Gobble Gobble!!

Wishing all of you a very safe and Happy Thanksgiving from our Family to yours!!

We are thankful to have such wonderful family & friends like you in our lives!

We wish that we could celebrate with all of you, but know that we are with you in spirit! We love you all, and hope that you all have a wonderful day with your families & friends!!

Wordless (or mostly) Wednesday

Since you are all so competitive, here is a little contest for you:

• The 1st person to guess why I'm doing this wins 50 Points
• and the 1st person to come up with the best caption for this photo wins 50 Points

That's a possibility of 100 points for someones takin'...so let's hear your best guesses!!! Winners will be announced tomorrow!

Why Oh Why???

I just have to complain a little bit...

My bleeeepity, bleep, bleepin', email isn't working...yet again!!!! ARRGGHHH!!! Why, why, why, do I keep getting plagued with computer/email issues?!?!

Does anyone have a typewriter? I think I'm going old school and am going to start blogging and emailing via typewriter or slate & chisel!

Ellie's Here

Ellie arrived safely today and is currently getting lots of love and attention! I sure hope that tag is prepared for the attention it's going to get! 

I'll post a picture tomorrow!

Answered Prayers

Saint Anthony answered our Prayers....our prayers are not always answered in the way that we think the should be but THEY ARE ALWAYS ANSWERED!

It has really been bothering me that we have not been able to find Bella's Ellie...I know we shouldn't get attached to material possessions but when it's something that your child has loved and carried since infancy it's kind of hard not to. Not to mention it's hard seeing your child so upset about it as well so as a mom of course you want to fix what's hurting them.

I have been turning this place upside down since we discovered Ellie was missing, but obviously have had no luck. Yesterday, when I learned that our friend's baby had been born I started the hunt for a gift for him. I texted Adriene to find out where she got her child's lovies to see if that was something that maybe I wanted to get the baby. She immediately called me back concerned and wondering if I was looking for another replacement for Ellie. We both happened to on our laptops while talking and she had asked if did a search online for a new one....which I had and had no luck. So just for fun she starts searching, and then starts asking me questions like: Is it green with pink satin?, Does it have an elephant head?, Does it have another elephant on the blanket part?, does it have the words LOVE ME on it?.....Umm YES to all of that....where did you find it?? EBAY!

At this point my adrenline is now a runnin'....I get on Ebay to where she is and immediatly place my bid, but the auction didn't end for 2 days. I do have a life and didn't think it would be wise to parked in front of my laptop for 48 hrs (although I really wouldn't mind but the knee biters would nag me the whole time). So I decided to email the seller with my woes and see if they would do a buy it now for me. They were kind enough to do this for me and even upgraded the shipping to priority at no extra charge! 

She is on the way! If by chance the original does rear it's head then we'll have a back up...maybe an at home Ellie and a car Ellie!

Thank you Saint Anthony!!!

A New Baby is on the Way!!

It's a BOY!!! Baby Garret Steven was born at 12:47 am. Weighing in at 6 lbs 1 ounce and 19.5 inches long. She only pushed 5 times in 15 mins. and he was here. All are doing well.

Congratulations Paula & Jason...we are so happy for you all and we love you!!!

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10PM (CST)Update: As of 15 minutes ago she was only dilated to 4 and getting an epidural 30 mins from then. I never that that I would say this (having gone through childbirth 4 times) but it's a good thing that her labor is moving slowly so daddy can get there on time.

Here is a little background on our friendship with this couple:

 I 1st met Paula my Sophomore year in college when she was dating a friend of mine "B". We all (Don, Paula, & I) became good friends and remained that way even when her & "B"'s relationship ended. For whatever reason Paula couldn't move past "B" and I KNEW that she deserved so much better...she is a sweet, loving, caring, generous, genuine person. 

Fast forward to the fall of '95, Don had started a friendship up with Jason...Jason was a student trainer and Don was the EQ guy and these two where and are two peas in a pod. Don had introduced me to Jason one day while I was visiting him at the office...I got pretty bored each day after I got off work or when I didn't work because at the time we didn't have children but I was pregnant with Bailey. While getting to know Jason I drilled the poor guy with "the Sherri questions" which include things like: are you dating anyone, what is your type, what are your interests, do you like this, do you like that, etc, etc.. (if a guy makes it through this series of Q&A then he's good to go in my book). Once he passed "the test" I realized that he and Paula had a lot in common so I set them up...my 1st and only set-up and I did a pretty good job if I do say so myself! For their 1st date all four of us went out together for lunch at a local Chinese place and they hit it off from there!!

From that point on we were all pretty inseparable! I have so many wonderful memories from our time with them but one of my favorites was on 1/25/96...they were at the hospital when Bailey was born (not right in the room because I had a c-section). Their love, support, help and friendship meant/means the world to us! Don & I were in their wedding in Colorado June '02, which was wonderful and our little Liv was able to be in it too as she was only 6 weeks old. As I said before, they are also her God-parents as well!

Sorry for the ramblings but I wanted to make sure and at least get some of this story in writing before I get old and can't remember anything (that's seems to happen quickly with 4 kids...LOL). After all, the whole point of this blog was to keep family and friends in touch, and to use it as a journal/timeline of our lives...they are definitely an important part in our journey!

We love you guys and can't wait to meet "little cub"! It's is pure torture on us that we can't be there for you, for the birth of your 1st, like you were there for us (plus I'm sure Jason could use the Luigi's pizza after the delivery like Don did)!!

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6:30PM (CST) Update: She is now contracting every 4 minutes and she corrected Jason's arrival time to 10PM (MST). We are keeping our fingers crossed for them!

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Update: Don spoke with Jason, the new daddy to be, earlier and learned that he won't be able to make back until 9PM tonight (the earliest flight he could catch was at 4PM...not sure what time zones we are referring to). Nonetheless, the docs have tried to slow things down for Paula to hopefully ensure that he's there for the delivery. Please keep them in your thoughts and pray that he makes it there in time.

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I just got a text from a very good friend of mine, Paula (Liv's God-mother), telling me that she's in labor...her water broke this morning at 8am...YEAH!! She is currently dilated to 2cm, so she's probably in for a long day. I can't even begin to tell you how excited we are for her and Jason...we/they weren't even sure that they would ever be able to have children!!!

Please help me pray for them for: a safe delivery for both Paula and "little cub" (that's their nickname for baby), that "little cub" is healthy, and that Jason has a safe trip back to them (he is the head trainer for the NHL Phoenix Coyotes and they are currently in NC).

I'll keep you posted as I get more info...

St. Anthony Help Us!!

Update: Still no sign of Ellie anywhere which totally blows mind...our house isn't the most clean and organized but it's not that bad! I have been RACKING my brain since Tuesday to come up with every possible place it could be and of course every little angle I had offered nothing. Finally last night before bed I offered up a cash reward for the 1st person to find it. Cash is a big motivator so we hopefully will have that little Ellie in hand by the end of the weekend...if not I might have to bring a medium to help me out!

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So life is not good right now for the three year old because her best little buddy is missing and has been since Monday sometime. We have searched high and low in this house and can't seem to find her Ellie. Now it's time for some Saintly intervention because I'm at a loss right now and she is bummed out! I will be sad too if we can't find it...she has been loving on it since she was an infant, so it holds sentimental value too!

So here are some prayers to Saint Anthony the Patron Saint of Lost Things....please feel free to say these prayers in the hopes that he can help us to find our baby's best friend!!

Novena to Saint Anthony to Find a Lost Article

St. Anthony, perfect imitator of Jesus, who received from God the special power of restoring lost things, grant that I may find Ella's Ellie which has been lost. At least restore to me peace and tranquility of mind, the loss of which has afflicted me even more than my material loss. To this favor, I ask another of you: that I may always remain in possession of the true good that is God. Let me rather lose all things than lose God, my supreme good. Let me never suffer the loss of my greatest treasure, eternal life with God. Amen.
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St. Anthony, St. Anthony
Please come down
Something is lost
And can't be found
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Dear St. Anthony, I pray
Bring it back, without delay.
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Something's lost and can't be found
Please, St. Anthony, look around.

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My poor baby is crying for her Ellie as I type (break my heart)!

I Guess it was Inevitable

Yesterday after I picked up the kids I started feeling a little achy, so when I got home I promptly took some Ibuprofen to help ward off what ever evil that might be coming. The Ibuprofen took affect, ah success, and I thought nothing of it until...until I hopped into bed last night and I could feel it coming. It never fails as soon as you turn out the lights the nose plugs up and the breathing difficulty begins...why is that anyway?! I felt the crud all through the night in my nose & throat and then woke up this morning feeling crummy. I really hope this doesn't last too long (as I mom of 4 I don't have time for this), and I sure hoped to avoid it but I guess it was inevitable since Bail had it and Bella has it.