A home on the hill

On November 1st of last year we put a contract on a residential acreage a few miles north of where we currently live but within the same town. Leading up to that decision we spent years touring countless resale homes and driving through so many new developments in search of land to build, that I feel I know this town better than some who have lived here all their life. Nothing ever seemed to be the right fit for our family so we waited.

On a whim, in the fall of 2011 we returned to a neighborhood we had driven through a couple times prior because there was a model home featured in the Parade of Homes we wanted to see. We were impressed with the neighborhood location, the homes that had been built in there and the landscape of the area with its rolling terrain and abundance of trees.












After touring the model home, we walked a few of the lots for sale and one really stood out from the rest. It was a (nearly) two acre parcel that sat at the top of a hill, offering spectacular views both northeast over the rolling hills and southwest towards the sunset; perfect for the 'front porch' style home we'd dreamed of building.
Fast forward six months to Friday, May 18th, when we finally closed on the lot where we will be building our forever home. On Saturday we took the kids out to the property (or 'prop-a-wee' as Anna calls it) to have a family ground-breaking. Preparations for the real construction will begin this coming week.

We look forward to raising the kids in our 'home on the hill' and having it be a place they call home even after they are adults.

Seeking Simplicity And A Straighter Path

It's been more than four months since I last blogged and it is directly related to the busyness of this current season in our life. I'm plain old tired of life's busyness right now! I am not a person who thrives on having a full calendar and stretched in multiple directions. In fact, such seasons of life leave me worn out both physically and mentally. When I get stretched too thin, I get horribly grumpy (to put it nicely). Thank God for a loving, supportive, gracious, patient, and humble husband who loves me!

I recently read a very appropriate description of my current state in a book I thank God for putting in my Mardel shopping cart called Real Simplicity - it has been the best buck I've spent in a very long time! Excuse me for the paraphrase but here goes...while fixing fresh lemonade the author compares herself to a freshly squeezed lemon; sitting on the counter deflated because all of its goodness has been 'used up'. I froze and just meditated on that analogy because I could so strongly relate.

On April 30th Mark came home {just three weeks before we are due to finally close on our lot and construction loan - after three prior extensions since December} and he told me his boss in Houston quit and went to work for a competitor, and Mark may be in line to replace him. A million thoughts flood my mind. A move to Houston? Now? Seriously?

For the next several days and weeks we talked about it, prayed about it, and even worried about it; all while keeping up with all there is to accomplish towards the original plan of building a home here and the looming closing date. I felt as though I was living in two worlds. From the moment Mark mentioned Houston, Proverbs 3:5-6 was forever in my thoughts and we had to trust that He would make our path straight...and in His time.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.

While Anna napped I was researching school districts, churches, preschools, and neighborhoods in Houston. After the kids were in bed I was making my to-do list for who to call the next day regarding staying on schedule to close on our construction loan and lot. And the clock was ticking...loudly.

And as all of this was going on and we were desperately seeking God's guidance and answers, He quickly revealed himself in ways we didn't expect. Since fall a huge bulk of my time and energy has been split between work and house planning, and my time to focus on my role as Mom had diminished. While I attempted to balance so many roles and be everything to everybody, my kids were starting to seek negative attention through poor behavior, bickering, emotional roller coasters, and verbal frustration. I was slowly losing ground as an authority figure for my children and and I was ready to admit that 'enough was enough'. Something had to give. God was clearly telling us to simplify our lives as a family and as individuals.

Living in one city for more than seven consecutive years is rare in the oil field. I have always told Mark the kids and I will go where he goes. If there is a career path he feels called to take, I am with him one hundred percent. But in this case, Mark and I agreed that not accepting the chance at a position that is more demanding, and would require frequent travel and a move out of state, is wise for the well-being of our family right now. No paycheck or corporate title is worth the deterioration of our family structure.

And we also concluded that me working from home and the office, day and evening hours, was not where my focus needed to be right now. But God already had a plan in the works to address our concerns about me working. My amazing boss is graciously allowing me to cut back on my hours by handing off some of the time-consuming tasks of coordinating volunteers to a new hire. This will enable me to be present for my kids both physically and mentally, while still retaining the design, web and creative tasks of my job that I love.

God has recently given me a new perspective...one of simplicity. And I'm excited about that! As summer approaches and school ends, I am really looking forward to a season of fun and bonding with my kids. Sad to say I can't remember the last time we just had a fun day together without a phone call, an email, or a house-related errand or meeting getting in the way.

With the Lord's help, we are starting fresh on a straighter path...for our kids' well-being and our own.

Progress

With all that is going on, we are preparing for a lot of upcoming changes this year.

Over the weekend we finally chose our home builder and are so excited to meet with the home designer and builder late this week to begin the modifications to the floor plan and elevation design we love.

Ian in his glasses for the first time.

In late December, Ian went to the eye doctor at the recommendation of his pediatrician before he starts kindergarten in the fall. We were surprised to learn that he does, indeed, need glasses. I was so proud of how mature he was about it all. He sat through two and a half hours of testing, questions, dilating of his eyes, etc. And when it was all over and the doctor said he needed glasses, he never complained or asked why. He just accepted it and happily picked out a pair of wire rim glasses (like his Daddy's) that he really liked. They came in over Christmas break so he got used to them before returning to school. He was so excited to show all of his friends his new glasses that, as he said, 'give him super hero vision' and 'make him look like a scientist'. Since then we've picked out two more pair for him that will be his play glasses. His first pair are a dark, almost golden brown color. His second and third pairs are a silver pair with red accents and one solid dark blue pair. He looks so mature in his glasses and I really think they will help him see better at school and when he reads/concentrates on his books and magazines.

Anna's new favorite phrase is, "You wanna play in my room?"

We're also seeing some changes in our little baby doll. On the 31st we removed the toddler bed from her bedroom to make room for the play kitchen that was being stored in the garage...and toys she received for Christmas. She accepted the 'big girl bed' fairly easily since it's been in her room all along. We lowered the big bed by removing the frame so she can get into it on her own without a step-stool. And she has yet to roll out of it while sleeping. Feew! By the second day she was asking for her little bed but went to sleep just fine despite her sadness over losing the toddler bed. This happened two other times and then it was dropped. Ian transitioned from the toddler bed to the big bed in the exact same way. He mentioned it a few times, sort of 'mourned' the removal of the baby bed by asking for it back three or four different times and then he just sort of forgot about it and accepted that he was now a 'big boy' in a 'big boy bed'. Anna seems to be following the same path. She's been in the big bed for about ten days now and it's going really well. She's excited to have 'big blankets' and regular pillows and plenty of room for her gloworm, Baby Becky (her favorite doll), and her Monkey lovie. And she's thrilled to have more play space in her room and the play kitchen to 'cook' for everyone.

The kids found it exciting to share a drink at dinner.

Over this past weekend, about a week to the day of switching her to the 'big girl bed', she is now making huge strides towards potty training. It is as if a light switch went on and she suddenly wanted to wear only pull-ups, tells us when she has to potty, often gets out of bath early to potty, and uses the potty regularly before bed and upon waking. The past two nights her overnight diaper has been completely dry and she lets it all out on the potty upon waking. As I watched her use the potty before nap today I swear I saw a little 5-year-old Anna up there on the seat. She's growing up each time I blink and I don't want to miss a moment of it.

Another huge milestone in our house is the two kids have started to truly play together as friends and they will take turns playing what each person wants to play. Or they create games together. They are both really in to pretend-play right now and they come up with elaborate stories about what they are playing.

Being silly together on the swings.

On Saturday I was able to get about two hours of housework done while the kids played together throughout the house. It was truly amazing! And they played so nicely together. They are loving towards each other overall but are known to bicker, compete for toys, and get fed up with each other easily so this was a welcome surprise. They are quickly turning in to friends and not just siblings. That makes my heart so happy because I remember how close my brother and I were as kids and I hope for the same type of friendship for my kids as they grow.

Trike races on the back patio.

My mind flashes forward sometimes to think about what all will change this coming year before we move. By the time we settle in across town Anna will be potty trained and 3-1/2 years old. Ian will be 6 years old and in kindergarten. Wild!

I pray their relationship as siblings will continue to blossom into a life-long friendship.

You've come a long way, baby

It's 2012 - Happy New Year! As you see, with a new year comes a fresh blog design. I was feeling creative so I thought I'd switch things up a bit.

When the calendar changes, I reflect on how life has changed and what is yet to come.

This weekend I couldn't help but pull up a few videos of each of the kids when they were newborns and I just marveled at how they've changed. We missed church on Sunday because my back is recovering from 'going out' again and I have a rough cough that I didn't think those in the pews around me would appreciate. So we had a quiet morning and I got a chance to watch Dr. Charles Stanley's sermon on tv. His message was so appropriate for the new year - how to go forward with the confidence of the Lord.

A lot has changed in the five years since I added the title 'mom' to my resume. Although I had wanted to be a mom since I was old enough to carry a babydoll around, when we brought Ian home I was a wreck; scared to death of the magnitude of the responsibility I had to care for and nurture this innocent little boy as his mother. I was absolutely overjoyed at having a child, but the pressure of raising this child to be a productive, loving, spiritual, joyful, self-sufficient little person was...well, it was insanely overwhelming at times. Bringing Anna home about two years later brought all of those feelings rushing back as I now had a little girl to raise, too. I only have a few years' experience at it but I can already affirm that raising boys is different from raising girls.

Society puts such pressure on us as mothers to be perfect. Well, I am human and in my human ways, I am far from perfect and I am finally at peace with that. In five years of parenting I have matured more as a wife, a mother, a daughter, a friend, and an individual than I feel I could have in my lifetime without these experiences.

Two of my most valuable lessons of these past years has been the power of my words towards those I love (especially the kids) and the simple act of patience in all things. I am constantly amazed how my child's eyes light up when they receive genuine, positive praise or a loving word. I can see their 'love meter' skyrocket and their confidence and security grow. But even as an adult, these lessons work both ways. My heart skips a beat when my loving husband compliments me or my efforts as a wife/mother. Or when my precious boy whispers that he wants to tell me a secret and instead he plants a sweet kiss on my cheek and tells me he loves me. Or when my daughter insists on giving me 'kisses on the face' and one on each cheek before bed. Love, respect and appreciation has no age-limits.

There was a day not too long ago when something like waiting for the kids to get into their car seats while one of them roamed the back seat and the other searched for a specific toy while I stood in the rain waiting to buckle them in would have sent me into a frustrated frenzy. Or a toddler tantrum in a store would have embarrassed me so much that I felt like a failure as a parent the rest of the day, letting those feelings boil until the sun went down. I don't let things like this get to me so much anymore. When I feel stressed over a situation I ask for His peace and take a moment to calm down. Striving for perfection is no longer my inner goal. That's the joy of growth and wisdom. Each day is a new chance to do 'life' better.

But it is only with His guidance that I have grown in my confidence as a woman, wife and parent. Some of my favorite scriptures right now are in Proverbs. I love Proverbs because they are short and simple 'advice for living' that can have an immediate impact if applied. Some that have impacted me over the years for various reasons (and are now highlighted in yellow in my pocket Bible) are Proverbs 3:5-6, 3:9-10, all of Proverbs 4, Proverbs 13:3, 14:1, 15:13, 16:3, 16:23,17:27-28, 19:20-21, 21:13, 21:19, 22:6, 22:9, 27:19, 28:14, 28:26, 29:11, 29:17, and of course Proverbs 31:10-31.

In my later years I now cherish wisdom, patience, joy, love, serving, and so many more characteristics of who I am inside over anything relating to the outside. One of my favorite phrases found on Pinterest right now is 'I'd rather be a Proverbs 31 woman than a Victoria's Secret model'. Amen!

Whether your goals for the new year are emotional, physical, spiritual or otherwise, may we all start the new year with the confidence of the Lord so that we may achieve whatever we set out to do within His will. Happy New Year and God bless!

Precious Moments

This Thanksgiving was a special one for our family. We love hosting at our house and this year there were fourteen of us. I used to stress out about entertaining that many people in our home, family or not, but not anymore. The past few years it's become such a joy. Each family contributes several dishes to the feast and it's so nice that way. We get to taste some great recipes and those who have a "specialty" can choose to bring that for everyone to share. The four kids were big enough to sit at the little table and the adults enjoyed the extended dining table and lots of laughs. The weather was quite mild so after lunch everyone relaxed on the back patio while the kids played in the yard.

For black Friday we opted to load up as a family once the kids were awake and start the morning off with donuts around 7:30am. Anna and I stopped into Old Navy (where we were one of about three families shopping) and found some cute items for our upcoming family pictures while the boys went over to Lowe's. Then we all met back up and went to Academy and Tractor Supply. I did a little online shopping on Land's End and Kohl's for Christmas later that day. That was the extent of our shopping. Thankfully we are really quite ready for Christmas in the way of gift-giving so there was no pressure to stand in line for certain items over the weekend. Friday afternoon we put up the exterior Christmas decorations and I got the mantle decorated. For the first time in the more than ten years Mark and I have been together, we set up the Christmas village and train set at the near-begging request of Ian.

On Saturday we put up the Christmas tree and the kids' little 3-foot tree and finished the interior decorations. And after church on Sunday Ian (sort of) helped me decorate both trees while Anna napped. When Anna woke up she immediately went to the tree and examined all of the ornaments. She was really drawn to those with baby photos and animals. And she likes seeing the ornaments with Mark and me and Coal pictured together - before kids.

Sunday night we went to Braum's for dinner and our milk/OJ items (Braum's milk is like gold in this house...if you've had it, you know how good it is) and the kids thoroughly enjoyed sharing one side of the booth while Mark and I shared the other side.

And that's when one of the sweetest things my son has ever said was shared. Ian hugged Anna, kissed the top of her head and announced to me that he was going to marry Anna. Now you and I know that isn't possible but that's how he could best express his love for his sister. It was precious. When I gently explained that they are brother and sister and couldn't marry each other, Ian asked why. After attempting to further explain that even though they couldn't marry, they will always be brother and sister and share so much love. Ian said he didn't care. He was going to marry Anna ten times so she could wear ten wedding rings. Ha! He's so cute and has such a big heart. And nothing means more to him than his family and his close friends.

After dinner we drove around to look at Christmas lights for the first time this season - as early as it may be. We weren't disappointed. One of the most infamous houses for extravagant lights in our area was as bright as ever and the kids went nuts! I can't even type out how Anna says Christmas lights but it's something like 'Kwitmo lights' and it's hysterical because she says it so amazingly fast. All we heard from the backseat of the truck was each child yelling to look at the lights out of their window and then a loud, "Ooohhh!" from each of them. It really does make my soul smile to see how such simple things in life can make a child so amazingly joyous!

Veterans Day

Just wanted to post a BIG THANK YOU to each and every service person out there - both active and retired. My heart goes out to those families who have a troop serving overseas and especially to those families who's loved one is missing in action. May God bless each service member and their family! Our freedom, in so many senses of the word, is solely because of your unfailing dedication to our country. Thank you!

The anti-holiday message

I was disturbed to see an article online today stating that several major retailers have decided to open on Thanksgiving Day this year. As if it wasn't bad enough to see stores open at 4am (instead of what was once "early" at 6am) this past year, now they are said to be opening as early as 10pm on Thanksgiving. I am no stranger to the Black Friday sales but I am usually on the hunt for a few specific things that are realistic to get - Target's flannel pjs for the kids, a specific toy, home appliance, or bedding like Target's flannel sheets. Mark and I ventured out to Kohl's Black Friday sale a few years ago and we will never do that again. At least Target is not a stampede and is rather well-organized. I get there minutes before the doors open (none of this waiting in line for hours or overnight for me) and have never missed out on an item I was in search for.

 

And because of the chaos, injuries and even deaths reported in past years at some big box chains around the nation, I refuse to shop at certain stores (Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Toys R Us, and Kohls) on Black Friday or that entire weekend. I will not risk my health or safety for a discounted crock pot or portable DVD player.

I actually went the opposite way with my holiday shopping this year. I finished shopping for the kids and my two nephews in October - all while getting great deals on unique gifts I think each child will be thrilled with and stuck to the budget agreed upon by our entire family. I keep a spreadsheet of what I've purchased so we don't over spend. And most of my shopping was done online because of the huge benefits - online coupons, sales on merchandise not easily found in the actual stores, convenience of shopping when I have the time, and delivery (often free) right to my door! And my side of the family has decided to not trade gifts among the adults from now on and Mark and I are happy with that. We feel blessed to not "need" anything and the kids' extended family would rather focus on picking out a few special gifts for the kids instead. And we're excited to be sponsoring an Angels foster child this year for Christmas. I think the kids will love shopping for their "buddy" and sharing the gifts at the Christmas party in December.

As so many people posted, in response to the article I mentioned above, retailers are taking the meaning out of the holidays by requiring their employees to come in ON holidays. I absolutely disagree with chain stores earning bigger profits at the sacrifice of family time and true celebration of the holidays.

And truth be told the so-called deals everyone are after will probably be posted again closer to the holidays so why should we dash from the dining room table and abandon our family time - which is already so scarce because of overwhelming schedules and to-do lists every other day of the year? I just don't buy it {pun intended}.

So I will refuse to shop at stores (in person or online) on Thanksgiving Day and I hope you'll join me in saying NO to the retailers this coming Thanksgiving holiday.

Oklahoma's 5.6

Last night just before 11pm we had a 5.6 earthquake with an epicenter in Sparks, just outside Prague, Oklahoma, only about sixty miles away. I had already been asleep and it woke me up. Mark was not fully asleep so he woke up, too. We sat in bed and could hear the rumble of the quake and saw everything sort of "roll" and shake in the house. It was really wild. It sounded like a long, solid rumble of thunder and lasted what seemed like a minute or so but reports state it was probably only 15-30 seconds at most. Nothing was knocked over or damaged at our house but reports on the news showed chimneys collapsing into homes, cracks throughout brick home walls, cabinets emptied, etc. in and around Prague.

On Saturday morning there was a 5.2 earthquake in Oklahoma but it happened around 2am so we slept through it. Reports of the 5.6 quake were felt down in Dallas and as far as Wisconsin.

Then, on Sunday evening just after the kids went to bed we had a 4.7 quake that seemed shorter than the previous night but seeing the computer monitor on our desk and lamps shake in a wave-like motion was pretty wild. Oddly enough, that night we had thunderstorms, too, and within 48 hours there were tornadoes to our west. We are no stranger to wild, ever-changing weather but to have so many natural phenomenon this year...even within a week...is pretty strange!

Wide open spaces

I can not express how excited I am to finally be making this post!! After several years of combing the MLS listings for homes or land, daily visits to Realtor.com, dragging the kids to countless open houses and showings with our realtor, and regular weekend adventures to "look at land", we finally found what we've been searching so long for.

We have had dreams of building a home but with each opportunity we had to make that happen, there was always something not quite right. So we entertained buying an existing home but we were met with even more barriers. In August we were prepared to make an offer on a lot but within a matter of days the stock market tanked and the lot went under contract while we were on vacation. At the end of September we were prepared to make an offer on a home we liked but it went under contract overnight before we could make our offer. And now we know why these situations and SO many more didn't work out for us over the years. God always has a plan. So when we located this piece of land, everything seemed to fall into place and we knew quickly that it was right for us.

This morning we signed a contract to reserve a 1.75 acre (mol), hill-top tract in a fairly new development just a few miles northeast of where we live now. The neighborhood has 54 acreage lots total and our parcel offers clear northeast views about a half a mile out over the rolling hills and trees from what will be the front porch of our home and a clear view of the sunset to the southwest from the backyard.

This weekend we will begin interviewing one of our top three choices in builders. We hope to break ground in the spring and move in before the winter holidays next year.

The kids are very excited at the idea of moving. They look forward to having a house with stairs (because every kid LOVES playing on stairs), a big flat driveway to ride bikes on, and a giant yard to race their PowerWheels in. As Ian says, "this yard is big enough I could drive my four wheeler forever and never hit a bird feeder." Well said, my son. So we're excited to embark on our adventure "in the country" with wide open spaces.

Halloween

Trick-or-treat! The kids enjoyed trick-or-treating this year even more than last year because both kids are starting to clue in that candy is yummy (yikes!). They both loved getting to eat a tiny fun pack of M&Ms and Anna really liked the mini Reese's cup. She had chocolate all over her face, hands, and costume by the end of that tiny little treat.

For trick-or-treating we go to a local mall where the merchants close early to pass out candy to the kids at each store front. Us parents love that it's indoors so there is no need for toting coats and flashlights, and it's not crowded at all. The kids loved checking each others' costumes out!

Anna the 50s girl and Ian the policeman.

Cowboy, Batman, Policeman, and a 50s girl....what a crew!

Changes

The events in the past two months at our house have followed a common theme...change. I am not new to change; in fact I love change. I have embraced lots of change throughout my life - big and small. Just ask my Mom. When I was a pre-teen, she was never surprised when my bedroom door hit a piece of furniture as she attempted to come in on a Saturday morning. I was known for rearranging my bedroom on a (sometimes) weekly basis.

But the past two months have been full of a lot of change; definitely much more than we are used to. The kids started school - Anna is in preschool and Ian is in pre-K. And once a few weeks of school were under their belts, the kids seemed to have grown up a bit more overnight. Ian has tried a few new foods and that is saying a TON for a child who will only eat about five things. He is choosing his own clothes and dressing himself for the most part. He can fix his own breakfast and, minus getting the gallon of milk out of the fridge, can almost fix his own warm milk without supervision. Anna is attempting to dress herself and can often entirely undress without help. She will also choose and get her own shoes on but she does need help with her socks sometimes. She can brush her own teeth and get breakfast out of the cabinet but needs help opening it. It seems as if we are seeing new milestones in the kids almost daily.

And about two and a half weeks ago we decided it was time for her to let go of the Pappy (pacifier). She had become very attached to it after her doctor's appointments/procedures this past summer so we knew it would be difficult. One Sunday she had a royal tantrum after we refused to let her have her Pappy on the way home from church. Her intense reaction was so unlike her and it made me realize just how attached to it she had become. So I finally got the guts to get rid of it. While she was eating lunch I snuck into her room and snipped the end off her last pappy and left it in the bed for her to find. When she discovered it she was surprised, confused and then sad. I just sympathized with her and explained that when pappies get old, they break. And once they "break" they aren't safe to have and we have to "get rid of them". I've been very careful to not say throw it away, trash, or anything similar. She has asked for it several times, especially when she's tired, but has not had a tantrum or been terribly upset over it. She has been more sad that she hasn't had it instead of mad. I simply reply that we don't have Pappy anymore and that it broke. And she accepts that and moves on. She's had a much more grown-up reaction that I'd anticipated. This is exactly how we ended the Pappy with Ian but in his case his really did break off because he would chew it all the time.

Over the summer the Lord called me to get out of my comfort zone and give back to the church we've called home for more than six years. Our kids love the children's programs at church and I felt it was time I got involved in some way. Without knowing much about the program, I signed up to be a storyteller for the first through fourth grades in the fall Sunday school rotation schedule. In the weeks leading up to my rotation I had great doubts - was I cut out for this, ready for this, or even willing to do this?? I felt like giving up but then the Lord placed the story of Jeremiah so conveniently in my lap as the story I'd be telling for four straight weeks at church. I always find humor in how the Lord works in our lives sometimes and He did it again. Jeremiah was just a child when God called him to be a prophet or disciple for Him. Jeremiah doubted his ability to do the job God called him to do because he felt ill-equipped, too young, etc. but the Lord gave him strength and guidance. Jeremiah never gave up as he attempted to share God's message. I can relate to Jeremiah in the sense that I often feel too immature as a Christian to be a proper disciple for Christ. But I now know that whatever God calls us to do, be it big or small, He will be by our side the entire time to guide and teach along the way. I have thoroughly enjoyed the Sunday school rotation, and am so thankful for the work God has done in my heart and the strength He has given me to get out and be a disciple for Him in whatever way I can. I pray the story of Jeremiah reached at least one child over those four weeks so that child can have the confidence to boldly be a disciple for Christ.

In September, my passion for serving within the foster care community took an unexpectedly positive turn when a volunteer position I have enjoyed changed into part-time employment. I am able to work on Thursdays while both kids are in school or at home if need be. I'm thrilled to be a part of such an amazing organization that has quickly made great strides in changing the face of foster care in Oklahoma.

Our next change will be Ian turning five years old. Aside from birthday parties and fun gifts, his birthday will be a milestone, a sort of rite of passage, in his young little life. Mark and I have agreed that at age five Ian will take on more regular responsibilities, greater tasks of self-sufficiency, while letting go of some of his lingering "toddler ways" and Ian is preparing for that. He is such an amazing little boy - bright, loving, humorous, compassionate, inquisitive, and filled with the Spirit - and we are so proud of who he is and who he will be.

20 Year Anniversary

January of this year marked twenty years for Mark at his company. Last night we attended the company Service Awards banquet downtown and had a wonderful evening. The banquet and dinner were held on the 34th floor of a downtown building and the view throughout the evening was breathtaking as the sun set, and thereafter. The three course meal was fantastic and we greatly enjoyed visiting with Mark's coworkers at our table.

The view from our hotel suite.

Mark was presented with an award by Jody, another manager from his office, who did a great job of highlighting Mark's career and who Mark is as a person at and away from the office. Mark also presented an award to one of his guys, Monte, for thirty years of service after a wonderfully thoughtful speech about Monte's achievements and their friendship over the years.

Mark and I were blessed with a night away in a downtown hotel where we enjoyed drinks with friends after the banquet while the kids had a sleepover at Nana and Papa's house. It was a great evening in celebration of Mark's career so far. And after ten years of knowing Mark, I am as impressed by him as I was the day we married. And saying I was proud to be on my husband's arm that night would be an understatment. I am so blessed to be Mark's wife and I am humbled by his dedication to his job and the company for so many years.

Anna's first day

Our fashionista in head-to-toe PINK. :)

Today was Anna's first day of preschool and she had a blast. She was very excited to go since she saw her brother go yesterday. She was apprehensive about going into the classroom because she was confused as to why she wasn't going into last year's classroom. Once she got in the door she did great. We put her bag in her cubbie and she was off to play with the wood puzzles. She gave me a hug good-bye and that was it. I was so proud of her for not asking for or needing her Pappy (pacifier) or Monkey lovie at all that morning. Usually she'd ask for her Pappy/Monkey (she almost says it as one word) in an uncertain situation for soothing but she didn't need either and I was so happy to see that. I knew she'd have a great day if she started out on a good note. That was as good as we could have asked for! She's becoming a big girl before our eyes.

Anna loves wearing her favorite hat
in the car and her sunglasses are
usually upside-down. :)

My 'big kids' outside school.

The most wonderful time of the year!

I will preface this post by saying our family enjoyed a really fun, adventurous summer this year. The kids and I did so much with friends, family and even on our own. But then mid-August arrived and we were all going bananas! The kids desperately needed the routine and structure that school offers...and Mama needed a sanity break.

Then September 7th arrived and our house was, seemingly overnight, a different place. It was Ian's first day of Pre-K and he was so excited he couldn't contain himself. He'd picked out his new Spiderman shirt, jeans and brown boots for the first day of school and he looked quite handsome of course. And we surprised him this morning with an early birthday present - a new Lego City Firefighter backpack.

The four cousins together outside the school.

I made the kids their favorite blueberry muffins and our house was so calm all morning it was eerie. The kids cooperated so well, ate their breakfast while I showered, played nicely together, got dressed and ready well before it was time to go, etc. It was awesome! Ian was completely dressed and ready to walk out the door by 8am...wearing his backpack, of course.

It was nice to have our 'before school prayer time' at our favorite stop light this morning. They had remembered from last May and little Anna's hands were folded before we even got to the light. A few of the things we prayed for was that Ian would have a fun first day, learn something new, be a blessing to his friends because some of them may be apprehensive about a new class/school, obey his teachers, and make at least one new friend.

Ian was excited for school but became apprehensive when he got near his classroom and saw lots of other kids. Once his teachers invited him into the classroom and began showing him where to put his backpack, how to put his name up on the chart, etc. he was his usual happy self again. He recognized a few old friends and I was pleased to see several new faces, too. And as we left the school Anna kept saying, "My class. My class." She was sad she wasn't going to school today but she'll get her chance tomorrow.

Anna bounces at the park.

So while Ian was at school, Anna and I met cousin Braden and Aunt Laura at the park for some outdoor time. They had a blast together. Then she and I ran a few errands and picked up Chick-Fil-A before getting Ian from school. When he got in the car he was so happy and excited about his day. And 'special lunch' made him smile even more. He thanked Anna for getting him lunch - too cute!

He talked a mile a minute the entire way home and showed us his 'book' he had made in class. He told us he had a great day and loved school. And I was so touched to hear him talk about playing with old and new friends; especially a little girl named Evan who Ian said was shy. He said he played with her and tried to help her not be shy. I complimented him on being a blessing to his friends and how awesome it was that he helped Evan enjoy her first day of school. He is a typical little boy sometimes but he sure makes us proud, too!

Good bye August

August was a month that seemed to fly by for us. At the beginning of the month we were relaxing in Colorado on the annual family vacation and at the end of the month we were celebrating the wonderful news that Anna did not have to undergo surgery to repair her VUR (kidney reflux) issues. And in between those two events were lots of fun outings and several pool play dates at the cousins' house to try and beat the heat and keep the kids engaged...and Mama from going crazy. :)

Our washing machine went out on us (after 20 years of faithful service) and we replaced it with a new front load set that make our little laundry room look pretty fancy. At the same time we replaced the old cook top in our kitchen with a sleek new black one. Coincidentally, the appliances arrived on my birthday and they are awesome. The day they were installed the kids and I were mesmerized by the spinning clothes through the glass windows of the washer and dryer. Anna has always been my laundry helper so now she's even more excited to help because she can reach both the washer and the dryer without her step stool. I hope that enthusiasm continues into her teen years when she'll be doing her own laundry.

The afternoon of my birthday we met with the pediatric urologist at Children's Hospital and were quite relieved and thankful to learn that Anna's stage III VUR does not require surgery at this time. In fact, nearly 50% of all children with this stage outgrow it within five years. So we were given the option of putting her on a daily antibiotic for one full year as a preventive measure against future kidney infections or take a 'wait and see' approach. Either way, she will be evaluated after one year to check the progress of the VUR with hopes that it has decreased or diminished entirely. After praying, researching and speaking with Anna's pediatrician Mark and I chose not to give her the antibiotic and instead we opted for a more natural route of a daily chewable 'gummy' supplement of natural cranberry or whole cranberry juice pops. We are so thankful to God that Anna doesn't have to endure a surgery at this age and pray her kidney/bladder issues are healed by His hand in time.

We had a record-breaking summer with 61 days where the temperature was above 100 degrees and massive wild fires were part of the daily news. Brutal hot! But today was a very welcome change with highs only reaching 78 degrees and a, dare I say, crisp breeze all day long. This morning we all wore long sleeves and pants to church and I was so excited to open all the windows and air out the house this afternoon.

Fall is upon us and college football has begun (my husband is overjoyed) and the kids start back to school this coming week! Hard to believe summer is over.

Ian, Anna and Gram make paper airplanes to
launch on the air machine at the museum.

Potty training...round one

We started our first attempt at potty training Anna over the weekend of August 14th because she was showing signs of being ready.

Tuesday morning (the 16th) Anna woke up and I immediately asked if she wanted to potty. She replied that she did and I was surprised to find her overnight diaper was virtually dry. Within about a minute of sitting on the potty she began to tinkle. About thirty minutes later I was in doing my makeup and Anna came in and said, "Mommy, potty". I asked if she needed to go potty again and she replied that she did. So we ventured down to her bathroom and she quickly tooted on the potty - quite proud of herself, too. Then she pooped. I was so excited for her and her eyes got really big with surprise that she had done it.

So that afternoon we stopped by Target to pick out a cushy potty seat. She's been using a fold-up portable potty seat so I wanted to get her a nice soft one for at home. She immediately went to the bathroom and wanted to 'try it out' when we got home. Later that week she got to pick out two packs of 'big girl' underwear. She also loves to read 'Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?' by Eric Carle while on the potty. Not sure why but it's a favorite. Now she knows it by heart and 'reads' it to me as we camp out in the bathroom.

Since then she's been wearing pull-ups about 95% of the time and likes them. She has days where she's very into using the potty and others when she could care less. She did make me realize just how much control of her body she has when she got into a warm bath one night and began tinkling before she sat down. She realized she was going so she looked down and immediately stopped. Then she looked at me and giggled and said, "I tinkle", and continued going. So we know she can hold it for long periods of time and control her body to 'wait' until she's at a potty. Those are good signs. So we'll take it slow and see what happens over the next few months after she starts school.

Upate: Anna's kidneys

On Wednesday of this week Anna underwent a renal ultrasound to evaluate the size, condition and functionality of her kidneys. Immediately following the ultrasound she had a Voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) performed to observe the operation of her bladder and check for Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR).

Kidney to bladder path

Typically urine travels from the kidneys through ureters (normally a one-way valve) and remains in the bladder until the body voids it. With kidney reflux, urine travels back up one or both of the ureters to the kidneys (called back washing) upon voiding the bladder. The danger in this is the risk of recurrent urinary tract infections and damage/scarring of the kidneys.

For a child who is normally very unhappy about going to the doctor's office for any reason, she was really brave and did exceptionally well through both tests for her age. Mark and I were both able to remain in the room for both tests and assist in comforting her. The staff at Children's Hospital were all wonderful and did their best to make Anna's experience less traumatic.

Grade III reflux - urine (blue)
travels back up into kidney.

The ultrasound part of our visit was quite easy. She resisted getting on the exam table but once Melanie, the friendly ultrasound tech, started talking to her she calmed down and was very cooperative. Anna even got to push the button repeatedly to 'help' Melanie print each image she took of Anna's kidneys. She loved getting to mess with the computer and push buttons!


We then traveled downstairs for the VCUG. Again, the staff did a wonderful job of helping Anna feel comfortable and minimize her fear. Her two female nurses brought out various toys and books and even a music player for her to play with during the procedure. Mark and I were able to remain in the room and stay right at the head of the exam table, holding Anna's hand and talking to her the whole time. Anna cried during most of that procedure but it wasn't out of discomfort but fear. Because of her age and the fact that they needed very clear images of her body's internal operation, she wore a toddler sized hospital gown and was put on a stabilizing board complete with straps around her legs to keep her as still as possible. At one point they had to tilt the board to a 45 degree angle in order to get complete images of her left and right kidney/bladder function. She didn't like being tilted on that board but after a few times she realized she was safe and didn't fuss much. Our strong-willed little girl did not want to void her bladder with a catheter in place and every trick the nurses had failed. After we told them that although Anna is not potty trained she will hold her bladder for long periods if she is uncomfortable, the radiologist decided to remove the catheter to see if Anna would urinate on her own and it worked. Within moments of the catheter being removed, she emptied her overly-full bladder and the techs got the images they needed to clearly diagnose her issues. We were immediately able to see up on the screen that she did indeed have reflux and the radiologist told us it was on both sides (bilateral). They would evaluate all the images from both tests and contact us in a day or two with the specific results.

After it was all over she got to pick a few stickers and a prize - she chose a bright colored bounce ball. She was so proud of getting rewards and showed everyone on the way out of the hospital. Poor little thing fell asleep as soon as we got in the car and continued to sleep in her bed for several hours after the procedures. She was wiped out....physically and mentally.

On Friday afternoon we received a call from the pediatrician that Anna had Grade III bilateral Vesicoureteral reflux. The grading system goes from I - V with five being the most severe. So Anna is being referred to a pediatric urologist at Children's who will thoroughly evaluate the findings and recommend treatment. The known treatments range from a once-daily antibiotic that she would take for one year, to a surgical procedure to correct the 'two-way' issue within her ureters.

More info to come after we meet with the urologist.

This and that

I love perusing other blogs and I've come across some fabulous artwork, sayings, etc. from Pinterest that I thought I'd share. Some are inspiring, some are creative, and some are just good for a hearty giggle. Grab a chair and take a moment to lighten up a bit. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I did not create, write, or design these...I just wish I was that good!

I am going to save this one for
my hubby's Valentine's Day card.
(shh!)

Who says farmers don't have a sense of humor?

This was an actual float in our local July 4th parade.
Sign reads...
Wanted: Good Woman - Must be able to clean, cook, sew, plant and harvest crops.
Must have John Deere and barn. Please send picture of tractor and barn.

We all know or have known one of
these people and they are awesome!

How I feel about my tater tots!

Is that my brother's hand writing from years back?

I would love to do this to our big tree
out front to make the speeding carpool moms
slow down a bit.

The guitar onesie...classic!

I'd be that millionaire chic who no one
knows she has money because I'd still be
clipping coupons and shopping the clearance
aisles...pretty much the same ole' girl....
except for the pristine white Porsche 911 Turbo
with terracotta leather interior in the garage.

My mother loves to iron...
so I know she's going to
giggle at this one like I did.

Can this also go for an entire pan of brownies???

This should be on the actual
clothing label or packaging of tights.
For those of you who've witnessed this,
you know what I'm talking about.

AK is surely laughing at this one!
- Amy #1 :)

Ian loved this one!

For those that know me well, this is spot on!

Precious.