Friday, November 16, 2007

Tag, I'm it.


Okay, so thanks to Aimee & Michelle, here are 7 things you never wanted to know about me.

1. I have terrible stage fright and still don't believe other people really want to hear me sing.

2. I have a compulsion to write my own greeting cards and party invites. It tends to sound a lot like Dr. Seuss after a bottle of wine.

3. Unless I live within 30 miles of you, your present/card will be late, regardless of the type of holiday or whether or not I knew about it way in advance.

4. Seasons are essential for my happiness. Lately, I've taken to likening cloudy cool days to winter and I get really peeved when the sun does come out!

5. I secretly want to nominate myself for what not to wear so I can get a new wardrobe.

6. You all know this already: I am WAY too organized and OCD. However, my time management skills TOTALLY stink. So I'm organized, but always late. UGH.

7. I am an extremely loyal friend who tends to get crapped on because I'll stand up to a rude macy's clerk, but won't stand up for myself with friends because I don't like confrontation with people I care about.

AND...a bonus #8
I secretly wish (about 50%) of the time that I'd stayed in the Marine Corps. I guess it's true what they say, Once a Marine, Always a Marine.

AND, Angie, TAG YOU'RE IT. (This might be the closest we ever get to talking, since my timing for calling stinks and you probably can't find the phone, what with all the paraphanalia from your hundred kids covering your house.)

Semper Fi!
Love to all,
Tiff

Sunday, October 21, 2007

A weekend without...






organizing, picture hanging, cleaning, purging, rearranging, shopping or ANYTHING ELSE move-in related. A month or so ago, I signed myself up for a Pampered Chef party, so the 4 days preceeding this momentous event were spent in a whirlwind of activity as I attempted to clear out the chaos and make my home look presentable. Needless to say, I have never been so happy to be at week's end. The party was a success, the food was great, my house is FINALLY almost done and I spent my weekend socializing, attending a winefest with the spousal unit, attending a birthday/welcome home party, sitting around a firepit with new friends AND best of all... sitting on my BUTT!!

The Mac Chicks just bustin' out of the egg!
The look on Eva's face as Charley nails her one to get ahead
pretty much sums up my life these days.


So, you ask, what is new with the clan mac? Where, oh where to begin. Amidst the chaos of settling in, many new adventures have come our way. Evie has settled in to her new school, wishing she could attend every day. Her teachers are amazing. They are so clearly enamored of these sweet children and their obvious joy in their work is inspiring. I've been inspired to look for new ways to make my home and our life more adventurous for my mini macs. I hope this only leads to tons of fun & lots of field trips for our clan.
Speaking of, we took one last week to my childhood home of Santa Ana. Just a short 35 minutes north of here lies the elementary school where I learned my ABC's, the church where I took my first communion, the home whose address I still remember. What a sweet adventure it turned out to be.
Me & My gals at my elementary school!


Eva in my childhood church


Eva's 1st trip to Chuck E. Cheese
I won mother of the year for that treat!


Evie is back into gymnastics & loving every minute. Last week, she also informed me she would like to take up tennis and disco dancing. Move over, John Travolta, Evie Mac is on her way! In the midst of these discussions regarding new interests, she also decided that a DISCO party is the way to ring in year #5. I am SO excited! You know I'm trying to figure out how to make a disco ball cake. Any ideas?
Every day, she is bursting with excitement to work on letters, numbers and aw, crap, worksheets.
Many of you know I feel like worksheets are the bane of american education, but my little sponge loves the accomplishment of completion & being right!! She discovered a packet from last school year and zipped through all 20 or so of the sheets in like a day. oy, i am in for it. It is so invigorating to see her so curious and ready to absorb everything around her. She is VERY interested in learning to read, so we are planning to focus more time on that goal very soon. Although, I'm not sure how I'll communicate with other adults if I can't spell stuff "over" her head.

Oh, and Charley. What can I say about Charley? That child is a trip. Half the time her hair is stuck to her face with her boogers. The other half, she looks like a little oompa loompa with her water spout hair, curls over her ears, teetering around the house on her fat little tree stump legs. Her newest form of communication is the point, yell and grunt.
Never mind that she knows like 50 gazillion signs and can actually say quite a few words, including bellybutton (sounds like beh bah.) I think she just likes to yell. And you should see her get really mad. I love it when she makes this super mad face in the mirror, yells at herself, then grinds her little face into the mirror while baring her teeth. I have got to get this on video. It is SO funny I can't even take her seriously when she does it. As a matter of fact, she is so crazy, I don't think I'll ever take her seriously. Guess she takes after me, huh?
Enjoy the pics!
Love to all!
Tiff & co.
p.s. yes, we were evacuated. it stunk. watching the hillside behind my house burn was a BIT nerve-wracking. I thank God every day since that we were blessed enough to be able to return home. Thanks for all the well wishes and prayers!

Thursday, October 11, 2007

My Mom...

Nana with her munchkins
THIS is your legacy. Be proud! We are!

is the BEST mom. Today is her birthday, so I celebrate her with...

an ODE.



when i was very tiny

you wiped my hiney.



when i grew grew to your knees

you made me eat my peas.



when i reached your hip

you wouldn't take my lip!



when i reached your waist

you taught me to cook, post haste.



when i reached your rib

you taught me to be glib!



when i reached your shoulder

you wished i would never get older.



when i looked you in the eye

you taught me to reach for the sky!



now i'm so much older

a mother now myself.

i spend my days with little me's

making them eat their peas.

and everytime i look in their eyes,

it makes me heave a sigh.

to know the love you feel for me

and how hard it was to set me free.



you sang to me when i was small

you heard me sing as i grew tall.



you tucked me in and cracked the door

3 fingers open, not one bit more.



each night when my babes go to sleep

i pray the lord their souls to keep

i pray to thank him for MY mother

truly, she is unlike any other.

the blessings of your love run deep

i have them forever to keep.



i love you mom.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!




Sunday, September 02, 2007

PICS!!!

Ivy so grown up!

Eva modeling her improvised bikini
the clan mac and wetherill chicks carrying on the lewis tradition of swimming til you are pruned, even if it's dark!

kisses for aunt sammy!

swimming with papa (never without the bink, even in the pool!)

tickling the funnies with Nana


Good times & Great Friends!


Distance never dulls the love of a good friend :-)


Papa & JoJo puzzling out the pieces

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Home again, home again, jiggety jog

I HAVE A HOME!!!! I have never in my life (boot camp, mos school excepted) lived so long without a place to call home. I cannot tell you the emotions that bubbled over when I finally got to walk into MY home. Granted, it looks like a tornado hit a toy store, a kitchen supply, a clothing boutique and a furniture store, then dumped it squarely in my new house. I've been digging my way out, one mess at a time, since I woke up on tuesday.
Saturday, September 1st
Well, it's now a week later and I'm still digging. I had made some pretty awesome progress until the movers finally arrived with my storage shipment. If I didn't need this stuff for 3 years, forgot what I had and am now just irritated with most of it, what was the point of storing it? AHA, this brings me to my "thought of the day..."
seriously. Americans have TOO MUCH CRAP. case in point: my garage is overrun with enough books to stock a library, an entire extra set of living room furniture, office furniture and countless boxes of stuff I am afraid to even open. and I am NOT even a pack rat (anymore.) I've learned one thing from my seemingly endless cycle of relocation...
ONLY keep it if:
it is functional for making your life easier
it makes you look like a BILLION bucks
you will fall apart if you no longer own it (this applies only to childhood memorabilia, inherited items & your kid's memorabilia)
aforementioned memorabilia needs to be kept to a REASONABLE level, i.e. a few things from each year for your kiddos and a few for you.
your spouse will divorce you if you chuck it (unless the single life is oddly appealing and you are sick of doing tons of laundry)

PURGE it if:
you have no idea what it is
you can't remember why you bought it to begin with
it creates a fire hazard

SELL it if:
you can retire on the proceeds of the sale OR
you are broke. (hmm, wonder where i got that thought, since i just spent enough money at target to feed my family for 2 months. donations can be mailed to... :-)

okay. so purge your crap, streamline your life and spend more time laughing, loving and living.
AND. don't be mad about stupid crap. life is too short.
hi ho, hi ho, it's off to drink wine i go. i'm all "sorted" out.
til tommorow, that is.

i promise to post pics next time.

luv to all
tiffers

Thursday, August 16, 2007

love travels

i'm sitting in my parents kitchen, surrounded by my kids, my nieces, my mom & dad and a LOT of chaos. it is the best place to be. the only thing missing is the men. Charles, Terry and Markie. WE MISS YOU!
this time here has gone an awfully long way toward helping me learn to deal with the loss of my little one. i was doing fairly well until today. i spoke with my doctor today, who had the results of my genetic testing. i think it may have been easier if i had just blindly gone on thinking that something had to have been wrong for this to happen. turns out i was wrong. he was perfect, normal. i'm trying awfully hard to convince myself that it is beyond my control, that it is God's will, that I WILL get to have another baby. i guess i just need time.
my family has been amazingly loving, giving and helpful in this time. I cannot imagine life without their love and support. eva and charley have had a fantastic time, i have enjoyed every moment with them. i've been lucky enough to visit with my extended family as well as my friends from oki and from here. THANKS so much to angi, debbi & michelle for driving out to visit. my connection to each of you has not diminished one iota and i so miss you!
i've learned something else from this visit. life is not about what happens to you, it is about how you choose to live with it. every one of us has a moment or a situation that seems unbearable. just a few minutes ago, i had the thought that i just had to wake up soon, that this couldn't be my life. then i realized that i just have to be thankful, i have to be grateful, i have to appreciate each and every part of my life. the good and the bad. i have the 2 most amazing children and a husband so incredible i often wonder how on earth i could have landed him.
so i guess it all boils down to time. it's what i need to heal and what i need to realize my dream of more children. thanks to you all for your love, support, kind words and most of all, the gift of your time.
luv,
tiff

Monday, July 16, 2007

When will I...




stop waking up and wishing I was in Oki? stop waking up and wishing I didn't feel like I have to barf? Funny. I've been off island for 10 weeks now and I just keep thinking it's time to get back on the plane. Funny. I've been pregnant for 8 weeks now (wow, that long already?) and I just keep thinking it's time TO FEEL BETTER.
Battling bronchitis, moving blues and morning (all day, really) sickness is not my idea of a fun summer. Plus, it's bloody COLD here! I don't want to swim, I want a fire and a blanket.
Oh, boy. I'm really whining here, huh?
Okay, so bright spots. Annie & Tami are here! We basically spent the weekend at Mission Beach w/Annie & co. and all of her family. What a wonderfully lazy weekend. We haven't seen Tami & co yet, but are hopeful this week we'll work out some visiting.

More GIANT bright spots. Charley is standing! Albeit, only when she feels like it, but she is standing nonetheless. Oh & I'm not deaf yet from her shrieking, so that's always a bonus. THAT child has the LOUDEST, SHRILLEST, MOST OBNOXIOUS shriek on the planet. And I promise you, no matter what you are thinking, it is true. I have actually gotten a headache the last 2 days in the car from her SHRIEKING. And, truly, she saves it up for the car and restaurants. It's just lovely and so endearing. It's darn good she's really FREAKING cute.

Speaking of cute. Eva really just shines with adorable-ness when she isn't acting like a mini version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. We alternate our days with: "oh, mommy. you're my best friend. thanks for making me my favorite lunch and reading my stories." OR "i don't like this food. and you making me eat it is just MEAN. that's why i don't want to live in this family ANYMORE!" Seriously, she has been just great this weekend. I think seeing some familiar faces and having LOTS of beach time really helped. I know it helped me!

Evie started a short summer program at her school this past week & has loved it. Her teacher is just wonderful and has made Eva feel welcome and loved. I'm so blessed in that respect. She is TOTALLY on par with Bender and that is more than I could have hoped for. (Bender was Eva's beloved teacher her 1st year of pre-school.) It's been a nice pasttime for her (and me) as I wade my way through the 1st trimester, re-enroll in college, attempt to get moved into our place, plan more travel and adjust to life on the sunny (HAHA) coast.

Oy. It's totally late and my bean is making me tired, so off to dreamland I skip. More later.
Love to all.
Tiff +1

Saturday, July 07, 2007

pics!!

Enjoy. More to follow soon!

My last class. Bittersweet. I miss my mini musicians!
Evie, Maggie & Sami at Abigail's Princess Extravaganza! What a great bash!
Eva, Maggie & Elisabeth with Miss Jennifer at their final Kindermusik Class. We miss you, everyone!
ROCK STAR BABY!!

Eva & Mrs. Emerson on Eva's last day at All Soul's

Happy 1st Birthday Charley Cupcake!
LOVE MY CAKE!!


Friday, June 22, 2007

Coming soon to the clan mccawley...

well, not really soon but in February. You guessed it, we are preggers! Quite unexpectedly, I might add. Who gets pregnant in the middle of a move? Apparently me. We are totally excited, totally shell shocked and totally NOT going to find out what it is. HA HA. Every single one of you (except Angi) is totally irritated right now. :-) I'm due February 23 (as of right now), so I guess we'll all know if my Dad is EVER getting Grandson in about 8 1/2 months.
SO, that' s our totally big news and everything else seems to pale by comparison, except of course the news of my midgets.

Eva has settled into CA quite well, and is proving to love being able to go outside pretty much anytime she wants. No rain, no humidity, no mud, no big giant bugs. The weather here is consistently super nice just about every day, even with June Gloom. She has made some sweet new friends here, but still talks about her Oki pals, Billie and JoJo on a daily basis. Our life seems to be measured in the units that pass until we see them again. (Or until her next gymnastics class.) She explored the beach with Aunt Cassie and crew yesterday, which was a HUGE hit! My children are true fish. Charley was attempting to swim in the tub last night.
Oy, I am so in for it.

Charley has jumped over so many milestones in this last month and I have pretended to mentally keep track of them. I'll probably make up some dates and put them in the baby book and hope she never reads this post when she is checking my Mom score. She is signing like crazy, says Mommy, Daddy, YEAH, all done, uh-oh, ruff ruff & banana (na-na.) She shakes her head yes & no when asked a question she understands, has like 12 teeth now (seriously, i haven't counted them but they do keep us UP at night), is making ZERO effort to walk but has decided that climbing in/out and on top of stuff is super fun! She also refuses to keep her hair pulled back in any way, so it is constantly in her eyes, which she apparently likes. Rubbing food in her hair is also a favorite past time. And since I refuse to let anyone but my sister cut my kid's hair for the first time, Charley will be shaggy until our august trip home.

The most excellent, good news for our family is also that our expected arrival bumped us up to a 4 bedroom home, so we were assigned a house tuesday. We don't move in until August, but knowing we are no longer homeless was a HUGE relief. Of course, we happened to get the SMALLEST possible floorplan (can you say itty bitty teeny tiny shoebox?), so our first few months will be spent paring down. Which is good, since we don't need all that crap anyway. AND, "love grows best in little houses." THIS is the new clan mac theme song. PURGE PURGE PURGE. (or sell sell sell if you are po' like us.)

The other excellent news is that I hope to go back to school in the fall. This was the plan before mac #3 made an appearance, so we are going to try to stick to it. Say a prayer for me that the VA will reinstate my program and give me the go ahead to edu-macated. :-)

A big THANKS and I love you goes out to Cassie and her boys for welcoming us into their home and making us feel like we are loved & settled. It's been a tough 2 months for our little clan & the grainger clan has made it much better as well settle into our new geo-location.

As for those of you who were wondering about our trip to Hawaii, think "Griswolds go Hawaii" and that should sum it all up. Texas was great and uneventful, thankfully.

OH, and a big happy belated first birthday to my Charley. My poor baby's first big day kind of passed by with just a pfftt, since we were in transit. I dread the day she and Eva are comparing cards & pictures. Again, suffice it to say that our planned party in Oki didn't pan out, thanks to an unexpected power outage, but my incredibly generous and sweet pals there made it all work out by offering thier homes, their cooking skills and their decorating help. You were all amazingly giving and sweet and I am forever indebted to you for the gift or your love and friendship. THANKS!!

Well, I've rambled long enough. Below you will find donation forms for the clan mccawley minivan fund and a sign-up sheet for post baby visits/sanity saver trips to CA. :-) LOL

luv to all,
tiffers +1. (better not be 2)
p.s. sorry I have no pics. can't find them on the hard drive right now. maybe later.

Friday, May 18, 2007

Better days.

My blog posts lately have required a tissue and a dose of prozac, followed by a margarita, retail therapy and playing in traffic. SORRY! I have been in the dumps for a while and it has prompted a bit of blogging under the influence of moving/wine.
We're heading to Texas today. It's been a nice week here in HI, much better after starting a bit roughly. I don't know that I would recommend trying this while moving & with a baby, but we have had some fun! Yesterday we headed to the waterpark and our munchkins had a blast! Eva was quite upset this morning that we wouldn't be able to go back (until i told her about Schlitterbaun waterpark in Galveston and now she is perfectly fine.)
We'll still be traveling for the next few weeks, so blogging might be intermittent, but I promise to load up some pics of the mac midgets SOON.
luv to all,
tiff & co.

Thursday, May 17, 2007

I miss my dad.

It hit me today. I watched 3 or 4 solid hours of Desperate Housewives tonight. The mindless entertainment gave the wheels of my mind the time needed to turn and settle. Settle into the realization that I've left my home, my friends, my students, my safe place.
Lately I find myself oddly drawn to every bearded gray haired man i see, wishing in some recess of my mind that my Dad will appear in the distance, coming closer with each step, reaching in to envelope me in the only bear hug in the world that makes me feel truly safe. There was a time in my life when I felt I had no safe place to land, a time when my father was my safety net. I may be all grown up now and somewhere in my mind I know I will be okay, but it doesn't take away my need for that hug.
Poor evie. Lately she seems to get the brunt of my frustrations. My intuition tells me that she feels the same way I do, lost and adrift, but our similar personalities somehow set us further apart, rather than drawing us together. This frightens me more for the future than it does now. How do I find a way to reach her, to let her know that it's me she can turn to? Let her know that I understand and I want to be her safety net? I NEED this, I NEED to understand her. I love her so much that sometimes it hurts and I cannot for the life of me figure out how to communicate with her. Isn't there a book somewhere that I can read? I already know the answer to that question. If there was, we'd all be better parents, better children, better spouses. The book is me. My life. My thoughts, intuitions, fears, ideas, & hopes. Looking inside myself will help me find the answer to my most cherished accomplishment: my children.
I MISS MY FRIENDS. Annie, it does some like forever since I left and it hasn't even been a week. Leaving was never as hard as it was for me to get on that plane. & you can bet the farm I've left more places than I care to count.
Here's to every memory, good and bad. To each friend I was blessed with, every drop of rain, every humid day, every gestured conversation, every rollerslide, every grain of sand, every food court lunch, every gecko in my bed, every first friday, every music class and every moment with my babies & my amazing husband on my island oasis.
We start anew in sunny So Cal soon. I know I'll make the best of it, but pardon me my mourning for a few weeks more. I haven't read my doll yet, there isn't enough wine or kleenex in my hotel room.
Thanks for the love. Thanks for the memories. Just thanks. I love you all.
Dad, I could really use that hug now.
tiffers

Saturday, April 14, 2007

ramblings of a hangover...

Luvin' my baby


No more toothless grins!




Finding the bunny stash!









Ready for Church!

Yesterday we went to the Spring Okinapa for a bit of wine tasting, food sampling and kid free fun. Needless to say, I had a lot of kid free fun regardless of the fact that the wine was in short supply and they took the food away early. Sometimes I just don't get it. I know I should by now, but WHY would you have a 2 day wine tasting and not save enough wine for day 2? If you know we are a bunch of winos and will buy every last bottle, WHY don't you bring more? If you still have a room FULL of people drinking and eating, WHY would you start breaking down the food an hour early? These are the burning questions inquiring minds want answered. ENOUGH complaining and on to the important stuff. MY KIDS!!


Easter rocked, the bunny was reasonably generous and we had a great dinner with friends at Annie's house. Pictures of my family failed to materialize, due to my great inability to actually plan to take them before we rush out of the house for church. Then the day flew by and it was bedtime and I had not taken a single pic of my girls in their easter finery. DUH. Oh well, eventually I'll remember, dress them up, force them outside for a pretend pretty Easter day shot and lie about when I took it for posterity. Sometimes ya just gotta fudge the dates a bit for the sake of sanity. I did, however, get some great shots of the egg/basket hunt upon the awakening of our midgets. Eva was too cute following the string trails to find her & Charley's baskets. Then our little inspector perused the house for eggs, ensuring to put one in her basket, one in Charley's, one in hers, one in Charleys, etc. We never told her to, she just did it on her own. That child is really just so sweet!
Eva's new hair cut is the hit of the party, so to speak. Everyone tells her how grown up she looks. I shed more than a few tears when I realized this grown up thing wasn't going away. My baby is not a baby anymore. Even my child that really is a baby is just weeks away from toddlerhood. 6 teeth, pulling up to standing, eating tablefood, throwing little fits, growing like a weed & needing to have awareness of Mommy's presence at all times. My little houdini is changing every minute and I'm powerless to slow time! Where has this last year gone? Why does it seem like time sped up? Is it happiness that makes time speed by, gaining momentum like a locomotive racing downhill? SOMEBODY PUT ON THE BRAKES!!
Oh my brain is starting to melt from not enough food and too much wine, so I'm cutting this short before I get all sappy and whiney. Enjoy the pics and LEAVE ME SOME COMMENTS YOU LOSERS. I'm desperate for a distraction from leaving my beloved island!
26 days.
luv,
tiff
Ready for my close-up

On a date with Mommy to the kid's Museum

Hanging' with Marina at playgroup

Sunday, April 01, 2007

The Long Good-Bye



Lately I've been ruminating on our impending departure from Okinawa. Last night I said a tearful good-bye to one of the best friends I've ever made, surrounded by 2 other best friends and thier families. It started me thinking about my life and the moves I've made, the changes, the friends, family, homes and places I've left behind. I guess I started the good-byes when I was around 6. They stopped for a while when my family settled in La Plata, but started again when I reached the ripe old age of 18. Thanks in part to the Marine Corps and in another part to my indecision, I (and we) have moved so many times in the last 17 years that I have lost count. When we left DC, we were immensely proud to have lived in our home there for 18 months. THAT IS SO SAD. When we leave Okinawa, it will be just 4 weeks shy of THREE years in one home. Not so long ago, thinking about our next move, I asked Susan (my Mom-in-law) what it was like to have lived one place her entire life. She summed it up in one word. Nice.

Nice. I think it would be nice to live one place, nice to make friendships that I don't have to bid farewell, nice to shop at the same grocery store forEVER, nice to pump my gas at the same corner station, nice to see my children grow up WITH thier friends. Watching those girls (and Alex & Nate) play last night was heartwarming and heartbreaking all at the same time. Hugging my dear friend Good-Bye as I sobbed sucked. And I'll do it again soon. BUT.

I still talk to Angi as much as I can, post silly comments regularly on her blog & send kid art through the mail. Cassie & I still manage to be joined at the phone despite the fact that we live 1/2 a world apart. Debbi still sends cards for every holiday and never forgets my birthday. Tami, Annie & I already have a vacation together planned for July and if it kills me I will somehow manage to get Jodi there. Connie & I still see each other EVERY Christmas and never forget to wish each other Happy Birthday on the Marine Corps Birthday. Michelle keeps me laughing & learning from her blog and comments and is STILL so dearly missed here. Stacey & Jen always clear their schedules when I go home to Texas and make me feel like I never left and remind me how loved and missed I am there. (You still give me crap for leaving and I love you both for it!) Heidi has just left but already sent me a sweet email that reminds me of why we she was, and still is, such a great friend. Paige & Mary might not be by blood sisters, but they are my sisters in spirit and always make me feel loved, missed and a part of life when I'm in Maryland.

And then there are my families. Always calling, sending cute stuff, flying us home, sending funny emails, just being there. They remind us every day that we are loved, missed and that our return to the U.S. is eagerly anticipated.

SO. I hate moving, I hate saying Good-bye. I hate packing, unpacking, and hooking up new utilities. I hate never getting to talk to my brother. I hate having a rift with my oldest, best friend that is too far away to solve.

BUT. If I never moved, never went new places and never experienced the world as I have, I would never have met all of you. All of you, you who make my life full, sweet, rich, beautiful, amazing. I wouldn't trade one moment of my transient life if it meant I might not have met even one of you.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Until just this moment, I thought of my life as The Long Good-bye. But it's not that at all. It's until we meet again. And we will.


I love you all.

Tiff

Friday, March 23, 2007

All grown up








Little Evie before...

















Eva has been asking for quite some time to have hair "up to her chin." Over Christmas she asked, but Daddy said no. Well, since she has asked several times and understands that we won't be able to have braids, we finally gave in. Knowing this was a big deal, I elected to take her alone AND take pictures. Oh, I almost cried when she took that first big cut! It was hard enough to see my baby with a grown up do, but my sister didn't get to help her take that big step! I miss you AND your scissors, Sis. So, without further adieu...






Grown up Evie Grace, after...












































































Breaking Daddy's heart, one lock at a time!




























And as a P.S., here is my other grown up girl, with TWO ponytails!






Thursday, March 15, 2007

On the Mend





Today I woke up and was actually breathing through my nose. For those of you scratching your heads right now and wondering why this is significant, allow me to elaborate. Last Thursday, March 8, I had a septoplasty to fix my deviated septum. Surgery went well and I woke to find that my doctor had removed what he stated to be the largest bone spur ever from my nose, along with straightening and shaving my septum. Lovely. Leave it to me to be the freak. Anyway, my recovery started off semi okay, but took a nose dive (literally) when I got sick with a cold/flu on top of my recovery. UGH. I developed a touch of viral pneumonia from this, so it's been a rough go. HOWEVER, today I am starting to feel normal again, with the exception of a VERY itchy nose/eyes and a yucky cough. I'm still tired, but I'm getting there! I have to give a big thanks to Tami, Jodi and Heidi for helping out with my kids! You ROCK! Also HUGE thanks to Jamie Oberman (ENT doc), Tim Ayers (Anethesia doc), APU staff and ENT Staff. Jamie swears I said nothing embarrasing under anesthesia. Whew.


On to other excitement! Here is Eva on her new big girl bike! I cannot believe my baby is ready to ride. One of my most vivid and cherished childhood memories is of my father teaching me to ride my very first two wheeler. I remember it in such vivid detail, him dressed in some silly overalls, squatted to the ground with his screwdriver, removing the training wheels from my beautiful big bike. Oddly, I can't seem to recall the color, maybe it was blue. Once the trainers were off, he turned to me with this big smile on his face, ready to help me shed my fears and feel the wind in my face. Surprisingly, I remember that we lived on Joanna Drive in Santa Anna, CA, on a tree lined street of duplex homes, many with children. We went to the end of the driveway and Dad set me on the bike, holding it steady so I could get my feet on the pedals and find my balance. We started slowly down the sidewalk, my dad holding the seat and starting to jog as we picked up speed. Without warning, he let go, watching me sail alone down the sidewalk, shouting with joy and maybe just a bit of sadness. I was growing up. It would be the first of many times my father helped me sail away. The training wheels still attached to Eva's bicycle, her father has yet to set her free. He will, as my father did. I wish for her that the memory lives in her mind as vividly as it lives it mine. Thanks, Dad.


Charley's giving a big wide hello to everyone!! We miss you! Check me out, Uncle Markie. My skull and bones onesie is my FAVE! We've graduated from commando crawling (only used for speed now) to hands and knees, albeit a bit more slowly. Table food is all the rage and we are awaiting the full arrival of THREE, count em 3, top teeth, bringing our arsenal of chewing mechanisms to FIVE!! Go Charley! We are also giving a bit of attention to standing with assistance. No pulling up yet, but it's not far off. Also, Charley is quite possibly the nosiest little nelly on the planet. I think I need to fill the drawers of my step tansu with little treasures to keep her busy! Love to all from the munchkin.



Finally, here is a pic of me and some of my girls at Tami's Thanks party. My sweet pal hosted a lovely party, thanking all of us for our friendship and time together here on our little island "paradise." (think beach huts and beautiful weather, HAHA) It's amazing and more than a little sad that our time here is at an end. I've made some of the most amazing friendships I could have ever imagined and been surrounded by love and surrogate families for a wonderful 3 years. It is with great sadness that we will be saying Good-bye to the Cooper Family in 2 short weeks. Last night was especially bittersweet for my Family, as we bade farewell to the Lopez Family, our fast first friends and neighbors here on Okinawa. Heidi and I were instant friends the moment we met and I will miss her & her wonderful family (Al, Corey & Isaiah) immensely. This is us at Heidi's birthday celebration. 21 again! LOL Thanks for your friendship, support and help these 3 years and GOOD LUCK in Beaufort! Sayonara, my friends.
Luv to all,

Tiffers