Professional Photos

Here are the photos from our annual photo shoot with Carrie.  As always, she did an amazing job!!!

Ah, where has the time gone?  Things have been quite busy, so I am a bit behind on the blog.  On the whole, we are doing well with small speed bumps along the way.  The seemingly never ending kitchen renno has made lots of progress.  We now have a fully functioning kitchen and Jim is finishing the smaller details and trim work.  I am soooooo happy to be able to cook and bake again.  He has worked very hard on this.  He also replaced the patio door, which was no easy task.  We had a broken outer glass pane, so this really needed to be done before winter set in.  In October, I had a tonic clonic seizure and have since been diagnosed with epilepsy.  I'm not allowed to drive until the spring and have been put on medication to prevent further seizures.  It's working, and I am working on accepting my loss of independence.  I am so grateful for our wonderful friends and community.  People are incredibly helpful and I couldn't do it without them.  I am finding this holiday season incredibly tough.  I guess I mistakenly thought the first would be the worst.  Grief is a tricky thing.  I miss Eve with all of my heart.

Here are some pictures of our Fall and Winter.  I will post kitchen pictures when Jim finishes the trim work.

Here is Seamus in his school picture:

 This is his Halloween costume:

 Here we all are.  I am wearing my Freudian slip. 

 Baking Jim's birthday cake:

 Christmas tree cutting with the Daly family:

School trip

Seamus went apple picking with school.  Here's a shot taken by Daly's mom that belongs in a catalog!

I just laughed so hard.  Seamus saw me typing this and asked me what the brown bag tucked behind the computer was (it was M&M's).  I said, "Nunya."  He said, "What is nunya?"  I said, "Nunya business!!!"
He walked right into that one!

Back to school

I've been quite busy, so the blog is in need of updating.
Here's Seamus doing a little home improvement:

The Girl Scout troop in Eve's school had a very special project that they donated to the school.  Here is the Buddy Bench that is now on the playground.  

As you can see, it is in memory of Eve and is there so children can easily see who needs a buddy to play with while on the playground.  This was an incredibly kind gesture and I am honored that they thought of our daughter.  The children at this school never cease to amaze me. 

Speaking of school, Seamus started Kindergarten this year.  He switched schools and now takes the bus! 

He ran on so fast, I only got a blurry shot!

Here he is coming home:

He did quite well transitioning to his new school.  Well, except for the stomach bug he got the first week. He has made friends and seems to fit right in.  We went to open house this past week and he proudly showed off his school work.  Here is a picture that he drew of our family.  I am so proud of him and happy that he included Eve. 

This T shirt is illustrating what he did this summer.  I especially like the seagulls.

He was also asked to demonstrate an expression.  He chose the expression from a list provided to him and Jim thinks he nailed it perfectly!  Our son the performer.  :) 

I've started volunteering at the school library which makes me both happy and sad.  I didn't have the strength to be very involved when Eve was in school there.  I think that was particularly because it was too painful to see her next to her typically developed peers.  I'm happy to help and be part of Seamus's day, and I feel guilty that I didn't do it for her.  It's a tough mixture.  I will say that my inner nerd is so very excited to be in the happy place of my youth - the library!!

I'm very busy at work, but happy to be back.  I have wonderful students, and of course, wonderful colleagues. 

robot

Seamus wanted me to make a robot mask out of a box for him.  He very seriously said, "Make tiny lines for me to breathe, because I don't want to suffocate."

Myrtle Beach

We just got back from a trip to see Jim's parents in Myrtle Beach. Seamus had a blast and was spoiled rotten. The schedule was packed with fun events (e.g., beach, aquarium, Pirate Voyage dinner and show, Brookgreen Gardens, etc.).  We met lots of Grammie and PaPa's friends.  They've established a wonderful, caring community.  The weather was beautiful, but very hot.  I had forgotten how brutal the heat can be in the South.  Thank goodness for air conditioning!!  (Seamus just told me to write that the beach sand was hot.)

Here's a picture of Seamus on his very first plane ride before take off.  He did exceptionally well and was a real trooper.

By the second flight of the day, he was over the excitement. 

Here are the pictures from the aquarium.  Seamus says, "The jelly fish were as squishy as a gummi bear."  In addition to touching the jelly fish, he got to touch a horse shoe crab and a sting ray.  He even went on a glass bottom boat, but refused to let go of the railing!  He was a little freaked, but had fun. 

Here are shots from the beach visit:

In addition to fabulous landscapes and sculptures, there was a mini zoo at Brookgreen Gardens.

Grammie and PaPa took Seamus to a dinner/show called Pirate Voyage and Seamus got his face painted while there.  Arrrrrgh.  Good times.