Thanksgiving and other random thoughts

Well, we survived Thanksgiving, sans William, but were blessed beyond measure. It was a rough beginning to the week, William flew out Sunday morning to Texas. His Granny passed away last Saturday and he flew down for the funeral and spent Thanksgiving with his parents, brother, sister in law, and niece(the nephews were unable to make it) He enjoyed himself, for which I am very grateful. While we we realllly missed him here in KC, we were also very happy he had the chance to be with his family this Thanksgiving.

I, personally, had a rough and emotional week. Many thigns contributed to this but am now on an even keel and rolling along nicely. lol While the kids were home alone, man do I *ever* appreciate that William is home normally, and I was working things were very interesting around our home. The kids argued(nothing new) and I called to check and be sure there was no bloodshed. I was home in the evenings and listened to more arguing and tattling(do they *ever* outgrow this????!!!!!) We ate whatever we could find for dinners, layed around and then repeated the same thing the next day.

Wednesday evening Emerald made SIX pies for Thanksgiving at my mom's house. I thought six pies was excessive, being as there were only gonna be 12 people there but mom/grandma asked for six pies. Well, surprise!!!!! There were 18 of us there......my sister and her family drove up from Texas to spend Thanksgiving in KC!!!! We were all surprised and very excited, we had not seen them since last December. So we spent Thursday at mom's with family and she and her family spent yesterday with her hubby's family. My parents are divorced and mom has been married to David for 19 year, he has three children from his first marriage too. For the the first time in......FOREVER, all five adult children were present and accounted for. We also had all eleven grandkids together. I got some photos, still in my camera, and will post soon.

Yesterday, the kids and I surprised William and picked him up from the airport!!! When he left things were up in the air as to who would pick him up. I simply told him to look for a familiar face. The look on his face was priceless when he saw not one but five familiar faces yesterday afternoon. He said "Ya'll aren't supposed to be here" lol I told the kids we may as well leave then. William was having none of that and happily followed us to the van and came home.

Emerald has begun watching my two year old nephew every other weekend, or so, and we dropped her off. Sounds stupid, but I truly miss her. lol I know, I know, she is 17 and not my *baby* but I miss having her home. She is maturing and spreading her wings, for which I am grateful, but man it is hard on the mama when they grow up. LOL

OK, enough rambling from KC. Off to clean house, please don't be jealous, and enjoy what sounds to be a FANTASTIC late November day here in KC.

Just rambling

Well, we are actively looking for colleges for Emerald. She has been scouring the internet for information. She is most interested in Christian colleges, as she is wanting to study music and youth ministry. She is receiving stuff in the mail several days a week. Sometimes I am NOT ready for her to go, other times I am searching for colleges in a foriegn country. lol Anyone know of good or bad experiences at colleges. This is all new territory for us.

We had Nathaniel evaluated for Asperger's. He has been diagnosed and we are trying to seek out resources but are not having much success. Anyone know of resources out there?? We are hitting a brick wall in our search. He keeps asking what exactly Asperger's is and we are having a hard time explaining it to him, even at 13. *sigh*

Emerald and Nathaniel are headed to youth convention in the Branson area this weekend. They are stoked and ready to go. Lots of loud music, services and food; what else could teenagers ask for right?? Please pray for the safety of our youth and the sanity of our youth minister and the sponsors. I pray for safe travel and a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit on each and every teen attending.

OK, off to put Rebekkah to bed since she is now sniffing my feet. She is one weird cookie. Emerald says she gets that trait from her. SISTERS!!!!!

November 5, 1992......

We were blessed beyond measure by this beautiful daughter we call Emerald Renee!!! We were very anxious to meet this wonderful child and had not a clue that you could fall in love with someone from the very second you laid eyes on them. Emerald showed us that it is very possible!! She stole our hearts from the very time she was born, 8:20PM, on that very special Thursday in 1992. She continues to amaze and bless us daily, even seventeen years later. She is our jewel that can never become dull or dingy over time. She continues to let her light shine every day. Her love of God and life continues to amaze me today and every day!! Emerald, I am so blessed and I thank God everyday for the wonderful young lady he gave me. Love, Mom A few years back, playing at the park!!!

August this year, Crown Center, with ther new hair style. We had just had lunch and she was preparing to run in the fountains.

Part of her "Sweet Sixteen" phot shoot. Just a mom and her baby girl playing around. :-D

Emerald at three months old, I just LOVE this picture of her!!!

Emerald Renee, November 7th, 1992, just two days old. We continue to be blessed every day of our lives by this amazing jewel from God!!!

Happy birthday, Noah!!!!

Eleven years ago today we were blessed to have Noah William, enter our family. I am so very proud to call him mine!!! Here are a few of my favorite pics from over the years!! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Happy birthday to our little "Boatman!!"


Just this summer at Kaleidoscope, dancing in the submarine between art projects!!! That;s my baby boy, always ready to entertain!!!

Hammin' it up and alway ready with a smile!!

Noah at three, loved his Blues Clues!!

Noah at 6 weeks, bored with the camera already!!!! :-D

Newborn Noah William!!!! 08/10/98

A few more pics

Waiting "patiently" to go back and ply in the fountains!! NOT!!!

Two drowned rats!!!

Playing in the fountain's at Crown Center, just Noah and Rebekkah, the other two were swimming with the youth.

WHat 13 year old boys do when they are bored.....find the silly play glasses and wear bandana's on their head. Gotta love it!!!!

William and I at Kaleidoscope with Noah and Rebekkah. No, William is not asleep!!! ;-P

Noah making some new creation at Kaleidoscope, a local kid's artsy place. They use LOTS of leftover stuff from the Hallmark factory here in KC.

Rebekkah, painting with melted crayon. LOVE this activity as an adult but I refrained and let Rebekkah do it instead. :-D

MckMama, if you read this post, this place reminds me of someplace you would *love* to take your kiddos. All sorts of fun thingsto do in there, so if you ever head to KC from the Frozen, now thawed, Tundra give me a ring and we will go and have lots of fun. Emerald could help us chase kids. She loves the place too but it would look funny me dragging a 16 year old in there to make crafts!!!

Another recital picture of Rebekkah, this was the High School Musical number she was in.

Love,

Michelle

Just a quick up date and pictures

It has been a while since I last posted so here is a tiny update and a few pics. William gets his pacemaker replaced this Friday, please pray for all to go smoothly. All the "textbook" cases are same day, but we all know William is far from "textbook" when is comes to his heart and surgery. Love ya babe!!!!!!

Been busy with work, church, kids and youth activities at curch. Dance recital and well, you get the picture. Enjoy the pics I am adding.

Rebekkah and William, father/daughter dance at recital. The song was Bandstand Boogie, very cute but man was daddy worn out!!!

Picture off most of the grandkids, when Govea's came to town for two weeks. Gotta love grandma and grandpa's back yard pool!!! We are missing only Samantha, everyone else was there that day.

Emerald, Ashley and Travis, these guys have been friends for going on 11 years!!! This was travis' graduation party!!
Noah, being his cute self.

The Farley's, Memorial Day weekend, Sunday at church.

May 6, 1996

What an important day, I got to meet this little guy!!!!! I am sooo blessed beyond measure. A true miracle from God!!

Nathaniel Doulgas!!

As the years have passed.........

(ok so these are just a few shots but I could be here all night scanned and putting pics on here)

Today, May 6, 2009 he has reached his teens!!!!

Hard to believe thirteen years have passed and he is growing every day. Not only physically but also mentally and spiritually. Nathaniel has a true passion for God and I pray his love continues to grow every day!!!

HAPPY THIRTEENTH BIRTHDAY SON AND BROTHER!!!

We love you sooooo much!!! Dad, Mom, Emerald, Noah and Rebekkah

Look up in the sky.........

I'ts a bird, it's aplane, NO it's the SUN!!!!!!!! It has been so very long since we have seen the sun here in KC I was afraid of what I saw in the sky. lol OK, not really but i had to look way back into my memory and see if I could identify what that was. We have had weeks of rain and cloudy skies. I hate cloudy and blah. :-) I am glad todya is different than the last several.

This weekend has proved to be about the same as the last few around the Farley household. Someone has been sick. bah! Nathaniel woke in the wee hours of Saturday morning with an upset tummy and vomited once, Emerald went to bed on Friday not feeling too hot and awoke yesterday with :golf balls" in her throat. Took her to the urgent care yesterday, not strep so it is viral and we are riding it out. No fever today and she feels better but is starting to sound stuffy, ahhhhh the joys of motherhood. Even at 16 she still wanted her mommy to be there and comfort her, makes a mama's heart melt. :-D She and I stayed home from church today since she was feverish yesterday and baked the cake for Nathaniel's birthday get together with family today. Nothing else exciting going on here in Farleyville. His actual birthday is this Wednesday and he will be 13, yikes, another teenager in my home!!!! Seriously, I can't believe he is that old already, what is happening to my babies???!!! OK, off to make homemade chicken noodle and veggie soup and get ready for my mom and her hubby to come celebrate with us.

Michelle

Is it really April??

After last week's post and nasty weather on Saturday and it got better as the week went on, then we hit today, April 5 and we are having a "wintry mix" BAH I am so very done with winter. I know it is barely spring but I am sick and tired of cold weather and all the winter precipitation it involves. OK, enough about that.

We finally got to have Rebekkah's birthday party. All the stomach flu is gone from our house, please Lord keep it that way!!! All of her friends were able to make it, which made her very happy. They ate cake and ice cream and then swam for two hours. My kids all slept really well on Friday night. Yesterday was good, William and I went to weigh in at church, we are doing the Weigh Down program. Then home and he got a visit from a nurse to show him how to check his own protime at home, kinda nice now he isn't running to the doctor so often. At least not for protime checks. The kids and I ran errands, I gave my step brother's girlfriend a masaage, she is 32 weeks pregnant and was most grateful I could help her back pain out. Then we headed to Target, we had been given internet coupons for free glasses for kids 12 and under. Picked out frames and then told we had to have the "original" coupon. Well, we left there without glasses and I was not a happy mama since I was told the coupon would work. I will never go back to Target for optical needs. Tried looking for Easter shoes for all four and pants for Nathaniel but was tired and irritated so we came home. William grilled steaks last night, YUMMY!! Woke this morning and Noah has a sore throat. UGH He is my one who is most suseptible to strep, so he may coming in to see me, ok the doctor, at the office this week. So, I spent all morning snuggling with him. William and the others went to church, then William and Rebekkah went to dance to practice for the father/daughter dance for recital. They got home and William and I had to run to WM for groceries for lunches this week and potty paper and other basic needs for a family of six.

Tomorrow is back to same ole, same ole. Sometimes I wonder if "normal" is where I really want to be. lol Seems like "normal" is too much fun for me.

Please pray for baby Stellan. He is still in SVT and in the PICU. He has now been there since March 22. His family is making more and more important decisions regarding his health every day. Continue to lift them up and pray for God's will and a miracle!!

Michelle

Sickies, and ice, ice baby.....

Well, we have had quite and eventful last month or so. I have had early stages of pneumonia, thankfully I am much better now. William and both girls now have nasty upper respiratory infections, William got on antibiotics Thursday and the girls seem to be riding it out pretty well. But earlier this week they both woke around midnight(tues/Wed) puking, ugh what a thing to wake to. Emerald only had that one night/day and then was ok. Rebekkah on the other hand, had a nearly 48 hour stretch where she could keep nothing down, not even water, 7-UP, jello or popsicles. We had her into the doctor on Thursday(thankfully we all go to the office I work at so it was only one trip for William) and got phenergan suppositories. SHe is now better despite the nasty cough she has had for over a week now. I am thanking God that we didn't have to go for iv fluids. The boys have managed unscathed and have not gotten either "bug", praise God for that.

We were supposed to have Rebekkah's birthday party last night but rescheduled since she had been so sick. I did not think the YMCA would appreciate puke or diarrhea in the pool. They were not very nice about it but we rescheduled it for next Friday. Her actual birthday is tomorrow, March 29 and will be 8!!! How did that happen, my baby turning that old already??!! It goes so very fast.

They have been forcasting a nasty snow storm for here all week. Instead we have received lots of ice so far and the snow is expected to come in this afternoon. BLAH I am sooo over winter, although it has not been a terribly snowy one I am just ready for spring and warmer weather. Cold and winter never used to bother me but now that I am getting older I am just over it all. Tree limbs have begun to break and fall in our yard and as I type I hear ice hitting the window. They say 4-8 inches of snow on top of this. BAH Ok enough whining about the weather here in KC.

We spent the morning cleaning and disinfecting. Trying to get the bugs outta here. Still not perfect but much better. Now we are all showering and getting in comfy clothes to hunker down for the day. Watching movies, napping and just enjoying not having to get out in this weather.

Michelle

Will post pics later of our weather.

Prayers please....

Please pray for my internet friends, Kristy and MckMama(not her real name but her blog name)

The links to their blogs are on the right side of my blog. They are both facing some extremely trying times right now. Please lift them up and intervene on their behalf. We are called to lift one another up. Please take a few minutes to left these families up. If you click on the links, you can get all the details on each situation!!

Love,

Michelle

I love this man........

All six of us 2008

At the science museum in St Louis a few years back!!
I just LOVE to catch him "in the act"

Handsome dude!!

Geekiness and all!!!

I even endured a live football game with him, I love him so!!!

February 17, 1991!!!!!!! William's dad married us outside in Feb(in TX)

Engagement photo, December 1990

Christmas trip to KC December 1991

This is how he looked when we met!!! He actually had hair on top of his head!!!

So, without further ado, I want to declare to all who may read our blog.........I love this man!!!!! More now than 18 years ago!!! He is the love of my life, the head of my household, the father of our beautiful children, he is my everything!!! I am SO glad God put him in my life. I am one very blessed woman to call myself, Mrs. William Farley!!!

William, you are an amazing friend, lover, spouse and father. Just like the song says, when God made *you* he must have been thinking about me!!!!!!

Michelle

Few more pics

My camera ham!!! ALWAYS posing.

They really DO get along but don't ask them to admit it. lol

Me at the park yesterday, so my hubby won't complain and whine b/c my picture isn't in this post. Love you dear!!! More now than 18 years ago!!!

ATTEN......HUT!! My camo guy, posing for the camera.

Braids for bedtime. Rebekkah's hair is so fine AND long that is tangles terribly so I did this so morning brushing is not such a chore AND screamfest(her not me)

OK, just a few more shots to reel people in. The kids are all headed to church tonight, grandma let Em borrow her car so they could get there. I am home tending to my sick hubby, ok right now he is resting in bed while I am on the computer, he has that nasty upper respiratory junk that is going around. Not a good thing for someone who is high risk, cardiac/pulmonary, so I am babying him(role reversal) this time. I am so blessed to be able to take care of him!!!!

Michelle

February 10, 2008.....

Nathaniel, getting ready to play!!

Look ma, NO hands!!!! Rebekkah showing off.

King, er queen, of the playground!! Emerald, being a goofy teen!!

Mom, I am at the top and not holding on!!!! Noah, up to his daring antics(nothinh new for him)

William, walking and enjoying the sun and 60+ temps.

Well, yes, it is February in KC, ok EVERYWHERE, but you'll never guess what we did this afternoon. I will let the pictures speak for me. OK, I was there but only one shot of me and well, I am not heartbroken it didn't make it to the blog. ;-P Anyway, I got off at noon today(I get to work on Saturday) and it was beautiful and so we headed out to get some Vitamin D and fresh air. Wonderful way to hang with the kids and hubby. Making it even nicer is the fact that if I wasn't working this Saturday we could not have done this, it is gonna be cold and possibly doing that nasty four letter "S" word, you know.......snowing!!! Hey this is KC if ya don't like the weather we're having hang around a day or two, it'll change!!!

Michelle