Three more days

Counting today, there are three more days of school.  These are all make up days that have been added to our calendar because of our winter, and so the school is doing early releases for all of them.  I don't particularly mind, although it makes a waste of a day at the end of the year even less meaningful.

Yesterday was field day at Thomas's school.  They serve a picnic lunch and parents are invited to join.  Because Andrew's finals started yesterday, he was finished with students in time to join us.  As I sat there, I still felt that tinge of loneliness in not knowing anyone, and am beginning to wonder if I ever really will.  But I also felt amazing gratitude that my children were in these schools.  My hopes for how their school year would go (at least the school portion, not so much the rest of our lives) were far exceeded.

The rest of our lives, well, just ugh.  Andrew's brother took a turn for the worst this week and was taken to ICU.  He was moved back to a regular floor yesterday, but there are so many complicating factors in his recovery...not the least of which is his own very negative attitude.  They are attempting to come up with a rehab plan that will work, but it is hard to feel optimistic about his recovery at this point.  My mom has also been feeling so very lousy.  Chemo hit her really, really hard last week, and it's tough knowing in two more weeks we will be right back at it again.  She is also having trouble eating because nothing tastes right.  I so very much wish I could do something for her.

And then there is Robert.  It may be my lack of emotional reserve, but I am pretty much heartbroken over his behaviors.  Trust is completely non-existent, and just when I think we've turned a corner I find out I'm wrong.  I have prayed and prayed about this...that I can be the parent Robert needs me to be and that I can provide the guidance he needs.  He has just reached a stage in life where he is completely convinced that he is all grown up and he knows everything there is to know, and Andrew and I can't possibly know what we are talking about.  I have accepted that he is going to be one where he has to learn the hard way.  Talking about consequences are irrelevant...until he experiences it himself he isn't going to believe it.  There are so many good things about him at the same time, and that gives me hope.

Our weekend should be fun with a few plans, and hopefully time to unwind as well!

It wasn't the same

This past weekend just didn't feel like Memorial Day weekend.  In the past, the weekend has always been full of so much family, and usually friends as well!  Because Robert didn't feel well Sunday, I had to miss the friend gathering.  And there was not one family gathering or function this weekend...no trip to the cemetery, not even a few hours with any single family member.  To be honest, I felt a little disappointed in that.  Our town also doesn't do a Memorial Day parade or any kind of recognition, and it just didn't seem the same.

It did, however, feel like yet another big tease as we head into the end of the school year.  Six more days...and we are SO ready!

Family health issues

There have been some health issues going around in this family.  Andrew developed the stomach bug that Thomas had last week, and while it's by no means the worst out there, it apparently lasts for a week.  It makes me feel better about how Thomas felt.  Robert also seemed to have a touch of it yesterday, although I think his was more exhaustion and stress.

We received a phone call early Saturday afternoon.  Andrew's brother, who has been mostly confined to a wheel chair since his stroke in November, fell out of his wheel chair, it flipped over on him and he broke his femur.  They had to wait to get his sugar under control before they could perform surgery to attach a rod to his femur and hip, and that was done late Saturday night.  We just got a call this morning that he has now developed pneumonia.  They still don't feel there is a need for Andrew to get there, but it isn't good news.

This round of chemo has really hit Mom very hard.  She is still feeling very lousy.  The good news is that it is three weeks between each round, but my heart breaks for her.

Neither my mom nor Andrew's brother is at all religious, but any good thoughts and positive vibes are appreciated!

Half way through

Mom is officially half way through radiation.  She also had chemo on Thursday, and yesterday was a pretty rough day for her.  She is feeling better today though, and is especially glad to be half way through the radiation.  I was able to be with her again for the chemo, and I must say, her optimistic and upbeat spirit is really amazing!

Our Memorial Day weekend

First let me start by saying it is absolutely breathtakingly gorgeous from a weather stand point.  That is one of the things I have loved about Memorial Day weekend.

My dad has always been such a huge part of this weekend.  When we were little, Dad would take my sister and me and leave Friday evening to go spend the weekend with my grandparents in their trailer in Coldwater, MI...truly the home of some of my greatest childhood memories.  We would return on Sundays and listen to the Indy 500 as we returned.  As we had our own children, we would often drive up to spend a day at his place at the lake with him.  In fact, the very last time we were there was a Memorial Day weekend.  Thomas caught his very first fish, and it was one of the very best days we'd had there.  I made my dad a photo album of that fishing trip for Christmas that year.

Nearly every Memorial Day weekend has been spent with my Mom's family as well making our annual cemetery tour and then brunch at our family's favorite restaurant.  That too has been eliminated this year due for several reasons.  I'm a little sad that it doesn't seem this weekend is going to include much family, but it is what it is.

Robert is home from D.C.  He had a wonderful trip and of course arrived home very, very tired.  Not sure there will be much academics remaining for him, or any of the kids, for the last six days of school!

It worked out exactly as I had hoped

My aunt is a wonderful person.  She is truly one of those who would do absolutely anything for anyone, and would go over and above for those she loved.  When I lived in my hometown, it was more often than not she upon whom I relied for taking care of my house when I was out of town.  We once found a stray cat and couldn't add to our group at the time, and my aunt happily took it (and many other strays over the years) into her home.  Unfortunately, she has hit on very hard luck over the years when it comes to her jobs.  She had been working for years for a company that closed its doors during the recession, and as so many did, had trouble finding another job.  Anytime she gets a temp job that can lead to full time work, she is almost always hired on because she is a fabulous employee.  Unfortunately, it also means that she is "low man" on the totem pole and is the first to lose her job during down times or reorganizations.  Right now, she is currently working about 15-20 hours a week as a clerk at a gas station.  She makes basically nothing more than she made on unemployment, but to her it doesn't matter...she has a job and is earning her money.  Her mother, my grandmother, is an extremely wealthy woman.  You would never know it because GG doesn't carry herself that way, and I have no problem with that.  I do, however, have a problem with the fact that GG is so unbelievably tight with her money when her own daughter is struggling so...a daughter who has given up much over the last eight years to be there for GG.  So, I did something about it.  When our tax refund arrived, we went and bought a good amount of gift cards to Kroger.  I wanted our gift to her to be truly anonymous, so I found an envelope and typed the address, and of course there was no return address on it.  My biggest fear was that someone would realize it was gift cards and my attempts to remain anonymous and they would be stolen in the mail.  However, last week at Mom's doctor appointment, she mentioned that Aunt had received these gift cards in the mail and they were all trying to imagine who had sent them.  Mom mentioned that it obviously wasn't GG (ha, ha) and that the person clearly wanted to remain anonymous as the envelope was typed on "an old-fashined" typewriter.  I thought my cover might've been blown at that point, because Mom happened to be sitting right there when my paternal grandmother gave me her old typewriter just a few months ago.  Fortunately Mom didn't make that connection, and I am so pleased to know that the cards arrived safely.  I have been more than blessed over the course of life and truly wish I could do more for her right now...maybe again soon!  Andrew and I did this in honor of my dad, who I know would've done something very similar!  We are so grateful we could do something to help, and we are even more grateful that no one knew it is us!

Single digits, and off to DC!

There are only nine days of school left.  I am so pleased to be into single digits.  I know that I'm always ready for summer, but this year I feel it even more so!

I'm also happy to report that everyone was back in school today.  Catherine still has a horrible cold, but she really wanted to go to school today.  Hopefully Thomas's stomach agreed with him enough as well, but regardless, he seems to have made it through the day.

In about three hours, Robert will be sitting on a bus with many eighth grade classmates on his way to D.C.  He has been talking about this trip, pretty much since he found out about it at the beginning of seventh grade.  They will drive all night tonight, have three days of sightseeing, drive home overnight Friday and return in the very early hours of Saturday morning.  I am confident he is going to have a great time!