It takes quite a man

To take a child that isn't his flesh and blood, and give him your last name.

Even if that is all you do, that's quite a lot.

RIP Randy. You were obviously loved by so very many. Thanks for giving Gerrod your name.

http://obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Randy-Andresen&lc=1440&pid=155649261&mid=4972715&locale=en-US

I couldn't post last night

We recieved some very sad news. Gerrod's dad, Randy Andresen, had a heart attack and died yesterday.

I am still in shock, poor Gerrod. Just loosing his mom such a short time ago was hard enough, but this now is just so hard.

I saw a boom truck in town yesterday (Gerrod's dad owned as sign company and did work all around here at times) and I looked to see if it was his.

And I thought. What's going to happen to the business when Randy passes? None of the boys will want it.

And then I thought, I need to call them. I need to get a relationship between him and the kids. They should know him.

And he died.

Don't hold back folks. Make those calls, make the effort, and do it now.

Before you are shocked into the what ifs.

Two years ago

I survived a horrible wreck. I can't get the pictures to upload right this second, but I will try.

By all accounts, I should not have.

Take a minute today to love and hug the people you surround yourself with.

Wear your seatbelt.

Get your airbags checked (mine did not go off)

Become an organ donor.

And thank God for every day you are here!

Happy Birthday

TO MEEEEEE!!!

It's my birthday! I can't believe it! It amazes me every year! I do not feel as old as I am, not even by a long shot! I really do still feel like a teenager (well, mentally, physically, not as much)

I have had a great day, and a great weekend! Thanks to everyone who has wished me a happy birthday, and the nice presents, and cards, and visitors!

What a nice nice day!

It's Sunday

I need to get ready for church.

Sarah is going with us! She's pretty awesome.

Well, so is Chris.

They brought wonderful gifts for the kids for Christmas yesterday.

They just are amazing.

My kids are so lucky to have them in their lives. Not the presents or anything like that, but

The PRESENCE

They play with them, laugh at them, cuddle them, just love them.

They are really Aunt Sarah and Uncle Chris

And my kids are very blessed for that!!

So far

So behind.

But having a great time with Chris and Sarah!!

We went bowling yesterday! WOW!

We STINK!

But we had SOOOOO much fun!

TY used the force

Spencer did this dance kinda thing, also a "pray to ALLAH" roll.

Olivia just hoped for the best.

But it was an absolute riot!

Friday night

YAY for Friday night!!!

It's a nice weekend. Sarah is here (and Chris too) I am so so so happy!

We're going to have sooo much fun!!!

That's all for now!!

This should say THURSDAY!!!!

AAAAAACKKKKK!! I forgot

Why oh why oh why?

Ok, former English Teacher moment here.

If anyone else has taught English, or taken English (so, pretty much everyone) what was your LEAST favorite part?

I bet I can guess what 99.9% said.




Grammar

Yeah, all those nouns, verbs, gerunds, diagraming

Even the hip folks at School House Rock couldn't make it cool, minus Conjunctions

Conjunction, Junction, what's your Function?

Anyway, I digress.


So I have been sitting here tonight, for, oh, about 3.5 hours, making lesson plans for


Grammar

DUN DUN DUUUUUUUH!!!!

Oh, how I have NOT missed thee, I shall not count the ways.

And I still have a LOT more to do.

YIKES!!!

My girls better LOVE me when this is all done!!!

Pain

I am no stranger to pain.
Childbirth
child rearing (haha)
car accident
surgeries

I could go on and on, but tonight, it doesn't seem right.

Cole Deickman, a newly turned five year old boy from Joy, IL passed away this morning from an ugly, hard fought battle with cancer.

Five years old. FIVE.

He turned five last Monday, and now he is gone.

I didn't know Cole, just knew lots of people here who knew him. Heard lots of great stories, great memories, about a sweet little boy. How hard he fought and how brave he was.

And he doesn't have to fight anymore.

He runs free, can laugh and play and love and just be.
He needs no medicine, no hospitals.

He is home.

I can NOT begin to even understand the pain his family must be feeling. To even begin to know the heartache they feel. The loss, the sadness, everything that goes along with it.

But to know that Cole is free. In Heaven, at home. No pain, no suffering, nothing but happiness, and love. To be a new, whole person. To be an angel. I surely hope that this can comfort them while they mourn the loss of their precious and wonderful little boy.

Walk with the Angels, Cole. Know that here on Earth, so very very very many people loved you, even those of us who did not know you. You will be missed, and you will be mourned, but there will be a time when your family from Earth will be with you in Heaven. And that will also be a wonderful day. Much like the day you were born!!!

It's 9 PM. Where is your DH?

hahahaaha

No seriously, mine is passed out on the loveseat.
He works so darn hard, and is so tired. I appreciate all that he does for us. I am so proud of him, and all that he does to make us so happy.

Today, we went to have lunch with my great Aunts and great uncle. Then the kids and I got pants for the kids, and then went to Toys R Us to get some things (for free! Gotta love R Us rewards)

And Gerrod worked his tail off so we could go and do all those things.

My kids are making really great memories and having a wonderful childhood, and I get to be a big part of it. I am so lucky. Gerrod has made that possible.

So here is to my exhausted, sweet, and snoring (and if you read this Gerrod, yes you are) husband. I love you so very much. Thanks for doing all that you do.

And now, I am putting him into bed.

An amazing little boy

has found his wings today.

http://randycourtneytripproth.blogspot.com/2012/01/heavens-little-drummer-boy.html

I have read Courtney's blog forever now, and prayed for little Tripp. He's been such an amazing gift to everyone who has met him IRL or come across his mama's blog.

Tripp is now running free, and happy, able to talk and sing, and do all the things that his little body here on earth couldn't. He is an angel, with God, and walking with Jesus.

I know his mama hurts. I know after three years of holding him in her arms 24/7, I can't imagine how lost she must feel. How empty her arms are.

But I can imagine, as I have read her blog for so long, that her heart is incredibly full. Her little boy, her life, has went home. Has no more earthly suffering. Has made a wonderful and incredible journey to where he belongs.

Courtney, I know you will never read this. I don't know you IRL. But I want you to feel the thoughts and prayers that have come from me. That you are such an inspiration to Mommy's everywhere. I can't imagine that you have comfort now, but in the days and weeks to come, I am hoping for you to start to feel some comfort. I pray for you to remember and relish in the joy that you have from the memories of your precious little boy.

And thank you for sharing him with us.

Phase 10

Thanks again to the Warren family for a fun night of good food and games.

Phase 10 has been one of my favorite card games for EVER, and it has been years since we have played.

We played tonight, and it was a blast, and it brought me back to the Summer before I went to college.

My, Shelbe Hoffman (Parr), Marcie Ruelbello, Jarred Brown, and Ryan Newswander used to play for hours and hours in the evenings. It sometimes got ugly, but it was so much fun.

We used to sit at the kitchen table, and just PLAY.

I had kinda forgotten how much fun that was, just to take a small amount of time and play a game. One that didn't involve characters from TV, or ladders, or counting cherries.

Thanks Mindy and Danny for reminding me of that!!

OOOOPS!

I got all confused by posting twice on Thursday to take care of the one I missed on Wednesday so I forgot to do it Friday.

Confused? Yep, so am I.

The King's Speech

As I sit here and watch this movie, I am moved to say this.

The King is a jerk. I realize that he is just "the way he is" and "how things were"

But DANG!

And now to sit here and watch him cry about not being a king, it just reinforces the idea that royalty just doesn't know how to be common.

But then to hear his wife, the "Queen Mum" be so wonderfully real, is refreshing, and quite heartening.

I'm excited to see how this ends.

So I didn't post last night

Cause I had a lovely surprise! Gerrod came home last night instead of on Friday. YAY!!

So this little update was brought to you late, but brought!

When it rains

It pours here

No seriously, poor Spencer is sick now.

But he got a shot in the butt of antibiotics, and he will get better!

He cracks me up though. He is all pitiful and whiney at home, and in the van to the DR, but we get there and he turns into Mr Happy go lucky, there isn't a thing wrong with me kid!

Trying to make me look like a liar!!!

Aren't kids just SOOOOO good at that?

I mean, when you tell your mom "Oh, he won't eat that"
and they do, three helpings of it.

Or you say to someone "You should hear how well she talks!"
And your precious little child just stares at you like you're crazy, and babbles incoherrently for ten minutes.

Or when you say "My son would NEVER run around with no clothes on outside"
Only to look up and see someone doing the no pants dance out your window.

Can you say, Been there, done that?

I would love to have someone else confirm this. I can't be the only one!!!!

Thought for the day

I had all these thoughts for today, I even just wrote one down, and screwed it up and hit the wrong button, so now, it's just gone.

But that's ok. I love my kids, I love my husband, I love my job as their mama and care giver. I love the rest of my family! I love my church, my pastor and his family, and our church family. I love God, and all the amazing things I have seen him do. I love the school I volunteer at and all the wonderful kids there.

And I love my bed. It's calling me I believe!!

So Nine years ago tonight

A little peanut, 5 weeks and 2 days early no less, was sleeping in my arms, after his first bath and such. He went back to the NICU not long after that where he stayed for a while, but that first night, he was all ours.

I can't believe it's been nine years. You are my little buddy getting all grown up. My mom said tonight "Just think in nine MORE years you'll be 18"

I almost cried (and refrained from telling her to shut up, I wanted to though!!)

Happy Happy Birthday Timothy Yeager! I love you so much! I can't believe I am lucky enough to be your mama!!

I want to be on The Big Bang Theory

I can't explain it, I love this show.

I do not watch much TV. There are a few things that I watch, that aren't PBS, Disney Channel, or others for the kids.

I admit I am my age with an 80 year old woman stuck inside me, cause I LOVE LOVE

Murder, She Wrote

There are very few shows in the past 16 years that I have watched with regularity and anticipation. I quit watching TV shows, mostly cause I would get all wrapped up in one, and then they would cancel it

Off the top of my head, these are the only ones that I have followed regularly, and have NOT been cancelled on me

Crossing Jordan
Mystery Incorporated (Scooby Doo)
'Aloo 'Aloo
Mystery Science Theater 3000

There are lots of shows (and lots and lots) I have started out watching, and just stopped. I'm not so sure why, but I have.

ANYWAY I digress

I want a part on The Big Bang Theory

I really do. I don't care if I have to have Sheldon tell me off, I WANT TO BE ON THERE!!

The writing, the characters, the whole thing makes me laugh out loud at least once an episode, if not ten to twelve times. I mean it.

One night, when Sheldon Cooper was talking about building his own cat scanner, and putting his sister's gerbil in it, and after being able to see inside it for a few seconds before it burst into flames, he made this statement.

"around our house, we started to say You Didn't Have a Snowball's Chance in a Catscanner"

Honestly, I laughed so loud, I woke up the Spencer. I just couldn't STOP!

I didn't start out watching that show when it first came on, but I plan on getting all the Seasons and watching it from the beginning.

So here are to many many more utterings of "Bazinga"

PS I want a Bazinga T-shirt for my birthday!!