Mean Girls

For the first time ever Meg said that she now understands how Cam and I feel about school.  She has absolutely no desire to go.  I definitely do not blame her.  It has been a long year filled with middle school drama.  Girls can be mean and some more than others.  I believe that most of it revolves around jealousy and boys, but regardless of the reason it isn't fun.  Mary has reminded me several times that it is this way for most 7th and 8th grade girls and that high  school should be a lot better.  I know that she is correct, but I sure haven't enjoyed watching Meg go through it all. Hopefully, the next four years will be drama free.  

Negativity

There have been so many posts on Facebook lately that have been negative that I can barely read anymore.  It seems that all people want to argue about is gay marriage and individual business owner's rights to refuse to serve gay ceremonies.  I have to say that I do not have much of an opinion on any of this.  I try very hard not to judge others or question what God believes is right or wrong.  I know what I believe for me, but it is not my place to force my opinion on others.

Several of the comments caught my eye, however, and I finally asked Doug if he noticed.  He had and wasn't sure what to do either - unfollow someone, post positive comments, argue, etc.  Then this afternoon Parce texted and asked if I had noticed all of the negativity lately.  He was at a loss as to why all of this was showing up lately either.

My cousin, Jeannette, must have noticed as well as she posted several quotes tonight.  My favorite is below.  It states exactly how Doug, Parce and I were feeling.  Glad she shared it.

Endoscope

I met with the gastro surgeon yesterday about my stomach and the amount of pain I have been having.  We know that I suffer from acid reflux, but the medicine, changes of diet and raising my bed have not helped.  He went through the different problems that could be causing my symptoms, but the only way to really find out what is wrong is to do an Endoscope.  It is an outpatient procedure in which a tube will be inserted down my esophagus into my stomach to look to see what the problem is.  He will also leave a small electric transmitter that will be able to monitor my symptoms and from my personal diary be able to track them with my symptoms.  I have to be off of my medicines for a week, so I cannot have the procedure until next Tuesday.

It interferes with ISTEP, but I can't wait.  This has become unbearable.  It is very hard to sleep at night.  The doctor did say that this could all just be stressed related.  At first that really made me upset.  I hate to think that I created this problem by being anxious.  My Mom reminded me, however, that stress would be an easier fix than major surgery.  She is correct.  Plus I have to know for sure and Aunt Vicky will be there as she works in the GI lab.  Endoscope it is then!

Autograph Night

Today on Twitter the "Wawasee Golf" posted that it was autograph night at their match with Fairfield and West Noble.  When we showed up to check on the team, sure enough Jayce and Stephen had been following Cal.  I know the "autograph night" was a joke as did the boys and I am sure that one of his friends made up the twitter account, but the thought that Cal's friends support him enough to show up for a golf match is just incredible to me.

They weren't the only ones in his gallery as Doug and my parents followed along as well.  Cam would have, but by the time we got there he was already on three which is quite a walk from the clubhouse.  It was a great night to be at the course as Cal shot 38 his best round of the season.  He started with three bogeys, which made the end score even better.  Jayce was there to chest bump Cal when he ran in a birdie putt on three and he was first in line for the "autograph."  In all of their excitement they even found a picture of the two of them at a golf tournament in 2010.

We were all proud of Cal.  He put a lot of effort into golf last week and really worked to fix his driver.  I believe he now has the second lowest average in golf matches this season on his team.  That is quite the accomplishment as he has a good team.

While we were there cheering on Cal, Meg was able to support the middle school team.  I loved watching Jared's face light up when he saw her on eighteen.  She walked with him the last two holes and they had a great time.  I don't know if it helped Jared's score, but it gave them stories to tell.  I hope when they are Juniors Meg will show up for autograph night as well.

Cal's Room

Yesterday while Doug was watching Cal's team finish first in a rain, soaked tournament, Cam and I spent the good portion of the day working on Cal's room.  Cam was a huge help as he took everything off of the shelves and dusted them.  I was able to organize it all and put everything back in order.  He also watched Spongebob with me and "blew up" Cal's clothes with his new iPod app.  Meg also helped with the cleaning as she pulled everything out of her bathroom, cleaned shelves and reorganized it.

By this afternoon Doug and I were able to officially say that we had cleaned out Cal's room.  It looks better than it has all winter.  I know he spends a lot of time in his room.  Hopefully, he will keep it clean for at least a couple of days.

Ron and Sara

Sara texted late this morning to see if we were available to go to dinner tonight.  I was thrilled to get her text.  Doug and I do not do a lot with other couples and by far Ron and Sara are our favorites to go to dinner with.  There is always a lot for us to talk about or catch up on.  This time Sara had pictures to share about their trip to Seattle.  I was completely sold on going until I realized that the observation deck at the space needle was not completely enclosed. We also shared some great ideas about weddings, college, surviving high school and overzealous sports parents.  

We tried a new sports bar in downtown Goshen, and then headed to Venturri's for authentic Italian pizza.  The guys enjoyed trying a couple of beers and Sara made her own pizza that was delicious.  By the time dessert arrived we were still sharing ideas about parenting and cleaning out rooms as our children start to move on to their own adventures.  Doug and I both had a lot of fun this evening.  It is nice to have friends that share the same interests and have the same concerns about their own children.  

Friday

This week felt longer than most.  I believe that between the cool weather and the lack of sleep I have been getting due to my stomach issues I was absolutely wiped out by dinner this evening.  We also have been busy every night this week between picking up Brett's new car, piano, soccer, golf, and helping Brett get a sublet.  In addition this is also sewing week at school.  As much as I enjoy doing projects with my students it is physically demanding.

Therefore tonight I decided to take it easy.  I was still able to catch up on bill paying and start laundry.  When Doug offered to begin the cleaning process of Cal's room, I definitely took him up on it.  I also agreed to pay Cameron if he helped.  He was more than willing as he has been eyeing a box of Pokemon cards at Target that he is sure he needs to add to his collection.

The guys were able to take down Brett's bed, clear out the dirty clothes, move the green chair upstairs and recycle all of the plastic bottles in and around Cal's room.  By the time Cal got back from the softball game and Grandma's it was already looking better.  I still have quite a bit to do this weekend, but their help was greatly appreciated.  

"I have a Question, Mom."

"Mom, how come when (boy in the class) gets an A, everyone is thrilled, but when I do no one says a word?"  Cam posed this question to me on the way to piano this week.  Before I could even attempt to respond, Meg had already explained to him about teacher's expectations, PBIS and every other item that she felt might help him understand.  In the end both of them looked at me and said, "It's not really fair, is it?"

I thought a lot about Cameron's question over the last few days.  I realize that it isn't fair from his perspective.  His brother's felt the same way in elementary only they didn't voice it as well.  Neither Brett nor Cal cared about grades or proving to the teacher that they had already mastered the subject she was teaching.  School became a chore, something that neither really enjoyed.  Instead they endured.

Over the years both Brett and Cal figured out ways to make school more tolerable.  Brett started writing elaborate fantasy stories.  At recess he would share his ideas with his friends.  Many times he would be caught daydreaming in class.  In upper elementary he became a President trivia buff.  He could recite everything anyone wanted to know about the Presidents and eventually his love of history and politics took form.  Cal always had a lot of friends, but the doldrums of school were extremely challenging for him to handle.  That is until he discovered sports.  When he wasn't playing them he was reading about them or writing down statistics of his favorite teams or players.  He studied fantasy football and knew who to draft, trade or sit out a game.

We also came up with ways to stimulate the boys at home.  Brett took piano lessons and Cal played golf.  Both activities challenged them mentally and gave them something to focus on outside of the repetitiveness of busy work homework.  As the years progressed both boys made it to high school with mostly A's, but there was two items they were lacking to help them succeed long term.  The first we realized early as the boys had never been taught how to study.  Everything had always come easy to them.  Taking notes, researching, writing and rereading chapters were not something that they were accustomed to.  Both had classes in which this became apparent.

The second problem we really only noticed recently.  It occurred to us that neither boy had ever really been supported emotionally.  We were able to provide that support at home, but the school had never set up a way for the high ability students to express their needs and ask for help.  In fact it felt quite the opposite.  Students were just pushed ahead academically or ignored by instructors busy helping the rest of the class.  Subjects were not taught in depth and working independently was strongly encouraged.  Building relationships, assisting the high ability students need for intellectual interaction and teaching problem solving were not high priorities.  Research shows that these students need more emotional support, not less than their peers.  They tend to be hyperactive and need ways to expend that energy.  They need to learn to set academic goals and receive just as much encouragement as their peers in achieving them.

Thus, Cameron's questions shouldn't have surprised me.  There isn't anything I can say to make him understand that teacher's expectations are different for students.  He has learned early to set his own goals and this Spring when he hit 500 points for AR he could truly feel proud of himself even if no one else seemed impressed.  I have learned a lot from the three children ahead of him.  Meg has always had to work harder than the boys because of her eye issues.  Thus, school has never been as dull to her as the boys have described.  I don't want Cameron to head down the path of apathy that can come when students feel unappreciated or supported.  I also don't want him to become an underachiever just to fit in with his peer group.  Thus, I am ever more happy that we decided to try Bethany Christian.  It may not be the perfect solution, but I know he will be well supported, and if by chance I am wrong, we'll keep looking.  

Stomach Pains

I have been battling pain in my stomach for quite some time now.  Last night it was unbearable.  Even with all of the medicine I have been taking and my bed raised I couldn't sleep.  It has been very challenging to deal with.  My stomach hurts a lot after I eat, but if I don't eat something the acid reflux is terrible.  Dr. Mulry did make an appointment with a surgeon for me.  He has given me all of the types of medicine that he knows for me to try and is ready for someone to tell me exactly what is causing the pain and acid reflux.  If I had to guess I would say that I have an ulcer.  I had one before and the pain is in the same spot.  My other thought is a hiatal hernia. I was so sick when I was pregnant I was told several times that I would probably have problems with that as I aged.  I will have to wait and see what the specialist says.  Until then I will try to rest when I can.

It Was a Very Blustery Day

Today was one of the windiest days that I can remember in which it didn't rain or snow.  We actually did have snow yesterday morning, and I wouldn't have been surprised today if we had received more.  Even with the windy weather soccer and golf were still on for the evening.  Cam and Meg said it was cold, but they still had a lot of fun at practice.

Cal got to play with Cameron Adams tonight, so he didn't complain about the weather either.  The match was against Central Noble and both played well despite the conditions.  Cal was happy with his 43 which earned him second place for the evening.  The boys won easily.  Mom and Dad tried to follow along, but after 2 and a half holes they had to call it a night.  I stopped by to check on them and were impressed that the match was played.  Cal even left from South Shore to catch the end of the track meet.  Love his dedication to his friends.

Found It

Tonight Doug and I made a trip to Mishawaka to look at a 2006 Honda Civic EX that Doug had found online at Jordan Automotive Group.  It was in our price range, had just 100,000 miles, and even had a sunroof.  We weren't sure what to expect as we didn't feel comfortable with the one we tried last week.  This one, however, was a lot quieter.  It handled very well and even came with a 3 month/4000 mile warranty.

After our test drive we decided it was the one for Brett. It took about an hour to fill out the paperwork and pay for it.  There is a cracked visor that they will need to replace and a small chip in the glass that they will fill.  Once that is completed we will pick it up later in the week.  It was a relief to both Doug and I to find a reliable car for Brett that should serve him well for the next couple of years.

Change of Season

The weather in Spring is never predictable and today proved no different.  The beautiful temperatures that have been in the 70s started to drop this afternoon as the rain settled in around 3 or so.  Cal was still able to get outside to play basketball with his friends and work on his golf game with my Dad.  Meg was extremely tired from the four games of basketball and one of soccer she played, but she did have time to shoot some baskets before it grew too cold.  Cameron and I thoroughly cleaned out the van.  It had needed to be done for many weeks, but the weather just hadn't cooperated.  Meg even joined in for awhile and before I knew it the van was almost new.  Cam was happy as he earned some extra spending money.  Meg is using her time for confirmation hours.

Tonight as the rain started we headed to Buffalo Wild Wings.  It was pretty quiet there.  I wonder if everyone was heading in before the weather dropped.  Meteorologists are predicting cold temperatures all week.  I am bummed about that, but thankfully it is Spring and cold weather cannot last forever.

Running on Empty

We have been running my parents all over Northern Indiana this week keeping up with the Heinisch children.  In addition to helping with the normal school routine we added in golf, soccer and basketball.  Last night they were able to attend Meg's tourney games in Warsaw at their middle school Spring Bash.  Meg played well and they enjoyed watching her even though her team lost both games.

Today they were up bright and early on their way to Fort Wayne for Cal's 1st golf tournament of the year.  The weather was beautiful, which helped make the day pleasant.  Cal's team finished second, which was a little disappointing to their coach, but it is early and the boys now know what they need to work on.

My parents were home in the afternoon with enough time to rest before Meg and Cam arrived to tell them all about their day of soccer and basketball.  Meg easily won her soccer game even though she had to leave at halftime.  She also played extremely well in her basketball tourney winning both games there as well.  Cam's team ran out of gas, but they gave it a good run losing 2-4.

It was a very busy week for them and I know that my parents are tired, but they seemed to enjoy being part of it all.  They couldn't have been too tired as they even had time to have their kitchen remodeled this week.  Hopefully, all of this activity will keep them going for many more years to come.

Indianapolis

Today Doug went with Cam to Indianapolis to the Indy Motor Speedway.  They left early in the morning and ran into to heavy fog that delayed them for 15 minutes or so.  Once they go there Cam thoroughly enjoyed the flag demonstration.  He came home with a flag and showed us all how to wave it like they do during the race.  They also learned about flame retardant clothing and how to put out a fire.  During lunch they watched the cars practice which they both enjoyed.

After the Speedway they headed to the Capitol building for a tour.  Cameron wasn't as excited about that, but did enjoy the spaghetti dinner they had afterward. His had the most sauce he had ever seen.  Doug appreciated spending this field trip with Cameron.  It was a long day as they ran into traffic on the way home, but what he loved about it was watching Cameron interact with his peers.  Doug was impressed with how well he got along with everyone in his grade.  Cam is well liked by his classmates and makes friends easily.  That will serve him well next year as he travels on to a new adventure.

One More Honda

We need to buy Brett a car for his internship.  We figured that we would have to get him one no matter where he lived this summer or what he did, but now that he has his internship squared away we decided to start looking.  Both Doug and I would like to get him a Honda.  The Silverado has been perfect for high school life, but Brett needs something that he can drive back and forth to his internship and still fit in a parking space at his apartment.  Hondas have been reliable for the Heinisch family and so far have had longevity.

We checked out Kelly Blue Book and it gave us several leads for used Honda Accords and Civics in the $8000 price range all around $100,000.  There was one that we ruled out immediately as it had a severely dented back end.  Several were in Kokomo or Kalamazoo.  We would travel that far if we need to, but are hoping to find one closer.

Tonight we went to Warsaw to test drive an Accord.  It looked great, was in our price range and was just under a 100,000 miles.  Once we test drove it, however, we decided to try another one.  This one was louder than I thought it should be and from what we could gather we thought it needed the timing belt replaced.  Since it did not come with a warranty, we thought we'd check out a couple more before we decided.  The nice part for Cam and Meg was that they got to go to Buffalo Wild Wings afterward and it was Boneless Thursday.

Sublets

Brett called and said that he would be starting his internship with Congressman Luke Messer on May 11th.  That was a couple of weeks earlier than we had originally thought, but we were all excited to hear that his work schedule was finalized.  He will work Monday, Wednesday and Fridays from 8:30 to 5:30.  His plan is to earn credit for the internship and also get a part time job in Bloomington.

Tonight Doug and I spent several hours searching for a sublet apartment for Brett.  There aren't any in Shelbyville and Brett would really like to stay in Bloomington.  Thus, most of our search revolved around that area.  There were quite a few to look at and Doug got some good leads to call tomorrow.  I am nervous about figuring all of this out, but I know we will.  Brett is excited to start this new adventure and can't wait for the end of the semester.  It should be a great summer for him.

Soccer

Tonight was the start of the LYC soccer season for Meg, Doug and Cam.  Meg's team is different from years past as it is not full of her friends from Milford.  She is not disappointed, however, as she knows most of the players and feels they have a good team.  She was surprised to find herself at the top of the player list for skills.  She said that she is used to always having someone older and better than her, but this Spring it is her.

Cameron is one of the youngest in his group, but had fun anyway.  It will be a change for him, but we think he will enjoy it.  Soccer is a great way to get exercise and hang out with friends.  Win or lose we know Cam will get plenty of time for both.

Doug as always is excited to be back on the field.  His high school team takes a break in April and May, Thus, we are all looking forward to a great Spring season.

Back to School

This morning at 7:45 Cameron said, "Who really wants to go to school anyway?"  I looked at him and laughed.  I couldn't have agreed more and I know most of us felt the same way.  Back to school however we all went and it wasn't too bad.  It is a relief to know that we have made it through 5/6 of the year and only have 33 more days left.  The weather also has helped as everyone is starting to wear spring/summer clothes and the sun is shining.

Even though there is still ISTEP, NWEA and end of the year assessment to take, there are also field trips, rewards to gather and awards days to participate in.  All of that along with soccer will make the time fly by and before we know it May 28th will be here and we will say goodbye to another school year.  Next year will bring changes to the Heinisch family with Cameron attending Bethany Christian and Meg graduating to the high school.  Until then we will enjoy these last few weeks as much as we can.

What a Beautiful Day!

Today was by far the most gorgeous day of Spring Break.  We all took advantage of it by spending most of the afternoon outside.  Doug worked the hardest and was able to dig up the garden and plant grass seed.  We are going to replace the deck this summer with a bigger one and have decided to move the garden and plant flowers and grass instead.  Syl came to measure yesterday and believes he will be able to put it in June 1st.

I put out three new bird feeders and bought new pots for our Peace Lilies.  Meg and I found a photo of her for graduation.  She and Cam also helped me clean out the van.  It was in pretty bad shape.  Cal took advantage of the nice day by playing basketball with his friends.

The four of us ate dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings and watched the end of the Masters.  Cam was disappointed that Phil Mickelson didn't win, but second place wasn't too bad.  Although none of us are ready for Spring Break to be over, it was a wonderful way to end it.

"Ahhhh! A Mouse!"

Doug and I spent a lot of today cleaning out the garage.  We didn't get to it as thoroughly last Spring as we normally do, so we decided to tackle it today.  Cam and Meg sorted through a couple of buckets before they headed to Mom's for the afternoon.  Cal pumped up the flat basketballs we found stored away.  Doug pulled everything off of the shelves while I sorted through the tubs of toys and such.

We spent about four hours each working on the project.  What a difference it made when we were done.  There was actual room on the shelves and we had a large box of garage sale items, a full recycling can and a packed trash can before we were done.  There was only one small incident that drove me inside for awhile.  As I searched through the remnants of the last tub of miscellaneous items I found a dead mouse under all of the rope and twine.  I screamed, ran inside and washed my hands at least thirteen times before I even considered going back out to finish up.  It was the second mouse I had found, but this one was to close for comfort.

We celebrated the clean garage by eating dinner at Chops in Fort Wayne.  It was a nice way to end the day.  By the time we drove home I had almost forgotten all about the little guy who gave me quite a scare earlier.

Vacation of Old

Today reminded me of the Spring Breaks that we spent before all four of the Heinisch children were in school.  Much as this year we would start with several days in Bloomington enjoying golf, the warmer weather, Oliver Winery, bowling and spending time together.  The rest of the week would find Doug back to work and the rest of us enjoying activities close to us.

Just like in years past we spent yesterday at Chuck E. Cheese.  Cam still wasn't feeling the best, but he enjoyed spending tokens and earning tickets.  Today we had lunch at Steak N Shake and then went to see the movie Cinderella.  I really enjoyed the movie.  It was the same story, but seeing it in non-animated form was wonderful.

After the movie we picked up Chance and he and Cameron enjoyed bothering Meg and Tess.  Cal spent his evening playing golf and then catching up on the Masters.  Doug was home to grill out and we enjoyed the rest of the night playing Backgammon.  As sick as Cam and Meg have been this week I am glad that we were still able to enjoy several outings plus catch up on our rest and relaxation.

Asthma is Not My Friend Revisted

I was up most of the night with Cameron.  His sinus infection led into an all out asthma attack that Augmentin, Dimetapp and Albuterol couldn't control.  Much like Cal used to be Cameron's attack doesn't lesson until he finally throws up.  It isn't a pleasant ending, but it does speed the process along.

Last night well after midnight Cal came downstairs to check on us.  Doug and Meg are able to sleep through the sounds of asthma in our house as they have grown used to it over the years. I was helping Cam clean up and making a bed for him on the floor of my room close to the bathroom in case he needed to get back up.  Cal looked at me, looked at Cameron and said, "I remember those days."  I thought about those words as I drifted in and out of sleep listening to Cam breathe and cough.  I remember a post I wrote two years ago entitled "Asthma is Not My Friend" that is revisited below.  It still isn't my friend, but I do have to say that asthma created a bond between a mother and her two sons that will never go away.

Asthma is Not My Friend - March 5th, 2013
As I type this I am listening to my 8 year old, Cameron, dealing with the after affects of a late night asthma attack.  He is by me on the couch, drained, coughing and breathing heavy.  I am used to this sound.  He is the second of our four children to have astma and in all honesty, although he sounds terrible, he has never had it as bad as Cal did. 

I wasn't expecting to have children with asthma.  No one in my family had asthma.  It was completely off my radar.  Thus, when Cal (at age 2) came running in the house screaming that bees were stinging his chest I ripped his shirt off expecting to find welts.  No welts or stingers were to be found, just a toddler struggling to catch his breath.  Because Cal coughs instead of wheezing when he has an attack it was hard to get a correct diagnosis at first.  After lung surgery and several trips to Riley's it was confirmed that he did have asthma and everything just seemed to make sense.  He was our fussiest baby, had a lot of difficulty sleeping and would spend one week out of every month a very sick little boy.  Now at least we knew why.

We went back and forth to Riley's Children Hospital, tried numerous steroids, inhalers and medications, missed many days of school, and had teachers/nurses calling in panic because he couldn't breath.  I spent numerous nights sleeping with my hand on Cal's chest to make sure it was rising and falling and made many ER trips. Besides all of the medical attention, it took a lot of prayers and trust in God to get our family through the "asthma phase of Cal's life." 

If it wasn't for our experience with his brother I would be panic strickened everytime Cameron woke me up with a coughing spell.  I am more confident and comfortable dealing with it.  I am very thankful that Cameron's asthma does not seem to be as severe as Cal's was.  I hope that he outgrows it much as his brother has. 

No, asthma is not my friend, but I have learned to accept it in our family.  In truth it has made the boys stronger (Cal's only had one attack in the past year.  It was during a hard fought, energy packed freshmen basketball game.  True to his inner determination he never told his coached and just played through it.)  Asthma has also made the rest of the family more empathetic to those with health problems or who have had an adversity to overcome. 

Gorgeous Afternoon

The weather this Spring has been cooler than normal.  That along with the rain has made for some gloomy days.  Yesterday was one of the worst.  Fortunately, this afternoon was absolutely gorgeous.  We were all able to take advantage of it.  Cam and my Mom played nine holes of golf.  Cal went to his friends to work on his car with him.  Meg and I walked to Dollar General and back.  Doug rode bikes with Meg and Cam when he got home.

It was so nice to see the sun and to realize that summer is not too far away.  Of course there was one negative to the beautiful day.  Bloomington had a tornado warning.  Brett said that they were in a classroom that also served as a storm shelter, so he hung out there until it passed.  Overall, however, it was a wonderful break from the wet, cold days of Spring.

A New Home

Today we started out on an adventure to Goshen.  Our plan was to eat lunch at Steak N Shake, go to the movie Cinderella and have piano lessons.  Unfortunately, Meg's medicine got the best of her stomach and before we knew it she was throwing up and our trip was cut short.

Our day was not without success, however, as before Meg became ill we had managed to pick out a new cage for Apollo at Petco.  He had long outgrown the tub he was living in and his house, but we weren't sure what we wanted to get for him.  I had looked for a larger tub, but none were deep enough.  Today, however, we finally found his new home.  It came with a ramp and a platform.  It is forty inches long, is deep enough and has a wire cage around it that easily pops on and off.

Cam and I quickly put Apollo's new home together and loved the fact that it was on wheels.  Cam and Meg both joked that they could now take him on walks (tie a rope to the cage) around the neighborhood.  Apollo is a chicken of a guinea pig and wasn't too sure of his new surroundings, but by the end of the day he had figured out that he could hide under the new platform and found a cozy corner to sleep in.  He still doesn't like the ramp and platform idea, but hopefully we will be able to entice him with carrots as he grows accustomed to the new living arrangements.

Doctors, Golf & Shopping

Our Spring Break Monday morning was spent at the doctor's office.  Cal had a check up and Meg had a sinus infection.  Cal checked out well and Augmentin should help Meg out.  By the time lunchtime arrived Cam was complaining of a sore throat as well.  Hopefully, his will pass quickly.  Either way our week is flexible, so we should be able to take care and rest up.

After the doctor Cal left for the golf course with Dad.  The rain that arrived in the morning cleared out for the afternoon.  Cam and Mom tried golfing, but Cam just didn't feel up to it.  They spent the rest of the day reading and relaxing.

Meg had been waiting for a Spring shopping trip and although she wasn't feeling 100% she still wanted to go.  We were able to shop at Dick's, Kohl's, the mall and Target before heading back.  Meg found some great deals on shorts, crop pants, and shirts for the season.  She also found a pair of Vans decorated in my brother's favorite animal - The Flamingo.  She didn't feel like eating much, but was able to try a small Chik-Fil-A meal.

Tonight both Cam and Meg were feeling well enough to hunt Easter Eggs.  We offered for Cal to join them, but he decided to retire as champion.  He has won the past fifteen years of Easter Egg hunts in the Heinisch home.  Thus, after tonight Meg only has fourteen more years to win in a row to catch his record.

Easter

To celebrate Easter Sunday we took the Heinisch children to the Tudor Room for brunch.  Doug and I had not been there since his family took us twenty three years ago.  It was just as fantastic today as it was then.  There were several different meats to choose from, salads, fruit, desserts and side dishes.  I thoroughly enjoyed brunch, but not because of the food.  It has been quite awhile since the six of us have all been together and this was the perfect end to a wonderful weekend.

We left Brett after brunch and started home.  The trip was long, but gave us time to reflect.  Meg was sad today as she thought of last Easter.  We all spent that day in DeKalb with Jeanette.  It was a wonderful day as well.  Meg's thoughts reminded me of the last time we were at the Tudor Room.  It was with Carl, Jeanette, Dorothy and Marion.  It is hard to believe that three of them are no longer with us.

The day was not all sad, however.  Once we got home Cal and Cam headed to the golf course with Dad and Mom respectively.  Doug and I took a walk around the neighborhood.  It was absolutely gorgeous outside.  Meg opted to rest.  She has a sinus infection that just won't go away, so I plan to take her to the doctor tomorrow.  Tonight Cam and I are enjoying "The Ten Commandments."  I have never seen it and it is a great retelling of Moses' life and a wonderful reminder of God's love on the glorious day.

IU

After our tour of Purdue yesterday we headed to Bloomington.  We did not have Cal go on an official visit as he went with Brett several years ago on his.  We have obviously been there many times over the years and Cal knows the school well.  We decided to show him around on our own.  We stayed with Parce this time down.  The Heinisch children love visiting him.  Last night we all met Brett at Buffalouies for dinner and enjoyed talking and catching up.  We tried to bowl, but the Union was booked, so Cam, Meg and I decided to head back to Parce's.  Cal and Doug walked with Brett to Pizza Express for breadsticks and then toured his dorm.  By the time they got back Cam had given Parce at least two of the quizzes in his "Are You Normal?" book.

This morning Cal and Doug played basketball at the HPER.  We then met Brett at Noodles & Co. for lunch.  It was very good and everyone liked it.  Cam's favorite was the pop machine as it had hundreds of flavors to chose from.  From lunch Doug, Cam and Cal went golfing.  Meg and I took Brett shopping at the mall.  Brett was able to find two new pairs of shoes - a Star Wars van pair and a pair of Nikes.  He also found two new shirts.  My favorite was one with the four "Ninja Turtles" - the real Leonardo, Michelangelo, and such with Ninja Turtle masks on.

After shopping we picked up Parce and then the golfers before heading to Oliver Winery.  It was a beautiful afternoon and wonderful to be outside.  Cam challenged Parce to a game of washers while Cal and Doug kicked the soccer ball around.  From the winery we dropped off the boys at Parce's and Brett at his dorm.  Meg wanted to pick out a gift from TIS for Mr. Troyer's baby.

The Duke vs. Michigan State game was just starting as we got back to Parce's.  We decided to meet at Opie Taylor's for dinner at halftime.  We had never been there and liked it.  Brett was able to find it without problem.  Once the game was over Brett headed back to the dorm to write a paper.  Meg, Cam and I decided to go to the Union to see if we could get a bowling alley tonight.  Luckily, they were open.  Cam and Meg also played pinball and pop a shot.  We stopped at Hartzell's for ice cream before making it to Parce's for the second half of the Kentucky vs. Wisconsin game.

What a great game it ended up being.  Wisconsin led for twenty minutes of the first twenty-five.  Kentucky was undefeated and knocked off Wisconsin last year in the Final Four.  The seven of us were all routing for Wisconsin and were glad to see them end the Wildcats winning streak.  It should be a good game Monday night between Duke and Wisconsin.  Right now none of us care who wins.  We are just glad that Kentucky will not be there.

Purdue

Today we all went with Cal to visit Purdue University.  Cal had mentioned several months ago that he would be interesting in attending Purdue and we agreed to take a look at it with him.  Doug and I have been there several times for academic super bowl and chess tournaments.  Cal had never been.

We started first on a walking tour of the academic portion of campus.  The school definitely had a lot of avenues to pursue and succeed academically.  About 25% of the students are engineering majors, and there is a heavy focus on science and math.   After the walking tour we headed inside for a slide show presentation.  We found that part a little long.  Once that was over we were back outside.  The rain did not slow us down as we toured the residence halls.  We also caught a glimpse of the recreation center before heading back to the Purdue Memorial Union.

Overall, we were all impressed with the university.  We could see Cal fitting in there well.  It is only two hours and twenty minutes away.  We could easily head down for a daytrip.  Applications go live on August 1st and Cal definitely would like to apply.  We can't argue with that.

The SATs

Everyone in the Heinisch family was thrilled that today was the last day before Spring Break.  The biggest news of the day, however, came early in the morning.  Cal texted me to get his password for the SATs as the scores were released today.  Once I sent him the information I checked them myself.  I couldn't believe my eyes.  He scored 600 in reading and 640 in writing which were both great, but the best part was his 720 in math.  That puts him in the 95th percentile in the nation.  He couldn't believe it and we were extremely proud.  He told us that he was the highest of all of his friends and he also was 130 points higher than Brett and we thought Brett's were great.

We visit Purdue tomorrow and from what I have read online he should be able to get in there or IU without any problem.  Another exciting perk is that he doesn't have to take the SAT or the ACT again.  He said it was one of the most boring things he has ever done.  Glad he took the time to take it once!

April Fool's

Today was the first April Fool's Day that I could remember in which no one played a joke on me.  Last year the sixth graders covered my mouse with tape, so it wouldn't work, and did a couple of other minor pranks.   This year, however, was a quiet one in my room.  Cal, however, said it was pretty quiet at his school as well.  Meg did say that they pranked Mrs. Skow by turning all of the chairs around and moving other items.  In the spirit of the day Brett posted his top ten negative items and his support for Hillary Clinton.

Brett did have news that was not of a joking kind.  Today he was offered an internship with Luke Messer U.S. Congressman.  He will be working in the office of Shelbyville.  There are a lot of details to work out, but overall it was fantastic news.