Soccer Seriously...

I mean serious soccer. I had no idea when signing up for Sunflower Soccer what we were in for. Seriously... these people mean business. I should have known after our first game against the "SHARKS" that our little team was in trouble. I thought this would be a great way to get Maya some exercise, introduce her to soccer, and have some fun. Well we have done those things and also found out how competitive she is and how crazy about sports her parents still are. We are over half way though with the season. Maya is loving it. She is doing well and is SERIOUS on the field. She is aggressive and means business when she plays. She cheers (yells) from the sidelines for her team and gets fired up when the other team scores a goal. I love it! Jayson and I are both enjoying seeing this part of her. We hope it continues and that she enjoys playing sports because we sure do LOVE watching her!

MAYA'S PERSONAL SeRiOuS CHEER SECTION (ha)

Time is a tickin'

TIME IS A TICKIN'

Well, haven't posted in a lonnnnggg time but, wanted to let you all know we are on a major countdown until Jayson takes the Missouri Bar. He will be leaving on Monday 23rd. He will be traveling to Jefferson City MO with a law school friend. Then he will be taking the BAR on the 24th and 25th.

He has been studying like crazy and he is ready to get it done. He will be upset with this picture but, I have to send it. He has been staying over at the school and then coming home to study as well. The other night this is how I found him.

Can't wait for this part of our law school experience to be over.

Graduation

Jayson Graduates!!!

YeAh JaY!

We are so proud of Jayson. Proud isn't the correct word. I'm not sure there is a word to describe how we feel about his accomplishment. He graduated last Friday. The kids and I attended the ceremony along with Jayson's parents.

I love the way Maya is looking at him in this picture!!!

We were so happy and excited. It is so hard to believe that he is finished with school. Well, actually has a final tomorrow but, then he is done. Then as Jayson puts it the biggest test of his life. THE BAR. He is taking it in Missouri. He will begin studying in January and will take the Bar in Jefferson City on February 26 and 27.

YEAH JAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Run Forrest Run!!!

A funny... Some day I am going to get a picture of this to post. I PROMISE! There is a guy (I'm guessing he is a law student) who is late to his classes daily. I usually see him at a full blown sprint toting his bag on wheels behind him. He is running towards the law school and is looking at his watch. Maybe its mean but I laugh every time I see him. I can't help it. It takes all the self control I have not to yell out the front door, "Run Forrest Run!!!!" I really will try and keep a camera a little closer. Maybe it will make you smile as well. The part I am intrigued by is that it happens so often so I'm wondering, does he oversleep, can't find a parking place, likes to watch the Today show, doesn't have a working alarm clock, the possibilities are endless? Maybe I will never know but, I do enjoy the comedy of it while sipping my morning coffee. Is that bad? Maya says today..."Mommy why is that guy running with his suitcase?"
Stay tuned for a photo of the running law student...

BUSY WEEKEND (October 10-12)

We had a busy weekend. I just got my camera in the mail (thanks mom). We had several exciting events. I took a lot of pictures. I will try and narrow them down to my favorites. We drove to STL on Thursday so we could spend Friday with my family. So, on Friday afternoon we went to the pumpkin patch, Pumpkins Galore in Wright City Missouri. My mom went to school with some of owners of the patch. They had so many cool things for the kids to see and do. We saw all possible farm animals (pigs, cows, horses, chickens, turkeys, dogs, cats, goats). The kids loved playing in the corn, wheat, and soy beans. They played on the playground while Grandma and I went to the barn to look at their crafts. I even saw my Kindergarten teacher there. Too cool. We had a great time with Grandma Wright at the pumpkin patch.

Maya

absolutely loved the "Farm Smell" of the horses.

Forgot about the adventure before the pumpkin patch....... Grandma found an Awesome Thomas the Train set on a garage sale with like a gizillion bridges, tracks ect. I started putting it together Friday morning. Isaiah would not leave until we tried this baby out. Then I got frustrated and Jayson decided to take over. Jayson had enough and Grandpa helped us out. THANK GOD FOR GRANDPA. An hour later Isaiah finally got to play with Thomas. And it was really cool. He LOVED it. It had a helicopter, trains and Bertie the bus that had his own road. It was worth the headache. The kids played with it all weekend. They loved it and had a wonderful time.

Sorry Grandpa I had to put this picture in here. It was too cute!

Yeah ISAIAH finally got to PLAY!

Next was the wedding. Jayson's cousin was married in Clayton Missouri on Saturday. It was an absolutely beautiful day. Really couldn't have been a better day for a wedding. We attended the wedding and when I say attended I mean Jayson and I took turns carrying various kids out to have a talk, go to the bathroom, feed you know the normal parent stuff. I guess it was a beautiful ceremony from the little bit I saw. HA! Anyway here are some pictures from the wedding.

This is why Jayson never gets the camera. He thinks it's soooooo funny to take "THESE" kinds of pictures. Ha ha Jayson!

Party till you drop or your momma makes you stop. This was the scene after five minutes in the car.

Between the wedding and the reception we had a few hours to spare. One of my past students/players from Gower lives in O'Fallon which was about 30 minutes from the reception site. So, we decided to pay a visit to Sarah (Quirk) Peck. She is a Labor and Delivery nurse in STL. So, she had many a phone calls from me with Layla's complications. Thanks Sarah for being such a great friend, listener, and nurse. She is a new momma herself and here we are with our little ones. Sarah's little boy is a few weeks old. His name is Liam. Sarah is a wonderful mom and friend. I am lucky to have met her and hope to keep in touch. It is so crazy to think how we met and became friends. It has been really cool to see her grow and graduate and then get married and start a family. I love ya Sarah!

The very last "event" of our weekend was attending church with my mom and dad. This was not the church that I was raised in. My parents have moved since I have lived in Warrenton. They attend a small country church near their home. Whenever we come down Maya has gotten in the habit of singing a song in church. We usually practice before we come down. This time Maya decided to sing an old hymn, "When we all get to heaven". She practiced with a CD that I have at home and then practiced with Grandma when we got to her home. Then she decided since Grandma had a guitar that she needed to have one too. This really was so incredible to see and hear her sing this song. I wished that I would have video taped this. It was great. She sang loud and she strummed that princess guitar like she knew EXACTLY what she was doing. My mom sang as well and played the mandolin. There weren't very many dry eyes after this song. How wonderful!

Short mommy message to Maya:

I am so proud of you Maya you did a wonderful job! I hope you continue using the gifts God gave you to make others happy. I love you!

FRIENDS

Maya has a new friend.
So adorable. So, Maya has been talking about her friend Piper from school. I guess they have planned sleepover parties and various other get togethers'. Maya informed me the other day that Piper brought clothes to school for the sleepover. Too cute... anyway I went in with Maya to school today so I could meet Piper. It was all to precious. Maya came into the classroom about the same time as Piper. She introduced me with big smiles and then Maya's teacher came to talk. I told her I was just stopping in to meet Maya's new friend. It was a huge request on Maya's part. In our short conversation Mrs. Knott told me that Maya and Piper are great friends. As Mrs. Knott is saying this Maya grabs her friends little hand and off they go hand in hand. I am loving every minute of it. It was so cute. Just one of those moments when you realize your kiddos are growing up. Also, so happy for her to be making friends. I'm so glad she is enjoying her new friend. To have/make friends is such an important part of our life!

30 years and 1 day thankful

Big thank you to Maya for this wonderful picture of her mother and the lovely crown. Yep, it's official I am now OLD! Happy 30th to me. Wow, so much to be thankful for in these past thirty years. I can only hope that my life will be as wonderful as these past 30 years. So many changes in the first 30. From baby, to kid, to teenager, to adult, to college graduate, to wife, to teacher/coach, and now the best... to mother. I am so blessed to be where I am and doing what I am doing. I have an incredible husband, 3 beautiful children, wonderful friendships, loving parents, and a life I love. If only I could talk to my 15 year old self and tell her what treasures/blessings await her in her next 15 years. What will the next years bring? Hopefully they will be as wonderful as the previous.