Missing someone isn't about how long it has been since you've seen them or the amount of time since you've talked. It's about that very moment when you're doing something and wishing they were right there with you.

Good Monday morning! I'm up bright and early this morning testing out what will be our new schedule if I go back to work. The plan is to have the kids up at 5:00am for breakfast and laying them back down around 6:45am. Hopefully they will sleep until 10am when Ricky wakes up. So far we've had breakfast and two have had baths but one (Madi Faith) is sound asleep again... it's only 6am. It may take a couple days to get everyone adjusted :)

We didn't really do anything this weekend. I'm still trying to figure out how this will work if I do go back to work. I think the answer is hiring a nanny. I don't know what we will do but this is the week to figure it all out.

The kids have a pretty normal week ahead. The only thing out of the ordinary is Brody and Gracie will go for new braces today.

Have a great week!

KP

Sometimes the only thing that people see is what you did. When in fact they should be looking at the reason why you did it.

The million dollar question is: Can you really have it all?

Is it possible to be a good mother, wife, student, employee, granddaughter, sister, aunt, friend- all of those things at one time?

I'm about to see.

What started as my hunt for a part time job to get me out of the house, has turned into some amazing opportunities that I would be foolish to turn down. Time may or may not tell me otherwise.

I applied for one job several weeks ago for that part time sanity hunt. Never heard anything and I actually kind of forgot about it. I got a phone call this week about that part time position but after talking, she started offering me a lot more- like my old career more, started adjusting hours to fit my schedule around Ricky's etc. At this point the lady had never seen my resume. Towards the end of the call she asked me to email the resume to her and we set a day to meet. I emailed my resume the next night (hey, I'm busy around here) and she sent me back a really nice email about my resume/ experience. Fast forward to today, I go in to meet with her at 9:30. It was the best meeting I've ever been in- ever. I didn't leave there until after 11:30 which is unheard of.

I have a lot of thinking to do but this opportunity is really great.

I'll update again soon. In the mean time, please keep me and the family in your prayers that we follow His path.

Krista

I can't brag about my love for God because I fail Him daily. But I can brag about His love for me because it NEVER FAILS.

I am convinced that there is not another little boy in glasses that is more handsome. Some pretty cool things happened when we picked these new glasses up this morning. For one, he naturally smiled when I put them on and the lady and I swear he said "thank you" to her. Right away there was a  HUGE, GINORMOUS, PHENOMENAL change is his sight- for the better. I guess that's why he was smiling :) It has been night and day with these need glasses and we've only had them for hours. We got home and he started cruising along the couch which is a huge change. He just seems to be so much more aware of the world around him. Our new retina specialist is AMAZING! Look how grown he looks!
Here is a before shot:

And another after

This boy is made to rock glasses and does it so effortlessly! Love you big guy, now lets get moving! 

I am aware that I am less than some people prefer me to be but most people are unaware that I am so much more than what they see

We've got a busy next couple of days.
Today all the therapist and VI teacher will be out to work with the kids. I have to figure out what I'm going to wear for my meeting tomorrow, and I need to pick up Brody's new glasses at some point.
I'm feeling pretty good about going back to work but I'm sure that when the time actually comes, it will take a while to get adjusted to being away from my loves all day. The good thing is Ricky is able to be with them during that time and the other great thing is he will see what life really is like.
Friday is the big day, I'll meet with the first company about a position they are hiring for. I finally got my resume over to her and she sent back an awesome email so that is always good. I've also sent my resume to another place today and will see about opportunities there as well. After reviewing my resume, I've realized I have a lot to offer so I want to remember that while interviewing.
Friday Gracie has her swallow function to see if she is still safe while eating with her paralyzed vocal cord. Ricky will be taking her to that appointment and I'll be with Brody and Madi.
Ricky will be working this Saturday and I have some school work to do so that will probably sum up the weekend.
Monday I have another class starting and the kids have their orthotic follow up to see if their leg braces are still good for them. We (as in the therapist and I) are thinking they've out grown them. The funny thing is Madi never needed hers to walk and doesn't need them now. I think sometimes these things are over kill but for Gracie and Brody, they probably do need them.
After that things will go back to normal. I can't believe it's almost February. Just a couple weeks away from Ricky's 31st birthday!
For our out of town family, the weather didn't get near as bad as first thought. The wind was pretty bad in the early hours of the morning. We actually moved the kids into the closet just to be on the safe side since the wind was so bad but other than that and rain, we were ok.
I'll update again soon.
Krista

"Who are you to judge the life I live? I am not perfect and I don't have to be! Before you start pointing fingers, make sure your hands are clean." Bob Marley

Our Valentines mantel :) 

Madi's new word is "Poo?" "Poo?" "poop?" She picked that up yesterday after I asked her if she pooped (again!). Not sure if I added but she has been saying nose and pointing to her nose for the past week or so.
Brody decided to say bye bye yesterday! I keep telling myself slow and steady wins his race... trust me it's hard most of the time.
Gracie is crawling around but she has realized she doesn't prefer all the extra work and would rather go back to the "easy" way of scooting on her butt. That girl.
I applied for a part time job several weeks ago. I was looking to get out of the house for a couple hours during the week so I could have more of an identity other than mom. Well, the lady called yesterday and after talking about my experience, offered a little more than what I was looking for. It would be recruiting again. I'm not sure but Ricky said I should at least talk with her and see. She was already offering to adjust the hours so it would work with Ricky's work schedule. I'm not sure.. I'm just praying for guidance but at the end of the day, I'm not sure if I can be away from the kids. I kind of like them.... a lot! I just want to make the best decisions for my family but I also realize February marks two years since I went on leave and this October will be two years that I've officially not been employed. Kind of scary when I think about my career and what my future will hold in the work place. A lot to think about. It's also hard because the kids are growing so quickly and I don't want to miss anything in their lives. We have 17 months until Brody and possibly Gracie start school and if it's anything like the past 18 months, it will go way too fast.
Anyway, please keep our family in your prayers. There is so much at stake that I cannot get this wrong.

Krista

If you think my hands are full you should see my heart

The kiddos had a birthday party to attend yesterday. They've got quite the social schedule these days. They had fun and so did I so we'll call that a success. 

Something totally amazing, totally awesome, another screaming, jump up and down moment happened. Yesterday morning we were all in the living room playing away and all of a sudden Ricky got my attention and pointed at Gracie who was

MAY THOSE WHO LOVE US LOVE US AND THOSE WHO DO NOT LOVE US, MAY GOD TURN THEIR HEARTS AND IF HE CANNOT TURN THEIR HEARTS, MAY HE TURN THEIR ANKLES THAT WE MAY KNOW THEM BY THEIR LIMPING.

If what you see by the eye doesn't please you, then close your eyes and see from the heart. Because the heart can see beauty and love more than the eyes can ever wonder.

They didn't agree on much, in fact, they rarely agreed on anything, they fought all the time and they challenged each other everyday, but despite their differences they had one important thing in common, they were crazy about each other.

It's Friday! Today the tile guy will finish up. Thank goodness because we've not had a working bathroom since yesterday around 1pm. It's been a challenge to say the least.
This will be Ricky's last weekend off for a while. Next week they will officially, fingers crossed, start working  their regular work schedule. It's been rough with him being the only one pulling in income around here on those hours.
It's been an interesting morning around here and I'm probably writing this blog so I don't lose my mind. Madi has been in a very destructive/ destroy everything kind of mood the past two days. She ripped down the tree decor in her bed

"At some point, you have to realize that some people can stay in your heart but not in your life"

We've had a crazy day today. Tomorrow Brody and Gracie will start Physical Therapy again. The big thing is that we will also be ordering some "equipment" for them. Gracie will have a walker... something along the lines of this:

She turned her can'ts into cans,and her dreams into plans

"Progress, however, of the best kind, is comparatively slow. Great results cannot be achieved at once; and we must be satisfied to advance in life as we walk, step by step" -- Samuel Smiles

And the best thing that happened today..... Gracie Ann started cruising for the first time ever! All by herself! We are over the moon excited about her progress and can really see her walking very soon! 

Being a BROTHER is better than being a SUPER HERO!!!

Mr. Handsome with his new haircut! 

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

My main man and I are going to pick out his new glasses today. Decisions, decisions as far as what color to pick... kind of liking the small "problem". I'm thinking we may go grey but not sure, maybe a different blue color. Speaking of Brody man, I cut his hair last night. He know looks like a GQ model. I had to go short because the back always got knotted up because of his glasses band. He looks so old now! I'll post pictures soon.

"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will." Vincent T. Lombardi

I'm so excited!
Gracie has been standing up non stop and that is really awesome but that isn't what I'm giddy about....  Today while I was holding on to both of her hands, Gracie Ann took steps forward moving BOTH of her legs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I only let her take 3 steps before I yanked her up and was screaming with excitement! Madi was super proud of her too and showed so by clapping and squealing and then planting a huge kiss on Gracie's face :)
Go Gracie Go!!! Your determination demands respect from us all and I am so proud of you although, I think (if it's even possible) your more proud of yourself!
LOOK OUT WORLD!

“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.”

Well, I'm two days out of the greatest failure yet with school. I had to walk away from the Government class from hell when there were 13 hours left of the class. It was very difficult for me to walk away. I spent over 40 hours on the class and made As and Bs on all my quizzes and test. I made a 91 on my final but there was too many assignments. Each one took 4 hours to do and I finally realized what a crazy situation I was in. I guess the hardest thing is what would I expect out of my own children. Well, the answer is I would expect them to complete the class and with a good grade. I guess this is one of those little life lessons.

“Maybe mistakes are what make our fate... without them what would shape our lives? Maybe if we had never veered off course we wouldn't fall in love, have babies, or be who we are. After all, things change, so do cities, people come into your life and they go. But it's comforting to know that the ones you love are always in your heart... and if you're very lucky, a plane ride away”

Ever Thine,
Ever Mine,
Ever Ours

"A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life"

Ricky took Brody to an eye doctor appointment today. This was the first time we've seen this doctor and let me just say, Ricky really liked her and it takes a lot for him to actually like a doctor these days. The doctor said his laser surgery was done really well and that he probably will never have full peripheral vision in his left eye. She wants us to patch his good eye 3 hours per day to strengthen the left, weaker eye. She sent Ricky home with a brace type thing that will hold Brody's arms down during this 3 hours patching so he can't mess with the patch and is really forced to use his vision in that eye. I'm actually very excited about it because it is really hard to keep him from taking the patch off.

"It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength"

I hope 2012 is treating everyone fab so far!
Seems we've got so much going on already! I feel like I'm drowning!
We've decided to put our house on the market! I'm excited and very nervous since we are not going to buy another house but build. We've been here for 4 years and I think it's time to move on to the next chapter. I've been having dreams about our new house almost every night which has to be some kind of sign. I have dreams of big rooms, a playroom, land, and just space! That is if this house will sell in the current market. It's a cute house so we have high hopes.