Trying to stay positive

Things in my neck of the woods are a bit rough lately. I am trying desperately to take care of some personal issues that have been needing wrapped up for quite some time, and I have been avoiding them. I haven't know just how to deal with them and I kept hoping that either someone else would do it for me or they would just go away. But, unfortunately when you become an adult life has a way of throwing things at you that you have to learn to handle. And how you deal with them is how you grow and how you learn. This has been really hard for me and I have been struggling for literally weeks now, with that gut-renching feeling. I am really hoping that things with this particular situation are on the mend, but I am not completely sure as of yet. I am still kind of in the middle of everything and certainly have not had the weight lifted off my shoulders...and am really praying for a quick resolution to this whole problem.

My health continues to be a problem, as it has for almost a year now. We have been searching for answers since the end of May 2008 as to why I am having such terrible abdominal pain and have come up with nothing. I met with a surgeon today and may end up having some surgery to just "see" if they can visualize a problem. I am not all that excited about the possibility of going to surgery, but I can't keep doing this day in and day out. I am a mother of 2 amazing little girls who are missing out on their mom because I am in pain all the time and can't give them all the attention they deserve to go out and enjoy life like they should. I really need to find some answers to this, so if going to surgery will help find the answers, then I will go to surgery.

New Member of the Family

After much deliberation, we have added a new member to our family!! Meet Roxie!! She is a mix of Staffordshire Terrier (a cousin of Pit Bull) and German Shepherd (we think)...So far, Annie and Gracie LOVE her and she LOVES them.

I have had a lot of concerns about getting a puppy...among them having a puppy inside the house, potty training, keeping the house clean enough that the puppy wouldn't eat any toys or shoes and things of the like. She is a sweetheart, loves to lick (and I am not the biggest on getting puppy kisses) and snuggle.

Hopefully, she will be a good fit for our family and we will enjoy her and she will enjoy us. I still feel a little unsettled having her (I never had dogs as pets...so this is new for me) but Nate is really excited to have her and thinks that she will be a good addition for everyone in the family.

Irish Dancing Queen

I was hoping to get some pictures to put up with this post but for some reason my pictures did not turn out and I haven't received the pictures taken by anyone else yet, so I guess as soon as I get the pictures I will post them.

When Annie was 2 years old we went to Festival of Trees. Gracie was only 2.5 months old at the time and after a few hours enjoying all of the beautiful trees I needed to feed her. Luckily, we found some seats at the rear of one of the stages in between performances. Little did we know that the act that was about to take the stage was going to change our oldest daughters life forever. Soon after I began feeding Gracie, the Claddagh School of Irish Dance began to perform and Annie's eyes were glued to the stage. Within moments she darted up several rows to the front and began imitated the dancers every move. For the next 30 minutes while the Irish Company continued their performance Annie continued her imitation right along with them. When the Claddagh School was complete Annie was intrigued and wanted to know how she could learn to dance just like the girls she had seen on stage. Being that Annie was quite young at the time, I was surprised at her interest. I blew her off a little, thinking with time she would forget. Boy, was I wrong. Not a week went by that I didn't hear how much she wanted to be an Irish Dancer. I finally contacted the Claddagh Dance Company only to find out that she had to be at least 4 years old before they would accept her into classes, so we would have to wait for awhile.

The day finally came when Annie would be old enough to actually be able to participate and when I called the Claddagh Dance Company I found that there was another Irish Company closer to home, in Cedar Hills. So, Annie began her Irish classes in September 2008 with the Shelley School of Irish Dance. It has been a dream come true for Annie. One that I as her mother am constantly amazed about, because I remember so well the first day she saw and fell in love with Irish dance.

Last Friday, April 3, 2009 Annie had the opportunity to participate in her first performance in front of an audience. We were so proud of her. We invited all of our family and everyone that could come did. Annie did her dance so well, and didn't even want to leave the stage. After her dance was over she was able to come back out into the audience to sit with her family and enjoy the rest of the show and when she did she asked her dad, "Daddy, do you think I will be able to get one of those pretty dresses and wigs someday?" If you know much about Irish Dance you know that as they get a little further on in performing they actually wear a wig (full of ringlets -- much MUCH easier than putting their hair up with each performance) and a VERY detailed dress. She was so excited to be a part of Irish Dance and being able to showcase her new skills in her first performance obviously lit a flame within her soul for this sport. I shouldn't say just now lit that flame...because that is what amazes me about her. She has had that flame lit ever since she saw the Claddagh Dance Company perform at Festival of Trees when she was just 2.

I really have an amazing daughter. Her love of her dance is not the only thing that is amazing about her. She told me the other day that when Jesus comes back to earth she is going to have her daddy drive her around in the car until she can find Him so she can bring Him back to our house and she will bring Him up to my bed...because then He will make me better. Amazing, isn't it? She says things like this quite often and really makes me grateful for such a wonderful daughter!