Dear mom and dad,

I love you. Three very simple words. I've said it before and I'll be saying it for the rest of my life. In this past year and a half I've become a family with Matt and Jadabelle, I've pondered us having a child of our own, gone to trying to have a baby, to 2 very disappointing miscarriages. I want nothing more than to be a mom...to be a parent. It is an all-consuming thought, an obsession, that I can never get to leave my head...I need to be a parent. Throughout this experience I cant sleep much at night... so I think a lot, reflect and pray. Ive found myself in many different emotions: sad, this is obvious. Angry, the forever unanswereable question of why me. Depressed. Bitter. Ive found the green-eyed monstered in me...I'm jealous of so many people, random women in the store...my co-workers and friends...my family that are parents already and...my husband. Matt has become a parent already and I envy this fact. But my husband is amazing. He is more than I deserve...he is kind and charitable, godly and wise, patient and loving....and he is always, always, always here for me. More than all of that, he is a great Dad. He is silly and sweet and strong and protective. He is consistent, supportive and always shows genuine excitment with every new thing Jada has to share. He is always respectiveful to Jada's mother. He has never spoken a negative word about her to his daughter and never puts Jada in the middle of any disagreement. Matt is a great example to Jada of the kind of man with qualities than she should look for in her enevitable match. I love him so much. I want a son because it would be a new experience for Matt and me both. But I want a daughter because of the kind of father I know he is to Jada.
I also find myself feeling grateful. For the kind of husband I have, and for my parents. Mom and Dad, you have given me an example of the sort of parent I hope to be. Loving, supportive, genuine, and fair. I love you guys. Thank you. It is because of you that I was able to seek out and value the qualities I've found in Matt. I'm grateful for my nieces and nephew and for their amazing parents. I'm grateful for possibilities.

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on." ~ Robert Frost

The Henson Hawk Family

So about a week ago our little terror Punchy chased a hawk out of a small tree in our yard and it ended up flying into the kitchen window where it clung to the screen for about 10 minutes.



Then it let go and jumped down where it limped around the yard for a while. I thought it was grounded because it wouldn't seem to fly for a while. I called Tucson Wildlife Center and they said they might be able to send someone to catch it that day, otherwise I could catch it and bring it to them. While I was waiting for them to call me back the hawk flew up over our wall and seemed to be ok.

Next day Punchy's friend was back. And later on that afternoon he brought his two siblings to drink from the pond.

They have shown up everyday since...now there are four of them. They are juvenile Sharp Skinned Hawks and their nest is high up in a tree in the neighbor's yard.

Pretty cool huh?

My deaf little sweetheart

Twelve years and 28 days ago my mom took me to get my first dog....Suzy Q. 14 days ago I realized my loyal, protective, endlessly energetic sweetheart is losing her hearing. She is no longer waits for me at the door when I get home because she does not hear the key opening the lock or the door shut behind me. She doesn't hear me call her into the kitchen for some yummy scraps of food, and she is now startled awake when I pet her.

Since this unfortunate discovery my wonderful husband has been incredible with Suzy. He makes sure not to scare her, seeks her out at dinner time to make sure she eats when he feeds the puppy because she doesn't hear the kibble poured in her bowl, and he remains sensitive and gentle with her when she needs to go outside but her stubborn little butt refuses.

Suzy still barks but not at anything outside of the house, just while playing with punchy; while punchy remains mute save for the times his reflection in the back door provokes a battle of chicken.

While Suzy's hearing deteriorates and her bones creak a little more and a few more age spots show up; her neck is still so soft, she still loves tummy rubs, she still chases the vacuum, her crooked little tail still wiggles for chicken scraps; her spirit continues strong and sweet, her energy rarely runs dry and her darling dark eyes always look for me first thing in the morning and last before bed.