Fall Is Here!!!!!!

Ever since Emma has come home from my folk's house she's been having a rough time.....teething is to blame, I think. However, even though we have had some absolutely crappy evenings, can I tell you how much I love my baby girl, especially when she's not screaming bloody murder or biting my arm! Yes that's right....Emma bit me the other day for the first time. She was super pissed about something (not sure what because she's got a short fuse lately), and I was hugging her and trying to calm her down, when I feel this little pinch on my arm, and the little shit was biting me! Needless to say she learned real quick that "WE DO NOT BITE" and I learned to stay out of her way when she's pissed like she was.

Anyhow, yesterday I got off of work early so we decided to go to Vala's Pumpkin Patch. Just as we were heading out the door, it began to sprinkle, and continued to do so for the duration of our pumpkin patch trip. However, we still had a great time and I have included some pics at the end of this post of our trip there! Then today Nick and I took Emma to Bass Pro for a Halloween picture at their Charlie Brown pumpkin patch, and the photo turned out great! Will try and put one up here after I get it scanned into my computer. Next weekend will be a nice one also, as Mike and Mollie are coming down either Friday or Saturday to spend a few days, and Nick's 31st bday is Sunday :) Then Monday is Halloween, so I'm sure we'll be taking Emma somewhere this weekend for trick or treating in her Giraffe costume!

If you can't tell, Fall is my favorite time of year because we get to spend so much time with family and such! Nick's birthday is like the Kickoff to all sorts of greatness ahead :)

The Great Outdoors

Nick and I got back from Grand Island around 2:30 this afternoon, after a weekend full of hunting and spending time with the family. Unfortunately, we didn't see any deer, so I didn't get a chance to get my first one. However, just getting to spend the time with Nick out in nature was worth walking miles, blisters on my feet, an aching back, and frostbitten (not really!) body parts! We still may get the chance to go bowhunting again before the year's up, so I'm crossing my fingers that this year will be my lucky one!

On a side note, I'm getting ready to head down to Missouri and get Emma tomorrow, and boy I can't wait!!!! We sure have missed her, and already have plans to take her to Vala's Pumpkin Patch next weekend, which I'm sure she'll love just as much as we do :)

The Mighty Deerhunters

For this past week Emma has been staying with my folks in Missouri so that Nick and I can attempt to go deerhunting. After driving around a ton and looking at several "potential" spots to hunt, we determined that Eastern Nebraska has next to nothing to offer in the way of deerhunting spots. Therefore, tomorrow after work we're heading back to Grand Island to hunt a place around there. Tonight we went out and shot our bows one last time, and have gathered almost everything up. We were originally planning on hunting from treestands, but after talking, determined that hunting in a ground blind might be our best option this time.

So needless to say, I can't wait to get out there in the woods, and hopefully, get my first deer!!!! There's no telling if we'll even see anything, but if we do, and it comes within 20 yards of the blind, he's MINE :) Will update you on our (hopefull) success Sunday when we get home! Fingers crossed!

Perspective

Well, Emma is down in Missouri right now having fun with Gma and Gpa Osborn :) She'll be staying with this this next week and I'll go get her next Monday. Mom's been wanting to watch her for a while and Nick and I have been wanting to go bowhunting, so we decided to kill 2 birds with 1 stone and let them watch her so we can go bowhunting :) However, I reallllllly miss her right now and wish I could love on her. There are a few blogs I read that are written by mothers who have lost their babies, and it really just puts everything into perspective for me. It's not that I don't think the world of Emma, because she's my life, but I think sometimes we all just need a reminder of how precious life is and how quickly it can be taken away. Even though she can be clingy and whiny sometimes, I wouldn't change our lives for the world, because she is our world. Man I miss this girl!

Happier Time are Coming

Lately I know I've been a little grouchier and and easier to get mad, and I hate show snappy I've been toward Nick. I am going to try and be happier and more upbeat and not so touchy because I think my mood affects Nick just as his does mine. Anyhow, I had been feeling sick for the past few days but am feeling better now, however, Emma's been running a fever since yesterday and I think she's getting an ear infection, so she's got a doctor's appt tomorrow at 5:45. Hopefully she'll get some medicine so she can get to feeling better. Friday after work I'm meeting Mom and Dad in Rock Port because Emma's going to stay with them for a week so Nick and I can have a chance to go bowhunting on the weekends. I'm hoping we both have great weather and that I get a deer (unlikely!). I will leave you with a picture of my girl enjoying some of her favorite food....spaghetti!!!!!!

Looking Back and Looking Ahead

Looking Back

Yesterday Nick, Emma, and I met Mom, Dad, Gma, and Gpa in Rock Port to celebrate my birthday early as we always have. We usually get together at Gma and Gpa's for a weenie roast and a big family get together, but this year with me working we just had to compromise. We met at the truck stop in Rock Port for lunch, then we went to the park for cupcakes and gifts :) It was great getting to see everyone and spend some time together, but boy does the detour we have to take, suck!!!! I don't think I've mentioned it in any posts, but this past summer there was some major flooding from the Missouri River from north of Council Bluffs all the way down I-29 to Rock Port. Therefore, even though the flood waters are receeding, they have left the interstate between Glenwood and Rock Port damaged and undrivable, and so we have to take this crappy detour where the roads are super hilly and wind around a ton which means that if you get stuck behind some people who are piddling along (which we always do!), then you're stuck behind them for over an hour, or longer, depending on how slowly they are driving!

Looking Ahead
Anyhow, we had a great time with everyone and now that we're back home, I have been decorating for Halloween and Fall in general :) I am so excited for the holidays this year because Emma's older and I just think that they are going to be a lot of fun, except, perhaps for having to watch Emma super close so that she doesn't destroy our Christmas tree :P I am planning on putting in to have Black Friday and that Saturday off here in a few weeks, and so my fingers are crossed for those days off to be approved!

God Bless the U.S.A.

Ten years ago today I remember walking into my sophmore History class only to see the television on, and a building with a smoking, gaping wound on it's side. I think maybe I was too young to understand the magnitude of what was happening, but now it really hits me hard seeing mothers and relatives draped over their loved one's name on one memorial or another. September 11, 2001 is a date that Emma will be learning about from a History book. The book will give the facts about what happened, and how many people were killed, but it will not be able to recount how people were jumping to their death from windows, from fear of being crushed should the towers fall. It also, will not tell the stories about those who are alive today because they had a busy morning and were running late for work, or because their child was sick and they had to stay at home with them.

I think perhaps the noblest thing from this day was the courage that United Flight 93 showed, as they forced their plane to crash into a field in Pennsylvania rather than crashing into the White House. They knew that they were going to die either by the hands of a terrorist, or that they could sacrifice themselves and save some people who would be able to fight Al Quaeda (as we found out later was behind the attacks.) Nick and I were talking, wondering if we would be able to do the same thing given their situation, and sadly, I am not sure I could. I know that for everyone there is a time to die (as stated in the Bible), but to cause your own death is something I have a hard time grasping, and therefore, I see these people, along with the firefighters, as the true heroes of the day.

"God bless America. Land that I love! Stand beside her, and guide her, through the night with a light from above." Lord please guide our country through these troubled waters in which we sail, and bring us to a safe harbor soon. Keep those who lost their lives ten years ago today in your hands, and be with the innocent Muslim population who has received a bad rap from a few bad apples among them. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.