Pig Tails - Baltimore, MD. - October 2011

We've been a wandering family for the last couple of months, so the next few posts I'm going to work my way through our late summer and early fall travels, but for now, Here's a quick post of something that makes me smile every time I see them.

About the middle of August her hair was finally long enough to do something with.  I was so excited! 

 I LOVE her pig tails!

Even though she isn't always happy about the process ...

 (Her tears have gotten significantly less since this first tearful event.  SOMETIMES there's no crying at all!)

 There is much dancing after they're up!

Till next time,

Bon Voyage!

A Blog Wworth Sharing - Baltimore, MD - October 2011

A friend of ours linked me to this blog, 3 Kids, a Mini-Van, & a Mortgage, about 9 months ago.  Reading this mother's unedited account of her family's walk through their daughter Lucy's battle with a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer, Medulloblastoma, has become a regular part of my week.

I don't know her, but every time I reconnect with their story I find myself in uncontrolled tears.  Her writing is eloquent, heartfelt, and straight from her soul.  it isn't odd to find the time stamps on her posts at 3 and 4 o'clock in the morning.  Her ability to capture their experience, not only in words, but also in pictures is breathtaking.  I'm sure she has become immune to these images of 

smooth hairless heads,

the healing power of sleep,

little ones asleep in red Radial flyer wagons,

and the masks, tubes and wires,

...but I still get knots in my throat knowing the underlying cause of each of these things that have become so routine in her world.   Her blog is followed by just under 1500 followers and she posts several times a week. Their story has touched so many people.

There is nothing I can do for their sweet family except pray and share her blog and their story in hopes that you will, regardless of your faith, find a moment to fall to your knees and pray for them and thank God for your healthy children knowing that each day with them is a gift.

This is her post from February 24 2011 (the first post doccumenting Lucy's illness):

"Life can change. In the blink of an eye. It happens. You are never prepared for it. And when it does you just try to survive. And that's what we are doing right now. Surviing. I am going to use this blog to update Lucy's status and track her recovery so that one day she can look back at what she went through and know how much her mommy loves her. Tomorrow morning at 7:00am the staff at LeBonheur Children's Hospital will come get my baby girl for the biggest event of her life. 4-6 hours of a grueling surgical procedure to remove 3 brain tumors and 1 tumor from her back. Every time I allow myself to think about it I want to vomit. It doesn't seem real. Last night when I went to sleep I prayed that when I woke up this would all be a bad dream. Funny thing is, I never slept. So I feel as if I have been in a walking nightmare for 2 days. Tomorrow is going to be hard for us all. I don't think any of us are really prepared for the rollercoaster we are about to ride. I just don't understand why it had to be Lucy. I could understand why God would want to put this disease on me. I have had 33 years to live a sinful life. I DESERVE to suffer. But not Lucy. She's only 5. But that's not how God works. I know that. There's a reason for all of this. I will NEVER understand it, but that's not my job. My job is to remain faithful and trust that God will heal my sweet girl. Medulloblastoma is no match for my Father. I will praise Him in this storm while I cling to the hope that He will extend his hand of mercy and grace to Lucy in the days, weeks and months to come."

Her honesty, faith, and strength have made me a stronger believer, and a better wife and mother.  Thank you Kate!

Till Next Time,

Bon Voyage!

I Crave Movies - Baltimore, MD - October 2011

So although I absolutly crave different sorts of foods while I'm pregnant, what I crave most of all is MOVIES!!!  While pregnant with The Monkey I think I watched Julie and Julia at least 40 times and Juno... Well that number is pretty obscene and probably realistically falls somewhere in the 60's.  I know it sounds bad, but don't forget I was on Bedrest for 7 weeks.

This time around I find myself drawn to older movies that hold some sort of scentimental significance.  Old baseball movies like Field of Dreams,  For the Love of the Game, The Sandlot, Rookie of the Year, and Eight Men Out.  They aren't all fantastic movies, but they remind me of my dad and watching them on Sunday afternoon was one of our favorite pass times.

I also have had a hankering for The Sound of Music.  Little known fact, my older sister and I can sing EVERY song in this movie pretty much by heart.

In my DVD player, as we speek is one of my all time favorites which I believe I'll watch again tonight (4 time) before I send it back to NetFlix, is the 1994 version of Little Women that has be in tears within the first 5 minutes. I just can't stop myself!

I still make a regular go at Juno, but my copy of Julie and Julia is missing in action (maybe it ran away with my Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred that the Hub says I conveniently lost).  Thank goodness I've been able to get my Meryl Streep fix from weekly submersion into The Devil Wears Prada while folding towels durring the Monkey's nap.  The only problem is that watching it has got me  wishing for more Anne Hathaway, which could go a great many dirrections... SIGH!!!

My one complaint is Instant Queue. Although NetFlix has been a big help durring all of my late night needs for the silver screen, the amount of material on "Instant Queue" is pretty disapointing.  Of the movies I've listed, only 2 are available instantly.  The others I've had to wait a couple of days for.  I have been able to get my Friday Night Lights fix instantly as all five seasons are now at my fingertips via Instant Queue, so this is a big plus, but still, I want more!

Pregnant or not, what movies to you crave?

Till next time,

Bon Voyage!