A Day to Forget

In my opinion August 31st is always the worst day of the year.  That is because it is the day that my brother died.  I don't ever like to remember that day.  It was the saddest day of my life and changed our family forever.  For that reason I have never commemorated the day and never will.  If it was my choice I would take it out of the year and make August a 30 day month instead.  Since I can't change the date on the calendar, over the years I have learned to ignore the day.  It has worked so well that usually I don't even remember it is the 31st.  

Today was one of those days.  I began my morning meeting with our pest control guy.  We had a yellow jackets nest in the ground that we needed taken care of and also wanted to ask him about the carpenter ants in a cluster of trees by the garage.  I was glad to hear that he could rid our yard of both pests and didn't think that we'd lose any of our trees from the damage that originally attracted the ants.  

The next item on my agenda was opening our home to the piano tuner.  Even though we hadn't played the piano as much as we had in the past, it had been over a year since he had been here and we wanted to keep it up-to-date.  While he was working I took a long walk through our neighborhood.  It was so nice to be outside without the oppressive heat.  It also gave me a chance to catch up with Meg about her busy schedule this week.

I spent the rest of the afternoon finishing our 2020 photo album.  It was definitely different than the ones that I had made in years past.  Although we had made the most of the year, we just were't able to do as much because of the pandemic.  Therefore, I hadn't taken as many pictures.  Thankfully, the ones that I had taken were perfect for the album.  It was strange, however, to look at the pictures from January to early March of 2020 knowing that during that time period we had no idea that we would soon go into a lockdown that would change the trajectory of the rest of the year.  

Tonight's activity revolved around Cameron's tennis match against Prairie Heights.  Their team had started off strong this season, but it was a match that Bethany felt that they could win.  Much like last night, Cameron began the match a little slow and soon found himself down 4-0.  He rallied at that point and ended up winning seven of the next sixteen games.  It wasn't quite enough to win a set as he lost a close second one 7-5, but we were impressed none the less.  Cameron was once again pitted against a veteran #1 singles players and he matched up well.  We know that a win is on his mind and feel that he is closer than ever.  The nice part was that after his match he could hang out with his team and cheer Noah on to a win at #2 singles.  That gave the team the advantage they needed to finally earn their first win as both doubles courts were victorious as well.  All in all it was a productive August 31st that made forgetting the significance of the date a lot easier.

Mom of Teenagers

I think being a mom of a teenager is one of the toughest stages of parenting life.  It isn't because teenagers are rude or defiant, at least not in the Heinisch home, but more so because of the changes in moods that can occur rapidly.  The 15-17 year old group can go from laughing to crying in a matter of minutes.  One moment they need your help and the next they wish that you would completely stay out of their space.  They get embarrassed of you easily and angry at you often.  They also rely on you for help even when they don't want to ask.

Thankfully, for me, I have a lot of experience with that age group due to the 10+ years that we have had teenagers in our home.  The life lessons that I have learned from the Heinisch teenagers have included never taking anything they say or do personally.  These lessons have also included holding my tongue when teenagers lash out as their anger is usually meant for someone or something else.   I have learned to be supportive instead of controlling.  I have learned that teenagers really don't want my advice as much as a sympathetic ear.  I have also learned that patience is definitely a virtue and being bossy never works.  Lastly, I have learned that they won't always greet you at a high school event or when they are with their friends, but they definitely will appreciate any food that you provide for them at home or away.

Even with all that I have learned over the years, I did, however, break from one of my rules of parenting a teenager.  Cameron had had a tough day yesterday and instead of just listening, I decided that I'd let him in on a piece of advice that Cal gave to Meg years ago.  She was really upset about something at school and he looked right at her and said, "I learned a long time ago to lower my expectations.  That way, I'm never disappointed."  Much as Meg did years ago, Cameron looked at me and laughed.  He said, "You know, Mom, Peter Le Fleur pretty much said the same thing about goals in dodgeball."  Quotes to live by - at least through the teenage years.  

A Fun Weekend For All

While we were enjoying time with Brett this weekend, including multiple games of Ticket to Ride this afternoon, everyone else in the Heinisch family was having fun as well.  Cameron not only hung out with us, but with his friends as well, getting together last night for dinner at Jordan's and tonight to study at Richard's.  They even took an ice cream study break at the Chief.  

Meg spent her weekend with several different sets of friends along with working at Bell Trace and starting on her internship applications.  We talked to her multiple times today in order to help her fine tune her resume so she could send it out to several companies.  She got so much accomplished that she and Nick were able to get together for dinner tonight.

Cal called yesterday to check in on us.  He had enjoyed an evening out with friends celebrating one of their girlfriend's birthdays.  Today, he and Jayce played golf against two of Jayce's co-workers.  Cal said that it wasn't his best round with six doubles and a triple for an 85.  Thankfully, it was still good enough for he and Jayce to win the match.  

After a busy weekend it was a quiet Sunday night for Doug and I.  It had rained enough to bring the temperatures down a bit.  We appreciated that and spent the evening enjoying the front porch, glad to know that everyone else in the Heinisch family had had a wonderful weekend as well.

Hanging Out With Brett

Brett arrived late last night glad to be home.  This was his last weekend off for awhile and he was looking forward to spending it in Syracuse.  After next week, he will return to his previous work schedule with Tuesday and Wednesdays off.  He told us that he actually prefers that as it gives him a chance to get some things done during on weekdays when businesses and offices are open.

We had a lot of fun hanging out with Brett today.  Cameron, Doug and I took him to Goshen Brewing Company for lunch.  Brett and I then searched through the house for a poster frame for his new purchase.  Thankfully, I had just the right size for him.  Afterward he spent the afternoon at Grandma and Grandpa's catching up with them, watching the Simpsons and vacuuming out his car.  Doug made chicken, fish and cauliflower for dinner.  We have learned that not only is cauliflower Doug's favorite vegetable, but Brett's as well.  Once we cleaned up, Grandma and Grandpa arrived for a game of Oh Hell!  Cameron opted out of cards as he had plans with his friends.  We finished the evening with a bonfire and listening to Brett's opinions on the current state of political affairs.  It was the perfect way to end a fun day with the oldest Heinisch sibling.

A Day Off

Before Doug left for Florida las weekend, he decided that he would take today as a vacation day.  I was very glad to hear that as he had traveled twice this month and hadn't had a day off in quite some time.  He did still work this morning, but by 9:30 this morning he was ready to spend the day enjoying the beautiful weather.  Having a day off on a Friday also allowed him to play basketball with the Wawasee teachers even longer than normal. 

Doug and I started his day off with a long walk.  We had planned on taking our usual route along the WACF, but the trail had been closed due to routine weed maintenance.  We changed our path and still were able to get in four miles before we made it back to our car at Oakwood.  Next on our agenda was lunch at Goshen Brewery.  Unfortunately, it didn't open up 4 p.m. so we changed that plan as well with a mid-day meal on the patio at Hacienda.  I really enjoyed it as we hadn't eaten there since before the pandemic.  On our way home we stopped at Walmart to pick up groceries.  I really appreciated the help with shopping as I hadn't been able to go this week.

We spent the rest of the afternoon playing Ticket to Ride.  Cameron arrived shortly after 6 p.m. and we all decided on Sleepy Owl pizza for dinner.  Several games of corn hole were played with Cameron dominating this evening's matches.  Doug started a bonfire and Cameron joined us several times to update us on ESPN news, his plans for tomorrow and his opinions on college football.  We also heard from Cal, Meg and Brett multiples times over the evening.  Brett's travels home were delayed for a work dinner, which he really enjoyed.  Meg and Cal were both hanging out with friends for the evening which was nice to hear.  All in all it was a very relaxing day off and I was glad that Doug decided to take a break from work.  

You Have to Look Like a Winner, To Be a Winner

Cameron got a text late last night letting him know that they would be dressing up for their match against Fremont today.  He quickly ran upstairs, picked out a shirt and asked me if I could iron it.  He looked very nice this morning and even let me take his picture this morning before he headed out the door.  More pictures were posted on Instagram later that day showcasing the Bethany Bruins tennis team looking good on "game day."

Although they may have been the best dressed on the court tonight, Fremont got the better of them in score winning all five courts.  Bethany had hoped that a change in lineup would help their chances of winning, but in the end the 8-0 Eagles were just too tough for them.  There were a lot of positives for Bethany tonight including a new pairing at two doubles that went to three sets before losing a close match.  

I was happy to hear from Cameron that he felt that he had played well tonight.  I definitely agreed.  He hit multiple winners and rallied very well against a veteran opponent.  Cameron has improved immensely this fall and I know that a win is waiting for him out there this season.  As well as he played, my favorite point of the night actually happened when he missed an overhead and tried to run around and return the ball from the backcourt.  Unfortunately, his feet got tangled up and he end up on his back while the ball sailed into the number one doubles court off the top of his racket.  As we waited to see if he was alright, his coach let him know that that would be "one for the highlight reels."  Overall, it was a fun night on the tennis courts and the best part was that Doug was home from his week in Ocala waiting to hear all about it when Cameron arrived at the end of the evening. 

Good News All Around

Over the last two days I have gotten several calls from the doctor's office as well as emails from my lab reports giving me updates on my bloodwork from Monday and the biopsy on my arm.  In the first call, the nurse informed me that my Vitamin D level was finally at a normal level.  It had taken almost two years to get it there and I would still have to take my medication, but at least I wouldn't have to feel the side effects of low Vitamin D anymore which included fatigue and muscle cramps.  Next, she let me know that my cholesterol was in the normal range as well.  I wasn't really worried about that, but was happy to hear that news.  

The best report from the doctor's office, however, was that my A1C had returned to the normal range.  At my appointment in April it was at the pre-diabetic level and they had suggested medication to reduce it.  The nurse said today, however, that since I had lost 20+ pounds and stayed with a low carbohydrate diet, I had lowered it naturally.  I was very excited about that.

The last test result arrived today from the lab via email.  It was probably the one that I was most anxious to read.  The biopsy of my arm revealed a "benign intradermal melanocytic nevus", which translated to a non-cancerous mole.  Even though I had read that my chance of having melanoma was only 1% I was still worried.  Brett had told me that even if it was melanoma that the risk of death from that type of skin cancer was only 3%, but I still didn't feel relieved.  As Cameron jokingly pointed out after Brett hung up the phone, "So what I'm hearing is that there's a chance.''  Thankfully, the biopsy report alleviated all fears and Meg, Doug, Cam and Grandma Jane all responded with "good news" texts after I told them.  Brett, however, gave me the "I'm not surprised" message when I texted him.  Now, that my mind was at ease, I became hopeful that the pain from the biopsy site would go away as well.  

A Quiet Day on the Heinisch Front

Today was one of the quietest days in the Heinisch home that I could remember.  With Doug in Ocala and Cameron busy with extracurricular activities, I was the only one home until 10:30 tonight.  It did get a little lonely around dinner time, but I made the most of my time alone working on my photo album, feeding the birds, washing bedding and exercising.  I didn't go outside much after lunch as the heat index was well over 100 degrees.  Just stepping on the front porch took my breath away.  Being inside all afternoon did make me feel a little bit claustrophobic, but once I opened my bedroom window I felt a lot better.

I realized this afternoon that days like this one would become more common with everyone out of the house, Cameron busy with school and Doug traveling so much.  Today, I was thankful that I had projects to keep me busy.  I also appreciated phone calls from Brett and Meg and texts from Cal.  The first two had busy days at work and school and were glad for a free evening to relax.  Cal had introduced me to the HBO series "The Wire."  I really enjoyed watching it this afternoon and texting him about my favorite characters.  Doug didn't have to work as late this evening, so he had time to go over our fall plans.  It will definitely get a lot busier in the next few months with trips to Florida and Bloomington along with all of the tennis and football weekends on the schedule.  

Even though it was a little boring here this evening, I was extremely happy that Cameron was able to spend the evening with his friends after practice at the Bethany vs. Northridge soccer match.  It was the first time that we had let him drive to Middlebury.  Thankfully, Sam rode along and all went well.  Five of them ate dinner at Culver's in Goshen after the game.  He filled me in on the details once he arrived home.  It sounded like a lot of fun.  We both headed to bed shortly after our conversation.  It may have been a quiet day in the Heinisch home, but an enjoyable one just the same.  

Feeling a Little Old

Today I had my physical with Dr. Freeze.  An hour and a half later, I sure felt old.  The appointment went fine, but the battery of procedures and tests left me drained.  She first diagnosed my painful toe as an ingrown toenail.  That wasn't too bad as I had had those in the past and we came up with a plan to take care of it which hopefully would prevent toenail removal.  Next, she told me that I had to have a mole on my arm removed for a biopsy as well as two benign ones on my back.  That took some time and was a little painful, but overall not too bad except for my immediate reaction to the bandaids that she used.

Next, on the agenda was a shingles shot.  I had no problem getting the recommended vaccine as I knew how painful it was when both Doug and Jeanette had the virus.  The shot did not hurt, but it did leave me nauseous for the next few hours.   Thankfully, the nurse said that was normal and it did go away eventually.  Last was the discussion that I had been dreading most, weight loss and my A1C.  Dr. Freeze can be a little curt about that topic.  Fortunately, the 20+ pounds that I had lost since our last visit impressed her and she backed off of the harsh discussion from last April.  Instead she focused on the blood tests that I would need to determine what to focus on next.  

To end the visit I spent about a half hour at the lab filling out paperwork and having four tubes of blood drawn.  I was impressed with how easily the phlebotomist found a vein and appreciated her friendly attitude as well.  Spending ninety minutes at the doctor's office today wasn't as bad as it sounded later when I told Doug about it.  I was definitely glad to be done for awhile and only worried for a little bit tonight about the labs and the biopsy on my skin.  Guess I'll know soon enough.

A Weekend Visitor

A month ago Kevin called Doug to see if there was a weekend that would work for him to come out and visit us.  He gave us several dates that worked for him and Doug chose today for his visit as we didn't have any plans.  We had hoped that Meg would be able to see him, but she needed to leave yesterday for Bloomington.  Fortunately, Cameron was available to hang out with us for awhile, however.  He and Kevin caught up on college and NFL football news as well as played a game of corn hole.  Cameron  traveled to Goshen Brewing Company with us as well.

It was a lot of fun for Doug to host Kevin.  They have so much shared history, knowing each other since kindergarten.  Hanging out with Kevin reminds me of having Phil visit since they have a lot of experiences with Doug and the Heinisch family growing up.  My favorite story of the evening was when Kevin talked about Jeanette finding beer under the stairs and questioning Doug about it since he was the only one who was 21 at the time.  It wasn't much of a surprise to her that Doug didn't know anything about it, but Dan did.  I enjoyed hearing Kevin tell Cameron that story as Doug had told him the same one only a few weeks ago.  Kevin also brought up a wedding story from years ago that I didn't remember at all.  It was great listening  to someone talk about all that we did together in our early twenties as Doug and I mostly focus on the memories together with our family.

It was also sad to hear Kevin talk about his experiences this past year.  The divorce was tough on him.  We couldn't really do much but listen.  I am sure that was all he needed.  He had enjoyed visiting his girls recently and was hopeful that his time with them would only grow once the pandemic was completely over.  All in all we had a lot of fun catching up with him this weekend and are looking forward to getting together for a football game this fall.

Saying Goodbye to Bell Trace

Today was Brett's last day at Bell Trace Assisted Living Center.  He had been talking about leaving this part time position since early this summer, but wanted to wait until his boss left.  Once he found out that Jacob had resigned for a new position, he put in his two week notice as well.  He said that it went well and that he appreciated saying goodbye to many of the residents as well as his fellow employees.  The best part about today was that it was Jacob's last day as well and that Meg worked the same shift as the two of them.  All in all it was a great way to end a position that had meant a lot to Brett over the past two years.

Brett called while he was walking home from work to let me know that he was done.  I was glad to celebrate the day with him on the phone.  Bell Trace had been a wonderful experience for him.  It not only provided additional income for him throughout his time there, but gave him a place to feel needed especially during the pandemic.  He told me multiple times during his time there that he felt like he was getting paid to volunteer.  His connection to Bell Trace also provided a way for Meg to get a part time job that was flexible and one that she enjoyed.  He didn't know it when he started two summers ago, but it was a great situation and he was glad to leave on a positive note.  They told him that he would always have a job if he decided to return.  Although Brett did not plan on returning, especially with his promotion and extra income at Storage Express, but he was happy to hear that just the same.  He told me that he was proud to say that he working at an assistant living facility during the pandemic as he knew that it would make a great story later on in life.  Overall, we were extremely happy for him and proud of how hard he worked there these past two years.

There She Goes, Ready for Junior Year

Meg left this morning at 10 a.m. ready for her junior year to start.  She was excited about seeing her friends, having class on campus this semester and attending activities through her church.  I  had had a wonderful day eating lunch at McAllister's and shopping in South Bend with her yesterday.  She introduced me to TJ Maxx which I loved and helped me pick out Anna's birthday gift as well as a new pair of Adidas for myself.  Thus,  I was sad to see her go today, but I knew that she was ready.  Grandma also came up to say goodbye and Rizzo reluctantly bid her farewell in addition.  Meg told him that she didn't know if he'd make it until she came back in November.  That seemed so far away, but I knew that we would be able to see her several times before then.  

I talked to Meg several times on the way down and was glad that she was able to successfully meet Nick and navigate the Friday traffic.  This semester will be busy with 300 level accounting classes and internship interviews.  So far she has been able to handle the challenges of the Kelley Business School.  I know that she will be able to that this year as well.  

While Meg was walking around campus tonight with her friend Emma, we were having a bonfire and discussing our upcoming trips to Bloomington with Cameron.  Meg must have know that I was thinking of her as I got a text letting me know that she was thankful that she was no longer a freshmen trying to navigate welcome week.  I was glad to hear that, but even more grateful when I read, "I miss you guys!"  We definitely missed her too.

A Tennis First

This was the first official week of matches for the Bethany boys tennis team and it was a rough one for Cameron.  We expected it to be tough as Cameron had moved up from jv number one singles to varsity number one singles which was a seven spot jump.  He handled the first two matches very well.  He was frustrated to lose, but focused on what he had done well.  We were impressed with how much he had improved from last year, especially his serve, pace and shot placement.  Our hope for him was that he'd win at least a game in each of his three first matches and wouldn't be the first one off the court.  He succeeded in both of those goals all three nights.

As unpleasant as it was to lose to Jimtown 6-3, 6-1 and Northridge 6-1, 6-0, nothing compared to the Goshen match this evening.  Cameron knew going into it that it wouldn't be fun.  He had played against their number 1 singles in the summer league.  He not only lost 6-0, 6-0, but had to endure the unpleasantness of his family catcalling and shouting out every time the Redhawk scored a point or won a game.  They even cheered when Cameron double faulted.  It was frustrating to watch as a parent as in general that type of behavior had been frowned upon during matches, so it was completely unexpected in a summer scrimmage.  For Cameron it was humiliating.  He wasn't playing well and didn't need someone drawing attention to it.   He also found out from his assistant coach later that the player's father had asked him if that was the best that Bethany had to offer at number one.  Thus, Cameron wasn't really looking forward to enduring the same kind of rudeness this evening.

The match started off much as the summer one had with Cameron quickly finding himself down 0-3.  The family wasn't as obnoxious as they were a month ago as their loud cheering after every point had dwindled.  During the fourth game, Cameron started playing a lot better and soon was controlling more points and serving a few aces.  That's when we noticed that his opponent kept looking over at his dad and mouthing words to him.  We couldn't quite make out what he was saying.  We didn't know if he was mocking Cameron or asking for advice.  As the match wore on we realized that it was the latter as he was not only coaching his son, but making lines calls as well.  One of those cost Cameron a game in the first set.

As frustrating as it was for us to listen to the Goshen father, it was worse for Cameron.  He realized what was happening at the beginning of the second set.  He called Matt over and loudly complained about it to him.  I don't know if the father heard him say something or if he heard Meg say, "Who makes fun of a sixteen year old kid, especially when they're wearing a hat with a neck rim?"  Either way it slowed him down and Cameron won a game shortly thereafter.  Soon after Cameron's discussion at the fence with Matt, the Goshen coach stood near the court and there was definitely no problem going forward.  Cameron ended up losing the match 6-0, 6-1, but he survived it even with the drama and being hit by a volley aimed right at him at the net.  We did appreciate the rewarded point he received when his opponent committed racket abuse.   

As a parent I felt terrible for Cameron.  In our ten years of watching varsity tennis we had seen some intense matches, but had never seen a parent act in this manner.  Hopefully, that will be the last of it.  

Catching Up on Summer Fun

 Nick left for Purdue on Saturday night as he had to work this week and also take several instructor certification classes.  He was very happy to report to Meg that he passed the ones that he needed too and would soon be able to teach others to fly.  Meg was happy as well and made plans to meet him for lunch on Friday on her way back to Bloomington.

While Nick was busy in West Lafayette, Meg made the most of her week by seeing her friends, hanging out with Cameron, and visiting her grandparents before the fall semester started.  Monday night Meg went with me to Cameron's first official tennis match of the season.  She not only got to watch a good match, but it brought back a lot of fun high school memories for her.  She even got to visit with one of her Bethany friends as she was there watching her brother as well.  Yesterday, Meg opted out of watching Cameron's match as it was in Middlebury.  Instead she and Grandma Jane went shopping and ate dinner together.  They both enjoyed their adventure very much.

Today, Meg and Sarah spent the afternoon at the Fort Wayne Zoo.  Sarah had not been to a zoo since elementary school and Meg had a lot of fun showing her all of her favorite places.  They did get stuck on the Skyfari for a minute or two and "Mama Crikey" was not in her usual place on the log flume ride, but otherwise they had a great time.  They made it back in time for Meg to meet up with Rachael at Culver's in Warsaw and still be able to take a walk with Cameron before it got dark.  I was glad for Meg that she was able to fill her days this week with activities with her friends and family.  It made her time at home even more special.

"Mom, I Can't Find My Car"

Cal called me on his way home from work last night.  As we were catching up on what we had both been doing these past few days, he happened to mention that he couldn't find his car this morning before he left for work.  He said that Jayce had driven it last and parked it near a laundromat, but he just couldn't seem to locate it.  Tonight as he neared the spot that the CR-V last showed its marked location on Apple maps, he realized that it wasn't going to be easy to find.

Cal and Jayce spent the next three hours looking all through Wrigleyville for the shared vehicle.  Jayce confirmed that it wasn't where he last parked it and agreed with Cal that it was at the marked Apple location either.  They called their friends to see if any of them borrowed it, but no one had been driven it as they took public transportation on all of their adventures this weekend.  They next called the 888 number for impounded vehicles in the city of Chicago, but it did not register Cal's car on their list.  Thus, Cal went to bed Monday night concerned that his car had been stolen.  He had heard Uncle Phil's stolen vehicle story many times over the past few years and was positive that he was following in his footsteps.

While Cal and Jayce were looking in the neighborhood last night, I tried helping by doing some research online.  I kept coming up with the same information that Cal and Jayce did.  Cal's license plate was not on the registry of vehicles that had been impounded.  I started again early this morning on my quest to find the car once more.  Something in me kept saying that it wasn't stolen, it was just misplaced.  I first started looking to see if there was a Honda version of On Star on his car that we could use to try and locate it.  Unfortunately, the CR-V was too old for Honda Link, so I decided to do more research on the Chicago government transportation website instead.  Finally, after an hour of weeding through a ton of information I found the link to a list of cars that had been "relocated" in the city of Chicago.  Three pages of relocated cars led me to the license plate that I had been searching for since last night.  It gave the address that Jayce had last parked it and the one where it was relocated.  I texted Cal immediately and said that I may have found it and would keep him informed.  

The next step took some time on the phone as we had to verify with 3-1-1 that it was actually Cal's car and that the address listed was where it was parked.  After erroneously calling South Bend's 3-1-1, I figured out that I would have to use a different number since I was outside of the Chicago city limits.  I spent a half hour on the phone and couldn't reach anyone.  I gave the number to Cal as I had to leave for Meg's doctor's appointment, but he couldn't get through either and had a busy day of work ahead of him.  Thankfully, Doug had some time this afternoon to call, put the phone on speaker and wait for someone to answer.  The person on the other line assured him that the vehicle would be at the address that was listed on the website.  It had been moved to allow for either street cleaning or construction on Saturday morning.  Doug was skeptical that it would really be there and Cal was worried that he would never find it.  Finally, after a long day at work and an after hours Plante Moran event, Cal sent me a picture just before midnight our time.  The CR-V wasn't exactly where the address said, but it was close enough that he could locate it.  Even better there was no ticket on it or impounding fee.  What a relief!  

"Team Mom" Doug

 At the tennis parent meeting two weeks ago, Cameron's coach, Matt, asked for a parent volunteer to help organize team meals.  Last year, the boys were required to bring their own food due to COVID precautions, but this year they would be allowed to resume team bounding over a shared meal.  As the tennis team had five seniors on the roster, Doug and I just assumed that a senior parent would step up and take the role.  Since we hadn't heard anything by the scrimmage at Angola, I decided to ask Matt if he knew of anyone that was interested.  He noted that he hadn't heard from anyone, so I told him that we would consider it, but wanted to check with Cameron first.  He had spent enough time with his mom this past year; I wasn't sure how involved he would want me to be in his high school life.

Cameron got home extremely late that night, but had enough time to tell us that he was really interested in us participating.  He also mentioned on the way home that everyone was chanting "Doug for Team Mom."  That was all Doug needed to hear before taking on the role.  We contacted Matt the next day and got the ball rolling.  Doug called Subway to inquire about food for away matches and I checked into pizza for the first home event which was today.  

While Cameron was playing a tight match with Jimtown's number one singles player, Doug was busy making the rounds getting to know the parents, and handing out sign up sheets for food.  By the end of the night he had a list for Subway and a partially filled schedule for team meals on home nights.  We provided the pizza for tonight.  Thankfully, Meg was with us so she could pick it up and Grandma Jane was available to make cupcakes to go along with the Little Caesar's and chips.  All in all everything went well on Doug's first night as "Team Mom."  Cameron did lose to a tough opponent, but played well and gained a lot from the experience.  The best part was the large crowd cheering on the Bruins and the team bounding afterward over a shared meal.  

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What a Gorgeous Weekend

 The weather this weekend was absolutely gorgeous.  Highs were in the low 80s and temperatures at night were perfect for sleeping.  As soon as we read the forecast on Friday, we turned off the air conditioning and opened up the windows in our home.  It was a welcome relief after the Florida like weather that we had been having.  Last week we had heat indexes of over 100 degrees multiple times with the humidity was so high that the afternoons and evenings were filled with strong storms.  Several schools in our area couldn't even host students on Thursday or Friday due to downed power lines and tree debris.  Thankfully, all of our trees stayed intact and we walked away from the week of storms with no major damage.

Doug and I took full advantage of these past three beautiful days by enjoying outside activities as much as possible.  We played multiple games of Ticket to Ride on our back porch, had nightly bonfires, tried a few new beers on the patio of Goshen Brewing Company, celebrated Nick's baptism on the lakefront, and took several long walks on the WACF trail accumulating almost eight miles total.  Overall, it was just a wonderful weekend and we hoped for many more days like it in the near future.  

Nick's Baptism

 Today we celebrated Nick's baptism with his family and friends.  The ceremony was held at his uncle's lake cottage in Union, Michigan.  Meg had been there several times, but it was our first trip to the area.  It was beautiful and the perfect setting for a baptism with the lake behind him.  His aunt and uncle officiated the ceremony.  They had been his pastors throughout Nick's childhood and their statements made it feel even more personal than usual.  The baptism placed a lot of attention on Nick and he handled it very well.  It was different than our traditional Catholic one especially with Nick's age, but we found it wonderful just the same.  Nick was proud of taking the next step in his faith journey and we were happy for him.  It was also a nice way for us to meet his aunts and uncles.  Everyone was extremely friendly and we were glad to spend the afternoon with them.

Meg and Nick celebrated with dinner at Portillo's.  Alex and Rachel joined them for their night out.  Afterward Meg and Nick watched The Jungle Cruise at our house and liked it just as much as the rest of us did.  Nick left for Purdue around10 p.m. as he had to work tomorrow and start pilot classes on Monday.  It was a wonderful last day of summer vacation for the two of them.  We were glad to be a part of it.  

Safely Home

 After spending ten hours in the Orlando Airport, Doug finally caught his flight home albeit seven hours late.  Weather in other states and shortage of airline employees caused the long delay.  I felt bad for Doug, but he handled it well, keeping busy with work, catching up on his reading and eating Chipotle not only for lunch but for dinner too.  Afterward he was happy to report to Meg that he did mix it up by changing out from black beans to pinto beans with his second order.

I stayed up well past midnight last night making sure that Doug's flight had landed and that he was well on his way home.  I encouraged him to spend the night in Indy, but he said that he actually felt pretty good and was sure that he could make it home despite the late hour.  Basketball diaries podcasts kept him company and a big pop and Gardetto's kept him energized for the two and a half hours to Syracuse.  The only hitch in his trip were locked front and back doors once he arrived home.  Fortunately, he was able to find the emergency key and was in bed by 3:30 a.m.  

Doug spent today working at home.  Even though he was busy it was nice having him here and to eat lunch with him.  He ended his day around 5 p.m. and even spent some time mowing before dinner.  I was impressed that he made it up through a game of Oh Hell and a bonfire this evening.  If I had made his journey, I would have faded long before midnight.  Thankfully, he will be home all of next week before heading back to Ocala the following weekend.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that he does not experience more delays on his next trip.

Let the Games Begin

Tonight was a preview for Cameron's tennis team as they had a scrimmage at Angola.  Meg and I were a few in attendance to watch.  Cameron played the number one singles position and we were impressed with how well he did.  He won 2 of his 3 matches and 12 out of the 19 games that he played.  His serve had improved quite a bit since last year as did his shot selection and the pace that he put on the ball.  He was pleased with his performance and I enjoyed relaying the news to Doug.

I appreciated Meg riding along with me tonight.  She had been in West Lafayette most of the week and it was fun to catch up with her.  On the way home we debated about who would have won if Cal as a junior played Cam as a junior.  Meg thought that it would have been Cal as he was a little more intimidating as a player on the court.  Cam felt that it would have been him as he had better ground strokes.  I thought that it was too close to call.  Either way, it would have been fun to watch.  

Kings Island Revisted

 Meg left with Nick on Monday to help him move into his new place at Purdue.  He couldn't get the key until 3:30 p.m. so they weren't able to fully unpack, but they did get everything in the house.  Yesterday, they took a break from unpacking for a day trip to King's Island.  It had been several years since we had been there and I was anxious to hear what they thought of one of our favorite summer amusement parks.

Meg reported right away that most of the rides were still in the operation, but those in the family area had new names.  King's Island no longer had the rights to the Nickelodeon characters and instead were using the Peanuts gang.  Thus, our favorite Reptar coaster had become the Red Baron.  Thankfully, the names changes didn't alter any of the fun and they enjoyed all of them just as much as we had.  Meg tried a few roller coasters but decided they were a little too much for her.  Thus, she spent some time shopping while Nick rode on them solo.  He really enjoyed them as he hadn't been to an amusement park since he was fourteen.  The benefit of having a lot of shopping time for Meg was that she found a few Peanuts items for her apartment.  

I enjoyed hearing from Meg and the pictures that she sent.  They brought back a flood of memories of the wonderful trips that we took to Cincinnati.  I also loved seeing her walk through the park on Find My Phone and pass Boo Blasters or Woodstock's Whirlybirds.  Meg sent more pictures when she returned back to West Lafayette of the souvenirs that she bought.  I was happy that she and Nick were able to spend the day together enjoying the last few moments of summer vacation.  I think next time, however, I might just have to tag along.

Junior Year Begins

 Cameron was up and ready for school when I checked on him this morning.  I still couldn't believe that our summer was over, but was happy that he could started on his junior year.  He picked the front porch for his obligatory first day of school picture and then was off to Bethany.  He was glad that he could drive himself and thankful to have a place to store his tennis bag instead of his locker this fall.  

I thought about Cameron all day while I was home working on the garage sale items, taking a walk and grocery shopping.  I hoped that his day was as enjoyable as he thought that it would be.  Thankfully, he reported once he arrived home that all went well.  He liked his classes and had fun with his friends.  Tennis practice was hot, but otherwise it was a great first day.  I was extremely happy to hear that.

The Last Day of Summer Break

 Today was the last day of summer break for Cameron.  We couldn't plan a big activity as he had a doctor's appointment at 2 p.m. and tennis from 4 to 6 tonight.  In honor of the day, however, I asked him to choose our lunch menu.  After thinking over all of the choices, he picked Panda Express.  I was definitely onboard with that as we hadn't eaten there since Cameron had tennis lessons last winter.  Meg and Cal were happy with the choice as well.  After ordering online, Cam drove Meg and I over to pick up the food.  On the trip we found out that Meg had never tried Panda Express.  It was an instant hit with her.  The rest of us enjoyed our meals as well.

By the time Cameron got home from tennis, Meg had left for West Lafayette with Nick, and Cal was at Hannah Marie's.  With Doug in Florida for the week that left only Cameron and I for dinner.  We decided to celebrate a successful summer break with Taco Bell and a few episodes of Seinfeld.  Cameron let me know that he had had a fun summer, but was definitely ready to go back to school.  I told him that I couldn't believe how fast the summer had flown by, but was happy that he was ready for his junior year.  I know that it will still be somewhat altered due to the fast spreading Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus, but there should be a lot more activities for him to participate in this year especially since his has been vaccinated.  That coupled with the ability to drive should help Cameron to stay busy all school year long.

A Quiet Afternoon

Doug and I were up early so that we could take a long walk on the WACF before he had to leave for Indy.  I really enjoyed it.  We got in four miles well before the hot and humid afternoon started and had a chance to talk about our fall plans.  He left around 1:30 for the airport and I headed over to Grandma's to work on boxing up the leftovers from the garage sale.  It took longer than I thought it would as I had to take off all of the tags, but I actually made more progress than I expected.  Overall, I was impressed with how much we got rid of and the fact that we were able to bring in $1000 all together.  

While Doug was driving and I was busy boxing up our items, Meg and Cam spent the afternoon in Fort Wayne shopping.  Cameron wanted to pick out some earrings for when he can change out his studs and he also needed some new shoes for school.  They were successful on their trip and even had time to eat dinner at Portillo's before returning home.  

Cal was at the Lamles all afternoon enjoying time on the lake.  Hannah Marie arrived home from the Keys late last night.  He had planned on stopping by Grandma and Grandpa's but ended up getting back too late.  Cameron and I enjoyed watching Seinfeld with him before everyone headed to bed.  

Pure Michigan

Doug and I left early this morning for our annual trip to Michigan.  We were really looking forward to it as we weren't able to travel there last summer due to the pandemic.  Cameron opted out of our adventure to spend the day with Richard, but Nick and Meg said that they were up for the trip.  We appreciated the company and had a lot of fun today. 

Our first stop of the morning was Doug's favorite restaurant, New Holland Brewing Company.  We were one of the first groups in line for a table and were seated outside immediately.  We were happy to see pepperoni pinwheels still on the menu as well as the tangerine space dust.  Doug and Nick were able to try a few new beers as well.  Doug found a windmill t-shirt and a six pack of beer to take home in their shop as well.  

 

After lunch we walked up and down the street checking out the shops.  We found the perfect Christmas gift for Brett and a few items at the cherry food shop for Cameron to try.  We then walked from downtown to the art fair in centennial park.  It was the first time that we had been to an art fair in Holland and it was instantly a big hit with Meg and I.  We didn't buy a lot, but had fun looking.  There was one booth that had some beautiful jewelry that was also affordable.  Meg and I each picked out a few items to purchase.

We left Holland by 2 p.m. and headed to Saugatuck next with the idea of doing a little more shopping and to try out Kilwin's for dessert as well.  The streets were full of shoppers with the same idea.  Thankfully, most of the stores weren't very crowded.  Meg and I found a couple of sweatshirts and a few more pieces of jewelry to buy.  Everyone tried a fun flavor of ice cream before heading back to the Pilot.

On our way home we stopped at a new brewery, Waypost Brewing Company, where Doug, Nick and I each tried a beer.  It was a fun place to try on our way out of the state.  We passed through Mishawaka next and decided that Portillo's was the perfect place for dinner.  We thought that we might catch Cameron there, but he and Richard had just left for Goshen.  They had spent their day playing Putt, Putt, shopping and eating at Culver's.  From all of the conversation once we got home, it sounded like everyone had a wonderful Saturday.  I know I definitely did.

Garage Sale Weekend

Syracuse has always hosted a town wide garage sale event during the first weekend of August and this year was no exception.  For the first time in a few years we decided to join them.  I had cleared out my house two years ago, hoping to have one in the spring of 2020.  The pandemic changed that plan, however.  Thus, we decided that the next best idea was to have one this year at Mom's during the town event.  

There were several times this past week that I really regretted that decision.  I had already spent a lot of time last winter organizing and pricing all of our items, but it was a lot more work to get everything set up this week.  I was positive that our reward would be minimal as it didn't feel like we had much to offer this time.  

Thankfully, I was completely proven wrong yesterday as in total we brought in over $700 worth of money.  Grandma and Grandpa made the most, but the rest of were please with our results as well.  Today's sale was a lot slower, but we still made over $200 all together.  We are hoping for $67 tomorrow which would put us over the $1000 mark.  No matter what we were all pleasantly surprised with the extra cash and happy to see so many of our items off to new homes.  

Hanging Out With Friends

Throughout this summer Brett, Cal and Cameron have spent quite a bit of time hanging out with their friends.  Meg and I haven't been able to say the same.  She was busy with summer school and I had commitments at home to finish first.  Thankfully, this week all of that changed.  I first spent Tuesday morning with Paula on a long walk through Oakwood and along the WACF trail.  It was wonderful to catch up with her and made the almost five mile trek seem like nothing.  Today I met Paula and Mary at Oakwood for lunch.  We spent almost three hours talking and sharing our summer adventures.  It was enjoyable way to spend an afternoon.

Meg has been enjoying her time on summer break with friends as well.  So far she has seen Kaitlin,  Rachael and Gabby.  In addition Nick also invited all of their Bethany friends to his Aunt's lake house tomorrow night.  Therefore, by the end of the week she will have had a chance to catch up with everyone that she wanted to except for Phillip as he remains in D.C. on an internship.  All in all it has been a great week for hanging out with friends 

One Big Commission Check

Brett called today after work to let me know that he would be receiving the largest commission check that he has earned since he started at Storage Express.  That along with the raise he got last week and the overtime that he had been putting in would make for some nice payouts on Friday.  He was super excited as he'd be able to put another $1000 into savings and another $1000 on his CR-V loan.  I was definitely happy for him and impressed with how hard he had been working.  Since the coworker in his department would not be returning until next month, he thought that there would be some more big checks to come. 

Although Brett and I both read good reviews about Storage Express before he accepted the position last July, neither of us realized just how good of a job it would be.  Brett said that his supervisor also didn't realize just how strong of an employee he would be as well.  He had received excellent marks at his yearly review last week and overall just felt wonderful about his current career.  I couldn't be happier for him.

A Change in Appearance

Cameron had talked all summer about getting his ears pierced.  Several of his friends had done it and he thought that he would like the new look as well.  When he first brought it up, we told him that we were okay with it as long as he had Amanda pierce them and he committed to keeping the piercings limited to his ears.  We also said that we were absolutely against gages as long as he was living with us.  He thought that those were fair requests and decided to table the issue until he got his hair trimmed again.  

Today was his "before school" hair appointment with Amanda.  Before he left he said that he was seriously considering the ear piercing.  I told him that I did not have an opinion one way or another, but wanted him to know that he would have to be committed to caring for them, turning them three times a day and putting triple antibiotic cream on them.  He would also need to leave them in for six weeks before changing them and would have to sleep with them in just as Meg had.  He said that he was good with those requirements.  

I then brought up one more negative for him to consider - the fact that Cal would never let him live it down.  He laughed at that, said that it was a valid point and that he'd think about it on the fifteen minute drive to North Webster.  None of us were surprised when he came home with not only a haircut, but both ears pierced as well.  He was proud of his new look and both Meg and I liked it as well.  It definitely wasn't something that I thought any of the Heinisch men would chose, but Doug and I were never really worried about it either.  We realized long ago that getting ones ears pierced was a pretty tame piece of self expression.  

The Official Start to the Tennis Season

 Today was the official start of the high school sports season for students in Indiana and Cameron's team took full advantage of it with two practices today.  He began at 9 a.m. this morning with drills and some conditioning.  He was home around 12:30 ready for lunch and to rest for a little bit before heading back to the 4:00 p.m. session.  That practice was a little more intense as they started challenge matches.  Cameron was really looking forward to it and felt that he played well.  Tennis didn't end with practice tonight as there was also a parent meeting.  Doug offered to attend it for our family since it was on his way home.  There weren't any big changes from years past, but we appreciated the information.  Cameron has decided that he would like a long sleeve jersey for the season as well which he'll have to coordinate with Matt, but other than that it was a quick, easy meeting.

While Cameron was busy with tennis, Meg and I spent some time at Grandma's putting out items for the garage sale.  We really don't have a lot of big items to sell.  We're saving those for one at our house next year.  It was a little overwhelming thinking about how much we have to do to get ready to move, but I guess it's better working on it now instead of at the last minute.  Meg was amazed at all of the clothes that she had in boxes for the garage sale.  She called Sarah to see if she wanted any and was glad that she found a few animal shirts to take home.  I really don't think that we'll get rid of much, but it was nice to get started on the process.

Wrigleyville

While Meg was home, Doug really wanted to take her and Cameron to Chicago to visit Cal.  Thankfully, both were available today and Cal said that the afternoon would be perfect for a visit.  He had had friends in for the weekend, but left Sunday open for us.  The four of us left here around 10:30 and were outside his apartment by noon Chicago time.  We chose not to visit Cal's place this trip as several of his friends were still there and we didn't want to disturb anyone.  

Once we got the parking pass on the Pilot, we all walked toward Wrigley Field.  The gates were open outside and there were families using the area for picnics and to let their children run through the water streaming out of the cement fountain.  It was fun walking through the common area and then around the ballpark looking at the names in the bricks and all of the statues.  

We let Cal pick the lunch spot and once again he chose The Crow Bar for our meal.  I was glad as I had enjoyed it the last time we visited.  I stayed with my same smoked chicken order.  Everyone else tried sandwiches and really liked them.  After lunch we walked to a park on Lake Michigan.  Cal said that he walked to it almost everyday after work.  It was beautiful to see and watch the waves come up on the shore.  Several people were swimming, but it seemed a little chilly to us.  We also enjoyed the conversation while on our family walk.  The topics ranged from Cal's current work assignment to the top ten NFL quarterbacks of all time to the best Disney movies.  The time together flew by and I couldn't believe that it was almost five o'clock when we got back to the car.

We left after a few goodbye hugs.  It had been a wonderful afternoon and I was glad that Meg and Cameron were able to join us this time.  We all agreed on the way home that Cal definitely had a nice neighborhood to live in and a lot more choices for activities.  By the time we got home we had already started talking about return trips to Chicago.