Bavido Banditos

Bavido Banditos
Originally uploaded by Purple Palindrome

Here ya go, JC! I apologize for taking approx. forever and a day to get this to you!

We took this on August 22nd, right before Dad left.

Back to front, left to right: Samuel, Caleb, BonnieJean, Isaac, Joshua, Naomi, Anna, Mama, Dad, and Ethan.

99 Red Balloons

I've had this song stuck in my head this afternoon. It's such a surreal song.

Speaking of surreal moments--I had one Thursday. I've been job coaching a gal named Lizzie who's volunteering at the boutique store inside Hope Pregnancy Center. We're looking for someone to job coach her permanently, but right now I'm the only staff who has all the training classes she requires. Anyway, the two of us were putting out some baby boy clothes and there was a pair of dark blue cotton shorts with a grey stripe running down each leg. What was surreal was that Isaac and Caleb used to wear that exact style of shorts. I'm sure it was not the same pair. I seem to remember that they wore them into oblivion, but that just made holding an identical pair, that looked like new, even more surreal.

Tomorrow is the "Government Serves the People" Cookout hosted by the Rogers County Republicans. I really hope we make some money off of this!

I am getting over a summer cold and feeling better each day. Praise God!

A bulletin from the couch

where I have pretty much taken up permanent residence. :)

Everyone but Dad and BonnieJean went down to the Bowie tournament over the weekend.  Samuel placed third in black belt weapons after deciding on the spur of the moment to compete.  Dillian Ramey and Crista Bailey took first and second, respectively, so he's hanging with the big dogs, for sure.  He also placed third in the super fight, coming in behind Greg Partridge and Luke Rosebure.  Ethan didn't fight because it was only a week from his black belt test, but he placed first in adult underbelt weapons and adult brown kata.  He got a nine from Mr. Holzbauer on his weapons kata!  Naomi came to help coach and decided suddenly to compete in kata!  She didn't place, but I'm so proud of her!  And after we all saw the flying pigs, she decided to do fight a 13 year old who didn't have anyone else in her division to fight.  Naomi won!  Joshua placed third in kata and second in fighting.  Isaac placed second in kata.  He lost his first fight by one point to the boy who went on to win the whole division.  Irony.  At the last tournament, Caleb forgot his kata and had to make it up.  This time he remembered it perfectly!

  Before the tournament, Scott and Theresa tested for fourth degree and passed.  I'm so excited for them!  I'm kinda disappointed they didn't do any board breaking, but that's just because I so enjoy watching them do it so well!  I can't believe they managed to test and run a tournament in the same day.

  After the tournament, little Alexis hit my right foot while I was standing in the hallway.  When I unwrapped my foot to take a shower Sunday night it was swollen really bad and black all down the right side and top of it with pooled blood under the skin.  It totally freaked me out.  Dad prayed over it right then and we called Orjala first thing Monday morning.  I didn't go to work or karate.  We unwrapped it Monday afternoon out of pure curiousity and it looked tons better.  I don't think a bruise on a normal, active person would go down that quickly.  It was just an answer to prayer!

  While I was home resting Monday night, Caleb passed his yellow belt test, Dad passed his orange belt test, and Isaac did all of his blue belt test with the exception of fighting and board breaking.  He'll do those Monday night.  I'm so excited for all of them!

  In other fantastic-answers-to-prayer news, I found out today that I passed the Comp II test out!  This means I get to graduate this May!  I am so wildly excited!