Dad, please don't delete us from your "Favorites"

My dad commented the other day that he was going to delete us from his "favorites" list because I haven't blogged since October... well, this one is for you dad!

A lot of big events have happened in the last 5 months, so here is a re-cap:

We went to Disney World with Chase's family when I was 36 weeks pregnant... looking back, I can't believe I did that and that the future OBGYN husband of mine was A.OK with it too! We went to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party- which was Amaze! Everyone should go if you get the chance!




Precious Camdyn Grace Cawyer was born on November 19, 2011. I was induced and had an epidural, so it was a piece of cake I tell you! BTW- I will always be "nauseous" during labor so I can get some good 'ole Phenergan. I slept for about 3 hours during labor- amazing!!! She came out perfect and we can't believe how much joy she has brought to our lives.






Chase "matched" at Scott and White Hospital in Temple, TX in Obstetrics and Gynecology!!! We are so excited he gets to do his training there. It is such a "family-friendly" town! Oh and it just so happens to be where Jeff Edwards and Ryan Mack are going too... how convenient ;) But seriously, how exciting!!!



Our house is for sale. We are PRAYING it sells soon. The stress of trying to sell a house is NOT fun. So, if you know anyone in Lubbock that needs a house- send them our way:) Its been completely remodeled!


Here are so bonus pics of Camdyn playing Harley Davidson dress-up with Grandpa

Blessings

Whew, Its been the craziest time ever in the Cawyer household!

From school to jobs to babies to traveling... we've been go, go, go.... but blessed, blessed, blessed!

Here's kind of the rundown of the past few months:

Chase FINALLY came home after 8 weeks of doing "away rotations." No one ever informs you of this when you sign up to be a med school wife, by the way. He was going to do the normal 12 weeks away, but since he had a pregnant wife back home, he just decided to do 8. He spent 4 weeks in Dallas at UT Southwestern doing OB and 4 weeks in Nashville at Vanderbilt doing REI (Reproductive, Endocrinology, Infertility). You would think since he is in Dallas, I could go see him every weekend, but when he only gets 4 days off the entire time and they are during the week, it makes it pretty pointless to drive all that way. I did finally get to see him in Nashville over Labor Day weekend! We made it a little "Babymoon." It was so nice to get to spend some time with him in the best city ever! We love Nashville. So beautiful, cute and quaint! Sign me up:) We ate a lot, walked around the town, vegged on the couch and spent some time with our dear friends Cherry and Elliot who live there. Other than the motion sickness incident I had on the plane (yes, I was THAT girl), it was a great trip!

Here's a pic of Chase and I before date night in Nashville.


Ever since Chase told me 3 years ago he would have to do these "away rotations" I have been dreading it! I mean, I'm a very independent person, but when you are used to always having someone to talk to at home, help out around the house and protect you from scary people.... it terrified me to have him gone. But after many months of prayer for God to give me the strength and peace, I survived and am actually kind of thankful for the experience. I'm a worry wort and this time alone gave me the peace I had been lacking in my life. I was constantly praying for peace every night before bed... and every night I was peaceful! I learned that there really is no point in worrying about anything because there is nothing I can do about it. I constantly told myself, "Don't worry, Pray!" Thank you Jesus for the lesson:)

I guess he was preparing me for the next adventure in our lives...PARENTS! AH, I can't believe its almost here. Only 6 more weeks until we meet baby Camdyn Grace. We are pumped and so ready to meet her. Its surreal to know that soon we will meet our child that will be the perfect blend of both of us. Who will she look like? Who's personality will she have? Will she have red hair?! Eeesshh, so excited.

Ever since Chase came home last week, we have been flying around like crazy trying to get ready for her. I waited to do everything until he came home and now its crazy! From birthing classes to Dr. apts, to maternity pics, to countless trips to Babies R Us.... we are doing what "they" call "nesting" I believe:) whatever that means!

Thankfully, the "nesting" hasn't been too bad since we have such wonderful/generous people surrounding us! While Chase was gone, I had a baby shower in FW given by my sister-in-law and step-mom. It was at my home church and was wonderful. So many people came that I never thought would come! Family from out of town, old friends and old church families- I was so thankful for everyone that came! Thank you, Thank you!
As soon as Chase came back, we had another shower here in Lubbock. My "side by side" Bible study girls threw a couples shower for me and Chase and our dear friends Tiffany and Casey. They are having a boy a week before us! The theme was "two pumpkins!" It was decorated with pumpkins and bales of hay everywhere- too cute!
Last weekend, we drove down to Austin for another shower for Shaylee and I. She is having a girl any day now! It was so nice to get together with all our dear college friends and just have a good time catching up! I love the rare time we get to spend together:)

We have been so tremendously blessed by friends and family through this time and we don't know what we would do without ya'll! We look forward to having Camdyn meet all of you:)

I don't really have many pics from the Fort Worth shower, but here are some from the other showers. Some courtesy of Mrs. Cherry Wood:)

Lubbock Couples Shower. Tiffany and I both due in Nov! Look at all the cute pumpkins:)


Our "little pumpkins"


Three round bellies: Me (due in Nov.), Shaylee (due any day now) and Elena (due in Dec)




All the girls at the Austin shower...plus MAX!

Pink?!?!?!

Well, its official, baby Cawyer is going to be a girl!!!

We are about the most shocked parents ever. I mean I don't even own a pink shirt!
I just had this motherly instinct that it was a boy...already strike one. Chase thought boy too and only about 2 people thought it was going to be a girl out of everyone we know. (FYI: the old wives tales are NOT true!) After the shock wore off, we started getting super excited... scared to death.... but excited. I would say Chase is definitely more terrified. This weekend he said,
"On a scale from one to ten of freaking out, I was a 10, then it dropped to 8 and now I'm sitting comfortably at a 7.5!"

So maybe by the time she gets here, he'll be a solid 5! We had the 3D ultrasound today and she is precious. We can't wait to meet her in a few months!

Don't worry, just because I don't wear pink, does not mean she won't be decked out in pink with HUGE bows on her sweet little head:) EEESH so excited!


Anyway, Here's me at 20 weeks! Halfway there!

Ch, Ch, Ch, Changes!

Its been a long time coming, but I guess its time to blog about our life lately!

Lets see, I haven't been on here since January... JANUARY! Way too long.

Anyway, there has been quite a lot of things going on in the Cawyer household. We are still here in Lubbock with the worst spring ever. Literally zero rain and 50 mph wind everyday. I can NOT keep up with the dust in this house. Other than that, it's still not that hot here yet so I can't complain too much.

Chase is almost done with his third year of med school... I can't believe it. It has gone by so fast and I am so thankful. He's going to be Dr. Chase Cawyer in less than a year! Woohoo! So proud of him and all his hard work. He has finally decided to do an OB/GYN residency... and eventually go on to REI fellowship (REI is reproductive, endocrine, infertility). So he gets to help people have babies!!!! He loves the OB part of delivering babies and gets such a high from that so it was cool to see him love what he loves! However, he especially loved helping people conceive and start their own families. He just loved getting to call people and tell them they were pregnant after years of trying. Plus, with REI, he still gets to do surgeries and procedures- which I like because I know Mr. ADD won't get bored:)

Speaking of babies.... Chase and I are totally excited to welcome our little one this Thanksgiving! We are overwhelmed with what to expect and how to prepare, but we know God will guide us through this process. We are just praying for a smooth pregnancy (which, thankfully, it has been so far) and a happy, healthy baby! Chase has been wonderfully supportive and is just now getting to the point where he is NOT totally freaked out! We've been to the Dr a few times already and seen the little bug moving around, but we won't know if its a boy a girl for a couple of weeks. So, happy turkey day to us:)

Thank you to everyone who has been so excited for us and wished us well. We greatly appreciate it! We are thankful for you all!

It's been a pretty eventful last few months and its on;y going to start getting crazier. Chase has to start applying for residency programs this fall- which is scary because we have no idea where God will lead us to for the next 4-7 years. We are excited and ready for whatever is thrown our way!

For those of you that care, here is a belly pic of me at 16 weeks!

Snap, Crackle, Pop... Its 2011!

I can't believe it is a new year. Where has the time gone??? Seriously?
2011 means one thing to me: One more year of med school for the hubs! Woohoo!!!

He is in the midst of his third year and currently on his OB/GYN rotation. So, we are back to great story time at dinner:)
He has two more rotations this school year: Internal Medicine and Psych. He will get a small break this summer and then start his fourth year... that's right, his LAST year of med school. I never thought we would make it this far. Not really, but the time has gone by with lightning speed and we are looking forward to a year full of growth, changes and new beginnings.
Since Chase and I are what some might call, "the ultimate planners," we have been discussing where we feel the Lord leading us next. So, far the frontrunners for residency include: Tyler, Temple, Waco, Lubbock and recently, the CrAzY idea of Alaska!!!
I would be ok with any of these places... but wouldn't Alaska be awesome!!! It sure would be cold for a few years, but who wouldn't want to come visit us:) We may have to get a house with an extra bedroom for all our guests:) Time will tell where we should go, but in the meantime, please be praying for clarity as we decide where to go next or if we should stay here.

I am still LOVING my job and look forward to what my crazy 6th graders are going to do/say each day... its an unpredictable world out there:)

Chase and I are also tackling a new goal... we are hoping to run a half marathon in March. I have some friends that did this a couple of months ago and they inspired me to do the same... thanks Dabs and Dani!!!! Since Lubbock has one half marathon a year, we are going to run the "Bloodgushers" half in Midland, TX at the end of March. Yes, Midland.... the land of flat terrain- my kind of run!!! We have made a training schedule and been following it very diligently. We bought some new kicks with some Christmas money and have been enjoying the beautiful west Texas sunsets on our evening runs. I have not reached that "runner's high" yet, nor do I think I will, but I have enjoyed being active and pushing myself to be healthier. Its also very rewarding to work out with your spouse- its a way for us to stay on top of our health.

Anyway, the holidays were crazy, but so nice to catch up with family. Wish we could of had more time home to catch up with friends, but hopefully I will get back to the metroplex soon.
I've attached some pics from the holiday season below.

Up next on our agenda is the LAST bathroom remodel. I am dreading this more than you know. This bathroom is in such bad shape, I just want to shut the door and light a bomb in there and start from scratch. I've almost contacted HGTV to see if they could come fix it. On a positive note, once we finish the project we will be done withe all remodeling. Hallelujah. Hey, then we get to enjoy the house for a bit before we move.
Here is what I have learned about buying a house that needs a little so-called "TLC":
1. Don't do it! I told Chase that wherever we go next, the ONLY thing I am doing is painting. Period.
2. All jobs seems smaller than they really are.
3. You will NEVER, repeat NEVER get rid of the dust remodeling causes.
4. Your vacuum will never work the same.
5. You finally start to enjoy actually living in your house... then its time to sell.

I'll keep you updated on the progress... but don't expect it to be quick:)

Hope this year brings brings much happiness to all and that God blesses your journeys!!!

Until next time,
Live. Love. Laugh. Pray.

Chisholm's on Christmas Eve.


Cawyer's at the Dallas Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day


ALL the Cawyer's that ran...please note precious granddaddy


Chase and I on Christmas Eve... Dad testing his photography skills:)


New Year's Eve in Amarilo with the Rampy's and Mason's!!!

Worst Blogger Ever

Date of last post: July 25, 2010
Today's Date: October 31, 2010

Unacceptable.

The thing is... not much has been going on lately. Here's a quick run-down on all that has not happened:
Chase started his 3RD year of med school- praise Jesus! I can see the light at the end of the tunnel:) I started a different job teaching. I'm at different school in a different district. I love it! I actually look forward to going to work. The days of Sunday evening depression are OVER!!!
Chase's first rotation this year was surgery. He thought it was awesome... not something he could everyday, but loved the excitement of it all. He just finished his second rotation of pediatrics. He loved that as well. He couldn't see himself being a pediatrician, but he enjoyed how much everyone loved their job and how happy everyone seemed- great quality of life! He just started his third rotation- family medicine. So far he loves this too. He gets to see a little bit of everything. So far... he knows what he doesn't want to do more than he knows what he wants to do- that's better than nothing I guess!
We haven't really been anywhere the last few months. We went to ACU for homecoming a few weeks ago. It was a pretty lame weekend. Seeing friends and family was great... but Chase starting feeling really sick Saturday afternoon and we had to come back to Lubbock early- strept throat. LAME.

Here our annual pic with some of our sweet friends. Man, I sure do miss these guys.



He's all better now and we are looking forward to traveling to Austin in a few weeks for Shaylee's wedding!!! Woohoo! So excited!
The holidays are fast approaching and I'm so excited for a little family time... its been a while. Speaking of holidays, many of the Cawyers this year are running in the Turkey Trot in Dallas Thanksgiving morning! So, Chase and I have been running every other day to be in tip-top shape. I'm kind of getting into this running thing. (Wow, never thought I would say that!)

Our sweet friends Marcus and Emily, just had a baby Thursday. They had the first "Lifehouse" baby and we couldn't be more excited for them.

For some reason this is the only picture I have of the shower- how cute preg is she? Love her:)



Anyway, we are loving Lubbock more and more, but also excited to see where God leads is next. Maybe we will stay in Lubbock.... maybe we will go somewhere CrAzY for a few years.... time will tell. Please keep our next step in your prayers.

Oh, by the way... Go Rangers!!! We have been glued to the TV the last few weeks watching the events unfold. When they won the ALCS, I cried. Seriously. Between the joy of winning, the Texas pride and Josh Hamilton's MVP speech- the tears were just flowin'!

Until next time,
Live. Love. Laugh. Pray.
T

Summer of Changes

Its been quite the summer for Chase and I. I'm starting to get a little sad August is just around the corner- I pretty much hate the month of August (Sorry if I offend anyone with this comment). Here's why August is my least favorite month:
1. It is SO stinkin' HOT!
2. Its the time of year when the grass starts to lose its pretty green color and turn beautifully brown
3. Summer break is over
4.I get depressed at how much I did NOT get accomplished over the summer break

Now, the only redeeming quality August has going for it is the start of football season! Woohoo!

This summer has been full of traveling, visiting friends and family, house projects and big changes.
After our Disney vacation, Chase had to start back to school. This year is completely different than last 2 years. He started his rotations. His first rotation is the toughest, Surgery. He leaves every morning about 5 and gets home about 6 that evening. Every few days or so he "on call" and has to stay at the hospital all night. Thank goodness he's almost done. Its pretty intense, but he's LOVING it! I'm so proud of my little doctor-to-be! He looks so cute in his blue scrubs and pager on his hip- so official!

Speaking of official. Chase just received his Step 1 scores (biggest test in his life) and he did AWESOME!!!! So proud of him and all his hard work.

While Chase is becoming Dr. Chase, I've been getting things done around the house. Chase's mom and brother came up to Lubbock and helped me re-do the landscaping. What a daunting task. Thank you Corbin for your brawn; thank you Kelly for your never-ceasing hard work and thank you Chase for going to school so someday I can pay to have someone do our landscaping!

Here are some before and after pics:

Before:


After:
We painted the trim, ripped out the ground cover, planted new bushes and installed shutters.



Before in the backyard:



After:
We ripped up all the concrete pathways, waiting for grass to grow and planted new bushes- lets hope Tess doesn't eat them.



In other news- I got a new job!
I'm still teaching, but I moved schools and will now be teaching 6th grade science. I'm so excited and really looking forward to a new adventure!

We've had some friends visit recently. Elizabeth came down from Lubbock and I finally got to meet sweet little Reese. Is she not the cutest little thing. I definitely have been bitten by the baby bug:)



Well, summer is coming to a close and I start back to work pretty soon, but we are loving life and thankful for all the wonderful friends we've made in Lubbock and are proud to call it home!

Disney and Beyond!!!

Well, its been a wonderful day today! Rain, rain and more rain. Chase and have literally stayed at home all day. After being gone for 3 weeks, there was a lot "to do" in the house. We took a little afternoon break and popped popcorn and watched "Princess and the Frog." Eh- not my favorite Disney movie... actually, the worst Disney movie ever (am I aloud to say that?)
We are loving the rain- and so is our grass! We're gonna order a pizza and watch another movie... gotta love rainy days. The best part is that Chase is home and has ZERO studying to do!!! I should count my blessings while I can- he starts rotations next Wednesday:(

With that being said, we have been livin' it up these past few weeks! Chase's parents took us to Disney World and then we took a little weekend trip to San Antonio so see some friends. I'll say it again... It is worth the blood, sweat and tears of teaching 8th grade to get to have a summer break! Thank you Jesus!

Here's a little re-cap of the most amazing Disney trip:
Day 1: Flying, Layover, Flying, Sleeping

Day 2: Animal Kingdom- Since this was day one in the park, I felt a little nervous. We were there at "rope drop" and Chase's job was to QUICKLY walk to the front of the line. Since I didn't know any better, I followed him and ended up getting lost for about 10 seconds. I know you're thinking that sounds like no big deal, but when your new to the family and don't want them to think you can't hack it as a Disney fanatic... you start to get a little concerned! I survived and found the rest of the family... whew! Animal Kingdom was awesome- full of rides, shows and safari animals (my favorite!)

Day 3: Magic Kingdom- Road Dumbo first thing- not on the agenda, but there was no line so... Go Big or Go Home! Right?
Magic Kingdom is my favorite- its just so magical... even as an adult. After dinner, we went back to Magic Kingdom for the parade and more rides where we met up with my cousin Amy.

Day 4: Free Day- Went to brunch at Kona Cafe. AMAZING! Had Kona coffee with this banana stuffed french toast with powdered sugar and strawberry on top. MMMMM. Spent the rest of the day on a sugar high and went boating in little mini-racer boats. Then... the monsoon hit! Crazy, crazy storms- glad we were not at a park. Went to Hollywood studios for Fantasmic- best night show.

Day 5: Magic Kingdom- Road all the major rides for the 3rd/4th time, met Mickey and Minnie. Chill day at the park. Best part of the day??? After late night mini-golf, we all shared this HUGE ice cream sundae called "The Kitchen Sink." It was literally in a kitchen sink- 6 scoops of ice cream, 1 can of whipped cream, all the toppings they have, peanut butter and hot fudge! AMAZING!

Day 6: Epcot- We slept in and "ate around the world" in World Showcase (11 different countries). We all split a food item from each country- except Canada and U.S- because they have lame food. Again, another thunderstorm, so we waited it out and stayed for the night fireworks show.

Day 7: Hollywood Studios- this is where our lives changed.... Chase tried out for the American Idol Experience and made it on the show! I thought he was totally kidding when he said he wanted to try out- but then again, I should have known better. He was in the 12 o'clock show. I was nauseous, I was so nervous. He sang "I like it, I love it" by Tim McGraw. He did great- full of energy (of course). He didn't win, which was probably a good thing because the girl he went against came to Disney just to try out for the show- she was hard core!

Day 8: Epcot- no eating this time- just riding the rides and seeing the shows in future world. Rode Mission Space- which literally has barf bags inside and me being the motion sickness queen- again thought Go Big or Go Home. I felt like I was in labor. I didn't even enjoy the ride I was so focused on my breathing. I survived...without losing my lunch!

Day 9: Animal Kingdom- since it was our second time here, we just took it easy and saw all the shows. We left early and went to Downtown Disney for some shopping and chill time.

Day 10: Hollywood Studios- again, second time here, so we rode Toy Story for the 4th time and just took it easy until it was time to head to the airport.... which reminds me-worst part of the trip!
I would like to declare Orlando airport the most poorly designed and organized airport. I mean they should take a few lessons from Mr. Walt Disney down the road on how to run something efficiently. Our longest line of the entire Disney vacation was at the stinkin' airport security!

Whew.... that was the trip in a whirlwind. It was awesome and I'm already wanting to go back. Maybe Chase can do his residency in Orlando and I can work at Disney- if only one could dream:)

Here are some pics for your enjoyment:




Contemporary Resort living room


Intense Family Planning before departure







Living Room at Animal Kingdom Villas

Happy Anniversary!!!

Today is our 2 year anniversary- weird!
We celebrated over the weekend with mini-weekend getaway. When I say "mini" I mean we went to the new nice hotel in town about 2 miles from our house. It was really nice and so nice to just have a change of scenery for a change. When we got there, Chase had bought me a new dress... super impressed with his shopping skills. It was so cute! Good job dear:)
We went to Outback for dinner- Chase LOVES that dang bloomin' onion. It sure was good... but not so much for our cholesterol.
We had such a great weekend... even though I had to accept the fact that the NFL draft will always be around the time of our anniversary- thanks NFL- I love you, but in the fall ONLY please:)

Chase and I are currently reading the "Love Dare" together. I would highly recommend it to all couples. Even though we have only been married a short time, we still need a reminder not to take each other for granted.
I'm so blessed to be married to man that challenges me spiritually, has the ultimate patience with me and can instantly make me feel better!!! Love him.

Here's a pic to commemorate the joyous union that was our wedding.

We are entering my favorite time of year- rain and lots of sunshine.... I love both.
The last few days have been pretty blah- rain, rain and more rain, but our grass/weeds are super green now!

So, not a lot has been going on- we've been super busy. Chase is in hard core study mode- his BIG test is June 11, so we are praying it goes well. He's going to Houston for 3 weeks in May to take a crash course before the test. I on the other hand will be traveling to DC and NYC with his mom and dad.... yay for me! Im actually going as a sponsor for the FWC 8th grade trip. So, even though I get to miss a week of work, I still am spending it with wonderful 8th graders!

We've had quite a bit of progress on the house this spring. With the wonderful help of many friends, we have remodeled the guest bathroom and painted the exterior trim. It looks so much better now. I'm hoping to finish the landscaping projects this summer. We would like to add some shutters to give the front a little more color and plant some more trees. The guest bathroom looks awesome and it has officially become "my bathroom!" Here are some pics:

BEFORE:


AFTER:




Summer is just around the corner- only 21 more days for me to teach and two more weeks for Chase! Its so close I can taste it! Other than a few trips back to DFW, we're not doing much.... except going to DISNEY WORLD!!!!!



I couldn't be more excited. I've been counting down for 4 months now and only 57 days to go!

The dogs are good, but if anyone is interested in becoming the home for Toby, we are willing to let you have him. We love him dearly, but two dogs is a lot for us to handle, so if you or know someone that would want a loyal and lovable dog... then let us know!

Hope everyone has a good week and enjoys the spring flowers!!!!

Live. Love. Laugh. Pray.
T

Life, Love and Lubbock

I would just like to share a few thoughts I had today... Valentines Day.

First: Life.
We are loving life right now. Chase is in the gauntlet of med school- studying like crazy. He graduates with his MBA in May and I couldn't be more proud of him. He has worked so hard trying to get his MBA and MD. Crazy kid. I sure wouldn't have the determination to do it, but that is why I love him. He is so dedicated and goal- driven. I have recently had a sneeking suspicion that he just wants to stay in school for the rest of his life- he just loves learning cool stuff.
He starts his rotations this June, which he is super pumped about, but nervous about too. I'm praying he falls in love with a certain part of medicine that he is excited to do for the rest of his life... because right now he changes his mind about every other day.

I still am not that happy with my job, but I'm truckin' through until May. Thank you Jesus for summer breaks. I'n trying to stay positive, but its tough. I was laying in bed this morning thinking, "Wow, my little job payed for this house!" Hard work really does pay off- especially in Lubbock- where the dollar bill can get you a lot farther than everywhere else in the U.S.

Second: Love
On this wonderful holiday... Valentines day... Chase and have done nothing to celebrate. He did just stop unloading the dishes today to tell me he loved me. That was sweet, but we really aren't into the whole valentine thing. We love each other and thats enough for me. I'm personally not into the whole gift thing either. However, I did tell Chase today I am little upset he has NEVER, repeat NEVER, given me flowers- not even a single flower. I know they die and you can't use them, but its the thought that counts right?
So, if any of you see Chase, you should check up on how his flower hunt is going?:)
Love you!

Third: Lubbock
This has become a new realization to me as of today. I love Lubbock. I never thought I would say those words, but its true. Chase wants to stay here the rest of his life... I'm not really to that point of love, but it wouldn't be terrible I guess.
Lubbock really is a great town that I have learned to love. Here's why:
1. Great people all around the town- genuinely nice
2. Love our small group
3. Have a great group of fun friends
4. Not too crowded
5. Always run into someone you know
6. Made a life for us here
7. Close to the mountains
8. Family oriented
9. Great economy
10. Young, fun college town

Here's why I couldn't live here the rest of my life:
1. No family
2. Too dusty

Thats it. Those are the only reasons I don't want to set up shop here the rest of our lives. So, this is my solution... We need all family members to move up here:) As far as the dust goes, I guess I should invest in the jumbo pack of Swiffer Sweepers!!

Side note: To all of those that are thinking in their heads... "Why in the world would anyone like Lubbock?"
Well, I had those thoughts too- but give it a chance and I bet you'll love it too!

Snow Day....

Its about time for my quarterly blog post.

Lets' see... There's been rumor of a snow storm all week here in Lubbock, but who really believes those weathermen right? They were right. Thursday morning I went to school. It started snowing. Then the power went out. Generators didn't come on. A school can't run without power- just imagine 600 hormone crazed teens in a pitch black classroom- yeah freaks you out huh? So we move all the kids to the gym. This = CHAOS! How I love days like this... Apparently, the news came on at noon and said parents could come get their kids- but no one told us. So all of sudden all these parents start taking their kids- who knows if they are actually their kids or not. After we go through 3 lunches with each grade, there are only about 50 kids left in the whole school- like going back to class is even an option. Oh yeah, power just came back on. So, we toss them in the auditorium to watch a movie- and the teachers get to leave at 2!!! yay!

Chase and I took the dogs to the park and let them run around in the snow- its was so fun to see them run!


Here's our pretty snowy tree in the back yard.

Chase had a test scheduled for this morning, so we woke up early to get him off to school... but wait, no its cancelled today too. So Chase and I have been able to spend the whole day together- its been pretty weird. He even went to the store with me- I remember why I don't take him. Such an impulse buyer:)

The only thing going on right now is our guest bathroom re-model.
Check out the progress...





Above: Please note the wonderful wall-paper job I found behind the mirror. Quality!


We're just truckin' along up here in Lubbock. Livin' the dream!

Oh by the way, we are counting down the days until LOST starts back up. Anybody else?


Here's a little pic of the kids saying HI!!!!

How could someone do such a thing!!!

Ok- get ready for a story that will make you want to drive up to Lubbock and regulate yourself!

So Friday was my birthday- thank you to all who wished me well (I will be returning phone calls soon) and on my way home from work, I called Chase to see what time we were going to dinner. When he answers the phone, he sounds ultra depressed...
Chase said something was wrong with Toby and he wasn't moving.
Being the over-protective "mom" that I am, I rush home to find Toby laying on the floor, looking miserable. He looked about 5 lbs lighter and didn't even jump up to greet me like he usually does... he actually couldn't even get up.

Chase and I though he must have ate something earlier in the day and he was felling a little icky, so we let him sleep on the couch while we went out.

When we got home later that night, there was still no change- except he was starting to throw up now (sorry for the visual... but more sorry for my carpet).

We cleaned up the carpet (looks like new now) and put Toby to bed, praying he would be better by morning.

No such luck. When I went to get Toby in the laundry room, he had been sick all night and was still throwing up. Blah!

I decided to take him to the vet, while Chase studied for his test tomorrow. At this point, Toby hadn't had anything to eat in more than 24 hours and was starting to get weak and shake- my heart was just breaking for the little guy.

When we finally get to the vet, he decides to take an x-ray of Toby and later tells me Toby has been shot in the side.

And I lose it- I'm mad, confused, sad, frustrated and ready to go hurt whoever decided my sweet Toby needed to be shot. We had noticed a cut on Toby's side the day before, but the hair was matted down and you couldn't see below it. The vet shaved his hair off and showed me the perfect hole- he thinks it was a pellet gun.

By this point, I can barely breathe and stay focused enough on what he is saying. The vet tells me it might have perforated his intestines and he doesn't think he will be able to find the bullet even in surgery. We decide to put him on some antibiotics for pain because we think he's really just in too much pain to function.

We leave the vet, a few pretty pennies later, and I try to drive home amongst all the tears to tell Chase the news. At this point, I've decided either Toby is going to have to live with the bullet in him pain free, or we are going to have to put him down-- but I really did not want that to be an option.

Chase was way more mad than upset and immediately called the cops to report what happened and hopefully we can find who wants to kill our dog- I mean yeah he barks, but only when he feels threatened and only during the day. I mean, if you are going to stay home all day and don't like to hear dogs bark, then move out to the country. Geez! Every person on our street has a dog that barks occasionally, but I don't see anyone going around shooting them...

To make a long story short, today is new day and I think Toby is going to make it. We prayed a whole lot yesterday and he woke up this morning and decided to eat a little and play with his toys! He won't leave my side and his tail is wagging much more today!

Toby's wound and Tess trying to protect him.



So, please keep him in your prayers- he's like a child to me and I would be devastated if I had to put him down.

Oh... anyone have some good ideas on what we should do in retaliation?

Other good news.... THE KITCHEN REMODEL IS FINISHED!!!!!!
Here are some before and after pics!

BEFORE:



AFTER