Where has summer gone?

I haven't been on this site in a long time but now just realized its been a whole month since I last updated. It really does feel like its only been a couple weeks. We have had a great summer! Last week Scott had the week off of work and we had company from Tatum's foster parents, Gary and Diane from Mississippi. My mom and brother also visited the weekend Gary and Diane got here so it was great to have them all meet each other. We had hoped that a lot more of our family would of been able to meet them but it just didn't work out. While they were here we went to the wild life safari between Lincoln and Omaha. It was a lot of fun and I can't believe that we had never been there before. We also made a trip to the Omaha zoo again. The first time we went we never made it through the whole zoo and yet again this time we still didn't see everything. Its a great zoo and there is so much to see there really is no way to see it all in one day especially when its scorching hot out. The middle of the week Gary and Diane left to go to Grand Island to see another family that they were foster parents for their little boy. We decided to meet them all at the water park in Grand Island one of the days. It was so much fun and Keely loved the wave pool. Tatum still isn't crazy about water other than our pool but did work up some courage to go down the kiddie slide. We all went to the couple from Grand Islands house after supper so both our families could meet each other. The girls and I had met the family while we were in Mississippi last summer but Scott hadn't. We had a great supper and it was great catching up with everyone. They have two boys and they played so well with the girls that us adults actually got to talk the entire time! Gary and Diane ended up coming back through Lincoln on Friday evening and stayed with us until Saturday afternoon. Diane and I spent the morning Saturday going to garage sales since it was our neighborhood sales going on. WE found so many good deals and it was so much fun. Scott and Gary went to Cablelas in Omaha and took the girls with them. We always hate it when they have to leave but hopefully we get to see them again at the end of the year in Branson. Tj got home from Chadron last weekend also. He was gone there for 3 weeks and seemed to really have a good time. While he was there he got to take some golf lessons and participate in a golf tournament where he got 3rd place. He also met a friend while he was there and spent one of the weekends in Rapid City SD with him and his family. Hieu got done with summer school and never missed one day! It was a huge relief that he got through and passed his classes. He is doing very well right now and hopefully once school starts he continues to do so well with going to class. He is gone this whole week to Missouri for a religious/camping trip with his mom and a bunch of friends. He also is now getting overnight visits with his mom every weekend so it doesn't seem like he is around much. Haley has been doing well and staying out of trouble for a while now. She is such a great help with the girls when she is home. She has been working a lot of hours the last few weeks so she keeps pretty busy with that. The big kids start school the 19th so now we are trying to get everything done before school starts. I have got most of their school supplies already and just need to get a few more clothes for each of them. Tatum is also going to get to start preschool this year but she doesn't start until September 2nd. I had originally signed her up for preschool through Lincoln Public Schools but since she is only three there wasn't an opening for her this year. She is on a waiting list so in case something does open up but I am not counting on that. So we decided to that she would go to the YMCA preschool. It's only Tuesday and Thursdays but will be good for her. She can hardly wait to start so I hope when the time comes she is still so excited for it. It will also be nice to have some one on one time with Keely while Tate is gone at preschool. Keely is growing up so fast I can hardly believe it. I am going to try and get Keely into swimming lessons because she loves to swim so much. We went to a pool party last week and Keely wanted to go off the boards and down the slide. She had her floaters on and once she jumped off once she just kept wanting to go back for more. Tatum just hung out in the kiddie pool but still had a great time. WE have been in the water a lot lately and Tatum has not had any pain crisis from it so I am still glad we didn't start her on the drug they wanted her to start for her sickle cell. It has been 3 months without a crisis and we are so thankful she has been able to enjoy the summer without being sick. As I write this I am away from home staying a a facility here in Lincoln participating in a clinical study of a pain medication. I had to check in yesterday and will get to leave on Monday morning if all goes well. We had to get up at 4:45am this morning to get a drink and then at 5am our water restriction started. Pretty much the whole morning is going to be full doing stuff and at 7am we actually take our dose of the medication. Then there are lots of blood draws between now and when we go home. If we get sick from the medication we are eliminated from the study so I'm really hoping I don't get sick. If all goes well this weekend I have to return and do the same thing over again next weekend. I really hate being away from everyone but at least I can have my phone and Hieu let me bring his laptop so it does help pass the time. Scott, the girls, and Tj have a busy weekend planned so the time will go fast for them at least. Last night Scott's dad and Julie came to town and stayed at a motel so Scott took the girls over there so they could swim. This morning they are going to Husker fan day at Memorial Stadium. Then later this evening they will all go to Eagle Raceway because Tj's football team is doing a fund raiser there. Its fan appreciation night so there are a lot of other activities going on also. I can't wait for Monday morning to get here and Haley and the girls to pick me up! I miss everyone so much.