We've had what we consider good news. The doctors decided the heart cath was a success as far as telling them what they needed to know. They've decided to let nature take its course at this point and let the holes close on their own. At least I think that's what Lyndsay said. (Something about many babies having a small hole that closes on it's own within a short amount of time.) If it's found that there isn't enough blood flow, they'll put in a shunt. If the blood flow is good and they don't need the shunt, she'll be home as soon as she can "eat" on her own. (Gavin was 5 weeks premature and would NOT take a bottle or anything. We should've known he'd continue to be a stubborn little guy. )
The ventilator will be removed tomorrow, along with the feeding tube at her belly button. They'll start feeding by bottle after that and see how it goes. If all goes well, she could be home as soon as next weekend. Surgery will be scheduled in 2 weeks to 2 months, depending on how she does. Gaining weight and maturity is the goal. I'm assuming she'll be seeing a cardiologist here during that time. They expect about a 2 week stay in Children's Mercy again for and after surgery.
Lyndsay and Adam will be home tomorrow evening to spend time with the other three kids, then return to KC after the weekend. They want to be here for Ally and Gavin's first day of school on Monday. Plans right now are tentative, so we're waiting to see how everything goes.
(Photos will be available when Blogger lets me upload them!!)
Payton McKenzy must have been in a rush to be a part of our family. She was a month early. At 5 lbs. 10 oz, she's the smallest of my daugher Lyndsay and her husband Adam's now 4 children. Although we thought everything was fine, except the need for a little help breathing, we learned less than 8 hours after she arrived that she has a heart defect. It was a miracle it was detected so early. Most babies with TGV (Transposition of the Great Vessel) are a few weeks old before anyone suspects and investigates. We all thank the NICU staff at HCA Wesley in Wichita for being alert.
What's TGV? According to Wikipedia (the simplest to use at this point, Transposition of the great vessels (TGV) is a group of congenitalheart defects (CHDs) involving an abnormal spatial arrangement of any of the primary blood vessels: superior and/or inferiorvena cavae (SVC, IVC), pulmonary artery, pulmonary veins, and aorta. In simpler terms, the veins and arteries are reversed. (more from Wiki) In a normal heart, oxygen-depleted blood is pumped from the right side of the heart, through the pulmonary artery, to the lungs where it is oxygenated. The oxygen-rich red blood then returns to the left heart, via the pulmonary veins, and is pumped through the aorta to the rest of the body, including the heart muscle itself. TGV means this doesn't happen correctly.
But another miracle is keeping Payton alive. VSD or Ventricular Septal Defect, which means she has a hole in her heart (2, actually) allowing oxygen to mix in the heart. VSD and other defects often accompany TGV.
She was airlifted via helicopter the next morning to Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, MO. She's doing great! They're weaning her off the ventilator and hoping to be able to wait a week or two so she can gain a little more weight. As long as she continues to do well, they're able to do that. Success rate for the surgery is 95%-99%, we we're all being positive. We certainly won't refuse any prayers and positive thoughts for Payton while she's in the hospital!
Yesterday I blogged about the disappearance of our dog, Willow, on the 4th of July. Less than fifteen minutes later, the phone rang. I couldn't imagine what the City would be calling me about on a Saturday afternoon. It was the animal shelter! Someone had brought in Willow!!
Last weekend, a cute little lost Pomeranian showed up at my oldest daughter's house. Sabrina created, printed, and posted signs around the neighborhood about the dog, but in a week, she'd had no response. So when the animal shelter called to say Willow had just been found and dropped off there, we decided an exchange was in order. "Muffy" was returned first, then we were off to find our baby. We roamed the holding kennels until we finally found her. There was no doubt who the Bassett belonged to. She recognized us immediately. As we returned to the desk with the necessary paperwork to get Willow released, we could hear her howling. She was ready to go home!
I still find it very strange that it took three weeks for her to be discovered and taken to the shelter. The paperwork stated she was found about five miles away by someone who lived more than twenty miles in the opposite direction. At this point, it probably doesn't matter, but we've decided she can't be left outside when no one is around to make sure she isn't escaping (which I highly doubt happened) or being snatched from our yard.
She loved the backyard and spent both days and nights there, before she disappeared. Because we were still working on house training, when inside, she slept in her kennel or had free roam of the kitchen, which leads to my office. I can see her from my desk, so she isn't lonely...which doesn't mean she isn't going to howl for attention. :)
Almost an entire month has zoomed by, and I haven't stopped in to say hello. Shouldn't summer be lazy? Not here! And not for me!
It appears I haven't been blogging, but that isn't true. Besides here, I also blog at Bits & Bytes: Romance...the Writers Way, my writers group's blog. The 29th is my day to blog, but I'm constantly posting comments on everyone else's posts. It's very interactive, and we're having tons of fun talking romance writing. If you aren't a writer, that's okay! Readers are more than welcome to share their thoughts, and maybe learn something along the way.
Want to meet your favorite Harlequin American Romance authors? Check out our blog! News, recipes, writers' tips, cleaning tips, and all kinds of good stuff can be found there. My blogging date at HAR is the 19th, but I missed it this month. :( Must do better!
Last weekend, two of my daughters, my oldest granddaughter, and I went to see the new Harry Potter movie. I was sadly disappointed. I've only read the first book, so I'm not privy to all the ins and outs, but I have seen every one of the movies. I had a really hard time following what was going on in this one and even dozed off at one point, which resulted in a poke from my daughter. :) Mallory, my youngest, said it was because so much was left out, yet there were things in it that weren't in the book. (Mallory is an HP expert, having read each book multiple times. DO NOT play HP Trivial Pursuit with her unless you want to lose, big time.) Maybe I should start reading those books!
Sad things going on here. I posted earlier about our new puppy, Willow. On the 4th of July, someone stole her from our backyard. :(( She was playing out there in the early evening, while the neighborhood fireworks were going off. I could hear her howling at one point and went out to check who was making all the noise. (The fireworks, not the pup.) Discovered it was a neighbor, three houses to the south and muttered some unkind words under my breath, then went inside. Willow was fine. The next morning, she was nowhere to be found, her collar laying open just inside the fence. She's chipped, so if she'd run away and someone found her, a trip to the animal shelter would be all that was needed for her to be returned to us. No more pups for us. I'll stick to our two cats, Tosca and Mocha. They're tortoiseshell calicos that look like mother and daughter, but aren't related. One of these days, I'll post some pictures of them. Oh, and there are the four betta fish we have. Two belong to my daughter Chelsea, a male (the fish, not the daughter and whose name I forget) and Harley, the female. My two are both males, Shrimp and Spock. Watching them swim around can be soothing, and they notice when I'm paying attention. Maybe a bird someday? Who knows?
I've just finished writing the first draft of the third book in the Desperation, OK series. I hope readers love this one as much as they seem to love the first one, The Rodeo Rider, available in stores next month. Hearing from readers adds such a spot of joy to my day! Don't be shy to let me know what you think!
Last but not least, if you haven't met the Ditzy Chix, my very very bestest friends, stop in at our website. Or even better, come visit us on our Facebook page! We've just gone from 10 of us to 11, and will probably have another new chix or two in the future.
Yes, you can find me on Facebook! (How did this happen?) I love chatting with others there!
Until next time, have a lovely summer! Fall will be here soon--my favorite season--so what's left of the lazy (ha!) days of the last of summer should be savored. Make some memories!
I can't believe it's been over a month since I posted, but it has. I really have been busy since then and keep getting myself into new projects faster than I can say NO.
Since the last time, school has let out for the summer, meaning all 4 grandkids are here ALL DAY. That in itself takes up a lot of time, although they aren't always bad and the 2 youngest manage to take a nap at some point during the day, giving us all a little quiet time. But it seems it's never enough to get it all done.
My son-in-law is home from his 4-month long deployment in the Middle East. It's always good to have him back. Nice to have a man's POV on things. Okay, even when I don't agree. ;) I know he's glad to be home, too, and has already done some fishing, along with mowing the lawn. Not his favorite chore, by the way.
I'm finally almost back to normal after a three-week bout with asthma, but I'm not ready to run a marathon yet. Not that I ever planned to. A nice walk would be nice, but, again, when is there time? I do promise to never mow again! Not being able to breathe is NOT fun, and all for a yard where small children don't become lost.
So what else has been keeping me busy? I've added an excerpt from The Rodeo Rider to my website, along with the fantastic back cover blurb! It truly tells the essence of the story, and I love it! My author copies have arrived, so I'm trying to decide whether to throw a contest here on the website for some books and maybe some extras. That may depend on time, too.
If you've ever had the slightest desire to try your hand at writing, my local writers' group has a terrific blog dedicated to how to write a romance novel. Stop in and visit us at Bits & Bytes: Romance...the Writer's Way. We're all having a blast talking shop and love to share!
This past week I've been at eHarlequin.com, leading a discussion in the Conflict Crisis Center on the Write Stuff board on, you guessed it, Conflict. My week of kicking off the new board is officially over today, but don't be shy about stopping in to say hello! I plan to hang around for as long as I can, hoping to pick up ideas from other authors. We're all always learning.
I'm including a special invitation to visit my little spot on Facebook. I dragged my feet as long as I could about joiing and finally capitulated, adding my name and several friends, including writing friends, high school friends, newer friends, and even a few cousins! If only I had that little extra time to play with the applications and quizzes. Maybe later this summer? Who knows what I might discover!
And last, but not least, we have a puppy. Her name is Willow, and she is very sweet. A little too friendly for the grandkids yet, but she's calming down a little more every day and loves to spend all day outside. As long as she doesn't kick up my asthma, we'll keep her. ;) Isn't she a cutie?
So I hope to see you soon and "be your friend" on Facebook. I'll drop in here again as time allows...if it does. Until then, have a wonderful summer!
Thanks to my 16-month-old grandson, who hit the button to shut down my computer yesterday while I was posting the below, I'm finishing this on Tuesday.
Not only do we have the holidays to buy for and celebrate, but my oldest granddaughter's birthday, too. She'll be seven this year. She recently lost the second of her front teeth, so I downloaded the song "All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth". She wasn't amused.
She was born three days before Christmas, and one would think that with so many things available at Christmas, finding a birthday present should be easy. It isn't. I've been having trouble finding something to get her, until I heard an ad on the radio for our local ice skating center's holiday ice show. With the possibility that she may take skating lessons in the spring, it's the perfect gift, and the whole family can enjoy it. Maybe next year, she'll be skating in it.
Was it luck or fate? It doesn't matter, because it was a blessing. Now, if the snow will just stay away...
Our family Thanksgiving dinner waited until evening on Thursday, so everyone could be there. Everyone meaning all twelve of us. Traditional food for us includes the turkey, mashed potatoes (real, not instant) and gravy, corn, green beans, made-from-scratch macaroni and cheese, strawberry salad (angel food cake, strawberries, crushed pineapple, whipped cream), pumpkin and cherry pie, and cherry cheesecake, which really isn't, but it's close enough. Add the usual pre-meal celery, carrots, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, pickles, etc., and to say we were stuffed is an understatement.
But the best part of the day is just being together around the table. That always goes on into the late hours, so by the time we all returned to our respective homes, we were tired but happy.
And then comes the rush to Christmas...
I spent Black Friday finishing all but one item on my list, but although the crowds were still thick, I didn't get up at the crack of dawn (5 a.m.!) to do it. 9 a.m. was good enough for me, and I found more than the items on my list. Returning home, I hit the Internet and spent---well, more than I should have, but I know that what I got will bring smiles to all. A quick trip to check on a book at one of our local Barnes & Nobles (I had a 40% off coupon!), netted me zilch, but I was able to pick up an external CD drive for my new netbook (8.9' mini-notebook) for $15 less than I thought it would be, and I ordered the book online, complete with discount. Not bad for someone who didn't have a complete list the night before.
So with only one gift left to buy, I'm feeling relaxed and even bought the boxes, wrapping paper, and bows last night, ready to start wrapping BEFORE Christmas Eve. That'll be the first in a loooong time. Have I mentioned that I'm Queen of Procrastination?
I hope your Thanksgiving was fulfilling with a great dinner and surrounded by family and friends!
For me, Thanksgiving is the kick-off point for the holiday season. In only 4 weeks, it will be Christmas Eve, then we'll roll right into 2009. And so I sit here on the eve of Thanksgiving, while the turkey finishes thawing, knowing time is going to fly, and I've only just begun buying Christmas gifts. That could be because I don't know what I'll be giving everyone.
The one thing I don't want to do is rush the holidays. One of our local radio stations has been playing Christmas music for a couple of weeks. For me, that's too soon, but even one national chain store was playing the same only a couple of days ago. And, of course, with Christmas coming on quickly, I'll need to download a holiday ringer or two for my cell phone. After all, 'tis the season.
Tomorrow, after two of my daughters are done attending the Thanksgiving dinners of their "other" families, we'll all get together at another daughter's house for our own family Thanksgiving. Somehow this year, I'm stuck with preparing the whole meal, but it isn't a first, and I'll let them take on Christmas dinner.
There's a lot to be thankful for this year, even though we're expecting the economy to get worse before it gets better. I'm always thankful for my family, and everything else is secondary. I hope those reading this are in touch with their own families, whether in person, via a phone call or the internet. Just remember, Christmas really is right around the corner.
Because my oldest daughter and next to youngest daughter left Saturday morning for a one-day cruise, courtesy of Royal Caribbean and United Way, my oldest granddaughter Scarlett spent the weekend with us. My youngest daughter wanted to attend the second day of a school function 60 miles, so we started out on Saturday morning to make the trip, while her mom and aunt headed for the airport.
The trip wasn't bad, and we arrived to find the school get-together breaking up, but we were able to go to the pizza party. Afterwards, we drove to the Kansas Cosmosphere to decide exactly what we would do there and if we could get tickets for those activities. As it turned out, there were no problems with doing what we wanted to do, so we bought our tickets and began our Space Adventure.
The Kansas Cosmosphere is located in Hutchinson, Kansas, where the Kansas State Fair is held each fall. I've been to the Cosmosphere twice, but both times were several years ago and much improvement has been made.
From the Cosmosphere website:
"The Cosmosphere operates the world’s leading space artifact restoration and replication facility and is the only location designated by the Smithsonian Institution to restore flown U.S. spacecraft. Museums frequently contact the Cosmosphere for exhibit production and artifact restoration and replication."
Outside, we were greeted by a 107 foot Titan Rocket, stretching far above the building. Stepping into the building, we were amazed to find a SR-71 Blackbird hanging over our heads from the two-story ceiling. Our first item on the list was to see the IMAX movie, Fly Me to the Moon, the first ever animated movie created for 3D about three young houseflies that stow away aboard the Apollo 11 flight to the moon. It was cute and campy and filled with history of the 1969 flight and moonwalk. After it was over, we continued to the planetarium within the Cosmosphere, where we watched an interactive show about the night sky. (Maybe next time I look up at the stars, I'll be able to find a few constellations!) Then next it was on to Dr. Goddard's Lab, where we saw a live demonstration of early rocket technology in a replication of the 1930s lab of Dr. Robert Goddard, the pioneer of modern rocketry. Finishing up our day of space, we toured the museum, complete with restorations and replicas from space history, including a replica of the Bell X-1 Rocket Plane used in the movie The Right Stuff.
And they say Kansas is boring. If you're headed through our state and you or someone in your family is interested in space, do plan a stop at the Kansas Cosmosphere. It's definitely worth seeing, even for someone like me who was never interested in space. I really should have been. My dad worked at Boeing on the Apollo and Gemini missions. :)
It's a busy time for a lot of people. Halloween is tomorrow and the big day that occurs every four years is just around the corner. Add the everyday stuff--colds and flu, plotting and writing, taking and picking up grandkids at school--and life is, as usual, crazy.
My youngest daughter will be going into the voting booth (do they still have booths?) this year for the first time. She's nineteen and couldn't care less about politics. So much so that when the rest of us talk politics--and believe me, we do talk politics...a lot--she rolls her eyes, sighs, and leaves the room. What can I say? We're a political family. She'll learn. How could she not? This year she will vote. Count on it. When someone asks her who she'll be voting for, she simply answers she'll vote for whomever Mom tells her to. It may take time, but she'll learn.
I voted in my first election in 1972, complete with a little mad-on that eighteen-year-olds were getting to vote and I'd had to wait until I was 21. (Yes, I'm over the age of fifty...by a few years. Do the math.) To be honest, I can't list who I voted for in all the "biggies", because I don't remember. I've been registered as both a Republican and a Democrat--at different times, of course. I didn't pay a lot of attention. To be honest, I didn't know there was a difference between the two parties, except they ran different people. A few years ago that changed. I pay attention now. There is a difference. It does make a difference to each of us, in one way or another.
I hope anyone reading this exercises their right to vote. My mother always told me that if you don't vote, you don't get to complain. Whether she was right or wrong about that, it doesn't matter. I believe it. So go out and vote on Tuesday!! And, no, I won't say who I'll be voting for. :)
Speaking of politics, my next to youngest daughter (she's twenty-four) and her guy took me to see Oliver Stone's W. last week. I was disappointed. Not in the acting. Josh Brolin did a great job as "Dubya", as did Richard Dreyfus as Dick Cheney, who looked like Cheney but sounded like Richard Dreyfus, and Scott Glenn as Rumsfeld. In fact, everyone in it did a terrific job. The problem with the movie for me was that it didn't have the punch that Stone's other movies have had. Renting it might have been the best option. I'll probably get it on DVD. It's a bit of history not to be forgotten.
Ah, television. How did people manage without it? It makes us laugh. It makes us cry. It puts us to sleep. I'm not one to go out and buy seasons of TV shoes on DVD. Okay, I do have the very first season of SNL. My youngest has the entire collection of every season of Buffy, the Vampire Slayer (which I wish I had time to watch, from beginning to end, but 7 seasons of it?? Have I mentioned that I adore Giles?), and I "bought" the first season of Mork and Mindy with Pepsi points on Amazon, so it was free. I love comparing that Robin Williams to the Robin Williams of today. Wow.
Add a new one to the list: The first season of Criminal Minds. I very rarely miss an episode, although I did last week because I was at the movie theater seeing W., and watching both at the same time just wasn't going to happen. Nor was I going to pass up seeing a movie for free! (Okay, I'd pass up A Clockwork Orange at any time.) When it comes to Criminal Minds, I'm hooked. I was hooked from the first show. I love Mandy Patinkin and have since I saw him in Yentl with Barbra Streisand. But it didn't take me long to become addicted to the others in the series. Who to start with? Hotch? JJ? Derek Morgan? Reid? (Penelope) Garcia? Prentiss? And even Joe Montegna as Rossi has grown on me. For me, Criminal Minds is one of the very best on TV right now. Although I've enjoyed CSI (the original) and all three Law & Orders, CM beats them, hands down. It took me over a week of watching the 6 DVDs in the evenings and late into the night (like tonight) to see all twenty-two episodes of the first season, but it was worth it, and will be worth it again to watch them over and over. I don't think I could ever tire of watching the intricacies of the human mind, whether the criminal mind or that of the captors. It's fascinating. It's thought provoking. It's the only show this season that I can remember to watch. Am I a fan? I'll leave that up to you. :)
With luck, I'll be back again tomorrow. And Monday. And throughout the week. But I learned long ago not to make promises I might not be able to keep. Life sometimes does get in the way.
We have a new addition to our family. No, not a baby. Her name is B.J., and she's a 2 1/2 year-old Bassett Hound. She's not exactly new to us. She had belonged to my daughter, who had to give her away, and we were the happy recipients!
B.J. is about as laid back as a dog can get. Last night, her first evening at our house, she wasn't interested in our two tortoishell calico cats, Tosca and Mocha, who decided to stalk her. Both would sit on the nearest piece of furniture, out of reach, and stare at her, keeping her from moving past them. It made for some almost tense moments when B.J. wanted to move to another room. Tosca, the oldest, didn't seem to mind when she would finally get up the nerve to pass by. They even checked each other out, with no repurcussions. I expect they'll be friends in a week or so. Mocha, on the other hand, didn't take to B.J. quite as well. Stalking was okay, but when we tried to get Mocho to investigate the invader a little more closely, her tail grew and she hissed. I don't expect them to become friends very quickly.
I was awakened this morning by a fast wagging tail in my face. My daughter (B.J.'s former mistress) had arrived to drop off two of her three children. B.J. was obviously excited to see them, but the only indication of that was that tail in my face. She was off the bed in seconds, as soon as she heard their voices when they came through the door, but the sad eyes of a Bassett never changed, just that wagging tail and a friend "woof" to greet them.
So "woof" to all of you this sunny Monday morning! Let's all hope this week brings all the sunshine and good will of a perfect autumn day.
My intentions were good, but as I've always said, if the road to hell is paved with good intentions, mine is a six-lane super highway. I had planned to get back on a solid blogging schedule, but this was the week that three grandkids came down with croup, one of which only went to school half days on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, and one didn't go at all (half-day pre-K) on those days. Then the fourth, the oldest granddaughter had a tooth pulled. Add the cold (or was it croup) that my youngest came down with, and nearly nothing was accomplished. So good intentions and all that went by the wayside. With nothing to watch on TV this evening until 10 p.m., I skimmed through the cable listings and saw August Rush listed. I'd never seen it and had thought when viewing the trailer months ago that it might be interesting. Not interesting enough to see in the theater, but watching on cable might be worth waiting for. I watched it. It was highly emotional, and although it needs a strong dose of suspending disbelief, due to the fairy tale/magical element of the story, it was worth the time to watch. I missed the middle of it, due to family demands, but even that didn't keep me from getting caught up again in the end of it.
From Internet Movie Database: (warning! spoiler!) Lyla Novacek (Keri Russell) is a brilliant cellist who has just finish performing a concert in New York City. Lyla goes out on the town with her girlfriend and end up at a party near New Yorks Washington Square. She meets Louis Connelly (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) an Irish guitar player. They share the love of music and end up falling in love and bonding together that night. It was the most wonderful night in Lylas life. Lyla must rush back to the hotel where her father Thomas (William Sadler) is waiting for her. Lyla promised to meet Louis in Washington Square, but her father forces her to go to her next concert. They are like two ships that pass in the night, never to see each other again, except for the fact that Lyla is now with child. Sadly, Lyla is in a car accident and the unborn child is lost. Eleven years pass and Lylas father is on his death bed, and he must tell her the truth that he secretly gave Lylas baby boy up for adoption. August Rush (Freddie Highmore) is her child, who was born with the gift to hear music all around him. He believes that he will find his parents if they only hear his music, because they are truly bonded by their music. Douglas Young (the-movie-guy)
There's a lot more to this movie, and as I mentioned above, it is emotional. If written as a book, most editors would say the story was too contrived, but that's where the suspension of disbelief comes in. It was beautifully done, in its own way, and I plan to find the time to watch it from beginning to end as soon as I can. It may become part of my DVD collection, but that remains to be seen. All in all, it's a good movie that's worth the time to see.
It's hard to believe a year has gone by so quickly. My youngest grandson turned one-year-old yesterday, naturally prompting a family get-together and pictures. Because I couldn't decide on just which pic was best, I created a slideshow on Slide.com. He just wasn't quite sure what to do with that birthday cake! Hope you get a giggle out of it.
It's here! The first day of a new school year. Okay, last Thursday was officially the first day here, but it's now sinking in, and I'm already loving it!
Earlier this morning, I blogged on the HAR blog about my fondest memory of my daughters' first day of school, when my then youngest Chelsea (#3) cried from disappointment when rain and flooding kept her from going to school that first day of kindergarten. Things have changed. We no longer have to drive fifteen miles (20 minutes) to school from our home on the farm. It's a quick less-than-ten-minute trip to school and back to take and bring the oldest granddaughter--now in first grade!--and on city streets, not muddy country roads.
I spent yesterday getting lined out for the year, cleaning my office and moving the baby's playpen where he takes his naps into my bedroom, giving him more floor room for crawling and climbing and playing. I like to keep him close by to be sure all is well. I can't say the office is still in the best of shape, but it's getting there, and I'll continue to do little by little, filing papers and sorting and tossing, probably until the end of time.
What I should have been doing is writing, or more correctly, editing, on a book due October 1. I'm excited about both books that will hopefully be coming out sometime next year. These stories were begun ten years ago and have gone through several incarnations during that time, searching for the right words and the right home. But this second, with the working title of Taming Kate, has always been one of my favorites, and I'm excited to finally know I'll be seeing it in print soon.
This year the oldest grandson will be starting pre-K, and I'm especially eager to see how he does. The two older girls are now in first grade and all-day kindergarten, and the younger of them will be riding the bus from home. It still means three trips of dropping off and picking up, but I should be used to that. We did that daily throughout the week each school year when my girls were little, until they were all finally in school full days. At least the trip to school and back is now much shorter! When I stop long enough to think about it, that was a long time ago, and they've all grown up to be wonderful young women, two of them with children of their own. How very blessed I am!
I've always loved the beginning of the school year. I especially remember the year, probably first grade, when I had a book bag, packed and ready at least a week before school started with new pencils and crayons. It wasn't a backpack like kids use now, but a satchel. Blue plaid, as I remember, with buckles and pockets and zippers. And new clothes to go with it! Each year, through fifth or sixth grade, my parents took movies (those old 8mm kind) of me walking down the porch steps and out to the car on the first day. Maybe soon I'll find those movies and watch them, laughing at the clumsy nine-year-old pigtailed and bespectacled girl, tripping (literally) down the steps while she carried the family daschund with her to climb into the big blue Chevy station wagon.
I always looked forward to that first day each year, not only the early years, but throughout all thirteen. There's something about school starting that was exciting. Maybe it was the promise of something new happening (boys!) and time spent all day with friends, in class, on the playground, and walking the halls between classes. I dont' remember that "learning" had all that much to do with it, but there was some of that, too. It was a time of freshness, of new beginnings, and it carried over even when my own girls had their first days and to now with the grandkids.
So today and for many days following, I'll have a smile on my face, remembering those special days, when being young meant the excitement of a new school year and the special times it promised. I hope my grandkids have the same happy memories, just as my daughters and I do.
My youngest daughter was diagnosed with GAD (General Anxiety Disorder) a few years ago. It was a relief to finally have an answer to why she had so much trouble attending school, even though she really wanted to, and unable to deal with new situations or even go shopping without somone she knew and trusted being with her. Because of her GAD and the panic attacks that go with it, we've been searching and searching for a way for her to finish earning her high school diploma without going the GED route and without costing a small fortune.
We finally found it this summer when I heard an ad on the radio for Insight School. It's an accredited online school, currently available to students in seven states, where she'll earn the credits she needs for graduation and a real diploma, just as if she were in a traditional school. The fun but also difficult part was choosing the courses she would be taking, starting this fall. Besides the usual core subjects required, she needed several electives, and she wanted to take a foreign language. Her choices were Spanish, French, Latin, and Mandarin Chinese. Yes, you read that right. Mandarin Chinese.
I've taken both Spanish and French, but am probably more familiar with French, so that would have been my first choice. Besides, I like the way it sounds. :) She wasn't so sure she wanted to do that, so I suggested Latin might be a good choice, since most Romance languages (French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese) are Latin-based, as are many English words and science words. She agreed.
She agreed?! Oh, my! While I could have helped her some with Spanish or French, I'm not all that familiar with Latin. Okay, I did attend Mass as a child when it was still spoken in Latin, and I might recognize a word or two, but I don't consider that much of an education. I guess I'll be learning Latin, right along with her. But maybe that isn't such a bad thing. It won't hurt me to stretch my brain a little. Or a LOT.
If you live in Kansas, Colorado, Nevada, California, Minnesota, Oregon, or Wisconsin and are looking for an alternative to traditional schooling for your high school student, you might want to look into Insight. I'll continue to blog now and then about this new adventure and keep readers updated on how it's working out.
First, a quick note. Due to Blogger/BlogSpot's decision to change their format, this blog may be undergoing a change in the next week or so. I'm disappointed, but because I'm unable to use the enhanced features and widgets, I'll have to make some changes. Hopefully, that will only mean that the appearance will change only slightly and old posts will not vanish into cyberspace. Until I dig into it, though, I won't know for sure.
But it's Monday, so why expect less than one more thing to add to a long list of things that need to be done. :)
School starts in 2 1/2 weeks. After a summer of caring for 4 grandkids, ages 6, 5, 4, and currently 11 months, I'm like a lot of moms out there and ready for school to start. Not that I don't love my kidlets, but the 3 older ones are as ready for school to start as I am. If you have more than one child, I'm sure you understand how the bickering and fighting, whining and complaining, and ignoring stated rules tends to escalate, the longer summer drags on. I'm feeling especially grouchy, too, with higher temperatures and more humid conditions. I won't even mention the higher gas prices. Somehow, we'll all make it to August 14, but it isn't going to be pretty. *grin* And once everyone but the little one is back in school, there will be a new set of things to deal with. But right now, even those seem like nothing compared to what the next 2 1/2 weeks will be like.
Hope you're getting your back-to-school shopping done, even if there are no children in your household. I've always loved browsing the school supplies, along with the office supplies, and even take advantages of good deals on notebooks, pens and pencils when I find them.
Although most of our family birthdays used to be scattered throughout the year, beginning the end of March and ending in early October, since adding another generation (the grandkids), we now have more to the middle of those months and a couple later dates in the year. And I'm not counting the sons-in-law!
My two middle daughters were born 2 years less 3 days apart. The birthday of the oldest of the two is today, while her sister (2 years younger) was born on the 18th. The doctor had suggested scheduling the 21st when it was time for the younger to appear, but I insisted on scheduling it for the 23rd. She decided to make her appearance the next day and definitely not scheduled. It could have been worse. She could have decided to arrive on her sister's birthday!
From May to August, we have 5 birthdays, one in May, one in June, two in July (the ones mentioned above), and one in August. That's a lot of cake!
So here's to my middle girls, may the coming year bring blessings and happiness...and some quiet times of joy.
The start to another week, which is okay. It means we're that much closer to the start of school in mid-August. I seems some school systems are shortening the summer, little by little, maybe leaning more toward year-round school? I'm not sure I'd mind that. A week or two break for some R&R doesn't sound so bad.
Summer vacation is more than half-way over, and school supplies are beginning to appear in stores. Can it really be that back-to-school is not far off?
It's obvious things have changed since I was in school. For instance, I was 50 when I had my first ride in a limo. My youngest granddaughter was 5. Her pre-K class held two fundraisers this year, and she was the biggest seller for both. Prizes were given to everyone, and for the first, she picked a nice "boom box". At 5, mind you. But it was the second one that blew some of us away. The highest sellers--8 of them--took a ride in a white limo to McDonalds. Now that's what I call class!
Allie's first limo ride!
2008
Well, yes, of course I was there to take pictures!!
What a wonderful memory for a little girl.
I wonder if I should try going back to school? After all, if rides in limos to McDonalds are the going thing...
Yesterday, a very good friend reminded me that there hadn't been anything new on my blog since December. I had no real excuse, except that life gets in the way, and I often forget to do things that should be done, instead of focusing on the things that must be done. Blogging is a "should". Paying bills, fixing meals, taking care of grandkids, and writing, writing, writing, are all "musts" that can't be ignored.
So here I am, almost six months later, giving yet another excuse for not posting that's neither good nor acceptable, but it's all I've got.
So what's happened in that almost six months? The usual. :) Christmas came and went. My daughters have had probably more happen in their lives, but even those things affect me in one way or another. Lyndsay and her family returned to their home after fire destroyed part of it in October. Sabrina's husband left for and returned from a 4-month deployment in the Middle East (Qatar) with the Air Force. Chelsea's work schedule changed from "normal" to second shift, and she actually likes it! And Mallory has discovered that being 18 isn't all that different than 17.
I had the pleasure of receiving a 2-book contract with Harlequin American Romance in March, and found myself writing, not only at night, but during the day, while transporting both granddaughters to and from school. At least that last part is on hold, now that it's summer.
Spring also brought us all closer together when my mother passed away in April. If not for my daughters and their families, it would have been a much more trying time. But I'm comforted in knowing my mom, a wholly independent person for most of her life, always involved in many organizations, is much happier now than being confined to nursing home life because of her health. She's at peace, and so am I.
My plans for the summer? We're already 3 weeks into it, and I don't have any, except to finish the second book, TAMING KATE (w.t.) and hope my editor likes the first, TANNER'S PRIZE (w.t.), and simply to enjoy each day with my 4 grandkids to the fullest. By the way, there are new pictures of all of them (and my step-granddaughter) on my photos page. They've grown!
For those of you who have had weather that's kept you on your toes, keep your eye to the sky and stay safe. We've had our share of bad weather, flooding, and tornadoes here in Kansas over the past few weeks, and I know others have had the same. Hugs to my friend, writer Patricia Davids, on the devastation of her hometown during a tornado two nights ago.
Earlier, I'd written about and included a photo of Jules, the new half-Lab puppy in the family. Jules is full of vim and vinegar and tends to be a little over-energetic with the two small humans she lives with, so I suggested to my daughter that a playmate of her own kind might help. In the past, our family dogs mainly consisted of Basset Hounds and Chow-Chows, and my daughters are especially fond of both breeds. After a quick search on the Internet, I found an adorable Basset puppy for sale about a two hour drive away, and off my daughter and her hubby and his mother went to adopt it.
Meet BJ. She is adorable, and both she and Jules are enjoying each other to the fullest. They're very close to the same age, so in spite of Jules being the taller of the two, they can both hold their own while playing with each other. Now my youngest daughter is crying for a Basset of her own, but, alas, we aren't allowed to have pets where we live. Maybe someday, I tell her. In the meantime, we get to enjoy both BJ and Jules, without the responsibility of ownership. I kinda like that.
Now that my oldest daughter's wedding is over, and I'm catching up on all the things that had to be put aside because of it and other important things, it's time to make some new (good) habits.
It's kind of funny that I post regularly on a local newspaper blog, but I don't seem to find the time to post here. That's a Shame-on-Me thing, for sure, and I'm going to try, try, again to do better. But if I should fail again, there's always a new blog I'll direct your attention to. I mean, after all, I have posted there a time or two in the past week. Give Kristi Gold's Kristi's Koffee Chat a visit and tell her HI. You won't be disappointed. :)
I can't believe another month and a half has gone by since I've posted here, but life has been busy and the things I want to do take precedence to the things I have to do. I'll definitely try to do better, as the "have-to" list is growing shorter.
My #2 daughter and her hubby bought a new house last month, and we're all very happy and excited for them. Yesterday, they had a big surprise for their two kids--Jules, a part-Labrador 8-week-old puppy. The kids are ecstatic over the new edition. Their part-Siamese cat, Daisy, is not, and has taken to hissing and growling at my son-in-law. After all, he's the one who brought the intruder into the house, so he's the bad guy. I have a feeling Daisy will, eventually, begin to forgive him and begin to at least tolerate the new addition. We, on the other hand, have fallen in love with Jules.
Yes, the wedding photos have finally arrived! To showcase the beautiful occasion, I've created an online album on my website for family and friends. I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I enjoyed the wedding and creating the album.
Thanks to a round of stomach flu, compliments of the grandkids, part 2 is late. But at least we're all feeling better, just in time for Thanksgiving.
My#2 daughter's wedding was just over a week ago, so we're all still recovering from that, too. It was a beautiful wedding and so was the day. We started at 8 a.m., getting our hair done, then on to the church to dress and have photos taken. After that, the wedding, followed by the reception at the church. Later, after a 3 hour break, we attended an "after party" in the ballroom at the huge community center on the Air Force base here. The food was great and so were the music, provided by a DJ, and the dancing until 11. pm. All in all, it was a fabulous day, but I wouldn't want to do it again too soon.
The photo is of Lyndsay and her new husband Adam. There are more pictures, and I quickly added them to a webpage. Wedding Photos The plan is to have a complete album online, as soon as the professional wedding photos arrive.
Time sure can get away when a person is busy! Halloween has been over for more than 2 weeks, and we've made it through the first of our family's weddings. (Catching Up, Part 2 to come.) My 3 grandkids (kidlets, as I call them) enjoyed their candy-filled holiday, although little Gavin was pretty tuckered out long before the trick-or-treating was over for the other two. I've included a photo of them, all dressed up in their costumes. Scarlett, who is almost 4, was a cat. For the second year in a row. Is it obvious that she likes cats? Alex, who was less than a week from her third birthday, was a princess. Cinderella, to be exact, but she didn't get the movie on DVD until her birthday, so "Princess" was good enough for her. Gavin was a pint-sized vampire--sans the fangs--and looked quite stunning in his little "Count" suit. I'm sure there's still candy left. Both moms and dads were smart and tucked it away and are still handing it out to the little ones, a little at a time. They're all already planning costumes for next year!
The first day of Fall...The Autumn Equinox...Mabon...
A time for new Beginnings. Today, the day and night are the same length. Equalizing. Like the yin and yang of our lives. It reminds me to slow down and take stock of the things in my life: Family, writing, and the inner-self.
But enough about that. Who wants to take stock now? Instead, I thought I'd add a recent story about one of my grandkids (aka the kidlets), since we spend so much time together.
Last week, Gavin (he's 16 months old) got his pinky finger slammed in the hinge side of a door. A real OUCHY! And it involved a trip to the emergency room. His mom and dad were an hour away at the State Fair, so off we went. Poor baby nearly lost the tip of his finger, but, hopefully, all is now well. As you can see, it's well wrapped, but it doesn't stop him from doing anything. Besides the huge slice to the tip of his finger, the tip of the bone is fractured. After having 4 girls, life with a little boy is going to be...interesting.
Right now, my thoughts are on those in the path of Rita, and I'm praying that all stay safe. After Katrina, we are all now aware of just how destructive Mother Nature can be. With over two full months left of hurricane season, there's so much chance for more devastation. For those affected by the storms, stay safe.
If you haven't visited my website, I've done some redecorating and have a fresh, new look. Stop in when you have a chance. www.roxanndelaney.com
Roxann Delaney doesn't remember a time when she wasn't reading or writing, and she always loved that touch of romance in both. A native Kansan, she's lived on a farm, in a small town, and has returned to live in the city where she was born. Her four daughters and four grandchildren keep her busy when she isn't writing, designing websites, or planning her high school class reunions. The 1999 Maggie winner previously published five books with Silhouette Romance and currently writes for Harlequin American Romance. Nothing beats writing about happy ever-aftering, and she loves to hear from readers.
