Wife hat, Mom hat.

Accommodating Grandpas

2013-05-21T23:07:00.002-05:00

My kids are absolutely in love with both of their Grandpas. Of course, I love them too, but the phrase "conflict of interest" comes to mine when it comes to parental and grandparental roles. Surely other mothers can agree?

This is the motto of both Grandpas seem to embrace. I swear, I have even heard my father-in-law say this!

And let me tell you-- they are veeeeeeery accommodating.

You want to bounce the basketball on the kitchen floor, sure! Oh, you'd like a drink of my highly caffeinated beverage, you betchya! Oh, you want to talk back and scream at your parents, don't mind me... I'll just sit over here and laugh (egg you on!).

Their purpose goes further than just giving me a reason to roll my eyes, but to love our little kiddos and build a special bond that only a Grandpa can have. I just love how my kids love their Grandpas and vice versa.

Today, the kids went fishing with Grandpa Forrest (and Grandma Linda, too). Belle caught her first fish!

My dad came down this evening to help with the pesky mower... and he welcomed Belle hugs even when he was a little preoccupied.

But as we were outside, we began to hear some music in the background coming closer and closer. Jackson was just excited to see a truck go by that played music. But Papa Johne couldn't resist-- and he introduced my children to the fact that musical trucks sell ice cream. My life will never be the same (though I do plan on telling my kids that the ice cream is special treat to be enjoyed with grandparents).

Jackson was SO excited when he realized he had so many choices of ice cream!

They both ended up with Ninja Turtle ice cream cones.

Derek and I were blessed to have such great fathers and our kids are equally blessed to have such loving and "accommodating" grandpas. I am so thankful for their presence in our lives... even when I hear stories like, "Grandpa told me that monkeys throw poop!"

My MSCP: the details

2013-05-19T22:12:00.001-05:00

Despite my frequent mentions about grad school here on the blog, including the post of my graduation last week, I'm not certain I ever formally introduced my degree program. I started graduate school in January of 2008, though my case load varied from semester to semester. There were times in which I'd manage a mere six credit hours a year and others I'd complete sixteen. Either way, it's just been a part of my {our} life for so long that it never actually warranted it's own blog post... until now.

Actually, I've had several people ask. I love what I've studied and therefore love the opportunity to talk a little bit about it. Truthfully, my favorite blogs to read are the ones that give me a glimpse into an experience in which I'm not, and most likely will never be, acquainted (from reading about applying to med school to self-publishing a book), so that's my intent here. My goal is to put out some sort of psychology topic on Sundays, hence the oh-so-creative title for this "series", PsychSunday.

So, without further ado...

Once I finish my summer class, I will have earned my Master's of Science in Counseling Psychology degree (MSCP). Universities across the country vary in offering MA and MS degrees. This is an expert from a counseling blog that sums up the difference, though the biggest difference is likely the color of the hood received at graduation.

MA: Master of Arts. Clinicians who hold this degree are generally educated in programs that combine coursework and applied practicums. If they are also licensed, these individuals are either counselors or therapists, often depending on their theoretical persuasion.

MS: Master of Science. Also counselors or therapists, these professionals come from degree programs that focus more on research (hence, science). For all intents and purposes, the Master level degree carries about the same weight when it comes to applied practice.

Basically, this degree prepares students to assess, diagnosis, and provide treatment for mental health disorders. That is a very general statement considering that the recommendations for licensure vary from state to state. My program at Avila University meets the requirements for students to pursue licensure in the states of Missouri and Kansas.

Master's programs often vary in credit hour requirements. Master's degrees in the teaching field are often 30-ish hours and the IT program Derek is starting is also in the 30 hour range. Due to state licensing requirements, my degree requirement consisted of 60 credit hours, all of which were required to be obtained in the physical classroom. While their universities that offer online courses that count toward graduation, those courses are ineligible to count towards licensure (which means you'd have to take them over again in a brick and mortar school). At times, it was a real pain to travel to school especially knowing that there are thousands of other people are obtaining their degrees in sweatpants on their couch. However, counseling and psychology (often considered two distinct fields) are very social fields. The experience of classmates, group projects, and even observing the demeanor of the professors are huge components to the learning experience.

The coursework required for this program includes counseling skills, theories, assessments, developmental psychology, diagnostics, statistics and research, along with some cognitive and biological psychology classes too. Of course, there is practicum and internship too, though I'll share about those next week!

I graduated!!!!!

2013-05-18T16:00:00.002-05:00

After five long years of grad school, I graduated last weekend!!! Of course I've been so anxious to share this exciting milestone, but I've spent this week enjoying family time and getting newly acquainted with the concept of free time!

Getting hooded by the program directors and a favorite professor.

My Grandma came down to attend the ceremony. She has always been such an advocate and encouragement in seeking my degree.

Four Generations!

This is the best family photo we got- a crying 4 year old, a zombie 2 year old and parents who can't even produce a fake smile. But hey-- this is our life. ;)

My proud parents. I think they are smiling because they didn't pay for this degree.

Derek's family so wonderfully endured the long, boring graduation too! Linda is an Avila University alum.

This pic with Derek is one of my favorite. I couldn't have even made it through without this man!!

We met up at KFC for lunch (avoiding all other graduation lunch traffic!). Belle crashed on a booth seat.

Is this not the cutest picture?!? I felt so proud when he put it on and said, "I'm just like Mommy!!"

While at KFC, a fellow patron asked if I just graduated. When I confirmed that I did, she proceeded to ask from which high school. You can imagine her surprise when I mentioned that I just received my Master's Degree. Maybe someday I'll look like an accomplished adult. Until then, I'll just keep surprising people with my intellect for such a young looking person.... or convincing people to hire me at a job paying more than minimum wage.

Okay, and I must actually confess-- I still have to finish my internship and take another class this summer. It's a small, private university so they only do one graduation a year, so I went ahead and celebrated. :) Feel free go ahead and just call me Master Amy. :)

Big Machines

2013-05-16T21:28:00.003-05:00

There was a fun little citizen appreciation fair tonight at the park across the street. It was a kick-off for the completion of the renovations that have been taking place over the past two years. Have I ever mentioned that I love living less than a block away from a park?? If I haven't already, I absolutely love how close we are to such a fantastic park! There's a playground, but also an open area along with walking trails. The outdoor water park is right there, too. Best of all, we live on a side street, so we don't even experience the traffic!

Anyway, back to tonight. The city put on this event and had hotdogs, chips, cookies and drinks for dinner-- my kids' favorite meal. Even better, the city invited different "big machines" for kids (both young and old) to explore!

The helicopter was the first thing we visited and was certainly the coolest thing of the evening.

Exploring the firetruck...

Playing around in the digger...

While I was snapping photos, Jackson ended up pushing the horn and it scare the you-know-what out of me!! Not just because it was loud and caught me off guard, but the thought of "oh dear, did my child just break this giant piece of machinery!?!?" went flying through my head.

The police motorcycle (Belle wasn't invited to participate in this photo because she hasn't mastered the skill of "not touching" and I didn't want to pay for the damages.)

The kids also got to climb in this ladder truck thing. We got to see a guy get in it and go way high, so Jackson wanted to go high too, but had to settle for ground level.

The city had this cute idea to have different concrete squares out for the kids to put their handprints and/or initials! The slats all had 2013 in the middle for the grand opening of the park. There wasn't much space left when we got there, so I just squeezed in their initials.

It was fun evening! I think the kids would say that the coolest part was seeing the helicopter take off. And by kids, I mean Derek and I too. :)

Mother's Day outtakes

2013-05-12T20:54:00.003-05:00

I wanted to take a quick pic before church this morning to show a pic to my mom how cute Belle looks in the dress she bought! Isn't she a doll!?! And she wears that pearl necklace (handed down from Gram-Gram) every week to church. I love it. :)

Yes, Jackson is technically wearing a soccer jersey to church, but the criteria for "church shirt" is to have a collar, and well, this does.

Whereas I normally sort through my collection of pictures to share only the best, I thought I'd include some outtakes. Taking pictures of these kids is an absolutely ridiculous task. Here's what the pictures most often look like:

I love these next two because they show the each of the kids in a genuine laugh! Too bad they aren't in the same shot!

I love these kiddos and that they made me a mommy!!

Today was a fabulous day (...especially considering that I GRADUATED yesterday. I will get those pics up soon!) It was a simple day, which are growing to be my favorite. Simple meals, simple plans. Just family time.

My wonderful Danish daughter wished me a Happy Mother's Day today. She's coming back this summer and we're totally excited!

And a quick note to share how grateful I am for the Moms in my life. My mom is a wonderful Grammy to my kiddos and she's been so encouraging as I've worked to finish my degree. Plus, when I visit, she takes requests and it's always delish. My mother-in-law is top notch. We live in the same town and while some have "Everybody Love Raymond" type of mother-in-laws, I certainly don't! She has watched the kiddos so many of the nights I've had class, and even for us to go on dates. And she makes the most wonderful chocolate chip cookies. In fact, I don't even bother to make them because they will just be a disappointment. I stick to oatmeal or sugar cookies whenever I'm domestic enough to make them. I certainly have great Moms to look after and try to be for my kiddos!

Polar Bear swimming in the bafftub!

2013-05-05T00:22:00.001-05:00

The end of the semester is upon me right now and I am highly anticipating my graduation ceremony next week. My absence of blogging hasn't been so much as not having time, but simply being tired from so much writing. I've had so many papers lately! My client list at my internship is quite large at the moment, which is awesome, though it means lots of progress notes and reports. So I find myself at the end of each day with minimal energy to write even more. This is finals week, so this shouldn't last long!

Here's our week via Instagram pics:

I picked up my graduation attire last week-- so excited!

The weather was absolutely beautiful on Monday and we visited the zoo! The polar bear was doing back flips ("in the baff tub" as Belle would say). The kids just loved being so close!

After the zoo, we met up and had lunch with my dad!

I took this picture on Tuesday-- I just LOVE tulips!

And then this happened on Thursday-- SNOW! ... in MAY!!! What on EARTH!? It's been so cold ever since. Where is spring??

Belle fell in the gym (with the help of her big brother) at church on Wednesday night and acquired the largest goose egg I've ever seen. It was HUGE, but by Thursday morning it managed to turn into just a yucky bruise.

Belle made bracelets out of onion slices today... and she proceeded to actually eat them. I was quite surprised! But then, her breathe smelt so bad that I could barely snuggle with her all night! Hopefully she still likes onions when she's old enough to date! :)

This next week should be a good one! I graduate (have I mentioned how excited I am?!) and Jackson starts t-ball practice. And hopefully it might start feeling like spring again!

Simple Saturday

2013-04-28T01:00:00.001-05:00

Today was a very laid back Saturday... very simple. There was nothing on the agenda, no plans to adhere to... it was wonderful. Okay, well, it started off pretty rocky. Cranky kids, cranky parents. Fortunately some time-outs (for kids AND parents) worked their magic and by 10am the attitude shifted and thus the great day began.

The kids helped Derek tinker with the mower. Speaking of attitude problems-- this machine is no exception.

We spent a good portion of the morning cleaning the house. I know I'm getting old and boring when I am sooooo glad to have some time to clean up! We did take a quick "tattattoo" break.

For lunch, we went out with Great Grandpa, Grandpa Forrest, and Grandma Linda for Chinese. Derek left to work at a wedding around 4:00. (side note: my husband works three different jobs in the course of most months all so I can work jobs that I don't get paid to do... school, intern, SAHM. If that's not husband of the year, I don't know what is!)

I was SO glad when Mom called out of the blue and said she wanted to come visit! We enjoyed a Girls Night Out (Jackson was with his other grandparents). After Belle went to bed, Mom and I played a game of Rack-o. I bought it at a garage sale before Jackson was even born and never played it until tonight! It was fun. Derek will be thrilled when I make him play with me.

Mom left after ~~she lost~~ the game was over around 9ish and it's been completely silent in the house ever since. I don't even remember the last time I spent time alone all by myself. I am a total extrovert; I draw my energy from socializing with people. I love spending time with Derek and the kids after work and school. But sitting in total quiet for the past three and a half hours has been wonderful. Not so wonderful that I want to make it a habit for Saturday nights, but it really was a nice night-- just what I needed before my next two weeks is filled with lots of end-of-the-semester schoolwork coming up along many busy weekends ahead.

I hope your weekend was just as relaxing and refreshing!

29

2013-04-22T21:18:00.000-05:00

Derek and I have celebrated birthdays recently and we've both turned 29-- the last year of our 20s! How did we get to be so old?! Derek's birthday was in March and mine was just yesterday.

I had class the night of Derek's birthday, so we celebrated a day early. We went to Oklahoma Joe's for dinner and just had cake as a family. It was a simple celebration, but it was a nice relaxing night as a family!

It was for the best that we didn't do a big party. Jackson helped make a from-the-box-cake early in the afternoon, but then I forgot to take it out of the oven.... so it was burnt to a crisp. Knowing Jackson would be devastated that his cake didn't turn out okay, I rushed to make one during nap time, only I had to make it from scratch. It wasn't burnt, but it was pretty disgusting...

Derek really wanted some technical nerdy stuff and so he bought it all himself. I wanted the kids to wrap something up for him, so we bought him Wreck-It Ralph. Of course, it was mostly for the kids, but Derek enjoyed the movie when we watched it at the theater.

My birthday was yesterday, but my first celebration was a few weeks ago when Mom took me to see the Mary Poppins musical! This was the movie that I watched over and over when I was a little girl and it was so neat to see it live! It is an excellent show and a great night out with Mom!

I began my birthday weekend in tears as I left class early to get a last minute check it with the oral surgeon. Apparently, I developed what is called a "dry socket" and it was terribly painful. However, through the help of a topical treatment and narcotics I managed the pain enough to have a great weekend! I mean, weekend birthdays are rare and it's important to make them count!

Despite all of the cold and yucky weather lately (and snow projected tomorrow!), the weather this weekend was great! We ventured to the zoo in the afternoon after naps, and then Derek and I had a wonderful date night-- dinner, good conversation, and a movie at my favorite theater with recliners as seats! Oh man, it is sooooo comfy!

Jackson was so excited it was my birthday and he enjoyed telling everyone about it, which ended up getting me a delicious cinnamon roll for dessert at one of my favorite local BBQ places. We napped all afternoon, went back to church, and then spent the rest of the evening outside. It was a perfect day!

Oh, and for my birthday I got tickets to see the Goo Goo Dolls in concert!!!!!!! I've only been wanting to go to a Goo Goo Dolls concert, since like, I was 15 and would listen to Iris on repeat. I am beyond excited, if you can't tell!

We are totally looking forward to see what this year has in store. For one, I am graduating in just a few months with my Master's degree. WOO HOO!!! And then secondly, Derek is starting grad school NEXT WEEK. Life is about to get even MORE crazy, but we are ready. Maybe we'll actually get our basement finished and maybe I can convince my hubby that we need another baby. I mean, time is not on our side-- we're getting old! ;)

Look how fat you are!

2013-04-20T14:19:00.003-05:00

Yes, those are the exact words Jackson said to me as he showed me the picture he drew of us.

"Look Mom, I drew a picture and we're holding hands! Look how fat you are!!"

(he indicated that I'm the one on the left)

I honestly didn't know what to say other than, "Thanks so much, sweetie! I love it!" My sister-in-law suggested that maybe he meant "tall" and so I think I'll stick with that. At least we're holding hands!

He also middle-named me last night-- "Mommy Marie!" :)

This morning, Jackson woke up the sun and he crawled into our bed. He is such an excellent cuddler that I was looking forward to some snuggles... but he clearly wasn't going back to sleep. There were at least 3,000 words spoken from his mouth before 7 am. His thought process was all over the place and he just kept talking and talking (with the occasional, "mmhhmm" as I longingly hoped to get more sleep). His topics ranged between...

I like soft carrots. Mom, can we make all carrots soft today?
What would happen if we did the INSIDE of the puzzle first?! Wouldn't that be silly??

... and he kept going. I told myself to enjoy it as I know that when the teenage years come our way, I'm going to wish he'd even say ten words to me in a single day.

One thing Jackson did say this morning was his Bible verse that we've been working on all week. (How awesome is the Lord Most High! Psalm 47:2). He can even tell the story of how God performed an AWESOME miracle when he parted the sea for the Israelites to escape the Egyptians. Earlier this week, he was asking about the story.

Did the sea go back together after they got to other side? (Yes.) Did the Egyptians get to the other side too (No.) Did the Egyptians say, "Aww, man?" (Well maybe, or something like that....).

There's hardly ever a dull moment in our house! I like it that way. :)

The ABCDEFG song

2013-04-17T21:53:00.000-05:00

If there is any one thing that I hear from friends, family, and even strangers about Belle (aside that she looks like a spitting image of me) it is how amazed they all are with how well she talks. Even her pediatrician at her well-child check up mentioned that she talks more like a three year old rather than the two year old that she is.

Belle loves to sing and she often breaks out in songs that I had no idea she even knew. I love listening to her sing. She can sing a ton of songs, but if you just say, "Belle, can you sing me a song?", she'll start singing the ABC's-- her version anyway. These unique characteristics are present every time she sings the song. It goes:

A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J-K- "ELMO-P" Q-R-S-T-U-V-W-X....
T-U-V-W-X... T-U-V-W-X

Depending on the day, she can get stuck in the T-U-V-W-X cycle for a dozen times before moving on. And then she ends:

Now I know my ABCDEFG's next time won't you sing with me.

It's adorable and she's so consistent! She was singing the other day in the car and so I tried to capture it. Turns out, I captured a great shot of her personality and eventually, she cooperated and partially cooperated.

Belle's two year old stats (or, 2 years + 2 months): Her weight was 50% and her height was 22%. Shorty! She didn't cry too much when she got her shot, but she made sure the nurse was aware of her displeasure with her pouty lip and evil glare.

Three adventures, one wonderful weekend

2013-04-15T22:45:00.000-05:00

This last weekend was absolutely wonderful! Our family was spread out across three different places, so there are three stories to tell!

I had a conference in Jefferson City and was going to travel alone, but when Jackson got invited to go on a trip, I asked my parents if Belle could stay with them, so Derek and I enjoyed a weekend getaway! The annual conference of the American Counseling Association of Missouri was this weekend and not only did I attend, I lead a presentation in one of the breakout sessions. What an experience! I was nervous and excited; I mean, I'm a grad student talking in front of seasoned professionals. I had so much fun and it went really well. And seriously, who knew I could talk for a solid 90 minutes?! (no comment Mom and Dad). It really helped that I feel passionately about my topic and am convinced that it's a message that needs to be heard. The topic: How military psychology relates to your civilian counseling career. Want to know more? Just ask. :)

After the conference, Derek and I had the laziest, most wonderful weekends. We ventured out to explore the beauty of Jefferson City and the Missouri Capitol Building, but we also took naps, watch several shows/movies in bed, and we event went shopping. Oh, it was delightful and much needed!

Jackson went on a much anticipated vacation with Grandma Linda, Grandpa Forrest, and cousin Gabe to Nebraska. They ventured to the Strategic Air & Space Museum and the Omaha Zoo among other parks and playthings. Jackson and Gabe love spending time together and when together, their energy multiplies by like, a zillion. :)

Though Jackson and Gabe never got the chance to meet Grandpa Clarence (he passed away just a few months after our wedding), it was special for Forrest to be able to teach the boys about the Strategic Air Command in wich Grandpa served.

Jackson got to hold a butterfly!!! Can you believe he was still enough for this to even happen!?! He thought it was pretty cool.

... but not the coolest part of the zoo. That memory belongs to some sort of buffalo-thing that pooped while they passed by in the train. He was cracking up just telling me about it. Oh, boys....

And Belle, she stayed with my parents and she was SO thrilled when I told her she was going to Grammy and Papa's. She told Ms Beth, "I gonna go see Papa Johne!" And when she said his name, her voice jumped like three octaves. And in fact, when we met mom to pick her up on Sunday, after giving me a welcome hug, Belle leaned back over to Mom and asked to go back home with her.

On Saturday, I received this text from Dad. He was trying to install cabinets and Belle wasn't being all that great of a helper.

And this is a text from Mom later that afternoon. Belle was hanging out with Aunt Ashley and Molly chowing down on Cheez-its. Practically heaven on earth for both Ash and Belle.

This truly was a great weekend. Everyone had lots of fun! And Sunday evening was just as great when we all came together and played! I love my little family and we are just so blessed to be surrounded by wonderful family too!

(My wonderful weekend did not carry over into the beginning of the week. I got my wisdom tooth, my one and only, removed today and I've been miserable since about 10am! Plus, my face is swollen and I look ridiculous. Derek has taken excellent care of me and the kiddos. Seriously, I am so blessed!)

Finally, Easter pics!!

2013-04-09T22:43:00.001-05:00

As it worked out, I was finally able to sort through our Easter pictures. Never mind the fact that it happened in class tonight, but at least it's done! I'm going home tonight and leaving my computer packed away.

We had a wonderful Easter weekend. It was relaxing and we spent time with family. And it was really special that Jackson was able to explain what the real meaning of Easter is all about!!

Gangnam Style?

It was a rainy, yucky day the day the church Easter Egg hunt was planned, so we hunted inside. Jackson woke up that morning and said, "These are my hunting clothes!!"

Belle and her friend Savannah!

This is Jackson's expression in EVERY family photo!!

This is incredibly funny because Ashley grew up with this expression on her face about 80% of the time. Belle actually looks a lot like Aunt Ashley, and clearly she has the attitude too!

She's so precious!!!

Walking in Sunshine

2013-04-07T23:25:00.001-05:00

This past week and upcoming week are more jam-packed than normal. My time on the computer has been minimal and even then it was doing boring things like writing papers, case reports, and presentations. I have barely even logged into facebook and I still have a ton of super cute Easter pictures that I haven't even uploaded to my computer yet! I promise to share the cuteness when I get around to it!!

In the meantime, I wanted to throw a post together about our week. The weather has been really nice this week and we've enjoyed it a lot! Three times this week, I walked to either drop off or pick up the kids from Ms. Beth's house. It's a 1.5 mile walk round trip and barely takes 20 minutes.

I have loved walking for multiple reasons:

It's great exercise-- nothing like pushing an extra 65 pounds up a hill.
Sunshine and exercise is good for the brain and it helps me focus better for all my school and intern work!
Quality time with the kids-- We clearly live very close to our daycare. It's a very short drive home before we get busy with chores/dinner/activities at the house. So, the 10 minute walk home is great conversation time! Plus, sometimes we stop at the park across the street. (Have I ever mentioned how much we love the location of our house?! It's amazing. We walk to church and the grocery store sometimes too!)
I enjoy the slower pace and the break it allows from my very busy "go, go, go" life right now. Instead of zooming past houses in the van, Jackson is noticing house numbers. We can see buds blooming on trees and the flowers breaking through the ground. It's wonderful.

The only downside is the weird looks that I get when I walk one way with no kids in the stroller. I've considered putting a "I'm going to pick up my kids" sign because it does feel so strange to push a stroller with no kiddos. Plus, one time a lady actually asked. My neighbors will either get used to me walking by and know that I am either just dropped them off/am going to pick the up... or be convinced that I'm a crazy lady. Which may or may not be accurate regardless of the stroller situation. :)

Have you been enjoying the sunshine?

The past few weeks

2013-03-30T15:31:00.001-05:00

The past two weeks have been filled with some much needed R&R! We've taken it easy, enjoyed some family time and we even managed to go on a date! Most importantly, we've successfully managed a consecutive two week period without any sickness for the first time in 2013. WOO HOO!!!!!!!

Here are my instagram pics to sum up the past couple weeks!

Jackson was very concerned about the wind messing up his "awesome hair" on this day...

It was nice outside and so we spent some time raking up the stickyballs outside the house. Turns out that dustpans are the perfect shovels for the kids to scoop them up!

At a St. Patty's Day parade-- and we didn't have any green. Oops!

With the nicer weather, we've walked down to visit our neighbors a couple of times. Miss Charlotte was Derek's kindergarten teacher and I love that Belle loves to read books with her!

At the waiting room of the doctor's office-- Jackson gathered all of the dinosaur family and said, "There are two dads! They all got hungry so they just ate the mommy all up!"

I met Dad for lunch on his birthday at a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant and it was delish! And it was fun to spend some time with just Dad!

The kids helped make a birthday cake for Derek-- and this is of course, their favorite part!

"Mom, I'm going to Texas. I'll be back in 1042 days."

Belle LOVES accessories... including "scarves"that are really part of a bath robe. She's worn it out of the house twice this week.

On a walk the other day-- Jackson was shooting bad guys with his legs. He is a master at turning any object into a gun, but even when he didn't have anything-- he still managed to find a way to keep the neighborhood safe.

Last night, we ventured out for some ice cream!

Completely Normal!!!!

2013-03-20T22:05:00.000-05:00

After two weeks of waiting-- Monday was finally MRI day. Jackson was a trooper! Derek and I sat in the waiting room for what felt like an eternity watching an NCIS rerun and playing on our phones-- anything to make the time go by faster! After about an hour, I began to scrutinize every single minute because they said they'd be done by then... but finally we were called back in to see Jackson. As we were preparing to leave, the nurse was telling us to give the doctor's office two days to call us with results. Before we even left the room, I realized I had a voicemail from our doctor's office that said the Jackson's MRI results were completely normal.

Completely normal. Praise God!!! If my son never gets to be "normal" at anything for the rest of his life, at least his brain images are normal. I'll take it!

As Jackson woke up from his anesthesia, he was pretty loopy (which is the best word I can think of other than the word intoxicated... and that just seems like a weird term to use for a 4 year old). He was eating and drinking, but was having trouble getting his hands to his mouth on the first try. He couldn't hold his head up well, but he didn't want to lay down. He kept talking and talking even though he didn't make sense sometimes. It was humorous. And it was definitely easy to enjoy knowing that a possible brain tumor was now out of the question!

His appointment was at 4:00 on Monday. I spent the afternoon keeping him busy and pre-occupied so he wouldn't focus too much on being hungry. It was a really windy day and it turned out-- he was already so pre-occupied with the wind "messing up his cool hair" that I didn't have to try hard to distract him. He kept his hands on his head all day-- and didn't even take it down to play on the playground.

It is SUCH a relief to have the MRI done and results. So, where does that leave us now? We are rejoicing in the fact that it been almost two weeks of no-vomiting for Jackson... which is huge coming from a 3-week period of daily vomiting. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of reasons to continue to explore this if he isn't still getting sick, but I've been on the phone with his doctor's office a couple of times this week and we have a follow up appointment on Monday. I want to make we are doing everything in our power to make sure he's still healthy and there isn't anything more for us to be doing, but I have trust in our doctor's judgement so we'll just follow her lead.

Thank you from the very bottom of my heart for all of the love and encouragement! The meals, the cards, the phone calls-- just thank you so much. I am certainly one lucky lady to have such wonderful friends and family to rely on in times of crisis. Mostly, thank you SO much for your prayers.

During this whole ordeal, an old high school friend of mine has taken me under her wing to check on me almost every day. She's a brain cancer survivor and was full of such great insight and support. Plus, she has a really cool name, Amy Marie. :) Anyway, we were talking the other day about how the role of prayer in situations like these.

I know that a lot of prayers were prayed on Jackson's behalf. I believe that God hears our prayers, answers our prayers and I whole-heartedly believe that God can and does perform miracles of healing. The fact that Jackson is better and we don't have devastating news upon us is a true blessing from the Lord. The power of prayer is greater than anything we can truly understand. God calls us to pray and to pray without ceasing. But God's will and plan is greater than all else. His plan is divine. As much as I wanted to continually pray, "No tumor please." (and I did pray that prayer a few times)... I know the greatest prayer is in accepting of God's Will and trust in Him. I tried my hardest to pray that prayer for myself and I know many you prayed those prayers on our behalf!

Thank you for those prayers; I know God heard them. They made a HUGE difference in our lives as we waited. But I also don't want to send the message to anyone that we have a healthy boy because we prayed hard enough. Or because so many of you prayed for him too. Over and over again. There wasn't a prayer quota to meet in order for God to spare us the devastation of a brain tumor diagnosis.

In reality, Jackson doesn't have a brain tumor because God has different plans for Jackson... whatever they may be in the days, weeks, years to come. God has plans for him. As parents, Derek and I take our role seriously to raise him and guide him down the path of God's will. Hopefully, we'll do it right. :)

This post could have ended paragraphs ago with our great news of the MRI results, but I just couldn't waste the opportunity to share even greater news that God has a plan for you too! Ultimately, His desire is for you to love and know Him; to follow and obey His commands. And for those who already have a relationship with Christ, He desperately wants you to trust in His plans for you, your family and for your children, too. It's hard and I'm not perfect at it, but let me know how I can pray for you! We're all stronger as a team! :)

Thanks again for all of the support and encouragement! Love you all!!!

Meet Slimey

2013-03-14T23:22:00.003-05:00

Meet Slimey, our new family pet. And by pet, I mean, a worm that Jackson found in the dirt, named him Slimey (after first naming him Jackson), asked if he could live inside, and when we told him no, he proceeded to collect materials to build some sort of habitat for Slimey.

Jackson played with Slimey for over an hour and even took him on a walk around the block. I kid you not. I even heard him talking "baby talk" to the little worm. At one point in the evening, Derek and I heard squealing from Belle, we rushed over and asked what happened to which Jackson replied, "Belle doesn't like the worm." We aren't quite sure what exactly went down, but we have a good idea.

Typical boy.

Waiting

2013-03-12T21:35:00.000-05:00

Today was Jackson's scheduled MRI. However, the day didn't quite go as planned. I received a phone call first thing this morning to learn that the insurance has denied the test and I have spent my entire day making and receiving phone calls. Believe me when I say that Derek and I are both irritated beyond belief, however, there's no need to complain here. Despite the circumstances, I got to spend an unexpected day at home with the kids and it was a good day.

I wrote a blog last night to post today, but then in the craziness of the day and change of plans, it almost seemed out of place. But I want to go ahead and share.

----------------

Jackson goes in for his MRI today. I don't have any news yet, but I wanted to document some of my thoughts from this week. It's not often that scheduling an MRI takes a full week's wait, but because of Jackson's issue of vomiting, along with the vomiting that can occur with sedation, we needed to schedule an anaesthesiologist to be available throughout the entire testing process. It took extra time, but I can't deny the divine intervention. {edit: clearly this was just step 1 in our waiting process. But even so, we can still trust in God's plan}

I have gone full circle time and time again regarding how I “know” the testing will turn out. When Jackson went a day and a half without getting sick, I began to even wonder if we needed to continue with the MRI. And then the day he vomited 4 times, I became certain that the worst news was just waiting to present itself to us today. Being in Texas occupied my mind and helped me not to dwell too much on what is yet to come.

While floating in time of waiting, I haven't had any news to officially “accept” and to process. But in just waiting, I feel that I don't have to just accept what has come our way, but to welcome it.... and that has been so hard. So, so hard. It seems to me that it'd be a million times easier to simply be told whatever the news may be and then to just accept it for what it is. At that point, it's already been done so you can't ask God to undo it. But now, I feel as if God is asking me to tell him that I trust in him SO much as to welcome even the worst possibility if that is what He has in store for Jackson's life. Welcome discomfort. Welcome pain. Welcome the very thought of losing Jackson at a far too young age. And that hurts. It hurts so much. I suppose this is what God has called all of us to do as parents, even before potential heartache is on the horizon.

I am reminded of a phrase that was first introduced to me by a young couple while I was in high school. At bedtime, they'd always say “I love you, but remember, Jesus loves you more!” Time and time again, I have translated that in my mind as if God was saying to me, “As much as you love your son, Amy, I love him more.” I want God to love him more than me, and I want God to orchestrate His will for Jackson's life-- but the human mommy in me just wants to put a stipulation on that to say “but only keep him healthy, happy, and safe!”

Even though my legs might be shaky at times, I'm still standing on the promises of God. I've been through the scriptures time and time again. Some are ones that I've looked up myself, but others are ones that have been shared by some of you. I will share a few with you:

Psalm 55:22 Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.

Psalm 68:19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, The God who is our salvation.

Philippians 4: 4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Truly and honestly, I am coping much better than I ever thought possible. I have experienced this peace that passes understanding for a majority of these days since visiting the doctor last week. More so than any verse I have repeated to myself is this one,

Matthew 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

I have found myself capable of catching myself in “what if” thought patterns and then simply switching my thoughts to something different. This has never been a strong suit of mine and I am certain that this is evidence of the prayers that have been offered on our behalf.

I have allowed myself to focus on one “what if” throughout this week. There are a potential million different types of diagnoses (or even a total non-diagnosis completely), and I began to wonder if my role as a mom changes depending on the outcome. It started with a train of thought that started “Will I make Jackson do something he doesn't want to do? Will I still make him eat veggies? Will I refrain from disciplining him?” … and I stopped myself not long after because I stumbled across an answer that supplied the answer to them all.

I know this is a devastatingly long post, but stay with me for one more moment. This is the best of what I have to say about this whole ordeal. I really began to question what my role as a mother to my children. And one day it hit me like a ton of bricks and I just couldn't keep it to myself:

My job as a mother is to provide my children with love and support, nurturing them into productive and respectful adults, primarily teaching them to know and love Jesus.

My role as a mother is not dependent on circumstance. The answer to all of the above questions (and most other parenting questions) is the same regardless of whatever hurdles and obstacles we will face in raising our children. Will I still make Jackson eat veggies even in a worse case diagnosis? Absolutely. His body is a temple and he needs to respect it. Will I make Jackson do something he doesn't want to do? Yes, because he's a child and as his mother I get to decide what is best for him. Will I refrain from discipling him? Not at all. To know and love Jesus is to follow and obey his commands-- even at age 4. I have seen many mothers across a plethora of different situations fulfill this duty and I hope to be among the ranks.

Regardless of whatever we hear today, I will love and support, nurture and teach this little guy.

And my little Belle as well, along with any other children we may or may not have in the future. It makes my heat so happy to be given such an important role and I pray so much that I am as good of a mother as they deserve.

In closing, my biggest prayer for Jackson is that we can find an answer. I don't particularly wish for it to be found on the MRI, but I know if that comes up empty that we'll just end up with more testing, more prodding and poking. My biggest worry is that we'll be on a lengthy journey in which we won't ever have an answer, but I already know what scripture says about worrying so my plan is just to take it one step at a time. I covet prayers for our perseverance and strength.

Jackson and I will arrive at Children's Mercy at 11am today (after exploring through the skyscrapers on the way) and he will undergo anesthesia between that time and when his MRI begins at noon. Derek will arrive around that time. If you're reading this before that time, pray for his tummy to not ache from not eating as we wait throughout the morning. If you're reading and praying through the time of his testing, please pray for the anesthesia to be gentle on his body, for the doctors to be diligent in their work, and for Derek and I as we wait. If you find yourself reading after that time, continued prayers for our family are always appreciated, but also I urge you to reflect the role that you play in your family and to pray about how God can use you!

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So as for now, we wait. And honestly, aside from the headache I have had all day in dealing with all of this... I do have a genuine peace in knowing God has his hand in all of this. We've received so much support from friends and family, near and far. At times it's felt like too much, like more than we actually need and it is humbling to accept. Like, it's not that big of a deal-- we can manage, right? But truthfully, the out pour love and support is keeping us at ease. The messages, the texts, the meals... it is all keeping us together. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. As always, I'll be sure to keep you updated!!

Three-for-three, Texas Wins

2013-03-11T00:27:00.001-05:00

I'm trying not to take it personal, but Texas just seems to be out to get me! In the past few years, I've been down here twice. The first trip included multiple expensive tickets along with a broken down vehicle. The second trip was filled with a sick baby who refused to sleep along with a different bug that invaded the living space affecting our travel companions severely. I was a tiny bit worried that my plane would crash once we crossed the Texas state line, but to my surprise we landed safe and sound! I just assumed that Texas was going to play nice! There haven't been any car problems or tickets and no sicknesses either, but... it's been cold. Very out of season cold. After the snow a few weeks ago, I was began to really look forward to some Texas warmth and my friends assured me that flip-flop weather awaited me! I have packed my flip flops and have yet to wear them. Texas, why do you hate me?

Despite being cold, my trip has been worth the wrath of Texas. Okay, maybe that's a bit dramatic.... but is it too much to ask for a tiny bit of sunshine during a 5 day visit? I've enjoyed the learning and I've kept good company.

The purpose of my trip was to attend a Urban Economics and Ministry conference at the Land Center for Cultural Engagement. The focus was on the economic, social, and cultural challenges faced by predominately by inner city African Americans. Why is this relevant to me, you ask? Well, it's very relevant to where I intern. It was a great experience.

I was a little weary of coming down to Texas with Jackson still getting sick. It was really hard to leave. But, there was no reason to stay. And it was truly divinely inspired that I be here. There was no better way to occupy my time as we wait for an MRI on Tuesday than to spend it deep in God's word surrounded by Godly men and women from across the country, including Pastor Fred Luter, president of the Southern Baptist Convention. After speaking one night (it was an amazing sermon!) he took the time to say a special prayer for Jackson. So many of the other attendees mentioned that Jackson is now on their prayer list from their churches-- These are predominately black churches and let me tell you, these people can pray! I swear, I feel like Jackson has been the most prayed for little boy this week and I am beyond amazed at the support we've received... and we don't even know what's going on yet!!

SBC President, Pastor Fred Luter and me!

The conference ended Friday and since then, I've been hanging out with some really good friends who moved down from Kansas City a couple years ago. Despite beginning my time here in Texas discussing urban culture, I found myself at the Forth Worth Rodeo last night. As much as I love city living, I can't deny my small town roots! It's a good balance.

Other than the rodeo, we've mostly just been hanging out. It's been a wonderful retreat from my very hectic and crazy life at home, but I really do miss it and I can't wait to be back tomorrow. Derek and the kids will be there to pick me up and I'm really, REALLY looking forward to those hugs! :)

At day at the gym!

2013-03-06T18:30:00.000-06:00

I found this post sitting on my blog dashboard yesterday that I had written two weeks ago and never published! I'm boarding a plane to Texas in just a minute, so now seemed as good as time as ever to share it! For those wondering, Jackson has seemingly been getting sick less frequently over the past few days, which is certainly a praise! We, of course, welcome your prayers over the whole situation! :)

On Belle's birthday, the kids and I ventured out to an open gym session at a local gymnastics facility! It was so much fun as you can tell by the pictures!

She's practicing to be like her Aunt Ashley!

Jackson was nervous to do it by himself, but eventually he made it across!

I love this shot!! Super Jackson!! :)

There was lots of jumping into the foam pit.

Belle's favorite was the trampoline.

Check out this face... she is SUCH a cutie!! :)

I'm surprised that Jackson actually climbed up and dropped down.... several times!

Jackson's favorite was this rope.

Oh we had so much fun! The kids really enjoyed exploring. It was the perfect activity because it was raining like crazy outside! Being able to have some special time with my kids is the highlight of my work schedule. I absolutely love going to my job and I love being with my kids, so staying home on Mondays gives me the best of both worlds!!

For dinner, we headed out to Steak N Shake! Belle ate a lot of milk shake, some fries, and only a nibble of the tiny burger, but she was the birthday girl, so I didn't protest.

Overall, it was a great day! A great birthday, for sure!

Update on Jackson

2013-03-05T14:36:00.001-06:00

Last week, I posted about our trip to Children's Mercy regarding our hope to have found the solution for Jackson's daily vomiting. Unfortunately, the sickness prevailed and we went yesterday to our primary care doctor to try to figure this out once again. I emailed some family last night with an update and I've had so many others who've been checking in to see how Jackson's doing that I just wanted to share the update for all:

As some of you may have been aware, Jackson has been getting sick each day for a couple of weeks now. We've tried everything from a bland diet, antacids for reflux, and even an enema to clean his bowels and it hasn't seemed to make much of a difference. I took Jackson into our doctor today for another look. It seems to be a perplexing situation as appears so healthy in every way possible.

Failing to use my better judgement, I googled symptoms the other day and it, of course, offered many serious potential explanations. It was easy to brush them aside knowing it was just coming from the internet. However, it was certainly scary hearing words like "brain tumor" coming from our doctor and not the internet. She said unexplained vomiting can be a symptom of such diagnosis. Having a history of a brain tumor in my family has been a little extra scary.

Jackson will be undergoing an MRI next Tuesday (March 12th) at noon. He will need to be sedated in order for him to be still. We will be at Children's Mercy so I know we'll be well taken care of.

In the mean time, we will try another antacid to treat it as if it was reflux. He was a trooper as he got his blood drawn today to see if any answers can be found in that method. Should his vomiting stop even now, the doctor recommended to move forward with an MRI.

This is obviously scary news even just knowing the potential of what may come. Prayers are certainly coveted as we wait. Prayers for Jackson as he remains such a trooper and that it is as pain-free as possible when he does get sick. Prayers as we prepare for anesthesia and the MRI itself-- for him and for us! Prayers for an answer to be found, regardless of what it may be and that we can continue to praise God for his glory regardless. And prayers just to lift the worry from our hearts for if God can take care of even the birds, surely He can provide for us now!

Love you all,
Amy and Derek

So many questions, so many possibilities floating through our heads... Our goal for now, is to simply focus on today, and take each new day one day at a time. This is a concept that tell my clients in sessions all of the time and so I'm trying my best to practice it myself. I am choosing not to live in fear and anxiety of what the future holds, but to grasp to the peace that passes understanding, which comes from Christ alone. That being said... I am doing okay about 95% of the time and I'd say that Derek is about the same. We make a great team and we're taking it all in stride. I am heading out down to Texas tomorrow for a conference and to visit some friends. Part of me wants to stay, but there's really no need. I will fly home late Monday-- just in time to take Jackson to the MRI.

In the meantime, Jackson is in no pain (other than minor discomfort when getting sick) and he's is his normal happy, energetic little self. When I explained to him that he was going to have his blood drawn yesterday (I compared it to his shots... that instead of putting something into his body, they would take just a little bit out) he quickly asked, "Are they going to take out my guts!?" Typical boy stuff. :)

He's been practicing his Wii skills lately and has even beat me (without me losing on purpose!) at bowling and baseball...

Jackson had Belle cracking up in the backseat this weekend by holding her hand... not sure what was so hilarious but they were having fun.

And.... he spent the weekend at my parents house pretending to be a dog....

We are already feeling the prayers from those around us. The emails, texts, and messages-- they have all been very encouraging. We are so truly blessed. I'll be sure to keep you posted!

Above all else, may God be glorified.

A boy. A dog. And the snow.

2013-03-03T21:18:00.001-06:00

This weekend was Derek's drill weekend and as usual the kiddos and I headed up to spend some time with my parents. My brother flew out this week to Equador for a two month medical missions trip and has left his dog-child, Malcolm, with my parents. I brought out my camera to take some pics of Malcolm having some fun to send to Phil to let him know that his ~~baby~~ dog is being taken care of and having lots of fun. (Malcom is so much like Phil's "baby" I almost wonder if I should if my kids and Malcolm are cousins....) I ended up with some quite a few pictures showing the fun we had while playing in the snow on Saturday afternoon. I love the ones of Jackson and Malcolm... boys and dogs are so cute together.

Don't they both look thrilled to stop playing to pose for a photo? :)

This is Belle playing in the snow-- laying like a log, never moving any muscles, other than smiling as she slides down and then is carried up.

Malcolm liked to chase down with the sled as kids went down the hill

We eventually moved from the side yard hill to the bigger one by the large pond.

The kids slid REALLY fast and so Dad ended up sprinting down to catch them from sliding on to the pond! He caught them in time, but not without wiping out. :)

Next time, Mom stationed herself down low to catch the kids. She didn't have to sprint, but she wiped out too. One minute she's vertical the next I see two feet flying in the air. But it was a success-- no kids in the pond!

There was a snowball fight at one point... (notice Belle-- still laying like a log?)

And a super cute pic of the kids and my parents!

Now that the roads have been cleared and driveways shoveled, we've been out to enjoy the snow as much as possible!

A "crappy" night

2013-03-01T00:06:00.003-06:00

Tonight didn't really go as planned. It was going to be a nice family-night-in: a nice home cooked meal, maybe some Wii sports, and spending time together before Derek leaves for a 3 day drill tomorrow. Instead, it turned out to be a kinda crappy night... in every sense of the word.

Now, before I go on, I first want to address that I have contemplated sharing this so openly, especially considering this is Jackson's story. Being as you're actually reading, it means I chose to actually share for a few reasons. Mostly, it's because Jackson thinks it's humorous and he's kind of proud.... if he was embarrassed and shy about it, I would keep it quiet. The other consideration is that our doctor was adamant that this sort of thing happens ALL THE TIME, yet we consulted two doctors before this thought was considered. Most of my readers are mothers of young kids, so maybe this might be helpful to some.

Okay, moving on.

So, it's no surprise that Jackson has continued to be sick for quiet some time. Bug after bug after bug. Well, the latest issue has been 11 days of daily throwing up, sometimes multiple times a day. I called our primary care doctor on day 4 who suggested it was just a virus and to eat bland foods. So, we fed Jackson bread and crackers for a few days.... and he still threw up bread and crackers. Day 8 we visited his allergy doctor who was sure it was reflux and so we started him on some meds. We waited the three days for the meds to start working... and he was still throwing up. So today is day 11 and Derek is off to drill tomorrow. We went to the emergency room tonight, not because it was truly a life or death emergency-- but because I needed some sort of answer about what on earth was going on before Derek was gone and I was left to deal with this alone. (To "deal with this alone" isn't about the mess or hassle... it's about the heartache of seeing my little guy SO sick and miserable whenever it happens).

So... we went to Children's Mercy. We saw our doctor in less than 30 minutes from arriving. She suggested an x-ray....

It confirmed what she had been thinking... Jackson was full of poop. His face when she shared the news was priceless. He found it kind of funny and he boasted a certain amount of pride regarding the whole issue. ..... Boys .... Basically, there was too much poop that his stomach didn't have room for food, so his body was throwing it up. It can also be related to his very small appetite lately and also the issue with night-time bedwetting that appeared out of nowhere recently. We hadn't tied all of those things together, but now it's easy to see how it's all related!

The game plan was to empty out his system while we were there and then we'll utilize some over the counter meds to make him more regular and to keep him empty. He wasn't a fan of the process used in the hospital, but I wouldn't have been either. But he took it like a champ and was feeling better within just a few minutes. And then... he was really proud to tell the nurses that he pooped A LOT.

He got his much anticipated gatorade after the ordeal and eventually fell asleep on the way home.

Like I mentioned before, the doctor was sure to remind us that this happens a lot in children. Even if they are going number 2 even daily, they may be too busy to take the time to actually get it all out. As she was explaining this to me, it did remind me of a friend who dealt with the same issue and I immediately started texting her! The purpose of me sharing is so that if you ever realize this is the deal with your kiddo (with the help of a doctor, of course) then you can remember that we did too! :)

I am so glad to finally have an answer that will hopefully solve several of the issues poor Jackson has been facing. My poor Mama-heart was just broken into pieces seeing him so uncomfortable. I am so grateful that it wasn't something more serious and that we were able to start getting it fixed. So even thought it was a "crappy" night and not quite what we expected, I am very pleased with how it all worked out.

If I thought my son liked to talk about poop before, I can only imagine what the conversations will be like in the next couple of days!! :)

The Groundhog was Wrong

2013-02-26T22:16:00.000-06:00

A second snowstorm came through the midwest again last night and this morning. Last weeks blizzard left us with 12 inches in snow in just a matter of hours. This snow was much more "normal" and the accumulation (8-10 inches?) was over the course of evening to lunch time. It was also much heavier and a nightmare to shovel... but it was really beautiful!

Even though the little bench was covered, I still wanted a picture! It's my favorite photo spot! :)

This is a photo that my father in law took-- but I just love it!

Lastly-- I snapped this one as Derek was finishing up the driveway this evening. It was absolutely freezing outside, but his heart was melting as she ran down the driveway saying, "I love you Daddy!"

With this sudden burst of winter over the past week-- I think it's safe to say that the groundhog was so totally and completely wrong. I'm glad we ended up with some snow this year because the last two winters have been without and this will certainly be good for the grass and fields considering the drought of this past summer. But Spring-- where ever you are--I'm patiently awaiting your arrival and I will gladly welcome you with open arms... Don't stay away too long!!

Meet Tiger

2013-02-26T09:29:00.000-06:00

Back in January, we decided to expand our family! We got a new kitty! I had the intention to post when we first got her, but then we went completely MIA for three weeks! Her food was eaten and she was using the litter box... but no sign of her. I have no idea where she was hiding, but she's decided to come out and enjoy our family.

Her new "entrance" into our family has coincided with the latest bouts of sickness, so I haven't even had my camera out to snap pictures, but that will happen eventually. This is the only one I've got for now!

Her name is Tiger, which was her name before she came to the family. We considered other names, but Jackson's suggestions were along the lines of Optimus, Bumble Bee, or Spiderman.... so we stuck with Tiger. She does have stripes, so the name is fitting.

Belle thought Tiger was a kitten puzzle piece, not an actual kitten. Whenever we'd mention her, she'd run and get the puzzle piece and say, "I found it!"

Both kids are thrilled with having a pet, but then they also both are thriving on "being the boss" as they feel they are in some authority over her.

"Hey Jackson, we're getting a kitten".... "Okay, can I be the boss of it?" .... "Well, I think Daddy and I will be the boss of it"... "Okay, well can I be the boss just a little bit?"
Belle: "Tiger. Get down. RIGHT. NOW." and in typical Belle fashion, she says it three to five million times in a row.

Tiger went into heat (constant meowing!) the as soon as the last snowstorm started coming through. It was not pleasant to be stuck in the house with her! I was able to take her to get spayed yesterday before the new storm started!

Both kids were upset that we left her behind at the vet. Belle kept saying as we were walking out the door, "we need tiger!" and Jackson teared up in the car, "But I love our cat!"

All in all, she's a wonderfully patient cat... like, patient with the two little people in this house.

And ultimately, Jackson is learning to help take care of her... an unexpected treat! He likes to feed and water her and he can do it on his own. Now... when can we teach him how to empty the litter box?

Belle's Birthday Celebration

2013-02-23T21:41:00.001-06:00

This week our precious baby girl turned two! Seriously, how did this happen? She was just born a few weeks ago, I swear!! We celebrated with a very small "grandparent" party.

Jackson helped make and decorate Belle's cupcakes!

Belle surprised us all with her walking-in-high-heels skills!!

Big brother had to try out some of Belle's new toys!

Here are my kiddos with both sets of grandparents! I love when we all get together! (you can see that Jackson wasn't interested in the princess stuff very long... he quickly changed to become a superhero).

Great Grandma Duff celebrated with us

And so did Great Grandpa!

Here are a couple of shots that were captured the afternoon of Belle's party-- look at these Pretty Pretty Grandpas! Does Belle have them wrapped around her little finger or what?!?!?!?

It was the perfect little celebration!