You're Invited!

You're Invited! Lisa's finally graduating, after 6 years of part-time education, for a 2nd Bachelor's. I was hoping the invitation would upload full size, but it didn't, so here's the details.

Graduation is Saturday, December 20th, at 10:00 a.m. It will be held at Auburn Montgomery in the gym, which is located in the Physical Education building.

Lisa's been so busy finishing up her professional student career that she's not had much time to blog. (Sorry.)

Hope to see you there!

Lovely "Lane Vacation"

Well, the Lang Gang has gotten bold & are on a "vacation," something that always seems to end in disaster. Our "vacations" seem to always involve injury and ER visits, arguments and time out, illness and car sickness. So, we are taking on this bad streak, hoping to break it once and for all.

We've left our many pets in the care of Ms. Barbara with Creature Comforts. Poor Laurie is still confined to our bedroom because her stitches were not ready to come out when I took her to the vet for her post-op checkup on Monday. I'm so glad Ms. Barbara is so well trained and professional. Laurie's just got cabin fever really bad.

Although our start of the "vacation," which I will now simply refer to as our "trip," was rough and, well, memorable, we're settled in and having a good time.

As what's normal for our trips, there's usually some sort of bad omen before we even leave. This time it was (1) a power outage the night we were trying to pack, and (2) Preston severely twisting his ankle, which will be looked at today or tomorrow by Nikki's parents who are both general practitioners. Lisa did about 90% of the driving since Preston's injured ankle is the driving one. She was VERY tired upon arrival, but handled a late dinner fairly well.

Once here, things began to settle. Oddly enough, Zoe, their dog, has the same problem that Laurie did, but not as severe. She's a bit down, not allowed in any bedroom or office. Hopefully she'll feel better soon.

Preston and Lisa were both very pleased with Phillip and Stephen's behavior at the upscale restaurant last night. It was a very late dinner and Stephen actually fell asleep. Phillip did not care for his meal, but was polite about it & no one got fussed at. Yeah, Lane Boys!!!

The only other obstacle to a great Thanksgiving would be the fact that Jason is sick. He held up last night fairly well, but you could tell he felt miserable. He went straight to bed when we got home around 10pm. We're praying it's a short-lived virus & that he'll feel better today - he's still asleep right now, as are all the adults except Lisa. Thankfully, the boys ate their breakfast, took their medicines, and are playing quietly. The 2 cats and dog are good to snuggle with while everyone is asleep. SpongeBob is on right now keeping the kids quiet and entertained.

We will miss Anne (Nikki's sister)  and her family for Thanksgiving, but can at least keep up through Facebook. I hope they have a good holiday with the Garcia's. I wish a Happy Thanksgiving to all. Pray for our trip to be free of any more injury or illness.

Poor Kitty....

Poor Laurie... I took her to the vet Friday because I noticed an abscessed area where an old wound had gotten infected. The plan was to put in a couple of stitches, start an antibiotic, and send her home that afternoon.

The boys and I went to get her Friday afternoon, but when they brought her out, she had a horrible area that was still draining & an incision over 2 inches long with lots of stitches. I was like, "OMG! What happened?" The vet explained there was a lot more dead skin than they realized, so the surgery was more complicated than expected. They recommended keeping her over the weekend since the surgical site needed to drain while healing.

We finally brought her home yesterday (Monday). She looked a lot better. We set her up in our bedroom so she wouldn't get dirty or injure herself again, but by about 8:00pm, I noticed she'd already popped a couple of stitches. The vet said to have her at the office at 7:30 this morning.

So, the kitty is back at the vet for the day. They will have to put in a different type of suture & we can get her (again) this evening.

Here's the kids waiting so patiently yesterday for us to bring her home... (Thank goodness for comic books!!!)

Good Times with Old Friends

Our family had so much fun last night. We met friends for dinner at Mr. G's, the new Greek/Italian restaurant in town. Stephen got some much needed time with his best friend and girl he's claimed he will marry when he grows up. They are just so cute. (They just have to be watched closely because she's just as fond of him as he is of her.) They are such a special family, though.... good, good friends.....

Sebastian Visits His Friends

Stephen and I took Sebastian out for a long stroll yesterday. I managed to capture a few cute pics when we stopped to let Sebastian visit his friends at a neighbor's house. It was a nice walk. After we visited with the other dogs, we went down through the Secret Garden, behind a neighbor's house, over to the back of our property, and up to our back yard. It was very cold, though.

Our Popcorn Kid (Stephen Quote of the Day)

"Mom, for breakfast, can I have something helfty (healthy), popcorn and a drink?" It was so cute, I handed him a piece of cheese and put the popcorn in the microwave. (Of course, smarty-pants brother said he'd make him spinach and orange juice with pulp--both of which Stephen loathes.)

.... 30 minutes later....

Stephen sniffs out the cans of Scout popcorn....

"Mom, can I have half of a whole bowl of chocwate (chocolate) popcorn?" Again, it was so cute, (the "half of a whole") I just smiled and said, "Go ahead, cutie-pie." He came back to make sure his bowl was "half of a whole."  :)

Lang Gang Stayin' Busy

We've had our calendar packed for a week! Each of the kids took field trips last week. On Friday, their grandparents took them to the Fair, and on Saturday, they took off to Lake Payne (near Tuscaloosa) for a camping trip. Upon returning on Sunday, everyone enjoyed the time to rest all afternoon. Today, the boys are relaxing, and Lisa's catching up on some work before she has to report to the office noon. Here, you see Phillip having fun today with his R2-D2...

Why Ask Why?

These questions come from all around & have been asked for a long time, but I still have yet to find the answers... Maybe you should give it a try! You can post your response under "Comments." If you want, just let me know which one is your favorite. Here goes...

• Why is abbreviation such a long word?
  
• Why are there interstate highways in Hawaii?
  
• Why is there an expiration date on sour cream?
  
• Why is it that when you transport something by car, it's called a shipment, but when you transport something by ship, it's called a cargo?
  
• Why do we drive on parkways, and park on driveways?
  
• If you're driving in a vehicle at the speed of light, what happens when you turn on the headlights?
  
• Why don't you ever hear about gruntled employees?
  
• What is a "free" gift? Aren't all gifts free?
  
• Why do they call it necking?
  
• Why isn't phonetic spelled the way it sounds?
  
• If you tied buttered toast to the back of a cat and dropped it from a height, what would happen?
  
• Have you ever imagined a world with no hypothetical situations?
  
• If he's arrested, does a mime need to be told he has a right to remain silent?
  
• Why do they call it a TV "set" when you only get one?
  
• What was the best thing before sliced bread?
  
• If you throw a cat out a car window, does it become kitty litter?
  
• If one synchronized swimmer drowns, do the rest have to drown, too?
  
• If a cow laughed, would milk come out her nose?
  
• What's another word for synonym?
  
• What is the speed of dark?
  

Thanks to Uncle John's Giant 10th Anniversary Bathroom Reader for the content for this blog.

The Dog Looks Hung Over!

This is how we found Sebastian on Tuesday morning. It was so funny. What's even funnier is Preston and I discovered that we each fed him a full can of wet food (a treat for him) before coming to bed the previous night. I guess his tummy got really full & he passed out next to the house. He was a bit difficult to wake up & was really slow-going at first, but he sure woke up happy!

Stephen's 1st Timeline Project

Stephen has his first timeline project due this Monday. He had to choose five things to put on there. He was not interested in the standard of starting with birth, but the project turned out great! Here's a look:

If you can't read the poster, he chose the following events:

1. January 2006 - Started preschool.

2. February 2008 - Cousin Brady is born.

3. May-June 2008 - First trip to Disney World.

4. Summer 2008 - First summer spent at the YMCA.

5. August 2008 - Started Cub Scouts.

I thought it was so cute for him to include Brady's birth. He LOVES his little cousin!

Phillip Pulls His Tooth Out at Buffet City

So funny... Anyone who has known Phillip since he started losing baby teeth knows that pulling his teeth has always been a MAJOR deal & that you'd think we were sucking his brain out of his ears by the way he screams when having a tooth pulled. Well, I think Phillip's come a long way (LONG, LONG). What a big step he took the other night. We're eating dinner at Super Buffet, one of those places with Chinese cuisine, a sushi bar, and some American faves for the pickier eaters. I was already proud that he'd just tried a cocktail shrimp for the first time, even after watching me peel it and getting grossed out. He ate the whole thing. He then took a bite of something a bit harder & it hit his loose tooth just at the right angle & he saw blood. As he's starting to get a panic look in his eyes, I look at him and say, "Phillip - it's bleeding. Just get it out. Pull it! Now! Come on, you can do it! Just get that thing out!" With all the courage and determination he could manage to muster up, he proceeded to pull his first tooth out. What followed was a time of dizziness and nausea. It was actually funny. We first thought Phillip was going to throw up from the sight of his own blood. I told him to get up and go to the bathroom to splash some water on his face and calm down. For a while, we really thought he was going to faint - from pulling his own tooth. LOL!

Starting Back to Scouts

Well, the kids are now BOTH in Cub Scouts. Phillip is now a Webelos I and Stephen is a Tiger Cub--finally! We're so happy for Stephen since he's waited so patiently as a Tag-a-Long for the past 3 years. We're also proud of Phillip for all he's accomplished since he started Scouts 3 years ago. The photo is from the night of their first uniform inspection.

Hurricanes Spare Our Family's Home

Looks like all is well with Jason, Nikki and Brady. They went back home to find a couple of broken windows from the shutters rattling so hard when Gustav came through. Shortly after Gustav, Hurricane Ike came through the Gulf, threatening areas from Texas to Florida. Our thoughts and prayers are with the citizens of Galviston, Texas, and other areas that got hit hardest by Ike. New Orleans did still experience tropical storm force winds while Ike was heading right towards Houston, TX. I heard that Jason and Nikki reported hearing the pipes rattle under the house since the winds were so fast. Goodness!

We enjoyed our week with Jason, Nikki and Brady (and their pets, too!). We're glad they were not displaced for a long period of time and are very thankful damage was minor. It is also my understanding that the rental property did not suffer any damage.

It was a bitter-sweet goodbye when they left, but we're happy that we'll see them the week of Thanksgiving. Preston and I have both scheduled to take the whole week off. The kids will have the whole week off, also. We can't wait!

Here's a more recent photo of Brady. Hasn't he grown?

Preparing for Gustav

We're watching the hurricane news closely as our New Orleans family is starting to arrive. Nikki and our nephew, Brady, arrived this evening. Jason is gathering important things and the pets and will be here as soon as he can, although the traffic going north is awful.

I have mixed feelings about how this hurricane is being handled. I am relieved to see that so much action is being taken in New Orleans. Most residents are taking it more seriously. The mayor has told tourist to just go home & go home now. He's urged residents to get ready to go soon. He stated when residents need to be out. Those that have no transportation are being bused out & then will take trains out of harms way.

No one wants what happened with Hurricane Katrina to happen with Hurricane Gustav. The response from the government was so poor that many lost lives were because they were never rescued or because they had no way to get out.

However, what about the surrounding areas? Does New Orleans get all the attention because they are below sea-level and surrounded by levies? Or, do they get so much attention because they are the Crescent City, live in culture and history? As much as I love New Orleans and am for the preservation of their culture and historical areas, I'm also concerned about the surrounding areas. I'm happy that the people of New Orleans are getting out, but are the same services being offered to those in Texas and Mississippi that may suffer the same (or worse) fate?

I guess what's important is that no one is looked over. The small-town simpletons of rural town, USA, are just as important as the people of the Crescent City--the cajun, the creole, the musicians, the crazy tourists... Our government needs to learn how to provide help to all those who need it, not just to those who will in turn improve the popularity of certain governmental leaders and politicians.

The EGD

Lisa had her EGD yesterday. Although she mainly complained of hunger, she did go in a little apprehensive about the procedure and what the GI doctor might find. When her mother told her that the doctor did find something, she actually thought she was kidding. What was found was a hiatal hernia. The other was some gastritis. The doctor also took a tissue sample to check for the presence of the type of bacteria that is responsible for gastric ulcers. So, the doc found a couple of things, BUT he's not convinced that what he found is responsible for Lisa's main complaints. In a couple of weeks, he'll do another test to look at the small intestines. She's guessing it will probably be a barium enema (since a colonoscopy involves the large intestines). Lisa's at least happy that she knows why she has heartburn and stomach pain so often. The EGD was easy--she was put to sleep. She's definitely NOT looking forward to the next test!

Lisa Designs the Pack Website

Well, I think the exciting weekend made me want to do something (other than schoolwork, of course) to get my mind off the craziness at the house, so I called Preston at work on Saturday to get the information on how to log in to design the new site for our Pack. I worked on it all day Saturday (well, except when we were at the ER). I worked on it lots on Sunday. I'm now declaring it "nearly done." I have to fix some alignment issues on one page & get the scrapbook and FAQs going, but the meat of the site is done.

Check it out sometime at http://montgomerypack16.org

Fancy Dinner Isn't the Same Without Dad

This afternoon, I took the boys out to the Olive Garden for a fancy dinner to celebrate how the boys handled our emergency yesterday. They were so brave.

It's just not the same without Preston, though. His office is in the midst of moving to the newest RSA building downtown. This is the ultimate "post 9/11" building. My goodness... you have to swipe a security card to get to the bathrooms, elevator and stairs! Guests will be escorted and there are security cameras everywhere. The structure is extra strong, too. Preston and his crew have been responsible for moving equipment over--computers and such. He's been home late almost every evening for a while, but it's been well after midnight since Friday. He's still at work right now. He's been coming home to rest a bit, get some food and head back to work.

Even though we've been without Preston this weekend, I've tried to keep it as normal for the kids as possible and have tried making our alone time special. Well, it was memorable!

I had the idea of taking a picture of the boys while we were at The Olive Garden. They held up a sign we made that said, "Dad - We miss you!" Preston was so touched. He definitely misses the kids, too. It is lonely in the evenings, but thankfully, this move is almost over (hopefully). The boys can't wait to spend some quality time with Dad now. You think I could get away with some time away by myself? Shhhh... don't tell anyone!!  ;-)

"The Accident"

Well, yesterday I called 911 for the first time for one of the kids. Stephen was standing in a chair & it tipped backwards causing injury to the back of his head. We think he hit computer equipment on the way down. I wouldn't expect a cut that bad from just hitting the floor.

As soon as I saw the blood & the fact that it was coming from the back of his head, I grabbed the first thing I could find to put pressure on it, which was my pajama bottoms, oddly enough. (Who has time to go to the linen closet for a fresh towel in this case? I mean, come on!) I carried him to my bed and had the emergency operator on the phone within a minute of the fall--probably just like about 30 seconds.

Not knowing how severe the cut or damage was, I laid Stephen down and kept pressure on his head, not daring to remove the pants that were soaking in blood at this point. The paramedics arrived first, then the ambulance. It was mutually decided by all of us that Stephen needed to go to the ER, but the ambulance would be too scary. They would have to strap him down--standard procedure. I signed his care back to me and we went straight to the hospital.

If I may backtrack just a bit, I want to give a big "KUDOS" to Phillip for being so brave and helpful during this event. He was calm and went to all the doors to unlock them for the emergency crew. He then took over for me with keeping pressure on Stephen's head while I threw on some clothes to get ready to head out. When the crew arrived, he answered the door for me & showed them back to our bedroom where I had Stephen.

Once at the ER, they took Stephen back right away. I asked if Stephen was getting stitches, but the doc said, "Nope. We're gonna do staples. Two should do him up just fine. He can wash his hair tomorrow." Wow... staples? I found out that it's so much easier than stitches. They hold the cut together tighter, they can get wet, and no hair had to be cut. Actually, you cannot see them unless his hair is pulled back.

Stephen feels fine & is in no pain. Thankfully, there's not a whole lot of nerves on the head (I don't think). He had a good day with his brother, who was just happy that Stephen was not seriously injured. We are so thankful he had no concussion or any other injuries. It was a bad fall. Here's a pic of the staples on the back of Stephen's head if you can make them out...

Lisa's Sour Stomach

Well, I finally had the appointment with the GI specialist this past week. On Friday, I will have an outpatient procedure for the doctor to look in my stomach, throat, etc. I will be put to sleep so the doctor can insert a tiny camera down my throat. The procedure will take about an hour. What I've been dealing with since the beginning of June has baffled the docs I've seen so far. They've been concerned about my gall bladder (gall stones), the liver, the stomach, etc. Friday they will be looking for ulcers, bacteria, acidity, etc. The abdominal ultrasound I had done last month came back normal, so this is the next step in figuring out why my stomach has been so "angry." Hey, at least I get a day off work, right?  :-)

The Boys Return to School

The boys were so happy to return to school. Both boys have really strict teachers... probably just what they need. This is on the way to school on their first day back. Phillip took Stephen's picture and vice-versa...

     

In Memory of Mitra...

Mitra. I always wanted to call him a "her." He was one of the sweetest, kindest and most loyal cats I've known. (Shown here in Nikki's lap.) Our family had the pleasure of getting to know Mitra, and his housemates, Tashi and Marengo, during Hurricane Katrina. The three cats stayed with us for a couple of months until Jason and Nikki could get settled somewhere until things were well enough to go back to New Orleans. We were able to keep Tashi, but Mitra and Marengo went back to New Orleans with Nikki and Jason. If one of those cats was mostly Nikki's, I'd guess it was Mitra.

Nikki got Mitra when she first went off to college, so I've been told. From coast to coast, Mitra followed Nikki. Through tough changes like "his Nikki" getting a husband and having a baby--Mitra stayed loyal.

After 12 years (I think) of undaunted love, snuggles and purrs to those he cherished most, Mitra passed away on July 15, 2008. He kept getting sick and there seemed to be great difficulty in finding out exactly what was wrong or what to do. I'm so thankful that Mitra came home from the hospital & was able to pass on while in a safe and comfortable place. Jason said he was meowing a lot at the hospital--one reason they felt he was feeling well enough to go home. I think Mitra knew his time was running out & was able to communicate his wish to come home one last time.

I've lost pets of my own--the most special of them were two cats that passed away within 6 months of each other. It's tough. They are not "like" family; these animals ARE family. If I know anything about my sister-in-law Nikki, I know this... Nikki has a big heart with lots of love. Her animals are her children, too. I know, without a doubt, that this is a very tough time, but I also know that Nikki is strong and am so glad that there are so many good times with Mitra for her to ponder on.

To Mitra: You were a very special member of our family. We hold those memories so close to our hearts & cherished every moment we had together.

To Marengo: I know you are freaked out that something's happened to your best friend. Love on Mommy and Daddy. They are sad, too.

To Jason and Nikki: I love you both. I'm sad for you, but I'm at least thankful that Mitra is no longer so sick. I know he's in a better place. If he could touch my heart the way he did in just a couple of months, I can only imagine how he touched yours. I love you both.

Lisa's Off for a Sunday Ride!

Lisa finally got her motorcycle helmet and mesh safety jacket, so she can finally take the motorcycle out for a spin. For those who have been in disbelief, Preston grabbed a few snapshots as she was taking off. (No, she didn't wreck it or run into anything. She did stall it out, though.)

The "Puppy" is Not Much of a Puppy Anymore...

Sebastian went for his check-up this week. He's only 7 months old, but you wouldn't know it! He weighed in at a whopping 69.4 pounds--at the lower end of norm for an adult german shepherd. Sebastian is expected to hit about 100 pounds by adulthood. He's such a sweet dog! He's gotten to where he likes to jump on the bed and cuddle with me while we watch Animal Planet. If I'm laying down just the right way, he'll plop right down on top of me. He must think he's a lap dog!!!

Good news!

We took Stephen for his big test for Hirschsprung's Disease at Children's Hospital in Birmingham yesterday. He had to have a barium enema--very uncomfortable, I'm sure. He was a sport about the whole thing once he found out the tube was not going from his nose into his stomach like what happened to him when he was hospitalized for impaction back in April. That was awful.

Anyway, the test came back negative for Hirschsprung's. That's fabulous! We're done in Birmingham for now, but just have to follow-up with our local pediatric gastroenterologist for management of his condition.

Thanks to everyone for their prayers!

Bad Doggie!!! (Well, maybe just bored...)

We got Sebastian, our german shepherd, at the age of 3 months from the pound. He is the most friendly, happy, loving, smart and MISCHIEVOUS dog! (Pictured is the week we adopted him.) He's now 7 months old. When he was only 4 or 5 months old, we invested in the "wonderful" invisible fence. I swore, "Oh, no, he won't get out. He's smart. He knows he has to stay. We trained him by the directions."

All has been well for months, but there's one area where he passes through when I take the collar off, leash him & take him for a walk. This is the "safe zone" when his fencing collar is off. He's obviously translated this into, "I can get out this way whenever I want!"

After he's gotten out constantly for the past few days, we said, "Enough is enough," after two kids from the adjoining neighborhood called to say they found my dog. Pets--they are like kids because we spend so much money and time on them! The time is fine, but the money? Uh, it could be better. He's spoiled.

So, we've spent the whole day figuring out how to keep Sebastian home. (Don't want him to get picked up & taken to the pound, or worse--stolen!) First, I blocked off the area where he was escaping. Second, I brought him in to snuggle so he was getting plenty of attention. Third, I had Preston help me hold him down so I could shave the underside of his neck for the collar to work most effectively. Fourth, we bought a wading pool for him to play & cool off in. And, lastly, I went & bought some "Pupcorn," cheesy popcorn-type dog treats. He's also getting lots of playtime today, even though I'm not feeling well & was home sick from church today.

The funny thing is, I'd do anything to keep Sebastian around. He is truly part of the family; just like the three cats, who are the only other females in the house! (Gotta keep it even!)

July 4th Comedy of Errors...

Many that know us and know us well know that we can't make big plans or take a vacation without disaster. Tonight's event was no exception. The story, at its funniest, is really too long to type in a blog if I want anyone to read it, so I'm just going to make a list of descriptive words & will let you fill in the blanks. Imagine the worst & you may get close!

The group we were meeting: no-shows.

The weather: hot, humid, hot & hot.

The music: not good.

The air conditioned areas: non-existent.

The Dairy Queen: closed.

Stephen: crying.

The park: fire ants!

The van: trapped in by the parade crowds.

The refreshments: pricey.

The purchased refreshments: all over the ground.

The parade: missed most of it.

The restrooms: Too far away.

The fireworks: missed those, too.

Our family: over-heated by 5pm; gone by 6pm.

The dinner: slow.

The waitress: forgetful.

The food: greasy.

Lisa's stomach: uhhh... bad.

The grocery trip: broke the bank.

The kids: sent to their grandparents.

The parents: tired, hurting and gassy.

That's about as short as I could get it. Got to go to the bathroom now.........

A New "Phillip-ism"

So funny... Phillip went outside this morning to give Sebastian, our german shepherd, his leftover sausage from breakfast. On his way out the door, Lisa said, "Now Phillip, don't just toss the leftovers and go, give him a little attention & some hugs; let him lick you and love on you. He's wanting some attention." With a firm, "Yes, ma'am," Phillip exits. He comes back inside in less than 30 seconds stating, "I think we need to leave the dog alone for a moment. He's lovin' on his meat." Preston had to leave the room to break out in uncontrollable laughter!

Getting Ready for the 4th...

Today was just one of those days... Lisa had to drag Stephen into the van to go to the YMCA, so she could go to work (after she overslept). The problem? Everyone has "holiday fever." Work could not have gone any slower, but we all made it through the day.

Tomorrow our family is planning on participating in an Independence Day celebration in Wetumpka. We're meeting a group to participate in the town parade & will also have fun with the other festivities, but the favorite will be the fireworks at 9:00pm. (Of course!)

Although we're not too hyped about marching in the July heat, I think our family will enjoy the after-sundown activities. For one thing, Lisa gets heat exhaustion very easily. Secondly, the boys are  just not too fond about drawing attention to themselves, but Stephen loves to watch parades. Anyhow, Preston and Lisa have committed to participate, but Lisa's only interested in the fireworks. ;-)

Happy Independence Day to you all! God Bless.

Welcome!

Welcome friends and family to our new family blog--The Lane Gang! We'll keep you up to date on the kids, us (Lisa & Preston), other relatives and probably the pets, too! So, from us to you... come on back now, you hear!