Hello all!

Hi! I am finally getting on here to post after Ben's fun one.

I had intended to do it the same night, but didn't get around to it. Laundry and the rest of the house chores called to me. :-)

Well, lets see, since my last post, everyone here went down with a taste of the flu. Compared to what everyone around here is coming down with, I think we had it but a really mild case of it. It didn't knock us out for 7-10 days like most. That was the Thursday after Nathaniel's lovely dentist escapade. WE were out of it Thursday through the following Tuesday. That Thursday after we were all sick was valentines, so our gift to each other was a trip to the McDonalds playland, so we could just get out and do something fun. Saturday the 16th was the "Daddy ball" that Chris had decided to do since he forgot to get tickets to the Daddy/daughter dance here in Norman. Kind of worked out because if he had bought tickets, they would have had to miss it because of the flu. Anyways, he burned her a CD and they got all dressed up. It was really sweet!!

Nathaniel and I went bowling and just hung out. It was some much needed time I needed to spend with him. WE talked about a lot of things and it was just nice to listen to him voice his heart

.

We have been attending church in Newcastle with some friends of ours and are starting to really feel at home. The kids beg every week to go to church and Wednesday nights. WE have yet to make it to a Wednesday due to either sickies or weather. Hopefully this week we will have a go at it. It is looking more and more like we will soon be living closer to that area. last thursday Chris received word that John Collard, the district or regional manager was asking for him by name for the Mustang store. They are looking to place those managers by the first part of March. He is excited about that because it is quite an honor, however, he is really have a fun time with the guys he works with at nights! He says if it is up to him, he will take most of them with him to Mustang. They play jokes on each other and just have a good time.

This last weekend we went to Waskom to see Grandma and Papa Crosswhite. That was a really fun time. WE drove down friday and ate pizza with them. Then Saturday we just played in the yard and helped them with some of the things they needed done in the yard. Then we cleaned up and went to the airport to fly with Papa. it was really cool! I have never flown in a small airplane and I had a blast. I felt like a little kid again. The adrenaline of takeoff was cool and getting to wear the headphones was neat. Noel even let me control the rudders with my feel and take a 30 degree turn with the steering. it was so awesome! I told Chris, after having him take me up just once, I would gladly take a trip with him anywhere in that. It was the smoothest, safest flight I think I have every been on. Maybe it is just because I trust the pilot, but really, it was way less scary than flying on a huge jet!! The kids got to take a ride on their own too. They are looking forward to the next time we go down so they can ride with Papa in his plane again. Me too!! "-)

Sunday we headed to church with them and then ate Mexican before heading home to start another week of work and school!!!

WE are looking ahead to spring break. so many things we would like to do and so many unanswered questions. If Chris is still at nights, he might be able to do something with us. If he is in Mustang then, he will be so busy, it won't matter what we do. As long as we are back in time for Easter. Chris has joined the choir out in Newcastle and they are doing a really neat easter service. If he is still working nights, he can be a part of that.

As for me at work, we have gotten two new kids and they are great!! Really low key, so that is nice. Isaac and Angie. Isaac is non-verbal but Angie is a talker. I have been working with Cody, the other non-verbal one and last week was a hard one. He was gone today, so we all think maybe he was sick last week. This week I am with Bryce, who talks, but superspeed. He had a great day with me today. And of course, we have T.J., who is the highlight of our day. He makes the funniest comments about things. He really has a tendancy to lighten even the hardest of days. He is forever saying, "Ladies and gentlemen.... sank you, sank you very much!:"

The ladies I work with continue to be a blessing to me. Laci is the one who started with me and is such an amazing person. She is such a ray of sunshine always. Her smile is contagious and she is so loving. Suzanne is really outgoing and always has something funny to say. If we need someone to break a serious mood, she is the one to do it, but also is such a concerned person too. If something is going wrong, she is the first to get to the bottom of it and know every detail. Shaista is from Pakistan and has already brought in 2 meals for us to try. She is very humble and quiet. She is such an example of what a silent graceful woman should be. I think a lot of her quietness is because she lacks some confidence in her vocabulary, but I love to hear her talk. Her accent is so neat!! Michelle is the Lead tutor for all of us. She is like a walking dictionary. She knows so much it is amazing. He son has been in the program, so not only does she have lots of information but she has practical knowledge as well. She is a life rope for all the rest of us.

Anyways, I need to get back to the laundry. I don't think I will ever get it caught up. Tomorrow is student-led parent teacher conferences. The kids are excited about that. Otherwise, we are looking to enjoy the week as the weather should stay the same for once. No more 10 degree wind chill in the morning and 65 the same afternoon~!

Hope all of you are well. Sending all our love!!

Post by Ben

i learned that i am tall enough to reach the computer, so i thought i would post a blog of my own. it sure has been cold here. my family has put me outside when it isn't too bad because i am getting so big. i had worms a couple of weeks ago, so i had to go to the vet. i got a shot and some medicine, but they gave me lots of snacks. they even gave me a bag of really yummy puppy food. i went back this last week for a check up and still had some worms, so i had to get more medicine. some in a needle and some hidden in those snacks. i am feeling better..

my boy nathaniel loves to play ball with me and we run a lot together. his sister hannah is always sweet to me. i like this picture of them because it shows how much fun they are. they are so good to me.

this is a picture of hannah with her new friend dacia, whose parents are friends with my mommy and daddy. i had to go outside when they were here to visit because i get really excited with people come to visit and i jump. my mommy says i am stronger than i look and she didn't want me to hurt their friends. that was ok. i like being outside so I can dig in the dirt and play in the leaves. my stuffed friend dover helps me feel not so alone.

oh, get a load of these hot dogs. i didn't get one, but i sure wanted one. i even sat really nice. no luck!!

well, i have to go. my mommy wants a turn. here are a few more pictures of me.

Super Bowl hotdogs, and pasta & the dentist

I know my title sounds a little odd, but this last weekend is what that consisited of. I will post picts of the "Super" bowl hotdogs when my camera batteries are charged. We got footlong hotdogs to eat while we watched part of the game because the length of them looked funny. Seeing the kids eat them looked funny too!!
As for the pasta and the dentist, after eating the hotdog, Hannah wanted some macaroni and cheese to go with it, so as I was making it, Nathaniel did what he always does when we make pasta. Eat some raw and crunchy. Except when he bit the piece, he cracked his 2nd molar in half. He was crying and since we haven't established a dentist yet, I saw this advertisement for one that had 24 emergency service. They also take state insurance. So I called them.
Well, for emergency care, it is $175 cash only. So we ambasolled (sp?) it and gave him some motrin and figured we could hold off till morning. So, needless to say, I called right away and the only office they could get him in today was in Edmond. If you don't know OKC much, Norman is major south suburb and Edmond is major north suburb. So, if I can get him there before 10 am, they will take him. So we rush up there and the dentists were GREAT!!!!
They take several xrays and find out that his 6 year molar had broken the molar first from the root-side. When he bit the pasta, he just completed the break. So, they took it out. Also, they found in the xray that his crowns had no teeth in them anymore. They were just hunks of metal taking up space in his mouth. So they took them out too.
He had a hard time with them removing the crowns because the only thing really holding them there was the skin, but since he has had them for about 3 years, the teeth had adjusted around them, so the dentist had to "pop" them out. He cried and freaked out. The worst tooth didnt' even phase him at the end because the crowns had been so disturbing.
He did great. They gave him a "Bravery" award that certifies him a free trip to Incredible pizza, which I thought was cool. That is normally a $6-10 purchase, so .....
Super great dentist!!! Dr. Baird!!
Anyways, other than that, Chris is still recieving about 2 trucks a night. I got to work on my own with a boy last week and that was awesome!! This week I get to work with one of the kids who is non-verbal. I really love my job!! The ladies there are truly a God-send and according to them, I am a God-send too. It makes for a GREAT working environment!!
That job makes me want to live in Norman for good.
Thats about it. We broke a record high today and we are supposed to get snow tomorrow. yahoo!!! I would rather it be like today!! it was so great!!
Well, I have about 7 loads of laundry to fold and to get to bed fairly early as I am still fighting off junk. Hope all of you are well.
As one guy here put it, "All we need to do everyday to do the will of God is to believe in the Lord Jesus and take Him at His word." Till next time!!