Life comes at you fast.....

So much to update!

Life has taken some exciting, terrifying and gut wrenching turns in the past few weeks.

MIDDLE SCHOOL: David starts middle school this fall (sob). He is attending a transitions program this week and next for incoming 6th graders at the middle school. He’s learning what to expect in middle school, meeting teachers and hopefully making some friends. He seems to be enjoying it. Certainly more than I am. Turns out – dropping him off for summer school at the middle school made my stomach turn into knots and my hands shake. I’m fairly certain I’ll need a sick day on Sept 1st when he actually goes to school. I feel sick just typing it.

FOOTBALL: He also started football this week. I didn’t realize how much of a commitment football was going to be….for both of us. They practice 4 days a week with games on Saturday – And until games start they’ll practice Saturdays as well. And the other moms told me the coach does dinners at his house once a week. 6 days a week. 6??! I’m thinking about petitioning the universe for a 10 day week. I’m gonna need it. Football is going to be so good for him, I can see it already. They run a mile a day and spend a lot of time doing conditioning. There are drills that will help build his gross motor skills and his coordination. Which will hopefully give him a little more confidence in general.
So far they haven’t played much actual ball, but he’s working hard and I’m very proud of him. He’s trying his hardest, I can tell. Not sure if he’s trying to impress the coaches or the kids or what, but I find myself smiling a lot watching him. Now…. If somebody could just teach me the rules of football I can try to keep up at the games. Or maybe I’ll just cheer for no broken bones….

HEALTH: David & I are fine. But life just isn’t fair sometimes. My oldest and best friend had some heartbreaking news recently. Her mom has been diagnosed with stage IV cancer. It hurts. It hurts a lot, actually. I’m surprised by how much this has affected me…. I’m devastated…it makes me cry for my friend and her family. It’s not my mom – and if I feel like this I can’t imagine what she and her family are going through. Cancer Sucks. Futility Sucks. All I can do is be there for her, hug her as often as I can and tell her I love her and I’m here to listen and help in anyway I can. Even if the only help I can offer is a few minutes of distraction or acting like an idiot to make her smile. Please, please keep her and her mom and the rest of the family in your thoughts. It’s going to be a rough rough road.

Seeing yet another family devastated by cancer only renews my commitment to do something about it. I will work my ass off every year until we have a cure. We WILL find a cure in my lifetime.

TRAVEL: I had the Best. Weekend. Ever. In July. We had a girls trip to Vancouver and it seriously, couldn’t have been any better. I am so lucky to have the friendships I have and the people who have been brought into my life in the past few years. I honestly cannot remember what my life was like without them and prefer to not even think about it.

We’re going to Roche in 10 days. The cabin has been listed for sale, and this may be our last year up there. It breaks my heart to even think about part of my childhood being sold…. if the lottery would just hurry up- I could buy it and save myself the worry. But as long as we have access to the cabin, I will continue to go up there and spend my “last summer” there. If I had 20 last summer’s I’d be OK with that. Jacqui and Danyal are coming this year and I expect a lot of laughs, silliness, maybe a few drinks and a great time. Darren will be there for most of the week and his sister is planning on coming up with a friend for a couple days. A good time to be had by all….

A few months ago my work presented an opportunity for people to sign up to crew a sailboat for a race that is put together by our parent company. Every company under the SAFRAN umbrella is invited to have employees crew a boat (or boats) for the company. I expressed my interest knowing I have not sailed in years and would surely not be the most experienced employee, and chances were slim. Many weeks went by and I hadn’t heard, so I assumed the crew was selected and I wasn’t on it. Last week I found out SURPRISE I’m on the boat.

Did I mention….the race is in FRANCE??? I’m going to France!!!!!! I’ve never been anywhere but Canada (and one booze fueled trip to Mexico I barely remember) and now I’m going to France?? To SAIL? Things like this just don’t happen to people… This isn’t my life. I am excited and extremely nervous. A 12 hour flight with coworkers I don’t know, staying in another country, not speaking the language. It’s been years since I’ve sailed and I’ve never raced anything bigger than a Laser. But I miss sailing more than anything in the world. Driving by the Marinas makes me feel homesick, and I’m sure once I get back on the water everything will be just great. Hopefully. And hey- it’s an all expense paid trip to France – I’ll volunteer to be the galley wench if I have to!

I’m racing tonight with an amazingly nice couple who has agreed to let me join them on their brand new boat. Hopefully I start remembering things, learn some new skills and don’t get in their way…. Or fall off the boat.

(Longest blog ever. I apologize)

Gratitude

There is no such thing as gratitude unexpressed. If it is unexpressed, it is plain, old-fashioned ingratitude. ~Robert Brault


I am so grateful for the people I have surrounding me.
I’m reminded frequently but say it rarely. So here it is.

Thank you.
Thank you for loving me as seriously flawed as I am….
Thank you for supporting me in all of the trials I’ve faced.
Thank you for knowing I need to be in control of my own life and make my own decisions. Even if you can predict the future and know that decision will knock me on my ass.
Thank you for helping to pick me back up.

Thank you for understanding that I sometimes need my own time to detach from my life for a minute and de-stress.
Thank you for rolling your eyes and laughing at the ways I blow off said stress….but never judging me for it ;)

Thank you for always being willing to help when there aren’t enough hours in the day and I feel like I’m neglecting my son or myself.
Thank you for sharing the load, even though it’s not yours to carry.
Thank you for allowing me to help carry your load – it makes me happy to return the favor.

I’m so very very luck to have you in my life.

HAPPY 30TH!!

HAPPY 30TH BIRTHDAY DANYAL!!!!

You don't look a day over 29.5

Is it terrible that I LOVE that she is just a little older than me?

Note to self: only make older friends from this point out. If you're younger than me, and I already know you- no worries you're grandfathered into this new plan of mine.

=)

2009 Here I come!

I suck.

How lame is it that it’s now 5 days after Christmas and I got nuthin?

I haven’t even uploaded the Christmas pictures off my camera yet. But you will damn sure know if nkotb post any news- there is something wrong with this picture. AH- well. C’est la vie!

So Christmas went just fine thankyouverymuch.
I was worried. Plans fell through. Things change. Emergencies happen.

We bounce.

That’s what we do.

We ended up having a non-traditional dinner on Christmas Eve. My dad wanted to go to Happy Dragon, the entire thing seemed a little too “A Christmas Story” for me and after about 7 minutes of singing Fa ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra we decided to go to Sakuras instead. Man, I love that place. Grandma & Grandpa came with us. I am sure my brother in law missed our bouillabaisse tradition since he only gets to participate about every 3 years, but nothing says Christmas like onion volcano’s and singed eyebrows.

I have to say, although it was not my first choice, it was rather nice to have the kids home and in bed at a reasonable time. Since we all know kids fight hard NOT to go to sleep Christmas Eve, starting the process a couple of hours earlier doesn’t hurt my feelings.

Santa came and left. The kids had a great time and got WAY too much stuff. Santa doesn’t know when to stop. When to say enough is enough, Santa’s credit cards cant take this abuse for much longer.

We went to a movie, which has become our new Christmas Day tradition since my mom moved to the top of some god forsaken mountain to become a hippy. We saw Bedtime Stories…..What can I say? Not my favorite. We chose it because we thought it would be best for David. It couldn’t keep him entertained; he was out of his seat for half of it. Thankfully David chose seats in the very back row. Right underneath the rotisserie heater. Can you get kicked out of a movie theater for sitting in just your bra?

Here is my thought for the day: 2008 can suck my big toe. (SO GROSS! I can’t believe I even typed that)

2008 was NOT my friend. With the exception of the nkotb reunion and my AMAZING new kids weekend with my friends- 2008 pretty much beat my ass. No joke.

I have decided that the universe is going to hit me with some good karma in 2009. I am buying lotto tickets in preparation.


I have to say 2008 was almost completely salvaged by our mini NK tour. That one weekend almost made up entirely for all the stress, hurt, crying and pain 2008 dumped in my lap. But take nkotb out of the equation and it might just be the worst year ever. If not for the 5 bad brothers from beantown land- Well. I’ll just say THANK YOU for giving me something to be happy about and to look forward to. BRING ON 2009!

I will post Christmas pictures as soon as I figure out if I got any good ones.

2007

2007 Is just about gone. In 2008 I plan to be better about documenting our lives a little better. I want to take more pictures, and video and keep track of the things that go on in my life and David's.

2007 was a pretty big year.
in 2007 we.....

David started 2nd grade this year at Lowell. He seems to be doing a lot better, but its still a struggle to balance his meds and his behavior.

Went to Disneyland in March. David's first trip and my first real vacation since before David was born. We went with Carrie, Paul and Brett. Luke (Dopey) was too young to enjoy it, so he stayed with his grandparents.

In May Grandpa was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. He underwent 18 rounds of Chemo and is currently in remission! For Father's Day My dad and David shaved their heads so grandpa wouldn't feel self conscious about his hair loss. They all looked so cute in their matching news boy hats!

In June we participated in our 2nd year or Relay For Life. We raised almost $7000. It was a lot of work with car washes, impossible rummage sales etc. But its always worth it in the end. 2008 is shaping up to be an even better Relay.



In July we moved! Danyal, David & I went from a tiny 2 bedroom apartment to a huge 4 bedroom house with a fully fenced yard in the North End of Tacoma. Although our money is stretched even thinner, the house is great. There is so much room and David can finally play outside. In September Adam moved in with us after leaving Anchorage, so we are a little more cozy, a little more messy, but its a little more affordable too. The addition of a yard means we were finally able to get a dog! Phoebe entered our life in July and we ADORE her! She is a great addition to our family

















In August we went to Roche Lake again. Much different trip than last year, but fun nonetheless. Instead of stifling hot weather it was cloudy and cool. No complaints from me. This was also the first time I saw you-know-who since "the incident"....it was....interesting. Oh, and guess who is getting married! (not me) We got silly and drank. Met some interesting people and some silly Canadian boys were throwing rocks at the cabin most nights.....oh, to be young again and searching for boys throughout the resort. I remember "hunting" with Ashley like it was yesterday. Maybe next year Megan can bring a friend and they can roam free.... But we will have to watch her with the deet, she can't be trusted. We rode a real life steam engine and met Billy Miner. He felt Danyal up. Good times.

In October I had my 10 year reunion.....10 YEARS?!! Our wonderful student council didn't step up to organize it so some of my friends volunteered to do it. I offered to help, because you know....I'm the planning Nazi. So we worked REALLY REALLY hard to pull it all together and I think we did a damn fine job. Even if our classmates don't appreciate it. The event broke even, and most importantly everyone had a good time. We even had some of our teachers show up.

Christmas is over (mostly) and thank god for that! I am exhausted. I attempted to paint wine glasses for gifts this year, apparently that project was a little too big of an undertaking for my non-crafty self. It took over my house, my wallet and my life and they arent even done....maybe they will be New Year's presents. David got WAY too much stuff. But I felt like he deserved it this year, my Christmas bonus made many more things possible this year then in years past.....he got a trampoline from me, a WRFF from my dad (google it) and a skateboard from Santa. Not to mention presents from his dad, grandparents friends and aunts and uncles. That is one spoiled boy!

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So thats our 2007 in a nutshell. There will be no nutshell for 2008, hopefully I will be keeping current on the blog and I will have 2008 documented.
I plan on buying a video camera and fixing my camera, so hopefully this blog will be filled with both!

Goodbye 2007 bring it on 2008!!