He's a beauty, isn't he? This photo is from last year, but I want you to know that spring is definitely on it's way. This past weekend, I spotted my bluebirds checking out one of the nesting boxes for their upcoming brood. They are fun to watch.
Life in the Minch household continues to move along, uneventfully, thank goodness. We have been blessed with several weeks of normalcy! My mom's health issues have stabilized for now. I must admit, it has been a nice respite from the constant doctor appointments and medical procedures that we experienced on almost a daily basis last spring and summer. I know that this year may bring new challenges, but one thing I learned from last year is to take it one appointment at a time.
Ed is busy working on a contract basis and anticipates being offered two full-time job opportunities in the coming weeks. He is also contemplating on incorporating himself due to new opportunities that have arisen in working for himself. Since he was let go in January, his former company has let go of several more employees. I've seen Ed become the "counselor" to his former co-workers who have looked to him for advice on what to do next, who to contact about benefits, and where to go from here.
Alex has narrowed his college choices down to Kalamazoo College, where he has been recruited to play football (and maybe baseball) and the University of Michigan, where he has been deferred. Final decision from U of M may not even arrive until April, and so a final choice can't be made until all information is in. Other colleges he was accepted to include Central, Aquinas, and the University of Dayton. I feel certain that he now realizes that all the hard work and high standards his parents required of him are starting to pay off. As a parent, your payoff comes when your child finally realizes that you're not just a nag and you really do have their best interest at heart (and know what you're talking about!).
Cameron is preparing to tryout for freshman baseball and I know he feels the same way about the making the team as Alex did his freshman year. Growing up playing on rec teams, there was never any doubt you'd be on a team. Making a high school sports team via tryouts and surviving cuts, brings a whole new meaning to it. I remember Alex walking in the door with his baseball jacket that was distributed as part of his uniform, and not taking it off all weekend. The feeling that he had "earned" a place on the team was something he felt very proud of and I know Cameron is hoping for that same opportunity. Good luck, Cam.
I am still checking into various job opportunities, working on producing something with my photography (note cards, notepads and prints), looking for volunteer opportunities, and thinking about going back to school. Decisions, decision. The fact that I have choices is a blessing in itself.
Late March will mark the 10-year anniversary of the passing of Ed's mom. I miss her dearly. She was such a calming influence in our lives, and I still remember the day he brought me home to meet her almost 23 years ago. We walked in the house and she was watching the North and South mini-series. She had such a great sense of humor. Before she passed away, she and Ed had a conversation about coming back in another life form and how to communicate with him, if that was possible. She asked him "what do you want me to do, come back as a dog and pee my name in your lawn?"
In early April, we will mark the one-year anniversary of the passing of Chad, a very dear friend of our family. Chad was only 17, but he had the most amazing gift as a letter writer. I remember a letter he wrote to Alex and Cameron (years ago) in planning for their annual vacation to Evergreen. Chad loved ice hockey and knew the boys played roller hockey. So, he proceeded to make a list of stuff they should pack for their trip--pads, gloves, sticks, helmets, roller blades, etc. When I saw the list, I said to my boys, "papa barely has room for your suitcases to take up north (thanks to all the unnecessary stuff my mom packs!), how are you going to bring all this stuff?" Shortly thereafter, Chad must of have been reminded the same thing by his parents, because he soon wrote back and simply said "never mind on the hockey stuff." I think about you everyday, Chad, when I look at your picture on my bulletin board. I hope you are busy catching lots of fish up in heaven and watching out for Alex and Cameron.
The birds that have been busy scurrying around my yard the last couple of weeks have reminded me that fresh starts are upon us--rebuilding and rebirth. When I started my blog in December, I decided that I couldn't worry about the past or control the future, but just live in the present. And, so I continue to work hard at doing just that. Appreciating each day for what it is and what it was.
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