We have a new family member!

Serena Sage arrived early (35 weeks gestation) at 11:47 a.m. weighing in at 5 pounds 10 ounces, and a whopping 19 inches long. Not too shabby for a preemie!! My mother in law was in the room with my sister in law for the delivery.

Since she showed up early, she is going to need to stay in the NICU for a little bit until her lungs have developed a little more. She is super duper cute though and I got to back and see her for a few minutes. She even took a peek at me when I was messing with her scrumptious feet, but I didn't get a picture of her with her eyes opened.

We would all appreciate any thoughts or prayers that you have to give, as we are all eager to get to hold that pretty baby. Please send thoughts of strength and comfort to my sister in law, Kim, as she travels back and forth to visit her daughter.

WOW!!! What a week!

I am so excited to share so many things. I have had an AWESOME week!! Like really, really, really awesome. So, put on your speed reading goggles and join me. I think it will be best if you do it that way and imagine me talking 90 miles per hour, as I'm prone to do when I'm overjoyed.

So, first off I took the HESI A2 test on Friday. It is essentially an entrance exam for nursing school. Different programs have different requirements regarding how many sections you must take and what is "passing" for their school. The school I am applying to requires you to take Reading, Math, and Grammar and to pass each section with 75%. It is not passing to have an overall combined score of 75%, unless you have scored at least 75% on each section. Make sense? So, I had some practice books and I was feeling pretty confident until I sat down to take some practice tests...That's when I got worried. Like, really worried. So anyways, I headed out to the testing site in Kaufman with two girlfriends that I met in Microbiology and prayed for the best. As I was looking around the testing room it occurred to me that all of us in there would be applying to the program, and not all of us would be getting. My stomach got all jittery...As we began registering our computers to take the test, hands started going up in the air. It seems a few people were confused about the combination of both capitol and lower case letters in their test number. They asked for help on entering the information. This helped calm my nerves as I assumed that those were 3 people I would not have to worry about taking "MY" spot in the nursing program. After you complete each section, you are given your score on that section before moving on. I had already decided I would just walk out if failed on of the sections..No point in finishing the whole test. So rather than just having one ball of nervous energy tumbling within my stomach at the end of the test, I was forced to face this nervous ball three times within an hour and 15 minutes. Okay..enough of the rambling already. That's what you're thinking right?? So, on the Math I scored 94.00%. You want to know the funniest part about that? Well, Algebra was my big hang up in regards to returning to school. I was so terrified of getting through the developmental math courses and making it to Algebra. Turns out I only missed 2 of the 15 Algebra questions. However, apparently my four years at home cooking and cleaning have taught me absolutely nothing. I missed 3 out of 4 of the Household measurement questions. Seeing that actually made me laugh out loud, and I had this short lived thought of how, "I better not let Wes know". I mean what's he going to do? Fire me because I don't know how many ounces are in a cup? Next was the Reading Comprehension. I scored a 95.74% on that section. Not too shabby. Finally, it was time for the Grammar section. Raise you hand if you wanna know what I got. I bet from reading this blog, you will never guess, because I use words like wanna and stuff. I got a freaking 100%. Boo-Yah Baby!!! So, my overall score was a 96.58%!!! It was such a relief to not only pass, but to do so well. My application was mailed in on Monday, and was received (according to the USPS) today at 10:15. I should know around April 15th if I have been accepted into the program. Hoping to share some good news with all of you then.

Moving on..Sunday morning Grace asked Wes to remove her training wheels. He happily obliged, and Hunter set off to teaching his little sister what he knew about bike riding. That only lasted a few minutes. While he and I were chilling on the porch talking --that little stinker took off on her own. She was so proud of herself, and we were all so excited for her. Wes says he was also 4 when he learned to ride a bike. Bring me the proof buddy! I didn't do it until I was 6 and Hunter was 5 and a half. I think there may be a trip to France in her future. The Tour de France to be exact.

So, shortly after Grace mastered riding her bike, my friend Denny and his wife Jessi arrived. Denny and I were great friends in high school, and for a few years after. We began chatting again through e-mail last year. He and his wife live in Colorado and just recently returned from Vietnam where they spent six months (I think it was bout that long) teaching English and traveling around Asia. It was so great to see him in person after all of these years and to meet his wife. She is beautiful, and kind, and smart. He has really done well for himself, and I am so proud of him. He always dated ...well...typical Dallas girls...and hmmm... I guess guys just have to go through that to figure out what they really want and need. And let me just say..Jessi totally fits the bill. She's the whole package. Here are a couple of old skool pics of me and Denny as well as one from Sunday.

The night of my high school graduation (May 1997)
Denny & My High School Boyfriend's Senior Prom (1996)

This next story was definitely the most exciting part of my week. And I guess this story really begins back in 1992. That's when I met Lauren. She is not only a lifetime friend, she is one of my very best friends. We no longer live a few blocks from each other or talk daily on the phone, but when we do talk...well, it's like no time has passed at all. So, first here are some pics of us through the years. As I was scanning them, I was thinking they should be titled the many hairstyles of "L" and "C". LOL!

1993- NJH Freshman Rule!

1996- Juniors in high school

1998 at Club Dada in Dallas
1998 at my first place~ The Biltmore condos in Addison
1999- Club Dada again.. ( right before I met Wes)

I can remember being with her at the Jane's Addiction concert back in 1999, and thinking, "This will be one of the best memories we share together." I was wrong. On Monday, I attended the birth of her second daughter as her friend and her photographer. It was amazing!!! I had never been to a birth--other than my own--and well, let's just say this was a lot more enjoyable. Lauren was amazing and she surrounded herself that day with some great people, including Tim, her mom, and her midwife. I just never could have imagined as I was sitting on her bed at 13 talking about boys and school that someday- 15 years later I would get to sit by her side on a bed as she brought a new life into this world. I was so honored and grateful to be there. She has graciously given me permission to share a few photographs from this beautiful day.

Congratulations Lauren! I love you and am so proud of you!

2009 Challenge- 52 photos

So, as many of you know, I am in an online mom's group. I've been a member of the group since April of 2005. This group has offered me a wealth of information over that past few years, and has also afforded me and my children the opportunity to make some friends that we may have otherwise never known. The women there offer advice, comfort, and most importantly have helped me to navigate my world as a stay at home mom with a lot more ease. Tonight, Sara, who I have never met in person, shared something with the group that took my breath away. It is so simple, yet so brilliant...She has given me permission to share it with all of you. My hope is that those of you that can relate to her like I do, and are the primary picture takers in your family, will make a conscious effort this year to record your life with your children. Many of you either commented or sent me e-mails in response to my blog last month about my dad. I have some wonderful pictures of he and I together, but not near enough. My children are growing so fast, and our daily adventures together will be over in a blink of an eye. I want them to have proof that I was there not only during the milestones, but that I was there for them day to day as we navigated through life. I have been so good about recording the lives of those I live with, but often don't take time to make sure that I am a part of that record. So, without further ado, here is Sara's project and what she had to say about it.

As the primary photographer of our little family, I don't have many pictures of me with Julian and Layla. And so, in 2008, I challenged myself to take one photo each week of myself with Julian and/or Layla. The exception is week 44 (Halloween) when I have two, because I couldn't decide between them. This project was something I was always thinking about throughout the year. It challenged me to see photo ops in the little things (lunch at Sonic). To do big, fun things (sliding at the State Fair) and be sure to capture it. Some really great things that would have been perfect for the 52 project (decorating our Christmas tree) were not photographed, because it would have meant being distracted from the moment and missing out.There were weeks when I barely eeked in a photo op. I used the timer a lot, sometimes I used Daniel, and sometimes Julian groaned in protest at having his picture taken. But I'm proud of myself for sticking to it! I would sorta like to continue on through 2009, but I was so glad (and relieved) to have finished, I'm not sure I could commit again so soon.I plan to print the pictures in book form. I can't wait to see that! But for now, I've created a slide show to satisfy my desire to see this in some sort of finished form right now!


***Pause the music on my blog as her slideshow has beautiful music of it's own***


52 photos of my kids and me from sararas on Vimeo.

Happy New Year