Happy Birthday Brother John and Thankful #6

I am so thankful for this man! He is my brother John. Today is the day he came into this world. It was going to be different having a boy in the house after 6 years of only girls! He was the sweetest little boy and the sweetest man I know! Love you John!

I know I am still about 6 behind on my 30 Days of Thanks list but I will catch up soon!

Thankful #5

Today is a re-post of a post from last year...but something I am thankful for each and every day.

Thanks Dr. Nguyen. If anyone can take the pain out of a ruptured colon this dr. can. He was the on call general surgeon who performed 3 surgeries on me beginning 3 years ago.  He is the most family friendly, loving, caring doctor in the world! He was supportive before, during and after my colostomy surgeries.  My sweet daughter was very tramatized by the whole incident.  When I told him at my first follow up appointment he told his nurse/assistant that he wanted my daughter included in all of my treatment, surgery planning etc.  Yes, he knew she was only 7 and it broke his heart that she was so traumatized.  So, he took her under his wing and brought her in like I never imagined! Some of her duties included removal of my intubation tube (after 7 days) YUCK! She did say it was gross and removal of 80 something staples between 2 surgeries! He would get her started and then let her do her handy work!  He will always hold a special place in my heart for all of the extra time he took with her and joking around he did with her. He will always have a special place in our hearts as will the dozens of health care workers and friends who helped us through this time. He told me what happened is just a matter of luck and I was unlucky to have my colon rupture, but I have to say I felt like the luckiest girl in the world to be in his care. God always goes ahead and prepares the way for us doesn't He?

Sydney and Dr. Nguyen

Her first time to removed staples after my 2nd surgery...he offered the job to my mom after the original surgery but she declined! As you can also tell after this, my belly will never be the same.

Day 4 My daughter's friendships...

 I found this picture and I had to share! Do you think her bow is big enough? That is Griffin Lain, the oldest of Jill's son's. I think he was maybe 18 months and Sydney was around 3.  They may have been younger. I am thankful that Sydney has friends since babyhood and they still get along well and enjoy each other even though they are getting to the age where boys and girls don't really like each other. I hope their friendship is always solid.

Bow head! I am sure that is what he is looking at and thinking..."glad I'm a boy! I wonder if that thing hurts?"

Here she is a few years later with baby Carter...

She also loves Charlie who is now 2!  I have a more recent pictures of him but I do love this one!

This is late because for some reason  I couldn't download my photos last night. Number 5 will be coming later today!

30 Days of Thanks!

Sydney dressed up as a zebra this year. We went to the Fall Festival at our church on Monday night and trick or treated at my mom's house and a few friends. There is way more candy than necessary in my house now!

I am going to post what I am thankful for each day this month! As usual, I am 3 days behind already so I will post the first three today. My hope is that this series will help me get back to blogging on a regular basis. The real problem is that I hate my desk. Someday I hope to have a new one built by Jason...someday!

1.  God...I have had a relationship with my creator since I was very young, for this I thank my parents, especially my mom for making this a priority in my early childhood. This relationship has changed through the years and I am especially thankful for a God who has never forsaken me even when I tried to ignore him

2. .I am thankful for my family...husband who takes care of us and works hard to keep my dreams a reality,a daughter who adores me...really...we'll see if I can still say that when she is 13; parents who love me, a mother-in-law and sister-in-law who I can call my friend. My sister who is my dearest friend and two of the sweetest brothers a girl could ask for. Two step-daughters who have taught me more lessons of unconditional love that I can count.

3. I am able to stay at home with my daughter and be at home with her all day while homeschooling her. This has been such an unexpected blessing because I worked outside the home until she was nearly 6 and never dreamed that would change.


There! That's my first three days! It's hard to stop but I will continue tomorrow.  I have been keeping a gratitude journal for a couple of months and I am amazed at how blessed I am. In good times and bad.