Sasha doesn't have a husband!

Yea for those that know us well - you know that Sasha is a dog! LOL. So let me give you the whole story. Sasha is our alaskan eskimo and she's pregnant. Well Salem says that it's not good that she's pregnant cause she doesn't have a husband. Ummmm.....

How do you explain this to a 5 year old?

Where is normal? What is normal?

Why must life be so complicated? Yeah I know...it's what happens when you become a grown up but geesh. Why can't I be one of those gals with an uncomplicated life?

I won't go into a diatribe about it all. It's too obnoxious and actually you all might not believe the soap opera tale that is my life lately. And it might get more soap operaish before I find normal. Give me hope though - normal exists right? It has to exist. It has too...it gives me hope.

Brian tells me I am setting myself up for failure or at the least - disappointment. Normal isn't real. Even the most normal lives have abnormal secrets. But mine aren't secret! LOL. That part would be nice.

Prayers For Albert's Family

This is an email I got from my pastor earlier tonight. Please keep Albert's family and this entire situation in prayer. :(

...I just returned home from a night that I will never forget. Tonight Jose Muniz, Tony, Desmond, and myself met with many of Alberts family. We met with his Dad that is behind bars at the county jail, his mom, his wife, his brothers and sister, I even got to hold little Domenic Albert's son. I even walked down the alley where my friend's body was found. My heart is broken for many reasons, but rejoices for one reason. My heart breaks knowing that the very thing Albert was trying to get away from gang violence is the very thing that ended up taking his life. I celebrate because I was there when Albert asked Jesus to come into his life. As I sit at my desk at my house and go through the bible that I had given Albert back in March that his family gave me tonight, there is a passage in Psalms 35 that he had highlighted that almost seems as if it was a prophecy for his life.It reads

I will keep you all updated about upcoming arrangements. Please continue to pray for his family, and all of us. This story has hit way to close to home for me. He was and is a brother and inspiration to me. Although his life has come and gone, His story will continue to live on . The greatest beauty in this tragedy is that Albert's prayer was answered, He was rescued. Live to Love.C

Special Needs Moms

Sometimes I really feel like I have screwed up somewhere/sometime big. It can be so overwhelming and I know some people have it WAY worse than me and I am thankful but it's still overwhleming. Salem has been developing anxiety issues and has such a hard time focusing. Her PT has mentioned it several times lately and of couse I've noticed it. She suggested I discussing it with her ped. **Sigh** And Raina's speech... She's 3 and can barely communicate - her ECI ended Friday as she was turning 3. So next week we'll hear from the school about her appts for June and July. And while the therapist she has will do great, I am sure there will be an adjustment perioud. And she won't listen to me over the simplest things. I feel like I am banging my head against the wall.

Good news - Salem's speech is doing better. She was retested Friday on the Goldman Fristoe articulation test."Normal" is 85-115. Last year she was up drastically to 53. Now she's at 78. 3 1/2 years of therapy! I am sure we still have a year at least. PT wise - I don't know. I already mentioned what the PT said previously. I have her in the braces EVERYDAY but Sunday or when we're swimming which will be a lot this summer.

Anyway - I am just down. I work on Salem's speech homework in the car EVERYTIME we're in the car - which is a freaking lot (she can focus cause there as she's harnessed in and there is little distraction) and now I have to constantly model with Raina who is VERY resistant to sign and imitation. Blech. It will be fine. I am just stressing.

Oh and did I mention Salem is starting K in the fall?

Raina is 3

I can't believe my baby is 3. I feel so "dumb" saying wow I can't believe she's 3. Time goes so fast...but it does. I'm 40...she's 3...life is short...Lord give me the wisdom to live each day to the fullest and be the best mom I can possibly be.

This past year Raina has LOVED: CARS - Lightening McQueen is a fave, Fox and the Hound and Stuart Little. She weighs about 24 pounds and still TINY. She'll be in the harness carseat for ever just like Salem. She is my wild child and we work at effective discipline on a regular basis. She's definitely a challenge. But man she's loveable and sweet and I LOVE it when she crawls up in my lap and lays her head on my chest and plays with my ear.

Here are a few of the pics we had taken by Lindsey Cotton!!!! You can tell a lot about her personality by looking at the pics.





OK my baby is 3....a new year...new experiences...wow how amazing to watch the world through her eyes.

OK I got sidetracked from starting the blog. But I have good intentions..does that count? LOL.

It's been a busy 2 months. MOPS Stuff, The Great MOMS Walk, The girl's therapy schedules..

Speaking of therapy - Raina graduated ECI this past Friday. We now qualify or 30 minutes twice a week through headstart. I have figured up that with drive time and wait time we'll now be in therapy between Salem (speech/pt) and Raina (speech) 5 hours week.

My personal training sessions with Ever Fit are over. I wish I could afford more. So this next week I need to find a gym or class to go to. I've lost 15 pounds and want to lose more...I did start a Tai Chi class at Master Hong's Martial World. It's wonderful relaxing and the stretching is wonderful.

So I fill like this is a filler post. But I'll get better.