It's just been crazy...

Well, I worked out on Thursday and again today... It was so nice to sweat and to lift and to remember that my body can work and stretch this way. Ever since June, I can't remember another time when I worked out again within a two day time block. Wow. It's just been crazy...

Although I'm sad about the end of tennis season, I have to admit that I'm happy to see a light at the end of the tunnel... Fair queen stuff is lightening up... only two more appearances scheduled in 2011. Emmy's last soccer game is tomorrow.

We've been up to our eyebrows in applications too... We just mailed Chelsea's state fair queen app today, and we sent her Gold Award app a few weeks ago. (However, in a two steps forward, one step back scenario, she has to send in a bit more info via e-mail over the week-end.) The big goal now involves college applications. Chelsea's applying to University of Oklahoma, Baylor, and Butler. The Oklahoma one has been submitted, and the other two should be finalized tomorrow... praise God. Chelsea and I are headed out west to visit OU and Baylor over the first week-end in November so she should have a better idea of what she likes and wants after that trip.

Britti is also in transition. An opening occurred in the county extension office, and Britti landed the temporary program assistant position. She's finishing her master's thesis, working 30 hours a week in the extension office, and also working a part-time job as a tutor in an after school program to help make ends meet. Blessedly, she loves both jobs so life is good (but busy!) in Britti world :)

Ellie-Kate continues to be one of the most charming, happy, and fun little girls ever. She eagerly flings her arms around us and exclaims, "I love you, Mommy (or Daddy)!!" We're a bit concerned about her lungs right now, and we just added another medicine to prevent a repeat of last year's battle with pnemonia. Otherwise, she's absolutely loving pre-school, and she knows all of the other kids (and their parents), and she adores playing on the playground and in the gym. She's excited about wearing her new Jasmine costume to the school Harvest party on Friday.

Emmy had fun with soccer, and she's becoming quite the little social butterfly at school. She has a neat friend group (albeit filled with little pre-teen drama), and she's excited about running for president of student council in the upcoming student council elections. Roger is going to be coaching her traveling basketball team, and practice starts this week-- of course, right after soccer ends. Never a dull moment!

As always, at this time of year, I reflect and remember 2008... spotting that beautiful, breath-taking picture of two intensely alert and captivating brown eyes in the top left corner of pictures on the Living Hope website. Praise God for drawing me to Ellie-Kate!! Praise God for our friends who encouraged us to pursue her, in spite of the scary sounding issues listed on the special needs website!! Praise God for allowing us to be the first ones to say "YES!!" to our amazing baby on November 2, 2008!! Just praise God... I can't even imagine our family without our Ellie-Kate. She has no idea how much that she has brought to our lives... Well, maybe she does... a bit...

Thanks for reading and for following our family. Sorry that the blog updates have been few and far between since June. Hopefully, we'll be able to upload more regularly in the coming months :)

Take care, and God bless--

Christie