3 More Goals!

Me and my sweet Aunt Lynn
Kellee, Uncle Arnold and Me - It was his wife, my Aunt Pauline that passed away. They have both always been so good to all of us girls.
Me and My Dad, I haven't seen him in several years.
Me and Kellee and her cousins Brian (who has MD) and Cherry.
Kellee, Jessica and Me (Jessica is the "baby" cousin - she just graduated high school and started college this semester)


My mom and her sisters and brothers. (From left front, my mom (Nancee), Aunt Lynn, Aunt Margaret Ann, Uncle Rob and Uncle John.)
Erin, Kellee and Me.
My Grandma's House - Occupied by some strangers now! It was so weird, as we were taking this picture a man walked from across the street and walked right in! HEHE, I am sure he now owns the house, but it will always be my grandma and grandpa's house to me.


OK, so evidently Billie got a rush scoring that goal because last Saturday she scored 3 goals! They won the game 4 to 2, it was their first win this season, too! We are all excited for tomorrow's game to see what happens this week. Unfortunately I missed the game last week because I went to Michigan. My sweet Aunt Pauline passed away and I went up for the funeral. It was sad, but it was also good to see my family. I stayed with my cousin Erin, and drove up with my cousin Kellee. We had a great trip. It was so nice to have my mom and all of her siblings together; that doesn't happen often since they are spread all along the eastern part of the USA. I especially enjoyed visiting with my Uncle Rob and Uncle John, they are always funny and up for a good time. I didn't get to spend enough time with my Aunts, and that made me sad, but we didn't have a whole lot of time. I got to eat some great Chinese food (Michigan is home of the best Chinese food in America- Just FYI) and a Gyro at Coney Island. I also got famous fish and chips at an Irish pub with my dad and Aunt Brenda. It was great to spend time with everyone. The weather was amazing and they were a little further along in the change of colors up there than we are here. One thing I love about Michigan is there are sidewalks everywhere. We went on several good long walks while we were up there. We needed to since we ate so much! I envy Erin because she does get to walk everywhere she wants to. I posted some pictures up here for you all to see what I was up to last weekend.

This weekend Matt is going to Michigan (too bad we couldn't have timed that better, huh?) for a football game. He is a loyal University of Michigan fan, and he and his dad are heading up there to see a game. It is an annual thing for them now. I am starting a new job at Mercy Hospital tomorrow. I am so nervous it is not even funny. I know the job won't be too hard for me, I just am nervous about not knowing anyone and getting lost. That place is so confusing. I will try to let you know how it went. I work 6am to 2:30 Saturday and Sunday; that makes me a little nervous, too. That is very early but good that I can get it over with and have the rest of the day with Billie and Cathie, who is coming to stay with us for the weekend and to take care of Billie while I am at work. I also have a big exam on Monday and a big project due Tuesday, so I will be very busy this weekend. Wish me luck; I am going to need it!

GOAL!

Oh My Goodness! Billie scored her first soccer goal Saturday afternoon. It was awesome! She has always played fullback, so the opportunity to score has not been great in her three + years of playing soccer. But on this new team, she is by far the most experienced and the most skilled player so they are playing her at forward and midfield the entire game. So into the third quarter, (which she was supposed to sit out but another girl was hurt so she ended up playing the entire game), she was at midfield and got the ball. She dribbled it around the other team all the way to the goal and managed to kick it in with her left foot! It was awesome, she was so fast and just did everything right. I screamed and jumped up and down. Matt had a hard time not running onto the field and picking her up. He was ref'ing the game, so he somehow gained his composure and stayed on the side line. But he was screaming and jumping up and down, too. Even a good friend of ours, Jennifer, whose daughter was on the opposing team, was cheering for her. Her daughter, Natalie, had been on Billie's team for several seasons so she knows how far Billie has come in her soccer game. Billie was grinning from ear to ear, it was so precious. And she gave a couple fist pumps and leaps herself. We took her straight to Brewster's for ice cream after the game. She got a scoop of cake batter in a waffle cone and ate every last drop! She deserved it for sure. Since she will have plenty of opportunity the rest of the season, we are hoping this is just a taste of what is to come. She was thinking of giving up soccer after this season, but I am wondering if she will not change her mind after the feeling of scoring a goal. I just can't tell you how happy I was for her. Sorry I do not have a picture, I didn't even think to get my camera out. This is all I have time for now, but I will try to update again soon. Love to all!

Alice

Billie had a piano recital this past Sunday. She played "Alice" from the new Alice in Wonderland movie, the song is by Avril Lavign. (not sure about how she spells her name-sorry if I butchered it). She had a replica dress from the movie. She was beautiful and did a beautiful job! I will upload the video when I have more time.

School has both Billie and I very busy. I am teaching a nutrition class once a week for the NEAT program through the YMCA and health department. It is so awesome getting to work with the children, and getting some experience in my field. It is a really great opportunity for me. I also just got hired at the hospital in the diet office, but haven't officially started yet. My schedule is fixing to get even tighter, but it is all things I need to do if I am to get into grad school and get an internship, which is what I really want. I trust God will fit it all in for me, and still give me time to study and sleep and be with Matt and Billie, too!

Sorry this is so short, but I have a million things to do before I get Billie up for school. Have a great Wednesday everyone!

Back to School

We have been so busy! Why is it when school starts back, so does everything else? Billie went back to school, and so did I. Plus her dance, piano, soccer and Wednesday night church all started back up, too! It has been crazy around here. Billie was also sick the first week of school. It was so sad. She went to school the first half day. The second day, which was the first full day, she went but the clinic called me at 8:30 saying she was in there with a fever and a headache and stomach ache. I immediately picked her up and when we got home her temp was 102.5! I was so worried; she never runs a fever. That was my first day of school. I had to attend classes otherwise I would be dropped from the class. Luckily our niece, Courtney, hadn't started school yet, she is attending another college here in Knoxville and they start a little later. So she came over and took care of Billie while I went to class. I was home in just a couple hours and took Billie to the pediatrician. She was so sick and hurting so bad she couldn't even walk in - I had to carry her! That hasn't happened since she was very little, mainly because she now weighs 70 lbs and I am just not able to carry her. So the final verdict was a sinus infection and a virus on top of that. She ran a fever until late Saturday afternoon, a full 4 days! So she missed the first three days of school, and had a ton of work to make up. She is all caught up now, and all better now, too. It was nothing serious, but she felt awful and it was so sad for her to miss the first week of school.

I was feeling very overwhelmed, but now I am feeling better about everything. I am taking 19 hours this semester, which is a lot but very doable. I just have to stay organized and diligent. I love the classes I am taking. I am finally learning how to put everything I have learned to practical use. I have a clinical class where I get to put all of my knowledge to use. It is a little scary, though. What if I didn't learn it good enough?! I guess we will see soon.

Blue is doing good, still trying to potty train but it is getting better. She is very good as long as I do not get too busy or distracted. But she does have accidents when I am not paying attention. She is still so sweet and so precious. We love her to pieces. I am so glad we have added her to our family. More later - time is a precious commodity lately!

Emma and Taylor Bailey

I was so saddened to hear that Emma and Taylor Bailey passed on August 10 due to complications during surgery. My heart is breaking for this family. I can only imagine what they must be going through. Joshua and Caleb were conjoined the same way as Emma and Taylor, but the girls had their own lungs and a bigger heart. They beat all of the odds their parents were given before their birth and lived to be 3 years old. But I know there is nothing that will comfort their parents today as they say good bye to their precious girls. I know God spared us so much pain by taking the boys shortly after birth, even though I sometimes envied the time The Baileys had with their girls, I know what they are going through today is much harder then what we endured. My prayers are with the family today, and will continue to be for many weeks and months to come. Please join me in praying for this precious family. You can find a link to their blog here on our blog, too, so you can follow their story.

A Blue Scare

Blue was very sick Wednesday morning. She woke up at 4:30 with diarrhea and vomiting and she felt hot to the touch and was lethargic. So I took her to the vet first thing that morning. When we got there the doctor said she thought it was parvovirus and she wanted to keep her there for observation and IV's. We were so scared! After just losing Bob on Saturday, the first thing poor Billie asked was "Are we going to have to put her to sleep?" It broke my heart. But the doctor was wrong and she ended up feeling better after a little IV and medicine. She got to come home at 5 that evening - and boy, was she happy to see Matt when he saved her from the vet! Poor thing, I am sure she had no idea why we had left her there, but it really was for the best. So she ended up having a water born bacteria that she caught from the lake. She is on an antibiotic and a special diet to help soothe her little belly for a few more days. She is feeling much better, though, back to her old self. She is also getting so big! She weighed 16.6 lbs when we took her in this week. Billie was so worried about her, as were Matt and I. I ended up with a migraine that night and I am sure it was stress-induced. You just hear parvovirus and you think the worst. The doctor said that there is an 85% success rate with treating parvovirus, but you all know how we constantly beat the odds in the wrong direction when it comes to health related issues, so that 15% seemed huge to us. It is amazing how bonded we have become with Blue and her with us in just 4 short weeks. But she is a huge part of our family now, and just being here during the day with out her here was so sad- and we even had and extra little girl, Chandler, here all week. We got to keep Chandler, our niece, during the day for the week. Billie and her had the best time together. They are so close, and I think the week together brought them even closer.

School starts Tuesday for Billie. She didn't get the teacher she was hoping for, but I am sure the teacher she got will be great. She did get her very best friend in her class this year, so she was very happy about that. She said it would all be OK because she would have Kailyn to share her troubles with! So cute! Kailyn is a very good little girl and we love that they get to be together again this year. I think if she hadn't been in her class, Billie might have had a nervous breakdown last night after finding out which class she is in. Bless her heart; I have given her the "gift" of worry. I only have myself to blame; neither Matt nor Michael were worriers like me. So please keep her in your prayers- that she stops the worrying and that she loves her teacher. I know Billie and she will not want to go to school if she doesn't like her teacher, and that would break my heart and just not be fair to her. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Rest In Peace, Bob

Saturday we were forced to put Bob down, bless her heart. It was very peaceful, and we gave her lots of treats before hand. Friday night we took her out for ice cream and cheeseburgers, and gave her a whole bowl of popcorn, just for her. Saturday we took her to Johnson City and let Brian and Cathie tell her goodbye. We gave her more cheeseburgers and lots of doggy treats on the drive there. We took her to Karl Kapoor's office where they have been her Veterinarian her whole life. It was hard coming home and not having her here, but we know we had to do it. It was luxurious sleeping until 9 am Sunday morning and 7 am this morning, but it was bitter sweet. We really needed to get caught up on sleep as Bob hasn't been able to sleep in about two weeks, which means one of us was awake with her at all times. But I will miss her waking me up early so that I could have a productive morning, and I will hate waking up to an alarm - we haven't set one in at least two years! Waking up to a dog whimpering is much more pleasing than any alarm clock jolting you out of sleep, no matter what time it is! Matt is especially sad; she was his dog, after all. He lived with her almost as long as he lived with his parents! Billie took it harder than we imagined she would, but she is doing OK now. I am glad we have Blue to soften the blow for all of us. Bob may have been annoying in her old age, but we all loved her very much and she will be greatly missed. I am also thankful we had our family pictures made, just one week before we had to put her down, too. We had no idea at the time that she only had a week left, but we knew the time was getting closer. She just could not get comfortable and could not get any rest anymore.

Matt had a very bad weekend. Not only did he lose his 16 year old dog, but he also stepped on a piece of glass (we think it was glass, but didn't actually see it) in the lake and had to get 5 stitches in the bottom of his foot. He can't wear regular shoes, and he can't put his weight down on it. It was a very deep cut. Hopefully it will mend quickly and he will be good as new in a week or two. No golf for a while, though!

School starts next week for both Billie and myself. We are both ready to go back, I think. Billie is excited to see her friends and is hoping for one certain teacher (I won't mention who as to spare the feelings of all the fourth grade teachers.) I am excited that it is my final year in undergrad and I will graduate in May. I took the GRE last week, and it went great! I am still waiting for my final score, but I got my verbal and quantitative scores already and they added up to only 10 points less than my goal- so I decided that was good enough and I would just be happy with it! I am excited to see my analytical writing score because I really think that was my best part. I actually felt like I was cheating when I took it because the two choices I got were actually the two choices I had practiced at home from my preparation book! What are the odds? I told Matt it must have been God giving me a break for a change! I'll take it anywhere I can get it. But after I read the two options I was looking over my shoulder and up at the security cameras wondering if I was on a hidden camera show or something. I sped through the process and moved on to the verbal and quantitative and actually had time to spare on every section. It was really a relief. I was so nervous that I would go in there and bomb it. When I was studying for it I didn't feel like I was getting anywhere at all, but I guess I was. I was letting my decision to go to grad school be up to how I did on the GRE. I love school, love learning, and really want to get my masters and my RD, so I am glad the decision was easy and my scores were good. My hope is to get into the program at UT but it is very competitive so I may get rejected, and very disappointed. We don't apply until December, so I will let you know what happens. Wish me luck!