My baby is 6!

I can hardly believe that I've been a mom for 6 years! Daniel turned 6 on Sept. 25. He's in kindergarten now. UNBELIEVEABLE!! Where did the time go?? I know it's been a while since I've done anything with my blog, but it's late and I'm about to head to bed. I plan on posting a lot more though. I've got an idea brewing in my head for something to blog about!!

Free at last, Free at last.....

Thank God Almighty I am free at last!!!!!!!! Today was the last day of school!! WOOOHOOO! Now, granted, I still have to go to school tomorrow and I have some meetings I have to go to next week, but I am DONE with this year's kids!!!! This has been the most challenging year I've ever had!! But it wasn't all bad....There were a few bright spots this year. I have a couple of kids I hope that I've helped this year. I am really looking forward to spending the summer hanging out with my boys! We're gonna have a ball this summer. We're talking about going to the beach and to Six Flags. We'll also go to the park, the zoo, the movies and some other things. It's gonna be a great summer.....I can't wait!! WOOHOO!!!!

An Amazing Experience

It's been a while since I posted and in that time, a wonderful thing has happened to our family. Daniel, my oldest son, accepted Christ recently. Daniel has always had a knack for understanding spiritual things. He has been curious about Jesus and God for a long time now and has been asking some very in depth questions. He has a better grasp on the plan for salvation than a lot of kids twice his age. In fact, the Thursday before Easter, he actually witnessed to another child on the playground. He has truly amazed me with his faith. I now understand what Jesus meant when He spoke of having "child-like faith." Daniel doesn't question the how's or why's of what God does...He just accepts. I am learning alot from my child about faith. On the way home from my in-laws' on a Saturday night, Daniel and I were alone in the Tahoe and we were talking (for the millionth time =) ) about Jesus and how He died on the cross for our sins. We were talking about how if Jesus lives in your heart then you can go to Heaven to live with Him one day. Daniel then asked me the question that I knew had been coming...."Mommy, how can I get Jesus in my heart?" So I explained to him that you had to tell Jesus that you are a sinner and tell Him that you are sorry for your sins. I explained that you had to tell Jesus that you want to follow Him and you want to live with Him in Heaven. Then my 5 year old little boy prayed the sweetest, most sincere prayer I've ever heard. It was an indescribable experience as I watched my son become my brother in Christ. The next morning we talked with our pastor and he asked Daniel some questions to see if he really understood what he was saying and doing. Daniel was amazing. He answered those questions with surprisingly adult answers. Our pastor told me later that he had seen 9 and 10 year olds who did not have the understanding that Daniel did. He told me he'd never seen a child as young as Daniel have such a grasp on what it meant to accept Christ. So we are going to get with our pastor and set up Daniel's baptism. I'm so proud of my little boy and I'm so thankful to the wonderful ladies at the boys' daycare. Their teachings have played a HUGE part in Daniel being where he is today. I can never thank them enough. But most of all, I thank my Savior for working in my son's life and touching his heart at such an early age. I just pray that I can continue to guide all of my boys and raise them in a way that is pleasing to God.

April Showers, May Flowers, and All that Jazz!

Ok...I'm finally getting around to Tuesday's blog assignment from SMW. Springtime.....flowers blooming, weather warming, and me sneezing!! Seriously though, I love springtime, for a variety of reasons....One being that I HATE HATE HATE cold weather!!! The only GOOD thing about cold weather is the slight chance of snow that comes with it. Other than that, you Yankees can have the cold weather!! I want my smoldering 100 degree summers!! I LOVE living in the South. I'm sure most of you Southerners have heard the joke that we have 4 seasons here in the south....Hot, Dang-It Hot, Warm, and Christmas!!! Yep....give me a good ole' Southern summer anyday. BUT we aren't talking about summer, we are talking about SPRING. I really do love springtime, in spite of the havoc that it wreaks on my allergies. Aside from the obvious warm weather (late March, early April is really the only time we don't need heat or air conditioning around here), I have always loved spring b/c my bday is April 10!! WOOHOO, yay for birthdays!! A day that is all about ME!!! Of course, if you ask Robert, EVERY day is all about me, hehehehe!! I also have developed quite a fondness for springtime lately because SCHOOL IS OUT at the end of May!! WOOOHOOO!!!!!!! Of course, there are a few things about springtime that rather suck...One being the aforementioned allergies. Also, the arrival of pesky little insects like ants and mosquitoes that have decided to wake up! Then there is the ever dreaded.....SAT testing!! YUK! BUT, the good thing about that is that testing = nearly end of school, so that's not TOO bad. All in all, spring's virtues FAR outweigh any negatives. So, bring on the April showers and May flowers.......Bring on SPRING!!

Through the Eyes of a Hurricane (Zach Edition)

The other boys have had their turn, now it's Zach's! My baby, my little bundle of joy, my four year old trapped in a one year old's body!! I suppose it is an occupational hazard of being the baby. The brothers are doing it, so Zach thinks he can do it too. Doesn't really matter what "it" is, if Daniel and Mikey can do it, so can Zach! Or so he thinks. Poor little man gets absolutely IRATE b/c he can't play T-Ball with his brothers!! He is now refusing to sit in his high chair at home. He really doesn't want the sippy cups, but he's not quite ready for big boy cups yet!! Well, rather my carpet isn't ready for him to have big boy cups just yet. He has figured out how to climb up the ladder of the boys' bunk beds....yeah, there's a trip to the ER in the making!!
Zach has definitely developed his own little personality lately. He's a very loving child, but lately his mischievous streak has starting showing itself. For instance, the other day, Mikey was sleeping on the couch and Zach walks up to him, with this HUGE grin on his face, and just starts banging on Mikey's head!!! It was pretty funny, but of course, I couldn't let Zach just beat on his brother. He also knows when he's doing something he isn't supposed to do. He look at his dad and me to see if we're going to tell him "no".
All of my boys seem to like music....Daniel LOVES to sing, Mikey likes to attempt to play instruments, and now Zach thinks he is "Lord of the Dance". Recently anytime he hears music on tv, he starts doing this weird, head bobbing dance. It's pretty funny. Combine the weird head bob with his "chicken walk" where he walks with his head stuck WAY out and his arms held behind him and he is definitely a sight to behold!!!
Well, that is by no means all of Zach's quirkiness, but I'm at school and the bell's about to ring, so I'll wrap up for today!!! More to come on my final Hurricane!!

Counting my blessings, Part 2

I've already done a post like this, but I thought I'd do another one. (Ok, well, actually, Jerinda thought that all of the SMW girls should post about what they are thankful for, hehe). So, to recap a previous post, I'm thankful for my hubby, my boys, my parents and grandparents and the upbringing that I had. I'm actually even thankful for my job...after all, it pays the bills and I am learning something from this year...how to trust in the power of prayer!!
On a more light hearted note...I'm really thankful for air conditioning!! Now I know that some of you Northerners can't really appreciate what a wonderful thing AC is, that is unless you visit the South during the months of April-October. As a born and bred Southerner, I say Bless your heart, whoever invented the air conditioner!!!! I really hope you have a special place in Heaven!!
I'm also thankful for Zaxby's Boneless Sweet and Spicy Chicken Wings. Thank you Zaxby's for introducing me to this wonderful, spicy goodness. Before this, I had never really liked wings. Thank you for changing my mind!!
Pay at the pump gas stations.....What an ingenious idea that was!! I honestly believe that a woman either invented these or talked her husband, brother, ect into inventing them. Ever tried lugging 3 kids under 5 into a gas station to pay for gas?? You inevitably come out loaded down snacks, drinks, and other stuff you don't want or need and honestly, with the price of gas these days, who can afford anything extra?? Not to mention that it takes longer to buckle and unbuckle car seats than it does to pump gas!!
Clorox Stain Out....Moms of boys know what I mean by this!! This stuff has saved untold amounts of dirt streaked, popsicle stained clothes for me!!
Getting a little more serious...I'm thankful for the daycare teachers at my boys' daycare. They have become like family to us. And they have taught my boys so much and not just academics. They are a great bunch of ladies.
Speaking of great ladies, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention my pals at SMW. These girls have been around through my final pregnancy and through Zach's journey to toddlerhood. You girls rock and I love you!!
And last but not least, my adopted daughters at school. You girls don't realize how much you mean to me. You've helped me get through a really tough year this year and I love you all!!

There is so much more that I'm thankful for.....either lighthearted or more serious. I'm an extremely blessed woman with a wonderful family and great friends. I wouldn't trade my life for anything in the world!!

Baby Fever!!

Ok, my girls at SMW have given me a serious case of baby fever!! What the heck is in the water over there anyhow???? Hearing about all of your BFP's has gotten me to thinking about when I got my very first (and my second, and my third lol) BFP. Robert and I decided around June of 2001 to start TTC. I went off BC and we thought I MIGHT be pg around our first anniversary (July 22, 2001) but turns out we weren't. So we kept trying for what to us (or to me anyway) seemed like forever, but really wasn't all that long. In January, after I got mad at the dog and cat and chased them through the house screaming like a banshee, Robert told me that he thought I needed to go get a pregnancy test. So I did and I got my first BFP!!! I was so excited!! I didn't completely trust the test though, so I called my dr and went in for a blood test. It was positive too so I called and made an appointment with my OB/GYN. I had HORRIBLE m/s with Daniel (with all 3 pregnancies actually). But other than that, I had a very uneventful pregnancy. Daniel's arrival however made up for my uneventful pregnancy. He ended up staying in the hospital for 4 extra days b/c he had low blood sugar. It wasn't serious, but it was scary, especially when you are a first time parent!! But finally, we got to bring our little boy home. And lo and behold, 5 months later (before Daniel was sleeping through the night even) I got my 2nd BFP!! If the feelings I had with my first were elation and excitement, the feelings I had when I saw that 2nd were shock, confusion, and disbelief! How the heck could I be pg AGAIN and so soon after having Daniel??? (Yeah, well, ok, I know HOW it happened, but that's beside the point!!) This pregnancy was a bit more eventful, not because of anything that went wrong during the pregnancy but b/c of trying to deal with a baby AND all the gunk that goes along with being pg!! I remember that when Daniel went with me to the dr to hear the new baby's heartbeat that first time (he was only like 8 or 9 months old) he GROWLED when he heard the heartbeat. It was hilarious!! The very first episode of sibling rivalry!! Mikey came along with no problems. Until he was 6 wks old and caught RSV his first week in daycare b/c some stupid parent sent their kid to school KNOWING they were sick, but I digress. So, let's fast forward about 2.5 years. Daniel is 3, Mikey is 2, and I have an April Fool's joke go a bit astray! We had been at my mom's house on April 1 and I play an April Fool's joke on my parents by telling them I'm pregnant......WELL, about a month later, turns out the joke's on ME! I AM pregnant! YIKES!! Well, of course, I'm SURE that this time I will have a little girl....NOT! Here comes my 3rd little boy. This final pregnancy turns out to be my most eventful towards the end of it. On Dec. 14, I was involved in a car accident. I wasn't injured, nor was Zach, but after the wreck, my BP went up and stayed up. I was put on bedrest, which really SUCKS btw, and the dr ended up inducing me on Dec 21. 4 DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS!! Poor little Zach had a much rougher time of things than his brothers. He developed pnuemonia and then we had a hard time getting him to eat and gain weight. He was in the NICU for 10 days and got to come home on New Year's Eve. I had my tubes tied the day after he was born. Sometimes I wish I could have more kids but I know that it's not really practical for us and everyone has to stop somewhere. I would do some things differently if I were to ever get pg again. Or at least I like to think I would. I would not find out the sex (or try not to); I would not be induced (Robert always wanted to do the mad dash to the hospital, lol) and I would try breastfeeding. I did for a while with Daniel but didn't even attempt with Mikey or Zach. But that's all woulda, shoulda, coulda b/c I had my tubes tied and I won't be having any more babies. Sometimes I wish I could, but I'm happy with my family. With my 3 boys...wouldn't change it for the world. It's just those darn SMW preggos that gave me baby fever!! HEHEHE!!!

***BTW, Cookie, yeah, I know this is a long post!! You should be used to them by now!! Love ya!***

My girls made me do it!!!!!!!!

Ok, Ok, Ok, SMW chicks........I'm updating my blog! HeHeHe!! I actually have had so much on my mind lately that it's been hard to sort out what to post about! Matt has been home for 2 weeks and while we haven't seen him as much as we would have liked, we had a great visit with him. I even played a matchmaker just a bit, ;) I introduced him to a friend of mine who is actually Zach's daycare teacher. I *THINK* they hit it off pretty well, I know he is DEFINATELY interested and I think she is. He's heading back to Iraq on Monday though. I'm pretty bummed about that. It's been nice having him around and the boys have really enjoyed spending time with him. Keep him in your thoughts and prayers....
My kids at school are really wearing me down. Their behaviour isn't bad enough to justify an office referral for the most part, but there are so many of them doing so many little nit-picky things that by the end of the day I am just DRAINED!! Honestly, if it wasn't for my kids from last year, it would be totally miserable going to work everyday. Seeing my babies from the previous years helps keep me going. I have been told that all I have to do is call the owners of the daycare where I used to teach and I could have my old job back on Monday. The lady who took my place has gotten on everyone's last nerve. I LOVED my old job, but it was a 45 minute drive and even though I would make the same as I make now, I wouldn't have the benefits or retirement.......But I sometimes seriously consider making that call. But I know that the best thing for me and my family right now is to stay where I'm at. It's closer to the boys and with Daniel starting school, he'd have to ride the bus if I took this job and that's something I want to avoid at all costs. But I DO miss working with the younger kids....Funny, I didn't feel this way last year. Maybe b/c I didn't have the discipline problems last year that I do this year.
We went to a birthday party today for a friend of mine's niece. She used to go to daycare with the boys and they BOTH are in "love" with her. It is really funny to see them vying for her attention.......HeHeHe, they are such little men!!
I signed the Hurricanes up for t-ball last week......$140!!! Good Lord!! I have a feeling this is only the beginning!! Daniel will also be old enough this fall to play football. I can't wait. I really don't think that football will be his game.....but he is pretty good at baseball. He has been hitting a ball that is thrown to him for a while now. I think Mikey and Zach are going to be more suited to football. They have a bigger build than Daniel. Daniel is built like me, tall and skinny!! I'm excited about them playing ball though. Of course, that is likely to change after a few practices and getting them ready for games on the Saturdays that Robert has to work, lol! Ok, well, I guess that's it for tonight.......I'll try to update more frequently!!

Where does the time go?

As I sit here and watch my boys play, I'm struck by the fact that time seems to be zooming by. When did Daniel get to be so grown up?? He no longer looks like a preschooler. I can't believe that my baby is getting ready to head to Kindergarten in 6 months. Starting to school is like stepping into a whole new phase in life, I guess. He'll no longer belong to just me and his daddy. It's like by starting school he enters the stage where his friends will start becoming his main focus, rather than us. It's sad to think that the times where he tells me that he loves me and I'm the best mommy ever will soon be replaced with "I hate you" and "You're so embarassing" I wish that I could keep this innocence that he has right now forever, but starting school is going to change all of that. I know that this is part of parenting, but it's a part of parenting that I'm not quite ready for. Have 5 years really passed by this quickly? Can't I slow down time and keep him my baby just a little longer? I feel like I'm going to blink and my preschooler will be replaced by a teenager. If it's this hard seeing him get ready to start Kindergarten, how hard is it going to be when he gets ready to head to college??? UUUGGGHHHH, I'm so not ready for this!!!!!!!

GERMS!

I'm so sick of sickness!! Daniel, Mikey, Robert, and I have all been sick since Friday. Well, Thursday really. On Thursday, I had a UTI...not fun at ALL! Then Friday, Daniel and Mikey stayed out of school...they had strep. They started feeling better on Sat, but then Robert and I got sick and are still sick. Then last night, Daniel and Mikey started running fevers again. GRRR! I hate being sick! Being sick and going to work on top of that really sucks. Seems as though Robert, Daniel and Mikey are starting to feel better...Hope I'm feeling better in the morning. All I really want to do is sleep!! I just hope that Zach stays well!!!

Random thoughts.....

Tonight's blog entry will be just some random thoughts and such. First off, I did something today that suprised even myself. I climbed up a telephone pole, walked across another telephone pole and then flew down a zip line. This was all about 15 ft in the air. I have an insane fear of heights! I couldn't believe I did this, but I did. I was very proud of myself. My homeroom and my pair teacher's homeroom went on a field trip to a ropes course today. We had a blast. The kids, for the most part, behaved pretty well. Which basically means that no one got hurt. So today was an easy day for me...we were outside most of the day, which means that I didn't have a headache when I got home this afternoon for a change!! All in all it was a really good day.
Speaking of good days....the day that Matt comes home on leave for two weeks is drawing closer. The boys are excited about him coming home....as are we all. Even though Matt isn't my biological brother, I think of him as my brother. (He's the brother I never had, and I'm the sister he never wanted....hehehehe, just kidding, I hope!! :P ) Anyway, all kidding aside, I am so very proud of Matt. Now, I realize that I've only known him for about 1o years, but in those years, I've watched him grow and mature into a remarkable man. He has really grown up from the boy that I met when I first started dating Robert. He's just really an all around great guy.
And since I'm on the subject of great days, Robert and I had a really great weekend. The Hurricanes went to stay with Stacey and Steve Sat. night and Robert and I went out with some friends. It was so nice to just hang out and not have to chase after the boys. And miracle of miracles, Sunday we got to sleep late!!! WOOO-HOOO!! AND we got a NAP Sunday afternoon. AHHH, pure bliss!! It was great!
However, tomorrow is back to normal.....No field trips, no babysitters for the night...back to the everyday routine....Who knows, maybe it'll turn out to be a fairly good day in spite of all of that!

Counting my blessings

Although at the moment it is rather difficult not to pull my hair out (especially since the boys are fighting...AGAIN), I know that I have been so blessed in my life. I was raised by wonderful (for the most part :P )parents. I had the best grandparents in the world. As I grew into adulthood, I was fortunate to be surrounded by a great support system of friends and family who were always there for me. I'm fortunate to have had the same best friend since I was 4 years old. One of the greatest blessings of my life came to me in March of 1998 when I met my husband. Robert has been everything that I could have asked for and more in a partner. He's the most loving and sweetest man I've ever known....and yes, in my case the old adage is true...I did marry a man who reminded me of my father. And he has been a wonderful father to our boys. I'm constantly amazed at how much he does for and with them. And speaking of my boys....what little miracles they are. What other word could be used to describe beings that at one moment have me pulling my hair out and fully understanding why some species eat their young, and then in the blink of an eye can make my heart so full of love that it nearly bursts? I have been so fortunate to have had 3 happy, healthy children. It's very scary to think about all of the things that could have gone wrong during my pregnancies and the boys' babyhood and all of the things that might still go wrong. I may not realize it or acknowledge it at times, but I have so far in my life been very blessed and I'm thankful for it!

Baby, It's Cold Outside....

But the only place I'm seeing any snow is on my blog page! I LOVE living in the South, except for one thing.....It hardly ever snows! It hasn't snowed at my house in 6 years! My poor children have never seen snow, never made snow angels, never built a snowman, never had a snowball fight!! In fact, it rarely gets below freezing around here...a fact that I don't usually complain about b/c I'm not a fan of cold weather. But some snow would be nice. I'm not even asking for much...just maybe an inch, a half an inch. Just enough to have fun with. So, all of you who are getting bombarded with snow, think of me and maybe send just a little down this way!!