When it rains, it POURS (and ramblings from a semi-coherent woman)

Hey all,
  You know that old saying...well, we haven't had any real rain around here lately, and my flowers are all showing it, but my life has been hit hard with a hurricane of responsibilities, obligations, events and STUFF lately.  In the last month we've had a 4-day trip to see my grandparents, Halloween, Chris' birthday, 3 doctor appointments, a long-weekend trip for Chris and me to Nashville, my birthday, parties at school, events at school, youth football games, high school football games, a trip to the ER for stitches (details to follow), birthday parties (besides family ones for Chris and me), and this week is consumed with Homecoming Duties as Emma is serving as the Little Queen this weekend!!!!!

  I'm not sure I've sat down for more than 15 minutes in a row except to drive somewhere!  Don't get me wrong, I love my life and every blessing in it, but I told Chris the other day that Christmas is going to be here before I have time to turn around and put the Halloween decorations away (don't judge...I'm working on it!)He just reminded me that life is a roller coaster and before we turn around twice Emma and Oren will be graduating from high school and we'll still be busy then.

  And that's one thing I've really thought about lately.  If I get so busy racing through life to "get it all done" I'm missing the point of being here and having things to do.  So, I'm taking a minute to blog, eat an Oreo or 2, and write down some things I wanted to show ya'll and some things I'd like to get done in the next little bit.  So here goes...

   Last Wednesday, Emma was sitting at the coffee table in the living room coloring and when she got up to get a new crayon her hand slipped on a paper she'd laid on the arm of the couch and her face smacked the arm HARD.  Now, understand, the couch is completely padded, but that little face hit so hard that the skin just burst open and she squalled!  I knew immediately that this was a trip to the ER/Dr. office kind of cut and I called Chris who was still working at school (since we were due to leave on our trip to Nashville the next day!!) and told him to hurry home because Emma was busted open.  When it comes to the kids getting hurt, I am the picture of calm (and it's the only place in life I'm really super calm, so I guess that's good) and when I called Em's pediatrician they told me to just go on to the ER since it was 4:45 and we live 30 minutes away and two towns over from them and the hospital.  Ahhh, life in a small town....  So when Chris got home we loaded her up and drove over.  The nurses and doctors in the ER were great and fast tracked her so we could get her cleaned up.  It took 7, yes, I said 7 stitches and a Hello Kitty bandaid to get my girl put back together and she handled it like a champ, even when Oren told Chris "Hey, text Emma and tell her I think she stinks!"  Oh, love from a 4-year-old!  Chris treated us to supper afterwards and I was very grateful!



Excuse the picture...cell phones in emergency rooms don't make for great picture quality!


  We almost cancelled the trip, but it's one Chris and I take every other year for the Florida/Vanderbilt football game.  It's usually in between our birthdays, and we always go out for a nice dinner and see a show at the Grand Ole Opry while we're in Nasvhille.  I was a little (okay, A LOT) worried about leaving Emma, but she was stitched up by then and looking forward to spending the weekend with Grandma, so we went.  We had a great time.  Sometimes it takes getting away from your everyday life for a couple of days to realize how much you love it!  We ate REALLY well and spent time just talking which was great.  Oh, and the Gators won, so that helped a little too!

  This week, my favorite (only) sister came over and took me out for pedicures and lunch for my birthday before we went back to the doctor to get Em's stitches out.  And after I finally got home after a bunch of errands, Chris had my favorite supper cooked and ready to eat!  What a great way to turn 31, huh? 

  Oh, and I didn't even mention my birthday present...Chris bought me a Silhouette!!!!  I've been trying and trying to win one in all of the giveaways going on in blogland, but he heard me mention it on the plane to my grandparents, dug out the magazine I'd been looking at when we got home and ordered it for me with no real idea of what it was!  I've been playing with it a little, but it's going to get it's first real workout tomorrow when we make Homecoming signs for the parade.  Emma and her little King get to ride in the parade together and us Moms are making signs for the car.  I'll definitely be back with posters and pictures this weekend or early next week.

 Okay, enough rambling....I'm off to clean the house since my wish for a maid or a magic wand haven't come true.  I guess you can't get everything, huh?  Otherwise, life is pretty good!  Busy, but good!