WHAT A GREAT WEEKEND.....

My Aunt Barbara from McDonald, KS came to visit us this weekend. I have to say I was a little cautious about her visit because it has been years since she has been able to leave the farm. However, things went great. The kids were able to bond with her and I think she had a great time too. She pitched right in with meals and even got Cooper up on Monday morning while I finished getting ready for work. I was really happy to spend some real time with her.


Steph came up as well and we always enjoy her company. It is funny how now Steph is so grown up and working so hard to take care of her responsibilities and budget her money. I must say my little sisters have been very spoiled but she is doing great. I love having her close and I think we have really been able to become friends this year. I can't wait for Karli to make it down this way too. Hopefully she'll have sense enough to come a little further east than Steph did, hahaha!

Cooper is really becoming quite the comedian. He thinks he is hilarious! Tonight it seemed like he was on high speed all night chasing us around the house and looking for something new he could do to make us laugh. He is really getting quite a personality. Terry and I sat and watched him after Raelynn went to bed and were remembering how things had been just 9 short months ago. Looking back on things, Cooper was really a mess when he was a "baby". Before his 2nd surgery he cried all the time and with the vigorous feeding and medicine schedule we really were struggling. Terry said he remembers walking around with Cooper just trying to keep his crying to a whimpering and thinking he had no idea how we were going to make it through all of this. Now we look at Cooper and are so thankful for the strength and patience we were given. I can't help but think it was during that time that Terry and I really figured out the whole parenting thing. Not that anyone really "figures" it out, it is a constant learning process but I wonder if we would cherish our family like we do now if we would not have went through those tough times. I am so thankful really that we did because Terry and I learned to work together, patience, love and so many other things. I just know that we are extremely lucky and I am not sure what we had done in the past to deserve everything we have received but I do know I am doing everything I can to show how thankful I am now and pass on our great fortune.

Cooper is going through that attachment time. He cries every time I leave him and although I am thankful he loves me, it breaks my heart. Walking out of Lisa's is probably the hardest thing I do every morning next to rolling out of bed at 4:15am :)
Raelynn is also going through a phase. She is choosing words like, "no", "fine" and any other short phrase to let me know she does not agree with me or that she is participating but not willingly. Obviously I am not a huge fan of this so we had to have a little talk about respect. I told her we needed to find different words to let me know how she feels without disrespecting me. I give her examples to use and try to remind her when the situation arises. We have been doing this for about a week now. It is not aweful by any means but I just think these things need addressed quickly and sternly. Tonight she was being pretty cranky when we were getting ready for her bath. I was attempting to help her get undressed and she started to tell me "No!". She stopped herself and very calmly said, " I would like to get ready for my bath myself." I could not have been happier. I thanked her for her politeness, kissed her on the cheek and told her when she needed my help just let me know and left her to get undressed herself. She was smiling at how nicely it had worked and I was celebrating on the inside that maybe she is getting it! Oh how such small victories seem so amazing!

GAME DAY PHOTOS!