Dumont Posse

Today has been a long time coming. It was two days prior to Gregory Hebert having to go to trial. He was scheduled for a long drawn out trial Monday, July 13, 2009. The night in question was June 23, 2007, two years ago. It has been a long road of trial calendar calls that led no where and a lot of Greg not showing up or having to be at any of the court dates. Meanwhile, my mother has showed up to each and every one. He was indicted on two counts. The first was driving to endanger, death resulting and the second was leaving the scene of the accident, death resulting. He had originally pleaded not guilty and today he withdrew that plea. He entered a nolo contendere plea, which as the judge stated, "Is considered guilty in the state of RI." At this point he is looking at a maximum of 2 years jail time and a total of 10 years of probation. The sentencing is currently scheduled for September 10, 2009. At this point we will find out what the judge is sentencing him to as far as jail time. He did state today that while he is sure there will be jail time, he cannot say how much jail time just yet. We just know that the maximum will be two years. He gets to spend the next 8 weeks free while he awaits the judge's decision.

All of that being said, I can't say this makes anyone happy or leaves anyone disappointed. What I can say is that I am personally glad he will serve some time in prison. While two years seems inadequate to the crime, no amount of time he serves will make me feel more at peace over losing my sister. Also, I can honestly say I am a bit relieved that we didn't have to relive those awful last moments of Ashley's death through a drawn out trial. Two months from now this will all be behind us. While it will never be forgotten, it makes no difference to me, as it will never bring her back.

Yesterday was spent with family and friends. We started with our annual tradition, breakfast at one of Ashley's favorite spots, T's Restaurant. It went well and not much discussion of Ashley, as it is still incredibly difficult to speak her name without getting teary eyed. Once they start it seems almost impossible to stop them. Next Scott, Drake and I headed to do laundry (it had to be done) and while Drake and I waited in the car and Scott loaded the laundry in, I let the tears flow. I headed over to Ashley's myspace and read Mom's comment and began to comment myself. I was unable to stop the tears and Drake gave me a look that let me know that he knows exactly why I am crying, he knows who she is and he misses her too. That is what kills me more than anything (I'm being redundant if you've already read above mentioned myspace comment) is that she never got to hold either of her nephews (that is right baby number 2 is also a boy, more on that later.) After laundry we headed to Mom's to bake cookies for the 4th of July party at Aunt Gayles this Saturday. Drake had a fantastic time ripping apart her tupperware cupboard and playing with AJ (the dog.) Lastly, we all headed to the cemetery to meet family and friends for our memorial get together. Typically these aren't sad, as everyone tries to keep an upbeat spirit about them. I did manage to escape for two seconds and in doing so the tears began to fall again. I couldn't control it, just thinking about losing her makes me really sad. I know this will always be true and from it I gather that I remember the good and the bad and she brings tears and smiles to my face and heart.

This blog is a bit all over the place and for that I apologize. Now to get a bit more hectic.

Drake began walking June 5, 2009. It was at our ultrasound appointment and we were in the office waiting room with Scott's parents. It was pretty amazing and he hasn't slowed down since.

We are 21 weeks pregnant as of Monday. What this means is Colten Robert is about as long as a carrot and approximately 3/4 pound. He has been measuring one week big which really means he is the length of a spaghetti squash and approximately one pound! I've been feeling him move about and kick for weeks now, but this week they have really increased and I don't doubt that those movements will be felt externally very soon (yay for Daddy!) At our 20 week ultrasound we learned two things, the first is that he is now breach. Drake was also breach, hence the c-section. Luckily we already know we are having a c-section so no dissapointment there. Secondly that the ultrasound technician could not tell if it was a boy or girl this go around. At our 18 week ultrasound we were told it was a boy. Needless to say, next week we will be heading in for a 22 week ultrasound to confirm boy/girl. I am almost positive it will still show a boy. I'm pretty excited that Drake will have the experience of having a brother to play and grow with.

Some past important dates and happenings...
June 6 - Ryan and Gina tied the knot! Ryan is Scott's middle brother. They have been together many years and made it official. The day was gorgeous. Drake attended the ceremony but spent the reception at Aunty Sarah's with cousin Landon and Uncle Kyle. They honeymooned in Aruba and based on stories and photos, they had a wonderful time!

June 27 - Justin and Pamela tied the knot! Justin is Scott's cousin. What a wonderful couple. I don't think any couple emmulates love like these two. You can tell they love each other simply by looking at them or watching them around each other. The ceremony was a catholic ceremony and the reception was held at Pamela's parent's house. What a beautiful home! It was an outdoor event, very simplistic but so extraordinary! The bride and groom looked amazing! They are currently honeymooning in Jamaica.

July 2 - Brian and John finally adopted India Opal Vaughn-Hallene! They've been her foster parents basically since she was born and it sure has been a process. But it is finally official. They now have two beautiful adopted daughters!

Upcoming things to look foward to...
July 4 - Party at Aunty Gayles!
July 11 - Brian and John tie the knot!
July 29 to 31 - Camping at Six Gun City in NH with Dad and Jacob!
August 1 - Baby Sprinkle!
August 5 to 11 - Trip to North Carolina to visit the in-laws!

Drake turned 1 year last Thursday, May 21, 2009!!! I cannot believe how quickly the time has passed. We had his big birthday bash on Saturday and it was a rubber ducky theme. It was amazing and lots of people celebrated with us.

Today Drake and I are spending the day at home. Scott has some things to do today. Later he will be taking my brother to Robyn's (www.rnrphotoworld.com) to get his professional head shot done for his real estate career. After that I have my first physical therapy appointment in this pregnancy. I've been having some pretty severe low back pain. I had this the entire pregnancy with Drake and it kept me from sitting or standing for more than an hour. I'm hoping it doesn't get that bad this time. They put me in two times a week after today. I had my 13 week appointment yesterday. It went well, I got the physical therapy script and I got to hear the heartbeat for the first time. I go back in 3 weeks for my 16 week check up. At that point I will be able to schedule my Anatomy ultrasound. I cannot wait. I'm counting down the weeks.
Baby Bean - 13 weeks and 3 days today! The baby is about 3 inches long and is about the size of a medium shrimp. This is the good part of the pregnancy where you feel better. That is absolutely true of this pregnancy.
Drake - I weighed him yesterday and he weighed 23.1 lbs. He has his 12 month check up at the end of this month. He is mumbling off sentences and phrases, not that we can understand all of them. He is becoming very independent and enjoys feeding himself. We've been preparing for his first birthday party, which happens next weekend. I cannot believe he will be 1 in just one short week. Time truly has flied.

I'm sick to my stomach. I feel like a complete failure. I interviewed for a job last Friday and felt 100% sure of myself that I would be getting the position. I normally wouldn't have been so confident but the interviewer commented on how she liked my resume and how she wanted me to meet the other manager. Mind you this job was through an employee placement get up. I told that lady I was pregnant but not the interviewer. Low and behold, here it is Thursday and I get a phone call from the employee placement lady saying they filled all of the positions. I have a feeling she recommended not hiring me due to the pregnancy. Of course, there is no way to prove this but I just have a gut feeling. I don't know what else to do. I am applying for all the jobs I can, getting less interviews as time goes on and obviously no offers. As the pregnancy progesses, it is going to be harder to keep it a secret. I am simply at a loss of words and ideas.

We are having a baby and in doing so, we are planning to pick Godparents. I must admit I am not the best religious person. I haven't been to church since Drake was baptized. Despite my godmother's best efforts to get me there, I never make it. This is no excuse. I'm letting Drake down in showing him and teaching him about his relationship with God. I may find this hard to do because I am not all that clear on my own relationship with God. I was baptized last March and wish there was something to draw me back in. A group or something extra that will keep me connected. I've been looking and continue. Also, watching movies about God and reading articles really have me thinking. I am making a promise to myself and God that I will have my relationship sorted out and more stable prior to bringing my next child into the religious community. I owe my children that at the very least.
This makes me ponder, what should I really be looking for when choosing Godparents. When we chose Drake's we chose on whether they were baptized, would they be there for him in the future and could they help him if he wasn't comfortable seeking help from us(his parents.) We chose Scott's best friends Tim and John and Tim's wife Robyn. John was our religion expert, he was the devoted Episcopalian. Granted he has had some church issues and from what I understand has been a less than avid church goer. I believe that he still has just a strong relationship with God and he will be there if Drake has questions about religion. Tim and Robyn, we can always count on them to be there. Robyn sends cards and gifts any chance she gets. I know Drake will feel their presence in his life. They will be people he undoubtedly could go to for anything. I whole heartedly believe we made the right choice.
As for choosing Ashlee/Colten's godparents, I've had a couple of questions. I'd really like at least one of the Godparents to be an avid church goer. By then myself and the kids will be and I want the same for their sponsor. I'd like one of them to be a guide and someone they can depend on not to forget anything(birthdays, baptism anniversary, etc.) Lastly, this may sound odd, but if it is a girl, I want one of them to be someone who was close to my sister. After all the child will be named after her. I'd like this person to be someone who can tell my kids stories about my sister, perhaps stories I don't know about. That being said, we haven't really made any decisions. If it is a girl, ideally we will choose two females and one male. If it is a boy, vice versa. At this point, I have an idea for one godparent, regardless of the child's sex. That's all for my religious spiel.

It sure has been a while. We have been without internet and cable for over a month now. This means my posting is scarce unfortunately. I wanted to get on and do a few quick updates...
Drake - OMG he is going to be the ONE in a short 20 days! This past year has flown by and my little man is so big! He took two steps on his own the other day and I was so excited. He has yet to grasp the idea of walking on his own but this is just fine with me. He crawls like a speed demon and is starting to say more and understand even more. He is amazing.
Baby Bean - Well we have names for baby bean, either Ashlee Vanessa or Colten Robert. Ashlee Vanessa is after my sister who passed away July 2, 2007. Her name was Ashley Renae. We chose Ashlee so she would have her own written identity and Vanessa because it means butterfly. Ashley loved butterflies. Colten is simply a name we liked, his nickname will be Cole (Daddy's choice.) The middle name is after Scott's Pop who passed in September of 07 and my Grampa who passed on Halloween many years ago. We are about 12 weeks and 5 days pregnant. There has been plenty of confusion about our due date. We meet with the doctor May 20th for our next prenatal appointment and to discuss the dates. Currently I am out of the first trimester, which is amazing. With the second trimester, comes less worry, no longer existent morning sickness and we are that much closer to finding out if we are going to be blessed with a girl or boy. At this point I've come to terms with whatever it may be. I'd prefer a girl so that my heart will be okay with only two children. At the same time a boy would be nice, because as my brother Ben says, "I would have enjoyed having a brother to play with." I'm torn. We should be able to find out in June, but we will know more after May 20th.
Us - We've been super busy looking for employment. Scott's unemployment is quickly running out and I have no income. I had an interview Monday and also one today. I haven't heard from the Monday interview but I feel really great about todays. I should know more about today's interview on Monday. It is a great opportunity and I am praying that I get the position and then can impress them enough to hire me as a permanent, regardless of the fact that I am pregnant. We have an extremely busy month ahead. Between birthday parties, birthdays, wedding showers, and vacation we will be right out straight!