what a week!!

Well it started Saturday afternoon when Eli began the bouts of the stomach flu. He was so sick and throwing up almost every hour from 5 until 330 that morning. That was a long night, I felt really bad because he only wanted Will. Then he started doing better but Sunday night he woke up crying hysterically because his stomach hurt so bad. We feared it may be his appendix so Will took him to the ER. Another long night, but it was all just part of the flu bug. Then yesterday afternoon his eye started watering. I thought it was just allergies but it kept getting worse and more goopy. So I took him into the pediatrician and yep, pinkeye!! I think he probably picked that up at the ER. To make all matters worse my insurance wouldn't cover the generic medicine they prescribed for it all so it was about 100 dollars just for the meds! UG..but I guess this is how it goes and I'm thankful we weren't sick all winter, so now that it's summer the bugs seem to go away faster. Here is a picture of his poor eye, doesn't he just look miserable?




(wow, they actually look alot better today!)

On a happier note..this sweet baby of mine is now 6 months old!! Wow, how time flies! He is such a happy baby. He is growing so fast and babbles like crazy!! He still doesn't really love food besides oatmeal with bananas and sweet potatoes.





This is one of my favorite things he does when he nurses in his sleep. :-)

twins?

So everyone always tells me my kids look like twins, only spaced two and half years apart. I never really saw it until recently. Now I am amazed how much they look alike. Now see if you can guess which picture is of which kid! Ha! It's been fun updating my scrapbook, sometimes I find pictures of Eli I didn't scrapbook and have to write an E on the back because I know in time I won't be able to remember who was who!!

memorial...

He is Gone
You can shed tears that he is gone
or you can smile because he has lived.


You can close your eyes and pray that he'll come back
or you can open your eyes and see all he's left.


Your heart can be empty because you can't see him
or you can be full of the love you shared.


You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.


You can remember him and only that he's gone
or you can cherish his memory and let it live on.


You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back
or you can do what he'd want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.


By David Harkins

I found this poem, but adapted it to be about him. We were in Wyoming over memorial day so we decorated dad's grave before we left. It was kind of hard but I feel peace knowing he's in a better place and looking down on all of us. Not a day goes by I don't smell coffee and think of him. Or hear a truck that sounds like his did that doesn't make me stop to wave but suddenly remember it's not him. Every time I hear Eli say anything about papa I remember the love and special bond they shared if only for a short time. Every time I drive by his work I find myself looking to see if his truck is there, silly! I admire him for the wonderful father he was and the great example he left to all of us (his children). I'm thankful that I know we'll be together again and I know he is happy and not in pain there. I love and miss him so much though. My knowledge doesn't make it easy just more bearable.

vacation....

We went to Wyoming on vacation to see my grandparents over memorial day weekend. We had a great time. I did learn one big lesson: take new camera batteries next time. I didn't get any pics of Eli swimming at the hotel with his 2nd cousin, or any from their awesome park there (which serves $1 ice cream cones all summer, brilliant!) or from much else we did, but I did get some good ones of Eli playing at the YMCA on an indoor playground which was nice because it released some energy without having to be out in the rain. He thought that was really fun until he found the basketball courts and he and Will spent a good half hour in there shooting hoops, he was in heaven!


(Anytime someone tells Eli to smile this is what we get..)


(eli with his 2nd cousin. They had alot of fun together, but Eli was exhausted by the time we came home)


(kind of a 4 generation pic)


(the whole gang at a family luncheon we had while we there)

wow!

It's amazing to think it has been five amazing years since this day:


I love being married and being a mom. These past few years have had many highlights and a few down times but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Became parents as we welcomed Eli Keith into the world on Aug 24, 2007.


Went through the hardest year of my life watching my dad die of lung cancer, yet had some of my most spiritual experiences during this time. July 2009


We welcomed Mason Red into our family Dec 2009


I graduated college, May 2010