How Did They Get So Big?

Baby Brother turned one yesterday! One whole year! I have enjoyed his presence so much. With him turning one i am reminded that in a matter of days Boy will be 5! Am I old enough to have a five year old? Yeah dumb question I know, but I never imagined I would have 2 awesome little boys! And I am still young! (28 in March for those who want to know). So I give you a couple pictures to compare.

Boy 1 day old!

Boy Almost 5!

Baby Brother 1 day old.

Baby brother 1 year!

Big Government Rant!

Why do all of our public aka "government run" schools teach our kids that we have a democracy. We were never intended to be ruled by a majority. We were supposed to be ruled by law. Yes our founding fathers made the mistake of using slaves...nobody is perfect. But all people in America need to come to terms with this. We need to get back to the constitution and be ruled by law. That means no more income tax! The protection of life, no matter how small the life is and FREEDOM!! I want to be free to teach my own children and to choose what I put in their bodies. It also means that the people can decide to not purchase certain items like corn syrup laced crap, or soaps full of sulfates. We the people have power and we have the right to choose and that is protected by law. So lets get back to where we choose whether or not our kids go to public schools, and where we are free to keep the fruits of our labor. Give us a choice! Shrink the government and just protect us. I want my Republic back!

All this being said Way to go Massachusetts!! It is a victory for Freedom fighters not the Republicans! 

11...Really?!

So 11 years ago today was quite an amazing one. My dream was interrupted by the load obnoxious ringing of a phone. I wondered why my parents were not answering. I sluggishly dragged my 16 year old body out of bed and headed for the kitchen. It somehow did not strike me as odd seeing my parents unmade empty bed on my way there. Ring Ring Ring...just stop already!! 

"Yawnnnn..hello..."

"Autumn" says my mom.

This really confused my tired brain, why was my mom calling me? She told me that they forgot some of my sisters things in their hurry to get out of the house. 

"What are you doing out of the house?"

"Mandi is in labor!!"

Well that woke me up!

My dad told my brother(who was nearly impossible to wake up that morning) and I to go to school! What?! No way were we going to miss the arrival of this child. So we rebelled and showed up at the hospital...muahahahaha! The times before mass cell phone use were fun. 

We arrived at about 9 or so. We went in to say hello...stupid hospital said one at a time in the room. 

She came into this world at 11:51 and we would never be the same.

M Dear, 

We love you!

Happy 11th birthday!

Love,

Auntie Autumn Uncle Dustin

Boy, and Baby Brother

Onward and Upward

2009 was a year of many changes and discoveries.
Birth, love, anger, forgiveness, learning about self and each other.
We moved into my parents house...again. Very much looking forward to being out of debt and in our own home.

As much pain as I have endured, I look forward to the future that is promised to me.
God has so many blessings to give me, all I have to do is open my hands and accept.

2010 will be a fantastic year for the Goodwin family!

Vacation and Loss

So we have not had a vacation in almost a year...seriously. Our 2009 vacation was in the for of a birth and first few days with Little Brother. It was nice but there was no sleep...what else is vacation for?

So this year we went to El Paso to visit my parents, grandmother and uncle.

8 hours was pretty long drive for our little guys but they made it.We arrived late on Friday Jan 1st gave lots of hugs and ate a little and went to bed.
Saturday was a day of yummy food and rest. My mom is an AMAZING cook!
My mom had plans for Sunday...SNOW! We drove to Cloudcroft NM and played in the snow. Dustin had never played in real snow. (Del Rios 1984 snow does not really count lol).
Monday my dad returned to work and we hit the mall. Squee!
Tuesday we had a real date with no kids!! It was awesome!! Thanks Mom and Dad!!
Wednesday we hit the zoo, before the bitter cold set in. El Paso has about 15 real nice animals...hehehe, no its a cute zoo. Little brother cried when we left.
Thursday Dustin and I had to run a couple errands sans kids again WOOHOO!
Friday we chilled out watched movies and ate more(yes we ate everyday) but some focused on food a bit more than others. Yum!
Saturday we left.

OK I over simplified...truth is it blends together in my mind a little. See Thursday while Dustin and I were out, my Nanan started not feeling well. For a time she did great, my mom made plans to take her to see her sister up north. For a nearly 73 year old woman with COPD she was doing really good. She was so proud of herself for using her Smoke anywhere electric cigarette, she just quit about a month ago...started at 12.  I sat and talked with her during the week. Gave her lots of kisses. Made her breakfast. Sat and watched TV with her. Then Friday she was sick all day. Sometime during Friday night something happened, my dad found her Saturday morning on her hands and knees in her room. He put her back in bed, she tried to talk but made no sense and she slipped into a comatose state. COPD is not pretty, it looked so painful to see her try to get air. She was drowning in her own lungs. She looked like a goldfish taken out of its bowl, trying desperately to get a breath. I iced her lips, and talked to her let her know that i love her. A nurse came by and said she could wake up, or stay like that for a week, or go that day. Hospice workers must have hearts of gold, or steel. I would be broken hearted to deal with death so often.
It was Saturday and we had to come home...I said goodbye, told her I would see her in Heaven. I still feel like I didnt say enough...

Sunday my niece M was going to spend the night. So we met my sister and her family at Bass Pro Shop. Mandi and I were talking and joking around about a plague my dad picked out for her in Cloudcroft. Her phone rang and callerID said it was our mom. We laughed because we were just talking about her. She answered with a big smile that disappeared quickly. We had lost Nanan, 11 days before her birthday. Mom and I were trying to decide what to get her. We cried there in the middle of the store...

I cant believe she is gone. She is with Jesus and I will see her again someday, but I still miss her.

Twyla B 1/21/1927-1/10/2010

(photo of Dad, Niece L, and Nanan 8-09, Courtesy of J. Dodd)