Wow, time is going fast. Our son leaves for college in only three days. Today is his 18th birthday. It seems like only yesterday he was a baby. A lot has changed since then besides the obvious. Our baby boy had to have been one of the worst sleepers in the history of babies.
Picture a new mother having gone through 24 hours of labor and needing assistance to deliver the child. All is wonderful with the world - we have a precious new baby, a gift from God. We bring him home from the hospital after a three day stay. I am semi rested having taken advantage of the now almost non-existent practice of being able to take the baby to the nursery so I can rest. We arrive at home and our precious little bundle sleeps that night for five straight hours. Of course I didn't sleep. What a mistake on my part. With the exception of a few nights here and there, this child did not sleep through the night until he was seven. That's seven years, not seven months. And naps - well some one must have told him that naps were for sissies because he didn't take those either. No, this beautiful baby never slept more that 7 or 8 hours in a 24 hour period and usually no longer than an hour and a half at a time.
Now, as he had officially become an adult, he sleeps almost eight hours each night. Too little, too late!
But, he is our pride and joy. A young man who is polite (well most of the time), hard working (except when it comes to cleaning his room)and has a plan for the future - undergraduate degree in business then a law degree.
And now, we are preparing to send him off into the world to earn his degree and enjoy his college experience. We love you J and we wish you all the best.
Oh, and Happy Birthday too!
August 30, 2007
August 26, 2007
The Outer Banks
We just got back from spending a wonderful relaxing week with our friends at their vacation home in the northern end of the Outer Banks in North Carolina. After the rough past few weeks, this vacation could not have come at a better time.
We left on Sunday the 19th after having spent Saturday night with my husband's family. We had gathered to share a meal and remember his dad. It was a good evening that was spent remembering good times and celebrating his life. Next month, there will be a public memorial service at his college Alma Mater in northern New Jersey.
Our trip to NC was filled with fun and laughs with our good friends whom we met on our honeymoon almost twenty years ago. We met in St. Lucia at a couples only resort when we were seated together at dinner on the second night of our stay. We quickly found out that we had quite a bit in common - we were married on the same day at the same time. We are all Catholic and wedding was a nuptial mass. J and I are both the only girl and youngest in our families and our older brothers are almost the same ages. We shared similar values and wound up spending quite a bit of time together during our week in the Caribbean and of course at the end, we exchanged addresses and promised to keep in touch. And we did! And over the past twenty years, our friendship had grown and become one that we know will last our lifetimes.
We enjoyed good weather on vacation, while at home, there was lots of rain and cool weather. The ocean was a little rough with a strong rip tide, but we spent time on the beach reading and talking and having fun. Our son, who will be 18 this week, is the idol of our friends' son who was 6 last month. It is wonderful to see our boys who are like brothers. Our son is patient and kind to his little buddy and spent lots of time digging in the sand with him. He also sat with him one night so the adults could enjoy a late dinner at one of our favorite restaurants. Our son will be attending college near them and looks forward to spending some time with them.
We arrived home last evening and spent the day vegging out and catching up on the mail (which contained many mass and sympathy cards). And now I think I may go to bed and get some sleep!
We left on Sunday the 19th after having spent Saturday night with my husband's family. We had gathered to share a meal and remember his dad. It was a good evening that was spent remembering good times and celebrating his life. Next month, there will be a public memorial service at his college Alma Mater in northern New Jersey.
Our trip to NC was filled with fun and laughs with our good friends whom we met on our honeymoon almost twenty years ago. We met in St. Lucia at a couples only resort when we were seated together at dinner on the second night of our stay. We quickly found out that we had quite a bit in common - we were married on the same day at the same time. We are all Catholic and wedding was a nuptial mass. J and I are both the only girl and youngest in our families and our older brothers are almost the same ages. We shared similar values and wound up spending quite a bit of time together during our week in the Caribbean and of course at the end, we exchanged addresses and promised to keep in touch. And we did! And over the past twenty years, our friendship had grown and become one that we know will last our lifetimes.
We enjoyed good weather on vacation, while at home, there was lots of rain and cool weather. The ocean was a little rough with a strong rip tide, but we spent time on the beach reading and talking and having fun. Our son, who will be 18 this week, is the idol of our friends' son who was 6 last month. It is wonderful to see our boys who are like brothers. Our son is patient and kind to his little buddy and spent lots of time digging in the sand with him. He also sat with him one night so the adults could enjoy a late dinner at one of our favorite restaurants. Our son will be attending college near them and looks forward to spending some time with them.
We arrived home last evening and spent the day vegging out and catching up on the mail (which contained many mass and sympathy cards). And now I think I may go to bed and get some sleep!
August 19, 2007
The Groundhog saga continues...
I just wanted to update you on the activity of that darn groundhog who is making our lives miserable.
A few days ago I once again filled in a groundhog escape hole and placed a large dirt filled flower pot on top of the loose earth and rocks. Two days ago, I went to check on the garden - or should I say what's left of it - and lo and behold, my groundhog buddy tunnelled out under the plant box. I think my decision at this point is to seek and destroy. I have played "Ms Nice person and let the rodent go on long enough. It is time to call in the professionals from Agway and employ that old DRT method. The thought of making this little guy suffer is looking more and more promising.
A few days ago I once again filled in a groundhog escape hole and placed a large dirt filled flower pot on top of the loose earth and rocks. Two days ago, I went to check on the garden - or should I say what's left of it - and lo and behold, my groundhog buddy tunnelled out under the plant box. I think my decision at this point is to seek and destroy. I have played "Ms Nice person and let the rodent go on long enough. It is time to call in the professionals from Agway and employ that old DRT method. The thought of making this little guy suffer is looking more and more promising.
August 15, 2007
Good Night Sweet Father in Law
My father in law passed away this afternoon. His passing caught us all off guard as he was being transferred from the hospital to a nursing home tomorrow. His health has been failing and in the past few weeks he made a rapid decline. He was having an MRI this afternoon to assess the damage to his back from scoliosis, osteoporosis arthritis and a fall about a week and a half ago. During the MRI, his stopped beating.
It was interesting that he passed away on the Feast of the Assumption. He was raised Roman Catholic, but about 30 years ago he left the church. I never knew the reason why, but I prayed that one day he might return to the church. While that never happened, he did have a visit from a priest a few days ago and the priest was kind enough to give him the Anointing of the Sick. My mother in law, also a lapsed Catholic, said that she thought he found peace in the annointing. This morning at mass, I prayed for God to take him home and end his pain.
My father in law was a unique man. He was a foreign language teacher at a high school in North Jersey and after his retirement, he taught at two colleges. He was a sweet, gentle man who was always kind and a gentleman. He liked to joke in a quiet, subtle way and told all of his daughters-in-law (and there are six of us, three sons-in-law and there are two sons who aren't married - do the math - that equals 11 kids) in private that we were his favorite, but not to tell the others.
So, from your favorite daughter-in-law, I bid you a fond farewell. Until we meet again, I will miss you.
It was interesting that he passed away on the Feast of the Assumption. He was raised Roman Catholic, but about 30 years ago he left the church. I never knew the reason why, but I prayed that one day he might return to the church. While that never happened, he did have a visit from a priest a few days ago and the priest was kind enough to give him the Anointing of the Sick. My mother in law, also a lapsed Catholic, said that she thought he found peace in the annointing. This morning at mass, I prayed for God to take him home and end his pain.
My father in law was a unique man. He was a foreign language teacher at a high school in North Jersey and after his retirement, he taught at two colleges. He was a sweet, gentle man who was always kind and a gentleman. He liked to joke in a quiet, subtle way and told all of his daughters-in-law (and there are six of us, three sons-in-law and there are two sons who aren't married - do the math - that equals 11 kids) in private that we were his favorite, but not to tell the others.
So, from your favorite daughter-in-law, I bid you a fond farewell. Until we meet again, I will miss you.
August 14, 2007
Update on that darn groundhog
No, it is not dead. Yet. Nor has it left the neighborhood. No, this nasty rodent was spotted this morning by the steps to the deck munching on a tomato - a tomato from our garden. That's it you varmint - the gloves are off. It's your or me and it ain't gonna be me!
August 13, 2007
Wild Life
Normally I am a great lover of nature. I feed the birds and provide them a nice bird bath to frolic around in. I grew up surrounded by squirrels, who annoyed my dad by raiding the bird feeders, but provided entertainment with their acrobatics. I watched tadpoles caught by my brother change into frogs. But I am drawing a line at the pesky groundhog that has taken up residence under our porch.
When we moved into our current home eight years ago, we were the first house to be completed at our end of the block. Our back yard was surrounded by large mounds of dirt and the empty lots across the street were filled covered by mound of dirt too. Every evening around five pm, the groundhogs surfaced and chased each other up and down the dirt piles until they played themselves out. Back then, I thought they were cute. I have since changed my mind!
The groundhog that is living under our porch has been feasting in my vegetable garden (raised beds surrounded by hardware cloth - a wire netting put up to keep the rabbits out) and I am on the verge of wishing I had a BB gun so I could sting its little butt. Besides wiping out the bean patch and munching on the tomatoes and cucumbers, it has turned the ground under the fence surrounding our back yard into Swiss cheese by tunneling to get out of the yard.
So, to preserve my sanity and to protect the vegetables (and my aging pooch) I am looking for ways to rid my yard of this pesky rodent. Where is Carl the assistant groundskeeper from Caddyshack when I need him?
August 09, 2007
Dealing with life
The past week and a half have been so crazy at our house. My brother's father in law passed away last week so I was elected to airport pick up duty Saturday night. So off to the airport I went at 10:00 pm to pick up my brother and his wife and take them to my parents' house in PA where they would be staying. We had some time to visit before going to bed and a little time on Sunday morning, but then it was time to leave to head back to NJ and my own family. I was planning on attending the funeral on Tuesday, but as often happens in life, the best laid plans often do not work out.
My father in law has been in failing health for the past few months. He has serious back issues that must have been laying dormant for years and have surfaced with a vengeance. He has a combination of scoliosis, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and if that wasn't enough, he had a fall last Saturday and fractured his spine. So Monday was spent in North Jersey helping my husband with dealing with his dad's health and doing a few small things around their house to help my mother in law. The day ended with my father in law being admitted to the hospital and he will probably wind up in a nursing home as in addition to his back problems, he is losing his cognitive abilities (fancy speak for dementia/Alzheimer's) and will not be able to live at home with out considerable help. My biggest role in this has been to be supportive to my husband.
Our day did not end until 1:00 am Tuesday when we finally returned home. At that point, I was exhausted and had to cancel out of going to the funeral. And I was supposed to lead the Rosary at the funeral home before mass. But I was very tired and did not feel up to the hour ride to PA and back again at the end of the day. As the day progressed, my husband, who hadn't been feeling well, went to the doctor's office and found out that he has walking pneumonia. When it rains, it pours!
As if that wasn't enough to deal with, we are in the process of buying an investment property with some friends so that our good friends, two Franciscan sisters, will have a place to live when they move back to our town. The sisters lived for about 12 or 13 years in our parish convent until they were asked to serve elsewhere. Now they are returning "home" and need a place to live since our convent is now a parish meeting center. And the time frame for this project from looking for a house to settlement is about 2 1/2 weeks.
So my head is swirling and blogging has not been at the top of my list. Hopefully my next post will be about things more pleasant.
My father in law has been in failing health for the past few months. He has serious back issues that must have been laying dormant for years and have surfaced with a vengeance. He has a combination of scoliosis, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and if that wasn't enough, he had a fall last Saturday and fractured his spine. So Monday was spent in North Jersey helping my husband with dealing with his dad's health and doing a few small things around their house to help my mother in law. The day ended with my father in law being admitted to the hospital and he will probably wind up in a nursing home as in addition to his back problems, he is losing his cognitive abilities (fancy speak for dementia/Alzheimer's) and will not be able to live at home with out considerable help. My biggest role in this has been to be supportive to my husband.
Our day did not end until 1:00 am Tuesday when we finally returned home. At that point, I was exhausted and had to cancel out of going to the funeral. And I was supposed to lead the Rosary at the funeral home before mass. But I was very tired and did not feel up to the hour ride to PA and back again at the end of the day. As the day progressed, my husband, who hadn't been feeling well, went to the doctor's office and found out that he has walking pneumonia. When it rains, it pours!
As if that wasn't enough to deal with, we are in the process of buying an investment property with some friends so that our good friends, two Franciscan sisters, will have a place to live when they move back to our town. The sisters lived for about 12 or 13 years in our parish convent until they were asked to serve elsewhere. Now they are returning "home" and need a place to live since our convent is now a parish meeting center. And the time frame for this project from looking for a house to settlement is about 2 1/2 weeks.
So my head is swirling and blogging has not been at the top of my list. Hopefully my next post will be about things more pleasant.
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