Doug left Tuesday morning for a board meeting in Los Angeles. He had never been to California before and was interested in what West Hollywood and Beverly Hills would be like. He was happy with the places that they chose to eat at, but didn't like the traffic. He said that it took fifteen minutes to drive a mile. Thankfully, they didn't have to travel too much. The first night he and the sales manager walked to a craft brewery and really enjoyed it. Yesterday after their daylong board meeting they had short drive to dinner at Wolf Gang Puck's original restaurant, Spago. He had the salmon and thought it was delicious.
Doug did take a little ribbing from the board. He had decided that he needed to leave three hours early for his 7 a.m. flight this morning even though the hotel was only fifteen miles away. They didn't actually call him a country bumpkin, but I was pretty sure that they thought it. The biggest difference that Doug noticed between our life and that in LA besides the congestion was the size of the homes. Most were extremely small, around twelve hundred square feet. Although well maintained, the price tag was ridiculous at a million dollars. He said that it was strange to see a Rolls Royce parked outside of such a small home.
It was nice to have Doug back this evening. I appreciated catching up after three days without him. I was very glad to hear that the board meeting went well. That was the most important part. He doesn't have to travel again until May when they will meet in Arizona. He has definitely gotten to travel to some nice places since he started at Champion. Maybe one day I'll go with him.
Thursday, February 28, 2019
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
A Little Bit Better
Today started off rotten, but it did improve greatly by the end of the day. Last night Cam stayed up late to watch IU beat Wisconsin in double overtime. It was a big win and Cam was happy about it. This morning, however, it was tough for him to get out of bed. I knew this would be a problem, so I woke him up and turned on his light. As I heard the shower going, I assumed he was getting ready. At 7:15 Meg came down and asked me why Cam was still in the shower. I ran upstairs and found the shower running and Cameron sound asleep with the lights on in his room. I was able to get him up, but realized that Meg would be late to the breakfast with Clinton Christian. I decided to leave Cam and figure that out later. Meg made it to school in time for donuts. I called Mom to see if she could bring Cam. Thankfully, she was willing. We had to leave Meg's car there for the afternoon anyway, so in the end it worked out just fine and Cam was in class by 8:15 a.m.
I spent the rest of the day working on our 2018 photo album. Shutterfly had a special that included free unlimited pages that ended this evening. I would save $55 if I finished it today, so I decided to try and get it done. Last night I didn't think that was possible, but by six o'clock I was happy to have completed the last page. Normally, Doug or Meg would preview an album for me before I ordered it. Since neither were available my Mom came up to look through it. That gave my Dad and Cam a chance to play some pool. In the end she thought it looked great and I was glad to check that off my list.
Meg went to dinner with Jackie after school today. She then went to KeShawn's for a gathering with the entire senior class. She said that it went well. She felt sad for his mother, but Meg could now talk about him without crying. She spent most of the time looking at pictures with Izzy. She was home by 7:30 and had good news to share. Nick passed the test for his pilot's license. We were all very happy for him. What a wonderful achievement, especially with all that has happened this week!
I spent the rest of the day working on our 2018 photo album. Shutterfly had a special that included free unlimited pages that ended this evening. I would save $55 if I finished it today, so I decided to try and get it done. Last night I didn't think that was possible, but by six o'clock I was happy to have completed the last page. Normally, Doug or Meg would preview an album for me before I ordered it. Since neither were available my Mom came up to look through it. That gave my Dad and Cam a chance to play some pool. In the end she thought it looked great and I was glad to check that off my list.
Meg went to dinner with Jackie after school today. She then went to KeShawn's for a gathering with the entire senior class. She said that it went well. She felt sad for his mother, but Meg could now talk about him without crying. She spent most of the time looking at pictures with Izzy. She was home by 7:30 and had good news to share. Nick passed the test for his pilot's license. We were all very happy for him. What a wonderful achievement, especially with all that has happened this week!
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
So Many Memories
It has been amazing to see how many schools, individuals and community members that have reached out to Bethany to give their support to the students and staff during this tragedy. The Tractor Supply Store even put KeShawn's name on their sign to let the Elkhart community know that they were thinking of them. In addition flowers have been sent to the school and Clinton Christian planned to bring donuts and coffee to the seniors before school tomorrow. Besides making news locally, articles were written in the Indianapolis Star, Sports Illustrated and People Magazine. When I allow myself to think about it, the sadness of this tragedy just becomes horrendous. Senior night on Friday evening was such a wonderful celebration of his basketball talents. He had a team high seventeen points, drank root beer floats with his friends to celebrate and hung out with everyone at Culver's after the game.
I was so glad that Meg was able to go to the game. The pain in her mouth was at its worst Friday morning at 6:30 a.m. At the time I was impressed that she made it in before lunch. She knew that she had to go to school for at least the afternoon if she wanted to go to the game that evening. Meg had decorated KeShawn a poster for senior night and wanted to be there to show her support just as he did for her on her senior night. The memory of him cheering every time she got in a game or scored a basketball weighed heavily on her this week. Tonight as she shared more stories of that day, she talked about how fortunate she was that the library was locked during lunch on Friday. Instead of hanging out in there, she and Shawn sat on the couch and watched highlights of his game at Hamilton. He was so proud of his success and was looking forward to his recruiting trip to Huntington College on Saturday. It made her happy that she had spent that time with him Friday, just the two of them.
Meg shared many more memories with me this evening - the times that he bailed her out in ceramics class, the songs that he loved to sing and so much more. She repeated several times that if she was this sad, she couldn't even imagine how devastated his mother and girlfriend were right now. I told her that every time I felt sad for Shawn, his friends or family I would watch the video from the Prom workday. Last April many of the juniors were mad that they had to work on a dreary, cold, rainy day. Meg, Shawn and Izzy decided to just make the best of it. That was what she loved most about her friendship with KeShawn. He matched her passion for having fun. Tonight as I posted some of her favorite memories of him, I couldn't help but smile.
I was so glad that Meg was able to go to the game. The pain in her mouth was at its worst Friday morning at 6:30 a.m. At the time I was impressed that she made it in before lunch. She knew that she had to go to school for at least the afternoon if she wanted to go to the game that evening. Meg had decorated KeShawn a poster for senior night and wanted to be there to show her support just as he did for her on her senior night. The memory of him cheering every time she got in a game or scored a basketball weighed heavily on her this week. Tonight as she shared more stories of that day, she talked about how fortunate she was that the library was locked during lunch on Friday. Instead of hanging out in there, she and Shawn sat on the couch and watched highlights of his game at Hamilton. He was so proud of his success and was looking forward to his recruiting trip to Huntington College on Saturday. It made her happy that she had spent that time with him Friday, just the two of them.
Meg shared many more memories with me this evening - the times that he bailed her out in ceramics class, the songs that he loved to sing and so much more. She repeated several times that if she was this sad, she couldn't even imagine how devastated his mother and girlfriend were right now. I told her that every time I felt sad for Shawn, his friends or family I would watch the video from the Prom workday. Last April many of the juniors were mad that they had to work on a dreary, cold, rainy day. Meg, Shawn and Izzy decided to just make the best of it. That was what she loved most about her friendship with KeShawn. He matched her passion for having fun. Tonight as I posted some of her favorite memories of him, I couldn't help but smile.
Monday, February 25, 2019
One Difficult Day
On the way to school today Meg talked a lot about KeShawn and all of the great memories that she had of him. I teared up when I thought of the multitude of texts that he sent her on the morning that she got her braces. He couldn't wait to see pictures of them. As we got closer to Bethany she became very quiet and then finally said, "It is so hard when the one person who could make you smile through all of this is the person that you are grieving." I felt awful for her as I realized that there wasn't anything that she could do except to try and get through this time in her life.
Unfortunately, Meg's day did not get much easier. There was a wonderful memorial service during chapel for Shawn that she sobbed through. She tried to go to class, but just couldn't handle it. Grace said that she'd sit with Meg during Bible since Shawn always did, but Meg just wasn't able to do it. Even the classes that she didn't have him in, he would walk her to daily. The pain of him not being there was just too much for her to bare. Therefore instead of going to them today, she hung out in the library with her classmates sharing stories, videos, pictures and a lot of tears. By the time she got to piano, she was completely drained.
Earlier in the day she thought about cancelling her piano lesson. Mrs. Meek and I decided that we'd keep the time open as we thought it might make her feel better to play for awhile. I was happy afterward to hear that it really helped her and was glad that we encouraged her to try. Although still sad, she was able to eat dinner and work on some homework. She agreed that getting back to a routine this evening did make her feel a little better. Praying for a restful night for her.
Unfortunately, Meg's day did not get much easier. There was a wonderful memorial service during chapel for Shawn that she sobbed through. She tried to go to class, but just couldn't handle it. Grace said that she'd sit with Meg during Bible since Shawn always did, but Meg just wasn't able to do it. Even the classes that she didn't have him in, he would walk her to daily. The pain of him not being there was just too much for her to bare. Therefore instead of going to them today, she hung out in the library with her classmates sharing stories, videos, pictures and a lot of tears. By the time she got to piano, she was completely drained.
Earlier in the day she thought about cancelling her piano lesson. Mrs. Meek and I decided that we'd keep the time open as we thought it might make her feel better to play for awhile. I was happy afterward to hear that it really helped her and was glad that we encouraged her to try. Although still sad, she was able to eat dinner and work on some homework. She agreed that getting back to a routine this evening did make her feel a little better. Praying for a restful night for her.
Sunday, February 24, 2019
Heart Breaking News
Last night Meg came upstairs to ask us if we had heard anything about KeShawn being in an accident. When we told her that we hadn't, she said that Joey's brother posted something on social media that made everyone think that Shawn had been died. Just as Meg didn't believe that was true, I didn't either. I was sure that there was a misunderstanding or that someone else with the same name had been in accident. Unfortunately, we found out shortly after her initial question that the post was accurate and Shawn had died in a car accident Saturday afternoon. The rest of the night was a blur filled with tears and the repeated statement "this just can't be true."
Shawn was Meg's first friend at Bethany. He made her transition to the new environment so much easier. They were constantly singing, laughing or arguing about something trivial. They would joke about their four day fling that ended when he got back together with his longtime girlfriend and she confessed that she really had a crush on Nick. I thought of all of the pictures of Shawn and Meg that I had on our photo stream. They were always smiling. In actuality I had more of the two of them then I did of Meg and Nick.
It was a rough night for Meg as she only slept a couple of hours. She spent the majority of the day crying. She heard from a lot of her friends both from Bethany and Wawasee. She appreciated the video that Izzy sent her from last year's Prom work day of Meg and Shawn singing "Somewhere on a Beach." It was definitely the bright spot of the day. The seniors all met at Bethany this evening to support one another. Although it made her cry even more, she was glad that she went. Today was tough and I believe tomorrow will be even more difficult for her. I am hopeful that she will be able to sleep some tonight. Between the pain of her teeth and the sadness of the weekend, she hasn't gotten much rest.
Shawn was Meg's first friend at Bethany. He made her transition to the new environment so much easier. They were constantly singing, laughing or arguing about something trivial. They would joke about their four day fling that ended when he got back together with his longtime girlfriend and she confessed that she really had a crush on Nick. I thought of all of the pictures of Shawn and Meg that I had on our photo stream. They were always smiling. In actuality I had more of the two of them then I did of Meg and Nick.
It was a rough night for Meg as she only slept a couple of hours. She spent the majority of the day crying. She heard from a lot of her friends both from Bethany and Wawasee. She appreciated the video that Izzy sent her from last year's Prom work day of Meg and Shawn singing "Somewhere on a Beach." It was definitely the bright spot of the day. The seniors all met at Bethany this evening to support one another. Although it made her cry even more, she was glad that she went. Today was tough and I believe tomorrow will be even more difficult for her. I am hopeful that she will be able to sleep some tonight. Between the pain of her teeth and the sadness of the weekend, she hasn't gotten much rest.
Saturday, February 23, 2019
Prom Dress Shopping & Chess Regionals
Doug and Cam left early this morning for the team chess regional in Goshen. Cam and JJ were the only returning members of the 8th grade and under team as Kayden moved and Matthew went on to high school. For being a new team with 6th and 7th grade members added, they did very well finishing 3rd overall and qualifying for the state tournament in March. Cam went 2 and 1 on the day losing only to a very talented Goshen team.
While Doug and Cam were busy with chess, Meg and I went Prom dress shopping in Fort Wayne. It took longer than last year as neither or us liked the dresses at Penney's this year and that was our first stop after lunch at Chick-Fil-A. We did, however, find several at Macy's that looked great on Meg. In the end she picked a light pink one that we both thought was beautiful. We went to the counter to order it in her size, but the sales associate helped us locate the one that they had in the store. We appreciated her help as there were hundreds of dresses to sort through. It took a little while to find a pair of shoes, but the ones Meg did get looked perfect with her dress. We even got her a new pair of earrings and kept it all within our budget. Both of us were exhausted by the end of our excursion, but we did have enough energy to check out a few more stores before heading home.
This evening Cam, Doug, my parents and I all played Oh Hell. Afterward Cam wanted everyone to try Ticket to Ride. The game was a lot of fun and has quickly become one of our favorites. Nick came over for a little while. He and Meg went to Panera for dinner and then watched Lion King 1 and 1/2. He had never seen it and they both had fun watching it. Her mouth was still hurting, but was better. Hopefully, it will soon be completely healed.
While Doug and Cam were busy with chess, Meg and I went Prom dress shopping in Fort Wayne. It took longer than last year as neither or us liked the dresses at Penney's this year and that was our first stop after lunch at Chick-Fil-A. We did, however, find several at Macy's that looked great on Meg. In the end she picked a light pink one that we both thought was beautiful. We went to the counter to order it in her size, but the sales associate helped us locate the one that they had in the store. We appreciated her help as there were hundreds of dresses to sort through. It took a little while to find a pair of shoes, but the ones Meg did get looked perfect with her dress. We even got her a new pair of earrings and kept it all within our budget. Both of us were exhausted by the end of our excursion, but we did have enough energy to check out a few more stores before heading home.
This evening Cam, Doug, my parents and I all played Oh Hell. Afterward Cam wanted everyone to try Ticket to Ride. The game was a lot of fun and has quickly become one of our favorites. Nick came over for a little while. He and Meg went to Panera for dinner and then watched Lion King 1 and 1/2. He had never seen it and they both had fun watching it. Her mouth was still hurting, but was better. Hopefully, it will soon be completely healed.
Friday, February 22, 2019
Trying to Return to Normal
Meg and I both tried to get back to a normal routine today and for the afternoon and part of the evening we succeeded. She woke up at 5:30 a.m. as her mouth was in intense pain. Ice and Tylenol made a difference and by the time I got back from taking Cameron, she was fast asleep. The plan was for her to get up around ten and try to go to school. She really wanted to make it to senior night for the boys' basketball game this evening. We realized that she couldn't really go to the game if she didn't at least make it to part of the school day. When I checked on Meg at ten she was awake. She said that she felt quite a bit better and wanted to try a half day. I was impressed as I knew that she felt horrible earlier this morning. It took awhile for her to get ready, but she made it to Bible class before lunch. Once I dropped her off I decided to stay in Goshen. That way if she called I'd be close by Bethany.
I spent the rest of the day shopping, washing the van, walking at the Concord Mall and reading Harry Potter. It was so nice to be out of the house and to have the sun shining. I found some St. Patrick's Day decorations for our front porch at Hobby Lobby and also stocked up on groceries at Walmart. There was a long line at the car wash, but it went pretty quickly once I paid. I even had time to vacuum out the van. I pulled into the Bethany parking lot a half hour early. As soon as I got there Meg texted me to let me know that she was lightheaded. I had bought some squeezable applesauce. She came out to the van to grab some before heading back into Spanish.
Meg rested after school until Nick stopped by to pick her up for the game. They spent some time dressing for the Frat night theme. Meg had made Keshawn a poster yesterday that they needed to take with them. The SGA bought a root beer keg and planned ice cream floats for everyone. Meg was excited about the night as she had help come up with the idea. During the game Nick and Alistar lead a PROM cheer in which Nick asked Meg to PROM. It was a great idea and she really liked it. After the game everyone went to Culver's to celebrate. Meg was exhausted and in pain when she got home, but she was very glad to have gone.
While Meg and Nick were there, Cam went with Avery and Kaden to the movies. They had decided to see How to Train Your Dragon the Hidden World. Cam really liked it. Doug and I went to dinner at Constant Springs while we waited. He's had a very stressful week and it was nice to just relax for a couple of hours.
I spent the rest of the day shopping, washing the van, walking at the Concord Mall and reading Harry Potter. It was so nice to be out of the house and to have the sun shining. I found some St. Patrick's Day decorations for our front porch at Hobby Lobby and also stocked up on groceries at Walmart. There was a long line at the car wash, but it went pretty quickly once I paid. I even had time to vacuum out the van. I pulled into the Bethany parking lot a half hour early. As soon as I got there Meg texted me to let me know that she was lightheaded. I had bought some squeezable applesauce. She came out to the van to grab some before heading back into Spanish.
Meg rested after school until Nick stopped by to pick her up for the game. They spent some time dressing for the Frat night theme. Meg had made Keshawn a poster yesterday that they needed to take with them. The SGA bought a root beer keg and planned ice cream floats for everyone. Meg was excited about the night as she had help come up with the idea. During the game Nick and Alistar lead a PROM cheer in which Nick asked Meg to PROM. It was a great idea and she really liked it. After the game everyone went to Culver's to celebrate. Meg was exhausted and in pain when she got home, but she was very glad to have gone.
While Meg and Nick were there, Cam went with Avery and Kaden to the movies. They had decided to see How to Train Your Dragon the Hidden World. Cam really liked it. Doug and I went to dinner at Constant Springs while we waited. He's had a very stressful week and it was nice to just relax for a couple of hours.
Thursday, February 21, 2019
Feeling a Little Better
I woke Meg up at 2:30 this morning so that she could take her inflammation medication. She did well with it, but was up at 4:30 with a stomach ache. Doug suggested mashed potatoes which helped, but when I checked on her at 6:30 she was still awake as her mouth was hurting. Tylenol and ice seemed to do the trick and by the time I got back from taking Cam to school she was zonked out. I took advantage of the quiet morning to take a nap. Yesterday had been exhausting and I didn't get much sleep last night. When my alarm went off an hour after I laid down I wasn't even sure where I was. Meg was still sound asleep as well, but I decided to wake her up to take her next dose of medication and to do her mouth rinse. She felt a lot better, which I was glad to hear.
The rest of the day was a quiet one. She definitely had improved from yesterday. She was glad that the numbness was gone and that the anesthesia had worn off. She spent most of her time working on friendship bracelets and watching Lilo & Stitch. She did finish a couple of homework assignments before Nick arrived.
Cameron decided to go to the last middle school girls' basketball game after school. They had their own version of Silent Night. Cam was asked to make a poster for one of the girls. Doug picked him up after the game and then got pizza for dinner. Meg was bummed that she didn't get to eat any, but we had plenty for her with scrambled eggs and hash browns on tonight's menu. She went straight to bed when Nick left as she was exhausted. Overall, she did pretty well for the day after her surgery. I was so happy to have this procedure behind us. It was a big endeavor for her. Glad that she was on the mend.
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
A Tough Day for Meg
Today was the day that Meg was not looking forward to as she was scheduled to have eight teeth removed. We left plenty early as the snow and sleet started well before 6 a.m. and all of the Fort Wayne schools were closed because of the weather. It took about thirty minutes longer, but we made it to OSMA in plenty of time for Meg's surgery.
Meg was nervous as she hated being put to sleep the last time that she had surgery. The loss of control freaked her out. It was nice that we got to stay with Meg until she was almost completely under. The surgery lasted about a half hour and it went very well. We met her in the recovery room. She was tired, but wanted to talk to us. The gauze in her mouth made us feel like we were playing Speak Out.
It took Meg a little while to get going, but once they changed her gauze and got her to sit up she was ready to head home. The rest of the day was a quiet one for her as she rested on the couch and watched Netflix and Disney movies. She tried to eat so that she could take her medicine. She was able to handle mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs and applesauce. Grandma brought her a couple of shakes and a smoothie as well. She kept the ice packs on her face most of the day. The swelling and the pain weren't too bad. It was the blood and the numbness in her mouth that bothered her the most. Overall, the procedure went very well.
Doug drove us to Fort Wayne because of the weather. I was very glad that he decided to do that as it was challenging getting there and then Meg got sick on the way back. After he dropped us back at home, he then took Cam to school before heading to work. Bethany had had a two hour delay this morning and Wawasee was closed today, so he didn't technically have to go to school, but this got him in for the last few classes of the day. While Doug was on county road seventeen his tire light started blinking. Within a mile the tire pressure was down to seventeen pounds. He stopped to fill it, but barely made it to the next gas station before it had dropped to six pounds. At that point he realized that he had to put the donut on instead. By the time he called me to tell me what had happened, almost two hours had gone by since he left. I felt terrible that he had to deal with this on such a busy day, but was so incredibly thankful that the tire got us to Fort Wayne and back today without incident. Monteith ordered him a new one this afternoon, so hopefully the Pilot will be back and running tomorrow afternoon.
Meg was nervous as she hated being put to sleep the last time that she had surgery. The loss of control freaked her out. It was nice that we got to stay with Meg until she was almost completely under. The surgery lasted about a half hour and it went very well. We met her in the recovery room. She was tired, but wanted to talk to us. The gauze in her mouth made us feel like we were playing Speak Out.
It took Meg a little while to get going, but once they changed her gauze and got her to sit up she was ready to head home. The rest of the day was a quiet one for her as she rested on the couch and watched Netflix and Disney movies. She tried to eat so that she could take her medicine. She was able to handle mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs and applesauce. Grandma brought her a couple of shakes and a smoothie as well. She kept the ice packs on her face most of the day. The swelling and the pain weren't too bad. It was the blood and the numbness in her mouth that bothered her the most. Overall, the procedure went very well.
Doug drove us to Fort Wayne because of the weather. I was very glad that he decided to do that as it was challenging getting there and then Meg got sick on the way back. After he dropped us back at home, he then took Cam to school before heading to work. Bethany had had a two hour delay this morning and Wawasee was closed today, so he didn't technically have to go to school, but this got him in for the last few classes of the day. While Doug was on county road seventeen his tire light started blinking. Within a mile the tire pressure was down to seventeen pounds. He stopped to fill it, but barely made it to the next gas station before it had dropped to six pounds. At that point he realized that he had to put the donut on instead. By the time he called me to tell me what had happened, almost two hours had gone by since he left. I felt terrible that he had to deal with this on such a busy day, but was so incredibly thankful that the tire got us to Fort Wayne and back today without incident. Monteith ordered him a new one this afternoon, so hopefully the Pilot will be back and running tomorrow afternoon.
Tuesday, February 19, 2019
Here Comes the Sun
Today we had a special treat. The sun made a rare appearance. Although the temperature didn't rise much above 32 degrees, it felt warmer and looked brighter than it had in quite some time. I took advantage of the sunshine to walk outside this afternoon. For most of my journey I was able to take my hood and gloves off. That was very nice. There was still quite a bit of snow on the sidewalks, so I used the streets in our neighborhood to get in 6000 steps before arriving back home.
Tonight Cam had chess after school today in preparation for their regional tournament this coming Saturday. I picked him up when it was over and then met Meg at Subway in Milford so that they could continue on to tennis. Doug and I went to dinner once he got home. He had work to do this evening, but not quite as much as last night. He decided that he would drive us to Meg's oral surgery tomorrow due to the predicted snow and freezing rain. I appreciated his offer to do that. It was so nice not to have to worry about the weather today, but it looks like, unfortunately, that will soon be over.
Tonight Cam had chess after school today in preparation for their regional tournament this coming Saturday. I picked him up when it was over and then met Meg at Subway in Milford so that they could continue on to tennis. Doug and I went to dinner once he got home. He had work to do this evening, but not quite as much as last night. He decided that he would drive us to Meg's oral surgery tomorrow due to the predicted snow and freezing rain. I appreciated his offer to do that. It was so nice not to have to worry about the weather today, but it looks like, unfortunately, that will soon be over.
Monday, February 18, 2019
Best Decision
Last night Paula posted the above on Facebook. I chose not to comment on her post although there were a lot of others who did. Most were surprised with the students apathy, disappointed in them and/or angry with their choices not to complete their assignments. In all honesty, I felt much different than those writing on her wall. I actually felt relieved. This post was of no surprise to me. This was what we on the sixth grade team had dealt with these past two years - working very hard as a teacher for little or no return was frustrating. I know that I put all of my efforts into coming up with ways to help students change this behavior. It worked for some, but not all. Even though there were some small gains, overall it felt as though I was banging my head against a wall. The apathy demonstrated by the students was hard enough to deal with, but the lack of support from other adults was even more frustrating. Those who could help, didn't even try or else chastised me for not working hard enough.
I didn't comment on Paula's post last night, because all I would have been able to say is "leave." Being an educator is draining and takes away from family time. The relief that I felt when I realized that I did not have to return to teaching was enormous. I know that not all families can make that decision, but I now feel better, spend less money than I did before, and have become a bigger support to the Heinisch family. Overall, I can honestly say that quitting teaching was the best decision of my life. Last night's Facebook reminded me of that.
Sunday, February 17, 2019
Will This Winter Ever End?
It snowed again today which was just so depressing. The weather the last six weeks has been frustrating to say the least. I have never shoveled as much as I have this winter and I am ready for a break. I did get to walk before it started. I was glad to get outside, but it was cold. The rest of the day was a quiet one. Cam and Doug got the barstools in the basement back in order which took some time as several were missing parts. I unpacked from our trip and started laundry. Meg had cardio tennis and a lesson today. She said that it went well. Her trip home was a slow one due to the snow, but she made it safely.
Tonight Doug made his macaroni and cheese while Meg and Nick made her recipe. Both were delicious. We spent the rest of the night working on the Vermont puzzle, playing Ticket to Ride and entertaining ourselves with rounds of Mario Kart. Doug had quite a bit of work today, but was able to finish it up in order to join us. Not sure what tomorrow will bring, but a break from the snow would be nice.
Saturday, February 16, 2019
A Busy Day in B-Town
Meg, Doug and I started our day early walking to the auditorium for her Direct Admit Day. It was extremely informative for Meg. She was separated from us when we arrived as the students met with faculty, advisors and students from Kelley. She liked what she had to hear and thought the case study on driverless cars was extremely interesting. She left feeling great about her decision to enroll at IU and was excited about Camp Kelley and the short term study abroad program as well. While she was busy Doug and I listened to several speakers. We were impressed with Kelley's commitment to find students internships and jobs. We decided to skip out on the parent and student panels. We were pretty sure that we had those topics covered. Instead we took a walk through campus. It was chilly, but we enjoyed it just the same.
When the morning informational sessions were over, we picked up Cam and Brett for lunch at Oliver Winery. We brought along Mother Bear's pizza and Pizza Express breadsticks to share. They had remodeled since we were last there and it was even more beautiful. After lunch Cam went to Cal's to watch the IU vs. Minnesota game. In the end he regretted that he even watched the game. Doug and Meg walked to the business school to tour Hodge Hall. Brett and I took a walk as well.
Once Doug got back he asked me what I thought about leaving tonight instead of tomorrow. Freezing rain was predicted for the morning and it would make our commute a tough one. I was really disappointed as I was looking forward to going to dinner with everyone and finally playing Cam's game "The Donner Party". We decided that it was the best decision and made the most of the rest of the afternoon. We first celebrated Brett's birthday and then the six of us went shopping at the mall. It was a lot of fun. We ended the day by sharing a big cookie for Brett's 24th. It was a great way to end a busy day in Bloomington.
When the morning informational sessions were over, we picked up Cam and Brett for lunch at Oliver Winery. We brought along Mother Bear's pizza and Pizza Express breadsticks to share. They had remodeled since we were last there and it was even more beautiful. After lunch Cam went to Cal's to watch the IU vs. Minnesota game. In the end he regretted that he even watched the game. Doug and Meg walked to the business school to tour Hodge Hall. Brett and I took a walk as well.
Once Doug got back he asked me what I thought about leaving tonight instead of tomorrow. Freezing rain was predicted for the morning and it would make our commute a tough one. I was really disappointed as I was looking forward to going to dinner with everyone and finally playing Cam's game "The Donner Party". We decided that it was the best decision and made the most of the rest of the afternoon. We first celebrated Brett's birthday and then the six of us went shopping at the mall. It was a lot of fun. We ended the day by sharing a big cookie for Brett's 24th. It was a great way to end a busy day in Bloomington.
Friday, February 15, 2019
Bloomington Bound
Cam and Meg got out of school early and Doug left work at 11:30 this morning, so that we could head to Bloomington. Meg was invited to a direct admit day at the Kelley Business School at IU and we wanted to make the Friday night reception. Thankfully, the weather was great for traveling and the traffic was light. Thus, we not only made it to her reception, but we also made it in time for Brett and Cam to take in an early showing of The Lego Movie 2.
The reception was nice. We met with staff and students at the accounting and finance tables. The Dean of Kelley spoke as well and there were even appetizers to enjoy. We picked up Cal and Hannah-Marie afterward and got back to Brett's apartment just as he and Cam arrived from Kroger. They had really enjoyed the movie and even had time to get groceries.
The Heinisch children opened their Valentines gifts. My parents had given them money, so I wanted to do something different. I had found some great t-shirts on Amazon and everyone like those as well as their candy and pop from Rocket Fizz. We met Parce for dinner at Bucceto's or Buckeyes as my autocorrect suggested. The dinner was great. Everyone ordered pizza, calzones or pasta. We enjoyed catching up with one another and were thankful that it worked on everyone's schedule. We ended the evening by watching Skyscraper at Brett's apartment. It was a nice end to a busy day.
The reception was nice. We met with staff and students at the accounting and finance tables. The Dean of Kelley spoke as well and there were even appetizers to enjoy. We picked up Cal and Hannah-Marie afterward and got back to Brett's apartment just as he and Cam arrived from Kroger. They had really enjoyed the movie and even had time to get groceries.
The Heinisch children opened their Valentines gifts. My parents had given them money, so I wanted to do something different. I had found some great t-shirts on Amazon and everyone like those as well as their candy and pop from Rocket Fizz. We met Parce for dinner at Bucceto's or Buckeyes as my autocorrect suggested. The dinner was great. Everyone ordered pizza, calzones or pasta. We enjoyed catching up with one another and were thankful that it worked on everyone's schedule. We ended the evening by watching Skyscraper at Brett's apartment. It was a nice end to a busy day.
Thursday, February 14, 2019
Valentine's Day
It was a quiet Valentine's Day in the Heinisch home. Doug had county council tonight, so he and I went to dinner at Kelly Jae's last night. It was nice as we didn't have to fight the crowds. Since Meg had tennis this evening, she and Nick exchanged gifts last night. She had spent a week trying to figure out what he was giving her and even sent me a picture of a bracelet she was sure she was getting. In the end she brought home a beautiful bouquet of flowers and a stuffed Panda. She was pleased.
Today I spent the morning at Milford meeting with my Warrior time students from last year. I decided that if anyone was feeling sad on Valentine's Day they should volunteer in an elementary or middle school on that day. The excitement was contagious. After school I did some shopping and had a mammogram. Cam decided to stay for the girls basketball game, so I didn't have to pick him up until 6:30. He and I stopped by Mom and Dad's to drop off their Valentine's candy. Meg returned from tennis at 8:30. It wasn't her favorite group, but she wants to be ready for tennis season in March, so she'll return next week.
Doug was pleased when he got home to find an order of gizzards from my Dad for his Valentine's dinner. After he ate we opened gifts. I had given him several warm dress shirts, some mixers, cashews, and chocolates. The original gift that I ordered him hadn't shipped yet, so I decided on the dress shirts instead. I wasn't sure if he would like them, but was pleased when he said he did. I received a new shirt as well along with matching blue earrings. I really liked those items, but my favorite gifts were Bohemian Rhapsody and a box of chocolate from Olympia. They were the perfect end to our Valentine celebration.
Today I spent the morning at Milford meeting with my Warrior time students from last year. I decided that if anyone was feeling sad on Valentine's Day they should volunteer in an elementary or middle school on that day. The excitement was contagious. After school I did some shopping and had a mammogram. Cam decided to stay for the girls basketball game, so I didn't have to pick him up until 6:30. He and I stopped by Mom and Dad's to drop off their Valentine's candy. Meg returned from tennis at 8:30. It wasn't her favorite group, but she wants to be ready for tennis season in March, so she'll return next week.
Doug was pleased when he got home to find an order of gizzards from my Dad for his Valentine's dinner. After he ate we opened gifts. I had given him several warm dress shirts, some mixers, cashews, and chocolates. The original gift that I ordered him hadn't shipped yet, so I decided on the dress shirts instead. I wasn't sure if he would like them, but was pleased when he said he did. I received a new shirt as well along with matching blue earrings. I really liked those items, but my favorite gifts were Bohemian Rhapsody and a box of chocolate from Olympia. They were the perfect end to our Valentine celebration.
Wednesday, February 13, 2019
Happy 24th Birthday Brett!
Today was Brett's 24th birthday and although he spent the majority of it working, he reported that he had had a fabulous day. Out of all of Brett's positive qualities I believe that his ability to always focus on the positive is his best attribute. Today he didn't complain that he had to go to class, work with his group on a challenging project, complete an assignment for his advisor, take a test for an employer and make time for a job interview. Instead he worked hard to get it all done in time to go to dinner with one of his best friends. When he called me at 11 p.m. to report that he had had a wonderful time and enjoyed the fish at Red Lobster, I could tell that he was beaming from ear to ear.
Job searching and finishing grad school have been his primary focus this semester. He has received more rejection emails than I could even count, but all he talks about is the interviews he has coming up (which have been 1 to 3 every week since Christmas.) He is positive that once April arrives and he is a month away from graduation that the offers will become more serious. Even if they don't, he has a backup plan that includes living in Bloomington, a place he has grown to love. He told me the other day that all of this can be frustrating at times, but overall he thinks it is an exciting time in his life as he gets ready to set out on an adventure. What a wonderful way to view life. Proud to call him son and can't wait to see what changes will take place for him before his next birthday. Happy Birthday, Brett!!
Job searching and finishing grad school have been his primary focus this semester. He has received more rejection emails than I could even count, but all he talks about is the interviews he has coming up (which have been 1 to 3 every week since Christmas.) He is positive that once April arrives and he is a month away from graduation that the offers will become more serious. Even if they don't, he has a backup plan that includes living in Bloomington, a place he has grown to love. He told me the other day that all of this can be frustrating at times, but overall he thinks it is an exciting time in his life as he gets ready to set out on an adventure. What a wonderful way to view life. Proud to call him son and can't wait to see what changes will take place for him before his next birthday. Happy Birthday, Brett!!
Tuesday, February 12, 2019
Ready for a Break from E-Learning
This morning we woke up to the remains of an ice storm. It wasn't a surprise as it had been predicted for several days. Doug said that it was a slow drive to work with parts of county road 17 closed due to weather related issues. What started as a delay for Bethany soon turned into a cancellation. Cam and Meg were happy to be home, but said that they were tired of e-learning days. Even though it wasn't what they wanted to do, both started on their homework early and finished the majority of it before 3 p.m. which gave us some time to play Wii.
We did get a reprieve from the storm for a couple of hours. The weather warmed up enough to turn the sleet to rain. Thanks to that quite a bit of the ice melted in the afternoon. It was eerie listening to the sheets of ice slide off of the roof. I took advantage of the break to run to the grocery and to pick up lunch for Cam and Meg. My parents stopped in Bloomington last night on their way home from Florida. They used the small window of warm weather to finish their journey. They were happy to have arrived safely, but bummed to see that old man winter was still in full swing.
The snow returned tonight around the time that Cam and Meg needed to leave for tennis lessons. We decided that I would take them and Doug would pick them up. I was glad that we made that choice as it also became extremely windy. This created blowing and drifting snow making traveling even more challenging. While they were at tennis, Doug and I got a quick bite to eat at Huntington St. before he headed to Warsaw. The rest of the night was a quiet one for all with Cam watching basketball, Meg finishing some homework and Doug working on a project for Champion.
We did get a reprieve from the storm for a couple of hours. The weather warmed up enough to turn the sleet to rain. Thanks to that quite a bit of the ice melted in the afternoon. It was eerie listening to the sheets of ice slide off of the roof. I took advantage of the break to run to the grocery and to pick up lunch for Cam and Meg. My parents stopped in Bloomington last night on their way home from Florida. They used the small window of warm weather to finish their journey. They were happy to have arrived safely, but bummed to see that old man winter was still in full swing.
The snow returned tonight around the time that Cam and Meg needed to leave for tennis lessons. We decided that I would take them and Doug would pick them up. I was glad that we made that choice as it also became extremely windy. This created blowing and drifting snow making traveling even more challenging. While they were at tennis, Doug and I got a quick bite to eat at Huntington St. before he headed to Warsaw. The rest of the night was a quiet one for all with Cam watching basketball, Meg finishing some homework and Doug working on a project for Champion.
Monday, February 11, 2019
Calm Before the Storm
We woke up to slick roads once again this morning. As Wawasee had a two hour delay and Doug said the roads were iffy, we decided to have Cam and Meg go in as a delay since Bethany offers that as a choice. By waiting, Meg was able to drive in on clear roads. I asked her to made sure that she headed straight home after piano as another ice storm was forecasted for this evening.
I spent the rest of my day cleaning. I have found that if I do so on Mondays the house stays cleaner longer, at least to me. The rest of the Heinisch family would say that since I have chosen to stay home that it is only me who thinks the house is ever dirty. Regardless of need, between the cleaning and the shoveling today my back was ready for a rest this evening.
Cam and Meg made it home safely after piano. Meg worked on homework the rest of the night. Doug came home to eat dinner and then went to the Knights for their monthly meeting. I decided that it was the perfect evening to watch "Remember the Titans" with Cam. He agreed as there weren't any Big Ten games on tonight. He actually like it a lot better than he thought he would. He didn't cry at the end, but I sure did.
I spent the rest of my day cleaning. I have found that if I do so on Mondays the house stays cleaner longer, at least to me. The rest of the Heinisch family would say that since I have chosen to stay home that it is only me who thinks the house is ever dirty. Regardless of need, between the cleaning and the shoveling today my back was ready for a rest this evening.
Cam and Meg made it home safely after piano. Meg worked on homework the rest of the night. Doug came home to eat dinner and then went to the Knights for their monthly meeting. I decided that it was the perfect evening to watch "Remember the Titans" with Cam. He agreed as there weren't any Big Ten games on tonight. He actually like it a lot better than he thought he would. He didn't cry at the end, but I sure did.
Sunday, February 10, 2019
A Quiet Sunday
It was a quiet Sunday for all. Cal and Brett spent their day studying. Meg and I worked on scholarships. She also went to tennis and studied for a few tests. Cam didn't have any homework, so he spent his time watching basketball. As IU lost again, he wished he would have had work to do instead. Doug had projects for Champion to finish. He said that February will be a busy month for him, but I expected that so I have prepared for it.
We did take a break this evening to go to dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings. We picked Meg up along the way. She said that she had enjoyed getting back on the court. It was a cardio lesson today and Stacy told Doug that she did well. Meg will also play on Tuesdays and Thursdays with Cam and have a private lesson on Sundays as well. Cam was still bummed about IU when we went out, but by the time dinner was over he was in a better mood about it all. He could even laugh later in the evening when Northwestern lost on a last second shot to Iowa. He decided that he would only root for teams he didn't like after today.
Once we got home Doug and I watched the documentary "Three Identical Strangers". It was very interesting, but also very sad. While watching we finished the Hogsmeade puzzle. It was so much easier than the Peter Pan one we worked on in January. We plan to start the Vermont one next. I am
hoping to find the Marauder's Map one when we return to Universal Studios in March. They had it last Spring, but I chickened out of buying it as I thought it might be too hard. I'm ready for it now.
We did take a break this evening to go to dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings. We picked Meg up along the way. She said that she had enjoyed getting back on the court. It was a cardio lesson today and Stacy told Doug that she did well. Meg will also play on Tuesdays and Thursdays with Cam and have a private lesson on Sundays as well. Cam was still bummed about IU when we went out, but by the time dinner was over he was in a better mood about it all. He could even laugh later in the evening when Northwestern lost on a last second shot to Iowa. He decided that he would only root for teams he didn't like after today.
Once we got home Doug and I watched the documentary "Three Identical Strangers". It was very interesting, but also very sad. While watching we finished the Hogsmeade puzzle. It was so much easier than the Peter Pan one we worked on in January. We plan to start the Vermont one next. I am
Saturday, February 9, 2019
A Fun Saturday
It was a fun Saturday for the four of us in the Heinisch home. First of all, we took advantage of the fact that we had no morning commitments, so we slept in a little longer than a normal Saturday. For Doug that still meant that he was up before 8 a.m. but at least he was able to get a lot of work done before the rest of us started our days.
Meg left at 11 a.m. to meet Sarah for lunch in Goshen. They had fun catching up on their week and made plans for next week. Last night she went to dinner with Gabby which she enjoyed as well. This afternoon she and Nick went to Fort Wayne to so some shopping and eat dinner at Chick-Fil-A. They made it back here by nine to watch a movie before he headed home.
Cam's afternoon was spent at Goshen College participating in the Science Olympiad. He competed in the density and disease detectives events with Breece. They were happy to earn a second place in the density portion. He spent the rest of the day at home watching Big Ten basketball and playing pool.
I worked on several projects at home today. It was chilly, 22 degrees, but sunny. I took advantage of the "nice" day to walk outside. It really wasn't too bad once I got started. It was great to walk outside as laps around the basement have become monotonous. Tonight Doug and I tried a new restaurant in Warsaw called Oak & Alley. We were happy to see that one of our favorite chefs from Huntington Street was in the kitchen at the new microbrewery. We enjoyed the craft hamburgers and tried a few of their beers. We even brought one home for Cameron with bacon and caramelized onions which he really liked. We hope to take everyone back someday. Afterward we spent the rest of the evening playing pool with Cameron, watching BlacKKKlansmen and working on the Harry Potter Hogsmeade puzzle. It was a fun Saturday for all of us.
Meg left at 11 a.m. to meet Sarah for lunch in Goshen. They had fun catching up on their week and made plans for next week. Last night she went to dinner with Gabby which she enjoyed as well. This afternoon she and Nick went to Fort Wayne to so some shopping and eat dinner at Chick-Fil-A. They made it back here by nine to watch a movie before he headed home.
Cam's afternoon was spent at Goshen College participating in the Science Olympiad. He competed in the density and disease detectives events with Breece. They were happy to earn a second place in the density portion. He spent the rest of the day at home watching Big Ten basketball and playing pool.
I worked on several projects at home today. It was chilly, 22 degrees, but sunny. I took advantage of the "nice" day to walk outside. It really wasn't too bad once I got started. It was great to walk outside as laps around the basement have become monotonous. Tonight Doug and I tried a new restaurant in Warsaw called Oak & Alley. We were happy to see that one of our favorite chefs from Huntington Street was in the kitchen at the new microbrewery. We enjoyed the craft hamburgers and tried a few of their beers. We even brought one home for Cameron with bacon and caramelized onions which he really liked. We hope to take everyone back someday. Afterward we spent the rest of the evening playing pool with Cameron, watching BlacKKKlansmen and working on the Harry Potter Hogsmeade puzzle. It was a fun Saturday for all of us.
Friday, February 8, 2019
Girls Night Out
Paula texted me a couple of days ago to see if I was up for a girls night out to celebrate Mary and Cherie's 50th birthdays. I was glad to have received an invite as our weekend was clear of commitments. Meg dropped me off at Paula's around 5 p.m. and we headed to Mary's to pick her up. Kris Woodard rode with us as well. It was nice to catch up with her and hear about her new position in the sheriff's office. It did make me miss Cayle, however.
We ate dinner at Le Troje in Warsaw. It wasn't my favorite restaurant to eat at, but the company made it well worth while. Cherie, Betsy and Wendy met us there as well and we all enjoyed several hours of lively conversation. There were a lot of stories about school which only made me happier that I had resigned last Spring. Being with everyone, however, did make me miss my favorite coworkers. We ended the evening with presents for the newly crowned fifty year olds. Mine was the traditional wine and chocolate. Paula's made everyone laugh as it contained items such as Silver Centrum vitamins and "mature age" skin cream to name a few. It was a great way to end a fun evening.
We ate dinner at Le Troje in Warsaw. It wasn't my favorite restaurant to eat at, but the company made it well worth while. Cherie, Betsy and Wendy met us there as well and we all enjoyed several hours of lively conversation. There were a lot of stories about school which only made me happier that I had resigned last Spring. Being with everyone, however, did make me miss my favorite coworkers. We ended the evening with presents for the newly crowned fifty year olds. Mine was the traditional wine and chocolate. Paula's made everyone laugh as it contained items such as Silver Centrum vitamins and "mature age" skin cream to name a few. It was a great way to end a fun evening.
Thursday, February 7, 2019
Change of Weather
The last few days have been pretty mild for February. In fact today the temperature in the afternoon rose to 55 degrees. The rain and the fog have made it feel dreary, but it has been nice to put away the winter jackets and to walk outside this week.
Everything changed today, however. The winds picked up considerably this afternoon and soon the 55 degrees of the afternoon quickly fell to 30 degrees by evening. The predicted low overnight was to be in the single digits. It wasn't a surprise as the weather forecasters had been talking about the extreme swing in temperatures for the past few days.
The positive about the cold weather arriving in February is that it will not last. Spring is only six weeks away and with our planned trips in March, tennis starting and a week of interterm for Cam and Meg the cold days will soon be a memory. Thankfully, I have gotten used to walking in the basement and fortunately my parents made it to Florida before the weather became severe. In fact they picked a fantastic time to go as it has been warm in the sunny state. They've gotten to play quite a bit of golf and visit with old friends. They've talked about coming back next week. Meg and I have both encouraged them to stop at Graceland on the way home since they are in no hurry to get back. Most importantly, however, I hope that whenever they do make it back to Indiana that they bring the sunshine with them.
Everything changed today, however. The winds picked up considerably this afternoon and soon the 55 degrees of the afternoon quickly fell to 30 degrees by evening. The predicted low overnight was to be in the single digits. It wasn't a surprise as the weather forecasters had been talking about the extreme swing in temperatures for the past few days.
The positive about the cold weather arriving in February is that it will not last. Spring is only six weeks away and with our planned trips in March, tennis starting and a week of interterm for Cam and Meg the cold days will soon be a memory. Thankfully, I have gotten used to walking in the basement and fortunately my parents made it to Florida before the weather became severe. In fact they picked a fantastic time to go as it has been warm in the sunny state. They've gotten to play quite a bit of golf and visit with old friends. They've talked about coming back next week. Meg and I have both encouraged them to stop at Graceland on the way home since they are in no hurry to get back. Most importantly, however, I hope that whenever they do make it back to Indiana that they bring the sunshine with them.
Wednesday, February 6, 2019
Finally Scheduled
Meg had an appointment today in Fort Wayne with the oral surgeon. Before we left she had time to email Grant her forms for camp. She was happy to find out last week that she had been chosen to be a camp counselor this summer at Camp Crosley. We know that she will be great at it. Before we headed out she also reviewed her IU housing application. Her first choice was Read. I thought that was special as it was the dorm where Doug and I met.
I was glad that we left early for her appointment as it was very foggy late this morning. We had no problems, however, and even had time to stop for lunch at Chick-Fil-A and to buy Brett's birthday gifts at Target. We waited quite awhile to meet with the oral surgeon, but both Meg and I liked him. Meg will have to have eight teeth taken out. Four of those were baby teeth and the other four were wisdom teeth. Hopefully, only two will require stitches. We scheduled her appointment for February 20th. She'll have to miss a couple of days of school, but it was important to get it done now so that she can get her bottom braces as soon as possible.
Once we got home Meg worked on her paper. She had to get three pages completed before she went to Nick's for dinner. Doug had to interview someone this evening, so he did not get home until after eight. Cam and I had another quiet night at home watching Big Ten basketball. I was glad for that as I did not feel the best today and was thankful for an evening of rest.
I was glad that we left early for her appointment as it was very foggy late this morning. We had no problems, however, and even had time to stop for lunch at Chick-Fil-A and to buy Brett's birthday gifts at Target. We waited quite awhile to meet with the oral surgeon, but both Meg and I liked him. Meg will have to have eight teeth taken out. Four of those were baby teeth and the other four were wisdom teeth. Hopefully, only two will require stitches. We scheduled her appointment for February 20th. She'll have to miss a couple of days of school, but it was important to get it done now so that she can get her bottom braces as soon as possible.
Once we got home Meg worked on her paper. She had to get three pages completed before she went to Nick's for dinner. Doug had to interview someone this evening, so he did not get home until after eight. Cam and I had another quiet night at home watching Big Ten basketball. I was glad for that as I did not feel the best today and was thankful for an evening of rest.
Tuesday, February 5, 2019
Tennis Season
Tonight I took Cam to tennis and was impressed with how well he played. He had moved up to the high school league this year and it has been fun to watch him compete. At the end of practice he found out that they will be offering a match play singles tournament for the boys. He was very interested in that.
As I watched Cam play I kept getting updates from Doug at sectionals. The Bruins got off to a rough start and just never recovered. The only upside to their loss would be that Meg would soon be out on the court with Cameron. I have never been much of a sports mom, but I definitely enjoy watching them participate in tennis. Playing time is based on ability and records, so I feel that my children have more control over their position on the team. Unlike golf, one bad shot or game generally will not determine the outcome of the match. Strategy is an important part of tennis and it is so much fun watching them battle on the court, especially in a long rally or a close match. Can't wait for the season to officially begin next month.
As I watched Cam play I kept getting updates from Doug at sectionals. The Bruins got off to a rough start and just never recovered. The only upside to their loss would be that Meg would soon be out on the court with Cameron. I have never been much of a sports mom, but I definitely enjoy watching them participate in tennis. Playing time is based on ability and records, so I feel that my children have more control over their position on the team. Unlike golf, one bad shot or game generally will not determine the outcome of the match. Strategy is an important part of tennis and it is so much fun watching them battle on the court, especially in a long rally or a close match. Can't wait for the season to officially begin next month.
Monday, February 4, 2019
Another Day, Another Game
Tonight was the another round of games in the girls basketball sectional tournament. By beating Hamilton on Saturday, Bethany earned the right to play Lakewood Park Christian this evening. The Bruins had lost to them in December, but looked like a completely different team tonight winning by double digits.
It was a late night for Doug and Meg which was the downside to this year's sectional as Fremont was well over an hour drive from our home. So that Cameron did not have to stay at home by himself again. I decided to sit this one out. He and I enjoyed a quiet evening watching another episode of Gotham and playing Connect Four Shots. Doug opted to go again to tomorrow night's sectional championship game as he though the long drive in the dark and the intensity of the Fremont fans might be too much for me. Meg agreed with him plus that would give her a chance to ride the bus home if Bethany won. It will be a tough game for the Bruins as Fremont beat ECA by over 30. Cal and Meg have both been in sectional championship games, but neither has been on a winning team. We'll have to see what tomorrow brings.
It was a late night for Doug and Meg which was the downside to this year's sectional as Fremont was well over an hour drive from our home. So that Cameron did not have to stay at home by himself again. I decided to sit this one out. He and I enjoyed a quiet evening watching another episode of Gotham and playing Connect Four Shots. Doug opted to go again to tomorrow night's sectional championship game as he though the long drive in the dark and the intensity of the Fremont fans might be too much for me. Meg agreed with him plus that would give her a chance to ride the bus home if Bethany won. It will be a tough game for the Bruins as Fremont beat ECA by over 30. Cal and Meg have both been in sectional championship games, but neither has been on a winning team. We'll have to see what tomorrow brings.
Sunday, February 3, 2019
Super Bowl Sunday
It was a typical Super Bowl Sunday in the Heinisch home. We started at mass, went to the Knight's Super Bowl party and finished the day by watching the big game at home. Just as in years past the wings and tacos were excellent at the Knights and Doug made delicious appetizers here for dinner. The only difference in our routine was that Nick joined us and Cam went to a Super Bowl party with his classmates.
The game was actually pretty boring this year, but Doug was more than happy with the outcome. The Patriots and Tom Brady were the victors once again. This was their fourth Super Bowl appearance in five years and their third victory. I remember giving him his Patriots jersey over decade ago when they won two in a row. Doug had been a Brady fan since his Michigan days and it seemed fitting even thought it was kind of expensive at the time. Needless to say, he has more than gotten his moneys out of it. Just the look on the Knights members faces when he walked into the party today made it worthwhile. Adding in a Go Patriots #12 big cookie just added to the fun. Next year we're all hoping for a Bears victory instead.
Saturday, February 2, 2019
Groundhog's Day
In honor of Groundhog's Day the weather completely did a 180 degree turn. It was sixty degrees warmer and none of us even thought about wearing a coat. The snow started to melt and by the end of the day we could see pavement. We weren't surprised to hear that the Punxsutawney Phil had not seen his shadow and predicted an early Spring. As there weren't any weather issues, Meg Bethany hung out with Preston again. She said that it was a lot of fun. Cam spent his afternoon watching basketball and getting ready for IU vs. Michigan State game.
This evening Doug and I went to Fremont, Indiana for the second round of the girls' basketball sectional. Bethany drew Hamilton and it wasn't much of a game. Meg did play quite a bit which we enjoyed. She scored four points, had several rebounds and made some nice passes to add to her assist total. Before the game we had stopped at Buffalo Wild Wings for appetizers. We were able to watch the first half of the IU game and were pleased to see that they were actually within a basket at half. While we watched Meg's game we followed it online and were thrilled to find out that IU had knocked off the #5 Spartans. It had been a tough January for them and tonight ended their seven game losing streak!
This evening Doug and I went to Fremont, Indiana for the second round of the girls' basketball sectional. Bethany drew Hamilton and it wasn't much of a game. Meg did play quite a bit which we enjoyed. She scored four points, had several rebounds and made some nice passes to add to her assist total. Before the game we had stopped at Buffalo Wild Wings for appetizers. We were able to watch the first half of the IU game and were pleased to see that they were actually within a basket at half. While we watched Meg's game we followed it online and were thrilled to find out that IU had knocked off the #5 Spartans. It had been a tough January for them and tonight ended their seven game losing streak!
Friday, February 1, 2019
Welcome February!
February started pretty quiet compared to the month of January. We did get snow last night, but it was no problem driving Meg and Cam to school. Wawasee did cancel, which surprised me, but I hadn't driven on the backroads. Once I dropped them off I came back down Milford-Syracuse road to see if Meg could travel on it tonight when she hung out with Preston. I was happy that it wasn't too bad.
I had physical therapy this morning. It was my last one and I was ready to be done. I had been going twice a week since December. My back was 100% better and my arm was at 70%. I have exercises to do, but otherwise I have been released. I spent the rest of today doing laundry, picking up and shoveling the drive. By the time I made it back to school to get Cameron there was only a little bit of the drive left for him to finish.
Tonight Doug, Cam and I went to Warsaw for dinner as the main roads were completely clear. We tried the new microbrewery, Oak & Alley, but they were packed. Instead we went to Mad Anthony's and enjoyed some appetizers. When we got back Nick, Preston and Meg were here. They ordered a pizza and had fun playing games. Meg was glad to see Preston as they hadn't hung out since Christmas break. Cam turned on the Iowa game in time to see them upset Michigan while Doug and I watched Lady MacBeth. It was a little disturbing and not quite what I thought it would be. It was better than Black Swan, however, which I was appreciated.
I had physical therapy this morning. It was my last one and I was ready to be done. I had been going twice a week since December. My back was 100% better and my arm was at 70%. I have exercises to do, but otherwise I have been released. I spent the rest of today doing laundry, picking up and shoveling the drive. By the time I made it back to school to get Cameron there was only a little bit of the drive left for him to finish.
Tonight Doug, Cam and I went to Warsaw for dinner as the main roads were completely clear. We tried the new microbrewery, Oak & Alley, but they were packed. Instead we went to Mad Anthony's and enjoyed some appetizers. When we got back Nick, Preston and Meg were here. They ordered a pizza and had fun playing games. Meg was glad to see Preston as they hadn't hung out since Christmas break. Cam turned on the Iowa game in time to see them upset Michigan while Doug and I watched Lady MacBeth. It was a little disturbing and not quite what I thought it would be. It was better than Black Swan, however, which I was appreciated.
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