Feeling sore...
Can't believe how long it's been since I last updated. This summer is just flying by.
Gotta start with the sad news. Jimmy was supposed to be home this month, but instead, his Stryker Brigade is the one that's representing those 3700 troops that were re-deployed to Bagdad. Crystal is taking it really hard. I guess we all are. I made the announcement in church and couldn't hold my composure, either. I'm so frightened for him. Dave assures me that Jim has another purpose in life and he's a smart man who'll take care of himself and the others he's with. Oh, my level headed Dave. Always thinking of the right thing to say. Please keep him, his brigade, all our troops and Rob & Crystal in your prayers. It's even harder just knowing he was 2 days to coming home...but it is an honor to be the ones selected to help hold down the hottest spot in Iraq. I have the link to the 172nd Stryker news - you can read up on what they're doing - Robin hasn't gotten the new address yet, just let me know if you want it. http://www.strykernews.com/archives/cat_172nd_brigade_news.html
Oh, I'm not done, look at this list:
November -4 year old Chase Berger - Cancer Diagnosis
December - 4 year old Kole Keller - Cancer Diagnosis
January - 10 year old boy - ATV accident - died
February - 12 year old Tyler Jo Smith - Cancer Diagnosis
April - 6 year old Elora Petrakus - Mauled to Death
May - 8 year old Alexa Brown - Cancer Diagnosis
June - 11 year old Jessica Larson - ATV accident died
July - 14 year old Brandon Dunsmore - Died in sleep
August 9 - 12 year old Alaric Fisher - Died after football practice (heart defect)
I haven't got a superstitious seed in my body, but, damn, this community is on a cold streak. I mean, Clyde's a very small town. There's over a dozen children in this area that have had tragedy befall them in the last year. Let's pray this ends soon. Alaric died last week; Lucas, Brian and Jill were there (thank God, Luke opted out!) at the field- Jill said she'll never be the same. So sad. This is the third counseling session the school has put on since summer vacation started. Unfortunately, they're getting good at this. Pray for all these families and our community.
Back to the norm (if that's what you call it) : Jax back from camp on the 28th, then Dave and Sam planned an intervention for me...basically they wanted me to go to Windsor for a night. It went alright, I did get out of the house for an evening, and it was fun. Unfortunately, you have to pay the price when you have a lot scheduled and you stay up until 3:00 AM! It was fun though, but we need to do the Windsor thing again when we have the whole weekend to mess with.. Sarah had her (very last) trip to Camp Aldersgate - it's way too far away to drive. It is a great camp in a beautiful area (Carrollton) but it takes about 3 hours to get there. (No fun doing that after getting back home from Canada.) Picked her up on Friday the 4th. Her counselor was a girl from South Africa who we just adored. She nicknamed Sarah "Chattie" - she just can't seem to stop talking unless she's sleeping. Anyway, I just found out there's a Western conference UM camp in Findlay. I'm definitely checking that out for next year.
Luke finished golf league last week. Placed in the top 3 but not sure where. I'm glad that's over. This week, Jackie's band lessons start. Tues & Thurs at 8:00 AM - oh Miss Morning Person is going to LOVE that! She's excited to get them started though. She's grown so much this summer, you'd hardly recognize her. She's almost as tall as I am ( I know, it doesn't take much) and has definitely matured. Her Dad noticed yesterday..we're scared, yep yep yep. She's quite the little hottie already. Hoo boy - we are in so much trouble. Her hair is almost to her butt now and she's ready to cut it off for "Locks of Love" - I promised to let her get a highlight treatment after it's cut off. The kids are all growing like weeds; I refuse to buy them clothes until the week before school starts. They are all just growing too fast. I get all melancholy sometimes, remembering the days of diapers and chubby fingers and children who didn't sass back. Oh, the good old days.
Sam's classes start Monday the 21st at Terra. We're going after some low cost loans for her today - and maybe some more all week - anyone know of good places to go for them? I heard of a website called Campusdoor.com - Caryanne? Anyway, she's hell bent on doing this herself... I wish she'd accept our help...Are you reading this, Sam? Is it time for your intervention? Remember that grace thing? HAHAHA - your turn! We have the den fixed up into a decent bedroom, and Dave's putting a new door on it soon. It's actually pretty cool with the big window and bamboo shade. The French doors will make it even better. Unfortunately, only the futon and ottoman is black...but I'm sure she'll goth it out appropriately. She's training her replacement at Whirlpool this week. I think leaving a decent paying job 2 miles from home is going to be hard...but she'll do fine, she's very intelligent & mature - besides she's too darn stubborn and headstrong not to do well! She's been a blessing, to have with us and I hope she knows it. Dave's a very happy, go-lucky guy, but I have to admit...that cold, heartless daughter of his really hurt him terribly - much to her satisfaction, I'm sure. I really believe that having Sam here has helped him in more ways than she'd ever know. Dave firmly believes God sent her to us to help us as much as for us to help her. They've really developed a close relationship - as close has he has with any one of our children - even more so as he's providing guidance for her future. She's working on him too, Dave is training for his race in September. He's weighing in the 160's now. Sam has whipped his diet right into shape. He's finally eating more different foods. He's running about 14 miles a day and doing it more and more efficiently. I'm very proud of his progress. He's definitely looking and feeling his mental age! (His term, not mine) There's a song out by Blink 182 - it has a refrain that goes , " What's my age again? What's my age, again?" I think of Dave everytime I hear it. Go ahead, call him immature... when you're over 45 - that's a compliment! He has discovered text messaging too. Sam's fault. It's funny, we're like a clique of kids text-ing each other and Sam and Dave are much worse than me & Luke!
School starts in exactly 16 days. I'm done working full time in exactly 14 days - but I might try to start it this week. Nat and Haley will be here tomorrow, and Dave's department cookout is tomorrow evening at our house...might as well. Anyway, I tried to put in my 2 weeks notice on Friday, but Dick talked me out of it. He's got me on 30 hours a week instead. Oh well, whatever. I'll be able to see the kids off to school and I'll be home by the time they get home. Perfect. I told Dave I can't understand why people want to keep a moody, bad tempered bi-otch like me around all time. (I'm pre-menopausal - it ain't pretty sometimes!). I will be done for good by October 1st, but Dick said he may need me into October, if I don't mind. Whatever. I can't figure it out, but if he wants to keep paying me, why not? We have a supplier treating us to a baseball game Thursday, then we're going to stay over in Toledo and then go to the Bluewater Grille for our anniversary dinner - I LOVE that restaurant. We have 16 years married under our belt. 18 years if you count back to the real year we got together.
My hands hurt - I can't even pick up a bearing pack - from all the gardening I did yesterday. Between me and the kids, we finished up nearly all the landscaping...cleaning it up and weeding. The kids need a good working once in a while. I'm using their work to pay for the seat lever one of them broke off in my car. No one will admit it, so they all got punished. My car has gone a whole year without a ding...still looks display floor good, so they kids are attacking the interior! Figures. Saturday we all shot a round of golf...it was a lot of fun with the whole family playing. Then, we went to Cedar Point - rode coasters until about a half hour after closing. Such die hards. Made our traditional stop at Steak n Shake and had to leave because some of the waitresses didn't show and tables weren't getting waited on. Boy, was that manager pissed. All in all, we're all doing well. I'm going to the doctor next week to see about getting my hormones balanced - I'm starting to feel a bit bi-polar - and I don't like it one bit. I guess it's time for all that over 40 screening...yuck.
Well that's it for now. As always, always busy... hmmm, a year ago today I was in Hawaii...:>( sniff, sniff. Big weekend planned with our anniversary and we're doing a 10 person Cedar Point trip on Saturday.
Have a great week!
Gotta start with the sad news. Jimmy was supposed to be home this month, but instead, his Stryker Brigade is the one that's representing those 3700 troops that were re-deployed to Bagdad. Crystal is taking it really hard. I guess we all are. I made the announcement in church and couldn't hold my composure, either. I'm so frightened for him. Dave assures me that Jim has another purpose in life and he's a smart man who'll take care of himself and the others he's with. Oh, my level headed Dave. Always thinking of the right thing to say. Please keep him, his brigade, all our troops and Rob & Crystal in your prayers. It's even harder just knowing he was 2 days to coming home...but it is an honor to be the ones selected to help hold down the hottest spot in Iraq. I have the link to the 172nd Stryker news - you can read up on what they're doing - Robin hasn't gotten the new address yet, just let me know if you want it. http://www.strykernews.com/archives/cat_172nd_brigade_news.html
Oh, I'm not done, look at this list:
November -4 year old Chase Berger - Cancer Diagnosis
December - 4 year old Kole Keller - Cancer Diagnosis
January - 10 year old boy - ATV accident - died
February - 12 year old Tyler Jo Smith - Cancer Diagnosis
April - 6 year old Elora Petrakus - Mauled to Death
May - 8 year old Alexa Brown - Cancer Diagnosis
June - 11 year old Jessica Larson - ATV accident died
July - 14 year old Brandon Dunsmore - Died in sleep
August 9 - 12 year old Alaric Fisher - Died after football practice (heart defect)
I haven't got a superstitious seed in my body, but, damn, this community is on a cold streak. I mean, Clyde's a very small town. There's over a dozen children in this area that have had tragedy befall them in the last year. Let's pray this ends soon. Alaric died last week; Lucas, Brian and Jill were there (thank God, Luke opted out!) at the field- Jill said she'll never be the same. So sad. This is the third counseling session the school has put on since summer vacation started. Unfortunately, they're getting good at this. Pray for all these families and our community.
Back to the norm (if that's what you call it) : Jax back from camp on the 28th, then Dave and Sam planned an intervention for me...basically they wanted me to go to Windsor for a night. It went alright, I did get out of the house for an evening, and it was fun. Unfortunately, you have to pay the price when you have a lot scheduled and you stay up until 3:00 AM! It was fun though, but we need to do the Windsor thing again when we have the whole weekend to mess with.. Sarah had her (very last) trip to Camp Aldersgate - it's way too far away to drive. It is a great camp in a beautiful area (Carrollton) but it takes about 3 hours to get there. (No fun doing that after getting back home from Canada.) Picked her up on Friday the 4th. Her counselor was a girl from South Africa who we just adored. She nicknamed Sarah "Chattie" - she just can't seem to stop talking unless she's sleeping. Anyway, I just found out there's a Western conference UM camp in Findlay. I'm definitely checking that out for next year.
Luke finished golf league last week. Placed in the top 3 but not sure where. I'm glad that's over. This week, Jackie's band lessons start. Tues & Thurs at 8:00 AM - oh Miss Morning Person is going to LOVE that! She's excited to get them started though. She's grown so much this summer, you'd hardly recognize her. She's almost as tall as I am ( I know, it doesn't take much) and has definitely matured. Her Dad noticed yesterday..we're scared, yep yep yep. She's quite the little hottie already. Hoo boy - we are in so much trouble. Her hair is almost to her butt now and she's ready to cut it off for "Locks of Love" - I promised to let her get a highlight treatment after it's cut off. The kids are all growing like weeds; I refuse to buy them clothes until the week before school starts. They are all just growing too fast. I get all melancholy sometimes, remembering the days of diapers and chubby fingers and children who didn't sass back. Oh, the good old days.
Sam's classes start Monday the 21st at Terra. We're going after some low cost loans for her today - and maybe some more all week - anyone know of good places to go for them? I heard of a website called Campusdoor.com - Caryanne? Anyway, she's hell bent on doing this herself... I wish she'd accept our help...Are you reading this, Sam? Is it time for your intervention? Remember that grace thing? HAHAHA - your turn! We have the den fixed up into a decent bedroom, and Dave's putting a new door on it soon. It's actually pretty cool with the big window and bamboo shade. The French doors will make it even better. Unfortunately, only the futon and ottoman is black...but I'm sure she'll goth it out appropriately. She's training her replacement at Whirlpool this week. I think leaving a decent paying job 2 miles from home is going to be hard...but she'll do fine, she's very intelligent & mature - besides she's too darn stubborn and headstrong not to do well! She's been a blessing, to have with us and I hope she knows it. Dave's a very happy, go-lucky guy, but I have to admit...that cold, heartless daughter of his really hurt him terribly - much to her satisfaction, I'm sure. I really believe that having Sam here has helped him in more ways than she'd ever know. Dave firmly believes God sent her to us to help us as much as for us to help her. They've really developed a close relationship - as close has he has with any one of our children - even more so as he's providing guidance for her future. She's working on him too, Dave is training for his race in September. He's weighing in the 160's now. Sam has whipped his diet right into shape. He's finally eating more different foods. He's running about 14 miles a day and doing it more and more efficiently. I'm very proud of his progress. He's definitely looking and feeling his mental age! (His term, not mine) There's a song out by Blink 182 - it has a refrain that goes , " What's my age again? What's my age, again?" I think of Dave everytime I hear it. Go ahead, call him immature... when you're over 45 - that's a compliment! He has discovered text messaging too. Sam's fault. It's funny, we're like a clique of kids text-ing each other and Sam and Dave are much worse than me & Luke!
School starts in exactly 16 days. I'm done working full time in exactly 14 days - but I might try to start it this week. Nat and Haley will be here tomorrow, and Dave's department cookout is tomorrow evening at our house...might as well. Anyway, I tried to put in my 2 weeks notice on Friday, but Dick talked me out of it. He's got me on 30 hours a week instead. Oh well, whatever. I'll be able to see the kids off to school and I'll be home by the time they get home. Perfect. I told Dave I can't understand why people want to keep a moody, bad tempered bi-otch like me around all time. (I'm pre-menopausal - it ain't pretty sometimes!). I will be done for good by October 1st, but Dick said he may need me into October, if I don't mind. Whatever. I can't figure it out, but if he wants to keep paying me, why not? We have a supplier treating us to a baseball game Thursday, then we're going to stay over in Toledo and then go to the Bluewater Grille for our anniversary dinner - I LOVE that restaurant. We have 16 years married under our belt. 18 years if you count back to the real year we got together.
My hands hurt - I can't even pick up a bearing pack - from all the gardening I did yesterday. Between me and the kids, we finished up nearly all the landscaping...cleaning it up and weeding. The kids need a good working once in a while. I'm using their work to pay for the seat lever one of them broke off in my car. No one will admit it, so they all got punished. My car has gone a whole year without a ding...still looks display floor good, so they kids are attacking the interior! Figures. Saturday we all shot a round of golf...it was a lot of fun with the whole family playing. Then, we went to Cedar Point - rode coasters until about a half hour after closing. Such die hards. Made our traditional stop at Steak n Shake and had to leave because some of the waitresses didn't show and tables weren't getting waited on. Boy, was that manager pissed. All in all, we're all doing well. I'm going to the doctor next week to see about getting my hormones balanced - I'm starting to feel a bit bi-polar - and I don't like it one bit. I guess it's time for all that over 40 screening...yuck.
Well that's it for now. As always, always busy... hmmm, a year ago today I was in Hawaii...:>( sniff, sniff. Big weekend planned with our anniversary and we're doing a 10 person Cedar Point trip on Saturday.
Have a great week!