You are currently browsing the monthly archive for April 2009.
Today I received a message via facebook from my one of friends requesting a post. I must say SORRY to all of you who’ve been patiently waiting for me to update–that is, if you’ve stuck around and still check back here once and a while. Thanks to Palotti for getting me back into blog mode.
I guess I’ve had so much on my plate that adding blogging to that list was just too much. I don’t want to bore folks and whine whine whine about the changes that are occurring in my life. I have much to be grateful for and I feel that my lack of “real writing” about life, thoughts, ideas, etc. is lacking.
Believe me when I say I really want to be more in depth on things here–it’s just that right now life seems to be one new update after the other with little room for big discussions and ideas. I’m trying to change that, so stay tuned for some more interested dialogue in the next few weeks. That is…unless I have some big update news 
So…on to what I do best–UPDATES!! For those that follow me on facebook or twitter most of this is all old news. Feel free to skip this section and head down to the *** area below. I’ll start up something new there. Unless I get tired of typing by then.
Last Thursday we drove to Illinois for the weekend. I spent the weeks before this strip looking up places to live on craigslist, renting sites and also enlisted the help of some real estate agents. We spent Thursday in the hotel pool (whoo!) and enjoyed some time with my friend Meggon who came to visit us.
My awesome friend Meggo and stayed over Thursday night, took a day off work on Friday, and watched Miss Girlie the next morning while Erik and I checked out some housing to rent. You should check out her blog post and see how much fun she had with the kiddo. It was so awesome to have her there for a whole 24 hours! MEGGON YOU’RE THE BEST!!!!!!!!!
Friday was also my birthday. I’ve now entered the last year of my twenties…sigh. Really? So, it was a bit nice that I wasn’t focused too much on my birthday–I’ll be 29 and holding forever anyway, right? We played a lot of bananagrams (LOVE THIS NEW GAME!) over the weekend and my sweet hubby bought me some champagne (pink!), chocolate truffles, a Starbucks card (A++ gift) and a very perfect card with all the right words that cost a ton of money.
The downfall of my day was hearing some bad news from my family. My Grandma Jane fell and broke her hip the day before and was going in for surgery on my birthday. Can you say sucker punch to the gut?
I’ve posted before about my Grandma and how we’re losing her to Alzheimer’s disease. After I heard the news about her fall, I felt that she was moving yet another step away from us.
As of today (one week after surgery) she hasn’t been able to get up and walk yet. It’s hard to know if she’s in too much pain or too confused about why she’s in pain to actually try and get up and work through it. She’s been sleeping a lot and is confused, too. I think the combination of surgery and being in a hospital and now a nursing home for rehabilitation is just too much. I’m worried she might choose to shut down now.
My Grandpa has been with her everyday. I’m sure he’s feeling a strange mix of relief that he can rest a bit more and not have so many caretaker duties, yet he’s probably missing her company as well and I’m sure quite helpless. I’m hoping to be able to talk with him sometime today. He’s been with her all the time and not at home to take calls much. I’ll be sure to keep you all updated about this. If you could pray for her and for our whole family I’d appreciate it.
So…now that you all feel crummy and sad let me try to brighten this up a bit, huh!!??
Saturday was rainy and crabby for the morning. Girlie had no desire to sit in her carseat and go from one house to the next to look at rentals. The Daddio and I had now desire to do this either. Fortunately, after our crummy morning we took a good nap, checked out a few more places and then met up with our friends the Dagers for a night of fun! We ate out, swam in the pool and caught up on things. I’m so so so excited to be able to be closer to them once we move. Having them nearby, as well as Meggon and Justin, is really helping me with accepting this new part of our lives.
Our trip was a huge success. We came to find a place to live so I can figure out what we need to sell and I can also hopefully stop freaking out a bit. I believe that’s been accomplished. We’ve found a great house to rent from a very sweet missionary couple. My new town of residence beginning this July will be in Carol Stream, IL. The house is a 3 bed/2bath (yesssss!!!) nice place with a yard, a garage, place for guests to stay (hint, hint) and two minutes from a library and HUGE park. And–get this—IT HAS A DISHWASHER!!!!!!!! (For those who don’t know this–I’ve never lived in a place with a dishwasher) I really don’t know what I’ll do with all my time now
Our house is also officially on the market. It was very weird to come home to a Century 21 for sale sign in the front yard. We’ve had two showings, three couples/people that came to the open house and just today I got another call for a showing on Saturday.
I’m trying to realistic and remember how bad the housing market is. If we sell this place before we move in July it’ll be a miracle!! If we sell it for near our asking price that, too, will be a miracle
Here’s it is if you feel like checking it out and passing it on to anyone who might be interested in buying a great starter home.
***I’m about to talk about something that’s not update related now***
Really, I am. And it won’t have anything to do with Swine flu either.
After seeing how all 8 of you voted on my Girlie climbing up the swing set all by herself poll (really only 8 of you were brave enough to vote!!!!) I’ve made a decision. I’m doing both things. Sort of. Well, okay mostly just standing nearby, holding my breath and waiting to see if she makes it to the top.
And she’s doing great. Every time she makes it to the top she says “YAY, I DID IT.” Now, who doesn’t want to hear their child be proud and happy of something they’ve accomplished?
When I’m outside with her and the childcare kiddos and I’m not holding baby Simone or pushing Timothy on the swing, I try to be near her “just in case.” I’m proud of her and she’s doing a pretty good job of being careful. I’m happy to hear her saying “yay, I did it” instead of “careful, be careful” now as she’s climbing.
When I blog tomorrow about how she’s fallen and broken both her elbows please please please don’t say, I told you so. Please?
Before we head up to MN (again) for the weekend I thought I’d leave you all with a fun poll to take. Lately, I’ve been playing the role of the “hovering Mama” whenever Girlie climbs up the ladder like stairs of our swingset. She does a great job climbing up and going down the slide. It’s just that climbing involves big stretching to reach each rung and she sometimes slips or could easily fall backwards onto her little head.
Due to my crazy imagination I think of all the horrible injuries she could received and tend to hover like a Mama bird….so much so that last night Erik heard her repeating over and over again while climbing up, “Be careful, be careful.” So, friends, family, readers. Am I crazy to hover and supervise her climbing? You get to decide via this poll if you think I ought to put a helmet on her head or let her fly freely up and down the swingset rungs.
I can’t wait to poll you all from now on. I’ve never enjoyed making decisions, so now you can for me, ha
Well. Somewhere between packing, unpacking, doing the laundry and the other million things on my list I’ve neglected the blogging. When I get busy it’s easy to forget to update folks here, write about what I’m feeling and shower. Ha, I’m kidding about the showering thing. Sort of.
Our Easter trip to Minnesota to see our families was a great success. We spent some very nice time with the Brekkes on their very cute farmette. There was a very special surprise waiting for Girlie when we arrived. SIX VERY CUTE CHIRPING BABY CHICKS!!! These will hopefully someday become the new egg layers for the farm.
Girlie also got to experience her first ever horse ride. I managed to capture the event on video–we’ll see if I ever figure out how to put one of those on here! She loved it and I have no doubt that this summer (when I remember to bring her helmet) she’ll be going for a ride with Grandma Jo.
Girlie also enjoyed running all over the place. She ran all day long outside and it was amazing weather for our visit. Beautiful and sunny, just like Easter should be! She ran all over looking at the goats, then Blue the horse, then Toby the dog, then Beaner the cat and then the chickens and then repeated to run everywhere all day long. She was so happy!
My family gathered for a huge lunch Sunday afternoon. Girlie was incredibly lovable all day long and repeatedly ran up to my Great Grandma Georgia (the original Girlie) and Grandma Jane to snuggle up and give them some hugs. She also decided it would be really funny to run around with her tights around her ankles. Oh. And I can’t forget to mention the hundred jelly beans she ate all weekend. Finding eggs and the candy inside them quickly became her new job.
Now, it’s back to the normalcy of home. It’s crunch time as we’re trying to get our house ready to put on the market. Our first open house will officially be April 26th. I know our to do list won’t be finished, but there’s not much we can do about it. We’ll just keep working on little things as we can!
I’m really trying to put things into perspective and daily count my blessings for Erik’s new job, our new adventures a head and the great possibilities that are waiting to happen for us. It’s hard though. I won’t lie. I have some days that I struggle to stay excited and wish to curl up in a ball and stay here forever. I’m am excited, but also very sad to leave our cozy home and amazing town. It’s always been easy for me to pick out the things I disliked about our house or community that I wished I could change, but I find myself clinging to them now and loving all the weird and quirky things about this our home and Madison.
One last update for you. It’s been a very successful two days of potty time around here. (Yes, I really just wrote potty time and yes, I’m excited!)
Girlie has gone poopy in the potty twice. Once yesterday and once today! She also seems to understand how to make herself go pee….it’s like a little potty training light bulb went off in her head. The cute little training underwear with butterflies on them are looking more and more real. But, then again I might be kidding myself
I hope spring has sprung wherever you are dear readers. Today on our morning walk the kiddos and I enjoyed seeing all the beautiful flowers in bloom. I’ll work on posting some Easter photos and maybe even figure out that silly video of Girlie riding Blue the Horse for you. Happy day to you all!
At meals we say a spoken prayer to thank God for the food on our table and the gift of life. Usually we sing a grace rather than speak something. Girlie’s favorite around here is “God Is” (picture repeating “God is” to the Jaws theme and throw a few more words in there about thanking God for food and then end with some attacking Jaws arms. Fun times!) We also see quite a bit of “Superman” or “Johnny Appleseed” or the Brekke family “For Life and Health” tune.
She loves singing the graces. We make sure to say a spoken prayer every few days so she understands that prayer can be said and offered in many ways. Lately, she’s been stepping up and wanting to say the prayer. It’s so cute. I’ll have to video it sometime (is it weird to video a prayer?)
Today, she was crazy cranky before lunchtime. I was busy at the stove while also trying to watch Timothy and Simone play. Finally, enough was a enough. SHE WAS HUNGRY! I got her the side dishes that were ready and let her eat early. Before eating she said the prayer all by herself. This was her second time today–once at breakfast and then today at lunch. Both went a bit like this.
“Thank you God. For Food. Mama food. Dadda food. Timmy. Food. Mone (Simone). Food. Amen!”
She’s very excited and thankful for food as you can see!
We’re off to Minnesota today to visit our families. What a great time to be together celebrating the risen Christ. Wishing you all a very happy Easter, see ya when we’re back home!
