almost hump day - December 1st

My kids














I am home from work and I am reflecting on the past week.
With the travel and the busyness of the weekend festivities I have had little time to prepare for advent. I don't want to lose sight of Advent. It seems like I am still overwhelmed with other things. Tomorrow is December 1st. My guess for the grand-babies birthday is Dec 2nd. It looks like I will lose. However since they will make me a grandma I am a winner!





Brittany and Ken






Saturday we celebrated Christmas. It was fun. The weekend was little heart wrenching at times knowing that after the 13th we do not know when we will all be together again.

It was hard for Kelsey and she had a minor breakdown at one point feeling like the odd man out. Both boys had their girlfriends there for our Christmas celebration. And however much everyone tried to ensure she was not left out there came a time when she simply felt alone with all of us and simply put she had a hissy fit- a drama time. She acted like a 4 year old and she probably was more embarrassed after.






Kelsey




I think it has been hard knowing that the next time she comes home Chris will be gone. All of us will get to see him over the next 2 weeks. She will not. She has been the farthest away during this time. Brittany might get to see him again depending on when the babies arrive. I need to remember that each of us reacts differently to changes and loss in our lives whether the loss is real or perceived.





Nick and Jackie







Tonight Chris is cleaning his room. He is packing up books and belongings. Who knows when he will need these things again. He has moved the desk out creating a place for a crib to be set up. It makes me want to cry. The time is getting closer.

When the girls left for college I could go visit them and talk to them on the phone or computer they could come home when they were homesick. For the next 3 months we will be able to write letters. We know we will see him at his graduation and after that June? Sometimes I would like to have my own hissy fit. I want to have control over something that I have no control over.

I already know that I will miss my son. Will he be homesick? Will he know how much he is missed? Will I be able to be the support that Todd and the other kids need when they go through their own time of missing Chris?
Oh Lord please give me the peace and strength I need to send my baby- my youngest son off to Boot Camp.



Chris and Megan

Over the River and through the woods....

Today we are supposed to leave for Brit and Ken's . Please pray I get done with work early. That the weather holds. That the rest of the family arrive safely today (Kelsey) and Friday. That Brit has a good appointment at the clinic today, that all is well with her and the babies and that she travels safely to and from this appointment.

Feeling better

I am feeling better.
I still have a cough but I don't sound like a frog any more.
Cold air causes me to start coughing and we are having a lot of cold here right now. This morning was 9 degrees. The inhaler does work when you know what to do!!

I have had little energy to do anything so we will make do with what we have. We are expecting a storm to be moving into the midwest and I am worried that we might have to wait until Friday morning to head Wisconsin for our festivities. However I am also worried that the weather conditions could get things moving for the little momma and our festivities will take place at the hospital.
The house is fairly clean and I have been trying to keep up with laundry but I am not prepared for food stuff. And I have a lot of patient charting to catch up on. Today is my short day so I should be able to get these things done but my concentration is awful!! I think it is the prednisone or the inhaler or a combination of the 2 but my ability to sit and work is non-existent. Which is why I am sitting here instead of doing the work I need to do !!

Binga Banga Boom or teaching is easier then doing

I'm still sick.
I still have a cough and sinus congestion.

in the past 13 days I have gone through nearly 4 boxes of Kleenex.
My nose has a callous under it just above my lip from blowing and wiping.

Today I saw the doctor. Although the chest x ray looked ok and did not show any pneumonia he would not rule out a pneumonia or bacterial infection based on something he saw at the base of the lungs involving my diaphragm and that I have been fighting this for 2 weeks. So he said he could treat me with an antibiotic, or prednisone or an inhaler. I came home with all three.

I took everything right away. I still feel sick. I thought if I did everything I'd be better.

binga banga boom. All better. Not so.

I have never in my life had a chest x ray. I have never used an inhaler. I have taught people how to use an inhaler. It is much harder then it looks. (Maybe because I'm mostly Polish and can't chew gum and walk.)
So I shake the inhaler. I take a few deep breaths. I let all the air out and I start to inhale with my lips wrapped correctly around the inhaler. I use the inhaler and the spray hits the tip of my tongue. Seriously? I wasn't expecting that. Now I know why I teach the use of a spacer :)
2nd try or puff or what ever you call it. Same thing. Medicine on the tip of my tongue how much got into my lungs where it needs to be?
So tonight I use it again this time I was better -the first inhalation.
I had shared this little episode at bible study and everyone was laughing at the nurse who can't use an inhaler. Now as I am using the inhaler DH is reminding me of the talk at bible study as I am carefully trying to get it right. 2nd inhale - the spray hit the tip of my tongue again. dang !! I am going to bed and hoping I can get it right in my sleep. Teaching this is no where near as difficult as doing.

A Wedding, Christmas plans and other family things

Our 5th family wedding for the year was yesterday - we traveled to the cities in the first snowfall of the year. The wedding was beautiful and we were able to spend quality time with many family members. My niece Maria was absolutely radiant and they (the bride and groom) looked so happy.

Our son Chris said lots of goodbyes to aunts, uncles and cousins - this is the last time he will see most of them before he ships out. He hopes to be back for the next wedding scheduled in June 2011.

We had lots of questions about how Brit and the babies were doing. It is a good thing we had just been there and I was able to answer the questions.

Jackie, Nicks girlfriend, caught the bridal bouquet - actually the bouquet was really 3 separate ones so 3 girls 'caught' the bouquet. And one of them, Anna, the brides sister, became engaged TODAY. - WOW do those bouquets work fast.

Kelsey was bummed missing the wedding. Friday at 8 PM she was still trying to figure out a ride to the cities so she could be there.

My brother Brad showed up for the reception for a short time. He was involved in a hunting accident last Sunday. He is doing well after spending several nights in the hospital. Most of his recovery will be from the 8-10 foot fall out of the tree stand. Family who saw him in the hospital said he looks amazing compared to where he had been just a few short days ago.

I am still recovering from this cold. It still stinks. I am going back to work tomorrow. I want to be sure I have enough PTO days to have time off when the babies come home. I have a feeling there will be a well worn road from our house to the babies by next summer.

We are almost completely ready for our early family Christmas. Since Chris leaves December 13th and since we knew Brit would most likely be on bed-rest or at least not able to travel 4+ hours. We decided to have Christmas at Brit and Ken's the Saturday after Thanksgiving. T and I and Kelsey will spend Thanksgiving with them then on Friday we plan to decorate their house putting up the tree and whatever else Brit wants. Nick and Chris and their girlfriends will come on Friday. Saturday we will wake up and have Christmas just like it is Christmas morning.

Traditionally most everyone in my extended family celebrates on Christmas Eve. T's family never really celebrated Christmas. We always spent Christmas Eve at my parents so we always did our thing on Christmas morning. This was necessary since Todd had church obligations for all masses. Christmas Brunch and gift opening with games and family time in the afternoon always worked best for us.

We realize Christmas is not about presents and we will celebrate Christmas at Christmas but this year is special. I think we are ready - I feel ready. I have presents to wrap and really just 3 things to buy that will need to be wrapped. Food to buy and prepare. The kids already told me what they would like and it is all the simplest things we made from the time they were little. I hope to bake a few cookies either on Friday or the weekend before Thanksgiving.

Please Lord be with us and with our family. Keep us safe - protect us. Help us to use the time we have together to be joyous and filled with good memories.

Chicken Noodle Soup

I am sick and it stinks. I have been trying to save PTO for when those grand-babies arrive.
After being at the little momma's house for another work weekend I came home with dry lips and a scratchy throat. I thought it was just from their house being dry and I told them they needed to get a humidifier going. I was also in and out of the room where the floor was sanded without a mask so I thought it was just irritation.
Monday I had off and I stayed home I was so tired I didn't even get out to run errands or do laundry or anything.
Tuesday I had a really bad sore throat I showed up for work and came home since it was so bad. Wednesday I was feeling better so I went to work and then the sneezing and nose blowing started. I worked in the morning and then had CPR class in the afternoon. I blew my nose non-stop throughout CPR. I had my own mannequin but I felt like my head was foggy I could not concentrate.
Today I called in sick again. The headache, sinus pressure, nasal drainage and cough have laid me low. I made chicken noodle soup and hopefully it helps. And the area under my nose hurts from blowing I didn't know it was possible to blow so much ick out of your nose.
I took a nap and feel like I could take another one.

Help - wanted: a military charm

We had friends in DC this past May and they brought me back this charm

I am now trying to locate a similar design in the Air Force or Air Guard insignia

Anyone going to Arlington or anywhere else that might sell this type of thing? Could you look for a charm with the Air guard or Air Force insignia like this one? This charm is a little smaller than a dime and on the back of the card there is the Enlisted Marine Corps Soldiers oath.

I have been trying to locate this on line and have not found one with the colored insignia like this.

35 days

I just read on my youngest son's facebook page that he has 35 days left until he gets his life started.

Just 35 days until he leaves for boot camp.

35 days.