I sit here wondering where the summer went, I don't think it was nearly long enough. My kids are all back in school, Allie is a senior scheduled to graduate this following May, Tim is now a Junior, and my baby, Brittany is a freshman in hight school. The time really does pass by quickly. This year Brittany is taking a class called med-prep, she is one of only two freshman in the class, they will be studying the cause of a fictitous woman's death, they will witness an autopsy, disect a heart (probably a pig heart as it closly resembles a human heart) and other interesting labs. This is a very exciting course for students who are interested in the many medical fields. This yea will be filled so many school activites, as well as preparing for Allie's graduation.

Today marks the one year anniversary of the death of my children's friend Anyssia. We remember her today as a beatiful young lady with star talent. Anyssia was on her way to visit family and friends (my children) from Arizona when they were invovled in an accident which took her life instantly. Anyssia is missed and loved by many, my children plan to write a message to her, tie it to their balloons and release them this afternoon. God Bless you Anyssia, you touched so many hearts in your young live, we love and miss you!!!

My friend Steph decided on a home birth for baby number four, she has two older boys and a daughter who is three years old. Well the due date came and went on October 9th, and she was really going out of her mind, and let me tell you she is a very small framed lady, so she looked to be all baby. She couldn't hardly walk these past couple days.

This morning while at work, I was running around like crazy doing end of the week activities, when I noticed I had a missed call on my cell phone. I didn't recognize the number as it was from Steph's, kid's line. So I called the number back and when I heard he voice I was like oh Steph, how are you? She said oh I'm fine, sounded tired but didn't sound excited, then all of a sudden she said, "I had the baby at 3:30 this morning!" Oh my gosh, I was so happy for her, she was really getting worried and was afraid she would have to go to the hospital to deliver. She didn't get to do the bath delivery because as soon as her body went into the water, her contractions stopped. Poor girl, so four intense hours after she woke with labor pains, Lilyanna Lynn made her entrance into her parents loving arms. Lilyanna is 20 1/2" long, and 9 lbs. 3 oz. And for Steph that is just a really big baby. I asked her if the baby was crawling yet, she just laughed. Steph said that the kids slept through the birth and that her throat is really sore from screaming, I guess this one was really painful, but baby and mom are doing wonderful. I can't wait to see Lilyanna and hug my friend Steph. Welcome Lilyanna!!!

So this year my kids are really doing well in school, Brittany is going for straight A's and so far has six A's and one B! She is in advanced orchestra, chamber orchestra and is auditioning next month for honor orchestra. I have started her in private lessons just to help her improve some of her skills. Her instructor said that she is just really doing good and has a lot of potential, he wants to see her doing some ensamble competitions this year as well. Brittany can't wait until she turns 14 next year because she will start volunteering at the hospital that her older sister volunteers at. She will use that to help obtain scholarships when she graduates high school. She is still doing Girl Scouts, this is her fifth year, she is looking at scholarships there too. The girl is just amazing and I am very proud of her.

Tim is doing so much better this year in school, he is working hard at keeping his grades up. After such a rocky year last year with his illnesses and surgeries, he really has to buckle down. He is also putting a lot of effort into his AF JROTC class, he has advanced one rank above his big sister, he brought five ribbons home last night (activiities, longevity, and I can't remember the other three, I need to write them all down). He has joined the saber team this year and wow does he look sharp in the uniform. He has decided that he wants to be a paratrooper in the Army after high school. This does scare me with what is going on in Iraq, all I can do is pray that it gets solved soon, he wont be out of school for another two years, then he has his training to go through before he could be sent out. Please pray God will keep in safe what ever path he takes.

Allie is a Junior in High School, oh my gosh she has just one more year and she will graduate and off to University she goes. This year was sort of rocky for her at first, she has had some gall bladder issues like her brother, but has not had surgery yet. The doctors want to wait and see how it progresses, ok so she is a guinea pig, nice. Anyway, Allie is really doing good about keeping her grades up, she is wanting to earn scholarships so she can go to school, she wants to be an OB/GYN!!! She knows it is going to take a lot of really hard work and that she needs to take some pre-req classes in high school. She is taking Chemestry right now and is really enjoying the class. She is doing great in AF JROTC, and is due to receive ribbons for acheivments, as well as is challenging her self to reach that rank above her younger brother. There is alot of competition there, and is fun for me to watch. Allie is in still volunteering at the hospital and hopes that will help her earn scholarships for college as medical school is really going to be expensive.

Justin is doing really good away at Job Corps, it was difficult at first to let me oldest fly the nest, but wow what a great young man he is becomming. It is so nice to carry on adult conversations with him, he is truly an amazing young man, and so smart. He is doing cable installation and once he is finished with that he wants to stay another year and do fiber optics. He was pretty homesick at first but knowing that we will always be here for him and he can always come home when he wants really helps him get through it. We don't talk much on the phone, someone stole his cell phone and pawned it, so we mostly email each other. Justin's counselor really praises him and says that he is a leader, he has so many girls that just love to hang around him. They like the fact that he is their friend and doesn't try to put the moves on them. I love to read his myspace and see how well liked he is.

So as you can see I am just really in a happy place with my kids right now, they are all just doing so wonderful. I sent money to school with Allie and Tim, it is picture day for AF JROTC, so I will post new pictures as soon as I get them back. I am just really loving my children right now, and am so proud of them. I know there are still chances of bumps in the road, but we will get over them like we always do. God Bless!!!!