Time keeps on ticking, ticking, ticking...

Let's catch up.

My dad had surgery for his bladder cancer and passed away unexpectedly 5 days post-op in Sept '13.  Total shock.  The hospital was preparing to send him home in the next day or two.  Instead, we sent him to the funeral home.  

6 weeks after dad died, we had to put down our Charlie dog.  

Our baby girl graduated from high school in May 2015.  She did go back to school that Fall as a "Super Senior", focusing more on vocational and life skills and not so much on the academics.  

Now that both kids are no longer "kids", I was having a hard time claiming the whole "stay-at-home-mom" title.  So I got a job last year.  My first job in over 20 years!  Our local historic theater, which I have always LOVED, hired me as a box office employee.  Within a few weeks, I was taking on more projects and bigger projects.  And after a few months, I was moved into event planning. Along with being Box Office Manager, my official title at work is Rental & Event Coordinator.  

 

Spring of 2015 Megan went to Prom with her friend Terrance.  It did my mommy heart so much good to see her partaking in a typical teenage right of passage!  She had talked about going to Prom for a few years, it was a dream of hers, so I'm so glad her dream came true.

After battling for almost 4 years, my Mom passed away from breast cancer July 26, 2015.  Her downhill slide happened quickly, for which I am profoundly thankful.  I'm so thankful she remained "healthy" for so long, and that when it was time, she went quickly.  We buried her with dad (both were cremated). 

Since they went to Prom, they also went to Homecoming in the Fall of 2015.  

And then again to Prom in the Spring of 2016.

While Megan was eligible to remain in the public school system until she turns 21, which is two more years, we've decided that she is done.  Last week was her last day of high school.  Now we are facing the "what's next for Megan?" question from everyone.  Well, she's going to get a job.  We are working with the local agencies trying to find the perfect job for her.  It's a long process.  

Also, since Dave retired from the Marine Corps and we've moved back home, we've been playing in pit orchestras.  And I got a new flute!  Here are some of the shows we've played over the last couple of years.

 

And, my girlfriend wrote a book!!!
(I'm in it!)

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Life Keeps Rolling On

1.  My first born, my baby boy, is now a high school graduate.  I blinked, and he grew up.  The day after graduation, he enlisted in the Marine Corps.  His tentative ship date is Nov 4th.  I am so, so proud of the young man he has become.  We did something right in 18 years of parenting...  I'm not sure what or how, but we managed to raise a respectful, intelligent, funny, productive, honest, caring young man.

2.  My second born, my baby girl, will be a high school Junior in the fall.  This year she joined Special Olympics and competed in Basket Ball and in Swimming.  She had fun during practices, but would panic and freeze when it came time for competition.  She'd have a rough start each time, but would rally and come back full force during competition.  She enjoyed it and was proud of herself at the end of the day.  As were we.

3.  Megan was also diagnosed with PCOS last fall.  (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome)  She was prescribed a couple of meds, and it seems to have corrected the issue.  Now if we can figure out a way to fix her "teenage hormonal" attitude.  *snort*

4.  My mom, who is fighting breast cancer, is doing really well.  For the past 18 months she's been taking one pill a day, and it keeps the tumors from growing.

5.  My dad was recently diagnosed with bladder cancer.  He started chemo last week, and is feeling good so far.  After his chemo, he will have surgery to remove his bladder and prostate, and will learn to live life with a "bag".  It's been a bit overwhelming learning that BOTH parents have cancer at the same time.  I thank God every single day that I'm here and able to support them as they fight their battles.

6.  Megan will be having oral surgery next week to remove two baby teeth that have fused to her jaw and three adult teeth that are impacted and growing in wonky directions.  All five teeth will be removed, and she will then get a partial denture.

7.  Dave and I are looking forward to going out to San Diego for Christopher's Boot Camp Graduation early next year.  Tentatively, it looks like it will be in February.  I think we'll take a few extra days and spend some time in the SoCal area... maybe go to the San Diego Zoo or DisneyLand.

8.  My beloved van died.  ....so sad....  But I downsized to a car, and now have a 5-speed Hyundai Elantra.... and it gets GREAT gas mileage!  What a nice change.  And it's a super fun little car to drive.

Happy Summer!!

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*CaringBridge*

I've set up a CaringBridge site for mom... you can read about her fight with cancer at
Sue Garske's CaringBridge site.


This definitely isn't what I thought I'd be dealing with when we moved back home.  But I am SO glad that it is happening now.  I would be a worried, stressed-out mess if we were still stationed somewhere on the other side of the country right now.


Over the past 6 months I've been questioning if we made the right decision... maybe Dave should have stayed in the Marines?  Should we have moved back to Wisconsin?  Should we have moved in with mom and dad?  Did we make the right decisions??????  But now I know that God was in control and He put us EXACTLY were we needed to be.  No ifs, ands, or buts.  


I've been toying with going back to school, or finally getting a job.  But, thankfully, I hadn't done either of those yet.  Right now I have the free time to help mom.  I don't have anything else tieing me down...  no job, no little kids at home, no other obligations.  God saw fit that mom would have cancer just at the right time.  Yes, it totally and completely sucks that she has cancer... but it is such a blessing to me that He made sure that we were back home first.

"The secret of learning to be sick is this: 

Illness doesn't make you less of what you were.  You are still you."  

~Tony Snow

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Merry Christmas!!

First, the happy Christmas stuff:

That 70's Show dvd, Christopher's favorite

After the excitement of opening presents:

Playing with the new Barbie RV:

Puzzle time!

Time for a game of Chess

Playing with cousins!

Being with family @ Christmastime...  nothing better!

Now the not so happy Christmas stuff...

       Two days before Christmas mom was diagnosed with breast cancer.  Her lymph nodes are involved, which is never good.  :(   The plan is to start chemo first, then surgery.  Today is New Year's Eve, and I keep thinking what a rotten way to start the new year....

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