Just a few pics of Sam

Katy posted some pics of Sam on her blog, but I'm going to put a few of them here, too, just 'cause I think they are SO cute and 'cause I can. :) I hope you enjoy seeing them. He is THE CUTEST BABY EVER, and his Poppa John and I love him BUNCHES!!

I love this one...His Poppa John puts his arm over his head when he sleeps, too.

I think he looks like a little froggy in this one. :)

Jessi got moved!

She and Michael came over Friday night so we could get started bright and early Saturday morning loading up all her things we were storing for her. We didn't get started TOO early, so I tried to use the excuse that I had to take the rental truck back, so I couldn't help get everything from the attic. John didn't buy it, though. He knew the rental place didn't close until noon, and he made sure we started early enough for me to help. hahaha It really didn't take all that long, and it wasn't all that hard. I'm just super glad Michael was here because that meant less lifting for me. I told him that the next time we all get together, there can be NO work involved, and he readily agreed.

Anyway, I did leave right before they started to load the bedroom furniture, so I missed out on that. That was probably about the easiest thing to put on the truck, too. Jess is now using the bedroom suite that we gave Katy when she was in college. Until yesterday, Jessi didn't know that it was originally mine that Mom and Dad bought me when they built the house about 30 years ago. I guess that classifies it as antique, or close to it! If Katy ever wants it back, she'll have to take it up with Jessi, and John told her it was never coming back "home." :)

After taking the rental truck back and getting my car from the shop, I headed to Millbrook to help get everything put away. The guys did all the heavy work, and Jessi and I unloaded boxes. She didn't have everything completely done (except the kitchen) when we left, but we could certainly tell that it was going to be so cute! I talked to her this afternoon, and she said she was up until about 2 getting everything else done! I can't wait to see it all put together.

John is such a lucky man to be the father of two such wonderful young women. He loves it when they call to ask his advice about something or to ask a question--he knows that he is still Daddy, and his little girls still need him. There is just something about a daddy and his girls. And I'm just so lucky to get to share them with him.

Speaking of the rental truck...I had to take my car in to get the CD player replaced, and since the service dept. at the dealership doesn't do loaner cars anymore, they got me a rental from Enterprise. (They really do come pick you up!) The guy drove up in a 2008 RED Ford F-150, 4 door. I thought, "Nah" but it was "Yeah" when he asked if I minded driving a truck! With a warranty, they have to use either a Mazda or a Ford product, and this was all they had left on the lot. I LOVED IT! I'm just a country girl, and I love driving a truck. I'd drive one all the time if gas weren't so expensive!

Liar, liar, pants on fire!

How many of us said those words when we were little? I doubt there are many people who haven't. I mean, didn't we all know someone who told a whopper lie? "So what! I have a DINOSAUR for a pet!" Yeah, right. Those are the kinds of things we expect from little kids. My 8 year old nephew used to be a champ at "stretching" the truth. If one of the other kids had a Game Boy, he had five. He has finally learned that he doesn't always HAVE to be the best or have the most in order for people to like him or to want to be around him.

Children sometimes resort to telling lies as a means of self-preservation. I did this once. Dad had just washed his recruiter car. For some reason that I still don't know, I threw sand on it. When he asked me who did it, I said I didn't know. I knew I'd be in trouble if I told the truth. Well, turns out lying got me in more trouble than throwing the sand on the car. It was summer, and I had on shorts. He striped my legs GOOD and put me in the house for the rest of the afternoon. Years later, as a sophomore in high school another girl and I were with a couple of guys who decided to roll the school yard. I was late getting home, so we concocted an alibi--we'd gone to Pizza Hut and it took longer than we thought. Mom bought it. And all was good until one of my friends asked her what she thought about Perry and Don having to pick up paper during break because they'd rolled the school yard. GROUNDED. Those aren't the only times I lied to my parents, but I guess those are the ones that stuck with me because they are the ones that got me in the biggest trouble.

I can honestly say that I don't ever intentionally lie now. Yes, I've lied to John--about his surprise birthday party for this 50th birthday. I used to lie to Katy and Jessi when they'd ask for specific gifts for their birthdays or Christmas--"Honey, I'm sorry, but we just can't afford that this year" or "Oh, Sweetie. I wish we'd known. We've already bought you something else" knowing all along the gifts they really wanted had already been bought. Those are fun lies because of the joy the person gets when it's all revealed. But I'm not going to lie just for the sake of lying. I am who I am, and I like who I am. I have family and friends who love me and accept me, faults and all. I don't tell them things that are obviously untrue, because that isn't going to make them love me or accept me anymore than they do now. As far as lying to people I don't know, such as people who may be reading this blog, why should I go to the effort to lie to someone who doesn't even know who I am? What does THAT accomplish?

As an adult, it is so easy for me to overlook the lies of children because until they are taught, they don't know any better, but I cannot understand why adults consciously lie when that lie isn't going to do anything to benefit them. Why tell others something when you, and often they, KNOW it is untrue? What's the point? What does it accomplish? All it's going to do is come back and bite you in the butt.

Jessi gets her apartment! And other stuff

Yea!!! She called last night to let us know they approved her application for the apartment, and she gets to move in this weekend. John will probably load up the truck and take over all the stuff we've stored for her and help her get it moved in on Friday. I'll drive over as soon as I get off work to help out too, and I'm about 99.99999% sure Michael will be there, too. :) I know it will be so cute once she gets everything all set up.

Let's see--other stuff--It is SUCH a gorgeous day outside, and I'm stuck inside teaching the dreaded research process. BLEECH! It isn't that it is hard to teach, but I have to do SO much talking for the first few days, and it is boring, so the kids are about to die. Hopefully we'll get started on the Renaissance period tomorrow. Even though that requires lecture, I LOVE talking about the monarchs. This is the period of King Henry VIII and his 6 wives. Does it make me a nerd because I enjoy this? hahaha It's really quite interesting. I tell the students that it is better than any soap opera they could ever watch--murder, incest, adultery...

I didn't talk to Katy yesterday, but I got an update on Sam's appointment from Jessi. He weighed 7 lbs. 11 oz., so that's really good. He's growing!! I did try to call, but she didn't answer, so I'm hoping she and Sam were napping. I've got 3 gifts to take up to her for Sam, so I've GOT to make a trip soon. I'm having withdrawals from him. :) Maybe next weekend when John is hunting I can go up.

It's LUNCH TIME and Zaxby's buffalo chicken salad (NO BLEU CHEESE FOR ME, PLEASE!!) is calling. Hope you have a fantastic day!!

Cute, cute, cute!

Jessi took her dad and me to look at the apartment she is hoping to move into this weekend, and it is just too cute! She kept saying it was small, and it is, but for one person, it is PERFECT! She keeps saying she's so scared, but I think that is just because this is one of the first, if not THE first, "big girl" things she has done completely independently. Yeah, she got married, and that is certainly a "big girl" thing, but she had someone else there along side her to figure it out with. (I wonder if he ever kicks his rear end for letting such a beautiful, smart, funny person go?) Anyway, she has had roommates before as well, but when you live completely on your own, it is so different! Although I wouldn't ever want to live on my own again (I have gotten as used to John's snoring as a person can get lol) I did love having my own place. It was nice to be able to do what ever I wanted and not have to worry about whether I was disturbing anyone else. I know that Jessi will like it once she gets settled. And this apartment is going to be SO darling once she gets it all decorated. I can't wait to see everything in place! I'm so proud of her.

Welcome, Spring!

I love the springtime! While summer is my favorite season, spring runs in a VERY close second. I noticed on Sunday afternoon when John and I were working in the yard that some of the trees are starting to leaf out, and then when I got home from Huntsville Wednesday afternoon, I noticed blooms on the dogwood tree. Those two things are definite signs of spring for me! Yeah, the yellow bell bushes and the daffodils (my favorite flower, btw) have been blooming for a couple of weeks now, but they seem to bloom anytime the temperature stays even remotely warm for a few days. :)

I just made the pups come in for a while. I've been sitting on the steps reading while they played in the sunshine for about the last hour and a half. They LOVE being outside, but it's so hard to watch them, and I would DIE if either of them got hit by a car. Ali, for some reason, prefers to play across the street, and she is so little that a driver probably wouldn't even see her. We've been in for about 15 minute, so I know that at any minute, Bama will start begging to go out again. I tried putting them in the fence for a while. Ali was fine with it--she's pretty much fine with ANYTHING--but Bama whined almost non-stop. He hates not having his freedom. That's why he loves being at the lake so much! Except when he falls in...

I'm not sure about our Easter plans yet. John had said last weekend that we'd probably take some stuff to the lake and then go to Phillip and Katy's to see Sam. (To see Sam's daddy and mommy, too. lol) But he hasn't said anything definite. He may come home in a few hours expecting us to leave, but I haven't packed a thing! I tried to pin him down on it last night because if we don't go north, Jessi and Michael may come over. Since Katy started driving, they ALWAYS came over for Easter dinner if they weren't already here for the weekend anyway. It would feel strange not to bake a ham, fix potato salad, and all the other stuff! As we get older, things change though. We know it is going to be much easier for us to go visit Phillip, Katy, and Sam for big holidays instead of having them come here, especially while Sam is so young and they have so much to haul with them.

I have tons I need to get done. I really just want to sit in the sun, but I do need to get busy. So, I guess this is all for now!

Have a WONDERFUL spring!

Let me apologize

Obviously, I had a lapse in judgment with my previous post (which I have deleted, so don't look for it. :) ) I allowed myself to react to other things I've seen posted on other blogs and sites--things I should've just ignored, or better yet, not even read in the first place.

Things from that post that I DO NOT regret saying are that I thank God each and every day for bringing John, Katy, Jessi, Phillip, and Sam into my life and I would walk through hell for them. I just get so angry, though, when it is made to appear that John had nothing at all to do with the wonderful young women that his daughters have grown up to be. But that's all I will say about that!

Please overlook my moment of aggravation and frustration and accept my apology if anyone was offended.

Sam is just too sweet!

I got here about 6 Monday afternoon, just in time to feed and snuggle with Sam. :) He was sooo good and soooo sweet. He ate up his bottle and slept until Phillip woke him up about 11 to eat again. I heard him crying once during the night and that was it until about 7:30 yesterday morning. Katy and Phillip had to take him to the pediatrician to get his bilirubin level checked again yesterday. It was down, so the doctor said she is through with them as far as the jaundice goes. Yea!! He was sleeping when they got home, so waiting for him to wake up was hard. When he did, even though I wanted to just grab him and snuggle, I let his mommy have her time with him. They've had so much company (yeah, myself included) since he was born that Katy hasn't had as much mommy time as she'd like. Plus, she still hasn't been feeling 100% so she hasn't been able to do a lot. (Her blood pressure has still been up, so they've put her on meds to try to get it lower. It was down yesterday, so that is really good!) Anyway, Katy decided to go nap, and I got to snuggle. He ate 3 oz. of formula and was then down for the count. He slept for about 4 hours. A couple of times, Phillip and I tried to wake him to feed him, but he was having none of it. Heck, his tummy was still full. No reason to wake up just yet. hahaha Besides, it's like I told Katy and Phillip, when he is hungry, wet, stinky, he WILL let them know!! Sam is without a doubt the best baby ever. He has been a perfect angel the whole time Grana has been here with him. He has eaten and slept like a champ. :)

I'll be heading home sometime this afternoon. I'd planned on staying until about 3, but it is raining, so I'll probably try to get gone a little earlier. Plus, I'm sure that Katy and Phillip would love to have some quiet family time. Once they've gotten up and gotten downstairs, I'll go ahead and start getting ready. I know how precious sleep is with a new baby, so I don't want to wake them by going up to get a shower now.

John and I are bringing some stuff to the lake this weekend, so I know we'll drop by for a bit. I wish we could be here Sunday for his first Easter. I think this will be the first Easter in YEARS that we haven't had Easter dinner at our house with Katy, Phillip, and Jessi (and in the past, Randy.) Easter was the ONLY holiday that we didn't have to rearrange weekend visits for. If our weekend with Kate and Jess was on Easter, that was always okay. So at least we got to do the Easter bunny stuff (even though they knew all about the Easter Bunny, Santa, Tooth Fairy, etc). (According to papers, their daddy was SUPPOSED to have every other holiday, but it never happened that way...)

I guess that's about all for now. I'll update later!!

I get to see Sam tomorrow!

I'm so excited about getting to see my sweet pooh! Katy and Phillip can do whatever they want--sleep, read, go for a bite to eat (if Katy feels up to leaving the house)--and I'll take perfect care of him. As long as they show me exactly how he likes his bottles, we'll be fine. I didn't babysit all those years for nothing. lol I'll probably head home (boo!) on Wednesday afternoon, but John wants to go back this weekend. We've got a few things to take to the lake, so why not take advantage of being so close? I have a very good feelling that Poppa John will take every opportunity to go see his boy. In case you haven't guessed, Poppa John is head over heels in love with Sam. (Go back and look at the picture in my previous post if you have any doubts. Everyone who has seen pictures of John with Sam has commented on how his face just glows. He doesn't even look at me like that! hahahaha) Have I said lately how BEAUTIFUL Sam is?

Sam tee teed!

I talked to Phillip just a few minutes ago, and Sam has tee teed--a lot. Now he just needs to poop. The pediatrician had already been in and she was very positive. I hope that maybe he'll get to go on home this afternoon if he continues to eat, drink, and poop. :) (Isn't it funny how we get so excited about things like that with a baby? lol)

Poor Baby Sam!

Elisabeth called last night to tell us that Katy and Phillip had taken Sam to the emergency room. He had not tee teed since about 9:30 yesterday morning, and he was listless. Katy called the nurse and when the nurse called back, she said to take him in. He was dehydrated, so they gave him an IV and did an ultrasound. He had some urine in his system, so he was getting something. I called about 7:30 this morning and talked to Elisabeth and she said he still had not tee teed but he was sucking down his bottles. She had taken Katy home about 4 this morning, so hopefully she is able to get some rest. She was pretty upset (understandably so!) Maybe once Sam gets some nutrients from his bottle, he'll perk right up. I'll probably post again in just a bit because I'll call for an update soon.

I didn't think it was possible!

Ever since Katy found out she was pregnant and shared the news with us, I knew I would love this child, but oh my! When I held him that first time and looked at his beautiful face, I fell head over heels. I have never known a love just like this, and it is awesome. I could not sleep at all Monday night because I just kept thinking about him. At one point, I got my phone and just looked at his picture for the longest time. As much as I love him, I cannot even begin to imagine the depth of love that John feels. The very first picture of John holding Sam says it all. His face--just look at his eyes--are so full of happiness. There were things in Katy's and Jessi's lives that he had to miss (not by his choice...) but he fully intends on being a huge part of Sam's life. Just watching him hold Sam and talk to him about chasing bears was so sweet. Not that I want any of his life to fly by, but I can't wait until Sam is old enough to come running to us with his arms outstretched. Wow--that's about the best way I can put it.

Just a quick side note--I always tell people that I have 2 daughters. I go on to explain that Katy and Jessi are my step-daughters but after 16 years of being a part of their lives, I prefer to drop the "step" part of it. For years, every time Katy and Jessi and I would go somewhere together, we would have people tell them they looked just like their mother. We'd smile, say thanks, and go on. So, today one of my students comes in and sees the picture of me holding Sam (in my "I love my Grandma" frame) and she tells me that Sam has my nose. I just smiled and told her thanks. Then at lunch, one of my co-workers, who knows Katy is not my biological daughter, tells me that she thinks Sam's nose looks like mine. hahaha

He is here!!!

Samuel Emerson Pate made his debut this evening around 6:05! He weighed 7 pounds 3 ounces, and he is 19 1/2 inches long, and he is GORGEOUS!! Katy went for her regular 38-week checkup today, and they decided to send her to the hospital for labs--again. This time, though, they said they were going to induce. They broke her water about 12, and he was born just about 6 hours later, so not too bad for a first time pregnancy. Phillip said that she did a great job and that he was so proud of her. Of course, they are both so proud of their beautiful son, and I know they are going to be such awesome parents. John and I FINALLY got to the hospital around 8--long story--and got to see our sweet, precious Sam. Of course, Grana (me) had to grab him away from Papa John pretty quickly, but I did end up giving him back so Papa John could have some snuggle time. :) Even though I didn't give birth to Katy, I don't think that it is possible for me to love her and Sam anymore than if they WERE biologically mine. It is so hard to believe that she is a mommy now. The pictures of her holding Sam right after he was born are just unbelievable. I pray that God blesses this child throughout his entire life, and that he grows up to be as wonderful a man as his daddy is.

Friends

John and I a fantastic evening with some of the best friends in the world last night! It was Tim's 50th birthday surprise dinner at Cochina Superior. Misty, Rodney, Amy, Steven, Allyson, and Oliver were there. Of course, everyone was surprised we were there because I'd told Susan whether we made it would be a "wait and see" with Katy and Sam. Since we were there, Sam obviously hasn't arrived. (I'm holding out for this Friday, the 14th. :) ) Anyway, Tim was surprised by the party, which was surprising. He and Susan are together all the time, so for her to be able to pull it off was probably close to a miracle. :) He's quite observant about things, too. The big surprise she had for him was a photo story of his life. Pictures from babyhood and up. She said sneaking pictures out of the house was probably one of the hardest things to do, but she did. Some of them were SOOOO funny!!! I think my favorite was the one of John and Tim when we all went to New Orleans. John was wearing a rasta man hat and Tim had on a funky hot-pink hairy looking something. I'm not sure where Rodney was. I think he was hiding, but he missed the photo op. :) I forgot my camera last night, but Amy and Susan had theirs, so maybe there are some good ones to add for Tim's next big birthday. (I get to be the next one to hit the big 5-0, and Susan will be just a month behind. Fortunately, that's not for another 9 years. lol)

Still waiting for our Sam

Katy had to go back to the doctor this morning to be rechecked, and they did send her over to the hospital for labs and monitoring, but they decided to send her home. I talked to her mom earlier to get an update, and I could hear Sam's heartbeat in the background. It was nice and strong--144 beats per minute. She continues to have contractions, but they aren't very strong at this point. She has to go back Friday to be checked again. I know she and Phillip are so ready to have this precious baby in their arms, but it looks like Sam isn't quite ready. He and God will make that decision. :)

Life is good

Life is really good. There isn't anything in particular that has caused me to feel the urge to express this, but I do. It has been an absolutely beautiful day--the kind that makes me stop and realize what a wonderful world we live in. It's the kind, too, that makes me wish it would stay like this forever. It was warm enough earlier for me to sit on the steps in the sunshine and grade a few essays. (Which is what I REALLY should be doing right now...) The pups have played outside most all day. I just watched Bama as he rubbed his neck on the sidewalk. I'm sure he found something stinky, so bathtime will probably come much sooner than he hopes. lol John has worked in the garage, cleaning it up, all day. It's just one of those perfect days. I look forward to moving to the lake and being able to enjoy days like this with a water view.

The plans for moving to the lake are still uncertain, timewise. The house here will be paid off in January. (Anybody up for a party to celebrate??) I'd love to try to begin clearing, maybe in the fall, and begin building shortly after. Who knows though. We may still be weekending it in a 2 bedroom, one bath trailer in 10 years.

Katy and Jessi's step-dad, Roy, will be having surgery in April. This will be his second surgery in a little over a year. Keep him in your thougths and prayers that this one will be a huge success and allow him to get back to the things he enjoys. I'm sure having sweet little Sam will help to speed up his recovery time!