Monday, September 26, 2011

Gunnar's 9th Birthday

September 25th was Gunnar's 9th birthday, I can't believe he's 9!! Yesterday at church when holding my friends 1 week old I told Gunnar he was just that size 9 years ago about 5 1/2 pounds! It's hard to believe that now! We had a great weekend celebrating, Saturday night we went to my parents camper to celebrate my Dad's and Gunnars birthday. Gunnar received a magic kit which he has absolutely loved and has been showing everyone magic tricks since!

Then Sunday Kevin and I took him and 2 friends to Evansville to Walther's. They have indoor/outdoor putt putt, laser tag, arcade, & small jungle gym to climb around. The boys had a blast! I love hearing Gunnar and his friends interact! They say the funniest stuff sometimes! I'm very thankful he has such good friends!

Then home for pie with Kevin's parents. It was a busy busy weekend but loved spending time with all the family and so glad Gunnar enjoyed his special day!

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Mid Life Crisis?!

I sure hope Not! I would hate to think I'm mid life right now! But the title seemed so fitting for what I'm going through right now. Another title that would be fitting is "Empty Nest Syndrome!" Although I'm a nurse in profession I have been a stay at home Mom for four years now. I have done things since staying home, like babysitting both my nephews for their first year, working at the girls preschool, and cheer coaching, but nothing full time all day everyday. Now for the first time since I've been home I'm all alone all day since all three kids are in school. Don't get me wrong I have plenty to do all day to keep me busy and do enjoy many of the perks of having time to myself but it's also a little unnerving to spend sooo much time by yourself! Not sure if I can explain this well in writing but I feel unsettled for some reason. Like I need something to do. I am on the subbing list at my kids school and have done that twice in a classroom and once for the nurse but that's only 3 times in 6 weeks. To explain better 2 days ago in the matter of three hours I went from thinking I'd go back to school, have 2 more babies(because you cant just have one that's so far away from the youngest), to babysitting my friends newborn, to looking for a job outside the home. All those do not work out well because I do not like school, we are not wanting more children, if I babysit I get tied down and cant volunteer at the kids school or spend their school breaks with just them, and if I work outside the home that includes all Holiday breaks and summer that the kids would be home. So I feel a little lost in where my "place" is right now. I would love to go back to my old nursing job, but I'm not ready to give up the school breaks with the kids and being able to pick them up after school and doing the activities we do like drum lessons, soccer, & gymnastics. So you see just a little unsure of things right now. But on very positive note I'm in a amazing bible study by Beth Moore called Living Beyond Yourself. I truly feel this was meant to be at this season of my life and is exactly what I need. I feel the Lord is drawing me close and going to be telling me exactly where and what I'm supposed to be doing if I'd just sit down and listen and lean on Him instead of trying things my own way! With Him I have no worries I'll be led in the correct direction, my worry is I won't settle down long enough to listen because I'm Type A and need things to move quickly and unfortunately I'm a little impatient:( Probably the 2 things the Lord is working on me right now by putting me alone all day!! Ha! For my christian friends prayers are welcomed for this new season in our lives and for my stay at home moms I'm available for coffee/lunch dates lol!!!

Addendum: Directly after posting this I went and sat down and started my bible study and then not even a minute later the school called for me to work tomorrow. Hmmmm coincidence or is someone speaking to me?!!!!!

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Survived Crazy Week!

Wow what a week! Lots going on, I hit the milestone of putting all our kids in school, my SIL had major surgery, conducted Jr high cheer tryouts, first football game of the year, Varsity cheerleaders competed at State Fair, Gunnar had bball tryouts, and first jv football game, Gunnar had first tackle football practice! Lots of stressful things in that line up! My stomach has been in knots! Lots has went good in that crazy week. Shannons surgery was successful, her biopsy came back today, benign schwannoma. They did get it all so no follow up treatment needed!!PTL! Cheerleaders did great at football games and came in one point of placing top ten at State Fair. Gunnar loved his tackle football practice, but unfortunately didn't make travel bball team:( SO far kids are liking school, the girls like it much more than Gunnar though. I think he's to the age where it's more work instead of play at school and he isn't loving that!! Projects around the new house are up & going. Painting the family room, Kevin totally cleaned out our garage while I was at State Fair(good man!), we haven't parked 2 cars in there since we moved in! The kids and I pulled weeds like crazy tonight(if you look out your window Courtney you can see us again!) The weeds got out of control real fast, I was able to fill 2 big trash bags full tonight! After typing that it seems a little embarrassing! One thing bad on the list this week is Molly's injury:( I get a call from Kevin Saturday afternoon saying "Uh whatcha doin?" I said were about to take stage in few minutes whats up? "Well.....I think shes ok but Molly fell out of the tree and hit forehead first!" My heart sinks to my stomach, instant guilt for not being home when it happened, I can hear her crying in the background:( Then nurse mode takes over with the 100 questions of all her symptoms etc. She put ice on it and was fine but I couldn't get home fast enough to see for myself. She instantly had a purple/yellow forehead, then Monday came a left black eye and now Tues came a right black eye! Poor thing is looking worse every day! Although she has been perfectly fine with no trace of problems I still needed to hear my doctors nurse tell me it was fine! It doesn't matter that I'm a nurse it seems to exit the window when it comes to my own kids! Here's pic of Molly on day 3 of hitting her forehead(photo taken today day 3)