We're Home

**before I begin I just wanted to mention that another one of our St. Jude friends went to be with Jesus this morning.  Please remember the Moseley family in your prayers.**

Well, we made it.  We are home.  Erik had dinner waiting on us when we walked in the door and we played until the sun went down. When we woke up this morning, we started all over again. We were outside from 8:00 this morning until about 7:45 tonight.

Ella had a soccer game first thing, so that set the mood for the rest of the day.  I still haven't unpacked a single bag, but I have spent some much needed time with my WHOLE family today.  I guess tomorrow I will actually have to spend some time on the house or the kids may be walking around naked next week!


I have to brag on Erik for a minute.  While we were gone, he not only took my van to get a fuse issue resolved, but he also had it detailed for me.  Oh my goodness!  I was shocked (and so very grateful).  I will be the first to admit that my van can get pretty nasty sometimes.  I really do try to keep it clean, but when you practically live in it with 3 kids, it easily gets out of hand.  I don't get it done but about once a year, but stepping into a freshly cleaned vehicle is such a nice feeling.  I guess I should enjoy it now because I'm sure by this time next week it will be messed up again.  Oh well, such is life.

While we were gone he also worked tirelessly in the yard.  It is so beautiful right now.  It was such a wonderful sight to come home to.  These pictures don't do it justice, but I wanted to remember what it looked like.

When we moved into the yard, we basically started with a blank canvas.  One year we poured a patio.  The next year we landscaped the front yard.  The next year we added azaleas and hostas to the back.  Last year we created a flower bed around the patio.  This year we filled in an area of the yard that refuses to allow grass to grow with azaleas, hostas and monkey grass.  I assume that by the time we move on to another home, this one will be simply amazing.

I love you sweet husband.  You rock!

Leaving on a Jet Plane

So tomorrow morning we head out bright and early.  REAL early.  I dread the travel days.  Lucy still gets pretty worn down from the stimulation overload and seems to get nauseated on the plane.  Nevertheless, I am so grateful to have spent a wonderful week with my girls and my parents.  I missed my two men like crazy, but its been a wonderful week for sure.

Being out in Colorado helps me keep things in check.  Seeing God's earth in all its glory, all its splendor, reminds me that the God that created this glorious country can surely take care of my children.  I am never closer to God than I am when I'm in the mountains.  It is always so serene and peaceful.  Tonight I am so very thankful for my life.  

**Please remember the Edwards family tonight.  One of our nurses from St. Jude (who we came to love so very much) lost a son this week very unexpectedly.  Today they buried him, but their burden is lighter knowing that their son is now in heaven.  I can't help but to be thankful for the gift of salvation and the hope that it brings us all.  

Playing hard

Someone skied very hard today. Sweet girl.

another test

Skiing Day 1 and 2

To say that skiing was interesting would be an understatement.  It's March and there is no snow.  It's crazy.  Between 10 am and 2 pm you can make your way through the "mashed potato" slush, but before that its a solid sheet of ice.  Despite that fact, we have managed to get 2 days of skiing in and have had a great time.  I am so proud of how well Ella has done.  She is quite tentative on the slopes, but she has improved so much since we started this trip.

We are missing Erik and Jack like crazy.  I mean really, really missing them.  They spent Sunday at Shiloh National Park with Grandma and Grandpa.

We are pretty bummed that there is no sledding hill.  The town has a small kiddie hill that we were hoping to take Lucy on, but that isn't going to happen.  I think she is having a nice time nonetheless.  She and Nanny have been doing some major hanging out.  The first day we skied we stayed on the mountain about 2 hours longer than we had planned.  I was OK staying until lunch, but after that I began to fill sick.  My heart hurt.  All I could think about was Lucy.  It's one thing to leave your child back at the house if they choose not to ski, but its another to know that your child doesn't have an option.  It not her choice not to ski.  As a matter of fact, she is a great skier and would have loved being on the slopes.  Maybe, hopefully, soon.

Here are some pictures of our first two days:

no snow!!

love this silhouette of my Dad

Ella's favorite run was such a disappointment.  It was all ice.  Like a good Mom I took her down the trail and my right knee is still screaming.

I actually skied without gloves.  CRAZY!

No snow!!

The playground at the base

Trike a Thon

Wow!  What more can I say?  The Trike a Thon was a blast and I am so proud of our little school... and all of you who donated.  Last year our little school raised $13,355.  Of 8,400 school nationwide (world wide???) we were tops!  This year our total is already over $19,000 with several students still needing to turn in money.  It's really amazing.  I'm hoping for $20,000 because Mr. Steve, our Principal, will be wearing a chicken suit and dying his hair blue!

Thanks again to everyone who gave.  Your contributions will never be in vain.  Lucy is living proof of that.

Here are some pictures of the event:

K-3 lining up

Gracen, Jessie and Lori

Daddy giving his baby girl a little "push"

Ella chose to ride her scooter for the majority of the event

Our sweet Gracen

2nd grade cheering on the preschool students

And they're OFF!!

The babysitting crew

Ms. Jamison and Lucy

1st grade lining up

Sweet Lucy (I've figured out that all those hair bows look adorable on her hats.  I'm so happy)

Mr. Steve.  What a wonderful principal

Pops and his girl

Our friend Sam

Need Your Help

Are those of you that are getting my blog updates via email receiving them? I think some people are having trouble. I'm trying to figure out if it's my end or theirs. Please let me know!!

Here's the Link

http://www.wmctv.com/story/17256981/6-year-old-cancer-patient-helps-raise-thousands-for-st-jude

You should be able to see the story on the wmctv.com website.  I am so proud of our school and the people who donated.  Kudos to you all.  Tomorrow I'll post more pictures from the Trike a Thon.  Now I'm going to turn my computer off because this wireless internet is making me want to toss my computer out of the window! Obviously I won't do that, but my pictures won't upload so I'm going to take it as a sign that I should now go to bed.

News Link

Here is the link to the news story.  I hope they post the video link soon.

http://www.wmctv.com/story/17256981/6-year-old-cancer-patient-helps-raise-thousands-for-st-jude

Teaser

Our school's Trike a Thon and Lucy's story will be on the news tonight! Action news 5 @ 4:30 to be exact. I should be able to post a link to the sort once it runs.

Teaser:
"For the past year, little Lucy Krull has been fighting the battle of her life. But she's not alone...hundreds, thousands in her hometown of Covington, Tennessee have been fighting it with her. In fact, her classmates are tops in the nation when it comes to raising money for St. Jude. They've come together with their biggest cheerleader, 6-year-old Lucy Krull at the helm! See how they've been able to raise so much money this afternoon on Action News 5 at 4:30. Join us then for her very special story...and Go Lucy Go!!!

Beautiful (last) Sunday

Images from a beautiful Sunday afternoon.  Fishing with friends and family.  Soaking up the sun and enjoying this precious life God has granted us.  Doesn't get ANY better than this.

Clockwise from top left: Gracen and Ella, Ella caught a fish, Amanda and Lucy, Hyatt, Maddie and Bebe, Topher, Leigh and Benjamin, Maddie and Lucy

Bec (my sister) and Maddie (my neice) fishing

 Maddie and Paw Paw playing with crickets

 Ella fishing

 Erik teaching Jack to fish...sort of

 Nanny and Jack

 Jack spent about an hour throwing huge acorns in the water

Sun bathing beauty in her new summer staple: Hat with neck, ear and forehead protection.  Patients who have received radiation are at a much greater risk for burning for the many, many years to come. 

  Pops and Maddie

 My sweet grandfather.  Ever the master fisherman