Patrick's Second Day

I spoke to Patrick yesterday and he was in great spirits! He said physically it was an easier day and he really enjoyed the classroom time. I was so thankful to hear him so excited...it made today a little easier, and I am not quite as worried for him. The boys have been champions this week as well. Ryan was a bit of a handful last night, but we got home around 6:00 had a nice dinner (thank you Grandma Sue), the boys had baths, and it was bedtime. I even managed to get a load of laundry done and put clean sheets on the bed. The girls at work are getting me a house cleaner to come to the house every two weeks! Their generosity was very overwhelming, but so appreciated. She will probably start next week, so that should help with the heavy duty cleaning. The girls want for us to be able to spend time together as a family on the weekends. I am truly blessed to have such support and friendship! I can't wait to see Patrick tomorrow night. I think it is definitely true...absence does make the heart grow fonder.

Fall Has Arrived!

I am so thankful fall has finally arrived in the desert! The boys had such a great time on Sunday dusting off their bikes, trikes, and razors. Blake is doing fantastic on his two wheel bike and can now start and stop without any problems. Ryan is amazing us with his balance and coordination on the razor. They had such a great time enjoying the the cooler weather and being outside.

One Day Down and Counting

Well, we all managed to survive Patrick's first day in the academy. I was able to get all three kiddos up, dressed, and out the door by 6:55 this morning....five minutes earlier than I had planned! The kids were super helpful and there were no tears and very few complaints : ). We dropped off Evan at Grandma Sue's and Blake, Ryan and I managed to make it to school on time.

I was so nervous for Patrick all day. Every time I looked at the clock I said a little prayer for him. As 6:30 approached I began to really get nervous...they were supposed to done at 5:00. Thank God for Ashley, Josh's wife, who called feeling just as worried as I was that she had not heard from him yet. About ten minutes later I got the call. I asked him how he was feeling and he told me he was dying a little more as each minute past! He said that it was far worse than he had imagined, but he made through and was in the top 20 or so of the class. He said every muscle in his body ached. The more we talked, the calmer he seemed. I just pray he gets a good night sleep tonight.

Mom and Dad to the Rescue Again

Sometimes I think my mom can read my mind. She gave me a call this week to see if she and my dad could take the kids for the day. It was perfect timing! With Patrick leaving for the academy next week, it gave us a nice quiet day to spend together and get organized. The boys had a wonderful time, and of course my mom had lot's of pictures to share. My dad also stayed the next day to watch the kids while Patrick and I went to the academy orientation. We are so lucky to have my mom and dad there to help whenever it is needed. I don't know what I or the boys would do without them. Thank you Grandma and Grandpa!! We love you.

Homework

Blake was sitting at the kitchen table the other night working on his homework and I had to get a picture. I can't believe how grown up he is getting! He loves having homework...now if only that will last for the next 13 years!

Talavera Community Event

This morning we looked out our front window and noticed our street was lined with police cars. About an hour later, the park across from our house was setup for a big community event sponsored by the police department. We took the boys over for some Pels (frozen lemonade) and face painting. The boys were so excited to see the police dog demonstration, the police cars, and the police motorcycle. The boys can't believe that their dad will soon be an officer with his own police car.