Some neighbors are good, some are great, some may even be heroic, but some of God's creatures' I never want to see in my neighborhood. NO I am not racist, I am talking about the slithery, slimy ones - SNAKES! Yesterday before dinner we had a guest COPPERHEAD in our garage. Tom provided the photos. He was not moving and we assume had been literally flushed from his underground habitat due to all the rain from the Fay leftovers. He put us in a precarious position in that he put himself in the path to the killer shovels. Luckily one of our heroic neighbors was able to come help Tom trap and kill the nasty thing and bag him up in the trash. Unfortunately we have a whole week of waiting for him to be picked up by the garbage man.

I am still freaked out and hoping it was a one time thing. I can deal with boogers, snot and even some bugs but I never want to see another snake anywhere near my house. So needless to say, I won't be going into my garage without looking 6 times and turning on all the lights.

First Day of School

Today was Grace's first day of 4 year old preschool. I have slowly been able to pick her brain for information. She enjoyed centers where she played with lots of play-dough, markers and the babies in the house center. She enjoyed reading "The Kissing Hand", one of my favorites, and made a little craft to go along with it. She also got to make a first day of school hat and wore it home. The only bad part seems to be that she is back to not eating lunch at school. I need to remember snacks for the car ride home. I think her favorite part of the day was the birthday celebration for one of her new friends also named Grace, who brought her favorite, OREO'S! Hopefully she will enjoy tomorrow just as much.

Tomorrow is my first day at the preschool. I get to look forward to carpool, crying 3 year olds and making sure everything runs smoothly. I know I will be pooped out. After school we have to run to Grace's ballet class and then home. Hopefully I will get to nap afterwards but we will see.

This weekend we are looking forward to setting up the baby's room and buying her a mattress. We will think of a name soon, we have 8 weeks right?

First Flight and More

On Tuesday July 29th, I know two weeks ago, Grace took her first flight. We arrived at the airport in style in a Lincoln Town Car. The driver was so nice; he even had a sucker for Grace. After struggling through security and an emergency on the escalators (not ours, another small child and open toed shoes) we made it to the concourse. We had some time to kill so we ate a doughnut with Grandma Suzanne and watched the planes take off, Grace announcing each one. "Mommy look there goes an airplane; mommy look there goes another one." This was said amongst the squeals of excitement of seeing all the airplanes take off. I know the other passengers were all hoping we were not on their flight. As Grandma Suzanne left for her concourse, Grace and I went to buy something to chew on the plane. We decided on Gummy Bears and Chips. The flight went well, even though there were a few squeals as the plane took off and she could see things and once we were "taller than the clouds." We each got a Ginger Ale to drink and Grace enjoyed her peanuts and chips. She read a few books and played with her princess magnets too. Luckily it was only a little over an hour in the air. We flew over the ocean and we saw Grandma and Popop's house in Cortez as we were coming in for a landing.

While in Florida we had a great time staying with Grandma and Popop. We ate good food, swam in their pool and got to go to the beach 3 times. Grace had a blast playing with her "best cousin" Faith (I think she is combining best friend and cousin here.) and Campbell too. We went to the beach two times with them. Grace and Faith bogy boarded, picked up shells, played ball with Campbell and wore themselves out. Grace was back to napping. It also was fun to have a girls' night with Faith and Grace spending the night.

Tom and I were able to go see a movie with his sister Jen and brother-in-law Jake. We saw Batman The Dark Knight. I was not thrilled with the movie. It was definitely over-hyped and more than a little disturbing. The best part was the TCBY yogurt we snuck into the theater. The kids were also asleep when we got back to the house which was nice too and the grandparents were still breathing and not cursing at us for leaving them with three children under the age of 6.
The long car ride back was rough on the preggo one. Swollen ankles and many pit stops later, we were glad to make it home before rush hour truly started. Cody was glad to be home too, after 5 days at the Kennel and 3 with Grandma and Papa. We spent the rest of the week recovering and doing laundry. We went to the pool once, the OB for a checkup and the dentist for Grace. That is a whole other story.
I started work at the Dance Studio Saturday. I loved it. I have 3 classes that are absolutely wonderful. It was hard work and I took a big nap, and found some muscles that had been out of work for a while, but it was well worth it. I can't wait for this Saturday to do it again. We even have a website: www.danceimagination.com.
This all brings us to today; I went back to the perinatologist for the final ultrasound. Grace and Grandma Suzanne went with me. Pumpkin was not in the mood for pictures but the technician was able to get a few 3-D face shots. Grace told the nurse her sister's name is Emily. We are still undecided but know that in 10 weeks she will have a name. The doctor estimates that she is already over 3 pounds and looks very healthy. In a few weeks, Grace will take a big sister class to learn how to hold the baby and things she can do to help mommy. She was very excited to go with mommy to the doctor today. But she did get anxious at the gel put on mommy's belly, and wanted them to get it off. All said and done it was good to show her parts of the hospital and get to see the baby moving. She has told everyone about it since returning home.
Well I have one more day off and then I start at the preschool. I am looking forward to working with Grace's teacher from last year and learning a whole new system. It is going to be a rough couple of weeks but starting the 23rd I will only be there 2 times a week.
I think that is all but I will try to update more often.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Yesterday was my 34th(sh!) birthday. So far I have celebrated for two days, and I plan to keep on celebrating as long as everyone allows me to. I am in a much better place than I was for my 33rd. It has taken me a while to gain some perspective, but recent events have opened my eyes wider. Friday night Tom, Grace and I went to Longhorn for some yummy steak and salad and then to Bruester's Ice Cream for some birthday treats. Then on Saturday Tom and Grace let me sleep in some before giving me great presents. The best one being all the hugs and kisses. Then I went to the Chiropractor for some back and neck relief(didn't really work). When I got home I had to help Tom pack for his trip. He probably has the distinction of being the only one there, with shovels, pails, floats for the ocean or pool and a Disney princess bicycle, a minivan and no family. Since he is meeting us in Florida later this week, he is the pack mule bringing some fun stuff for Grace.
Last night our good friends and neighbors took Grace and I out to eat at O'Charley's. It is one of my favorites, with potato soup and lots to choose from off the menu. Grace, Joshua and Caleb all had a great time playing, eating and celebrating. Luckily for me the waiters no longer sing happy birthday, they just give you free dessert. Ms. Lara was very disappointed not to get me embarrassed with the singing, but I did share my dessert. They also gave me a great bracelet, a Pandora bracelet. It has charms with Grace's birth month and an angel for Brendan. When pumpkin comes we can get her birthstone for her. I felt very special. They are such good friends and I don't think they realize how much they mean to us and have positively influenced our lives.
As for today, I need to clean, do laundry and pack. I think that Grace and I are going to celebrate with Grandma and Papa Edwards sometime today. I am also hoping to get a nap. Pumpkin and Grace both made last night's sleeping interesting and less. I don't see how Grace can only go on 9 hours sleep with a 2 am party and still be up before 7:00. "Rise and Shine Mommy, it's day time." On Tuesday we will celebrate my birthday one more time with Grace's first plane ride and cake with Grandma and Papa Campbell. Party all week!
As for my new perspective, I still miss all the things that Brendan meant. Grace talks constantly about how God and Jesus are taking care of him. I also know he is looking out for us as our own personal angel. I met a lady this week somewhere around my age that has a 9 year old and a five year old that suffered a stroke this spring. She was such an inspiration. She says she misses driving to the grocery store and other mundane things, but is so grateful to be walking and talking she can do without the rest. She was a definite eye opener for me. The other incident that is giving me perspective is a house that burned in our neighborhood with the storms this month. It is obvious from the outside that this family lost most if not all of their worldly possessions. The house is just a shell, I am sure insurance and other issues are keeping the family from rebuilding. I haven't met the family, but I know that they survived via gossip at the pool. I have spent time praying for them, as I know many people did for my family last year.
So I am not sure what it all means, I may never, but I am more grateful everyday for the blessings God has given us. Each day is a miracle, and even though I am tired, and not feeling 100%, I am trying to be grateful for each day. So happy birthday to me! Excuse me now I am off to play, four year old things, the cleaning can wait for another time.

Fort Walton Beach

Grace and Anna

Summer is ending. We have finally unpacked the suitcases and started the laundry from our long awaited trip to Fort Walton Beach. We had a blast, looking for shells, avoiding the seaweed/algae, staying away from marine life including fish, sand sharks and jellyfish, and yes swimming in the condominium pool. Grace had two and a half days of fun playing with her two year old cousin, Taylor. They were really good together; the only real problems were sharing the attention of the Grandparents. As Taylor says "My Papa", but Grace stood her ground and commanded attention too. Taylor was willing to give up some Papa or Grandma time as long as Aunt Sarah would let him jump into the pool or Uncle Tom would play chase me. Taylor and Gramma
For those of you who know how Grace eats, we have found the secret. Spend three hours every morning at either the pool or beach and sit her next to her un-picky cousin or watching a movie. She ate so well last week at all three meals I thought she would have gained more than one pound, but alas only one registered on the scale. However, she did eat spaghetti and meatballs again which she had begun to turn her nose up at and tried several new types of chips and even Polynesian sauce from Chick-fil-a. She ate ice cream most nights in honor of her Papa (Mommy did too.) On most days she ate a blueberry waffle, some bacon and some fruit for breakfast(whoa), a small snack on the beach of juice and pretzels, a ham and cheese sandwich, fruit, chips and a cookie for lunch and chicken nuggets and fries for dinner followed by a bowl of ice cream. This was unprecedented and we didn't even have to fight her on it.
Grace loved the pool, of course. The gulf was green with either seaweed or algae, we weren't sure. It would stick to everything. It was so dense on some days that several fish were killed. When the stuff would go out with the tide and the water was clearer, there were small sand sharks a foot off the shore and several jellyfish were seen. The last day we were there, several children, Grace included, left the water itching. No one was stung that we knew of, just itching which was cured by washing off in the showers and then swimming in the pool. So it ended up that usually after about an hour on the beach, mommy and Grace, Taylor and Papa would end up at the pool until lunch. Grace loved the pool because it was only 3 to 5 feet deep and the stairs were wide and easily played on. She started bobbing in the water and loved diving for her princesses. She even swam the width of the pool on one breath. She practiced her strokes and loved diving in. She made friends with a little boy and his sister and looked for them everyday at the pool.
As for me, I have sworn off of tomato sauce. It looks like pizza, spaghetti and things of the sort are causing my own sleeping issues. After a night of yummy spaghetti, I spent the night sitting up on the couch to sleep with acid reflux. Nothing would cut it. Finally around four I was able to lay down on the bed with 4 pillows under me. It is becoming increasingly hard to sleep more than two hours at a time. I am definitely going to have to go to bed earlier.
Tom enjoyed his beach trip; he read I believe four and a half books over the 7 nights we were there. It would have been more except, the last book he is still reading doesn't seem to grab his attention like the others. He heads for the prosecutors conference this Saturday (my birthday). He will no doubt get in some more reading while there. He was also disappointed in the gulf waters being so murky. Grace tried very hard to play and swim in it, but it was just gross.
Well we have a week and then we are headed to Cortez, Fl for our last hurrah of the summer. Grace and I will fly and Tom will drive to meet us there. It should be filled with more fun and family and swimming. Enjoy the last few weeks before school starts!

Busy week

We have had a very busy week. It started with a bang on the fourth, with good food, friends and family at a swimming barbeque. We then organized a very messy garage. Since then we have been practicing our swimming in preparation for our visit to the gulf shore. Sarah now has her official retainer and took a blood glucose and anemia test yesterday. We also had the water feature on the refridgerator fixed and the arrow man to visit. Tomorrow we head off for hopefully some sun on the shore. After this very stormy week, where several houses in the area burned and trees were heavily damaged, we are looking for some sunshine. Georgia may need the rain, but enough of the thunder and lightening.
Well we will update you on all the fun things we do. Grace wants to ride the bumper boats and Tom plans on some heavy reading. We'll see how things go.
As Tigger says "TTFN, Tah tah for now."

Yahoo!

It has been a very exciting week for Sarah. She got her top braces off her teeth and is smiling everywhere she goes. The bottom braces will have to await the safe arrival of our pumpkin in October so that the oral surgeon can complete the dental implants started last summer. It involves minor surgery and local anesthetic, and drugs after the procedure. Then the rest of the braces will come off. Sarah promises to wear the retainers as much as humanly possible, she does not want braces ever again. Hopefully twice is the charm.
In other news, we bought a freezer in order to buy in bulk and freeze for future use. This long weekend looks to be full of cleaning out a garage and hopefully better organizing in order to be able to get to everything in the garage and still have usable space. Tom is thrilled, another project thought up by the less than fully able pregnant lady. NO grumbling yet. We shall see.