Meet Virginia

Last night I was headed to the store.  After a few minutes of trying unsuccessfully to get the car key into the ignition I called Dustin to the garage to "fix" it.  He started in with a screw driver and the key, nothing.  We worked at it for close to 15 minutes and the dang key wouldn't GO IN!  Finally he got the Valet key from the house and miracle of miracles, that key worked.  We tried the other key, nothing.  Dustin looked at the two keys to compare and started to say that one of them was more worn down, then he stopped, handed me the car keys and asked me to read what it said.  "Nissan", well that's strange, why was I trying to start the Toyota with Dustin's car keys?  We laughed and laughed, so tired yet determined!
As I drove down the street (after digging the right car keys out of my purse), a song by Train came on, Meet Virginia, and my thoughts went immediately to 2001.  We had tickets to their concert at the winter Olympics, but we were going out of town so I gave them to my coworker who had been trying for days to get into an event, any event.  He took his girlfriend and they had a great time.  A few years later he committed suicide.  I started to cry.  I couldn't stop myself.

This is the roller coaster of emotions I am currently riding.  If you'd like to hop aboard I'd love to share some laughs or tears, whichever I'm up for both.

This thing called love

I know the picture's a little fuzzy, it was the best I could find.

We've been married over thirteen years.

It has not always been easy.

We haven't always been happy to see each other at the end of the day.

We have disagreements.

We even have fights!

We kiss every night.

We tell each other we love each other whenever we leave, go to bed, or get off the phone.

We love each other.

I would be lost with out him.

In this world of constant upheaval he is my rock.

How many other women and men have said the same thing about their spouse?

How many of those same men and women are separated?

Divorced?

Unhappy?

It makes us realize that this thing called love is fragile, it needs a LOT of work.

We work every day to keep our kids safe, to keep food on the table, a roof over our heads.

We think of these things and make conscious choices.

Our marriages need just as much work, if not more.

We need to serve the one you love every day, the one you pledged to share your life and eternity with.

  

Lets compare!

It's obvious which boy is which, but do you see similarities?

THE NOSE!! 

And the cheeks.

Both super cute!

One month

Mason is a month old already!  

12lbs  22in

Sad little baby rash:(

Sleeping SO good at night:)

Loves to cuddle!

Halloween 2011

~Halloween night~

 Look out, the "hero" is coming!  Damen has not watched enough Star Wars to know that he's the bad guy, we let him go with it!

He wanted to quit after 1/2 hour, but I made him press on!  Mama wanted some Reese's:)

He very carefully went through his stash to take out any peanut candies, what a good kid.

Posing with brother.

Mason did not go out last night, he was too sleepy, but he did go to the church on Saturday to "Trunk R Treat" all dressed up.  

Last week Damen went to a Halloween party at a friends, a party at school, and to the church "trunk r treat" dressed in this costume, Spiderman, this is the ONLY picture I took!  He insisted he was not going to be a star trooper, then changed his mind on Halloween night.  

We didn't go to a pumpkin patch, first time in years, we didn't even buy pumpkins.  I felt bad, but the world went on, and no one seemed to care.

INTRODUCING. . .

Mason Ryan 

Born on Oct. 8th

8lbs 10oz 

20inches

He's perfect!

This wonderful new addition to our family has been long awaited.  

To other moms out there, I have to say his birth was kind of a boring experience, compared to Damen's anyway.  I was induced one week early because of the Gestational Diabetes, we were worried about him being BIG.  So at 2pm we arrived at the hospital ready to go!  My paper work hadn't arrived though so we had to wait until after 4pm to get started.  Then the pictocin began to flow.  

Not much happened until 10pm when the contractions started to increase and I asked for an epidural, that was the worst part!  The anesthesiologist missed the first time, I had 4 contractions during the whole process, but Dustin held onto me and talked me through the whole thing.  

Then I took a nap.

Around 1am I was at 8cm and moving along. 

An hour later I  felt something strange, warm, on my legs and sure enough my water had broken!

Another hour passed and the nurse called the Dr. to come in, we were getting close.

Three contractions, and a few pushes and out he came.  He was born at 3:59am, I bawled, like a baby.

His beautiful head of brown hair was a surprise, so many differences from Damen.

It is amazing how something so TINY can take up so much space in my heart.

Welcome to the world Mason!!

This is love

He snuck into my room in the middle of the night.

Wrapped his arms around my neck and whispered:

"I love you mom."

Before I could say anything he was hurrying

Out the door to his bed.

I love you too.