JAMES MADE IT TO KUWAIT!

i was sooooo happy to JUST get a phone call from him even if it lasted about 10 secs! he JUST called to let me know he had made it SAFETLY to KUWAIT, THANK YOU GOD!! i am soooo happy and i know that i will have a GREAT night tonight because i heard from him!!!! THANK YOU GOD!

sooo, if you have not figured out yet, this will be the place that i will be updating on james journey overseas! so, come often to find out any and all news!!

thanks for the conitnued prayers for james and all soldiers around the world...

So my wonderful husband....

has left our beautiful country....yesterday and today were hard days for me. i have just thinking of him leaving and just the REALITY of it happening has been a bit much.....i know he has been gone now since JUNE BUT he has been here in the states AND we had cell phone contact SEVERAL times a day and EVERYDAY.....i knew he was just right down the road from us.....and now...he is not....so, i have been crying and just worried about him and just the emotion of it all....yesterday was a long day for them because they were getting ready and packing and just WAITING for the time they would leave...we talked on and off ALL DAY which was very nice....they got on the buses at about 1000pm our time to go out to the airport and they didn't leave until 1:30am our time!!! i was really sad that there was NOBODY there to see them off....and i don't mean family because most of these troops are not from around here but maybe a committee or a VFW or something, SOMEONE there to show them we are behind them....if i could of i would of!! anyway, they left EL PASO and traveled to BANGOR, MAINE....they arrived there at 6:15am and he was able to call me then and we got to talk....he said that there was a WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE from the VFW there to meet them and tell them THANK YOU....i was SOOOO HAPPY TO HEAR THAT! it caused me to cry because i know it meant sooooo much to them! we got to talk for a bit and then he called me at about 7:00am to say that they were all getting back on the plane on their way to HUNGARY and i could hear again all the VFW people there telling them to be careful, hurry back, be safe, and one told james "tell your wife THANK YOU for her sacrifice" because he was on the phone with me and again, i started to quietly weep....they will lad in HUNGARY and then their next stop is KUWAIT...and now he is gone....i don't know WHEN i will next hear from him....it makes me so sad to know that he is not just AROUND the corner....or just across the state....he is far far far far far away......i know that i am just ONE MORE WIFE out there that this is happening to....i know this is not an isolated event and others have done it some MANY TIMES but it still doesn't make it any easier....i will just PRAY PRAY PRAY that he arrives safelty and that he COMES HOME HEALTY AND SAFE......

another thing that is getting me is that i will not HEAR HIS RING TONE for at least another YEAR......you don't realize how IMPORTANT and how SPECIAL that certain ring tone that you have designated for your love one is until you know you will not hear it again for a VERY VERY VERY LONG TIME....i sit and look at my phone and just get so sad because he was the one that mainly called me and the one that i just WAITED FOR....and now it will not have that special ring of his....i am shutting off his phone today and that is hard step for me to do.....just things are so final now and so sad because i know i will not hear that CERTAIN RING TONE that is ALL JAMES...MY HUSBAND MY VERY OWN TRUE LOVE....I WILL MISS HIM SOOOOOOO......

please pray for him and all the other soldiers...................

JOSHUA MICHAEL IS HERE!!!

Hello family and friend,



We hope everyone is doing WONDERFUL!! As for us, well, we have the news that some of you have been waiting for…..



JOSHUA MICHAEL GONZALEZ IS HERE!!!

Born: AUG 25, 2007 at 1041 am

Weight: 6 lbs 6 oz length: 19” long

APGAR SCORE: 8, 8



And THANK YOU GOD, he is beautiful and HEALTHY!!!! Here is his story…





Well, james came home on Thursday and we actually surprised the boys!! They boys were staying at my MIL because I had the pre-op appt….they thought he was coming home at 5pm but instead, he was able to get an earlier flight in and I picked him up at 2:30 instead! It was WONDERFUL TO SEE HIM!! I couldn’t believe he was here and he looked SOOOO GOOD! He was able to RIGHT AWAY feel baby Joshua moving around because as soon as Joshua heard his daddy, he started to show off in my tummy! James look on his face was CLASSIC! He was just in awe watching my tummy just shift and move and feel the baby kick….we LOVED IT! Well, we got to the g-ma’s house and I walked in first….i had my camcorder out and the boys were happy to see me and then there was a knock on the door and alex was like “who is that, mommy?” I told him, “go see who it is!!” and when he went to the door and daddy walked in……it was CLASSIC and soooo touching! He just stood there with his mouth open and didn’t do or say anything! James grabbed him and picked him up and was just hugging him and telling him he loved him and alex was just looking at him! It was soooooo touching…and he never said a word…matthew was on the floor yelling and jumping up and down on the floor for his daddy!! It was sooooooooo awesome and great to see james with his boys! And they were SOOOO EXCITED to see him…they were all over him and james was just overwhelmed and so were we! Alex told james, “mommy really surprised me!” I was so happy they were at last together! We stayed and had some dinner and then we left to go home…..and james being the wonderful daddy that he is, decided that we were going to CHUCK E CHEESE for dinner and we DID! It was soooo awesome to have daddy home and we went and had FUN with him…alex and matthew were in HEAVEN! And sooooo was mommy!



On Friday, the 24th, it was the BIG DAY…james and I had not got to sleep till after 1 am and neither did the alex!! They were so excited and happy to see him! Well, I called at 4:30am to the hospital to find out if we were still on for our surgery….we had to call because it was an elective surgery, if they were full, I would be bumped until Monday! So, she said, “come on in!” so we were off….we got there and went upstairs….checked in and then………………….were told to WAIT….there was SOOOOO MANY PG ladies coming in while in FULL LABOR that I just had a big feeling we were about to be BUMPED! And I was right…we were in the waiting room for SIX HOURS just watching all these ladies coming in and very few leaving….we had our SIL there with us….so, anesthia came out to talk to us, and they were just getting us checked in…I thought that might mean that it would happen…not….then the DR came in and told me that they were going to do the amnio in his OFFICE because there was absolutely NO ROOM in L&D!! sooo, they got the fluid (which wasn’t as bad as I thought it could be) and they just told us to WAIT some more….and in between there, I get a call saying that the nurse thinks that matthew MIGHT have the chicken pox…..ok, WOWOWOWOW…I just about FREAKED! I called him back and we talked and he called the dr and the dr thought that no, it was probably the virus that we had been fighting since Sunday. He had a RASH all over his body! Sooo, that was also on our mind….then the chief of OB staff comes out and says he needs to talk to us….so, he tells us, he is SORRY that we are going to have to be bumped because there is absolutely NO ROOM in L&D and that they were actually on divert right now, not accepting any more pts! They were even sending pts up to the 9th floor because there was no beds and without their babies! So, he just said that he was aware of our situation with james leaving so the dr said that they would make an exception on doing an elective surgery on Saturday instead!! We were soooo happy and EXCITED! We thanked him and he said that he was just happy that they were able to do it for us! Awwww….we got the results of the amnio and all was GREAT! And we were on ON for Saturday!!



Well, Saturday, we got up and headed over to L&D by 7 am…I told james that I was going to run to an empty room and go lick the bed and jump on it and put my stamp on it so NO ONE could claim it away from us!!! I was really serious! Anyway, we get there and I get in my gown and THEN I start to get EXCITED! I had been kinda just taking it easy and not really getting excited because I was afraid that I would be bumped again…but then I put the gown on and I KNEW it was TIME! They strapped on the monitors and it was WONDERFUL to hear the baby! They gave james his scrubs and the anesthesiologist came and talked to us. There was one concern from me and that was that with BOTH of my past epi’s, they had a HARD TIME getting me numb on BOTH SIDES….so, we talked about both my pgs and then when it was time to head off….wow, I was soooo excited! When we got into the OR, the anesthesiologist was WONDERFUL! She said that she was going to take her time and get it RIGHT the first time….and she DID! It took her 11 minutes of me hunched over but she GOT IT!!!! I was soooo happy! And they were really impressed with me because I never once moved and I just stayed still…it was a bit hard to do but I just didn’t want her to have to do it AGAIN! So they laid me down and they got started….after they did the things they had to, they called in james and he sat with me…he had all his cameras around his neck! He looked soooo cute! Anyway, they started and it took a while to get thru the scar tissue and then I hear the most BEAUTIFUL SOUND in the world….my baby boy CRYING! And boy, did he CRY! I urged james to go to the warmer to be with him and to TAKE PICTURES!!! And he did! And the whole time the baby was over there, he was just crying and crying…james came back to let me know that he looked GOOD and HEALTHY and BEAUTIFUL! Then I heard how much he weighed….awwww….then they brought him over to me and I got to touch him and kiss him and he had been crying but as soon as he heard my voice he stopped……that is just one of those moments in my life I will never forget…….they took him back to my room with james and I went onto the recovery room. The nurses there were pretty much in awe of me because they not had someone who had JUST had surgery that was HAPPY, SMILING AND CHEERFUL as I was!!!! I just couldn’t stop smiling and talking!!! I kept asking to go back to the room to be with my son and they just kept saying soon….FINALLY we went back and I was soooooo happy and EXCITED! And there he was, so beautiful and soooo TINY! And he was so pink and healthy! I was so happy! It felt so wonderful to hold a little newborn in my arms….my son….it was a great day! Later that day, james went home to pick up the boys and give them the gift that Joshua had gotten for them….he told me the boys were SOOO HAPPY that Joshua had given them each a gift bag! They loved the little things that baby brother had picked up! When the boys got there, they were soooo happy to see their brother. They both got to hold him and give him kisses ( pics on the blog). It was really cute! Alex is in LOVE with his baby brother and is always giving hugs and kisses to him. Matthew is still not too sure about him but he is getting better! He is now wanting to give him kisses and hugs too! They are both GREAT BIG BROTHERS!!



Sooo, that is it. Our beautiful baby boy’s birth story! I am soooo happy that it went so well. We also got to go home THE NEXT DAY (Sunday) even though they were not suppose to but because of our situation with james, they let us go HOME!! We were sooo happy and excited!! Also, This was by far the BEST c-section I had ever had. Just to refresh your memory, the first one with ALEX, it was an emergency c-section and I was not numb before they started to cut and they had to put me to sleep so I missed him being born and the first cry etc. then with MATTHEW, although it was a scheduled c-section, it took them FIVE STICKS to finally get me NUMB and the epi/spinal in the right place!! It was VERY PAINFUL…and although I was able to hear him being born and actually see him, he was soon taken away and you know the rest of his story….then there was JOSHUA..the anesthesiologist knew my history so she took her time and really tried to get it on the first try…and she DID!! She was WONDERFUL and I was really happy that it didn’t take more than ONE STICK!! And then after I was numb, I was able to hear Joshua being born, able to see him, touch him and KISS HIM before they took him away….wow, what a WONDERFUL FEELING! It has felt like it has been FIVE YEARS instead of just 3 years since I had a baby but I think it was because for matthews first 3 months, he was hooked up and in the hospital so I never was able to hold him and nurse him etc. and that is another thing, I am SOOO HAPPY that breastfeeding has gone SOOOOO WELL and he is nursing like a CHAMP!!! YIPPPEEEE!! It has been 5 years for me but boy, this is one of the things I had been looking forward to. I missed it with matthew and I so wanted that experience with Joshua. And I had even kept this little nursing nightgown that I had bought that had a matching gown for the baby when I was pg with matthew. Well I was NEVER able to wear it (and neither did matthew because he was too big by the time he came home) and I could sell it or give it away because it was just a bittersweet reminder to me about what I had missed. I never thought I would have the opportunity to wear it and HERE I AM and I feel SOOO BLESSED to have been given another opportunity to use it!! THANK YOU GOD! It feels sooo good!



I hope ya’ll will go check out the pics online of JOSHUA…they are on my blog www.blessingsinmylife.blogspot.com I will get some more up there but I have not had a chance! I have been EXTREMELY busy since we came home (no kidding, I have not been able to sit and relax AT ALL and my feet and ankles SHOW IT!) a friend of mine said, “can’t you even take a week OFF?!?! You just had surgery!” I sure wish I could but matthew STILL has therapy and there was a couple of appts for JOSHUA, one to include a visit to the hospital to check on his jaundice! Sooo, I PRAY that things will slow down! I am just happy that I am not in too much pain! My MIL is staying with us for a couple of weeks and I THANK GOD because it has been a bit hectic and she has been EXTREMELY helpful!!



Well, on a side note, JAMES WILL BE LEAVING TO IRAQ ON AUG 31st…they fly out late that day and should be in IRAQ by the 1st…..we are soooo sad and unhappy that he is going but we are SOOOOO PROUD OF HIM and we will just continue to pray for him. We are THANKFUL that he was able to be here for JOSHUA’s birth and be with his boys for a couple of days. It is bittersweet because when he left on Monday, it was REALLY RUSHED because he was running late to catch his flight…..but in a way, it might have been better because if we had really dwelled on the fact that this was going to be the last time before he left to IRAQ, we would have all been a MESS….i just ask for prayers for him and all the soldiers around the world as they are away from family and friends….i am really feeling the sadness right now that my wonderful husband will be gone for such a long time and SO FAR AWAY and in such dangerous times….please pray that they keep him at CAMP BUCCA….that would be an idea place for him to be…



Anyway, I hope ya’ll have enjoyed JOSHUA’s STORY. We are sooo proud and happy that he is here and that we are now a family of FIVE!! Don’t forget to visit our website and I will continue to update and add more pics as I get more time!!

Take care everyone and GOD BLESS……



LOVE,

JAMES, MARIA, ALEX, MATTHEW, & JOSHUA

TOMORROW...THURSDAY....AUG 23RD...

wowowowowow....my beautiful wonderful hubby is COMING HOME, GOD WILLING!!! i am just SOOOOOOO HAPPY and EXCITED! this morning, alex crawled into my bed when he woke up and told me, "i am so sad....i miss my daddy..." and i just hugged him and told him "but guess what, he is coming home TOMORROW!!" and you should have SEEN him light up and JUMP UP and get soooooo happy and excited!! it was the best!! so all day to day, we have continued to get ready for daddy! did some cleaning, the last load of laudry for a while and made a cake for james etc....and then we got some GREAT NEWS....james was ORIGNALLY going to be coming at 11pm, then he changed it to coming in at 5pm....and then just YESTERDAY, changed it to coming in at 2pm....and just earlier today, he got the word that he could make the FIRST flight out which would come in at 10am!!!!! :) (military keeps changing things!!) sooooo, GOD WILLING, and i am PRAYING, that he can make that first early flight and be able to come home by 10am!!!! that way of course we get more time with him, and he can be there for the PRE-OP appt at 1:30!! anyway, we are REALLY REALLY REALLY excited about tomorrow....


well, then onto my beautiful son matthew.....poor baby picked up something on sat and since SUNDAY, he has been running a temp everyday!!! yep, just a temp and not feeling good....nothing else really until TODAY, when he started to get junky....so i went ahead and called the dr (4 days of straight fever) and he told me to come in...after a LENGTHY visit and getting tested for strep (neg) he was really concerned because matthew JUST finished his 21 day dose of OMNICEPH (antibiotic) on monday and for him to pick up something...well....so, tomorrow we have to be at the hospital by 7am where he will be getting xrays, blood work and a shot of ROCEPHIN...i just PRAY that he clears up!! i don't want him feeling sick with daddy home!! i just want him WELL! I am glad it happened BEFORE i had baby joshua because i can do this for him before i can't lift him and such!!

also, GREAT NEWS on the NURSING FRONT....we are STAFFED!!! THANK YOU GOD! i had prayed sooo hard that we would have coverage because i was/am worried about matthew because i would not be able to carry him....soooo, just this week, we got our NEW NURSE!! so now, THANK YOU GOD, the new nurse, G, will be here on SUN, MON, TUE (7:30a-7:30p), nurse M works WED (5P-9P) and then nurse W will work THUR, FRI, SUN (7:30a -4:30p)!!! wowowowowow,,,,i am sooooo THANK FUL and feel sooo BLESSED because we were able to get coverage for MATTHEW!!! THANK YOU GOD! it has taken a LOAD off my mind!! i am sooo happy and so relieved!! anyway, we are really happy!

ONE WEEK FROM TODAY.....

hello family and friends!

we hope everyone is doing WONDERFUL and all is going well with everyones family! as for ours, we are doing FINE, THANK YOU GOD! hard to believe but james has been gone almost 3 months now! time really does fly, believe it or not.....you look at the calendar and can't believe you have not seen your loved one for that long!!! you never forget but just keep living day by day and just live for the moments you get to spend on the phone with them....it is bittersweet talking to him because you want him home soooo bad....but it is such a comfort to hear his voice.....the boys enjoy talking sooo much to daddy and of course, mommy just loves it too!!

well, i will start with the youngest and move on from there......right now, matthew is still my youngest so i will start with him....matthew is doing WONDERFUL AGAIN, THANK YOU GOD!! he was sick for OVER 5 WEEKS with a respiratory illness that would not let go of him. we were back and forth to the pulmonologist, hospital for xrays and GI lab for a upper GI and just on and off oral steroids (he did 3 rounds of this and is looking a bit buff by now!!) and antibiotics (he is still on his 21 day dose of OMNICEPH!! he will have had a total of 31 days of omniceph by the 20th of this month!!) and of course the marathon of nebulizer treatments he was getting...we also aquired a new machine for him that actually was part of the reason he got better. we now are in pocession of a RESPIRTECH precussor vest which is AWESOME!! it basically gives him CPT TREATMENTS all over his chest helping him to break up the muccus in his lungs!! within 3 days of him starting this vest, he started to clear up! and now it is a routine treatment that we give him twice a day everyday while well and then if he gets sick we increase them. they are give with an albuterol treatment and then suctioning afterwards....it is keeping his lungs VERY clear!!! we are soooo happy to have it in our home for him! i PRAY that this will lessen the times he gets ill now! his therapy sessions are going GREAT!! he is walking on the treadmill and he looks SOOOO CUTE!! he is also doing GREAT on his aquatic therapy. on the ramp in the pool, she use to hold onto his hips for him to walk and yesterday, she was just holding his HANDS and he walking AWESOME....sometimes he crosses his legs when he walks but yesterday he did GREAT! he is also LOVING pulling to stand. sometimes he tries SOOOO HARD to do it on his own but he just can't get a grip. he tries soooo hard....a very "cute" personality is coming out though and that is STUBBORNESS!! i think he gets it from ME! if he does not want to do something he will NOT DO IT! he will shake his head "no" and just not do it...and that is with EVERYTHING!! it's cute now but later.....anyway, he is also learned to turn around in BED...now don't get me wrong, he does it all the time on the floor but has NEVER applied it to being in his bed...well, he does it VERY WELL in bed now and now, he doesn't just "sleep"....he turns around and gets up on all fours and just starts to play and scream and yell because he does NOT want to go to sleep! he does this during NAP and night time! soooo, sometimes we have to just let him play for a bit and then i will go in and put him back down and tuck him in and PRAY that he just goes to sleep! this can go on for A LONG time....very fustrating but the GOOD thing about this is that he is exhibiting THREE YEAR OLD TRAITS!!! that is always good to hear! and another trait he is exhibiting is that he is getting JEALOUS and territorial of things...very 3 year-old-ish! example, during therapy, there is another little boy that sometimes shares pool time with him but is with matthews PT, who he loves, and he will sit there and just give the little boy the "evil eye" the whole time and give the PT his lip!! he will also refuse to play with the other child! i witnessed it myself just last week! i just about laughed so hard and had the baby! he was such a cutie! anyway, he is doing REALLY great and he is just getting more verbal and of course he comprehends EVERYTHING....if he could just talk, i know he could tell us what is going on! he is getting really big! he weighs about 34 lbs & is about 37" long! very big boy! i don't know HOW i have been carrying this little one! he is just sooooo solid! he got to see ALL his drs this last month of july....they were all very pleased with his progress....

now onto alex.....he JUST turned FIVE on AUG 10TH!! it is sooooo hard to believe that my little boy is now FIVE years old!! i can still remember when i got pg with him and our wonderful pg (dad was deployed then to thru the WHOLE pg!!) and then our emergency c/s to have him born and how much he WEIGHED (5 lbs 13.7 oz) and just feeling AMAZING because we had our little boy and we were a FAMILY....wowowow....we were sooo happy and proud of him! he finally acknowledged that he was turning 5 the week before his birthday! before that, he kept insisting that he was NOT going to be 5 because daddy was not here....so what we did was we had a small playdate with some of his friends that he loved to play with on wed the 8th and it was REALLY nice...we had pizza & cupcakes and it lasted about 4 hours....really nice...then on his acutal birthday, we took him and a couple of his cousins to CHUCKEE CHEESE for lunch and he had a BLAST! i was soooo proud of him! there are a couple of pics of him on our blog if you want to look!! but he is doing GREAT! he had to have a angioma removed and it was pretty traumatic for him! but he did GREAT!! and it looks great now! he also has had 4 teeth TOTAL come out! 2 on their own and 2 the dentist had to do...again, i am soooo proud of him because the dentist worked on him for about 1 hour or so and he just did WONDERFUL! his 2 adult teeth are in on the bottom too! he is getting ready to start kindergarden and we are sooo happy and excited....classes for him will start after the baby is born (probably first week of sept) i expect to fly thru the kinder curr and maybe move him into the 1st grade stuff.....probably on the things he is good at first....i am not going to push him...i was looking at the book for kinder and most of it is pretty much a refresher for him so i might keep moving on and if we finished before then we will move on to the next grade....he is also READING!!! can you believe that? he is doing GREAT GREAT GREAT!!! i am sooooo proud of him! he is also into TRANSFORMERS and he is just doing SOOO WELL! he is also understanding adding and subtracting and such! he can't wait to start school and keeps asking me when we are going to start!! i know he is anxious to get started!!!! :) i am so happy he is HAPPY about school!

now onto james, he is doing GREAT and is sooooooo ANXIOUS to get HOME!! he should be flying in on AUG 23rd and we are beside ourselves READY for him to come home! it has been since june 12th since we saw him!!! and we can't WAIT! the count down has been on for a while now and i am sooo happy for the boys because they are probably going to tackle him!! he has had a TON of days off and unfortunatly when we got the ok to travel up there, he was told that he was going to start training unexpectly again! we were NOT HAPPY about that but there is a REASON for everything and we took it as such....we were REALLY SAD we could not be there but again, GOD HAS HIS REASONS! but we are EXCITED we should be seeing him soon! unfortuantly, he will be leaving again on the 27th back to EL PASO, and soon after (probably within a couple of days to a week) he will be on his ways overseas....wow, things are happening fast again.....just pray that someday soon he will be back again HOME safe and healthy with our family....

now onto me...i am doing GREAT!! i am now 37 weeks along and it is OFFICIAL, i have gained a TOTAL OF 5 LBS for this whole pg! the drs are really impressed but i just explained that it has to do with being SOOOOO busy with the boys and with james that i guess i was REALLY active this pg! i for one am REALLY happy that that is ALL i gained and let me tell you it is ALL BABY!! my belly is HUGE!!!....and NEXT WEEK on FRIDAY 24TH, mr JOSHUA MICHAEL will GOD WILLING make his appearence and we are just praying that he is born HEALTHY and strong!! we know, probablymore than most, how things can change in a blink of an eye. with matthew, we had a PERFECT pg and we had absolutely NO IDEA that there was ANYTHING wrong with him....we did our test, kept healthy etc and then he when he was born with a rare heart defect....well, you know the rest of his story.....i have prayed everyday that this little one is born healthy and strong, as i did with all my pgs but as ALWAYS, this is in GODS HANDS...i can't say that i am not a bit nervous because i AM but i will leave it in GOD'S HANDS....i am going to mention to the drs that when the baby is born, i want the baby to have a compete cardiac work up on him....i am just soooooo excited to meet him!! and the boys keep asking if he will be home soon! i can't believe i will GOD WILLING be a mommy of THREE BOYS!! wowowowow....GOD IS GREAT!!

well, i hope that everyone is doing great...this summer has been an ADVENTURE in ups and downs....with us not spending really much time during the summer as a family because james has been gone the whole time....but the GOOD thing is that it was SOOOO rainey and wet this whole summer that it would have been really hard to do any camping or stuff like that so it was ok! but we sure wish that he was HOME to spend our days together...i know he missed the last 3 months of this pg but i hope things will all fall into place when joshua is with us.....i can't WAIT for james to get here and we can be a family TOGETHER again!!

soooo, on our blog, we uploaded a couple of pics of the boys for your enjoyment! and that will be the place where i will upload pics of the big day of the 23rd & 24th....soooo please check in often to see what is new and if there are any pics of the newest addition to our family!!

well, take care and any thoughts and prayers for our family during the next week would be GREATLY appreciated....we are all nervous and excited at the same time.....it is a very exciting time in our lives....it just feels like YESTERDAY when we discovered that we were being BLESSED again in our family! i am sooooo happy! :)

GOD BLESS EVERYONE!! the next time you hear from us, GOD WILLING, it will be with the news that our newest addition to our family is HERE and all is WELL!!!

tons of love,
james, maria, alex, matthew & joshua

PICTURES....

here are some pics!! ENJOY!!

this is matthew on joshua michaels blanket that i MADE!! yes, i made a blanket for this little guy...he decided that he wanted to sleep on it! he made his way ALL across the room to lay down on it! he was soooooo cute!


this is my little man looking CUTE!!


my big boy alex built this tower all by himself!! i am SOOOOO IMPRESSED!!



matthew during his PT therapy! he was getting TIRED and was being stubborn!


alex mugging it on his birthday!!


this is the FINISHED blanket that i made for my joshua! it got started with my wonderful cuz forced me one day to take out my BRAND NEW sewing machine out of it's box and gave me tips to start the blanket....she did a GREAT job with the tips and i am SOOO HAPPY that she got me going!


this is me at 37 weeks along!! YIKES! this shirt my MOM (who passed away in 2003) made for me when i was PG with ALEX....it is soooo special for me to wear it thru all my pgs...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JAMES ALEX II!!

Alex and his best bud & cuz tristan on a ride at chuckee cheese on his birthday!!



alex opening up his gifts with his buddy....

today, my little boy alex turned 5 years old!! AMAZING what these last 5 years have been for me as a mom. he is such a WONDERFUL little boy and soooo smart. i am just in aw of who he is. i am a PROUD mommy who can't imagine her life without him. he is such a great big brother and little helper for mom.

but our love is such that we are sooooo happy of WHO HE IS!!! THANK YOU GOD for every second we have had with him!!

we had a VERY nice playdate yesterday...

yesterday, we had a little playdate for alex (basically his birthday party) and it went REALLY GREAT!!! we had about 11 kids come and they were running all over the backyard and just having a GREAT TIME! it was nice to see him running and playing with everyone. it was from 10am to about 2 pm....they just played outside and ran everywhere and just had FUN which is what i wanted for him....i was BLESSED that the kids where there for him.....i THANKED everyone because it meant SOOOOOOOO MUCH to me for them to be there FOR HIM....he finally has acknowledged that he is turning 5 on friday....he will now tell you he is and i think it has to do with daddy coming home on the 23rd....he is soooooo excitedc! we are planning to take him to the BIG CHEESE on friday for lunch with just a couple of cousins...i will be holding back a couple of gifts for him to open until daddy gets home too....we are SOOOOOOO EXCITED!! alex is all into transformers and we got him a couple of them plus some PJ of them and just someother cute things.....he got a box yesteday from daddy so that was exciting but he can't open it until TOMORROW!!

anyway, all is going GREAT!! matthew IS FINALLY GETTING BETTER, PRAISE THE LORD!!! i am sooooo happy! i REALLY REALLY REALLY think it is the pulmonary vest he now has! wow....we are down from FIVE neb treatments durning the day to only TWO!!! and that will be his maintenance dose now! YIPPPEPEEE!! and tomorrow is his last day of oral steroids but he still has about 10 more days of the antibiotic....i just PRAY he continues on the healthy track!!!

as for me, i am now 36 weeks along and have only TWO MORE WEEKS before we meet my newest little man in my life! i am sooooo excited and just in AWE that it will be SOON! and that daddy will be here is such a bonus! i didn't expect it but i am soooo happy! i feel great just waddling around it seems....the baby has moved downward so i am having a bit more trouble doing my normal things but still trudging along....

james is doing GREAT and just is anxious to be coming home soon! he also bought himself a new laptop on monday and i was SOOOOOO EXCITED for him! i tried to get him to get one before he left but he was stubborn about it but NOW he finally realized that he NEEDED ONE!! we got a good deal on one at best buy...he just needed something really basic and CHEAP since he was going to be in the sandy area so he got one for under $400!! but it has EVERYTHING he needed!! :)

anyway, all is well in our family and we just pray that everyone will continue to be HEALTHY and strong!!

the weekend is here....

and we had SOOOO MANY PLANS but unfortunatly, we will be staying in this weekend instead of going to 2 birthday parties....i can't expose matthew to any more germs or illness!! he is going on over 3 weeks of being just SICK!! he is still sick but GOD WILLING he seems to be getting BETTER....we got our RESPIRTECH MACHINE on thursday and we are soooo happy! he has been getting a treatment with the vest every THREE HOURS right now while awake (5 times a day) along with suctioning and such...poor baby is really not liking it!!i just PRAY PRAY PRAY that he clears up and gets back to normal....we have to get him healthy because this week is ALEX'S WEEK!!! why? my BIG BOY will be 5 YEARS OLD!!! i can't believe that my baby is going to be 5!! i am AMAZED!! i can remember soooo vividly when i was pg with him and when he was born! this year, daddy won't be here for his birthday and i am soooooo sad. so is he. but i think that GOD WILLING, when james comes home later this month (19 more days!) we might do a little something as a family for him....maybe just go out to eat or order in or bbq or SOMETHING...we will also hold some of his other gifts back so he can have something for that day too! on his ACTUAL birthday, the 10th, we are going to go to the big CHEESE and eat lunch there....probably just us and maybe some cousins....just a little something....he is FINALLY acknowledging that he is going to be 5 and i think it is because he knows that daddy will be here SOON...

anyway, all is going well here.....i think joshua is moving on DOWN because it is harder for me to do things that i was just gushing about a couple of weeks ago! this is all within the last couple of days....i have had a bunch of pressure and also things like turning over in bed is FINALLY getting hard to do! i was kinda excited that i could still do it without all the hoopla but now, BOY! and walking up stairs...well, it is not easy anymore....i am getting excited!! this week i will be 36 WEEKS ALONG!!! can you believe that? i am just soooo happy and excited that SOON i will be meeting this little man! my THIRD!! WHAT A BLESSING....

wow.....

that is ALL i can say for the past couple of days (since friday)....i am just SOOOOOO EXHAUSTED.....really. i don't say that often but i can honestly say that RIGHT THIS VERY SECOND....well, where should i begin?

this friday, we went to mr gattis for a party for my cuz 18th birthday....it was a GREAT day BUT i think we picked up SOMETHING there...or should i say MATTHEW picked something up and i am soooooo UPSET....i can't be sure if it was there but what makes me SAD is that he was GETTING OVER HIS ILLNESS that had lasted over 2 WEEEKS(after a TWO rounds of oral steroids and 10 days of an antibiotic)!! gggrrrrhhhhh,.....I am just soooo sad about that. and TRUST ME, the only thing he touched was a steering wheel BUT immediately after i sanitized his hands afterwards but maybe not enough?! i don't know, i am just sooooo sad for him....well on SUNDAY, at 2:30am, he woke up COUGHING AND COUGHING uncontrollably and i had to give him a treatment & suction. and when he woke up in the am, he was WORST!! he was coughing and feeling HORRIBLE (laying on the floor, not playing etc) and he just started to breath really fast, retracting, moaning, groaning, just very lethargic etc and i got REALLY REALLY REALLY worried because i was getting ready to take him to the HOSPITAL because he was struggling sooooo much....i called his pulmonologist and they had ALREADY seen him TWICE in the 2+ weeks of being ill and she told me i had to start steroids again, and she told me that i had move his treatments to every 2-3 hours and suctioning etc...and then he spiked a FEVER of 103.7 AUX and it WOULDN'T GO DOWN!!! i had to give him his bath because after 2 hours his temp was STILL 102.7 even after tylenol!! he was feeling SOOOO SICK!! the nurse was telling me to if i think he should go, to take him to the hospital....i waited it out but we had a HARD NIGHT and just WORRYING.....on monday, he was STILL SICK and not himself. we had a 2 drs appt in the am and then he was just soooo tired....then, that night HE WOKE UP AT 3:30 AM coughing again but WOULD NOT GO TO SLEEP!! soooooooooooo, today, i have been UP SINCE 3:30 AM (and didn't get back home (alex and I) for TWELVE HOURS!!) and our day started at 6:45am because we had to be at the hospital for an UPPER GI at 7:30am (the drs was just checking to see if he might be refluxing or aspirating) and NO he was NOT refluxing or aspirating....then I dropped of matthew and his nurse at home for his nap and alex and i headed to our WONDERFUL tuesday PLAYDATE for alex!! it was very nice to sit and chat and watch alex have sooo much fun! then it was BACK to pick up matthew and his nurse to take him to his pulmonologist appt at 2pm and we were there for 3 HOURS!!!! yep, he had wheezing all over and he was junky etc....we ended up getting a nasal wash, a treatment with the PULMONARY CPT vest and they looked like they might want to admit him....but they sent us home on......21 MORE DAYS OF ANTIBIOTICS, ANOTHER ROUND OF ORAL STEROIDS and WE ARE ACTUALLY WAITING FOR HIS PERSONAL CPT VEST MACHINE!! if you remember, this is the video i had back on MARCH 10TH of him in his vest....we are now in the process of getting him one of these for him to use EVERY DAY to help him out....wow...anyway, it was CRAZY and i am just sooooooo sad for him because i know he does not feel good....it has been really hard because it has been NON STOP this WHOLE MONTH......and i am now almost 35 weeks along....less than a MONTH before we meet our newest baby boy.....how EXCITING...i am just THANKFUL TO GOD everyday that i don't feel bad and that i still have energy and don't feel big or antying....i can't imagine if i DID and what i would do!!!

sooooo, we are just PRAYING that he clears up....he NEEDS to get BETTER because i hate for him to use all these meds and him just not feel like himself.....

anyway, tomorrow we have ONE appt and then that is it!! i am EXCITED about that!!

please, just pray he gets better.....he needs all and any that might come his way!! thanks....

GOOD NEWS.....

hello family & friends!!

we hope everyone is doing GREAT!! if you are in san antonio, i hope you have your BOATS available with all this RAIN!!! you gotta love when they say that the aquifer is FULL and can't take any more rain! when have you EVER heard that?!?!?! anyway, i for one, am HAPPY that we are not in a drought like usual but BOY my grass is SOOO HIGH and it just keeps GROWING! gotta love that ( just wish james was home!!!)

anyway, all is well on matthew front! he is getting over his cold that he picked up THREE WEEKS AGO! yep, that is what is SOOOOOO IMPORTANT for these kids....if you are sick or think you are sick, DON'T get near this kiddos!!! honestly, for you and i, we get over it in a couple of days, this little one will go thru the DRAMA for a couple of WEEKS while on neb treatments, suctioning, CPT treatments, oral steroids, blood work, chest xrays, oxygen, antibiotics and possibly hospitalization (although this time we did NOT need to be there, THANK YOU GOD) but everything else happened!! and unfortunatly, we probably picked this up just being on out and about even after we are always careful on cleaning our hands and making sure to becareful with him....we can't keep him in a bubble and we don't want to because we want him to be able to experience life and such but MAN, you sure do wish you did when they get sick like this!!! he is currently getting better but is still on antibiotics & neb/cpt treatments and we are trying to get his feeds back up to speed! but he is MUCH better now, THANK YOU GOD! he is doing great on walking and pulling up to stand. on sunday, he actually pulled to STAND all by himself (he was chasing my phone on a chair) but he DID IT!! :) SOOOOO PROUD OF HIM! and he is talking more and using his signs too. he LOVES to talk to daddy on the phone...and he says I LOVE YOU, DADDA to james and we just MELT!! he looks better standing and he LOVES to pull up on me when i am sitting on the floor! and he just love to be right in the middle of everything. he is also interacting with cartoon such as DORA and clapping his hands when they tell you too and also shaking or nodding his head if they ask a question!! it is SOOOO CUTE to watch him do it!!!! he is also enjoying eating again. he is soooo cute when he is yelling at me to give him whatever i am eating... he is LOVING his PT POOL THERAPY!! he LOVES IT!! :) he looks soooo cute when he is swimming!! it has been a BUSY BUSY BUSY month and we having been going NON STOP now for about 2 weeks. EVERYDAY from early in the am till usually 3 or 4 pm....ALL DAY LONG....appts, therapy etc....CRAZY!

alex is doing great! he is getting SOOOOO BIG! it is just AMAZING to see him and hear him! his speech is so advance and he is really reading well now. slowly but surely he is improving his reading. he LOVES puzzle books and he LOVES TRANSFORMERS!!! he is not going to see the movie. everyone asks me if he will and i just think it is just TOO MUCH for him and his age so i will not let him see it. i don't know if i am over protective but i just don't like for him to watch anything not G rated..you know? i know he wants to but he get's it now because if you ask him if he is going to see it, he will tell you, 'no, it is to big for me. i am too little to see it!" he is such a cutie! this year, we will NOT be having a party for him. he says he is NOT turning 5 because daddy is not home....i am soooo sad about that but i have to respect that for him. he really gets upset if you question him about his birthday and he will tell you he is NOT turning 5 this year. my baby...i am sad for him because it is about daddy not being here. so we are just going to do something small for him on his birthday, maybe take him to chuckechees or something on his birthday. something fun. i am soooooo proud of this little boy! he is getting ready to start his KINDER curr. for homeschool. i think it will again be review but i might really get thru it and maybe start him on 1st grade stuff...not too much but maybe on things he is good at and slow down on things he is struggling with. he can sound out all his words and figure them out so we have to be careful!! james was funny and said that he has to watch him if he takes him to a public restroom on what is on the WALLS because he will start to sound it out and READ IT!! lol...i am still looking at getting him into a playgroup for homeschoolers....should be FUN!!

here is some of the EXCITING NEWS that came last week!! we have a DATE for our scheduled c-section.....

AUG 24TH, 2007!!!

WE ARE SOOOOO EXCITED!! it is EARLIER than the one originally thought i would have (30th) so that james could spend some time with the baby! BUT and here is the BIG BUT (not mine!! :) i have to have an AMNIO if i have a scheduled c/s BEFORE 39 weeks!!! can you believe that?! i refused the one earier but now i HAVE to have it if i want one before 39 weeks!!! YIKES! but it is to check his lungs....so i guess i will do it!! we are EXCITED.....our nurse will also be watching matthew on FRI, SAT,SUN during the day so that is a LOAD off my mind!! hopefully we will get a night or evening nurse to help out too! things WILL work out, GOD WILLING!

well, onto the OTHER exciting news.....on MONDAY we got the news that............JAMES WILL BE COMING HOME ON AUG 23RD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! that is SOOOOOOOOO AWESOME and we are SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO EXCITED!!! we did NOT think he would be able to make the delivery but we were just hoping he could spend some time home with him and his boys!!! he will be home with us until AUG 28TH and we are SOOOO HOPING it will be extended, which MIGHT happen! WHATEVER as long as we get to see him before he LEAVES!! right now, he will be in IRAQ on SEPT 1st.....wow, not tooo far away now. but we are ready! he will be in CAMP BUCCA in iraq which is a prison there. he is ready to get it all over with. we are HAPPY he will be at a prison....not away from us BUT at this prison for us is where we think is the best right now (is there a best?!) anyway, we just want him to finish and GET HOME as soon as possible, healthy and safe!!! but he is doing GREAT right now...just the usual, TIRED and working 7 days a week. he has been learning all those things he needs to do his job there at the prison....use your imagination! :) also, he now has to carry his weapon everywhere and i teased him that he has to sleep with it and sing that famous song from the movie FULL METAL JACKET "this is my rifle, this is my gun....etc, etc" and he laughs! i always try to keep it light and just tease him and make him laugh....and boy, do i miss him and his sense of humor!!!!

anyway, all is going well with the family. just dealing with the the day to day living and enjoying LIFE! i have been having TONS of issue with my fibro mixed with pg pain....it has been a bit painful but i am dealing with it. the boys are doing fine and just having fun and learning!!! i was also given a SURPISE baby shower yesterday with my good friends (even one from far away!)!! it was SOOOOO AWESOME and joshua got some CUTE outfits!! it was actually just GREAT seeing them there!! THANK YOU!!! :)

ok, take care everyone and i will update with any new news!!! just PRAY that james makes it home and that we DO have the baby on the 24th!!! WHAT A BLESSING!!!

take care everyone and GOD BLESS....

love,
JAMES, MARIA, ALEX, MATTHEW & JOSHUA (8/24/07)

well, i fell today....

yep, my MIL jinxed me!! :( it has been raining here like FOREVER and my niece and i went shopping for alex birthday and we were at toys r us....we were walking out of the store to our car and i stepped on the yellow arrows to show direction to go down the street and WHAM!! my right foot shot right from under me and as i felt it i KNEW i was going to fall and i bent my knee (thank GOD) and bent my left knee and ended up falling on my left knee!! it actually was kinda graceful!! :) but i am SORE NOW!! i was like, "pg lady is ok!!" it was actually funny but man, i am SORE SORE SORE NOW!! we went shopping today to get some stuff for alex 5th birthday....i am soooo excited! he is TOTALLY into the TRANSFORMERS and i we got him some cute stuff for that....we are NOT going to have a party for him because he does NOT want one! he said that he is NOT TURNING 5 THIS YEAR and when we ask him why he said cause daddy is not here....awww...i feel soooo bad for him....he really misses his daddy and DOES NOT WANT A PARTY....so what we are going to do a "playdate" a couple of days before his birthday with all his little buddies that he plays with (9 of them) and i am going to order some pizza and maybe some cupcakes and that is it! i am not going to tell him what they are really there for....it should be fun!

well, matthew is still really sick. he is on ANTIBIOTICS now and he is also on ANOTHER ROUND of steroids!!! yep, the first one didn't work and he is still on neb treatments every 4 hours!! poor kiddo! and this week we were SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO BUSY it was AMAZING!! EVERYDAY, minus tues, we were out from about 9 am to about 4 pm1!! crazy!! drs appt, hosp, xrays, therapy you NAME IT!! i think i over did it a couple of days cause i started to have contractions!!!!! and they were PAINFUL!! i honestly thought that i was going into labor ONE DAY but thankfully, all is well.....

it seems like....

life is going SOOOO FAST! i can't believe it has been about a week since i last posted! amazing! i mean to post more often but i just get busy or i am sooooo tired or.....the list can go on! but life here at the family home is going ok. we have a run of sickness going thru our house and that has been a challenge TOO!! it started with me last weekend....i started with sore throat and sniffles and it went from there BUT i think it is my allergies because it started after doing a BIG dusting session on my house!! well, then on WED, alex woke up with the sniffles and sneezing like crazy and then matthew started up right after naptime with nose runny!!! YEP, either i was actually sick (which i DON'T think so) or we picked it up SOMEWHERE!! well, alex and mine are slowly going away....actually alex is doing about 90% better and i am about 75% (still have the nose going) and then there is my little matthew.....matthew as usual, got the worst of it. that is what somepeople don't understand about matthew. for you or me, it is just a MILD cold with a couple of days feeling sick and then poof, we are done! matthew gets MUCH WORST! a simple cold turns into something else entirely! by THURSDAY, the next day, he was MUCH worst, with coughing, sneezing, and constant runny nose. thank GOD we had a drs appt already with his pulmonologist and we were started on neb treatments every 4 hours, and if he got worst, we were to start the oral steroids....soooo, by FRIDAY, he was WORST! so he is now on his run of oral steroids and is using oxygen during nap time!! yep, not a happy camper with treatments and suctioning going on! poor kiddo! his oxygen sats are also pretty bad! this is the FIRST TIME since james has been gone that i am doing it on my own. it has been really ok THANK GOD because i still have nursing help during the week during the day. just the evening is a bit tough. i timed it, it takes 30 mins to get him his treatments, meds and such before he gets to actually start to sleep....james feels really sad that he is not able to help me but i told him that all is well. i just PRAY that he gets better SOON!!!

alex is doing better too....he actually had to have the GRANDIUALOMA removed this past week on tues and it was pretty sad....he cried and he had to get a shot in the neck and then get the growth removed with a razor and then cauterized with a tool...he did SOOOOOOO AMAZING.....i am soooooooo proud of him....he is into TRANSFORMERS right now so i went and got him one because he did SOOOOO WELL!! he is getting sooo big! the dr thought that he was SIX years old and when i told him, no, he is only 4 he just about FLIPPED!!! :)

james is doing GREAT....just tired as usual and WORKING really hard....he did get a package from us and he enjoyed the goodies....they already sent MOST of his personal belongings overseas this week!! yep, it is almost that time for him to go over there...it is hard to believe but GOD WILLING he will be able to come home RIGHT BEFORE he has to leave to see the baby....GOD WILLING.....

well, we got in to an accident on wed! yep, my FIRST in like FOREVER!!! so one didn't see me i guess i was in their blind spot and they moved into my lane with me in it!! they just scraped my side and they have already paid for it and got me a rental and everything is getting taken care of right now!! i just took it in today (7/16)....

well, i now have gained a TOTAL of 4 lbs in this pg!! my dr was really surprised but HAPPY with the weight...she said i looked GREAT and that the baby seems to beding fine too! hb 147 and just everything looks well. i asked to see if i could schedule my C/S on the 27th instead of the 30th and to do that, i have to have an AMNIOCENTISIS!!! yep, they want to be sure that baby is ready to come out!! wow! i was kinda shocked but they didn't want to have any problems with the lungs of the baby....so she asked me if that would be ok and i said that that was FINE because as LONG as james was able to see the baby, i would do it! sooooo, she will call me back and let me know when the date was for sure!! i am scared but excited! i told her that IF i went BEFORE my scheduled c/s, i would TRY to have a natural birth!! i am excited that that COULD happen but i kinda know that it would be something probably that would NOT happen....we shall leave in GOD'S hands!! as long as the baby is healthy, i am HAPPY!

OK, well, that is it for now! we are preparing for alex NOT-birthday coming up...i will explain at a later date...ta-ta!

pictures....

hola everyone! i hope everyone had a GREAT weekend! this weekend was quiet time and a time to START CLEANING!! little by little this little house is getting a SPARKLING clean feeling FINALLY!! just tossing and throwing and shredding away!! and that was JUST in MY ROOM! i am just about finished here....we spent THE WHOLE DAY SAT upstairs and it was really nice...the boys had a GREAT time....getting into everything i was cleaning!!!

well, i promised some pics and here are just a couple of the boys!

this is of MATTHEW looking cool in his hat and glasses....isn't he just a CUTIE?!


here is matthew and his black eye in the bath....awww....he LOVES to take baths!


here is alex in his pool...funny story! i had PROMISED alex that we would swim that day because brother got to swim at therapy...he woke up about 6 am wanting to go NOW swim...i told him that it would have to be AFTER matthew ate...well, i watched the weather and there was this BIG BIG STORM coming in so i told alex we might not....then i couldn't do it and we ended up out there at 8 AM!!! yep, that early and they were able to be out there for about 45 mins before the storm hit! they had a BLAST!!


MATTHEW in his pool...


ALEX just lost his SECOND TOOTH!!! tooth fairy has been BUSY!! :)


i will have to post some more soon! take care and GOD BLESS...

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!

hola everyone!! i hope everyone is doing GREAT and had a NICE 4th!! as for us, well, we doing fine....just missing daddy! i guess that will always be our answer! but really, all is goind well, THANK YOU GOD!

well, people have been asking about james....james is doing FINE, again, just missing his family. he has been officially mobilized for a MONTH now! wow, it goes by fast THANK YOU GOD! on his training, they are doing a WHIRLWIND of training right now...non stop! they usually start at about 4AM and end about 9pm.....and he is TIRED! they are doing stuff like learning how to take down a man (phyisically), firearms and also he ended up getting MACED on sunday and just YESTERDAY he was finally able to open his eyes normally! he said it was NOT a pleasant experience! he also said that after they got maced, they had to run an obstical course (about 6 different obsticals (taking down a prisinor, hand to hand etc)) BEFORE they got to wash their eyes!! yeah, he was HURTING! he said he physically STOPPED BREATHING when the water hit his eyes but apparently that is normal! but other than that, he has been just sleeping on his hours "off" and trying to watch movies! he took his dvd player and just asked me to send off the bose speakers...i am happy he has THAT!!! he has enjoyed the care package i sent with some pics of the boys and some goodies!!! i will get another one going soon so that he can get his speakers!!

well, alex is doing GREAT!! i am SOOOOO PROUD of him! yesterday, while we were at GRANDMA's, matthew had just finished his tube feeding and grandma had picked up matthew and was kinda bouncing him on her knee and playing with him when alex turned around from where he was playing with his cuz and said, "grandma, don't bounce him so much because he just finished eating! he might reflux!!!" WOWOWOW, i was just SOOOOOOO PROUD OF HIM! it made my heart just BURST with pride because he was taking care of his brother! just like that, just said it! wow....he is also doing better with brother....he is always loving towards him but he is being ESPECIALLY nice to him now...he lost his FIRST TOOTH on monday RIGHT before we went to the DENTIST!! he was sooooooo happy and he got his first visit from the TOOTHFAIRY too! :) his first TWO grown up teeth are in too! he is ready to lose one more too! james was really sad that he missed his first toothfairy experience....he will have to have some serious dental work next month though....we also went to the drs today because he has a GROWTH on his neck (looks like a blood blister) and the dr is sending us to a DERMATOLOGIST because he said it might be an ANGIOMA and it will need to be seen...that is kidna scary for us!! so please, just say a prayer that all goes well!

matthew is doing REALLY GREAT!! although, he is having some more seizures recently! within the last 3 weeks he has had about 15 episodes (today he had a 6 min one!) but he is doing well. he has enjoyed his aquatic therapy session but HATES HIS OT sessions!!!! he IMMEDIATELY starts to whine and to get REALLY SLEEPY...not wanting to work or anything!! he is not funny! but with his PT, he LOVES it and he walks up and down the hallway and of course in the POOL!!! today, he crawled up TEN STAIRS at the house!! james reminded me to do this instead of carrying him (which is getting REALLY hard to do) and we did and HE DID IT!! soooo proud of him! all i did was steady him. YIPPPEEE!! i feel he is getting so much stronger! THANK YOU GOD! this month he is going to be VERY BUSY this month with SIX doctors appts PLUS his 2 times a week OT & PT!! it should be interesting! we are just PRAYING that he keeps HEALTHY and also those seizures go AWAY!! but he is doing well. we are just marveling at his STRENGTH and also how smart he is. he learned to nod Yes & NO when appropriate. before everything was NO unless we prompted him to nod yes! so now, he tells us Yes & no!! that is EXCITING! and he is able to stack blocks without knocking it over (before he would not be able to release without knocking the blocks over)...he is also very verbal on what he wants and WHEN he wants it. we are always telling him to "use his words" which are coming along nicely! he is also able to use his PINCHER grasp better now. slowly but surely....THANK YOU GOD for EVERY little accomplishment!

as for me, i am doing GREAT!! i gained my FIRST 2 lbs of pregnancy at my last appt! i am sooooo happy that that is ALL i have gained! i feel GREAT except that now i am getting TIRED if i don't get my noon time lay down. it has been a GREAT pregnancy and i have been SOOOOOO BLESSED! i just wish james was hear to enjoy all the BIG movements that joshua does now or let him SEE joshua moving around....so far, all the test have gone wonderful and the 2 FETAL ECHOS have shown everything in the heart looking good. i passed my GESTATIONAL testing and everything and all the blood work has come back great! THANK YOU GOD! he is moving around and still kicking. i LOVE to feel him move around. i am 31 weeks along now! wowowow...they plan to schedule the c/s the LAST WEEK OF AUGUST!! we are HOPING for that monday so that we would have a BETTER chance of james being able to be there! i am getting EXCITED and ANXIOUS about it all! for me, the not KNOWING if i will have NURSING COVERAGE for matthew during the days that i am in the hospital is what is the HARDEST thing going right now. i don't KNOW if they will be able to staff those 48-72 hours of my hospital stay and without james here....what do i do? you can't just BABYSIT matthew...he has too many medical issues such as g-tube feedings, medications, SEIZURES etc!! my MIL will take care of alex for sure, but is unable to take care of matthew...i also have 2 GREAT WONDERFUL FRIENDS that said they would help and LEARN matthews care just in case they can't find some one but i still just PRAY PRAY PRAY that the agency will be able to find some nurse to work those hours...i think that is what is causing me the MOST stress right now. they have about 2 months to find someone BUT because until the 16th when i have my next appt, i will not be able to get a CLEAR date for the c/s, i can't tell them EXACTLY when it will be!!! that will STILL get them at least a month and a half time to get someone...anyway, i will leave it in GOD'S HANDS....

well, that is it for the update! i will try to up load some GREAT pics of the boys on our blog (www.blessingsinmylife.blogspot.com) i have some GREAT ones of the boys! probably by the end of this weekend i will get it done!

we hope everyone is doing GREAT! it has been a just a whirlwind of appts and this month will be THAT MUCH MORE BUSY! we are just enjoying everyday, talking with daddy on the phone and just trying to stay busy!!

well, take care everyone and GOD BLESS!