Ummmm

Do you feel the freight train come’n?

I just realized the kids last day of school is NEXT WEEK!!!

Happy Mother’s Day….

to all you muthas!

Double Digits

Dear CT,

10!  You are 10 and you got to celebrate your birthday on Easter this year, how Grandpa would have loved that.

Every year I sit down to write a little something and every year I find it hard to think back.  There is so much to say, that I could go on forever about how you have grown not only in size but in spirit and generosity, in gratefulness and kindness, in maturity and thoughtfulness.  But what I really want you to know, with these years that are flying by so fast, is that you are growing into a really wonderful person.

I cherish you my first born son.  You lead the way, it’s not always easy and it’s not always fair but you take it and make it your own, finding your own path.

May this year be filled with all things wonderful and challenging and exciting and even peaceful.  May you continue on your path, wherever it may lead.

To being 10!

I love you so.

Mom

2 moms + 6 kids = Water Park

No, it’s not an April fools joke.

Heading off to Duluth with Jen for a little Water Park FUN!

Happy spring break!

Getting close

Here she is, Cedar Lake.

My kids dipped their toes in yesterday and announced it was still cold.

Cold yes but at least there is open water and sand and if you throw a big enough rock it will break the ice.

The joy!

Down to one

At one point in time, our family had seven animals living in the house.  As of yesterday, we are down to one.

Whiskey “bit it”.  It was sad but no tears were shed.  My kids are getting the hang of the circle of life.

KP’s night time prayer went like this, “And I pray that Grandpa and Whiskey can now be together in heaven.”

I’m not sure Whiskey is going to feel the same way after last Easter.

BARF

You realize your kids have gotten older when they can actually throw-up into the bucket they’ve been given or make it to the toilet before everything hits the wall or the floor.

Poor CT spent the ENTIRE night throwing up.  I haven’t seen this kind of stomach flu in a long time around here and I hope it leaves quickly.  It was so nasty that I was gagging while rubbing his back.

As we were up throughout the night, it reminded me of when the kids were so much younger and that was just the drill.  Up every few hours feeding, changing and being their for them because they could not do anything for themselves.

I am so glad to be beyond that stage but the realization that they are still so young and the little reminder that they still need and want their mommies when they throw-up, is heart warming.

Girls Gone North

So when your dad’s health is failing, what do you do?

Go up north with your girlfriends.

Jen, Ellen, Ann and I have gone up north, every winter, for the past five years.  It is amazing to look back at what was going on dring those past years.  The joys, the fears, the changes within ourselves, our kids, our families, our jobs, our lives.

We were pondering this past weekend if we could possibly be lucky enough to still be doing this at 60.

Oh how I hope so.

The next step

I just wanted to give everyone an update on my dad’s health status.  As some of you know, he went into Methodist hospital on Monday night.  He was confused, had a fever and was unable to walk by himself safely.

The fever that was present in the ER was an indication that there was some sort of infection and the doctors have been trying to find the source since Monday.  Today they were able to do an MRI and the doctors came in to tell us that his cancer has spread to his skull, the dura mater around his brain and that the cancer already in his liver has grown a great deal.

That said, it looks as though the only option left is hospice.  Any options of chemo that we thought were plausible went out the window with this new information.  His prognosis at this point in time is one to three months.

I just created a CaringBridge site (http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/tomtremmel) for my dad and will keep it up to date as best I can.

Thank you to everyone who has already offered support, prayers and kind words.

Silver Holloware…married so long now no Traditional gift exists

Right this moment, when I look out the window, it looks just like it did when Adam and I walked down Michigan Avenue 16 years ago.  It was dark and the snow was falling in big beautiful flakes, as the light from the street lamps bounced off them.  We had decided at the end of dinner that night, that we were going to Vegas to get married, and literally…we were on our way.

That was 16 years ago.

We only called one person from the plane, our old roommate Pat, who we had just spent the night with after seeing a Paul Westerberg concert.  (Happy Birthday Pat!)

We didn’t give a moments thought to where we might sleep, who was going to marry us, what we were going to wear or where we were going to get married. Who cares about such details?

So we forged ahead.  Hours later, we found ourselves walking towards the alter, for all three of those steps, wedding music played out of a boom box.   A stranger stood before us with a bible, some words of wisdom and we exchanged vows with tears in our eyes, knowing THIS was it.  Knowing we could do anything, together.

Thanks for being my partner in crime babe…I love you!

Happy Anniversary.