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My precious baby Tierney turned ONE last Thursday, October 8. I can totally remember when she was born, and although the calendar says it was one year ago, I remember it like it was yesterday. But, I guess that's a common memory for moms, huh?! In fact, the night before her birthday, we were running errands and we drove by the hospital she was born at and I remembered checking into the hospital at about the same time we drove by to start the induction process. A wave of emotions flooded me as we past the hospital and I felt those same nervous, anxious and excited emotions all over again. I even remember the pain I was in. I had an epidural, but it really didn't take that well, so I felt most everything. That and the doctor's had to increase the strength of my contractions and up my dosage of pitocin. Suffice it to say, I was in more pain than I had ever been in and could ever imagine. And, how I could barely keep my eyes open during those last few hours of hard labor because every contraction I squinted my eyes so hard, giving myself a headache and making it hard to see out of blurry contacts. But, the minute (3:54 p.m.) she was born, all the pain, the blurry eyes and headache completely disappeared. When the doctor laid my second born daughter on my chest, my world got flipped upside down and I immediately fell in love with this precious child God gave me. My little girl, named Tierney. Over the past year, my heart has only expanded that much more with love for this precious girl. She's very loving, very sweet, has a bubbly personality and a fiery way about her and she's as stubborn as it gets. But, I wouldn't change anything about her or one second of my life with her for anything. This time around, I got to witness first-hand every little milestone, every smile, every cry, every cuddle, every look, everything, because I have the wonderful opportunity of staying home with my girls and I LOVE it so much! This year she's walking all around the house and trying really hard to put those words together she's been learning, and I know that this year will fly by and by next year, I'll be wondering where the year went. I wish time could just stand still. But, it can't. So, here's to another amazing year for my Tierney. Happy Birthday sweet baby girl! Mommy loves you more than you can ever imagine!
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My husband turns the big 3-0 this Thursday, October 15. That's right, this is his birthday week. He has only 3 more days of being a 20-something. He's not too big on birthdays, especially his own, and it's not because he is nervous, anxious, etc. about getting older. But, this year, he's getting more in the birthday spirit I think. We're going to spend his birthday night at a hotel thanks to an interview he did on a brand new hotel in the town where he works and the manager offered a free night's stay at the hotel in one of their suites! You don't have to twist our arm that hard. We're there. The girls are excited about staying in a hotel and going swimming in the pool. And, really Kevin loves, loves, loves staying in hotels, so this is a great birthday gift for him! And, even better, he has the next day off too. Wahoo! It's like a birthday present for me too because what's better than spending time with your best friend. I can honestly say that he is quite possibly the one person that very rarely I get frustrated with. As much as I love my girls, there are days when being a parent is very hard and trying, but being a wife, better yet, being Kevin's wife, I never feel that way. He's such an amazing man and I thank the good Lord everyday for bringing us together. I have known Kevin for nearly 20 years, and my life is truly better because he's in it and because I know him, love him and he loves me. I simply can't imagine my life without him, and I'm so excited to be celebrating his 30 years of life with him. Happy Birthday to my dear sweet husband! You're my everything and I will love you always!
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I have begun a new adventure and I'm really excited. Getting more and more excited by the day really! It's official, I'm a real estate broker! Real estate has always been something that I've kept in the back of mind as something that I would love to pursue if the opportunity arose. Well, this July, that opportunity arose. A real estate class was being offered by a Realtor that I knew from my newspaper advertising days and Kevin knew from interviewing him on occasion for different stories for his newspaper. So, at the beginning of July I went back to school for real estate. Six weeks later, the class was complete, I got my certificate saying I passed the class and had to sign up to take the PSI (real estate) exam. The exam has two portions, the national and the state. I registered for the exam, arranged a babysitter and studied my heart out and went and took the test. About three hours later, I clicked submit on the computer submitting my test to be instantly graded. I looked at the computer screen in the testing room and saw the words "failed" twice. Ahh. My heart sank. I cried a bit walking out to my car and called everyone that I had told about my test and received all words of encouragement, but still I felt terrible. I took the weekend "off" from studying and went at it again. I scheduled a retest and after a lot more extensive studying, I took the test on a Saturday while Kevin watched the girls. Again, I clicked submit, and again that terrible word "failed" appeared again, twice. Ahh..not again. How big of a failure am I to fail both portions of the test not once but twice. Come on! This time, my first call was to my instructor to see what words of wisdom, if any, he had for me. We arranged to meet and go over the material on the state portion again which was very helpful. Again, I studied like crazy for both portions of the test. Again, I registered for the retest. This time I drove about an hour as compared to 30 minutes to get to the testing center. And, again I clicked submit on the test and again I saw the word "failed" but this time only once. Hallejuah! I had passed the state test and missed passing the national test by one, ONE, stinkin' point. Oh well! At least the state portion was behind me. I celebrated my success by redoing my girls' bathroom which now has bright pink walls! I was determined not to let the national test get the best of me, and so I registered yet again for another retest. This time, I looked over the materials very briefly. I have sort of a photographic memory and so lots of the questions came back to me and I looked up the answers I wasn't sure of and that's about it for my studying. So, on the day of the test, I dropped my girls off at my mother-in-law's house for her to watch them and traveled the opposite direction of my previous tests and took the national test. After clicking submit on the test, I prayed to God to please let this be the final time, just let me pass. When the results appeared on the screen, I saw the word I so wanted to see "PASS!" Hallejuah! The proctor congratulated me and I flung my arms out and gave her a hug because I was beyond thrilled and needed to hug someone. Finally, I had done it! I called Kevin and his response was "Yes!" So, finally, finally, I am a real estate broker working with Coldwell Banker. I'm working on getting my first client and I am so excited to begin this new adventure. And, still the best perk of all is getting to still stay home with my precious girlies!
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That about wraps this LONG post up. But, there is one person that I haven't mention and who my life wouldn't be complete without and that is Miss Brooklyn Marie. Brooklyn is such a spark, always trying to learn more and more, has the world's best memory, is a great dancer, a wonderful singer, funnier than ever, a wonderful, truly wonderful big sister and just an all around amazing little girl who I'm sad to say will be turning FOUR (ahh .. makes my heart ache) in December. When did this little girl grow up? When we drive by the hospital where she was born, she waves to it and blows it kisses. So sweet! She can't WAIT to start school next year, preschool that is. I've been doing some things with her at home and she's learned her how to recognize all her numbers and letters and has even learned to write a little bit and really wants to learn how to read. She's fascinated at how everything works. I want to just sit on her so she can't grow up anymore! Is that possible? She just amazes me everyday. I am so very thankful that I'm her mommy. I love her to the moon and back and then some.
