Special Olympics Family Fall Fest!

What a gorgeous day! We had mass in the morning and then Molly and Charlotte headed off to the movies with their friend Gary. We picked up Sally Porter and the girls and Gary, and headed to Bishop Lake  What Fun! A great turnout, 83 degrees, blue skies, happy athletes and families. We had sack races,pumpkin rolling, donut eating,pumpkin painting, face painting and  a hot dog cart! It was a great chance for families to visit with each other, and for the athletes to socialize. Rhonda and Ryan came out to support us, and Ry stayed and played all the games with Danny. This was awesome, because that is what Danny misses most about school-his bud. We spoke to Aunt Reg and she is hoping to get out of the rehab in the next couple of days, what great news!

A Yellow Belt in the family!

While Jer and the girls headed out to the park for a run this am, Danny headed for the studio for a tae kwon do class followed by belt testing.  It was quite intense, he ended up being there for 3t hours, but the end result is a yellow belt...he is on his way!

testing complete, Danny waits to receive his belt

Master Kil ties on his new level, the junior yellow belt

oh yeah!

ready to kick at the practice bag

the approach...

roundhouse kick

the group that belt tested and Master Kil, US Olympic Tae Kwon Do Coach

pretty happy boy!

Other exciting news..both girls had activities with friends today! Charlotte joined her friend Elizabeth and her Grandma for a movie and dinner at Olive Garden. Molly also saw a movie with friends, and tomorrow will be seeing another one...Jerry and I are so thrilled for them!
Danny and I also cleaned out the van in anticipation of giving it to Jake and Cammy to use for a while. We armouraled, shopvacced, and trash removed...looks awesome! 

October in Michigan and it's 80 degrees!

If this is global warming bring it on!!!  What a day!  Danny and I had a date with the cable guy, which we kept since the trip was cancelled. Now my TV is all better and my sanity(restored nightly be HGTV) will return!
Danny and I also worked on our book page wreaths this morning while listening to our audio book Peter and the Starcatchers.    It is a fantastic story and the narrator is Jim Dale, who di the Harry Potter books, so it is mesmerizing.  Around 1pm Jerry and Danny were setting off to golf, and they talked me into going..I even golfed one hole. My main reason for going was not to remember how stinky I am at golf, but to spend time with the boys on this beautiful fall day. They had fun golfing I think.
Homecoming in Brighton was tonight. We all went to the parade, to cheer on Alex on her front line of the band. She looked very good marching by. We got to chat with Shawne and Laura and Carol Neros. MANY people came running over to hug Molly or shouted out to her...she is quite the popular gal! Our own little celebrity!
The gang went to the game, and Grandy and I came home to relax. My TV is working great and I have on House Hunters International-they are in Japan! AAAhhh!

on the course

the real golfers!

the cart candy!

it goes up..and comes down on the green!

the gang!

Go Brighton

Molly, Renee and Charlotte

Carol Neros and I

Thursday 10/6/11 Trip or No Trip?

This game is definitely not as much fun as Deal or No Deal! I got an email from Jake's mother-in-law late last night asking us to bring Cammy's daughter Annabelle to New York with us when we came to visit. This was a big deal on many levels-and was a bit of salt in the wound. Now not only would our visit be shared with the mother-in-law, but now we could travel with and watch out for 5year old Annabelle. Just alot to take in. I stopped in to church to talk to Father Karl about the many different feelings I have, and he was amazing! I have never gone to talk to a priest before, but I'm so glad I did. He told me to feel what I feel, it's not right or wrong...and then think about what actions I'm taking. When I told him that I ask GOD each morning "How do you want to use me today?" like he tells us to, he responded that for me he has a new one, that GOD just put on his heart, he told me to say to GOD "how do you want to love me today?" WOW! it just gave me so much peace.
After much back and forth all day, with Jer in Minnesota and returning as I left for my 5-9 shift at work, it was decided that we would not make the trip after all. Jerry and Jake talked, and Jake seemed almost relieved. He is leaving next Sunday, and has enough going on with Cammy and her Mom, we feel. We did see him in August, and he told Jer that sometime during the middle 8 months of his deployment, he will get 2 weeks in the states. Hopefully we can see him then.
Sad, mad, relaxed now, sick and tired of the whole thing....many feelings (none of them wrong!Thanks Fr. K!) and that's where we stand.
ps. it must be reported that the Tigers beat the Yankees-poor Charlotte! Happy Molly :)

Wednesday 10/5/11 Ashley Court..or not!

Danny and I got up early to get to school. We are doing a four day week because of our trip on Friday. Around 9:30 we head to church to get Holy Communion to take to Ashley Court. I had a wonderful moment in the Eucharistic chapel..when Danny and I entered Father Karl was in a seat, praying. We knelt on the closet kneeler and he was directly behind me. As I started to pray, all of the sudden the words to a song started pouring through my head "Jesus above me, Jesus below me, Jesus beside me, King of my heart, Jesus in front of me, Jesus behind me, Jesus around me, never will part" and I knew that Jesus was in front of me, my Shepperd, and Father Karl was behind me, my earthly Shepperd, and it was so great!!
We went to Ashley Court, but my bad, apparently service was cancelled because of the Fall Festival later tonight. Building 3/4 asked me if I would do it anyway and we gladly agreed. Danny is wonderful with the folks.  And as a bonus, we went back at 6pm and volunteered for the fall party! I did slip out to take Danny to tae kwan do, but then we went back to help clean up. It is such a blessing to volunteer there!

Game 4..and another nail biter!

the headline says it all, and Charlotte goes to school happy!

Yanks up 4-1 and Charlotte long in bed. Tigers are just not looking excited, and the crowd is very quiet. Well game 5 in Yankee stadium is never a good thing, but if we must,we must! Danny and I are conflicted. I love the Yanks and like the Tigers, but it is the hometown team.  Danny wants the tension out of the house...out of the mouths of babes!
I worked and did storytime which was fun. Danny spent this beautiful day outside,  played with Leah all morning, took a couple of long walks with the dog, and jumped on the tramp for a couple of hours with Ryan. Then he hit taekwando...Go Danny!
Unfortunately, we have to go visit Jake this weekend, and we will miss the belt testing, and Spec. O picnic, and a seminar at church.  He is shipping out on the 16th and this will be the chance to say Goodbye and wish him our best. What parents should do...so we'll do it.

Monday 10-3-11

Monday is so typical. Don't you find  that you have super high expectations for what you'll do? I know I do!  And sometimes it's a go, and sometimes not. Today was menza/menz. Had fun with Danny, subbed in at work so had to leave the kiddies to fend for themselves...but all ended up okay.  Danny was supposed to be in bed at 8:45 and when I called, Charlotte was eating dessert(normally she is sleeping!) and she said Danny wasn't ready for his yet. What?? he's still up? yes, he's in the library reading TinTin. Okay, let me talk to him...Hello Mom, he says cheerfully. What time is it? I say cheerfully. UUHHH OOHH. I lost track of time. So everyone settled by 10pm, which is just a little late for me.!