So it begins...

I can't believe we're here already... where did the time go? W

e have arrived at a defining point in our lives. Our family has changed...

we can never be the same.

This week Jack started Tee-Ball... and I'm sure it's just the beginning.

Thank goodness for DVR... because now we actually have to BE places.

Jack's first game was Tuesday... against the Indians... which HAPPENS to be his best bud/cousin's team. Here is my favorite picture of the two... giving a 5 at third base.

Love the kid taking a break in the background. TeeBall is pretty fun to watch. I especially love it when the BATTER runs to the field and catches his OWN ball... or the little cat-naps taken by the outfielders. It's equally entertaining when a kid can't find the base and just keeps RUNNING. Oh, enjoy it, kids! Life just gets harder the older you get.

Quote...

Whatever... just keep your special pets outside, Kid.

Quote...

After 20 minutes in the bathtub, Porter looked down at his wrinkled hands and said... When I help him make his bed, I'm always telling him to "get all the monsters out"

... monsters being the wrinkles and bumps in the sheets.

Quote...

I've decided to change "Quote of the Week" to just "Quote".

I just can't keep up with weeks anymore.

(Plus Jack doesn't say funny things all the time!)

I was telling Jack not to eat before dinner... a normal thing for a mom to do...

when he came out with this...

He seriously thinks I'm so stupid.

I have no clever ideas for a title...

Oh my poor neglected Blog. How I've missed you! Recently, I've discovered FACEBOOK and have turned my attention toward IT. NOT because I like it more... but because I can't figure the darn thing out. I should have never strayed from you, dear Blog. You have always been true to me!

ON TO BLOGGING! Today was the "launch" of BODYPUMP at the Layton Gold's Gym. (A launch is when new music and exercises are introduced to a class... usually by several instructors who have practiced special choreography and position to give the launch a little extra something and make it more fun for the participants. It's kind of a big deal!) So, how 'bout a picture? (yes, I actually took my camera to the gym and snapped a few... even though I was scoffed at!)

This is our team....HOTNESS abounds. :)

Now, if you don't know what BODY PUMP is... you should find out. There was actually a newspaper article about it's AWESOMICITY last week. Here's the linkie... http://www.standard.net/live/news/170371/

That's all for now, dear BLOG. I'll talk at you soon!

Post op...

Here's a little update on the ol' eye...

These are pics from the day after surgery... at the doctor's office.




These are pictures from TODAY... 16 days later...


It's amazing how kids' little bodies heal themselves so quickly!
The doctor expects this tiny scar to fade away entirely.

Just an FYI... the tumor autopsy came back. It was benign... so not cancerous. AND it was a good thing we got it out when we did because it was infected and ready to burst. If it HAD burst, it would have infected his eye socket and perhaps done some serious nerve/sight damage.

Quote of the week...

We were getting gas at Maverick when Survivor's very famous ROCKY song came on. Jack started pounding on the windows yelling...It's Igor the Tiger that's the king of the fight.

I'm never telling Jack the REAL words.

All done!

Today was the day! FINALLY!! Today we took our little Porter in to get his TUMOR removed. Here are some pictures from the event... (who takes pictures of hospital visits? sick-os

that's who!)

The tatoo on his head says, "Correct site. YES" so there was no question WHICH side to disect. If you look close, you can see the lump between his nose and his eye. Say goodbye, Mr. LUMP!

This picture breaks my heart. I can't look at it without crying. This is the relization moment... he knows he's scared but doesn't know why.

I explained to him that the doctor needed to get the sick out of his eye. I told him, he'd fall asleep and the doctor would take the sick out and then Porter would wake up with a bandaid on his eye. Then in a few weeks he'd be all better... no more sick. Just seeing that little boy's fear on his face... it just tuggs at my heart. WHAT A HORRIBLE FEELING! Knowing that you're doing what you think is right, but also knowing that it will hurt your child... oh, it was AWEFUL! I held him on that bed for a while... trying not to cry. "Gotta be strong for Porter," is what I kept saying in my head. STAY STRONG.

Then they had me hold him as I walked him down the hall. Handing over my baby to the nurse might be the hardest thing I've ever done. For sure the scariest. Spence and I said our I LOVE YOUs and watched him lie in a stranger's arms as she walked into the surgery room.

GOSH! What a DOWNER POST! I'll try to keep the BLUES away from here on out.

An hour (plus) later, the doctor came out to see us. He told us that everything went very well... it even went quicker than he anticipated. He said the tumor was a ball that had started leaking... and so they had to suck all that 'butter' out as well. (SICK!) Don't worry... I have a picture of it, but you'll have to wait until the end to see.

Then we got to go to RECOVERY. We watched him sleep for a half hour or so and just waited for the nurse to release him. Here's the little guy with his new eye patch...

Don't say anything about being a pirate... that really makes him mad.What a brave little boy. I'm so grateful to Heavenly Father... I know he was watching over our little angle for us this morning. He also helped ME stay in control when I was probably more afraid than Porter was.

Thank goodness it's all over.

OK... now the part you've been waiting to see. Mr. Lump is floating in some kind of liquid that the nurse is holding for us to see. Here it is... the BUTTERY TUMOR.

That's my first TUMOR sighting... was it yours? Kinda gross, huh? That white stuff on the top is the butter the doctor was talking about. EEEEEEWWWWWWW!

Quote of the week...

Jack asked Porter if he wanted to watch the movie Ratatouille, to which Porter replied... They watched Monsters Inc. instead.

Porter is 3!

Here are just a few things Porter, at the age of 3, is IN to...

(yes, the list is small, but he just barely got a personality... give him time!) HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Porter!

Thanks for the hugs, the laughs, the fun, the love you've given me these 3 years. Each day you get more sweet, more daring and more funny... I can't wait 'till next year! I sure love you, Bear!!

Love,

Mom