October 23, 2006

Another Monday already! We survived last week even though we were quite busy and the house got quite messy.

Tuesday the girls both had dance class and we had conferences for Leah. Leah is doing very well at school. Her teachers are impressed with her large vocabulary (she managed to tell them one day that she is on "shopping probation") and she is talking about words and syllables at home and is close to reading a bit more on her own. Last night she got out a Dick and Jane Christmas book and read it to us. There was some guessing at words, but she knew a lot and surprised me sometimes with what she knew. She called Grandma Kathy and read it to her on the phone and today she is going to take it to school to show Miss Megan and Miss Jenni. She is quite proud of herself.

On Wednesday it was officially Chloe's birthday. Leah managed to get up at 6:30 to help me wrap presents and then managed to get Chloe up in time to open everything before school and daycare. We went to Chuck E. Cheese's for our birthday supper. Leah was running everywhere--she was having a great time and so was Chloe.

By Friday we were tired out, but I had bought tickets for Leah and myself to go to the Mercy Me/Audio Adrenaline concert at McElroy Auditorium in Waterloo. The crowd was huge and Leah was very excited. The whole experience was new to her and we made it an hour, but it was so LOUD!! Leah told everyone we heard headbanger music.

Saturday I worked at the library, Grandma Karen and Grandpa Arlyn had the girls in the morning, and we had a brief shoe shopping experience to get Leah some boots since it appears that snow is probably coming sooner rather than later. UGH! We also spent some time with the triplets at our neighbor, Esther's house. It was Che's 20th birthday party (today is his official birthday) and both girls were very excited to be there. Sometimes Leah acts like she knows Che and other times she runs away. Saturday was the day she was all over him wanting to play with him.

This upcoming week we have our Iowa City trip.....something I dread. It feels like we just get done with one and then start to get nervous for our next one. Please pray for a very normal visit with a very low AFP number. Thursday morning Chris will be flying out of Cedar Rapids for Austin, TX. A few months ago he applied and was chosen to be a part of Lance Armstrong's Summit to fight cancer. The meetings in Austin last 2 days so he will be gone Thursday - Sunday and will know more after he is there what this entails. While we certainly wish we never had the experiences of this past year, this is a chance to do something positive with the experience we have had.

Since it is the beginning of the week I have many things to do yet to get ready for the day. Please keep Leah in your prayers - especially for her complete healing on earth.