Week at a Glance

I had a "large" week as Namina would say. Karl (my stepfather) was diagnosed with brain cancer on Saturday July 26th and had brain surgery on Friday July 31st. My Mom's breast cancer has now spread to her internal organs. She is on medication to hopefully reduce the cancer cells. Paul has been in a rehabilitation center for a foot infection and just went back into the hospital yesterday. My fence blew over during a wind storm. Kamille has decided she needs to use my make-up and blow dryer. Jake is homesick and misses his new wife. I gave up asking Hunter to water the back yard, brown grass is the new green right? I walked/crawled my first 5K. In my mind I was at the front of the line running through the tape, but in reality I plugged along at the end of the race. I've ordered a nervous breakdown al-a-mode, but it hasn't shown up.

As I look back on this week I don't see all the stress. I see wonderful people who surround me and my family to help and bless us; great neighbors who help repair fences; Kamille growing up; Jake texting and emailing me for advice; an okay back yard that will have to wait for perfectness next summer; and me bursting through the tape at the finish line. Weird huh?

What the?

Kamille went to California last week with our bestest neighbors. She had a great time at the beach and swimming and being with her favorite friend Haili. A big thanks to Nanette for being brave enough to travel with three young girls - she is great! Kamille bought me an early birthday present and also made me a birthday card. If you look closely you will notice the birthday card says "Happy Birthday Mom, 50th!" She actually thought I was turning 50 this year! How can that be when I haven't even hit the 40's? he he, ha ha, sniff, sniff, sob sob......

Surprise!!

We had an exciting 4th of July. Most people set off fireworks and have BBQ's but we got to plan a wedding. Jake and Jackie got engaged in May and were planning their wedding when Jake returned from Iraq in 2010. As the deployment date got closer and closer they decided they wanted to get married before he deployed. They told us June 28th and we had a wedding July 4th ! Thanks to everyone who helped pull it together. They are a cute couple and everything fell right into place so it was meant to be. We love Jackie and her family and are so excited for their future together!!

Proud Mom

Kathryn has been interning at a tattoo shop for the last two weeks. She tried to convince me this was a great career move because she would make money while in college, she would be using her art skills and she could keep her pink mohawk hairdo. She also reassured me she will never get a tattoo. The other night she came home excited and told me "Spider" (his tattoo name) said she was doing great! She also told me that she informed the tattoo shop I was single and 37 years old (which is accurate by the way). Last night she came home and was excited as she asked me if she could borrow some money. She needed to buy a few grapefruits because they are teaching her to tattoo today. As I reached for the ol' debit card her little life flased through my mind, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry?

Kamille is 13

I haven't blogged since Oct 2008, I was locked out ! But now I am back in and ready to go. Kamille had her 13th birthday. She invited 13 girls and 10 showed up. I forgot what it was like to have 10 giggling 13 year olds in my living room. She had a great birthday. She picked a "Theatre" theme and it was fun to make a popcorn bucket cake for her. She is my 'sweet baby' !!

IT IS SCARY !!

I have 4 teenagers and prefer to just go ahead and round it up to 5 teenagers, because it is around the corner and it is going to happen. People who have already been through the teenage years tell me: "Don't worry about it", "It'll be okay", and the infamous "It'll all work out.." to which I rebute: "I will", "It won't", and "You are old and have forgotten what it was like." That said I just want to assure all that I have made it a daily goal to avoid prison at all cost and let my children continue living.
Selfishly, I relish the thought of my golden years, while living in my small exquisite castle-like one bedroom condo with only a peep hole for visitors and a mail drop for gifts. I will rock in my rocking chair and chuckle as I lick a birthday card envelope and attach a decorative stamp for each of my teenage grandchildren.