Here We Go Again

Where? Well, here is a hint... life(God) has thrown me a curve ball again and I am  catching it with both hands.  More on that in a minute.


This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending two weddings - one Friday and one Saturday.  Both brides were my (former) co-workers.  


The weddings could not have been more different... one was outside and the other inside... one was a small affair and the other had well over 400 people... one bride was in her 20's and the other was in her 50's.
  
But both weddings were beautiful, both brides were beautiful, and both couples were SO in love.  More importantly, though, both couples will most assuredly put God in the center of their marriage!  


Unfortunately, no pictures could be taken - you know since I left my camera at my grandma's and all.


Now.... onto the BIG NEWS...


Drumroll.....


I will be employed next school year!!!  I have accepted a part-time/three quarters time job teaching computer to 1st-8th graders at Oshkosh Christian School.


I miss the school... I miss the kids... I miss the people I work with... and I miss the money.


So, here we go again.

Weekend Up North

This weekend we headed up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.


The trip had a twofold purpose:
1). To spend Father's day with my daddy (yes, I'm a daddy's girl).
And
2). To visit with my grandmother.


Unfortunately, word from up there was that grandma had been going downhill for the past couple weeks.  In fact, for the first time ever, she was not able to get out of bed for our visit.  She tried desperately, bless her heart, but in the end it was just too painful for her to move.  So, she remained in her new hospital bed that was delivered last week, and we visited in her room.  


Saturday night was heart-wrenching  as she seemed overly drugged...slurring speech that was too difficult to understand so all we could do was smile and nod...she was unable to even muster enough strength to lift a fork to her mouth to eat...


But Sunday morning she seemed refreshed by a good night of rest and was very lucid and communicative.


Apparently, it is not unusual for her to have these yo-yo type days where one day she seems well and the next she is hallucinating and weak.  So our time with grandma may be running short....or she may rebound and stay around a couple more years... only God knows.

We also had a chance to visit one of our favorite places - the ski jump.  C.J. and Zack enjoy climbing all the way to the top.

Happy Father's Day

When God was handing out Daddy's....sure think I got one of the best.

A New Road

From the moment his slippery six pound six ounce body was placed into my arms we have been traveling down the same road.   And suddenly and abruptly, that road has ended and a new one has begun.


At first, diaper changes and middle-of-the-night feedings:

 gave way to temper tantrums and broad smiles like these:

Life was somehow difficult... and easy at the same time.  You fed them...you changed them... you cuddled them...you poured your soul into them...hoping that every internal feeling you have towards goodness and kindness seeps into every bone in their body so that when this day comes.... the day they begin the journey down their new road... they're well equipped to not only survive, but thrive.


You find yourself wishing you would have taken just a bit more time to enjoy the precious moments... soaking in the memories so that they became permanently etched in your mind.

Because all too soon they grow up and go off to school...

and suddenly,though you are still walking this road together, the journey changes. Other influences now come into play...peers... teachers... helping you shape and mold this child into who he will become.  Life becomes somehow very rewarding  and satisfying as you watch this boy(s) grow into a fine young man(men)... displaying and exhibiting the very values and morals that you hoped would seep into their being.  You become comfortable and settle into this new journey hand in hand......


And then.. WHAM... it blindsides you.. this day:

oh, you knew it was coming... it had been marked on the calendar for months...but it was some obscure date that you put out of your mind...until it pounces on you!   And it is so momentously life-changing that it takes your breath away.


My goodness, loving these children and raising them to be beautiful, confident souls, and then letting them go to walk their journey on a new road... a different road...it's a good feeling! A rewarding feeling! And a sad feeling all at the same time!  ***SIGH***

New Normal

For me, June has always meant leisurely days basking in the sun and relaxing nights watching the sunset while sipping a nice glass of wine. It has meant late evenings watching movies with the kids and late mornings that begin well after the sun has arisen for the day.  

The past two years, it has also meant graduations.  Last year it was Lauren and C.J. who left behind their carefree high school years for the rigors of college life.

This year... it was Jon's turn.  Sunday was particularly exciting for me because... for reasons I won't get into here... two years ago I wasn't sure he would get his act together and even see this day... much less be going off to college to become an engineer.

Very proud of my boy:

showing off his diploma

A little brotherly love

and a little brotherly teasing

proud mother

The whole gang.  C.J., Zack, dad, Jon, mom, grandma, and grandpa

We are so proud of you, Jon.

Now we learn to adjust to our new normal... with one less child.             

Just One

More to come when I have more time.

June is Here

Well, summer is almost here.

There is NO mistaking that this is my favorite season... and not just because my chosen profession takes an extended vacation (paid nonetheless) over the summer months...no... it's something more... there is something about bare feet, and bronzed body parts, popsicles and  bbq's,  the feel of soft green grass between your toes and the smell of coconutty scented sunscreen that makes me feel happy.

I will spend my summer enjoying more time with family and friends, more lazy days in the sun, and more late evening sunsets.

Along with summer comes more big changes to our family.  Although it has been over a year since the six of us have lived together under this roof... we have had a continuing revolving door of visiting and leaving children.  The month of June will see C.J.  back for a visit, Jon off for a summer in Orlando, and Lauren coming and going flipping between her mother's house and ours as the mood strikes her.  

I have begun to repeat my "high on life" creed lately which includes some notations to enjoy this moment and soak up the sights and sounds.  To enjoy watching my boys embrace their lives as they go out into the world and chase their dreams.  To know that, despite the numerous mistakes I made while raising them, they seem to be basically unscathed.  To be honest, I didn't always know the perfect thing to say when they had questions or needed a lesson, but what mistakes I did make were hopefully overshadowed by LOVE.  

Jonathan graduated yesterday...something two years ago I wasn't sure was going to happen!  Anyway, I want to write a post specifically dedicated to that but, as of now, I have no pictures.  For reasons I won't  mention here... I did not have a camera!  So, I have to rely on others (ex-husband and step-daughter) to get me their pictures... and I'll write the post then.