I have removed all comments from my blog...

...the problem here is that I didn't mean too!!  OOOPS!  Not sure how to fix it at this point...sorry about that.  Please rest assured I'm working on it and will return you're ability to comment on my blog ASAP!

I need a personal IT guy.......

A lot has happened...

My nephews leukemia is being treated, and things are going well as far as I can see. He seems to be in good spirits and dealing with the ins and outs of being a cancer patient. The past week has been a test for his family in that they have had to endure a 10 day hospital stay. (after his most recent treatment the chemo levels in his blood wouldn't go down) Trust me when I say your prayers have not went unheard. I believe with everything in me that God is absolutely doing a work in my nephew. It may not be an instant healing, but it matters not to me, as long as God's plan is being perfectly played out! :)

As far as my personal life goes, our oldest daughter Sierra is now attending Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU). We took her down the last weekend of August. She and I cried and boo-hooed when it was time to leave, but she is doing well and adjusting to her new life. I am so very proud of her. Classes are good and she likes her new Coach. She says he stays positive and will be a good role model for her. I'm also thankful for that! :-)

Camry's latest and greatest moment is that she has been chosen for football homecoming queen candidate. She is, of course, thrilled, nothing could have made her happier. The other candidate is her best friend, so they are thrilled for each other and enjoying every minute of the excitement. Homecoming is October 1st. The dress is purchased, shoes and jewelry taken care of. The only thing left is make up and hair on homecoming day. I've no doubt we'll be having lots of fun that day!!

Camry is also playing softball for the first time since 7th grade when she slid into 3rd and broke her ankle. She did make the varsity team, but is not the top player (which is okay!). She is learning to overcome her fear of sliding and she is working hard to gain back the skills she lost over the last four years. She only has a few weeks left, but she's working hard, and putting her best forward and I'm proud of her for that. Good job Cam!

Logan is getting ready for his first football game of the season tomorrow. He's playing center this year and seems to be excited about it. He worked hard over the summer and it has paid off for him. He learned the value of consistency and hard work this summer. Couldn't have asked for more from a 13 year old!!

Spencer has arrived in 5th grade and is doing well. Spencer's world doesn't involve athletics. He has ZERO interest in any kind of sport (although he does play in the churches fantasy football league). He has taken up drums in band this year and seems to be enjoying that.

Patrick and I are good. Just working away, staying busy with life, and enjoying all of it. =) We are so blessed to be a pastors of an amazing church and parents of great children.

Leukemia

Friday my 10 year old nephew was diagnosed with ALL type T cell. (I think I wrote it correctly). Friday was stressful waiting for the diagnosis, the weekend has been surreal (as my brother put it).

This just isn't the kind if thing that's supposed to happen to people you know much less your own family. This is the kind of thing you see on TV happening to strangers.

I cried Friday and Saturday with just a single thought. But today is getting a little better, I didn't get teary eyed until I started texting my brother about the details of Garrett's procedures today.

Today they are checking the bone marrow, doing a spinal tap and putting in the injection port for future chemo, transfusions, etc. Assuming all goes as the drs suspected, they will start chemo today.

I just can't believe this...I just don't want to believe this... :-(

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Camry's getting new batteries!

We'll be just two months short of making 6 years. That's how long her battery lasted. So assuming she lives to be 85, Camry will have had 12 pacemakers by then!! (How much you wanna bet they figure out have to have even longer lasting batteries by then?)

Anyway, we just saw here heart doctor on Tuesday and the decision has been made to go ahead with the replacement "generator". She is fine, still has no restrictions, she's even playing softball for the first time since 7th grade when she broke her ankle. The leads to her heart are working well and everything else is looking good, just a matter of when the juice will actually run out. Guesstimates are another 60 days. So we decided to have it done this summer with the doctors approval of course.

If you think of Camry on July 29th we would appreciate the prayers. We are to arrive at 8:30 and the procedure will begin around 10:45. The original placement only took an hour and a half, so I'm thinking this time it shouldn't take more than 30-45 minutes since they're just switching out the generator.

God has been so very good to us. I never take technology for granted; without it Camry would unlikely even be living today. Thank you God for giving the doctors the wisdom they needed to repair Camry's heart. Thank you for watching over her all these years. Thank you for keeping your hand on her every day. Now and in the future. Your such a GREAT God. :-)

The End is Near....

It's my first high school graduation. Well, not for me personally, but the first of my children. My interpretation? I'm one step closer to empty nest!!!

Okay, so I know that's probably a little warped, but I admit it, I like my husband and I like to spend time with him. Call me crazy but I'm looking forward to it! :)

But back to my children.... Sierra will graduate in just a few short days, and then in just a few short weeks she'll be headed of to college which is what will seem like forever away from us. I get teary eyed just thinking about it. I've no doubt she'll be fine and we'll all adjust, just like we did she arrived almost 18 years ago. Life changed, but it was no big, you just made the adjustment and kept moving. That is what we will do here. I will miss her, but I will enjoy this new era with my kids. It will be exciting!!

A Little Angry

So I have this problem with our school...

but before I rant let me say what a good school system we have. Great coaches, great admins, and for the most part great teachers. None of them perfect, but all of them putting forth their best effort. I am fully one hundred percent behind our school. In my opinion, you can't do much better than Welch Public Schools.

With that said.... I am angry right now about parents who are schmucks. They are making my children's lives miserable. Here the problem, you have parents who will pull their kids out of school for fishing, shopping, lie about Dr's appointments, say their kids are too sick to compete in track but well enough to compete in cheer tryouts, etc. In an effort to make things fair the school has implemented policy attempting to avoid such pitfalls and require students to be in attendance at games and practices. Now I completely understand requiring kids to be at practices and games. I fully support that policy and have required it of my own children. If your going to be a part of the team then as a player you get the good with the bad. That's just the way it is.

Here's my issue, on more than one occasion, we have had a family event that has required our children to miss practices or events and my kids have been punished for it. It angers me that my children are punished for choices out of their control. I'm perfectly fine with consequences for your own choices, but it really stinks to have consequences for someone else's choices.

I have suggested that it is a reasonable request to have the school review their policy and try to implement something for parents who are cooperating and who are abiding by the rules, but have a legitimate family conflict. I did offer to be a part of the solution and am happy to offer my services. I would really like to see this conflict resolved in some manner that benefits families and students who are doing the right thing!!

Spring is here!!!

Yea!! Spring is here. You'll never know just how happy I am that Spring has arrived. Of course that didn't mean the end of the snow since we got somewhere between 8-12" last Saturday and Sunday, but it does mean the snow is coming to an end.

Until this winter I hadn't realized how much I dislike snow! Oh, don't get me wrong, snow is a beautiful and marvelous wonder God has graced our life with...I just happen to prefer it small doses! This past winter held about four weeks of constant snow on the ground and admittedly it was ticking me off. We humans are so funny like that. I remember needing to give myself a serious lecture about my attitude. Imagine losing your happiness over a few weeks of snow. That was me. Griping and complaining about the wet, the cold, the rant...rant...rant. Hmmm, I remember a certain group of people who constantly griped and complained and they ended up walking a few extra years in the wilderness. Personally, I'm not focused on all that extracurricular stuff so I decided to change my 'tude lest I end up spending some extra time focused on my own walking skills!!

Speaking of walking skills...my focus on better health has not changed. But I am reluctant to report there has been little change. The last 6 months have been difficult for me mentally. I literally gave up for about four of those six. But I have recently started a health and fitness small group, and it's nice to be exercising again consistently. I am pleased that I missed it!!