When you just love to read, your parents find this scene all of the time. 
I love this turkey. He wasn't sure about being selected to participate in CFA storytime.
We went after Halloween shopping and Nathan was insistent that he wants to be spider-man again next year. That will make 4 years in a row! He is going to have fun in the mean time just pretending.
We love story time and the accompanying craft.
I also enjoy when Matt is home and he can join in for our school. These two were creating a brain with play dough.
Date swap! I enjoyed getting this sweet picture.
Another, foggy soccer morning in Mississippi. Joshua became super aggressive this year in soccer. Nathan loved the social time with friends.
These boys love to laugh together.
Our turn to watch for the other parents to have a date. These 4 play so well together.
Rachel was in a car accident around 12:30 AM. I spent that night through the following day going from one emergency room to eventually ending up in the emergency room in Mobile Alabama. I did the 12:30 am shift until 6am solo, and then the boys were with me until the evening on Thursday. My dad made it from South Carolina, and Matt made it after work. It was such a relief to have those men by my side at the point where I was feeling pretty spent. I am so grateful that my dad is retired and able to help. What a relief?! We are so grateful that Rachel is going to be OK. She has broken ribs and both of her ankles are broken. She has a long road ahead of her, but she will get through it with the support of her family and friends.
The boys and I alternated between the waiting room and the van. We did a full day of homeschool while we waited around too. I LOVE homeschool!
The stress of the back and forth in Mobile left me needing a recharge at my favorite store, Target.
A sweet friend had a baby and I was supposed to bring a meal the same day that I spent the whole day in Mobile. I brought the meal the next day, and they had a Diet Coke waiting for me. I know they are bad, but sometimes they are just so GOOD.
Joshua finished his second grade math curriculum.
Nathan has decided to start doing a little more formal school work also and finished his book.
Nani and PopPop came to visit! It was long overdue, and we had all missed them terribly. We went to The Half Shell Oyster House to eat. Mom and I enjoyed some girl time doing nails and shopping. Friday we went to the train museum, lunch, and Matt and I took off for New Orleans. On Saturday, Nani and PopPop took the boys to their soccer games and then left for SC. Matt and I were supposed to dominate our half marathon in New Orleans that morning and then enjoy some couple time having fun. However, I opted out of this plan and passed out at mile 10. I woke up in the ambulance with an iv already placed. It was such a surreal experience as I had no memory of any of it. I also couldn't remember the numbers to my address and a few other basic questions. Talk about panicking! I was looking at my body and touching my head because I assumed I was fine, but my brain was failing me. I was educated on the brain and reassured this was normal. I spent the rest of the day in the emergency room and then home with a headache and nausea. I was disappointed as I had trained for this race and planned on it being my last one for awhile. My PCOS has been out of control and some of my reading indicated that the level and amount of running I was doing could be exacerbating my symptoms. I wanted to go out with a personal win. I ran the 13.1 a month prior to this race in 1:46:30 so I was hoping to make a personal record on race day. Oh well, such is life.
This was a picture of the boys on their road trip to SC with Nani and PopPop.
Despite feeling like junk on Saturday night it was time to pack for our Thanksgiving trip to South Carolina and Georgia. We had this type of view most of the way.
We picked up our boys from Nani and PopPop who gave us a postive report on our boys. :-) Yay for good kids that made great memories with their grands. They had a blast.
Love this first nephew of mine. He just turned 2!
Julia made me beautiful and showed Matt her salon; while the boys raided her snacks and drinks saved for guests.
I chugged lots and lots of water since dehydration was possibly the cause for fainting. We got to chat with my grandparents too. I'm always grateful that they are all willing to make the drive to see us. It is a lot to make the 9 hour trip so we appreciate it when everyone comes to us.
Despite the temps being in the low 30s the boys all camped one night at my dad's house. We had smores first with Aunt Liz. Unfortunately, my dad and Julia missed all of this because they got the call to go to Mobile to get Rachel from the hospital and bring her home to SC. She will no longer be able to live in Mississippi as she is going to need extensive care for awhile.
We got up on Tuesday and took off for Linville Falls and Linville Caverns. I love the mountains, but I forgot that the mountain roads don't love me. Even in the front seat I felt a little carsick, but that was probably because I was texting and doing stuff on my phone too.
Nathan needed to cool off, and Joshua was of course freezing every time.
The caverns were interesting, and the hike was beautiful.
We found some local barbecue and a cute shop to explore. That night we stayed at an awesome resort/hotel that was about the same cost as a normal hotel!
Wednesday we met up with Nani, Jessi, and Christopher for lunch and a little shopping. We left early so we could have birth family time at The Big E. The boys were basically done after lunch anyways. Shopping is becoming less and less fun with them.
Wednesday evening all the little boys tried to entertain Aunt Rachel.
Thursday, Matt played ultimate frisbee with my home church group. He was injured and spent the rest of the break hurting. He's faking his pain in this picture for all those concerned.
Took a pic with Dad before taking off for Georgia.
Then reminded him to smile!
Georgia was filled with time with family, food, and shopping. It is always great to feel apart of something bigger than our usual party of 4. These people love you and support you even if they don't see you everyday. Family is a source of strength.
So what else is going on in our world. Transparency Time. I'm still connected with our California family. Taylor left behind a twin sister, Carrie. She text messages almost daily, and she carries some pretty large trials and losses. She has become a friend as we have bonded over our loss. Matt reminded me that it has been almost a year since we began this emotional journey that hasn't ended. No wonder I'm tired. I am strengthened and rejuvenated some days, and then other days I am overwhelmed with feelings of inadequacy and ask questions of am I enough and how can I do this? We also have potential adoption scenarios that we are keeping to ourselves for now as there aren't very many concrete details, but with that possibility we have had to work on doing another home study. This isn't stressful as far as fear of it being rejected, but there is a sense of invasion of privacy as well as opening ourselves up to possible heartache.
Those were the thoughts that weighed heavily on my heart as we made our way back to Mississippi. Unfortunately, Mississippi is a great place, but it has been the location we have lived in for some heavy burdens.
Joshua and I LOVE Christmas so when we got home we quickly unpacked and started pulling out decorations. I feel so very close to my mom while I decorate for Christmas. Holidays make my heart literally ache for her. It is a good hurt though because I can at least feel her which is better than the absence.
Matt wasn't sure what was wrong with the tree as he put it together. :-)
