Just as Michelle cannot believe how fast the time goes by with her daughters - the same is true for us. We cannot believe that she is now 33! She was born on a Thursday at 11:29 pm. Russ often joked that she was the only one that he didn't miss a minutes worth of work with - yep he was a work, work, work person back then too!
We have a business trip that always seems to cover Michelle's birthday - and she has had a few herself where she was out of town. We usually just celebrate Michelle's February birthday with Mark's and Russ' in March. Not my favorite way of doing this - but with busy schedules and growing families it seems to be the best way.
We love you Michelle - and when your babies are your age you will realize just how much! I know you have dealings with the kids today - and Mark is sick - but I hope you get to take a few minutes just for yourself today and Celebrate You!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Business Trip
We are sick of winter so we are running off to Florida - well it is true that we are sick of winter and it is true that we are going to Florida - but it is actually for a business convention with the added bonus of blue skies and seeing some family too.
We will fly in Tampa/St. Pete Wednesday evening and then rent a car on Thursday and drive to Orlando. Will return to the Tampa area Friday evening. We plan to visit with family on Saturday and celebrate all the FL February birthdays on Sunday at nephew Chris and Chanda's house. Returning home late on Monday.
I can take the cold temps as long as I can see sunshine - and I understand we will be expecting lots of blue skies and sun and temps in the upper 70's while we are there. But Florida is just about like Michigan - if you don't like the weather just wait a day and it will change for you!
We will be leaving behind lots of winter sicknesses - yuk! Mark has bronchitis, Megan has the flu, baby Kaitlyn has a cold - Kari just got over a gastro flu, Kim, Dave, Karsten & I just got over a flu. Hopefully by the time we get back everyone will be healthy & fit!
Everyone - take care!
We will fly in Tampa/St. Pete Wednesday evening and then rent a car on Thursday and drive to Orlando. Will return to the Tampa area Friday evening. We plan to visit with family on Saturday and celebrate all the FL February birthdays on Sunday at nephew Chris and Chanda's house. Returning home late on Monday.
I can take the cold temps as long as I can see sunshine - and I understand we will be expecting lots of blue skies and sun and temps in the upper 70's while we are there. But Florida is just about like Michigan - if you don't like the weather just wait a day and it will change for you!
We will be leaving behind lots of winter sicknesses - yuk! Mark has bronchitis, Megan has the flu, baby Kaitlyn has a cold - Kari just got over a gastro flu, Kim, Dave, Karsten & I just got over a flu. Hopefully by the time we get back everyone will be healthy & fit!
Everyone - take care!
Friday, February 15, 2008
Goodbye Polo!
Today was a very hard day for Kim - she had to have Polo put down.
Around Christmas Polo was diagnosed with a fast growing cancer on her face. The vet did surgery to remove it but knew that it was not all gone. By two weeks later her face was already beginning to swell again. Kim knew it was time but it is very hard to lose an old and faithful friend.
Kim got Polo the summer of 1993 (or maybe 1992). We would often characterize her as the perfect dog - if she didn't shed. She would bark only if someone came to the door and she loved to chase squirrels. She hated to be confined - if you left her loose in the house all would be fine but if you locked her in a room then you may have to replace the door mouldings since she would have tried to remove them for you. In her younger days she would come and run around the pond in our backyard - she would go so fast you would think she was actually laying on her side making that oval. In later years she would run some and but have to stop and rest and then walk back up to the house. She had no tolerence for any dog that would step foot on her yard either - and she considered our yard her yard. A new neighbor had a dog that came and surprised Polo - and the fight was on. Polo waited until she found that dog tied in its yard and surprised it too. She thought turn about was fair play! Polo had another different characteristic - she had just a nub for a tail. And when she was excited she would wag that nub just like a tail. She hated thunder storms - she would sit right under your feet if there was any thunder at all.
We know she is in a much better place than she has been for the past few months (although she was not in pain we knew she was not enjoying life quite as much as she had been) - and we hope there are plenty of squirrels for her to chase!
We will sure miss her - and even her hair too!
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Oh BABY, BABY, BABY, BABY & BABY!!!
We got a beautiful valentine in the mail today - and it was signed Love, Megan and Baby Barch!!! Our 5th grandchild will be due on August 4th. How exciting!!!
Pray with us for a safe and healthy pregnancy and baby!!
Wonder now if it is a boy or a girl....bet Kari and Rich are wondering too!
Pray with us for a safe and healthy pregnancy and baby!!
Wonder now if it is a boy or a girl....bet Kari and Rich are wondering too!
Ear Tubes - Second time
We found out yesterday that Sydney will need to have her ear tubes replaced - one was gone and the other on its way out. Plus an ear infection. Surgery will be on Monday, February 18 at the new Macomb Beaumont.
Sydney was thrilled about getting to go the doctor (Kaitlyn has been a few times for her baby checks and Sydney figured it was her turn for some attention). She told her daddy that it was her doctor and not his. When they called her name she jumped up and followed the tech down the hallway. She went into the room - enjoyed a glass of water and was practicing saying "Hello Dr. Becker" (except it was coming out Hello Dr. Pecker - haha). As soon as the doctor entered the room she took one look and decided she had already had enough. Crying began. Mommy holding her down with the help of a nurse and Daddy trying to help as he could too. Whew - she was glad when that was over. Took her sucker and went home.
So we know this will be more traumatic than it was the first time around - obviously she knows a little more about you are not my mommy and daddy and get me out of here! So please remember her in your prayers - that she not be too traumatized (remember not only does she have sensory issues that cloud her processing sometimes but she is female and 2 years old also!) and that the tubes go in and stay in until they are no longer needed.
Saturday, February 09, 2008
FYI
Received this on several emails lately and thought I would pass it on ~~~
Your Heart is your Love,
Your love is your Family ,
Your family is your Future ,
Your future is your Destiny ,
Your destiny is your Ambition,
Your ambition is your Aspiration ,
Your aspiration is your Motivation ,
Your motivation is your Belief ,
Your belief is your Peace ,
Your peace is your Target ,
Your target is Heaven!
Your Heart is your Love,
Your love is your Family ,
Your family is your Future ,
Your future is your Destiny ,
Your destiny is your Ambition,
Your ambition is your Aspiration ,
Your aspiration is your Motivation ,
Your motivation is your Belief ,
Your belief is your Peace ,
Your peace is your Target ,
Your target is Heaven!
February chat & Happy Birthday tomorrow Dad!
I read on Joelle's blog that we have already had 5 snow days from school this year - wow! I can remember years with my kids where there were 0 days off for snow. Michigan's weather - always changing!
Sickness hit at our house during January. I so rarely get sick - but this flu/cold bug hit me and wouldn't let go for almost 3 weeks. Finally got my voice back! But don't ask me to sing!
Little Karsten had that bug, got better and was hit again with another virus that gave him some nice ulcers in his mouth and nice high fevers. Couldn't eat or drink without pain. After 2 doctor visits he may be finishing with this! Poor little guy! We want him well soon - he will celebrate his 2nd birthday in mid-March.
Megan, Sydney and Kaitlyn managed to avoid the virus' - so far!! Megan is doing well with her potty-training. At first we would tell her that we are so proud of her - then she began going on her own and would come out of the bathroom and announce that she is so proud! Sydney knows all her colors and loves to choose her own clothes for the day right down to matching bows for her pony tails. Kaitlyn is now on another medicine for her acid-reflux - it seems to be helping! Hooray! She is very alert and enjoys cooing and laughing with everyone - but especially with Sydney.
Both Russ and I have lost cousins recently. My cousin, Sally, passed away due to lung cancer that had spread. From the time she was diagnosed until she died was only about 2 months. The day of her funeral would have been her 48th birthday - and she wanted a party. At the graveside her family arranged for a balloon send off. Today we got news that Russ' cousin, Bob - Billy as we knew him, was found this morning. He recently lost a leg to some poor circulation.
I got a note from my sister that she is having some medical problems. Sure would appreciate all prayers for her. (This has been edited after my sister says I gave way too much info on her!! - Sorry Dee!)
Russ' mom continues to have radiation treatments for breast cancer. She is being a trooper - will have 7 weeks of 5 days a week treatments. She has finished her 2nd or 3rd week now. The doctor expects her to begin to feel the effects of the treatments soon. She will celebrate her 79th birthday in March.
My Aunt Retha (mom's only living sister) recently had triple by-pass heart surgery. She is doing well. But she wants to be doing even better. Wanting to be better is half the battle in my book!
Tomorrow would have been my Dad's 80th birthday. He said just before he died that he had 78 great years but the 79th had not been much fun. Funny how we had never heard of pulmonary fibrosis before he was diagnosed and now we hear it quite often. So glad to know that he is in a much better place. Karen is trying to find her way without Dad - they had only 6 years together but she often says that she did more in those 6 years than she had all her life. Karen is enjoying a couple of nights playing bingo and is back in church. Her neighbor, Margie, has been going with Karen to these events - Margie lost her husband to a pulmonary disease just about 7 months before Dad. Karen continues to try to overcome the effects of childhood polio and scoliosis and now diabetes too.
One thing we have learned over the past year - enjoy life now, we don't know when we will be enjoying eternity. If you don't know where you will spend eternity - the time to make those reservations is now!
Enjoy life,
Karla & Russ
Sickness hit at our house during January. I so rarely get sick - but this flu/cold bug hit me and wouldn't let go for almost 3 weeks. Finally got my voice back! But don't ask me to sing!
Little Karsten had that bug, got better and was hit again with another virus that gave him some nice ulcers in his mouth and nice high fevers. Couldn't eat or drink without pain. After 2 doctor visits he may be finishing with this! Poor little guy! We want him well soon - he will celebrate his 2nd birthday in mid-March.
Megan, Sydney and Kaitlyn managed to avoid the virus' - so far!! Megan is doing well with her potty-training. At first we would tell her that we are so proud of her - then she began going on her own and would come out of the bathroom and announce that she is so proud! Sydney knows all her colors and loves to choose her own clothes for the day right down to matching bows for her pony tails. Kaitlyn is now on another medicine for her acid-reflux - it seems to be helping! Hooray! She is very alert and enjoys cooing and laughing with everyone - but especially with Sydney.
Both Russ and I have lost cousins recently. My cousin, Sally, passed away due to lung cancer that had spread. From the time she was diagnosed until she died was only about 2 months. The day of her funeral would have been her 48th birthday - and she wanted a party. At the graveside her family arranged for a balloon send off. Today we got news that Russ' cousin, Bob - Billy as we knew him, was found this morning. He recently lost a leg to some poor circulation.
I got a note from my sister that she is having some medical problems. Sure would appreciate all prayers for her. (This has been edited after my sister says I gave way too much info on her!! - Sorry Dee!)
Russ' mom continues to have radiation treatments for breast cancer. She is being a trooper - will have 7 weeks of 5 days a week treatments. She has finished her 2nd or 3rd week now. The doctor expects her to begin to feel the effects of the treatments soon. She will celebrate her 79th birthday in March.
My Aunt Retha (mom's only living sister) recently had triple by-pass heart surgery. She is doing well. But she wants to be doing even better. Wanting to be better is half the battle in my book!
Tomorrow would have been my Dad's 80th birthday. He said just before he died that he had 78 great years but the 79th had not been much fun. Funny how we had never heard of pulmonary fibrosis before he was diagnosed and now we hear it quite often. So glad to know that he is in a much better place. Karen is trying to find her way without Dad - they had only 6 years together but she often says that she did more in those 6 years than she had all her life. Karen is enjoying a couple of nights playing bingo and is back in church. Her neighbor, Margie, has been going with Karen to these events - Margie lost her husband to a pulmonary disease just about 7 months before Dad. Karen continues to try to overcome the effects of childhood polio and scoliosis and now diabetes too.
One thing we have learned over the past year - enjoy life now, we don't know when we will be enjoying eternity. If you don't know where you will spend eternity - the time to make those reservations is now!
Enjoy life,
Karla & Russ
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