January

And the weeks just keep rolling on!

New Years Day. Bryan was watching football so I went in to go to lunch with Jayme and Poppy. I showed up wearing the same thing as her! 

Bobbi and Jax saying "Happy New Year!"

Monday, January 5 - I went in to take care of "Lucy" as Ashley had to go back to work and the schools hadn't gotten the papers yet. I saw I had missed a call from Jayme and Bobbi and had a text from Bobbi telling me to call Jayme ASAP. I called and couldn't really understand what Jayme was saying or what had happened but I got that I needed to go get her from work. Turns out that while she was driving to her first house she began to drive erratically and almost hit an oncoming car but thanks to a quick thinking partner who grabbed the wheel they avoided an accident. She was confused and scared when I picked her up so I took her to the doctor who immediately sent her to the emergency room. They were convinced she had had a seizure of some sort. Ran tests, sent her home with a no driving restriction and an appointment to have an EEG. The next day she just had a bad headache but went to work. The next few days she was violently sick. So Monday the 12th I took her for an EEG.

Still can't drive until that is read and if it was a seizure then state law says 3 months of no driving. After 3 long weeks she was finally cleared and they determined it wasn't a seizure but not sure what happened. Possibly she was getting sick and near fainted. We are all very thankful that nothing really serious happened while she was driving or that it was something she has to deal with for life. 

The kids didn't have school on MLK Day so I had Amiah and "Lucy" out to spend the night and that day. The weather was perfect so they ice skated for hours.

I got influenza B and was very sick for a week. Not fun. 

Friday, January 23 Bryan turned 56! 

Sunday, January 25 we had our first annual Clark Family Bowling competition. Bryan had found an old trophy at an antique store and the idea was hatched. 

Such a fun and funny time!

Trey won the trophy this year with the 140 high score. Just wait until next year!!

The mighty bowlers! Jayme won second place with a 123! Impressive!!

Decorating a tiny house

Just saw that this didn't publish awhile ago! So better late...

Years ago Jayme gave me the kit for this dollhouse. It's been a work in progress and still is. But the outside is done and I found these tiny little Christmas lights. I have two tiny electronic lights in two rooms. I'm pretty pleased with how it looks. Now to get a tiny tree...and more lights...the list could go on.

Just a close up in the kitchen window.

Way back in 2014...

Wednesday, December 17 ~ I took care of Boden with Poppy. Jayme and Trey had done their Christmas early because their work and Poppy schedules just worked out that way. She did like the Cabbage Patch doll we gave her.

Friday, December 19 ~ I turned 56. Huudson made me a card.

Sunday, December 21 ~ At lunch after church Poppy opened her quilt from Great Grandma Wini. I wish this was a video because she kept gasping and saying "oh". It was so cute. The quilt is just adorable!

That evening the family celebrated my birthday with a delicious dinner at Bobbi and Travis' house and a limo ride around Lincoln to look at Christmas lights. It was such a fun time with the whole family plus our friends, Jill and Jake, crammed in that limo laughing and talking.

Monday, December 22 ~ Once again our lives took another turn. Early December Ashley was called by Christian Heritage about taking a foster child. Over the course of a couple weeks she prayed about and considered this. She met "Lucy" (I am going to keep her name private on here, if you know us you know her name but for the sake of the blog she is "Lucy" and I can't show her face on here but know that is strictly for privacy matters) and made the decision to take her into her home. "Lucy" moved in on Monday, December 22 and is 11 and in 6th grade. It was fun to make sure that she would have a great Christmas with our family. I can't even imagine what it would have been like at 11 to have Christmas with a lot of adult strangers! 

Tuesday, December 23 ~ I don't usually work on a Tuesday but the schedule changed due to Christmas. I had a Christmas party with the kids and Ashley and "Lucy" came over to decorate cookies and play. 

Ashley helped Boden with his "Yegos".

Wednesday, December 24 ~ I got some food prepared for Christmas and Christmas Eve. I went in to go to the Service. I love going to the Christmas Eve service. Bobbi, Travis, Jayme, Trey, Poppy, Ashley and "Lucy" were all there with us. Then we all came out here except for Poppy, she went to her mom's. "Lucy" made cards for everyone while we waited for them to get there. 

We had some food and enjoyed hanging out together. Bobbi and Travis went home and the others spent the night. 

Thrusday, December 25 ~ It certainly changed our Christmas morning when "Lucy" was up at 6:45 and could barely wait until 7 to go wake everyone up. She ran down the hall yelling "GET UP IT'S CHRISTMAS!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!"

Bobbi and Travis 

Trey and Jayme 

We had a great day even though it was different from what we have known for a long time. Bobbi and Travis spent the morning at his family then we were all together for a bit and then ate lunch together. After lunch Jayme and Trey headed in to pick up Poppy from her mom and go to his family's Christmas. The rest of us hung out here and then early evening Bobbi and Travis went home. The 4 of us at our house just relaxed. "Lucy" played with her new stuff and we played some games and watched a movie. She and Ashley spent the night at our place again.

Sunday, December 28 ~ Bobbi and some of Ashley's friends threw her a big 30th birthday party. It was such a nice party and fun to celebrate the amazing person that Ashley is. 

Monday, December 29 ~ Our oldest child turned 30! 

Wednesday, December 31 ~ New Years Eve and it was pretty quiet at our house. We made some chocolate chip cookies and had some hot tea and coffee while watching football I am sure. That brings us to the end of this extremely event filled year!! If you go back to the beginning Bryan was healing from open heart surgery. Then May Bobbi and Travis got engaged. The end of July Bryan's mom fell and went into the hospital then passed away August 10. Her funeral was the 13th. Bobbi and Travis got married August 17. Jayme and Trey got engaged in September and married October 19. Ashley took on the foster care of "Lucy" in December. So in a matter of 5 months we went from a family of 5 to a family of 9. And we are loving it!