Winter at the barn, Jake........

Happy Holidays!!!!! I can't believe it's almost here! The kids are so excited. It's wonderful to be off for xmas break =)

We woke to snow yesterday. The grass isn't totally covered so we didn't get much. I went to the barn yesterday and the horses were so pretty with the snow and it started to snow while I was there. Here are some pic's......the 2nd pic is Dynamite and the donkey the rescue has. This is Dynamite's first snow, so when I led him out of the barn he stopped and wasn't sure what was going on. Dynamite is so cute! He's a stud muffin and the rescue is going to use him to 'stud out!' The other pic's are of Black Jack. His owners couldn't care for him or Power Motion anymore. They're both $40k horses and they have real shoes. They are some of the bigger horses the rescue has. I was nervous leading him out to the field-I didn't need one of us to slip! For his size, he's very gentle and sweet. I had to hold my phone up to take his pic-he is so tall. One of the girls that helps got kicked in the thigh yesterday by Dover. She walked into a group of horses which can't say I'd suggest doing. She's ok but quite sore. The horses are so sweet and gentle but I'm sure to not forget what they're capable of. They get testy around each other especially when it comes to food and you need to watch out.

And Jake..............the vet called last week and Jake is clean and healthy!!! The vet was certain that Jake's tumor was cancer because it burst. We were so happy to hear the news!! He's doing great and his incision is healing. Our kids and Dori's (our neighbor) 3 kids were out playing in the snow yesterday. Jake was out playing with their puppy Toby. The kids made a fort and came in for hot cocoa and Krispy Kremes. It's in the mid 30's and to reach 40 in the next week, so the snow won't be around long. YEAH!

I'm off to get ready for church-we have to greet too. I have xmas shopping to finish today too!

Jake

Jake came home last night around dinner time. He was still groggy. His surgery went well and he did fine. Everyone's glad to have him home. We'll know later this week the results of what type of cancer he has and if it's the type that spreads. For now his bed is in the laundry room since his hip is oozing and bloody. The incision is probably 5 inches long or so. He was more alert and ready to go out this am.

I started my job on Monday. It's fun w/ the kids and always something to do. I take the kids down to lunch, bring them out to recess after and so on for 2 more lunches. Down here, there's no outside recess if it's 30 degrees or colder. Today we have the storm Mn had. It's windy and only to get windier and the day goes on. It was raining over night so hopefully it won't freeze as the temps are supposed to drop today. I'm bummed that I didn't get Brent's lunch group =( but I still walk by and see him in class and in the hallway. There's lots of kids I know from Brent and Maddy's classes. I have free reign to run things that work for me. It sounds like they need some new, proactive people working. There's another monitor so we split the building and she has Brent's half of the classes. I have some 2nd graders, but mostly 1st grade. One recess, the music teacher is on the playground too. She and I talked about Brent and his 'musical abilities!' She sent a note home with him saying he's 'in tune to pitch and beat more than other kids!' She thought he could pursue some musical things outside of school. The kids plays football and can hold a music rhthym (sp?) =) it's great to be with the teachers and here how Brent is doing. Well, I'm off to shower and go to work!

Jake

I spoke with the vet yesterday and the results from Jake's small biopsy are in. The bump under his chest is a fatty cyst. The mass on his hip they believe is cancer due to how the cells are reacting. He goes today for blood work and will have surgery on Tues to remove the whole mass and have it tested further to see which type of cancer it is and if it's spread. Keep him in your prayers! I'll keep updating.

My New Job!

It's official as of yesterday, I'm a permanent employee of the Loveland School district!! My new job is the Student Activity Monitor at Brent's school-1st and 2nd grades. I will be the monitor in the lunchroom and playground and I start Monday. I'm excited! My hours are every day from 10:30-1:15-Perfect! Brent's excited too to have me there. It will be nice to have set hours and days. It makes it easier to volunteer in the kids' classrooms. I have the holidays off (with pay) the kids do and summer's off. They average my pay so I'm paid all year-even in the summer when I'm off. YEAH!!

Thanksgiving was fun and relaxing. Our turkey turned out AWESOME and we had pie, mashed potatoes and all. YUM! The kids were off Wed-Friday so it was nice to be home with them.

We took Jake in Monday to have his bumps tested-he has 2. Well one is a flat mass. We should know today or tomorrow what the test shows. Many prayers for him!

Jenny and I went to see New Moon on Tuesday. WONDERFUL as I figured it would be! Hayley wants to see it so I'm taking her this weekend =) She's read the 1st & 2nd books 3 times and Eclipse once.

Well, I'm off to get Maddy ready for school. No call so far for work today so I'm enjoying a day off!