Thinking Thursday...

Tomorrow morning... bright and early... the girls and I (Christy, Tami, Annette and Andi) are heading for Indy. We have been planning on attending the Women of Faith conference since the beginning of the year. It's finally here!...

I think I will be able to drag myself out of bed at 6:00... I think...

I think I might get awake and excited if Christy stops and gets me a McDonalds Coke and a McMuffin when we get to Bedford.... :)

I think the conference will most likely be amazing...

I think the girls and I will have an absolute blast...

I think it's cool we will be meeting up with Misty when we get there...

I think I will take lots and lots of pictures...

I think we should all sign a release stating what happens in Indy stays in Indy...

I think Aaron will hold the fort down and everyone here will be ok till I get home... I hope...

I think I will come home renewed and refreshed...

I think you should check out the website... www.womenoffaith.com

Tuesday Then and Now...

Last nights GNO was so much fun! We met at Barbs. Got to tour her beautiful home and see the slide show of Abby's senior pictures which were FANTASTIC! I have never seen anything like them. That girl could seriously win America's Next Top Model (if she were only 1/2" taller, right barb?!)

We ate at the Millhouse... but for the record, the blackened chicken alfredo ain't what it used to be! Got to catch up quite a bit with everyone. Also got updates on Janie's brother Matt, who incidentally, is also on my top five favorite people of all time list.

After dinner, we went to see Mama Mia. It was excellent. Best quote of the night was at the movie after the first musical number when Lisa leaned over to Lori and said "so is this a musical??" Too funny...you had to be there. The music was great... IF you like Abba. Lori and I wished we would have sat in the back row so we could have got up and danced.

I just love reconnecting with old friends, talking about things that happened back then and things that are going on now. I highly recommend it. So good for the soul!

Speaking of then and now...here are this weeks pics....

When Jaden was a baby, Ethan used to wrap his blankey around his head and declare him "King of the Blanks" We have lots of pictures to prove it... Here is one from back then and one from today...

GNO...

Monday again... the past seven days felt like they lasted a month! I am glad to be starting a fresh week!

Tonight I am taking a much needed break. I was invited out for a GNO (girls night out for you non hannah montana fans) with Barb and Lori... two of my top five favorite people of all time! A few others have joined in, so I think there are six of us now. I will no doubt come home with my face and sides aching from laughing.

I feel very guilty leaving everyone here, but I am always a little better person to be around after I have had a break. They will all survive without me for a few hours... at least I hope they will!

Christy posted some picks of her families famous "fake smiles" yesterday. (Ed's was my favorite!) Ava seems to also have the fake smile gene... what do you think Christy?...

Peace

I just sat down and took a deep, deep breath. This has been a trying week to say the least. I felt God's presence through it all. He spoke to me and reassured me through many people over the last few days. I think, at last, there may be some peace.

Ethan got sick Monday night, and by Tuesday evening he was having an emergency appendectomy. It was very tense, and he was very scared. In my already fragile emotional state, everything seemed magnified.

We got home Wednesday night just with enough time for me to shower and go to Odon to the funeral home. The line was long and wound through several rooms. It was hot. Becky reassured me as we waited that it would be ok and that helped. I had to chuckle several times while we waited. Judy and I shared an inside joke from practically the first week we met. Standing in that line, two people in front of me, was the person behind that inside joke. The irony was so funny. In typical Judy humor, she set me up. :)

By the time we got to the front of the line, however, I was feeling panicky. Seeing Roy and Molly and the pain on their faces... I got just close enough to the casket to see Judy's face. She looked beautiful and at peace. About that time I felt dizzy and faint and ready to break down. I had to leave the line and go outside to get some air. It was heart wrenching.

The funeral today was equally heart wrenching. They told the story of five year old Judy, who with a broken leg, was determined to walk behind her mothers casket and not be carried. Her little cast made a thumping noise as she came down the aisle of the church. Apparently everyone who was there will never forget that sight or that sound. It was a testament of her will and determination. Judy was an amazing person. Beautiful inside and out. Accepting of everyone. Compassionate and generous. Loving and loved.

Still not quite sure how to process the whole thing. The biggest comfort though was finding out during the service.... for sure.... that Judy was ready. I know now that I will see her again. Until that day... I am so going to miss her.

"We have this hope as an anchor...cause we believe, that everything, God promised us is true...
and there's a place, by God's grace, that we'll see your face again"

Monday in mourning...

I got a phone call yesterday... my dear friend Judy has passed away. She was 46.

We have been close friends for the past ten years, ever since we were both hired at the school at the same time. She is one of those friends that no matter how long you go between talking, as soon as you see eachother it is like you were never apart. She was with me through my dark depression years, and helped to get me through some very rough times. She was also going through some difficult things back then. I can remember sitting in her office on more than one occasion and both of us just crying. We shared so much.

I am having a hard time figuring out how to deal with it. I have never lost a close friend before. The last time I saw her was a couple of months ago after the sudden accidental death of her brother. She just kept saying how surreal it was. I feel the same today.

She has one daughter. They were extremely close.

I can't find peace with it. I am anxious for the funeral so I can see her face. I know that sounds a little morbid, but I don't think it will become real to me until that moment. I can't start to process it until then. Right now I am just kind of numb.

I always look forward to the start of school because I go straight to see her every year. I think of all the kids out there who also depended on her and it feels so terribly unfair. All I can be is thankful that it was so sudden and that she did not suffer.

None of us are guaranteed our next heartbeat. There is only One who knows the number of our days. It is so, so, so important that we be ready when our time comes and that we make certain those we love are ready also. Although we had both talked about our faith years ago, I can't be certain she was ready. I have hope in my heart that she was... If I could only talk to her one more time....

She loved Fleetwood Mac... and this song was one of her favorites. I can see her singing it in my mind.

Tuesday Then and Now

I have decided to dedicate the next several Tuesday to "then and now" pictures.

The following pics are of Ethan and Kayla. They have been friends since practically before birth. Ethan is exactly one month and one day older. Missy and I shared our pregnancies, the ups and downs of first time motherhood, and are now sharing the task of raising our first teenagers. (we tease them that they will end up married...so maybe one day we will plan our first wedding together...) So far, I think we have done well. They are both pretty great.

Who the Heck are you??!!


Play date...


Future date???

Thinking Thursday...

Thinking Thursday again already...wow!

I think I am glad to see the sun today...

I think I am on a Peter Frampton kick right now...

I think I actually have all my work done for the week!...

I think I am looking forward to relaxing and watching Austin's game tonight...

I think we will try again to have Ethan's pool party Sunday and hope the weather cooperates this time...

I think my mom is the greatest and worries about me way to much... I'm ok mom...

I think this morning when Jaden and Ava ran out the door holding hands it was the cutest thing ever...

I think I am missing my brothers a lot...

I think I am eating way to much junk food lately... don't want to reverse the effects of my slim in 6 now do I!...

I think just one more ice cream sandwich won't hurt me too much?!...they're calling my name...

Till tomorrow...

Kevin Bacon is WHAT!!!???

FIFTY!!! Yesterday, Kevin Bacon turned 50... I am at a loss.

Anyone reading this who was a teen in the 80's has to feel my pain. I have seen Footloose at least fifty times and now the star is fifty years old? What is happening to my life. I am a huge Kevin Bacon fan... have seen all his movies, although they all pale in comparison to Footloose. It is a classic. Don't we all know the final dance sequence by heart..."Everybody cut, everbody cut..." you know you are doing it in your head... :)

The 80's were the best.. past, present and future included. We had the best music, the best movies, the best hair (admit it!), perhaps not the best clothes but 3 out of 4 ain't bad. 80's music plays daily on most stations, today's teens are into it, 80's movie marathons regularly play on TV. (Say Anything was on for 24 hours straight a few weeks ago... sweet!) There is no denying it... the 80's ruled... both then and now.

The brat pack is however, shhhh...aging. Molly Ringwald has a new show on ABC Family where she plays the MOM of teens. I prefer to remember her as Samantha in Sixteen Candles, giving her underwear to a geek and falling all over Jake Ryan (which ironically is the name of Miley's love interest on Hannah Montana... hmmm) Some have aged well, like say... Rob Lowe...or Demi Moore (you go girl!) Others, not so much... Anthony Michael Hall (a tad over weight) Emilio (looking a tad bit older than he should) and Judd Nelson (OUCH!)

Anyway... Happy 50th Birthday to Kevin Bacon. I wonder what Ren McCormack would be doing at 50... If Corey Haim and Corey Feldman can make a Lost Boys sequel after twenty years (they are...seriously), I think Footloose 2 could be a blockbuster!

School Supplies????

Ok...so I made the dreaded Wal-mart trip today. This time with five kids instead of four (+Brandon) It wasn't too terrible...until I saw they had all of their school supplies out.

The summer goes by fast enough... why is it that the walmart people feel the need to rush it even more. Last time I checked we still have five weeks of summer left. I am not ready to think about back to school and I KNOW my kids aren't either.

Crazy thing is... there were tons of moms pouring over these supplies and filling their carts like school started tomorrow. There was a display of five cent notebooks and these women were all over eachother trying to get to them. What the heck is up with that?!.... I admit five cents is a deal, but I am not willing to compromise my back to school boycott to save a few pennies.

My opinion...these are moms of little brats. Moms who have no control over their kids and who are praying for school to start so they can pawn their little heathens off on the teachers.

Moral of my story... Walmart makes me irritated.

Thinking Thursday...

I think it has been a long time since I posted a Thinking Thursday...

I think I should go back to bed... Ava was up all night thanks to yesterdays shots.

I think this years Catfish Festival could be in trouble as far as weather is concerned...

I think this would be an excellent day to sleep in...

I think with the exception of a couple of last minute things... all catfish orders are finished!

I think Ethan was glad this is the last day of band camp...

I think this is the kind of gloomy day I could just stay in bed...

I think this summer is flying by at lightening speed...

I think Abby is feeling better after her little stay in the hospital with an appendicitis scare...

I think I need to call Evan today and see if he is coming down to be in the 5K...(although it would be a cakewalk compared to his recent triathalons)

I think I am really really tired...

I think my husband is pretty awesome...

I think it is already almost 11:00 and I have not gotten one single thing accomplished...

I think I am really looking forward to spending some time with Christy tonight at the Queen crownings...

I think this is a four cup of coffee morning...

Did I mention I think I should go back to bed....

Tuesday night t-ball

Last night was Jaden's last t-ball game. Those little ones are so so cute. So funny when someone hits the ball to first, and 6 kids run to first to get it... hit the ball to third... 6 kids run to third. Reminds me of a bunch of little lab rats scrambling for a piece of cheese. They had a ball.

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