Go Tech!!!

What a game!!!!!! I was so jealous that I wasn't there!!! Nathan said it was awesome. He had 40 yard line seats right behind the team, he said it was crazy!!!! When it was over A&M acted like they didn't even know what had happened. Go Tech!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Watch out!!! It's a running Weiner!

Are you ready? Wiener dogs everywhere have been hitting the track in preparation for the Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals, a spirited and thrilling Dachshund race to crown the fastest wiener dog in the nation. Wiener fanatics, coaches and their sausage-like athletes prepare all year for these electrifying races. And now we're calling on all of the Dachshund owners throughout the southwest to bring your pet to one of our regional events for the chance to become the Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals Champion!

Next Saturday, Raider Alley, Frank and I are there!!!!

I haven't been home at night in a week!!! Last thursday night I had bunco. Friday night we went and hung out with the girl I work with, Gina. Saturday night we went to the Tech game. Sunday night we went and celebrated Jenny's birthday. Monday night we went to the fair with my parents. Tuesday night I had my bible study, and finally.....last night we went to fair with our friends, Eric and Cari. No wonder I'm tired!!! I am really looking forward to being home tonight, and doing nothing!!!! Except watching a little t.v...it's a good night for that.

Last night we went to the fair. Madi is such a little dare devil when it comes to rides. And I thought I used to be, but apparently I'm not anymore. She gets bored with the little kid rides, so we went to find one that we could ride together. I was trying to find one that was kind of tame but still fun. So we get on this ride, and it starts going and I'm afraid for my life!!! She is giggling so loud, and I was petrified!!! I wish I could have taped the conversation. She asked me what was wrong, and I didn't want to tell her I was scared. Then she asked me why I was holding on to her so tight. So finally I told her I was kind of scared and I didn't really like the ride. She says, "Oh mommy, I'll hold on to you." She was yelling, "this is like a fun tornado!" Is there such a thing as a fun tornado??? I had just ate a corn dog too, and it beginning to not sit well with me. That ride lasted forever!!!

Then we go ride this little kiddy boat, and she was so disappointed. After it stops, she says, "Is that all it's going to do?" She is afraid of nothing!!!! I like that about her...she's got spunk!

So we've had our fair share of the fair, since we've been twice! And now we're broke! That place is so ridiculously expensive!!!

Nathan leaves Friday night for the A&M game. He is flying to Dallas, and then one of his friends is driving with him from Dallas to College Station. He is excited. Last Saturday night, he had the pleasure of hanging out with Robert Johnson, Antonio Huffman, Joel Filani, and Jarrett Hicks. One of his friends that is a loan officer was roommates with Antonio Huffman. Now, if you're a normal person those names mean absolutely nothing to you. And even if you anything about college football, that still may mean nothing to you. Chances are you would have to know something about Tech football. Anyways, they all play for Tech, and Eric and Nathan hung out with them. They were both on cloud 9...well they still are. If I hear Nathan tell that story one more time, I think I'll kill myself. But I am proud that he had the chance to do that.

Well I guess that is about it for now. I hope you all have a great rest of the week!

My baby sister

This is Jenny riding Madi's bike at Easter.
Jenny, too lazy to take off her skirt. It's just so much easier to iron the skirt while your wearing it.

Happy Birthday Jenny!

Today is my sister, Jenny's birthday. She is 19. I don't know what's crazier...that my baby sister is 19, or that I have a 19 year old sister. She helps me stay hip, cause I need that of course, and I have someone to make fun of...she is like the biggest target in the world to make fun of. So it's a great relationship! We are going to eat dinner tonight to celebrate.

I have been trying to download some pics of Jenny, but I'm having problems. I'll try later. For now here are some interesting facts that you may or may not know about my sister.

1. She plays/played the tuba. She wanted to be in band, and my dad told her to pick something like the flute or clarinet. He said something easy that you can carry on your own. So she chose the tuba. She is 5'8", but weighs a little, and I mean a little over 100 pounds. She had to be careful on the football field so that a big gust of wind wouldn't knock her over.

2. She is the youngest of 3 sisters. Jenny and I are 9 1/2 years apart. She made my life a living hell when she was about 3 years old. Needless to day we didn't get along. She knew how to push my buttons and she did. The funny thing is that Madi does the same thing to her. And I just laugh now, b/c they tend to mirror the same relationship that Jenny and I had when she was younger. Madi and Jenny are a lot alike...and Madi just adores Jenny.

3. Jenny drives a green beetle.

4. And I'll end with 4...she is dating a boy that she grew up with when she was like in 1st grade. Him and his brother moved up here to go to LCU, and they met again, and now they're dating. How wierd is that???

Happy Birthday Jenny Breath!!!! (That's my nickname for her...her name is Jenny Beth, and one day at school when she was like in 1st grade, they announced her name in chapel and accidentally called her Jenny Breath...so that has pretty much stuck...she hates it!)

I got a new book. Actually, it's a book that I bought for someone else as a gift, that I would really like to keep. I think though, I'm just going to read a little bit of it, and then put it back in the sack. And then go buy me one. Or keep this one, and go buy her another one tomorrow. The book is called, "Life Journeys According to Mr. Rogers." I liked Mr. Rogers. I think his wisdom was very simplistic, but very deep, and oh so true!

"There are many times that I wish I had heard that 'just who you are at this moment, with the way that you're feeling, is fine. You don't have to be anything more than who you are right now.' I'd like to think it's also something that's happened to me through the years, that I'm more able to accept myself as I happen to be, rather than as somebody thought I should be."

That is peaceful to me. At a time when peace is very good. There is a lot more I would like to write from the book, but I will some other time. A lot of people have asked me, if if I'm still "waiting." For those of you who read a previous post about me asking for prayers and such, you know what I'm talking about.

Going back to work was probably one of the single most difficult things I have ever done in my life. It has been a true test of charachter for me. I have been working for almost 5 months now. I know the exact month, day, hour, second, etc. etc...Some women would probably call me a whiner, and to you I say, "that's your opinion!" I know some women don't want to stay home, being home with their children all of the time would drive them crazy, and I understand part of that too. That's why I like the road in between.

Oh the things I have learned, and learning is a part of life. I'm very grateful, b/c I have gained some experiences that I know have helped me as a person. So I guess in a way I am still waiting, but I guess it's changed a little bit. God is really carrying me along...and how comforting it is to know that we can trust in him and his promises.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, to give you a hope and a future."

Jeremiah 29:11

taking a much needed break!


In the aviary at the Ft. Worth Zoo

These are from our first zoo trip to Abilene.
Cheese!
Everybody loves a good giraffe!

Did you know that a giraffe's tongue grows up to an inch for each foot it is tall? So A giraffe's tongue could be up to 15-18 inches long? Madi was pretty amazed...as was I. Who knew?

My Girl

She just brightens my day!

Zoo Trip

We has so much fun this weekend! Things didn't go exactly according the way we had planned them, but they never really do! Our first plan was to go to Abilene and me and the kids come back to Lubbock on Saturday. But Eric got sick and decided not to go to the game, so Nathan didn't have a ride to Dallas. We could have taken two cars, but then that completely defeated the purpose of us spending time together, so we just decided that we would go on to Dallas with Nathan on Saturday and we would find something to do during the game. We were going to see if we could get more tickets, but it was crazy over there...and no tickets in sight. Just a bunch of people wanting tickets.

Conveniently the Fort Worth Zoo is just down the road from TCU...so we hit 2 zoos in two days! And the Ft. Worth zoo puts the Abilene zoo to shame, but going to the Abilene zoo was a lot of fun. It took us all of 45 minutes to walk through the entire thing. Friday night we went and ate at one of my favorite places to eat in Abilene, Joe Allen's. Then we went to the mall, and then went back to the hotel to swim.

Saturday morning, we went and ate at IHOP, and then went and got a new tire we weren't expecting to have to buy! We just put new tires on the car about 2 months ago, but one of them got a bubble in it. So we got a new tire, and then headed on to Dallas.

The Ft. Worth Zoo was fun. Madi really enjoyed it. Kyle was so tired, he just sat there. It was sooo hot. I don't know how people stand it! I complain about Lubbock?!?! I thought I was going to die. We saw all the animals and then went and sat at a big sand area where kids can play. A good rule of thumb is to NOT play in sand when you're drenched with sweat. It just seems to melt into your skin. Yeah, we were a sight. The fun pretty much ended there, when Madi dumped a bucket of sand on her head. So we left, and my old college roommate, Jenny met up with us! I only get to see her about once a year, so it was so nice to get to hang out with her, even if it only was a couple of hours.

By that time, the disappointing game was over. So we went and picked up Nathan and headed home. We contemplated stopping at Abilene on the way home, but the kids were asleep, and I wanted my own bed...so we just came home. And now I am very glad that we decided to do that. We got home at 2a.m. and went to bed. At 6a.m. I woke up with a horrible stomach ache and started puking. I have been sick all day. I can at least get out of bed now. I hate throwing up. I guess that's a dumb statment, b/c who really likes it? I guess I just feel that I did my share of it and then some when I was pregnant, so I should be immune for the rest of my life. Unfortunately it doesn't work that way, but it should!

We really did have a lot of fun though. It was good for Nathan and I, good for the kids, good for our family...just a great time! Hope your weekend was good too! I have pictures, I'll post them later, I am too tired right now!

Great Weekend

It was a really nice weekend. I just can't believe that Kyle had surgery on Friday...he is completely normal!!! And call me crazy, but I think his speech is already clearing up some. He's always chattered a lot, but most of what he said, we couldn't understand. Yesterday I told him to lay down so I could change his diaper, and he said, "okay I will laydown." It was crystal clear! Amazing!

Nathan was supposed to leave Saturday morning for the UTEP game, but they were so excited that they left about 9p.m. on Friday night. He was traveling with the Eric's. (Eric his business partner and Eric his friend) He left and about 30 minutes later he showed back up. He says that he thought this was a "man" trip...meaning they were going to be roughing it, and wouldn't need to pack a bag. Well apparently the Eric's packed bags, so he packed him something too. They drove to Las Cruces and got tired, so they stopped at a hotel, to "rest." Well they ended up at a casino until 8a.m. that morning. Then decided to go to sleep. The hotel room was so small that there was only one bed and so one of the Eric's slept on the bed, and Nathan and the other Eric slept on the floor on either side of the bed. They ended up being so tired the next day that they thought about skipping tailgaiting, and going to a movie so that they would have a place to sleep. Needless to say, they had a blast and said that was the 2nd best game he's ever seen them play. I didn't watch it, I didn't know it was televised. Earlier in the day I was watching OU play and folding laundry and Madi comes in there and says, "Oh Mom, thank you for turning this on!" She went to Oklahoma about 6 months ago with my mom to see some of our family, and so now she's an OU fan. Anyways, they rolled in about 8:30 this morning, so pretty much two nights without sleep. They got lost when they were leaving El Paso. Nathan was driving and they were looking for the interstate, and they got on the wrong road. All of a sudden they see a big sign that says, "International Bridge" and some warning about having firearms and going to the prison in Mexico. They had a gun in the car...so they got a little scared. Ever since we saw "The Hills Have Eyes" we have been a little freaked out. That is the most disgusting movie...I thought I was going to throw up! Hence the gun in the car.

Next week is TCU. I'm not for sure what I was thinking when Nathan asked me if it was alright if we went to all the games. He always goes to the home games, but he wanted to go to all the out of town ones. For one, I didn't think he would actually do it, and for two, I think he drugged me. B/c I didn't actually think about what that meant. He is going to be busy every weekend until like the end of November!!! I want him to be able to do the fun things that he wants, but man I hope I make it until November. I am planning on going to at least one home game, maybe two. And I am going to take Friday off and we are going to go to Abilene and go to the zoo, and spend the night and then one of the Eric's will pick him up on their way through town Saturday, and we will come back to Lubbock. He is definately making it up to me, and I am planning on having a nice Christmas. I will probably milk this for all it's worth, why not, right???? The kids and I had a lot of fun Saturday...we went to Hobby Lobby and watch out everyone, Christmas is here!!! All of their Christmas stuff was out before the 1st of September! They were having a 50% off sale, so I got some things I had been wanting. Probably by the time we finish decorating this house, we will decide we want a new house. Then we went and ate lunch with my sister Jenny and her friend Ashley. Then we went and spent some time with my granddad at the hospital. Which by the way, he is doing great. He will be released tomorrow to the Care Center in Slaton. They have a rehab center there, and he will be doing rehab for several weeks before heading back to Post. His mental state has really improved since he had his surgery on his hip. We have all been really relieved! After we visited him, we came home made dinner and then we made cookies. So even though Nathan was gone, we had a fun time, but we are very glad to have him back.

So the week work starts tomorrow...the last 2 weeks I've only worked 4 days each week and it's amazing how much having a day off during the week helps you get things done. Someday, someday soon!!!!

Okay this is little off subject, but mosts of my post are. The little neighbor boy is about to drive me crazy. When we're inside the house, he sits on our porch and looks in the window, or the front door. I like to have the blinds open and have the front door open too, but he won't go away!And when my kids see him, they go crazy!!! He wants Madi to come out and play, but there is no way I am trusting a 7 year old to watch my daughter. I told him that she can't come out there by herself, b/c then Kyle wants to come out too, and he said, "I'll watch him!" Yeah right. I don't want to be rude, but that drives me crazy! Go home!!!

Well tomorrow is September 11th. It's crazy that it's been 5 years! I don't think any of us will forget where we were when we heard the news. I was pregnant with Madi, and thinking how scary it was to be bringing a child into this world when that had just happened.

Well I have to go. I think I am just going to have to shut the front door. I can't take it anymore!

Oh Please!!!

He was my first love. William Bradley Pitt...yes, that it his full name. Only a real fan would know that. I don't know why he went for Angelina when he could have had me. Well not actually, I was already involved.

I have been a little dissapointed with his behavior, I think Jennifer Aniston is precious...I mean, she's a "Friend", how can you not like her?

Now he says, he and Angelina won't get married until everyone is allowed to get married...homosexuals too. I think that is just an excuse personally. I mean that is such a dumb reason to use for not getting married!! It's really sad how marriage has been so beaten up by the world. It is definately the hardest thing I've ever done, by far...but still. It's just sad. Somedays this world just amazes me.

Tubes

Well Kyle got his tubes put in this morning. He did great. We went in at 6:45, and we were home by 8:30. That is so amazing to me! When they gave him the medicine that makes him drowsy, I didn't think it was affecting him, until he started singing a drunkened version of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." And then they wheeled him off in the little red wagon...which is so cute by the way. He's been great all day. You never would have known that our little boy had something done to him earlier in the day! The doctor said he still had an infection, hopefully with the tubes the stuff will drain out, and he will be ear infection free!!!

Random Thoughts

I may be living under a rock, but did yall know the crocodile hunter was killed? He was killed by a stingray. I read the whole story on MSN...the doctor said it was a freak accident, b/c the stingray pierced his rib cage and punchered a whole in his heart. How sad is that??!! I wasn't a huge fan of his, but he was so passionate about what he did, and seemed to be a really neat person. Anyways, I was just kind of surprised by that news, but like I said, I make be living under a rock.

My granddad is in the hospital again. He fell one day last week, but they rushed him to the hospital early Saturday morning. He broke his hip. My mom spent the night with him last night. I went up there and spent some time last night at the hospital with them. He is doing good, much better than last time. He is not aggitated like he was. But the medicine he is on gives him vertigo. So he always thinks he's falling, even when he's laying in bed. And he constantly has to be reminded that he is in bed. He always yells, "babe" (that's what he calls my grandmother) he asked my mom to help him in from the porch. My grandparents were big porch people. They always sat out there and drank coffee. He knows who everyone is, which is a really good sign, but then he'll say something really strange. For example, he said hi to my mom when she got there, and seemed completely normal, but then he proceeded to tell her that he was cooking a pan of potatos. And it's so interesting how the things he talks about are so a part of his life. Like the porch and potatos...they loved frying up a pan of potatos. Aging is so interesing. I was talking to my mom and you know I know that when you're in your golden years, that it is a really hard time. We see old people suffering all the time, and it's so sad. And I know they wouldn't be here if there wasn't a reason. I know so many times, they feel completely useless. When I was doing my practicum at Carillon I would just sit and talk to them...and man the things I learned about not taking life for granted...enjoying the moment and most especially how important our loved ones are. There was this one little lady who when she came into Carillon she was in assisted living. She was so sad and depressed, and she was just waiting until she could go home. She would just cry and it was so heartbreaking. 2 years later when I worked there, she was over in skilled nursing and she died during my week long employment. Sometimes I think it is more about our job to learn from the elderly and their suffering than anything that they actually need to learn. There is nothing like a suffering, elderly father or mother that can bring a family together, and change hardened hearts. I know in our situation is has done a lot for my mom, and she really needed that. On a side note, my granddad's social worker is Cara Speer. For those of you who don't know she was a professor for a long time at LCU. I guess she liked me alright in college, but I think my stock went up when I married Nathan. The Speers have known Nathan's family for a long time.

Well we managed to make it through our photo session. I wasn't feeling very hopeful...but then she brought out the wooden rocking horse and that did the trick. I think we got some good ones.

Now we are just enjoying the cool, wet weather! Well I was going to write a little more, but I have a very needy 2 year old right now. So I will end with a Happy Labor Day!

We are alive

Well we have managed to stay alive this week. I feel like I lived in the Covenant Medical District all week. We went to the doctor 3 times. First it was Kyle. And he had another ear infection with a viral infection to go along with it. And then it was Madi...they couldn't figure out what was wrong with her. They are pretty sure it was viral, b/c she had no symptoms, other than fever, and it just lasted 24 hours. Then yesterday we took Kyle back to the ENT and we are doing tubes next Friday. I am 99% sure insurance will deny the claim b/c we changed insurance and it will be pre-existing, so we will probably get to pay out of pocket...which is just great. But I just want him to be well...and God always provides...so everything will work out.

We are going to try to venture to Family Photo again tomorrow. Please pray for us, b/c I really need to get their together pictures done and Kyle's by himself and I really need his cooperation. If he has a cracker in his hand that shows up in the picture, then oh well. We just need a smile...is that too much to ask for?

Everything else is good. I changed my profile so I can talk bad about my co-workers, without anyone knowing where I work. Just kidding, but I really did change it. However, I do stand by my statement that I work in the twillight zone. Speaking of the twillight zone, I am about to leave work. We are so dead today. It's Friday before a holiday...no one from the mortgage department is here but me, and since I only worked 2 days this week and I will be out some next week with Kyle, I am just hanging out to answer the phone. I am seriously about to fall asleep!!!!!

I hope you all have a great Labor Day weekend....and go Tech!!!