Colbert Handles Starbucks Closing With Aplomb

Oscars - European Conspiracy

I watched the Oscars last night and I loved it. I haven't watched them in awhile and I just enjoy watching them. My family used to play this game where each of us would guess who would win for each category and whomever got it right would go around and get to smack everyone five times. It sounds like it could pretty painful, but it never did. Five love taps on the arm. So, the Oscars are a little nostalgic for me. I tried playing the game with Paul, who was in the guest room watching something sports-irific. I kept playing the game with him, even though he wasn't participating. He wasn't too thrilled about it, but I was. It's not everyday I get to smack my husband around, but I digress.

Anyhoo, there were quite a few upsets last night. I didn't have the chance to see many of these movies, being a new mom and all, but you really can gauge a lot from those clips. Javier Bardem from "No Country for Old Men" was definitely going to take it. As was Daniel Day-Lewis, I mean, this guy is incredible in everything he's in. The absolute surprise was Marion Cotillard for "La Vie en Rose". I knew she deserved it. Which is awesome. Cause the actor/actress who deserves the Oscar doesn't always get it. Maybe it goes to the sentimental favorite. Or it goes to the person who seems to be hot on some agenda. I'm sorry, Denzel Washington is amazing, but he shouldn't have won it for 'Training Day'. Back to my point, the young and lovely Ms. Cotillard transformed into the aging Edith Piaf. She deserved the Oscar.

All this said, people are now talking about how the Oscars are as American as apple pie (huh?) and it is just shocking that no Americans won any of the top acting nods. What??? Srsly? Are we actually talking about this? People are, as I type this, analyzing why no Americans won an Oscar. For real? I love me some pop culture news shows, but this is ridiculous! I heard it compared to sports. "A European winning an Oscar is like Japan winning the Super Bowl." I'm sorry, really? We're comparing the Oscars to the Super Bowl? That's like comparing apples to sausages. Mmmmmmm..... sausages. Again, I digress.

C'mon news magazine correspondents. This just makes you look a mite too desperate for stuff to pontificate on, and I'm being nice cause when Britney or Lindsay aren't having a down day - you really do reach for the bottom of the barrel. It's okay if there's not much to talk about for the Oscars. It really is. We won't think you're huge failures if you don't find something to complain about, or find some sort of scandal where there is none. Put the camera down, just put the camera down. Some celebrity will do something stupid tonight and this whole "Nothing terribly scandalous happened with the Oscars" fiasco will all be over tomorrow.

Derek Health Update - Part Deux

So, we just got back from the cardiologist and the sickest person in the room was Mommy with a migraine. He's completely healthy!!

When we first made the appointment, I was nervous that I would be a wreck as the day approached. But, I was reminded of all the wonderful things that were spoken over him when he still in my womb and the promises that God made to me about this little boy. Then, my pastor and friend told me that he really just had a peace about his condition. That was a great confirmation for me. With all the prayers and good thoughts being sent our way, I almost forgot that we had the appointment today. I wasn't nervous or anxious. Which is HUGE for me. I'm anxious over everything.

They did he EKG and took his vitals and he was so active and incredible through the entire process. He was still when he had to be and all the doctors and techs were very impressed with him. The cardiologists came in to do his clinical exam and said that from his EKG and just by looking at him, they were confident that he didn't have any sort of heart failure. If he did have a problem with his heart, he'd have more symptoms than just falling off the growth curve. They listened to his heart and heard no sound of a murmur. However, to be "overly cautious" and for insurance reasons, they decided to do the ECHO to see if he still had the small hole in his ventricle. They did the ECHO and the hole is completely closed! His heart is entirely healthy!!! There is no need for us to ever go back to the cardiology department at Children's Hospital again. One of the doctor's said she was sad she would never see him again, because he's just so dang cute. I told her that I was glad she would never see him again, no offense.

Here's the miracle - the pediatrician heard that murmur in his heart only 3 weeks ago. That hole closed in 3 weeks! I cried and Paul laughed at me. Paul said to Derek, "That's a mommy for you, she'll cry when you're sick and she'll cry when you're healthy. Get used to it, kid." To celebrate, we're buying him a jumperoo.

My faith in the Lord continues to become more and more unshakable. We weren't just praying for Derek to be healthy, we were praying for that hole to be closed. I have to say that God continues to answer my prayers in ways that leave me in complete awe. He constantly exceeds my expectations in what I seek and ask for. I believed that the VSD would close, but I didn't expect for it to happen this quickly. For this, I am speechless and can only get on my knees and be utterly thankful... for everything.

Here's a pic of my healthy and whole little guy. And because he's just so g-darn cute.

Oh Happy Day!

One of the coolest people on the planet now has a blog!

www.borderingonarrogance.wordpress.com

Welcome to the blogosphere PA!

Oh Fer Cute!

Srsly?

Open Flesh Wound

There are times in my life when I feel open and vulnerable. As if I have a large gaping wound in my gut for the world to see. I feel desperate and needy. My soul crying out to be healed. I'm not sure why or when it comes. And it seems to come at the most interesting times. My life is good. My life is absolutely wonderful. I have a faith that fulfills me more than anything I've ever known, an incredible husband, a beautiful son, a job that comes pretty close to being a dream-job and the endless encouragement of family and friends that surround me. I have a life filled with love. And yet, there are times, like tonight, where I feel like my guts are laid out on the floor and I'm bleeding all over the place.
I've never been able to define this feeling that comes and goes like a tornado ravaging my being. It does feel that intense. Where my insecurities rise to the surface and I feel them so acutely. Insecurities that I was sure I dealt with so long ago come back to haunt me. I ask the Lord,
"Why?"
"Haven't we dealt with this?"
"Haven't I moved past this?"
"Haven't I given this over to You?"
I search deep within to find any shred of evidence as to what might be in my life to bring these things to the surface. I want to move past these places that remind me of a hurt little girl from yesteryear. To be the grown-up I always admired in people but never felt in myself. You know that feeling when you're a freshman in highschool and all the seniors look so grown-up and mature and by the time you become a senior you think to yourself, "I don't feel the way those seniors in my freshmen year looked"? Yes, that feeling.
I have adult-like surroundings. House, spouse, child, job.... and I just don't feel like all those adults looked to me as a child. Will I ever feel that way?
I put my hope in God,
"I believe You'll get me through this."
"I'm open and willing, with my guts on the floor."

Derek Health Update

I took the D-man in for blood tests on Monday. The results are good! Everything came back looking just fine. No problems with his kidney and thyroid. Next is the trip to the cardiologist, where I'm positive they'll tell us that he's just fine. Other than the being small thing, he has absolutely NO signs of a kid with any sort of heart problems. That appointment is on the 22nd of this month, so please keep us in mind on that day, in your heart and in prayer. And here's an awesome pic of my healthy little nugget!

This Kid Means Business

Derek - How Do I Love Thee...

We fed Derek his first solids today. A lovely rice cereal that got everywhere. And he loved it! In fact, I couldn't shovel it in his mouth fast enough. He'd get so impatient in between bites that he'd either start fussing or suck the portion of his bib that had rice cereal on it. Here are some pics of the "Rice Cereal Adventure".On a more serious note, I took Derek to his 4 month appointment yesterday. When they weighed him and I saw that he was only 10lbs, 1oz. - I knew that wasn't right. When the doctor came in, he expressed concern over Derek's growth. He has fallen of the growth curve. The first step is to go to the cardiologist. When he was born, he was born with a small hole in his ventrical called VSD, which in essence is a heart murmur. We took him to the pediatric cardiologist when he was 5 days old and she said that it's so small and since he was showing no signs of heart problems, it would probably close up by itself with no surgical intervention. Our only follow-up would be to check back in a year to see if it had closed. Because he's not growing very much, the issue has to be addressed again. If it's not his heart, they will check his kidneys and thyroid.

Of course his mother is vertically challenged and this could be all my fault, and I pray that's what it is. The doctor has taken that into account, but he shouldn't be off the growth curve completely. So, my son has to have a battery of tests done to see why he's so small. So, if you pray - please send a pray up to the Lord for him. And for me. Paul's a rock and his faith is rarely shaken, but I'm not feeling as strong. Friday was hard, but today was a little easier. And I'm sure each day will be as I walk out a path towards my little boy's perfect health.