Out of the Darkness!!!

As you may remember almost a year ago we lost my dear brother in law to suicide. It has been a horrific year to try to deal with and understand why his young life was cut so short. If only we had known more...... I had never been so close to someone who had committed suicide and all of the sudden it was truly "rocking" our world. My heart still aches each time I stop and think about it all. My dear sister and her gorgeous little girls have picked up the pieces and honor their father everyday. She is doing a suicide walk in his honor this month and I hope that anyone that can find it in their heart will go to the following link and help to sponsor her team. Here is some more information about suicide and their walk. Please just take a moment and read the information you might help to save a life.

WALK TO SAVE LIVES... In the United States, a person dies by suicide every 16 minutes, claiming more than 32,000 lives each year. It is estimated that an attempt is made every minute; with close to one million people attempting suicide annually.By walking in the Out of the Darkness Community Walks to benefit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), you will be walking with thousands of people nationwide to raise money for AFSP's vital research and education programs to prevent suicide and save lives, increase national awareness about depression and suicide, and assist survivors of suicide loss.WALK TO HONOR A LOVED ONE...Many of our participants walk in memory of a loved one lost to suicide. AFSP provides opportunities for survivors of suicide loss to get involved through a wide variety of educational, outreach, awareness, advocacy and fundraising programs. Each walk site has its own unique remembrance activity in which you can participate to honor a loved one.WALK TO RAISE AWARENESS... AFSP funds research aimed at improving our understanding of suicide and ways to prevent it as well as educational activities to increase awareness about prevention, warning signs and the psychiatric illnesses that can lead to suicide.

If you click on the following link it will take you right to her page (Elizabeth Shaw) and you can help support her walk. Elizabeth, Shelby, and Shaylee, we are so proud of you and would walk with you if we could. You make us all proud and we know this day will be bittersweet. Know that your guardian angels will be with you to keep you strong. We love you all very much!!!

http://afsp.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.participant&eventID=844&participantID=52664

1st day of School!!

Okay, so I am only about a month behind. I really do not think that is bad if you look at all that has happened . :> So here you have it. My little monkey's all ready to start school. I hope that Sundown Elementary will survive. Tanner- 3rd grade, Hunter- 2nd grade, Cassie, Bryan, Nathan and Jayson- kindergarten. Not bad.

I know it is hard to tell in this picture but it was 6:15 am. We were residing on base because there were complications with the house. We were not able to close because it had not passed inspections yet. We had been homeless for about 10 days at this point, we only had 1 more night on base because they did not have room any longer. We had not figured we would need reservations longer because we were scheduled to close on the house on the 4th of August. With school starting on the 10th that would have given us plenty of time. But that is not the Kearl way..... Ever since marrying into the Kearl family, I have learned what the Kearl Factor is..... For those of you unfamiliar with it, as I catch up on our CA move you will see just exactly what I mean. Here is one story. Enjoy! Jay and left, he had to be back in AZ for a week, it was a 50 minute commute to school and the van battery died. I had to frantically search for someone to jump start the van at this ridiculous hour of the morning, I finally found some poor unsuspecting non English speaking workers. I begged them to help me. Finally we are on our way. Luckily we had started a little early so we were not horribly later. When I dropped the kids off Bryan was having a very hard time. As I have stated before this move was not the most smooth. He was so afraid that the van was not going to start and that I would not be at the bus stop to pick them up. He was afraid that once I drove away he would never see me again. It was killing me. Bryan's eyes do not hide anything. And when those little things filled with tears it was enough to break my heart. But he put on his brave little face and off he went. And yes, I was there early at the bus to pick them up.

Only 1 week into school 3 of the kids had detention. Now that is fun. I think that the school is just trying to make sure that the kids know the rules and abide by them. (or at least that is what I am telling myself to make me feel better about it :>) But if you are trying to guess which ones had detention, I would be willing to bet you are right. Hunter..... fiddling around during story time with his neighbor and fighting over a pencil, (double detention). Nathan and Jayson..... picking up and throwing wood chips on the playground. What can I say..... boys will be boys? Does that work?!?!!?