Baby Raegan's taggie blankie.

Lindsey had her baby! I was certain she was going to have a boy...I was wrong again and baby Raegan Isabella was born on Thursday 6/25! I went out and got the stuff to make this really cute taggie blankie for her and I hope she enjoys it!

Watching the Rain day.

Today I found the most inexpensive way to keep my children entertained for close to 2 hours! We opened up the back door and closed the screen and they sat in their chairs and watched the rain come down. They turned off all of the lights and pretended the power went out. Then later Riley decided he was going to be a "real man" and he watched the rain in Pink rain boots! It was a very interesting morning.

SkillsUSA!

Wesley finally arrived home last night at 11:30! It was so nice to have him here, even if it was so late and we went right to bed because he was exhausted and needed to be at work so early this morning. He had a good time despite not winning a medal. He was able to meet new people and have some fun, he even went on a roller coaster!!! Wes is not the roller coaster type at all! He got to sleep in a few times, which was much needed. All in all it was a great experience that he was able to participate in! Here are a few pictures from his trip.

This was the red SkillsUSA coat they had to wear for just about everything (in 100 degree heat!) It was a little big, and I am not used to seeing Wes in a coat, especially red :)
This was the competition wear that they had to wear during the actual competeing part.

Now that he is home he will be taking the final part of his testing and searching for a job! Lots of changes will probably be happening this summer. It is pretty stressful but not at the same time. School is done and I am so happy for that, but now comes the tough stuff!

Loving him.

The future is not a result of choices among alternative paths offered by the present, but a place that is created--created first in the mind and will, created next in activity. The future is not some place we are going to, but one we are creating. The paths are not to be found, but made, and the activity of making them, changes both the maker and the destination.

John Schaar
more famous quotes

Words can't even say how proud I am of my husband. He has worked so hard and so tirelessly to create a change for himself and for us as a family. We have changed and grown so much on this path that he has created. Wesley works the hardest and the best that he can at everything he does. I grow more and more in love with him as the days go by. I fall in love all over again with him when I see how happy the choices that he has made make him. Seeing Wesley happy and proud of himself is all that I need. No matter where we are, what we go through, or who we become; just knowing that we are with each other is the most important thing.

I truly am the luckiest woman.

Anxiously awaiting!

Can't wait to see how Wesley did tonight at the Awards Ceremony!!! He sounds like he has had a great week and he is as ready to come home as we are for him to! I have missed him incredibly this week and I am looking forward to what the future holds for us. I can't wait to spend some time reconnecting as a family and building relationships back to what they were. Not to say things were bad, they just became stretched because of all the time spent apart.

So cheers and here's to an amazing summer of fun, laughter and love.

The solo week!

Well, the week has not been as bad as I thought it would be. The kids are definitely missing Daddy. I get asked as soon as we wake up if it is time to go get Daddy, they ask me all day long if we can call Daddy and they ask me when we are going to the airport to pick him up. They miss him very much but we are keeping pretty busy to get through the days. It is already Wednesday and he gets home Saturday night! It also does not help that Daddy's car is in the driveway. They must forget (daily) that we drove him to the airport. When they see the car in the driveway they think that he is home. When we come around the corner and they see his car, they all yell "Daddy!" Then I have to remind them that Daddy is not home, his car is just there.
I have had a hard time sleeping without Wesley home. We never lock our house doors (terrible I know) and I have the house locked up like Fort Knox while he is not here and I toss and turn all night. I also really hate not being able to carry on a conversation with him. His cell phone only works if he has it on speaker phone, and even then I can barely hear anything he is saying but on his end it is very loud (almost embarrassing). So our conversations have been very short and to the point! He can't even use the hotel room phones, they de-activated them because each state/chapter gets charged $3.00/minute!! I know he is having a great time out here. It is very very hot though!! Yesterday it got to 106. Wesley is not a heat kind of person. He wears shorts in the winter.
I was able to watch a little bit of the Opening ceremonies online last night and I am planning on watching the Awards ceremony on Friday night. You can go to the Skills USA website to watch it as it happens! I am hoping to hear Wesley's name announced as GOLD! He starts competeing tomorrow morning and then into Friday before the Awards Ceremony. He will get a nice morning of relaxing and getting his stuff together before he leaves for home at 1:30 cst Saturday afternoon!
I am dealing with the week okay, but ready for him to be home. Riley had an Ear, Nose and Throat appointment yesterday morning. He has had several more recurring ear infections this year so they have decided to do another round of tubes in his ears as well as take his adenoids out. I always thought your adenoids were over your sinuses, but I guess they lay right on top of the opening of the Eustachian tube, so they think that his adenoids are keeping his Eustachian tube closed and that is why the fluid cannot drain. I hope that this is all we have to do and then he will be clear of all this mess and be a happy, healthy little boy again! He will be in pain/discomfort for about 2 days after the surgery but should be back to normal by the third day. Surgery is scheduled for 8 in the morning of July 20th. We have to be at the hospital by 6:30ish AM. I figured morning was better because he cannot eat anything 12 hours before the surgery and can only have clear liquids up to 4 hours before the surgery. There is no way he would last past 8 in the morning without eating actual food, especially with two other kids in the house that still need to eat!
We have a very busy summer ahead and it is going to go by so quickly! We just plan on enjoying every minute of it that we possibly can!

Kansas City...Here he comes!

Wesley left for the National Skills USA competition in Kansas City this morning! I have been very nervous about this upcoming trip, I don't really know why. I think just because I will miss having my support system here at night. I am used to doing the stay at home mommy thing by myself during the day because we have not had enough of a break between the end of school and this trip to get used to having Wes home any more than he was previously. Anyway. We had a nice night together last night, but then we had to wake everyone up at 6 this morning to get ready to go to breakfast before the airport. We were meeting the Moultroups at the cafe to eat. Luke Moultroup is the high school level competitor going to Kansas City, he just happens to be from Richmond as well (good ol' Richmond boys!). So we met them down there and we ate a nice big breakfast before heading to the airport. We got to the airport and met with the head of the aviation department for the tech center, affectionatly called Mr. S. He is such a nice man! Wes started to check in and the kids were getting antsy, I think realizing that Daddy was actually leaving! (Did you know you have to pay $15/bag for luggage now!! What the hell's that for?!?! We haven't flown in almost 4 years so it was a surprise to us!). I decided that we were going to leave Daddy with the rest of the group and not go over to the securty check in/gate with him. That is when it all went downhill. Aiden was crying, Calleigh was crying and Riley would NOT let go of Daddy!! I gave my husband a very quick kiss and picked up my screaming kids and walked the long walk to the parking garage and our car. Everyone thought it was so sweet how much they were going to miss their Daddy. I on the other hand was thinking what a horrible way it was to start off our week together. It brought me to tears, of course I waited until the kids were buckled in their seats and we were on the road so they couldn't see that I too was upset, did not get to really say goodbye to my husband and that I didn't want to leave Wesley.
We have never been away from each other or the kids for more than one night at a time. Sad to say, but we have never had the time, money or resources to go very far. The only time they were away from us for too long was when my brother passed away and they stayed at Tom and Sue's house for a while. But, they were still not too far away and we did see them during the day. Aiden was 18 months old when Wes and I got married and we did not get to go on a honeymoon either. The more I write it and say it, the more pathetic it sounds! I am hoping that Wes and I can have a getaway at the end of the summer for our anniversary.
I am missing Wesley so much and it is only day one of a very long week! At least we have a lot planned for the week and lots of appointments here and there. Aiden has SAMBA soccer camp all week from 9-12 each day. Calleigh has school Wednesday and Friday. We have Riley's ENT appointment to discuss his tubes and his hearing and see how things are going and decide if another round of tubes are necessary. Calleigh is also going to have a hearing test this week. Hopefully on Thursday. Every time we have tried to get the test done, she has fluid in her ears so the test won't be very accurate. We have fun stuff planned but I am also planning on surprising Wesley and having the pigs and chickens "re-homed" into the back corner of our property with new houses! I am hoping to get a stone grill built as well, but that may not happen! I guess I am just trying to focus on staying busy until Wesley gets home!