Can't believe Thanksgiving is almost here!!

Lots to write about.
No, my space bar has not been repaired, I have just gotten really good at using it like this. What took me 5 minutes to write now takes me no time at all. Funny how we adapt to things.
Sophi was quite the mouth today. She has gotten pretty quick with that tongue. She reminds me very much of her daddy. I guess me too. She comes by it naturally. Tony is good with his words, which can sometimes get him into trouble. Yes, I've been known to get into trouble with my tongue too. Well, looks like Sophi got her daddy's gift. She told some adult at the park last week, "what are you doing on that toy, that is a kid thing, and my brother is a kid, and he wants to use it! And you are smoking here, do you know that will make you die!? Kill us all with that smoke." I was mortified. I tried to tell her that we can't talk to adults like that, speaking to her very loud in front of the man so that he would know I was dealing with this mouthy child. Even though I totally think that jerk deserved it! Troy was standing there while this big man smoked his cigarette in the park leaning on a rocking toy that Troy was looking at saying "share, share". Poor Troy. I'm glad Sophi stood up for him, but I can't tell her that.
Well, Sophia is always keeping me on my toes.
We are getting the medication all worked out she is almost back to her regular strength of medication. We are one pill away from her being back where she was before we got all screwed up. But that one pill is going to have to wait because now she is having abdominal pain which the pediatrician thinks is not related to the change in medicine but a side effect from this or other medicine in the past. This has been going on for a little over two weeks. It is intermittent when she complains about it. She will be playing and fold up grab her tummy and say it hurts. When she is quiet she complains more so I don't know if it is a constant or what. At first I thought it was that stomach flu she had afew weeks back that was lingering causing some gas pains or something. Then I thought maybe she was faking it, I often wonder because when she was younger she was on Trileptal which did upset her stomach but she learned that she could use that excuse to not have to do things she didn't want to... so I just blew it off. Then we had the few episodes last week where she had some pretty long nights. She spent the night with my mom Thursday and Friday and my mom said she complained about it there too. Now, my mom babies that girl to no end so I am sure she played up the dramatics while she was with my mom but no doubt that her stomach is bothering her. Saturday and Sunday were the same, she would randomly complain that her tummy hurt. So, Monday morning she woke up and was really fired up saying her tummy hurt and she was very frustrated that it wouldn't stop hurting. I told her I was going to make her an appointment to see the doctor. She went to school and I picked her up early and took her to her pediatrician. He examined her and said that everything sounded good, pushed on her tummy, she had no pain, but he wants her to have an abdominal ultrasound and blood work, possibly following up with a pediatric GI doctor. There are lots of side effects to the medication she takes one of them being ulcers, he suspects that may be the case but said not to worry just yet. Sophi has been on lots of different medication in her short life and this is just one of the side effects of taking medicine. He also wants to check her liver enzymes which always come back high but the ultrasound will be able to see it. So.. we are going Friday for an ultrasound and blood work. He told me to tell her about the blood work because if she was doing it for attention that she would stop. She hasn't. She did for a day and now she just complains about her tummy then whines that she doesn't want to get a shot. Terrible to see them so upset. I am looking forward to knowing what is wrong though. I am getting frustrated with her constantly complaining about her stomach too. I feel bad for her and at the same time all the whining is unnerving.
Tony comes home on Sunday and will be here through Thanksgiving. So glad for that. It will be nice to have him home. I have realized that it is really true, "men you can't live with them and can't live without them." My house is so easy to keep clean! The electric bill is less. The food bill is less. The kitchen is rarely dirty. No dishes in the sink. Way less laundry... but something is missing. It's a lonely feeling that no matter what you are doing or who is around you still feel like part is missing. It's not like when your kids are gone from you. That's almost like you are missing part of yourself, like a body part. This is different. It's a shallow feeling. That's the only way to describe it. Tony really is my soul mate. God picked him just perfect for me. I am so lucky that I found him so soon in my life. I was thinking about it a few weeks ago. At my age, 25, Tony and I have never been a part longer than 6 days in the last 10 years. He has been gone for just about 4 weeks now. It has been good in some ways but I wish we never had to be apart. We are all looking forward to having him home, even if just for a week. I can't wait to pick him up from the airport on Sunday! It is going to be the best moment in a long time.
Then Thanksgiving!! We will be celebrating with our families! It will be a fun, busy day! I can't wait! I am excited now that the kids are a bit older it will be easier with them to travel to and from our families homes. Not like we are going far, just about 30 minutes from our house to his parents then a 45 minute drive to my grandparents house from there. It will be nice. Lunch with his family, dessert with mine. Then I am working that night... which is just fine. I am ever so grateful for my job and my great insurance, especially with Sophia Ann for a daughter!

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Sophia has a birthday party today. Her good buddy Maicee Morgan is going to be five!! We will be heading out to the park this afternoon to celebrate! Looking forward to that.
We went to church this morning. We went with my mom and Grandparents to the church that Tony and I were married in. A great sermon by preacher Mike. I love going to church on Sundays... This Sunday was very special to me, walking through the doors, it felt like coming home.
Thank you Mike for a great sermon!! Funny how if we ask God gives us just what we need.
Well, I was going to write more but my darling son has damaged my computer...

I have no space bar, this short blog has taken me about 20 minutes to write. I have a tiny dot that I am using when I need to space it takesabout10hitsbeforeitworks,sounlessyouwantoreadthisthewholetimeIbettergetthisfixedtoday!!!

Busy Day...

Today was a busy but incredibly fun day.
I am worn out now though. This cold is lingering and I am hoping to get a good nights sleep tonight so that it will stay away.
Notice the new pictures on the blog? I took those today at my parent's house. The kids and I went out there this morning to take some family photos for a friend of mine and her beautiful family. I love taking photos. I had forgot how much I enjoyed it. To be honest I really didn't feel like going and taking pictures today, I haven't felt like doing much of anything that I don't 'have' to do lately. It was nice though, I am glad I did it and it reminded me how much I love taking pictures.
I got in a few shots of the kids while I was taking their family pictures. I just thought they were irrestible. I am going to use them for my holiday cards I think :) If you see them more than once that is why.

With permission of course, here are some pictures of the Newsome Family.












I started this blog, last night. Then Sophi woke up saying she was sick to her stomach. Not again!! Luckily she didn't ever throw up. One of the side effects of her medicine is that it can upset her stomach. It is possble that is fighting a virus or that her medicine was causing problems. We have been adjusting the dosing since she was sick last time so I think it is possible that the medicine caused last nights issues. She did miss school today which she was very disappointed about. She was up half the night and I let her sleep this morning as long as she could. Today was show and tell and painting day, her very favorite day.
I have to work tonight so I am hoping the kids will take a good nap for me so I can nap since I was up with Sophi last night. We shall see I guess.. well, off to give Troy a banana then naptime!

Totally Blog Worthy

Recalling past posts about Troy not sleeping anywhere besides his crib... he used to cry and climb back into his crib when we tired to move him to a big boy bed. I found him one night close to 11 o'clock sitting in the living room with Tony's ball cap on drinking his bottle at the dining room table because he hated his twin bed.
Well, I started looking for a car bed for him a few months back. Tony saw a twin race car bed at a thrift shop for $20 by the time he got a hold of me to see if I wanted it the bed was purchased by someone else. So I found a fire truck bed on craigslist for $35 yesterday. I like the fire truck bed because it has the high walls around the back and kind of mimics a crib. Tony's brother Gabe mentioned one day that Troy probably likes the crib because it is enclosed and makes him feel safe, "like his little nest", I laughed it off at the time but then Tony and I started joking about Troy and his "nest"/crib.
Well, I found the firetruck bed and called the guy, it was still available. I called my brother to see if we could go pick it up with his truck. It was set we would go get the bed at 430 when the kids got up from their nap. I posted on Facebook how excited I was to have found such a great deal. Not a minute later my friend Kati's husband Bradley called my phone and said "why are you buying a fire truck bed when I have one sitting in my attic?"
I don't know why I didn't think to ask them!? I knew they had one from their son, I guess I thought they had sold it when Paul got to big for it. Nope, they still had it in the attic! Awesome! Troy got his new fire truck bed from Sophia's future husband Paul! It was even better when Katie and Paul brought the bed over to our house. Sophi loved seeing "Paulie" as she so lovingly refers to him. And Katie and my brother took down the crib and we rearranged Troy's room and set up his new bed. Did I mention they took down the crib? Uhh.... my heart cried. That was Sophi and Troy's crib. My sweet babies!! It was really hard to see them take that crib apart. Knowing that we aren't going to have anymore babies sleeping in that crib and knowing that I brought both my babies home from the hospital in but them in that wooden crib... I may see if I can have someone make my casket out of that crib and take it with me when I die :)
I was nervous about him not wanting to sleep in his bed, but he was a sweet boy and got up once to tell me he needed more milk, then again to tell me he was poopy, which he was not. After that he was asleep by 840 and stayed in his bed until he woke up at 8am. Sweet boy!
So now we are too nap time the next day. He hasn't gotten out of bed but has called me in to tell him he needed more milk. I am trying my hardest to get him to do like Sophia did when she was little. Once I put her in her bed she wasn't allowed to get out unless I came and got her. Sophia was a little saint and followed by this rule like an angel. She never would get out of her bed without permission. I don't expect Troy to follow Sophi's steps completely but I do expect some kind of understanding that you don't get up without permission, nap time and bedtime will is not a free for all. How did I do this with Sophia? I bought Super Nanny's book and followed her directions about bedtime routine and staying in the bed. Lots of consistency and repetition for sure :)
We shall see how that goes. Sometimes I wonder if Troy's will is stronger than mine though. I have learned one thing in parenthood, never say never! :)

medicine!!!

I hate medication!! Poor Sophi's medication is so screwed up! From her being sick with the stomach flu. She was on a plan to gradually increase her daily med from 5ml twice a day to 15 ml twice a day. Seems like a big increase but supposedly she is not at a 'therapeutic level' so this needs to be done so she can be protected by the medication. So when she got sick she couldn't keep anything down so we had to start over with the increase in pills. She was to 10ml in the morning and 10ml at night. Every two weeks I am supposed to add 5ml to one of her doses. Anyway.. it is very confusing but I guess it can be dangerous just to start on the larger dose it has to be gradual. That has been all bothered today... BOO to medicine.
Well, I am hope from work until Thursday next week, hurray!
This week we are planning on school, gymnastics, and the normal everyday.. I will be very content if nothing extra goes on.
We have all been missing daddy! I wish he was here. Tuesday will begin the third week of him being in Texas. The kids, I think, are getting used to it being just the three of us. Which doesn't make them miss him any less but at least they don't ask for him every other hour. I am missing him more everyday. I can't wait until he comes home the end of this month. Whoo whoo!!
I am tired and sick. This head cold is kicking my butt. The weather is nice today so I have the windows open and letting the house air out. Getting all the sickness out of my house! I hope we can all stay well for a while.
The kids are at my mom's house right now. I got home from work this morning at 7am and came home and went right to sleep. I got up to go pick them up and my mom had just laid them down for naps. That gives me some time to get the house picked up and disinfect a bit before they come home. Also gives me time to blog.
Hope everyone is having a fabulous weekend. God Bless!

Off and Running..

I should be getting ready for work, ironing my scrubs(something Tony always did for me), packing the kids bag to take to my mom's house, and getting some coffee, or maybe catching up on 10 more minutes of rest before my two day work week. I am now working two twelve hour shifts. In the next 48 hours I will work 24 hours, sleep appox 10 hours and play and love on my babies for the remaining 14 hours. This is the busiest most exhausting part of Tony not being around.
God spared me from the stomach virus but I got a nasty head cold in return. I'd rather have a runny nose than an upset stomach though. I went to the grocery store with Troy this morning and stocked up on chicken soup, organge juice, and Dayquil which will get me through the next 48 hours.
I am typing and laughing while I listen to Sophia and Troy, both in their bed, in separate rooms, singing as loudly as they can to one another. They are so funny. Two peas in a pod for sure.



Well... off to get ready.
Hope everyone is having a great week.

Sophia's version of 'God is so Good'

Enjoy!!



Isn't God Good?? hahah!

The Sickness is going around!

The kids have both suffered with this nasty stomach virus Troy seems totally back to normal. He is currently locking himself out of the house on the back patio. It is a nice morning. He is swinging his golf club and looking in the sliding glass door asking me did 'you saw that?' Glad he is feeling better.

Sophi is in the 'sick spot' on the couch watching Ice Age and eating a popcicle. She had a rough night. I was just praying that I don't get it. Still praying I don't get it but atleast it seems the kids are better if I do get it atleast they are feeling better.

The 'sick spot' is a place on the couch that I cover with blankets and only the sick person gets to sit there. It is really to cover my couch from whatever bodily functions may dispurse but the kids think that it is a special spot just for them and that mommy does it because she loves, I'll let them think that. :)

So, Sophi has also been good at getting to the toliet before she gets sick. Troy on the other hand, like Sophi says 'he has boy brains' but Troy did get a clue from Sophi last night.

Now, before you watch, excuse my laughter, and no he was not getting sick. I wouldn't video tape something like that. But he is a pretty good actor. Even with the sound effects.

Presenting... Troy the barfing boy.

Sad VS Happy

The past weeks have been a complete mad house around here. There is so much to catch up on, so many pictures to show, so much to say! I don't know where to begin..
Let's start at the first thing on my heart, the sad vs happy. Please don't judge me for this post.. it is a very emotion filled one and may seem like an 'over reaction' to some but that is the point.
To start here though I have to catch you all up to speed.
Tony is in Texas. Not on a vacation without us, but he is working there, for three months. So there is the initial hurray! he found a job! Then there is the eww.. we live in Florida, that we love, that our families are here, that we never want to move. Then it's the oh it's only for three months. Well, it is a guaranteed income for three months so that is a great thing! We are hoping that it could turn into a job in Florida thing, but trying not to get ahead of ourselves. We are very excited about his opportunity. Tony is so glad to be the 'provider' again. He says he feels so glad to be able to 'take care of us' financially again. I am so proud of him, that is one thing that I always admire about Tony, he will always make sure we are taken care of. We will always have food and shelter.
This economy has defiantly taken it's toll on us the past year. I was thinking about it the other day...
when I have good days, positive thankful days, the days I feel God's strength, this is my story...
We had a lot of things, we lost a lot of things. We bonded together and we made it work. We never lost our friendship and in fact became even stronger through the hard time. Our daughter has been healthy, she is here with us, suffering no brain damage and for the times we thought she had a brain tumor she did not! We have a healthy happy baby boy. Who teaches me every day to just let things roll and not worry. We have so much to be thankful for. Even though we lost our things we never lost what matters most, our family and our faith.
On the bad days, the negative, doubtful days, the days the devil uses to drag me down, this is my story...
We lost everything we had when Tony lost his job, our house, our cars, we had to sell our things, Tony pawned his ring so we could buy groceries, I had to get a job so that we could afford health insurance to cover the rising medical bills that we were drowning in debt with, we borrowed money from our families, and now my husband has had to move across the country for a job to support us and we are split apart.
Two totally different takes on the same story huh? Can't believe what a foothold the devil can get if we really let him. I mean there is some harsh reality to the 'sad story' but the truth of the 'happy story' is really what I try and focus on.
It has been really hard, it all has been really hard. It has been hard to see him go to Texas. The joy in the blessing of him getting a job was almost over shadowed by the loneliness that I felt the day I drove home with those two little babies in there car seats.


The doubt that day swallowed me. I didn't even want to go home from the airport. When Tony left through the security gates we stayed at the airport and looked in all the stores. We stayed in the Sea World shop for thirty minutes as I contemplated using my toll money buy Sophia a doll and buy Troy a plastic shark. Then when we got off the free way we stopped to eat lunch, we went inside and sat together, the three of us, for close to two hours. I have never been so patient watching Sophi dip her spoon in a frosty and lick it like a lollipop, taking forever to eat that frosty which when she finished she could drink like a chocolate milk. Troy sat in his seat and folded his little hands saying "amen, amen" I knew God was reminding me to pray. I did. I got my courage and drove the rest of the way home. When we got to town I stopped at the grocery store, I made up some excuse, but I really just didn't want to go in that house without him. When we pulled into the driveway we sat outside and played with sidewalk chalk for close to an hour before I even put the key in the door. The reality really wasn't that bad. It was our house and just because he wasn't there in that moment didn't mean he was gone. I really had let the devil just run with my heart that day. I mean, it is ok to be sad, but this wasn't the end. It was the beginning for my family to start over. I put the kids down for there naps and prayed.
So Tony has only been gone for 5 days. He sends the kids videos and we send videos to him. It has been fun spending so much time with the kids. Everything is working out perfect. I am still working and will continue to work, we need the benefits. I have gone down to part time though and I like it much better.
Everything that I was worried about so far has gone very peaceful. The kids spending the night with my mom, they love it! I was worried that they would miss me and Tony, they do but my mom keeps them so entertained they hardly think of us :)
I was worried that they would be sad, they are, but I am helping Sophi deal with the heartache and she is ok. She cries sometimes and I let her. She told me the other night that she just wanted to hug him, she said 'I'll even close my eyes and not look if I could just touch him.' I felt my eyes get tearful and I swore I wouldn't cry about this in front of her.. I almost did. I told her it was ok to cry and be sad but Daddy really wanted her to be happy and enjoy this time with mommy and Troy and Mimi. I am soo glad that she can see him and touch him again. My heart breaks for those families who have children who can't see there parents again. But at 4 years old it doesn't make it any easier. She is happy and doing her best. I can now say from experience though that my family should never be separated. It doesn't work for us.
Troy doesn't really get it, he still thinks that Tony is flying around on the airplane somewhere. He only asks for him when he is screaming in time out and he is his typical laid back self. He is struggling through a stomach virus right now, which I pray Sophia and I don't get. I think it's just a 24 hour thing, he seemed much happier tonight than he did earlier today.
I got scared last night and Tony wasn't here to check the locks for me. I got scared and my mind started wandering... I felt myself beginning to think some very irrational thoughts.. I prayed for peace and I got it.
God has been so gracious to me this week. Now lets see if he'll protect me from Troy's stomach flu.
It is a roller coaster of emotions for sure. But we are doing ok.

I have so many pictures I want to share but I am saving them for another post.
Hope everyone had a Happy Halloween :) Love you all.