YooHoo… anyone still out there?

Betcha have been wondering where I’ve been and if I was ever going to blog again, huh?? Well I ‘m back and judging from the date on my last post I have a good SEVEN months to catch up on so go grab yourself a cup of coffee, sit back and get comfy. No worries, I promise I won’t try to catch you up on  every detail from seven months in this post. I have missed blogging oh so much though, I didn’t realize just how much I loved it until my world got turned upside down and I just haven’t been able to.

So, what has our family been up to over the last seven months? Well what comes to mind is an image of a snow globe. A friend once referred to a difficult time in her life as being like a snow globe that was “all shook up” and that just about sums the last few months up for us so I am borrowing her example. I feel like our family was just like a snow globe sitting on a shelf with a perfect sprinkling of dust on top and someone (that would be God) gently picked us up off that shelf, asked if we were ready for a wild ride and, once we agreed, He shook us all up. Snow was whirling around us in all directions for a while there and I am just now starting to feel as if the flakes are starting to settle. Silly analogy but hopefully that gives you an image of where I have disappeared to. Sammy needed so much more of my time for a while there and on top of that the time I would usually spend blogging went into packing and then unpacking. When you combine that with the extra hours spent driving back and forth to Gville to see Sam and Hannah, there just haven’t been enough hours in our days!

I thought I would catch you up on us via the longest run on sentence ever, so here we go. Since my last post I did lots of dissertation writing, job searching, more dissertation writing, job interviews, the final push of dissertation writing, accepted an amazing job offer, back to dissertation writing, house hunting, preschool shopping, job searching for Sam, successfully defended my dissertation (WHOOT WHOOT!), Sammy turned THREE, started getting our Gville house ready to sell, finalized dissertation post defense and submitted it, celebrated the holidays, Sammy and I moved in with my amazing aunt and uncle so I could start working,  Sam stayed in Gville for his job, Sammy started a new preschool, more house hunting, put offer on first house, lost first house.. repeated this process SEVEN times (yep, that’s right. Sadly it is not a typo. We went through all the paperwork for seven contracts on seven houses before we found “the one”), Sammy had a ROUGH transition to his new school, realized issues not just related to transition but rather was a terrible school, back to preschool shopping, found new school (praise GOD it was “the one” as well), I had health issues, health issues resolved and was nothing to worry about (thank you Jesus!), my office at work moved into new building across town, had a few weeks of chaos and packing at office AND home, moved out of aunt and uncle’s house and into new house, settled into new office, gave my first big presentation for my new job at a conference- it was my largest audience ever and I rocked it (that was God coming through again if your keeping count), more job searching for Sam, repairs on Gville house ongoing, Hannah turned TEN, I went to Canada for conference, we CLOSED on new house, decided to rent rather than sell Gainesville house, search for renters began, my car completely died- as in beyond repair dead, FOUND renters for Gville house so began contract work, my amazing hubby somehow traded broken beyond repair car straight up for new vehicle and we ONLY paid tax tag and title (God hooked us up yet AGAIN!), had successful garage sale in Gville and said final goodbye to our home there as we knew it, and that just about brings us to where we are at now, give or take a few minor catastrophes. Pshew!

Still no job for Sam but we know God will come through on that too when the time and job are right (if you doubt, please review previous paragraph). I am finally feeling like I can exhale. I finally have a good rhythm with this parenting on my own thing. Sammy has been extra challenging the last month or so. Our sporadic family time is getting to him and he cries at night for Sam, it is so pitiful.  I thought I had a good appreciation for single parents before b/c such is the life of police families but now I really thank God every day that this is only temporary. I don’t know how real single parents do it. If you have a friend who is a single mom or dad, let me tell you. Run to them. Run now and ask them if you can watch their kids so they can sleep. Do it now! ha ha. Anyway, I digressed. The new house feels like home now and we are so very happy in it. We are so very very blessed. Sure our sink faucet doesn’t work and I just washed dishes in the bathroom sink. Our air was out for an entire month but let me tell you, that is nothing to complain about compared to what others in this world are facing, in fact it is a blessing compared to most! I am blown away every day as I sit at my desk doing EXACTLY what I have wanted to do but never thought I would find RIGHT in the city we wanted to be in, with our family. Not in DC or Atlanta where we expected but here, in this amazing house. God really takes care of us in every single way. I got my first paycheck on Christmas Eve and as Sam and I looked at our bank account he asked if I remembered what it was last Christmas Eve. I sure did, we had 13 cents and had gotten an Angel Food box. Times were so so tough and scary then. So much changed between that Christmas and this one. I thank God for unanswered prayers. I am SO thankful the job I so desperately pleaded with Him for earlier last year didn’t work out. I apparently had the position but then there were budget cuts and they decided not to hire anyone. That interview experience  though really helped prepare me for the others that were to come. Just like the multiple house offers. We learned so much about what we wanted and didn’t want in a house and all that time that we thought we had “wasted” on the other houses made getting this dream house possible. It wasn’t available when we started looking and the more people in the neighborhood we talk to now we are convinced had the timing been off just slightly we would have never gotten this house. So, yes Sam still is waiting for a job here but we are confident it will happen in HIS timing.

I have so much more to share but this post has grown long enough, you deserve an award if you stuck through this long! Thank you to all who have prayed us through this transition! Just a few pics for you b/c what’s a Teri post without some pics? Gotta keep it real!

Isaac's surgery postponed

For those of you who have been praying for Isaac.. see below:

Due to Isaac having a cold and fever this week, his surgery has been postponed. We will call the hospital on Monday to re-schedule, as long as the cold is gone at that time. We must trust that God knows the perfect timing for this surgery and choose to be obedient, even when we cannot make sense of the circumstances.

Please join us in prayer that the cold will be gone by Monday and that we can get him scheduled for the surgery as soon as possible. We are all ready to get this done and put it behind us.

Love,

Andrea

Only one week left…..

until sweet little Isaac’s surgery. I wanted to share a post that Andrea did on her blog to again give you details on how you can pray and then the schedule of exactly what will occur at what time next Wednesday so we can all continue to pray them through this. Click HERE for the Shirey fam’s specific prayer requests and HERE for details and schedule of what the doctors will do during surgery next Wed. I can’t thank you all enough for praying for my friends. They mean the world to us and I feel so helpless as they go through this journey but I know the most important and helpful thing I can do honestly is to urge many many people to pray.

I also wanted to share some pics of Isaac’s adorable little self that I took during …..Isaac & Teri’s Day of Fun!

 

That’s right! We got to spend a whole day together several weeks ago and it was just bliss! I knew he was a good baby but honestly the word “good” doesn’t do him justice. The boy is just the happiest little thing, he never cried once and grinned and smiled almost the entire day. His cheeks have to hurt each night from all of his smiling. Andrea had warned me that as his feeding time approached he may get a little “fussy” so I was prepared for Sammy’s type of “fussy” from our old nursing schedule but I actually laughed out loud when I heard Isaac’s attempt at fussing. He went from cooing and happily playing with me to scrunching up his face and making the slightest little “uuhhh” sound and then puckered his cute little bottom lip into a pout. That was it folks!

I was just so impressed with him all day. We had a blast together. We sang songs, danced, played with a lot of toys, and read even more books. That baby sure does love to read, wow! He is already a little bookworm and I love it. He also is very sneaky as he somehow tricked me into falling asleep while I put him down for his first nap. It was such a fun day and I enjoyed watching Sammy with him. Sammy shared all of his toys with him to the point that Isaac literally had a mound of books, cars, and animals around him at all times. Sammy also read him several stories and then got so tickled when Isaac would make a noise while Sammy read to him. He would say “oh you like that part baby Isaac? I like it to, I’ll read it again for you, don’t worry”. It melted my heart! We are happy to report that Sammy now calls him Isaac, for the first few months of Isaac’s life Sammy called him “ice pack” and have finally got him to pronounce his name correctly.

He truly is the sweetest most precious little guy around, I only wish we lived closer to the Shirey fam so we could get our little families together more. Thank you again for praying for Isaac’s surgery & healing, pain management, side effects, and all other factors and for the doctors & nurses and of course for Scott, Andrea, and Connor. I will post updates as soon as I get them and will hopefully be going down that Friday to be with Andrea. Thank you bloggy friends for all of your prayers!

Visit to see Chapman Family

Haven’t had too much time to blog lately, I am in the final push of my dissertation. I will be defending it the second week in November folks! The light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter and brighter and I can’t thank those of you who are praying me through this enough. Just when I am ready to give up and throw in the towel I muster up some motivation to keep on going and I know that is only by the grace of God! So I do thank you from the bottom of my heart for praying for me.

Just popped on to post up a few pics from the summer. This is our visit up to see the Debbie & the kids and it was so wonderful catching up and spending time with them. Sammy adores all of his big cousins and asks to see them every day so he was on cloud 9! He still copies some of the things Bryan taught him to this very day. Thanks Debbie…my almost 3 year old now tries to make pit noises. Here are some pics of our time with them. We love you guys!

 

Making faces at Julie

Jennifer gave the boys excellent hair cuts!

This is my Uncle Tom, one of my favorite men in this whole wide world. I love you Uncle Tom!

Sammy loved the chocolate and it clearly made him very very wild

Look how much Bryan has grown! I couldn’t believe it!

Here is my TEENAGER lil’ Julz. She had her bday a few weeks ago and is now 13 years old! Isn’t she beautiful?!

Megan and Marc came over so we could see them too and Sammy had a blast with the “big boys” and tried to be just like them

His little friend JamieLynn came over and the two of them always have so much fun together. I really think he would follow her around all day if he could. She is a little mama and even though she is only a year older she takes great care of him. They play so well together!

So, does this count as his first kiss?

Very wild lunch they had.. this is where Bryan imparted all his wisdom on crazy faces, how to make silly sounds, you know typical things he wants to “pass down” to Sammy as he told me.

Sammy played his first ever game of hid n seek where he actually”got it” and fully understood. Too funny!

He counted to 23 and only skipped 17, we were impressed!

He would hold his ears and whisper, “ I hear dem!”

Caught ya Bryan!

Took the boys to Dairy Queen! Sadly Julz was too cool with us and was off with her girlfriends to see a movie. So hard when they grow up!

We headed over to the Wethington house for Meg’s bday and Sammy loved riding in Marc’s grandpa’s bike

Our boys! Megan and I always wondered what this pic would look like and here they are!

Such a fabulous time! We love you Chapman Family and hope to see you really really soon!

My Most Embarrassing Moment ever

Recently there were some comments on a Facebook post of mine that referred to what I think of as one of the most embarrassing moments in my life, perhaps even THE most embarrassing moment of my life. It happens to also be a quite funny story so I thought I would share it with you in hopes of giving you a good laugh and to pay tribute to Sigourney Weaver, my "lunch buddy", as she is now termed. Many have asked for the whole story so my friends, here it is! It is true that things like this really are funny when you look back at them although at the moment I wanted to die a thousand slow deaths and climb into the whole. Now though, I promise you literally every time I am reminded of this story (which is on a quite regular occurrence thanks to my lovely family and friends) I can't help but laugh at myself. We can't ever take ourselves too seriously and I am a firm believer in the value of laughing at your own crazy mistakes and goofs so at long last.. here is my Sigourney Weaver story! I hope it brightens your day and makes you feel really smart and good about yourself!!!

About 8 years ago when I was in my senior year of my undergraduate degree I was selected as a final candidate for a fellowship I had applied for. This was a huge deal and as you will read it is literally by the GRACE OF GOD that I was awarded the fellowship that allowed me to spend a summer in DC working with a non profit organization. The NPO was the Heart of America foundation where I not only met some amazing people but through that experience God solidified in my heart not only the need for me to work in this area but he stirred a passion for helping to improve the life opportunities of children raised in poverty. He used this to urge me on to eventually complete my PhD. So with that background you can hopefully appreciate just how big of a deal this interview was to me.

It took place in the president of the university's quarters and was at a long conference table with fancy chairs. There were I would say maybe 8 to 10 very important people in the room. I can't remember honestly who all was at the table or how many people but I remember being VERY intimidated. There was a bank president, president of student affairs, you get the type. Basically Big Wigs in many different areas. The interview was going super well and I remember thinking to myself that I needed to relax b/c I thought I was maybe coming off as nervous. Shocking I know but get past it. Then at that exact moment I realized I had pit stains! That's right my friends. I really never sweat much bet yet on this very day I was so nervous that I had giant wet spots on my new cute professional shirt. It was that realization that spun me into a whirling downward spiral of unfortunate events.

I remember hearing this, "Teri, could you please tell me out of every person in the history of our great world, regardless of time period, who you would have lunch with if given the opportunity?"

Oh phsewy, I thought, finally an easy question! I've got this! Just as I was about to answer that it would be my sweet Jesus they followed with 4 words that changed everything "excluding any religious figures"... DA DA DUM! Gulp. More sweating. Heart beat pounding in my ears. Can they hear that? Is my heart really beating that fast and this loud? Oh no, say something. You must say something. They are all staring at you. Are my pit stains getting larger? Oh please God no. They need an answer and this inner dialogue is not helping things. Speak. Now Teri say something, anything. go with George Washington.....

I finally opened my mouth to say "hmm, that is a very interesting question. Let me think for just a moment" Ok good. Now I have bought myself all of 15 seconds. Thomas Eddison, go with him. Oh boy, that is so lame and so clearly obvious that I don't have a better person. Woman. I need a woman, Cleopatra maybe. Why Cleopatra, all I have on her is her sense of style. Mother Teressa! No, too cheesy. Sam always says I am too goody goody and that is a goody goody answer, everyone will say her. I need to be different and stand out. Hm... Who sewed our first flag, what was her name? Betty Ross? What else did she do? OH! I've got it what about the famous nurse lady! Eww nurses make me think of blood. don't pass out, think of something else. Ok stop freaking out they will not give me a shot today. Maybe Queen Elizabeth? Hmm... They are staring at you! Say something! Instantly flashes from the primary election candidates I had heard speak that morning floated into my mind. I blame my friend Cody for this. It was her idea! She thought we needed to go get more involved in the selection of our community leaders. Cody and her big schemes were always getting me into messes and thsi sure was a fine one at that. So really I guess this whole embarrassing story is her fault. Anyway, I remembered one of the candidates mentioning Sojourn Truth's plight and all of the change she had evoked and accomplished. YES! That's brilliant, she is my chica, that is who I will go with. Now what was her name again? Sojourn... Sogorn.. something like that. Oh I've got it!This is perfect, gonna wow their socks off. Here we go! Flash them that confident smile first. Eye contact.. ok go!

"The person in all of history that I would just love to have lunch with is Sigourney Weaver" I answer.

Wow their socks off I did, just not int the way I intended! Do you know how in movies when someone says something so off the wall dumb they actually insert insect and night sounds into the track to fill the air while they show blank stares on all faces? That was their reaction to my answer. They started whispering to each other and looking at me with confused faces until one lady leaned forward and said "wasn't she the woman who starred in the Planet of the Apes movie?" Someone else answers, "no I think she was in Ghostbusters". Uh-oh, this isn't good I think to myself. Please God tell me that is not what I just said. Hmm.. how to get out of this one. Honesty. Mom always said honesty is the best policy. Does that apply here though? Think fast.. what to say. Ok so this name I just said is apparently an actress and she is in old movies ok. Hmm.. Acresses.. Well here goes nothing. Smile and go! I then continued to lie and basically make up a life story for this poor actress that I knew nothing about. Oh I went on and on about how into women's rights she is and how she strives to inspire young women to reach their goals and really make a difference and leave an impact on this world, our world. I went into her advocacy for children's rights. I related it to my own hopes and dreams and all the while continued to sweat. They were all nodding and taking notes and I wanted to die inside. Now not only was I in this hot mess I created I was LYING! LYING! Oh boy.

Thankfully it ended rather quickly after that and I shook hands politely and thanked them for the opportunity then walked out of that fancy building and literally cried a river all the way to my car. I felt like an idiot, worse than an idiot a LYING idiot. Amazingly, and this is how we all know it was God's plan for me to end up in DC, I somehow got the fellowship. I thought it was a joke when I got the phone call. I actually laughed and asked who was really on the phone and told the lady it was a mean joke. Life went on and I had a life changing experience when we lived in DC for that short time period. Now it is funny and a good laugh and anytime my girl Sigourney is on TV I smile. Heck, we even lit a candle in her honor when my friends and I had a game night a few months ago. See picture below. To her credit, I have since learned a lot about her, she does seem like a great woman and who knows, maybe someday somewhere me and my lunch buddy just may have lunch together! Ha ha! I will pay of course, as a way of making up for all the lying I did about her on that day long ago.

Oh and just if you are wondering I am ready and armed with my new answer but sadly that question has never been asked again. My new lady is Abagail Adams. My cousin Sherry even sent me Mrs. Adam's biography so I can avoid the same mistake twice. She is a truly amazing woman and I will spare you the details of why I picked her but I can relate her life to my life as wife, mother, my plight AND my research and career goals so whomever asks me that question next better watch out and sit down prepared to take notes b/c I am ready and willing to answer! it now!

Molly, Katherine, Erin, & Kim got a kick out of making fun of me and lighting our candle in honor of my lunch buddy, her candle was shining brightly during our game of Apples to Apples right in the center of the table. Do you know what started the whole thing.. my card I drew. You got it! I drew SIGOURNEY WEAVER! Too funny!

Frustrated and in need of some advice please!

Hello fellow Mommy bloggers, I need some tips and fast! I am beyond frustrated with 2 aspects of potty training and hoping someone has some tips & great solutions? Sammy is for the most part potty trained during the day (still in pull up at night) and tells us when he needs to go, takes himself into potty, etc. I say most part b/c he won't go #2 in the potty! He did for about 2 to 3 months but now for most of the summer he has stopped and I am beyond tired of cleaning his little underwear. I have actually even had him help to clean them some hoping that would inspire him to go in the potty, no such luck. Any advice on the #2 issue?

The biggest issue however is related to school. They boy has quit going at school! I don't know what is going on in his little mind but he was fine and doing great in his old class and once they moved up to the new class he started having this problem. He basically holds it until naptime when they put a pull up on him, then goes in the pullup, then once big boy pants are back on he either has an accident later in afternoon or hold it until we come. At home though he is fine, no probs. Out in public & other people's houses, no problems either. This morning his teacher said they just don't have the time and resources to continue cleaning it and dealing with it each day so he needs to go back into pullups while there. AHHH!!! So expensive!!! I can't believe this. I agree with the teachers, I feel bad that they are having to deal with it each day and appreciate all the effort they have put in to helping him. I am just so frustrated with the whole thing. The kicker is I am one of his Sunday School teachers on Sunday mornings in the EXACT same classroom and he goes with no problems! When I took him in to check out the potty and have him go during school hours he wouldn't do it, even with me. I mentioned it when we were in the doctor for his tummy issues and she asked him about it, he told her he didn't like the potty because it was messy. His sweet teachers even said they would wipe it where he can see them do it before he goes (so ridiculous to take it to that level but we are desperate) but that didn't work. One teacher even brought in special chocolate for him and still nothing!

We have talked some about it and he only says he doesn't like it and won't use that one. Last night while we were playing outside he was pretending he was a lion trainer and working with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy at a circus. He was running here and there with "Donald" and talking to him so I, being a psychologist, told him to take a break because Donald needed to go potty. I said "Tell Donald to go use your potty in your class it is right over there, see it?" and Sammy looked then found the imaginary potty and took Donald over to it but Donald couldn't use it. He said "oh no Mommy, Donald really doesn't like that potty, him hold it" and he kept on playing! Ugh! I don't get it.

So, anyone been through something like this?Any tips? I understand he will eventually learn and it needs time but I don't want to have to buy pullups again. He hates to wear them and thinks they are for babies so maybe forcing him to wear them at school will do the tick?

I welcome your input, thanks!

Lazy Days of Summer

We truly could not have asked for a better summer. It is so hard to let it go as we get into our routines again and schedules fill up with busy hectic deadlines. I remember back in the spring as summer was approaching I was so unsure of what it would hold. Would I land that perfect job and our summer would be spent packing, moving, and getting settled into the next chapter of our lives? As much as I wanted that to happen, there was a part of me that was just a little sad. Yes I am ready to be done with grad school but you see, grad school does have its advantages. I for the most part, make my own schedule and go at my own pace. This is great for unexpected play dates, vacations, and fun in the sun with my little man. Since this was very likely my last summer with such freedom I vowed to squeeze in as many fun summer memories with my Sams that I could. I did my best to pick Sammy up early from school each day and we sure did make some memories!

Our summer became so jam packed with fun adventures that we could barely keep up! We spent a lot of time in the water. Although it was sad to see Joe & Gloria move and I can’t tell you how hard it is not having them right next door, we now have easy access to a great pool. Sammy loves to go visit them and “nadar en la pacina de Gworia” which is how he says swim in Gloria’s pool in espanol. In addition to lots of water fun we spent a lot of time on the beach, made some great memories with friends doing all kinds of things, and were even able to see spend time with some of my family who visited from TN. I hope to to post up some pics from some of our fun summer memories so that we won’t forget they happened!

So, I will start with perhaps my favorite summer memory of all. Our trip to KEY WEST!!!! These are a few of my favorite pics and a slideshow. Sammy and I headed down with Kim when she visited her family. We stayed with her mom and step dad who live on Big Pine Key and I loved seeing how locals do life down there. Her brother and his wife and baby live on the next Key over so we got to see them a lot too. I really fit in great down there, by the way. Everything is so slow and laid back, easy going. Totally stress free and everyone is a beach person. If I could find a job down there we would move in a heart beat. The water was so beautiful and there were so many things for Sammy to do. I saw more deer on Big Pine then I think I have ever seen in my life! They have a deer prob and the deer aren’t even scared of cars. They just walk around the streets, Sammy loved them. Sometimes we had to stop in the middle of the road for a giant crab to make his way across. It was such an amazing trip and we are so thankful for the invitation to go! I spent most of the trip laughing until I cried, Kim and her family are hilarious and we just truly had the best time.

I hope you enjoy our pics! (click on the circle purple button on the smilebox that says play and it will open as full screen)

Create a slideshow