Drum Roll Please....*dddddddd*.....

UPDATE:

Ryan got the call at the end of last week to ask him to come back to JTEKT. He went in for drug testing Monday and has a training day this Thursday (30th). They called him yesterday to see if he wanted to start early, but he is still working out his notice with Broadview. We are so excited and thankful.

At the end of last week I also started noticing an itchy rash showing up on my arms, face and around my eye. Friday I went to the Dr. as my eye was swelling and found out it was poison ivy that I came in contact with Monday while dong some yard work. THey gave me a steroid shot and some meds and the next morning my eye had swelled completely shut! The Dr. advised me to go to the ER where they gave me another steroid shot and a stronger oral steroid to take for twice as long. My eye is much better (nearly 100%), but my arms are killing me with constant itching!!! Thankfully I am on the mend though! We found out through this, how much we are thankful to go back onto JTEKT's insurance as the ER trip would have been $50 cheaper on their insurance.

Well although I would love to be announcing a new addition to our family, at the moment we are not expecting. Our great news? Ryan received a call this AM from JTEKT (his old, much better paying and better insured job) and they have picked up business again. They have called back the groups laidoff right after him (who have higher seniority) and Ryan's group would be next, PLUS, Ryan is at the top of the group, so he will definitely be the next called back and I quote, "before the end of the year."! When Ryan told me I questioned if he was just pulling my leg again as we tend to play little jokes on one another, but he assured me it was not a joke and then I broke into tears. Seriously, tears! So pretty much any day now we could get that call. Ryan hasn't really felt in place a Broadview (formerly BRINKS) and I asked him if he will be sad to leave and he excitedly said, "NO!" Though I think his body will remind him that he has been sitting at a desk for several months when he does return to JTEKT. :) To give everyone an idea of the difference this will make in our pockets, his checks from BRINKS are 1/2 of what they were from JTEKT. We have been thankful to have the job at Broadview as it has sustained us, but we have struggled to make ends meet. We are praising God for all he has done and is doing and the many things we have learned about ourselves in the last few months and years.

He Peed!

This summer has been all about growing up for Thomas! He gave up the paci a few weeks ago. Actually he had a bad habit of hiding them from us and then eventually forgot where he hid them. I know this picture is totally inappropriate, but I have learned to make a big deal over their achievements as it makes them proud of it and they want to do it more. Thomas took awhile just to get him to pee on the potty. He would hold it for nearly the whole day and wait till I put a diaper on him to go. Finally he gave it a good try. He was pretty excited for what he had done, but even more so when he saw how excited I got for him.

The 4th Parade

Finally we were up early enough to make it to a parade before it started! In parades past we don't realize there is a parade until we hear the sirens of the police cars and firetruck as they run down the street that runs behind our house. We made it out there this year, bed heads and all and got lots of yummy candy!


Yay, Mom got us dressed in like 2 mins and threw us in this wagon so we can go to the parade! Like our bed-heads?


Killing time and up to something?


Here Mommy, for you!


Me too!


Such a sweet bouquet


Joseph discovered this year that if you wave they see you and in turn they throw you candy.


Thomas will pick up on that later :)


My favorite part is always the dozens of horses that trot on through. And I particularly think this covered wagon is rather neat!









The fruits of Joseph's labor and Thomas' taking advantage of Joseph's labor ;)

HUGE GIVEAWAYS AT MOM CENTRAL!

Check out Mom Central for lots of great giveaways. You just register for their site and leave a comment for each giveaway. Plus you can do extras for more entries! Here's a list of the giveaways:

WEEK 4:

Win a Play-Doh Spaghetti Factory (Open to US) Enter by August 7

Win Wisk High Efficiency Detergent (Open to US and Canada) Enter by August 7

Win a Laugh and Learn DVD Set (Open to US) Enter by August 7

Win a PBS Family DVD Set (Open to US and Canada) Enter by August 7

Win a Snack Caddy (Open to US and Canada) Enter by August 7



WEEK 3:

Win an At-home Tetherball System from Lifetime Products (Open to US) Enter by July 31

Win a $100 Gift Certificate to Alice.com (Open to US and Canada) Enter by July 31

Win a Polly Pocket Playset (Open to US and Canada) Enter by July 31

Win a Wateroos Drink Pack for Kids (Open to US) Enter by July 31

Win a Birthday Party Bash for Wii game (Open to US) Enter by July 28

WEEK 2:

Win a Swatch Watch from Jomaship (open to US and Canada) Enter by July 24

Win a Digital Frame from Kodak (Open to US) Enter by July 24

Win Crayola Play Sand (Open to US) Enter by July 24

Win a Clipo Hippo from Playskool (Open to US) Enter by July 24

WEEK 1:

Win a pair of Crocs kids' sneakers (open to US) Enter by July 10

Win a Hoover Vaccum (open to US) Enter by July 17


Win a 20th Anniverary Super Soaker (open to US and Canada) Enter by July 17


Win a free game from GameHouse.com (open to US and Canada) Enter by July 17


Win a box of Crystal Light (open to US and Canada) Enter by July 17

Win a pair of new Simple Shoes for toddlers (open to US) Enter by July 17


Plus each week they will add more items!

More News and Prayers Needed

I just found out yesterday that my mom (Beth) is scheduled for her tummy tuck on the 13th of July. Thankfully the Lord worked it out that it is on Ryan's day off so I can be there to help. It is a four hour surgery that is very invasive and she will then go home an hour later. My sister and I will be taking care of her at her home. Pray for a safe surgery and easy-speedy recovery for her. Pray for the family as we care for her. Thanks in advance for all your prayers.

Yep it's me...posting on my blog between all the busy-ness. What have we been up to? Well My mom had a hard first night in the hospital, but made rapid improvement the next day, to the point that she got to go home that day ( a day early! ). She has done well and has been working hard to get her iron levels back up to normal. I think she is getting bored though. She has the will and energy to do things, but pays for it the next day.

I have also spent time installing curtains all around the house. Finally after 4 years! I have also gotten all our cats/kittens (5) spayed and neutered so we are officially over that fun.

Also, I do ask for prayers for my sister as the Dr.'s have found pre-cancerous cells on her cervix. She will soon have a procedure done that will scrape off layers until they get it all. Pray that it will work and they can, in fact, get it all. Pray for strength for her in this time, that she can find hope in Christ through this trial.

Ryan and I have started going through a little book called The Visionary Marriage. We have read completely through it once and (as the book instructs) are going to go back through the five points in detail. Let me go ahead and say, it was an eye opener! I recommend this book to all married and soon-to-be married couples. It's just a great book to go over the details that get missed after awhile. And if you want it, I know the author! In fact, he married us!!!

As far as my adenomyosis goes, I have been taking a xenoestrogen detox and have noticed some difference on it. The real test will be when I start using the Progesterone. In a few more weeks I can do that.

And because no post is exciting without pictures, I am including the shots I got of the boys at the splash pad and at home depot.