On a normal day.........

So there are days that I feel completely worn out and am sick of being mommy. These two days were a little like that, however, now that those days are over I look at these pictures I took and I can see how these are the moments I will remember fondly and wish for when my kids are grown! 

The first picture was on a Sunday night, church, of course was an all day affair, with Jon being gone for most of it, choir and youth meetings etc. The kids were running around crazy, as they usually do on Sundays, we'd already had 2 or 3 spills at dinner and I was really tired and burnt out! I had made cream puffs for dessert, filled with chocolate pudding and when Brennan bit into his, "POOF" it exploded all over his face. So, that was BIG time comic relief and we laughed and laughed!!! 

The second was on a very busy morning, I was trying to get out the door, had a million and three errands to run, had just made my bed and then ran to get something from downstairs and came up to see my two babies and Sophie (the dog) with all my pillows off, M&M's smeared on and vitamin water spilled on them for a "tea party" Playing "boat" in my room.

If this had been my first two kids, I know I would've gotten way upset. But, I hope I've chilled a little and instead I sat down with them, ate a few mushy m&m's, drank some "tea" and took a picture!

These truly are the moments that are the spice of life!

I get tired sometimes, and would love a little peace and quiet on occasion (well ok, every night about 5:30 pm!) but I enjoy this time of life, it is hectic, busy, crazy, CRAZY!!!!!!! And I wouldn't trade it for the world!!!!

Ty-Bug's baptism

I am so happy for my little Ty-bug, he was baptized at the beginning of January and although this is a big step in his life, I feel like a lot of things are big things in his life!

Tyler was not your run of the mill, easy child to bring into this world, in fact, his whole existence is pretty cool! There is a reason we call him Ty-BUG!!!

I had lots of problems (to say the least) when I was pregnant with him. Long story short, I had an abruption (when the placenta breaks away from the uterine wall) at 12 weeks, and was on bed-rest for 6 weeks at home. Then at 23 weeks, my water broke and I got to spend the next 71/2 weeks in a luxurious hotel called, the HOSPITAL!!!! in the pre-natal unit. And I'll tell you what, I HATE hospital food!!!!!! HATE IT HATE IT HATE IT!!!!!!! I also learned to HATE the nursing schedule! However, I learned more in those 2 months about love, faith, compassion, sacrifice, service, patience, humility and unselfishness, than I have or probably ever will learn again. I LOVED that! Also, sponge baths are not all they're cracked up to be, let me tell ya!!!

Anyway, Ty was born at 30 weeks, when he was a minute old, I got to touch his little teeeny blue foot before they whisked him away to the NICU to bag, intubate and try to keep him alive. He was the size of a big m&m bag and when I mean he was blue, I mean BLUE. Absoloutely the scariest moment of our lives. 

I got to go see him about 2 hours after he was born and even though I had toured the NICU and read and talked to so many Dr's a lot about what to expect nothing could have prepared me for what I saw. There were about 20 chords coming in and out of his tiny little body, there were monitors everywhere, little tiny glasses to cover his little eyes, an oscillating respirator to breathe for him and he was shaking violently from the ventilator that was helping his lungs. It was extremely overwhelming and I couldn't even hold him!!!! I will never forget the Dr's giving the grim, but hopeful prognosis and my dad and Jon giving him a name and a blessing right there, because there was a very, very good chance he wouldn't make it. I am literally shaking thinking about it now!!! He is our little miracle.

However, in the days and weeks that followed, Tyler was amazing! He was and always has been quite  a little fighter!! He was only in the NICU for a month and came home at 4 lbs on oxygen and a heart monitor. He was on those for 2 months and I remember the day we got to take off his oxygen mask, it was a party!!!! Since then, we have had numerous tests and "preemie" Dr appointments. Lots of kids that were that early and had "intra-uterine" challenges, have major handicaps. Many have cerebral palsy, deafness, autism, allergies blindness, ADD, and reading dis-orders. Miraculously, Tyler has none of those. He has struggled a little with some learning things, but this year especially, he has really done so well!

I tell you all this not because I want your sympathy. I tell you because I firmly believe we are given challenges for a reason. We learn from our trials and we learn from our kids!!!

Tyler is a fighter, he is a happy, strong, go getter kid! He works hard, is feisty and always, always thinks of his mom-we're pretty tight!!!! (I guess that's to be expected!)

I am so proud of my Ty-Bug. I'm proud of his decision to be baptized, I'm proud of his life and I'm proud and so very thankful to be his mom and the lessons he has taught me. They are the best lessons I have ever learned!!!

Love you Bug!

Salem Hills SkyHawks #24

Well, if any of you know Josh, the first thing that should come to your mind is, BASKETBALL.

It has been his one true love since his very first hoop that he got when he turned 2.

It's always come pretty easy to him, he's played on numerous teams and watched enough of it to know the game inside out and backwards.

When he was really little he would cry and cry when the Jazz lost and idolized "John Stopton" and  "Ka-Marl Lamone" (I think you can figure out who they are!)

Well, now he's a big high school kid all grown up and playing Sophomore ball for the brand new Salem High SkyHawks. Things are not as easy as back in the day when he was in Jr Jazz!! 

He has had to work REALLY hard this year, and is realizing to be good, you've got to play HARD and TOUGH!! 

Life's lessons are hard sometimes, but I'm really glad he's learning good ones from being on this team, like nothing in life is worth anything unless you work hard at it and that things that are good, don't always come easy!!!!

I'm proud of my biggest boy, he is working so hard at a passion that is so real to him.

I hope he keeps it going, I think he's got so much potential and know that he can accomplish awesome things in his life! 

You are always number 1 to us bud!

GO SKYHAWKS!!!!!!! WHOO HOO!!!