Welcome Baby Jack!

My cousin Kathy, her husband Wain, and their son Alex welcomed into the world Jack Byron December 26 at 10:29 pm. Jack was 11 days early and is now in NICU at St. Mary's in Evansville. He, like his older brother, was born too early and needed extra care for lung development. Click the link below to see pictures of Jack and his family.

Jack is Kathy's dad's middle name. Byron is Kathy's grandpa's (and my grandpa's) middle name. All the great-grandkids in our family are being named after someone. I love traditions!

http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=7u6b37q.2bu96m1e&x=0&y=-cnx0sv&localeid=en_US

Christmas Day

August loved opening her presents this year. She loves her new sunglasses and her Mr. Potato Head.

Christmas #2

August loves her new tricycle she got from Amy and Rylan. She is not quite long enough yet to reach the pedals. I know she will have a blast this summer!

Meeting Santa

August met Santa for the second time in her whole life yesterday! Well...it was exciting for me, anyway. She looked at him like "I don't know you but I will sit here if you want." He asked her what she wanted for Chrismas...of course she didn't respond. He gave her some crayons and a small coloring book. All she could say the rest of the afternoon was "color, color."

She finally likes to color. She had no interest for quite a while. Now, anytime I say color she has to. I have learned to only give her two crayons at a time. Otherwise they are all over the place. She freaks out when I take them from her to give her new colors. By the way, Amy, she made you something special for staying over!

Our Anniversary

Yesterday was our 3rd Anniversary! We were talking last night and actually felt like it had been longer! Neither of us remembered that it was our anniversary until about three days before. We have been so caught up in school and work and Christmas that it seems to get lost in the mix. We went out to eat last night and then watched a movie with August. This morning I looked up some pictures from our wedding day. I remember it like yesterday. My favorite picture is the last one. Of all the people at our wedding, the photographer managed to take individual pictures of both Amy and Rylan. These are the only two pictures he took that didn't have anyone in the wedding party. It is funny how things turn out.

Stephen was commenting on the car coming down the street. (This picture is supposed to mimic the Beatles album cover.)

mom and dad

one of my favorite pictures. Mrs. Pampe took this one

Travis' cousins performing to the Beastie Boys. They did this dance for their school talent show.

Rylan, suave as ever

Amy...I love her posture and that she is fanning herself with a dollar!

Christmas #1

Travis and I celebrated Christmas with my family over the weekend. We had a great time. We ate supper at TGI Fridays and then opened presents! Travis won't be able to get away from the farm until after the New Year so this was our only opportunity. Mom and Dad got August a shopping cart, which she loves. Derek and Michelle got her a Cabbage Patch doll, which she puts in the shopping cart and pushes around the living room. After we opened presents we played Clue. Note to self: not a good game when you are sleepy! Merry Christmas!

Travis, August and I on our Second Christmas as a family!

Mom and Dad...totally in love

Derek and Michelle

August when she opened "Madagascar"

Derek getting his Wii...he didn't think mom got it, this was great!

August playing with her new puzzle with Mimi

Cheese!

Sara Update

Aunt Janet sent me this from Ellen:

"OK, long story sort of shortened. Sara saw Dr. Gary Johnson (gyne/oncologist) yesterday in Springfield. By God's timing, he found an opening to do surgery today (Tuesday the 9th). The diagnosis is primary peritonial cancer, a close cousin to ovarian. They basically treat both the same. The dr. removed many parts from her and believes he got much of the cancer. There is still some under the lungs (this is to be expected). The surgery was around five hours. Sara is still in recovery and waiting for an ICU room (for the extra care she will need for a while). We don't have any guess to length of stay in recovery/ICU/regular room. We (sister Alice and I) have not seen her yet. Hopefully later tonight. st-johns.org is the hospital website, if you wish to send an email card you can go there to do so. You don't send it to an email, it comes to the hospital and the volunteers will print and deliver it to her room. Thanks for your continued prayers!"

To send a note to Sara, visit www.st-johns.org.

Wait 'til your father gets home!

I finally got to say it and mean it! Not sure why I'm excited. Maybe it's becuase my mom used to say it. (Amy...I'm turning into my mother) August bit another girl at the babysitters. I guess it left marks on the other girl's finger. I asked August if she bit - she said bite. I asked her if she said she was sorry - she said sorry. She said this for me and for Travis when he got home. My mom was talking to her on the phone and asked her if she bit someone and August got realy quiet. I love my little monster!

Dad called me last night to tell me more about Sara. I probably won't get this all right. She had surgery yesterday, I think, to remove her ovaries and uterus. During surgery the doctors found cancer in her abdomen. She is in a hospital in Springfield with a very long road ahead of her. Please keep praying.

We got a Christmas tree over the weekend. In an attempt to simplify, we tried to find the smallest tree possible that would look good in our dining room. I decided all I would put on it is lights and tie some pine cones to the branches. We managed to find a nice tree and it looked nice after I got it decorated. I kind of surprised myself with how good it looks without all the ornaments on it. However, the thing seemed to grow wider after we got it inside. Now we have a short fat tree in our house. It's the funniest tree I've ever seen.

talking to Mimi on the phone. she paces when she talks.

the kid will put anything on her head. but that's not the funny part, check out her feet

bundled up to pick out a christmas tree

Please Pray for Sara

My dad's cousin, Sara Benton, has just recently come into some bad health. The text below are e-mails sent by her sister, Ellen. Please pray for Sara and her doctors, and that her insurance gets its act together. I hate insurance companies that don't pay for needed tests and procedures! Our thoughts and prayers are with Sara and the Benton family.

Nov 24, 2008 2:55 PM

Many of you know or know of my sister Sara Benton. She has requested prayers for her health. Last week Sara was admitted to the hospital in Olney with fluid in her chest between her lungs and heart. The fluid was drained and tested for a variety of items. Doctors have given her MANY possible issues, most very serious. There were cancer "markers" found and she is getting a PET scan tomorrow. She is currently only being treated for pneumonia. Our family, of course, wishes Sara would come to Springfield where they can get more done in a more timely fashion, but she is comfortable with the doctors she has been assigned. She would like prayers for her strength and the doctor's knowledge. Thank you.>>Ellen and family

Nov 25, 2008

Tuesday's scan was canceled due to insurance issues. I don't know the whole story, but there are still samples that were sent out-of-state and the insurance won't pay for anything else until those results are back. It's all very disheartening.>Thanks for your thoughts, prayers...>Ellen

Nov 29, 2008

OK, Sara had more fluid taken off both sides of the chest cavity on Thursday. Friday she went to Effingham and had a PET scan that should show where the cancer cells/markers are coming from. Due to other circumstances I don't know when she'll know the outcome. While in Effingham the Dr. from a Springfield Cardio group was able to run another ECG to check the amount of fluid around her heart (which had been building over this time). He said the fluid was making her heart collapse somewhat and sent her to Springfield to have it drained in a way that fluid should not build back up there. I "happened" to go down for the PET scan so the doctor said I could drive her. She is still in recovery for observation after the surgery to remove over 800 cc's of fluid around her heart. Please keep us all in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you very much.Ellen

Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday to August's Mimi (my mom) and Amy's Mimi!

Go Mimi! It's your birthday!
Go Mimi! It's your birthday!

Turkey Day!

We had two really great Thanksgiving dinners. We had lunch with Travis' family at Kim and Chester's house and then supper with my family at my grandma's house. August was so tired when we left Kim and Chester's, she was asleep within two blocks. August loved all of Kim's teddy bears, and especially the little chairs they were sitting in. They were just her size. August also had a good time playing with her second cousins. She even tried to give Caroline a toy when she was crying. She did cry when she looked at my cousin, Milton. I still don't know why; she has never done that before.

Dusting the coffee table

Getting along with Great Aunt Kim because she has a Rice Krispy treat

Second Cousin Alex

(this is how he smiled for his pre-school picture)

Second Cousin Emery

Second Cousin Caroline

THINGS OUR FAMILY IS THANKFUL FOR

1. Our incredibly supportive families who always have the time to listen...and babysit
2. Our best friends who seem to know just when to call and when to bring beer
3. That we have our daughter who couldn't be more perfect, except sometimes (see number4)
4. Time out corners (because she has issues listening)
5. That we have each other, because I know I could not do everything I do without him
6. For chocolate and ice cream, becuase sometimes it fixes everthing
7. For great after Thanksgiving sales

On the Farm

August had a blast walking around the farm and seeing the cows. She said "hi cow" to all the babies and fed some of the bigger ones. She even stuck her head in the head locks to say hi.

Cool Do!

August thought she looked pretty funny with her hair like this. After she took it out, she kept putting the hair band back on top of her head.

Eeww!

We had pizza for supper last night. August first tried to put an onion in her ear. We caught her and told her no. So she put it up her nose. It must have burned or something, because she cried like I've never heard. Thankfully, it came out.

New Hat

My dad got this hat for August. She is always wearing daddy's hat, they decided she needed her own. August had to wear it through breakfast this morning. And Amy, August took her shoes off last night and brought me her boots. She had to have them on right then.

Veteran's Day

Thank you to our service men and women who serve our country to ensure that our children will grow up in a free land. A special thanks to Pat Corcoran!

We Have Made History

I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.
…
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.
This is our hope.
…
This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Washington, D.C.
August 28, 1963

Last night we elected the first African American President of the United States. We have finally become a nation that can accept any person in any position regardless of color. I am happy to know that my daughter, in the early years of her life, will experience this moment. I can only imagine the great things that will come in her future.

Photo Blog

Check out the photo blog Amy and I started. It is a place we can publish our creative works. http://amy-n-erin.blogspot.com

Bad Word

We were eating lunch at my grandma's this afternoon. August dropped something on the floor and said "oh, sh**" as plain as day. I thought we all would die laughing. Oops, guess we'll have to watch the things we say around her.

Megan and Pat's Wedding

Megan and Pat had a beautiful wedding. They could not have asked for better weather...especially in November.

Congratulations!!!

Daddy's Girl

August was watching a movie last night when Travis sat on the floor next to her. She immidiatly copied what he was doing. Every time he changed positions, she would change, too. Then the

music got groovy so they had to dance. Watch out Megan...you'll have a run for your money at your own wedding. Can anyone say Dance Off?

6 Random Things About Us

Okay, Amy, here goes...

1. August takes after her daddy's personality. She is an all or nothing girl, and we like her like that.

2. We are sooooo ready to be done with school. All of us. It is defiantly a source of much stress.

3. I am obsessive-compulsive at work. Everything has a place and it must stay there. My house on the other hand is totally opposite. Nothing has a place and I can't find it when it is in the most logical place.

4. August learned what a cow said all by herself. Cow was the first word she associated with something other than mama and dada.

5. I usually don't know what day it is. My mind is so numb from thinking and doing homework.

6. Travis is the best daddy in the world. August absolutly loves and adores him. She even mocks him when he spits. She listens so intently when he tells her something. (Like she will eat her fish sticks because they will go fising together and she will help him clean the fish and then they will eat it together. She listened very carefully when he told her this.)

What's in a name?

What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.
-Juilet, Shakespeare

Many of you know that August was named after my Grandpa Byron. His dad was also named August. She gets called a "he" or "Mr. August" at the doctor's until they look in her diaper. We also get asked if she was born in August, even after we tell them how old she is. This was especially funny when she was 5, 6, 7 months old. People would get puzzled looks. I could see the wheels turning in their mind, trying to do the math. Here is the meaning of her first and middle name.

August means: majestic dignity, or venerable. It is of German origin.
Monroe means: from the red swamp, or from the river's mouth. It is of Gaelic and Scottish origin.

Erin: an ancient, poetic name for Ireland
Shae: courteous

Travis: crossing, crossroads, toll gate
Joshua: generous

Interesting...
What is the meaning of your name?

Covered Bridge Festival

August and I spent the weekend at the Covered Bridge Festival with mom, Amy, and Patty. We had a blast! August loved Shelia and Larry's dogs. She kept calling them Ricochet. We all bought way too much and had issues closing mom's trunk. Can't wait to go back!

The pictures that Amy and I took of August at a covered bridge are amazing! She is a great subject to photograph. The bridge was beautiful and we got some really great shots.