Not sure where to start...

I really have no idea how to put into words some of what I've been feeling lately..... It has been a whirlwind week. I still feel like I'm trying to recover from it all.....I'll try my best to fill you in on the past few days. We left last Tuesday afternoon to drive to Port St. Lucie, Florida for the Thanksgiving weekend. We stayed there until Saturday morning, when we made the "what should have been a 9 hour trip", that turned into a 14 hour drive, home. We had an amazing time visiting with Rusty's family. There are 16 grandchildren and 7 of them are between the ages of 12 and 15, so the kids had a blast hangin' with the cousins:) We spent a lot of time eating (I think Rusty and I gained 6 pounds between the 2 of us!), playing poker (not me... I'm a self professed card hater!), spoons (OK, this is the ONLY card game I like!) eating some more.... and just catching up with everyone.

Janice & Larry with the 3 boys (I know it's blurry but I love the look on her face. love.pure love)

I guess you don't realize how much you miss being away from home, until you go back. We spent a lot of time visiting with Larry and Janice, Rusty's parents. Janice was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis last summer and lately has been having a real difficult time. The last time we saw Mom was this past June. So much has changed since then. In just the past few months, she has gone from being able to drive, walk and teach a 1st grade Sunday School class every week, to being in a wheelchair and on oxygen 100% of the time. Just getting up to do such simple things, such as get a drink or use the restroom, cause her blood oxygen levels to drop to half of what they should be. It was so hard to see her struggling for each breathe..... She has been such an amazing part of my life and I know that God placed her in my life for such a specific purpose. Janice has been my "other mom" since I was 15 years old, when Rusty thought I was cute and dragged me into her life. I was so screwed up at the time. So full of myself and having no clue what I wanted or needed. She saw through it all... through all my crap and my issues and showed me, little by little, what, or really, who, I needed. At a time when she had so much influence over Rusty.... for goodness sake, he was 16 and barely driving when we met..... she chose to use her influence to lead me and love me instead of encouraging Rusty to give me the boot. She never once tried to convince me that I needed Jesus... she lead by example.... just like she's done everyday that I've known her. I wanted what she had, I wanted to raise my children to be the kind and generous adults that her boys grew up to be..... and when I asked Jesus to come into my life and save my sorry, good for absolutely nothin' butt, I don't think she could've been any prouder than if I had been her own flesh and blood:) I think all of this has hit home and I feel like a big ball of mush....
Carter & Rusty

Abby & Baby

The kids had such a great time:) Aunt Diane took us all horseback riding on Friday. Abby grinned from ear to ear the entire day! The kids played football, had a sleepover every night, and just really enjoyed the freedom that comes with visiting Grandma and Grandpa Burchard. One of the coolest things that happened this weekend was between Carter and Rusty. Janice saves everything.... really, I mean EVERYTHING.... sometimes it drives me nuts, but most of the time, she'll pull something out and it will almost bring me to tears that she thought to save it all this time~instead of throwing it away. This weekend was no exception. On Wednesday morning, Rusty's mom and dad gave him his Construxs sets that he had played with when he was a boy. He thinks he was about Carter's age when he received them as a gift and now it was his turn to pass them on to Carter. It was so sweet! The two of them played for HOURS, planning and building cranes, space vehicles and everything in between. What an awesome memory! Thanks Mom and Dad for all you do and have done! We love you and are praying for you.... hang in there, Mom.... we'll see you at Christmas!