Life is Good

Ahhhhhh! These are the days I live for. The days where you can actually sit back and enjoy the simple things in life. Seems like the past few months have been filled with one drama after another. We get so busy that we miss the actually "living" part. You look back and wonder where the time has gone, you ask how your children grew without even noticing. So today, life is good and I am enjoying it and not taking a second for granted.



Alex woke up in such a happy mood today. She was snuggly and full of giggles. While she ate her cheerios, I was able to finish the house which is now sparkling clean (only because we had a showing at noon). After breakfast, we went outside and played in the snow. Alex had so much fun. These are definitely the moments that make life sweeter. Watching my daughter taste snow, make a snow angel, wrestle with her dogs, etc.

After warming up and getting changed, cousin Jordan came over for a visit (now that he is officially a licensed driver). It was sweet listening to my 17 year old nephew play princesses in the next room. Then we went to lunch. Alex's choice: Wendy's. Lunch was filled with giggles, silliness, and lots of chicken nuggets. We had no schedule, no places to be, nothing to hurry about....we were free!



Once Jordan went home, Alex and I decided to go to Wegmans. We decided that we'd buy the ingredients for Valentine cut-out cookies. So we came home and by that time, daddy was home too. Alex sat on daddy while he did his push-ups and I mixed up cookie batter. Then it was daddy's turn to play princess. Life is good!

So as it is cold and beautiful outside, we are warm and toasty indoors. The batter is chilling, the oven is heating, and Alex is licking the spoon. The smell of vanilla and sugar cookies will soon fill the air. I love today!

The Royal Ball

Alex and her friend Gabi spent the day at Strong National Museum of Play where this weekend's theme was "The Royal Ball". It was right up Alex's alley! For those that have never been, it is an amazing place and definitely worth the trip! Besides playing throughout the museum, the girls enjoyed music & dance, meeting Prince Charming and the princesses, riding the train and shopping at the little Wegmans. Daddy is already book her birthday party!!!

For a complete view of today's pictures, visit http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AaM2LJo0ZtmTu

Disney On Ice

Last night, compliments of Channel 10, we enjoyed a night at the Blue Cross Arena. Disney on Ice performed Peter Pan, 101 Dalmations, The Little Mermaid, and Lilo & Stitch. Alex could barely contain her excitement!

A Little Update

Ok, Teri...this is for you. (Though it isn't like you don't already know everything I am going to post!)

Lots of good news to share-

After 33 days in two different hospitals and one trans care center, my father-in-law was finally released to come home. Although he is still very sick, this is a huge relief (probably for no one moreso than my mother-in-law). At this point he is still having a great deal of trouble breathing, due to the pneumonia, but his injuries are slowly healing.

We had an Open House last Sunday, and although we haven't received any purchase offers on the house yet, we had many families come through. It is nice to have all the necessay projects completed and to be able to just sit back and relax now.

Another relief is that I am not enrolled in classes this semester! It has been so nice not having to juggle that too. And now that the holidays are over, I can actually breathe.

I also just received word that I got a promotion at work. It isn't much, but every bit helps!

And yes, I did return to the fitness class last night and it was great. I have now lost 5.4 pounds since New Year's. It is coming off rather slowly due to my absense of will power, but I will take what I can get.

Since we still haven't sold the house yet, there isn't much news on the adoption front. The latest though, appears that our start will be a bit more delayed than initially planned. Apparently a new fingerprinting law went into effect earlier this month. It requires fingerprinting and background checks to not only be done on the state level, but also at the federal level. They are anticipating this additional process to take approximately 10 weeks. We shall see.

Well, that is about it.

AED anyone?

Oh my, am I ever out of shape! My sister and I decided to try out a fitness class hosted by a local church. I thought, "sure...how hard could it be, right?" Boy was I in for a shock! At one point I asked my sister if she had an Automated External Defibrillator in her purse. And the moves they do! Talk about dancing to the beat of a different drum. I was all over the place, kicking left while they were doing lunges and doing the two step while they were doing the side step. I thought that was bad enough...then the instructor announces "doubletime ladies". Let's just say it wasn't a pretty site.

And even though I could barely climb out of bed this morning, I am going to accept the challenge of returning. I must do something to get in better shape! So I (along with a billion other poor souls this time of year) have decided it's time. No more starting next monday. Today is the day. I WILL eat better, I WILL excersize, and I WILL lose weight!

Wish me luck, I am going to need it!

Happy Birthday, Betty!

Today is my mother-in-law's birthday and I thought I would take this time and share with everyone what an inspiration she is to me. On October 20th 2005, she had a gastric bypass. It has been an amazing year watching her transform both physically and emotionally.

And for those who might suggest that a gastric bypass is the "easy way out", you obviously have not seen what a bypass patient goes through. I remember the days just after the surgery, watching her so sick. Being so scared (us, not her). Each day she would say how it was a better day than the one before, an obvious lie. But she never complained. And, in time, she did heal.

And as we watched the pounds disappear, we watched her tranform into a more confident and lighthearted woman. Perhaps a glimpse of what she was in her youth. With each pound shed, we have witnessed the reclaiming of her life. Her self-esteem improved and for once, she finally began to think about herself, what made her happy, and who she wanted to be. Nearly 200 pounds lighter, she is now a new person. A person who enjoys the things in life that she once couldn't. Like running after her grandson or walking the mall with her daughter.

I think our motives for encouraging the surgery were selfish at first. We wanted a more healthy mother and grandmother. Someone who would be around to watch our children grow. Something we felt the weight would have stolen from her...stolen from all of us. But in the end, the greatest gift has been to see her happy. Happy with who she is!

So, Happy Birthday, Mom! You deserve the world!!!!

Before the surgery...


And now...

Ten years...and still ticking

Ten years ago today, I walked down the aisle and into the arms of the man I now call my husband. I look back and see the shy, self-conscious young girl I was at the time. A girl with dreams but little direction. We didn't really know where we were headed at the time, just that we wanted to travel the road together. And we did, every step side by side. We have experienced the loss of loved ones, grief over infertility, lost jobs, lost dreams. But along the way we discovered faith, love and determination. And eventually, we experienced the greatest moment of our lives, becoming parents.

10 years later, we are different people, each shaped by not only the experiences we've shared but by spending the last decade with one another. I believe I am now a more confident and focused person, characterisitcs I have learned from Shawn.

I don't know what the next ten or even twenty years will bring. I just know that I am glad that wherever the roads lead, we will walk together.

Happy Anniversary, Shawn!

Happy New Year!

Kaitlin, Nicholas and Alex ringing in the new year!