Christmas

Christmas has always been my favorite time of the year. Even better than my birthday- even as a kid. I mean, whose family comes from all over the city and state just to wish you a happy birthday, unless of course, you're the oldest person they know and they like that they are related to you! In my experience, when you have a birthday, you were lucky if you got your birthday dinner that day and not three months later! LOL
Anyway, I digress and have lost my train of thought and so, must begin again!
Christmas is my fav- yeah, whatever! I'm excited because it seems like Dustin might have already gotten me some presents. And maybe some of the things I asked for, too. Smart man!
But really, I'm looking forward to seeing the family at Aunt Rhonda's house. It's the one time a year that the family will most likely be together in it's entirety.
I have always loved that part the most. The presents were nice, but I just loved the feeling of being surrounded by people who cared so much about each other. It was wonderful. I hated when it was over!
Now that I'm older, I anticipate other things, but that's still my favorite thing about Christmas.
Now I have my daughter to immerse in the love of a large and diverse family group. And she likes presents!

Holiday Banquet

So the Fellowship FWBC Annual Holiday Ladies' Banquet is finally over. And it was wonderful and beautiful. Everyone's table was gorgeous. My favorite, well, besides mine, of course, was Beverly's table with her pretty blue dishes. And of course, I once again forgot my camera at home. I'll have to get aunt Kathy to email me some of her pictures.
I'm glad Chelsea could make it and loved having Cynthia at my table. And I thought the program was fun and neat and Hannah was the cutest part of it.
I'm already looking forward to next year!

December First

Dec. 1st is the day that I decorate for Christmas. So Faith and I did the tree yesterday. I got colored lights this year and had to put the blinkers on them. She loved it, but go upset everytime I had to unplug the to insert a blinker. She had fun. She got really excited when we showed Dustin, screaming and laughing. Dustin's face just lit up and they were so cute together.
My favorite Christmas ever already!

My mother says "Genius", I say "Nightmare"

So my 'angel baby' has learned to climb. And pull herself up and stand against things. My mom says that she's a genius. I, however, live in fear of falls and head knocks. Both of which we have already experienced, at least three times a day. Oh, and no matter how often she crawls head first into anything, she expects it not to be there.
But she is so smart, too. She hears and understands when I say no. She stops nd looks at me. She crawls out of our bedroom if I leave the door open a little bit. It is so cute!
She'll crawl into our bathroom before I realize it and when I go to get her she crawls like crazy to get away from me, giggling like a loon. So adorable!

This was a draft I evidently never posted, so here it is. I have to go finish the other one.

It's a girl! Or it is until it's born.....

The ultrasound yesterday confirmed Dr. Suarez's assessment that the baby is a girl. She was extremely active the whole time. She directly kicked the doppler thingy several times and was moving constantly. After the first ultrasound with Faith, she barely moved much at all. She just happened to be in a good position to say she was a girl when they did the last ultrasound.
And I love my doctor this time around and will so be recommending her and coming back to her the next time around. Which I hope is like five years in the future this time, not 13 months.
I have two names in mind, but I have to hold on to them for a bit until Dustin decides what he thinks.
Thanks for being interested, y'all.

Angela ships out today. She leaves at 1900 hours and will arrive in Iraq around the same time tomorrow. She'll have a couple days to adjust and then I don't know exactly where she'll be but she'll be doing convoy security.
I am terrified and doing y best to leave it all to God. Which is a lot easier to say than to do.
Just wanted to say.

Another day, another thing goes wrong....

Dustin took today off to work on the steering on his truck. He got only so far and now he's stuck. Or was at two p.m. when he called home. I was hoping when he said he was taking off to do that, that it would all be so easy. Should have known it wouldn't be!
More later.
He fixed it! Then he came home for about thirty minutes and left again to go to class. Now he's home and we're about to go to bed. But hey, tomorrow, I have an appointment and we have grocery shopping to do and someone promised me he'd take me to Hobby Lobby!

Halloween 2008

So, it was Faith's first Halloween. I'm not much of a costume or Halloween kind of girl, but my baby girl will know how to have fun. And besides, her costume was too cute not to use it.

This was not her costume. This is her Halloween day outfit. It was so she could be cute all day. Plus, I just got a whole bunch of clothes and this onesie was part of it and you can't really wear something like that more than once.

These socks were in the dollar bins at Target. They were so cute. She wore them all day. Grandpa said she was the cutest pumpkin he'd ever seen. Of course, she's the cutest everything anyone has ever seen, so it's not too much of a stretch for her! LOL

She was a ladybug and just so cute.

Getting Colder........

I love, love, love this time of year. A little Valley Girl, I know, but it's true!
Winter air is so crisp, so pure, you can almost smell the spices of the season. Aahhh! I love it.
Plus, pregnancy has this *wonderful* side effect of making you so hot you want to die and winter fixes that right up! It's a good time to be knocked up. Almost like I planned it........
My lovely immobile daughter has morphed into the creepy-crawly baby that always wants her mommy and can now get to her anywhere there's an open door. Right now she's mad because I sent her down to type. She has nice cute clothes, but I'm scraping the bottom to find different warm clothes for her.
I've started on her room. Well, I cleaned out the closet anyway. And managed to go through all of her clothes in storage and found out she has a complete wardrobe for one and two and the beginningd of a good one for three and two whole outfits for four. She also has a decent amount of clothes for 6-9 mos. The only problem is that she has one outfit for 9-12 mos. But since she can styill wear some of her 3-6 mos clothes, I think it might take her a bit more than a month to grow out of the stuff she's just barely grown into, giving me time to find and buy more clothes when I need to.
Oh and I'm looking for a crib, hopefully with a mattress and preferably for less than a hundred dollars. Or if you find this better or sooner, bunk beds with mattresses. Just keep an eye out and let me know, would ya?
Love y'all

October, October

Dustin has a motorbike. It's not a motorcycle because it is a bike with a motor on it. It's really neat and he's really cute about it. It has broken in different ways on him twice now. Boy, was that fun! (Imagine an eye roll here) But it works now, so all is well again on the home front.
Faith has a tooth now. And the next one is coming in right alongside it. It's so cute and I'm so proud! Now, if she'll just sit up! LOL
Hey, we'll FINALLY have hard-copy pictures of Faith whenever we get them from the store. Yay! I know, it sounds a little silly, but it is actually a great feat for us. Now I need to transfer the ones from the computer to a disc and get THOSE developed. And finally start a baby picture album. Sometime before the next one arrives, hopefully.
Oh, and I now have the sinus infection that my beloved one so graciously passed on to me. If only I had some vacation time I could take!
Anyway, October is off to a stellar start! Here's hoping the rest of it turns out a bit better........

13 Weeks

So Dustin is super sick. Doesn't think he can go to work tomorrow. And he is. Sick, I mean. But please, Lord, let him go to work tomorrow. I need him to. I need the space that has been missing for the last five days. He's been sick since Wednesday, just in case you're rusty on your math.
When men get sick, they are whiny. Or at least Dustin is. I literally want to shoot myself between him and Faith. And they're jealous of each other. When one is getting my attention, the other whines until I manage somehow to share it. I suppose that this is to help me learn how to deal with two babies at once.
Too much to ask that this wait a little bit, huh?
Later

Some Things I Know

So here are some things that I know.
Death comes for us all. That is a sure thing. There are variables to when, where, how and such. But there is no avoiding death.
Death will touch you. If you live five years or fifty, you will have known death in some form or another. Someone you know will die.
Life is about conflict and peace, love and pain, hope and despair. Without both good and bad sides, there is no point to anything.
Two people connected to me have died this week. One, a loose connection and the other, much closer. A friend's grandfather and my grandfather's brother. Odd that I never met either and yet, they managed to touch me, each in a different way.
Hurricanes will come. They are an unstoppable force that cannot be avoided. And yet, somehow, each year, we are surprised by their force and destruction.
Hope everyone's okay after Ike.

Fussy and Tired

Faith is fussing right beside me and I would like her to go to sleep, but she wakes up at night and cries. So I'll get her, nurse her and she'll fall asleep, but I only doze off. I can't manage to relax when she sleeps with us in the middle of the night. So usually, I get her calm and back to sleep and put her to bed. But lately, it just hasn't been working out like that. So, I haven't been getting a lot of rest at night.
I took her to a weight check at WIC yesterday and found out she's losing weight. Just three ounces, but it's been a month and a half and since she has grown, she should have gained weight.
Also, I have been putting off posting because I would have to mention that I'm pregnant. My due date is April 2nd. I don't know why I was worried, because the only person who reads this is Megan. So hi, megan, who already knew.
Gotta go back to my screaming kid. Later

*Okay, you guys! Thanks and love for all of you. ~Grace

X-files

It's not what I'm writing, it's what I'm watching. Just so we're clear.
I had an Arbonne party last Friday. It was so fun! I plan on having another in October, this time a holiday party.
My dad was here last night and he was trying to get Faith to blow raspberries at him. He'd blow one and she would try so hard to imitate him. She'd stick her tongue out and make a noise. Over and over, she tried. She still hasn't gotten it down yet, but now she has started sticking her tongue out and making noises just for the fun of it. It is so adorable.
I want some Dove go fresh body wash. It smells so good. But I have a seriously hard time paying even Wal-Mart prices for it. So I'm a cheapskate, what of it?
I hate how sleepy I am these days. Not that Faith isn't sleeping at night or keeping me up. I just don't seem to be getting as much rest as I seem to need.
Anyway, I'm going load the camera pics on the computer now. Talk to you later.

La, La, La, La

Another week has come and gone. Miss Hannah Faith is now five months old. I cannot believe that she is so big. Right now, since she refuses to be alone on the bed, she is on the floor beside me and kicking me like crazy every few minutes. Today, when we were at dinner with Susan, she was laying on the floor screaming at Dustin. It was so cute. She has suddenly become enthralled with her daddy and I love it.

My cousin and his wife are now the proud parents of a 6lbs, 13oz, 21 1/4ins baby girl. Katarina Aislynn was born today in North Carolina (I think). Lots of love and prayers to Wesley and Ashley.

I feel like I'm missing something, but I have no idea what it is, but I need to take care of the kid.

6:48 AM

Yes, I am awake. I am usually awake at this time anyway, but I've been awake since four. Dustin and I are taking shifts with the dogs. I need to medicate them again in ten minutes.
I liked being up and awake alone, though. I mopped the kitchen floor, did all the dishes, started a load in the washer, dryer and, of course, dishwasher.
Now, however, my peace has been shattered. Dustin's grandpa just woke up. I don't like to be awake much at all in the morning, but if I have to be, then I want to be awake alone. Oh well.
Yesterday, we rearranged the living area of the house. Just did a clock-wise turn with all the big pieces. It did amazing things for the whole space. Just amazing. I wish I had before and after pics to show you guys.
Hang on a sec. I have to go medicate.
Okay. 7:01 and all is well.
I am so tired. I'm going to wake Dustin up in about an hour and a half. I think I'll make French Toast. I got this Monkey Bread from Wal-Mart when I went grocery shopping and it's really good. I made cinnamon toast with it yesterday. Popped it in the oven and it smelled wonderful!
I'd like to sleep first, but I don't think I will. I'll just piddle around on here for a while.

Oh So Fun

So, this has been an extraordinarily interesting week. It finally Friday, but no rest for the weary in this place!
We have Parvo. Anyone who has dogs should know how virulent and horrible this canine virus is. I feel safe in saying that it has a ninety percent kill rate. The last ten percent survive because their owners can afford to spend the money when they've caught it soon enough.
Out of six who came down with it, we have two left. Dustin has been doing extensive research the past 24 hours and found a medicine with an 80% recovery rate. (Where was that little percent doohickey when I was trying to remember how to spell the word?) Fifty bucks for a one ounce bottle. Every hour on the hour, a few drops on the tongue. It has been doing good for our last two puppies, but not the one that just died. But he was doing it differently with that dog, so it wasn't getting the full effects.
But that was just today and yesterday. We had a full week even before the dogs started dying.
We got the ASPCA called on us.
And the Health Department.
Yeah, like I needed someone to tell me that it stinks. I live here, you know. The sheriff lady is coming out again on Sunday or Monday.
On the bright side, the kennel room no longer smells like urine. It now smells ike a sick person, or rather a sick dog and, of course, an overwhelming odor of bleach. Which, wonderfully, kills Parvovirus, which can live in the yard for up to nine months. Fun, fun, fun.
The Health Dept. guy said he didn't know why they even got a complaint because he didn't see any problems. It was a complaint about sewage drainage, by the way.
The sheriff lady, however, said she could smell the kennel room outside and that it wasn't good for the baby to live with that smell.
Dustin said I should have told her to come back with a warrant. Like I'm going to do that. I just don't like to make trouble.
So, it's two am on a Friday and I am so not having fun.
But I wouldn't be anywhere else.
Oh, and Faith met my grandparents today. She was so good until the end when she just really wanted to go home. Angela got a four gen. pic of me, Grandma, mom and Faith. She got to come home on a four day pass the other day, but goes back tomorrow. She has to be in Dallas by ten am tomorrow. I so don't want to be Mom and Dad.
Anyway, later, gators.

Another Week

So it's been another week here at the nuthouse. Yes, you laugh, but you know that I speak the truth.
My dog was in a fight. Thank God he survived. I don't think I would have been able to forgive Grandpa if he hadn't. I am the one who takes care of Paulie. He doesn't like other dogs and I have been so good about making sure that he is alone in the yard. Dustin told Grandpa over and over to let me take care of Paulie. I very politely let him know that I was only letting him out twice a day the time I caught him letting the dog out for the hundredth time. But no. He just couldn't let it go. So I left to go pick up Dustin from work and what did he do? He let my dog, my baby, out in the yard and then let another male out in the same yard. WHAT THE CRAP?!!!!!
I was so mad. I couldn't speak to him for a whole day. I was really afraid that I would say something really mean. Paulie had two pretty decent cuts on his foreleg and Dustin, my hero, sewed him up. I was so proud. It looks really good and Paulie runs around like nothing happened. I just hope he doesn't have a scar. He's my show dog and if he has a scar, I can't show him.
Faith has started trying to roll over. She has almost succeeded and it looks really cute. I took a video, but it's not on my MySpace yet. It's not even on this computer yet!
Enjoy!

The Weekend

So, we all went to the dog show this weekend. Which was so fun! Then we met Mom and Dad at the Houston Zoo and that was even more fun.


But first the show. Trey did so well with his dog, Jackie. They were the only ones in their class, so of course, they won! But he did so well!! Jackie didn't balk and Trey was so cool. I was very proud of them both. Dustin showed Tyra and didn't plce at all, but hey, it happens. Adam didn't place either.

After they were done showing and I didn't have to get pictures anymore, I was free to wander around to all the booths and exhibits. Faith did so well. She wasn't fussy, but she was very tired. I mean, we got up at 4 am!! Who wouldn't be? She rode around backwards in her car seat so she could see everything and everyone said something to her and she just smiled and smiled. Something very cool was the Canine Freestyle. Seriously, google it. Dogs dancing with their owners. It was so neat!

Then we fell asleep and missed our time to meet my parents at the zoo by like fifteen minutes. Which wouldn't have been so bad if I had gotten directions to the zoo in the first place and then gotten better directions from my dad than I did. So when we finally made it to the zoo, Dustin and I were in a fight and Trey was only too happy to bail and let us work it out. Which we did and managed to have a great time at the zoo.

Then, Dustin got sick. Really sick. So sick, we didn't even go to the dog show the next day. It was horrible, but while he was busy being sick, Trey, Faith and I went swimming. He wasn't that sick when we went to go swimming, but he got worse all night. But I have great pics of the three of us swimming! I mean, the important thing, right?

So, that's about it. Hope you enjoy the pics.

So, today, I'm getting ready to go to Houston with Dustin. He has a dogshow this weekend and I get to go this time.
It might not be as exciting if we weren't going to the zoo also. I am so excited!
I haven't been to the Houston Zoo in more than five years. And I'm taking Faith which makes it extra special. Mom and Dad and the kids are supposed to join us, but I don't know if they will.
The hotel we're staying at has a pool, too. Isn't that awesome?! Since they are only taking two dogs with them, I'm riding back home with them, but riding to Houston with my dad.
Which will be an interesting exercise in practicing not actually saying anything at all. Anyway, just a little update for everyone.

Tiredness is contagious

I am so tired. Faith hasn't felt good all week. She got shots on Monday and has been grumpy ever since. She was really upset all day today and it made me all upset, too. So I called Dustin crying. And now my eyes burn and I'm even more tired than I would have been. I really hope I can somehow get to Houston next week and go to the show with him. He promised that we would go to the zoo. I love the zoo. It's been five years since I was last there.

Mom was going to go with us, but I think she forgot, because Daddy said yesterday that she was planning on going to Crystal Beach to the Family reunion. I just tried to call her and she didn't answer.

Tomorrow is Melissa's last day at church. It's so sad, but also really great, because that means Rob is home and I'm happy for her for that.

Anyway, out of words for now.

From good to bad in two paragraphs

Alright. Faith is asleep and we have money in the bank. It is a good day. I've been driving Dustin to work this week. I really like it. It's nice to just be us for a while even if it's a short while.
I miss him a lot and even though he's here with me, sometimes it doesn't seem like it. I took a walk yesterday without telling anyone and he wouldn't have noticed if Trey hadn't missed me. Even then he didn't really care. I even cut the stupid walk short because I felt bad about not telling him where I was going. And he didn't notice!!
I feel like I'm starving for his attention and he's doing something related to dogs. I get that he needs to get ready for the show this weekend and if that was what he has been doing, I would be fine. I'd still miss him, but I would understand, you know? Really, he's my only real friend right now, and I need him. I've somehow drawn into myself and I jealously guard anything to do with Faith. I need him to do SOMETHING.
And now he tells me that he doesn't want me to go to Corpus Christi (?) with him. I have been looking forward to it so much. It was just going to be us and a couple of dogs. I've never been to Corpus. I've never been anywhere and he seems so uninclined to take me anywhere. It was a little easier before Faith and now I feel like a pariah to my own husband. Like he's ashamed of me or something.
There'sa a rational part of my brain telling me that that isn't true. But truth is not what is making a difference in my emotions.
Anyway, I was just feeling sad and needed to get it all out.

Tired

I am so tired. Faith didn't let me get more than two steps away from her all day and just now I had to hold her forever to get her to sleep. I love it, it's just wierd because it's not normal at all for her. So it was really stressful.
We got certified for WIC, which will be a big help. The only bad part - and this is pathetic and funny - they pricked my finger. I HATE that! Could ANYTHING be more painful or inconvenient?
Okay, I gave birth, so I guess I answered my own question.
Dustin is at a Kennel Club meeting. It starts at seven, right, but he'll come home at like ten-thirty or eleven. So I went with him to the last one, just to see what the heck they did. The crazy dog people stand around and talk - oh, I bet you'll never guess - about dogs. It was so boring. I had an infant that really needed to get home and Chatty Cathy wouldn't shut up. I wanted to knock his head off. The only reason I haven't called him yet tonight is because Faith's kept me on such a tight leash.

Anyway, now I'm cooking for the man that said, "If you feed me now, you probably won't have to feed me later." Hah!

LOL

She's four months old today. Talking, now, always talking. To me, to Dustin, to herself. It's amazing to hear and also to watch her try to grab things. I can actually see her make a conscious effort to put he rhands on a toy. Of course, she brings it directly to her mouth, but hey, one thing at a time right?

I got so mad at Dustin just now. And for a stupid reason. But really, the man's as thick as a brick. Good thing I love him.

Faith had to get shots and it was so horrible. She freaked out like I have never seen her before.

Too tired for more. Hope the video loads.

Me

Yeah.....................it didn't.

Weekend

So I think the kid-kid's cute. Whatever. This day was interesting. Dustin made it back okay from the dog show. Two dogs took second in their classes and one of them took reserve winner, the female took third and the puppy was so bad that Dustin almost took him out of the ring. Needless to say, that dog did not win anything.

Angela just left here for Fort Sam Houston in SA. She'll be there for three weeks and then go up to Camp Maxi in Paris, TX. Then, she'll head to Georgia and I think she'll be there until she leaves. They told her she'd probably be in Kuwait by Thanksgiving. Her mission has changed from something security to convoy security, which puts her in infinitely more danger. But that's in God's hands. I just hope I remember not to worry too much. (Before anyone gets weird, worry is a sin, so I'm trying to leave everything with God. And that is so not easy)

I had a picture of Faith and Angela, but the camera's being retarded, so never mind, then. I'm done now, so I'm going to go eat and take care of my screaming mad child.

Thank you and Good night.

So, I started this thing at midnight last night. Faith was asleep, Dustin was off to Dallas and the kids had gone home. I was exhausted and wired at the same time. I only typed one line on my first blog.

I just tried to put a picture on this, but it kept putting two of them. I mean, I like the pic, but not that much.

Really, though, I just wanted somewhere kinda private to vent.

I'm tired of politics. I hate this time of the year. I'm tired of everyone complaining about the President. Granted, the man is a moron. I mean, have you ever heard him speak? But let's be honest here. No one likes the President. Ever. Sure, we're all about somebody until they get into office. About three to six months after they get sworn in, it's like the entire country starts ragging on them. I don't care who the President is, no one likes them.

Another note, no matter who gets elected, they WILL NOT pull the troops out of Iraq. Because, really, we can't. It's a sign of weakness and if there is anything politicians hate, it's weakness. The President is the final decision, yeah, but who is pushing him? Who is whispering in his ear? I doubt he truly makes his own decisions. He probably has twenty different people telling him what he should do. Do you really think he's going to go against them all?

And something else! I'm a Republican. That is just what I believe in. That is how I am going to vote. No amount of stupid stickers in stupid places in my own house is going to change that. I may not agree with everything Republicans stand for, but I for dad-gum sure do not trust Clinton or Obama. I'll take my chances with McCain. And that's the last I'll say about it.

Newness

Just trying something new, everyone. Hope it works out well!
Grace