Where did this week go?

I can't believe I have been so busy this week doing hair that I haven't even really been on the computer. Maybe a quick check of my email and I'm off.

Football season officially started this week and both Jake and Josh's team won their games by quite a bit. (JV and varsity) Jake played on Wednesday and Josh played on Thursday due to the upcoming holiday weekend. The game trophy came home with Josh since he's a captain. Next week we are up in Traverse City with both teams so it won't be too bad...just some major bleacher butt from watching back to back football games and riding in a car 3 hours there and another 3 hours back. The things we do for our kids. We must be crazy.

We still haven't decided if we're going to go anywhere this weekend. Pat feels like getting away. Jen and Jordy are at their BF's cottages... so it would just be us and the boys. Wish we had a cottage to run to. Our cottage fund was squandered on parochial school for 5 kids and putting 3 boys in hockey.

I still need to go get school supplies and some new school shoes and pants. Thank goodness for UNIFORMS. All I need to do is make a quick run to Kohl's for a few pairs of khaki Dockers and some dress shoes and I'm golden. (They already have a million school logo polos. )

My last thought for the day is this:

Major surprise on McCain's VP selection today...but let me just say one thing- This country could stand to learn something from a 44 yr. old hockey mom of five. I know I like her already. I wonder if we could become friends- we have so much in common.

Another one leaving the nest

Well, we knew it was going to happen sooner or later. Jennifer decided it's time to try her wings and jump out into the big world waiting out there for her. After graduating from college and starting her own business, paying rent on her studio and paying student loans...she figured she needs to experience life in all its entirety. And she's moving into a duplex with 3 very large, muscular men. (gasp!)

It's so funny that Ryan actually asked her to move in. I mean, really? How many little brothers ask their big sister to become one of their roommates? Jen and Ryan have always been very close. (only 13 1/2 months apart) The other two guys are brothers and they are in law enforcement. Jen is very respected by all of Ryan's buddies not only by the way she carries herself, but because Ryan demands it. I am not worried about this situation.

She went over there last night to assess the situation and came home with a bunch of boxes. I guess it's official. She's leaving the nest.

Jordanne is already rearranging her new bedroom in her mind. She's got designs on the bigger bedroom with the built in artist desk. It's gonna kill Jen to give up that room.

Sitting here thinking over the weekend...Josh turned 18. Jordanne invited Josh and his two friends over for pizza. (who share the same birthday) They left there and went over to Ryan's house and hung out with him and his rugby buddies, playing video games and talking football strategies.

They're good kids. (adults) They are good role models for their 2 younger brothers. All three of my older kids have coached at their local parochial high school and know the importance of mentoring impressionable kids. As much as they exasperate me at times, I've got to admit, I'm pretty blessed. I think it's pretty cool that they enjoy each other's company enough to hang out away from home. It says a lot about how we tried to raise them... (so far, so good)...despite the little bumps in the road along the way. It makes me feel better about Jen moving out. She'll be fine.

Me, on the other hand? *sniff... I'll be okay in a minute.

Happy 18th Birthday, Josh!

looking mighty fine in a tux.
celebrating the bit hit...
... celebrating the big goal.

Hard to believe my 4th child is celebrating his 18th birthday today. That 10 lb baby boy has grown into a 200 lb 6'4" athletic machine. It's been a l.o.n.g. summer dealing with the "girlfriend drama", but I think we finally have him back. He's on top of the world and cannot believe he's entering into his senior year- The last time he'll be playing high school football, hockey, and track. Making decisions where he'll go to college, what field of study he's going to pursue, etc. This is the last chance to make his high school memories the best days of his life.

Happy Birthday, Josh!

Jen's painting

when you click on the painting you can see how a bunch of abstract shapes come together to make a painting. I cannot imagine this concept. I've been trying to get myself out of a post traumatic stress funk. I absolutely have no drive or desire to do anything. I don't even feel like shopping or cooking or doing things I used to love to do. I'm totally drained and tapped out. I recognize it as PTSS considering everything our family has been through with this girlfriend drama...

So I thought today was a good day to share a painting Jennifer did for her boyfriend's apartment. It's a very abstract painting of the Chicago cityscape. He absolutely loved it and now his sister has contracted Jen's services to do the Boston cityscape for their new home.

I cannot imagine having the vision to break a photograph down into values and hues to actually paint it on canvas. She's a pretty amazing artist even though her concentration is photography.

The senior portrait business is going well. It started out slow but she has already done more than she did last year and is still getting contracted for more. It's really funny but the majority of the portraits have been guys.

I'm pretty proud of her accomplishments and admire her guts to just "do it".

Easy come, easy go.

Says shes had enough of me

Ive had enough of her too

I might as well go on and set her free

Shes already turned me lose

No fault no blame nobody done no wrong

Thats just the way it sometimes goes

Sometimes two people just dont get along

And its time to hit the road

(chorus:) Goodbye

Farewell

So long

Vaya condios

Goodluck

Wish you well

Take it slow

Easy come girl, easy go

We tried to work it out a hundred times

Ninety-nine it didnt work

I think its best we put it all behind

Before we wind up gettin hurt

No hard feelins darlin no regrets

No tears and no broken hearts

Call it quits callin off all bets

It just wasnt in the cards

(chorus)

So I walked into Josh's room today and the music playing on his computer was this song by George Straight. He was in a good mood. It is finished. He broke up with the girl last night. And he's okay. He will be okay. Jordanne talked to her and told her to move on. She agreed to move on. I can only hope and pray this is the end of the drama.

This is the day that the Lord has made...let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Okay, okay -I don't mean to sound like I'm rejoicing in the fact that he just dumped a girl...but it is the day I have been praying for. I may finally have my son back from a very unhealthy, emotionally abusive relationship.

Today is the first day of the rest of his life. He turns 18 on Sunday. He was off this morning to be interviewed at a press conference for their pre-game hoopla. He walked out of here with his friend Murphy and they were looking pretty *"jacked" and confident. He was wearing his football jersey, his state championship ring, smelling like "Very Sexy for men" from Victoria's secret. *sigh. How on earth did this kid grow up so fast? (and how haven't I killed him before now?)

*jacked means muscle-bound.

disclaimer: I do not usually listen to country music.

100th post!

I wanted this moment to be special...to have that 4th of July fireworks feel. And yet, I'm in a hurry to run out and jump in the pool because it's hotter than heck in here and I need to cool down. I've been busy living life and hanging with my kids. Cooking like a fool, painting, mentoring, and doin' hair. My house is a mess and my mind is equally a mess. I think I need psychotherapy...

Busy day

Busy day yesterday. Ryan and I headed off to Ann Arbor for his doctor appointment at U of M. We left at 8:30 am to arrive to his 10:00 appointment. We waited forever to see the doctor, but- Great news! He has been cleared to his next phase of treatment. He's been so eager to start using the weights to build up the atrophied muscles in his leg. We had such a nice time talking...just mother and son.

He's been so busy working and coaching JV football and was telling me all about what's been going on in his life lately. He just asked a girl out and it sounds like she is crazy about him. We already know the family because Ryan went to school with Ashley's older sister from kindergarten through high school. (Ashley just turned 20) They belong to our church too. He's 22 and this is really his first official "girlfriend"...we couldn't be happier for him. He's a great guy and deserves the best. On the way home, he stopped over at his house to show me the new duplex him and his roommates moved into. They are working hard to make it homey.

Here's the big dilemma: Ryan asked Jennifer to move in with them. They need another roommate and since Jen and Ryan get along so well, he thought it would work out well. How many brothers ask their sister to move in with them? They really do get along great but I don't see Jen tolerating the "boy world" these guys live in very well.

Dustin (Jordy's fiance) wants Jen to move into the house with him to help out with his bills. (Jen and Dustin get along like a brother and sister too.) To be honest with you... I can see her living in Dustin's house because Jordy will be there all the time anyways. Jen is just worried that people will think she's "shacking up" with her sister's fiance. (Since Jordanne won't be living there until after they are married.) Talk about confusing. Jen is 23 and just wants to get out on her own for awhile before she gets married.

Jordanne and I painted at the house last night. She is a color-loving girl...She painted 2 of the living room walls a chartreuse green. The dining room wall is orange as well as the soffets in the kitchen. It really looks great. (I love color too.) She is just having so much fun putting together the house that will be theirs when they are married. She wants it painted before school starts back up in a few weeks. I will post some pics when she emails them to me.

The boys have been coming home exhausted from "Two-a-days". Four hours of football practice for the past week has taken its toll. They will be looking forward to the weekend. Jake and Josh and Josh's friend sat out in the hot tub and soaked their achy muscles last night.

I had to chuckle... last night I ordered 2 large pizzas and a large breadstick. I had also made sloppy joes. I looked over at the table and realized I was feeding 3 football players, two ex-college football players (who are now football coaches), a pom-pon coach and a hockey coach.

You guessed it, not a scrap was left over. Good thing I wasn't hungry.