Mommy Amy the Brave!

Dayton and Ellie have a step Mother that they have always affectionately referred to as 'Mommy Amy'. Today Mommy Amy took Dayton to get his blood drawn. This was a task that I was not looking forward to myself. She didn't have to do it but she did and she toughed it out while four adults held him down. Ugh...

While the blood work was a necessary evil I wouldn't have faired well thus making it even harder on our little dude. She braved the heart breaking moments well and on top of it all she was able to masterfully pull his very first loose tooth out tonight! This is also something I would not have been able to accomplish! Here is a short clip that she and Spencer recorded of the big event!



Needless to say Dayton was super, super excited! He swelled with innocent pride and carefully tucked his tooth under his pillow before quickly drifting off to sleep!

On the B Side: We are all grateful for Mommy Amy! Not only is she brave but she is kind and loving. She nurtures the children in the most natural manner and cares for them as her own. She is a shining example of hope in a world riddled with unexpected circumstances and she removes the 'step' from 'step parent'. Thank you Amy for being you (and thanks for the cash you let me borrow tonight...mission accomplished!!)

In the Quiet Heart is Hidden Sorrows that the Eye Can't See

I received this image in an email today with a message stating that not all the brave leave 'the home of the brave' to enter battle. Some of the brave are required to be brave at home.

As I looked at this picture and felt the emotion therein my heart broke. Does it really have to be this way?

Sometimes in life it's so easy to get caught up in ourselves . We stress about things that really don't matter and worry about things we cannot control. There are a million and one things that distract us from the things that matter most. We forget about the world around us and lose sight of others. I admit that I fall into this category more often than I would like to think.

This image of a young boy dressed in black holding back tears and trying to be brave was a powerful reminder of the war that wages and the individual lives that are affected. As the flag is being handed to him he knows his Father will not be coming home. A young child forced to be brave in spite of a life time of being without one he loves most; one who gave his life for all of us. I cannot begin to imagine what this little boys brave heart must feel each day nor how it will affect the rest of his life.

Along those lines I thought a lot about the other side of this war. There are soldiers to fight against our country men. Whatever their cause they also have families and lives outside of war. There exists hopes, dreams, sorrows and pain. I thought of what they must experience and the pain their families suffer. I do not claim to understand what it must be like but my heart does ache for them as well.

On the B Side: I am thankful for the many men and women who sacrifice themselves whether they live or die for the sake of the good of our country. Our freedoms and liberties come with a price. I am hard pressed to think I could make such a sacrifice with the odds that they face but I understand the greater good and I sincerely love, admire and respect them for the selfless service that they offer. It is my sincere hope that they are carefully watched over and blessed while they are far from their dear families and pray that they may arrive home safely once more. Now look at this picture again for a few brief moments and you tell me. xxox

Betty Beans

Our sassy Ellie cakes had her 4 year Well Baby appointment today. I realize that this presents a 4 month delay. I originally scheduled this 8 weeks ahead of her actual birthday and even then there wasn't anything available until 4 weeks after her b-day. We missed that one (whoopsy), rescheduled and had to cancel due to her being sick. By the time we were able to get in we were pushed out until the end of January. If our doctor wasn't so amazing it wouldn't be worth it; however, she is the bomb! How's that for a tap dance?!

Dayton volunteered and carefully held Ellie's Torchic toy for her while she stepped on the scale. She weighed in at 38 pounds and is 32 inches tall. Unfortunately this only places her in the 15th percentile for both height and weight. She has slowly been dropping off of the charts and needs to go back in 5 months for a follow up as the doctor is concerned...as are we. Let me assure you despite her tiny stature she is a bull in a china closet!

She weighed 8 pounds 10 ounces at birth and was a chubby cheeked little baby girl! At age 2 she had surgery and dropped from the 80th-90th percentile down to the 30th. She's never recovered on the charts and has slowly dropped down. Dr. Ring said it isn't likely that she'll profit from all 6'8 of her Father's height given these trends.

Dayton gingerly held her hand while the nurse took her blood pressure and he cheered her on while she read the eye chart. She had her Kindergarten shots (all 4 of them!) and was so brave! Dayton encouraged her before the nurse came in to deliver the goods. He gave a rather emotional discourse and assured her that it would all be fine, that it wouldn't hurt and that it would end quickly. He talks with his hands and speaks so matter of factly. He's a great big brother; bright, tender and charming!

Our patient wiped her tears, picked out a sticker and fell asleep in the car! She got a clean bill from the doc otherwise and enjoyed picking out yummy treats at the grocery store. Both of my moonbeams are now with their Dad now through Sunday night. *Insert trying-not-to-be-sad sigh here*

On the B Side: I am just grateful. Grateful for the love I feel. Grateful for my family. Grateful that we can be together. Grateful for our health. Grateful that we have access to medical care. Grateful to be who I am, grateful for my life and grateful for the blessings that surround me. I love, love, love my family.