Shame on you Hollywood...

If you read the book...

WARNING...

DO NOT GO SEE THE MOVIE!

Seriously, how and who changes the end of a NY TIMES Number one best seller?

Dangerous Weeds = Emergency Surgery for Baxter

A microscopic image of a foxtail weed.  See the barbs on the stalk?  The barbs get on your pet's fur, and then any movement from your pet can cause these barbs to move further into your pets fur, and eventually enter the skin.  These barbs can travel within the body, and have been known to enter vital organs, spinal column and can cause death.

They really are kind of beautiful, with the sunlight hitting them...

Don't let them fool you...

KILL THEM!

Standard herbicides that are used to control Foxtail 

include Dacthal, Balan or Pendimathaline.  

Mow frequently to keep weeds from germinating.

Baxter's throat...nice pus drainage tube...

DEADLY DANGER TO DOGS

These are images of Baxter's throat.  Chase noticed the large lump on him Thursday afternoon. I started freaking out, because it is known for Bernese Mountain Dogs to get a certain kind of cancer called LymphoSarcomas.   I called the vet early Friday am, and told them what was going on, told them what I thought it was, and he told me not to jump ahead and think the worst...he then mentioned the Foxtail weed, and asked to see Baxter right away.  He poked the large lump (which then was a little larger than the size of a tennis ball) with a needle, and got blood and pus from it.  This was good.  He then said that Baxter would have to go under general anesthesia  and have immediate  surgery for the abscess and infection caused most likely by the ingestion of a seed by a foxtail weed.  I had never heard of this happening before.  So, I am sending a warning to all pet owners that live in areas where this 'foxtail' grows.  Keep your pets out of meadows and fields where this weed grows, pull them from your yard immediately!  Brush your pet's fur after a walk in infested areas.  DON'T let them eat this grassy weed!  

Happy Birthday to my husband...

I love you...Glad you are home to celebrate with us...

Beautiful song...

If You Sleep by Tal Bachman

(to hear it go to the bottom of my blog...the song is listed on my playlist)

Figure of divine perfection
No one's loved with more affection
Soul to soul we've breathed
Oh, I won't let The Fates succeed

Worried hours of contemplation
Whispered bits of conversation
Unaffected orderlies
Disinfected rooms and hallways

And if you sleep, you sleep with God
And if I cry, it's for my heart
Why should I hope to make it through?
'Cause if you sleep, I'll sleep, too

Jagged thorns and pretty petals
Butterflies and stinging nettles
Sunny days and nights of blackness
But where's the joy to cure my sadness?

And if you sleep, you sleep with God
And if I cry, it's for my heart
Why should I hope to make it through?
'Cause if you sleep, I'll sleep, too

Gleaming cars and covered faces
Teary eyes in hallowed places
Grass and granite stone
No one's been more all alone

And if you sleep, you sleep with God
And if I cry, it's for my heart
Why should I hope to make it through?
'Cause if you sleep, I'll sleep, too

Remembering Ethan

I put this together for my friend Linda, in memory of her son Ethan.  This poem was written by Andy Falkenburg. She refers to her first son Elijah, as her Joy, her son Ethan, whom she lost as her Hope, and her son Mason, as her Peace.  I understand what she means...do you?   

Here is her blog...

Lemonade anyone?

Anna in braces...

Happy Fathers Day to my Husband...

Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father! 

 ~Lydia M. Child

You truly are blessed.  

We love you and miss you.

Denver and surrounding areas...Hail Damage Repair

GUARANTEED DENT REMOVAL

Massive hail damage in Denver and the surrounding communities on June 7th, 2009.  If you have hail damage to your automobile, call Rick Seele @ 303-949-5098.  They will get you an estimate.  He and my husband, Mike, are business partners.  

Chase Catching...

Just shooting some footage of Chase catching.  

Nothing really exciting happened...

Chase's Triple

Against Columbine Highschool...

If I am correct with my math, it took him 13 seconds to get to 3rd base...

Baxter

Gotta get me one...

Thought about making my blog, invite only today, and actually did for about 6 hours...because I am still so disgusted with you-know-who...

But then I found this Daniel Craig Frozen Treat...

I had to share it with you...

I GOTTA GET ME ONE OF THESE!

Daniel on a stick...yum!

STORY-LIE-LIE-STORY

I have stayed away from the computer and news this weekend for a reason.  Then I started thinking more about the story Beccah wrote, and when I finally started reading 'up' on the situation again, I started writing, and the further I got into, realized, that the term "story" just didn't sit well with me...read on...

This story/lie of Beccah, continues to disgust me.  All the Pro Lifers, and the Pro Choicers, spewing forth their opinions.  Turning this into some Godly warfare...This story/lie is NOT about that.  It is not about our choice of religion either.  It is about ONE WOMAN, that invented (lied about) a pregnancy about a little girl, whom she called, April Rose.  A  story/lie about a little girl that was diagnosed in the womb with a condition, that may not have been compatible with life.  It was a STORY/LIE told by a woman, who in this story/lie, CHOOSE to carry this baby to term.  She sought out the support and took advantage of bereaved moms that have walked this journey.  She told a story/lie about being a Christian, and sought out the support from those, who got down on their knees and prayed for her and her unborn child.  Why are people commenting and saying that 'they' deserved to get scammed. Because 'they' sympathized with her and knew the pain she was suffering?   Because 'they' tried to carry some of the "pain" for her???  Because of their religious beliefs? Nobody deserves to be scammed, or lied to.  

I can't say I am pro choice...I can't say that I am pro life.  I can tell you a true story about a wife and mother of three that became pregnant a fourth time.  I can tell you that in the 18th week of  her pregnancy, the alpha fetal protein test came back abnormal.  This wife and mother then decided to have further testing done, and had an amniocentesis.  I can tell you that at one time, this mother and wife would have considered aborting her child if these tests showed something terribly wrong.  I can then go on to say that the amniocentesis and level III ultrasounds all came back normal, and she continued into her pregnancy.  On February 4th, 2005 a beautiful little boy named Maddux was born.  And something was terribly wrong.  This family prayed, and even asked for prayers for their son's healing.  Then, on the 6th day of this little boy's young life, his mommy and daddy disconnected his breathing tube, and he died quietly in the arms of his mother.  This mother and father, had never felt this kind of pain before.  You can't explain it, and unless you have experienced it, you can't feel it.  I'm sure the mother thought that only death... her death, would make the pain stop.    I remember this mother waking up and the sun would be shining, birds would be singing, the world went on without her...she was living in a pit of darkness...a sort of hell, you might say.

Maybe you know the story of this little boy, and maybe you don't.  

Maybe you are a parent that has lost a baby girl or baby boy, and have beautiful images of them.  Maybe, when you look at their image, you see and you feel some sort of hope.  Maybe because of this gift, you have climbed a half of an inch towards the light in that dark pit.   

Something beautiful came from the birth and death of this little boy.  It is called Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep.  Now, for a second, imagine the other side...What if Maddux had never been born?  

Do I believe that God had a hand in my pregnancy with Maddux?  I believe that God has a hand in all pregnancies.  I also believe that God gave us a mind, in which we are to make choices.  My choice may not be your choice, but your choice may not be my choice.  But we both call it the same...a choice.  I also don't want your judgement upon me...I will get mine in due time.

I shake my head, reading some of the things that people have wrote, and wonder 'how can they "say" that?  Seriously, some might consider going back and reading what they have written before they hit the submit button.  

Now, please let me finish by saying this:  Maddux may have been the reason NILMDTS was created, but he is not the reason for the organizations growth and 'success' (for lack of a better term)...That is because of each and every baby story that is posted on the NILMDTS site, other organizational sites and personal blog sites...and the selflessness of the 7,500 volunteer photographers that make up this organization.  Not to forget, the incredible office staff that runs the day to day operations...Thank you.

I don't ever think we will know all the answers as to why this lady Beccah, did what she did...I personally think the deceit is so large, she probably doesn't know either.  

Baby Scam

Chicago Tribune article  I hope the editor with this paper, will assign another reporter to this story, and do the research on what actually happened.  I believe the article is poorly written and that she received most of her information from the con artist.  

I did not follow this woman's blog, and honestly did not hear about her, until early this week, when somebody called me and asked me if she had maternity images taken with Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep.  I got on her blog, which showed only the last two posts, one by Raechel and one by 'D'.  I called NILMDTS headquarters, made them aware of the situation and asked them to follow up.  This woman's actions have really disturbed me, and what she did to the honest, good hearted people that reached out to her to try and help her.  Then, I woke up this morning...

Early afternoon, today, I found out and it is confirmed that she actually DID use the services of one of our volunteer photographers.  She conned a person (a professional photographer) that gives selflessly their time, their heart and monetarily to NILMDTS and to the families that are experiencing the death of their baby, by creating beautiful and lasting memories of the time spent with their child.  Whether in the womb or out of the womb.

This woman, took this from just blogging on line, quite a step further.  Having a maternity session, had nothing to do with blogging over the internet...this is a person that went from lying through cyber space, to actually meeting and conning a real person in real life, not to mention a federally recognized 501 (c) 3 not for profit foundation.  Sessions like this can range from $900.00 to $1500.00 or more, depending on the amount of work done.  Not to mention, rights and usage for the images.  All of this is donated by the volunteer photographers.  I cannot imagine what this photographer is feeling right now.

As a bereaved mother, and then as a CoFounder of Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, I am beyond words, as to my emotions.  I am disgusted by this woman's behavior, and am insulted that she has mocked each and every bereaved parent.  She has made a mockery of our heartache, our pain, ourselves and our deceased children.  Some of us have tried so hard to bring awareness to infant loss, the grief associated with it and ways of remembrance and then this one deceitful person comes along and ridicules our pain and yes, the love we have for our child.  

I have gone through and read the comments left by some people regarding her behavior.  What stands out the most is that this is being made out to be something that it shouldn't be.  This should not be about peoples view on abortion, whether you are pro choice or pro life.  This shouldn't be about religion, and making fun of the 'Christians' and placing blame on them for being so gullible and believing what she wrote.   The people that reached out to her should be applauded.  Not blamed.  This is not their fault.  All blame should be placed on one person and one person alone.  Beccah Beushausen.  

 

Proud of our son...

Chase had a double header baseball game today.  He was catcher for the second game.  You got a runner from third, headed fast towards home...The ball is thrown to Chase.  He's got the ball, takes a step towards the runner, braces himself, the runner starts to slide, Chase is crouched down low, he blocks the runner from getting to the home plate, but hits him hard.  He's OUT! (the third out of that inning...) The runner gets up, and starts walking away.  Chase catches up to him, near the other teams dugout, pats the kid on the back, and asks him if he's ok...

One dad walks over to me and says:  With what Chase just did, shows the kind of character he has.  My, oh my...I don't think I could have stood any taller...

Mike, we done good!