It has been a rough last few days at my house for Kayla. She has seen too much and felt too much. Her best friend's life has been torn apart so that makes Kayla suffer. Kayla saw things no one should have to see so that makes her suffer as well. We had to say a permanent good-bye to someone she cared about. It has been really heartbreaking here.
The good thing is, now the healing can begin. The past is past, the good-byes are over. Now we can all look forward and see that life can be normal again, at least as normal as it can after such a tragedy. Kayla and her friend are surrounded by family and friends that love them and support them, now we just have to help them heal.
May 29, 2010
Busy weekend ahead!
Saturday is the normal cleaning/laundry day and then Saturday evening we have a birthday party to go to for Dan's niece and nephew Lauren and Nick. Lauren turned 8 on May 16th and Nick will be 12 on May 23rd.
Sunday is graduation at L-M. We have two open house receptions to go to...one for Kayla's best friend Fred (Kelsey) and one for the twins up the road, Kelsey and Kolesa.
Then the rest of the summer is already filling up with things to do!
In June Kayla and I will visit Simpson College in Indianola and Drake University in Des Moines. In July we visit St. Olaf in Northfield, MN and University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. While we are in the area we are going to check out the Mall of America...just to say we have seen it! Becky and Eli are going there in June as well...car show for Eli and mall for Becky. August of course will be senior pictures. Between all of this running around all of us have to go to work too! I love summer :)
This is a pair of sandals I bought at WalMart for $10. The last two years I have searched and searched for brown sandals, this year they are everywhere!
Brian is becoming Groundskeeper Willy (from The Simpsons show) and he loves it. He is the only counselor at Camp Foster that gets to have anything to do with the maintenance work, that is a huge step up for him. The first day he was told to get the WeedEater and trim all around the camp. He went to talk to Steve, the maintenance man, and got a half hour lesson on how to run it. Steve, you see, is very particular about his tools and machines and doesn't like anyone touching them. You most definately don't take them without asking first. Tuesday, Brian was told to get the mower tractor and mow around the camp. He went to Steve and told him, Steve pointed to the mower and said there it is. No lesson, no lectures, nothing. He knew Brian could be trusted now and would be alright with it. First thing that made Brian feel really good about himself.
Yesterday was a day camp for kindergartners. 90 of them. It was insanity I am told! (I also have new respect from Brian for raising him!) But the kids were put into 6 groups and Brian had three of them before lunch. When they sat down to eat he decided he would go meet the other three groups of kids that he would be working with in the afternoon. These kids decided it was "climb on Brian day". By the time the last kid jumped on him he was knocked to the ground...laughing with the kids of course. One of the mom chaperones came over and told Brian what a good job he was doing with the kids. At the end of the day two of the moms had spoken to the camp director about Brian and how good he was with the kids. Brian loves camp, Brian loves kids, Brian was once again feeling really good about himself.
There is nothing like the feeling you get when your child has succeeded and is happy. I am there with Brian. He is doing really well at camp, his goal is to have the two directors, at the end of the season, think he is the best and hardest worker they have. I think he is well on his way. I am one proud mom :)
Nothing much happening around here...just little things that go on day to day....so will do a kid update.
Brian-living at Camp Foster for the summer. So far there have just been day camps but he is still keeping busy. He and another counselor built a fence around the garden and Brian spent all day (8 hours) using the WeedEater all around the property. He is also now able to drive the mower, tractor and other equipment...the only counselor allowed to do that. The maintenance man realized that Brian comes from a "working farm" so he knows how to safely and competently drive those things, plus he can help fix them! So this was a promotion for Brian this year. This kid is so happy at camp...he loves working with the kids and loves being outside. It will be a fun summer for him.
Becky-back living at home for the summer and working at Arby's. She too got a promotion, she will soon be a night manager. This will look great on her application when she wants to transfer to the Arby's in Spearfish, SD this fall. Of course the biggest thing in Becky's life this summer is Eli coming home from Iraq...he should be here sometime in June we are thinking (that will have been a year since he left). So I am guessing between work and Eli it will be like Becky really isn't living at home after all...she will be in bed when I get up in the morning and I will be in bed when she gets home at night!
Kayla-so ready to be done with school! She has semester tests this week and then next week is May Term...the fun stuff! Her May Term class this year is Internship, so she will be interning with the band teacher, Ms. Allen. No surprise there! She will get to help with lessons (which she already does), do some fifth grade band work, file music, check over instruments and basically get the band room ready for the end of the school year. One day they will spend at Adventureland with the middle school band...Kayla will be directing them as they play on the Adventureland Stage. Summer will bring continued band lessons and work at Arby's...and of course BAND CAMP! We also have some college visits planned so will be a busy summer.
So from the way it looks all three kids will be busy doing work and having fun all summer. Before they know it the summer will be over and everyone will be back to the "grind". Brian will be working in Kansas, Becky will be studying in Spearfish and Kayla will be a senior...if only summer didn't go by so fast!
Where do you want to be buried?
Ever thought about it?
I lived in Ireton for six years of my life. I lived in Marathon for 27 years. I spent a year in Emmetsburg. I have lived in Albert City, so far, for nine years. So does that make Marathon my home and where I should be buried? Or does it make Albert City my home because that is, most likely, where I will be living when I die? Do you even have to be buried where your "hometown" is?
Questions that most people probably don't think about on a regular basis, if ever. But I am the kind of person who routinely drives and walks through cemeteries. I have a very good understanding and knowledge of both the Marathon and Albert City cemeteries. Dan and I have discussed where we want to be buried...even though I tease him that I am just going to call the rendering truck for him when he dies :) Dan's family are all buried in the Albert City cemetery. My family is more spread out, everywhere from Carmel to Ireton to Orange City. Dan would like both of us to spend eternity in the Albert City cemetery next to his family...his great-grandparents and great-uncles and great-aunts. His father is also in that cemetery, along with his uncle and grandparents, and his mother will be someday...but they are in a different area. The place he wants is with the "old" family and the old headstone...the big one that says Blomgren and dominates that area. His great-uncles and great-aunt bought plots but there are two left...he thinks that is where we should be. I on the other hand am not so crazy about that idea. I have a family too, although none of them buried in this area. But we have children, although I doubt any of them will ever end up buried in this area either. That leads me right back to what Dan wants.
I know where my soul will spend eternity...but where will my earthly remains lie?
In no particular order...things that cause me annoyance...
1. Pajama pants worn anywhere but in bed, or at the most, in the privacy of your own home.
2. People who don't move forward in the line at the bank window, they just sit there when they are done with the window and put away their money or papers or whatever. Make note of the people waiting behind you!
3. Parents who allow their children to play with the toys for sale in Wal-Mart. Buy the kid the toy and let him play with it at home!
4. People who don't answer their emails in a timely fashion. I understand people are busy, but more than a day or two without answering is just rude.
5. Someone who thinks they can do my job better than me. I have this job, not you, and there is a reason for that.
6. People who judge others simply based on how they look, sound, dress or their nationality.
7. Colleges who charge out of state students double what in state students pay.
8. Colleges who promise a great financial aid package which usually ends up being a few dollars in actual aid and the rest in student loans.
9. Being unable to find the cause of my child's pain.
10. Phone callers who get the answering machine and just hang up. I can't call you back if you don't leave a message!