It has begun!!!!!

Well, ladies and gents, it has begun. The building of our home has finally begun!!! I drove by the lot today after a meeting with my boss at work and my belly started getting butterflies the closer I got. There is a big hole where the basement is going to go!!!!! They finally broke ground. I really didn't think I'd get this excited over a big pile of dirt but I am giddy with excitement right now. Within the next 60-90 days we will have our new home. A new slate for me to start painting, decorating and making our home. Whew, I didn't think we'd ever get here. I guess now all we need to do is sell the house we're in now and we'll be good to go. I will give this to God, I will give this to God, I will give this to God. Can you guys tell I'm really working on my control issues??? :0) Keep us in your prayers!! Our new house is starting to go up!!!!! Jason's going to run by there tonight so I will have him take pics and I'll start my house diary tonight!! Love you guys!

Fantabulous Week!! :0)

I just have to tell you that I have had the best week EVER!! First off, my mom (currently known as GG) started her vacation Friday night (the 20th) and honored me with wanting to spend it with me. Ok, maybe it was to be with her grandson, but I was present too. Mom and my cousin Mikie came up on Fri. night and we all headed to the Washington Zoo on Saturday. It was such a great day. I've got some really great pics to post on "fish". (I've already had some weirdo/freak post an awful comment on the Scared to Death thread. It has since been erased but there will definitely NOT be any pics of my kid on this thing, it's just not private enough) We were all wore out by the time we got to Cracker Barell for dinner. AJ slept in my lap the whole time we ate. He was so cute. It's not often that the little man cuddles to sleep anymore. Anyway, we watched movies, talked, and played pretty much the rest of the week. Mom finally convinced Jason and I to go out just the two of us. On Tuesday night we left our little monster for the first time EVER. One or the other of us is ALWAYS with him. It's just so hard to have him out of our sites. Anyway, mom finally convinced us to loosen our heiney holes a wee bit and let her watch him while we went out to dinner. Jason and I were a little weirded out at first. We both kept giggling in the car like 12 year olds. I think Jason got a little sentimental on me when a couple brought their new-born into The Outback. Anyway, Jason and I had a WONDERFUL night together (wink wink)and Jason told me that mom could stay as long as she wants after that. Mom called my Aunt Piss on Wednesday night because she was going to head out and spend the rest of her vacation with them at a campsite. Well, mom called them and verified the arrangements and asked Jason to look up directions for her. Jason pulled up the web-site and that was it. It was beautiful!! I curled up next to him and all but begged him to be spontaneous, this one time, let's just go and not make plans. Let's just head up to the camp site and camp out for a few days. I remember camping as a kid and it was so much fun. I love the feel of the morning, the sound of the birds, the stillness of the morning when you first wake up. I love the smell of eggs and bacon as everyone starts waking up and cooking outside. I love the night time when everyone is out with their lanterns, campfires, and friends. It was such a great time. Well, Jason finally gave in (after some persuasion, wink wink) and I went Thursday afternoon to walmart (after AJ slept for a 3 1/2 hour nap d/t GG) and bought us a tent (17ft by 11ft) and 2 sleeping bags and a little lantern. I packed up all the bags, got the house cleaned up and we were on our way by 7:30pm. We went to Paradise Lake in Appomattox, VA. It is about 3 1/2 hours away from here. It was just the best time. We made some WONDERFUL memories. My Aunt Piss and Uncle Ricky had bought themselves a 5th wheel to start travelling in and mom stayed with them. Jason, AJ, Moose, and myself stayed in the tent. It was great. We got to the campsite around 10:30pm and pitched the tent in the dark with the help of Uncle Rick. That thing is HUGE!!! It was perfect though with the dog and all. AJ did fantastic! He loved every minute of it. He slept like a dream in the tent. Loved walking around in the tent. He just thought he was something. On Friday we went down to the lake and it took AJ some getting used too but GG did her magic and by the end of the day AJ was out in the water like it was nothing. They even have the 8ft slide and diving board in the middle of the lake. It was sooo much fun. Moose got to go swimming for the first time in her 2 years of life. We felt a little guilty that our Lab (a swimming dog) had not been swimming before this. She absolutely loved it!! She matched the color of the water and she looked like a beaver swimming around. She was chasing the Frisbee and having a blast. We even tried to get her to jump off the pier but I think that is going to take some work. She was a wee bit chicken of that one. She loved swimming with her daddy though. I don't know who had more fun, Jason or the dog :0) AJ loved the swimming pool too. By the end of our trip, GG had got him jumping off of the edge of the pool into her arms. On Saturday, he would sit on the side and scoot in, go under water, and GG would grab him and pull him back up, he was having a blast!!!! Jason looked so sweet with AJ in his arms in the pool. It's so neat to see the absolute trust AJ has in all of us. Sat afternoon Jason and I packed everything up and I mean we got everything in the van in the nick of time. We shut the trunk door of the van and I mean the sky opened up!!!!! The sky let loose with the rain. We were very thankful for Uncle Rick and Aunt Piss' trailer. During the nights we would all sit outside, chill, spend time together. Mom and Piss had some really good YA YA moments. After AJ and Jason would go to bed, I would get my PJ's on and go back to the camper and stay awake as long as I could. I felt like a little kid again. I just didn't want to miss a minute of it. The only bad part came when we had to leave. It is always so hard and sad to leave my family. It's been 5 years and I'm telling you, the home sickness just never goes away. They are just the best people in the world and my family and I are so blessed to have them in our lives. I have thanked Piss and Uncle Rick over and over again for allowing us to crash their party. I just love them so much. They are such great people. Anyway, Jason, Moose, AJ and I all left on Saturday evening and Mom left Saturday night. We all got home safely and Piss and Uncle Rick got home Sunday afternoon sometime safely. It was a beautiful and blessed time all the way around. I am so thankful for these times that we are able to make such wonderful memories. It was fun and it was busy. This coming weekend we are going to go to TN to spend time with the in-laws. It's going to be a packed weekend too. We're going to hit Dollywood and from what I'm being told, Opa (grand-pa in german) has perfected his cookie recipe just for AJ. My kid's not loved and spoiled rotten at all!!! Love you guys!!! AJ just woke up so I'll update Snapfish later!

Bad Blogger!!!

We have been so busy this last week and we have another busy week ahead. Trying to get all the travelling in that we can!!! I am going to cuddle with my man for now but will try to update "Snapfish" and the blog as soon as I can. Love you guys!!!

Shannon

Priase God, Baby Ethan is on his way!!!!!!

Just wanted to say THANK YOU to all of those that are keeping baby Ethan in your prayers. I have some good news to share!!! I checked his blog site this afternoon and the blood test came back that 100% of the cells in his body are Ben's (his dad). As of this moment there are NO lukemia cells in his body!!!!! It's still going to be a road for them so please continue to keep them in your prayers. I truly believe that God will heal this baby if it's His will. I know that Ben and Becky have touched SO MANY people through their son's struggles. So many people have come to God through them. It's so exciting to see this thing start turning around!! I'm in tears praising God right now. Keep fighting baby Ethan, we're all praying for you!!!!!!!!!!

The most scared I've been in a long time :(

Well, I went to work on Tuesday night. Left the house early so I could pick up the hammock swing I had on hold at Lowes. (Love it by the way) Anyway, went on into work, it was a really good night. I had a hall of 6. They all behaved. Gave report. Left around 2345. I stopped to get gas in the car so Jason wouldn't have to this morning. Pulled out of the Sheetz and on my way I went. I was driving about 50mph rounding a curve under a bridge on a 4 lane section with a median inbetween. I was just about through the curve when I saw them. 2 headlights coming right at me. I couldn't believe it, I had to look again, yep, they were in my lane coming right at me. I didn't have time to panick. I was in the fast lane and there was a car beside me. I swerved the car to the right, pushing the car beside me into the emergency lane, and I mean the car coming towards me barely missed me. I'm shaking even now just writing this. He never slowed down, he was FLYING. I can not even begin to describe to you how this scene really played out. It was so fast, he was so close. It was by God's hand that He guided my car. Looking back at the episode, there was no plausible way for me to swerve the car like I did and a) not hit the car beside me and/or b) lose complete control of the car and hit the wall of the bridge. I was able to pull the car completely off the road as all the other cars passed. (there was only 3 others around me at the time) I looked in my rearview mirror and this guy was still barreling down the road, on the wrong side of the median going the wrong freaking way. There was no place for him to get onto the right side of the road for a ways either. It's about a 3-4 mile stretch of road that has the median. Anyway, I really was fine, just in disbelief until I got the car stopped. Then all the what if's started rolling and I thought about my husband and my little monster. I fell to pieces. I was shaking so bad I kept missing the send button trying to call 911. It took me a good 20 minutes and a call to my mom to settle down. My legs were shaking so bad they were jumping off of the floor board. They felt like jello. I'm telling you, this was so close. God truly had his angels around my car last night. After I finally calmed down I drove home very carefully, pulled into the driveway,(called mom per her orders to let her know I was home safe), walked into the bedroom, grabbed my monster and just bawled all over again. I woke Jason up, scared him half to death the baby woke up, but I didn't care. I have always said that it is important to kiss your loved ones goodbye and tell them you love them because you never know. Jason and I make it a point to do this before he or I either one leave, even if it's just a trip to the grocery store. I am also very aware of the fact that there are numerous drunk drivers out there during my drive home because of all the (I'll be polite here) ninny bars around. I have always said that there is always a chance that a drunk driver will get me so I make it a point to tell my men I love them. NEVER would I have EVER have thought that particular piece of road was going to be an issue. It's a 4 lane road with a MEDIAN in the MIDDLE. You would think that if you saw the MEDIAN on your right, that you might be on the wrong side of the stinking road. This guy never once hit his breaks and he drove the whole length. It was wild. AJ has been squished to the point of eyeball's popping out mode. It was wild. I have prayed a prayer of thanksgiving all day. If you read this, grab your loved ones and tell them you love them. Just one more time. Also, if you know anyone that drinks and drives, anyone that has previously had drinks and drove, do me a HUGE favor. PUNCH THEM IN THE NOSE. HARD. I have no tolerance for that. NONE WHAT-SO-EVER. There's absolutely NO excuse. NONE.

Ethan needs prayers NOW

Hello friends and family. I know I have asked in the past but baby Ethan needs prayers right NOW. As of 0445 this morning he started having really bad breathing issues and his heart rate was "through the roof". Please say some prayers right now that God be with this precious soul as well as his family. You can read the updated posts through his blog site. You can hit the Ethan Powel link to the right of my blog to get to it. You can hear the urgency in Ben's words. Please keep this family in your thoughts and prayers. Thanks, love you all!!! Shannon

What I love

I love my husband. He loves me, he loves his son, he changes diapers (poopy and pee), he plays football with him, he knows how important staying home with my monster means to me. I love the fact that when I came home from work the other night that Jason had the baby in bed with him. He was laying on his side with his arms protactively over his son. I crawled into my side of the bed and was laying on my stomach and in his sleep, Jason reached out to grab my hand, two seconds later AJ reached out and held my wrist. My two mean reaching out to hold onto mama. I teared up and wished someone was there to take a picture or paint this moment in time forever. I pray to God that when I'm old and grey, and my mind isn't working like it used too, that God will re-implant these memories in my head and make me happy again. I love the sound of the "fwap fwap fwap" that AJ's feet make when he's walking on the hard wood floors. I love the cheeky grins he gives me when he either knows he's doing something he shouldn't or when he knows he's done something amazing. I love the open mouth, wet, full on tooth kisses he gives so freely. I love when he's playing by himself and makes a mad dash to his mama to give me a big hug or cuddle and then off he goes again. I love the look of his butt as he's waddling around the yard. I love the look on his face as he explores something new. I love the tone in his voice when he's telling Moose what is what. I love the little lip that sticks out when he's not happy. I love that he furrows his eyebrows just like his daddy. I love it when he's examining something and he squats to inspect it. I love that I can witness this little infant that can do nothing by himself, grow into a very commpetent, (thinks he is bigger than he really is) little man. I love the personality that is developing daily, even if it is more like his mama. I love how peaceful and content he looks while he's sleeping. The rise and fall of that little chest. I love every second, every minute, every hour and every day that God blesses me time with this precious little soul. It's so neat to know that your heart can actually fill up with this much love and it really doesn't just pop out of your chest. I'm feeling a little sappy lately. I just had to let you guys know that I am very well aware of how blessed I have been and that I am going to soak up every minute with my little guy. Time flies by all too fast. I will cherish these memories. I am very well aware that there will come a time when he doesn't think mama is so cool but I will love him this much always!!! I love you little man. You have my heart.

8th tooth

July 3, 2007. My little monster's 8th tooth FINALLY popped through. His little gums look like ground beef they're so red and inflamed. Couldn't you just kiss the person that made infants Motrin and Hylands teething tabs???? They are the miracle cure. Poor baby has just been really pissy and fussy the past couple of days. Now at least we know why right??
AJ thoroughly enjoyed the firework display kindly set off by our neighbors last night. He loves watching the pretty colors and they actually gave us a sparkler so AJ could watch. I let AJ hold the end of the stick with me holding it too of course. He did really well. The fireworks up the road went for about 3 hours. They were beautiful. AJ did well sleeping through it all. I finally put him to bed around 10pm. I didn't know how that was going to work but thank goodness for humidifiers and their white noise huh??? Happy Birthday America the Beautiful and thank you God for allowing us to live in a country where we can worship you on any given day/hour/muinute without persecution. Thank you to the many men and women that fight for our freedom and safety on a daily basis. Without you and your sacrificing families, we wouldn't be able to enjoy the freedoms we so greatly take for granted. Love you all, Shannon