*Roses are Red

Today Brice surprised me once again. I had to run to a client's office. As I was driving I called Brice to check in with him and see how his day was going. He asked me if I would be going back to the office. I told him yes. When I got back to the office Ayesha, the gal at the front desk said to me "Someone missed you!" I walked into my office and found the vase of Roses on my desk.
Ayesha told me that Brice is making the other husbands in the office look bad! :) I can't help it that my husband love to give me flowers!! What a nice and sweet surprise from my honey!

Today we took Sadie to the vet to have her staples removed. She has already removed most of them, there are only 5 left. The vet wanted to leave them in for another week. Sadie really doesn't like going to the vet anymore. Can't blame the poor kid! She is always ready to RUN out of the office!! She stands right next to Brice and I like "Please don't leave me here!!!" It's looking good in my opinion. Anyway... that's about it for today!

*Thoughts

It's been a pretty boring week at our house. Given all of our events last month, I'll take it. I hit my seventh month mark this week!! I don't know if I can make it another twelve!! I am already so swollen, no shoes fit. My legs and feet just throb all day long. The biggest problem is I am so short waisted. I have always envied girls with long lean torso's, but especially now I am so jealous. I'm sure it doesn't make all the difference in the world, but it has been hard for me to breath since about month 3. Now as the baby gets bigger, even the smallest movements leaving me panting!!!

The other night Brice said to me "You sure grunt a lot!" I was so unaware of it, but I do... all day long I grunt with trying to get some air! Can you only imagine how much more fun this is going to get! I have always listened as women talk about being uncomfortable while being pregnant. I don't think uncomfortable discribes it!!! :) I really can't complain... as far as pregnancy goes I think I've had a pretty great one. I only had one day when I threw up. I have only had about one migraine per month (thank the heavens). Swelling is my biggest complaint! I'm on the down hill stretch now, sooner then I know it I will have a baby in my arms! That's a scary thought!

The baby is getting stronger, her kicks are becoming stronger and Brice can feel them now. The other night while laying in bed I was snuggled into Brice's back. She kicked and Brice said "was that the baby?" It is such an incredible feeling... sometimes I really wonder if it's her or me!

*A Mother's Touch

Tonight Sadie got to come home. Let me tell you, she was all to ready to get "outta there"!!! We got our instructions, meds, I paid the bill (ouch!) and we were on our way!

She was so happy to be home. We got her some water, some dinner and then she was ready just to sleep. I got her up on her spot on the couch and she snuggled in. Brice was sitting next to her and she was all to content to lay there and be pet.

When I got on the couch a little later, to put my feet up she wabbled over next to me and laid down on the blanket. I had one leg up on the couch, trying to elevate my feet. She put her paw up over my leg and her face on my thigh as well. It was like she was so content just to be there at her house getting the love she needs to make her better.

It made me think to when I was younger and not feeling well. Just knowing that your mom was there to take care of you, always made me feel better. I remember one time after I got home from my mission, I had bronchitis and was so dead in bed. Mom came over to bring me some juice and food. Just knowing that she was around if I needed her was such a comfort. What would we do without our mommy's?

*Second times the charm!

Today Sadie went in to have her right knee operated on. She has done really well with her left knee since her surgery in January. However she started favoring and limping on her right knee a couple of months ago. She spent the 4th of July at mom's so she wouldn't be alone when the fireworks went off, and when we picked her up she was limping so badly I called the vet. They had an opening that afternoon and we took her right in. The vet confirmed what I already knew and we scheduled her surgery for today.

I had to have her at the Vet's at 8am. I dropped her off, she was NOT happy!!! I got a call from the surgeon about noon to tell me everything went really well. He said that her ligament was almost completely gone, and that she already had some arthritis on her femur. He said it's been bad for a while. It's good we got it done!

Brice and I went out to see her after work. She had to stay the night there, so we were only able to visit. I sat down on the blanket next to her and Brice was squatting in front of her. She reached up and put her paw on Brice's arm. It was so cute! She was just laying on a blanket, having no desire to move, but she was glad we were there.

After a couple minutes Brice went to go wait in the waiting room. He knew I wasn't quite ready to leave. :) I sat there just petting her head. Her knee is so swollen and ouchie looking!! When my body couldn't handle sitting in that uncomfortable position any longer I got up to leave. Sadie put her paw on me and gave me her best sad puppy eyes. I knew she wanted to go home with me, and believe me I would have taken her. So sad to leave her there. It's weird to be home without her! Anyway... she gets to come home tomorrow.

*Independence Day

I love the 4th of July. I love everything about it. The fact that I get the day off work, I can do WHATEVER I want, the family get tether's, the BBQ's, celebrations and of course the FIREWORKS! What I love most about the 4th of July is that most Americans take the day, or at least some time in the day to reflect on their freedoms this land offers them. They take a minute to think of the men and women who fight for those freedoms, as well as the cost of those freedoms. This is almost a daily thought for me. The cost of freedom.

I am very grateful to all the men and women who stand on the front lines and fight for what this country represents, and I'm grateful for a President who had the balls to go after those that threaten this land and the freedoms we have. I won't turn this into a political rant, but I ask you... What have you given for your freedom? What have you given for your rights and privileges this country has offered you? My family has given the ultimate sacrifice...My Brother!

My brother Nate is my ultimate American Hero. He LOVED this country. Nate had so much passion in his life! Passion for everything, but especially this country. I remember one time talking to him on the phone while he was in Iraq and he told me "Cath...you can't even imagine what it's like over here. What these people live through!" Even while living in the terrors of war Nate thought it was important for us to be there.

When I said the Pledge of Allegiance and heard the national anthem for the first time after returning home from my mission, it brought tears to my eyes. We have so much here in this country!! We take so much for granted. I still tear up every time I hear the Pledge of Allegiance. For my freedoms, and also because of Nate!

It has become a family tradition of my Aunt and Uncle's family to celebrate the 4th of July at the Oakley Rodeo. Luckily for me they have included my family in this tradition. This year we started before the rodeo with a tailgate party. It was really fun! The rodeo was great as always, and good fireworks at the end.

Before the Rodeo begins they have the rodeo Royalty ride around the arena with the American Flag. Then someone sings the National Anthem. As the girls were riding around the arena with the flags the MC was talking about our great country and the men and women serving over seas to fight for our freedoms. He then said please take a moment and remember all those lost to this great cause. My dear sweet cousin Jenny worked her way down the bench to me. When she got there she put her arms around me and whispered "Thank you for your families great sacrifice for this country!" It made me cry! Even as I write this it makes me tear up again!!!

I love Nate, I miss him so much! I miss his easy smile and his bear hugs!! I miss hearing him say "I love you kiddo!" However I am so grateful for the men and women like him, who put themselves in harms way for our freedoms! I couldn't do what they do, don't want to! Toby Keith has a song called "American Soldier" there is a part that says "I will always do my duty, no matter what the price. I’ve counted up the cost, I know the sacrifice. Oh and I don’t want to die for your, but if dying’s asked of me. I’ll bear that cross with honor, cause freedom don’t come free." I know there are many men and women that feel this way. They want to come back to their lives, and families, their hopes and dreams. However they also know the possibility they could die and they face that fear for US! I have so much respect for those that wear this countries uniforms!! Thank you to all those that serve. I am so grateful for you.

*His and Her's

It's official. I think it looks a little funny when you look inside our garage at our two cars with dealer tags in them!! What do you do? I can only hope that we wont have any car trouble for quite some time. One nice thing about this new car that Brice got, it's still got the manufacture's warranty. That was the problem with the Accord... all this stuff going wrong and Honda wouldn't touch it! Let's just hope for some greener pastures for a while! Anyway... Ken Garff is really liking us at the minute! Thanks Robert for taking good care of us!