Dinner and a play

Last night we went to the Old Log Theater with some good friends and enjoyed dinner and a play. The play was called "Out of Order"--a British comedy about a politician who misses an important meeting to have a rendevous with one of the Labor party secretaries (he's conservative) even though they are both married to other people. The discovery of a body in the window puts a crimp on things, as well as the arrival of unexpected guests. The twists and turns were quite hilarious. We also enjoyed our dinner--Tim and Yvonne had walleye, Scott had prime rib, and I enjoyed a vegetarian lasagna--with thousands of vegetables and fruit on the side--it was really good, but I couldn't eat it all.

The play even ended right before ten--just in time for my nightly insulin injection. It was my first time without Tim helping me--and I did it all by myself! Unfortunately, when I came out of the handicapped stall where I was doing the injection, a rather large handicapped woman was waiting for that very stall. When I went out in the hallway I saw a wheelchair, and heard her tell someone she was waiting for that stall. Oh, well, I guess I'm disabled in a way, too..........maybe next time I can find a smaller space to shoot up.

Till next time,

Suzi

The day after

I had a really nice birthday. My siblings all called and left messages, then I got to talk to Lori this morning. My parents sent me a beautiful purple outfit, which I wore proudly to the terrific Thanksgiving dinner at Tim's brother's house. I made an apple crisp dessert as well as green bean casserole. We enjoyed each other (there were about 30 people including Kari's family), played games and watched specials on TV.

I took my second dose of insulin and this morning--even after a Thanksgiving meal--my blood sugar was 137--the lowest reading in the moring I've had in a long time. Here's to long life and good health!

Actually, I'm grateful for every day I wake up and every day I see my kids come home from school and my husband from work. I am blessed.

Till next time,


Suzi

Birthday presents

Today is Thanksgiving, and my birthday as I have mentioned before. I was a little disappointed at the very start of the day--I got to sleep in a bit, but Tim got up first, came back to bed and turned on the TV, flipping through channels. Even after I got up, he didn't say anything till I did. After 20 years, I should know that he is quiet, but not intentionally ignoring me. He took me out to dinner last night and shopping for my birthday walking shoes. He had already bought me an exercise glider and set it up in our room so I can exercise while we watch Everybody Loves Raymond in the evening.

so, I started out for my birthday/Thanksgiving walk. As I went up the street, my friends Bobie and Dale pulled up with their daughter Katie and started singing happy birthday to me!! They were on their way up north to see Dale's parents, and they wanted to drop off a birthday card and a dessert cookbook for diabetics. It was such a nice surpise.

The birds were out singing and I think my insulin was making a difference in the way I felt--somewhat lighter, I think. I took my first shot last night and it wasn't so bad--I went to a diabetes educator yesterday and she was really terrific--very encouraging and positive, just what I needed. Tim was there, too, so it was a good experience for us both.

So, happy Thanksgiving everyone--we are going to have turkey at Tim's brothers at 5 pm so we've got the day to resrt and get ready.

Till next time,

Suzi

I-Day

Today is insulin day--I'm going to the hospital to see a diabetes educator about how to inject myself. I picked up my insulin prescription yesterday along with all the needles--a whole box full of syringes. Tim is going to try to come with me so he can learn all about insulin and what to do if I go hypo sometime (stuff candy bars into my mouth hahaha).

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and my birthday. I am thankful for insulin to help give me more birthdays in my life. I hope I mean that--it is a hard adjustment, to think of this next stage of this disease. But, I really am grateful for medical advances and technology etc. I will press on, knowing others have gone before me, especially my own dad, who always told me, "don't ever do anything hard." (tongue in cheek of course)

It is hard, Daddy, but I'm trying. Thanks for your love and support.

Till next time,

Suzi

A noteworthy day?

Today is two days before my birthday, two days before Thanksgiving, one month before Christmas, and the day I go back to my family physician to discuss my blood sugar issues. I got up early to walk the dog so I wouldn't be rushing after the kids got off to school. Turns out they were late getting out the door, I'm waiting to use the shower because Tim is cleaning drywall buckets (in the laundry tub, but he's using hot water), so I hope I don't end up late as well to my 8:30 appointment.

Also, I plan to pick up our Christmas photocards and portraits. That will be a fun highlight. Then there are Christina's conferences in the afternoon.......
And, the kids are off school for the next three days. So, I'll enjoy this last day of "freedom" for awhile........but I know I'll enjoy them at home for a bit as well.

Till next time,


Suzi

Snow and reunions

Well, the "top ten" storm of the past several years did not materialize over the weekend. The snow, predicted to come after midnight Friday night, didn't fall till Saturday afternoon. It was slippery and blowy, but not the blizzard like conditions that some had predicted. Today the sun is shining and the streets are plowed. The kids didn't finish shoveling the driveway, so I worked on it some more after my walk, freezing my fingers because someone used my new warm mittens so I had to resort to gloves to wear on my walk and shoveling. Also, Luke took my long windshield scraper/brush--but he's home now, so I guess I can steal it back. I suppose we should get another one--and maybe a dozen more pair of mittens.

On a different note, yesterday we had an all-church celebration at a larger church, so everyone from the congregation could attend (we have 3 services in a building that seats about 300?)

Anyway, we have just completed the 40 days of purpose book by Rick Warren. Ironically, his name was in the news as his wife is undergoing chemo for breast cancer and is having a bad reaction to the chemo at the moment and is hospitalized. It sounded like they were hopeful she would be home for Thanksgiving.

At the celebration, nine people were baptized. Several people gave testimonies, and our pastor read a couple of letters people had written. One was from my mother-in-law, who explained about the stroke she had suffered in the spring and how she hadn't been progressing as quickly as she would have liked. She'd been experiencing some depression, but being in her small group was a real encouragement and helped her quite a bit. She expressed all this in her letter, which of course moved us who know her well to tears.

On tope of great music, dance, testimonies and stories, I discovered that one of the small group leaders had a special connection to me. My brother-in-law Jeff and his wife were in a small group with a new couple to our church, whom I had not seen there yet--Jim and Holly Schaude. Holly was my first roommate at Bethel College, so I was very excited to discover that they were Jeff and Dawn's leaders. Holly wasn't at the celebration because she was working at the hospital (she's a nurse), but her husband Jim was there. Holly and Jim started dating at Bethel, so I remembered Jim very well, and I was at their wedding. It was so fun to become reconnected!

So, in spite of the snowfall, we still trudged out and were rewarded greatly for our efforts.

Till next time,


Suzi

Friday night blues

Last night the strangest thing happened. I was home alone (with Raven our dog, of course). Tim had a guys' game night--which we had planned to have here, but his friend who hosted it said there were too many kids here (I think he was only half teasing). Turns out Christina spent the night at school watching basketball and then slept over at a friend's, Mark hung out with friends at the neighbor's house, Inga was babysitting, then spent the night at a friend's, and Luke was out hanging with friends as well.

I had been home alone all day, but even so there was stuff I could do. But on a Friday night? So, I bundled up--snow's coming, they say--and went to Target to get supplies for Operation Christmas Child shoe box. Then I went to the book store to get Bodie Thoene's latest book, First Light. It was hardback--so a little pricy, but I told myself it's an early birthday present (it's on Thanksgiving this year). I have had this book on hold for me at the library for weeks, and it doesn't seem I'm much closer to being #1 on the waiting list, so I broke down and bought the silly thing. It's a wonderful book--I read about 4 chapters before I konked out.

Then Tim came home about 11:30, and we watched the Everybody Loves Raymond episode he had taped, and then one of the Kennedy specials that's been airing all week. Today is the 40th anniversary of his death--I still remember it even though I was only 5--almost 6. It's amazing to see all the stories that have come out in recent years to convince me that it probably was a conspiracy thing. Kinda makes you shudder.

Still, it was a good Friday evening. Today, the snowstorm is supposed to start, so we'll see how Saturday evening goes.

Till next time,


Suzi

Taste test activity

Yesterday I went to a taste test--a fundraiser for our high school music program, with an added bonus of payment to participants. I was the fourth to arrive--wasn't sure of what traffic would be. If I were the first, I had the option to leave with pay, since there were enough participants. That woman did opt to go. I observed the other participants, before and during the study--most people had brought something along with them to do. Several women had books they were reading between tastes of their strawberry smoothies. One lady was knitting. A couple others had folders or papers from work.

The smoothie test (I signed a release saying I wouldn't go in to specifics about the test) wasn't long--less than 45 minutes. I thought it was interesting how hard it is for Americans to sit doing nothing for that period of time (or that period of in-between time). We can't have any down time, any idle time, any reflective time, especially in a public place.

And then I found myself wishing I had brought a book along, too.

Till next time,

Suzi

In sickness and health

Tim was a little sick last night--nothing really terrible, but upset stomach, headache, just blah. This morning I thought he'd feel better, but he's still dragging a bit. Hopefully it's not a long-term thing and he will bounce back and get his energy today.

We've been pretty fortunate with health over the years. There were the years where Mark seemed to have a new ear infection every two months, and in recent years Tim's struggled with sciatic problems (which have not been an issue lately!), and there's my diabetes. But usually we get up in the morning and do what needs to be done--we haven't been bed bound too many times with paralyzing sicknesses.

Health is something I appreciate more and more as I get older. So, as my blood sugar numbers haven't been so good in the last few months, I need to do what I can to keep my good health--to be a good steward of what God has given me.

Till next time,

Suzi

I'm ready

It's kind of fun getting up early, when it's still dark. Lately, Raven has been barking his head off at dogs we meet along the way, pulling me along in his eagerness to greet them. Sometimes owners are not too appreciative of this. So, walking in the dark almost guarantees that we won't meet other dogs--or at least, if we do--maybe Raven won't see them! The downside is that it is sometimes hard to see what I need to clean up when Raven does his thing--but I'll leave it at that.

I got home, got the kids up (they still were running around like crazy, fighting over the bathroom), and showered and finished cleaning before I leave for BSF, and then my luncheon here afterwards.

Things aren't perfect, but I think they're okay. I even have time to blog before I fly out the door.

Till next time,

Suzi

Murphy's law

We're trying to put in a railing/porch by our front door. This week the temperatures are supposed to be warm, so we're hoping our contractor will be able to make it.

Last week, he was here on the coldest, windiest day, digging holes in freezing weather.

This week, the one day he can make room in his schedule is the day I am having my BSF group over for lunch. Tim said, well, do you think they can come in the back door? (only half seriously)--we still have stuff that needs to be put or thrown away that's sitting on the back porch.

Should I bring them through the garage?

Tim is organizing the garage, so stuff if piling up there too, as it is being "sorted."

So, I will hope the contractor takes a long lunch break while the ladies are here--or that it won't be too hard for them to park or walk in the house past the digging spot.

Or, it could be that we won't have the permit yet. The inspector has been deer hunting........

It's always somethin'.

Till next time,

Suzi

Medical stuff

I'm diabetic, and lately my blood sugars have been running abnormally high, sooooooo--I need to revisit my doctor and try to do a better job of taking care of myself. Food is the hardest part for me--I enjoy walking the dog every day, although we're not running any marathons in the morning. So, I guess I can pick up the pace there, too.

I'm feeling pretty sorry for myself these days, but then I think of other friends and family members. A good friend has a malignant lump in her breast--hopefully things have been caught early, and they are trusting God. Another good friend has a cyst on her ovary, and will need surgery.

My father-in-law was in the emergency room for 3 hours last night--having trouble breathing. He has a chronic cough, and now he has an inhaler. But last night it was getting more difficult--but urgent care places were closed, so my brother-in-law drove his parents to the hospital. (My mother-in-law had a stroke last spring, and although she's doing pretty well, she's still not driving.)

But while my in-laws were seeing the doctor, my mother-in-law noticed the doctor's name, and asked if his wife was Mary. Turns out Mary was Gladys's (my m.i.l.) best friend in high school. Small world!

Other silver linings--my pharmacist friend was telling me about new ways of taking care of blood sugar with insulin pumps, watches that measure blood sugar, etc. It might be fun to be a guinea pig if insulin is the route I will next take.

And my friends with medical problems are trusting God and are at peace with the possible outcomes of their surgeries/procedures etc.

This peace that passes understanding is what I seek at this stage in my life. And then look for silver linings along the path of pain.

Till next time,


Suzi

Capitol visit

Yesterday's visit to the St. Paul capitol building was a lot of fun. (I even found easy parking on the street with no meters!) We toured with AFS exchange students who are in scholarship programs--they are very bright and highly motivated kids. One of the host parents is a state representative, so we had the rare opportunity of sitting in the seats of the legislature (which is not in session now). We didn't get to vote, but we say the little buttons on the desk and sat in the original chairs and the wooden desks from the early 20th century when the capitol was built.

We got to go up to see the gold horses, representing earth, rain, wind and fire. The view was incredible up there too--we could see downtown Minneapolis and the sites of St. Paul, including the Cathedral down the block.

One of the girls left her backpack up there, but after security cleared it, she had it returned. One of the highlights of the tour was seeing the new portrait of our famous former governor, Jesse Ventura. Other governors were pictured with favorite things--a horse, a Minnesota letter jacket, and even one portrait with a governor's wife. Jesse had his lit cigar (which of course he couldn't smoke in the capitol building). The portrait had just been commissioned the day before--there were still fresh flowers in a pot next to the portrait. Ventura was gazing out into space, with his hand resting on a statue of "The Thinker"--harking back to his campaign days, when the former wrestler turned politician had the slogan "Jesse the mind"--formerly he was known as Jesse the body.

My favorite part of the tour was seeing two gophers facing each other, hidden in the ornate decor of the wall over a doorway. We are the gopher state, although we also learned that there are no gophers in Minnesota--only a 13-striped short-tailed squirrel or something like that (I think that's what we would call a chipmunk.) After our visit, we went to the equally impressive cathedral that was built about the same time period as the capitol. Then, off to the Mall of America before going home and collapsing in bed.

Till next time,

Suzi

Off to the capitol

Today the Future Leaders Exchange Students (FLEX) are going to the state capitol building for a tour. Inga's a FLEX student, under the umbrella of AFS (American Field Service). We get to meet with state representatives as well as the tour.

Afterwards, we'll visit a St. Paul museum and then go to the Mall of America for some fun.

Some of the perks of being a host mom to an exchange student are really fun. Now--if I can just be sure to get a good and easy parking spot with my big van...........

Till next time,

Suzi

Dogs and teenagers

On this morning's walk Raven greeted several other dogs. Some were safely behind fences, others walked with their owners. We encountered Ellie, a passive but big mix of perhaps yellow lab and collie. Raven barked happily away at Ellie, sounding fierce, but wagging his tail all the time. Ellie's owner was a little cautious, saying a wagging tail didn't mean anything--he'd seen dogs attack with tails wagging. But I knew Raven was just happy to see another canine who could relate to his world of walks with leashes, when at that moment he wanted to be free to frolic with his new friend. And when we arrived back home, I released him so he could run to his food dish.

Seems our teenagers are tugging on the leash of adolescence lately. Sometimes I try hard to rein them in, shortening the leash, and at these times I feel the most resistance. The tension is difficult, but necessary, as the process of letting go continues. The older they get, the longer the "leash"--but sometimes I feel a need to pull them in again. It seems when they encounter friends, I worry the most about what they may do--in the cocoon of home, they are safe with their parents--others may influence them in ways I may not like.

Life is a balance--letting go, reining in. With dogs and kids.

Till next time,

Suzi

Blog on the run

Today is my Bible Study Fellowship day--so I'm doing a quick blog here before I go. I need to type up a letter for my mother-in-law, but the black ink in the printer is out (it does look nice in red, though.......)

So, I'll collect my thoughts, look for the black ink, and take a deep breath as we study Rehoboam and Jeroboam in BSF today. I'm still trying to get over Solomon's sin of turning away from God when he had been given so much (not to mention 700 wives--but they were the ones who turned him to other gods.)

It's a bit colder today, but not so cold that I worry about the windows defrosting before Bible study. I think I'll be on time.

Till next time,

Suzi

The shadows of the day

On my walk this morning, I noticed (not for the first time) how the shadows are so long in the morning. The sun shone brightly and warmly--a welcome change from last week's snow, rain and chill. But still, there were long shadows, dark places where it was still cold and damp.

I thought about our lives--how they are like the hours of the day. In our youth, we may play in the shadows, hiding from the light of our parent's wisdom, often getting into trouble--sometimes being exposed by the light of truth, other times successfully avoiding the pain, but the needed exposure--of the light. As we come to our mid-life years, we are in the noon-time sun--where the shadows cannot find us. But we seek to bring our children out of the darkness into the light that we have found--sometimes being burned by the heat of the moment. It will take time, we sometimes realize, before they can see the light completely. Indeed, we can't see the light all the time--even though we are warmed and sometimes blinded by its rays.

At mid-life, as in mid-day, we feel the hours waning--we look to our parents who are in or approaching their twilight years. Their shadows are long, too, but they have enjoyed the sun and grown and been nourished by its rays of wisdoms for many years. They may return to playing in the shadows as in their youth--enjoying their days as they become fewer, yet not seeking the trouble that youth finds. Their shadows are often physical--the constant reminder in their bodies that we are not meant to remain on this earth forever. Our bodies wear out, and the time comes when we can rest in the shade as we wait for the eternal sun.

Our lives are fleeting--like the hours of a day. But in Christ, we have hope for an eternity of his light and truth. While we are here--in whatever season of life we find ourselves--we reach for the warmth of his love and strength for whatever challenges we find in the day. And one day, every tear will be dried as we see Jesus face to face in our eternal home.

Till next time,

Suzi

Party's over

Saturday night's social gathering was a lot of fun--seeing old friends from our now closed church, catching up on their lives and their kids lives was great. We had about 15 people, so it was a nice sized group, although I have to say I was disappointed that more people didn't come--but illness was a factor for many. We also had about 35 people at our house last night for Inga's presentation on Moldova. She made some delicious food--a kind of a hash wrapped in cooked cabbage leaves, and baked apples filled with caramel and nuts. We hung a sheet for a screen, and she showed photos with Tim's laptop and a borrowed video projector. Her friend Gamze from Turkey also had a nice video/computer presentation. Luke even brought up his speaker and a microphone, so we could hear Gamze over the background music from the video. Gamze made a delightful Turkish pudding dessert and something pumpkin as well.

Now this morning I'm off to the doctor. I didn't eat a whole lot last night and I ran around quite a bit this weekend getting ready for everything, but the A1c blood test covers 3 months time for blood sugar--so, that includes Halloween and........other times of snacking.

Thanksgiving and Christmas are coming up too, tough times for me as a diabetic. I'm seeing a new doctor today, so we'll see if that changes things or not.

Till next time,

Suzi

Party weekend

Tonight is our big Friend's Indeed reunion. When we were young parents, we were actively involved in our church's social group for our age. Before we had kids, the group was called 18-32 (for the age range), but as people started outgrowing that age, but didn't want to move up to the next group, we changed the name to Friends Indeed. Eventually we were the Snickers, as the LAFF (Life After Fifty Fellowship) was very active, and we wanted to be known by something memorable as well. The trouble is, I don't remember what the Snickers acronym or acrostic (I get those two mixed up) was. Oh well.

So, tonight, about 20-30 of us will gather at the new home of some long-time Friends Indeed friends. Since our church dissolved over a year ago, we haven't been in touch--in fact, many of the couple who are coming had moved on to other churches years ago. It will be fun to see everyone and compare notes, here how the kids have grown, etc.

Then, tomorrow night, Inga has her presentation of Moldova at our house. We expect at least 40 people will be here. I still have to motivate the kids to clean the basement and finish raking leaves. (This is the last week for leaf collection, and there are still some darn leaves hanging on the trees. Maybe I'll get Mark to climb up and shake some branches.......)

It's barely 20 degrees, but at least the sun is shining and there is no wind. I have to finish cleaning the office and dusting in there, clean/vacuum all the carpets, and make food for tonight as well as check to see what Inga needs for groceries etc. for tomorrow night. And our small group is meeting in the early afternoon tomorrow........so I better get busy!

Till next time,

Suzi

Mitten time

The winds of November are blowin' early this year. Raven and I had a brisk walk and my hands enjoyed the new thinsulate mittens I bought yesterday. After my purchase, I went to the grocery store, where I still had on my old gloves, and proceeded to lose a glove somewhere in the store--my coat pockets are not very deep, and they are stuffed with plastic bags for my dog walks. I noticed my glove was gone when a man in the store pointed out that I had just dropped my second glove. I rummaged through my pockets for the first, and ransacked (well, not quite) the store for the missing glove, but could find it no where. I went to customer service, but it had not been turned in yet. "But it will be sweetie," said the woman behind the counter. This warmed my heart, not only because of her reassurance, but because she looked to be my age or younger and "sweetie" made me feel like a young lady. Or maybe she calls her grandma sweetie..........hmmmmmmmm.

This is the second time in two weeks that I have lost gloves in the grocery store. I went through the same mantra--and two days later I checked and found my missing glove at customer service, where it had not been when I checked the first day. But now, I have somehow misplaced these (hopefully in the house somewhere).

So, I hope to keep the mittens and gloves I purchased yesterday. Now that I have written about this I might remember more clearly (I am a visual learner--things I hear generally go in and out my brain, but if I see things in print or write them down, I can usually remember them.)

It's gonna be a long winter.

Till next time,

Suzi

Cold day, slow start

Today in Minneapolis it hasn't been this cold since March--17 degrees F. Luke left about his usual time with his pile of kids in his truck, but he couldn't scrape off the windows very fast, so they sat in the car while he drove around the school parking lot across the street trying to warm up the car.

Meanwhile, the girls are complaining of aches, so I called in sick for them. Christina was hit in the head by a soccer ball yesterday, so this morning she was a bit dizzy--although she seemed fine last evening. One more drama in the saga of life.

Meanwhile, Tim has painted the upstairs bathroom blue, so it looks very nice, and now I am motivated to get it all cleaned up for Inga's presentation on Moldova here on Sunday evening. Luke has painted his room red and black--two black walls and two red walls. Before he painted it, he and Tim sprayed some mud on the walls to texture them. It is a cool effect, especially for a kid in a hard core band. Now he needs to set up the drum set again and get everything back in the room.

So, I got out and walked early so I could tackle all of this stuff today--I guess it's always good to have a reason to get an early start.

Till next time,

Suzi

Ups and downs

In my BSF class, we're studying the History of Israel and the Minor Prophets. We just finished reading the life of Solomon--and oh, how sad that he had so much potential, wealth and wisdom and turned from the God who gave it to him to worship the gods of his foreign wives.

He prayed such a beautiful prayer at the dedication of the magnificent temple--and seemed to have his whole heart turned to God. He wrote such beautiful proverbs--and then Ecclesiastes, which is full of the meaningless of life.

So, his kingdom was taken from him, but not in his lifetime, for the sake of his father David--who had his up and down moments to be sure. I'd like to think that Solomon realized at the end of his life the mistakes he made and turned back to God--perhaps in his turning he looked at the worldly goods and realized they were meaningless as he writes about in Ecclesiastes. But he knew the true God, the author of wisdom, and did leave wonderful words of advice for us in the book of Proverbs.

So, the story continues--in the Bible, in our lives. We turn to God in humble repentance, he forgives--we sin again, come to him, and he accepts us once again. Thank you, Lord, for your forgiving heart and your open arms.

Till next time,

Suzi

Election day

Today is election day. Probably won't be a big turn out here, unfortunately, because school board members are the only ones up for a vote in Robbinsdale. This year there are three school board candidates (out of 7--for 4 positions) that are senior citizens. One is 85, another 76, and the last 79. Just think what those years of experience represent! I know I'm voting for at least two. These seniors also represent people who have time to devote to the issues they care about, and from their bios, they seem to have traditional values and good budget sense--both are are so desperately needed in schools today.

So, I'm going out for the vote. In Minnesota, we don't have to worry about chads, pregnant or other strange punch out ballots. I just have to connect a line with a black pen. Since I can't cut a straight line of gift wrap unless it has a lined pattern on it, this could be a challenge for me.

But I think I can handle it.

So, get out and vote--check websites to find out about local candidates.

Till next time,

Suzi

Let it snow.........

Well, that white fluffy stuff is falling from the sky this morning. When Raven and I were walking, it hadn't started falling yet, but by the time we got back, the flakes were falling pretty fast and furious.

It's not too bad--yet anyway--the snow is very fine and not sticking to much right now. I had hoped to get the yard raked this weekend, but spent Saturday running Christina to rehearsals and her concert for the Twin Cities Arts Festival. Her choir sounded very nice--performing a rather difficult peace--"Sing, Shout, Alleluia" or something like that. We got to see the high school where she wants attend--that's where the competition was held. Sunday was busy with church stuff--and Luke, Mark and Inga were gone at concerts and friends for most of the weekend.

Any chance we can get these leaves up from under the snow, during the week? Next weekend will be busy with our old church social group reunion, and Inga has her presentation here on Sunday evening, so I've got to get the house ready..........etc. etc.

Never a dull moment. So at least we'll keep warm bustling around.

Till next time,

Suzi

Surviving Halloween and etc

Well, Halloween is come and gone. We only had about 6 groups of trick or treaters at our door. Our kids didn't go out in the neighborhood this year, so our neighbor hand delivered goodie bags with their names on it to them here. Christina had 4 friends over (including two boys) so in between supervising them and getting the door and trying not to nibble from the candy dish, it was a full evening. The kids watched Shrek and My Big Fat Greek Wedding, and went for a walk (but not trick or treating).

I found out on Thursday (two days ago) that Christina had a Twin Cities Arts Festival today, which involved her being in a choral judging at 9:10 this morning. At 11:30 pm last night one of her friends called to see if she could get a ride. Mark (who had 4 friends spending the night) intercepted the call, and she called back this morning as Christina was in the shower. Not really allowing enough time to pick up the friend, I agreed to do it anyway and we were only about 5 minutes late.

Then, they had to be back for a practice at noon, and tonight their concert is at 7. So much for all the stuff I wanted to get done today! Luke and Mark are in band concerts today--Mark in St. Cloud (about 1 hour away) and Luke in Hudson, WI--also about an hour away. Mark is going to spend the night at a friend's grandparents. Our youth pastor candidate (the old one has been gone for a year) will be at church tonight and tomorrow, but we will be short at least one youth. Well, maybe we can talk about things while raking leaves in the afternoon?????

So, needless to say, my blog posting is late afternoon rather than early to mid morning. I am going through internet withdrawal----or is it sugar withdrawal--or teen withdrawal.........

Maybe we can all catch up tomorrow. Inga spent the night at a friend's and I haven't seen her since 8 pm yesterday. Luke stopped home, and he was with her and some friends today, so I know she's okay.

I've been finding I'm clenching my teeth at night--especially when teens are out past my bedtime (which is whenever they're out). Perhaps I should practice praying instead of worrying.

Till next time,

Suzi