random

We have had a lot of things going on these past couple of weeks...

First, Abbi started school. Kindergarten at the ripe old age of 4. Sigh. I already posted about what she thought of her first day. She really seems to enjoy it but she goes through a little separation anxiety every morning. Which, really is weird for her. I feel a little guilty quite honestly. Our poor kids have been through so much the past few months, more than most four and three year olds go through in their entire lives. On top of all that, they don't see their dad more than one or two days a week. No, we are not separated, or anything of the sort, just trying to save on gas for his job that is an hour away from where we currently live. I am not sure which/any or all of these is contributing to her sadness every morning, but her teacher assures me that she does well at school except for an occasional, "I miss my Mom." Wow, even more sad, my poor baby!

A week after Abbi started, Jake started preschool. My handsome little man is so excited and he loves it, especially that he got a Spider Man back pack. Jake is doing well. Like I said, he really enjoys preschool. "We played on the park inside and the one in the backyard!" he tells me. I am relieved the he is really enjoying it, I was worried about him and the separation-- not abbi-- ironic, huh? We visited the optometrist the other day and I discovered that my two oldest children need glasses--poor kids. Abbi will get hers next week when the pink ones she ordered come in. Jake actually has poorer vision than she, but he is a little young for glasses and their vision can change quite a bit still at that age--so no glasses for the little man. . .yet. He was highly disappointed when his older sister 'got to' pick out glasses and he did not. It was a little amusing (and relieving at this point) that they think glasses are fun and cool, they don't realize the pain that they actually are.

To my disappointment, they both need glasses, and more disappointment. . . the optometrist wouldn't give Jake the color blind test. Color blindness runs in my family (my father and other relatives are) and we have suspected for a long while that Jake might be. He has always done really well recognizing shapes and numbers and even letters--not colors. He knows black and white and pretty much nothing in between. The doc wouldn't test him. My sis-in-law found a couple of sights on-line and had her three year old try it and he got every one of them. Then Jake tried. . .Poor kid. He had no clue there was anything in all those dots. He got the ones that everyone should get, the ones color blind individuals can't see, he couldn't see. It's definitely not a professional diagnosis but my suspicions are confirmed--the kid is color blind-- poor thing. So with his glasses (at some point in the future) and the color issue. . .well, I just feel a little bad for the kid.

A week and a half after Abbi started school, she had a birthday!! She is now the big 5. Her birthday was on a Friday and she was very excited to bring her special treat to class. We drove down to Manhattan to meet John to go out to eat for her big day. She chose Chili's and she did get to open some gifts given that her party wasn't until the following weekend. She was very excited about the Thumbelina barbie sent from Grandma Love. Her party was on the 29th and she had a big bouncy castle, a pinata and a BBQ in the backyard. All the kids had a good time and a new friend from school came--very exciting. Thank you to everyone who helped and came! Mommy and Daddy got her a new "big girl" bike so her knees are no longer in her mouth when she rides. Today, Daddy took off the training wheels and started teaching her to ride a "two-wheel bike". She did well, we will practice more tomorrow or Monday.

Isaac is here. . .and that's pretty much it. He is so super cute, but definitely trying my patience lately. He refuses to talk so he just screams and yells about everything. I can not handle all the noise!!!! He actually get evaluated to see if he needs speech therapy next week. We'll see how that goes.

My C-section is the 23rd now and I am feeling terrible. Just the normal-- tired, huge, hot, impatient and really ready to not be preggo anymore!!

Why is this so hard?

Names, people, I need names. Our (our? why do I say "our", I am the one having surgery, right? I mean, I know John has a hard time with blood and needles and all that, but let's face it--he's got it pretty easy for my c-section) C-section is scheduled for Sept.24, for now that is. . .

There is some confusion as to my actual due date (the 30th). Changing docs in the middle of a pregnancy is not a whole lot of fun. I really loved my doc in Longmont, I do like the one I have here, it's just weird changing doctors. Anyway, my cycle and my due date don't align. In CO they did an early U/S to get a really accurate date and it put me two weeks back (the 30th), remember? Now I am measuring exactly what the cycle date (15th) was--weird. And our last U/S had the baby right at the cycle date too. Well, she is going with the ultrasound date and hopefully I don't go into labor on my own before that.

The thing is. . . John and I can not think of any names we both like. He wants to use some weird ones and I am not going there. I do have some really amazing girl names I want to use. . . too bad. I want a name that "goes" with the other three but not old man-ish or dorky. Any ideas?

Busy Life

I was kind of waiting until I had pictures ready before I posted, but not having my own computer to use slows that down tremendously.

I bought school supplies with (and for) Abbi before we left town. It was actually pretty fun, she really cracks me up. She was so excited to do it and she had to get everything off the shelf and put it in the cart--I was not permitted to help.

We left town Wed the 22nd and the concert was on the 23rd (I think that's right). Amanda and I had so much fun!! Last time I went to Cheyenne Frontier Days it was all drunkards and crazy. This time it was all teenage girls and their parents. I understand her music is geared to that audience but I have to say that I love her music and really admire her talent. It was a lot of fun. When I told Abbi that I went to the "Juliet" concert (that's what she calls Taylor Swift because of her one song "Love Story") she was actually a little upset that she didn't get to go. One reason I like her music--I can listen to it in the car with my kids!! They actually know some of her songs.

We hung out the rest of the next week at my Mom's house. We went out on the boat, we visited Grandma at work and we visited some friends. It was nice to relax at Grandma's. Then cousins came into town also and we prepared for the Lake Powell trip.

The Lake was a lot of fun, it always is. I have to say it was a lot different with non family members there and about a bazillion kids under the age of 9. It wasn't quite as relaxing as usual, but still lots of fun. On the way back, the boat trailer blew a tire. Of course my dad wasn't there, he had just headed back up to Roy, UT straight from the lake. We got that taken care of and finally make it back to Longmont. I found out the next morning that the keys to my van were still in the glove box of my parent's car, you know, the one that my dad drove home with. Genius, Clara, genius. So after four hours and almost four hundred dollars...we were on our way home-to KS.

Abbi started school last Wed. She was so excited. We picked out her clothes and she got all ready, John made her pancakes (per her request), we took some pictures and off we went. The boys and I walked her in and we waited in the Gym for all the kids to arrive and sit in line with their class. ( We had actually gone the night before to the school's Sneak Peak where we saw her classroom and met her teacher) Then we walked with the class down to their room and we left her. She was fine, with me leaving her, that is. She was a little apprehensive in line at the gym but we walked down, she gave us all a hug and kiss and she was good. When I went to pick her up, well, she wasn't there. Her cousin had come and gotten her, so we waited for them to come back to her classroom. She told me that "it was so boring. We didn't even play with play-do. It was just so boring. We just sat and listened and walked around and sat some more-so boring, Mom." I have never heard the word boring so many times in one conversation. I tried to appease her by explaining that the teacher had to go through all of the rules and all that boring stuff on the first day, but it will be a lot more fun tomorrow. She would hear none of it, "You said it was going to be fun and it was boring."

You will be happy to know the next few days went a lot better. They didn't have to sit and listen to rules and regulations and procedures all day. They did get to play with play-do, thank goodness. She is having a good time, she says she is making friends in her class but she can't remember their names.

The summer was absolutely nuts but it has drawn to an end. My oldest has started Kindergarten and I survived. It's just a little saddening and weird to only have two kids at home all day. Jake starts Preschool this Wed, which leaves us with one-for the mornings anyway. John found a manager position with Best Buy, it's just that the position is in Manhattan, KS. About an hour drive. He stays down there at his Mother's for two to three days in a row to help save on gas. The raise is helpful , I just don't like being a single mom most of the time. Right now though, we will take what we can get.

Out of the mouths of babes

So we were playing outside this morning before lunch. I was sitting on the front porch and Jake was standing in front of me when he pointed to the area between my eyes and my cheek bones. He points there and asks, "Mommy what color is that?" I am thinking he is referring to the mole I have below my right eye and respond, "Well, honey that's my mole and I think it is brown." Jake corrects, "No. What color is this right under your eye?" That's when it sinks in that he is referring, not to my mole, but the huge circles under my eyes--"Purple."

I guess I am in desperate need of a nap!!

No news

I am posting simply because I feel like I should, it's been a couple of weeks. I am just not sure there is anything to post about...let's see...

My dear sister and her husband suffered a great loss at the beginning of the month when their precious daughter passed away. John and I and the kids were so grateful to make the trip to Idaho and Utah to be there for them and the funeral. We were also able to have some great family time despite the circumstances. Jess and Travis--we love you very much!

The kids and I will be heading back out to CO later next week. My mom was nice enough to purchase Taylor Swift concert tickets for my sis, Amanda, and I for Christmas. The concert is on the 23rd. I am super excited--it's going to be so much fun. We head to Lake Powell the following week and the kids start school two days after we get back. Where has the summer gone!?! I can't believe I go to buy school supplies on Sat for my baby to start school. You think she would be terribly disappointed if I made her wait a year? Probably. Time goes by way to quickly.

kansas...

So we're here...again. We moved last Wed. and Thurs. It was a little stressful, to say the least. I am always surprised at how much crap we have. Why is that? We move so much you think we would severely cut down-nope. When you have all your stuff in your house, and I really do try to keep to a minimum, it just doesn't seem like that much, then you pack full a 24 foot moving truck ( I mean really pack full) and it doesn't all fit!!! Anyway, we got all of the important stuff. We packed up pretty much by ourselves, I know, I know, "Clara you're pregnant, you shouldn't be doing that kind of stuff." Well, sorry Mom and everyone else who likes to tell me that--it had to get done. And it did Tues night and we headed out Wed morning.

I really have to send thanks and apologies to John's family for unpacking us when we got into Manhattan. I think I may have been a little snippy, okay, maybe a lot, and I am sorry for that. I really tried to direct it all at John, who has to endure me when I am pregnant, stressed, and exhausted in more way than one. I am so grateful sometimes that John has so many guys on his side of the family because they unloaded it all for us.

We are here at my sister in law's house. We, meaning me and the kids, John had to return to Colorado until a position becomes available here for him. J, as we affectionately call my sis in law, and her family have been incredibly gracious and kind. I am thankful everyday that John and I have been blessed with such wonderful families to really be there in time of need.

Life is okay so far. Some good news from KS is that Kindergarten for Abbi is full day -yeah for that! And Jake will be able to attend preschool for free and it's four days a week- yeah for that too!! Bad news- it's hot as all get out and humid too. Yuck! And I really miss John. I have been away from him before but this is different. He has been such a wonderful source of love and comfort these past couple months. I am glad we have a relationship that has grown stronger through these trials and brought out the best in him. I love him tremendously and I hope that he can join us soon. It would make this situation much easier to bear.

Okay everyone, it's time I tell you all what has been going on the past two months. We moved and that was a lot of work, of course, but everything went well. We are so grateful for all of the help we had to make that happen. A week after we moved in, John lost his job very unexpectedly. The situation was very stressful and very upsetting, but there's not a whole lot to do other than move on... and that's what we are doing... again!!

John was a branch manager for a large credit union in Boulder, that was the day job anyway. Last October he had started working part time at Best Buy and thank goodness for that. Since the beginning of May they bumped him up to full time and have been so wonderful to him. John has decided to take a break from banking and try retail management. He has not found a position there yet.

Having just signed a lease, we had to find someone to take over our lease here and find a place for our family to go that is affordable on our now suddenly very tight budget. After much praying, fasting disappointment and deliberating we have decided to move back to KS. To Topeka. We own a home there but currently have a renter in it, their lease is up the end of December. In an effort to get out of this house and be in a place for Abbi to start K, we are going to stay with John's sister, JJ and her family. They live a couple of miles from our house there.

I need to say that I am so grateful to our family and friends, for their love and support through this time. It's not over yet. I am grateful John has a job (they are going to transfer him to the store in Topeka for now), but we are still looking for a position that can better provide the income our family needs. This is a very difficult leap of faith in many ways, but we are positive that the Lord has a plan for our family and there is something wonderful waiting for us down the road.