Well, it is almost Thanksgiving 2011. I have much to be thankful for.
Marissa:
Accepted to UW Eau Claire
Enjoys her job as life guard
Having fun at school this year
Volunteer Barista at Mercy hospital
Owns her own car
Gunnar:
Doing well as an 8th grader
After surgery, 2 casts and a metal brace, his elbow is healing.
A few more OT appointments to go
Has drummed at a CPHS football game
Marched & drummed in Anoka Halloween parade
Pat:
Sober for 3 years
Working with me to re-grow our relationship
Employed (still at EFP)
Playing with camera
Me:
Employed as a consultant
Maintained my 40 lb loss
Still knitting and reading
Trying to convert from Diet Dr. Pepper to tea
19 November 2011
25 September 2011
Recovery Weekend
Gunnar re-injured his right elbow on July 29. It has taken until Sep 13 for an MRI to be determined necessary. Then until Sep 20 to get it scheduled. Then it became urgent to get him into surgery, so that occurred on Sep 23. Of course I had to land a sinus infection on the 22nd. Today G and I are both recovering. I am doing much better than him. He has a straight arm cast and has to miss a few more days of school (1.5 so far, another 2 for sure. He is being a trooper and the doctor said the surgery went well.
Poor kid has been unable to straighten his arm for almost 2 months. Now, after 2 days casted straight, he would really like to bend it! Praying that this will heal quickly so he can get back to being a typical teenage boy.
Poor kid has been unable to straighten his arm for almost 2 months. Now, after 2 days casted straight, he would really like to bend it! Praying that this will heal quickly so he can get back to being a typical teenage boy.
29 May 2011
Graduations: endings & beginnings
My nephew graduated from high school today. He has grown up so fast and I hardly know him. In the short time we had to visit with him and the rest of family, I learned that he is a friendly, polite and caring young man. It was fun to talk with him and see him interact with little Norah.
As we were leaving the graduation party I was overcome with tears. As usual, for me, I tried to hide them while simultaneously trying puzzle through the emotions. What I believe I was, am feeling is loss. With my mom gone, now over 10 years, it is very clear her work to keep us all in touch with each other was not taken up by anyone else in her absence.
Are we incapable, lazy, too busy with higher priorities or were we all hoping another would step in? Maybe we were all just so buried in grief and our own struggles, that we just didn't recognise what we were missing? Well, I see it now. Hopefully not too late...
As we were leaving the graduation party I was overcome with tears. As usual, for me, I tried to hide them while simultaneously trying puzzle through the emotions. What I believe I was, am feeling is loss. With my mom gone, now over 10 years, it is very clear her work to keep us all in touch with each other was not taken up by anyone else in her absence.
Are we incapable, lazy, too busy with higher priorities or were we all hoping another would step in? Maybe we were all just so buried in grief and our own struggles, that we just didn't recognise what we were missing? Well, I see it now. Hopefully not too late...
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17 February 2011
Busy, busy, busy...
Not even sure where to start???
Turning worries into prayers:
Over the last 2 weeks, 4 people I know have been going through cancer treatments. Prayer warriors are really working for these 4 gals. One has 1 chemo remaining and all signs are pointing to remissions. Another is still in the midst of chemo, but test to determine effectiveness are showing amazing results. The third got amazing test results back this week as well. Finally, my SIL's mom had a mastectomy last week. The lab results showed only a small percent of the mass removed was cancerous and the lymph nodes were clear. PRAISE GOD!!!
Slow and steady wins the race:
You may or may not know that I hit a wall the end of October 2010 and just had to do something to get me out of my slump. What I did was join a fitness club and hire a personal trainer. As you can see by the ticker on this blog, I am seeing success. The weight loss faster earlier on, but I am still dropping. Adam is very good at pushing me beyond what I would do on my own, but still actually hurting me. I joke that I cannot believe I am paying someone to torture me!
Aging - Changing places with your parents:
My in-laws are older than my dad. Pat's personality is not one to want to take on tough task/roles, or until recently even admit they exist. He has been amazing me daily as he is stepping up to get things done regarding his dad's memory care and his mother's inability to act on what needs to occur. He is dealing with tons of emotions, learning that his mom might lie or omit when talking to him, his sister (older by 10 years) doesn't want to do the icky stuff, and his dad just isn't "with-it" enough to help himself. Last week Pat brought in a lawyer to get all the different paper work completed and toured some facilities with his mom. This week, after learning that there WAS an opening at the favored facility (another long painfully emotion ridden story), he contacted the center and started the ball rolling for Jack to be assessed and place. His mom has been threatening to "leave him" which at this point he is no condition to be left alone at home even for a short time. The assessor has talked to Pat today, his mom and will be contacting the doctor. Praying that this will come to resolution soon.
Career, work and carpooling:
So, last week the rumors were flying about layoffs. People were really tense and the atmosphere was pretty depressing. Add to that all of the above prayer needs - UGH! In the mean time other opportunities are slow in coming to fruition. A positive note is that I started carpooling a couple/few times a week. Well, the stress of the week finally got to me on Friday. I was lucky enough to get out of my last Friday meeting early. I text my carpool buddy I would be ready about 4:05pm. I pulled my stuff together and headed to the employee entrance. After waiting 15 minutes outside, I walked back into the building. I ended up chatting with the security guard and a co-worker. I didn't realize my phone volume was turned low. Because it was now 4:30pm, I was now getting worried about being in Champlin for my 5:30pm trainer appointment, I pulled out my phone to check on my ride and noticed a message from carpool buddy. He wrote, "Just checking to see if you drove home without me, give me a call!" Embarrassingly enough, I realized I was the one who drove after 35 minutes of waiting for someone to pick me up. All I could say at that point was TGIF.
Positive mish-mash:
Marissa has completed her ACT. Gunnar is a ski machine. Laundry room is getting remodeled. Owe Uncle Sam less than last year. Typing this all out was cathartic. Now I am off to my knitting group which is always a great reliever of stress!
Turning worries into prayers:
Over the last 2 weeks, 4 people I know have been going through cancer treatments. Prayer warriors are really working for these 4 gals. One has 1 chemo remaining and all signs are pointing to remissions. Another is still in the midst of chemo, but test to determine effectiveness are showing amazing results. The third got amazing test results back this week as well. Finally, my SIL's mom had a mastectomy last week. The lab results showed only a small percent of the mass removed was cancerous and the lymph nodes were clear. PRAISE GOD!!!
Slow and steady wins the race:
You may or may not know that I hit a wall the end of October 2010 and just had to do something to get me out of my slump. What I did was join a fitness club and hire a personal trainer. As you can see by the ticker on this blog, I am seeing success. The weight loss faster earlier on, but I am still dropping. Adam is very good at pushing me beyond what I would do on my own, but still actually hurting me. I joke that I cannot believe I am paying someone to torture me!
Aging - Changing places with your parents:
My in-laws are older than my dad. Pat's personality is not one to want to take on tough task/roles, or until recently even admit they exist. He has been amazing me daily as he is stepping up to get things done regarding his dad's memory care and his mother's inability to act on what needs to occur. He is dealing with tons of emotions, learning that his mom might lie or omit when talking to him, his sister (older by 10 years) doesn't want to do the icky stuff, and his dad just isn't "with-it" enough to help himself. Last week Pat brought in a lawyer to get all the different paper work completed and toured some facilities with his mom. This week, after learning that there WAS an opening at the favored facility (another long painfully emotion ridden story), he contacted the center and started the ball rolling for Jack to be assessed and place. His mom has been threatening to "leave him" which at this point he is no condition to be left alone at home even for a short time. The assessor has talked to Pat today, his mom and will be contacting the doctor. Praying that this will come to resolution soon.
Career, work and carpooling:
So, last week the rumors were flying about layoffs. People were really tense and the atmosphere was pretty depressing. Add to that all of the above prayer needs - UGH! In the mean time other opportunities are slow in coming to fruition. A positive note is that I started carpooling a couple/few times a week. Well, the stress of the week finally got to me on Friday. I was lucky enough to get out of my last Friday meeting early. I text my carpool buddy I would be ready about 4:05pm. I pulled my stuff together and headed to the employee entrance. After waiting 15 minutes outside, I walked back into the building. I ended up chatting with the security guard and a co-worker. I didn't realize my phone volume was turned low. Because it was now 4:30pm, I was now getting worried about being in Champlin for my 5:30pm trainer appointment, I pulled out my phone to check on my ride and noticed a message from carpool buddy. He wrote, "Just checking to see if you drove home without me, give me a call!" Embarrassingly enough, I realized I was the one who drove after 35 minutes of waiting for someone to pick me up. All I could say at that point was TGIF.
Positive mish-mash:
Marissa has completed her ACT. Gunnar is a ski machine. Laundry room is getting remodeled. Owe Uncle Sam less than last year. Typing this all out was cathartic. Now I am off to my knitting group which is always a great reliever of stress!
22 January 2011
Struggling for motivation...
I have a fairly long list of things to do today. However, I cannot seem to get motivated to get moving. I have started the laundry, worked with the budget a bit and payed bills. Now all I want is a nap! I think I am going to take one.... NOW.
Maybe more later.
Maybe more later.
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