Friday, December 18, 2009

Our "Official" Song

Dear Danny,

This is it - our song. I know this is not technically our anniversary, but since our computer is broke, I am covertly doing this at work. It's ok...you work hard enough here for both of us. This song is perfect for us. We both love Keith Urban, not only for his music, but for what he has gone through. His song "Thank You" describes our relationship to a tee. I am so proud of you. In our three years together, you have conquered your demons and overcame something that many people never are able to master. I am so lucky to have you and Hailey and I are both so greatful for the man that you have become. No part of it has been easy, but you have completely changed your life. I love you.

Thank You by Keith Urban:

There were nights where I was sure
I wouldn't see the morning sun
And there were days that seemed so dark
I couldn't wait for night to come
I couldn't stand to think about how
My life used to be
And how without a single warning
It all slipped away from me
Like a fool I thought I could fight
The shadows on my own
To the dark I was no stranger
But this was stronger than I'd known
And by the time I knew that I was too deep I'd gone too far
And the light that used to guide me
Had faded from my heart
And I found myself in places I thought I'd never go
Surrounded by stangers I was so far away from home
And I don't know how you found me
All I know is I owe everything to you.
Yes I do

[Chorus]
And I thank you for my heart
I thank you for my life
And I thank god for grace and mercy
And that you became my wife
I'm seeing for the first time
The stars, the sun and moon
But they've got nothing on the power
Of this love I have for you
And I thank you, thank you

Now people say they'll never stand beside you
They swear they never leave
But when the rain started falling
You know it only fell on me
It was hard to keep believin' in myself
When all I felt was so much pain and guilt and shame
I couldn't even as for help
I don't know if I believe in other lives
But when you came
There was something so familar
About the way you said my name
And the whole world started turning
And I swear that I'd been born again brand new
And it's all because of you

[Chorus]
And I've seen so many things
That I just can't explain
But the miracle of miracles is how
With your love I was saved

And I thank you for my heart
I thank you for my life
I thank god for grace and mercy
And that you became my wife
The day I started breathing
Was the day you took my hand
And 'til the day I die
Baby I'll forever be your man
And I thank you, I thank you

Love you - can't wait to dance tonight.

Somebody Loved

Dear Mr. Shaver,

Man do I miss watching Dirty, Sexy, Money with you. We loved that show. It was during one of the episodes that we first discovered The Weepies. After hearing Somebody Loved, we listened to it over and over again. What a great song for us. I've said it before and I will say it again, you've made me a better person and you definitely bring out the best in me. Thank you for turning me into Somebody Loved.

Rain turns the sand into mud
Wind turns the trees into bone
Stars turning high up above
You turn me into somebody loved

Nights when the heat had gone out
We danced together alone
Cold turned our breath into clouds
We never said what we were dreaming of
But you turned me into somebody loved

Someday when we're old and worn
Like two softened shoes
I will wonder on how I was born
The night I first ran away from you

Now my feet turn the corner back home
Sun turns the evening to rose
Stars turning high up above
You turn me into,
you turn me into
You turn me into somebody loved
Somebody loved,
Ooo, somebody loved

Love,
Mrs. Shaver

Thursday, December 17, 2009

These Times They are a Changin'

Dear Hubs,

Some may ask how a Bob Dylan song could possibly be "our song." However, those who question that do not know 1) the love that I have for Bob Dylan, and 2) that you once tried to teach me to waltz to "These Times They are a Changin'. Your parents are ballroom dancers and your father owns a ballroom dance studio. You would think teaching me to waltz would be an easy task. Alas, not only do I have terrible rhythm, but I refused to let you change the cd for more suitable music. This was also the night that we decided should we be blessed with another daughter, her name will be Dylan Leigh. Here's to 2010 and hopefully the addition of a "pickle."

Come gather round people wherever you roam
And admit that the waters around you have grown
And accept it that soon you'll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you is worth saving
Then you'd better start swimming or you'll sink like a stone
For the times, they are a changing

Come writers and critics who prophesize with your pens
And keep your eyes open, the chance won't come again
And don't speak too soon, the wheel's still in spin
And there's no telling who that it's naming
Oh the loser will be later to win
For the times, they are a changing

Come senators, congressmen, please head the call
Don't stand in the doorway, don't block up the hall
For he that gets hurt will be her that has stalled
The battle outside raging will soon shake your windows
And rattle your hall
For the times, they are a changing

Come mothers and fathers all over this land
And don't criticize what you can't understand
Your sons and your daughter are beyond your command
Your old role is rapidly aging
Please get out of the new one if you can't lend a hand
For the times they are a changing

The line, it is drawn, the curse, it is cast
The slow one will later be fast
And the present now will soon be the past
The order is rapidly fading
The first one now will later be last
For the times, they are a changing

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Your Song

Dear Hubby,

From the get-go, we have both loved this song. This is one of those that whenever it plays, you always grab my hand and it's one of the few where you will sing to me. We bonded right away over our love for Elton John. Do you remember the night that we danced in the kitchen of our apartment to this? Hailey was in your arms, and Jimi was on the counter batting at Hailey's hair. We all got the giggles and we didn't make it through the whole song. But here we go....

It's a little bit funny this feeling inside
I'm not one of those who can easily hide
I don't have much money but boy if I did
I'd buy a big house where we both could live

If I was a sculptor, but then again, no
Or a man who makes potions in a travelling show
I know it's not much but it's the best I can do
My gift is my song and this one's for you

And you can tell everybody this is your song
It may be quite simple but now that it's done
I hope you don't mindI hope you don't mind that I put down in words
How wonderful life is while you're in the world

I sat on the roof and kicked off the moss
Well a few of the verses well they've got me quite cross
But the sun's been quite kind while I wrote this song
It's for people like you that keep it turned on

So excuse me forgetting but these things I do
You see I've forgotten if they're green or they're blue
Anyway the thing is what I really mean
Yours are the sweetest eyes I've ever seen

And you can tell everybody this is your song
It may be quite simple but now that it's done
I hope you don't mind
I hope you don't mind that I put down in words
How wonderful life is while you're in the world

Life has gotten infinitely better since you entered my world.
Love you.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Our Song

Dear Hubby,

In 5 days we will have been married for a whole year. It hasn't necessarily been the easiest year of our lives, but there is only one thing I would change. We didn't have the big wedding, but I don't regret that at all. I am sad that we never got to have a "first dance." We have so many songs that we consider our song. For the next 5 days, I'm going to have a countdown to our song. This will also include dancing at home in our living room, so be prepared.

Song # 5: Keith Urban - Got it Right

She believes in me like I've been tryin' to do
I'm seein' things I've never seen before
Ever since you came into my life I've been a better man

Run, Run, Run, I was running scared
Always lookin' for a place to leave
And I couldn't seem to find where I belonged
Until she took my hand

Chorus
We can make this work out
Baby, I know it's true
I can't picture myself, with no one but you
And I think I got it right, this time

Oh Yeah

All of my life I've been lookin' for someone
Who believes in love the way I do
And I know I've make my share of big mistakes
But Girl I promise you

Chorus

True belivers always find each other
And here we are
Always knew that you were out there just waitin' on me
For me to find my way
Find my way to your heart
Oh Yeah

Chorus

After all the crazy days
I made it through
I can't picture myself with no one but you
And I think I got it right, this time
Oh Yeah

Love you handsome.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Rockstar

It's hard being a bonus mom. Most of the time I put on my game face and I don't let anyone know that I'm struggling. Being the mom on a day to day basis, but not ever hearing a little voice calling you "Mommy" is tough. Something happened tonight though that made tears come to my eyes.

Danny and I went to parent/teacher conferences at Hailey's school tonight. We were a little nervous, but everything went great. She is doing well with her reading and we need to work on her math skills a bit more. At the end of the conference though, we went in the hallway and looked at the pictures on the wall. Each of the kids drew a picture of themselves and answered a bunch of questions. One of the questions was, "Name your family members." I looked all over for my name the list and couldn't find "Jess" anywhere. Hailey's said, "Daddy, Grandma, Papa, Isabella - her sister, Brett - her mommy's fiance, Mom, and Mom. That's right, Hailey called me Mom. My eyes welled with tears and I felt like a million bucks! This should tide my insecurities over for quite awhile. I love that little girl!

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Visits from Dad and a New Shaver

As many of you know, last weekend my Dad came to visit so he could go see the Cowboys/Chiefs game with us. We had an awesome time having him visit! I know he was quite impressed with the big dogs. I've got to tell you, there isn't much cuter than watching your dad play Guess Who with your daughter. He used to play that game with Jenna and me all of the time. Here are a few pictures from the game.

And here are your Kansas City Chiefs!

One of Dad's favorite players, Miles Austin. He had an awesome game!

More Chiefs entrance pics.










The football crazies.


I love this picture of us!


Seriously, how hot is Tony Romo? And isn't my camera amazing?!




Also, I'd like to issue a welcome to the newest member of the Shaver family: Daisy Shaver. She's a doll and we are crazy about her. Right now, she's all curled up in my lap taking a nap. Dr. G saw her today and says she is completely healthy. I can't wait for everyone to see her!


Thursday, October 8, 2009

My Best Friend.....


My best friend died today. She wasn't much of a talker, but she let me know every day that she loved me. Each morning when I woke up, every day when I got home, and each night before I went to bed, I would get licks and nuzzles that told me I was special.

Journey was my Valentine's Day present from Danny in 2008. When we got her, she was 8 weeks old and only 4 lbs. She let us know immediately that she was going to have quite the personality. Our first night home with her, I had her outside every hour on the hour because I didn't want her to wake up the neighbors with her crying in the kennel. It tooks months, but we settled into a routine of Danny keeping her up late to play, and me getting up with her early to play some more.

She was so smart and always did so amazing in her training classes. Her favorite was "come when called." We would have to stand at the end of the aisle in PetSmart while the trainer held her on her leash. Then we would call her name, and she would have to leave all the treats and come to us. All of the other dogs would always stop at the treats, but not Journey. She just cared about being with me.

We took her with us everywhere. She went to Hailey's softball and soccer games, at times to work, and frequent trips back home. Journey was an amazing car rider. I know it wasn't safe, but she loved to curl up in my lap while I drove.

As a puppy, she was a wild woman. She ran everywhere and played constantly. I can't tell you the number of times that she woke us up with a squeaking ball. Within the last few months, she was starting to grow up and calm down more. She cuddled with me all of the time and was just the perfect size to curl up with on the couch. I loved waking up in the night to feel her curled up on the back of my legs.

She was a terror at times too.At last count, she destroyed: two pairs of glasses, three lamp cords, numerous toys, the cord for the cell phone and home phone, my Ipod headphones, all of my Old Navy flip flops for the 2008 season, tennis shoes, and an attempt on my cell phone. After eating those things, she would look up at you with that adorable face as if she was saying, "Oops. I didn't mean to." Luckily she had outgrown the chewing.

On an afternoon in March, I got out of the shower, and Journey's head was shaking in a weird manner. Then, about 10 minutes later, she lost control of her back legs and couldn't walk. We rushed her to the vet and found out that she had had a seizure. Dr. G explained that it was probable that it would happen again. He also explained that it could be from a seizure condition, or from a mass on her brain. We left there a little worried about what might come, but were not willing to spend the money on the doggy CT Scan.

In the last 6 months, Journey's seizure count was up to 4. We have also noticed that her personality was changing. She has been getting cranky and would bark at odd times. We also noticed her getting more and more aggressive at times as well. The vet said that this could be caused by either a mass on her brain, or seizure disorders also can cause aggressiveness. Today, she bit my niece who had done nothing to provoke her. Adi is fine and it didn't break the skin. However, Danny and I knew that next time it could be worse. I talked to Dr. G as well, and he also agreed that this wouldn't be an isolated incident and Journey's condition would only worsen.

Danny and I took her in. Because I knew she would freak out if I tried to leave her alone at the vet, we stayed and she died comfortably and happy on my lap. That's where she always wanted to be anyway. I think this was the hardest thing I've ever had to do.

I just buried my best friend.

No one knows the real reason we got Journey. I had been living in Kansas City for 8 months and I was terribly homesick. It was hard on me knowing that Danny had Hailey who always chose him, and no one picked me. I loved my little family, but I need someone here that was here for me since all of my family was 200 miles away. We picked Journey out online and she stole my heart immediately. We puppy shopped for quite awhile before we found her. The minute I saw her, I knew she was the one.

She has been the best dog and friend anyone could ever ask for. My heart is breaking into a million pieces tonight as I know I will never see her little smile again, or see her little butt shake because she is so excited to see me. I just saw Charlie pick up one of her toys and was angry that he dared touch it. My baby is gone. I know we did the right thing, but it doesn't help me know that she will never run through the backyard she was so happy in again. I dread going to bed tonight because she always jumped in bed and layed on my pillow first.

I miss my friend.

We love you Journey America Shaver and we can't wait to see you again.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Happy Birthday Adilynn!

Dear Adilynn Sariah,

Happy 1st Birthday my darling niece! I am so excited that I get to help you celebrate this big day. Most people are never lucky enough to be able to have their niece or nephew living with them. I am so blessed to have this opportunity.

I remember when your mommy called me and told me that I was going to be an aunt. I was so incredibly excited and told the news to everyone I could find. In my life, I have been lucky enough to have so many aunts who have helped me along the way. I couldn't believe that I was going to get to hold that honored title myself!

I waited and waited to find out whether I would have a niece or a nephew. When I found out what your name would be, I was even more excited. I immediately started stockpiling little presents and outfits for you. When Grandma told us that your Mommy was in labor, I couldn't stop thinking about you, little bean. I hated that you were so far away and I wouldn't be able to hold you right away. When you arrived safe and sound, I thanked God that He had given our family you. I knew that you would be such a joy for your Mommy and Daddy.

I sent Grandma and Papa over with some presents and even mailed you a few more. I wanted you to know right away that Aunt Jess loved you best; well after Mommy, Daddy, Grandma, and Papa.

When Mommy called and said that you were coming home for Christmas, I was so excited to share that holiday with you. Uncle Danny and I were so happy that you were able to be there for our wedding too! I think since Mommy and Daddy signed our marriage license, that made you the "Baby of Honor."

From the first time I held you, I knew you were special. You've always been funny around strangers, but after the first couple times of being around me, you were content to be with me. When you guys were back to visit this past April, one of the nights before you left, we went to eat Mexican. You were fussy with anyone who tried to hold you. I grabbed you though and walked around singing to you, and you nuzzled into me and fell asleep. It was so hard to let you go that night. Now that you are back in Missouri with your Mommy, I have treasured every piece of time I have had with you. Your legs are getting so strong, and you will be walking any time. Your smile is so sweet sometimes I almost get tears in my eyes. You are just so beautiful, Adi. When you reach for me to hold you, I swear my heart swells in my chest.

I know someday I will have more nieces and nephews. Each one will be so special to me because I will love them all for different reasons. Just know my darling girl that you made me an aunt for the first time. There will always be such a special place in my heart for you.




Adi in her walker.

Adi smiling up at her Mommy.

The Leimkuhler Family
I pray everyday for your Daddy, baby girl. I pray that he comes home safe for you and your Mommy. Just know that your Daddy is so brave and you should be so proud of him.
Part of me can't wait for you to get older. I can't wait to have you spend a weekend with us so we can spoil you rotten. Or when you are a teenager, for you to come for a week in the summer. Right now though, I am enjoying watching you change from a baby to your own little person. You are so funny and every day you somehow make me laugh.
Happy Birthday Adi! I love you to the moon and back!
Love,
Aunt Jess

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Happy Birthday to Me :)


I turn 26 tomorrow. I know that is not old, and I'm not going to pretend that it is. However, it does feel strange. Five years ago, I was at work counting the minutes until I got off and could go buy some beer. Just in the last year my life has changed so much. Since my last birthday, I have bought my first new car, gotten married, and bought my first home. So many changes, but all good ones. It's just amazing to me sometimes that I'm not the same punk kid who loved karaoke, but instead am someone's wife and mother. I have a feeling thought that 26 will be my best year ever!

Friday, August 28, 2009

Loss

If you dislike the Kennedy's in any way, I suggest that you turn away from this post right now and come back another day.


If you like the Kennedy family, or are at least indifferent, stay awhile as I give my tribute to a family whom I greatly admire.


As a history major, I have always been a voracious reader of biographies and such. Reading is a way for me to live a life in the past. Be a hero, gain knowledge, slay dragons, and fight crime. I'm a dreamer, but not a doer. In second grade, I began my love affair with Abraham Lincoln. This included memorizing the Gettysburg Address at age 8, continued with numerous papers about him and my reading of several biographies. Eventually my passion dwindled and our affair ended.


In high school, my interests changed to the Roosevelts, and then to the Roosevelt women. This lasted approximately a minute as I found the Roosevelts to be a bit spoiled and whiny.

College came, and with it a book entitled Jackie, Ethel, and Joan. I fell head over heels for these three Kennedy spouses. I began reading everything I could about the Kennedy family. Biographies on the Kennedy men, the Kennedy women, and then their children. I never tired or grew bored with any knowledge I gained regarding this family.

I'm not someone who worshipped the Kennedy family. I don't have pictures of them on my wall, and I don't pretend that they didn't have faults. We all fall short of the glory of God. What is more important is what they gave me.


Through reading, I was on the PT 109 with Jack saving the lives of my countryman. While flying through the air with Joe Jr, I earned the Navy Cross and died for the USA. Kathleen taught me to dance, flirt, and win over the English gentry. With Rosemary, I felt the pain of being slow in a family where witty banter and knowledge meant everything. Eunice shared her compassion, Bobby his courage, Pat her insecurities, Jean her desire for a normal life, and Teddy the feelings of not quite measuring up.

I connected with the Kennedy family. Coming from a large, loving family myself, I could understand their fierce loyalty for each other. Their Catholic faith was the same as my own faith. Just reading about them, I was filled with "vig-ah." Encouraged by Jack to "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country," I have worked on Habitat Houses, volunteered in food pantries, and picked up litter on the side of the road. One of my favorite service projects was to serve food to the elderly in college. Because of Ted's constant battling in the Senate, I had access to student loans and had the priviledge of attending college. Teddy led the way for FMLA to be passed so that I can rest easy and know that after childbirth, I will not lose my job if I stay home for a couple of months with my baby. And If I lose that job for whatever reason, I know that my family will still have access to healthcare through Cobra. I am grateful to Eunice for starting the Special Olympics which afforded me the opportunity to be a "buddy" not once, but twice; Both whom touched my life in a special way. Bobby once quoted the Serpant in George Bernard Shaw's play Back to Methuselah, "There are those that look at things the way that they are, and ask why? I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?"

I am saddened that only Jean is left. There was something magical knowing that so many Kennedys were still alive. Losing both Eunice and Teddy so close together is tough. Of the original set of Kennedy spouses, only Ethel, Joan, and Sargent Shriver still remember the magic and the charisma of this family.

Sometimes I wonder if such a family will ever appear in American history again. A family with such passion for public service, with a desire to better themselves. A family from humble roots, Catholic politicians when Catholics were somewhat feared, and a family who wanted to inspire people and change the world. However, I draw strength from the words that Senator Kennedy spoke at the 1980 Democratic Convention. "For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, our cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die."

RIP Edward Moore Kennedy. I'm certain that Jesus and your family welcomed you home.

Friday, August 21, 2009

School Already?


So the old camera is still messed up, but this was taken on my cell phone. This is what Hailey has taken to referring to as her Hannah Montana outfit. She wore this her second day of school and definitely thought she was hot stuff. Danny and I are having a tough time thinking of her as a 2nd grader, but she is! She is adjusting so well to her new school and is making a ton of friends. We could not be more proud of her!
Both Hailey and I have recently changed our appearances somewhat dramatically. Hailey got about 6 inches cut off of her hair, and I got 8 inches. Granted, both are still less than the amount that my baby sister lost - see haircut. We are both still happy with the changes.
If you are on Facebook, you've probably seen that I have been working out a lot. Two weeks ago, I decided to join Curves and I feel great. My goal is to not only get healthy for myself, but to set a good example for Hailey. If I manage to finally motivate my Dad in the process, then I will be over the moon!
Danny and I painted our spare bedroom last weekend. It's now burnt almond, but looks pretty snazzy. He continually is such a gift to me and is so supportive of everything that I do. It's such a great motivator to come home from working out and to hear him say, "Babe I'm so proud of you." Plus he grills some mean mahi mahi.
I'm hoping to get the camera fixed here soon, so we will start being so much more interesting shortly. Keep the faith. And if you get a chance, come visit. I'm homesick...bring Gem City!

Saturday, August 1, 2009

In My Life....


There are places I remember All my life, though some have changed, Some forever, not for better, Some have gone and some remain.


All these places had their moments, With lovers and friends I still can recall, Some are dead and some are living, In my life I've loved them all.


But of all these friends and lovers, There is no one compared with you, And these mem'ries lose their meaning When I think of love as something new.



Though I know I'll never lose affection For people and things that went before, I know I'll often stop and think about them In my life I love you more.




Though I know I'll never lose affection For people and things that went before, I know I'll often stop and think about them In my life I love you more. In my life I love you more.
I'm laying here cuddled up with Journey and I've been thinking all day about how incredibly blessed I am. From my birth, I have always been loved. Throughout any ups and downs in my life, I have always had someone's love to count on. People spend their lives searching for the kind of love that has repeatedly fallen in my lap. I am blessed.

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Changes

I've been a bum about posting lately. That is primarily because we've been busy around the house. I hardly take the time to turn on the computer. When we get home at night, we are typically outside all evening unless there is any cleaning or laundry to do.

Our little house is shaping up quite nicely. We've done a ton of work outside, and Danny has put down a bunch of edges around all of the flowers we've planted with big rocks. I'm sorry there are no pictures of these, but blame Hailey for the malted egg in my purse that is stuck in my camera. Up front, we have dianthus, vincas, a hibiscus, and a couple of other things planted. In the back, we have impatians, geraniums, begonias, lantanas, hostas, and on the side of the deck, we tilled up a 350 square foot area that Danny edged in rock. We filled that in with a couple of bottles of mixed flower seeds just to see what would grow. Everything's doing pretty well back there...no blooms yet, and we don't know what is a weed and what is a plant yet so it looks a little wild. It's fun to watch it all grow though.

I have become an avid bird watcher. My favorite place to sit is on our bottom deck watching the birds and squirrels in our backyard. I have a suet feeder, a songbird feeder, and a finch feeder out there. I'm going to put a bird bath out there sometime soon. Right now is one of my favorite times to watch them because they are all so active! Just this morning, I've seen goldfinches, purple finches, sparrows, cardinals, a blue jay, and a mourning dove. We've had a couple of woodpeckers too. The squirrels may be my favorite though! I was just telling my mom that they look different than the squirrels back home. These are a chocolate brown with really thin gray tails and their tails have a black stripe down them. They wave them around like crazy too. Unfortunately Journey has made it her mission to rid our yard of the squirrels. She sends them running up tress every time and they will yell at her like crazy.

Hailey is so happy here. She plays outside with the neighbor kids every day. We register her for school on Monday, and even though she is nervous about changing schools, she is also excited about 2nd grade. Softball ended a couple of weeks ago, and she did very well. We spoke with her soccer coach from last year, and he feels she is ready for competitive soccer instead of the just for fun league she's played in previously. I'm working on finding a team for her now. This will be a big commitment for us as this means tournaments on the weekends and such, but I think it will be a lot of fun as well. Hailey is having her first little sleepover tonight too. Her friend Neely is coming over and we're going to make homemade pizza and watch some movies. It should be a really good time.

Last weekend, Danny and I painted the living room and got our new couch. The pictures were taken on my cell phone, so they aren't showing the colors well. Three of the walls are a chocolate brown color and one wall is a mocha. We also bought a big easy chair that is a mocha color.



Dad and Deb and the kids are coming over in two weeks for three days. We are really looking forward to it. While they are here, we are going to get the kitchen wall, hallway, and entryway painted. Once that is finished, I really think our house will look so much better. Just having the living room finished has made a huge difference.
The beginning of September will be bringing another big change in the Shaver household. My sister-in-law, Kim, and my niece, Adi, will be coming to live with us for a year. My brother-in-law, Tommy, is a W-2 in the military and flies blackhawks. They are currently stationed in Hawaii, and Kim doesn't want to stay there by herself for a year while her husband is away. She also doesn't care to move back in with her parents, which I don't blame her for at all. It's tough to move back home after you have been living on your own. She will be our live in baby-sitter too as she will be able to stay with Hailey before and after school which will save us both time and money. She does bring with her a St. Bernard and an English Mastiff however. It will be an adjustment for all of us, but we are very excited about being able to spend so much time with Kim and Adi. There is also a part of me that feels the need to pay it forward as Uncle Tim and Aunt Janet were so wonderful to house me during a tough transition in my life.
Right now though, I'm going to go steal the riding lawn mower and mow the backyard before Danny has a chance. That's right, we argue over who gets to mow the lawn. We both love doing it!

Monday, June 29, 2009

I'm Awful


I'm so terrible about posting right now. We have been so busy, I haven't taken any pictures in forever, and I have just been so exhausted! I promise though, there will be many posts coming up. In the meantime, just know a few things:


1) Hailey gives the best hugs in the world. Today I told her I needed her to give me my favorite thing, and she gave me a hug. I actually meant an onion, but she's right - her hugs really are my favorite thing.


2) Danny finished up a bunch of our backyard landscaping. He followed that up by making me dinner while I laid out in the sun. He then served me dinner complete with a glass of wine. My hubby is a rockstar.


3) I am secretly glad that Hailey's last softball game for the year is tomorrow. I love watching her play, but I really am not crazy about the parents or girls on this team. Previously, we have always been really lucky and loved Hailey's teams, but this year their attitudes stink.


4) We are having out first real function at our house this Friday. Our friend Dustin is helping us, but the menu includes: ribs, kielbasa, and brisket in the smoker, ribeyes on the grill, cheesy hashbrown casserole, green bean casserole, baked beans, deviled eggs, summer salad, and homemade ice cream. Doesn't that sound amazing? We are so incredibly excited.


5) On Saturday night, it will be just us and I'm making fried chicken. That's right, be jealous.


6) Each day, I am amazed at how much integrity my daughter has. She knows the difference between right and wrong and is never swayed. I know that this will change as she ages, but for now, I will bask in knowing that we must be doing something right!


7) I have killed every plant that I have ever had. My junior year of college, my stepmom gave me a plant that she guaranteed would live. It died in a month. After that month, it continued to sit in the window, and periodically my roommate would be convinced she could revive it by giving it a little Busch Light. I know a little Busch Light won't hurt anyone, but the plant never grew. My thumb must be turning green though because our plants are thriving. We've had a few ups and downs as we learn what kind of sun and water each type need, but we do have the best looking mailbox on our street and I have a hibiscus that loves my driveway! Couple that with some happy hostas, some vibrant vincas, and some wily wildflowers, and we have ourselves quite the yard.


8) The finches have come! I've been waiting and waiting for some finches, and they are finally here. Now if I can just get some hummingbirds....


9) My dog, Journey, will ride on my lap while I mow the lawn. Now that's devotion.


10) After 2 years in Kansas City, and as much as I love my life with Danny & Hailey, there isn't a day that goes by that I don't get a little bit homesick for Quincy.


Sunday, June 21, 2009

Happy Father's Day!

You always hear stories about little girls who want to grow up and marry their dads. Every girl eventually grows out of that and moves on to thinking her father is an old fart who is not hip with the times. I didn't exactly grow out of it. I grew older and realized that I wanted to marry a man who was a combination of both of my dads. Yes, I have two dads. My parents separated when I was 10, and I have had two dads for more than half my life. They are two extremely different people though.

I wanted someone funny and playful like Dad, but someone who worked until the job was done like Marvin. Someone with a strong appeciation of family and sports that both of my dads have.

It took me 23 years, but I found that man in Danny.

Hailey and I spent the whole week telling him that this is his weekend to relax and we would wait on him. So far this weekend, he has done a bunch of landscaping and is currently weed eating. On the same scale, he has taken the time to play in Hailey's pool with her and play fetch with Journey.

Happy Father's Day to my Dad and Marvin. I truly am blessed to be loved by both of you.

Happy Father's Day to the love of my life. You are an amazing father to Hailey, and I can't wait to watch you with our future children.



Hailey with Papa Marvin
Hailey with Papa Marvin and Grandma Joni


Hailey with Grandpa Jeff and "Aunt" Riley

Dad and I on my wedding day



Our happy family with the best father in the world.
Here is the video to Danny & my favorite Father/Daughter Song




Monday, May 25, 2009

Sweet Surrender

At this moment, life is so good. I am sitting on my deck drinking Sprite, while I watch my husband, daughter, and dog play in the backyard. Just moments ago, we saw a doe and two babies right at our back property line. I have my Finch food and Hummingbird feeder up. Although the house still needs a lot of things unpacked and put away, right now in this moment, there is no place that I would rather be.

Our neighborhood is so quiet. Until the neighbor behind us began mowing his yard, the only sounds I could hear were Danny & Hailey's voices. Hailey has kids to play with on each side of our house. Even though it hit the 90's over here on both Saturday and Sunday, our house is staying surprisingly cool with the attic fan. Our dog is having an absolute blast running through our backyard, and is worn out each night just from trying to stay moving with us.

Last night we had our first night together with just us in the house. Both Friday and Saturday, there were people flitting in and out. Last night, Danny grilled steaks while I made green beans and potatoes. We sat down for dinner together and it was so perfect.

Yesterday, Hailey helped me re-pot a plant and then I began edging part of the front yard while she played with the boy next door. It is so nice to have a place to work outside and play outside. A space that is completely ours!

Today we do have to finish getting everything put away and organized. But for right now, I'm going to grab a book and stay right here on my deck and revel in the fact that my wildest dreams continue to come true.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

And She Outsmarted Me

I sat Hailey down a few weeks ago to have a serious talk with her about water wasting. I have never in my life seen someone take as long of, and as hot of, a shower as what she does. Mirrors are fogged up, door handles are slick, and steam fills the room. No joke.

This little girl will stand under the water playing until her finger tips are wrinkled up like Estelle Getty's body. She has such an imagination that even after we took all of her water toys out of the shower, she has managed to make the washcloth be fun. If we tell her to take a fast shower, we know that it will still be approximately 15 minutes before she appears out of the bathroom.

Water is not cheap. The purpose of my talk was twofold: I wanted her to take faster showers to save us some money; and I also wanted her to stop drying out her skin. Since the talk, the temperature of her showers has improved drastically. However, the timing has not gone down a lick.

I cornered her again yesterday about saving water and how it helps the Earth.

Her response, "If you didn't make me take a shower everyday, we would save a whole lot more water."

I can't argue with that.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Whoa!

This is a quickie. Who knew that back on December 19th, 2008 when this started:



That exactly 5 months to the date later, this would be ours?



That's right. Tuesday, May 19th, 2009, we will be homeowners. Danny and I have spent the weekend packing, planning, and dreaming. Tomorrow night we do the final walk through where we get to check on everything and make sure it is still in tip top shape. Then we are coming home to try to wrap up the packing. Tuesday afternoon at 1:00 we meet to sign all of the paperwork. From what I hear, I need to bring a new pen because by the time we're finished, we will be out of ink. We are going to spend every evening this week cleaning and packing our little SUV full of boxes so that we can move as much as we can over ahead of time. The goal is the have the beds over on Friday night so that we can spend our first night there, and then we have a truck for Saturday AM. The hubby and I cannot wait and are looking forward to showing off our new home.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Fearless

Dear Hubby,

We are now one week from buying our first home together. Let me tell you a secret; I am terrified. We have been building up to this for some time now, but it is still a scary thing. As you know, I had a hard time committing to anything and you've seen me through it. We have done a 13 month locked in lease, a 5 year car loan, and the biggest one of all--marriage.

This is huge though. This is a payment every month for 30 years. This is replacing roofs, painting, new garage doors. It's landscaping, and curtains, and drains clogging up. It's replacing carpet when it goes bad, and furnaces going out.

After last night though, I am ready.

Last night at Hailey's soccer game, it all clicked for me. Watching our daughter score 3 goals, get 4 assists, and basically kick ass, I realized she is fearless out there. She was weaving in and out of defenders and blocking goals right and left. Hailey ran as fast as she could throughout each quarter and never gave up. When she looked winded, her coach asked if she needed a break and each time she said no. She knew that her team needed her and she wasn't giving up. Hailey is fearless.

I have spent my entire life being scared that things will get out of control. I work so hard to micro-manage every part of our life in an effort to always be prepared. Failure scares me. I worry about what might go wrong with this house and what might happen.

In 2 and a half years, you've taught me to be willing to take risks. I've watched you struggle with your issues daily, but you never give up and challenge yourself to do better. You may never get me to walk on the wild side completely, but you have changed me.

I am ready for this next challenge in our life. I am ready for the plans we have for ourselves. I am ready to face everything because I know we can do anything together. You have spent 7 years teaching Hailey to face her fears, and now you are doing the same with me.

Because of you, I am Fearless.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Mother's Day

Today has been hard for me. Not because of too much fun at a certain bachelorette's party, but rather instead because I didn't get to see my mom today. I also didn't get to see Hailey today. On this Mother's Day, I'm a Mom without a child and a motherless child. I realized how very much I miss my mom so I kind of needed to do a post for her.

Dear Mom,

On this day I spent a 4 hour drive back to Kansas City thinking about what it means to be a mom. Now that I'm parenting someone, I truly realize how hard it is. I question myself constantly wondering if I'm doing the right things. In my 25 years on Earth, I can honestly say that you did way more right than you have ever done wrong. In being a bonus mom, I see what kind of "real" mom I could have ended up with. I am blessed beyond compare because of things you have taught me. You never missed a ball game or a band concert. I never had to worry about not having something I needed for school, or clothes that fit. You worked countless extra weekends or were on call just so you had extra money for basketball camps, Young Life camps, or prom. Every phone call ends with an I love you, and I don't leave your house without hearing that too. Now that you are a grandma, you are still constantly helping me. Thank you so much for all of the clothes for Hailey. That is such a big help to us. Thank you for always making time to come visit. Sometimes I am so homesick for Illinois that I want to cry. You help me with that because I know that I won't go much more than a month without seeing you. Thank you for the trips to Kirksville when I was in college. You would drop everything to bring me medicine, an air conditioner, or anything else I happened to forget. I have never had to do without anything. If I can be half the mother you have been, I will be thrilled. There may be times where you question whether or not you've succeeded as a mom. I will tell you that any difficulties we may have had are all outweighed by the good that you have done. Thank you again Mom. Happy Mother's Day. I can't wait to give you a hug on Tuesday.

Love,
Jessi
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On another note, I won my first blog award!! Amy over at Bitchin Wives Club gave me some bloggy love in the form of this:



The stipulation is that I need to pass it on. So Kelly Klauser come on down! I want to pass this on to you for numerous reasons. You gave me my love for New Kids on the Block. I loved baby sitting your kids. You used to baby sit me. I thought you were the coolest older cousin. I also love your blog! So keep the love flowing!

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Happy Birthday Dad!

It is my Dad's 48th birthday today. That makes me feel rather old. I know it should make him feel old, but instead I'm noticing how fast time is passing. My Dad is a great family man and has given me so much. It is because of him that I have my love for both reading and history.

My Dad has also given me my love for several other things:

1) Nutty Bars. How wonderful are those things? Peanut Butter & chocolate on a tasty wafer that virtually melts in your mouth. I can recall eating plenty of those for breakfast. I may go ahead and blame my teenage weight gain and acne on those bars. Yep that'd do it.

2) John Denver. Yes, I am 25 years old and I have a love affair with John Denver. That music is my comfort music when I am sad, homesick, or sick. Perhaps Love truly is the muse for all Poems, Prayers, and Promises. I used to listen to John Denver on bus rides before softball and basketball games. Everyone else is listening to a little rap, maybe some hip hop. I'm jamming to a little Rocky Mountain High. Thanks Dad for teaching me how to fit in.

3) Being in Charge. My Dad coached me in softball and basketball for many years. As "Coach," he was the boss. I felt that as his oldest child, that made me the boss as well. Bossiness is my specialty, and I love to be in control of everything. That being said, this is also the thing that my friends and hubby get the most annoyed with me about. My response? I'm in charge bitches.

4) Being early. I love to be early everywhere. My goal is to arrive 10-15 minutes early no matter where we go. The purpose is twofold: I am never late this way, and I get to scope everyone else out. This always helps in new situations as I never feel the awkwardness as the new kid in town. Because I arrive 10-15 minutes early, the other new kids assume that I'm part of the in crowd. I do however take the being early bug to an insane level. If I am going to be late to anything, I typically won't go. This can explain why my grades my sophomore year in college went downhill. Blame yourself Dad.

5) Musicals. I know what you're thinking here, and please don't stop being my friend. Yes I love John Denver and musicals, but I promise that I can get down to some Lady Gaga too. The idea of people stopping what they are doing and breaking out in song is amazing to me though. I'm walking down the street and suddenly the hills are alive with the Sound of Music. I'm cleaning my kitchen and oddly enough, I've got a rocket in my pocket. . . Stay cool boy. I'm walking down the street and I'm belting out, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord." If you don't recognize those tunes, rent The Sound of Music, West Side Story, and Godspell. Dad, the hubby thanks you for my social awkwardness in public. Truly he does.

Honestly Dad, thanks for being you and for always loving me. Thank you for showing me how wonderful a big family truly is, for teaching me to be able to laugh at myself and at life in general, and for all of the hugs. I love you!


Tuesday, May 5, 2009

A Letter to Aunt Janet

Dear Aunt Janet,

I'm sick. My nose is running and I can't catch it.

My throat has a tickle that just won't go away.

I've gone through a box of tissues & my nose is all raw.

To quote my friend's 17 year old son, "my dome piece is bangin'."

That means my head hurts.

I've taken some medicine and tried some cough drops.

I've gotten extra sleep.

Campbells Chicken Noodle soup has let me down. Progresso just won't do.

I'm going to need you to overnight me some of your oh-so-good homemade chicken noodle soup with the big fat noodles. If I don't get some soon, I'm afraid of what the reprecussions might be. Please don't forget about your neice in Missouri.

Love you,
Jessi


Monday, May 4, 2009

Bonus Mom Blues

I lost it on Friday. Anyone who saw my Facebook status would know this. I don't have an excuse, but would like to make sure that everyone knows my allergies are killing me and I can barely breathe. That being said, I still lost it.

I pride myself in the fact that as a divorced kid, I can handle this bonus mom thing better than most. Typically I do, but Friday. . . I lost it.

Friday evening started out as most Friday evening's do for our family. Danny & I got off work, came home and took the dog out, and picked up some movies at Blockbuster. Because I wasn't feeling well, I didn't want to cook, so it was a fend for yourself night in our household. Danny & I were all cuddled in our bed to watch Slumdog Millionaire when the phone rings. It is 6:45 and the real mom is on the phone wondering why we haven't picked Hailey up yet. The hubby replies that it's not our weekend. Real mom "politely" says, " Well you need to come get her."

Then I lost it.

It is incredibly frustrating sometimes to have our lives feel like they are run by another woman. Particularly when said other woman only has the bonus child, her real child, every other weekend. Step up to the plate when you can lady! Don't back down!

I try to never lose it in front of the hubby, and this time I was successful. It's a good thing he is technologically challenged and doesn't have Facebook or read blogs. I know how hard it is for him to be caught between two women: one that he is married to, and the other with whom he made the most perfect creature to grace the Earth. And no matter what, my hubby will always do what is best for his daughter.

Last night when I almost told Danny that I lost it on Friday, we instead talked about how frustrated we get with the real mom. This after she called to request to pick Hailey up to have her spend Sunday night and then never showed up. While we were curled up in bed ready to go to sleep, he tells me that he has made a lot of mistakes. But, he wouldn't change anything he's done in the past because everything led him right to me.

That my friends is why I try not to lose it.

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Runnin' Just as Fast as We Can....

We have been busy! I feel like I say that all of the time, but with all of the house dealings it has been wild. On the house front, our house passed inspection and it will be ours. Danny, Hailey, and I are so pumped about our new home. We have also been busy with soccer as you can tell from this picture.


We have also been spending quite a bit of time with my SIL, Kim, and our neice, Adi. Picture of the cousins - Hailey looks like such a big girl it!



This picture is from Easter. We just don't have a ton of pictures of us together as a family, so it made me really happy to have this one.



As we head into May, things are just going to get crazier! We need to pack of course and get that whole thing going. I'm coming to Quincy for Kris's bachelorette party, and tehn I will be back in town on Tuesday and fly out on Wednesday morning for a conference in Cincinatti. I will be there until Thursday evening. I'm not looking forward to it too much as I've really become quite the homebody. I don't mind travelling too much, I would just prefer to be with Danny and Hailey! Plus two weddings in a row. I am looking forward to having so much Bozarth time though!

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Awkward Conversation



See that sweet little innocent child? She is so beautiful and amazing, and I almost corrupted her today on accident. The conversation went a little bit like this:

"I want to get a dog that can have puppies."
"That's an awful lot of work Hailey. I don't think we want to do that."
"How do you know if a dog can have puppies or not?"
"Well you can if they had surgery or not. Journey had surgery to make sure she couldn't have puppies. They can do that for both dogs and cats, and for boy dogs and girl dogs."
"Boy dogs don't have babies!!"
"Well they help make them." - my thoughts begin racing after this comment. What did I get myself into? What if she asks THE question that I am not ready to answer. What will I tell her daddy? Is her mom going to hate me? I'm just the Bonus Mom. Oh my gosh; Oh my gosh.

Her response......

"Our world is VERY different from their's."

YES IT IS!

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Here's a Long One!

So I sit here thinking about the last week and a half and we have had a serious whirlwind! Last year, when Hailey turned 6, she requested oh-so-politely that we have her birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. Because Danny & I actually enjoy the mouse house so much, we consented. Man what a day it was! On Thursday the National Weather Service made an announcement that we were expecting "The Storm of the Century." Jeezie Pete! After careful consideration, we decided that the show must go on and that even if no kids show up, we can still have fun at the home of Mr. Cheese.

The blizzard held off though and decided not to start until half an hour before the shindig was slated to begin. We had 5 of the 10 kids show up which meant that my wonderful husband managed to eat 8 pieces of pizza on the sly, and Danny & I were able to play several games of skee ball. I am a skee ball maniac. I want one in my home someday! Overall, Hailey had a ball which is what it is all about!

The snow melted on Sunday and spring teased us for a day. Our little family has cabin fever so bad, but it just keeps raining! All we want is to be able to sit outside, walk outside, play on a swingset, run around like crazy people while screaming like banshees. Yes we are losing it! I keep hearing that spring is just around the corner, but I'm certain that spring is a myth this year.









Last weekend my MIL made me my favorite thing ever - homemade fried chicken. Good home cookin'! Plus we were able to spend more time with my beautiful niece Adi. I don't think that a 6 month old has ever captured my heart the way that she has. I am head over flip flops in love with this butterball. If you ask her she will tell you that she loves Aunt Jess best too. Trust me!

Saturday was a major day in the hubby and I's relationship. In July it will be four years since Danny's best friend Paul and his wife Sariah died in a car accident. Danny & Paul were best friends and absolutely inseperable. When Paul met Sariah, she won over Danny as well. Paul and Sariah were Hailey's godparents and she still talks about them all of the time. My SIL named my niece Adilynn Sariah because they were so special to her too. It was extremely hard for Danny to lose them. In the 2+ years that we have been together, I have never met Paul's parents, Tom & Patsy. On Saturday night though, we went out to their beautiful house and I was allowed to enter into a special corner of the hubby's life. It was so awesome and Tom & Patsy welcomed me right into their family. They have missed Danny and Hailey so much and were thrilled to meet me. Losing Paul and Sariah was incredibly difficult for Danny and because of that he regrettably pulled back from Tom & Patsy. I am so proud of him for conquering some of his demons. I can't wait to spend more time with them now.

As Easter is this week, my thoughts have been focused a bit on Jesus. My life is so blessed and I am thankful each and every day for my little family, my big family, and for the life that I have been given. Thinking back to where I was almost four years ago, I am also incredibly thankful for the knowledge that God has given me about life and it's amazing journey. As hard as it may be at times, rainbows seem to pop out at every corner. I am blessed!

Saturday, March 28, 2009

T-Rex Cafe



So I wanted to drop a quick post before we go to Hailey's birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. On Hailey's birthday we picked her up from daycare and came home to open presents. Then we met Danny's parents, sister, and our neice at the T-Rex Cafe. Now we had heard that this restaurant was pretty neat but not worth it because the food was terrible. Well we thought the food was great and the atmosphere was AWESOME. It was such a neat place! Hailey got to build-a-dino, and after we ate they sang to her and brought out some ice cream. Then they have this neat interactive area. There is a giant sandbox so that kids can do their own excavating, and there are little tvs where they can learn more about dinosaurs. Also, there is a mining area where they can mine for fossils, gems, and minerals. The dinosaurs are always growling though, so I will say that I had quite the headache when we left there. My favorite thing was the meteor shower that happened on the ceiling every 30 minutes. All in all pretty awesome!

We have been pretty busy lately. Hailey's been playing a ton of soccer, and Danny and I have been quite busy at work. We are also actively searching for a new place to live. Unfortunately we haven't found anything that we are crazy about to buy, but we have found several places that we would like to rent. We are going to go look at a house tomorrow that was just built and hasn't sold, so they have decided to rent it. It would be WAY out of our price range to purchase, but is ok to rent. I'm pretty excited about it because it has a whirlpoool tub in the master bath! That's what I'm talking about!
The body shop is giving us a repaired date of April 8th for our car. By the time we get it back, we will have owned the car for 6 months, and actually driven it for less than 4 months. Yikes. We had Hailey's birthday party for kids at Chuck E. Cheese today and it went really well. We have terrible weather today, but we still had a great turnout for the kids. I will post some pics from that later.











Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Happy Birthday Hailey!!!

Goodness little girl, it is so hard for me to believe that you are already 7. When I first met you, you were just 4 years old and the cutest thing I had ever seen. You won my heart instantly. If it is possible, you made me love your daddy even more because I could see how very much he loves you. We are so proud to be your parents. You work so hard in school and you are so nice to other kids. When you hug me, you make my whole day. I know that you won't always be my cuddle bug, but I hope you keep cuddling with me as long as possible. Daddy and I wish we could have our little girl forever, but we love watching you grow up as well. I hope you have the best birthday in the whole world. We love you so much and we thank God for you everyday. Happy Birthday Hailey Alette Shaver!

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Hailey's Answers

This was floating around on Facebook and I liked it, so I'm posting it here too. It's a survey, but you use your kid's answers.

Copy this note, ask your kid the questions and write them down exactly how they respond. Tag me back if you do this, I'd love to hear the answers.
1. What is something mom always says to you?"I love you"
2. What makes mom happy?"Me"
3. What makes mom sad?"Not having me"
4. How does your mom make you laugh?"When you sing"
5. What was your mom like as a child?"Skinny"
6. How old is your mom?"25"
7. How tall is your mom?"12 foot:
8. What is her favorite thing to do?"play with me"9
. What does your mom do when you're not around?"read books:
10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?"singing:
11. What is your mom really good at?"reading:
12. What is your mom not very good at?"coloring:
13. What does your mom do for a job?"go to Core"
14. What is your mom's favorite food?"Chipotle"
15. What makes you proud of your mom?"you help me"
16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?"Sandy on Spongebob:
17. What do you and your mom do together?"read books"
18. How are you and your mom the same?"we both read"
19. How are you and your mom different?"I'm good at drawing and you're not"
20. How do you know your mom loves you?"you always say that you love me"
22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?"Chipotle" - man does she know me!

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Whew.

Well things have calmed down this week so far which is a good thing. We are still waiting to get a copy of the police report so that I can submit it to the other driver's insurance so they will start paying for everything. Right now, we are paying for the rental car ourselves and the car is basically sitting in the body shop. We will get reimbursed once his insurance company sees that he was at fault. The body shop said that everything is fixable and that our frame is fine which is a big relief to me. Also we did go get checked out on Monday and we are fine; very sore, but fine. My back is still bothering me when I sit for too long. I hated missing Kris's shower this weekend, but I didn't think my body was up to the drive and I am a little punchy about driving right now, so I didn't think I could handle four hours yet. Journey is also feeling better. When we went in for her check up, the vet said that they are pretty certain that she had a focal seizure. Hopefully it will be a one time thing and never happen again! She is not quite as active as she typically is, but I'm sure she will be soon.

Hailey had her first soccer practice on Saturday. She absolutely loves soccer, and she is very good at it too. The kids are so much fun to watch at that age too! This is her first year playing spring soccer, so we will get pretty busy in April because she will start her machine pitch softball too. She is such an incredible blessing to Danny & me. We went to church this morning, and in her church service they learned about how God gave us His best, so we should always give our best in everything we do. When we went back to get her after our service, she hands a card to me that says "To Mom, From Hailey." I asked if it was for her mommy or for us just to clarify, but she said it was for me. That warmed my heart of course! When I opened it, it held promises that she was making to help her give her best. These included: cleaning her room, emptying her trash, and making her bed. Of course I said "wahoo!" She really has enjoyed going to this church service, and so have Danny & me. I am glad that we're getting plugged in somewhere.

This month is shaping up to be busy for us, but I can't wait. My sister-in-law, Kim, and my neice Adi will get in from Hawaii on March 18th & be here for 5 weeks! Awesome! The weekend of the 20th, Dad and Deb may be coming into town which will be awesome. My father-in-law's ballroom dance studio does their spring showcase that weekend as well. Danny tapes everything for the studio, and we loved to go watch all of the students dance. Plus it's a chance for Ken to show off his family to everyone. Hailey and I love taking the time to get dressed up too! Then the last weekend of the month we are having Hailey's birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. Oh boy! I think I might need a beer after that one! It will definitely be fun though. Have a great week!

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Some Stress!

We've had a bit of stress today! Hailey and I got home from shopping and were waiting for Danny to get done watching the Mizzou game when all of a sudden Journey started acting weird. She started limping, and then next thing we knew her back end was stumbling and she was falling over. Then her head started twitching and shaking in a weird way. We immediately took her to the vet, and they ran a ton of tests on her which all came back normal. Right now they are treating her for swelling on her brainstem and we will see if that helps. It also is possible that it could have been a seizure. Needless to say, this Mom was a bit freaked out!!

We woke up on Saturday to 4 inches of snow. I went ahead and ran my errands on Saturday which was nice because no one else was out. Between yesterday and today, I did my share of stimulating the economy. But when you have an almost 7 year old who is growing like a weed, you will have that! We made homemade pizza on Saturday night and Hailey's had a pepperoni smiley face. She also made me the sweetest card that is a picture of her and a note saying "I love you Jess. I like you Jess." I've attached pictures of both of those things.

Hailey also said a couple of those hilarious things this weekend. On Saturday, I brought home some molding clay for her, and I had called home to talk to Danny and told him about that. When I got home, I said I had a surprise for her, and she said, "I know. You got me mold." So funny.
Then we were singing this silly song that talks about God giving you power like Arnold Schwarzenager. She was having trouble saying his name and I told her that he is the governor of California. She didn't believe it was a real person, and finally said, "why did his parents name him that?" We cracked up at that too.

See you all soon!