Summer Lovin' Happened So Fast

It is really the SEVENTH of JULY? When I was a kid, this was already the time I started to get sad about returning to school! Where did the summer go? I still have my red wool coat on the back of my desk chair! How did we get to the lazy days of summer when it was just winter? I guess when you have surgery and are in bed for over two months, time sorta gets away from you. It's sad, but I realized the summer was upon me when I realized the Bachelorette has almost made her final choice of boy. And The Office has been over for like ever already. It's true, summer is almost a memory.

Due to this fact, I thought I better share some quick updates of what has been going on in our lives. You know what's been going on with me. I've been sitting, laying down and watching TV. I have not been blogging because I feel like there has been nothing to share. How many posts can I write about the excitement of changing my sheets and reading another Debbie Macomber book? Not many. However, last week I got the green light to drive and to walk short distances. This has opened the world to me once again. I have been driving and taking the girls places and making memories that I have missed making. Even though I am slow and it hurts A LOT, it is so nice to have freedom. It made me EXTRA grateful this past 4th of July. Freedom took on a whole new meaning. I thought a lot about having the ability to walk, speak, drive and enjoy my life in the way I choose. Many women in this world do not have this luxury. I am so thankful for this blessing. My knee is popping and clicking which is not good. I checked in with my therapist today and she said I needed to call my surgeon because it feels like there is a lip of bone that my knee is having to pop over in order to bend. It hurts when it pops into place. I hope this is something that will go away as things settle into place.

Katie and Jessica have had a very busy summer. They went on vacation with Grammie and Papa to the beach. They went last year and it is becoming a tradition. They take Tony the trailer (Papa & Grammie's RV) and they visit Capitola and Santa Cruz. This year, they toured the Monterrey Bay Aquarium. They told me that they wished they could still be on vacation and that they had THE BEST TIME EVER. They have spent loads of time with Grammie and Papa since I've been down. I am so thankful for my parent's willingness, ability and love of all things Katie and Jessica. It helps us so much and brings so much joy to two little girls. Today, the girls learned how to make home made bread with Grandma Meeker. She brought over a loaf tonight with some freezer jam and the girls had three pieces because it was THEIR bread that THEY made. They were so proud. The most excitement they've had in a long time occurred today when they discovered that the ducks that have been living in Grammie and Papa's swimming pool had ducklings in the past two days and seven baby ducks are living in my parents backyard. The girls have been talking non stop about the baby ducks and how we are going to save them and make sure they are okay and feed them and help their mama. They called Papa as soon as they woke up from their naps to check on their duckies and ask what they could do to help. Katie sang softly to them at the window because she said she was "watching over them". I really hope nothing happens to those ducklings.

Mike has been either taking care of us or working. He has found out what being responsible for his job, patients and clinic along with figuring out what is for dinner, buying shoes that fit growing feet, transitioning winter to summer kids clothes, running the house, doing ponytails and braids, reading books, maintaining the cars, the dishes, the mail and bills and not getting any sleep is like. I feel so sorry for Mike right now. He's done so great and has had the best attitude. He hasn't complained or made me feel bad once. I have kept my mouth shut as I have watched the girls exit the house in striped shorts and polka dot shirts and tangled hair and faces with peanut butter and jelly smeared on them. I have said thanks when I ate seven straight nights of take out and cereal for breakfast and lunch. He has been juggling so many things and keeping it all running. We are all alive and even though life is disorganized and messy and sort of out of control, the girls are more in love with their Dad than ever because he has spent so much time with them. They are a lot closer to him and they rely on him in new aspects of their lives. I think it is rare that any parent that works FT gets to take significant time away from work and care for their family. It has made all of us a closer unit. The girls have been needed to help out and they are having so much fun drying dishes, setting the table, putting things away and helping prepare meals. It's amazing how much they've been able to do for themselves. Mike has a natural tendency to "teach" them how to do something where I have a natural tendency to just "do" it for them. It's been good for them to learn some independence. They are proud of themselves and working together to accomplish little things like folding laundry and picking up their room.

We went to a great 3rd of July celebration at Grammie Bea's new Assisted Living place. I have received a lot of email asking how she's doing with her Alzheimer's and moving to the Assisted Living community and out of her home. I'm so pleased to report that she is loving her new apartment and life at The Meadows. The staff are amazingly kind and wonderful. Her apartment is so cute and she is making so many friends and attending so many activities. She loves having her meals provided and visiting with "the girls" at her table. When I ask her how she is doing she says "I cannot lie. I LOVE IT!" This is so wonderful and truly a blessing from God. My Grandma is not a person who accepts change easily or generally looks on the bright side of life. So to see her so giddy and truly happy is such a joyful sigh of relief to all of us that love her.

We spent the 4th at my parents enjoying a BBQ, swimming and fireworks. We had brunch that morning with our friends Jen and Ray. Ray was Mike's best man and Jen was one of my bridesmaids, yet they did not know each other at the time we got married. They met at our wedding but did not date for a few years later. They ended up happily married and have four beautiful kids. It was fun to see them and catch up at my favorite place Boulevard Bistro. Then, I took the girls to Toys R Us for a shopping spree. We hadn't done a girls shopping trip since my surgery so we had so much fun picking out toys for the pool and a few additions to their doll house. We then went summer shoe shopping and joined the rest of my family for the BBQ and swimming/playing with our new pool toys and fireworks. I HATE the sort of fireworks you do yourself. They always make me so nervous and I had such awful experiences as a kid getting scared of fireworks. I like the kind you look up in the sky at that are set off by professionals. We had some of each this year so my stress level was only at about a six out of ten. Not too bad.

We are looking forward to our new niece Gracie-Bell being born this week to Chuck and Amber. We are waiting for her to be born any day. Technically, she could be born any time in the next two weeks but we want her to be born soon. I'm so excited to have a new little baby girl in our family. I wish I could go out and help Amber with the kids and the new baby but given my level of mobility, she would end up with a 4th kid (me) to take care of. We are praying that Gracie arrives safely and healthy.

The rest of the summer will be exciting. Swim lessons, our 2oth class reunion, camping, our 17th wedding anniversary, my birthday, Mike's residency class reunion (beach house in South Carolina-HOLLAH) and preparations for a Meeker boy elk hunting trip. It should be a fun few months. I love having 4 year olds. This is my favorite age so far. They are sweet, easy, loud, fun, creative, curious and they sing and dance everywhere they go. Life is good right now. Hopefully, I can begin to give Mike a little rest as I am able to do more.