Young Women Recognition Award

Becca received her Young Women Recognition award today! Yeah Becca! She has worked so hard to accomplish this! Thank you to those who helped her with her goals and projects! I am so proud of her!

Passports, Cats, and Dropping Offs

School has started! This year I have four students at the Klein Texas Academy. I have a fourth grader (Sammi), a third grader (Jessi), a first/Kindergartener (Lizzy), and a little princess who will be 15 months tomorrow! My students are studying the normal subjects and then a course called "Children Around The World." I think it's going to be wonderful! If you come by our house, you will see our huge world map in the dining room (built in review at dinner time with Dad - there is a method to my madness!). We have learned about the continents, the major oceans, and how to use longitude and latitude to find places on a map. We are learning about countries and cultures. This week we made our own passports. I was so excited to show them my passport. It was the first time I wished that I still had my old passport from when I was kid. I could have shown them all of my visas! At least I can show them one when I get home from the Ukraine with Jeffrey! The kids favorite thing this week was seeing toilets from around the world (we saw TVs, food, and toilets this week). They are grateful for our white porcelain throne! (me too!) Sammi and Jessi's weekly reports are below.

How was the first week of school you ask? Well, I was sick and Joy was sick. It was ........fun. Yeah, that's the word. :) We survived. It is going to get better and better. Sammi and Jessi have slipped right back into their school routines. Lizzy is picking up reading so quickly! Yeah girls!

We have two new members of our family - Pumpkin and Emma. They are much loved. And, yes, we are crazy - five kids, five pets. No, I have no intention of getting another pet when Jeffrey gets home. I'm crazy enough as is. :)

And what we have all been waiting for....................How was Becca's first week? For those of you that don't know, Becca started public school this week. She is in 7th Grade at Doerre. She is taking three honors classes (math, English, and Science), social studies, band, skills for living/keyboarding (both only 1 semester), and the beloved PE. So far she is happy. The homework load has already started and it's intense. I don't know how these kids do it all. She is still happy after one week. She is making friends. So far, so good.

Warning: Politics

I am a conservative Republican. Truthfully, I have some Libertarian views, but not totally. So given the 2 choices we currently have, I will vote Republican.
This is my blog, so I will post my views here. Feel free to not read this one. It is NOT about my beautiful family.

It is about late term abortion - the PC term for giving birth to a baby and then killing it. I have spent too many hours in NICU to see it any other way. On one floor of a hospital they spend millions of dollars to save our sweet babies and on another they kill them. And it is about Obama. I wish people would look at his voting record. What does this man stand for? It is not what I stand for. It is not about family or protecting the innocent. He is more than a black man. I wish people could see beyond his skin color. This is not the election to break the color barrier. He is a man. Get over the color of his skin and listen to what you would do to our country. I fear for our country. I truly do.

Watch here

It you think this video sensationalizes abortion or this nurse's experience, go to Youtube. There are far more graphic and disturbing videos. I thought this one was pretty clean.

Introducing, Lizzy the Kindergartener

Lizzy wanted me to cut her hair so she could have short hair like her sisters.

The problem with this is that it makes her look older! Waaaaaa..........

Why must they grow so quickly??

Here she is, Lizzy the Lizard with short hair (it's still wet)

Pardon the BLUE gum! (what?!?!)

Lizzy Still Has 10 Fingers!

Today for whatever reason, Lizzy decided to stick her finger into the  hole of a lid of Dial soap - for the fun of exploration probably. 

Soon I was alerted to this process by the screaming.

Lizzy's finger was stuck fast.  That little finger was NOT coming out.

We unscrewed the lid from the container and ran it under cold water.  (My First Aid teacher would be so proud!)  It was still not coming off.  I used my large clippers and then the scissors - nothing.

At this point I am feeling the beginnings of panic.

I left the kids in Becca's care and ran across the street to the Heckers.  What would we do without the Heckers?  They are true life savers!

Melissa and I tried cutting it.  We (really she) made a good dent in the plastic, but that thing was NOT coming off and Lizzy was wailing.

We soaked her finger in COLD water (ice cubes floating in the sink).  It was so cold.  Our hope was to reduce some of the swelling.  My hope was it would get so cold, it would be numb and we could work some more.  No good.  Her finger was swollen around the lip of the lid.  Melissa is a Saint!  She should be a pediatric nurse - she was fabulous with Liz.

Finally Jack showed up, took one look at it and proclaimed he knew exactly what to do.  He went and got his very big, industrial strength, toe nail clippers with a very tight and sharp point.  While Melissa and I held her, Jack removed the plastic ring from her finger!

Large exhale!  What would we do without the Heckers?  Thank you Jack!  Thank you Melissa!

 

About one hour later, but Lizzy's index finger is still intact!

Home Study Done!

Our Home Study to adopt Jeffrey is DONE!
We are one step closer to getting our son!

Sammi & Becca's Trip to Utah

Sammi and Becca went to Utah to visit Linda Herrrington!  They had a wonderful time!  They went up into the Mountains and saw where the pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley.  This summer they have seen where the pioneers left Nauvoo and then where they arrived in Utah!

 

This is called the Devil's Slide        The girls and Linda - they loved the mountains!

This is Linda's dog, Summer.  Everyone loves Linda's baby.

This is Sammi, the dog, playing in Summer kennel.  :)

The girls having fun with the neighbor's kids.

They went to see the Great Salt Lake - kinda brown.

Becca floating in the Lake.

 

We told the girls they had to get some salt water taffy.  Here they are at Taffy Town!

It was yummy!

 

They were able to tour Temple Square.  Cute Sammi and the beautiful flowers.

My beautiful girls and the lovely flowers.

 

Aren't the grounds wonderful?                     I love this shot of the temple!!

 

I told Sammi that this is HER temple!  Since Joy's temple is the Nauvoo temple where she was sealed to her family,  the Salt Lake City temple is Sammi's temple because she is sealed to her family because Jason and I were sealed here.  (and Becca and Jessi and Lizzy too!)

My girls in the bridal alcove - one day it'll be them and their husbands.  Hopefully that day isn't TOO soon!

The girls had a wonderful time - Thank you Linda!

The Many Faces of Sammi Lee

Sammi has the most developed imagination I have ever seen.
Just to share, here is Sammi twice today.
Enjoy!

Back to Life, Back to Reality

I checked my email after being away and had 500 emails to go through!
I have mountains of laundry - it looks like everyone dumped all the contents of their dressers into the laundry room. Oh wait! They did! :)


I have finally finished blogging our vacation!  It is finished!  Check it out - I went through and added plenty of little comments and tons of pictures - enjoy!  It was a life changing event!

About this crazy picture - Lizzy took it of me in Bartlesville, doing what else? Blogging!  :)

Saturday

We had a good night's sleep at Kathie's house. Thank you Kathie, and sorry about such a lovely picture so early in the morning!  :)

You know you have been traveling too long when you wake up to the song "On the Road Again" running through your head.

We drove from Missouri to Kansas to Oklahoma today.

We didn't get this sign last time! Someone is obsessed with her photo documentation.

For lunch, we had some hush puppies. Sorry Kathie, but we had to tell the girls the story about you and the "little doggies." :) Love ya, Kath!!!

Why did we go to Bartlesville? In this tiny town a million years ago, I was born! I haven't been back since my parents moved away before I was two. So this trip was long overdue!

The thriving metropolis of Bartlesville.

This was my parent's home, and consequently, my first home. Mama says that she paid less for this cute house than for her current van!!

Mama has told me many times that when she was pregnant with me she would walk down the street (the town ended about here) and pet the livestock. Well, Mama, the city hasn't grown in this direction - there are a couple of houses beyond yours and that's it. We did notice some newer construction in town, but not in this direction.

We also went to Woolaroc (www.woolaroc.org) while we were in Bartlesville. We saw many animals, the museum, the gift shop, the observation tower, the children's playground, and the petting zoo. I'm putting them in a slide show since there are so many.

Friday - Wandering Around Missouri

We left Nauvoo and very quickly left Illinois.  Then we very quickly left Iowa, which left us to wander around Missouri.  We were using Jason's GPS to guide us to my sister Kathie's house.  It did a pretty good job, except for the flooding and road closures.  There is one thing to remember about using a GPS unit, though, you should always have cell phone reception.  In the middle of nowhere Missouri, there aren't too many cell towers.

 

Not to worry, though, we made it!  Here is Kathie's house!  Howdy Kath!

Here is Kathie playing with Lizzy and Joy.

Kathie let us stay the night with her.  My sister amazes me.  She is working a million jobs.  She is getting close to having her PhD.  She is in the Primary Presidency of her ward.  She does tons of service and has many hobbies.  She amazes me - she accomplishes so very much.  What a wonderful example you are little sister.

Friday - Until We Meet Again

 

This is where we spent Thursday night - in the Marks home.  The Community of Christ person told us that Brother Marks was the Stake President.  They had a lovely home!

 

This was our view from the house - the mighty Mississippi River.

 

Friday morning, before we all parted ways, we had our family devotional (good job Bec!) and then a group hug!!

 

I thought this was a fun picture (from the top, Michael, Beth, Asia, Aurora, Sammi)

Becca and Aunt Cyndi                                       Uncle Brad and Joy

 

Joy loves Uncle Brad!  Joy has reached the developmental stage of knowing the difference between her family and strangers.  She loves to interact with people, but from the safety of her Mama's arms.  With Uncle Brad, it's different.  She will leap from my arms to go and see him!  Love ya Brad!

 

Believe it or not, we hadn't seen all of Nauvoo yet.  So we struck out to see the final few places.  We saw the printing office - highly recommended.  There is so much to learn there!  We enjoyed the Shoe maker - that was fun.  But the one I loved the most was the Tinsmith.  The sister missionary gave us a tour of the home and his shop.  What I learned there was this man made the Angel of the Restoration that they placed atop the Nauvoo Temple.  He spent so much time and effort on it, so it would be perfect.  It was placed on the temple Jan. 30 and the Saints left Nauvoo on Feb. 4th.  Why should I ever complain again about any church service for any duration?  I was deeply touched by the Saints of Nauvoo, their testimonies, their faith, their devotion.  That I could be so faithful!

 

A final family picture in Nauvoo, the beautiful city!

 

Our final picture of Joy's temple.      

It seems fitting.  Joseph and Hyrum looking back at beautiful Nauvoo.

Nauvoo effected me deeply.  I hope what I felt of the devotion and faith will seek deeply into my soul.