The week, in a nutshell, a very big nutshell.

I think the emotions that this week has brought are about to the limit of what I can handle. I don't remember a time when life has been this stressful. The work stress, I really don't mind, I don't like it but I know it's part of a job that I love, and the fast-paced, "gotta get it done or someone suffers" is expected. The underlying personal stress this week has added a level I am not used to, nor will I ever be comfortable with.

Five and a half years ago, when we moved here, Robert made friends quickly. One of his first friends was Logan Andrews. Logan was the first one to invite Robert to spend the night in Newton.Consequently, it didn't take long for Logan's parents, Tim and Vaneta, to become friends with me and Andrew. For the last four years, we have spent every fall together, sitting on bleachers, watching with pride as our only sons marched. This year, it was hard because our two boys did the solos and Tim was not able to be there every time, and though it took a lot of finagling, Vaneta made it to each of Logan's competitions. Monday night, Tim went home to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. On Monday, as I had texted Vaneta and knew what was happening, one of my friends said, "Exactly what emotion are you feeling?" I said there was so many I couldn't sort them out. One of my best friends is losing her husband, one of my son's best friends is losing his dad, we are losing a friend ourselves. Tim  worked in fields that paralleled my job, we always had a lot to talk about when we got together. Vaneta's job is also in the social services so we totally understand when stresses get high around budgets and cuts and job security ( or lack thereof).  Tonight is the visitation, tomorrow the funeral. Though it will be hard to say goodbye, this is truly one person who I know is in Heaven, his testimony was great. He has had many health battles over the years and, as far as I ever saw, never used them as an handicap. I believe Tim was ecstatic with the life and family that the Lord had given him and though I know it was hard for him to leave them, I can see Jesus holding Tim in his arms and hear God saying "Well done, my good and faithful servant" for Tim truly was.

We have also spent the week worrying about Robert Fryman; Patty, his wife works with us. Robert had 4 aneurysms in his brain, one that was especially worrisome as the doctors were afraid it would burst before it could be fixed. On Tuesday, they did brain surgery and tried to take them out. They were able to get two, including the high risk one, two they had to leave though. Don't know what they will decide about them in the future. They were all very scared, I can't imagine. The last I had heard though, he is doing well.

Work has been a real bear this week too, my IT plate was piled high. We changed all of our email and webhosting this week which is scary when we are an agency that relies heavily on email. The transition went well, the website is back up and running, I have to make some tweaks to it but all the info is still there and that is a plus. We have had some intermittent problems in the building and though it has mainly been with one person, it is the person who is sending our grants to Springfield, so it is imperative that it gets fixed. The day before Thanksgiving, we struggled with it all day. I was hoping the changeover would fix the problems. You can imagine my disappointment when it didn't. The bright side is I called the Calvary in Wednesday evening. MASS was there for 2 and a half hours and couldn't find the problem either. At least it wasn't something stupidly simple that I am just overlooking. I am about to blame it on wiring. We shall see.

Then, the little icing on the cake was the All-state announcement came, Robert doesn't get to go this year. He is good with it, he is glad he got to go once but I know he is a little disappointed that he didn't get to go back. He has been busy working on his truck though and I am probably more disappointed for him than he is.

So, today is our Christmas party at work, I am hoping and praying that by the time we are supposed to leave for it, we have the final two emails that HAVE to be in Springfield sent. I am truly looking forward to a better, calmer week next week.

What a Glorious Weekend!

Robert's final Pops Concert is in the books, as is his final District IMEA festival. I think his only regret is that he didn't start trying out for IMEA sooner.

The Pops Concert was incrediable, Robert sang "What's a guy gotta do", he did a really good job and the interaction with the girls who were trying to run from him during the song just made it that more cute.

Robert was one of the emcees this year too. I think what most people don't realize about the emcees is it is their responsablity to come up with all the skits and to know what they are doing. This involved a lot of practice and a lot of teamwork.

It resulted in a two great performances. I would have been fine if they would have done it every night for another week.


I have pictures, Blogger won't let me upload them at the moment, if you get a chance, there are pics on facebook.

Saturday's concert was amazing and beautiful. There were 16 students go from Newton. 11 of them were for chorus. The kids loved the director and though most of them were beat from the Pop's concert (all but one of ALL of the students who went were involved in the Pops Concert also) they had a wonderful experience. We were amazed at what can be accomplished in a day. My favorite song was an African song called Jenga, I think it was pretty clear it was the chorus' favorite also. You could just tell they were having fun.

Now we get to wait to see who makes it to All-State. I really hate this part. Robert had no expectations of making it last year so it was a total and complete surprise. Now that he has been there though, he wants to go back. There are only so many who get to go and you just never know. We are supposed to find out the first week in December. I just don't want him to be disappointed if he doesn't get to go again--and how could he help it.

It was a fantastic weekend, and the last really crazy weekend we have until after Christmas, believe me, after band, Pops and then IMEA, I know Robert is as ready for some downtime as we are!!  (Not to mention he rebuilt an engine in the middle of all of this!)

Mom's 71st

This past Monday my mom and I celebrated her 71st birthday. Ever since I have started working, if at all possible, I take her birthday off and we go shopping and out for lunch. Monday, she wanted to go to Effingham, take in the resale shops and head to Ryans. Her main goal at the resale shops was to find a pair of nice everyday shoes.

Catholic Charities was our first stop. They were busy, extremely busy but we spent about an hour looking and finding all kinds of goodies. When we went to checkout, Mom had, indeed, found a pair of shoes. She was very happy. When we got to the register though, the lady at the register held up the two shoes and said, "Honey, these don't match". My first instinct was there was probably another pair just like them on the shelf but Mom was sure there wasn't so she told the lady she didn't want them although that was too bad because she really like both shoes. We went on down the road.

We went to Nearly New, then to Ryans and then made a stop at Kohl's. We get back in the car at Kohl's amd Mom very calmly says, "You are going to have to take me back to Catholic Charities, I have the matching pair of shoes to the ones I left." I about died laughing. Sure enough, she had trapsed around Effingham with two different shoes on. At least they were both black and apparently the heel was the same height although one was a wedge and the other was an actual heel, other than that, they were nothing alike. We giggled all the way back, inserting little quips about what we were going to do if the salespeople had already discovered there really was no matches on the shelves and had sent the shoes to the dumpster.

Luckily, they were STILL really busy. When we walked in, the mismatched pair was still sitting on a stool behind the counter. The lady at the checkout was a different woman who had no clue what was going on. We get to our turn at the register, Mom says, "I want that pair of shoes right there", Woman, "They don't match, they aren't really a pair." Mom, "I know, I have the matching pair on my feet." Woman, VERY puzzled look. We explained that she had tried them on and apparently put one on twice. The lady finally started laughing. I wish I could tell in as funny as it was. We giggled about her shoes the rest of the day. I am a shoe person but I had checked out what she was wearing when she came in my house that morning and that was the last I thought of it. I will probably forever check her shoes as we leave a resale shop. I told her on top of everything else, she kinda shoplifted, what a rebel! Then she informed me that she did at least leave her old shoe. I had to tell her that when I caught shoplifters at Walmart, people would leave their old stuff too, it didn't make me think they had left a deposit. She is convinced that a resale shop was different.

I am in a picture funk right now so I didn't take any pictures. Gotta get over that. New Years resolution--get back to Scrapbooking! Kinda hard to scrapbook without pictures.

November...

I cannot believe it is November already. Wow, I don't know how to handle time going so fast and I don't know if I can't take it getting faster and I have been told it will. We have a busy November, probably busier than December actually. We are always backwards at our house, December is one of our "slower" months when everyone else is having craziness. Which is great because it gives me lots of evenings to sit in front of the fire with the Christmas tree beside me and my grandma's Nativity on the fireplace and keep a focus on what Christmas really is.

Back to November though. I started teaching classes to Head Start employees last week. This is a fun class because I am teaching specific things instead of programs. Tonight we are learning to make newsletters. Tomorrow night we are having "Taco and Movie Night" for the High School Awana kids. We are watching "To Save a Life" looking forward to it. THEN, THEN, yes THEN I start 5 DAYS OFF!! We are off Veteren's Day, the High School band will be playing at the ceremonies, I am looking VERY forward to this. I always go though. When Robert was a little cub scout, I was at a ceremony where a veteran said, "This crowd is nice but I am afraid a lot of you are here because your kids were involved." I decided right then that I could take an hour or so out of my life a year to honor those who fought for my freedom. It seems like such a little thing to do for people who sacraficed so much.

Friday, Chrissy, my poodle, and I have an appointment at Petsmart to have the works for her. She has abandonment issues so I wanted to take her somewhere she could see I was still there. I have to stand outside but she will know I haven't left her. I have always cut her hair and trimmed her nails but have decided it is time to let someone else. Lizzie is going to "Spa-Nana's" because I don't want her to think I am hauling her mommy off.

Monday is my mom's birthday. It's funny, I work on my birthday and take my mom's off. Ok, so there is usually perks to working on your birthday, like someone buying you lunch :-). Anyway. Mom and I already have our day planned, Shopping in Effingham and lunch out, can't wait!

The 18th & 19th is the Pop's Concert, 7:30 at the High School. I believe it will be amazing this year. I got a gag order put on me last year.... Roma to Robert: "You DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOUR MOTHER EVERYTHING!" So I have actually stopped him a few times but yeah, I have heard a lot of what is happening and I am super-excited.

The next day, Robert goes to IMEA. That means that evening we get to go to a concert at EIU with the best choral students in our region. It was an amazing concert last year and I expect nothing less this year.

Thanksgiving day may be a little uneventful at our house, I am sure Mom, Robert and I will figure out some way to have a little celebration but my brother-in-law works that day as does Andrew so there will be no big family get-togethers. Sis and Richard are coming down for the Pop's concert though so we will all get to spend time together then.

Then comes Black Friday. Ah, what a fun day. Robert and I plan to leave at 2:30 and this year, since there is nothing we have to stick around here for (last year we had to be at Robinson Walmart at 5) We are heading for our favorite stomping grounds--St. Louis!

Andrew turns 46 on Saturday, the big 5-0 is creeping up on him!

A little shout-out to my Brother-in-Law Richard too, he has a birthday on the 24th. I don't remember how old he will be, I think it's a little more than 46 :-)

So, onward into November....this should be a blast!

Happy Halloween!

Yes, it was my favorite Halloween costume I made for Robert, I am pretty sure he was three that year. The costume is still around here somewhere I am sure. Seems so hard to believe that was 15 years ago.

What a week it has been! A week ago last Friday, I had a tooth pulled. It shouldn't have been a big deal. I have periodontal diesease and the tooth was causing a potential problem but not a current one at all. I swelled really bad but thought everything was normal.

Monday, we had a bus tour from the Illinois Association of Community Action Agencies come. This was a wonderful day. We were showcasing the jobs created and the people helped with ARRA money. My part in this day was to have a powerpoint presentation of the new Weatherization building going up and of the Weatherization crew doing what they do. It was ready and playing when the bus got there, I was standing back and letting all the "important people" do their thing. I hadn't been in the new training room five minutes but I hear Denny yelling "Mindy, come here." The "important people" wanted to see how the Smartboard worked. I was happy to show them. Then I had to go get printouts of the specs for most of them.

My proudest moment on Monday was my mom though. She had her house weatherized because of the ARRA grants. She had been invited to the events the week before but Monday morning, they asked if she would speak. She did such a wonderful job. She told what was in her heart and how much it meant to her to have a warm home. It created many questions that afternoon among my coworkers about my childhood but I think it raised their awareness of why I am so passionate about what I do.

Wednesday morning I woke up and my face was the size of a football. I had been told by my dentist that if I had went 3 or 4 days with no fever I could stop the antibiotics. I stopped them Tuesday. At the time, it seemed a big mistake. I tried to call the dentist, closed on Wednesday. I started back on the antibiotics and came home from work and rested. Thursday I went to work early to get everything done I needed to for me to be gone a couple days. Then I left at 8:30 and headed to the dentist's office. He sent me straight to an oral surgeon who decided I had a blood clot in my cheek. He numbed it and cut a one inch incision in my mouth. I am more petrified of being cut on than having shots. I can't stand the thought of even accidentally cutting my finger. I always figured I would die from a knife wound because that scares me about more than anything. On top of everything else, when he started trying to push the clot out, it hurt BAD. I don't care if that makes me a wimp. I thought I was going to pass out. I am working on not crying in public, this was a true test. I got out to the car and literally sobbed and screamed. Andrew probably thought I was having some kind of manic episode and I probably was.

Yesterday morning, I was expecting things to be better and they were worse. I called the oral surgeon who told me the second day after surgery would be my worse and to continue taking it easy, keeping heat on it and sleeping in an upright position.

Taking it easy only goes so far when your kid has his very last band competition. I didn't realize how much this took it out of me until a day out and about. But man was I glad I went. The Eagles got Grand Champion in Field and 1st place in their class for the parade. What an awesome end to and awesome year. So happy for Robert that this year went the way it did and that he made it through every solo every time.

So that brings me to today. Halloween, I look a little Frankensteinish. The bruising is going away though, I have a red eye which I assume will turn black or yellow in another day or two but we are still going and that's the important thing.

All this from a tooth that should have caused no problems at all, that I was having pulled so I WOULDN'T have problems.

Such is life.

Nearing the End

This past weekend was Robert's last U of I competition. Thought I would share....Under the tunnel, anyone who has ever had this experience KNOWS what is going through their minds right now. I don't think I was ever in so much awe as being a freshman and realizing just how big this place was.






I think this is the first time I had really seen Robert more nervous than me about his performance. As we were waiting to start, one of my friends turned around and asked if I was about ready to throw up. Normally, that is EXACTLY how I feel, I get more nervous than he does. Of course, this solo hasn't been without event. The first competition, the Blue Angels were flying over as they were performing, The second competition, Robert passed out before performing and was scared to death we wouldn't let him march. This one, I was just emotional. Band means every bit as much to the kid as it did to me and that in itself made it impossible for me to hold back tears during Saturday's performance.



The band literally leaves Logan and Robert out there all by themselves, they all head off toward the left. The neatest thing is though, at the end of their solos, the band comes back up and Robert leads half off to the left and Logan leads the other half off to the right. I wish someone would post the video on Youtube for all of the Alumni Newton Marching Eagles.












We don't go anywhere this weekend and then next weekend, the 30th is Oblong. The kids are planning on having a wonderful time with this. I got a message from a fellow Alumni Marching Eagle asking about the band.

We have 114 this year and growing. I am so very excited about Mr. Ridlen and Mr. Finley. They LOVE marching band and they love our kids. I am looking so forward to seeing what happens. I think the thing I love the most is they are both wanting to embrace the legacy that some of us had created for them. I feel like the past few years had been more about forgetting it.

When I was in high school, you would tell a stranger you were from Newton and the first thing they would say is "Are you in the band?" I wholeheartedly feel like that day will come again.

One Down

Andrew finished the shower yesterday!! Wow, what a big series of Murphy's Law. It is gorgeous though and I am looking very forward to using it in a few minutes.
Here's some befores and afters:




The only light in the bathroom was over the sink, which meant by the time you got the shower curtain pulled, you were showering in the dark. Not anymore!

I will have to do better about getting pictures of ANDREW working as the project progresses. The only picture I have of actual work being done is of Robert.

I'm not sure but I think the next project is to get my tub installed. I can't wait!! It is torture to go in there and see it everyday and not be able to use it. Of course, there are lots of projects left, hopefully none that "leads to another" as bad as the shower but we know it is done right and there are no rotten floors under it, or mold in the walls and it is waterproofed correctly. I think it's time for me to try it out!