18 MONTHS!

Our baby girl is 18 months..!! Whooo where does time go?

We had her check-up this morning and she is way beyond all the goals she needs to meet. She needs to be at a vocabulary around 15 words they said and she exceeds 80 (Yes! I HAVE counted)! Graysen didn’t seem to care for her doctor this time around. Being with military insurance you NEVER see your actual doctor more than once. It seems you will always see that person once, and then never see them again until you’ve been switched providers, and then you see them once and NEVER again! A pain really! She didn’t want the lady touching her AT all, and wouldn’t even talk to her; she just threw a nasty little fit. Then when it was time to go Graysen’s temper disappeared and she told her Doctor “BYE!” and walked out the door!

Luckliy, well for me, she only had to get one shot today. That went pretty smoothly she cried for a minute but then she was over it and telling those ladies “BYE!” I also had to get her blood drawn today, they need to check to make sure she’s not anemic since she didn’t gain much weight and she has the WORST eating habits. She is very good with eating fruits but I’m not sure the last time I got a veggie in her that wasn’t a “one serving of your daily vegetable” in pizza, hot pocket, or ravioli’s!  She did better with the blood drawing then I EVER have!

On the home front of news Brandon had a possible chance of being selected to go IA to Iraq for a year. We found out a couple weeks ago, and he was just notified that it was canceled. I think he would have liked to have gone, but for me… I’m very glad I can breathe again. It would have been good for his career but really hard on the family life and me trying to finish school since he would have left THIS JUNE!

I leave for Hawaii in just a few short days. I’m already having baby withdraws. I have a lot to focus on for when I get back but hopefully I can make time for relaxation! Summer is right around the bin, we really need to get this house completed with those little “tasks” that need to be done; flower beds, grass, new fence and exterior paint (UHG)! Once I get back I also start ANOTHER class which I will be taking on Saturdays. WHY in the world did I do that? Let me tell you.. I didn’t realize I’d be spending my every waking moment in open labs to study, that’s including at least 4 hours on my Sunday’s that I’ve been spending there these last few weeks. Unfortunately I don’t see that routine of studying changing any, I do need it, and it helps!  We will see how it pans out I suppose!

For one last topic/story! Those of you who know me know that I’m a very “routine” and “organized” person. I like to be ten minutes early, I hate when plans are broken last minute, I HAVE to have plans don’t really do things “spur of the moment”. Well this last weekend we had a birthday party to attend of a friend of ours. It was her daughters 1^st birthday, and then Paul (the dad) his birthday is this week as well. So they were going to have one big birthday, do the Gabriella’s birthday and then we could put the little ones to bed and we could all enjoy ourselves, have a few drinks. I’ve always been hesitant on this because I have raised Graysen in a very “routine”, almost “strict” way, so I wasn’t sure how she’d do not being “on schedule”. BUT ladies and gentlemen, I was willing to TRY it! Let’s just say it was a wonderful birthday, but when it came to that bed time Graysen was SO confused, and NOT having it! I tried to do some of the same “routine” I would do at home but it didn’t work. She got so upset/crying that she ended up getting sick, therefore we had to call it a night and take her home where she curled up with me, watched TV for a little bit just fine, and walked herself right back to her bedroom where she wanted to go to bed! I LOVE having such a good schedule/routine for her but moments like that I’m not sure it’s ever a good idea! Ha!

Anyway that’s the wrap up for right now, there will be more soon!

Facebook Findings

I should start this one by saying this is not me “beating a record” by writing two days in a row! This one is more of something I just need to get off my chest and express to those who care and just want to read.

This morning I woke up and was ready for the world. My phone beeped at me to let me know it was a friend’s birthday. I know VERY few birthdays, I’m starting to even forget my own. I looked at the time, too early to call. So I jumped on Facebook. Even Facebook at a reminder that it was her birthday, WoooHooo I was on top of it! I get on her page and write:

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY LADY!! I do miss your face and hope you are having a wonderful  day!”

Underneath me her brother, whom I never met wrote

“Happy Birthday….I miss you.”

This got my attention, therefore I became a snoop! The last time I talked to Danielle phone wise was in December. Graysen actually called her; we ended up talking for a good while catching up. Since then we caught up here and there on Facebook. That was us, catch and go. Through my snooping around I realized that maybe I wasn’t that great of a friend. Danielle Bull passed away a month and half ago. It was a load of emotion that hit me, and is still overwhelming me; anger at myself and sadness for all those who knew and loved her.

We met in the Ohio airport. Well, we were sitting in the terminal area and I was talking to a guy that was going to the same place as me. We were headed to Piney Point MD to do some cruise line training. D was listening to our conversation and she asked me. “You’re from Colorado?” and me being hesitant said “yessss.” She got excited and said “Me TOO!” We then started talking and we were both from Colorado, she graduated at Western State (I went there for a year, the year she graduated). She knew people from my tiny hometown. I think I was a little freaked out at first, and maybe she was too. All I know is fate brought us together. We grew closer throughout the cruise line training, made some wonderful friends but I left keeping in touch with very few and she was in that list.

After the cruise line deal she was staying out in Hawaii in hotels with a few other people. I told her I’d go back out there, and I did. Unfortunately she didn’t stay out there for more than a week. She went back to Colorado, saved some money and did what she loved, traveled. She went back to Australia for school. She had done a study abroad program there in College and she LOVED it! Always talked about it, I always told her to have a couch so I could come and visit!

Through the distance D and I kept in touch. She met up with me and met my future husband when I went back to Colorado. I’m truly surprised she approved, HA we all went bowling that night and she showed up a little later, a little later meaning my wonderful husband was already drunk. She saw him and recognized him from my photos on-line, so she said “Brandon?” I GUESS he thought she was the waitress and said “ya, another pitcher!!”  Overall it was another great, memorable night with her.

The last time I saw her was two years ago. Long over do! She came to Brandon and I’s wedding in Las Vegas.  It was a wonderful time, and I was so happy she had come to be there and support me. We had a very small wedding, and for her to come, it meant so much to me. Honestly, more than words can even describe.

Danielle,

You are SUCH a BEAUTIFUL person in and out. You are a wonderful friend and I can’t wait to catch up with you again. You are so friendly and have such spunk. You make me laugh no matter the situation. Adventurous, courageous, loyal and true are only a few words I can use to describe you. You are and will always be in my heart. My prayers and blessings go to your family, and to all of those who had a chance to know you.

A Spiritual Journey

Life is a spiritual journey from

the first day of our birth,

Life is a spiritual journey on this

beautiful planet called earth.

Life is a spiritual journey -

we're here to learn all we can,

Life is a spiritual journey -

a special gift from God to man.

Faye Kilday

RIP Danielle Bull

First attempt!!

Here it goes! This is my first attempt at the "blogging" idea, minus writing a few things to "update" when I had my Myspace account...

Days in the Saul household seem to be passing by me at a very fast pace. Taking care of Graysen during the day and going to school at night puts it's weight on my shoulders, but I am not complaining one bit. I am blessed that I have a beautiful family, and even more blessed that I am able to go to school with a child. The motivation drags somedays, yet I'm not sure if I "regret" not getting school out of the way with sooner, when I attempted the first time and quit. Then when I look back on it... I was just going to school to go to school, that's what you were supposed to do after High School right? I'm glad I did my thing, and lived a little bit because the Business degree that I thought I wanted wouldn't have done me much justice in the medical field that I have my eyes set on now! I know everyone says "things happen for a reason" but I don't think I grasp that until things in my life actually happen in that fashion.

On the baby note, Graysen is doing great! Besides these little colds she's been getting in this new year, she is growing and developing so fast! I never realized how fast they grow and how neat it is to see her try new things, and problem solve. She puts a smile on my face every day. Miss G is in a "mocking" stage right now though so I REALLY have to watch my mouth!  She will at least attempt so say every word you say, she is even more involved when she's in a new environment and you are pointing things out to her. She thinks she's "bigger" then what she is; At the park the other day dad joined us and she wanted to go on the swings, but NOT the baby swings. You put her in there and she would cry and say DOWN DOWN DOWN!! So dad put her on the big kid swings, and amazingly she did awesome! UNTIL she saw me, said MOM! and just let go :-(  Face flat into the dirt/wood chips! She holds on good but just didn't realize she can't just let go haha. I laugh but I did feel really bad! The tears lasted less then a minute, but the tears started pouring more when she got back up to do it again and I wouldn't let her! She's my tough cookie that's for sure!

March 5th I leave on my "vacation" I'm not to sure how I'm going to handle not having a baby on my hip and huband on my side. I'm going out to Hawaii to spend some time with a wonderful friend. I will be staying on Oahu for only a night and then we are going to Kauai (where her and I vacationed last time) to spend the rest of the week. I am more then ready to relax and be able to sit back and talk story. I'm not as "social" as I once was, belive it or NOT! haha I don't have a whole lot of friends here in VA so it will be great to spend time with Laycie, some girl time is MUCH needed. We have a few hikes planned which I'm very excited for, and of course some geocaching, my newest hobby WHEN I have time!!

That wraps the FIRST ATTEMPT up!! I will try to be on top of this blogging process! Thanks Christine, Cherise and even Tatianne! :-)