Engineer, drummer or Maybe Cake Decorating?

My baby turns 12 tomorrow. It is hard to believe that 12 years has gone by. Our 4 pound 12 oz baby boy is becoming a young man with many talents. He is a wonderfully talented drummer, he is getting better everyday on the guitar, he soaks in everything he hears and sees and doesn't forget things he has learned. He is a straight A student and we are very proud of him. Today we learned he can design and decorate cakes.

This year he made his snare drum birthday cake. Great job buddy.

Happy Birthday.

First Official Family Meeting

We had our first official family meeting last night. We have been having some problems with disrespect, getting jobs done on the day assigned, arguing and yelling. I had an agenda with guidelines...no interrupting, listen, etc. I went through what we as parents expect when it comes to homework, getting jobs done, practicing instruments, and how we should start communicating with each other. After each expectation, we talked about the consequence. Everyone had a chance to discuss the expectation and the consequence and make comments about it. Some things were tweaked a bit. We had a great discussion. I think the kids felt like they were able to help with the decision making. It opened up a lot of discussion. As my Dad said..."you do have a couple of thinkers". Yes we do.

I hope this meeting helps. Their Dad and I are going to have to enforce the consequences when they are tested. I hope we are ready for that.

We also agreed that we need to try at the very least once a week to have dinner at the table all together. With our busy schedules we do a lot of eating and running. We are going to make a point of sitting at the table so we can talk, reconnect and evaluate "The Family Plan". Say a prayer for us that things go well. I'm hoping for a lot less yelling and arguing.

This May Be The Last...

Today was probably our last trip to see Santa. Our son told us today he is getting too old. He has not confirmed that he no longer believes but I think he is holding out in fear that the presents will go away if he doesn't believe. Our little girl already knows. She figured it out at Easter. I thought I would be sad when they found out about Santa but actually Mags and I have been having fun. She gets to be Santa for her brother. Even though she knows about Santa, I am still looking forward to doing the "Santa" stuff. Our family loves Christmas and we know the "reason for the season" but we also enjoy the fun and mystery of Santa. Maybe I can get them to go next year if I promise not to show the picture to their friends. :)

We usually go see Santa later in the season but this year is already packed with so many activities. I will not, however, put up any Christmas decorations until Thanksgiving is over. I feel like people forget about Thanksgiving. It didn't feel right going to see Santa before Thanksgiving but we have a special Santa we see each year and between his schedule and our schedule, this was a good day to go.

So, Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I am blessed to have such wonderful friends and a terrific family. Enjoy Turkey Day!

:)

Yes we can and Yes we did!! Change has begun. Can you feel it? I do.

Emotional Day

It's only 11am and it has been an emotional day. We went through our normal morning routine. As I was dropping the kids off at school they reminded me several times... "don't forget to vote". They get to vote in school today and were both very excited about it. That makes me proud.
After I dropped them off I went straight to my polling place. It was 8:14am and there was already quite a line. I have never seen this in my small town. I waited about 25 min. not bad. As I began to color in the circle next to Obamas name, I felt a sense of relief. I left and headed to Target. During my drive to Target I began to feel emotional about my right to vote and what that means. I began to think about all the women that paved the way for my right to vote. I decided that from this moment on I will never take that for granted again. It was an emotional morning.
Later today I will pick up my kids from school, find out who the school voted for and head to the dentist. Then we will go to the visitation of a close family friend who passed away on Sunday. He was a close friend to my parents and a huge part of my life. He was also a big part of our church family. We will miss you "Bucky". It will be an emotional evening.

Happy Halloween

I hope everyone has a fun Halloween.

.

Comfort Food

Mexican food and Margaritas, good for times of crisis, family gatherings and especially celebrations. I realized today that my family and I will use any excuse to go out and enjoy some mexican food and margaritas.
Thanks for lunch Dad!

My kids are Hippies.

It is red ribbon week at the kids school. Red Ribbon week promotes D.A.R.E. which stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education. It is a fun and informative week for the kids every year. Today they got to dress up in 60's or 70's attire. My kids make pretty good hippies. I just hope they are listening to the message of D.A.R.E.

PEACE

WOW x 2

Now that's a rally!!! GO OBAMA!!

and a wonderful endorsement too. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-chicago-tribune-endorsement,0,1371034.story

Peak

I have had some time to read in the last few days. So, I decided to read a book my 6th grade son has decided is his favorite book next to the Harry Potter series. PEAK by Roland Smith. It is a wonderful story of a 14 year old boy who goes on a journey and learns a few things on the way. It is a story that I will remember for a long time. I'm glad our son read it. He even shared it with a few of his friends. He liked it so much they wanted to read it. He asked me questions about it as I was reading it. He said he could still visualize the story. I know what he means. It is a quick read that will put a smile on your face and in your heart.

Extra Credit

I have been home since Sunday evening with some kind of intestinal bug. In other words...I don't feel good. Can you hear the whining. Yesterday I was supposed to go to work but instead stayed home, slept, read and attempted to eat. When I picked the kids up from school my son says he needs glue sticks and popsicle sticks to work on an extra credit project for History class. Now it isn't due until Thursday but because of extra curricular activities and homework this was the best night to get it done. UUUGGGHHH. Luckily my friend had lots of popsicle sticks at home. So we ran to the Pharmacy and bought glue sticks...they didn't have popsicle sticks, then we ran to my friends house to get the popsicle sticks.

Then I was ready for another nap.

It is amazing to watch my son when he is determined. He finished his assigned homework in record time and started working on this boat about 5pm. He only took a break long enough to eat dinner.

He can visualize what he wants to make and then make it. He finished about 8:30 p.m. or so. His Dad cut the pieces for him but he did all the measuring and designing. It was impressive. I hope he gets all the extra credit points possible. He deserves it. I love watching him work when he does projects like this. It makes me wonder if he will utilize this talent in his Adult life. I hope his teacher appreciates the thought and hard work that went into this project. I sure do.

A 6th graders design of an Eygptian boat

Honduras

I was watching one of my favorite shows last night... House Hunters International. A very busy family in California decided they wanted to slow down their lives and move to Honduras. hhhmmm

Sounds good to me. My family has been so busy lately. My husband is working 10 hours days Mon.- Sat. I have been volunteering at school more hours than normal, working two 12 hour days a week and trying to keep up with everything at home. My kids have homework and several extra curricular activities. I'm not sure how Moms working full time do it all. I have a friend that reminded me that she doesn't run the book fair or help out with classroom parties and school auctions. We are all so busy.

So, I think I am going to start looking into real estate in Honduras. hahahahahahaha Or maybe I should just start thinking of some more realistic ways to slow down my family so we can spend more QUALITY time with each other. Honduras would be nice though.

WHEW!!

Bookfair is over and I am tired. It went very well. There was some disappointment. We found out that a second grader stole some bookmarks and a 4th grader stole some erasers. Those are just the kids that got caught. I'm sure there were other thefts. We felt like we were watching pretty close too.
All in all it was a good week. I love watching the kids and being able to see mine frequently throughout the day. I will have book fair withdrawal next week. Then I can start on other PTA projects.
Never a dull moment!!!

Book Fair

It's Book Fair week.
:)

Update

It has been two weeks since I have blogged. September is a busy month. Our little girl arrived in the double digits gracefully. She had a wonderful party. It was a fun day!!
The kids are FINALLY in the groove of school. We are back in school routine.
Youth groups have started. Our son moved out of one group and up to the Jr.High/Senior High youth group. It has been more of an adjustment for me than for him.
My women's group started back up last Friday night. We had a great evening with some pretty interesting discussion topics. It is a terrific group of intelligent women. We are very comfortable knowing that we can be ourselves, say what we want and be accepted. We might not agree with each other on several topics but we do accept each other. Another wonderful evening with friends.
Book Fair starts next week. It is a rewarding yet exhausting week. I look forward to it every year. Hopefully this year will be less stressful. Last year I was running the bookfair and planning hospice care at the same time. Two very special friends let me cry on their shoulders and hugged me through that difficult week as well as this difficult year. I thank God for them everyday!
My wonderful husband turns 45 today. We are planning a relaxed evening at home and celebrating with a chocolate cake. Thanks Betty Crocker.
Girl Scouts started this week too. The Saturday after bookfair we will be selling cookies at the local dentist. It's cookie caravan time. In Oct. we will sell door to door.
It has been a great September so far. We are settling in to the school year and some early fall temperatures. I'm ready.. bring on the chili, the soups, the chicken and dumplings. Bring on the bonfires, Halloween and Girl Scout cookies.

TEN

Ten years ago today at 9:16 am our little girl was born. I remember it like it was yesterday. I remember telling her...you look just like your brother. She was 6 lbs 12oz. I can't imagine my life without her in it. She keeps me balanced. She is our peace maker. She loves to read and she loves to pretend to be a teacher. She knows what she wants and she goes after it. When I am angry, she knows how to calm me down. She makes me smile. She is a blessing.

Happy Birthday my sweet girl. I hope you have many more decades.

I love you.

September is Here

Here we go...
1. Time to pay the second installment of taxes....yuck
2. Mole removal today...yuck
3. My little girls 10th birthday....yay!!
4. My husbands 45th birthday...yay!!
5. Several other birthdays...yay!!
6. Youth groups start...yay!!
7. Book Fair week...yay!! and yuck
8. PTA is full swing...yay and yuck
9. Mid term grades already...WOW
10. Wednesday Night Live starts...yay!!
It is official, summer is over and the new school year has begun. I have already noticed that my kids are getting into the routine...finally.
Those last two weeks in August are always tough. I'm looking forward to what September brings.

A Proud Woman

Today has been a day that has reminded me how proud I am to be a woman. I have been given the responsibility of raising two incredible kids. With that responsibility has come the blessing of helping raise and nurture my friends kids. I also love balancing my life as a wife and mother with being a pediatric nurse. Today I had the opportunity to listen to a beautiful little girl talk about everything she saw in the park, at my house, and down the road at the duck pond. She is a strong young girl with a mind of her own. Similar to my own little girl at that age.
I also had the opportunity to listen to two adult women who are also very strong. Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton. I have been a Michelle fan from the begginning. Not so with Hillary. Tonight changed that. She made an incredible speech that makes me proud to be a woman and a Democrat.
It has been a great day.

Last Day of the First Week

Today is the last day of the first week of school for 2008-2009. It has been eventful but we made through.
1. Our 6th grade boy, on his first day of swimming took his swimsuit that is too big and had to sit out.
2. Weds. night both kids had MAJOR meltdowns about homework, clothes, etc.., etc.
3. Both kids have been stressed about being late to school even though we have been leaving 10 minutes early than last year.
4. Getting homework finished before tv and computer hasn't been too much of an issue........YET!
5. My 4th grade girl had to sit with all boys. By Weds. the teacher took pity on her and switched some desks around so now there is another girl in her group of desks. WHEW!!
6. My Uncle had to have emergency open heart surgery on Tuesday. So I haven't been able to be totally focused on my kids needs. My mind has been elsewhere.
7. I am trying to get used to a quiet house again and getting organized for the evenings I am at work.

As my Mother always says... "this too will pass". We will get back into routine soon and things will run more smoothly.

First Day

It's the first day of school. We had some drama and some irritability but for the most part I think they are excited. We met the teachers last night at open house. I'm looking forward to a great year.

last week

The last week before school starts. The kids have friends over. We were swimming and having a good time until my little girl got stung twice by a wasp or two. They were actually swarming around her head. She is totally traumatized. We might as well get rid of the pool. She will probably never go in it again.

It is a gourgous 82 degrees, the house is opened up, but everyone is inside playing games and watching the olympics. Darn wasp. It is supposed to be a beautiful week. Hopefully we can get my little girl out of the house. We are planning on going to the park later this week for a picnic and more play time with friends before school starts. I hope the wasp incident doesn't ruin it.

I think the kids are ready for school. We are even getting bored with the wii. I will miss them but it will be nice to get into a routine. The lazy days of summer are almost over.

2 weeks left

Tomorrow we are going school supply shopping. Its hard to believe that our summer is almost over. It went by so fast. My kids had band camp this past week in preparation for school band to start. My little drummer boy is now a drummer in the school marching band. My little girl is learning to play the flute in the 4th grade band. I can't believe I have a 6th grader and a 4th grader. Time sure does fly by.
We went through their clothes yesterday to make room for new clothes. Those don't last as long anymore either. They sure are growing up fast. I'm looking forward to this year but in some ways I wish summer could go on longer. I'm definately not ready for the homework fight. No more lazy days of summer. Until next year.

A bittersweet day at work

Bitter....one family grieves the death of a 4 year old after a drowning accident.

Sweet....another family rejoices in the baby steps their 4 year old makes today while battling back from a traumatic brain injury.

Bitter...my boss finds out that she is now the Director of 5 departments instead of 3. She also found out she is loosing her assistant. The position has been eliminated. More work/less help.

Sweet...I became a part of an elite group at work today. I am officially a member of the 20+ club. As of July 18, I have been at CGCMC for 20 years. I am now eligible for the 50% discount in the cafeteria! wow

I have seen many bittersweet days during my 20 years at Glennon but this has probably been one of the hardest. About the same time I had my ID badge changed to the 20+ club badge and I was feeling very proud, my boss and her assistant were receiving the news of the "restructoring".
Its been a tough, bittersweet day. The hardest part of all was thinking about the family that lost their kiddo today. Nothing can be worse than that.

My Michael

Yesterday I went to work and spent about 4 hours playing Wii games and looking at I Spy books with my favorite patient. I've blogged about him before. He has Cystic Fibrosis and comes in one week or so every 3-4 months for what is called "a tuneup". He is allergic to the antibiotics he receives so we have to desensitize him to his antibiotic by giving him increasing doses every 15 minutes for about 4 hours. We watch for an allergic reaction while giving him the meds.
We are really just there to play with him. At least thats what he thinks. It was going pretty well until I started winning the Wii games. he wasn't too happy.
He is doing pretty well. His mother still smokes. UUUGGGHHH. When she comes back into his room it is hard for me to breathe. I can't imagine what that is doing to him. My smoking lectures go in one ear and out the other. I hope one day she realizes what this is doing to him.
It sure is fun to go to work and play. He has invited me to come watch a movie with him when I work on Thursday. I'm not sure I will be able to do that. I won't have antibiotics to be giving as my cover for playing. I will be sure to spend some time with him though. He reminds me why I went into pediatric nursing. Thanks Micheal...love ya buddy.

Memorial Garden

BEFORE

This is the weed garden. It actually looked much worse. It was full of weeds and grass. It looked awful. We have never really landscaped this area. When my Mother-in-Law passed away we were given money to purchase a tree in her memory. Instead of the tree we decided to finally landscape this area in her honor. We finished it on July 4th.

AFTER

We love you Nonnie. I think you would be pleased that we finally did this. I promise to pull the weeds before they take over.

Exploring South Dakota

We had a wonderful vacation to South Dakota. Here are some pictures from Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Spearfish canyon (waterfalls) and the Badlands (they made me feel like I was visiting Mars). It is a beautiful State with a lot of interesting things to see. We also went to the Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD., Wall Drug, a huge gift shop/diner/icecream shop/drug store/play ground and we spent a day in Custer State Park driving the Wildlife loop looking for buffalo (we only saw one). We did a lot of driving and a lot of exploring. We even tried to pan for gold. That was not successful. It was a great week.

Cooper's Courage

This Saturday, June 21st, my kids and I will be walking in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure for Breast Cancer in honor of a friend. My daughter is in Girl Scouts with her daughter. She is the most couragous person I know. She is truly an inspiration. If you are watching the walk on t.v. watch for the blue shirts with the pink mini cooper car. My friend is having yet another surgery tomorrow but plans on being in the walk even if she is in a wheel chair. Pray for Stacey, pray for the Cooper's Courage team, pray for everyone dealing with breast cancer.

1st Summer Book

I have been running the Scholastic Book Fair at my kids school for several years. I have seen many books become favorite requests. This book has been the most requested book by teachers and students of all ages.

My daughter has told me several times that I should read it. She is my reader. Always has a book in her hands. My son who likes to read but would rather play on the computer said this book is one of his favorites. His teacher in 4th grade read it to the class and then he decided to read it again. So, I decided today to start my summer reading. Not only did I start my summer reading but I finished my first summer book. I read it in under two hours. If you know my history on reading, you know that this is a miraculous journey in itself. I would have read it faster but my little Magpie was chattering to me the entire time I was reading it. "Where are you know?" "Are you going to finish that tonight?" etc. etc....

It is a sweet wonderful book. My kids told me it would change my life. I'm not sure it had quite that impact but it will certainly be in my list of favorites. It does make you realize that even the bad things that happen in your life happen for a reason. Those bad things might just be the beginning of something wonderful and make you a better person...or china rabbit.

I am looking at today as the new beginning to our summer. We all have new summer haircuts. We were able to swim in our pool today. And we are starting to get some landscaping done that we have put off for years. I have to work tomorrow but Friday I will be starting my next summer book, poolside.

Crazy Summer

The past 6 days have been so busy. My little drummer boy had his surgery on Thursday. The procedure and immediate recovery went extremely well. We were so pleased with the care he received! His recovery at home didn't go so well. He ended up with an infection in the ear that the tube was placed in. He has antibiotic ear drops and seems to be doing much better today.
The same day as his surgery, my family member who received an unpleasant and disappointing diagnosis the week before, went to a different Dr. who didn't agree with the first diagnosis. Instead of "mild early Alzheimers" she is diagnosed with "mild cognitive impairment". The second Dr. doesn't see the signs of Alzheimers just trouble with memory. WHEW!!
I spent the weekend in Chicago with my daughter and some friends. We had an amazing time. It was so much fun to watch the girls at the American Girl Place. They had such a great time. It was great to get away even for a short trip but also to have quality time with my daughter.
My kids and I saw an incredible movie yesterday. Chronicles of Narnia, Prince Caspien. As my son said several times during the movie..."WHat incredible special effects"!! I think I'm going to have to start reading that series again.
The beginning of summer has been busy and a little stressful. I'm learning to take it as it comes.

Yeah Barack!!

http://www.ksdk.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=147903&catid=3
This is definately someone I want for President. Someone who will spend time with people on the job to see what they really do and how they are affected by the economy. I would have loved to have been that nurse.

Disappointment

This has been a week of disappointments.
1. a diagnosis of a family member I didn't want to hear.
2. My son's surgery and a vacation will cause him to miss 6 of his last 12 baseball games.
3. Our hometown store didn't have the right granola bars.
4. I have to work on the nights of 2 of the 6 games my son will get to play in.
5. My daughter got black tar on her "favorite" shorts today while eating lunch during a visit with daddy at work.
6. My son's baseball team lost again tonight.
7.My husband put a lot of time and emotion into a job he was asked to do and the end result was devastating to him. This has been one of the biggest disappointments of the week. (#1 has been pretty difficult too) Watching my husband put his heart and soul into a task he wasn't sure he was capable of doing and then become defeated, has been difficult. My prayer is that the saying "time heals all wounds" is true.
2008 has been a very difficult and trying year for this family. June is the halfway mark. I hope we are finished with major disappointments for awhile. I pray that the rest of this year is a little bit easier. We have been challenged enough. I'm ready for a little boredom.

One down

One less thing to worry about. The imaging center had a cancellation today, so I was able to get my diagnostic today. It turned out fine. Nothing to worry about. So, one down one to go. Now I can focus on prayers that our sons procedure will help his hearing. Praise God.

Worry

I am trying not to worry. I heard a wonderful sermon this past Sunday about just that. Jesus is with me through it all. June 5th my son will have outpatient surgery. June 6th I will have a diagnostic mammogram. Everyday I put these concerns in Jesus hands. Thankfully, I am surrounded by an incredible family and incredible friends. I'm sure my son's hearing will improve and the diagnostic mammogram won't show anything. I'm so glad I have Jesus with me. Thanks Alex for the reminder.

First Game

Last night was my son's first Baseball game of the season. He had a good game. I'm so proud of how well he knows the game. He shows good sportsmanship and always encourages his teammates. He evened smiled at his friend on the other team. That same friend did a lot of smack talk after his team won the game. "We creamed you" etc. etc. That was really hard for our son to take. I hope he blows it off.
I love watching him play but I am always a little worried that he might get hurt. He is pretty small compared to some of the other players. There were some minor bumps and bruises last night. Interestingly enough one of them was our daughter. She was playing with the sister of the "poor winner" and while playing they ran into each other. I did not see the collision but our daughter has a very sore wrist, nose and top lip. Her friend has a sore head. Apparently our daughters mouth and nose hit the head of her friend. Both girls were fine and continued to play the remainder of the evening. I hope the rest of the baseball games have a little bit less drama.

allergies and adenoids

About 2 months ago my son failed a hearing screen at school. While we were talking about it with him he said..."I'm sure it has something to do with my ears always feeling clogged". I didn't realize that his ears were always clogged or that he was having hearing problems. He didn't fail the hearing screen last year so at least I know this is something that is fairly recent. We had to wait about 2 months to get an appointment with an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist. I didn't want just anyone. That's the problem with being a nurse in a pediatric hospital. You become very selective about specialists. We found out that our little drummer boy has to have minor surgery. If the fluid in his left ear looks "thick like glue", he will get a myringotomy tube placed. The right ear looks good right now. The Dr. will look at it again during the procedure. He will also have his adenoids taken out. Apparently the adenoids in kids his age with allergies, can get swollen and cause an obstruction at the Eustachian tube which causes conductive hearing loss. So, on June 5th, little drummer boy with have minor surgery. I asked him if he was scared and he said....."No, I will be at your hospital and Uncle J had a much bigger surgery and he is OK." He is pretty brave. I think he is also looking forward to the dippin dots a co-worker of mine promised him. :)

So, please keep our boy in your prayers, that he continues to be brave and that this procedure helps with his hearing and his allergies.

A great Article

My aunt sent me this article. I enjoyed it and wanted to share it. Happy Mothers Day. http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2008/05/09/sharing_dreams_from_his_mother/?p1=email_to_a_friend

Mothers Day Moments

1. Coffee I didn't have to make

2. A beautiful stained glass cross from my family chosen by my daughter.

3. Wonderful musical cards

4. Everyone ready for Church without arguing or screaming.

5. Time spent with my favorite 5 month old and his 8/9 week old friends in the crib room at church.

6. Rocking two screaming children from Africa while their mothers sang in church.

7. Enjoying rocking two children from Africa who fell asleep while their mothers sang in church.

8. Listening to the Baptism of 3 adorable babies.

9. Watching my husband put together dinner for our family and my parents.

10. A quiet day at home, relaxing.

11. A wonderful dinner and evening with my parents.

12. Finishing the day reading to my children, who love to read to themselves but still love to curl up in bed and let me read to them.

I am so blessed to have a wonderful, supportive and caring mother. I am also blessed to have a family who loves me and friends who share their children with me. It was a wonderful Mothers day!

Great Weekend

1. My son's eye allergies are getting better.
2. We got rid of some stuff at our village wide garage sale.
3. My son is learning to save his garage sale money for another Wii game.
4. The kids learned how to clean the bathroom today! :)
5. They are willing to start a job chart again for their allowance.
6. They helped clean the house.
7. The house is clean.
8. The sun is shining.
9. We enjoyed pizza and a movie last night.
10. We had a great weekend.

Heartache

Today I found out a PTA mom at my kids school lost her 20 year old daughter in a car accident this weekend. I have felt sick all afternoon. I have been a lot more patient with my kids. The little things that need to get done around the house don't seem so important anymore. Yet I went about the tasks in almost a robot like state. I hurt for this family. Its hard to know what to say or do for them. I know I will pray for them.

My daughter received her Bible today at church and was reading it before bed. As my heart swelled with pride it also ached for my friend.

WEEKEND OF FIRSTS

1. My little girl had to pick out her first pair of glasses.
2. My son got his first pair of contact lenses.
3. I got my first sun burn of the spring/summer season watching my sons baseball practice on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon.

Book Fair

I am on the brink on another stressful week. It is a different kind of stress...a good?? stress. Tomorrow I will begin setting up for the Buy One Get One free bookfair at my kids school. I love books and I love watching kids get excited about books. This is the week that I am reminded why I did not go into retail sales though. Tuesday evening through Friday, I will be running a cash register none stop. I will also see a lot of books leave in the hands of children, parents and teachers. It is rewarding in its own way. I will also spend evenings at home that I would normally be spending at work. The best part of bookfair....? I will be rewarded with daily hugs from some of my favorite kids. I'm looking forward to another book fair.

TEARS

Last Saturdays tears were tears of frustration, fear, helplessness, sadness and anger.

This Saturdays tears are huge tears of relief, happiness, gratefulness and thankfulness...ooohhh and did I say relief.

Dinner tonight was a Celebration of healing that has begun after an emotional Service of healing that is already working.

Tears of joy!!!

Top Reasons why.....

Top Reasons Why This Was A Difficult Easter

1. My brother is still in the ICU after heart surgery.

2. It is our first Easter without Nonnie.

3. My little girl found out about the Easter Bunny and Santa. :(

Top Reasons Why This Was a Great Easter

1. My brother responded to us today! :)

2. We spent a wonderful morning in the crib room at church with the new babies.

3. My little girl still had a fun Easter.

4. We had some beautiful snow and beautiful sunshine. Sometimes at the same time.

5. I had a wonderful evening with family.

6. My brother responded to us today!!!! :)

Our God is an Awesome God!!

Another stressful week

The hamster is doing well. He sleeps all day. He is a boring pet actually.

I"m getting over my conversation with the hamsters owner.

I'm enjoying sleeping in late during my kids spring break week.

I'm anxious about Good Friday and Easter weekend for many reasons.

Good Friday is Tinmans surgery.

This will be our first Easter without my mother-in-law.

My kids are questioning the "realness" of the Easter bunny and Santa. I"m not sure I want them to lose that part of their childhood so soon after losing Nonnie.

This has the potential to be another stressful week.

2008 has not been simple yet.

Thank goodness for new babies to enjoy.

I am looking forward to the crib room on Easter Sunday.

AGREE to DISAGREE but she's wrong.

A church/school mom friend just brought over their hamster for our family to watch while they go out of town for a baptism. While she was here she saw Barack Obamas book that I am reading. WOW, she does not like Obama. I felt like I had to defend him. It didn't help. Apparently she was rooting for RUDY Guilliani. hhhhhmmmmm When she said she was worried that Barack would mess things up, I childishly replied that he couldn't do worse than Bush has. She said she would vote Bush in for 4 more years if that was possible. NNNNNOOOOO. It was at that point I told her to have a great time on her trip and call us when she got back. We went back to a cordial conversation. I guess what made me so angry was the petty things that bothered her about Barack. She even said she wished people would open their eyes. He is brain washing people. Some of the most intelligent people I know are huge Obama fans and have been for years. They aren't easily brain washed. Oh well, we will remain friends and will learn to agree to disagree. We definitely have different views. I will take good care of the hamster. I won't take it out on him.

Auntie Joy

This has been an incredible week as I discussed in my last post. I have met three adorable babies. I have felt like "Auntie" Joy this week. Two special families in my life have new babies and although we are not sisters by blood, we are sisters!! I was telling another special friend/sister last night that although I have never had a sister, I feel like I have many now. Last week I received so much love and support from my sisters and their families after my mother-in-laws death . We have been sharing our sorrows and our joys.
Two of the babies are adjusting nicely to their families. One is having a more difficult time. One of the twins had to be readmitted to the hospital. It is a scary time for his family but also for all his aunties. We have a phone tree so we can keep up with what is happening with the littlest of the new babies. His mother updates us regularly.
We have an amazing group of sisters/friends. I love these babies as if I truly was their auntie!! We are all bonded in love for each other. God has brought us all together. What an amazing feeling to have an incredible extended family. Welcome to the family kiddos. We love you.

2008

What a busy, incredible, emotional year this has already been. Several weeks ago good friends of ours lost their mother/mother-in-law. Right around that same time different good friends lost a very important person to them. Then we lost our mother/mother-in-law. All 3 passed away too young and to horrible illnesses. We are all still grieving and learning to live with the loss of our loved one.
This week has been a different, incredible, emotional week. This week we are crying tears of joy. Friends had twins on Monday. They are healthy, beautiful babies and mom and dad seem to be adjusting to a family of 6. Today another baby came into our lives. A beautiful 3 month old boy joined a family of 4 to make 5. We are still waiting for another friend to deliver her baby anyday.
What an incredible wave of emotions over the past few months/weeks. Waiting for life to end and watching new lives begin. 2008 has only just begun. What else will this year bring? Whatever happens with the remainder of this year I know I can face it. What an incredible family of friends I have. We share our sorrows and our joys. We experience it all together. Now thats incredible. Bring it on 2008.

Blessed

We are truly blessed by wonderful friends, family, pastors and an amazing church family. Thanks for making a extremely difficult time a little easier.

WAITING

The definition for "wait" in Webster Handy College Dictionary is.. remain, expecting something. We spend a lot of our lives waiting, expecting something. Waiting for a phone call, waiting in lines, waiting for test results, waiting for Christmas morning, waiting for a friends baby or babies to be born, waiting for the time to come when we are called to heaven.
I laid in bed last night thinking about life and death. We are waiting for our friends twins to be born. Two lives just beggining. But we are also waiting for a life to end. We have had a wonderful past 5 months with my mother-in-law. We know the time is coming that she won't be with us. Its strange to be anticipating new life but also anticipating the end of a life. It's comforting to know that God is watching over both.

OOPS

OK this is very childish and not very christian of me...but does this picture scare anyone else? From her expression to her hand on the flowers. You can't be too careful.

Happy Hearts Day

Happy Valentines Day. I am truly blessed with a wonderful husband, incredible kids, wonderful supportive and loving family and truly amazing friends. I have a job that I love and a church that is home. What a wonderful day to celebrate love. Thanks be to God.

YES WE CAN

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23068044/

Evaluation/Performance Appraisal

Today I received my performancel appraisal or Evaluation at work. I was very pleased with a very positive evaluation and a nice merit raise. Here comes the but.... but on the very last page under comments I get something like.... Joy is a wonderful Mobile RN (my job title) but she needs to learn to be away from and not do so many things with another Mobile RN. "It is ruining the reputation of the position". WHAT??? How can you get a wonderful eval and then from the same person.... "It is ruining the reputation of the position"? After asking for specifics I find out the Department Director and Patient Care Managers of the floors we do the most work for are upset that "sometimes" the Mobile RNs are seen on the floor together asking if anyone needs help. "It gives the perception that you aren't busy" UUUUGGGGHHHHH So in other words, we shouldn't be walking the halls together. WE DO PROCEDURES TOGETHER!!! "That is OK just don't do rounds together". How can you get a glowing evaluation and nice raise and then a comment like..."Its ruining the reputation of the position".
My boss and I had a good discussion and she changed the wording on the comments to be more specific about not doing rounds together.

I guess I should focus on the positive but it has been hard today. So, I'm going to LET GO and LET GOD.

VOTE

Today is an exciting day in the life of all Americans. We get to cast our vote for who we want to run this country. I have never been this excited about an election. I have never been this excited about a candidate. How great it is to be an American and have a choice.

YES WE CAN! GOT HOPE!

Two 11 year old boys

1. Yesterday as I was getting ready to take the kids to school, my son asked me, "Mom have you ever campaigned this hard for any other candidate?". I explained to him that I really didn't see my self as campaigning and No I have never been this excited about a Presidential candidate. He said with pride in his voice, "But you are campaigning. You have a bumper sticker on your car and you have sent out emails". He had pride in his voice. What a good feeling that was.

2. Last night towards the end of my work day, I was feeling particularly tired and ready for the shift to end. It had been a busy day. I went into the ER room of an 11 year old boy who was headed to surgery to have his appendix removed. I had to give the dad a form to fill out to be admitted. The boy seemed extremely uncomfortable. Come to find out he needed to use the restroom. Because of a cumbersome IV, I took him to the nearest bathroom. I asked him if he was doing ok and he told me he was scared. We talked about the surgery and what was going to happen. I explained that he would be asleep and wouldn't feel a thing. He then began to talk about his mother who had passed away several years ago from cancer. He explained that she was a christian and that she decided to leave everything in Gods hands in spite of the fact that his dad and he reminded her that God have given the Dr.'s the knowledge to help her. She refused chemo and died. We talked about his dream of wanting to become a professional magician. He said he knows his mom is watching over him. I reassured him that I believe she is watching over him and that God is by her side. When we were finished with our conversation he told me he enjoyed talking to me. I told him I enjoyed it too and that I would be watching for his name as a professional magician.

Those 11 year old boys made my day completely worth while. Its an incredible feeling to start the day knowing your son is proud of you. Its an incredible feeling to end the day with another 11 year old boy who touched your heart through a 5 minute conversation.

A Glimpse of Spring.

We got a little glimpse of spring today. Yesterday the high temperature was, I believe, 15. Today we were up to 55. It was nice, even though there was a slightly bitter wind.
We signed up little drummer boy for baseball.
Took him to School of Rock (his band at the music store where he takes drum lessons). I had some time to read more of Barak Obamas book.
We stopped at Bread Co. for a mocha for me and cookies for the kids.
Then we went home and washed the car. Pearl is so pretty all clean. She is white again instead of dirty grey. The kids even spent some time playing on the swing set.
We had carry out for dinner while watching Ice Worlds on the Planet Earth DVD. Watching animals fight for their food sure makes me appreciate carry out that much more.
Its been a wonderful day. A little outdoor activity (finally), some education, and good food.
Thanks God for a glimpse of Spring. I even spotted some crocus pushing up from the ground.

why?????? part 2

1. Why would someone who stopped smoking at least 2 years ago if not more, start smoking again, knowing a family member of his is dying because of....LUNG CANCER as well as other cancers probably caused by years of smoking?

I just don't understand smoking, I guess.

Why??????

1. Why would a mother continue to smoke while her son battles cystic fibrosis?
2. Why would another mother of 7 children who is on medicaid and receives WIC (women, infant and children) assistance continue to spend money on cigarettes?
3. Why would a mother and child who both suffer from asthma not use the medicines that will control their asthma and allow themselves to become obese?

I am trying so hard not to be judgemental, but when I see children suffering with an illness that is treatable, I get frustrated.
Cystic Fibrosis is not a disease that can be cured. However, if parents are compliant, these children can live long lives.

4. Why would you continue to do something that could cause your childs illness to be worse?
5. Why would you continue to spend money on cigerrettes instead of food for your children?
6. Why do we make bad choices?

List of Things to do Today

1.Happy Martin Luther King Day. I plan to take time today to think about the importance of Dr. Kings life.

2. Spend a few moments with my kids before work. I"m going to try not to rush around.

3. Pray for my friends and family battling cancer.

4. Spend some time at work today with my favorite patient. If I can't play with my kids, I'll play with someone elses.

5. During my lunch or dinner break, I would like to take time to catch up on the election.

6. Call my family before they go to bed.

7. Thank my parents for all they do for us.

8. Kiss my family when I get home.

9. Pray some more

10. Count my blessings before I fall asleep.

A long Wonderful Day.

Yesterday, I spent 2 more hours at work than I should have. It was a very busy day. I went in at 9 instead of 11 to help a co-worker with several procedures. Another co-worker of ours called in sick. She missed an incredible day. We helped several patients, some were able to go home after their procedure. The best part of my day began 1 hour before I should have gone home. One of my favorite patients came in for his "tune-up". He has Cystic Fibrosis and has to come in every 3 months to receive iv antibiotics. He is allergic to these antibiotics, so the first time he receives them we have to give them slowly. We start with a very very low dose until about 3 hours later he is up to his regular dose. Every 15 minutes we change the medication on his pump and take his vital signs, while praying he won't have a reaction. This favorite patient of mine and I have a special ritual during this time.....we look at I Spy books.
I have always loved curling up in bed with my kids and reading. It is a special honor to curl up with someone elses kid and look at books. It warms my heart when Michael says to me, "Joy, can we look at I Spy books again". It makes my exhaustion today worth every yawn.
One of our sedation doctors stayed late yesterday as well. Because of that, 2 more children received the procedure they needed. As we thanked him for staying to help us he said, "It's all about the kids". It is definately all about the kids.
It is so rewarding when a patient is happy to see you, gives you a hug and lays his head on your arm while looking at a book together. I miss my kids so much while I am at work but they have learned that I have other kids too.
Thank you God, for patients like Michael who make it all worth while.
Amen

A Family Activity

I have never truly been interested in politics. I find it boring. But for some reason, this year, I am interested. My kids are showing an interest too. Tonight we watched a half hour show on NICK Jr. about the upcoming election. It talked about the primaries, what electoral votes are and even about each candidate. They had kids on the show telling why they would vote for a certain candidate. My kids were asking alot of questions. It was very informative. It even gave the kids a website to learn more and they can actually vote. http://www.nick.com/kpp So, we decided that we would learn more about the Democrats and the Republicans so we can be informed voters. Tomorrow I will look up the candidates and print out some information so we can learn more. My little drummer boy suggested I google 2008 Presidental Candidates so I could get each ones website. I am actually excited about this. It will be interesting to see what we find out and if we agree on the topics. I let you know how its going.

Thanks Santa

Getting the kids to clean their rooms has historically been a huge battle. This year Santa (I love Santa) brought the kids their own stereo's for their room. Now they can listen to radio Disney and rock out while cleaning. Its been easier getting them to clean. It may not last long but I can enjoy it for awhile.
Thanks Santa.

Early Dismissal

Today the kids had early dismissal from school. They were out at 11:30. We drove straight to the movie theatre. We had popcorn and a big pretzel for lunch while we watched....Alvin and the Chipmunks. It was a wonderful afternoon. We loved the movie. The laundry is still piling up and the house is a mess but I enjoyed some time with my kids. OOOHHH gotta go the pizza is here. Didn't cook dinner either. :)

First book of 2008

I typically like to read mysteries by Mary Higgins Clark. Those are my favorite. I am also a fan of the Harry Potter series. My little girl is a huge reader. she almost always has a book in her hand. I am going to try to be more like her. I was saying I needed a new book to read so she gave me her copy of A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'engle. Its a classic I have never read. So I started it on Friday.
I have also vowed to become more educated especially in the area of polictics. I want to be an educated voter. So, tomorrow I will start reading one of Barack Obamas books. A good friend offered it to me. I'll let you know how I'm doing.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow I will go to work but it will be a different day. I will spend time with a friend whose daughter is having a biopsy of a brain tumor. This type of procedure goes on every day at Cardinal Glennon. Every day it makes me sad. This tears at my heart so much deeper. I hope I can be of some help to them. The mom in me is going to over power the nurse in me as it usually does. I just hope I can be of some comfort.

Goodbye 2007

I've been putting Christmas decorations away today. As I take things down and put things back I have also been taking the time to throw things out and dust. New Years day I went through the 2007 calendar and filled in all the birthdays, anniversarys and any other dates I need to keep track off . I'm trying to stay more organized this year and keep on top of things. I want to keep things more simple, so I have more time to enjoy life.

Recently I found out a friends daughter...who happens to be my daughters age...has been diagnosed with a brain tumor. Several of us have lost touch with this friend over the past few years but we will forget about that and be there for them now. Cancer is way to close to my family right now. My mother-in-law, a mom of one of the Brownies in my little girls troop and now Emily. I've seen shirts on parents of cancer patients at Cardinal Glennon that say "Cancer Sucks", it sure does. We have to keep it from taking the joy out of our lives.

I guess my throwing out is a way to get rid of those "things" that aren't important. That way I can focus on what is important.
My hope and I guess resolution, is to spend more times saying "yes, I will play a game with you or read to you or watch t.v. with you" to my kids, instead of saying "no, I have to do laundry, or clean, or check bank statements, take decorations down, etc." All this stuff that is happening to friends and family around me is such a reminder to enjoy every second you have.
Sorry to be such a downer today. January always makes me a little melancholy. The house seems dreary without all the bright decorations.
Tomorrow, after the tree is down and all the decorations are put away, we can truly clean out the dust and maybe even rearrange a little( in many ways).
So, here's to 2007 and welcome 2008 with whatever you bring.
Gracious and loving God, be with us all in 2008. Help us to turn to you with the ups and the downs. Especially be with my family and friends that are dealing with the downs right now.
Amen