So Much Going On

I know I haven't been on in such a looooong time. I can't seem to get the hang of this blogging more than once a few months thing. :) I always think of things that I should post, but when push come to shove, I just don't do it. Well, here's an update of the past little while..........

The biggest and best news is that I'm a Mimi again!!! His name is Nolan Robert and he was born on September 3rd. weighing in at 8lbs. 13 ozs. and 22 inches long, and the cutest little (or should I say big) thing. I love him SO much! He is only 17 days old and already weighs 10 pounds, probably more since he was last weighed on Friday. Jeanine and Chris are going to be wonderful parents. He's a lucky little boy. I've been spending as much time as I can holding and loving him. There's just something about a newborn that makes your life just that much better. We are so blessed to have another grandbaby. I always heard that having grandchildren was the best thing, but I never expected it to be this incredible. Wow, are we ever blessed!!!

My neice Allison is expecting a baby in a couple of weeks as well. It will be the first grandchild for my brother and his wife. They are really excited and looking forward to this baby. We can all hardly wait. It's seems incredible that our kids are having kids of their own. Jeanine and Allie were, and still are very close. It is awesome that they are having their kids at the same time. Their little ones can grow up together just like they did.

This past weekend Sandi and I made the trip to Monclava Ohio to walk in an awareness walk for the disease Chiari Malformation. Our friend Kellie was one of the organizers for it. We didn't let her know that we were coming and I think we pulled of a very BIG surprise for Kellie. She is an incredible woman. She has so much on her plate with having the disease herself as well as two of her children. I hope and pray that more can be learned and more money raised for this cause. According to Kellie, there are 300,000 people afflicted with this ailment and the doctors don't know much about it. Through her efforts and those of others with the same thing, they managed to organize a great day on Saturday. There was a young man named Nathan who sang and spoke of his life with the disease. He was born with Spina-bifida as well as Chiari and I'm not sure how many other problems. He's had 47 surgeries so far in his short 19 years. What an inspiration. He was told he would never walk, and through sheer determination and a never say never attitude, he got out of his wheelchair and proved all the naysayers wrong! I just can't get over what an incredible spirit he has. Sandi and I looked at each other with tears in our eyes and we both thought the same thing.........we don't have a thing in the world to complain about. These people live with daily pain. Pain that you or I can't even imagine, and they are dealing with it with such grace and positive attitudes. Like Kellie said, this is her "normal". You just get up everyday and deal with things as they come, just like everybody else. Kellie, you are my hero and I pray that all of your hard work and efforts does raise awareness for Chiari and that things start to get better for all that suffer with this day in and day out!

On a lighter note, Sandi and I took Kellie out for dinner after she finished up working on Saturday. We were going to go to Texas Roadhouse, but the line was waaaaaay too long. So we ended up at TGI Fridays. We walked right in and got a table. That was the first good thing about the night. Wait, I should say second good thing. Obviously the first was being with Kellie! :) So, after being seated (2nd. good thing), the waiter came to take our drink orders. Kellie and Sandi decided to go with iced tea, but I was in the mood for a beer. I ordered a Bud Light and the young man asked to see my I.D.!!!!! (did I mention, that he's my new best friend!) LOL!! I know I looked at him kind of funny and he asked me if I was a secret shopper. Well it figures, he wasn't charming me for a big tip, which by the way he got ;) he was just worried that I was a secret shopper and would turn him in for not carding me. It seems that Fridays has a policy that they card everyone that looks 40 or under. Sandi and Kellie were groaning and cracking up. Of course I'll never let them forget that the woman who's knocking on 50's door got carded! Hey, a girls got to have a little something to feel good about in her middle age, even if it is a waiter trying to get a good tip!

I had such a good time this weekend and am so glad that we went. Can't wait for next years walk. Maybe we can get some others to come with us and make it an even better time!!