Thankful...Day 3

I am thankful today for....Jacob! My Sweet boy. When Jess was about 18 months old, we decided we wanted to try to have another baby. Not long after, we found out we were pregnant with Jacob. While I was pregnant with him, we moved to Valdosta, Georgia, where he was born. Jacob was a huge baby! He smiled when he was about four days old. I remember sitting with him in the rocker and he looked right up in my eyes and smiled. I thought it was just gas. But then he did it again. I yelled for my mom, who was staying with us and helping, and she came and he did it again. He has been smiling since. Definately a mamma's boy!

As Jacob has grown, he too has become a Godly young man. He is a friend to all and strives to make sure everyone is included. I am so proud of him about that. He seems to always root for the underdog. He has such a tender heart for little kids. I really see him doing something with children when he grows up.

Jacob wants to be just like his daddy. He loves hunting and fishing. He is an avid sports fan! I am so thankful for my Jake the Snake!

Children

Keeping with my Thankful Theme, today I am thankful for my children. But I am going to take a day for each of them.

So, Jessica Elisabeth Schooler, our very big surprise! We had this five year plan after we got married. hehehe! I wanted to finish school and teach year or two before we had kids. Then I wanted to stay home. God had other plans for us. Jess gave us a big, wonderful surprise! We had been married about nine months when we found out we were pregnant with Jess. She has been such a tremendous blessing in our lives. I was so excited when we found out we were having a girl. She was a great baby. She smiled at everyone, never met a stranger.

As she has grown, she has become such a godly young lady. She amazes me at her strong will (in a good way!). She is so responsible. She is a hard worker. She has only made one B in all her school career, and boy do I have a hard time with that B. It was not a fair B! :( She is a good friend. She is loyal and true! She is a good babysitter to Miss Emily.

I am so thankful for my sweet Jess the Mess!

Thankful (thanks Ash!)

So, my sister in law Ashlie, has inspired me to blog about one thing I am thankful for every day from now until Thanksgiving. So here it goes!

I am so thankful for my husband. The last two years I have been faced with the realization that each day is precious and that we are not guarenteed a tomorrow. Scott is my everything and I love him dearly. Through his whole ordeal with cancer (both times!) he faced it with dignity and grace. He is a godly man. He seeks Christ in all he does. He loves me and our children. He puts us first, even when he would rather be hunting! He keeps his promises. If he tells us he will be somewhere, he will. He doesn't change his plans because something bigger or better has come up. He provides for us and more than that sacrifices for us. And he even gave up his hate for cats and let me have one!!! :) Small and silly, but it meant a lot to me! Thank you for all you do for us babe! I love you bunches and bunches!

Sweet Baby Addison

So, my big news for the week is that I FINALLY got to meet my new niece Addison. She is beautiful and sweet and perfect! I was so happy to see Ashlie. We have not seen each other since May, which seemed like an eternity. I was so relieved to see her that I started bawling...so did she though! It is going to be strange going to Thanksgiving without Gary and Ash. Scott's mom and dad and brother Don and his family and my mom and dad came to our house on Sunday to meet Addison as well. We had a great time together. Thanks Don and Margie for the pizza and drinks and thanks mom and dad for the ice cream and yummy blackberry cobbler.

I am so thankful that it is fall break. I have had a stressful week at school the last week or so. When you think about me pray for me. I have a situation that I can not tell about,but it is not fun and very stressful. Pray I am Christlike in all I do and say and that others will see Christ through me.

The kids are doing great! All three are playing basketball now. Jacob will have football overlap for a few weeks. Which means our lives will be super busy. I love it though! Jess is doing yearbook this year. She had to sell ads. I remember doing that. She is really enjoying it. She is in band again for the last year. Makes me a little sad. Ok, a lot...she will be going to the high school next year. Wow, where does time go? Jordan is loving fifth grade. She has an amazing teacher this year. She is in band as well. Hard to believe she is old enough to play school ball this year. Jacob is also in band and is taking guitar this year. A college student from church is teaching him and I am amazed at how far he has come!

Scott has been busy hunting. He has not gotten a deer this year. He is about ready to go crazy I think! He and Jacob have been out several times. Jacob actually got a shot at a deer, but missed. :(

We don't have any big plans for break. I hope to go to the pumpkin patch at some point. I hate that they are only open on the weekends.

Hope you all have a great week!

Great Week

We have had a great week. The kids are really enjoying school and all their activities. Scott is having his "most wonderful time of the year"! (he actually was going around singing it the other day!) Hunting season has begun. He took off Thursday and stayed out all day. He saw two deer, but they were small and he didn't want to get them. There is a huge buck on his game cam and he is hoping to get it. He made the deal with me that if he gets it he will let me have a cat...the catch is I have to let him put it over the fireplace. So I am hoping for a deer.

I had a stomach virus this week. Yuck. It was very short lived though. Thankful for that! I had a wonderful weekend. Friday I took off half of a day of work and went to lunch with my sweet friend Candyce. Then Friday afternoon I went to the pastor's wives conference in Moore with my friends Jamy, Pat and Ashley. My friend Shannon came for a little while Friday night as well. I love getting away with them. Our church sends us every year.

Last night my mom and I took the kids to see the Toy Story double feature. Jacob was not going to be able to go, but at the last minute did and I am so thankful. Toy Story 2 was the first movie he saw at the theater. He had a cowboy room for the longest time and carried around Buzz and Woody constantly. He slept with them and heaven forbid we not find them at night! I never get tired of those movies.

Jess had some money she wanted to spend on clothes yesterday so we went to the mall yesterday afternoon. She got some really cute things. She is looking so grown up. Scott was telling her goodnight last night and noticed how tall she is getting. I am pretty sure she will be passing me soon.

Jordan is her happy go lucky self. She is loving school this year. We are so blessed with her teacher, Mrs. Hatley. She adores her and really is working hard for her. She is all about her friends right now. She is such a social butterfly and loves having friends all around her.

Scott is feeling well. He has some neuropothy (sp?) in his hands and feet from the chemo. Hopefully that will not last a long time, although it could. He said it is like being shocked or your arm being asleep. He should have an appointment soon.

We have had some big storms lately and one evening I went out and took some pictures of some clouds. I sent them to our news station and one was put on the air. Pretty neat huh! Anyway, that is my picture this time! Hope everyone has a great week. I am counting down the days to next Sunday when my sister in law and new baby niece come!

food fight!!

Wow. Time has gotten away from me. It has been a while since I have blogged. We have been busy busy. All is well at the Schooler house. Scott is gone right now to Orlando. He is at an Education Minister's Conference. Wish I could have gone with him. I know he will have a good time being away. I am glad he got to go.

Friday we went to OKC after I got off work at noon after parent teacher conferences. We went to see Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. It was really cute. It was nice going together.

Saturday we headed out with my mom to Jacob's football game. We went to OKC to Sams and ran into Target first. While we were there we found out his game had been canceled. So we headed home. Scott watched the OU game and my mom and I ran to get some mums to plant. They look really good. Saturday night we went to our friend (and pastor) Todd's 40th birthday party. We are so blessed to have such amazing friends. Sunday was church. I started back on First Place. I am praying to get my eating and health back on track. My mom and several friends are going as well. The accountability is nice. My friend Gordonna and I are walking at 5:00 am most mornings. It was really hard right at first to get up, but now I am getting used to it. I definitely need a nap in the afternoons! Tuesday night the girls and I went to our friends Brian and Dianna's house for their annual food fight. It is so fun! The girls helped me find food to take with us and they made a disgusting mix to throw. We were on our way to their house and I realized I really needed gas. I was going to stop and get gas quick and realized I didn't have my purse. Thank goodness for my friend Teresa. She loaned me $4 to grab some gas...enough to get me home. Thanks Teresa! Argh. I hate doing scatter brained things like that. The food fight was fun. The kids always love going to it. Jacob had football practice so he had to miss it this year.

I have had a rough week at school. I have been dealing with some not so fun situations. Please pray for me when you think about it. I can't give many details because of confidentiality,but I will say this is the hardest year I have had. I was really frustrated yesterday and just tired physically and emotionally. I was reading today in my quiet time. I am reading my Bible through. I am in Ezekial right now and just was feeling like I needed more encouragement. I love this, it just is so amazing how God speaks to us. I thought I need some encouragement from Psalms. I thought well today is the 23rd, so I will head over that way. Never put together Psalm 23, PSALM 23! in my head. It was exactly what I needed. Especially verse 5, "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies." I have had a hard parent issue and God just let me know he is with me. I am so thankful for the school I am at and for Godly administrators who back me up. I have a hard time with people being upset with me. It kills me actually. That pleaser in me kicks in! But God showed me this morning that He is with me and cares for me. He sees I am doing everything I can and has reassured me that He is there!

The kids are doing great. They are busy with all their activities. Everyone has had quite a bit of homework. But they are doing well in school. Anyway, hope everyone has a great week and a relaxing weekend!

Labor Day, School, Football and Such

The last few weeks have been very busy. Jacob has football three nights a week. Games start this Saturday. He is loving it. I am so bad with football that I can not remember what position he is playing. I enjoy watching it, just don't understand it all.

School is going well. Jess is babysitting after school every day. She is saving to redo her room. Should only have to wait about a month. She is on the yearbook staff this year. She is growing up too fast! I look at her and can't believe it! She is almost as tall as I am. She is looking like a young lady that is for sure.

Jordan is loving school. She loves her teacher and her class this year. Several of her friends are in her class. She has always been my social butterfly but even has become more so this year. She loves being around people. She started in band this year. She is playing the flute.

Scott is staying very busy with church. He is feeling great, other than some neuropothy in his hands and feet. He says it feels like you have put your hands in ice. He found that wool socks on his hands and feet help some. He is gone right now with our church staff on their yearly planning retreat. I hope they have a great time together.

My class is going well. This has been the hardest year I have had. I have had a hard time feeling like I have my schedule the way I want to accommodate my little ones. I am just enough control freak that I do not like feeling like my schedule is out of kilter! I also have some challenging kiddos this year. Pray I will be all I need to be to all my students. I love teaching so much and I love kids. I want to be my very best for them ALL! My mom came today to help paint butterflies. Thanks mom! I love ya!

We had a great relaxing labor day. Jacob went to the lake with his buddies and had a ball. He got to tube and knee board. He came back so tired and had broken out in poison ivy from head to toe. We think he got it from being out in the woods with Scott last week setting up the deer stand and feeders. My mom came to the rescue and took him to the dr so Scott or me I did not have to take off work. Jacob was given a steroid shot and it has seemed to help.
Scott, the girls and I went to the zoo on labor day. We have been in a couple of years and it was nice. After we went to eat and ran by petsmart and surprised Jacob by getting him a new bearded dragon. His died this spring. We loved that thing. They are so neat. This one's name is Twizzler. It is pretty tiny.

I sat down with my mom on Monday and we made an Alaskan Album with their Alaska pics. I can't wait to get it in. There are some amazingly beautiful pics that is for sure!

I need to get to some laundry, so I will sign off for now!Hugs! Rach