The last 52 days....

Reading Jennifer post on Rocco's blog has really got me thinking...with the last 52 days been an emotional roller coaster for his family and us friends too, what have we been doing??? The first thing that came to my mind was our love, support and prayers have definitely been with Rocco, Olivia, Kiki and Steven and even though they are a thousand miles or more away we have never forgotten them. It has been a blessing the way things have turned out and God has truly blessed them with two perfect, beautiful children.

Next, I thought back to my prior posts of Nico being a tape recorder or throwing tantrums or how tall he has grown that pretty soon I think he might be bigger than me...LOL! All of those things seem kind of petty compared to Rocco's battle and I guess what this has taught me and my family is to not take things for granted. And although the last 52 days have seemed to fly by, we have never forgotten how important all those little things we can take for granted are so very important....even Nico's tantrums and when I get frustrated, I just think like everything else that seems bad, this too will pass (at least I hope the terrible 2's don't turn into the terrible 3's, 4's...AWWW!).

So I guess in this post, it's not about Nico's adventures but about stopping and taking a minute to appreciate all the little things in life because although to some of us the last 52 days has flown by, for others it seemed like an eternity but definitely worth the wait to see Rocco come so far in such a little amount of time....and I know before we know it all the kids will be chasing each other around and these last 52 days will seem like a lifetime ago.

So Rocco, this post is for you and thanking you for allowing us to step back and remember what truly is important...having the support and love of all of our special family and friends.

Until next time.....

THE PROOF.......

POLLS ARE CLOSED....

Thank you everyone who voted, hope it was fun and suspenseful for everyone!!!

So the winning number of Nike Shox that Nico has accumulated over 18 months is......drum roll please..............

6

Believe it or not, even though Aunt Adriane thought he would have at least one pair for each month he has been alive, he only has had 6. Although, as far as shoes go he has had 6 pairs of Shox, 1 pair of Nike Airs, 3 pair of boots, 2 pairs of play tennis shoes, 5 pairs of sandals and I think that's it.....I know, I know it's crazy but thanks to Chane it's an obsession now!!!!

I'll post pictures soon enough to show the proof of his 6 pairs!!!

Until next time......

WHO'S THE CUTEST 18 MONTH OLD EVER????

Mommy, Daddy........
Yea, I know I am cute.....

See Chay, this is gonna make us rich someday......

Me?? I didn't do it.......

These are photos we had taken last week for his 18 month photos. I got this idea from Jennifer to post them on my blog!! These are one's that I didn't purchase, but definitely deserve to be seen!!! Hope everyone enjoys.

Keep visiting and remember to vote, only 5 days left!!!!

OBSESSION....

As most of you know, it's my "thing" as I call it to buy little Nico shoes. Now I know it's ridiculous in most people's eyes to spend what I do on shoes for my little guy, but think of it this way....I spend on shoes what most Mom's would spend on dresses for their daughter....LOL!!!

So I encourage all my family and friends to guess how many pairs of Nike Shox little Nico has acquired in the 18 months he has been with us. It'll be interesting to see how many shoes people think an 18 month old needs....I'll give you a little hint for those who haven't seen his collection, I bought another pair tonight....

Good luck and yes thankfully for my bank account that I am only having one!!!!

PS You don't even want to know how many sandles he has.....:)

WATCH OUT, NICO'S TURNED INTO A TAPE RECORDER.....

It's funny how Nico went from saying Momma, Dadda to repeating every word you say. Which means to all my family and friends, Nico is finally a tape recorder that repeats every word you say....we'll let's just say a lot of words.

It seemed to begin with Daddy last week when he found out that why isn't the best word to teach a 1 and half year old because not that he understands the context in which to use it, he uses it just like Daddy use too. Only now instead of annoying the heck out of Grandma Decker, Nico seems to say it to Daddy and I just sit there and think "what comes around goes around" and laugh....although Bryan doesn't think it's soooo funny......

Mommy got it with bubbles, when we were taking a bath last week Mommy said does Nico want some bubbles and now every time we get in the bath it's BUBBLES, BUBBLES!!! Or yesterday when Grandma Beth had him outside and they were chasing the ball, it was ball or as Grandpa Tim taught him BULL so it's bubbles, ball or bull. He definitely seems to have his "B's" down...now it's time to start on Grammy or some other word other than Why??

Then yesterday we called him and he looked at me and said "WHAT" I could of died laughing right there because I thought he is turning into this little person who acts just like us!!! So what I have learned this week, watch what you say because our little tape recorder is listening even when you think he not!!!!

Until next time....

GOODBYE TO MY TWENTIES.....

So since tomorrow at 9:36am I will officially have to say goodbye to my 20's, I thought I might reflect on the first 30 years of my life. Sometimes it is hard to believe that tomorrow my glorious 20's will be forever lost....

In all reality I have had a very good first 30 years and really can't complain, but what scares me the most is seeing my friends and cousins who have 9 or 10 years olds. And it really creeped me out when I went to my cousin Julie's and her son had a friend spending the night, I kind of looked at them and then looked at her and said "Julie, wasn't that just us a blink of an eye ago??" Gosh, I can remember the first movie Julie and I went to without parents, I think it was "Field of Dreams"....now that I said that it makes me look REALLY old!!! Now to all of those friends who are older than me, no I don't think you are old but I am sure when you turned 30 you kind of felt like I do......

Than I started thinking about my bestest friend Terri who I have been friends with since we were 13 and sitting in band together....wasn't that just yesterday Ter? Or the Florida trip with the door slam that started our life long friendship of being each other's other half...just ask Dan Chance who thought we were crazy when we said that while working at McDonald's....Wasn't it just yesterday Ter, that we went to Hilton Head and paid what to park or how about the speeding ticket in SC that I got in your car while Barney Fife thought we had something in the back seat??? Or our best friend award that I thought Kathy was gonna get us for winning....or the throwing up on the side of the street cuz James had to pull over or all the other stuff you would hurt me for saying.....Gosh going down memory lane there are so many good memories I might bore everyone but you to continue on......Truly, from the bottom of my heart Ter, thank you for being here every single day and even though we might not always agree, you are the bestest friend a girl could ever have.

To all my old friends and new, each one of you are special to me in some way and I can't imagine spending my 20's with anyone else but you guys. We have had some unforgettable memories that will never be forgotten, such as Kiki do you remember spending the night in the hot tub or at Jennifer and Jason wedding, keep saying it's still daylight and we were toasted?? Or I have to give you credit Jennifer for going to Kiki's bachlorette party and having a blast even though you were pregnant, I don't know if I could of done it!!! Or Chloe all the times we have done so many fun things, but all the great laughs you have given me is priceless. Suz, don't even know where to begin....we can make anything funny and you can always put a smile on my face without you I would of lost my sanity years ago!!! Michele, we have been through it all and yet even though we live thousands of miles away you mean the world to me and through the worst of the worst, we're still here and that we have to be thankful for!!! Kelly, sometimes I look at you and think you are super Mom, and you have showed me that there is good in everyone. You have really been there for us the last year and for that I will never forget it. Jen, gosh we have done it all been great friends, mortal enemies, and then friends again and even though we lost so many years over petty 20's crap it's been fun. Vicky, you are a true inspiration to me and definitely a woman of my heart to instigate others.....OK maybe it's more me than you, but we sure have had some fun times drinking and not.....Eric, what can I say we have been through it all and more, you have been a great best friend to Bryan but you also have always been there for me and mean the world to both of us and I am sure you have drinking stories to tell people too, but we'll skip that for now.....And to all those others who I haven't mentioned because this was getting long, it has been fun and to all of these fun memories I can't wait to continue with lots and lots more!!!

Gosh, rereading this I sound like I drink a lot but honestly I don't think I have had more than a wine cooler since September when Vicky made me drink....LOL!!!

To my family, you mean more to me than I can ever tell you. This has been a rough year for all of us and I know sometimes I don't express my emotions in the right way but God has been good to all of us and not just my family but my friends too. You all are an inspiration to me and have helped me become the person I am today. Especially to all my parents, including my extended parents who adopted me thank you, thank you for guiding me in the right direction and always loving me for me, even my faults. To my sisters, and my extended sister I love all three of you and even though sometimes times have been tough it's been worth every minute to get where we are today. To the rest of my family, cousins, aunts, uncles, Grandma's and Grandpa's, I have to thank all of you too!!!

Last but not least, to my son Nicolas Aaron and my sweet Bryan. I love you both more than life itself. Bryan, we have been through it all and somehow we have made a great lives for ourselves and our son. I thank you for spending my 20's with you and making it through the good and the bad. Who would of thought after dating a month and you leaving for the Marines for 4 years we would be here 12 years later, living the good life?? It's been a wonderful life and I couldn't see ever living even a day with anyone different. This last year has been the hardest of our lives and yet in some ways it's only made us stronger, and made our faith only stronger. I only hope we can live another 60 years in the happiness that the last 12 have been. Nico, Nico, Nico what can I say but you are my angel from Heaven definitely a gift from God. I love you in a way that I never thought I could love another human being. You make our lives complete and I only pray you can be half the man your Dad is and that all those people mentioned above will help us continue to make you the man I know you will become.....some of us are counting on you to take care of us...J/K!!! I love you guys!!!

OK, for those who haven't fallen asleep.....I truly want to thank you for being a part of my 20's and hope that when things settle down we can all celebrate my 30's the proper way and unfortunately Eric, you might have come pick me up off the floor and carry me to the car AGAIN!!!! So I guess this will be my last post as a 20 some year old....but bring the 30's on because we are all going to have a heck of a time beating the last 10 years and before we know it....we'll all be 40 and going to kids graduations and weddings.....AWWWWW!!!

Goodbye 20's, hello 30's.....................

NICO'S TANTRUM'S.....

Is it just my child or is every child kicking and screaming when you have to come in from outside for dinner, bed or nap whichever time of day it happens to be? It's now from the time I pick him up from Gma and Gpa Decker's until the moment I close the garage door because it's time for dinner not play time....I know I am a horrible Mother for making him eat :)

Now I know I may shock some of you who think Nico can do no wrong......BUT he has started throwing tantrums and I think before today, I would of given in but now I am sitting there while he is yelling and screaming thinking "please God please don't let the neighbors see my bad child" but I guess in all reality I know every child has their moments, but lately it seems like in Nico's world it's his way or no way. And I ask myself after the situation is defused, how can I make a 18 month old understand when he looks at me like I have three heads when I start to explain it's dinner time or bed time....

I guess these times makes me feel like I have been defeated, but then after the big crocodile tears are gone and the tantrum is over, and he crawls over to sit on my lap I know it's just another one of those moments we would all like to forget but have to go through until they are old enough to understand.....Your grounded!!! If I only had a nickel every time my Mom said that to my sister because you know I was the angel!!!!

Until next time........

Nico at Price Park

Spring......shhh, better not say it to loud.....

I am happy to report to all my family and friends that finally in Ohio, Spring might actually be here....we'll at least for the time being. We finally can put away the gloves, winter hats and winter coat (we'll at least for now) and roll up our sleeves for our skin to finally feel the sun it's been craving all winter. And if you have seen Nico up close, you know he needs all the sun he can get:)

Now it's time to get the basketball hoop, tool bench and all the other fun toys we having been waiting to play with this long, long winter but I do have the realization that my birthday is coming up and it always snows around my birthday time, so we better not put the winter jacket to far...gotta love Ohio weather. Wait ten minutes and it will change :)

So now the routine of playing cars all night is out and playing with bikes and taking walks is finally here!!! It's almost time to find Nico some shorts and short sleeve shirts or just let him run around like the hillbilly he is, in his diaper!!! I am sure the neighbors will love it :) Now if we could just get a bit warmer for the pool, Nico loves the water and I have a feeling his little pool in the driveway isn't gonna cut it and we'll have to be at cousin Julie's more often then she'll probably like. J/K!

So all those readers of Nico's adventures it's time to (hopefully) put away the snow shovels and start enjoying the long evenings but I bet you before we know it we'll be watching out for those mosquitos!!!!

Happy Spring everyone!!!!! Until next time......

NICO'S HALF BIRTHDAY.....

Happy Half Birthday little man....geez I can't believe how fast the last six months have gone compared to Nico's first year. Since his first birthday he has:

Walked completely on his own

Said my juice, mine, bye, hi, hole (thanks Uncle Eric), bull, Uhuhuh, thank you

Plays with matchbox cars

Made basketballs in the hoop

Chases the dog

Watches tv for more than a second

Reads books with Mommy before bed more than just a few pages

Locks and unlocks doors

Rides his tri-cycle around the house

Knows where the pantry is that holds the candy he has to have

Developed quite the personality

Has those beautiful blue eyes and dimples and knows how to use them :)

I am sure there is a whole huge list of things I haven't mentioned, but my point being how much he has grown up since some of you have seen him at his birthday party. He not only warms your heart with those eyes, but makes you laugh by being goofy like his Daddy. So today little Man, Happy Half Birthday and we can't wait to continue to see you grow into the man I know you will be.

Sad, but true today marks the day my little guy is no longer a baby, but now what he thinks is a independent toddler.....don't worry you don't have to tell us, we know he is in control of us...not the other way around :)

Happy Half Birthday Nico!!!

CARS, CARS AND EVEN MORE CARS....

Being Mom I guess I don't really understand and now thinking about it, I am not sure Bryan understands either, but I feel like my house is being taken over by cars. Now let me explain, Nico has a passion for cars whether it's matchbox cars (his favorite), Gma Beth's PT Cruiser cars or even a little paper car that came from a Happy Meal toy, Nico has to play with it. We find cars in the playroom (obviously), or in the living room under the couch, or in Athena's water bowl because cars can swim you know, or how about in the bathroom floor where Mommy steps on it when she is not quite awake. Which kind of scares me because sometimes you hear the flushing and we run in there to have Nico laughing and you think..."did he just flush a car down there?" We all have heard horror stories of kids ruining the toilet...that would just be my luck.

Then just last night it was cars all over Mommy's head, I could hear him saying "Comme Mom it'll be fun let's run cars all over your head"...fun for who is what I am thinking? Maybe it's because I am a girl and played with dolls or Barbie's or even the Smurf village my Dad gave away 15 years ago and I have never really forgiven him for...J/K Dad! But the cars have taken over my house and I wonder if at 17 months he has this many and throwing them wherever he can reach, in another year how will we be able to walk without stepping on a car? It's like Arachnophobia but instead of spiders taking over it's cars....AWWWWW!!!

OK, back to my happy place......But truly I kid about the cars taking over my life and opening the door to your house and dropping Nico off, of course with the cars in tote :) but he is my world and I adore him more than life itself. So the next time you come over, please watch your step and just think the invasion of the cars might be coming to your house soon!!!

Until next time......

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!!!

Nico finally got the idea of how to color eggs without throwing them!! Definitely an accomplishment after 3 dozen broken ones!!! Hope the Easter Bunny was good to everyone!!!

Deja Vu......

Can you believe that little precious Nico had another AirTran incident, but this time it wasn't because he was confined in an airplane but at a restaurant not able to run around...I know what kind of parents are we to ask him to sit for dinner?? So now not only are our pictures on AirTran's list, we now officially cannot go back to Rockne's.... See little Nico thought that he should be out of his chair running around doing what he wanted to do...we'll Mommy and Daddy had a different idea, something like it's time to sit down and eat your pizza or how about coloring with the crayons that the hostess gave you, but no we have to not only give Mommy and Daddy the most embarrassing moment, by yelling and screaming because something just wasn't going your way. As I said in previous posts, we are officially set in our terrible 2's at 17 months......

So needless to say we got our food to go and Daddy waited with the crying baby in the car while Mommy paid and tried to sliver out of the restaurant, only to go home to Nico eating his pizza in his chair, happy as a clam and Mommy and Daddy eating cold food....so as with any other adventure in Nico's life what seemed to be horrible yesterday is only forgotten with his big beautiful blue eyes and lovable smile.

Although Rockne's is definitely off the list for a while or maybe we are off their list.....LOL!! Until next time......

EASTER EGG COLORING......

Let me do it, I promise I won't throw this one!!!

Look Daddy, it's turning blue!!!

So many colors, so little amounts of eggs.......

Another first in Nico's Adventures....easter egg coloring, we'll maybe not exactly the first because last year he did carry an egg around and then broke it, so maybe that counts?? Anyway, tonight Bryan and I decided to have another Nico experience and color easter eggs. I was really excited, but Bryan just goes with the flow as he expected Nico to do what he did at the pumpkin carving experience which was running away to play, BUT.......

So it started out today while I was at work Nico and Daddy went out and bought the eggs to bring home and boil. Mommy came home with dinner and then it was coloring time!!! So Daddy got the egg dye all ready while Mommy stripped Nico down to his diaper and socks, with a white sleeved shirt and white undershirt I could only imagine what would happen if I didn't. Anyway, we put a cardboard box down on the table, propped Nico on the chair and off we were starting the process of coloring easter eggs. To our surprise Nico kind of liked the idea and even said Thank you on some of the tape we have, but not to our surprise the first egg he got a hold of he threw and then it was on dye everywhere, but luckily only all over the cardboard!!

After a few more cracked eggs, and Mommy and Daddy finished the eighteen pack and called it a night. Nico only stuck his fingers in the vinegar water twice but surprisingly didn't even make a face when he put them in his mouth. I thought that is pretty nasty but the kids gotta learn somehow, right??

So out of eighteen eggs I think we have 2 or 3 that don't have cracks in them, but hey to me that only adds character, right??

Happy Easter everyone and keep visiting for another installment of Nico's adventures......

POTTY TRAINING...

A new adventure is upon our household and I have to admit, it scares the heck out me....not only because I have NO idea what I am doing, Nico can hardly talk and it's sad to me to think my little man is growing up, but I have bought his very first potty insert to sit on the big potty.

So I take the potty out of the package and just look at thinking this thing has directions....ok, that's scary. But anyway, then I think where's the best place to put it and realize probably in Nico and Daddy's bathroom, you don't want to know for those who I haven't explained it too, and thought ok we are going to do this....

So Nico wakes up from his nap and I think ok, this is a good time as he was in a normally happy mood so I took his diaper off and sat him down. If I had my camera guys, it would definitely been one of the bigger photo moments in his life as he looked at me like I was CRAZY to think he was gonna do anything but instantly want off. He didn't want to look at, touch it or have anything to do with it. Talk about discouraging......

So we decided the next approach of encouragement, if anyone had a video camera we definitely could of made $10K off of my silliness and still he is sitting, smiling, thinking I know my real Mommy is gonna come rescue me someday :) But he sat there for another second until this time he said in his own way, "Mommy get me off this thing or else...."

So I took him off and let him look at it on his own merit, not mine which meant now not only am I chasing a laughing, naked baby but thinking he is gonna pee on carpet!!! So my adventures begin and I have absolutely no idea what the heck I am doing, but I am going to continue trying....

Until the next adventure this week of coloring eggs with a 17 mos old......I know, I know I torture myself but I just can't help it so when you see food coloring all over my walls, just be nice and don't ask :)

DISORGANIZED......

It's crazy to thing I know from the people that know me, but lately I have been feeling so disorganized.....between not knowing what I am going to find where to having Easter pop up on me next week and not even having Nico's basket in my thoughts.....what a crazy 2008 this has been already!!!

It just seems I get up every morning, wake Nico up get him breakfast get ready for work...OK time to get Daddy up. Then it's off to work, go pick Nico and dinner, bath time and playtime and then bed...is it already 8??? Where has my time gone?? Then once Nico is fast asleep in his bed, I am thinking is it midnight already, cause that's what it feels like to me???

Maybe it's my laziness or just pure exhaustion of chasing after a 17 month old after working all day after playing Mom to a 48 year old (AKA my boss). Or maybe it's the crappy weather of not having the sunshine on my skin and watching Nico play outside without 15 layers of clothes, but whatever it is I definitely can say even though my house may not be the cleanest or my laundry isn't quite caught up like it was 6 months ago, I have really enjoyed the times with Nico now that he loves to play and chase poor old Athena!!!

Hopefully one day I'll get the energy again to once again feel organized.....until next time!!!

I found this on the Internet and I guess it means a lot to me because we waited so long to have our little angel, Nico, but when I read this I thought this is me....and nothing has been more fulfilling than being Nico's Mom and I hope everyone enjoys this poem as much as I did.

BEFORE I WAS MOM

Before I was a Mom I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.
Before I was a Mom -
I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Drooled on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.
I slept all night.
Before I was a Mom I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple little grin.
I never sat up for hours watching a baby sleep.
Before I was a Mom I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put it down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.
Before I was a Mom - I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.
Before I was a Mom - I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth, The joy, The love, The heartache, The wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a Mom

NO MORE SNOW......

It's pretty sad when we woke up the morning looked out our back deck and found a county snowplow stuck in the snow!!! You just had to chuckle at the thought....I have to say Steven, Kiki and Olivia even though we miss you, you are definitely not missing the 12+ inches we have gotten since 11am yesterday, and it's still snowing!!!

So I decided to get Nico all bundled up to help Daddy shovel his way out, which by any indication our next stop will be at Home Depot for a snow blower.....anyway, after fighting with a 17 mos old for 10 minutes to get all his layers we finally make it out. Only to find the wind is blowing, the snow is drifted and Nico has troubles with his snow boots walking. After a few minutes and falling face first in the snow, Mommy and Daddy tried not to laugh too hard, he finally got into it only to want to play with all his summer toys stored in the garage. So we got out the basketball hoop and the swimming pool toys, only to figure out they don't work quite as well in the snow!!!

As much as snow is pretty, I have to say I AM OFFICIALLY TIRED OF IT AND READY FOR SPRING!!!!! Although we have had fun with Nico in it, for goodness sake it's almost the middle of March!!! I am definitely at the point of having Spring Fever and I am sure when it's 90 degrees and 100% humidity, you'll all look back at this post and remind me why I love Summer so much!!!

Not a great picture, but I think you get the drift of the snowed in Snowplow!!!

Ready....Set...Cheese....

Funny thing happened last night and I don't know why I never noticed it before, but Nico is camera ready...I know it's hard to believe with the thousands of pictures I MAKE everyone watch over the last 17 months :) Everytime I get the camera out and finally get Nico's attention he knows what to do...I guess he is thinking "Another picture Mom, Hurry up Mom!!" What cracks me up is the fact that he actually (we'll sometimes) poses for the camera. Believe it or not as many photos as I have taken, most of them that turned out good which is not from my skills (none) but from my little Ham posing and knowing exactly how long it takes for the red out....

I don't know why I just noticed it because now that I think back, last Christmas when we waited and waited for our turn at the photography place.....after 5 minutes and 20 pictures we were done and she said to me, "he doesn't get his picture taken much does he?" I guess then I should of known we were going to have a Ham on hands :)

BTW, thanks Jennifer for telling me to add photos, but I think I have gone crazy with over doing it!! Although at least he's cute :)

Terrible 2's...

The terrible 2's....I know it's hard to believe with this adorable face, but I think they have begun. See being an only child allows you to get away with more as he is the "first" child for us and the youngest grandchild on both sides, but Mommy has started to notice a bit of change. Beginning with tonight, see little Nico has anything a 17 month old could ask for on the first floor, but of course even though he knows to stay downstairs, when Mommy looks away for just a second he rockets up the stairs. So Mommy notices it's gotten a little too quiet and starts the task of walking up the stairs only to find little Nico running for the computer he's not allowed to touch or the water faucet he HAS to turn on or even hiding under the computer desk just long enough to freak Mommy out! So then it's on, I pick up little innocent Nico and once again tell him No which is NOT working, so we go to a time out but on the way down he decides he going to start biting, which is definitely not something I will put up with sooooo now it's time out, the yelling, screaming and croodile tears that only last long enough to get what he wants. And throughout I am wondering, "Nico did you really think biting me was really gonna help your situation?" I know he is only 17 months old, but I am so scared he is going to turn into "one" of those kids that nobody wants their kids around.

So to all those mothers out there who have ANY advice I am definitely ready to listen for any encouragement on the terrible 2's!!!

On a completely different note, for all of those family and friends who read my Blog please add our good friends, Steven and Kiki to your prayers. They are having some pregnancy issues and we are very worried about them, so any prayers and thoughts would be greatly appreciated.