The time involved in putting a great play together is incredible.  Bailey has been at drama some nights this week until midnight!  He is playing the character Eugene who is the nerd.  The play is not identical the movie, so there are a few different songs and more of  Eugene than in the movie.

The costumes started out as a challenge.  Matt and I spent a while in the fabric store comparing plaids for pants, texting them to Bailey for approval etc.  I ended up with a couple I was pleased with.  Mom had planned to make the pants.  We realized we needed more material Monday, and that full dress rehearsal was looming so while I waited for mom I ran in the thrift store.  It wasn’t exactly easy to find what I found, and I’ve never really been a thrift store shopper so I know there is an art to that…. but after sever walk throughs I found two pair of plaid pants I assumed we could alter and a vintage ugly suit for the prom scene.  The plaid pants required no altering!  They were nerdy all on their own and even fit.  Fortunately they were supposed to be too short because Bailey is way to tall to actually find anything that is long enough.  I found shirts that fit the requirements and my brother Mike found suspenders.  He has four wardrobe changes and the only thing missing as of this morning was black low top converse shoes.  We got those today (well he did) and now he is off to full dress rehearsal to show all his looks… complete with his hair parted in the middle and the nerd glasses.  I can’t wait!

Izzy is having a great week… I got a text from Camilla Tuesday (13 today!! Totally upright!! No complaints AT ALL!! Sooo good!! Had to match that dollar in her hand!!) and this picture…

Slow and steady has been the pace for standing this year at school.  Last year it was almost not possible, with the tightened ankle tendons and unstable hips.  We were all excited to start a new year with flat feet and new hips.  No one was more cautious than Camilla when beginning to work the new hips.  Aware of problems that could occur, it has been done with Izzy’s comfort in mind.  I love Camilla, Izzy loves Camilla and more importantly I trust her completely with Isabelle.  So to finally be in a totally upright position is really an accomplishment!  Today Melanie texted another picture showing Izzy at a level 14 in the stander!

Matt gave Isabelle five one dollar bills last night and she was hesitant to let me pry them from her fingers to put them in her purse.  I am amazed that dollars are such a motivator for her.  So… the plan is after a completely successful week in this stander to move to a different stander and to the kid walk.  She is able to rest a little on the kid walk and because we want all her weight on the hips and legs that is going to come last.  I can’t begin to describe how hard Izzy works, and how smart she really is.  I also can’t begin to describe the patience Melanie has to do her classwork with her, waiting many seconds between each answer and letting Isabelle answer in her own time and way.  Amazing to have Camilla and Melanie.

It’s 2011!

Christmas was fun… busy… exhausting…

Melanie planned a super fun party for Izzy’s class (all three of them) the day before Christmas break began.  There were chicken races, wreath decorating contests, snowball (aka saran wrapped marshmallows) fights and snacks.  So much fun!  Here we are at school covered in party loot!

Amanda came home for the break and we all enjoyed the week at home before making the Christmas rounds!  We sang along with glee cd  all the way to Bethany Christmas Eve… had fun watching the kids play pool at Ginger’s house… had Christmas lunch at home with gram, john, jane ann, jane ellen & ron… went to my brother mike’s house for Christmas dinner where the evening ended with fun games!

Izzy and I didn’t stay for the games at Mike’s house.  She was Christmas’d out!

Sunday we snuggled in and rested all day!

The BEST thing about Christmas was the time with family and begin together… Jesus being the reason for the Christmas season of course!

The kids have enjoyed the week after Christmas… Amanda went to SALT (chi alpha retreat in Dallas), Emelia went to a fun overnight bday party in bricktown… Bailey and I spent the day at the mall together… Izzy is loving her twinkle turtle and was ready to get back to school!

New Year’s Eve was mildly uneventful… Me and Melody had a late (but very delicious) lunch at the Cheesecake Factory! and then walked around Penn Square Mall until they closed at 6:00 p.m.

No NY’s resolutions for me… last year I joined the gym in January and have been happy to go at least three mornings a week all year.  I feel fit and healthy!  I also started reading the bible in 90 days about 87 days ago… so I’ll complete that in a few days.  I plan to do a chronological reading next.  I have enjoyed reading first thing in the morning every day.  Puts the day into perspective.  Some friends have mentioned resolutions like getting fit, or being a better wife or mother which are all great goals, but I am just going to enjoy 2011 as much as possible and enjoy the blessings all around me because there are many many many to count!

Happy New Year!

Here’s the whole group…  This picture is taken at the lodge at Suncadia.  The view out the window behind us was spectacular!  It was an instant bonding session with all 11 of them.  The life we now have is so similar and unless you live it, you can’t really understand it.

We’re eating lunch here, or getting ready to eat lunch… Such a fun day!

Tiffany placed the lei pictured around my neck followed by a farewell hug right before I left.  I was so sad to be saying goodbye… Funny how a token can mean so much.  Izzy’s little friend at school (Grace) gave her a water globe she made for her.  It was a kit she was given for her birthday and wanted to make it for Izzy.  It is orange and she shaped letters to spell I Z Z Y inside the water dome.   It was so sweet.

Izzy has been having a good week at school.  My absence last weekend didn’t seem to affect her at all, which is good.  I think Princess (the dog) is the only one who REALLY missed me. Ha!  She has not left my side since I got home.

I love her!  Such a sweetie.  Don’t we look tired?  I think it will take a month to get back to normal!

Bailey went to another drama competition for a duet last weekend while I was gone.  He and his partner placed second which takes them to regionals.  I have been searching for dress pants long enough for him.  He is officially TALL!  We had to retire all jeans not longer than 34″!  Finding 36 or 38 inseams is difficult!  I have been to several stores trying to find pants this week with NO LUCK .  I had his dress clothes ready for him when I left for the weekend and Matt called Saturday to tell me I needed to replace them! HA .  Poor guy.   Short people say we are lucky to be tall, but you can’t add material on… you can hem.  I am not complaining, being 6’1″ is great.

Emelia is a MESS!  She has been having conversations about buying stocks (she is 12!) with her history teacher and now has arranged a meeting with someone (with parental supervision of course) that the teacher knows to spend some of her babysitting reward money on stocks.  I don’t think the amount of money she has will buy much, (LOL), but she is sure getting an early start with a small amount will be good.  Matt pays her one dollar to debate current events in class.  He really shouldn’t encourage her.  :)

Amanda is so busy with school and activities we rarely see her.  She is planning a birthday party for Lorenzo this weekend at her house.  Tomorrow night they are having an 80′s skate party.  She called to ask if I had any old 80′s clothes…. I said, “I just cleaned out my closet, I barely have any 2009 clothes.”  HA.

I was shocked to realize next week is thanksgiving!  Which means only a month until Christmas!  Izzy is usually the hardest to find gifts for that I think would be good, so I’ve been watching for things and have ordered her presents!  That’s one down… I would be panicked about it but I usually don’t get busy shopping until after Thanksgiving.  I have Amanda’s list and Bailey is working on his… Emelia only wants an IPHONE.  I told her there was a 12% chance she would get it but I don’t think it will happen.  If I had an upgrade available it might work, but I don’t so I doubt it will.

I would post a pic of the turkey cookie creation Izzy made at school today with Michele and Melanie, but right when we walked in the door Emelia asked if she could eat it and Izzy’s yes hand went up instantly.  She was happy to share.  I walked into her classroom and found her with a chocolate mouth from frosting so I guess she had her fill.

I decided to do a semi fast recap on the weekend… because I want to remember it for a long time!  It was such a fast paced fun weekend.

I left Friday night around 8 p.m… the first flight to Denver was such a little plane that I was nervous!  I think there may have been 20 people on the completely full little plane.  An interesting older lady sat beside me and talked non-stop.  I was actually happy to have the distraction from the bumps in the air.  She had a lot of stories to tell… she was from San Diego, had a 7 bedroom, 4 kitchen house that she rented out rooms, her husband is a pilot, and her son has a traumatic brain injury.  I had a two hour layover in Denver and then happily boarded a much larger plane to get to Seattle.  I was so excited there was no way I could nap!  We landed at close to 1 a.m. and Sue’s friend Lori picked me up in front of the airport.  She was sweet to text her pic to me so I knew her right away.  We chatted the long 1.5 hour drive to Suncadia.  She was such a nice lady!  The house looked so dark I assumed everyone was sleeping (I was the last to arrive at 2 a.m.).  First I saw Sue and then Tiffany!  It was so overwhelming to meet these two, after more than six years.

Saturday morning we all had plans to head into Seattle for a day of fun!  Here’s the group before heading out.

We started the day off at Ivar’s

There were crazy seagulls outside that snatched food out of people’s hands!  It was a fun and chilly lunch.  We then headed to the market.

I got to see the fish throwers in person …. and see a lot of interesting things like beautiful flower bouquets made of cabbages.

Next we drove to the space needle.  A quick elevator ride brought us to the top where we all walked around and looked at the gorgeous views of Seattle.  It is such a pretty city.

We rode the monorail to downtown Seattle and had Starbucks and shopped… Tiffany and I headed over to Cheesecake Factory early to sit down.  The others joined us for dinner at 7 p.m.  It was a fun evening visiting with Tiffany, Jill and Peggy during dinner.  I don’t think anyone could find room for their cheesecake.  I took a yummy piece of pumpkin back to the house.

We were all ready for the hot tub after being cold all day.  When we got in the temp wasn’t much warmer than a warm bath, so we all tried to adjust the temp and waited for the water to warm up for about two hours!  We had so much fun talking and laughing.

Sunday morning I went into town with Tiffany, Joanna, Teresa, Sabine and Kehau.  We went to the sweetest little non-denom church in Cle Elum.  It reminded me of what the church in Mitford may be like.  Such a neat little town and interesting people.  The music was folky and the songs were very appropriate for our journey.  I’m not sure which was more touching… sitting in service with my friend Tiffany; the words of the songs that just “fit”, or just being in church after two nights of almost no sleep making everything a little amplified.

We took a brisk walk in the beautiful mountains of Suncadia to the lodge and then to the winery.

Such beautiful views every direction!  We decided to have a snack at the winery in their restaurant.  It was so pretty and cozy.  I had a spinach salad and mushroom soup with truffle oil.  Yummy!

We walked back to the house and all gathered around and talked about what therapies we thought had been most productive for our children.  The group has always been a wealth of information and I really listened to all of the information.

Sue had planned for us to play bunco after dinner.  By this time I was getting a little loopy from lack of sleep, but also knew I had to stay up all night to start home.  Bunco was hilarious.  I was confused the whole time but somehow came out the winner!  Ha.  You switch partners constantly and I really enjoyed laughing with everyone.  It was a blast.  I had to start trying to get my bags packed.  Not an easy task!

Several of us gathered for some time of prayer late Sunday night.  It was profound to be in a group of ladies who were walking the same path and knew the road.  I knew time was ticking away and was already sad to be saying goodbye to this group.

Tiffany brought in a lei and placed it around my neck… to say aloha or goodbye.

Sue’s friend Yoli (who stayed the weekend and helped out with food etc.) took me to the airport at 2:30 a.m.!  It was a crazy drive through the pass which was snowy, windy, and completely foggy!  I fought to stay awake and felt like a zombie walking through the airport!  I had put a gift bag of goodies from Sue in my carry on not realizing it had liquid things like lotion… and forgot to remove my hand gel and lotion from my purse and laptop bag.  Let’s just say the security group wasn’t pleased.  After four runs through the line I finally got clearance.  Yikes!  If I hadn’t been so sleepy I may have been nervous …  I slept a few minutes but woke up to turbulence and stayed awake until we landed in Denver… then again couldn’t sleep on the next leg of the flight.  By the time I got to OKC I stumbled out to the car and just kinda fell in while Matt loaded my luggage.  HA.

I am so glad I didn’t miss this weekend!  But I am thankful for…

Matt… who stepped up to take care of Isabelle for the weekend and practiced feeding her leading up to it.  He learned how to vacuum and run the dishwasher!  He even raked the leaves out of my flower bed.

Emelia… who fed Izzy and fixed her hair and played makeover and was a mini me the whole weekend.  She did a great job and I am proud of her!

John and Paula… who shared their United cash to help with my flight.

Mom… who cooked special food for Matt and Emelia.  She brought them any and everything they requested.

Sue… a fellow ND mom who had the idea for a retreat and planned it so well!  She put so much into the retreat and making it so special!

The people who donated food and money to Sue to make the retreat possible.

Tiffany… another fellow ND mom who offered the use of her vacation home in Seattle for us to meet.  Such a beautiful place to stay!

Melanie and Michele… Izzy’s teacher and para who offered to feed Izzy if there were problems.

Ruby… who brought dinner over while I was gone, just because she wanted to.

You… who prayed for my safety and for the trip!

Thank you all!

Isabelle has been kinda sick-ish… I thought it was just allergies, she never ran a fever… but when I woke up Monday with a really bad sore throat I hoped it was from doing yard work and breathing in a lot of dust but it didn’t really go away…

Izzy had a field trip at the Orr Family Farm with her 2nd grade class.  It was so chilly that day but thankfully we were able to keep her very bundled while we were there.  Thankfully Melanie is the queen of preparedness!

I love this picture of Izzy with her friend Grace and Melanie.  Grace has been a really good friend to izzy since kindergarten.

Friday was a field trip to trick or treat at Midwest City Community Center.  When Emelia got home from school also dressed in her Minnie costume we took a pic…

Amanda was Minnie too, just not in Choctaw … But I did get pictures.

Isn’t she so pretty!  She’s posing with her boyfriend Lorenzo’s sister Melissa.

Only another week until I go to SEATTLE for the weekend!!!!  Time is flying.  I am excited and trying not to be anxious/nervous about leaving Iz.

I woke up yesterday and was really too sick to move.  I ended up staying in bed as much as possible and falling asleep pretty much all day.  I had Isabelle home with me so I did wake up to feed her and take care of her …. to order a pizza for dinner, to change out the laundry a few times and load/unload dishwasher and make lunches for next day but that is really about it!  I hoped I would feel almost well today because while awake yesterday I spent time making many lists of things to get done, but I woke up still feeling icky and coughing pretty much non stop.  I took a lot of cold medicine and was able to accomplish everything I had listed.

I really hope we are getting all this sick stuff out of our systems and next week will be happy and healthy and I’ll be totally ready to fly to SEATTLE!  Can’t wait.  Will wait, but very excited!

My grandfather died a week ago.  He was 93 years old.  He had 46 grandchildren, 86 great grandchildren and 38 great great grandchildren.  Mom said today that his funeral was like reliving her mother’s funeral that was just a few years ago.  Some people think that because a person is old or has lived a long life that their death is not sad.  Funerals are sad for so many reasons.  I think the first and most obvious is that the person is no longer around… and that you will never see them on earth again.  Then you think about the times you have had that just won’t be possible without them around.  Lastly, for me anyway, is to know that this life is so short and that if I live long enough I will see the death of  many more people I love.

I listened to the obituary closely Friday at the funeral.  I couldn’t help but think about my own dad and how great he has been my whole life.  There were a couple of songs that were played… one about “daddy’s hands,” and another about “walking on water.”  I think they must have either been really old songs or country, because I don’t remember hearing them before but they were both very relevant to my dad.  He has always been there to “save” me.  The time I called with my pj’s on from the top of my car because a goat had escaped and was trying to attack me.  He came driving down the road to take care of the goat.  The time I backed over a dog and just couldn’t get out to see what damage I had done.  I called him from inside the car and he came driving up, told me to pull forward, and then buried the dog.

The next thought I had was about mom, how she valued grandpa until he breathed his last breath.  She loved him and wasn’t ready for him to go because it was inconvenient for her to repeatedly drive to his hospital room when the nurses called in the family time and time again.  She was ready to sit by his bed whenever possible.  She never begrudged the trips to the nursing home on weekends, even when she worked long days at the National Guard and was tired on the weekends…  She wanted to spend time with him and really valued him.  There is something incredibly unselfish about valuing a person who is to some an obligation.

I feel so fortunate to have parents that I have so much respect for as people.  Time and time again they have lived their lives as people who do the right thing.  I have learned so many lessons that parallel God’s love from them.  They love unconditionally, and fully.

Losing a loved one reminds me of times in the past that maybe I didn’t realize were special when I was in that moment.  I remember being at grandma and grandpa’s house on Christmas Eve, watching the news on television.  They showed Santa’s sleigh on the satellite for weather.  It just happened to be flying right over us at the time.  I remember cousins piled all over the house and playing for hours and hours.   I also think about Christmases at Marmar’s house (Matt’s grandmother).  We had so much fun in Blanchard, USA… methodist pallets, sitting at the breakfast bar talking for hours and eating black olives.

I guess my take away thoughts from this is that today is special.  Someday I’ll look back and think of this time and remember how special it was.  It’s hard to not get ahead of myself in this life… to always look to tomorrow, but does time fly or what?  Wow.

Life today is all about…. Amanda, never seeing her pretty face… but so proud of her.  Bailey, and drama and our early morning workouts and walks and ice water from Sonic.  Emelia, a sanguine times ten! with football practice (she’s manager/water girl) and skating and always being Emelia… and Izzy, finally getting so much better and snuggling and school, AR points and little girls who write best friends on her paper.  I heart them.

Friday… I had lunch with my brother, Mike… had a quiet evening at home.

Saturday… Emelia and Matt wanted Chinese food for lunch.  I took Emelia and her friend to the nail salon and got a pedicure.  That was the excitement of the day …  We were planning to go to dinner Saturday evening, but by the time we were ready to get ready it was too late so I just cooked and we stayed home watching old episodes of Bones on Netflix.

Sunday… I got up early and headed to church.  Taught the girl’s class.  After church and lunch Matt’s work called so he was out the rest of the day.

Monday… I got up and went to the park and the gym for arm day… then Matt and I went to lunch (love mexican food!).  Amanda came home for a few hours.  Making avocado quesadillas for dinner…

My long time bloggy buddy Jodi tagged me for this meme. Its been a while since I have been tagged, so this will be fun!

1. Why did you start blogging? I started blogging to keep friends and family updated on Izzy’s status after her near drowning accident about six years ago.  I decided to make a blog of my own and have had so much fun getting to know people all over the world through blogging.  Although I have neglected the blogging community the last year, I still love having my blog and being able to look back at what has happened in the past.

2. If you could travel any where in the world with no restriction of costs, where would it be and why? Everywhere!  France, Greece, Hawaii and back to Disneyworld. HA.  I would love to go everywhere!

3. Did you have a teacher in school that had a great influ ence on your life? If so, what? My eighth grade English Teacher, Mrs. Weidenmeier, was very influential in my life.  Great teacher.  I even considered being an english teacher because of her.

4. If you could spend the day with a famous person, who would it be, and what would you do? Jesus… we’d just talk

5. Toilet paper — over or under? Either.

6. Name one thing in your life that you would do over if possible. That’s easy… not get a pool.

7. Tell about your pets — if any. Princess.  She’s a corgi-huahua.  She mostly sleeps and eats… but we love her.

I mentioned in my last post that Melanie (izzy’s teacher) has been working with Isabelle for a few days to determine what AR books to check out and then take tests for AR points.  Last week Iz (using her hands) answered all 25 questions in the time given missing three.

Yesterday they checked out a book and Melanie read the book to Izzy.  She then pulled up the AR test on the computer and began reading the questions.  Izzy started “talking” and all their answers were wrong.  Soon Melanie realized she had pulled up the wrong test and Izzy was trying to let her know about it!  They pulled up the right test and Izzy made a 100%!  She’s such a little smartie .

We are working to get her heel well, using foot bath and betadine.  It is looking a little better but we are still being very careful.

Camilla is working on getting her legs straightened out again after cast.  She is doing well relaxing and straightening.  We are hopeful that it will all come together soon (straight legs, well heel etc.) and she will be able to get up standing.

Looks like I am going to go to Seattle in November! Yay!  So excited and nervous too…  I can’t wait to meet Sue and Tiffany!

Bailey is busy with drama, they are working on their one act.  Choctaw High School drama dept. has won state almost every year on the one act so they are pretty intense.  I am glad that he enjoys it so much.

Emelia is football manager/water girl for the 7th grade boys.  She stays after school everyday helping out.

Amanda is getting adjusted to new job on OU campus, new classes, and new home.  She hasn’t been home since she moved in.  We miss her!  She is so busy!  She has several girls recruited this year and is a chi alpha leader.  I know she is having a good time and working so hard.  She mentioned that medical vocabulary was really hard.  She had done five of fifty questions and it took 2 hours!  Lots of studying!

I visited her last Friday … we had lunch at Victoria’s… love that place!