by Sarah | May 31, 2010 | All About Family, Crap
Just after Mother’s Day I got the call. “Grandma is going into the hospital for some tests.”
Words you never want to hear.
Within a week we had a diagnosis – stage 4 Lung Cancer. Plans were made to get to New York. My mom was to go out on the 26th of May; Archie and I were going on June 10th. None of us made it. We just didn’t have enough time. She was gone not a week after her diagnosis.
14 years ago I lost my grandpa. Less than a week ago I lost my grandma.
“GroGram” as her great-grandchildren called her. She was stubborn, strong, proud, and oh-so-loving. Nothing meant more than family. She’d seen what suffering Grandpa went through when he fought his cancer – and she wasn’t about to put us through it.
But the loss feels so sudden, so strong.
Her life was rich, full, long.
She had 3 daughters, 5 grandchildren, and 7 great-grandchildren – not counting spouses, who all loved her as if they’d been born into her family.
I had 33 years w/ her in my life. Brandon was blessed to have known her during his 12 years. My girls – they won’t remember. The picture of GroGram holding Riley is one of the few I have of her w/ my kids. I’ll always wish we’d gone to see her more. Financially it wasn’t feasible, but I still wish we’d forced it.
With each day you spend with your family, whether they live close or far – remember that in the end it will never seem like enough time together. Don’t scrimp on time, eat it up and revel in it. Take hundreds of pictures, don’t leave the camera in the case. Don’t waste a moment – because every time it’s over far too soon.
***
I love you, Gramma…GroGram. We all miss you so much – but I know you’re with Grampa, happy and free of pain.
by Sarah | May 9, 2010 | All About Family, All About Me
For my mom…
Who was always there to listen when I was growing up.
Who fixed my costumes for dance, and made us matching Christmas outfits.
Who was there when my oldest was born.
Who taught me the fine art of not freaking out at every fever, scrape or bump.
Who taught me how to be a Mom.
Who was there when my middle one came into the world.
And watched the two oldest when our little Angel joined us.
Thank you, Mom…for everything. I can never thank you enough for being my Mom.
For my children…
Because even on the days when I want to throw in the towel and scream my head off…
YOU are what makes ME a Mom.
Your smiles are my reward.
Your cute giggles a present.
Your intelligence shines in each of you.
Your love in the countless hugs and kisses.
YOU make me love my job – and I know there is no better job out there.
by Sarah | May 6, 2010 | All About Learning
Two and two are four, four and four are eight, eight and eight are sixteen, sixteen and sixteen are thirty-two…
Yesterday the girls and I found a friendly little visitor on our driveway. So we kept him for a while before releasing him back into the wild. May I introduce “Wormy”:
He was great to have around. The girls adored him and still ask about him this morning!!
Of course that just means I have the song in my head…
Inchworm, inchworm, measuring the marigolds. You and your arithmetic you’ll probably go far. Inchworm, inchworm, measuring the marigold. Seems to me you’d stop and see how beautiful they are.
(P.S. I love this time of year. I’m coming out of my funk, writing tons, and playing w/my girls. Of course, my house continues to suffer, more so since we like to get OUT!!)
(P.P.S. All pictures taken w/ Canon Rebel XTi. SOC.)
by Sarah | Apr 7, 2010 | All About Kennedy, All About Molly
In two weeks it’s time for my Irish Twins birthdays. They’ll be five and four.
Riley is trying very hard to read, and Angel is doing her best to follow right behind.
Riley can write her own name (forward and backward, literally), and is figuring out how to write the numbers 1-10.
Angel is curious…about EVERYTHING. We cannot keep her out of anywhere from touching anything. She is the child that as you run through the store runs her fingers along the shelves and tries to touch everything she sees.
Riley is cautiously curious outside of the home and her comfort zones – but around people she knows is talkative and friendly.
They are each others best friends and worst enemies.
Technically I should be signing Riley up for Kindergarten based on her age. That doesn’t seem real. It seems like just yesterday that I was in the hospital watching them decide the new pope on TV while wondering when the pitocin was going to make labor actually hurt (didn’t take more than a few hours). Or just this morning that I walked the four miles to and from Dairy Queen to try to spark labor for Angel, and lamenting the fact that it failed (it didn’t – just took two hours to hit me).
The days of diapers are finally gone (almost – we still wear pullups at night).
The days of learning and growing and wonder at the world around them have arrived. They are curious and thirsting for knowledge – and I can’t wait to keep watching them learn.
I miss my babies. More than I imagined…
But I’m loving the excitement of my big girls and their big personalities.
by Sarah | Apr 2, 2010 | All About Molly, Autism
Today is “Autism Awareness Day.”
For some reason as I heard the words in my head this morning I immediately became amused. I understand that it’s about spreading awareness of autism, but I could only laugh and think But I’m aware of it EVERY day.
This is our face of autism. Those gorgeous ice blue eyes. The smile that has found its way to her face somehow. The personality that is starting to grow.
Most would call us blessed, and we agree. Riley’s form of autism is mild enough that she will likely lead a “normal” life. A job, a family, all that a parent imagines for their child. That doesn’t mean she won’t struggle. That every day one quirk or another won’t rear its head to impede what would normally be an easy step into a careful shuffle of feet.
The little reminders that pop up.
The way she organizes her M&M’s by colors in a snakelike form before eating.
The way she delicately nibbles, trying not to let the grease or crumbs of food touch her lips or outside of her mouth.
The way we cannot break our established program or routine without a meltdown.
The way her hugs are strong but brief, no linger touches or snuggles.
The way you see her mind processing and learning everything she cannot express verbally.
Leaps and bounds of progress have shaped our winter, a sparkling personality is emerging from behind the walls. With those she trusts she is bubbling and bright, even bossy…but the meltdowns still linger.
We are blessed.
All parents are blessed.
I hope today your awareness expands, but shouldn’t it every day?
by Sarah | Feb 17, 2010 | All About Family, Crap
When your BROTHER calls you out.
*sigh*
Yup, my brother called me out on my failure to get my project 365 going beyond where it was in my last post.
If I were TRULY evil, I would post that picture I have of him when he was 10 wearing earrings and a shawl…but I won’t.
I would also take this post to introduce my new Nephew (via my bro) and Niece (via my SIL) – but I don’t post pictures of others kids on my blog!!
So…instead I’m left with a rather empty post announcing that I’ve been called out. So I must pick up my camera and begin anew 365. I think I know exactly what my first picture will be tomorrow. It’s truly sad, but I’m so excited about it I’ve been posting it all over twitter and facebook all day. I got my beautiful NOOK today. I already have several books on it and lots of poetry.
January was a month of illness. We all got sick. Riley first, who gave it to me…then Angel got sick…we feared a hospital visit but were blessed to have that fear lifted…for now. Her levels were WAY down at her last visit so we must return to have her levels checked again.
As I said, February has been a fruitful month. I became an Aunt (again) twice in the past two weeks. First a gorgeous nephew that has been struggling a bit with jaundice, but is coming out the other side finally! Then a beautiful niece…who happens to share a middle name with my Angel.
Otherwise I have been doing a LOT of writing…just not in cyberspace as you can see. A story hit me and demanded to be written. When that happens I end up consumed and so I was. Now I need to take the drivel of unpublishable material that comes from such a spurt and attempt to make something viable from it. That is the challenge. The story is told, now it needs to be formed.
In other news our month of sickness from January to now ended with a literal bang. Hubby gave himself a concussion. We are unsure if he slipped or passed out, but he hit his head on the way to the ground and gave himself a mild concussion. That was two days ago, he’s showing improvement but he’s still a little out of it…
Tomorrow I pick up my camera again, okay, bro? If I miss a day I’ll just fill in with you in girly clothes and earrings.
