Well, as things have started to settle back down to "normal", I have started to get the stuff out of my house again. I took 4 bags of clothes to two different charities today. One charity supports cancer patients and specializes in upscale clothing and items. I took many of my old work clothes (wool suits, office dresses, etc.) to them. I have not worked outside the home in nearly twenty years, but I was still clinging to the past. Well not any more. They are out of here. Not only will I never be that small a size again, but I have changed from that person. I am no longer the corporate ladder climber that I was before I had my kids. Nor do I want to return to that life.
That is not to say that my college education has done nothing for me. A numbers person is who I am and always will be. I run the family budget and keep everything going around here during the good times and bad. I have used a lot of what I learned from college and running a household to facilitate Financial Peace classes with my husband. I completely consult with my husband on the monthly budget, but since he is in charge of eight budgets at work, one less to worry about is wonderful for him. He knows it is my strength and that I like doing it.
Anyway, I'm not sure where I am going to purge in my house next, but look out charities more is on the way.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Returning to normal
What is normal? I do not know anymore. The last six months of my father-in-laws life was a whirlwind of activity, silence, and prayers. In the midst of his short illness (if you call 6 months short), we had so many changes within our own family.
June brought the end of our homeschooling with the "graduation" of our youngest. We have homeschooled for eleven years. This summer will not be spent gathering item to use next year, but will be spent selling and purging items we have used over the years. The floors in my house will groan with the weight that is going to be lifted off of them. Books weigh a lot!! We have shelves and rooms full of books. There is not one room that is spared from a bookshelf full of books.
Tonight is the last event for gymnastics for our son. It is an end of year banquet that is done annually for the athletes of the previous season. With this dinner, our life of gymnastics is over. Our son still works at the gym, but since he drives, he is able to get there and home on his own. My responsibility is basically over. No more weekends out of town, no more driving to the gym 6 days a week, it is simply done.
Our daughter and son made certian choices that will forever change them. Some good, some bad, but every choice anyone makes will change them. It is the free will that God has given us, even though He knows what will happen with each choice given.
Our daughter has slowly been stretching her wings. She is working and spending more time with friends. She will be transferring to a 4 year college in the fall and will most likely move out permanently in the next year or so.
Our son is working, but unsure of his future. I was always so sure of what I wanted, but then that changed too. He will find his place, I just have to remember it is in God's time, not my time, that He will show our son what his destiny will be.
So what is normal for me anymore? I'm not really sure. I still clean the house and make the meals. I attend Bible study with my husband of Tuesdays and with a group of women of Fridays. But my normal included so much with my kids and then with my father-in-law. I am floundering a little these days. After the funeral last Friday and the emotional turmoil, I am starting to know that I need to find my new normal. Life changes and life stays the same. I still have my husband of 24 years at my side. He will be retiring in the next couple of years, and then things will change again.
So I ask again, what is normal? I think it is taking each day that God gives us and being the best we can be for that day. Remembering what is important and not letting the world get the best of us. There is so much to be thankful for and I think that is the normal. Thanking God for our daily life and giving us the strength when things get tough.
May you be blessed in your daily life.
June brought the end of our homeschooling with the "graduation" of our youngest. We have homeschooled for eleven years. This summer will not be spent gathering item to use next year, but will be spent selling and purging items we have used over the years. The floors in my house will groan with the weight that is going to be lifted off of them. Books weigh a lot!! We have shelves and rooms full of books. There is not one room that is spared from a bookshelf full of books.
Tonight is the last event for gymnastics for our son. It is an end of year banquet that is done annually for the athletes of the previous season. With this dinner, our life of gymnastics is over. Our son still works at the gym, but since he drives, he is able to get there and home on his own. My responsibility is basically over. No more weekends out of town, no more driving to the gym 6 days a week, it is simply done.
Our daughter and son made certian choices that will forever change them. Some good, some bad, but every choice anyone makes will change them. It is the free will that God has given us, even though He knows what will happen with each choice given.
Our daughter has slowly been stretching her wings. She is working and spending more time with friends. She will be transferring to a 4 year college in the fall and will most likely move out permanently in the next year or so.
Our son is working, but unsure of his future. I was always so sure of what I wanted, but then that changed too. He will find his place, I just have to remember it is in God's time, not my time, that He will show our son what his destiny will be.
So what is normal for me anymore? I'm not really sure. I still clean the house and make the meals. I attend Bible study with my husband of Tuesdays and with a group of women of Fridays. But my normal included so much with my kids and then with my father-in-law. I am floundering a little these days. After the funeral last Friday and the emotional turmoil, I am starting to know that I need to find my new normal. Life changes and life stays the same. I still have my husband of 24 years at my side. He will be retiring in the next couple of years, and then things will change again.
So I ask again, what is normal? I think it is taking each day that God gives us and being the best we can be for that day. Remembering what is important and not letting the world get the best of us. There is so much to be thankful for and I think that is the normal. Thanking God for our daily life and giving us the strength when things get tough.
May you be blessed in your daily life.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
An end and a beginning
Yesterday was a day of an ending and a beginning in our family. It was filled with tears of joy and tears of sadness. Our life as we know it will forever be changed and I thank God for his wisdom and fullfilling his will for our family.
At 12:33pm yesterday, my father-in-law took his last breath on this earth. My husband, his son, was holding his hand, my mother-in-law was holding his other hand, and my sister-in-law was standing at the foot of his bed. Our minister was saying a prayer when he took his last breath. He went peacefully and calmly from this life into the next.
Our children and I had gone over earlier in the morning knowing that the end was near. His temperature had spiked up to 105 and hospice told us this was end stage and to be prepared for him leaving us soon. We were able to say our goodbyes and talked him through a video that we had made for our son who was graduating high school later in the day.
At 2pm yesterday, our son graduated high school. We have homeschooled and put together a small, but very nice graduation for him and another family who homeschooled. We had videos of the kids and the other graduate did a song to sign language. The youth minister said a short message and then our children were given the charge of learning to pray and keep God as their own.
Our son was unaware until after the graduation that his grandfather had passed on from this world. He was glad that we waited to tell him, but thankful that he saw him earlier in the day.
A short biography was read about our son at the graduation. Below is his biography and Bible verse that was read just before he graduated.
Michael was born August 3, 1992 weighing a whopping 3 pounds 10 ounces. He came home to his adoptive parents, David and Suzie, at two weeks of age with the expectation that he would someday learn to rollover. Learning to walk just before he turned two years old was nothing short of a miracle. His mom enrolled him in gymnastics the month he turned four just to “get some of his energy out.” That was the beginning of years of gymnastics including being a competitor in the Junior Nationals in 2006 and a member of the Southern California State team in 2008. After 10 years of competitions, traveling from Hawaii to Michigan, he finished his competitive career as a Level 10 gymnast in April 2010 in San Diego at the Region 1 Men’s Gymnastics Association competition. He will continue to be involved with gymnastics as a coach.
Michael attended the Marine Corp Devil Pup program at Camp Pendleton in August of 2009. His proudest moment was making it to the top of “Ol’ Smokey” and receiving his Devil Pup Challenge Coin.
Michael enjoys video recording and editing, skateboarding, playing guitar and drums, and spending time with friends, family, and especially his sister, Tricia.
He is inspired by Philippians 3:12-14.
“I do not mean that I am already as God wants me to be. I have not yet reached that goal, but I continue trying to reach it and to make it mine. Christ wants me to do that, which is the reason he made me his. Brothers and sisters, I know that I have not yet reached that goal, but there is one thing I always do. Forgetting the past and straining toward what is ahead, I keep trying to reach the goal and get the prize for which God called me through Christ to the life above.”
At 12:33pm yesterday, my father-in-law took his last breath on this earth. My husband, his son, was holding his hand, my mother-in-law was holding his other hand, and my sister-in-law was standing at the foot of his bed. Our minister was saying a prayer when he took his last breath. He went peacefully and calmly from this life into the next.
Our children and I had gone over earlier in the morning knowing that the end was near. His temperature had spiked up to 105 and hospice told us this was end stage and to be prepared for him leaving us soon. We were able to say our goodbyes and talked him through a video that we had made for our son who was graduating high school later in the day.
At 2pm yesterday, our son graduated high school. We have homeschooled and put together a small, but very nice graduation for him and another family who homeschooled. We had videos of the kids and the other graduate did a song to sign language. The youth minister said a short message and then our children were given the charge of learning to pray and keep God as their own.
Our son was unaware until after the graduation that his grandfather had passed on from this world. He was glad that we waited to tell him, but thankful that he saw him earlier in the day.
A short biography was read about our son at the graduation. Below is his biography and Bible verse that was read just before he graduated.
Michael was born August 3, 1992 weighing a whopping 3 pounds 10 ounces. He came home to his adoptive parents, David and Suzie, at two weeks of age with the expectation that he would someday learn to rollover. Learning to walk just before he turned two years old was nothing short of a miracle. His mom enrolled him in gymnastics the month he turned four just to “get some of his energy out.” That was the beginning of years of gymnastics including being a competitor in the Junior Nationals in 2006 and a member of the Southern California State team in 2008. After 10 years of competitions, traveling from Hawaii to Michigan, he finished his competitive career as a Level 10 gymnast in April 2010 in San Diego at the Region 1 Men’s Gymnastics Association competition. He will continue to be involved with gymnastics as a coach.
Michael attended the Marine Corp Devil Pup program at Camp Pendleton in August of 2009. His proudest moment was making it to the top of “Ol’ Smokey” and receiving his Devil Pup Challenge Coin.
Michael enjoys video recording and editing, skateboarding, playing guitar and drums, and spending time with friends, family, and especially his sister, Tricia.
He is inspired by Philippians 3:12-14.
“I do not mean that I am already as God wants me to be. I have not yet reached that goal, but I continue trying to reach it and to make it mine. Christ wants me to do that, which is the reason he made me his. Brothers and sisters, I know that I have not yet reached that goal, but there is one thing I always do. Forgetting the past and straining toward what is ahead, I keep trying to reach the goal and get the prize for which God called me through Christ to the life above.”
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Serving others
Life has been very hectic this last week. We have been working hard decluttering and cleaning at my in-laws house, so we could bring home my father-in-law with hospice care. Well, today we finally did it. We got him home and settled. He was very happy to be home after 4 months in the hospital.
It was a bittersweet homecoming because the entire reason for hospice is to make him comfortable. We will no longer be trying to make him well. Now that is not to say that he couldn't rally and be around for a while. But the final outcome is known. He has become a very caring person and telling us how much he loves us all. He was never a man of words, but he is now telling us these things.
I may not get to post much in the next few weeks. There will be daily trips to their home to support and help as much as I can. It my pleasure to be able to serve them and others. As a Christian, it is as much a blessing to me to be able to help them, as I am a blessing to them. I am so glad that God has given me the ability to help and support them.
Please keep our family in your prayers.
It was a bittersweet homecoming because the entire reason for hospice is to make him comfortable. We will no longer be trying to make him well. Now that is not to say that he couldn't rally and be around for a while. But the final outcome is known. He has become a very caring person and telling us how much he loves us all. He was never a man of words, but he is now telling us these things.
I may not get to post much in the next few weeks. There will be daily trips to their home to support and help as much as I can. It my pleasure to be able to serve them and others. As a Christian, it is as much a blessing to me to be able to help them, as I am a blessing to them. I am so glad that God has given me the ability to help and support them.
Please keep our family in your prayers.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Wednesday completion and Thursday's List
Not a bad day yesterday. I got all of the things done on my list. For lunch we had taco cups (taco meat on top of biscuits and then baked with some cheese on top) and for dinner we had baked potatoes with meat, tomato, and mozzarella cheese on top called Pizza Potatoes. So Wednesday's completed list:
Find phone number and call mother-in-law to give it to herHelp son with school workFeed petsMake breadMake all meals at homeLaundryVacuum living room and family roomPut up new towels in bathroomsTake out the garbage and recyclingWork on financial informationTake garbage cans to streetPick up husband's perscriptionsWipe countersLoad, run, unload dishwasherWipe out bathrooms sinks
- Take son to orthodontist appointment
- Do mending
- Clean out the cars (2 cars)
- Clean out the toaster tray
- Vacuum kitchen (Yes, we have carpet in the kitchen.)
- Dust family and living rooms
- Do all the dishes
- Make all meals at home
- Feed pets
- Wipe off kitchen counters
- Take out trash and recycling
- Help son with school work
- Read
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Wednesday list and other accomplishments
So I did not get Monday or Tuesday lists posted, but here is what I was able to accomplish on those two days.
Off to get started on my list for today.
- Did 10 loads of laundry (this included sheets, blankets, towels, and clothing)
- Dishes (reloaded dishwasher and ran it twice)
- Wiped off counters
- Made all meals at home (breakfast, lunch and dinner for both days)
- Weeded in the garden
- Trimmed bushes
- Helped son with school work
- Fed and gave water to the animals (2 dogs and 1 cat)
- Helped at church
- Find phone number and call mother-in-law with it
- Help son with school work
- Feed pets
- Make bread
- Make all meals at home
- Laundry
- Vacuum living room and family room
- Put up new towels in bathrooms
- Take out the garbage
- Work on financial information
- Take garbage cans to street
- Pick up husband's perscriptions
- Wipe counters
- Load, run, unload dishwasher
- Wipe out bathrooms sinks
Off to get started on my list for today.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Saturday Results
Well I got a lot done today. For lunch we had delicious potato leek soup that I had started last night. It was nice and easy and just ready to add my half and half and some seasonings. Lightly toasted homemade bread topped off a great lunch and gave us a great break in the middle of the day.
So here is what I got done:
Well I am off to go read and get off of my feet. They are a little bit tired after today. I was bad and did not wear the correct shoes for being on my feet all day. Flip-flops or barefoot were not a good idea. My feet are definitely yelling at me right now for being so stupid.
Tomorrow will be busy, but I will be at church and that is always a good thing. It is just so great to know that you are loved by the One who created us.
So here is what I got done:
Pick up my fruit and vegetables from our organic produce groupWash and prepare fruit and vegetables for the weekJuice all the oranges and freeze in ice traysMake a batch of kiwi preserves and can it.Go buy fruit for Sunday morning servicesPrepare fruit for Sunday morning servicesMake 5 dozen muffins for Sunday morning servicesClean kitchen after all the food prep and cookingGet pictures done of son (Appointment is 12-2pm)Wash and dry sheets
Feed the animalsMake lunchMake dinner- Clean up after each meal
Take out the trash- Clean the sinks
- Read my Bible
Well I am off to go read and get off of my feet. They are a little bit tired after today. I was bad and did not wear the correct shoes for being on my feet all day. Flip-flops or barefoot were not a good idea. My feet are definitely yelling at me right now for being so stupid.
Tomorrow will be busy, but I will be at church and that is always a good thing. It is just so great to know that you are loved by the One who created us.
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