Hello??  Hello???   Hoping there are still some faithful readers out there reading my rambles.    I know I said, “I am going to post at least once a week”!  Well, life and work keeps interrupting me.   Just to give you an idea of how busy I have felt lately, I have not read a single book since August!   If you know me, you are finding that hard to believe.    It is true.    My life has mostly been busy with good things, but busy none the less. 

     Last time I posted was Labor Day Weekend and I was busy with some organizing projects.    After a very busy July and August it felt good to bring a small amount of order to our home.    July was busy as my MIL was injured at her assistive living facility during a transport and was hospitalized.   After hospitalization, she went to transitional care at a very nice nursing home.   Love that place!   It was determined by the team there that she really needed to have memory care services.     So the hunt was on to find a nice memory care bed not too far away from the family.   On August 16^th she moved to a Memory Care Center.   I can’t begin to tell you how much I enjoyed the time I spent with my MIL at music therapy and saw her singing and alert.  It brought me to tears.  

     September was busy with the start of the school year.  Tommy started the 4^th grade on Sept 6^th.   He has had a pretty good start of the school year, but is struggling with the new level of responsibility required of him.   The first week of school I had to run him back to the school each evening due to forgotten homework.   Argh….this week has been a little better.  Lucky for him he goes to school at our church and there is frequently activities going on in the evening so we can get into the school.   I have noticed he is getting a bit more self-conscience and sensitive about things as well.    

     The weekend of 9/10 we had the school picnic to kick off the new school year.    After my MIL went to memory care and it became evident that she would need to have that level of care, my hubby started to be concerned about his father.   He wasn’t sure how his Dad would do alone.  His primary function for the last few years had been taking care of Mom.    So we decided to ask my FIL if he would like to come live with us.    He said “Yes” so we started putting that into motion.  

My Father in Law (FIL) – Dick C

    On Sept 16^th, my wonderful FIL came to live with us.   We had workmen in that day to install shower grab bars and health alert system into our house for him.  The entire family helped to move over the items he would need immediately.   

     The weekend of Sept 23^rd, my hubby, Tommy and I went to Wisconsin Dells to my cousins wedding.   We stayed at the Wilderness Resort and really enjoyed the water parks and relaxation this trip allowed us.   The Wednesday before we went Tommy started on the Health Home/Healthy Kids research project so he had to wear a monitor for the researchers’ the entire time we were there. 

     Being so busy, the month of September seemed to have sped by.   I had to take a few days off in September, which always gets me behind at work.   I feel like I am still trying to catch up on visits and paperwork at my job. 

    The first weekend in October was a weekend of celebrations!   On Saturday, Josh’s best friend, Charlie got married.   We enjoyed a wonderful outdoor ceremony, reception and wedding dance.  Tommy loved the dance and had a great time dancing!  The entire day made me think about how our family would be celebrating the marriage of Josh and Amy.   It made it a bit real that my son would be getting married.   I didn’t cry until the mother/groom dance.    That totally did me in.   Sunday we had a party with all family over to celebrate Erik’s 19^th birthday as well as the other September birthdays.  

September Birthdays:  Steve, Chrissi and Erik

    Now with all the moves behind us, I feel like I can see the light at the end of this month.   Today and the next two days, we are having a ramp installed at the backdoor of our home to make it easier for my FIL to get out of the house independently.   We have continued to rent my in-laws apartment for the month of October to give us this month to get everything moved out.    That seems to be the last big project to be completed, which I hope to start on this Friday with my SIL’s assistance.  

    It has been a blessing to have my FIL living with us.   He has the most laid back attitude, is kind and so funny!   You would not believe the zingers that fly across our dinner table between my hubby, BIL and FIL.    Tommy has enjoyed watching football with his grandfather most evenings.   Tommy’s homework assignment the other day was to write a gratitude statement.   Later that night, I saw the statement and he had written about how grateful he was for his grandfather.    So being a multigenerational home has been a win –win situation for our family.  

    If you just read this and you are saying to yourself, I don’t know how she does it or the various other things people seem to say to me daily, let me explain.   While what you read seems very busy and it is…..I hope you can see how incredibly blessed I am.   My personality is such that I am most comfortable caring for and helping others, which is why I am a social worker.   It brings me joy and fulfillment.  Being this busy means, I have a family that I love and want to take care for.    I also have a family that is always there for me whenever I need them.   I always have companionship and assistance in my home.    My life is full and wonderful and I would not change one thing about it.   Hope you are able to count your blessings this day as well.  

Jen C and her handsome hubby.

Thank You, Lord

 Lord, thank you for this sink of dirty dishes;
      we have plenty of food to eat.

Thank you for this pile of dirty, stinky laundry;
      we have plenty of nice clothes to wear.

And I would like to thank you, Lord, for those unmade beds;
      they were so warm and comfortable last night.
      I know that many have no bed.

My thanks to you, Lord, for this bathroom,
      complete with all the splattered mirrors,
      soggy, grimy towels and dirty lavatory;
      they are so convenient.

Thank you for this finger-smudged refrigerator that needs cleaning.
    It has served us faithfully for many years.
     It is full of cold drinks and enough leftovers
      for two or three meals.

Thank you, Lord, for this oven that absolutely
       must be cleaned today;
      It has baked so many things over the years.

The whole family is grateful for that tall grass
      that we all enjoy the yard.
     My kids are healthy and able to run and play.

Lord, the presence of all these chores awaiting me says
      You have richly blessed my family.
      I shall do them cheerfully and I shall do them gratefully.

Even though I clutch my blanket and growl
      when the alarm rings,
     Thank you, Lord, that I can hear.
      There are many who are deaf.

Even though I keep my eyes closed against the morning light
      as long as possible,
     Thank you, Lord, that I can see. Many are blind.

Even though I huddle in my bed and put off rising,
     Thank you, Lord, that I have the strength to rise.
     There are many who are bedridden.

Even though the first hour of my day is hectic,
     when socks are lost, toast is burned and tempers are short,
     my children are so loud,
     Thank you, Lord, for my family.
      There are many who are lonely.

Even though our breakfast table never looks like
      the pictures in magazines 
     and the menu is at times not balanced,
     There are many who are hungry.

Even though the routine of my job is often monotonous,
     Thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to work.
     There are many who have no job.

Even though I grumble and bemoan my fate from day to day
     and wish my circumstances were not so modest,
     Thank you, Lord, for life.