Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Change is a coming...

We need prayers right now with the changes we are heading into. Since I will be working full time starting next summer with the hospital chaplaincy residency, the possibility of continuing to homeschool Damaris is pretty low. Russ is hoping to do some adjunct teaching with Wayland (our undergrad university), but that's not a certainty. So most likely, he will transfer with Walmart or try to get back on with Mardel's. That will mean that Damaris won't be able to be homeschooled since Russ & I will both be working full time. We know we have a lot of transitions coming up next summer with both Russ & I no longer being in school, me going to work full-time, relocating to Lubbock, etc., so we think it would be a good idea to go ahead and put Damaris into traditional school after the Christmas holidays so she can go ahead and have that transition of being in school for the first time when Russ & I are able to better help her with this transition versus waiting until we move and throwing her into school with all the other transitions we'll be making. I've e-mailed the principal of the neighborhood elementary school & she is bending over backwards to help us make this transition smooth not only for Damaris & us, but also for them. We've got to take her in for testing in reading and math to see what grade she will be put in (she's age wise 3rd grade, but academic wise 4th grade), we're hoping for 4th grade. We have another seminary family that we are friends with who just transitioned their son from homeschooling to traditional school at this same school and it's been amazing how the school has bent over backwards to help them. Anyway, this is not what we ever expected to happen & it's all hitting the three of us pretty hard. Please pray for us to make wise decisions and for the right doors to open for Damaris within this school.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

What Would You Do?

If you're in e-mail groups with me, you might have already responded to these questions, but looking for advice, so thought a blog post might elicit some response :-)

Any suggestions for how to deal with a nail biter? Damaris (almost 9 years old) has bitten her nails for as long as I can remember. She'll go through phases when she won't, but she's back to biting again and she's bitten them so much that her hands are all torn up and her fingers tender. Any suggestions for what to do? We've tried the nasty tasting stuff you paint on as well as making her wear gloves or socks on her hands. I don't know what else to try.

And, Damaris will be 9 in about 3 weeks. We have never before had a problem coming up with ideas for a birthday party for her, but this year, we are stumped. Any suggestions for a birthday party for a 9 year old???

Thanks for any thoughts you can provide.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Baby Lola's Blanket

So remember way back many moons ago on day 81 of 100 days of blogging, when I showed yall the blanket I was going to knit for Baby Lola. And remember when I posted all stressed out that I didn't know if I was going to get it finished in time.

Well, I finished it the night before my sister's baby shower and she loved it when she opened it. But silly me forgot to take pics of the blanket then.

Well, I've got something better now. My sister sent me pics of Baby Lola AND the blanket. So, here's some more pics of Baby Lola (yes, Aunt C.C. is showing her off again!). I get to hold her in 3 days, 2 hours, 28 minutes, and 41 seconds!

Lola and blanket 1
Lola and blanket 2
blanket
Lola and blanket 3

Sunday, September 21, 2008

More Baby Lola

I'm a proud aunt. I admit it. I can't help but show off my beautiful niece Lola. So, without further ado, here she is:

Friday, September 19, 2008

Lola Callaway Frink

Those of you who follow me on Twitter (hint, hint) have been updated over the last 3 days about my niece Lola who was born on Wednesday morning. She was born 3 weeks early via c-section. She was born at 10:45am on Wednesday, September 17, 2008. She was 6 pounds, 13 ounces and 20 inches long. She was in the NICU for over 48 hours because of breathing problems (her lungs collapsed shortly after she was born) and an abnormal heartbeat. However, just a bit ago, she was moved to the regular nursery and is now in Mommy Carrie's room sleeping while Daddy J.R. & Mommy Carrie (my one and only sister) eat their celebratory steak & baked potato dinner. Here are all the pics I have of Lola thus far:

A Rose By Any Other Name...




What C.C. Means



You are very open. You communicate well, and you connect with other people easily.
You are a naturally creative person. Ideas just flow from your mind.
A true chameleon, you are many things at different points in your life. You are very adaptable.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

According to Damaris

So, almost 9 year old Damaris is doing her schoolwork right this very second. She looks over and says that she doesn't understand this verse (she's doing her Bible lesson). I ask her what the verse says. She reads to me 1 Thessalonians 5:17 which says, "Pray without ceasing," but she reads it to me as "Pray without seizing." LOL!! So first I correct the pronunciation. Then she wants to know what ceasing means, so I explain that we are to continually pray. She then tells me that she cannot continually pray, because when she is saying her bedtime prayers, if she were to keep on continually praying, her Daddy would step on her toes. LOL! So I had to explain having a continual attitude of prayer. Anyway, just thought yall might get a kick out of Damaris' rambling this morning.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

T is for Tuesday

It's Tuesday. It feels like it should be Friday already. This semester is killing me. I'm worried about one class in particular. I need to make at least a C in it and I'm fearful that won't happen.

In light of the stress I'm feeling, I feel the need to share some things I'm thankful for during this difficult time.
*the cool weather today
*the rain that is making it cooler outside
*the pumpkin pie candle that is sitting on my candle warmer making the house smell so yummy
*knowing what I'll be doing after I get out of school (because of my acceptance into the CPE program in Lubbock)
*being able to wear long sleeves because of the cool weather
*having a knitting project to work on that isn't on a pressing deadline

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

So Much to Do...

*This is a super quick blog post because I don't know when I'll have a second to blog again this week.

*Damaris & I are leaving for Lubbock early tomorrow morning.

*We are going for my sister Carrie's baby showers (one tomorrow at lunch and one Friday afternoon).

*My CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education) interview (the one that has gotten changed 5 times) is Friday at 1pm.

*I still don't have Lola's baby blanket finished for the shower tomorrow.

*I love, love, love the Mellowcream Pumpkins I'm eating that I can only find at Halloween time.

*I'm really starting to get nervous about my interview on Friday. Please pray for me.

*I have so much to do today. Seriously my to do list is about 10 miles long.

*Please keep praying for my sister (the one who's baby showers we're going to). She had a car accident 1.5 weeks ago and is having complications with her pregnancy.

*OK, seriously, I have to get off of this computer and get stuff done - finishing Lola's blanket, folding laundry, packing, homework, yoga, Mom's Bible study group, and about a gazillion little things.

*I'll be twittering while I'm gone so follow me at http://www.twitter.com/cc_almon.

*I should have internet access too, but I don't know how much time I'll have to be online.

*Russ isn't going with us because of school/work. Pray for him while he's home alone. We've only ever been separated from each other for more than a night once that I can remember in our marriage.

*Pray for traveling safety for Damaris & I. I'm not the best highway driver, but I'm even worse at nighttime driving which is why Damaris & I are leaving tomorrow morning and not coming home until during the day on Saturday.

*OK, bye for now. Love to all my faithful readers (all two of yall!).