Another year rushing by.....

Once again the time has just flown by, and I have not been able to write it all down here. We had a wonderful "Princess" Christmas with Anni and Evy,

then they left for Iowa, and we went to the lake for New Year's Eve with Steve's family. Katy turned 21! on Jan 3rd, and brought her new beau Rich, a great guy, to spend some time with us up at the lake. The Engstroms returned, and we all had a great week in Wisconsin, skiing, sledding, and playing pool on the new table. The snow was beautiful up there. When we came back to Wheaton, Anni started her dance class at the Winfield Park District. She was an immediate star in the making. She is taking after her Aunt Katy! Last week, Steve and I trekked off to our two annual conventions. One in Orlando and one in Reno. Our good friend John came from Tampa to see us, and I visited my Aunt Jerry and Uncle Bill and their greyhound, Sunshine at The Villages. In Reno at the SCI convention, Steve met GW Bush, and we saw Dennis Miller, who was hilarious. The convention itself is amazing, especially the taxidermy work.
Tomorrow Anni is coming to spend the weekend with Bibi, while Roxi, Jason, Evy all head to U of I to see Katy perform at an Illini game. Anni and I are going to Disney on Ice Saturday, and we have front row seats! In fact, she thinks she will get to ice skate with them.
I will try to post more pictures of all activities asap. In the meantime, see Roxi's blog.

I'm dizzy from all the whirling

My beautiful new little granddaughter has arrived, and her Mother is finally not sick for the first time in 40 weeks. Roxi and Jason went to CDH Sunday night, and by 1:05 pm Monday, Evangeline Imani Engstrom arrived.
For more pictures and details see Roxi's blog!

She is a beautiful, tiny, perfect little angel for Christmas.
They came home from the hospital this afternoon in a icy, sleet storm, but arrived safely. Anni and I had made a welcome home sign for their arrival.
While Mama and Papa were having baby girl #2, Auntie Katy and I were on Anni duty which was great fun and exhausting. She loved the movie "Enchanted" about a cartoon princess that becomes real. She loved it so much that it was watched at least four times. She even talked Uncle Rob into watching it with her. "Shrek the Halls" was watched twice. Anni and Dipity have become "best friends". Dip sits patiently next to Anni at every meal time to be secretly fed whatever Anni doesn't want to eat. Anni also loves sleeping on her "like a pillow."
I gave Anni a child's digital camera as a big sister present, and she loved taking pics of her new sister immediately. In fact, we have already gone through two sets of batteries.
Everything with the homecoming was going great today, until I got a text from Rob who had taken my Mom to her doctor appointment for me. The surgery she had on her elbow has not taken properly. The doctor doesn't know why it didn't work, but now she has to go through the entire thing again next Monday or Tuesday! She was obviously disappointed, so Rob thought he'd bring her by to see the baby before going back to her nursing home. The only problem was that as soon as she tried to get out of the car on the ice, she started going down. We had no idea they were in the driveway, and Rob had a terrible time keeping her on her feet, until he could get her back in the car. Thank God he is so strong, and kept her up! We will have her and Daddy come Christmas Day, if the weather allows. This global warming is sure easy to live with isn't it, Gore?? (Don't get me started) At least we better get the surgery done, before this un-healthcare bill passes, and they will just let my Mom die or something!
As wonderful as it is that we are all together this holiday season, I am whirling from person who needs me to the next. It is nice to be needed, but sometimes you just have to have a few minutes to bathe, if you know what I mean. But no matter how crazy it gets, I want to cherish every minute, because next year the Engstroms will be in Zanzibar again, and who knows where Rob or Katy will be. Hopefully here, but who knows. And I am very grateful that my parents are even still alive to see their new great-granddaughter. This year has been a challenging one for our family, but we are all together for now. I turned 60, Roxi turned 30, and Katy will soon be 21! Big, life changes for us all.

I thank God for all my blessings, and pray for some Christmas peace and healing for my family. Thank you Lord for our healthy Evy, and that mama is starting to feel her normal self again. Could I just whirl a little slower for the next few days, please Lord!

cookies with Bibi

Today Auntie Katy, Mama, and Bibi showed Anni all about baking gingerbread cookies, and she learned like a pro. Within minutes, she was mixing the dough, rolling them out, cutting them out, using a spatula to place them carefully on the cookie sheet, and then decorating them after they baked. What an expert she become in no time at all! Even her Papa was impressed and later helped with the decorating. All in all it was a great way to spend a snowy afternoon while we wait for her little sister to appear.

Grandpa & Grandma in Swahili

decorating requires much concentration

The Princess and the Frog!

After the long wait, and counting down the days, today the new "princess" movie opened, and Anni could hardly wait to get there. I woke her this morning with her own t-shirt to wear to the "premier", and with popcorn and candy in hand, she and Bibi excitedly went to the "big TV" to see it. It was a darling movie with a very nice theme, and we both enjoyed it greatly. And even though it was nine degrees outside, my heart melted as I sat next to this darling little girl who loves all things "princesses", because I knew I was cherishing this moment that so many other grandmas would take for granted. Reality hit as we were watching the previews for movies that would not even be released until next summer when my little princess and her baby sister and Mama and Papa would once again be on the other side of the world, and these movies would be old DVD's before they were home again. Making wonderful memories is my goal for now, because way to soon, they will be all I'm left with. Today was Bibi-Anni time, and I loved it! (We even have a secret about the movie that can be revealed later.)
Tomorrow we take her to a Bethlehem marketplace so she can experience the true story of Christmas. We had taken her when she was one, but now she will get so much more out of it. Another day, another wonderful memory to be made.

The weather may be frightful, but Anni still has fun with Bibi and Uncle Rob!

Anni kissing her snowman, and proudly showing off her handiwork, thanks to Uncle Rob!

Uncle Rob showing Anni how to make her first snowman!

My angel, Anni, making her first ever snow angel.

Santa dreams, before the ER and robbery nightmare!

I feel like taffy

Sorry, I know it has been a long time since I've written, but my crazy life has gotten a lot crazier again. The entire time Roxi and family were gone, my ribs hurt so much, I could barely get anything done at home. We did do Dad's Day with Katy at U of I,
which was a lot of fun, but I mostly just tried to heal.
We celebrated Thanksgiving here Thursday, with my folks, Rob and Katy, and were going to do round two on Saturday. Friday, we madly tried to decorate for Christmas before they got here that night. Tree up, packages for Anni wrapped, lights outside, etc. Saturday we took Anni to see Santa at Wheaton Drama where one of my best friends was playing Mrs. S. Anni had a nice time telling them in great detail everything she wanted, but sitting on the old man's lap was out of the question. We went home to await my folks arrival for the repeat dinner, when we got a call that my Mom's thought she was getting a head cold and didn't want to give it to Roxi or Anni, so they would stay home. This was disappointing since it was the first time in over two years the entire family would be together for a big meal.
Then, all hell broke lose. My Father called saying Mom had fallen taking out a pot of chili. Long story short, after cleaning up the mess, and getting her on her feet, it became apparent that she had broken her left elbow, so Katy and I took her to the ER. Our fears were realized, and she is going to have a repeat surgery next Tuesday. While we spent five hours at the hospital, my Father proceeded to down a bottle of Early Times. When I finally got Mom settled at the Johnson Center, I had a tough love fight with him, and came home.
When I called to inform Rob how Grandma was, I found out that my car, that he had borrowed to show condos in the city had been broken into, and all of his valuable stuff had been stolen!! He had a big interview on Monday, and his computer, camera, passport, credit cards, etc were all gone. When he finally got home at 2:30 am after waiting for the police report, the dogs got into a fight and woke up those who had actually fallen asleep for a few minutes.
After going to church Sunday morning and visiting Mom, we did eat our dinner, and Katy took off for school again. I had gotten a call from my Dad right before we sat down to eat, and I just let him leave a message. On hearing it, I found out that he had fallen out of his motorized chair the night before and laid on the floor, bruised, and passed out until 4:00 am, when he called the paramedics to help him get into bed. He slept most of the day, and was very sore, and sick. He needed me to come over, and we had another tough love discussion about his drinking, only this time he was sober to hear it.
The next morning he called them again to take him to the ER because his pacemaker was hurting him. After rushing to the ER again, he was fine and I brought him home. The next day after getting Mom to her surgeon and scheduling the surgery, I felt like climbing into bed for another month, and not getting out.
In twelve hours we went from Santa Claus dreams to ER and robbery nightmares. It just proves that God laughs at our best laid plans, In spite of the anxiety I was feeling, God did show me that he did not give me more than I could handle. I also met people who were dealing with far worse situations, which always makes you feel like you should not complain that you feel like you are living the life of Job. At church, we prayed for a family whose son was killed in an auto accident. I had to pick up a dog for work, because the family had to take their son who was born with cancer into the hospital for another chemo treatment. My boulders suddenly seemed like pebbles compared to others problems.
So all I want for Christmas now is that Daddy continues to stop drinking, Mom has a quick recovery after her surgery, and Roxi has a beautiful, healthy baby girl, that Roxi feels normal again soon, and Rob gets the job he wants so badly.
We had one day of fun this Saturday going down to see Katy dance at the last football game and a basketball game. It was a full day, but it was a nice distraction. Now she has finals before she can come home for Christmas.
I hope to share great pictures and happy memories of Christmas soon. But right now I am just trying to find myself after being pulled like taffy into too many directions. And I wonder why I can't make sense of my life sometimes. Maybe it's because I just feel like I'm moving from one crisis to another. You can't stop to smell the roses when you are running them over. I just want to slow down this precious time I have so I can make memories of Anni, Katy, the new baby, the holidays with family, including my parents that at times are more time consuming and trouble than a child. The only good thing this last week has brought is I lost a few pounds from being stretched like taffy!

Trying to catch up

Last Tuesday, I drove Roxi, Jason and Anni half way to Iowa, so they could visit Jason's family in Cedar Rapids. From the pictures on Roxi's blog, they are having a wonderful time. Anni loved Halloween with her cousins. Yet I cried when I drove home alone without them. But I know i have to share.
The day after they left, Rob and I tried to tackle the ever growing leaves in the yard before it rained again. About an hour after I used the leaf blower, I realized my back was more blown than the leaves. So the next morning I was off to the chiropractor, and then again Friday. It is hell growing older, except when you consider the alternative. That became even clearer when we had to make a stop at a wake of a friend of Steve's that had passed suddenly at the age of 50! Hugging his wife, made the pain subside with gratitude of still being here and kicking.
We then headed to our Illini weekend. Friday night we were given tickets to the first basketball game of the season. Katy was suppose to dance, but because of all the rain all week, an extra practice was called, and the Illinettes did not dance. I was able to re-bond with my old roomie of U of I days, as our husbands actually watched the Illini win the game. It was great getting a chance to catch up with her, as we shared news about our lives and families. Her only son died about a year ago, and she seems to be dealing with her grief better than I can even imagine. Again, I thanked God for His blessings.
Saturday was a gorgeous, sunny, college football gameday! Many kids were in crazy costumes, that just added to the fun of the day. We played our arch rival, Michigan, who we had not beaten at our house since 1983!!! And as we watched our team beat Michigan, we kept saying who is in those uniforms, what spell was put on our team?? Yes, Illini beat Michigan and we all partied like it was 1983! Besides the shock of the victory, the highlight had to be the Marching Illini at halftime. The played many spooky tunes, but finished with MJ's THRILLER! Everyone even put down their instruments and did the zombie dance. Hysterical!! Everyone stood and clapped for them. Katy had had the flu all week, and got cut, but the band director let everyone do THRILLER, so she got to dance anyway. And Roxi called the first half, to say she saw Katy on TV, before they took little Tink trick or treating.
Elizabeth Evans was also up for the weekend, and we met up with her after the game. Katy had danced right in front of her during the first half. It was so nice to see her and meet her Aunt and Uncle.
After the game, we ordered pizza at Katy's apartment, and visited a little before she and her roommates got ready for their Halloween party. We had an opportunity to meet Rich, who had been kind enough to give us the basketball tickets the night before. He seems very mature and nice. Katy was having a great deal of back pain after dancing all day, and we decided she had to make time to go to the Spinal Doctor this week.
We drove home early Sunday so we could get home for the Bears game. A victory again. Then we both crashed from exhaustion.
Today, Katy had her appointment, and our greatest fear was unfounded. She has no disc problem. Thank you God again. She got some meds, some therapy appointments and a lift for her one foot, since her hips are off balanced. She is planning on coming home this weekend to go to the chiropractor.
Rob was supposed to hear from the regional manager for the job he is hoping to get, but we were all worried since no call ever came. But today we found out the man has been very ill with the flu all week, and is still not in the office, thus our hopes and prayers are still alive.
Today I was able to cut up most of the leaves that had hurt my back. My finger is still sore from Data accidentally wrapping the leash around it Saturday night and pulling it. But I and mine are well. A few aches and pains just make us appreciate the gift of life. No pain, no gain, right? When we worry, we have to remember to give our problems to Him, for only He can solve them for us. So Lord, I thank you for my many blessings, and I ask that you continue to keep my family in your hands. Please help Rob find his way, and keep my girls healthy.
My life just keeps whirling along.......and I am just trying to hang on and enjoy it all......