THANKSGIVING

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We had a very laid back Thanksgiving this year. Dinner was at our house and mom and I did all the cooking. I decided to roast boneless turkey breast instead of the whole bird since we waste so much of the thing and (here comes the real reason) I have a problem with the whole gross turkey carcass thingy and the bag of "innerds". There I said it. I have issues with meat and bones anyway but turkeys and chickens are just gross! But chicken is my favorite meat-I just prefer boneless skinless though. Mom baked apple and pecan pies on Wednesday and Thursday morning I got up and made pumpkin and started the preparations for dinner even though we were planning a 4 0'clock dinner. This is where I tell on myself...........at 2 o'clock I realized I had not put the turkey on yet!!!!!! Ok, so we didn't have dinner until 5 o'clock it was still very good! The plus side of eating dinner late is we only over stuffed ourselves once on Thanksgiving instead of twice.

DEALING WITH A DEATH

We have just come back from the funeral of my 82 year old uncle thanks to the horrible disease CANCER. He may have been 82 years old but until the cancer jumped in and took over, you would have thought he was early 60's. As it is always hard to let go, you know that there is no more suffering. I find that it is the suffering that makes me sadder than the funeral now. As a sometimes greedy person, when it is my turn to go-I hope it is quick and painless. This was one of the best funerals I have been to.....now let me explain that statement since it sounds so horrible. Everything was done all in one day. The visitation for 2 hours then the funeral service which lasted and hour and then on to the cemetery. They did it on the weekend so that all those who had to travel could. The service was beautiful. My uncle was dedicated to his church and family and it was well spoke of. His son(my cousin) who is a music minister in Alabama and his wife recorded some songs sung by them. It was so wonderful and what a personal dedication. I was in awe. In another spot in my blog I have posted the poem DASH . My uncle has lots of DASH. Since my Uncle was a Deacon at the church and had belonged to the church for so long, when the minister spoke of him it was very personal and not just something that was written down and handed to him to read a day ago. You could not help but feel the love all around you.
On the way home mom, Michelle and Dalton all fell asleep and I had time to reflect on my own DASH and what I was going to do to make sure that I had lots of Dash for when I go. I want to MAKE SURE that I am doing special things each day for family and friends and even strangers. I want to be remembered as the mom who was always there for him, the loving wife, the caring daughter and sister. If I were to die today what kind of DASH do I have. Am I just in existence with out any DASH? Something new for me to worry about.
I was not sure how Dalton would take in everything that was going on. I explained to him where we were going and why trying not to go overboard in detail but enough to where he hopefully would not ask embarrassing questions in front of every one. (out loud-parents you know what I am talking about) We got in the line where you go past the casket and hug the family. He did not say much but asked what was under the flag (on the foot end). whew that was an easy explanation. He didn't ask much about him laying there but I had already told him that it was just a body that his soul had already gone to heaven. So he went over to Aunt Glenda and gave her a big hug and told her that he loved her. It was very sweet and I was very proud of him. He then wanted to go home. On our way to the cemetery I explained what was going to happen, explained that he had been in the Army and that there would be a gun salute. I forgot to explain about the flag. He was very consoling to us. Any time he would see us crying he would hug and kiss us and tell us everything was going to be all right. As soon as the cemetery service was over we were trying to get him to go to the car. (it was VERY cold out) but he wanted to go over to Aunt Glenda and give her another hug which he did. Then he asked her "do you get to keep that flag?" "Yes" she said with a great big smile to which he said "aww that's great." I nabbed my child and headed for the car. Once we were in the car the questions started. "Mom how does your soul go to heaven?" "Jesus takes it" I said. "How do you know when he takes it?" I replied "When you stop breathing is when he takes it." He thought about this a few seconds and said "COOL." Not another word was spoke about the funeral after that. I hope that is all we have to talk about death for a while and I hope that he does not want to play funeral. That sounds sick but you know how after kids have experienced things good or bad they seem to re-create it in whatever they are playing with. Denny thinks I am morbid. Mark my words.......a stuffed animal will partake in an untimely death this week only to be resurrected when he is done playing.

I SWEAR HE GETS BIGGER EVERY DAY!

Just to put how big Dalton is getting into perspective: he is 4' 1" now and I just had to buy him 7slims in jeans. At the start of Kindergarten (Aug) I had to get him 6slims which seemed pretty good until about a week ago when I notice I could see about 1 1/2 inches of his white socks from the back. Who fed him miracle grow??? He finally got that very much needed haircut too! Which brings me to his latest funny...........When I took Dalton in to get his haircut it was with someone new. So she was doing the usual chatter trying to get him to talk which he wasn't so eager to do. She got to the question "what grade are you in?" He said "first." Huh? When did that happen? Have I been in a coma? I quickly said "what grade are you in?" Which he responded with a look of I am so embarrassed how could I forget and said "second." Helllloooo! I think my child can be pretty smart some times but jump a couple of grades in the first semester of Kindergarten?? I don't think so! So, as I shook my head at him his next guess was forth grade. This is where I could no longer hold in my laughter and neither could the stylist. I guess because he had a birthday he thought he just went up a grade.?. Who knows!

CHECK OUT THIS CRABDAD (crawfish)

Yes, Dalton has been playing in the creek again and we do practice the catch and release program. This is probably the biggest one he has caught yet! Now can we all say blaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! yuk

THE DASH POEM

The Dash Poem

by Linda Ellis
I read of a man who stood to speak

At the funeral of a friend.

He referred to the dates on her tombstone

From the beginning to the end.

He noted that first came the date of her birth

And spoke of the following date with tears,

But he said what mattered most of all

Was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time

That she spent alive on earth

And now only those who loved her

Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own,

The cars, the house, the cash,

What matters is how we live and love

And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard;

Are there things you'd like to change?

For you never know how much time is left

That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough

To consider what's true and real

And always try to understand

The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger

And show appreciation more

And love the people in our lives

Like we've never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect

And more often wear a smile,

Remembering that this special dash

Might only last a little while.

So when your eulogy is being read

With your life's actions to rehash

Would you be proud of the things they say

About how you spent your dash?

AMEN! I COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT BETTER

OOPS I FORGOT TO POST HALLOWEEN PICS

This is the first year Dalton has actually went trick or treating. He is pictured here with our family friend, Brett, Dalton calls him Uncle Brett. Brett is Native American Indian. So we had a cowboy and an Indian for Halloween. No wars were fought but treats were shared! lol Mom and I made Dalton's vest and chaps. The vest turned out ok but the chaps..not so good! They were off before the trick or treating was done. (he only went to about 12 houses-more than enough candy!)

MY EMOTIONAL MOMENT

Of course I have an emotional moment on this day every year, but my emotions run even deeper. You see, we tried to get pregnant for 13 years! In those thirteen years we had to come to terms with and deal with infertility issues. No one wants to think about that. It is suppose to happen naturally, right? How can that happen to us? What did we do wrong? Those are some of the emotions you have to go through and come to terms with when dealing with infertility issues. And then there is the mighty big one...there are no guarantees that it will work or that you will ever be able to get pregnant. Hearing those words shatters that minuscule of a chance that you thought you might have. There are lots of test they put you and your spouse through. Medications that send your hormones to outer space and procedures that sometimes become so painful that you start wandering if you will be able make it through them. I spent many a times laying on the table with tears streaming down my face and squeezing Denny's hand to the point that he thought I would cut off his circulation or break some bones. And then the emotional heart break of the procedure not working.
March 1st 2002 we went in for yet another procedure. You then wait 2 weeks and take a pregnancy test. When that two weeks came up I got up early to do my test and it showed negative again. I threw it in the trash and went back to bed. It was probably 4am. Denny later woke me up, shaking me, "why did you do the test with out me and why didn't you wake me?" "I had to pee and it was negative, why wake you?" He said no I see a faint line. I was not even slightly aroused by this. It had been in the trash can for 3 hours so it could do all sorts of crazy stuff. He went to work and so did I. I came home from work and he was waiting for me with 2 more test for me to take. I can tell you I was very depressed all day but I decided to humor him anyway so he would leave me alone. Well, there was that faint little line again. WOW were we really pregnant? To make a long story short I took the other pregnancy test the next morning and theb we got one more and I took it on Sunday morning. They all had that faint line. I was indeed pregnant. As I sit here and write this I can still remember the extreme rush of joy I had. Nothing can compare to it.
I loved being pregnant! It didn't matter how big I got-and I got really BIG! Dalton was delivered via c-section 2 1/2 weeks early, he was breech, huge and I couldn't hardly breathe anymore. I was so big it had been weeks since I could drive a car. So on November 5th 2002 at 7:17 am Dalton Michael was born 10lbs. 2 oz. and 22 inches long. He got lots of attention that day. We were the only ones in the maternity ward until later that afternoon then there was a rush of babies being born-all girls! Being such a large baby he was the talk of the hospital. (small town hospital anyway) My Dr. said if I had gone to term I would have probably set some sort of hospital record. I thanked him for NOT letting me set a hospital record. lol
And now last but not least.....if you know anyone who is or might be struggling with infertility problems the best thing you can do for them is give them your heart and your prayers. A caring, loving heart says mountains of words-even when words are not spoken. Most people do not like to talk about their infertility problems. And most importantly-PRAY! Pray for a successful pregnancy, pray for their good health, pray for their marriage (it's hard on a marriage) pray for patience and guidance and peace.
We have been through many fertility procedures since Dalton was born but none of them have worked. We finally had to quit when we found out that I had a kidney quit working.(and we are in our 40's and too old now) I have had severe kidney issues since having Dalton. They all started with stones. Lots and lots of stones!
We consider Dalton our miracle child and he is the most wonderful blessing ever here on earth!