** ** ** NEWS FLASH ** ** **

Brooklyn Marie has taken to her hands and knees!! Yes, that's right, she is crawling!! When she sees a toy, or air conditioning/heating vent, she wants she goes after it. She gets her motor running (blowing bubbles and making a razzing sound) and off she goes across the floor. She might make a couple stops along the way to investigate the carpet or to check to make sure we are watching her, then she's off again. When she finally reaches her destination, she grabs whatever she was after, sits up, looks at us, smiles, starts making the razzing sounds and does her happy dance - moving her little body up and down, side to side, like she is dancing.

She hasn't quite figured out that she can crawl wherever, but we're sure that will come real soon and we have to be prepared so what did we do last night? We went baby gate shopping. Now that our lil' punkin' is mobile, there's no telling what she will try to get in to. She's just growing up SO fast!

How can I protect her from this?

You want to know my biggest fear - raising my daughter in a world full of hate.

Even though my daughter will only be 8 months, the thought of sending her to school terrifies me simply because I can't be there to protect her from the violence, the hateful words and the bullying. In 2000, a first-grade boy in Michigan fatally shot his 6 year-old classmate after the two children had a verbal spat. He was only in first-grade, but he brought a gun to school that he took from his uncle's home where he was living. How can I protect her from this?

When I was in eighth grade, I was made the target of a nasty rumor started by the popular girls. What was the reason? To this day, I still don't know. But, I remember the first part of my eighth grade year sucked simply because I ate lunch in the bathroom behind a stall and had no real friends because everyone was so engrossed in the rumor. From that moment on, I tried to follow what my parents told me "who cares what others think of you." Mid-year, I made friends and the rumor died down and eventually went away, but the memory didn't. How can I protect her from this?

When people attack a person for who they are and what they believe, instead of having a heated discussion about their opinions, it makes me wonder what this world is coming to. I whole-heartedly believe it's okay to disagree with a person's point of view and to discuss the topic at hand. But, I do not agree with taking someone down by personally attacking them through words or actions. Every one has feelings and no matter how strong they seem on the outside, words can hurt. How can I protect her from this?

I don't have the answers. I don't know who does. What I do know is it's my responsiblity to protect her the best way I can by helping her have high self-esteem and self worth. By setting an example for her, I can only hope that this world's hate won't get her down. I would kid myself if I said that it won't from time to time, but I simply have to trust in the Lord that He will protect her when I am unable.

Pucker up!

My lil' girl has learned to give kisses. If you have ever been kissed by a baby, then you know what I mean when I say - it's the sweetest thing in the world! I ask for a kiss and she leans forward with her mouth open - she doesn't have the puckering motion figured out - and plants one on me. Ahhh... the sweeter moments in life!

Wordless Wednesday

As inspired by Jess over at O Mama Mia...

Brooklyn, our precious daughter, was born six days before Christmas. Talk about the BEST present ever!

A job?!?

Okay. I have to vent. One question: "How in the world can watching my lil' girl, the most precious girl to grace this Earth, be a JOB?" I am befuddled at the mere thought. What I would give to spend every day - all day long - with my lil' girl watching her grow, watching her learn new things while she's playing, watching as her puppy fascinates her, comforting her when she's upset, feeding her, taking her for walks, changing her diapers, putting her down for naps...and the list goes on. I would love to do it all every day. I love being her Mama - nothing in the world is more satisfying and rewarding. But, I have to work. That's not necessarily a bad thing, because it's something I am doing with Kevin to support our family and give Brooklyn all that she ever needs, and usually more. And, as Kevin pointed out to me as I was crying and crying at home before I had to return to work after my maternity leave, I worked hard to get to where I am at, and he didn't want to see me loose that. I respect that I have to work and that my lil' girl's care has to be in the hands of another, but when I hear day after day that it's a job - that's simply more than I can take. Caring for my lil' girl cranky or happy, is NOT a JOB, it's a GIFT!

The good wife's guide...

This "guide" below appeared in the May 13, 1955 issue of Good Housekeeping.
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Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready, on time for his return. This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they come home and the prospect of a good meal (especially his favorite dish) is part of the warm welcome needed.

Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so you'll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people.

Be a little gay and a little more interesting for him. His boring day may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it.

Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives.

Gather up schoolbooks, toys, paper, etc. and then run a dust cloth over the tables.
Over the cooler months of the year you should prepare and light a fire for him to unwind by. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift too. After all, catering for his comfort will provide you with immense personal satisfaction.

Prepare the children. Take a few minutes to wash the children's hands and faces (if they are small), comb their hair and, if necessary, change their clothes. They are little treasures and he would like to see them playing the part. Minimize all the noise. At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of the washer, dryer or vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be quiet.

Be happy to see him.

Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first – remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours.

Make the evening his. Never complain if he comes home late or goes out to dinner, or other places of entertainment without you. Instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure and his very real need to be at home and relax.

Your goal: Try to make sure your home is a place of peace, order and tranquillity where your husband can renew himself in body and spirit.

Don't greet him with complaints and problems.

Don't complain if he's late home for dinner or even if he stays out all night. Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through that day.

Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or have him lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him.

Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soothing and pleasant voice.
Don't ask him questions about his actions or question his judgment or integrity. Remember, he is the master of the house and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness. You have no right to question him.

A good wife always knows her place.
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It's a real eye-opener and a true testimony to how the times have changed. I treasure and love my husband dearly, but being that we both have full-time jobs as well as a family, house and dog to take care of, we both share the responsibilities. I believe I am a good wife even if I don't take off his shoes when he comes home or offer him a drink the minute he enters the house. I am most definitely happy to see him at the end of my work day, share in our day's stories, play and spend time with our lil' girl, and then end the night with a goodnight kiss before we snuggle together under the covers. These are the moments of my life I would not want to change for anything.

My dear husband hard at work...

Yes, he's the one on the floor!!!

ALL READY FOR HER MORNING WALK!

Does this house look familiar??

Curiousity got the best of me yesterday. I knew the address, I knew about where it was, so on my lunch hour, I found it - the Ramsey house. Morbid? Maybe. It really shouldn't be something that is a point of interest for tourists because after all a little girl was murdered in this house, but nevertheless, I found myself outside it wanting to know more.

The house itself was smaller than I had imagined. After all, the TV coverage showed a wide spiral staircase and 6-7 Christmas trees - one in each room. I was expecting a mansion, but what I got was a large house. Part of me wanted to get out of my car, and walk around the house, trying to see inside. Luckily, there was a 6-foot metal fence surrounding the property. I drove forward a little and saw the basement windows, which are very visible from ground level. I drove around back and headed down the alley. I was hoping for a better view, maybe an open blind. All I got was a view of the pinkish stucco that looked like an add-on to the house, the 2-car garage and trashcans. My next thought: Does someone really live here?

I headed back to the front of the house, and saw a "For Sale" sign in the yard. A couple thoughts ran through my mind: "How much is this place going for?" "Who in their right mind would buy this house - a house where a little girl was murdered?"

When I got back to my office, I looked up this property and found out the asking price is $1.7 million. This 4-level (plus the infamous basement) house has 5 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms and nearly 7000 square feet. As I scanned the listing, I was looking for something that said "great basement for stashing kids." I didn't find that, but I did notice that the address had been changed from 755 to 749. At first, I thought the listing agent was trying to pull one over on the public by changing the address to hide the history. However, one of my co-workers told me that after friends of the Ramseys bought the house, they changed the address. My next thought was I need to schedule a showing because I want to see the inside. But, as Kevin pointed out when I recapped my story to him, the listing agent probably pre-screens people to avoid showing the house to people purely interested in the history, not actually buying the house.

This year marks the 10-year anniversary of that little girl's death, and the case of her killer still hasn't been solved. Stories like this make me so sad. What could this little girl have done that outraged someone enough to murder her? My answer: NOTHING!