How did I miss this?

I'm not entirely sure how I missed telling the world that I have a brand new nephew!!!
That's right...my sweet nephew was born June 7, 2011 and weighed 7lb 12oz and I think he was 19in long (his mommy can correct me).  He looks just like my brother did when he was a baby!!  TONS of dark hair that sticks straight up!!  He's so cute!
We went to visit last weekend and Zach met his cousin for the first time...he was not interested!  We kept trying to get him to come over and talk to him, kiss him, hug him...nope.  It was like Braiden had the plague!  Oh well...maybe next time he'll be interested.
While we were up in NOVA, we went and visited my cousins Beth, Lauren and Audrey.  I'm pretty sure Josh was there, but he was sleeping!  It was such a short visit.  I hate that.  We wanted to get started back on the road at a decent time, so that meant our visit was less than 2 hours.  I feel like I need to go up there for an extended weekend just so I can spend some good, quality time with everyone.
There really isn't anything else going on that really exciting.  Just going to work and spending my free time with Zach.  I will say this, Zach is starting to say a lot of words!  He learned a new one the other day..."mine".  Nice.  He can also say:
"daddy", "mommy", "night night", "Abby", "bye bye", "hi", "hello", "thank you", "please", "excuse me", "no" (he's really good at that one), "Moo Moo", "Bumpa", "Maggie" (he's says it with a D instead of an M), "again", "yeah" and "potty"...which he's given up on.  He probably says more than this, but this is all I can think of off the top of my head.  He can also tell me what certain animals say, what the train says (because we have them going through our city ALL the time) and he's a pretty amazing dancer.  I can't believe how fast he is growing up.  I really need to charge my camera so I can take some pictures.  I would love to take video, but he knows when the camera is out and then he wants it.
Well, I need to go write down my menus for the next 2 weeks..

S~

...he loves me

That's right folks!  Zach loves me!!  I know this because he told me last night!!
They were the sweetest words I have ever heard come out of his mouth!  Since he's still learning how to talk, I had to ask Doug if he heard what I did and we concluded that my baby told me he loved me!!  Talk about the BEST feeling EVER!!!
I ALWAYS tell him I love him.  Every chance I get I'm either telling him I love him or trying to kiss his face off! He will never doubt that I love him!  It was so wonderful to hear those words...

hanging out on cloud nine...

Where have I been?!

It has been such a long time since I updated this blog!  Geez...you would think I got a job or something..oh, wait...I did!
I'm sure most of who is reading this already knows about my good fortune, but for those that don't, I got a job!! It has absolutely nothing to do with my major, but it's a source of income!  I'm working at an administrative assistant at a pediatrics office.  I'm the assistant for one of the nurse practitioners.  I started working there on April 18.  I'm actually extremely lucky to have found this job.  It was in the Sunday paper on the 8th of April, I applied that night, got a phone call for an interview the next day, interviewed that Tuesday and was offered the job the same day!!  I couldn't believe it!!  I had been applying for numerous jobs, but like most people applying for jobs these days, I had not heard back from any of them.  So get this...I was one of the 400 applicants that she had received like overnight and by the time I was doing my paperwork she had over 600 applicants and I believe she received over 1,000 applications!!  Is that not the craziest thing?!  I consider myself very lucky.
So I've been there over a month and so far everything is going pretty well.  I was finally released from training last week, so I'm officially official!  I had to put Zach in daycare and he's actually doing pretty well.  He still cries a little in the mornings when I leave him, but I know he likes it.  He has a provider there that he has latched on to.  Her name is Becky, but he calls her "Bebby", which I think is better than Becky!  I'm told as soon as he sees her car pull into the parking lot, he goes nuts!  Yes, he knows her car.  That's how much he loves this woman.  I still don't like leaving him, but knowing he has someone there that he really cares about and vice versa, it makes it a little easier.

 The weekend I was offered the position, my very best friend, Kammy, got married!!  I was her matron of honor and I was certainly honored!!  Kammy has been one of my nearest and dearest since I was 15.  She has always been like a sister to me.  I'm so happy that she is finally happy with her new best friend...well I guess technically he was her bff first.  Kammy and Danny have known each other since they were 13.  She's a little older than that now...tehehe.  Seriously, I couldn't be happier for them!  It was a long, broken road for them, but they finally found their way to one another.

The wedding party

me and the beautiful bride

at the recpetion

Shortly after I started my new job, we went to Boston to see our friends Jason and Kerri get married.  It was a super long drive and it was the first time I left Zach overnight.  He stayed with Doug's parents, but even knowing that he was in very loving and capable hands, I cried the whole way across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.  In his whole 17 months of life (at that point), I had never slept away from him.  Not. A. Fan.  Even still, we had a great time.  We had some other friends that flew up a couple days before us, so we were able to hang out with them while we were there.
The wedding was so beautiful.  Traditional Catholic wedding with ALL the trimmings.  Jason and Kerri are such an amazingly loving couple.  I don't know how Jason trapped her, but I'm happy he did because she is such a wonderful addition to our amazing group of friends.

Mr. and Mrs. Jason Consalvo

The reception was aaahhhmazing.  Probably one of THE best receptions I have EVER been to!!  It was so fun!!  Their dj was awesome!!  I haven't danced like that is SUCH a long time!!!  So much fun!!
Side note:  MA has some of the scariest drivers I have ever encountered.  I thought NOVA/D.C. drivers were scary...they have nothing on these MA drivers!!
Second side note:  I really think MA is the Dunkin Donut capital of the world...I'd have to do some research, but I'm preeetty sure there was one on every corner.

our friends Laura and Mike

reception time!

The weekend following the wedding I gradated from college!!  I can't believe I'm finally done!!  I still have a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that I am done with homework!!!  I guess when you've been in school for 10 years there comes a time when you think that you'll never be done!  But I am!!!  I couldn't have done it without the love and support of my family and friends, especially my husband.  There were many times (one of them being a week before I graduated) where I just wanted to give up and do something else.  I didn't think I had it in me.  I still don't know how I did it, but I graduated with honors, Cum Laude.  ME!!  I did it!!  It's true what everyone had been telling me, "it doesn't matter how long it takes, just as long as you try your hardest and get that degree!".  I really feel like my mom would be so proud of me.  She gave me the foundation to stand on and my aunt gave me the push.  It is so hard having such amazing milestones and not having them here, but I know, well I hope, that they are watching from somewhere elbowing each other saying "look, we did good!".  I'm sure one of them is joking "I didn't think she would ever make it!!"  Thanks again to everyone who has stood by me all these years!!

Helloooo!!!  Honors!!  What whaaat!!

The weekend following that big event we went to NOVA for my brother and his girlfriends baby shower.  It was such a nice shower...I say that because I threw it!  LOL!  It was nice, though.  They received a lot of nice things that they will definitely need!!  I can't wait until that little boy is here!!  Less than a month!!  I just want to hold him and breathe him in.  A little boy...my nephew...Braiden.  Can't wait!

me and Jessye

Ava

Trent

mommy and daddy to be

brother and sister!

I don't think I have anything else to report...until next time America...and Canada...and Germany (I have folks in different countries reading this!!  Check me out!!  I'm International!!)

Smooches!!

Sarah

*~One Door Closes...~*

...Another one opens!!
So I'm set to graduate in just a few weeks after 10 long years of plugging along in college.  I seriously can't believe it has taken me this long!  When I think about the length of time I've spent in school, I get pretty irritated.  Changing majors, taking semesters off...I should have been done by now!!  But, at least I'll have my degree soon...hopefully.  I still have to finish that godforsaken paper.
So, since that door is finally closing (for now...maybe), another one opened for me today.  I've been applying for different types of jobs for the last couple of months and I hadn't heard back from ANY, except for one when they sent me an email that said "thanks, but no thanks".   This was probably my 11th job application, which I submitted Sunday night.  The ad in the paper said it was for an administrative associate/receptionist position at a pediatrics off.  "Doctors office?  That's not what she went to school for."  I know, I know.  This isn't my ideal position, but right now the teaching opportunities just aren't there for me.  It's a long complicated story.
So anyways.  I got a call yesterday afternoon from the office manager inviting me in for an interview today.  I thought it went very well.  She was very thorough and asked me about every position I held since 2003.  She explained the position and asked if I would be interested in something like that.  Duh lady, I need a job.  She showed me around and then said she would get back to me by the end of the week.  I left the office by 10:10 (from my 9:45 interview) and by 11:15 I already received word that she had contacted one of my references!  Around 12:30-12:45 I received a phone call from her offering me the position!!!  She said she didn't need to look at anymore applications and she thought I was perfect for the position.
Ok, so, the position is the administrative associate position and I will be working exclusively for one physician doing all of his scheduling, referrals, prescription refills, etc. etc.  I did that before when I worked at Bayside Family Practice in VA Beach, so I'm pretty familiar with how it goes.  The office has 9 providers and operates on a 4 day work week!  I'll work essentially 10 hour days (really 11, but an hour gets taken out for lunch).  I'm not sure what day I will have off, but Friday would be ideal!!!  4 days of work then 3 full days with Zach!  Perfect!!
Speaking of...I enrolled him in daycare today.  Sooooooo sad.  I really don't know how I'm going to leave him on his first day.  I don't know how you other working mommas do it!  But, it has to be done.  It will make his life a little better as far things that he needs.  The ONLY thing that sucks, besides paying out the butt for his tuition, is that I work till 6 and his daycare closes at 6.  Gonna have to work that out somehow.

Well, I guess that's about it for now.

Thank you everyone for all of your love and support!!

Love,
Sarah

*~Spring has Sprung~*

It finally feels like spring today!!  It has been pretty rainy and chilly for the past few days and today it was sunny, warm and a bit breezy.  Perfect spring day.  Zach and I went to a park today close to our house and he had an absolute blast!!  When he saw all of the slides and play areas he got so excited and kept saying "oh wow wow!"!  He's so cute.  He loves the slides and was able to go down a couple by himself (they have a ton there!) and I even went down a couple with him.  That was so much fun!!  He kept saying again, but in his own language.  I'm not really sure how to spell it!

This is how we spent our afternoon today.  Playing at the park near out house!

We welcomed a new member to our family today.  Our friends Lloyd and Tiphany welcomed their baby boy Micah Makai this afternoon.  He weighed almost the exact same as Zach!   He was 7lbs 4oz and 20in.  Zach was the same except his was 5oz.  I'm so excited for them and can't wait to meet little Micah!

I paid my graduation fee today.  The last bit of money Norfolk State University will ever get from me...hopefully.  My cap, gown, tassel and hood came last week and I was nervous just looking at it.  I was paranoid to open it because all I could think about was what if I don't write my paper EXACTLY how my professor wants it and he fails me and I don't graduate?  Then I won't be able to get a refund!!  UGGGHHH...I opened it.  I couldn't help myself.  I stared at it for a while and then just did it.  I ripped the thing open and felt a tear.  I WILL graduate.  I HAVE to.  It just sucks that one paper will determine my fate.  I hate that feeling.

I've been looking for jobs and they are pretty slim.  I think I've applied for close to 10 and haven't heard back from any yet.  I'm hopeful, though.  I'm hoping to have one in the next couple of months.  I really just need something for a year until Doug graduates and decides where he wants to go for Law school.

About that...we will most likely put our house on the market this summer.  We know that it may sit for a while, so we want it to get a head start on the sitting.  If by some miracle it does sell, we will just move into a rental until we are ready to move to wherever it is that we are going.  He's looking at a few schools in VA, PA, and NY.  I think he even said FL, so we will see.  It really depends on his LSAT scores, but I'm sure he'll do amazing on those.

Last night Zach and I went over to my cousins house for a birthday.  My cousin, Katherine, turned 13!!  I can't believe it.  She was born the same year my mom died and I remember going to my cousins Steve and Rona's wedding and she was just this teeny tiny baby and now she's all grown up.  She showed us the dress she's wearing for her birthday party with her friends and I was blown away.  First of all, she didn't look 13...far from it.  She looked amazing.  It's weird how my younger cousins keep getting older and I stay the same age...strange.

the pizza gobbler...this was pre-party.

I think that's about it for now.  I gotta go start dinner.  Spinach lasagna rolls for dinner.  Hoping it tastes as yummy as it sounds!

Love

Sarah

This is what "don't bother the dogs while they're eating" looks like.

Just one of them days

My aunts one year anniversary of her passing was this past Monday.   I thought about it for weeks leading up to it.  I cried, smiled, and remembered her and our times together.  When Monday came, I was in a pretty good place.  No tears or sadness.  Just remembrance.
I didn't talk to anyone about it.  I didn't call anyone.  Not even my uncle.  I know that sounds so terrible.  What would I say?  "How are you feeling about the death of your wife?"  I couldn't do it.  He gets so choked up any time I visit and her name comes up.  As much as I hate to admit it, I don't really like going over to the house.  I keep expecting her to come down the stairs and sit in her seat and chat me up like old times.  Instead, I head downstairs to sit on the floor next to my uncle as he watches t.v. and I try to chat him up.  I think Zach is much better at it than I am.  He seems to break down the wall he sometimes has up and gets a response from him.  He's never been a man of many words. He always left that up to her. I just wish there was something I could say to take away his heartache.
I feel guilty for missing her so much sometimes.  She wasn't my biological mother, but she was so close.  I feel like by me missing her as much as I do, I'm taking something away from her real children.  I don't think they know how much she impacted my life and how grateful I am that they shared her with me.
I think watching her die right before my eyes is what makes it so much harder.  It's just like when I lost my mom.  I watched that horrid, wretched cancer take both of them away.  I watched as it caused them pain, made them cry, took their life.  Two women who were equally strong, strikingly beautiful, and loved and cared for others with such passion.  Death is always sad, but I think it is so much more painful when the ones you love have to suffer.  I never thought that after watching my own mother suffer for 14 months and then die that I would have to do it with the woman who so unselfishly took me in and raised me.  I feel like I have been cheated in the mother department.  I had my mom for 14 almost 15 years and then my aunt who cared for me like I was her own, I only had her for 12 years (technically 26 years, but I lived with her for 12).
She made me feel like I belonged somewhere.  That somewhere was with her.  I always felt safe and a part of something when I was with her.  With her gone, I feel so alone at times.  Like I have to fend for myself.
It's been a year of "wait until I tell her...", "I wonder if she would like...", "I need to call...", "wait until she sees that Zach can..." "I should have called more."  "I should have gone over more."  "Why did I let my life get in the way of spending time with her?"  "Did I tell her I loved her enough?"
I know she is with us all of the time from the dream I had about her over the holidays.  Even though she didn't speak to me in the dream, I could tell by her smiles, hand gestures and the way she shoveled the food in her mouth (weird, right?!) that she was ok and that made me feel comforted in a way.
I will always love her and miss her, but I'm pretty sure somehow, somewhere, that she is aware of that and she possibly feels the same way.

Talk Talk Talk Talk

That is all this child does lately!!  If you looked up "jabber jaws" in the dictionary, his picture would most likely be next to it!  I LOVE it!!  Although, when I'm trying to talk on the phone, it can be a bit trying.  I usually have to put him on speaker phone so HE can talk and then afterwards I can talk.  I took him for his 15 month check up last week and his pediatrician said his vocabulary is that of an 18 month old.  I thought that was pretty neat.  He has one phrase that he uses all the time, "oh wow!", and about 10-15 words in his arsenal.  Today he actually used "no" and "yeah" in the correct context.  I was pretty impressed!  My cousin Don said that Zach is practicing to be a southern Baptist preacher because he talks to much and he uses his hands like a maniac!  I thought I used my hands a lot to talk, but this kid has me beat!  I guess I can say he comes by it honestly!

While at his appointment, he was weighed and measured.  Currently, he weighs 24lbs 2oz and is 32in long.  He's pretty tall, but I think that was expected.  He ended up getting two shots which did not fare well with him, but who can blame him.

He's pretty darn cute these days!  He has become mommy's little helper.  He LOVES to help me put clothes in the dryer, take groceries out of the bags, dust, vacuum, and put the dogs in their crates when we leave.  I corral them in their separate crates and close the doors and he gives them their "cookies".  He drops them in there and says "bye bye doggie".  Tell me that's not cute!!  The other day I was trying to rush him out the door and I helped him with the cookies and walked to the living room to get our things and I was calling for him and I could hear him talking, but it wasn't to me.  I walked in the kitchen and he was laying on the floor, on his belly, in front of Abby's crate with his hands and mouth going a mile a minute.  As cute as it was, I had to scoop him up so we could leave.  He made sure to wave and continuously tell them goodbye.  He is TOO funny!!

He is quite independent.  He doesn't want to hold my hand when we walk, doesn't want to sit in carts in stores (he would rather push them from the bottom and dare me to stop to look at things), and the restaurant/high-chair situation is not going well.  He likes the booster seat, but only for a short while.  He would rather get down and go table to table telling everyone "Hiiiiiii!!".  Thank god the folks at the Mexican place we frequent know him and can tolerate his incessant messes and non-stop babbling as he follows them around (within reason!  I don't let him go in the kitchen or anything!).  They just smile and talk back.  That's good customer service (shout out to Santa Fe Grill in Suffolk!)

Other than Zach growing up incredibly too fast, all is well here.  Doug just finished up a conference for the Model United Nations.  His school (ODU) hosts a high school conference every year and this year he was second in charge.  Needless to say, we haven't seen him much during the months of January/February.  I'm hoping that now that it's over, we will see him more.

The ball is bigger than him, but he HAD to have it!

I love this picture.  Since Doug is working and going to school and not home much, Zach likes to be near him when he is.

Reading time with daddy

Independent eating at its best!  Macaroni and cheese night!  As I was taking this picture he was saying "Cheee!"

Say cheee

 These pictures were at Blue Bird Gap in Hampton, VA.  Zach loved all of the animals and barked at almost all of them.  He knows that cows say "moooo", but when asked, every animal either says "mooo" or "bark bark"!

umm...do you see that?

bark bark!  bark bark!

 My cousin Lauren turned 21 this month, so my little family and my in-laws took her out to eat to celebrate!

Happy 21st Birthday, Lauren!

That's about it for now!  I hope everyone is doing well!

Love

Sarah