Getting ready for Samantha's party

We finally got a picture with her Uncle Mike. Woo Hoo!!!! Uncle Mike and Grandpa puting up some shade. Boy did we need it.

We picked the hottest day of the month to do this party.

Sometimes I think we're not very smart.

The boys

This is the usual reaction when I say I'm taking pictures.

Isn't he sweet? At least he tries to smileThey wore out Grandma. Both she and Nate zonked out
Oh what will he say when he see's this picture posted.

She will sleep anywhere.

Our little sleeping beauty Just couldn't hold my head up any longer
I'm not sure how she ended up on my head

Playing ball with my brothers

It's sometimes really hard to believe that I have 2 teenage boys. Samantha loves them.

Mess Maker Mess Maker

I really wish I had a better spot for some of my stuff. Her new favorite thing is to yank all of my disks out and scatter them on the floor. I have probably picked these up 20 times in the last 3 days. So much for the hundreds of dollars that have been spent on toys.

Never mind that when she gets in this cabinet I have to wash all of her nipples again. I don't want her to put them in her mouth after she has slobbered all over them and rubbed them on the floor.

Just an update

Samantha and her kitty. Boy does she love him. Nate and his friend Samm at Graduation.
Just an old favorite of mine. Look how blond I was.

Well, the surgery is over. Samantha is doing great. She had her stitches taken out yesterday. She decided that it would be fun to scoot around the doctors office and explore. She made us all laugh. The doctors warned us that she would have a new found energy, and they were not joking. The child can go for hours standing and climbing. I thought she wore me out before. WOW!! We are still trying to get a handle on her high blood pressure, but Dr. Womack says that her body will adjust in time and not to worry. So I'm not. He's been on point with everything so far, so I have no reason to doubt at this point.

My cousin James (more like a brother) got a new job. He's leaving for Texas tonight. He seems to think he has gotten his dream job. I really hope it turns out the way he hopes. I'm sad to see him go. Besides that, I have lost a great babysitter (NO FAIR). He will be missed greatly.

The boys are out of school now. They have a busy summer. Church camp, Drivers ED, Band Camp, and whatever else rolls around. It makes me sad that they are growing up so fast. I don't see them as much. I'm certainly glad that they are happy though.

For those of you that know, Matthew and I have had some hard times the last few months. I'm not talking about the stress of two hospital visits or the fact that trucking is in the dumps right now. Just in our relationship as a couple. I'm happy to say though, we are doing much better. Counseling has helped a little but more importantly, we are both working hard at saving the relationship, and are definitely moving in the right direction.

Anyway, I just want to say Thank you to everyone who has been there for us through all of this. I'm grateful for all the prayers that everyone sent our way, and I know things can only get better from here. They have already started.

I love you all