Getting Back Together

It’s halfway through November, and as I sit here listening to the 80’s Christmas Playlist on Spotify (Hall & Oats, New Kids on The Block, Air Supply, RUN DMC, etc.), memories of my first Thanksgiving dinner of the season last night with my LTC LifeGroup still fresh on my mind, I realize I have so VERY much to be thankful for, and this year is going by at WARP SPEED!  How can Jake be almost 6?  And when did Finn get to be so independent in into EVEYTHING?  My girls? Forgetaboutit!  So grown up and more beautiful every day!  WOW!  And, um, 39 days till Christmas?  WHAT????

Well, we have been a little busy at our house.  Life with 4 kids is never, EVER dull.  Like, ever.  Since October 12, we have had 1 ER visit, 5 Urgent Care visits, 4 sick (and 1 well!) visits to the pediatrician, and I have filled 9 prescriptions (not counting the daily meds Emma and I take). That's a LOT of co-pays! We're broke. And tired.  I can say I think we are on the downhill slide.  We are down to 2 still on Rx medication.  One will be done this weekend, and the other by Turkey Day.  We actually got a full nights sleep (!) last night.  Things are looking up!

Besides all that, here are some tidbits about what ELSE has kept the Six Dream Weavers hopping:

The kids’ book fair at their school as last week.  On Thursday night, they had family fun night with pizza and singing.  Each grade, plus the Rocketeers honor choir, got to perform on stage.  Here is a video of my kids and parts of their performances.  My camera ran out of memory, so the end is kind of choppy!

Britt and I chaperoned a sorority date party Friday night.  In a barn.  With a dirt floor.  And a Rubbermaid table posing as a bar.  And a DJ whose speakers blew before the party even started.  And a port-a-potty.  There was a cattle dog, horses, and a very friendly cat (yuck!) among us.  Yeah.  I’m not kidding.  Here are my tweets:

It was something I will never, ever forget.  Like, ever.  (You see what I’m doing here, Taylor Swift?) I felt so dirty when I got home…  Ahhhh, memories!

Fixed a problem with advice from this Pin on Pinterest.    Finn has become a woodchuck.  This shows how I repurposed his crib skirt that we are no longer using since we lowered the mattress:

Had a bad experience at the eye doctor.  Vented about it on Facebook.  Feel better, but still have no contacts…

Today, I attend my last Ambassador training class at OSU.  Thank goodness!  2 years in the making.  Ready for a break!

Saturday is World Prematurity Day.  Many people don’t realize the statistics of preterm birth: 15 million babies are born preterm around the world every year—that’s 1 in 10. More than 1 million babies die due to complications of preterm birth and many of those who survive face a lifetime of disability. Our family will be participating in this:

                        We invite you to join us! 

First Day of School – Richmond Style

Yesterday, my oldest babies started a new year of school in a new place.  We are now proud to be Richmond Rockets!  The Weavers were welcomed by lots of familiar faces, greeted by friends new and old, and bathed in the excitement of starting a new adventure!  Britt and I both had the opportunity to escort the 3 biggest Dream Weaver kids to school yesterday morning, and while we were a little choked up to leave them there, we both fared well in the end.  Our kiddos were all a bit nervous, but Emma and Lara are lucky enough to have each other – and to be in the same class this year for the first time.  But my brave little man had to face it all alone.  Jake was so strong!  You could see the uneasiness in his eyes, and he had the front of his T-shirt balled up in both hands, but he stood in his spot with the rest of his class and headed from the cafeteria to his first day of Kindergarten like a champ!  The older kids were held in the gym down the hall before class, and we had dropped the girls off first.  I think Jake was surprised to find out he would have to part from his sisters so soon.  After several hugs, the obligatory pictures, and reassurance form his new teacher, Britt and I courageously left the cafeteria, and left our baby boy to fend in the big world of Kindergarten (secretly rejoicing in the fact that his two big sisters were protecting him from a far!)

Emma - 5th Grade - Age 10 - 2012

Lara - 5th Grade - Age 10 - 2012

Jake - Kindergarten - Age 5 - 2012

Our traditional First Day of School pose

                                             

We are excited for what this year brings!  The girls are together in the classroom for the first time since pre-school.  I have known their teacher since I was a little girl, and I feel so blessed that she gets to pour into their lives just like she did mine years ago as a counselor at Falls Creek!  And Jake’s teacher is a perfect fit for him.  I hope she enjoys his antics as much as we do!  

Lara and Emma in the gym before class

Mommy and Jake in the cafeteria before class

Daddy with Jake up on stage before leaving

The other new big change for the kids this year is riding the school bus!  Their first attempt at that went fairly well yesterday afternoon.  The girls helped Jake get where he needed to be, and they all made it home safely.  Jake told me his favorite part of the day was riding the bus and was looking forward to doing it again today!

And while the big kids are at school, our Little Dream Weaver is spending his days with Nana the Wonder Sitter!  I know she is enjoying being down to one Dream Weaver during the day.  He is still fighting through the antibiotics for his ear infection, so he has a lot of adjusting to do!  He loved waving good bye to us all yesterday as we left for school!

And in other news, we are 46 days from the Stillwater march for Babies, and we are at 68% of our team fundraising goal!  Please check out Finn's Fans and help up help tiny babies everywhere!