Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Backyard Business

We knew when we built this house that we really wanted a nice outdoor space. We knew we wanted a pool, and it just so happened that the logistics worked out for it. They came today and started digging, and hopefully in 4 more weeks, we'll be swimming!!! 


They came early and sprayed it out and then started digging! 



Madeline had to watch to make sure they were doing it right! :)


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It'll be 5 feet deep at the deepest point with a tanning ledge on one side and the stairs and a bench on the other. Diving boards and slides are a no go with homeowners insurance which is a real bummer! But we did get "free" LED lights that change colors so I am pretty pumped about that! I know I'm a loser...I can't help it! I can't wait to see it all done!!! 


Sunday, March 29, 2015

Weekend Update

We've had such a good weekend! Saturday we spent most of the day shopping for a lawn mower and a grill. Thanks to the robbery we had to replace them :( We decided to get a riding mower and I can't lie...I adore these two on it! 



Thankfully, most of our grass survived the cold winter and we planted a couple of trees that look like they're gonna make it too! 

We had Terry's dad and aunt over for dinner Saturday night and it was so nice. It was a little cold this weekend but absolutely beautiful weather. We've been trying to spend as much time as possible outside before it gets too hot! Madeline thinks she's a pro on her scooter! 


Terry's uncle is the fire chief here so Madeline got to go to an Easter egg hunt at the fire department this afternoon. She was so funny...she'd spot one egg and run past about a dozen just to get to the one she spotted. She was pretty smart though and broke off from the group. She got so much candy and she got to make a bunny cake! She had a blast...my big girl! 











Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Canoe Trip

My friend Morgan came to visit last week for her spring break and we had a good time. She wanted to really experience Florida so we took her to the beach, to get some good seafood, and of course we had to take her to the woods! Saturday we loaded up and went on a 4 mile canoe trip. Terry was helping his dad with some stuff Saturday so it was just us girls. I was a little terrified because I am not the most coordinated person and I can't remember the last time I went canoeing. Plus I've only ever been with somebody who knows what they're doing! haha 

We did it though and didn't even tip over! I do have some blisters from gripping my paddle too hard and one cut on my arm from running into a tree once but I'd say it was a pretty successful trip! :) To top it off, Madeline was on her best behavior so it really was pleasant. I didn't get many pictures - no time to paddle and take pictures but it was a really pretty day. I told Terry I definitely need a canoe now that I'm an expert! 




We did see a few turtles and two snakes. One of the snakes was on the trail above and he was sitting up looking at us. Of course, Madeline wanted to pet him and I had to explain to her that you can't pet snakes outside. She proceeded to explain to me that he probably wouldn't bite her because snakes at the zoo don't bite. I am telling you that kid is gonna be a lawyer someday... she's a master negotiator. So we had a big talk about poisonous snakes and the dangers of them. I don't want her to be scared but I don't want her trying to hug an alligator either. She's definitely my kid! 





Saturday, March 21, 2015

Hair cut and the beach

Just get ready to see pretty much only blog posts about the beach because that's all Madeline wants to do. She has no fear of the water and would just live on the beach if she could. We're working on teaching her a healthy respect for the water....so far she thinks she can swim from one side of the gulf to the other. 




Btw - no clue why she wore her panties under her bathing suit...sigh. 



Yesterday we were trying to kill some time while Terry's dad had his procedure so I took Madeline to the mall to get her hair cut. On the way in, she ran right into someone's side view mirror. I thought she was being a little dramatic by the way she cried but then when they pulled her hair back I felt a little bad, especially since I laughed when it happened. I know that makes me a bad mom but I just couldn't help myself - she wasn't even looking where she was going and that is exactly the kind of thing that happens to me a lot! #shegotitfromhermomma


I really love long hair on little girls but Madeline's hair just looks SO sweet short. My baby is so big!!

Terry's Dad

Some of you are already praying, but thought I'd update on Terry's dad. He had his right hip replaced on Feb 2nd and developed some calcium deposits in that hip. The treatment for that is low dose radiation so his dr sent him for a consultation with a radiation oncologist to get it done. The radiation oncologist noticed some weakness on Terry's dad's right side - not just the hip but his arm too so he thought he may have had a TIA - a small stroke. So he sent him for a MRI - the MRI place sent him home because they didn't think he could have one so close to surgery. So I called the next day, got an order for a CT because a TIA is kind of a medical emergency so I was pretty shocked they sent him home. 

Anyway, long story short Terry took him and before they were even out of there 10 minutes, the dr had already called to tell them there were 3 spots on Terry's dad's brain that appeared to be cancer and they needed to go the ER. Madeline and I were at the zoo with my parents and when Terry called I pretty much fell into the bench behind me from shock. We wrapped up our zoo trip and headed to ER in Pensacola where they told us there was another mass on Terry's dad's lung. He would have to stay in the hospital because of swelling on his brain. During his hospital stay, the did a lung biopsy and confirmed cancer but it is non-small cell lung cancer which is a slower growing kind of cancer. They said they just assume that what's in the brain is the same is what's in the lung since lung cancer almost always goes to the brain when it metastasizes. There were 3 brain tumors - 2 "tiny" ones and a large one in his frontal lobe. The one in the frontal lobe is the one causing the right sided weakness. According to his neurosurgeon, it would have to be reduced in size to respond well to radiation.

So this week he had a needle aspiration of the large tumor on his frontal lobe on Wednesday which shrunk that tumor by about half. He did well and stayed overnight in ICU and got to come home Thursday. Yesterday, he had a gamma knife procedure - which is basically mega radiation and we'll know in a month how well it worked. The dr seemed pretty positive about it so we are too. His radiation oncologist will start working on the lung tumor next week for a few weeks with radiation and he'll finish with a round of chemo. His oncologist is optimistic about what's to come and we are prayerful and hopeful too. 

So to say we covet your prayers is an understatement. I am heartbroken for Terry, his Dad, and his sister. But God is good - I hope no matter what satan puts in our life, I can remember that. Thank God for His timing - we get to be here with his Dad. We also have so much extended family here that have been incredibly supportive and helpful. I know that God already has this worked out, but in the meantime we are just taking it day by day.