i haven’t touched my good camera all week…unless you call my phone a camera…which i don’t.  i call it the next best thing when i don’t have my actual camera.  it will do the trick if i need it to.  but it’s not the same.

 

it captured some things for me this week…when i instinctively went for my camera and realized i didn’t have it but really wanted to capture the memory anyway.

 

 

like when this sweet friend took me to get an actual pedicure for an early birthday celebration.  i told you…i celebrate all month.  to be thorough…it’s the 24th…which is wednesday.  let that be a reminder.  🙂

 

 

if my memory serves me correctly…this was my first pedicure.  this is something that i could get behind.  they rubbed my feet.  plus she painted halloween spiders on my toes.  it was exciting.

 

the phone camera also captured annslee hurling herself down the stairs on her stomach.  although you can see the problem.

 

when trying to take pictures of constant motion…

 

you have to bring out the big dog.

 

no piddly phone camera will work.  even if it does start with an “i” and have a cute, little apple with a bite taken out of it on the back.

 

it worked here.

 

“pup-cake” anyone?

 

and this one…well i fell in complete love with him all over again when i saw him carrying his baby sister’s baby doll for her.

 

what a good big brother.

 

he pulled one of his bigger teeth this week.  i made the comment, “well…i guess the tooth fairy will need to make a visit tonight.”

 

he just smiled.

 

obviously…i forgot.

 

the next morning, he said, “i just love what the tooth fairy left me.”

 

i looked at him and smiled a “whoops” smile.

 

about 10 minutes later, i said…”hey, colt…did you feed trout?”

 

he said, “no.”

 

i said, “you really can’t forget to feed him.”

 

he looked at me and said,

 

“well…now we both forgot something.  we’re square.”

 

touche.



i woke up this morning and thought i had the world on a string.

 

i lounged in bed and smiled as the sounds of my four children playing and laughing filled my home.  colt had a friend spend the night and they had hit the driveway for an early game of hoops.  i listened as the older ones poured milk for the little ones…and thought about how lucky i was.  there might as well have been those cartoon birds from cinderella chirping right in my very own living room.

 

and then i walked out of my bedroom.

 

the scene was not quite as magical as i had pictured it in my head.

 

(and as if on cue…annslee just brought me cinderella’s dress to squeeze onto polly pocket’s raggedy haired body.)

 

the fact that i’m writing means nothing to her at this point. 

 

some day…you will read this, my darling and understand why my patience went a little thin when you kept insisting that sleeping beauty’s skirt WOULD, in fact, fit onto polly’s body.  for the love of sweet mother mary…it’s not going to work…but your persistance and stubborness will take you far in life if we can somehow harness it and channel it for good and not evil.

 

me:  “baby…it doesn’t’ fit on her.”

 

you:  “YEAH…..IT DO!!!!”

 

you just chucked them both across the foyer.

 

cinderella birds turned into massive piles of laundry…

 

 

counter tops that are covered with clutter…

 

corners of bedrooms that are filled with clothes and trash…

 

tables covered with dirty dishes and scraps of paper and crafts gone awry…

 

over flowing crap baskets on the stairs…

 

holy playroom disaster zones…

 

movie room mayhem…

 

and back to the playroom…because one picture of that just wouldn’t do it justice.

 

the house is so out of control, that i spent a good 10 minutes hunting my good camera.  i was starting to panic…when i found it under a stack on my desk.  i would have taken a picture of that…only my camera was on the bottom of it.

 

last night i told chad,

 

“everyone else is doing stuff.”

 

he said, “like what sort of stuff.”

 

i said, “stuff like going to the renaissance festival…or the pumpkin patch…or to san antonio…as a family.  we aren’t doing anything as a family.  we are always splitting up…you taking this one to practice here…and me taking that one to practice there.  we were all at colt’s game yesterday as a family…but some went early…some came late…we rode home separately.  i can’t remember the last time we all got in the car and went somewhere as a family.”

 

he said, “well…it’s hard.”

 

it is hard, i agreed.

 

yesterday morning, we were all at home for a split second and it felt like a vacation.  but not long after i took that breath of family fresh air did we all starting jetting in different directions again.

 

this morning…colt went to the early church service and caught a ride with his friend, while chad went to a different campus, while i planned to go with the younger 3 at 11.

 

after the dust had settled from the front door shutting again, i surveyed the damage that our busyness has caused our home.  (and not just the physical damage.)

 

yes…i am taking colt and aj to renfest in a few weeks with our home school co-op…but that’s not going as a family.  and yes…i will take one or more to the grocery to pick out a pumpkin…but that’s not family.  and yes…chad will coach colt’s basketball team and spend practices with him…but that’s not family.  and i will take chase with me to the girl’s gymnastics…but that’s not family.  i will take these two to that birthday party while chad takes those two with him on that missions project.  but…THAT’S NOT FAMILY!!!!”

 

i feel my heart beginning to scream, “STOP!”

 

“everybody. just. stop.”

 

if we continue on this busy train…we are likely to never get off.  and i miss my family.

 

so i’m thinking about how to remedy this situation and i’m pretty sure it’s going to involve saying “NO.”

 

i never thought i was a person who struggled to say no.  in fact, i say no to alot.  like…no…i can’t go out after the game.  or no…we can’t make that birthday party…but i love your kid anyway.  or no…we can’t have your friend over right this second.  but those little no’s aren’t really making a huge difference.  so i think it will have to be some bigger no’s.  like we have to take saturday…and we all have to say no.  we need to have a day…and we make it a priority to stay together.  i like together.

 

together is a wonderful place to be.

 

****

 

regardless of CLARKSON CALENDAR CRAZINESS 2012…this puddin cup sticks close by her mama.  she’s my right hand man.

 

she’s a mover and a shaker, that one.

 

always on the go.

 

i had the pleasure of folding in two extra kids for the evening this passed week.

 

i’m further convinced that once you have 4…any additionals just fold right on in there.  you barely know they’re there.

 

 

here’s to putting a weekly, family day into place.  i’m gonna need to schedule a meeting with chad to try to get this thing instituted.  i’ll let you know how it goes.

 



okay…sweet annslee james.

 

two days ago…on october 8th…it was your turn.

 

the big 3 was here.

 

when people ask you how old you are…you simply reply,

 

“wee.”

 

and that’s how you say 3.

 

we celebrated you and chase on the previous friday night in a big way.

 

first of all…you wore 2 piggy tails in your hair for the first time.  this is big.  huge.  your little wispies are growing.  slowly but surely.

 

 

we had a bit of a candy theme going.

 

you put on your shoes all by yourself for the first time too.  and it was a job well done.

 

the breeze was cool, and the pool had been warmed…welcoming you and chase and your siblings for the evening.

 

your biggest brother stuck close by…always protecting you, that one.

 

honey gave you your charm bracelet.  i had been saving your birthstone charm that granna and grandaddy gave you when you turned 1.  it was the perfect “first charm” for your bracelet.

 

on monday…your big day officially arrived.  your daddy and i woke you up by singing happy birthday.  you got embarrassed and covered your smile.

 

you got your first flowers from grandaddy…

 

and we enjoyed sesame street together.

 

then we got dressed and took a walk to the mailbox…where special presents were awaiting all the way from iowa.

 

fall had ushered in a cold front.  (we october babies get lucky sometimes.  i’ve been known to actually “wish” for a cold front for my birthday…and you got one, baby.)  you even had to wear my old fur coat from when i was 3 for our little trip.

 

when i come to get you out of your bed in the morning, i scoop you up with one hand because you are so tiny…as if plucking you from your very own tree perch.  you wrap your legs, tight around my waist and your arms tight around my neck.  and i smile and whisper, “my little koala” into your ear as we walk down the stairs to start our days together.  you have grown to love that.  so…i had a friend make you this koala hat this past summer.

 

trout and “da-do” (that’s what you call colton) walked with us to the mailbox.

 

once back home…you opened your present from grandma sue and your present from aunt katie, uncle davey, tayler, aubree and sawyer.

 

remember how much you loved playing on this phone in the pottery barn store in iowa last summer?  now it’s yours, kiddo.

 

this rapunzel doll came all the way from disney world.

 

we made “pup-cakes.”

 

and met daddy, granna, grandaddy, and uncle kevin at tutti fruiti for a frozen yogurt, birthday celebration on the way to your very first gymnastics class.

 

that’s where you opened your “baby.”

 

julie looks like you……..bright, blond hair and dark, brown eyes;

 

her own, mis-matchy style…

 

and a smile that lights up the world.

 

you were none-too-thrilled to go into gymnastics without me.  it was a rough go…

 

and you would only participate if i was the one spotting you.  they let it fly this time…but next time…you’re on your own.  and you can do it.  i know you can.

 

you’re our flicka.

 

wild at heart.

 

un-tamed.

 

and ready for anything.

 

and that…my darling, girl…is one of the many things we love about you.

 

once bathed and ready for a sweet slumber…with visions of 3 year old birthday wonder dancing in your head…you blew out the candle on your 3rd birthday. 

 

it was as sweet as you are.

 

happy birthday, flicka!!!  you’re officially “wee.”



today will be spent getting ready for chase’s and annslee’s shared, family, birthday extravaganza tonight.

 

i never thought i would be the parent that makes her kids share a birthday party.  i mean…chase is a fourth grade boy.  annslee is a (turning) 3 year old little girl.  that’s…like…as opposite as you can get.  but…as fate would have it…chase only wanted a family party.  at a pool.  and as luck would have it…my aunt and uncle have a beautiful, heated pool and hot tub in their fantastically landscaped backyard.  and annslee likes to swim too.  so…there ya go.  shared birthday party.

 

i will be making a monstrosity of a chocolate birthday cake covered with kit cats and m&m’s today.

 

****

 

this week, fall inspiration came in orange and black.  we got our house halloween ready.

 

 

trout watched.

 

we took a break to paint…

 

and be entertained by kermit.

 

evidently, george bailey was tutoring colt in a little math.

 

if i can’t enjoy fall colors on the trees…by golly…i will enjoy them in my cookies.  i’m a “make it happen” kinda girl.

 

i will make those colors…that my carolina friends are currently enjoying…appear in my sheets.

 

i  will light fall scented candles…and open the windows at night when the breeze becomes cool.

 

i will eat my weight in pumpkins.

 

i will tell my favorite joke.

 

and say, “boo to you” to all who enter here.

 

we are making fall happen.

 

and tomorrow night…i think a cool front is planning a visit.

 

come on in, fall.  sit a spell…and stay for a while.



dearest chase,

 

yesterday you turned 10.

 

several times during the day, you looked at me thoughtfully and said,

 

“i’m sorta like an adult now.”

 

you also told me that your father told you that you could now play video games like halo.  (we will discuss that later.)

 

i think it’s time that you know the beginning of your story.

 

 

we knew that we wanted a second baby.  and within a month, you were tuck snug in my belly.  however, when i was only 6 weeks pregnant with you, i began to hemorrhage.  (that means bleed heavily.)  my heart felt like it was going to break into a thousand pieces while i called daddy at work to come and get and me and colton , who had just turned 1.

 

i sat on towels that friday while we made a 45 minute drive to the doctor in greenville, south carolina.  as they turned on the ultrasound machine, and rubbed the cold wand across my lower belly…i kept praying that you were ok.

 

the doctor told us,

 

“you have a blood clot that is bigger than the entire yolk sac itself.  it is being caused by the sac pulling away from your uterine wall.  and the heartbeat is way too low for survival.  your body is beginning to miscarry.  it will happen over the weekend.  come back in on monday so that we can make sure there is nothing left.  if there is, we will do a DNC.”

 

the ultrasound tech did say that according to measurements, my due date would have been october 24th.

 

i quietly said,

 

“that’s my birthday.”

 

i remember hoping that it was the first sign from God that you would be ok.

 

the drive back home to clemson was a long one.  colton chattered in the back seat and daddy began calling granna and grandaddy and gramma sue and grampa rod.

 

we called close friends.

 

people began praying for your life.

 

when we got home, i put myself on bed rest.  the doctor said that it wouldn’t matter…but i did it anyway.

 

i went to the closet and pulled down my kermit and piggy muppets sleeping bag that my honey and paw paw gave me when i was 3.  it was tattered and ripped and soft from all of the trips through the washing machine through the years.  i reserved it for special occasions only.  if kermie and piggy were involved…it was serious.

 

i stayed on the couch and cried for the rest of the day and night…and waited as saturday trickle by.  i was afraid to move.  and every time i got up to go to the bathroom, i held my breath.

 

i had not bled any more since friday morning.  and i was praying continually.

 

i finally got up on saturday night and slowly staggered into the shower.

 

as the warm water washed over my body, i began sobbing to God…begging him for your life.

 

i will never forget what happened next.

 

i felt the hand of God touch me…gently and lovingly healing my body, my womb…and then you.

 

i had never been so aware of His presence before in my life.  i had never physically felt my Savior before.  and i had never been so positive of His work.

 

i cried in awe and gratitude for His mercy.  i felt like the woman who poured perfume at Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her tears and her hair out of her undying gratitude for His unconditional love and grace for her.

 

i got out of the shower…dressed…and walked out to where daddy was sitting at the kitchen table.

 

i said,

 

“chad.  God just healed my body.  the baby is going to be ok.”

 

he looked at me…unsure of exactly what to say.  he felt the need to respond carefully.  he didn’t want to dismiss me…but he also didn’t want me to have false hope.

 

i went to the book shelf and pulled my bible out of it’s normal slot.  i hadn’t read it in months.

 

i didn’t know where to begin…so i opened it to the page where the ribbon had been placed the last time i read it.

 

it was in genesis.

 

i closed my eyes ad pleaded with God to prove to me through his word that what i had felt was true…and not just my flesh hoping for a miracle.  i asked him,

 

“will this baby live?”

 

i looked down at my opened bible, and began reading scripture…doubting whether some random story in the old testament would answer such a personal, and specific question.

 

the passage read:

 

“I will return to you at the appointed time next year and your wife will have a son.”

-genesis 18:14

 

i immediately questioned whether it was true and began doubting, recalling everything the doctor had said…

 

and He instantly answered,

 

“Why did sarah laugh and say, “will i really have a child, now that i am so old?” is anything too hard for the Lord?”

 

i cried tears of happiness.  i knew…at that moment…that i would hold you in october.  i called daddy over and read to him what God had said.  i looked at him and said…”it’s a boy.”

 

the next morning, daddy drove to visit a church plant that he was helping with.  he had his own questions on whether or not you would really be ok.  when he arrived at the service…the title of the message that sunday was,  “your son will live.”  it was then that he knew too…that you would be ok.

 

i went to the doctor on monday to have a follow up ultrasound.  the doctor looked at the screen, and said,

 

“your body looks to be absorbing the blood clot.  it is much smaller.  and the heartbeat is normal.”

 

in my heart, i said,

 

“i know.”

 

i never bled again.

 

****

 

happy 10th birthday, chase.

 

look at all the people who are here to celebrate YOU.

 

always know that you are here with a purpose.

 

always remember the first part of your story.

 

and know that God loved…and still loves you THAT much.

 

when you start to doubt Him…and the world tries to tell you that He isn’t really there or that He isn’t really good…

 

come ask me to tell you the story of when i was 6 weeks pregnant with you.

 

tell people.  tell them your story.



today, i will take full advantage of the break in our week that is wednesday.  wednesday has become my weekend.  it’s become my calming breath in the middle of all of my sprint gasps.  literally.  i did a bunch of sprints last night at soccer practice…so i feel like i can say that honestly.

 

our schedule this fall is the busiest we have ever had…and you add on top of that chad being out of town again…(this time, manhatten.  no fair.  that’s like one of my favorite places on earth.)…and colt playing football…and the girls starting gymnastics…and you have the everybody-hurry-up-grab-your-shoes-grab-your-homework-grab-your-lunch-or-snack-or-dinner-and-get-in-the-car-cause-we-are-late-for-wherever-we-are-currently-supposed-to-be.  again.  and you all know what a house looks like when that is the case, day after day.  even a loved and cared for house.

 

home school has shot business into a different hemisphere.  teaching preschool for our home school co-op has shot it into the next stratosphere. (that’s bigger, right?)

 

but on wednesdays…annslee is at granna and grandaddy’s house for the day.  and after i get chase and aiden off to school, it’s just me and colt.  we can sleep in a little.  we can do school with minimal interruption.  we don’t have to rush out the door to be at co-op.  i don’t have to teach anybody but him.  i can actually meet a friend for lunch…or make dinner for a friend who happened to break her ankle in our soccer game friday night.  i can blog.  i can put away the laundry and mop the floors or bathe the dog.  i can breathe.

 

not that i don’t love my days teaching these guys…

 

 

but sometimes…when you’re that busy…it makes it harder to enjoy the magical moments that can be found while watching two little girls chasing birds at a park;

 

and sharing a pad of lip gloss.

 

wednesdays are good.

 

breaks are good.

 

today…i am teaching colton how to write a short story…using plot and his favorite iowa state basketball jersey; lighting a pumpkin spiced candle; skimming pinterest for the best comfort food recipes for a broken ankle; giving the dog a much needed bath; dusting our furniture for the first time in 2 months; and baking something fall-ish.

 

i’m enjoying the break in the week…before co-op, and teaching preschool, and football practice, and spelling homework, and thursday book reports take over tomorrow.

 

and i’m breathing.

 

and breathing…is very good.  actually…it’s necessary.



“i want to work with kevin clash someday,” he says.

 

my 9 year old is unlike most.

 

he isn’t out on the football field today…fighting for tackles and touchdowns.

 

he is doing his own thing.  and i…for one…love that.

 

i gave him the day.  i was his.  he got to choose breakfast.  he got to choose what he wanted to do.  no going to colt’s football game…no school stuff…no dragging him to other kid’s practices or making him sit and watch his siblings do their thing.  it was his day.  it was his call.

 

chad had an all-day meeting down town today, so colt had to assist.  he watched the girls for me while i took chase to hobby lobby, where we picked out paint for our clay frog and toad creations.  we walked up and down the isle…fingering amphibian habitats and B-24 airplane models.  he found a plastic frog replica that was a must.  and most importantly…had my undivided attention.

 

 

when we got home…we packed a picnic…upon his request…and hit the park.

 

 

we played a mean game of hide and seek…

 

followed the leader…

 

and watched trout behave himself…for once.

 

side note:  trout has developed these little, raw, bald spots that look like they would hurt…in several areas on his body.  see the one at the top of his right leg?  does anyone know what these are??

 

this afternoon…we let the grandparents, UK and daddy represent at the football field for colt…and settled in to watch a little johnny cash.  chase got the best of johnny cash video for his birthday last year and was wanting to watch it again.

 

 

i made pop-corn, tinkered around the kitchen, and marveled at the fact that chase knows who people like, bob dylan; loretta lynn; the statler brothers; ray charles; joni mitchell; tammy wynette; and the tennessee three are.  i love that he knows what songs his great grandfather played on his guitar.  i love that he appreciates their art.  i love that he will sit and watch johnny cash play and tell stories.  i love that he is educating his siblings about this art form and these artists.

 

most of all…i marvel at the fact that he is not afraid to be himself.  he does not worry about what other kids are doing.  he does not try to be someone he’s not.  he is not concerned with what other people like or dislike.  he is true to himself.  he is chase.  and he is remarkable.

 

 

and then…as if God was smiling down and celebrating chase’s day, himself…i got a text from my old, high school friend, ian.  it said to check the mail…that a surprise was coming for chase.

 

it was the documentary on kevin clash…the puppeteer and voice of elmo.

 

 

what a way to finish “his” day.

 

keep being YOU, chase.  because you are simply, amazing.

 

****

 

we finally found something that will hold flicka’s attention.

 

she has a love/hate relationship with legos.

 

they seem to cause her either a great deal of fun…

 

or throw her into a complete dither.

 

and then there’s the lip gloss.

 

this particular day…she did her own hair and make-up.

 

oh yeah…we went out in public this way.

 

we stopped by the library and got our first library card.  and bonus…ran into a good friend, debbie.

 

she is a dedicated blog reader here…so it’s only appropriate that she have a little guest appearance.

 

hi debbie!!!

 

happy weekend, friends.

 

make it a good one.



you wanna know what is suuuuuper relaxing?

 

attempting to take a hot bath…only to, all of a sudden have a 90 pound dog chasing a hissing cat through the bathroom…though the closet…through the bedroom…through the bathroom…through the closet…through the bedroom.

 

and then you realize that no matter how loud you scream for someone to come and get them outta there…it won’t do any good because the game is turned up so loud in the living room that i could be abducted by aliens and no one would know it until it was time to put the kids to bed and chad came to figure out why i wasn’t on that.

 

so…you sink down into the hot water and close your eyes and do your best to pretend that the 3 ring circus isn’t actually happening…only to, all of a sudden be startled into reality when the 90 pound dog decides to climb on up and begin slurping up your sudsy bath water…slobbering and sloshing and shedding all the while.

 

that…my friends…is what you call relaxing.

 

****

 

this weekend, i finally made good on my promise to help chase make frog and toad out of clay.

 

this was not an easy task…seeing as i barely made a B in my college pottery class.  the professor clearly didn’t appreciate my creative interpretation of what a bowl was.

 

 

we got one of them completely formed…and we are waiting for it to dry so that we can paint it.  i can’t tell a lie.  it looks amazing.  however…my painting skills are worrying me a tad.  it’s likely to look like a big, green blob after the painting stage.

 

maybe you didn’t realize how creative chase is.  the boy can create very realistic characters out of anything…and doesn’t even need to look at a picture.  he created george washington and abraham lincoln out of random legos.  it was pretty amazing if you ask me.

 

i couldn’t do it.

 

flicka has confiscated her sister’s american girl doll.  she is now asking for her own for her birthday.  the dilemma is…

 

do we get her one like her sisters…because that is what she is expecting,

 

or do we get her one with blonde hair…like hers…and hope she loves it?

 

i just don’t know.

 

it’s a toss up, at best.



i’ve got 5 kids here…4 mine…1, a friend…and the blind side on TV.

 

i love this movie.

 

i love everything about it.

 

****

 

my daughters start gymnastics this week.

 

and it’s a good thing.

 

because this one is swinging off of everything in the house.

 

 

i’m thinking she’s gonna love the bars.

 

she is playing with her “i spy” bottle that we made at pre-school.  i highly recommend the “i-spy” bottle.  this particular one goes with the book, Brown Bear, Brown Bear…What do you See?

 

you print and cut out and then laminate the animals from the book.  fill a water bottle with rice and then add the animal prints.  boom.  “i spy a brown bear.”

 

you can print out the color sheets for them to color when they “spy” it as well.

 

she picked her own clothes for pre-school this particular day.  it’s my dress from when i was little…and her apron.

 

somehow…it worked.

 

especially since we were making homemade applesauce in class.

 

we were learning about apples and grandparents this week.

 

our book was Amelia Bedelia’s First Apple Pie.

 

on thursday, we invited our grandparents to the class room to enjoy apple pie with us.

 

chad stopped at a garage sale this morning and picked up this bike for flicka.

 

she was super thrilled about it.

 

and saturday means football.  we got to watch the big man play.

 

these sisters cheer on their big brothers from the sidelines.

 

 

and get really dirty in the process.

 

one cinderella high heel; one ballet slipper; a set of pom-poms…

 

and we’re in business.

 

and lastly…

 

you never know when you’ll round the corner and find indiana jones…

 

hard on the case.

 

happy saturday.



if 90 degrees instead of 100 degrees is supposed to be fall…the fall is in full swing down south.

 

 

i found these at target.  but don’t be fooled.  i’m waiting for the bags of total pumpkins to hit the shelves.  the autumn mix is not the same.  i can’t be picking all the pumpkins out and ending up with a candy dish full of brown candy corn rejects.  there has been sightings of the full bags of pumpkins…but i haven’t seen them for myself yet.  that’s not to say that i won’t drive all over town today looking for them.  but i just haven’t done that yet.

 

i also enjoyed my first pumpkin spice frappachino of the season.  i paired it with a piece of the pumpkin loaf and shot myself right into full swing fall.

 

september not only marks the beginning of fall…but also national childhood cancer awareness.  just like pink is the color for october’s breast cancer awareness month…gold is the color for childhood cancer.

 

i have been hesitant to write about how this is currently affecting our family.  however…because i firmly agree with raising awareness and supporting these children and their families…i am wearing a gold ribbon every day this month for a little girl named claire.

 

claire is a 3 year old little girl who is battling a rare form of childhood cancer.  she was showing symptoms of a cold that quickly appeared to move into her chest.  the doctors recommended a chest x-ray…suspecting pneumonia.  that is when they found a large tumor in her abdomen.

 

the cancer had already moved from her abdomen to her spine and after stabilizing her…they began treatment.

 

claire is now undergoing chemotherapy…in the hopes of shrinking the tumor in her abdomen to as small as possible before removing it…and completely ridding the rest of her tiny body of the cancer.

 

because of her relationship with our family…she is getting to be a part of my pre-school class by having all of the books and activities sent home to her personally.  she knows that she has a real “teacher” and real “friends” because we get to communicate with her through pictures and letters.

join me in believing that God does not make mistakes and that He is the giver and healer of life…and that He loves this little girl more than we could ever even imagine…and pray with me for absolute healing for claire.  and for the month of september…wear gold in honor of claire and all of the other children who are currently battling or who have battled cancer.

 

 

 

on friday night…i was “kickin’ it” for claire.

 

and even though it sounds really corny…after the first goal i score…i thought,

 

“that one was for you, claire.”

 

saturday was a big day for us.

 

annslee got her ear’s pierced…which is a right of passage into little girl-hood, as far as i’m concerned.

 

i got to watch my boy play some football…where matched with the slightest cool breeze…said,

 

“welcome to fall.”

 

the team wore orange socks in honor of evan, a teammate and friend who lost his battle with leukemia last year.  the entire cowboy organization is wearing evan’s number 41 on their jerseys this year.  i’m glad that colt is a part of this organization.

 

 

our boy was one of the captains.  this sight was one of those that sneak up on you and you freeze it in your mind…allowing feelings of joy and pride to well up in your heart…knowing that you won’t forget that moment.  something about it made me see my son as a leader…the leader that God intended for him to be.  i saw a glimpse of the man he is becoming.  and i was happy to stand on the side-lines and let him go.  even if it was for just that moment.

 

UK turned the big…35…yesterday.

 

i really out-did myself with his shirt this year.

 

he comes to watch me play soccer…which is such a good, brotherly thing to do.  because my number is 8…he calls me “ocho.”

 

it’s a keeper, for sure.

 

and so is he…if you must know.