Soccer has Started!!!

Ah, we are back on the soccer fields once again! Practice started this last week with Bailey's practice being on Thursday.

Now as it turned out, Paul had left all the soccer stuff with me the week before because he was going out of town and had in his head that practice started that week for some reason. So he calls to tell me that he will be flying into Atlanta in time to get to the practice (as he is the coach this season). Later, he tells me if he isn't there to get them started and he will be in there shortly. Okay, not a problem, it's not like I never played soccer before, and I love the game!

Well, I'm getting them started, have spoken with all the parents about what is going on, and all the gave out all the announcements Paul wanted passed on that I get a phone call from him saying he is stuck behind a wreck and may not make it in, even though he is only ten to twenty minutes down the road (he refuses to learn the back roads or this wouldn't be a problem!!!). So in the constant rain, I coached those boys for an hour!

Practice was suppose to be til 7pm but the parents were tired of the rain after an hour and asked if they could go home. I told them it was fine as I really needed to get to cheerleading practice by 7 anyway. But we had already called Charity and told her that we would be a little late due to what I was having to do and she was fine with that because we are always early! Well, by the time we got all the boys to their proper parents, answered questions, loaded up all the stuff, and got to cheerleading it was 7:10 - so we were still late! Oh well, no harm, no foul!

Now Bailey on the other hand had issues the entire practice. If he didn't do just perfectly then he squatted down and pouted for 15-20 minutes at a time. It was just awful!! Hopefully (maybe hopefully) he will do better for Paul next week.

What's Missing???

Cheerleading Pictures

I just wanted to share a couple of pictures from Jamboree! I don't have any pictures from the first game though I am pretty sure Brittani's dad took some. I'll try to get those later on. Now that I figured out what was going on with my photos from my phone I should be taking a lot more!!

Girls watching the game



Girls cheering


Toree

This Is For the Soldiers

This is about a petition to get Congress moving to get our Veterans the mental and physical care they need when they come home from war. So many are coming home, filing their paperwork with the VA, requesting appointments, and then waiting months for their first appointment with their primary.



www.thisisforthesoldiers.org

From a concerned sister of a Marine ...

"I am asking that for five minutes you put aside your political views and listen to a story. This is personal for me but it is a Problem. We must fix this problem and I urge you to act and sign the petitions I will list below.

Do not think this does not or will not ever affect you it does. The men and women who serve our country and fight for us to be safe and free deserve better then this. This is one story but there are many like it....

At the age of twenty a young man in search for more joined the military, the Marine Core. He became an infantry men in Lima Company 3/5. Shortly after the completion of his training he was sent to Iraq. He had the blessing of returning in tact. A few months after his first tour he was sent again. This time he was bit by a dog, almost run over by an Iraqi trying to run a heck point, and attacked by IED's. He lost friends but once again he came back. A few months later he volunteered to return. All his brothers where going so he felt he had to go. This tour he was blown out of a Hummer because of an IED on the road. He recieved a brain injury from the shrapnel. Three days after this attack we, his family, where informed. Once again he came back this time with a Purple Heart.

This time he could no longer go back. He separated from the Core a year ago. He was diagnosed with PTSD, complete loss of hearing in his left ear, an impaired hand, and his brain injury. Like most Veterans his first stop was the VA. For a year he had been trying to seek help mentally and physically. He has been shuffled through the system and told many different things. But, has not been able to receive care.

On Monday my little brother calls me upset and beside himself. He is sleep deprived and angry. He has been trying all week to sort out his VA benefits so he can get help. He has turned to drinking and become an alcholic just so he can sleep. This aggravates his brain injury and causes his brain to swell . He knows that he should not be doing this, but it is the only thing he can do to sleep. When he does not drink he will be awake for days at a time until his body shuts down. Even then he will only sleep a few hours and awake suddenly. On edge and not knowing what to do he goes to the VA. He explains he has a constant ringing in his ear (from his hearing loss), is sleep deprived, has become an Alcholic and fears he may harm himself. They tell him they will make him an appointment and to return in thirty days.

At three in the morning my phone rings. My brother intoxicated and suffering from severe sleep deprivation, and flash backs is going to kill himself. He has climbed onto a roof and just wants his sisters to know he loves them re he does this. We keep him talking all night. My husband and I attempt to track down his location. He is out of state and we have no idea where he is. We call the local Police and Sheriff departments and get as much information from him as we can get. At eight o'clock this morning he his still on the roof. I will not let him go, I refuse to. So, phone in hand he jumps. I hear the worst sound of my life as he hits the ground then nothing. No screams, no ambulance, no sirens, just silence.

I throw the phone across the room and break down. My other two sisters, my mother and my husband continue to try to call his phone. Still trying to locate him we finally get ahold of his best friend and Marine Core Brother jumps in his truck and goes to where my brother is lying face down on the ground.

He is not dead. God apparently is still not ready for him. My family is still waiting to find out the true state of his condition. My mother and older sister already flew out to where he is. But, we know very little. We wait, just like he and others did for someone to help us.

I believe we are all responsible for ourselves, but in this case the system really did fail. It is not only failing him, but countless others like him. They return with lost limbs, mental disorders, or in caskets. We honor them by subjecting them to a Bureaucratic system that is broken.

We watched in horror when Fort Bragg came to our attention, then again when we heard about Walter Reed Hospital. But, a few weeks later they are just old news to us. We forget that these men and women stood for us and fail to realize standing by and watching this repeated injustice against our veterans means we will not return the favor and Stand for Them.

I ask right now to stand for them. Start writing letters to your congressmen and Senators. Tell them that the care our Troops are receiving is not Adequate. Tell them we do not want one more soldier discharged from the service before their benefits are ready. We want better medical treatment, better treatment for PTSD and mental disorders taken seriously. Tell them we will fight for those who serve and fight for us.

This does not have to happen.

from the nonprofit organization Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America:

At least one in three Iraq veterans, and one in nine Afghanistan veterans, will face a mental health issue, including depression, anxiety or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Approximately 150,000 wounded veterans suffer from traumatic brain injuries

The average wait-time on a disability claim is 127 days

For claims that are appealed, the wait-time skyrockets to a staggering 657 days

In the past three years, the VA claims backlog increased by over 50%, to 378,000 pending disability claims

The VA has decreased full-time claims-processing staff since 2003

Army Soldiers committed suicide last year at the highest rate in 26 years, and more than a quarter did so while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to a new military report."

28-15

That is the score of the first official game of the season! I really thought we were about to lose the game when the Rams came back from a 14-0 deficit with two touchdowns, an extra point, and a 2 point conversion giving them the lead with 14-15. Then in the last quarter our guys found some umph and got another touchdown and extra point ... back in the lead at 22 - 15. Now all our defense had to do was hold 'em. But then one of the guys got the ball and ran, and ran, and ran, all the way to the field goal with 20 seconds remaining! Then the extra point clenched it at 28 - 15, Black Knights!

Well, we have games every Saturday except September 15. So if anyone wants to come out and watch Toree, she'd really love it. She's already asking who all is going to come watch her.

We also got her pictures back tonight so soon we will get them to Grandpa to scan and post!

My test results ...

I've been having some tests run since April trying to figure out why I am so tired all the time ... and getting worse as time goes on. Everything is coming back normal or negative - depending on the test - which is all good, except it isn't explaining my total lack of energy since coming home from Delaware and falling ill within a few days of my return.

Well, the last set of tests were for Lyme Disease and Epstein-Barre Syndrome. For some odd reason my test results were mailed to Paul. He opened them not realizing what they were - he was thinking it was just the normal stuff he gets from Kaiser. Well, when he saw what it was he called me immediately to tell me that they say my B12 is extremely low and to start taking supplements until I can get into the office for some B12 shots. Now I know this is a serious condition to be in, but at the same time I do not want those shots if it isn't necessary because they hurt like the dickens because the B12 is extremely thick. Try giving yourself a shot of jello or pudding - that's about how it feels - not to mention it is red!

Well, I luckily do have some B12 sublingual tablets I started taking immediately. I also called my chiropractor who is a Holistic Doctor as well and asked him what could be causing it since I do get good sources of B12 in my diet regularly. He ran some tests on me when I was coming in for my adjustments from the car accident (we are in there three times a week). Well, he did these tests for free which was a blessing, and gave me my results Thursday.

I have some heavy metal toxicity from all the dental work I've had done. I have to get the amalgum in my teeth replaced with porcelain (sp). Then I will still have to go through chelation therapy to remove the metals that have leached out of the amalgum and settled in my body. He gave me some supplements that are usually really good about being processed when you have this kind of toxicity causing low absorption of B12. He will monitor me for a little while and if I still need the shots he will send me to get them from my MD. Hopefully I won't need the shots.

So anyway, if you would, pray for me to find a good holistic dentist that does this type of work that doesn't charge two arms and a foot for each one. We've got to see how much longer I have on Paul's dental insurance as well cause I may be able to have some of the procedure covered. But from what I have checked out, porcelain is not covered under the insurance... and they charge just as much as a holistic dentist does.

Our Second Week of School

Well, we just completed our first full week of school today. An interesting, full week it has been, too.

Of course, y'all know Christian flew out to Washington Monday.

Tuesday found us running to ballet class, home for dinner, then running Toree to cheerleading practice at the high school a wee earlier than she is used to so that I could make it to 1st grade Curriculum Night by 6:30. That had to be the most disappointing Curriculum Night I've ever been too. The teacher did alright for her part but it was literally over in 15 minutes. Oh well, that means I got to Toree's practice just a few minutes after it started.

Wednesday was alright cause all we had was gymnastics after school.

Thursday was 3rd grade Curriculum Night so we had to pull the same thing only this time practice was at RJP instead of the High School - it took longer so I was late. Apparently that wasn't a problem because they actually had a little PTA meeting thing and the teacher talks forever (a guy at that!) ... so much so I had to leave early to get to Toree by 8pm. We had a special meeting called to oust the President of the association and reinstate the one he had ousted. It was a low move and all because he lost the Presidential election to begin with!!! Anyway, it was unanimous among the parents to reinstate the original president. That's gotta hurt the ousted person... too bad!

Today found me .... finish after thunderstorm!!!!! .... Well where did Friday find me? It found me eating lunch with Bailey, then I had 45 minutes to waste before Madison's lunch, so I went to the library to help them out. The library looks great!! They have new book shelves and things are rearranged in there ... it took a few minutes to get used to. Anyway, I helped out in there for the 45 minutes which was nice to do. It wasn't strenuous but it was something productive. Then I had lunch with Madison. Her teacher is really nice and he always stops to say something to any parent he sees. He brought me some papers to sign that I didn't get to do because I left early, but he wanted Madison to get the prize that all the kids got for coming to Curriculum Night ... and to think I nearly didn't go because of the disappointment of Tuesday night and not to mention she is the THIRD child of mine to go through third grade at CHE. But I felt it my duty to go and be an involved parent ... glad I did for her sake. I actually wound up helping him out during his presentation since he is fairly new to CHE and I'm an old pro at it!

Anyway, after lunch, I went home and took a nap. I was simply exhausted from all the running this week. AND I was so looking forward to Paul coming to get the kids that evening... only to find out he is now scheduled to come in next Tues or Wed. Not that I don't love the kids and want them around, but man I need some rest without a time limit!!! Luckily we had absolutely NOTHING to do Friday evening. Toree has to read 2 chapters a day of her book, Anne of Green Gables, for a book report due on Christian's birthday... she was quite ill with me for telling her she needed to do that, so she stomped upstairs. An hour later she calls down to tell me she finished the two chapters and she was going to bed ... at 8:30! Guess what, the other kids followed suit on their own!!!! 8-O What a shocker! They must have been quite tired themselves from their long week!

There's one more thing but I'm gonna make a separate post for that.

Just some music for your listening pleasure

To play the music click on "Launch Standalone Player"

Happy Birthday, Seth!

Hope you have a wonderful 35th birthday, Seth!

Happy 2nd Birthday, Ava!

Wishing a wonderful 2nd birthday, Ava Olivia!

Christian

Well, I dropped Christian off at the airport today. It was definitely odd to drop just him off.

That morning found me going to register Toree for school. It took hours and I still hadn't been seen yet, so I told them I had to go and take my son to the airport, that I would be back tomorrow. They of course wanted to talk to me and go over my paperwork, but didn't want to register her right then either. I was so upset because it wasted half my day with Christian.

Well when Toree and I got back, Christian and I got ready and went to eat with the little ones at school. They were pretty excited! We also went to pick Haley up from school... she is used to Toree but not Christian :)

Right after school we were waiting on the little ones to get home so we could leave for the airport. Of course, Christian had to wait til the last minute to get his stuff together so we were still running around. We got to the airport in plenty of time, got him all checked in (the check-in people are so nice when it is a minor flying ... they just took really good care of him and made sure he had everything he needed.

Then we all went to get something to eat. Of course, it being the airport there was no where to sit. So we found a shady wall and sat by it on the floor. Not the best of situations but at the same time the only thing we could do besides standing there looking around holding our dinner waiting on someone to get up! We ate and then we pretty much dropped Christian off at security. The first lady we encountered told Christian he should grow up to be a pilot with all of his travel experience! At first he was very polite to her until she told him the salaries!!!! They make between $600 and 800 per hour! International pilots make around $1,000 per hour!!!! Gee golly doodle wiz - makes me want to overcome my fear of heights and flying just to make that sort of money!!

Madison was the only one that cried this time. She is so sensitive and wants her whole family together all the time. So do I baby, so do I.

On the way home, I found a definite alternative to the jam packed rush hour highways! It normally takes me about an hour to get home from the airport ... it took me 1 hr and 15 min DURING rush hour! I took 85 to 20 and then took Moreland to Ponce. This of course will take you to the split between 29 and 78. I decided to take 29 because 78 is just as packed as 285, 85, 75, and 20. I even took an even longer route home by going by Paul's house because it is backroads and no one hardly ever uses those roads. This is what saved me so much time!!

Anyway, Christian got there safely and called me about 10 minutes ago (45min after his plane landed) to tell me he was there and on his way to the new house. He was hit with the fact that he had to get up in the morning to take some placement tests for school as they picked him up. Gee, couldn't someone have told him that before now :\

Jamboree!

I know hardly anyone knows what Jamboree is - it is a showcase game that is 30 minutes long that is played the week before the real season games begin. We had ours Saturday night.

First let me lead up to it ...

It was Paul's birthday and he was suppose to take all the kids for the day. He got in Friday evening and was suppose to come get Christian first thing in the morning for Paint Ball. Then he was to get the rest of the kids directly after ballet and take them all swimming. Well, he didn't pick up Christian until 1:45. He didn't come to get the other kids until 5:45 which left Toree with no time to go swimming because of the game. He told her he would get them again tomorrow and she could swim then. She was alright with that.

So she and I left here at 6:15 to get to Norcross by 7:00 as we had to stop and grab some nail polish remover before the game. Let me tell ya, the parking was horrendous! Alright it was only horrendous because it was so far from the park and I really shouldn't have been moving as much as I was.

Cemetary Field is an awful place to cheer. It is a tiny, tiny field and the only way to effectively watch the game is either go to the home side and sit in their tall stands, stand up on the top row of the visitor stands, or stand at the fence behind the cheerleaders. I was really looking forward to some football so I was a little disappointed. They had some really good plays and I was proud of our boys but I mainly "watched" the game through the announcer! One play that stands out is when the home team ran some 60-70 yards and was tackled at the 1 yard line where our boys held them for three more plays! I was up out of my seat for that just like everyone else on our side!!!

Our girls did a really good job compared to what they act like in practice. Granted there are still some things to work on, but overall we were proud considering what we were expecting! I am especially proud of Toree because everyone is expecting her to become a high school cheerleader. If this is the group she will be competing against, then yes that baby will definitely be cheering in high school!!!

So what was the final score?? --- Well the first game we won 14 - 6. Then we had a second game (so basically we wound up playing a whole game since the 30 minute games are two quarters each). The second game we won 12 - 0 ! We were so excited because these boys have such a hard time winning games. Maybe they are maturing OR maybe they have a really good coach (most of these boys have been playing together since they were in 1st grade!).

We are all hoping this is just a peek at what is to come - we really need a winning team!

Dannon Elizabeth Baker

Today would have been Dannon's 33rd birthday. This is the 6th birthday she hasn't been around for.

Happy Birthday, my friend. I know your birthdays are all the more glorious now than they would have been with any of us!!

Happy Birthday, Uncle Jack!

Just wanted to wish you a Happy Birthday, Uncle Jack!

First Week of School

Our county started school this past Monday, August 13. As you all know, we were in West Georgia for Aunt Doris' funeral. So the kids missed the first two days of school, cheerleading practice, and the first day of ballet class. But that's alright.

Tuesday, Mom and Jeff drove me and the kids home so that we could get ourselves ready for school on Wednesday morning. It went off without a hitch. The kids got up and ready in five minutes and had plenty of time for morning chores AND still have play time with the neighbor kids who were outside waiting on them at 7am! The Elementary bus comes around just after 7:30 so the kids know they have to walk out the door at 7:30 to wait in the bus line.

Then Haley and I could kinda hang out for a few minutes before we had to leave for her school. I wasn't quite sure about the traffic scene around here so I took off at 7:40. You just never know how long it is going to take you to go 1.5 miles around here. We did get there a little early but it was alright. Toree went with us as well. Haley really didn't want to go, but was a big girl and went anyway. We got there in plenty of time and got to meet the teachers and get her settled before leaving. They have one wall that is half glass, so we went to the end of the wall and peeped at her for awhile making sure she was alright. We finally left.

It was a little odd to have the two older ones home without the little ones, but we survived somehow!!

I went early to pick Haley up as I still had paperwork to fill out. Haley seemed to be alright when we went to pick her up out of her classroom. She says she had fun but was very quiet. Talking with her teacher Friday, I found out this is just how she is after nap time, but during the day she is all normal and talkative and participating.

Let's see, that evening we went to Gymnastics for Haley. She really enjoys gymnastics class!

Thursday, everyone seemed to still have some umph in them and got all their chores and stuff done early enough to play with the neighbors again. Madison came home for the second day in a row with her homework nearly finished. That evening we had cheerleading practice. It was the first time I stayed to watch. Coach Charity had had surgery that week and was still feeling really poorly due to a medication mess up!!! I stayed not just to see what was going on but to help out the assistant coach .... now before you get all upset ... I didn't get up out of my chair (and I have a chair with a foot rest so my feet were up!). The assistant is a Junior in high school and the 8th graders did NOT want to listen to her. So I told Charity I would step up and holler at them. They weren't quite sure what to make of that - they did as they were told until they realized I was Toree's mom. So they started asking why I was saying stuff to them. I told them all they needed to know was I was an LYA coach stepping in for Charity and that I was to give her a report on their behavior. The deal was either behave and be alright, or misbehave some more and do nothing but suicides during the first practice Charity was back. They opted for behaving and checking with me if they were doing their cheers right. I'm tellin ya, those girls are a handful and I do NOT envy Charity (nor Toree) at all!!!

Friday found us eating lunch with Bailey and Madison at school. They were so surprised! Toree went with me to this as well. Between their lunches, we ran and got Haley's immunization waiver from the health department. I wish I could have had a camera to capture Madison's honestly surprised look. We got there a few minutes before she did so we watched her class walk in and get their plates. As she was in line to pay, she spotted us ... her eyes got as wide as saucers!! Now I've heard that expression all my life - this time I can say I know where the expression really comes from! Her eyes were simply huge. Toree and I both were rolling laughing :-D

That evening found us at Cheer-Off practice. We are so disappointed with the guy that we paid to choreograph and teach the cheer-off routine to us. I won't even get into it all. There was all kinds of drama going on that night. But that's best saved for the gossip columns.

So far today we've gone to ballet class for Madison and come home. Paul just called to say he is getting Christian in a few minutes for paintball (it is Paul's birthday and the kids are suppose spend today with him ... it's not turning out like that).

Well, I'm sure there is more to come for next week! So far that is all that has happened for this week!

Toree

Well Hello Everyone!

Yes, I cannot keep up with my blog! Guess I just have to accept it!

Anyway, I wanted to let everyone know that Toree gets to stay here in Georgia with me! Christian is going back to Washington to be with his dad but still reserves the right to move back here with me if should choose to do so.

We are going to start the enrolling process for Toree on Monday. Though there is the possibility of homeschooling because the school here is so ... um, how do I put this ... um, well, ... let's just say it isn't the best of environments. There is the possibility we will be moving if Paul can help get the house fixed so I can sell the house.

Either way - SHE'S STAYING!