Happy Birthday Brian!

Due to family emergencies and illnesses, this blog is late.

My son Brian turned 31 on Tuesday. Let me tell you, in THIS mom's words, about Brian.

We almost didn't have him. He wasn't breathing when he was born. I never heard his first cry, nor did I see him until he was about 5 hours old. Talk about a freaked out mama! So freaked out that I got out of bed without permission, and told Jim if HE didn't take me to the nursery RIGHT NOW, I'd go by myself. So we went, and as we walked through the nursery doors, I passed out. Too soon after giving birth to be out of bed, but my baby boy needed me, and come hell or high water I was going to be with him! He'd swallowed amniotic fluid just before he crowned, and his lungs were full, and infection set in. He was in NICU for 2 weeks. There's nothing harder than leaving the hospital with empty arms.

I also had a 3 year old at home. Jimmy was so excited about having a baby brother, and so crushed when we came home without Brian. He literally sobbed, which, of course, made mommy join right in. It was tough. Spend the mornings with Jimmy, then head down to Mercy Hosp. and spend 4 or 5 hours with Brian, then head home in time to fix dinner and spend some quality time with Jimmy before he went to bed. We were exhausted, but the glorious homecoming day finally arrived, and we brought our precious son home!

Brian was a very mellow and good-natured baby. But boy, could that kid EAT! Wow! I always said I felt sorry for the women who married my sons, because their grocery bills would be astronomical! LOL...I think they've finally tapered off. No matter, I don't have to feed them anymore! LOL...Brian also liked to stick things where they don't belong. First time was a rock up his nostril. The dang thing was bigger than his nostril, and even the Dr couldn't figure out how he got it up there! The 2nd time was about 2 months later. A candy corn in his ear-that one was a false alarm, but we didn't know that until the ER visit, at which time the nurse asked me, 'Hey, isn't that the little guy that shoved a rock up his nose a couple of months ago?'...um...yeah.

Brian, at 22 months old, ran away from home. Not consciously, mind you. More like wandered away. I turned my back for 30 seconds (which was about 29 seconds too long) and poof-GONE. My mother lived up the street, so all I could think of was that since we'd walked the street dozens of times, maybe he headed up that way. I stuck 5 year old Jimmy in the doorway of our apt. with the instructions, 'if you see Brian, you grab him and drag him in here and do NOT let him out!'...there is no greater pain than not knowing where your baby is.....horrible, awful thoughts ran through my head: 'he's so little, there's NO way a car could see him over the hood! We're 1 block from Main Street! Oh dear God, PLEASE help me find my baby NOW!!!' I RAN (and for those of you who really know me, you know that I do NOT run) up towards mom's house. No Brian. Headed back for home to call the Sheriff, when something made me turn my head towards the fire station, which was then on 9th Street, and lo and behold, here comes our friend Bill-a firefighter-headed my way, with a smiling, tow-headed little boy named Brian-happily on his hip! I didn't know whether to hug him or beat him! I chose the former...LOL...I should've known then that that would be Brian's calling in life.

Fast forward 16 years or so. Brian is 18, and invites mom to lunch. While sitting there, he says, 'Mom, I believe God has called me to be a firefighter.' It was then that I handed Brian over to God and said, 'Lord, if you've called Brian to this career, I place him in Your hands, and I trust YOU to take care of him.' And He has. Brian's been in some pretty hairy situations, and yet, I don't fear for him, because I know he is safely in the palm of the Lord's Hand.

Brian has always been so good with kids. Always wanted kids. His dream was realized when he met and married Katie, and then just 16 months ago became a proud daddy to Peyton Marie.
To watch my son with his child is amazing. He's such a good daddy. Loving, patient, attentive. He's what good daddies are made of. He's what good husbands are made of. he's what good sons are made of.

I am so blessed to have the 2 best sons in the world. Brian, like his big brother Jimmy, cares deeply about his parents and siblings, and his closest friends. He's always there with a helping hand, a word of advice, and a hug of encouragement. I am beyond proud to call him my son.

Happy Birthday Brian. I love you.
Mom

Penny's Excellent Adventure

Forget Bill & Ted's excellent adventure....this is about MY excellent adventure!

I did something I've never done before-I went on a long road trip, all by myself. People seemed surprised when I told them I was going to AZ alone to see my niece and her family. I guess it surprised me that others were surprised. I mean, it's not like I'm 92 and doing this...LOL...but anyway, I needed to do this to prove something to myself: that I CAN do things like this. Call me crazy, but I just felt like I needed to do something for myself, and this was it. So sit back and read on:

Saturday morning, 7:15am, I am on my way...whoo-hoo! Pop in a worship CD, and I'm good for the long haul! Hit some sprinkles in Alpine and points east, then wind. LOTS of wind. HARD wind. The kind that makes you white-knuckle your steering wheel so that you don't go flying where you shouldn't go. What a trip! LOL....Up & over the mountains, and down into the Imperial Valley, and the winds picked up, and remained for my entire trip.

I was headed I-8 East....and was to pick up I-10 east, and go to 587 North to get to Willow & Kevin's. Got the first two right anyway. Didn't know that the 587 exits on the LEFT of the freeway, so there I am, cruising along, looking for Hwy 587 North....never did find it, but an hour & a half later, after cruising the freeways of Tucson, I decided to give Kevin a call, because by that point I was 99.9% sure I'd gone to far. But before I could call him, he called me. By now it's 2pm, about an hour or so since I SHOULD have arrived at their house...

K: Hi Aunt Penny, it's Kev...where are you?
P: Hey Kev, I was just about to call you! Ummm....I'm on 10 East still...at Exit 294...I think I went too far Kev, I just drove through Tuscon.
K: Ohhh Aunt Penny, yep, I think you went ALOT too far! Can you turn around somewhere?
P: Yep, I'll get off at this next exit and head west again...what Exit do I want for your place?
K: You want 587 North, and it's just down the road from where you picked up the 10 from the 8...I'll check in with you in a few.
P:Ok got it...

20 minutes later:

K:Hey Aunt Penny, it's Kev again....you want Exit 175 or 177-it'll also say 587 North...
P: Wow! I went a LONG way past where I should've been! Ok hon I'll see you soon!

Long story short, I went roughly 3 hours round trip out of my way to get there, and a total of 10 hours driving time on what should have been a 6.5-7 hr drive, but I made it!

Had a wonderful time with Willow and the family. Everyone was so attentive and gracious, and I loved the time I spent with them.

I left at 6:30 this morning to head for home, and THIS time I got on the RIGHT freeway the FIRST time...LOL...a fairly uneventful drive, but oh the winds! Once I got back into CA they picked up and I again found myself white-knuckling the steering wheel-it was incredible! Hit a sandstorm, and was SO glad I had the van closed up tight!

Got in about 2:00 this afternoon, and am now unpacked, settled, and back to 'normal', whatever that is...

I'd write more, but I think you get the picture. Will definitely do this again-it was fun! BUT....

It's good to be home.

Bit By Bit

Most people have a favorite room or spot in their house. Mine is OUTside. This is my swing. It was a gift from Jim's dad after we moved here 11 years ago. While sitting on my swing, I have laughed, cried, prayed, thought, talked on the phone and rocked all of my grand babies.

It looks alot different than it used to. We recently extended the brick out to the side to give us more room for family bbq's. There used to be honeysuckle all over the frame. Honeysuckle is nice, IF it stays green and lush year-round. Mine doesn't, so it went bye-bye. Eventually we want to put a patio table and chairs out here so that we can enjoy warm summer evenings in the fresh air.

This picture was taken not long after the sun came up. I love it. We still have many plans for this little area, and we're getting there....bit by bit.

Happy Birthday Alissa!

April 6, 1998. 3:09am. Bleary-eyed relatives waiting in a tiny hospital waiting room. Actually, the waiting had begun 3 days earlier, when mom started having contractions. But this was the REAL thing. Auntie Lori burst into the waiting room. 'It's a girl!' Alissa Renae! 7lbs 12oz. Around 19.5 in. long. She was beautiful. Our first grandchild/first granddaughter. Born on our 24th wedding anniversary.

Alissa came into my life at a time when I needed something positive to pour my heart & soul into. I had been taken out of the workforce by a job-related injury, and my mother's ovarian cancer had metastasized. My kids were grown. Well, Shannon was a senior in high school, but pretty much grown up. I felt like no one really 'needed' me. Alissa was that shining star during the darkest of times.

I started babysitting Lissy when she was 6 months old. Daddy would drop her off about 6am, and mommy would pick her up about 4pm, so we had the whole day together. What a joy she was! A beautiful little blond-hair-blue-eyed princess. SO pretty, in fact, that I literally got stopped in stores and parking lots by people telling me what a beautiful baby I had! Of course, I corrected them right away, telling them she is my granddaughter, but oh, those buttons on my shirt nearly burst with pride. And talk about a good and easy baby!

Our days typically began quietly, then got busier as the hours went by. First was breakfast, then a short nap. Time for Teletubbies (her favorite!), Clifford The Big Red Dog, Blues Clues, and of course, Zoobomafoo (sp?)...morning snack, then off to go check on great-grandma, or take her down the hill for radiation. Lunch, then a nap, and then time for Grandpa to come home from work, which meant MAJOR playtime! She even, at a year old, helped Grandpa put in 'her' yard-right out there 'working' side-by-side with Papa, and getting just as dirty!

Lesa quit working about a week before Justen was born, so I had Liss over a year and a half, She was literally a God-send, and helped keep me sane during my mother's final months, and beyond.

I know she doesn't remember any of this, but we share a very special bond. I thank God for her. She was my 'saving grace'. Now she's 11. It's so hard to believe, but it's been such a joy and a blessing watching her grow and evolve into the beautiful young person she is today. I know she has a bright and happy future, and I am eager to share it with her!

Happy Birthday Alissa. Grandma loves you more than you'll ever know.

Happy Birthday Jimmy!

I have made it my goal to blog about each one of my family members on their birthdays. I hope you enjoy reading my trips down Memory Lane as much as I enjoy writing them.

My firstborn, James Robert King. Born at UCSD Medical Center in San Diego, CA. on March 24, 1975, at 5:38pm. 6lbs. 15oz. 18.5in. Named for Daddy, and Uncle John. My baby. 18.5 LONG hours of labor...LOL...every mom has a 'labor' story. I'll spare you the details.

Jimmy was a happy baby, for the most part. By the time he was 2, I figured I'd pretty much marred him for life. He was my 'trial and error' baby. The first one always is. He's the one whose piece of fingertip I cut off while trimming his nails with the baby 'safety' clippers. From then on I BIT my babies' nails....no more clippers for THIS mama!

I wanted to be a good mommy, so I decided to use cloth diapers. That's what we did WAY back then. It's a NASTY way to go, let me tell ya! But, nevertheless, I rinsed, soaked, scrubbed and bleached those little nappies so my baby would have sparkling white diapers. No one told me that poop STAINS! Ah well...I gave it a go anyway. Until I pinned him to his diaper. He was screaming, and I'm thinking, 'what is wrong with you child??! I just fed you, burped you, bathed you, and gave you a clean diaper, and you're screaming???' So, I decided to check his diaper, one more time, and discovered, to my utter horror, that I had pinned the poor little guy to his diaper! I don't know who cried harder, him or ME! We switched to Pampers. That's all we had back then, but it sure beat risking the chance of 'pinning' him again!

Jimmy was a typical little boy, always running, jumping, climbing, and falling. In most of his professional portraits, he looks like a classic child abuse case...a black & blue bump, right in the middle of his forehead. Broken bones, sprains, lots of 'owies'...typical boy, all the way around.

I could go on about the teenage years, and even his 20's, but I prefer to talk about now. I am so incredibly proud of the man he has become. I love that I have such a special bond with him (as I do with my other 2 kids, but their turn is coming in later blogs), and I can call him with a need, and he's right there. He's always been there for his dad and me. He made the wisest choice ever in his choice for a bride. He's a dad who loves his kids passionately, and will stop at nothing to ensure their well being. He's a brother who's best friends are his brother and sister. He's a friend who is there in good times and bad. He's a man who takes his job seriously, never afraid to go that 'extra mile' if need be. He's had some hard knocks in life, and has learned from each of them, and he is a better man because of those 'knocks'. He appreciates what he's been given, and teaches his kids to appreciate too. He strives to be a good role model for his kids, holding himself accountable, and telling his kids to hold him accountable too. He's a wonderful daddy.

Husband, daddy, brother, cousin, friend, uncle....and son. Awesome man, and one that I am proud to call MY son.

Happy Birthday Jimmy. I love you.
Mom

Spring Is In The Air

Ahhh Spring.... How I love the new life 'springing' up all around me!

I know that technically, Spring doesn't arrive until March 20th. But convince the flowers, trees, bushes, and lawns that are already springing forth with new life that Spring hasn't quite 'arrived' yet. My mulberry trees have got buds on them, that will soon to turn into huge, beautiful leaves, and producing sweet, tasty berries with which to feed the little birdies that have gone elsewhere in search of food for the winter.
My Texas Umbrella trees are blooming too. During the winter, I affectionately refer to them as 'my 20ft. twigs'. Soon they will provide shade to my living room, blocking out the hot summer sun. Adorned with delicate white flowers, they really are a beautiful tree.
My lawn, which has lain dormant for months, is now growing. It's fescue, and is green year-round, but I know that Spring is definitely in the air when the lawn needs a 'haircut', fertilizing, and bug spray, so that it'll be lush, cushy, and bug-free for grandchildren to play on during the warm summer months.
I just got my propane tank filled for our gas BBQ grill-another sign that Spring is, indeed, in the air. Soon, the grill will come alive with chicken, carne asada, spareribs and other yummy summer BBQ-type meats, as the family once again gathers at mom & dad's for a meal together. Sweet times they are! Daylight Saving Time-another indication that Spring is here. I love DST....ok so it's still dark in the early morning hours, but hey, it's still LIGHT at 8pm! I love it when we decide to take a stroll after a hot day, and it's still light out enough to feel safe. Yep, a nice walk, then a quick stop at Mickey D's for a soft-serve cone to enjoy on the stroll home....gotta love it!

Driving around town, I see so much new life, and it gives me hope. Welcome Spring, I've missed you!

Happy Birthday Katie!

Today is a VERY special lady's birthday! 'Our' Katie!

Ok, so, I should have posted this blog a couple of weeks ago, but time got away from me, and....well, you know how it goes.

Rewind almost 4 years. Brian is leaving for Ione, off to the Fire Academy for Engineers. He's at an all-time low, and is definitely 'down on women' in his words. Of course my thoughts and prayers are with him. When your kid is hurting, you're hurting too.

Fast forward 6 weeks or so. Brian is home for memorial Day weekend. He & I are chatting in the kitchen, and I ask him if the rumors I'm hearing through the family grapevine are true. That he's met someone. My first thought is to take that guy and shake him till his teeth rattle! What IS he....CRAZY??? THIS soon? After what he's been through??? He 'confesses'. Now, my kids can attest to this next statement. My boys especially. I'm point blank with them. 'Brian, is this woman someone you can see yourself spending the rest of your life with? Someone to have a family with, and grow old with?' Without one iota of hesitation, he says, 'Yes Mom, she is. She's the one'. Good enough for me, but I still want to meet the young woman who has unequivocally captured my son's heart.

Katie came down a short while later to visit Brian, and Brian had cautioned us that Katie was on the shy side, and not to be too upset if she wasn't real social. Are we talking about the same girl here Brian? He brought her in, and she was like a missing puzzle piece to our family! She came in, sat down, and talked to us like she'd known us all her life. And that was just the beginning.

Katie has been a source of joy in our lives. She's the definition of what I, as a mom, wanted in a wife for my son. She is the definition of what I wanted in a mommy for my grandchildren. We look forward to many happy years with her....happy birthday honey. We love you so....