It is late and I am tired, but I don't want to go to bed. The house is quiet and that is a rarity. Hayden, is not pulling at my arm or demanding play time. Erin is not complaining about life in general. David is not sawing, drilling, or doing lord knows what while working on his latest poker table order. There is only the soft hum of the computer and the stillness of night. Even the crickets and bull frogs are quiet.

I am currently scouring ehealthinsurance.com for a new insurance plan. We received David's benefit information and it is through a provider my current surgeon and cardiologist don't accept. Unfortunately, my search is not showing a plan that matches the one offered through his job for the same $$. It looks like I will have to meet and adjust to a new cardiologist. This makes me more than a little sad. I've grown used to my current cardiologist and trust him completely. Luckily, I am through all the serious stuff. All that is left is routine check ups and seeing if we can figure out what is going on with this blood pressure! It's still rather high, 130/70 with medication, and my heart rate is still hovering around 85 with medication.

I have an engagement session and senior session to shoot this weekend. I'm hopeful that the weather will cooperate for both and I can get some pretty pictures. It's been a while since my last session and I'm really looking forward to being behind the camera again.

I'm also hopeful that we'll be able to squeeze in a trip to the pumpkin patch. I can't believe it's been a year since I dressed Hayden in his little pumpkin suit and paraded him through the pumpkins. I remember it like it was yesterday! He was so small and fit perfectly in his sling. I remember wanting nothing more than to be close enough to touch him forever. I still feel that way. At night I move him to our bed when he wakes up and enjoy holding him next to me. He tosses and turns, sometimes hitting his dad or me in the head or laying on top of us. So many people tell us he shouldn't sleep with us, but I ignore them. He will only be a baby for a little while. There are only so many of these moments to savor.

Hayden's first birthday party was a success. Of course the combination of presents and chocolate cake is almost always a success. He plowed into his cake as if it were second nature. He must get his love of all things chocolate from me. :) He had a blast running away from us and trying to make it all the way up the steps before we caught him. He played with a few of his new toys and chased after balloons. And now he is sleeping soundly despite the noise from the power tools David is using to build his most recently ordered poker table.

In the middle of party planning and visiting with David's dad I interviewed for a new job on Friday. It's with Life Touch studios in the JC Penny portrait studio. I'm excited about the prospect of learning more about the studio side of photography. I had thought it would be a bland job where I place one kid after another in the same boring setting and click the shutter, but there seems to be much more creative license than I thought. The studio is full of props and back drops. I filled out the background check and as soon as that has processed they'll hopefully give me a job offer. The lady I interviewed with said she thought I was an excellent fit for the position. I'll wait to see what the hours are going to be like before I sign off at Ross. I enjoy my job there, but the hours are so few and they've been calling me off about once every other week. I need something a little more steady than that.