Cookie Gets the First Laugh!

(This is a video clip-I'm still trying to get it to play for you so keep checking!)

I just returned from taking Griffin for his first visit to Cookie and Poppie's house in California. He has been smiling like crazy and seemed just about to laugh before we left. It turns out he must have been saving it for my cute bald mom because he gave it up just for her. She was of course delighted and it was just the sweetest moment. Cookie (Gwen) has just finished up her chemo and although you can't tell from the video, her hair is even starting to grow back. She has a little fuzz but Griffin doesn't seem to have too much more than her so far. He was a perfect baby sleeping for 95% of our 12 total hours of flying time. He received special acclaim by airline employees and travellers alike! My sister Katie joined us in CA so it was a really nice weekend. I left the big boys and Mike at home to go to work and school-Boo. They will surely be with us next time. It was just so nice to be able to see my mom and know that she is doing much better. She will begin radiation in a few weeks and should be done with her treatment by summer. That will be just in time for some exciting changes for us (I am being "flexible"!) since WE ARE MOVING TO CALIFORNIA! Mike just accepted a position in San Diego and will be starting in April. He'll commute between OH and CA until June to fulfill a consulting contract he has here and help to get the house sold. The big boys will finish out the school year and we hope to be moving by June/July. The cross country move makes my stomach turn but we have done it before and can do it again. At least we will be hiring movers this time! I can't wait for the sunshine and can't wait to see some of you a lot more often. I'll keep you posted and post more photos of the trip soon.

My "Word" for 2007

So, I am sad to admit I have become more of a lurker of late than a blog participator, but I haven't stopped thinking about all of your sparks of inspiration that really make me think-- in absence of actual writing. I have especially been thinking about my word for the year and in light of recent events which I will elaborate on soon, my word for the year is "flexible" --well, really it is "be flexible". A newborn is re-teaching me the "go with the flow" required by his presence in our lives, my big boys' ever increasing scheduling requirements (not to mention their need for my attention) are testing my Franklin Planning skills, my husband's need for my support in many ways is nearly sending me to Dr. Phil, the demands of church and school responsibilities are pushing me to the brink of saying an occasional "no", and a mother and grandmother needing much love, support and daily phone calls are squeezing the very most out of my maximum capacity 19 hour days (not that I would trade it for anything). I know we are all in the same proverbial boat and I so appreciate reading about your lives to know that I am not alone in my daily quest for balance and hopefully progress. I think I have the beginnings of flexibility but control of my personal existence is pretty important to me and I am about to begin a course certain to involve some spinning. The prize I have my eye on is a mastery (or at least a decent appearance) of breathing in between calm recitations of my mantra "it is all going to be okay". So, here I go. Today I will bend in several different directions and my goal is to flex back to center at the end of it. Then tomorrow I can start again.