Remembering 9/11

Today is a day that we all spend remembering and reflecting on the tragedies that occurred on September 11, 2001. We remember all the people who lost their lives that day. We remember those on the airplanes that were hijacked and those that were in the World Tradecenter. And we remember and honor the 343 First Responders who sacrificed their lives running towards the area everyone else was running away from.

While watching a tribute on the History Channel tonight I have done a lot of thinking and reflecting. I am still in shock when I think about what happened that day and have watched these shows tonight with my mouth agape. There are no words to accurately describe the feelings.

I watch these events with a completely different perspective today than I did as a college student when this tragedy occurred. Today, I am the Wife, Daughter and Sister of a Firefighter and as I sit here my heart tightens just a little more. Firefighter's Wife is a title that I am proud to have but also one that carries a lot of worry. The kiss that I give to Gregg on mornings when he goes to work means just a little more.

9/11/01 May We Never Forget

God Bless the USA. God Bless the men and women of our military who are still fighting today for our freedom. God Bless those who work for our EMS, Police Departments, and Fire Departments. May we all remember the sacrifices that you make each day- the time away from friends and family, the wear and tear on your bodies and the scenes that will forever be in your mind.

Heavenly Father, I'm asking you to send your angels today,

To protect my firefighter husband in a very special way.

I ask you to guide his thoughts and actions and keep him free from fear,

To bring him home safely again to those who hold him dear.

Please show me the way to let him know I'm proud to be his wife.

I thank you Lord for giving me this man with whom I share my life.

To keep those you love safe from harm is a goal that you both share,

I pray that as he follows in your ways, you hold him in your care.

Labor Day Weekend

My parents and Bailey came to visit us this weekend for Labor Day!!! We have been so busy this summer and haven't gotten to visit Lubbock and our families any and so my Mom decided it was time for them to come to Wylie!

My Dad was really busy at his new clinic Friday so they didn't leave Lubbock until after 6pm meaning Gregg and I were fast asleep at midnight when they got here. We had already decided to go to Canton on Saturday and then have a tailgate party at our house and listen to the first Red Raider game that night so we got up early and headed to shop! We met Macy in Canton where we spent a VERY HOT day browsing the "Arbors". We found quite a few great buys including Gregg's parents and my Mom's Birthday presents! The Groves' both turn 60 this year so we are going to Lubbock in October to celebrate them! My Mom also started her Christmas shopping and I got some great new ideas for projects that I want to attempt!

picture we bought for Gregg's parents

new frame for The Groves's

After we got home we ran to the grocery store and then started grilling for our game listening party! My Uncle Rod and his friends Gary and David came over to hang out and visit. We had Mexican Shrimp Cocktail and stuffed jalapenos for appetizers and then had Spicy Chicken Wings and jalapeno sausage that Dad and Gregg grilled followed by grilled fruit sundaes for dessert!!! The food was super YUMMY and the football game was GREAT as well! Way to go Red Raiders!!!

Our table

MMM... Jalapenos!

Gregg had to work on Sunday so after he left I went back to sleep and slept till almost 11am! When I woke Mom and Dad were downstairs cooking and we had my Dad's version of Miga's with a new green chili sauce he made for brunch. After eating we went back to Canton to look at a trailer that my Dad found on Saturday and wanted to take pictures of. After that we went to visit my Great Aunt Cleacy before heading home to make fajitas for dinner.

On Monday we got up and packed my parents up and then went to Chiloso's for lunch. After eating we went to the Allen Outlets to go kitchen shopping for my parents and then to visit my Great Aunt again. Cleacy is 96 years old and lives in the Treemont Retirement and Nursing Community. Cleacy was my Grandmother's oldest and closest sister and has always been a 2nd Mother to my Dad.

Bailey wearing her "Drama Queen" t-shirt and new tu-tu

Great Aunt Cleacy

Dad and Cleacy

After visiting Cleacy it was time for my parents and Bailey to get on the road and head back to Lubbock. I was very sad to see them go but handled it ok since I know that I will get to see them at least once a month for the next 3 months!

Overall, the weekend was wonderful and challenging all at the same time! I loved seeing my parents and enjoyed every single minute that I got to spend with them! And as always Gregg and I treasured the time that we had with Bailey. That time was more difficult this trip than it has been previously which really bothers both of us. Bailey is at such a hard age right now and then with everything that she has been through with the divorce over the last 6 months things are increasingly more hard for her. We can really tell that she is acting out so much more now than she has been and my Mom said that she is already in trouble at school this year. I know that God has a plan for all of us and that he blessed us by bringing this child into our lives. I just pray that she can see and feel the love that my family has for her and that we can be a positive influence in her life. I pray for my Brother and the extremely difficult position that he is in. And I pray for my parents as they help Seth and Bailey though these times.

Carlee's Sip n See

Last weekend I went to College Station to celebrate baby Carlee's arrival at her Sip 'n See! (Susan didn't get to have her shower when scheduled because she was in the hospital on bedrest.)

I drove to CS Friday after work with my friend Courtney and we met up with all the girls (plus Tony and Craig) at Cafe Excel for dinner. It was so great to see everyone again and to get to catch up with the girls. After dinner we went across the street to another bar to talk a little more. I have to say that we definitely felt like the older crowd out that night!

On Saturday, Susan and I ran a few errands and then got ready for the Sip n' See. It was so much fun to get Miss Carlee all dressed up. The Sip n' See was at my friend Kelly's parents house. I got to see a lot of friends from high school that I haven't seen in a while and also got to see their Mother's again!

I am so glad that we got to get together and celebrate Carlee and Susan! It was great to see everyone again and fun to play with all the new little girls!

Carlee's Aunts- Staci, Callie, me, Susan (Mom), Courtney, Brynn and Kelly

Precious Baby Carlee

Marley and Margaux playing

Margaux wanting to play with Marley's ring

Marley did not want to share!

Kelly and Margaux

Margaux, Kelly, Carlee and Susan

Our friends and their baby girls

The Grandmas

Highschool friends

Senior Jeans

Yesterday I went to help my friend Ginny make "Senior Jeans" with Logan. Ginny has been a nanny for Logan's family for over 10 years and so while Logan's parents were out of town for the weekend her Mom asked Ginny to help Logan with her jeans. Ginny didn't have "Senior Jeans" at her high school and was a little nervous about the undertaking so I volunteered my skills! Logan will be a Senior at Highland Park High school this year and is part of the Golf team. She helped us plan the jeans but didn't have too much interest in the actual making of the jeans so Ginny and I were left to our own ideas! We looked at pictures on facebook of several of the other girls jeans for inspiration but made sure that Logan's jeans were unique and a representation of her!

Getting started

Ironing on the letters

Painting around the letters

The finished pocket

(Apparently SKA=Seniors Kick A** and is important to have on the jeans!)
Logan's Senior Jeans

HP Golf Shout Out
The back of the jeans with Logan's nick name

Hope you enjoy your "Senior Jeans" Logan! Can't wait to see pictures of you in the jeans!!!

Lakehouse

Gregg's sister, Wendi, came to visit us a couple of weeks ago. We went to the Lakehouse for the weekend to meet up with Gary, Macy, and Lilly to relax and enjoy our time together! We had a great time relaxing and enjoying the lake (despite the water being really low!)

Gregg and Lilly eating strawberries

The last time we were out at the lake the boys went and bought a new tube to ride in. This tube is cylinder and requires you to crawl into it and then curl yourself up into a little ball. Then the tube rotates around and spins!

So, the boys felt the need to ride in the tube while we were this time around! Macy, Lilly and I hung back at the dock, played in the water and laughed at Gregg as he spun and bounced around!

Gary and Wendi pulling Gregg in the tube!

Happy Birthday Brynn!!!

Susan, Courtney, me, Brynn with Carlee and Staci

Last Wednesday night we celebrated Brynn's 27th Birthday!!! The girls all got together for dinner at Cyclone Anaya's in Addison to hang out celebrate Brynn! This was the first dinner that we have had a dinner since Susan delivered Carlee and was released from the hospital. (We celebrated Courtney's b-day in Sue's hospital room in June!) It was so much fun spending the evening together and so special to all of us to have Carlee join in on our girls dinners!!!

Extreme Home Makeover

A couple of weeks ago Extreme Home Makeover was in the Dallas area (Lancaster to be exact) working on a house for a Dallas Police Officer that was shot in the line of duty. Carlton Marshall was shot in he neck in October 2007 while on a SWAT raid serving a narcotics search warrant. He was immediately treated on the scene by 2 SWAT Doctors that cut a hole in his neck allowing him to breathe and then was taken to Parkland Hospital (where I work!) for care and spent over 9 months in the hospital. He suffered severe spinal cord damage immediately, followed by hearing, a stroke and even contacted meningitis.

Gregg and I both wrote letters to Extreme Home Makeover a while back when the Irving and Dallas Police Departments were working to nominate the Marshall Family for the build. (Lt. Marshall's wife is a Irving Homicide Detective.) We were so excited when we heard that this family had been chosen and the house that they were living in would be replaced with a new and much needed home complete with a therapy area!

We went Wednesday night to go help move in furniture and decorate the house before the family came home Thursday. We went out at 8pm and were planning on staying all night long. Around 2am things were slowing down and starting to stall and so we left. (I had to lecture at 10am Thursday morning and so I wanted a little sleep!)

While we were there we got to meet a lot of the behind the scene people for the show and learn so much about Extreme Home Makeover! We helped move some furniture, arrange things for the designers to look over and even got to do a little decorating- ie: putting the toilet paper on the roles and stocking cabinets with extra candles!

The evening was lots of fun and a totally awesome thing to get to be a small part of! I heard a rumor that the show would air in September so everyone must watch then!