Tooth, cupcakes, New Nephew, weight loss, first mile ran ever!!

Well, Clara is now 10 months old and has her first tooth, well actually today I noticed the second coming in too. Poor baby...she is not feeling too well either. I have not yet gotten a pic of it as she is not too keen on showing it off. She has not been feeling real well along with Christian and I. We have had a cold and/or virus of some type. She seems to be getting better, I am right behind her and Christian is trying to hang in there.

Christian took his first Science test today and I am amazed at what he is learning. The pic below is of him doing an experiment to learn the atomic theory and how atoms move about. He made 83%. He got 25/30. His teacher's comment was "WELL DONE!" Let me say on Christian's behalf....this test was HARD!! I do feel confident that if he can pull these classes off of English I and General Science...He will be ready for college. It is tougher than some of my college courses. Here is one of his answers to an essay-type question, "Galileo had to recant his scientific ideas because the Roman Cathlic Church did not believe and did not want to believe that the heliocentric system was right. " I am in awe of my kiddoe!! It is such an awesome wonder and an honor that God has allowed for our family to watch them learn at home. One of their friends came over today to play; we just love him to death. He is playing football for the school here in town. Today the kids had filled a shampoo bottle with pee and tried to trick him to use it as shampoo and when he refused they threw it on him!! They also hit each other with wet towels in the locker room leaving whelps on them. I am just appalled. The coach said he would take care of it by making them run some 1000 something.....I stopped Blake right there and said, WHAT!!! I think the kids need to be suspended and off the football team. Society nowadays just gives kids too much leeway. Kids get away with entirely too much and then they go off to be grown ups and become rude, selfish adults that expect to get away with murder. It just sickens me really. I am glad that my kids will not have to deal with that while they are in training to be the best Christian adults they can be!!

On a more positive note....Last night we had our Tuesday night Bible study. It is almost our last one. We threw together a baby shower for Rae and Baby Ben (making his appearance in late October)! I was disappointed that half our group could not make it but it was not because they didn't want to be here. I am so happy for Rae & Ben!! They have been waiting for a long while for God to bless them with a little miracle. I think the plans are to continue to add to the family through adoption also!! I will continue to pray God fills their home with a good handful of wonderful kids!! It was very nice.

Here is a pic of Rae with the Baby Ben cupcake. I bet Baby Ben could smell the "Twinkie" cupcake inside the womb!! He got to kickin' around after she ate one. =) Sugar rush!!

I also have wonderful news to announce and I apologize that I do not have pics to follow this!! Baby Pierce David was born on Monday at 4:58 p.m. He is my newest nephew to Clay's brother, Clint and his wife Cindy!!! I am so happy for them. Katelyn (KK) now has a baby brother. We are not feeling 100% around here so have yet to see him. As soon as I do I will get lots of pics to share. They made it home this evening! I cannot wait to hold him!!

I had started First Place For Health a month or so ago. It is a Bible-based weight loss study. It is to take the focus off this struggle with food and place it in God's hands. I have always struggled with moderation (lack there of) and have never really exercised. Well, this study has been awesome for me. I have lost 8 lbs and have been walking. Well, tonight I ran my first mile EVER in my life!! I could not believe that my God would allow me such a pleasure and honor this early on in my journey for health & fitness both physically and spiritually!!! How awesome is He!! I have not felt this good physically and mentally in a long time about the way I have treated my body. Who knows I might be running a triathlon with Clay and the boys after all!!!

I am trying very hard to lose a bit more weight faster for Matt & Candy's wedding at the end of October!! The dress is beautiful but it was not made for my body at all size 8 or 16....just not made for my thick chest!! I have never worn a strapless dress EVER!! Didn't want to either...thanks Candy!! BUT it has motivated me to do a bit more faster than I had planned. I had planned 1lb a week and that would be my goal in a year. Well on top of the wedding in October, my wonderful husband told me that for our 11th wedding anniversary in December we will be going on a cruise, just the two of us!!! The boys were not too thrilled with us as they had gone on the first one but I need some time just by myself. Homeschooling means that I am home and at work all the time. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE it and would not change a thing but I do deserve a break once in a blue moon. This will be our first vacation that was not work related without kids since our honeymoon. For those of you that have not figured the math yet, Christian is 13!! I had him at 19 and my wonderful hubby Clay is a gift from God. He adopted Christian right after we got married. Christian was 2. So we were a premade family and have never had the "before we had kids" time in our marriage. =D I am really excited to get this special time with Clay and to be able to relax alone together. I will probably be desperately missing my kids by the first evening but I am willing to try. We do not leave the kids with anyone but Meemaw & Pawpaw (my parents) for any length of time. They have also spent the night with Taffy & Papa Dave (Clay's parents) on occasion and Clint & Cindy. Clara has only stayed with Meemaw & Pawpaw. We are going to be working up to leaving her. She has stayed with them when she was much younger and had no problem. But now that she is older she is not too keen to be away from us. She is very much a mamma's girl until daddy gets home and then she is a HUGE daddy's girl!!! It is great! I love watching those two together. I don't think God could have made a better father! When I see Clay with my kids and watch the awe and adoration he has for them, my heart melts. He cherishes them, plays with them, and genuinely has fun playing with them!! God has truly blessed me beyond measure and really more than I deserve!!

Okay, I have rambled enough. I am sorry there really is no organization to this post. I just had waited so long to post it just kept building and building. I will try again to post more often....Have I said that before??

Oh, wait....I have to post this too. We thought this was so funny. Clara loves this little fan. She couldn't quite figure it out at first and thought that it should hurt and would start to get upset and then realize, "no, that didn't hurt. Lets do it again" Enjoy!! Click on the link to view the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvqbB_7Rf9g