Happy Birthday Andrew Bandrew

Ah, 15 years ago I was in agony! Andrew was my most difficult pregnancy, well they ALL were difficult, but labor and delivery with him was just aweful I really should have had a c-section, but Oh well.

My baby (not REALLY my baby-baby but still my baby) is fifteen today. Geesh, I just can't believe it. Where has the time gone? I have no idea where it went.

Andrew was also the most sickly of all my boys. In NICU for a week after he was born. Constantly sick, asthma, ear infections. He got chicken pox when he was only 6 months old. Poor guy has been through so much. Even as a pre-teen and teenager he's had his share of serious medical conditions, but he's always been a fighter. He continues to fight to this day.

I'm so proud of my boy (even though I still think he's the one who ate my dinner* last night). He's doing amazingly well in school, scholar athlete, and is doing very well with his music.

Sorry, I have no pictures today, but I did make him promise me to do a photo shoot with his Bass. Let's hope he follows through, I'm dying to get some "cool" teen rocker type stuff :) (well, he's not really a "rocker" but that whole cool musician thing is what I'm going for)



*About that dinner....yeah, someone ate it. Not like they were hungry. They all had their helpings and decided I didn't need mine....well, I did eat, but was saving the rest for my lunch! Teenage boys.....uggggh!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Let me start with an update. Willy is doing just fine :) Thank you all for your prayers and support.

He came home on Thursday looking like a "cyborg" (as Ben said) I didn't even get a chance to get a picture of him! He got the sort-of patch taken off on Friday morning and is doing wonderfully!

Friday was my dad's birthday. Those who know my dad know he loves his "B" sports....Bowling, Boxing, Baseball and BINGO! LOL He's a nut, that guy and I love him so very much.

When I called him to wish him luck, he was going to get his freebies at Bingo, he told me he was going by himself. I couldn't let him be by himself on his birthday! So I headed out in the freezing cold rain and went to play bingo with my dad. Neither of us won, but it was tons of fun. Any time spent with my dad is filled with entertainment!

I managed to get some pictures of him lastnight. Notice his "pose" LOL such a goober, but I love him nonetheless :)

This poor guy

It's not like he hasn't and isn't going through enough, now the man can't see!

He goes in tomorrow for cataract surgery on one of his eyes. They say this will help his vision considerably. Apparently one of the side effects of dialysis IS loss of vision/cataracts.

Here he is trying to help Alex with his homework. I felt so bad for him trying to read the book and and felt sad that he struggled so hard to read the words. Hopefully all will go well tomorrow and he'll heal to a point where he can see, maybe not perfectly but at least a considerable amount clearer.

Thank God Ben has his permit. There's no school on Friday so he gets to take dad to his Dr. appt :) He's thrilled, he gets to drive on the freeway!

Keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

Sneek peek

I thought I'd post a "teaser" photograph from this weekend. I had the privilege of shooting a quinceañera this weekend and I'm diligently working on processing those photos.

I was pleasantly surprised as I arrived at the church to see Mariachis! I've been dying to shoot a Mariachi band and was so excited at this opportunity. So, here is one of my "artsy" shots from this weekend. BTW When I get the name of this band I'll post their info, they were the best Mariachi I've heard in many many years.

Prayers and Positive thoughs :)

For this mother whose son is learning how to drive!!!!

AAAACK, I truly don't have the patience for this, Lord help me!


On another note, I'm so proud of Andrew. Wrestling has been a challenge, but what could be more uplifting than a win? Yeah, he's training so hard and it's so sweet to bring home a victory :)

The truth comes out!

A while ago Alex came clean as to the real reason he wanted to be a doctor.

Willy's kidney dr (Nephrologist) has a "PHD" Alex thought it was cool sounding to be a "PHD in Nephrology" (yeah it rhymes)

Then the topper was that the Dr. got to scoot around on those stools with wheels while he saw his patients. So, I guess if you sit on a cool & fun chair, it's got to be a great job, right??

About that crazy woman crying in Lucky....

One of Willy's flights was canceled today. Good thing I check the status of his flights early, he would have been MAJORLY inconvenienced today. They automatically booked him on the next flight out, if we would have waited, he would have missed his connecting flight to Nashville and missed meeting up with his roommate for 2.5 the ride back to campus. I took care of it though, good thing he has an "on top of things" mom huh?

So because of the changes in flights we had to get to the airport a couple of hours sooner than planned. We didn't have time to take him to his grandmother's house for some yummy treats :) but we did get to go to Lucky for some snacks at least. Yep, as I was writing the check for the snacks, I burst out into tears. Oh, I'm such a pitiful soul! Will looked at me and said "MOM!", then he said it was ok and he understood why I was crying. We had a good laugh, until we got to the ticket counter, then the waterworks started again.

Ah, well. He's landed in TN and is on his way to Chattanooga right now and I'm ok :)

So so sad to see him leave, but it was so good to have him home.

The caveman

He will be leaving again in a couple of days and I'm sure he'll revert to this. He just couldn't stand all of our OMG comments and decided to shave AND get a hair cut the next day. My dad even said "didn't you send a 'shaver' to him?" LOL

Big Willy was at home treating when I picked Will up, this is the look of confusion at seeing his first born cave child LOL

The "no pictures mom" pose I get quite often

The blurred photo I always seem to be able to get of my uncooperative children

I don't know how I'm gonna be able to say goodbye again. It's been such a joy to have him back home. I thank God we were able to all be together this holiday season, my only Christmas wish came true and I'm so very grateful!

Some things will NEVER change!

We were all so happy that Big Willy got to join us on our little field trip to the Exploratorium. We were parked at Chrissy Field and I wanted some pictures with the GG bridge as the backdrop. I literally made them all get out of the car and pose for me. Well, of course it didn't work.

First they all stood on the little ledge and faced TOWARD the bridge, leaving only their backs and butts to smile at me. Well, getting photos of them facing me wasn't any different, I guess :)

But, this is my family and I love them dearly. Even if they won't pose for me. (Notice how Andrew moved to the other side of Will....he wasn't going to stand next to Ben anymore!)

We made it through 2007

Happy New Year to all my friends and family!

2007 was the most difficult year I've ever had to go through. Looking back, and I really don't need to "look" too far back, just glance at yesterday, I'm amazed at how I got through, how my family survived. I only know it's a "God" thing.

I'm so grateful to my friends and family who have helped me through this difficult time, just by being there, listening, laughing, crying and sharing. You have all been a tremendous help to me and my family.

I'd love to say that 2008 is going to be an easier year, but honestly, I can't. I'm not being negative, just realistic.

Being realistic, I can say that I will work to keep my family together, till my fingers bleed, if I have to. I do look forward to what good things will come and I relish the "little" things. Because sometimes the "little" things are all we got and when they're all we've got, then they ain't so little anymore :)

So here's to whatever 2008 may bring, whatever it is, I'm ready.