Princess Party!!!!!

Well, if you know Marissa, you know she loves all things girly.  Since the Disney cruise she is obsessed with princesses.  So there was really no other option for her third birthday party than to have an over-the-top girly, princess party (I can hardly believe she is related to me).

So we decorated the house with princesses and princess stuff everywhere.  

Stations were set up throughout the house.  

In the Princess Parlor the girls selected dresses, crowns, shoes, wands, necklaces and bracelets.

 Then they went into the Salon where my amazing nieces did hair, makeup, and nails for the girls!

Have no fear, there were activities for the boys as well, they became the royal guards.  They were charge with battling fierce dragons to keep the princesses safe!  By the way, they did a most excellent job - not one princess was harmed during the party!

 Then, of course, there was food.  A princess party must have goodies!

 At the Royal Art Academy, princesses and guards were invited to decorate, crowns, color, or put puzzles together.

 Then came the Royal Desserts.   Our neighbor, Cathy, did another incredible job making princess shoe cupcakes and a special cake for Marissa.  These pictures do not even do it justice.  For my shoe-obsessed daughter, this was a perfect fit (pun intended).  They were so cute and delicious!  (Cathy also made the adorable princess wreath that hung on the front door). 

 Then her royal highness opened more gifts that should be allowed in any kingdom!

 However, the true gifts that made this day so magical were the friends and family who traveled from far away and not so far away lands to celebrate this day with us.  

 

 So, thank you for attending this royal celebration...with such sweet friends in our life, we are certain to all live happily ever after!

I quit

I always felt like the lucky one when it came to major life decisions. Things have always fallen into place for me, especially my career.  I kinda stumbled upon occupational therapy and instantly fell in love with the field.  I knew what I wanted to get into even before I finished school.  I ended up having a fieldwork assignment cancel and happened upon a quaint little brain injury facility where I was amazed at the therapists that worked there and thoroughly enjoyed my fieldwork rotation. I felt like it was OT Heaven.  About a month before I graduated, they called an offered me a job.  Although it was a big step to leave my family and friends in West Texas I knew it was a place I would enjoy, so I was ecstatic about working for this facility. For the past 11 years I have poured my heart and soul into this little place.  I have been fortunate enough to work alongside some incredible therapists, meet amazing patients, present at Universities and conferences all over Texas, and even have a few publications under my belt.  I climbed the "ladder of success" from intern to director and made amazing memories along the way.  In fact, it was at this small facility that I met and fell in love with the man I married, the father of my precious children.  I loved what I did and am passionate about brain injury recovery!  That is why I really did not mind working more than 40 hours a week, staying later than necessary to finish up a report, or to work a little extra with a patient or two.  I really thought I would be a one job career woman. I have always admired people that have worked for companies for 40+ years and assumed I would be "one of those" because I loved what I did, that much.

It never really changed, the job is still wonderful, the people there are amazing.  Yet, somewhere along the way, I came to the realization that something had to change.

I can pinpoint the moment where I realized I was slowly but repeatedly choosing work over my family. I drove into work leaving my sick little boy at home with Daddy, because I felt like my staff and patients needed me there.  I justified that Daddy was fully capable of caring for my son and I was needed at my job.  My job, the one where no one (but me) really cared that I was there early, staying late, and pouring out so much of myself that at the end of the day I was exhausted.  I would come home and have nothing left for my own flesh and blood.  I would get angry at my 4 year old and 2 year old for acting like, well, like a 4 year old and two year old should act.  After feeding, bathing, and getting them into bed, I would collapse into my own bed, with little communication with my husband.  Something had to give.

So I quit.

I turned in a 3 month notice, probably initially so that I had time to talk myself out of quitting a job I loved so much.  My boss completely thought I was joking when I told him I wanted to turn in my resignation;  even with my resignation letter in hand, he looked at me and waited patiently for the "punch line".  I was not at all subtle about how much I loved my job.  I was an emotional wreck for the first month after turning in my resignation but every time I thought about my pros and cons, I would envision my sick little boy on the couch, with those BIG puppy dog eyes looking at me as I chose to drive away - so I could help other people get better.  That dreadful decision was wrong on so many levels and my heart was heavy for weeks over that moment.

So I quit.

Now I choose my family. I choose to be the Mom that is able to pick her kids up after school each day. I choose to work less hours in a less stressful environment.  I choose to pour more into my own family.  I am so thankful that my husband is supportive of less income so that I can be a better mom and wife.

This is not easy, I will miss my patients and the victories I was able to see everyday.  I will miss my coworkers and all the hilarious moments we share. I will miss the craziness that comes with working in brain injury.  BUT I will no longer miss my little family growing ever so quickly, right before my eyes.  And really, that is what it is all about.

 I am, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the lucky one.


Here are a couple pictures of the most amazing send off in history....I am going to miss this crazy bunch a lot!  Honestly, my car was a work of art,  this "gift" is something I will always cherish.

Gigi Turned Sixty

My brother and his family were kind enough to host the entire Brew Crew to celebrate my mom's 60th.  We had a fun, fun, fun weekend.  We rented a boat and spent a day on the lake, we went to Legoland in Grapevine and to Medieval Times (what an amazing show), we got snow cones, had fun with hats, made smores, went swimming, and had a generally awesome time together.  I did not take many pictures from the weekend but I sure had a blast!  Happy birthday to the most amazing Mom a kid could ever have!