Jeremy's Birthday and Halloween

Well, October 30th comes once every year... and even with that, it seems to sneak up on me! We just celebrated Jeremy's 33rd birthday. It was pretty simple, actually. We went out for Mexican food (as per Jeremy's request) and finished off the evening with what are now dubbed "Shooter Cakes." These are mini cupcakes I made (don't be too impressed - it was from the box) and the kids decorated.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JEREMY!

(I love you!)

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This is a picture of a Christmas ornament we found up in Leavenworth (we get a new "family" ornament every year) -- next to the photo of Jeremy at the Mexican restaurant after they sang to him. Apparently, Jeremy's parents used to tell him this saying as he was growing up (...shout out to Mark and Linda!)... ah, the wisdom of the generations! This saying it SO, SO true! We HAD to get it!!

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So, the very next day was Halloween. That, too, snuck up on me this year.

For those of you who don't remember - or we didn't tell - last Halloween I was in the ER for severe pain under my ribcage. I couldn't stand or walk - and was vomiting from the pain. I had Jeremy take me to the ER - because I knew something just was not right. My friend, Debi, took Gideon and Ellie for the day while the doctors tried to figure out what was wrong with me. In the process of trying to figure out why I had so much pain --- they found out I was pregnant! This was a total shock, because we had *all* (and I say all ... including my OB, nurses, and Jeremy and I) believed I had miscarried over a month earlier.

But, regardless of that horrible, painful event, there was a little baby right where she should be. We dubbed her Baby Barnacle -- she was expected to miscarry anyway (especially because I had other health problems the doctors found). I was release from the hospital Halloween 2007, on painkillers, 10+ weeks pregnant - and holding the doctor's cell number in hand to call once I began miscarrying so I could get an immediate D and C.

Days went by. Weeks went by --- and here's JOSIE! She is such a blessing and we couldn't imagine our family without her.

SO..... this Halloween, we remembered that strange day in our lives. We had our Young Adults' Group over, and I took Ellie and Gideon out around the block to trick or treat. They has a grand time! Ellie resurrected her princess outfit from last year -- and Gideon threw some old furry fabric over his head (which I tied on around his waist) ... we think he was a monk, or a shepherd boy, or a sorta Star Wars-ish dude. Who knows! All that matters is he got to get a bag of candy all to himself!