March Happenings

We've really been soaking up the sun that has been surprisingly given to us this past week. What a blessing and signal that Spring is officially here! Even though I know there are still lots of gray, rainy days ahead, this week was just what I needed to lift my spirits.

Last weekend we had such a nice evening out just us four. We took the kids out to dinner and went and saw Rango...hilarious!!! Everyone needs to see this movie. Such a funny, sweet message about finding oneself. Also it marked a milestone in our life since Jovie has joined our family...we went an entire evening (dinner at a restaurant and the movie theater) without a single meltdown from the sweet pea. LEGEN...wait for it...DARY!!!

Rob's birthday was on Tuesday, so on Sunday his parents came up for the day to visit and wish him a happy birthday. He got the coolest bonsai tree and kit/book to plant it, and what perfect weather to spend some time outdoors to put it all together. It was serious business. The kids and I pretty much just played while Rob and Cathy dissected the tree and replanted it in a pot, and finally the kids got to come around to put the finishing touches on the top (place the rocks that is). It's pretty cool. Rob even saved his Buddha from college and placed it in the pot.

Believe it or not, she's smiling. I know it looks like she's in pain...this is the new look she gives the camera.

Bright Sun!!

Zilla. Such a beautiful dog. 

Just like any weekend, our fun came and went too quickly, but we still had a nice modest celebration for Rob on his actual birthday, March 22nd. I didn't get any pictures, but I got him a yard cart (glorified wheel barrow) and Jack got him a video game which they are diligently trying to beat as we speak. I'm so excited for longer days, sweeter smells (which often means manure in my town), and a countdown to summer vacation!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Today would have been my Mom's 53rd birthday. It has been a day filled with joy and sorrow for several different reasons.

First of all, we got to celebrate my Aunt Chris' 50th birthday in such a fun way. Last night the Cline Family put on a fun cocktail party for friends and family. Today my Aunt Diane threw a 50th birthday "shower" in celebration of Chris...a tradition my Mom started a few years back so that the women in her family could be honored in a special way. It was quite a way to honor my Mom to have the birthday celebration for Chris on her would-be birthday. I think there's nothing more fitting to celebrate my Mom's life and birthday than to honor one of the many traditions in her legacy. Happy Birthday Aunt Chris! We love the woman you are and the example that you are to so many people.

Shadowing the blessings has been the sorrow that we all feel over the loss of our Mom. Today is our Mom's birthday, and it's the first time that we don't get to celebrate it with her. It is such an odd feeling not being able to call my Mom on her birthday and do something extra special for her. So, we're doing something extra special for her anyway! In honor of my Mom, my Aunt Diane gave my sisters and I beautiful flowers to plant in our yards. What a perfect gift. Mom loved her yard and loved planting flowers in March as a early indicator for spring. Anything she could do to say goodbye to winter, she was all over! Tonight we are going to Julie's for an extra special "birthday" party for her. Flowers have been brought to the grave, and an amazing dinner and dessert menu has been planned. I got some delicious looking filet mignon that I'm going to smother in bacon and seasonings. I'm also going to make some panko-breaded avacado fries (she loved avacado and I think would have loved these fries). Lisa's making yummy twice-baked potatoes. Beth bought Mom's favorite dessert...caramel chocolate cream pie from the Lynden Dutch Bakery and bread. Julie is hosting us in her beautiful home and will be supplying us with probably the freshest and yummiest green salad ever. She truly is a salad artist. My Dad and Jack have been all over flower detail (as I'm sure many others have been too) but I know Dad's been to the cemetery at least twice today and yesterday too.

We'll celebrate without her, but in honor of her. She deserves the best so we're giving our best to lift her up today. I'm right in the middle of reading "Heaven is for Real" and so I am trying to paint myself a mental picture about how her day has unfolded in Heaven. I just pray that she knows how much we love her and miss her, and that she can feel our earthly gifts in Heaven today. I miss my Mom so much. It hurts so bad. But...we have SOOOO much to celebrate today. Without her we wouldn't be the moms, wives, sisters, friends that we are. Happy Birthday Mom! I love you.

I Love My Village

You know that saying..."It takes a village to raise a child" well, I have been thinking for the past few days about how lucky I am to be a part of the "village" I belong to. I love my village. My community, my family, my friends. I am so lucky. Today I had to stay home from work in order to prep for another x-ray this afternoon...I won't give details. So far today I've had about 6 people call or email just to say hi and check in. I have Lisa watching Jovie so I can go to my appointment. Julie P. brought me dinner so that I wouldn't have to worry about that tonight. I've got Lindsey watching the kids tomorrow while I'm at work. I've got my cousin Sarah watching them tomorrow night so Rob and I can have a fun time at my Aunt Chris' 50th birthday party. I've got Julie P. watching them Saturday so I can go to a brunch for my Aunt Chris. What would I do without all these wonderful people? The list I just gave doesn't even come close to covering the helpful arsenal of people who do so much for us. Aunt Joan, Stacy, Anya....the list goes on and on! I sit here with tears streaming down my face because I'm so sad that my Mom doesn't get to be in on this, but also because I'm SO THANKFUL for these wonderful people who mean so much to me. What did I do to deserve such blessings in my life? I feel so humble.

Even though there's nothing I'd rather do that be at home with my children and give them every ounce of my time, life happens and sometimes we've got 8 things going on at once. That's how this weekend is and again, without help I don't know what I'd do. I'd have to say no to all these wonderful things I want to be a part of. I love my village.

Finally Some Answers

All it took was 6 months of in and out of my doctor's office, a trip to the emergency room, and finally a visit to the urologist today to get some semi-concrete answers about some recurring issues I've been having with my kidneys/urinary tract. I've known for some time that I have a couple pretty large kidney stones in my right kidney, and I've always been prone to UTIs. Last Thursday when Rob had to take me to the emergency room from what turned out to be a severe kidney infection, I'd had it! Today I talked with a knowledgeable, empathetic urologist (that's what I love about specialists) who took so much time exploring my case/symptoms and trying to figure all this out. It's not easy figuring out why someone gets UTIs frequently, but it was pretty easy for the doctor to see the large, jagged kidney stones in the right kidney and say, "We need to do something about these." In the past six months I've been told over and over again that if the kidney stone isn't actually obstructing the ureter, then there shouldn't be any pain. Well, that's been a load of BS because I have pain on my side/back on a daily basis. Today the wonderful urologist confirmed my pain and said that yes indeed the kidney stones are most like causing pain, and possibly harboring some harmful bacteria. Now it's finally time to do something about them. Next week I'll hopefully get them blasted with ultrasonic waves so that the deposits will move down the urinary tract (not looking forward to that part) and my kidney can hopefully return back to normal. While this has been such a thorn in my side (literally and figuratively) the last 6 months, I'm so thankful today for the treatment I received, and am really hoping that within a couple of weeks I may feel normal again.