"it"

the "it" in our house is Maddi's tumor.

A few weeks ago we got all excited because "it" shrunk.

Well, it's back......and bigger than ever.

I don't know how much longer she can go without "it" causing her pain.

I am devastated, Dustin doesn't like to talk about "it" and the kids, well they think "it's" perfectly normal to have a eggplant sized tumor on your belly.

I swear we would have never thought she would make it this long.....last April was when we discovered "it".......but we are not even close to being ready for the end. Oh, and my biggest fear is that I will have to deal with "it" when Dustin is out of town and wouldn't you know he will be away on business half of September and all of October.

So, my prayer is that she will go peacefully, pain-free, with a full belly and not anytime soon.

happenings.....

1. I LOVE living right across the street from the elementary school. I love walking Ramsey to school everyday and hearing about her day in the afternoon.
2. Elementary school is WAY cooler now than when I was in it. Their assembly on Friday was so super cute and I hear they get better when the different classes/grades perform.
3. Buying a school lunch is the "cool" thing to do on Fridays.
4. I owe Bradley (a boy in Ramsey's class) a big Thank You for making her first week such a success......she loves him! The good news is, I think he loves her too!
5. Getting up early is for the birds.
6. Bryson seriously acts like he misses Ramsey during the day. When he asks where she is and I reply "at school" he goes to the front window and looks for her.
7. I have met a lot more people this week and I am totally excited about the possible friendships to be made in this neighborhood! (not that I will ever lose my CR peeps! Love you ladies) Our neighborhood HOA party was tonight at the pool. We had a nice time and met some more "neighbors" so hopefully we will feel connected soon!
8. Other than lunch, specials and snack I have no idea what Ramsey does at school.
9. Doris, our crossing guard, is AMAZING! I love her! I also have a feeling if I am nice to her she will spoil us!!!!!! Plus, you know she has all the scoop from the 'hood so I need to befriend her and soon! Oh, and she always comments on what Ramsey is wearing so you know little miss priss loves that!
10. Having my mom here this week was such a blessing. I guess real life will begin on Monday morning! Dustin is traveling a lot over the next few weeks so I need to get organized and fast.
11. Bryson starts school in a week and I am fist-pumping at the thought of going to the grocery store by myself!
12. I will be returning to the gym this week after an unexpected hiatus. I really want to lose about 15 pounds so I need to get up there!
13. Dustin's cousin, Matthew Bettencourt, was playing in the Little League World Series on ESPN and ABC. It was so fun to follow them the last few weeks and we are all so proud of the team and what they accomplished. I know they are probably upset that they won't be in the final game but they should be so proud of themselves for going as far as they did. What a great run they had and it was so much fun (and nerve-racking) to watch.
14. We went to Heritage High School's football game last night and we fell in love with this school....it is the school that Ramsey will feed into (if zoning doesn't change 5 times by then) for her high school years. This is their first year to have varsity sports and there are no seniors at the school, just freshman-juniors. Anyway, we had a lot of fun and are excited about seeing this school grow and form traditions! Plus, their fight song is set to the tune of Tech's fight song so you know we loved it even more once we heard that!
15. It's 10:00 and I am wiped out. I am so old.

Ready or not, here she comes!

Ramsey Lynn

8-23-2010

First Day of Kindergarten

Ashley Elementary

questions and thoughts.....

have we done enough to prepare her?
will she be the littlest one there?
will she meet new friends and will they be nice?
will she be scared tomorrow?

where did the time go?

I am a worrier and I am naturally worried about her starting school tomorrow. I mean, this is the first day of the rest of her life.....or at least the next 13 years of it. She's still so little, she is still our baby girl, she should still be 2 years old sucking her fingers and wearing pig tails.

But, I will suck it up in front of her. I will smile and fake it. Because, that is what we do as parents. We suck it up for our kids so they can grow confident in their choices, so they can become independent and so they can learn.

And then there is a high probability I will turn away and fall into a heap on the floor......the rest of the parents will have to step over me but she won't know that. All she will know is the excitement of her new friends, classroom and teacher.

K is for Kindergarten and it is also for Keep it together, mom.

GNO

I will have stories to tell and reasons to laugh for years to come after last nights festivities. Hanging out with your girlfriends is good for the soul, good for the heart but not so good for the waistline.......Whataburger at 1:30 sure is good though!

Looking forward to the next time........

Floatin' thru the summer....

What's going on???

• So, having a FB account makes for one awesome birthday! I love getting the messages from friends and family. It totally made me feel special, popular and loved!
• I took a boot camp class at the gym this morning at 6am. Why? Still not sure. Will I do it again? YES! (well, maybe) Was it hot? YES!
• 2 weeks til school starts and I am starting to get really nervous for Ramsey. I know she will do fine the first few weeks but I worry about later on in the year when the newness has worn off.
• We get Annie back from Doggie Boot Camp tomorrow. The kids and Dustin miss her. I could probably go another week or two without feeling guilty. Hopefully she has the whole potty training thing down better, I am not into pee and poop on my carpet. Pretty sure Maddi and Chi-Chi think she is gone forever, and they don't care.
• Is it totally weird that I am so excited about going to buy new make-up today? I got some money from my parents and my in-laws for my birthday (THANKS!) and I am going to blow it on some new "pretties" as Ramsey says.
• It is SO FREAKING HOT! Seriously, our electric bill will be like a mortgage pymt this month. Ugh.
• And last but not least: CHECK OUT THESE GNARLY FISH from our lake trip. The neighbors there had a huge bucket of fish food that they let the kids use to feed the fish. We were all completely shocked at the size of these things. Dustin tried to grab one and throw it on me and I just about had a heart attack. Bryson wanted to swim with them, he LOVED them! Oh, and don't get me started on the ducks......he about peed in his pants when they came over to get some food. So cute.
  

Lake Trip 2010 in pictures

Awesome families

Awesome lake

Awesome food

Awesome drinks

In one word, it was AWESOME!

The countdown begins for next year......