Thursday wanderings!

Well it is Thursday, October 18th. My youngest daughter turned 18 yesterday!! I am still finding it hard to believe that she is 18 years old. It seems like just not that long ago I was the one that was 18 years old. I was foot loose and fancy free back than enjoying life. Boy would it slap in the face really fast and wake me up that foot loose and fancy free isn't something that lasts very long. But a good life it has been never the less!! We had cake and had fun last night. She is so much fun to be around because she is so out going. Her big excitment was that she went and bought lottery tickets. In the scratch tickets she was excited because she spent $4 and won $2 back. There is that right of passage in turning 18. I have to say she has been such a great kid! I would have thought she would have been the one that would have given me so much trouble as a teenager. She didn't at all. She followed the rules and never has really been one to want to go out and do the whole party hang out with her friends. She would rather have her friends over to the house and that is fine with me!!

So today Megan is off to the State Cross Country meet in Helena!! They are leaving this afternoon for the 8 hour bus ride up there! She made cupcakes for everyone on the bus to celebrate her birthday!!
Good luck MEGAN!!!

Family and Religion

Wow my family is nuts or at least half of them are. Well my mom finally did it, she tore our family apart totally. My mother became a Jehovah's Witness shortly after I was born. I had known the JW religion my whole life. As I was growing up in a home that was very dysfunctional. My father had two children prior to meeting my mother than he began having an affair with my mother who also had a son from a previous relationship. When they were married I was the oldest, than had two younger sisters. We never got to see my dad's oldest children until I was in high school. Anyway the family was very dysfunctional with my dad drinking all the time, my mother was always spending and fighting with my dad. I grew up thinking we were a very poor family (didn't qualify for free lunch at school because my parents made too much, but we didn't get lunch at all.) I actually had friends whose parents would pack me a lunch when I was in middle school and send it with their daughter.

So my dysfunctional family was being raised as Jehovah's Witnesses. My mom's son was always in trouble. He was into drugs and drinking and would steal all the time. We were always in trouble for things he did. To make the family dynamics worse because he was not my dad's son he was very hard on him. Which made it worse because my mother gave him everything he wanted to make up for it. I never got a long with my mother, truly couldn't stand her from almost as long as I could remember. She was so mean to me (I think because my dad and I spent so much time together). Anyway I remember my mom telling me and my younger sister that if we were baptised than she would buy us each a car. So we both got baptised, only to my surprise I never got a car from my mom. But low and behold my sister did. That was when I was 15. When I was 16, I got in a major fight with my mom and she slapped me and I slapped her. That was the end for me. I left home and moved in with a friend and her family. (they were not JW's.) Needless to say I was disfellowshipped when I was 17 years old. I never really had a relationship with my mother again for a couple years. She was mad that I was living on my own, working evenings and going to high school during the day. I was determined to graduate high school. My mother was not really involved in my life at the time.

I had my daughter Amanda and ended my relationship with her father only to meet Sam that fall when Amanda was 3 months old. Amanda and I moved to live with Sam and we were married and had a daughter. My mother and father didn't come to my wedding even though I had it outside in a park so they couldn't use the excuse it was in a church. My mother didn't know her two granddaughters. She had seen Amanda a little bit before we moved, but hadn't seen Megan at all. It wasn't until I was pregnant with Jerad that I began speaking to my mother again. I had always talked to my dad off and on, but it was difficult to talk to me without having to deal with my mom afterward. So my sisters and mom came to visit shortly after Jerad was born. My mom and I never had a close relationship, but she made it clear during my children's young lives that my sisters children were her favorites. She would always try to push her religion on them. She because very upset when myself and my children were baptised in the catholic church and I was confirmed.

We talk periodically during the years. It wasn't until the separation of my parents that the trouble really began. My mom had called my husband up and asked him to write her statements falsifying information for her divorce saying my dad had given him things that were worth month and she was entitled to half that money. My husband told her where to go and she let loose on him about choosing sides. Needless to say my husband didn't care if she ever came to our house again. We still had contact off and on during the years since.

Now it has been 25 years since I have been disfellowshiped, I have had contact with my mom and my sisters. They have come to visit and my two girls both had flown up to spend the summers with them. Than boom all heck breaks loose the other day. My sister has been in Montana for about 3 weeks now with her kids. They haven't called or anything to come visit or have us drive up to see them. Well on Sunday my mom calls to say they won't be coming to see me at all because I am disfellowshipped and they can't speak to me anymore. So I let her have it. I am so sick of her games. But than she hangs up the phone and calls my oldest daughter and asks her if she wants to get together with them. She doens't call my other children at all. She tells my oldest not to tell me or her siblings about seeing them. What a crock of crap to try to cause trouble in my family like that. I explained to my oldest daughter what my mom had said to me. Needless to say my daughter was pissed because she has been hurt by my mom over the last 20 years. So she calls them back to tell them they won't be seeing her. Than my mom has the nerve to call me up and tell me I am making her grandchildren hate her and that she has a right to see them if she wants.

I just unloaded on her and told her that she will probably never see them again because it was her choice. I told her and my children that their relationship was up to them and I wouldn't stand in the way if they wanted to see their grandma. Needless to say my mother also called my brother and told him that he can't contact me anymore or my mother wounldn't speak to him. Gee he left the church way before me and did way worse things, but because he wasn't baptised it was okay!! That religion is such a cult.

Going digital baby

Okay I am really interested in the hybrid scrapbooking but figured I would try to make an all digital layout. So tonight I was playing around with some free kits on line and just getting in some practice. So here it is my first ever fully digital layout.

THey are off and running

Well the kids started school this past week on Wednesday. It was kind of a weird day for me. Megan started her senior year. It really didn't bother me when Amanda was in her senior year, but with Meg's maybe it is that she is my youngest daughter, but it really bothered me to think I would only have one child left at home next year at this time. Jerad is a sophmore this year.

We went in and got his schedule all arranged and changed around because he can't participate in PE for the first quarter due to his broken humerous (upper arm) and he couldn't do his weights class till at least January, so he just dropped that. He is a little bummed watchiing all his classmates go off to football practice and games this year, but he is resolved to just keep working and safe up money so he can have fun next year!!

Well Megan has her first cross country meet of the season tomorrow morning here at home. I get to help be a timer!! I am looking forward to watching her, amazing how much she loves her sports!

Beartooth Highway

Oh I love it every year when we get in the car and take our weekend drive up over the Beartooth Highway between Red Lodge and Cooke City, Montana. It is always my favorite way into Yellowstone Park because it is the most BEAUTIFUL place in the world. There is nothing better than the drive up the switchbacks of the mountain and crossing over the top and than winding down the other side. I love stopping to look at all the beautiful scenery along the way and the low valleys filled with ice cold water from the moutain snow. We were all disappointed because there was no snow low enough to get to this year for a snowball fight. Last year it was perfect to have a snowball fight. It is amazing how hot (about 90 degrees) it is at the bottom of the hill and by the time you get to the top we are all grabing sweatshirts and blankets to cover up our legs because it is probably in the low 40's up on top.

What a great weekend to just be with nature.

Busy, Busy, Busy

Boy it seems like summer is suppose to be a time of fun and relaxation. At my house lately it seems like it is just busy all the time. This week we drove over to Bismarck and spent the night. Nothing like a great fix at Hobby Lobby. I don't get often, but I sure do some damage when I am there.

I was excited because I also purchased our backpacks for Megan and my trip to Europe next summer. When we started planning this trip to Europe I thought I would just fill my suitcase, plan our all the things we wanted to see and do. The further we got in to the planning the more I started realizing what all it would mean. The last couple weeks I was pretty freaked out realizing that we had to pack all our luggage with us through the streets and on the trains to all the different locations. So I bought our backpacks yesterday that hold 3100 cu inches so we are pretty set there, we will have to pack pretty conservative, but I think it will be okay.

I am still pretty freaked about the language, but I have been working on my books and cd's and I have our travel translations books so I am hoping there will be some great English speaking individuals that will take pitty on us if we really are in a bind.

This weekend we are off to Billings to the Chris Daughtry concert and just having a little fun. I can't wait, it will be great. I also get to hit Michaels!!!!! Till next week.

Thankful

I turned 40 last week and while the age part doesn't bother me, the things it represents bother me more. It it a mark in life, halfway. I would like to think I have accomplished so much in my lifetime. I know I have achieved way more than I ever thought I would in life. I would have never guessed I would be 40 years old, have a masters degree (heck when I graduated from high school even going to college was unthinkable.) I have been married for 18 years to the most wonderful man. I am truly so thankful for him each and every day. Don't get me wrong we have our differences, but every day he does the littlest things that me make love him more each day. We have three great children, they will always be children to me even though they think they are adults. I have experienced life, and truly feel like I have been blessed.

Turning 40 got me to thinking of things I still want to do in life. I want to travel more, explore more, and appreciate life in general more. My daughter and I are planning a trip to Europe next summer for 2 weeks when she graduates from high school. We are both looking forward to it, I actually thought in the beginning that 2 weeks would be so long to be away from home, but as we plan I am thinking we are not going to have near enough time to enjoy the things we both want to see. I never thought my husband would ever travel out of the USA, because he just doesn't like traveling long distances. But the more we plan the more he is realizing the things he is missing out on. He even mentioned he would love to do some traveling to German and Italy with me for our 20th anniversary in a couple years. I can't wait.

Life is good.

The tennis star

Megan and I went to Billings, Montana last weekend so she could play in a tennis tournament. She entered into the 18 year old girls singles and the Women's open catagories. She worked her but off and came out the champion in both events. She was so great. She played some of the best matches ever. I was really impressed with her. I loved just getting to spend three days, sitting in a lawn chair under a shade tree watching her play and reading my book. Just a great weekend. The end of this month we are off to Cody Wyoming so she can play in another tournament.

Sam is on vacation for the next 18 days and really looking forward to having so much time off work. I am still going to work, but take off a couple days when we go to Cody.

Great News -- prayer's answered

Well today marks one month since my son broke his humerous just below his shoulder sliding into home plate during his baseball game. He got to experience a lot of firsts that day. His first real ride in an ambulance (don't think he want's to experience that again, it wasn't as great as they make it look in the movies.) His first real extensive broken bone and his first major injury that required extensive time in the ER. Well Monday was the magical day because we had another doctor appoinment. The great news was there is new bone growth and his arm is healing on his own so there will not be any surgery. When he first broke it and we went to the orthopedic surgeon there were 2 options: 1) do surgery right away, setting the break and putting in rods and plates to hold the bone or 2) just wait it out and see if the bone moves into place setting itself with gravity and new bone will begin to grow healing the break (if after a month they would do the surgery than if this didn't happen.) He said there was about a 20% chance he wouldn't need to do surgery but once he did the surgery his arm would forever be weak and many of the activities he enjoys such as baseball and football would be out. Well we figured since he was only 14 and that he had his whole life ahead of him, we would go with option 2 and pray like crazy that he doesn't need the surgery. Well Monday those prayers were answered. The bone is healing all on his own.... no surgery!! Jerad will still be in his cast for another 8 weeks and than begin physical therapy to regain some strength and motion he has lost with his arm tied to his body but all is good.

I worked on a couple layouts last night for a word challenge "go" and "stop". Tomorrow Megan and I are off for a tennis tournament in Billings!!

Happy June

Boy does it feel like June weather, it is cloudy and rainy here again today. I love the smell of rain, but don't so much like when it comes and stays for a week. It is great though because we are actually at about normal percipitation for the year right now which hasn't happened in years. Maybe not near as many forest fires this year.

Glad things for the day:
It is FRIDAY!
I have a crop tonight (love some time with friends).
Mike has a race this weekend over in Dickinson!!
Hubby changed the water in the Hot Tub last night so it is clean and smells so good!!
A weekend of scrapbooking planned!!
And my kit from Scrap in Style will hopefully be here!!

The window is one I altered to hang on my wall. I love it!! I got a bunch of old windows when they remodeled the fair grounds and wasn't sure what to to with them, I just knew I would use them for the craft show this fall. Anyway this is what I came up with. I made it so I can insert new pictures into the layouts. I am also making layouts in the christmas theme so that I can put them in during the holiday season with pictures of past holidays.

Happy Friday, all.