Hello All!

Okay, you've got me hooked. First it was Facebook, now I've got a Blog for the Family. Thanks for the inspiration Heather H., Shauntae, and Jennifer. I've got a bunch of pictures to put on this thing so please be patient.

Things are going well for our family regardless of the trials that have been dealt to us.

The boys have been in school for almost a month now and are just doing great! Jason started Junior High this fall- 6th grade. He's already knee deep into it all. He made the Golf and Tennis teams, he's playing the viola in the Orchestra, and if I could only get the girls to stop calling him everything would be perfect in my book! Calvin has decided to devote his time to the school's Student Council. This last month they held school elections and Calvin was voted in as School President. Calvin started the 3rd Grade and is loving every minute of it. He's also very involved with the Cub Scouts Pack 268 (whoo-whoo). His very first camp-out will be in 2 weeks, so he's ecstatic!

Jeremy is still in good spirits with his time in Iraq. He will be home at the end of the month, hopefully. The last 6 months have been tough without him, but I'm just thankful it was only 6 months. We are surrounded by families who will be without dad's and mom's for up to 18 months. So in our eyes the 6 month tour was a blessing. Jeremy's really looking forward the the little things that we overlook everyday- homecooked meals, baths, hugs and kisses. And we're so looking forward to him coming home too.

As for me, well it's been tough the last few weeks. It was about 2 weeks ago I had a Bell's Palsy attack. It's where the 7th cranial nerve is either infected by a virus or some sort of trauma occurs to it. Anyway, the right side of my face has been paralyzed. Luckily, this is only temporary, but is a pain in the butt none the less. I was given a blessing that I will be healed from this in time. And I can already feel a tingling sensation in my cheek and chin. I am also able to blink my eye now, so yes I am progressing. It has been a wake up call to me that I take on too much- as most of us do. So for the next little while I'm going to try to relax, I did say try right?

Other than that life is good. We are so blessed to have a wonderful family and friends who are always there for us- thank you! We love you.

-M-