Update..

We're almost out of our apartment. We'll be stay at Bry's dads house until Escrow closes in the beginning of December. We're so excited to be moving into our very first home. They did the inspection and the worse thing wrong with the house was a light bulb didn't work on one of the ceiling fans. We feel so blessed to have such a beautiful home for our first one.

The girls are doing great. Lauren goes in for her surgery to close the trach hole on November 17Th, it was supposed to close up on its own, but it didn't (which is common) so the doctor will have to put her to sleep and scrape out the skin so it can heal properly. Since Lauren will already be asleep, he is going to do a broncoscopy to see how the hemangioma looks. He will put a camera down her throat and take a couple of pictures, it's usually pretty quick and she should get to go home within a few hours.

She also has an appointment on November 10Th with a neurologist to see if she has a mild case of cerebral palsy, please pray that she doesn't.

I'm not sure if I will be able to post pictures of the girls in their costumes, so I will just tell you what they're going to be; Ashley is going to be Little red riding hood and Lauren is going to be a cute little lady bug! Have a wonderful and safe Halloween, I hope to be back online in a month or so, if not sooner.


Sarah

We are finally in Escrow!!!

Our offer was accepted on the house!!

We should be able to move in by December 5th. Wooo Hooo!!!!!!!!!

Could this be the one?

Our offer is in first place and being considered by the seller. We should know in 2-5 days.

We're so excited.

New Look!

***Update***

OK, here are the pictures, what do you think?

This picture doesn't really show the true color of my hair because of the lighting. Also,the sun was in my eyes..

I love the warm color with Carmel highlights! Bryan was making me laugh, he was telling me to strike a pose!
It looks darker in the photo then in person..

I took some much needed and waaaaaaaay overdue time to myself today. I will post pictures when I get back from picking Ashley up from preschool, but in the mean time, I will leave you in suspense on how it looks! I got my hair cut and colored, I love it and I feel great!!!!!

5 years!

5 years ago today September 18Th, 2003 during a really bad hurricane, I met my dear husband and life has never been the same since! =)

I never imagined that in five years we would be where we are today, and with two kids!

Thank god for hurricane Isabelle! If the electricity wasn't out everywhere, except at The Bungalow in Shirlington Virginia, we *probably* never would've met.

Old pictures...

New York - 2003

Two little love birds sitting in front of the Capitol Building.

Bike ride through Washington DC.

The Lincoln Memorial

The White House

Fort Story, Virginia - Our first camping trip together!

Ashley's 1ST Day of Preschool!

This is Ash just three years & four months ago, on the day she was born. Below are pictures of my baby on her very first day of preschool. She's such a big girl now.

Getting ready to leave for school.
Arriving at Ms. Clemens house - Little Apple Preschool.
Let's go to school mom!
Welcome to Little Apple Preschool..
Zion and Ashley. Zion, Ashley, Morgen, Ava and Mckayla.
Ms. Clemen and Ashley, she was a little upset because she thought I took her backpack away. She didn't understand why it had to stay in her cubbie. She was fine after two seconds of tears.

PRESCHOOL!!!!

OK, where did the last three years and four months of my life go??? Can you believe that one of my baby Ashley is going to be starting preschool tomorrow afternoon?! We are both really excited.

Ashley has her clothes set out, new little back pack, and lunch box ready to go. I will post pictures tomorrow.

When we went to Ms. Clemen's for orientation on Wednesday, Ashley cried when it was time to leave, and then she was mad at us for a good 20 minutes after we left. She kept saying "I don't like leaving, I want to stay at my preschool with all of my friends", and she was totally sobbing. I hope she has a wonderful day tomorrow, it will be nice for Lauren and I to get some one on one time in while Ash is at school, OMG... school!!! That just sounds weird.

OK, I better get to bed. I'm already up an hour past my new bedtime. I need extra sleep with my new age, 25 is rough! OK, just kidding, it's not the age, it's my crazy schedule with the girls. Lauren has therapy five days a week now, plus other appointments and then with Ashley starting school, it's a lot of running around. I'm in the process of trying to combine some of the appointments to the same day, It looks like in a couple of weeks I might get two days off during the week, which would be awesome because appointments everyday is starting to kick my butt.

I'm so procrastinating right now.... have a good night. Look for new pictures of our little preschooler tomorrow.

GOOD NIGHT! =)

Lauren's first time playing at the park!!

Now that the trach is gone, Lauren is able to play in the dirt, sand, etc....
She was crawling everywhere...
Sisters-a-swinging! =)
Look at her knees from crawling in the wood chips. It looks like it would hurt, she drags her knees when she crawls, ouch! She had a blast though!

First "real" bath after Trach came out!

Look how excited Lauren was to be in the bath. We get the same reaction every time the water gets turned on. It's so funny, she's a little fish!
Lauren wasn't able to take a real bath the whole time she had the tracheotomy, we had her in the infant tub and then we would just use a cup to pour the water over her. bath time is her favorite time of day now. She practically tries to jump into the bathtub head first every time she goes into the bathroom. I love it!

25!

Happy Birthday to me!!!! =)

We're home and Trach Free!!!

Good Bye Children's Hospital room 315!!!!

Lauren with Nurse Lilly.
Playing in the hospital playroom, she was always too sick to go in the playroom during her prior hospital stays. She had a blast playing with the dollhouse.
My silly girl. I had to close her in so she wouldn't jump out!
I LOVE Lauren's smile in this picture, it really captures her spirit.
Nurse Megan and Lauren just before we left the hospital to go home.

Some of Lauren's wonderful nurse's she has had over the past year.
Trach Free! =)
Lauren's Favorite nurse Holly. She loves Lauren so much and makes her feel so special. She was Lauren's first nurse back when we started our year long journey at Children's. We are so thankful for nurses like her.
Nurse Holly and Lauren. Going for a ride in the wagon. She loved smiling at all the nurses as we walked by.

No more Trach!
Going for a another ride in the wagon.
Mommy bought me a princess balloon to keep me entertained.
Little stinker was pushing the nurse's button when I wasn't looking!
Toys!!!!!

Good Bye Trach!

Tomorrow is the big day! Wish us luck and lots of prayers.

GOOD BYE TRACHEOSTOMY!!!!!

Wild Animal Park Photos.