Take the time.

Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who could not hear the music. ~Angela Monet

I saw this quote the other day and I like it... a lot. I tend to be a get-up-and-go type of person... adventurous, I suppose. If there is something I want to do... I do it. If there is somewhere I want to go... I find a way to get there.

And I don't let anything hold me back. 

I have had this conversation with a few friends and family lately... about living life to the fullest. C'mon on along... let's do this... what are you waiting for... you deserve it!



NYC girl's weekend, anyone?



One of my greatest, bestest friends from Texas... McKenna... flew up this past weekend for a girl's weekend. Our friend Rachel and her friend Katie joined us... we had an amazing weekend!

On our way up to NYC to meet Katie.

Some artsy roll-around-on-your-friends exhibit.

Strolling the city streets, cafe lunches, traffic jams, Central Park, street performers, Times Square, architecture, street parades, M&M store fixes, naked cowgirls and cowboys, Serendipity, crazy cab drivers. All things NYC.









Note to self: Never lay down on a bench to capture a shot of the entire Rockefeller Center building again... you will be yelled at by security for laying on a bench.







This gentleman wanted some beer. He got mad at us for trying to take his picture without placing money in his cup. You want picture, you pay. We had to get inconspicuous and he knew it... he was holding his sign up backwards to cover his face. It was hilarious.

I reckon we were feeling a wee bit crazy that night.



On our way out of the city Sunday, we went to the World Trade Center Memorial site. I was there a few years ago and it is still just as crazy to imagine how things unfolded that 9/11 day when you are standing there.

Fire station that is on the street that runs along the World Trade Center site.

Throw a few chicks in a car in NYC and all bets are they will get lost. Yup, we did. Over this bridge, back over that bridge, down this street, oops missed that turn. The benefit of that is that you get to see lots of the different parts of the city. And bring along a Texas girl and she thinks she can hop out of the car to take pictures of a bunch of city kids playing a pick up game of basketball. Umm, hey white girl... get back in the car.



*ahem*

We headed on over to New Jersey to see our boyfriends Sunday night. It was sweet nostalgia... all four of us girls were huge New Kids on the Block fans as young gals, so being able to come together to see them with the Backstreet Boys was so much fun.



Yes, I love Jordan. I have never tried to deny that. Ha.

*insert 12 year old screeching eek! here*



Hey girls, can we make this an annual thang?

Music to my ears.

I woke up at 4 o'clock this morning with knots in my stomach. The anticipation of Payton's eligibility meeting for her kindergarten transition was killing me. The transition meetings are two-fold... first there is eligibility to deem her eligible for special education services and to reassign her a label... and then there is her IEP meeting... during which the dreaded placement is determined.

Several weeks ago... I consented to a full battery of psychological testing on Payton. I was not exactly sure I did the right thing in consenting to the cognitive piece, as I do not necessarily agree that performing an IQ test on a 5 year old with Down syndrome is a reliable thing to do. Nonetheless... I consented because I was confident in Payton and her abilities.

Payton and her amazing teacher of two years

Going into today's eligibility meeting, I was so afraid that they were going to throw this unreliable IQ number across the table and claim that she automatically fell into an ID (intellectually disabled) label... which is the new MR (mentally retarded) label. Currently, Payton has a DD (developmentally delayed) label... as does every other preschool child with special needs.

Long story short... the time constraints did not allow the psychologist to conduct the cognitive testing. I was freakin elated... normally time constraints would not fly with me, but for this... I'll take it since I was not sure I really wanted it. So the outcomes were completely based on reporting of Payton's teacher, the social worker, me and the bits and pieces that the psychologist has seen Payton.

Payton and one of her classroom aides of two years

The psychologist handed me her report and began speaking. She went through the scores and went on and on about how well Payton has done. Her scores average out just slightly below average... and whew... open the freakin flood gates! I covered my face with the report and couldn't keep it in... I was ecstatic. I brought the paper away from my face and the psychologist asked me, "Are those happy tears or sad tears?" Happy tears, of course! And then the social worker started crying... and then Payton's teacher started crying.

How did we get so freakin lucky!?! I freakin love them. I love that they see the Payton that I see.

Payton and one of her classroom aides of two years

Based on all of this, the social worker said, "We cannot even consider the ID label. Payton's scores are way too high." Oh.my.goodness those words were music to my ears. Not because I am in denial over Payton's progress or her diagnosis... but because I do not want her tagged with a bulls eye on her forehead. It should not be that way... but sadly, it often is.

So we remain with a DD label and we will reevaluate before she turns 7 years old. Good by me! Next up: reconvene next week to set IEP goals and determine placement.

Consumption.

We have been consumed by baseball. A good consumption. But consumed, nonetheless. Our mantra has been... There's a difference between interest and commitment. When you're interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstance permit. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results.



Mason has officially hit the age of really competitive sports. Granted, it seems most of the competition is among the parents. It gets a wee bit crazy.



He has thrown himself into baseball and works every.single.day on improving himself. He is lucky to have his dad as a coach... wish I had known my husband in his baseball star days. That's hawt. Ha. 



Along with league ball, he is playing on a travel tournament team. The competition is intense, as is the time commitment. But we all love it, and we are really lucky to have an awesome group of kids and parents on our team.



Hello bleacher butt... it's gonna be long, hot summer. But I wouldn't have it any other way.

one spring day.

Hey birdie birdie...

Life as I know it is crazy. I have been trying to post pictures of our spring break trip for oh... several weeks now. Yeah... can't quite seem to finish it.

So today... today, I would like to introduce you to a bird.

We have been pounded with rain. I am pretty sure it has rained more in the past several weeks than it has in the last 11 years that we have lived here. After yet another torrential downpour yesterday afternoon... we headed outside to play while we had our chance.

Hey birdie birdie.



As I stepped out onto our porch... I heard the chirpings of a baby bird. As soon as he saw me... he hopped right on over like he had been waiting to greet me. I admit... I was a little freaked out and was waiting for him to peck me.



I ran back inside the house and the dude seriously came after me! You know those moments where you think to yourself, "Is this really happening to me right now?"

Yeah... totally that kind of moment.



I had no idea what to do with this little guy. He couldn't fly more than a foot or two and he seemed to be starving. His chirpings told me so. Ha.



So feed the baby birdie we did. A worm...



Some wet bread...



Yeah... we were clueless. We later found a nest in a neighbors tree and placed the birdie there. We did not really think that was where he belonged... but figured maybe he would find a foster mommy. Ha.

The little dude was not there today though... hope he found his way. Anything had to have been better than the bucket we offered him.



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Please keep Kirill and the Davis family in your prayers as they travel back to Russia and appear in the Russian Supreme Court for their appeal hearing on May 24th. Tesney and Greg are so thankful for the blessings you gave in raising nearly $20,000 for their appeal. Thank you again... a million times over!

And... if you are feeling lucky and wanting to help another orphan and have a chance at winning a DSLR camera... this time a Nikon D3000 or a $500 gift card to B&H Photo. What what!

Renee is hosting a fundraiser for the Walters family... they are adopting Dillon... a handsome little guy that happens to have Down syndrome. They travel in two days and are $6,000 short. So what do ya say... can we help this sweet family get Dillon home?

For each $5 donation... you will get a chance at winning the Nikon D3000 or a $500 gift card to B&H Photo... or a slew of other great prizes. Awesome!



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Goodnight!