PICTURES

I am only putting these here because all of you asked. I think it came out good. In case any one is wondering yes it hurt no I did not cry and yes I self medicated.

TATTOO

I think it is very interesting the feelings people get when they see them and the judgment that people have. Most people love them or hate them. I have two and am getting another tonight. I have one on my back that has five flowers one for each person in my family. I have had it for about six years. When I got it we only had four in our family but Bret and I where trying to have more and I new we would be blessed with another child. I also have one on my hip most people haven’t seen. I have had this one for about fifteen years. This one I am getting changed tonight. When I got this tattoo Bret was with me and it just seemed fun. Well many years later I have decided to change it. My children know I have tattoos and people ask me or should I say my mother asks what I tell them about getting them. We have a few rules in our house one is you can only have two holes in your ears anything else you have to wait till your eighteen. Another is any tattoos you want you have to be eighteen to get. Anyway about a year ago my oldest daughter started talking to me about my tattoo on my hip and I felt like I didn’t have the answers for her. She wanted to know why I picked it do I like it what was it supposed to mean. I really started thinking about it and I first thought of having it removed but than I thought I would rather have it changed. The girl that got this tattoo has grown. So I have decided to have the tattoo changed just as I have changed. I have waited all summer because of my Tri training you can’t get a tattoo wet and swimming in the nasty bay water would not have been good. So tonight is the night I am getting another flower I am excited to see how he covers what I already have. I might post a picture tomorrow of the before and after not sure.

WE DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!

As most of your know we did a Triathlon yesterday. I can say it was crazy. A year ago when I talked to Heather about the Tri or into the Tri we thought sure. We started training in January. When we started I couldn’t even swim one lap. I am not a good swimmer, but twice a week I tried to swim at the gym. I have a good back stroke so I new that I could make it that way if needed. When Heather and I arrived Sunday morning it was still dark we put all of our things in the transition area and took a look around. We decided to go check out the swim. I thought I was going to cry or be sick. It looked very long. As Heather and I stood around waiting for our heat to start we looked like deer in headlights. We saw Becky and cheered for her as she took off. We headed over to get our wet suits on. There is no way to look cool trying to put on a skin tight suit over clothes. Jim arrived with the children. They were all very excited I still felt very sick and worried. When it was time for our wave we walked to the water and I got a swim buddy. A swim buddy is someone who swims next to you and signals if you need help. My buddy was Joy. As Joy, Heather and I got in the water it was very cold, the kind of cold that takes your breath away. When the horn blew off we went. I started freestyle and quickly turned over to my back. After a bit I yelled to my buddy and ask if we were half way there yet. Happily she said yes. I than started thinking don’t go to fast I want to have some energy for the bike. Next thing she said get ready to turn to the left to go around the buoy. I asked her if I was last she said no and that I had caught someone from the wave before us. I flipped over to finish the swim and tried to remember to have my hands hit the sand twice before standing up. As I stood up to run out of the water I thought praise God I made the swim. I started to run into the transition area I was trying to remember to take off my cap, goggles and wet suit as I ran. As I arrived to get my shoes Heather was just getting her bike to leave. She gave me a smile and said she new I could do the swim. As I got my bike I was trying to remember to get my helmet on and walk my bike out of transition. I started out on the bike very tried. When we first came out we went right over the bridge I tried to get some water a dropped my water bottle right in front of three other bikers thankfully they didn't hit it . The ride was long but I felt good. As we headed in from the bike I tried to remember everything I was told don’t take off you helmet until your bike was racked put on my runners belt with my race number. When I arrived back I met up with Heather. I can say that it is very hard to get your legs going after the bike. Heather kept saying she felt like we were running on 2 inch legs. Heather and I talked the entire run. At the one mile sign a man was getting sick I was thankful it was not us. The bridge was rough going up. As Heather and I talked I shared that we can so do this we were going to finish strong. When we started down the last part of the bridge I was telling Heather the end was in sight. As we came off the bridge we saw a man ringing a cow bell we said ring it louder. As we headed into the last fifty yards you can feel the excitement of the crowd. We looked up the line and saw Jim with the Kids. We than past some friends from the gym they all started to scream and clap than the kids started yelling. As we crossed the finish line the overwhelming feeling of success was wonderful. As Heather and I walked back to get our bikes we hugged each other and just felt such a since of joy and achievement. Achievements are that much sweeter when shared with a friend. I’m not sure that I will ever do this again but I will always remember that I did it with my friend.

Clarity

Well it has been three weeks for my son at preschool and he is still there. Yeah I wasn’t sure how it would go but God is always good. We have had two rough days but they love him and he loves going. It has been one week for Bret he seems to like school. We are getting along well. Brayden wants us to go pick him up over the big bridge. We got a web cam this week so we could see him when we talk and it has been fun playing with it. Hayley tried out for middle school worship team today. Wow it is so good being a mom. I'm not sure who was more nervous. Heather and I hide around the corner and tried to listen. We have to wait to hear but she is very excited. I have been trying to prepare her that she might not make it. It was interesting today at church Ed was saying that sometimes when you read the Bible words just seem to jump out at you. That has been my quiet time this week. I shared with Heather that when Bret is gone I feel closer to God than any other time. I’m not sure why that is. God just fills my heart when my husband can’t and I look forward to hearing from him in this season. I look forward to sharing what God give me this week with you soon.

As I re-read this I don’t know why I blog it is really just me rambling on. I will try to be more focused.

Oh one more thing the best part of this week the OFFICE

BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY

As I sit to write this today. I am listening to Fergie song Big girls don’t cry . As I am getting ready for this weekend I am trying to remind myself of those words. Saturday morning Bret leaves for Rhode Island for 10 weeks than he will return the weekend before Thanksgiving. Bret will than move to lovely Lemoore. We will than see him hopefully 2 weekends a month. He will be there till February or March than deploy for 8 months. When we learned of this last April what could I do I said we will make it work. But as this weekend approaches this pill seems harder to swallow. Please friends if you see me in church and I seem wet at the eyes just look away or you could be in for a big cry. As the song says it’s time to be a big girl now. After all the deployments and goodbyes it never gets any easier.

Brayden First Day at Preschool

Well today was Brayden’s first day at preschool. I spent most of last night not sleeping, with thoughts and prayers that he would have fun and play nice.. Anyway as I sweated through the night I finally decide at 5 to get up and get on my knees. As I prayed I wasn’t sure how else to ask God to be present with Brayden and help him today, so than I started praying for all of the other children who would be with him today. So I woke up all of the children who had slept in my room. I took Hayley and Alyssa to school than Brayden and I came home a got ready. It was very funny he wanted me to do his hair. After I spiked it up he looked at me and said I need a man’s hair cut. We went to school and as I left I prayed that the pick up would be smooth. I almost called twice to see if he was being good but I thought no they will call if they need me. Well I picked him up and they said nothing but wonderful things. He was a good listener and he followed directions he shared toys. They said he was very talkative and that he had a big vocabulary. As they told me I almost started to cry. This afternoon I Thank you God for today.

Middle School

Well summer has flown bye, I can’t believe another school year has started. Alyssa is going into 3rd and my Hayley into 6th. It doesn’t seem like a huge move for Halyey going into middle school because she will stay at the same school. But at church she moved up to the Riptide. All summer she has been so excited about the move and going to a small group. Today I sat in a room with a handful of other middle school parents as Josh explain what to expect from the riptide. At on point he shared that next year they may talk about sex and God’s views on it and dating. We had not even pulled out of the church parking lot when my daughter started to question me. What did he mean talk about sex? What would he say? Would he do the talking even to the girls? And what about dating? You said I am never allowed to date. As I drove I thought really God is this what you have for me today. So I look forward to all the conversation that my child who I still think is five and I will be having.