Final thoughts on July...

I will make a point of posting some pictures tomorrow.  Tonight I just want to share a few things that are on my heart.  I have some very dear girlfriends that are struggling right now. Two have been unemployed for almost 2 years now, and while one has been blessed with stable housing, the other's life is in flux. Two dear friends are struggling with caring for elderly relatives who have recently been placed into hospice or nursing homes, and they are tiring under the burdens of care and love and stress.  Another dear friend is facing significant life changes and life is no longer as it was in terms of predictability and stability, and yet another one is dealing with health issues faced by her beloved husband.  It makes my stresses and concerns seem small in comparison, and I am so blessed to have things as peaceful these days as they are.  I am lifting all these friends up in prayer, because I am helpless to help in other ways.  I love these ladies dearly and I pray they find comfort, strength, direction, and peace.

Just a quick one for now...

I am just posting a quick one so people know I have not fallen off the face of the earth.  The past two weeks have been really busy around here, and I haven't really had time to get my thoughts in order, or pics posted onto the laptop.  I will be making that a priority over the coming week.

To recap the past two weeks: I had the rush to do laundry and chores in prep for my and Rei's trip to MN for my high school reunion.  Then Rei and I made the 10 hour drive to Mpls in 9.5 hours (all to get to my hair appointment with my sister, scheduled for 4:30 and I arrived at 5 p.m.). Then it was out with Liisa and Amber to hear a band for the later evening. Friday was errands and then the happy hour meet and greet for the reunion; Saturday was running some errands, spending time with the kids and grandkids, then getting ready for the main event at the Radisson Hotel at the U of M campus, and I had a wonderful time there with Liisa.  Sunday I elected to forego the picinic at Upper Lake Harriet for the reunion, and instead enjoyed a quiet morning with my mom. Sunday afternoon the kids, grandkids, and misc. family all came to my mom's for a spagetti dinner and ice cream cake. It was loud, chaotic, and fun, until Justin took a header into the cement step and knocked out a tooth and loosened two more.  Tony and I took him to Children's while Andrea took Alexis and Rei home. Justin ended up being just fine--bloody, bruised, and toothless--and his second tooth may fall on it's own in the coming week. If it doesn't, the dentist will pull it.  A third tooth was loose, but is fine. He also got a major gash in his inner lip that needs to heal on its own, so he was on a soft/liquid diet for a few days. He loved it that the tooth was found at Grandma Sylvia's house, and that the tooth fairy visited me (who had temporary custody of the tooth) before finding it at his house later in the week, and he is healing nicely, albeit looking like a prize fighter...

That Monday we went to breakfast with my sister, then back to her house for a haircut for Rei. I really don't remember what I did the rest of the day--mostly just vegged out I think.  I was able to spend a few hours with Erika at her house, and I also had a wonderful evening with Jill in there, so I did see friends as well as family. Tuesday Rei and I made the 10 hour drive home in 9.25 hours.  Not sure why it went so fast, but traffic was light and we made good time. Wednesday I made the trip to Anderson IN to take Aurora to her bowling camp. That made for a really long day and night--5+ hours each way. Thursday and Friday were days to catch up on things (oh, and I worked a whole 1.5 hours on Thursday), then Saturday Eric and I drove back to IN to get Aurora and see his folks. It was nice to break up the drive with a stay in a hotel room (thanks Liisa!) and it was even lovelier to see my in-laws.  I am so blessed with what wonderful people they are! And attended Aurora's tournament, brunch, and the long drive back home on Sunday.

Yesterday I went with Brie to the OB--her and Skye are doing fine, although Skye was NOT happy to have her heart listened to and kept moving away from the sensor...  Then I took Rei to the clinic where they diagnosed him with a wicked case of strep (he had a 103.4 degree fever in the clinic office: they gave him motrin and a shot to get the jump on the infection). He had been sick since Friday, and Brie took good care of him. During this time I made 4 trips on base: two for gas (Brie's car, then mine), one to the commisary for WIC stuff, and one to the pharmacy for Rei's antibiotic... I was glad to finally sit once I got home!

Eric is on overnights this week, and it's his long week, so he is napping here beside me while I type; I gave notice today at work, because with all that is looming in August, I am gonna be needed here at home and it's gonna be too hard to try and work around an unpredictable schedule. I have mixed feelings about it.  I loved the fabrics, the discount, and many of my co-workers, but I disliked so many of the particulars that come with working in retail. I also dreaded giving up most of my weekends for working, and I really hated missing out on family stuff because invariably I worked on Eric's rare days off.  We discovered that he makes in one overtime shift what I generally contributed working over the month. We will need to cut back on some things because I won't be providing that little extra cushion right now, but the loss of headaches maybe worth it.  My goal is to focus on getting the kids ready for school (Rei and Aurora), helping Brie with getting ready for the baby (doctor's appts, planning the shower, birthing classes, and organizing what we still need for basic supplies...), and getting set up in an internship. I have started sewing on my "professional" wardrobe, and I will be making a concerted effort to go visit potential sites.  Something Eric said to me when we were eating at Perkins really hit home with me, and it's time to conquer my fear of the unknown and start walking the walk with confidence.  I am committed to trying anyhow.

So tonight is week three of birthing classes; Brie is on track for her due date, and has started having some random Braxton-Hicks contractions. Things are progressing. Patrick has started working longer hours at work--and will hopefully have more hours, given he has nothing else on his agenda other than working for the time-being...  Aurora started Band Camp on Monday and has that for the next two weeks.  Then school starts, and the baby is due...  Life remains complicated and overly full.  I have laid down the law with Rei about school and stuff--he is truly headed into the pseudo-adult trials of wanting to be independent but not having the maturity to make adult decisions at times and he is trying my patience on a regular basis... 

So, for a quick update, I guess I wrote a novel, but there you have it--I generally ramble.  Anyhow, pics are forthcoming, as is more detail on some things.  But in a nutshell, life remains chaotic and busy!  I will be around though!

Just a quick one today

because I realized it has been a week again since I last wrote.  Both boys passed their classes.  The grades were not spectacular but they were passing grades and thus credit.  Now for Reimond to enjoy his short summer break--school starts August 12th down here...  and for Patrick to figure out what he wants to do with the rest of his life.  Brie started childbirth education classes last night, so we went to that, her and I.  Her boyfriend has ended their relationship and while she is saddened by it, she is doing ok with dealing with it.  Aurora said the trip to her mom's went better than the last time she was there, but she is glad to be home.

Rei and I are getting ready to head to MN tomorrow morning bright and early.  We need to be up there for my 4:30 hair appt.  and I really don't want to get in too late.  I am hoping we will get to see a few different people while we are there.  He is staying at Liisa's (as is her dad!) and I will be staying at my mom's.  I have festivities planned for Friday thru Sunday for the reunion, and I have planned to have Monday as a rest day, because we will be headed back bright and early tuesday morning (so I am home in time for Brie's class).  Life is busy, but managable!.  I got a few new things made up for my trip, and I am pleased with how they came out.  All I have left to do is finish packing, then loading up the car. 

That's all the news for today!

Not much going on... A nice change!

I am having a lazy morning for the nonce.  Eric is at work today, then school tonight; sleep, eat breakfast and repeat tomorrow...  I have a few chores to get done in preparation for my company on Thursday (Eric's mom is coming to visit a couple of days and I am so happy to see her!).  Have a doctor's appointment on my own today for a med recheck.  I wonder if I can convince her to raise my synthroid up a notch again? (A girl can dream--when they lowered it I gained 40 lbs that won't go away).  Rei and Patrick are struggling through their last few days of summer school.  Brie is home (came home yesterday) and is sleeping.  Her assignment, whether she wants to accept it or not, is to clean her room and get ready for the baby's arrival.  Her apathy about getting ready is foreign to me.  When I was pregnant with each of my kids, I had things ready months in advance!  I thought it was so fun to get everything together and organized...  I just don't understand.

Aurora will be home on Sunday (Eric is picking her up).  She is bored at her mother's house, from what I understand.  She spends most days home alone until dinnertime, then it's family for a few hours, bed, and back to being on her own.  Doesn't sound a whole lot different from what she does here, but here she has the other kids, friends, etc. and freedom to go places. 

I feel like I am sitting in limbo at the moment.  The lull between the storms.  I am getting ready to go to my reunion, and I feel a funny sense of excitement about it.  High school was horrid for me for the most part.  I was bullied a lot, I had few close friends (and they were all a year or better older than me); I struggled with depression that was untreated until my junior year, and I was "different" from many.  I was bookish, I did needlework, I got good grades, I was reserved, and I didn't dress fashionably (my mom had strict ideas about what was and wasn't appropriate).  Looking at some of the pictures on facebook, I have aged better than a lot of my classmates, about the same as others, and we have all done our share of growing up.  I am curious to see how some people have changed, I am interested in hearing some of their stories, and renewing a few acquaintances.  I was never a part of any "in" crowd, and I would never want to relive those days, but I do have a few good memories of some of the things I did, and of a few of the people I knew in my classes.  I am going mostly out of curiosity and to perhaps show that I did make something of myself, that I am not just an "odd duck" (I was voted "most unique" female in my graduating class, and I am not sure that it was meant as an honor...  Still don't know for sure.)  I have an appointment with my sister to get a touch up on my hair before I attend the festivities, and I am REALLY looking forward to seeing some of my friends while I am there--true friends, people I adore, people who I have grown, changed, and experienced life with.  Like Debbie, Erika, Jill, Ann, and of course, my family.  This is gonna be an interesting trip down memory lane!

I still don't have anything set up on the internship front.  I know I need to be more diligent, but Eric and I had a long conversation about what is holding me back from being more proactive, and I know that I need to just do it.  I also need to get sewing on my garments for that internship so I have some decent clothes to wear!  That adds to my to-do list too over the coming weeks: weeding through my dresser and wardrobe of outdated things.  I was laughing last night that the modest nightgown I put on I purchased 16 years ago, to wear at the hospital for visitors when Rei was born!  I (unfortunately) still have many things that fall into some of those headings--stuff I have had/worn forever, that is no longer attractive, in style, or appropriate, but is familiar, comfortable, and well-worn.  Some things I held on to for sentimental reasons, but honestly, all they do is take up space and it is time to get rid of them.  

Eric is on the phone, so I guess it's time to devote attention to him...  Perhaps I will write more later!

A whole lot of this and that...

It's friday again and an entire week has passed me by.  Wow.  I have so enjoyed this week though.  The weather has been glorious!  Windows wide open, a breeze, sunshine, low humidity.  Feels like MN in the boonies!  I have been in less of a funk this passed week than I was the week before.  My friend is out of the hospital and is starting to look for reasons that life *may* be worth living.  I couldn't ask for more than that, at least right now.  The friend is no longer pissed at me either, which is equally a good thing.  My nerves can handle only so many guilt trips, jabs, and pokes.  I am thankful things are settling down.

School is done next thursday for the boys.  Reimond has done a 180 on his grades and I am so pleased.  He is finally showing what he is made of.  Patrick we are still nervous about. He went from bragging rights to hiding, and things will be coming down to the wire for him.  I am very concerned.  It is what it is though.  Brie is off to the boyfriend's for the weekend.  I have such mixed feelings about that.  I would like to get to know him better, but he feels we are too strict/have too many rules, and is scared of us/Eric.  In the meantime, things are NOT getting done by her that need to be done.  On the good news front though, her fasting glucose tests all came back normal, so no worries at the moment for gestational diabetes.  I am starting my lists for what we are going to do for her for her baby shower coming up next month.  It is going to be held here, at the house, over Mascoutah's homecoming weekend.  We adjusted the times so that we would be free for the Mascoutah festivities, like the parade Aurora will be marching in, and not have to worry about feeding everyone dinner. 

Liisa is on her way back to Mpls after her cruise to the Bahamas.  She had a fabulous time, and is so happy and relaxed.  She loved Nassau and the ocean.  I am thrilled she had fun.  Both my grandbabies are now another year older: Justin was 5 on the 28th and Alexis was 3 on the 13th, both in June.  Time goes so fast!  Tony hasn't gotten back to me on dates or plans regarding another 2 week or so stay with me of the grandchildren for August, so we will see if they come or not.  I am open to whatever. Aurora is at her mom's and it sounds like things are going fine.  Eric will be picking her up on the 11th and it looks like I will be staying home.  For whatever reason, I am only being put on the schedule for weekends only.  Saturday and Sundays.  I work the 4th and I work the 10th (I also work the 3rd).  This weekend isn't so bad, because Eric works too, but next weekend we had talked about driving up a day or two early to spend some time with his family in Ft. Wayne before bringing Aurora home.  I am going to encourage him to still go, but it's looking like I will need to be home.  Then the following weekend I will be in Minneapolis for my high school reunion.  Lots on the agenda!

Eric got his results from the interview and testing for the Police job he was interested in.  He has made it onto the potential hires list so as jobs become available, he will be contacted for the next step.  Very positive, although it doesn't look like there is anything opening in the very near future.  Oh well, a day at a time.

That's it from around here!  I need to get my chicken deboned to make some chicken enchiladas for dinner, and I need to dice up the watermelon too for a side option.  I am so loving these days now that things are stabilizing again!