3rd annual picnic

Below you will find pictures from the 3rd annual Levine Cardiac Kids picnic with the other cardiac families. It was a great day, lots of fun and just long enough. I have also attached a link from last years picnic just so you can see Madelynn's changes. About this time last year, I could see Madelynn getting better and stronger and it was just interesting to compare the two.

Enjoy the pictures!

TTFN~

Our Weekend.............

Weekends are always filled with ridiculous "To Do" list and never enough hours in the day to get them done.

Since it looks as though the morning frosts could be history we decided to get out in the yard and get everything uncovered and ready for the rest of Spring and Summer. It was really nice not too hot and no humidity.

So We...............................

Planted a Vegetable Garden

While Kaitlynn helped Mommy and Daddy plant everything, Grandma Bacho helped oversee Jackson and Madelynn.

Jackson gave Tractor rides

Do you think Madelynn enjoyed the rides????

As we were wrapping up the day I realized that I had missed a section of the yard and forgot about the rose garden. Don't get me wrong it is nothing glamorous but it has it's own story. One year for Mother's day Phil built the stone wall and filled it with dirt and planted several rose bushes. It is filled with all of his sweat and hard work and built with love. I have cut roses off as they open and dried the roses out and made homemade potpourri. I have made gifts with the potpourri or saved it for myself.

Over the last year and a half I have horribly neglected the rose garden. I have spent that time taking care of Madelynn and all that she and Kaitlynn and Jackson required. When I walked over to it I was absolutely stunned that it was still thriving. I thought for sure it had given up on me and died off. So I took the last part of the day and cleaned it up. As you can tell it is ready for the warmer weather. It already has buds on it.

The Rose Garden

When I finished I walked the yard to see what else was blooming or well on it's way. I get excited during spring to see everything come back after the winter. Considering Phil and I planted everything in the back yard, I like to watch our work come to life. Below is the best thing in the backyard I found this week.

The Climbing Yellow Roses

Hope your weekend was as successful as ours.

TTFN~

God's timing is perfect..........

I am not sure I will ever learn but I am regularly reminded you would think I would learn.

The other day I was trying to get to work early because I had been off for about five days and I knew there would be lots to do and catch up on. All the kids are out of school for spring break and people are off work this week so traffic should have been a breeze.......should have been. I get out of my county just fine. I enter into the county I work in and traffic is a mess.

What should have taken 30 mins or less took the standard 45+ minutes. The closer I got to work the angrier I became. About two miles from work I was just furious. As I make a right turn and merge into a left lane I am cut off by a man who is in a bigger hurry than I am. At that point, I just said,"Enough".

I was not going to start my day this way. For whatever reason I will get to work right on time and I just need to take a deep breath and accept it. I wasn't happy about it but I accepted it.

As I made my left turn that in another mile I would be at work I came upon a HORRIBLE accident where a large pick up with a trailer attached met another smaller pick up. There was massive damage to both vehicles with fire trucks, police, ambulance basically the works. I could smell the fuel all over the road.

If I was getting to work when I wanted I might have been involved and/or seriously injured. It was right in front of my parents exit to their neighborhood. So not only had my tardiness kept me from being involved, it happened after my parents exit the neighborhood to start their days.

So yes again I am reminded "God's timing is perfect and He will take care of everything in His time."

I am grateful, I nor my family was involved and I hoped and prayed that the vehicles took most of the hit and that the drivers would be ok.

Remember the next time you are late getting somewhere to be Thankful. You never know what could have happened had you been on time.

TTFN~

Happt Easter!!

Wishing everyone a Happy Easter!!!!!

Fresh New Look

Kaitlynn came to Phil and I and asked if she could have her hair cut again. I wanted her to grow it a little more maybe donate it again. Phil didn't want her to cut it at all. But she was very insistent. Everyday for a week, multiple times a day Kaitlynn would ask when she could get her hair cut. So I stalled yesterday, but this morning she asked again.

So I called the place we always use, secretly hoping they would be booked. I told her I would call and ask but if they were busy we couldn't. I called at 9:02 (they opened at 9:00), they had one opening at 9:45. I think I broke a world record for a shower and getting half way across town by 9:45.

But we made it with 3 minutes to spare. Boy was it worth it.

TTFN~

My April Fool's Day...........

There is nothing special about my home except to say that it is mine. It won't win any awards or be in any magazines. If you drive through my neighborhood there are other houses with the exact same layout. Oh but the stories my house could tell.

I remember the day we closed on the house and I begged Phil to hang the blinds. He asked if we could do it tomorrow. I said no please let's do it today. We were there till the wee hours of the morning hanging blinds.

I remember the day Phil and I installed the wood floor in the Living Room. Do you know that the underlayment in big red permanent marker it says "Chelsea Loves Phil" and it has Kaitlynn's name and birth date along with Jackson's name and birth date. (Madelynn was no where in sight yet.)

I remember exactly where I was standing the day I told Phil he was going to be a Daddy for the first time.

I remember walking into the house, the first time we toured it and looking at Phil and telling him this is it. This is the house I want to live in. This is our house.

I remember planting every single shrub, tree and flower in the backyard.

I remember where I was standing right before we rushed Jack to the hospital, he and I were covered in blood.

I remember sitting in the living room talking to the doctor on the phone as he told us Madelynn's heart was damaged.

I remember Sunday afternoons the whole family being in Jack's room or the girls room and just playing with them, all the giggling and laughter that ensued.

Today is the anniversary of Phil and I closing on our home. We were married four months later. If these walls could talk, oh the stories it would tell of the joy, pain, laughter and tears. I am not sure why I like to celebrate this anniversary but it is one of the constants in our lives. It is the one constant that no matter what kind of day I had I still was able to come home and find peace here.

So as you celebrate your April Fool's Day with jokes and laughter at the end of the day I will be driving home to the people and place that give my life the most peace.

TTFN~