The Waiting Room

This is not a Fugazi Song! (JR)

My Dad has been tired a lot lately, so he started to exercise via walking. Every time he'd walk he'd have chest pains, but thought it was because he was out-of-shape. Yesterday he called his doctor and they "just happened" to have a cancellation. Then he ended up being sent for an arteriogram at 4:00. He had one artery 100% blocked, two that were 90% blocked and one that was 50% blocked. As my brother, Philip, who is obsessed with numbers, pointed out, out of 400% he was only pumping at 70%. No wonder he felt so crummy.


So, this morning he had quadruple bypass surgery. We have had many men in our church who have had a similar surgery, but it is a lot scarier when it is your Daddy. I had to contact my little sister, who lives in South Africa. That was tough. She told me that everything had to be ok, "because Daddy has to walk me down the aisle in April".


And it has been a long day in the waiting room.


Family and friends gathered around to help pass the time. The surgery took about four hours, but one of the nurses called every hour to give an update. It has been a long day, but not a terrible day. It is so nice to have so much support. When I finally got internet service after surgery, in the second waiting room, I had 109 Facebook messages of support. Ruth also got to call me on my cell phone while I was waiting. Technology can be annoying at times, but in times like these it is great to have so much support.


I am about to walk back and see my Dad, not that he'll be awake, but I'm here with Mom. Thanks for all your prayers!!

Reindeer Milk

Another Thanksgiving. A big lunch at Mom and Dad's that ended with all the cousins playing football and everyone but Ruth (and Gary) for dessert.

I spent Black Friday shopping with my sister, Heather. We only went to Target, Kohl's and Toys-R-Us, but I must say it wasn't bad at all. We didn't head out until 7:45 (when some of the stores were opening at 3:00 AM), but we got almost everything we were looking for. I am almost done with my shopping!!!

We then celebrated with the Brown's on Friday night. Daniel and Heather were out-of-town and Daegan had been previously invited to a friend's house so it was a much smaller group, but the food was yummy and it is always a totally different menu than the Caines Thanksgiving.

Now, on to Christmas Decorations. And you know what that leads to?

Reindeer Milk, aka Egg Nog

Thankful for...

My hubby. No matter what is going on, he always knows what I'm thinking.

My Mollee. We are so different in so many ways, but I love the little notes she leaves me around the house.

My Tavis. Even if it is inappropriate at times (like in the heat of discipline), he always can make me smile.

My Daegan. His love of life and his "excited" attitude is refreshing.

My Capps. All his quirks and all his questions.

My Mac. His R2D2-like beeps and his silly ways.

My new friends I've made this year and Mommy Breaks at Panera!

Growing closer to my little sister this year while she is 8,124 miles away.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Hope you all have a wonderful day of family, friends and thanksgiving.

This is a picture that Daegan drew at school for Thanksgiving Day. It really made me laugh because of the turkey in the bottom right corner running away from an arrow. (Then men hanging over the fires, well, they are bad guys!?!)

3rd Grade Thanksgiving Feast

Everyone dressed up like a Native American or a Pilgrim!

Two Extras

This weekend we had the two older kids of our youth minister. There was a high school retreat, so they needed their children to stay with someone.

The weekend went fine. Michaela was an angel. Christopher was loud and non-stop!We even got to church on time (with time to snap a few pictures) with two extras!!Michaela can come over anytime!

:)

Give Thanks. Walk. 2010

This morning, Daegan, Capps and I participated in a 5k to support St. Jude. Capps' best friend is a patient there so we were supporting Team Keegan. It was at the mall at 8:00 AM!!!The walkers were supposed to wear a sign with what they were thankful for, Capps didn't want to wear one, but, of course, Daegan did.Waiting for instructions, sharing a seat....and the walk Capps and Keegan made it like this for only about one lap.Daegan's friend, Luke, was also there.The boys kept running ahead and then they were instructed to take a break and wait for the parents. (l-r, Luke, Daegan, Capps, Keegan and Christian - Keegan's brother)The boys did awesome to stay with it. We are home now and totally exhausted!!

Go, Team Keegan!!!! (he got 2nd place for supporters)

My favorite shirt these days!

Organizing for Mommy's sanity

I couldn't handle it anymore. I dumped all the toys I could find in the middle of the floor in the boys room - under the couch, under the bunkbeds, anything and everything!

Before:

After:

Ahhh! I feel better now!

Cousins!

Today I stole Ezra (my nephew) for a few hours

Mac is always looking for an excuse to play with Ezra

We went to the mall playground

We took a sack lunch to the food court and rode "the ride"

A Wonderful Fall Saturday

Today is Saturday and Jason had to work. I decided to have a good day instead of having a ho-hum day. Sometimes you have to make that decision for yourself!

So I decided to pack a picnic and take the kids to the park.After the kids played for two hours, we ate our picnic

and then headed over to the creek to explore.Mac gives two fist pumps because he made it to "the other side"Then there was a mud incident.

Mollee and Daegan took off along the edge of the creek and they found a patch of mud. Daegan was crying, Mollee wasn't sure if it was funny or if she was in trouble (her new white sneakers) and I was laughing so hard I almost wet my pants Julie, you'd be proud but I did manage to get some pictures. They pretty much ran out of their shoes. So we had to go back to the scene of the crime and dig out their shoes.

We got cleaned up as best we could and played a little longer. It was a great three-and-a-half hours outside and I was feeling like a 'Fun Mom'!!!

So we decided to go get some ice cream too!Three vanillas, two cotton candies, and I got Pumpkin Spice! (notice Mollee muddy and barfoot)We were also given the major treat of someone else paying. There was a couple there that said they had nine kids and understood how hard it was, so they wanted us to enjoy our ice cream on them!!! How wonderful is that?

I just love Fun Fall Saturdays!!!

Happy 9th Birthday, Tavis!

Friday night at the Brown's. This boy only likes Cookie Cake and Oreos (see below):He got his whole name = giant pieceHe is obsessed with rocks, so this was the perfect gift. He also got a subscription to National Geographic for kids!Last week he went shopping with Mimi and got a new bikeSunday at the Caines (Eleanor birthday too!) Got more books (which he loves) and hockey sticks!

And celebrating at home - we bought him rocks (and he wanted them): He has been saving his allowance for months to get a guitar, but we surprised him with one today, love the picture to prove his surprise!

Now to find someone that knows how to play that can teach him?