Serious Update

Lots and lots has been going on lately. So, we'll start!

Last week, Brad and I got some horrible news...a friend of ours...well, mostly his, but I knew him, was killed in Afghanistan last weekend. Very, very sad and super tragic...especially shortly after the year anniversary of our other friend, Aj, being killed in Afghanistan. Needless to say, it was a pretty somber weekend at our house.

However, with that sad news, I'm very happy to say that Brad's friends and family have been so generous and have donated money to him so he can make the trip to Alabama for the funeral...which I think is fantastic. So Brad leaves for Alabama this upcoming Monday for Mike's funeral and will be back on Thursday. I'm happy he gets to go....especially since he wasn't able to get back for Aj's funeral last year.  So he'll be getting into Alabama on Tuesday morning, with the funeral on Wednesday morning. His brother is awesome and is taking some time off on Wednesday and Thursday and driving down from Kentucky to grab dinner and hang out for a couple hours.

I have my 20 week baby appointment on Wednesday! Which means, it's time to *hopefully* find out if we're having a boy or a girl! I'm pretty bummed that Brad won't be here (he'll be in Alabama and all) but we've decided not to share the sex of the baby -- if we can even see it -- until after he gets back from Alabama. It'll be nice to have a little secret just for us for a day or so. I'm sure there will be a little disappointment with that...because I know so many people are looking forward to knowing if Baby O #3 will be the long awaited boy or another girl. (Btw, Reilly keeps telling me she wants another girl.) I'm going to try to see if I can call him during the ultrasound, but who knows if they'll let me or if I'll even have signal...I have horrid signal at the clinic. But he'll find out one way or another. :)

Then let's see....after Brad comes home from Alabama, Reilly starts her fall break from school. I can't believe they are already having their first break. Back in the beginning of September, I got to go to the Student of the Month assembly because Reilly got student of the month in August! Her first month in school and she got student of the month! For taking care of her responsibilities and her personal area (I assume that means her desk or something...?)

Look at my big girl!!

We also got her school pictures back! She looks like such a big girl instead of a little kid...it's hard to believe that in about 6 months she's going to be 6! She'll be closer to 10 than she will be 1! It just seems so impossible...I don't know why...part of one of those things that comes with being a mom I guess...?

Next! Ophelia had her FIRST BIRTHDAY a couple weeks ago! FIRST! Which means she has successfully been alive for a year and no one has died, broken anything or ended up in the hospital! Which is fabulous! We didn't really do much for her birthday...we bought her some gifts...Nannie and Opa also mailed some money (which she got some pretty awesome stuff with) and Grandma and Grandpa sent some gifts her way as well...we had pizza and I made cake in a jar (which color wise, looked really sad). She made a disgusting mess and had not one, but two baths. But all in all it was a pretty decent birthday! No parties, no other kids, no huge mess to clean up...just Ophelia, Sissy, Mama and Daddy (And Mocha!) celebrating with our little toddler. (WHA?! TODDLER??!!)

So that was fun.

Happy Birthday Ophelia!!

I posted last week (I think) about taking Reilly's biological dad to court -- we're petitioning the courts to let Brad legally adopt Reilly. It's seeming like it's going to go our way, but the closer we get to the court date, the more nervous I get. I'm not sure why...especially since bother her bio-father and her bio-grandmother have both defriended me on Facebook...which was a line of communication I was keeping open, even though I didn't really want to, so that they would have access to any pictures I post of Reilly, any fun things that she was doing, or just to get in contact with me to skype or what-have-you with her. And since I keep my profile private (to keep other people out of my business) they no long have access to any of that. Which is their loss really. Reilly is an amazing girl...and they are just missing whatever time they have left being in her life. I say that, only because with the backing of friends and family (and Brad of course) I am very confident that this hearing will go in mine and Brad's favor. Though I'm still nervous, so what's that say? Haha. Just me worrying I guess....like I do. So we have court. I'm looking forward to that being done and over with.

Just a couple days after court, Brad is having surgery on his neck to replace a disc...or something. I don't really know what's going on....all I know is that he'll be in the hospital overnight and then he'll have a month of recovery time...which means he'll be home for a month. Should be all well and good and hopefully that helps with his neck problems that he's been having.

So that's that. I'll try to post more often....things have been so busy with Ophelia being a toddler, me being pregnant, and Reilly in school....then Brad just doing all his normal work stuff, that I haven't really gotten a chance to sit down and write something. But since the girls have been nicely playing in the playroom for the last 45 minutes or so, I've gotten some time to write. Woo!

<3ttfn