After 5 years......

I finally found the PERFECT curtains!!!!!!! I got a new bedding set and was casually looking at the curtains that matched and realized they were PERFECT for my living room!!! I originally bought two because I thought it was just the valance. Once I opened them up....I found it was the valance, AND two attached panels with tie backs!!!!!!!!!! You don't know how much of a blessing this is for me!!! I am the type to go without something rather than settle with something I don't fully love, so that is why for 5 plus years my windows have had no treatment whatsoever! Not anymore!!!!!!!!

Below is my new winter bedding set. I absolutely LOVED my one I had last winter but unfortunately ruined it by drying it in the dryer...oops! But I found this one at Walmart.com and could not be happier with it!!! Can you tell whose side of the bed is whose? LOL!!!!! I embrace my husbands collections that is for sure! Someday we will have a room just devoted to Spiderman and movie memorabilia.....someday!
I hope to hear from everyone soon *HINT HINT* I seem to be one of the only ones in BLOGWORLD right now!

Proud to be an American

Truly this is one of our greatest accomplishments this year. After thousands of dollars, 21 years and more paperwork than imaginable, my husband is now an American citizen!!! I am so proud of him! He has wanted this for so long! He always says he is American born in a Spanish country since he came when he was little. He doesn't even have an accent and barely even speaks Spanish LOL!!! It was an amazing sight to see so many people with a desire to become citizens! I truly had teary eyes the whole ceremony!!! Since pictures were limited, there are only a few. But they are the first of Julio, an American citizen!


Tomorrow I work my first closing shift, 12:30-9 and I am actually looking forward to it. I have gotten to sleep in for the past two days and I fear I am getting too used to it LOL! Work is going very well though!

You know it's the little things!

Julio got me three pairs of new socks today (yes I have an obsession...no I will NOT admit I have a problem..you can NEVER have too many socks!!) and these were my favorites.....for obvious reasons...I mean come on....penguins AND toe socks!!!!!!

Tomorrow is Julio's swearing in ceremony. At 9 am, the US will have a new citizen!!!!!

We had a little Yorkiepoo puppy come in that literally looked like a walking ball of fluff!!! It never went in a kennel because we just had it out on the floor playing with her!! What a cutie!

This is a wheaten terrier and it is now my dog of choice!! They are such sweeties! After they are done, they always look like teddy bears and their hair is like those nice plush blankets!!!
And this is my ultimate puppy! A teacup Yorkie! I really want one of these little cuties too! By the time we are done getting our dream animals, we won't have any room for us!!!

October 10, 2006

It is with heavy heart that I post this blog. October 10, 2006 our daughter was born into Heaven. Elisabeth Nicole Zuleta died at 2:01 am weighing 2lb 2 oz. 12 inches long.

September 26, 2006 we went for a routine ultrasound to find out the sex of the baby. My mother in law came with us since we were hoping to find out for her birthday. The technician would not show us anything or tell us things about the baby. She said she couldn't see if it was a boy or girl. I didn't know this was abnormal because my first pregnancy ended at 7 weeks. After she was done, she told my that I needed to call my doctor immediately because she wanted to set up an appointment for Monday. So we went in Monday thinking we were going to just get another ultrasound. How wrong I was. You know that ugly feeling when you walk into a room and you KNOW something isn't wrong, that was the first thing I felt when my OBGYN came into the examining room. The first thing I said was "What is wrong with my baby?" She then proceeded to tell us that she believed she had Turner's Syndrome , which I had never even heard of. Apparently, only 10% of baby's that have Turner's Syndrome even make it to 12 weeks, here I was 20 weeks. So I felt that maybe there was some hope that our baby would beat the odds. We were set up for an amniocentesis, which is a test where they put a needle into your uterus through your abdomen and take an amniotic fluid sample. They can test for any chromosome disorders. Here is where we got an even greater blow. Not only did she have TS, but her lungs were only developed to a stage of 11 weeks, her heart was backwards, and her arms and legs were deformed. They told me it was a miracle I had not lost the baby before then. They told us it was a waiting game. I woke up every morning to face the fact that eventually, my baby was going to die, and left to wonder whether today would be the day.

October 9th I could not sleep. I had a really bad back ache and seemed to just toss and turn. I had also started to leak fluid. Soon the back ache got so bad I could barely stand. It was Columbus Day and my Dr. was closed so they paged her and sent me to the ER. They did an ultrasound and found out that our precious daughter had already passed away and that my body had gone into labor. I was 2 cm dilated but was not effacing. They admitted me, gave me cervadil and told me to wait. They offered me the epidural which I foolishly denied because they told me it would be 24 to 48 hours before I would be ready to push and I didn't want to be confined to a bed that long. They gave me Stadol which put me to sleep for four hours. At 1:45 am I woke up in excruciating pain and paged the nurse. They paged the anesthesiologist to give me the epidural but my nurse told me I was at 10 cm and ready to push. Not only was I doing it pain med free with no reward at the end, the baby was also breeched. They thought that with the amount of time they thought I had that she would naturally turn. WRONG. It very much felt like a horror movie. The lights were all dull, I was in a fog, and I could barely talk because my throat was so dry. By the time it was all over, I just wanted to go back to sleep. Because of the severe deformities of our baby, the doctors recommended we not see the baby and I whole heartedly know that was the right decision for us. I know that it is easier to imagine my baby whole and beautiful at Jesus' feet.

Leaving the hospital was one of the most heartbreaking things to go through. As I am sitting there in my wheel chair with no flowers or gifts or balloons surrounded by mothers and their newborns and people coming up to me to try to see MINE and having to reply that mine died tore my heart out over and over again. I just wanted a sign that said LEAVE ME ALONE< I HAVE NOTHING TO SHOW FOR MY EFFORTS!!!!

I went into sever PPD. I didn't want to be around anyone or anything. Those who knew I was pregnant but didn't know we had lost the baby all would ask how I was doing. I even had a nurse afterward ask me what it was like to give birth to a dead baby. Only by the grace of God and loving efforts from my amazing husband did I recover. I held so much bitterness in my heart. Thousands of babies are aborted all the time and here I was a young Christian woman who had grown up in church, has a loving husband and a desire for children, and I sat there with empty arms and an aching heart. It just wasn't fair. But after I got over the selfishness of it all, I realized that life is not always about what YOU want. In fact very rarely is it what we expect. My marriage is stronger than many people my age because we have gone through so many trials. I love him with all my heart.

Sorry to have put such a burden on everyone today, but it truly helps to look back and see how far you come and remember that when situations get tough, that is when you find out who you truly are. Thank you all for your love and prayers for tomorrow. I have to work so I need some extra prayers if you think about it. Love you all!! Enjoy your weekend!
21 weeks pregnant
Elisabeth Nicole Zuleta 11 weeks.

Part One

Well we are back. What a sweet time we had!! There are just too many pictures to put in one sitting (you will thank me later =P) so I have split it into two or more posts. To start the trip off to a lovely start, Julio locked his keys in the trunk and it took one insurance call and 35 mins later to get them out. Needless to say a spare key is definitely on the list of things to get now!!!

We left at around 4 pm and got to Maine in about 9 hours!!! Not bad timing if I say so myself!! A little back track, Julio's swearing in ceremony AND journeyman test were both scheduled while we were to be away doesn't that figure, so we had to reschedule both!

On to the trip pictures......

Blog buddies just HAD to get this one!!!!!!! Please feel free to enjoy Jen's blog! I assure you it will be a blessing to you!
What a wonderful lady she is! I grew up under her father as our Pastor and I can not think of anyone more suited for the ladies of Victory than this woman right here. She always has a sweet caring spirit, and is just crazy enough to be able to belong =P I wish I had been able to spend more time with her but the schedule was busy to no end! Rachel is such a beautiful young lady already and more power to her for putting up with those brothers of hers xD

These girls hold such a special place in my heart. Connie Jean (the little girl with the glasses) was a LONG awaited baby!! She was the result of much prayer from many people (so are all of the Cushman babies..but you know what I mean). That little baby had my heart from day one! I would babysit her quite often, helped her take some of her first steps, was there when she said some of her first words, and had a big hand in molding her into the Patriots fan she is today. I have missed her so much and I enjoyed having her hold my hand every moment I was near. And what a riot Leann is!!!! That girl is such a perfectionist already and is so mature!!!! What a cutie they both are!!!

This is three generations of women in our family. My grandmother and I always had a great relationship and I was so excited to see her!!!! Doesn't she still look gorgeous after all these years?!?!?!?
Sadie is my sister's dog (whom I ended up bathing while I was there)!! She is such a big part of our family no matter how much my dad tries to deny it. I was able to get pictures of my Izzy and say my goodbyes, but more on that much later.

The infamous Lobstah. There was no way my husband was gonna drive all the way up there and back and not eat his weight in lobster..I don't think he made it THAT much...not that you are fat...okay gonna stop now!!!!!
Ahhhhhhhhhhh two very important women in my life. Nicole and her mom Donna. I love them with all my heart. Nicole whether she knew it or not, was such a great rock in my life. No matter what she went through she always had a great attitude. Still does. And I know that is all because of the wonderful mother she has. We went down memory lane while we were there and boy....we were weird!!!! But we had such a great time! I was so lucky to be able to see them!!!

THIS is the famous spot where I broke my knee. Yes I was cheating..yes I got what I deserved..moving on LOL!!!



We were lucky enough to time our trip around so many things. One of which was the beautiful foliage in New England. Fall is one of the greatest seasons up there and as you can see, the beauty is breathtaking!
Julio and my dad went apple picking on the way home from one of their excursions and they were the biggest apples I have ever seen!!! My sister only needed two and a half to make two pies!!!!!!!!

Much more to come later! Whew!!!! What a long post!