Take Five

 It has been five months since my last post and I really have no good excuse.  Just life, I guess.
 Many things have happened in those five months.  A few days after my last post, we went to Tennessee for my family reunion.  It was a wonderful time with family!  Almost all 21 of my first cousins were there, and I had such a great time introducing Jason, Bailey, and Hayes to everyone.  Bailey went white water rafting with my aunts, Jason played golf with the boys, and I enjoyed some pool time with cousins.  Family BINGO night was the best, and we celebrated my grandparents 65th wedding anniversary!  It was the best reunion ever!

Watching my Aunts and Uncles interact is always so fun!  I wish we could get together more often.

AUGUST

Sadly just two days after we got back from Tennessee, my Grandpa passed away suddenly.  It was quick, painless(for him anyway), and very unexpected.  I think that is some of the reason why the blogging stopped.  Jim Schanck was a wonderful man and I am so happy that my husband and children were able to know him.  I know that the hearts of my Nana and their children are broken.  Seeing my father lose his father has been part of the "circle of life" that I was not too familiar with.  I was fortunate enough to make it 35 years with all four of my grandparents.  I treasure that.
Also in August, I started my 10th year of teaching.  Wow, ten years already!  Time sure does fly!

SEPTEMBER

We celebrated Hayes turning one!  I can not believe that precious being has been in our lives for a year already.  He is an amazing little boy and I am so proud to be his mom.  He had an OSU tailgate birthday party, and I think he enjoyed it!

We also celebrated Bailey's 11th birthday!  We took her to Medieval Times and had a great time cheering on our Knight and eating with our hands!  She is turning into such a beautiful young lady.  I have been blessed with a great bonus daughter! 

OCTOBER

This was a pretty quiet month for us.  We did get to celebrate Hayes' second Halloween, but the first one where he was walking!  He was Bamm Bamm and  Whitney's daughter Gracie went as Pebbles!  It was fantastic!  We are so thankful for "Aunt Jana" for making the costumes!

NOVEMBER

Very thankful this month.  We went to my parent's house for Thanksgiving!  It was bittersweet because we found out that my great Aunt Jan, my Nana's twin, was diagnosed with Leukemia and was not expected to make it until Christmas.  I felt so sorry for my Nana.  She had just lost her heart, and now she was about to lose her soul.  Aunt Jan told her that "Jimmy wanted her up there first."  Aunt Jan...what a pistol.  As of the date I am writing this she is still hanging in there and receiving treatment.

DECEMBER

Christmas this year was GREAT!  My brother came home for the first Christmas in 8 years.  He brought his wife, Amy-Lee but she ended up in bed with the flu most of the time.  Poor girl.  Hope she will still want to come back to Oklahoma to visit!  We went to my grandparents, Eskimo Joes for cheese fries, and the Wee Too, where Grandad used to take us for breakfast.  It was a trip down memory lane for my brother and I.  I'm so glad we did it and that Jason and Bailey got to travel that lane with us! I love making new memories.  I couldn't help but think, what if it was the last time that my brother, parents, and both grandparents would be all together.  I am glad we made the most of it.

As we get ready to head into 2013, I look around my life and count my blessings, event the ones in disguise.
I do not know what the new year will bring, but I know that I will take nothing for granted.  Life is too short.

Happy New Year!! 
I resolve to keep up with my blog more!  :)