A Opportunity at Hand.....

My husband learned yesterday that he was chosen to become a part of a young professionals group study exchange to travel to New Zealand for 30 days to study and observe his profession (environmental science) in New Zealand, he will learn and share best practices, network with other professionals in the same field. The program is sponsored by the Rotary Foundation and he had to obtain local sponsorship and then was interviewed by a 10 person panel.
I'm so proud of him! I will miss him greatly and have no idea how I will manage with two little ones while he is away. I think the longest we've been apart is two weeks, so this will be entirely new for us, but it was an opportunity he couldn't pass up. I think it will definitely give him an idea as to whether or not he likes living in New Zealand because he will be there for a month. We will communicate via Skype and if there happens to be any great deals on flights, who knows maybe the kids and I will surprise him, but he will be busy the entire time, so even though the trip is sponsored, it is not a vacation.
I'm a firm believer that if something is meant to be, doors will open and I knew the moment I saw the posting for this opportunity that he would get it. I don't know how I knew, but I did and I had second thoughts about showing him because (selfishly he is returning to my home country without me and he is going for 30 days), but I knew better. And alas the door opened. After he got the call and told me, I happened to pull out the change in my pocket and I have no idea how it got in my pocket, but mixed with the change were two New Zealand coins....if that isn't a sign that good things will come of this, I don't know what is! Congrats my love! I'm so super proud of you, ROCK STAR!!!!

“Life's up and downs provide windows of opportunity to determine your values and goals - Think of using all obstacles as stepping stones to build the life you want" - M. Sinetar

Don't tell anyone, but I'm really a fairy....

Yes, as I was driving I hear a small whisper in the back, "Bubba, don't tell anyone.......but I'm really a fairy....I'm just waiting for my wings," says my sweet pea. "How do you know?" responds my little man. "Because I asked the magic 8 ball," my sweet pea says in a matter-of-fact way.
I had to laugh so hard....I love listening to them and their imaginations play out like that and I know that in time that will slowly disappear.
I had a wild imagination and I love that my kids have one too, with your imagination you can go anywhere, be anything.
This week has been a "first" for my sweet pea...she started Kindergarten and had her first day of school and now she has her very first loose tooth! I can't believe she is loosing one of her baby teeth, she is growing and growing fast. I know I've said it before, but I really wish I could take these moments and tuck them away in my pocket.
As soon as I picked her up from school on Friday she says, "Momma guess what, it is the most amazing thing?" and I ask her what is going on. "You will not believe it, I was eating lunch and my tooth felt funny and I touched it and it WIGGLED! Can you believe it, my tooth WIGGLED!" "You know momma, what this means?" "The tooth fairy is coming!"
My little man will start Pre-K in about two weeks, he was pretty disappointed that he couldn't start when his big sister started, but he got to meet his teacher and his classroom is right across the hall from sweet pea's class, which is nice. He is pretty excited, he has his bookbag waiting on his door, his "new" shoes ready with socks tucked into them, and his new school outfit picked out. I'm glad he is excited, he is only going half-day, just like sweet pea did last year and I know he will have a great time, but it's bittersweet for me. I'm glad to see my little ones growing and developing and becoming these small little individuals, but I'm also losing my babies. Starting now, we will no longer be the biggest influence in their lives, at some point both will experience what it's like to be excluded or have their feelings hurt and they will learn about new things. They will forge new friendships and slowly begin to slip away. So savor your moments and enjoy the simple things.

"Kids: they dance before they learn there is anything that isn't music." ~William Stafford

2922 days

is the number of days the hubs and I have been married or eight years. Eight crazy and wonderful years. Years one, two, and three were easy, four and five were somewhat trying as we were new parents and beginning to balance life as parents as well as each other. Six, seven, and eight have been good. Of course, we have bumps along the way, but every time I picture my life, it always includes my love.

What an adventure life has been with him by my side - he completes me in many ways. My sweet pea asked if I would be wearing my wedding dress tomorrow to celebrate, I told her no and she said, "well wouldn't it be fun to put it on and then bubba and me can be there." I had to laugh and told her perhaps I'll slip it on for her.

I definitely wish I could recreate that moment, our wedding was filled with so much fun, laughter, love and wonderful friends and family. I wouldn't say it was fancy, it wasn't filled with excess, it was simple with our personal touch from the very beginning to the very end. We've said we will do some big party for Year 10 - so two years to save and plan.

I asked the hubbers would he do it over again to which he said of course and in a heartbeat...several minutes later I asked, "are you going to ask me?" He laughed and said, "I know what you'll say...hellll noooo." I reassured him that wouldn't be the case....I'd do it all over again too, no changes. I love our life, what we've accomplished together, our family and what we've yet to do.

However, I'm waiting for him to honor some of those promises he made...not the "to honor, to love, to cherish," but our early retirement, sitting on a sandy beach drinking vino and watching our children grow, but I suppose we've got the rest of our life.

Happy "I'd do it all over again" Day!!!! I love you endlessly

It's really been a year.....

It has been a year since I donated my kidney to my mom. I can't believe it has been that long and indeed it has been a roller coaster of ups and downs as most who've read the blog know. I remember leaving the hospital hopeful, but disappointed thinking I had somehow failed. They try to tell you that it is not a guarantee and that after the surgery it may not take and you try to prepare yourself as much as you can, but I wasn't prepared to hear that the kidney wasn't working and I didn't accept it.
She struggled for months and then faced another battle with the Norcardia, both events were small miracles in themselves. And just a few weeks ago she went in for one of her monthly checks with the transplant team and her levels are just as low as a normal healthy person. The doctors are indeed pleased with her results as am I. Happy One Year Kidney Day to my mother!!! I love you endlessly and so happy things are working properly! It just wouldn't be our nature to have things go smoothly and that is what makes us who we are.

I don't typically post flyers and such on my blog, but because chronic kidney failure is an issue close to me and the screening for CKF is easy, I would like to pass this information on....If you are in the Central Iowa area there is a kidney screening that is upcoming. It is open to anyone who is over 18 and has highblood pressure, diabetes or has a parent or sibling with a history of high blood pressure, diabetes or kidney disease. Information on the event can be found here or call 800.596.7943 to pre-register. The screening will be held September 15, 2010 from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm at the United Way Conference Center in Des Moines, Iowa

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” - Howard Thurman

And the rain, rain, rain, came down, down, down...

This year has been recorded as the wettest year and I would believe it. Thankfully, we are not experience sewage backup like we did in 2008, but I'm willing to guess that the new pipes the city installed have something to do with it. I'm pretty sure if they hadn't we would be experiencing something similar to 2008. We did get some ground water in our back bedroom of the basement, but I'll take that over sewage any day.

The creek went out of its banks and flooded the park by our house. It got hit pretty hard - I didn't see it at it's worst, but I did manage to get some photos. Other places had more water than we did and thankfully we've had at least two days of no rain (knock on wood).

Here are some photos of the park...

The picture below is the creek....

"And the rain rain rain came down down down. And the flood rose up up upper. Pooh, too, was caught and so he thought,"I must rescue my supper!" - Winnie the Pooh

Is it really almost over.....

Now that August has finally arrived it means the school season begins and thus the decline of summer. It has gone rather quickly, we took some small weekend getaways, but no big trips. My oldest will begin Kindy and my youngest will start PreK - both growing so rapidly and completely before my eyes.
My little girl looks forward to going back and seeing her school friends while my little boy is excited to meet new playmates.
I wanted to plan something for all my lady friends this month, but I don't know if that will happen. It seems like the day and months are flying by before my eyes, maybe in the fall I will get something planned.
The rest of the month will be busy, we will be celebrating the one year anniversary of the transplant surgery when I donated my kidney to my mom, I can't even believe that a year has past. She is doing great especially considering the start she had and I'm doing good, nothing has really changed for me.
The hubs and I will be celebrating our eight year anniversary this month as well....WOW...eight years, how time has flown and changed. Marriage is not easy by any means, it is full of compromise and changes. You have to be willing to compromise on both ends and at times I think the hubs and I have found a good balance. There are moments that are stressful and hard, but I couldn't imagine life any differently. We've created life together and shared dreams. I love this man completely and can't really believe it's only been eight years. I'm ready for our next adventures.

"Dreams do come true, if only we wish hard enough. You can have anything in life if you will sacrifice everything else for it." — J.M. Barrie