Blogging Blues

I've wanted to blog all day about our fun times in Mississippi and about Rob's shoulder surgery. I've also wanted to post a few of the hundreds of pictures that I've had time to edit. But, alas, grown up responsibilities took priority. Now when I have the time to blog and post pictures I am too tired. Plus I have a feeling that it'll be a rough night tonight as Rob is in a lot of pain. So please bear with me for a few days and hopefully sometime this weekend, in between a benefit run for my friend, decorating for CHRISTmas and participating in CHRISTmas festivities, I will have a chance to update you on things. Until then......

What Day is It?

If I hadn't been running around like a chicken with my head cut off the past few days I would know what day it was. But I don't so bear with me. Today/yesterday/whenever I am thankful for my friends that I have. I'm blessed to know I have friends in Sacramento, Reno and Brandon, as well as other places in the US. I have friends that care, that love me despite my faults, that want to spend time with me. I've been able to get together with some of my Reno friends this week, getting together for dinner, a walk, a soak in the hot tub. It's been nice to enjoy friend time as much as I have. I honestly don't know what I'd do without all of my friends!
I'm also thankful for the beautiful sunrise this morning. Every morning I wake up and look out the family room window. Most mornings I grab my camera because the sunrises are too beautiful not to capture on film. I watched the sun come up this morning while I enjoy the calm before the storm (My day was beyond busy!). God is such an amazing artist who knew just what He was doing when he mixed purple, orange, red and pink.
Forgive me if you don't see a blog from me for awhile. The next several days are going to be busy and then it's Thanksgiving. So, if I don't get to ya beforehand.....Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Day 14 and 15 combo.

Yesterday seems so long ago and, as much as I'd like to blog forever about it, I can barely remember it and am too tired to write much regardless. I was sad and had woken up at 3am, not able to go back to sleep. I knew that P would wake up around 6am and would come in to snuggle before starting his day. He started out my day with a smile and lovin', which lifted my spirits. The day ended at Book Club, which also lifted my spirits. The ladies knew I was sad about my co-worker's husband so they respected me by not talking about it. They let me be and loved me regardless.
Today I am thankful that Rob and P got some much needed and long overdue Father/Son time. I talked to Rob a few times and he was really enjoying his time with P. The boys shared laughter and fun times all day! Another thing that I am soooo thankful for is the fact that my part in organizing the MOPS auction is officially. I organized 113 donated items and was so thankful to hand the binder over to the MOPS leader. None of this probably makes sense to you but just trust me when I say I'm thankful to be done with this very time consuming activity. Now when P asks me to cuddle I don't have to put him off to finish my auction tasks. For that I'm so incredibly thankful!

WHY????????????

I'm mad. I'm upset. I can't stop crying. I want to break something. I really want to punch God in the stomach. Why?? Why does a 41 year old man with 3 young boys and a wife with terminal cancer have to die a tragic, unexpected death?
Last night Rob and I went to our first UNR football game. As we walked to our car, little did we know that we were standing within a mere block of where a tragedy would take place 2 hours later. A little before midnight JK Metzker was done watching the game with his friends (Although he's a local sports broadcaster, he wasn't working Saturday) and was heading to his car to go home to his family when a stupid 23 year old drunk driver hit him and fled the scene. JK couldn't survive the injuries he sustained and passed away this afternoon. As mad as it makes me and as much as it puts a damper on my memories of last night, nothing compares to what his wife is going through.
You see his wife is a co-worker of mine and in July she confided in me that her cancer was back and this time it's terminal. She and I have kind of drawn close this year in terms of I take her rowdy Kindergarten class once in awhile to play with my kiddos so she can rest. During those times she usually comes out for a few minutes, giving me updates on her health or family life. I overheard her talking to our principal on Thursday about how her cancer's progressed so much that her oncologist would like her to leave her teaching profession and enjoy what little time she has left...with her family. Or now, I guess, her 3 young boys (Ages 11, 10 and 7). I can't even fathom the grief the family is going through, especially the boys. They have had time to come to grips with their mom's impending death, something she's talked to them a lot about. But to lose their dad, their future sole caregiver, suddenly? WHY? Why do good people have to die young while rapists and murderers and drug dealers continue to walk the streets? It doesn't make sense and right now I'm mad at God about the whole thing. Some day I'll be able to ask Him this but for right now I'm just a ball of emotions with unanswered questions!

I got this pic from her FB page and although it was taken a few years ago it could've just as easily been taken last week...

Day 13: Date Night

Today I'm thankful for the date night Rob and I had last night. It involved "couple time" as well as "friend time". We were supposed to meet a friend before a UNR football game but we were running short on time. So, instead, Rob and I went to dinner by ourselves. It was a new restaurant to me and I LOVED the sandwich I got. After a loud but good dinner we walked across the street to watch UNR defeat Hawaii. We met up with our friend and she and I had a good time catching up while Rob watched the game. It wasn't as cold as I thought it would be, perfect weather for a Fall night game. In fact the whole night was perfect. Rob and I had a great time just being a husband and wife instead of both parents and spouses at the same time. We laughed together, got caught up on life together and enjoyed cuddle time at the game together. I'm very thankful for our quality time together and with friends.

Day 12: Sleeping Beauty

To say I was tired yesterday is an understatement. Between being awake since 2:30AM, running errands, doing stuff for my Bible Study auction, being a mom and getting used to Rob being home for a few hours I was one pooped puppy. (Although I did take a 2 1/2 hour break for the spa with a friend) So much so that both Rob and I went to bed when P did at 7:45! We vaguely heard the phone ring at 8pm because we were both close to sawing logs. Although P woke me up a couple times last night, I am thankful that I got a little over 10 hours of sleep. I woke up to a beautiful sunrise and got some cuddle time with my lil man after I made him and me a big Saturday morning breakfast (Rob chose to leave at 3:45 to duck hunt). The sleep was much needed and I feel like a new person today. For that I'm thankful!

Day 11: Freedom

I know I've blogged a few times about veterans and what they mean to me. The sacrifices a soldier makes is beyond my comprehension. I've never lived in war like conditions like so many soldiers have. I have not gone months without having access to family or friends. I've not had to go without luxuries for extensive periods of times. But to soldiers this is a way of life. So today I am thankful for my freedom that so many provide for me. I'm thankful for the sleepless nights they endure so I can sleep snug in my comfortable bed. I'm thankful that they go without so I don't have to. From the bottom of my heart I say THANK YOU to all the past, present and future soldiers of America!

Football gods

I do not get vocal about many public issues. I tend to keep my views to myself unless asked. But when it comes to innocent children I can't keep quiet. Someone has got to fight for them! This whole Penn State thing has me stirred up. I get angry in 0-60 just thinking about it. As you probably already know, Joe Paterno (the football coach) and the Penn State President were fired by the Board of Trustees because they failed to take proper action against alleged sexual abuse that they were fully aware of. That's the only part of this story that makes me happy.
People are screaming and protesting, saying Paterno "followed protocol". REALLY???? He never followed through beyond "following protocol" and telling the athletic director, yet he has become the victim because he's revered as a football god. People put WAY too much stock in football. Actions are overlooked if it involves a good football player or coach. (Think back to Brett Favre)
What happened to morals? It was his moral obligation to take action beyond protocol! He has 16 grandkids and I'm sure that if one of his grandsons was raped in a locker room he'd be raising cane over it. I know I would! If I was a parent of one of these kids I'd be suing Penn State, Paterno, the Athletic Director AND the Assistant Coach. Because proper action wasn't taken and no one "manned up" to follow through several more boys were sexually abused, molested and raped throughout the years. Innocent boys could've remained innocent if one man had stepped up to the plate to follow an unwritten moral code in society.
I'm getting hot just typing this and I'm trying to be as nice as I can, while still getting my point across. But, heaven forbid, if this ever involved P. That's the way I look at it. I don't care about how many years the guy's coached or how many games he's won. What I see is that because he withheld information when questioned and didn't act more aggressively poor, innocent boys were sexually molested and raped. That, to me, is more important than any football god could ever be!
In closing here is a snip-it from the LA Times that I liked (This was published Wednesday before Paterno was fired).....

"This is not about Joe Paterno. This is about the eight boys allegedly molested during a 15-year period by longtime assistant coach Jerry Sandusky.

This is not about the legacy of an 84-year-old football coach. This is about the legacy of violated preteen children, including one whose alleged rape in a football locker room was witnessed by a graduate assistant who informed Paterno of the incident."


Sad situation all the way around, for everyone involved, especially the football god!

Day 10

Today I am so incredibly thankful that my husband came home after being gone for over 2 weeks. It gets hard when he's away for several reasons and P and I are always thankful when he returns. In fact, P woke me up at 4:45 to ask if Daddy was coming home. He was so excited he wouldn't go back to sleep!
This time we're very excited because he's going to be home for a few months now! This means we'll get to hang out as a family and do fun stuff (well, once Rob starts feeling better after his surgery). So today I'm not only thankful that Rob came home but that he'll be home for awhile!!

Day 9

Today's blog is going to be short because there's really not much to explain. I'm thankful for the time change ONLY on days I work. I don't like the shorter, colder days but I like not leaving for work in the morning when it's still dark. It makes getting out of my warm bed a tiny bit easier.

Super Thankful!!

Today I'm not just thankful for one thing, but two! If you know me you know how much I love my sleep. Rob will be the first to tell you that if I don't get enough sleep at night I tend to get a wee bit grumpy. (I know, hard to believe...ha!) Since we've moved P into a toddler bed he gets up 1-3 times a night. Every night, right before I fall asleep, I think, "How many times will it be tonight?". For the past two nights I haven't been woken up at all!! I've slept from 10 or 11-6am without interruption! By the time P does come into the room I'm wide awake and ready to cuddle for awhile before starting our day. That's my favorite time with him...just after he wakes up and right after breakfast, before he gets too much energy going.
Another thing I'm thankful for is all my pregnant friends. I'll be honest and let ya in on a little secret. A few months ago I would cry when friends and acquaintances would announce their pregnancy because I was bummed it wasn't me. But then I realized that that's a VERY selfish way to look at it. Some people have tried A LOT longer than we have and some of my friends that are pregnant right now have had to take different measures to get pregnant. So I'm thankful for all of their pregnancies because bringing a new life into this world is the most awesome thing ever. And if God blesses us with another child I will be beyond ecstatic! But if HE chooses not to then I'm very, very thankful for the blessing we already call our son!

Day 7: Dogs

This morning Holly Girl gave me a scare. When I put the dogs out they both come right back when it's cold. But, Holly didn't return, despite me and P yelling for her. Almost an hour later she was waiting by the kitchen door. It made me realize how thankful I am for our dogs. Yes, they both drive me crazy (mainly in the evening when they know it's close to their dinner time) but they are good dogs. When P goes to bed for the night one of them ALWAYS lays outside his door until he falls asleep. When they can get away with it, which isn't often, they lie by his booster seat, hoping he'll drop some food.
Ruby and P are the affectionately called the Dynamic Duo because those 2 get into more mischievous. Take this morning for example. I got out of the shower and opened the bathroom door to find P AND Ruby on my treadmill. P was trying to get it to turn on and said, "Doggy run!". I guess he thought Ruby needed exercise. Yesterday Holly Girl had P in stitches while he played fetch with her. In her old age she can't run too much but they both enjoyed themselves. As frustrated as the dogs can make me, I am very thankful to have them as part of the family.

Day 6: Church and Laughter

As you may have read in my blog from this morning, the day didn't start out well. I was grumpy, P was fussy and it was just a day where I wanted to crawl back in bed and pull the covers over my head. That being said, the day did indeed get better! Despite not feeling 100%, P wanted to go to church (I love that!!). We got to church a half hour early because I was all discombobulated this morning. So we ran across the street to Walmart and got the rest of the contents for our Operation Christmas Child box. We were able to turn in our box at church, knowing some little girl in the world will have a Happy Christmas.
The sermon wasn't anything new but it was nice to be in the Lord's house. P was well behaved and I was able to hear the whole sermon. Once we got home, P was running a low grade fever so I gave him some Advil and put him down for his nap. He slept for over 2 hours, which gave me time to get on the treadmill and read my Book Club book.
Once P woke up he was back to his usual happy self. It was really cute because we had bought new tennis balls for the dogs. He was adamant that both dogs each got their own ball. Then he discovered that they both wanted to play fetch with the balls. He was laughing hysterically as he threw the ball for Holly. It was a perfect match because she can't run far and he can't throw far. After we watched the final laps of the NASCAR race, I introduced P to the movie "Cars". He is currently watching it, asking questions and laughing when I laugh. This cold, snowy afternoon has more than made up for the crummy start to our day. So today I am thankful for the laughter I've shared with P and for a great church that I can call my home church, both putting me in a better mood!

Whatever!

We were supposed to get an extra hour of sleep last night, right? Whatever! Whoever came up with that obviously doesn't have young children, let alone young children that are attempting to get sick again. My lil man woke me up at 4:40am and didn't go back to sleep until about 6am, at which point one of the dogs clawed at the door, wanting out. Once we were all up, P wouldn't stop fussing and crying. He hasn't really eaten since yesterday morning and is running a low grade fever. I really want to go to church but don't want to take him out in the cold and expose him to a bunch of people. So I'm torn as to what this day will hold. Right now, because I'm so grumpy, I can't think of what I'm thankful for. But give me a few hours and check back in with me. I'm sure I'll have something then. Until then....whatever!

Day 4 and 5

Day 4: I am thankful for coffee and migraine meds. I woke up at 4am with a horrible migraine. Despite taking meds for it, it didn't subside until 10am. I didn't think I was going to be able to stay at school cause I was seeing black spots and getting nauseous. But I gave my students a heads-up and they were GREAT! They worked super quiet and were ok with me turning a light down low. Between that, the meds and a big cup of coffee I was feeling much better by lunch time.
Day 5: I'm thankful for my parents. My family is so good about calling and Skyping us when Rob is gone because they know that I have long days without him here. Earlier this week my parents called and said they wanted to come to town yesterday and treat me and P to a night "away". They got a suite at a local hotel so we got to enjoy going out to dinner with them, sitting in the hotel hot tub and having fun. P was completely surprised to see them after school and was delighted that he got to go to "Gee's hotel". My parents made the trip, despite the snow, which meant a lot. My parents always go above and beyond and are very generous. So I'm thankful for them, the bond they have with P and for the fun times we share together!

Day 3: Heat

Last night I couldn't get warm so I conveniently went and grabbed some fire wood. I built a nice fire, got in warm clothes and dressed P in his footsie PJs. Then, when I went to bed, I made sure the heater was set to come on throughout the night and crawled into my warm comfy bed. (Since my comfy bed has been mentioned the past couple posts, maybe that's something I should be thankful for.) When I woke up I took a hot shower and then I wrapped up in my warm robe. I knew it was going to be a cold morning so I bundled me and P up then started the car so it'd be warm when we left for school. I started thinking about those less fortunate. I know of one student, and possibly 3, in my class this year alone that are homeless. They don't have the luxury of having heat at their disposal. They have to go without a lot of times. I really hope I'm wrong, but I'll be surprised if they'll be warm during this upcoming storm. It makes me thankful for the easy access I have to warmth and heat. I don't have to wonder what it'd be like to be warm because I know. I'm thankful for the little things in life that I so often take for granted.

Day 2: My Husband

The alarm goes off, loud enough to wake the neighborhood. It's 4:15am according to the clock. I nudge Rob and tell him it's time to get up. Once he's up, I roll over and fall back asleep in our nice warm bed while he gets dressed, ready to brave the 10 degree temps. Most people take their spouse's jobs for granted. I know I have on occassion. But, when Rob tells me stories about what his day's consisted of it makes me more aware of how blessed I am. You see, Rob's typical work schedule is 20 days on (10-12 hour days...if he's lucky!) and 1 day off. Yes, you read that correctly. For every 200-240 hours he works he gets 10 hours off. He works at a job he doesn't like in conditions that can be less than miserable, all so he can provide for his family. He works hard so I can work part time (by choice) and take care of P. Unfortunately his hard work puts him away from home and away from us a lot of the time but we manage. He's had 3 different companies show interest in him recently but the jobs have not panned out for one reason or another. Until a great job comes along that still provides me with job flexibilty he will stay where he's at. I'm thankful that he's such a hard worker and good provider for the family!

30 Days of Thankfulness

For the past few Novembers I've joined with others and have shared one thing I've been thankful for every day of the month. November is a SUPER busy month for us but I'll do my best to stay on top of this.
Today, Day 1, I'm thankful for my cameras. They help me capture priceless moments and share them with family that doesn't live close by. Being behind a camera lens also helps me to unwind, relieve stress, be creative, get away from the world for awhile.
This afternoon I had to go out of town to run an errand for Rob. I was excited about the little road trip because of the scenery. But when P decided NOT to take a nap I no longer had the energy to focus too much on photography. I took my Dad's camera along to snap a few shots, but when looking at what I captured I realized that my lack of enthusiasm was on display in the pictures. None of them are "Wow!" pictures but that's to be expected sometimes. Here are the few that I thought were okay.....

Blessed Beyond Measure

I went to bed feeling blessed and woke up feeling even more blessed. I feel blessed for many reasons but the 2 that are consuming my thoughts today are our son and "wealth". You know, people tell me I'm a good mom and I appreciate the compliment. But quite honestly, I'm just being the kind of mom my mom was to me and my brother. The compliments that mean the most are when people mention how well behaved P is or how friendly he is. Today he received both compliments. I met with our former school secretary about a cancer fundraiser that I'll be putting on to help local kids with cancer. While there she was amazed at how much P had grown since she'd last seen him. She was also amazed at how well he behaved while she and I were talking and how affectionate he was with her. At gymnastics, he did pretty good and even had his coach and me in stitches during the trampoline workout. She commented on his fun personality. At the grocery store the clerk secretly pushed the conveyor belt button, making P think he had done it. She was getting a kick out of his enthusiasm and mentioned that he had a fun personality as well. Hearing all these things made me feel even more blessed. Yes, the twos and threes are hard but lately we've had many more good days than bad. He makes me laugh several times a day and we thoroughly enjoy hanging out together.
The other reason I'm feeling blessed is because we, as individuals and as a family, have so much. We don't need anything and there are very few things we want for. When the holiday season approaches I realize how much we have compared to others. We have a nice house in a beautiful area, a healthy family, good food on the table, newer cars, more clothes than we know what to do with.... I understand that people in our community and all around the world aren't as blessed. That's why I like to "adopt" people around the holidays. To me, Christmas is not about getting but giving. If P never receives another Christmas present, but learns the importance of giving back I will be happy. We are donating most of his Halloween candy to troops overseas. We are also participating in Operation Christmas Child where we give to a child in another part of the world that doesn't have much. Depending on the troop status, we may send a box to a soldier for Christmas or we may adopt a local child through my school to provide for. To me, this is way more important than the presents with my name on them under the tree Christmas morning. If you have a little extra to give and would like to adopt a child or soldier for Christmas, please let me know and I'd be happy to make that happen. Feeling blessed is a good thing. Doing something about it is even better!