Happy Birthday Faith!

9 years ago today God provided my family a miracle...Faith was born at 4:33 pm in the afternoon after a relatively easy labor. I felt over joyed that she was finally here and healthy..All the worries about the pregnancy and the infamous cyst that had taken my joy about being pregnant were gone the second the doctor told me she was out! I didn't get to hold her until an hour later when she got the clean bill of health!

Here is my beautiful girl on her 9th birthday! Time has surely flown by..

This is her latest favorite outfit! She loves that the girl looks like her and it has New York on it..She loves NYC! I'm surprised that she likes it so much since it's not pink!

 So Faith decided that she wanted lasagna for her Birthday dinner since in her words, I have not made it in 2 years! LOL  I have so made it !!

She also decided she wanted Chocolate cake with chocolate icing with pink icing writing on her cake..I did the best I know how..LOL I am not a baker, but it was good!

Birthday fairy blowing her birthday candle out..

Opening presents..

She was soooo excited to get her Figit!

Figit is a BIG hit!!

At the end of her big day with her 2 new best friends!

Happy Birthday Faith!! I love you so very much!!

9/11/01 ~ 9/11/11 10th Anniversary

It's hard to believe it's been 10 years since the Terror Attacks on our nation. I remember like it was yesterday where I was and how my day unfolded the moment I learned that our Country had been attacked. I was actually sleeping during those fateful minutes before the towers fell. My soon to be hubby came in from working night shift to wake me up and to turn on the tv. I was transfixed to the tv and relived those horrific moments of the planes crashing into the first tower, then the second and the eventual falling of both towers. Soon after the chaos began my pager for the Rescue Squad went off telling all members to call the station. In that split second without a hesitation, I called. I was advised to gather some necessaties and come to the squad. It was there I remained for several hours waiting to be deployed to NYC to help my fellow brothers and sisters..A call that wouldn't come till a day later. Our Rescue Squad sent 2 trucks as well as fire trucks from our township to Jets Stadium where they would be dispatched to where they were needed. Once they got there they were told to go home. The hope of finding people alive were fading and the operation turned into a recovery effort. Our Squad did eventally send a crew to Ground Zero but not to do what we hoped to do..to save a life..but to be used as support..bandaging cuts and giving the firemen and iron workers relief supplies. I was scheduled to go, to do my part but was never needed.
If my service was needed today I would do my part and do what I was trained to do! Many people asked me how can you risk you life for a job that can sometimes bring you to the worst times in someone's life! I was called to do this..It's a job where you can have the best triumph and welcome a baby ino the world and on the same day watch someone die before your eyes no matter the care you provide! I was blessed to be a part of those moments. Those moments made me more grateful for the special moments I have with my family.
As we remember those lost that fateful day let's also be thankful and grateful for all of the service men and women who serve our country and all the Police, Fire and EMS who risk their lives every day for our safety and well being! I feel honored to have been a part of this community for the past 19 years and though I can no longer serve my community my heart will always be with them!

A Quick Trip to the Beach

I can't believe that summer is over! It surely does feel like it, it is 59 out and raining with more on the way! This past weekend I took Lindsey back to NJ and stayed for a short weekend. Saturday I took the girls and my Mom to the Strathmere beach. It was beautiful out but a bit windy, especially right along the water. Faith and Emilee LOVED the beach!! Faith loved the water and Emilee loved the beach! The water was warm when you got use to it but the breeze was chilly. Faith did not care! She wanted to spend all her time in the water! LOL Emilee got splashed in the face with a wave and after that she din't want any part of it. She spent the rest of her time on the beach getting sand in every oriface of her body! LOL She had it in her hair, ears..pretty much everywhere!

You can see Ocean City and Atlantic City from where we were.

Emilee is not too sure about the water..

A little more sure of the water..

Playing in the sand..

Loving the sand..

Gathering water..

A head full of sand!!

Emilee, showing off all her sand!

Faith showing off her sandy legs!!

Happy Birthday Dad!

Mom and Dad came to visit us for a few days for my Dad's Birthday. He turned 67 today! After a day of shopping we came home to hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill..The whole time we were eating the skies we black and you could hear rumble of thunder  and flash of lightning. When we finished rating we quickly went in cause the wind picked up and then the skies finally opened  up!

The girls picked out the cupcakes and the candles at Walmart when we were shopping!

Happy Birthday to you Dad!! Love you!!

Happy 4th Birthday Emilee!

My baby is 4 today! I can't believe it!! Time has surely flown by..Here are some pictures I took of my sweet chickie!! She decided this morning that she wanted to wear her fancy party dress that I bought her last year for her 3rd birthday..I was pleasantly surprised that it still fit!

Emilee holding her mini cupcake!! She wanted chocolate mini cupcakes instead of me making her vanilla ones!

Birthday dinner consisted of plain raviloi's with cheese!

Dora bag full of presents!!

"This is the best day ever!!" Emilee told me..She also said, "I love my presents!"

Emilee decided that she wanted mini chocolate cupcakes from Walmart instead of plain old vanilla with chocolate icing! Her favorite colors are blue, purple, and pink..coincidence??
We didn't have a candle becasue Mommy can't find it! LOL She will have a big party at my Mom's house this weekend so she will be able to blow her candles out then!!

Happy 4th Birthday my chickie!! I love you very much!!

Summer Vacation 2011

Well, it came and went! Time flies when you are having fun!

June 20th ~ Mom and Dad arrived with Eddie and Trevor. We went on a massive shopping trip to Walmart for some food and afterwards I made some tacos for dinner. ( Eddie's favorite) After dinner, my MOm took my dad back to the hotel and I cleaned up. Mom came back and we talked about to do with the kids the next day. We decided on a park called Chestnut Ridge park by Cooper's  Rock. The boys sacked out on the couch and chair by 10pm

Eddie is somewhere under there!

Trevor..sound asleep

June 21st ~ It was hot and muggy!! The girls and I were up early at 7:30am to take Faith to Summer School. My brother Ed called around 8am telling me he was in DE and that he should be there by 1pm..Well we waited and waited and waited some more and finally at 2:15 he arrived! His front tires were bald from the front end being miss aligned. He ended up at Good Year for new tires and a alignment and to fix the problem that caused it to begin with! The park was scrapped because of time. I made chicken, cheese burgers, corn, potato and macaroni salad for dinner. I took my Dad back to the hotel and Mom and I went to get the tickets needed for Kennywood! When we got back Ed and Terri were out on the porch and the kids were crazy in the house. He left and I was left to get everyone bathed and in bed! I did yell a little bit and went off on my nephews for leaving stuff all over the living room floor. Mom and I finally had peace at 10pm!! I was so tired that I left all the dishes in the sink!

June 22nd ~ Kennywood day! I was awakened by the alarm at 7am and swiftly got a shower to try and wake up! Coffee was brewing and while I waited I did the dishes. My Mom and Dad walked in around 7:30 and shortly after I got the kids up and dressed. My brother was on time and was there by 8am. At the last minute we made sandwiches and then we were off to Kennywood at 9:07am.. I pulled out of the driveway to find no one there! Ed's GPS sent him a different way and Mom and Dad were lost! I did manage to meet up with Mom and Dad after they called me and I gave them directions to 79..Thank God for cell phones!
We finally arrived at Kennywood and made the LONG trek  to the entrance. The park changed little since I had been there in Aug. 09. The antique cars taht were once at the front of the park were replaced by a new roller coaster called the Sky Rocket. The weather was great though a little on the humid side but bearable..not like Williamsburg last year! The kids had a blast!! My dad and Eddie and Trevor rode the sling shot! $50 for the 3 of them..my dad has always had an adventureous side to him! I was surprised he still had it! Before ..

After!

We took Emilee, Faith and Kaden to Kiddieland

Emilee riding Dunbo by herself!!

Faith and Kayden

faith and Kayden..who knew that one of the original rides of the park would be the whip it..One of the Emilee's favorite rides!!

Emilee also loved the Merry go round..She went on with Mom Mom 3 times and it was the last ride before we left! Everytime she got off she would pet her horse and say good bye!

Around dinner time I walked out to the car with my parents  to give them the directions to the hotel. After coming back into the park the kids rode more rides!! Raging Rapids 4 times in a row!!
I was a hot commodity between Maggie and Trevor! They both wanted me to ride the roller coasters with them! I rode 2 each..The last one was called the Exterminator..It was an Inside roller coaster and the most fun I had all day! The car was shped like a rat's head with 2 seats on a side. Ed rode with Maggie and Eddie and I rode with Trevor..Seat belts were optional for people above 46 inches! Well, it started calm enough then it got faster and darker and I was sliding all over the seat! I finally put my feet up on the ledge to brace myself!! I laughed so hard!! Trevor kept saying I didn't expect that everytime we went obver a bump or spun! It seems that Ed and the other kids had the same bit of trouble!! Eddie and Maggie kept bumping into each other and Ed had the same problem with being all over the seat!! He tried to get Maggie's seatbelt on but couldn't and the ride attendant said she didn't need it..so he never bothered to put his on and Eddie took his off!! WRONG move!! LOL

My Chickies..

All of the kids..

June 23rd ~ The weatehr started out not so good..It was black when we arrived at the zoo and soon after we entered and got to the first exhibit it poured!! Luckily there was an over hang there and we hung out there until it stopped! We even saw blue skies!! The Pittsburgh Zoo has a wide array of animals and is spread out much more then Phila Zoo. It also has an aquairium that the kids really liked..especially the penguins!

Emilee posing !!

Some BIG Fish!!

More Big Fish!!

The Polar Bear that Emilee and I saw..Everyone else was in the gift shop and by the time they came out he went inside.

Trapped!! In a bear traveling container! Kayden wanted no part of it!

baby Sea Lion

Sliding..There was a play area for the kids..they didn't play long because there was a fast approaching storm coming! We did manage to make our way to shelter and see all the animals before it started. It was a great day and the kids definitely want to go back!!

Summer is Here and so is more pain!

We are enjoying a cool front right now..last week it was in the upper 90's all week. My hubby had long pants and a sweatshirt on yesterday! It was cloudy and very breezy, but today it's warm and sunny!

 I am very sesitive to the baraometer so when it's hot and humid my body feels like it was hit by a ton of bricks! My joints feel like they are swollen but they aren't, I have no energy to speak of, I could sleep for 10 hrs and still feel tired! The pain I can live with..I have for almost 25 years now..the exhaustion wears me out! I hate that no matter how long I sleep I still feel like I could sleep longer! I hate telling my kids no when they want to do something and I have no energy to do it with them.. I hate that I have to "manage" my energy because once it's gone..it's gone and it takes me days to recover when I do too much. I hate the mental fog that is prevalent most days..It takes me a while to find the words I want to say, especially when I am trying to explain something! It's very frustrating!!
The hardest thing about having Fibromyalgia is that you look "normal" on the outside, but on the inside you are not! I hate that people don't understand that jsut because you look fine doesn't mean you are having a good day!
My daughter told me that someone who will remain nameless called me lazy! Lazy I am not! There are days that I can't do anything but there are also days that I do more then my fair share!
I am grateful for my husband who understands to a point. I don't think he knows truly what my day is like because I push myself to do the things I need to do. I try not to complain, I put a smile on my face and I go on. What else am I suppose to do?? I am the back bone to my family! I do everything!! I don't know any other way. I have lived with Lyme Disease and Fibromyalgia for 25 years now. I don't know what it's like to not to hurt, to have energy to spare, to be able to sleep restfully, to be able to think clearly. This is the way it is..regardless of how I think about it!
I've had to give up an 18 year career in EMS because of the pain and the weakness I have all the time now. I can no longer carry a stretcher or a stair chair..I feel that it was in the best interest of my health and safety that I give it up..I hate that I have!! I loved the Rescue Squad so much but I knew in my heart that I needed to stop! Since we have moved to WV I can't work anyway with my NJ cert. I have found a new career which I have had a passion about for 10 years now! I am a scrapbook instructor for Michaels and for a private store. I LOVE it!!

When God closes a door He always opens another..I know for a fact that he does!!