Ok. I admit it. I have a very, and I mean very, sensitive gag reflex.
At times, it is down right embarassing. Sometimes it is instant. Sometimes it happens after the fact. Today, it happened after the fact and I am oh so thankful.
I have had it since college and it has brought a lot of laughs from Kate and Anne. They laugh hysterically when I go into one of my gag'ing episodes. It brings them joy. And me torture.
I feel horrible even saying this because it is no ones fault at all but...
There was a kid at church today that came up to us with his dad. I instinctly went over to him because I immediately noticed he was special needs. I asked his dad if I could touch him (I am always sensitive to this since some children with special needs react differently to different stimuli). His dad said sure so I touched his head and he (Elijah) grabbed my hand. As he was pulling my hand closer to his face, I noticed a huge green bubble coming out of his nose. AND it was making a noise. I freaked.
I know I am going to be a nurse and Lane reminds me all the time that, "I better get used to it" but I don't know if I ever will. I can do: blood, urine, poop, guts, diarrhea, vomit, broken bones, and plenty of other "stuff" but not snot, not mucus. Something about it REALLY grosses me out.
I proceeded to hold it together and act normal. When I got into the car, it hit. I gagged for a good 2 mintues, with tears coming down my face and gagging over and over because I couldn't get the image out of my head. All the while Lane was snorting and making snot noises saying the predictable, "you better get used to it dude, you are going to be a nurse".
Sometimes, I think I have a little brother, not a husband. However, even when I want to kill him and he acts annoying, we always end up laughing and having a lot of fun together.
But I'm really going to need to do something about that snot thing....
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
The Sweetest Little Girl
I don't think I've done a post on my sweet niece Mia.
She is so cute and I love her very very much. I got to see her last week and it was good for the soul! She has opened up my eyes to a whole new world and I am so grateful and thankful for her. She has made such great strides in the 3 years she has been alive which makes me proud and honored that she is in my family.
Mia is special needs and has been to SO many doctors her whole life. From what I have learned about special needs children is that at first, everyone wants to figure out what is going on and what needs to be done to make them more "typical" or to help them excel to their fullest potential. I have learned, that not knowing, is just as okay.
I am not going to lie, for the first few years of her life I wasn't quite sure what my role as an aunt was going to be. I knew that I wanted to be the best aunt because I had such crappy ones. My aunts growing up never kept in touch, they never sent cards or even cared to call me (or Kate). They didn't come to graduations or weddings and so when Mia was born I knew I wanted to offer her the best I had. However, with her being special needs, I wasn't too sure what to do or how to do it. Within the last year, I learned that there isn't anything I need to do but to love her. And that I do.
Mia goes to the Rise School of Houston. It is a school for all kinds of kids and it has been a blessing for my sister and her family. Mia goes to school in the morning and is there all day doing crafts and physical therapy. I got to go with Kate last Friday to take Mia to school and it was so cute! I could have stayed there all day watching everything that was going on. The school is so warm and welcoming and God sent to the families that go there.
Special needs children are so special in a completely different way that what society has labeled them as. They are compassionate and kind, adorable and really do open your eyes to things you would never see or know. It is a blessing a true blessing.
Little Mia (and she is little!!!!) has started walking!! She walks all around and it is so funny to watch! I love seeing her get her balance and catch herself when she is getting wobbly. She LOVES opening and closing doors and swinging!!!
Mia, I love you sooooooooooooooooooooooooo much!
And now, without further ado:
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Baby Names
I've been talking to my sister recently about baby names.
No, neither of us are preggers but it is still fun to bounce ideas around with each other! I feel like I will have at least one of each in the 3 (kids) that I want. However, I only have a few names that I REALLY like.
Boys:
Isaiah (We ((Lane and I)) both love)
Finley (I love because it's my dads middle name and very Irish! I think Lane is eh on this one)
Eoghan (It is like Owen, Lane would probably hate this!)
Pearce (Lane ((and others)) will probably hate this too)
Girls:
Elle (I've always loved because of Elle MacPherson)
Annie (I think it's sweet and cute just like my bestie Anne)
Elliot
Ireland (Lane isn't on board)
Finley (Yeah, I know it is up in the "boy" category but I think it could be for either a boy or a girl)
Gwen
Victoria (NOT VICKY OR VICKS has to be the whole name)
Violet
The fact that Lane and I BOTH like Isaiah is really something else. We can't agree on anything the first time around so when I said that name and he said, "Hey, Me too!" I thought, "We've got a winner!".
We had apparently talked about it prior to me hearing it on the radio today. I heard (my favorite) Dr. Ed Young doing a sermon about marriage in my car on my way to Houston. He mentioned Isaiah 43 and right when he said Isaiah I texted Lane (which I do often when I have a baby name I like).
It isn't like we are even trying yet for babies but it is fun to think about it out loud anyway! So, if it is meant to be, I already love you Isaiah Arnold!! If that is in fact what we name you! If not, I still love you.
I am also aware that people talk behind other people's back and especially about what names people choose for their kids. So, go ahead, chat amongst yourselves..there are some names probably that you've picked that I didn't like either...
And in about 5 months, I probably wont like any of these names...
No, neither of us are preggers but it is still fun to bounce ideas around with each other! I feel like I will have at least one of each in the 3 (kids) that I want. However, I only have a few names that I REALLY like.
Boys:
Isaiah (We ((Lane and I)) both love)
Finley (I love because it's my dads middle name and very Irish! I think Lane is eh on this one)
Eoghan (It is like Owen, Lane would probably hate this!)
Pearce (Lane ((and others)) will probably hate this too)
Girls:
Elle (I've always loved because of Elle MacPherson)
Annie (I think it's sweet and cute just like my bestie Anne)
Elliot
Ireland (Lane isn't on board)
Finley (Yeah, I know it is up in the "boy" category but I think it could be for either a boy or a girl)
Gwen
Victoria (NOT VICKY OR VICKS has to be the whole name)
Violet
The fact that Lane and I BOTH like Isaiah is really something else. We can't agree on anything the first time around so when I said that name and he said, "Hey, Me too!" I thought, "We've got a winner!".
We had apparently talked about it prior to me hearing it on the radio today. I heard (my favorite) Dr. Ed Young doing a sermon about marriage in my car on my way to Houston. He mentioned Isaiah 43 and right when he said Isaiah I texted Lane (which I do often when I have a baby name I like).
It isn't like we are even trying yet for babies but it is fun to think about it out loud anyway! So, if it is meant to be, I already love you Isaiah Arnold!! If that is in fact what we name you! If not, I still love you.
I am also aware that people talk behind other people's back and especially about what names people choose for their kids. So, go ahead, chat amongst yourselves..there are some names probably that you've picked that I didn't like either...
And in about 5 months, I probably wont like any of these names...
Monday, March 1, 2010
"Gone Fishing"
If you know Lane, you know he loves to go fishing...
A friend invited us to go to a really awesome ranch to hang out and fish for the day on Saturday and we gratefully accepted.
The place was pretty close to our house (about 15 minutes) in a town called Sunnyvale. It reminded me a lot of places we used to go when we were little with our grandfather, Poppy. He sold ranch real estate and would bring us out to the ranches so we could fish and hang out.
Jill and I caught one each and Jeff, Lane and Matt caught a ton! Asher, the sweet guy who invited us, caught one that was pregnant! It was a beautiful day and great fishing and we just had a blast!
We left at about 3'ish and then went home, changed clothes and then went to dinner with Jeff and Jill (aka The Prude's - I love calling them that!) at a Mexican place REALLY close (within walking distance) from our house. It is my new favorite Mexican food place that is close. After dinner, we went over to the Prude's deck and drank wine while the guys drank "Orange Squirt" a very sweet mixture of a soft drink called Squirt and some orange something another. I have to say, there are not many couples out there, that I know, where I could spend the entire day with them and still be having as much fun at 11 PM as I was having at 9 AM. I love The Prude's!
Now time for a picture explosion...
Jill LOVES animals..all kinds..as you can tell..here she picked up a slug!
Lane and I with the one and only fish I caught.
Jeff with the first of MANY fish he caught that day.
Jill and the moss she "caught"! I didn't get a picture of her fish and I'm really upset about that!
The beautiful ranch home...from the back.
The pool and the pool house
Lane and one of his fish.
Matt with one of his fish!
Asher and his pregnant fish! You can see its big belly.
Jill and Jeff
Lane taking a break!
A friend invited us to go to a really awesome ranch to hang out and fish for the day on Saturday and we gratefully accepted.
The place was pretty close to our house (about 15 minutes) in a town called Sunnyvale. It reminded me a lot of places we used to go when we were little with our grandfather, Poppy. He sold ranch real estate and would bring us out to the ranches so we could fish and hang out.
Jill and I caught one each and Jeff, Lane and Matt caught a ton! Asher, the sweet guy who invited us, caught one that was pregnant! It was a beautiful day and great fishing and we just had a blast!
We left at about 3'ish and then went home, changed clothes and then went to dinner with Jeff and Jill (aka The Prude's - I love calling them that!) at a Mexican place REALLY close (within walking distance) from our house. It is my new favorite Mexican food place that is close. After dinner, we went over to the Prude's deck and drank wine while the guys drank "Orange Squirt" a very sweet mixture of a soft drink called Squirt and some orange something another. I have to say, there are not many couples out there, that I know, where I could spend the entire day with them and still be having as much fun at 11 PM as I was having at 9 AM. I love The Prude's!
Now time for a picture explosion...
Jill LOVES animals..all kinds..as you can tell..here she picked up a slug!
Lane and I with the one and only fish I caught.
Jeff with the first of MANY fish he caught that day.
Jill and the moss she "caught"! I didn't get a picture of her fish and I'm really upset about that!
The beautiful ranch home...from the back.
The pool and the pool house
Lane and one of his fish.
Matt with one of his fish!
Asher and his pregnant fish! You can see its big belly.
Jill and Jeff
Lane taking a break!
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Sisters, sisters, there were never such devoted sisters....
My sister came for a visit 4 days after Mimi's funeral...
It was already a planned trip and even though she had just been up here (just for the day might I add, that's 8 hours in one day) to come to the funeral, she still came. We had the trip planned for a while and I get super giddy and excited waiting for her to pull up in the driveway.
My family has been coming up a lot more which makes my heart smile - they think (and it's true) that when I start nursing school I will be unavailable for visits for 12 months.
I know Kate has mentioned it before, but I don't know if I have. Nonetheless, I absolutely LOVE having a sister. It is the BEST thing ever. Even though we are very very VERY different, we are still best friends.
Kate is the only other person in the world that knows what it feels like to have my Mom and Dad as parents, or what it was :( like to have Nonnie, Poppy and Mimi as grandparents. It is comforting. I have been told a sisterhood is a bond like no other and it is really so true. My mom used to tell us all the time when we were younger how special it was to have a sister and how she always wanted one but it wasn't until we got older that we learned this.
We had a great time this past weekend. Kate got here around 10 am and we immediately set off for shopping. We went to the Container Store and to the mall. Afterwards, we met my friend Jill at our house so she could give us Stella (Cat and Josh's dog) for the weekend to babysit. We did more shopping afterwards and then went to dinner at Mia's with Lane. Sunday, we got up and Kate came to our church with us, then we dropped Lane off at home (to work of course) and Kate and I got lunch at Corner Market then she set off for Houston.
I always get so sad when anyone leaves from a visit. I always have so much fun and really enjoy the company of others.
Kate, I love you so much. I think you are a great person and am so glad God gave me you as a sister. It has been so much fun traveling through this world together and I can't wait for the many more memories we share throughout our lifetime!
Us being goofy this past weekend
It was already a planned trip and even though she had just been up here (just for the day might I add, that's 8 hours in one day) to come to the funeral, she still came. We had the trip planned for a while and I get super giddy and excited waiting for her to pull up in the driveway.
My family has been coming up a lot more which makes my heart smile - they think (and it's true) that when I start nursing school I will be unavailable for visits for 12 months.
I know Kate has mentioned it before, but I don't know if I have. Nonetheless, I absolutely LOVE having a sister. It is the BEST thing ever. Even though we are very very VERY different, we are still best friends.
Kate is the only other person in the world that knows what it feels like to have my Mom and Dad as parents, or what it was :( like to have Nonnie, Poppy and Mimi as grandparents. It is comforting. I have been told a sisterhood is a bond like no other and it is really so true. My mom used to tell us all the time when we were younger how special it was to have a sister and how she always wanted one but it wasn't until we got older that we learned this.
We had a great time this past weekend. Kate got here around 10 am and we immediately set off for shopping. We went to the Container Store and to the mall. Afterwards, we met my friend Jill at our house so she could give us Stella (Cat and Josh's dog) for the weekend to babysit. We did more shopping afterwards and then went to dinner at Mia's with Lane. Sunday, we got up and Kate came to our church with us, then we dropped Lane off at home (to work of course) and Kate and I got lunch at Corner Market then she set off for Houston.
I always get so sad when anyone leaves from a visit. I always have so much fun and really enjoy the company of others.
Kate, I love you so much. I think you are a great person and am so glad God gave me you as a sister. It has been so much fun traveling through this world together and I can't wait for the many more memories we share throughout our lifetime!
Us being goofy this past weekend
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Mimi
February 13, 2010 - My Dads birthday. The day we lost his mother, my grandmother, Mimi.
Just 4 months ago we lost Nonnie. This has been a rough year and a serious crash course in dealing with death.
Mimi just had, on February 4th, her 89th and last birthday. At 5:16 PM I called her to wish her a Happy Birthday and it was the last time I will ever talk to her. From what we can tell she more than likely died the evening of Feb. 12 after eating dinner (my bad aunt had talked to her on the phone about 6:30 PM). Her T.V. was off and she was lying peacefully on the floor with her telephone on the couch where she had been. We think she was headed to bed.
My dad hadn't heard from her the morning of his birthday and so he called her, she didn't answer. After calling my aunt Karen (the good aunt) and an hour or so my other aunt Barbara (the horrible bad aunt) went over to Mimi's and found her.
My parents came up on Monday and the funeral was Tuesday at Sparkman Hillcrest on Northwest Hwy. We think Mimi strategically wanted to be buried there because it is close to her favorite store Neiman Marcus. Reality is that her parents are buried there.
Yesterday, my parents and I met my good aunt over at Mimi's place and went through her pictures and stuff. It was very weird seeing everything just the way she had left it 5 days before. The weirdest part is that it really got me thinking about death and how it really is just so final and quick and that all this stuff we accumulate seems so minute after we die. One minute you are here, the next you aren't. She had her coffee mug in the sink, her vitamins on the counter, her pants hung up in her bathroom to dry and her comb on her countertop (with her hair in it). She woke up that day not knowing it would end with her gone and that is what is the hardest part of death for me. I guarantee when someone is dying they aren't thinking about their stuff. It was just so weird to see her place with all her papers and recent birthday cards on the mantle and what was in her kitchen, bathroom, bedroom...
I hate death. I know it's a part of life and that there is nothing to worry about if you are a Christian and know you are going to Heaven. But the whole thing is just so creepy and strange.
I regret to say that Mimi and I were never that close. Despite this, I still loved her and she loved me. I didn't see her much, didn't know her that well - after all she live in Plano and I never saw her, and called her only to say thank you for a gift she had sent for Christmas or a Birthday - but I know she loved me. I will always regret that I didn't make an effort more but I find comfort in knowing that she had other grandchildren she was closer too so that helps me deal.
We spent 8 hours yesterday going through a box of old photographs and documents that I had never seen before. She had pictures of her wedding day, newspaper clippings of her marriage annoucement (1946), telegrams, old Valentine's Day cards from my grandfather, pictures of them on their honeymoon, menus from restaurants they had been to (again from the 40's when a steak cost $2.75) and pictures of my dad (and his sisters) when he was a little boy.
I feel like I know Mimi better now after looking through that stuff than I did when she was alive.
Mimi always was so great at sending birthday gifts/cards and Christmas gifts. They were always on time and from Neimans. She was really really good at that even at 88. She smoked for almost 80 years and she never had cancer or any lung problems. That to me is the most amazing. After probably 10's of thousands of cigarettes and an aortic anurism, it was her heart that pittered out. I am so glad that she lived a long life to see her children grow, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was widowed at 50 and never re-married. RIP Mimi Darling...
May 5, 1946
My Dad
Mimi with my Mom at our wedding
Lane's grandmother Mu, Connie and Mimi at our wedding
Just 4 months ago we lost Nonnie. This has been a rough year and a serious crash course in dealing with death.
Mimi just had, on February 4th, her 89th and last birthday. At 5:16 PM I called her to wish her a Happy Birthday and it was the last time I will ever talk to her. From what we can tell she more than likely died the evening of Feb. 12 after eating dinner (my bad aunt had talked to her on the phone about 6:30 PM). Her T.V. was off and she was lying peacefully on the floor with her telephone on the couch where she had been. We think she was headed to bed.
My dad hadn't heard from her the morning of his birthday and so he called her, she didn't answer. After calling my aunt Karen (the good aunt) and an hour or so my other aunt Barbara (the horrible bad aunt) went over to Mimi's and found her.
My parents came up on Monday and the funeral was Tuesday at Sparkman Hillcrest on Northwest Hwy. We think Mimi strategically wanted to be buried there because it is close to her favorite store Neiman Marcus. Reality is that her parents are buried there.
Yesterday, my parents and I met my good aunt over at Mimi's place and went through her pictures and stuff. It was very weird seeing everything just the way she had left it 5 days before. The weirdest part is that it really got me thinking about death and how it really is just so final and quick and that all this stuff we accumulate seems so minute after we die. One minute you are here, the next you aren't. She had her coffee mug in the sink, her vitamins on the counter, her pants hung up in her bathroom to dry and her comb on her countertop (with her hair in it). She woke up that day not knowing it would end with her gone and that is what is the hardest part of death for me. I guarantee when someone is dying they aren't thinking about their stuff. It was just so weird to see her place with all her papers and recent birthday cards on the mantle and what was in her kitchen, bathroom, bedroom...
I hate death. I know it's a part of life and that there is nothing to worry about if you are a Christian and know you are going to Heaven. But the whole thing is just so creepy and strange.
I regret to say that Mimi and I were never that close. Despite this, I still loved her and she loved me. I didn't see her much, didn't know her that well - after all she live in Plano and I never saw her, and called her only to say thank you for a gift she had sent for Christmas or a Birthday - but I know she loved me. I will always regret that I didn't make an effort more but I find comfort in knowing that she had other grandchildren she was closer too so that helps me deal.
We spent 8 hours yesterday going through a box of old photographs and documents that I had never seen before. She had pictures of her wedding day, newspaper clippings of her marriage annoucement (1946), telegrams, old Valentine's Day cards from my grandfather, pictures of them on their honeymoon, menus from restaurants they had been to (again from the 40's when a steak cost $2.75) and pictures of my dad (and his sisters) when he was a little boy.
I feel like I know Mimi better now after looking through that stuff than I did when she was alive.
Mimi always was so great at sending birthday gifts/cards and Christmas gifts. They were always on time and from Neimans. She was really really good at that even at 88. She smoked for almost 80 years and she never had cancer or any lung problems. That to me is the most amazing. After probably 10's of thousands of cigarettes and an aortic anurism, it was her heart that pittered out. I am so glad that she lived a long life to see her children grow, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was widowed at 50 and never re-married. RIP Mimi Darling...
May 5, 1946
My Dad
Mimi with my Mom at our wedding
Lane's grandmother Mu, Connie and Mimi at our wedding
Thursday, February 4, 2010
I Can Tell...
That Lane and I are desperately needing to go to church.
We have found a wonderfully amazing church (thanks Jesse and Rachel!) that we LOVE! It is such a blessing. However, we haven't been to church since before the holidays and I can really tell its effect on our realtionship. It isn't that we are avoiding going to church or choosing NOT to go but the God's (no pun intended) honest truth is that we either have been out of town (and we have been out of town A LOT since the holidays) or sick (this last weekend I had a very violent stomach bug that really put me out).
Nothing is horrible or bad with us but when we have the Lord's word in our minds and hearts we treat each other so much different (better). We are more kind, put each other first and are just geniunely happier. I feel like when we are far from the Lord our marriage doesn't have a good solid foundation and that we are rocky. Lately, I have been taking things personally (maybe it's because I've been hormonal) but I get sensitive and feel like things are crumbling (they aren't). I feel distance from Lane and I know it's because we really need to hear The Word.
The last few days I have been listening to a Christian radio station and they have had some really good sermons (they always do). It is amazing how just a few moments of the Lord's word can really change things. My absolute FAVORITE preacher is Dr. Ed Young. My biggest pet peeve is corny preachers. There are a lot of them out there but one of the greatest things, as a Christian, is to find a preacher who tells it like it is and who isn't corny. Dr. Ed Young is one of them and every sermon leaves you going, Wow.
Lane and I listened to his series "How to be a Super Husband and How to be a Super Wife" before we got married and it was incredible. I still have the cd's if anyone wants to listen to them for a refresher.
I am not one of those people who is up on the front row at church, or who feels comfortable being very public about my spiritulaity or relationship with God. I won't feel comfortable going door to door trying to get people to become Christians and you won't see me praying at a restaurant (unless I'm with people who do). However, I will talk about Jesus when I am feeling especially praiseful or if there is something that I have learned from an experience that can only be explained because God has gotten me through it or because I had to lean on him the hardest. I am not trying to hide that I am a Christian. Every single decision I make is because of God and because of what He wants for me. He has been so great to me and I will always give him the Glory and the Praise for everything no matter what. I think there are 2 kinds of Christians - those who are fabulous at public display and those that aren't. I'm in the second category and that is ok - I love both kinds!
Anyway, this weekend we are going to church because we aren't sick and we are in town! I am really looking forward to it and really love learning how to be a better person and wife. I do not know how people and marriages who aren't based in God make it work because there are so many lessons to learn from the Bible on how to be a husband and a wife. I know there are so many out there that do make it but with all the trials and tribulations marriage has I just don't see how it could if you miss out on the critical lessons and important teachings from the Bible .
We have found a wonderfully amazing church (thanks Jesse and Rachel!) that we LOVE! It is such a blessing. However, we haven't been to church since before the holidays and I can really tell its effect on our realtionship. It isn't that we are avoiding going to church or choosing NOT to go but the God's (no pun intended) honest truth is that we either have been out of town (and we have been out of town A LOT since the holidays) or sick (this last weekend I had a very violent stomach bug that really put me out).
Nothing is horrible or bad with us but when we have the Lord's word in our minds and hearts we treat each other so much different (better). We are more kind, put each other first and are just geniunely happier. I feel like when we are far from the Lord our marriage doesn't have a good solid foundation and that we are rocky. Lately, I have been taking things personally (maybe it's because I've been hormonal) but I get sensitive and feel like things are crumbling (they aren't). I feel distance from Lane and I know it's because we really need to hear The Word.
The last few days I have been listening to a Christian radio station and they have had some really good sermons (they always do). It is amazing how just a few moments of the Lord's word can really change things. My absolute FAVORITE preacher is Dr. Ed Young. My biggest pet peeve is corny preachers. There are a lot of them out there but one of the greatest things, as a Christian, is to find a preacher who tells it like it is and who isn't corny. Dr. Ed Young is one of them and every sermon leaves you going, Wow.
Lane and I listened to his series "How to be a Super Husband and How to be a Super Wife" before we got married and it was incredible. I still have the cd's if anyone wants to listen to them for a refresher.
I am not one of those people who is up on the front row at church, or who feels comfortable being very public about my spiritulaity or relationship with God. I won't feel comfortable going door to door trying to get people to become Christians and you won't see me praying at a restaurant (unless I'm with people who do). However, I will talk about Jesus when I am feeling especially praiseful or if there is something that I have learned from an experience that can only be explained because God has gotten me through it or because I had to lean on him the hardest. I am not trying to hide that I am a Christian. Every single decision I make is because of God and because of what He wants for me. He has been so great to me and I will always give him the Glory and the Praise for everything no matter what. I think there are 2 kinds of Christians - those who are fabulous at public display and those that aren't. I'm in the second category and that is ok - I love both kinds!
Anyway, this weekend we are going to church because we aren't sick and we are in town! I am really looking forward to it and really love learning how to be a better person and wife. I do not know how people and marriages who aren't based in God make it work because there are so many lessons to learn from the Bible on how to be a husband and a wife. I know there are so many out there that do make it but with all the trials and tribulations marriage has I just don't see how it could if you miss out on the critical lessons and important teachings from the Bible .
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