Monday, August 17, 2015

Life in Indiana



Our summer was felt a bit short to say the least. With the big move and then school here starting a month earlier than Minni...well it honestly feels like it did not exist. 
However, we made it!!! Not just here to Indiana but through the last few crazy years of our life. 
Time to finally live...
Matt started 8th grade. He made sure to wear his Byron shirt and he made it perfectly clear that he has no desire to ever wear a shirt from his new school. I hope this changes. 
I am no longer needed to get him to and from school...that is the strangest part. 
I drove him out and back since Kindergarten and frankly it was my favorite part of my day. I loved that time and I will really miss it.
I too really miss Byron. I miss familiar faces and hugs from kids I had known as long as Matt. This first year will be hard on us both. There are so many good things here to look forward to though!







For instance! Living so close to family!! We are only a few hours away from Mike's Aunt Marcia and Uncle Joe. We have always really like them!



There is also the Indiana Dunes! What is better than an ocean without sharks or rip tides...

So now we settle in...
And hope for a life more lifey! :-)



Sunday, January 11, 2015

Robots and broken hearts


Right out from under us...that is how it feels. The rug was pulled and we hit the ground. The wind was knocked out of us... and our hearts are weeping. Yet, it still feels so unreal...like we will wake up tomorrow and realize it was just a bad dream. She is gone... all that is left is the unfinished scrabble games I had going with her and those are slowly fading away as the time goes on. The photos from Christmas that I keep trying to look at without crying, and the amazing memories she left us with. She was incredibly fashionable, incredibly witty, very well spoken, and so very full of love. She honestly was pretty close to perfect. She was everything I wish I could be. She made you feel so loved from the minute you met her. We would spend hours on the phone. She told me stories about her life and her love...My favorite was how Clair came out of the bedroom every morning, to her sitting in her chair and he always said "Dot, you are so beautiful" I am so glad that she is getting to hear that again. I would guarantee you that those were his first words to her when they met in Heaven. 
She missed him so much, and yet she was so strong for the rest of us. 
I am honored that she asked me to take this photo for her. I was even more honored when she said she really loved it, a few days later. I wish I would have known that conversation would be our last. 
I love you grandma Dot. Thank you for loving me. I needed  your support the last few years and you made my life so much better. 
I hope you tell Clair that we smoked the boys at cards before you left;-)

The hardest thing so far has been not being able to call and tell you about Matt and his robotics tournament...


You know all those super early mornings that I complained to you about? They paid off!! Matt and his team rocked it at the tournament yesterday. 

 This is his team ...minus one







 Only two can run the robot in each event. The team rotates. This is Matt and his friend James running it for round 2. 

 They ended up going head to head against the other Byron team for the face off. There was a tie and they had them face off again! It was really fun seeing both teams cheer for each other!
Matt's team won overall. They had the highest team of the tournament! They will be heading to the state competition up in the cities. 

Here is a photo you would have loved. I am sad that he lost one of his biggest fans. He was very lucky to get to know you. There are not many kids who have had the chance to know their great grandma the way he got to know you. He will forever remember you and your amazing sense of humor.

I think we all thought you would live forever...