seven years ago today.....

I was picking my daughter Emily up from her last day of nursing school. We stopped to visit my parents. I was pregnant for Miss Charlotte Claire and was to be induced the very next morning. I remember my parents being proud of Emily and excited about the baby. My mother patted that baby bump, or rather baby mountain. She was not doing well. She had been in a nursing home for a while in the early part of the year and did not like it one little bit. Her eyesight was bad and her feet were turning black with diabetic necropathy, or however that is spelled. She wasn't getting around like she used to and her heart was doing funny things during her kidney dialysis sessions. Oh, if I had realized that she would only be around for a few more months! I kind of knew but it is too hard to really come to terms with, the thought of losing someone forever. So we visited them that beautiful spring day. We knew it would be too hard for my mom to get to the hospital to see the baby when she was born, because my father was sick too, with leukemia. And believe me, my mom was the absolute QUEEN of visiting her grandchildren in the hospital. She loved those babies! I promised promised promised her I would bring that newborn to see Gramma as soon as I possibly could. So Char was born on Thursday, May 11th, and I brought her to see Gramma just a few days later. My mother held her, and I get teary-eyed thinking about it. Charlotte Claire had to grow up not knowing that wonderful Gramma, and Camille didn't meet her at all.

Anyway....tomorrow Miss Char turns seven.

And since I totally forgot while I was out and about yesterday that I was supposed send in birthday treats for Char and Jonathan today at school, I asked them to tell their teachers I would do it on Monday instead. I was searching my kitchen last night....not enough cupcake papers. Not enough of anything, for two classes. Jon said the kids would rather have packaged Swiss Rolls than homemade cupcakes anyway. ouch. but easier! So I shall get some of those and remember to send them in on Monday because my oh, my reputation! Good thing I kind of don't care.

Samuel's Army Sgt. stopped in yesterday to pick up some forms. Suri barked at him for like twenty seconds, ran over to get some pets, and settled down on the floor with a harumph, head on paws. I loved it! To have a dog that behaves when someone stops in! Suri is such a sweetie. She is lying on the couch with the kitten right now. This morning when I gave her some puppychow, kitty came over to see what was going on. Suri flopped down on the floor and watched as kitty sampled that puppy chow. What a good girl! I scooped up kitty and told Suri what a good girl she was. That kitty is sitting right curled up next to her, taking a bath. It is so sweet!

And now...to the pool I go...no going back to bed today!