A whirlwind of weeks

These last few weeks have been a bit busy, so I thought I would just compile everything into one post.  So, what have we been up to?  Well, we have been busy.  We have played with our cousins, enjoyed a visit from Uncle Mack, had fun in the sun with water, had a new roof installed due to weather/hail damage about a month ago, ate a LOT at the Bomer crawfish boil, played with Legos, kept up with Caelin's weekly ballet/tap classes, and more!  We also had girl and boy "date" days where Mommy/Caelin had fun shopping and playing at the park while Daddy/Cade went with the boys to shoot some guns.  It was a perfect day for bonding with each other and getting in some quality time.  So, take my word for it, we have stayed busy.

Baylor's paw

Baylor had an unexpected vet visit on May 1st when we noticed he was limping and favoring his front right paw.  We made an appointment with the vet and as luck would have it, his toenail actually came off the morning of his appointment.  So, at least we had confirmation something was wrong.  We had not noticed anything in his paw or a reason for what happened.  Vet said to give him pain meds and antibiotic for 2 weeks and see how he does.  Apparently, when the nail came off it took pieces of the bone joint with it.  Best case scenario it would heal on its own, worst case scenario being we would have to amputate that entire toe to avoid infection and further bone damage to the rest of the foot.  So, yesterday we went back to the Vet for our check up.  The Vet was concerned about the lack of progress and that it still appeared very "open".  So, we left with more xrays (that didn't really show a difference), a new topical ointment, and a stronger antibiotic.  Prayers that my fur baby heals fast and can walk straight again.  We hopefully will not need to go back!

Last day of school

Sigh.  Today was yet another milestone being the LAST DAY of school at CFBC for Cade and Caelin.  Cade is officially a Kindergartner and Caelin in PK.  How did they get this big?  They have both grown so much this year in ways I never imagined.  Cade has become quite the intellect and has a heart of gold.  He is a protector of others and does not like things to be out of his control.  He has learned almost all the letter sounds and about 80 sight words.  He sounds out words now and loves to read short stories to me.  He also is intrigued by numbers and counting.  Maybe he will love math like me!  One toothless smile from Cade will make your heart melt.  Caelin's growth this year dealt a lot with her socialization and making friends with others.  She is a talkative princess that wants to be everyone's friend (except her brother at times).  One of her favorite things to do is make/color pictures for other people.  Needless to say we hear all about her friends at school and our fridge is covered with artwork!  She loves music and enjoys dancing and singing.  No doubt that she will leave a lasting mark in everyone's lives.  As we enter this next phase, we cannot wait to enjoy a summer with these two amazing kiddos.  Daddy and I could not be more proud of each of you.

A few "Daddy" things

I wanted to post some of the things that have made me smile through the storm of losing my Dad.  First off, his thumb print necklace.  From the time I got it in the mail, I could feel he was there.  It was a strange and peaceful feeling when I put it on for the first time.  It was almost as if he was hugging me.  He has definitely left his mark on this world.  The next things are some books that were donated in his name to the Ehrhardt Library by my staff in Klein ISD.  I hope one day Cade and Caelin check them out!  Finally, on Mother's Day, I had a "Daddy" moment.  We were cleaning out the garage (yes, that is what I wanted to do for Mother's Day!), and I was emptying out a cooler of cokes/diet cokes from a party we attended.  We do not drink cokes, so I was staring in the cooler wondering what to do with them.  When I looked down, one had the name "sweetie" on it.  This is what my Dad often called me.  I got a tear hearing his voice in my head saying, "Love ya sweetie".  Then, I noticed directly next to that can was another can with the name "Dad" on it!  I knew this was a message from Daddy and it made me feel complete again that he is watching me.  I wish a zillion times I still had him to hug and listen to.  I am sure time will heal me in someway, but I know it will take a LONG time.  Love and miss you Daddy.

Happy Mother's day!

This has always been a special day for me as I have been blessed with an amazing Mom who has shown her love for me more than I could speak of.  Then, to top it off I also have the best Mother-in-love with Cindy.  What more could a girl want?  Well, after we got married, Charles and I started trying to have kids.  We had no idea that that journey would be such a long road.  So, my quest for being a Mom was a dark time.  There were times I doubted God and if he would follow through.  It was a test for me and made me rely on God more than I ever would have learned on my own.  So, during that time I became more aware of what being a Mom means.  I also now stop every Mother's day and pray for the women out there who are still waiting to be a Mom, have lost their children, or are struggling to make right decisions.  Being a Mom is tough stuff.  It is not for the weary or faint of heart.  It is wiping endless noses/hineys, reminding them 1,000 times to pick up the Legos, laundry that never stops, sleep deprivation, selecting the PERFECT thing for show and share at school, fixing lunches the EXACT way that each kid prefers, not overreacting when milk gets spilt, picking up clothes to put in laundry, making time to STOP in the moment and be engaged with them, and just plain loving them through the imperfections.  And for all of this, I am blessed!  I am blessed to wipe these noses and call these 2 beautiful creatures mine.  God knew the timing all along, I just wasn't fully prepared.  So, on this Mother's day I pray that God will continue to bless my Mom's and show them how appreciated they are.  A special thanks to my Cade and Caelin for changing my life and calling me Mom.  I love you both dearly.

Happy 66th Birthday to our sweet Nana!

Today was such a special day as Mom not only turned 66th, but all the sisters were able to be together!  Aunt Bubbles flew down to Houston from Lubbock and surprised Mom.  It was so good to see the 3 of them together laughing.  For Mom's big day, they went to the Kemah boardwalk for the afternoon and then made it back in time for a family dinner at Valley Ranch with Robb, RB, Gamee, Grampee, Heather, Christopher, and Andrew.  Gamee made an amazing cake that we all got to share while she opened gifts.  Nana is officially 66 years young.  Love you Nana and here's to many more Birthdays!

CFBC end of the year program

Not exactly sure how it is May and we attended the end of year program for Cade/Caelin at CFBC.  Both participated well and sang songs with the hand motions and everything.  There were a few times I noticed that Cade appeared bored, but we all know how much he loves "performances", NOT!  Caelin on the other hand was happy to be in the spotlight and soak up the attention.  So proud of how hard they worked to learn new songs, motions, and about God.  Love you both!