Monday Memories With My Mom

The Adventures of Caring for a Mom With Alzheimer's Disease

 

     This is an unplanned post, but I wanted to let everyone know my mom is still content and safe living in the same skilled nursing community she moved to exactly two years ago!!!  This is a recent picture from a visit with my daughter, Kristin (who just turned 16).  I think of this blog often and have good intentions of posting again more often. We still see signs of her sense of humor, and just when we sometimes think she may have forgotten who I am, she calls me by my name.  Recently, the staff took her out on an adventure to Walmart.  Since she used to work there, I know she must have enjoyed being there again!!  Kristin and I gave her another manicure for Mother's Day.  My brother visits often and is very good about taking my mom outside in the fresh air.  I also enjoy taking her outside this time of year as the grounds are very nice at this senior community.

 

 

 

 

 

     Meanwhile, my daughter has finished her freshman year at Michigan State University, my twins are now 16, my son was just selected as a drum major for our high school's marching band, and his twin sister has decided to rejoin the marching band this summer/fall 2016!!!  All three are working this summer as well.  Life is full and busy!!!

    I will share a few more recent pictures of my mom and hope to check in again soon!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

(Sorta) Silent Sunday

     It's been awhile and life has been busy, but thought I would share that my mom has been doing fairly well and my daughter graduated from high school!!!

Today we visited my mom and Megan put on her cap and gown so I could get this picture. 

     On Wednesday, Megan leaves for Germany for a month and then heads to Michigan State University in the Fall with plans to study Education with a major in German.

     Lots more to blog about, but for now my focus is my family (and sometimes me)...

     Hope all is well with all of you -- I will check in soon!!!     

 

Adding this photo as an afterthought...  Don't really like photos of "me", but grateful that we were able to get this.

 

Throwback Thursday - National Honor Society

     With my oldest daughter, Megan's, high school graduation fast approaching, there have been so many memories made along the way.  In a perfect world, I would blog them all (and I may still try!).  However, one of the many particularly proud moments was when we learned that Megan was being inducted into the National Honor Society.  Don't worry, I do not plan on turning this blog into a gloating fest, but I do want to document these memories (and I am her mom!).   

 

 

     Megan has always been a self-motivated student when it comes to learning.  She did not need constant reminding or motivation...or threats!!  Ha!  She set goals for herself, usually did not even share them with us, and strives for them on her own.  Make no mistake, her loving doting parents have supported her every step of the way, but we did not have to push her.  She pushed herself.  In fact, sometimes I think she may have pushed herself too hard, if you believe in such a thing. 

     As many of you know, schools these days definitely put their students on the fast track and expect much more than they did when I was in high school.  With this comes a lot of pressure.  Many days it is hard to watch your kids juggle so many things.  However, going the extra mile and volunteering in various areas of community service is one of the things I most admire.  Everything from helping run a Bingo game with senior citizens to raking countless bags of leaves for the elderly in the Fall.  These kids just keep going - even when they have to wake up for school by 6 am!!

     As some of you may know, each chapter of the NHS has their own requirements.  However, the minimal requirements are regulated by the National NHS.

 

Per the NHS National Constitution, all chapters' eligibility requirements must include, at minimum:

• attending school in grades 10 through 12
• maintaining a cumulative grade point average of 85 percent, B, 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale), or equivalent standard of excellence
• demonstrating volunteer or service hours
• preserving an excellent record of behavior in and out of school
• participating in leadership roles in school and/or community activities  

     So, it is indeed, an "honor" to be part of the National Honor Society and to see people recognized for their hard work.  The parents and families were invited to the induction ceremony last spring, and it is inspiring to see what this group of young people has accomplished.  Their "futures so bright, they gotta wear shades"!!!! 

 

The Induction Ceremony

A Picture With the Outgoing NHS President and a Friend

Some Friends

Why do they always do this?

This Means We Are Done Taking Pictures...

Love Her!!

  Congratulations Megan!

Another proud parent moment you have given us in your 16 (plus) years!!

 

 

When Your Heart Keeps Going In...One Direction

     Over the summer, and for the past year and a half or more, Megan has lived and breathed for the boy band -- One Direction.  You either know who they are -- or ya don't, but they are all the rage!!!!
     The band recently completed their "5 Seconds of Summer" tour.  Tickets for the one night concert went on sale over a year before the concert date in our part of the country -- and sold out immediately.  I kind of thought it was a "phase" and that the band would come and go out of Megan's life by the time the concert came.  Maybe she would move on to the next band that came along. 
     I was wrong -- instead her "LOVE" for them continued to grow!!  She follows them on every form of social media there is.  Many of our conversations turn into One Direction updates.  "You should see Liam's haircut" or "Guess who's birthday it is today"???  

 

     As the year went on and the July 12th concert date grew closer and closer, I realized just how badly she wanted to see them.  She had it bad and the tickets were long gone.  She never really begged for us to get her tickets or whined about it because she knew it was sold out.  However, she checked many sources for tickets and in the weeks leading up to the concert tried continually to win tickets on the radio.  There were days when our entire family was calling WAMP radio trying to be the right caller number.  Megan actually got close to winning several times.  I was surprised she was even able to get through.  I didn't want to discourage her, but I knew the odds were not the best!
     One interesting twist to all of this -- I used to work for the Owner of The Palace and distribute tickets for all concerts and events as well as monitor our corporate suite and all of those tickets!!  Back in the day, getting tickets to this event would not have been a problem.  Sadly, both my connections and my former boss are gone.  I had a few friends also trying to make connections for some tickets, but in the end those didn't work out either.  Obviously, I was not willing to pay thousands of dollars.
     Meanwhile, Megan's 16th Birthday was looming -- September 12th.  I knew the best thing we could give her for this special birthday was tickets to this concert.  Although we try (really!) not to over indulge our kids, seeing Megan staying up through the night to try to win tickets and continually looking for any means possible to get there finally got to us.  A day or so before the concert, she finally just asked a friend to get her a t-shirt from the concert.  My heart was breaking for her.  She realized her hopes of winning tickets were not to be.
     Before we knew it, it was the night before the concert.  No tickets were won -- the ticket fairy did not come to our door.  I convinced my husband we had to try to find her some tickets. 
     We jumped on the Internet and made some phone calls to people in our area trying to sell their tickets.  After only a few calls, we settled on somebody who said they could meet us with a "paper ticket".  It was rather late a night.  I made my husband handle it.  The whole thing was rather seedy to say the least.  The price for two tickets was way more than face value.  My husband paid cash and basically got two pieces of paper for it!

     We did not know if the seller was honest.  We only new they appeared to be.  They could very well have sold copies of the same paper ticket to several people. The only way to know for sure was to go to the concert and scan the ticket!!!
     My nerves were shot!!! 
     But now the fun part -- we presented a big card with the tickets inside to Megan early the next morning -- the morning of the concert!!  We told her she could invite whomever she wanted although we were pretty sure which friend she would choose.  She was shocked and thrilled and called her friend right away!  (We also had to tell her there was a small chance the tickets would not work -- can you imagine!!!!!?????)
     Our family was to attend a graduation party that night, but instead my husband offered to drive Megan and her friend to the concert so I could attend my BFF's son's graduation.  I was on pins and needles praying we did not get taken for a ride on the tickets.  Thankfully, the tickets were legitimate and the girls had the time of their lives!  Once I got a text saying the girls were at the concert, I could finally relax!!!
     This was her 16th birthday present -- no car, no big party -- just two tickets to see Liam, Harry, Niall, Zayn and Louis!!!!!

     Jacob and Kristin did their best to "fake" their jealousy, but the truth is they are not as big of fans as their big sister.  They were excited for Megan and we had fun at the graduation party!!

 

Sure, they weren't front row seats.  They weren't in the fancy suite.  But she was there.

Thanking your mom on Instagram for an amazing night -- priceless!!!!

 

 

 

 

The Untold Story...

     As September winds down, I find that I am not even close to being in a "groove" yet.  The routine and schedule I was craving in the summer seems to instead be that there is no routine.  No two days are exactly alike.  There are not days to regroup.  The closest we've had in awhile is...TODAY!  Somehow, the stars have aligned and today there is no football practice, no band, no soccer.  I feel better after being sick for three or four days.  And, wouldn't you know it, my husband returned from an out of town business trip today.  Today -- the day that pure chaos is not the norm!!  Of course, he thinks it's been like this all week!!

     Hang on while I take you on my own little merry-go-round of life!!!

Jacob's football season kicked off to a good start (that's Jacob, literally kicking it off!!)

 

  

THE UNTOLD STORY:  I missed the kickoff because I was down the street waiting for Megan to get out of physical therapy.

By the next game, I arrived to see my baby boy (who happens to be 13) sidelined with a tailbone injury...  I could see him struggling to hold back the tears through his helmet. 

Broke my heart. 

He should be able to start practicing again tomorrow.

 

 

In our spare time, we finally picked out a grown up shiny new refrigerator.  As you can see, we were "old school" for a long time.  

     THE UNTOLD STORY:   The morning delivery was scheduled, my husband texted me that he had turned off the water supply so that Lowes could hook up the ice maker.  They quickly found out the water supply was not shut off...

 

and now I know why I had a hard time getting a firm measurement commitment from my husband as to whether the new refrigerator would fit in our allocated space.  It did not.

 

 

But after removing some trim later that evening, he was able to slide the new refrigerator into the space! 

 

Things have been so crazy, I even resorted to doing this since nobody else seemed to have time for almost two weeks.

 

 

THE UNTOLD STORY:  When I cut the grass I had to work around this

which made it a lot more work. 

 

 

 Two days later, I was left with only this and the memories of my kids playing on the play structure.  Our well deserving friends came and picked it up.  (Truth is, I was a little bit sad, but mainly I regretted not waiting a couple more days to cut the grass.)

  

 

Then, should we even talk about the ongoing outdoor deck project.  Tons of progress was made Labor Day weekend and then...slowed considerably. 

 

 

  THE UNTOLD STORY:   Some of these boards are not nailed down...  Progress has slowed considerably, and on one recent stormy night Kristin and I were forced to try to save our gazebo (which was not weighted down like normal) from bending, breaking and blowing away from high winds.)

 

 

On a recent Saturday afternoon, we went right from a soccer game to the mall as it was Megan's only window for homecoming dress shopping.  Kristin came along to help.

THE UNTOLD STORY:  By the end of the night...closing time...this is how we all felt - exhausted, exasperated, hopeless!!!!  (No this is not the dress she ended up with!) 

 Yes -- she does have a dress!!

 

Kristin was trying so hard to be supportive of her sister at the mall...she was patient...

for so many hours

 

 

THE UNTOLD STORY:  By the end of the night even her sister agreed I should buy her those combat boots she wanted so badly.

 

 

We have only had one home football game so far this year and this rainbow appeared right before the game started.

 

THE UNTOLD STORY:  The band may have played harder than the team that night --

and we lost the game :(

     Kristin again tried out for the middle school volleyball team this year.

 

 

THE UNTOLD STORY:  She did not make the team...and, perhaps worse, a part of me was relieved because our schedule is already very full.  I am hoping her getting cut had more to do with the fact that she did not touch a volleyball for a year

(and not my already full schedule). 

 

Kristin went to the neighborhood church fair with a friend.  I ran down the usual rules with her, but apparently I didn't think of one...

 

 

THE UNTOLD STORY:  She came home with SIX goldfish.  I have honestly never been a big fan of portable fairs and rides...this didn't help! 

 

 

 As with many schools around the country, the football players wear

 a shirt and tie to school on game days.

 

 

THE UNTOLD STORY:  I honestly don't know how to tie a necktie (I know, that's terrible) and my husband was out of town.

Jacob quickly learned how on You Tube yesterday morning.

 

 

This week, with my husband gone and me being sick and all, I am grateful that Megan has been getting lots of rides to and from school and extracurricular activities.

  

  

THE UNTOLD STORY:  The rides are from one of her BFFs who just got her driver's license on Monday, and I am trying so hard not to be nervous!!

  

I went to the middle school and high school curriculum nights without my husband this year.

  

 

THE UNTOLD STORY:  I like it better when my husband goes along because then I can chat with the other moms and I don't have to pay attention to finding the classrooms --

I just follow him!!

 

 

We all have uploaded iOS 7 to our iPhones and iPads and I am liking it so far...

 

 

  

THE UNTOLD STORY:  I, for once, secretly wanted to be the first one

in our family to get it, but Kristin beat me!!!

 

If you're still here...thanks for following and playing along with THE UNTOLD STORY!!!