Happy Father's Day

I'm a day late (as usual) but we celebrated Father's Day yesterday. Mike took the day off, his first day off in a month. He spent most of his day installing Nick's motor on his new kayak. That night we had a good dinner and Nick and Mike went fishing. Jay opted to stay home. This is just the kind of guy Mike is. He could have spent the day on the couch or catching up on some of his own projects.  He certainly would be entitled to, especially after working for at least 20 straight days but instead he put Nick's motor in because he knew it was important to Nick. Nick had earned that motor from working a weekend with Mike. It was a win/win!

Here's Nick taking his kayak out for its maiden voyage. He's obsessed with it! I did think of my dad often yesterday. I miss him but I'm thankful he's with Jesus and not sitting in a nursing home, especially in the middle of a pandemic.

God is still here

Everyday the news seems to get worse. I try to meet a balance of being informed but honestly the news is so bad I limit myself to a 30 minute news cast in the morning and occasionally I listen to talk radio. Every time I scroll through Facebook I get sick to my stomach. Satan is at work and lately it feels like he is winning, big time.  This week I've really drawn closer to God, looking for His guidance, His wisdom. I know He's here but with all the chatter and negative media, He's sometimes hard to see. This morning I went for a walk bright and early (which is so unlike me). The entire walk I listened to my praise music and worshipped. About halfway through my walk as I came over the hill that leads to the lake, this is what I saw. At that very time Gospel singer, Kirk Franklin, prayed for our broken nation and unity at the end of a song I've listened to a million times but never heard this prayer before. It was at that moment God reminded me He's still here, He's still at work and He loves us.

Our weekend

My weekend was just about perfect.  Mike is crazy busy (again) at work and is working 7 days/week. I'm hoping things slow down for him but as always I'm also thankful he's busy. My Friday evening was perfection. I spent the evening with my dear friends, Erin and Jenna, in Erin's awesome pool - just us girls.  I met Erin from our boys.  Her son, Reece, has been friends with Jay since 1st grade. Even though our boys have graduated my friendship with Erin will remain steadfast.  I've been friends with Jenna for about 5 years and she is true blessing to me!

Nick's dream job....working on a farm with animals. I just love watching Nick in action these days. He is living his best life. Our friends went out of town this weekend so Nick had to take care of their cattle and goats. He loved it!

Mike and I are really coming along with our landscaping. I spent hours today planting rose bushes (thanks to Erin for her idea). I listened to my pastors sermon as I planted and I was so thankful to be doing work, feeling healthy and that the day was beautiful. I love them but it kicked my you know what. After I finished I had to come in and take two aleve. The boys would have helped me but I did it myself, knowing I wanted to accomplish the entire job by myself!

The country continues to be a mess. Seattle has a 7 block area that has been taken over by anarchists. It's unbelievable. Protests continue. People are angry. The lingering effects of COVID remain. Here in Illinois we are required to wear masks in public. Yesterday I went into a place where I knew I could social distance so I didn't wear a mask. A gentleman asked me why I wasn't wearing mine. I responded that I wasn't but that I probably should have. It was like gasoline being thrown on a fire. The gentleman said he was a doctor and wearing masks does nothing to prevent the spread - absolutely nothing. He said it is the stupidest thing he's ever seen. I agree 100% with him but yet here we are still walking around with masks - like cows being lead to slaughter. Our governor has us wearing masks until there's a vaccine.  It's nuts. I can only imagine what school (if there is school) in the fall will look like.

Nick's big catch

Seriously, can this picture of Nick be any cuter? Look at his smile! Last night he caught the biggest bass he's ever caught.  He was one happy boy!

I have to admit the month of June, thus far, has been nice.  The weather has turned (finally). We are coming out of a major pandemic and a lockdown that in my opinion lasted way too long. The economy is slowly bouncing back. I wouldn't say life feels normal yet because it feels like my country is unraveling with each passing day. The hate, distrust and godlessness I am witnessing everyday is troubling. It is days like this - when I see Nick catch a fish and get a smile like this that I'm reminded of the simple things in life which are still oh so sweet!

The end of an era

Today Jay was able to walk the stage at school with social distancing in place and masks on! We were designated a time so there were no crowds and no hand shaking but he got his diploma!  Seriously I could not be more proud. As we pulled out of the parking lot Jay said, "Wow, it's the end of an era." It sure is but as I reminded him the best years of his life were about to begin.  Mom and Kim came out to get pictures with Jay in his cap and gown before he walked the stage.

It's going to be so weird for me next fall with Nick headed into high school and Jay not being here.

My boy! I sure am proud of him and can't wait to see how God works in his life. The times we currently live in are unsettling and uncertain and here we have this group of 2020 graduates headed out into the "real world."  We are slowly coming out of a pandemic. We had months of terrible unemployment and suffering. We now have rioting and looters and in big cities they are screaming for the defunding of police. I have no idea what kind of world these graduates are walking into but what I do know is God is still God. He doesn't change and in these uncertain times it is the best advice I can give these kids. Rest in knowing God is God. 

Adventures with Nick

I've known for a long time that Nick is special and I don't mean as in mentally handicapped special.  He's a unique kid who thankfully discovered his passion early in life.  His love of the outdoors is inspiring. He is tough, adventurous, curious, social, kind, opinionated (boy is he opinionated!) and overall a fun kid to be around. Nick loves to fish and has spent time getting to know all the people who live on the lake. Nick is like "Norm" on Cheers except he's Nick of Spin Lake. Ha. Everyone who lives on the lake knows Nick. Nick got to know an older autistic boy who loves photography. He had been asking Nick for a cool picture of him to add to his collection.  Trust me there is nothing weird here. His parents moved here from the suburbs of Chicago for the peace and tranquility of rural central Illinois.  This boy and Nick connected during the many times Nick fishes and this is the kind part of Nick. Nick knew it was important to this boy to have a cool picture of him and Jay.  Nick found a picture of them in Hawaii, printed it out and gave it to him.  I love that about Nick. Then another neighbor on the lake recently gave Nick a fish finder.  No idea what this really is but apparently they aren't cheap and this finder was brand new.  Nick offered to pay the guy for it but the gentleman told Nick he wanted him to have it for free because he knew how much Nick fished and his love for it. A few weeks ago Nick purchased a fish tank for his room.  He and his friend, Josh, spent the time getting it set up and yes the fish in his tank were caught by Nick from our lake. He filled it with turtles too who sun themselves on the log Nick put in the tank. The picture above is of a turtle Nick found this week.  He brought it in so I could take a picture of it and then we put him right back the lake. He purchased a "new and improved" kayak this week.  He loves it.  He plans on putting a trolling motor on it.  This is Nick and I sure love him and think he's pretty exceptional!

Our TX weekend continued

On Saturday we went out for dinner.  IL had been on shelter in place since March so going out to dinner was a real treat.  We loved it.  It was a fabulous meal with great company.

Another great experience.  Again since the pandemic I hadn't had a pedicure since early March.  Jenny and I got a pedi in TX.  We put our masks on, social distanced and got our toes done.  It was wonderful.

These two! I get that they might look like a couple but I assure you they are not.  This is the beauty of a long term friendship.  Faith and Jay have known each other and been connected since they were born.  They are brother and sister! Spending time with Faith was a rare treat!  She wasn't supposed to be in TX during our visit but due to COVID, she was!  YAY!

I love these pics of Sieb and Nick.  First off they look adorable but it also shows them having fun together!

While I understand this picture is a bit inappropriate but Ausili brought Haitian cigars home and since these boys are legal age they decided to smoke them.  Just another memory in the books.

We played a lot of bags.  Sieb made them their bags set and Jenny said they have used them so often, especially since the pandemic.  We had a great time playing with them and we don't even like bags.

                     This is how Nick spent a ton of time.....playing basketball in the pool!

All 8 of us! What a precious, treasured gift.  Our kids are now 20, 18 and 14.  Every time we are together I thank God!  We pick up right where we left off.  My prayer has always been that my boys experience friendship like this!  It's just a rare and treasured gift.

Our Texas Weekend

I have so many pictures from our weekend.  I decided I'd break up the blog posts so it wouldn't be picture overload.  The four of us flew down to TX for a long weekend.  We always have a good time but this time seemed more relaxed and certainly as every year goes by I treasure our time we have together, especially knowing the kids are getting older.  Every time all 8 of us are together it is a gift! This particular trip went very smoothly because we had no issues with flights!  We celebrated Jay and Curt graduating!  Jenny got them their own cakes!

On Friday night we stayed in and grilled out.  I called Mike A. "Grizzly Adams." Not sure what to think of the beard but I can tell you Jenny hates it.

Since we took an early flight out we had the entire day on Friday.  The weather was perfect and we spent the entire afternoon in the pool.  Faith peeled Jay's back (gross).  I told her she should consider becoming a dermatologist.  Ha.

Jenny took this sweet picture before the kids went to bed.  Jay is missing but it's of the 3 kids in the bathroom brushing their teeth.  Jenny and I raised these kids as siblings and this picture is just an example of their bond.  

So not the best picture of me - the quarantine has not been kind to me but I sure love my boy!

A heavy heart

I'm writing this morning with a heavy heart, a heart that doesn't know what to make of what is happening in my country.  We just returned from Texas after a wonderful visit with the Ausili's .  Late last week a Minneapolis police officer killed an African American man, George Floyd.  It was caught on video and demonstrates the police officer's knee on Mr. Floyd's neck.  Mr. Floyd tells the police officer he can't breathe.  The video is disturbing, to say the least. The police officer murdered this poor man (and has been charged). Peaceful protests turned into violent riots that have reached even my own community. When our flight got in last night we drove through Bloomington Normal and witnessed businesses being boarded up.  It was only 7pm but yet it was a ghost town. President Trump has vowed that if local leaders do not take action the military will be brought in. I am 46 years old and I have never in my lifetime witnessed such mayhem. My country was just starting to come back to life after COVID. The rioters are not doing this for George Floyd.  Mr. Floyd's family has made that clear. Racism in America has gone on too long and for what? If we are all created in the image of God, what are we fighting for? But we have become a godless nation.  A nation filled with such hate it sickens me. I think that is what has struck me the hardest - the hate.  Hate from the police officer who killed Mr. Floyd. Hate and complete disregard from the other officers who watched their co-worker kill Mr. Floyd. Hate from the looters and rioters who have no regard for small business owners. Hate from the violent people who attack and shoot police officers on the street. The list goes on and on. When are we going to wake up? Enough is enough. May God have mercy on us.