THANK YOU FPC PRESCHOOL......

Before I can fill you in on the latest happenings I have to say a big THANK YOU to Raelynn's Preschool! Since the first week of January they have been participating in a fundraiser for Cooper's Cause called Coins for Cooper's Cause. These adorable little kids collected coins and brought them to school to raise money for the foundation. The preschool tied the fundraiser into their lesson plans and made it a very involved learning experience as well. Friday was the final day for the fundraiser and this morning they presented the monies to us during their morning chapel. Terry, Raelynn, Cooper and I were all there. Before they presented it they asked the children about the things they had been learning about in relation to giving and then what they have been doing to give. Just hearing those little kids say they were giving to Cooper's Cause was touching enough but then they asked what Cooper's Cause was and this little kid speaks right up and says it is about a little boy named Cooper who has a sick heart. I looked at Terry right then and said "I am going to cry." Every time we do a fundraiser and we stand up to say our thank yous, I lose it. There is just something so touching about all of this that I just cannot keep the tears back. This morning, I knew surrounded by 3 and 4 year olds I could not cry because they would not understand. So I kept my thank you to a few short words. The preschool gives so much to us on a daily basis with the songs and crafts Raelynn brings home, and the general knowledge she gains. Now they have given something else that means so much to us. This was the first fundraiser done solely for the foundation which made it extra special. In coins alone, this small group raised $376.05! I could not believe they raised so much in coins alone. It was a wonderfully successful fundraiser in so many ways and we are so thankful for their thoughtfulness and effort!

After Chapel Terry, Cooper and I stopped by Raelynn's class to say a special thank you to them. Her class alone raised over $154. Raelynn seemed to be beaming with pride. Ms. Hanf, Raelynn's teacher told us that she had asked Raelynn last week why when I dropped her off she just came in and went right into her table time and told me Goodbye like it was no big deal, but when Daddy brought her to school she clung to him and didn't want him to go. Raelynn said, "I just love him so much, I don't want him to go!" How sweet is that! I felt a little like chopped liver, but all the same it was very sweet.

Our weekend was fun as always. Saturday was crazy between tumbling, the KU game, a birthday party and then our dinner out, but it was all a lot of fun. The kids loved their little Valentine's from Terry and I and of course, Aunt Sherri ang Grandma.



Raelynn and Cooper had a blast at Emma, Henry and Ian's birthday party. It was fun to watch them and even Cooper participated in all the fun. Terry and I had a great time at dinner with Cody and Steph as well. Steph makes me laugh so hard and when we're together I cannot help laughing at us both. We do the same stupid stuff! We catch each other literally doing the exact same thing or not understanding something that Terry and Cody think we should. It is truly comical. We had a really great time and I laughed all night long. It was also really nice to sit and eat an entire meal without getting up to get a glass of milk for someone, or to clean up a spilled drink, or to refill a plate, or to try to find something to keep Coop entertained at the table, or answer the phone.........it was great! The kids had a blast at Lisa's too. It was a great time for us all.



I know I constantly say how ornery Cooper is, but tonight topped the cake. I have no idea what got into the boy but I could hardly keep up nor could I stop laughing. It literally started as soon as we got home. I hung his coat up on his door knob and I had no more than turned my back to walk away and he had pulled it off. I put it back and took him to the kitchen with me. I was starting supper and he had went back to Raelynn's room. Pretty soon he returned to the kitchen eating a crayon. Yes, the boy that eats nothing decides to try a crayon. I dug it out of his mouth and told him no. With a smile he takes off back to Raelynn's room. Raelynn is not with him so I go back to check on him. He is nicely decorating Raelynn's walls with the crayon. I clean up the walls and again firmly tell Cooper no. As I am putting the cleaning stuff away I return to the kitchen to find Cooper has unrolled by entire roll of trash bags. I roll them back up and call Terry begging him to come to help me watch Coop while I try to finish dinner. While on the phone Cooper manages to empty an entire box of tea bags and pour instant potatoes all over the floor. I clean up that mess. He was like a tornado just going from one room to the other making a mess. While Raelynn was in the bath I was putting laundry away. I put our swimsuits in the bottom drawer and turned around long enough to pick up something else and Cooper manages to empty the entire bottom drawer I had just put the suits in. He did this literally in a matter of seconds. It lasted all night right up to the time we put him to bed. Each time I would get stern with him he would look at me and smile! He has this all figured out. He intentionally tries to get me worked up. In the mornings I always spike Coop's hair. Well now, as soon as I get it all perfect he reaches his cute little hand right on top of his head and just messes it all up. He just grins the whole time he does it. He thinks he is so funny and the truth is most of the time so do we. Raelynn and I try so hard to keep a straight face when he is doing something wrong but no matter how hard Raelynn tries she always ends up laughing which only encourages Cooper. Boy are we in for it!!!

Our weekend ws again much too short but this just gives us a reason to look forward to the next!