Team Jolene!

For those of you who never knew my cousin Jolene, I just want to say I'm sorry you never got to meet her. She was one of the funniest, bravest, loudest, hungriest, coolest girls I ever met. Jo made every room she walked into come alive. I am humbled to have known her, and blessed to have her in my eternal family. I think about her every day, and try to measure my faith, my joy and my prayers against hers. She was on the top of my very short list of hero's and I miss her.

This weekend, Jolene's amazing sister Karine sponsored 'Team Jolene' in the annual Cystic Fibrosis walk in Yakima. Shane, Hank and I drove up to participate and do a tiny part in helping find a cure to the disease Jolene fought her entire life.

Here are some pictures:

Hank showing his Jolene pride!

Two of the cutest members of Team Jolene, Hank and his cuz-cuz Maddie

Team Jolene

Along the route they had posters from different sponsors, and we were so excited to find one by my sweet mom!

To read about Jolene from those who loved her best, here is her myspace page....

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=40225308

Also, to learn about Great Strides, and donate to this amazing and worthy cause click here:

http://www.cff.org/GREAT_STRIDES/

We love you Jo!

Battle of the Bulge: D-day +15

That's right folks, day 16 of this horrifically stupid and torturous bet. Things are a bit...tense at the Johnson home. Shane was snipping to me last night because we couldn't have any of our niece's birthday cake...I was snipping at him that he shouldn't be complaining because he's already lost 11lbs (I hate men and their metabolisms). We are in serious need of a sugar fix, or things might get pretty nasty.

Another thing to add to our happy home, is the fact that we have been woken-up by Hank 3 of the past 4 nights. (and anyone who knows me, knows how I love my sleep) Last night we tried to let him cry it out, but the boy is so stinking stubborn! So I walk into his room, stand in front of his crib with my arms folded, and start lecturing him (somewhat loudly) on his selfish behavior, and how his father needs his sleep so he can go to work, and how disappointed I was in his lack of consideration for the rest of us, yadda yadda yadda. By this time in my speech, Hank is literally trying to throw himself over railing of the crib to his certain death, and is hysterically bawling his eyes out.

Right when I was about to completely lose my mind and torch the whole house around us, Shane walks into the room, takes Hank in his arms and very sweetly and patiently tells me to go back to bed, and that he will take care of everything. Of course, I start crying because I am a terrible mother and have now given Hank one more reason to hate me when he turns 13.

So I go to bed pretty upset, when Shane walks in the room and gets into bed with our boy. Hank hears me sniffling and says, "mama?" and climbs over to me and into my arms.

Children make you bi-polar. One minute you are cursing the heavens for their rotten existence, the next you are crying about how much you love them and don't deserve them.

I need some chocolate. This is quickly becoming a safety issue.