Calling all Doogie Howser, MDs...

My sweet Minnie Mr. is a puker. It has become so frequent, that it just cannot be a fluke. It seems to come out of nowhere and is not fever related. I often realize afterwards that his face looked somewhat blue and he looks like he has not slept in days before it happens. We have asked the doctor before, but with him not displaying any evidence of illness the doc tends to dismiss the issue.

Harrison almost had an episode tonight. His last episode was Wednesday at Outback Steakhouse...more specifically in their lovely landscaping. He has also had episodes in the car. The vomiting is violent, but once he finishes his color returns and he is good to go. I really want my sweet baby boy to feel better.

Anyone have any ideas?

Please Pray For Susannah

Please everyone take the time to visit Susannah's blog. This little girl and her family need our prayers. Miracles happen and I am praying for a miracle for Susannah.

Update 9-18-08: The prayers are working and sweet Susannah is hanging on. This family needs to move mountains to get Susannah out of the hospital and either into a better facility for surgery or back home. Little Susannah is very very sick and it is crucial that we all remember her and her family in our thoughts and prayers. Here is an updated picture of her playing with her stacking cups. Isn't she so adorable?

Happy Anniversary To Us!!!

We just received the best anniversary gift ever....a call from Baby Sissy. She is so stunningly beautiful and we are over the moon. I haved never received a better anniversary gift in my 6 years of marriage!

This is our second call and we fall more and more in love each day. Today she is still under the weather with a little fever, but we got to watch her eat her cereal and she blew kisses and waived goodbye to us. She is starting to look at us when we say Ma Ma or Ba Ba (Mandarin for mommy and daddy) - not so sure she is as thrilled about us as we are about her, but it's a start.

We also received an email from a new friend that met baby sissy last year in October and she sent us some wonderful pictures! We will showcase those at another time. The photo attached is from the party of a little boy that lives with her and was taken after our first call.

Piper, we love you and cannot wait to snuggle with you in person!

Psychic Palm Reading

Have you ever had your palm read? Well, I did today. I was hesitant to post about it, but thought I had to share. One of my dearest friends is very into this type of "thing." Years ago we called a psychic together to see what she had to say. I never listened again to the tape because its sort of embarrassing. However, it is and has remaining in the top drawer of my desk this whole time.

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Well, the local coupon mailer came out with a coupon for a psychic palm reader in the area. I have seen her "office" many times but have never seen anyone there. It was only $20 so I picked up two coupons and went to tell Heather. She was immediately thrilled and called to schedule our appointments.

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I tried to warn Heather what a shack this place was, but she was still a tad horrified when we pulled up. I told Heather that since I went first with the psychic years ago that she had to go first this time.

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In we went. The walls were prefab, the carpet purple, the molding didn't meet, and there was odd decor all around the place. Candles were burning - not my favorite thing as I am super sensitive because of migraines to anything perfumie. Crystal - the psychic palm reader - came of of her room and apologized that the overhead lights were broken, which was the reason for the candles. We said no problem and Heather went in the room.

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I was trying to breath through my mouth so I wouldn't smell the scented candles and get a migraine. As I sat there and looked around, I literally said to myself..."How did I get here. How did my life get to the point that at 35 I am waiting for a palm reading in this place. Why I am sitting in a tiny shack on the side of the roadway with a glowing neon light and what the heck is going on with me." I then said, "Mom, if I need to be paying attention and this is the real thing can you send me a sign. I know that signs are a big deal and you couldn't do it all the time, but one would be nice now."

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I turned back to the tv and I started feeling better. Not sure why, I just did. About 3 minutes later all of the overhead lights turned themselves on. Uuuummmm, did you catch that? The broken lights all turned on. My initial reaction....oh crap. Then a few minutes later Heather walked out all smiles and I reluctantly got up. I knew it....it was going to be bad.

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Ladies, she pegged me dead on. I was a bit freaked and starting to get a little panicky at this point and I lied. I know I shouldn't have, but the first thing out of her mouth was about my family member that I took care of last year and who am I caring for now...and wait, who was sick when I was younger that I cared for. My response: "Not sure who you are talking about." She continues to make statements, I continue to refute them.

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At this point I know I am doomed and she continues. She continues to hit everything on the head. I continue to act like she has no idea what she is talking about. In my head, I am screaming get me the heck out of here now.

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Now here is the kicker, she brought up things that I have probably only told a handful of people in my life. My response - continued denial. It then became obvious that she knew I was lying and obvious that I was lying and we ended the session. I know I should not have denied these issues and I should have continued to see what she had to so, but I panicked - I mean really panicked.

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So, out I go to the lobby where Heather is sitting. I shoot her dagger eyes and we walk out. She said just keep walking and pretend everything is normal. We get in the car and she said, "Ashley, you start first because it is fresh in your mind." I started with the light story and then about how she started out about how I have been a caregiver for my family and Heather interrupted with the following...

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"Dude, she was dead on with everything she said about me. I mean everything. She knew it all."

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Yes, we still call each other Dude - even in the office (we went to college together). I am probably the only person whose assistant calls down the call "Hey Dude, can this letter go out?"

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Anyway, we compared notes and went back to work in a haze. I would say a bit depressed, a bit scared, and a bunch of reality in the face.

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Should I go back for more? Its not like I have to admit I was lying...she is psychic and she knows...plus she called me out on it!

Tonight's Prayer

Tonight's prayer was not appropriate. Lets just say it started out like this:

Dear God,

Thank you for my armpits......It went South and I mean very South from there.

I explained to Harrison that while we were thankful for our "privates" that it really is not appropriate to be going into such detail with God since he knows exactly what Harrison has. Harrison wasn't so sure and decided to give God every name (PG style) in the book for those places. Finally, I got him back on track and he started over with a regular prayer.

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Then, we got an email that Baby Sissy had a little fever. Talk about pulling at my heartstrings. Harrison was extremely concerned and flew to the computer to see if she was on it. I asked Harrison to say another prayer for Piper and he said, "Nope, God is tired of hearing from me."

My Mona Lisa

Mona Lisa is one of the greatest loves of my life. It was just Mona and me for many, many years. Mona picked me out at the Charleston pound when I was in college. I was torn between Mona and Kristy "The Hugger." The moment I had my friend bring Mona back outside to play, I knew she had me. The sad part....its been 14 1/2 years and I still have never forgotten Kristy "The Hugger." I should have brought both girls home.

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Mona was my steady companion through the last year of college, working in Charleston, moving to Birmingham for law school, moving to the North Georgia Mtns for my first job and now moving here. I think if asked, she would choose Charleston as her favorite place. She used to be such an ocean swimmer that I would be in BIG trouble if I let her off her leash at the beach. She also liked to jump on the bellies of ladies sunning themselves - very embarrassing and very funny!

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When Mona was younger you could not let her off her leash at all or she was gone. She would always come back, but it was always a terrifying experience. My mom didn't believe me and took her on the beach for a walk. When she was in a nice area without anyone she let ML off her leash. ML ran and ran chasing all of the sea gulls. Then, she took to the water. My mom figured she was just going for a little dip. Nope, when I say ML is/was a water dog, I mean she REALLY was a water dog. She immediately started swimming and headed straight out to sea. My mom had to fly in the water after her fully clothed. She caught up to her when she was neck high. Again, very funny - my mom didn't think it was quite as funny as I did.

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When we got to Birmingham we were pleasantly surprised that we loved it. At that time in my life I was very outdoorsy and loved to be out walking, roller blading, etc. Mona Lisa was thrilled to be in the hilly "mountains" of Birmingham. We found great trails that we walked almost daily - our favorites being those with a water feature. Then, Mona Lisa got cancer.

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I found a tumor on her back leg and my vet had bad news. The needle biopsy she immediately took showed cancer cells. I held it together in the office as I schedule immediate surgery in the morning, but lost it when I called my mom. That was before I was a big boo hoo baby like I am now. Mona went into emergency surgery the next morning and came home the next day.

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Unfortunately she had a stuffed animal "boyfriend" that was calling her name late that night. She was in the middle of "sailing" --as some call it-- and she ruptured an artery through her stitches. It was like a scary horror movie. Blood flew everywhere - across me, my walls, all over the carpet and my roommate. We totally freaked, wrapped her in a blanket and took her to the emergency clinic. When we got there the blanket was soaked. Turned out the tumor had a very large blood source that became un-cauterized when she was "sailing." She was on a strict no sailing policy.

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She did well. Then over the years more tumors turned up. They felt different, but I had them removed just to be sure. No cancer. After doing this several times I now consider myself an expert on palpating a mass to determine if it is fatty or solid! All was well again until she blew her cruciate ligament in her rear leg. In again she went for surgery - this time to a specialist (ching ching) and weeks in a cast. Years later she blew the other one and again she went for more specialized surgery. This time, the result was a pink cast with decorative flowers that the specialist cut into the cast as a 'perk" as a repeat customer.

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In the past several years she has slowed down considerably. She can no longer go on long walks or jump on the furniture. She hasn't sailed in a while, but I would bet she would be interested if the right stuffed animal was left around. She still follows me like my shadow despite foggy lenses. Some teeth have fallen out and last month she started on 5 different meds night and day. In the past several years I have been told many times that she was in likely kidney failure, that she had Cushings Disease, or that it was just the end. We have had some pretty rough calls.

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But...she is my miracle. That may seem insignificant to those that are not dog lovers or insignificant that the miracle didn't make my mom or dad survive cancer, but it is what it is and I suppose that we cannot choose our miracles. Mona Lisa turns 15 this December and, as usual, she is sitting by my feet. She and Harrison adore each other and she is currently the #1 Georgia girl in her dad's eye (soon to be replaced by Baby Sissy when we make her a GA girl). I thank her and God every single day that she is still here with me. A little grayer, less teeth, "robotic" legs, and many surgical scars but she can still act like a puppy any day of the week.

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Thanks Mona Lisa for being my constant companion.

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P.S. Notice how she watches Harrison's movie with him in the car and turns to pose for the camera....brilliant...sheer brilliance :)

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P.S.S. Why does Blogger sometimes allow me to space my paragraphs and then other times I have to put the . there? Drives me nuts.

An Amazing Morning

No prayer update for me...I got home well after my Minnie Mr. was asleep. Fortunately, I just received the cutest smile from my little man in Shrek underpants and my angel just crawled on my lap for some love. I told him I could stay like that forever...he rolled his eyes. I am so lucky! The picture below is of my Minnie Mr. hanging out with Baby Sissy's lovie before we send it to her. He is carrying it everywhere so that it smells like him.

Look what I received this morning. I cannot get over how adorable she is. I know that there may come a day where there are no more pictures until we go to get her, but I simply cannot wait to post. I better get my act together...with two gorgeous kids, people are going to wonder what happened to me :)