today

In some ways, I hesitate to write this post. My blog is kinda like a journal I guess. Part journal, part sharing with y'all what is going on in our lives. Anyway, here we go....

Today, I went to a funeral of a 62 year old woman who had been suffering with Alzheimer's disease for 10 years. Her daughters are my age, her grandkids, my kid's ages. I hardly ever cry anymore. In fact, I think it has only been once in the last 2 years. So, I was shocked that this service moved me so much. When I pulled into the church parking lot and saw the hearse and limousines, I felt myself tearing up. I had barely sat down in the pew when tears were pouring out of my eyes. Thank goodness Alisa had klenex! I sure hadn't thought of bringing them. I was moved by so much. First, the outpouring of support in that auditorium. People who had taken off work, taken their kids out of school, made time out of their day to come and pay tribute to this woman and to support and show love for her daughters, husband and parents. I felt so blessed to be part of that community. I then thought of how it must feel to bury your spouse, your mom. The pain must be horrible.

Over the past couple of years, several people from our church have been providing weekly meals for the woman and her husband. He kept her home with him the whole time. For the past year or so, he has had to feed her, do everything for her. In the last months, she wasn't even able to eat solid food. Every time I took them a meal, incredible emotion filled my heart. He was always so pleasant and positive, appreciative, loving. He loved her so much. I would think of all their dreams turned upside down. How life was not supposed to be like this. They weren't supposed to spend retirement this way.

Hearing her family and those closest to her, describe her and her life, make me want to be a better person. I want to be a better mom, daughter, and wife, and Christian. I guess that is why I wanted to write this post. I wanted to put it in writing to remind myself, but also to share with you. I really didn't know her. But, her life and the love that her family has shown, inspires me.

We sang this song at her funeral and I just love this song.

Macie's Ears

She got them pierced!! We were on our way to buy shoes for her on Saturday and she asked if we could go to Claires. I said "I don't know, I don't think we need anything from there." Then, she said she wanted to get her ears pierced. I jumped on the chance, because I really thought she wouldn't get them done until she was much older. I had mentioned it a couple of times and she was very opposed to the idea. We seriously had not talked about it in a year, so I think it was a ploy to get me to go to Claires. It worked! And she left with 3 sets of other earrings too! The ladies were very nice. Two ladies did both her ears at the same time so it was all over in a quick little click. No tears. Right after it happened, I almost cried. Ha! This is a big deal! She is growing up! She'll have them forever.... Anyway, whatever.

This is an example of how she looked for 2 wks.

An update on the tutu obsession... Maris ended up wearing the thing for 2 weeks straight. Then, magically, one weekend, she decided it was OK to go without it. She still loves it and finds it and wears it quite often, but she is OK without it too. She is so picky about clothes though. It is annoying. Today, she was actually wearing a cute shorts outfit. UNTIL... Macie, who is home sick (fever and vomiting, yea!) came strutting out in HER pink tutu. So, now Maris is sound asleep in a sweet little tutu.

Oh, and Macie had her debut performance in the kindergarten circus as the silly dog. It was great! I can't figure out how to get the movie on the computer though. She did so well, I want to show you how great she was. Maybe I can figure it out. If not, be sure when you visit, I will be pulling out the DVD!

Obsession

I have always heard of toddlers who had a favorite shirt or some article of clothing they loved. Maris has an obsession. She had a short, but crazy obsession with plastic princess shoes for a while. Aunt Sandy got her a whole set of them for her birthday and she was hooked! She was wearing them EVERYWHERE, running in them, SLEEPING with them tight in her grasp, throwing a fit when forced to put on regular shoes. It was kind of funny at first, but it got out of control! Now, we have moved on to tutu and "na na" shoes. She has been wearing the same tutu and shoes (w/o socks) for 3 days straight, only taking them off to take a bath and then immediately finding them and putting them back on. The other night after her bath, she was delighting in watching her naked shadow dance. Then, all of a sudden she said, "Oh, my na na shoes!" and ran to get them on. Her na na shoes are ballet-looking pink shoes from Payless. She calls them na na because that is what she sings when she dances in them.... "Na, Na, naaa naa...." I will admit, I have not pushed the issue terribly yet. But, her feet STINK! Really bad. So, I'm going to have to do something. Plus, she has several cute dresses and outfits that just don't work with a tutu. Most of the time she is happy just wearing the tutu over whatever else she is wearing. Before this particular tutu, she was wearing tutu-like skirts from her wardrobe that satisfied her. I even convinced her one day that a normal looking skort was a tutu. No such luck the last 3 days. John has put her to bed the last two nights because I was gone. One morning she woke up holding the shoes. I ask him about it and he said she threw a fit when he took them off and he finally just gave them to her in the bed. This morning when she woke up, she was wearing them. So, I don't know if he gave up and let her sleep in them or if she put them on before I got in there. And, the thing is, she gets so much attention when we go somewhere. Everyone comments on the shoes AND the tutu. They tell her she looks like a princess or ballerina, which of course she LOVES. Which reminds me, yesterday I was getting her out of the car and I said, "come on out stinky feet" and she said, "I not Stinky Feet, I baby". Ha!!!

She is a hoot I tell ya! When I picked her up from school the last two times, they said she spent a lot of time doing her ballet moves in front of the mirror. She is funny! Anyway, I figure it won't last too long and it is pretty much harmless......

This is a picture taken with John's phone of Maris clutching to her princess shoes for dear life while reading her bedtime story. Notice she is also wearing the current obsession, the tutu. I don't have a picture of her new na na shoes and tutu combo yet.

Another picture of the princess shoes. Just a typical day at play......

Random Post

I am posting this little story, because I wanted to share with you about Macie's hearing, but also because of 2 funny related stories. I took Macie to the audiologist to get her hearing tested yesterday. She has had a few infections since her tubes fell out. And, since Christmas or so, I have felt like there have been times when she isn't hearing as well as she should be. Anyway... my friend who is an audiologist, urged me to have her professionally screened. (She had been tested at school and pediatrician's office). So, yesterday we went and she has moderate to mild hearing loss, below normal. While at Maris's 2 year check up today, I talked to the Dr about it and she suggested some nose spray and an antihistamine to dry up the fluid in her ears that is causing her not to hear well. I was explaining this to Macie and telling her about the medicines she had to take. I told her they would help her ears get better and she could hear better. She replied: "Then, why am I spraying it up my nose?" Ha! It was so funny! THEN.... after church tonite, Maris was very tired and cranky, but I wanted to stop by the Walgreens drive thru to get the Rx. I took Maris out of the car seat while we waited for the Rx and she was of course not happy to get back in. As we are driving off, she cries: "Where fries??!!!" Ha again! My children know that fries come thru drive thru windows. Oops. Oh well. It's a fact of life, they do come thru drive thru windows, they may as well learn it now. Hee hee. But, back to Macie's hearing... It will be fine once the fluid is gone. If the drugs don't work, she will get tubes again.

And, because I love pictures I am posting some random ones here too.


Macie and Maris at the Livestock Show in their Rodeo shirts.

My little cheerleaders! Eleven 5 year-olds, people!!! They drove me crazy at times, but I loved them! We had a great little season that ended last night with a cool awards night complete with Mavs Man. One of my cheerleaders won a gift card to Target and one won 2 tickets to a Mavericks game.

Maris: "You want me to knock the whole plate off or just throw down the meat?"

That's all for now!

Maris' 2nd Birthday!

I know you expect this, but... I CAN'T BELIEVE SHE IS 2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She had a fun day. After a good nap, our family came over and showered her with gifts. We had dinner and then she got to blow out her candle and eat cake! (or lick icing off a cupcake is more like it) She did a great job blowing out the candle too!

(For someone so picky about shoes, she really can work these heels! A great gift from her Aunt Sandy & Uncle Mike).

I had made Macie a ruffley skirt from this site and Maris just loved it. But, of course it was too big and she would get frustrated because it didn't fit her. So, at the last minute, I decided to make her one for her birthday. She loved it! She wore it to Macie's Upward cheerleading game and pranced all over the place. When she got up from her nap and saw all the decorations and cake and stuff, she loved that too. That made me happy, cuz then maybe the two year birthday isn't all for the mom afterall. Ha! Oh, I just love her!

Poor trees!

This is terrible! But, I am thankful we still have our electricity. A bunch of people in the area are out. The snow is really deep and pretty, but oh the poor trees! I don't even think the pictures really capture how bad it is. I am scared more are about to fall. The one on John's car had not fallen at 630 when he checked and then at 7, there it was. We both have colds and he is out there trying to clean it all up. Ugh.

Snow Day!

Oh my goodness! It has been snowing in Arlington ALL DAY! It is so pretty, but is now causing some issues. I couldn't get 5 feet from my drive way today in order to pick up Macie, Mica and Logan. My neighbor had to drive me up there in her pretty new Lexus. I felt so bad with 4 wet kids in there! The truck would just not drive on the slushy snow. Now, tree limbs are falling left and right. I'm not just talking small little limbs! Big huge, half of trees. It's really scary. Almost 1/2 of our tree in the front is covering half our street. And, another huge tree from our house just hit our neighbors house. Our neighbors on both sides have HUGE parts of trees down too. I am sad and scared. I love our trees, so I want them around. But, scared that one is going to come crashing through our roof! Or, smash John's car. (maybe not such a big loss there!) Literally, as a I sit here, I am hearing limbs crash and hit our house with a big boom. Anyway, just writing, cuz it helps me to vent I guess. Here are some pictures of the fun and the ugly. Poor Maris hates the snow, or maybe she just hates that jacket. Ha! We took a big bubble bath after they played in the snow a little.