my mom is so cool.....




My mom is one of my best friends. She has always been there for me, no matter what. Growing up, there was always a final four bracket on the fridge. My dad wasn't the one who filled it out either. My mom is a big sports fan. I remember as a child, I would try and sit on her lap while she was watching a game. I would always get dumped on the floor when she would jump up. For those of you who know my mother, you know that she gets very fidgety during games. She will pace, jump up and down, and has even been known to leave the room if the game is too close. I just got off the phone with her, and she was telling me that she wasn't going to fill out a bracket next year. It ruins how she can watch the game. She doesn't want to be let down if the team she chooses loses. For the record, she picked the winning team last year. Because of this when Fred's friends at work put a pool together, he called her to use her bracket. On the list of names for the pool with the marines, is momma V. Now, I did not inheret this love of sports, Tiffany did. When we three get together and they are talking sports, it is like a foreign language. I can watch them and enjoy it, but that is as far as it goes. The only sport I know anything about is Golf. And I really only follow Phil Mickelson, and that's because I have a crush.

My mom is also the queen of care packages. Some of my favorite outfits have come in the mail from her. Shoes, clothes, books, some goodies from Albrecht's ( a local clifton store). She is one of the most unselfish people I know. Before my first back surgery, and we were living Lone Tree, she was living in Utah. Not only did she come and take care of me after most of my procedures. She would come if I was have a bad week, and feeling down. She stayed for more than 2 months after my last back surgery. I have done a lot of mean, and thoughtless things to my mom over the years (mostly the younger years) and yet she somehow still loves me. I finally realized just how much when I had Katie.

I love you, Mom. You are a smart, beautiful and generous woman. I am blessed and grateful to be your daughter.

Tippy...lovely lady

I have been friends with Tippy since my sophomore year in high school. She lives in Arizona and came to visit me for her spring break. She is a VERY talented and recognized elementary special ed teacher. She came bearing gifts of some the sweetest books. We love to read in our family, and so they were a big hit. Once the kids heard her read out loud, I was no longer needed. They wanted her to read all of their bed time stories.


We took a drive up to Breckenridge on Saturday. It was so much fun just being with Tippy. We didn't do a whole lot, with my gimp factor and all. Just a little shopping, and A LOT of eating. We even got in a girly movie one night.


We also had a little Great Falls/McLean dinner on Friday night. It is amazing how many people from Virginia have moved out here. This wasn't even all of them. It was a lot of fun to tell old stories and catch up. Three of us even went to elementary school together. All in all, it was a wonderful time all around. Thanks for coming Tip....and thanks Dylan for sharing her with me.

the birds and the bees....

The other morning, Katie and Isaac were sitting at the kitchen table coloring. They were using color wonder markers, and using the back of those books to draw on. I wasn't really paying attention, until I heard this....

Katie - that is his penis
Isaac - oh
Katie - boys have a penis
Isaac - i have a penis
Katie - i know you are a boy
Me - why are you talking about penis's? ( I went over to investigate )
Katie - i was drawing a boy, so i had to draw a penis
Me (stalling, trying to think of what to say) that is a very good penis
Katie - thanks
Me - why did you have to draw a penis?
Katie - well, if i didn't then you wouldn't be able to tell it was a boy. without a penis it just looks like a cat.
Me - oh, well maybe you could put a hat on him, and some pants instead.

We then have a discussion about private parts, and how they are special. Katie and Isaac have been very into their body parts lately. I have been trying to teach them respect for those parts, without making them feel naughty or embarassed. How do you do this? I don't want Katie going to school or worse church ,and drawing penis's. She is so funny. A cat? If she didn't draw a penis, then it looked like a cat? Where do they come up with this stuff? I literally had to walk away I was laughing so hard. I didn't want her to think it would be funny to draw more of them. I did take, a picture and sent it to Adam. Because they were using color wonder markers, it has since faded. It did look like a penis. And strangely like a cat.

9 years ago...

I can't believe how little and young we look in this picture. We had no idea what we were getting into that day! Marriage did not come easily to us, but was well worth the effort we put into it. Adam is my best friend. I love how well we know each other, and how honest we can be. I am so unbelievable happy, and I know that he is too. I look forward to a lifetime of us!!

converstions in the car...

Out of the clear blue in the car the other day.
Katie - I wish I was adopted.
Me - Why is that?
Katie - It is so cool to be adopted. But someone will have a baby in their tummy, and then adopt her to us.
Me - Are you ready to have a little brother or sister?
Katie - Yeah, in your tummy.
Me - I can't have babies in my tummy anymore. Someone else will have them in their tummy, and then we can adopt them.
Katie - Can I have a baby in my tummy?
Me - After you get married you can.
Katie - Yeah, after I get married I can have a baby in my tummy.
Isaac - I can have a baby in my tummy.
Me - No, boys can't have babies in their tummies, only girls.
Katie - Can Daddy have a baby in his tummy?
Me - No, Daddy is a boy. Only girls have babies in their tummies.
Katie - Oh.
Isaac - I am a boy.
Katie - I am a girl, and only girls can have babies Isaac. I can't wait to have a baby.
Isaac- Yeah, and I am a boy.

angels on earth....

I just wanted to give a big thank you to my family and friends for everything. I have been having abdominal issues again, and am floored by all the love and support I have gotten. I have this wonderful loving network of friends that are always there for me. Always there to band together to give words of encouragement, and send meals of nourishmant. Thank you girls, for past and future love and help.

Jenn (friend) you are a bottomless pit of love and support, and I don't know what I would do without you. It is no coincidence that we moved around the corner from eachother. You are heaven sent.

Jenn (sister) you are always there for us. You are not just my sister in law, you are my sister. You are a part of my soul, and I love you more than you will ever know. Thank you.

Tiffany, I love you. You are my best friend. I am so grateful that I can send my kids to you, and not have to worry one bit. You are an amazing woman. They love you and your family, and that says so much about how you treat them.

Irene....where do I even begin. You are an angel on earth. You are there physically and emotionally when I need you. You have been my rock. No matter how old a girl gets, she always wants her mom when she is sad and hurt. You have been my Mom for me. I thank you and so does my Mom., for being there when she couldn't.

I am so blessed to have such marvelous women in my life. To have mothers, sisters and friends is no small thing , and I am grateful to realize how blessed I am.

Happy Birthday Katie!!!!

Katie's Birth Day

3 months

18 months

3 years

4 years

almost 5

I can't believe how big she has gotten. She is 5 years old. Katie is so smart and funny. She loves going to pre-school, and picks things up so fast. She loves her friends, and is really easy going. I love Katie!!! HappyBirthday!!