Game Day

Football season can be so crushing. Yesterday, during Brian's afternoon Virginia Tech game, he was frustrated and disappointed during most of the game until the last two minutes when VT pulled out a win. I was excited most of the first quarter, scared the second quarter, hopeful the third quarter, and sleeping and then ticked the fourth quarter. And that, folks, is college football.

As I update this blog, all three of us are in bed. Ruth is sitting on Brian's stomach singing and bouncing. Poor Brian is trying to sleep. We have decided to stay home from Sunday school and only go to church today. Brian is too tired and I, frankly, don't want to hear people who didn't even go to Georgia go on and on about how great they are (when we all know that Georgia is overrated).

But I digress.

I thought it would be fun to see pictures of Ruth and Brian from GAME DAY (it is in all caps because it is the first game of each season) from this year and the last year. How Ruth has changed.


The game heats up against Alabama.

Things are looking good at this moment.

Look how little Ruth looks in Daddy's lap last year!!!! Ruth and I took a nap during the second half of this game.

This is still her favorite seat in the house.

Rain Rain Go Away

First, I want to tell you I love rain. I grew up learning not to curse the rain (farming community) except if hay had been cut. My dad always liked to gamble with the weather and cut more hay than he could bail in a day. Seems almost every year we would lose at least some hay to rain because of this.

But today it is me who is losing the game to weather. We planned a yard sale 2 weeks ago, advertised in the paper and waited. It has rained all week. Our yard sale started at 8am. No rain when we woke up. Brian and I had stayed up late getting ready. He built a sign for the road, we finished setting up the garage, Ruth and I ran to the grocery store for balloons. At 8am, it started to rain. So far we have only had three customers but have made $126 (this does not count the $20 of expenses that we have already paid our selves back). But our garage is still full of stuff. One customer told us that we should put the ad on Craig's List for free and then have it again next Saturday. We shall see. We have several more things that we would like to see sell so we can evaluate during the week.

Ruth is now down for a nap and the rain is comining and going. Brian and I are going to enjoy the quiet of the rain and each other's company. If you are in the area, come on by and see us. I'll make a pot of tea.

In Memory

A long standing member of my home church, Sidney Baptist, passed away Sunday night. Ms. Lillian and her family have known me since before I was born. This picture of Ruth, me and Ms. Lillian was taken on September 17, 2008 - almost exactly one year ago. Ruth always seems so transfixed by her.

Not to be preachy, but in the tradition of a Southern Baptist funeral, if you were to die today, could you say without a doubt that you will be in Heaven tonight? If not, I urge you to get down on your knees and ask Jesus into your heart. If you want to know more, you can e-mail me or call a local church.

Today

Just so no one thinks we forgot, we do remember. I have replayed my day several times. Brian chooses to do something different today and focus more on today rather than reliving the past. I have taken several moments to thank God for the many miracles of that day and to hug Ruth a little tighter.

I hope everyone had a day of hope and joy today.

We also had ice cream.

Ruth practicing her "jumping"

Daddy and Ruth being Daddy and Ruth

Video from Savannah in early August

The Adventures of Ruth

Ruth had her 18 month appointment on Tuesday morning. She is now up to 20 pounds and 12.8 ounces. This raises her from the 5% in weight to the 6%. However, she is in the 80% for head size. I guess from the post about Ruth asking to be taken to the mirror and pronouncing that she is cute is enough to tell us all that Ruth as a big head.

Wednesday evening the Sears repairmen came to my house. My husband was able to get the microwave up by himself but it took two of them to take it down and put it up. I am sure one could do it but that it made it faster. Ruth and I watched as they used electric screwdrivers to unscrew all the many screws to take it apart. As they lifted the back off the microwave, Ruth said, "Ta-da!"

One of the Sears men cut himself and bled on my kitchen rug. Now, it wasn't that much blood but even at the doctor's office if you have a band-aid with blood on it they put it in a special trash can. So I called Sears and filed a damage report. We are buying a new rug and are awaiting Sears to tell us if they will pay for it. Don't hold your breath.

Friday mornings are a little crazy at our house. Fridays are the day I step out of the mommy role and go be a "real" person at KSUand teach a lecture class. As Brian and I were getting ready for work this morning, Ruth did her usual go between her room with puzzles and our room to talk to us. At one point when she was in her room, she started yelling for us but we couldn't understand what. I walked into her room to find that she had crawled up on the big bed and from there crawled up on the changing table. She was sitting there, reaching for the wipes saying "dy-per".

Great, my child not only climbs but apparently feels that her diaper needs to be changed when barely damp.

Hormones Talking

As I update this blog, my sweet husband is sleeping next to me and my daughter is asleep in her room. The house is quiet except for my typing and our humidifiers. It is peaceful. Grayson and I are awake. He is kicking probably due to the massive amount of dark chocolate chips I ate today. Come to think of it, that may be why I am wide awake at the late hour of 10pm.

Ruth had her 18 month check up today. Brian was able to go with us. I was so glad. The nurses always have a ton of questions for you and forms to fill out so you can't give your full attention to your child who is either trying to get into stuff or who needs comforting. In addition, Ruth is in a Daddy phase. At dinner she will only let Daddy help her. I tried to help her tonight since I was done eating (I started before everyone else) and Brian was trying to eat. She would hold out her fork and say "Daddy" and I would try to take the fork and say "I'm happy to help." Ruth would pull the fork away from me and re-extend it to Brian. Oh well. The two of them enjoy each other so much who am I to get in the way. Besides, it gives me a break. And I am the one who gets to "wing" with her in the afternoons on the front porch as we watch the "kool bas" (school buses) go by all the while singing on demand and changing mid verse from "The wheels on the bus" to "the horn on the bus", "the wipers on the bus", "the kids on the bus", "twinkle", "itty-bitty" (itsty-bitsy spider), to "speak a speak" (the theme song to Martha Speaks). I have gotten pretty good at being a quick change singer.

In the words of the characters in the movie Hope Floats, my cup runneth over. (yes, I know this is from the Bible too).

My cup runneth over and over and over.....

Pictures from Arkansas in July

For those of you who know me, you know that I am not an animal person. The fact that Brian says I am a founding member and president of NAPO (Natalie Against Pet Ownership) is an understatement. I grew up on a farm surrounded by animals. Animals in the house make me nervous (sorry homeowners with pets) because I know what messes animals make - similar to children. So of course, God gave me a child who loves animals. When we are out, I let her talk to and pet animals because I don't want my dislike of animals to influence her. My parents have outside animals and Ruth loved playing with them. She would just hug and hug the kitty. I love the expression on the cat's face.

This is my friend Kara and her son Eston. He is nine months older than Ruth but seemed ages older. We had great weather that day and the kids played outside blowing bubbles and playing with balls. Remember, it is a farm and farm equipment is what you see in the background - along with my mother's English inspired garden.

These pictures were taken at the lodge where we stayed while Memommy (my mother) was at her library meeting. I had purchased Ruth this cute little tutu for cheap and she enjoyed wearing it around the hotel room. It has been in her closet ever since.

For my dancer friends, don't you love the parallel attitude in second. Pretty good form, I think. Knee and toes seem to be in the same line. However, she learned this move watching Daddy and this was during a phase when she thought standing on one leg was the coolest trick. That, sadly, has now passed. How quickly they move on to new tricks.

Ruth and the Apple

To answer your questions, yes, Ruth eats apples just like in the picture. Brian will start it for her and then she goes to town. She still spits out the peeling, or rather hands it to whatever parent is closest. In fact, she gets mad if you try to cut it up for her. She wants to be like daddy.

However, she will instruct us to "cut it" on whatever meat we put on the high chair, even though the pieces are quiet small already.

Be Thankful

Yesterday I ranted about Sears. Today I read this from my sorority sister, Debbie. I know we all can get stressed and be thankful for wonderful things. This is not meant to be a sob story. I am just so proud of my friend Debbie (by the way, Sooners, her husband is a die hard Sooner fan - born and raised in Arkansas). This is from their Caring Bridge website.

"September 3rd the dayone year ago that I took Adam to Dr. McNabb for his 3 year old Well Child Check-Up. (Adam was excited to see McNabb because Dr. McNabb is 'sweat to me') September 3rd, the day that has changed our lives forever.

I have such vivid memories:

* Dr. McNabb and every other Doc in the practice coming in to examine Adam
* Being told we need to go to Children's ER, they were expecting us
* Calling Mark at work, telling him to come home - but not telling him why
* The single tear down Alyson's face when she saw the CBC report McNabb sent with us to take to Children's
* The parade of Docs in the ER at Children's, each older than the last
* Being admitted for "tests" at 2:00am by a lovely nurse named Krystal
* The bone marrow aspiration, I was not strong enough to watch Adam through this, I curled up next to Mark's leg on the floor and cried
* Making the unthinkable phone calls to friends and family, Adam has cancer

It was real for me that day, something was amuch with my baby. I though it would be easier by now, I hoped we would be old hat at this and our abnormal, new normal would be easy. It was supposed to be easier by now. Don't get me wrong it is easier in some respects; no more middle of the night runs to Children's for fever, no more seriously ill child, no more intense everyday isolation. What has replaced those difficult times are now the semi-regular struggle to have Adam take whatever oral daily med, drug interactions, and the reality that his Friday chemo makes him feel horrible every weekend all weekend. We hurt for our baby because there isn't a thing we can do to make it better no matter how much we want to.

Those who have said that this world is a cold, cruel place don't know the world I live in. We have experienced so much giving and so much love over the last year. God has surrounded us with enough family, friens and medical professionals to support us through a very rough time in life. He has not let us down but equipped us to make this very difficult walk.

So today I declare my New Year. I have taken the day off from work and hope that Adam wakes fever free and feeling good so we can spend some quality time at the zoo with Grandma. Today truly brings about a new year that is more significant that the calendar year - a year of life. My New Year - New Life resolution is to cherish each moment as it is and not want for someting different. To cherish the fact that Adam wants me to hold and snuggle him rather than focus on the fact that the chemo makes him feel so rotten that he wants to be helf.

Here's to a New Year!

Debbie"

Sears and Nap Time

Really, Ruth? After almost 18 months of life you still have to throw a fit at nap time? I am updating the blog, trying to get my frustration out before (or IF) the repairman from Sears ever shows up to our house to fix our less than two month old microwave.

This summer our old microwave, the one that came with the house, died. It was no surprise. I am sure it had been here the life of the house which is about 11 years if I remember correctly. It had been giving us clues for about six months that it was making arrangements for its final days. We bought a Kenmore, against both of our better instincts. The reason: everything else in the kitchen is a Kenmore so another Kenmore will match. But after the trouble we had with our fridge, multiple trouble, I had my doubts.

And now here we are, less than two months later and Saturday morning the microwave went out. And to make matters worse, Sears (fill in your favorite cuss word ever) gives us a time of 8am to 5pm of when they will be here. It is now 3pm, Ruth and I had to cancel our appointment today at Mother's Club and still no Sears man has called When I called Sears and got someone who I am sure was sitting at a desk in another country to ask if they could give me a more specific time, I was told "no" and that she would have the repairman call me. That was over two hours ago. Still no call.

Even though my father-in-law worked for Sears until early retirement, I think he wouldn't mind me saying this next statement: I HATE SEARS!!!!!! I will not shop there or at K-Mart and will gladly tell them why, if they had the customer service to listen or care.

Customer Service, if you are wondering, is something that existed in the old days when companies felt they owed their consumers a quality product with quality service. Now, companies want your money without having to deal with you.

I am off my soapbox.

Our Busy Saturday

Since Brian now works a "normal" work week (which in our area, due to traffic means leaving the house before 6:30 and getting home around 6:30), we have very busy weekends. And since this is the first year I have not had to Nutcracker (I have missed football Saturdays for five years!) rehearsals on Saturdays, we are living up on the weekends.

This past Saturday we had a birthday party at the Center for Puppetry Arts and then went to a park to hear our church's orchestra play. Ruth loved it. I have one picture twice but can't get it to remove today.

Look at the bicep.

What girl doesn't love hitting her own face with a balloon. I think she must have seen the movie "I Heart Huckabees" (this movie, by the way, is not talking about the former Gov. of Arkansas).

The best seat in the house.

"I think the trumpet section was a little off key."

Our family!