Kick Butt Months

So, I've decided that May and October are two months that really Kick my Butt. May is filled with the beginning of birthday celebrations, end of school things and planning for the summer. We are now in October and it is kicking my butt as well. So many things that I am wanting to do but just can't squeeze it all in. Football, festivals, showers, work, preparing for the upcoming holidays (which in my line of work means planning ahead two to three months on the work schedule and having to decide months in advance what your family can and cannot do), and just life in general has been crazy around here.

I do realize that it is already Wednesday but I'm going to tell you about our past weekend because it was jam packed with activities. And, I had trouble with loading the pictures in the right order again so...

Saturday afternoon after the Dawgs kicked butt (recurring theme) against Vandy, I headed over to volunteer with the Zoe Rose Memorial Foundation's Remembrance Celebration. For those of you who don't know, October is Infant and Pregnancy Loss Awareness Month and so the Foundation has a candle lighting ceremony every year to honor those little ones who families never got to meet or were only able to have with them a short time here on Earth. Keira, the president who lost her triplet Zoe is amazing and offers all kinds of references for the families that attend. She reads the list of names of babies and this year there were over 300. She has the volunteers set out tea lights in water lily looking things. Once they are all lit and it is dark, it is so beautiful!! The pictures below are of the program. This year I was in charge of the kids' craft table. Keira makes a point of having the siblings allowed to come because she feels they have suffered a loss just as much as the parents.
This poem was read by one of the bereaved mothers. Her whole family was there. She and her husband has four boys and one daughter and just recently lost their second daughter.
Of course, it moves everyone to tears.

So, backtracking a little. Friday night, we headed to Athens for the Homecoming Parade which we try to do every year. I think we missed one year due to bad rainy weather but Brice has been almost every year of his life and this was Anna's first parade. We didn't take her last year because Brice, Justin and I ended up staying the night in Athens for the game on Saturday. She loved it and anticipated the next float, car, whatever. I love this tradition that we've started! Unfortunately, as the parade started and I turned on my camera, the battery light started flashing so I didn't get many good pictures.

Brice eagerly awaits candy and flying footballs!

Ready.
"OVER HERE!" Brice did end up with some good candy which thanks to Mollie, Jonathan's girlfriend, he was able to keep up with it.
The picture below is of Charley Trippi, a Georgia legend, who played during the time of the War. I believe he actually played, left for a year to fight and then came back. Awesome homecoming!

Brice rounded out his fun weekend by staying at Jonathan's house in Athens and the going to the shutout game with Jonathan, Mollie, and Justin. The boy is a Georgia fan!