Tree House Parks, Iowa Cubs, Conference Champs and Long Track Meets

Yesterday Max went to a new park with my friend Ruth, he goes to her house most Mondays with his buddy Leo, yesterday Colton was there too.  She took him to a park he called the "Tree House Park", they played and had a picnic, he had a great time.  She sent me these pictures from there.

Last night Jack's Little League team had the opportunity to be the Iowa Cubs Anthem Buddies.  This is where the team gets to go on the field by the players for the National Anthem...pretty cool when you are 10 years old.  Here are a couple of pictures from the night.  One of the Mom's took them and sent them to us, Scott is coaching Jack's team and was there with him.

Max and I were at a track meet for Drew.  My first track meet ever...it was beautiful weather but WAY longer than I expected.  I had not planned on staying, we thought he would run by 5:30 so we could head down to Jack's Anthem buddies...so I was not prepared with stuff to entertain Max.   We got there at 4:00 and Drew didn't run at the expected 5:30...not until 7:34.  But it was fun to see him anchor a relay....he is not a fan of the track meets but LOVES the track practices and work outs.

In the meantime Tommy missed a day of school for the Varsity Golf Conference meet...and Des Moines Christian took home the win.  So that was exciting for him....my friend sent me these pictures.  Tommy has been loving golf and has been having a great season.  There are 3 freshman on Varsity, and the upper class-men are such great kids and good family friends.  BONUS.  They have so much fun together.

So it was a full day for the Shislers...so many fun things happening.

Surprise Ride

Saturday morning I woke Scott up at 6:00 am and told him to get dressed...we were headed out on a Surprise RIDE.  Surprise Rides are something we have done for YEARS with the boys, throw them in the car and we head out without them knowing where we are going.  Well I decided that Scott deserved a Surprise Ride.  He has been so EXTRA helpful and patient since my surgery, and I planned a little quick get away.

I woke up Jack and Drew and told them we were leaving and that there were instructions on the counter as to the plan for the day.  NO one knew anything.  Tommy and Max were still asleep when we left.

Our first stop was...

Bob Evans for breakfast...his very favorite.  They are based out of Ohio.  

The one we ate at was north of Kansas City about 20 minutes.

 Then to the Plaza in Kansas City, where it was chilly and 

sprinkling but beautiful to see tulips everywhere.

 (so this part of the day may have been a little bit for me)

Patiently waiting on the sofa in my favorite Anthropologie Store while I looked around...

Burgers and Milk Shakes at one of his favorites...Winsteads by the Plaza.  

Back to the hotel to check in, I took a little cat nap.  He worked on his computer, should have left that at home hmmm....but I knew he would NOT want to be away from it.

Then onto the highlight of HIS trip and day.  Watching the Cleveland Indians play the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium.

 One of my favorite things about Scott is his passion for his teams...and his ease at talking with strangers.  This gentleman sat in front of us and was 75 years old, there with his 2 grown sons and a lifelong Indians fan, they talked off and on all game about the Indians.  It was fun to watch them.  

 Here we are...cold and chilly...Scott banged his head last week on the nightstand in his sleep, poor guy wounded.  Thankfully they allowed blankets in the stadium so I could be bundled. 

 We both got a new pair of shoes at the North Face store...here they are with all of our peanuts.  What's a baseball game without hot dogs (or brats) and peanuts?

 What a fun night, and Mom I didn't even ask to leave early.  Scott was proud!

I love this man...it was fun to surprise him and give him a special day.  We spent the night in a hotel, met good friends of ours (the Haltermans) for brunch in the morning and headed back home.  

The boys had fun with some church friends...the daughter is a Junior in High School and their son a freshman in college.  Between the two of them....they did a terrific job caring for our boys.  The boys LOVED having them there and I don't think we were missed much at all.

The funniest part...when we got home we were in the car together all of us, headed to a friends for a dinner...and Jack says "So what did you do on your trip?  Make out?"  Tommy and Drew about threw up in the car with their moans and groans over that comment...Jack laughed and laughed. I high fived him and laughed almost as hard as Scott.  Classic Jack.  

It matters who you marry....I feel blessed.

Watch Out Boys!

This Mama is tired of boys who leave shoes, socks, trash, legos, hats, sweatshirts, toys, markers, crayons, ipads, iPods and any other RANDOM things ALL over the house.  

The Things Max Says...

-"Do Momma's poop? I know that Robot's don't."

-"Daddy if you need a cough drop just call Max, M-A-X and I will come and open one for you."

-"Are my brudders at stool?"  (school)

-"Where my brudders?  Where they are?" (at the dinner table if someone is not home)

And last but not least I will leave you with this video I shot of him last week.  He found one of the NCAA brackets and was asking Scott which teams he wants...so so funny.

The Stuff that Matters

I am overwhelmed today by the laundry pile...my messy closet (have YET to outgrow my stash and pile of clothes on the floor...sorry Mom)...just the schedule we have this week...car in the shop for new brake pads...had to get a shuttle back to school and then get the truck there from Tommy.  (grateful for that extra car today as Scott is out of town)

And then this note just came from Drew's track coach...

Just letting you know I really appreciate the effort Drew is putting in.  He works hard and is very, very polite and respectful.  When I have him in the weight room, he works hard there too.  Those are good qualities in a young man.  God will use that. 
Chris Zepp

THIS is the stuff that matters.  God stuff.  What God will use in ALL of our lives.  This other stuff....nope doesn't matter.

I needed that reminder and God seems to have shown me in several ways today of that.

Calendar Thoughts

Some days I open my computer to look at the calendar and quickly want to close it back up again and go back to the days where I didn't even NEED a calendar.  We would just be in jammies much of the day, unless we had to go to Hyvee, or Target, or drive to meet Daddy for lunch.  Then the afternoons we were home, napping, making dinner and just waiting for Scott to get home.

Those feel like they were SO LONG AGO.

I often try to remind myself that these days are fleeting even though it doesn't always feel like that.  Tommy is slowly creeping up on me in height.  I KNOW it is going to be within the next month or so he is going to pass me up.  Strangest thing ever to hug your son and kiss him eye to eye....he is not such a fan of the kissing part.  He drives to school, and to school activities now with his school permit.  It is nerve wracking and causes me a lot of time praying for protection and safety BUT wow is it helpful too.

It has rained much of this week which I don't mind because the grass is now turning so green, and soon I can plant my red geraniums...

I will be back soon with a picture update.  It's been awhile.  I also need to do a post on Jack's wonderful trip to Washington DC with my parents.  Both of our Mom's celebrated their birthdays this past week too...74 years for my Mom and 83 for Scott's if I am correct.  We are blessed.

For those of you still enjoying those days of toddlerhood and empty calendars, soak it in.  It REALLY doesn't last long.  And for those of you who have calendars color coded, with alarms for reminders much like mine...let's keep holding on and praying and doing our best to enjoy the ride. And for those of you whose calendars are not so full of kids activities anymore...soak in a different kind of quieter days.  Know you did your best with all of those days before...

Happy Sunday

O-H-I-O

Yes we are crazy O-H-I-O people check out their website..

and you can see the boys here....

and here...

Wednesday Rambles

Rainy Wednesday...

Jack got home last night from DC.  Scott picked him up at the airport at 4:30 and they were home by 8:30.  Some VERY happy brothers to be reunited....and grateful parents for Jack's protection while he was away.

This morning I had the blessing of a friend stopping by with breakfast for Max and me.  Stopped in to check on us...sweet.  She has 3 girls the same exact ages as our 3 older boys.  HUGE Nebraska fans!  Fun to have her come by.

I then proceeded to fold 4 loads of laundry...the poor dryer can only be turned back on so many days to fluff and be ignored.   Had all been dry and in dryers since Sunday I think.  Oops... It was time to bite the bullet and start folding.  Still have 2 more to go....maybe I can talk Scott into doing those later tonight.

 I am sitting down still trying to get some medical stuff organized...seriously these insurance and flex spending people like to make it interesting don't they?  Blogging seemed like more fun.

I just played taxi driver for the past 2 hours for haircuts.  NOT kidding.  The way our boys schedules are I have to take them over lunch to get haircuts.  With sports every day after school Tommy and Drew have no other options....Saturdays are full of golf matches, track meets and baseball tournaments. So it started with picking up Drew at 12:10  at school over his lunch...dropping he and Max off for haircuts while I ran to pick up lunch for Drew and Max and go back to get Tommy.  While I was away Emina, our stellar hair lady...worked on Max then Drew....by the time I arrived back with Tommy AND with Drew's lunch he was just done...I dropped Tommy for his haircut and took Max with and Drew back to school.  I then turned around and went back to pick up Tommy...he grabbed lunch next door to hair place at Panchero's...and I ate with him and Max picked at the chips since he had already had lunch.  Took Tommy back to school since his lunch was over....drove home to get Jack who had just walked in the door from his Early Out at school...and ran him over to get his haircut at 2.  NOT joking...this is a well oiled and choreographed machine JUST to get their hair cut.  CRAZY life isn't it?  I really can't make this stuff up.

We have been blessed by meals from friends ever since surgery....waiting on a dear friend to drop off tonights.  It's a real treat and blessing to not have this on my list of things to do.  I am feeling SO much better this week.  Really feel like I have turned the corner and am going at about 85-90% which is nice.  Can't wait to be on the other side of this surgery.  Cannot imagine.

I love this rain we are getting...it is almost as if you can watch the grass turning green.  I love it.  Saw geraniums out the other day...a little early for those with these chilly nights but I cannot wait.  I love the change of seasons.

Bills, laundry, groceries...they don't go away and other Monday Rambles...

Well I had a nice "getaway" from the realities of life.  I have been mainly off laundry duty, groceries, bills...for the past 2 weeks.  Sigh...didn't miss most of those things.  It is time to get back.  I have spent the morning getting bills organized, medical stuff figured out...flex spending for Monsanto organized...sigh.  So much with 6 of us.  The laundry is going...Max has officially trashed the main floor today with toys everywhere.  Where does he keep finding them?  They may disappear for a LONG time after today.

Jack is still in Washington DC with my parents, and we are missing him a lot here.  It is amazing how much quieter it is around here without him, and I mean that in a sweet way.  Max misses him MOST of all...he talks about him NON stop.  Not kidding.  Those two are BONDED.  Drew misses him a lot as well.  And I am sure Tommy does in his own way.  :)  Sometimes Tommy and Jack need a break from each other.

I am feeling better the past two days.  Trying to wean myself off of 3 hour daily naps. Trying to do ONE big thing a day, which basically means ONE baseball game, one trip to the store...just ONE outing a day.  That seems to help.  I have only been driving for 4 days.  It's hard not to race out and do everything on my list.   That's not so easy.  I think after this week I will be good to go.  That is my hope and prayer at least.
 
Once again I am so grateful for Scott helping do all the stuff he normally does PLUS all the stuff I normally do.  So grateful for friends who have been providing meals for 2 weeks and continue this week and have filled my freezer for another week at least after that.  SO blessed to be so loved.

Off to shower...haven't been doing much of that lately.  Then to tackle this mess Max made while I worked. 

Post Hysterectomy Humor

A few of my friends were blessed with gift bags of goodies from me....

Feeling better every day, and I think my sense of humor may be coming back which is a good sign

Taking the 2 bigs to see the DMCS musical tonight.  Excited to see it.

Survived our first night with Scott out of town last night, back to STL he went and we made it.  He has been the BEST and I mean THEE BEST nurse ever.  One of the things I have ALWAYS loved most about him is his protective nature.  I LOVE that he is protective of me.  It is one of the things that makes me feel most loved by him.  He has genuine concern for me and always my health.  He "gets" that if there were no "US" there would be no littles around here...and he also "gets" that it may be a LONG time from now but there will be a day when it's just "US" again and he makes an effort to keep our marriage special and our friendship real...it makes for a beautiful relationship.  And he makes me laugh, many many times a day.  He is the best...and I adore him.  He and I recently got "Twitter" accounts so we could keep up with Tommy and the "times" and his first hashtag was for me and it was sweet and it was romantic...I will end with this...

#theonlyoneforme

love that man!

Letters to his daughter

So my Dad has always written me letters....this was one I got from him last week that I wanted to have documented in this blog.  I was having a sad day recovering from this surgery...feeling like I had failed one of our sons lately with my impatience...frustrated with not being able to do much other than lay around...

here is what he sent to me...

I know I am blessed...and I am beyond grateful for my Dad.

Dear, Dear Susan,

You need once again to hear, you are a wonderful Mother.  You have provided so much love and care for your boys and have been and are an outstanding example of what a Mother should be.

I have had the blessing of having an outstanding Mother in the person of your Grandma T, and have been privileged to see up close another outstanding Grandma-namely your Grandma Lu, and I have lived up close with and shared 50 years with another absolutely outstanding Mother in the person of your own Mom.  

You are from this same lineage of wonderful, outstanding Moms, and please know that what you learned from these Master Grandmothers is that same love, care and nurturing that you have been and are providing each and every moment of every day.  You, too, are an absolutely wonderful Mom.

I am so proud of you and all you do...such a wonderful, loving , important and caring job you are doing!

Remember I love you and Mom loves you and God loves you, too.

Xoxo

Dad

Buckeye Blood

Scott sent this to me....

I picked Drew up at school after he finished taking his Iowa Basic Skills Tests.  I asked how did they go?  Drew said fine.  He went on to say that they were pretty boring.   Then he said Dad I figured out why the test are so boring.  I asked why?  He said I noticed on the bottom of the last page the test were written at the University of Iowa.   He said that explains a lot Dad.

This kid is a Buckeye fan to the core.

Things that make me smile

 So funny today....

My sweet friend Makila made one of these for her house and I begged, 

asked her to make one for us too.  

Growing Up

Sigh....get me more kleenex

How does this happen?

Tommy drove to school this morning.  Yes, he has his school permit, and a truck, and he was off....  Scott followed him there more for our peace of mind than anything.  How is it they grow up so fast?  How is it that our Ordinary days of playing with play doh, napping, baking cookies...watching Franklin have gone and now we are busy with school, golf, basketball, baseball...truly a BLINK and here we are.  As much as my heart wants to soak it ALL in, every single day....one day has led to the next, and the next...and here we are.  Oh how I want many "Do-Over-Days" with Tommy, with each of the boys.  Oh how I pray for him, for his heart, for his relationships.  Oh how we pour our love and energy into our children.  Oh how I lay awake at night replaying conversations, good and the bad.  Oh how my heart desires for him to love God, to follow God...to have a soft heart.  I pray for him to be bold, and brave, to be a man of integrity.  Oh how often I mess up.  Thankful for grace.  So thankful.  

Don't blink....

Feeling blessed

Well it feels like forever since I sat down to write on the blog, the last post I had written a week ago and just had it set to post.  It is a quiet morning here, boys are all at baseball of one kind or another.  Which leaves me here, in the quiet humm of laundry and the dishwasher.

Be forewarned the rambling begins...

Let me back up a week or so ago...

On Tuesday I got a phone call from my Mom stating that they indeed would now be here for my surgery.  The original plan was that my college friends Lisa and Niki were coming on Wednesday night for our annual hang out time with ALL of our kids...and then Thursday Niki would take the kids back to Minneapolis with her to my parents.  Saving them a trip down.  Well...my Dad didn't like that option as the time got closer.  You see once you are a Daddy's girl I guess you always are.  As much as I told Mom we had it logistically figured out and that I would be fine with Scott....he insisted.  So I am grateful for the grace and understanding of Lisa and Niki to allow me to cancel their visit so Mom and Dad could be here.  And MAN OH MAN I was glad they were here, don't think I had factored in how much I would want or need them here.

Thursday morning came, we had to be at the hospital by 5 am.  Scott and I left, spoke with a police officer about 1 mile into the trip to the hospital...oops stop sign.  He was kind and let us go.  I got all settled in and my parents got down there around 6.  We had friends covering all of the other boys at home...thanks VanSoelans, Wubbens, Milligans and Fishes.  It takes a village people.

My regular OB Dr. Hoegh was going to be there to assist his partner Dr. Whitney Brink.  If you are looking for an OB I HIGHLY recommend this group...no one cares more for their patients.  I am convinced of that more than ever.  Dr. Brink came into the OR as I had just gotten on the table.  I was crying, shocking I know...and she came over and held my hand, and wiped my tears and told me it was going to be okay over and over...I fell asleep to that.  I have had several surgeries in my life and NEVER has the Dr been the one to do that....it's always the nurse.  THAT alone says SO much about her.  SO much...

When I woke up, I was asking for my "Love" in the recovery room....of course that nurse had no idea that was Scott....and I couldn't come up with the words to explain who or what my Love was...think she thinks I was crazy.  that's about all I remember from there...then onto the regular room and according to scott all I kept saying was "Where is my Mom?  Where is my Mom? Where is my Mom?: and a random Where is my Dad every once in awhile.  I wasn't asking for him....which I tell him now is because I just KNEW he was there. But he is a bit sensitive about that.  SO thank GOODNESS my parents both were there....

Surgery went great, it was way easier than they had expected.  40 minutes shorter than they expected...all wonderful news.

Boys came that night in shifts.  First the little 2 came after school and visited.  Then the older 2 after dinner with my Dad and watched part of the Buckeye game with me...spilled a full glass of ice on me, had to change my gown, part of my sheets and don't think any of them hardly noticed they were all standing watching the TV.  I have low blood pressure....and they should have been checking theirs as I guarantee you theirs was HIGH as we played ISU.

They all went home to bed...I fell asleep soon after.  I was woken up at midnight with blood pressures...and mine were dramatically too low.  70/33  So then they brought in other nurses and a dr and everyone made me get up and walk to the bathroom and back more times than I would have preferred.  They stopped all orders for the IV Pain meds and morphine....bummer huh?  And after about an hour or so back and forth of this it went up to 80 something and they let me go back to bed.  Not without coming in every hour to check ALL NIGHT long.  See I should have let that close Buckeye game get to me more.

Friday morning the Dr came in and told me if I did a few things on her list of to do's I could leave....that's all I needed to hear.   I am NOT a hospital fan.  So I did my laps, ate my food, sat in a chair, proved I could do it all.  And around 1 I was released....Mom and Dad had taken big 3 boys to MN and we had Max home with us.  Thanks Ruth for keeping Max on Friday.

The weekend was not much of an Easter weekend for us...home and in bed most of the time.  I can summarize the last week as a lot of that....home, bed, couch, eat, nap, bed, home....

Big boys went to Benson to see my Grandma for Easter.  We watched Easter on the I-pad with a local church service....Bedside Baptist we were.  Our Easter meal was a donut and Starbucks.  And leftovers from food friends had brought.....

Monday we celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary...pretty simple celebration. :)  But a great reminder to me that we are in this together, forever, in sickness and in health.  This happened to be a little bit of the "in sickness" part this year.

We have been SO blessed by meals and help from friends.  So blessed.  My Mom was here Monday-Thursday and she helped with driving, laundry, Max, keeping things picked up...SO helpful.  She listened to my tears on Wednesday when I didn't have such a great day....I don't sit well.  I don't like that I can't drive yet...and my nurse here is being VERY strict with me.

Last night we ventured out for the DMCS Benefit.  We only went for part of it, but it was nice to be out.  I can feel it today and am a bit tired.  But mostly I feel better each and every day.  I give it another week and then I am hopefully going to be ready to go.

Baseball is in high gear, Tommy made the Varsity golf team, we bought the boys their first car/truck.  Lots of milestones it seems...

Thanks for your prayers...sorry for the rambling.  You may not have even stuck with this note......
Some pics from my phone for you...if you are still here....

Still waking up from surgery...Scott was out finding me the perfect crushed ice,,,and I was holding my Dad's hand...under that pile of warm blankets I guess.  Mom took this.

 After school Max and Jack came to visit....Max slept the whole time but it was still the best medicine for me and my heart

 Drew climbed in bed with me to watch the game...

 The game was close here, Drew pacing, me holding my Dad's reassuring hand

 Max spent the day with my friend Erin and her kiddos...evidently he felt quite at home there and took his shirt off the minute he walked through their door.  He played with Zoe a lot and helped with baby Cameron too....thanks ERIN for watching him ALL day.

 Off to MOA with Grandma on Friday...she spoils them.  Lego store for Jack

MOA Nike store...Tommy sent this...OSU basketball uniform.

 My TV show buddy in bed with me

 DQ in Edina for the boys...'

 Facetime with Jack...Max showing him his new tricks.

 My sweet friend Carol sent me this care package from CO, so kind and thoughtful.  It arrived the day I got home from the hospital

 On the way to see their Great Grandma in Benson for Easter....

 Lots of snuggle and TV time with this little guy

 My Mom seriously makes the best JELLO ever...

All set for the Easter Egg hunt...in the snow on the farm.

 In Benson with my Grandma Lu, their Great Grandma...so blessed

 Waking up from one of our many naps...

 On the farm in Benson with cousins, and more cousins

 Family room fun....

 My nurse taking a well deserved nap

 Happy Easter

 Easter morning baseball

 Easter morning in Benson

 My personal Dr giving me a check up

 Mom sent this...think he is tired?

 How my parents must be feeling...

 Mom, Grandma and my dear Aunt Sandy

Max could NOT have been more excited to have his "Jackie" home...pure joy

 That was then April 1, 1995...

 ...this is now April 1, 2013

 Lego building with Grandma

 Coloring with Grandma

 My Love brought home these beautiful tulips the other day....our house has so many beautiful flowers in it right now, I love it.

 A special baby visitor came yesterday...made my day to get to snuggle him

Thanks for all of your prayers and sweet words, meals and love for my family.  I am feeling so very blessed.