Things I Have Learned

I have learned:

You can't force a child to want to do good
You can't force someone to love you
You are in control of your attitude
God is in control of me
Friends are not always forever
Football is actually kinda cool
God will forgive you if you just ask
You kids will love you no matter what
My children think that I am pefect even though I am not even close
Age is relative
Faith is crucial
Love and friendship are necesesary for happiness
Kids grow up whether you want them too or not
Lonliness sucks
A sunrise and sunset is God's way of letting you know that he is there
A child's laugh is better than any drug out there

A Day I Never Thought Would Come

Today Averi went to preschool. My last baby. I always talked about the day that she goes to preschool and then it happened and now I find myself wishing maybe for just one more day to have my little person home following me around.

In lots of ways I am so excited. I am excited for her to learn and grow. I am excited for her to make new friends, I am excited for her to become more independant. I am excited for her to investigate who she really is as an individual.

But I am sad too. I am sad that she is no longer in my care all day everyday. I am sad that when she hurts herself or is scared, I am not the one that will be comforting her.

I think she was a little nervous today. She woke up and the first thing out of her mouth was, "Is today the day I am going to school"? Then when I asked her what she wanted for breakfast she said, "I don't think I am hungry yet" But once we got there she walked right in and went right to the toys,

I am so happy for her but I am sad too. Totally a bittersweet day today. I can't wait to go pick her up and see how her day went today...

Off to go get her now!

GAF 2009

This weekend was the annual GAF or German American Festival. This is always a big deal to us since most of my family is straight from Germany. My aunt and uncle immigrated from Germany when they were younger as did my grandparents. My mom is a German teacher at a local high school, so this festival is always a celebration of our heritage.

The festival is packed full of kids activities like face painting, rides and games. There is also tons of ethnic foods and souvineers, and lots of music dancing and of course, beer.

Each year we dress the kids up in their lederhosen and dirndle. This year was the first year that we didn't have any lederhosen to fit Nick so he didn't get dressed up, but Aiden and Averi did.

Over the summer the kids all went to a German camp that was hosted by the same organization that puts on the festival. At the camp the kids were able to learn alot about the culture and heritage. They were also given the opportunity to lead the parade that open up the GAF.

So on Friday night, the kids walked in the opening parade and took place in the opening ceremony.

Then on Sunday we went back to watch all the dancers and eat more food. My family always takes a big part in volunteering to help at the festival. So it is always a fun time to see my family, and enjoy the events at the festival.

This year was a little different though. Aiden and Averi have decided that they want be Schuhplattlers, which are the German knee slapping dancers. Aiden says he wants to be the part of the Halzhacker Baum Schuhplattlers which are the dancers that use the axes and chop wood while they keep time and dance. If you have ever met Aiden...this is not a surprising idea at all. These dancers are incredibly neat to watch and I am all for the kids being dancers if they really want to be.

We did have make sure that Aiden understood that being a Holzhacker Baum Schuhplattler was something he would have to work toward. Most of these men are college age and older. We had to explain to him that is isn't that you show up at practice 2 times and they start handing out axes. He says he know that he will have to work toward this and he really wants to do it.

At the festival we were dancing with each other and he is actually pretty good. They both have the potential to be really good at this if they practice.

Averi thinks that I should do it with them. I said we will see. I think it would be something neat to do, so I am not opposed to the idea. I guess I will have to see when it is and what all it entails.

Weidersehn (Goodbye)

Back to School

This school year was a special one for us. This is the year Aiden begins Kindergarten. He was so excited to actually go to school and to ride the bus. He felt so special and big to be able to go to the same school that his big brother goes to.

He was not nervous or frightened at all he was so excited to get on the bus and go.

Aiden has the same teacher for kindergarten that Nick had. She is a fantastic teacher and is really great with the kids. She has known Aiden through Nick and she was as excited to have Aiden in her class as Aiden was to have her. On the first day, Aiden went up to Mrs. Paeth about halfway through the day and said, "You know what...you're nice", then he walked away. She kind of chuckled and said, "well thank A, I try". It was like Nick had told him that she was nice and we had told him she was nice, but he had to decide that for himself.

Nick is off to a great start with his second grade teacher. Her name is Miss Banner. She is also a great teacher. She has so many great ideas to share with the kids and she goes out of her way to make each child feel special for the talents and abilities they each have. Nick has come home raving about her each day.

As usual, I plan on going into their classrooms this year. My plan in that I would go into Aiden's class on Friday afternoons and go into Nick's class on Tuesday mornings. This is when I would have available with my schedule, but also when it would be most advantageous for the children. I love going into the classrooms. Nick and Aiden always feel so special when they see me come in. And it is nice to get tot know the kids in their classes.

Averi will also go to school this year. She doesn't start until next Tuesday. I will be in her class on 4 different Thursday mornings. She is very excited to go to school too. She has seen the boys go to school for as long as she can remember and she wants a piece of the action now.

We will be sending her to a different preschool than we have sent the boys to. The old preschool changed their format and while we loved the teachers, they were like family, we did not care for the new schedule.

So we have changed schools and now sis will be going to a preschool over in genoa and will be going to school with kids that will also go to kindergarten with her in 2 years.

I will def. post pictures of her next week when she starts school!!

Really Hurting

I am so disappointed sad confused. I don't even know what words to use to encompass how crummy I feel. Back in 6th grade I made a friend that I thought would be a friend for life. We were inseparable. Always with each other and when we weren't with each other we were on the phone with each other. In high school we kind of grew apart because we were in different schools but in college we found each other and basically picked up where we left off. Then again we drifted apart but when I got pregnant with Nick I called her up and she and I again picked up right where we left off. She came over every week, she was there for the birth of 2 of my kids and acted like a member of the family. About 2 years ago she got married and I was in the wedding and almost immediately after the wedding I stopped hearing from her. I call her and she doesn't answer. I leave messages and she doesn't call back. I text and she never replies. I have run into her in her place of work a couple of times and she has talked to me and seems fine but then I never hear from her after that. About 10 months ago I ran into her and she was all excited and told me that her and her husband were going to start trying to have a baby. She said to get ready because it wouldn't be long until I got a call from her telling me she was pregnant. I told her I couldn't wait to get that call. Well the other day I was on the computer and just randomly asked her sister how she was doing (since I haven't heard from her since that day) and she said that she had just had a baby that morning!!!! I can not believe that. I had no idea she was even pregnant let alone that she just had a baby. Since then I have texted her and left messages with her and still no response.

I can't even begin to explain how hurt I am. I feel so terrible that I didn't know anything about any of this. I don't understand how you can be so close for so long and then one day that's it and you don't speak anymore. I have asked if I did something and apologized for whatever it is that I did, but that hasn't helped at all. I am just so bummed that I have missed such an important time in her life.

I don't know what I did if anything and I don't know how to get back in touch with her. It is just so sad to me to think that we were that close and she didn't even want to tell me she was pregnant.

I am trying really hard to get over this but it really bothers me. I know I can't change it and at some point I should give up and take the hint. Part of says that if I give up then I have no one to blame for losing touch but myself but the other part says that if she wanted to talk to me she would call.

In the end it is all very sad to me and I guess I just need to accept it and move on from it but I am still sad to see the friendship go.

Kidney Infections are the Pits

In an effort to make it seem like summer is here (since the weather certainly isn't doing its part) I have been making sweet sun tea to drink. The only problem is I am addicted to it. I make it with splenda so it is calorie free and oh so refreshing. Anyways, I have been drinking A LOT of tea. I have been drinking through 1 of the sun tea containers in about a day to 2 days. Apparantely that is really bad for your kidneys. Not to mention Splenda isn't good for your kidneys either. Talk about your double whammy!

On Monday afternoon (probably 3 weeks into my tea obsession) I was sitting on the couch and kinda felt crummy and thought it felt really hot in my house. I blew it off figuring it was just because it was humid outside. As the day went on I continued to feel ick off and on. Nothing huge, and I wasn't nauseous so I just ignored it.

Later that evening, while I was watching the Bachelorette, I got up to let the dogs in and I felt like I hit a brick wall. All of the sudden my head and neck hurt, I was shivering and shaking and my back started to throb. I finished the show (priorities) and went back took 2 Motrin took my temp which was like 100.8 and ran a tub. I turned the jets on and let them hit on my back. By this time my back was hurting enought that the jets were actually painful to me.

So I went to bed assuming that I was getting the flu. By morning when I realized I was still not sick to my stomach and I was actually hungry and my back was hurting worse than ever I started to wonder if maybe this was a kidney infection. I had one right after I had Nick and that pain is not something you ever forget.

After going to the bathroom and it being painful in my back I knew this was the problem. I called the doctor and fortunately she called in a script for me. I picked it up and immediately started taking it. She called in Bactrim. I took the first and a couple hours later I felt sick to my stomach. I figured it was just the infection because after a while it passed.

Well as the days have gone on the nausea persists about 4 hours after I take the meds. So today I called back and they called in Macrobid. So hopefully tomorrow I am feeling great again.

The good news out of the whole thing is that the antibiotics did take care of the kidney infections rather quickly. Within about 4 hours the pain was less and withing 24 it was gone.

So I guess moral of the story is that Sun Tea is good by the glass full not by the gallons. STINK! Now I have to find a new summer obsession. Or maybe just enjoy that one in moderation (what's that?)

11 Days Until We Set Sail

In 11 Days we set sail on our first vacation. We are flying down to Fort Lauderdale on Saturday June 13th and staying over night in Florida. On Saturday morning we are taking a complimentary shuttle to the port and we are setting sail on the Carnival Freedom for a cruise of the Western Caribbean. This is our itinerary:

Sunday, Jun 14
Ft Lauderdale, FL
4:00pm
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Monday, Jun 15
Key West, FL
8:00am
5:00pm
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Tuesday, Jun 16
Fun Day At Sea
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Wednesday, Jun 17
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
7:00am
4:00pm
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Thursday, Jun 18
Ocho Rios, Jamaica
7:30am
3:30pm
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Friday, Jun 19
Fun Day At Sea
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Saturday, Jun 20
Ft Lauderdale, FL
8:00am

I have thought about booking a vow renewal for us on this vacation, but it is a little on the pricey side. It would be $400 to renew our vows. I guess that isn't too bad, but I think Paul would agree that the $400 could be better spent in other places.

The next 11 days will be spent packing and going over my list. I also have to take care of stuff for the kids, the grocery shopping for the week that we are gone and laundry etc.

It seems like just the other day I got the cruise for Christmas and now it is so close. It has come up so quickly. My only hope is that once we get onboard that plane in Detroit time slows down and we can really enjoy it.