THE CALM AFTER THE STORM..............

So the Cooper's Cause Foundation 4th Annual 5K has passed and it was a great success!  We had an increase in participants, sponsorship and fun!  When I sit back and think about what the foundation is doing and how many people are helping, I can hardly believe it.  It is absolutely amazing to me what it has become.  I sometimes think about what Cooper will think of the foundation and whether he will find it as wonderful as we do.  Watching Raelynn and her will to do charitable acts gives me hope that Cooper too will see how important it is to give back to those who helped us and to give to those who are not as fortunate as we are.  Raelynn recently opened her own charitable account at the bank and named it, Raelynn Cares.  She saved up $100 and opened the account.  She is saving to adopt a family for Christmas which was entirely her idea.  She heard about it last Christmas and insisted that she wanted to save for this year.  So save she has.  Anyway, I want my kids to understand and cherish the importance of doing things for others.  I used to think it was important to do for others with no benefit to yourself but I have found that those two concepts are impossibly connected because when you do for others there is no possible way to not benefit yourself.  That was never our intention, to benefit ourselves, but when I see families we have helped or see families that have been affected by little ones with heart defects I cannot help but feel proud and happy and love so I benefit without even intending too.  Anyway, every event just re-energizes me to push harder and raise more money.  I always stop after every large project and set new goals that focus on what I could do better for the next project in life whether that project be a small one or another large one.  I focus my goals on family, faith and professional.  So with new goals set, I am on to the next project which encompasses October through January.  It should be another exciting quarter!

Coop got a little bashful as everyone cheered him on in the Raelynn's Rock Star Run

Who knew Raelynn could run!

The kids are doing great.  They both LOVE school which makes our lives super easy.  Each night I have both Raelynn and Coop sit and work on homework for 15 to 20 minutes.  If they don't have any we take some out of some workbooks I had picked up at Sam's Club for preschool and K-2nd Grade.  The idea is just to develop good study habits.  It is funny to watch them as they are such a distraction to one another.  Raelynn is constantly trying to tell Coop how to do his homework and Coop is constantly trying to write on Raelynn's homework.  I know I shouldn't enjoy watching them pick on each other but I love it.  They generally get along so well that when they don't I find it a little fun.  Last night we had nothing going on so we came home right after work which we don't get to do very often.  The kids played on their scooters for awhile and then we came inside.  The kids took their shoes off and headed back to their rooms to put them away.  Raelynn was slightly in front of Coop.  Raelynn said something and Coop copied her.  "Cooper quit copying me!" Raelynn replied to which Coop of course said, "Cooper Quit copying me!"  Raelynn gave one last shout, "Cooper I said to stop copying me!"  With a giggle Coop mimicked, "Cooper I said to stop copying me!"  Then I hear both pairs of shoes hit the floor and Coop scream as Raelynn turned around to chase him.  She chased him all around the house while the two of them giggled so hard.  Terry and I were laughing as well.  Terry said they reminded him so much of he and Gary and I too could relate.  We cheered them on until they were both exhausted.  It was an all around fun, relaxing and wonderful evening at home. 

This week seems so low key compared to the past month or two so I plan to do some catch up work and hopefully soon feel like I am back on top of everything just in time to start the holiday craziness if that is even possible already!!!!