Brayden's Birthday

Last Sunday my little monkey man turned two! We decided to keep it low key, so we just had my family over for cake and presents. Little man racked up on the gifts. He got a train table and train set from his Marmie and Pa Campbell, a Cars sofa that pulls out into a bed with a sleeping bag from his GeeGee, a Bounce & Spin Zebra from Aunt Erin and Aunt Leigh, and a puppy from his Gama and PawPaw (they also got him a basketball goal to stay at their house). Mommy and Daddy got him a vacuum, a broom, a bead maze, a take-along Thomas train set, a couple monster trucks, and some bedtime books. Daddy bought him the first five books in the Hardy Boys series. When Brayden gets a bit older, he'll start reading him a chapter each night before bed. Eli really wanted to buy a remote-control ultralight, but it was too expensive and will have to wait until Christmas.

Here are the pictures I took. As soon as I can get to Best Buy to get the cable I need, I'll post the video him opening his gifts.

Photo Shoot

New photos are up on my photography blog. The link is to the right.

Happy Anniversary

Today is our anniversary. It was four years ago today that we snuck off to City Hall and eloped! It might not have been my proudest moment (the sneaking off and eloping, that is) but I still maintain that marrying Eli was the best thing I ever did. I love him so much. I'm crazy for him. The plan for tonight was to go out to dinner and then go see my brother in the theater's production of Gypsy. Unfortunately, when we got downtown to go to our favorite restaurant, we found that it was not open for dinner due to Beerfest! Yes, by all means, let's have a big party where people can walk around all the bars and get as drunk as they can stand! Anyway, by the time we got to another restaurant for dinner, it was 7:20 and the play started at 8. So we decided to go to WalMart instead and pick up some things in case this storm affects us. It was definately a unique anniversary. We'll go to the play next week.

Tomorrow is Brayden's second birthday. I'll be sure to post lots of pictures of his cake and him opening gifts.

I have a heavy heart this week. Most of you know that Eli was hospitalized Monday of this week and diagnosed with diabetes. I brought him home Thursday evening and he's been doing well, but it's still so hard to think about. Seeing Erin's post and the picture of Eli from a few years ago before life touched him really made me cry. I haven't let myself think about it in any sense other than the pragmatic or I know I'll totally lose it. A couple times I've started to tear up, but I feel like now's not the time to let go. There's still so much to do. We have to find a way to make it through the next few weeks. Eli doesn't have sick days, so next week we won't see a paycheck. On top of which his insulin and suppplies are $450 a month, and we're going to run out of the freebies they gave us in the next couple days. I know God will make a way for us (He always does) but it's hard to sit on my hands and wait while trying to decide what bills I can pay and how I'm going to afford the medicine he needs. Brayden's birthday is in two weeks and I know I should probably use the money Eli's parents sent for his present (a train table and train set) for insulin, but I just can't bring myself to think about it. We went looking at toys today and he beelined for the little train table they had set up. I just don't know if I can take his present away from him. We're hoping the doctor will have some samples we can use. Eli has been doing well. He has been taking the basal 24-hour insulin every night. But he's not been taking the rapid acting insulin each time he eats and his blood sugar hasn't gone above 200. Nor has it really risen after eating. It gives us a little hope. I'm looking for a specialist so we can have the proper tests run and know for sure if his pancreas is working at all and what may have triggered this all of a sudden. And then we have to let the Air Force know. I don't know what they're going to do. It's all a lot right now.

Photo Fest

So, I have admittedly neglected my blog lately. So I thought I'd post a bunch of photos from the last few weeks.

These are from Kid's Day out at Langan Park. The balloon on his wrist is a turtle. He thought all the animals were curious to look at. And he thought we were all out of our minds when the lady was painting Mickey on his arm.

















I took Brayden downtown to Bienville Square and let him terrorize...I mean chase...the squirrels. He had an absolute ball!





This about sums up the day.



And here's a few odd pictures. Brayden loves playing Guitar Hero and taking baths with Daddy.