A New Season

Today is the beginning of a new basketball season for Zack and let me tell you - brother is excited!!!

Unfortunately, because of the funeral tonight, I will miss his first game.  He will play tonight and go to the actual funeral service with us tomorrow. 

Because of missing the game, I took pictures of him in his uniform early...honestly, he's been wearing it (at home) every moment since he got it on Monday.

showing off his shooting form

Superman pose ala Cam Newton

The Gator Chomp (of course)

One with his brother

This is Ollie's "help me" look

We are looking forward to a great season.

Obituary

Schneider, Douglas



Douglas J. Schneider, 46, of Fond du Lac, passed away peacefully on November 26, 2012 at Hospice Home of Hope.

Douglas was born June 28, 1966 to Roger and Marjorie (nee Schultz) Schneider. On September 22, 1989 he married Sheila Sippel in Fond du Lac.

Doug worked as an auto body technician for the last 30+ years, most recently for Holiday Auto. Doug was an avid car enthusiast, loved restoring old vehicles, tinkering in the shed, going to swap meets, and simply helping everyone that came his way. He was proud of his most recent accomplishment, restoring his black '66 Chevelle and having his best friend Steve drag race it in Kaukauna this past September. Doug also enjoyed snowmobiling and playing cards with his family.

Doug is survived by his wife of 23 years, Sheila Schneider, two daughters, Jessica and Abigail, his parents, Roger and Marjorie, siblings Eugene (Julie), Jeff (Eva), Sue (Darin) Edington, Andy, Jerry (Judy), Denise (Mark) Mayo, Jay (Nancy), Melissa (Troy) Schmidt; his father-in-law and mother-in-law Roger and Marilyn Sippel, two sisters-in-law, Jeanne (Randy) Sabel and Susan Schoenberger, and a brother-in-law Doug (Heather) Sippel. He is further survived by many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

Visitation: Family will greet relatives and friends from 4:00 until 8:00 PM on Thursday, November 29, 2012 at Zacherl Funeral Home and Crematory, 875 E. Division Street, Fond du Lac.

Services: A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 AM on Friday, November 30, 2012 at Sacred Heart Church, Holy Family Parish, 200 S. Peters Avenue, Fond du Lac. 

Zacherl Funeral Home and Crematory is serving the family. www.zacherlfunernalhome.com

Doug

Doug died at 4:26 this evening.

According to his in-laws who were with him at the time,  he was having a conversation with them, fell asleep, was snoring, and then - suddenly - he wasn't.  He just stopped breathing.  It was very peaceful.

I had never seen my husband cry until this evening.  

Death is hard for those left behind.

Mama Love

Our pathetic pooch

He is one of the biggest mush hounds I have ever seen.

- Even with the help of the refs Florida State couldn't beat Florida!  Florida State's #1 ranked defense was never tested on the likes of an SEC team. There is a reason the last 6 National Championships have been won by an SEC team - the SEC is the best conference in college football (sorry C.J. I know you disagree). 

Saturdays in Our House

Why are you doing this to me?

Changes

Doug was moved to Hospice today.  He needed far too much attention to remain at home.  The family, which includes 8 brothers and sisters, their spouses, his mom and dad, and a handful of the older nieces and nephews, have made a rotating schedule through Christmas to ensure someone is with him at all times.

This morning I attempted to put up the Christmas tree but alas...a couple more of the bottom tree branches broke off and so, after fighting it for the past four years, I had no choice but to send hubby off to the store to buy a new one.

Fresh out of the box:

It is a beautiful tree...and the plus side - we got a GREAT black Friday deal.

While he was at the store, hubby also decided to get the dog a new bed - you know, the dog he doesn't like and all - yeah right!

We have a quiet weekend planned here.  The weather has turned colder so it is a good weekend for a fire in the fireplace and sipping hot chocolate under a warm blanket while watching a good movie.

Thanksgiving

Who could not love the smell of a turkey roasting in your kitchen oven?

Yum...and stuffing and cranberries and, of course pumpkin pie.

And spending time with family. 

 We spent the day with hubby's family - thankful for being together while also acutely aware of the absence of his brother, Doug who was not well enough to be with us. We stopped in to see him before heading home and he was having one of his "good"days, which basically means he was lucid and able to follow a conversation.  He was still not able to open his eyes or get out of the hospital bed they now have in their living room and he fell asleep while we talked with him. 

Some pictures from our day:

 The cutest little cheerleader - my niece, Skylar

It was a good day.  Happy Thanksgiving.

The Object of Zack's Affection

More of the same today...

Confessions, apologies, and consequences handed out.

Time to reflect on character, integrity, and honesty.

Time for self-examination and to make a plan for the future so he can move forward and begin working to rebuild trust. 

Zack was justifying his sin in own mind by convincing himself that the object he took was so small and inconsequential that it wasn't really stealing.  I am hopeful that now, after a day of reflection (and lecture), he sees it differently.

And the object he took?

A $5.99 Staples easy button.  

I am still having a difficult time with this.  I am confused and frustrated and sad.  I don't know what he was thinking or what would possess him to do that.  It's ridiculous to compromise your character and integrity over a $5.99 object that I probably would have gone and bought for him if he had only asked me.

I am just so grateful that God brought this situation to light so we could deal with it...and it could be so much worse.  I need to chalk this up to painful growth and pray that valuable lessons have been learned.

Where's the Manual

I don't write this blog to be fake or to put on a false representation that everything is always peachy in our household.  I'm pretty sure those households don't exist anyway. Everyone has their own struggles at one point or another...either with marriage or children or money or whatever.

Right now, it's the children part here in our household.

Parenting littles was so easy.  Heck, I have a degree in Early Childhood Education...I was educated on discipline techniques that are effective for young children.  Also, the actual issues that are deserving of discipline are so easy...like not sharing toys, fighting with siblings, being sassy to parents.  Easy stuff! 

As my grandfather used to say, "Little kids - little problems.  Big kids - big problems."

Well, we are in the chartered waters of big problems.  And it has sent me scouring the internet for answers, searching the Bible for scriptural support, and wishing they made a manual for parenting teens.

Yes, Zack has found himself in the midst of big trouble by taking something from a teacher's desk without asking.   I am not even sure if the teacher realizes it is missing yet - that is not how I found out about it. And to Zack's credit, he was honest when I questioned him.  But, still, we have a serious issue on our hands.  This, in my book, is the same as if he walked right into someone's house and stole something. 

It is an embarrassing situation for me.  I mean, who wants to admit their child stole?  Not really something to call the grandparents and brag about!

 So, he's got some consequences at home, including writing an apology letter to the teacher and a confession letter to the principal and looking up scriptural verses on stealing  Tomorrow morning we will meet with the principal to see what steps the school wants to take.  I could have very well left the principal out of this but I want to make sure that Zack realizes this is a very serious offense. 
In the meantime:

We will get through this....we will get through this...we will get this.  Keep repeating!

Another Self Portrait

Keep finding these on my camera.  The kid is obsessed with taking pictures of himself - should I be concerned? Too bad they are always so blurry.

Side Note: my shoulder is so much better...just sore now.

Plans Out the Window

The plans for today included putting up the Christmas tree and putting out Christmas decorations.  

Those plans changed in an instant this morning when, while walking down our steps with the laundry basket, I tripped over the dog (yes our dog lies across the step like a little cat).  This sent me falling to the floor.  As a natural instinct, I put my hand out while I fell but somehow I ended up landing on my shoulder.  

Troublemaker below:

My wrist was somewhat sore but my shoulder was pretty painful anytime I tried to move it.  So instead...some ibuprofen and a nice afternoon nap were in order.

This evening, I decided to put out a few of the decorations - using mostly my left arm. 

My parents bought this for Jerry.  Even if it was meant to be from a cat's point of view, it is was Jerry jokingly says all the time.

My poor, unsuspecting baby:

So, it's beginning to look a little like Christmas around here...hopefully I will be able to do more tomorrow.

A New Day

Today was a perfect reminder to me that each day God gives us is an opportunity for wonderful and glorious things!

It is nothing short of a miracle that my brother-in-law woke up this morning coherent and able to communicate.  He was released from the hospital this evening.

Time with him is most likely still short but we now may be looking at weeks rather than days.

Life is so precious and not a day goes by where I don't thank God for all He has blessed me with...I never ever want to take anything for granted.

My wonderful parents...my hard working husband...my beautiful children...the most amazing best friend...and (I think) the cutest dog in the world!

Each new day we are given is a blessing from God and not to be wasted.  Because tomorrow is never guaranteed to anyone.

*Photos were taken on my walk with Ollie yesterday.