Tag: Thankful Thursdays


Thankful Friday-8.5.11

August 5th, 2011 — 12:22pm

I’m a day late but I have a VERY good reason and it’s the reason I’m thankful today (and yesterday and EVERYDAY).

Today I am thankful that Lucy did not glow yesterday!

On Tuesday, Lu had her 3 year old well child appointment (early) because she needed some vaccines for school.  Our doctor (who is also a good family friend) asked if I had any other concerns.  I brought up how her arms were splotchy.  At first I thought it was uneven sunscreen application, then I thought it was a reaction to Eczema but I wanted to check with the doctor to make sure.

He looked, and looked, and looked, and looked at it.  He then told me that it could be one of three things. 1. Eczema reaction, 2. Bacterial Infection (which can be fixed with some cream, or 3. Vitiligo (which cannot be cured and is something she has to deal with for the rest of her life).

His first recommendation was to take a wait and see attitude and to recheck it in a few months.  As he looked at it more and more he decided that he was “almost certain” that it was Vitiligo and since it’s a very cosmetic thing and that she was a girl, that he wanted her to see a dermatologist sooner rather than later.  He warned me that it could take up to 6 weeks to get in and that there was really nothing that could be done but that he wanted a specialist’s opinion.

Vitiligo is an autoimmune problem where all the pigmentation in certain areas of the skin goes away and turns white.  The most notable person to have had it is Michael Jackson.  It can be mild or severe and when severe all the websites said it was “disfiguring”.  It would make her more susceptible to other autoimmune issues but otherwise is not harmful.

So this is not life threatening but it IS life altering and I freaked out.  I have cried more in the last few days then I have cried in a VERY long time.  All I could think was that Lucy was going to be different and ridiculed and made fun of. I was different and ridiculed and made fun of as a child and I grew out of it (I was really tall and mature at a very young age-I haven’t grown since I was 10 and I had purple lenses in my glasses due to dyslexia). I grew out of all of those things but still hold the emotional scars.  It broke my heart to know that Lucy would go through that herself and that it was something that would always be there and that she would always be different and looked at funny*. Believe me, I am so thankful for a healthy child but I was just so sad for her.  I didn’t want her to have to go through that her entire life.  It just felt like such a struggle that I didn’t want her to have to endure. I KNOW that everyone around her would support her and make her feel comfortable in her skin, I was just worried and a very upset Mama Bear.

Thankfully, the dermatologist was able to get us in immediately.  That sort of freaked me out since I knew that it normally takes a long time to get in but I took the appointment. When the nurse led us back she said that we had been the talk of the office because Lucy was so young to have Vitiligo.  I freaked out even more.  The dermatologist came in.  Did an exam and then took us to a completely dark room and shined a black light on Lu.  Apparently, Vitiligo glows under a black light.  LUCY DID NOT GLOW!

The dermatologist was very happy to report that she most probably did NOT have Vitilgo and that she was just having a reaction to her eczema.  There is still a chance that she has it (and it’s in the very early stages) but it’s not likely.  If it gets worse, I am to take her in and we go in for a recheck in 4 months.

I almost cried tears of joy and hugged the derm I was so happy.  If it was Vitiligo we would have dealt with it but it was such a relief to hear that it was “just” Eczema.

Lu now has a new skin care regime.  She gets CeraVe lotion twice a day, a shower/bath up to once a day with CeraVe cleanser (we were only giving her one once a week because of the Eczema-which the doctor said is a myth) and after the shower/bath we slather her in CeraVe (we’ve already been using the CeraVe).  We also need to be sure to be VERY liberal with the sunscreen.  Sunscreen is Lu’s number one irritants that cause the Eczema and I’ve only found one sunscreen that works (Nature’s Gate) that I can’t get in Boise and have to order. She recommended Cetaphil’s new sunscreen and gave us a few samples.  I really hope it’ll work for Lu as it would be so nice to have easy access to sunscreen!

We go back in four months for a re-check but right now, I am very thankful for “just” Eczema!!!

*I realize (and my husband has pointed out) that my reaction to the diagnosis of Vitiligo was a bit dramatic.  It’s not really that big of a deal but I think as someone with my background of body image issues, it just really hit home and made me incredibly sad for my little girl.  I, by no means, think that anyone with Vitiligo is a freak or “disfigured” but I know that some people DO and that’s what I was reacting to.

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Thankful Tuesday-6.28.11

June 28th, 2011 — 2:52pm

We’ll be flying to PA on Thursday so I thought I’d do a Thankful Tuesday instead.

Today, I’m thankful for 6 glorious years with this guy:

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We celebrated our 6 year wedding anniversary on Saturday and had a really awesome, kid-free night.  Shaun’s cycling buddies had given us a very generous gift certificate to Chandlers Steakhouse A YEAR AGO and we just used it for this dinner.  It was amazing and a once in a lifetime dinner-we can’t afford that ourselves! Especially with my new gig! We even ordered a bottle of Prosecco!

If you would have told me that day 6 years ago  in Jamaica that I would love this man more today than I did that day, I would have told you that you were crazy.

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If you would have told me 2 and 3/4 years ago that I would love my husband more today than I did that day, I would have told you that you were crazy.

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Guess what?  I love my husband more and more every day.  Sure we don’t always agree but I know, without a doubt, that he has my back and that he loves me no matter what.  He is amazing and WE are amazing.  Here’s to another 60!

(I toasted to 60 more years on Saturday and he laughed.  I (jokingly) told him that I was going to divorce him when I was 90-yeah right!)

Our 6 year anniversary also marked our 1 year moving to Boise anniversary!  Wow, what an amazing and life changing year!

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Thankful Thursday-6.23.11

June 23rd, 2011 — 2:42pm

Today I’m thankful for courage to do what my heart tells me is right.

More on this tomorrow Smile

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Thankful Thursday 6.16.11

June 16th, 2011 — 1:22pm

I’m thankful for this:

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(That is not a double stroller-ha!)

Lucy and Dad

Lucy the Star

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(Lucy decided that clothes were overrated when we met up with Josh and Parish)

WONDERFUL FAMILY AND FRIENDS!!!!!!

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Thankful Thursday-6.9.11

June 9th, 2011 — 11:49am

Today I’m thankful for BIRTHDAYS!  I love, love, love birthdays.  Every birthday should be celebrated and I love helping people celebrate theirs.  One of the reasons we went to visit my ‘rents was because it was my Mom’s birthday and she wanted to go to Disneyland.  Go to Disneyland we did!

We started on my Mom’s favorite ride, the Carousel!

I hate that this one is blurry Sad smile

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Cousin Luke got in on the action too.  As did Mimi (my Mom) but all of my pictures of her did not turn out.

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Next up was Dumbo!

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Lu waiting to get on (one of my favorite pictures from the trip):

Beautiful Lucy

Luke and Papa were behind us:

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Lu loved it!

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Next up was my Mom’s other favorite ride “Small World”.  My Mom and Lu putting a penny in the water:

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Then we went to Toontown to meet Mickey and Minnie!

Lucy, Mommy, Mickey

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I will spare you the pictures of Minnie since Lu got sunscreen in her eyes moments before meeting her and was in tears Sad smile

Lu also REALLY wanted to drive a car!

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Then it was the train all the way around the park!

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Last was the Jungle Cruise but I didn’t get any pictures of that unfortunately.

Before leaving the park, Lu got a balloon, ears, and ice cream! She was a happy girl!

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Minny Lucy

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And TIRED girl!

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Luke had a blast too.  He and Papa went on some of the more age appropriate rides and then when Papa needed a rest, his Mom (Aunt Sheri) went on others.  He had quite the day and got to do basically all he wanted to do.  Something that the youngest of 3 boys doesn’t get to do very often!

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Luke and Sheri:

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Mimi, Luke, and Papa:

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I think Lucy has had it:

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Love this picture though:

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These too:

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It was a blast!  Happy birthday Mom/Mimi!

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Thankful Thursday-5.19.11

May 19th, 2011 — 1:32pm

Today (and everyday) I’m thankful for dogwood trees! I had never experienced them until I moved to Boise and I’ve gotta tell you that they are the prettiest tree I’ve ever seen. In the Spring they EXPLODE with little delicate flowers.  They can be white or pink. I particularly LOVE the pink ones.

Here’s some pictures I took of the one in our front yard this weekend.

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Thankful Thursday-04.21.11

April 21st, 2011 — 1:34pm

Happy Earth Day!  Today I’m thankful for our Earth Smile

I’m very excited to start a garden this year.  I hand tilled our little part of earth ALL BY MYSELF!

Here it is about 1/4 of the way done:

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And totally done:

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Here’s my garden plan:

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Okra, peas, peppers, green beans, carrots, kale, lettuce, strawberries, and sunflowers along the back fence-Color coded to the date I need to plant them outside. Tomatoes and cucumbers will be planted in Grow Boxes up on the deck.

The kale is in the ground.

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As are the peas.

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And the okra and peppers are started inside. I have the seeds for the carrots, green beans and sunflowers. Tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, and strawberries will be bought after the danger of frost is past (hopefully by May 10th!).

I’m excited to garden this year and to teach Lu that food comes from the earth NOT the store!

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Thankful Thursday-4.14.11

April 14th, 2011 — 9:36am

Today I’m thankful that I didn’t kill my family last night.  I was cleaning up the kitchen and had gotten a shipment of Shaklee products in the mail.  I was very excited to see how they worked-sadly, I wasn’t wowed but I’m going to keep using them and see if I change my mind. 

So there I was scrubbing away and I accidentally turned on one of the burners on the stove.  I turned it right off and thought nothing of it.  I finished around 8:15 and sat down to watch the wonderful Lynn Chen in The People I’ve Slept With.  Shaun was at volleyball and when he came home he said that it smelled funny.  I didn’t notice anything and finished watching the movie (very funny btw). After it was over ~10:15, I got up to get ready for bed and I just smelled the heavy, awful smell of natural gas.  I knew instantly that it was the stove and sure enough, the burner that I thought I had turned off was actually on and pouring gas into the house.

I freaked out! I opened all the windows and doors (even though it was in the low 30’s last night) and was sure that I had killed our bird.  Birds are really sensitive to gases and can drop dead really easily when exposed.  Thankfully (?) natural gas is heavier than air and I had the birdie out on top of her cage last night so she was probably above the gas.  BUT! since natural gas is heavier than air, I started worrying about Lu sleeping downstairs.  I didn’t know what to do so I made Shaun sleep with all our windows open.  It was seriously cold but I was sure that I had killed everyone in my house.

This morning we woke up to a very cold but gas free house with all members of our family alive.  Thank goodness!!!!

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Thankful Thursday-3.31.11

March 31st, 2011 — 6:21pm

It snowed on Saturday night.  Today? It was 71 degrees and sunny! BLISS. Things are starting to bloom, we’re planning our garden, I’ve broken out my flippies.  Life is good!

I’m thankful today for SPRING!!!

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Front yard:

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The SUN!

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The garden is going to run along the whole back fence, as you can see, I’m about 1/4 of the way done tilling.

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Yay SPRING!!!!

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Thankful Thursday-3.24.11

March 24th, 2011 — 6:07pm

Today I’m thankful for my CAMERA!! I’ve been having so much fun with it! Today I wasn’t feeling well AT ALL but I had solo Lu duty after work because Shaun had volleyball.  Rather than sit inside and watch Super Why! I decided to let Lu play outside while I snapped some pictures.

I wish this was in focus but I still love it!

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Model Lu!

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What does it all mean?!?!

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Airplane!

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Hey Mama!

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I did take some non Lu shots:

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Dang Power Lines!

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Spring is coming!!!!!!!!!!!

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All pictures were done in M! Yay me!

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