Funny

Mom(me): "Carpenter did you toot?"

Carpenter: giggling and ignoring me

Sadie: "Car- pend - ter, it's a yes or no? A YES or a NO?"
in her most serious voice

Right Now

Right now I am utterly exhausted! I have just put my kids to bed! Which is way behind schedule because they always go to bed at 8pm on the dot. (Should I let Marley stay up later? Jon says yes, I say no way!) My mom and dad watched the kids this evening so I could try to get everything packed for our trip to the beach! Thanks bunches! I have a vertical pile for every one's clothing! UGH! I had big plans tonight: iron said clothes, pack them in suitcases, fold clothes that need to be put up, and so on. But I am so tired. The kids were really dirty, so we had a late bath. And I am just whooped out! Plus Marley has her all star softball tournament, starting tomorrow night! Just wondering how and when I am going to get it all done! It is hard to pack and load for 6 people by myself!

But atleast I get to go see Mrs. Beth and get my haircut! It has literally been forever! So hopefully that will refresh me!

I am getting back in the blogging world and catching up on every one's blog! Hope everyone is doing well!

Ground Breaking Ceremony

Here is a cute picture of the girls with their Pop-Pop! It pays to have the mayor as their Pop-Pop!


Mary Gary Long gets some help shoveling dirt from his granddaughters. The City of Fountain Inn held a Ground Breaking Dedication Ceremony for the Fountain Inn Commerce Park and Historical Center on Depot Street.

Link to article!

Will be posting more! I have been on a reading high for a while!

Okay, am I just a good advertisement for BC?

I have been wanting to post this subject for a while!

Am I just a good advertisement for Birth Control??

Picture this:
Mom is running late because had to change poo diaper.
Mom is putting the kids in the car and gets wiped with snot and dirt.
Mom runs into house to put on old frumpy shirt and wishes she could still wear cute new shirt.
We are at softball practice with Marley.
Jon is coaching.
Mom wants to watch said practice.
Mom has 3 little kids.
Mom makes visual account for children every few seconds.
Mom is unable to watch practice but wants her daughter to know she is there for her.
Sadie has her blue jeans on backwards because that is how she put them on. She changes her clothes so often that I was just scrambling to get them in the car.
Carpenter throwing sand. Time out 2 times.
Sadie and Carpenter throw rocks at each other. Timeout.
Rowan is not listening and thinks he can run all over.
Sadie has to go pee.
Luckily male friend of ours watches the boys.
I come back and discover I am a good reason for birth control awareness.

Thinking how nice it would be....
if the kids all had matching clothes on.
NO Stains.
NO timeouts.
Were loving, sharing, kind to each other.
Never moved out of place so I could watch.

I came home and felt defeated. I don't want people to see the chaos but to see happiness. Tells self I can not be a reincarnated 50's television mother.

I am me. And that will have to be good enough.

Why don't I feel any better?

Coming back!

I will be coming back to the blog world now! Not sure why I needed a break!

Here are some awesome pics my cousin Chelsea took:




Here is a link to here flickr page: Chelsea

Mr. President, I know you didn't

I can't believe that President Obama made that statement about the Special Olympics in such a derogatory fashion. But then again, I can believe it. It just really saddens me.

I know that this is the United States of the Offended. But there is only so much I can take. When people reference special needs people in such a hateful matter. I have have no respect for them.

Part of the Statement from the Special Olympics:
"Words hurt and words matter. Words can cause pain and result in stereotypes that are unfair and damaging to people with intellectual disabilities. And using "Special Olympics" in a negative or derogatory context can be a humiliating put-down to people with special needs."

from Special Olympics chairman Timothy Shriver

There is one quick way to start a fight with me. Use the unforgivable word "retard!" It just sends my temper through the roof! I don't even like the word spoken carelessly. It to me is one of the worst "bad words" possible.

I have more to say about this, but I will have to write after the kids go to bed tonight!

Am I easily offended or just a born warrior who can not stand injustice?

Hello Blog World!

Sorry it has been forever since I blogged about our life. I guess I wonder if anyone cares. And then I remind myself that I do this for me. For my self!

Some random thoughts:(don't laugh)

1. How much snot really can a child have? I mean does it ever stop? The past few weeks I am sick and tired from wiping my kids noses! It is just like a faucet!

2. Do people really buy meat out of a truck? I mean, everyone is happy to have a job right now, and I am not belittling it. But really who buys that stuff? Something about some strange person coming to your door and saying they have some extra steaks, just makes me think that they are not healthy to eat.

3. Coffee. I don't understand coffee. I never have and never will. My dad loves coffee. I never drank the stuff, afraid it would stunt my growth. I just don't see how these coffee places make it. Who pulls over on their busy way to a store that just has coffee. And for $4 bucks! I can buy a whole meal for that at McDonald's!

Health update:

Sadie's salivary glad is clogged and infected! Who knew? Doc said it is usually viral but could lead to a staph infection so he gave her some antibiotics. It hasn't gone down yet! She is pitiful and in pain!


Gran has hurt her back pretty good! Please pray for her recovery.

Also please pray for the Tipping Family. Courtney and Allen were going to have 6 beautiful children. 2 of them passed away a day or two ago. And then they lost the remaining 4 babies this morning. I can not fathom the loss that they are feeling right now. Please pray for strength and peace for them! In moments like this you have to say "God is in control," because it is hard to understand their deaths through human eyes. But God knows all.

Wordless Wednesday!

Tucker loves the Elmo chair!!

Please Welcome the Newest Member of the Long Family: Tucker

Last week, Marley's dream came true! She got a dog! I have never known a child who wanted a dog so much. She tells everyone that every time she has prayed for a dog, she gets a sibling in return!!! Can you believe that!?! We wanted to wait and get a dog until we got a new house, that was the deal. Her father caved. So now I am stuck with four kids and a new puppy who barks at night(did that sound bitter?)! Lovely! At least Marley is happy!

Tucker sleeping

Marley and Tucker. I am not sure where the name Tucker came from. She always makes a new list of what kind of dog she wants and name possibilities. I don't remember her ever saying the name, Tucker, but I like it!

Diagnosis

I can vividly remember when the doctor told us that he thought Carpenter had Down Syndrome. And also remember when our favorite geneticist, Dr. Geer, came in to tell us about Down Syndrome.

That day was filled with alot of emotion. Trying to suck in all the information he gave us. Trying to remember the resources out there and to seek them. Jon and I accepted Carpenter's diagnosis before we even got the chromosome results back. That was our beautiful son, Carpenter Brooks, and he was ours given by God.

Some parents have a hard time with the diagnosis. To each is their own. Everyone deals with the diagnosis in different ways: acceptance, ignorance, denial, apathy, and so on.

The first time I walked into CDS, I realized how lucky I was that my son had Down Syndrome. I know that may seem crazy to some people. But others know when you are blessed.

I am happy that my son has a diagnosis! I am happy we have guidelines to expect, no matter how wonderful or telling they are. We have a support group, we have parents who understand, we have wonderful doctors that see our children just as they are, we have a wonderful supportive family. We have alot.

There are alot of families that do not have a diagnosis. That do not have a remote guideline for their child. Gosh, sometimes I really don't know how they do it.

So here I type, thankful.....

Random Stuff

I have been full of ideas for posts in my head. When I am driving down the road I convey my thoughts so clearly, but when I get ready to post the energy to write is gone for some reason.

Sadie:
Everyone of Sadie's baby dolls is named "Sadie!" She will not name them anything other than that. I mean Marley had a ton of creative names. But Sadie just want the babies to be "Sadie!" They are her dolls and so that is what they are named. Does that say anything about her personality???

Rowan:
Rowan is just growing by leaps and bounds. He is very funny. He can sneak around and climb anything in his path. No fear! He thinks he is bigger then he is. Rowan keeps wrestling his brother and sister with his famous "choke hold" move. I am enjoying my extra alone time with him while everyone else is in school. I feel it is very important to have special time with each child.

Rowan also has "Edward Cullen's" crooked smile. I can just see the future with the girls he gives that smile to. Don't want to think about any of them growing up.

Carpenter:
We have had some upsetting news about alot of therapy cuts because of the budget crisis. I will write more about this later. We lost our SI. And now therapy has been cut and it just doesn't seem fair(but life isn't fair, is it?). Carpenter has also had a lot of pain in his feet lately. He has shoe inserts, but sometimes I(bad mother) forget to change them out of the different pairs of shoes. Carpenter seems to be talking alot more. We go through phases where I see some improvement and then we go through lulls.

Marley:
Marley managed to make all A honor roll while having alot of absences. I am very proud of her. She is still loving her wii. It really has been fun for the whole family. We took it over to my parents for a pre-super bowl wii playoff. I think softball sign ups will be pretty soon!

***************************

It is pretty bad that getting a wii makes you want to get a new television. We have this ancient TV in the front den. It is really old! And man, do you want a better TV!!!! But our TV is not broken nor do we have the money to replace it. So we will play the wii on old reliable.

Not really impressed with the commercials from the Super Bowl(I am pulling for Kurt). Looking forward to the new Transformers movie.

Taylor, can't wait to see the new Star Trek movie with you and mom. Inside joke, lol!!

Read this Blog

Usually, I am not one for extending my blog reel. I usually read the blogs I know alot but don't do in search of looking for ones. I started my Internet Explorer and my homepage is aol. And this blog, matt logelin , was put up there and I happened to take a glance.
This is the description from aol:
Matt and Madeline - Life, Love and Death on a Blog (click on link to read the full article)
by Caroline Howard Jan 29th 2009 3:00PM

Categories: Newborns, Just for dads, Pregnancy & birth

Mattlogelin.com, like many personal blogs, is an open diary of everyday stories and domestic snapshots meant for a closed circle of family and friends. But here it departs from the ordinary and takes a different and difficult storyline.

On March 24, 2008, Matt Logelin posted on the joyous arrival of his and wife Liz's new baby. Madeline was born small -- 3 lbs. 14 oz. -- but healthy. The blog took a horrific turn when Liz died one day later after a lethal blood clot lodged in her lung. "It's an understatement to say my life has changed," he told ParentDish.com. "I had a birth and a death in 27 hours."

I have only made it to page 4 of the older posts, and was already crying. Make sure you read the Christmas Eve and Christmas posts.

I totally don't agree with him politically and find it sad that he doesn't believe in God and that His son died on the cross to save us. But I do find that his blog hit a nerve with me.

Boys Will Be Boys!

This started off with Rowan pulling off some awesome wrestling skills for a 15th month old. Then with Carpenter getting revenge with Zurberts(sp?)! I sat there amazed at my boys playing together. Then I got my blackberry out and filmed it! I can't believe they are old enough to do that!

Isn't it Ironic!

My father got out of St. Francis yesterday, a little after 1pm. We are really excited to have him home. On Saturday, the 18th, my dad had a 2 hr 45 minute surgery, to clean the walls of his lungs, and remove the fluid (which was like a yello like consistency), they also put 2 ports in to let the lungs drain. He looks a lot better and will slowly regain his strength.

At 6:45 pm, I had to take Marley up to St. Francis. I guess this is the ironic part, we finally get my dad home and are celebrating. Then Marley has been spitting up blood all day. During the middle of the night, she had an episode of blood coming our her throat and nose. But when she got home the blood was coming up quite a bit, and finally a whole bunch came out her mouth and nose. I had called the doc, and I finally decided to go to the ER. So I dropped the kids off at Gran's(thank you Gran and Pop-Pop!), and off course it stops bleeding when are able to see the doc. We had the greatest doctor and nurse at the ER! They were very kind. They couldn't really tell where the blood was coming from. She had a lot of blood go into her stomach. She was feeling really sick to her stomach. Finally, she threw up a whole bunch, and felt better. She looked really pale!

This morning we had to go to the doc office all the way in Easley(my first trip there!), and she has to stay out of school the rest of the week. I am worried she will get behind in school! She is not allowed to play her wii, and she is upset about that.



Hopefully everything will get better! Thanks for all the prayers.

Sorry Marley, I know this may be embarrassing later! Dang camera phones and big mouthed moms!

Chuck E Cheeses!

We took Sadie tonight to celebrate her big day at Chuck E Cheeses! Not too may pics because we had our hands full! Thank you Gran for coming!


Having fun!

The adorable cake!

Sadie's edible crown!

Happy Birthday Sadie May!

I just wanted to tell Sadie how much I love here, maybe she will read this when she is a few years older!
Sadie, you are so funny and delightful! You truly have a wonderful sense of humor. Your dad and I are totally amazed at some of the stuff you say. You love your siblings. I love seeing you all play together. You challenge me alot as a parent. I thank God for you! What an adorable little girl you are! My sweet pea! I love it when you call Rowan, "Buddy!" And tell me that "you need to go buy some more money," as if it were that simple! You will give anyone a run for their money. You are very girlie but yet very wild and adventurous! Now if you could stop making gigantic messes I would be very happy(killing the fish with glue, writing all over herself with black marker)!






We are going to Chuck E Cheeses tonight to celebrate! Anyone want to join us? I know every parent loves going there.

Sadie loves her new dora bike!

Marley's Birthday Party

Marley had a wonderful birthday party. We started out with cake and pizza at Gran's house and then to the movie theatre for the rest of her party. We got to go on a tour of the movie theatre, get a piece of film, see how the movies still came on 20 minutes reels(I thought it would have been digital by now), and she also got to start a movie! It was really neat. The girls really enjoyed Hotel for Dogs!




Marley's cute dog cake! And it tastes awesome too!

Photo Tag for Kelly

Anyone can do it!

Here are the rules:

1. Go to your 4th picture folder


2. Use the 4th picture in the folder


3. Tell us about your picture!


4. Pass it on!
Here is the 4th in my 4th...



I thought it was funny that the pic was one of Jon and myself. We don't have too many of these. It is from on my birthday at the Hootie concert. That feels like forever ago!

Happy Birthday Marley Ann!

***I will have to write longer later but Rowan has a stomach bug, nasty, nasty!***

I just wanted to wish my first born a wonderful birthday! I can not believe she is 9! She will be a decade next year. I know it sounds cliche when you ask "where has the time gone?" But really, where has it? My sweet first born, I love you dearly, even though you kick me hiney in wii!








Please also remember my dad in your prayers, he is being admitted again into the hospital due to heavy fluid in his lungs. We don't have a game plan yet, we are waiting on a ct scan. I will keep you all updated! Thanks again!

Hitting Home

This was the verse on the program of the first official service for Capstone:
Psalm 39:4
"Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered - how fleeting my life is."

Did Walt mention this verse just for me?

I have felt this way a bunch since all of the health stuff with my dad. I keep refocusing on the fact to live everyday to the fullest, life is precious, and we are here to serve and glorify Him.

This verse is etched in my brain. Yet, I sit here tonight having a pity party for myself! I will get over this foul mood that creeps up on my train of thought.

I have more exciting stuff to write about Capstone! But I will wait til I am less annoyed. I will write happier posts! Promise!

I also need to write about the Twilight book series!

Christmas 08

Here is a cute video of Sadie singing "I want to wish you a Merry Christmas," notice what Carpenter thinks of Sadie's singing. Sorry it is so dark!


Christmas at the Long's








Uncle Bobby!

Amy and Lee

Carpenter loves Gran's Food

Christmas morning

Jonathan's new shoes

Sadie was dying for an umbrella

Marley loves her wii! It is so much fun!








Memas











Sorry I don't have time to write captions and other things about Christmas! I am trying to catch up on everything! Hope to post more later! I am enjoying listening to my husband snore!