2 Happy Years

Two years ago today I somehow managed to convince this beautiful woman named Joann Spence to marry me.  

About 8 months earlier, in August 2007, I was reeling from a silly first marriage with "she who shall remain nameless".  At the urging of a friend, I had created a few accounts on some LDS singles websites and was enjoying the laughs that came from some of the emails I was getting.  During that time I was just happy to be free from a terrible marriage experience and wasn't really on the lookout for someone new.  My golf travel business was in full swing and I was traveling the world playing golf at some great destinations.

Then in late September, I had the urge to maybe roam the singles sites a little more to see if there was anyone that interested me in the least.  I set up a few dates and they were fun but nothing to blog about.  Then I saw a profile from an attractive woman who lived in Woodland Hills, UT -- about an hour away.  The few photos on her profile showed someone attractive, confident and who played tennis. Interesting. I wrote her a message and she responded with a witty retort.  I wrote her back and we set up a golf lesson (me giving, her receiving) on October 10, 2007.  I remember driving south en route to her home thinking, "What the HE%$ am I doing driving this far for a mostly blind internet date?!"

I arrived at her home and she had just arrived as well.  As she got out of her car I remember distinctly thinking, "Wow! She's much cuter than her pictures were on the website!" We drove over to Gladston Golf Course in Salem, Utah and had a great time hitting some golf balls and putts.

I remember driving home very late from that first date thinking, "Uh oh... this could be trouble." and sure enough the rest is history.  Somehow the Lord rewarded me from the trial of my first marriage with the unquestionable woman of my dreams in every way.  Joann is kind, patient, loving, witty, and fun to be around.  I have a card-playing family and she dove right in to the fire swamp and competes with the best of us and wins often.  She has a smile that stops you in your tracks and her warm eyes melt me.  

Joann was made to be a mother and she makes the most handsome children.  She is a woman of faith and she understands that life is sometimes difficult and she has a very unique ability to shrug off trials and smile at me as if to say, "You're all that matters to me."  It makes me tear up just thinking about all the challenges we've had these first two years, but how happy they have been.

I am happiest when we are together, as we have no drama and mostly laugh.  She is just so easy to be around and everyone who meets her tells me how lucky I am, as if I didn't know it already.  I'm so grateful to have this special gift in my life and Joann makes mine worth living. 

Happy Anniversary to my sweetheart, dear Joann.  Thank you for loving me the way you do.

Over The River and Through the Woods...

Joann and I drove down to Southern Utah last Thursday to hang with her teenage boys while they were on Spring Break.  The weather has been so nice that we haven't been able to find the energy to leave and drive back to the cold weather.  So, here we stay at grandma Julie's house.  While here, Tag has learned to roll over from his stomach to his back from both directions.  Good thing, because if he rolls on the side of his "bump", he gets caught mid-roll and we have to assist him making it the rest of the way.  It's funny to watch, as this new feat does nothing but put a look of shock on his face.

I'm amazed at how dependent these little babies are.  We took Tag out for a walk yesterday and a breeze was blowing.  He started choking and couldn't breath with this change in atmosphere, so we had to remain indoors.

I have many high school friends who reside in St. George and quite a few have come to visit and meet Tag, including Rory Wright, Ron and Brenda Wade, and Troy Maxwell.  Tag stared intently at Troy's beard.  I should have taken a picture.

Speaking of pictures, my cousin Logan Rich (an aspiring young photographer), came by and took a few photos of Tag with his new hat.  Enjoy!

Bump Update - March 21, 2010

Every few weeks or so, Joann and I have been taking pictures of Tag's bump in an attempt to watch for changes.  I also wonder if the medical community would benefit from having these photos taken somewhere down the road since Tag's case is so unique.  Anyway, I thought it might be interesting to post them here on the blog as a permanent record.

From our perspective, the bump hasn't changed much while Tag is growing up around it, making it seem a little smaller.  Plus, we hardly notice it anyway, as all we see are Tag's smiles and funny faces.  In fact, I'm sometimes shocked when people first meet Tag and can't take their eyes off his bump, and I'm quickly reminded of how unique and foreboding his little tumor really is to the first time viewer.

We've been giving Tag some tummy time, trying to strengthen his neck and arms and just this week he has begun to arch his back up and he is pretty easily turning himself over to his back, only to look stunned as he flips over.  While on his back, his bump serves as a convenient 'sidecar' of sorts, like a motorcycle with a sidecar.  It makes it easy for him to rest the weight of his head upon.  I always tease him by saying to everyone that someday he'll have a "wrestler's neck" after learning to carry that extra weight around at such an early age.

The doctors said we could consider having surgery and removing the tumor after 3 months.  We've passed that now, and Joann and I have been prayerful as we consider what's best for this little guy.  We suppose we'll be meeting with the folks at Primary Children's soon to make some decisions.  Stay tuned. 

Sick Days

Our house has been a cesspool of sickness this last week.  Poor Marina (Tag's cute grandma) caught a nasty cold and passed it on to Joann, making Tag and I easy targets.  Lucky for me, I had work in Salt Lake this week and stayed clear of the germs for a few days.  Tag wasn't so lucky.  Somewhere along the line, he got stuffy and then he started coughing.

By the time I got home he was pretty sad and Joann was exhausted trying to care for the little guy.  I took over and was holding Tag.  He was making the most classic sounds that weren't really cries, but more like singing the blues, which I caught on video.  

To View Tag Singin' The Blues: -- CLICK HERE

This morning, Tag was not getting any better so we made an appointment with the pediatrician later in the day.  While we waited, Tag's grandpa Charles was holding him and trying to keep him warm.  I grabbed a camera and snapped the shot below.  I have no idea how I caught Tag smiling, since he was fussing the entire time, but this proves that this kid loves the camera!

 We took Tag to the Pediatrician today and he said Tag has RSV, which is a pretty nasty bug that apparently takes 1 out of 10 babies to the hospital.  He recommended we do a steam treatment that works with some little ones in clearing out the wheezing.  The Doc set it up and told Joann to hold the mask to Tag's head for about 5 minutes.  As he walked out, he warned, "Oh, and Tag won't like it."

Well, true to Tag's style, Joann held the mask up to his little face and he fussed while he figured out what it was and then ... CALM.  In fact, Tag fell asleep as if he was getting a massage.  Unbelievable.  Joann and I just marveled at this little guy's ability to handle things.

I don't like not being able to help my son with something he doesn't understand.  When babies are this age, there's really nothing a parent can do but hold him and help him feel loved and warm, while this new body he is inhabiting fights off the germs.  He is coughing like an old man who has smoked for 20 years, and it just breaks my heart when he looks up at me wondering why this is happening to him.

Is there a type (or a shadow) in this thing?  That's how I'm taking it.

3 Month Birthday: Status Update

Tag hit his 3 month birthday yesterday.  He's getting bigger.  Joann had him weighed in at just over 10 pounds.  While he's little for his age, his talent for attracting friends is large.  I was working in Salt Lake on Wednesday and Joann called and said he had figured out how to laugh and was successful in displaying this new talent 3 times.  

Crap!  I'm gone one day and I miss one of the most important gifts given to a Brinton -- the ability to laugh.  I returned home on Thursday to attend a class with Joann and was holding Tag in my lap, with him looking up at me, hoping to see and hear his new laugh.  He gave me a BIG smile and did the funniest laughing attempt -- kind of sounded like a broken vacuum mixed with a cooing sound -- that it caused me to laugh out loud, interrupting the class.  But I didn't care.  It was the best laugh I'd had in months.

Joann called our oncologist at Primary Childrens, and Dr. Bruggers asked how Tag was doing.  After the report that he was growing and happy, Bruggers said that she would like us to do another MRI in April to check the "mass" and see if anything has changed.  From our view, the mass is about the same size, only he's getting bigger around it.

Frankly, I'm more concerned about Joann, as she isn't getting much sleep.  But I was lucky enough to convince this woman to marry me.  She's a born mother and continues to amaze and impress me with her patience, smile, support and happy attitude. Tag's the happiest little guy and really doesn't cry much.  I am told that this is very lucky so we will take it!

Happy 3rd month on the planet, little man.