A Date With Dad

When I was in high school, every couple of weeks or so my Dad would take me out for a "Coke Date". Nothing fancy...we would just go to a nearby restaurant and order cokes, maybe some onion rings, and just talk. Just us together. When I was navigating the rocky waters of being a teenage girl (TORTURE I tell you-to be a teenage girl) this was one of the things that kept me grounded. They will always be one of my best memories of my Dad, who is truly one of the best guys I know.

Nowadays, we don't get to have our Coke dates, but whenever I get to have some Daddy/Daughter time with Dad, and it is just us, I love it. A couple of weeks ago, I got the chance to do just that.

Do you know the amazing Garrison Keillor? I grew up listening to his radio show and TV show "A Prairie Home Companion" with my parents. I love his storytelling, but I also love his voice. It is like warm honey, and OH so relaxing. When I was in labor with Evan, I listened to his voice telling calming stories to relax me through each contraction. When I was ready to give in to an anxiety attack after Sam was born, I walked around with my Garrison's voice coming through my iPod to help soothe my nerves. Right before Easter, I discovered that Garrison would be coming to Omaha, and that I might have the chance to see him in person! I immediately grabbed up two tickets, and then invited my Dad to join me.

It was a great evening. It was my first time to visit the Holland Performing Arts center in downtown Omaha, and it was beautiful. Seeing Garrison in person, hearing that honey smooth voice in person was amazing. But spending an evening with my Dad? That? Was priceless.

Our New Church Home

We have an exciting event happening right now in our church family! When we moved to our house 4 years ago, we joined a brand new parish called St. Charles Borromeo. Our neighborhood is located in the very western edge of Omaha, in an area that is still surrounded by farm fields and country roads. It is a quickly developing area that was in need of a new church. We spent 4 long years in the gym of a public elementary school while funds were raised for a new church building.

The church finally broke ground in October, and just 6 short months later, we are ready for our very first services this weekend! Last Sunday we went to an Open House. We were wowed to find all of this...


Beautiful stained glass behind the altar...the window is from another church that closed, and is over 100 years old


View of the altar


Stations of the Cross, also from the closed parish, also over 100 years old. Beautiful!

We are just so excited to be in a normal worship space! Sammy has been in a "gym church" all of his life, and when we go to services at other churches, he always asks me where the basketball hoops are! It is a going to be an adjustment for the kids, but a good one!

We can't wait for services this weekend!

On Why I Took a Blogging Break...

Right after Sam was born, and I was the mother of a newborn, a 10 month old, and a 7 year old, life was completely overwhelming. I went into survival mode, and got through every day by praying, counting to 10 to keep my patience countless times a day, praying again, and by telling myself that in a few short years when they boys were older it would be easier.

But...
it's not.

Some things are better. I am not feeding two infants bottles all day long, or changing diapers, or chasing after newly mobile toddlers. But these things have all been replaced by different difficulties. Like grumpy pre-teens, soccer and swimming lessons, eye therapy, helping a son with a major learning disability to tackle the intermediate grades, and temper tantrums. Add on a house that never stays clean for more than 5 seconds and a full time job, and I am wiped out all the time.

I originally came to the internet and blogging as a way to work through some of the stress of these things. It was a great release for me. But then I found that I was turning to it all the time, and putting off jobs around the house, or worse yet, spending more time with my laptop after school than my kids.

Between having less time down time due to the kids, and trying to detox from my internet fixation, my blog started to wither.

And I miss it! I miss having that record of what is going on in my kids lives. You think you will always remember the big moments without writing them down, but you don't. Recently I was filling out some paperwork for an evaluation that Evan is going to have done, and it asked things like when he started walking, talking, rolling over, and dressing himself. I knew a couple of them, but I found myself really having to ponder others. Which makes me so sad. I don't want to loose those tiny details, and I know I will if I don't record them.

I am going to do my best to get back here, both for myself and my kids. And what better time than the start of summer. Hopefully lots of lazy summer days are ahead of us.