Even Kevin was impressed with the treatment we got yesterday. There is nothing like the audiologist’s kid going in for an ENT surgery! She was such a VIP and laughed and flirted with everyone in sight. It was a day of a lot of emotions packed into a very short hospital trip.

I can tell you that it always feels good to be a patient at the hospital you work at. You feel very safe (and when even the check-in receptionist calls you Dr. Rowland, you feel important) and I know that Jenna is getting the best care there is.

But the feeling that will stay with me forever is the feeling I got when Jenna was under anesthesia. I had a quick, “prayers please” text ready on my phone and sent it right when they took the baby away from me. For the next 15 minutes, the entire time she was under, my phone never stopped beeping. Text after text saying “Done.” “Got it.” “Praying Now”.
The peace that was with me knowing that all of my incredible friends were praying for my baby, right at that moment, literally took my breath away. I am always just so THANKFUL. What did I do to deserve so many wonderful people in my life?

Here is our morning in pictures….

Early Monday morning, Jenna, Daddy and Woody are waiting to see if she is well enough to have the surgery.

Once we got the go-ahead, she got to put on her cool scrubs. I had the inside scoop on her size scrubs and so the binkie matching is not a coincidence, my friends. I'm good.


And before Kevin could even find coffee, she was finished. The VIP treatment was intensified in recovery and I swear it made Jenna recover better! She was made for that kind of attention. There was confusion at first and definitely some tears and a "MAMA". But then, instantly, she was smiling at everyone. Talking about her "appa ju" and giggling deliriously at the fact that her bink was in a specimen jar.




She was "recovered" and the car was pulled up from valet within 35 minutes of her coming out of the OR. Gaga and Papa came over to see the patient. She got a cookie with tons of icing, a balloon and a new baby monkey. She loved it all and was modeling her scrubs and sticking EKG electrode pads all over her head and laughing all afternoon.

Kevin took spoiling to a whole new level when he insisted on going to Target the second we got home and inexplicably coming back with this.

I had gotten the child really cool Popsicles as her recovery gift. Which you can see she's enjoying as she's waiting for Dad to put together her 4_WHEELER.

I'm sure you're noticing in all these pictures that the baby really doesn't have enough stuff to play with. So an ATV really shouldn't have confused me so much.

But when she figured out how to make that thing go - - I cannot even tell you how excited she was. This picture doesn't even do justice to the joy! I now love the thing and think it's a perfectly acceptable gift for getting tubes!

She even got to go outside to ride. In her scrubs - because she had JUST HAD SURGERY! We had to remind her several times that she was sleepy and she finally fell out for a nice, 4-hour anesthesia-induced nap.

Insomnia=Pictures

Life has been a little hectic these last few weeks. Jenna started daycare on February 1st. She got her first ear infection on the 11th of that month.....and hasn't been well since! One thing after another - every single week - this child is sick. So today we head in for tubes. I am hoping this will relieve her somewhat. I know it will at least make those ears feel better and keep her hearing perfect as she is learning new words every minute. I'm really not that nervous about the surgery, but my body seems to think I should be. I've been up all morning - a cup of coffee already down by 5 AM. The good news is, I have organized and uploaded 2 sets of pictures for this blog! So - here are a lot of pictures of the redhead the last couple of weeks. She doesn't quite look herself in any of them but for a really sick baby, she's still so damn cute!

We took her to the Montgomery County Fair and though it's hard to tell in the pictures - she had a blast!

First Fair corndog - - a little harder to handle than a Sonic corndog!

First "rollar coaster" with Dad. She doesn't look impressed, but she LOVED it! Wanted to ride again and again.

I am way too pregnant to ride on a merry-go-round- standing up - with her, but Kevin was out on this one and she had to go on it! It was worth it and I stayed on my feet (but the thing really went fast!!) She had her first taste of cotton candy - and wasn't that into it. Kevin spent a million dollars, shot a million darts and hit a million balloons to win her a silly bear that she LOVED for about 45 minutes.

And what could be more fun than a FAIR? A boat ride to grandma and grandpa's. Queso and chips while sitting on her favorite perch in the kitchen. We totally could have skipped the fair.

And the obligatory bluebonnet pics! Kevin's Aunt and Grandmother were in town this weekend from South Caarolina. I absolutely LOVE their company and had a beautiful time finding the LAST patch of these flowers with them!

Eduardo Tico Rowland

I remember the first day I saw him – almost 5 years ago. It was a Friday afternoon at Cook’s and things were slow. CookNet was an intranet system for employees to post wants and needs. Things they were looking for, “WANTED: 2 tickets to Disney on Ice next Thursday”. Things they wanted to get rid of, “I have 20 moving boxes – only used once – free to whoever comes to get them.”
And things they wanted to sell, “FOR SALE: Male Boston Terrier- 6 months old – my mother can no longer take care of.”
And there were pictures.
He had a curly tail. I remember thinking right away, “If I’m going to talk Kevin into this, I have to hide the picture with the tail.”

We were in no way looking for a new dog. Landon was very young and quite content to terrorize Chandler. And, let’s face it; Chandler is high-maintenance enough.

But I loved this dog.

I showed Kevin the cute picture of his face that Friday night. He immediately said no and I quickly talked him into just driving to SEE the dog Saturday morning. We were throwing a couple’s baby shower that night and were expecting about 60 guests. We had to go to CostCo and a few other last minute errands, so he caved and said we’d go by and see him.
It was a further drive then I expected-- to a trailer park near a small airport. There were about 20 kids running around playing… and we saw him right away. He was tied to a tree, with ribs poking every which way, panting his little tongue – and jumping up and down like a cartoon character. It was about 90 degrees outside that day.

When we walked up, I saw Kevin kick an empty water dish upright… and I knew we were getting a new dog. He talked to the family while I introduced myself to the kids who claimed Tico as their own.
On the way back to the car – the puppy rolled over on his back and just laid there like he was in trouble. We rode to the nearest ATM in silence, Kevin pulsed some money, and we drove back to the trailer park. We honestly didn’t even discuss anything about it. We just knew that he was our dog.
Money and papers were exchanged, the kids cried and took pictures of Tico, and I held him tight to me and told him his name was Ed.
We got home, introduced him to Chandler, and promptly locked them in the garage as we had a party to get to.

I remember the mother-to-be was opening gifts when I saw him in someone’s lap. He had obviously gotten out of the garage and this strange dog that was dehydrated and dirty – was sitting in a guest’s lap. And that was Eddie. I’ve never had a single person to my home since that day that Eddie hasn’t been in their lap. He was so loving and friendly – from the first day I owned him.

Last week, after we heard the devastating news that baby Eddie had an inoperable tumor in his spine, Kevin and I took turns holding him and telling him this story. We told him all about that day – and many other days – where he made us laugh with his silly, loving self. Eddie went to the rainbow bridge last Friday at 3:30 in the afternoon.
Thank you to my dear friend who sent me this – I think it is so very true….

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.

There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.

The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Some of my favorite pics of a wonderful dog~

Our last day together - my two sick babies on their pallet - - - with Chan supervising..