Fall is just around the corner!

I started photo-bloggin' about my tree on Ten's birthday, the first day of Spring. Now here we are September 20th, what I would say is the first day of Fall.The calendar says it's on Saturday, but that works too!

 

 

 

 

With the crisp air, the chance to sleep with the windows open, the leaves starting to change, and football season... yep, I said football... we know Fall is in the air. Enjoy the season, it just doesn't last long enough for me.

And Baby Made Three

Life can throw you a curve ball every so often. In our family's case, they are in the form of brand new babies. We got a call last Thursday from the adoption agency... "How are you guys? So, what are you doing for the next few days?" By Saturday evening I had our third baby girl in my backseat and was praying for safety as I drove her home.

Our little sleepover lasted two nights. Two nights that have left Scott and I extremely tired! I'm flat out WHOOPED!! I'm almost too old for this middle of the night business. Thank goodness it was only 2 nights, she/we were up a ton. Thankfully Scott is just as committed to this that he is a huge help. I think he did more than me last night... shhh, don't tell him I said so.

Good grief, her new parents will love her to pieces... sleepless nights and all. We handed her over this evening to very shocked and thrilled first time parents. Tennison was in love again, Reagan had nicknames, Whitney wanted to keep her, and I want to keep in touch!! We will too, they already said we're family and stuck with them. I love this part of the job, new extended family. It is like we've had 3 of our own, loved on 3 for a time and will have all 6 forever in our lives!!

Babies are a blessing in whatever form and fashion they come into our families. We're so honored to be a part of each of these little girl's lives. Tennison has put in an order for a boy next time.

B2S 6-8 p.m.

That means back to school night for Reagan... written in pink, her color, on our calendar. Specific colors for each of us means we know right away who is where and when!! Just the facts ma'am.

Ok, so being in a high school again makes you feel like you're going to high school again. By third period I could tell what each of these adults must have been like when they were freshmen, juniors, whatever. This one dude came flying by me with his plaid shirt tucked into his jean shorts, cranked to his chin with a belt strapped tight and was seriously on a mission. I thought, nerd! Sorry, but really, it is back to school night you don't have to be on time, there is no grade buddy. Then there was Scott and I. When I stopped to say hi to a friend he's standing there like, Come on Kissel, let's go! I'm thinking, We have time!  I can guarantee you he never ditched a high school class... not a one. Again, I'm pretty sure this was who we were in high school.

I wrote a not about each teacher during the night as we went from class to class. Here is the break down on her teachers without using their names, listed in class order:

1. Rock Star, looks like Pat Benatar. Reagan said she told the kids she used to dress punk rock, "I think she still does because she wears black eyeliner all around her eyes." She told my fellow mom-friend, "Love ya" on the way out of class. Ugh.
2. No Show! She had her own B2S to attend. I know I would have loved her, I loved her room. Art teacher! I asked Reagan if I could volunteer in the class for free art lessons. She'd rather poke her eyes out than have me volunteer. I was only (slightly) kidding!
3. Miss Outdoorsy Lovin' Her Job! I mean really, you get to teach photography all day to kids who actually want to be there!! That is the life. I was so pumped when Reagan said they have a dark room, get to use film cameras, and develop their film. That was such a highlight to my junior high experience. The smell brought me right back!
4. Happy Pappy! She came bustin' in the room like she was ready to sell us some Pampered Chef items. Loved the enthusiasm. She went from being a chemist at a pharmaceutical company to teaching high school biology - God bless her!!
5. Give me an "E", give me an "N"...! I couldn't decide if we were in flight attendant school or in cheer leading practice. SHE LOOKED 12!!! I'm sure she'll teach 'em sum good englush. But my, oh my, how did I get to be this much older than my kids teachers?
6. Hmmm... that is all I can say! The other thing I can say is, Praise God I don't have to take history again... and especially from him. Sadly, his last name practically mirrors ours.
7. Dig the curtains! Mr. French Teacher had some slammin' decor. The homemade curtains with happy fabric made me chuckle. Funnier yet? The dude was a fellow bagel employee with Scott. So glad he didn't do anything illegal while we knew him :) Oh, he's also from France. Could that be even cooler?
8. Miss Perfect, prim and proper ready to go. She may have been 12 and a half, still super young. She is the Advisory teacher. This is a class where they have 25 fellow freshmen they travel with over their 4 years in high school. They'll get to know each other through team building, college prep, and other things I can't remember. But what I do remember is that this is the group she'll sit with at graduation. Too cool.

There you have it. I now have faces with names and humor to go along with it. When I hear about the punk rocker I'll know exactly who she's talking about and secretly wonder if she really does "love ya" when she says it. And when she's in French I'll smile thinking about his accent and his curtains.

Happy B2S night everyone!!!

Week of Change

This week has been full of change for sure. Not only did school start for our kids, Reagan is trying out the bus ("they are all slightly scary with a few exceptions"), Whitney did softball try-outs all week, and Tennison has a lot going on with school and recess and football and friends... and slept in until 7:50 when I woke him up this morning!!

Scott turned 41... happy forty-oneth!!

All said and done, I think I had the most change this week... well, physically at least. I had another basal cell removed last week and asked for this bump on my arm to be taken off too. It was something that started growing in May and my dermatologist had a name for it, but no concern. When I was there last week I said, "It's buggin' me, can you get this too?" He took it off, a big hole was left behind like a bullet wound - it got smaller as it healed. I got a call Monday, "Hi, I have your biopsy results, give me a call." That is never good. Called back and this is the first time I've been told I have a melanoma...

mel·a·no·ma/ˌmeləˈnōmə/

Noun:

A tumor of melanin-forming cells, typically a malignant tumor associated with skin cancer.

After a few tears we made an appointment for Thursday to have it taken out completely. My doctor came in looking baffled at me, they never show up like this did - no color, no mole, no nothin'!! Looked like a zit almost. He said it was my persistence that allowed us to catch it in the superficial stage - meaning not deep. So glad. Brace your self, here is the result of my being persistent...

My view! What I look down at, behind my left arm, on my tricep.

He needed a 1 centimeter border to remove a clean border.

He drew a 2 centimeter circle around my "bullet wound"

to make sure he could then close it up well. Ugh!

Scott's legs made it into this shot...

Talk about a good husband. He watched the whole thing, never got sick, even took pics and videos if you are the kind of wing-nut who wants to see!! He was getting ready to bandage it back up. I was scared to leave it exposed.

Count 'em baby!! 25 ever lovin' stitches!

Persistence got me those!!!

That is my arm straight by my back...

really hoping that spot fills in!!

 

My soapbox just got bigger and I'm warning you now: If you don't wear sunscreen in my presence I will tell you to wear it and proceed to point to all my spots! Then I'll leave you alone and give you my dermatologists name if you need him.

 

So glad the week is over!! I hope you had a wonderful week of change too!!

Sunset and the Tree

Today was the first day of 7th grade...

   and 3rd grade....

They both had a great first day. Tennison came to the car saying, "Best teacher ever!" Whitney started softball tryouts so she came to the car saying, "I'm so ready for bed!"

And so the sun sets on our summer vacation. Say good-bye tree...

Good-bye!

How did this happen?

One day you decide it is time to have kids. Then one day you have a baby. This baby is your world and you fall in love faster than you ever thought possible.

~ Reagan Grace with the Pretty Face ~

One day your baby goes to kindergarten...

... and then the next day, she goes to high school. How did this happen? I mean, how is it that she could even leave me? Doesn't she want to home school and be near me all day? No? I don't want that either. Don't get me wrong, I love her and I'll miss her while she is in that big ol' high school, but this is the best for her. It is her next big chance to spread her wings even further. We know the next step is even further from me. I mean at this rate it will be tomorrow that she goes to college.

Reagan Grace with the Pretty Face

on her first day of high school.

Looking back making sure she is doing ok

& her nerves are in check.

Bye sweet girl... sure you want to leave me?

I went on a walk and thought about her wondering what she was doing and if she was ok. I got all choked up when Katy Perry's Firework came on my iPod... "You're original you cannot be replaced, If you only knew what the future holds...Baby, you're a firework, Come on, let your colors burst." Ugh, I clinched my hand picturing me holding hers, letting her know I was thinking of her.



She did great and she had a good day!

Here is to four great years in high school!

I can't wait to see what God has in store for her.

* To my friends with kids starting kindergarten this week, brace yourselves... it flies by!

Our Technicolor Summer

Reagan discovered a feature on our camera... you can choose to highlight a single color! Here is a glimpse of our summer in technicolor!

 7-Eleven will go down as a big ol' highlight of our summer!

We need a pitcher, not a belly itcher!

Throw him some heat Ten.

 

Same plant, different highlight.

Our neighbors flowers.

Happy summer ~ add a little color to your day!!