Betty is three

Yesterday, Betty turned three years old.  At 8:40-something pm, she was born.  We all sat in the waiting room after the nurse told us they were just going to do some "practice pushes" and there she was. 

Things I remember:

She was so quiet.  She didn't say a word with all the people in the room.  She was so little.  She was yawning in this picture.  Very tired from the trip!

Lindsey put a purple ribbon around her beanie cap.  She was beautiful.  Lindsey was beautiful.  I know now she doesn't remember much of that moment.  But she kept saying, "look what I have!"  Very quietly, just to me like someone may over hear her and take Betty away.  Tab was a natural with her. He was so great holding her and passing her around to everyone. 

He came prancing down the hallway walking on his toes, as he does, with a big grin on his face.
It's a girl!

Three years ago the world changed.  Three years ago Betty arrived and the world will never be the same, and I know it is better because she's in it!

 

Laugh Out Loud

I didn't realize how hard or loud I laughed until I was at my sisters house recently.  With two sleeping children just down the hall she and Tab are on constant watch of noise in and out of the house.  So when a stupid commercial came on and I literally slapped my knee and laughed out loud they looked at me with this "if that woke up either one of those children..." looks.  Scary.  I'm not oblivious, I know what it takes to get these two to sleep.  I see it when I'm there and most times I am a part of the process.  You can't help but be when you're there. 

It leads me to Lindsey, and how she laughs.  In the last three years her number of snorts per year has gone up by at least 74%.  I have a theory for this:

While I choose to open my mouth wide, let my laugh out, not caring about my surroundings it is a full body laugh and nothing is suppressed; Lindsey on the other hand, one, doesn't laugh out loud as much as I do.  She has gotten better about it since we lived together in the pink house.  We actually had conversations about it.  Two, on top of maybe feeling a bit apprehensive about laughing out loud, she is also thinking of the two sleeping children she just spent 45 minutes putting to sleep.  Between the re-swaddles because Fat Man got out of the miracle swaddle (that is literally the name of it) or Miss Bett's ever challenging game of 'I have to go to the bathroom,' Lindsey waits for a quiet house.  So when she does laugh out loud at something it is quiet evident to anyone in the room suppressed and with that comes...SNORT.  Every. Single. Time. 

This is all to say that I love reading the research on laughter and what it does for your over all health.  It's amazing!  While I don't smile all day long (mainly because of how my mouth naturally curves down)-I do laugh AT LEAST once a day.  And almost always more than that. 

While I will not list all the things that make me laugh, I will tell you that going to YouTube and looking up the bloopers of your favorite TV show will not disappoint!  That is just one of the ways I laugh out loud. 

I encourage all of you to laugh out loud.  You have to smile while you're laughing, so its happiness times two! 

All she ever wanted...

All she ever wanted was a dog.

She had a job she loved, wonderful friends, supportive family, health.  But she wanted that dog. 

Having a dog would mean the world to her.  As far as she knew it would make her life complete.  All of her friends have dogs.  Some are new and they play together and go on walks and snuggle on the couch.  Some dogs have been around for a while and there is still mutual love but maybe not as much play time.

Everything is better with a dog.  You have someone to come home to.  Someone to talk to about your day.  Someone to say good night and good morning to.  Do you know how different your day is if you have someone to say good morning to?

Sometimes they need some training, from what I hear.  It takes a while for dogs to understand what you mean when you say something.  And you learn them too.  When they are happy, sad, scared. 

Yep, life is definitely better with a dog.  It doesn't suck without it, but it's not as good. 

It's hard to find a good dog, especially the older you get.  You used to be able to pick up dogs on the side of the road, they were just roaming the streets.  Now you have a little higher standards for this dog.  You want one with a nice smile, with just enough energy to match yours.  These days having a puppy isn't even high priority, you may want a dog with a little grey in his coat. 

You don't realize it until you are looking for a dog that they are all around.  Young ones, old ones, nice ones and mean ones. 

You have to be careful when picking out a dog, some will let you pet them and then they snap at you.  Some of them have been around the block too many times and have rabies. Eeek.  Some are really timid, so you never know if you click because they can't look you in the eye. 

But all she ever wanted was a dog.  A good, house broken, energetic, fun loving, snuggly, clean dog.

Wonder if she will be fully happy if she doesn't get a dog.  Some people never get dogs.  It's hard to imagine, or something you may not want to imagine. 

Dogs have so much to offer.  I hope she gets one some day. 

Maybe she should start listening to all the cliches she's heard all her life.  Once you stop looking you will find your dog.  There are plenty of dogs out there.  You are such a nice person, any dog would be lucky to have you.

So she waits.  And she watches her friends with their dogs and looks on adoringly.  She sits in her house alone and imagines what it would sound like with a dog in there.  She imagines the day that she finds her dog and how she couldn't help but cry because it's everything she ever wanted. 
All she ever wanted was a dog.

You have reached the end of The Internet.

For those of you who don't know (and my sister would tell a much funnier version) I cannot search the Internet.  It's true.  How can that be, you say? Well the fact is, I don't know.  But I'm awful at it. 

It doesn't matter what search engine, Bing, Google, MSN etc. I inevitably end up in some obscure place on the internet that doesn't have anything to do with what I'm searching. 

Example: I will try to search for invitation wording and get to a web page that only sells invitations.  I will try and search for a flight to DC, that I KNOW my friend has already booked but it comes up with it at double the price. 

I'm not in denial, I realize that it is operator error.  But when my supervisor looked at me the other day and said ok plan your trip to Arizona in July, I just sat there looking at the screen. 

Um, what?
Where do I? How do I? Can you?

Nope.  I am a big girl I need to be able to do this on my own. 

Ok, ok.  Where to start? A search engine. Yes, yes!

After, no lie, three hours I booked a flight to and from Arizona and booked three nights at a hotel. 

I was super proud of myself and handed everything into to Beatrice (boss) with a big smile on my face that resembled the smile of a young child turning in a diorama they worked on all night with their mom!

"Ok, thanks."  That's all I got.  I was standing there smiling like a goober, out of breath like I just ran a marathon, chest puffed up, beautifully signed clean copies..."Ok thanks." 

Very anti-climatic.  But I'm still proud none the less! 

I think I am on my way to being able to search the internet like everyone else I know, quickly and without error!

All my kids!

I gave birth to none of them but love them all just the same.  They are all so different.

Trevor-he is playing t-ball.  He tells me he is the pitcher and catches.  He is somewhat sarcastic, which I love.  I caught him rolling his eyes behind Bett's back as if to say you are a crazy old lady, but I'll hug you anyway.  He wanted to hold Louis all day.  He plays great with the girls and has the best manners! He will be in first grade next year. 

Betty-just finished her first 'year' at school.  She is very much into performing.  "introducing betty..." and then she comes out to do her thing! She listens to everything you say and then acts it out with the family in her doll house.  She has quickly learned what it means to have a sibling.  She has much more independent play.  She is a creature of habit, much like her parents.  But only for a little while.  You change things up at the right time and then she's into it!

Raina-this girl loves her some puzzles.  She also just finished her first year at school.  I swear she has grown a foot in the last year.  She has not varied in her love of all animals, mostly dogs.  She carried two stuffed ones in with her this weekend and took to Betty's Clifford quickly!  She is loud and animated, much different than Betty.  She squeals and the whole neighborhood can hear her.  It makes you smile to hear that squeal.  She loves Trevor.  I think having someone to pal around with was fun for her! She pranced around in her pink bikini and we all wanted to pinch that bottom.  Such a beautiful girl with her long blond hair!

Louis-it was his weekend.  He got baptized.  Poor baby was so tired and all he wanted during the ceremony was his bottle.  He was a trooper.  He had a rough start, but 3 1/2 months in (I'm sure Lindsey can give you the exact date) when they figured out his allergy and medicines, he is the snuggly baby Lindsey always wanted!  He's a big boy.  Almost 20 lbs at 4 months old.  I imagine him growing up tall and lanky like his Uncle Sammy, who was big as well.  He wasn't that big but he tipped the scales a bit! 

I'm thrilled to pieces to be the Godmother of both Betty and Louis.  I take the job seriously!  Father Miles said to Lindsey and Tab, (in so many words) there will never be another Louis Talbot.  Just like there will never be another Betty.  God made them in his image, and chose you two as the parents of these children.  Amazing to think about it that way.  I feel like we get caught up a lot and forget that there is something out there bigger than us. 

Thank you God for bringing all these children into my life.  Thank you for keeping them safe, happy and healthy! Please watch over them and their parents tonight and everyday.  Guide them in the right direction and be with them when they stray.   

Good old time fun!

A couple of weekends ago some friends and I went to Hendersonville in NC to celebrate the wedding of some other friends.

The groom worked for a company that did a lot of business with Gateway (before he moved to VA) so he knew other friends I have at Gateway, including one of the couples I went with. The bride is the God daughter of my best friend's mother, small world!   I was thrilled to get the invite and be there on the special day!

Brian and Emmylou were without new baby, so they were ready to let loose!  We checked into a sweet little mountain hotel on Friday night and met up with Drew and Rene for dinner.  Jon Couch met us later at a little pub that we found in downtown Hendersonville. 

The downtown was super cute.  It's newly paved, bricked and planted.  They must have just done some serious construction, it was beautiful and there were so many people out and about walking around!

Son of a Peach was my drink of choice for Friday night.  It's delicious and my fave for the summer time! 

We had a great time at the wedding!  It was a full church service with a packed house! Lolly looked beautiful and Dave looked thrilled to death.  Although, you'd be hard pressed to find him without a great big smile on his face!

Emmylou and I were members of the band by the end of the night! Singing along to Don't Stop Believing and Movin' On Up.  We danced in our heels all night!  Doing the Twist in heels the whole length of the song = Wedding Workout!

After the wedding we changed clothes and met some friends at their cabin by a really pretty waterfall.  Luckily it was all near the reception! It was fun and a good way to decompress from the night! Although hindsight, I should have kept a better eye on my phone.  I left it there and a very nice someone mailed it to me a week later!

 

I had a really good time! We all got to spend more time with Rene, Drew's girlfriend and Jon who we haven't seen in a long time!  It's always fun when we all get together, add some good drinks  (or just some forty's) and it makes for late nights and some delicious Waffle House the next day!

Happy Wedding Cooter-Dave and Lolly! I wish you all the best!

Unplugged

I went to NC this past weekend with a group of friends for the wedding of two other friends.  It was a wild weekend that ended with my phone wanting to stay in NC while I went home. 

Luckily a very kind good samaritan found it before it went dead and called the million missed calls from a friend.  She said she will mail it to me.  Yay!  It's been three days without it and it sucks.

I miss...

*Talking to Lindsey while one of her kids is sleeping and the other one is taking a bottle during Days of out Lives.  Seriously, who beat up Raif???
*All my music-it's hard to workout without music and the the stuff they play at the gym is awful.  Thanks Taylor Swift, but you aren't helping any.
*The calendar on my phone.  Yeh, that's a weird one.  But I have found that I don't have a calendar anywhere else with all my stuff on it.
*Twitter.  Yes, I realize I am becoming more and more like my best friend Jaimie, who loves her technology, but I have really enjoyed reading the celebs tweets as if they were meant just for me. 
*The quick text.  I mean wow, email sucks!

I realize that this just proves that I am (we all are) living in a world of immediate gratification.  Ok, that's the world I live in, now give it back.  Immediately!