Mandy and Jace

We just had an amazing week with our family. Everyone came in for family reunion and then stayed the week to visit everyone. We had a great time and I actually didn’t get hurt this time. Yes, it can be done. I can get through a vacation with out getting hurt. No burns, scratches, bruises or organs being removed. A great success if you ask me. Now, my house is back to normal and I only have 2 more loads of laundry. I accomplished this in only two days. I call it a miracle!

Well, we survived the Fourth of July with my family in Tulsa. We started out Thursday night and thankfully we only drove to Whichita Falls, Texas and stayed the night at the Hampton. (I love being a Hilton member!) Unfortunately the Hampton is pet free so we had to sneak lucky up to my parents room in a suitcase and he didn’t appreciate that. We got a good nights rest and got on the road Friday morning. We finally pulled into Tulsa about 1:00 just in time to help cook lunch. I think they wait on us so that they have more workers. Later when it got dark we watched my 5 year old cousin Keely do some fireworks. I was stupid enough to light a sparkler while she was holding it and burned my thumb very badly. I couldn’t take my thumb off the ice or I would be in agonizing pain so all night long I had to keep it on an ice pack. About three in the morning I woke up to a very wet and cold bed. The bag that I had ice in had leaked all over me and the bed. In order to fix the problem without waking Jace I slipped out of the bedroom and got a towel and layed it on the wet bed and tryed to go back to sleep. Finally, I was able to sleep about an hour and woke up pain free. Mom and grandma later told me that I was making so much noise through the night that they were praying that the pain would go away so that they could get some sleep. In between prayer, tears, ice and calls to our paramedic friends I somehow got through the night. The next day was much better we did some shopping and eating and the normal stuff you do when you are couped up in the house, watch tv. We went to the mall with my cousin Kathy and her daughter Keely and looked around for awhile. She really wanted to go to Build-a-Bear workshop but we wanted to stop by the Apple Store. After looking at the Apple Store for a while she proudly proclaimed, “The Apple Store is like Build-a-Bear for big kids!” I told her that she was exactly right. Sunday we came home and we are very happy to be here. I learned lots of lessons over the weekend however: split the drive into two days, be a hilton member because you get great upgrades and NEVER light a sparkler while a five year old holds it.

This is my first week that I haven’t had a class in a semester and it is feeling pretty good. I took my last test in microbiology last Tuesday and I was sure that I failed the class. I was almost ready to rethink my major when I looked at my grades and saw that I made a B. I have no earthly idea how I pulled it off but I did. I still think that she added wrong or something. (Wouldn’t be surprised at all coming from that teacher) I am so happy that it is over. I just have to take a few more classes and I can apply for nursing school and hopefully finish up in about 4 semesters (that sounded shorter than two years).

These are some photos I took of the windmill farm that is on the other side of Stanton. I admit the photos aren’t very good but these farms are massive. There was probably at least 300 windmills in this one farm and there are several farms between Midland and Abilene. Next time we go by I am going to make sure I have our big camera to take a closer and better photo.

For everyone who didn’t know SATURDAY was St. Patrick’s Day. Not today. We looked on the almighty internet and found out that since today is a Holy Day that they moved St. Patrick’s Day to Saturday. Anyway, we decided at the last minute on Friday that we wanted to have a St. Patrick’s Day party. So I went to Target and picked up all kinds of green decorations and hats and desserts and planned a party. It turned out great. We played rock band most of the night and the boys watched Boondock Saints. (I went to bed, I don’t like that movie) It was a great evening.