TREE PLANTING

When Faith and Avery passed away we decided that we would plant a tree by their grave around their due date. Although they would have been born around the end of August my 40 week due date was last Thursday (9/24). After lots of searching we settled on the Dynamite Crepe Myrtle. It is a very pretty tree with bright red blooms. The tree will bloom from spring (around the girls' birthday) until the Fall when they were actually due to be born. It grows quickly and is VERY drought resistant, which we need around here.

So, on Sunday we went down to the cemetery to plant our daughters' tree. It is so tiny now, but very pretty. I can't wait to see how beautiful it will be in the spring of next year. It will bring a lot of beauty to place that is often difficult to visit.

On a more happy note we have an update about our journey into fostering. We found out on Friday that our application was accepted and we have been enrolled in the 8 week MAPP class. YAY! During this class we will complete the training that is required and complete our physicals and home inspections. Our classes begin next week and will be completed on December 2nd. The director of the program asked during our conversation if we were already prepared to bring a baby into our home. You know, do we have a crib, is the room ready, etc. I said well we have most of what we would need, but it isn't really all set up just the way we would want it. She recommended we get a start on that. Although there are no guarantees, because you never know how these things may go, she said it was likely we would get a placement pretty quickly after completing our classes and inspections. WOW! That could put a new baby in our home by Christmas. Wouldn't that be amazing?!?!? I am trying to remember that anything with the State can and almost always does get tricky. I don't want to get excited and then end up waiting for a placement until March or something crazy. Anyway, it will all unfold in God's perfect timing. Please pray for us as we enter this new chapter.

PRESCHOOL

Last week Grayson started preschool. He is attending Hudson Memorial MMO (Mom's Morning Out) Program on Tuesdays and Thursdays. He is there from 9-12:30. We did all the preparation for school before we left for vacation. Pretty much all that is required at this age is a little backpack to carry his change of clothes and diapers in and a lunch bag.

Grayson loves his backpack. In fact, when we returned from vacation it was the first thing he went to. He put it on an wore it on his back for most of that evening. He does love his backpack.

Justin and I worked hard to make sure that he got to bed early and got plenty of sleep. The morning of I made his favorite breakfast (muffins, eggs, and fruit) and gave him plenty of time for the leisurely type of breakfast he enjoys. We got him ready all while talking about how he was going to go to preschool to play, learn, and make new friends. I am sure he was like, "yeah, sure, whatever you say."

We got to school after praying he would have a great day the whole way there. He got out of the car and wanted to walk in on his own with his backpack on his back. He would barely hold my hand in the parking lot. All I could think was, is this preschool or middle school?

We got into the building and he quickly realized that all of the big people were walking back out without their little people. Then he wanted to be held. By the time his teacher came to the door to greet him, he was acting like he didn't want to go in and starting to cry. I took him over to the hook with his name on it to show him were to hang his backpack. I put his backpack away and told him it was time to play. He said, "play?", went right into his teacher's arms and said "bye-bye". I was left standing there thinking, no, wait, that happened way too fast!!!!

Apparently he did great the whole day. When I arrived to pick him up he was really happy to see me and seemed very excited with trying to tell me about his day. That lasted until we got into the car and then he was out like a light before we even got out of the parking lot. I guess they wore him out.

Thursday's drop off didn't go as well. HE SCREAMED!!! I finally just had to walk away. The teacher told me when I came for pick-up that he only cried for a moment before he became very interested a toy.

This upcoming week brings another adjustment. After a weekend of spoiling with his Nana, Grayson is supposed to be going back to daycare. He has been out for the entire summer with me and his aunt Meg. He will go there on Monday, Wednesday, and/or Friday opposite of his preschool days. I will keep him out with me one of those three days as my schedule allows. I still want to be able to have plenty of Mommy and Grayson time.

I said he is supposed to be going to daycare because at this moment he has a terrible cold and a bit of a fever. You know you aren't supposed to send them if they have had a fever in the last 24 hours. I just love when God throws you a curve ball. Tomorrow is going to be the most hectic day at work I have had in a long time. I thought we had it all figured out with taking him to daycare tomorrow. Yeah, I am not sure at this point that is going to happen. We shall see.

TOPSAIL '09

We made it home from our week of vacation about 2 hours ago. We are all unpacked, the laundry is started, and we are enjoying those last few moments of relaxation before it's all over. Yes, our much anticipated trip to Topsail is now over and we have been left with a ton of wonderful memories.

We had a great week!I pray all year for a sunny and enjoyable trip full of quality time with our family and we had all of those things. Well, almost all of those things. We had only two days of less than desirable weather (one with rain, one with clouds and wind), we definately enjoyed every minute, but unfortunately our Granny Royal wasn't able to make it this year. She typically goes with us and the trip just wasn't the same without her. Granny had some complications following a minor surgery she had the week before and was admitted to the hospital while we were at Topsail. I will update on that when I have more information. All I know now is that she will be transported to Duke on Tuesday for the removal of some sort of digestive track blockage.

Grayson had a fantastic time at the "beesh". He loved the sand, which wasn't a surprise to us since he loves his sandbox at home. He was happy in the water as long as he had daddy or another adult with him, and he loved playing and relaxing at the beach house. Grayson did venture out to the water once on his own with use watching him a VERY short distance away. He didn't get very deep at all (ankle deep) before a big wave came and he lost his footing. Daddy ran over to scoop him up right away and Grayson learned an important lesson about being careful in the ocean.

Some of Grayson's favorite things about our vacation was playing in the sand with Peyton, walking on the beach with daddy, rocking on the porch and singing with grandpa, waking granny and grandpa up in the morning to cuddle, and finding shells to bring mommy. Grayson also went on his first boat ride at Topsail with Granny and Grandpa. Dad took him out in the floudering boat with his life jacket on. It was adorable. They said he enjoyed the ride, except for when bigger boats passed in the sound and made big waves for them to ride over.

We had a few visitors throughout the week. Anne and Adra came for a day from Wilminton. Grayson really like playing with Adra on the beach. He followed her everywhere. Adam and Lisa came for the last weekend to spend some time with us. It was really nice to share some vacation time with good friends.

We were all together as a family the whole week which was wonderful. Justin and I even got to go out for a dinner date thanks to granny and grandpa keeping Grayson. Other than that and a men's outing for some golf we didn't really venture far from our little cottage. In fact, Grayson didn't even get in his carseat from last Sunday until last night when we rode out to the point to watch the sunset. That is how I like to do vacation. Long days on the beach and memorable nights eating dinner as family and just relaxing at the cottage with a little floudering in the mix.

Yes, I said floundering. We go flounder gigging at Topsail. My dad has been doing that for as long as I can remember. You go at night, drop lights down into the water, and gig the flounder we see laying on the bottom of the sound. It is really fun. We gigged a total of 25 flounder this week. Mostly by Justin and dad. I went out one night and got one and Adam and Lisa both gigged some flounder while they were there. That all made for a yummy fish fry on our last night. Yes, Grayson loved the fish!

So now we are back to the real world. Grayson starts preschool this week and we have lots of other things going on. It will be a whole year before we return to Topsail, God willing, and do it all over again. I will be couting down the days until.

THE BIG 3-0

Yes, this week I turned 30. It was a wonderful birthday week. Justin and Grayson made sure to pamper me and treat me very special all week. My office hosted a birthday party on Wednesday and our small group went out for dinner that night to celebrate. On my actual birthday Grandpa Royal came up to keep Grayson while I went to the spa and then to the football game with Justin. On Friday my dad, Sue, Brooke, Bradley, and Peyton came up to go out for dinner and on Saturday my mom and Aunt Ret came up for a day of shopping. It has been a busy, but VERY special week.

Last week, in honor of the end of summer (Grayson starts preschool soon), Grayson and I took a day trip to Wilmington. I got to see my friend from college, Anne, and meet her sweet daughter, Adra. Anne and I had not seen one another in at least 8 years. The plan was to head to the beach, but the rain forced us to resort to Plan B. Plan B turned out to be Monkey Joes. I have never been there with Grayson. It is a big warehouse-type space full of giant bouncy houses. I went in thinking Grayson would probably spend most of his time in the toddler bouncy house. Boy was I ever wrong! He went for the biggest and best ones with the big slides. Obviously those are not really made for someone with little short legs. SO, I ended up having to go in with him to help him up the climbing walls to the slides he was so determined to go down (all by himself). I am sure that I looked like an absolute fool in these giant bouncy houses, but I was so proud of him. It was adorable and a wonderful way to wrap up the summer visiting friends.

As I said, Grayson is about to start preschool. We went to preschool orientation on Friday and he seemed to love it. He went right into his class and made himself at home with all of the toys and things. Both of his teachers seemed really nice. I hope he will like being there. The actual first week is next week, but we will be on vacation so Grayson will start a week later than the other kids. He will be going on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 until 1.

Grayson has started doing one really funny thing these last couple of weeks. Apparently we have really drilled the no-no thing. For those of you who don't believe in spanking or popping, you may want to move on to the next paragraph. Anyway, so we pop Grayson on the hand or leg when he is clearly being disobedient and doing something that we have repeatedly told him he is not allowed to do. This form of punishment works well with Grayson. Only once did he decide that the activity was worth the pop. That activity was throwing food. At that point we resorted to time out on the upstairs landing (yes, it is all gated and safe). He hates being alone so that form of punishment works when the crime is worth the punishment of a pop to Grayson. After one time out, he no longer throws food. The popping has worked for everything else so far. These days Grayson has pretty much learned all of the things around the house he is not allowed to touch or do. Occasionally he just can't seem to help himself and he must do that one thing he knows not to. When this happens he makes sure to do it right in front of us, says no-no to himself, and then pops his own hand. WHAT do you do with that?!?!?!? Is this self injurious behavior??? Should I be worried ;-)

Tonight things are pretty busy around our house. We leave for the beach tomorrow. It is our annual trip to Topsail with the Royal family. I am so excited that I can hardly stand it. I am pretty sure Grayson can sense the excitement and I am certain he knows we are going away. While I was packing tonight he got in his suitcase and said, "Go-Go". I replied, "Yes baby we are going to go-go tomorrow to the beach, but right now you need to get out and go to bed so that I can pack your clothes". He got out and I got his clothes all packed, but there are a million things left to do. I love the excitement of getting ready for vacation!!!