Been awhile

So the last few weeks have kind of gone by in a blur.  First, my girls' trip is not looking like a reality as much anymore.  That sucks.  Second, the new niece count is now two.  Making it a grand total of four nieces, three nephews.  New niece #1 is being baptized on Sunday and I am her godmother.  I am so very thankful that they asked me to be her godmother.  It is such an honor.  We hope to visit new niece #2 this weekend.  Also a play date tonight, and band competition tomorrow morning.

As most of you know by now, our daughter wanted to do a Relay for Life team in honor of my dad and in memory of Ryan's mom.  We are so very proud of her for wanting to take on this project.  She is FULL of ideas.  The emails, the posts, etc. are all done by me but I assure you she is very much involved with the planning.  We decided at 12 we would leave the advertising and posting to mom.  She is going to be selling those rubberband bracelets.  She is having a basket raffle geared towards children-tween-teen on the night of her skate party (May 3 - mark your calendars) and have a basket raffle on the night of the Relay.  So if you would like to donate to the team, join the team, buy a luminary, donate a basket, attend the skating party, etc.  Let me know.  Any and all support is appreciated.  If you go to the Relay for Life website and search for Clinton County, IL Relay for Life and click on the team name iHopeweCure you can donate, join or buy.  :) 

My brother's wedding (well technically vow renewal and reception) is coming up in June.  Need to lose weight, finish wine glasses for bridal party table, and help with other misc projects. 

I am taking the kids to Chicago in March to see my dad.  I also hope to have some sort of girls' trip.  I can't go the weekend everyone else is going but I am bound and determined to do something the weekend I can go. 

Our daughter got her Kindle Fire HDX last night.  Before anyone hates on us, she bought it with her own money that she saved.  We have a rule in our house.  You want an expensive electronic.  You save for it.  So that's what she has done for her DSi, Ipod Touch and now Kindle Fire HDX.  She takes good care of her stuff so it has worked out. 

Girls Trip!

I am planning a girls trip to Chicago with a few friends.  By a few the initial count is 13 girls invited.  Yep that's a lot of girls.  Now as much as I want to find a date for all 13 girls it's looking impossible.  A part of me would also like to check out another city for girls trip.  Anywhere fun you have been with a group of girls (within the 4-6 hour drive of St. Louis area).  Memphis? Nashville? KC?  Nashville sounds like a TON of fun to me but not sure how our non-country friends would fare in County capital USA.  Any thoughts or suggestions if we would decide to try another city?  I know Chicago like the back of my hand....other cities not so much.

Chicago Withdrawals!??!?!?!??!

I am missing Chicago.  The city.  the family.  (not missing the crappy weather they are currently having).  I cannot wait to get back up there and see my dad and Connie.  February is pretty much booked solid.  Playdate tonight and Cosmic bingo on Saturday, Dart tournament next weekend, Grandma moving to my parents the weekend after that and our daughter has band solo the following weekend and my niece's baptism is that weekend too.  So March is my goal.  I will be visiting in March.  I miss my dad and Connie.  The kids miss him too.  Plus he's made so much progress with healing I cannot wait to see the changes for myself.

~~Narcolepsy~~

Three months ago, I had no idea what exactly narcolepsy was.  It's nothing like what I had initially thought it would be which seems to be a big misunderstanding.  I never even knew up until probably October that my aunt and cousins all suffer from narcolepsy.  So since then, I have become interested in learning more.  It's not only because I exhibit some symptoms and plan to be tested, but I also read up on it in support of my family.

My cousin went to a Narcolepsy convention in Georgia this last Fall and met a narcolepsy advocate.  I have never met her but it's amazing to see how much she works for this cause.  To get it known by all.  To get people to understand people with narcolepsy are not alone.  To get people to understand that narcolepsy is real.  It's a real condition.  It's life altering.  It affects many.  She started a Narcolepsy Not Alone campaign asking people to submit photos.  She has collected 858 photos as of Jan 1.  One of those photos represents my cousins and aunt.  The photos submitted are just a small portion of the people affected by this.

Learn more about narcolepsy on Julie Flygare's website.  It's filled with tons of information.

~~Being Thankful, Prayers and Such~~

I love my kids.  Yes they drive me bonkers.  But they're kids and that's what kids do.  They bring joy, happiness, love, hope, and laughter.  Of course there is stress, tears, anxiety, etc. However I would not trade ANY of that for anything.  I am grateful for them.  I am grateful for the people they are becoming.  I am grateful that they are healthy.

We have had to utilize our share of specialists at one of the children's hospitals over the last 12 years.  We have seen an endocrinologist; otolaryngologist/ENT; orthopedist; cardiologist; and hematologist/oncologist.  Been in the E.R. four times and admitted once.  Every time I am there I realize how lucky we are.  Our "issues" are minor.  Scary at the time but minor.

This week has once again reminded me how lucky we are. So I have a request.  Well three.  Three prayer requests.  Three very big prayer requests.  So if you can, if you pray, please pray for these three families.  And hug your children.  Appreciate the moments.  All of them.

First, for little man...i am calling him little man because I don't want to put his name on my blog.  Most of you probably know him anyway but for any far away readers - pray for little man.  Little Man's mom and I went to high school together. We keep up on facebook and her family owns the daycare my son goes to (and daughter went to).  Not to mention we have some common family.  Anyway, little man is 2 months old and had his first open heart surgery at approximately ten days old.  He's back in the hospital now and is having a cardiac cath tomorrow.  Pray for good results.  Pray they are able to do what they need to do so he can avoid having another open heart surgery already (they know he already needs more but they thought they had a couple months before next one).

Second, for a coworker's daughter.  K is 8 and had a heart transplant almost three months ago.  She is back in the hospital this week with some complications with fevers, white blood count, etc.  So please pray for her.

Third, a friend has struggled for YEARS to conceive.  She has gone through a lot to achieve something that comes so easy to most.  She is getting closer to her dream.  So.very.close.  Please pray.  Give her strength and hope.  The journey she has been on has made it very difficult to have hope.  So if you can spare a few prayers for them too.  She deserves this.

On another note, St. Louis Heart Walk is May 10, 2014.  I am going to walk for H & K.  It's not a competitive walk and any donation is welcome.  I think you have to donate a certain amount to get a heart walk shirt, but anything helps and it benefits the American Heart Association.

Happy BIrthday Grandma!

Today is my Grandma's 78th birthday! 

In 19 days, she is moving back home. 

This makes me happy.  I miss her. 
Sad she ever left but glad she is going to be home. 

Rude awakening!

That is what we woke up to Monday morning.  102.4 fever.  Awesome.  So xander and I had an unplanned day off.  We went to the doctor where the doctor had to swab herself for strep in order to get him to let her swab him for strep.  No strep.  No flu.  Just a virus going around and some ear infection.  Is it summer yet?