Berry Therapeutic

When you are playing the waiting game, you have to find something to keep you busy, to occupy your mind, and get through the wait.

We went strawberry picking. It was beautiful day today, and the berries were ripe and ready.





After all the picking was done, we came home and made some yummy freezer jam, and a family favorite - Strawberry cake.



Time to eat, then sleep, then one more day of waiting.

hhuummm, What to do tomorrow?

Diggin Deep

During times of trials and uncertainty, we all have to dig deep to find strength to endure. Donny took the whole concept of diggin deep literally and found his own kind of therapy to get him through the day.

The money pit, aka, our yard, always needs something.

Nothing is worse than a crucial part of your flower bed not making it through the winter, and throwing off the whole balance of your landscaping.

So, a new crepe myrtle was bought.


A big hole was dug.


One little boy tested out the depth.


One big beautiful tree in the hole.


Balance is restored.

At least for the flower bed.

An update on Madilyn

We saw the Orthopedic surgeon today.

Results: Still not sure, but whatever it is, it's not good.

We are basically looking at two scenarios right now.

Best Scenario - a rapidly growing infection in the bone. If this is the case, she will have to have surgery to remove as much of the infected bone as possible.

Worst Case Scenario - some type of malignancy attacking the bone. If this is the case, they will immediately begin running her through about 10 different tests to determine what kind of cancer it is, they will have to stage it, and determine a treatment.

She is scheduled for a biopsy on Monday morning at 10:00am at Scottish Rite hospital at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. The doctor said that 95% of the time they can tell immediately what they are looking at, so we should definitely know on Monday what course of action we are going to have to take.

My mom is here now helping with the family.

We are all handling this as best as we know how right now.

Madilyn is doing fine. She doesn't really comprehend the seriousness of the situation. She knows she is having surgery Monday, and is not excited about that, but her spirits are up, and she is still acting like Madilyn, and that is the way we want to keep it.

I will continue to update the blog as much as I can.

Thanks so much for caring and for your prayers.

This is my least favorite post ever.

So, the past couple of days have been a little crazy. And things are about to get even crazier, which is the story of our life.

But this, this is serious crazy.

This is uncertain crazy.

Madilyn has a mass on her collar bone, and over the weekend she got to where she could hardly move her right arm at all. We took her to the ER yesterday to try and see what was going on.

Words like cancer, oncologist, and hematologist were all we needed to hear to know something serious is going on.

From the CT scan, it looks like something is eating away at her bone in her neck/collarbone area. What, we don't know.

So we are being sent to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta to try and figure this out.

We have an appointment tomorrow with a Pediatric Orthopedic surgeon, who will most likely need to perform a biopsy.

That sounds scary enough, right.

I will keep you posted on any developments as soon as I can.

As for us, Donny and I are just hoping for the best right now.

Until we are told otherwise.

We will deal with that if we have to.

Here's to hoping we don't.

Please pray for my beautiful daughter.

Thank you in advance for caring.

Where for art thou, Edward

Dear Edward, my beloved vampire,

Where are you when I need you?

I know you are off somewhere right now making the New Moon movie, which in all practicality means you should be somewhere other than in Forks with that lucky Bella. Maybe you are in South America. Please tell me you have not already left for Italy. I shudder at the thought.

But if you are reading this, please come.

Immediately.

I NEED YOU.

DESPERATELY

I have a need that only you can take care of for me.

You see, I have worked so hard to plant this beautiful garden.


Everything is growing so nicely.

I know you have no use for food, but us humans, we do.

And nothing is better than fresh veggies from the garden.

At least to us humans anyway.

I can almost taste my peas on my tongue.

And smell my eggplant cooking.

It won't be long, but only if you come.

Without you, there won't be anything left soon.

Make sure you come hungry.

The tracks look like it's at least two nice sized deer.

They think they can just help themselves to my labors.

But I have other plans for them.

That is where you come in.

My husband is of no use to me for this situation.

He is too concerned with laws and going to jail.

But not you, I know you can handle this easily.

In the meantime, I have a substitute standing guard.


I don't know how long he will hold off the moochers.

So please come,

SOON!

I'll be waiting.

Disaster Averted

As busy moms, we all love it when our kids reach the age when they are old enough to be left alone in the bath, especially when the kid loves to take a bath, and will stay in there until there isn't much left of him.

But sometimes, there can be a definite down-side to that treasured moment of alone time on the couch, resting and relaxing after a long day, not having to worry about what the disaster-prone toddler is up to now.

Last night I walked into the bathroom and found this


Now granted that Philip is about the cutest little lion cub ever, but this was not all I found. He was accompanied by this


And just for effect, another angle


And, yes, the water was still running.

He was having a blast.

And couldn't understand why I freaked out.

After I grabbed the camera, of course.

Had I freaked out prior to my snaps, the photos would have been less than desirable.

Just when you think it is safe to breathe, he proves me wrong.


Disaster #1,478,532 averted.

Until next time, the trouble maker will be planning. . . stay tuned.

You are who you are for a reason!

Hi! I'm Chrissy. You know me, right!

Why else would you be reading this?

Really, why else? I'm curious.


Here are some things you may or may not know about me:


My name is Chrissy Langley


My legal name is Christina Michelle Langley


My birth name is Christina Michelle Parr


I was supposed to be a boy.


And be named Christopher Michael Parr


Good thing I am adaptable.


12 is my favorite number


1 + 2 = 3


I have three children


Madilyn Nicole (Nicole after Donny's sister)


Colin McClain (McClain after Donny and his Dad)


Philip Michael (Michael after my dad)


The letters M, N and L are my favorite letters.


They represent the ups and downs that are my life.


Can you count how many M, N, and L's are in their names combined?


If you counted 12, you would be correct.



Wait, it gets better.


As a kid, did you ever try to come up with a saying or phrase to match your initials?


My initials were CMP.


The only thing I ever came up with was Colgate Maximum Protection.


You would have thought I had nice cavity-free teeth.


Not the case.


Ask my mother.


Or Dr. Boone.


I kept all 8 of his kids in Guess jeans.


I recently discovered what my initials stand for


CMPL - Christina Michelle Parr Langley


Colin Madilyn Philip Langley


Told you


They are who they are for a reason.

My Ops Man

A great big congratulations goes out to my husband today. He just received a promotion at work, something he has been working towards for a while now, and I am so proud of him! He has been with the Kmart Distribution Center for 3 1/2 years now, and has had great success with the company (good thing, since this job was the reason for our move to Georgia!). He started out as a supervisor, then he was promoted to a department manager, and now he has been promoted to Operations Manager. In case you are wondering what he does, and you don't know much about the distribution business, he will be the Inbound Operations Manager, which means he will oversee the operation of all the Inbound departments. Did that clear things up for you? Yeah, didn't think so. Let me give it to you in plain English. He will be in charge of overseeing all the deliveries made to the distribution center, the unloading of all the trucks, and making sure all the merchandise is put away correctly inside the DC (that is short for distribution center). This is a senior management position, so he has quite the management pyramid under him. He will manage three department managers, about seven supervisors, and 120 employees. It is a lot of responsibility, but it is something he has been working towards, and I am so happy he finally accomplished his goal.

And since I will not have a job anymore come 9/25, this promotion puts us one step closer to me being able to go back to being a stay-at-home mom. And maybe another baby!




Oh shut-up, Donny and Mom, and Miriam. I am just kidding. I know, no one wants me to have another baby. That was just a joke. Good grief.

A Mother like No Other

That's my mother.

She is Beautiful

She is Vibrant

She is Spiritual

She is Affectionate

She is Talented

She is Vivacious

She is Stylish

She is Real

She is Sensitive

She is Understanding

She is Compassionate

She is Dedicated

She is Loyal

She is Trustworthy

She is Friendly

She is Humorous

She is Motherly

She is Loving

She is Young

She is Thoughtful

She is Healthy

She is Courageous

She is Amazing

She is All that, and more, I am sure.

My mother. Because of her, I am the person I am today.

Because of her, everything I have, I owe to her.

She taught me everything I know.

She showed me how to be a mother.

And a woman.

And all that being a woman and a mother encompasses.

She is My Mother.

A Mother like No Other.

What to give my Mother?

If I could, I would send you here

Wouldn't that be magical?


If I hadn't already, I would give you these,

Wouldn't that be fancy?


If you wouldn't kill me, I would give you this,

Wouldn't that be yummy?


If you didn't have too much, I would give you this,

Wouldn't that be enough?


If you needed it, I would plant you these,

Wouldn't that be lovely?


If I knew how, I would build you this,

Wouldn't that be dreamy?


If you would take him, I would give you this,

Wouldn't that be fun?


If I didn't want them, I would give you these,

Wouldn't that be overwhelming?


All of the gifts I could give you, none ever seem to be enough.

Nothing I can give you could ever compare to everything you have given me.

But I do have a little something for you.

But it was too big to ship.

So it will be waiting on you when you come visit soon.

So, because I wanted to, I am giving you this,

Isn't that mysterious?


Happy Mother's Day!

I love you!

Your daughter,
Chrissy

This kid needs a Warning Label

You all know it is true. Every parent says so. Every family has "one".

And by one, I don't mean #1.

I mean, THE one, the one that was sent to you on purpose, with a mission, to prove multiple meanings in your life, and give you in depth knowledge and growth potential.

The one that will make you question every decision, choice, and action you have ever made or done as a parent.

I blame Donny for our "one". He couldn't have been sent to me. How could he have been? In the book of exemplary children, I was the poster child.

It must be Donny's fault. I will blame him.

He must be the one that needs the challenges that this child brings us.

He must be the one that needs to grow and learn and develop attributes and qualities that only a child like this one can challenge in him.

But if that were the case, why do I have to suffer in the process as well?

I mean, come on, if you look at the scale of suffering from 0 -10 and place myself and my two siblings on that scale, we all know where I would fall.

Sorry guys, but you know it is true.

I was, and still am, the Golden Child.

The one that parents dream of having as a child.

The one that reminds parents why they had children to begin with.

That would be me.

I never claimed that I didn't need to learn humility.

But honesty, know that, I have down!

So I'm sure the question you are all dying to have answered is "What has Colin done now?"

What hasn't Colin done now, would be a more encompassing question, but for now, for today, let me tell you about his latest installment of "I was sent here to challenge you".

Appropriately named, STOP is the in-school suspension program at my kids' elementary school. I don't know if it stands for anything, but I figured it out, the hidden meaning -

Students That Oppose Parenting

It is a secret cult. But I got their number! Oh yeah, I'm on to those kids.

Colin spent a whole day in STOP last week. He's lucky it was only one day.

And for what could he have done to deserve such action?

Well, let me give you a few hints:

1. Have you ever misplaced something in your house, even though you know exactly where you put it, but suddenly, it is just gone, like, say, umm, I don't know, a $20 bill?

2. And when you offer a bribe to the child that is first to find said misplaced item, he always come running right away with it, and you just marvel at his good fortune and excellent hunting skills?

3. Does your child often find himself the lucky recipient of unexpected and, more importantly, unexplainable, knick knacks, odds-n-ends, or even better, "Jimbob gave this to me" gifts, especially when he comes home from school or playing at a friend's house, like, umm, let's see, new Pokemon cards or super cool Hot Wheels?

4. Do you find your child's backpack to often contain merchandise that you know was not purchased by yourself, but yet, according to your child, belongs to him, like, umm, how about a brand new box of erasers?

Figured out his problem?

Another hint - He needs his hands washed. They are very sticky.

Very, Very Sticky

You got it now right?

My son is a kleptomaniac.

Poor kid.

What? It is a disease.

And the kid needs help.

Any offers?