teddy's time

I've been waiting a while to post this post. In fact, I've been dreading it. It's been a hard week. We lost our Sweet Teddy Boy on Tuesday. He may have been *just* a dog. But, he was my dog. The girls don't remember a time without Teddy. He's been through so much with me personally. Any time, good or bad, (and there have definitely been plenty of both), he was always there with his happy, funny personality. He could make me smile no matter what. He was bouncy and silly. 

I remember one particular time King Pea and I watched him trying to "get" this huge, red ball in the backyard. He was at it for what seemed like hours! He couldn't get it just right to bite it, so he would try to hold it down, but he was far too short. He was barking at it like crazy, like the ball was purposely trying to get away from him! If you're dreaming of catching a ball, it might as well be a giant red one, right? What a little dreamer!

I'm sure he hated me putting bows in his hair, picking at his gooky eyes, and treating him like a baby doll (just sometimes!). I know wasn't the perfect pup-parent. But, I will miss him greatly. I still ache to hold him just once more. He was a cuddle bug! He *allowed* me to hold him just about as much as I wanted. When the girlie peas got bigger and wouldn't let me hold them anymore, well, he was always a nice substitute.

The last few months we knew this time was coming. He was sick and old, and all around just not his happy, wonderful self. Knowing it's coming doesn't make it any easier. I thought it would, but as I type, I have tears streaming down my cheeks. I wasn't ready. I didn't want it to be time. Even as he was going to sleep, I wanted to scream out that I changed my mind. But, he wouldn't have wanted it. He was tired.

I don't know what happens to dogs after they're gone. I know Teddy had a great, sweet spirit. He had a soul. I hope all dogs go to heaven. I'm not sure I want to be there if they don't! When I need the comfort that all things happen for a reason in their own time, I reflect on Ecclesiastes, chapter 3.

A Time for Everything

 There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens:

     a time to be born and a time to die,
    a time to plant and a time to uproot, 
     a time to kill and a time to heal,
    a time to tear down and a time to build,
     a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,
     a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
     a time to search and a time to give up,
    a time to keep and a time to throw away,
     a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent and a time to speak,
     a time to love and a time to hate,
    a time for war and a time for peace.

What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 

It was Teddy's time. I didn't want the time to come. I wanted one more of everything. One more lick, one more walk, one more playtime, one more, one more, one more.

Here are a couple of my favorite photos of Teddy. I miss you, little buddy! More than you know.

Teddy and momma. Shih Tzu's were considered royal and holy dogs in ancient Tibet. He was destined to be the dog of a Queen! :)

He was actually playing with me here. He would always crouch down with his rear up, wagging his tail. He would bark at me and try to *get* me! Such a sweet pea!

a birthday fit for a king

King Pea recently had a birthday, and I think it may have been the best ever! He had the entire weekend off, so we had to fill it with some fun goodness! We ate pizza at this amazing place, Picasso's. Not your momma's Pizza Hut, that's for sure! We met up with our favoritest friends for some brewskys at a downtown Dallas bar. Then we went to the Dave Matthew's Band concert, with a little tailgating before and after! They're also our favoritest! (It's a word; I just made it up!)


I can't remember having such a laid back, awesomely, awesome day! I love my Sweet Pea! He's a keeper! 

Birthday buddies, King Pea and Laura Kay! I don't know if May 19th can handle any more awesome births!

We were singing to them and they had Pop Rock cupcakes! Yum!

Awful picture! Fun times though!

It could not have been more beautiful!

This is obviously before Dave came out because we're all still sitting down! After they hit the stage, our bums didn't hit the ground again!

anne pea update

Yes, I do have another child! She's just in her "off season." She recently had her Spring Band concert. She's quite the beautiful flute player! I love listening to her practice in her room. The flute she's playing with was my Aunt Suzy's, then mine. Abby Pea used it for two years, then it got passed down to Anne Pea. I can't remember how well Suzy played, but I do know that Anne is definitely the best player out of the three Peas! She loves band, so I hope I get to hear more of her talent in the future. 

She is also looking into babysitting classes to take over the summer. She has a few "regulars" and since she's the more nurturing of the two, I think these classes will come in handy. She told me she wanted to relax all summer and have no plans. Yeah, right! 

I'm going to brag about her for another minute. She may be my less "visible" child, but she's also my most compliant, easy-going, all-around sweet pea! And, she is our comedienne, believe it or not. She makes me laugh and smile every day! I don't have to fight with her about her grades, doing the dishes or cleaning her room. She's certainly the Yin to Abby's Yang. Or is it the Yang to Abby's Yin? Either way, I just wanted you to know! :)

Here she is at her last concert. She can't hide from my camera when she's in the middle of playing a concert. 

Ha, Anne! I got you this time!

marquette this, marquette that

This seems to have become the Abby Pea blog! Since she has become a Marquette, it's been a whirlwind of blue and gold. She recently performed at McKinney High's spring football game. I have to say, I was pretty impressed with how awesome they were! The football team was...eh. The cheerleaders were...eh.  I thought the Marquettes would be about as impressive, but man, I was wrong! They were fantastic! I wish I would have gotten it on video, but alas, my first instincts are to take photos. So, here's Abby Pea, Marquette-style!

They were just practicing here. They're usually much more smiley!

Summer showing her "L's!" L is for Lion!

This is Abby's friend, Lindsay! They've danced together for a while now, and she's a Marquette officer this year.

Abby is the second from the left! They did their kick routine to the fight song.

Her kicks were amazing!

I got one of her mid-air!

Final pose! This is the first time I can't wait for football season!

i know! i've been neglectful!

I have no idea how long I've been *not* blogging, but it's been way too long! I'm even embarrassed to look back at the last post date! What has not happened in our lives lately?!? Where do I even begin?


How about starting with many answered prayers! Boy, we have had our share of amazing blessings lately! There was a point a few months ago when everything was going wrong and we just wanted to turn back the hands of time and do a total redo! Well, within just a few weeks, we found an awesome house, King Pea found an amazing new job just down the street, and our G.G. Pea is doing so much better. Blessings do abound! Abby Pea has become a varsity Marquette (that news may have been in a previous post) and Anne Pea is done with track and keeps me updated with how many school days remain until summer.  :)


Our girlie peas are doing well, still sassy as usual, but nothing too bad. They are thrilled to have their own rooms once more. We didn't realize how crappy our *temporary* apartment living was until we had a little room to stretch out again! As you may realize, our temporary living situation turned in to a year long headache! 


King Pea is now with Saltgrass Steakhouse, and it's super yummy! He has been home every night, except for one. That's a miracle in itself! He is a much happier King and his little kingdom has noticed the change! The management seems really great so far and I have not one bad thing to say about anything. That's a miracle, too! :)


My life is pretty much the same; except with allergies! Luckily, I'm going to the doctor this week, so hopefully I'll be back to normal soon. Since I can't be outside for more than twenty minutes at a time, my running has suffered (as well as my waistline!). I can't wait to enjoy the outdoors again! I'm pretty sure I have almost overdosed on Zyrtec and Benadryl! 


Our sweet G.G. is doing well! She no longer has her "trach" in and does all of her breathing on her own. She's lost a lot of weight, but has been able to eat some real food for a while now. And she is speaking again! She is going to be in a nursing home for a while to rehabilitate, with the hopes that she can return home someday! She doesn't seem to be in a great hurry; which only bothers us impea-atient family members! 


Abby Pea had to do a speech over dance and needed photos to go along with it. I got some pretty cool dance photos for her that were fun to take. I haven't done *leaping* photography before, so it was a learning experience! I would love to get some of Anne Pea one day, but alas, she is still my anti-photo child (although, she has no problems taking pics of herself with her phone). Anyhoo.....


We send our love to all of our friends and family! Praying for you always! 

Yes, you can be jealous of her gorgeous legs! I know I am!

I love my dancer pea! Now, how do I sneak pics of my baby pea....

peas gone wild!

Wow! Lots of changes have happened in the last month! I hope I can remember all of them! I'll start with the girlie peas....


Abby Pea became a varsity Marquette the week after Spring Break. Marquettes are the McKinney High School dance team. She is super excited! Of course, we are super pea-roud! As I type this, she is with her sister, dad, and Claire Emm (Abby Pea's sweet friend) are all at Six Flags for Abby's birthday. Her birthday was on the third, but with Easter weekend, she had to wait a little while. Speaking of her birthday, did I mention she is now 15?!? This queen can't believe her pea-rincess is 15! What's even more shocking, I had to sign her up for driver's education! My baby is going to be driving! Such an honor and privilege yet I don't want her to grow up so fast! Oh how I wish I could stop time!


Anne Pea is running like crazy in track! She's competed in three meets so far, running the 800 meter and doing the triple jump. She's doing fantastic and has amazing friends on her team! Her school has the best and fastest runners in the city. The season has only begun, so I will keep you posted on her progress. She's as sweet and awesome as ever, with a ton of sweet friends. I love my girlie peas!


As a pea family, we now have a new pod! On my birthday (29th again, of course), we moved into our perfect place. It's a townhouse (no yard work, yay!), there's a pool steps away, it's just the right size; not too big, not too small. I can't wait to get the girlie peas' rooms painted and fixed up so cute! There will be pics! But I have to get unpacked first....


King Pea is, at the moment, unemployed. But it's a good thing! His last day at Applebee's was on Thursday and he starts a new (hopefully amazing) job at Saltgrass in McKinney on Tuesday! He is really excited and I can already see the stress lifting off his shoulders. I hope this is a place he can make his "home." The schedule won't be as grueling, which is a huge blessing. He certainly could use your good thoughts and prayers for a while!


King Pea also was able to spend several days with his G.G. Pea! She's better and healing slowly. She likes to take her time! As of the last report I got, she's got her tracheotomy that is helping her breathing. She's able to breathe most of the day without help. She's eating soft foods and is sitting up more. She's going through physical therapy, but it's mostly wiggling fingers and toes. She is going through a little bit of speech therapy too. Jon said one morning he walked into her room, and she whispered, "Hi!" It was pretty exciting!


I think that covers the biggest changes in our lives so far! Whew! It's been a whirlwind around here. I miss our family and friends. We've been so busy and I know we are neglecting our loved ones! I've definitely neglected my blog! I can't wait to share pics of our lovely home with you and I would love for any of you to come visit! Just let me get unpacked first! Now where did I put that box of pics....

runner pea

I am officially mad at myself for my six month hiatus from running that ended in January. I have finally gone back up to three miles, but admittedly, I still walk part of my course. (Did I mention half a mile is uphill?)


Yesterday as I ran/walked, I was feeling a bit beat down because I don't feel as strong as I used to. That's how I've been feeling in life lately, too.


Life is sucking right now for various and somewhat small reasons. I know I'm blessed. I am incredibly thankful for my healthy family, my long-lasting marriage, our full tummies and the roof over our heads. I would guess we are more fortunate than about 80% of the world's population. Maybe more.


But these little things are getting to me because it seems that no matter how hard Jon and I work, no matter how hard we try, we can't seem to get *life* right. We've screwed up. Even when we were intending to make things better for us all.


Back to my run yesterday...I was praying for these *things* and feeling pretty yucky emotionally. I apologized for everything I've put my girlies through. All of our ups and downs; they deserve so much more than Jon an I have ever been able to provide. And it dawned on me at some point that, yes, running is somewhat about winning and losing. But, more importantly, the only way you can fail at it is if you quit.


I think we have to apply this to life. It's probably why God brought it to my attention yesterday. Yes, I may walk or fall or cramp or puke while I run. But, I am determined not to stop. Because when I quit, I have truly failed. I'm not giving up on trying to make our lives better either.


P.S. I wrote this a few days ago and had it sitting unpublished. I was trying to decide how to end it; how to explain what I've been feeling the last couple of months or so. There are so many things up in the air right now, but we are so close to being grounded. I have many things to do and this month is bringing many changes. Keep our G.G. Pea in your prayers still. She has a long road of healing ahead. Also, pray for my girlie peas! They have busy, busy lives and sometimes they just need to...be.


And...the Pea-enprase Family is running the Big D 5K in April! (Hence, the running!) These are our pics from the last couple years. Our little team doubles every year, so I don't know what the heck we're going to do next year! 

Anne Pea and Queen Pea before the 2011 race. I was so proud of my little pea! Of course, she smoked her momma (I found out two days after this that I had strep throat; it did explain the 40+ minute time!). She would have beat me anyway!

We decided to wear cute socks! I wonder if King Pea will wear them this year?

This was my first ever 5K, the 2010 Big D! I ran by myself, but my Tina Pea was there to take my pic and meet me at the finish line! (And drive me there. I would totally get lost in downtown Dallas! Especially then since we didn't live in the area! Thanks, T!)