Rory didn't get in...

It is official. Rory didn't get into the Charter Schools here in Asheville.

He is 13th, 16, and 47th on the three different waiting lists. I'm not too upset about being 47th on the one list, but I really liked the other two schools.

Oh well, time to start the standard Kindergarten enrollment and hope that enough people pass on spaces and we get into Francine Delany or ArtSpace. Keep your fingers crossed for us!

On a completely unrelated note... It is FREAKING SNOWING and has been all night and is supposed to all day and night! GEEZE-O-PEASE.

In Awe of an Awesome Woman...

I am sorry for going sappy and gushing about this, but I am totally in awe of Sonya...

I just got a call from her and got to hear the entire story of the "surprise" twin birth... She is absolutely amazing, strong, and incredible. I don't think that I could respect or admire anyone more than I do her! I am truly blessed to call her my friend.

I am so happy for her and glad that the babies are both healthy and strong. I just can't believe how it all turned out! She is so awesome, and is handling this in stride.

The babies were boy/girl twins, weighing in at 5.8 and 5.12. Not too shabby for just over 37 weeks. I'm just absolutely floored by all of this. No names are picked yet.

I finished knitting the second hat, and dropped it off in the mailbox this afternoon. (I didn't want to bother her and didn't knock on the door... I'll meet the babies soon enough!)

I will be taking her some food Friday and will meet the babies then... (if I can wait that long!)

Sonya, you ROCK, I love you, and can't wait to see you and the babies!

Surprise TWINS!!!

Sonya had her baby today... at home almost as planned... until the second baby arrived!!!!!!!!!

Congrats Sonya! I am knitting you another hat now! I can't wait to meet your new family members. Enjoy the babymoon. I love you!

LM

Trout Season has begun!

Here are a few photos from our day! We had a blast, Carl caught his limit, and we had trout for supper. You can't beat that!

It was pretty chilly this morning (around 40degrees) but warmed up through the day:


The Carl and Rory caught the first fish at Reems Creek: (Carl got 2 there)


Then we dropped Carl, Vince and Peyton off at Bent Creek... where Carl got the rest of his limit for the day! We ate the beauties just after these were taken:

Midwives in NC...

With all of the steps we are taking to move forward, it appears that unless we make a change, we may be forced to take a step backwards...

Over the past few years, NC Friends of Midwives has been jumping through legislative hoops to work with the state legislature to allow the licensing of CPMs and for the legal practice. Right now, it is a misdemeanor for CPMs to practice in NC, (even though it is legal in all of our surrounding states, and some states even allow Medicaid to pay for a CPM birth).

Recently the NC Medical Association introduced legislature (while we are trying to get ours introduced) to make CPMs felons in NC.

If you can, please take the time to write and call these co-sponsors of the hostile bill: (If you click on the names, you get the NC General Assembly page with their information).

James Forrester
James.Forrester@ncleg.net

William Purcell
William.Purcell@ncleg.net


Here is my letter:

Hello.

My name is Lisa Marie Gittings and I am a North Carolina resident. I want to thank you for the support you have shown for the mothers/women in NC and to the NC Friends of Midwives. Both my husband and I are supporters of legalizing entry level midwives in the state, and we are both active in the movement towards this.

The NC Friends of Midwives have been working hard following the process for legalizing and licensing midwives. We have done everything asked and followed all of the rules/processes set by the legislature. It has been brought to my attention that the NC Medical Society has introduced what I would consider hostile/disruptive legislature with SB164. They are not acting in the best interest of the women in this state.

The 2008 House Select Committee on Licensing Midwives produced bill language instructing the NCOBGYN and NCACOG societies, to work with the Midwifery Joint Committee to establish standards for licensing CPMs in NC. This is important and needed for the health care of women in our state.

If SB164 is passed, we will be making felons out of midwives that are allowed to practice in all of our surrounding states. We cannot make midwives felons!

Thank you for taking the time to read this and to consider my feelings on this matter.

Another Tourist Day...

We went to the Biltmore Estates today... and would you believe that I messed up and my photos didn't come out? I'm a doofis and forgot to change the settings on my camera.

Here are the only shots I got... (I will double check that in a few)



The estates are beautiful and it was really cool. I need to go back and see the flowers again and we want to go back to the animal farm!

I went ahead and got us a season pass b/c it was cheaper than buying 2 tickets. I'm excited, I can get discount tickets for Grammy and DadDad now! It REALLY is cool. I'm stoked. It will keep us out of the house for Carl and there is SO much to do! Now between the YMCA, Nature Center, and Biltmore, we shouldn't have a problem finding something to do everyday!

The Interminable Ride Home...

Yeah... that is one LONG FREAKING DRIVE. But, we did do our best to make it enjoyable for the kids by stopping at Luray Caverns, VA.


It was really cool, and has changed a lot since the last time that Carl and I went. They now give you head phones that you listen to and can re-play. Rory absolutely loved the walk/tour and is still talking about it!

Here are a few photos. Can-man was on my back, so no pics of him.







They also have a Car and Carriage Museum that is really cool, so we took a stroll through there... Arden didn't have the best time in there though... (Let's call it a week without a nap... yeah, not to bright of mama).


We thought this was a funny/ironic photo given Rory's allergies:


And here is a car just like Dad-Dads! (I think!)

Cows?

That is all Arden wanted to see at the zoo.

Cows. Seriously.

Not elephants, not zebras, not cheetahs, not even the pandas... but regular old cows. You know, the kinds that you find in numerous fields across the country.

So, without further adieu, here is Arden's cow at the petting zoo section of the Zoo:


We did get to see some other really cool and exotic animals while we were there:





And the coolest thing was Amazonia, we got to walk through the area unprotected/open to the animals. There were monkeys, birds, snakes, bugs all walking around us, this little monkey was 3-4 feet from us.




Canyon LOVED the sting rays and fish at the Amazonia exibit; he sat there for a good 30 minutes watching and trying to touch them!

DC in the rain...

Today we decided to forgo the Zoo because of the rain, and to go to the National Aquarium.

Totally not worth it. Really. It ended up being $10 for me and Rory combined and took us about 20 minutes to get through. Not all the fish were labeled, and there was no information about the fish posted. It was a bust. The only thing the kids kept wanting to see were the Alligators (which were free to see at the zoo)...


So after that "adventure" we decided since we were at the Commerce Building, that we would head over to Pennsylvania Ave. to see the White House...



Then we walked around to the south side of the white house...



Then to the Washington Monument...


Then to the Natural History Museum...





Then we jumped back on the Metro and headed home (to the hotel) for a dip in the pool...




Man, I'm pooped! We are hitting the rest of the zoo tomorrow.

At the National Zoo!

We went to the National Zoo today, but need to go back! My camera died early on and we only made it half way! So more pics tomorrow!

Here is an 11 week old gorilla nursing:


A hippo:

Rory and a Panda:


The boys with a kimono dragon:


At the entrance:


And the Can-man waving!