Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Just some thoughts and musings on a chilly Wednesday

Eric started working overnights this week, and he'll be on them for the next 2 months. It's been hard sleeping alone lately--I wake up to the slightest noises (I've always been a light sleeper), and it just feels odd. Funny how I slept alone for the better part of 10 years (not counting all the nights Bingo crashed with me after his dad left us) and did fine, and yet in 4 months I have gotten used to having someone beside me again so that I miss it. Poor guy is struggling to adapt his own sleep schedule again as well, and has been awake by mid-morning despite being exhausted. He has tonight off, but I am trying to let him sleep as long as he can, and have taken to grabbing all I think I might need from the bedroom before I leave it for the morning, to "nest" (as Eric describes it) in the living room.

I got some sad (but really old)news yesterday: my God-Mother, who I knew to live over in MO about an hour-hour and a half away passed away, back in July! I had been so excited to be down here nearby where I knew her to live, and just recently was given her current address and phone number; my plan had been to drop her a note and see about driving over to visit her one afternoon when Eric was home. Needless to say, that is out the window. As I told Mom when she called me with the news, I have wonderful memories of "Aunt Syl & Uncle Herm," (in fact, they are the ones who got me interested in loom weaving--they had a full sized loom in the basement of the parsonage in Massachusetts) that make me smile, and it was visiting them that I saw the Arch in St. Louis for the first time when we were down here for a vacation. I'm glad they are together again. I might still drop a note to their daughter, whom I had been close to once upon a time, and maybe I will still get together with her at some point.

We have a meeting today at the school to look at options for Patrick regarding his struggles this senior year. He took an extremely heavy class load this year and it is kicking him in the butt. He is one of the few seniors to have been on the varsity bowling league these last 4 years, but now his eligibility is in jeopardy and it would be so sad to see him off the team when he has worked so hard. Even worse though, would be if he is hurting his chances for graduation, so we need to address that sooner than later. The semester ends the end of the month. Aurora is doing well academically and she too is on the varsity bowling team; they had a meet last night and did well. Reimond has worked hard to pull his grades up and at the moment has only one standing "F", but it is on the cusp of passing, and we are staying on top of his homework... His grades are not perfect, but at least he's passing most of his classes. Got my fingers crossed! We are committed to making sure the kids are successful in all their endeavors and try are best to stay on top of things. Brianne was reminded that the spring semester for the college she wants to transfer to starts in January, so if she is going to get registered she needs to start looking at things now! Hopefully she too will follow through.

News from Minneapolis is fairly good. Betty is home from the hospital, and doing ok. Her blood levels continue to need close monitoring, but she is happier at home, and the kids are all taking turns keeping track of her. Andrea is doing fine too and is back at work with no ill effects. Justin took a tumble this weekend and gave himself a concussion "couch diving". Liisa says he has a pretty bruise on his head, but is doing fine now (Tony got me all shook up when he called me about it on their way home from the ER--I had just fallen asleep when he called me). Tony took my mom to do the annual Wreath run to Ft. Snelling National Cemetary ( I had generally taken my mom to place the wreathes each year after thanksgiving) and I was so glad he was able to help out. Liisa is having a ball managing the skating rink at The Depot (Hotel), and it is getting amazing press both locally and nationally--USA-Today ranks it in the top 10 of indoor ice rinks nationally, and ESPN is planning to broadcast live from there when covering one of the football games again--they did so last year too. I have such wonderful memories of that rink (as well as the trauma of Rei splitting his lip open on it and needing stitches the first year Liisa worked at that hotel--it was at their company Christmas party he did so; the next year, she was the manager of the rink!). I love hearing her stories from there, like the time she called and said "hey Mama, ask me what I did at work today!" Her reply? "Looked for a severed finger tip" ( someone skated over a child's finger, which was effectively amputated; they found it and it was subsequently reattached successfully as far as she knows). She gets quite the workout physically and intellectually, and uses a variety of skills, from crisis management, to people management! I am so proud of her!

Just as an aside, and no real big deal, I had an ultrasound yesterday looking for possible uterine fibroids, and I have an endometrial biopsy scheduled for the end of the month. I may need minor surgery again to correct some "female issues" I've been dealing with again (possibly similar to the surgery I had 2 years ago October when they removed 4 fibroids). Nothing too major, but figured I would put it out there. The joys of getting older! Blech!

I'm really excited to say that Liisa and Jesse are coming down for a visit this weekend (and bringing Max--oh joy, yet another big dog to add to the mix!), and I cannot wait to have them here. Then the middle of the month, my friend Erika is coming for a few days, just after her birthday in fact! I am really excited about that too! We have Reimond's plane reservations all made for him to go to MN for the first week of his Winter break. He'll fly up on December 20th in the afternoon, and fly back to St. Louis on December 27th, late morning. He'll stay with Liisa and be able to see all his friends and the family for Christmas. I am thrilled this was able to be done for him, and I know he'll have a wonderful time. Much thanks goes out to our favorite "Jewish Elf" for making this happen for him! Now we just need to find out what the plans will be for Aurora and Patrick for that same time period. As I said before, it could be a very quiet household over Christmas! Fortunately I have lots of things I can do to help pass the time. Now if only we can find some way for the babies to come see Grandma, it would make me very happy!

They are predicting a rain/snow mix for this afternoon, and the skies and the temps are reflecting that they could be right. We had a dusting of snow the other day but it isn't lasting in the least, and yesterday it was gorgeous, in the upper 40's... This weather in the heartland confuses me. I never quite know how to dress! Anyhow, that's all I can think of for today. Hope everyone stays warm!

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