Has It Already Been a YEAR?!

Yep, that's right.  One year ago yesterday we made our move to Columbia.  I can't believe it.  So much has changed and happened in the past year, but it seems like just yesterday that we were packing up in Huxley and heading down south to Missouri.  All of those little details that seemed like a blur during those last few weeks, I can remember so vividly now.  All of our friends that were there to help, all of the "lasts" that the kids and I had, and taking time to enjoy friends who we still miss dearly.  We were so blessed to be in such a great community, but also to be welcomed into our new community.  The kids are happy and involved in lots of activities.  They keep us busy almost every day.  They have made friends and have adapted so much better than I could have hoped for.  I didn't think that we would still be renting, but we're making progress, and have at least bought some land so we can build again.  Over time there have been ups and downs, but it seems that it just keeps getting better and I am looking forward to the next year!

The past two weeks have been interesting.  I think the kids have been in school less than they've been at home and our "Ice Storm" turned out to be pretty much a non-event.  School was canceled and the university was shut down last Friday, but there was absolutely no precipitation. NONE.  What a waste of a day.  Owen competed in his first wrestling tournament, Gracie got her first stitches, Owen started BASKETBALL (I know, weird), and a new semester has begun.

Owen and Dad playing in the kitchen

New Year's Day

On January 1, it was a pretty nice day, so we took the four-wheeler and chainsaw down to our new acreage to see what we could do.  We drove around the pond and into the timber, cutting down dead branches and clearing out the trail on the dam.  We were out there for a couple hours playing and decided we needed to go before it got dark.  Pretty good start to a new year, I think.

Gracie helping pick up branches and sticks.

Owen claiming his sticks

Nick and the kids by the pond.

Gracie started basketball the first week in January.  Within 15 minutes of practice, she split her lip open.  She wanted to sit out for a little bit and watch while she iced it, but was participating again within 10 minutes.  I had sent this picture to Nick to see what he thought of her lip, but never had a response, so just stayed there and let her keep practicing and then brought her home.  Of course, when I got home, he said that she should probably go get stitches.  He hadn't checked his phone at all while I was gone.  So at 9pm, the day before school started again, Nick took Gracie to the ER and two stitches were put in her lip.  It looked much better after she returned an hour later.  I was shocked at how quickly they got it done at the hospital.  I was happy that both she and Owen got up for school with no problems the next morning!

Gracie's mess of a lip.  It was pretty much back to normal a week later.  Glad she got the stitches.

Owen's first wrestling tournament

Nick entered Owen in Blair Oaks wrestling tournament at the last minute.  It was just south of Jefferson City and my sister, Chad, and River came to watch.  There were a lot of of wrestlers there (over 400), packed into a pretty small gym.  Owen had a lot of fun and went 2-1 on the day.  Of course, there were some tears when he lost his second match, but he got over it and came back and wrestled again.  I was happy that he had a good experience and wants to do it again.

Owen and Nick watching wrestlers warm up.  I think Nick was just as excited as Owen to be at a wrestling tournament.

Owen in his first match

Owen's third match

More wrestling

Owen was pretty tired after his first match.

Overall, it went pretty well.  We each took turns walking around with River to keep him occupied.  He liked sitting matside with Nick the best, though.  Gracie and Owen always have, too.  Gracie was a great cheerleader for Owen and continues to deny any desire to compete in wrestling.

Owen lost some more teeth.  The tooth fairy has been very busy!

The past couple weeks have been up and down with temperatures; thus, lots of melting and mud.  Neither of the kids are afraid to get dirty.

Owen also had his first basketball practice and another Tiger Den meeting last week.  He said he liked basketball, but will have to choose between wrestling and basketball on some Saturdays.  The Pinewood Derby is also this Saturday, which originally would have been fine, but the time changed, and now interferes with his first basketball game.  Thankfully, his game will be done by the time the race actually starts.  The first basketball game should be entertaining.  Needless to say, we will be busy during the next couple months.

At the end of the week last week, an ice storm was predicted, but we got a lot less ice than we were supposed to.  I think most of it stayed south of Columbia.  We really didn't get much precipitation at all until yesterday and most of that was just rain.  However, school was canceled on Friday and today was MLK Day, so it's been a long weekend.  We have had to be creative to entertain ourselves.  Lots of movies, forts, and games.

Nick created a beam for the kids to try routines on.

And he took a turn, too.

Look who came to youth practice last week!

Owen was pretty excited to see J'den Cox. 

It's not every day you get to have an Olympic medalist in your wrestling room!

I get to go back to work this week, as Mizzou starts the new semester.  Hopefully things will be back in full swing a week from now.  Next weekend will be the Pinewood Derby for Cub Scouts and Owen's first basketball game.  Nick will be working a lot, too, with all the winter sports up and going again.  The weekend of the 28th, Owen will be doing the Rookie State Wrestling Tournament in Sedalia, followed by Gracie's first basketball game later in the afternoon. We will also celebrate River's 2nd birthday and my mom's birthday in the next few weeks.  The time will continue to fly by!  We are already counting down the days until we leave for Florida to visit Deb and Norm!  Can't wait for Feb 9!