Here she is! Kahlia was born Friday, November 6, 2009 at 1:17 pm weighing in at 6lb 3 ox and 19 1/2 inches long. She arrived by C-section to Andi with Great Grandma in attendance.













Another view, sitting on Great Grandma's lap. That hospital bracelet, Gaa Gaa is wearing means that she is allowed to visit and take the baby from the nursery. Look at all that hair!









A close up of a pretty face.









A delighted big brother.























When no one was looking, he whispered in her ear: "Now don't you worry, I'll take care of you."




















Check out these two photos. Not the best photography, but the first one is Kahlil born three years ago. The second is Kahlia, born Friday.

2009 is definitely not my best year. I've just been discharged again after spending another month in the hospital and in rehab so that I am mobile again. My energy level is zilch and I have physical therapy at home three times a week. I am improving gradually and hope to be more active soon.

I've been silent for a long time.

At first I was getting ready for Christmas and getting to know my new great granddaughter. Then between Christmas and New Year's Day, I went into respiratory distress and was rushed into the hospital where I began a serious battle with pneumonia, which almost won. I could only breathe with the help of machines and while propped up on my left elbow.

This was followed by a serious bone marrow depression and I became so ill that I literally saw God. Fortunately, I do not remember much about this time. I do remember looking at my hand and seeing a pale, waxy yellow color with no veins showing. After multiple transfusions and discontinuing all the medications I had been taking, my bone marrow began to grow again slowly. They determined thatI had a reaction to Humira that caused my bone marrow problems and stopping all meds allowed my bone marrow to start to regrow. So slowly they added back the meds I need to survive. The key word here is survive. I am allergic to all the meds known for treatment of arthritis and I have 5 or 6 different types of arthritis. I am surviving but in a great deal of pain. The only things I can take are steroids and Vicodin. This frightens my family because of all the news stories. They say they are afraid I will become addicted. I'm not worried about it. In order to get addicted, you have to take medication beyond what you need for the pain. I never get rid of the pain, so as long as I watch the clock carefully, I will be okay. I also have a few days with minimal pain and I go through them without medication and without withdrawal symptoms.

I also had another admission in February for the flu but that only lasted 3 days. Not the best 3 days of my life, however......LOL

I have lost my ability to walk and now can only take 7 or 8 steps doing the old age shuffle. I don't know if I can learn to walk again. This would be the 8th time I have had to retrain to get upright and I'm not sure it is worth it any more.

I also had a couple of compression fractures in my spine, so no wonder it hurts all the time. There was more going on in there than simple arthritis. It has been 2 months now and the pain is lessening, but I tire so fast. I can only sit an hour or two and can only stand a few minutes.

For the good news, the tremors in my hands are so much less that I can knit again. I haven't been able to do so for over 9 months, but I've managed 4 hats and a pair of mitts since I was discharged. Perhaps now I can knit something for the new babe. She is such a pretty little thing.

Daddy bonding with Ty. He stood this way for over an hour, his cheeks damp with tears and stared at his daughter. I think he likes her.

Here she is! TyAjiah June Hayes arrived September 8. Guess who is holding her. I used matriarcal privilege. After all June is my middle name too.










Here are the birthday girls. When asked to be godmother, Cousin Tierra didn't know the baby would be born on her birthday.












Andi is first time Auntie and also the mother of Kahlil.













Here is the family, grandpa, auntie, grandma, dad, mom and babe. Missing is Uncle Tracy who doesn't like hospitals, especially when his sister has surgery.









Who did my hairstyle? I want a redo!

As you may have heard, we had a huge storm here with lots of lightening, strong winds, and a lot of wind damage. A large tree broke off and went across the alley behind our house, yanking on the power lines and pulling them down. The transformer fell from its pole and the pole split in half vertically. We were without power, telephone and cable for one week.

Tree in the corner of our lot.

Base of the tree.

Split telephone pole......now how did that happen?

Pole bent and pulled off of our house

That's the transformer on
the ground instead of up a pole.

Can't you work any faster?

At a family gathering recently, my daughter was snapping pictures. Kahlil, who was sitting in his chair beside me, reached up and grabbed a handful of my hair and pulled my head next to his, calling to his aunt: "Tete, Tete, gaagaa me. gaagaa, me." When she said okay, he dropped his hand and looked very pleased with himself. This is the picture that resulted.


For the first time in several years, my three daughters were together again. That's Chrissy, Carol, and Ellen. Hard to believe it has been 37 years since I adopted them. 37 years, 12 granchildren and 2 1/2 great grandchildren.