Tulips

Day started out great! Had a wonderful MOPS meeting. Had lunch and earring making time with my Ruthe. Drove home in the sunshine listening to worship music and loving the day. Jordyn layed down for her nap with only one story, a kiss and a hug. THEN kids start arriving home from school. Cameron comes home first and it's pretty much World War III the moment he enters the door. I don't know what's up with that kid lately! Chase makes his entrance, eats a snack and quickly head out to the YMCA to work out. Jordyn's awake by the time and I need to run to the store to pick up a few items for a quick dinner. Jorydn is hysterical and I end up just picking her up and bringing her with me. Not until I was in the car driving to the store did I notice that he didn't have shoes on. I'm sure I looked like a great mom dragging my shoeless, green faced (from the sucker she ate after lunch which did not just wipe off!) kid through the store in the middle of February. I arrived home to one crying child, one angry one and one that was just glad I was home. In the ten minutes I was gone Elly had gotten the big scab ripped of her face, was convinced (due to my threats) that now she would have a scar and was hysterical. Cameron was oblivious claiming he didn't do anything wrong and wondering what he got for watching the girls..... I told him that he "got" to have dinner! I then got yelled at, cussed at and mocked. The girls and I ate alone. Cameron ate afterward by himself as he seemed to need that. Chase finally walked in after we were all done and the dishes had been done expected his dinner to be waiting for him (which it was). After the girls had taken their showers and soaked my just cleaned bathroom Jorydn ended the night by peeing her pants. Boy, this is fun! I miss my husband - my partner in this life! I took out a few loads of garbage, knowing that if it didn't do it now it would be missed by the garbage man tomorrow and on my way back in the house I noticed how my tulips are sprouting from the ground. Mind you we have pulled them all up and put weed block over the soil that they grew in. I had actually kind of forgotten about them. Yet there they were, back and stronger that ever! I was amazed at their resiliance! They get dug up, messed with, blocked, covered... yet they keep coming back....even stonger than before. Once upon a time I may have considered myself some kind of a petunia but these days I am more of a tulip. I say this knowing that I will wake up tomorrow morning with the struggles and trial of today a mere memory. I will be grateful for the air I breathe, the sun that shines, each moment I get to spend with my children, this beautiful life that I get to live and a God that is bigger that anything that my come along and try to "ruin" my day. Although today I was dug at, beat on, covered and forgotten I will get up tomorrow all the stronger for it. Yep, I'm definitely a tulip!

Happy Birthday Madyson!!!

Going from being a "child" to double digits age is a big deal! I remember my tenth birthday and feeling like I finally wasn't a little girl anymore! Well, today my oldest daughter is celebrating that milestone. I can hardly believe that this day has already come. I am also celebrating the day my life truly began. In honor of my beautiful Madyson's 10th birthday I'd like to share my story with you all. She has blessed my life in more ways that I could have ever know and was one of the BEST gifts I have ever recieved!! (The other 3 being my wonderful husband and 2 other children!!!) I love you Madyson Danielle!!! Happy 1oth birthday! Always remember that even in the our biggest stuggles and trials God has a purpose and plan for it all. Trust in Him and he will never leave your side!!!

On June 5, 1999 I proudly walked across the stage in front of my friends and family and officially graduated from high school. I had done it! I was finally going to start my own life! Okay world, here I come!!!
On June 21, 1999 I stood alone in my bathroom staring down at the pregnancy test I had just taken. It had two lines and confirmed what I had been worried about for a few weeks. I tried desperately to convince myself that two lines meant negative. You see, my life was just beginning and this was not in my plan. How could it have happened? I remember feeling so overwhelmed and scared yet the tears wouldn’t come. While I stood there alone, afraid and shaking I realized that this secret fear that I had been keeping would all too soon become quite obvious. At 18 years old I was going to be a mother.
The weeks that followed were an emotional blur. The tears did eventually come as I had to tell my mom that I was pregnant. She went into her room, closed the door and for weeks barely spoke a word to me. My boyfriend took the new just about as well as she did. He just sighed, shook his head and began to try to convince me that I should have an abortion. In fact, it seemed that everyone who knew felt the same way. I’ll never forget when I was told “this is one mistake in life that you can fix.” Is that what they saw it as? Just get rid of it and pretend like this never happened and then everything goes back to normal. But I knew that from the moment I found out there was a new life growing inside of me that there was no such thing as normal anymore. There was no other choice for me. My decision had been made and there was nothing anyone could say to me that was going change my mind.
By the grace of God I found a local pregnancy crisis center that just happened to be starting a support group for young expectant mothers. The volunteers were each angels in my life. They offered me hope and support at a time that my own family was unable to give it to me. There I met other girls in my same situation and we connected in a way that others weren’t able to understand. I learned how to care for and parent my child. I was able to “shop” for items that I needed in their Mom Shop with the points that I earned for attendance, doctors visits, education and such. But more than anything I felt I had a place where I fit in and was understood. A place where I wasn’t judged, only loved. A place where my choice was the right one and nobody questioned it.
My mom did eventually come around during the second half of my pregnancy. At that time I could only see her as being selfish. After all I was the one who was pregnant. I was the one who was, as everyone seemed to think, “giving up my life!“ I can now look back and see things from her perspective as well. She had always wanted the best for me and she somehow felt as though she failed me. She knew how difficult having a child and being a mother was even with a partner. She saw some of the struggles and pain that I would experience long before I ever went through them. She knew some of the things that I was going to miss out on. She wanted more for me than what she felt she had. You see, she too had a “plan” for life, and just as I had felt in the beginning, this was not part of it.
On February 15, 2000 at 1:24 p.m. I gave birth to a beautiful, healthy, perfect baby girl. The moment the doctor placed her tiny body in my arms I was consumed with an emotion that I cannot begin to describe. The love that I had for my child was beyond anything that I had ever felt or experienced before. In those moments I heard a still, small voice whispering to me that it will all be okay and I knew that it would.
The relationship I had with my boyfriend was pretty unstable long before I ever got pregnant. We had been together on and off for over two years and I tried so hard to cling to what I wanted it to be. He continually lied to me. He gave me ultimatums about the time I was allowed with him and the time that he got to spend away from me with his friends. I was so desperate to be loved that I allowed myself to be treated like that. I was just sure that when the baby came he would change. He would want to marry me and we would make it! I didn’t want to become another statistic and I honestly believed that if I just tried hard and hung in there long enough that I could make it work. I learned otherwise. When our daughter was six weeks old he told me, “I don’t like the way my life is anymore,” and just like that he was able to walk away and go live the way he wanted. Once again I sat there alone and wondered what I was supposed to do from here. As angry as I was at him I knew that it was really over this time. No more begging him to come back to me. No more pretending that I didn’t know he was lying to me. No more promises that I would do better. It was finally over and as strange as it sounds, there was a certain peace that came with that.
I woke up early one Sunday morning and for reasons unknown to me I got my daughter and myself ready and we went to church. One of the volunteers at the center had been inviting me to come to her church and this was as good a day as any. I walked in, infant carrier in hand and sat down. I expected to be stared at and judged by the people there. I had grown accustomed to peoples objecting glances and whispers. I went there alone but somehow I didn’t feel alone. I truly believe that as I sat in the pew in that little white building Jesus was there, next to me, holding my hand and telling me “I’m right here. I’ve always been right here.” I continued to go back to that church week after week and little by little I started to let go of “my plan” and let God work out His plan. I knew that there was more for me that what my circumstances or some of the people in my life wanted me to believe.
Things were by no means easy. I was a single mother living on my own in a low-income apartment complex. When the baby woke up in the middle of the night there was no one there to help out. When she was sick I was the one who took care of her. When I was sick she still needed to be cared for. It was a full time job. I had gotten by on what I had saved and with government help for about six months but it was running out and my benefits were up. In August 2000 I had to put my daughter into daycare and begin working a new full time job. I had placed my resume with a temp agency and after a few weeks I had still not heard anything from them. I contacted them and found out that somehow my paperwork had been misplaced. I went back in, filled out the paperwork again, completed an orientation class and within a week was placed in a pretty good job. While I had walked around being frustrated that I had not been contacted or placed it was in that time that God was doing what he had promised me he would do. I went to work on Aug. 8, 2000 not knowing that this was the day I would meet the real man He had chosen for me. This was the day I would meet my husband.
For the first time in my life I experienced what romantic love was meant to feel like. It was not desperate or jealous, angry or controlling. It was beautiful and it was worth the wait. I felt as though I had been swept off of my feet and I didn’t want to come back down. Not only was he handsome and kind, he was a man of God and I learned so much from him without feeling like he ever pushed it upon me. His life had been filled with trials and tribulation too and he had come out better and stronger for it. The day I introduced my daughter to him I explained that she was the most important part of my life and that if he wanted me he had to want her too. His heart was open and he welcomed her willingly in to his life. I had a hard time believing that I could really feel this happy. This man had not only fallen in love with me but he had fallen in love with my child as well.
We were married the next summer and I had the day I had dreamed of my whole life. Sure some things were different than I had originally intended but I wouldn’t have changed it for the world. I learned more about myself that previous year and a half than I had in my whole life. I discovered how strong I really was and I learned to trust that I was not alone in this world. I was blessed and it took all of this happening to me before I could open my eyes and see it for myself.
When my daughter was two years old I requested that her biological father sign away his parental rights. He had never been an active part of her life and though my husband had always felt like her father he wanted to legally adopt her as well. I prayed that her biological father would do what was truly best for her and in the end he did agree to it. I don’t know what his reasoning was. Maybe he saw this as a get-out-of-jail free card with no responsibility or child support payments. I choose to believe that it was his way of making up for what he was never able or willing to give her. She deserved a father and now she had one. She had her real daddy!
I am now nearly 29 years old. I have been happily married to my one true soul mate for over eight years. My daughter is now 10 years old and in the fourth grade. She is so smart and loving. She had a kind and gentle spirit that touches everyone she meets. She befriends the children who don’t have anyone to play with. She looks out for the younger kids around to make sure they don’t get hurt or picked on. She is the light of her grandma and grandpa’s lives. She loves the Lord! She makes me so proud to be her mother and I cannot imagine a day in my life without her.
We have also been blessed with two more daughters, one 6 years old and the other just turned 3. After 10 years with the same company my husband recently started a new job working for an incredible company that has amazing potential to grow into much more. I have had the opportunity to be a full time stay at home mom to my three girls for the last seven years. It has come with sacrifices but is also completely worth it. I am also in my sixth year of leadership in a Christian mothers group that ministers to all mothers of preschool aged children regardless of who they are, where they come from or what they believe. I have been able to use my past to encourage and support other mothers and in return I have benefited from each and every one of them. I have recently accepted a position as Coordinator of our new Teen MOPS group - a group that I am building from the groud up. This is something that I have wanted to do for a long time and although I am terrified by the enormity of it I kn0w that God will equipt me will everything that I need to bring his love and peace to these teenage mothers that are facing the same life of uncertainty that I was 10 years ago.
I look at my beautiful family and see the tapestry of my life that God has so carefully sewn together. When you look at the back of a quilt it doesn’t really look that pretty. The pieces are all rough and frayed and sometimes the whole thing just seems like a big mess. But then you flip it over it is incredibly beautiful. Things don’t always have to make sense when God is in control. His plan is perfect and He will never let you down.
I want my story to be one of hope. I want to tell people that although part of my life did end when I became pregnant at 18 years old a new and better part was just beginning. I wish I could tell everyone who doubted me that my life is better today that I could have ever imagined. I now try to look at the hard times in my life not as obstacles but rather as opportunities. I depend on God to carry me when I don’t feel like I can carry myself. I do my best with what I have been given, and I give the rest to Him. I understand why my life took the path that it did. I was determined to live my own way, to make all my own choices and to control my destiny. I was headed in a direction that surely would have destroyed me. God gave me life so that I would give Him mine. And on those day when my troubles seem to be more than I can handle I can close my eyes and hear Him say, “I’m still here. I will always be here.”
　
　
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

I love you all! ~Amy

This is getting rediculous...

Well, day 12 has turned into day 13 and still no HUSBAND! Apparently 3 inches of snow is enough to ground virtually all flight out of Atlanta this weekend. I can't even describe my dissapointment in getting a call yesterday saying that not only was his flight cancelled but he couldn't even book another one for over 24 hours. At the moment I was sitting in the nail salon, finishing my "beautifying" for my love's arrival. I'm talking clean house, clean sheets, makeup done, hair done........... all for what? Another night alone! I got up this morning... at 5:45 am... to face a day of utter chaos. I am not only coaching a game this morning but I also have Madyson's birthday party scheduled for today - 15 kids and ONE ME!!! I have vowed that I will not sleep in that bed again until he was there too. Looks like I might be crashing on the couch tonight. Terry has a flight scheduled that is due to arrive in Spokane just after 11 pm tonight given nothing "unexpected" happens between now and then. Ha Ha I say to myself! In my life I've come accustomed to expecting the unexpected! I'm not looking forward to the thought of possibly spending Valentine's Day alone.... but I would much rather have him SAFELY across the country than not here at all. Keep us in your prayers!!!

Who'd have though?

Once upon a time I though cheerleading was a silly, rediculous reason to act like a bimbo and date football players, much less a REAL sport. Okay, so maybe in reality I was actually just a little (or a lot) jealous that I didn't fit that mold. You know....... pretty, thin , popular! So for years I just pretended like I thought it was all a joke. Who'd have though that here, at 28 (well, almost 29) years old I would be coaching a CHEERLEADING team!!! After a disasterous attempt to force Madyson into a team sport (soccer was NOT her thing!) we enrolled her into Upward Basketball and Cheerleading when she was in 1st grade. Despite my previous feelings about cheerleaders it was so much fun to watch her grown and learn. And beyond that it was amazing to see how the love of God is taught to ALL kids through this organization and they are all made to feel equal and SPECIAL! She has been cheering for 4 years now and each year they have asked me if I was interested in being a coach. I had all the excuses in the world! I was raising small children, I am already very involved in MOPS and that took up most of my free time, and most of all I had NO idea what I was doing! But then we went to Evaluation night this year and they were in desperate need of coaches. My beautiful daughter looked at me with her big blue puppy dog eyes and said "Please Mommy! Will you be my coach?" (Yes - I absolutely LOVE the fact that my near 10-year-old still calls me Mommy!) How do you say NO to that??? I didn't! I called my dear friend Ruthe, who happened to be a cheerleader in high school, and convinced her to be my co-coach. I think she felt sorry for me and said yes. Well that was a couple of months ago and now we are over half way through our season. This endeavor has been so much more that I expected. This organization is amazing and the way they way they love these children is inspiring! I have had the opportunity to be a honorary cheerleader, even teaching a few of the easier cheers by myself!! I have also had the chance to witness to these beautiful young girls. Going into this I thought that I had something to teach them but I know that they have taught me far more that I have them! It is hard to step outside of that secure little box that we all live in, but when you do the rewards are GREAT!!! Go Upward!!!

This is hard! I miss him......

Well I've officially made it to the weekend. For those of you who don't know my hubby left EARLY (4:30 am) on Monday morning and is right now in the middle of a 12 day training session for his new job. I knew that taking care of the 5 kids on my own would be tough - and don't get me wrong- IT IS!!! But the worst part about this is how much I miss my constant companion. I know that he is missing us too. Yesterday was his birthday and for the first time in 10 years we didn't get to celebrate it with him. I had a boquet of chocolate dipped strawberries delivered to to his hotel room (Edible Arrangements) with a birthday balloon and card but it just wasn't the same. Birthdays are a really big deal to me! I go all out! Last year I slaved away at the stove to make him Coq au Vin, a dish the he had been dying to try. It was DELICOUS!! Needless to say, I haven't made it since! I also made him his favorite - cheesecake - topped with tart lemon curd! I have recently figured out that my love language is gifts! I was almost embarrassed about that because to me it seemed so shallow. But as I explored it more, it wasn't necessarily ME receiving gifts but the fact that this was how I showed love to others. The little chocolate boquet didn't cut it! I have a grand plan in the works for his return =)

So here it is, Friday evening. This is usually when Terry and I just relax from the week and plan what we want to do with the kids for the weekend. It's hard not having him here to do that with! I have tried to fill their time with some fun outings. We went to the dollar movie on Wednesday night, gorged ourselves with popcorn and called that "dinner" for the night. Tonight we're heading to Chuck E Cheese. I am enjoying my time with them but I do have to admit that it is also a distraction from the obvious. I am alone! I have a new understanding for the moms the do this day in and day out. I can handle the "work" part alright, it is the lonliness in my heart that I'm struggling with right now. I miss you Terry! Come home soon!

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

Three years ago today (almost at this exact moment!) our little Jorydn Rylee Sanchez entered the world. She was the best "SURPRISE" that we have ever received. I can't even imagine my life without this beautiful child in it. Her smile lights up the room, her giggle is music to my ears and her hugs and kissed make even my toughest days feel joyous and wonderful! I love this little girl with all my heart. Thank you God for letting me be her mommy! Happy 3rd Birthday to my sweet little girl!!!

Goodbye 2009 Hello 2010

I haven't posted a blog update for so long! I just read my friend's (who posts almost everyday) and am now feeling inspired. So while I should be cleaning and organizing my house I sit here instead! :) December came and went in the blink of an eye! We have had almost NO snow and this is the first Christmas in a LONG time that I can I remember the wasn't a "white" one. It was actually a little sad :( I'm not sure whether I prefer this or our massive snow storms of the last few years.

We stayed in town for Christmas this year and while we dearly missed our family back home it was so nice and relaxing to not have pack, travel, repack, etc... There is something so peaceful about waking up in your own home on Christmas morning. The fact that we didn't have to wait long to visit my parents may have helped too. They came over on the 26th and visited for a few days while the boys were in Clarkston with their Grandma and Aunt. It is always so much fun for us when they visit!!! They kids all got far too many things as usual! With all the relatives they have we (Terry and I) could almost get away with not buying them anything at all. It was hard to recieve SO MUCH when there are so many people out there hurting right now. It was amazing to see the kids really appreciate what they have and be aware of the fact that they are blessed and there are others out there that don't have so much. I often marvel at how intuitive children are. They teach me just as much as I teach them, if not more!

We enter 2010 with with excitment for all that is to come. We know that this year just as any other will come with it's share of joy and sorrows, great times and days that we would like to forget but that is what makes life so incredible!!! May God bless you all this year!!! Happy 2010 from the Sanchez's!

Halloween 2009

First off I have to laugh at the fact that I posted my Elf video before I actually got Halloween pics up, but hey, that's my life. I do everything a little backward.

They're pretty cute huh? We found a neighborhood up in the south hills that we snuck into to trick or treat. 30 minutes and 5 king size candy bars later we were done!!!

EXCITING NEWS! Well, for all of you who don't already know this Terry was offered and accepted a new job working as a sales manager for the Northwest Territory for Kimberly Clarke/Jackson Safety. His official first day was on Monday but he doesn't finish up at Norco until Friday. Basically they are paying him to sit around and wait for his computer, phone, credit cards and NEW CAR to show up! They will then begin to train him before sending him out into the great unknown! Can't beat that! The job has been a huge blessing for us in this uncertain economic time. It is something that Terry has always really enjoyed and excelled it and it is a chance for him to continue to "move up". One of the really exciting parts of this job is that they will pay for him to go to school to complete his bachelors degree, something that he has been wanting to do since we met. The new job will unfortunately include traveling but pretty manageable (home every Fri-Mon with travel 2 out of 4 weeks a month) as far a travel jobs go. He will be covering MT, ID and eastern WA which means that in the summer the weeks he spends in MT will now also get to include us visiting with him. We are very excited for this new journey! Please keep our family in your prayers. We need peace, smooth transition and energy as we are about to put our house on the market (AHH!). I will keep you posted as we learn more and get settled into all the newness.

Love to you all! The holidays are quickly approaching - yeah! Remember in all the hustle and bustle to always remember the reason for the season! God Bless!

~Amy

It's that time of year again!!!

Hee hee hee!!!! Always good for a laugh! Go check it out!!!

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/2CgUasEL08rrK2kQ2pgs

Love, Amy

Pumpkins and Tea

Just a quick post this morning before I head out to my Zumba class! (Latin dance based fitness for all you wondering what the heck Zumba is!!!) Last week Jordyn and I attended a field trip with my MOPS group to one of the local orchards here in town. She was SOOOOO cute trying to pick out the perfect pumpkin. It started to rain a little while we were there and she couldn't decide which one to get because they were either "dirty" or "wet'! Hee hee - I finally convinced ther that they were ALL wet! We got to ride the "Fruit Loop Express", pick apples, see how cider is made and taste some and then pick out her own pumpkin. We also got to taste some of the YUMMY apple butter they make there. It was so much fun to do something with just her and she is finally old enough to be able to enjoy it and understand it! It was a great day!

Also- yesterday my wonderful friend and I went to a local tea room and celebrated her birthday. Her actual birthday was in June but with the summer craziness and all we finally got around to doing it this month. I found this amazing ministry that helps to transition women from homelessness back into working society. They intern in this tea room (where ALL of their profit goes to the Anna Odgen Hall womens shelter) to gain work experience and have something to put on their resume as they re-enter the work force. It was in a beautiful Kirtland Cutter house on the south hill that is actually also a Bed and Breakfast. It was so dainty and fun! We drank tea and ate treats off of antique bone china. All of the teas were sooooooo yummy! It was definitley an amazing experience and such a rewarding way to be able to support this ministry. It is called Taste and See Tea Room (getting it's name from the verse in Psalms) and I recommend that you DEFINITELY go there and try it out! We were there for over 2 hours and it was only $20 a person! Plus, once you see the pics of all the yummy stuff you won't be able to resist!

I will be updating you all on the EXCITING and new things happening in our lives!!! Please keep us in your prayers - LOTS of changes in store!!!

Love you all!!!

-Amy

Nashville, TN

As promised here are some of the pictures from the trip that I took a few weeks ago to Nashville, TN. I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the annual MOPS convention for the fourth time. I was amazing! Filled with dynamic speakers and and training. I felt there filled with excitment and anticipation for the new MOPS year to begin. I was also touched as a woman and mother by some of the incredible and inspiring workshops that I attended. Our last night in town we were able to enjoy a night out on the town. Downtown Nashville is filled with talented musicians with great music filling the streets! This is definitely a place that I intend to visit again someday.

When I got home I was running on 12 hours of sleep in 4 nights! My husband (aka the best man in the world) rounded up the kids and took them all to a movie and instructed me to take a nice, long nap! I love him so much!

As for the fish pictures- those were our "dinner guests". On Friday night we ate at a restaurant called The Aquarium. They have an enormous fish tank in the center filled will every sea creature you can imagine. It was a very neat place to eat and the food was yummy! What did I eat? Grouper!

Love you all - HAPPY FALL!
-Amy

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