Samantha

Here are some pictures of my baby girl. At camp. For the first time. This will be the longest I have ever gone without hearing her little voice (or sometimes her big voice ... lol ) ever. I do not know if she is okay, or if she misses me, or if she is eating alright. I would be contacted in the event of a medical emergency. That's the only reason. Other than that I am going to stalk the mailman until I get a letter !

Learning........

I think that maybe I have always loved learning. I was definitely particular on the things I like to learn about... it was never algebra or chemistry. It's a shame how many times a day I use those skills in real life....................... I should have paid more attention.

But just about everything else interests me.

Especially people......Sometimes after a conversation someone has had with me, I wonder if they feel like they have just been interrogated. I certainly like to know about a person, and if there is ever a subject that someone would be an authority on, it would be themselves and their own life history. I genuinely like people. Most people. Some are grouchy, but I try. I ask questions.

I like learning about our history. And other people's history. And religion. And how things are made. And how things work. Luckily television is perfectly suited to my tastes. The history channel, discovery channel ...... I don't know what happened last night on "ugly betty", or on "the amazing race" , but I do know what historians believed happened to the ancient Mayans. I might not spell Mayans correctly, but I know how they lived.

There are other things that I never wanted to learn about. Like loss, disappointment, and heartbreak. Emotional struggles, financial struggles, physical struggles.

I guess that they make us a part of who we are as much as our genetic make-up.

I have not had it tough. But I have experienced. Maybe a lot less than some, maybe a lot more than some.

I'm not interesting enough to be on the history channel one day, I haven't done enough, experienced enough, or learned enough.

But with each day there is a new experience, and something new to learn. The good, the bad, and the ugly.

zzzzzzzzzzzz............

I love to sleep. Is that weird? I love naps. I've always been a napper, I mean I'm sure that there was a point in time in my life when I didn't nap, but I know that I started life out napping, and I have been since high school.

Now I obviously can't nap every day. In the summer time, unless I catch a random Sunday that is free, I can't nap at all. But, oh do I miss it.

When I worked outside the house, I would go in an unused room, and sleep on my lunch hour. Most days anyway. My co-workers were very tolerant of that, and my friend Tracy would wake me up each day about 10 minutes before my lunch was over, so I could collect myself, & go back to work.

All too many times I've had the experience of falling into a pretty deep sleep, and waking up disoriented, like thinking that it's morning when its not, or thinking that I've missed the kids getting off the bus, and that thay've had to go back to the bus garage with the driver & I am being declared an unfit parent. For a fleeting moment, I curse my napping. But then I realize that it's only 2:00, and that I have only been napping an hour, and it's alright.

When I think about the toughest thing about being a parent, and I don't mean the emotional stuff, just the day to day things, are their clothes all clean? did they eat? are they bathed? ............. for me the toughest thing was always that I couldn't just lay on the couch & doze off for a half hour if I felt like it.

I wish I wasn't a napper, I would definately be able to put an extra hour to better use. But it's just who I am. If I don't nap, I don't sleep as good at night. But mostly I love it love it love it.

Two of my friends are nappers. Just like me. Difference is that they are not ashamed. So that's what I'm trying to do here. I'm coming out..............

I nap. I deserve it. That's all.

p.s. next week I am off, and I'm shooting for 4 out of 7 days, I'll let you know how it works out.

Happy Summer !

Hi everyone :)
Sorry its been a while, its been busy busy busy ! We are now down to soccer twice a week ! whoo - hoo. Sadly because Sam coaches Samantha's team he has to be with her & cannot go to Libby's games . :( . In turn, I have to bring Libby & cannot go to anymore of Samantha's games. :( .

Libby's first game was last night, she plays in the U6 league for Spencerport. I was videotaping bits & pieces for Sam to see & I was able to catch her first goal on tape ! I'll post it here. Last night I officially earned the title of worst mother ever....... you see with my nose behind the camera I never realized it was her that scored , hence the lack of cheering, yelling, jumping up & down. I feel awful. Then there was this conversation on the way to the van ....

Libby: Did you know that you sometimes get grass on your shin guards?
me: no, I didn't know that, that's cool
Libby: Did you know that you get very thirsty?
me: yes I did know that, I'm glad you brought water
Libby: I heard you cheer for Paige when she scored, I cheered for her too
me: I know you did baby, you are such a great teammate


Libby: Did you know I scored a goal
me: ummmmmmmm..... no you didn't
Libby: yes I did, Ashley kicked it part of the way, then I kicked it into the net
me: ummmmmmmmm .... no you didn't
Libby: yes I did momma.
me: ummmmmm...... okay Libby whatever you say.

Then we tucked her in bed , uploaded the video, and there it was. Her shining moment. Her first soccer game ever. And she scores a goal ! And I ignore it. So we untucked her, had her watch it, and told her that Mommy didn't realize. So if you see us..... congratulate her. Go ahead and make a big deal out of it..... I should have .....

I'll try to post the video .... She is #7, and has braids in her hair .....

Evan Daniel Heaton

6/14/2008

7 lbs. 11 0z.

Congratulations to big brother Ty, big sister Jenna, and parents Tommy & Jerilynne :)

Breast Cancer Petition !

Please take a couple minutes and read this & sign the petition on the website. My Aunt will be going through this surgery on the 19th of June. So please keep her in your prayers.

From a nurse: I'll never forget the look in my patients' eyes when I had to tell them they had to go home with the drains, new exercises and no breast. I remember begging the Doctors to keep these women in the hospital longer, only to hear that they would, but their hands were tied by the insurance companies. So there I sat with my patients, giving them the instructions they needed to take care of themselves, knowing full well they didn't grasp half of what I was saying, because the glazed, hopeless, frightened look spoke louder than the quiet 'Thank You' they muttered. A mastectomy is when a woman's breast is removed in order to remove cancerous breast cells/tissue. If you know anyone who has had a Mastectomy, you may know that there is a lot of discomfort and pain afterwards. Insurance companies are trying to make mastectomies an outpatient procedure. Let's give women the chance to recover properly in the hospital for 2 days after surgery. It takes 2 seconds to do this and is very important. Please take the time and do it! Please send this to everyone in your address book. If there was ever a time when our voices and choices should be heard, this is one of those times.If you're receiving this, it's because I think you will take the 30 seconds to vote on this issue and send it on to others you know who will do the same. There's a bill called the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act which will require insurance companies to cover a minimum 48-hour hospital stay for
patients undergoing a mastectomy. It's about eliminating the 'drive-through' Mastectomy where women are forced to go home just a few hours after surgery, against the wishes of their doctor, still groggy from anesthesia and sometimes with drainage tubes still attached. Lifetime Television has put this bill on their Web page with a petition drive to show support. Last year over half the House signed on. PLEASE!! Sign the petition by clicking on the web site below. You need not give more than your name, state, and zip code. (http://www.lifetimetv.com/breastcancer/petition/signpetition.php )This takes about 2 seconds. PLEASE PASS THIS ON to your friends andfamily, and on behalf of all women, THANKS

Libby's video

Okay, so Libby's video won't load or upload on youtube , so, (I think ) here it is.... she's a peanut so watch the middle, she's wearing a red shirt with a flag, every now & then you can catch a glimpse ..... (look in between the little girl in pink & the little girl in blue)