The Paci

We have a love, hate relationship with the pacifier. Currently it is hate for a couple of reasons. First, Hanna has several thousand dollars worth of metal in her mouth that we can trace back to many years of pacifier addiction. Second, Zac is going through withdrawal. Yes, I know he turns 4 in a few weeks and we should have done this long ago. But, we didn't. We had dreams of him realizing he was too big and offering to give it up willingly. Those dreams are shattered and reality is setting in.

Zac and his paci in happier times...

Sooooo, he is only getting his pacifier when he is laying down. Guess what that means? Yes, we have found him laying down a lot! Here for example (yes, that is the middle of his room):

and yes, that is a pink paci he stole from his sister.

So in addition to cheer practice, piano, playgrounds, swimming pools apparently we are running a rehab for pacifier addiction (please do not tell anyone, one patient is enough!). He is our baby, but it is time. Wish him luck (and us too)!

Blessed

Well, it's been a while. A long while. I have been on two vacations, football and cheerleading camps, volunteered to be snack list creator, freaked out because my son is 8 and they (of course this is my opinion, the moms opinion, and they are my husband and our friends) are definitely treating him like he is at an NFL training camp, freaked out when oldest daughter had "no" friends in her new class (quickly realized this is probably a good thing since it is school and we are supposed to be learning), started our 3 year old in flag football, survived our baby's surgery, scheduled mouth surgery, cancelled mouth surgery (freaked out again), rescheduled mouth surgery,  bought a new 4G iphone which I truly coveted, BROKE a new iphone which I now realize is just a phone!

Yes, we are busy and crazy, but I realize every day that we are blessed beyond belief!

We were reminded on several occasions this summer that life is a gift and not a guarantee. The one that stands out the most is our cousin beating cancer, a very rare form called Burkitt's Lymphoma. My head is still spinning from the thought of what I would do if it were my 11 year old, and in the meantime he has endured and survived countless surgeries and chemotherapy treatments, and much more that I don't know and probably couldn't comprehend. They did it with faith, prayer, and determination and we all learned something from them.

So yes, I am back. The whole family is back, and we are thanking God and our family and friends for such a wonderfully, crazy life.

Talk to you soon!