Reunion thoughts...

So for the last few weeks, I have been working with a friend from high school to plan our 10 year high school reunion. As we begin to prepare and pull everyone together, I've really been thinking a lot about a couple of points...

In planning, we have come across one person who doesn't want to be involved. It's not that he just doesn't want to join us but that he doesn't want to be invited, doesn't want to know anything about it. Granted, I don't know anything about his current situation, but it just breaks my heart that he would not desire to get in touch with some of his friends from high school. A gal I went to school with said today how odd it is that you see someone everyday for 4+ years and then one day, you just don't see them anymore, and that's the end of it. The majority of us just step away and never look back. Isn't that so weird??

Also as I look back I have to remind myself that just as I am not the same person I was 10 years ago, each person that graduated with me is not the same. I have made most decisions that are within my upbringing. My parents laid the foundation to how I should live as an adult and I followed suit (at least I feel that I have). However, I am realizing that not everyone has followed the same road. Perhaps they decided that the path they were on was not what they wanted. Or perhaps they were not on the same path as I was to begin with. Especially going to a Christian high school, sometimes it is shocking to me to think that not everyone was a Christian, and therefore, there may be those who still don't know Christ or who have strayed from that upbringing. I am reminded everyone is not like I am and I must be sensitive to where each person is coming from, individually. Everyone is different. Not all went away from home, not all stayed away from home and not all have had to make life for themselves away from anything close to familiar. It is crutial when I return to do so with grace and gentleness while remembering everyone is not in my situation and everyone is different and blessed in their own ways.

I am also reminded of a statement that I was told while in college. My mentor said that she is so glad that she didn't have to go back to high school and that college was the best time of her life. At the time, I was only a year out of high school and I didn't really agree at the time. My first year of college was rough. But as I look back on it, I am very proud of the way my college career went. I am glad that high school was not the end. I am pleased with God's provision of CU for my higher ed. I can now actually agree with that statement - College was the best time of my life. As much as I enjoyed high school, I enjoyed and benefited from college EVEN more. Today, I was going though my photo box to find some photos from high school. I actually didn't find anything of what I was looking for, but found TONS of photos from college... My roommate and I my sophomore year. Photos from my summer with RISEN in 2000. The meet up between RISEN and ALIVE during that summer. Photos from the National Championship Team and Photos from Midnight Madness and our "band" uniforms. Photos from a "cheeky" event and other roommate doings from Jr Year. I have photos from Homecoming our Sr Year when Wendy was on Court. And photos from SGA retreats and outings. So much fun stuff. So MANY memories that I am proud of. Ones that have shaped me and made me who I am. I can't go back and change who I was in high school. But I am happy with who I have become through my journey of college and after college.


Above all, I am looking forward to our 10 year reunion. I'm looking forward to see who those old friends are today and to reminisce about those old days.

Figuring it out...

For the past several weeks, Finnegan has been sitting up more and more for longer periods of time. He can now sit up and bend over to reach toys that are out in front of him. He has gotten into some serious predicaments since learning how to sit up but not knowing exactly how to get around.

Yesterday, he was trying to reach a toy in front of him and he was reaching forward and all of the sudden did a face plant into the carpet and slid along in slow motion until he was out flat on the the floor. He didn't really know what to think of it at first. I got up and walked over slowly to him and he just laid there for a moment and then started to whine, because I think he'd figured out that it might have hurt and he might not be able to get up. I went over to him and helped him up and he continued to whine, and I reassured him that he was ok. :)

Last night, he again was trying to reach a toy that was out in front of him and he bent over and his left leg swung out behind him. But now he had one leg in front and one leg behind him. He couldn't figure out how to swing one back or the other forward. He just sat there for a moment but then wanted some help. He doesn't cry much when he gets into these situations, just whines for help.

My favorite new trick is something he's already learned and continues to model: The idea that if you swing something in the air without much control, it is bound to hit you in the face. So, when he takes his toys and swings them in his right hand he ALWAYS sqints his eyes shut and tilts his head, ever so slightly. Knowing that at any time, he could hit himself in the head. But granted, he's prepared and ready for it!

He continues to be our handsome little guy. His cheeks are as chubby as ever but his little body is thinning out. He loves it when daddy comes home from work, and when the doggies stop to let him pet them. Right now, he is playing on the floor, squealing with delight when the doggies pass, and as he swings his toys in the air.

Have a great weekend.

A for Tuesday!!

Tuesday was a big day for us!! Normally, Tuesday's tend to be a "bad" day for me. But this week it actually turned out a lot better. I took the plunge and visited a new dentist on Tuesday. I don't necessarily dread going to the dentist, but I really don't like it. I suppose it stems from all of my dental work as a kid, the pulling of teeth, the braces... oh, all the discomfort. But, it was definitely time to see the dentist. And perhaps it wasn't the idea of seeing a dentist that unnerved me more, but the fact that it was a NEW dentist. When we first moved here, I had to see a doctor and so I "picked one out of the book." And for all who have ever done that, it can be a scary situation. This one time, was terrible. I saw this old fashioned doctor who insisted that I had something wrong with me that just wasn't the case, because she had a preconceived idea, rather than listening to me and looking at the facts. Well, that put a bad taste in my mouth for "picking one out of the book." So, since then, I've only gone to doctors etc, that are recommended. This new dentist wasn't recommended, so I was apprehensive. But the visit went great. The Dental-hygienist was very nice and kind and gentle with my teeth. I go back on Monday for the "cleaning" and the PICKING!!! Oh, that's what I hate the most!!

After my appt, I met Ken and Finnegan for lunch. It was a nice quick lunch, as Ken had to get back to work (after saying home with Finn for the morning). After lunch, we spent an hour or so with our friend Melody. We stopped and had coffee with her and visited. It was so nice to see her. She is always so sweet and real with us. I love talking with her and hope we can get together soon again!

Once Finn and I got home, I noticed that Ken had forgotten his back pack for class that night. So we got back in the car (after Finnegan's nap) and went back up to Algona to give Ken his backpack and he was off to class. He got all the way up to class (about an hour from home) and found that class was canceled! So he was back on his way home for the night. It was super nice to have him home early!

And we were both able to witness the most exciting event of the day... Finnegan was pushing up on his knees last night. Oh, it was so cool to just sit and watch him try and figure it out... He'll be moving in no time!


All in all my Tuesday was a winner! Hope you all had a great day!

For the third time this week!!!

It's snowing again!!! And this time it's sticking!!! AHHH - I want Spring and Summer!!!

Wild Weather

It's been all over the country this year... wildfires, tornadoes, flooding, excessive snow etc. We are preparing for spring here in the northwest. We've been out cleaning our flower beds and mowing our lawn. And several times since January, we've woken up to snow. I am sure our family is getting tried of me saying "we normally don't get this much snow." Well, today was a first for us... This week has been a world-wind of weather... last Saturday the temp was in the 70's then the temps plummeted back into the 40's by Monday and stayed there all week long. We got rain, hail and snow all week long. This morning we woke up to a beautiful day through our windows. The sun was shinning and there wasn't a cloud in the sky, just clear bright blue. Later in the afternoon, Ken went out to mow the lawn and take advantage of the day. After making his first attempt out, he returned to put an undershirt on, as he said it was colder than he thought. After starting to mow... It started to SNOW!!! Oh, man!!! Finnegan and I waited at the back door for him to turn the mower off. He did and said he'd just finish the job. I couldn't believe it!! He mowed the front and the back yard, and edged, all while it snowed. What a great husband I have!!

Also, Finnegan had another round of photos taken today here in our home. It was free sitting from the company who took his photos in the hospital... These turned out much better than those did (that's why not many of you have seen those). These were cute, but I don't think we'll purchase any. If your interested, I can tell you about them and let you know when they come to show them to us... I don't know much about the ordering process... but can find out for you!

Biggest Loser

What an inspiration the Biggest Loser Finale was! To see (not only the finalist) but all the contestants, except one, lose a HUGE amount of weight. I think the least amount lost was 19% of body weight. WOW!

And the Top Three finalists lost at least 40% of their weight loss, with the winner losing 45% of her weight, being a total of 112lbs. WOW! And She looks fantastic.

"When your heart and mind are combined with your intention, there is nothing that you can't accomplish." - Jillian Michaels.

Results...

The results are in... we are lucky, so far. With Finnegan only actively teething for about a week or so, we have teeth!!! They are just now breaking through the skin, but you can feel those little pokers coming through the skin. We are pretty excited. Finnegan has been in pretty good spirits (so far) except for when he's not (as Ken would say).

He is sitting up more and more and I've recently removed the boppy pillow from around him. He falls over (onto his face) sometimes, but doesn't cry. He just looks at me and we say "uh, oh!" And he goes on his merry way. He holds his bottle all by himself but needs help sometimes to keep it high enough to drink. He took milk from a sippy cup today for the first time. He doesn't do it much - but he's honing his skills with the sippy cup. Each day he gets better and more able.

He has begun to move when on his belly. He can rotate 180 degrees when he's on his tummy. It takes him about 20 minutes or so, but he rotates none the less. He has started shuffling his knees (one at a time) to achieve the rotating action. We know it won't be long now - especially because he is so curious.