Hello out there in Bloggerland!

That almost looks like it says Boogerland, doesn't it? :) Anyway...I hope you are all doing well. Hopefully I can start catching up on reading your blogs so I find out for myself how you are doing! I obviously haven't posted in almost a month but what you don't know is that I haven't read any other blogs in that same time period so I feel very behind. I have had a lot of computer work and things going on at home that have kept me from blogging faithfully and I have missed you all!

Here's a (semi) quick rundown of what's been going on...

1. J's class has been on one of 4 end of the year field trips, we toured the dump, the water waste management plant and the recycle center all in one morning. All of which were very interesting and 2 of which were very stinky! (upcoming trips include the zoo...J's NOT so favorite...darn peacocks!, the planetarium & the art museum!!) Here are a few pics for you:

The recycle center...this was cool, they weighed us as a class and we were right over a ton...geez!

The waste water treatment plant (sewer plant)

The County Landfill (dump)

2. J is actually more ready for school to be over than ever. He is more tired than I remember him being last year and that is not making things any easier. I actually just found a wonderful blog written by a college age boy who has cerebral palsy and he described it this way...that working on standing, getting up to walk and doing other things that are common for most of us, require extra cognitive energy for kids with CP...they do get more tired than other kids. Next week is Math TAKS, then we can relax a bit more!

3. We decided 2 weeks ago that we will go ahead and have surgery this June on his hamstrings. Our usual doc, Dr. Brock (listing his name here b/c if any of you have children w/ANY kind of physical trouble, he is the doc to see. I have 3 friends who use him all for completey different things and we didn't even know we had that in common at first. He's wonderful!)...anyway, Dr. B wants to lengthen both hamstrings on both legs. We weren't sure about this b/c we had heard of a new procedure called Percs that was less invasive (and J wouldn't have full leg casts). We even visited w/the doc in Galveston last summer to talk about it. Dr. B was supportive either way, but after talking it over with J, he decided he was more comfortable with Dr. B. Then, as God does like to surprise us so often...I was surprised (and happy) to find out while talking to Dr. B's nurse 2 weeks ago, that Dr. B is now looking into Percs. MAYBE, in the next few years, he'll be performing it, if he finds it appropriate. J, of course, while not excited about any surgery, is much more concerned about how he will sit to play his video games b/c last time he had almost full leg casts, he was on his stomach most of the time to play. Gotta have priorities, right? ;)

4. T's gun safe locked up on him (kind of ironic, huh?) and he hasn't been able to check on his "babies" in a month...this created a bit of a cranky dad around our home. Well...I can't blame just that, but that started it...then work became nuts...he was just having a bout of rotten luck I guess you could say. All is well that ends well, however, as the locksmith made it out last week and fixed the safe. I think I only saw T for about 10 min. that night, the rest of the evening he was in his "man cave" (the gun room) staring at his long lost guns! No pics, guess I should have done that...DUH! I'll take one of him later and add it ;)

5. My friend and I have been spending quite a bit of time working on digital scrapbooking...we are actually spending that time getting to know Photoshop Elements...let me re-phrase again...we are spending time wanting to strangle our computers and PSE (hence the "being on the computer a lot lately but not blogging!). We are hoping to open an online digi scrappin' store soon...more details to come...if we can get this all figured out...or even part way figured out...

My second home lately (thanks Deb and OG girl!!!)

6. MY DAD!! I know you've been impatiently waiting to read this one. Dad is doing great, actually! Last Friday, I was able to drive w/him to Waco for a native plant sale. Most of you know, (I think?) that my Dad is all about butterfly host plants. That is all he will grow now, and grow them he does. Their front and back yard are full and mom just shakes her head...she gave up fighting it long ago. Anyway...we drove in Friday to spend the night so it wouldn't be a one day trip. Sat. we headed early to Baylor for the plant sale and met Batgirl there (AG ), she was wanting some input from Dad on salvia's and such. We were able to eat lunch with her too before heading back home. It always does my heart and soul so much good to see her in person, even for a few hours (yes, we talk on the phone all the time, but you know how it is in person!). Dad drove the whole way there, we stopped a few times to walk a bit for the clot. He looked so much better, sounded so much better. He's my Dad again. He (and all of us) are still a bit anxious for the Pet scan which will be on May 11th and he is REALLY ready for that darn catheter to be gone (appt. this Friday to see when this can happen...be in prayer for that!!) . But, his frustration level seems to have gone down and his energy level has by far gone up. It was a great trip! Here are some pics of that (yea, it was nice and rainy by the time we checked out and needed to load the plants):

7. Easter was a wonderful, relaxing day for us. After a glorious morning at church celebrating our freedom in our risen Lord (our worship team did about 11 Hillsong songs we had worked on for several months, it was great praise! while our pastor and my favorite bible study teacher both read narratives in between songs), we actually hit Dairy Queen for lunch (yep, you read that right) and J enjoyed his Easter bunny loot. We just hung around the house, taking the day to rest and relax.

The third Diary of a Whimpy Kid, he started reading it that afternoon! gotta love it when they love to read :)

8. J's car came in 2nd in his Bear group at the Pinewood Derby! He came in first overall. We will be heading to the Districk competition again this Saturday so I'll update ya on that later! Here are a few pics from the derby.

Ok...before I lose you all completely b/c this is so incredibly long-winded (or long-typed?), I'll stop for now. Plus, I can't remember everything at one sitting (can't even blame age for that, I've always been that way!)

Hope you have a wonderful evening!