A Special Prayer for Tyler

Please keep Tyler in your prayers this week as he undergoes a cardiac catherization on Tuesday at UCSF. We are hopeful that the procedure will be uneventful with a quick recovery that results in better blood flow and oxygen. This little guy is so full of love and those eyes just make you want to melt. I'm so lucky to have him in my life as a constant reminder of what a miracle life really is.

I included a song that played at church this Sunday. It is one of my favorite Christian songs. Hope you enjoy.

UPDATE
Tyler is out of surgery and everything went very good. Heidi has updated her blog with the latest, so you can read about the surgery there. Thanks for all your thoughts, prayers and good wishes.

Countdown To Election Night

With less than 2 weeks to go, Jason has been helping out weekly at the Democratic headquarters in downtown Walnut Creek. He asked if I could help out on Sunday, so I joined him for some data entry. The room was packed with a dozen volunteers making calls to New Mexico since it is a swing state. Callers were encouraging voters to get out early and vote since there may be long lines on election day. Jason and I worked together doing data entry by recording all the phone calls that were made into a database. I was so impressed by everyone's passion and excitement surrounding the election. A lot of these volunteers dedicate day and night working to get Obama and other local and state California candidates get elected and educating voters on all the propositions.



What an exciting time for our country. No matter what the cause or party that you are involved in, it is great to become educated and volunteer for something you really believe in. AND most importantly...don't forget to vote. It is very important, especially with some pretty crucial propositions on the ballot this year.

It's A Boy!

Jason and I had our 18 week ultrasound this morning and we were so excited to find out that we are having a little boy. Both of us felt pretty strongly from early on that it was a boy, but you just never know. Jason told me at the 6 week ultrasound that he was sure he saw a boy, but I reminded him that the baby didn't even have legs yet. I knew that whatever it was, we were happy to be blessed with a baby.


My favorite part of the entire ultrasound was Jason's reaction when she announced it was a boy. The look on his face was priceless. It is something I will remember forever. I immediately felt so much joy. Jason always thought my sister would have all the boys and we would have all the girls. I immediately thought of the special bond that he has with Scott and Tyler and tears came to my eyes. I was so excited that my little guy will have 2 boy cousins to look up to. I loved calling my sister to tell her the news and I was even able to call my parents who are currently on vacation in Turkey.

Most importantly, it was a big appointment for us and the baby since we also had a fetal echo done. This test is an ultrasound that is done specifically on the heart to look for defects. Since I have a congenital heart defect it qualifies me for having a higher risk for a baby with one. And also since Tyler has one they are very thorough to make sure everything is checked out. The pediatric cardiologist felt pretty certain that everything looked normal, so we were so thankful to get that good news. I do have to go back in a few weeks for them to double check one spot, but the doctor said it was nothing to worry about. I have realized that when you are a high-risk pregnancy nothing is ever completely ruled out or checked off easily. I've learned to accept it and be grateful for the extra care that I do get at UCSF.

During the ultrasound they were able to do a 3-D effect at the end. The picture is a little blurry, but we could see his little face.


So it is on to shopping for blue. I'm lucky since it is my favorite color.

Sleeping On A Cloud

When your a dog owner you have a very simple decision to make from early on. To have your dog sleep in bed with you or not. Growing up my dogs were not allowed to sleep on the bed, but somehow Marley won our hearts early on and we couldn't resist (could you resist that face above?). Now we can't imagine not having her snuggle with us. However recently our Queen bed was getting a little small and we were waking up numerous times thoughout the night as Marley would take her stake of the bed often leaving Jason or I clinging on to the edge.

So we made the exciting decision to move on up and get a California King.

It was delivered on Friday and last night was our 1st night sleeping in it. I LOVE IT! We have never slept better and all 3 of us had so much room. We also got new sheets and we felt like we were sleeping in a hotel. Getting a new bed, mattress, sheets, pillows and comforter is kind of an investment but when you realize how much it will change your life we didn't think a 2nd about it this morning. We woke up rested, happy and comfortable.

A Trip to the Pumpkin Patch

Last weekend we got to babysit Scott and Tyler. It has been too long since we spent the entire day with them, so I was excited to do something fun. We were planning on going to the zoo, but the weather turned a little cold so instead we opted for the Clayton Pumpkin Patch. If you have kids and haven't been, you've got to make the trip. We grew up on Marsh Creek Road in Clayton a few houses up from the pumpkin patch and it is has really transformed over the years. They now have a store, kids games and even a little train.

So we packed everyone in the car and just before we got there I turned around to see this.

Both boys were passed out. So Jason and I got a sandwich and ate in our car, so they could have a much needed rest. By then Scott woke up and was ready to go.

Here are some of my favorite pictures. Scott loves trains and was so excited to take a ride on it. He could't stop talking about it until we got on it and then he was silent trying to take in all the surroundings. It was a lot of fun and I recommend it to anyone.


Even Tyler liked the train.


Scott didn't really want a pumpkin, but loved the corn.

Countdown to March

The Baby Ticker is Up and Running.

Let the Countdown to March 25th begin.

2 weeks to go until we find out if our little one will be wearing blue or pink. I was all up for not finding out, but Jay convinced me. Now I'm excited and can't wait for the surprise to be revealed.

Our Journey

Our wish to have a baby has finally become a reality and Jason and I are so excited to announce that I am pregnant and this is the one. It has been a journey through a lot of joy, a lot of heartache, a lot of learning and a lot of faith.

After 2 miscarriages, my heart was broken and my only question was, "Why?" My Doctor recommended me to see a Reproductive Endocrinologist that ran lots and lots of tests, but wasn't able to target anything that would be causing the problem. So we began to try again and for months and months it just wasn't happening.

At that point, we began to re-examine our future and realized that maybe God was leading us in a different direction. We began to research adoption, the many different programs and fell in love with an International Program from Ethiopia. Within a few months, we had submitted our paperwork and started all the interviews and approvals to begin the year long process to adopt. As you often hear, when you stop trying that is when it happens and for us that was the case.

The next month I was pregnant.

The reason I wanted to share this story is that my question of "Why" wasn't answered (and a lot of times in life it isn't), but instead through time I learned to ask, "What can I learn from this?".

We realized that we not only wanted to have biological children, but would also love to adopt. There are so many children in this world in need of loving homes. We fell in love with these children, their amazing stories and their beautiful faces. We are so excited for the future and can't wait til we can begin the adoption process again.

It also made me realize how grateful I am for all that I have been blessed with. I have so much to be thankful for and we often let life pass by without counting our blessings, especially during the difficult times. Everyday I would remind myself of all the wonderful things I do have. You realize when you start each day that way, the little things that you don't have don't seem so significant.

I wanted to share my story, so that I too could someday help out other women going through the same journey. Most people don't talk about miscarriage. It is so common, but often makes you feel so alone. I have gained so much information and am hopeful that I can be a friend to help support, guide or just give a little extra love to someone going through the same journey.

Most importantly...
We want to thank everyone, our family and friends, for their constant support, their words of encouragement, their prayers and their love. You'll never know how much it meant to us. I feel so lucky to be bringing a baby into our lives that is filled with so much love.

Baby Maddox is due March 25, 2009. We can't wait to meet the little one!

Here is our attempt at the ever popular pregnancy test picture. We thought it would be fun to include Marley (since she is one of the fam), but almost lost one of the tests. I loved the photo since it makes me laugh and was my favorite of the bunch.

MY RING!!!

Due to having sensitive skin, I often don't wear my wedding ring at home. I left it on my bookshelf and when I went to put it back on it somehow slipped out of hand, bounced off the air vent and fell through the cracks. This all happened in about 5 seconds.


I freaked out thinking that the ring was long gone and given that I still don't have it insured (after 4 years) I was so sad.


Jason and I strategized and he decided to try a hanger. After a few attempts of fishing it out, we realized we needed to try something else. So I found doublestick tape and it worked.


YEAH! Now the rings have been reunited and I learned my lesson to stay away from the vents.

Day At The Ranch

Our office had our annual Ranch Day at the Rivera Vineyards, hosted by the owner of our company. His house is in the mountains of Napa and has some breathtaking views. I always say his home is truly out of a magazine (perfectly fit for our company) with every detail to perfection. It is so relaxing and fun to get away from the grind and be able to hang out with co-workers outside of work.

Here is some pics from the day:

This is a little building that stores their wine. How cute is that? I would even opt to live out of this.


Some of my favorite work friends.


The pool that overlooks the mountains and vineyards. Too bad I wasn't feeling like getting into my swimsuit in front of co-workers.


Steve giving a motivating speech to the group.


Chris getting ready for some pinata action. This is a very competitive event since there are coupons in the pinata for free days off work and also restaurant certificates. All I got was a laffy taffy.


We always have a bocce ball tournament bracket. My original partner Jake (on the right) got lost on the way up to Napa, so I needed to find a new partner Jeff (on the left). Sadly, Jake showed up and ended up winning the entire game and that bottle of wine. This picture is in honor of what could have been.

Long Weekend In Denver

Jason and I just got back from visiting Lauren and Ryan for a long weekend in Denver. They moved there a few months ago and we were so excited to see their new house and experience all the beautiful surroundings in Denver.

We landed on Thursday night and went to a local restaurant on Gaylord Street. We then went back to their house and caught up, while Hula (their adorable puggle) gave Jason a head licking massage. The last time we saw Hula was when she was just a little puppy, so it was fun to see how much she had grown.




Friday, Ryan had to work so the girls and Jay headed to Washington Park for a picnic and to relax. This is one of the most gorgeous parks I've been to and one thing I can say about Denver is they do parks right. Everyone was walking their dogs and the flowers, lake and trails were perfectly manicured. If only they could clean up Heather Farms a little like this.



That night we headed to the Rockies game and had great seats to watch them beat the Diamondbacks. The best part about the game was it was fireworks night since it was the last home game of the season. We were sitting in a section that allowed us to move down to the field during the fireworks which were amazing and so festive. It really was the best show I had ever seen, especially the finale.





Saturday we headed to Boulder, which was quite possibly one of my favorite places I have visited. The town is so cute and quaint and the downtown is the best. We walked from one end to the next looking at the shops and even found a great rooftop deck to eat lunch at. Jason and Ryan took full advantage of the cocktail menu and tried out the fruitest concoctions including: a derby julep, a strawberry mojito and a rooftop special.

Hey...at least they look cute with their drinks.


Sunday, Jason and Ryan went to the Broncos game and met up with Ryan and Kimberly Eisenbarth. This was probably the highlight of Jason's weekend and he had a blast.

He loved the stadium, the fans and also had a pretty exciting game to watch. Jay Cutler (Denver's QB) is on his fantasy sqaud, so he is a huge fan.



While the boys were at the game, we went on a drive up the mountains to Breckenridge with Hula. It was a beautiful drive and the town is a cute little ski town. We walked the streets in our t-shirts in the 50 degree weather since the only sweatshirts we could find were too touristy, so opted to brave the weather.


We had a wonderful trip and thank Ryan and Lauren for showing us an amazing time. Thank you for your hospitality, all the driving and the fun excursions. We miss you already, but always look forward to our time together.

Also...a special thank you to our parents. They all helped us out tremendously by taking care of Marley. I know she kept them busy, so I thank you so, so much!

Diamond Dave Takes Over Clayton

Diamond Dave held a summertime concert in the park in downtown Clayton on Saturday night. He sang all his (and my) favorites including Sexy Back, My Humps, Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot and many more for just about 3 hours. Everyone loves Diamond Dave since he takes classics and current hits and is a one-man show with his keyboard and does it all.

It was a hot night, but perfect for sitting and listening to music. The crowd was busy dancing and even started a congo line. Clayton is such a great place that has such small town charm. I loved growing up there and always feel nostalgic in their downtown.

I loved seeing everyone dance.


Thank you Amy for the wonderful suggestion of seeing DD in your hood. Loved it. Next up...Octoberfest in Clayton.

Chihuly at the de Young

If you haven't been to see the Chihuly exhibit at the de Young in San Francisco, I highly recommend it. Dale Chihuly is an American Glassblower who's work of colorful, vibrant glass is truly amazing to see in person. Jason and I went to the see it on Friday and loved it. I will admit, I'm not too into art exhibits or going to mueseums, but this is so spectacular you really can't miss it. The pictures don't really do it justice since most of the pieces are huge in size.

This was Jason's favorite:


This was mine. See the little angel:


The most amusing part was that no one was allowed to use a flash, but now with digital cameras no one knows how to turn off their flash. Every minute someone's flash would go off and you would hear security yell, "Turn off your flash!" Our camera kept re-setting the flash everytime you turned it off. I think ours went off about 5 times.

This was the best photo we could get of the 2 of us without the flash.


The Grand Finale

A Beautiful Wedding In Napa

Our family attended a wedding in Napa this past weekend for our good family friends' daughter, Ashley Ein. I had to share some photos since this was quite possibly the most beautiful wedding I have or will ever attend. Every detail was to perfection and it was the harmonious balance of nature and elegance. It reminded me that those little details all add up to a perfect event.


Ashley and her parents. The Ein's have been such wonderful friends to my family through the years. We met through swim team and they have always been so supportive to my entire family.


Harry and his beautiful wife, Cecilia. I loved being able to meet her since she was perfect and so sweet.


The band started the night out with the festive tradition of Hava Nigila. I love so many things about the Jewish culture. It is so rich in history and tradition. This is a song of celebration and means, "Let us Rejoice."


I was happy to be reunited with my friends, Meg and Beth. I love these girls. I have the best memories of growing up with these two and whenever we are back together the memories come flooding back.


Had fun hanging out with Heidi.


The tables were all under vines of trees. Very romantic.


My sweet hubby. I love this guy.