Jarrod, Tricia, Austin, Waveney & Grace

We got a package from my sister Michelle who is serving a mission in Argentina. She sent us all soccer jerseys, and sent money pouches for the kids. We also got Argentine candy and some other things. It is always nice to get something from my sister, when she is so far away!



The other was when Wave got to invite two friends out to eat with our family then we had fun watching Waveney open her presents.
 

Austin started playing soccer with the Lexington Youth Soccer Association (LYSA)on a U14 team. The level of competition was a big step for Austin. Austin was the youngest on the team, and he was a bit shy and self conscious since he didn't know anyone on the team and some of the kids were very good. He did very well. He is not an all-star, but he had a good season and had a bunch of good attempts on the goal. I believe he became a much better soccer player this fall season.



Waveney had another great season playing for the Wizards 8/9 year olds for the YMCA.  They went undefeated for the season.  The only game that gave them trouble was the last game of the season.  Waveney actually got  to score several times throughout the season.  I'm glad she had a great season.  Next spring she moves up to the 10/11 year old team and it will be much more difficult for her to score.


Grace is an awesome soccer player and a complete pleasure to watch. The way she can move and control the ball is amazing. It was quite an honor to be the Mom of such a magnificent player.  A few times coaches from the other team commented on how amazing she was. For most of the season I had her play goalie one quarter and play forward for 2 quarters she scores goals in every game, the most was 6 in one game! Yes, 6 goals!!!!! She is amazing!  Grace is on the Generals 6/7 year olds at the YMCA.  What I like most about this team is that we had 7/10 kids score during the season.  As a coach it is amazing that so many kids can score!

Well Katie made it safe and sound to Brazil. Her words were positive, but I can tell she is struggling with the rigorous schedule, as any new missionary does I'm sure. She is trying to love the food, it's all Brazilian in the MTC, but she got chicken nuggets the other day. This mission thing will be great for her! :)

Cousin Elizabeth Hawkins is 7 weeks pregnant and she had an ultrasound today and there is one healthy heart beat. We are very happy for them. Cousin Bethany Mussman still has not had her baby, but has been ready for 2 weeks now. I had a nice birthday and got to spend the day at home catching up on a lot of things that had gotten put off while I was out of town so much before. I had some amazing birthday wishes on facebook. 3 friends from the ward brought over goodies and made me feel special. Jarrod brought home PF Changs for dinner and a great wall of chocolate for my birthday cake. He put a candle in it and they sang to me. Then Austin and I went to his middle school open house. It was a very good birthday.
Austin will be playing percussion for the middle school band, I'm so happy, since I played percussion! Austin also started piano lessons again, and I'm very excited about him doing music again! He is adjusting to middle school very well and is showing how mature he has become and he has been so responsible. I am proud of the young man he is turning into.

Katie left this morning for Brazil! I'm so proud of her for getting to this point. I'm praying that she'll make it to Brazil safe and sound. Katie was in Lexington last weekend for Grace (Hatton) Kay's wedding reception. It was a blessing to be able to drive her to the airport along with her Dad and Sister Becky! "God be with you, 'til we meet again!"



Last week, I booked a big time commercial. It is for the product "Dryel", it's the at-home Dry Cleaning product. It was a 2 day shoot. I had to be there at 5:30am on Wed. morning, so they put me in a hotel for Tues. night, and Wed. night, since I was shooting on Thurs as well. I worked 12 hours the first day, and only 8 the 2nd day. It was a blast to shoot and I felt so pretty and very confident in my acting skills. The commercial is national and is scheduled to air in October. I should get a copy of the commercial so I can show it to others, as well as possibly post it on Facebook!


Some sad news, ....Grandma Vance passed away last Thursday, on August 20th. After I finished shooting on Wed. Jarrod told me that Grandma Vance had a terrible headache and started throwing up and then going in and out of consciousness. The Ambulance took her to Bowling Green hospital, where the ER Doc did a CT scan to determine she had a bleed in the brain. They air lifted her to Vanderbilt Hospital. The Neurologist confirmed the brain bleed and then said at nearly 82 years old, she was too old to operate on and that we needed to prepare ourselves to say good bye. She was unresponsive and unconscious throughout Wed. night. Grandma Vance was opposed to surgery or any heroic measures to keep her alive. If she couldn't live and be 100% "normal" she didn't want to have anything major done, just to keep her body alive. So we waited, and she joined her husband and God at 12:30pm on Thursday. I was not ready for it, and didn't want to accept her passing. But I had to, I really expected her to live another 10-15 years. Her own mother lived many long years. Plus she is the youngest in her family and her 3 older siblings and their spouses are all still living. She had recently spent 2 weeks in St. Louis with her daughters family. She had many visits to the St. Louis temple and even traveled to Nauvoo and attended the temple there. She worked in the church Welfare center there. Marsha had sent me an email just a couple weeks ago saying that she hoped that if she was still alive at 82, she hoped she could "go" like Grandma Vance was "going". Then, the last Sat. of Grandma Vance's life, Jarrod and I decided to travel to Morgantown. We almost didn't go, because Sunday was Katie's farewell talk and open house and it was going to be exhausting to have to travel to M-town then to Crestwood, then back home. But we decided to go, and I'm glad we did, because we were able to spend some more time with Grandma Vance. We will very much miss her. She had a beautiful funeral and it was wonderful to be with all of her posterity. We had some very nice visits with all the family. The kids have handled it well, but they miss her.

I had lunch with Mom and our Grandma today, and I told Grandma that I was going to be hugging, kissing and telling her I love her every time I see her now! I now regret that I didn't get any pictures of Grandma Vance with my kids when we were there visiting the last time.
"God be with you 'til we meet again" Grandma and Grandpa Vance.