Knee Surgery and Red Eye Trip

Love this picture of my dad and I!

Knee Surgery and a Red Eye Trip  . . . All in 10 days! It's this crazy thing called life! We roll with the punches!

• August 8: I had knee surgery! I hurt my knee in high school and it grew a plicka to compentsate. It was becoming a task to get everyday things done. We decided it was best for the future (activities, pregnancies, and kids) to have Arthoscopic surgery. It kept me down for a "10 day recovery." It was a great choice! My knee is almost pain-free! (Wish I had thought to take some pictures of this event!)

• August 18: On day 10 of my "recovery" we flew to Vermont on a Red Eye flight to see my dad. We found out that he has Congestive Heart Failure and Emphseyma. Uncle Dillin came back with us. We bought tickets, packed, got permission from my doctor, and were on the road to a red eye flight, all with in 12 hours! It was a trip we will all remember and was amazing to watch God heal my dad before our eyes, using just our presence. By the day we left (day 12.... I should mention we got stuck because of Hurricane Irene and our flight was cancelled twice!!) We could see a remarkable difference in his facial expressions, attitude, weight, and will to survive. We had a huge team out here praying for him and have truly seen the miracle of prayer work! There is still a long raod to full recovery and some major, tough lifestyle changes that need to be made but I believe my dad will pull through this! It was great to see family for the trip. And so sweet for us to watch relatives fall in love with our sweet little boy for the first time! 

Seeing family was the highlight!
Watching everybody fall in love with our little boy was a priceless memory! 

I have 8 cousins on my Dad's side.
We all went out to dinner!
We had some time to kill so we went into Petco. . . 

And L.L. Bean.
We asked the clerk if this came in a smaller size!
The employees all cracked up!
J stayed in there for a quite a while, just chllin, cracking up!

Hurricane Irene delayed our flight 4 days.
We had a great game of Risk going! 

I can't get enough of this picture! 

The Orafferty's

" . . .Those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."

Dr. Suess

Mexican Cruise 2009
Danielle was pregnant with Drew
I would find out I was pregnant with Jeremy a few months later!
Little did we know they would be 5 weeks apart and best buds!

I started this blog post in September (it's now end of October), but as I wrote, edited, rewrote, and re-editted, I found out how difficult is truly is to describe and express true friendship.  I mean, really, think about it. . . What do you say about your Best Friends, the people that will raise your children in your absence, the people that you share your everyday life with, the friends that you seek for love, guidance, and for accountability? This friendship has grown beyond the random weekly encounter, or the superficial social event. It is a intentional, proactive, companionship, that is far beyond the "BFF's" of 2012. In a friendship like this, your friend does not tell you, "Oh ya! For sure, you totally deserve a new car, you have been in that beater for like 5 years!" You know that they really care when they say, "Sure, that car needs work, but think about the money you save each month on a car payment! That money helps you be a stay at home mommy and take Jeremy to special places like the munchkin gym." Its not about telling someone what they want to hear, its about keeping the truth at the front of EVERY conversation. It's about spending your holiday weekend digging up a back yard that is not your own, and LOVING IT because of the precious time you get to spend with them.

We have been great friends with David and Danielle for about 6 years.

They are Jeremy's God parents.

Dillon and Drew are like Big brothers to Jeremy.

We cherish the time we get with them.

So to answer the question, "What do you say?"
Answer: Words will leave a void if I were to use them solely.

Nothing more can be said then, "We love them so much. They have a special place in our hearts!"

A little catch up and Getting to know Jeremy!

Well, it has been way too long since I have updated our blog! I have to apologize to the East Coasters and Jeremy! I really want to be more on top of this so his milestones are marked!
Lets start with an update of the past 4 (yikes) months!

This little boy has got the cutest personality! I wanna be writing down all the things he does so the day he (gasp and a few tears) moves out... I have these memories to look back on!

• Jeremy has started running when he knows he did something wrong! He runs the length of the house. Cracks us up.... like he thinks he can out run us! 
• He has learned when there is a step to go down. His little foot feels the step out and he decides if he can step down or needs to sit on his tush to get down. We love to watch his little brain work!
• He can also get off the bed feet first! Bobby has been teaching him to put his feet off first. The other day he got down by himself! I can't believe he is so big!
• He loves to climb! 
• When he has to poop.... he goes in a different room! He likes his privacy. We just hear a distant  grunting! It's hilarious! And a sure sign he's ready for the potty. After the holidays, of course.
• Whatever piece of furniture he chooses to climb, however long it takes him, when he gets to the goal.... he sits in a very "loungy" position and sighs! Ha!

• He loves anything that uses his fine motor skills.... twisting, turning, pinching . . . . 

All that is boy! Trains, airplanes, hammer, helicopter, bear, ball

• Music is his love!! Anytime it's on. This boy has rhythm. He hears it in everything: The vacuum, the skill saw, the windshield wipers, the hum of the heater, crackling of the wood in the fireplace. It's really cute!

He LOVES his Musical Munchkins class!

• Jeremy no longer takes a pacifier. Well, I'm sure if we gave it to him, he'd gladly take it but he goes to sleep without it now. We broke the habit at 18 months, just before Thanksgiving. It was only a 3 day ordeal. He does cry now when we put him to bed but only for a few minutes. 
• He has quite the vocabulary, both vocally and signing. Signs include: All done, light, milk, juice, more, Jesus, help, please, and I'm sorry. Words are: Hello, Hi Dad, Ok, Ut-oh, Jesus, Amen, Dada, Mama, Mom, No, all done, and Go. 
• At 19 months, He is still a little small. 24 pounds and about 36 inches. Still wearing some 9 months clothes. Mostly 12 months shirts and 18 months pants. Size 5.5 shoes.

A day at the beach!
Top Right: Sand does NOT taste good!
Bottom Middle: he got a little sunburnt.

Top Left: One of his favorite toys!
Top Middle: His best bud, Drew. Look at J's face!
Top Right: Walking with Mama
Middle Left: Snuggles with Uncle Dillin
Middle Right: Toys every where!
Bottom Left: Stylin with his Jean hat and jean diapers
Bottom Middles: He likes to choose different shoes to wear around the house
He looks so grown up
Bottom Right: Silly kid! Really shows his personality

Jeremy goes with me everywhere!
Left: The dentist
Right: The chiropractor