Grad school?

So we are back from vacay and really enjoying our time alone without the kids. I miss them terribly but it has been a very long time since Jeff and I were able to spend this much quality time together. I think we need to do this every year!

A short note today and then maybe some pictures of the vacay early next week. I have a good friend - who I cannot thank enough for opening my eyes to new philanthropic experiences by the way - who is away at grad school right now. It is a program that I would be extremely interested in pursuing but it is very intimidating.

I have studied for five years now, some days were harder than others but I got through it all. I will graduate - finally! - December 18th and couldn't be more thrilled. So, the question that lies ahead is do I dare grad school? I suppose it depends on what I want to be when I grow up. I still don't know. The program is intense but tailored just for us fundraisers and the group is really small - 25 students per year accepted.

Hmmmm, a mind bending pondering thing this is.....we will see

California

We're in Cali today! It's nice to see everyone once again. It had been almost three years since Kayla and Jeff have been here and I think they are overwhelmed with all the stuff there is for us to do. We have parents to visit, friends to see, Mickey Mouse is on the list too. I will post some pix when we return. Until then ....

Shopping with the Diva!

When we were little mom would take us school shopping at Miller's Outpost. Remember those! We would get to try on clothes and she was really good about letting us pick out what we wanted.

Well today Justice had a BIG sale going on so Kayla and I went shopping. We had a blast because she is finally old enough to pick out outfits instead of just a shirt or a pair of jeans. She can put things together and accessorize and the store had it all. Of course it was all from the 80's and bright neon colors. Too funny if you ask me.

She picked out about 4 outfits which are just super darling but the biggest thing she bugged me about today was a pink sequin hat. I told her she could either have the hat or the new school bag....the hat won. It was a fun day, memories and all.

Summer camp

Ian is at Creighton soccer camp this week. I can't believe how fast summer is flying by. This camp seemed a lifetime away just a month ago. We took him to camp on Sunday afternoon and he was a bundle of nerves. It's the school he wants to attend when he graduates because they have the most amazing soccer program and a good medical school. Dare I say it.....doctor maybe??? Who knows right now because it really is about the soccer to him.

We got him there and things went very smoothly. We were impressed with the organization, the kids are great and Cindy Warming sure has things organized! After we got him all checked in and were ready to head up to his dorm room - yep a freshman dorm room! we spotted Coach Warming talking to some of his guys. Well Ian just about fainted seeing him. "Mom! that's Coach Warming! OMG it's Coach!" If you can imagine yourself seeing George Clooney or maybe Julia Roberts this is exactly what his reaction was like. It was pretty awesome.

So, we get him upstairs and Jeff (spoiled rotten from Pepperdine) is shocked that the dorms are tiny and have no carpet. Welcome to real dorm living my dear! I am of course trying not to hyperventilate as I have a flash forward to doing this same routine when he is 17. We get him all unpacked and show him the bathroom and common room and he tells us to hurry up so he can go meet up with the others to watch the Brazil VS USA game. As we walk him over I ask if I can take some pictures of him to which I get..."mooooom!" I guess that's a no. I do get one though. But when we get to the science lecture hall where the game is playing Ian takes off without so much as a hug, a goodbye, nada! I did get the hug finally but it was outside the lecture hall, away from the door and down the hall so no one would see us. Uh! Ungrateful little monster : )

I get a phone call every night around 10pm to tell me that he is having a great time but he has to run because the guys want him to come and hang out in the commons. Where did my teenager go and when did this college man show up! I am so glad he is having a good time even if it is breaking my heart that he is growing up so fast.

Today and the days before it....

Today is Tuesday, just an ordinary day.  But I decided today that I needed to put my life back together from the disaster I call school and Relay.  Today, I decided to start doing the little things again that I have missed out on for the last year and a half.  I have submersed myself in all things school and Relay For Life and while both have been worthwhile I have missed the little things in life.  Especially the little things that now have big feet and toes.

I played on the swing set this weekend for hours with the kids.  It was so much fun, I even got a little motion sickness : )  I have been so consumed by my other obligations that I had forgotten how to go outside and just "be" with them.  We played with chalk, played hopscotch and even went on a small meaningless walk.  It was very nice just to be with them again.

Mother's Day was this weekend as well.  I miss my mom terribly.  It gets harder with time, did you know that?  Not easier.  Anyone who has ever said the pain will ease with time has never lost a parent.  It does not get easier.  The memories fade and aren't as brilliant and that hurts the most.  My mom loved Erma Bombeck and I remember vividly when she died because my mom shared the poem Erma had written that so many of us have seen.  My mom too was busy in life and wished she had slowed down to just "be" with us.

Today, in honor of my mom and Erma I have decided to let the homework go, let the urgent emails slide, get off my tush and go outside with my kids before their feet are bigger than mine.

In Loving Memory...

Last night I found out that my uncle passed away during surgery.  I had to write it down somewhere so here I am.  He went in to have an aneurism on his kidney taken care of.  It was causing problems for his heart and his kidneys.  They were going to do a renal bypass and repair the aneurism at the same time.  It was to be a 4 hour surgery but turned into a 7.5 hour surgery instead.  He took 10 units of blood and they did what they could but his body just couldn't handle the stress of it all.  

My uncle was the most vibrant, energetic and loving man you could ever meet.  He was still playing tennis and kicking everyone's butt up until recently.  His dimples were the size of saucers and his laughter was contagious.  We would listen to him tell stories about his family and just howl with laughter.  He was my grandmother's youngest brother, but because of his age he was more like a big brother to my mom.  He and my sweet Aunt Bonnie were my mom's favorite relatives.  

Jeff and I will miss him very much....

In loving memory

Leon F. Adams

February 13, 1930 - April 9, 2009

A Dance!!

So here I am stuck with varying degrees of emotions running through my brain.  Ian is going to his first dance this Friday and he has a date!  I know, just a crazy thought.  I am so excited for him on the one hand but at the same time I have this knot of dread in my stomach.  

When did he grow up? 

Was I seriously not watching?

Anyway, this very nice girl in his class called this weekend to ask him if he would be her date.  WOW!  I don't think I ever asked a boy to a dance, not at that age any way.  So, now he has a date to the dance and is looking for just the right t-shirt to wear.  Too funny, a t-shirt.  Maybe I have nothing to worry about if he is just worried about a t-shirt.  : )

If he asks Jeff for cologne then I know I am in big trouble!

I will keep you posted......