In June of 2008, it is a rocket and a hot tub for an imaginative 2 and 5 year old.
Monday, June 30, 2008
the history of a gift
In June of 1994, it was a high school graduation gift for a clueless 17 year old.
In June of 2008, it is a rocket and a hot tub for an imaginative 2 and 5 year old.
In June of 2008, it is a rocket and a hot tub for an imaginative 2 and 5 year old.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
rejoicing in the hope of the glory of God
Today marks 4 years since my dad died. Last night I wasn't sure if I was going to blog about it. I turned off the computer for the night at 7:45 to tune out the thoughts in my head of thinking about blogging about it. Maybe I'd wait another year and then I'd be ready.
Then this morning, I had a ecard from Lisa who sweetly remembered that this is the day.
Where to start? How much do I want to say? Tell a bit of the story now? Save some for later?
Ray McNew was my step-father but I knew him from the day I was born. Ray and my real dad, George, were in the service together in Massachusetts in the sixties. That is where Ray met his 1st wife, Jan, and my dad met my mom. The couples got married. Ray and Jan moved to California, then to San Antonio, Texas. My mom and dad moved to New Mexico and then to San Antonio as well. The Berich's (my maiden name) even visited the McNew's out in California.
The families all lived in San Antonio and would get together with all of the children. The McNew's had three boys ~ Jay, Michael, and Brian. My parents had Susan and then I came along in August 1976. Jan McNew signed my baby book as a hospital visitor...
George was an abusive alcoholic that beat my mom. Apparently, my sister and I used to hide in my sister's room when he would be in a rage. He didn't want my mom to work (she did sell Avon), get out of the house much, or have friends of her own. He kicked her out of the house Labor Day weekend 1978. She said she grabbed her Avon money out of her car and walked to a friend's house. She eventually had him arrested and a plan to divorce him was in place.
At this time, Ray had already separated from Jan due to other issues. George sent Ray over to our house as a "go between". My mom was like, "let me tell you what has been happening for the past 14yrs..." (My parents had been married for 10 years and dated for 4 years before that ~ she knew what she was getting into.) Ray had known that George was abusive to women because he had seen him do that while they were in the service together. Ray later said that he hoped George had changed.
Ray moved into our house and they lived together until they were married in our living room in November 1979. Susan grew up with major issues about Ray being her dad's friend one day, and living in our house the next. For me, I never knew any different ~ I was two when they got together and Ray was always my "daddy" in every way. If George would've treated my mom right, then they would've stayed together. Period.
1979
George had his issues as well. He would call Ray "the shackup" long after my parents were married. Ray's nickname was "Mick" for "Mickey McNew" because he was so talented he could "Mickey Mouse" anything ~ fix cars and later build houses. Susan continued to call Ray "Mick" until the day he died while to me he was always, "dad". George would get set off if we were with him for the weekend and we wanted to go to "McDonald's". George never remarried and remained bitter and alone until the day he died in Aug. 2005.
Jay, Michael and Brian continued to live with their mom and we had them every other weekend. It was almost like the Brady Bunch. Michael and Susan were the same age and me and Brian were only a year apart.
My parents were always close and loving as a couple but weren't like that with us. It's like they had their "thing" and we were secondary. It's like they loved us at arms-length.
My dad was very "old-school". He grew up in West Texas ~number 10 out of 11 kids~ practically working from the day he was born. He raised us with that mentality ~everyone had chores, everyone was to be up at the crack of dawn like he was, and he was a firm disciplinarian. My dad worked a good job at IBM and we always had a nice house but they always drove old cars. We never took vacations and we weren't given money for clothes, cars or college. He was tight but in reflection, I am grateful for that because in the end, he left my mom with plenty.
Growing up, my dad would leave IBM, stop on the way home and get a beer. Everyday, he'd come home with the beer in a small paper bag around it. He'd sit at the kitchen table and finish it while my mom cooked dinner. He'd go change and then head outside (where was able to smoke) until dinnertime. He'd eat dinner, leave his plate on the table and head back outside until after dark. He'd piddle in his workshop or in the garage and come back into the house about 9. Then he'd stay up and watch the news and go to bed.
On some Sundays my mom would take us girls to church. My dad would stay behind and either go fishing, hunting, or do something at the house. He never went to church with us unless I was in a program or it was a holiday.
Everything changed in May 1997 when my dad was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer that metastasized to his brain. He was given 4 weeks-2 months to live "if" he "chose" to treat. He was 52.
My dad chose to be a fighter. Within a week, he started massive chemo and radiation treatments, quit IBM (can't drive while on seizure meds), stopped smoking and drinking beer (didn't taste good w/chemo drugs). I was living in Bryan at the time and would come home alot and go sit with my dad at chemo.
Within a week, my dad also turned his life over to God. From that point on, he never worried about cancer and lived everyday loving life. He would tell us that he wished we had the peace that he had. He became a faithful member of the country church down the road and would tell his testimony to anyone. He would go to Brotherhood breakfast, Promise Keepers, volunteer and just be a walking miracle. And he was affectionate! He even would hug other men and tell him that he loved them!
I believe my dad got cancer so he could finally be the man he had the potential of being.
Within a year, my dad was declared "in remission". Then a couple years later, he had something come back in the brain. He had out-patient gamma knife surgery to remove it. He made FIVE years (remember he had two months to live!) and my parents celebrated by going on a cruise.
Within a month, in late June 2002, my dad was diagnosed with leukemia. Leukemia was a result of all of his chemo and radiation over the past five years. My dad needed a bone marrow transplant and a donor. He was sent to MD Anderson in Houston and put in isolation for a month. It was like visiting someone in jail, we could only talk to him and see him through a glass window. He was so sick and they were breaking his body down to it's lowest to be built back up with healthy bone marrow. My dad's brother, who was 20years older than him, was a match.
My mom rented a house in Houston and by December he was released to that house. They still had to be close enough for him to receive treatments and testing. Then he was free to come home to Georgetown that spring.
Macy was born in May 2003 and he was there for her birth. After having three sons and two grandsons, Macy Lynn was his first baby girl!. It was a large room which had a sitting area off to the side. At the very last moment, I asked him if he would like to watch. I thought for someone who has been so close to death, it would be cool to see birth.
Within a month, he was back in the hospital. He'd fall at home, have seizures at home and at church and was basically a very sick man. Everything came to a head when my parents went to my brother's wedding in early October 2003. My mom had to wheel him around in a wheelchair and his health was steadily going downhill. When the plane touched down in Austin, she took him straight to the hospital. Susan's 1st son, Tyler, was born that night.
It was the beginning of the end ~ for real this time.
Amazingly, Gregg, Baby Macy and I had just moved to Temple the week before. We were 45 minutes away from Georgetown, I wasn't working anymore, and I could just pack my baby up and we'd go spend time with my dad. Clearly, God's hand was all over this.
From the hospital in Austin, it was decided that he needed to be at MD Anderson again. Baby Tyler was just three weeks old when my sister and her husband drove to Houston from Mississippi. She needed Tyler to meet his Papa and Macy and I came that weekend as well. Susan and I said our "goodbyes" to him because we were certain he wasn't going to make it.
God wasn't finished with Ray McNew yet. Since there was no further treatment that MD Anderson had to offer, it was time to leave. With his health, his seizures, his falls and being in a wheelchair, my mom could not care for him at their home. In November, at 59 years old, it was decided to put him into a nursing home in Georgetown. He was the youngest person there.
Macy and I went a couple of times a week to see him. He lit up and was so good with Macy. Her third word was "Papa" which she always said in a whisper to him. He thrived, had rehab and always had a smile. He was in and out of the hospital a couple of times with pneumonia and in January he was put on hospice. Then they took him off hospice because "he was better." Such a roller coaster.
The end came the week after Father's Day. His poor body just started shutting down. He was put on hospice again and we were given a book that detailed all of the signs of death. Wednesday was when he had his "sudden burst of energy" as the hospice book describes. It was the last day he ate anything or that I heard him speak. The last words that I ever heard come out of his mouth were "I love you Tracy." (My mom had already told him goodbye for the night). Precious words to me.
The next day on Thursday, he slept and we didn't even attempt to have him eat or drink anything. Two of my dad's sisters came to be with my mom and between the four of us, we rotated staying with him. I was able to say anything and everything to him, just hold his hand and love him. I even sang to him over and over the first hymn that came to mind:
I love you Lord,
And I lift my voice,
To worship You,
Oh, my soul rejoice.
Take hold my King,
In what You hear,
May it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear.
On Friday, hospice told us he wouldn't make it through the weekend. We left Friday night to go home and get a good night's sleep because we were going to come back and stay the entire weekend. I went home that Friday night and at 10:30 before I went to bed, I began to feel guilty. My dad was alone, in a nursing home, dying. I felt compelled to jump in the car to go sit with him. I talked myself out of it because I knew I'd be there the rest of the weekend. I called the nursing home before I went to bed to check on him and then went to bed. The sooner I fell asleep, the sooner I could go back to be with him.
The phone rang at 1:10 am and it was my mom. She said, "we lost Dad." I threw on clothes and sped to the nursing home in the middle of the night. My mom and my aunts were there and they had already been in to see him. I went in and stood at the end of his bed and finally went to his side and kissed him. He was finally, after 7 years, at peace.
We waited at the nurses station for the funeral home to come get him. I will never forget him being rolled away covered up in a black tarp. It was excruciating.
I have often wondered if I should've gone to be with him that night. I wonder if he was by himself when he died. One of the nurses said she was with him and I hope that is true. As my mom has reassured me, he would not want us to see him that way. It's like he knew we were gone, so he could go.
We buried him on June 28th and it was a blazing hot day. Two days later, we went back to the cemetery again before my brother and sister left town. And it had just rained and guess what? There was a rainbow, like he was giving us a sign "look what I can do from heaven". We were comforted through our tears. I saw more rainbows that summer (and even double rainbows!) than I had ever seen in my entire life.
It is no accident that I am married to Gregg. Gregg lost his mom eleven years earlier so he knew my loss. (And Gregg's sister Melinda's husband lost his father after they married: his other sister, Lindsey, is engaged to a boy that has lost his mother). Gregg has been such a comfort to me all of these years.
For well over a year, I couldn't go to sleep on Friday nights. And I would wake up almost every night around 1am. It haunted me for a longest time. I kept crying and asking Gregg, "time has gone by, when is it going to get better?? Because it's not better yet!"
It has been four years now. The tears are fewer and farther between. My heart is still filled with sorrow and I miss my dad terribly. But I am happy that he is finally has a healthy body, a clear mind and is with God.
God blessed us with 7 extra years with my dad. One would think of all of the chemo, radiation, tests, blood draws, hospital stays, and then living in a nursing home, that he would complain. Let me be clear ~ he never once complained or felt sorry for himself. He was so glad to be alive!
From May 1997 until June 2004, my dad spent every minute of every day loving life, loving everyone in his life and most of all, loving God. He was a walking testament of faith and God used him for His glory. His story inspired everyone who ever was around him. I hope you are inspired as well.
May God continue to bless each and every one of you.
June 2004 ~Macy in Papa's arm~ just the way I imagine God holding all of His children
I found this scripture shortly after my dad was diagnosed and it remained my anthem:
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perserverance: perservance, character: and character, hope. And hope does not dissappiont us, because God poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Romans 5:1-5
Then this morning, I had a ecard from Lisa who sweetly remembered that this is the day.
Where to start? How much do I want to say? Tell a bit of the story now? Save some for later?
Ray McNew was my step-father but I knew him from the day I was born. Ray and my real dad, George, were in the service together in Massachusetts in the sixties. That is where Ray met his 1st wife, Jan, and my dad met my mom. The couples got married. Ray and Jan moved to California, then to San Antonio, Texas. My mom and dad moved to New Mexico and then to San Antonio as well. The Berich's (my maiden name) even visited the McNew's out in California.
The families all lived in San Antonio and would get together with all of the children. The McNew's had three boys ~ Jay, Michael, and Brian. My parents had Susan and then I came along in August 1976. Jan McNew signed my baby book as a hospital visitor...
George was an abusive alcoholic that beat my mom. Apparently, my sister and I used to hide in my sister's room when he would be in a rage. He didn't want my mom to work (she did sell Avon), get out of the house much, or have friends of her own. He kicked her out of the house Labor Day weekend 1978. She said she grabbed her Avon money out of her car and walked to a friend's house. She eventually had him arrested and a plan to divorce him was in place.
At this time, Ray had already separated from Jan due to other issues. George sent Ray over to our house as a "go between". My mom was like, "let me tell you what has been happening for the past 14yrs..." (My parents had been married for 10 years and dated for 4 years before that ~ she knew what she was getting into.) Ray had known that George was abusive to women because he had seen him do that while they were in the service together. Ray later said that he hoped George had changed.
Ray moved into our house and they lived together until they were married in our living room in November 1979. Susan grew up with major issues about Ray being her dad's friend one day, and living in our house the next. For me, I never knew any different ~ I was two when they got together and Ray was always my "daddy" in every way. If George would've treated my mom right, then they would've stayed together. Period.
1979George had his issues as well. He would call Ray "the shackup" long after my parents were married. Ray's nickname was "Mick" for "Mickey McNew" because he was so talented he could "Mickey Mouse" anything ~ fix cars and later build houses. Susan continued to call Ray "Mick" until the day he died while to me he was always, "dad". George would get set off if we were with him for the weekend and we wanted to go to "McDonald's". George never remarried and remained bitter and alone until the day he died in Aug. 2005.
Jay, Michael and Brian continued to live with their mom and we had them every other weekend. It was almost like the Brady Bunch. Michael and Susan were the same age and me and Brian were only a year apart.
My parents were always close and loving as a couple but weren't like that with us. It's like they had their "thing" and we were secondary. It's like they loved us at arms-length.
My dad was very "old-school". He grew up in West Texas ~number 10 out of 11 kids~ practically working from the day he was born. He raised us with that mentality ~everyone had chores, everyone was to be up at the crack of dawn like he was, and he was a firm disciplinarian. My dad worked a good job at IBM and we always had a nice house but they always drove old cars. We never took vacations and we weren't given money for clothes, cars or college. He was tight but in reflection, I am grateful for that because in the end, he left my mom with plenty.
Growing up, my dad would leave IBM, stop on the way home and get a beer. Everyday, he'd come home with the beer in a small paper bag around it. He'd sit at the kitchen table and finish it while my mom cooked dinner. He'd go change and then head outside (where was able to smoke) until dinnertime. He'd eat dinner, leave his plate on the table and head back outside until after dark. He'd piddle in his workshop or in the garage and come back into the house about 9. Then he'd stay up and watch the news and go to bed.
On some Sundays my mom would take us girls to church. My dad would stay behind and either go fishing, hunting, or do something at the house. He never went to church with us unless I was in a program or it was a holiday.
Everything changed in May 1997 when my dad was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer that metastasized to his brain. He was given 4 weeks-2 months to live "if" he "chose" to treat. He was 52.
My dad chose to be a fighter. Within a week, he started massive chemo and radiation treatments, quit IBM (can't drive while on seizure meds), stopped smoking and drinking beer (didn't taste good w/chemo drugs). I was living in Bryan at the time and would come home alot and go sit with my dad at chemo.
Within a week, my dad also turned his life over to God. From that point on, he never worried about cancer and lived everyday loving life. He would tell us that he wished we had the peace that he had. He became a faithful member of the country church down the road and would tell his testimony to anyone. He would go to Brotherhood breakfast, Promise Keepers, volunteer and just be a walking miracle. And he was affectionate! He even would hug other men and tell him that he loved them!
I believe my dad got cancer so he could finally be the man he had the potential of being.
Within a year, my dad was declared "in remission". Then a couple years later, he had something come back in the brain. He had out-patient gamma knife surgery to remove it. He made FIVE years (remember he had two months to live!) and my parents celebrated by going on a cruise.
Within a month, in late June 2002, my dad was diagnosed with leukemia. Leukemia was a result of all of his chemo and radiation over the past five years. My dad needed a bone marrow transplant and a donor. He was sent to MD Anderson in Houston and put in isolation for a month. It was like visiting someone in jail, we could only talk to him and see him through a glass window. He was so sick and they were breaking his body down to it's lowest to be built back up with healthy bone marrow. My dad's brother, who was 20years older than him, was a match.
My mom rented a house in Houston and by December he was released to that house. They still had to be close enough for him to receive treatments and testing. Then he was free to come home to Georgetown that spring.
Macy was born in May 2003 and he was there for her birth. After having three sons and two grandsons, Macy Lynn was his first baby girl!. It was a large room which had a sitting area off to the side. At the very last moment, I asked him if he would like to watch. I thought for someone who has been so close to death, it would be cool to see birth.
Within a month, he was back in the hospital. He'd fall at home, have seizures at home and at church and was basically a very sick man. Everything came to a head when my parents went to my brother's wedding in early October 2003. My mom had to wheel him around in a wheelchair and his health was steadily going downhill. When the plane touched down in Austin, she took him straight to the hospital. Susan's 1st son, Tyler, was born that night.
It was the beginning of the end ~ for real this time.
Amazingly, Gregg, Baby Macy and I had just moved to Temple the week before. We were 45 minutes away from Georgetown, I wasn't working anymore, and I could just pack my baby up and we'd go spend time with my dad. Clearly, God's hand was all over this.
From the hospital in Austin, it was decided that he needed to be at MD Anderson again. Baby Tyler was just three weeks old when my sister and her husband drove to Houston from Mississippi. She needed Tyler to meet his Papa and Macy and I came that weekend as well. Susan and I said our "goodbyes" to him because we were certain he wasn't going to make it.
God wasn't finished with Ray McNew yet. Since there was no further treatment that MD Anderson had to offer, it was time to leave. With his health, his seizures, his falls and being in a wheelchair, my mom could not care for him at their home. In November, at 59 years old, it was decided to put him into a nursing home in Georgetown. He was the youngest person there.
Macy and I went a couple of times a week to see him. He lit up and was so good with Macy. Her third word was "Papa" which she always said in a whisper to him. He thrived, had rehab and always had a smile. He was in and out of the hospital a couple of times with pneumonia and in January he was put on hospice. Then they took him off hospice because "he was better." Such a roller coaster.
The end came the week after Father's Day. His poor body just started shutting down. He was put on hospice again and we were given a book that detailed all of the signs of death. Wednesday was when he had his "sudden burst of energy" as the hospice book describes. It was the last day he ate anything or that I heard him speak. The last words that I ever heard come out of his mouth were "I love you Tracy." (My mom had already told him goodbye for the night). Precious words to me.
The next day on Thursday, he slept and we didn't even attempt to have him eat or drink anything. Two of my dad's sisters came to be with my mom and between the four of us, we rotated staying with him. I was able to say anything and everything to him, just hold his hand and love him. I even sang to him over and over the first hymn that came to mind:
I love you Lord,
And I lift my voice,
To worship You,
Oh, my soul rejoice.
Take hold my King,
In what You hear,
May it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear.
On Friday, hospice told us he wouldn't make it through the weekend. We left Friday night to go home and get a good night's sleep because we were going to come back and stay the entire weekend. I went home that Friday night and at 10:30 before I went to bed, I began to feel guilty. My dad was alone, in a nursing home, dying. I felt compelled to jump in the car to go sit with him. I talked myself out of it because I knew I'd be there the rest of the weekend. I called the nursing home before I went to bed to check on him and then went to bed. The sooner I fell asleep, the sooner I could go back to be with him.
The phone rang at 1:10 am and it was my mom. She said, "we lost Dad." I threw on clothes and sped to the nursing home in the middle of the night. My mom and my aunts were there and they had already been in to see him. I went in and stood at the end of his bed and finally went to his side and kissed him. He was finally, after 7 years, at peace.
We waited at the nurses station for the funeral home to come get him. I will never forget him being rolled away covered up in a black tarp. It was excruciating.
I have often wondered if I should've gone to be with him that night. I wonder if he was by himself when he died. One of the nurses said she was with him and I hope that is true. As my mom has reassured me, he would not want us to see him that way. It's like he knew we were gone, so he could go.
We buried him on June 28th and it was a blazing hot day. Two days later, we went back to the cemetery again before my brother and sister left town. And it had just rained and guess what? There was a rainbow, like he was giving us a sign "look what I can do from heaven". We were comforted through our tears. I saw more rainbows that summer (and even double rainbows!) than I had ever seen in my entire life.
It is no accident that I am married to Gregg. Gregg lost his mom eleven years earlier so he knew my loss. (And Gregg's sister Melinda's husband lost his father after they married: his other sister, Lindsey, is engaged to a boy that has lost his mother). Gregg has been such a comfort to me all of these years.
For well over a year, I couldn't go to sleep on Friday nights. And I would wake up almost every night around 1am. It haunted me for a longest time. I kept crying and asking Gregg, "time has gone by, when is it going to get better?? Because it's not better yet!"
It has been four years now. The tears are fewer and farther between. My heart is still filled with sorrow and I miss my dad terribly. But I am happy that he is finally has a healthy body, a clear mind and is with God.
God blessed us with 7 extra years with my dad. One would think of all of the chemo, radiation, tests, blood draws, hospital stays, and then living in a nursing home, that he would complain. Let me be clear ~ he never once complained or felt sorry for himself. He was so glad to be alive!
From May 1997 until June 2004, my dad spent every minute of every day loving life, loving everyone in his life and most of all, loving God. He was a walking testament of faith and God used him for His glory. His story inspired everyone who ever was around him. I hope you are inspired as well.
May God continue to bless each and every one of you.
June 2004 ~Macy in Papa's arm~ just the way I imagine God holding all of His children
I found this scripture shortly after my dad was diagnosed and it remained my anthem:
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perserverance: perservance, character: and character, hope. And hope does not dissappiont us, because God poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Romans 5:1-5
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
I've never had the pleasure of wearing a gown this cute
When Macy had her five year old checkup, I swore to her there'd be no shots. I did tease her and said that I'd have Dr. Leslie check her ears since she isn't always a good listener. :-)
This was the 1st appt. where she had to:
~ listen for the beeps for the hearing test,
~ cover one eye to read the eye chart
~and most certainly, the first time she donned a paper gown and was told to strip down (ok, not in those words) and leave her panties on.
Oh yes.
When Macy got dressed, Paige grabbed the gown to "dess up". And she was not happy until she schlepped herself on the exam table just like Macy had been.
Then Dr. Leslie informed us that their dr's office requires blood work for the 5th birthday checkup. As in sticking-a-needle-in-my-child-when-I-promised-her-no-needles-today.
And a urinalysis (guess who held the cup...).
It was a beating but nothing that a Happy Meal w/a Dr.Pepper couldn't fix.
Because, really, what can't a cold Dr.Pepper fix?
This was the 1st appt. where she had to:
~ listen for the beeps for the hearing test,
~ cover one eye to read the eye chart
~and most certainly, the first time she donned a paper gown and was told to strip down (ok, not in those words) and leave her panties on.
Oh yes.
When Macy got dressed, Paige grabbed the gown to "dess up". And she was not happy until she schlepped herself on the exam table just like Macy had been.
Then Dr. Leslie informed us that their dr's office requires blood work for the 5th birthday checkup. As in sticking-a-needle-in-my-child-when-I-promised-her-no-needles-today.
And a urinalysis (guess who held the cup...).
It was a beating but nothing that a Happy Meal w/a Dr.Pepper couldn't fix.
Because, really, what can't a cold Dr.Pepper fix?
Monday, June 23, 2008
she'll be our girl for all seasons
I signed Macy up for dancing lessons last August thinking that she'd just love it. The girl loves dress up so I thought she'd be all over it. Soon going became a weekly battle because she didn't want to wear the tights because you know, they were tight. And itchy. I get that ~ I haven't worn hose in the past decade. And she said she gets sweaty at dancing.
The girl is nothing if not covered from head to toe. 
Macy would tell me that she was "boring" of dancing. There is alot of waiting and watching others which isn't how Macy rolls. We finished out the year and then it was time for the dance recital. The theme was the different seasons.
Think Grease 2 ~ now for a flashback.
Macy was "winter" ~ a snowflake to be exact. I had envisioned a tutu and tiara kinda like the one Lauryn had ~ not something that looked like a Rockette. But the Christian dance school stuck to it's non-hoochie mama guidelines for costumes. You better believe that was criteria
asked about when I was choosing a dance studio. But really...a snowflake, in early June, in Texas??
The girl is nothing if not covered from head to toe.Anyhoo...the show started at 7 and didn't end until 9:20. I wish I would've had a sucker to pacify me!
There was to be no photography or video cameras allowed for the performance! They wanted you to buy the $35 video instead. But I snuck into the rehearsal and recorded the 2nd half her dance on my camera. I'm sneaky like that.
The 1st part was a repeat of what you saw. Did you see any ballet moves at all??
Me neither.
Then at the end all of the kids came out to take a bow. Macy's class was up 1st since they were the youngest. She's the tall one towards the middle. I did take about my camera then b/c what's going to happen to me at that point ~ I hadn't seen any camera police around. And good thing I did b/c this next part was the best part of the night.
Apparently Macy loved the limelight...She stayed there for what seemed like a long time. It was adorable. Everyone in the audience was cracking up ~ she stole the show!
Friday, June 20, 2008
Flashback Friday
Paige Elizabeth ~ July 2006 ~ 4.5mths old
This was taken on Nicole's couch, back before Paige preferred both thumbs (not just her left) and when I thought she just might be a redhead.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
call me if you need a wedding playlist
The very next day after returning home from Padre, Gregg and I went to a marriage conference for the weekend. We signed up about a month ago through our church and the weekend was called, "A Weekend to Remember" sponsored by FamilyLife Ministries.
You won't believe the reactions when you tell people you're going to a marriage conference..."Are y'all ok...?" Um...yeah. We've got our issues, but after 8 years of marriage, we needed to do something to refresh things. And we've never spent the night away together since before Macy was born.
The conference was also held at a local fancy resort so that sold us as well. And after initially reading the itinerary, on Saturday night was "date night" where the last session ends at 4:45. Then we would have the the rest of the night to go out on a date. And the last session of the day was called "Marriage After Dark." Gregg was like "book it!!"
My mom and Earnie came to our house to watch the girls for the weekend. Gregg and I left at about 2 for the 3pm check-in. As we were driving over to Grapevine (about 30min), we were all silent. I asked Gregg if that was weird that we weren't talking. He reminded me that we had spent 20+ hrs in the car together over the past week (and the whole week together).
But you always here about people who don't have anything to talk about when the kids go to college. I'm like, "oh crap, we're 5min. down the road and silence!" No really, it was just nice to be able to look out the window and "be". No, adjusting the movie, the volume, digging snacks out, passing out sippy cups and finding toys.
After the 3pm hotel and then the seminar check-in, we bolted out of the hotel for a meal at the Macaroni Grill. Sure we could've eaten at the hotel, but we knew we'd eat two meals there on Saturday, so let's go off to do something different. Let me tell you how nice it was not to cut up anyone's food or get the check as soon as the food comes to the table. I also loved not rushing through a meal and even, (gasp!) ordering dessert! And looking across the table and breaking bread (literally) with my handsome husband wasn't bad either...
The seminar didn't start until 7 so we had plenty of time to roam around looking through the books set up at the resource center outside the banquet room. As I didn't have enough cheese already in the cheesecake I devoured, let me tell you what was playing in the background:
~ You're Still The One by Shania Twain
~ Faithfully by Journey
~ something by Nat King Cole
~ You Are The Sunshine of My Life
~ My Girl
~ plenty of James Taylor
Of course, I had to run into the seminar room, find my seat and my Ultra Fine Point Black Sharpie and start jotting down the titles in my seminar book. All for the blawg.
Obviously, I was in the right frame of mind to start the "Why Marriages Fail" session.
The only downside to the weekend was the seminar started at 8:30 on Sat. and 9:00 on Sunday. Something about having to wake up before 9 when the kids aren't there is W.R.O.N.G. So, Gregg got done getting ready first and went on ahead to get some coffee and grab us something for breakfast. I stuck around getting ready and rushing out the door so we could meet up to walk together for the "Unlocking the Mystery of Marriage" session. We were seated and about 30 minutes later, Gregg noticed something on me that surprised him.
This is my necklace that I love that has the girls on one side and Gregg on the other. I only have worn Gregg on Valentine's Day, our anniversary, and now on this day. On all the other days, he remains "closest to my heart."
For lunch we at at the Riverwalk Cafe buffet. And nothing says lunch like: pancakes, mashed potatoes, a sandwich wrap, shrimp and cookies. Then we headed up to our room to freshen up. In my case, brush my teeth.
I also had bacon for lunch.
A sweet couple at the elevator were trying to take each other's picture. I realized that we hadn't taken any pics yet either. So, I volunteered to take hers and she took ours. I didn't either bother to fix the red eyes b/c they just seem to match the hunk of bacon between my teeth.
So after reviewing the picture on my camera, I decided we should not embarrass ourselves any further. We did one of those hold-out-the-camera-and-smile pics. During the photo session, we realized in the 11 yrs together, we've never done one of those. I can't say enough how a fresh coat of powder and lipstick does wonders.
The conference was a great basis to build our relationship. Frankly, we've been "winging it" for 8 years. Gregg and I didn't grow up with parents who reflected God in their relationships with each other or with their children. We grew up with that but when we got married, we knew we wanted to raise our children differently. But how?
Now we have some tools. Here are some notes and quotes that stuck out for us:
~Love is unconditional, not performance based. (ouch)
~ Rejecting your spouse in any way is rejecting God.
~ Walking in the path to oneness requires faith in God.
~ Love won't keep us together, but commitment will.
~ Say 5 positives for every negative.
~ To avoid conflict is to avoid reality.
We had the best time and hated to leave. It is hard to come back to reality and keep these tools in check. But, we are making a point to get out conference manuals to hash and refresh. We are a work in progress but our hearts and desires are in the right place ~ to have the marriages that our parents didn't, to model oneness with God, and to build a Godly legacy in our children.
"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever."
John 14:16
You won't believe the reactions when you tell people you're going to a marriage conference..."Are y'all ok...?" Um...yeah. We've got our issues, but after 8 years of marriage, we needed to do something to refresh things. And we've never spent the night away together since before Macy was born.
The conference was also held at a local fancy resort so that sold us as well. And after initially reading the itinerary, on Saturday night was "date night" where the last session ends at 4:45. Then we would have the the rest of the night to go out on a date. And the last session of the day was called "Marriage After Dark." Gregg was like "book it!!"
My mom and Earnie came to our house to watch the girls for the weekend. Gregg and I left at about 2 for the 3pm check-in. As we were driving over to Grapevine (about 30min), we were all silent. I asked Gregg if that was weird that we weren't talking. He reminded me that we had spent 20+ hrs in the car together over the past week (and the whole week together).
But you always here about people who don't have anything to talk about when the kids go to college. I'm like, "oh crap, we're 5min. down the road and silence!" No really, it was just nice to be able to look out the window and "be". No, adjusting the movie, the volume, digging snacks out, passing out sippy cups and finding toys.
After the 3pm hotel and then the seminar check-in, we bolted out of the hotel for a meal at the Macaroni Grill. Sure we could've eaten at the hotel, but we knew we'd eat two meals there on Saturday, so let's go off to do something different. Let me tell you how nice it was not to cut up anyone's food or get the check as soon as the food comes to the table. I also loved not rushing through a meal and even, (gasp!) ordering dessert! And looking across the table and breaking bread (literally) with my handsome husband wasn't bad either...
The seminar didn't start until 7 so we had plenty of time to roam around looking through the books set up at the resource center outside the banquet room. As I didn't have enough cheese already in the cheesecake I devoured, let me tell you what was playing in the background:
~ You're Still The One by Shania Twain
~ Faithfully by Journey
~ something by Nat King Cole
~ You Are The Sunshine of My Life
~ My Girl
~ plenty of James Taylor
Of course, I had to run into the seminar room, find my seat and my Ultra Fine Point Black Sharpie and start jotting down the titles in my seminar book. All for the blawg.
Obviously, I was in the right frame of mind to start the "Why Marriages Fail" session.
The only downside to the weekend was the seminar started at 8:30 on Sat. and 9:00 on Sunday. Something about having to wake up before 9 when the kids aren't there is W.R.O.N.G. So, Gregg got done getting ready first and went on ahead to get some coffee and grab us something for breakfast. I stuck around getting ready and rushing out the door so we could meet up to walk together for the "Unlocking the Mystery of Marriage" session. We were seated and about 30 minutes later, Gregg noticed something on me that surprised him.
This is my necklace that I love that has the girls on one side and Gregg on the other. I only have worn Gregg on Valentine's Day, our anniversary, and now on this day. On all the other days, he remains "closest to my heart."
For lunch we at at the Riverwalk Cafe buffet. And nothing says lunch like: pancakes, mashed potatoes, a sandwich wrap, shrimp and cookies. Then we headed up to our room to freshen up. In my case, brush my teeth.
I also had bacon for lunch.
A sweet couple at the elevator were trying to take each other's picture. I realized that we hadn't taken any pics yet either. So, I volunteered to take hers and she took ours. I didn't either bother to fix the red eyes b/c they just seem to match the hunk of bacon between my teeth.
So after reviewing the picture on my camera, I decided we should not embarrass ourselves any further. We did one of those hold-out-the-camera-and-smile pics. During the photo session, we realized in the 11 yrs together, we've never done one of those. I can't say enough how a fresh coat of powder and lipstick does wonders.
The conference was a great basis to build our relationship. Frankly, we've been "winging it" for 8 years. Gregg and I didn't grow up with parents who reflected God in their relationships with each other or with their children. We grew up with that but when we got married, we knew we wanted to raise our children differently. But how?
Now we have some tools. Here are some notes and quotes that stuck out for us:
~Love is unconditional, not performance based. (ouch)
~ Rejecting your spouse in any way is rejecting God.
~ Walking in the path to oneness requires faith in God.
~ Love won't keep us together, but commitment will.
~ Say 5 positives for every negative.
~ To avoid conflict is to avoid reality.
We had the best time and hated to leave. It is hard to come back to reality and keep these tools in check. But, we are making a point to get out conference manuals to hash and refresh. We are a work in progress but our hearts and desires are in the right place ~ to have the marriages that our parents didn't, to model oneness with God, and to build a Godly legacy in our children.
"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever."
John 14:16
South Padre Island 2008
This post has been haunting me for two weeks. So here goes ~ all smashed together in one post.
We left Saturday, May 31st and drove home Thursday, June 5th ~ a good 10hr trek one way. On our way into town, we stopped at Pizza Hut in Port Isabel (we always eat pizza the night we get on the Island). Usually we pick it up on our way into town, but since Meme and Grandaddy weren't coming until Monday, we ate it at the Pizza Hut. Then it was off to the Wal-Mart for groceries.
Sunday: First thing that morning, we got busy mopping the balcony. Then that afternoon, we had some pool time after nap.
After we got cleaned up, it was off to The Palmetto Inn for some good Mexican food. Meme says it was the one of the 1st restaurants on the Island. Alot of the family likes to eat at Jesse's but the last time we ate there, we had to pay for the chips and hot sauce! And the service is not conducive to hungry, sweaty little children.
After dinner, we drove out to the very end of the Island to see the sand dunes, walk along the water and gather the big, pretty seashells that you can't find on the busy part of the beach.
But before I knew it, both girls were fully clothed in the water! We had brought towels to dust off the sand but no change of clothes!
Monday: We had always heard we should try the Radisoon for their breakfast buffet. We got there and guess what? The buffet is only on the weekends. So, we ended up at McDonald's for breakfast (which Macy has been begging to do for months) and fed the whole family for the cost of what one buffet would've been. Then it was back to Wal-Mart, naps, and then the beach for real ~ to play (wearing swimsuits this time), chase birds and be on the lookout for jellyfish (4 were spotted that day!)
Antonio and the beach Barbie gang came along and Paige gave them their spa treatments.
That night we got cleaned up to go out to our favorite restaurant of all on the Island ~ Sea Ranch.
Shortly after coming home from dinner, Meme and Granddaddy showed up from the 12 hr road trip from Levelland. How an 80 and 88 year old make only one stop on a 12 hr drive astounds me...Regardless, we didn't tell the girls they were coming, so we had two excited little girls to see their great-grandparents!
Tuesday: Now that Meme was there to make her famous cheese balls for bait, Macy was ready to go fishing! She caught six catfish that morning but wouldn't share her cheese balls with Gregg ~ he didn't catch anything but seaweed and he stayed busy baiting Macy's hook.
After fishing, we headed to the Sea Turtle Rescue Center. Then we swang back by the condo to get Meme and Jimmie to go to lunch with us at Blackbeard's. Totally tradition to go there for their lunch specials.
The rest of the day was more pool time, dinner and more fishing for Macy and Gregg.
Wednesday: We all went on the morning dolphin watch boat. It is an hour and a half tour and it is alot of fun. What's not to love? Being on a boat with Kenny Chesney's music playing...oh, and I saw some dolphins too...
This was the first year at the condo that we didn't need the foldaway crib or did I take a booster seat. Paige was big enough for the twin bed and bar stools! She also fell in love with Meme's leather couches and was a bum there.
We are so fortunate to have such a nice place for our family to vacation together at...now if we could just get all of the family there at one time would make it even more perfect!
**If you are feeling really crazy and want to see all 80+ pics, click here.**
We left Saturday, May 31st and drove home Thursday, June 5th ~ a good 10hr trek one way. On our way into town, we stopped at Pizza Hut in Port Isabel (we always eat pizza the night we get on the Island). Usually we pick it up on our way into town, but since Meme and Grandaddy weren't coming until Monday, we ate it at the Pizza Hut. Then it was off to the Wal-Mart for groceries.
Sunday: First thing that morning, we got busy mopping the balcony. Then that afternoon, we had some pool time after nap.
After we got cleaned up, it was off to The Palmetto Inn for some good Mexican food. Meme says it was the one of the 1st restaurants on the Island. Alot of the family likes to eat at Jesse's but the last time we ate there, we had to pay for the chips and hot sauce! And the service is not conducive to hungry, sweaty little children.
After dinner, we drove out to the very end of the Island to see the sand dunes, walk along the water and gather the big, pretty seashells that you can't find on the busy part of the beach.
But before I knew it, both girls were fully clothed in the water! We had brought towels to dust off the sand but no change of clothes!
Monday: We had always heard we should try the Radisoon for their breakfast buffet. We got there and guess what? The buffet is only on the weekends. So, we ended up at McDonald's for breakfast (which Macy has been begging to do for months) and fed the whole family for the cost of what one buffet would've been. Then it was back to Wal-Mart, naps, and then the beach for real ~ to play (wearing swimsuits this time), chase birds and be on the lookout for jellyfish (4 were spotted that day!)
Antonio and the beach Barbie gang came along and Paige gave them their spa treatments.
That night we got cleaned up to go out to our favorite restaurant of all on the Island ~ Sea Ranch.
Shortly after coming home from dinner, Meme and Granddaddy showed up from the 12 hr road trip from Levelland. How an 80 and 88 year old make only one stop on a 12 hr drive astounds me...Regardless, we didn't tell the girls they were coming, so we had two excited little girls to see their great-grandparents!
Tuesday: Now that Meme was there to make her famous cheese balls for bait, Macy was ready to go fishing! She caught six catfish that morning but wouldn't share her cheese balls with Gregg ~ he didn't catch anything but seaweed and he stayed busy baiting Macy's hook.
After fishing, we headed to the Sea Turtle Rescue Center. Then we swang back by the condo to get Meme and Jimmie to go to lunch with us at Blackbeard's. Totally tradition to go there for their lunch specials.
The rest of the day was more pool time, dinner and more fishing for Macy and Gregg.
Wednesday: We all went on the morning dolphin watch boat. It is an hour and a half tour and it is alot of fun. What's not to love? Being on a boat with Kenny Chesney's music playing...oh, and I saw some dolphins too...
This was the first year at the condo that we didn't need the foldaway crib or did I take a booster seat. Paige was big enough for the twin bed and bar stools! She also fell in love with Meme's leather couches and was a bum there.
We are so fortunate to have such a nice place for our family to vacation together at...now if we could just get all of the family there at one time would make it even more perfect!
**If you are feeling really crazy and want to see all 80+ pics, click here.**
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
