Happy Halloween!!!

So is everyone else feeling like me and you can’t believe that it is already the end of October? WOW. Where has this year gone? Not to sound old, but time really does fly by the older you get!

We have had some excitement since I posted last time! Last week, Tuesday night, I was at home with the girls while the boys were at football practice. I was sitting with Faith Anne and reading her a book and Gracie had just gotten down off my lap. She tripped over my foot (because apparently I am not supposed to have appendages). She fell into our gliding rocker – pushing the seat back and exposing the wood underneath. She cut her eye and got a big shiner on her eye! I freaked out because it was bleeding and immediately starting swelling…so I called Scott and made him come home from football practice. We put ice on it and decided not to take her to the hospital. The cut wasn’t that deep and it was so close to her eye, I don’t think they could’ve done stitches anyways. I have a scar in the exact same place next to my eye! Plus, she was acting fine. I still got up to check on her a million times that night! But doesn’t she look pitiful in this picture?!?!?

So, the very next day….I kept checking on her with the babysitter and then I headed home to get Isaac from school….when I get a call from Scott that he had been in an accident! I am so lucky that I wasn’t in an accident trying to get to him! He was sitting (stopped) at a green light because the car in front of him was turning left…the car behind him didn’t stop and the speed limit was 55. So, she hit him going pretty fast. She was driving a big Denali and he was driving his little Focus. So, the picture I have attached is the rear end! The front end also had damage because he was pushed into the car in front of him. Yeah, it totaled our little Focus – our little PAID OFF Focus. That is the bummer of it all. Praise the Lord, Scott was fine and the kids were not with him….and we are getting over $7300 from the insurance company for our 2003 Ford Focus that had 97,000 miles on it! While I was typing this post…we bought a car! We bought a 2003 Ford Explorer with the third seat. This is a blessing in disguise because the Focus was too small for our family of 5, but did I mention that it was PAID OFF?!?!? Anyways….we only had to finance a little bit that we will pay off in February and we got a vehicle that we can all fit in comfortably and it has less miles than the Focus did! At any rate, God is good. Scott wasn’t injured even though all the attorneys that have called us and sent us letters want him to be. LOL

So…those two things have helped to make our lives very interesting! The other thing that has been going on….Isaac’s football team is STILL UNDEFEATED! We made it through the first two rounds of the tournament, so we have a big game on Saturday morning! We are playing another team that is undefeated. So…about 9:00 on Saturday, say a little prayer for Isaac…and his parents because I have turned into quite the crazy woman at these games. I know these kids will be so heartbroken if they lose and it is really so much fun to watch them win! They won by an interception this past Sunday and it was so cool! One of our boys intercepted it at the 10 yard line and ran in for the touch-down. Talk about an exciting win!! Football season has been extra fun this year! And Isaac is really enjoying it all! There are some good kids on his team.

So, that is the really big things that have been going on here! Let me give you a person-by-person recap….

Scott
Obviously the biggest thing with him has been this accident! But, he is also transferring from the Dayton area to the Cincinnati area for work. He has been guaranteed that he will have all the North turf to work (which is closer than he has been driving lately) and he will be working with his buddy Jason again….and his boss is a friend of their’s. I don’t really understand it all…but I am just praying that he made the right decision. They really didn’t want to lose him from Dayton, so I am sure he can come back if it doesn’t work out….but that is weighing heavy on my heart and mind. I just want him to be happy and if this will help that, then I am all for it.

Isaac
I gave you the football recap….more importantly; school is going really good for him! I went to his parent/teacher conference and she had nothing but great things to say about him and how bright he is. On all of this testing they do, he is leading his class as far as where he is now vs. where they should be. He is doing exceptionally well in math – so he is for sure my kid. The only problems she is having with him is talking – and more because he is making sure everyone else is doing what they are supposed to be doing – and not putting his name on his paper. So….I already knew about both of those things and we have been talking to him about that. But she really had some nice things to say about him and it went really good! I took him and Faith Anne to see High School Musical 3 on Sunday and he liked it, but hid his eyes at the kissing scenes. He is such a funny kid. It is so fun to see him growing up and hearing some of the things he comes up with. I love experiencing every new thing with him….he is such a joy!

Faith Anne
My little Diva is always keeping us on our toes! I think I am going to get her in dance, but we are having a dilemma because football season is lasting so long. She is doing good at preschool and seems to be learning so much. I hope she will be ready for Kindergarten next year. I really want to put her in the Kids’ Club program like we had Isaac in, so hopefully that will work out for us financially. She still has her ornery streak where she hits or bites or kicks her siblings when she doesn’t get her way, but we are working on that. Talking to her or reasoning with her is hard….but it does seem to help some! It is just funny how different she is from Isaac. Here is an example…the other day when we were leaving the movie theater, for some reason she and Isaac both started to run at the same time. I saw it about to happen, but I couldn’t stop it…they bumped into eachother and she fell down really hard. Immediately she starts crying and so does Isaac because he feels so bad and it was truly an accident. Faith Anne got up and hit him…..and he was crying because he felt bad for her! Yeah…if he would’ve been the one to fall, I am pretty sure she would’ve just laughed at him. They are so different!!!!

Gracie
Besides the constant bruises, she is doing great and developing such a cute little personality and saying so much. She really talks very well for her age…a lot better than Faith Anne did at this age. She is talking in sentences and just says the cutest things. We definitely have to keep a constant eye on her! We keep joking that Grace wasn’t the best name for her….Faith Anne told my mom we were going to change her name! LOL

So, that is our update! Me? I am doing good. My weight loss has really slowed down – which is very depressing! But I knew that would happen. I have less than 30 pounds to go to be at my goal…but that might change once I get closer.

OH! I am doing the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving! Yep…Hope (the girl I work with) and I are all signed up for a 5 mile race on Thanksgiving Morning! Now, I have no delusions that we are going to WIN that race…I just want to say I finished it and NOT come in last place! The slowest person last year finished in 1 hour and 37 minutes. I know we can beat that. I have done 2 miles in 25 minutes, so if I can shave some time off of that, we will be fine! It starts at 8:00 that morning. I am so exciting about this….and can’t wait to say that I did that!!! I hope this is the first of many more to come!

Work is fine…..kinda boring right now. I know it is going to pick up here soon, though… so I am just enjoying it for right now. My new boss is great…so I don’t have all the drama to write about that I did before!

So, Trunk or Treat is tonight! Isaac is going to be a beat-up/bloody football player, Faith Anne is going to be Snow White and Gracie is going to be Minnie Mouse. I will try to get a good picture to post of my three kiddos. I am not looking forward to all the candy…but it is supposed to be great weather and the kids always love it so much. I am taking tomorrow off so that I can go to Isaac’s party at school. I like to participate in those as much as possible…I don’t want him to feel like his “working mom” didn’t get to be there for him. So, I am making cupcakes and going to help! I love that…it is so fun to see them interact with their friends…and embarrass them with a hug or a kiss! LOL

Well, that is about it for today! I will be so extremely happy when the election is over! I loved what Kelley posted or emailed…I don’t remember which….about no matter who wins the election…God is still GOD and HE is still in charge! I am so scared for our world right now – not even just our country. I hope Jesus comes and takes us home soon!

Love to all!!!! And Happy Halloween!!!!

Say your prayers today, please....

Where does the time go? Am I the only one who cannot believe we are in the middle of October and heading into the Holiday Season? Wow. Time just seems to go at warp speed anymore. I know, I know…I sound like an old person. I guess I kinda am an old person! LOL

Well, quite a bit has happened since last time…the first thing I am going to write about is just the biggest thing on my mind today and I would ask that you stop what you are doing (even reading this! lol) and say a prayer for Jodi, Jimmie and the two precious foster children that they have to say goodbye to today. Thanks for doing that…. So, today is going to be a rough day for them, but they are going to be (and have already been) so blessed for listening to God’s prodding and showing His love to these little girls. So, we saw them over the weekend and it was sad to say goodbye to them. Faith Anne and Maycie just kept hugging each other and the goodbyes took forever. And that was a three year old and a four year old who didn’t really know that they wouldn’t see each other again. Those girls have made a lasting impression on all of us!

The other thing that is weighing on my heart is today would have been my Aunt Barb and Uncle Claude’s 37th Wedding Anniversary – she passed away last Wednesday…one week before their anniversary. Last week was a whirlwind…It started on Friday night while I was at the Ladies’ Retreat. They had to pick up my Aunt by ambulance because she had gone into what we thought was a diabetic coma. Her blood sugar went down to 30. So, Saturday morning as I was leaving the retreat, I called my mom to firm up our plans for the day and she told me that it wasn’t looking good for my Aunt. So…I cried pretty much all morning and at Isaac’s football game that afternoon. It was Parent Appreciation Day, so our whole family walked out on the field with him at the start of the game. Well, Mom came to the game and she and I left for the hospital as soon as the game was over. My Aunt was not doing well at all and it was hard to see her like that. The next day (Sunday), they moved her to Hospice. At the hospital, the person from Hospice told them that their goal would be to get her home. Well, as soon as they got to Hospice, the nurse immediately told them that she was in the final stages and she would not be going home – that she had less than a week, from her best guess. Let me tell you – Hospice is an amazing, amazing place. The work they do is just amazing. That night, Aunt Barb would respond somewhat to my Uncle and her kids. So, at one point…we all gathered around her bed and the chaplain led us in the Lord’s Prayer and Psalm 23 and then another clergy sang a few hymns. It was just an amazing experience. My cousin Michael got out his Bible and read some scripture…..it was so beautiful. So, both Monday and Tuesday I had to work but would go straight from work to Hospice….and then we got the call Wednesday morning that she had passed away. I am glad it happened the way that it did…she passed very peacefully. And I know that she is healed completely and loving all the children up in heaven. She was an amazing person who loved so many and that was so clear in her funeral on Friday. We had family in from Oklahoma and so Thursday & Friday were consumed with family time and grieving time. My family definitely all pulls together and shares a lot of love and laughter. It was just what Aunt Barbara would have wanted. Please continue to pray for my Uncle Claude and the kids – Andy, Michael and Nichol and Michaela, the grandbaby. For them, the hardest days are still ahead and I am sure today is going to be a hard day for Claude.

Thank you all for your kind words, prayers and hugs. I really appreciate it.

In other news, I haven’t heard anything from the school about that job. I am thinking they probably gave it to someone internally…but it would’ve been nice to at least have gotten an interview! I am going to have to check on that. I wasn’t really holding my breath, but it would’ve been nice!

Quick recap on my family…

Isaac
He is still doing good in school. I have a conference with his teacher on Thursday and his report card should be coming out soon. He has gotten in trouble a few times for talking too much – go figure. But I think things are going good there. He still says he likes school and his teacher. They are on a field trip today and my Dad is there with them. He is such a good Papaw! Isaac’s football team is still undefeated! Our last game of the regular season is Saturday and then we enter tournament time. It would be so cool for them to go all the way – they would get to play at Welcome Stadium (UD’s field). So, we will see! He is going to miss it when it is over, that is for sure. He has a really good time – and so does Scott!!!

Faith Anne
She is still having some behavior problems…but they aren’t horrible. I am thinking it is her age and a middle child syndrome. But I do really enjoy her…she cracks me up and can be so very sweet when she wants to be. She seems to be doing good at Preschool. I am anxious to meet with her teacher to see what she thinks about her.

Gracie
My baby turned two! That is just so hard to believe! She kept saying “my birthday” and still does. If anyone else says it is their birthday, she has a fit. We had fun at her birthday party….she really enjoyed throwing everything (tissue paper, card and present) out of the bags. LOL It was the fastest I have ever seen someone open presents! I had to go back through everything afterwards to see what she got since she just threw everything, but it was very cute!

Scott
Things are going fine for him with work….and he is still enjoying coaching football. I think he will be happy to see the season end, but he has had fun this year. I think we are both ready to get back to a more normal routine…until the next thing starts!

So, that is about it for us, I guess. It has been a crazy few weeks, but life should be settling down again soon. Scott and I have a date night this weekend and we haven’t had time for just the two of us for a very long time…so I am thrilled about that! I think we are going to do dinner and a movie. I want to see that movie “Fireproof”, so hopefully it is still in the theaters this weekend.

Oh, I have been enjoying the “reconnecting” part of Facebook! I don’t know much about all the other “stuff”…but I have been talking to a few people from high school and college and it is really neat to get reconnected through that! It has sure brought back some good memories!!! Now all the other stuff, I will have to figure that out when I have time to sit and play with it…but the talking to people is fun!

Hope you all have a great week…..praying for Jodi and Jimmie!!!!