The last day of 2023

Here we are at the last day of the year.  It's been a dramatic week, although everyone is alright.  I keep telling myself, everyone is all right.   There have been some poor choices, and there has been some drama not at all brought on by the kids.  Additionally, there is a young man the same age as Catherine who is in failing health, and my prayers go to his family.  I know his sister well, and I just can't imagine.  And it makes me feel guilty about the sadness and anxiety I am feeling about my own healthy children.  My mom also continues to have health problems, and the dynamics of dealing with the family are challenging.  It was also challenging to have my mother-in-law here the entire time, although I do adore her.  The hard part was her having an opinion on all of the drama around her.  I am hoping that some medications will help me to get my head together and feel better as we head into the new year.

We are heading to our friends' house for the evening.  Catherine is joining us, I'm not sure what Thomas's plans are.  Knowing he will be out driving at Midnight definitely adds to my anxiety at the moment.  I've been doing a lovely puzzle to help distract and to calm me.  I am very grateful there are still two more days until back to work!

Christmas 2023

Christmas definitely had ups and downs this year.  The good news is that I'm convinced we can still enjoy some time together.  My favorite part was yesterday morning, and opening our gifts together as a family.  My kids gave very thoughtful gifts this year, and that was very sweet.

I still have a week off of work, although there is plenty to be done before I go back next Wednesday.  Looking forward to some quiet time and of course, New Year's Day!

It's about time to celebrate

Here we are at Christmas Eve eve.  It's been a much busier week than I had anticipated.  I'm grateful Catherine is here though.  I'm trying very much to feel peace, but it just feels like some things have been really tough lately.  The temperatures certainly aren't helping to feel like the holidays either.  Temps near the 60's aren't very Christmas-like!

We made it up to see my grandmother today.  She was delighted to see the kids.  It's hard to visit with her though, as she doesn't always understand what is happening around her, and conversation can be tough.  Still we are so grateful to have her around.  I would love to try to get over to see her again on Monday, but I can't promise anything.

Here we go...Merry Christmas!

Snow bursts

I am off for my first "official" day of break.  After all, the weekends are always the weekends! Thomas and Andrew are both working.  We've been having a bunch of snow squalls this afternoon.  They really are lovely to see, and I feel better knowing that Thomas is NOT out on deliveries and should be able to get home okay when he is off work in a couple of hours.  It also helps that the college students are gone and the traffic isn't awful. 

I haven't written much this month as I've been pretty emotional about things.  I'm hoping as we all gather for a few days that the peace and spirit of the season fill my heart!

Fifteen years of blogging

I began this blog fifteen years ago.  I still remember that Monday afternoon when I decided to give it a try.  So much in life has changed in those fifteen years.  I'm so grateful for all of the memories recorded here, especially here at the holidays.  I miss having little kids, but I'm grateful for the life we have today.  When I started, there were a lot of blogs I followed that had I enjoyed reading.  Most of those are no longer active.  I get it.  Like I said, life changes.

I can't even begin to imagine what the next fifteen years will bring, but I'm sure there will be many blessings!

So proud of Thomas

As I said, there were many good things that happened in November, and Thomas, especially, had good news!  He had taken his first CDL test in October but hadn't passed, which was expected.  He then took it again in early November, and was devastated when he didn't pass it then either.  While there is no limit on how many times it can be taken, it does cost $175 each time it happens.  He had really buckled down and had studied hard before taking it the third time.  I was really concerned because it was a miserably wet day.  I had checked the location app about 30 minutes after he began the test, and saw that he was still engaged so I took that as a good sign.  We were all incredibly thrilled and relieved when he let us know he was officially a CDL driver!

It was also interesting to learn why he had failed the two previous attempts.  He understood the second one as he knew he had done things out of order, but he had asked the tester about the first one.  The response he received was the same as a rumor he had heard.  The answer?  They automatically fail everyone the first time because they want to know it is being taken seriously.  While I understand the tremendous responsibility of being a CDL driver, at the cost of each test that seems a little underhanded!  Regardless, having him completed with the process was another gratitude at Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving visit

For the third consecutive year, my mother-in-law came for an extended Thanksgiving visit.  I really do love having her here.  She and Andrew arrived home late on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, but we were still able to watch a couple of episodes of our favorite TV show.  I'm very grateful that Andrew and his mom take on the task of the big feast!  Clearly not my thing!  They worked on a lot of things Wednesday, and then that evening was our annual Friends tradition.  Thomas's girlfriend joined us as well.  We were able to watch five episodes and enjoy the laughter.

On Thanksgiving Day, we enjoyed the parade while finishing preparations.  My mom and our family friend came down for the meal and were here for several hours.  Thomas spent a bit of time with his girlfriend's family in the evening, and then we got the decorations down and ready for the weekend!

We started decorating on Friday, although Thomas was working.  We finally got the trees up later that evening, and the kids hung their ornaments as they do every year.  It's my favorite tradition.  We actually got most of the decorating finished Saturday, although we did take time to watch the annual OSU/*ichigan game.  Remember when I mentioned it was the third consecutive year my mother-in-law was here?  It's also the third consecutive year the Buckeyes have lost.  Her invitation may be in jeopardy next year! :)

On Sunday, Andrew and his mom watched the Steelers game and I began working on our budget and other things that needed catching up. We were able to continue watching our favorite show.  

Our next week was much crazier than originally anticipated.  My best friend from high school lost her dad on Thanksgiving morning.  Even though it was a nearly four-hour drive (each way), there was no way I was not going to be there to pay my respects.  I was able to see her entire family and a few of her family friends I had met over the years.  It was 456 total miles of driving that day and I didn't get home until 9:30 that evening.  Andrew had to work at a basketball game Tuesday evening and wasn't home until 10:00.  I then had to work at my church job on Wednesday, and Andrew had parent conferences on Thursday.  Friday we had planned for the entire family to go see some Christmas lights.  It was a cold, wet evening, and I really had no desire to leave the house again once I got home.  Catherine decided to go back to her apartment, and Thomas wanted to spend the evening with his girlfriend and her dad's family.  I felt badly because we didn't get to really do anything holiday-like, but my mother-in-law agreed ordering some food in and staying in sounded lovely.  We were able to watch several more episodes of our favorite show.  WE had also enjoyed one Hallmark Christmas movie each day.  

It was a lovely visit, and I'm so glad she'll be back in a couple of weeks!  Hopefully the next visit will be a little less chaotic!

MIA from the blog

As you might guess from the silence of November, it was a bit crazy around here.  November definitely had ups, and I can't wait to write about them.  There were also some really rough downs, and many of those I won't be sharing.  The month was busy, it was hard, it was emotional, it was fabulous, and, yeah, it was all of that.

My wonderful mother-in-law was here until yesterday.  She kept telling us she so enjoyed being here, but I can't imagine how she enjoys all of the chaos.  She says it's just so quiet at her place, and there are days that just sounds divine.  Andrew took his mom back yesterday and is going to the Steelers game today, so he won't be back until tomorrow.  Thomas is off today but just left to spend the day with his girlfriend, and while Catherine is staying here this week because of her classes/externship, she is working a twelve-hour shift today.  I have the next six plus hours to enjoy some of the quiet, and I plan to do exactly that!  And I'll be back here (hopefully sooner rather than later) to write about some of the fun happenings! 

Thanksgiving 2023

Happy Thanksgiving!  It's been a very nice day.  My mom and her friend, Deb, came down for lunch.  Andrew and his mom arrived Tuesday evening, and Catherine and Thomas are here as well.  Andrew and his mom prepared quite a feast.  Earlier this month, I was lamenting only having seven people here for our meal, but some craziness ensued, and I'm very grateful it was the seven of us around the table.  I don't mean to be vague, but I'm not sure I want to really write about that.

Both my school and Andrew's school had the entire week off work.  Last evening, we watched five Thanksgiving episodes of Friends.  To be honest, I think that is probably my favorite Thanksgiving tradition we have.  We laugh and laugh about those shows.

In sad news, I learned that my friend Stephanie lost her father this morning.  I saw him last summer when her daughter graduated from high school.  My love and prayers go to her family.

Hopefully, tomorrow is the beginning of the decorating! 

My dad has been gone ten years

It seems so hard to believe, but my dad has been gone ten years.  It seems unfathomable to me that an entire decade has passed.  There are so many days when I find myself wishing I could ask him how to do something, how to fix something, or get his opinion on something.  There are so many times when something will happen and he's the first person I want to share it with.  Even ten years later, those things happen.  It's so unreal that it's been ten years.

I know it's been a few weeks since I've written.  Life has been both crazy and dramatic lately.  It's all going to work out though.  I'll recap when I can.  I'm so looking forward to Thanksgiving week, some down time, some family time, some good food, and decorating for Christmas!

RIP Matthew Perry

I was at a Halloween party Saturday evening when I heard about the passing of Matthew Perry.  I was so sad to hear it.  Matthew Perry and Friends have been such a huge part of my adult life.  I remember it was on the evening of my 21st birthday while I was waiting on a friend to get ready to go out.  It wasn't until the following summer in reruns though, when I really started to follow it, and then it became my favorite show, and pretty much still is.  My roommate Steph and I were completely addicted to it during our co-habitation years.  Oh my goodness, the laughs we shared over the years. 

I remember watching the very final episode in 2004.  I cried so hard the first time I saw the last episode.  It truly was like losing my own friends.

I loved watching reruns over the years, and the show has been there for us when we were sick.  I loved when our kids were old enough to enjoy and appreciate the show.  Our family shared lots of laughs together.  The Thanksgiving episodes have become an annual family tradition, and I'm so grateful how the show brought us together and helped us to create awesome memories.  It makes me so sad that Matthew Perry is gone so young.

The rest of the birthday weekend

It was a busy weekend, but overall very lovely.  Yesterday we were able to watch Notre Dame just unload on Pitt.  While I follow Pitt because the kicker is from my hometown, I was still delighted that ND could trounce a team.  Our Saturday evening was spent at a Halloween party at a friend's house.  While we all know I love Halloween, I do appreciate an evening spent with those friends!  It was a very fun evening.  

Today was a very cold and dreary day.  My dear friend Jen had wanted to have lunch today, so we made that happen.  I was able to run a quick errand after.  I came home and I'm grateful that Andrew is making a fire in the fireplace.  It's always a lovely way to end the weekend and start the next week.  I'm so grateful for the peaceful feeling.

Today I turned 50

Today was my 50th birthday.  It's always nice when my birthday falls at the end of the week.  I awoke to a text from Thomas this morning who had texted right after Midnight.  That was so sweet!  The school Uke group serenaded me at lunch, and we had dinner with my coworkers this evening.  I received so many messages and texts throughout the day.  It was a very nice day.

This morning brought the biggest surprise, and honestly, it brought me to tears.  I was at school and was in the music room talking to my co-worker.  When I got back to my office, there was a small box on my desk.  I found a birthday note signed by Thomas.  He and his girlfriend had picked out a lovely bracelet, and the charms were a heart, a puzzle piece, a baseball, and a verse.  It was the first "I'll do it on my own" gift from him, and the fact that it was so incredibly thoughtful made it even more special.

I hadn't been excited about turning 50, but it's been a great day.  And ultimately, I'm grateful that I do get to turn 50.  It sure beats the alternative!

The last day of my 40's

Today is the last day in which I get to tell someone 40-something.  I can't believe it.  I've been alive for nearly half of a century.  It feels completely surreal.

Last evening, the four of us had dinner.  We decided to venture out to the lodge at the state park.  The drive was absolutely gorgeous.  It was a wonderful dinner.  Nothing makes my heart so full as having us all together, especially at a meal.  We had a really nice conversation, and seeing them grow into adults, well there just aren't words.

It's been a beautiful week.  At my job, there is this huge tree that is a gorgeous shade of orange, and right across the street are two trees that are absolutely gorgeous red.  It is such a peaceful view, and I'm so grateful each time I see it.  

Time is passing in life so very quickly.  A week like this makes it easier to slow down and be grateful for so many things!

I wanted to write last week

I had really wanted to write last week, but it just didn't happen.  It was the longest week I'd had in a very long time.  Tuesday evening I worked at church and then had a meeting.  Wednesday I wasn't able to leave work early, and I had yet another meeting at church.  Very long beginning to the week.

And Thursday was the longest, but it was wonderful!  This summer, I had read that Richard Thomas (famous for being in The Waltons) was playing the role of Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird, and the show was coming to Dayton.  I told Andrew I was buying us two tickets.  I love, absolutely love that story, and I knew with Richard Thomas playing the role it would be spectacular.  It was Midnight before we got home, but I was right.  It was a wonderful show.  Andrew and I used to enjoy theater performances, and now that the kids are grown we really should start enjoying them again.  It was absolutely wonderful.

I'd had early morning every day as I was helping a friend with school transportation, but I was looking forward to sleeping in Friday after our late night Thursday.  As we were leaving the theater though, I received word that our Early Care person couldn't be there, and I was moving VERY early Friday morning to get to work.

A friend had a health scare Friday, but all turned out well, and Andrew and I received our COVID vaccines that evening.  I went to bed at 9:00 that night and slept for nearly 12 hours.  I was exhausted, and Saturday Andrew and I both felt off, so we just sat around all day.

It was perfect fall weather last week.  The leaves were staring to change, and it was chilly enough, but sunny.  It was an incredibly long week, but the scenery was beautiful!  I love the month of October!

It's been a big week for Thomas

I had really wanted to write earlier in the week, but this was a crazy week.  With the kids grown, I don't normally have weeks as busy as this one anymore, but sometimes it happens.

A week ago yesterday, Thomas finished his classes he is taking to receive his CDL.  Yesterday he finished the driving requirements and will take his test this coming week.  Because he is in the process of earning his CDL, he's been hired by the local lumberyard and hardware store in town.  His first day was Monday, and he is thrilled that he's working his first 40-hour week job.  We are so proud of him, and he really likes this job so far.  The evening of his very first day, Andrew took him to purchase his very first "real" car.  It's a nice one too!  He was able to afford a 2020 Chevy Malibu with about 40k miles on it.  He had always wanted (and still wants) a truck, but he realized that the insurance, and especially the gas mileage, would not be things he wanted to pay right now.  We are so proud of how Thomas is adulting these days!

A really nice weekend in the middle of October

Fall has arrived, and I'm delighted.  We were off Friday, and I spent the day getting some errands accomplished.  I wanted to visit some shops in my home town, and the drive up was really very lovely.  I regret that Andrew and I didn't get to spend much time together, but he enjoyed his morning of frisbee golf.  I have to admit, I much prefer having Mondays off rather than Fridays, because a Friday always seems to fly by.

Yesterday, Andrew had to be at work early for the league cross country meet.  I enjoyed some football, especially the OSU victory, and we left for Dayton mid-afternoon to celebrate the 50th birthday of our good friend Pat.  It was a large group that included kids (and even a parent!) and it was so good to see everyone.  The best part was that our friend, Larry, was able to be there.  He had an emergency medical situation in August and was in a coma for nearly a week.  We are so grateful for his recovery, although not complete, and that we were able to see him yesterday.  We came home and enjoyed the ND victory over USC last evening.

Today has been a day of accomplishing things, and we are finishing by enjoying a quiet evening with a fire in the fire place and our candle lit.  I have a crazy week coming up, but knowing it is gorgeous weather makes it all better!

Almost ridiculously giddy

This evening I needed some string cheese, so I ran a quick trip.  Not to our local grocery, but to the empire grocery, if you know what I mean.  I had checked each time I was there (not overly frequently) if they had their stock of Christmas cards.  Picking up my Christmas cards and stamps each year is one of my favorite things.  I was delighted to see that the cards had indeed arrived.  Not just delighted, but almost ridiculously giddy!  And I ordered my stamps yesterday.  Yay!!!!!

I am also rather giddy about the fact that tomorrow is no school.  This extra day is much needed, and I'm very grateful.  And even beyond all of that, today was the most perfect fall day.  The colors are really starting to pop, and the tree at our school is beyond gorgeous.  Even though it was in the 70's, there was a nice breeze and absolutely no humidity.  I'm giddy about heading into my most favorite season, especially with a long weekend!

A lovely unexpected visit

Catherine has classes three evenings a week about 25 minutes away, but it's nearly an hour drive from classes to her apartment.  Last night, rather late, she let me know that she had several things to accomplish in town today, and had decided to stay here instead of driving to her apartment.  Andrew and I were exhausted (he had to work an event last evening), but we were so happy to take some time to chat with her.  Catherine was able to get things accomplished and was done mid-afternoon.  Andrew has to work again this evening, so Catherine and I decided to have Mexican for dinner (and Thomas wasn't at all sad he wasn't included since he's so picky), and it was really a lovely dinner.  She seems really happy right now, and I'm encouraged by her current decision making.  It was a lovely unexpected visit!

This was almost an ideal fall weekend

Oh my goodness, I absolutely needed this weekend.  The house was already mostly picked up, but I finished it off yesterday because we were having company.  That means the house is completely picked up today, and since I made crockpots of food for four people last evening, we have plenty of leftovers for dinner this evening.  The weather is delightful...so delightful I'm almost giddy!  Today I've been able to do a lot of computer work and have enjoyed the view (and scents) of our candles lit on the fireplace, and later there will be a fire to add to the ambience.  I enjoyed the Buckeyes win yesterday and the Steelers win today (crazy game!).  We even only have four days of work this week (no school for either Andrew or myself on Friday).  I needed this in so many ways.

There are only two things that could've made it better.  While Thomas is here, it is always nice (although certainly less quiet!) when Catherine is around.  We always love having everyone around the house.  And secondly, it stinks that the Irish lost to Louisville last evening.

All-in-all, I can't think of a much more relaxing way to head into our week!

A perfect fall day

Everyone laughed at how giddy I was about today's weather arriving.  It's 60 degrees outside right now.  It's been a mostly sunny morning, but either way, it's just an awesome day.

And to make it even more perfect, it's Saturday, and that means college football!  Ohio State has already won today, and Notre Dame plays this evening.  My very good friend, Andy is in town and will be visiting this evening, so I've spent today cleaning the house.  So right now, my house is clean, it's 60 degrees, it's Saturday, I'm watching college football, and a very dear friend is coming over this evening.  Yes, a perfect fall day indeed!

This October 4 was even better

Many years ago on this very date, Andrew and I had our very first date ever.  There are still some parts of that evening that I vividly remember.  The date obviously went well, and it was clearly the first of many evenings and meals spent together.  I'm so very grateful for that evening.

Tonight was even better though.  Catherine came here to stay over, and we were able to take both kids out to dinner.  There is absolutely nothing that makes my heart more full.  Although we couldn't have had this meaningful October 4 without that first one many years ago, this one was even better as we got to share it beyond just Andrew and myself!

161 games of hope

Today was the last day of the MLB season.  The Reds were officially eliminated from the playoffs just yesterday.  It stinks that they lost the last two games of the season, but it's amazing that we still had hope right through yesterday.  While I would have much preferred that our season be able to continue, I take some solace that Cards finished in last place, and that the Cubs didn't make the playoffs either.

This week is going to feel like baseball weather though.  The highs this week are supposed to be in the upper 80's.  Not my favorite kind of weather, and I especially hate the thought of using the a/c in October.  But, next weekend looks delightful, and I'm ready for long-sleeves!

A fabulous sports weekend

In addition to getting to attend the Reds game on Sunday, the entire weekend was full of fun sporting events.  Friday evening was the first Friday in weeks that Andrew didn't have to attend the high school football game.  We enjoyed the Reds game on TV, but losing to the Pirates is NOT what we had hoped for.  Saturday we watched ESPN's College Game Day live from South Bend.  That afternoon we flipped back and forth between the Michigan/Rutgers game the UC/Oklahoma game.  Neither game went the way I had hoped.  That evening, we started watching the Reds game and were delighted when they jumped out to an early 9-0 lead.  That made the eventual 13-12 loss all the more crushing!  And of course, we watched OSU score with only a second left to defeat Notre Dame.  This is literally the only time I ever root against the Buckeyes, but rooting against them I was!

After we had a blast Sunday afternoon, we were able to watch the Steelers game that night.  We hadn't even realized that it was a Sunday night game so that was great planning!  I didn't stay up for the entire game, but Andrew did and was very pleased the Steelers were victorious.  The Bengals were also on national TV last night and won their first game of the season.  The Reds beat Cleveland tonight, and that guarantees them a .500 record after losing 100 games last year.  Their is still a mathematical chance to make the playoffs as a wild-card, but time is running out.

I'm so grateful I enjoy these sports and these moments.  As I pointed out to Andrew on Saturday, life is pretty good if the biggest disagreement is which college football game to watch!

A fabulous afternoon of family fun and memories made

Our family had a really wonderful afternoon.  Last spring, I had won tickets to a Reds game in an auction.  It wasn't until the middle of the summer I remembered that I needed to redeem them and pick a game.  I decided a Sunday afternoon would be the best because I wouldn't miss any college football that way.  I didn't realize at the time that the Steelers are playing this evening so that is perfect as well.

I also didn't really think about it at the time, but it was the last home game of the season.  It's so hard to believe, after losing 100 games last year, that the Reds are still playing meaningful games in late September!  With both kids taking class and not working right now we were pretty sure they'd be available to go with us, and they were.  It was so wonderful to have a few hours to spend together.

On Friday, I realized that with it being the last home game, there is a very good chance it would be the final home game of Joey Votto.  He came up in 2007, and my kids don't remember the Reds without Votto.  As he came up to bat the first time, the fans gave him a standing ovation and timeout was called so that he could acknowledge the fans.  It lasted a good amount of time, and fans were chanting his name.  It was a bit emotional, and the manager mentioned later that the team has some emotions as well.  Unfortunately, he struck out.  In his fourth and final at-bat of the game, he got a hit, and was pulled for a pinch runner.  That allowed the fans to stand and chant again, and he gave a "curtain call" by coming back out of the dugout.  Catherine doesn't love sports, but she knows about Joey Votto.  And Thomas definitely calls Votto his favorite player and was feeling a little sad about it.  Baseball is a game that transcends generations.  It's a game where our earliest memories of the game are often memories made with our parents and grandparents, and that is why I'm so grateful we were able to share this today as a family.

There are other things from this weekend I want to write about, but those will be another post.  I wanted to make sure I always remember our special afternoon!

Sundays are different

I've realized in the last year that Sundays are different than they used to be...and it's not in a bad way.  I remember when I was first out of college, and I absolutely dreaded Sundays.  I realize now it's because I had a job that I really didn't like.  Staring down an entire week of being at that job was somewhat overwhelming, and I didn't like those Sundays.

Even when I was a stay-at-home mom though, I didn't like Sundays.  Andrew and I have always been very protective of keeping our Sundays protected with little-to-no outside activities happening.  We didn't see Sunday as a "hang-out-with-others" time, although we've been willing to have early dinners with family or friends.  Sunday evenings still felt overwhelming, as though the week ahead was daunting.  I've never been a morning person, and I never look forward to having to wait until the next Saturday to sleep in.  I didn't necessarily dread going to work each day because I loved subbing, but I still didn't enjoy Sunday evenings.

Last year, I remember looking at Andrew and telling him that I found myself enjoying Sunday evenings.  I found them relaxing.  I enjoyed the peace and quiet of the end of the weekend.  I wondered if that would change this year with Thomas being home.  I'm very pleased that hasn't happened.  Sundays aren't quite as quiet, but I still enjoy them.  Part of it, a big part of it, is that I really do enjoy my job.  I also realize that my kids are adults and are responsible for the parts of their weeks that only involve them.  It's also true that because my kids are graduated, I don't have the evening commitments for their activities that I used to have.  So my weeks, overall, are just a little less busy.

I'm grateful for more relaxed Sundays.  I'm especially grateful for Sundays with gorgeous weather, and Sundays with football!

This was exactly the Saturday we needed

It's been a long week in this house.  My poor husband had a sporting event every evening except Wednesday.  He even had to work the JV football game this morning.  It was a lot for him.  I developed a cold early in the week, and it has lingered.  Not awful, but enough to feel absolutely worn out.  Work has also been a bit crazy, but that isn't really anything new.

The weather this week has been beautiful since a front came through on Tuesday.  It's been almost chilly at night, and I've been able to light a candle and I'm even sitting here with a blanket in my family room.  It's still a bit early for fall decorations, but we are getting there.  Today I tried to hang out some laundry, and I think it's just a bit too late in the season for it to dry successfully.  It's really delightful.

And it's not just the delightful weather that is awesome...it's the best sports time of the year as well!  Not only has the NFL begun, but Saturdays are full of delightful college football.  Next week is the big OSU/Notre Dame game.  It's in South Bend, and I think ND has a legitimate shot to win the game.  And have we mentioned that there is MEANINGFUL baseball happening for the Reds?  I mean, it's the middle of September, and these games MATTER!  As of yesterday, the Reds were tied with the Diamondbacks for the final wild card spot, but the Reds hold the tiebreaker against them.  It's an exciting time to be Reds fan, and so very unexpected.

I've done almost nothing today, and this is exactly the Saturday that we needed.  Andrew came home and took a nap, and we've been watching football and baseball.  This is the kind of day that absolutely feeds my soul.  I love this time of year!

Apparently she had only used eight lives

 I wrote two weeks ago about the fact that it seemed as though we no longer had any of our outdoor cats.  I can't believe I never wrote a follow up, because the story wasn't over!  The VERY NEXT DAY, Thomas was in our detached garage working on getting some things ready to take to the scrapyard.  Andrew and I were sitting inside (probably watching a Reds game).  Thomas texted us to tell us he had found the outdoor cat and she was alive!  It turns out that she had been stuck in our detached garage for an entire week!  It was even the week where we had heat warnings.  We have no idea how she managed to survive, although we suspect she might have eaten some mice.  We also aren't sure what she might have peed on or pooped on, but amazingly, she seems to be just fine.  We've been going back to our schedule of feeding her, and she is continuing to hang out on our patio.  I guess she hadn't used all of her nine lives yet!

End of the lifeguarding era

In March of 2021, Thomas took lifeguarding lessons.  We knew it would be a job he would enjoy, as that kid loves the pool.  For fourteen months, he worked at the local university.  He never had a lot of hours, and some of his shifts were a little ridiculous of just two hours or so.  Last summer, he started his job at the city pool, which was absolutely ideal.  He was leaving for school in the fall, but so were most of the kids, and the pool would be closing.  He worked a crazy number of hours, and in fact received an award for the most hours worked.  We were really proud of him, and he made a good deal of money for just eleven weeks of working.

Last school year, he worked as a lifeguard at the university he was attending.  To say that it was not a positive experience is a bit of an understatement.  They were so desperate for lifeguards that they scheduled him right after interviewing him.  While that seems great, it meant there was no orientation or training of the procedures and policies.  It began to feel like he was always doing things wrong, but he had never been told the "right" way to do things.  None of us were sad that his job came to an end when the school year did, and since he isn't returning to school, no one has to worry about that anymore.

He worked at the city pool again this summer.  He really loves working at the city pool, and what 19-year-old wouldn't?  I really wanted him to have this summer.  He didn't work nearly as many hours as he had last year, and there were even entire weeks where he wasn't scheduled at all.  He still really enjoyed it though, and was able to work right up until this past weekend when the pool closed for the season.  As he came home Sunday, he was officially "retired" as a lifeguard.  It could happen again, but not if things go according to his plan.  It was a great job for him in his teen years, and I'm so glad he enjoyed it.  For now though, it seems as though the lifeguarding is a thing of the past in this house.

It's always nice to have an extra day in the weekend

I am never sad when our weekends have an extra day.  It was very, very much needed, and gratefully, rather uneventful.  I'm also happy knowing that when I go to work tomorrow, it will already be Tuesday!

We had gorgeous weather last week, especially at the end of the week.  Thursday morning was almost chilly, and it was absolutely delightful.  Andrew had to work athletic events Wednesday and Thursday evenings, and then he had football stats Friday evening.  Thomas's girlfriend was home for the weekend, so they hung out here for a bit.  I only worked 1/2 day and then worked at church, so it was nice to have a fairly quiet evening.

By Saturday, the temp was trending up again.  Andrew and I attended a truly lovely wedding of a friend of ours from church.  It was a beautiful setting, but unfortunately it was all outdoors.  By the time we ate, it was all I could handle.  We were supposed to go to another gathering, but we just couldn't drag ourselves out again.  We had missed the OSU and the Notre Dame games, but there was still good college football on for our Saturday evening.

Yesterday was even warmer, but it we didn't have any major plans.  After church, we made a quick trip to the grocery.  Catherine arrived last afternoon, and shortly after Andrew and I took our sweet pup to have her picture taken.  It was a fundraiser for the local humane society.  When Thomas got off work, we made Mexican food for dinner, and then we played our family's new favorite trivia game.  We have so much fun!  There is tons of laughter and it is a fabulous way to spend a family evening.

Today has been a day to do laundry, yard work, and clean the house.  Everyone chipped in, and it's lovely to start the week with a clean house and being well rested.  Catherine even decided to stay here until Wednesday, which is always a treat.  Today is the last day of temps in the 90's in ten day forecast, and that is delightful as well.  I'm feeling ready for the week!

I'm not at all sure how it is only Wednesday

I have no idea how there are still two more days this week.  I feel that we've had more than enough activity for it to be the weekend, and definitely tomorrow should be Friday.  Last evening I went to bed at 9:00 and slept like a baby.  It was delightful.  It's also perfect sleeping weather.  It is the exact opposite of last week.  Last week was beyond miserable hot, but right now I have a candle lit, and I could probably even put on a sweat shirt if I really wanted to.  It's delightful.  It isn't going to last, but I will take today and tomorrow and revel in it while I can.  And I need it.

Over the weekend, the kids' car that Thomas has been driving began having "issues".  We couldn't get the brake lights to turn off, which happened on Friday.  We couldn't really deal with it then because when Andrew got back from the hospital with Catherine, he needed to head to the football game.  That meant the battery was drained.  We finally got around to dealing with it Sunday.  Through some research, we thought Thomas had fixed it.  Both Catherine and Thomas had appointments at the same time on Monday, and Catherine's vehicle was still at her apartment.  I took the old car and dropped Andrew at school.  When I went to pick him up after school, I realized something wasn't quite right.  Sure enough by the time I got to school, the car was barely moving.  We came to the realization that fixing the brake lights impacted the pedals, so we ended up driving straight to the mechanic.  That was Monday, and we are still waiting to hear what's happening with it.

Catherine's medical tests have all come back normal, which is great, but she is still feeling pretty lousy, which isn't great,  In fact, today she called me and told me she was feeling pretty awful again.  I'm out of answers and suggestions.  I have no idea what is happening with her.  I would love for her to stay here where I could keep an eye on her, but I understand she isn't interested in that.  In the meantime, Thomas has been trying to contact his former university because we had been billed for a semester of tuition, room and board.  He had enrolled in classes in the spring before it was decided he wasn't going back.  He tried calling various departments, and kept getting the run around.  He was so upset today that I received a phone call at work from his girlfriend who was worried about his mental state.  While I'm on the phone, my mother called to ask what I was doing this afternoon because she was on her way to the emergency room.  Her eye doctor was concerned about her blood pressure. 

I'll be honest, that was a lot to deal with this afternoon.  I've realized it's no wonder I was so exhausted.  There is a lot going on.  I know things are working out, and overall things are going to be okay.  And our current weather helps us to be so peaceful.  I am extremely grateful this weekend has an extra day!

A lot happening at the end of August

There's been a bunch of emotions around here this week, and the weather hasn't helped at all.  Thursday's weather was supposed to be the hottest around here in 20 years, but some rain came through that morning and kept it cooler than expected.  Friday though, the heat index was over 100 most of the day.  Yuck.  Not my kind of weather, at all.  With Labor Day approaching and school into the third week, I'd love to decorate for Fall, but I know better than that!

Thomas's girlfriend left for college this week.  She is attending the same school he was at last year.  I think her being there, and him helping her move in, really made it hit home that he isn't there this year.  While I think it would 100% be a mistake for him to have gone back, I know that doesn't mean it is always easy to have to make a change.

I'm not going to lie, it is tough to realize both of my kids are entering a new phase in life.  The hard part is that I know they need to make their own choices and they need to do what makes them happy.  At the same time, I know how hard things can be in life, especially when we don't make the best choices, and I don't want life to be harder for them than it has to be.  Lots and lots of prayers being sent up.

And also on the prayer front, Catherine is struggling with some health issues.  We aren't entirely certain what is happening, but I have a pretty good idea.  She has some appointments coming up where we hope she can get some answers.  It's not my story, but I will share that generally, I don't think it is life threatening, but can be life altering.

I had also forgotten how crazy Andrew's schedule can be in the fall.  In addition to his full time job, he volunteers as a stat for Friday night football games, and he works 2-3 additional athletic events during the week as well.  I'm not working athletic events this year because it was just too much for us last year.

I wrote years ago about the neighborhood cats who we had begun feeding in our yard.  They never allowed us to get too close to them, but they've been here every day for the last eight years.  One had passed in January, 2019, and then another disappeared that spring, which left two.  For the last year, those two had been sticking close to the house, and especially this spring.  We knew the male wasn't doing well.  He'd either been in a fight or had a stroke.  In May, we realized he was gone as well.  The last one made her home on our patio.  She still wouldn't let us too close, but we did our best to pamper her as she would let us.  Last weekend when we had people over, a friend commented that she looked a little strange as we watched her walk into the woods.  We haven't seen her since.  While I certainly had no strong emotional attachment, it does make me sad that they are all gone.  At the same time, I'm also grateful that the last one didn't live alone for too terribly long.  I will miss having them around in our back yard.  I'm also a little afraid that mice are going to start appearing a little more frequently.  Yuck.

When I think about these things in comparison to so many world events such as Maui or the war in Ukraine, this is absolutely nothing to complain about.  At the same time, I am one of those people that absorbs all of those events, and it really cranks up my anxiety.  I'm hoping us getting settled into a fall routine will help!  And today's weather is a good start to feeling less angst about everything in life.  Our life is full of many blessings, and I know it's okay to be emotional about things, especially at transitional periods of life.  I'm also grateful for my active prayer life!

It's been a really nice weekend in the middle of August

This has been a really lovely weekend, especially with the weather.  We've had the windows open since Thursday, and Friday was almost chilly.  It's really been awesome weather.

I'm especially grateful for it, as we had several outdoor activities this weekend.  High school football started Friday.  I didn't go to the game, but Andrew is still doing stats so he was there.  Yesterday morning he had to work at the JV game.  Last evening we had several members of his staff over, and we all sat around outdoors.  It was such a truly lovely evening.  The staff members brought kids along with them, and as my friend pointed out, she loved that everyone felt so completely comfortable here.

This morning our church had a picnic after holding an outdoor service.  The weather was absolutely perfect, especially since there are big trees and we sat in the shade.  I was so grateful to not only get to experience my faith, I loved doing so in the public realm just across from the university campus.  It was a lovely way to have a Sunday morning service, and the weather was absolutely ideal.

We are heading in to our first full week of school.  I can't imagine a more peaceful way to begin the week.  I must note though, that the heat index is going to be over 100 several days this week.  I suspect grumpiness is headed my way!

We have lived in this house ten years

It's been ten years since we moved into this house.  That feels just astonishing to me.  How on earth did time pass so quickly?  I am certain most of our friends can't believe we function in such a small house, but the thing I love is that our small house allows us to have a small house payment.  I am all about that!  There are so many wonderful memories here, and I'm so grateful for this piece of earth we get to care for.  Even though moving was stressful all those years ago, this move was full of so many blessings, most of which we couldn't even imagine when we made the decision to move.  I love the life we have lived in this house.

A great beginning to our year

Today was a very peaceful beginning to our school year.  It was a beautiful weather day.  We made the difficult decision last spring to discontinue our high school program after the third year.  It wasn't sustainable, and we had no idea how mentally and emotionally draining it was on top of being financially draining.  We love being back to our roots, and we love our community.  

I also enjoyed that Thomas was able to come to school and work after school care for us.  He'll be helping us out for the next couple of weeks.  It's fun to have him around for that.

Andrew also had a good first day.  Working full time without parenting, even just one teenager, is different.  I'm grateful for this phase, even if I do miss having little kids to celebrate the first day of school!

The school year begins tomorrow, and it's different

There are so many changes to the school year this year.  Most of them are specific to our public schools, and especially to Andrew.  Because our school levy failed last fall, there is no longer any high school busing.  That is going to make the arrival and departure quite a mess.  On the upside, because they are no longer reliant on a two-tiered busing schedule, the school is able to start later.  It won't really impact Andrew though, because he has no intention of being a part of the arrival mess!

It's also a little different in our family as well.  A year ago tomorrow, we were taking Thomas to college.  This year, that isn't the plan.  We weren't overly surprised to learn that it wasn't for him.  It looks as though he is going to take training to receive a CDL and be a professional driver.  I won't lie, my kids and driving is a huge anxiety trigger for me, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to need to increase my medication.  At the same time, I can't at all say I'm not proud of him.  I'm thrilled that he has realized what would be best for him, and I'm pleased that he is making wise choices.  It's a little strange having him around again, but I suspect that won't last long, depending on what job opportunities await after the training.

There is also Catherine, who is doing things differently.  I won't lie, the last year has been a real struggle for her, and she is having trouble finding her "thing."  She really loves being a CNA (STNA), but her size is proving to be detrimental.  Not that she can't do it, but there are definitely some who decide she can't even before she tries.  Things might take her a bit longer, but she does get them done.  There are also family members of some of the patients who didn't want Catherine being the care-giver, which we think is because she looks like she is only about 15.  It's not fair, but we are pretty sure this is the reality.  Catherine was originally going to take classes for being an LPN, but that didn't really appeal to her either.  She decided to take classes for a certification of medical assisting, which will allow her to read vitals, take blood, etc.  She started classes for that last evening, and she also has a job working two nights a week.

It's kind of strange that none of my kids have a traditional "first day", but that is the phase of our life.  My kids aren't kids anymore.  They are adults, and I'm proud of them.  I love them more than I can even put into words, and I'm so incredibly grateful to be their mother!

Here we go school year!

Thirty years ago today

It was on this date in 1993 that a very dear high school friend was diagnosed with leukemia.  I'll never forget receiving that phone call, and I'll never forget all of the emotions that happened in the next week before most of us returned to college.  To be honest, it bonded us in a way that is indescribable.  I'm so very grateful that my friend is still around and this day can be a celebration.  It seems so hard to believe that it's been 30 years though.  It definitely feels like a long time ago, but I just can't believe that I had year of college under my belt and it's been 30 years since it happened.  I feel old.

It was also on this date in 1996 that my family began to really understand that my dad was really, really sick.  He was around for another 17 years, and I'm so grateful for all the memories we made in that amount of time.

Andrew and I start with students this week on Wednesday.  This summer was amazingly fast, but I'm ready for another school year!

My mom's health

 I haven't written much about my mom and her health.  We learned in the spring that my mother has a cancerous tumor on her kidney.  The surgery had been planned in June to remove the tumor, although the doctor had stated in April he was completely fine with waiting until fall if she had big summer plans she didn't want to miss.  Because my work schedule is more flexible in the summer, Mom opted for surgery as soon as scheduled.

The afternoon before we left for vacation, Mom suffered what was thought to be a heart-attack.  I phrase it that way because while most cardiologists agree, there is one that does not.  She feels it was a "heart event".  My family, including my mother, assured me that we should go ahead and take our vacation.  The surgery for the kidney was scheduled for the week we returned.  The morning of the scheduled surgery, Mom received a phone call that the surgeon was not comfortable performing surgery on Mom.  Because he had been comfortable waiting in the first place, he felt it would better to wait, and even to do another scan before scheduling surgery at any point.  That was the plan.

Last Sunday night at 11:30 the phone rang.  Mom was asking if Catherine was with us.  When I replied that she was, Mom said that she needed Catherine due to a health issue.  At first I thought she wanted Catherine to take care of her given the nursing background, but soon I realized that Mom was heading to the hospital and Mom wanted Catherine to take care of the dogs.  I decided I was driving up because not only did I not want Catherine driving by herself that late at night, Mom needed someone at the hospital with her and my sister couldn't be reached.  I made the trip up and got to the hospital about 1AM.  At 6:30 mom was finally admitted and I made the drive home, getting home about 8AM, having been up for 24 hours at that point.  Andrew made a trip up mid-afternoon to retrieve Catherine.

Mom was released later that day.  There is agreement that there definitely is a heart issue, but there is still uncertainly what is happening.  Follow up appointments are in the future, and any prayers are appreciated!

The last week of our summer

School begins with students in five day for both Andrew and myself.  Summer flew by, but so does the school year.  I have to say though, August already feels like it has been a forever month.  I think back to two weeks ago, and it seems impossible for me to believe it was only two weeks ago.

My mother-in-law was here for the past week.  It was lovely having her visit.  Catherine was here for five days at the same time, which meant lots of family time.  We had some dinners out, some fun TV, had dinner with my mom and sister, and just enjoyed hanging out.  Of course, Andrew and I also had plenty of meetings and school events to handle, but we really enjoyed having her here.

There have been some crazy things happening, and I'll write about them soon.  Today though, as we stare at the end of our summer, I'm just going to be grateful that we had time together and had the fun that we did!

Eating a memory

I'm going to be totally honest, our house is on the "struggle bus" a bit.  I'm sure everything is going to be just fine in the long run, but there have been some challenges.  Today I had to take Thomas to a doctor appointment.  My sister had let me know that my grandmother was struggling to work her computer so I headed there after Thomas's appointment since we were so close.  Grandma was not having a great day, and it was tough to see.  After we left, I decided to hit this small burger and ice cream stand on the way home.  I hadn't been there in at least twenty years, but my dad used to take us when we were really little.  They had the best soft pretzels.  Thomas ordered a shake, and I wanted a soft pretzel and a root beer float.  I bit into that soft pretzel, and (although they were smaller!) it tasted exactly like I had remembered.  I'll be honest, I had to fight tears.  I wanted to pick up the phone and tell Dad that they still tasted exactly the same.  In just a few months, Dad will have been gone ten years.  I can't believe it's almost been an entire decade. 

Solving problems by creating new ones

I feel that is the way things are going in our house right now.  Every time we solve a problem, I feel as though we create a new one.  For instance, we bought our new hutch cabinet, which we absolutely love.  The problem was that we had to move our baker's rack out.  We found a place for it by deciding it could hold things on our porch and it would like fine there.  But it would mean finding a place for everything that was on the rack.  We did manage to do that for the most part, after some books were moved around, etc., etc.  I am excited that our house is going to be even more functional and livable in just a couple of days, but we aren't quite there yet!

Don't want to forget about last weekend

I certainly had intended to write about last weekend before we hit this weekend, but it is what it is.  I loved having a long weekend, and it was exactly what I wanted it to be.  We got so much done on Friday   I'm determined, more than I can even explain, to make our house as it works best.  We got a lot of things pitched and donated, and simply just put away in our garage and made some headway in our sunroom.  Saturday, Thomas had to work all day.  Andrew and I set out early in the morning to visit our former town to shop for some a new cabinet for our kitchen.  While they didn't really carry any of that, we did decide to purchase a recliner and a new loveseat.  We then headed south to visit another store, and also grabbed a quick lunch.  By the time we got home, it was time to go get Catherine from her apartment.  I've been offering to make the trips to get her, and she appreciates not spending her gas or putting the wear and tear on her vehicle.  Honestly, I appreciate the opportunity to chat just with her.  We made frozen pizzas for dinner, and just hung out.

Sunday was the best!  We went to church and Thomas even brought his girlfriend.  We then headed to one of our family's favorite restaurants.  Love those pub fries!  Thomas and Catherine spent some time doing some shopping.  That evening, we played a trivia game I found, and we all laugh so hard when we play.  We love it!  It's one of my favorite ways to spend an evening with my family.  When we got up Monday, Andrew made the kids a decent breakfast.  Thomas went off to work and I took Catherine back to her apartment.  Catherine had some drama that afternoon that made Monday challenging, but overall it was such a wonderful weekend.  I'm so grateful we had fun and made memories!

Our house

This summer, my goal has been to really make the house like I want it, at least as much as I can.  While I would love to gut the kitchen and rebuild it, that isn't happening.  Many things can be done though.  I settled on a new color for the front door, and it has been painted.  I've gone through many things in my bedroom and really made a difference in that room.  Same with the garage, and honestly in just about any room I've been working in.  I've gone through boxes, drawers, cabinets...and I've been happy getting ready of a lot of things.  For one thing, I finally feel that we are in a place financially where if I find I need something after a few years of not needing it, I'll be able to afford to purchase it.  I've also decided to purchase a new kitchen storage cabinet, and can't wait until it arrives, as well as some new furniture to replace old furniture that has seen better days.  Andrew and I work hard, we are going to be here for at least the next seven years, and I want to enjoy our days here and be comfortable.  We love our house, and I'm grateful we are able to to do this!

Taking a long weekend

I am taking off work tomorrow and Monday, which gives me a four day weekend.  This is really my last laid-back weekend of the summer, and I'm grateful to have taken a couple of extra days.

I've really been using my time this summer to get our house organized.  I really want us to enjoy the space we have, and I want home to feel relaxing.  That means we don't just have piles of things everywhere.  Things have a place, and I want people to be able to come over and our house doesn't look like a storm just came through.

I am looking forward to having a fabulous long weekend!

Summer weekends are fabulous

I really enjoyed this weekend.  The nicest thing about weekends in the summer is that Sundays aren't awful, because the weeks are lovely as well.  Our Friday evening was spent hanging out, and sadly, watching the Reds lose.  The Brewers have been rough on them.

Yesterday we did a few things around here, and then drove to our former town to spend the evening with friends.  Our dearest and closet friends were there, and I always appreciate the opportunity to get together.  We laugh so much, and these friends are so dear to us.  One has had a horrible year with some health issues, and after a couple of hospitalizations, I'm so grateful she can join us.

Today, Andrew, Thomas and I decided to drive a bit and visit some antique shops.  It was a shop that my parents and I visited frequently when I was a kid.  I hadn't been there in twenty years.  The last time I was there was Mother's Day of 2003, and my dad drove us over.  Lovely memories filled my heart today, and I enjoyed making a couple of more with Andrew and Thomas.  

It's been a fun weekend.  I"m so grateful.

The wedding unexpectedly got to me

Last evening Andrew and I attended a wedding.  I had really been looking forward to it as it was a colleague of Andrew's, and I knew it would have a lot of people I would know and hadn't seen in a while.  It was a really lovely ceremony.  I was thrilled to see that we had been assigned to sit with exactly the people I would have chosen if I had been allowed to choose.  This was a younger colleague who was also a grad of the district about ten years ago, so there were truly many people of all ages that we knew in attendance.

I found myself being a little emotional about seeing all of the other teachers.  Andrew has awesome co-workers.  Part of my heart will always be at that school.  I love my job though, and I'm very grateful that it is MY job.  I'm not just filling in for someone else.

The end really got to me though.  Andrew and I were chatting with a classmate of Robert, and this young man had also joined the Navy.  This young man had not had an easy childhood.  Although his mother is a very nice person, she'd had drug issues and has been incarcerated on more than one occasion.  He recently finished his enlistment and is back in town and helping to coach a couple of sports.  As we were leaving, we chatted, and Andrew and I reminded him that if he ever needed anything, we'd be happy to help.  I walked outside and began to cry.  I couldn't help but be sad and emotional about the person my son is.  He is my son, and he always will be, but I also know (and I do accept) that he doesn't want to be.

The emotions caught me off guard, but I didn't let it ruin what had been a really fun evening.  We have four weddings this year, and they always make me grateful for my own wedding twenty years ago!

This has been an amazing week

This week off has been absolutely amazing.  It feels like it has been a long stretch of absolute nothingness.  As I had suspected, in many ways I enjoyed this even more than our week of vacation, although I am incredibly grateful for that week as well!  It's especially nice that the office is closed so there is absolutely no obligation to go in or be doing anything.  I had almost nothing at all scheduled, and while I could have been more productive, the way I spent this week was exactly what I needed.  I feel so recharged and I'm so very grateful.  I'm even looking forward to heading to the office on Monday!

July 4, 2023

Today is the birthday of our country.  This has never been my favorite holiday.  I don't love crowds and loud noises.  Our friends decided last year that they would start spending the holiday with family since our kids couldn't get along at that point.  Our other friends had stopped celebrating years ago, and since last year I was busy getting ready for Thomas's graduation party, I was fine with it.  This year, it feels a little strange to not be doing anything, but I'm also completely fine with it.

I'm about half way through this week, and we are about half way through our summer (as of tomorrow).  It all goes so fast, but I'm grateful for this time!

2023 Vacation, part 2

Wednesday morning I awoke with a migraine and went back to bed after medicating.  Andrew and Thomas went back to the mainland and played some frisbee golf.  I love that they bond in that way.  I walked over to the nearby shops, but didn't even find any I wanted to go into.  We had visited the favorite bookstore Tuesday morning, and that was here I had decided to spend a bit of money.  That evening we decided to try a new restaurant on the sound front, and yet again, really good food!  We walked out to the sound but the wind was overwhelming.  When we returned to our rental, we convinced the kids to walk with us (and of course the sweet pup!) over to the ocean.  I took so many fabulous pictures.  Of course our TV watching continued that evening.

Thursday was the day I was most looking forward to.  We had decided to do our shopping in Duck.  I know the kids were a little disappointed that we didn't get to walk along the boardwalk as much as we would have liked, but with Andrew's mom joining us, it just wasn't an option.  We did get to a little bit though, and again, I took lots of fun pictures.  We also ate lunch out that day instead of dinner, and we visited a place from the TV show Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives.  It was 100% worth the stop!  That evening, Andrew and I walked to park across from where we were staying and walked along the sound.  It was gorgeous.

Friday Andrew took a bike ride (he had rented a bike down there) and I took the kids and did a bit of shopping.  We started our laundry process and got things organized.  Dinner was a fun place near-by.  Afterwards we took Andrew's mom over to the park on the sound and she was able to enjoy the views.  We got home just before a major storm came in.  Even dark clouds are prettier at the ocean though!

We were out the door by 6:30 the next morning, and home 14 hours later.  It was so nice to be able to have Andrew's mom and both kids with us.  It was also different though.  The kids are used to having their own space, and after dinner we didn't see them much.  They retreated to their rooms and hung out there the rest of the evening.  I understand, but I wished they had joined us a bit more.  It didn't really feel like we did as much this trip, and in many ways, we didn't.  We just sat and relaxed, and for that I am grateful!

Vacation 2023

Although we've been home for two weeks, I'm finally writing about this year's vacation.  It was really, really wonderful.  My mother-in-law joined us again this year, and our sweet pup, Abby, was able to join us again this year.  We rented a minivan again for the trip, and we were on the road around 5AM on the 10th of June.  It took us 14 hours, and a great deal of that was spent just getting through the island traffic.  I slept through a significant portion of the trip, and I remember thinking that it was one of the few times we'd been on a specific portion of Virginia interstate without rain or some major accident!  When we got to the place we were staying, it was nearly 8:00 and we ordered some pizzas for dinner.  It was about a three minute walk to these little shops that included the pizza place.  It was fabulous.

On Sunday, we walked over to the ocean front pool.  The kids were at the arcade, but Andrew and I ordered some drinks and enjoyed the view.  The best part is that it was only about a six-minute walk to the pool, and then another minute down to the ocean.  In that regard, the location was absolutely wonderful.  We ended up eating at the restaurant at the pool that evening.  It wasn't the best food we had that week, but it was definitely the best view!  It also gave my mother-in-law an opportunity to see the ocean again.

Monday we did a bit of shopping and had some ice cream, but there was some afternoon rain.  Our dinner was at a restaurant that had changed since we'd been there last, but still had amazing food.  A bit of shopping after dinner, and our third evening of some walking, sitting outside, and then watching our favorite show with Andrew's mom.

Tuesday was more of the same.  We had beautiful weather the entire week.  That evening, we drove an hour to eat at our favorite restaurant.  It never disappoints.  My Filet Oscar was spectacular.  It's always an amazing dinner, and it's generally the one evening where we splurge for desserts.

I'll come back tomorrow and finish recapping our trip.  I'm so grateful we got to make these memories!

I've been looking forward to this week for a long, long time

I can't tell you how excited I am about this coming week.  The school office is closed, and I have the entire week off!  The week of vacation (I still need to write about) is pretty awesome too, but there is something delightful about being home all week with pretty much no plans.  Last year during this week we were getting ready for Thomas's grad party, and the year before we took our trip to Michigan during this week.  I had wanted to do some painting, but I don't think that is going to happen.  However, I do think I'll be working on scanning old family photos, and I'm pretty delighted about that as well.  I ever got everything I needed done and was able to be off yesterday and shut everything down Thursday evening.  This is awesome!

Need to catch up

 There are many things I need to write about!  We were on vacation two weeks ago, but that is definitely a post of its own.  My mother has been having some not-so-minor health issues, but that is also a post of its own.  The Reds are playing fabulous baseball, but that is for another time as well!  I'll be on to write again in the next couple of days as next week is another week off!

RIP Rockne

My sister's Old English sheepdog (her second) passed away this morning.  Rockne was such a sweetheart, and was really the perfect dog for my sister.  She was my sister's constant companion.  As ardent dog lovers, we are all so sad, and knowing how my sister's heart is broken makes me sad as well.  I'm sure she is over the Rainbow Bridge and enjoying lots of treats.

Puzzling

I'll be honest, I've realized that I truly love doing puzzles.  As my boss said to me this week, my mind is always thinking about how to solve logistics issues, and it's because I love to solve puzzles.  I've never really "allowed" myself to do puzzles.  For one thing, they aren't necessarily inexpensive, and I'm pretty cheap.  Secondly, when I my kids were home, it just seemed as though I really should be doing something else that was productive.  Now though, my kids are grown, and Andrew and I work really, really hard.  I've allowed myself to buy puzzles this past winter and spring.  In fact, I didn't really realize how many puzzles I had purchased until I went to organize the closet this week.  I buy very specific "themes" of puzzles.  And truly, these puzzles make me so, so happy.  I will only do the puzzles that fit the season, because I'm pretty neurotic that way!  I've also realized that I don't have to wait until I have a break from work to do a puzzle.  It's okay to take a little time each day to work on a puzzle.  I've purchased several (as it turns out) summer themed puzzles, and I'm looking forward to getting them completed!

Friday of a long weekend, and graduation

This is one of my favorite Fridays of the year.  I only worked a few hours this morning, and then my long weekend started!  It's also about the most gorgeous weather day you could imagine.  It was cloudless with a temp in the very low 70's, and no humidity.  And the fact that we have Monday off makes it even better.  It is spectacular!

I'd been looking forward to this evening especially.  Andrew was going to escort students at graduation, and Thomas was going because his girlfriend is graduating.  I enjoy the peace and quiet of the evening, and it gave me a chance to clean up the house a bit.  I did tune in to watch the graduation streaming online though, and it made me just a bit emotional.  These kids were freshmen when the pandemic hit, and this is the last class that I'll know.  I really like my job and I'm so grateful for it, but I also really enjoyed my days spent at the high school.

We have some fun plans this weekend, and yet nothing on Monday, so it seems like an ideal weekend!

I made it through another school year

Today was the last day of school for the students at my school.  Andrew still has two more days.  I am so, so grateful to be looking at twelve weeks of summer.  I get to just enjoy my office job, and there is much less chaos during the next twelve weeks.  I'm especially grateful that we don't have to worry about staffing issues.  I get to go in later tomorrow that a school year, and I'm looking forward to some extra sleep!

It was the best

There are many things I want to write about, but I want to make sure I write first about last evening.  I don't ever want to forget our evening together as a family.

I had asked Catherine in the middle of the week if she wanted to come and stay over last night.  She responded that it sounded like fun and she wasn't working this weekend so she'd be here.  Three of us had a grad party to attend in the afternoon, so we agreed a later afternoon arrival would work.

The last several times she has come, everyone has just sat around looking at their own devices, so I'll be honest, I didn't have very high expectations for the evening.  I couldn't have been more wrong though.  We decided to go out to eat, but first stopped at our local nursery to purchase some flowers.  Dinner was at a pizza place, and we had lovely conversations.

For Mother's Day, I had asked that I receive a small badminton set.  I love that game, and even at my age I still wanted to play.  I know that I need to keep myself moving, or one day I won't be able to!  Andrew took the dog on a walk and Thomas put everything together for me.  Thomas and I hit some practices swings, and we laughed and had a blast.  When Andrew got home, he and Catherine came out to join us, and I couldn't believe how much we all laughed and enjoyed ourselves.

We weren't done yet though!  As it got dark and we came indoors, we all wanted to know what our next activity would be.  It was so sweet how much the kids were enjoying it just as the adults were!  We decided to play a trivia game that is based on generational questions.  It was so fun to realize what our kids pay attention to, and they truly enjoyed the game just as we did.  We had soooo much fun.

Because I'm still fighting gunk and goop, it was nearly bedtime for me by the time we were finished playing the game.  We had an absolute blast, and the best part was that the kids did as well.  We'll be leaving for vacation in three weeks, and I know that we are all looking forward to it.  I love hanging out with my kids as adults!

It's been awhile

It's been almost three weeks since I've written, and they have been some of the three busiest weeks I've had in a very, very long time.  In fact, my three least favorite days of the school year occur within nine calendar days in May.  Last night was the last of those three days. The reason I don't love those days is that they require 3-4 additional hours of work into the evenings, and preps for receptions.  It's just a lot.

On top of that, I was the sickest I've been in years last weekend.  I could feel it coming on the Thursday before, but that was one of the crazy long days and I needed to push through.  The next day, I needed to be at work because the Head of School was out.  I made it as long as I could, and by mid-afternoon I was out of there.  By that evening I knew I was really sick, and was running a fever of 101.  Andrew woke me up Saturday morning so I could get to Urgent Care early, and I had Thomas drive me.  That's how sick I was!  Thomas had been there earlier in the week, and sure enough I had it too.  I stayed down all weekend, and all of Monday.  I tried going in on Tuesday, but woke up with a migraine, and then went in just long enough to grab some papers for home.  Tuesday afternoon things finally "broke", and I couldn't believe how much better how I feel.  I worked 1/2 day Wednesday, and I've been dragging all week, but we made it to the weekend!  I even made it through the longest day of the school year last night.

We are down to three days left, and I hope I can get on here and post more often as things begin to settle!

A nice weekend at the end of April

Other than the fact that Prom had me up until 3AM Saturday night, it was really a lovely weekend at the end of April.  Friday I worked late trying to wrap up some things from last week, and then it was absolutely delightful that I didn't have to make the drive to pick up Thomas from school.  It's an adjustment, but I'm not going to lie, I really do enjoy having him around.  We had frozen pizzas for dinner, and I was in bed by 9:00.  It had been an incredibly crazy long week, and I loved the fact that I slept for twelve hours!  I've had trouble sleeping lately, and Friday night was very much needed.

Andrew had a baseball game on Saturday, and I spent the day making sure the house was picked up.  After allowing myself to sleep in a bit yesterday, I had such an incredibly productive day.  I've really been wanting to make my house just the way we want it, and some of them happens if we get ride of stuff.  I was thrilled to go through things and to get rid of things.  

It's hard to believe that we are into May and that there are only 17 days of school left.  At the same time, there are some really, really long days ahead in those 17 days, but then we'll have twelve weeks of summer to enjoy!

I was definitely cut out to be a boy mom

This weekend 100% reaffirmed what I already knew...I am definitely cut out to be a boy mom.  It was the prom for our high school, and since Thomas's girlfriend is a senior, they went last night.  He got a tux two weeks ago, and paying for that was literally the most effort I put into the weekend.  I was horrified yesterday afternoon when I realized I hadn't thought about a corsage, but Thomas had already taken care of that as well.  We showed up for pictures at 4:30, they hung out at our house between dinner and the dance, and then we took them to after prom.  We didn't want them driving home in the middle of the night (3AM is the end time).  I did that middle of the night drive, and then I couldn't fall asleep.  Just as I was about to be asleep, the power went out, and the lack of white noise woke me up.  Then when it came back on, that woke me up as well. 

Honestly, I just don't love the whole thing.  When I got married, I didn't have my hair done or my nails done, or my make up done.  I couldn't even begin to imagine spending that kind of money on something I absolutely didn't care about.  Catherine's only prom was the "make up" event that was thrown in 2021.  Thank goodness for a dear friend who came over and wanted to do Catherine's hair and make up.  It just isn't my thing at all.  In fact, Prom weekend is not among my favorite as I don't love being awake in the middle of the night for transportation either!

Regardless of all of this, I wouldn't trade my daughter for anything!  Hopefully I haven't scarred her by not being a great "girl mom!" 😁

There's been a lot going on

I know I've been pretty quiet through April.  There's been a lot going on, and it wasn't all good.  Now awful, but not all good.  My grandmother has had some health issues, and it's had a dramatic impact on how she lives.  It doesn't have to, but she has allowed it to do so.  Because she has begun to isolate herself, she is becoming more and more confused.  She qualified for Hospice Care, which we are very grateful for as it meant she didn't have to move.

My mom has also been having some health challenges.  There had been some issues with her kidneys, and after various test it was determined last week that she has a spot on one of her kidneys that is cancerous.  My mom has been obviously stressed by this, but she did receive good news this week.  We learned that she can have surgery (and there is no rush to do so), and that should take care of it.  I know she was tremendously relieved not to be facing rounds of treatments.  It made the fact that her appointment began 2-1/2 hours after it was supposed to happen worth the wait!

Thomas is officially home from college for the summer.  I picked him up yesterday.  I'm not going to lie, he has really, really struggled with college this year.  He has struggled academically, he has struggled socially, and he has struggled emotionally.  As a parent, it has been so hard to watch.  I can't fix things for him, and I shouldn't fix things.  All I can do is be here and let him know I love him, and of course pray.  Definitely lots of prayers.  Yesterday when he got home, he was so grateful that he was finished and home he brought out his stuff dogs.  Oh, that tugged at my heartstrings!  

There have been a few other things, but they are much less dramatic.  I know that May is going to be absolutely crazy, but I"m so excited about the summer that will be at the end! 

This date is always hard

Today is my dad's birthday.  He would be 69-years-old today.  More than any other day of the entire year, this is the date on which I miss him.  This is the day that is supposed to be all about celebrating him, and he isn't here.  I don't love this date, but I'm grateful Dad was a part of my life for forty years, and that I celebrated him as much as I could on each one.  I vividly remember his 39th birthday.  It was my first year at college, and he was going on a work trip.  It was early in the "cell phone" era, and calling outside of the cell range was pricey.  I woke up really early so that I could call him shortly after he hit the road.  I remember how pleased he sounded that it had mattered so much to me.

It's a beautiful, absolutely gorgeous spring day, but it is still a day that hurts.  It's been a rough month overall, and I hope to soon write about things happening in our lives and catching up!

Another week in April

Andrew has left to take his mother back to her house.  I'll be honest, I was really looking forward to the quiet time in the house.  My MIL is truly a lovely person, but it's just hard when she's here and I feel like I don't have any time to myself.  She laughed quite a bit at all of the craziness that happens with the pets here, and she laughed quite a bit as we continued to show her our shows.  Catherine came for another night during the week, and Thomas was here again for the weekend.  In less than two weeks, Thomas will have completed his freshman year of college and be home for the summer.  I'll be honest, I'm not sad about that.

We had fabulous weather all week, and we spent Thursday evening at Andrew's baseball game.  They played a local powerhouse, and lost big.  On the upside, it was a quick game that way.  It was Andrew's third game of the week, which also adds to the challenge of having his mom here.  I was swamped with work during the week, and this week is going to be even crazier.

I'm hoping I can being to write a little more frequently, although I'm not altogether sure I know what to write about.  The kids are grown and living their own lives.  I'm so grateful to be their mother!

Catching up on our lives

I didn't mean to have a two-week gap without writing!  Life has been busy, but mostly a good busy.

Right after I last wrote, Andrew and I made a trip to Tennessee to visit family.  Although we see them at least once a year, and usually more often, we hadn't been down to their place on Norris Lake in nearly nine years.  We had never been there this time of year either.  We noticed how it was definitely more spring down there then it was here at the time.  The hard part was that we had no cell connection, and I didn't love that my kids couldn't get a hold of me.  We ended up coming home that Friday evening instead of Saturday morning, and honestly, that was the best decision for a variety of reasons.  It gave us a lovely weekend at home, and we didn't have to travel in tough weather.

Baseball is in full force around here with Andrew's team.  I haven't been to any regular season games yet, but I'm sure I will this week.

Today is Easter.  It's been a very lovely day.  We were able to attend our church this morning as Andrew took his mom to a very early service.  My mom and her friend joined us here this afternoon for dinner.  Catherine had come home yesterday and Thomas was home since Thursday night and Andrew took him back this evening.  I loved that they were her together, even if only for 24-hours!  My heart feels full in so many ways.

A fabulous end to this week off

This week has been wonderful.  I am so grateful I had this week and that it went as it did.  Monday was spectacular.  I never left the house.  Tuesday was similar, but I did go to Andrew's baseball scrimmage that evening.  We grabbed Mexican out afterward.  Wednesday I went to the office to get some things done and also worked at church for a bit.  Andrew's game for that evening was cancelled, and it was so nice to be able to hang out together for the evening.  Thursday, I had to take my grandmother to an appointment, and then I did some shopping in my hometown.  Friday I ran a few errands and also did some more shopping.  I picked Thomas up from work, and he was off almost two hours early.  It was awesome to be home so early that evening.  Andrew had no practice or anything, and he had dinner waiting for us (re-heating pork I had made the night before).  We enjoyed having Thomas around and watching basketball.

The weekend was the perfect ending to the break.  We made a trip east yesterday in order to visit friends.  It is always a wonderful evening spent with them.  Catherine had arrived home while we were gone, and it was lovely to be able to spend some time with both of our kids before we went to bed.  I also loved knowing that the kids had spent the evening together.  Today we gathered with my mother, sister, and dear family friend to celebrate the friend's 50th birthday.  We grew up together, and his parents are both gone.  He never married and his brother and family live in South Carolina.  It was important to me that he be celebrated.  We had such fun together.  Andrew took Thomas back to school, and Catherine is spending the night with us again.  This weekend has made my heart so very full.

Andrew told me this morning that he was sorry I had spent so much time alone during my break.  It was exactly what I needed though.  This week, Andrew has his break, and we've been invited to spend time visiting family at Norris Lake.  I am very much looking forward to this.  I told Andrew I feel a little badly for imposing on his break, but we know we will enjoy this.

My cup runneth over, and I'm very grateful!

This might be my favorite day of the year

I am on spring break.  It is a break that could not be more needed.  Work has been crazy, and as my boss put it, logistically challenging on nearly a daily basis.  Last week I was standing in a classroom trying to determine whether or not we were going to be able to have school in that classroom because there was no water in the building due to plumbing issue.  One of the teachers said to me that she was sorry I was dealing with that, and my response was that I was sorry it wasn't the worst thing we were dealing with that day.  That would've been the long-time student who needed to be suspended.  Yep, lots of stress.

But now, we are off on an entire week.  It was a fun weekend with all basketball, all the time.  There were some good upsets, and I enjoyed the fact that I really had nowhere to be all weekend, except for taking Thomas back to college yesterday.

I had trouble sleeping last night, and I allowed myself to really sleep in this morning.  I've had nowhere to be today.  It really felt like a perfect day, and a day just entirely for me.  The sun is shining, and it's just been an amazing day.  Andrew has a baseball scrimmage, so he won't be home until about 7:00.  I needed this day that was just 100% for me.  I need to get to the office for some payroll later this week, and I need to take my grandmother to a doctor appointment, but today is absolutely nothing.  I can't even describe how relaxing my day has been.  And it's just the beginning of the break! 

It's been three years since things shut down

Three years ago today the governor ordered all schools to close, and that was our last day for the year.  I think, three years later, we are finally feeling the "end" of the crisis.  While it was scary, I still remember how simple life seemed then without other things to worry about, and I loved all of the time we spent together as a family.

We lost an hour of sleep this weekend.  That is never fun.  It's always nice to have that extra hour of daylight though.

Things have continued to be a little crazy, but it is getting better.  My grandmother was in the emergency room again on Friday, and work was stable enough that I was actually able to leave and go be with her.  My poor sister.  She is really taking the brunt of caring for her, and Grandma is being challenging and not following directions.  I can't imagine all she has to deal with.

One more week and then I have spring break.  Let's get 'er done!

Sunday afternoon drives

I just took Thomas back to school.  He was home for spring break this past week, which was ridiculously early.  But I always love having time with him, and enjoyed having him around.

He's been home every weekend this semester except one.  With his cat not being there and the one friend he had ending communication (not entirely sure why), he is lonely.  It is heartbreaking for a mom, but I can't change it.

I also don't judge.  I went home every weekend (almost) my freshman year, and so I am not about to tell my son I won't do for him what was done for me.  I handle the Friday evening pickups, usually, and I've also handled about half of the Sunday afternoon returns as well.  And I really don't mind.  Today was a lovely day and I truly enjoyed the drive home completely by myself.  It's a nice opportunity to just have some quiet and sing along with the radio.  I remember my dad, who took me back to school nearly every Sunday, tell me he never minded those Sunday afternoon drives, and I get it.  Missing him today, but always feeling he is with us.  I'm blessed to have my family.

Our lives right now - it's been a lot

I didn't write much in February.  It wasn't necessarily that I didn't want to write, it was just that there was A LOT going on, and I spent most of the month being absolutely exhausted.  The good news is that it was mostly only work related, and for that I am grateful.

Our February at work was absolutely insane.  We have one employee who was hospitalized and has yet to recover.  We had one employee who had COVID, along with three family members, and her family is still fighting strep and other things, and her father is entering Hospice care.  We have one employee whose son needed to be hospitalized for suicidal ideations, and of course that is an ongoing concern.  We have one employee who had surgery two weeks ago, and the doctors did not handle some things well.  We have one employee who had surgery three weeks ago, and also developed strep this past week herself.  We have one employee who had COVID, and her daughter was hospitalized with illness as well.  We have one employee whose daughter was diagnosed with a chronic illness last fall and needed to be hospitalized again for a few days. We have one employee who lost her grandmother three weeks ago, her husband had surgery this week, and her step-father passed away Wednesday.  All of this was just in the last month!  I mention this because it means I worked extra hours to help clean, I covered classes as needed, and I worked to put pieces together so we had enough people working where they needed to work.

At home, it's been less crazy, but I can't call it peaceful.  The biggest challenge has been having Thomas's cat here.  She jumps on everything, and we've had to put away all of the picture frames, which I don't appreciate.  Additionally, she and one of our cats are constantly fighting, and the howling/hissing/running into things sounds are not remotely peaceful.  Our sweet pup has had her slipped disc issues again, although we caught it early and she's on the mend.  My grandmother was in the emergency room on Monday due to some reactions, and it's hard on her.  My mother was in the emergency room Thursday after taking a serious fall and doing a face-plant.  Thank goodness my kids were able to stay with her overnight Thursday so I didn't have to miss work.  I can deal with all of these relatively minor things, but it's hard after coming home from work which was challenging all day.

This past week we had a lady from church who was going to be evicted if she didn't get her apartment cleaned.  We were able to do some cleaning ourselves and get a company hired, and many generous members helped to fund that.  That was a blessing.

And we were thrilled that Catherine passed her state STNA exam.  She is looking for a job locally, and we are thrilled for her and proud of her.  It's a step in the right direction.

I'm hoping this week is much calmer, although I laugh because I thought that last week as well.  Monday brought a tornado warning where the students and staff all had to take cover, and Friday I had to clean up vomit at school.  So who knows what this week will bring??

I'm especially grateful that we have no students tomorrow, and that March and some lovely weather have arrived.  Looking forward to calmer times!

First college band concert

Thomas loves being involved in music, and we were thrilled that he wanted to participate in the concert band at college.  He was asked to switch from alto to tenor saxophone, and has taken that as a compliment as well.  Tonight was his first concert, and I'm so glad that we were able to be there.  This particular band is an eclectic group of people, and we are so glad that Thomas is enjoying it.  We've always told him that no matter what, music can be a part of his life! 

Brownies

At the beginning of the month, my school held a fundraiser by doing a Trivia Night.  We weren't able to attend, but I think we will next year!  Regardless, part of the fundraising is a bake sale.  Whatever isn't sold is brought back to the office.  There was a giant pan of brownies, and I was happy to give it a taste.  As soon as I took a bite, my eyes began to fill with tears.  They tasted exactly like the brownies my Aunt Cathy made before she became ill and passed away years ago.  Everyone in the family loved those brownies, but her daughters couldn't find the recipe.  I haven't done it yet, but I'm going to reach out to the baker (a parent at the school) and ask if she would share the recipe.  I don't know that I'll be able to bake them, but I'm sure someone in the family can!

A weekend away in Chicago

Since Andrew and I just celebrated a milestone anniversary, we decided to celebrate with a get-away.  Originally the plan was to fly to Vegas, but the budget was not "airplane friendly".  We decided Chicago was better, and our dear friends love that city and are excellent tour guides.  Forty-eightish hours away is exactly what we needed.  We shared so many laughs, and good food and lots of good drinks.  I'm so, so grateful we did this!

Our anniversary

Today my wonderful husband and I celebrated a milestone anniversary.  It's really so very hard to believe all these years have passed by.  I am so incredibly grateful to share each and every day with Andrew, and I look forward to so very many more.  Our gift to each other is a get-away over President's Day weekend to Chicago with friends.  I pointed out to Andrew as we were driving home that we know for a fact that twenty years ago today there was snow on the ground!  

I'm so grateful for the life we've built together.  Catherine and Thomas both sent us a text today, and we had a lovely dinner out.  We also volunteered our church's community meal this evening, where an announcement was made that it's our anniversary and we were given a small cake.  It was so incredibly thoughtful!

I also appreciated that today was a Wednesday which means I only work until Noon or so.  It allowed me to take a two-hour nap, but I'm still planning on going to bed early.  There is so much going on and a lot to write about, but that will be another time.  Today I just want to enjoy my special day with my amazing husband!