Two Graduations and a Party

It's been a crazy busy week.  First off Grandma and Grandpa Schafer came for Josh's graduation.  They've been here for five days and it's actually been pleasant....I mean, no fights, which is a miracle!  LOL!  They leave for Utah tomorrow and they will be taking Matthew with them.  I'm not sure how he'll get home or when but we'll figure it out.
  So, speaking of Matthew he graduated from Middle School....he will not be a freshman in high school in the fall.....can't believe my little Chewey is growing up!!!
 We also had a big graduation party for Josh last night.  I was extremely worried about the weather and was just hoping and praying for no rain....which I must say thanks because it didn't rain.....now it was windy and a bit chilly but no rain!!  Yay!  We had Josh's party at Mohoney Park,  and it was a great turn out.  So many friends came and we are so thankful.  I had lots of help from Aaron (of coarse) and Josh's girlfriend, Tori,  Megan and my friend Marcia.  When we got home my mouth hurt from smiling....which, I think, is a very good thing!

Tonight Josh graduated and it was wonderful!!!!  I am so happy to say I am the mother of two high school graduates!  I have four more to get there but I'm a third of the way there.  I did not graduate from high school so it means so much to me to get my kids there!  I'm so proud of all of my kids and love watching them grow and learn.  At times it's not easy but it's always worth it!  

 Matthew and his friend Hunter with their 8th grade graduation certificates.  How do like those outfits....

 Now a nice pose for the moms.

 The cake turned out so nice (thanks Sam's Club) and it's a good thing I got a picture because I didn't get a piece of it....it was GONE!

 Josh with Lauren and Lainey

 I nice punch in the face!

 My AJ got in this picture so Josh could be surrounded by AJs.  

 Josh with some of his besties.

 Hannah met a new best friend at the park and invited her on over some cake.

 Josh with Tori and her family.

 Josh and Tori

 I swear I tried to get a good picture of my inlaws and this is the best I could get....that's Bishop Flack with his wife Judy in the picture too. 

 Everyone checking out the "shrine"....I forgot to take a picture of the shrine!!  

 Josh with Tori, Marissa, John and another friend, I don't know his name :( 

 Josh with his good friend Benes pronounced BEANS...his first name is Matthew but we all call him by his last name which is really pronounced BENNISH but is spelled BENES, hence the nickname Beans.  

 Josh and some of his besties.

 A bro pic

 Josh and Tori....she was freezing and I was glad we had a blanket for her.

 Josh was in love with this baby...she was pretty stinkin cute!  

 My baby boy is graduating!!  

A look to the future and it's lookin pretty bright~

 Joshua Aaron Schafer 2012 Graduate!

Josh with Grandma and Grandpa...finally a good picture of them!!  

Tori and Josh

Josh and his momma!!  Couldn't be more proud!! 

Josh with his best friends David and Austin

Proud Mom and Dad...what a beautiful moment!!

Joshy

 Josh is graduating on Saturday.  I can't believe how fast the time has gone!!  He has accomplished so much!  I really think he's had one of the best senior years ever.  He was John Proctor in The Crucible, played Fagin in Oliver Twist and was Albert Peterson in Bye Bye Birdie.  He is going to Nationals with Speech and had a fantastic time in Choir.  He wants to be a high school teacher and will start classes in the fall at UNL.  He and his love, Tori, have been together for almost 2 years.  She was his first date!  He's such a loving, wonderful young man and  I'm so proud of him!  Here are some pictures from his high school years.

Bugs

Tonight Josh told me this story.......  Hannah made a bug box.  She had two flies and a moth in there.  The flies were named "two legs" and "plays dead" and the moth was named "crazy".  She told Josh that "two legs" tried to get away but she got him back and it was a good thing she ripped one of his wings off so he couldn't fly away.  She told him she had a mandarin orange in there for crazy the moth to eat and she put some dog poop in there for the flies to eat.  Josh told her she could leave the mandarin orange in there but that the dog poo must be flushed down the toilet...when he tried to explain to her that "plays dead" was perhaps really dead she said "he's not!  He just doesn't move very much."  This all happened while Megan and I were out this afternoon running errands and I seriously don't know weather to laugh or be completely mortified.

Busy

Life is so busy!  Here are some things that have been going on with us.

*Josh is graduating!!  I can't believe I will have two high school graduates!!  I wonder how someone as young as me can possibly have two out of high school...hee hee....  After graduation Josh plans on going to UNL(University of Nebraska Lincoln)  for a year before he leaves on his mission.  He wants to teach high school Drama and English.  He's also going to be performing in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers at Pinewood Bowl (a local outdoor theatre).   He's had such an awesome year and I'm just really proud of him. 

*Zack made it through his first year of college.  He's attending UofU...he LOVES it.  He's going for his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre.  He's made many friends and is just having a grand time.  I miss him like crazy and wish I could see him more often.  He's working at Forever 21 at the new City Creek Center.  He really likes it there and if you live in the Salt Lake area you should go visit him!!  I love seeing all his pictures on facebook but it makes me miss him more!

*Aaron got a new job.  He's working for a company called Duct Medic.  He's doing two things he likes a lot....driving around the whole city of Lincoln and talking to many people.  He also was able to bring home the equipment and clean out our vents....bonus!! 

* Megan is trying to find a summer job.  She is wanting to save for a trip to France next year.  She loves French and is starting to speak it a lot!!  She is teaching her dog to understand French..which I find rather comical.  She recently attended a language fair at UNL and won first place in the poetry competition when she recited a poem in perfect French!  We all about fell on the floor when she announced that she will be going to Girls Camp (with our church) this year.  She HATES camping and after the first two years of going and hating every minute we did not make her go last year, but this year they are going to a place that has indoor showers and cabins so she's going...woo hoo!! 

*Matthew got braces!!  Out of all of our kids he needs them the most so I'm so so glad he's got them and on his journey to nice straight teeth.  He told me so many times that he didn't want them and still tells me this...I just keep telling him that one day he will thank me.  He's made a new really good friend and they spend every chance they get riding bikes and ripsticks and such....He will start High School next year.  Aaron and I were talking about how we used to always call him Chewey and how it's a little sad that we don't so much anymore.  It still sounds so strange when people call him Matt.....I guess he'll just never be a Matt to me, but all of his church leaders and teachers and friends at school call him that.  He is very close to being as tall as me and soon I will have four who are taller than me!

*Hannah is going through a kind of bratty phase.  Perhaps it's rude to say that...but it's just so true.  I suppose being the youngest and being rather spoiled is coming back to bite us in the bum now.  She just whines and cries over everything....but she's so cute that I have to forgive her.  She loves school and has made many many friends.  She's extremely social and I know she's gotten in trouble for talking and socializing instead of doing school work.  She recently lost one of her top front teeth and she looks super cute!  Her teachers tell me she is extremely smart and will eventually be in diff classes (advanced). 

*My Joe has finally found some relief for his anger.  It comes in the form of a new medication that to us is a god send.  I just can't tell you how much of a difference it's made in his life.  This is a boy who daily was in trouble....and I mean major trouble (spending the day in the principals office kind of trouble).  He has now gone almost three weeks without getting in trouble.  He's been able to focus on himself instead of everyone around him.  He told me he just doesn't feel mad anymore!  People!!  This is huge!!  He's happy!  Now, he still gets upset but it's regular upset and not "THE HULK" upset.  After many trials and a couple different DR.s we found one who really listened and we've discovered that Joe suffers from Anxiety and OCD....not the wash your hands a million times kind of OCD but the kind where he has complete melt downs when he can't control all that goes on around him.  Anyway...it's such a good thing and people that know Joe just can't believe the difference in him.  Joe has been taking an Art class after school and he really loves it. 

* I'mstill working at the hospital overnights in the ER.  I'm getting pretty burned out with it and really miss being a stay at home mom.  I'd really like to get back into working out and eating better (the story of my life).  I joined a book club.  I am going to Indiana in June with Josh (he made it to Nationals in Speech).  I hope hope hope to make a trip to Utah sometime in the summer. 

Well, that's some of what's going on with us.....