Go to bed!

How many times do I have to say it?  Of course Zachery is still awake, because I’m on the phone with my dad.  So he is on Avery’s mp3 player and singing, “We are the Lazy Generation.”  lol

Go to bed Zachery, mommy has tv to watch and snacks I’ve hidden from you.  I love you and will see you in the morning.

Renovation Reality

We have started building the bedrooms and bathroom on the second floor.  So far it has taken longer than we would have hoped but we are figuring it out as we good.  We laugh that some people actually have a plan before they start but we had an idea and are making the plan as we go.

First Mike had to take out a wall in the downstairs bathroom to find the three inch line to connect the new toilet to.  This was January 28, 2010.  Then he ran all the plumping upstairs.  It took a couple of weekends to get it done.

 

This is what will be the boys bedroom.  All the wood had to be attached to the metal by drilling into it and then putting a bolt in it.  Oh it was a lot of fun! We started on February 13, 2010. 

This is the hall that leads to our bedroom.  This took the first 3 weekends to get done.

This will be our bedroom with the two windows.  I am standing in the boys room and the bathroom will be in between.

The new bathroom.  Behind the vanity is the staircase. 

We now have all the framing attached to the metal.

This is the outside wall of what will be out closet.  I am standing in the garage.  This was March 13, 2010.

This is the outside wall of the boys room.

This is the boys room as of March 19, 2010.  I am standing at the top of the stairs looking in.  Their closet will be right in front of me on the left.  Where Zachery and Mike are standing will be Avery’s new loft bed.  He wants a room like Drake and Josh.

It’s funny there is so much stuff upstairs we look like hoarders.  But as you can see I have cleared out lots of it.  So much of our stuff is still boxed up from the move.  We will finally be able to use it when we move the bedrooms upstairs and I have space again! 

My Friend Pick Me Up

These are words I hear on at least a weekly basis, and usually a few times a week, from Avery. This is not something new, he has said it for a couple of years. He has showered and dressed, even ironed his clothes. He has packed suitcases, put on his shoes and waited. But no one has ever come to pick him up, even to just visit him. Let me just say that as his mom this is a knife to my heart.

So yesterday when he told me that Boomer was going to pick him up today I just said ok, great. He had youth group tonight and when he got home from school again he said, Boomer pick me up. So I again told him ok. And if he wasn't here when it was time to leave I would take him. Tonight the most amazing thing happened. We'd sent Avery into change his jeans and then I heard him on the phone. About that time the dogs started barking and I walked outside almost too excited to believe someone had come to pick Avery up!

It was Boomer, he came to take Avery to youth group. I don't know who was more excited, Avery or me. Avery got home from youth and asked me to write Boomer a thank you note for picking him up. How sweet is that? How do I thank the young man who came and did the one thing my child has waited years for?

For other kids it's no big deal. They make friends they go places with them. For my son, he has people he knows and people who care about him. But I have dreamed about the day someone would come and take him somewhere and be his friend. And today I have the hope that it will happen one day. Because Boomer came and picked him up for youth group.

It's Back to School Time

For my boys. Zachery goes back tomorrow and Avery on Tuesday. I have read from my facebook friends that some are excited and some are sad. I am not sure what I am, except relieved. We made it through a holiday season and it was nice and no one died.

I am excited about this new year. I am excited about taking charge of our money and living on a budget. I'm excited about saving money and adding an upstairs to our house. I am excited about all the things that are going to happen this year. All the fun we will have and all the memories we will make.

I am thrilled to be a wife and a mother and all the ways I will get to show my boys how much I love them. It feels like our life has been on hold for the past two years but now we get to move on again. Can you tell I am excited about this new year! lol

So yes I am looking forward to the boys going back to school. I can't wait to see how excited Zachery is to go to school tomorrow. And how thrilled he is when he sees me waiting for him after school. It will be nice to have a few hours alone with Avery tomorrow. I love that Avery loves school and I know he is excited to go back Tuesday. I can't wait to see what he's going to learn this year.

We are clearing out an area around a very old oak tree. We are going to put a swing for the boys in it when we are finished. So we spent the weekend clearing trees. I get to drive the tractor. And wow is it fun. lol I'm pretty good at and and pretty good at using the bucket. I drive up to a tree and lower the bucket and Mike wraps a chain around a tree then I use the bucket to pull the tree out. The big ones Mike has to cut down with a chainsaw. But then I get to drive the parts to the burn pile and unload them with the bucket. So that is what we will be doing these first few weeks of the new year. When it's not too freaking cold to work outside! lol

Avery's Friend

When we first moved here Avery made a new friend, Simon. They only went to school together for 4 months but formed a strong bond. Simon moved into a group home in another city, but he calls Avery when he is home for a visit. So today we went and picked up Simon and headed to Longview for a day of fun.

They were so excited to see each other! And Zachery was as thrilled to see Simon or Sigh Man as he calls him. lol I have to say that even kids with disabilities tease each other. The first time Zachery called Simon, Sigh Man at a special olympic track meet, the other kids all laughed and teased Simon. It really cracked us up!

We went to Best Buy, Target, Game Stop and Chuck E Cheese. Simon had never been there. I read a book and the kids had a blast! It was a really fun day.

Simon's group home was nice enough. It just makes me sad to think of him there. He says he hates it and wants to go home. Unfortunately his dad died 4 years ago and his mom is mentally challenged too. So Simon is a little overwhelming for her. The guy working at the group home said how nice it was that we picked him up, that it somehow made us good people. I don't see it that way. Simon is Avery's friend. It doesn't matter that he's different. I mean have you met my kids? lol We love different! But it made me sad that is it rare for someone to show up and visit or take someone somewhere.

And I have to say it scares the hell out of me. For the future, for when we are gone and Avery is alone. I really hope that he won't ever be. That he will always have someone to pick him up and be a part of their lives. I know he has Zachery. And it is our hope that one day Zachery takes as good of care of Avery as Avery has taken of Zachery. And when I watch them together and I see what an incredible relationship they have I know that no matter what else they will always be brothers.

Friends

I wonder what that word means to people. Are friends just people you know? Are they people you hang out with? People you have known for a long time? What does it mean to be a friend?

There are people I know and people who are 'friends' on facebook. But I have a few friends that I think define the meaning. They are the ones who know me. They understand my humor and my pain and my joy. There are there for me when I need and they fill my life.

Some of my best friends I have never met in person. I have spent time with them on line or on the phone but we live too far apart. They are not the ones I have know the longest but they are the ones who know me the best. Shelly, Chantel, Mary and Sarah, I love keeping up with you and spending time with you. We have shared so much over the past almost six years. You fill my life with love and laughter and joy. Lisa and Lisa you two are like my sisters. I can't believe how many hours of my life I have spent talking to you two. lol I wish Boston and Portland were not so far apart. But they are not that far if you ever need me. Yvette, I swear you are me on the other side of the world. lol The me my mom always told me was there. One day we will sit and have tea and a lovely chat. And Val who I was lucky enough to get to have dinner and a very long chat with this summer!

There are friends I have enjoyed getting to know again, like Cheryl and Ronnie and Sheri. And really good friends like Katy, I am thrilled I have found again. And I have a new friend, Rene that makes me smile when I think of her. But there are also those who have been in my life forever , like Melissa and Jennifer and our friendship has lasted through the years.

I was watching real housewives of New York tonight and almost threw up. I can't believe these people call themselves friends. They obviously do not know the meaning of the word. They don't know Shawnee, Melanie or Melinda, Sandra, Julie, Di or even Sandy. They don't have each others back. One of the silliest things I have done is play farmtown. But I love it and the thing I love most is being able to chat with my friends, Melanie mostly. She was someone I knew for a long time but is now someone I call friend.

What I mostly want to say, is thank you. Thank you for being my friend. For sharing with me, and listening to me, and laughing with me. Thank you for being there for me and for letting me be there for you. For me it's important to give a part of myself to my friends. To share who I am with who you are. There are friends I think about and miss having them in my life, like Kayla. But for whatever reason life has taken us in different directions. I don't take the term friend lightly, to me it is one of the most important things a person can be.

So as we wind up this year and are getting ready to bring in the new year I wanted to say thank you. I am looking forward to sharing your lives and sharing mine. And I am excited about who God will bring into my life this year as a new friend or a closer friend. And if you were here I would buy you a pint. lol

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

and never brought to mind ?

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

and old lang syne ?

CHORUS:

For auld lang syne, my dear,

for auld lang syne,

we'll take a cup of kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

And surely you’ll buy your pint cup !

and surely I’ll buy mine !

And we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have run about the slopes,

and picked the daisies fine ;

But we’ve wandered many a wearyfoot,

since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have paddled in the stream,

from morning sun till dine^† ;

But seas between us broad have roared

since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

And there’s a hand my trusty friend !

And give us a hand o’ thine !

And we’ll take a right good-will draught,

for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

Almost a year

I can't believe it's been almost a year since I created this blog. I don't have too many posts. lol Well I have a lot I have written in my head but not posted. I have even thought of writing a secret blog to post what I really think. lol But whatever I do I think I will keep blogging.

I have just sent the boys to bed. We have had a good Christmas. Mike is on his way back to work. I worry about him. He didn't get much sleep today. It has been quiet here to past few days. I have been cooking. I made a turkey pot pie. All from scratch. Well the pie crust was the roll out kind but that counts right? lol

I am trying my hand at meal planning and spending less money. So far so good. I am not very good with a budget but I am going to master this. For crying out loud I do this for a living. lol I have manage cash flow for several companies at a time and my little check book is so sad. lol

So I am not sure what I will write about but I am going to write.

The boys are in bed and they are so loud! The talking and laughing. But it is wonderful to hear, as long as they stay in bed. I need quiet. And maybe chips and butter.