things I love about AUTUMN in Michigan

...The colors here in Michigan are beautiful. I love Fall. I love bright orange pumpkins and colorful mums and autumn leaves scattered on the bright green grass. I love the smell of fall in the air. I love hot apple cider and donuts, caramel apples and the taste of a crisp Michigan grown apple. Days like today make me sit back and count my blessings. There are so many things to be thankful for. Especially line-dried sheets in October. *sigh.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

...give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

"Thankful" Josh Groban

Somedays we forget

To look around us

Somedays we can't see

The joy that surrounds us

So caught up inside ourselves

We take when we should give.

So for tonight we pray for

What we know can be.

And on this day we hope for

What we still can't see.

It's up to us to be the change

And even though we all can still do more

There's so much to be thankful for.

Look beyond ourselves

There's so much sorrow

It's way too late to sayI'll cry tomorrow

Each of us must find our truth

It's so long overdue

So for tonight we pray for

What we know can be

And every day we hope for

What we still can't seeIt's up to us to be the change

And even though we all can still do more

There's so much to be thankful for.

Even with our differences

There is a place we're all connected

Each of us can find each other's light

So for tonight we pray for

What we know can be

And on this day we hope for What we still can't see

It's up to us to be the change

And even though this world needs so much more

There's so much to be thankful for

Wow, I can't believe it's Friday

Jake leading his team on the field wearing Josh's jersey.
The captains.
... #33 making the tackle.
...#33 with a nice block taking down two guys at once.
*I did not take these pictures because I did not have a camera.



Now this is what I want:

I can get this at Sam's Club.

This is one that Jennifer has and highly recommends for me. Hmmm...now I wonder what the difference between the two are? I would think 8 megapixels would be better than 7.1?

I haven't blogged all week. It's been a crazy week around here...from helping Josh cope with his incredible loss and Pat's bicep surgery on Wednesday...I've been busy playing nurse to my two injured family members, answering phonecalls, preparing ice packs, food, and passing out vicodin, Motrin and fiber laxatives. (that Vicodin is binding, you know.)

Last night we went to conferences for the boys. It sounds like they are doing pretty well in school considering the fact that Josh got a little behind this week after he missed 3 days. Then we went to Jacob's football game. Jacob was wearing Josh's jersey for the game. It brought tears to my eyes to see Jake in jersey #33...He looked just like his brother, his best friend, his hero. Last night, Jake dedicated his game to Josh. Last night he played just as big as Josh. He had an amazing game. They won 49-12 or something like that. (gee, can you tell I wasn't paying attention to the score?) Josh was in crutches on the sidelines alongside Ryan in a knee brace, (who is one of the O-line coaches) and there is little brother Jake (who is taller than his older brothers, by the way...) standing there in Josh's jersey looking like a beast. I tell you it was a Kodak moment and me, the mother of TWO PHOTOGRAHERS, without a camera!

Have I told you what I wanted for my birthday? Perhaps one day I will go out and buy it for myself. See above.

Teaching our kids a lesson

Now before you get the wrong idea...I'm not saying this with a negative connotation. I truly mean this in all seriousness.



...This conversation sort of came about today while I was driving Josh to get the MRI on his knee. I didn't send him to school because I had a feeling Dr. W's office would call and have an emergency opening and we'd have to react fast. I was right. They called at 10:10 to get him in for a 10:30 MRI appointment. After we left the hospital, we headed over to Dr. W's office for an x-ray. We go back at 4:30 to hear the results and speak with the Doctor.



In the meantime, as we were driving home, the dialogue began. Josh informed me that he felt sick to his stomach. It's the fear of the UNKNOWN that was unsettling to him. He is an incredibly gifted athlete and has always come through with the BIG PLAYS during very tight games. He has the mind of a champion and has wrapped his identity around his athleticism. Of course, in the big scheme of things...one might dispute just how much does this matter?...but in HIS WORLD, it matters a whole lot. His college choices are riding on which schools recruit him. His hopes and dreams are wrapped up in playing collegiate football like his big brother. His teammates are counting on him as their fearless leader. His dad is counting on his contribution on the high school hockey team. What if? What if? WHAT IF?



So I calmly spoke words of wisdom to my son. I told him about having faith in God and trusting in God's provisions for our lives. I encouraged him to give the situation over to the Lord who already knows the plans He has for our lives.



I spoke of situations in my life that have been those "testing our faith" kinds of moments. Like going an entire 9 months wondering if our child would be born healthy despite a blood test that indicated otherwise. Like going through a heart attack and a stroke and wondering why God allowed this to happen to me. Like recently having an abnormal mammogram and facing the reality that it might be the "C-word". In every situation, I gave it over to God and He never let me down.



Yes, there have been countless times in my life where I had to put my FAITH to the test...where the rubber meets the road, so to speak. Instead of just giving God lip-service by saying "WE BELIEVE"... we have to actually give it all to God in total surrender and BELIEVE God has it all under control... and He never gives us more than we can handle.



It was a very gut-level real conversation which invoked teary eyes in both of us. I told Josh that prayer changes things and we have to believe that if it's God's will, He will spare Josh of a serious career-ending injury...so for now, we pray and wait to hear the results of the MRI. By the same token, if it ends up being more serious, then Josh will learn how to live with whatever comes his way through his faith in God. When all was said and done, I put his mind at ease, knowing that he can face whatever adversities that come his way with God on his side. It was one of those little life-lessons that we could never choreograph- you just have to seize every opportunity to teach them about the Father's love when the time arises.

Well 4:30 came and it was time to hear the prognosis. The doctor suggested draining the fluid out of the knee and then proceeded to show us the results of the MRI on the computer screen. Dr. W very delicately broke the news to us: A torn ACL and a medial meniscus tear. My heart hurt for Josh. He was devastated. This is the end of his senior year of sports. No more football, no hockey season, no track. He's hurting both physically and emotionally and my heart breaks for his loss. His football and hockey buddies are devastated too. He's a vital part of both teams. His friend Kelsey came over with a plate of brownies and a shoulder to lean on. She had the same injury last basketball season and just got released to play. It was a 6-7 month recovery from the surgery. Josh has to wait until the swelling goes down before his surgery. (probably in a few weeks.)

In the meantime, Pat gets surgery on his torn biceps tendon tomorrow morning. He will have a 4 month recovery. Won't the three of them be a sight on the bench during hockey season? Pat in a sling, Ryan (assistant coach) with a knee brace and Josh with a knee brace.

I think we should get a wing at Dr. W's office don't you?

Homecoming pics

Jake and Josh on their way out the door. Jake and all his sophomore football buddies skipped taking dates and went to Hooters before the dance.

Josh, Ellen, and KING Ben. These three kids went from Kindergarten through 12th grade together. Get a load of that house in the background. What a beautiful setting to take pictures.
Josh and Nathan...the two football players with knee injuries.

Josh and his date Justine...notice the crutches laying on the grass. He's got a knee brace on and is gimping along. What a pair. She just got out of the hospital with kidney stones. Talk about making the best of a bad situation.

The entire Homecoming Court and their dates.

A Win and a Loss

It was our Homecoming Last night. Josh was on Homecoming court and had a blast doing his skits and dancing during the assembly. It was a hoot! He had such a fun week being one of the top 9 guys in the senior class.

The football game was last night and they won 35-21, and their team improves to 6-0. They clinched their spot in the playoffs with their perfect record already. Unfortunately, in the second quarter, Josh tried to block a punt and came down hard on his knee. We had two orthopedic doctors on the sidelines who checked him out immediately during the game. Without an MRI it's hard to tell, but they think it might be his ACL. We are waiting for the call back from the doctor when they can schedule an MRI. (waiting for insurance green light.) Josh is absolutely crushed. This little blurb was posted on a football forum by one of his teammates:

"...the panthers played a decent game against the cubs nearly shutting down the stud running back who showed great speed...scary thought...but in the end (despite the win) you can count this as a major loss for the panthers...during the first quarter LB Josh (last name) went up to block a punt but when every1 waited for him to get up he was still on the ground...the present status for him is uncertain but it is evident it has something to do with a knee...I can only ask that the whole (football team) family as well as fellow supporters will lift their prayers that this injury is not serious...Josh is an excellent player and college recruit...even more he is better individual and our brother...we all love you josh...you'll get through this..."

He is devastated. I know in the big scheme of things, it's not life-threatening...but in HIS world, his dream has been shattered. Keep you posted.

Jen's artwork

Jen painted this of the Chicago cityscape for her boyfriend...his sister saw it and wanted her to do one for her husband of the Boston cityscape. Below is the finished product. (excuse her messy room...she just moved and isn't done unpacking.)

She sold it for $450! It just jumps out at you. Man, I sure wish I could do work like that!

Here we go again

Another ORTHOPEDIC appointment! On my birthday, Pat called me from work and sort of danced around the fact that he was in the EMERGENCY ROOM getting an X-Ray. He was moving a piece of equipment in the lab and felt a POP in his inner elbow with intense pain.

Well thank goodness Jen dates the son of an orthopedic surgeon...They got him in immediately for an MRI yesterday and called this morning to see the doctor in their group that specializes in distal biceps tendon ruptures. Yep, he's getting surgery to re-attach the tendon. We'll find out today when they plan on doing it. *sigh...he's really bummed out since he enjoys working out, lifting weights, etc. Hockey season starts in a month and he's a "hands on" kind of coach. He just doesn't have time for this.