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Tuesday, April 21, 2009
I had a really awesome evening! It was nice that we were able to help the Williams Bay Jr. Prom out too!
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Just returned home from a very cold and wet soccer match! It was a very good game!!! Very cold too...
Saturday, April 18, 2009
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
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
Thursday, April 09, 2009
I wanted to share this story...I received this from a friend...who is a fabulous Mom!!
Invisible Mother.....
It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?'
Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more! Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this??
Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'
I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude -but now, they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's going, she's gone!?
One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England . Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe . I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: 'To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'
In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.
A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof, No one will ever see it. And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.'
I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard G od whispering to me, 'I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does.
No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become. At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.
I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.
When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for 3 hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, 'You're gonna love it there.'
As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.
Great Job, MOM!
Share this with all the Invisible Moms you know... I just did. The Will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you. This is beautiful and makes a ton of sense. To all the wonderful mothers out there.
It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?'
Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more! Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this??
Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'
I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude -but now, they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's going, she's gone!?
One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England . Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe . I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: 'To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'
In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.
A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof, No one will ever see it. And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.'
I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard G od whispering to me, 'I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does.
No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become. At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.
I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.
When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for 3 hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, 'You're gonna love it there.'
As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.
Great Job, MOM!
Share this with all the Invisible Moms you know... I just did. The Will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you. This is beautiful and makes a ton of sense. To all the wonderful mothers out there.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
The dawn of a new era...
The dawn of a new era has begun...SSR is officially dry docked and we are officially LIVE for April NOW as we move to a new direction...check it out!!! http://www.ssreflections.com
I think it looks awesome and the best part??? You will probably find something new every day within the blogs featured on our blog portal!! So, come back daily and find lots of wonderful eye candy!!
If you'd like to have your blog included in our lists please email me at info@ssreflections.com and I'll be glad to talk to you about it!!
Happy spring,
Cap'n Dawn
I think it looks awesome and the best part??? You will probably find something new every day within the blogs featured on our blog portal!! So, come back daily and find lots of wonderful eye candy!!
If you'd like to have your blog included in our lists please email me at info@ssreflections.com and I'll be glad to talk to you about it!!
Happy spring,
Cap'n Dawn
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