Here Come's Fall

With our first official trip to the orchard over with I can safely say good bye summer, HELLO fall! My FAVORITE time of year! Just a few quite pics for you to look at.

School is going great for the kiddos. Elly is the Kindergarten Student of the Week - an accomplishment that she is very proud of! Chase is going the the first dance of the year this weekend. PRAY that he will use his brain and stay out of trouble! We have had enough of that to last a life time. Madyson has joined orchestra and decided to play the violin. I REALLY didn't have anything to do with her choice. She came home last week and told me about it. I was just a little excited! We took her to the rental shop to have her measured over the weekend it turns out that with her long arms and legs she already fits a full size violin so my old instrument is finally going to get some use again :) Cameron is doing well in school too! We got an email from his teacher last week talking about how great he is doing so far this year and that he has seemed to have made some positive choices and is a role model to the other students in the program. Who would have thought? Needless to say Terry and I are very proud of him.

On Sept. 12, the girls and I particated in the first annual Out of the Darkness what to benefit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. I lost a great friend last summer to suicide and 2 of my friends AMAZINGLY got together to put their grief into something positive. I can only imagine the countless hours they put into planning this event and it was awesome! We walked 3 1/4 miles from the U of M Circle down the Kelly Williams trail and back. It was great to spend some time just remembering our friends and all the other people who were and weren't represented there. It was eye opening to see what a huge effect suicide has on our society. It is tragic and preventable!!! I encourage you all the log onto the AFSP website and find an Out of the Darkness walk near you. Suicide truly needs to come out of the darkness and be dealt with and spoken about!

Tomorrow I will be getting on a plane and flying to Nashville, TN for the annual MOPS convention. I am not feeling mentally prepared to leave as it was kind of a last minute decision made by our group but I am excited to be refreshed and reenergized for the new year. I've signed up for some workshops that I'm looking forward to - one about blended families and the other about "writing" during this season of motherhood. Terry will have his hands full taking care of the whole brood! But you know me and if you were at my house right now you would see the detailed lists and notes that I have taped around the house to make things "easier" for him (or at least for me!!!)

I hope life is treating you all well! Ours is quite crazy as usual. If you think about us say a prayer for our family. We have some unexpected "things" going on right now. We have been and continue to pray that God will make His will clear to us and that we follow Him regardless of how "SCARY" it may seem.

Love to you all!

-Amy

Back to School Time!!!

I was watching TV a few weeks ago and I happened to catch a VERY funny commercial. This dad was taking his son and daughter back to school shopping at an office supply store. As he was perched on his cart (with a HUGE smile on his face), gliding down the isle randomly throwing items into it the Christmas song "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the the Year" was playing in the background! It then shot to a view of the two kids who looked less then excited about the whole experiece. :) I laughed to myself thinking that this was just about how I felt after spending the summer at home with 5-6 kids!!! (6 because Chance spent about 1/2 the summer here as well) I remembered back to how I thought it was so strange how excited my mom got when we all went back to school. I now have a much greater understanding and appreciation for that!!!

Last week Chase entered his junior year, Cameron his 8th grade year, Madyson 4th grade and Elly into full day kindergarten. They all seem to be adjusting pretty well. Chase seems a little less than enthusiastic about it although he is excited about his new art class. Last year he completed an incredible prisma drawing and his teacher was amazed that it was his first year in art. This year he wants the do graphite and has been looking for the perfect picture to use. Cameron is hoping and praying to be able to transition out of the alternative middle school (there are only 3 students there - and NO girls! Torture for an almost 14 year old boy!!!). Right now it is the best place for him and we have told him that if he is able to prove himself and keep his behavior and grades in check that we will sent him back the the regular school at semester. I am cautiously optimistic after dealing with the middle school staff and principal A LOT last year. It is unfortunate the they claim to treat all students equal although it is clear that some are very obviously singled out. I do not think that Cameron's behavior was acceptible last year at all but I was also surprised and saddened by some of the things that I witnessed the teachers doing as well. He is doing well and had a pretty unbelievable turn around toward the end of summer. He even came to me on his own accord to apologize for his behavior over the summer. It gives me a little home that all this hard work and effort counts for something! Madyson loves her teacher - but then again she usually does. She has spent the entire Labor Day weekend wishing that she could go to school. She is such a good student and it is nice to not have at least one kiddo to not worry about at school! Elly is adjusting incredibly well to the full days at school. She came home the first day and told me "it was all just baby stuff Mom!" I explained that it was only the first day and after they figure out what level all the kids are at that it will be less boring. She particularily likes being able to eat lunch at school like the big kids!

Chase also celebrated his 17th birthday on Sept. 4th! He feasted like a king as I made him steak, baked potatoes and salad followed by a homemade ice cream cake! He was a little dissapointed that he didn't hear from more of his friends from home - (or his own mother! enough said about that one!) I guess it's just part of growing up - birthdays get less and less exciting! I did my best though and I think he appreciated it!

Well - I'm off to a good workout at the YMCA! I am officially starting my new "non-diet diet" today. The summer and all the stresses of life have gottent he best of me and I have gotten to a point where I need to reign it back in. Soooo in an attempt to keep me accountable I will be posting updates of my progress! Please pray for me and cheer me on! Day one - so far so good!

Love you to you all! I miss you!

-Amy