Is it August already?

Summer is quickly coming to a close. Time really flies when you're having fun! Since I last wrote:

• The kids finished swimming lessons. Matthew is now swimming with his head under water!!!! That is quite the accomplishment for him. The girls also showed a lot of improvement with their swimming.
• Matthew left for his time with Grandma and Grandpa Ankeney on July 25. We went several days without talking to him; we were afraid that calling may cause him to get homesick and want to end his time early. He got in his mind that he was staying until August 5 (I don't know where that date came from) and wasn't coming home before then. He had a blast helping Grandpa with chores here and there. And from what I see, he also let Grandma take him shopping.
• The girls filled their days without little brother just as they would if he was here - just without the irritation! They spent time with friends, watching t.v., playing computer games, and doing chores.
• Dave continued on with his normal daily duties with few exceptions. He applied for a job with Bell Helicopter, was offered a contract position, and then the offer was rescinded the day after when strike negotiations were settled. He was really bummed; they said they could still use him if he was willing to take a job in Amarillo. Unfortunately for Dave, that doesn't make sense for our family right now.
• I flew to St. Louis this week to take the last courses required for my Software Test Manager certification. Now I wait for results from my exams and complete the paperwork. While there, I took some time out to attend a couple sessions at the St. Louis temple. That was really nice and I enjoyed time where I was not hurried or worried about other things. I came home late on my Birthday to find my children still up waiting for me to unwrap my presents. The house was clean and everyone was in a happy mood. It was a great end to an otherwise lonely birthday. I appreciate all of the emails and facebook posts helping me remember who my friends are. Thank you all.

The next few weeks are likely to be very exciting. School starts on August 24. All three kids are counting down the days to meet who their new teachers will be. I don't think it has sunk in yet that this means a return to normal bed times and play routines!

Dave and I found a floor plan we really love - a smaller, single story home! We talked with a realtor this week and the realtor seems to think we can get enough out of our home to try to sell it now. With selling our home in Hereford earlier this summer, Dave now has access to his VA benefit to make it easier to get into another home. So, we processed the paperwork and our home should be listed before the end of this week. We'll see what happens. If we are able to get close to our asking price, we will move forward in building a new home - just 2 blocks away! Crazy, I know. We love the area, despite the commute, and although this home has been great for the almost 3 years we've been here, it is just too big - and my knees can take the break from the stairs. Like I said, we'll see what happens.

I've rambled enough for now. I hope you have a great week!