When You Need Your Angels the Most!

It is funny, this week it seems like my patience has been worn thin with the kids.  I am not sure if it is the fact that the last three weeks at least one of them has been sick which means very little sleep for mommy and daddy.  I think spring fever is setting in as well because they seem to be a little more rambunctious than ever. 

I fell into bed last night absolutely exhausted but I couldn't fall asleep.  Instead I laid there and thought about the challenges of motherhood. Immediately my mind drifted and I just couldn't think of anything else than my dear friend Tanya.  She was facing a "motherhood" challenge far more profound than anything I was going through.  Today her daughter checked into the hospital for major surgery.  All I could think about is what she must be going through.  As a mother I could almost feel the lump in her chest I could only imagine she was feeling knowing she would have to turn her baby girl over to the doctors to be fixed. 

I think all mothers have that insatiable desire to fix things when it comes to our kids.  We don't want our babies to suffer, to be sad, or to hurt.  And we feel that it is our job, our responsibility to "fix" it.  And all I could think about is there she would have to sit in the lobby as the doctor's wheeled her baby girl away for hours, and she would have to surrender her ability to "fix" her baby to the doctors.  Sitting and waiting and wondering, probably wishing she could just hold her hand through it all.

I think many of us asked for angels to watch over Tanya and her family today.  Because today was a day when she would need her angels the most!

If you know Tanya, you know that she and her family are loved and supported by so many good friends and family.  It gave me comfort knowing that they would be there to hug her during her doubts and hold her hand through the procedure.  And although it had to seem like an eternity, they both made it through!  I can only imagine the relief, the literal weight that lifted off of her and Frank, and the ability to finally let that breath out that they had been holding in since the diagnosis!  Angels truly were watching over them!

More "motherhood" challenges await, the recovery will take a couple of weeks.  But now it is time for hugs and kisses just because she can!  I am most glad that tonight she will be able to just sit there and watch her daughter sleep.  To shed her tears of relief that probably have been building up for weeks and most of all to count her blessings for her sweet Micaela.

God bless you Tanya, for your faith, your courage and your strength!

Trip to ABQ for Kevin's Graduation

We drove out to Albuquerque to celebrate Kevin's graduation from High School. On our way out, I took some pics of the new bridge over Hoover Dam. It is almost done and ENORMOUS!!!Grandma Neilson spoiled Chance with another mini birthday party.

This time it was Spider Man cupcakes...YUMMY!He definitely got a little messier.

Gia waited patiently for a cupcake of her own. Ari got a Karaoke machine for her birthday and brought it up to Grandma Neilson's so everyone could try it out. The kids had a blast singing as loud as they could to all of the songs...it was hilarious!

We took the kiddos, their cousins and met up with Tanya and her kiddos at the mall to try the bungee/trampoline/jumpee-thing. The kids waited patiently for their chance to bounce.

After all the bouncing it was definitely time for a treat...off to Cinnabun's for smoothies and the hardest choice of all a Cinnabun or a Cupcake! Cole and Matthew...Chance and Mark...I absolutely love this picture! We were at Angelo's baseball game and I glance over and see Kadee and Micaela perched up on this block almost like they are runnin' the town! Had to get a picture of it. Notice Micaela with her hands on her hips (she ain't nothin like her momma :) !!)We spent one of the afternoon's at the park playing some fun games. One of my favorites, the splash ball. I love watching them freak out in anticipation of the water balloon breaking inside!

The worst part of our trips to ABQ is always when we have to say goodbye. Micaela was so sad when it was time to go. She started crying, Tanya finally convinced her to go, she headed to the car and then turned back and ran to give Kadee one last hug. It was so sad and I have to admit a tear escaped from my eye at that moment. Monday was Kevin's graduation from Rio Rancho High. Cole anxiously awaited to see his big cousin walk up on to the stage to receive his diploma.We are so proud of him! He is headed to NMSU to seek a degree in Professional Golf Management. Oh Kevin, the good times you will have!Grandma Neilson and Kev.After a fantastic dinner to celebrate Kevin's graduation we headed back to Grandma and Grandpa's for a little play time. The boys of course wanted to play a little baseball.Then we though it would be a good idea to take a picture of the grandkids. Well we tried! It really would take an act of God to get eight kiddos to all look in the same direction and sit still long enough to get a good pic. But we sure got some cute ones trying!Cindy and the newest addition to the family...adorable Ian.Also got a good pic of Charlie's mama and his sisters...We had a great trip celebrating such a good Kid's achievements and spending some good quality time with our friends and family.

Event Date: 05/17/2010

Bonnie Springs with the Gallegos Family

I am very lucky that Tanya's in-laws moved to Las Vegas because now I get to see her a little more often then just when I go to Albuquerque. This year they came to Vegas for Thanksgiving so we got to spend a day with them. I suggested we take the kids out to Bonnie Springs for the day. It was a pretty chilly day, which made it perfect to sip hot chocolate in the restaurant at a table next to the big open fire. While we were waiting for lunch the kids enjoyed feeding the ducks and swan in the duck pond right outside the restaurant.

Micaela and Cole posing by the duck pond...Matthew and Cole feeding the ducks...After lunch we headed over to the old west town where the kids got a talkin to from the cowboy. They then got to watch a bank robbery and help the sheriff to capture the bank robber and put him in jail.The kids with a "real" cowboy...Love this pic!We also caught the Cowboy melodrama in the saloon and we treated the kids to rootbeer and crackerjacks. After the show we mosied on over to the petting zoo which the kids loved. Here they are posing with one of the burros that was just hanging around.Micaela tried to get a closer look at the baby doe that was walking around the petting zoo with her mama.We topped our trip off with a ride on the choo choo train.On our way home we ran into a bit of a traffic jam...there were three wild burros just hanging out in the middle of the road.I rolled down my window to get a pic of this burro and quickly had to role it back up, he thought I had a treat to share with him and he practically stuck his head inside my car window.
It was a really fun day and we enjoyed seeing spending the day with Tanya and the kids...I really wish they lived closer though...we miss them!