We are one! We are united! We are the Indians!!!

Friday Night Lights...For the second time in four games, the Indians won as time expired or as the final seconds ticked away, as they did Friday night in a 14-6 win over Sedan with six seconds left on the clock. In fact, both of Oswego's touchdowns came in the fourth quarter after Sedan led for a quarter. Oswego High School's football team seems to like keeping its fans in suspense! Come on boys...we can't keep going on like this! Logan is still out of the game due to his torn MCL and band that goes on the side of his knee cap. We go back Wednesday to see if it's tightened up anymore. We are praying that a weak from this Monday he can start practicing with the team again. He really wants to play in the Homecoming game on October 10th. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. It was very hard for him tonight watching his teammates work for another win as he stood along the sidelines, helpless.

One more piece of exciting news!!! For any of you from this area you will understand when I say...WAY TO GO RIVERTON!!!! After a 56 game winning streak in SE Kansas, Colgan's Football team was defeated tonight by Riverton!!! Doh!! YOU ALL ARE THE BOMB! WAY TO GO!

LET THE COMPETITION BEGIN!

LET THE COMPETITION BEGIN! LET THE GLORY BE GOD'S!

Most of our life is centered around school, sports, and our boys. But overall GOD is THE center of all! One of the things we participate in is FCA, "Fellowship of Christian Athletes". This is one of the BEST extra-curricular activities my sons are currently a part of. I am helping with OHS' Huddle this year and having a great time!

FCA is the largest Christian sports organization in America! The vision of FCA is to see the world impacted for Jesus Christ through the influence of athletes. Their mission is to present to athletes and coaches, and all whom they influence, the challenge and adventure of knowing Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord! It's amazing to me that there are so many lost kids in the world. Kids who don't know who God is or that He sent his son, Jesus to die for our sins and that because of this our sins are forgiven.

We are blessed to have a strong bunch of teens in Oswego who want to share this very thing with others their age! I am constantly motivated by our kids and their love for Jesus Christ. It motivates me to live more "Christ-like" and share with others what I know. You know who I am talking about... thanks kids! You are my strong-hold!

A Little Bit Of This & A Little Bit Of That...

Not much going on in our neck of the woods. The Indians had their first home football game Friday night against Pleasanton. (Logan didn't play because of his torn MCL. I think he wore a path from pacing the sidelines though!) Both teams went into the evening with a 2-0 record. Oswego was hoping to be 3-0 by the close of the night. Unfortunately, it didn't turn out that way. However, the boys played hard and never gave up! For that we are proud!

There are no middle school games this week, however the high school has one Friday night against Sedan. Logan won't be playing yet and this is a HAVE to win game. Your prayers for the boys safety (we've had injuries every game!) and to beat Sedan would be awesome!

In other news... my puppy, M.J. got hit on Friday. I ran him to the vet and thank goodness he made it out alive! The gentleman that hit him, backed up, came down our street, pulled in the drive, and walked up to the door to apologize. He didn't get very far, as Logan's beagle, Oreo was being her ferocious little self and didn't let him by! But when the gentleman saw me he immediately started apologizing. I was in awe that he had taken time out of his day to show his remorse. M.J. stays in our fenced in back yard and somehow got out w/out us knowing. It was as much our fault as it was his. It was refreshing, however, to witness a genuine concern and remorse coming from this kind gentleman. It made me wonder...where all the people like him have gone and why aren't there more? It was nice to be reminded that in this crazy world we live in there are still a few "good men" out there!

Sunday, my niece, Cassa came to do her laundry! She goes to college in Joplin and it's only about 40 miles away. We all enjoyed the DALLAS vs. PACKERS game that night. Well, all but Cassa. She is a huge GB Packer fan! The rest of us are DALLAS COWBOY FANS BA-BAY!

That's about it for now. Off to face another day of dirt and grime in the ole Spore house!

HAPPY 16TH BIRTHDAY LOGAN!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
ZACHARY LOGAN!

Zachary Logan Spore was born on 9-17-92 at 9:04 a.m. He weighed in at 8lbs. 15 1/2 oz. & measured 18 3/4" long. Sixteen years later and he's 5'10" & 185 lbs. (and still growing!) When Mark and I decided to start our family, I didn't take to heart when others would say, "Enjoy them while you can, they'll be gone before you know it!" Sixteen years later and I'm finally realizing how true that is..."if only"... There were times that being home with a five year old, three year old, and newborn were more then I thought I could handle. Now, I would take it all back in a heartbeat.

"If only... I had read "There's A Monster At The End of This Book" one more time, pushed him on the swing-set five more minutes, sang him "You Are My Sunshine" two more times before he drifted off to sleep, took time to cuddle more and clean less, play more and worry less.. If only..." We love you ZLS! Happy Birthday!!!

**FrIdAy NiGhT lIgHtS**

Believe it or not since our last blog, three football games were battled out, one long, worrisome night was spent in the hospital, swamp central was FINALLY mowed, $ was made subbing, a "Friday Night Lights" moment was had by all, $ was spent buckled and strapped down in an ambulance, and among other memorable events, a Science Website was created! A woman's work is NEVER done and I am LOVING every minute of it!!!

OMS FOOTBALL UPDATE:
Game 1: E-Rad (a.k.a. Spike, E-E, The Missle) played his opening middle school football game as starting quarterback on Monday, September 8th. It was a disappointing evening to say the least with Moran running over the Indians, 60-8. Ethan battled through out the evening to stay on top of not only the game, but his health. Released from the hospital a few short hours before the game, Ethan remained focus and determined to play. Unfortunately he ended 0-2 for the night. From kick off to the final sound of the buzzer, Mark was stuffing crackers and cheese, peanut butter, and Gatorade down him to keep his blood sugar stable. (He never did get above 60 the whole game.) He fought hard, but his body just couldn't keep up. Ethan had gone to the ER the day before with the flu virus. He was unable to keep anything down or to keep his blood sugars stable. He was severely dehydrated by the time we got to the ER and was diagnosed with, "Respiratory Alkalosis " They put him in the hospital to observe him overnight. This was the FIRST time in 10 years that he was hospitalized because of his diabetes and the stomach flu. We are very blessed! Needless to say, neither of us slept much that night.

Game 2: Oswego 14, Altamont 0. I am thrilled to say that Tuesday's OMS football game (9/16) was a success! E-Rad had a killer run and some decent passes. The team played MUCH better than the week before and looked like they were having a great time on the field! Next game, Monday, September 22nd.

OHS FOOTBALL UPDATE:
O-O-OSW-E-E-EGO, OSW-EGO, OOSSSSWWWEEEEGGOO!
INDIANS 2-0!!!!

Oswego High School's football team tamed the Erie Red Devils Friday night 14-9. Erie took the lead 9-8 with 27.7 seconds left in the game on a 22 yard field goal. Erie then short kicked the kickoff, giving Oswego good field position to use its passing game. Two plays later, and with 4.2 seconds left on the clock for the final snap, the quarterback hit the wide receiver for a 15 yard touchdown pass after time expired. It was the play of the century!

Too bad we had to miss it. That's right! MISS IT! As luck would have it, Logan was injured at the end of the third quarter. The EMT's were called on the field and after several minutes Coach Monroe started looking for Mark. Time passed and I was FINALLY motioned to the field. (It was about time too! I mean, a mom's place IS with her son!) They decided his right knee had been hurt somehow, someway, someplace. They strapped him down on the gurney and lead him off the field. The crowd was clapping and in the distance, the players stood in a huddle with their helmets raised high shouting out, "Don't you worry Logan! We got this! This one's for you!" It was at that very moment, that my heart filled with pride. In the end, the boys did JUST what they told Logan they'd do and pulled the game off with 27.7 seconds left on the clock. WE ARE ONE. WE ARE UNITED. WE ARE THE INDIANS. Friday night this became reality!
On the left is a pic of Logan as we're leaving the ER. To the right>>On our way out several kids and our youth minister stopped to see how Logan was and have prayer with him.

Are You Ready For Some Football???

This is one of my favorite times of the year...football! I am a sports mom fanatic! You'll be hearing a lot more sports updates in the weeks to come. There's nothing better then Friday night at the field!

Our OHS Indians kicked off their season Friday night w/ a win over Jayhawk-Linn (8-0). This is a BIG deal because for the past several years football in Oswego has been, well... comparable to Nebraska's record...not so good! The boys have taken a beating over & over, both physically & emotionally, but this year's team has more heart and "want" to succeed! "Order has been restored!" Watch out, here come the Indians! Check 'em out at www.usd504.org

Logan, a sophomore this year, is STARTING center on offense and STARTING linebacker on defense! We are VERY proud of him. He had a sweet "pick" during 3rd quarter, but didn't have enough momentum to keep it going. His next game is tomorrow night...update soon to come. This pic was taken after the game. "Dad's heart filled with pride!"

"Victory is won not in miles but in inches. Win a little now,

hold your ground, and later, win a little more."
Louis L'Amour

Family

Introducing.... "Our Crazy Family.... Past & Present"

Family...One of our strong holds in the crazy thing we call life! Enjoy some of my favorite family quotes below.

The family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together. ~Erma Bombeck

You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them. ~Desmond Tutu

"Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in." --Robert Frost, “The Death of a Hired Man”

"My dad is the boss. . .until Grandma comes over. Then he’s just one of us."

"Once Upon A Time..."

... there were five dogs, three boys (two of which are teenagers), a man (who is known to leap tall buildings in a single bound), and a woman... all living in perfect harmony! Yeah, right.... show me a family that doesn't have a brawl in the middle of the kitchen floor at least once a day.... and... well, that's just not possible! SO....on with the show!

Welcome to The Spore families first blog! I'll be the main "blog-ee," (is there even such a thing?) but HOPE some of the other kin will join in time. Please be patient as this is a work in progress. Check back often and let us know who our fans are! Until then, take care and come back now.. ya hear?