Remember You

Recently Molly's been asking, "does that remember you of....". Tonight she was playing in the living room and kept talking to her friend Celia and choreographing the Celia dance; it remembered me of our sweet friend, Celia.

photo courtesy www.betzfamilycolumbus.blogspot.com

I've written about Celia and her family many times and I come back tonight to ask again for support. As you peruse online retailers please consider stopping at bdsra.org and making a donation. All donations through the end of the year will be doubled through generous match pledges.

I hope that this post remembers you of a cause that needs your help to save future children from its devastation.

Sweet 16

I don't remember my 16th birthday but I remember getting my driver's license the morning after getting my wisdom teeth pulled. 

Tomorrow Alec's celebrates his 16th birthday and although its not important that he remembers that he chose chocolate covered strawberries and chocolate covered bananas instead of a cake or that he chose to eat at Waffle House when we offered any restaurant in a 30 mile radius. But I do hope he remembers how much we celebrated him, how much he and his sister laughed tonight while playing who knows what, how much we value him, and how much we love him. 

I hope I remember the other night while practicing night time rain driving that Alec said to me, "We are making memories tonight."

Here's to a birthday full of memories......

What a Man

I joke that this picture shows the Molly will choose the right partner because she's already chosen one who can cook! But don't all parents hope that if their children choose a partner that they choose one who will be a much better partner than we are? Someone that they can share a lifetime of happiness with?

I was on the phone with my mom the other day and she asked me about something and I replied that I didn't know because Mike handles that for our family. She reminded me, as she often does during hunting season, how lucky I am. And she's right!

I believe that most people's attributes shine during times of stress, chaos, or tragedy. I wouldn't say my surgery yesterday was tragedy by any means, but I did end up with more holes in my abdomen than I expected! Although it wasn't chaotic like my appendectomy it was stressful for my family whose lives were rearranged to accommodate me. 

Mike went with the flow, loaded bags, cars, chargers, and kids. Didn't eat his breakfast in front of me and spoon-fed me ice chips when I stubbornly refused to drink water from my first nurse. He attempted to listen to my garbled drug-induced slurred speech when he gently reminded me I only had 45 minutes left in recovery before they were going to give up and get me a room and I rebutted that I certainly couldn't walk out of the hospital if I couldn't even open my eyes.

I'm so blessed that Mike chose me as his lifelong partner and I hope my children find a partner who is half the one that Mike is. I certainly need to do a better job at showing him how thankful I am to have him in my corner! And no, honey, this post was not medicinally induced - love you.

Becoming

I was shocked to see how long it had been since I posted! Where in the world have we been? Well we've been working, parenting, and chauffeuring - much like most. 

There are moments when I wish away the time, even though I know better. Moments where I think, "I can't wait for Alec to drive." or "I can't wait for Molly to be able to shower." I'd like to be able to say I catch myself and quickly change my train of thought but that doesn't always happen.

But the other night, I was talking to a friend who's house recently went into contract. She was talking about how this is the beginning of getting something her family's always wanted. While I understand the want of something bigger when you have small children, the realization came to me that in less that THREE years, we will be one less in our day to day living. Alec will be miles away making his dreams come true.

Alec talks about college and how much he hopes to work as a game warden or a park ranger. He talks about going to far away states that are more rural and desolate than Ohio (hard to believe that's possible as we enter the winter months). Excited to live through harsh winters in a virtually solitary life. While I can't imagine that life, I hope the life he chooses brings him as much happiness as he brings me.

There are times I feel slighted that I didn't get to witness his first steps and I don't have memories to share about his first words or his first day of school. And while those things are important, I get to share how I witness every day him becoming a man. I get to hear him talk about his future, help him make those dreams become a reality.

I think those privileges are just as good, if not better, than those years of firsts. And I pledge to do better at being in the moment instead of wishing it away.

Photo Dump

I finally got around to take the photos off my camera and realized how behind I truly am! Each of these events deserve their own post but I have to accept the reality that its not going to happen.

 First day of Pre-K

 First day of Dance

 Katey's Homecoming

Hanging out with my mom; beyond thankful she's feeling like herself again.

The perfect caption escapes me. Please offer suggestions :) 

Fun at the FAREWalk for Food Allergies 

 Our wonderful city; wonderful friends

 Support from friends

Always something to explore 

Preschool Fall Family Fest 

No longer neighbors but still BFFs 

The Works Museum 

Little bits of my dad everywhere we go 

Future ice cream scooper? 

I think she looks good in a white lab coat 

Molly magnified

Plans

Other than the grocery or my commute, I can't tell you the last time I've been alone. And I LOVE to be alone - one of my most favorite past-times is to go to the movies - ALONE. Mike is aware of this so he planned an outing for him and the kids to a Bluejackets game.

Well a certain 15 year old got a little mouthy about the quality of our seats. He is under the impression that his $8/hour part time job warrants box seats, so he relinquished his ticket to me.

Oh joy.

My evening alone was stolen right out from under me. Instead of sitting in the silence of my house, I sat in the noisy arena. Instead of stretched out cozy on the couch with my blanket, I was bundled with a fleece and a scarf in section 202. Instead of getting ahead on my to-do list, we rushed home and jumped into bed for school the next day.

And I'm so thankful because if my plans wouldn't have changed, I wouldn't have gotten to witness the joy and excitement seeping from Molly's every pore. And I'm sure I'll carve out some alone time for myself, eventually (probably after hunting season).