Finally! An update with pics!

Wowzers! It's been so long since I updated this thing. We have not had a single dull moment. Let's see. T has been very busy trying to fix vehicles and computers, our vehicles and others computers, besides work. I'm still working and going to school. A is engaged to P and they will have a June wedding. She just got promoted to full time at work and is excited about that plus going to school. J just got a job and today was his first day of orientation. He is doing well in HS. R is busy with babies and getting ready to move. JT is going to recruiter school next month and R and the babies will come here. We don't know where they will be stationed after that but we're praying it's much closer to us. Dad has done ok with his cochlear implant. It's easier to talk to him in person now but it's still a struggle on the phone. Mom was recently diagnosed with a circulatory problem in her legs and will pursue treatment when they get back from FL. Hopefully that will help with her leg/foot pain.

 

T, J and I drove out to CO for Christmas to be with R's family. T met his grandsons for the first time. Here he is with Thing 1. 

Thing 2.

J is an excellent uncle and jumped right in to help take care of babies, everything except changing diapers! Like father, like son there 'cause T didn't change any diapers either!

The babies just chillin'.

The hill behind R and JTs place.

Thing 1 in his 1st Christmas outfit.

Thing 2 in his. He's a bit smaller than Thing 1 but he has big eyes!

Mac likes to lay right on the heat vent. Smart cat.

Thing 2 looking mighty pleased with himself for bopping 1 in the face. Ha!

All of us except JT took a ride to the other side of Pikes Peak and found a hill to go sledding on.

It was a beautiful day.

This is the other side of Pikes Peak.

We weren't home from CO for 24 hours when they called from basketball practice to say that J had hurt his leg. Turns out it was a grade 4 fracture of the top of the tibia. He was transported to Vanderbilt by ambulance. It happened on my birthday and he told me that the ambulance ride was his b'day gift to me.

They thought they might be able to set it so they sedated him and set it and casted it but it wasn't lined up well and he had surgery and 2 screws placed. Thankfully he has healed incredibly fast.

Turns out Trixie likes to sleep with her nose on the heating vent. Mac sleeps with his butt on it and Trixie with her nose. Ha! Smart critters.

I love this pic. Thing 1 with his daddy's boots, hat and dog tags and Thing 2 with mommy's boots, hat and a halter. So special.

I made these outfits before the babies were even born and couldn't wait for them to wear them. Thing 1 was fussy but I still love this pic!

Recent sunset. I do love a sunset!

Diesel on top of the roof. He's all boy, that one.

And in the van, helping daddy work on it.

A and P got engaged right after Thanksgiving. He went to her work and popped the question in front of all the co-workers and customers.

 

2 and 1 with Mufasa. 1 is doing a little hang ten, or something.

The babies have come so far. From preemies spending a month in NICU with oxygen and CPAPs and GI tubes to here right after they came home with their oxygen....

...to here at 4 months. No longer tethered to their tanks and doing so well. They have a few little issues but overall are doing really well. We are thankful.

This one cracks me up because 2 is flipping a little sideways bird, or something. And 1 looks like he's passed out drunk. Heathen children!

Some more random cuteness. 2.

1 getting a fistful of cat hair.

1 and 2.

1

2

1

2. Love this! I made these bibs at their parents request. Too funny.

The "pro" pics. Him kissing her kissing him kissing him. Precious!

Love.

Where has all the time gone?!

It's been nearly a month since I posted last! Oops, I had no idea until I checked the date on the last post. Oh my goodness, what a roller coaster we've been on!

R has been in the hospital for over a week now, with Thing 1 and Thing 2 trying to come out much too early. They stopped her labor 3 times and she has had contractions off and on the whole time since then. They monitor her and the babies multiple times a day. If she can make it to 32 weeks they might let her go home.

Her friends had a baby shower for her today. She wheeled down to a special occasion room where her friends had decorated. It wore her out but she had a great time wearing real clothes and just doing something "normal". She also got to go to a chat session on Tues with the other "ladies in waiting" who are at the hospital trying not to have their babies too. R was one of two having twins and one of three military wives and one of three in the same week of gestation. It's always nice to know you're not alone in a situation and can help each other cope. She is at 30 weeks and 2 days. Prayers are appreciated.

JT has been able to spend a lot of time with R and for that we are grateful. He's done a great job taking care of his wife and babies. He even brushed and braided R's hair one day. How sweet is that?

J is brushing my hair as I type this. He's still loving high school and especially basketball. They are having homecoming week this week and he's thrilled. I remember R's first homecoming week and how  excited she was about it. J told me everything they were going to do and how short his classes were going to be and I just smiled and said, "You're my third child to have homecoming week. I know how it goes. But I'm glad you're so excited about it." J had a birthday since I posted last. He's 16! He continues to do well in school and at home. He's a bottomless pit and will eat just about anything. He's a bit lazy and has an attitude prob now and then, but he's a 16yo boy! We love him dearly.

We (the 4 of us) sat around last night and played games and sang Veggie Tales songs. What  a hoot! We are all looking forward to fall break and the beach. Bring it on!

A got an 85 on her stats test the other day and was thrilled with it. Woot! She likes her classes this semester for the most part. She also likes her job and continues to do well there. A and P are going to join us for part of our time at the beach, Lord willing and the creek don't rise. We are all looking forward to it. I hope it works out and doesn't disappoint.

My dad got approved by the doctors for the cochlear implant. Now he just has to get approved by the ins. We are hopeful that this would open up his world again.

I'm officially a junior in college now. I'm only 2 months behind where I wanted to be. I've done well after surgery and am pleased with it all so far. I was even going to play keys and lead music in church tomorrow but a major water leak at the church this evening has cancelled services. I did play the ukulele a bit this morning so that's good. I'm doing therapy twice a week for my wrist and it's going well. Fibro is ok too but I've had sleep issues and hip pain a lot the last couple months.

I'm trying to go through things and get ready for a yard sale. I cleaned out the game cabinet today. Well, I got all the games out. Trying to decide what to keep is hard. I came across my 20 Questions thingy. Have you ever played with one? It's creepy good at guessing what you're thinking of.

The "Ladies in Wheeling" episode of 4x4 Nation is coming out this week. Check it out if you can at www.4x4nation.com .

So, I think I will end this with a thankful list. I'm thankful that Thing 1 and 2 are still tucked safely inside their mommy. I'm thankful for medical care. I'm thankful for God, family and friends. I'm thankful for a chance to take a vacation. I'm thankful for the chance to "go to college" online.

Happy Father's Day and pics!!

Happy Father's Day to all the fathers in my life. To my dad, you have been a great father, grandfather and soon you can try your hand at being a great-grandfather! What will they call you, Great Bampa? To T, the father of my children and soon-to-be grandfather. We don't always agree on this parenting gig but the children never call me when they have car or computer issues. You really are a good father and full of compassion. And to JT, the newest father-to-be on your first Father's day. I love the way you downloaded the baby app as soon as you found out you were going to be a daddy and when R has questions she can ask you what's going on. Ha! And to T's dad. And to all the other dads who might be reading this. Happy Father's Day!

 

I was able to get some pics from my phone on to the computer the other day when I took my phone apart for some reason. Here they are and I believe they are in a chronological order.

 

I love a sunset!

T and dad doing something on his boat.

Cooper, trying to be good and be part of whatever goes on in the house too.

View from the side of my parent's house. I love where we live.

We finally got down to the lake with dad's boat. Last year the water was so low that you had to jump down into the boat from the pier, which was high and dry then. Now the water's so high it's over the pier. J is checking it out.

This was the first time out. It ran about a 1/4 mile.

Both cats still think that I learn best through a process we've titled "catmosis". Every time I sit down to do some schoolwork one or both cats lay on top of what I'm reading or writing and absorb the info into their bodies. Then it passes to my brain. Or that's what they think. They're so helpful.

The gas tank in this boat is still "gunked up" so they bypassed it with a tank from a parts boat. It ran great this way and we had a nice afternoon at the lake.

Doesn't everyone have a cat sleeping on newspaper (soaking up knowledge for "catmosis"?) next to a headboard project in the music/exercise room/office?

T and I got to go to Atlanta for a couple days. We shopped at thrift stores, ate, spent time with Mrs. H and her family and got to see their church's 36th anniversary. There was a covered dish dinner afterwards. Ain't nothing like a church potluck in the south!

We met this cute dog. Is that her head or her tail?

Ta-da! It's her head!

Little miss G said I should take a pic of her eating.

Back home, my legs are too short to reach the pool. Sigh...

We still really need to sell this van. Please God, send us a buyer. It's an awesome van if you're interested.

Another dead mitsubishi. Poor T! And the way we are pronouncing mitsubishi right now is a bit more...colorful.

Some b-ball in the sunset.

Remember the whole dishwasher staring thing? Now she has graduated to the fridge. Yeah, we don't get it either.

Mr. Long Arms and Legs was sitting at the drums and trying to match rhythm with the keyboard. He just reached over with the stick and hit the fill buttons. Too funny.