ATWT: MY DATE WITH A MUCH YOUNGER, HOTTER MAN!

Yes, I am married!

Yes, Hubs knew about the date and was ok with it!

No, we are not in an open relationship!

The younger man is taken too!

We invited his girlfriend BUT she was out of town so it was just the two of us at the park on a WONDERFUL fall evening!

Hubs took Elijah to the TU football game along with his football team and their families.  I was footballed out!  Yes 'footballed' is a word!  The team got to go out onto the field and even made it on the 10 o'clock news!  Woohoo!

I decided I needed a night out and I found the perfect young man to join me!

He is a little hottie!

Irresistible in fact!

Yes, he is a little stubborn or headstrong like myself but again the irresistible part took over.

He didn't have money since he is jobless but I offered to pay.

He has a few minor obsessions and I catered to them all!

Here he is the much younger man I dated for one evening

 I know, right!  I am one lucky lady!

Parks are his fun obsession.  We went to "his" park.... just the two of us.  All of his birthday parties have been at this park so he has claimed it as his own.  Not many little boys have their very own park!

He's a real swinger! lol

The next stop is his favorite obsession of all.....ICE CREAM!  We went to Braum's and out of all of those flavors he still picked his trusty favorite - "baniwa" or vanilla as we know it!  This kid loves ice cream.  I hardly ever buy it since welllllll I love it too and I will eat it.  Meme always have "baniwa" ice cream for him but we went to the ice cream store....just the two of us!

After one scoop of ice cream and one for the road.....I know "sucker" right.....we went to Target to check out the Halloween costume aisles which totally sucked by the way.  They normally have like four aisles of just costumes but this new Target just had one aisle.  ONE for kids and adults, seriously Target you are letting me down here!  We walked through ALL the toy aisles where he claimed to want "all the boy toys and no girl toys" for his birthday.  I said, "ok!"  The boys know I don't just buy them toys everytime we go to the store so both of them ask for everything for their birthdays and I say yes!  They won't remember by then and don't realize how far away their birthdays are.....if they only knew how close Christmas is!!  Hey it works with no begging and no tears!  Then we went home and I must admit I still got it.......I totally wear out my dates!

He didn't even make it to his bed and crashed about 5 minutes after we arrived back home!  A perfect ending to a perfect date with my little man!

FRIDAY HIGH FIVE

Time for Friday High Five!

Come join in the fun....please!Make a list of 5 things ~ ANY five things you want! 5 favorite things, Top 5 Vacation spots, 5 most embarrassing moments, 5 favorite pics, 5 reasons to not pick your nose......A LIST OF ANYTHING YOU WANT IT TO BE....funny, serious, sentimental, to dos, pictures, no pictures ~ anything!

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Post about it, linking back to me (now you can copy and paste the HTML at the bottom of this post for a button!) then sign Mr. Linky!Please use the Friday High Five URL post in Mr. Linky's URL section instead of your blog URL and here is how: write the post, publish the post, go to edit posts, VIEW the High Five post, copy the URL in the address portion at the top of the screen then paste it in the URL section of Mr.Linky!!

Sounds complicated but it isn't too bad!

If you need help, let me know in the comment section!

Go view all the other High Five posts and comment away!

Have fun!

5 reasons I went to Springfield for the day yesterday

5. My Uncle's dog had puppies and my sister bought one so we went to pick it up!

4. TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE

3. Adult conversation ~ the four boys played, watched movies and ATE (that is a whole other post!!) while my sister and I talked and talked the whole way there and the whole way back!!

2. To take Grandma to put her jewelry in her safe deposit box. Since the whole tornado ordeal when she broke her pelvis she is paranoid that a tornado is going to carry her and the house away with her jewels in it! Since her bank is right by my Uncle's house I took her there. I listened to her stories about EVERY piece of jewelry. I now know who bought each piece, who gets it when she dies, when she got it and why and what each piece is made of.....wow....and the vault was so hot!! The funny thing is ~ she put the jewelry in the safe deposit box but the list saying who gets what and the meaning of the jewelry she is keeping at the house. Pretty much negates the purpose if you ask me but oh well maybe I'll remember just a portion of what she told me!!

#1

TO SEE GRANDMA!!

I love my Grandma and wish she was right here! Even though I saw her about a month ago and I talk to her weekly, I just wanted to see her and the boys did too! They love their Grandma "Souri" ~ that is what they call her ~ not Grandma, not Great Grandma, not Grandma Bryan, not Grandma Donna but Grandma "Souri" pronounced Zuri since well.....she lives in Missouri. She doesn't mind and I think she kind of likes that they made a name just for her and have stuck with it for so long ~ it makes her even more special.

<center><a href="http://angeleyesadventures.blogspot.com/search/label/Friday%20High%20Five"><img alt="Angela's Adventures" src="http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r134/gigibryan/HighFive-1.jpg" /></a></center>

WRITER'S WORKSHOP WEDNESDAY

Time once again for MamaKat's Writer's Workshop Wednesday and like always I am a little late but you know they say better late than never!! Good thing someone created that quote I just wish it was regarded with all my high school tardies!!

Let's see.....what to do....

2.) Describe a situation that forced you to confront a neighbor.

Really? Has someone been watching me? I found it funny that this was a prompt since I had to confront my neighbor 2 nights ago. If you are new, then go here first then here for the back story! If you are a follower, then you know about my neighbor situation and many of you have emailed asking for an update ~ here it is! After an air conditioner mishap involving water leaking, parts of the ceiling falling and ceiling stains, I was cleaning up the dinner mess. THAT air conditioner post will come soon! Isaiah comes screaming and crying into the kitchen saying, "Daddy is mean!" I said, "Well what happened?" since he says this almost everytime he is in trouble which is quite often. Hubs comes storming in telling him to tell me what he had done to which Zay replies, "She told me to take my pants down so she could see my weiner!" while crying REALLY hard! Hubs had walked outside to take the trash out and caught Zay with his pants down, literally. I knew Zay was telling the truth since he has NOT ever called it his "weiner" ~ EVER! Now some may shrug this off as curiosity but with the back story to the situation I was peeved to say the least! I immediately stormed out of the house and walked over to their house. The little was standing in the open garage. I said, "Can I speak with your Dad?" She quickly responded with, "NO!" I said, "Well I really need to speak with your father." She said, "Well you can't b/c we are about to eat dinner." Not willing to accept this answer I knocked on the front door. The older brother answered and let me in. The father was sitting in a recliner watching television and the mother was beside him in another chair smoking IN the house. They respond with "What did she do?" and the little girl runs up the steps screaming. I proceeded to tell them the situation and although they appeared shocked I didn't feel it was honest. I won't go into everything I said but basically told them she was saying and doing things that are inappropriate and they needed to speak with her. He turned the television off and called for the girl who by then was screaming her lungs off. Not crying just screaming! He said something and she screamed, "I am going to kill myself!" SERIOUSLY! He said, "Why would you say something like that?" My only thought was "hmmm.....it is time for one of us to move!" I then went home to have "the talk" with my 4 yr old son that I hated having the first time.

3.)Tell us about Grandpa.

I easily have many things to say on this topic but since I miss him terribly, his birthday was a few weeks ago and I just saw my Grandma yesterday, I don't think I can type it without crying! You can go here to read a post a did awhile back if you like.

INSTEAD I will talk about my Dad and his "Papa" skills! My boys LOVE their Meme and Papa! Papa is the type to teach them checkers, play Memory or teach the grandkids how to play cards. He is stern but always handing out hugs for his little buddies. I have countless pictures of the boys as babies sleeping with Papa in his throne, the recliner, and they are some of my favorites! He lets them "help" with repair projects and other activities like washing the cars, watering the lawn or building a small fence. He is the maker of tall tales and seems to be able to create a funny but kid logical answer to otherwise avoided questions. I don't get how he comes up with them so quick but they are normally funny. He is smart yet able to relate to his inner child! He is funny and loving so what more could you ask for in a Grandpa! We love him!

4.) Which appliance in your home would you most miss living without if you had to live without.

NONE!!

Hmmm......I was going to say the diswasher since I HATE handwashing dishes but I think the washer would be harder to live without since we have so much laundry!! WAIT....I guess I could take the clothes to the laundromat and get many loads done in a shorter time frame which I could not do with the dishes so I will have to stick with the dishwasher!!

MY DEAREST ISAIAH,

To my dearest Isaiah the son who keeps me on my toes,

Today to your dismay you turned four years old. You planned on going straight from three to five ever since you turned three. I have had quite the time explaining that this won't work and I thought maybe you understood me finally this morning. We'll see! I still think tomorrow you will be back to being five!

I remember the day you were born like it was yesterday. I will probably say this with each birthday letter I write you since I am told the birth of children is something I will never forget. I say that so much and it sounds cliche but it is very true. I went in for a scheduled c-section EARLY in the morning but other emergencies arose and we didn't get to see you until that afternoon. THE second I saw you I said, "Wow you look just like your Daddy!" We were all excited to see you. Elijah was a little upset since he wanted you to be green but he loved you regardless of your unmartian like looks.

I remember everything about you!

I remember.......

• the colic that began when you were two weeks old which the mere thought of makes my stomach turn and wonder how I made it through!
• praying I could find a pacifier that you would take for those hours of crying
• you NEVER EVER taking a pacifier (a nightmare for a mother of a baby with colic)
• you sleeping in your bouncer until you were four months old because it was the only place you would actually SLEEP!
• the joy when you finally slept through the night at just a little past four months
• you being such a happy baby after the colic was finally over
• the turmoil when you stopped breathing at the pediatrician's office and they had to do CPR
• RSV at nine months which TOTALLY RUINED YOU SLEEPING through the night for A VERY LONG TIME!
• you getting teeth at 4 months then biting the pediatrician when he didn't believe me and stuck his finger in your mouth
• telling people I didn't think you could hear then listening to them rationalize my fears
• your first word being uh-oh not mommy :(
• 10 ear infections in eleven months
• 3 surgeries in two years that you were a little trooper for
• your frustration when trying to fit in a cake pan even though I insisted you wouldn't fit.
• grabbing the camera to capture your face when you finally sat inside the cake pan then wondered why
• you hiding in the refrigerator
• the first time you REALLY heard things
• you pooping on your closet floor because you didn't want to poop in the big potty
• pneumonia when I was told you weren't sick but persisted until I got my answer THREE MONTHS later
• each and every birthday and each and every pivotal moment

I am so proud of you! I started tearing up the other day when we were outside and you heard the train choo choo from MILES AWAY! You thought I was sad and wanted to see the train. It is odd that those tiny moments still get to me! You were playing and said, "I hear a choo choo train Mommy!" All I could say to you was "Me too baby!" while I was screaming inside "THANK YOU GOD THAT HE CAN HEAR!" quietly amazed at how much you have changed through the years. I was so glad you could hear something so far away when just a little over two years prior I stood a foot behind you and you couldn't hear me scream your name. You handled your ear infections, medications, then finally ENT appts, surgeries and hearing tests like a champ! YOU probably won't remember any of that drama but I WILL!

I joke about you being Daddy's twin b/c you two are alike in every way possible. So much so that sometimes it freaks me out! I say you are ornery and bullheaded and you are BUT you are also the one to run in from playing outside JUST to give me a "tiss" (kiss). You are the one to say "I wuv you Mommy don't let the bugs in the bed!" (his version of don't let the bed bugs bite) You are the one who thinks I am your "best mommy ever"! You are the one who constantly has to be reassured that you are a good boy and a big helper! You are the one who always says, "Daddy I am glad you came home" when all he did was walk in the door from work. You are the one who says, "I wuv you buncha bunches!" You are the one who makes me smile and tear up at the same time thinking you are the last baby so I need to savor every moment!

I love you from your curly hair to your signature Zay crooked smile to those chubby little feet with Daddy's toes!

I LOVE YOU BABY BOY WITH ALL MY HEART!

I LOVE YOU TO THE MOON AND BACK!

I LOVE YOU MORE THAN ALL THE STARS IN THE SKY!

I LOVE YOU MORE THAN YOU CAN EVER IMAGINE AND THEN SOME!

With all my love,

Mommy

WRITER'S WORKSHOP WEDNESDAY

It's time again for Writers' Workshop Wednesday so hop on over to join in the fun with Mama Kat or read the other posts!

I used to think......

~being a Mother would be so easy since it comes natural and all!

I love kids! Taking care of kids was always so easy for me before I was a parent so I just assumed I would have all the answers and would always be able to calm a crying baby. I was crushed when I was told I would not be able to bear children. I had accepted that fact and then four years later ~ SURPRISE ~ I was pregnant. Of course, I was so excited since I had always known I wanted children of my own. I must admit the first one WAS easy. In fact, many people would say to me, "he is so good it is almost creepy". I took it as a compliment of sorts. He was easy, laid back, fun, smart and then Isaiah was born and the monster inside broke free. He was so excited to have a brother UNTIL he was born. Although he was always good and caring with Isaiah, he turned all his anger of having to share attention out on me! Ugh! Isaiah.....well......he was NOT easy and that is putting it lightly. He still is not easy. He was good until he turned two weeks old and then the colic started. Colic is awful! It makes you feel inadequate as a Mother and hard to bond with your child who is always screaming. My views of being the perfect Mother came to a crashing halt. I had a baby with colic and a 4 yr old struggling with not getting enough attention. It is amazing how fast you realize you DON'T know everything. I used to think being a Mom would be easy BUT boy was I wrong.

MY kids would NOT hide in clothes racks at stores.

MY kids would NEVER talk back.

MY kids would NOT throw fits at stores.

MY kids would sleep in their OWN bed without argument.

MY kids would make it to the toilet before vomiting.

MY kids would not constantly argue.

My boys are good for the most part and I think I am doing a good job, but they are NOT the perfect children I envisioned before becoming a Mother. Maybe God gave me my boys to make sure I understand I DON'T know everything and be the only man to prove me wrong.....lololol!!!

Being a Mother is one the most important jobs on Earth.

These boys are my (I know I keep saying "my" but just know I totally include Hubs) responsibility. I have to make sure they becoming thriving adults and respectable, devoted men.

Wow, what a weight!

I love being a Mom and I don't take my job lightly. I will be their Mother until the day I die and my job will never end. It may become easier when they are grown but they will always be a part of me. It is amazing to me how much we take our Mother's and all they do for granted UNTIL we are Mothers ourselves! You never truly appreciate your parents until you ARE a parent!

A THOUSAND WORDS THURSDAY

Feb 2002 ~ While searching through old pics for another post, I found baby pictures of Elijah showing his monthly growth using a stuffed bear from his Great Grandmother. Among those pics was this one from when he was a month old and oh how I love this picture! He used to smile ALL THE TIME in his sleep. My Mom used to get so mad because she could never catch it with the camera but I had better luck and soon became a pro at catching his dreamy grins. I know all babies do this but what can they be dreaming about besides milk and their parents. He loved to sleep and still does except now instead of smiling he just talks in his sleep.

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WORDFUL WEDNESDAY

I trying to find some good....well actually I was trying to find some bad funny pics of friends that I could scan....yep that's how I roll....when I came upon these pics of Elijah! He was by far the cutest baby boy I've ever seen! My Grandmother got him this giant bear to take his photo with every month to see how much he would grown each month on his birth day! Fun project and interesting but it go harder to do the older he got! Anyhow I found them, I fell in love all over again even after 7 years and here they are:

One Month ~ so tiny, sweet, calm, peaceful and cute as can be!

Four months ~ all smiles and still cute as can be and although his Daddy thought this outfit was girly it was a boy outfit ~ closest to a girl outfit I'll ever get!

Six months ~ so so happy, loved his thigh rolls! I love this picture because it captured his mini mohawk! He was born with a full head of thick hair but the sides and back just stopped growing. His hair was still thick and grew like crazy.....only on the top!! This was right after his first haircut in hopes that if we cut the top maybe just maybe the sides could catch up!!

Ten months ~ my little brown baby boy is so handsome and I just love his eyes in this picture!

OH THE MEMORIES!

NOW he is SEVEN and even though the baby/bear pics stopped six years ago he is still the cutest baby boy I've ever seen!

Not biased at all I tell you!

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I HEART FACES ~ PETS! THE EYES HAVE IT!

Week 4

"Anything goes"

I've posted this picture before on my blog~ probably a couple of times BUT

I LOVE IT!

AND DAISY HEARTS FACES or LICKED THEM!!

RIP SWEET BABY GIRL!

PHOTOSTORY FRIDAY: MY THREE LOVES

I absolutely love to watch my three loves together! Whether playing, sitting, cuddling, singing or sleeping, I NEVER get tired of it. I love pictures of the three of them together! This is BY FAR my most favorite:

In June of 2005, I took this picure. Isaiah was 1 month old and Elijah was 3 1/2 yrs old and I never get tired of looking at it. I miss the days of having a new baby in the house and I will probably never experience it again but this picture takes me back every time. I was in the kitchen and when I came out to the living room they were just like this watching Tom and Jerry. I ran and by "ran" I mean post-very painful and eventful-much worse the the 1st c-section-2nd-c-section-still-carrying-baby-weight-tummy shakes like jello-speed-walk to get the camera then the smiles and waalaa.....in love! Many more "3 loves" sleeping, playing, cuddling shots later I got my next favorite...

This was June 2007 after Martez and I came back from Nashville to attend Chai's wedding. It was our first time to leave the boys and go on our OWN mini vacation. NICE! When we got back you would think the boys grew suction cups and stuck themselves to us at all times! But when you catch a moment like this......who cares if they have suction cups for hands! Many many more "3 loves" sleeping, playing, cuddling shots later I got my NEW favorite picture....

....taken Fall of 2008! Now Isaiah is three and Elijah was six. I thought the house was awfully quiet and went to see what was going on. You know there is trouble when OUR house is quiet! NOT this time! I found my three loves cuddled up asleep in my chair while attempting to watch a football game!

I love these moments!

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HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY! ELIJAH IS 7!

HAPPY 7TH BIRTHDAY BABY!

This is another one of my favorite pictures of Elijah. It was taken back in Aug. 2006 in Branson! He looks like such a baby here at the age of 4 1/2. Wow I know I've said it before but time just flies! I know you guys have heard it a million times over but where did the time go because I remember EACH AND EVERY moment of this day 7 yrs. ago like it was yesterday!! Every year I have a hard time around his birthday and I cry every year. I assumed this tradition would subside as he got older but I think it is just getting worse! It seems with each passing year he is closer to not being Mommy's little boy. I just want to bottle him up, let him out on occasion and keep him just the way he is! Ugh.....so a couple of weeks ago Elijah said he knew where he wanted to have his birthday party ~ my parents' front yard! Huh....hello it is January!

He said, "I REALLY REALLY WANT it to SNOW on my birthday! All I want for my birthday Momma is a GIANT snowball fight with my ENTIRE family!"

I said, "Well I can't really MAKE THAT happen but we'll see. It would probably just be ice though baby like your last two birthdays!"

He appears saddened then says, "I am going to wish for it really hard and ask God because HE can make it snow whenever he wants!"

Fast forward to one week later.....

Elijah who was supposed to be in bed comes out at 10:15pm imagine that to get a drink like always because he is OH SO THIRSTY excuses, excuses when he hears the weatherman forecasting flurries and below freezing temps for the 15th.

He begins to dance around singing "I'm getting snow for my birthday! I'm getting snow for my birthday!" Knowing the probability of the weatherman's error and the likelihood of the storm passing early or late I just said, "we'll just have to see!"

Fast forward to one week later.....this morning.....January 15th, 2009.....

I go in to wake Elijah up to get ready for school and low and behold the boy is awake! I instantly think WOW I need to write this down start singing Happy Birthday, take his picture, then lavish him with hugs and kisses when Samson joined in and totally ruined the moment. UGH! I hate dogs that lick! I lay out his clothes then go about the morning, here a picture, there a picture, open ONE gift the morning of their birthday (the rest have to wait until Daddy is home or the party), then go start the car......

........I COULDN'T BELIEVE MY EYES........

SNOW WAS FALLING FROM THE SKY..................

I SCREAMED FOR ELIJAH TO GET HIS COAT ON AND COME OUTSIDE FOR A BIG SURPRISE.......................

...........ELIJAH CAME OUTSIDE JUST LOOKING INTO THE SKY THEN SPINNING IN CIRCLES WITH HIS ARMS STRETCHED OPEN WIDE SCREAMING THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!

It was such a sight to see and I DIDN'T HAVE MY CAMERA. It looked like something out of a Christmas movie HOWEVER in the movie it is snowing pretty heavily versus our minute flurries that fell this morning. I couldn't help myself as we left for school just driving, thinking and listening to Elijah tell Daddy on the phone that he is still 6 and won't be 7 until 6:50 tonight AND the tears just started flowing.

WHEN did all of this happen?

WHERE did the time go?

Is he still MY boy or did the athletic side of him start to making him closer to his daddy?

It is flying by and I am going to MISS something or forget so many of my favorite moments. PLUS I was just so happy he got snow, no matter how little because THAT was the ONE thing I couldn't get him short of calling the Fun Valley crew to bring me a snow making machine!

So much has happened this year let's see......

We went to Atlanta with many crazy stops along the way! We went to the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated and the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis. Elijah was so excited to see the "King's" memorial. Elijah was born on Martin Luther King's Birthday ~ Jan. 15th ~ and he thinks it is so cool that he shares his birthday with a "king"!

(Note to self: Quit trying to explain to him that MLK isn't an actual King ~ he'll understand one day! Most people do not understand that MLK's bday is the 15th and MLK Day is celebrated the third Monday of January so you will always be explaining this fact! The National Civil Rights Museum is not fun for a three year old! Do not leave car running unattended with children in it and crackheads surrounding it! Do not stop in North Little Rock and Memphis is a dirty town! Remember all of this when planning the next trip to Atlanta!)

Elijah played another season of Upwards Basketball

(Note to self: Next time get on a team where the coach will actually SHOW UP for more than two games!)

Elijah played another season of Upwards Soccer

(Note to self: Do not wear high heels to optional soccer clinics that require PARENT PARTICIPATION or ask that next time they inform you prior to the clinic that you will be running and kicking!)

He learned how to ride his bike without the training wheels!

(Note to self: Ask neighbors to move all cars parked along the street before teaching Isaiah this skill! Children will ride directly into parked cars when they don't understand the brakes and are scared to turn!)

Elijah finished kindergarten.

(Note to self: Doing scrapbook of his class for the teacher was greatly appreciated but hard work. Remember this later! Start at the beginning of the year....oops)

I chaperoned the Kindergarten Zoo field trip.

(Note to self: reread Zoo post BEFORE Isaiah starts kindergarten!)

We took a small road trip to OKC ~ saw the Capitol, went to the Omniplex and the OKC Zoo.

Elijah took 2 levels of swimming lessons.

(Note to self: the sight of your son almost drowning is absolutely terrifying!)

He only had croup three times this year and they were uneventful!! Woohoo for finally outgrowing croup.

(Note to self: do not continue to talk about croup or both of the boys will be struck with it at 2am tomorrow!)

Elijah started to take showers instead of baths.

(Note to self: this definitely made bath time easier so just get over it when Isaiah no longer wants to take a bubble bath ~ just shut up and take your own bubble bath)

Elijah got "protected" aka drafted after only one drill at the football combine

(Note to self: it is still OK to believe he got his running skills from his momma!!!)

We took two trips to Branson. We ALL love Branson especially Elijah!

(Note to self: Do NOT recommend visiting the fish hatchery to anyone with an easily triggered gag reflex like yourself! Fish hatcheries are educational but stinky! Sometimes things are FREE for a reason!)

Elijah started 1st grade

(Note to self: NO you are NOT old! People just call you ma'am to be polite I guess!)

Elijah started tackle football this year and I couldn't possibly have imagined all that him and his team would do. HE MADE ME SO PROUD! I never knew just how determined, athletic, rough, tough, fast, dependable, focused.....wow I could go on forever........he could be! His team won the Conference Championship and got trophies half their size!

(Note to self: THAT sound....you know the one that sounds like bones breaking....is just helmets and pads hitting together but as a MOTHER you will probably still cringe each and every time you hear it!)

He started his first year of city Basketball

(Note to self: We got suckered into starting a new team and coaching! Learn how to say No! This could be interesting!)

Elijah remained his sweet, loving, intelligent, funny, caring, generous, determined, eager and spunky self and I love him more and more with each day! I wonder if HE will ever truly understand how much I love him, how proud I am of him and how much he has changed MY life! His random acts of kindness and his smile just warm my heart. The sound of him REALLY laughing makes me smile even if he is in another room. Watching him with his little brother and listening to their late night bedtime conversations is something I want to remember before all I hear is fighting! His charity and concern for others even those he does not know makes me proud and think perhaps I am doing something right! People tell me I am lucky to have two well-behaved, good-looking boys and I always think ~ if they only knew ~ talking about the well-behaved portion of the comment BUT I am lucky! I am so lucky, blessed, proud, happy and honored to be the Mother of my boys and no matter what age they are

THEY WILL ALWAYS BE MY BOYS!

(Note to self: Yes they will always be your babies but do not alienate their spouse once they are married and do NOT under any circumstances act like the Mom's off the reality show Momma's Boys!)

WORDFUL WEDNESDAY

This picture of Isaiah and Daisy was taken a year ago but it is still one of my all time favorites and I still can't believe I caught it. Daisy died last March and it was devastating for all of us. She was part of our family ~ a huge part! Daisy was our almost 5 yr old Great Dane. When we got her Elijah was 18 mos and she barely came up to his butt. When she died, her head came up to my chest but she acted as if she was a little Chihuahua always wanting to sit in our laps. She was a gentle giant and she loved us just as much as we loved her. I absolutely love this picture and I call it True Wuff (Love)! She was SO BIG and he was so small but they were quite a pair together. He still asks why she died and if we can have her back ~ so sad and so sweet! She protected me and her boys like no other and loved us until the day she died. We miss our BIG baby girl!

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WORDFUL WEDNESDAY

Many people do Wordless Wednesday and just post a photo. Yes I believe that some pictures speak for themselves; however, you don't know the story behind some of them and what they truly mean to the photographer could be the complete opposite. For this very reason I am pleased to say I have found Wordful Wednesday and it is just my cup of tea. So here we go with my inaugural Wordful Wednesday post and we all know I have an earful!!

To most this is yet another picture of a beautiful little boy staring off into the world but to me it means SO much more. For the initial version of my son's hearing difficulties go here and I will try to keep this short and to the point. I had told everyone for a long time I didn't think Isaiah could hear me. I knew he wasn't completely deaf but I had to clap my hands of yell to get his attention far too often if he wasn't looking at me. Everyone had an excuse like he is stubborn (yep!), he is the second child and they don't talk as early (true!) or he is a master of selective listening (he's a pro now!). Like every Mother who doesn't want anything to be wrong with her baby, I chose to accept these excuses but my intuition told me otherwise. After a long struggle, I got him into an ENT who confirmed my fears. Isaiah needed tubes in his ears, he could not hear and they feared he would have permanent hearing loss because of the extent of his damage. The surgery went off without a hitch and I cried the first time I saw him wandering around the house trying to figure out each and every noise he heard. You don't realize all the things you "hear" and block out until your baby boy is perched with his ear against the running dishwasher wondering what in the world is going on in there and you never even "heard" it running. Everything was new to him. Isaiah's personality and hearing was night and day just days after surgery. Six months post-op, many visits, two failed hearing tests later, he FINALLY passed his first hearing test and tears just rolled down my cheeks as he turned for every sound.

Isaiah always loved parades and was never scared of the loud noises but that was because everything was muffled in his world. The photo above is of him watching a parade just two weeks after surgery. He was in awe as if he had never seen a parade but it was because he had never truly heard a parade until this photo was taken. Every time I see this picture I think of all my little boy went through and how thankful I am that he can hear everything unless he is using his professional selective listening skills, of course! At the time I was taking the picture, I was wondering if he could hear and my heart skipped a beat when the firetrucks came and I saw this:

This photo is music to Mommy's ears!

Now do you see what I mean? If you didn't hear the story, these pictures are just cute but now you know why they are so meaningful ~ at least to me!

Hope on over to

and join in the fun!

MY DEC 18TH PHOTO

Here is my Dec 18th photo for the December *08 Photo ProjectI know it is another picture of my boys asleep but I couldn't resist when I went in to wake them up and Isaiah was asleep with his arm around his big brother!

I MISS MY GRANDPA!

Today is the 5th anniversary of the day my Grandpa died, Nov. 26, 2003, and I have been thinking about him a lot lately and miss him terribly. I remember that day like yesterday. I remember talking to Grandpa as they were leaving Missouri to come here for Thanksgiving. I remember the last thing I ever said to him was, "I love you drive safely!" and he said, "I love you too baby girl! Can't wait to see you!"

A little while later I also took the call with my Grandma frantically on the other end, crying while repeating "Grandpa is gone! Grandpa is gone! Oh sweet baby girl we need help! Grandpa is gone!"

Confused I kept saying, "Well where could he possibly have gone I thought you two were on your way here! What do you mean he is gone? Are you OK?"

"He's gone baby girl! He's gone Angie!" was all she could say while crying hysterically.

"Grandma you aren't making much sense. Did he not tell you where he was going? I'll just call his cell phone, he'll answer!" I don't know if I was just that clueless or just couldn't accept the fact that deep down I knew what she meant.

"He's dead baby girl! I NEED HELP!" At this point I lost it and a lot of the next hour is pretty much a blur. I remember calling my Dad to the office phone immediately, crying and praying she was wrong. I barely remember the calls I made or helping to make arrangements so my Grandma could get picked up somewhere in Vinita. My Grandma had noticed Papa acting a little strange then he made a noise and the car veered into oncoming traffic. Grandma was able to climb over, steer the car off the road and get to the brakes before the car crashed into other holiday travelers. He died while driving which is when he was the happiest. I miss him so! I was very close to my Grandparents well I am still close to my Grandmother! I had a good childhood but I was sort of "left behind" and a very small shadow to my sister's existence once our brothers were gone. My Grandparents took over spoiling me where my parents left off and I was the baby girl they never had or so they would always tell me since they had FIVE boys. Our love went BOTH ways!! I cherished them for showing me unconditional love, for telling me I was beautiful when I felt so ugly next to my sister and for telling me I wasn't fat and giving me some more homemade cake. I still laugh when I think about my summer vacations to their house. I remember picking blackberries by the old railroad tracks and being pampered because the chiggers ate me alive and left my feet so swollen that I couldn't even wear shoes. We would play board games, card games, do crossword puzzles and watch Wheel of Fortune then crawl into bed with them in the wee hours of the morning. I would help out with the animals and ride around with Grandpa on his golf cart just waiting for my next chance to drive!! I called them just to talk and let them know I would never forget. I remember the day I had Elijah they made a special trip that morning so they could be here for his birth. That meant more to me than they will ever know. I remember them trying to convince us to have an impromptu wedding the weekend my sister and cousin got married and my Grandpa offering to pay for it all if we did, but alas we wanted our OWN moment. I will never forget the moments Elijah shared with him. Apparently my Grandpa had a little racism left in him from his era BUT I NEVER KNEW THIS ABOUT HIM UNTIL AFTER HE DIED when my Grandma told me how much he loved Elijah and he said, "Elijah James (named after my Grandpa) is a very special little boy. HE taught me what TRUE unconditional love really means! He is indeed a very special little boy!" My Grandpa had used a cane since I was little and Elijah like many other kids was scared to death of it. In fact he was so scared that we could use it as a baby gate!! We would put the cane down in a doorway we didn't want him to pass and he would NOT go over that cane! My Grandpa thought it was funny but at the same time he felt bad so he made Elijah his very own cane. He took one of his canes, shortened it and they were buddies. Elijah used that cane forever and even now if him or Isaiah get hurt they pull out the cane to help them walk. Incidentally Moose tried to eat the cane and my sentimental self wanted to beat him with it, but of course, his stupid, stubborn, always chewing something self did not have a clue and looked at me as if to say, "What did I do?" The last pictures taken of Grandpa are from our wedding. I am so happy he was alive for my wedding but sad each time I look at the pictures and remember that was the last time I ever saw him. I have probably never looked better than I did that day and that was the last day I saw him! It is weird to me that only 5 years later on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving just 2 days before my birthday that the Nov. 26th again lands on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. I will never forget that day. I will never forget that we left the day before the funeral, later than everyone because we had to wait on their van to be fixed to drive it back to Missouri. Yes that is right I had to ride in the car that my Grandpa had died in days before and I was an emotional wreck the entire drive. I will never forget the feeling as I opened the side door to put my bags in the van and there sat his cane collection never to be needed again! I know you all have heard the song "I Can Only Imagine" and I cannot listen to that without crying because I just imagine Grandpa dancing around WITHOUT HIS CANE and forever being free of the "weak" stigma HE thought the cane brought. It is hard for me to talk about him without getting upset and others aren't necessarily like that about him b/c he wasn't the best at showing emotions and letting people he loved know how much he loved. I say to each his own ~ I loved him and I let him know just like he did for me and I will always cherish our relationship!! Sadly I have no digital pics of Grandpa and the scanner is screwed up so I decided to I will share a few of scrapbook pages I have of him later this evening. I think the thing that speaks so much of him is that Elijah remembers him. Elijah was only 22months old when his Great Grandpa James Bryan or as Elijah said "Papa Cane" went to Heaven but he KNEW him, he LOVED him and still talks about him or asks me to tell him stories from "Papa Cane's" younger days and I am always HAPPY to oblige. Elijah was glad that Papa was already in Heaven so Daisy would have someone to love, cuddle and play with her. We miss you Grandpa and we will NEVER forget!! Love your baby girl!

HAPPY 3RD BIRTHDAY BABY!

My little boy turns 3 today!





I could go on and on about how crazy it is but well wait maybe I will a little! It is just crazy to me it literally feels like I just brought his little chicken leg butt home. I love everything about this boy even his attitude which at times I hate but he wouldn't be "him" without it. He's had his troubles starting off with his droopy eye and crooked smile caused by them pinching some nerve during my c-section but they told me it would go away. The eye returned to normal but he was left with his ornery little crooked mouth that's only detectable when he smiles, laughs or cries! But again he wouldn't be Isaiah without that ornery crooked "I didn't do nutting momma!" smile! He had to have a circumcision revision at about a year and a half but without it I don't think he would have found his beloved little toy! He he! After a long eleven months with ten ear infections and dozens of antibiotics we were told he was almost deaf and the doctors warned us he might have permanent hearing loss BUT he had tubes put in his ears and his adenoids taken out and passed his first hearing test 6 months after the surgery. You can not comprehend my joy when the fear of permanent hearing loss was erased and I knew my little boy would be okay. He may need some speech later on but I am perfectly fine with that. His speech just keeps getting better and better and the times I wish he would just stop talking I have to think at least he is able to hear and talk. He is adorable, handsome, ornery, stubborn, loud, sneaky, hot-tempered, bad but hilarious and he is my little boy. I pray there aren't as many complications in his future although I know there will be so I must pray for the best result to those complications. He loves music, dancing, and he LOVES cars. He is so much like his daddy it freaks me out at times. He is a true mini-me for my husband! They are funny together and he is his daddy's boy! I just can't believe he is three and I am frightened yet excited for the changes ahead! Sometimes I wish my boys weren't so darn handsome....it is hard having such cute kids...hey I am in NO way biased....they are going to be heart breakers and I pity any scandalous girls who will enter their lives b/c they will have to deal with me! Ha! I will literally beat them off with a stick or bat or whatever is handy! lol Quit laughing you all know you would do the same for your kids! Happy Birthday Baby Momma loves you!

At his birthday party

SORRY GUYS

I felt really bad after my blog about Mother's Day! I should be more appreciative of what I have. Lately life around here has been crazy! The past couple of months have been so busy for us and May is probably going to be the worst. We have so many things planned this month it is ridiculous and it doesn't look like it will all get done in May so it will flow into June which I was hoping would be a more relaxed month. So to make up for my selfish Mother's Day blog (I just felt bad but that doesn't mean I don't deserve BETTER!!!!) I am going to blog about my amazing mother. My mother raised four kids - 2 boys and 2 girls - while working with my dad to make success out of his business ventures. My father has always been an entrepeneur and my mother has always been right by his side. My mom is a kind-hearted, gentle, loving, supportive, non-confrontational, thrifty, and let's not forget funny woman! My mom is the type of funny that is sincere because half the time she doesn't even realize she is being funny. Some of my best true BELLY laughs are with my mom. I never realized when I was younger how much closer me and my mom would become once I had children of my own. I am not sure why that happens unless it is just a true appreciation of every thing your mother has done now that you are a mother and finally realize how hard being a mom can be!! I love my mom with all my heart and can't imagine my life without her! I talk to my mom every day about almost anything! Sometimes I feel like maybe it annoys her so I think I won't call over the weekend but then she will call me wondering what is going on so I know she doesn't mind. If something makes me mad, happy or sad for the most part I have to call my mother and tell her about it. I don't have very many friends now that married family life has taken over----well I have friends just not many that I talk to on a daily basis. When Elijah was about 7 months old, I returned to the working world reluctantly (where I have been stuck ever since!) but my mom wanted to watch Elijah and I sometimes marvel at the bond they have. She watched him all day until he was about 18 months when he started two days a week from 9:30 til 2 at WEE Ministries. I wanted him to be more social and to give her some of her time back but she would still pick him up from school and watch him until I got off. He then went to 4 days a week the next year so she only had him ALL day on Mondays and that was their "special" day. She watched him all the up to the first day of kindergarten which I think may have been harder on her than it was on me!! Not kidding! She also started watching Isaiah when he was about a month and they both just have her wrapped around her finger! Not kidding! They say jump, she says how high! It is almost sickening to watch! Here is an example: Elijah was home from school one day last month because of some medication the doctor had him on meant he couldn't be around other child for a few days so he went to my mom's house while I worked. On this particular day the crews were picking up tree limbs from the ice storm debris in my parents' neighborhood and Elijah wanted to watch so she parked in various driveways throughout the neighborhood so they could watch. I called my mom during this to ask how he was doing and could hear him oohing in the background. I asked what they were doing and when she told me I told her she was crazy. Her answer, "Well he wanted to watch! It's kind of cool!" Heaven forbid she say no! Later on that day after she had picked up Isaiah from school I called again to check on Elijah. I could hear the boys hollering in the background so again asked what they were doing. Her answer, "Well we drove around different neighborhoods for about 45 minutes until we finally found them picking up tree limbs again!"
My reply, "Mom that is it! You are being checked into a mental institute because you drove around aimlessly for 45 minutes looking for a crew picking up dead tree limbs just so the boys could watch! Don't you know the price of gas right now?!! You are crazy!"
Her answer, "Well they wanted to watch and since I didn't have baby earlier he didn't get to see and this will be one of the last weeks they will be picking up. It really is neat to watch. I do think the crew thinks I am a little looney though!"
HELLO! I don't think there is much she won't do for her grandchildren but it is funny to watch. I thank God for the bond she has with my children. I would leave Oklahoma in a heartbeat if I didn't have children but I want them to be close to their grandparents since I never had any that lived close to me. I had to just spend summer time with mine but I want them to experience them the way I never could. I am blessed that my mom wants to spend so much time with the kids. Sometimes she'll say things like "I discipline them! If you don't like it then fire me!" I never would but sometimes I think it would be funny to watch her beg for them back! Sick I know! She never shuts up about them. Seriously ask my dad! It is constant she can be in the middle of something then pop up with "oh did I tell you....." chances are she has already told the story about 50 times but she still gets a kick out of it and tell it again with her little laughs in between. I love my mom more than I ever thought possible and hope and pray I am half the mom that she is!

MY HEARTBREAKING DILEMNA

CAUTION:

THIS BLOG IS EXTREMELY LONG

Well as many of you already know our Great Dane Miss Daisy Mae better known as Daisy passed away on Mar. 31. I used to be one of those people who didn't understand why people got SO upset over losing a pet. I have lost many pets and cried over some but I was a wreck when Daisy died and still can't really talk about it in detail without breaking down which I will probably do now. I think this blog is more for me than any of you. I am having a really hard time "getting over it" and thought maybe writing/blogging about it would help. Working in the pet business since I was 10 I have seen many people buy new pets when one dies and that is my dilemna now. Do I or don't I? But first a little background................we got Daisy when she was 6 weeks old and Elijah was just a LITTLE 17 month old. She only came up to his butt and they were so cute together. Minor attitude adjustments were made by our two cats but we were all in love with our new puppy and she was a perfect fit. Elijah and Daisy were hilarious together both sweet, innocent, wobbly and clumsy! A few months later we thought we might lose her when she started limping and completely stopped eating. After many trips to the vet fearing the worst she was diagnosed with metabolic bone disease which in short form is basically growing pains and an imbalance of minerals. She made it and grew to be the biggest baby ever. Fast forward to 4 1/2 years later............Daisy was MY dog and she knew it. She was amazing! She was always by my side no matter what, seriously. If I went outside, she went or sat by the door waiting for my return. If I was going to the bathroom and didn't shut the door completely, there she was sitting in front of me repetitively raising her paw up to my chest for me to shake not realizing it was not the best time. I would tell her to get out so she would raise the other paw just in case I changed my mind. If I was home cleaning, she would follow me from room to room. If I was in the garage doing laundry, she was right there waiting for me. She could be totally passed out on the couch that she never learned was not actually her bed and if I left the room she would pop up and follow. She laid on the floor next to the bed that is if she wasn't trying to get on the bed. She slept with us for many months as a puppy NOT BY OUR CHOICE. I would wake up feeling trapped under the covers and there she would be laying between my legs totally paralyzing me between the sheets. Not funny I used to panic! I tried for months to stop it but she would always sneak up in the middle of the night. Soon she got WAY to big to fit on our bed with us but as soon as Martez would leave for work in the morning or if we got out of bed she'd pop up there like it was hers. I never seemed to make her believe it wasn't! She learned to let herself out to pee and then learned to open the door to let herself back in. Boy that really freaked out company! She later trained our English Bulldog to do the same although there are many times I wish she had kept that trick to herself!! I always felt so safe with her! She was sweet but people were VERY intimidated by her size and I liked that to a certain degree. I always thought if someone were to come in they would probably see her and turn around and if they didn't I honestly believe she would NEVER let anyone hurt me or my family. Martez could walk by and smack me on the butt and you could hear her nails on the wood floors running to my "rescue". She did that for any of us though.......sometimes I would smack Martez and call for help just to see her run and try to stop HIM when he was just standing there the whole time! Ha! If Martez and I were playing with the kids on our bed and we got too rowdy, there she was climbing up to stop the chaos and lay on us all! I won't lie Daisy occassionally was not the perfect angel. She would often grab stuff off the kitchen counters but at least she didn't climb on them because it was right at her level for the snatching! And the number one rule in our house was NEVER EVER leave your food unattended because she will snatch it and run out the door within seconds and you can't blame her if you leave it! One time she ran out the door carry a brand new box of cheese bread left on the counter and I think she got it out and ate it whole. Boy that was a hard one for Isaiah to learn!

She liked to play in the snow then track it all in no matter how many times I would shut the door she would just open it and go play. She often got stuck in bathrooms by merely walking in then accidently shutting the door with her hiney while turning around. She would then scratch at the door periodically until someone heard her. I always wondered why she didn't just bark. The scratches were nothing some Old English wouldn't fix! No matter what she did or how annoying it was to keep everything 6ft high, how many meals she stole or just annoying me at times for always being right there........I would give anything to have her back right next to me!!

Mar. 31
4:45am Martez leaves for work and Daisy is asleep.
5:55am I get up and I normally get her to go outside then she will crawl into our bed and watch me get ready BUT I heard her go outside on her own so I just went about the normal morning routine.
6:50am Now I am making the boys lunches and notice Daisy wasn't RIGHT there in case I drop something she is the instant quicker picker upper!! I thought that was odd so I call her name with no response which is HIGHLY unusual. I figured she was playing outside but she would come when she heard her food hit the dish.
7am I put food in Daisy's bowl with no running response. I look out the back glass door and see her laying on the ground which is odd since she only does that when it is sunny. I call her name several times and I stand there thinking to myself wow she is so big. I noticed what at the time seemed to be hiccups and walked out there only to watch my big baby take her final breaths with me pleading for her to just get up. Her stomach was HUGE and hard. I felt SO bad! I was wailing and so freaked out! It isn't like I could just pick her up and take her to the vet. She was easily 150 lbs. or more! I kept calling my mom and dad with no answer. I just stood there bawling loudly wanting anyone to answer the phone. I was in complete shock and had no clue what to do, I felt helpless. I kept saying "No Daisy we have to get in the car!" I kept walking around to the side of the house so the boys wouldn't hear me and see her dead on the ground. I was so hysterical! I finally got ahold of Martez who in disbelief and total fear from me screaming on the phone left work to rush home. I then finally talked to my mom and dad and then the vet. I was so lost! I had no clue what to do. When I was younger we lived in the country and when an animal would die we would just bury it. It is now against the law to bury pets within city limits and even if we wanted to we would have to have them come out to mark the lines. Can you imagine the size of hole we would have to dig about 5ft by 5ft then however deep......we would have to have a backhoe. So I call the vet and ask what I am supposed to do and who to call.....here were my options as explained to me by the vet....1) Bring her into the office and they will arrange to have her cremated 2) I can keep the ashes in a "beautiful, handcrafted" urn or they will scatter them "at a beautiful peaceful" place for us OR option 3) you can call the city and they will pick her up and dispose of her AKA take her to the dump for ONLY $10.......I lost control spouted some unpleasantries at the poor woman and then quickly apologized. I just wanted her buried I didn't know how or where but I wanted her buried not cremated. I have problems just thinking about cremation. It is a personal decision everyone must make and people can fry themselves if they want but it is not for me well or Daisy.
We finally made arrangements for Daisy to be buried at a pet cemetary......and yes nutjobs I have some issues with that simply from seeing the movie as a teenager but hey what was I supposed to do. We load Daisy and take her to the cemetary where we are informed he can not bury Daisy because he does not have a casket large enough for her. He said in 30 years of being a veterinarian and running a pet cemetary he had never seen a dog that large. I said so people don't bury big dogs and he said he hadn't even seen a Dane get that big especially a female. (I am quite sure by the way there are many Danes larger than her that have died and been buried!) Great now what! I explained that although she was a very large girl she was not always that fat in the stomach area and he said she obviously died of "twisted gut or bloat" and was extremely bloated but he had no way to bury her. They called another cemetary for us and they said they would take care of us. So we drove to Pet Memorial Gardens......a much nicer place than the first cemetary anyway. It proceeded to pour down rain get very windy and the electricity went off as soon as we got there. At a pet cemetary in a storm with no electricity......that situation seriously made me think of the movie!! SO we had to sit there until it all subsided and then the electricity came back on...Thank God b/c I don't know how much longer I could cope with my dog dying and having to sit at a pet cemetary with no electricity and really no way out b/c of the storm!!!! The lady was odd but nice she saw Daisy then said WOW she is big! I started crying and said please say you can bury her for me! She said well let me measure her......44in long but only from ears to base of tail (basically this didn't count her head) then 38.5in tall at the shoulder which doesn't include neck and head.....it was awkward because it was still raining and we were measuring her in the back of the truck. She then she measured the caskets....too small....too small.....too small....she thought she would be able to use the next to largest casket however she wouldn't fit so they used the largest casket they had which they had NEVER used before but thankfully only charged me for the one right below it and we had to pay for two lots. I know it sounds completely crazy but she deserved it. I never buried a dog in a cemetary before and don't know if I would again unless they were special like her. I cried everyday straight for at least a week then cried sporatically after that. I looked up her cause of death and bawled as it was described as "excrutiatingly painful" and most will die of shock. You only have 1 to 2 hours to get the dog to the vet and have the costly surgery done before they will die. The guilt just kills me. I constantly think why didn't I check on her when I realized she wasn't in our room since she was in there EVERY morning, why didn't I go outside before I did, was she laying out there just wondering where I was, did she cry for help and I didn't hear her, and did she wait until I finally came outside to take her final couple of breaths? No one can answer all my questions. Now I had the painful task of telling Elijah. He actually did pretty well as far as not crying but he brought it up constantly. Isaiah wouldn't be able to really understand and that entire evening he kept saying "Daidy outside!?!?" Then the next day as I was cooking dinner I could hear Isaiah outside yelling "Daidy comere honey! Where are you? Daidy where are you?" He then came inside asking for her and I attempted to explain she had died and he just yelled at me "Daidy not dead!" and walked through the house yelling for her and then outside again. It was sad but I had to let him look so maybe it would help him understand. It broke my heart listening to him. For weeks out of habit I would call her name, yell at her to get off my bed when I walked out of the bathroom, tell the boys to watch their plates....you name it I did it. I felt so incredibly stupid too! I don't feel as safe anymore. It isn't that I think something will happen to me I think I just relied on her to protect me if God forbid someone were to break in or try to harm my children in anyway. I always felt safe with her. I am sorry this is long but the point of me writing all of this is:
Do I get another Great Dane? If so now or later? Will I constantly compare the new one to her and resent it when it isn't as good? Maybe a different color will help? Would I just be replacing her? I don't know. Then my boys saw a Boston Terrier up at the store and asked if they could hold it. Sure I said and that was it, they fell in love. I would never in my wildest dreams think of ever getting a Boston Terrier. Hello.....Angela and Terriers do not mesh well. I don't like hyper dogs. I think Bostons are bug eyed and ugly. Well we left the puppy there and hours later Elijah comes to me all sad and says, "Mommy I really like that puppy! Can I have him?"
I said, "No baby I am sorry but I think it would be too hyper for mommy. Maybe we'll go look at some Great Dane puppies this weekend."
He replies with, "but I want that little puppy!"
I explained to him that the Boston won't stay that size forever and he would probably just want every puppy he saw that wanted to play with him. He then pleaded, "I want a puppy that will stay small so I can sleep with it and play with it and it won't knock me down." I said, "Well Daisy used to try to sleep with you and you didn't want her to!" He cameback with, "MOM she took my whole bed!" I just started crying! I guess I just assumed we needed another Great Dane but that little fart made me think. We are wanting to sell our house within the next year and find a bigger house so showing a house with a clumsy Great Dane puppy could be a pain. It would be easier to get a small dog now then add a Dane later rather than adding a small dog to a Dane. I guess I never really thought about life without Daisy. She was the most gentle dog and she loved HER boys however she couldn't really play with them. You see Daisy weighed around 150 but in her eyes she was a 10lb lapdog! She would never purposely hurt the boys but sometimes through excitement she would whip them in the head with her tail (which hurts) or knock them down unintentionally of course. They could sleep ON her, play ON her but they couldn't really play WITH her. Well the next day we saw the Boston Terrier again and the smaller of the two is actually really calm, cute and not really buggy eyed. He will play for a while then go off by himself to play then just crawl up in Elijah's lap and fall asleep.

Now the bigger one of the two Boston Terriers I believe is on crack and would never survive in my household but the smaller one is unusually calm. SO FINALLY HERE IS THE HEARTBREAKING DILEMNA: Do I get another Great Dane? Wait a couple of years until the boys are a little bigger and we have a bigger house? Do I get the Boston Terrier? Or simple a smaller breed dog? Can I live with a Boston Terrier? Do I get the dog my boys can play with then get a Great Dane later? Or will the novelty of the small dog wear off and the boys will quit playing with it? WHAT DO I DO?