Yesterday was the official registration day for the 2nd Grade. When Tyler went to his class he found this on his desk. It had a bag attached with all of the items in it. I thought that was very sweet! I can tell she is already very organized.

Uniforms - I like the look but Tyler kept questioning me about having to wear it every day.

Not the best picture of us but it will have to do - for now. His official 1st day is Monday so we will see if we can get a better one.....

And one with our special visitor!

Tyler has had some tummy issues. I asked him tonight if his tummy hurts because he is nervous. Jackpot. I told him the story of my tummy issues. I had plenty and every morning I tried to use it to stay home from school. I said look at me know - I made it through 2nd and 3rd and 4th. He interrupted and said - yeah but your old.

Thanks.

He really is nervous about school and I can relate but it isn't going to keep him from going.

looking good!

I have a new look again! I tried to do it myself and I would be very happy to announce that I did. However after trying and trying I could never get it figured out. It sounds so easy I was told - you just clip this and download that then layer it on here and save it as this......I think they lost me at the so easy part. My sister and best friend don't seem to find it as difficult as I do. They both did amazing jobs at their own blogs. So I decided last night I was going to do it to. So I sat in front of the computer, loaded my blog and really tried. For about 2 seconds. Then I just decided since I have such great sister/friends that I didn't need to do it myself when they are willing to help me!
Thanks girls!

All By Himself!

I never thought these words would ever come out of my mouth

My husband fixed an electrical cord all by himself.

You heard right. All by himself!

Our dog is going through his chewing everything in site phase. If you leave it near him he will chew it to shreds. Unfortunately we forgot to let our special visitor in on this and she put him outside on his line and did not move EVERYTHING close to him away. So pool cord - chewed to shreds. She was completely devastated and called me crying. I told her it would be fine - I really didn't know how it was going to be but I just wanted her to feel better. I called Charlie and let him in on the news. He didn't have the same optimism.

So he started researching. After calling a friend he actually considered fixing it himself. I thought he was kidding and laughed out loud. I could tell by the hurt expression on his face he was serious. So Saturday afternoon we headed to the local Target and got the new plug. We got home and he told me what he was going to do like he actually knew what he was doing. I watched and encouraged - he needs a lot of that anyway but I figured while doing something this grand he actually deserved it!

He finished it. Plugged it in. It worked!

Miracles do happen. Now I have proof!

Chase Daniel

I had the most amazing day ever.

I got to witness this little guy make his grand entrance into the world.

It was awesome.

I didn't think I was going to be able to be there but was happily surprised to be able to.

(big shout out to the boss! Thanks!)

I have NEVER been in a delivery room. Honestly I don't even know all the baby birthin lingo.

Case in point - I called my friend around noon to see how she was doing and to let her know that if she gave me enough advance I was going to get to come.

She said she was 5 cm dilated and 70% effaced.

What exactly is dilated and what the heck is effaced.

Anyway - she said she would call me around 6 or 7.

TONIGHT?

She cracked up.

Honestly I had no idea.

She said no silly when I am 6 or 7 cm dilated.

OOOOOOHHHHHHHH!

Again - what does that mean!?!?!?

So she said just be here at 1 he should be born around 2. So sure enough she started pushing around 1:30 and at 1:45 this little blessing entered their lives.

I will never forget it. I just looked at him and thanked God.

Precious. Just Precious.

Little things you don't know

Because I am quiet and you will never find these things out about me in a normal conversation I decided to take Big Nanny's meme on....

What I was doing 10 years ago:
We lived here in TN but were feeling the tug to move back to Boston. We wanted to try to have a baby one more time and in Boston it was covered under my husbands health plan. We moved back to Boston in November of 1998. I got a job with Old Navy and worked my way up to management and stayed with the company until 2004 when I gladly turned in my retail cap for.ever. We did try to have a baby during that time and were unsuccessful. We were not privy to God's plan at this point.

Favorite Snack:
Twix Candy Bars
Cherry Garcia Ice-cream

To Do List:
PTA meeting tonight
E-mail people to sign up for Team Kid - yes you reading this right now -sign up already!
Get Team Kid Curriculum's ready
Call Tabitha
Cook Dinner

Jobs I have had:
Waitress at The Triple "D"
Cracker Barrel cashier
Teacher's Assistant
Vocational Instructor for Special Needs Adults
Old Navy Manager
Preschool Teacher
Office Assistant

Places I have lived:
Tennessee
Texas
Maine
Massachusetts
Pennsylvania
Tennessee

Bad Habits:
Twirling my hair
Saying "since when?" to Tyler - just ask him
Throwing things away - if it isn't where it is supposed to be I chuck it.
Spending money on Tyler
Not telling Charlie what I spend

5 Random Things People May Not Know:
1. When I was 16 my sister ran over me with our tractor. We were too lazy to walk to the field behind our house so we took the tractor. I sat on the top and she drove - it got stuck in 3rd gear and when she went around a corner I fell off and she ran over me.
2. I hate it when people sneeze. All I can think about it how much stuff just came flying out of their mouths into the air I am breathing. I hold my breath until I feel it is safe to breath again.
3. When I was a toddler and I didn't want to eat I would hold my breath until I passed out. This made my mother panic until she realized that when I passed out I would breathe again.
4. I like to hold my breath.
5. To stop crying I count. It takes my mind off of whatever I am crying about - sometimes I have to count to 1 gillion but eventually I stop.

CD's I would want if I were stranded on an island:
All of Rascall Flatts - that covers it.

What I would do if I were a billionaire:
1. Give to my church.
2. Pay off debt. Ours and our parents.
3. Buy my mother in law a house - she has never owned her own house.
4. Build our dream home.
5. Start an adoption agency

It's really over

Tyler's relationship with Spiderman is officially over. He took down ALL of his stickers, posters, pictures from his bedroom walls last night. He is really "done with Spiderman". I asked him what he was going to put on his walls now? He quickly responded with "the Hulk".

Not gonna happen.

Ever.

He will never sleep in his room again if I hang Hulk on his wall.

Why am I so blue?

I have been in a slump! Can't really explain what I am feeling just that I am feeling out of sorts.
A few things have been on my mind.
My son is about to enter 2nd grade and I just can't believe that is possible. Then I start to panic - is he ready, does he know what he needs to, what do I need to cram in his little brain the two weeks before school starts so he is ready? He isn't at all ready for this. Last year was his first year at public school. We LOVED the school he was in before but circumstances happened and I had to get a job. We needed the job to help pay for this school and had everything worked out and then our "ride" decided to home school. Good for her but bad for us. The school is about a 30 minute drive in the opposite direction of my new job. The timing was never going to work for me to get him to or from school. I was devastated. I think I still am because it is about the same time last year that this all went down. We had to withdraw him from the old school and enroll him in the new school within a 2 day period. We tried to explain it to Tyler the best we could but his first question was what about my friends.....that did it. I think I cried for 3 days. Even the secretary in the new school could tell how upset I was over this whole thing and tried to give me a pep talk. Sweet but she had no idea. We always want to do the best for him and I felt like we were letting him down. I still go on the website for the old school and sit and hope that someday he can go back there.
Another thing that has been consuming me is the new dress code for our school. I am not opposed to a dress code - I think it is a great idea especially as kids get older. The problem I have is finding pants/shorts that fit. We have had a growth spurt lets just say and now need to shop in the husky section. Problem is there is no husky section in ANY store. I have had to do all of my back to school shopping online. It has all been by trial and error that we finally found the brand and size that fits the best - 3 tries later. So thank you Gap, thank you.
I also am trying to figure out how I can be more active with school and work full time. I am feeling really guilty at not spending enough time at school. I should know more of the faculty there. I want to know who is getting my son out of my car in the line. I want to know what goes on during the day. I want to be an involved parent! How do you do that and work? My dilema.
I also am getting ready for the fall to start back with our Wednesday night programming at church. Organizing people, getting curriculum's in order, making phone calls, printing pictures. All in my spare time of course. I love the little preschoolers and really have a heart to be around them. I just get sad that none of them are mine. We are working on that though.....that is for another day.
Mimi B has been here and has been very sick so far the entire visit. She usually gets a cough just from the change from Boston weather to here but this visit it has been really bad. She feels bad she is sick but can't do anything about it. The nights are the worst for her so pray for healing so she can enjoy some of her time with us. We don't get to see her very often so we feel a little robbed of our time with her.
So maybe all of this combined is just getting to me.
Prayers needed.

The Note

A little history...

This week Tyler went over to a friends house to play. This friend has a Wii system just like Tyler's. The difference is he has tech savvy parents that actually know how to use it and have all these cool characters like Darth Vader and Yoda on there. WE however have no idea how to get these said characters. I tried reading the manual but it was like reading Latin or Spanish - I didn't understand it.

At. All.

We did figure out how to go to certain screens but then we would always get to a point where it said to hook it up to the Internet - you can do that? Didn't have a clue.

You can also have parades, transfer your characters to other peoples systems and play as yourself, shop, look at pictures - all sorts of things that we didn't know.

We thought we were buying a game system not a new computer.

ANYWAY - Tyler was very adamant about calling this friends daddy and asking him how to get all this marvelous stuff for his Wii. So he left us a note...

Tyler's note said:

Call Brent. Ask how to buy stuff or I'll smear your chest and it will hurt.

I am guessing the note was really intended for Daddy because my sweet boy would never hurt his Mommy.

Helping a friend

Like the new header up there? Want one too? Go here.

My friend is starting a new venture - go help her out!
She is very creative and can do almost anything!

What is the number again?

So I walk in the door and the first words out of Tyler's mouth are:

"Mommy, your message said you would call me back. You never called me back!"

UH-when did you call me? I check my cell phone and there is no missed calls, no messages - nada. Then I start to thinking. There is only one number Tyler knows.

I go to the phone and sure enough there is a message waiting.

From Tyler.

He called ME to find out where HE left his ear plugs.

This is funny for two reasons
One - the fact he can't remember where he left his ear plugs and thinks that I will just "know".
Two - because he is home with his Mimi and she asked Tyler for Mommy's number and he gave her the number to call! So basically she called herself.

I do know one thing for sure now - if Tyler ever needs to call me. He knows the number.

Good-bye Spiderman - Hello Hulk

Tyler announced today that he was no longer into Spiderman. Out of the blue.

His new obsession.....The Hulk.

We spotted these underoo's at Walmart and indulged him.

I remember Underoo's when I was little - my brother had Aquaman.

We didn't realize they would give him extra power strength!

The funny part of the whole Hulk thing is he is deathly afraid of him. So much afraid that if you say he is coming on t.v. he suddenly has to get a drink or go to the bathroom. He will call from the other room and ask - "is he gone?" before he re-enters the room. This has been the normal for our guy - he seems to obsess over things he is afraid of.

He must not be afraid of Spiderman anymore.

Click Here

My new obsession! My goal is 30 but I have yet to achieve it.

Say no!

I really have to learn to say no. I think I am getting in way over my head - again. I always get through it but it's a struggle. I am taking on something I know little about - communications. Charlie would probably agree with me too! As most people know I am VERY quiet. So quiet in fact my High School voted me "most quiet" for Senior Superlatives. Shocking I know. I just don't talk.
So now my no talking self is going to be on the PTA board for communications.....this should be very interesting. I have ideas, tons of them. I just don't always communicate them. I don't think anyone wants to hear them...I talk myself out of saying them because I don't want to look stupid. But then someone else will say the EXACT same thing I just talked myself out of saying and everyone is like - Susie what a GREAT idea! Wait, I had that idea too.....but too late, already been said and now if I say anything I will look like an even bigger idiot than I did before. I need some confidence. LOTS of confidence or this is going to be one painful year. I am excited to be on the board. I always believe that you can't complain about something and then do nothing to fix it. So feeling a lot of poor communication with the school last year I decided I would offer to help. Little did I know this would lead to being on the actual PTA Board. Silly me.
So pray for me. I need to learn how to speak up. I just don't like to be the center of attention and when you talk everyone looks at you!
I really need to learn how to say no. That is what the real problem is.

Special Visitor

Tomorrow at 5pm our special visitor arrives......I love it when this particular visitor comes because I don't have to do housework the entire time she is here. I love her.

She cleans things I don't even know are dirty.

She always cleans out my fridge....it's scary in there.

Laundry is her specialty too. Even if there is only one pair of shorts in the hamper - she'll wash it. She always leaves it nicely folded at the end of my bed for me to put away. I love her.

She can't cook worth a durn but she can do dishes. She likes doing dishes. And sweeping. And mopping. Oh I can't wait till the cleaning fairy gets here!

The question you all are asking....

So how does Charlie recovery from heart surgery you ask?

By playing this....

With his brother-in-law Corey

It is really cute but do you see there on the screen it says

"flick the wii remote to swing"

that means it requires absolutely no movement - so it is perfect for someone who isn't supposed to be doing much but requires constant entertainment.

Fun on the Fourth

We had a relaxing fourth of July this year. I think Tyler spent most of it in the pool! I spent my day watching Tyler swim in the pool. My sister and her family came up for the weekend and hung out with us. Mimi and Papa spoiled us all with some great food.

I loved it because I didn't have to lift one finger!

Tyler helping Fiana Mae keep afloat.

Horsing around with a friend....
With the new Target just down the street not only gives us convenience with shopping but an annual fireworks show - right in our backyard! No more fighting traffic!
Smile boys!Charlie is doing so well. His worse time is through the night. He is great during the day and I think he overdoes it because he feels so good. He gets tired easy and has to lay down but then he is right back into it. He just needs to take it a little slower....

Operation Charlie - Complete!

I have never been one to worry. I just don't. It drives Charlie crazy because he is the polar opposite. In fact his gift is finding the absolute worst case scenario and betting on it to happen. Today was no exception - for me that is. I realized today that I don't worry because when you lay it all at Jesus' feet - you don't have to. My prayer this morning was "I am ready".

Ready for whatever you have for us through this surgery.

Ready for any result this surgery has.

Ready for whatever I need to do to get Charlie through it.

Ready to let it all go and give it over to You.

Know what? God ROCKS!

The absolute best case scenario happened today. The surgery went off without any complications AT ALL. This is a first for Charlie. The surgery only took 2 1/2 hours. Another first. Charlie got to come home. Another first. I am just amazed what doctors can do in such a small incision. The doctor even tried to make it cosmetically "pretty". Not sure it looks all that pretty right now but again we are trusting....

I tried to get as many pictures as I could to take you through our day....

Here he is looking at these items like he doesn't know what to do with them....Hello - this was surgery #13!

Looking pretty in his new duds
waiting for the nurse to bring in the "happy juice"
After it was all done.....
Home on his comfy couch - with remote in hand. Not watching t.v. he just sleeps better with it.
Thank you to everyone who prayed, called, emailed and came by the last few days/weeks. This has literally been the most supported we have ever felt before a procedure. It is really great to have such wonderful people surround you and love on you when you need it the most.

And just to show he has a sense of humor - when we got in the car to go home the song on the radio was

"I'm all right, don't no-body worry 'bout me"

Funny God, Funny.

Pre Op - Complete!

Pre Op

All is a go for surgery tomorrow a.m. at 7. The doctor thinks we will get under way around 8 and really expects it to be a few hour prcedure, a few hours in recovery and then sending us home. That would be just fine with me! There are several "what if's" that could happen and if either one of them do we are looking at an overnight stay or a few days in the hospital. So the first option is the one we are going to pray for.

Tyler did sort of get some sweet revenge today....He got to watch Daddy get poked with a needle for some blood work. I didn't hear Daddy scream like he did though....trying to show him how to be tough!

I wanted you to see the before Charlie. I will be sure to get the "medicated" Charlie and then the after Charlie.
It's the after Charlie that Tyler and I are ready for.