My First Bus Experience

I thought I could avoid it. I had looked forward to dropping off and picking up my oldest from public school and asking him the ever so important question, "How was your day?!?!"

Well, ever since my son saw that the bus actually drove by his house, he has been begging to ride it to school. I stay at home, what else was I good for than meeting his transportation needs? After much internal debate, I realized it was for my own selfish needs as a mother that I didn't wasnt him riding the bus.

We met his teacher and saw the crowds of parents I would actually be avoiding by letting him ride the bus, but I wasn't totally sold on this bus idea. So at 6:15 A.M. (fifteen nintues earlier than necessary) I was met by my son on the first day of school. I had to take his first day of school picture in the dark. I had to watch him run in a full sprint to the bus to get on with not even so much as a goodbye.

Yes, know this is his first day but boy was I not prepared for the way it hit me. After five days of this great routine and one day of pickup, I now realize that this bus thing is just as much fun for me as it is him. I think there was one day that I never left the house.

By the way, his bus experience was great and when given a choice between me and the bus his choice is the bus. I guess I will fulfill other important shoes besides transportation provider for now!

My first You Tube Video!

Okay, so most of you have been driven crazy with this song by me, but now that I know how to embed . . . watch out! Here come the videos!

Fogle Family Fun

We always knew how much Patrick had wanted his own recording studio, and he pretty well has set one up for himself in our playroom. We moved the twin bed out the room and he decided he had big plans for that corner.

I went to a shower for a friend on Saturday and came home to Sydney telling me all about how she got to sing with daddy. So after dinner we all headed up the for a Fogle Show. They had so much fun and their voices are so precious to hear! If I can figure out to imbed a video I will post them in their debut. Until then, enjoy some photos from the fun!

Jacob having fun singing "Every Man".

Sydeny singing "Cinderella".

This is sort of random, but wanted to share that the fear of bugs has been broken in our family! My youngest is so fearless she will out a huge one in her mouth! How far God has brought our family!(no bugs were harmed in this photo. . .it is plastic) :)

Sydney's Sentence . . .or is it Mine?

We have been struggling for some time with our middle child and her lack of desire to clean up after herself. Anytime she is instructed to do so, suddenly tiredness overcomes her or she needs her big brother to help. While we left her with a friend recently for the weekend, she even noticed this lack of desire.

SO that brings us to tonight. I have worked so hard to get her room so it is easy to pick up . . . dress up in a trunk or basket and dolls in a plastic bin that goes under the bed. So basically it is dress up or a doll. No other expectations than that, so how hard can it really be.

She had been a tornado this afternoon, so I told her we would work on her room together . . . her picking up and I would give moral support. She complained about how she couldn't do it, so I called her bluff. (Can you hear the music?) Either she would do it or she would lose all of her toys.

UGH! I knew she was strong willed from the womb and I am so glad I just refreshed my Dr. Dobson so that I would be prepared for this moment. She was almost giddy while she watched me pick up every single last toy . . . including the stuffed animals she has slept with since she can remember. No sadness, no disappoinment. In fact she asked when she would get some new ones?!?!??!? Can you give a little sympathy grunt for me.

So,we'll see how this goes. Tomorrow will be full of tantrums and tears and I have to be strong to make this work, so much for a little down time while I try and host the creation of our next memeber of our family!

I guess it has been a while since I have used this blog to be an ebenezer stone that will remind me when I put my daughter's greatest needs first rather than the ones that make my life immediately easier . . . one day maybe even not for twenty years or so there will be a reward!

Three Kids, One Friend, Her Daughter, and Sea World

What started out as a last summer trip with several friends whittled down to a friend of mine, Valerie, and our kids . . . four in all. . It is fun to be around "city folk" as they experience the outdoors for the first time!
We headed down to Gruene during what seemed another great week for a tropical drepression to hit (at least it wasn't a hurricane like last year). The kids got to swim in the river. Poor Adeleigh wasn't sure what to do with the slime on all the rocks
We got out to Sea World when it basically opened on Wednesday for a full day of who knew what! We fed the dolphins and Jacob even got to touch one this time. We sucked down our share of frozen lemonade and watched Shamu or "Shmapoo" as the kids like to call the whale. Savannah even got into the show. She would clap and laugh, too cute! I am not one to take a lot of photos of the actual shows or animals, but man that whale was amamzing! I think there are more than one "Shamus" in the show. I wonder what their given names are? :) So, having already been to Sea World earlier this summer, it was really fun just to do whatever the kids wanted. The older two, Jacob and Adeleigh, loved doing the rides. They were so cute to watch. Even though my kids for some reason wanted to call the Shamu Roller Coaster the dolphin one, Sydney discovered she really didn't like it as much as she remembered fromt the first time. We spent the hottest part of the day in the water park and I even got Savannah to take a short nap. The kids had a blast and I am so grateful we were able to get to go on this fun trip.


We had a great time and even got a little shopping in. Valerie was a great traveling companion and I am so thankful I got to know her a little better . . . even though she is amazingly ten years younger than me. She can run circles around me, even though I have three kids and she has one! Thanks for the memories Valerie.

Oh, How the Years Have Flown By!

Felicia, Me, Amanda, Miss Jeanie, Candice, and Melinda pose for a quick shot!


The first weekend in August was a lot of fun to me. A group called the "Choraleers" from my church that I went to in high school decided to have a get together with all the people who had been a part of this musical choir. I have to laugh that I would even have a choir that would let me be a part, as my musical expertise seem to flee me when I quite the cello in fifth grade.

Anyway, there were several from the time I was a part of the group there. It was a great time to catch up and just see how well we have handled kids, husbands, time. In some ways I felt like I was looking a people I had just seen, however it really had been like 5 years since our high school reunion and 15 since we actually attended high school. I love how I still feel like I look oh so much younger than I really am. Is that a sign that I have approached adulthood?

We hung out at a park on Friday night during an extreme heat advisory period for the Dallas area in the hottest part of the day. We also got to see pictures from several of the years of the group, and just chit chat. The music minister who led the group for most of the exsistance of this group was one of our honorees and he led us in some great worship. One of the past youth leaders made a powerful point when he mentioned a passage in Ecclesiastes. It reminds us to not dwell on what we have already exprienced as the "good times", but to look at how it has made us who we are today.

I think most of us have some regrets about how things happen in earlier times in our lives, however what I am learning is by looking at how I didn't do things right I miss out on the things that were good. I am so thankful for the godly heritage that I grew up in and that paved the way for the relationship that I have now with the Lord. It goes so beyond anything that I expereince at a church service or through some reglious appearing activity. It is truly my heart's cry to know who God is more and to understand that incomprehesible love he has for me. The rest is just gravy.

Who knew that attending a choir practice on Sunday nights in Grand Prairie, Texas would lead me all the way across the world to Belarus and Estonia, or even better yet allow me to be a part of such a special group of children (now teenagers and preteens)that cone to Abilene every summer from Belarus. Who knew I would have a need to speak fluent Russian in West Texas. The answer is God knew!

Enough of my ramblings. I loved going to this reunion and never could have imagined the way I would be blessed by simply attending this event. Thank you could not even cover the way I feel for those great individuals who put it together!

Introducing . . . Jackson Barrett Fogle

We had our official sonogram by the perinatologist(I think that is his title) to make sure that all is looking good and to find out what sex our little one is. It is definitely a boy and we are thrilled, especially Jacob and Sydney. I love to tell the kids the new name so we can start making him a part of the family before we ever get to see him. So my sweet husband humors me by getting a name picked out quick (in his opinon we still have many more months to decide.

Jackson has always been a favorite of mine . . . maybe my love of Steel Magnolias, but I can never be sure . . . and I love having passing on a part of my family. I joked with my dad about his name not being something I would jump at the chance to attatch to my child, besides how many other Elmer Foys can there be? He is truly not duplicatable. So, why not the true family part of the family name. My maiden name is now forever attatched to a Fogle. It has been funny that I have been the one to come up with the boys' names so quickly and Patrick has been so particular on both of the girls' names. Very interesting! What is fun is when we decide together that what name we like!

I am letting you get a look at the face I am sure to love once he is born. Right now he still looks a little like an alien to me. Does that sound right coming from a mother? We are entering the phase where he is starting to try and claim some space in my ever growing body. The fun begins!

P.S. Sorry Mom that there has not been a Susan Gayle . . . maybe your grandchildren will treat you better than your daughter! At least one looks like you!

Check out my newest addition to the family!

Okay, so it is not really a member. I got a new camera for my birthday! My new camera, Canon Xti, that I got off of ebay is so great! Thanks to all my supportive family for contributing to my cause. It was nice to pool all my birthday money together . . . and sell my old camera . . . to get it! I also got this realy cool thing called a camera armor to protect it from my natural lack of grace! Enjoy the many pictures to come from me! Due to unknown computer error, my cheesey picture will be uploaded shortly!:)