A tough week

 This week has been one of the toughest weeks as a parent. 

Last Friday, we learned that a close friend of kylans was in a terrible ski accident. We went through a series of up and downs as we learned he was placed in a medically induced coma and we awaited scans to determine the extent of brain injury. Waiting for news ... Getting pieces of news ... I can't imagine what that boy's family went through. We faced this tragedy on the other side. While I knew the boy, and would tease him in the halls at school or say hi, I never thought this sort of tragedy could occur. Who does?! We looked it up online. There are only 40 deaths per year in the United States due to skiing. This is compared to 38,000 car accident deaths. How crazy!  

On Tuesday, we received word that there would not be a recovery. We attended a prayer service, where everybody knew the finality of the situation. The young man wanted to be an organ donor so he stayed on life support through Friday when everything was finished.  ( By the way, what 15-year-old knows they want to be an organ donor and verbalizes it to friends and family?) 

Following this roller coaster of emotions through your child grieving is one of the hardest things I have experienced as a parent. You don't know how to be there for your kid. You don't want to see them hurt. Their hurt is your hurt.  There is nothing you can do, as the reality of life --its shortness and finality hits them so hard.  If I could go back, I would have encouraged Ky to take pics of his friends.  His lack of pics is really hitting him hard.  I have a few from soccer.  So many games, yet I too took few pics.  

On Wednesday, many of this young man's friends came over and hung out at our house as the news was given to the school. I am glad we were able to provide a place for them to come together and support each other.  We continue to encourage Ky to get together with his friends as much as possible. Together, they had this strong relationship with this young man. They sat with him at lunch every day, competed with him on the fields, hung out at his house, partnered with him in classes, lived life with him.  I think them being together and honoring this young man, his memory and figuring out how to rebuild their friendships without him is the best way they can heal.  

School has been so hard this week. It's been hard for to go to class and sit next to the empty chair where his friend once was.  To go to the cafeteria and have that empty spot at the table.  To miss all the wild antics this friend brought every day.

This young man knew how to live life to the fullest and he pushed his friends to do so.  I continue to believe that there is purpose in every person who comes into my life and everyone else's. I do believe Alex's purpose was to push others to the next level, to set that example of taking life by the horns and doing your best to fully live every moment.  To be able to walk away from each experience knowing you put your all in it.

Next week we push on. For Alex and for ourselves. He would want that.  

Gibraltar Rock

 A beautiful hike on a winter day with my best friend and best dog.

 Ice skating with the girls was fun!  Reminds me how thankful I am to have learned to skate and to be able to do it with them.

Posi "+" ively Fun

On Sunday Alaina had a sore throat so we took the family to get tested.  Monday night the 3 girls had tested positive.  Shortly after, Ky did as well.  With 4 if us attending school, we had figured it was going to happen sooner or later.  We had also all been boosted, which I know is why it was so mild.  Omnicron was running rampant and many of our vaccinated friends were also testing positive.  The week off was essentially a vacation.  ( Except for Ky who was upset to miss swimming.  This did end up ending his season, since he was ineligible until after 10 days had passed.). I baked a lot of bread.  We had some good home-cooked meals.  We went on "covid" hikes.  

Other highlights of the week included Talia and I finished a puzzle and our package of Yumyums from (Liz and Adam) arrives.  We enjoyed some Danish sweets.

Swim meet in Middleton

 I continue to be so proud of kylan for trying out a new sport. Swimming has to be one of the hardest sports. I was exhausted on this day, but I wasn't going to miss another swim meet. He swam really well. So proud!

I'm back

 I have had so many troubles with blogger. And I've lost so many pictures in my past posts which has made me sad. But I am back! I discovered they finally made themselves phone friendly. So now I can easily update my blogs with pictures, not through apps, and use voice to text to create my blog posts.  So for 2022 I'm going to try again. I may even go back and create past posts.  We will see.  Though now I have to be careful, I don't post any pics the kids will be embarrassed from.  ha!  

 Happy New Year!

Ice ice ice....

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Ft

This past week and the kids had their sixth snow day of the school year. We received about 10 inches of snow overnight and the next day. I am so thankful for a snow blower that works. Lucy in particular loves the snow blower! We all had a nice day at home and the weather was warm enough that the kids were actually able to go outside and play in the snow. Unfortunately kylan was not feeling so well. He stayed home from school Monday and then Tuesday was a snow day and he stayed home from school Wednesday. By Thursday he was doing much better and ready to go back to school. Over the weekend daddy took kylan to his soccer game and the girls and I decided to go ice skating. It was a lot of fun. We are so happy the temperature finally cold enough for Tenney Park to open up its ice rink. So another snowy week prior to that however we had a lot of ice. Be sure to enjoy the video of Kylan trying to pull the trash up our icy driveway. It's a classic!

Happy National Ice Cream for Breakfast Day!

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It's my 2nd favorite Holiday! Happy National Ice Cream for Breakfast Day!   This year the kids opted to have their ice cream on the side instead of as a donut sandwich.   Next year, I think I need to bring back the waffles.  After 1 day of school it was great to have a weekend off!  And it was exciting to get my new pajamas in the mail from my mom

  They sure are snuggly!  It was a quiet weekend except for a few errands which included soccer practice and a game.  He score 2 goals in the game.  He has been on a roll

..I put up some video of a few of his goals that I sort of caught on camera.  (I am not the best camera person).  

Today, Alaina and I worked on cutting out pajama pants that she will sew, Ky and I made puppy chow and hung pictures in his room and Talia and I colored.  It was a good bonding afternoon before the superbowl.