Tonsillectomy Chronicles Day 15

I skipped alot of days I know. Christmas and the holidays kept me busy. Not busy enough to take my mind off the nagging pain in the back of my throat but good enough. It's definitely been better than the first week of ice picking and throat stabbing pain. It all seems to go in stages. The throat feels better but the ears hurt. The ears will feel a little better but the head hurts and well, you get the point. I felt decent around Christmas like I said and was able to eat quite a bit. I'm still eating almost normal but with caution. I think I got too excited with eating and over did it so I backed away from the Indian Tacos after the first one! I have finally made it to the day of my follow up appointment. (I thought it would never come!) It's tomorrow morning and guess what?? I have snow piling up all around me! It figures. I'm just curious about how I'm doing and if it is, in fact, okay to eat normally now. That aside, the weather is amazing...as long as I stay inside! The cold air pierces through my ears and straight to my throat! Yuck!

Two weeks later and I will say that looking back it probably was the worst surgery recovery I have ever had to deal with. I can at least sleep all night now without the excrutiating pain. It hurts when I wake up but nothing like before. According to others, I've done very well comparitively so definitely thankful for prayers, research on the internet and of course, my husband for taking care of me while I was down all the while playing "mom" to the kids. Now on to my house. I am starting to see a path at least from my room to the kitchen. Mom and I have shoveled trash from kids' rooms only to have them pile back up with new toys. So, my PRE-New Year's Resolution will be to get this place back to normal...whatever that is. I hear it takes a few months to feel normal again but I can handle what I feel now especially once I can breathe! Never knew how much your sinuses were intertwined in all of this either!

One thing I absolutely can't give up is my game shows. Deal or No Deal is on now. Howie is calling my name!

Merry Christmas!

We finally went to have some pictures done for my mom this past week for Christmas. It is just me and my sister and we are both done having children so my mom has been wanting pictures of all of us. I also wanted some with my sister as well. Now I'm just hoping she won't read my blog before Friday!

I left off the big one of both of our families combined in case she does take a look. I won't put it past her!

Same song different verse...Day 8

I keep waiting to wake up one morning and be pain free and just wowed! Apparently that's how it happens. Not today. Not for me at least. Good news is that by the afternoon I'm doing ok or at least functioning! Mom is gracious enough to come over tonight to help me clean my house while my mother in law has the kids for the day and night since Bart's at work. I didn't get to really do much with my mom to celebrate her birthday so it's too bad we can't have dinner together. Unless we went to a place like Souper Jell-O. I woke up in so much pain this morning and it was just killing me to get the kids fed and wait on Bart's mom! Then it got better as I started drinking water. I'm hoping that part is better by Thursday because that is our Christmas with the kids and with Bart's family so I really don't want to be sickly and lying around or holding my ears for dear life as the kids open their presents. Try to turn agonized face into excited. I can really see that!

Seriously, I am about to wrap some presents and try to do something productive. Not to worry, I don't want to overdue anything. Oh and I actually ate mac and cheese for lunch!! How exciting!!

One last thought...if anyone has NOT seen Julie and Julia, it's a great movie. It's inspiring me to take on some kind of blog accomplishment. I don't like to cook though. Bake..yes. Maybe it will be Mandie and Betty.

Tonsillectomy Chronicles Days 6&7

Yesterday was sooo not good. This recovery is like a rollercoaster. You never know how you are going to feel one day to the next. I was going to go to a family Christmas with Bart and the kids last night but as I was going to my mom's to get ready, I started feeling blah and Reese was sick so we stayed with Mom. Mom made some homeade potato soup, which I usually LOVE, but anything with salt in it burns my mouth these days like Dante's Inferno. My whole mouth will start hurting and then I can't get anything down. So frustrated! The first couple of days, I was drinking water and eating popsicles and now I can't even drink water! My afternoons and evenings are the best but my nights are still, well, nightmarish!! Christmas is now only a few days away. Bart goes back to work tomorrow. Luckily the kids will be with my mother in law tomorrow for most of the day. I still have to finish shopping and wrapping! I keep telling myself the good thing is, I did this in between semesters and before insurance change. I will make it through the holidays. I will. Er..I'm sure I will. Surely.

So I'm still able to get you caught up on game shows. I know the complete schedule now! I also know all the celeb gossip thanks to the E! channel being right below the Game Show Network. One word of advice to the folks at E!. You can't beat a dead horse. Tiger Woods being said horse.

I have also become addicted to reading other posts about recovering from tonsillectomies etc. Seems I still have a ways to go. And WOW! I must not have it to bad. No trips back to the ER etc. No bleeds. (hope I'm not jinxing myself) I am afraid of dehydration at this point since I haven't been able to drink as much but I am trying to at least get jell-o down since it just glides on down the throat and it is considered fluid! Whoop!

I missed getting to have Happy Birthday Jesus with our class on Sunday. Thinking I may still do a late party. I feel like I'm having to miss out on alot of the Christmas festivities anyways. I'm hoping to take the kids to the lights maybe Wednesday since that is our Christmas Eve. Santa is coming a day early since daddy works on Christmas Day and all. I've already booked a room at the Nana Inn for Christmas night for all of us! =) We will be eating dinner and doing Christmas over there with her and my sister anyways so it will be nice to just curl up and go to bed and have her help. She has also been a lifesaver coming over to help clean up around my house. It's been quite awful.

Well, Lingo is on and its time for me to try and D-R-I-N-K and rest some more.
Thanks for the prayers and please continue to pray for my "turnaround" to be soon! Like today or tomorrow!!

Tonsillectomy Chronicles Day 5

Today is not much different from yesterday other than the fact that I attempted to go WATCH basketball. Ross had two games this morning and they were big games for our team. No, I didn't try to coach. I stayed home during the first game and Bart texted me the details and we lost so of course, I had to make an appearance in the second thinking they must've lost because Coach Mandie wasn't there. I must've been crazy!! Everyone wanted to talk to me and ask me where I've been and/or how my recovery was going. Then, I realized I couldn't yell during the game when I realized they weren't where they should be on the court etc. I started hurting, realizing I had been talking too much. My ears were killing me! So after the game, I went back to my bed! Tomorrow we have a big day planned with birthday parties and family Christmas parties so I'm hoping I feel up to it and didn't overdue it today. I am already giving up my Happy Birthday Jesus party at church with the kids in Sunday School since I can't talk and I rely on Bart too much!

I decided to come hang out on the couch to watch the Cowboys/Saints game tonight. Watching Bart eating left over enchiladas was a pain but what was worse than that was watching Reese throw up all over the floor. I sure hope she is not getting sick. I am sure it has NOTHING to do with the fact that she probably hasn't eaten a real meal since I've been down. I know she had a honey bun this morning and I'm pretty sure she has drank all the egg nog she can hold the last few days. The thought of regurgitated egg nog is making my stomach sick so this is all I have for day 5.

Note to self- Next time I have to have surgery (which I hope is years), make sure I plan out all the meals for the week(s) so that all Bart has to do is pop it in the oven or microwave.

Tonsillectomy Chronicles Day 4

I know, I know..I'm starting out on day 4 instead of 1. If I would've had the energy to write during days 1-3, I most certainly would have! So far, recovering from an adult tonsillectomy is much like what I've read and also NOTHING what I expected. I have had so many strep throat experiences my whole life that I thought I could deal with the soreness and the inability to swallow comfortably. Holy cow! I was not expecting to feel like someone was stabbing my throat with a few sharp steak knives! On day 1, I did just as I had read and kept drinking the water and eating the jell-O. I felt I was doing well considering many of the blogs I have read showed that some couldn't even get the water down. I was good snuggled in my bed watching my game show network all day. That Carnie Wilson is a hoot on The Newlywed Game! Oh and I now know the names of every single Deal or No Deal model. I had read not to sleep too long and boy was that right. If you sleep longer than 5 minutes, you will regret it! You have to choke down some water on a throat that is as dry as the Mohave Desert and start over. You really don't think about the fact that your sinuses are all messed up too and you just can't breathe out of your nose. So, you are left to sleep with your mouth gaping open, drool coming out and all the while just drying up all the work you've done up until naptime. So, I figured that out. If I started to drift off, I would feel the pain set in and wake up pretty quick to down the water. That pretty much sums up my first two days. The dreaded day 3 came and everyone was right about it being bad. The ear pain sets in. Well, nobody said that day 3 was a set up for flippin' day 4!! I decided to go ahead and dope up and try to sleep through some of the ear pain. It was way too bad. Oh and note to self: don't eat anything salty. Bart made me some yummy thinned down mashed potatoes with chicken broth. Tasted really really good until the salt settled in to every single open wound I had in my mouth. Holy guacamole. One thing I've learned that I love is rice pudding!! Feels so good on my throat and is equally yummy. It seems to hurt worse when you eat but I know I need to keep eating to feel better so I try and push through that.

Day 4- Thankful for my husband for taking care of me these last few days as well as my kids. Get this- they have actually been relatively quiet! They come in to ask if I need anything and take away any jell-o or pudding containers etc. I sure hope I don't ruin Christmas by still being sickly! I've been worried about that.

Oh and Bart sent Reese to school in a princess play costume one day. I'm glad the teachers know I'm out of commission. I bet that was a good laugh.

One last thing for day 4- Thanks to my friends that have brought me goodies. I know I can't eat much so thanks for thinking about me and hooking me up. You know who you are!
I'm going to try to go to the game tomorrow. We have a double header. It's funny that I'm even typing that because I haven't even been able to make it to the kitchen and back to bed much so we'll keep our fingers crossed.

It's gone!

And yes, the other one is already getting ready to come out!!! Thinking she will be minus two teeth before her 6th birthday!

Stay Tuned....

A tooth is about to be lost.....

Peaceful Sunday drive

I got up this morning extra tired after a long day of soccer and baseball yesterday. We were all well over cooked needless to say. Bart worked yesterday and was on today as well, so while I was laying in bed, I told myself, "noone's gonna blame you if you don't go to church today." I laid there a while then got up knowing that not only would I blame myself, so would the kids! It is always so hectic when it is just me. Noone wants to cooperate or listen. Actually, I guess that's the way it goes in the Vest house regardless! I managed to get everyone dressed and fed and out the door. Only 10 minutes behind compared to the usual 20 or so! I marched them to the truck, handed out bibles, buckled seat belts and headed out. I was half way to McKinney when I realized it was unusually quiet for my bunch. Maybe they fell back asleep. They were so tired from yesterday. I turned around and this is what I got! (Don't worry, I was at a stop light!)





It's mornings like this when I know I'm doing something right. My cup runs over and my heart is smiling.

2 adults plus 15 teenage girls equals madness!

A couple of weeks ago, I agreed to help my sister chaperone my niece's 13th birthday slumber party. What was I thinking?? When she first asked me, I thought, oh this will be alot of fun! Just a few of Cheyenne's friends and some time with my sister...what could be more fun?

Am I cool or What???

Well, first of all, it was around the same time as finals, so I was already more tired than usual. I say this because I am ALWAYS tired. Some say chronic fatigue syndrome, I say mom of three, full time student and married to a fireman with two jobs! Anyways, I show up to help set up the food and get ready for the girls. Then I find out that there are going to be 15 girls! I don't even know if I knew 15 girls close enough to invite over to my house for the night when I was that age! I'm still positive in my thoughts, thinking after they eat we will all settle down to watch Twilight. My fourth or fifth time. Their 3oth or so. Yeah, by the time the movie was over, I couldn't hear. All of the high pitched screaming over Jacob and Edward sent me immediately to the internet in search for hearing aids. Am I getting that old? I also found out that 15 different girls have 15 separate "favorite" parts of the movie. And each time one came on the screen, more screaming.

Finally, at 2:30am, I decide I really have to lay down. The girls are still in full swing of course. Ann and I figure we will lay down, take turns checking on them and watch some TV in the meantime. I found that it was much more effective to text Cheyenne then to go tell her to turn the music and/or TV down. So finally, at 6:30am, all girls were asleep. I was exhausted! I think we figured up that we got 3 hours of sleep all together!




I was tired but I definitely wouldn't have traded it! Cheyenne is getting to the age of needing someone to talk to and I'm glad I can be there for her. I'm basking in the aunt/niece relationship and am glad I can be that role model. I know that one day, Reese will look to her for the same thing so its important to set the example.
Look at how tired I look!


Also, notice that Cheyenne is wearing her To Write Love on Her Arms shirt I bought her in the pictures! I was able to talk to some of the girls about it and was suprised that many of them had actually heard of it. Two of them had shirts as well. I'm so excited that Cheyenne is strong enough to say no to cutting and self injury and instead promote love and hope. So I have finally recooperated from such a long night and finals. Oh and in case you're wondering, I did switch my major back to Psychology and counseling! I'm right where I need to be and never felt better.

Free Treasures, Yet Not so Free by Tammy Wisdon-Virgin

This is something my cousin wrote and really touched me today so I wanted to share. I never knew there was someone else in the family that loved to write as much as me! Thanks for sharing Tammy!


Imagine unearthing a treasure so valuable that it takes your breath away or leaves you in awe wanting more. This is what I ran into today as I was clearing out one of the flower beds. I began to pull up weeds. I tugged on roots and found some black tarp that was used to combat weeds by the previous planter, however, underneath that tarp was good soil! I had to push my way thru layers of mulch, shingle pieces, and even a Capri Sun pouch to find the tarp but there it was. I thought, "well this is clever. I've done this before." Matter of fact, I was thinking about doing that again once I had prepped the beds but the treasure I was seeing before my eyes distracted me.As I sat right in the middle of the dirt, I noticed there were two kinds of roots that I was having to wrestle with. The first I'll call superficial, only grew as far down as the tarp. The other, deeply rooted and so hard to pull that I literally feel on my behind a few times. It wasn't going to win though; I was going to make sure of that. Anyone who knows me knows that I have a stubborn streak within me.Right in the middle of the bed I began to tackle the stubborn root that wouldn't budge. I dug away at the dirt and dug some more to get to the root. Now, this root was underneath this tarp. It didn't have a barrier so it was free to grow and seek out the necessary nutrients. In the middle of the flower bed, sitting on my backside, hands dirty, no filthy, with dirt and fertilizer and the true treasures began to be seen. It's not the treasure that you can sell or clean up and use a decorative ornament. These treasures are those you cherish and protect within your soul, within your heart. God began to speak to me through the dirt and work at hand. Remember, I had two kinds of roots I was dealing with but I also had the black tarp material.The black tarp. What's the purpose for it? Well, a practical use is to protect or create a barrier from unwanted elements. But it's also used to hide or cover up things we don't want exposed. Sometimes if you pull up a tarp you might see a cherished vintage car or you may see a rusted, decrepit piece of junk. Either way, that tarp is a cover up. For me, it was a cover up of good soil that flowers need. Instead of using it, whoever it was, covered that soil and created shallow beds that was barren, except for the weeds. Isn't that like each of us?We cover up our faces with masks and cover our lives with lies. We hide what we truly are. We're depressed but we say, "I'm fine." We appear happy and joyful but behind the scene we're falling apart at the seams. We build walls so that no one can penetrate the very depth of our souls. I'll decide who or what is allowed in my "turf" of life. We cover up the results of anger with make-up or long sleeves. We hide addictions by pretending there's nothing wrong. We overcompensate the bad within by doing works of "good" thinking no one will notice. God showed me that we cover up ourselves way too much that we've forgotten what it's like to be real, to be shown, and to be who He wants us to be. From the time of Adam and Eve, we've been covering ourselves from shame and guilt as if no one can see through the charade. He also showed me that those lil roots are our attempts to clean ourselves up. We make ourselves pretty because of the ugliness inside. Our attempts are feeble and won't take a good hard grasp because we don't have the foundation to grab hold too. For those of us that call ourselves Christians, we have a lot of growing to do but if we can't or won't take the time to pull out those "weeds" of life, they are going to choke out all that is good. We say we are free but live in chains. We say we love Christ and want to be like him but we don't want to read on how to do that. We want to know God more and more, we say, but yet we don't take time to talk to Him. It's time to be naked, figurately speaking, and say what we mean and mean what we say. Let's be real because it futile to hide. We usually end up exposed anyways!Those hard to pull roots, well those roots were deep in the soil. I worked on that for what seemed like an hour. I had to work my hands and fingers deep enough to reach underneath and pull. First, I had to break away all the lil bitty roots to get to the big ones. But once I did it came out and I won. Or did I?You see those deeply planted, growing roots represents the world. We've been engrained with worldly ways for so long that they've grown way deep into our minds and hearts. You can read in the Bible that the "bad" things in our lives needs to uprooted. You can't just cut the plant, tree, or weed at ground level. It will come back. We can cover them up hoping they won't sprout through but ya know what? They're still there underneath. The only way to truly get rid of something unwanted is by getting to the root of the problem and ridding yourself of it, just as I did with that one stubborn thing right in the middle of the bed.You see, even though I have the bulb and the main part of the root base, I didn't get it all. There was one left but I couldn't find it in the dirt. With my own hands it's impossible but if I had the right equipment I could probably do it. However, it would no longer be by my own power. I was reminded of Jesus' teaching of He being the Vine and we are merely the branch. Remove the branch from the vine and it can't produce fruit. Remove the plant from the root, well, it dies. So does every attempt we do in life to make ourselves better. We just simply can't do it on our own power. I say let's take off our masks, the phony perceptions we give and be real. Let's be real with ourselves and let His power be made in our weaknesses. It's futile to do so otherwise. I began to look at myself at that point of the day, the point of God's lesson/reminder as I was holding the root mass in my hands. What have I been covering up? Have I been deeply rooted or have been only allowing my roots to go so far?I'll be the first to say I've covered some things up. I've said I was fine when I really wasn't. I've tried to handle things on my own without going to the One who can do it for me, thru me. As I washed the dirt and grime off my hands and as it turned to clay-like substance I began to think of how God had fashioned me. I reflected on how each detail of my being was strategically and methodically thought out and prepared for me. Who am I to question and try to drive the car of my own life. I don't know the detours or the roads laid out before me but He does. I think I'll slide over into the passenger's seat and give him back the wheel. I may not understand the why's, how come's, and what for's that will/has come. But I do have a choice to trust in Him who has my best interests at heart. Just when I thought I had seen the good soil today I found another treasure. Underneath rocks, boards, and black tarps (oh how they liked those things) I found a small pond. Imagine covering up a water hole capable of sustaining life and even giving life as if it wasn't there. Hmm, don't we do that too? Turns out a simple task of clearing some flower beds turned into a treasure find. I didn't say a treasure hunt because, to be honest, I wasn't looking for any. It was simply a task. Jesus isn't a task but our source of life and in Him, well, he's the only covering I need and that's perfect. My little treasures just so happened wasn't free. Jesus paid for all my sins, shame, guilt, and even my inadequacies with his Blood. It cost Him everything but the good part is, He wouldn't have done it any other way.Take with it what you may but this was a good day. A good weekend. Not because of what I've done or how I've felt. It's because of my time with Him. There's no better feeling and there's no price that can be paid to ever buy it either. To me that's priceless.

This and that!

Baseball is in full swing for Ross and Reese is kicking with soccer!

Just wanted to post a few random pictures since I've been so neglectful of my blog!

Heavy and Light

I realized when I signed on tonight that I have not written a blog in over a month. Since then, I am a year older but not much wiser. My baby also gained a year. It has been a month of heavy hearts and light conversations. As we said hello to a new baby niece, we also said goodbye to a dear grandfather. A first of many for a nine year old. A first time to say goodbye and to experience a loss. A first for the mother that had to explain death and wipe away tears at a funeral. How do you explain life and death when all they know is laughter, ball games and the occasional fight with the siblings? To my suprise, Ross explained it perfectly to his brother and sister. This became apparent when at the graveside, Reid (a 3 yr old) blurts out "Gene Pop is NOT there...he's gone!" Yes, a 9 year old's explanation to his siblings was that it was just a body. Gene Pop's spirit is already gone to be with Jesus. I couldn't have said it better.


Tonight, I took my niece to hear Jamie Tworkowski, the founder of my favorite organization, To Write Love on Her Arms. An organization that started as a few friends reaching out to a girl that was hurting. What started out as a t-shirt has turned into a movement. A movement to encourage love and hope. As I sat there listening to him and the story behind the organization, I realized that I had no right to be sitting there as if I am actually doing what I am meant to do. All my life, I have done what everyone else thinks I should do. I have a passion within that fights to get out and I just bury it back down. There is always some excuse why I can't think of what I need to be doing. Busying myself with kids and classes, trying to convince myself otherwise. Afraid that I don't possess the right tools that helping others requires, but the desire within me to reach out is growing stronger every year. God planted this desire in me long ago. He let me know that I have hurt and gone through all that I have for a reason. To help youth and others hurting. After Jamie spoke tonight, I had the privilage of talking to him for a moment. The voice inside getting louder as I listened and becoming more inspired. I feel like Moses. "Who, me?? Are you sure you don't mean that other much more outgoing person over there?" Yes, my thoughts are heavy tonight but my heart is light. It feels lifted as though I finally feel at peace about my journey and excited about where it will take me. I started a study with the ladies at church recently. Part of the study included a board that had a verse or words of inspiration written on it. Each quiet time session, we were to write something that spoke to us on the back of the board. The point of why I am telling this is that the boards were wrapped. You didn't know what yours said until you picked one and opened it up. God works in awesome ways. I picked one out and on my way home from church, I opened it up. My board reads: "Here am I, send me". At the first study, I heard something and wrote it down on the back of my board. I wrote, "God will use you when you are willing." I want to make a difference in at least one young girl's life. I am not perfect. It's okay that I am not perfect. God doesn't need perfect. He can use my broken life. Not to mend someone else's broken life but to offer the connection. To offer hope and love. To show a young girl that God never meant for bad things to happen to her and that He loves her and wants to hold her and comfort her the way only He can do.


I noticed on Facebook tonight that my niece posted her status as "Love is the Movement. You best believe it! Thank you Mims (thats me!) for telling me about TWLOHA!"


I love my niece. She turns 13 this week. Getting ready to face a big cruel world. I will make a difference in her life. Hopefully I already have.

Sports, school and scattered schedules!

This last weekend was our final tournament for basketball. The boys did awesome and we were the only 3rd grade team going into the tournament undefeated. We had to play three games Saturday and made it to the championship but lost by 3 points to Blue Ridge. The boys were a little disappointed but they had an awesome season and I can't wait to coach them next year! In fact, I found myself a little depressed Saturday evening that the season was actually over! We had our party on Sunday and Coach Joe and I took the boys to CiCi's for some pizza as well as roller skating! We all had a blast and it was a great weekend. I also had my last day at the ER on Friday so now I can concentrate on school and my kiddos again. Speaking of which, Thursday starts soccer for Reese and Friday is Ross's first baseball practice! Whew! Not sure if I updated last time but Bart will be coaching in Sherman instead of Leonard this year. Long story but it is for the better anyways. We are already enjoying the parents and the league much better. It is more organized and a little stricter on the parental and coaching rules which is nice.

On another note, I am going to brag on myself for a minute. It was hard for me to make the decision to go back to school. Not because of the lack of desire but for fear of not doing well, and trying to balance kids and home life as well. Most of all, the fact that I am in my 30's and most of my classmates are just out of high school! Well, I'm in my third semester now and have managed to maintain my 4.0 and also have been invited to the Phi Theta Kappa (National Honor Society). How cool is that? Then...I got a letter from UTD offering a transfer scholarship. What?? I am so glad I made this decision! I am also amazed that all the younger girls look up to me in class. It is such a blessing! Of course, most of the time they just want to copy my notes but it is still nice to be accepted after waiting all these years to go back! It has also become a sort of competition with me and Ross to keep his grades up. "If mom can do it, so can you!"

Anyways, continue to pray for my patience and sanity nevertheless as I press forward. I think I will even take a Summer class. Yes, I am a glutton for punishment. I actually just want to get in as much as I can so that I don't get the urge or temptation to quit. Although, I am pretty positive my kiddos wouldn't let that happen. They are so stinking awesome! Hope everyone's week is going well. I will try to keep everyone posted more often....really...I swear. Okay, I will try.

Just some long overdue updates!

Again, I am faultering on my blogging as of late. I am overwhelmed with the time management of kids, school and sports. Not to mention my working every so often, although I did finally give my notice so that will give me some relief! We finished basketball with an undeafeted season and we will play in the final tournament this coming Saturday! I am so proud of all of the boys and the great job they all did playing as well as learning excellent sportsmanship with their team mates and other teams as well. I had a few of the boys over a week ago for a night of roller skating and sleep over. It was a lot of fun but this ol' gal was exhausted the next day! They all wanted me to take them "ding-dong ditching". I was afraid to ask but I finally did only to find out it was just the old trick of knocking on doors and running away before someone answered. I tried to tell them that was probably not the best idea on Valentine's night even though they didn't understand! They settled for snipe hunting with Bart whatever that is.

Next we have baseball for Ross and soccer for Reese! As if my head isn't already spinning. We have had a long ongoing inner struggle trying to decide to keep Ross in Leonard sports or go elsewhere. Oh the small town politics and I have about decided Leonard is far worse than Celina ever thought about being. Bart has had two winning seasons with little league baseball here in Leonard and we have endured quite a bit of turmoil without going into detail. So, when we learned that they went about choosing their coaches a little differently this season, it made our decision easier as to what to do. Bart will coach this season in the Sherman league. We have been wanting to put Ross in that league for some time so it wasn't anything new. They are a much bigger, more organized league with strict rules about who coaches as well as parental behavior. I am excited to see what the season brings! The only bad thing, is that I had already signed Reese up for soccer in Bonham before this all came about! So now I will be going to two different towns for sports and still work in school two nights a week as well! Whew! It will work out and will be good for the kids. I will just be sure to register Reese to play in Sherman in the fall!! (If I make it that long!)

So, here are some random snapshots of the kids since I haven't done my blogging duty lately. I will be sure to post some sports shots soon! Reese is a little humdinger of a player so I'm excited to see this! She can out run Ross's basketball team!

A Not so Prestige Membership

I have become guilty of being a bad blogger and friend lately! I have an old friend from high school that I email on a weekly basis and they reminded me so politely yesterday that it has been *cough* 12 days! So, my sincerest apologies to all my friends and family for being such the recluse lately. I have good reason...I really do! First off, we have all been sick to some degree. It seems when I go awhile without working and then return to the ER, I bring EVERYTHING home. Even though I anti-bacterialize my whole body when leaving, the little virus bugs still sneak in my jacket or pocket only to be found by the ever so curious Vest children. Not to mention us older kids. So, we have been battling pneumonia with Reid, upper respiratory with Reese and the good ol' stomach bug for me.

All for good reasons I think, since I offered to work a little extra for a friend at work. A friend that at only 22 has just lost her mom in a horrible accident. I hope that through all of my negligence, I can at least be a friend to her right now, although, unfortunately I missed the memorial for her mom due to the stomach bug I was carrying around this week. I will get over the virus and be well in a few days but she will carry this for the rest of her life. Please pray for my friend as she is unfortunately inducted into what some of us refer to as "the club". The club is an unspoken organization for those of us who have lost a parent, or heaven forbid, both parents. The price of membership doesn't require currency, but a lifetime of regrets and questioning. My friend may not realize all that is ahead yet, and soon she will go to make "the phone call." The one to tell her mom about something her 2 yr old did that was so fascinating and when she picks up the phone, she will have a pain in her heart so deep as she remembers there will be noone on the other end. She will be angry for a while and that will be replaced with the deep sorrow that won't seem to go away. I pray that she will learn to lean on the One that understands what it is like to lose someone so precious. I pray that I can be there for her, a big sister in a sense, to help her through this. The ER is far from kind and understanding, but maybe I can prove that wrong. So please pray for my young friend. She is a young mom having just lost her main support and life line. Pray that I can be there for her and that my busy life can slow even just for a little while to help shelter some hurt. I am also so thankful through this, that even though I am "fatherless", I am fortunate to still have my mother...well, actually two of them. My natural mother that gave birth to me, of course, and my adoptive mother that takes the form of my older sister. Both of which I couldn't imagine life without. Life can change in an instant, and I see that everyday that I am at work. I know its kind of cheesy but the last couple weeks really has made me think more about the saying "Live every day like its your last". So, if its not too late to add to my New Year's resolutions, I am going to pin that one up. My friend told my boss after the memorial that she didn't want to be a part of this club anymore. I want to tell her, neither do I, but we will get through it. I want to tell her you never get over it but it does get better with each day. I will tell her that I love her and I am here for her. Despite school, family and basketball, I will make time for her so that she doesn't feel alone. Its the worst feeling and she doesn't deserve to go through that alone right now.

I hope everyone has a good week and go spend time with your parent or child. Give someone a much needed hug today and let them return the favor. Live today like its your last and love like you have never lost before.

Tigers! Tigers! Tigers! GRRRRRR!!

So tomorrow is our third game so far this season and we are 2-0! Ross is doing awesome, as I knew he would, I mean he IS my child after all. Last week he drew two fouls and went to the line and made 1 of 2 both times. That is actually more like his Aunt Winnie. I have included some of the pictures of Ross's infamous shots adding to our ending score of 18-2 over the Celeste Blue Devils last week. Tomorrow we battle the Wolfe City Wolves. Tigers vs. Wolves. What a match up!

My sister helped me last week!

Obviously I am enjoying coaching a little too much but hey, he's only 9 once and then I have Reese and Reid! Seriously, it has been a nice break in my stressed schedule to hang out with the kids. Since classes started, I have something going every night of the week and alot of people would advise against taking on anything else such as coaching basketball. I, on the other hand, wouldn't have it any other way. I don't want my kids to remember me being too busy with school to not have time for them. Besides, baseball is just around the corner and then its Bart's turn!!

Proof that pregnant brain stays with you long after pregnancy

Whoever used the phrase "pregnant brain" should've named it, once you become pregnant, get ready to lose your mind for the rest of your life! Oh, and also add the fact that it gets worse with each child long after giving birth.

So, I noticed Monday that my left foot was hurting just a bit. It had gotten to the point where I couldn't hardly bear any weight on it. My mind of course is filled with a jumbled mess of things such as basketball, class starting this week, laundry, Bart's schedule and well, you get the idea. I could not for the life of me remember what I did to hurt my foot! In the back of my mind I remember doing SOMETHING, I just don't know what, where or when. Every day it has continued to feel worse and become harder to walk on. I hobbled to basketball practice on Tuesday. Limped my way through classes on Wednesday. Today, I decided, hey, I better go get this checked out before working a 15 hour shift tomorrow. So, I run up to E-Care in McKinney. (great place by the way!!) My doctor does not have access to an Xray so this is where she told me to go. Way better than the E.R. and nice staff. Yes, they are paying me to advertise. So, apparently I probably have a hairline fracture in my foot. What the heck did I do??? So not only do I look like a total goofball walking around with one of those ugly blue velcro shoes and crutches, I sound like an idiot when trying to answer everyone's questions about what I did!! "What did you do?" "Yeah, about that...not so sure how I FRACTURED MY FOOT!" Seriously, I'm going to guess it had something to do with being a 32 year old grown woman on a trampoline with three kids. Or, better yet, dancing to Tobymac with said kids. On second thought, nah...couldn't be anything like that.

Is it that time already??

I swore I was going to get so much done before the Spring semester started. Well, classes start tomorrow and do you think I really accomplished everything on my list? I did manage to read the books I wanted during the break and I'm actually about to finish one extra but that's about it! My house still looks the same. Unfinished paint job in the bedroom...Christmas decorations half taken down thanks to Bart's wonderful schedule...cluttered house and well, I could go on and on! I dread the cramped schedule ahead of me but it's all worth it, right? I was hoping to at least go to church today but it seems the kids have all been sick since we came back from our trip. Reid, bless his heart, has a double ear infection and an upper respiratory infection and now Ross is complaining about his ears! Reese has had the same viral respiratory infection for a couple weeks as well. Oh, and did I mention I feel like I'm coming down with something too?? It always seems like everything hits at once but after a couple of weeks it will settle down again. On the bright side of my busy schedule, we won our first basketball game yesterday! Ross did awesome and gave it all he had, even with having to guard a kid twice his size! Seeing all the boys come together make it worth while to give up some of my time to help coach! I meant to have Bart take some pictures at the game and forgot in the craziness of the first game, so next week I will try to do better in order to show off my boys!

So, wish me luck as I start a new semester this week. And each week brings us closer to returning to a normal schedule for Bart too! Hope everyone has a great week!

Ross's Glasses

Well, after searching a few stores for a pair we both agreed on, we finally found some glasses at Wal-Mart. SpongeBob of course! (Thank goodness you can't see anything SpongeBob on the frame) Downside is, we won't have them for a few days so Ross is a little disappointed. I managed to get a picture of him on my phone and will post more when we have them in our possession!

Ross's Birthday

Not much exciting happened today for Ross's 9th birthday. I got him up, dropped him off to school and then headed out to find the game he had been asking for. He had basketball practice tonight so we didn't get to plan too much and his first game is this Saturday so if there will be a party, it will be in a couple of weeks. It's hard to believe my big boy is nine years old! Seems like just yesterday I was a scared 23 year old wondering what in the world was going to happen to my life as I tried to prepare the best that I could for a little one. I couldn't imagine a better experience for a firstborn than what I had with Ross. He was a sweet baby and has grown up to be a sweet boy. Quite the little genius and a great big brother. Always wanting to please both me and Bart and so sensitive to others feelings.

I picked Reese up today and before I could get out of the parking lot, I noticed the school nurse had tried to call. I had Reese with me so I knew it must have something to do with Ross. I worried that maybe he was getting sick like the other two have been. Why hadn't they called me sooner though? I barely listened to the message and tried to call back up to the school. I drove slow in case I had to go in there to pick him up. When I finally reached "Nurse Nancy", I had to try to hold back the giggles. Ross isn't inheriting the cold from his siblings, he is inheriting his mother's eyesight! Yes, Ross has been having trouble seeing the chalkboards and the teacher sent him to the nurse only to find that he failed the vision test. I knew this day was coming but didn't quite expect it this soon. Happy Birthday Ross and welcome to the unfortunate world of bad vision. Your mother has it, your aunt has it, your mother's mother and father and, well, you get the idea. So, tomorrow morning, we will set out to find out just how bad it is for now. I'm hoping and praying he only needs glasses for school work at the moment. There is plenty of time for his eyes to get worse..believe me. I am very thankful that there are stylish frames out there now and that one of his good buddies wears glasses as well.

So, another year goes by for Ross and with it an unexpected milestone. I wore my glasses tonight and probably will tomorrow just to make him feel a little more at ease. He is actually excited. He said, "I get glasses for my birthday." Poor thing. Doesn't realize he has a full life of it ahead of him! Pictures coming soon!!

Skiing, Family and Yahtzee

We got back last night from our family ski trip in Ruidoso, NM. The trip was nice and the drive wasn't bad for the most part. Going there, the kids did great. Reid was the one I was most worried about but he stayed pretty content most of the drive. Coming back seemed like a lot longer but we lost an hour coming back into Texas which made it that much harder! Luckily, my mom rode with us so we had an extra pair of hands to help with the kiddos!


This was the first ski trip to take with my side of the family and we all had a blast! The kids took to skiing like a fish takes to water and I can't wait to go again! Reese looked so cute in her skiing gear and she didn't want to leave the mountain. Ross did well, but tired easily, which we plan on working on that before next year. Its motivation for all of us! I didn't realize how out of shape I was until this week! I was sore in muscles I didn't even know I had anymore. We though Reid was still a little small but he probably could have hung with the best of them. If you notice in the pictures, he is right there the whole time! He also had us laughing because everytime someone would fall, he would start cracking up! What a wise guy he is!

We also celebrated Ross's birthday while we were all together. He turns 9 tomorrow!

And the kids made their gingerbread house! Of course, Reese ate quite a bit of the icing before it made it to the house to decorate.
Reid pretended to be a dog while we all played Yahtzee! I won, of course!!

The kids really enjoyed the snow and I wished it would've snowed while we were there but at

least they got to play in it and enjoy what was there. I also completed my goal of reading two books while I was gone. If you are a sports fan and haven't read Josh Hamilton's book "Beyond Belief", then it is a must! What an awesome testimony he has and I can't wait to get it signed when baseball season starts again!! I read it to Bart while we were gone and it was nice. Sometimes we sat on the back porch and read while the kids watched for deer.

It was a great trip and it brought our family a little closer, even Bart and I had some bonding time dispite our kids running around, thanks to Josh Hamilton! (and mom for buying it for me for Christmas!)

I hope everyone had a great Christmas holiday! I am glad to be back and can't wait to catch up with everyone. I will end tonight with my favorite picture taken this past week. :)