Happy Birthday!

Your birthday was this week and I wanted to take a moment to tell you how much you mean to me. You have given me more than I could ever ask for. We have had our tough times (try the last year and a half) and we have had so much fun together.
I never thought that I would love a man as much as I love you. The way you look at me in our private moments, the smile you flash at me when we share a personal joke...they all make me so proud to be with you. I have all of the notes and cards you have ever given me in a box. Frequently, I sit down and read them. You love very deep for someone your age....I wonder how you love like that considering some of the things you have endured...how you open your heart so freely sometimes when you have been hurt so much.


Thank you for adding to my life. You have given me the son I once thought was not possible. You have given me the chance to love and smile again. I look forward to spending the rest of my life with you building happy memories and a love that will grow deeper everyday. Happy Birthday, Baby....I love YOU!!

My mother....

has been there for me through thick and thin. We have had our fights and disagreements and we have laughed (unbelievably). A handful of years ago she was diagnosed with uterine cancer and then breast cancer. She is a survivor!! She has never fully recovered, but she is cancer free!!

Because my brood has decided to relocate our happy little selves to Kingwood (house hunting sucks, by the way), and because my gracious sister-in-law has decided to care for my children (we'll see if I'm still on that Christmas list next year), my mom has decided to go home..... for a whole year!

Singapore is HOME for her....her siblings, her roots. Besides college, I have never lived more than 10 minutes from my mom (Yeah, I know...grow up already), but our lives have taken us down a path where all we have had is each other sometimes. What will I do? It took me 2 months to come to the realization that Sugar Land was only 45 minutes from Kingwood. Singapore is 26 hours by plane (if you count the layovers)!!!

She has always let me spread my wings and learn from my mistakes. She has mothered the best way she knows how and I commend her for that!!

As I type this I cry....for the fear I feel of being without her, for the loneliness I anticipate will come and for the joy I feel as my mom spreads her wings. Have a great time, Mom! We love you!!

My personal vacuum cleaner

Ethan pick ups EVERYTHING these days. I don't think my vacuum cleaner works as well as he does. He can find the smallest piece of candy, crumb, paper....anything!

He recently found this twizzler that his sister left out. I think it was about 2 days old, but he hasn't broken out in a rash yet so I think it's okay.

I am so happy for....

my friend Michelle. Life has had it's ups and downs...for both of us. We have seen each other through marriage and divorce, through years of disappointment and heartbreak. We, more than often, are asked if we are sisters. For those of you who don't know, Michelle comes from a Polish background and mine...chinese. Go figure, eh? Once we were asked if we were twins....hello???

We have laughed until it hurt and we have had fights that have almost destroyed our relationship, but all in all I believe that my friendship with her is one of endurance that I will carry long into my life.

She now has a fabulous man in her life, Jeff. He is warm and caring and adores her. They are getting married January 25th. Plans for children are in the horizon and life is progressing nicely. I have prayed for this for many years. You see what your friends go through and hope that God can one day bring someone into their life that will complete them. Jeff is so nice and we have ALL been so lucky to meet him. He truly completes Michelle and the look in her eyes when she speaks of Jeff is overwhelming for me. She is happy...what more could you want for your friends?
Congratulations Michelle and Jeff! May life be filled with much happiness and many happy memories. I love you both!

So I'm a little behind......

Our first picture with Santa. I have been so busy with work and life that my friend Jennifer had to tell me to get going. This from the woman who has triplets and twins.

Anyway, we had our first picture with the Big Guy. Ethan did really well. Does that shock anyone? He is so content and always smiling. Isn't funny that we preach to our children that strangers are bad and that they should never speak to one (note to self....repeat this invaluable lesson to my 14 year old), but that we gladly hand them over to one? It makes it all okay as long as the stranger is dressed up in a red suit. Who knew?