Favorite Lauren Quotes Part 3

1. I'm not sad, I'm just right.

2. Ma'am is for girls, Sir is for boys.

3. I play the poo poo game Mama I go poo poo. (This while I was in line to vote, very loudly, she got quit a chuckle from those I was in line with)

4. Look at my sister laying on the floor (referring to our dog Abby)

5. Magic, Magic Make more pillows for Mommy. (she is very into make believe these days)

6. Doug is fat. (She thinks it's really funny to call her Daddy Doug and to say he is fat, not because he is or she knows what that means, but because it drives him crazy)

7. When asked why she was getting out her PJ's "Because I'm going to pack them to go to Mom Mom's house tonight" Guess it's been too long.

8. I burped. That's just gas in my mouth. Excuse Me

9. I don't like barbies. (THANK GOODNESS)

10. Who let the dogs out? WHO? WHO? WHO?

Looking back at 2008 Looking forward to 2009

Looking back at 2008 brings up mixed emotions. A lot of highs and a lot of lows. In the end the highs always win and time puts all things in perspective. As a side note, this post is more for me. Something I can look back on when I'm old and wonder, what the heck happened in 2008.



A Chronological Look Back at 2008

January 13 - Doug and I ran in our first half marathon.

February 14 - Find out I am pregnant, but might have miscarried

February 18 - Hear a strong heartbeat

February 25 - Doug goes to Denmark for business

March 2nd - The three of us head to Disney world

March 17th - No heartbeat, D&C scheduled

March 23rd - Easter at the Ranch

March 29th - Little Cousin Jeremy gets married

April 18th - Lauren 2nd Birthday

April 22nd - Doug has knee surgery

April 26th - Lauren's Birthday party at Momack's with Caroline

May 8th - New Carpet

May 12th - We got Abby our Brittney Spaniel

June - Lots of golf lessons

June 6th - California Trish and fam comes to town

June 10th - Lauren's first dental apt. lots of tears.

June 20 ish (not sure of exact date) - Ganan June dies

June 30th - Doug and I leave for Cabo

July 25th - Weekend in Port Aransas with the Heflins

August 16 - Weekend with the Heflins, adults only. Schlitterbahn and Canyon Lake. I blew a hole in my eardrum. Even thought the hole is still there, it was totally worth it.

August 29th - We go to Plainview, spent the next week in Ft. Worth

September 27th - Houston trip, dinner with the Heflins for our Friend-aversary

October 4th - Houston again for my birthday, go to Zeigfest with the Heflins

Ocotber 16ish - Doug goes to Paris

October 25 th - Go to homecoming at ACU, my 10th

Ocotber 31st - Halloween in Fort Worth, Lauren is the cutest butterfly ever

November 13th - Elmo live

November 16th - Doug and I run our 2nd half marathon

November 28th - Thanksgiving at the ranch and our 10 year wedding aniv. The 3 Creek Aniversary.

December 15th - Lauren's 2nd Dentist apt, much better, no tears

December 19th - Doug's family arrive for Christmas

December 24th - We head to Ft. Worth for Christmas

December 31st - Ring in the new year with the Cabrals


I'm looking forward to 2009. Not that it won't have it's challenges, but for some reason, I think this is going to be a really good year. I just have a feeling. When I started this post (several weeks ago) I had ever reason to believe this year was going to be a good one. It had just started. Doug and I have made some plans for the year.... Disney World Trip, fixing up the house plans, Cabo trip, etc. And then the other foot dropped. My Dad called as said they found a tumor on his esophagus. Wow. That changes things. We are in the process of learning more and creating the treatment plan, but nothing like the word "cancer" to stop you in your tracks. So what is the outlook for this next year now? Hasn't changed. I still think 09' will be a good one. I fully believe that my Dad will be healed and our family will be stronger for it. Like I said at the beginning, time puts all things in perspective. I have everyone I know praying for him. These are things I know: I know God is The Great Healer. I know that He is gracious. I know that He is my comforter. I know He is in control. I know He is all powerful. I know that He answers prayers. I know He will take care of my Dad.

And so, I am still looking forward to all those things we have planned for 2009 and a few goals for the new year:
Blog more
One new recipe per week. (Look forward to seeing post about these, new segment.......so far I have made a pork tenderloin that was very yummy and Ranch Style Chicken another favorite)
Finally get down to my WW goal weight
Get Lauren into some kind of class, probably gymnastics
Go Back to Port Aransas
Find some 10Ks to do and try to do one in under an hour. I usually finish in 1:04

That's all I can think of for now.......but look out for some new post coming soon....more Lauren Quotes, Cooking adventures, Dad updates.........etc.

Christmas Part 2 & Pebbles and Me

As promised here is Christmas Part 2. Doug, Lauren and I drove up to Ft. Worth on Christmas Eve. Christmas day, Lauren was visited by Santa again as we all opened our Stockings. Christmas Day was very low key, just as I like it. The troops rolled in around 1. We had a nice meal prepared in most part by my Mom. Then present time. We all got lots of great stuff. My favorite was probably the picture frame my Mom got me with multiple spots to place pictures. I couldn't wait to get home to figure it all out and hang it! Lauren had one of her best days yet. All of the older cousins doting on her and her not realizing she is so much younger matched them step for step. Here are a couple of cousin pictures.......

The rest of the week was spent shopping and eating. Two of my favorite activities. On the night before we left, Doug and I did slip out for a movie. We saw Marely and Me. My choice not his. While it was a great movie, I don't think I can recommend it to anyone who has ever loved and lost a dog. For anyone who doesn't know, our first baby was not Lauren, it was Pebbles. We got Pebbles when she was a few years old and perfect. She was house trained, playful and loving. Everything you want in a dog. It's funny how so apart of you life a dog can become. How angry they can make you at times, how loved they can make you feel in others. Pebbles was such a caring dog. One of my favorite memories of her was watching her around babies. She was so protective of them, she would sit on guard by their side. She had such a feel for babies, I have know doubt that she knew I was pregnant with Lauren. She would lay on the couch with me and put her protective paw on my belly. She was a sensitive dog. She knew when I was sad and would comfort me the way a dog can. She knew when to play and when to give us space. As you can tell we were attached to this dog. As she grew older her hips gave out. The doctors tried what they could and nothing helped much. Just a few weeks after Lauren was born, Pebbles got to the point she could no longer go up and down the stairs or stand to use the bathroom. It was really heartbreaking. She would just lay at the top of the stairs and stare down at the rest of us. But she preferred to be there. Doug would carry her up and down the stairs to eat and go outside. As much as our heart ached from the void her absence would leave, we knew it was no way for a dog, this dog, to live. So after one more last ditch effort at the vet, we made the horrible choice no one should have to make for a family member, and had Pebbles put to sleep. I was not there for her final moments (I was with the new born at home) but Doug stayed with her through it all. Tears well in my eyes even now when I think about how awful that must have been for him. It was such a happy time for us with our sweet Lauren joining us, but we could not help but cry randomly when something would remind us of Pebbles. The silence at the doggy door, the emptiness under our bed (where she slept), the empty food dish, no one greeting you when you got home......every little thing brought on the tears. So almost 3 years later going to see a movie about life with a lab (Pebbles was part lab, chow, German Sheppard, but was more lab than anything) all the way to end, was horrible. I have NEVER cried like that in a movie. I mean sobs. The similarities were too much. Pebbles was never as "bad" as Marley, but she had her moments (chewing through the dry wall would be up there), but how she was so much a part of the family, just as Marely was. Then in the end making the choice to put Marely out of his pain was too much of what we went through. So, I would not recommend this movie to anyone not looking for anything but a good cry, which we all need sometimes.

And one more thing, "Here's to Pebbles the greatest dog, friend, pseudo baby two people could ever have."