They One Where They Were Admitted

February 21-23, 2020

Friday didn't go exactly as we had originally planned, and on Thursday the exact layout of the day changed a dozen times, but it turned out to be the BEST day!  Earlier in the semester, both girls had registered for Admitted Student Days at Oklahoma State.  Lara had canceled because she was traveling with he wrestling team to district contests, and Emma was about to cancel on Thursday because her basketball team had made it to regionals.  I think I called and/or emailed Admissions 5-6 times asking to change or update or cancel parts or all of each girls registration.  In the end, we did have to cancel one appointment Emma had made after she decided to skip out on basketball to come to the college day.  And Lara ended up not traveling for wrestling so that meat I got to spend ALL DAY with them!

We learned so much, saw so much, had a fun lunch at Fuzzy's, toured the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority house, and got a lot of swag along the way.  Here are some pictures of our adventures:

We always enjoy having Emma at the house, but I think Finn enjoys it most of all.  Here is a picture of him telling the girls good night on Thursday night.

Saturday, everyone recovered from Friday.  There was some homework, some naps, a little bit Netflix, and all the other usual activities.  Lara had a baseball game to work, and Finn had an early morning basketball game.  Lara, Emma, and Jake came to Finn's game together - that's so weird.  But so fun!  Lara had to leave at halftime, but we were all there to cheer Finn on for a while! 

Sunday morning we got up early and went to 8:30 services at Life.Church.  Everyone had something going on later in the day, so we went early to make sure we didn't miss it.  Lara was supposed to go to a baseball game with Erika, but they ended up not going.  Emma went on a lunch date with a friend.  Then the rest of the afternoon and evening was pretty relaxed.  TV, phones, and family time.  Emma stayed Sunday night, too!  She was with u for 4 nights - that hasn't happened in a LONG time!

Here's to another week of the 2020 Project!  I can't believe we are so close to being dome with this!  LOTS of things to pack into the next 12 weeks...

The One with All The Sports

September 22 - 25, 2017
Friday Night means FOOTBALL in the Fall, and this weekend was no different.  The only thing different was a trip down the road to Deer Creek instead of playing in our beloved Pioneer Stadium  The kids like to call it "going hunting" Since the Deer Creek "mascot" is the Antlers.  It was a GORGEOUS night for some football.  Perfect temperature, no wind, beautiful Oklahoma sunset!  And, even after some pretty bad and overly home-cooked officiating, we left 4-0!  Way to go, Pioneers!  Lara and her student trainer crew worked tirelessly - even when the players, cheerleaders, and band were celebrating the win.  They were already cleaning, loading, and making sure everything was ready to head back to Stillwater!  The buses finally rolled in to the high school a few minutes past midnight.

Saturday morning, Lara and her hard working friends were back at the high school by 8:00am to clean and get ready for the week!  No rest for the weary!

We didn't see Emma this weekend, so it's all about Lara this time...

Saturday, she went with us to Edmond to watch Little Brother (who is still measuring everyday to see if he is taller than her - he's not) squeak out a win from a terribly obnoxious team.  And again - terrible officiating.  They even switched out the refs at half time!  Lunch at PDQ, then to Nana and Grandpa's new house in Perkins to watch OSU football.  MORE bad officiating, and a LOSS, and that put a cap on our Saturday.

Sunday morning was spent doing chores and laundry until it was time for Jake to go to baseball practice.  While he was in Coyle for that, Lara and I went BACK to Nana and Grandpa's new house in Perkins to spend a few minutes with my Aunt Brona as she was shuttling her grand kids from Kansas to Oklahoma to see their dad.  After that practice and visit, we all went to church,  After church - a fun sports baseball party for Jake's friend.  Lara and I had fun wrangling Finn and his little buddies, and we played a long game of catch.  We watched the bigger boys play flag football, wiffle ball, and dodge ball - as well as eat more snacks that I ever thought possible!  In the middle of the party, Lara was called for a babysitting gig.  Cha-ching! What a crazy evening.

So after a late-ish night on Sunday, it was a good thing there was no school on Monday!  Teacher professional day.  Lara stayed home with her dad and brothers and enjoyed a nice day off.  Laying on the couch, watching, Netflix - and being lucky enough that since Deer Creek JV forfeited the JV game (the JV crew is now 5-0!), there was no football practice!  Easy day!

Back to the grind - and it is HOMECOMING week!  Good Times!

March Madness

Ah, March!  In like a lion, out like a lamb.  Right?  Well, not in Oklahoma!  Our weird weather has been even weirder over the last few weeks!  And illness is EVERYWHERE!  The flu (A and B), a crazy stomach bug, and intolerable allergies have plagued my little neck of the woods, and I am SO OVER IT!  But, there is good news to be shared!

I don’t know if you can tell by the picture, but that’s my Rustic Cuff, on my phone, at MY DESK in MY NEW OFFICE!  Ok, cubicle.  OK, not even a cubicle.  Just a desk – out in the open, facing windows that look out to nothing so they keep the mini-blinds shut.  But!  I AM EMPLOYED!  Back on the beautiful campus of Oklahoma State University, and back in the BEST Student Union in the nation – where LIFE happens!  Could not be happier.  Working in the Registrar’s office, where my main responsibilities will be with the planning and execution of Commencement Exercises (Spring Graduation is in NINE weeks; no pressure!), as well as tuition and residency appeals.  God is GOOD!

Since my last BLOG POST in January, I was also blessed with a little part time marketing gig that helped bridge the gap.  I was doing some design and digital media work for a local real estate agent and her team.  That was so fun, too!  Just a few hours a week, but let me flex my creative muscles, earn a little grocery money, and get out of the house for a few hours a day.  Thankful for dear friends who led me to that opportunity after my vulnerable post at the end of January.  Also since that time, I went through an intense interview process for another position which I was ultimately not awarded, but definitely learned a lot and knew more what I wanted out of a job.  All this to say, I have had a lot of positive over the last 6 weeks.  And I am so grateful and thankful.  But, we still need Britt to find his place in the world of the employed!!!!!

I’ll be honest again, we have had some dark moments over the past few months.  We’ve both been depressed.  Our relationship has had some pretty tough moments – even some in front of our kids that we can never take back.  But through it all, we have been held HIGH by our Lord and Savior!  There is still a purpose in this process; still things to fall in place.  Your prayers have been heard.  Some have been answered.

Can I ask again?  We covet those prayers!  We looked back over our records and since August, Britt has applied for 150 jobs.  That’s a lot.  One Hundred and Fifty.  Applications.  A dozen or so interviews; none of them panned out.  It hurts.  It’s hard.  HARD.  And some days the will to apply and the motivation to keep going are so far down deep, that finding them is the most difficult part of the day.  (Especially when I have had such (relative) good luck.  That’s tough on the old ego…) So, again, we ask for your prayerful petitions to help my husband, the father of my 4 children, to find meaningful employment to provide for this family.

I’d be more than happy to tell you about his background and qualifications.  About his education, skills, and experiences.  He’s so smart.  (He’s Jake’s Dad  – Jake didn’t get it from me!) He is loyal, trustworthy, honest, and hard working.  If you are anyone you know can lead us to a job opening that would fit for him, please let us know!

We’re on the downhill slide for this school year.  9 more weeks.  Then we have 2 sophomores, a 5^th grader, and a Kindergartner.  How can that possibly be?  But summer is expensive with kids at home.  It is truly our goal to have full time employment for him BEFORE the kids get out of school.  Will you help us reach our goal?

Year in Review: 2015 Six Dream Weavers

Merry Christmas and Happy New year from our home to yours!  2015 found the Weavers with seasons of growth and challenge, as well as adventure and celebration!  We watched tweens become teenagers, a little boy become at tween, and a toddler turn into a little boy.  We moved, found new passions, and bought a new (to us) car.  There is never a dull moment with a house as full as ours, and we wouldn’t have it any other way!  We look forward to wrapping up these last few days of 2015 as a family, and diving into new escapades in 2016.  

THE GIRLS

Emma and Lara turned 13 and started the 8^th grade in 2015.  They also saw their biological dad remarry (again) and move closer to them that he has been in the last 12 years since our divorce.  All of that brought many changes, adjustments, and fine tuning along the way!   Through all of this, Emma has emerged with a new found love: horses!  She has always been my animal girl – especially puppies and dogs – but her step-mom is a horse girl and introduced Emma to their care and nurture, and also to rodeo.  Emma participated in several JRRA (Junior ranch Rodeo Association) rodeos throughout the year and finished her first season last month at the Finals in Pawhuska.  Along with her regular classes, an advanced Algebra class and an advanced history class, she is also in her first year of Agricultural Education classes and FFA membership at school, and all of this experience and knowledge is helping her learn more about her hoped career path of becoming a veterinarian.  Lara, on the other hand, is our “inside” girl!  She is still dancing every chance she gets.  5 hours of classes on 2 nights each week at Encore! keeps her busy!  She is taking a pointe class, as well as classical ballet, lyrical ballet, and a jazz class.  To accompany her regular class load and her advanced English class, she went out on a limb and tried new things this semester to be more involved at her school.  She tried out for winter guard (competition color guard) in November and was thrilled to be chosen to join the Cadet team!  She is very excited about this new adventure and all the new things she is going to learn about spinning and competition teams.  

THE BOYS

Jake turned 8 at the first of the year, and is currently 5’1” and weighs about 112 pounds.  He is a giant among his peers, but he is our sweet, kind hearted little boy.  He is a sports and video game fanatic!  He played on a competitive baseball team in the spring and summer (Stampede:  first base, third base, pitcher), his first tackle football team this fall (Cowboys: D-line, O-line, Dedicated deep snapper), and is currently honing his basketball skills with his teammates (Haymakers: big guy inside).  If he’s not playing, practicing, or conditioning, he’s watching sports on TV or playing video versions on his game system.  He spouts off stats like they are spelling words and has big dreams.  He is in the 3^rd grade and is an excellent reader, a spelling champ, and a math wiz.  He loves lunch, recess, and science (in that order).  His teachers rely on him to be their helper, and we couldn’t be more proud of the friend he is to others.  And then there is our Finicky, Feisty, Fighter boy, Finn!  He too has had quite the year!  Still attending pre-school at the Methodist church and giving everyone a run for their money.  As usual, he has spent a lot of time in doctors’ offices this year.  We have graduated from Hearts for Hearing (he finally passed all his hearing screenings!), and only have to see his pulmonologist as needed instead of routinely.  Plus, his pediatric ophthalmologist doesn’t want to see him till he’s 6!  The ENT has cleared him as well unless he has issues.  But with the highs come some challenges as well.  Early in the year, we were diagnosed by his endocrinologist with Idiopathic (no specific cause) Short Stature (ISS).  He was born with the diagnosis of “Small for Gestational Age” (SGA), then coupling that with the ISS, we were tested for deficiencies and then started Growth Hormone Therapy.  He has been on nightly injections for about 6 months now and we are happy to report approximately 5 inches in growth!  So ecstatic for him!  Not only has he grown taller, but his overall health is better, he is hitting more milestones on time, and his overall outlook and demeanor are better.  His HAIR grew back in from all the bald spots from his twirling habit, and he needs new (bigger ) clothes.  We are still battling eating and weight gain issues, but go back in February to work on those some more with his gastroenterologist.  Apart from his medical things, Finn spent the summer taking private swimming lessons to get over his fear of water.  We came a long way!  We hope it lasts till next summer.  He was also honored to be chosen as a featured preemie on the Mercy NICU wall of Hope and enjoyed being in the spotlight a little it for that fun unveiling event.  We love that his face and story can bring hope and a light to others traveling through their NICU journey.

THE PARENTS

Britt and I are both still working at Oklahoma State University.   He celebrated his 10^th year with University Health Services this past fall, and I just marked my 2 year anniversary with University Dining Services.  Being on a thriving and diverse college campus keeps us young and in the know, and we really like it.  We are also enjoying watching our ******** business grow!  He has lost 95 pounds, I have lost 45, and we have grown a thriving business along the way.  It is truly a blessing to help others be healthier, as well as show them how to have freedom from financial debt and time burdens.  We have great visions for 2016 and what it can do for those around us!  We want everyone to have the health and freedoms we are enjoying!  We are loving raising our family, keeping busy, and growing and changing every day.  Our latest BIG change is the used car we recently purchased.  Shortly after we got married (9 years and 11 months ago), we bought our minivan.  It was a year old at the time, a 2005 white Chevrolet Uplander that we affectionately named “Derek” – as in Derek Zoolander (after the Ben Stiller movie of the same name).  At some point in our young marriage, we bought a blue 1996 VW Cabrio from my brother, and named it “Otto” – a nice German name for a nice German Auto (don’tcha think?).  When Finn came along, Otto was sold and we bought a much BIGGER vehicle.  A blue 1997 Ford Expedition that our then 5 year old aptly named “Rip” due to a small tear in the headliner that he noticed as we drive it home.  We just recently traded the van for a timberline green 2009 Nissan Armada.  Naming this behemoth (seating for 8!) has been a challenge, and his name has changed a few times these past weeks.  We have officially branded it “Hiro.”  As in Hiro Armada.  After our favorite animated character from 2015 Hiro Hamada (and Baymax) from the blockbuster movie Big Hero 6!  Fitting, I would say!

Hiro Armada

So, here comes 2016!  We hope to start it with a BANG and never look back.  We have big hopes and even bigger dreams for the coming year.  It is a good time to be one of the Six Dream Weavers, and we can’t wait to see what God has in store for us!

It’s ******** Saturday!

Labor Day Weekend 2014. Here we are! Season opener for my OSU Cowboys. On a neutral field in Texas, against last year’s National Champion, but still. COLLEGE FOOTBALL! And Go Pokes! We want to see LOTS of Pistols Firing today.

But another fun part of that for me, the game is sponsored by ******** MY company! A company and products that have literally changed my life. For good.

So, what else makes it “******** Saturday” you ask? Well, not only are they the title sponsor of a game I am very interested in, they are also title sponsor of another college football game, AND Trevor Bayne will be driving the Number 6 ******** car in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in Atlanta! Here’s what the looks like on TV (all times CT):

• 7:00 pm ABC ******** Cowboys Classic: Oklahoma State vs Florida State from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX
• 8:00 pm ESPN ******** Texas Kickoff: Louisiana State vs Wisconsin from NRG Stadium in Houston, TX
• 7:30 pm ESPN2 NASCAR Nationwide Series with Trevor Bayne in the No. 6 ******** Ford Mustang from Atlanta Motor Speedway in Atlanta, GA
• 7:30 pm TWC Sports FC Dallas at Chicago

On a related note, I broke through another weight loss barrier this weekend! I have left another “tens” number in the dust – for good. Never going back. I might also have gotten back to weighing less than my husband... I had a slight panic attack last weekend when we weighed in and he was about a pound under me on the scale. Men lose it so much easier! Just not fair! But, I refocused, set a “mini” goal (have a big one coming up on my birthday in a few weeks!), and pressed on. Even with the shoulder injury and yucky steroids in my system for that, I had a good week on the scale. MOMENTUM!

All this to say you are going to see the ******** “A” a lot this weekend. Not just from me. If you watch sports on TV, you will see it! And it might make you curious… What is ********? Why are the Weavers so passionate about it? What does it mean for me? I want to answer ALL of those questions for you! but the best way to get involved is to chat with us. Let us tell you the “why!” Let us share our passion with you. Let us change your life!

Finn's Fans 2014 Team Shirt Information

Hello Finn's Fans!  

It is THAT TIME of year again!  Time to get geared up for the March of Dimes Stillwater March for Babies, and get our team outfitted in the cutest Team Finn's Fan shirts!  Put it on your calendar - September 20th at Theta Pond on the BEAUTIFUL Oklahoma State University campus!  We're a little further along in the process this year than we have been in the past...  2 year ago, we needed help getting a team name, and last year we had you all vote on the color combos.  This year?  Well, time is of the essence!  So, colors have been picked.  Design has been finalized.  All that's left is for you to get on board and order your shirts!

About our T-shirt:

We went with a blue and orange theme this year.  And threw in a bit of our beloved Oklahoma! Blue for the blue Oklahoma skies, and baby boys.  And orange of course for everything happy, joyful, and COWBOY true!

Finn's Fans March for Babies 2014

BUT!  We can't take ALL the fun out of it for our AMAZING Finn's Fans!  Before I get to all the nitty gritty t-shirt details, I want to announce a CONTEST! There's always room for a little fun when Finn's involved! If you'll notice, we used lots of  "F-words" to describe Finn over the last (almost) 3 years on this shirt.  Come up with your BEST F-word (KEEP IT CLEAN!) to describe out little miracle man, share it here (or email, text, Facebook, etc), and one winner will be chosen for a FREE Finn's Fans 2014 t-shirt!  WOOT!

Here are ALL the details you need to know--

Shirts are $15 each or 2 for $25 (all proceeds go to Team Finn's Fans)

*add $2 for plus sizes (2x or larger)

Shirts come in Adult (unisex), Women's Cut and Youth sizes (size chart below)

How do I pay for my shirt? 

*You can Pay by cash/check in person to Britt or Betsey before 9/6/13
*You can pay by paypal to betsey.weaver@gmail.com before 9/6/13
*You can call Betsey with a credit card payment
     YOUR SHIRT WILL NOT BE ORDERED IF IT IS NOT PRE-PAID!

How Will I get my shirt?

*If you need shipping, please add $6.00 to your payment and provide me with shipping address information
*Local (Stillwater, OK) shirts will be distributed the week before the March
*If we don’t get it to you before the March, you can pick it up there – September 20, 9:00am, on the Oklahoma State University campus at Theta Pond!

I want to be involved! How do I join your team? 

*EXCELLENT question!  You can go to our Team Website at March of Dimes and sign up to be a Finn Fan!
*All the tools you need to get started are right there on the website
*Join us in our goal to raise $1,084.00 for the of March of Dimes - honoring Finn's 84 day NICU stay.

Can I donate to your efforts without buying a shirt?

Of course!  You can go directly to the Weaver's March for Babies Fundraising page and donate any amount directly to the team!  

This is a lot of great information, but I still have questions! Now What? 

*Feel free to comment here on the blog
*Email us at sixdreamweavers@gmail.com
*Call, text, Facebook, Tweet, Pin, Instagram or whatever! We will answer you! 



SIZE INFO - click for larger



Don't forget to add your "F Word!"

Special thanks to Fantoga for finalizing the design and being our printer!

If you read this far, you get to know about the BONUS CONTEST! Anyone who can correctly identify the significance of the orange cross AND the orange heart will win a March of Dimes Prize Pack!  (*Family not eligible for this one!)  Again, comment here or get your ideas to me anyway you choose!

DATE NIGHT

This print available at Dream Weaver Prints!

Summer.  Summed up in one word: FULL.  As in: FULL of activities, FULL of family, FULL of fun.  A full car, a full calendar, a full onslaught of laundry.  Full bellies, full minds, full hearts.  For us, summer seems to get more hectic every year.  Make sense – kids get older, have more things going on, more independence for the older ones.  So, the management of this is really an ongoing, dynamic process.  Once again, I have to say how very thankful I am that I found Cozi a few years back (after making my own color coded Excel Spreadsheet calendar for YEARS!) to help keep me organized!  And without Nana the Wonder Sitter, well, all would be a huge mess.

The last couple of weeks were full of baseball, nature camp, baseball, friends over for dinner, baseball tournament, Father’s Day, Britt dressed as a Kangaroo, volleyball camp, sleepover wilderness camp, Kayleigh here from Texas, and looking forward to more baseball and another baseball tournament.  All of this can best be summarized in a few sunny and funny 

pictures and a short video:

Pirates end of Season Party

Last Pirates Game

Lara, Jake and Emma at Nature Camp

Lara's presentation at Nature Camp

Jake - warming up for Stampede Baseball

Me and "Kanga" Britt - March of Dimes Kangaroo-a-thon

Stillwater Stampede - 3rd place Eskimo Joe's Tri-State Shootout Tourney

Emma - Pioneer volleyball camp

Jake - Camp McFadden

Finn's Flags

Emma and Kayleigh with the Krazy Loom

(LOTS OF DREAM WEAVER PRINTS PRODUCTIONS IN THOSE PHOTOS AND VIDEOS!)

But the definite highlight of my summer so far?  DATE NIGHT WITH MY HUSBAND!  It’s been MONTHS.  And months and months. Since we have had the opportunity to be kid free and do something just for us.  Back on Valentine’s day, I was given this:

Last weekend, it finally was time.  We spent hours getting everything arranged for the kids.  The older 2 were with their Other Dad, but needed to come home and be cared for before we would get home.  The younger two would need care as well, so I hired a sitter to come hang out with them.  Nana the Wonder Sitter and Grandpa were road tripping south to pick up my niece Kayleigh from her mom.  I needed all 7 of those people to end up at one place at the same time while we were in Tulsa.  I made a spreadsheet.  It helps, I swear!  It was color coded, and had every phone number anyone on this carousel would need.  Quasi adults and adults each got a copy.  Digitally and in print.  There was NO WAY this was getting messed up!  I felt I had it all covered.  AND IT WORKED!  By late evening, all 4 of my kids and my niece were at Nana and Grandpa’s for the overnight.  #MommySuccess

So, what were WE doing is the big question, right?  Well, we left Stillwater mid-afternoon for a blissful, kid-free time in T-town.  That’s right, Tulsa was on the horizon and we wouldn’t look back.  For a few hours, at least…  First stop? GAS!  It’s so much cheaper in Tulsa (Sand Springs) than Stillwater.  This tank should last us a couple of days, right?  Then, the MALL!  We’re flatlanders in a flyover state.  The mall is a big deal.  Again, haven’t been inside one in YEARS!  And this one?  WELCOMED us!  Seriously – it’s like they knew we were coming:

Woodland Hills Mall

Wicked and OSU adorned the courtyard in the middle of the shops.  Yup.  All for us.  Even though we had agreed upon a STRICT “no shopping” policy, I somehow ended up with the CUTEST shark pajamas for Finn (dang you, Gymboree) and a fun baseball T (in Stampede colors) for by baseball lovin’ Jake (And dang you, too, Children’s Place)!  Time to get the heck out of there!  NO MORE SPENDING!  (I promised Britty I would sell extra stuff on the Etsy shop to make up for it, so go check it out!  I do custom graphics for just about anything!  What can I do for you?)

On to dinner.  Now, you know, we are on an ******** journey and we’re both droppin’ libbies right and left.  So, what’s a couple to do?  Why, go to CHEEESECAKE FACTORY of course!  All kidding aside, we had acquired a gift certificate to that restaurant last winter, and since cheesecake is may FAVORITE (all time, ever!) desert, I wanted to go there!  This was our first “cheat meal” (I hate that term) in FOUR MONTHS.  We knew we wanted to make good, sensible choices, especially since we KNEW there was cheesecake for desert.  CF made is easy for us!  They have an extensive (and delicious) “Skinny” menu.  (Again, small town dwellers that don’t get out much – we don’t know about these things!)  We chose from those items, and Oh. Em. GEE!  Love.  We ate it all (not really, I can’t eat like I used to).  Loved it all. AND had cheesecake for desert.  It was a truly wonderful experience.  And, YUM!

Next stop: Tulsa Performing Arts Center to see WICKED!!!!!  Back where it all started!  The first time we saw Wicked, I surprised Britt with a trip to Tulsa and tickets for his birthday in August of 2009.  We saw it once, and were hooked.  This past weekend marks the 5^th time we’ve seen it!  We’ve been changed for good and can’t help but to keep dancing through life as we defy gravity and spend one short day reveling in all things popular.

This performance.  Whoa.  Hands down, the best we’ve been too.  Tulsa, Wichita, OKC, Dallas, and back to Tulsa.  It was WONDERFUL.  Through and through.  The last time we say it was in Dallas for the girl’s 8^th birthday; that was 4 years ago.  (We’ve had a hectic few years…)  A lot of the costuming has changed (The flying monkeys got scarier!), and so has almost ALL of the choreography!  While we both have favorite scenes we were looking forward to that were completely different this time around, the show was fabulous.  This Elphaba (played by Emma Hunton) was by far the best I’ve seen.  And her chemistry with Fiyero (played by Nick Adams) was unmatched in anything I’ve seen – it made the show that much better.  Glinda (Gina Beck) had the best ad-libs and was very convincing.  The entire cast was stellar.  The dancers and ensemble were just incredible.  I was bawling at the end of Act 1 (typical) and still crying at the curtain of Act 2.  I can’t explain it, but this Musical has my heart.  I can’t wait to go again!  Where to this time, My Love?

We got back to our home in Stillwater in the wee hours of the night.  During intermission and after the show I had read texts from Nana describing the musical beds situation going on at her house, but I think they all finally got a few winks before Sunday morning rolled around.  We spent a leisurely summer day – resting, playing in the yard, doing chores – before wrapping the night up at church.  The twins are old enough to serve in the little kid rooms during the service.  How is that even POSSIBLE?  Sunday was their first time.  They did GREAT, and they loved doing it!  So proud of them as they start this new chapter of life.  This is a summer they will never forget as they step into the role as servants for our Lord with the Church in our local church.  They are the hands and feet of Jesus for these small fries in the yellow hallway on Sunday nights at LifeChurch Stillwater.  To sum it up: they are changing lives.  And because they are committed to serving, Britt and I added more to our serving plates as well.  That’s what leaders do, right?  Lead by example.  Love.  Serve.  Summer. Full of awe.

Lara and Emma - Swerving for the 1st time!

December to Remember

My poor ole blog has been feeling a ton of neglect!  I have not had a spare moment since the middle of November to document the events and thoughts that the Dream Weavers have encountered!  This will definitely be a season we will remember.  I honestly think we are in a point in our lives where we are the busiest we can possibly be.  This has caused stress, illness, frustrations, and so much immeasurable JOY!  We will never have this season again.  The kids will all continue to get older and more self-sufficient.  Times like this are fleeting.  And we know it.  But while we are in the trenches, it is EXHAUSTING!

So, since the last post, we have had QUITE a few event, changes, and exciting things going on.  For Thanksgiving, we had the usual!  Family and friends gather at a local restaurant with a HUGE pot luck meal, and then a fun game of Dirty Santa for those who want to participate.  My husband pointed out this year that the thing he misses the most about this tradition is that there are no left overs!  I hadn't thought about that.  I guess next year we should cook a small turkey for ourselves as well! It's always a good time, and I am glad we have that fun tradition.

Thanksgiving 2013

Emma is between Volleyball seasons, so she is honing her babysitting skills by practicing on her brother for short periods of time.  We are so thankful for her sweet spirit with her brother.  But, she lacks longevity.  He bores her pretty quickly.  LOL  Lara is on cloud nine as she has just found out that one of her dance numbers for the Spring recital is a Lady Gaga song.  She is also a wonderful babysitter for Finn!  She lasts a little longer, and has a great way of engaging him and keeping him busy.  Maybe soon they can start their own babysitting business!

Lara, Emma and boys from our neighborhood in the Cleon Snow!

Jake has just started basketball practice for his season.  This boy LOVES basketball!  He got his uniform at the second practice, and insisted on wearing it to bed...

Jake loves basketball

And then there is Finn.  This boy literally keep us hopping.  He is at the adorable (-ly frustrating) stage where his personality really starts to shine, and his fuse is very short.  I know he gets frustrated because we can't understand him and he has SO MUCH to say!  But, he is just so cute, and fun.  He absolutely LOVES to sing.  And he is an independent player, so it's fun to just observe him from across the room - playing alone and singing.  He loves book, building things with Legos, music, and his Little People.  But, he still suffers with those pesky preemie lungs.  He got RSV.  AGAIN!  UGH!  But, we are so lucky that we caught it early and avoided hospitalization.  He was cleared to go back to school after missing a week today!  I hope seeing his friends and teachers will snap the boredom streak he has been in.  Between him being sick, and the snow storm we had last week, there was a solid 4 days that he didn't leave the house.  He was BORED!  I am happy to say that being in the house all those days really built his vocabulary!  He has gained about 50 more words in the past week.  He lost 2 pounds of weight, though.  Always a give and take with this kid!

Finn with RSV

And during ALL the hustle and bustle, this Momma took a new job.  I know, RIGHT?!?!  And it was totally unexpected.  A friend read the job description, emailed it to me, and encouraged me to apply.  So, on somewhat of a whim, I did.  And I got called for the interview. And then I got offered the job!  WOW!  Not what I thought I would be doing this last 4 weeks!  I had to quit a job I love, work the last 2 weeks there, start a new job that is WAY outside my usual work zone, and juggle all the changes this caused at home as well.  My new position is a 30 hour a week job, and I go in at 7:30 am and get off at 2:00pm.  This changes some of the roles and responsibilities at home.  But it is SO SO SO worth it!  More time with my kids, a challenging job, and a change for the better.  I started last week as the Media Marketing Specialist for University Dining Services at Oklahoma State University.   I am in charge of the website, the social media platforms, the digital menu screens located around the dining facilities, and other special projects.  It is a brand new position, so we are all learning as we go.  I got exactly one day of training last week before the snow storm named Cleon made a mess things.  So, while it has not been a smooth transition, I know I will love this job once I get a little more comfortable with it!

SANTA 2013  Emma, Finn, Jake and Lara

And Christmas is staring us in the face!  We have exactly ONE gift purchased.  It has been a little busy around here.  But, we still have time.  And Santa Britt has a list, and a trip planned.  We WILL have Christmas!  The kids are excited about the season, and we are enjoying the festivities at their schools.  What a magical time of the year.  And this year, I know we will remember this December for a long time to come!  SO many changes - for the better!  Merry Christmas from our family, to yours!

Merry Christmas from the Weaver's 2013