OH HAPPY DAY

You know Oh happy DAy, Oh Happy Daaaay, When Jesus washed, when Jesus washed, Oh when he washed, HE WASHED MY SINS AWAY.. OH HAPPY DAY, I like to sing that song when I am Happy about something. And I am happy that my Babies are back in Oklahoma today... I won't get to see them till Sunday, but at least they are here in Oklahoma for a visit. YEA Oh Happy Day!

She has now put Carly in her crate because she came in from being walked and pooped all in the living room floor. Twentyfour hours and she goes home.

Well I am taking care of my son's 6 month old lab and his other lab Drake who I took care of for three years and he literally drug me through the streets and bar ditches of Stigler. Britt, my son, had to go on a business trip and had no one to take them on. Drake has really calmed down. I think he doesn't want to leave so he's being a perfect gentleman, plus he finally got neutered and I think that calmed him down a lot. The she devil (Carly, the new pup) is worse than Drake ever thought about being. I can't believe I'm doing this. My Bichon, Ace who is recooperating from a herniated disc and his small fracture in his spine, doesn't need all this commotion but is doing OK with it all. I don't mind keeping them at Britt's because his yard is fenced in, mine isn't so I have to walk them every 30 minutes. The pup has to go that often the other two don't. No one goes out the door without Drake. Ace I can keep inside. Just one more day and they go home. The house keepers come tomorrow. Boy will they be in for a surprise LOL. I bet they charge me double for double the trouble. Can you imagine 3 dogs two of them labs, running around in the house with no fenced in yard! WEll ASK ME I CAN TELL YOU ALL ABOUT IT!

A Wonderful Valentines Weekend

What a wonderful weekend Ralph and I had. We went to Tulsa for a Dinner Dance he takes me too every year. We dress up in After five attire, tuxedos for the guys. It's fun to do that once a year. I guess we could call it our Old People's Prom LOL.

There was a fantastic band called "Mid Life Crisis" I know the name is corny, but they were far from corny. Seems they opened for the Eagles last November and they are very impressive. They sang the Beatles, Beegees, Chicago, Van Morrison, Eagles, Loggins & Messina, Dooby Brothers, Temptations, My gosh I don't think there was any group they didn't sing a song of from bands in the 60's and some early 70's. There had to be 8-10 members. If you ever get the opportunity to hear them GO, you won't be able to sit. Ralph and I danced more than we have in years. You couldn't keep from dancing.

I babysat the boys and girls Friday night, Ace, Drake, and then Carly. She is a hoot. Ace is suffering from a small fracture in his back and a herniated disc. He is loosing control of his hind legs because of it. I guess the drive to Tulsa totally stressed him out and he was screaming with pain Friday night. I had to call the Vet to get permission to give him a pain pill and increase his prednisone. Finally around bed time he started moving a little. By Saturday morning he was a lot better. I can not figure out how this happened to him. It all started after the ice storm. I don't know whether he twisted his back and slid funny on the ice or what. I had dropped the leash on his back the other day. I don't know it just breaks my heart to see this little guy in pain. I love that dog as much as my grandbabies. I just hope he gets better with out back surgery.

Oh my poor grandbaby suffered a casualty this weekend. When Britt told me what happened I was concerned but I was more concerned for Natalie. She is such a careful mother and we all know you can be the most careful person in the world but accidents happen and heaven only knows those babies can get into something before you know it. I told Britt my heart goes out to Nat I know how it feels when your baby gets hurt, but it sounds to me like she was calm like her Daddy always was. I couldn't have made it through our catastrophes with out Ralph, he was always my rock. I always said the Good Lord watched over my babies because Heaven only knows I would go to pieces when something happened to them. It's a long story, but it has to do with giving a child up for adoption. You always think something is going to happen to those around you for your punishment.

One of these days I'll go into that story, it's a good one and it had a happy ending. We found each other and it has been a very positive experience. Her parents mean the world to me and my children love their sister like she was raised right there with them. And her parents feel the same about Natalie and Britt. It is a wonderful thing, not all birth reunions turn out like ours. But I think if everyone keeps their feelings in check it can work out like ours did.

Well that's all for tonight. Please remember to keep Doreen in your prayers, she is still recooperating and needs all of us praying for her.

Izabella Ralphyella

This morning when I went out to walk Ace, I saw the MOST amazing rainbow. It went from one side of the sky to the other. It was a complete rainbow. So many times you see 1/2 of it but this morning it was all there in living color, just beautiful. I immediately thought of Brooke and Hillary leaving to go to Houston this morning and how that must have felt when they saw it. Someone described driving to work and it was like they were driving under it and I wondered if that was how the girls felt. It gave me goose bumps. I don't ever think I have seen one so intense and close, like I could reach up and touch it. And you couldn't help but remember God's promise to Abraham with the rainbow. It truly was a sign of hope.

I received the cutest picture of Izy today. On second thought I never received anything BUT cute pictures of Izy. It made my day. I then proceeded to tell Natalie how I use to take a Polaroid of her every morning before I left for work. LOL and she replied "So uv said" How funny, her way of letting me know I've told her on more than one occasion. Oh well, I'm sure I'll repeat myself many more times. As I watch her raise her two girls it just brings back so many wonderful memories of my firsts with her. Being older when I had her and having given a child up for adoption when I was younger, I cherished every minute of her earlier years; and her later years, the earlier years were just so much more memorable when she worshiped the ground I walked on and couldn't talk back LOL

My weekend with the girls

Oh my gosh, I got 2 spend time with Izy and Sophie Saturday and Sunday while Natalie did her marathon work weekend. I don't know how many times she can do this as a nursing mom. She thoroughly enjoyed the time away from the girls and difinitely needed it, but boy she is going to be worn out when she gets home. I know I was worn out, but it was a good worn out. We only had a few catastrophes.

First I get up Saturday morning at 6:00 and proceed to Lysol and bleach every inch of Britt's house to prepare for the girls to stay. Go to the grocery store supply the frig, go back to Britt's unload the car, then proceed into Tulsa to get Sophie. I only get one at a time, Nat thinks it might be a little overwhelming LOL. Well I pick up that little bundle of joy and she was great, she slept all the way to Uncle Britt's. Get to Uncle Britt's and start to get Sophie out of the Suburban and lo and behold I don't know how to get the car seat of out the car! I tried for 10 minutes, finally, Britt has a neighbor who has been my night in shining armor before and I ring his doorbell and asks for his help.... He laughs and gets Sophie out. I couldn't believe it, I pushed every knob and never got the right one, thank goodness Sophie was asleep.

The rest of the day went great until Bath time. Travis had brought Izy over to Britt's so she could stay with us. Uncle Britt was suppose to help. yeh right, he calls and says he's not hungry and he is taking his dog to train. I told him it didn't matter whether he was hungry or not, but Izy would be before he was through after dark. God was surely watching over me because I managed to get Izy fed while Sophie was sleeping. Then Uncle Britt gets home. It was rather loud and she loves to say Bitt. Not Britt , but Bitt, so they go back and forth calling each other's name. Finally I get Sophie asleep so I can give Izy a bath, so I tell Britt to go change the sheets on his bed for his sister so I can lay Sophie down! Noooo, I'll hold Sophie while Mom changes his sheets. Before long he and Izy manage to wake Sophie and she goes in to her MELTDOWN time. Now mind you, if Britt would have been quiet and not talked she would have stayed asleep while I bathed Izy and got her to bed. We proceeded to spend the next 2 hours in utter chaos in which Britt decided he will never have kids. I wish everyone could have seen Britt holding Sophie trying to get her to calm down with sweat rolling of his forehead and bouncing her every way he knew how to calm her down. I told him Tough, he should have changed the sheets on his bed and he wouldn't have been in that situation, so tough it out for waking her up. LOL

Well, Britt decided to give Izy her bath and me hold the baby. The next thing I know he is in there asking Izy "Do you know how to wash yourself?" OK Izy is not even 2 yet and she had just pooped in her diaper before I put her in the tub! LOL I have Sophie crying, because it is meltdown time and all I really want to do is strangle Britt for waking her ! So I say, "BRITT! GET IN HERE AND HOLD SOPHIE AND I'LL GIVE IZY HER BATH!" So we switch again. MY GOSH HE IS GOING NUTS BY NOW. When is Natalie coming home, isn't it time for her to get here? How long does it take to do someone's hair? Oh this scene was hysterical. Finally I get Izy clean, diaper changed, PJ's on and milk made and in bed. Then take over Sophie. By this time he is on the phone to Natalie, when are you coming home. Of course she thinks I'm upset and she wants to talk to me and explains she will be working till 1:00 in the morning, did I not understand that, she diffinitely made that clear, I tried to explain that Britt was the one having difficulty. Well, I go into the kitchen to make Sophie a bottle with milk he had to go pick up from Natalie at the shop before he came home. Lo and Behold I SMELL GAS! NOT THE BODILY KIND EITHER! Seems little Izy while I was making her milk turned the gas stove on, without a fire and it was spewing gas into the kitchen. MY GOSH WHAT ELSE? Well I run out of the kitchen with Sophie and holler at Britt , We had to open the windows, 35 degrees outside, and air out the house from the fumes. And Britt had to fix the Breast milk because he chose that over holding Sophie again!!!!!!!! Anybody wiping their tears yet???? Finally 3 hours later I text Natalie a message that says PTL everyone is down. Now who doesn't know that PTL means PRAISE THE LORD???? My daughter and her lovely childhood friend LISA!!!

Well we manage to make it through and my lovely daughter comes home at 3:3o in the morning, Britts Spanish speaking neighbors are partying and singing Spanish rock music to the loud boom of the bass. Now I know why Izy kept waking up. Britt's dogs start barking, Sophie wakes up`, then Izy wakes up and Natalie has the audacity to say "Why is it everytime I spend the night here everyone wakes up? We don't have this problem at home or at Garth's parents! HMMMM. Could it be Britt has a small house with absolutely no insulation between the walls and you could here an ant belch???? And mom comes in at 3:30 in the morning and wakes everyone up? And of course, Izy wants to see Mommy, See mommy mimi, so she goes in and ready to start her day, "Hi mommy, gets on the bed and ready to chat! Mimi of course has not slept because I want to be awake in case of another catastrophe and I don't want it to happen on MY WATCH!!

Oh my. Well being the good Mimi, I take Izy to bed and get up when she gets up, Sophie wakes up and when Nat gets through feeding Sophie asks me to come get her! I do, still going on not much sleep and the stress of last night. Britt of course seems to have vanished, he is nowhere to be found. Like father like son! Well the girls and I did great. I fed Izy and Sophie layed on her mat and played herself to sleep and Izy and I played. Britt gets home and I start warming up lunch thinking all this time when mom gets up, I can get a nap. Well mom gets up and says Oh mom I'm meeting Jaime and Kim and some others for lunch at 1:00 is that OK? Then we'll go in and do your hair. What can I say? Sure honey go ahead. Well lunch goes into 4:00 on Sunday afternoon, I live an hour and a half away and my hair still isn't done yet, Sophie loves to be held and we held all afternoon so I decide to call Ralph and tell him Im going to stay over so Nat can have time with her friends and we can still do my hair. Ralph is not HAPPY! HE SAYS YOU NEED TO PLAN YOUR TIME BETTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!GEEZ I NEED TO PLAN MY TIME BETTER!!!!!::::???????????????? OH OK

Some days it just doesn't pay. By the way, to any of you young mothers who read this, and want us all to know what you go through? Guess what we have been there, that is why we try to be there for you so please be sure and thank those wonderful Mothers for being there and know that everything isn't always what it appears to be!

Prayers for Doreen

For those who read this please put Doreen Forrester on your prayer list. They have found that she has a brain tumor that is malignant. She has an appointment at MD on Monday at 2:00 p.m. and will be there for 14 days.You can read updates on her at www.prayersfordoreen.com . I have been the child of a parent who went to MD Anderson and I can't thinkg of a better place to be. They are the most wonderful and compassionate caregivers that I have ever been involved with. My dad's doctor called him at home to check on him as well as returning his call when he or mom had questions.

Our husbands work together, our girls have gone to school together, grown up together, and now are having children. I can't imagine being in her place right now. Grandkids change your whole outlook on life, every minute becomes so much more special than it was before. You think your children are funny and witty and great and then God gives us grandchildren. What a blessing . My thoughts and prayers are with her and her family.