Being a Mom...

Even though I have not actually accomplished the task of "having" a child, I have two boys that I love very much. They provide entertainment, insight (into the minds of children) and sometimes... a little frustration. On this occasion... Entertainment and Excitement.

I would not replace the feelings I have every time I watch one of my boys get ready to perform, either on the field, at the front of the church or at school. They bring me to tears (happy ones of course) and that alone excites my oldest.

Today was the 3rd football game of the season. Chad received a call this morning that the head coach would not be coming to the game and he would have to take over. The head coach has cancer and just recently began chemotherapy and radiation. Needless to say, everyone was a little more nervous than usual. Chad had a lot of weight on his shoulder.

My 3 boys took the field ready to face the challenge of the Scouts team. The first 3 quarters were uneventful. Many turnovers were made in our favor, but we just couldn't seem to make any progress. Shawn was in on defense. He really knew his job today and protected the line exceptionally well. I was impressed to say the least. I will admit though that the line is one of the hardest places to take a picture of.

In the 4th quarter, Chris began leading the team down the field. Through a series of off-sides and illegal blocking we ended up about 5 yards from the end zone. Chad called for the boys to run a QB sneak. (Christopher is the QB - AHHH!!!) Then it happened... The Touchdown!

Chris was so excited and I was so excited I almost had an accident (refer back to my previous post about exciting news!) The defense held off the other team until the end of the game which gave us our first win of the season. YIPPEE!!!!

Well - I should wrap this up but getting back to my original paragraph... I love being the mom. Granted it is a bit lonely on the sidelines at times, since all of my family is on the field, but I love watching my kids succeed. Their happiness is so fun to watch. Chris wanted this QB thing so bad. It's fun to watch him enjoy a win with the team. I just don't know how I will even come close to being able to handle High School....

For Anyone Who Hasn't Heard....

That's right! We brought an extra "souvenir" back from our vacation this summer. Chad and I have known since the end of July. We got a medical confirmation on August 4th and since we got to hear the heartbeat on Wednesday (Sept. 10) we are okay sharing the news with everyone.

So get ready because the Easter Bunny is bringing a pretty big egg for Easter this year. The expected arrival date is Easter Sunday - April 12, 2009. This puts us at 11 weeks pregnant today.

Chad and I have had a lot of fun enjoying this news together. We have not yet told the boys as we then have to let other people in their lives know (their mom) and frankly, I'd like to enjoy the happiness of being pregnant for awhile first.

We will add more information about Baby Thomson as it becomes available. Keep us in your prayers for a healthy baby boy or girl. We welcome any name suggestions you might have. All options are still open!

Rounding out the Weekend

We ended the weekend by taking the boys out for their first round of "real" golf. They have been out to the driving range before but never actually played a game. So our adventure started...

Well - of course, we had to try out the cart! Let me tell you - the driving... a little scary. Good thing 16 is a few years off yet! Needless to say we headed out on the course. Since all of the clubs fit on the back of the cart, I actually didn't have to carry mine. This made the experience very weird. I cannot recall the last time I golfed without carrying my clubs with me.
Both of the boys did a great job. Chad and I are still trying to figure out how in the world Shawn's ball went straight. His swing was something between a baseball swing and a slap shot in hockey.
Chris was so frustrated when we started. He had perfect practice swings, however when he stepped up to the ball he would try so hard that it was nearly impossible to hit the ball. He finally got the hang of it about 5 holes into the 9 hole round.
I sometimes struggle because I missed the baby stage with the boys and they are influenced by dual families, but times like these make me so happy that they are in my life. I think the times of my frustration are matched with God's overall plan for me to remember why I am where I am. All grumpiness and frustration aside, being a parent is a lot of fun....
In other news....
I am starting my graduate program tomorrow (Sept. 2) so basically today was my last day of summer vacation. Hopefully this will go smoothly and in two years I will have my Masters!

Busy Weekend

Our weekend has been very busy already, and it is only half over!

We went to the Bellevue East vs. Bellevue West football game on Friday night. We sat on the East side since that is where the boys will go to high school. Most of the kids from the Warrior football team were able to come as well. The kids had a lot of fun. I just cannot believe how big the high school boys look. It is a little alarming that I will have one of them in my house in just a few years...



Then on Saturday, we went to the Nebraska State Fair. We were able to see some cool shows including one with high divers and another with trained dogs. Probably one of the coolest exhibits though was this giant sand structure. My kids were just amazed and wondered how the sand stayed together.

Finally, we ended the day by seeing a drumming group that I believe originated in Garner, IA. It is called Sheltered Reality. They are kids of all ages that drum to songs together. During the show, they invited kids up to participate. Chris jumped right in. I will try to load the video of him drumming, but let's just say it was a very proud mom moment. I love seeing my kids try new things and not be afraid to get up in front of a big crowd. He did fantastic! We are thinking maybe he would like to look into joining the Council Bluffs group.

Beautiful Lengths

BEFORE.....

AFTER....
Well - It's not done the best... I spent the whole day at work and then went to football for 2 hours but you get the idea.

I cut off 8 1/2 inches of hair and donated it to Pantene Beautiful Lengths. www.beautifullengths.com They accept 8 inches instead of Locks of Love 10 inches. I may have had a minor heart attack if I had lost another 2 inches! Anyway - I donated my hair once before when my grandfather passed away. He had cancer. This time, I am donating my hair in honor of Lorie. She is the pianist for our worship team and has been battling Brain Cancer.

Air Force Week

Sorry it has been so long since our last post - Things got pretty crazy around here as soon as the kids got back. The boys were selected for a team for football. They are officially both "Warriors." It wasn't really a surprise since Chad is the assistant coach for the team and this will be my 3rd year as a team mom.



This past weekend was the Offutt Air Force Base Air Show. It is typically a big local event and there is a lot to do. This year however, it was a nationally publicized event. Only 3 cities around the U.S. were chosen to host an Air Show for National Air Force Week. One was on the East Coast, one was on the West Coast and the final location was Bellevue, Nebraska.

Needless to say, the Air show was even bigger and better than usual. We watched demonstrations and toured planes for about 4 hours. It was hot but for the most part an overall enjoyable day.
This is one of the planes that did a demonstration. It is amazing how big this plane is, yet it was the quietest plane in the air!

The finale was the Thunderbirds. We were all awe-struck. I just can not imagine my children waking up one day asking to do stunts in a plane going over 300 miles an hour.

We spent the end of the weekend fixing the rest of our deck. Sadly, two children, a teenager with down syndrome and a little girl (about 3 years old) from about 2 blocks away wandered out of their home and went missing for awhile on Saturday while we were at the Air Show. (The family of the two girls walks the neighborhood frequently.) While they were wandering they came across our neighbor's pool with the gate unlocked. Unfortunately the little girl fell into the pool and the other girl was unable to get help. Instead she wandered to a nearby parking lot where the police eventually found her. When medical officials finally located the 3 year old, she was floating in the pool and was unable to be revived.

It makes my heart drop to think that it could have just as easily been our pool. How tragic for the family and for the neighborhood. I just can not imagine returning home to find that this had occurred at our house. The people who lived at the home with the pool were at the Air Show as well.

Well - Now that I have bored you with our local news... I just cut over 8 inches off my hair today. I am hoping to post some pictures later this week. Let's just say, that it is the shortest I can ever recall my hair being!

Football

THE BOYS ARE BACK!!!!

We are super happy to have the boys back in Nebraska with us. They had a good summer, but it is definitely time to get back into a routine. They have spent a lot of time "relaxing" this summer and now they are paying the price at football.

Chris has two years experience behind him already. He knew what to expect and was excited to get on the field. If he didn't have a little brother joining the action this year, he would probably be moving up the "A" team. That team is the one that travels and competes. We think 10 is a little young to become so competitive. We want the kids to enjoy the sport and then worry about competing in Jr. High and High School. It is a serious compliment though to have the coach of the A team really wanting Christopher to move up. That coach has spent lots of time trailing Chris during the conditioning activities.

Here's a quick picture of Chris avoiding a tackle...

Then there is my little man. Isn't he sooooo cute? I just love them being so little in those big ol' pads and helmet! He has been quite a trooper... His first day of practice was with 104 degree heat index. YIKES! But the biggest trauma of the night was his sock pinching his toes. He didn't have any trouble tackling or being tackled. He just cared that his clothing wasn't fitting right.

He has made quite a few gains in the past two days. I am impressed how well he is doing for having no prior experience. He is working to earn the nickname "Taz." Then we will have TAZ and TOM TOM.
Let me just say - I love being a mom - even if I am only the "step-mom." I love my boys. I love football and wrestling and all the craziness of being busy every night. It just feels right! Chad and I thrive on the success and happiness of the kids. Their smiles are so contagious, and seeing them feel proud of themselves is great. I watched Shawn go from a timid little man (I know = Shocking.... yes he was absolutely silent prior to the first night of practice!!!) to a determined young man who wants to play football with his dad and his brother. Chris has stepped into the leader role. Even when he fights with his brother, he is still watching him during the drills, telling him "good job" and encouraging him to keep going. He will likely be a captain this year for the team. It's amazing how quickly they grow, but with each new age comes new and excited adventures (for both the kids and the parents).