every captive thought

Oh my word. This morning I was walking from the dining room into the kitchen and happened to look up and see a wet spot on the ceiling...right under where the shower is upstairs. OH NO! I can handle a lot of things. Home repairs are not one of them AT. ALL. Just ask my hubby. I don't handle disarray very well. I'm working on this. So I freaked out and called my Mom. Looooooooong story short. We had a plumber come out and diagnose the problem and give us an estimate. The insurance adjuster will be out tomorrow. When the plumber was here he stopped up the shower to determine if it is the base pan. It was. But then this happened. And I FREEEEAKED out. It's so dark and angry. And big. Why did it get so big?!?!?! THEN...it started dripping in a couple of different spots. WHY? STOP DRIPPING! And stop doing that weird bubbly, hangy down thing! And PLEASE stop dropping off in chunks! So I hooked up this...a fan on a ladder. (My Mom's brilliant idea!) ...

I am coming to terms with fact that my days might not calm down any as my sons get more and more active.  Now that Jude is so much more mobile it makes James more energetic.  They feed off each other. I also realize that this means I am going to have to give up on some of my compulsiveness. The house will only ever be clean when they are asleep. And that is fine with me.  I guess. Can you find the Jamesie under all the mess? Now I need to talk to you about something very important.  One of Brad's favorite meals is meatball subs.  I usually just throw some chips on the table with it but tonight I decided to make some fried raviolis.  Because I am such a health nut and all.  You HAVE TO make these.  They will change your life. I got the frozen raviolis from Wal-Mart.  Boil them in salted water for about 3 minutes then put them on a couple of paper towels to sort of dry off.  Next heat up the oil to super crazy hot.  If it is no...

Mondays for me mean trying to get a jump start on the week and getting everything back in order after the weekend.  And because I know that you totally DO NOT care about the minutia of my day but I will bore you anyways...here is what all we did.  First thing this morning, before the kids were even up, I fixed Brad's lunch, got a cup of coffee, ate breakfast, read my Bible, prayed, talked to Brad, checked my email, and balanced the checkbook for the first time IN A MONTH!  By the time I finished that monumental task the boys were screaming to be let out of their room.  So I drank another cup of coffee and went up to let them out.  James wakes up like a ray of sunshine.  Jude wakes up like a big dark rain cloud.  I get lost somewhere in between those two extremes- trying to take James' breakfast order and make Jude's bottle fast enough all while turning on the cartoons, sticking in 7 different videos until James decides he likes one, passing out vitamin...

How was your weekend?  Ours was good.  Friday night Brad and I went out on a date...alone...without the children.  That hasn't happened in a long time.  Sushi and a movie.  Sushi was great...movie was BAD.  But the company was the best!  But let me tell you...we paid for the rest of the weekend for letting the kids stay up late.  They were totally cranky.  It was so bad that at one point, Brad told me (loudly) that we are NOT having any more kids. James made it up to us today by being extra snuggly and lovey.  

James has been looking forward to celebrating with Papa tonight.  It is all he has talked about all day.  I can't even tell you how many times he has sung "Happy Birthday" today.  It's a lot.  While Jamesie was in the tub I put Jude in the play pen to keep him from diving back into tub (his favorite big joke on mommy).  He was NOT happy about it.   So when we finally went over to Mom and Dad's James was all ready for some cake and presents.   He really loved Papa's new gun. Then he helped Nana carry in the cake. And helped Papa blow out the candle. Meanwhile, Jude showed what it means to multitask.  He wants to be a drumming tambourine-playing golfer. We had such a fun time celebrating my wonderful Daddy!   I love you so much!

Happy Birthday my sweet Daddy!  We love you so much!

Jude is a squealer. It's so loud. Like honestly...it makes me dizzy and sometimes nauseated. It's that loud. My parents think it is great because they claim I was a squealer when I was little. I don't really know about that...I remember no such thing. But they believe I am getting my comeupins for all the squealing. I thought boys weren't supposed to be able to squeal so high-pitched and so loudly. How much longer until his voice changes? I need it to happen yesterday. SO... When I think back on my day...I like to imagine it in dreamy, hazy, blissful, peace and quiet. No ear-piercing squeals and screams. No fighting little boys. No food being flung at my face. No battles to get them to stay in their beds. Just dreamy, fuzzy, sweetness. Then something crashes in their room and they both die laughing and screaming. Whatev. At least they are quiet when they are sleeping.

I got another call from the other doctor at Children's today...his name is Dr. Harker-Murray.  He is SO nice!  He really tried to make up for all of Dr. Pass' shortcomings.  I appreciated his time so much.  He said that he is a father so he he understands how frustrating this all must have been.  That right there made me feel a lot better...just that understanding and kindness.  I trust that he will get the report to Dr. R.  I wish we had gotten to see him from the beginning.  We probably would have had an entirely different experience. Anyhow...here is an interview with Jamesie.  Let me explain a few things.  "PPY's" are what James calls PBJ's.  Close enough.  And "sussies" are what we call little treats or snacks.  He was asking for a sussie after his nap and turned it into a song.

We had our appointment today with Dr. Regueira, Jude's oncologist.  Remember a few days ago when I told you I had FINALLY heard back from the not-so-special specialist in Dallas and got her official 2nd opinion ???  Well, that day she told me that she was going to send the report to Dr. R and to us.  Good thing I didn't hold my breath.  Because as has been typical of Dr. Pass, she did not do what she said she would do.  I am so not surprised.  Disappointed, yes.  Surprised, no.  I called this morning to make sure the report had been sent and was told I would get a call back confirming.  On my way to our appointment with Dr. R, I called again since I hadn't heard.  Frustrated, I asked to speak to an office manager.  She was at least nice and apologetic which helped...but it didn't get the report to our oncologist.  And of course, Dr. Pass was out of town again so there was nothing she could do.  I told her that I was foolis...

Each child is created in the special image and likeness of God for greater things-to love and be loved.  Mother Teresa

We took the boys to the pool today before church.  It was great fun until all of the teeny-bopper life guards started blowing on their whistles and made everyone get out of the pool.  Then some slightly-older-than-teeny-bopper-guy came out with rubber gloves on, a science kit looking thing, and a net.  Never a good sign.  I can only imagine someone pooped in the pool.  Which meant that we were outta there.  We sat around waiting to see what would happen until it occurred to me that even if they got the poo out (if it was in fact poo...maybe it was vomit...either way...) I really didn't want my kids getting back in.  So we left.  But anyhow, we had fun up until then. Swinging   So happy to be at the pool "PPY" as he calls it This is how he says "shhh".  He thought the pool evacuation required a moment of silence apparently. He would rather be in the feces-infested pool I love him so much! This...

Oh my word....yall, last night was ROUGH!  James woke up at 2:30 am screaming because his legs hurt.  Growing pains I am assuming.  But his screaming woke up Jude which made Jude think it was time to eat.  So I took both boys downstairs, gave James some tylenol, fed Jude and watched cartoons.  Finally James was ready to go back to bed but insisted that I sleep with him in his bed.  I was too tired to argue with him so I did.  I do not have any idea how I slept on that bed for so many years because it is so hard.  I woke up sore all over like a little old lady.  I am so much older than I thought.  After such a rough night this is how we both woke up feeling.... Disheveled, confused, still sleepy, holding on for dear life...and I can't explain the one shoe thing. But we pulled ourselves together, slapped on a smile, and got ready for the day. Jamesie got to spend most of the day with his Nana going to lunch, the "scubby center", the gr...