this weekend....WONDERFUL!

this past weekend, we were on a FAMILY OUTING!!! well, kinda a working holiday. james had a confrence for recruiting and retention in GRAPEVINE, TX and we got to GO!!! YIPPEEE!!! this was one of the SMALL things i misseed with james being gone. we use to always go with him when he went anywhere. we always had so much fun just being in a hotel and such. anyway, we left on THURSDAY and it took us about 5 hours to get there and my boys are just so travel savy!! they all did GREAT!! we got there and checked into the HYATT PLACE in grapevine and WOW, it was BEAUTIFUL! VERY NICE! the room was very big, with a HUGE 42" TV and just plenty of room where the boys weren't on top of each other! well, friday, the boys and i just chilled out in the room while james atteneded his confrence. it was nice to just hang out there in the room and READ! we did a little bit of school work with alex and that is something i LOVE about homeschooling. we can homeschool ANYWHERE and i love being able to travel with james whenever we can!!! with now worries about being truant!! anyway, on saturday, it was family day and we were on the field by 7am!!! james had a KICK BALL game and they lost their match....we then went to the TUG OF WAR game and they WON!! then we went to the horseshoe game and we lost...it was fun being the cheering squad for them! we then went and had a GREAT lunch there (very nicely set up at the HILTON across the parking lot from where we were staying) and then there was a whole bunch of different bouncy kinda of play structures and events spread around ...alex had a BLAST!! they had pumpkin painting that we did and we also had a hay ride!! wejust had sooooo much FUN!!! That evening, we attended an award banquet with our children. we are soooo proud of them!! they behaved so well. we got a TON of compliments on them! there were alot of other kiddos there with their parents and EVERYONE looked sooooooo sharp! the soldiers all had on their class A'S or their BLUES and then us the families were all dressed nicely! we just had a WONDERFUL TIME! the food was pretty awesome and the company was very awesome!! now did i forget to mention the MOST IMPORTANT THING?!?!?!?!


MY WONDERFUL BEAUTIFUL HERO OF A HUSBAND WON AN AWARD THERE....

HE WON BEST RETENTION IN THE STATE OF TEXAS!!!!!!!!!!!! wooooooooo hoooooooo!!! i am so proud of this man!! out all of the STATE OF TEXAS....which is REALLY big...he was the BEST!!!! :) WOW, I AM JUST SO PROUD OF HIM!!!

ANYWAY, we had a WONDERFUL weekend.....just WONDERFUL!!

i forgot to post:

of a couple of things that Matthew has gotten for himself...we are so excited that we got a SPECIAL NEEDS TRICYCLE for him!! awww...he looks SOOOO CUTE in it!! it is a RIFTON TRICYCLE...here is a picture of him in it:

showing dad his new wheels:


doesn't he look so cute?


playdate with his buddy:


Our trip to the ZOO!!!

boy, sure tires a baby out!!


he is OUT!!


boys fishing at the "pond" at the zoo!


Taking a ride on the BRACKENRIDGE EAGLE TRAIN!


HUH???

we are on the "PENDING WISH" list....

for the MAKE A WISH!!! here is the LINK to the site. wow, we recieved a DVD in the mail for family which gave us a tour of the different places we could go and what was over there at disney!! :) how we can plan our day etc....wow, can't believe it might someday happen for our family!! i never did post the pictures of when they came to interview our family...here are some of them:

The volunteers brought Matthew a GIFT:


Checking out all the gifts:


Matthew with his "WISH" wand!! every Make-a-Wish child gets one:


we are all so excited and feel soooo blessed!!

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY....

my beautiful SON MATTHEW had that BIG BIG BIG sz while we were at the OCTOBERFEST over in FREDRICKSBURG, TX and had to be AIRLIFED back to SAN ANTONIO....i will never forget that day....here is the LINK to that event...ANYWAY, the reason for THIS post is that, THRU THE GLORY OF GOD, my beautiful son HAS NOT HAD A MAJOR SIEZURE in a YEAR!!!! that is just AMAZING and WONDERFUL! it is hard to believe that a WHOLE YEAR has gone by without one!! these are the sz that use to last MORE than an HOUR and he would STOP BREATHING and need to be BAGGED and sent to the HOSPITAL via EMS/AIRLIFE because he would stop breathing...i have taken MANY a ride in the back of an AMBULANCE while they are going LIGHTS AND SIRENS...MANY a ride!! so to not have done one in a YEAR is just AMAZING!! THANK YOU GOD!! wowowowowwowowow...

sooooo for THIS and EVERYTHING in my life i give my LIFE TO GOD...i THANK HIM every DAY for all that he has BLESSED me with.......He is my LIFE and has all my LOVE for it all... THANK YOU GOD!!!

he's home!!!

YIPPPPEEEEE!! what a GREAT weekend this was....my babe CAME HOME! i got the call SATURDAy morning that they were MOVING OUT!! it took them over 6 HOURS to get here!! he said that in their convoy, they were moving about 40 mph and since he was with the big man, he had to keep riding UP and DOWN checking to make sure that everyone was where they were suppose to be! i am just so HAPPY!!! i prayed for him to make it for my birthday, and i a KNOW that is such a SILLY thing to pray for when there is so much more OUT THERE that is bigger than this but....anyway, my prayers were answered and he made it home! we even got to go togeher to a QUINCANERA which was nice!! my boys had so much fun DANCING and such!! AND i just had fun with my FAMILY AGAIN!!

and then on sunday, james had to go to work but that was ok...we ended up staying at HOME because joshua had a TEMP of 103!!!! and i was going by myself and i don't think i could have done that....josh was very irritable and just not feeling good and matthew LOVES to play on that....sooo, we stayed home and waited for daddy to come home...he came home around 3pm and just hung out together after that....awee...THANK YOU GOD for bring my DH home for my birthday!!!

hey there....

well, i just wanted to share with ya'll some pictures that james sent me from HOUSTON area....all i can say is WOW!! and may GOD BLESS THOSE PEOPLE and HELP THEM!!

he said he will send me more!! here they are...

IKE PHOTO'S

just thought i would share this with ya'll....

when o when will he COME HOME!

YEP, right now, we don't know WHEN he will be home! he called to let me know that there is no time frame WHEN he will be done over there!! not happy here! i had soooo much HOPE that he would be home FOR MY BIRTHDAY!!! last year was great but i COULDN'T WAIT FOR THIS YEAR!! i am really bummed and i am just PRAYING that he can come home SOON!!! he is very busy and is VERY TIRED...i just HOPE he comes home soon...


well, onto other news...joshua is walking MORE now...he is just soooooo cute!!! and boy, i am havingt a TIME with this little guy...he is all over the place and taking toys and such from the boys (especially MATHTEW) HE SEEMS to LOVE to torment him!! he got his 3 shots today...booohooo!

i am suffering right now...my fibro is crazxy right now...i can barely type..my hands are so swollen and i am hurting all over...walking is BAD and i have just TOTAL body ache right now...i am popping motrin right now and it is taking the edge off....i feel like i have the flu...walking up the stairs, FORGET ABOUT IT!! pain pain pain....

anyway, just tired and ready for my family to be back as one...

MATTHEW made me cry today....

today, after church, we were just being ther at home relaxing....well, i was changing JOSHUA his diaper and matthew was sitting next to me...so, i asked matthew, "would you go throw brother's diaper in the trash for me?" and he started to laugh and he grabbed the diaper and took off crawling his way ALLLLLLLLL THE WAY from the living room, to the kitchen to the PANTRY to the trash can and he THREW IT IN THE TRASH FOR ME!!!! i am so AMAZED!! HE is just soooooo smart! he didn't hesitate, he knew EXACTLY where he was going!!! I immediately called called james and i was able to get him and i told him and we BOTH started to cry/get teary eyed!! such a little thing but so exciting for us!!! sometimes, we forget that he understands EVERYTHING!! HE IS SUCH A SMARTY!!!

YAYAYAYAYAY MATTHEW!!

he MEMORIZED IT!

I am talking about my beautiful son ALEX who memorized the OUR FATHER in a little bit over ONE WEEK!!! :) I AM SO PROUD OF HIM!!! he needed to do it for CCD class for church.....and he DID!! i was AMAZED that last night, as we were saying our prayers, he said he could do it and he did!!! wowowowow....i just had to prompt him at the very end...awwwww...i can't wait to let daddy know! and he knows the SIGN OF THE CROSS and is learning the HAIL MARY and GLORY BE too!!! i am just so proud of him! he is doing AMAZING in his homeschool!! we are flying thru his 1st grade studies because he knows so much of it and when we get to the part he hasnt learned on, we will slow down and really get down to it! i decided to go thru the WHOLE BOOK instead of saying to myself to skip it...it is going well...

FINALLY FOUND IT!!

hello there!! i FINALLY found the SNL: SARAH PALIN/HILLARY CLINTON spoof in FULL!! i don't know how long it will be on it but here is the LINK!!

SNL SARAH PALIN/HILLARY CLINTON SKIT/

if you have not watched it, i HIGHLY recommended!!! TOOOOO FUNNY!! they did a GREAT JOB on it!!

anyway, all is well in my life...i talk to james a bit ago and he FINALLY got a BATH today! he had not had a bath (all of them) since they left here on saturday..i think he said they each got 5 gallons to bath with by poking holes in the jug and using the trickle that came out!! they are still in galveston and there is NO RUNNING WATER, NO ELECTRICITY and it is just DEVESTATING the damage the storm did....he said it was pretty bad....we don't know WHEN he will be home....and my birthday is coming up in a couple of days...i hope he makes it home if not, another year without him home....

ANYWAY, joshua is doing well, he is starting to REALLY walk everywhere...he is such a CUTIE!!! but since we are TRYING to put some weight on him, i am all over him and NOW he doesn't want anything to do with eating...GO FIGURE...

MATTHEW, we just finished the FIRST session of the 60 hour fast!! it was a FLOPP but at least i am ok knowing he does WELL and the medications are not going to cause an issue with him not eating and only being on pedialyte....i am excited to try it again in 2 weeks!!! this method is called the PALMER METHOD we are HOPING to wean him SOMEDAY off his g-tube...GOD WILLING...

I AM SO BLESSED....

I have the VERY BEST FRIENDS in the WHOLE WHOLE WHOLE WORLD!!! today, we were having GIRLS NIGHT OUT and we plan this like a MONTH in advance...well, with everything that is going on with james and IKE, i had to cancel myself going...well, my girls decided that if i couldn't make it to the party, THE PARTY WOULD MOVE TO ME! yep, the girls came over and we had such a BLAST!! what a WONDERFUL TIME i had today just chatting with the girls and really just having so much fun! we ordered out CHINESE FOOD (YYUUMMMMMYYYYYY) and then they brought cake and ice cream...so good! we just had a fun time talking and the boys did WONDERFUL too!!! alex was playing on the computer and the smaller boys were just playing and hamming it up for the ladies! time flew by and we laughed and talked and just enjoyed ourself so much!

these ladies brought me OUT OF MY FUNK for today!!! i was REALLY bummed this past couple of days with james being gone....it is hard this time around with him gone..i had just gotten use to FINALLY having him home and now he is gone AGAIN....just having to get BACK into the groove of it on my own....having the girls come over was just AWESOME!! THANK YOU LADIES!! MUCH LOVE TO YOU!

well, james is bummed because he is missing ANOTHER first....joshua is WALKING!! ok, not totally but he can take up to 20 steps and he is doing it on his own!! and on the subject of joshua....i took him to the drs office for a follow up due to his weight check...his official dx is FAILURE TO THRIVE...i look at him and can't see it but he is not on the charts!!! but i am not worrieda bout it...i am just giving him pediasure and lots of calories and see what happens...he is going back in 2 weeks to check up again....alex was the SAME WAY...he wasn't on the charts until he was 2 years old!!! but for joshua, he WAS on the charts but got sick and hasn't recovered his weight again!!! anyway, i will just keep pushing the protien and calories....

'GOD'S BOXES'

this was posted on another forum i belong too....brought me much comfort...

"God's Boxes"
I have in my hands two boxes which God gave me to hold.
He said, "Put all your sorrows in the black box,
And all your joys in the gold.

I heeded His words, and in the two boxes
Both my joys and sorrows I stored.
But though the gold became heavier each day,
The black was as light as before.

With curiosity, I opened the black box, I wanted to find out why
And I saw in the base of the box, a hole
Which my sorrows had fallen out by.

I showed the hole to God, and mused aloud,
I wonder where my sorrows could be?
He smiled a gentle smile at me,
"My child, they're all here with me".

I asked, God, why give me the boxes,
Why the gold, and the black with the hole?
"My child, the gold one is for you to count your blessings,
The black one is for you to let them go.

why is this harder....

than i think it SHOULD be....james being gone RIGHT NOW, working in HOUSTON/GALVESTON area is REALLY HARD...and COME ON, he was just gone for a YEAR but i am getting teary eyed over THIS?!?!? he doesn't know HOW LONG he will be gone.... i don't know if maybe it is because i had finally gotten use to having him home again, and now he is GONE?! but i TOTALLY MISS HIM HORRIBLY RIGHT NOW!!! he called earlier today to let me know that he was leaving and was going into GALVESTON to help out over there (he was in that LONG LONG LONG (OVER 400 VEHICLES) convoy you saw on the news)and that he MIGHT not be able to call for a COUPLE OF DAYS because of the phone lines and satelites and such being down and i just about LOST IT!!! really, what is my problem?! but i really got soooooooooo sad and started to cry because of this little thing? he IS in TEXAS, he IS not that far away....why am i getting upset because of THIS?!

anyway, i am really bummed right now because of this and because i was suppose to do a GNO on monday with my girlfriends and that is cxd now because james is gone and my MIL can't help me out and it was in honor of my birthday coming up and THAT got me going again....boo hoo for me, huh? just got to get over this and keep on trucking....there is absolutely NOTHING wrong in my world right now but i am just bummed....

anyway, my thoughts and prayers are going out to all those relief workers going OVER there to help out our fellow TEXANS and all the fellow TEXANS that are going thru this....

well, james is gone...

yep, he has been activated since wed? and he officially LEFT on thursday and he has been here in san antonio at "PORT SAN ANTONIO" which is the offical staging area for the hurricaine relief....well, he just called me and told me he was headed off to BEAUMONT, TX which is right in the worst are tomorrow...they are leaving at 8 am and he has NO IDEA what is offically going be doing!!! and it is BAD right now out there and i am just worried about what he will be going into...my thoughts and prayers are with all the people in harms way, those that chose to stay and now must stay strong and PRAY HARD as they wait it out...MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH THEM!!

well, ACTIVATED AGAIN!

yep, he is activatied again due to HURRICANE IKE!! and THIS ONE seems like it is taking aim for RIGHT HERE IN GOOD OL' SA!! yep, they are predicting 100mh WINDS and horrible weather to include tornadoes and such...scary stuff possibly happening this weekend!! i will pray for everyone...