Best Birthday Ever

I have to capture this year....I think it was my best birthday ever. Aaron really went all out this year. Although, I think I figured out why...he just wants a big deal made out ohis 30th next year. Just joking, I know he would have done it no matter what. So everyone probably already read about last weekend, well after all that, I wasn't expecting a thing for my birthday. First, the first gift I got for my birthday was a surprise of Fran showing up at my work with a balloon bouquet. It had this "Over the Hill" balloon in it, so I think maybe the people at the store gave her the wrong one! lol Then i got home, and my wonderful mother-in-law had sent me flowers and a balloon - they are beautiful Denise (and Harold) - thank you. So that would have been more than I was expecting right there, but then as I walk in the house, this wonderful aroma hits me. Aaron had prepared my favorite meal from our FAVORITE restaurant. So last night for dinner, I had Shrimp Atescedero (bacon wrapped in wing sauce, dip in ranch....mmmmm sooooo good), then salad wedge with tomato, blue cheese crumbles, and ranch, then jalapeno twice baked potato and a fillet!!! Then for desert a chocolate cake! All from scratch, all made by himself. Wow....and I mean every single bite was scrumptious!
This is the stuff of fairy tales ladies - but it is real life. I don't know what I did to get so lucky, but I know not everyone gets this in life. This is a five star resort, now lots of people settle for staying in the Super 8, and hey, it meets the basic needs- but compared to this resort..... I wish everyone could experience it, but just so everyone knows, men like Aaron aren't a figment of the imagination, they are real.
Famous quote of the day: last night we were talking about when Mackenzie grows up and she told me that she wanted to be our neighbor when she was older (whew - better than saying she wanted to live in our basement forever!), and then Turner was saying he wanted to be a firefighter, and Mackenzie said she wanted to be a "fidghter fighter" too, and then she turned to me and said "What do you want to be when you grow up mommy?" Hmmmm, I'll have to think about that sweetheart...what do I want to be when I "grow up"???

A New Angel in Heaven

I just checked....poor Tuesday died yesterday. How can a life of a girl I've never knew, the words of parents I will never meet...tear me and rip me apart so rawly. I sit here sobbing uncontrolably, barely able to see through my tears. How do you go on. How do you hold your child as they die in your arms. How do you tell them it is ok to go. How do you comfort their siblings. How do you face the world the next day. It is so unfair. That DAMN cancer...I HATE YOU, I WISH YOU WOULD GO AWAY FOREVER. God help me if I ever meet you because I will destroy you. So why do I do this, why even follow the story knowing that it won't have a happy ending. I don't know. Maybe I am a glutton for punishment, maybe just to remind me of how precious life truly is, maybe to remind me to just sit and hold my babies and never let them go. I've read before, there is no word for a parent who has lost a child. People who lose a spouse are widowed, children who lose a parent are orphaned...but what do we call someone who has lost a child. Why has this never been "named". Possibly because the word would be so painful to hear that we can't even imagine. Those of us lucky enough to have never experienced the pain will forever be on the outside, neverable to comprehend. There is no word I can think of that even does justice to how awful it would be. To look at my healthy children playing in the living room right now, without a care in the world, and to think that they to, or me, or you, could have this silent killer inside and tomorrow it could reveal itself....but I would rather live with the unknown forever than to ever know the worst. God be with this family and all the others out there that are grieving the loss of a child.

Like a fine bottle of wine

Well at least I think i'm getting better with age. Compared to HS years - oh yeah, compared to me at 20 - well at least I'm not an alcoholic anymore (lol) - compared to 25 - much calmer and more well rounded. So will I continue to get better or is it all downhill from here? My personal opinion...I know I have at least another good 5 years upward still, will re-evaluate at 35! lol I'm livin the life right now, things are good. Got me a good husband, good kids, good friends. So what will I be doing different now that I'm 30, well, I think if my 20s were building my family, my 30s will be building my career. Of course, not over family, but you know. And I'm not naive, I know I will change dramatically still over the years. Gosh, to look back at being 20 and realize I didn't have a clue who I was then. I think I've got a pretty good grasp on it, but I know it is all perspective and at 40 I'm going to look back and say "and I thought I knew who I was at 30 - ha" These years are going to be the best years of my life I think. I have an idea of who I am, who I want to be. My life is steady and i have a strong support system built in that I think can handle any things thrown our way. I'll watch the kids grow up into little kids - but they will still be young enough in this decade to like me (the next decade is a whole different story!). I'll get my Masters, hopefully excel in my career. Speaking of which, so much work to do right now and I'd like to get home sometime today........so until next time.

Snow Day!

Work got snowed out today!!!! Yippeee...so that means lots of fun in the sun around here. It is like turning in to a kid all over again. I could stay out there all day. We've played in the front yard and hope to go someplace to go sledding a little later. No snowmen though, as the snow is like fine powder.....oh how I LOVE the snow. Grandma and Pop, you've got to miss this?!

The perfect snow!!!

Hmmm Turner, I'm not sure how this is going to work out for you??

Ahhh, now that makes more sense!

Making angels - my favorite snow activity.

Hey guys, better make sure that snow isn't yellow!

Aaron shoveling, oh wait that's a rake.....Aaron RAKING the driveway.

Right before I forced them inside with those rosey red cheeks.

Aaron started school, I'm sick, and lots of snow

Finally we got some snow! Pam must have brought it down from Iowa with her. Thanks Pam. I was beginning to worry we were going to get through the whole winter without a decent snow - that just wouldn't have been right now would it. So today Aaron let Mackenzie and Turner go outside and play, and I think tomorrow might bring about a little sledding time! Yippee!
Aaron started his first class on Monday night. He said it was interesting and seemed to like it. My class got cancelled for tonight, which actually kinda stinks because it means next week I have class on Tues AND Thurs.
And lastly, I'm sick. This cold is settled in my throat. So annoying, can't stop coughing, and especially at night, I'm beat down. Work has been super busy - sorry for the lack of updates and emails. Not too much else around here...thinking it is time for some R&R on the couch watching our fire we've got going and turning on a good show. Sleep tight everyone!

Surprise b-day party

Last night I had a surprise birthday party at the Jive and Wail. We had a good time. I didn't drink much, still fighting this cold, but I had a lot of entertainment and a GREAT time with great friends. Thanks to everyone who made the effort to come out for little old me!!

Me and my bro....he was RIdiculous by the end of the night!

Scott and Cheri, neighbors, friends, and long lost cousins (Cheri found lots of Livelys and Turner Livelys in her genealogy)

Nick, Will, (Aaron's 2 oldest/best friends) Dawn, Jenna (wife/fiance')

Stacy and Casey (Aaron's roommate from Columbia and his girlfriend)

Sam (neighbor), Kelly, Bill, Jennifer, Todd (friends from work)

My momma (drove all the way by herself) - thanks mom, meant a lot for you to be there!

Pam (H.S. friend) - drove ALL the way from DesMoines by herself and left 2 sick girls at home and now has to drive all the way back home today in the snow - so sorry sweetheart, but so glad you were here!!

Also had an old friend from College - Hatter and Mike - but didn't get a picture on my camera with them. They drove up all the way from Lake of the Ozarks and then drove all the way back last night too. I hadn't seen Hatter in about, gosh, maybe 2 years - it was SUCH a surprise.

Also another of Aaron's friends came up, Erich Mosanyi - the FUNNIEST person I've ever been around, truly entertaining. I'm trying to get him to start his own blog - so stay tuned, I'll give him a shout out if he does! lol

Thank you everyone for making my 30th such a special day. Thanks to my honey for setting it all up. Thank you for all the gifts - totally didn't need to do that! I love you guys, you're the BEST!!

(I am still going to enjoy this last week in my 20's though)

Ahhhhh

Yesterday I had a super busy day at work. Never got a chance to come up for air, or lunch, but it was a good day. Needless to say though, I was a little exhausted and hungry by the end of the day. I'm fighting off a cold too, so that plays in. Anyways, opened the door to come in and this is what I saw....

That's right...I have the best husband in the world. I must say, 100 tea lights lit up in my house looks gorgeous. These pictures don't do it a bit of justice. I rounded the corner to find dinner on the table, an open bottle of wine, and a single long stem red rose. Dinner was absolutely delicious, cannelloni and garlic bread. I know I know ladies...I don't know what I did to deserve him either...if I could clone him I would. Maybe we should set up a "Husbands 101" course for Aaron's first teaching class!! Sorry, I don't mean to brag...but I gotta brag! lol Now go back up to the pictures and try to figure out what is missing........................................................................did you figure it out?? It's the kids....yeap, Aaron arranged for them to go to Grandpy's to stay for the weekend. Ahhhhh, silence is such a beautiful sound. Now of course I miss them, but I'm not above enjoying some time having only myself to worry about. So what did we do last night? I'll spare you some details..hee hee..but by 6:30 I was chillin on the couch, watching TV and dozing in and out. I know, exciting huh, but us old people need our sleep. Woke up from about 11 to 2, did some school reading, went to bed. Got to sleep in till 7 - that 2 hours of sleeping in - and now get to work on my term paper for school. Hopefully with the time to focus on it directly I'll be able to get a pretty good chunk complete.