Ready for fall...

Even though the weather doesn't seem fall-like, I'm still ready for fall...slightly cooler temperatures, preparing for the leaves to change colors, pumpkins and apples and cider...all the good stuff from my favorite season. I even decided that it was close enough to fall that I started changing bedding/curtains/table, bathroom, and kitchen linens/candles/decorations from summer to fall, in hopes that this action will convince the weatherman to go ahead begin the seasonal change. Here's hoping...

Move over Adam Vinatieri

That's right...there's a new "kicker" in town...or at least it seemed so this morning as Bob decided to either practice for the NFL draft or perhaps Riverdance...he was kicking up a storm...so much so that Wil actually felt some pretty strong kicks and I think if one had looked they would have actually seen skin move...not just feel it. A weird, yet reassuring, sensation.

In memory of...

This morning my maternal grandmother, Mary Louise Grimes, passed away in Fairbanks, Alaska. She had moved to Alaska after my grandfather passed away several years ago. She was 82 years old and is survived by 8 (Karen, Kay, Sue, Mary, Alice, Larry, Bobby, and Mike) of her 9 (Patsy passed away from SIDS as an infant) children and dozens of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

When it rains...

And I'm not just talking about the weather outside today, which is quite rainy...but talking about life in general. The old adage, when it rains, it pours...always seems so true...and most especially, for me, these past few weeks.

Work has been hectic and stressful. We've had several concerns for my dad's health in the past few weeks, before and after his surgery. And that situation has been constantly evolving, but thankfully they think they may have figured the problem out. I have a work friend whose mother was in for heart surgery and then wasn't doing so well, but thankfully is doing better now. Just in time for him to have to take his wife to the emergency room and she's spent most of this past week in the hospital. I discovered yesterday that a friend from Indiana just lost her son to cancer. And today I got a call that my single remaining grandparent, my maternal grandmother, is in the hospital in Fairbanks, Alaska in a coma with brain swelling and it's not looking good.

Now, I realize as we get older we have more of these health issues to deal with and more stressful situations, i.e. work, homes, cars, kids, etc...but if they could somehow be spaced out throughout the year, it seems like they would seem a bit more manageable than hitting all at the same time. They're never going to be pleasant to deal with, but maybe they wouldn't seem so overwhelming. Or perhaps, it shows us how much we can handle and how we should really appreciate the times when things seem to be going really well...because the pendulum could so easily shift the other way and knock us down again to where it seems like we're barely able to keep on solid ground.

Irritation...

Normally, I write about events and issues with regard to the family, but the last couple of days some international events have forced me to take the opportunity to get on my soapbox and vent about injustice. The recent release of the PanAm 103 bombing planner I thought was one of the most frustrating things I had heard about...however, seeing the celebration in Libya honoring him as a hero truly made me sick. This is a country that we've claimed has changed from its earlier bad behavior...I think this kind of reaction should cause us to rethink whether that is the case or not.

As much as it seems that they are trying to get sympathy for the fact that this man is terminally ill, I wonder if anyone is really thinking about the terminal "illness" he passed on to 270 INNOCENT victims of his crime. What about those individuals? Many of whom were young...with bright futures and the world ahead of them. There are even some reports of a flight attendant being found alive and later died...and speculation that there were passengers and crew who were alive and aware as the fell to the ground. My sympathy for his current condition can't possibly exist. I see no justice in releasing this man...he should've spent the rest of his days...no matter how many...in a small cell haunted by the faces of those whom he murdered approximately 1 hour into their flight home.

I think everyone remembers this tragic terrorist attack, but I remember thinking vividly of PanAm 103 when almost 5 years to the day later I made my own trip home from study abroad in England, leaving Heathrow Airport and being delayed because someone's luggage had boarded the plane, but they never did. Fortunately, the lessons of PanAm 103 caused security procedures that would not allow us to take off with the luggage, but no passenger. I try to remember this whenever I'm "inconvenienced" by increased security procedures...knowing that it is these procedures and this inconvenience that may save me and others from these monsters that exist among us.

Pain in my a...

Ok...so I was going to say abdomen...because that's exactly what it is. I woke up this morning to a stabbing pain in my abdomen. Work has been very busy, so I went ahead and went to work and called the doctor when they opened and got a morning appointment to make sure that everything was alright with Bob. Turns out that they think I'm slightly dehydrated and have an infection, but the pain...well the pain was all Bob. Apparently he decided to sit or poke on something that caused sharp pains. He's alright with a heartbeat of 162 and quite a bit of movement according to the nurse. And I'll be fine with a little water, some antibiotics, and convincing Bob to move to a different location.

Just an "average" fella...

We had another appointment with the perinatal specialist today and all seems to be progressing normally. Although Bob is definitely his father's son (he was quite stubborn) and decided that he likes to stand on his head with his face down...which is not conducive to getting good pictures...so no pictures today. But after my own version of Riverdance (i.e. dancing around the exam room), we finally got Bob to move into a position that would allow the technician to take the measurements that she needed. Bob is in the 49.5 percentile for growth...so he's right on track...not too big...not too small...just right.

Empty House

This week I'm on my own...Wil is Norfolk for training and boy is it quiet at home. You would think that I would be used to it just being me and the animals, since it had been that way for most of the past several years. However, I must have gotten accustomed to having him around because it's kind of lonely here. But don't worry, I'm not as pathetic as Indiana...at least I'm not carrying Wil's shoe around in my mouth like he is...well, not yet anyway.

Thanks Grandma!

As we begin to put "Bob's" room together, Grandma Carla decided to make a wonderful contribution and sewed 2 beautiful blankets for his room.

One is "Bob" sized

and one is more appropriate for he and I to share. And they are both great and look perfect in his room! Thanks Grandma!