Thomas Leopold

Proud Aunt with Thomas before he fell back asleep

His Proud Mama

Proud Papa

The little miracle himself!

Round Hill Farm

Hannah had her first field trip on Friday - both the 3 and 4 year old classes headed to Round Hill Farm to enjoy the pumpkin patch.  It was cold and windy and more of a farm than a pumpkin patch.  We looked at some farm animals, played on some playgrounds and waited (a very long time) for a tractor ride to a pumpkin patch where Hannah picked a very small pumpkin very quickly and we then had to wait a very long time again for a ride back.  We were then free to go home, but Hannah wanted to play some more before heading back.  Here are some pictures of our time: 

Both classes before we got started

Playing in the corn box

Holding onto her Pumpkin on the tractor ride back

"C'mon Mommy, follow me!"

It wasn't the most exciting day ever, and Hannah kept asking when we were going to the Pumpkin Patch (I guess because we had been to a different one last weekend), but it was so great to be able to spend the day with her and be a part of her first field trip!

He's HERE!

He's here, he's here, he's REALLY REALLY here!  My sister had a scheduled c-section at 39 weeks this morning and delivered Thomas Leopold at 8:04 a.m..  He is 7 lbs 10 oz and 19 inches long.  

This truly is a miracle as she was never expected to make it full term - we've had so many people praying over her and the baby. PRAISE GOD!!  I'll post some pictures when I go visit which will hopefully be this Friday depending on when they get home from the hospital!!!

**I've been asked not to post anything on facebook while they are still in the hospital, so please don't post anything to my wall about this most wonderful, miraculous event**

Desperately Seeking... a Lady Bug??

It's the middle of October and I think the high was about 92 degrees but I was Christmas shopping anyway!!  The girls have been wanting Pillow Pets for almost a year now, at least it seems that way!  They are stuffed animals that fold open to become pillows - they are actually pretty neat!  Emma wants a unicorn and Hannah wants a lady buy:

I tried to order them earlier this year for Easter but the ladybug, apparently, is very popular!  She was constantly sold out.  The girls forgot about them, I forgot about them and then the infomercials surfaced again and as did the constant "requests" for PILLOW PETS!!!  A few weeks ago we (me AND the girls) noticed they were now selling them at Walgreen's and Wal-mart, but since I was trying to now make them Christmas presents, I told the girls we could add them to their list. 

I kept forgetting to go back and get them while they were both in school, so today while Emma was in school and Hannah with her Grammy, I made a trip to Wal-mart. But they were no longer in the front of the store in giant boxes for everyone to see.  I checked EVERY toy aisle, twice - nothing.  Too hungry to walk all of Wal-Mart, I decided I would just go to Walgreen's and see if they still had any left.  On my way out, I passed the home decor section, the blinds, and it hit me - check the pillow section!  There they were along with a lady who had the LAST lady bug pillow pet.  Besides the one she had, all that was left were 2 dolphins, a few cute penguins and some dogs.  She asked which ones I was looking for.  As I recanted the story for Matt later, I told him there was a small part of me that wanted to slowly walk past her cart, tell her the lady bug one, grab it and bail!  Ha, ha!  She did tell me that she saw lady bug ones at the K-mart in Charlottesville - Lady, I REALLY want to go get these for my girls, but I'm not driving that far for a stuffed pillow when I can order them online (or steal it from your cart!).  

So off I go to Walgreen's where there was a large assortment of Pillow Pets - just no lady bug!  I grabbed the unicorn and tried to call my mother in law to see if Hannah would like a bumble bee since she really wants to be one for Halloween, but I couldn't get a hold of her.  So I pay for the unicorn and decide to go home and just order the lady bug online.  I had to pre-order one like one of those psycho mom's wanting a singing/dancing Elmo, but hey, they are cute and cuddly.  I also needed to spend $5.01 more in order to get free shipping so I ordered the cheap ($4) mascara by Maybelline that actually works the best and a $1 package of tissues just to get free shipping for my darn lady bug pillow pet.  But I can rest easy, she's on her way - and the girls are going to be so excited!!  I can't wait to give them to them!

All that for a Christmas present!  Have you every done anything crazy for one of those TOP Christmas toys? 

And just a few minutes ago, I ordered the husband the best Christmas present ever (besides a flat screen tv - sorry honey).  I'm so excited to give it to him - I don't know how I'm going to wait until Christmas.  I love finding gifts that I know people with just absolutely LOVE!!  It makes giving gifts that much better and isn't that what it's about??

Thankful

It seems in the last few weeks or months I've been bombarded with stories of mothers having to deal with sick children and I'm not talking about sick as in Emma is home sick from school today with what looks like another round of croup sick (she really is), but sick as in terminal sick.  Maybe it's God's gentle reminder that my everyday frustrations with my kids are nothing and I should be thankful I only have to deal with "Terrible 3 Meltdowns" or the everyday crying over homework with Emma - because my girls are healthy as can be.

I follow a blog called forward motion.  I don't remember how I found it, a blog through a blog through a blog type of thing.  I'll let you read it, but the girl that blogs was pregnant (she just gave birth last night) and found out about half way through her baby's kidneys were not functioning and he would most likely pass away immediately after birth.  She has to grow and carry and nurture and love this baby until she delivered, only to let him go - it was absolutely the most heart wrenching story I've ever read.  I cried with every entry she posted - she poured every emotion into every blog.

I watched Letters to God last night, a movie I've been wanting to see for months.  It's a story about a boy who has brain cancer and writes letters to God, literally putting them in the mail for the mailman to deliver.  It's a journey for every character, but the little boy has the most faith and courage out of anyone I've ever seen.  The movie is based on a true story.  

My sister is 36 weeks pregnant - due to have another little boy.  During her 20 week ultrasound, they thought that there might be some complications.  Although they have been able to rule out some things and little Thomas has grown, they won't fully know the extent of his health until he is born.

These are just three of the more recent stories.  I hate hearing them - I wish children didn't have to suffer and get sick.  I hate that it takes hearing things like this for me to remember to be thankful that my kids are in tip top shape. 

Mission: Complete

Well, halfway completed.  I finished my associates program at Axia College at the University of Phoenix last week!  Whoo hoo!  While I feel absolutely accomplished, a part of me feels a little embarrassed that I'm doing this at 27, but I think I'll let the accomplished part shine through! 

I chose the University of Phoenix because finishing my degree was really important to me, but I knew with kids that I wouldn't be able to the traditional way.  UoP has 9 week classes and you take 2 classes at a time so you are able to complete a full semester on time.  It's a TON of work getting a full semester of work into 9 weeks and there were multiple times I was up past midnight trying to get an assignment in on time.  And I took classes for 17 straight months - I started April 2009 and did not have a break in classes until a required 2 week Christmas break that year.  Then I started again that January and went straight through until right before my very last set of classes where I forgot to sign a new Master Promissory Note for my loan and they had to delay my classes a week - other than that, I didn't stop - I was in school mode for 17 months. 

Now I'm all transferred, registered and ready to go at Liberty University for my Bachelors of Science in Education.  The biggest reason I chose to transfer was that UoP works in teams in their bachelors programs and my grade would depend on the work that my team members across the country did.  I finished at Axia with a 3.82 gpa and had no interest in relying on anyone but myself for my grade.  A good friend of mine had a horrible experience with teams and after much research and tons of bad reviews, I decided it wasn't worth the chance to me.  I looked into Liberty and after much prayer decided it was the route to go.  The program is non-licensure, at the bachelors level, but I preferred it that way, wanting to go on to complete my Master's in order to get my license (call me CRAZY).  But I actually just found out that after I graduate, I'll have my ACSI certification allowing me to teach in Christian schools if I wanted to! I'm still waiting on my official transcripts to transfer in, but I should be finished around Spring or Summer 2012 depending on how my student teaching goes!

So I'm halfway there and darn proud of myself for doing it.  There has been a ton of guilt these last 17 months when I can't take the kids outside or do certain things because I have school work, but the pay off was well worth it!

First Day of Preschool

Hannah's first day of preschool went pretty well.  I dropped her off at 9am with no problems.  She wanted to play in the play kitchen area when we first got there but apparently the morning routine is to color, read or work a puzzle so she kind of clung to me for a minute, but when I asked her which one she was going to do, she said puzzles and ran off.  I grabbed a hug and left - no tears or anything (for me or her)!  I was kind of surprised at myself, but hey, at least I wasn't embarrassingly sobbing on my way to the car!

I came back to pick her up at noon and she was one of the last ones out (I think she was going potty).  She said she had fun, her friends were mean (I noticed a rough little boy at orientation) and when I asked her if she was ready to come back Thursday, she replied, "no".  So, I'm a little worried about tomorrow, but the rest of the evening she talked about her day with joy! 

Her daily report read: "Fantastic 1st day! A great friend and helper! Very attentive and great job participating.  We will work on staying in our seat. Did not go potty"

Hannah insists she did go potty and I think she was going when I picked her up and that is why she came out last and obviously her sheet was already filled out - but she is so shy I worried about her either holding it all morning or being too shy to ask, but I discussed this with the teachers already.  I really like her teachers, they are great with her and very open.  I think Hannah will do very well there twice a week.  

Yay, for preschool!