Actual Birthday Days

Tracen's cookie we made for his class celebration. So glad he still lets me take his pic in front of all his buddies.

Makenna (or Mak Attack) was elected as one of 6 Student Council officers for the 5th grade on her actual birthday.  She was way too embarassed to let me take her pic with her class treat, so this is all we got for that day.  So proud of her!!! She had to do a video speech shown to the entire school.
 What a way to turn 11!

On Tracen's actual day to turn 8, we had a breakfast early in the morning with our friends the Ramirez's.  Rosa and Josue are super duper and hung out with us all day.  Woohoo for birthdays!

Of course, a little girl was there through it all, so excited that her bigs were having birthdays!

Even Worse

My sweet Streak is gone.  We found out that yesterday morning she was hit by a car that did not stop on 4th St.  A lady reported a light brown dog on the side of the road on facebook, and this morning Tyson went to talk to the construction workers there.  They said Aussie crossed, and a car hit Streak.  They car did not stop...poor guys said that they don't stop if they almost hit the workers...and the guys moved her to the side. Aussie came back for her and stood there awhile, then took off.  That is when she appeared in our front yard crying.  She wanted us to help!  This is so horrible.  I have to tell the big kids after school.  I have cried so much for one dog.  I think it is just the way she always was my girl from the start.  I keep seeing her eyes looking at me and just hate it.  Aussie is still crying in the backyard or hiding in the dog house that Streak used.  Just years of waiting for her and now she is gone 1 year and 5 months old.  So so sad here.  Not sure what to do with Aussie, but she is really stressed.  I cannot believe Streak is gone.  My mixed up colored, licking you to death, wanting to crawl in your lap or be right beside you girl is gone.  Saddest day.  Pray for the kids.  This will really be so hard on Mak.  Man, life is so hard sometimes for so many different reasons and for so many people.

The WORST feeling

This morning was not good.  Our 2 dogs, Aussie and Streak, got out of the gate somehow.  The news got worse when I was told Streak did not have her tag attached to her collar.  Oh my word.  Who knew how long they had been gone and what on earth to do about it?  Through many tears Makenna went to school.  It was awful.  At about 830am Aussie just appeared behind Tyson outside in the front yard.  We were elated!  But Streak was not with her.  Streak is her baby girl, her one puppy that we kept.  We planned for years to hopefully have puppies with Aussie and Scott's dog Elek.  (Remember that 10 puppies post last May???)  Having puppies is hard work.  We loved all ten and took care of them for weeeeeeeeks.  Streak was a sweet little brownish girl with a white line up her forehead..thus, the name Streak.  She would always crawl to me and she was the first to wag her tail like crazy when I would pick her up.  She was a little bit crazy, but I knew she was ours.  She has never been away from her momma, and Aussie still shows her who's boss every now and then.  When Aussie came without her it was not good.  We have searched all day long. Everywhere. We printed flyers and put them up all around.  Aussie has paced the backyard and cried all day long.  She will look at me then look behind me, like I am hiding her baby girl somewhere.  It is so horrible.  I have cried all day long.  I cannot stand the thought of Streak out there somewhere.  They are always together, and we can't figure out what separated them.  It makes me sick at my stomach. I miss her so much, especially because of who she is to our family with her mom and dad being a part before her.  We waited for Aussie's girl, and now she is gone.  I am so so sad and brokenhearted.  My poor kids just want her back.  I know she is a dog.  But when something depends on you and they are lost or hurt, it is the worst feeling in the world.  I just keep on crying.  Pray that we get her back and find out where she is.  God can do this miracle, because that is what it will have to be with no tags and no sign of her.  We want her home again!  One head looking in our window and one head peeking out the fence is just not right.  Pray!

yes, that is the same dog!  she has changed so much...like someone put her in a pot of color and stirred it up.  my sweet puppy!

11/8

What a super birthday party the kids had!  I once again convinced them that together is better, but after the Camp Out of the Year, I needed to go a little lower key this time around.  They never get to do a swim party because their b-days are later in September but have always wanted to.  The pool let us have the last party of the season on the Sunday before Labor Day.  It was super hot that weekend, and the kids all loved swimming one last time.  Having a pool party also enabled them to invite whoever they wanted to.  No choosing between church and school and other friends..they just chose everyone.  My family came up and helped so much as usual.  This was so easy with tablecloths, napkins, chips, drinks, chocolate or red velvet cupcakes, and silly straw Skittle favors.  I needed an easy!  Thank you to everyone who came.  We love you alllllll!


Lots of leaping through the air


Lots of swimmmmmming

Lots of land-lubbers

Lots of eating cake

Lots of FUN!
HAPPY 11 AND 8 MAKENNA AND TRACEN

Now you do.

C'mon.  You've seen her.  The mom in front of you in the check-out line for groceries, wearing her sunglasses on her head, with 3 kids dressed so cute all around her.  The one holding the Coach purse and checking her cell phone with all the organic food and hardly any packaged products in her basket.  You just think she has it all together.  Then she pulls out her Lone Star card, swipes it, and the government and food stamps has just paid for her groceries.  You immediately change your view of her, believing she is milking the state and has probably lied on her forms to receive aid.  You might even roll your eyes or stop making small talk with her because you see it, and that white card has changed something in your heart and head.  She gathers her kids and her groceries and heads out the door, and you sigh and make some comment to the check out guy while your things are being scanned.  If that wasn't enough, you see her in the parking lot, too. True, her car isn't the newest, but it is fine.  You watch her tell her kids to get buckled, and then she puts her youngest in a $280 Britax carseat.  Oh my, you are done.  You've closed the door and nailed it shut.  What is the world coming to these days?  People can have all that and not even be trying to get a job!  Just using every program for all they are worth.  You have every reason to get all huffy....right?

BUT.

Did you see her try and hide her conspicuous white card as she swiped it, quickly returning it to her wallet?
Did you know she saw you roll your eyes?
Did you know her purse was a gift over 3 years ago?
Did you get that one of her bffs died in a car accident and car seat safety is so important that she sold things and pooled birthday money to buy that one?
Did you see her kids that gained weight last year because she could no longer afford to make lunches for them, and they were forced to eat in the school cafeteria food that was horrible for them?
Did you know her son needs 2 fillings and they can't afford to pay yet?
Did you know her food stamp money is rarely stretched that far because she refuses to feed her family junk?
Did you know she can't go to the store again until they get money for the gas to drive there?
Did you know at home she tears the dishwasher cubes so she can get two out of one?
Did you know she only uses 2 Tbsp of laundry soap per load to make it stretch further?
That car she is driving is paid off, and is leaking oil, and they can't get it fixed.
The clothes all her children are wearing are hand-me-downs, or given to them.
The chairs her family sits in at dinner are all broken.
Her home had to be sold so they could live off what they made.
The door she takes pictures of her kids in front of is chipped and peeling.
Her youngest won't get to go to pre-k this year.
Her oldest had to get just one choice for glasses that her insurance would pay for.
That her kids had to leave their wonderful dentist to go to one that spends 30 seconds with them and doesn't even scrape or floss their teeth.
That her cute updo is because all her hair has fallen out because she is trying to hold it together for her kids.
That her husband has 2 degrees and still has struggled to find a job for 2 years.
That she works 4 jobs and types into the morning hours to earn any extra.
She is waking up every day asking God for guidance and rescue and giving thanks for what they have, because most have so much less.
She knows He'll answer and provide, as He always has before, and is trying to be joyful in every circumstance...failing and succeeding, many times each day.

Did you know?

Because I bet you didn't, and now you do.
Praying I never see people through my own eyes, but the eyes of Jesus, because you never know.

Another First

I have a 2nd grader.

 

I have a 5th grader.

 

Pretending to love each other. Haha!

That walk I've been dreading.

Outside of their first grade classroom, where their friendship began.

They really do love each other!

Tracen and Mrs. V

Blurry, but 3 amigos are split up this year.  Sad day.

I was a student teacher across the hallway from Mrs. Farmer, and I am beyond excited that she is Makenna's teacher!  Last year of elementary...(big, deep breath)...here we come!

And, a little doodle wanted her first day pic taken, too!  Julianne is back!

 

Leftovers

Here are some leftover Mailey birthday pics.  We couldn't leave out Erica in her sweeeeet bakers hat, could we??
 

 

Our family gift to her was a sandbox.  She is in the dirt/sand wherever we go, so we thought it would be a hit.  She can play out there for hours.  Or she would more often if it was not 100+ degrees every day lately.