Merry Christmas!!!

A few pictures from today and more to come tomorrow!  Caitlyn really got into grabbing the ribbons and wrapping paper!  =)

Grabbing the paper....

It was a bumbo seat!!!  What's next?!

She picked up this bag and starting pulling the tissue out all by herself!

Merry Christmas!!!

Oh, Christmas Tree

I haven't been very festive this year since it took us forever to find time to put the tree up but I thought I would post a few pics of what we have managed to do!

The tree:  The kitties love it but aren't wild about where we put all the ornaments.  They keep knocking them off and stealing them.  Hey, anything they can do to help, right?!

A few shots of Caitlyn the day we went to our Christmas Party:

And a little bit of crafting fun:

Happy Holidays!

CAT Scan

Caitlyn has had a lump on her stomach that we noticed when she was about 4 weeks old.  The Dr. told us to wait and watch it and that he felt it was a "Hemangioma".  We watched.  We waited.  It got bigger.  I brought it up again at her 4 Month check up and he agreed that it had grown significantly.  I also brought to his attention a bump she's had on the top/back of her head for a few weeks (could have been longer but we hadn't noticed it).  He decided to refer us to a pediatric surgeon for further examination of both the lump and the bump.  We had our appointment with the surgeon today and he wants a CAT scan for her head to be sure it's nothing deeper than what we see.  He said it's possible it could be a Hemangioma as well, in which case they may want to scan all of her to make sure she doesn't have more of those internally, such as in her organs.  While I'm sure she is fine and healthy, I still can't help but be worried about her.  It's what mommies do!!!

Grandmother's Poems

It is one thing to know your Grandmother and spend time with her as she is today but it is completely another to read something she wrote 70 years ago.  All of my grandparents passed away before my 19th birthday, with three of them passing by the time I was 6 years old.  I have been fortunate to have some of my Grandmother's poetry sent to me and I think it's beautiful... and therefore I would like to share it.  I think poetry is like a window to the person's heart and soul.  I think this has helped me to really get to know her and I feel a whole new connection to her!

FRIENDSHIP 

Friendship is a silver star

Whose beauty lives

Forever—

Sending forth a loyal gleam

To all who live, and love

And dream.

  

Friendship is a crimson rose

Which flourished in the morn

And continuously grows

Since the day love was born.

 

Laughter is its fragrant petals

Permeating the atmosphere;

Personality’s charm, its radiant hue

Creating a hearty cheer.

 

Loyalty is its slender stem

Which holds it straight and tall;

Faith is the verdant, tender leaf;

And love, the root, the all.

 

Martha Virginia Clarke

South Miami, Florida 1934

MYSTERY 

I’ve never been abroad

I’ve never crossed the sea

But certain am I of its lure—

Adventure beacons me!

 

I’ve often thought on life

I’ve never found its key—

But conscious am I of a wealth

Of hidden mystery---

 

Martha Virginia Clarke

South Miami, Florida 1933

REVELATION 

I looked unto heaven tonight

With a prayer in my heart,

But a mass of white

Moon-drenched clouds

Obstructed the view.

 

Then suddenly there came a wind

Which dashed them all apart

Leaving a circle of clear blue

In whose center appeared a star

That cast its beacon light

Of hope into my heart..

 

Martha Virginia Clarke

South Miami, Florida 1933

MEMORIES

 

Those we love remain with us

For love itself lives on,

And cherished memories never fade

Because a loved one’s gone!

 

Those we love can never be

More than a thought apart

For as long as there is memory

They’ll live on in our heart!

Martha Virginia Clarke

WELLS

 

 

There are wells from which we may draw

A continuous supply

Of clear, pure water with which to quinch

Our physical thirst.

 

There are intellectual wells from which

We may receive

Stimulating thoughts, aspirations,

And high ideals.

 

There is a great spiritual well from which,

Should we partake,

Will satisfy the deepest longing of our soul,

For we then know God.

 

Martha Virginia Clarke

South Miami, Florida  Summer, 1933

NIGHT

 

Night is a duchess

Robed in black velvet;

Glittering stars

are crystal jewels

adorning her hair,

And the moon—a touch

In her hand—

Lights her way.

Martha Virginia Clarke

We've Moved (and we're settled)!

While I may still post an occasional blog on Myspace and an even more occasional note on Facebook, I think I would like to make this my new home for my thoughts.  Myspace has felt childish to me for awhile but it’s where all of my friends are so I have issues leaving it behind.  I also realized that I’ve been blogging on there since about the time I got married and man, that seems forever ago!  My brother-in-law and his wife started a blog at blogspot and I learned about wordpress through that.  After blogsstalking several people, I feel like this is a place where Jonathan and I can have a joint blog and profile and thus I invite you to check back regularly and enjoy.  After seeing that wordpress is completely user un-friendly and has a very small limit on picture upload without upgrade, I decided to give this a shot.  So far I like it!!!

About the title:  Serendiptiy was the movie Jonathan and I watched on our first date.  It means fate or “the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for” .  I was certainly not looking for my soulmate on our first date but I found him…