Worry

Aaron called Sunday night pondering many things...

Currently he is failing his Botany class. He already informed his coach. And Aaron is now thinking that Biology is not for him.

Roger and I both said, don't determine your entire hopes/dreams on one class!

He hates his job and is planning to quite at semester.

Roger and I both said, "So what is your new job at?" And, "Your gonna miss your private room!"

I just don't want him to make such drastic decisions when he is in such an emotional state!

AHHHHHHHHHHH.

Roger told me not to panic. We will talk about it with him at Thanksgiving.

I hope Aaron waits until then...

The Kids Called...

The best part of any evening is when either Claire or Aaron calls home! I love that. Roger and I just smile, we are so proud of each of them...but right now especially Claire and Aaron. They are negotiating life so well, struggling so hard, and trust God. What more could Roger and I ask for?

Aaron was first to call home last night. Funny, because I was packing up the last bit of his care package to send to him. I baked all afternoon. I packed, 3 drag suits that I just finished making, cookies, brownies, popcorn, hot cocoa mix, mac and cheese, and then suckers.

He is doing well. Friday night the swim team had a camping "Welcome to the Team Party". Aaron said that this year, being an upperclassman made it much more fun! He didn't have too much fun last year...hummm.

He also shared that he hates the RA job, but loves having his own room, and gets a free room, so it is hard to beat that deal. He also text ed that the swim coach is thinking about having him be the team captain either his Junior year or his Senior year. He was thrilled.

Claire called next. She had just gotten home from a Christian Challenge retreat in Salina. She had a great time. This included all of the CC chapters at all the Kansas schools. So she ran into Luke Jost, and hung out with him. One of the girls in her group accepted Christ, so Claire was excited about that. She loves living on her own! Next weekend she goes to Oklahoma to visit a friend. Her van cannot make that big of a trip, so another friend is driving.

AJ of course is home and still plugging away. His schedule is beginning to heat up, so he is going to be very busy...he wants to add swimming also. He really wants to make it to state this year and swim an individual event. It could happen this year, the KAHSA is splitting up the schools according to size. So he could have a chance.

Roger and I are fine...Roger is very sick! Yuk!

GB

Dating

I remember several months ago Aaron casually asked me if I thought Claire was gay? What? Are you serious? But mom she doesn't date anyone. She doesn't date anyone because she is picky, and not interested. That does not mean she is gay.

Several weeks ago:
Me: Claire, have you met any cute guys in your class or at the hospital?
Claire: Yea, a really cute resident.
Me: Did you meet him?
Claire: No, I went down a different hallway to avoid him.

Last night:
Aaron: Sorry I didn't call you last night.
Me: What were you doing?
Aaron: Hanging out at Smith.
Me: What is Smith?
Aaron: The girls dorm.
Me: Any cute girls?
Aaron: Yea, I was hanging out with Ashley.
Me: Is Ashley cute?
Aaron: Yea, she is cute.

I could tell he was getting ready to put up a wall, so I changed the subject...

I don't mind that my kids have not rushed into dating or that they are not in a heavy relationship. And I admit, it is fun to watch them enter this world...

I just miss them...

Gone...

Yes, they are gone. I wondered why I was in such a funk over the weekend. Not interested in doing anything except sleeping or watching TV. Finally Sunday afternoon, I went upstairs and stripped the beds.

Then I left, and have not been back upstairs since...

About a week before Aaron left, he started packing. Roger called me and with anguish in his voice he said, "He's leaving..." Roger just couldn't believe it. He took it so hard. When Claire left we were not even home, and she has made such a nice little niche for herself, so we were thrilled.

I kept asking myself, "Why is Aaron's move so hard?" And then last night it came to me, last year when Aaron left, Claire was still home. But this year both Aaron and Claire are gone. The house is so quiet...and big.

I miss them...I am so happy for them...but I miss them.


Later in the evening, Andrew got a call from Todd, his notebook looks fine!!!!!!! We all screamed, he text ed Claire and Aaron, 2 more meetings and we can begin to plan the program.

My last Eagle Scout...my last child...

So his driving privileges have been reinstated, so this morning he was up and out the door for a zero hour class he is taking at HCC, Music Theory...snore...7:00am for that class?

I am thrilled for him.

This is good, this will be fine, I will be okay.

Not much time left

Our time with the kids is getting so much shorter.

Last night I quickly finished sewing the Kansas flag that Aaron hangs in his dorm room.

I also tried to finish one of the drag suits that I have labored over for months and they are driving me insane. Just sitting there mocking me!

Thursday night, both grandparents are coming over for dinner and then we will take family pictures with Megan. Then our 5 will leave the grandparents and we will take our own family picture. I am so excited. I can't wait.

Andrew came home last night. It was good to see him. He said he had a great time, but he was tired, hungry and wanted to take a shower. When I left for school this morning, I didn't hear a sound from his room!

I love these guys...

Claire

A text from Claire...

I am doing clinicals at Wesley today, and I am having a blast!


Claire is doing well.

End of Summer Transition

Early in the summer Roger commented to me, "You know this could be the last summer that all of us are living together." I had been thinking the same thing, but afraid to say it--fear it may come true.

And yet, it feels right to see 2 thriving, struggling, screaming to be on their own, making their own decisions, happy, living for God...young adults to spend time with and working their way out of our house. And to see the last teenager I will ever raise, watching his changes, reminding the young adults that they used to be just like this, his struggles to "get his act together", organize himself, to be ready for things ahead--his junior year of high school also moving toward independence.

I would not want these children living with me forever. They need to be on their own. And yet our house does feel empty...just Rog and me and 2 dogs.

I am glad God gave us these kids to raise. It was a pleasure and an honor. Not all the time, but most of the time.

Here were some of the summer highlights...

Claire: Finished her first semester of hell week on July 2. Got a couple days of rest and then began classes and an added load, clinicals all to begin on July 6. She is still loving it, and had many stories to share. Anxious to move out, she worked out an arrangement with my brother, and moved into his house on August 1. She loves being on her own, and is in the process of setting up a cute little space for herself. I promised to keep leftovers in the freezer for her to eat, so she wouldn't have to cook.

Aaron: Secured a co-signer for a loan for school this fall. Swam at Division 1 and Regionals. Did very well at both, cut time in all but 2 events--both meets combined! His coach and HSU coach were very pleased. Worked all the time at the pool as manager. He learned a lot about managing people, how to do it and how not to do it. Valuable skills as he will be an RA at HSU this coming year. Memorable quote..."Great I get to put freshman to bed, or babysit the ones that had too much to drink!"

Andrew: Perhaps the most yelled at this summer! Constant question was, "Andrew, show me what you got done on your Eagle today." Or, "Andrew let me see your packing list and show me where you packing pile is." Poor guy, never got a break! He did finish all of the merit badges required for Eagle, so now he has a few to finish up from QSR and finish his notebook, and then we can start planning a party.

Right now: Aaron just got home from D-1 and beginning to pack to head back to Henderson. He told Roger that he has all his disks lined up for the trip, tv show disks that they watch on computer during the drive. They leave early August 14.

Andrew is on his way to Minnisota/Canada for his hicking/canoeing trip. I guessing he hasn't given us a thought. He gets back on August 12, and starts school August 14.

Claire, who knows and she likes it that way!

The Summer Transition Continues...

One of the first things on my "to-do" list was breaking up the yard and working on each section. I thought if I did this, I wouldn't feel so overwhelmed. Well, I haven't don any of it.

I gotta get better at this. Praying for strength and focus.

R has been sick for the past 3 days. Sinus infection and allergies. So he doesn't sleep at night, so neither do I. So I finally rolled out of bed at 8:30. Mad at myself for not getting up earlier.

AJ drove himself to work and back, so he is officially now driving. He has also done 2 rescues at the pool, and he almost had to do a 3rd one. "It gets worse every year!" he says. I don't see him much. He is working on his eagle stuff--ugh! GET IT DONE ALREADY! Or he is working, or doing some yard work.

AA is never around either. He is either, working, at swim practice, or working in the yard. He also fusses at AJ to finish his eagle!

C loves nursing school! We never see her either. She is at school, work, or studying. It has been a while since I have seen her this excited about learning. She is being challenged so much, and she loves that.

That's all for today...I better get my office "shut down".

Summer Transition

I hate this time of year! I really do. I am thrilled, that I am home in the summer times. I am thrilled that my kids are with me. But the sudden change of activity is a little overwhelming. Why don't I plan for it?

I hate people who do not plan...it's like all of a sudden they realize that next week is Thanksgiving, or 4 weeks later it will be Christmas. Do these people ever consult a calendar? Do they own one? How do they know what day it is?

So today R. and I have dealt with AM wanting to go to a friends house...made no plans on how to get there or how to get home.

AS planning a camping trip that has a high chance of a keg being present. Not because of AS plans, but the other kids that will show up. Teenagers NEVER keep their parties to themselves. So R and I said to him...

1. You have no control who else shows up.
2. You have no control if alcohol appears.
3. You have no control if a fire gets out of control (the parents of the other kid said they could burn a mattress and a couch-seriously?).
4. When the fire department and police arrive, you have no control over the charges you will be charged with.
5. But you will have control regarding your plans for school and your future because kids charged with underage drinking are no longer eligible for any financial aid.

Have fun and be safe.

And this is the first day.

This gets better once we understand each other...it just tends to overwhelm me at first.

Good luck to R and I!

The Youngest

AM is our youngest child. He even has a song about being the youngest. He really is a character, and certainly the one that has given me the most gray hair--and I am sure he is not done yet--with giving me gray hair.

He is his own person. Never bothered by what his older brother or sister say to him, just does his thing. Didn't really follow in their footsteps, well he did some--but on his own terms. For example, he plays music like his sister, but in band and jazz. Swims like his brother, but only during the high school season.

Yep a young man with his own ideas...

So then you would think driving would not really be a big issue right?

Wrong.

His driving makes me nuts! He is terrible at it. He forgets his left from his right. He puts the car in forward when he needs to go in reverse. He literally is inches from the curb at all times. H freaks out when another car is coming from the opposite direction--which makes me freak!

When the other's were learning to drive...I usually sat in the passenger seat with a magazine and prayed into the magazine. But I don't dare take my eyes off the road with A because we will end up in a ditch or in a creek/river.

He says I make him nervous. Seriously? I say so little compaired to what I would like to say!

Neat guy, I know he will drive someday, I know he will not ride in my car forever. But I think I am ready for that day to come.

Love you AM!

Mom

Why am I doing this?

Hello!

This is the first entry of my blog. I am a mother of one teenager, (16), and 2 young adult children ages 21 and 19--will be 19 on the 14th.

I am writing this blog as a way to look back on the good and bad times that R and I have had with our kids. If I had to raise teenagers all over again, I would in a heartbeat. R would agree with me.

Next post: The 16 year old's driving progress!