Lookout & Remembrance

Last night Doug and I had a date night. It was great. We went to Dinner and then to 8.O to see Andrew play his last gig with Lookout. Again. It was nice. Brian was so nice to us. He saw me taking a picture of Andrew and then after the set came looking for Doug and I. Earlier in the day we were talking about the memorial tattoos we wanted to get. I have always wanted one that was not a traditional one you see on everyone. My dream would be to go to LA and have someone at Kat Von D's shop design one but I don't see myself going to LA anytime soon. Standing there at 8.O I got the wild hair to go and do it so off we headed to Randy Adams. They were great. They really worked with me on my "vision" as the artist called it. He was so nice. Here is what I ended up with. I have never experienced that level of pain before without being in labor. At least with labor you get an epidural usually. I was squeezing Doug's and for dear life. I wanted him to take a picture of me getting it but he told me he would have to let go to take the picture. I told him too bad and take it with the other hand.

Mom when you read this post don't freak out. This is my way to outwardly show my remembrance for Ryan.

Will doing his work

My tattoo

Dirt Dogs

Earlier in the day I played at our United Way softball tournament. I pitched. Can you believe it? I was so sore the next day I could hardly move. It was great to play again. I forgot how much I loved the game.

All I can say is Yikes!!

Rebekah

Cari & Candice

Put Me In Coach

Last Saturday Doug coached William's game. Jodi was out of town so Asst Coach Doug became Coach Doug. He was really into it. He did a great job.
Go Coach Doug!!

Coach Doug

William got to be a captian that day

Brotherly love

March for Babies Awards Luncheon

Yesterday I attended the March for Babies Award Luncheon. It was fun. I was a little disappointed that we were not in the top 5 since we raised just shy of 1700. The number 5 team raised I think 2200. We have our work cut out for us next year. The food was good and Teri Lyn hung out with me after for a tasty beverage on the Patio at Joe T's. I took a half day so I could enjoy the tasty beverage. It was so good. The weather was perfect. What a great way to celebrate the awards luncheon and Teri Lyn's 40th birthday. I must say she handled that birthday well. Much better than I probably will.
Take care,
Raye

Table Card

Justin Frazell (99 the Wolf) and Son - 2008 Tarrant County Ambassador Family

Home Improvement Fun

I found the coolest things at Jabo Ace Hardware. They are outlet and switch covers. The cool thing is they are textured like your walls so they disappear. They come in three differnt textures or smooth. They are primed and ready paint unlike the regular plastic covers that your house has. They are about 2 dollars which is nice seeing as we paid about 9 dollars for the oil rubbed bronze metals ones we have in the house. The one thing this company needs to do is make one for cable outlets. They have blank ones but you have to drill your own holes. They are called Invisiplate and they are made by a company called Plaztex. www.plaztex.com . They are really cool. I have Doug busy doing little projects. We just bought some brown outlets to replace the white ones were we have oil rubbed bronze covers. Looks great. No more white outlets with brown covers.

Can you see the light switch?

This is what it looks like up close

Beautiful Day

Was yesterday not just beautiful? A little windy but awesome. We took the boys to run some errands and then to get Doug's haircut. While Doug got his hair cut I took the boys to this big grassy area that is at the end of the strip center and just let them run. I got them to stop for a millisecond and that is when I got the picture. I am so proud of Jake. He is wearing big boy underwear. When I got him dressed he went and grabbed his Lightning McQueen undies and was adamant to wear them. He did get the lovely plastic undies put on over those. He did so good. If it was not for he did not tuck good enough when he went potty after lunch he would have been in those undies all day. We did have an unfortunate experience with a number 2 but for most kids that is the last thing they control. Hopefully he is close, knock on wood, to being out of pull ups for good. It is just hard when he needs to wear those at Shayla's. He is so funny. On Friday as we left Shayla's he told her "See you Monday" and you could actually tell that is what he said. It was really cute. And William finally lost another tooth. Now the primary that had started growing in behind it will actually be able to go into place. Cross Fingers. His teeth have always been so pretty on their own I hope that continues.
Have a great week!
Raye

Lucky

Do you hear me I'm talking to you

Across the water across the deep blue ocean

Under the open sky Oh my, baby I'm trying

Boy I hear you in my dreams

I feel your whisper across the sea

I keep you with me in my heart

You make it easier when life gets hard

I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend

Lucky to have been where I have been

Lucky to be coming home again

They don't know how long it takes

Waiting for a love like this

Every time we say goodbye

I wish we had one more kiss

I'll wait for you I promise you, I will

I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend

Lucky to have been where I have been

Lucky to be coming home again

Lucky we're in love every way

Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed

Lucky to be coming home someday

And so I'm sailing through the sea

To an island where we'll meet

You'll hear the music fill the air

I'll put a flower in your hair

Though the breezes through trees

Move so pretty you're all I see

As the world keeps spinning round

You hold me right here right now

I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend

Lucky to have been where I have been

Lucky to be coming home again

I'm lucky we're in love every way

Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed

Lucky to be coming home someday

Lyrics by Jason Mraz

Last Swim...

On Sunday we took the kids to the pool. Jake had a tons of fun. This year he was a little hesitant to walk in the water. That is crazy because he can touch in the toddler pool. It is only 2 ft deep. And yes I know the picture of Jake is, well, odd.
TTYL,
Raye

Jake on the Elephant

William by the lazy river

Ethan and Emily playing around

Soccer Fall '08

Soccer season started on Saturday. William is getting so big. He is at the age group where the coaches are no longer on the field and they added two players. Next year they add a goalie. He did so good at his game even though he had the beginning of a cold. I was very proud of him.
Raye

Poor Jake

Our little Jake. On Sunday and Monday he had a little bit of a runny nose and we thought he had just a little cold. Yesterday he was more punie and by the end of the day he was just miserable. He woke up after being asleep a couple of hours and just could not get comfortable. He ran a low grade fever and that is what I chalked the faster breathing to as he has done that in the past. He also had a gross cough but again we chalked it up to the cold. He was not much better this morning so Doug took him to Dr. Scroggies. Turns out he has an ear infection and a cold that triggered asthma. Apparently a pretty bad attack. Dr. Scroggie told Doug that if he didn't respond to the treatment in the office he was going to send Doug over to the ER. He responded. I have to take him back for a follow up tomorrow. So he is on an antibiotic, steroid and breathing treatments. Man do the treatments make him wired. When he was 10 months old and got RSV he didn't respond to the albuterol like this. But I bet the dosage is much higher. He still sounds really raspy but it is much better than it was. Doug said he was a real trooper. I will keep everyone posted on how he is doing.
Take care,
Raye

Why My Baby?

This is a question asked by many of parents of children born too soon or with problems. Why my baby? Why us? Why now? Why can God let this happen? Unfortunately there are no easy answers. I have come to somewhat a peace that we are part of some bigger plan that is not revealed to us even though it still hurts. We have to roll with those plans and learn to adapt and accept to survive with our sanity in place. If you get too caught up in why you can't look beyond and live life to the fullest.
Lots of Love,
Raye

Pickin' for Preemies

Last night Doug and I attend the Pickin' for Preemies fundraiser last night at Billy Bob's. I know what your thinking, Billy Bob's. It is a country concert. I did really good most of the night. They had a display of pictures taken by a NICU nurse that the March of Dimes shows. That is when things started going downhill. Those pictures really move me. Ryan wasn't real small by any stretch of the imagination but I could feel the emotions. We sat and watched Charlie Pride. Yes I said Charlie Pride. He was the only person I recognized. At a break in the music they showed a movie and that is when I lost it. It really caught me off guard. Everyone was really nice. All in all we had a good time.
Raye