Yep...steve finally hit it the big 4-0! We celebrated with a few pranks and a tailgate party right before Blake's football game.
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Our Caroline with her ice cream b-day cake Wednesday night the big 9 |
Finally my Dad's tombstone came in and just in time for decoration day. We got to go up the next day and get a good look. I love it. Perfect for him. Unique and simple. And it came in just in time for his birthday!
My sweet Leah Beth just because!
Some much needed family time and a little celebration for the girls for their birthdays since we aren't having parties this year just the six of us celebrated together. It was so fun! Mini golf, ch. cheese and waffle house all in one day!
Blake is playing his first year of high school football as a sophomore. He has always liked to try lots of things but his love of love has always been wrestling. As his mom I've come to love wrestling (with a few exceptions) just as much because I have noticed all the benefits that come with the hard work and endurance that is being learned as he is learning to become a great wrestler so when he decided to add football to one of his in between sports I was a little well...not excited. I love football and the fun that it is on Friday night. The smell, the jeans and the feeling but I am so used to wrestling I didn't know how I would feel about another contact sport. His in between sports have been cross country, track and soccer and I've not had to worry about the things I've worried about in wrestling and football.
Well let me tell you...I was one of those...(along with my husband) acting like a insane person as my sophomore was put into the game. First he turned around and gave his Dad a suspicious look (like Dad get ready I'm going in) that I can't tell you what it did to my heart. It kinda leap to know he was getting to go in the game. Although no words were exchanged between the two of them it was the look. Steve told me to get ready. I grabbed my camera and darted over as fast as I could (yes running in front of all the bleachers carrying my camera) Only to get to a great spot and forgot my battery. So I had to run back! I was screaming Go Blake Go Blake Go....in my biggest Van Buren Co. High cheerleading voice. All my past cheering came back to me real fast! Good thing I didn't try turning a cartwheel! Steve and I acted like idiots along with Andrew and his friends as we watched Blake play and play. It was so fun. So yes I am adding football to my love with wrestling. It was worth all the driving to practice just to see my boy do his thing! My heart was racing every time the whistle would blow. Crazy yes...exciting yes...fun oh yes!
One of our steps for our home study is locking up all our meds. I didn't know how I was going to do this without buying a cabinet or something till someone suggested a toolbox with a lock. So $15 bucks later we are done!
Nana got Caroline this great book for her birthday but the more I read it I realize it is for me too! The name of it is "Forever and Always"
It's about death. It is precious. Get your tissues out when you read it.
I couldn't sleep last night! I can always sleep! Pretty much any time any where! Student teaching thoughts/adoption thoughts/ mothering thoughts/ wife thoughts/ and then Dad. I've missed him so much this week. Not just a little I really missed him. I found myself wishing I could just talk to him a little bit and he would answer back. I am sure it was because it was his birthday. It was this picture again that kept me awake! I know it's just a picture but for me it is the reason I love pictures so much. Because now pictures are what we have to remember. I understand fully that I can't take pictures with me when I die but for now until we are all together again it reminds me of how much I have and how blessed I am. We took this picture a couple of weeks after Dad made it to the heart transplant list. I suggested that we do a dressy picture since all of our pictures are casual and it had been so long since all of us including adults had been in a picture with the kids and Nana and Papa. I am so glad that we took a few minutes set up the tripod and enjoyed the beautiful weather and Adrian's land. It is a good memory of laughter and fun even though he was already really sick.
In so many ways I am reminded I am blessed. So in my weakest moments when I feel so inadequate I am reminded of eternity as I look at all these faces that I love so dearly.
5 comments:
This is a busy time for your family! I had no idea you had so many b-days right next each other. Fun times! Those are great pictures of Blake playing!
"cheerleading voice"...I can so hear it from you!
Love your post.
Glad you took that picture.
love you gretchen, all of this post was so sweet and the moments captured ARE priceless. I'm so glad you are completely on board with blake's football desires. Wrestling training probably really prepared him to get in and under the opponent and he will be a very valueable team member. how fun!
i hope you sleep better tonight, having sweet dreams of everything on your mind. I have been there with you with the fresh excitement of preparing for adoption so I hope you are blessed so so so soon! Love to heaven for your dad, I was thinking of him majorly last night at Camp Nakanawa when 'corky' spoke to us, just thinking back of their brotherly love and friendship with each other. I'm grateful I was witness to that relationship and both those men. It was an honor at the time and sweeter now. Love you again, sweet friend. xoxo lila
love this post. way to keep making the memories and savoring the moments!! Life is good.
Gretchen, just a little hint with Blake playing football. Will ease your mind at games.
My brother was a little slow getting up after being hit(he wass a tackle). Scared my mother, was sure he was hurt. So the next game he had orders "If he was down and not hurt but 'resting' he was to wiggle the fingers of the hand that she could see." That way she knew not to worry.
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