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..

Box Of Soap

For those of you who don’t have Facebook accounts, I will briefly explain the Status phenomenon. When you log-in to FB, you are prompted with a box that asks: “What are you thinking?” What you write in that box (whether it’s once a month, once a day or SEVERAL times a day) is your Status. Status updates range from telling quick, funny stories about your kid, to bitching about traffic, to quoting Jersey Shore episodes. But lately, Facebook statuses (stati?) have become dares.

“I am a Christian and love the Lord. If YOU love God, cut and paste this as your status. A brazillion of you won’t be brave enough to post this.”
“It’s ‘I Love My Sister Week’. If you love YOUR sister, cut and paste this as your status.”
“If you like the song “Pants on the Ground”, copy and paste this as your status.”

These things don’t bother me. I personally never seem to copy and paste them. I AM a Christian and I DO love my sister, but I’m just not going to do it today. (BTW – Pants on the Ground is on my nerves.) But the point is… these posts don’t bother me at all.
The latest Facebook dare is along these lines:
“Millions of Americans are dying because of our jacked up healthcare system. We are living in a country with all these TERRIBLE hardships. Yet we’re sending money to Haiti. I’m sick of people helping Haiti - - we need to help our own!!!! If you’re brave, copy and paste this as your status.”

Guess what. This is bothering me.

I understand that America has many hardships, especially with the economic crisis that we’re in. Anyone who thinks we are OUT of this economic crisis, I’m sad to say that I sincerely disagree. I feel it everyday at work- and I work at a big, beautiful, very well funded hospital. I imagine I am hit the LEAST hard right now, yet I am reminded everyday that we aren’t where we were 4 years ago. I KNOW that our healthcare system is far less than ideal. I think a change is warranted…I just don’t agree with Obama’s plan for that change (I won’t get started on that).
On and on and on – I know America has a lot of problems. MY problem is that I feel we only have Americans to blame for these problems.

You don’t like Obama and wake up angry at the White House? Guess what. WE elected him. Love Obama and want to blame it all on Bush (or –I’m sorry – “previous administrations”)? Guess what. We elected him, too.
Don’t like our healthcare system? I’m sorry. I’m a tad jaded on this subject. Not everyone abuses the system. So. Many. People. abuse the system.
I’m sick of telling parents that their babies have hearing loss and have to wear hearing aids their entire lives and then, as the parents cry into each other’s shoulders, I glance through their paperwork and cross my fingers that they have Medicaid or Chip. You see, if they DO, their child will get hearing aids for free. If they DON’T, if they have Aetna or United Healthcare or something of the sort, I have to hand them tissue and cry a little with them. Now we have to talk about the fact that you need to come up with about $5,000 – and FAST - in order for me to help your child hear.
I’m sick of fitting these “free” hearing aids on my Medicaid babies and then staring at Mom as she stares at me in disbelief that I have just told her she is responsible for the $4.95 pack of batteries the hearing aids will need each month. She is so furious, that she pulls her iPhone out of her Louis Vuitton and calls her friend to complain as I finish the fitting.
Ugghhh – I realize when I’m rambling. I’ll get to the point.
What has happened in Haiti is an absolute tragedy. It is unimaginable and utterly horrifying. I would like to use every disgusting adjective the thesaurus holds, but I don’t have a thesaurus handy. No matter that this was a low-economic country with many problems of its own; they did not bring on this disaster. Hundreds of thousands of people are DEAD. People were walking the streets, holding their dead children, because there was nowhere to take them and they couldn’t just leave them on the street. Do you understand that? Do you get it?
Don’t tell me to stop caring about Haiti and to start helping Americans. Stop it.

I am not a cynical person (I love you, Conan) and I realize this is a cynical post. I am very aware that many of you, my dearest friends and family whose opinions I honor and respect, will disagree with me and be annoyed by this. Sorry. I just had to vent my feelings before I went apeshit on Facebook and posted regretful words to my two hundred and some odd “friends” that don’t love me like you all do.

Christmas In Pictures

Although it was a month ago, Jenna still sings "Jingle Bells" at least once a day. (I'm 100% serious and you can verify with any one who is around her this month!) Therefore, I do not feel it is strange that I'm just now posting pics. And just now writing thank you notes. What?

This is how Christmas Eve Evening began. As I was running around trying to get everything laid out for church - I forgot to keep an eye on the small one.

So then I had to throw her in a tub while ironing Landon and Kevin's shirts. This is what happens when you let a 7 year old put the bubbles in the tub and don't closely monitor water levels.


Finally got them precious!



And Oh my word, they were....


In their Christmas pajamas (Landon got to finally forgo green and red when I saw these. Camo is much more his style this year!)

This was my dad's chair when he was a little boy and Jenna LOVES to sit and rock in it.


Too much sugar and WAAY too excited for Santa!

Seeing their "piles" on Christmas morning...
It took Chandler 18 seconds to understand that Jenna wasnt going to understand her stocking and that he'd likely get tons of candy - wrappers and all - if he'd let her play with HIS stocking in return. He was correct.

Opening her very first gift.....

And that was it for Jenna. She didn't open anything else. Woody was, by far, the most wonderful gift in the world. It is January 25th as I type, and we have not left the house ONE SINGLE TIME without Woody.

And Landon was (self-proclaimed) the "luckiest kid in the world" after opening this jersey. Our bank account groaned --- if we had only known we just needed a Woody doll and a Romo jersey!

Let me tell ya 'bout my BEST FRIEND....

This is fun. Landon's "big gift" was an electric scooter. It's really all he asked for. So we pulled out the scooter after all his presents from Santa. jenna got a really random Turtle so that she'd also have something with a red bow.

Landon was clearly thrilled. Baby? Not so much.......

I know this picture is kinda creepy, horror-movie-ish. But look at that child's face!!

This is a little montage I snapped of Jenna while we were getting Landon ready to ride. Please play some conspiracy-themed music in your head while viewing.

Really cool kids......

And don't get me started on the SECOND pile they received at Grandma and Grandpa's!!

We had a beautiful, perfect Christmas. I am so blessed to have these 2 amazing creatures in my life.

Blue's Clues

My previously mentioned news just keeps getting bigger and better! It’s almost to the point of comical! Still can’t make an official announcement – but I decided I could post some picture hints for anyone who reads this……

Ahhhh- - fun times!

Christmas recap - - all pics - - to come this week.

AND BONUS -- a wordy, Jaime-esque blog on being blinded by emotions. You thought the bonus was going to be the answer to this picture riddle, didn't you? Sad.

Stay tuned my friends!

If you haven't gotten this card yet - - it's on the way to your mailbox! That's why we do "happy new year cards" - - it's 2010 for an entire year! Just enough time to get them out!