Tribute to Hearing and Vision

Today is the first Christmas event of 2012.  Our Hearing and Vision team is having a luncheon.  This is an annual event that marks the end of another screening year.  Mom and I started doing screenings in 2001 and this will be the last year for us both as well as most of our team.  Over the years I have had the privilege of working with many wonderful ladies.  I know next September will be a bit sad not returning to the schools.  But just like a good book, to start a new chapter you have to turn the page and I am ready to start a new chapter.  I have a few ideas on what to do next but will have to see what I actually end up doing.  Thank you mom for being our team leader!  You did a great job setting up our schedule and working with the nurses to prepare the way for our team.  You were always diplomatic in solving issues.  Maybe politics is in your future, just kidding I wouldn't wish that on anyone.  Thank you to the other team members I have worked with over the years.  It was always a pleasure going to work.  We didn't have the petty drama often associated with working with a group of women.  Many memories were made some good and some not so good.  During our down time we had great conversation and solved many issues from politics to family life.  Best wishes to you all as you move on to other things.  Judy if you ever feel the need to carpool just text and I will gladly accompany you wherever you go.  Tere you were always worth waiting for.  Dorene I know I can share a cup of coffee with you anytime.  I love you all!!!!!

 

Laughing at Myself

Sometimes you just have to laugh at yourself.  This was one of those mornings for me.  I decided my hair was ok so I didn't need to wash it and began my morning routine.  Since it is Saturday I wanted to give some false eyelashes a try.  After 2 hours of primping with my hair and eye makeup it was clear this was a very bad idea.  I looked and felt anything but pretty.  My eyes were red and puffy and it looked more like I had been in a fight instead of getting my "Kardashian" on.   So I jumped into the shower and started the whole process again.  Thirty minutes later I am ready for the day.  I look and feel like myself again.    Ever have one of those days?  Sometimes you just need to crawl back in bed and start again.

Waiting on Sandy

Tree that came down a few weeks ago

How do you prepare for Sandy also known as Frankenstorm?  From what I could tell the major prep began around Thursday.  The stores were stormed with crazed shoppers in search of water, batteries, flashlights,milk, bread and generators.  Lines at the gas stations were record setting.  I guess the big storm the end of June and first of July, where so many lost power is still fresh on peoples mind.

Generator house 

We cleaned out our 5gallen water jugs and refilled them with fresh water.  Outside we secured the deck furniture, mowed the grass and raked leaves.  We are also the new owners of a generator, power does go out around here fairly often.  We had to throw out all our refrigerator and freezer food after the last storm.  The lanterns have been gathered and put on our kitchen table easily accessible.  Cell phone batteries are charged and our pantry is stocked.  Now we wait.

So today is the day.  Oh no we woke up to no power. Rain is steady but not torrential and the wind is more of a breeze so why is the power already out?  This is definably not the start we had hoped for.  Glenn pulls the generator out of its box and decides breakfast out and a Home Depot run is in order.  Armed with a full tummy, extra gas (take that any way you want) and more extension cords we return  home to find the power back on.  Yea!!!  Glenn starts building some kind of structure outside for the generator and I iron, clean the kitchen and check Facebook, Twitter and local news.  We have both have our priority's LOL.

Everyone stay safe and enjoy some family time playing games and carving pumpkins.  I will write an up date later.  

Family Vacations

After a resent family vacation, I was reflecting on how our family vacations have evolved.  I became a Mrs. twenty seven years ago and started making family vacation memories with my husband.   Not counting our Honeymoon we took our first vacation a few months into our marriage.  We wanted to go to Australia and being short on money and cheep decided to go Air Force Space "A" or HOP.  With just the two of us who needed a plan.  Getting to Hawaii was easy and late every afternoon Glenn would call all the different bases to find an empty room for the night.  It was big on adventure on short on plans.  After several attempts to get a flight to Australia we gave up and just took the next plane we could (Japan).  This is still one of my favorite vacations.  It was a huge leap out of my comfort zone.  We road trains and subways having to come up with creative ways to find our stop since the signs were all Japanese writing not letters we could read.  We ordered food from pictures and prayed it was cooked not raw.  One time we ended up with enough food for 6 people.  What a great start to filling pages in our Family Vacation memory book.

When our first son was about 3 months old I found a special at a Marriott in Charleston SC.  Yes, we needed a romantic weekend get away.  LOL I didn't realize that an infant and romantic don't mix.  Our little bundle of joy started crying as we arrived at a nice seafood restaurant.  Our dinner was a success due to a grandmother who asked if she could walk the baby while we ate.  Thank God she was good at catching and not a kidnapper since I launched our little son at her.  Later at the Marriott there was a lot of screaming (hold on this is rated "G") it was our baby.  Finally around 5am we gave up and packed up our romantic weekend and went home.  :( 

Beach in Hawaii

Chincoteague wild ponies

Our next attempt was a few months later, now our child is a toddler.  I spent all day getting ready so we could leave as soon as Glenn got off work.  We head back to Charleston but camping this time.  We finally arrive at our campsite around 9 pm all is quiet except us and our excited toddler.  Once again after no sleep and a very awake little boy we pack up and go home.  I would have loved to here what the campers next to us had to say.  They probably thought it was a nightmare since they never saw us come or go. 

Durango Colo

Not to happy Indians

Our family became 5 and since there were more of them than us we finally got smart and took a more kid friendly approach.  State parks, Disneyland, amusement parks, zoos, lakes, beaches and family visits became our vacation spots.  Thanks to Nintendo (Game Boy) one for each, our car ride was more pleasant.  I would wrap small games, toys, puzzles and snacks to open when boredom set in.  We usually camped so they could expel energy running around and yelling without disturbing anyone else.  We made some great Family Vacation memories.

Yellowstone

Lake of The Ozarks

Now our sons are married so I have daughters on vacation.  It's nice not being the only one who needs more than 2 pairs of shoes.  We can do girl things like paint nails and change our clothes several times a day.  We don't have to do everything as a group but can do our own thing also.  It is definitely easier to relax now.

Nail drying dance

Bethany Beach

I look forward to the next chapter in Family Vacations with little ones back in the picture.  But this time I get to have all the fun with them and my kids get to do all the work.  Life is Good! 

Good Bye Aunt Lorna

Aunt Lorna's memorial service was yesterday but I wasn't able to attend.  I thought it fitting that I write my own goodbye. 

I was thinking of footprints, not the carbon kind but the ones left after you have walked on.  My Aunt Lorna left many footprints just on my life alone.  My first real memory of my aunt was around the time I was 10.  My brother and I went to stay with my aunt and uncle the summer after my father passed away.  This continued for several years.  I didn't realize at the time what all this meant,  for my brother and I it was a chance for two city kids to play cowboy and run around like wild Indians.   For my mother it was a chance to grieve, heal and put her life back on course.   For my aunt and uncle it was more mouths to feed and more kids to keep track of.  Believe me if my memory serves me right the five of us were quit a handful.  Some of the things we did on those summer days will forever be kept for our memory alone. 

My Aunt was the one determined to keep the Wiegers family together by planing reunions every three years.   These were a big deal since the family started with seven siblings and added spouses, kids, aunts and uncles.  Everyone would convene on their farm in Kansas.   I can still see Aunt Lorna in her kitchen cooking and delegating the food preparation.   I remember a pickup bed filled with ears of corn.  In Kansas you didn't eat just one ear but at least one more than you tummy could hold. 

After I was married Aunt Lorna would still reach out to me with a birthday cards and later with Facebook messages.  Even though I really didn't spend much time with my Aunt she made many footprints in my life.

(Aunt Lorna is the lady with the sunflower blouse.)











I know she touched many other lives as well.  She was a very active member in her community.  Even though  I would like to think my brother and I were the only ones, other nieces, nephews and grandchildren were treated to her farm retreat.  Her footprints have moved heavenward but I am certain she has inspired others to step in. 

Thank you Aunt Lorna for the love and care you showed me.  You will be missed! 

Time Flies

Yes, time flies!  It has been forever since my last post, I have thought about it, does that count?  NO!!!!!  Just like seeing a friend and saying I have thought about you but time got away before I called (Sorry).  Like everything in life it is about prioritizing and starting again, trying to do better this time.    Since it has been so long I feel like there is a lot to say so first let me focus.  Ok, got it.  My first thought on "Time Flies"

Last week my youngest son graduated from college (WOW).  I use to call him my baby since he is the youngest of three and it bothers him just a bit.  He is far from being a baby though.  He is a husband, a college graduate, a hard worker and he makes decisions and lives with the consequences.  I enjoy having adult children and a new sort of relationship that goes with that.  If I continue to just see them as my babies I would miss out on a great opportunity.  I am now reaping the benefits of raising them.  They are my friends, advisers and support team.

As I reflect back over the years my main advise to young mothers is don't be in a hurry to move on to another stage.  Enjoy the soft fuzzy hair of your newborn, the constant activity of your toddler, the challenge of wills in elementary, the mood swings of a per-teen, independence of a teenager and struggle to be an adult in college.  Each phase flies by and can not be revisited or redone.  Invest your time wisely and enjoy the moment you are in.