THE PAST WEEK

WOW THIS PAST WEEK HAS BEEN TOTALLY NUTS!

FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO SAY CONGRATS TO MY BOSS AND HIS FAMILY FOR THE ARRIVAL OF THEIR BABY GIRL! BOTH MOMMY AND BABY ARE AT HOME AND DOING GREAT! SHE IS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL BABY AND I AM NOT JUST SAYING THAT CAUSE HE IS MY BOSS. HE IS ONE PERSON THAT I DON'T HAVE TO HIDE MY FEELINGS OR OPINIONS FROM. HE IS GLOWING AND BEEN IN A GREAT MOOD!

TOM GOT A CALL ON FRIDAY MORNING THAT HIS UNCLE WAS IN THE HOSPITAL AND WASN'T EXPECTED TO MAKE IT. SO WHAT DO WE DO...WE BOOK THE NEXT FLIGHT OUT OF PHOENIX GOING TO CHICAGO, RESERVE A RENTAL CAR, TOM COMES HOME TO PACK, AND A FEW HOURS LATER HE IS OFF TO CHICAGO TO BE WITH HIS FAMILY FOR 8 DAYS. WHICH AS ALL OF YOU KNOW MEANS..."SINGLE MOM FOR 8 DAYS"...GLAD IT IS ALMOST OVER. UNCLE ARLON PASSED AWAY JUST AS TOM WAS BOARDING THE PLANE...HE WAS HOPING TO MAKE IT THERE BEFORE THAT HAPPENED. UNCLE ARLON WAS A VERY SPECIAL PERSON TO ALL OF US BUT HE WILL ALWAYS HAVE A PLACE IN MY HEART FOR HOW MUCH HE LOVES ZOE. SHE NEVER GOT UNDER HIS SKIN...AND IF YOU KNOW TOM'S FAMILY THAT IS QUITE AN ACCOMPLISHMENT. HE WAS WORRIED SICK ABOUT HER WHEN SHE IN FOR SURGERY, HE WOULD HOLD HER FOR HOURS ON END WHILE SHE RUBBED THE FACE OF HIS WATCH, HE ALWAYS MADE SURE TO GIVE HER KISSES...I WISH SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN OLDER AND MORE UNDERSTANDING OF HIS LOVE FOR HER. UNCLE ARLON FOUGHT A LONG HARD BATTLE WITH CANCER. HE WAS A VERY BRAVE MAN. IT IS SAD THAT IT TOOK HIS DEATH FOR HIS CHILDREN TO SHOW THEIR FACES (THE GALL OF THEM MAKES ME SICK). THEY HAVE NOT SEEN HIM OR SPOKE TO HIM IN OVER 20 YEARS. WHILE TOM HAS BEEN HOME HE HELPED CLEAN OUT UNCLE ARLON'S APARTMENT AND PACK WHAT HE WANTED TO BRING HOME (INCLUDING ARLON'S WATCH FOR ZOE). I KNOW IT ISN'T ENOUGH TIME FOR TOM TO SPEND WITH HIS FAMILY IN THIS TIME OF GRIEVEING BUT ATLEAST HE UNDERSTANDS HIS DUTIES AT HOME ALSO. I WISH THE GIRLS AND I COULD HAVE ALSO WENT HOME BUT IT WOULD HAVE COST CLOSE TO $2400 PLUS A BIGGER RENTAL CAR. HE KNOWS THAT WE LOVE HIM AND HE WOULD UNDERSTAND. HE WOULDN'T WANT US TO PUT BILLS ON THE BACK BURNER TO COME BACK HOME. WHEN WE GO HOME WE WILL BE GOING DOWN TO HIS SITE TO TALK TO HIM...I NEED TO FOR CLOSURE.

WORK HAS BEEN TOTALLY CRAZY...WE ARE STARTING TO HIT BUSY SEASON! WHEN THE TEMPS GET OVER 100 OR IT RAINS...OUR COMPANY IS NONSTOP! BUT OF COURSE NONE OF US ARE COMPLAINING BECAUSE THAT JUST MEANS MORE MONEY FOR ALL WHO ARE INVOLVED.

WELL I CAN'T WAIT FOR 11:20 SATURDAY...I GET TO BE IN THE ARMS OF THE ONE I LOVE THE MOST...

UNTIL NEXT TIME

Beautiful Weekend

Wow...what a whirlwind the past 5 days came and went. It wasn't all craziness but i didn't want to see the weekend end either. My birthday was thursday...all i have to say is i have some of the best friends, family members, and kids in the world! When Zada saw me that morning she said "happy happy birthday" (if your kids watch sprout you know where that comes from!), Zoe gave me an extra long hug when i dropped her off at my moms (this never happens!), my sister in law surprised me with a bouquet of red roses, my boss was gone most of the day and only came in for about an hour right before i left to bring me my birthday gift ($100 to the Keg Steakhouse!! he must really love me!), my good friend Mari got me 2...that is right 2!! dozen roses and a tres leches cake (yummy!), one of my drivers got me another cake (yes i did share all of this...well at least the cakes), and my husband got me a dozen long stem roses with lilies (my fav!)...and he got me tickets to Kenny Chesney for May 31!! Of course we can't forget my mom...she gave me a gift card,, flowers and ordered in LOBSTER FROM MAINE!! It was the best lobster i have ever had...and chowder...and steamers...i was in heaven!

Mothers day was very low key in our house this year...it wasn't a good day for me. My dad whom i lost 7 years ago in June would have been 59 on Sunday. I was totally a daddy's girl...here are a few of my most vivid memories of him...

*He would take me to his poker parties for me to make money from his buddies
*He always had time to help me with my homework
*He was always there for me when i got my heart broke
*He (almost) always came to my defense when i was in trouble
*He would take me and my brother to the race track
*I never missed a softball game that he was in
*I was with him when he had his first heart attack
*I always went with him to the golf course
*He married my mom on a cold winter night in front of my aunt's fireplace
*He always made sure that us kids never did without
*He bought me a new trapper keeper every year (when they were instyle)
*His best friend gave me the only nickname i ever had
*He always bought me pink roses for Valentines day
*He told me that i never had to learn to drive a manual...that rule still stands
*He couldn't wait to be a grandpa...he never lived to meet the grandbabies
*He wasn't my biological father but he was the best daddy i could have ever asked for
*I still smell my dad's cologne when i am having a rough time...and when i had both
of the girls

I would trade may things in this world to bring my daddy back...it was my true lesson in life that you must take care of yourself. Not just for yourself but for those people that love you and will grieve year after year because of your loss.

And to end this...a few pictures from the weekend: