Asking for lots of prayers...

My family is no stranger to cancer...I know a weird way to start a blog post but I have read two very sad stories about children with cancer.
A few weeks ago while reading the blog, http://www.oneporkchop.blogspot.com/, I found out about little Layla Grace. She was diagnosed at 16 months, May of 2009, with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma and on January 22 of this year they learned that the cancer had come back. Unfortunately she passed on Tuesday, after a long battle with her disease, she was only 2. Then today on the Mommy website I visit, TheBump, another Mommy shared how her friends have a little girl, Penny, who is also suffering from Stage 4 Neurobalstoma. Penny is in the beginning of her disease and her treatment, I am praying for her to recover very soon, and her parents are asking for lots of prayers.


As I said my family is no stranger to cancer; we have lost three family members to this MONSTER of a disease. My great-aunt, Tia Mari, to breast cancer, my cousin, Ginny, to ovarian cancer and most recently my cousin, Rusty to cancer. The strength that my family has found to go through this three times is a testament to our Faith in God and faith in each other’s love and support. Where these two sets of parents have found their strength to go through this with little babies is a testament to their Faith in God and each other. I know what is like to watch a grown person suffer through this disease but I can only imagine how much harder it is to watch a baby suffer.

I know I don't have many followers on my blog, but I ask for you few family and friends who follow us to please pray for these families. For Layla Grace's Family , The Marsh's, that they may make it through these next days, months and years (this is the hardest part) with the same grace, love, Faith & strength that Layla showed and taught them. And for Little Penny's family that they can lean on each other and the prayers of others to make through this difficult time.

I know that I will call my family and tell them how much I love them; hug my Joseph a little tighter tonight and let him know that Mommy & Daddy are here no matter what monsters may scare him.

To learn more about these two stories I am providing the web sites below, keep kleenex handy they are tough to read.
http://www.laylagrace.org/
http://www.pennies4penny.org/

I/We love you all and please know that NONE of you are ever far from our thoughts & prayers.
PS - I have a much happier post coming, I promise.
~Veronica

The joys of Parenthood

I have to say that being a parent really tests your patience & gag reflexes. My son is wonderful and very energetic...but...he LOVES to test our patience!!! (Sorry Mom & Dad, I apologize for all the grey hair my actions as a child gave you)


He, Joseph, likes to test boundaries and see what he can get away with between Mom and Dad. If he's mad he will scream and hit the air or you if you are close enough.
I was telling my Mom, that yesterday morning he was mad because we didn't carry him when he wanted and got mad...very mad...on the floor crying mad. So when Mark finally picked him up...he slapped him in the face! Mark scolded him and said not to hit and the the water works began...with a lot of feeling...and the cutest face ever! As I retold my Mother this story she reminded me that he doesn't know why we are scolding him and he gets very hurt, we should just re-direct him and he will eventually learn not to hit when he is mad. Nice advice coming from my Mother...who by the way has NO patience...NONE...except with Joseph. I laughed and said I knew he didn't understand but we still had to correct the behavior. I'm sure Mark's parents have had a similar experience with Mark when he was little. Mark SWARES he NEVER got in trouble...but with what I have seen with his personality and temper...I'm sure there were a few times he did get in trouble. Probably not as often as I did but he did get in trouble.

Testing of the gag reflex...

So this morning we were watching the morning news; Joseph and I were cuddling and he went "big potty" in his diaper as he usually does in the morning. So when Mark came to change his diaper and get him ready for "school" (daycare) I said, "Joseph, did you go poop?!?" He nodded "No" as he always does and Mark proceeded to change him. As soon as the PJ's came off...I SAW IT! Poop all over the side of his leg & on the PJ's! I quickly told Mark to stop and we got a towel for him to lay on so we could clean up the mess. Mark kept saying, "This is GROSS!! This smells!! How can you not be gagging?!?!?" I calmly looked at him and said "It's not too bad...just wait until he does it in the car seat and it's EVERYWHERE and you can't stop to fix it!" Little does he know that I WAS gagging and ready to puke all over the place!!

"Mom, did you have to tell that story?!?!"

The joys of Parenthood!! Here is a challenge for the readers that follow us...in the comment section please relay what trying or gross experience you have had with your own children/siblings/babysitting. I'm interested to see what y'all have to say!!

Happy Friday and have a wonderful weekend!!

16 Months & Catch-Up Pictures

I am such a bad blogger!!  Sorry it has been two months since I last updated you on the going's on of the Ulrich Family...but we have been busy!

Today is Joseph's 16 month "birthday" and I thought I could redeem myself by showing you some pictures of the little guy!  He is constantly on the go & we are having so much fun!!

This past Sunday we took Joseph to his first Spurs game and he liked it.  We walked him around the concourse and he wanted to run around and look at all the lights and people.  We are hoping that the weather will get a little warmer so we can bring him to the Rodeo...you know San Antonio/Texas weather...wait 5 minutes and it will change.

Not too much new stuff to report...but...we are just a little over a month from my sister-in-laws wedding!!!  Joseph is a ring bearer, we are standing in the wedding party & I get to sing the "Ave Maria" for the ceremony!!!!

Oh and my newest addiction is "Zumba" if you don't know what it is please, please google it and check it out!!  It is a dance work out to latin dances: cumbias, salsa, merengue, regetton, and some flamenco.  You go to class for 1 hour and believe me it goes by fast!  I have been attending since the beginning of December and I can tell a difference in my clothes & even Mark is noticing the difference (he never notices if I gain or loose weight, I love the fact that love is blind!) in how I look!!  There is more to tell about this wonderful workout but I will save that for another post.

So here you go...I'll shut-up and show you the pictures of Joseph!  I know that's what everyone is waiting for. ;)

Joseph playing with his truck and bat

This is from yesterday morning before he went to "school"

WOW, he looks just like Mark in these pictures!!!

Here he is at my parents house during Christmas

Sleepy baby in his super cool pj's from his Aunt Myra & Uncle Myron!