Links, Links and More Links!

I added a couple of Links to the right. If you get the chance, feel free to check them out! You won't be disappointed!

My friend Suzanne is writing for Pure & Honest Kids' Blog. I LOVE LOVE LOVE her advice and tips:

My blog friend's site:

Michelle's Photography Site has been added!

Lastly, the "I'm Starting My Diet Tomorrow" blog is going STRONG! Think weight watchers, but FREE!

New Post:

Just now got around to uploading the rest of the pictures from last week's Charlotte trip. Check out my post!

The News is OUT!

Jon and Katie are having a baby!!!

Here's a glimpse of baby Ninja!

NEWS!

check out our PNG Blog if you get the chance:

www.weirmissions.blogspot.com

"Praise God from whom all blessings flow...."

Charlotte Trip!

Last week-end, we visited the grandparents in Charlotte. We also had our wonderful photo shoot with Michelle and had a "real date" with our good friends Crystal and Lee. (Date night was definitely the highlight of the trip.....so much fun, I didn't get any pictures!) On Sunday, we visited with the Arguello's. Never a dull moment!!


Playground fun!


Nicole, Ethan, Ben and Natalie:

I won't tell you why everyone is smiling and sticking their thumbs up. Just know that I embarrassed myself greatly:

Me, Paul, Peter, Gabby, Mena and Nicole (Caleb and Ben in the back!)

Little girls are...... SO cute!

Paul, Danny and Peter:

Gabby and the girls:

We're Home!

Ben's surgery went well! We had to be at the surgery center at 6:45 for an 8:15 appointment. I kid you not, Ben went with the nurse at 8:15 and we were ALL walking out the door by 8:30! The whole staff was great and you can really tell that they do these procedures ALL THE TIME! As soon as I saw how many kids were there and had a chance to calculate proabably how many kids these guys see a month and how I NEVER hear on the news about any complications....I was calm.

When we went back to see Ben, he was sitting on a nurse's lap downing his entire sippy cup of apple juice and asking for more. The last time he had eaten or had anything to drink was 6:00 PM yesterday! The doctor said that they added length to his tongue and we can kind of see the difference. Part of me just wants to grab Ben's tongue to see if we actually paid for anything =0)

As my mom said, "So, you expect him to be talking in full-length sentences tomorrow, right??"

For now, we're happy with "Bye", "Mama", "Dada", "Woof", "Juice" and on occasions- "Dog" and "Up".

Surgery Time

Ben's surgery is at 8:15 today. Think of him =0)

PICTURES!!! Which I LOVE!

Thanks, Michelle! Seriously, check out her site:

http://rebeccamichellephoto.wordpress.com/

Such a little explorer!

Life goes better with a little sugar (I'm so cheesy!)

The, "What? I dare you to stop me from doing what I'm doing look!":

Ben is a spittin' image of his father....even in his mannerisms:

My Favorite- to be used as Thank You cards for PNG supporters!

Another favorite- Life!

Ben loves me AND chocolate chip cookies!

Great shot!

PNG Blog Updated:

When you get a chance, please read of last two posts on our PNG blog:

http://weirmissions.blogspot.com/

It will really clue you in to what has been going on and where we are now!

I'm getting so excited.....

Photoshoot

We had a photoshoot with Michelle this past week-end when we were in Charlotte. We went to Campbell together and she was one of my RA's. When I heard she was looking for photoshoot opportunites, I couldn't help but beg her to take pictures of us! =0)

She is such a trooper =0) Ben was NOT at his best and he started breaking out in hives during the shoot. Even with a fussy toddler, Michelle was still able to pull off such a cute shot of Ben like this one:

You should definitely check out her site: http://rebeccamichellephoto.wordpress.com/

Thanks Michelle!!

Beach Grandparents Visit!

Last Sunday, we headed to the beach to 1) visit with my parents and brothers and 2) be together on Selection Sunday. If you weren't following my blog last year, check out this post. Looking forward to Basketball season! I'll show you Ben's bracket soon!Ben was a little clingey because he was teething!
Grandma = COOKIES!
Grandad, Uncle Scott and Me:
Uncle Philip and Grammy:
Ben LOVED Scout. She was such a good dog with Ben:
This is slowly becoming Ben's signature shot (LOVE the cookie beard!):
The Birthday Couple:

Lake Benson

Two week-ends ago, we had close to 80 degree weather. We borrowed a hiking carrier/pack for Ben and ended up at Lake Benson. It was a beautiful day and Ben really enjoyed being outside! He is ALL boy!Little man:
You can kind of see those top two huge teeth in this picture:
Ben and Dad:
I tried the pack, too:

When a week feels like a month...

It has been over a week since my last post. Though that is pretty long for me, it feels like it has been over a month since I last posted. I have been hit with the attack of the migraines again.....so all those pictures I have taken have not made their debut yet!

Keep checking back....I have pictures from our hike two week-ends ago and from our visit to Wilmington last week-end to visit with Beach Grammy, Grandad, Uncle Philip and Uncle Scott! We celebrated Caleb, Scott and my birthday. Then, something didn't agree with Ben's tummy, and he was sick all Monday and Tuesday.....coupled with my migraines, maybe you should all shoot Caleb a sympathy card. He has been THE MAN!

Pictures coming soon....

Also, Ben now has 6 huge teeth and at least 3-4 more that have broken the surface. I'm sure more will be "out" by next week!

The uproar at work....

We received this e-mail.

"Proposed changes from "Senate Bill 287" sponsored by Senator Tony Rand (I am just providing highlights from the conference and not the entire bill).

Effective 7/1/09 there will be no more Plus (90/10) plan.

Rates are projected to increase 7.8 % effective 7/1/09 and another 7.8% effective 7/1/2010. Rates will no longer be on the biennium but will increase each year if a rate increase is approved by the General Assembly.

Effective 7/1/2010, all members will be moved to the 70/30 plan. Members may apply for coverage under the 80/20 plan. However, if you are a smoker, you will not be allowed to have coverage on the 80/20 plan. And since the plan rules don't allow you to cover a dependant/spouse on a different plan than you the employee are enrolled in, any family members you are covering would have to also be covered by the 70/30 plan.

Effective 7/1/2011, all members who have a BMI (body mass index) of 40% or higher, will be moved to the 70/30 plan and will have to cover dependants as listed for the smokers above. Then in 2012, they will lower the BMI to 30 or 35% restrictions.

The entire bill can be viewed on the GA's website by typing S287 in the "bill text" field.

http://www.ncleg.net/ "

Unbelieveable! That being said, anyone want to join my Weight Loss Blog??

Date for Surgery

Ben's surgery is set for Friday, March 27th!

Jabber Mouth

Next time, I will try to get video footage of Ben through the monitor. I kid you not, he was awake in his crib, "talking" to himself and playing with his stuffed animal from about 8:30-9:45 PM last night. It's so cute to watch him get excited about speech development.....hehe.....ok, so it was probably just the chocolate chip cookie he had too close to bedtime. =0)

I Love My Husband

Caleb called:

Caleb: "Did you mess with my phone?"

Me: "No, why?"

Caleb: "Because everything is in Spanish!"

Me: "Ben must have done something to it."

Caleb: "I don't know how to change it back!"

Me: " Hahahahahahahahahahahahahah hehe!"

I Promise Not To Get Preachy...

There has been a lot of talk from my church, my spouse, my friends and the blog authors I stalk about "finding your passion". Though I tend to get really fed up with "What is your call?" and "What is your purpose" and "What is God's will" talk (actually, it usually makes me want to vomit), I have been "searching" (so-to-say) for what I really want. Looking back, I see that I am notorious for doing what I think is expected versus what I actually want.

Since High School, I have found the love of my life, created a little baby, started my career, and got the figurative white picket fence....but I can't help but feel like I have "lost" something...or maybe it is just me changing again to meet expectations that I have placed on myself and actually realizing it this time.

It doesn't help that our Pastor just announced that he and his family are not the right fit for our church. This one really threw me this week. Not because I don't want them to go (Ok...selfishly, I don't want them to go). I am in agreement with my husband that this is a great move for them. I am just upset that yet another person I know has "found" it.....or at least voiced that they "found" their passions. Frankly, I'm jealous.

All this silly talk to tell you that I have begun meeting with a mentor/ministering person from my church. She has given me a few verses that I want to share with you. Take it or leave it:

"I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11

This verse made me think of my favorite painting by George Frederick Watts (Ironically, I just realized that it is Obama's favorite painting, too. What can I say, I am for his taste in art and against his taking up of prime time tv airtime. He and American Idol need to keep it short!....hehe).

In case you can't see all the details, the lady is in ruins and rags, blindfolded on top of her world, holding a harp where all the strings are broken except one.....and that one string is making music. The painting is called Hope.

The next verses:

"Cast all your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you." Psalm 55:22

"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." Proverbs 16:3

Made me think of one of my favorite song's lyrics:

Everyone needs compassion

A love that's never failing

Let mercy fall on me

Everyone needs forgiveness

The kindness of a Savior

The hope of nations

So take me as You find me

All my fears & failures

Fill my life again

I give my life to follow

Everything I believe in

Now I surrender

....to the Author of Salvation

So Sick...

I have been feeling AWFUL lately. I call it the attack of the migraines. For the past 3 weeks, I have had 2 or more migraine headaches per week. All last week and most of this one, I have been in bed by 8pm. It just hurts so badly. I am so sick of being sick. AND, I am extremely jealous and pissed off at the rest of the world who does not have to miss out on life like me. I put a call into the doctor and was told I need to let me body adjust to the new BC that I am on. She said to give it 3 months. I might rip my brain out before then.

In other news, Ben and I met with the Ear, Nose and Throat doc yesterday afternoon. He and I are in agreement that it is time to clip little Benjamin's tongue. Here's a little background information: Ben is tongue-tied. In retrospect, it did affect nursing. It wasn't "detected" as a problem because he had a great latch. But, he would only nurse for about 5 minutes and then stop. The little piece of skin that connects his tongue to the bottom of his mouth is connected too high. This pulls on his tongue and affects his range of motion with it. He can't stick it staight out and it looks like a heart-shape on the tip. He will have to be put under. The doc will place a little sideways cut and then put in a few stitches. I am told that he will be back in my arms before I even sit down to wait =0) I have a feeling this procedure will be harder for me than for him. The mouth will recover very fast and all he should need is a bit of tylenol for the pain.

There is some controversy as to whether to wait to get him clipped until there are actually noticeable speech problems, but the fact that we hope to be in a third-world country when he is that age was the deciding factor.

Kerry and Marisa....please feel free to comment and correct me if I messed up the description. It's great to have speech pathologist friends!!

Birthday FUN!

My birthday was was Saturday, Feb 28th! Caleb's was on the 26th. We celebrated together on the 27th (while Ben stayed with the Grandparents who came in for the week-end). We went to dinner at the Oyster Bar with our friends, Greg and Jennifer!

The Birthday Couple!

Greg eating his first raw oyster. Jennifer and I thought he was going to spit it out all over Caleb.

On Saturday morning (for my b-day), we went to Panera Bread with my parents. Ben and I ate egg souffles (thanks, Dawn, we're addicted). Then, we went (in the rain) to Archiver's so that I could pick out my free scrapbook paper. We did a couple make-and-takes and I bought some things for Ben's baby album (which has not been started....I'm getting REALLY behind).

Panera Morning. Happy Birthday To Me!


He loves to eat what big people eat!

Here are a few more pictures of my beautiful little boy.

You can just barely see his top teeth in this picture:

Sweet Potato Frech Fries. YUM.