A letter to my Daughter

Dear Emma,
Hi sweetheart. Well, this is my second Christmas without you and I find myself awake at two am on Christmas Day thinking of you. I miss you. It is so hard not thinking of all the things that I am missing out on with you. I find myself shopping for your brother and sister and wondering what kinds of things I would be buying for Christmas for you. I would have gotten you a doll house, I always wanted one when I was little and I was looking forward to getting one for you. I made Christmas cookies with Jack-Jack the other day and I know you would have loved that. His favorite part were the sprinkles, but he was so messy about it. You were always so particular about things it would have made you crazy. You would have been a perfectionist about the sprinkles. So many things have changed in our lives. You would be so proud of your little brother. He is such a good boy and so funny. I can imagine you and him playing together. You loved him so much and were so good with him. I think he misses you, he loves looking at your pictures and he knows your name. He points at your picture and says Emma. You would love your little sister. She is alot like you, but definitely her own little person. She looks so much like you as a baby, it is nice to have a little reminder of you around the house. You loved babies and were such a good helper so I know you would have been so excited to have a little sister. She loves to talk and you would probably love to listen. I saw a big sister and little sister shirts the other day and I immediately thought of you. I wonder what you would have thought of the cold and snow and Illinois. I know how proud you would be of Daddy. He is doing so well in school and it is in large part due to you. He wanted to take good care of you and give you all the things you deserve like dance lessons, soccer, new shoes and that doll house. I am sorry I never took you to go see Santa the last year. There are so many things that I would do over. I am sorry I never got your pictures with Jackson. I am sorry that I was not always the mother that you deserved. All I can say is that I loved you more than anything. I was and am so proud of you. You are the light of my life and maybe that is why I miss you so much, especially at times like now. I guess Christmas will never get any easier, but I guess that is ok. It means that we will always miss you and our little family will never quite be complete without you. I made sure to get your name on our family ornament- I probably will every year. Merry Christmas, Baby. I love you and miss you so much.
Love,
Your mommy

Hey there!

Love this picture. She is asleep under here.

How cute is this?!?

What is this on the ground?

Talking to her toys

Madilyn Dee Lines 2 months old

Giving little sister a kiss. How cute!

Bumped his head jumping on my bed. What do they say about monkeys and beds??

Hi guys! Got new pics of the two most gorgeous kiddos ever! Madilyn is such a doll and is starting to be really vocal. She is my biggest talker yet. It is really cute because you can have conversations with her. If you talk, she will talk back to you. Jackson is still...well, Jackson. Cute and rambunctious. It is sooo cold here, my Arizona blood is not used to it yet. We had actual snow last sunday. Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I cannot believe how fast the time is flying. I set my Christmas tree up last night and it is glorious! Justin and I got to go out tonight to a law school friends' christmas party. I got to get dressed and put on makeup and everything!! I love my babies but it is nice to get out once in a while and talk to grown ups. That is the main reason I am missing working at the ER. That, and cool stories and gun shot wounds. I know, weird but I really loved my job. Maybe over the summer I will work part time when Madi is a little older and Justin is not in school full time. Well missing all of my Arizona friends and family- Justin and I are so excited to see all of you at Christmas time. Email or call me and leave me comments! Love hearing from all my friends.

Sara out!

PS. Discovered that you can save pictures from others' blog and save them on your desktop. Kind of scary so on that note I removed my naked Jackson pictures. I only realized this because I am making calendars for grandparents and was stealing pictures of my nieces and nephews. Nothing creepy, promise! Stay tuned for pictures with Santa...

PPS. I am happy to report that Justin has finally grown his manly goatee back...Grrr! I love my husband!

Thanksgiving Reflections

My camera is currently at my folks house, so no new pictures but I will put some up when we get back. Don't skip past this post though, you might be mentioned...With Thanksgiving coming up, I am finding myself thinking about all my blessings in my life. Here is the short list:

1. My Husband- Baby, we have gone through more in the last four and a half years than many couples go through in a lifetime. I just want you to know how grateful I am to you. You make me laugh and I love that you know exactly how to make me laugh. You are an amazing father, seeing you with our beautiful children makes me melt. The way you have been so dedicated to doing well in law school is inspiring and I know you do it so you can provide for our little family. I love the way I feel safe when I am in your arms and love how you get me. I am lucky that I get to be with my best friend for all eternity. I look forward to it. Kisses Smoochiekins :)
2. My beautiful babies- I have lucked out with not one but two of the most amazing little girls and an amazing son. Not only are they immeasurably gorgeus and smart but teach me so much about life. I have learned more in the last three years being a mother than in my whole life. I am so lucky that God has entrusted me with his chosen spirits and I hope that I am living up to that. Emma- I struggle to find words to tell you what you have meant to me. I will live my entire life so that I will be worthy to be your mother again. Your bright little spirit has illuminated my life and it is really hard to not be around your little spirit any more. I miss you so much my little chicken and I will never stop loving you. Jackson- You were sent to me for a reason. You have been my sunshine in dark times, and it has been so fun watching you turn into this funny, caring, independent little boy. You are so great with your little sister and you love making us all laugh and smile. I look forward to the future with you and seeing the choice man you will become. Madilyn- You have only been with us for the last 8 weeks, but our family was not complete without you. You always have a smile and coo for your mama even when you are sick. I can already tell what a gentle, loving soul you have. I am so grateful God blessed us with you and so exicted for years of pink and hairbows again.
3. My family-Mom-You are the greatest. You have served as an example of grace and love to me my whole life and I want to be YOU when I grow up. Daddy- You set a high bar for the type of man I wanted in my life. Nothing makes me happier than making you laugh so your belly shakes like a bowl full of jelly. Kamers- Love you. You were my first best friend and taught me about loyalty and love. You have unshakeable faith and it is such an example to me. Ryan- You make me laugh and not take myself to seriously. Dan- It has been fun getting to be your friend as we get older. It is amazing to see what a great Daddy you are and makes me proud to be a part of your life. Cristi- You never let life get you down. You have worked so hard to finish school and have a career to be proud of. I am really proud of you. PJ- You are such an example of integrity. I see the environment you go to school in and I am constantly amazed by how you handle the pressures you face. Keep your testimony strong!
4. My married into family- Rachel- You are not just a sister in law, you have been a sister. I feel like I grew up with you too. I am amazed by the trials you have gone through and how you have not only passed through them, but flourished. You are truly my Indian Spirit Sister. Brianne- I lucked out not only when I married Justin but also when you became part of my family. I treasure your friendship and miss you and my adorable nieces and nephew so much. Paul and Cindy- I have come to appreciate you so much. thanks for all your support.
5. Cute nieces and nephews-in alphabetical order...Brennan, Claire, Devon, Isabella, Lily, Lilly-ok not truly my niece but feels like it..., Nathan. Wish we could see you more...Your cousin's love you! Also mentioned not really niece/nephew but cousin's kids- Jacob and Elara.
6. Fabulous Friends-DeAnna-love and miss you. Miss our girls day outs and Sprinkles cupcakes. Miss our shared love of the Scottsdale mall and your never ending love and support even when I am a bad friend and don't call you. Thanks for being patient with me. Chad and Amber-you have been amazing supports to Justin and I am glad to have your friendship now. (I am limiting this list to those who actually read and look at my blog, plus this is getting really long)
7. Great shoe collection- Oh shoes-through pregnancy and nursing, through gaining and losing that same 10-15 lbs you never let me down like my jeans. You always look good and always fit perfectly.
8. Moose you have been a faithful and loving companion for my whole adult life.
9. A good sense of humor
10. Health-as I sit holding my sick snuffy little girl, I am grateful for 0ur families health-most of the time.
11. New friends
12. Being a natural blonde. Blondes do have more fun. If you aren't one, you will have to take my word.
13. Diet Dr. Pepper-you are there for me after a hard day and you don't give me any additional calories.
14. The gospel-especially the temple
15. My education and career. Not working has made me appreciated how lucky I have been to be able to work in the medical field. It is awesome having the knowledge to be able to assist in healing and saving lives.
16. This country and our freedoms. Pray for our elected leaders-heaven knows, they will need the help...
17. Finally I am grateful to have a loving Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. It is difficult to see the plan all the time, but I am grateful for the knowledge that there is a plan. I am grateful for the promises and blessings I can have if I keep up my end of the bargain. I know that we have been guided in our life and I am thankful for the blessings we have recieved.

I just want to let all know how much you all have touched my life. Hopefully you can reflect this week and make your own list. It is amazing how much we all have been blessed with and writing them down makes us realize how much we have. Have a healthy and happy Thanksgiving. Try not to overeat!
Love, Sara

Jackson Lines Look-alike Meter

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celebrity - Collage - Morph

Madilyn Lines Look-alike Meter

MyHeritage: Look-alike Meter - Family name history - Roots

Caution... The cuteness of these pictures might melt your brain. Don't say I didn't warn you!

This past weekend, Jack, Madi and Mommy went to Arizona to visit Baby Nate. We went to get pictures with all the kiddos and had a great time. At Grandma Lines' house we had dinner sunday night and all the cousins got together and put on their halloween costumes. Madilyn is the cutest baby bunny ever and Jackson is a scurvy (cute) pirate. Arrggghh... Just to brag on myself, I made both of their costumes and they turned out really good. I will post some closer pictures of Jackson when we go to our ward Halloween party this week. Hope everyone is having a great week. I am happy to report that after the combination of two antibiotics, tylenol and motrin Jackson's ear infection seems to be finally clearing up. Yeah!!!

What has the Lines' family been up to?

Hey everyone,
Well time is really flying. Miss Madilyn will be 1 month old on Friday and is getting smarter and cuter every day. Jackson is really getting cute with her and very protective. Last week, I put her in her crib so I could go to the bathroom, and she started crying. Jacks scaled the crib and was trying to give her the binky and showing her toys to get her to stop crying. It was super cute. He also lays down next to her during tummy time and sings to her or talks to her. It has made me proud of what a sweet boy he is and so caring. Madilyn continues to be my little snuggle bunny. Her favorite position is laying on her Momma's chest snoozing. She is by far my snuggliest baby. This weekend we went up to St. Louis to can applesauce and apple butter and go picking pumpkins. Got some really cute pictures of the kiddos. Jackson is enamored with pumpkins and carries his pumpkin around in a wagon. The only downside is he tries to throw them like a ball. Jackson is currently battling bilateral ear infections, he has had a rough couple of days. He spiked a temp on Monday, and napped for 4 hours and layed on the couch so we knew something was up. After a visit to the pediatrician's office on tuesday, tylenol, motrin, benadryl and being on antibiotics for 24 hours is feeling much better now and is back to terrorizing the dogs. Well gotta run- keep leaving me comments love hearing about how cute my babies are ;) PS. I am wearing regular non-maternity jeans!! Yippee (they are my fat jeans but still...) and I can wear my wedding rings again. Hopefully when I get the ok from my doc in a couple of weeks I can start working out to get rid of the curtain of shame. (The saggy skin on my belly that comes courtesy of my beautiful kiddos and three c-sections in 4 years.)

Miss Madi update

Ok, so do I not have the cutest babies ever?!?


Pooh Bear hat. Cute but too big so Mommy spent all day pulling it away from her eyes.


Ok, so everything went well. If you want the gory details, you will have to call me personally. Miss Madi is now 10 days old and doing very well. Her big brother loves trying to feed her fruit snacks, fish crackers and fruit cups while his mommy's back is turned. He also loves to rub his face against her head and give her little kisses. He does not like that his mommy is not allowed to pick all 28 lbs of him up, but can pick up 7 1/2 lb baby sister. We spent all last week at Grammy and Grampy's house and now we are home with Grandma Lines here. I am sleeping in 3-4 hour intervals, and forgetting to fasten my nursing bras. I walked around for like 3 hours last week wondering why my brand new nursing bra was so unsupportive only to realize both panels were down. Tee hee. I also got tired of trying to take messages at my mom's house for people who were calling to schedule timeshare presentations whilst nursing. So one day after the same lady called 3 times, I told her I was getting a pen and gave the phone to Jacks to wander around talking and pressing buttons until she hung up. Problem solved. Well, keep everyone posted...

Madilyn Dee Lines

Here are some pictures of the sweetest little girl in the entire state of Illinois and her big brother who is in love with her!
This is Madi only minutes old.
In the nursery, isn't she sweet?

Bah Humbug!

Apparently contractions that are 5-7 minutes apart, regular that last over 24 hours is not "real" labor. It took me two visits to OB triage, several cervical checks (which involve people's fingers in my delicates) to tell me that because my cervix is not dilated I am not in real labor. I didn't realize that regular contractions that wake you from your sleep is not actual labor. I have been told that I should come back in if things change (what does that mean?). The only thing I can think of is that I am supposed to instictively know that I am dilating. If it sounds like I am bitter is because I am. I just have to say I am not impressed with the nurses, the doctor I saw (I waited for 3 hours for but saw for only 2.5 seconds) or with the hospital itself. Still no baby. I was also told that if I was 39 weeks, they would perform a c-section without hesitation, but 37 weeks and 5 days would mean the baby is premature and would assuredly be in the NICU (Isn't 36 weeks a term pregnancy?) and that if I want a c-section early I am being selfish and do not want what is best for my baby. =(
Stick a fork in me, I am done.
Looks like I have 13 days of continuous contractions ahead of me before I can have the privelege of being filleted open and having the baby surgically removed from me. Lucky me.

Hello World Wide Web and new pictures!

To celebrate and commemorate the installation of the internet into my house and my newfound ability to communicate with others I have written this haiku:

Hello world wide web

Oh how I have missed you so

You make me happy

This past week, we went to the DuQuoin State Fair where Jacks got to pet animals, ride a train and ride the merry go round as well as eating of delicious funnel cake. We went on 'Family Day' so we got in for free and had no parking. Justin and I enjoyed a delicious free barbeque supper courtesy of the Illinois Republican Party. Thanks John McCain... We had a great time.

Then we spent Labor Day weekend in St. Louis with my folks. We went to the Anheizer Busch factory for a tour-it was the only thing Ryan wanted to do while in St. Louis so we all obliged. It was actally neat seeing the whole process of what goes into making beer and all the historical buildings. Justin and I high fived when the tour guy talked about the"dark and sober days of prohibition." The best part was the free pretzels and soda after the tour. The worst part was when I almost vomited because of the smell of beer in the fermenting room. Afterward we had a delicious spagetti dinner at Old Spagetti Factory. All in all it was great. I am also posting pictures of Jacks' favorite hat. He even wears it naked. It is really cute and I figured that I need some embarassing pictures for his future dating endevors. Tee hee...

Oh by the way, I think Justin is in love with another woman named Sarah Palin. She is all he has been talking about, I am starting to get jealous. No, seriously though, she is actually making me excited about politics.

Petting Zoo...... Fun Free Sodas and Pretzels at the Factory tour, YUM!

Safari Jack.... Petting a "Cow" outside the restraunt

New Updates, Still no pictures

Well, Justin started school and he LOVES it. He even likes doing the readings which confuse and frighten me. Still no internet service because our new landlords have to run the cables through a wall so that the serviceman can access the cable to give us the internet and television, so no pictures yet. GRRR... Jackson and I both had doctors appointment today. He is now 26 lbs, 10 oz (50-75%) and 34 inches tall (90%). He is also brilliant and beautiful says his pediatric nurse practictioner (who is also our landlord). The baby is doing well, no real problems except her mommy just being gigantically pregnant. I look like a barge. It looks like I will be able to schedule my cesarean on the 3rd of October. Oh, funny story, my OB doctor happened to see my garment top as he was checking the baby and admited he is also LDS. He is actually in our ward. A little weird to have sunday school with someone who will see my, um, delicates, but...
In other news, Rachel and Dan have been out visiting my parents so last week we went to a orchard and picked 60 lbs of peaches and 15 lbs of blackberries. Yeah, I know. When we do something, we do it in a big way. Then Rachel, my mom and I all spent the next two days making homemade blackberry jam then canning it and peaches. My Dad saw we were canning and proceeded to bring home two gigantic boxes of fresh tomatoes which we also canned. Prior to this I had thought about picking apples in September at the same farm and canning applesauce and apple butter but I am a canning fool. I don't think I have the mental strength and fortitude to complete another canning marathon. It made me appreciate my mom though, because she used to can and I thought it was so easy...hmmm...I think aging gives you perspective. Jackson loved picking blackberries. He snuck so many he had diarrhea for the next two days. Silly boy. All kidding aside it was really fun though, and made me feel all nesty.
Emma's birthday is today and we had a homemade birthday cake for her. I feel like it is important for my other children to know about her. She was an amazing little girl and I want her brother and sister to know how much we loved her and how much she loves them. Hard day but it was good to stay busy. I know I will not stop loving her and missing her until I get to be with her again.
Well, Love all. Keep the comments rolling in, I love them.

Ok. I admit it, I am lame...

Ok so I know I haven't posted any pictures for like two months. My parents' internet speed is like a small hamster running on a wheel and our internet has yet to be installed. But because I have had numerous comments left about how lame I am for not posting anything, I am braving the bad internet. Jackson has been a very busy boy- he is growing like a weed and gets funnier everyday. He has also started sloping into the terrible twos-he is advanced for his age :) - so that means more tantrums and mischief making. It is actually really funny he kind of drops where he is at on his knees and then rolls around crying and whining. He is also really into jumping right now- he hops around the house, singing (he will just walk around singing and humming to himself) and coloring. He has enjoyed the fresh Illinois corn and wants to eat his own piece from the cob- it is really cute. This past week we braved the humidity outside where he played in his Elmo splash pad- I will post pictures and I will also post pictures of him at the City Museum in St. Louis which is a giant wherehouse with slides, ball pits, art rooms and an aquarium. Basically it is a little boys dream-Justin had a blast too. Everything is going well with the baby, it looks if I schedule my c-section again it will probably be around October 2 or 3rd. She is a feisty baby already-she will have to be a little scrappy with Jacks around. When I go to the OB she kicks the fetal heart monitor, she kicks the ultrasound machine and generally kicks me all night long. She also has very definite opinions on things-she lets me know when she is unhappy. Justin and I went to see the Dark Knight last week and she let me know she did not approve. I have never had her be that active and kick that hard for 2 1/2 hours straight. The Joker freaked me out and I don't think she liked him either. She also does not enjoy when Jacks attempts to scale my ever expanding belly. The other day when I layed down with him for his nap he and his sister got in a kicking fight with me in the middle. Getting along already...

Justin starts orientation on Wed. the 13th of August and classes start on the 18th. Justin and I will be celebrating our fourth wedding anniversary on the 14th. It is funny to think we have been married four years, so long in some ways and no time has passed in other ways. I still think he is really cute and he knows how I like my peanut butter sandwiches and how to make me laugh, so I think we are doing well. Honestly, I am really grateful I struck the lottery when I met and married him, he is the best father and my best friend, I am glad that he is the man he is. Because of orientation and my current pregnant status, we will not get to get away for our anniversary :( (I think I have been pregnant for every single one of our anniversaries so far...maybe next year ) Maybe he will have something fun planned anyway. Missing everyone back in Arizona-sorry I am a slacker... When our internet finally gets up, I will post pictures of the house and get back to regular contributing. Feel free to drop a comment-I love reading them, they make me feel special- or just call me. Love you all!

Jack Pics and Ultrasound

Pictures from Jackson's Birthday and our trip to Utah.

Here is a picture of our computer screen with the babies ultrasound pictures on it...I couldn't get them to load. The first is a profile with hands and arms, the second is a straight profile shot. Isn't she beautiful ;)

Overdue Update...

Well, updates...where to start? We passed the dreaded one year anniversary of Angel Day and it was as horrible as I predicted. I just want to take a moment and thank my family and friends who texted or called that day. Justin and I were overcome with love and support and it was nice to feel that we were not alone (special shout out to Brianne for the beautiful album-we love it). Justin and I also had the opportunity to attend the temple the next day (due to scheduling conflicts we had not had time to attend that day) and had a beautiful experience. I don't want to talk about it too much except to say it is so amazing that we have a beautiful place where we can feel so close to our Heavenly Father and feel so close to our angel baby Emma. I left feeling renewed for the challenges we will face again and the hope and knowledge that we can and will be with our daughter again some day.
Justin, Jack, Rachel, Dan, Ryan and myself all made the trek to Provo, Utah for women's conference. My mom, Kami and Nanna got to fly there-lucky ducks-and we met up with them. It is kind of a tradition we go every year and the boys like to tag along to do boy stuff and meet up with former mission companions while the girls learn about "girl stuff"-a line from Justin. We all had a great time. Kudos to my one year old who was in a car for about 22 hours over the space of five days and did as well as you could hope for an active little boy.
Now the exciting part- I was going to do something fun on the blog to make people guess the sex of the baby but less than 5 seconds after "I think it may be a girl" came out of the ultrasound tech's mouth Justin was texting everyone in his contact list so most of you already know. We didn't get the clearest shot-she was being modest and had her legs covering her special parts-but when pressed the ultrasound technician gave us 99% chance of being a girl. We made her go back several times to double, and triple check and even Justin saw the three lines-look it up or use your imagination people, I am not going to explain. She said she saw absolutely no indication of boy parts so either 1. We are having a girl or 2. Our son will be a sad, sad man.
I will attempt to post pictures of the ultrasound up of the pictures I can make out, along with a picture of Jacks at a cool Mayan themed restraunt we went to in Utah. It had cliff divers and everything- so cool! Hope everyone is doing well, please leave me comments, it makes me feel popular and special.
Sara

Baby Names

Justin and I have been talking about names for this new project of ours to debut in October, and I started thinking about all the lame names that I had thought of for my kids when I was 12. Hmmm... Daisy Meadow, Sunshine Daydream, Regean Martinella. I also thought it would be cool to name my daughters Summer, Winter, Autumn and Spring. I was kind of going through a hippy, nature thing at the time. For the lucky little men, I thought Hunter Strong (gag-Strong as a middle name?) and Richard Lee (please don't ask about this semi- normal name...It may be related to a boyfriend I had at the time.) After reading this comprehensive list, I am now thinking how many kids did I think I was going to have? I would have had to give birth in litters!
I know everyone did this when they were younger, so 'fess up girls...what are the lame names you were going to saddle your kids with? The lamest or most um, creative name wins a special prize yet to be determined. Leave them as comments...I bet everyone could enjoy a good laugh. Will post some fun pictures of Jacks soon. Love you all.

Grief

The best way I can explain losing someone you love is comparing it to losing a limb. Though technically not a vital organ an arm or leg is a part of who you are. It helps you form your identity and define who you are as a person, it is the way you relate to the world and you enjoy it for what it brings to your life. Limbs cannot be replaced-prosthetics are not a new arm or leg, it is just a way to help you cope with losing this part of yourself. At the beginning, just as with a new surgical incision the pain is overwhelming, it is all you think about and most days begin and end with thoughts of how this is affecting your life. With time comes some healing. Not the kind that magically replace what you lost, the scar is still painfully obvious and your missing limb is still very noticible, but the thoughts of loss become less frequent. Still, when you notice that you are now different from how you used to be, the pain is just as intense. Sometimes you can just be thinking back on a not so distant event, and it reminds you of the whole person you used to be. Sometimes you notice others and envy their perfect, and whole body. You hate them for not missing a limb like you are, and you hate how they are totally unaware of how their lives are different for having a limb. Some can say, "Wow, I can't even imagine..." or "I am so sorry" while you appreciate their thoughts and support, it is something that until you are missing a part of yourself, you cannot and will not fully appreciate. Sometimes you look around and people that you never noticed are missing a limb-you develop a sense of comraderie with them and one day hope not to be crippled by your loss, but develop a new existence without your arm or leg, like they have.
Today I woke up and remembered that I am missing an arm. I have developed a new way of life and have adapted to this loss, but this morning I woke up and the pain was as sharp as the initial surgical wound. I know that I will have my arm back someday, but sometimes that knowledge isn't as effective in combating these feelings of loss. The anniversary of Emma's death is getting closer, and maybe that is why I have been more aware of this loss. I am basically just writing this to get all of these thoughts out of my head. Sometimes when I am struggling with things, words start forming like an essay, and I just needed to get it out. I will be ok. I know I will be ok. I am blessed in a million other ways, and for those blessings I am grateful. It just hurts. I miss her so much, sometimes it feels like a sharp pain or heaviness in my chest. I miss all the plans I had for the future like graduation, weddings, grandchildren. I miss the things I would have experienced with her by now-how would she look-would her hair be long enough for pigtails now? How would her third christmas have been, what would she have asked Santa for? How would she and Jacks be getting along-what would she have made him for his birthday? I miss her sweet face and big heart. I miss nap time with her, she had a way she would curl up against me and sometimes that spot where she would fit hurts. I guess I just miss my arm.

More Law School News

This is Justin again, updating my law school acceptances:

Northern Illinois University -- waitlisted
University of Idaho -- accepted
St. Mary's School of Law -- accepted
Washburn -- accepted

No kickin' scholarships from either of these schools, so I think that's made the decision to go to SIU a lot easier.

Still haven't heard from:

St. Louis University ($35,000/year tuition, and no chance at a scholarship)
Mississippi College (It's in Mississippi. . .what was I thinking?)
Texas Wesleyan

Not that it really matters. I'll be sending in the seat deposit to SIU soon. Idaho is one place I was strongly considering, but they didn't offer me a scholarship. Tuition is still low there, but not when compared to almost free at SIU.

I applied at a lot of places because I didn't want to be in the awkward position of having no acceptances, or just one acceptance. Looks like, barring one of the three schools I haven't heard from giving me an insane scholarship that covers tuition plus a living stipend, I'll be a Saluki in August.

Hmmm...what's that thing with a tail?

No, you are not seeing things, that is a replica of what my newest project looks like. I know that he/she still has a tail (it comes from Justin's side) and I fought putting a picture up only because the baby resembles alien vs. predator. But you know what, it's mine and I love it. I am due September 30th, and I am hoping that everything goes smoothly...I could use a break this year. Oh, FYI...I asked my magic 8 ball and the baby is a girl and should be named Pedro. I think all important decisions should be made with careful thought, diligent prayer and the help of a cheap plastic toy made in Taiwan.

Justin's Law School Update

Hey everyone,

This is Justin posting the latest law school acceptance news.

Phoenix School of Law -- accepted
Southern Illinois University -- accepted with great scholarship
California Western School of Law -- accepted with okay scholarship
University of Idaho School of Law -- accepted, no word about scholarship
Gonzaga University School of Law -- rejected

I still haven't heard from the following schools:

St. Louis University
Northern Illinois University (after the school shooting this week, not really wanting to go there)
University of Missouri at Kansas City
Texas Wesleyan School of Law
St. Mary's School of Law
Washburn University School of Law
Mississippi College School of Law

Yeah, I applied to a whole bunch of schools. I was quite nervous about getting accepted anywhere with my horrible, terrible, not-so-great GPA. It looks like my LSAT score has more than made up for it everywhere but Gonzaga right now.
California Western FedEx'd me a letter today explaining that they wanted to pay for airfare and put me up in a hotel in San Diego for a weekend while they tried to sell me on going to their school. Free weekend in San Diego? Awesome.

Jack's First Haircut

Forgot to post the video...here it is..enjoy!

Jack's First Haircut

Well, we did it. Jackson's hair had transformed into a mullett that Billy Ray Cyrus would be proud of and it had to go. I could actually put it into a pony in the back. So we decided today was the day. The minute that the clippers touched the back of his flaxen gold curls I wanted to snatch him out of the chair, but he looks so handsome and older...I don't know how I feel about that either! For your viewing pleasure and to mark the momentous occasion, I have posted some pictures and a video. Let us know what you think!
Love,
Sara and Jack