Extra Long Soccer Day and Rainfall Totals

Yesterday was a great day for soccer.  Good thing, because we had four games yesterday.  Yes, FOUR!!  Will and Hannah each had two games to get caught up on some of the ones missed due to the rain.  We arrived at the field around 9:15 a.m. and didn't leave until almost 2 p.m.  Will had games at 9:30 and 11:30 while Hannah had games at 10:30 and 12:30.  Both kids did great.  Will blocked a bunch of goals and Hannah got a goal.  After we were finished, Mike, I and the kids went through the Chick-fil-a drive-through and at lunch at home.  At 5:15 p.m., we had to leave the house again to head back for the Upwards Soccer Celebration.  It ended around 7:30 then we ate dinner at Subway.  The kids were exhausted and slept until 7:30 a.m.  (Since the time change, everyone is usually up just before 7 a.m.)  Hannah and I got sunburned on our faces; I also was sunburned on my neck, behind my ear and on my ear.  You can see where my earrings and glasses were because they are white instead of red.  After all the rain we had in October, it never occurred to me to get out the sunscreen.  I hope I remember it this Saturday.  We have four games again at the same times.

Speaking of rain, the weather forecaster on the local news said that the rainfall totals in October broke records.  I didn't hear the total amount but we had at least 1-2 inches every time it rained, some days we got 4-6 inches.  This area is also 11-12 inches over the annual amount of rainfall.  According to one of the local weather blogs, Memphis received 10.56 inches of rain in October.  Normal rainfall totals are 3.31 inches.  The old record was 10.13 inches set in 1919.

Controlled Chaos

Because of all the rain we have been having, we have missed three or four games and a bunch of practices.  So, to help make up some of the games, Hannah's team had a game Tuesday night instead of practice.  There is one other 1-3 grade girls team, the Soccer Angels, so the Huskies, Hannah's team, has the same opponent each week.  Jessica, the Soccer Angels' coach, wasn't able to make the game so she asked Mike to help out.  So, Mike coached BOTH teams AND was the referee.  He commented that he would be happy no matter which team won.  Plus, he couldn't argue about the call the referee made.  Coaching both teams was challenging, to say the least, and they were playing against the clock.  We only had one hour to get whole game in before it went completely dark.  Like my title says, it was controlled chaos.

WOW

This blog is kind of random today. There are a ton of ideas running through my head about what I want to put down but it's hard to corral them all into different areas. So please bear with me.

The past few weeks at our house that been very crazy. We redid our bathroom (just have to touch up some paint and put a second coat on some trim), said our last good-byes to Gracy, took a quick trip to Pigeon Forge to get our furniture, unloaded it in a storage unit, rearranged some furniture at our house, fixed our computer (still have some more to do to it), and get the kids ready for school. Mike is heading up the church's softball team this fall. We are planning to sign up Hannah and Will for soccer. The Y is offering a soccer program for 2-4 year olds and we are thinking about signing Andrew up. He has been begging to play ball (softball, baseball, any kind of ball) and tells me he is going to his practice as I get him dressed.

I've also started blogging reviews for Waterbrook/Multnomah through Random House. It has been fun and interesting. My first one was posted on August 3rd. I have another one coming up on August 24 where I am reviewing three books. If you are interested, you must have a blog. (A blog is VERY easy to set up and keep. Let me know if you are interested in starting on and I will help you.) If your blog is approved by them, they will send you notices about books to be released. If you are interested in reading the book, let them know. They will send you a copy for free for you to review. You will have to post a review on your blog and send them the link. FUN!! I am able to get my book and blogging fix in! If you would like more information, click here to go to the Blogging For Books site.

Aunt Jean and School News

We got word yesterday evening that Aunt Jean passed away that morning. She was a dear sweet lady who will be greatly missed by everyone. We do know that we will see her again, as she is in the arms of Jesus walking on Heaven's streets of gold.

On a lighter note, the kids are on Fall Break until Tuesday. Dad and Joan are getting the kids (Hannah, Will and Nathan) tomorrow and keeping them until Tuesday afternoon. Gracie is spending Monday with her mom and Tuesday with her dad. So, it will be just me, Mike and Andrew for a few days. I won't know what to do with myself. I will get to sleep in (or as late as Andrew will let me) and Andrew will hopefully get his naps out (I have to wake him up every day to pick the kids up from school).

Due to Fall Break, the kids do not have soccer games this weekend. Hannah's practice was rained out on Tuesday and Mike cancelled his practice on Thursday due to the upcoming break. We hit the fields again starting Tuesday evening. YEAH!

I am so proud of Hannah and Will. During the last nine weeks, they both got Green Lights at school for behaving in class. Green lights are great!!! Will did get a yellow light during the third week of school for squirting juice on another child at lunch but he has been good ever since. During P.E. yesterday, Will even got a toe tag for following directions. He was soo excited.

Hannah went to Gracie's house last night to spend the night. About 1 a.m. this morning Mike and I got a phone call. Hannah wanted to come home. Alisha said she went to check on the girls around 1 a.m. and both were wide awake. She said Hannah had the "I want to go home" look on her face and then asked if she could go home. So, while still in my pajamas, I got in the car and drove to Alisha's. Luckily, she and Gracie live just around the corner. Hannah slept until close to 9 this morning. I was up at 7:30 with Andrew. A nap is looking really good right now.

Aunt Jean and Soccer News

My Aunt Jean is very sick and the doctors don't expect her to live much longer. She had cancer previously and beat it, but it came back. I don't know if it is the same kind of cancer, but this time her body is too weak to fight it. Her breathing is shallow and weak. She is holding on until her last child comes (the rest are already with her in Dallas). If you feel lead, please say a prayer for Aunt Jean and her family. Jean is (was?) one of my grandmother's sisters (my grandmother passed away about 25 years ago). She is a very sweet woman.

Today at the kids' soccer games, Will scored his first goal!! His teammate Cheryl helped him by kicking the ball to him so he could score. Will's team played really great today. They are usually all over the field or fighting for control of the ball instead of working together. Today, they were assisting each other and played a great game. Go Tigers!!! Hannah's team did pretty good, too. They also have started playing better and more as a team. I left just after half-time to change Andrew and didn't get to see the rest of the game. Even though Hannah didn't score any goals, she did a great job by getting out there and playing hard. Way to go Hannah!!