More Pictures

Charlotte and Joshua at Marilyn & Papoo's house, she was getting ready to give him a kiss.

Joshua as Charlotte was getting closer to kissing her brother. I adore this picture.

Charlotte would go sit on Papoo's lap, but Joshua wouldn't. He's still a bit stranger-shy.

This is Papoo and Marilyn's adopted daughter Kim who is getting married the weekend after SuAnne and Jason. I've known her since she was about 12, I can't believe she's getting married!

Utah Trip So far...

The bride, SuAnne, as we were working on favors, she was just watching! Okay, let me rephrase that, SuAnne was doing quality control as Jason was cutting candles to put into shotgun shells, to be used as favors, which I was tying rafia and charms to.

Jason, on the phone on the way to Clearfield to see Marilyn and Papoo (Chris' grandpa and his wife). I love this picture of him.

SuAnne in the "thinker" pose, watching Jason on the phone. This is so typical Su.

Joshua in the car on the way to visit Marilyn and Papoo. He was tired.

Reflections on life...

I'm honestly in some sort of funk tonight, and as such, thought I'd blog a bit about my life and the things that are going on.

My good friend Kristina had brain surgery this morning. She went to the optometrist a couple of weeks ago because she had been having a lot of headaches and through several trips to her regular doctor, and no success she figured that she needed new glasses. God had ordained that trip. She was scheduled for an appointment at around 4:30, but was in town and figured she'd give the optometrist's office a call, because she wasn't feeling well and wanted to go home, to see if they could squeeze her in. They did, and the optometrist looked at her and referred her to an opthamologist, immediately. Like she was to go straight to the opthamologist's office. He looked at her and said that there was a major problem and that he was going to refer her to a neurosurgeon. To make a long story somewhat shorter, she had an MRI last Monday, a spinal tap on Friday, and then went in for the results yesterday. While at that appointment, they told her they were not going to let her go home, and that she was going to have surgery last night. That didn't happen afterall and she went in this morning. Thankfully everything is okay and she is recovering now. They removed a tumor from the lower ventricle of her brain and put in a shunt to help with drainage. So she's recovering now and we're thankful that God had her in his hands all along and orchestrated the best care possible for her.

I recently found out that my sister in law is going to make me an aunt again. James Alex is due sometime around Thanksgiving. So that is going to be fun. I've been working hard to get the dresses done in time for SuAnne's wedding (not the sister-in-law who's having the baby) on the 2nd of next month. We leave a week from Friday to head out to Utah for 10 days. I'm ready for a vacation. I'm hoping that we'll have some time to go sightseeing and see somewhere new while we're out there. Should be fun.

I've been reading a blog that has me amazed at this family's strength in trials. Audrey Caroline Blog I love how honest and heartfelt her writing is, and I have laughed and cried along with her. Warning, if you do go read it, take a box of tissues. She has an amazing talent with words and I can't wait to read it when she posts. We have a friend who is going through a similar problem with her pregnancy and I was able to connect the two ladies, and I"m so glad that it has given our friend hope and strength to just read the words that Angie writes. Beautiful.

I wish I had something profound to update you all with. In truth it's just been pretty much every day life around here. Still now potty training. I'm wrapping up my summer classes. I did drop my biology class, because I was essentially failing it and didn't want that ugly mark on my transcript. I learned that you can't fake a biology class, and you certainly can't do it in a shortened time period. So, if I need to take one, it'll have to be over a full semester sometime. We'll see. I think I'm okay without it though. I will have to pick up a single unit somewhere this semester (probably through Yuba College) though, in order to keep on track with substitute teaching this spring. I'm so excited and yet a bit anxious about that. I think it's part of the whole change thing, and knowing that it is something I've worked so long for, and dreamed about for even longer, and it's finally here. It's almost like I'm giving birth for the first time again. I have doubts and questions over whether or not I'm really ready, and if I can do this, and all the what ifs. It's a bit nervewracking, and exciting at the same time. I'm not even sure that I really experienced it like this when I was pregnant with Charlotte, because she really didn't give me that option, arriving so early.

We've been working on Joshua's room this past weekend. (Thanks mom!) I'm totally in love with all that's been done. It's still a work in progress, but you can see what we've done so far. (okay, we've really done more than this, but I forgot to take pictures again today).





I love it! It's so fun and kid friendly. Joshua loves it too. He spent his first night in his room the other night, and I heard him chattering to himself for a good half hour before he went to sleep. I'm sure he was talking to the sheep and the airplane and all of the rest of the characters and things in there. I'll share more pictures when it's done!

I hope this finds everyone well. Know that we love you and are praying for you all.