NEW BABY!!

I am off to work so I dont have time for a fancy blog post here. But go HERE to see my latest blog post on my cousins blog!!!

Special day!

Today is a very special day. My cousin, the one I grew up with, and shared so many wonderful memories with, will deliver her first baby today!! I will be a guest blogger on her blog here after the baby is born. I cant wait to be the announcer of such wonderful news. Check out her blog and if you want...send her some good delivery vibes.

Progress?

I put all your suggestions into practice. Any better? I'm not sure!!

Being the goof ball I am I had to photograph my progress. A hair stylist I am NOT!!

I'm not sure if it is working, but I am totally loving the new color. Grey be gone!!

New Haircut Disaster!

I decided to get a new haircut about a week ago. I was tired of the same thing over the years and thought "lets change it up!" I walked into the hair salon and the lady that was about to cut my hair had a really cute hair cut. I said to her "I like your hair cut, cut mine like yours! And style it to so that I can see how you do it."

It was fun. Of course its always fun to get a new hair cut. They wash it and massage your head and then they talk to you while they are cutting your hair. In the end, you should walk out with a new look, feeling great about yourself right? WRONG!!!

When my hair cut and style were completed I put my glasses on and looked in the mirror. The emotions that went through me are hard to put into words. My hair looked horrible and NOTHING like the hair cut the stylist had. I was mortified. I generally don't put to much care into my hair. After all, it grows back and there is no harm done in the end....but for some reason this time was different. I really really hated it. I was actually embarrassed to be looked at so I quickly whisked myself and my son away and went to the car.

I played with it over the weekend but Monday soon rolled around and I had to go to work. I did my best with it but the message came through loud and clear when not a single person at work mentioned my new hair cut. Clearly I would have thought that if I looked cute then someone would have said "nice hair cut, you look cute." But that didn't happen. I am sure they were just being nice by keeping their silence. LOL I don't blame them.

Let me show you.


Ive bought all the hair gadgets!

Purchased the best hair sprays!

Yet still it looks like this and this is even after I styled it.

I'm frustrated and ready to give up! Next time you see me I just might go Sinead OConner on y'all.

But before I do that I thought I would try on a couple towels and pillow cases.

What do you think?





SIGH!! I'm off to Walmart to buy a curling iron. I figure Ill try going curly before I shave it all off!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dixie Carter and puppies!! Call me crazy!!

I was so sad today to wake up and read that Dixie Carter from "Designing Women" had passed on. I don't know much about her personal life but I grew up watching her on TV and so its just weird to hear that she has gone. I know her family is so sad. Did anyone else watch that show? I LOVED it and still watch the reruns to this day.

Victoria's birthday is coming up at the end of this month. The one thing she wanted was a new puppy but those little boogers are expensive. I had been looking and looking for free puppies but was only able to find breeds that I was not willing to take on. I didn't want anything with long hair because I already have a dog that I have to get groomed...what a pain in the butt.

Finally today during my craigslist search (gotta love that web site) I found four 8 week old puppies that were half Labrador and half Plott hound. I LOVE LOVE LOVE hound dogs. I think they are so sweet with their little floppy ears. Not to mention that both breeds are very sweet natured dogs. Yes you can call me crazy for taking on another baby, but Victoria has taken on full responsibility and the dog has not had one accident. I think she is going to take on this potty training thing fast.

We drove the twenty minutes to see the puppies and fell in love. They seemed to be very well taken care of and loved. I let Victoria pick out the one she loved with the only stipulation being that it had to be a girl (I don't like dealing with boy dog wee wee issues), and here is what we came home with.

MEET SWEET SASHA!!!!!



Our little Maggie does not like the new puppy yet. She does everything she can to avoid her. LOL

Getting used to a collar is hard work....and very itchy.

One little boy...continued.

It was the day Ben and Rebekah were to arrive. I had so much to do. I wasn't sure if we would all be spending time at my house or the house they were staying at, but regardless of what we did I wanted the house clean.
Getting the kids to school was my main priority. I just needed a day of quite so I could prepare for what I was just about to go through as well as get the errands and cleaning done without interruption.

The morning came and went, Rebekah called me and said they had landed and we both agreed to meet up that evening before our planned outing to my church's Easter play to say hi and visit.

I started getting nervous a couple hours before it was time to meet them. The kids slowly made their way home from school so that was a good distraction for me. They kept asking "when is it time to go, when is it time to go?" It was obvious that they were very excited.

Finally, showers were had, hair and makeup was done and we were on the road. Once on the road I started to feel sick to my stomach and that little lump in my throat returned and I felt like I was on the verge of crying. I knew everything was going to be OK but the anticipation was killing me. I just wasn't sure what to expect.

Finally, we pull up to the little bungalow they were staying in. The kids jumped out and ran in as I could see Rebekah come to the door....holding the little boy I let go so many months ago. A smile swept across my face. I got Skyler out and we made our way in.

He was smaller then I had imagined. His little arms clung to his momma. I felt a little weak in the knees. He was so beautiful, and memories of when he was born and all the months before that swept across my mind. I leaned over and said hi to him as I brushed my hand across his sweet arm. A few seconds or minutes passed, I'm not sure how much time it was before I finally said to Rebekah "can I hold him?" Of course her response was "sure," as she willingly placed this precious boy into my arms.

He didn't cry or fuss. He was very quite but also very curious as to who all the people were. I noticed that my whole body was shaking. Just holding him in my arms again sent something through me. It was the sweetest moment. I just said hi to him. I wanted to drink in all his sweetness. His skin was so soft, his body tiny and light, his eyes deep and thoughtful, his hair.....crazy!!!

I didn't get to hold him long before one of the kids said "shes recording this!" LOL Its clear that I have an issue with my weight. So the thought of being on camera really made me nervous....but then, I decided that it didn't matter. I realized I was only there for one reason and that was for Ty and that I could focus on other issues later.

I didn't get to hold Tyrus for long. Victoria quickly swept in and asked if she could hold him. I think by that time he had already reached out for his momma. I had to keep remembering this weekend that the kids had never met Ty. This was their first visit with their baby brother. At one point during the weekend my mom leaned in and said to me "have you got to spend much time with Ty?" I told her that I had not had that much time with him because the kids were enjoying him so much, in fact you could safely say that they turned into baby hogs. LOL I had to steal my moments with him. My favorite times were when I was able to feed him which turned into a family event.
His momma stripped him down to his onsie and let him go at it with Chelsea's birthday cake. Not only was feeding him my favorite part, but clearly it was Ty's favorite part as well. Food is a BIG part of his life. LOL

Easter morning we all got gussied up and headed out to church only to find out that the church services were changed for Easter Sunday only to accommodate the three services. There was no way we were going to wait around for an hour so we decided to ditch church (horrible I know) and go to the park for a picture shoot and play time.

And play we did....







We decorated Easter eggs...

Skyler enjoyed it the most...


We celbrated Chelsea's 14th birthday and had birthday cake...

Tyrus enjoyed it the most...


It was an amazing weekend. We were all very sad to say goodbye, but it was time and they had to go home. The girls went upstairs and I could here them crying. It broke my heart. That is the hardest part right now...realizing how difficult it is for the kids.

Chelsea came to my room crying that night and said:
"Mom, I don't think I can see Tyrus again. Its to hard for me to say goodbye."



I said to her "Do you love him?" She didnt answer so I told her this,
"Chelsea, I think that you do love him because if you didnt you wouldnt be crying. Sometimes love hurts and thats the hardest part. But if we didnt love we would be missing out on so much. Ty will some day know how hard it was for you to say goodbye to him, but I also know how greatful he will be that you made the choice to meet him."

She cried a little more and then went to bed.

The next day came and I thought I was OK. Its funny how your heart and your head tell you different things. My head was telling me that everything was OK. Ty had a wonderful family. The world is just as it should be. But then my heart was on a completely different playing field. I couldn't quite pin point it until I broke down at work crying. I realized that despite all my logical thinking...my heart was still broken and sad...and I was OK with that. It felt good to actually feel something. I get so busy with the other kids and all the drama they stir up that to often I don't take the time to feel what I need to. Its easier to put all those scary sad feelings aside....but they are necessary.

I probably wont see Ty and his family for at least another year, maybe more. This weekend will linger in my head for weeks. It was amazing!! I wish I could have had all you wonderful readers in my pocket so that you could have been with me experiencing the miracle of it all. Who would have thought that one little boy could bring together such amazing people?

To Tyrus: Good bye my sweet precious little boy. I look forward to the time I see you again. Until then, I will be watching you, loving you, missing you!!!

True love!

Its been a whirlwind of a weekend. Lots of smiles, some tears, and tons of hugs. I have lots to process...but my heart is very happy!




Again...more to come!!

One little boy....

Its late and I have a few more days left before they go home....but look who played peek a boo with me this evening while playing on the floor with my daughter?




My heart is full.....more to come.