YEAH --- STILL NOT BLOGGING, HUH?

MY APOLOGIES -- REALLY!! :-) I'll be back soon, I promise!! Love you all!!

My apologies to BLITZEN!!!

Dear Blitzen -
I am so sorry for being so ugly to you yesterday morning!!!

You obviously REALLY ARE MAGIC!!!
Love- Kristi

OH MY GOSH YA'LL!!!! Luke is totally spellbound by this thing!!

Here's the convo that took place this morning!!!

Luke, uhmmm, where's Blitzen?
I don't know Mommy ...... I DIDN'T TOUCH HIM....I DIDN'T I PROMISE!!!
Well Luke, he's not on top of the cabinet anymore. Where did he go?
I don't know Mommy!! I PROMiSE I DIDN'T TOUCH HIM!! I PROMISE!!!
Well, we have to find him. Remember, he moves to a different place every night after visiting Santa.
Mommy, where is he?
I don't know Luke. Look high and low and all around.
(Whispering) Moooommmmy.....MOOOOOOMMMMMY!!!!
What buddy?
(Whispering) He's UP THERE!! (on top of a painting in our living room over the couch)
Well he sure is!!! How'd he get up there?
OH MY GOODNESS.....MOMMY!!! HE'S MAGIC!!! HE IS HE IS!! HE CAN FLY! HE! CAN! FLY!
Wow Luke, I guess he really can, huh?
Runs over grabs me around the waist and says --- I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SORRY MOMMY!!! He does fly. I'm gonna be REALLY good!!!

This may just work out after all......

Who's freaking idea was Elf on the Shelf? REALLY?

So, this morning we did the whole "WHAT'S THIS?" on the Elf. http://www.elfontheshelf.com/

This middle child of mine(Luke) is going to be the death of me:

Read the story -

Named the elf - Blitzen....yeah the reindeer.

Then came the hysterics:

His eyes don't move how can he see me when he's sitting right there????!!!

He can't fly..................HE CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN'T FLLLLLLLLLLLYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!

He doesn't have wings, Daaaaadddddyyyyyyyyy, heeeeeeeeeee caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan't flyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!! tears and more tears!!!

He can't talk to Santa, his mouth doesn't move!!!

I don't want him to talk to Santa!!!

So, I say to Alan as Luke leaves the room:

Screw you Blitzen........

You were NO HELP AT ALL!!

And Bethany..............Luke flipped his lid at the "NO TOUCH" rule too!!

EEEK --- 6 weeks? REALLY?

I'm such a bad blogger!!

Facebook is so much easier to use and load pics.

I know that's really no excuse but it's the truth.

Several have emailed me and asked how we are.....

Well, we're doing ok.

I went back to work in August and I *LOVE* my new job!

Aaron started 9th grade in August!

Luke started Pre-K in August!

Sydney has adjusted AMAZINGLY well and I can't believe she's been home 11 months yesterday!!! Her 3rd b'day party has been planned, too!!

The holidays are upon us -

I'll try to do better ......

I PROMiSE!!!

When a child prays -----

It just pleases my heart!!! This was Luke's prayer tonight:

Dear Lord -
THank you for letting me pray. Thank you for baseball and going to Disney World. Thank you for letting me live with my Mommy & Daddy. Thank for church, God. Amen




Oh to have the faith of a little child.........................

Another friend......another Mommy.....Another loss from CANCER!!!!

Anoher adoption friend has lost her battle with cancer --- Leukemia!!

Staci left behind a husband and son named Joshua. We know that she was welcomed into heaven by my MIL Faye, my dear friend Deana and another friend Annette.

All of them passing since July 4th. My heart just aches!!!

I'm a FACEBOOK JUNKIE!!!!

YEP, I AM!!

Most of you already know that.

Anyway, I'm kinda glad that I am though.

It's brought me back together with friends I've had over the years but lost contact with.

It's brought me new friends.

But, most importantly,I've been able to get back in touch with family members that I don't get to see nearly as often as I would like!!!

PRETTY COOL HUH?

Life's been hectic the past 2 weeks!!!

Wow, the past 10 days have been just NUTTY!!!!

I started my new job at Teledyne Brown Engineering on Wednesday 8/26 --- note to self ---

DO NOT START A NEW JOB AT MONTHS END!!! :-)

HOLY GUACAMOLE!!!

Nothing like a crash course in learning the ropes during the BUSIEST time of the month!!! WHEW!!!

But I survived it and

I *L*O*V*E* IT!!!!

I'm still learning all the duties that come along with my position but LINDSAY, the chick that's training me, ROCKS!!! We've become friends quickly and she is insanely patient with me!

Good thing!!!

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Alan's Dad came to visit with us this week too!!!

George got here on Monday evening and stayed till Thursday morning. He not only got to hang with us and totally enjoy the grandkids but he also got to visit with some of his closest friends while he was here. The kids absolutely LOVED having Granddaddy around and

He REALLY needed that.

It was so weird for him to be here without Grandmother. It's been 2 months and 1 day since she went to be with Jesus. It's been really hard on everyone. Please keep George in your prayers......after 55 years of a partnership, he's having a very difficult time being on his own.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Luke has started t-ball and it wears me out!

I dreaded watching it when AJ played and it looks like I still feel the same way!!!

T-ball ...... whose idea was that?

A field full of children who aren't terribly co-ordinated all running after a small white ball that's been cranked of a T.

Can't we just skip straight to coach/machine pitch? That's where the fun really begins!!!

And I still have 2-3 years of it....OY!!!!

Please let Sydney want to me a dancer or a gymanst or something!!! :-)

WHEW! What a week!!!

Ok, here's the rundown:

1. Job falls in my lap on Tuesday. Since I had not heard from the company that I *REALLY* wanted to work for, I took this other job. They wanted me to start on Wednesday.
2. Start on Wednesday and by lunchtime, I realized that I was in WAAAAAAAAAAY over my head!!!! That same afternoon, the company that I interviewed with last Friday offers me the job. I explain to them that since I had never heard anything from them, I had taken another offer because I needed to work. I am so in far over my head that.....
3. When I go to work on Thursday my heart rate is 127 and I feel an SVT attack coming on really quickly. By 11:00 I realize this job is SOOOOO not for me!!! I explain to the management that I just can't do it and that they would have to find someone else.
4. I call Teledyne Brown to inquire whether they had filled the position and they had NOT, so they RE-OFFER me the job and immediately begin making arragements for me start on Wednesday Aug 26!!!! I felt like a million pounds was off my shoulders!!!!
5. Exhaled and enjoyed Friday!!!

Hmmmmm, decisions decisions ---

I don't know what to do about this job ----

it's just very very overwhelming!!!

I am just gonna pray that I can make a clear decision!!!

I asked for it and here it is!!!!

I GOT A JOB!!!

I've been at home since Sydney came home last November. It's been great and since she went to "school" in May to help with her development and socialization, I have been ready to go back to work. With the summer upon us and many plans already made, I decided I'd just have to wait until school started back.

After our beach trip in July, I looked and looked. I applied and applied. FINALLY!! An interview and it went great --- oh shucks, not enough hours and it was 35 minutes from home. So, I started again. ANOTHER INTERVIEW....never heard anything, although it went GREAT too.

Suddenly, a job literally lands in my lap yesterday!!! HOW EXCITING!!! It's back with interview company #1 and it's 40 hours a week. Going back in FULL TIME right off the bat. I'll be working for a local mortgage company as a "pre-pocessor"(for lack of a better term). As the files come in, I'll be ordering title work, appraisals, pay offs, etc. I'm excited - I've never done this type work but they are more than happy to train me!!! How cool is that!! :-)

If I don't blog about my "first day of work" then you'll know I'm exhausted and have fallen asleep........

Testing 123 Testing 123 - Is this thing on?

ANYONE OUT THERE?

I'M BLOGGING.....

LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK.....

ANYONE READING THIS THING???

HELP ME OUT HERE!!

PLEASE VOTE FOR MY FRIEND LISA!!!!

Last fall, my friend Lisa's WHOLE life changed. She was diagnosed with Stage III Breast Cancer. After the initial shock wore off, Lisa vowed to

"FIGHT LIKE A GIRL"

and give this nasty disease a run for it!!! Well, breast cancer met it's match with her!!! Lisa is a mother of 2, a wife, sister, friend but most of all she's a

SURVIVOR!!!!

Well, and she is a

DUCKY

so she rocks!! :-)

Since the minute she was diagnosed, Lisa has jumped in with both feet to help educate others. She has supported people in the same place, researched tirelessly, volunteered and has fought to overcome every obstacle thrown in front of her. All the while trying to keep her 2 kids lives as normal as possible!! Now it's time for her efforts to TRULY pay off!! Lisa has decided to start her own website to be a wealth of knowledge for those people who need the same help she did.

In order to get the best possible design for her site

www.fightlikeagirl.org,

Lisa has entered a blog give away contest and needs

*YOUR*

vote!!! Knowing what you know now, would you

PLEASE

head over to http://www.ebsiwebsites.com/_blog/EBSI_Main_Blog/

and leave a comment on her entry as to why Lisa Mittleman should be given this

$6,000 WEBDESIGN!!!

You'll be glad you did........ THANKS!!!!

(PS: Please tell your friends and post it on your blogs!!)

****To sweeten the pot, if you vote for my friend Lisa, leave me a comment. I will pick a winner after the contest is over and send you a "prize" for supporting my sweet friend in her journey to help others fight breast cancer!!!****

Hoping to find my feet again ---

Wow and DANG IT, it's been a VERY ROUGH SUMMER!!!! I've been a little off kilter this past month or so. I've got so many things that I want to blog but with my mother in law's passing on July 4; Deana's passing on 7/27 and some other stuff going on at Casa de Jones, I just haven't had the energy. I barely move off the couch b/c I just have nothing left right now!

Show me some love and tell your friends about my blog. I'm trying to grow it and get into some sponsorships give aways.

Anyone want to hook me up to get me started???

Monday I am turning over a new leaf.........be prepared, or maybe afraid!!! Look for new posts, pictures, give-aways, etc.

OOOH, I hope I win!!!

I could SOOOO totally use this in the car with my kiddos!!! We have a set at the house but one of them isn't working anymore and it's just too hard for them to watch the same one. BLAH!! Sooo, I hope that I win this one. I'd love for you to check out THIS blog ...... maybe you will win it and will let me use it instead!! Hahahahah!! :-)

I almost turned into MADEA today.....

Oohhhhh ya'll...... I thought I was going to have to re-enact MADEA GOES TO JAIL today!!! I was afraid that I was gonna get to make one call and that was it!!! The "lady" at vital records at the Mad Co Health Dept almost caused me to get UUUGLY!!!!! I thought they were gonna have to call the "po po"!!! I wanted to do a drive by, pick up her car with a fork lift and iron her head in a presser in a matter of moments!!! HELP ME LORD!! Here's what happened...........

I had to go to the Health Dept to get a copy of Luke's birth certificate so he can play Fall TBall. Now remember, I've done this TONS of times and it's never been an issue. I know how to fill out the form -- what I'm getting is his CERTIFICATE OF FOREIGN BIRTH....it can't be filled out like a normal request. The lady that usually helps was working on something else so I get "OL GIRL"!!!

Well........

"OL GIRL" WANTED TO ARGUE THE LEGITIMACY OF LUKE'S "FOREIGN BORN" ALABAMA RE-ADOPTION STATE ISSUED BIRTH CERTIFICATE AND WHETHER "GUATEMALA GOT IT BACK BECAUSE THEY DON'T KEEP NOTHIN' FROM OUT OF STATE"!!!! Yeah, I'm serious! Keep reading, it gets better!!!

HELLLLOOOO....IT IS STATE ISSUED.....I KNOW THEY CANNOT GET IT FROM A FOREIGN COUNTRY AND I CANNOT FILL IN COUNTY OF BIRTH ON IT SINCE IT IS NOT A STATE OF AL COUNTY.

All the while, the poor woman I usually deal with was sitting at the other desk in ABSOLUTE SHOCK!! Mouth open and everything!! She tries to explain it all to "OL GIRL" only to be shot down by her too..... "I ain't sayin' nothin' else about it. I tried to tell her and I ain't gettin' in it. Montgomery can make that decision. Wellllll, fortunately for "OL GIRL", nice lady recovered from her shock and handled my stuff from there on out. She rescued her dumb as a box of rocks co-worker from this stressed out ADOPTIVE MOTHER.....WHICH SHE WAS ALSO HAPPY TO POINT OUT!!!

Just glad Madea didn't have to go to jail today!!!

MY serenity prayer......

GOD,

PLEASE GRANT ME SERENITY TO NOT STRANGLE

MY TEENAGE SON!!!

AMEN

Deana's Caring Bridge site -

You are welcome to view Deana's journal by setting up a free account with Caring Bridge and going here:

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/Deana

Deana's battle is over.......

There are no words:


Dearest family and friends,

It saddens my heart to let you know my dearest Deana has spread her angel wings and is flying above us all now. Deana left us gracefully and peacefully around 1:30pm central time today. There is no doubt that she is now looking down smiling upon us all. Here in Houston it is sunny for the first time in days, very likely due to Deana spreading God's curtains of storm clouds, and letting the sun shine through.This last week had been tumultuous and Deana's beleaguered body just could not keep pace with her soaring spirit. Ever the consummate fighter, Deana left this world awash in love from her dear loving parents Bruce and Martha, her brother Ryan, Aunt Laurie, niece Kylie, best buddies Missy and Debi, our precious Zboyz Zane and Zachary, all of you and me. She touched so many lives. It's important--VERY important--for you to know that YOU have touched ours. I will never forget the love and support you've shown our family. I will continue to raise my Zboyz to be compassionate gentlemen, impressing the importance of love for fellow man.I also want to acknowledge the relentless support and adoration of M.D. Anderson Cancer Center's and Scripps Memorial Hospital's staffs. All of Deana's doctors and nurses hold a special place in my heart. Thank you all for trying so hard to save our Deana. Some marvelled at how I remembered everyone's name and face. How can I forget the dear souls who cared so well for my wife? God bless you.I also want to publicly recognize my colleagues and managers at Cisco Systems. My company has been Deana's stalwart supporter, always at my disposal, always at the ready. The Cisco TS and CAP family rallied around mine when we needed it most, allowing me to spend quality time with my bride, keep my Zboyz safe, and give us piece of mind. So Chris, Mike, Paul, Curt, Joe, Emma, Alison, Jill, and fellow CAP managers, God bless you all.Deana told me just weeks ago I was her guardian angel. Now she is mine. I will miss her dearly and now yearn to go home to be with my Zboyz, where I am needed most. I will most likely return Thursday, but will not leave Houston without my wife.My best friend Brad arrives tonight, and I look forward to seeing him. He and his wife Michelle have been there for our family like so many. Brad and I were each other's best man, and would walk on fiery coals for one another. I love you bro.To my brothers Lee and his wife Ewa, Grant and his wife Jillian, and Mark, to my parents Opal, Jack and Doug, and to my grandmother Opal, thank you all for being there for Deana, our Zboyz and me. Deana loved you all so very much.I have learned so much through this ordeal -- no doubt we all have. In my profession my peers and I "prevent the preventable" through Lessons Learned, sparing valuable customers, Cisco or its partners from any shortcomings experienced elsewhere. In that very vein, these are the following lessons learned in Deana's triumphant ascension to Heaven:1. Have blood or platelets? Donate them. There is no greater gift you can give another human, but a chance at life.2. Hug your family. Do it often and for no reason at all. You will all feel better.3. Family and friends are everything. Without them one is lonely. With them at your side, ALL things are possible.4. Never, ever quit. No matter what, rise to the occassion. It's what makes life worth living.(Details on darling Deana's funeral are forthcoming. I will leverage Caringbridge to share that information).

God bless you all,Jack and in spirit, Deana

Give-Away to come........

I AM GOING TO BE GIVE AWAY A BOW HOLDER.......

CONTEST DETAILS TO COME!!!!

STAY TUNED!!!