Meet Grady

Meet the newest addition to our family, Grady! He’s the most precious “silver” labrador EEEEEEEVER!!! Santa was kind enough to bring him on Christmas morning, but there we’re elves BUSY on Christmas Eve getting ready for his big arrival to our house…whew! I had never seen or heard of such a color lab until Pinterest (my complete time sucking website). When I saw one, I just knew I had to have one my sons would want one for Christmas!!!

So, I even though I might not post on my blog often, I wanted to take a moment to share our Grady… stay tuned, he’s at “puppy training” now and the fun is about to begin!

After weeks of being in/out of doc appt with both my boys, a little get-a-way to the hires of the NC beaches is just what the doctor ordered.

Some think it’s best to rest for vacation…

Some think it’s best to play on vacation…

Some like to take pictures of the small moments and blog on vacation…

When all said and done, it’s good to be with my boys on vacation!!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Moms are...

This year for Mother’s Day my son Grant brought home the BEST EVER handmade gifts from school!!! He even told my husband that he didn’t need to go to the store to get me something and proudly brought it out FIRST thing Sunday morning!!! I loved the fact that he hand painted a tile for me and was so very proud, the handmade turtle was precious, but this year, the thing that struck me in awe was that he thought, “I am beautiful like a Bismith”… his FAVORITE, most prized and LOVED rock in his collection!!!

Bismuth Rock

It is beautiful isn’t it?!?! Gotta love that kid!!!

Hottie at 40

SO this is what 40 looks like? I forgot to mention… I edited this photo by taking out the forehead crater lines, crows feet are hidden behind the BIG shades & I totally enhanced the color so I have a glow instead of brown-spots… NOT to mention, I had just gotten my hair did to color the 85% GRAY!!! NICE!!! Thanks to my MacBook Pro for the enhancements!!!

Happy bDay to ME!!!

It hasn’t really bothered me much I have to admit. I also must confess that only 2 months ago, I thought I was still 38. The MOST embarrassing part is I argued with my husband that I was turning 39 in front of his family!!! He finally shut me up after I said,”I was born in 1971!!!” His response…”It’s 2011 this year”. Well DAMN, that’s what I get and I can now officially blame it on old age!!!

Me and Shane

The celebrations were completely out of sorts as my youngest had to go back in the hospital for a few days worth of testing followed by my ever so loving husband’s shoulder surgery. My friends and family still managed to schedule and reschedule the surprise Shane was planning… turned out to not be a surprise, but I was grateful to have those I loved and cared about to celebrate my day… week… okay the ENTIRE moth!

Me and my cake!!!

Here I am 40 years ago… I look like a little china doll. I certainly haven’t acted like one over the years, but I have certainly have ENJOYED my life for the first 40 years! I couldn’t have dreamed I would be where I am today with the MOST beautiful family, friends I adore and a life I have dreamed of, even if I still need to enhance my photos a bit… cheaper than surgery!!!

February 9, 1971

Drakie Pie

Yes, I have a blog about my son Drake… I haven’t posted on it for almost a year now!!! I’ve been contemplating merging BOTH my boys blogs and this one so I only have ONE  blog to ignore (he he he). Maybe I wouldn’t feel so guilty, maybe I would post more… maybe.

As I sit here in the early hours of our “latest hospital visit”, thought I’d share a sweet pic of us (from my iPhone) that was taken when we first arrived yesterday. Love this boy and ALL our adventures…But the sleep in the hospital has a lot to be desired!!! We are looking for answers about the UGLY seizure monster. funny I have time to blog about it though, NICE!!!

My boy!!!

What can I say?

He’s cute, the colors were GREAT and I had to share!!!

Original Art Work by Grant Naylor!!!

For this past Christmas, I asked my 8 year old G-, for a drawing of him and his little brother. (He’s quite the budding artist, if I must say so myself.) Drawing is something he has just recently decided he likes and of course I LOVE!!! The picture above is what was presented to me on Christmas morning… I can hear ALL the Awwwwes out there!!! I promise I had intentions of having it matted and framed, but for those of you who know me, you know better. (For those of you who are new here, you can read about my Adult with A.D.D. post)

After reading about this great local artist on Seek the Triad, Suzi Cook, I knew what I had to do!!! Fortunately for me, it just so happened to be Mother’s Day was coming soon, so I thought I’d better get my little Picasso made into something I could carry everywhere with me!

My Screen Saver

Don’t you love the details G- added, the orange wheelchair, the matching clothes, the body brace to hold D- in his chair. I do wonder why no hands or feet though, ha ha ha! I’d love to have a physiologist take a look and tell me what they see here. But for me for now, it shows the LOVE a big brother has for his little brother!!! It shows me what unique and individual children I have and how LUCKY I am to be their Mommy!!!

Artist rendention/transformation

Suzi takes your child’s art and turns it into a TRUE work of art!!! ALL you have to do is e-mail Suzi and she will guide you through getting one for yourself too. Here is the black/white conversion. I’m sure she’d rather have a pen drawing, but I couldn’t bring myself to have G- re-draw this precious moment. You can choose from different color leathers too!

finished Product!!!

It wasn’t until the conversion and received my bracelet, that I saw what the whole picture was about… them touching each other!!! G- can’t pass D- without touching him, he loves to show him off to his friends as if he is a prize possession, he has compassion like NO other child I know, that touch is their connection as brothers since words are rarely exchanged. It turns out my gift for Mother’s Day is to see (once again) the love my boys have for each other and that is enough for me!!!

Well… what do you think? I know, I know… I teared up too!!!
SO what inspires me Melissa over at The Inspired Room asks… simply put, my boys!!!

Grant & Drake

Okay, so another week gone by and I “still wasn’t still” (shocker). I did however take a walk with my oldest son G-. I saw our walk through his eyes and took pictures of things he saw. I love this child on a level unlike my second born. Not more, not less, just different. I see a BIG life ahead for him… a GOOD life! He has had to be a stronger child than I was at his age, he has had to watch his little brother (who is special needs) go through so much and I often wonder what he thinks about it all.

a moment with Me & G

from a different point of view...

G- has the most caring heart of any child I know (except when he fired his little friend last week from their new “business ” venture… but that’s another blog post). What do I see as his most valuable asset, the compassion he has learned from his 8 short  years. I, as a mother, could have ever taught him this skill (but cherish that he knows it!). He will be a bigger and better man than most for what he has to deal with in our home living with his little brother.

Walk past this all the time...

Only in our yard!!!

So even though I might not have taken much time for me this week, I took the time to take a walk with G-! I took the time to take a few pictures from his point of view (and look at him with pridefull eyes). I stood still long enough to see that my son is one unlike most his age (on the inside)… yet he yearns to be like all the others. I dread the day someone says something bad to him about his bro… the two share the same heart and I hope they always do.

Just a random flower bush growing

on our front porch

SO to you G-… Mommy’s day to “be still” is dedicated to you.  In hopes that one day too, you will be still long enough to know what an amazement you are to our family and I love you dearly!!! (even if I don’t keep up with your blog well

my boy!!!

Your favorite past time!!!

“T” here with a linkey love note: Make sure to check out my girl MJ at onenuttygirl.com:

Another Linkey love of mine… my BEST blog designer, Darcy!!!:

Carson & Drake

He can’t see, but he shows us what life is really about.
Not the materialistic items, but the love of friends and family.
He can’t hear, but he opened our ears to the important words.
Not all the stories on war and celebrities,
But the three valuable words, “I love you.”

He can’t walk, but his story has traveled to different places.
Wherever it goes, it motivates all.
He can’t talk, but he has told us all about himself.
He reminds people that nothing is too challenging
and that everyone possess strength.

He has never been fed table food, but he feeds us all with inspiration.
His life had been full of doctor’s visits and feeding tubes,
But does he let that stop him? No, he keeps fighting.
He will never be able to lift weights, but he is the strongest person I know.

Written by: Carson Lamb
{My 16 year old niece}

I was inspired by Melissa at the Inspired Room today (but her button was broken I looked back at my beautiful neice and her kind heart and just wanted to share!!!