Cookies and Books

Only two days till Walk day! : ) How exciting!

Today I drove all around delivering shirts-I love to get to see my friends!  I made three new bows for a friends, and found a birthday present for Clay's friend for a party this weekend (he just adores this sweet friend!), and I got some games for our Bunko's contribution to the Silent Auction/International Dinner on Saturday night-I never just have one thing going on!

Clay had a great day too-he got to eat lunch with Gigi and Papa, and he got to sell tickets to all the grandparents!  His teacher asked who should sell tickets-and one of his friends suggested him and said he was good with math and money (!).  Awww, so sweet!  (After his math last year, I was surprised!)  He did fine, and sold for the other grades too.  He was so proud of himself.  He needed a self-esteem boost. : )

Ches took the kids swimming this afternoon while I worked on bows.  He's good to take over when I need it sometimes. : )  He'd been home all day mowing and riding and sleeping-and I needed some quiet.  It was perfect, and I'm thankful!

Ches was gone again tonight for a training, and we took it easy.  (I'm so tired!)  We had a smorgasbord for dinner (chicken nuggets, salad, fruit, leftover lasagna, sugar snap peas, etc.), then we read aloud for over an hour.  I made some oatmeal raisin cookies, and they got jammied and brushed their teeth.  It was good, except Ethan kept bouncing out of bed, and sneaking into my room. I finally let him get on the bed, and he just talked non-stop.  He's a sweetie.  Ches got home a little after ten, and took him to bed.  He's finally asleep!

I just remembered that I forgot (does that sound funny?) to give the kids baths and wash their hair!  In the summer when we swim every day, I skip days, and don't worry about stinky stiff pool hair-but NOT for school!  I'll have to wake them up early tomorrow.  I just can't do it all-I sure try though.  Some things give me guilt, but not all of them.  I did read lots and lots of books.  Doesn't that make up for it!? :)

ps-and can I say I'm SO excited that we are still having people register for the JDRF Walk to Cure this Saturday?  Yay!  Come on out to Mary Claire's Party!  (and wear turquoise or zebra stripes-we are out of shirts!)  I pledge to buy extras to sell or use last-minute next year-I'm still getting requests, and I hate not having more!

Dip us in turqoise, and paint us zebra!

What a day!  I finished 18 bows today! : )  Yay!

Ok, briefly-yesterday we were supposed to have the kids' teeth cleaned at the dentist, but we went to the Rogers office (they have two), and the doors were locked.  I called, and our appointment was at the Springdale office.  Bummer.  I didn't want to reschedule yesterday since I had so much to do, so we rescheduled for today.  I checked the kids out of school and took them in today.  Get this.  We got there, and there was a UPS note on the door.  I was having serious déjà vu!  Clay checked the door, and LOCKED!  I got out my phone, the kids got back in the car, and lo and behold-Marilyn opened the door!  I just yelled!  "Oh my gosh-I SO thought we'd messed up again!  So you're open?  We're in the right place??"  She was just laughing at me!  Apparently we were *shock*....early.  They take lunch late, so they were just returning.  It was crazy.  At least we were in the right place at the right time. : )

Then we ran by Krispy Kreme to see if they were hot.  No..but they still have yummy stuff!  We picked out an assortment, and sat to eat.  Clay asked if he could borrow money, pay me back, and get another one.  I said he could, and the guy gave him a free one!  Then Ethan wanted a strawberry milk, then we went back for a water (didn't like the pink milk), then we were finally done.  He grabbed a hat off the table-it's absolutely his favorite thing!

T

 (Yes, we were the only ones in there at 2:50pm!)

Then, we headed back toward home-our tshirt order was ready!  We ran by there, and picked up our 75 shirts.  Every year, we grow just a little bit-so exciting!  Just looking at the shirts all over the hearth room filled my heart-all those little shirts represent people who really care about our family.  I know you have to get up early, I know you have other things to do on a Saturday, I know.  I do too!  We have two baseball games, our church's huge International Dinner and Silent Auction, Mary Claire is missing a cheer clinic that she really wanted to go to, and I still have all kinds of emotions.  I am busy living for the sweet kids I have, so no need to slow down now.

Just know that all those shirts represent sweet souls caring about ours, and we are so thankful.  Full of thanks.  We can't tell you how much it means for you to spend a couple hours with us both in search of a cure, and bearing our burdens with us.  Diabetes sucks, but this is the one time a year (the one day) when Mary Claire is excited it's her-she still thinks it's a party for her.  May God bless your families for caring, and keep praying-we can only get closer to a CURE!

Tomorrow: t-shirt delivery!  If you got an email or FB message, the T-Shirt Fairy will be coming to a house near you..!  And some of you with little girls are getting BoWs!  Yay!  I won't be all third grade and coordinate our pants and hairstyle-but don't think it doesn't occur to me! (ps-MC is wearing white cut-off shorts from Justice, and I got new tennis shoes with turquoise!)  I *heart* coordinating!

Negative Balance

A teensy update.

Biggest (Recent) Trauma Drama
On Tuesday, I went by the girl scout office/gift shop to purchase Mary Claire's new uniform (since she's a brownie now). The total for the vest, patches, etc. was $40.25. Well, by some odd mistake, the lady charged me $4025. I didn't really freak out (really). They worked on it for a while, and eventually told me they voided it. I left with some copies and signed things, and didn't really think about it again. Until yesterday.

I called to check my balance, and it was $17. I can only say that I don't think I've had that balance since I was in college. Or before. Of course, I freaked out, and immediately transferred $3000 in case anything else was to come through. Well. That was just the beginning of my exasperation. What ensued was lots of yelling and transferred phone calls to the Little Rock GS office. Longer story short, they did it AGAIN. So. Then since my savings is my overdraft protection for my checking account, all my savings transferred automatically. So, then I had $0. I really lost it then, and did lots more screaming. I was actually at a girl scout meeting with Mary Claire (and Clay was reading quietly) when I found out about the second time. I had to get the kids and leave. I thought I was going to explode.

When I got home, Ches took the kids out to swim (thank the good Lord in Heaven for the pool heater) since I had another good hour or two on the phone. Good bye, dinner and family time. They assured me that I'd receive $8050 worth of credit by morning. (trying to shorten the story..) I didn't. *Insert more anger, but I'm drained, and don't have lots more yelling in me, so just some crying* I was supposed to meet Susan at 9 this morning, so I tried to get ready (even though Ethan really wanted to play outside!). Life seems to go on even in the midst of chaos.

I had my hair appointment today. Yes, some sanity and tiny time for me. Ahh...a commercial break in the drama. Then, back to chaos. David, the finance man for GS, called *during* my appointment to check in and find out my balance. I called the bank, checked the balance, and called him back. It was up to $2900, so one of the $4025's had made it in. He told me to check in tomorrow (Friday) to let him know how it was going. I'm sure Taylor was relieved to know he'd get paid!! heehee : )

Just another crazy day in my life. Susan brought dinner to ease my crazy life-so sweet. The kids gobbled it up (including homemade chocolate chip cookies!) which I probably haven't made since Mary Claire was diagnosed! I have certainly slowed down in the bake shoppe department. Those cookies are definitely calling my name. . .

Tomorrow is my big 36th birthday. I guess I still look forward to an anniversary of the day I was born. Every year my world changes so much. I wonder where I'll be in a year. I'm just in the passenger seat, and I'm sure I'll find out soon enough.

The kids shopped and got gifts, and we ate cupcakes tonight with dinosaur rings (kinda girly, kinda boyish, the kids thought). They were wonderful, and my kids were so sweet and excited for me! Clay got me a card and recorded a little message. Mary Claire had made a card at school-you know, those are just the best, full of love! : )

Tomorrow I'm headed to Branson to shop (and maybe some relaxing?) with Angie for the weekend. It's an (bi)annual tradition, and I love it. It feels like I'm helping my family (by buying their winter clothes..or summer clothes!), yet it's for me (as I dearly love to shop!). Just perfect!

I'm praying for a coming year of blessings, whatever they may be, whatever God thinks I can handle. And after watching a great skit/video on youtube, I'm praying that God will chisel me into the masterpiece He created. I still have bits that need refining.

In the midst of crazy town, I forgot all about my Walk shirts. I had messages to turn in the final shirt (size) numbers. I totally forgot. I've emailed now, and I hope they don't push printing. I'll live if they do-I've been purified in the last week. The design is cute, I'll try to post a pix of the front. It's a vintage/tatoo kind of design. It's a heart with a crown and wings with Hero across the heart. : )

I really need some rest, so I should wrap up. I totally meant to type a tiny bit, but I always get carried away. Kinda like the way I talk! : )