And Breath Out.....

Rae had her appointment today with the neurologist. She is fine! Thank you sweet baby Jesus! He thinks she express her stresses and worries physically. God knows we've had plenty of stressors here at our house. (And I am sure having a mom like me - I stress about everything - doesn't help!)

There is one thing though. I have a strong desire to kick a certain 6 year old little boy's ass! Some little punk at school called Rae fat today. Boys just suck and I told her so! I told her she isn't fat, she is beautiful with a beautiful body. I let her know that boys say stupid things. I played "I like Big Butts" for her and she laughed!

Well I am off to watch House - have a good one!

Sad Weekend

Mike's dad passed away Friday night. We knew it was coming, but it was still hard. Mike is being Mike and keeping his emotions under wrap. I on the other hand took it harder than I thought I would. I didn't know Joe very well, but the loss of anyone is hard. The loss of someone that is loved by someone I love is even harder.

Pictures of Recent....

Pretty Rae Rae!!!

Good Lookin' Ben!!!

Fun at Great Wolf Lodge

Pumpkin Goo

Brother and Sister Love




Happy 5th Birthday Big Boy! Mommy Loves You!





Pretty Pretty Princess!

Tough Guy!

My Love!!!!!

Our Happy Family!!!

That's MY Man!!!!!

14 days and our world will turn upside down. Mike heads out on November 23rd. I can rest easy knowing that for the first few months he will be safe. After that I will be holding my breath till he comes home.

I am not sure if I ever sat down and really figured out what it is about Mike that I love and admire so much. Mike is that guy that everyone knows and most love. I didn't much care for him when we first met. He was unlike any other guy I ever thought I knew. It didn't take long for me to start to like him. I had left a comfortable life in Omaha to join the Navy. I had started on a path of unknown so it was only fitting that I included this unfamiliar guy in my journey.

The more I got to know Mike and the more our love grew, I realized he wasn't so unfamiliar. He is a strong, motivated man who loves his family. A man that wants better for his family. Much like the man that raised me.

Mike has always made me feel safe. He has given me the opportunity to grow as a woman, a wife, a mother and a friend. We have had our problems - who hasn't? But we push through and when we come out on the other end, we would go through the conflict all over again just to have the result of a stronger, happier, more understood couple and family.

Mike loves poker and just as he gambles with his buddies on card night, I gambled with him 8 years ago and I won! I love you baby and can't thank you enough for what you have given me and our beautiful babies!

No News is Good News....Bah Humbug!

I know it has been awhile - so this post may go on and on.

Yesterday Raegen's pediatrician refferred her to a pediatric neurologist. For the last year Raegen has been dealing with on and off symptoms that just can't (or haven't yet) be explained. She had fuzzy eyes, tingling and heavy arms and legs, headaches, painful hands, daytime accidents. Back and forth to the doctors with nothing explained. Finally a doctor in the emergency room told us to get her doctor to refer her to a neurologist. A neurologist? WHAT? Both the ER doc and now Rae's doc think it is a neurological problem. The big glaring MS has been brought up a few times. We were hoping to get Rae in before Mike left so he could leave feeling like things were under control. Unfortunately they can't get Rae in till November 25th. Mike and I are obviously scared to death. So please keep Rae Rae and the rest of us for that matter in your prayers.

Mike leaves in 25 days. I am still thinking in the back of my mind that the Navy will cancel....please cancel, please cancel!!! 15 months is such a long time. I am not good at dealing with stress (that's what my shrink told me) and it has been very apparent this past couple of weeks. Mike and I seem to be fighting constantly and I am just having a hard time dealing with things - even little things.

Mike's dad is suffering from brain cancer and isn't expected to live much longer. Mike went home to be with his dad for a week. I know it must have been so hard for him, but I am proud of him.

Home for Christmas isn't looking good. We just don't have the money. It was more important for us to get Mike home to be with his dad.It would cost about $1000 for the kids and I to fly to Omaha. Then there is xmas presents, boarding the dog. I am so upset. I have always either had Mike home or went to Omaha to be with my family for Christmas. This year will be the first time it will be just the kids and I.

With all the bad and stress I am so thankful to have my family and my friends. Whether they are here in Va Bch or far away in another state they love me and are always around to listen. I think sometimes I take them for granted, but I would be so lost without all of them.

So obviously there is a lot going on in the Neaves' house. Please keep us in your thoughts and here's hoping I can stay sane through it all!

The Land of the Brave...

Tonight I am helping Mike pack for an emergency trip to Oregon. We got a call yesterday that his dad's cancer has spread and was given 3 weeks to live. As strong as Mike is I know this is so hard on him and I just wish there was more I could do. I wish I could be with him in Oregon, but that just isn't financially possible right now. So I will stay home, take care of our family and prepare to support him any way I can. I love him so much and while I love his strength, it hurts me to see him so strong sometimes.

The kids are doing so well and are of course sad that Daddy is leaving, especially so close to him leaving for 15 months. Ben and Daddy went to Chuck E. Cheese yesterday and Rae and Daddy took Jack for a nice long walk today. I wasn't there, but I hope that they were able to talk and really have a nice time.

I love my family. I love how strong we are and how we come out on top of anything life has to throw at us. I envy Mike (and the kids even) for their strength and try to muster up my own, if only for show in front of them. Life is good - thanks to my family - even during the hard times.

Pass the Popcorn and Say a Prayer of Forgivness

The kids and I were supposed to go to church last night, but didn't. UGH - I promise Sharon, we will get there! LOL The truth is, my day really got away from me yesterday. I had a goal to get certain things done, and come 2pm the end was not in sight! Plus we hadn't seen much of Mike so I decided to cancel church and have family night.

Our family night was great! We moved our furniture around, popped popcorn, got some Sugar Babies, Twizlers and watched The Golden Compass. It was a lot of fun. We try to do this once a week, but is hard sometimes with Mike's schedule, hence the school night movie night. I love this time with my family. Everyone is snuggled on the couch and no one is bickering or fighting. We go into it knowing we will have a fun, relaxing time as a family and that's what we get out of it.

Till I blog again....