1st Birthday!!

Well Friends, it has been a whole year since our girls were born. A year of incredible happiness and horrible sorrow. A year that has seen it share of smiles and more than its share of tears. Kelsey is not here to celebrate this wonderful milestone in her life, but we feel she is here none-the-less. We wished her a happy birthday and gave her a kiss. I still talk to her daily and tell her how much I love and miss her. I ask her to help us watch over Riley and keep her safe. And I think she does.

Riley has grown so much this year and has really developed a wonderful personality. She just loves to smile and laugh and really isn’t much of a cranky baby at, save for when she is fighting sleep.

For her first birthday we took her to a picnic in the park and then returned home for a private little party with cake. You can see the havok below. It was wonderful and only wish we still had the “double trouble” factor at work here. Happy Birthday to you Riley! We Love you. And Kelsey, my Angel, Happy Birthday to You! We Love You and Miss You so much!

Mommy and Riley

Scarfin the Cake!

Riley had a cake at her Baptism and thanks to Uncle Paul, we have video!
So here she is, in her first attempt at horkin some cake, Is Riley Jane…

Mother’s Day

Wow, I have waited for this day for what seems like an eternity. Not just Mother’s Day but this Mother’s Day.

Last year at this time I got Mother’s Day cards, the twins were on their way but I didn’t feel like a “Mom”. It was all just too surreal, there was no tummy to feel, no kicks to jump at, no morning sickness, no false starts to the hospital. I was just this woman waiting to have her babies delivered halfway around the world.

Last year at this time I was clueless, I didnt know if it was boys or girls. I didn’t know if I would be a good Mom. I didn’t know what I would go through in India. I didn’t know that returning to work would be so hard. I didnt know what it was like to go through months without a decent nights sleep. I didn’t know that I could love someone so much it hurt when I wasn’t with them. I didn’t know what it was like to lose a child. I didn’t know how much I could handle that life would throw at me. There was so much I thought I knew and I was wrong. It wasn’t that I thought I knew it all, there was just so much more to learn.

Last year at this time I was on a mission. I wanted to spread the news to people around the world that parenthood was possible for many of us that had given up hope. I thought by this time this year my mission would be fufilled. I now realize that there is so much more to do to get the word out and I have been lax in my efforts over the last few months.

Last year at this time I did not feel even close to 40, now I feel like 41 has kicked my backside.

Last year at this time, I wanted to say, “I am a Mother!” and now:

To all our friends and family out there, I am a Mother. In the last year I have learned that I am stronger than I thought I was, not as smart as I thought I was, full of more emotion than I every thought possible and happier than I ever thought I could be.

I know some of you have taken this journey with us and are either in the middle or waiting for your journey to begin, and to you I say with all my heart, GO FOR IT! Be ready for the challenges and never give up or give in. Do not accept the status quo, let no one tell you no. You, my friends, my girls, my mothers to be, are worthy of this. Through the last year, even with its challenges and new realities, I am thankful everyday for my babies. Thier lives made me new, made me realize who I was in one short year. I wish this for all of you. Happy Mother’s Day.

Oh and this is for the Mikes too but they have to read this again in June~

Lisa

Ouch, that smarted….

Ok, so Lisa and I decided that we really did need a second car after all..and we felt an SUV would suit our needs better than another sedan would. So we went and purchased a 2009 Jeep Patriot. And I liked the lil ‘Riot..and was happily driving along on April 3rd, exactly one day after making my first payment on it..Yep, you guessed it..whammo!! I was sitting on the off-ramp bridge from Loop 1604 to get onto I-10 East. Sitting dead still, no movement at all. I glance up in my rear view mirror and see nuttin’ but grill..SLAM!! A massive furniture delivery truck slammed into me at about 60 mph..Glass flew everywhere, the collision causing a very loud sound and me, seatbelt and all, being flung around the driver’s seat. I take stock off myself for a moment, thanking God that Riley was sleeping when I left so I didn’t bring her with me.
I survived it, the lil ‘Riot took the shot like a champ. I’m all beat up, in physical therapy for back and neck pain.. But looks at these pics..tell me that you’re not surprised that the Jeep handled such a hard shot..Bad news..it was totalled…

So now, it’s totalled and I’m having to come up with another down payment because Traveller’s Insurance will only pay off my Jeep, no more for inconvienence. So we go shopping. And we find exactly what I would have wanted, although used, in perfect shape.. A 2006 Jeep Commander Limited! Complete with 4.7L V8 and towing package. In-dash Satellite Radio, Navigation, 6 Disc CD/MP3 player and a fold down DVD system for Riley. It has 3rd row seating, power everything, leather everywhere and 1 sunroof and 2 skylights for Riley. Lisa found it and I couldn’t ask for more.. Best part? The payments are $100 less per month than the 2009 Jeep Patriot..and all it had was satellite radio. So yes friends, even in the face of “can’t we catch a break-ness” there can be a silver lining. I just thank God and Lisa that we had gap insurance.
Here’s my baby..