Dylan's 1st Day of Camp

Dylan started Camp Good Grief today. We had to get up at 6 in the morning and leave the house by 7. I had to get him across town to the "bus stop" at a church off Poplar. From there, the kids took a bus (a really nice, big bus) to the camp approx. 45 minutes away. Dylan could not have been more excited! He awoke with a "wo-hoo!"

One of the neatest things was that there is an adult "buddy" for every two kids. This "buddy" is a trained counselor and they stay with their two kids throughout the camp. Dylan's buddy sent him a postcard a couple weeks ago and then he called him this past weekend. He had Dylan so excited. Also, the two children who share a "buddy" are supposed to have alot in common, including the type of loss.

I was so nervous putting my son on that bus! He has never been on a bus and I didn't personally know any of the people I was trusting with his care. However, we met his "buddy" and his new friend this morning before they all got on the bus and I knew all would be OK. After all, this is a once-in-a-lifetime type opportunity for Dylan.

Dylan was so excited when I picked him up. He had a blast at camp. He got to do lots of "cool" stuff and he got watermelon for a snack (his fav!). He got to share about his sister with new friends. When I asked about his new friend (the one who shared a buddy with Dylan), he said he really liked him. The boy (around Dylan's age) lost his little brother. Dylan said "he's really cool because he didn't laugh at me when I cried about Cedie and he cried too about his baby."

I am so grateful he is able to have this experience and this time to be around other kids who "get" his grief.

Dylan has Swimmers Ear

Dylan had to visit Dr. John this morning. He has been complaining about his ear hurting him. On the way, I tried talking to him about possibly taking a shot, if one was offered. It is always a fight when I have to make him take an antibiotic for 10 days, two times a day. I told him with a shot it is over within minutes and then he'll feel better faster.

He was very much against this idea. What kind of shocked me though was when he said "I'm not as strong as Cedie" I asked him what he meant by that. He said she could take shots all the time and barely cry. He said she was so brave and strong and he can't be like that because he's scared of shots. She was so very brave and strong despite her odds and I'm so glad he could see that...

Anyway, turns out it was just swimmers ear so no shots or antibiotics. We just have to give him some ear drops. Hopefully he'll be feeling better soon. His Camp Good Grief (Baptist Bereavement Camp) is next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

Mom Sayings

I usually don't post these kinds of things here, but this was too funny to pass up. In this video, the artist put all the common "Mom sayings" into a song!

For you moms: See how many of these saying you actually say to your kids!

New Cedie Pics!

I received a wonderful gift from our good friend Kim. Kim was Cedie's first at LeBonheur's TCU and then she loved Cedie so much that she became her home nurse too. Anyway, Kim emailed me all of her Cedie pictures that she downloaded from her cell phone. I put them in a slide show and posted them on her website (see link on our side bar). They are some great pictures that span from March 2006-December 2006.

Thank you again Kim!

Mudding on Sunday

Today Chris and I took Dylan to the "Bottoms." It is a place that people take their off road trucks/jeeps, their ATV's, and their motor bikes. Chris has been going there since he could drive.

Anyway, we took both Dylan's and Chris' four wheelers. I rode with Chris and Dylan drove his own. He did so good! I took the camera (of course!) and I kept turning around to snap pictures of him. He was so excited! Chris even gave him a cooler to strap on the back, just like Chris does!

Enjoy the pics!

Dylan's First Sleepover

Dylan had his first sleep over! His buddy Brandon, who lives a couple houses down from us, spent the night with us last night.

Around 11:30 I told them it was almost morning so they better get to sleep. They were so excited and said "Dude! We stayed up ALL night!!" It was so cute. Ten minutes later they were out!

I snuck in there after they were really asleep and I took a couple pics (which Dylan later tells me is so silly!).

Back at it Again

I did it! I have enrolled myself back into the University of Memphis for the Fall 2007 semester!

The last semester I was in school was Spring 2005. I was very pregnant with Cedie by the end of the semester. Our plan was to have her over the summer and go back the Fall 2005 and finish up in 2006. Obviously that didn't work out.

I have 92 hours and I only need 30 hours to graduate. I have a meeting with my counselor on Thursday. HOPEFULLY, I will be able to get all my hours completed in time to graduate after the Spring 08 semester! However, since I do still have to work and I still have responsibilities to Chris and Dylan, it may be I have to take a couple of classes next summer. Either way- I am DETERMINED to get my degree in 2008!

Its going to be hard to get back into the swing of things as a student! Wish me luck!

Fun Weekend

We had a fun weekend! Chris, Dylan and I spent 7.5 hours out on the MS river on Saturday! We had a blast! Dylan is becoming such a good swimmer. Saturday night, Dylan stayed at home with Aunt Mel Mel while Daddy and I went to a friends house and then a UFC party.

Sunday we spent the afternoon with our good friends, "Aunt" Rachel (Dylan and Cedie's Godmother), "Uncle Tre", Grant, and baby Tatum! Sunday night we went to Nana's for dinner. We have been so busy lately and its been 4 weeks since we last enjoyed our traditional Nana dinner!

I'll post some pics from our river adventure as soon as I get my camera software working again..

Crazy Family

Dylan never ceases to amaze me with his gift of words and ability to express his feelings.

Last night Dylan and I went for a walk. We were talking and laughing. Then he says to me "Mom, you're crazy! And daddy is crazy too. Cedie's even crazy." I said "you think so" He said "well yeah! Like when she would grab my nose, or sit in your lap reading your book when she couldn't even read, or when she would rub daddy's head all the time!" I was so delighted that he holds such small little things that made her who she was.. He then went on to amaze me even more by saying "I don't know about my new sister. Maybe she's crazy like us too! He was referring to the sister we hope God has out there waiting for us to adopt and bring in to our family. It reminded me of his faith in us as his parents and in God. Most kids his age would not take the possibility of adoption by faith without knowing specifics, like pictures, names, dates, etc. He ended the line of conversation by saying "but I'm the craziest and I make my family smile"

Thinking back on this talk I remembered that I took some pictures of my "crazy" Dylan and I haven't posted them yet. Enjoy!

Branson Trip

Hey everyone! Sorry it has been so long since I posted but we've been out of town alot! We've been to Hot Springs, AR; Branson, MO; and Pickwick, TN.

The Branson trip sure was fun. We left on a Sunday morning. Its a long trip so we stopped in AR and saw the Natural Bridge. It was just beautiful and it gave us a chance to stretch our legs. Once in Branson, we met up with my cousin Kori and her baby Dominic and boyfriend Jimmy. We also met up with my cousin Matt and his little boy Zachary. Dylan was so excited to have two boys to play with even though they were little! We all went to eat Mexican with my Aunt Becky and Uncle Brad.

Monday we went shopping and went out on TableRock Lake. Brad and Becky sure know how to have a good time on their boat! Monday night we went out to eat with our whole family (on my dad's side). There were 14 of us!

Tuesday we went to the family reunion (my dad's mother's family). After a "family meeting" we let a ton of balloons go. Each balloon said "Lynchard Family Reunion" and they all had a strip of paper with a saying in them. The kids thought that was grand! After visiting with the fam, we went back out on the boat. Tuesday night we all went out to Red Lobster and then the girls (+ Dylan) all went to see a show called Liverpool Legends. Its a Beatles cover band and they did an awesome job! Nana and I sure embarrassed Dylan with our dancing though! He fell asleep before the show was over and I had to carry him back to the condo. The guys went night fishing and were out really late!

We were supposed to head home Wednesday morning but we decided to stay another day. We wanted to go to Silver Dollar City but the weather would not cooperate! So we went to lunch, and then to the Butterfly Palace! It was really neat. We saw a 3D film and then we got to walk through their indoor rain forest. You wouldn't believe all the butterflies! They were everywhere. We had to check ourselves before we could exit to make sure they didn't try to tag along! Next we went through their glass maze. That was tons of fun! Dylan will tell you different though! He tought he knew the way and slammed, face 1st, into a mirror! The hit was so load that the staff came to make sure he and their mirrors were ok! That night, Dylan and Chris stayed at the condo and I went to see a show called the Baldknobers with my parents. It was so funny!

Thursday we headed home. I came to work Friday but then we had to get ready for our Pickwick trip with Chris' dad and family!