I love hockey!

I won tickets last week at work to go see the Houston Aeros this last Sunday. It was family night for Memorial Hermann employees. First of all, the game was awesome! The Aeros beat the Admirals 6-1. This is only the second hockey game I've ever been to and the first time was with our church and I was chatting more than watching. Hockey is the greatest game ever. It is fast and exciting. Plus these guys get to beat the crap out of each other. Towards the end of the game two guys threw off their gloves and masks and just went at each other. I thought it was just for show (like wrestling) because the refs and other players were just standing there. Nobody was trying to break it up. So they procede to fight for about 3 minutes then they strolled over to the penalty box and sat for five minutes. Danny later explained that it was not fake and the refs just let them get it out of their system. That was when I was hooked!

Then after the game we (Memorial Hermann employees) were brought down to the ice to skate. That was a blast. We left Laura at home for this so Daley, Danny, and I spent an hour skating. Well, I spent five minutes on skates then changed back into my shoes and got on the ice to get some pictures. I can't skate at all and the skates kill my feet. The people working the event were so sweet and fun. Daley of course had to potty while we were skating so a lady escorted us to the visitors' locker room. That was exciting and a little stinky. The other team had already been in there and left and it hadn't been cleaned yet...use your imagination. Overall it was a fantastic evening! Daley took some pictures, a pom-pom, and rally towel to school on Tuesday for show and tell. She really loved the evening as well.

Daley and Chilly Dog

Daley and Danny in the penalty box

I was bored...

Well I got out of the shower today and thought I needed a change. So I gave myself bangs. I have this hairstyle about every year and a half. Then I get tired of it and let them grow out.

Hope everyone is staying warm. We are preparing for ice, sleet, freezing rain, and possibly snow. Ice, sleet, freezing rain...what's the diff?? Have a great day!

My sweet second child

This is a glance into Laura's personality. She is so different from Daley. Both have amazing traits and personalities. Laura is someday going to be the class clown that annoys brilliant students like Daley.

Next week will be better...

I've really been down in the dumps lately and last night I think I figured out why. Since I took my position as Junior Volunteer Coordinator at the hospital last summer I've been very motivated to get the kids involved in more around the hospital. My most recent project has been the NICU "Cuddler" program. My Junior Volunteers are now working in the NICU each evening. One each night goes in there for four hours and basically holds and cuddles sick/fussing babies. I think this is a great program. It is beneficial to the volunteers who hope to learn as much as possible to help them in their future medical careers. It is beneficial to the nurses that often wish they had five extra pairs of hands. Most of all it is beneficial to the premature and sick babies who will heal quicker with human touch.

All that being said...it really stinks for me. Since I started working at the hospital I've avoided the NICU. It absolutely breaks my heart to see sick babies without their parents. I know that parents can't be there all of the time for many, many reasons. I also know that they are getting amazing care and love while they are in there, but still it pulls at my heartstrings each time I walk in there. This has been the first week of the program so I've been checking on my volunteers a couple times a night. It has truly put me in a state of depression. God has blessed me with two healthy children and I don't know that I could have handled having a baby that needed to be in the NICU. Two of my friends that will likely read this have both had children in the NICU. They are stronger women than me is all I can say and I don't know how they got through it.

Danny really wants another baby and a couple of months ago I told him that I was 99% sure that I was not having any more. I would love to have another child, but I don't want to face another C-section. Since I've been in the NICU I'm 110% sure I'm not having another one. I don't want to risk having a sick baby. I know this sounds selfish...poor me and what I can't handle, but I'm just being honest. Tonight is the last night that I will need to check on my volunteers so hopefully my mood will change. TGIF!

Happy New Year!

Well it is a new year and honestly I'm missing Christmas. All of the lights are down and now the yard just looks brown and dry. It was a wonderful Christmas. Here are a couple of pictures. We had the Spells over and here are the three kiddos in front of the tree.

Here is a picture of Laura in her Princess Cozy Coupe. I really wanted to get this for her, but Danny wanted something motorized. Obviously I won the argument...and even better...this was Laura's favorite present. It was supposed to be an outside toy, but it goes where she goes now. She plays in it, rides in it, and sometimes just sits in it and drinks her water. I'm not sure who she was screaming at in this photo, but she is very protective of her car.