PLEASE--NEVER START A SENTENCE WITH "MY MOM SAYS..."

To all of you who have listened to Stacis version of why we have the change of Daylight Savings Time and how we name hurricanes.. I am going to explain my side of things!---was I wrong in doing so or was I right in my explanations..... Staci won't let me forget it.. I think I did what any mother would do----after so many whys!!!!!!!

A little background first... I have a daughter named Staci. She, at a very young age (as soon as she could talk) would ask question after question after question... until a normal sweet kind mother (myself :-) would go crazy.....

Staci had been around adults until she was almost 5 when her sister was born. Being with adults I think a child asks more questions and gets more attention. And let me tell you she could ask the questions! I was working, a mom and pregnant and to be honest sometimes we moms get sick of answering the why question! Staci has two issues that she won't let me forget.

Issue #1
I believe Staci was kindergarten.... and I told her she would have to go to bed earlier as the clock would be changed and she would lose an hour of sleep. Good Lord... it started.. Why do I have to go to bed early.. can't you leave the clock... Why don't you change it all the time...etc you get the picture.... so I tried to explain why we did the time change but she was little and had that look like.. what are you talking about .. so like any busy, tired mom I told her that we changed the clock so that it would be lighter in the morning for the school bus driver to pick up the children. Now at that time she was absolutely fine with the answer. Seemed to accept it with no problem!

Issue#2
We were watching television and Staci was about 5 or 6 and the news was showing terrible wind and rain and weather and they were referring to it as Hurricane Frances or some such name. She asked who was Frances and I explained it was a Hurricane named Frances. So then it began.. Why is Frances making it rain.. Why do they call it Frances.. more of the Whys... I tried explaining it to her and when she said why did the mommy name it Frances I told her that whoever spotted the hurricane could name it! Simple for her. She quit with the whys...

Now, 20 years later you would think I caused her to need therapy over these issues. What brought me to blog about it is that she brought it up again last weekend. Please... enough already. I pay my school taxes. I certainly thought that the Ionia School system would teach her at least 2 things while she was there for 13 years. She would learn in Science about the naming of hurricanes and about Daylight Savings Time... oh no.. she must have been "socializing" while the teacher taught those two subjects. To this day she states that she never learned either one in school....until college.

Yes, while at Western Michigan University, at the cost of at least $15,000 per year, she did learn two things for sure. One being the truth about Daylight Savings.. and another about the naming of Hurricanes.

I received a call one day from her.. in her class no less (thanks to the invention of take anywhere cell phones). She said, "Mom, I am arguing here with the Professor.. he was talking about the Daylight Savings Time and I told him that my mom said it was so that the bus drivers could see the kids in the daylight--The entire class laughed at me." Well, hello-----you didn't learn about that in Elementary--Middle School or High School???????? Nope--- she didn't. But she trusts her mommy, so my little girl was arguing the point because her mommy said it was for the bus drivers!!!! Uggh! Then talking to friends, told them about the naming of the hurricanes which resulted in another upset mad phone call to me.....

Why am I blogging this? For you moms with small kids...... regardless how over their head it is... explain, explain,explain.. otherwise this could happen to you.

I certainly would have taken the time and answered her 20 million whys to the truth if I thought she understood it... I never had a clue she would go thru life, into college, unaware of why she is really re-setting her clock twice a year! I had more faith in our education system!

Staci brought this up again a couple weeks ago... I am thinking maybe for her birthday I will get her a gift certificate for some therapy so she can finally get over this! I would welcome comments from you other moms!

The best part of the story??? Being on the phone when your child calls from their college class and proceeds to ask you, while in class so that they can correct the professor, these questions!

I have asked her to never start a sentence with "My mom says" anymore! So if anybody hears her starting a sentence that way... keep an open mind!

The Wagner Hotel---We have Vacancies

Well it has been a while since I blogged. About 1 month actually. So much has happened. We had a busy summer, moved my mom and dad ( that was the last blog) and oh yes, we have a tenant!

On 8-9-08 our niece Melissa moved in with us... She has been in the service for the last 5 1/2 years. She has been in the Air Force. First in Texas, then South Korea finishing up her tour in London.

Melissa had a medical discharge as she has Crohns.. That makes two in the family. Bills brother Bob also has that disease. So..... they discharged her.

Let me tell you when they talk about government red tape... they are not kidding! It is terrible. Waiting on separation pay and everything else is crazy. After several calls you may get someone to call back or better yet.. actually look into the matter for you! I know she was frustrated because it certainly frustrated me.

Anyway, it has been about 2 months since she has been here. I tease her and call her my maid! She has been helpful with my mom and dad moving and has made us many a dinner and did laundry to boot! I don't think I mentioned that she has two dogs on our deck and she is pregnant...but it has been fun getting to know her again, as an adult.

I can see such a change in her since she joined the service. She has grown up in five years. She is so responsible with her dogs.. taking them to Bertha Brock park or the fairgrounds every day. Walking them 2 times a day. Outside playing with them.... I see her totally different then I did 6 years ago... I wish everyone could see her now.. and how she has grown up!! (I wont go into detail with the dogs hating bicycles.. hello---we live in town and there are a lot of bikes!)

So---if you read the last blog you would know Steph moved out shortly after Melissa moved into the Wagner Hotel! We are rotating girls here.. haha.

Melissa has signed a lease on an apartment in Lansing. She intends to go to school after the baby is born and to get a job in Lansing where there are more jobs to be found. I will miss her!

Its funny--- I look at my two girls and Melissa. They all know right and wrong.. they all have made mistakes and yet they all have two things important to them. God and Family. Melissa's belief in her faith is strong, even going to her church alone.. while we go to ours. I am proud of her for that. Staci and Steph both have strong beliefs in God and ties with their families.. I look around in todays world and am happy for that!

Bill, the poor guy has had females in and out of the house on and off all year and yes, even a female dog... he is so out numbered!

The house is quiet as I write this... that is not the norm. When Steph, Staci and Melissa were here a week ago, there was much babble and laughs and "remember whens".. those are the cool times to sit back and see how your kids carry on some traditions and how they too reminisce when together. They were making a spaghetti dinner for my mom and dad. Staci and Stephs idea.. Melissas sauce---between the three of them it turned out a nice dinner.. and nana and boppy loved it.

Staci is in Chicago, Atlanta or in the air to and fro .. Steph is in her East Lansing apartment---Melissa is here for about another week.. then she leaves with her two dogs.. her belongings and she soon will start her own traditions to share with her soon to be daughter...

Then it will be Bill and I again.. in an empty nest.. for how long???? We never know the answer to that one!

Changes...

Hi... my daughters, along with my niece have blogs. They tell me it is therapeutic to blog and also they will learn what is going on here in Ionia, since our lives seem to be so chaotic and hectic lately. I though you were supposed to slow down in your older years! So far I am not seeing that happen!

First it was learning to load and use my ipod.. which I love! Next was learning to text Abc.. and then.... yes, on my own, I learned that there is Word or T9 for texting ( no thanks to my daughters..) and that makes it much easier and faster. So now I will try to blog for a while and see how I like it.

You have to understand, I love music.. that is part of me and my giving back of a wonderful gift I have been given. Bills gift has always been in helping others. He will think nothing of getting home and answering the call of a friend that has a leaky pipe, plugged toilet or broken car. He can be dead tired and will still go to help them. That is his "ministry" to others. I guess that what you get for being mechanical! I know I don't tell him enough but I do appreciate all he does to help our friends and family. So if you are reading this Bill, you ARE appreciated!

So many changes going on in our lives. Several moves... Let me give you some back ground on the moving---- instead of working in Maintenance for Ionia Schools, Bill should have started a business of moving college students.

Stephanie just moved to Lansing again--(she was there last year and home for 2 months this summer). Yet another move for her father who is always excited to have to get a trailer, time off and the drama that moving can involve. She and two other girls moved into an apartment.She had boxes and furniture from here and from her old apartment that had to be moved. So, with the help of Chris and Beth Moore, our friends they got her moved, yes, the day before Bill and I left for a weeks vacation! (it was terrible that I had to work that day :-) But I drove to Lansing that Friday night and helped her settle in a little more before we got up Saturday and left for vacation.

This weekend, we moved my mom and dad into a Senior Housing Apartment. The entire family was here to move them along with our very loyal friends! You know who you are! The move was on Saturday, which was a very hot day. We got my mom and dad moved and were all whipped last night. No one injured, nothing broken (well, a chair had a minor mishap but Bill fixed it!) and with the hot weather, tired bodies, short tempers--- no one was injured!!!!! We had a couple more things to move today (Sunday) but thank goodness that trailer has been returned!

Our experience with moving has been---Staci approximately 8-9 moves in 4 1/2 years time. Stephanie has 3 moves in 2 years time. I am sure if I am wrong on these numbers my darling daughters will correct me! Not to mention that the daughters have two very different styles of moving. One moves on the run... lets just say if you happen to be one to volunteer to move her, you could be greeted at the door with a meijer plastic bag and told to randomly pack things... this tends to stress out the dad. The other daughter is organized with boxed taped and marked and ready to go. However, she and her father are alike so if you volunteer to help move them-- you may see a few sparks flying! I will let you figure out which daughter is which!

It will be another Labor Day tomorrow... how time flys by. This September Bill and I will be celebrating our 29th wedding anniversary. This year, both my daughters and my mom and dad have moved. Bill has had rotocuff surgery, Greg ( my brother) is getting married, Amber ( my niece) will start college, Carmen and I will have been in Carson City at our agency for 12 years, Stephanie completed her first Mission Trip to Costa Rica, Staci received a nice promotion and we have to figure out who we will vote for as our countries President We have lost several friends, my Aunt Bonnie and a very special friend Tom Rondo. To top it off I turn 50 on Christmas Eve! A lot of changes in our lives.

Today our group, Praise Project played at a church in town and as always had a great time! I absolutely love playing with this group! After the move I was tired right out. But it was relaxing to play and sing.

Tomorrow----I plan to take it easy. I hope all of you have a great Labor Day---take it easy and enjoy your family!

I will try to update this blog periodically!