more pictures

Torie found this hat in her cubbie @ WestWood Day School, after her class party. She thought it was the greatest thing, giggled and giggled about it!

Paul had just finished working out and opened a protein drink. Torie told us she needed some too! She is so funny.

One of her new favorite Christmas gifts; A small Laptop that works on letters and numbers & even has a few games.

Another favorite gift was Uno Moo! She likes to play "farmer" and we have played it several times since Friday.

After spending Christmas eve in the peds office for a double ear infection, Torie is finally finished with her meds.. Now, if only we can get back into a sleep routine.....

finally...some pics

This year, I was really hoping Torie would be more willing for me to take her picture in her Christmas dress. Her dress is a HealthTex Dress and I love it! This brand is too cute-and their logo is age appropriate clothing,which I love.
Torie enjoys decorating the Christmas tree. Lights were her favorite this year.

After lunch and opening gifts, Torie was ready for some of my rainbow cake. I wish I had taken a pic of the cake...it was layers of blue, purple, pink & yellow. It turned out just like the picture.

One of my favorite poses.

in charcoal. I really like this, but am working on a different texture for it as well. Hoping to have that one up soon.

So funny!

Last weekend Torie was helping feed the dogs. She knows Alexa is her dog, and just loves the idea of having her "own" dog. But Torie still enjoys playing with the other 2 dogs. After helping Paul give out treats to all 3, Torie excitedly tells me " Momma, I helped feed miss Alexa!" Now, I don't know why she added miss, but I thought it was cute. "you did?" I asked. Torie replies " uh hu. and Miss Apollo." Really miss Apollo? hmm. sure he appreciated that! " yeah, and Miss Andre too!"

I couldn't help but smile. Apollo and Andre, both boys, suddenly have "miss" in front of their names! I don't have recent pics of them, but here is a pics of Miss Alexa.

This is the pic that was petfinder.com...how we came across this wonderful dog. She was at a rescue shelter, just waiting for someone to save her. Although I still can't be live I talked Paul into making that drive! But totally worth it. Alexa is so gentle with Torie. And very smart. After her sutures came out (cause they spayed her before we picked her up), I began training her. Since she is truly Torie's dog, I want Torie to be part of the training. How does a child with Speech Problems train a dog? Glad you asked! I use hand motions instead! Torie stands beside me, and follows along. I say the command, along with using my hand motion. So simple. And how cool was it when Torie used only her hand and Alexa followed the command? VERY!! Two very smart girls, if I say so myself. I can't wait until we get some warm weather so I can get pics of them playing. Alexa's fur has really gotten thick over the past few days, as had Apollo's. Husky's have beautiful coats! Andre is a black lab, so his is thicker, but not like the huskies!

wow-another post!

http://www.chdspeaks.org/

Please visit this site. There is a lot information about CHDs.

a video

See? I told you I had a cool video to put on here....or atleast the link. It's awesome. Please turn up your volume and grab the tissues. I only ask a couple things: 1-you watch the whole thing. 2 read it-even if you have to pause it.
http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=9da0e16cd81a898ddcc144&skin_id=1603

would you let your child do this?

I would...except she's already had several (let's see 13 off hand).
www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/hotsto...
This is just a wonderful idea. I am happy to someone trying to make a difference! Now, if only we could more local peds/pcps and the like to join the cause. I have an awesome video coming soon!

How cool..

I love watching the winter Olympics, don't you? I can't wait for them to start soon. I wanted to bring attention to one of them Gold Medal Olympians Shaun White. Did you know he has been *playing* in the snow since he was like 5 yrs old?!? Know wonder he is so awesome. But did you know he also has TOF?!? Yep. Here's a link to his bio.
http://www.shaunwhite.com/bio/about/
I will totally cheer him to his next medal.
Someone else that has TOF is Mark Oshea. He did this video at Vanderbilt. We *know* some of the staff in the video. One of them is our Child Life Specialist. She helped walk us through Torie's surgical pre op, and even visited with us after it was over. She was a blessing, but I guess having been there and done that gives her a benefit others do not have.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dtxlv6Hoerw&feature=related
I will make sure to always support these guys, because they are not only showing TOF patients how great life can be, they are raising awareness too!
Both of them are blessings!

Venting and great days together!

Sounds like an oxymoron doesn't it? I'll explain. Last week I was on my favorite message board-baby center's board for parents with babies/children with CHDs. We are a group of parents-mothers and fathers-who support each other all the time. Now, I'll just go ahead and say it-you can't mess with our group. We fight every day for our children, and we will fight for other parents children as well! As it happened last week, someone felt the need to apologize for a misunderstanding,so I read the thread and saw it was not needed. From my view, someone who did not belong on our board, felt it was needed to post a public journal using words like heart invalid, and chd children do not have a quality of life, and why would a real parent put their children through this. Well, you can guess what happened. We, as a community, stood together. Do not tell me that my child has a poor quality of life. and do not tell me my child is an invalid! Now, I'll admit, it's been a long time since I sparred in Black Belt class, therefore I do have a ton of frustration built up that I would gladly take out during a sparring class if anyone was up to it...And I can say I have never been in a fist fight(again unless you count karate), but really...this person was just asking for trouble....or a knee to the face...or maybe a round elbow....Hmm, does anyone remember the time I tore open the shield the Black Belt class with my right round elbow?? hehe I do. On top of all this junk, she*this person I won't name* said we aren't parents because we put our children through test after test, or through surgeries. Let me say, we will follow what ever our doctors feel is best for Torie, but, we as parents, will continue to research and see what other possibilities are available to her. I will always do what is best for my child. How dare someone who chooses to abort their child tell me that I am not a real parent because I fight for my child! Now, don't get me wrong, I feel bad for her baby and her family. It is a difficult time they are going through. And difficult times make people very emotional and sometimes things can be said out of those emotions. Just don't attack our board and then act surprised when we ban together!
Now, on to more fun things!
Saturday was a wonderful Birthday for me! I got breakfast in bed...with Torie sharing my strawberries between the 3 of us. I got my elliptical that I have been wanting for months also. I can't wait to really work out on that! It will be so much fun. Then we spent the day together just looking at this or that, enjoying lunch together. It was defiantly a day well spent. We were all exhausted when we got home.
I hear we are supposed to have a chance of snow flurries Wednesday afternoon! yeah, just in time for my drive home. Wonderful. Can anyone *hear* my sarcasm? I hate driving in the snow. But if the snow cloud wanted to wait until I was at home with my family, warm and snug inside, I'd be okay with that.

life of a chd family

Baby Stellen is still fighting his SVTs. McKMomma and her family are living this life that only a chd family lives. Baby Stellen celebrated his first birthday in the picu. Please join me in prayers for this family as they are beginning another journey with Stellen.

While we feel the stress of everyday life, I do feel Blessed to know that Torie is stable. I remember in early 2007 I was worried that Torie would spend her first birthday in Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, having her repair then. I remember telling my sister that I would have a party for in the hospital no matter what! And I was prepared for doing just that. Little did I know, God had other plans. His plan included Torie having her surgery in March, not July. His plan included Torie's first birthday party to be with family and friends, and friends who feel like family. We were blessed then and we are now.

As Thanksgiving approaches, people are busy getting ready for Christmas. Not us. In my house we are getting ready for Thanksgiving because we have a lot to be thankful for. Torie is helping decorate the house with pumpkins and such. She is turning into a little artist-just ask her preschool teacher how much Torie loves to color.
So, take a minute to be thankful for those around you.

Thankfulness

Thank you to everyone who prayed for baby Aiden. He was a strong little boy all during his surgery. But sadly, he has lost his fight. Please visit his journal to read his story. He touched many lives in his short 2 weeks here on earth. His family still needs our prayers. I cannot and never want to imagine the pain they are feeling right now.
Also, please add baby Stellen to your prayers. He is in the hospital right now going through SVTs. He is almost 1 yr old. You can visit McKMomma's link to the right also.
With all that is going on with so many heart families, I just want to take a minute to be Thankful for how well my heart baby is doing! She still loves preschool. Almost everyday when I pick her up she is coloring. This girl loves to color. Our conversation usually goes like this:
" Torie, are you ready to go home?"
"No. I'm coloring." with emphasis on coloring.
I may just forget all Christmas shopping and buy paper and markers!

Spending time together

A few weekends ago I got brave and decided to make my first lasagna. And why not let Torie help me? She loves to help with everything else. I let her help as much as I could, and she loved every minute of it. We always enjoy seeing her smile with pride after a job well done.

While I helped Torie, Paul snapped a few pictures of us. While it is getting colder outside, and we are forced inside, I am finding new ways to keep her occupied. Cooking seems to be a new favorite. She loves making our Sunday pancakes as much as she loves baking!

A day of fun

Several weeks ago, back when it was actually warm outside, we spent some time at the park. Torie loves the park. And after a couple of summers there, I am finally able to step back and let her play by herself...a little, without hovering over her like the helicopter mom that I am.

She didn't fall, she slid...on purpose.

Then got up, and climbed.

My dare devil child. Where did she learn to be like that?

"I'm a monkey!" Yes, darling, you sure do swing like one!

She just hung out for a few minutes....

Then decided to slid...and play in the sand for a few minutes.
Now, as someone to totally hates driving in winter weather(yes, I am dreading it already) I am looking forward to next springs warm weather. Torie will be even bigger then, and I am sure she will be ready for more play time.

Perseverance: 1. steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., esp. in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.
2. Theology. continuance in a state of grace to the end, leading to eternal salvation.

Faith: Christian Theology. the trust in God and in His promises as made through Christ and the Scriptures by which humans are justified or saved.

Courage: 1.the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery.
2. Obsolete. the heart as the source of emotion.

PLEASE PRAY!!

I have several links for heart families to the right. Please click on aiden's link. He was born after 52 HOURS of labor...and is need to a heart transplant. His parents are worried about money on top of everything else. Bless their hearts. Please pray for them.

A different vacation

Welcome To Holland
byEmily Perl Kingsley

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......
When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting. After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland." "Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy." But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay. The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place. So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met. It’s just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts. But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned." And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss. But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.

I often wonder how many people truly understand our life. Then I talk to people on the phone(the few who didn't run away when our lives changed) and realize that no, they don't understand. Some don't truly understand, nor do they want to. They choose to know what little they want to know. They have decided to not be a part of Torie's life as much as they could. Well, that's their problem! Torie is a sweet little girl who loves to give hugs & kisses. If she sees you crying, she will try to make you smile. If you make a mess, she will help you clean(clean up, clean up! everybody do your share. she will sing while picking up with you).
People that choose not to know her miss out on learning who she is. And they will miss knowing a wonderful and caring person.

more beach pictures

I got a surprise kiss! She is so sweet.

Torie and DaddyA family pic

Torie and me just walking...isn't the water pretty?!?

Daddy walking Torie back to the hotel

Our visit to the Children's Museum

This was a cool machine at the museum. You loaded the balls in a tube across the room, and the air pressure sent them to this one. Here you loaded them into a different tube and sent them back to the first tube. It amused the adults as much as the children! lol.
Playing in the sand it her favorite thing, lol

Torie's weight on the moon. I think we should all go by this scale, lol!

I mentioned Torie's birthday had been just a few days before, so the nice ladies made her crown!

This was the cool bubble tire.

Torie thought this was cool

The S.C. Children's Museum even had the Magic School Bus!

We loved our trip there. And it was only $8 a person for unlimited fun. There were animals, a play area for infants, a music area, a cook area, dr and dentist areas even! They also had craft stations to make shirts! If you ever go to Myrtle Beach, you should really go here.

Just walking with daddy after doing family pictures

Torie's first time in the ocean.

She was telling me that the wave was coming!

She loved every minute of being in the ocean....I can't wait to go back!

Hold daddy's hands so she can jump the waves

walking on the boardwalk...she stopped and posed for the camera!

This was after the very long ride to S.C. Not too sure she was ready for pictures just yet!

So these are just a few snap shots taken during our first family vacation. Torie had a blast in the sand and the water. I had to just leave my camera in the hotel so we could play. Maybe next year we can visit Florida! I'll post more later.

more words!

" I want to go watch Kali play soccer" from Torie in the backseat of the van last night. "you want to watch Kali play soccer?" I asked. Torie shook her head, so I said "ok, the next time Kali has a game, we will go watch, ok?" Torie replied "That's cool."
All the while I am sitting in the front seat, trying to drive and figure out where this huge sentence came from! LOL. For Torie, that was a big step. She is growing so much right now, starting to recall things that happened at preschool and tell me later. I love her stories...o and her songs! As we cuddle at bedtime last night, she sang to me! Torie is also praying more. What glorious words to hear from her!

go vote for vandy!!!!

xbox.childrensmiraclenetwork.org

Please go vote for Vandy Children's Hospital. They could use a great play room for the kids. These kids never get to play outside, or even go outside. Can you imagine that?!? Pretty scary thought if you have kids who love being outside, huh?

oo, I need to do another safety seminar

I found this on ivillage. It makes me miss teaching my lil dragons how to stay safe! I taught that subject at least 2 times a month. And I know my classes worked because parents told me when my students used their knowledge. I know it works. Parents-keep these in mind when going to the fair this weekend and next week. Don't let your kids out of sight,even if they think they are big enough!! Torie just turned 3 in July, but we are alread working on safety.
How to Teach Our Kids the Skills of Self-Defense

By iVillage.com on September 3, 2009 11:03 AM Permalink Comments (1) TrackBacks (0)

Kidnappings and sexual abuse have always been a parent's worst nightmare. This week our hearts go out to Jaycee Dugard and her parents. We can only imagine a smidgeon of their suffering. Our instinct is to keep our kids inside and watch them like a hawk, but it's crucial to keep things in perspective. The fact is, our kids are more likely to die in our bathtubs than be abducted. Only one in 500,000 children1 are abducted by a stranger. Most kidnappers are someone the child personally knows. In fact, research shows that 85 percent of kids found alive after being abducted did not consider their kidnapper to be a stranger. While there are no guarantees for our children's health and well-being, research shows that we can help kids learn simple safety tips so they will be less likely to be harmed. Though you may fear that talking about such frightening issues will scare the pants off your kids, not doing so is a big mistake. The secret is bringing up such topics in a relaxed way (just as you discuss other daily matters) and not to cover too many skills at once (as well as, of course, the kinds of safety know-how he needs at that point in his life). Here are a few safety strategies from my book, Big Book of Parenting Solutions, you can review with your child.
Keep close tabs. Know where your kids are. Period. Know their friends and their friend's parents. Have your tween get into the habit of checking in with you so you know where he is at all times. Consider purchasing an inexpensive cell phone with a GPS tracking device for a younger child, or a simple no-frills phone for your tween so you can monitor his comings and goings.
Teach "not okay" touching. Teach "private" body parts and the difference between "okay" and "not okay" touches. Then help your child to say "No!" if someone tries to touch him, or makes him feel afraid, uncomfortable or confused, and that he needs to get away as quickly as possible. Practice saying "no" using a firm and determined voice.
Emphasize, "No secrets allowed." Set a rule: "If any adult tells you to keep a secret, tell me right away." Discussion starters: "You can tell me anything, so don't ever feel embarrassed or ashamed." "Remember our rule: we don't keep secrets if someone could be hurt. If any adult tells you to keep a secret, come and tell me right away."
Help your child recognize suspicious behavior. Instead of scaring (and possibly even confusing) your kids with the "Stranger = Danger" approach, experts suggest that a better approach is to teach kids to recognize suspicious situations.
Here are a few adult behaviors to teach your kids to be aware of:
• An adult asking for help to find his child or puppy.
• Someone who offers you a treat or present.
• Someone who feigns an emergency and says Mommy or Daddy is hurt.
• Someone who fakes being a friend of Mom or Dad.
Remind your child he can always ask a stranger for help but a stranger does not ask kids for help. Role-play suspicious situations such as these with your child, so he'll become more alert and can respond quicker if the real issue ever arises. Establish a family secret code. Choose some simple, memorable phrase like "geronimo" and then stress that the code must remain secret. The only ones who know are your family, a designated family friend or relative who is your emergency contact, or trusted individuals (such as a nanny or ongoing babysitter). When I deal with children I am picking up for rescue and escort them to a shelter, the first thing I tell the child is the secret code the child's mother gave me. I then instruct the child to not get in the car with me until he calls his mother on my phone, standing several yards from my car to verify this is the mother's request. Tell your child the same rule. Create a code via text. Create a secret message via text that your older child can use on his cell to reach you. It should be simple and short (123 or ABC) and should never be used for anything but a real emergency. A young girl two weeks ago in California was able to text her mother that she was in danger and needed help. Her mother called the police, had that phone traced and saved her daughter from a potential tragedy. Emphasize never meeting someone you met online. Forbid your child to ever divulge personal information such as his name (or yours), address, birthday or phone number online. Emphasize that your child should never, under absolutely any circumstances, meet anyone he has connected with by phone or online. Explain that someone posing as an 11-year old online could actually be a 30-year-old child molester.
Teach: "Drop, yell and run." If your child needs to get away quickly, teach him to drop whatever he is carrying (you run faster if you're not carrying something), yell and make a loud scene, and run. If possible, run toward an adult and yell, "Help! This is not my dad!" If he is grabbed he should fight back, scream and hold on to anything -- such as his bicycle handles or car door -- to make it more difficult for an abductor to take him. Emphasize that you never will be upset if your child loses something or hurts someone if he's trying to protect himself.
Review "trusted" caregivers. Encourage your child come to you and tell you anything. Also name specific caregivers your child should go to in case you are not available (a specific teacher, a relative, a neighbor).
Teach 9-1-1. Make sure your child knows how to dial 9-1-1 for help and that your phones are programmed with your number so your child can reach you. Remind your child repeatedly to never open your house door to a stranger. Never tell someone your parents are not home. If your child has a cell phone, program the speed dial for 9-1-1.
Any tough topic should never be a one-time discussion but an ongoing conversation. The key point to make is always: "Remember, I love you no matter what." Your child needs to know you are always there to help him whatever the situation may be.
Now go hug your child.
1One in 500,000 abductions are by complete strangers: P. Statman, On the Safe Side, NY HarperCollins, 1995, p. 21. 2National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) research found 85 percent of kids found alive after being abducted did not consider their kidnapper to be a stranger: Nancy Huehnergarth, "Danger Zone," Parents, Jan 2005, p. 155. Get more Parenting Solutions by following @MicheleBorba on Twitter.Dr. Michele Borba is the author of over 22 books including the upcoming Big Book of Parenting Solutions. She is a leading educational consultant, national parenting expert, contributor to iVillage, adviser to Parents magazine, regular guest on NBC's Today show, and mom of three.

what a day!

Torie had a rough day, but really seemed to feel somewhat better tonight. We spent some time outside jumping on the trampoline, then walked around the block. Torie couldn't walk the whole way, but did try her best! She even tried to jog part of it. It was too cute seeing her trying to jog while holding Alexa's leash. Alexa's is the best dog for Torie. She is calm and follows along when I give her commands. Torie is learning the commands, and I have added hand motions for Torie to use so Alexa can understand. My goal is for Torie to have complete command of Alexa, but for that to happen, Alexa has to be able to understand Torie's communication, thus the hand motions.
on another note, is it odd that I woke up this morning and felt guilty for not being at work? umm hello we are closed today! lol. Things only added up from there, lol. I was baking BBQ porkchops for supper, when I burned my finger. Good thing I had the burn cream from the last time(mem wkend)! Then, as I opened the BBQ sauce bottle to add more, it exploded on me! Sauce was on the stove, me, my glasses, even the floor! It was funny.
Tomorrow is back to the grind. work work work. Anyone else looking forward to the fair? I really just like walking around the grandstands/food areas. I could totally careless about the rides, but could I convince Torie to have the same view?!?

prayers please!!!

I often visit a message board on babycenter for parents with babies/children with heart defects. There's a family on their that has lost their 32 month old baby boy. He was born very early-not even 30 wks gest. He had a heart condition called HLHS, Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. He passed away this past week.
I really have to say this scares me to my soul. Unless you live this life on a daily basis, you can only imagine the fear. The fear of the known as much as the unknown. Every hour can be one minute to the next. Right now Torie has this sinus/uri that is going around. While Paul and I have it to, we don't worry so much about our selves. We worry for Torie. These things can be so small for us, or they can be huge. We are monitoring her low grade fever, and listening to her lungs to make sure it doesn't turn into bronchitis. I am have never been to medical school, but have been to Vandy Children's and Mboro Medical Clinical several times. I know what bronchitis sounds like unfortunately.
So while several families need prayers for the ill, keep in mind the families that need prayers for their loss.
I also want to remind everyone of the family who had 6 babies last month. 3 of the babies passed away within the first week. They have 3 girls fighting for their lives right now. They are also very early gest. I have a link to the right for their journal.
Thank you all for your prayers for these families.

i promise....

i promise that as soon as I have Internet connect on my desktop, I will post new pictures. See, I normally work on pictures on my desk top to avoid any viruses. But my 7 yr old dell laptop as pretty much died. It shuts down whenever it wants,refusing to let me get online for more than a just a few minutes at a time. So, while I wait on Paul to start feeling better, I use his laptop to surf the net, lol. Hopefully by this time tomorrow Paul will feel better and we can get things going on the desktop. yes, I know it's not hard to connect the wires from the old to the new, but I have other things to get done first....like cook, laundry and figuring out how to drain the water from the dishwasher....Torie pushed a button or two, and it stopped in mid cycle. Any help? lol. gotta finish supper and then start reading my dishwasher book.

What 3 things will you never give up, no matter how tight finances get?

Title says it all! What 3 things would you never give up,not matter what?
1. a car. I have to get to work, as does Paul. Even if we went down to one car(heck, I can always go back and teach karate-they already want me back anyway!)
2.making special treats. Torie loves helping me bake...doesn't every mom need someone to taste test it?!?
3.a good pair of tennis shoes. If my foot is inflamed from the nice anchor holding it together, I can't walk,which means I have problems going into rooms with patients.

so, what are your 3 things?

Day 4 of preschool

Well, we all know the H1N1 flu is rapidly spreading through Warren County. So when my cell phone rang just after 11:30 am and the caller was Torie's preschool teacher, I really thought I was going to have to pick up a sick little girl. INSTEAD....I learn my dare devil had climbed onto and jumped off of something during playtime. When Torie landed, she hurt her foot/ankle. Well she was still limping so preschool wanted a parent to check it out. I like that. Since I work in Tullahoma, I called Paul so he could check on her. In the mean time I was in almost in panic mode because my baby was hurt and for the first time in her life I wasn't there to hug and kiss her, I couldn't make it better or do anything at all! I was in tears sitting at my desk feeling like a bad mom cause I couldn't be there... What a day. She is still limping on it tonight. I wrapped it but that didn't make a difference. I am hoping she will feel better tomorrow.

my growing little girl

Torie is becoming a big girl,and not just in size. She is maturing so much. I love seeing her grow. I can see all of the development skills coming along. Her vocabulary is growing each day too. still though, I will be happy when she starts her new speech class. She loves pre school, and if you call it school she will correct you. it's pre school! lol. she has came home every day with a huge smile and in a great mood. She still has some allergies, but I am hoping it won't get worse. please remember that the flu is spreading super fast! For the love of life-please stay home if you are sick or keep your child home if sick. Those children and adults with comprised immune systems will be hit even harder with the flu. That includes Torie and all the other children in the community with heart problems. I hate to even think of Torie catching this horrible flu....I know there a lot of new people reading my blog, so I am working on a post to give you the chance to learn more about Torie. Hopefully I can get that done in a few days, but it's taking some time to put together. Go ahead and ask questions if you want, that way I can answer them! God Bless and WASH YOUR HANDS AND USE LYSOL!!!!

Not Me!!

I am doing my own take of not me monday,thanks to mcMoma at this link:



Today was Torie's first full day of preschool. I would never wake up 30 minutes to start my new work schedule not me, I love my morning sleep too much. After that I made Torie's peanut butter and fluff sand which, while not forgetting to leave Paul a note that it was done....preventing him from later picking up the bread and realizing he had pb and fluff on his finger...nope NOT ME!! sorry honey!
Then off to work I went, printing statements that I know patients love to get, cause they call and tell me-they just use other words besides love, appreciate or thanks for taking care of me while I was very sick, recovering from that surgery that stopped the pain or delivering my newborn! lol. I would never be sarcastic or say my sarcasm if free, nope not me!
I finally got to pick up Torie and I couldn't wait! When I walked into the room, I saw her eating candy....star burst actually. I didn't wait until a teacher was there to ask if she was eating candy...not me. Sorry, just my thoughts. I don't give her candy often. We made a quick trip to see Daddy's work before coming home. Torie had a wonderful day at school-pre school as she corrected me. She even came home singing a new song! On our way home I told Torie I was happy that she had a good day and she said "Victoria's happy"! How wonderful to hear. Unfortunately, soon after we got home her nose got stuffy and her eyes red. When I asked if her nose felt yucky, she said "no. my head feels yucky" as she put her hand on her head! Poor thing. Sinus pressure is not fun. That meant Tylenol and early bed time. and as a matter of fact, I haven't heard a peep out of her since and it's now 8:45. I am sad that I missed a very important first soccer game...I really am sorry Kali! hopefully we can make it to the next home game!! and I won't bring my camera with my big lens, nope not me! I'd never carry my camera to take pics of my favorite niece playing soccer, never!
well, tomorrow brinsg another day, getting up at 5:30 and leaving work at 4...I can totally get used to leaving at 4 pm...but getting up at 5:30 am? hardly! Hope everyone enjoyed their day!
God Bless!

snap shots

These are the snap shots that Paul took of Torie before taking her to preschool on Monday. She said she had fun playing in the water. I finally figured out what she meant when I saw her painting-done with watercolors! I can't believe Monday she will go all day. I cannot wait to pick her up and see how well she did! I am so looking forward to our extra time together. While I am excited about starting preschool, I am sad that we are leaving Mrs Glenda's. Torie has made leaps and bounds this spring and summer. Mrs Glenda always takes extra time to help Torie practice her words-and it showed when Torie started making wonderful M sounds. I love hearing Mommy! Torie can now say almost everyone's name at daycare and loves playing with her friends. I will always keep in touch with Mrs Glenda, because she knows and understands what we are going through as parents of a child who is different. We were blessed to have our good friend Lisa suggest Mrs Glenda to begin with-Lisa is awesome too.

She was dancing for the camera-can you tell?!? LOL. I cannot wait to get some fall pictures of her.

praying for the Stansel family

Join me in prayer for this family. They had sextuplets earlier this week, but have lost 2 babies. I have linked their blog to the right. You can go there and follow their twitter also. The babies were only 22.6 Weeks gest from what I have gathered. Bless this family with your thoughts and prayers.

I saw this on a website today and just had to add it here. With over ten years of training and over seven years of teaching Martial Arts, I have seen many girls lack confidence. These girls tend to look down all the time, rarely looking anyone in the eyes when talking with them. I see women in the office everyday that were never shown how to be a strong person. I see those women passing it on to their children. I see women who get hit and shoved around by their husbands. Their children see it too. Why do people live like this?!? That is not a life! What are you thinking? When are we,as a society going to teach girls to be confident and know how to get what they want out of life?

It was always my goal to teach girls (and women alike) to be strong, know who you are and that you are important. I always loved when I had students do well and make it to Black Belt, but there was always something more touching and more empowering when my girls were promoted to Black Belt. One day, hopefully sooner than later, I will teach again. I will teach my Lil Dragons to my ladies only class. And I will help them learn to stay strong and be a fighter!

Empower Girls To Be Strong from the Inside Out
By Patrick Sandora on August 3, 2009 10:58 AM
I don't know about you, but I'm suffering from a bad case of only what I can call "Shudder Syndrome", and it seems to be worsening. It's a relatively new ailment, but it always materializes when I read those disturbing statistics about young girls. I'm sure you know the ones about anorexia, depression, cutting, date rape, binge drinking, aggression, and bulimia. The list goes on and on. The minute I hear one, my ailment flares up: it always starts with a bad feeling deep down, and then my whole body just shudders. There has to be other parents like me who are shaking with worry. And I'm the mom of three boys! I can only imagine your symptoms if you're raising daughters. This is scary stuff. Don't get me wrong. I'm not implying that our girls are doomed. And certainly boys have their own share of problems as well. I'm just saying we need to keep a closer eye on those trends and realize leading experts are concerned about the young female gender (and with quite valid reasons). We are seeing a rise in depression, eating disorders and low self-esteem. Most experts agree that it's due to continual negative messages that happiness comes from the outside (being a particular dress size, wearing designer labels, or getting liposuction or breast implants (I kid you not. The increase of plastic surgery among young women is frightening!) Robbed is that great notion that real happiness comes from the inside. So how do we counter those constant negative media continually bombard our girls? How do we help young girls realize that there are other ways to be happy than by being rich, famous, or pencil-thin? What are ways for parents to help their daughters learn to feel comfortable in their own skin without having to copy "the look" of this week's Hollywood idol? And just how do we turn these troubling trends around and help our girls grow to be strong, confident and happy?
Here are the four strategies:
1. Be a confident mom. Girls don't learn to love themselves by hearing our self-esteem dinner lecture, but by having confident role models to copy. Sounds so obvious, but how easily that child development tenet is overlooked. And there's proof: A famous University of California at Davis study found that a mother's working status, occupation, income, education, religious affiliation, and even IQ were no where as significant on her child's self-esteem as the mother's own confidence level. Your self-perceptions--whether high or low--do trickle down to your child. So take care of yourself so your daughter can learn to love herself just as she is. Ask yourself one question each night: "If my daughter had only my behavior to watch today what would she have caught?" Was it independence or dependence? Confidence or insecurity? Be mindful of your influence. Model what you want your daughter to become. You do matter.
2. Stay connected to your daughter. I know those preteen and teen years can be tough on a parent's ego, but a big mistake is stepping back from our daughter's lives. Don't! One of the most comforting finding (that didn't make me shutter) was a survey conducted by the Girl Scouts of America survey. (Gotta love the Girl Scouts). Read this carefully: Ninety one percent of over 2000 girls surveyed aged eight to nine go to their mothers for advice. Find ways to stay connected and get into her life. Granted, it may take a bit of creativity, but think! If your daughter is leaning more towards her peers, why not get a few of her friend's mothers on board? Start a mother-daughter book club or go to yoga or exercise as a group. Watch Friends or Mean Girl with her. Read and discuss Harry Potter because she loves it. Or do what one mom told me she did: read Teen People so you can get into her zone.
3. Foster her strengths and passions. Find that spark in your daughter and help nurture her passions, capabilities, and interests. Yoga, horseback riding, drawing, basketball, writing, cooking: what turns your daughter on? Always tailor your parenting towards her natural nature so she has permission to be herself. Let her know you love her for who she really is--not for what you hope she will become. Doing so is one of the best ways to nurture strong identity and self-worth.
4. Find positive, female role models. Let's offer our daughters female role models who feel comfortable in their own skin (and don't need to rely on Botox, breast implants, dieting, and designer labels to feel attractive). What about J.R. Rowling, Erin Brockovich, Michelle Wei, Anne Hathaway, Great Aunt Harriet or even the neighbor lady next door? Expose your daughter to authentic, confident women, and then tell her why you admire them. Our girls need strong, resourceful female examples to emulate. Enough of Paris, Lindsay and Britney! Our best hope is to help daughters learn as early as possible that real happiness isn't borrowed or copied, but lies within. That's exactly why we need to help our girls become strong from the inside out. Doing so is what will help our daughters feel comfortable in their own skin. It's also the best cure for not only my shutter syndrome (and I'm sure yours), but for those troubling trends plaguing today's American young girls. You can start by boosting your influence with your daughter and stay more connected in her life. It's the best way to counter those negative media messages and help her become her own person and enjoy who she is.
Get more Parenting Solutions by following @MicheleBorba on Twitter.Dr. Michele Borba is the author of over 22 books including the upcoming Big Book of Parenting Solutions. She is a leading educational consultant, national parenting expert, contributor to iVillage, adviser to Parents magazine, regular guest on NBC's Today Show, and mom of three.

OK, yes, I am still here. LOL. Things have been so busy. I have taken several photos, so hopefully I can get them up soon. we also had Torie's *third* birthday party. Sometimes it seems like life after her open heart surgery has went three times as fast as those first 8 months. We have been truly blessed with a daughter is not only surviving but really thriving. We went to her 3 yr well child check and saw a new ped. He was awesome! Dr Johnson was so impressed with Torie and her growth. He did not even realize what her health issues were until several minutes into our conversation. yes, I did that on purpose. It showed me that Torie is very much a "typical" preschooler. That makes me a happy momma. Than, last week we actually went on our first family vacation. We decided that since Torie was doing so well, that we should go now, instead of waiting. She loved the beach, but loved the ocean even more! She spent some time in the pool and tried swimming. I found an awesome children's museum there too. I can't wait to post the pic of Torie inside of a bubble! If you ever go to Myrtle Beach, you must go to the SC children's museum. It's only $8, very worth it!

This week we had Torie's preschool orientation at West Wood. I am excited and nervous at the same time. I am sure she will have fun and love her new friends. I just worry about the transition from our loved Mrs Glenda Young to a whole new group of kids/teachers/routines. I am also excited that I will be leaving work at 4 pm every day to pick up Torie. Since I work in Tullahoma at Dr Good's office, I won't be able to take her to school. It means a lot to me to pick her up every day. If you are attending West Wood, contact me-maybe we can plan playdates before it gets too cold

prayers for kayleigh anne....

My heart is breaking for the Freeman family. I have been following this blog since fall of last year. It is the story of an amazing family and baby Kayleigh Anne. My heart is breaking for them during this time of loss, but they seem to be such a strong family and strong in faith. Please read their story of their 1 pound miracle! It is truly inspiring. Bring out the tissues before you even click on this link-you will need them. Please join me in praying for them and their two other children who only saw baby Kayleigh a few times....


http://kayleighannefreeman.blogspot.com/

Please read their whole blog, as you will learn just how much this family has been through. They really need our help.

what a week!

Things have been a little crazy hectic this week, but it did give me a chance to pick up Torie from daycare. I spent some time with the other children and we played. It was so nice to see Torie interacting with them. I have not had the chance to take any pictures in this rainy weather-I am *SO* ready for warm weather. I am going to try to take some nest weekend, again depending on the weather. Until then, I am adding some quotes I found. Just some things to think about. Hope you enjoy them!

You must look into other people as well as at them. Lord Chesterfield

Hear the meaning within the word. William Shakespeare

The more you say, the less people remember .François Fénelon

It is always good to know, if only in passing, charming human beings. It refreshes one like flowers and woods and clear brooks. George Eliot

The future depends on what we do in the present. - Mahatma Gandhi

Try not to become a man of success but a man of value. Albert Einstein

Now, I am going to go play with my family!

New pics!