new challanges

Welcome to 2013 everyone!

As we bring in the new year I hope everyone enjoyed their family time together, made plans for the upcoming weeks and months, and are ready to make this the best of years yet.

For me, I think this has been one of the better holiday breaks I have had in a few years.  My parents, brother, sister and her family were all able to make it to our house for the Christmas celebrations. I absolutely love having them here and we had many smiles, laughs and presents were an abundance. 

Blaine and I have always been pretty quiet celebrators and this year was no exception.  We celebrated the new year at home with a movie and a little wine tasting (in Kayla's words "yuck").  I think she will stick with the Sparkling grape juice for awhile - ha ha!

I have been planning out my new year resolutions for this year for some weeks now and was a little anxious to get started on one of them, it was to take a picture a day to -

1. Document/remember the year better
2. To get better and using my camera
3. To improve my editing and try new actions

I planned to do start this today but jumped the gun and joined a group about a week or so ago and began posting my daily pictures.  Here is a sample:

Today we learned of two young individuals that lost there lives over this New Year.  It is an understatement to say I am speechless and hurting for them.  My thoughts, prayers and love go to them and their families.

This is such a very harsh reminder of how to keep your loved ones close to you, make sure that we tell them how much they are loved and never ever take them for granted.

 "The clock is running.

Make the most of today.

Time waits for no man.

Yesterday is history.

Tomorrow is a mystery.

Today is a gift.

 That's why it is called the present."

 

 

 

thankful for you

With Thanksgiving seemingly right around the corner, I think we all have been seeing the array of Facebook posts on daily reminders of what each person is thankful for.  Because of these, it has brought some warm fuzzies reading how happy and thankful everyone seems to be and I am thankful for how lucky I am well as all of you.

But then images go through my mind of those that are not so lucky, happy or as thankful.

Not so long ago we witnessed an elderly man sleeping outside on a sidewalk under a building awning; this is not something I had seen before and my heart broke for him.  When I saw this I instantly thought of my family and knew how devastated I would be if I found out they were as unfortunate as he.  What if my grandpa had ended up like this, would someone have helped him?   And then I wonder where his family is and if they cannot help or if they do not know.

My point is, we all need to not just wait for Thanksgiving to be thankful but rather remember how fortunate we all are.  Remember that there are others who need our help, others that need a friend, others that need to know someone cares.

So while you go about your next busy couple of weeks, please remember to pick up a few extra things for the food shelters, drop that extra change off at the bell ringers (they will be out soon!), and volunteer at the homeless shelters. 

And don't forget your family and friends. I cannot tell you how great it feels (to me) when someone remembers me for no specific reason.  A simple email, phone call, text message or a smile and a hello can go miles for somone who just feels down, alone or maybe even left out and forgotten, your little pick-me-up just might make someones day.

 

Thanks for checking in!

 

the assignment

For my photography class we were assigned to take a few pictures over the week and turn in about four to a half dozen photos to be critiqued.  I played around a bit this weekend while the kids were tubing and then of Justin's guitar...I'm needing to get a few more by Tuesday night before I making my decision on which ones to turn in, but in the mean time I would love to hear what you think so far....

Our Fathers

Our fathers toil with hands and heart

to make our lives complete.

They quietly brave the winter cold,

and endure the summer heat.

Our fathers' lives are busy,

but there's always time for us.

They boldly face the ups and downs

and seldom ever fuss.

Our fathers are the greatest dads;

we know you know this too.

But thank you for the chance to share

our love for them with you.

~ David A. Olds ~

Happy Fathers day to all you special guys!!!

Simple summer days

We made the decision early in the week to stay home from the lake this weekend and get some much needed "projects" done around the house.  There are some that have been waiting longer than I would like to admit, but in our defense some are completely destructive and a little overbearing...like wall tearing, carpet ripping, nail pulling, step sanding overbearing.

So with our list in mind we woke early later than normal Saturday morning, dug out our list of things to do and went shopping for T-shirts and sun dresses, a must for all home project...right??  Then headed back home to make lunch and clean out the pool for the kids to swim in while we worked on our list of projects.

This is what happened the rest of the afternoon.

Lunch WAS made...the pool WAS cleaned...but then a pool volley ball game was started and the lounge chair Blaine bought me was held down for literally...WAY.To.Long while I read a book and cheered them on.  Needless to say...the wall is still up, the carpet is still laid and not a single step was sanded.

Then I was treated to a "Date Night" out on the Motorcycle and then to dinner...just the two of us.  What a TREAT!!

Sunday crept up on us way too soon and we just couldn't just let another day go by without making some progress on our list; so we dug in and cleaned out the shed..YIKES! I cannot believe that little shed accumulated so much junk over the years.  Thank goodness we have access to a large dumpster or we would be making a special trip to the junk yard on top of the donation trip with the outgrown bikes and toys. 

Our list only had the one project checked off, but really, who could work on such a beautiful Saturday. 

I have to admit, I like the different seasons we have around here but I sure love hot

summer days!

Hope your weekend was as uneventful, mind calming, smile line creating, and skin aging browning as ours was.

It's never easy

Last weekend started out to be a great weekend, we were up in Little Falls, MN for Justin's Regional hockey tournament.  The team started out a little shaky losing their first game Friday night but came back on Saturday winning the next two.  This put the boys in great spirits and a good spot, they would be be playing on Sunday morning at 9:00am for a chance to play Sunday afternoon for second place. 

We all woke up on Sunday morning with high hopes. Blaine dropped Justin off at the rink, came back to pick us up and to extended our check-out time at the motel in hopes that they would have a win thus giving us a place to be for a few hours since the second game was not to be played until later in the afternoon. 

My phone rang and I saw it was my dad, I naturally assumed to hear his voice on the other end extending a good luck message to Justin, instead I hear his voice crack and my mom in the background...I thought she was coughing but quickly realized something was not right with either of them.  I then hear the news....grandma passed away this morning.

After much deliberation, anger and tears it was decided that the game must go on, Justin would not hear this news until after all games had been played, fortunately, I would not see him before his first game as I am not very good at hiding my emotions.

The game began and they gave it their all but they were defeated, thus also ending their season; they came out with their heads hung low but we reminded them what a great year they had and to make it to Regions was a great accomplishment.  Justin asked if we couild stay to watch the rest of the games that day...it was then I had to whisper in his ear of what I had been trying to hold in until we had some privacy.  His eyes dimmed and his face became expressionless, he quickly told his friends he had to go with no explanation and to the truck we all went.

On that long ride home and then to Grand Forks I did a lot of soul searching and wondering where the time went and how it came to be that I had lost two very special people in my life; and from out of no where comfort settled in and my thoughts turned from hurt to calmness as a vision of the two most in love people I have ever met being together once again.

(This is the sunset I saw on my ride home from Grand Forks)

There life was truly a love story.  They met at a dance (each with separate dates I must add), danced while my mom was growing up, belonged to a square dance group and they danced together until they couldn't dance anymore. They had the kind of love where they were always together, they held hands, and enjoyed each others company...always.  Even after grandpa passed grandma still saw him and spoke of and to him quite often; she even wore his wedding ring on a chain around her neck.

 

I made a video of grandma for her funeral and my sister found the most perfect song to accompany it; it's called Dancing in Heaven, written and sung by Jimmy Scott.  It's on YouTube if you want to hear it.  Here are how the lyrics go:

Dancing in Heaven 

My Mother and Father loved to dance

Music was in their soul
It kept them young though the years rolled on
Their song never grew old

I felt the world fall silent

When I heard they’d passed away

But then from out of nowhere
A song began to play….

Chorus:

Are you dancing in heaven tonight?

Holding each other so tight
Just like you did all those magic nights before
Moving to the rhythm of love

And though I’m gonna miss you so much

I know you’ll be alright
Cause your dancing in heaven tonight

Now there’s a place inside my heart

Where the music never ends
And anytime the teardrops start
I go back there again

I see you dance together

The way it used to be
And then I know that loves a song
That lasts through all eternity

Chorus:

~ Jimmy Scott ~

Here's to great memories and an even greater love story.

Until we meet again...rest in peace.

It only hurts when I fall

This week I have been locked behind doors at work in training; during breaks and lunch I could be found catching up on daily work that I wasn't able to get to.  But today my lunch break was different; after a lab I warmed up my frozen dinner...yum...and scampered back to the training room expecting to be alone catching up again.  To my delight another co-worker brought her lunch in and was looking for company.

As most moms conversations go, it quickly lead to converations about our kids.  She asked me if I was at all concerned for my kids safety when they are playing hockey after the paralysis of Jack.  I explained to her that it was such a freak accident but that I am always concerned and hold my breath each time any one of them go down or look like they are going to go into the boards; but I not only worry for my kids but for all the kids both on and off the ice; especially when playing contact sports.  I then reminded her how kids can get hurt just playing and told her about a school mate a few grades ahead of me who was wrestling with his twin brother at home and the one twin accidentally hurt the other and he too was paralyzed.

Then it reminded me of our own story, much different than either of these two boys and with a much better outcome, but none the less it brought me back to just 2 short years ago when I got a frightening call that sent me running.

 It was September, and Kayla had come home telling me a new friend wanted her to spend the night; this would go against my own rules of meeting the parents first...having a few times together to play before a full night. Against my reluctance, I agreed but only after all the pleading and begging eyes.  What could happen...she's a 3rd grader and this girl lives only a short walk away I kept telling myself.

I helped her pack her bag and on the walk over I THEN found out that neither mom or dad would be there but her older high school sisters would be..again this should have sent me back home with her at my side, but it didn't.  I reminded her that Justin was at a birthday party and that I would need to leave to pick him up but first would be running to Target.  She skipped along holding my hand, hugged and kissed me good-bye and walked in the door to the house of the family I had not met yet.  Doh!

After sitting at home for a short time convincing myself that this was OK, I jumped in the car thinking I have about 25mn of "alone" time at Target - yippee.  At this point I think this is great!  I get to Target and throw my cell phone in my purse and immediately hit the isles.  Target smells different, stores always do when you are not toting kids around or having the hubby walking at your heals wondering why you need to by more smelly shampoo when you have 3 half used bottles already.

As I open and close different bottles, I hear something; look around and see no one around.  I continue on down the isle touching and smelling different bottles...I hear the sound again but once more see no one around.  I move to the next isle with a few bottles in tow, AGAIN I hear the noise but this time it registers what I am hearing.  MY CELL PHONE it's vibrating against something in my purse; oh my GOD I think, how did I not remember to take it off vibrate when I am alone!

I quicky unzip it to find I have missed not 3 calls but rather 4 and all from a number I do not recognize.  I hold the phone for a minute and it rings again; I answer and this is what I hear:

Caller:  Is this Becky?
Me: Yes.
Caller:  Hi Becky, this is xxx's mom and Makayla has had an accident.
Me: Is she OK?
Caller: Silent
Me: IS SHE OK?!? (bottles dropping from my arms)
Caller:  Yes, but I need you to come home immediately
Me:  I'm at Target, I'm on my way
Caller: We'll meet you at your house

Without looking down to see if I had broken anything I just dropped I grab my purse and run through the store to my car.  I don't remember much of the ride home but I do remember coming around the corner and seeing a stranger stading by my seated daughter at the end of my driveway and my little baby holding a bloody towel to her head.

I pull up and jump out seemingly before I have even put the car in park (it didn't move so I guess I must have). I ask this stranger what has happened and she tells me Kayla had fallen out of a tree and hit her head on a rock.  I ask Kayla to pull the towl away.  It sickens me to remember what I saw...blood, curled skin, something yellowish-white and bumpy oozing out from skin and what seems to me is skull.  I cringe and very Mom'ishly tell her she needs to get in the car as she need to go to the emergency room.  She yells "I do?!?"  I turn her towards the car and guide her to the front seat and buckler her up.

I thank the mom for helping her and jump in the car myself.  At this time I remember Justin is at a birthday party in the park, Blaine is out town and somehow I need to get Kayla to the hospital and get Justin picked up in about 15mn.  I start to freak out at this point.  I feel my hands and body start to shake and I am doing everything in my power not to start crying myself.  Kayla asks me what I am doing...I non-mom'ishly admit to her that I am about to start crying because I am scared and don't know what to do.

 Instincts kick in at this point as Kayla's sobs become stronger as she sees the tears stream down my face.  I somehow manage to manuver my phone to call the dad that is at the park wtih Justin; I tell him we have had an accident and I will not be there to get Justin but I will find someone to be there.  He tell's me not to worry and that he will take care of him.  I then get Blaine on the phone and sobbingly tell him what has happened.  He says he can be to Justin in 30mn - whew!

We make it to the hospital, and the crazy triage nurse looks her over and sends us back to the non emergency lobby to wait for the next available doctor.  I look at her in disbelief as we walk out; I pull Kayla on my lap and once again we both sit there holding each other and crying.  I was so sure the famlies waiting ahead of us thought I was nuts but as I looked around they all had sympathetic looks on there faces as if they would be doing the same thing if there little one was covered in blood and were told to wait.

Then the light shown through the windows as 2 beautiful emergency doctors came seeking us out, the triage nurse came running behind them saying she was ok; they ask Kayla to pull the towel away - no squirmy looks like I gave when they looked at it but the doctor who seemed in charge stirnly told the nurse YES, we need to see this one immediately. I smugly looked at the triage nurse as we walked by...I am quite certiain it was not her who had the doctors come look at her but rather one of the girls at the registration table; aaaand then the water works start again; Kayla on the other hand is done with all that and walks to her waiting bed with bravey and climbs aboard.

They tell her they are going to put numbing meds on it which will burn, yep...it burned and she let them know.  Just as they were about to start stitching, Blaine and Justin walk in - has it really been 30mn already?  I see Blaine's face as they pulled the numbing med filled gauze from her head - it was a look of....YUCK!  I then learned that the yellowish-white oozing stuff I saw at home was infact the fat layer under the skin.

The doctor is funny, nice and handsome; he does his best to make Kayla feel comfortable; he tells her everything he is going to do and then he starts the stitches and she doesn't even wince; I on the otherhand did with every stick he made until all 8 stitches were tied.

We are sent home, it is late and she is tired and wants to go to bed.  I worry all night long knowing she just fell out of a tree and has hit her head on a rock; should I worry about her waking, will she pull the stitches, will she forget and scratch them and the list went on and on.

As I am setteling in for the night myself I notice that there is a message on the home phone, I play the message and it was such a stomach turning message....

Kayla: Mommy....where are you?  I hurt myself and I need you....silence.....sniff, sob, sniff...click.

I kick myself here again for not holding to my own rules and taking care of my kids.  How awful I feel for not being there when she needed me so badly.

But alas, Saturday morning arrives and this is what we woke up to. Our Kayla smiling from ear to ear as she always does in the mornings; in all her swollen beauty and wearing her stitches with style.

Not a great reminder but a significant one, kids can get hurt just being kids; healthy loved ones wake up sick and other loves ones are here one day and gone the next. So I remember to hug them each day and tell them I love them always.

To my hubby - Your my bestest friend ever, my soulmate and I will love you through eternity.

To my kiddos - I"ll love you forever, I'll like your for always, forever and ever my baby you'll be.

Thanks for checking in and remembering my not so great mom moment.

~ Did you hug your kids today? ~

Becky

Let the games begin!

When Kayla decided to play hockey last year we thought, ok...this should be fun; and it truly is!  It has been exciting to see her interact with a team, grow as a player and the excitement that illuminates her when her plays are successful.

When this season started we un-knowingly though going from 4 teams down to 3 would be a little more manageable, but little did we know that Justin being on the Peewee team would actually make our scheduled MORE filled than last years...mainly his schedule as we are just the chauffeurs.  Justin generally has practice 4 nights a week at varying times and surprisingly has had practice all 5 days.  He has even had a few practices as late as 10pm and then has needed to be back up the next morning to be at the rink for another practice at 6am. Kayla has practice about 3-4 nights a week but fortunately not such extreme times.  Then there are the games, most Saturdays we have our first game at 7:30AM and then another 2 or 3 games to play later that day and possibly another 2 or 3 more on Sunday.

It amazes me that with as much as they have scheduled with their teams that they still ask to go to open hockey (which is a scheduled free hockey time without coaches), skate outside at friends houses (with those who were lucky enough to get a rink setup in their backyard this year), stick handle in the garage and go to the shooting room at the rink.  This mom thinks both kids are doing exceptionally well on their teams and have been proud at their hard work at every game this year.

As we began to look at our January/February schedules we found that one of us will be out of town the next 5 out of 6 weekends bringing one of the kids to a tournament. This is an exciting time for both the travel teams as well as the parents.  I myself am looking forward to each one of them...not the being away from Blaine and which ever kid is with him that weekend but I guess that is what happens and before we know it the end of the season will be upon us.

You Know You're An Avid Hockey Fan If.......

• Your idea of serving breakfast is giving each of your kids a fork and dropping an Eggo in the middle of the table.
• You reprimand your children with "minors," "majors" and "misconducts."
• When you come to a traffic signal and the light turns green, you stop.
• When you come to a traffic signal and the light turns red, you get really excited and chant, "He shoots! He scores!"
• Instead of duct tape, you use hockey tape to fix everything.
• You call a trip to the Hockey Hall of Fame a "pilgrimage."
• You went into a bank because it advertised "Free Checking"....and walked out disappointed.
• You can pronounce anything in French, yet you have no idea what it means.
• Every time you hear a siren you wonder who scored.
• Everything in your wardrobe is your team's colors.
• Your closet is divided into 2 sections: HOME and AWAY
• You burn the biscuits black.
• You play a game with one of the biscuits.
• You deck the guy who says, "Check, please."
• Your calendar only runs from October to May.
• You wonder how you will get through June, July, August and September.
• When someone says, "two minutes" you respond, "What for!?!"

See you at the rink!