Another year older....

Happy Birthday to me....happy birthday to me....la....la...la! ha! I just had to do that. Saturday was my BIG 35th birthday and I must say that I really don't feel a day over 34. I had a WONDERFUL weekend - although my plans had to change when my mom became ill. The day started w/Kyla's soccer game at 8am...a little early for a Saturday, but they didn't seem to care that it was my birthday and I wanted to sleep in. Kyla started the game at goalie and only let one shot by her - she even scored a goal in the last half of the game - her team won 4 - 1. Unfortunately, I took all of my pics w/my Cannon and not my dig. camera so I don't have any to share. Summer then had a game at 10am...and I must admit I was a little concerned about her. She had been complaining at each practice of how tired she was and hot HOT she was and how she didn't want to run...get the picture? But when it came to the game she got right in there and ran....and ran....and ran! Her team won as well 5-4....it was a nail biter! The girls loved having Granny and PopPop there to cheer them on! I must say the ability to visit with our family has been an even BIGGER blessing than I ever thought it would be. I guess you don't really know what you are missing until you have it! I grew up 500 miles away from my grandparents...I never knew any differently!





Mom, Dad, Adam, & Grace were supposed to come over that evening, however, Mom woke up w/a terrible migrane in the middle of the night and became VERY ill! (Side note-she was feeling up to a visit yesterday and drove over to see me.) When plans changed, Granny and PopPop stepped up and volunteered to babysit so that Kyle and I could go out to eat...just the two of us...like a DATE. I remember those....vaguely! ha! We drove over to Gruene (pronounced like the color green) and ate at The Gristmill - it is a restraunt that is inside what once was an old gristmill on the Guadelupe River. Fabulous food, conversation, etc. -- there were kids around...but not ours. At one point I heard a toddler fussing and I looked at Kyle with a big smile on my face and said - "NOT OURS!" I love my kids...but I loved getting out w/out them!





School is still going well for the girls, but Summer is facing a CHANGE - and those of you who know Summer and her PAST reaction to changes may be thinking much like me - OH NO! The first grade classes at the school are getting too big and they are bringing in another 1st grade teacher - Summer was one of lucky ones that the principal picked to move -- because Summer just seems so well adjusted and the principal wants to set this new teacher up for success. Perhaps a little backwards...but none-the-less when I talked to the principal it was more of a "this is what I'm doing" conversation and less of a "what do you think?" one. I told her about Summer and reminded her of our recent BIG move and she volunteered to be the one to break the news to her. At that point I just had to leave it up to God - He is always in control...repeat that to myself 30 times, right!?! Summer got in the car after school and gave me the news right away - when I asked her how she felt about it I got a smile and a thumbs up. Thank you God! I think I worried about it more than her! I guess in a year of BIG changes...what is one more! ha! I met the "new" teacher at Open House last night and she seems very sweet and very capable. Miss Briggs - Summer's "old" teacher will be helping her get situated as will the other 1st grade teachers. Miss Briggs is just such a WONDERFUL teacher, I hate to see Summer taken out of her room...but again, "God is in control"...."God is in control"....you get it.





It dawned on me the other day that many of you haven't seen our new home here in Texas and those of you that have seen it haven't seen it with grass and trees. I haven't spent any time on the outside of the house because there are still so many disaster zones on the inside, maybe I will be ready for that NEXT spring. But I figured I could leave you with this parting shot...all of you in Alabama are missed terribly...and those in Alaska too! ha!