Friday, June 30, 2006

blog post drought

Thank you to everyone who has written and called asking if I'm alright. I am. Every since my cousin, Michael, died I have been a little sad and overwhelmed. Add that to the fact that we are kid activity central and the result is no blog posting.

We went back to Russellville, Alabama to attend Michael's funeral. He has the loveliest wife and boys who are weathering the sudden shock of losing a husband and father as best they can. I cannot tell you how blown away I was by his wife's grace during this whole ordeal. Dave was asked to be a pallbearer and he considered it a great honor to be that close to Michael in the end. The cousins in our family have always been close. I always thought that was the way it worked in every family, but I've discovered that not all cousins play touch football after thanksgiving dinner. In my mind I keep going back to a time when I was maybe ten and my cousins were mostly older than me. Everyone is dressed in 1970's clothing and it is a beautiful fall day. We were pitching a football around in our backyard after a family gathering. Even though I was blessed to know my cousins I find myself wishing for more time with Michael. More time to hang out with him and his family and let our kids race around together. More time to do things that we never had time for as adults. More time to hear him laugh. I just cannot still fathom the fact that he is gone and that his wife and boys will have to carry on without him. I take great comfort in the fact that Michael's wife is a wonderful mother. I know she will do the best for her boys despite this loss. I just wish she didn't have to do it alone. 41 is too young to die. 29 is too young to be a widow. Keep them in your prayers.

Michael's passing caused me to get organized about the cardiology checkup I had pushed to the back burner. Because of my father's condition I have been instructed to be on a five year checkup schedule. The last checkup I had was ten years ago...two moves, three children, and 48 months of breastfeeding ago. I had my checkup with a the group in Atlanta to get caught up. I felt like a hyperchondriac explaining my family history and my medical history. First there is the hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, then my bout with reumatic fever in college, and finally the events causing my heart to stop during the c-section. It seems like a novel by the time it's all over. Thankfully everything checked out great. I am so grateful and thankful that after all my body has been through that my heart is in great shape. My physical exercise is paying off and was actually evident in the condition of my heart. Though I haven't gotten the hard body I hoped for I am stronger and healthier due to my exercise routine. All good news.

So I'm back to blog world -- heart healthy and all. This afternoon Dave and I try a little golf escape together. We are headed off to play our first course TOGETHER AS A COUPLE. I've been taking a women's course at the PGA Superstore each week and this will be my first time on an actual course. We've got a babysitter and this will be our date. I'm looking forward to some time together having fun. We are going out for dinner afterwards...not sure what the other diners will think about our southern sweat, but I really don't care.

Next week we are headed off to Orlando for a family vacation. We are 7 days and counting at this point.

Thanks again for asking about me. ;-)

Saturday, June 10, 2006

happy and sad

We picked Jordan up last night and she was glad to see us. I'm so proud of her for making the whole week independantly. It's a big deal. She made lots of new friends and tried new skills. Primarily she learned to kayak on the lake and ride horses. She wanted to say goodbye to her horse before we left so we walked out to the stables for her to say goodbye to Georgie. She lost a tooth on Monday night so the tooth fairy had some work to do last night. I'm glad to have her home. I'll upload some pictures soon for you to see.

I'm pretty upset right now. My father called this morning to say that my 43 year old cousin died of heart attack. It was a complication from some severe back pain he has experienced over the past year. Apparently this caused such stress on his heart that it finally triggered an attack. It's so sad. He leaves behind two elementary aged boys and a wife. In the back of my mind I am wondering if any of this is related to the family heart condition we all inherited. My father, and his father before him who died at a young age, has the disease which causes the instant death you hear about in athletes. It's called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and it is the reason my father has a pacemaker with a defibrilator currently.

Please keep Michael's young family in your prayers. My uncle is understandably devestated to lose his first born son. This is the first grandchild my 92 year old Grandmother has lost. I just can't keep thinking about his wife Debbie and their sweet boys. Sometimes nothing makes sense in this world.

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

shhhh


William is going to go to a Braves Game tonight, but he doesn't know it yet. He's missing Jordan while she is away at camp. This will be a great treat for him. He has only been to minor league ballgames before. What do you think his face will look like when Dave drives into the parking place at the stadium? :-0

Jordan's camp has an arrangement where you can view pictures from each day's events. Thus far we have see Jordan in her unit group shot (regular pose and then a silly one) and one from today where she is learning to kayak. I think they are keeping her very busy.

on the brink

So, I imagine you think I've fallen off the face of the Earth. I haven't posted for almost two weeks now and that's just not like me. Here's the short version:

Last week of school madness
Planting of more plants, pulling of more weeds
Memorial day chillin'
Went swimming with the kids
Cheer camp for Jordan
Sports camp for William
Crazy carpool schedule for Me
Squeezed in 4 workouts last week
William got some kind of stomach bug on Friday morning and I spent the day cleaning up his issues.
Purchased all last minute items necessary to get Jordan ready for Girl Scout Camp
Redressed naked Grace a million times while she yelled "tee-tee" (and yes, I did put her on the potty)
Found William with a purple and pink fingernail polish disaster in his room - he got it from my dresser and I had taken it from Jordan a week or so ago after a near disaster
Dropped Jordan off at her Girl Scout camp on Sunday. It's her first week of overnight camp ever. I'm so excited for her.
Attended a VBS meeting, dropped off food at the church for a special event, attended a t-ball game, and went to another girl scout meeting tonight

So, now do you understand why I haven't posted?