I DO BELIEVE THINGS ARE CHANGING....

I don't exactly how to explain it but I think 2013 is going to be a year of change.  I can't really disclose too much yet but in the first 15 days of the year there have already been some changes under way.  I don't know what it is but when I sat down to set my 2013 Goals it hit me that only I could change things and that it was time to either settle in and accept the things I didn't love in my life or make them better.  Now understand I am not referring to my husband or children or family in general or friends.  These are areas in my life I love.  There is always room for improvement in my relationships but that is always given and I reflect daily on my interaction with those I love and what I can do to make our relationship stronger.  What I am referring to is everything else; career, religion, financial,t he various committees I serve on, our Foundation, etc.  I have fallen in a comfort zone in many things and do what I need to be successful but not what I need to be outstanding and outstanding is what I am looking for.  Therefore, I have made some changes personally and am redirecting my focus during the day.  I can feel a few changes already and I am liking it.  I just know I will have to work hard to keep up with my expectations especially when my own excitement for my changes start to dwindle.  I am constantly telling my kids to focus and to  be all they are capable of being every minute of every day and it is time for me to show them how to do that.  So needless to say, I see a busy year ahead!

So much has happened all ready just since my last post.  The first weekend of January we had a Christmas celebration with Steph and Cody since they weren't able to come out to Mom and Dad's.  My Aunt came too that was unable to make it at Christmas so it was a great family time.  We had a great time picking on Steph as this was her first "big" family gathering.  We laughed a lot which we usually do at some one's expense but if we weren't, I think we would all feel like someone was upset.  :)  Anyway, it was a fast but fun celebration with the whole family.

Last week began Raelynn's first week of Karate.  The first night was hilarious.  Raelynn was literally scared to death.  She looked worried and confused the entire evening and the Sensai made me stand up there and do it with her just so she would not be so afraid.  The good news is as we left she was grinning and saying how she was so scared but never once did she say she did not want to return.  Her class is twice a week until March so I was a little concerned as we have a firm rule that you cannot quit something you start.  You don't ever have to do it again once your session is complete, but we never quit in the middle.  Two days later she had her second class and it was almost day and night.  She stood up there by herself and did what was asked.  The instructors even came around and helped her.  The first class I think they were afraid to approach her in fear she would either pee her pants in fear or cry!  Tonight was her third class and it is amazing.  She is still uncoordinated, clumsy and doesn't know her right from her left but she is already improving amazingly!!!  She never once has complained about going and she does a good job of paying attention for the most part.  She barely will admit it but I think she is really liking it and I just like seeing her involved in something that will teach her a discipline and confidence when it is to cold for her to be on a horse.

So as Raelynn is finding a new activity, Coop is just perfecting one he is getting much too good at......getting in trouble! I have almost decided that after every surgery we will face this crazy hyper boy until he learns to manage his new amount of energy and feeling so good.  Monday nothing really happened until we went to Karate.  As I said Raelynn spent the whole evening listening with a certain amount of fear in her eyes.  She was a little taken back by the strong voice of the Sensai and the aggressiveness of the punches and kicks.  Coop sat and watch most of the evening and when we got home, Raelynn stood in the middle of living room staring at the TV as she passed through.  Coop was passing through behind her and without missing a step he did one of the karate kicks that was taught making perfect contact with Raelynn's hiney.  With a grin on his face and before Raelynn could even scream out, "MooooooM!" Coop says, "Better get used to it!"  While I scolded him for kicking his sister I laughed under my breath.  Coop knew he had me and there was no way I was going to hold my laughter for long.  On Wednesday I received a text from Coop's soccer coach that Coop had struggled listening during practice.  He was laughing about it and just said he was really hyper.  As I cooked dinner I addressed the situation with Coop he explained to me how that was the only time he had to play with his best friend and he just couldn't help but talk to his friend.  He went on to tell me that this is just how God made him and he couldn't help that.  Then he really topped things off when he said, "Did Coach Kevin tell you?"  I assured him that no one needed to tell me that I knew everything that happened every day.  Without hesitation Coop responded, "Weeelllll that's unfortunate!"  I did refrain from laughing at least in front of him but it did end his scolding.  Then Friday rolled around and one of Coop's teachers asked me if they had him on a steroid because he was just so hyper.  She said the same thing I had heard all week, he was not misbehaving he was just very hyper which was out of character for him.  Well by this time the humor was gone and I was frustrated with his behavior.  Friday night I sad him down and discussed with him our expectations of his behavior and discussed what we been done if he could not behave as we expected.  We also discussed why he was acting this way and how we could change it.  We even prayed that God would help him make good choices that would make our hearts happy.  So today as we left for the day I reminded Cooper how we expected the day to go for him and I will be darned if he did not have a spectacular day.  The teachers said their Cooper was back and he was their same perfect little boy.  As we left school I told him I was proud he made good choices today and he told me, "the bad stuff was in my forehead but God kicked it out and put the good stuff in so your heart would be happy."  I thought I was going to cry, but just kissed and squeezed him instead.  Anyway, after this weekend and many discussions I think he finally gets that even though he makes us laugh a lot and he is incredibly cute, he still is expected to behave.

This past weekend started off pretty bad but turned into a great time.  We were headed to Tulsa to spend the weekend with our dear friends.  By noon on Friday our trip was cancelled due to their son getting very sick.  It was so hard for both of us to tell our boys as they were very excited to see each other.  It was truly sad when I told Coop and when I told Raelynn she just felt bad for Coop.  So Friday night we decided to have a movie night and we put in "The Amazing Spiderman", a movie Coop had gotten for Christmas.  Weeeellll although Raelynn and I totally got into the movie, it scared Coop to death.  We tried for 30 minutes to get him to bed but he was scared and ended up spending the night in our bed.  It was an awesome movie but was definitely more than I had ever let the kids watch.  I think we will reserve another viewing for awhile as long as Coop is there.  Saturday morning I woke up early, went in to work for a few hours, headed to the gym for an hour and was home before 8am.  Great start to the day but then by 9am I was in bed with a migraine!  I had to get Coop to soccer by 11:30am and fortunately by 2pm or so I was doing ok.  Raelynn had gotten a GC from Aunt Steph to her favorite clothing store, Justice.  We decided to meet Steph at the mall late in the afternoon and then the boys joined us for dinner.  We had a GREAT time shopping.  It was one of those unexpectedly wonderful days.  I love spending time with Steph and Cody and to watch Raelynn have so much fun shopping really couldn't have been much better!

This is her begging for more!

Sunday we cleaned and caught up and watched another movie at home with the kids.  We rarely take time to sit and watch TV so 2 movies in one weekend, we were feeling pretty lazy.  It was fun and a little relaxing as well!

So that should catch things up and now maybe I can be more diligent in posting so I can make sure I don't leave out those really funny things like listening to Raelynn explain to Coop what "hit 'em where it counts" means.  Yes, that was our discussion this evening and Raelynn did a good job of explaining it and Coop did a good job of reacting to her description the same as every boy I know.  But it became funny when Coop asked Raelynn what it's called where they kick her where it counts to which Raelynn responds, "Yea I don't know I always forget what mine is called because I can't see it."  I literally spit the water I had just drank clear across the kitchen.  Neither of the kids seemed to understand at all why I was choking on my water but at least my episode ended their conversation!