Today ~

Hey, all!

I know I haven't done the best keeping up with my blog much. Sheesh, with all good intentions, I had wanted to make a post at least every couple of days, but that didn't happen.

I know I know, it is still July ~ but I decided to revamp the appearance of my blog already ~ for my favorite season AUTUMN!!!!!!! I know I jumped the gun, but I couldn't help myself.

We have so much going on ~ Let me catch you up

We are searching for a church. We've tried a few, but haven't made any decisions yet. We left our other with no malice. We just wanted to keep our church family and our family family in two separate categories. Together we have never attended a church on a regular basis with family, and we are independent and rogue like that!!!!!!!!! Like I said, no malice at all. It wasn't an easy decision to make or break to Jesse's family, but I think we are getting through it okay. It was truly a little awkward at first, but I think now that the dust is settling, everything is going to be okay.
In all honesty ~ I sorely miss my church framily in South Florida. I doubt we will ever again find a church like it. And no, it had nothing to do with the pastor at the time ~ there was a deep love that we had for everyone there, that it will be hard to find again. I compare it to this ~ The love of a lifetime, and once you leave that love behind, you will never again be able to find anything like it again, unless you go back and it's still there waiting for you! Spiritually, for me ~ Bible Baptist Church of Pembroke Pines was my church love of a lifetime. LOL!! Yes, yes, I'm being overly dramatic and sappy, but oh, stinkin' well!

On to the next thing ~
We are taking a vacation at the beginning of August. We are going back to my home area of Galesburg Illinois. My dad turns 60 then, and my mom is throwing him a surprise birthday party. We are part of the surprise. I'm excited and cannot wait. It'll be nice to have a little family get-away. We haven't had one in what seems like forever. And no, I don't count a cross country move like we did at this time last year as a family get-away :D Although I already am planning our next family VACA ~ and we won't be going just to see family. I would love to drive cross country (yes, I'm crazy) and go see Mount Rushmore and that area. I used to live there and LOVE that area. And I think my guys would love it also. Now, just for the record, anyone who wants to join us when we go, we'd be more than happy to have ya! It's a LONG journey, but it is a fun one! Of course, we'd make quite a few stops along the way! Which is where the fun just begins!

The boys are getting VERY excited about starting school right after we get back from our trip to Illinois. Xavier is already begging me to let him start as soon as we get his dvd's. WEIRDO. Tucker isn't too sure yet, though. When we do talk about school, big tears well up in his eyes and spill over as he explains to me that "I'm so scared, and well, I'm just scared". Hopefully, he'll get fairly used to it in a couple days, and will love it like Xavier does.

Xavier is starting to be a great big help around the house. He does his best, and when his chores aren't done to my specs, I have to remind myself that his is only 8 ~ 9 next month. Where in the heck does time go?!?!?!?!

Tucker looked at me out of the blue the other day and he said "I'm gonna git me a woman, and git us some babies" Then he out lined that he would have 10 babies in this order: girl boy girl boy girl boy boy girl boy. The girls will have red hair, and the boys will have brown hair. It cracked me up. This coming from a kid who hides his face and cries at the mere mention of his future wife Claire-bear Grace Ooten. And heaven forbid he see her picture, you'll see my little Tucker Jay blush like crazy.
During this convo with Tucker, Xavier ~ who is also VERY bashful about girls and cries at the mention of any girls name ~ like Taegan, or Maddie, or Alex. Anyways, during Tucker's description of "gittin' me a woman" Xav claims that yes, he probably will get married, but if his wife doesn't like what he does, he will tell her, "then go get a divorce slip, woman". DON'T. ASK. ME. I don't know where he came up with that! But these guys never cease to amaze me when they come up their silliness.
Gunner, ah, what to say about Gunner. He turns 2 next week. And since about November he has been in the terrible 2's. And it's driving me insane. He is the cutest kid with the sweetest looks and laugh and smile. But man, is he ever a handful. And he's not necessarily naughty {although I must say these last few days, this kid has been in some major trouble for disobedience and naughtiness} he is just ornery. Most days I just sit on the recliner and pray for bedtime. He plum wears me out! But, when he is ready for bed, he runs and gets his "bubba" (blanket) and crawls up on my lap kisses me and just wants to cuddle. Talk about melting my heart!!!!!!! Oh, the sheer calculated sweetness of the ornery little guy!!! But I'm grateful for him ~ and for all my guys! I wouldn't trade them for the world. I would loan them for a few hours every now and then, but never anything permanent!!!! :D LOL!!!!!!!!!

Jesse is still working at Rome Labs. He loves/hates his job. But it feeds us and pays our bills so we are grateful to God for providing it for us. He is trying to get a job as a VA Police officer over in Syracuse, and they want him, so we are basically just waiting for a few technicalities and the red tape. He is SUPER excited about it. Me too, but it will require him to be in Alabama for about 8 weeks at some point for an academy. Which is fine by me, I've survived deployments overseas, so an 8 week stint with him in the states should be pretty easy!

As for me, I am working part time at Belden Jewelers. I like it, but it isn't easy. My boss who is overall ok, won't not schedule me for Sundays like I told him I wouldn't work during my interview. And I've talked to him about it, and he has been a little more flexible with not making me work all day on Sunday, so I suppose that's good. I'm grateful for my job. It is helping us pay thing off more quickly. and that is a good thing.

So, as you can see we are busy ~ juggling my schedule, Jesse's schedule, an upcoming vacation, and trying to get my scrapbook done that I'm doing for my dad's party! Oh, yeah, and 3 ornery boogers to boot!!!!!!!! But, I'm blessed and have a very blessed life, though at times, I gripe and complain, I need to remind myself of that more often!!!!!

Anyhoo ~ Good night, blog world!