A proud Army Mom

I haven't been to my blog in a year and a half and so much has happened in that time. Mitch graduated from high school and 5 days later left for Fort Knox, Kentucky for basic training and then AIT training as a Cavalry Scout with the US Army. He is now based out of Fairbanks, Alaska but is currently in Afghanistan. Matt is now a junior in high school and driving. He's all about music these days. He's in the Symphonic band, Wind ensemble (2nd year) and also Jazz band this year and wants to go to a music based college. Alex is now a freshman and is all about sports. The fall season was all about soccer and now we are turning gears to basketball! I've been a soccer mom for so many years (8??) and being a basketball mom will be so new to me!! Okay, I'll be back...I promise but I have to go for now!!

Where's the drama?

I am so sorry it's taken over a year for me to post a new blog!! So much has happened over the past year. The boys are all taller than me now. They tease me about being "height impaired". Mitch is now 18 and graduates from high school on June 10. He leaves for basic training (USArmy) on June 15. He's on the high school track team and reports to p/t when he doesn't have a track meet. Mitch has a girlfriend and she's just adorable! Matt is finishing up his freshman year and he's on the boys tennis team. He's really enjoying himself! I wish I could afford some more lessons for him to help him with control but he's got a really good coach and it's coming. I've been going out with him when we are able for an hour or so at the high school courts. It's so much fun!! I used to play when I was in high school but didn't keep up with it. I forgot how much I enjoy it. Alex is in 7th grade, he's on the middle school track team and plays Elkhorn soccer. All three are involved at church. Matt is an AWANA leader, Mitch is a jr. high leader and Alex is active in the jr high youth group. Between the three of them I feel like I live in my car!!

I'm in the process of planning a party to celebrate Mitch's graduation from high school and leaving for the Army! It's coming together. I can't wait to see the cakes that Rob is making...they are going to be hoot and even though one cake is Elkhorn (purple and gold) with a Vikings helmet (purple and gold) I'm sure Rob will find somewhere to put some green and gold (Packers) in there...I can't wait to find out what he's going to do!!! We're having the party at a local park and I'm on the hunt now to find a volleyball net to put up. I can't wait to celebrate Mitch and his accomplishments. He's such a fine young man. Okay, I guess I can wait because time is moving to quickly and he'll be leaving soon. I'm not looking forward to that. I will miss him.

Well, I've told you what the boys are up to these days...it's my turn! I just finished participating in the Beth Moore "Breaking Free Revisited" Bible study at church. It was just fabulous!! We have a fairly new ministry at church called FOCAS (Fellowship of Christian Adult Singles) which meets every Friday night. We are a small group but I think that after our game night last Friday night our numbers will really be increased. It is a great small group that is becoming great friends and I really look forward to every Friday night!! One of my high schools, (the one I graduated from...Badger) is organizing an all '80's class reunion next year and I volunteered to be on the planning committee! I went to my first meeting last month and it was fun! We meet at The Next Door Pub which was a staple pizza place when we were all in school (well, that and the Playboy club game room!!).

This has suddenly become quite a long winded blog so I'll let you move on to your next blog. Life is good. In the past year I've traveled a road that has lead me to a new life of peace, stability and security like I've never known. I serve an Awesome God and life truly is good.

I had a really awesome evening! It was nice that we were able to help the Williams Bay Jr. Prom out too!

Just returned home from a very cold and wet soccer match! It was a very good game!!! Very cold too...

This is a test of the Dawn broadcast network for facebook, twitter, myspace and my blog...let's see if I did it?

What a week...

Excuse me while I rattle on, but this has just been quite the week. Easter weekend was absolutely fabulous. It was a time of reflection, worship, gratefulness for what Jesus did for me. We as a family had a very peaceful day with wonderful food together! My parents were able to join us for dinner which was a special treat as Easter is a very busy time for them. My Dad is a Prison Chaplain for two prisons. He had 4 services to preach, communion and the ladies put on a special Easter Drama Sunday morning so Mom and Dad had an exhausting day.

The boys went back to school on Monday. We don't celebrate Easter Monday here, so it was back to work and school as usual. My cat, Syd wasn't feeling very well though, he's been limping since he was declawed a month ago. I had talked to the vet about it and she thought maybe it was just a "habit" because he is a little older (he's 18 months old). But, to keep an eye on him. By Tuesday morning he was just not well. So, I took Syd to work with me to have his foot looked at. So, I dropped him off at the clinic and went to work (my office is in the clinic). April, one of the vet techs came to see me and asked if Syd was having problems going to the bathroom. I had only noticed that he was having problems with hair balls but everything else seemed okay, then I remembered that he sat in front of the boys and I and "piddled" a little the day before...which was unusual. Turns out Syd has crystals in his bladder and his bladder was as big as your fist. Syd only weighs 10 lbs. He wasn't able to go to the bathroom and was straining hard just to piddle a little. We were very fortunate that I took him to the vet on Tuesday as he wouldn't have survived much longer. They put a catheter in him and drained out all the crystals and I guess he has a few pellets too. We are working to melt those down. He was in the hospital for 4 days. He's still struggling and I don't know if he's out of the woods yet, he does seem to be doing better? I'm not a vet though, I'm just a stupid pet owner who didn't even see this was a problem! He's just parked himself in Chili's dog bed to clean himself and stopped to stare at me while I type this!! Well, he will need to be on prescription food for the rest of his life and we're hoping it will be a long life. Oh, I need to tell you the most wonderful blessing out of all of this...on Tuesday when the vet told me what was going on with Syd, they told me it would cost between $800-$1200 for the treatment Syd needs. I was devastated. I can't possibly afford that.

April had an idea though, she suggested that Touced by a Paw a local cat rescue may adopt Syd and pay for his treatment. It would mean though that I would have to give him to the charity. She asked if I would be willing to do that? I said yes, if it would save Syd's life, yes and she walked out...April came back a couple of minutes later, Touched by a Paw had agreed to pay for his treatment AND I was going to be able to keep Syd!!! I will pay for part of his treatment and the vet clinic is giving me time to do that and I have promised to always give Syd his prescription food. BTW, all of this information came to me in about a 20 minute period of time. I can't even describe the different emotions I experienced in that 20 minutes. Shock, grief, worry, surprise, gratitude...God's grace at work yet again in my life.

Tuesday night...after a very emotional day, Mitch informed me that the job he wanted in the Army is not available (Military Police) and that he was going to sign up for infantry. Wow! That was a shock and I expressed my concern over this. I asked him to consider waiting to swear in until the job he wants comes available. He went that night to talk to his recruiter and while he was there another job popped up. Cavalry Scout. So, Mitch is now going into the Army to be a Cavalry Scout. He's so excited and I'm dumbfounded. I can't worry as God's hand is in all of this and Mitch is following God's plan for his life. He was supposed to go to MEPS this week to swear in but there was a problem with the dates so he's not going now until next weekend. He's totally bummed about having to wait but I think he's more embarrassed about having to explain it to everyone who has been praying for him during this time.

Now, we come to Wednesday...I finished work a little early on Wednesday so I was able to come home and relax for a few minutes before we all headed up to church for the evening. Mick stopped in unexpectedly and it was earlier than he normally would too. He stopped by to tell me that he lost his job. His company has been hit hard by the recession and there has been a steady stream of lay offs since the beginning of the year. His boss was let go Monday. He's pretty devastated by this and well, of course, it affects all of us as child support is what keeps us going here! Well, Mick has already interviewed for a new position and he's going to try it out for a couple of days next week to see if it will work out. He's of course sending out his resume and the other people who have been let go are networking with each other and sharing job finds with each other. I'm so thankful for that!! God has a plan for all our lives and I know it's going to be better than anything I can think of!!

Thursday, Mitch was supposed to go to MEPS and we were all at Alex's soccer match. He called to say there was a screw up with the dates and that he can't swear in this week after all. His SSgt dropped him off at the soccer match to inform me of the mistake. Like I said, Mitch is really bummed but I think it's more that he doesn't want to have to explain this!!

Alex started soccer last weekend!!! It was his first game since he broke both of his arms!! He hasn't played in 7 months...which is just hard to comprehend when he usually plays year round (he plays indoor soccer in the winter). He had a really bad game that just devastated him. He has such high expectations of himself and failure was a hard pill to swallow for him. I explained that failure is a good thing as it teaches you how important it is to try your hardest for what you want. Alex has two dreams. His first dream is to play for the US Soccer team in the Olympics and his 2nd dream is to be a minister and follow in his Grandpa's footsteps. Well, when the weather permitted this past week he was practicing and Wednesday night before his youth group meeting he was invited by his coach to join an older boys practice to help him get his bearing back. Alex was really challenged at the practice and at his game Thursday night was back on form!!! His kick is BACK!!! He was awesome as goalie and they won 7-3!!! He's obviously feeling much better now. He has another game tomorrow afternoon against the team they played last weekend so hopefully he will feel better after tomorrow's game too.

Tomorrow is my Dad's 65th birthday!! We're having a small surprise party for him at my parents after the soccer match. Have I told you lately what a blessing my parents are? My Dad was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma 7 years ago. He had to have a stem cell transplant (they harvested his stem cells, cleaned them and put them back) and couldn't promise more than 5 years more. Well, here we are 7 years later and my Dad is doing great!! The doctors are thrilled by his health and he's become a bit of a poster child!! So, every birthday we have to celebrate with my Dad is extra special. BTW, Dad had his transplant on Alex's birthday 6 1/2 years ago so we also celebrate that birthday too, along with Alex!! Alex thinks it's a privilege to share his birthday with his Grandpa.

Okay, well, I've written what could be a book so I'll let you go and enjoy this beautiful Saturday. (It is gorgeous here in Wisconsin!!) If you read through my ramblings, thank you!! It always feels better to put some things in writing.

Dawn