Christmas 2012 (in pictures)

Baby Daniel is Dedicated

In November (or was it December?) Daniel was dedicated at our church.  Dedication is where the parents get up in front of the whole congregation and dedicates their child to the Lord.  They promise to raise the child up knowing the Lord.  It was a really nice thing to see.  However, I was so busy enjoying the dedication that I forgot to take pictures!  Oops!  When Cheryl came back to sit down from dedicating Baby Daniel she turned to me and asked "did you take pictures?"  I guess she noticed me just sitting there smiling.  So after the service, we went and asked our pastor if we could take some pictures with him since I missed the opportunity earlier.  Our pastor is so awesome.  He said "of course" and even re-enacted his prayer over the parents so I could take a picture.

Ally's Our Rising Star

In December Ally was chosen as a Rising Star of her 4th grade classroom.  Ally was also a Rising Star (which was previously called Leader of the Pack) in kindergarten........

then in first grade and again in second grade.  She was not a Rising Star in 3rd grade because her teacher told the class that he would choose students who had never received the award.  Ally was not very understanding of her teachers criteria for Rising Star. But now that she is in fourth grade she is a Rising Star once again.  Great job Ally!

Ally and her friend Taylor

Halloween 2012

We returned from Disney World the day before Halloween.  So, that Wednesday, the kids had Singing Coyotes practice, swim lessons, and Ally's piano lesson.  On top of all of this, we still had to carve pumpkins before going trick or treating.  But in our awesomeness we got it all done.

Ryan was had chosen to be Darth Maul from Star Wars for Halloween.  We had bought his costume a few weeks before leaving for Disney World.  However, in Disney World he rode the Pirates of the Caribbean ride and became infatuated with Jack Sparrow.  So after much begging, we bought him a Jack Sparrow costume, which he chose to wear for Halloween.  Ally was Robin from Teen Titans.  I made her costume for her.  My nephew Daniel came over to our house to go trick or treating with us.  He was a baby monster, like he was last year.  A different type of monster though.

Here are the kids last Halloween.  You can see that Daniel was a  different type of monster.

The kids had a fun time trick or treating through the neighborhood.  Although I am always amazed, or shocked, how quickly my kids putter out on trick or treating.  Ryan usually quits after about 12 houses and Ally quits after about 15 houses.  Baby Daniel quit after his first Tootsie Pop.  These kids sure can't trick or treat like we did back when ;)

How is the MS?

Well, it depends the day you ask me.  I have actually been planning to write this post for some time. Some days I was going to title it "MS Sucks".  Other days I was going to title it "In God's hands".  It just depended on my attitude that specific day.

So, if you did not know by now, I am no longer working.  I took a year off for the 2010-2011 school year (one year after being diagnosed with MS).  I went back to work, full-time, for the 2011-2012 school year.  Within a month of working I started to realize that my fatigue was really impacting my job and home life.  So, I asked my principal if I could work part-time starting in the Spring semester.  I found even with working part-time I was hurting.  Not just with the fatigue, but actually physically hurting.  I had such terrible nerve pain.   In March I had to give my letter of intent for the upcoming school year.  I prayed asking God for guidance.  I enjoyed working.  I enjoyed teaching.  I enjoyed the students.  But, my family life was being negatively impacted.  And in that I got my answer.  There were times I had to actually tell Ally and Ryan not to touch me because the pain would radiate to wherever they were putting pressure on me.  So I put my resignation letter in, finished the school year, and became a stay at home mom.

Staying home this time is different from when I took the year off because it seems so permanent.  But, I am fortune that I do not need to work.  Henry's job provides nicely for our family.  So how is the MS?  Well, I definitely do not have as much energy.  I tire out very easily.  Some days are harder than others.  I try to go for a walk, around the neighborhood a few times of the week.  But there have been a few days here and there where I walk about half a block and have to turn around because my body is exhausted (even though I woke up just 2 hours earlier).  I take a nap almost everyday.  My new neurologist has prescribe something for the nerve pain, which is definitely helping.  But, I just constantly feel like I can not accomplish as much as I want to.  And my memory and thought process  just seems so cloudy.

But like I said, I am fortunate that I can stay home.  I am fortunate that my MS is not as bad as it could be.  I can still drive (which a friend of mine with MS can not).  I volunteer at the kids school to stay busy. I am still volunteering with AWANA.  And I have such caring and loving friends and family.  Blessed.

I just need to remember the lyrics to one of my favorite songs, My Savior, My God, whenever I am struggling.

I am not skilled to understand
What God has willed, what God has planned

I only know at His right hand, Stands one who is my Savior 

Disney World 2012

Henry, the kids and I went to Disney World at the end of October.  This was our second time vacationing at Disney World.  I tell people that we messed up on our Disney trips by going to Disney World in 2009 then Disneyland in 2011.  The reason I say we "messed up" is because Magic Kingdom at Disney World is an exact replica of Disneyland.  So, when we went to Disneyland after Disney World, it had a feeling as if we had all ready been there before.  So why return to Disney World?  Only because it has 4 major theme parks plus Downtown Disney!  In 2009 my favorite theme park was Epcot.  But this time my favorite park was Magic Kingdom.  When we went in 2009 my parents went with us.  So we had built in baby-sitting.  This time it was just the four of us.  The first time we went to Disney World Ryan rode all the roller coasters with Henry (he was only 4 years old!)  But this time, Ryan would not get anywhere near a coaster.  But now, Ally rode all the roller coasters with Henry.  It was neat to see how their interests and our interests had changed.  Also, the first time we went to Disney World we took tons of pictures.  In fact, I just looked at my blog posts from Disney World 2009 and saw that I blogged a different post for each theme park.  Not this time.  We did not take as many pictures.  Also, all of Disney World 2012 will be blogged on one post ;)

So without further adieu, here is our Disney World 2012.

Our first night at Disney World, at the Laua.

At Hollywood Studios.

At Epcot.

At Animal Kingdom.

At Magic Kingdom.

I love this pic.  These 2 so rarely hug each other.

 

Me and my very own Jack Sparrow.

The funny part of this picture and the previous 2 is we had no idea who these characters are.  We were hungry and stopped by a restaurant which was geared toward pre-school children.  My kids are so past this stage (Disney Jr.).

Picking Mr. Potato Head's nose.  Of course Henry set-up this picture.

At the princess' luncheon.

The best part of the princess lunch for Ryan.

Can you tell Ryan did not want to take a picture with a princess?

Let us out.

Whoooooa!!!!

The Pumpkin Patch

I know.  I am way behind on blogging.  I go through these phases where I have no desire to blog for months.  Guess I'm finishing one of these phases now.  Hopefully  :)

Well, in the middle of October Henry and I took the kids to the pumpkin patch in Moriarty.  We have been going to this specific pumpkin patch since Ally was just a little over a year old.

We went when Ally was 2, but not when she was 3, because we had 4-month old Baby Ryan and Baby Ryan hated being in his car seat.  There was no way we were going to attempt the drive to Moriarty.  We did go when Ryan was 16 months old.  In fact, we spent the night in a hotel in Moriarty. That is how much we love this pumpkin patch.

We have missed a year here or there for various reasons.  But, we did go this year.