Memaw, you will be missed

Today Memaw (Richard's grandmother) was laid to rest. She lived 91 great years and blessed us with an abundance of love and laughter. She will be missed terribly but we seek comfort in knowing that she is home joyful in her beliefs and steadfast in her faith. We love you Memaw!

Merry Christmas~Feliz Navidad

Merry Christmas! We had a very blessed and joyful day. Even though we were unable to travel to Texas we were surrounded by family and lots of love. What a day; Gabbie was overjoyed with the gifts Santa left her; she was truly amazed that he stopped at her house:)

Christmas Eve

Today has been a busy day with Gabbie checking on Santa's progress around the world. AT&T cable is awesome for creating a channel just to track Santa. She also received a video message from Santa and she was so excited. This afternoon she made cookies and we will head to church later. She has her reindeer food ready to put out this evening along with her cookie for Santa. Her excitement has been wonderful to witness, just sure joy and that money could never buy.

Gabbie's Shopping List

This holiday season, the children at daycare have been working very hard on their homework assignments in order to earn their "money" which would be used for holiday shopping. For the last 6 weeks, Gabbie has been completing her homework correctly and turning it in on time and on Thursday it was the big shopping day.
Her childcare provider shared that on Wednesday each child was asked who they would be shopping for on Thursday so that she could make sure "the store" had appropriate items they could chose from. Well here is Gabbie's shopping order.....First, she named her brother RJ, now that is so sweet; She truly adores her little brother. Second, she named Anthony! Really Gabbie, Anthony. He is our cat! The cat ranks higher than her parents, LOL. Her childcare provider had to make a special trip to buy some items that she could chose as gifts for the cat....hilarous. Of course her parents were next on the list. Wow, it's nice to know where you rank in your child's life:)
When I picked her up, she was so excited to show off her bag of items that she had purchased herself. When we got home, she ran in and showed Anthony his gifts....priceless!

2 Months Old

RJ is two months today. He is doing very well and last night was a better night at sleeping. We actually got four hours in before we had to feed....We are making progress.

Special People

Today I was able to have two good friends over to exchange gifts and just spend some girl time together. Now more than ever I know I have been truly blessed with the people I call friends. Fortunately I have met some very special people at my jobs. When I packed up my car in 1994 and moved to Atlanta, I met Keshia. She and I became fast friends and 17 years later, we still talk weekly and visit each other when we can. She has been there for the birth of my children and just is an incredible friend. When I moved to Indianapolis, I began work at a middle school and there I met Emily. She and I have experienced the loss of family, births, marriages and everything in between. Although we no longer work together, we consider each other family and get together whenever we can. Now that I am at a high school, I am lucky enough to work with two special ladies who are very good friends. We laugh, cry, gossip and just keep each other sane when it seems all is crazy.
Throughout my life, I have carried a very small circle of friends. Richard says I am a social misfit and well I think he is right BUT the friends I have are true and genuine. I would trust them with my life, the lives of my children and that is more than enough for me.
Luckily for me I cannot go without saying that Laura, Marsha and Beth are pretty darn good friends too. I dont get to see them often but they are irreplacable. I love all of these women and during this holiday season, I give thanks for their gift of love and friendship.

Breakfast with Santa

Today we had Breakfast with Santa. Gabbie got to meet Santa. Although by the looks of the picture, she was not too thrilled about it. She had a good breakfast and worked on crafts and got some reindeer food for next week:)

Whats goin on..

Usually after RJ's 3am feeding I can never go back to sleep and this morning I found this video that is gaining alot of recognition because of its message. I have been in education for 14 years and this issue is HUGE. Now that I am a mother of 2 I worry about my own children struggling with this issue. As a teacher, a mother and human being I wish bullying did not exist.

VaShawn Mitchell - Nobody Greater (Live)

Since the birth of my son, I have had my grandfather on my mind. I think its because I wish so much that he were here to see my to children. I just know he would have just adored them. I miss him terribly. He was so firm in his faith and I miss that too, He was steadfast in his love of God and it poured out into the love he had for his family. The song I have posted is what I think my grandfather felt for our creator. And for a moment, I can envision my grandpa smiling among God's family

Kids Say the Funniest Things

Last night during story time, Gabbie says, "Mommie when I grow up I want to be a doctor." In my mind, I was thinking, "Wow this is amazing, she is only 2." She continued by saying," Or I want to be an apple....." Uhmmmm an apple..ok she just ruined the moment, LOL. She finally added that she is considering being a police officer. I am truly blessed with an exuberant young lady!

Sad Day

Six years ago, I adopted 2 kittens from the Humane Society. At the time, I was struggling with some pretty tough stuff in my life and the call came out that the overflow of animals from Hurricane Katrina were in Indianapolis. I headed off and came home with two adorable kittens Sam and Anthony. Through the last 6 years they have been great and loyal companions. But in recent months Sam has begun to "spray" around the house. We have tried to work with him to relieve some of his stress. Being that he is not the dominant cat, that role is definitely Anthony's we don't think he will ever really get to be himself. With the addition of the new baby, we have had to make the tough decision to send Sam back to the Humane Society. We have an appt at noon and tears are just flowing. I have grown up with animals and they have long been viewed as members of the family. We have written a great letter to post at his cage with the hopes that some one will adopt him and take good care of him. He will be missed!

Look at me.....just learning

From the time Gabbie was born I have read to her. She loves books to the point that she sleeps with whatever book we read for the night. As well, our daycare provider has been giving her "homework" for months. This week she is staying home so I had to find some "homework" for her. So today we worked on the letter T and identifying patterns. I think she did an awesome job!

1 month old

Richard Jeremiah is 1 month old today!

3 Weeks Old

He is 3 weeks old today and loving life

2 Week Checkup

We went to the doctor today for the 2 week checkup. All looks good and RJ weighed in at 10 pounds. He has officially gained back all his weight and then some. We go back in two weeks for his 1st month checkup and this visit comes with a shot...ugh!

2 Weeks Old

RJ is two weeks old and he is getting better with the sleeping. We are working our way into a schedule. My hope is that we will get a schedule down by the end of the month....but you never know.
On Friday, we were driving and RJ was getting a little fussy and Gabbie leaned over and said, "Chill out RJ" Wow, it will be interesting to see how their relationship grows. She definitely loves her brother and is quite the little helper.

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween from our cute little goblins, Gabbie & RJ

Happy One Week!

Today "RJ" turned a week old. We have had our 1st week check up and all is well. We are very blessed to be given the opportunity to be the parents of "Gabbie" and "RJ"

Sweet Music To My Ears

We are surviving the first week with a newborn and 2 1/2 year old. Although last night or should I say this morning was rough. RJ's clock is totally off; it seems the hours of 2 and 5 am are his favorite times to be awake....oh joy! Nonetheless he finally went back to good sleep around 5:30am. We were awakend to sweet music around 8:45 this morning when Gabbie was standing next to her brother's bed singing "Yes Jesus Loves Me" to him. We are extremely blessed and these moments we find ourselves surrounded by the love of God and the purity of a child's love.

We are Home

On Friday, October 21, 2011, Richard Jeremiah was born at 9:53 am weighing in at 9 pounds 5 ounces and he was 21 inches long. After 3 days of being in the hospital, we are home and I am sooooo glad to be out of a hospital bed. Hopefully, today we can start to get into a routine. I know Gabbie will be so excited to see us when she gets home from daycare; I know I am very excited to see her. Not being able to see her much over the last three days has been hard.

No Fairy Tale Ending

The Indy Met run this past year to a state championship was magical. I know Richard and our family knew and still know we were a part of something much bigger than all of us. But now 6 months later, we are faced with the reality that life does not always give us a fairy tale ending. Last night Raymond Green, only 19, was gunned down and tragically lost his life way too soon. I don't know how you can put into words the loss of a son, a brother, a teammate, a young man with an infectious smile with still so much left to give. But here we are trying to wrap our brain around this tragedy. So we ask you alll for your prayers for Raymond's family and friends. Our family's faith tells us that Raymond is in a better peaceful place now; he will be long remembered for so much more than basketball. (in the picture above Raymond is holding the basketball)

Gabbie's new car

Today our neighbor gave Gabbie her 1st mustang! She absolutely loves it. The neighbor's grandson has outgrown the car and he thought Gabbie would enjoy it....And he was right. Her daddy is trying to teach her to drive it and she didn't do too bad today. She really hasn't gotten the reverse concept but I am sure she will get it eventually.

"You're Being Mean"

This weekend we were out doing a little shopping and we are working on Gabbie walking instead of using the stroller. For the most part, she is doing a pretty good job. Although she really does love stopping, looking and touching everything! Nonetheless, we were shopping and I really don't remember what I asked her to stop doing but her response was pretty funny; although I could not laugh in front of her. Her conversation went something like this...."Mommie you're being mean!" and I responded with "I am sorry you feel that way" she continued with "I am calling Uncle Jon because you're being mean!"
Gabbie's Uncle Jon is one of her godfather's and one of her dad's dearest friend; they have known each other since middle school.
So after she tells me she is going to call her uncle jon, of course, I say go right ahead. Gabbie pulls out her imaginary phone and calls her Uncle Jon. She tells him that her mommie is being mean and he needs to come and get me! What? my own daughter is sending me off for being mean! This age is truly fun to watch; she has a wonderful imagination even if she is shipping me off for being mean:)

Daddy-Daughter Date Night at Chic Fil A

This Saturday Chic Fil A hosted "Daddy Daughter Date Night and Gabbie and her daddy made reservations for 6:30pm. When they arrived there were many other daddy and daughters there. There were some dads who even had on suits! When the dads ordered they were given a little carnation corsage to give to their daughters. The food was served on nice plates and taken to each table. The tables were set up with candles and flowers too. Dinner was enjoyed and servers came around for refills and seconds. Now Chic Fil A is Gabbie's favorite place to eat; she can never have enough chicken nuggets but the fact that Chic Fil A makes this such a special night for dads and their daughters is so cool. Gabbie and her daddy enjoyed every minute of it!

Baby Shower

On Saturday afternoon, I was honored at a baby shower given by Mrs. Bishop. I was surrounded by family and friends which was great. For some, I do not get to see them very often so being able to sit down and catch up was great. Gabbie attended the shower and she was given some "big sister" gifts; she was so excited. Our family received many awesome baby gifts, and we are so blessed with everyone's kindness and generosity. It is wonderful to know so many are eagerly awaiting the birth of this little boy. He will actually be the first great grandson on his "Paw-Paw's" side, so the delivery date cannot get here soon enough for them and especially for me!

The Living Proof (From The Motion Picture The Help)

I absolutely love this song. As we prepare for the arrival of our son, I have spent alot of time reflecting on my many blessings. And how I can look back on some of the most difficult days and see them as lessons and reminders of how blessed I am today. So here am older, wiser......and even more living proof!

Zoo Trip

We headed to the Indianapolis Zoo today in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. They had latin music, dancers, booths and food. It is fun to take Gabbie to the zoo especially now since she really recognizes the animals. Unfortunately, our trip was cut short because it started raining!
Although having a 2 year old can be very challenging at times. Some times you just have to laugh. This evening is a perfect example, Gabbie's dad was getting her ready for bed and in his words, "She was not being a good listener." I was in the other room and listened as he talked to her about working on being a better listener....Then the classic line from a 2 year old, she said, "Ewww daddy, you have a booger in your nose!" Now who can hold their laughter in to that! Of course I got in trouble for laughing out loud from the other room but it was too funny. I dont think she got the being a good listener lecture at all, lol!

Big Sister Class

On Saturday, we signed Gabbie up to attend a "Big Sister" class to help her prepare for the arrival of her little brother. We didn't know what to expect from her but were very pleased with her participation in the class. The class began with Gabbie receiving a baby boy doll that she could hold and take care of. Then they heard a story about a mom having a new baby. After the story, they listened to the teacher talk about toys that they can and cannot share with the new baby. Then they went on to helping change a diaper. Now here is our embarrassing parent moment....The teacher gave Gabbie a diaper and she began undressing her baby boy doll. I should tell you that the baby dolls were anatomically correct. Once she began to pull the diaper off she immediately noticed this "foreign object" down there and began to try to pull it off!! Her dad looked on in disbelief saying to me "oh that's just wrong!" Needless to say we had to explain that that "part" belongs down there and it should not be pulled on. She accepted the explanation and continued on with the diaper change. After the diaper change, they got to put on a doctor hat and mask and went up to the maternity section of the hospital and watched a short video about being a big sister as well as actually seeing a real newborn. The class ended with another story being read. She had a very good time and we think she picked up on some things. And I must admit the diaper change incident was pretty funny....one incident I know I will share with her once she gets old enough to understand.

What a Week

Thankfully we have 3 days off because it was a busy week. The most challenging was actually having to go into the doctor because I started having contractions!! They gave me a shot to stop them and I hope to stay contraction free. It was not a good feeling to start having contractions during cafeteria duty. We also had car issues this week....ugh. Old reliable neon got overheated. That car is 12 years old so we have definitely gotten our moneys worth. With a new baby and a wedding we are trying to wait as long as we can before adding another car payment. Then on Friday, Friday night football was in 100 degree weather, not good for anyone especially not a 8 month pregnant woman. Well I survived and we won. Getting home at 11pm stinky and tired was bearable; I would have been really annoyed if we had lost.
And finally, Gabbie is making progress with the potty training....Finally!

Potty Training

We spent the day potty training. We had some successes and some messy set-backs but we are making progress. I would like to go a month without having to change diapers but we will see if we can get there before October 21; I am keeping my fingers crossed!

Baby Update

We had a doctor's appt this week where we learned that my delivery date has been moved up a week. The c-section is planned for Friday, October 21. This little one is weighing 4lbs right now so it looks like he will be following in Gabbie's footsteps coming in at around the 8lb mark. I am so ready to deliver but I am sure the remaining time will fly by.

What a busy time

The last two weeks have been extremely busy. School has started and the fun has begun. This past week we got the students back and so we spent the time getting back into the routine of things. Gabbie is doing very well and is a learning sponge.
She is truly Ms. Personality; if only we could get her potty trained!
As for the pregnancy, it is coming along. With the students back this week, I was quite tired. One night I was asleep by 8:30! Last night was our 1st home football game so it made for a very looooonnnng day. I got home around 11pm and we lost, not a good combination.
Today, I spent time delivering an IPAD and laptop to one of my Make A Wish families. It is always a good day when you see a child's eyes light up and is totally excited when they receive their wish. I always feel very blessed to share in the moment.
We have a doctor's appt coming up on Thursday which will include a sonogram. We will be checking the weight of this little one because it seems I am measuring about 3 weeks ahead of schedule. I wouldnt mind delivering early....I am tired! But we will see what the doctor says. Although it is nice to be entering into single digit weeks....nine weeks and counting for delivery.

The summer is coming to an end

This week will be the calm before the storm; we are one week away from the start of another school year. I am gearing up to start my 14th year in education....wow! I am excited but nervous. I am 7 months pregnant and this little boy can give me the blues on some days. I am hoping October 28 gets here fast! On sunday night we will get back into the normal routine of getting to bed extra early because we have to be out the door by 6:20am.....oh joy, I can hardly wait!

The Zoo

We headed to the zoo this week and had a good time. Gabbie enjoyed naming and seeing all the animals. She even got to feed a giraffe!

Traders Point Creamery

I have a couple of days off this week before August 1 arrives and we are back to start the school year. So today Gabbie and I headed to Traders Point Creamery to see the cows, chickens etc. The trip did not go so well. It truly is a farm with graveled paths so needless to say it was not stroller friendly. Plus you actually had to climb hills. Now normally if I were not 6 1/2 months pregnant I wouldnt be complaining But I am so this was not a good look for me. Needless to say Gabbie got to see 2 baby calves before she and her mom called it quits. We will have to go back when she can actually walk through and I am so NOT pregnant. Tomorrow we are headed to the zoo; hopefully that will be a better trip for both of us.

Fun in the Sun

The weather is supposed to be miserably hot in Indy for the next 6 day; I will take Texas's dry 110 heat over this 90 degree 90 humity heat. It is just awful. Nonetheless, we took time this morning to air up Gabbie's dinosaur pool. And, once it was ready, she couldn't wait to get in. She never made it inside to put on her swimsuit and her daddy was selected as her swim partner. Lucky him!

Make A Wish

In the last month, I have recommitted myself to volunteering more for the Make A Wish Foundation. I became a volunteer 6 years ago and for the most part I really enjoy helping families. Right now I am working with 2 families both of which are Hispanic. My primary role is serving as an interpreter and assisting the children with their wish. I have experienced some pretty tough things in my life but I can never get used to working with families who have sick children. That seems like it is the toughest thing of all. Now that I have Gabbie I am reminded even more of how blessed my family is right now.
My latest Make A Wish child is 11 with leukemia; he has a great smile and a perseverance about him that I am in awe of. He is beating this disease and hopefully he will be cancer free soon.
It is not much but I try to do what I can to give these kids small joy through whatever they wish for. If it were up to me, I would grant them the wish of good health....wouldnt that be awesome!

The Little Helper

We finished our evening with washing the car; not an exciting way to finish off the 4th but I can think of worse things. Gabbie decided she was going to help her daddy wash the car whether he liked it or not so he made the most of those little hands.

Happy 4th...Happy Birthday Grandpa

For most of my life, the 4th of July was a double celebration...our country's celebration as well as my grandpa's birthday. We always had a good time whether it was on a large or small scale, whether it was in the park or in the back yard. I know it was because we were celebrating the important and loved man in our lives. I must say that the 4th of the July along with the rest of our lives have not been the same since he passed 6 years ago. Our family has celebrated birthdays, births of children, loss of other relatives, as well as many other highs and lows and there is always something missing. For me it has always been the absence of my grandfather. I think of him daily and wonder how my life as well as the life of my now family would be if he were still here. I think if I had one wish it would not be for money or nice things it would be for the opportunity to have my family meet and get to know the love that my grandfather gave our family.
On this day, I celebrate our country but moreover I celebrate the man who unconditionally loved us and made us feel as if we were the best gifts in the world to him. I love you grandpa and am so thankful that I was blessed to be in your life. Happy Birthday!

San Antonio Trip

This past week I was in San Antonio for 3 days for professional development. The conference was good but even better was the opportunity to be back in Texas. I took full advantage of the great food and Texas heat! We stayed right on the Riverwalk so there was plenty to do. I came back missing my family but very appreciative of being able to get a small fix of Texas life.

Swimming

Gabbie loves the water so this is year 2 of swimming lessons. She is making great progress but getting out of the pool after the lessons are over is the worst. She is never ready to get out causing a meltdown and tantrum. Oh the joys of parenting.

Headed to San Antonio

Today I am headed to San Antonio on professional development; I will be attending a conference until Friday. Needless to say I have mixed emotions...I am nervous and uneasy about being away from Gabbie until Friday evening. I have only been away from her one night so 3 nights is a bit much. On the other hand, I am excited to be headed "home." I miss living in Texas so any opportunity to be there gives me a small taste of being back where I belong. I keep saying I am going to move back there and here I am in year 13 of living in Indiana:)
I am sure I will be doing a lot of calling and checking in; I know Gabbie will have her daddy in order. She has him wrapped around her little finger, which I think is hilarious.

Family photos

Last weekend we headed to Target to get a family photo taken and Gabbie acted soooo unreasonable. It was so bad the photographer didn't get a single shot off. So we changed our thinking and asked Gabbie's daycare provider (who takes her picture most of the time any way) to take our family photo. We opted to go outside for the scenery and they turned out great! Here are just a few.

The Garden

While growing up, I watched my grandfathers plant large beautiful gardens. They took great care of them and had awesome fruits and vegetables. In the last couple of years, I have tried to grow a couple of tomato plants but I just didn't have much luck. So this year, I committed myself to planting a real garden. I just feel I learned a lot from watching my grandfathers care for their gardens as well as knowing that you actually grew what you were eating. I want Gabbie to understand that. Soooo this year we planted a garden box full of 4 tomato plants, 2 watermelon plants, 2 cucumber plants, 2 pepper plants and I zuchini plant. In pots I have a strawberry plant and cilantro. And I have been shocked that all of them are growing!!! I am so proud and I am hoping my grandfathers are looking down and smiling acknowledging that I am making some progress:) Even better for me is I love watching Gabbie follow me around as I water the garden. I used to do that with my grandfather and realize just how much that means to the adult who is spending time with their loved one.

Strawberry Festival

Today I worked a half day so Gabbie and I could go downtown to the annual strawberry festival. Although we didn't stay long due to the heat, it didn't keep her from enjoying her strawberry shortcake.

Busy, Busy, Busy

Although school is over, last week brought graduation, report cards, end of the year reports etc. Gabbie also started her swimming lessons on Saturday. So to say the least, we have been busy. This week things will start to slow down at work and it will feel more like a summer schedule. I am looking forward to the end of the month for some time off.

Summer Schedule

The school year is officially over and I am looking forward to a quiet working summer. As an administrator I don't get the summer off but we work in a building without 2900 students....it makes a difference and even better, I dont have to wear a suit everyday!
Tomorrow we are headed to Chicago for a couple of days. We are looking forward to it because it should be great weather and we are headed to the beach, lol!

Last Week of School

The final week of school has begun and I am thrilled. I am always amazed each year how quick the year goes by but here we are at the end of my 13th year in education.....whew! I hope for a stress free remaining 3 days filled with no senior pranks. Let's see if we get lucky:)

Just a Happy Kid

Loving the Outdoors

Gabbie loves to be outside; I think she gets that from me:) especially since the last couple of days it has been in the mid 80's. I couldn't believe that some people had the nerve to complain today that it was too hot...are you kidding me! Gabbie and I think this weather is great and look forward to more of it.

Feliz Dia de las Madres

Whew....what an interesting couple of days

It has been a tough couple of days. On Sunday night, Gabbie was up with a bad cough and I was over an hour late for work. On Monday night, I dropped the iron on my toe (no it wasn't on...thankfully). I tried to go to work but by 11:30 I had to go to med check, where they put a needle in my toe nail and drained the blood out to relieve the pressure. I can honestly say that was the most painful 1 - 2 minutes I have ever experienced! I couldn't go in to work today so I stayed home iced and elevated. It feels a little better but tomorrow should be interesting. My day got much better when I got this picture from daycare.

Really? Did she just say that!

Just when we think Gabbie has surprised us, she comes up with something else. This morning we were going through the tv channels and she yells out, "Stop mommie, I want to watch Prince William." It was the Today Show going over the Royal wedding and yes it was Prince William. Are you kidding me? She is only 2!

Easter Sunday

We made it to mass on Easter Sunday and survived with a 2 year old. Thank goodness mass is only an hour long! Here are pictures of Aniyah and her daddy before mass.

Happy Easter!

Race for the Cure Day

Today we participated in the Race for the Cure. Because of the 42,000 people we opted for the 1 mile family walk to help with the heavy traffic. Although the day was not so good, we had a fun time.

End of a Good Week

We had a pretty good week; it was busy but fairly uneventful. Last night we went to dinner with Gabbie's grandparents to celebrate her dad's state championship win. He was off early this morning since they left at 7am to DC. I hope that they are able to meet the President but with the budget issues going on who knows? Nonetheless,I am sure they will have a great time.
Gabbie's big thing lately is calling her mom and dad by their first names....interesting! When she is trying to get her point across or we are taking too long, it goes from mommie and daddy to Maggie and Jarmel. (Jarmel is her dad's middle name which is what all of his family including myself call him). She takes in everything.
The other day her dad slipped and said, "Shit" and sure enough Ms. Gabbie repeated it several times.....ugh!!!!!!
Looking forward to enjoying warmer weather, it is supposed to rain but as long as it is above 50, I'm good.

Spring Break Coming to an End

The last week has been busy but restful. Gabbie and I had to get in some doctor appts but overall we had a great week together. I truly enjoy spending my time with her. Even though there are moments where I wonder if there is not a 15 year old girl in that 2 year old body, lol. She's talking and using complete sentences, which is amazing. And even funnier is she tells on her parents quite frequently. For example, if daddy uses mommy's water bottle, she runs and tells me that daddy is using my stuff.
For fun this week we went to the Children's Museum and she had a great time. We only had one meltdown right before we left; her parents are learning.
As for Gabbie's dad, early in the week he had a couple of tv appearances with the team and on Tuesday, they were recognized by Gleaners Food Bank for their state championship win. One of the student athletes received some scholarship money so that was nice. The big news came on Wednesday when the coaches and team found out that Goodwill is sending them to Washington, DC to attend the National Goodwill Conference. There story of perseverance and heart will be featured to all who attend the national conference. And even better, they will be given the opportunity to meet President and Mrs. Obama.....now how awesome is that! An all expensive 4 day trip to DC and meet the President; I'm jealous! But it is well deserved....what an opportunity for those 8 young men; an opportunity of a lifetime.
Back to work tomorrow and life as we call normal. The good thing is this part of the school year moves so quick; school will be out before we know it.

State Champions!

Today, the Pumas defeated Triton to become the Class A State Champions! What a game!

Whew, What a Weekend

Sadly, I have just gotten home from dropping my mom and grandmother off at the airport. They made a quick trip but we were so grateful that were able to be here for Gabbie's birthday.
Saturday was sooooo busy. We headed off to Richard's game and my family enjoyed every minute. It was my mom's and grandma's first experience with Indiana basketball. They were in awe of the experience and to put icing on the cake, the Pumas are headed to state. The kids played well and followed the game plan. What a journey it has been for this team and their coaches. Then after the game, we headed to Gabbie's party. We were joined by 30 -40 family and friends including my cousins from Lansing, Michigan. Gabbie had an awesome time.
What a weekend, lots of fun but very tiring. The good thing is this week is a short week then Spring Break!

Happy Birthday - Happy St. Patrick's Day

Gabbie turned 2 today..... Here are pictures from her daycare party

ESPN....Really!?

For many in Indianapolis, the local watering hole chatter is the success of the Indy Met team; it is somewhat like a cinderella story...team with no gym from a charter school break through to make it to the final four competing against those who have never even heard of them. And today....the remarkable shot from 60 feet away made it to ESPN's #1 play of the day.....Are you serious? Who would have thought this would have gone national. The team is preparing for their game on Saturday at semi-state so lets hope they play their best and leave it on the floor no matter what the game outcome.

What a Saturday Night

Unfortunately, my school team lost on Saturday morning....i was heartbroken for them but they had an awesome season. They played my former school and although I am sad we lost, there is a part of me that is excited for those kids, many of whom I taught in middle school. Now to the exciting part of our day. Gabbie's dad returned to coaching this year. He went from a perineal high school program 4A to now at a 1A charter school that doesn't even have a gym! We talked extensively before he took the job to make sure this was right for him and he was adament that it was......They have had a season full of ups, downs, joys and stress but here we are still playing.
On Saturday morning, they came back from 12 down to win and advance to the regional finals. Now let me set the mood for you. The games were held in Martinsville, Indiana. Now for those of us who live in Indiana there are alot of things associated with Martinsville bad and good. BUT for the good ..it is the home of John Wooden.
When I entered the gym, which is named after John Wooden, it had a very old basketball feel. The bleachers are still made of wood! As usual, the gym was signed to show people where to sit and the opposing teams fans began piling in so much so that they took up the Indy met section too! It was a great basketball atmosphere. As the game began, our kids found themselves down 11 at the half. Slowly and methodically they fought back and with less than a minute to go in the game, they took a two point lead. The other team scored to tie with 3.1 seconds left in the game....Now I witnessed the best athletic experience in 3.1 seconds. The other team scored, we inbounced the ball, our kid got to the volleyball line and shot it.......I should say heaved it to the other basketball goal and incredibably it went in! It was amazing!!!! Indy Met won at the buzzer by 3. The emotional rush that came with that shot was indescribable, we didn't know whether to cry or scream....Wow! So Indy Met has earned a spot in the semistate. They play next Saturday at 1:00pm at Southport. We are very very excited and feel truly blessed to be a part of this journey with these young men who have worked hard to get this far. Go Pumas!

She's Growing Up

We are about a week away before Gabbie turns 2.....wow it has gone so fast. She is very excited about her birthday. She has been asking if it is her birthday ever since she saw her birthday party favors. Thursday will be here soon enough.

Sectional Champs

What an exciting Saturday night..... my school had a nail biter game and won the sectional championship. And, Gabbie's dad's team, won their first sectional championship. Both teams advance to regionals next Saturday. I will be headed to Hinkle Fieldhouse while Richard and the Pumas head to Martinsville. Should be an interesting Saturday for both teams.

What a week

It has been an interesting week...the sectional tournament has arrived which means our house is busy, busy, busy. Me because I am an administrator who has to work the games and Gabbie's dad because he's a coach. Then you add in the joys, trials and tribulations of working in education and boy am I glad it was Friday!
Instead of working my game, Gabbie and I went and watched her daddy's team play. They advanced to Saturday nights sectional championship game. Unfortunately, we will not make that game because I have to work our sectional championship game.
Good luck to the Red Devils and the Pumas as they continue on their quest to a state championship.

Buddies

Gabbie has a special buddy at daycare. They have become fast friends, and it is very cute to watch them and their friendship grow.

Happy Belated President's Day

After a long day

After a long day at work, everything melts away when Gabbie says....."Mommie I missed you!" Now that totally makes my day.

Happy 23 months!

Gabbie turned 23 months today....wow, time has gone so fast. We are a month away from her 2nd birthday....plans are in the making and we are very excited to have the opportunity to have family and friends celebrate her day.

It seems that every day she is doing or saying something new; this afternoon on our way home, she was singing along with the spanish nursery rhyme CD that we were listening to; she may not understand the words but she sure was having fun singing along; and she was in tune:)

Happy Valentine's Day