Random Rambling Unremarkable Remarks. . .

So, I have so many little things stored up to say!  I guess I'll begin at the beginning and get started. . .

Aidan is two pages away from finished his fourth Bob Book!!!  I'm so excited for him!!  I heard this from his teacher on Thursday when I picked him up and then on Friday I was told that they had wanted to finish that day, but because it was Kindergarten Club Day, they decided to finish on Monday. . .guess what we're going to get this coming week???  That's right!!  A Hockey Helmet!!!  Way to go Aidan!!!

Our snow lasted an unusual amount of time because of the extremely cold weather that descended after our last storm.  So, a full week AFTER the last storm, Pat and Aidan ventured out to make a snowman.  Pretty good, too!!  They were able to use the Snowman Kit that Santa brought, so that made it even more fun!

We had some rain off and on over the last few days so the snowman is no longer looking as robust as he does here. . .

We are getting closer to our 3 Year Post Placement Visit.  I have many pictures already set aside and have a few more I'd like to gather.  I'll get on that this coming week.  Meanwhile, I have weighed Aidan--45.6 pounds and measured him.  I didn't calculate his height yet, but you can see from the growth chart that he is really growing a lot!!

That is nearly an inch since January 11th, three inches since our 2 year Family Day and a foot since we came home!!!  And I was wondering why the jeans I bought him just before Christmas are looking too short already???  I am assuming this will slow down eventually. . .

We have decided to add a few fireplaces to our house. . .currently we have a beautiful floor to ceiling wood burning brick fireplace in our family room.  Our house is rather large and has 9 foot or cathedral ceilings through out.  Additionally, we get a lot of wind that come down from the Blue Ridge Mountains and have no wind break to stop it.  So, we are going to add a woodstove insert in there. . .we also have an electric fireplace in the Rec Room. . .that will stay as is. . .and we're going to add a small gas fireplace in the Man Cave.  We have noticed that we spend most of our time in the basement in the winter and have noticed that it is cold down there.  We end up using the electric fireplace and electric space heater way too much.  So, with the wood stove and gas fireplace, we should be able to warm the entire house during those really cold snaps like we have been having these last few years. . .

Aidan will be turning FIVE in May. . .sigh. . .he's growing up soooo fast!!! I can't believe he's going to be FIVE! So, at his insistance, we have agreed to take down the Noah's Ark wall paper border and put up a nice Space Border that includes planets and rocket ships. I am also going to put up some glow in the dark stars I bought on his ceiling in a Milky Way type of pattern as well as some really cool planets. . .we'll be buying his bunk bed system within the month, I think. Meanwhile, we went ahead and began the process of taking the really cute Noah's Ark wallpaper border down today. . .here's what it looked like before I started. . .

I really liked this wallpaper border. . .sigh. . . . . .did I mention it was really cute?

Aidan likes to take pictures using my cameras.  In fact, the other day, he saw my camera and asked if he could take a picture.  I said Yes.  He then said he wanted to take a picture of a picture. . .a still life painting I have hanging in the kitchen. . .my grandmother painted it and I didn't have any idea that Aidan had even noticed it!  He took the picture. . .

And then told me that he really likes this picture.  Really?  Yeah, I always have liked it, Mama.   Where did we get it???  Well, my nana painted it. . .your Nana's Mama. . .huh?  Did I ever meet her?  No, sweetie, she went to be with God a very long time ago. . .oh. . .well, I like the picture!!  : ) 

Today I went to an ordination.  A friend of mine, whom I have spoken about here before--she has cancer--was ordained to the Vocational Order of the Diaconate.  It was a very historic occasion because it was the first time, since 1607, that the Diocese of Virginia has ordained anyone to the Diaconate that would not later become a Priest.  I'm so glad I was there for her!!  Here is a kind of blurry picture of the inside of the church it was held at. . .a church that was too small for the crowd that gathered to witness the event, I might add!!

Okay, I took the picture furtively so that I could get it before things got going. . .pictures being frowned upon during services and all!!

Finaly, I wanted to share some news about my Mom.  My mom went in for an Upper GI about a week ago at which time a mass was discovered on her stomach.  She was then scheduled for a full body CT Scan, which was done on Friday.  This is a huge concern to my sisters and I because our Mom has already had three bouts of cancer.  Her last bout which was nearly 6 years ago now, was really bad and she had some pretty radical surgery.  Between that and the chemo and radiation she had the first go round, she has been one messed up little lady in the intervening years.  About a year ago, I saw a picture of her (she lives in Las Vegas and I live near Washington, D.C.) and noticed she was entirely too thin.  She is a tiny lady, but this was really small.  I called her and begged her to eat and to see her doctor about getting on a better diet regimin.  My sisters joined me in this entreaty.  Our thought was, at the time, that she wouldn't have anything to fight with if she got sick again.  To date, Mom still is tiny and struggles to maintain her weight near 90 pounds.  We'll know the results of the CT Scan sometime this coming week. . .at this point we are just praying that it is not what we fear. . .

I hate to end on a bad note like that, so I will add that Aidan is all hugs these days.  Very loving and lovable.  He makes me so proud and he makes it so that, no matter what is going on in the world, I am one Happy Mama!