Aches and Pains

Each of us here in the Freeman Household are experiencing some kind of ache, pain, or general annoyance.
Jadie has been experiencing some pretty painful lower back pain that travels into his upper left leg to his knee. He assumed he pulled something and that it would heal slowly on its own. It's been over a week and he's finally to the point of seeking medical attention. So, we'll see if the chiropractor can help...he's never been to one and neither have I.
I have been dealing with congestion, sore throat, headaches, and body aches since yesterday morning. Tylenol seems to have taken care of the hurt, but of course the congestion/drainage persists.
Caleb has had a runny nose for about 3 days now, but it seems as though he doesn't have any other symptoms like fever, cough, or grouchiness.
The only one who seems normal is Dusty, our dog.

Life in Pictures

Here are some pictures from the past few months. For some reason I never feel like there's much to blog about, but then I look through my pictures and wonder why I didn't blog about them...

October

Caleb's first plane ride...going to Ohio

Daddy's Shoes

Halloween: Visiting Jadie's Grandma

November

Worst Owie ever!

Just Kidding...Caleb thought it was funny to put grapes on his head.

Our Buds are Back in Town...Caleb and Ryan playing together

Granana and Caleb the Dino

Caleb the Dino...again...he LOVES to wear this costume!

Reading his BOZ book

Doing his Community Helpers Puzzle

Not sure what made him try this...but he can almost do the splits!

December

Golfing...Daddy would be so proud!

I thought I Might Need Proof

As many of you with young children (or who've raised children) know well, toddlers are notorious for sporadic and wacky eating habits that usually don't please mommy. Things like only wanting to eat crackers all day or only eating chicken nuggets. Things like this have been going on around here for quite some time. An unusual thing occurred today; Caleb actually wanted to eat broccoli!!! I have heard many times to just keep introducing foods to your toddler over and over again. It may take 14 times or more for your child to choose to eat certain foods. Could be anything that they refuse to eat. Anyhow, it's usually veggies for our little Caleb. I mean that he aviods the veggies. He will sometimes eat green beans, but never broccoli! So, here's the proof...I wasn't kidding!

For those of you who are curious...that's also mac and cheese and BBQ sauce and chicken strips are on the tray, not the plate. He didn't eat much of the chicken or mac today, but a victory for broccoli!

Melancholy to Merry

I've been feeling a bit melancholy lately...like Monday-Tuesday-Today. Not sure why...maybe the drizzly, cold, wet-for-three-days syndrome.

So Monday was a shopping day and a luncch with Jadie day. Caleb and I went to Temple around 11am to try to beat the lunch crowd. We browzed through Hobby Lobby for a while until Jadie called to say he could leave for lunch. We enjoyed lunch at Fazoli's. Jadie was really excited to share some deer jerky with me that one of his work buddies had given him. Yummy! After lunch, we ventured over to Ross, Marshall's, Target, and Michael's in hopes of finding some stocking holders that didn't cost an arm and a leg. No such luck...the cheapest I found were $15 each. I'll try to Dollar General later this week.

Tuesday we stayed in all day long. We watched Ratatouille, did only one load of laundry, and well, that's about it. I had coffee with some of my mommy friends at Starbucks at seven. It was a nice time of conversation...funny how we talk about our kids more than anything else.

Today I slept until 9:45 am...I don't know if Caleb sleeps so late because my lazy habits have caused him to sleep later or if he's just always going to be a late sleeper. I'll be praying for him to wake earlier so that I will be forced to do the same...I feel like my whole day is almost gone when I don't get up before 8:30 or 9am.

So here we are...moving from melancholy to merry! I'm going to get something done this afternoon...well, now it's almost evening...

Celebrating 80 Years!

To my dear PawPaw: HAPPY 80TH BIRTHDAY!!! You are a wonderful man whom I admire and love deeply. Over the years, I have watched you care for your family, play with your grandchildren, and treat everyone like an old friend. Thank you for being such an example for me.
I hope you enjoy your day tomorrow!

What's Been Going On

It's bee a while since I've posted an events post...here goes!

Last Thursday: Thanksgiving Day, spent at my grandparents hosue. Jadie, Kristin, Caleb, and I arrived on Wednesday night. Since we aren't too fond of the 3 hour drive, we alwyas try to get it out of the way. We had a yummy home-cooked breakfast with Granny and PawPaw. Mom arrived somewhere between 9 and 10 am. The rest of the family (Aunt Shirley, Uncle David, Pam, Larry, Uncle Steve, Uncle Clifford, Max and his 2 baby boys) arrived between 11 am and noon. Can we say yummy food?!? My favorite: Sweet Potato Casserole! All Caleb ate was Chex Party Mix and cookies! Thanks everyone!

Last Friday: The drive home in time for Jadie to watch the UT vs. ATM game at 2:30 pm.

Last Saturday: Thanksgiving Dinner with Jadie's Dad and Fran. We went to Cracker Barrel.
Again, so yummy! Exciting event: We left our light on so our battery was dead when we got out to the car (it was rainy and COLD!). Jadie's dad, Fran, Aliene, and Vanessa had already left, so we had to wait a little while in the rain for them to return to give our car a jump. Thank goodness my daddy always taught me to keep a set of jumper cables in the car!

Last Sunday: Thanksgiving with the HORN clan (Jadie's mom's side) at Grandma's house. Caleb loves to see other kids, even if they are all older than him by at least 5 years. We all had a great time, but all Caleb ate was a banana and a cookie. Yikes!

Monday: Jadie's first day of this week-long vacation! Doctor's Appointments for Jadie back-to-back! 10 am Dentist, 12:00 pm Lunch with me and Caleb, 1:30 pm Eye Doctor, 3:30 pm Dentist again for a filling. We had dinner with Bonnie and Steven at BJ's Restaurant and Brewery in Temple. A little overpriced by my standards, but every bite was delicious!

Tuesday: My wonderful sister Kristin babysat Caleb so we could go play a round of golf! I gave up pretty easily since it was only my second attempt ever and Jadie took me to a par 5 this time. Those are some long drives! It takes me somewhere between 4 and 6 strokes just to get to the green!

Wednesday: I spent all day with Miss Bonnie and her kiddos! Jadie and Steven went to play golf and also took care of cutting down a bush at our house and repairing a table at their house. So, Bonnie and I spent the day chasing our kids, talking, and chasing our kids some more. Good times!

Today: Jadie's playing golf with Paul and I'm here relaxing (at least until noon or so)! Who knows what the rest of the day will hold!

Bonnie Update by Request

A friend emailed me the day after Thanksgiving to ask for an update on how Bonnie's doing. She said that she had been praying for Bonnie (even though she doesn't know her!) and was really wanting to know how she was progressing. I pray that God would bless my friend Kim as she has blessed Bonnie through her prayers and convern.

Here's the update...

• She returned home to Waco with her family on November 1st. They drove home for several reasons. 1. They could pull over at any time for her to get out and walk (She walked for the first time on October 19th). 2. They could take their time, stopping for two nights to rest. 3. The plane tickets were too expensive. 4. They had a vehicle in Ohio that they needed to get home anyway. 5. They had many household items and small furniture items to transport home also. 6. Her parents were in Ohio for the duration of her time in the hospital, so they would be driving home at the same time.
• At the time that she was dismissed to return home to Waco, she was instructed to walk at least 250 feet a day to promote stretching and increased ability to walk for longer periods of time. I don’t know how much she is walking now, but she is walking more and more everyday.
• Bonnie returned to our church for the first time on Sunday, November 10th. As would be expected, everyone was glad to see her and hug her neck.
• Bonnie spoke in church on Sunday, November 17th about her fall and how God has been changing her. In the weeks before her fall, God had been revealing to her how ugly her heart had become. She discovered that she wasn’t really loving anyone around her the way God would have her love them. She began praying for a change of heart. God began to slowly transforming her. During her time in the hospital, God continued to change her and reveal his heart to her and his plan for how she is to live. These are not my words, but the words I have a very vivid memory of her speaking to me as I visited her in the hospital in mid-October and then again to the church on November 17th.
• Bonnie has not yet made a decision about her elbow. She has an appointment with a specialist in either January or February (I can’t remember which). Since the fall on August 30th, her right arm has been set at the same position and angle. The bone between her elbow and shoulder has healed and she does have the ability to move and use her right hand, but not with very much functionality due to the fact that she can’t use the elbow. She uses her left hand for just about every task.
  
  I hope that this is a pretty thorough explanation of how Bonnie’s doing now…if you have any questions, please ask. I’d be happy to answer them or ask Bonnie for the answer.

Giving Thanks to Our Troops

As you take time this Thanksgiving to refelct on the things you are most thankful for, please remember our military heroes who are working everyday to keep our country safe and FREE.

My mom sent me an email telling me about the "Giving Thanks" text message project. The project invites you and your families to send a text message of thanks to our military service men and women serving in 177 countries. By sending a text message to 8 9 2 7 9 between now and Thanksgiving Day we all can say thanks to our troops during the holiday season.

You can also visit the "America Supports You" website at http://www.americasupportsyou.mil/ to see the messages already sent.

Thanks for helping keep America connected to our military in such a meaningful way.

I also want to personally thank those of you who have in the past or are currently serving in the line of military duty for our country. Thank you to those of you who support your husbands as they serve in our country's military. Thank you to those of you who pray for our military. Thank you to my PawPaw for his service to our country.

Cute Caleb Stories

• On Monday, I was blow-drying my hair in the foyer so I could still watch Caleb play. When I finished, I rolled out the vacuum cleaner to get up any stray hairs from my blow-drying. My mom was still here from the weekend and she stopped me in the middle to look at Caleb. I thought he was scared of the vacuum, but I continued with my task. When I finished, I began to put the vacuum away, when my mom said, "Lauren, you'd better vacuum the living room floor, too." I wasn't sure what she meant...then she explained. Caleb had picked up every last piece of his train set and put it away in the box so that I could vacuum the living room. What a little helper!
  
• Last night (Wednesday), Caleb came to find me, saying, "Baby. Baby. Baby." He bagan to walk away. I thought this was weird, but continued what I was doing. He approached me again, saying, "Baby. Baby." This time I decided to follow him. He led me to the living room to this picture of one of our end tables.As you can tell, it is one of my pregnancy pictures. Caleb began to point at my belly and say, "Baby." This moment is truly a moment that has blessed me forever!

Cutest Little Backpack Ever

Two weekends ago, a couple of friends and I went to First Monday Trade Days in Canton. We shopped, shopped, shopped.

I bought Caleb a few Christmas gifts including this adorable little backpack!

Caleb Dressed up as "Mommy"

So, Caleb pronounces monkey as "mommy." No comments about how it's probably because I look like a monkey...PLEASE! I was told that plenty when I was young. I know you remember, Mom (and I'm calling you out)! I seem to remember a song that you'd sing to me in the morning. It goes like this:

Good morning to you

You live in a zoo

You look like a monkey

And you smell like one too!

Anyhow, here's Caleb in his monkey costume!

This was the Halloween costume I picked out for Caleb this year. We started out at Family of Faith Nazarene Church for their "Trunk of Treat." Then we went to Jadie's grandmother's house to visit with her for a while and show her how adorable Caleb was in his costume. Next, we went to Western Heights Baptist Church for their Halloween Carnival (I used to work part time for their PDO program). Then we went and visited with Jadie's dad for a little while. Finally, we went Trick-or-Treating in our own neighborhood, which turned out to be a great idea because we were able to meet several of our neighbors whom we had not yet met in our 3 years here.

The Truths of Modern Television Shows

This past spring, Jadie and I became interested in a new TV show on ABC entitled "Notes From the Underbelly." The show centers around a married couple who finds out that they are pregnant. Only 8 episodes aired in the spring, but the show it set to begin again next Monday!

What makes this show particularly intriguing for us is that much of what this couple faces and much of what they worry about and mull over are things that we faced and mulled over when we were expecting Caleb. Anywho, for those who may be interested, check out last season's episodes before the new season starts on Monday. I think you'll get a kick out of them!

http://dynamic.abc.go.com/streaming/landing?lid=ABCCOMGlobalMenu&lpos=FEP

Ten Items or Less

I usually only blog when something new, exciting, or at least noteworthy happens. Well, I'm fresh out of those types of stories, so I now subject you to the ramblings of my heart.

I was walking with my friend Melanie this morning, discussing relationships between friends and how we develop friendships and how we tend to lose friendships. Anyhow, what we were talking about is beside the point. We were both keeping an eye out for a certain tree that I had seen on Monday morning during our walk. This particular tree had one of those fake tree faces on it. In fact, there were 2 such trees in the same neighborhood. I was able to point one out to her, but the other I have been unable to relocate. Anyhow, she had pointed out how observant I was that I had even noticed these "faces" on the tree trunks.

Today, I was saying that I had felt complimented by her comment, but that there had been something that had happened to me recently that gave evidence to the contrary. Through our conversation, I could not recall the incident, but it is fresh in my mind now. So the long and lengthy explanation of the "unobservant" incident commences.

I spent Monday afternoon from about 4-5:30 pm at the grocery store. I had spent about 1n hour and fifteen minutes doing the shopping portion (it took longer because I didn't have my usual list format with me), and was searching for a check out line. It seemed that there were quite a few lines open, most about the same length. I decided on a particular line because the lady at the end only had 7 or 8 items in her basket. I thought this would make for the quickest escape. I unloaded the items onto the conveyor belt. As the cashier began to scan my first item, I heard him say "ten items or less." Apparently he was talking to the man in line behind me, confirming to him that this line was for customers with ten items or less. I looked up at the lane number and low and behold, the "10 items or less" sign was lit up. I was mortified and began to apologize to the man in line behind me. His response was a stone cold look of dismay and zero words of forgiveness for my blunder. I tried to avoid his stare as the cashier scanned my 60 or so items and my 8 coupons. I continued to apologize to the cashier, hoping the man behind me would hear and at least acknowledge my sincerity.

Anyhow, the point is...I am not always as observant as I'd like to be. The kicker to the story? I looked around at the other check lanes and literally every lane was open...and my lane was the one and only "10 items or less" line. I power walked my way out of HEB that day!

Meme

The Rules:
1. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
2. People who are tagged need to write a post on their own blog (about their eight things) and post these rules.
3. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
4. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

Here's who better do this with me...
Kristin
Tricia
Christy
Karen
Stephanie
Linda
Nicole
Amanda

Thanks Mel...and by the way a few of my random facts will be spin offs of yours because they reminded me of things from when I was younger...

1. When I was in high school, a friend and I would tie a white sock to a black string and tie one end to a tree across the street. We would then stretch the string to our side of the street so that the white sock seemed to be floating in midair. We were trying to "scare" people in the cars passing by.
2. My husband and I met on a blind date.
3. I once hit a parked car and didn't leave a note or anything. I don't think the dent was that noticeable.
4. I graduated 7th in my class in high school of 385 seniors (and Christy was in top ten too!!)
5. I once peed myself in someone else's sleeping bag at a slumber party. We were playing a game where each person takes a turn in the sleeping bag while the other girls carry the sleeping bag around the house. For some reason, this was a hilarious game for me...I couldn't control myself. Sometimes I still can't (and yes, it's embarrassing).
6. Oijua Boards scare me like crazy...I didn't like them in the first place, but I played once with my cousins and sister and we asked who was controlling the board, thinking it would spell one of our names. It didn't!! It spelled devil. I truly believe that all things related to witchcraft are of Satan and I want nothing to do with any of them!!!
7. I have an extra rib...or so the doctor says...
8. My favorite drink at Bahama Bucks is the Bahama Mamma...yummy...coconut!

Bonnie Becomes More Like Herself :-)

We got back to Waco around 7:00 Sunday night after our 5 days in Akron, OH to visit Steven and Bonnie. We also spent Sunday afternoon in Keller visiting with my mom, Kristin, Aunt Barbara and counsins Melinda and Teri. We enjoyed some yummy TEXAS Barbecue at Spring Creek. My personal fav is the BBQ Baked Potato...MMMMM!!!
Since I like to use tools to help me keep my thoughts organized, I will give you a schedule of what happeded on our adventure.
Wednesday, Oct 17-- Bonnie's Birthday!!!
12:00 pm: Our plane landed in Cleveland, we rented a Jeep Grand Cherokee :-)
2:00 pm: Trip to Wal-Mart for Bonnie's cookie cake and diapers (so we didn't have to pack as many)
3:00 pm: Birthday Celebration at the hospital. Bonnie got 2 Chick-fil-A gift cards, an Ohio State T-shirt, an Ohio State musical pen, and an Ohio State T-shirt Pom-Pon (Dave Matthews would be so proud!)
Thursday, Oct 18
1:00 pm: Visiting with Bonnie (this is when I took the first 3 picutes you see below)
3:00 pm: Bonnie's Surgery to remove all of the metal from her arm (rods in upper arm, fixators at the elbow, and a hook-like thing on her elbow)
4:30 pm: Bonnie comes out of surgery with no more metal sticking out of her arm!
Friday, Oct 19
9:30 am: Bonnie took her first steps!!!
1:00 pm: Jadie, Steven, Caleb and I went to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
3:30 pm: Jadie, Steven, Caleb and I hiked the trails at the Gorge Metro Park and took pictures of the spot where Bonnie fell. It was obvious why she and Steven had visited the park.
5:00 pm: We visited Bonnie in the hospital
9:00 pm: I got to spend the night with Bonnie (I slept in the uncomfortable recliner and we stayed up until 1:30am)
Saturday, Oct 20
7:30 am: Bonnie had her physical therapy time. She walked 4 times (20-30 steps each time) and did several exercises for her legs. I played balloon volleyball with her to help test her balance.
10:00 am: I left the hospital to get some sleep and a shower; Jadie and Steven played golf
4:00 pm: Jadie, Caleb and I went to an Amish Wildlife Park to celebrate Brady's 7th birthday (Brady is Steven's cousin's son)
7:00 pm: Texas Roadhouse in Stow, OH to celebrate Brady's birthday (some more)
9:00 pm: We visited Bonnie in the hospital and said our goodbyes
Sunday, Oct 21
6:00 am: Our plane left Cleveland, OH
8:45 am: We landed at DFW
1:00 pm: We had lunch at Spring Creek with family
7:00 pm: We returned to our HOME-SWEET-HOME!

Bonnie Before Surgery

Bonnie After Surgery, Experiencing Autumn

Here in Ohio!

So, we made the trip to Ohio yesterday morning with Caleb. We flew into Cleveland, but were still nervous about how Caleb would react to the new experience and the possible painful ear pressure adjustments of the take off and landing. He did great!!! We made sure he was munching on some pretzels when we were taking off so he would be able to "pop" his ears to relieve the pressure. He only slept for about 30 minutes of the 2 hour flight, but was content to read his Counting Colors book and push the button on the seat for entertainment.
We celebrated Bonnie's 27th birthday in the hospital yesterday afternoon. She was in good spirits and had a total calmness about her. We enjoyed eating cookie cake and vanilla ice cream and just getting to talk and watch our kids play together.
Bonnie will have surgery this afternoon to remove the pins and rods from her right arm and elbow. They plan to stay in Akron for another two weeks after she is released later this week.

My Best Version of the Frappuccino

I've tried many times to create a version of the oh-so-yummy Starbucks Frapuccino, but never could make one that was satisfying. That is until this weekend. I do realize that everyone is entitled to thier own opinion...so if you try this in your own blender and think it's terrible...that's ok with me. But for those who try it and LOVE it...rock on!

• 2 tsp instant coffee
• 1 tsp cocoa powder
• 6 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 C whipping cream
• 1/2 cold water
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips
• 8-10 cubes of ice
• Blend very well!

Let me know what you think (if you try it at home).

Thankfulness

I know, Thanksgiving is not until next month, but I was realizing some things I am thankful for...in no particular order, other than this is how they are pouring from my mind...

• Friends who care enough to send a card


• Friends who care enough to cook you a meal during a difficult time


• Playing in a turtle sandbox with my 21 month old


• Freedom in America


• Digital Cameras


• A job that provides affordable healthcare


• Jadie who works his tail off to provide for our family


• God, who knows my every emotion and sends exactly what I need


• Candles that fill an entire house with sweet aromas


• Diaper Genies that keep nasty smells contained


• Schlotzky's BBQ Chicken Pizza (thanks for the suggestion, Steph)


• A sister who loves the Lord


• A mom who can't stay away from Waco for longer than a month


• A dad who loves his daughters


• Cute crafts that are fun to make


• Grandparents who can make a stranger feel right at home


• Bonnie who is a MIRACLE of God


• Jason and Amanda who love orphans and teach them about a man named Jesus


• A father-in-law who sacrifices to provide for his family


• Roses


• Good health


• Happiness


• Joy that lasts through any circumstance

My Dad

This man has meant a lot to me over the years. He taught me how to have fun. He taught me how to give a firm handshake. He taught me to always do things right the first time. He taught me how to play forty-two. He taught me how to change the oil in my first car. The list could go on forever.
This past Thursday, September 27, 2007, he closed his eyes on this world and opened his eyes in another. I'd like to speculate at where he is now, and in fact, I believe I know where he is...but only he and the Lord know for sure.
For those who might want to know (and because typing this out might help me heal), my dad died of schematic heart failure and diabetes. In the fall of 1999, he suffered a stroke, changing his health and his life forever. Since then, things have slowly progressed until he suffered a second stroke in February of this year. Since this second stroke, he has been an obviously different person. He was also diagnosed with diabetes after this second stroke. His memory was fading which didn't help with the fact that he was supposed to be medicating himself with insulin and numerous pills several times a day. Since his last doctor's appointment less than two weeks ago, my mom had told me that he seemed more tired and less like himself than ever. I believe his body was beginning to shut down.
Jadie, Caleb, and I did see him the weekend before he died, but it was very brief. We were in Keller for a wedding and dad was doing what he loved and attending a gun show. He was asleep when we came home from the wedding, but we were able to talk with him for about 5 minutes on Sunday morning.
I feel like there is an empty place in my life. I just want to have him call me to tell me about some seemingly insignificant event from his day or to get an email from him about some new scheme that could easily be disproven by snopes.com. Those times have passed, but I can relive moments from his life in my heart and mind.
I love my dad dearly.

The High Cost of Dining Out

Jadie and I have gone back and forth being good stewards of the money God has blessed us with (and Jadie has worked hard for). We take a look at our dining out expenses every once in a while, and sometimes muster the discipline to eat at home most nights and out only 1 or two times in a week. Then there are times that we eat almost every evening and weekend meal at a restaurant or fast food establishment. I think that's enough background info...

So, I got to thinking tonight about how Jadie points out the high cost of my occasional (2-5 times a month) Starbucks Frappuccino. I thought I could actually calculate the total cost of my Starbucks purchases over the last 12 months and that this would possibly shock me into narrowing my addiction to only once or twice a month...12 month period: September 21, 2006-September 21, 2007...Starbucks: $60.80

Considering the only thing I purchase at Starbucks is a drink, I'd say this is pretty steep compared to the other estrablishments totals where I order an entire meal.

What will I do with this information? Probably nothing...except be more concious of how quickly I am making companies more wealthy every time I am too lazy to cook a meal in my own home...

Jesus

I saw this video for the first time last week. It is life-changing.
Watch it!

Still Around

I am falling into the trap of thinking that I can only post to my blog when something new and exciting happens. Well, I guess I shouldn't keep waiting for that. If you really think about it, something new happens in your life every day.

Here's what's semi-new for me...I started babysitting Baby Blake the day after Labor Day. This has been quite an adjustment for Caleb and for me too. I am used to being more free to move around and get things done since Caleb is walking and entertaining himself well at this age. Blake is another story. I remember these times with Caleb. Babies, too, like a change in scenery and a change of activity every so often. So...I hold Blake, I feed Blake, I change Blake's diaper, Blake swings, Blake sits in my lap, Blake sleeps (sometimes for 2 hours), and so on. I only have Blake in the mornign hours, but taking care of two kiddos does take a lot energy (and patience).

Surprise Visit

Yesterday we were all home; Jadie was sick and playing football on his PS2 while Caleb and I were bored out of our minds from listening to the Texas A&M fight song. The doorbell rang and you'll never guess who it was...my Paw-Paw! He was on his way from Van, TX to Lake Buchanan to play golf with a buddy. We visited for about 15 minutes and showed him Caleb's new swing set. Right before he headed out the door, I handed Caleb to him to snap a picture. Paw-Paw said, "Now there will be a picture of ME on your blog." Evidently, Granny and Paw-Paw check our blog regularly. Paw-Paw, I hope you enjoy seing yourself here as much as we enojyed seeing you show up on our front proch. We LOVE you!

Heartfelt Hello

I talked to Bonnie on the phone last night. She was very tearful and apologetic (though I have no idea what for). She didn't say much, nor did I, we mostly just cried together. I made sure she knew I was crying with joy at finally being able to talk to her. She just kept repeating, "Thank you, and I love you." I reminded her how much we all love her and that there are many, many people thinking of her and praying for her daily.

She finally has her own room at the hospital. I believe that this means her boys are allowed to visit now. I'm sure that will be a decision Steven and Bonnie will make soon.

Please continue to remember her in your prayers...

Endless Fun for Everyone

Ta-Da! Here's our finished swing set. We were able to overcome a few frustrating complications and it has been worth it! Caleb LOVES to slide and swing, and Jadie and I could swing for hours (or at least about 30 minutes)!

The New Truck

No, we didn't buy a new truck. But at&t did. They actually bought it over 6 months ago to replace Jadie's old bucket truck for work. Who knows what has taken them so long to actually get it to Jadie. Here's the old '91 Ford Clunker...careful not to look too long, it might hurt your eyes...

Jadie brought home the new truck last week; I like to call him "Studly," for obvious reasons. Kristin and I even made him a Welcome-To-Your-Parking-Spot sign. Drumroll, please...

My Best Friend Bonnie

Thursday night we recieved some frightening news. My best friend Bonnie had a terrible accident while hiking in Akron, Ohio with her husband, Steven. She fell 30-50 feet from a cliff, tumbling to the bottom and breaking her right arm and shoulder and leg, shattering her right elbow, breaking her left wrist, and dislocating her left ring finger. She was transported to the hospital after the paramedics spent an hour to carefully get to where she had landed.

Jadie and I recieved a phone call at 10:00pm Thursday night from Karrie, Bonnie sister. She tried to tell us the news, but ended up passing the phone to her husband. After Jadie hung up the phone, he told me the news and then began calling other friends so they could start praying. At about 10:30pm, we began making plans to drive the 20 hours to Ohio. We hit the road by midnight.

When we reached Steven and Bonnie's townhouse, it was 1:00 am Saturday morning, so we hit the sack. We went to see Bonnie in the ICU at 10:30am, trying to prepare ourselves as much as possible before we went in to see her. When we walked in, she was sedated and had tubes coming from her mouth. Her right arm was bandaged from shoulder to wrist, with pins and stabilizing aparatus holding the larger bones in her elbow and shoulder in place. She was wearing a neck brace and had a bandage on her chin and a gash on her forehead. Needless to say, it was difficult to see considering how much she means to us. We continued to visit her throughout the day, her condition remaining much the same. She was making improvements in her breathing, initiating 11 out of 12 breaths per minute on her own. She was able to respond to small requests for her to move her thumb or nod her head.

We had to drive back to Waco Sunday morning in order to be back at work by Tuesday, so Jadie, Karrie, and I got home to Waco around 2:00pm Monday afternoon. I wanted to make sure to include the newest AMAZING information about what's going on with Bonnie. I am totally elated after our last phone coversation with Steven at about 1:30pm today.

The hospital has taken out Bonnie's breathing tube and taken her off of the sedation. She was able to say "I love you" to Stephen. She was worried about his sprained ankle! She recognized her parents (Sally and Jerry), her brother (Terry), her sister (Katrina), and our pastor (Roger). Terry even made Bonnie laugh a little. Jadie, Karrie, and I are so glad to hear about all of these incredible improvements, but a little sad that we weren't able to be there to see them for ourselves.

Please continue to pray for Bonnie and her family; there is still a long road to recovery ahead. She will have a 4-hour reconstructive surgery on her right elbow this Wednesday. Praise God that her 2nd CAT Scan came back looking perfect and that her lungs are healing quickly. She is breathing completely on her own now. Praise Him that most of what she's dealing with now is broken bones and that her family can be there with her.

Nothing Too Exciting

There are many doors and cabinets around our house that must remain closed at all times. The bathroom door is one of them. Not the worst that could have happened...but this is what happens when your toddler actually enjoys brushing his teeth (or at least when his toothbrush has BOZ on it). Notice that his hair makes him look just like the monkey on his T-shirt.

On an outdoor note: due in part to Caleb's thorough enjoyment of a friend's swing set (Thanks, Owens family), Jadie and I decided to purchase a kit and some lumber this weekend. I'd love to be posting a picture of the finished product, but we were only able to squeeze in about an hour of work this weekend because of a family member in need. So, look forward to a picture of our new and exciting swing set sometime soon!


This picture's just for Grand-daddy Ray. Caleb has been enjoying his new teddy bear. Thanks!
As adorable as this little overall outfit is, there were TWO people who mistook Caleb for a little girl that day. Maybe I should put a shirt on him...or a baseball cap.

It Happened Tonight...

Well, several friends told me to watch out for the day that Caleb would take off his own diaper. It happened tonight!!!
We put Caleb to bed around 9:15pm tonight. He was quiet for about 45 minutes, but at 10 o'clock sharp, I heard his screaming and crying. I went into his room and reached out my arms to pick him up. Instead of receiving his outstretched arms, I received a diaper. Huh? I thought. This is weird. I knew there wasn't an extra diaper in his crib and he can't reach the diaper holder from inside his crib. Luckily he hadn't peed in the bed, nor was the diaper wet since I had just put him in a new one.
Other mommies, BEWARE! This could happen to you too...but next time it might not turn out to be such an easy fix!

Unattended Water Hose

Last night I decided to do a little yard work. I busted out the weed-eater to cut down a mighty tall field of weeds in the upper section of our backyard. I accomplished the task, but that section of the yard still looks like junk because of a giant pile of firewood, tree sections, and fence parts. Yeah, overwhelming to say the least. After finishing my weed-eating endeavor, I rinsed out our ice chest that had been on the back porch since our camping trip during the monsoon season (Memorial Day Weekend). I took the newly rinsed ice chest to the patio table to dry, when I turned around, this is what I saw...A few moments later...
About 30 minutes later...

Self-Portraits Stink

Yesterday was a happy day! Caleb and I started out the day with many friends and a caravan to Temple, TX to check out the highly-acclaimed (by other moms) Whistle Stop Park. There were many things for Caleb and friends to explore including a fort-esque maze of play equipment with 5 or 6 slides of all sorts, swings, and my personal not-so-favorite spray arch. Caleb got soaked trying to follow Desmond and Luke's example of drinking from the holes where the water came out. The coolest part for me, I mean Caleb, was that the park is located about 30 yards from train tracks. In the hour and a half that we spent there, at least 4 trains went by and one conductor blew the whistle and waved to me, I mean all the kids.


Later in the afternoon, I had my good friend Karen Rinewalt chop off 5 inches from my beautiful head of hair. But seriously, I needed a new 'do. I have been so lazy with styling my hair lately and so I decided to cut it sort enough that I would pretty much be forced to style it everyday. So, after taking a whopping 12 shots of myself so I could show off my new haircut, I finally decided on 1 that is mildly acceptable. There is the reason I usually point the camera at other people! Drumroll, please......

Welcome to Day 1

Hello friends! Today is August 1st...and it has been all day. I figured that the first day of any month is a great day to start something new. So, here is your new portal into the lives of Jadie, Lauren, and Caleb! I am starting this blog so that those of you who don't get to see us as often as we'd all like can keep up with our us and what's been happening.


Picture of the Day:

Caleb and Lauren sporting flip flops...believe it or not, Caleb can put them on by himself, between the correct toes and everything! I'm doing a little happy dance inside at the thought of Caleb actually wearing flip flops someday, as Jadie refuses to wear them because of the between-the-toe factor. Anyhow, you just can't do a Texas summer without flip flops!