Did I already title another post with this byline? Ugh. I can't remember. Anyway, it's been two weeks since I've updated this blog, and a lot has gone on. I'll try to give you an update while still making it short and sweet. (You see my other posts, right?? LOL!)
First of all, Joe's great-grandmother passed away on July 14th. I visited with her often and really enjoyed being around her, so it is sad that she is gone. However, she was not happy in the nursing home and desperately missed her husband (he'd passed 3 years prior). In her last couple of days, she was unresponsive--so it was a relief that she finally left us. I sang, "Amazing Grace," at her service and put a slide show of pictures. Cousin Pam wrote a heart-felt and touching letter to Grandma and read it, also. It was a nice service. I wonder if that part of Joe's family will get together anymore since Grandma is gone. She was the reason that most of them continued to come to Salina every now and then.
On July 15-18th, we had the Ottawa County Fair. It was a tiny fair, but Nora really enjoyed it. There wasn't much that went on during the day, but it came alive at night. Nora LOVED looking at (and petting) all of the animals. We went to the parade and collected some candy. Joe rode in the ambulance in the parade, so it was exciting for Nora to see her daddy like that. We entered Nora in the Baby Contest, also. She was much more interested in all of the toys and balloons on stage than strutting her stuff. Needless to say, she didn't win. There was a stock tank just outside of the arena that caught Nora's eye after she walked across the stage. She went over and started splashing in it--tons of kids were soon to follow suit! Some of the parents weren't too happy about it, but it didn't bother me.
Nora and I went down to see my grandparents in South Haven, KS last Friday and returned home yesterday afternoon. We had a good visit and it was nice to see them. The last time we saw them was for Nora's birthday party back in October.
I think you are now officially caught up with us. Aren't you thrilled?!?!
*PS. I'm adding several new scrapbook pages and pictures to the slide shows to the right, if you are interested.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Sunday, July 13, 2008
I Am So Blessed
I've been thinking a lot lately about the economic crisis that this country is hurdling toward, not to mention the ever-rising gas prices. I try to push it out of my mind, but it's hard to forget. I can easily get bent-out-of shape if I think about it too much. Last night, I realized--I am so blessed. Instead of freaking out about things I cannot control, I should count my blessings. So that's what I'm going to do here. In no particular order:
I have a wonderful husband. He's not perfect, but he's great. He's funny and knows his stuff. He's ambitious and committed. He works hard to take care of us. He's a Proud Poppa and Nora absolutely adores him. Let's not forget that he has an awesome, but dangerous job. He's literally saved people's lives. He's also seen some pretty horrible stuff, but he doesn't let it get to him. (That takes a special kind of person).
I have an awesome daughter. As anyone that is a parent can tell you, children change your life in ways that you cannot imagine. Nora has enriched our lives so much that sometimes it feels like we can burst with all the love we have. She has not only brightened our lives by just being her, but she has also made our relationship as husband and wife stronger. I can't even remember what life was like before we had her. It's tough being a parent, but the rewards far outweigh the stress.
I've finally figure out what I want to be when I grow up! Anyone that knows me very well knows that I had a tough time in college. I originally went to become a high school agricultural education teacher. I love, love, love agriculture, but I don't think that I'm destined to teach it. I took some time off of school, went to work, got married, had a baby, etc. When Nora was 18 months old, I went back to work as a substitute teacher. The experience has really opened my eyes. I had no idea how much I'd love teaching grade school kids vs. junior/senior high kids. Any time that I sub as a grade school teacher, the day flies by and I really enjoy myself. I've made the big decision to go back to college to obtain my degree in elementary education. I'm going to do it part-time, so it will take me a few years, but it should work out well. I'll go back to work full-time when Nora is in school full-time. I might have taken the hard road to come to this decision, but I wouldn't have known what I really wanted to do unless I took the long way around. It's funny how life works out.
I LOVE our house! It's not new, it's not fancy, and it's not huge--but I adore it. My step-dad's grandparents were the original owners, then he owned it, now we are working towards owning it. I love the history, the character of an old house, and how solid it is. It needs a lot of work, but it just makes me love it even more when we complete a project and make it a little bit more our own. We couldn't have gotten a better deal on it anywhere. It's just another piece to the puzzle of our lives that is now starting to come together.
I love our town. I've lived in big towns, small towns, medium-sized towns, and in the country. By far, our town is my favorite place we've ever lived. It's a tiny town with the population of about 2,500, but there is a lot that goes on here. We have plenty of stores to keep us from going into "town" all the time. There are a lot of activities that are always going on. We love our church and the friends we've made so far. We go for a walk, people wave--some even stop and chat! We are also blessed to have a great school system here--both for my work and for Nora's eventual education.
...to be continued
I have a wonderful husband. He's not perfect, but he's great. He's funny and knows his stuff. He's ambitious and committed. He works hard to take care of us. He's a Proud Poppa and Nora absolutely adores him. Let's not forget that he has an awesome, but dangerous job. He's literally saved people's lives. He's also seen some pretty horrible stuff, but he doesn't let it get to him. (That takes a special kind of person).
I have an awesome daughter. As anyone that is a parent can tell you, children change your life in ways that you cannot imagine. Nora has enriched our lives so much that sometimes it feels like we can burst with all the love we have. She has not only brightened our lives by just being her, but she has also made our relationship as husband and wife stronger. I can't even remember what life was like before we had her. It's tough being a parent, but the rewards far outweigh the stress.
I've finally figure out what I want to be when I grow up! Anyone that knows me very well knows that I had a tough time in college. I originally went to become a high school agricultural education teacher. I love, love, love agriculture, but I don't think that I'm destined to teach it. I took some time off of school, went to work, got married, had a baby, etc. When Nora was 18 months old, I went back to work as a substitute teacher. The experience has really opened my eyes. I had no idea how much I'd love teaching grade school kids vs. junior/senior high kids. Any time that I sub as a grade school teacher, the day flies by and I really enjoy myself. I've made the big decision to go back to college to obtain my degree in elementary education. I'm going to do it part-time, so it will take me a few years, but it should work out well. I'll go back to work full-time when Nora is in school full-time. I might have taken the hard road to come to this decision, but I wouldn't have known what I really wanted to do unless I took the long way around. It's funny how life works out.
I LOVE our house! It's not new, it's not fancy, and it's not huge--but I adore it. My step-dad's grandparents were the original owners, then he owned it, now we are working towards owning it. I love the history, the character of an old house, and how solid it is. It needs a lot of work, but it just makes me love it even more when we complete a project and make it a little bit more our own. We couldn't have gotten a better deal on it anywhere. It's just another piece to the puzzle of our lives that is now starting to come together.
I love our town. I've lived in big towns, small towns, medium-sized towns, and in the country. By far, our town is my favorite place we've ever lived. It's a tiny town with the population of about 2,500, but there is a lot that goes on here. We have plenty of stores to keep us from going into "town" all the time. There are a lot of activities that are always going on. We love our church and the friends we've made so far. We go for a walk, people wave--some even stop and chat! We are also blessed to have a great school system here--both for my work and for Nora's eventual education.
...to be continued
Friday, July 11, 2008
Be forewarned
I'm going to take two videos of Nora soon. You won't be able to hold yourself on your seat, they will be so darn cute. I'm talking ridiculous amounts of cuteness rolled up into two videos. I wanted to give you time to prepare yourself. That's all for now...carry on.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
We're baaaaack!
Well, we made it to South Dakota and back. I was really worried about how Nora would be in the car for 8+ hours, but she did very well. I am grateful for that--as I'm sure we all are.
On Saturday morning, my mom and step-dad met us at our house and we left around 9 am. We rented a car for the trip and ended up with a new Dodge Charger. Joe was ELATED. We stopped around noon for lunch somewhere in Nebraska and landed at our destination around 5 pm. We went on the trip for a family reunion for my step-dad's family. His grandmother recently had a 95th birthday, so they decided it was a good time to get everyone together. When we got to town, they were having a pool party at the city pool. Nora wasn't too sure about the water to begin with, but after she found some toys to play with, she was set. She even went under water a few times (on accident) and came up smiling. After swimming, the Kansas part of the family went out to eat. It was getting pretty late after that, so we went to our hotel room for the night. We planned on Nora sleeping in a play pen, but she wanted NO part of that. Luckily, we had two beds in our room, so she and I took over one bed and left the other for Joe. She does not usually sleep with us, so it was an adventure in itself. She tossed and turned most of the night, and I worried constantly about her rolling off the bed. We made it through okay, though.
On Sunday, the reunion was in full-swing. Most everyone went to Mass (we aren't Catholic, so we opted out) and then went to the park after for snacks. We then went back to the church for pictures and the reception for Grandma. They have a BIG family. "Grandma" had 10 children and has over 30 grandchildren. They counted 70+ great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild (Nora). Joe was able to chat with a paramedic for the FDNY, so he was pretty excited about that. He also found a lot of guys to talk hunting with (SD is a HUGE hunting state), and one guy to talk about race cars with. He he. He tends to find friends wherever he goes. Dinner was served at the same location later. Then, we all went out to one of farms that the family has and had another round of visiting. There were soooooooo many kids there!! I can't imagine having that big of a family, but I bet it can be fun. Nora had a great time chasing cats around, playing on the swingset they had, and playing with the other kids there. We didn't leave until about 10:30 pm, so it was way past Nora's bedtime before we got to the hotel. We decided to try to let her sleep in one bed by herself, while Joe and I took the other bed. It went very well for most of the night, but around 3 am, I was awoken by "someone" tapping on my arm. She wanted in bed with us, so the 3 of us squeezed into a double bed. Yikes! Joe must have felt like he was falling off, because soon after that he made his way over to the other bed.
On Monday morning, we left the hotel and stopped in to see "Grandma" one more time before leaving South Dakota. We then made our way to Grand Island, Nebraska for more fun. After we checked into our hotel, we went to a water park that they have there. It was a lot of fun! They had some really big slides, a neat kids area, a "lazy river", and an area that was made into a wave pool every so often. It also happened to be next to a fire station, so Joe went over to visit with the guys before joining us at the pool. He found out that Grand Island uses Salina Fire as a model for their pay scales and such. They showed him around the station and visited for some time. Joe carries challenge coins to trade (instead of patches or t-shirts), so he gave them one. (Which reminds me, Joe is going to send the paramedic from FDNY a coin, and the paramedic is going to go around to some stations to get Joe some patches!) After the excitement of the fire station and the pool, we went out to eat and then back to our hotel. Unfortunately, we had a REALLY rough night with Nora. She wouldn't lay down and get settled to begin with. Then, she didn't want to sleep in bed alone. We tried to have her sleep with Joe in one bed, but she came over to my bed. Once she was in my bed, she was trying to climb in with Joe again. Then, we all got into one (queen-sized) bed and she finally settled down. I think it was midnight before that happened. I was crowded, so I went over to the other bed and let Nora and Joe have their own. Sometime in the night, Joe came over with me. Then, Nora came over. Wow--what a mess! I bet we'll all be glad to be in our own beds tonight!!!
This morning, we got up and loaded the car. Before leaving Nebraska, we stopped at the Stuhr Museum. It is a pioneer museum complete with exhibits and an old railroad town. (Among many other things--follow the link to find out more). I LOVED going through the town. There were 4 houses that we went through with actors completing daily chores as if they lived there. There were also shops, a jail, a fire station, a mill, etc. that we got to see. I had a blast. After the museum, we headed back to Kansas. We were glad to see home again. Even though it was only 4 days, we are pooped. I'll add a couple of pictures here once I get them off of my camera. As usual, I wish I'd taken more.
On Saturday morning, my mom and step-dad met us at our house and we left around 9 am. We rented a car for the trip and ended up with a new Dodge Charger. Joe was ELATED. We stopped around noon for lunch somewhere in Nebraska and landed at our destination around 5 pm. We went on the trip for a family reunion for my step-dad's family. His grandmother recently had a 95th birthday, so they decided it was a good time to get everyone together. When we got to town, they were having a pool party at the city pool. Nora wasn't too sure about the water to begin with, but after she found some toys to play with, she was set. She even went under water a few times (on accident) and came up smiling. After swimming, the Kansas part of the family went out to eat. It was getting pretty late after that, so we went to our hotel room for the night. We planned on Nora sleeping in a play pen, but she wanted NO part of that. Luckily, we had two beds in our room, so she and I took over one bed and left the other for Joe. She does not usually sleep with us, so it was an adventure in itself. She tossed and turned most of the night, and I worried constantly about her rolling off the bed. We made it through okay, though.
On Sunday, the reunion was in full-swing. Most everyone went to Mass (we aren't Catholic, so we opted out) and then went to the park after for snacks. We then went back to the church for pictures and the reception for Grandma. They have a BIG family. "Grandma" had 10 children and has over 30 grandchildren. They counted 70+ great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild (Nora). Joe was able to chat with a paramedic for the FDNY, so he was pretty excited about that. He also found a lot of guys to talk hunting with (SD is a HUGE hunting state), and one guy to talk about race cars with. He he. He tends to find friends wherever he goes. Dinner was served at the same location later. Then, we all went out to one of farms that the family has and had another round of visiting. There were soooooooo many kids there!! I can't imagine having that big of a family, but I bet it can be fun. Nora had a great time chasing cats around, playing on the swingset they had, and playing with the other kids there. We didn't leave until about 10:30 pm, so it was way past Nora's bedtime before we got to the hotel. We decided to try to let her sleep in one bed by herself, while Joe and I took the other bed. It went very well for most of the night, but around 3 am, I was awoken by "someone" tapping on my arm. She wanted in bed with us, so the 3 of us squeezed into a double bed. Yikes! Joe must have felt like he was falling off, because soon after that he made his way over to the other bed.
On Monday morning, we left the hotel and stopped in to see "Grandma" one more time before leaving South Dakota. We then made our way to Grand Island, Nebraska for more fun. After we checked into our hotel, we went to a water park that they have there. It was a lot of fun! They had some really big slides, a neat kids area, a "lazy river", and an area that was made into a wave pool every so often. It also happened to be next to a fire station, so Joe went over to visit with the guys before joining us at the pool. He found out that Grand Island uses Salina Fire as a model for their pay scales and such. They showed him around the station and visited for some time. Joe carries challenge coins to trade (instead of patches or t-shirts), so he gave them one. (Which reminds me, Joe is going to send the paramedic from FDNY a coin, and the paramedic is going to go around to some stations to get Joe some patches!) After the excitement of the fire station and the pool, we went out to eat and then back to our hotel. Unfortunately, we had a REALLY rough night with Nora. She wouldn't lay down and get settled to begin with. Then, she didn't want to sleep in bed alone. We tried to have her sleep with Joe in one bed, but she came over to my bed. Once she was in my bed, she was trying to climb in with Joe again. Then, we all got into one (queen-sized) bed and she finally settled down. I think it was midnight before that happened. I was crowded, so I went over to the other bed and let Nora and Joe have their own. Sometime in the night, Joe came over with me. Then, Nora came over. Wow--what a mess! I bet we'll all be glad to be in our own beds tonight!!!
This morning, we got up and loaded the car. Before leaving Nebraska, we stopped at the Stuhr Museum. It is a pioneer museum complete with exhibits and an old railroad town. (Among many other things--follow the link to find out more). I LOVED going through the town. There were 4 houses that we went through with actors completing daily chores as if they lived there. There were also shops, a jail, a fire station, a mill, etc. that we got to see. I had a blast. After the museum, we headed back to Kansas. We were glad to see home again. Even though it was only 4 days, we are pooped. I'll add a couple of pictures here once I get them off of my camera. As usual, I wish I'd taken more.
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