End of the 5th week of school 2010-2011

It has been a long 5 weeks! I feel like I am barely keeping my head above water. I wish I could say everything is going so well that I am loving my job again but not so true.
However, God is showing me I will survive and he is in total control... I just need to sit back and deal with this life he's given me. I am working on not being selfish! I have to tell myself, I can't just quit working to stay home with my baby just because I WANT TO! So here's what God's doing....
After the first few rough weeks of Tenley at a daycare that just wasn't settling with me, we finally found the answer to my prayers. I have to wonder why I didn't call Jayne when I got her number, from a friend, the week before school. I guess I figured we already had a daycare and I thought it would work. When it wasn't "working" I asked around wanting to use word of mouth to find a better daycare situation for Tenley. In the meantime, I was taking afternoons off for almost 2 weeks to take Tenley home to feed her and let her get a good nap!
During this time I had a few leads but they both fell through. Then I had another situation, a friend whom I really trust, offer to keep Tenley. I really didn't know what to do,,, feeling unsettled about making a decision I prayed!! I finally started to really put my trust in the Lord and give this up to him. I quit worrying and took a leap of faith and gave my two weeks notice at the BIG nasty daycare and that very same day, Jayne's number fell into my hands once again!! We talked for 5o minutes and agreed to meet because we both thought the other was the answer to our prayers! (Yes, I do believe God brought us together!) Jayne is an almost 60 year old grandma who quit her job of 25 years at the bank to stay home and watch "teachers kids!" She only watches one other little boy, (15 months old) and her 3 year old grandson 2 afternoons a week. She was praying about wanting one more to watch, preferably a baby! I was praying for a grandma that would love my baby girl like her own grand daugther and be able to give her the attention she deserves,,, without a bus load of other kids running around, trompling on her. So far, Tenley spent 4 days with Jayne and I think it went great! I am very pleased with the new daycare situation God has worked out for us. I pray we can all continue to bond and Jayne and Tenley can continue to "fall in love!" The ONLY bad thing is that she lives all the way across town but I know she is worth the drive. Oh, wait, there is one other bummer thing,,, I still miss my baby girl like crazy!!! I don't get to see her/feed her at lunch, which I did when she was at the old daycare center! BUT, I know,,, I know. This is all God's plan and I have to learn to give, stop being selfish and just be thankful we now have Jayne!

Back to school! Do I really have to go?

Back in April, shortly after I had the baby I though I would be ready to go back to work in 4 months. That's a third of a year! At the time that seemed like a long time, longer than what everyone else gets for maternity leave. So why can't I be happy with the long 4 months I had with my baby!?! Why is leaving my baby at the daycare so hard? My baby is a third of a year old! That's old enough to go to Daycare. I had to take Jett to daycare when he was 3 months old and he survived!
I don't want to work this year. I don't want to be away from my baby! I don't love my job this year! Okay, I don't "hate my job" but I don't love it! I'm sure I would if I didn't have a new baby that I would rather be with. I'm sorry but my baby comes before my students!
So, now I ask myself, "Stacey, why didn't you figure this out 4 months ago, before you signed your contract?"
I know we cannot afford for me to stay home! Well, maybe we could make ends meet and it would be tight, if we didn't send the boys to a private christian school! Life decisions like this are such a give and take!
So, she goes to daycare! Midway through the summer I called 24 day cares, I interview 4 of them, and made several visits, even unannounced! I finally decided on the larger center type daycare! I just felt it was the right place for Tenley.
So, is Tenley were she's supposed to be? Is this God's plan? I'm doubting it all right now! I almost feel sick about leaving Tenley at this daycare and I know the fact that she was only there 2 days and then got VERY sick isn't helping my doubt!
I don't know what to do other than push my sad feelings of leaving her to the side, toughen up and PRAY!
AND pray some more because I'm pretty sure my only support right now is coming from God!

Is summer really over???

WHERE DID IT GO??? Where did my summer go? AND where have I been!??? not on my blog that's for sure! I guess you could say I took a little blogging break! Don't ask me why because I've had plenty of time but I guess I just wasn't into it! BUT, now I'm back!!!

AND now summer is about over!
The boys and I will now brainstorm for you all of our previous summer activities,,, here goes,,,

*weekend in Burke last part of May
*Swimming lessons x2
*A 5 night trip to Cheyenne and Wellington,CO in June to see Cheyenne friends and the French family
*waterpark x3
*Jett went to grandmas to play with the chickens while Otto got in trouble at Aunt San's
*mommy's "cousins weekend" 3 families stayed with us, we went to Rapid- Story Book Island
*the culverts at the creek x2
*The 4th of July Belle Fourche Parade (Brrrr,,, got rained on!!)
*movie nights at home x2o or so
*rode the 4-wheeler and went with dad on his new 4-wheeler
*went to Hills Alive, enjoyed the concerts from the back with sissy and took boys on kyaks
*playing with babysister and making her laugh x200, give or take 50
*playdates with the neighbor kids x 15
*bike riding at the park
*painted our living room, kitchen and sissy's room
*cousins Audri and Whitney came to stay a week, on two different occasions
*water skiing @ Keyhole with Trevor Hill
*camping at Iron Creek Lake in a cabin with Dad and Sissy, 2 nights for dad's birthday
* hosted the"Summer's Over" neighborhood picnic

OHHH, Brother!

Jett and Oakley became big brothers on April 20th, 2010, when their little sister, Tenley Hope came into this world. As you can see her brothers are in love with her, can't get enough baby kisses and are ready to protect their baby sister at any given moment! Here they are enjoying their big brother status!

Kisses from Jett

kisses from Oakley

Two protectors watching as daddy dresses
her after her washcloth bath

Oakley thinks his "sissy" is pretty special

Jett is awe of his super cute sister

Easter Egg Need Color

We had a great time dying Easter Eggs the day before Easter! The boys were very efficient this year. The whole thing only lasted about 25 minutes! Gee, and dad was too scared to join us!!

Thoughts to ponder as I wrestle with this...

Do your relationships control you,

or does Christ control your relationships?
God wants to be the most important thing in your life. Sadly, many Christians let the opinions of other people control their own decisions, altering what they consider to be important.

Proverbs 29:25 says, Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.

Your relationships with the people you're around could be a snare to you if let them control you.

However, if Christ is more important to you than any relationship, then he will control your relationships, guiding you into right, godly ones. Make Christ first place in your heart, and he will control and direct your relationships.

VOTE!!!

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So nice...

It was so nice to "be on strike" and just take some time for me without having to actually leave! Last Saturday night I stayed in my room all evening and guess what the boys fed themselves for supper--Ice cream, chips and some other junk food. They did follow through with their usual bedtime routine. It just happened to be over an hour after their normal bedtime! BUT, hey, I was happy they were dealing with it. I think they were even happier to have mom back Sunday afternoon!
I must say that getting ready for church and getting out the door Sunday morning (all by myself) was quite nice! I also need to add that the boys have been really good this week... I wouldn't say perfect but much better!

I'm on, or should I say, was on strike

I've had it,,, had it up to my eyeballs with whining, demanding, ungrateful children. I don't know what else to do but to go on Strike! I quit; I give up! I'm done for the next 24 hours!!! I am here but not working,,, isn't that what being on strike means?
Here's what being on strike until tomorrow afternoon means for me....

I won't have to:

Cook, clean or pretend to care. And while I am NOT cooking I won't have to listen to the boys fighting, yelling, hitting, crying and tattling.

I am really hoping this strike includes not having to listen to my husband nag, warn and correct, everyone else in the house! aahhh, That would be so nice!

I won't have to listen to them complain that they didn't like what was served for supper!

I won't have to tell them that they are starting to stink and need to bathe. So, then I won't have to sit in the bathroom to monitor that they aren't splashing,,, and I surely won't have to wipe up water they splashed out.

I won't have to ask them 4 times to get their PJ's on, and listen to them whine that they can't find the right ones! No more, calling them to the bathroom 3 times, waiting for them to come get their teeth brushed, and begging them to hold still as they fight and push each other off the stool, while their dad watches like an innocent bystander!

I won't have to spend 30 minutes tucking them in, answering the 20 questions they come up with to procrastinate and re-adjusting their necessary nightlights so the lighting is just right!
(I'm trying not to think about the sad part--- not being able to kiss them good night
and pray with them!)
But, on the bright side, in the morning won't it be so peaceful! I won't have to:
worry about getting anyone ready for church but myself. I won't have to be the cook and the waitress or the cleaning staff.

I won't have to listen to whining about someone not getting what they wanted for breakfast and arguing that brother got more or that someone didn't get enough milk in their cereal or didn't want juice!

I won't have to clean up the kitchen floor where the kids didn't eat over the table. Oh, and better yet, I won't have to listen to my husband complain about the kids eating like kids, who spill or drop crumbs!

I won't have to remind EVERYONE that the car is leaving for church in 5 minutes ("sure hope ya make it.") and then wait in the car for 3 of those 5 minutes or usually longer for Daddy (because he HAD to unload the dishwasher before church!)

AH, won't it be nice, I will just hop in my quiet and peaceful car, drive to church, teach my Sunday School class and drive home, or maybe I will get sidetracked at a nice lil coffee shop downtown,, who knows what I will do since I will still be on strike until tomorrow afternoon!

Don't worry about me,,, I will be just fine!!!

Madelynne The GREAT!!!

Jett and Oakley were very into honoring my best-friend's daughter, Madelynne the Great, for National heart month! Maddy is almost three and is quite an incredible little young lady! She was born with hypoplastic-right heart syndrome (which in non-medical person terms is half a functioning heart). She's already been through two major open heart surgeries and will be undergoing another major surgery in a year or less. We are thinking of and praying for Maddy and her family, and for all the other parents who have those precious "heart babies!!!"
Let me know if you want to buy a 'Madelynne The Great' wrist-band to help support the Hypoplastic Right heart foundation!

"WE LOVE YOU MADDY, OHHHH YEAAHHHH, WE LOVE YOU MADDY! OOHHHH YEAHHHH!! WE LOVE YOU MADDY!"

hit play and check it out!

The boys 1st time snow skiing

Getting ready,,,, Ski School here we come!

Yep, we are beginners,,, first time on skis!

This is after the first two hours and they are still standing and still smilin!

Jett manuavering through the crowd to get back to his instructor!

Four hours on the slopes

+ riding the chairlift several times

+ (Oakley) getting lost

=TWO TIRED BOYS!!!!

Oakley's first wrestling match of 2010

Coach Daddy!

waiting to wrestle this new friend

Are these two little boys or two little spider monkeys wrestling?

"Sorry friend but I'm going to pin you now!"

After three pins and Oakley getting pinned once himself,

he won 2nd place at the Sturgis AAU wrestling! WOW,

that looks like a pretty mean face for someone who ALSO

won an individual sportsmanship award!
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Oakley and D'Angleo- Best Buds!