Congrats Cole!

Thursday and Friday we attended commencement exercises for Cole's graduation. He graduated with a degree in Marriage, Family, Human Development (MFHD). This will led him to his master's program of Marriage and Family Therapy. The ceremonies were excellent. Elder Bednar spoke on Thurs evening about how we should develop a love of learning. It was fun to have family members come celebrate with us -we are all very proud of you Cole! (I thought Cole looked very handsome in his cap and gown!)

Back to Real Life

Last week was my spring break and it was wonderful! I was really needing a break from school. Plus, it meant I got to be with Cade all week all day! Mon and Tues Cole was finishing up the last days of classes and so I just enjoyed myself! I went to breakfast with friends, hung out with Shan, watched Sense and Sensibility (love it!), scrapbooked, read, and of course played with Cade.

Then on Wed Cole and I flew to Kansas so we could look at housing. We found a couple of good apartment complexes and now are just in contact with them as we do paper work and watch vacancies. It was really nice to be able to visit the city where we will be living next. (Manhattan, KA-they call it the "Little Apple") I really liked it and the campus Cole is attending is beautiful. What helped make our visit so nice was the people we stayed with. My dad's cousin Valarie and her family live right in Manhattan. They were such a wonderful family and we had so much fun playing with their kids. They did an excellent job of holding Cade! Thank you so much to them-they really helped make our visit wonderful. We are sad that they will be moving over the summer.

I was worried about Cade on the flights but he did so good!! He either slept or would just sit on my lap and talk and coo and just be a happy little boy! Especially on Saturday-we got lost on the way to the airport and ended up missing our flight. So after a very long day at the airport, 2 stand-by flights, and some tender mercies we were able to get back to Salt Lake. Cade was a trooper through it all! It has been extra hard this week to leave him after being able to be with him so much. But I do feel very rejuvenated after the break and feel like I can make it till the end of the school year still going strong. (Although I do know how many days we have left but who's counting...) I guess because I was feeling so refreshed I guess I was acting different and one of my students noticed and she left this note on my desk. It said:

Dear Mrs. "Ratcliffe"
I think that you and your sister might have switched places.
PS. Let me know
Sincerely, Dorkus (name has been changed)

She is referring to Shanna who teaches in a school 4 minutes away. We have told them that maybe one day we would switch places on them. So I am not sure this was a good thing or a bad thing. Was I acting better or worse? Not really sure but I thought her conclusion as to why I was acting different was hilarious.

Other exciting news:
Cole is finishing up finals and graduates on Fri!!!
Kayla tried out for the 10th grade drill team back home and she made the top position of Captain!! Way to go Kayla!
The 3rd Fablehaven book came out yesterday and Cole bought it for me at the BYU bookstore. I am excited to read it with my class. I read aloud to them the first two and we are hooked. I recommend them. They are good fore adults and children: Fablehaven by Brandon Mull (he is an LDS author)
And Cade won the most adorable baby ever award according to his parents!

Daddy and Cade

Grad School

We have finally decided that Cole will be going to Kansas State to receive his masters in Marriage and Family Therapy. A few weeks ago he went to visit the campus and really liked the feel of it. He was able to meet with some of the faculty and the dean of the program. After the visit he received a call saying they would offer him an assistantship. He will assist in an undergraduate course. This will wave all tuition plus a stipend every month. He also really liked the city. It is in Manhattan, Kansas-about 2 1/2 hours from Kansas City. He said it seemed to be a really close tight-knit community. He said the area was really beautiful with lots of trees and rolling hills. We are very excited about this decision. We will be moving sometime in the summer, not quite sure when yet.

Cole's First Shot at this Blog Thingy

I have never really done this before, and Jenna has no idea that I have done this, but I wanted to give it a shot. Jenna has praised me up and down on this little blog and I wanted my turn to let everyone know what Jenna and Cade mean to me. The idea of posting something on the blog came to after I had returned from running an errand to find Jenna and Cade taking a nap together on the bed. Although this is not an unusual scene, as both Cade and Jenna LOVE their sleep, I wanted to take some pictures of this because they usually fall asleep while Cade is feeding and Jenna would kill me if I posted those pictures. So I snuck over to Jenna's purse to grab her camera (I probably didn't need to sneak, it's not like she is a light sleeper or anything ;) ! ) and begun taking pictures. I've posted just a couple of them, but what I really wanted to do is give everyone a little idea how hard Jenna works to keep her family happy and to be successful as a teacher. Jenna usually does not get to bed before midnight, as she is usually working on school stuff. At either midnight or 1:00 AM she will usually feed Cade and on a really good night will have the chance to sleep until 5:30 AM when her alarm goes off to let her know that her 4 1/2 hours of sleep must be sufficient and that she must now get up and feed Cade and get ready for school. Then at about 7:15 AM Jenna travels with Shan (Thanks Shan for driving Jenna to school, you really don't know how much it helps us out and we really do appreciate it. Thank you.) to school until she gets home between 4:15 and 5:15. It is REALLY hard for Jenna to leave Cade every single day and I know that because of that she gets drained emotionally. Jenna thank you for doing that for me an Cade. Not only is Jenna teaching all day, but she spends her lunch break pumping so Cade can have milk for the next day. Upon returning home Jenna usually makes dinner, and they are the type of dinners that any husband would love to eat day after day. You are probably thinking that i'm a big hoser by now b/c I won't even make dinner, but I've tried and Jenna will tell you that she'd rather eat cereal for dinner than anything I could make. After dinner we usually sit and chat for a little while before she starts doing her school prep stuff (we usually find time to squeeze in American Idol as well ;) ). After doing her school stuff she falls asleep and does the whole thing over again.

When I came home today to find Jenna taking a nap with Cade, I just realized again how lucky I am to have found a girl like Jenna to spend my life with. How grateful I am to Heavenly Father for my son, and even more so to have found his mother, my sweet wife, on that August afternoon on the corner of 7th and 7th. I love you so much Jenna.

Cole

PS: Here are some super cute pictures of Cade!!

Ratcliffe Update

Here is the update on everyone!

Cade: He is doing really well. He is starting to smile more and sometimes even laugh and coo. He either has a really good night or has a horrible night-and we are lucky to have more good nights. He nows weighs 11 pounds. He goes to Cole's mom house M/W/F while Cole is at school and I am at work. On T/TH he goes to campus with Cole because he has one class and then does some research which gives him some flexibility and ability to take care of Cade. He has found a baby changing station in one of the boys bathrooms in the SWKT and takes a little cooler that has his milk in it. It has been working pretty well. Cole does a very good job playing mom!

Me: I have been back to work. Its was fun to be back and be able to teach better and have more energy without the limitations of pregnancy but it is so hard to leave everyday!! I hate it! Before I leave he is ususally the happiest because he has just woken up and has been fed. He is so adorable then and I have to leave him! But I know he is in good hands during the day. I am feeling well and all recovered just usually quite tired.

Cole: Cole has been applying to graduate schools and we have heard back from 3: He is accepted into Kansas State, has been interviewed and accepted into Oklahoma State, and has an interview with Purdue. He was really impressed at the Oklahoma interview which kind of surprised both of us. He really liked the professors, the program, and it is only 4 hours from Dallas. Kansas has always been his top choice (he has not been there because they do not have interveiws) but now Oklahoma is looking good. So now we are waiting to see how the Purdue interview goes, see if he gets accecpted there and then make our decision. I hate big decisions!!

Events: Last weekend my family came up for the blessing. It was really exciting becuase this was the first time for my dad and sisters to meet Cade. We had a good time. (more pictures coming!)

More Adorable Cade