4 Months Flew By

I can't believe it has been 4 months since my last blog post. My goal is to write at least once a month, but life has gotten crazy, and time flies by quicker than I can keep up.

After the death of Oreo, our lives still feel as though there is a hole in our family unit. We have not gotten a second kitty as of yet. In time, I'm sure that will change, but for now, we are still healing.

Now to catch you up.......

Over July 4th weekend, Lee, Taylor, and I went to Holiday World for a much needed fun time. It was great! Holiday World is such a family friendly place with so much to do. We spent the morning in the water park and the afternoon was spent in the dry park. We had a great time on the water coaster, water slides, and lazy rivers (Taylor's favorite). And, we got Taylor to ride some rides she was initially scared of - the Liberty Launch, The Raven, and Frightful Falls. It was a great time away, and Amelia got to spend the day with Grandma and Grandpa Lee.

In late-July, Taylor and Lee went to the much-anticipated Taylor Swift concert. Taylor loves Taylor :-)! They made their own shirts, created a poster, and had great seats! It was a concert neither of them will soon forget, and I'm so glad they got to make Daddy/Daughter memories!

Over Labor Day, we went to visit my sister in Indianapolis for the weekend. While Saturday was a girls shopping day, Sunday was kids' day! We spent the afternoon at the Children's Museum. Taylor loved the exhibit on Anne Frank and Ryan White, and Amelia had a great time at Playscape. We all were exhausted by the end of the day, and Aunt Brenda and Uncle Doug got to spend some much needed time with their nieces.

In early October, we took some time to go to Freeman Family Farm here in Bloomington. Amelia got to meet some animals - cow, horses, donkey, goats, and pigs, and she enjoyed playing with the pumpkins. It is a great place here in town to spend some family fall time, and I hope to make it an annual tradition.

And, finally Amelia turned 2 years old 1 1/2 weeks ago. Honestly, where has the time gone? She had two parties - one for Lee's family and one for my family. I made her a turtle cake because she loves turtles! It amazes me how much she has changed in her 2 short years on this planet. She seems to learn new words every day, and just last night, we removed the gate from our stairs. It seems to have opened up a whole new world for her. She went up and down those stairs more times than I can count, even playing with Elmo on the landing.

I hope to keep up better on my blog from now on. It's hard to stop and write down the great memories we make, but for our family, I will do my best. Happy Fall to you all!

The Healing Begins

I can remember the day I got Oreo like it was yesterday. It was 2001. I was fresh out of college, had my first apartment, and had no intention of getting a new kitty. My Furby had just spent the last 2 years living with my parents because I couldn’t have him in my previous apartment. I had him back around a month before this fateful day.

My then-boyfriend and I went into PetSmart, and low and behold there were kitties. There are always kitties at PetSmart because many humane societies use it as a vehicle to display their cats. One black and white 10-month old cat had spunk and kept playing with Matt’s finger through the cage. He was a troublemaker but adorable!

We left PetSmart and began talking about getting this mischievous cat. As I said, that was never my intention. After talking about it and calling my sister to see if she could take him if it didn’t work out with Furby, we headed back to PetSmart. The humane society had already caged up their animals to take them back to the shelter. They refused to let us adopt him then, but they said we could follow them back to their location, and so we did.

“Roger” was known as “The Intimidator” at the humane society. He would go up to other cats’ cages and antagonize them. He was beautiful and loving and sweet, but he was certainly the troublemaker of the bunch. That made him that much more endearing. “Roger” got a new home that day, and he became “Oreo”. Not only was he black and white, but if you flipped him on his back, he had a white stripe of fur running down his belly – just like an Oreo cookie.

From then Oreo was a member of my family. Furby had issues with him at first, but they soon became the best of friends and brothers. For better or worse, through two moves, a marriage, a stepdaughter, a daughter, a female kitty, and a bunny, they have been “my boys” and the furry loves of my life.

Oreo was always so patient, loving, and kind. When Taylor was little she would dress him up in her Build-A-Bear clothes and put ponytails on his tail. He just laid there as though nothing was going on. He had a heart as big as the ocean and was truly the best kitty!

Last Saturday, Oreo’s fight with kidney failure came to an end. My heart broke into a million pieces as we had to put him down. We buried him under the dogwood tree in our front yard, and we plan to make that a “nice” area with a bench or swing and flowers. A picture of him is now in our house so he can watch over us, and we can have his presence in our lives.

I miss you, buddy. You were a great kitty, and I will love you forever!

Pure Michigan

Amidst all of the drama of bad weather, we had a family vacation planned for Memorial Day weekend. We debated whether we should go several times, especially since our power was still out. Ultimately, Lee left the decision up to me, and I decided we should go. It would be our only chance this summer to get away + we needed to get away.

Our vacation was planned for St. Joseph, Michigan – a quaint little resort town on Lake Michigan. Its twin city is Benton Harbor, which I had heard of several times before but soon learned has lost its luster and small town appeal. We left Bloomington Friday night and stayed about ½ way in Lafayette; then we reached our final destination Saturday morning.

When we arrived, we explored the bluff area overlooking the lake, which also housed some historic markers and items. Amelia needed a nap, so we checked into the hotel, and once she was done we headed back to the bluff area. This time we ate what is possibly the best pizza I had ever eaten at a local pizza place in the St. Joseph Amtrak station. The station is made up to look vintage and was very cool. Then we headed to the Silver Beach Carousel. Silver Beach Amusement Park sat in a nearby location from 1891 to 1971. The amusement park left, but last year, St. Joseph wanted to recreate that magic, so they installed a beautiful indoor carousel. The girls had a lot of fun!

On Sunday we explored downtown St. Joseph. Along the streets are 40+ concrete painted animals that each tell their own story. Taylor’s favorite was the Cash Cow that sat in front of the bank and had dollar bills glued all over it. After another nap for Miss Amelia, we took the girls to the Curious Kids Discovery Museum and Discovery Zone. Amelia loved the water tables! Then it was back to the hotel for a night in the pool.

On Monday we visited the beach at St. Joseph, which was amazing. The sand was so soft, and the girls had fun scaring the seagulls, getting their feet wet, and playing around. On our way back to Bloomington, we stopped at Fair Oaks Farms. It is a dairy farm in northern Indiana that families can visit. We went on a bus ride tour of their farm – straight through a barn - , got to see two calves being born, and watched a very interesting rotating milk station. Amelia liked the “moo cows”, and I think us and Taylor all learned something we didn’t know.

All in all, it was a nice family trip, and I’m glad we decided to go. Even if we don’t go on a large or expensive trip, I will always cherish the memories we make. Happy Summer to you all!

Tornado May 2011

I have talked on my blog before about phenomenon caused by Mother Nature that have touched our lives – Ice Storm 2007, the small earthquake in 2008, Hurricane Ike’s strong winds in 2008, Snow Storm 2009, Icepocalyse 2011 – but nothing quite prepared us for May 25, 2011. On that night, our neighborhood was hit with an EF1 tornado, and the aftermath of that night will remain with us for years.

Southwest Indiana was in the “high” risk for severe weather that day. “High” risk days only come a few times a year across the entire U.S., if that. Indiana is rarely included, so I knew we could be in for a rough day. During the late-afternoon/early-evening hours several storms popped up with tornado warnings. Bedford was hit with a tornado, but all calmed down in Bloomington by mid-evening. Then, upon closer look at the radar, bad news was coming. A HUGE squall line of thunderstorms was heading into Indiana from Illinois, and there were tornado warnings up and down the entire state.

Just after 10:00 p.m. Bloomington received a tornado warning, and the winds started to pick up. Our power flickered off and on, and I turned to Lee and told him I was heading downstairs. The light in our garage was on, so I opened the door and immediately felt suctioning. We lost power for good, and Lee looked outside and saw our trees twirling in the wind. He grabbed Amelia from her slumber and joined me in our utility room in the basement. The duct work was shaking. The lightning coming in our front door was changing colors, and in less than 30 seconds, the wind subsided. We waited for the rain to calm a bit before heading upstairs. It was the first time since we bought our house that we used our “tornado” room. The above picture is the last image on my computer before our power went out and the tornado hit.

When we got back upstairs, we put Amelia back to bed and surveyed our backyard. A large part of our one tree had fallen on our neighbor’s fence and snapped our cable line. We called our neighbor and met him outside to survey the damage. Then Lee noticed a large number of trees down on our property line, including our beloved apple tree. Our neighbor mentioned the trailer park at the entrance to our subdivision. Oh my God – the trailer park! Lee took off towards it, and what he saw has haunted him since. Firemen, flashing lights, overturned trailers, bad news!

We were trapped on our street for several hours due to downed power lines, downed trees, a gas leak at the trailer park, etc. When daylight broke the real damage could be seen and news of a confirmed tornado came. Luckily no one died! Many, many trees came down – many homes were damaged – the trailer park is uninhabitable – power lines were down – power poles snapped – trees uprooted – etc. Our street was lined with news vans, and news helicopters flew overhead.

In the days following, we kept busy with tree cleanup and preparing for our vacation that was already planned. We went to IU and Steak N’ Shake to get internet access and updates. Our power did not come back on for 3 days, mainly because so many power poles and power lines needed to be repaired. We lost much of the food in our fridge and freezer, but we had our lives! On June 10, the Worthington Amish Youth Group came to our house and cut up the 6 downed trees along our property line. What a blessing!

All in all, we were lucky. 2011 has been a record year for tornadoes, strong tornadoes, and tornado deaths. And in the end, our property damage was less than most people’s. But as I said, we all lived to tell our tale, and that is the biggest blessing of all.

A Month of Friends and Family

Although this post is a bit late, a lot happened in April that I wanted to share and document. The girls from high school and I spent the day in French Lick enjoying the good food, good wine, and good weather :-). They continued to party late in the night back in the DC while I came home to my hubby and little girl in Bloomington. We are really working hard to see each other semi-regularly (every few months). While the distance between us is not far, it is nice to set aside girl time away from "real life". Good seeing you all again!!

Unfortunately, April wasn't all fun and games. My only living grandparent, my grandmother, passed away shortly before Easter. She lived a long 96 years and survived breast cancer in the 1940s, when nearly no one survived. She and my grandfather leave a legacy of 6 children, 21 grandchildren, and 25 great-grandchildren. Imagine how many lives would be non-existent if they had not decided to marry back in the 1930s! It was also nice to see members of my extended family that I only seem to see when these types of events occur. It was great to reconnect with those I haven't seen in years or possibly decades!

Amelia enjoyed her first Easter egg hunt this year. The weather did not cooperate so the Easter bunny left his eggs in grandma's basement. We had a hard time convincing her that more than one egg can go in her bucket (AKA basket). She had a great time, and I think she let us adults refind the kids in us.

My sisters and I rang out April with IU's Straight No Chaser's 15th anniversary concert! It was a fun concert and a nice girls night out with my big sisters :-). The Atlantic recording group Straight No Chaser also performed as they are the original members of the IU group. We all soon made plans to see them in concert this December!

April was a wild month filled with friends and family. But also a month filled with devastating weather across the eastern U.S. Tornadoes hit the south in record numbers. Flooding has not only hit the Mississippi River hard, but also the smaller rivers and lakes here in Indiana. Let's all be thankful for what we have in life and what we take for granted - our health, our family, and our friends.

In Like a Lion ....

So after surviving the ice storm, February went off without a hitch even if we kept very busy! On Valentine’s Day weekend, Lee and I visited our good friends Sharla and Brad. It was an adult-only time while our little ones spent time with their grandparents. It was nice to hang out and go to a nice meal with other adults without having to wipe a little one’s nose, or help them eat, or make sure they have enough drink. We had lots of laughs and got a much needed break from life.

Later that weekend, Lee and I got our pictures professionally taken for the first time since our wedding. We used the same photographers that took Amelia's 6-month pictures; we won a free mini-session with them. Who knew it was so nice to spend time on ourselves for a change. :-)

The following weekend, Taylor, my sister Brenda, and I took in The Diary of Anne Frank at the Indiana Repertory Theater. Brenda works there full-time, so we got a backstage tour of the costume shop, prop shop, administrative offices, etc. Taylor really enjoyed the play and asked many questions regarding World World II, the Holocaust, Anne Frank, and so much more. I am so glad we were able to take her!

The weekend after that was my birthday weekend – the big 3-2! Brenda volunteered to take Amelia for the entire weekend, which was a much appreciated break. Lee and I celebrated by going snow tubing at Paoli Peaks. We have been talking about going for a few years, and it just never worked out, but this year we finally went. We had a great time!!! Later that night we headed out for dinner and drinks.

On March 2, Brenda and I enjoyed seeing Idina Menzel in concert. OMG! She is absolutely amazing. I have never witnessed someone with such an amazing voice. She was born to perform. We had a wonderful time - she is beautiful, funny, and talented beyond belief. I am so glad we went!

This past weekend we headed down to the DC (Dubois County) to celebrate my niece’s 15^th birthday. I can’t believe she was just 14 months old when I graduated high school….ugh! Where does the time go? And, her sister will be turning 17 in just a few short months. Amazing how fast they grow up when you aren’t looking………

Well, March, should be an uneventful month for us for the most part. We have a few things planned, but we hope to relax for a little while. The winter has been very busy for us, and we’d like to enjoy the beauty the spring brings. Here’s to March coming in like a lion (with severe storms to boot!) and out like a lamb ……

Icepocalyse 2011

What forecasters called a “potentially catastrophic” storm – the worst in possibly 40 years hit the Midwest and nearly 1/3 of the country’s population this week.

While the majority of those affected were receiving 1-2’ of snow or severe weather, central Indiana was receiving ice – and lots of it. The ice storm of 2011 started on Monday evening, January 31. Bloomington was lucky in that we just received a coating of ice – nothing that stopped traffic. But, Tuesday, February 1 was a complete other story. Bloomington was hammered with ice, winds, and treacherous road conditions.

We were lucky to make it to 9:00 p.m. Tuesday with power – enough time to make dinner and get Amelia down for the night. And, then it went out. The next few minutes were ominous to say the least. Lee and I began looking over the neighborhood, and it seemed everyone near us was out. With the house quiet, all we heard was ice, wind, and trees falling due to the weight of the ice. All of a sudden we saw these large flashes of light …. electrical transformers all around us were blowing. It really felt as though the apocalypse was upon us.

We laid down for bed and woke up the next morning to house at 56 degrees. We put on some clothes, got our faucets dripping, and Lee went to get us some breakfast and check on the rest of the county via McDonald’s Wi-Fi. After Amelia’s morning nap, we headed to Lee’s grandma’s. I had thought ahead and reserved a hotel room for Wednesday and Thursday night in case of a power outage. I was hoping we didn’t have to use it, but regardless, check-in wasn’t until 3 p.m.

Around 4 p.m. we ventured to the hotel, and Lee headed back to the house to check on the cats, drain the water system, and get the house ready for the bitter cold night ahead. The house was at 49 degrees. As he was there, the power miraculously came back on – 20 hours after having gone out. Of course, now we rented a hotel room that we didn’t need, but frankly, I didn’t care. After eating dinner and giving the house some time to warm up, we headed home.

All in all, we were pretty lucky. Our neighbors, who are with a different power company, still didn’t have power this morning. We lost our willow tree. Our pine tree lost some larger branches. We have lots of smaller limbs down. But, we have our health, our home, and our electricity. Thank you UDWI REMC linemen for getting us up and running. You prevented a stressed-out Mommy from losing her mind.

January 28

Today is one of those days in life that stick with you - December 7 (although few of us were around in 1941), November 22 (although I wasn't alive in 1963), September 11, and January 28 - to name just a few.

I was in first grade on January 28, 1986. And unlike many American schoolchildren, my class was not watching the Challenger space shuttle take off. My first memory is coming into my classroom after our lunch and recess and our teacher telling us that the space shuttle had exploded. After school I raced to my aunt's house to watch the news. Growing up, I had watched several space shuttle launches and touchdowns, but this one was special for obvious reasons. The space program forever changed, and the world lost 7 wonderful heroes. Those 7 astronauts were husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. They had people who loved them more than life itself whose lives were forever changed by that day.

But January 28 is a day of remembrance for another reason. Just one year before the space shuttle disaster - on January 28, 1985 - my uncle passed away due to a car accident. I was only in kindergarten, but I remember certain points of that day with uncanny clarity for being so young. Not only did he leave behind a wife but also his 7 children, who feel his loss to this day. My thoughts and prayers are with them today and every January 28! Now, 26 years later, my father is the only sibling left of a family of 5. One sister died in infancy; my aunt passed away in 2003; my uncle passed away in 2009; and of course, my uncle died in 1985.

It still amazes me to this day how one minute we can be here and another minute we are gone. Each of the dates I mentioned above (and so many others for so many people) began like any other day. One instance - one turn of events - lead to a life-altering moment. So, as I reflect of the date of January 28, I also reflect on every loved one I have lost through the years.

May we all go home tonight and tell those that we love how much we love them and thank God for every day we get to have with them!