Sunday, August 7, 2011

Keeping Up


Anna received her 100% cardboard Adaptive Design chair we told you about a few posts ago...


It can hold up to 2,000 pounds! Thankfully Anna's only around the 20 pound mark. 


Gabe is growing like a weed! He went from size 5's to 7's in 2 months. 
His waist is itty bitty and his legs are long and lean.


All summer long, we've kept the local grocers on their ordering toes with the ONE brand of baby food that has the ONE flavor Anna will eat.


Anna got her first major haircut at the beginning of summer. She laughed the whole time.


Gabe graduated from kindergarten! We are so proud of him.
He also turned 6 on June 22 and Anna turned 3 on July 25.
Birthdays... sigh.

As for me and the Manny, I think everyone knows this by now but I started a new job. I'm a full-timer now and the adjustment has been a big one for everyone. We are happy but busy and all still adjusting I think. "Change" has been a big theme in our lives this summer: I went to work full-time, Gabe graduated kindergarten and baseball ended, Manny is now on 2 shows until December - The View and The Jeremy Kyle Show which we are so grateful for and proud of him, and Anna starts school in September. With everything happening all at once, we are doing our best to keep up. 

Today at Mass the readings were so applicable to our lives:
1st Reading, 1 Kgs 19:9a, 11-13a
At the mountain of God, Horeb,
Elijah came to a cave where he took shelter.
Then the LORD said to him,
“Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD;
the LORD will be passing by.”
A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains
and crushing rocks before the LORD—
but the LORD was not in the wind.
After the wind there was an earthquake—
but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
After the earthquake there was fire—
but the LORD was not in the fire.
After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound.
When he heard this,
Elijah hid his face in his cloak
and went and stood at the entrance of the cave.

Gospel, Mt 14:22-33
After he had fed the people, Jesus made the disciples get into a boat
and precede him to the other side,
while he dismissed the crowds.
After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.
When it was evening he was there alone.
Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore,
was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it.
During the fourth watch of the night,
he came toward them walking on the sea.
When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified.
“It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear.
At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Peter said to him in reply,
“Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
He said, “Come.”
Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.
But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened;
and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter,
and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
After they got into the boat, the wind died down.
Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying,
“Truly, you are the Son of God.” 

The whole time I kept thinking, no matter how much storm is out there, no matter how much chaos is in our lives, we won't find Jesus there. We can leave that behind and find Him in the calm... Like on our newly established "Sundays-are-only-for-family-days." And as I constantly wonder and worry about how everyone is adjusting to me being gone from home (particularly ME!) from 8 in the morning until 7 at night, I realize how important my faith is and to never doubt. So, while "change" has been a theme, "providential" has been most of our circumstances. God-sequences, perhaps. 

I haven't had a lot of time to keep up with my Rett family and I am sad about that, but I know once everyone is adjusted here, I can be better at staying in touch with the everyday. But I pray for all of you - you know who you are - every night.

Here's to not waiting 2 months for another blog post.
Although, if you people were better at commenting, I'd be more inclined!

:)

xoxo

Monday, June 20, 2011

Good Job Little Leaguers


Gabe had his last baseball game of the season. The team signed their names on baseballs and each player took one home. It made for an awesome keepsake and a good time. 

Monday, June 13, 2011

And the Vids Are (Finally) In...

And the ridiculousness is Out. Of. This. World.
Thanks to everyone who donated and came out to support our first fundraiser for Girl Power 2 Cure.
And a special note of thanks to Jack, who, when mixed with Coke, gave us the necessary amount of liquid courage to wear wigs, wings, and sing crazy things.




Sunday, June 12, 2011

All-Star

Gabe's had an awesome baseball season!
The games and practices have kept us on our toes but the amount of improvement he and the team have made is incredible. It's been a great season.

And I think he looks so cute in his uniform...

Here's a little clip of Gabe and Daddy being goofs after one of his games:


DAREoke

Some of our favorite photos from the night:

Yes there are actually people out there watching... Loved our tiny stage...
Some of my soul sisters... Fredda, Helen, & Beth...
I felt like I was back in high school on the prom committee making this sign...
Some of Anna's biggest fans...
Fellow GP2C families, the Shubert's and Brook's...
Kudos to Kelly for the idea to have DAREoke the night before the big Linda Burkhart workshop!
(Although, we were passing out aspirin like it was candy the next morning!)
GP2C mama's at the Linda Burkhart workshop, with the incredible Dr. Sasha (far left)
It was a whirlwind three days, and we have to thank Grandma for coming in and helping us with Gabe & Anna - without her none of it would have been possible! A special thanks to Rafi too, who was part of the DAREoke prom committee.
:)

For more photos, check 'em out here.

Saturday, June 11, 2011

The Return...

This past month has been cray-cray brosephs!
Alas... highlights of the past 5 weeks in photos:

Palm Sunday Easter Egg Hunt that followed our favorite Sunday of every month, the monthly Special Needs Mass at Holy Trinity, Whitestone:
(In true big brother fashion, Gabe made it his mission to get enough for Anna Banana, too.)




***

The Easter Bunny came:



***

Dental Check-Up For the Kiddos...
NO CAVITIES.
Congrats, Gabe & Anna!
You two were Champs!







***

Princess Anna:


***

Working hard in her therapies:


***

I cleaned the windows!


***

I also traveled to D.C. for a work trip and met up with the a-may-zing Colleen & Amy.
And for the record: Ryan is not wearing lipstick.


***

On Mother's Day, Manny and the kids made me breakfast in bed, we went to Mass, then took off for a day of hiking at Rockefeller State Park. Photos from the day are around here somewhere...


***

Manny worked hard and picked up lots of television work, and when he wasn't in a studio he was prepping for DAREoke and upping his running game:


More to follow....

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Happy Mama's Day!


We were looking through old videos this morning and this one was perfect to find and re-watch after a few years on Mother's Day. So much has happened the past three years that it really is crazy to look back at where we were here. I told a friend recently that trying to summarize our past three years for someone is like re-telling The Odyssey in 3 minutes or less.