Sad news

My Grandpa died on Sunday.  I left for Oklahoma on Friday morning.  I got to spend Friday afternoon/evening and Saturday morning/afternoon with him.  He knew me when I got there.  He always cries when I first arrive, that tears me UP!  He was aware of the people in his room.  He would answer yes/no questions, say what was hurting him and short phrases like "love you too".  He would watch Fox News with one eye. lol  It's fair to say he was never too sick for politics!  He started Hospice Saturday and passed Sunday afternoon.  He went very peacefully, with my aunt and uncles with him. He was so frail, so tired, so ready for Heaven!!  My nephew (Levi) and I talked a lot about Grandpa's passing.   I told Levi how strange it is for me to feel my own grief, the heavy coat of sadness, and to know that Grandpa is not sad.  Grandpa doesn't miss us!  He isn't mourning or dazed, he can't feel sad!  He is is HEAVEN!  He is with our Lord.   He is with his wife and parents, friends and family.  He will never want or need anything again!!  We should rejoice in that!  He also left an AMAZING legacy for his family.  When a loved one dies, people tend to remember the good things, to idolize the person and "beef up" their memory, if you will.  NO ONE will have to beef up Grandpa's life or legacy.  He was the kindest, most gentle, caring, selfless, generous, hard working, loving man I have even known.  I never heard him say an unkind word....to anyone!!  He honored his God EVERY day.  He loved his wife EVERY day and honored her.  Do you know how many promises I have ever known Grandpa not to keep?  Zero.  Do you know how many times I ever heard him raise his voice in anger?  Zero.  Do you know how many times he "just needed to get away", either from the kids or his wife?  Zero.  Do you know how many times he let his family down?  Zero.  It seems "super human", but it's all true.  He loved....loved....his family.  And we loved him.  Like I told Levi, it's our job now to carry on Grandpa's legacy.  We now have to make others feel the undeserving, but unwavering love that he made us feel. I imagine I will write a lot more about Grandpa.  There is a lot to talk about. :)

Grandpa, I love you!  

Upside Down

I was playing with Markus this evening, holding him upside down and kissing him.  He would laugh so big that all his teeth were showing and say "upside down".  I was so impressed by this!!  What a BIG thing to say!!  So I kept doing it!  Then I noticed  HUGE booger in one nostril.  I mean BIG.  I had to fish this baby outta there!  So I held him down and with the rounded end of a bobby pen, set out on a mission.  As it turns out... it was not a booger, but a huge piece of fuzz.  Maybe from the carpet, maybe a blanket, who knows.  Mac is obsessed with rubbing soft things on his nose.  I guess he thought "the closer the better".  This thing must have been in there a while, because blood and goop had formed around it and it bled for a little while after I took it out.  I'm sure it didn't feel good, getting ripped out!  But I also am sure he is feeling like a new man, with it taken out! :) Oxygen is your friend!  We "skyped" with his birth father and grandparents this evening, as we do often.  What a great invention!  Tomorrow is back to school for the big kids.  Glad it's a short week.  

2012

It's 2012 and about time I update the blog!!  So much is going on, it's hard to make time for blogging.  I have started working from home on the computer, so IF I get any free time for the computer, it's spent working and not blogging. :)   Not to mention the cleaning, feeding and chasing of 5 busy kids.  
Cute memory....when Kennedy was 3-4, she got a watch.  Whenever you asked her what time it is, she always gave the same answer "twenty twelve".  I think about that often, now that the year is 2012.  

Basketball season is underway.  Nolan and Reagan are playing this season (on different leagues), Karrigan decided not to play.  I was disappointed, I love watching her.  School is rocking along.  We are all counting down the days till the next break!!  School and homework STINK.  The kids have one day off tomorrow, then a week in March.  
I know you want to hear about Markus.  He is....in a word....AWESOME.  He talks talks talks all the time.  There is nothing he CAN'T say.  He makes all of his needs known and anything he is unhappy about. He calls everyone by name, even people he doesn't see very often.  He is as active and busy as ever.  He is rarely still.  He can get wherever he wants and lots of places I'd rather him not be. :)  His favorite toys right now are the musical ones.  He loves instruments!  He still loves books and likes several tv shows.  At the top of his tv list is Blues Clues, Dora the Explorer and Yo Gabba Gabba.  He loves animals.  He loves to talk about animals, make sounds, watch shows with animals, sing about animals, etc.  He loves to bathe and always needs to!  Even when he just got out! lol  
The kids had their first rodent.  It WAS a guinea pig named WeeWee.  Everyone loved him.  Then the dogs killed him.  Yep, it's the circle of guinea pig life. lol  So....there is a new pig  now, named Charlie.  Charlie lives at Randy's place.  Which is another thing I need to mention.  Randy has moved out of the house.  We have filed for divorce.  So far the kids are doing well.  I am keeping a close eye on them though.  
My Grandpa is not well at all.  Since I last blogged, he has been in the hospital a couple of times.  He has deteriorated so much now that the family isn't making him do PT or even get out of bed.  They just keep him company and make sure his needs are met.  I just HATE that his life has come to this.  He was such a wonderful human being.  Now he is a shell, just existing.  :(
I hope your year is off to a grrrreat start!  I am looking forward to everything the year has to bring, both trials and triumphs!  I'm looking forward to watching the kids grow in body and mind.  And having the pleasure of getting to teach and also learn life lessons.  

It's FALL!

Where has the time gone??  The fall temps are here in Dallas.  It gets in the 40s at night and no more 100+ days!! 

The school year is rocking along.  It seems IMPOSSIBLE to get all the homework, chores, activities, etc. done each day!  But somehow...it just gets done.  The first report cards came in.  Three of the kids got all A's and one high B's.  Those pesky Bs!!  And the other kid passed everything! :) 

Today is Karrigan's 12th birthday!!  Happy Birthday Rudy!  She started out her day with a fake trip to McDonalds for breakfast.  We ordered and got to the window when I realized I didn't have my wallet.  It was too late to go back home.  :(   She was a good sport about it.  This evening she has a volleyball game.  Tomorrow she is taking a few friends to Six Flags, then spending the night in a hotel.  Fun Fun!  Karrigan is playing the french horn for school and getting better all the time! 

Basketball season is next.  Reagan and Nolan are both going to play (for different leagues), should make Saturdays interesting! ;) 

Kennedy got braces!!  She looks so cute with them on. 

MARKUS!!  You want to hear about the bebe, don't you?  He is so super terrific!!  He is EVERYWHERE...ALL THE TIME!  I am not exaggerating!  He climbs up, in, off, under  or through anything and everything!  He is an extremely curious, highly motivated and determined little dude.  He is talk talk talking now!  He has a name for all of us.  He calls most of our friends by the last syllable of their name.  He has far too many words in his vocabulary to list!  He names tons of animals, most of his body parts, clothes, foods, toys, etc.  Blues Clues is still his favorite show by FAR.  I have had very little success in finding BC books and toys.  He loves to be outside!  He hates to be in a grocery cart.  He loves to hear his voice and screams in office buildings and other quiet areas.  He throws his food when he is finished eating.  He also piles food on top of his head, just for fun.  He loves to draw.... on paper, walls, doors, furniture, himself...whatever.  I loves to look at books.  He LOVES balls!!  Any ball, any size, and he has a really nice throwing arm (with food and with balls).  He is a great sleeper, takes a good nap every day and sleeps through the night.  He is just an awesome fella! 

My Grandpa moved to Oklahoma a couple of months ago.  He was living (very happily) in a very nice assisted living facility.  He had heart surgery a few weeks ago and his health has taken a nose dive.  He is currently in a skilled nursing facility.  He was only suppose to be in the hospital 5 days after the surgery.  :( 

Thanks for reading!  Have a great weekend!  I will get pictures up soon, I promise. 

Well THERE you are!

I have been trying to find time to post but it just always seems to evade me!  

School is in full swing and all the kids are doing extremely well, thank you Lord!  Kennedy is an office aid this year, she loves that job! She seems happy to go to school each morning, that means the world to me!  Karrigan finally got her french horn and we have to listen to the "music" she practices every afternoon.  She also just signed up for her first season of volleyball!  Nolan's birthday just passed, he had a nice party with his school friends.  He signed up for "Explorer Class" at school and is looking forward to basketball season.  Reagan is rocking second grade!  She  is really becoming a confident, independent little girl. I am VERY proud of all the school kids, they have fallen back into the routine beautifully. 

  Markus is back to getting therapy.  He gets cognitive therapy once a week and will now get "movement" therapy every other week.  I can not stress to you just how DETERMINED this kid is!  He does what he wants and that's that!  I think God gave Mac a strong will because He knew Mac would need it.  He can get on and off a kitchen chair.  He can get off my bed.  He can stand and "cruise" furniture.  He can get inside baker's racks, dishwashers and cabinets. lol  Mac has tons of new animal sounds and WORDS!!  Just today I clearly heard him point to and say "cow" in a book, several times.  He is saying bye-bye, hi, Momma, Dada, eye, nose, eat, Blues Clues, no, go, whoo-hoo, just off the top of my head.  He is just BLOSSOMING in front of my eyes! 

We received a very special card and gift from our "secret" friends after the adoption.  It means so much to me that you think about us.  And your gifts always come at the exact perfect time!  How do you do that?  

The weather here in the Dallas area has been just beautiful!  Perfect, some would say. lol  The highs are in the 90s and it gets down to 60s at night.  When the kids leave for school it's around 70 degrees, can't ask for much better than that!  

I am deep into a booked titled "Room".  It is really good!  It's about a woman and her son who live in an 11X11 room.  The woman was kidnapped 7 years before and had her son (5) while being held prisoner in this inescapable room.  BUT...her son doesn't realize they are trapped.  His mother has done everything to make the boy have a good life!  They have a daily routine and he is happy!  I can't say much more, because YOU need to read the book!  

Thanks for reading!  Hope you have a terrific day!!

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!

The new school year has begun! 

Nolan- 4th grade

Reagan- 2nd grade

Kennedy- 8th grade

Karrigan- 6th grade

Markus- cheesy!

The photographer from Buckner International was nice enough to email me the pictures she took the day of court.  Here are just a few.  She is going to come to the house soon to write up an article all about "us". 

Fashion Show

So..... I still can't get the pictures off my stupid phone.  But here are some pictures off my camera.  Kennedy was in the annual JCPenny/Scottish Rite Fashion Show. 

Score! 

Kissing the cookie??

Waiting....

Me with a precious friend Beyonka

Kennedy getting her hair done.

Beautiful!

Kennedy with her friend Katie (Beyonka's daughter)

Katie and Kennedy

HILARIOUS!  This was his "cheese" face that day.

MC's for the show

Ken on the runway.  Go girl!

JCPenny donated $5000 to the hospital.

All of us, after the show.

Random picture of Nolan.  I think he made a "10 stuff" oreo.

So something else happened today.....what was is???  Oh ya....WE FINALIZED THE ADOPTION FOR BIG MAC!!  It was super easy and pretty quick.  We waited in the lobby longer than anything!  Markus was pretty fussy.  He had to get up before he was ready and no one would let him down to crawl around the courthouse!  He is now a DONE DEAL!  Signed, sealed and delivered!  I took ZERO pictures.  I was way too busy wrestling Markus!  There was a professional photographer there, she took lots of pictures and will send them to me.  I have one that the attorney took on her cell phone after the hearing.  It's not great but here ya go!



School starts back on the 22nd.  I can't make up my mind if I am ready or not.  I am definitely NOT ready for all the $$ I have to shell out for shoes, clothes and supplies!  And I'm not ready to get up by alarm every morning.  But I am ready for the peace and certainty that comes with the school schedule.  I am also ready to have lunch with my friends again! :) 

Happy Friday everyone.  Have a great weekend!