Who needs sleep?

This week has flown by in a whirlwind of school meetings, work commitments, and personal chores, yet it has crawled by at the same time.  Lack of sleep, new routines, and the "second week of school" slump are to blame.  This week, I had a to-do list a mile long for myself and Dream Weaver Prints, as well as projects at work, and errands that never seemed to end!  It's finally Friday, but I still feel like I need 2 more days of "work week" to get it all done!  And it doesn't stop!  New after school activities start the next couple of weeks for everyone...

This week, we've had something ALMOST every night.  Lots of late night dinners, baths, and bedtimes.  Sure messes us up after JUST getting back on track.  I'm not sure when Jake had a shower last...

Tuesday night was Open House for the 6th grade families at the middle school.  We got to meet their elective class teachers, get a presentation from the administration, and then meet with their team teachers.  It was all very educational to me as a first time middle school parent, but it was also a bit overwhelming!  I learned that I have to sign stuff.  A lot.  I'm bad about --  in the hustle and bustle --  I kinda sign things by rote - not really knowing what I am signing.  I think my middle school lesson is to try harder at paying attention to paperwork.  Other than that, the girls are still liking it (even though a schedule change for Emma threw a small wrench in her week), and I think they are going to do very well there!

Wednesday night, activities started back up at our church.  We have SO missed our LifeGroup over the summer!  THRILLED to be back in the fold.  So, that means it was Emma and Lara's first night in Switch - the Youth ministry program.  I didn't have to check them in.  They didn't need name tags.  They just walked into the lobby, all made-up and perfumed again, and starting hanging out with the "big" kids.  So Weird.  And Jake is in Konnect+.  Again, while I did have to get him a name tag, he just took off for class.  No need for mom.  So glad I still had Finn to check into a room!  But, shockingly, he didn't even cry when I handed him off to one of our AWESOME Little LifeKids volunteers.  They are GROWING UP TO FAST!  All of them!  So thankful for LifeChurch and all they do to minister to and grow my kids in Christ!  And, thankful the kids get that, while I get fellowship with my AWESOME LifeGroup!

Thursday, not wanting to feel left out, had to have something, too.  Curriculum night in Jake's first grade class at the elementary school.  I think I may bee too old (or too cynical?) for these.  I was one of the "older" parents in the room, and I felt a lot of deja vu while there.  Haven't I done first grade before?  Like, 5 years ago?  And, some of the "young" parents questions and comments... Well, annoyed me a bit. LOL!  But, I really REALLY like is teacher and I am glad I went to represent our family.  Jake is going to have a great first grade year!

Have I mentioned Finn doesn't get enough to eat on pre-school days?  Yeah, he doesn't.  That makes for kinda cranky evenings.  And 3am HUNGRY wake-up calls.  I have tried to explain that he needs his milk and he NEEDS to eat (all 20 pounds of him!), but I know they are on a schedule and such.  So, Britt, my AMAZING husband, gets up with him at 3am and feeds him.  While watching Daniel Boone on ME TV.  Thankful he lets me try to sleep.  We will get through this, right?

So, the adjustment period is still in full swing.  Next week, dance for Lara and fall volleyball for Emma start.  Closely followed by Flag Football for Jake.  I had the others in gymnastics at this age, so I am contemplating that for Finn as well.  We'll see...

In the meantime, we are 29 days from Stillwater March for Babies.   I am happy to announcer that Team Finn's Fans is a little over 1/2 way to their goal!  T-shirt sales CLOSE NEXT FRIDAY! If you want to order a T-shirt or need more info, be sure and check out THIS POST for all the details.  Also, be watching next week as I start "26 Days for March of Dimes" here on the blog.  In honor of Finn's arrival at 26 weeks gestation, I will be posting each day with facts, stories, and other fun things about or from the March of Dimes for the last 26 days leading up to the March!  Hope you tune in!

Back to School – 2013

(If the blog looks different, that's because it has taken on a bit of a March of Dimes Make-Over for Team Finn's Fans until the Stillwater march for Babies!)

Well, the first week of school is under our belts.  All of the kids had “new” in some form or shape as they went back to school.  And they all had GREAT weeks.  I am so proud of ALL of them.  They each have their own struggles to overcome and their own way of dealing with the changes.  We had some bumpy moments, as expected, but overall, the Little Dream Weavers each had a positive experience this week, and were ready to go back for more this morning!

The Twisters.  Emma and Lara started 6^th grade at the middle school this year.  They are on the same “team” (set of core course teachers), but have selected different electives.  Their lockers are both bottom lockers, and are next to each other in the hall, and they have 7^th period math together.  But, for the rest of the day, they are going totally opposite directions – don’t even have lunch together!  They are bus riders, and the first few mornings were rough with late arrivals, missing breakfast, and some general confusion.  The first day, the bus was an hour late picking them up AFTER school!  But, they thought it was fun to just hang out with their friends after school waiting!

EMMA. Emma is loving the independence and the social aspects of 6^th grade.  She has already made several new friends at the bus stop and in her classes.  She is my true fashionista, trying out a new “style” of clothing almost every day.  She carries her purse everywhere (this is new for us), has been wearing make-up to school (just a little) every day, and almost ALWAYS has her phone up to her ear.  She is a true tween girl in every way.  Outgoing, outspoken, up for adventure at any moment!  And she NEVER STOPS TALKING!  She loves her classes, and has stayed very organized so far this year.  We hope the trend continues!

LARA. Lara likes the middle school.  She is really enjoying her PE class because of all the variety it offers.  She has her lunch “split” by 2 shorter periods of PE, so I think she is fascinated by that as well.  Plus, she gets a PE locker AND her regular hall locker, so she has plenty of space to store her stuff (Or lose it, she’s still pretty good at misplacing things.  We’re working on it!)  She carries her purse as well, but only because she has her inhaler in there!  Lara is a quiet force.  She has enjoying reconnecting with old friends, and is slowly getting into the middle school grove. 

JAKE. Jake is in somewhat of a “new” situation as well.  He started 1^st grade back at the elementary school he went to Pre-K in, but he barely remembers anyone from 2 years ago.  Plus, this is the first time he has been at a school without his older sisters!  He is walking to school most days with some neighborhood kids, and walks home in the afternoons ALL BY HIMSELF!  Nana the Wondersitter is at home waiting for him, and I hear she stands at the window watching anxiously for him.  And she texts me the minute he gets there!  Eases my heart for sure!  He loves his 1^st grade teacher and her student teacher as well.  He has several old friends in his class, and a new friend who lives in the neighborhood is in the class next door, so they play together at lunch and recess.  It’s also fun for him to have a playmate so close – they both enjoy video games and spend some afternoons together defending the universe!  He is exciting about taking snack for his class the first time this week!  He says his favorite part of the day is recess.  The first day they went outside 4 times.  He was pretty disappointed when he learned they really only have 2 recesses each day – that was just to make Day 1 more fun…

FINN. Finn started his first experience outside the home (and the protective arms of his Nana) last week.  He is enrolled in a pre-school  20-30 month old class at the Early Childhood Center at the Methodist church close to our house.  We went to orientation on Monday, and he started class on Tuesday.  He goes Tuesday and Thursday for most of the day – includes lunch and a nap.  We are hoping this helps with his speech delay and (lack of) social skills and some manners as well.  He is a textbook spoiled preemie who doesn’t do much for himself, so this setting should stretch and grow him!  He did great the first day, and while Thursday drop off was a little rough, he is getting a lot out of the experience and I can’t wait to look back at the end of the semester and see how it has changed him!  He loves all the new books to look at and the puzzles.  And of course, recess.  Who DOESN’T love recess?

4 kids.  3 schools.  It makes for a hectic schedule, but we love it.  We are gearing up for Fall activities as well.  Jake thinks he wants to play flag football – I need to check into that.  Dance starts next week for Lara, and fall volleyball is right around the corner for Emma.  I’m checking on a “Mommy and Me” gymnastics class in the evenings for Finn and I, too.  Of course, we couldn’t do all of this without the family support we get.   Grandpa is on dance drop-off duty this year!  I bet he’s thrilled… LOL!  Let the games begin!

(Signs are available through Dream Weaver Prints Etsy Shop) 

March of Dimes March for Babies 2013 UPDATE

It's hard to believe we are only 40 days away from the 2013 Stillwater March for Babies!  We are working with our committee to raise corporate and business sponsorships, but our family team has set a LOFTY goal, and we need your help to get there!  This banner shows we have raised $195 of our team's $1575 goal.  (In honor of the 75th year of March of Dimes, we chose a number ending in 75.)  WE HAVE SUCH A LONG WAY TO GO!


So, here's a couple of ways you can help us get there!

**Go donate on line!  We have a secure Page through March of Dimes called Finn's Fans.  They make it super easy!  Every donation makes a difference.

**Buy a Finn's Fans T-shirt!  Click HERE for the link to the sign up page or HERE for full T-shirt details.  The more shirts we order, the price goes down, and the donation to the March of Dimes goes UP!

**COME TO BUNCO FOR BABIES THIS THURSDAY NIGHT!!!  There is a $15 entry fee, and all proceeds go to help Team Finn's Fans raise their donations!  There will be snacks, drinks, swag bags (door prizes), and cash prizes for winners of the games!  NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY - I WILL TEACH YOU!  You don't want to miss this!

click for larger version of flier

We are going to have another fun get together fund raiser here in a couple of weeks, too.  I'll keep you informed on that one as the date gets closer!

As the 2013 Stillwater Ambassador family, we really want to work hard and meet our goals!  Will you please consider helping us? With YOUR sponsorship and participation in the 2013 Stillwater March for Babies on Saturday, September 28th, we can help the helpless and address the problems that cause prematurity, birth defects and infant mortality. In addition to sponsorships, we are always looking to expand our teams! If you are interested in learning how your company can form your own walk team, we can help you with that as well. I hope you will not pass up this opportunity to make a difference in the lives of families.

Life in a College Town

paparazzi1004 on Flickr

We have enjoyed a somewhat sleepy, slightly slower paced summer in our college town.  The population dips, not like it used to “back in the day,” but enough to make it noticeable, from mid-May through the end of July.  But then, they come back.  Starting late July as Greek women head back for work week and recruitment, camp counselors return to start camps, and Leadership students begin their fall semester plans.  Then, it continues to grow as these activities gear up into full swing – Camp Cowboy, Formal Fall Recruitment for the women’s Greek organizations, Welcome Week for Freshmen.  Of course, since Britt and I both work on the Oklahoma State University Campus, we get busier and busier too.  Summer is Britt’s SUPER busy time – glad we got to squeeze in a road trip during a slightly slower time before this month started.  And before we really even are ready, the MASSES are moving in!  Wal-Mart is sold out of everything.  Out of State car tags are everywhere.  KIDS (college kids, that is) are jay-walking on 4 lane thorough-fares!  Then, classes start.  Monday is the big day!  

I have a tale to tell about this summer in Stillwater, and how God’s whispers can turn in to amazing blessings.  One of the things Britt does with his job at Student Health Services it to attend EVERY Freshman Orientation session over the summer.  (There are lots of them!)  While there, he talks to future students, parents and families about the immunization requirements the State of Oklahoma has for college students, and *hopefully* collects records from these students at that time.  He talks to NUMEROUS people during one of these sessions.  As a member of the Weaver family, it is not rare to be out in the evening to get dinner, groceries, or take a kid to an activity, and Britt will say, “Hey!  See those people over there?  The dad in the blue shirt and the kid in the neon shoes?  Yeah!  I met them at orientation today.  They are from Woodward.”  Or something along those lines.  All the time.  Night after night.  Sometimes he has a fun story to go with it, sometimes, he just “recognizes” them and points them out.

Thursday nights are “Kids’ Night” at Eskimo Joe’s.  When you have 4 kids, this is HUGE!  (***Shout Out to Stan Clark for knowing some families have more than 2 kids – including his – and giving 2 kids meals per adult entrée!***)  One Thursday night in early July, the Six Dream Weavers were eating dinner and behind us at a tall table was a family of 3.  Dad, Mom, college-aged girl.  Britt pointed them out and said he had talked to them earlier in the day at orientation.  Then he says to me, “I feel led to buy their dinner.” (God Whispers!)  I looked at him like he was off his rocker, but said, “OK!  Good idea.”  Then, after a closer look I said, “Hmm.  Maybe not.  They’re drinking beer –that makes the bill larger! LOL!”  But, I agreed it would be a very nice thing to do.  So we did.  When that Dad asked for his check, and the server told him it was taken care of?  The look on his face was priceless!  He came over to thank us, profusely.  Britt briefly introduced our crew,  and we left feeling good about the gift we had given. 

A couple of weeks later at work, Britt got a beautiful thank you card from the family - all the way from Colorado!  They mentioned how we made their visit to Stillwater memorable and how they looked forward to their daughter being here in the fall.  Again, super sweet note from a great family.  We put the envelope in our desk, thinking we would send them a Christmas card when the time came.

Fast Forward to Formal Fall Recruitment week for the Greek women’s organizations on campus.  As an advisor for Alpha Delta Pi, I am involved in this week a bit and offer my time to help out our chapter.  Britt had asked me if I knew of a list of who was going through.  I asked why, and he reminded me of our dinner encounter form a month earlier.  I told him there was no way of knowing, and again, blew it off and forgot about it.

First. Finest. forever. Since 1851.

Last Saturday was Bid Day.  The day all the young ladies who went through Recruitment find out which house they will be a member of.  Which sisterhood will be with them the rest of their lives.  It is a fun, crazy, exciting, memory-filled, HOT day!  I had to be at our Chapter house in the morning for some bookkeeping issues, and while I was there working, I got a 2 word text from Britt.  It was the young lady from Colorado’s name.  I knew he wanted me to check the list of ladies coming home to Alpha Delta Pi.  I was tied up, but one of our other Alumnae asked if there was anything she could do.  I showed her the text on my phone and told her to go check our bid list for that name (the houses get the list before the new members do).  Again, really thought nothing of it, just wanted her to feel useful.

Shine Bright Like a Diamond

She came back into the room, and with no idea why I was looking for THAT name or how I would react, she very casually says, “Yeah.  She’s on our list.”  I jumped up, said “WHAT?  Are you SURE?!?” like 10 times.  Went to check for myself.  Texted my husband.  And placed myself at the parent check in table as soon as parents started arriving.  I was in COMPLETE shock that not only did this young lady go through recruitment, she came to MY HOUSE on Bid Day!  She is going to be my sister (God’s Blessing)!  WHAT ARE THE ODDS?  

Throw What You Know!

As afternoon rolled around and the young women got to come to the houses, I made sure I was where I would run into her parents.  When the dad came to the parents’ table to check in, before he could even introduce himself, I said “Do you know who I am?’  He looked bewildered, but my husband and kids had come to the house for the festivities, and Britt was standing right behind me.  Since my husband is pretty distinctive looking, the dad instantly recognized him and his smile was SO BIG.  He was almost as shocked to see us as we were t see him!   After the day’s festivities, meetings and information sessions, we exchanged contact info before they headed back to Colorado that night.

It came full circle!  We listened to God’s whisper, and we got the blessing of being able to be in this family’s path as they send their daughter to college far from home.  We are excited about watching her come to love OSU the way WE love OSU and watch her grow during this adventure.  I thought Britt was crazy for randomly wanting to buy this family’s dinner.  But, I get the biggest blessing of all – she is now my SISTER.  

 First. Finest. FOREVER.

<WLFEO>

and for Alpha Delta Pi

Thanks and Giving

Last week, the Dream Weavers were invited to an event celebrating the achievements of numerous blood donors associated with the Oklahoma Blood Institute.  They gave out awards for chapters, locations, drives, and individuals who went above and beyond to make OBI successful this past year in their efforts to save lives.  We were honored to be invited, and even more honored that our Finn was a special guest at the event!

The nigh started with introductions, and then a nice dinner presented by Oakwood Country Club in Enid.  After dinner was well underway, the presentations began.  When it was time for our area, Finn was introduced, and Britt and I got to take the podium and briefly tell our story of how 6 blood transfusions saved Finn's life during his 84 day NICU stay.  We are so grateful for the organization, the blood drives, the staff, and especially the donors!  One of the most special moments of the evening is when we got to meet one of the specific donors whose blood literally saved his life!  Her name was Kristi, and she sat at our table for dinner.  We really enjoyed chatting with her and getting to know her better.  Finn, who is usually very stranger averse, took right to her and charmed her!  He was a little rambunctious during dinner, but he was the hit of the party!

April 2012

August 2013

The Key Note speaker for the night was a young man named Tyler who lost a leg and had NUMEROUS injuries from a grain elevator accident in 2011.  He had 96 units of blood during his extended hospital stays and various surgeries.  He has made it his life  goal to donate back all 96 units.  IF he donated every time he was able, it would take 15 years.  he has a good start!  We were incredibly blessed by his talk, and were honored to meet him!  He is an OSU Cowboy, as well, so he is a GREAT role model for Finn!

For being a part of this incredible night, Finn received a giant gift basket!  It had a Mike Gundy signed football, a cute little outfit, a bath set, gift card for a photo session, candy, cards, and a HUGE teddy bear made out of OBI Bedlam Blood Bash t-shirts!  It is bigger than he is - and we will cherish it always!

Last week we also celebrated Britt's 49th birthday!  He has been legendary since 1964, and we love him so very very much!  We showered him with "As Seen on TV" gifts, and took him to eat at  Fuzzy's!  What a great day!

Back to school shopping is almost complete, and enrollment verifications are half done.  School starts in 2 weeks!  WHERE has the summer gone?!?