Celebrating Milestones & Matriarchs

Okay, so I'm a little behind in posting all of our family activities for the month of October...it's no surprise though, this month was crazy! hahaha Good crazy.

Back on October 18th and 19th Cary, McKinley and I were privileged to be invited to FOUR parties that weekend! WOW! We had to decline one, but made it to everything else.

The first was an engagement party for my dear friend Jodi and her fiance Dave. We are thrilled for the two of them and wish them all the happiness in the world as they plan the biggest day of their lives. We had a nice time at their engagement party and got to meet Dave's parents for the first time. Lots of fun!

From there, we headed near Btown where we celebrated Grandma V's 80th! I can't believe she's 80 now. All of her children (SEVEN!) hosted a surprise sock hop in her honor, and what a turn out! Almost every child, grandchild and great grandchild of hers was there, not to mention some other family and friends. It was quite the to-do.

And how cute are my in-laws? They were cutting a rug, man! Love it.

McKinley had such a wonderful time mixing it up with many of his cousins. It does my heart good to see such a bond for my son. He really loved everyone but had the best time squealing and screaming (for fun!) with cousins Julie and Melissa, and being passed around from John to Austin, whom he seriously cuddled with the whole time.

When the party was over we crashed at Grandma & Grandpa's house where McKinley continued the party. He said Mommy AND Daddy for the first time that evening! Oh my gosh, how exciting! And so cute!

The next day we got ready to celebrate Mamaw's 91st bday. My Mother-in-law hosted a small gathering to honor her big day with lunch, cake and ice cream. Mamaw really enjoys being around her great-grandsons, she gets a real kick out of them. McKinley has always been so drawn to her when she speaks. There's just something about her that he actually stops and listens and watches her every move. It's so touching.

Cousin Shelly flew in from Texas for the big occasion, it was nice to spend some time with her!!!

Sunday evening, as we headed home, we were all so tired but we had a GREAT time with everyone!

Lynn

Mid-week adventures

We were again O.O.T. (out-of-town) for Cary's monthly meetings in Indy last week. I'm so glad we were once again able to go with him because we all had so much fun. While Cary attended his meetings on Wednesday, McKinley and I headed to the Childrens' Museum. Let me tell you how much fun our boy had on his visit...o.m.g.!!!

The short drive from our hotel to the museum spawned a well-deserved nap which lasted long enough that I got to walk around and take in a few things for myself while McKinley continued his nap in the stroller. I particularly enjoyed the exhibit they have about how a child can change the world and some inspirational children who have done so. My favorite featured 'child' was Ryan White. I'd forgotten that he was from Cicero (where we went on the pumpkin train!) but I never forgot what an inspiration he was to me and to many other children of my generation who were just learning about H.I.V. and the AIDS virus. His story is heartwrenching, to say the least, but the beautiful way the Museum has dedicated this exhibit to him and his life is really special. I took some pictures of the replication of his bedroom. I had the exact same Debbi Gibson poster - lol, how late 80's is that? There were so many other things that I recognized from his 'room' and I think that may have struck me the most. It kind of showed what a normal kid he really was, if you only look beyond his diagnosis. What a touching exhibit and a thoughtful look back in time.

While McKinley napped, I even took a picture of him by the actual Batmobile (used in the newest Batman movie). It didn't take long to rouse him though, soon after that picture he was up and at 'em...that was my cue to head to the Museum's Playscape - which was pretty darned incredible.

I could not believe the great amount of activities the Museum had for children McKinley's age. The first thing McKinley and I saw when we walked into the Playscape was the massive water table, so I parked the stroller and we headed over to suit up in a water proof smock. He immediately started screaming with delight (which turned every head in the joint because of his volume) and splashed and played with all the water toys he could round up. A little boy about the same age came over and stood beside McKinley. It gave my heart a little leap when our son saw that the little boy had no water toy yet and he so willingly offered his own prized yellow shovel he'd sought out so that the little boy could play too. I didn't even suggest that he share, he totally did that on his own! The boys shared the shovel (much to the surprise of me and the other little boy's Mommy), dipping it in the water then passing back to the other. It was seriously very cute.

I finally got McKinley out of the water table-though he certainly did scream when I did so, but I wanted him to check out all the other stuff. So, we headed to the 'Exploration Path' which consisted of a fully padded, maze-like path with different heights, textures and colors for children 2 and under to explore. There was even a 'mountain', a bridge and a castle. Let's just say I put McKinley in and he was OFF! Which prompted my very first encounter with a Mom-Bully. No more did I place McKinley in the path then I got a, 'Whoa, Whoa, Whoa' from a SAHM of triplets who looked like she'd just come in from either the prairie or mountain climbing (SO w.n.t.w.). Anyway, she must've thought she was the Museum's curator because she made it more than obvious that my son was not welcome to play with her triplets and her friend's twins. She was all, 'Look out kids, he's a BIG BOY' - like he's the stay-puff marshmallow man of babies. I said, 'no he's not. He's in the 75th percentile, thank you and he is only 15 months'. She said, 'Oh. So are mine and they're small." REALLY? Ya think? You had THREE in your belly, I had ONE. Duh. Here's your sign...

Anyway, I promptly removed McKinley (which he totally bawled about, sorry, buddy...Mommy had to make her point) and made a snide comment as I walked away - which I won't share, but it was appropriate even with children around.

Mind you...this holier-than-thou Mom-Bully was too good to even park her three-car WAGON in the stroller parking lot and she wants to get all over ME about putting my 'BIG BOY' in the Exploration Path?

Some people.

Sure to not let this ruin my son's big day with his Mommy, I called my Mommy, vented and moved on to the awesome sand box. McKinley again took to a shovel and thought it was wonderful to fling sand. We played there for quite a while, then when Mom-Bully and friend moved their litters to the water table I took McKinley back to the path where he had the entire thing to himself and squealed with delight about it too.

Just to be catty...I overheard Mom-Bully complaining to her friend that none of her litter would go over the bridge or go through the castle. McKinley went through the castle a minimum of 10 times, and the bridge...well, he crossed it and then some. lol That's my boy!

Just before the end of the Museum's day, McKinley and I headed out of the Playscape and up to the beautiful antique carousel. I hadn't seen it in YEARS. We watched it go round and round for a while, I was hoping to get McKinley used to the sounds and movements before sticking him on it...last time we encountered a merry-go-round he was not pleased. So, finally I plopped in our dollars and picked a big giraffe (that did NOT move), strapped McKinley in and off we went! He talked and gabbed the whole time, I'm so happy he enjoyed it!

The two of us finished off our trip with a big sippy cup of milk and a giant iced tea and we picked up a very yummy cookie for Daddy since he couldn't be with us. McKinley fell asleep before I exited the parking garage...dreaming of sand and water and big painted giraffes, I'm sure!

I cannot wait until next time we visit. It made me feel like a kid again too!

Lynn

October means weddings and pumpkins!

We had another exciting October weekend, this one included a very sweet wedding reception and a ride on the Pumpkin Train. Saturday afternoon, Cary, McKinley & I picked up Mom and headed to Indianapolis for Valarie & Tony's wedding reception. We were unable to make it to their wedding because of work issues, but we had a lovely time at the reception.
Valarie is the sister of Vanessa, McKinley's Godmother. As I have gotten to know Valarie over the last 4 1/2 years I've found she is just as sweet as her older sister. Matter of fact, the entire family always makes us feel so very welcome in the many events we have shared together.

Cary and I were honored to be invited to share in the wedding festivities and to be witness to the couple's very special day. It was obvious that Tony & Valarie were smitten and totally caught up in the emotion behind the day. We had a wonderful time together - just the two of us! - and it was so nice to spend a little time with Vanessa & Aaron too!














McKinley and his Nonna had a lovely time waiting FOREVER for a table at The Cheesecake Factory, but they did see Marvin Harrison (GO COLTS!) at Sak's. Afterward, the two hunkered down in the hotel and McKinley was quickly off to dreamland after to prepare for his busy pumpkin picking.
The next day it was off to the Indiana Transportation Museum for their annual Pumpkin Train. This was our first time and definitely something we all enjoyed so much we plan to continue this family themed event.
Before the train ride we got to jump on one of the museum's trains, complete with a Mail Car from the early 1920's. I know that was very cool for Cary to see how it was done in his Grandfather's Day. It was also pretty cool for Mom and I to have an opportunity to take in what had no doubt been a part of my Grandpa's long-time job as a 'railroader'.
We soon boarded the passenger train and took a nap-inducing half hour ride to Cicero, Indiana. We got off at the local FFA chapter's pumpkin patch, complete with petting zoo, face painting stations and straw maze. McKinley really enjoyed the petting zoo and when he met the little pig he said, "Hi, Goo!!!". (Note: Goo is the nickname of our cat Gunther Goo and the first name McKinley learned after Mama and Dadda. Gunther thanks us every chance he gets for constantly being heckled by his little brother who shouts, "GOO! Hi, GOO!" He loves it...we know it)
McKinley also got to meet two beautiful rabbits a bunch of chickens, a calf and some ducks! He was pretty taken by the pig - it made him giggle hysterically - but he really enjoyed the ducks too...whom also got the "Hi, Goo!!!" treatment. I think the chickens and the calf left him a bit speechless.
After the petting zoo it was off to the face painting station where we opted for the I.U. emblem on McKinley's arm. What? You thought we'd ask for Purdue instead? hahahaha
Afterward we went pumpkin picking! We picked out one teeny-tiny pumpkin perfect for McKinley and two big, beautiful pumpkins to go along with the little guy. I was pretty darned impressed with this pumpkin patch. These kids had obviously worked very hard on their annual fundraiser and I was glad to support them. It was their jobs to bring out their own animals for each scheduled pumpkin train visit, they were also solely responsible for this big patch of land dedicated to the pumpkins. They ran the entire thing, pumpkin painting, face painting, cashier stations and all! Each child who arrived received a balloon from the FFA members and someone even created this adorable little house that was PERFECT for picture taking.
Not only was the day really nostalgic with the museum and passenger train ride, it turned out to be a beautiful, warm day in the Indiana countryside. We all really enjoyed ourselves and can't wait to go back next year. Nonna gave McKinley a special "Pumpkin Train" t-shirt as a reminder of our fun adventure, but I'd say it's something none of us will soon forget.

Lynn

Four years of wedded bliss

Happy Anniversary to us!

I can't believe we have been married four years already, where has the time gone? It seems like yesterday I was standing there at the front of the church, with my Dad, waiting to walk down the aisle to my groom.

The face of our family has changed pretty drastically since that day - for better and for worse, just as our vows promised. I look at the Wedding Album and wonder why McKinley isn't pictured - seems like he's always been here! Almost like we didn't know a life without him. I also look at the pictures and desperately miss my father in my present life - he would really love his grandson and would, I hope, be pleased with where we 'are' in life. He was one of the biggest fans of Cary's and my relationship, always supportive and thankful for what we have found together.

No matter what has happened or has yet to, Cary and I both know that we grow together more and more everyday. We have built a life that fits us and works for us, and have an incredible family started - all our own. Each passing day is one of God's most precious reminders that life is short, but we make it sweet by being together.

It's hard to comprehend all of the myriad of things that have gone on in the four short years that we have been married! It has been a whirlwind and it has been pretty darn wonderful. Looking back, there are a few things I would have changed about our wedding day...but I would not change the groom! There is NO DOUBT about that! Hee hee hee!

Happy Anniversary, Cary!

Love,
Lynn

A weekend of outings

It's October...which, for us spells c.r.a.z.y.b.u.s.y.

The whole month usually turns out to be a big blur, but it's so much fun and so gorgeous around here at that time that we are always sure to take in some of the beauty in nature and breathe some fresh air.

The weekend kicked off the month of running with our city's annual Komen Race for the Cure. Our sorority chapter has now hosted a team for this event every year for TEN YEARS! I'm so proud of our little team!

This was McKinley's second Race, my ump-teenth. Up until I lost Dad I was heavily involved in all things Komen. I served as a board member and the chair of the Education Committee, a vital and active part of the Komen brand. I loved the challenge of meeting the members of our community, meeting deadlines and attending the inspiring trainings. How lucky I was to have served such a wonderfully interesting role in my community in my early and mid-twenties. It's always so easy to get caught up in the meaning and the true celebration of the day. I've got goosebumps just typing about it!

This year, like every year, there is a parade of survivors and every man, woman, child and dog on that campus stands at attention, cheering and clapping. I knew so many faces from that parade, as did Mom. There was a special one missing this year, but she is in a better place than we are now. Even more chilling, I knew the youngest survivor of this year's parade! She's a year younger than me and someone I have been friends with since high school. I'm so happy she's doing well now. What a tough road. Much respect for all of them...much.

The morning was brisk, so Mom, McKinley and I bundled up - big time. I love that kind of weather where you layer and layer and shed those layers throughout the day as the sun warms you all over! Gosh, I love fall.

I made McKinley a very special t-shirt of his very own since no one has come up with the idea to add baby and toddler size shirts to the registration sheet. McKinley's shirt has a sweet hot pink-ish breast cancer ribbon on the front, and in blue boy-ish font above the ribbon says, 'Real Men Wear Pink'.

LOVE IT! I was so proud. Now, I do realize that someday he may get really irritated with me about that one...but it's all for the cause!

We had a wonderful day, but boy were we tired at the end...you can tell because McKinley really wanted his pacifier. He only wants it when he's really tired. Nuff said.

On Sunday, we again took advantage of this gorgeous weather. Cary, McKinley and I headed West to a small town about an hour away, the home of a long-standing tourist destination called Rockome Gardens. We had an awesome Amish-style home cooked buffet in the Gardens' restaurant, then went out into the actual park where we made our first stop to take a picture that has certainly become a tradition within our families. It's the picture in the GIANT rocking chair. When my family took me they took the exact same picture. When Cary's family took him, they took the exact same picture. Now, McKinley has one of his very own and I hope someday my grandchildren will have the opportunity to have that same picture. I should frame all three of us in the giant rocker.
We walked through the lovely gardens (forgot to take pics...duh!). The garden 'walls' were sculpted with rock in various shapes and sizes, they also feature a sunken garden and a secret garden, that made me just want to sit inside it's concrete walls for hours. It was beautiful.

After that, we toured main street of the 'ole town'. It was like stepping back in time. There was a blacksmith, a weaver, a horse barn (where Cary played a game of tic-tac-toe with a CHICKEN...no joke), a bakery, an old school house and a petting zoo. I loved the massive amounts of red ladybugs that were EVERYWHERE. They were seriously swarming, it was beautiful to see them float through the air.

McKinley thought the goats were pretty dang funny. Every time they would call out or run over to the food we had for them, he would let out this loud belly laugh! So funny!

At the end of the day we shared some yummy ice cream in the old ice cream parlor and went for a 'train' ride. Unfortunately, the train was 'robbed' on our way back to the Gardens and the 'robbers' took three prisoners and one lady's handbag. Ha ha ha. All in good fun. When the robbers came onto our car, McKinley was really just looking them over like, 'Um, what do you think YOU'RE doing?' He was quite the observer.

Finally, we packed it in and headed home.

We had such a fun weekend!

Yay for road trips!

Lynn

Visits

Last Sunday we made another trip to Bloomington to visit Grandma & Grandpa. McKinley even got to see Mamaw, Aunt Lori & Uncle Michael and his big cousins.

Cary took the opportunity to play some golf with his Dad and brother on one of their favorite courses, while McKinley and I had some fun of our own with Grandma. It was such a nice day again! We really are loving this Indian Summer...too bad I think it's almost gone.

All three boys had so much fun playing on the circle drive. McKinley's big cousins pushed him around on his firetruck while he squealed with delight. Logan and Mason played some basketball and rode around on their scooters, and everybody played with the sidewalk chalk. Good times! -Lynn

The outdoorsey type

I can't believe I'm just now posting this...our super-fun trip was almost two weeks ago! But seeing as how we have been crazy busy, well...I guess it shouldn't surprise me.

On Sunday (Sept. 21st), Cary and I grabbed the boy and a bunch of stuff (jogging stroller, cooler, sneakers, sunscreen & bug spray) and headed out to McCormick's Creek State Park about 45 minutes from home. This RARE picture of the three of us, not taken self-portrait style shows a 'glowy' Mommy & Daddy with a sleepy baby boy in a sling. This was at the END of the day, incase you couldn't guess. hahaha Good times!

On the way, we stopped at a great farmstand and got some Indiana peaches and some GORGEOUS green tomatoes - guess what we had for dinner? McKinley's favorite was the little tiny banana the owner gave him, 'just because he was a good boy'. He sunk his chompers into that little bitty banana and it was gone in a flash!

At the big park, we had a lovely picnic lunch ala nearby Subway (didn't want to pack sammies and have them get soggy on the ride), enjoyed an invigorating swing on the sweet little 'old school' play ground (yes, that includes Mommy & Daddy) and even took on a long hike.

We ended the day with a jaunt down to the Park's Falls, which aren't Niagra or anything, but they're pretty nice for the Hoosier State - uh...they were a tad dry. It had been a while since we'd had a good rain.

By the time we were finished we were all exhausted - McKinley especially, he had so many things to see and learn!

It was a nice way to spend the final Sunday of the Summer.

Just to update...

McKinley is having a fabulous time in Wee Read every week. He's quite the ham and the socialite. Last week ALL KINDS of girls were FLOCKING to him. Flocking, I tell you! Daddy was so proud! Must have been the singing. My son is already serenading the ladies. Oh lordy.

I'm still in Physical Therapy for 'the neck' from 'the wreck'. I'm seeing some results but still in a fair amount of pain. Here's hoping that goes away someday.

Cary's keeping up with all of our comings and goings like a champ. He's happy to see the fall weather and not melt into a puddle anymore. Maybe he can get in some more great autumn golf!

Lynn

She's BAAAAAACCCCCKKKK...

Look what's in our driveway.

FINALLY!!!!!

Whoo hooooooo!!!!!!

I'm happy to report we're 'moving along' with the idiot's insurance company. It's been a little slow because the Murano took so long to fix, but hopefully now that issue is over things will progress faster. This really did a number on our car (you wouldn't believe the total), but her 'plastic surgery' went well and she's back and better than ever.

I'm still in physical therapy for my neck. The therapist who evaluated me was SHOCKED when she tried to touch my neck and I jumped because my muscles were so tight. I'm really sore and it is uncomfortable to carry McKinley (which seriously ticks me off), but I'm hopeful that this too shall pass.

I'm just so happy to at least have our own safe, sturdy car back at home. I think we all feel less out of sorts and can get back to normal.

In the meantime, we're all three nursing 'colds' again. Yuck, it's been a bad year for that. I attribute part of that to the weather and the early-June floods that wreaked havoc on Indiana.

McKinley has a busy week in store. Wednesday he will attend his very first Wee Read at our library. I can hardly wait! We're meeting some friends there too (Mommy Heather and Van - pictures to follow soon) and I'm sure all four of us will make many new baby and mommy friends. The class is structured for babies ages 0 to 2, so McKinley will have a ball interacting with these children, no doubt!

Updates and fun pics to come!

Lynn

A good way to end a great summer

In honor of the unofficial end to summer (Labor Day Weekend), I thought it would be a great time to do the long-standing tradition of the 'What I did over Summer Break' Report.

This is the Vernon Version:

Our summer was filled with lots of excitement, beginning with our first family vacation to Myrtle Beach and my birthday (30!) and ended with a great trip to B-town for Cary's birthday over the holiday weekend.

Myrtle Beach was beautiful and the perfect getaway for our first family vacay. We had so much fun visiting the Biltmore Estate on the way to M.B. and really soaked up the sun for a whole week. Yours truly got a little too much sun...painful. See slide show of vacay here.

My 'Big Three-Oh' was soon to follow, and was a total blast. Cary and my Mom threw me a wonderful surprise party - I was SHOCKED - and had a great time, even if they did make me wear goofy glasses and a GIANT party hat (think dunce cap). lol

We celebrated the fourth of July together and the following night Cary and I had a great date to see a long-time fave, John Mayer. Good times!

After that it was time to get everything ready for another birthday...McKinley's FIRST! We had a lot of fun with that day and were so honored to have so many wonderful friends and family members there to share such a special day with.

I guess the next 'big event' during our summer was my wreck...but I promised that this post would be happy and upbeat, so that's all I'm gonna say about that!

In the beginning of August, McKinley attended his very first wedding and reception. My old buddy from...gosh, can it be ELEMENTARY SCHOOL? Yep...we go back pretty far...Jim and his lovely bride Caitlin got married. It was such a beautiful day for them and we were honored to have been guests at such a special occasion. I think McKinley's favorite thing about the whole day was taking a carriage ride around the Circle in downtown Indy and the horse he met. He loved it!

After McKinley was fast asleep, thanks to my Mom, Cary and I headed back to reception for some alone time. It was great catching up with Jim and Mike and their families. We had a great time. After the reception ended, we strolled around downtown Indy, hand in hand for a while. It was a nice feeling to be out on our own and relaxed together. We stopped off at a restaurant/brewery and had a little snack and drink (I had the Godiva Martini...YUM!!!), then headed back to the hotel for the night. Though it wasn't a planned date, it was so nice to be together in such a beautiful area of the city. I love being impromtu with Cary!!!

So, the summer 'ended', unofficially this weekend with the Labor Day Holiday, and Cary's birthday. Sunday we picked up Mom and headed to B-town for some R&R, tacos and cake. We had so much fun playing around all day, but my favorite part was watching Logan and Mason 'chase' McKinley through Grandma and Grandpa's house. It was SO CUTE! Check out the video-listen to the screams of delight! Love it! Ever seen anything cuter? Didn't think so...

(You can turn the music down or off at the bottom of the page to better hear the silliness!!!)

Those were most of the big things, but we also had so much fun watching McKinley go from baby to boy (and trust me, he's all boy, folks! hahaha). He's made some big changes over the summer. His vocabulary has grown, he's become VERY opinionated (No, really???!!!), 'graduated' to one nap a day, table foods and whole milk (organic, of course) in a BPA-free sippy cup. We've also had so much fun making many trips to visit family in B-town, going to the park, finger painting, coloring with crayons and playing in our backyard 'waterpark'.

Our boy sure is a ball of energy and loads of fun. Everyday is new and exciting and full of a new word, sound or trick. He has made it an extra fun summer for us.

We are sad to see the summer go, but anxious for a gorgeous and event filled fall. We've already got some fun things to look forward to for McKinley (Wee Read, Kindermusik, The Pumpkin Train), and for ourselves (anniversary #4!!!!, Zumba for me, Golf tourneys for Cary, and a special getaway).

Hope everyone had as great of a summer as we did!

Lynn

And MORE wreck news

I thought FOR SURE my next post would be a really happy one. Wrong.
Just a brief update:
*The Idiot has yet to respond to the mail or messages from his insurance company. This means they are going ahead with the proceedings by using the police report, my statement and the witness statement (thankfully, she saw the light colors). This could potentially be a good thing...then again, it might go the other way...and knowing my luck, well, you get the drift.
*The dealership called. Guess what?! They found MORE stuff wrong with the Murano. This means a higher price tag and more time. Thank goodness for insurance, huh? We won't see the car until AT LEAST Sept. 9th, if not later. That's well over a month in a rental...that'll be a fun bill to send to the Idiot's insurance company!
*Diagnosis: Whiplash. Classic case. Will continue to get worse if it is not addressed immediately...per my doctor. This means physical therapy THREE times a week for at least a month.
Um...I just really want one brief opportunity to tell 'the Idiot' what his stupidity has done to turn our lives upside down. Hello?! I'm a SAHM (stay-at-home-Mom), WHO is going to watch McKinley so I can go to P.T. AND Zumba, AND make all these calls to various departments of my car insurance company, AND just deal with our daily lives? It won't be him! I know, I know...at least I'm alive. I get it. But I'm so over all the 'stuff' that has come with this wreck.
I PROMISE the next post will be fun.
I promise.

A trying week

Lately, it seems that while we have so very much to be thankful for, we also have a lot to carry around right now too. It's been a difficult week, emotionally and we are looking forward to a better time of things...very, very soon.

We got a call from my mother-in-law that Cary's Grandmother (Mamaw) had suffered a heart attack. Though it was mild, she is ninety years old and the doctors were being very careful with her situation. She remained in the hospital for a few days, was released to her retirement community and is under a greater amount of care. She will be in physical therapy now because the heart attack made her very weak and she was unable to walk. When we went to see her yesterday, two of her grandsons made her get up and walk! Go Cary and Jimmy! She did so well and I think she really liked having those strapping young men at her side. Who wouldn't, right?!
Anyway, we are all very worried for Mamaw , she is in our prayers.

The same morning, Cary called me to tell me that LeRoi Moore died unexpectedly. LeRoi was the AWESOME saxophonist from Dave Matthews Band. If you know Cary and Lynn, you know that the Dave Matthews Band, or DMB are a huge part of our relationship. On our first date, I got in Cary's SUV and heard DMB playing! I knew we were good to go then. lol
Though it's not like we know LeRoi personally, we appreciated his talent and his contribution to the band just the same. So, we were pretty shocked.
LeRoi was involved in an ATV accident back in June (link to story here) and had many complications. Unfortunately, it ended his life and broke many hearts.

Then we learned that a friend from my childhood had lost his sister - whom I also knew from all those years ago. The story is so sad. This young woman was pregnant and died from complications of Pulmonary Hypertension. This disease is more common than most think, though each case is different and rare, it is actually very common in pregnant women.

I don't talk about it much, because most of the time people just 'don't know what to say' or whatever, but this awful disease is what I lost my Dad to nearly three years ago. It is a devastating disease, though I have never really met a disease that isn't...maybe that's why they named them DISEASES. Not a pleasant word. At any rate, this disease is complicated, can easily and commonly be misdiagnosed (as in my Dad's case) and is most certainly fatal if not found and treated in a timely fashion - oh, and it's also hereditary.

Later that morning, while walking into my Zumba class my Mom spotted one of my Dad's best friends in the store beside the studio. I hadn't seen him since the memorial service I held for Dad. Mom called him over and told him she had 'something to show him'. He LITERALLY RAN to the car and said he knew exactly what she wanted to show him. He opened up the door and met McKinley. He couldn't stay away, he was so excited to meet our boy! He said that he always wished that my Dad could have held on long enough for 'this' because there's nothing like it (referring to beinga Grandparent).
Me too...

So hearing all this really brought what I've been feeling since the wreck to the forefront. While I didn't exactly see my life flash before my eyes or anything...it was an EYE-OPENING experience for me. I seem to have those a lot - lol. It's like God's little reminder to continue to strive to be the best person I can be and love and appreciate my family and those who are still close to me.

Even more good news (sense the sarcasm) regarding the wreck...the Idiot has NEVER even bothered to call his insurance company back to give them his statement about the wreck. That was August 5th...come on! Oh, and they've added an additional $1000 in damages to the car and it will be the 2nd week of September before we see it again. And one last thing...evidently I have whiplash or something too. Our insurance company is making me see our family doc next week so I can be further evaluated. That stiff neck never went away, so whatever...blah. I'm ready for all of this to be over.

I'm sure my next post will be more positive...it has to be!
lol
Lynn
aka Debbie Downer
;-)

Wreck Update

Well...there's good news and bad news.
Thankfully, our car is NOT totalled. The adjuster said the car had a great deal of damage, but looked more expensive to fix than it was. He also said that I was very, very lucky. Yep. You're not kidding.
The bad news...the idiot's lying game is costing us a lot more time than it would have taken if he had chosen the 'right' way and told the truth. Thanks to his indiscretion we are now looking at MONTHS before his insurance comes through. Thank you, Idiot.
Oh...and though the car is NOT totalled, it will take a month to fix. Seriously. Something about Nissans and how technologically advanced they are takes twice as long to fix after an accident. Oh well, it's fixable! Yahoo!
In the meantime we've been given a really stinky (ala cigarette smoke) little SUV. I'm hoping we can get out of it and move on to a much more lung-friendly vehicle.
Beggars can't be choosers.
More updates to come!
Lynn

Good Day to Count Blessings

This is a long story, but I needed to get this out. Tuesday was a pretty trying day for all of us. And unfortunately it looks like we're going to be dealing with this issue for a while. On my way home from Zumba class on Tuesday afternoon, I was involved in a very scary crash.
THANK GOD, I was by myself - which as a SAHM (Stay-at-home-Mom) is very unusual. Normally, I would ALWAYS have McKinley with me, if not Cary and/or my Mom too. Matter of fact, I almost asked Mom to watch McKinley AT my class...but I didn't. They stayed safe, at home. Thank God.
I was heading home, eastbound on Ohio Street (if you're from T.H. or familiar you'll know where I'm talking about - it's a very busy 'main' street). I was the lead car among the little pack on the 3 lane one way street and had the green light at the intersection of 13th and Ohio Streets - and it had been green for a LONG time.
As I neared the intersection, out of the corner of my right eye I noticed this truck which had come out of no where, heading northbound and was traveling at a high rate of speed...through the red light. In an instant I slammed on the brakes, screamed (trust me...I screamed. My throat still hurts), and tried desperately to avoid the car some way, somehow. Suffice to say I didn't, as the pictures below reveal.
Everything was a two and a half hour blur then. I'm okay, just scared, angry at the idiot driving the truck (and trust me folks, he was an idiot), startled and so very, very thankful all in one. What a wreck - oh, no pun intended. The ambulance arrived first while 'the idiot' (as I will forever refer to him) began claiming his leg was broken as he suddenly developed a limp - but was STILL ABLE TO MANEUVER on said broken leg. The EMT RUSHED him into the ambulance, closed the doors as if to leave, then suddenly the doors opened and the idiot appeared, released from his broken leg by the EMT, who I'm certain pulled away and laughed. Oh but wait! Along with the limp, the idiot suddenly realizes an amazing amount of back pain and grasps his back in a dramatic fashion, glares at me and says, 'Oh, my back HURTS'. Gee whiz, he sure was in a hurry to get from his truck to my car as he sprinted to check on my condition, ask if I was okay, beg forgiveness and admit fault for flying through an already red light. Where did THIS guy learn how to ACT?
It gets better.
The police arrive, thankfully I'm familiar with both of the officers working the scene. NOT familiar as in having dealt with them before, as I'm proud to say that I actually sat inside a police car for the very first time in my life yesterday afternoon...to give my statement...in the front seat. Call me vanilla. Ha ha.
So, the cops get the idiot's statement first, which -- SHOCKER -- changes from his original profession of guilt to utter blame and fault laid on yours truly. He began to get belligerent and angrier by the second and actually came forward, arms splayed as if to attack, asking, 'WHY THE F*** DID YOU TURN INTO ME?' All I said was, 'Excuse me?' Thinking back on it, I wish I'd been able to find my inner backbone, for I would have certainly given the idiot a piece of my Murano-wrecking mind. One officer immediately jumped forward and walked the idiot back to his car, warning him to stay there until he said he could move. Twice more he approached me again during the LONG wait for this afternoon to be over . I was actually scared.
Finally, after many frantic phone calls to Cary (who beat it to the scene as fast as his ride would carry him), my Mom, my friend Sara S., and a slew of other friends who I tried to reach to ask for a ride home (good timing, huh? Middle of the workday), I was released to leave..sans the family car. The Murano was towed away, while the idiot's truck was drivable. Hmmm...must be nice to be the one to have caused the whole dang thing in a great act of stupidity and then to just drive away, like la-dee-dah, all the while laying blame on someone else.
I'm happy to report that the idiot has met his match in the form of a witness. She tells a very similar tale to me - only from the angle of pedestrian about to cross the street from where the idiot came barrelling. She stated that my light did not even turn yellow until after the traffic behind me got through the crash site. Amazing how that all works out, huh? Someone else to be grateful for.
So, I got home, FINALLY. I am so grateful for Sarah, Mary and Ezra (see them in McKinley's b-day slide show!). They stopped everything they were doing and came to rescue me and everything I had to schlep home from the scene (car seat, stroller, McKinley toys, loads of paperwork, etc). I truly, truly appreciate the help. Cary and I both do.
So, here I am today, amid many phone calls to wrecker services, insurance companies, THPD, Babies R Us (for a new car seat...), and our Nissan body shop and I can't seem to get two very, very intense emotions out of my head: Unbelievable gratitude to God and my guardian angels - lead g.a. no doubt being my Dad - for keeping me safe (and I still can't quite figure out how) and for NOT having any of my family with me. And also absolute, red hot anger toward the idiot for treating a potentially deadly piece of metal like a freaking toy, disregarding common law and thus completely complicating many lives in tow.
All I know is that I am so very grateful for actually being alive to feel this anger and gratitude. Had I been one second sooner, my survival and any additional passengers would most certainly have been the question of the day.
Now we 'WAIT'. Not something I'm good at, but I have to do it. The rental will arrive on Friday (thanks to the idiot have 'questionable' car insurance, we have had to wait to move on everything and therefore having no option of availability), hopefully the new car seat will arrive by Saturday so that we may all attend a special wedding...and maybe, just maybe, the Murano won't be totalled. Though, after closer inspection this evening, Cary and I realize that this is a real possibility as the frame is possibly bent.
If I may, I'd like to toot the proverbial horn of Nissan. The impact of the crash was big...you can tell by looking. But I barely felt a thing, seriously. I mean, I heard it and I felt it...but not like I should have. That's some shock absorption.
I hope the next post about this wreck will be a very positive one. I'm not holding my breath, but I AM being as optimistic as I can.
Bottom line, I'm sore, my neck is stiff, I'm tired because I can't sleep, every time I close my eyes I see a truck rushing toward me out of the corner of my eye, Cary's tired and stressed, Mom's tired and stressed, even McKinley had a really rough night sleeping...but we're all okay.
Thank God.

Lynn

Picture taken at Nissan dealership

One of the points of impact

Again taken at dealership, side view of hood damage

View from the scene, taken with camera phone. This view shows damage all the way to passenger door

The idiot's truck. Note: man pictured is NOT the idiot. Don't know who this is. Notice that the truck is strategically placed between the posts of this bank sign. Kind of remotely funny. Damage done to his vehicle in this crash is at the left rear, behind wheel. That's it. I suppose he could have thanked me for pushing him by the HUGH traffic light pole...too much to ask?