to check out this giveaway at Better Home Interiors. Ends tonight at 9 mst. If I mention it I get another entry. :) I love the item they're giving!

Lotion?

2008-11-14T21:24:00.001-05:00

I can share this story with you only because most of you reading this I'll never meet. :) Otherwise I'd be too embarrassed.

This afternoon while Decaf was taking a nap I decided to hop in the shower. I got Latte all set up on my bed first with toys and a movie but was pretty sure he'd be in there bugging me before too long. About 5 minutes into the shower it dawned on me that he hadn't bugged me yet. That concerned me. I wasn't worried he'd run away or anything, but this morning when he wasn't bugging me he was cutting up a book......

I turned the water off and at that moment he comes in and says, "Mommy, don't I smell pretty?" I said, "What?" He said again, "Don't I smell nice. I put on lotion." At this point I was thinking Uh-oh, because I couldn't see any lotion on him. He came close and said, "Smell me." I looked and smelled and there was nothing. Then I noticed a light, wet look on his face and chest, almost like water. I was confused and he was just smiling and happy. "What did you do with the lotion, honey?" I asked him. He told me that he put the lotion bottle in his little toy basket. When I checked the toy basket what did I find.......

K-Y!

Green Eggs and.......Bologna?

2008-11-14T12:26:00.004-05:00

Latte has been asking for green eggs & ham for a few weeks. We have the Dr. Seuss book and have read it a thousand times but only recently he's started asking for some. I didn't have any food coloring in the house so I had to buy some first. This morning I finally made it except I didn't have ham, only bologna. He loved it! I made grits with it but he said "no" to green grits.

The look on his face is him trying to be silly. NOT a reaction to my cooking!!!

This morning when Latte got up I ignored him for a few minutes and tried to sleep just a little longer. I was amazed that he busied himself and didn't bug me. I shouldn't have been amazed, I should have been worried. Because this is what I came out to.

What I thought was one of his favorite books was cut into many pieces. Now for the record, I didn't take this picture in front of him. He got in trouble and I didn't want to down-play it by taking a picture at that time. I'm just thankful it wasn't one of the few books on his bookshelf that are mine from when I was his age. And I'm glad the scissors weren't used on something else...like his sister.

Bloggy-world and the Canadians

2008-11-13T18:13:00.008-05:00

I've spent WAY too much time blogging today and I've been all over America. I guess when my husband reads this the cat's outta the bag. :) I've come across some really fun blogs, giveaways, inspirational blogs, and everything in between. I've laughed and cried. What a day. Occasionally I'd leave a comment and couldn't remember how I found their blog. I narrowed it down to about 4 more that I'll enjoy following.

I have an old fish tank from a few years ago when I taught school. We've been hanging on to it for when Latte someday gets a fish. I had it semi-hidden but in his bedroom (It'd take to long to explain) but today he found it. There are those little rocks in the bottom and he and a little girl I was babysitting made a HUGE mess. Little fish tank rocks everywhere! Which drew Decaf like a magnet. It was awful. Plus his room was a mess to start with. It took us forever to clean it all up. Then when it's clean Latte starts running around yelling, "Quick, run before the Canadians get us!" ????? It took me about 10 minutes to remember he has a Veggie Tale movie where the Canadians are mentioned. (Minnesota Cuke) What a nut! I'm pretty sure he doesn't even know what a Canadian is.

Here's Latte pretending to roast marshmallows. What is he using for a marshmallow you may wonder. Leftover couch stuffing of course.

Wordless Wednesday

2008-11-12T20:54:00.004-05:00

Out in the beautiful leaves. Latte had fun but Decaf didn't.

Can you guess what this next one is?

Davisix plus 1

2008-11-11T20:43:00.003-05:00

My son just won't quit talking about all the "Things" over at Davisix. He pretended to play with them all day and when he wasn't pretending he was asking me about them. Begging me to go see them. I think he would happily ditch me and become Daviseven (get it?!). Today he told me to "go to work with Daddy and 'Decaf' and I will go to their house, they have a mommy so it's OK). Then tonight when he was picking out a bedtime story he saw this one on his shelf and starting hollering, "Look Mommy, Here they are (Things 1-4) with their Daddy."

(This picture is from Amazon but we have the book.) Anyways, still obsessing about the Davisix/seven. :-) What's really funny is that in the picture on this book the "daddy" is not exactly bald! Needless to say we'll be heading back over there soon. We could come up with a new slogan. Instead of Get Your Davisix Fix we could say Daviseven a Taste of Heaven. hahaha

On a separate note, when my hubby came home from work and I started telling him about my day he jokingly said, "That's ok dear, you don't have to tell me. I'll just read your blog." Am I hooked? Nooooo...........not me......

Not Me! Monday

2008-11-10T21:04:00.005-05:00

This is my 1st official Not Me! Monday. Remember....I'm a newbie....and be sure to check out MckMama and her gang at http://www.mycharmingkids.net

I did not pretend I didn't see my son eat a HUGE handful of tic tacs so I wouldn't have to deal with it.

I did not see my kids pulling stuffing out of the couch cushion and grab my camera instead of stopping them.

I did not tell my son to just pee under the slide at the park. That would be gross and inconsiderate.

I did not have Starbucks two times today. Just because my mom treats I would not show that much lack of self-control.

and I did not wait until 9:30PM to do my Not Me! Monday list. What kind of real blogger would do that! :)

Big artist, little artist

2008-11-09T16:04:00.005-05:00

My husband is very talented as an artist. Most recently he did a mural in a high school gym.

My son also loves to draw and color. He combines the word and says he wants to "droler". It's cute and one thing I just don't correct him on every time. We have a huge chalkboard that was being thrown away at a high school and my son loves to draw on it. I have no artistic talent. So when he asked me to draw the family I started drawing stick figures. After drawing a couple my son said he would draw Decaf. This is what he drew.

After he finished he stepped back and said, "...umm.....uh.....she just has a head and legs. That's ok Mom, right?" I was so proud of him! He must take after his daddy.

$1.96

2008-11-08T21:11:00.003-05:00

Gas at Wal-Mart today was $1.99 and with my gift card it was $1.96. I took a picture of it with my camera phone but couldn't bring myself to upload the picture because it would cost about 30 cents. Cheapskate, I know. It was definitely exciting seeing it under $2.00. I am so tired I'm heading to bed. This is all I'm posting today. Surely, somewhere in bloggy world there is a "Lamest Blog Ever" award that I should get. I know it's pathetic but bear with me. More tomorrow.

Compliments & Compromises

2008-11-07T12:01:00.004-05:00

The other morning my son climbed into our bed (way too early) and started snuggling with me. I love that! Then he said, "Mommy, you're beautiful." My heart melted. Then he asked, "Mommy, was that a compliment or a compromise?" I laughed, then tried to explain the difference to him (again). Well that afternoon we're in the car and I have some peanut m&m's. He asked for some and here's how the conversation went:

Latte: "Mommy, can I have some m&m's please?"
Me: "Sure honey. How old are you?" (see, this leads into, you're 3 so you can have 3 m&m's)
Latte: "Umm..5!" (he obviously is wise to my ways)
Me: "No honey, you're only 3."
Latte: "But can I have 5?"
(This is where I think, Oh! I can teach him about compromising.)
Me: "Remember how Mommy was telling you about a compromise? Well if I want you to have 3 and you want to have 5, what's in the middle?"
Latte: "A Peanut!!!"

It was so funny!
This morning I was trying out the new "be a little independent" trick with his juice and cereal. Except that last night he got in our bed around 4:00 and ended up sleeping there until 9:00. Then I was rested and happy. I'll try it again tomorrow.

I finally have some information about my next cardiology appointment. I will go to the hospital on Nov. 18th to have a procedure done called a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE). It's like an ultrasound from the inside. They insert a tube down your throat with a transducer at the end and that way they can get very close to your heart and get great images. My doctor has been waiting for the hospital to get the equipment in and this has been postponed a couple times the last 2 months. I'll meet with my cardiologist on Dec. 1st to get the results and see what he recommends as far as surgery. I hate all the waiting and wondering.

The kiddos

2008-11-06T22:28:00.004-05:00

I think I jinxed myself earlier. Tonight Decaf had a rough time going to bed. I gave her some medicine about 20 minutes before bed but not early enough. The kids share a room. She cried and wailed. Then Latte would scream at her and it just became a cycle of craziness! They are finally asleep!!!!
I'm trying a new trick in the morning. See, I'm a bit of a grouch in the morning. Umm...grouch could be putting it WAY too mildly. I tend to stay up too late then my mornings are rough. And for some reason God has given me a son that is a big-time early bird. I always feel so bad after I am grouchy with him. So tonight I got a juice cup ready and it's in the fridge, some cereal is in a bowl on the table (he doesn't always use milk) and I've told him about this and he should wake up and head to the kitchen instead of into my bed. We'll see how it goes. Knowing he's awake but not having to get out of bed right away should help me ease into my morning. I'll keep you posted. That's all for now! Goodnight!

Just an ordinary day

2008-11-06T15:18:00.002-05:00

We found a snake in the yard today. Just a tiny one. Snakes are one thing I'm not petrified of. I'm much more afraid of a spider. I have a healthy fear of snakes. We looked online and found out it's just a harmless little snake thankfully. Having a boy means catching all sorts of things.

I have a friend who may soon be joining this blogging world. She's my best friend from my days growing up in Florida. I told her about my blog and after reading it and some others she's ready to join. Once she's up and running I'll let everyone know so they can check her out.

My son has asked about 3 more times to go see the "2 boys and 2 girls and lots of horses and the mommy". I like how he throws her in there now. :-) So we'll definitely be planning another get together.

I changed my playlist to holiday music. I love this time of the year. My hubby doesn't like Christmas stuff until Thanksgiving is over but I'm ready by now. Now Christmas is extra-special since we have a Christmas girl. My little Decaf has her first tooth coming in. She hasn't been too cranky yet so I guess it's not hurting too bad.

All this is definitely rambling today. It's just been an average day around here and I don't have anything too significant to blog about. But try to check out the link on my sidebar for "Zoey." That will give you plenty of reading material and someone to pray for.

The Important Vote

2008-11-05T12:48:00.007-05:00

I don't feel like being wordless today. Not that I have a ton to say, but won't be truly wordless. Of course, Davisix, still writes a fair amount on days she claims to be "wordless" Wednesdays. :-)

I am very heavy-hearted over the election. Surprised...not really. I think of the verse you will know a tree by its fruit and I wonder what fruit will we see. I get emails occasionally talking about President-elect Obama and they say how he could be ushering in the end times. Usually these emails have a panicky feeling to them and it's a "forward this to all your friends and warn them" kind of thing. My thoughts are BRING IT ON. The "end times" are gonna get me a lot closer to seeing Jesus. I'm just not one of those "oh, I want to see my kids grow up before the Lord returns" kind of person. No way! Come on that white horse Lord and get me outta here. But in the meantime, I am still so thankful and proud to be an American. And even with someone in office that I personally did not vote for, I'm not distraught. Because when it comes down to the line the one vote that really matters is the vote Jesus made on Calvary. He voted for me to live and for Him to take my sins. And because of that I have a home in Heaven that I am anxiously waiting to go to.

Bloggers United!

2008-11-04T20:31:00.005-05:00

I voted this morning and am now anxiously keeping an eye on the news. It's hard to believe that today is finally here. I probably won't be awake late enough to know the outcome so I think tomorrow will be a day I actually check the news before I check my blog!

I loaded up the kids and went to meet Davisix today. Their farm is a little piece of Heaven on earth. The kids were sweet and fun. The boys played great together and Thing 4 just couldn't get enough of my little Decaf. To my disappointment, my son didn't even want to pet a horse. I finally convinced him and he briefly did but not with the excitement and enthusiasm I had hoped for. There was no jumping up and down asking for a horsie for Christmas. Maybe when Decaf gets bigger she'll like horses. My Leprechaun Latte did get to ride on a 4 wheeler and climb in the hayloft and go to a fort. At one point we were all in the house hanging out when I noticed my Latte was missing. When I called for him he yelled back that he was in the kitchen getting food. It was embarrassing but funny too. It's just like a child to think, "I'm hungry....they have a kitchen....I'll get food." I know he had fun because of how whiny he was on the ride home. He was worn out from all the playing. I had a great time. It was nice to have several hours of adult conversation and I'm pretty sure I've made a friend!!!

Spiders & Sweet Potatoes (Totally Unrelated)

2008-11-03T21:56:00.000-05:00

I have followers!!! 4 people have found me worthy of following. That is so exciting. And tomorrow I get to meet one of them, Davisix. So I'm sure we'll both blog about that a little bit tomorrow.

Tonight my son and I spent 30 minutes in the kitchen trying to kill a huge spider and avoid being attacked and mortally wounded by it. Yes, I do have a slightly irrational fear of spiders. I saw Arachnophobia when I was way too young and have been scarred. I'm trying to not pass that fear along to my little boy, who at his age loves all bugs, but when I'm screeching and yelling at him to get up on the table, there's a chance some of my fear could rub off. Now that its been 2 hours and everything has calmed down my behavior seems a little comical. I was practically hyperventilating and the only thing I had to spray it with was a clorox spray. My son stopped dead in his tracks when I told him to get on the table. That's how he knew I was serious. When you spend your days telling them to climb down off that _______ (whatever) and then one day you yell at them to climb back up on it. I really do hate spiders and one of my hero's is the pest control man.

Moving on....I was taking some pictures this evening of my adorable little Decaf on a stuffed rocking horse and was just delighted. She's finally got some balance and was mostly sitting on it by herself. When she got done I scrolled back through the images on my camera and saw something funny on her forehead. It's not a birthmark, no, it's sweet potatoes. From lunch....about 5 hours earlier. Upon examination I found them on her ear and a few dabs on the back of her head. Oh, and she's still in her pj's from last night. So this is what happens during my official 1st day as a blogger. Does it go downhill from here? Maybe tomorrow she'll be lucky if I even remember to feed her lunch. :)

Naming the Family

2008-11-03T11:47:00.000-05:00

Well, if I was doing a "Not me Monday" (which I'll probably start next week) then I would have to say....I did not get out of bed this morning and head straight for my laptop and go to my blog. I did not tell my son, "just a minute" 5 times while he was waiting for his breakfast. I am NOT hooked already!

I've added some pictures and info on my family. I originally had their real names up because of my lack of creativity. Then my hubby saw it and being the ever-paranoid half of the marriage, asked me to change it. I groaned and complained about not being able to think of anything and he said for me to pick something fun that I love and use that theme. Well I love Starbucks. He chose his pseudonym and helped me pick the kids. The kids will be called "Latte" and "Decaf". I think my son might be better titled as an espresso, but I'll stick with Latte. I considered going with the heart theme, but naming them something like "coronary artery" and "left ventricle" just wasn't working for me.

Now I have to go do a little cleaning and stop ignoring the children. :) But I'm pretty sure I'll blog more latter.

What's in a name?

2008-11-02T21:14:00.000-05:00

Choosing a name for my blog was not an easy task. I'm up against some really good ones. In fact, I started to think I just wouldn't bother with the blog since I couldn't come up with a good name. Pathetic excuse, I know. So I decided on "Sunshine and Open Hearts" for a few reasons. I know the name doesn't exactly flow, but it's growing on me.

My parents nickname for me was always Sunshine Shannon and it's not a bad nickname. So that was the no-brainer part. Well, plain old Sunshine was already taken so I had to add something to it. I thought about my life and the Open Hearts is twofold. First, I am a child of God. I have a Savior who gave His life to save me and cleanse me from sin. I have a home in Heaven and I eagerly look forward to going there. But while on my journey here on earth I must have an open heart to my Lord and what His plans are for me here. He is my strength and I must remain open in order for Him to continue to fill me.

The second reason behind Open Hearts has to do, literally, with my heart. When I was 5 I had open-heart surgery in Birmingham, AL. The surgery was for an atrial-septal defect and repair of my mitral valve. Through all that my parents came to know the Lord. Now, 25 years later it looks like I will need another repair on my mitral valve. There is too much regurgitation and I have a chamber that is slightly enlarged. This surgery is actually fairly common these days and the risk is minimal. However, I'm still pretty nervous. It's so easy to get caught up in the "what ifs". And dwelling on the "what ifs" too long can really bring a person down. This is where I once again have to look to Jesus to give me strength for the journey. I'm sure I will blog plenty about this later, but this is how I came up with "Sunshine and Open Hearts."

So now the next hard decision in blogger-land is what do I call my kids. Davisix has Thing 1,2,3,&4. MckMama has totally cool names, and some others just use the first initials "E" or "M". I haven't decided yet. I think I can't compete and will probably just use their names or initials.

I am pretty computer savvy but this blogging is completely new to me and I feel a bit like a fish out of water. Hopefully in the next few days I get the hang of it and my blog will start looking better. I don't even know how often a person is supposed to blog. Is there some sort of unwritten rule? If you blog more than once a day are you considered pathetic? If you blog once a week do people think you're boring? I guess this is all part of the learning process.

My first post (real creative, isn't it)

2008-11-01T23:33:00.000-04:00

I've thought about blogging for a while but am finally getting started. I have spent literaly hours online reading through people's blogs and never thought I'd be good at it. Then that all changed when someone (Thanks, Angie) said, "It's just like journaling." Well, I still don't know if I'll be any good at this, but thinking of it as journaling makes it a lot less daunting. In fact, I'm even a little excited. Of course, by the time I've finally got this up and running, I'm exhausted and have to go to bed. So the real blogging, aka journaling, will have to start tomorrow.