Correct link for Connor's highlight/interview

http://www.lscsn.com/secondary.php?page=includes/video_13.htm

Copy and paste into browser.

We are going to STATE!!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Nick came home on Sunday and was able to spend the entire week home. Of course, he spent half his time visiting friends, but that's to be expected. We are thankful that he's happy and well-adjusted to college life.

Connor's football team has been progressing in the playoffs. We were surprised (and alarmed!) that his doctor released him to play football just as the team was entering the playoffs. As the doctor said "Connor far exceeded expectation" regarding his healing and rehabilitation. We can only thank God for this unexpected blessing. Connor has played in 3 games now. We did have a shoulder scare with the 2nd game, and he did hurt it, but not in the same dislocation way as before. So it has withstood the pounding.

On Saturday, Connor's team played in the semi-finals. We got a kick out of an impromptu fly-over right as the game started by Connor's uncle (Karyn's brother) who is a Careflight pilot. Every one thought it was a planned event because it happened right when the Star Spangled Banner was over. I wish I had a photo of it because he was rather low! Anyway, almost immediately into the game, Connor intercepted a pass and ran it back for our first score! You can see that and a snippet from his interview after the game here but be aware that Connor is mortified by it and will shoot me for sharing it! The other two boys interviewed are Connor's really good friends.



Kelly just finished her first trimester of high school, and as expect she did very well. At this point in time, she has decided that she wants to attend a military academy, so she is working toward that goal. Her brothers keep telling her she is crazy for even considering it.

We hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. Enjoy your holiday season!

Much to be thankful for!

The KSU Wildcats weren't the only ones who had a tough day at KU today. Nick went to Lawrence on Friday night to see a friend from high school. He spent the night with him in the dorm and then left around 8 this morning to go meet some of his Delta Upsilon brothers for breakfast at the KU-DU house (it's only about an hour from KSU so a lot of the guys had come over this morning and they were meeting with the KU DU's). Anyway, on the way from the dorm to the KU-DU house, 3 guys mugged Nick, who was walking alone. He was shoved around, but wasn't hurt. They did take his wallet and game ticket. Fortunately, they did not take his phone, but his battery died (after he called us) and he was pretty much stranded with no wallet, no cash, and no working phone. He had ridden to KU with some DU's so he had no car there. Bill and I definitely felt 500 miles away, because there was little we could do. I did call a DU mom I know, and she called her son who was on his way to the game, and they somehow found Nick and fed him lunch and took him back to KSU. No one was too interested in watching much of the game (KSU lost 52-21). Right now, I don't think Nick ever wants to go back to KU again! We are just thankful he was not physically harmed.

We had some other excitement this weekend, as Willie, our new pug, decided to go on walkabout about 5 yesterday. The lawn guys did not close up the gate properly, and he escaped. We spent a lot of time searching for him, and hanging "wanted" signs, and going to the shelter. We were so happy to get a call from the shelter around 1:00 today that he had been found. Turns out that a lady found him on the street IN FRONT OF OUR HOUSE yesterday probably right after he got out. She almost hit him. She did not live in our neighborhood, but she did drive around a little to see if anyone was looking for him. Then she took him to the animal clinic where she works and he spent the night there. They called the shelter. We were so worried about him, but the funny thing is that he never went anywhere! She probably had him in her car before we even knew he was gone (and he was only out for 5-10 minutes before we realized it). It was so hard to sleep last night, not knowing where he was. So we are just thankful he is okay! Still, he seemed tired from his jaunt!

Homecomings!!

Two weekends and two homecomings! We started with Connor's at Legacy Christian. Connor is still on the mend with his shoulder, so he didn't get to actually play football. He was, however, elected to the homecoming court, as was his girlfriend. Before the football game, the homecoming royalty was announced, and Connor and his girlfriend, Patricia, were elected Prince and Princess from the junior class!


The next night was the homecoming dance (I had no idea Connor would show up with black Nikes for shoes!!).


Nick had actually come home (sort of) that weekend. He came in on Thursday night and left Friday morning to go see his friends at Texas A&M and watch the K-State/A&M game (KSU won:). He came back Sunday and spent the afternoon with us before flying out in the evening. Somehow, in all the excitement, I didn't think to take a photo of him! But he wasn't the only one in town...my (Karyn's) dad had come to town also. So he got to see Connor's homecoming court...and I have not taken his photo either (I need to do better with photos).

But I did take Kelly's photo this last Saturday as she dressed up for her first homecoming. I must confess that I was pretty happy just to see her in a dress! She actually had a very good time.

A Quilting Getaway

Lori and I had fun last weekend on our quilting-getaway. We stayed at the Westin in Frisco, where we had a free night and a deeply discounted second night. So the cost may have led us to forget what a top-notch hotel we were staying in, but we were reminded on Friday night when we stepped into the elevator in our t-shirts and jeans, and were surrounded by couples dressed to the nines!

We decided that any money we saved on the room was spent on tips! We looked like the Beverly Hillbillies with our sewing machine luggage, and all the assorted extra bags with fabric and other necessities that we brought along. It barely fit on one (large) luggage cart!

After we were in the room we began the quest of getting it sew-ready. We: Can we have another table in the room? We: Thank you for bringing the extra table. It's a little too tall to meet our needs. Would you mind bringing another one, just like the one that came with the room? We: You found one! Great! Could you please bring another lamp so that table will be lit? We: Thanks for the table and the lamp. Would you happen to have any fans you could bring to the room? Of course, every delivery came with a tip. We would would be the worst-dressed tippers of the evening! Finally, we were set up.
We were surprised when we got back to our room Friday night after going out for a quick dinner. There was a gift basket and a large gift bag (which you can see in the photo) filled with fruit, crackers, other snacks, plates, and napkins...courtesy of the best husband in the world!!

On Saturday night, we paid Connor to pick up sushi and deliver it to us. The photo above was taken by Connor's girlfriend. It was a fun weekend...hanging out with my sister and working on quilts.

We have a new addition to the family!!

Connor has been pleading with us for years now to get another dog. He's really wanted a bulldog or a pug. We've managed to say no, until now. It all started last Sunday night. Connor called on his way home from his girlfriend's to tell me there was a dog in the road. We told him he could bring it home just to get it out of the road. While he tried to get the dog, a speeding car almost hit Connor, and did hit the dog. Connor was devastated. It really upset him (as it would anyone), and we began to discuss adopting a rescue dog. Well, I put my foot down and said no to the bulldog...(I am not a big dog person even though Bill and Connor love big dogs) but agreed to a pug.

Today we adopted a pug from DFW Pug Rescue. Willie (the Wildcat :) was found in the Dallas pound. They think he's' 4-5, but he's very playful. Connor loves the fact that Willie's tongue is too big for his mouth! Bill and I thought he should be called Deisel because he sounds like a truck idling :) He snorts and snores. He is really sweet and lovable. Connor is very, very happy!!

A big "thank you" for your prayers and well-wishes when Connor had surgery. He seems to be healing well and will visit the doctor again on Monday. He is hoping to begin rehab in another week. It has definitely been hard for Connor to sit out of football, but he has really been a good sport about it and we are very proud of him. The photos are of the scrimmage game that Connor got hurt in. The man he's walking off the field with the orthopedic who did his surgery.


Kelly is settling into high school and seems to be enjoying it. She is taking French for her foreign language and really likes it. She is also taking Honors History/English, Honors Geometry, Pre-AP Biology, and Honors Digital Art. It sounds like a heavy load, but so far she' managing it well. Kelly also recently spent a Saturday training at Equest, a therapeutic horsemanship place. She will spend several hours each Saturday being a side-walker or leader for a horse and child. She will also tack her horse.

We are currently up at K-State for Nick's fraternity's Family Day. Bill, Nick and Connor are at the KSU game right now. Kelly and I are hanging out in the hotel room. (It's rainy and chilly out there!!). Connor is excited to sleep at the fraternity house tonight. The photo was taken at the Delta Upsilon house today during lunch.