hanging tough

You are sure going to miss me recapping who cleaned which toilet and who did what exercise in this post, but we have bigger things going on. Dad;s health is going to downhill as body starts to shut down. He has  few lucid moments, is not really eating anymore, and sleeps most of the time. He has been spending his nights in his new room downstairs and days on the couch while the kids dance, fight, and yell around him. He does not seem to mind! We are giving him lots of hugs and telling him we love him. I love you is one of the few things he still says (that and,  he aint' heavy, he's my brother).

Dad spent time with family this weekend including us, Casey, and Grandma Sylvia and The Pips (Doris, Joan, and Mary Ellen). Tracy and Jill cooked/reheated not one but two meals for us as well. I am not sure what this week will hold but I do plan to go to work tomorrow since Casey is spending the day with dad.  I am sure Brad, the hospice nurse, and  Rob, the bath dude, will be here, too.

We appreciate the prayers and positive vibes you have been sending his way! 

tough times

It has been a rough week as we have been putting the F-U in dysFUnctional. Plans have changed again:  my dad has moved in to my house. He is going to stay a few days and then we will transition him to a residential hospice facility. His condition is deteriorating rather rapidly and he sleeps most of the time. Tomorrow Grandma Sylvia will be coming to visit him, so let's hope he finds some energy to hang with her. Thank you to everyone for your support, especially Jake, Mom, Casey, Erin (for taking the kids in a crisis moment), Missy, and Aunts Jill & Tracy for taking girls today to bake so I could work with hospice and, most importantly, spend time with my dad. I owe you all!

A few pics from last week's photos shoot:

undercover brother

You know what they say, when life hands you poisoned lemons, call your aunts to come take of you, make your BFF bring you pizza, eat hot chocolate chip cookies while laughing with four little girls, and watch Kourtney and Kim Take Miami (or as Nori would say "Yourami", where her Daddy is this week).

p.s. this blog is going private. I will try to invite all people who I know regularly read, but please email me if you want an invite or if I miss you.

XXOO

I wanted to share the random photos I found on Jake's iPhone, but now I can't find where they are saved. To be continued!

you know it

a whole lotta Henny!

Henny had a fun week home with Momma and/or Dadda while Nanny was on vacation (someone should be!) Jake spent a special day with his baby at the Children's Museum and I took her to the hospital to show her the ropes so she is ready to take care of me when I start to fall apart.  Nori enjoyed her usual schedule at pre-school where she chased her "husband" Teegan around the gym and studied her letters, in that order.

The Habitot Room is the bomb. Do people still say things are the bomb?

cuddle time with Papa Bill

Later in the week, we sprung Papa Bill from the hospital. Thank you to my friend, Erin, who dropped what she was doing and came over on Friday to take beautiful photos of my dad with his granddaughters. I will share those with you soon! Dad seems to have good days and bad days, you never know how he will feel.  Linda came back from Florida to help take care of him in his own home and hospice will start next week.

Needless to say, I have moments where I am overcome with sadness, especially when I think the energy he used to have (even very recently) and the hopes and dreams he had for his future.We have become very close in the last two years, he always says "we are making up for the 30+ years in two years".   It is very unfair he is stricken with this disease so young. I am just going to miss him so much!

 

bonding time on 7D 

Luckily, I have many bright spots in my life, especially my family. Jake picks up my slack and is so patient with every new crisis. My girls are  full of love and happiness, it's contagious! Hen is a huge Mama's Girl right now so if I am around, she must be on my lap or at least  in the same room. She has tons of hugs and kisses to cheer me up. Nori is loving as ever and has big plans to marry Teegan, have five kids, and build a house our driveway because she always to be by Momma. The rest of my family is very supportive with offers to help and words of encouragement,  plus I have wonderful friends who I can count on. All of these people help me get through this hard time. Yeah, I am talking about YOU (unless you are some creeper reading a blog about people you don't know in which case.... Hello, Nice to meet you, Creeper! I like you already!).

Nori teaches Henny the fine art of television watching

all clean

sister power!

I love her!

sad about Dad

Now is not a good time to try to rob our house as we are not on the Disney cruise after all. My dad was admitted to the hospital on Sunday and is still there, but doing better now. He is currently getting another block to help manage his pain, but they hope to discharge him by Friday to start hospice in his home. Last night he and I had a great talk about all the decisions he has made, what he wants for me, and what it is going to be like when he is gone. I am grateful for those special moments, just so sad they are coming to an end. I hope he still has some good days and we can enjoy the time we have left, pain-free.

you and I

Greetings from the ER. We had to make a pit stop to get a punch on our Frequent Fluids Card…buy 10 bags, get one free.  Dad is sleeping and we are still waiting for test results, but I assume it is the usual: dehydration, high ammonia levels, and a pesky pancreas. Praying for a medical intervention to help us go on our trip this week! He looks so cute sleeping but I will resist the urge draw a mustache on him with a black marker.

campanile

 In other events, we enjoyed a road trip to Cedar Falls, Iowa.  It was really bizarre to be back on campus at UNI.  Jake & I visited the dorm where I lived and walled about campus. It’s crazy to think of all that has happened, both good and bad, since I first set foot on the campus. BTB, UNI was the only college I visited or even applied to, unlike the 50 kindergartens we just toured for Nori.  It seemed smaller than I remembered, although I am warped from working at the U of M for the past 10 years. 

frat boy

We miss our dog . Kind of, but not really... she is on vacation in Winona for the two next week - even dogs need quality Grandma  & Grandpa time. We keep throwing scraps on the floor or the inverse, putting full plates of food out of reach, only to remember she is not here. Dorothy is romping in a giant yard and stealing food off of other counters, her dream come true.

she loves Harley

What else? Nori is really interested in writing the letters of the alphabet and learning to spell short words.  The preschool curriculum is kicking in to high gear this semester to get the kids ready for kindergarten and I can see it is working!  She even offers to work on her spelling when I am trying to put her to bed, as a way to stay up later. Henny is a feisty one, biting and scratching when does not get her way, just like her dad. She is super sweet most of the time, as she loves to give kisses and burrow in my neck to make me laugh at nighttime.  6:30-7:30 p.m.is my favorite time of the day when we watch the girls perform their nightly dance routines and tuck them in to bed. Coincidentally, 6:30-7:30 a.m. is my least favorite time of day as I drag myself awake to shower, dress kids and myself, make breakfasts and lunches while rushing out the door behind schedule.

CCP

Casey amazed at his graduate recital last night at my alma matter, University of Northern Iowa where he is in his final semester earning his Master's in Jazz Pedagogy. He performed on bass guitar, piano, and drum set, arranging many of the songs himself. He took a brave step a couple years ago when he went back to school to earn a second undergraduate degree, following his dream of a career in music. He picked up both a degree and hot wife before moving on to graduate school. Next up, hopefully a job as a jazz instructor at a college, living with his wife, and here's the big news.... a puppy!

he also directed the ensemble and carved the piano by hand

Hairless Connick Jr.

Proud Mother

Iowa:  not just for hicks anymore

Dad insisted on making the trip

You can hardly tell they are expecting!

p.s.
Thank you to Jake for doing all of the driving this weekend while we slept in the car and  to Grandma Liz & Grandpa Steve for taking care of the girls & dog.