Going Home!!!

It is actually tricky for us to know what to call HOME right now. We use the words "home" or "our house" to refer to many different places right now. We talk about KY as "our home." We refer to our TX apartment as "our home." We have also made an offer on a house in TX that we have already begun to call "our home." We will know by Monday evening if the TX house will be our future home or not...once again, we are waiting. However, our family has gotten pretty good at waiting and it just isn't bothering us or on our minds too much right now. Many people have called or texted to see "what we've found out about the house" and, honestly, we just aren't thinking about it unless our realtor calls. God is so good to grant us patience at a time when it seems as though everything is up in the air right now.

Anyway, the point of this post is to tell you that the kids and I will be in KY beginning tomorrow! I need to pack my classroom up which is just a daunting task in itself - yes, because I taught for 12 years and have to separate "my stuff" from "Jessamine County stuff," but even more so because I have been teaching for 12 years and now I have to separate "Jamie" from "Wilmore Elementary School teacher." Please pray for me on Monday. It is going to be an emotional day.

We will also be meeting with the realtor who will, hopefully quickly, be selling our KY home. No one wants to carry 2 mortgages for long!

Most importantly, we will spend as much time as possible, including many sleepovers (!), with friends. A dear friend from school is opening her home on Tuesday afternoon for a little "goodbye reception" with my colleagues and the rest of the time will be spent swimming, talking, tearing up, remembering, and making many new memories with friends. We are excited to spend time at Southland too. As hard as it has been to pack today to return to KY knowing that in less than two weeks TEXAS will be called HOME, we are thrilled to be able to have the opportunity to go to what our HEARTS still call HOME right now.

We are blessed that Donny's company will be coming to pack and move us in a few weeks so we do not need to spend our visit doing that. Donny will head to KY then to supervise that. We are so sad that we cannot say goodbye as a complete family, altogether, at the same time, but this is what works with the cost of tickets, timing, and Liv's school schedule.

We are so excited to see those of you who live in KY and will post about our time there for those of you who are not there!!!

Growing...Changing...Praying...What Are You Clutching On To?

It's been 10 days since I last wrote. I have "written" several blogs in my head over the last week but writing them down here for the world to see just makes my palms sweat and my stomach drop! You know that feeling when you go over a big hill fast in the car and your stomach flip flops??? That's what I have been feeling, pretty much non-stop lately.

Most of you have heard, one way or another, that we have decided to make our temporary stay in Texas a permanent stay. This was not and is not an easy decision. Well, I say that, but you know what? When Wednesday came, and Donny texted me that he "got an offer" we both knew what we were to do. Sign the offer. Return the offer. Leave home. Move to Texas.

How did we know? This summer, well, this entire past semester, has been filled with questions, tears, fears, excitement, changes...all preceded, followed, and wrapped in prayer. I don't mean the kind of prayers you pray before dinner casually asking God to "bless this food to the nourishment of our bodies..." or haphazardly said when a person in need crosses your mind, "God, bless so-and-so..." I am talking about prayers that bring you to your knees, if you are not already there, and sometimes flat on your face. Prayers that lift up the name of Jesus, prayers that surrender everything-husband, children, jobs, friends, church, comfort, identities...when I say everything...I mean EVERYTHING, knowing/trusting that God knows the future and knows what is best for our family and where He can most use us. Prayers that were filled with more tears than with words. Prayers that were short, long, said while driving, whispered while making dinners, with Donny and I together, all by myself, out loud, sung while getting dressed, thought while playing Uno or Marco Polo in the pool.

Why am I telling you all this?? Because I am changed, I should probably say changing. I have seen the power of prayer at work many times before in my life and in the lives of those around me. I know Jesus answers prayers and I know that they are not always the answer we long for or in the time that we beg for. This was another of those times...

This summer was the first "crisis" (yes, that is really how it seemed) our family has experienced where it was just us and God. There were no friends here to bring us dinner. No family to watch our kiddos. No one. Nothing. Just us and Jesus. I think that is exactly where Jesus wanted me for the summer. So far away from my "comforts of home" that I had nowhere to turn but to Him. Yep, that is what we are supposed to do always, automatically, I get it. I, however, often turn to "my girls" and THEN to Jesus to see what His will is. Not this time. Sure, I called friends and family, but for the most part, it has been Jesus and Jamie. I have crawled so far under His wing this summer that I feel His protection, His peace, His heart. That is why, when Donny said, "I got an offer," I knew we were to be in Texas. Sometime I will share ALL of the other ways God has shown His hand in this situation so that we knew, without a shadow, a trace, or a smidgen of doubt, that we were to move to The Lone Star state. (Interesting name, don't you think? That's how I've felt this summer...)

Does having absolute peace make it easy? It made making the decision easy. There was really no decision to make. It had been made long before we even knew. Now, saying that, this is emotionally, one of the most taxing times in my life. Our family has been broken and has lived alongside friends in their times of brokenness so many times in the past 3 years. You wouldn't believe it if I listed it all out. These friends of ours are more than friends. They know us inside and out. We planned for our children to grow up together. These were friends who love us for the messes that we are. Friends who we would give or give up most anything for. To leave those kinds of relationships and come to a place where we know no one, well, it's miserable, scary, painful, sad, indescribable... It hits hard in the gut like a physical pain.

Growth is not always easy. Change, for me, has always been significantly difficult. So, putting those two things together, all in one summer, well, what else could I have done but pray, surrender, and trust? I am daily, sometimes many times a day, praying,

"Lord you know _________ (insert the name of one of the four of us). You know his/her future. You know how this move will shape that future. You hold him/her in your hand. He/She is yours."

To end this long monologue, if you are still reading, =) I will share a section from the Bible study I am currently doing. (The fact that God led friends to mail me this study at this time of life is NO coincidence. Jesus planned it long ago. I'm so thankful they listened!)

"What He can do with a willing life surrendered at His feet is more than we can comprehend. I just know I don't want to miss it for whatever I'm clutching in my hands."

The Past Week in Pictures

Donny made it back safely from the oil rig in Midland last night. We are glad to be back together again. Since I have his computer back I can upload our pictures from the week. Here's what we've been up to... We are really getting into Family Game Night around here. In fact, as I type this, the rest of the family is playing "catch" with body puffs. You know, those things you wash with in the shower. I just bought two new ones and they are being used as baseballs for the moment. A good substitute for a reall ball in an apartment. This week, we are trying to teach Boston to play checkers and Liv to play Rummy. This Toy Story Game has both plus 3 other games! What a fun time we have had! The kids also got new haircuts this week. We miss our Mrs. Michelle in Nicholasville but found a sweet girl at SuperCuts to bless since it is Blessings Friday and she did a great job! Doesn't Boston look older, yet so handsomely cute?! Look at Liv's blue eyes!

Donny and Olivia--need I say more??? Two peas in a pod just in from the pool!

We like to go to Grapevine Mills Mall and shop but also to ride the carousel and the train!

We went to the library and found a great Story Hour...it was all about vehicles, which Boston loved. At the end, they pretended they were in a car wash and blew bubbles with all the kids! =)

I also finally gave into the kids' pleas to go to Bounce U. Since the thermometer has been registering 105, I figured an inside activity was just what we needed. We had such a fun time!

s.t.u.f.f.

Since Donny has been out of town this week on/at/in (not really too sure what the right word is...) an oil rig, I haven't been able to post pictures. It"s a computer-camera thing... It has led me to post more, since I have no one at home with me late at night, but it has also led to deeper posts rather than just "this is what we did today."

My topic for today???? STUFF. Do we really need all of it?? You may wonder what made me think about this. I guess it originated months ago at church when Jon talked about all that we have and all that we don't need. He even challenged us to not buy Christmas presents this year but to, instead, give money to those who REALLY need things. That is a challenge, alright. Just not sure if I could actually skip the whole present thing. I LOVE to give gifts BUT how many of the gifts I give actually are needed or really used? That's the point, I think...

So, we are in a two bedroom apartment and have been living here for nearly 6 weeks now with what we could pack into a little U-haul trailer and the back of my car. Everything else that we own is sitting in KY in an empty house, unused. Our furniture consists of a love seat, a yard sale recliner, a video game chair, two IKEA couches made primarily of foam that turn into beds, a few little end tables from IKEA, a bed from craigslist, and a patio set from Big Lots! Guess what? We are fine!! Yeah, at night, when I am trying to "relax on the couch" I get a crook in my neck cuz I don't really fit and when we are sleeping it is a battle to not fall into the "cave" that is the middle of the mattress but really, we are doing just fine. I brought 2 pots, 2 pans, some silverware, plastic dishes and cups from the dollar store, 2 pizza pans, a cookie sheet, and some tupperware. It works! Sometimes I have to heat things up in empty Cool-Whip containers if other pans are filled or I have to use a pizza sheet as a cookie tray, but who really cares? No one is complaining about the taste of the cookies! It hit me the other day that I really haven't missed any OBJECT. The kids were allowed to bring one tub that included toys and clothes. Sure, they have mentioned different toys they left behind but they are finding things to do and asking about their things back at home less and less. I miss PEOPLE like crazy, but THINGS??? Nope. Now, does that mean I plan on selling everything and moving into a two-bedroom apartment. Not sure. What I do know is that we don't NEED all the THINGS that we think we do. I hear people talk about "downsizing." I never really got it until I did it. I guess the more space you have, the more things you need to fill it.

It just is heavy on my heart to be sure that we use what we are given to serve and help others. Once, Donny and I were out to dinner, years ago, and the waiter came and told us someone had bought our dinner AND paid for us to have dessert. I have never forgotten the feeling that I had that night. Yes, I was appreciative, but most of all, I couldn't wait to be in the position to do that for someone else, regularly.

This year, Liv and I started "Friday Blessings." On Fridays, if she had been able to get up on time and with a happy heart all week, I would take her through the drive-through of McDonalds for a cinnamon bun on the way to school. We decided, after hearing many stories from Jon, to start paying for the people behind us in line. The excitement we both felt as we drove into the line and peeked in the rearview mirror to see if a car was coming behind us wasn't because we felt good about ourselves. It was because we wanted to start someone else's day off "with a happy heart" so they could, in turn, pass that on. Friday Blessings caught on in my classroom, not with money, but with acts of kindness. You see, one little act spurred on lots of little acts. Lots of little acts are no longer too little.

Since we have been here in TX, I am sad to say we have let Friday Blessings slip away. Tomorrow is Friday. What better time to start again? Bos needs a haircut. Perhaps we can find someone to bless there. We have to go to the grocery. What kind act could be done there? We drive in heavy traffic every day. Could I drive in way that will bless someone? Is there someone here that needs cookies? So many possibilities...

What can YOU do today?

Open Your Eyes...Miracles Happen Every Day!

Yesterday I blogged about things I was thankful for. I didn't list Donny, Olivia, and Boston just by themselves because I know you know I am thankful for them. I listed specific things about each that I am thankful for. My life would not be the same as it is now nor would I be who I am if it weren't for them.

I find it interesting that we have had times in our family that we thought perhaps we would not be able to remain "together" yet Jesus had different plans and each time we came through the trial as a stronger family and as weaker individuals who relied more strongly on Jesus. Does that make sense?

I'm thinking of when Olivia was born. All of a sudden, I got a fever and no one could tell me what was wrong. I was told it may be a blood clot on the same morning that it was reported on the Today show that one of their key anchors had passed away during the night from a blood clot. I remember lying in that hospital bed with Donny and our 3 day old Olivia wondering what the next days would bring. Miracles, that's what. Twelve days later, I was better and heading home. Our family intact.

Nearly four years later, we got a call as we were eating dinner, that a biopsy showed I had skin cancer, melanoma, to be exact. It would need to be removed. Soon. Together we waited for results, wondering what would happen within our little family. Again, a miracle. They were able to remove all the cancer and nearly three years later I remain cancer free!

Just months after that, we rushed Boston to the ER and were immediately admitted to the PICU unit with Boston, then 18 months old. Again, no human could tell us what was going on. Seeing our little boy hooked up to oxygen, getting a blood transfusion, and going through multiple times of anesthesia to try to find answers brought us to our knees as we cried out to Jesus to keep our family together. After a near diagnosis of leukemia and several genetic or blood disorders it was finally figured out that Boston suffered from Celiac Disease. A miracle, yes, that's right. I see Celiac as a miracle. If you were one of the ones to be in that hospital room with us and to have seen how sick our little boy was, to hear the doctors tell us that his body was just shutting down, you know what I mean. We are so blessed. What better auto-immune disorder than one that can be controlled with a special diet? Once again, our prayers were answered and we were allowed to remain together.

3 months after Boston's diagnosis Donny had a procedure done to see if he also had Celiac. The answer was yes to Celiac but they also discovered a polyp in his esophagus. More waiting. More wondering. Another miracle.

This Fall brought two more incidents that led us to wonder what was in store for our family of four. Liv was put in the hospital for four days with mysterious mouth blisters that after a week had caused her to lose some serious weight and become dehydrated. Come to find out it was the silly, yet dangerous, H1N1 virus. That she came out fine and the rest of us were unscathed (at least physically!!) was another miracle granted to our family.

Then in November, I got some weird stomach issue that made me quite ill. I tried to ignore it but after 6 weeks ended up hospitalized for 8 days. As we tried to beat the doctors to a diagnosis, we researched of every possible outcome. Scaring ourselves silly, on some nights! However, when a diagnosis of lymphocitic colitis and possible Celiac came back, we breathed a sigh of relief and and gave glory to God for ANOTHER healing in the Loughry Family.

Why am I telling you all this? Well, tonight as I was putting the kids to bed, I asked them to each list a miracle from the Bible. Boston talked about manna and Olivia talked about Jesus turning water into wine. It made me think about hearing people question whether miracles still happen today. Uuhhh...duh!!! Open your eyes!! I don't know why God has chosen to "bless" us with physical trials in our family over the past 7 years especially. However, the part I don't understand even more is why He has chosen to heal us or provide us with ways to deal with the diagnoses. I can only hope that we can use the lives He has granted us to show His glory to those around us.

Giving T-H-A-N-K-S...

This week as I was lamenting to a friend about various "issues" that should really be left in God's hands to become "non-issues" she texted me and wrote, "Tell me 5 things, right now, that you are thankful for." Okay. Wake up call. It wasn't hard to think of 5 things and I quickly texted her back... Since then, I have been mentally making a list of all the things I am thankful for and ways that I am blessed. I am sure, that sitting here now, in front of the computer, with a captive audience (that's you, right?!), that so many of these things will escape my memory but here's at least a start...numbered so that I can be reminded of just HOW MANY things I have to be thankful for---

1. SPF 50 sunblock - so, hopefully, my kids won't have to ever get a phone call telling them they have skin cancer
2. Boston's tongue - he is constantly moving and wiggling it, especially when he is concentrating. It is something he does without realizing it and is just his "signature mark" that is so endearing to me.
3. Olivia's love notes that she makes constantly and passes out at dinner. She keeps them on her "Olivia" clipboard until it is "mail time" and we are all seated at the table giving her our complete attention.
4. Donny's work ethic, whether it be Dominos Pizza, the sawmill, UK, West Jessamine Middle School, or Pioneer Natural Resources, he gives his all and never utters a complaint. I love the example that he is giving our kiddos - one of being a hard worker but also that it is never too late to change or chase your dreams.
5. A job that I love, a boss that understands that family comes before work, co-workers that inspire me, make me laugh, and understand my passion for teaching, and students who will forever make me proud to be called Mrs. Loughry.
6. Family who is willing to travel to the ends of the earth (or at least what seems like it when we know no one here) to see us.
7. Snail mail - going to our little mailbox is one of the highlights of my day!
8. Friends who send meaningful text messages telling me they miss me or passing on a Bible verse.
9. Friends who send nonsense text messages just let me know they are thinking of me.
10. Ice cream - because sometimes "fruit - nature's natural sugar" just doesn't cut it.
11. Jillian Michael's "Shred" exercise video because ice cream isn't fat free! AND because I can exercise anywhere, anytime.
12. Cameras - so I can keep memories that otherwise, in time, may fade.
13. Good mysteries - because sometimes it is just nice to sit back and read something that doesn't mean a thing...
14. Clean sheets...need I say more???
15. Freshly brushed teeth...on me AND those around me! Ha!
16. Encouraging words.
17. Friends who are willing to be honest with me.
18. Growing old enough to just be the ME that GOD created me to be and learning to not be bothered if people don't care for that.
19. Chick-fil-a: fries not cooked with any other gluten containing product, yummy grilled chicken salad, ice dream, diet lemonade, the list goes on...there are not many places we can go where our entire family can eat...
20. Udi g-free bread - I really did cry the first time we had this. Donny likes it. It tastes like real bread and bagels. Boston had his first sandwich! I know it sounds silly, but for a mama to see her 4 year old take such joy in eating a sandwich, well, it is just truly priceless.
21. Sunglasses that fit well enough to double as headbands.
22. Jergens self tanner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just found out they make one specifically for faces! I'm all over that!
23. A God who loves me, no matter what. Who knows I am gonna mess up and who still lets me come back to Him time after time and start anew. Who promises to take care of us no matter where we live. AND who knows the best time for everything to take place.
24. Friends who trust me enough to let me pray for and with them, for things that seem big and small.
25. GAP extra long jeans. Do you know how nice it is to have pants that are long enough? I know all you "vertically challenged" people say pants are too long but I will always come back with, "You can cut them off and hem them!!!!" :)
26. Warm Texas swimming pools.
27. In-laws who love me.
28. Garmin, my sweet little GPS, who can get me anywhere I need/want to go!
29. A new friend in TX, who is also new here, who also loves Jesus, and has KY connections. I mean, is God big or what??
30. A Bible study that is SO relevant to my life right now. I think it was written just for me.
31. Double door locks - being alone at night when Donny is gone makes me a bit nervous, just a bit...
32. Hearing my kids giggle, belly laugh, and whisper together.
33. Good movies - have you seen The Blind Side? Donny had to stop it so I could compose myself and go on. I am ready to adopt whoever comes my way so watch out!
34. Sunny days. Boy, would I much rather be hot than cold.
35. Homemade salsa - Jennifer's to be exact.
36. Family and friends loving us enough to watch over our KY home while we are away.
37. Kind Texans who help us find Redboxes, Target, new libraries, parks, and any other places/things we may need.
38. The Internet...what did we do without it?
39. Smiles - in an apartment complex where there have to be at least 20 different languages being spoken, smiles can get you through a long "conversation" at the pool!
40. Laps - specifically having one of my kiddos, or both, sitting on mine, snuggling up with their head just under my chin or on my shoulder, telling me what they are thinking
41. Good talks with Donny - the kind where at the end, even if it had its tricky moments, you are so glad to have had the talk and the whole world seems to be back in its right place again
42. The smell of vanilla candles, freshly mopped floors, or newly bathed kids

Well, I could go on and on and on but I guess you get the picture. I have so much to be thankful for. You do too. Really. If you have a minute, post a comment. Even just tell ONE THING that you are thankful for, right now. What are you glad you have? Be creative, be quick, be detailed, or down-right serious but SHARE! I learned this week, from experience, focusing on what we have rather than on what we don't have is SO much better and really picks you up! Looking forward to reading what you have to say!

A GOOD Long Weekend!

So Donny gets one vacation day while we are here this summer...TODAY. We debated about going to the beach for this long weekend but thought it would probably be quite crowded so we decided to do some family things around here...

Donny worked a bit of overtime on Friday and was home by 2:00. The kids and I spent the morning at a new library and Walmart. (I think I am getting used to the new WM layout here and have adjusted my "perfect" grocery list accordingly!)

*

When Donny got home we headed to the Galleria Mall. I remember my grandma taking me there as a child. It was rainy and nasty out so the boys dropped us at the door of the American Girl Doll store. Liv and I thought about many of you all! (We thought of Andi, Palmer, and Dana who we traveled to Atlanta's AGD store with in the Fall and many of Liv's friends who also have AGDolls. We talk about you all SO OFTEN!) It was just a great mommy and daughter time. Liv had spent the morning trying to dress like Kit. She put on a skirt and shirt like Kit and then asked me to rebraid Kit's hair and then braid her hair to match Kit's. She got Kit as a Christmas gift and seriously acts as though Kit is a part of our family. (When we bought the table for the apartment she was so excited to know there were 6 chairs so that Kit could join us at the table!) Anyway, we walked around the store admiring all the beautiful dolls and their paraphernalia. We didn't make it upstairs to the cafe due to our time limit and the boys waiting but will head their before the summer is over! Liv was excited to purchase the scooter that Kit rides in the books we have read together. She also made a list of items she would like to save for...

Ready to go in!!!

Liv & Kit with all the "Kit variations"

After leaving the mall, we headed to the theater to watch Toy Story 3!! You all can rest easy tonight because The Loughry Children have finally been to the movie theater! :) We had a great time and it was fun to watch them see everything through new eyes. Boston chose gummy dinosaurs and Olivia chose Whoppers (maybe because she knew the rest of us can't eat them! hehe!) for a movie snack. Even Donny and I laughed out loud during the movie and got appropriately sad at the end of the movie when Andy...well, I won't give it away...

Ready for the show to begin...

Can you tell Bos has already started eating the gummy dinosaurs he picked out???

Love the chipmunk cheeks!!! What a great show! (Kit especially loved it!)

***************

Saturday was dubbed "Daddy and Kid Day." I spent the day at Grapevine Mills Mall, chatting on the phone with much-missed friends, and at Starbucks doing my devotions and reading a new Ted Dekker book. What a day I had! I vote for Daddy/Kid day to come around more often!

*

Donny and the kids went swimming, to the park, and to Marble Slab Creamery. When I met them at Kohls to help Donny pick out more work clothes (you know, "professional clothes") the kids were just smiling and so happy! Donny was too!

*

The night ended yucky for me with a nasty migraine but the kids and Donny headed to the Las Colinas fireworks. They got to watch from the top of Donny's office building and just had a super time. When they got home Boston said, "Mom, you missed out. I'll tell you all about it in the morning. My favorite were the brown (gold) ones!" Sweetness...

*****************

Sunday started with church, again at Valley View Christian, we aren't too sure about this Sunday morning church thing! Just kidding... Then we came home for a bit of a rest before heading to a company picnic for Donny's work. It was good to meet some of the people Donny works with and the kids got along GREAT with Maddie and Dane. Liv even was brave around Maverick the dog and came in the same room with him! :) Big stuff for her... The fireworks were a bit of a bust as we had to walk nearly a mile to the lake to watch them and then couldn't see them at all. However, it was a gorgeous night and Grapevine Lake is beautiful. The walk back to the car...well...that was not so beautiful with two tired kids and some heavy chairs at 10:30 at night. :)

***************

Today was another good family day with pool time, cleaning time, and time spent driving around getting familiar with the area. It is just so big around here! We can go out and about for hours and never see the same thing. We did finally find a DQ though...yippee!! OH MY GOODNESS...HOW COULD I FORGET THE BIGGEST NEWS???? Boston is swimming!!! Real swimming! We are so proud! Liv was a great teacher and he is quite brave. Being a parent is so fun when you get to watch your kids make such big accomplishments!

I guess one thing this weekend made me think of was what we spend our time doing. I know many of us budget our money and look at how we spend it and make sure we use it wisely but I have spent time wondering what would happen if we did the same thing with our time. I mean, I know we have to work and provide for our families, but what about the rest of our TIME. We haven't hooked up cable this summer so we don't have ANY tv here so our nights are spent playing games, reading library books, cuddling, laughing, having pillow fights, and building with Legos. It is so different than at home where we have so many other responsibilites. I feel privileged, in a way, to have this summer to spend with my family to reconnect and to see who my kids and husband are without distraction. I don't have schoolwork to pull me away or anything else for that matter...I have more time to talk to Jesus and just think alongside Him...I have time to laugh with Donny, to watch old Indiana Jones movies with him and make fun of the 80's clothes they are wearing, and to just be... Food for thought...what are we spending all our time on??? I know I still have lots of adjustments to make...guess I have plenty of time to think about it! :)

So, What DO You Do all Day?

That was the question Brissa's mom asked me the other day at the pool while we watched the kids play. I have to admit, this summer has been different for me in many ways. Of course the location is different but the change of pace is another BIG change. During the school year I am used to a FAST paced schedule with really no down time - getting everyone up and ready for the day, teaching, getting school ready for the next day, playing with my kiddos, making dinner, making lunches, getting kids to bed, working on school stuff, and the list goes on. The last month of school was especially crazy since Donny was here and I was doing it all on my own. So now, here, without a job to have to leave and go to, and without friends to hang out with, and without a bigger home to take care of, we are at times, at a loss of what to do...

This week, however, we have found plenty of fun things to do. Even more importantly though, I have just been reminded to take each of these days as a blessing. I have prayed for more time with my kids for years and now I have it! We are making memories, laughing together, playing chase, holding hands and jumping into the pool together, making up knock-knock jokes together, figuring out this big, new city together, meeting new friends together, and learning more about each other.

I have learned that Liv is just growing up so quickly. This year has been such a growing year for her. She is so much braver at trying out new things, at talking to new people, and at being confident in her abilities. She is such a thinker (like her Daddy), has a great memory, and is an amazing big sister.

I have learned that Boston is a balance of ornery (like his Daddy!) and sweetness, jokester and thinker, and wildman and cuddler. He asks the same questions over and over again like, "What makes fire?" or "Does the moon move?" When Olivia asked him why he asked the same thing so many times he said, "Cause I don't want to forget." He still has no interest in learning to much about his letters and numbers (although he does work on "his schoolbook" each day) but he is going to be smart!!!

So, what have we done this week? Well, Wednesday is half price day at the Fort Worth Zoo. The three of us had a great time! We decided the warthog was our least favorite animal (all that nasty log stringy hair), that flamigos stink, that they should have real animals along the train ride, and that it seems you always have to drive through the ghetto to get to the zoo!

Waiting for the train... ...heading out for our ride...

Liv has always loved the carousel! Is she not just gorgrous?!!

What else do we do??? Well, we make up games, like Sock-a-roo, a family favorite for after dinner fun! =) We each get a pair of socks and attempt to toss them into the "ring." 3 points=sock in the ring. 1 point=sock nearest the ring. Last night the boys beat the girls but I feel a rematch coming on!

We also go to the park when it is not too hot out. Yesterday we went TWICE! This park was created by The Miracle League and it is completly accessible to all kids. It is HUGE and so much fun!