Since I last posted & other stuff........

We took advantage of the amazing weather out in Palm Springs this past weekend and went to the College of The Desert's outdoor market day. My mom met up with us and she of course made sure the girls got some cool shades to wear And Ryanne's cool hat because,"Grandma, I just DON'T do the sun!" Morgan brought the binoculars because......well I don't know why but she sure looked cute! :) You know how they say when people get their first ta too they can't stop? I wouldn't know about that; sorry blogger friends, no secret hearts on my butt or butterflies you should know about. I know, such a bummer! ;) BUT, I do think I am addicted to cutting my hair since I went short. It's just so fun a and kind of freeing if you will. No decisions on what the heck to do with it every morning and its just there and easy and cute. I love the girl who cuts my hair cause she knows me so well and does exactly what I ask her to AND gets it right. I know it's blurry but here is the back. Its all layered and choppy and fun.

I turned this black and white so you couldn't see how tired I was today. :) I Love black and white. It works miracles! Morgan took this. Good job Morgan!

Ryanne wanted her hair cut short as well so I said,"what the heck!" She loves it!
Sunday we all went back out to the desert to take a hike through Aqua Caliente Indian reservation. If you ever get a chance it is amazing and beautiful. You can hike for miles and find beautiful waterfalls and rocks and views that you wouldn't believe. The history there is rich and the people oh so nice. Great family day.

Other Random stuff:

I went for a walk yesterday and came home all dirty and bruised. When Dan saw me he was like,"What the heck? Who goes for a walk and comes back bloody?" Me I guess. I saw this older lady walking who I try and talk to every so often cause she's super interesting and I feel like God laid her on my heart a long time ago. So anyways, she was on the horse path below me and when I went down the hill to say hi and pet her dog I slipped on the wet plants and fell face first! Oooppsss! Dan asked if I was embarrassed. No, I guess I should have been but I just hopped up and kept on talking. He,heee! YOW my knees hurt today though. ;)

Monday I went into the hospital for my treatment and got all excited to see this older lady there that I knew. I rushed over and grabbed the recliner next to her and started talking away. She was so nice and jumped right in. About a half hour into it I realized she wasn't who I thought she was. ooppsss! I think I am loosing my mind. Dan said obviously she was to because she kept talking away like I knew stuff. At least she's 80 though! Whats my excuse?


Sad to report our Fire Dept. lost a Captain this week. You may have read it in the paper. The guys are really bummed and it was very unexpected as he was not sick. He was injured riding his dirt bike but they said he would be fine and then he died suddenly on Mon. They think a blood clot maybe. SO now we wait for the funeral so our guys can say good bye and lay a friend to rest. Very hard week for them all. Please keep them and also his wife and kids in your prayers.


Last but not least, well maybe least, ;) I got the call last night that I will be having surgery next Thursday. My ultra sound I mentioned a few posts ago came back clear (good news) and so did the other tests they ran but I still need surgery. They will first do a DNC and then a uteral ablation. Removing the lining of my uterus to hopefully stop my cycles. If all goes well I will get to go home later that day after the surgery. Basically this is the step they are doing to try and avoid a hysterectomy. I have been VERY anemic for some time and although some of that is from the chemo treatments I also have horrible cycles so they need to be lightened or stopped. Then the following week I will see my oncologist for iron infusions for 6 weeks. Please pray this lube job if you will works and I get back up to speed. I do OK now but OK is starting to not be enough. I need the iron to work so my body has some reserves to fight infection and stay healthy. Thanks so much for praying and for staying positive, no negative (I went through that and it was horrible comments allowed pleeeaasssee!) Ignorance is bliss sometimes people. :) Have a blessed week. :)

Daddy day and boo-boo's

Today was the day. Ryanne was scheduled for her check up and shots for school next year. Although we are home schooling her next year she still had to have everything done so I could get her into the charter program we use. She was so cute and brave. The nurses were cracking up at her during the eye and ear test and then came the big guns. I have decided it's best to be honest with your kids so when Ryanne asked me if it was going to hurt I said,"yes." I told her to be brave cause it would only hurt a couple times real quick and then she would be all done. She did amazing through the shots and the nurses gave her the "bravest patient" of the day award.....a sucker. Then we headed down to the lab where again I warned her that having her blood drawn might hurt for a minute but then we could go out to lunch and put it all behind us. I of course did what any mother of the year would do and made Dan sit in the chair with her and hold her. Let me just say its a REALLY good thing I did because the first time they poked her they couldn't get the vein and you know how they move it around and poke you trying to find it? Weeelllllll............she started to panic just a little and sweat started rolling down her face. I of course found the nearest chair to sit in before I passed out or hit one of the nurses. It really was a mixed emotion sort of thing. So when they told her they had to switch arms she started sobbing this deep, sad, pitiful sort of sob that pretty much broke my heart and sent me into tears. Ugh! After she was all done she looked at all the bandages and said,"wow! Luke is going to be like what the heck happened to you!" Everyone started to crack up. She sobbed a little more when I grabbed her from Dan's lap but then once the Tylenol kicked in she ate lunch and relaxed. So glad that is over.
In case you were wondering yeesssss she IS on the VERY small end of the chart for her age in the height and weight range. We were laughing with the Dr. cause she is only like 5'3 so she told Ryanne that petite is great! :) Ya' they do get ALL the cute size 6 shoes first don't they!!! ;)

On a MUCH more fun note Dan got to visit Ryanne's class today before her Dr.'s appointment and the kids LOVED it. Her teacher was nice enough to let us reschedule since Dan got called in last Friday.(the original day he was supposed to show up) Ryanne was so cute when he came in. She was SO quiet and whenever he said anything to her she would turn red. Cute!

It was a little bitter sweet for me because Dan has been doing this for the girls for like 4 years now and due to the fact that we are home schooling next year and wont be returning it was his last time. I don't think he was as sad about it but for some reason it got to me a little. Just another small closed chapter I guess. I hate to see what June will be like when I say good bye to everyone. At least her teacher and her family are our friends outside of school and we go to the same church so that will help. As long as she is still talking to me by the end of the year. :) Although I wonder if there isn't a little of Ryanne in her since it was her idea for Dan to start a REAL fire at the school so we could get a live demonstration. Oopppssss........was that a secret Andrea? ;)

Dan looks HUGE next to all those little people. It was fun because none of the kids this year had Dad's that were firemen so they were super excited and such good listeners.

Disneyland

Starting when Morgan turned 4 we would take a couple days and go down to Disneyland every year for her birthday. This year was Ryanne's first trip ( I know mean parents, we make our kids wait till' they were 4 to experience the happiest place on earth) :) We headed down the first night (leaving behind a snow storm) and checked into our hotel and then hung around down town Disney playing, walking, eating & just being together. So nice.We made Morgan pose with the piano so she could give a copy to her music teacher. He,hee I know, such dorks.
Dan said it was wrong that I yelled,"smile Ryanne and get used to that view!' Whaaaattt?????

"Bring on the mouse, the cotton candy, the tea cups and the fun I AM READY mommy!!!!!"

Kind of a bummer that Morgan was trying to dodge my picture taking efforts cause its a really cute one of Ryanne. Oh by the way you know how you NEVER really know how kids will react to rides and etc. Well, in case you hadn't figured it out before Ryanne is kind of a control freak (don't know where she gets it; DAN!) Anyway, she was begging to go on the big rides like Matterhorn and she barely made the height cut off (good thing I put those big tennis shoes on her and extra thick socks and told her to stand WAAAAY TALLLL) then I just told Dan,"hold on REALLY, REALLY tight to her OK, cause those belts are a joke when are 32" and weigh 34 lbs."
She never made a sound and when we were done and she came back to our planet and the shock wore off she said,"lets do that again OK mom!" She loved everything and was such a good girl. We opened the place and closed the place and she stayed awake and never missed a beat.

This is one of my favorite of the girls on the tea cups. SOOOOO Morgan. Dan had us going so fast that Ryanne was trying to keep her head up (see control) and Morgan was just flinging herself into it. I on the other hand discovered that looking through a camera & letting a very strong man spin you in circles is not such a good idea. Blaaahhhhh! We were really blessed by a couple days away as a family and cherish days like that whether big or small in size. Our girls make us laugh and I swear I never get tired of doing things like riding rides, dancing around the house or coloring with them cause they are so excited about everything. Love it!

Happy Birthday Morgan (yesterday)

Yesterday Morgan turned 8! I was emotional the whole week leading up to the "big day." I get like that every year before the girls turn another year older. I start to think about the day I first laid eyes on them and how small they were. I think about the miracles God had to perform so it would be just the right baby at just the right time in our lives.
I think about their birth parents and the sacrifice they made for us so that the dream of parenting could become a reality. How really our kids are on loan to us and just for the shortest time God entrusts us to raise them up to honor him and then they are grown.

I think about how through my kids God has taught me that he is enough. They are not here to fill a void or gap in my heart but to teach me to love God fearlessly and with complete joy. To sing louder, dance longer, roll down the grassy hill one more time. Lick the bowl, make up secret hand shakes (shhh..........don't tell Morgan) play in the rain and stay up late telling secrets.

Things I love about you Morgan;

1. It still takes you 20 minutes to tuck all your "babies" in at night.

2. You could care less about your hair or to much else but your earrings ALWAYS match your outfit.

3. You LOVE praying for people and want to know who loves the Lord and who still needs to accept him as their savior.

4. You run everywhere and sing all the time.

5. Your super tough when it comes to getting hurt and rarely cry but if you get in trouble and I look at you wrong you cry for half an hour cause, "you hurt my heart mommy."

6. You have this deep belly laugh that when something tickles you it just rolls out and everyone around you has to laugh to.

7. You have your wedding planned, who you are going to marry, where you want to live, how many kids you want and your career picked but insist learning to wash out your own curls is just to hard.

8. I LOVE that I prayed for you for two years and the thing I prayed for most was a child that was full of Gods joy and his love for others and in you he gave me my hearts desire.

9. That you always tell me how cool it will be when Jesus returns.

You Morgan are by far one of my favorite people and you are a light in this dark world. I adore you sweet girl and know you were put here to not only change our world but to be a world changer for Christ. Happy 8th Birthday!

On This Day....................

On this day 12 years ago Dan was brave enough to marry little ol' scrappy, sometimes sassy, always on the go me. Thanks honey for making them by far the MOST interesting 12 years of my life! :) I promise to keep you on your toes for another 12 and I'll try to give you less grey hair this run around. Love you!

Another Trip To The Aquarium........

We got an email a few weeks ago asking if we wanted to participate in an mural project the Aquarium of the pacific was doing and of course we jumped at the chance to spend another day doing what we love best, looking and touching ocean life. Since it appears that science is one of Morgans favorite subjects I jump at the chance to spend a whole day doing anything that falls into that category. :) The girls and myself (with my grandma as co-pilot) headed out about 7am on Tuesday morning for Long Beach. We met this little fellow there, CREEPY!!!This tank is in the tropical area. So pretty and bright that they don't even seem real.

The girls got to add their creative flare to the murals that were being worked on all over the aquarium. They loved it.

Morgan found a tree to play in. It was like 75 degrees and crystal clear on the water. When we were done petting the sharks and painting the murals we walked across the street and had lunch outside. It really was the perfect day. Minus the fact that Dan had to work. ;) We took lots of pictures and Morgan has lots to write about for her science work for the rest of the school year.

I love this one of the girls and the seal. I think the seals are just as curious about them as the girls are about the seals. This little guy played at the window for a long time and the girls fell in love. If you ever get a chance when you are in Long Beach stop in at the aquarium. The people could not be nicer, the place is spotless and even with all the school trips there it is laid out so you don't feel crowded. Lots of grass to sit and eat picnic lunches on and you can walk for miles along the waterfront when you are done. Its a great place to take really little ones to cause they can wander around with you and many things are at their eye level. We plan on going back this summer and taking a lunch to spend the entire day.

All Clear

Thanks to everyone who prayed, called, text or emailed about Ryanne. She go checked yesterday and she got the thumbs up from the Dr. No fever, no fluid in the lungs and although her oxygen only came back at 96 she is on the road to recovery. She goes back in 3 weeks to get her physical and check her one more time. I am going to attmept to send her back to school tomorrow although I hesitate because everytime I get her well and send her back she gets another chest cold. So if you think about it pray that God puts a bubble around her for the rest of the school year!! :) I am SO over her being sick with chest colds. UGH!! Morgan has had the same story except everytime I send her to the pool for practice she is sick like two days later. And she NEVER gets sick so I know its a rough year for everybody. I decided to keep Morgan out of swimming this month so she could fully recover and plus we are going to Disneyland next week for a couple of days for her birthday so I would like her to be well enough to enjoy it. :) Have a good day.