ILA...

Well, Ila got to spend 12 hours at home before she got admitted to Children's hopital in Atlanta. Her bilirubin count got up to 19.8. The norm is around 5. She has been there since Monday. She is in a "tent" with high powered lights to help lower her jaundace. Brannan and Matthew are there, but don't get to hold her but like once a day. Though they are being strong, I know their hearts are breaking. They thought she was going to be able to come home tomorrow, but her count did not change in 12 hours. It is at 14.7 as of now. I saw dafodills yesterday, and anyone who truly knows me knows the significance of dafodills. I saw them as a sign that Ila will be well soon. Please keep her, Brannan, Matthew and Susan Grayton in your prayers.
The Suber fam is doing well. Toler is struggling with his multiplication facts and gets more frustrated with me by the moment. Sube has a coaches clinic and is leaving me for 2 days. Josie, well, Josie is into everything. She is climbing, talking, marching, singing (with Dora of course) and constantly "tickle tickle, tickle" someone. I am getting by. I am worried about Ila and about my own mental health. Mental health wise: school. NCLB is going to have all the teachers (especially special ed) in serious therapy for the remainder of our lives. Anyway, that's all I know of now.

ILA BENTON PASS

My niece, Ila Benton Pass was born Friday (Jan. 23rd). I was about an hour late in seeing her arrive in this world. However, when I did get to see her I cried. No one could figure out who she looked like, but I immediatley saw some of my mothers features in her. I am so thankful that she and Brannan are okay and doing fine. The thing about the miracle of life, is that it reminds me of how precious life is. Each and everyone of us take life for granted at some point during the day. I know I do. How thankful we are to be a part of such a wonderful world where babies can be born, and people can fall in love, and how the sick can be healed. Sometimes I have to stop and just thank God for letting me be a part of it all. Even with all the ugliness that is out there, I see beauty everytime I look at my family and it makes me forget, for just a moment, that the world can be cruel. My mother always seemed to find beauty in everthing she touched. I think with the birth of Ila it makes me think of the way my mother would be reacting to her arrival at this moment. All the nit-picky things she would do to make sure that Brannan was completly worry free. I tried to do that today as I awaited their arrival home, but even as I was trying to do the things she would have done, I knew it was not "right". I guess it is a Su-Su thing that only she could do. I know how much I am missing her right now and it hurts my heart to know that Brannan is missing her twice as much during this time. Just know BB that mom is with you. She is the one that is keeping you from "killing" your husband... With all that said, I am thankful for the safe and healthy arrival of my niece. (Ila was my paternal grandmothers name and Benton is my maternal grandmothers name). Thank you God for blessing my family in so many ways each and every day.

Blah..

I am tired. I don't know why, I get enough sleep. I think maybe I am in a down funk. However, I am excited that Brannan's due date is getting closer. she is showing some "hypocondriacte" syptoms that my husband has... The "berry" and colon cleanser are not all it is cracked up to be. I am glad that I only paid the shipping. Toler signed for baseball season. He does not seem to be as excited about this as he was soccer. Sube is going to start track practice next week. i am glad that he will get to do this for a while. I think he was going crazy having nothing to do after school. I am getting ready for cheerleader tryouts again. I am glad to be doing them early this year, just to get it out of the way. Josie had a successful "2nd" birthday party. Sube's mom, sister, nieces and great cousins came from Hattiesburg. We had a house full, but it was fun. Going to bed now. After all, tomorrow is a school day...

The Berry

Well, today I ordered the Acai Berry pill and cleanser. I keep hearing about it and being the sucker that I am, I decided to pay the "shipping" and order it. So, here goes nothing. We had a teacher work day today. Boring. Students come back tomorrow and I am glad to be getting back into a routine. I found out yesterday that my friend Ashley is going to have a little boy. If only my sister would find out!!! Josie is obsessed with Dora the Explorer. I guess it could be worse. It could be Barney. Sube is doing good with his weight loss program. He is trying to eat healthier and is even walking. He is doing more than me. So what I ate today: For breakfast, donut holes. Yes, I know this is not a good start and there aren't any excuses. My son had some and I ate them. I didn't eat lunch because I was so busy getting ready for tomorrow. For dinnner, we had a "Chicken salad". Rotiserre chicken, lettuce, cucumbers, bacos and ranch (light of course). Now if I can just NOT eat anything before bed. Well, it is time for Josie's bath so until tomorrow. Oh, Josie's birthday is Thursday. Do I remind my dad or just hope he figures it out. Her party is Sat. I doubt he would come. I didn't send him an invite. Should I call and invite him just for the hell of it???

Home

We are home now from Newnan. We got here to discover that the door to the master bedroom had gotten closed with both of the cats locked in there. You can imagine the disaster. I have been sorta sad and depressed the last 2 days. I am not sure why, but I know something is going on with me. I think it is my weight. I see all of these pictures from high school and college and out of everyone of them, I am the largest. This really upsets me. I just have to decide if it upsets me enough to do something about it. I hope so. I am going to use this "blog" thing as sort of a diary. I am going to try and list everything I eat every day so I can reflect on it. That way I can see what is good and what is bad. I know I am going to have to exercise at some point. Finding the motivation within myself to do that is going to be the hardest part. If only you could lose weight by crying. I would have dropped 15 pounds over the past 2 days.
I start back to school tomorrow. I think it will be good to get back on a schedule and out the house to an open kitchen. Josie will go back to Boo's and Toler will go back to school. Josie turns 2 on Thursday. I have been so out of it over the past several days that I don't even have invitations out. That is sad. Maybe I should go work on that now....

Confused

I am still not sure about this whole "blogging" thing. My friend Carson set me up and got me going. It's like "myspace". I have it, but I am not sure how to work it. Anyway, we are still in Newnan at my sisters. We have been busily returning things that did not work for the nursery and steadily picking up new items. It would be sooo mcuh easier if I just new the sex of this child!! I am not looking forward to starting back to school on Monday. I have enjoyed my 2 weeks off. Especially the 2 hour naps each day!

I made my New Year's resolution. Like 90% of other Americans, I vow to lose weight. I am tired of being fat and I think I am finally ready to do something about it (yes, I mean exercise). Toler got the Wii fit and I am going to give it a shot. If that dosen't work, then I guess I will join a gym. Ugh!!

New Year's 2009

The New Year was brought in, in Newnan Georgia at my sisters. We celebrated Matthew's (Brannan's husband) 31st birthday. We ate black-eyed peas and collards. For dessert we had ICE CREAM CAKE!! Josie had her first piece of corn on the cob and loved it. Seth, Carson and Cameron learned how to play Mario Cart on the Wii with Toler. Brannan and I began to organize and arrange the nursery for her new arrival. Still don't know the sex of the baby ( which is driving me crazy), but we still managed to get some things together.