Happy Birthday Chad!!

Sixteen.

That's a milestone - a major milestone.

Driving

Dating

Sixteen.

I remember when I was sixteen. I thought I was so grown up. I knew everything.

Luckily for us, Chad doesn't think he knows EVERYTHING. ;) He's a great kid. He's 5'11", weighs about 144 lbs. Size 10 1/2 shoe. (He wore a 9 a year ago!) He is so handsome.

Some things I love about Chad are -

He's kind

He's secure in himself

He's calm - most of the time

He thinks about stuff - he's not impulsive

He's sensitve to the feelings of others

He's competitive - but not TOO much

He's respectful

He can talk to kids and adults alike and be comfortable in either situation

He has a GREAT smile

I love this kid so much and I'm so glad he's in our family. So Happy Birthday to my "baby"!

Hey - I'm on a roll...

Not much exciting or interesting has been going on the last few days, but "Hey, I'm on a roll" with this whole blogging thing so I thought I'd just post some normal everyday stuff that's going on around here.
Tyler continues to pound the streets of Corvallis in search of employment. Several things are working against him - the economy, small town USA, tons of college kids already have all the jobs and it's winter/rainy season here still so all of the outside jobs are SLOW and won't hire for a few months. However, he has several things in his favor as well - his mother and father love him and believe in him and continue to give him a roof over his head and food to eat so that he doesn't have to worry about that, he's personable (when he wants to be) and he's determined. He knows he'll find a job, he just keeps trying.
Chad starts practicing with the baseball team today. He was loaded down when he left for school this morning. He had his regular school backpack that, I swear, weighs 100 pounds - his small backpack with his baseball clothes in it, and his HUGE baseball bag carrying bats, gloves and catchers gear. He was smiling, though! He's continuing to work with his french teacher and finish up that class.
Jeff is still in Arizona working his little heart out and trying to stay busy. He's hoping to leave to come up here on Thursday. He'll drive, because on Monday when we finally had some money to buy his ticket, air prices had tripled. That's probably good, though because he's back in the hot dog cart business at the end of this month and needs some supplies from here - such as ice chests, tents and such. He loves that hot dog cart stuff! It makes me smile.
Me - I stay busy with the kids and the grandkids and primary. Lucky I have all those things because I'd be going out of my mind about now. I finished up a scrapbook for Andrea so now I only have one more, which is almost done, and then her wedding album and I'm done with 3 of my kids scrapbooks! I've been on a roll (there's that phrase again) lately with scrapbooking. I'm just in a creative flurry so I'm taking advantage and trying to do as much as I can. All in all, life is good and I'm not complaining.

Happy Birthday, Kristi!

So, lucky me! When I married Jeff I gained 3 great kids. The youngest of those three is Kristi and today is her 22nd birthday! Wow. When I married her dad she was 2 1/2. She was a cutie pie. She sucked her finger. Not just any finger - her pointer finger and she sucked it upside down. So funny! She also had a blanket and pig tails and the sweetest little lisp when she talked. She's been a daddy's girl from the time she was little and still is. He loves that so much!

Kristi loves to cook and is a terrific cook. She once thought it would be great fun to own a bakery. She's the quietest of all the kids. She watches everyone and takes everything in. She knows what makes Kristi happy and what Kristi needs. Sometimes she's a little too shy to do something about it right then, but eventually she gets what she wants and needs. She's sensitive and tender and easy going. She loves to just hang out.

I love this girl and I'm glad she's "mine". Happy 22nd, sweetie pie!

Chad's Decision - Part Deux

Well, doesn't this always happen? Just when you've resigned yourself to something, made peace with it and adjusted, it changes?? Yep - that's what happened yesterday. I picked up Chad after school and he gets in the car and says "When can we get me a new mit?" (He needs a new catchers glove) I was confused - he noticed, so he explained that he had talked to the athletic manager and she told him that he could practice with the team while he was working on his french grade and then in 3 weeks (When games started) if he had passed the class, he could play baseball. She also told him that when she taught school, she taught math and would be more than happy to tutor him if he needed help! OH HAPPY DAY!! My son made me cry right there in the school parking lot. He called Jeni and told her the good news and I heard her squeal with delight! Jeff is so happy, too - Chad says he knows when his dad's excited about something because he starts talking fast. Hehe - true, he does.
Not only am I happy he's playing baseball, but I'm happy that he's got a fire inside him now. He's got a goal - something to work towards. He's pumped up! So are we. Bleachers here we come!!
Life with a teenage boy is never boring, that's for sure.

Chad's Decision

Jeni watching baseball

Man, he's getting so tall!

And so handsome!!


He's a great catcher!

Chad has played baseball since he was 5 years old. Every single spring our family is at the baseball park watching him play and cheering him on. He caught on to baseball immediately. In Tee Ball when the other kids were dorking around and chasing each other in the dug out and sitting in the outfield picking flowers - he's in the game. All his concentration and attention are focused on the game. He stands and cheers his teammates from the dug out, he knows when it's his turn to bat - no one has to tell him to get on deck, he knows the score at all times. He's a quintessential team player. He's very competitive, and always wants to BE the best - but he's just as happy when his teammates shine. I love that about him.

Well, as I said in an earlier post, he's struggling in school for the first time in his life. English and French were kicking his butt. He was trying, but it just wasn't enough. He didn't pass English - but French is another story. At this writing his french teacher - Mrs. Bazanele - is still working with him to get enough points to at least pass the class. He appreciates that and so do we. However, Chad has made the very hard decision to sit out baseball this season. I know he's struggled with this - he LOVES baseball. Jeff and I are devastated. His sister, Jeni and her husband Dan, are devastated. There are not words to describe how much we look forward to him playing baseball - it's just the best. But as he told me when he was explaining his decision to me - "Mom, I was sick to my stomach when I saw those grades on my report card. I don't EVER want to feel that way again about grades. I need to get my grade point average back up to where it should and could be." Wow - I can't argue with that. He's right - and I am SO intensely proud of him for caring that much about school and his future.

Still, it leaves me wondering - What in the world am I going to do this spring without baseball??

Who's the Grandma of an 11 year old?? Not me!!

Nope, no way. I cannot be the grandma of an 11 year old - yes, I said an E L E V E N year old! I think it was yesterday that I was waiting patiently at the hospital for my daughter to give birth. It was such a weird set of emotions taking place in me that day. Excitement (I LOVE babies), worry (can Jeni DO this?), happiness (Like I said, I LOVE babies), concern (have I taught Jeni enough that she'll be a good mother?), frustration (where are those nurses with the ice chips??), sadness (she was only 16). Ryleigh Lyn entered the world on February 23, 1998 at 6:36pm. She was beautiful from the beginning. The most perfect little baby. I was hooked!

Through the years Ryleigh and I have formed this wonderful little bond. We get each other. She thinks I'm the best there is and I feel the exact same about her. I am so proud of her and the young lady that she is and will be. Our family was so blessed to have her come into our lives at the exact moment that she did. So, Happy Birthday Bug! I love you so much!!

Oh and by the way - Jeni can do this, I did teach her enough to be a good mother and I love her so much, too. Proud doesn't begin to cover it.

Keep your fingers crossed...

So we have someone coming to look at the house in the morning (February 23). I've been cleaning and straightening and organizing and fussing until I just don't think I can do much more. It's just a crap shoot really. It's a waiting game, this selling your house business sucks. It all ties into the limbo thing - waiting, being patient. Not my strong points - that's probably why I'm experiencing them all right now. Someone knows I need more practice. So, I'll be patient, I'll wait - but all the while - I'll have my fingers crossed. A little good luck never hurt anyone, right?