Allen is 18 !!!

 18 years ago, my son Allen Arthur Nelson was born. That in itself is reason to celebrate. But the road to get to that event was paved with angst, stress, drama and horror.  We had trouble getting pregnant,
so we started seeing a specialist. It is no small road to travel when looking for reasons why no baby has happened. There are tests for both of you. There is lots and lots of waiting and seeing.
   When I finally did get pregnant after 8 yrs, it was the happiest time I can remember. For 21/2 months. Then, I started spotting. My 10yr daughter was horrified. We went to the clinic and the doctor said, " It looks like your threatening to miscarry !" I was put on bed rest for 4 days. OMG !!  That was THE worst time of my life. The bleeding stopped, and everything was going OK, until I started passing clots. I convinced myself I had lost the baby and became very depressed. My husband then insisted we go immediately to the doctor. The same doctor did an ultrasound. And, there he was, doing flips like a little fish. No more spotting problems occurred after that.
   5 months into the pregnancy, I developed gestational diabetes. I dealt with that like a champ and actually lost weight while I was carrying my son. After we found out he was indeed a he, the naming process began. We knew for sure he was going to be named after his male ancestors. So, Allen- Dave's middle name, was chosen for the 1st name after Allen's father. Now the middle name- Arthur- as luck would have it was Dave's fathers first name, my fathers middle name and if we called him Al as a nickname, that was after my Grandpa Latzke. So Allen Arthur Nelson it was.
  The last month and a half of my pregnancy I was leaking amniotic fluid slowly, but so slowly I thought it was a weak bladder. Dr Wasson decided to induce ( secretly, I think he suspected the fluid was gone ).
   After 2 1/2 hrs of 3 stages of contractions at once going on, Allen entered the world at 10:56AM.  I looked at Lindy and said Merry Christmas. The December before, she got an early Christmas present. A note telling her " We are going to have a baby ". She was in the delivery room and watched him come into this world. In fact Lindy saw Allen before Dave and I did. She has always loved him fiercely and protectively.
  So, celebrating the birth of my son brings back the flood of memories every year, but this year, is a little harder. He is now an adult. He can vote, be drafted into war, and even get a credit card. College isn't far behind. Wow, where did the time go ?

                                                                                

Blessings

The other day my favorite radio station asked, "Who is a blessing in your life ?"

Now, I was on my way home and had time to ponder on this question. I have so my "blessings" in my life. As a teenager with low self-esteem I often felt I'd live my life alone. As a young adult, I felt I'd burned too many bridges to live the life I had dreamed about.

So, my list of blessings starts with my husband. I met him at a really low part of my life. Things moved at lightening speed after that and we were married with a baby and a house. The 2nd and 3rd blessings are my children. I had known I always wanted children and was blessed with a girl, then a boy. My heart bursts with love and pride when I think of them. My daughter added my son-in-law to the mix and we love him just as much.

My parents are blessings in my life. The unknown lessons they taught me influenced who I am today. Now that we are all older, my parents have regrets. Life is full of coulda, woulda,shoulda's. But it is the path we all took that led us to where we are now. Don't all parents feel they could have done more for their children? In my mind a parent with some regret, did a wonderful job. If you have no regret you didn't try hard enough or just didn't care.

My siblings are blessings too. They,along with their families, are icing on a scrumptious cake that just keeps getting better.

Then the granddaughters ! They are the sprinkles on my cake, the marshmallows in my hot chocolate, the whip cream on my pie.They are my "gramma girls". They bring joy with them with every visit. On one trip, they asked me " Who is your favorite child, our mom or Allen ?" I said" I love them both the same." I explained that if my children were in a lake drowning and I could save them or me, I'd gladly die knowing they were safe. And then I told the girls," thats how much I love you ! I would happily die if it meant you would live" There have been no more questions like that since.

So my answer to who is a blessing in my life is , my family ! Materials things come and go, but your family will always be here !

Signs of Spring ? ! ? !

I am so tired of winter , I hungrily search for signs of its demise. Tuesday evening was another Winter Storm. UGH !!

I was better prepared this time and left 2 hrs early for work. I encountered rain and sleet, but the snow had not started yet. A 1/4 of the way to work, I happened upon a Highway snow plow/salting truck. Well, my commute probably took 20 min longer, but who would not follow the safety of being behind a snow plow traveling at 30 mph, spraying salt on the road.

So I arrived safely at work, I worked my shift and breathed a sigh of relief when the local schools cancelled for the day. Staff arrived to cover the shift and after thawing out my van, I headed home. The roads were not to bad, but I had the knowledge of knowing the trucks had been out frequently all evening.

As I traveled home, admiring the packed snow-ice on the roads, I saw a bird in the middle of the high-way. As I got closer, I noticed the color. It was blue !! And yes, it was a Blue Jay. Now knowing that this is not an adventurous bird, I have to be excited in the knowledge that SPRING IS HERE !!

My date with a "King"

Oh my, it finally happened !!! I finally got to meet the King. I have read about him since I was a child. My mother indulged me one Christmas with 2 books on Egyptology and Archeology. I still have those books today and they are among my most prized possessions.

I have watched any and all documentaries on the mummies, the crypts, the artifacts and the tombs. So many things in today's society conjure up memories of all I have seen and read. And now, meeting the object of my childhood dreams, amazing.

The 1st part of the exhibit was an intro into the world of the previous kings. They too are amazing. The sizes, materials and colors were amazing. Then you entered the "tomb" of the king. The exhibit was set up like his tomb - antechamber, burial chamber, treasury chamber......

The items I personally found completely mind boggling were the intricacies of the jewelry. I kept looking at the items envisioning a craftsman meticulously carving out each section. My hands and eyes hurt just to think of it.

The exhibit ended with a statue of King Tut. It was beautiful. And, he even had a belly button.

I indulged myself and bought memento's of this special and "once in a lifetime" event. But what made it so special and endearing was, I got to share it with my mom. The lady who indulged a young girl with a couple books and had conversations about them. What I did not know then was how much my mom also enjoyed Egyptology and King Tut and how excited she was also.

I am so happy I got to share this special time with my mom, and learned a little something I never knew before. I am thankful to learn these things about her now, so we can share them together. I love you mom, and thank you !!

A perfect record, squashed !

Fri, March 11, 2011. ( I need to write down the events so I can remind myself, NEVER AGAIN !!)

There were Winter Storm Watches posted all morning. Then they were Winter Storm Warnings, with blizzard strength winds. And yes it was my night to work and I was still going.

Time to leave for work, now we have Blizzard warnings, but, the highway is still open, so I'm going. I have never been stuck and always made it to work, ( a phrase I just told my mother last week, damn ! No wood to knock on after I said it ) I should have turned back, but I got to Big Chief OK, and after the freeway, I kept going. 3o miles an hour was as fast as I could go. Sometimes 5 miles an hour until the 51 mph gusts subsided. Yet I still pushed on. I passed the Ten Mile Lake road thinking OK, straight shot.

I got oh, so close. 10 miles out. And crap, I got stuck. Not bad I was still mostly on the road, but my tires were spinning. I called the county sheriff to let them know where I was and I was stuck.

Along came a vehicle . I rolled down the window and he asked if I was OK. I said yes but I was stuck. He offered to push me out because he said I was not that far in. We got me out, and then we were caravaning to Elbow Lake. 3 miles out, he got stuck. Josh, the young mans name, came and sat in my van. He called his mom and a friend who was going to try and come get us. Well, the friend got stuck too. So we decided to just wait it out.

Josh, as it turns out, is the son of a guy I graduated with. His grandmother was my husband Dave's supervisor years ago at the state hospital. Dave and I knew his parents when they were dating and got married. Small world.

We spent the night talking about a little of everything. Goofy things, heavy things, philosophical, personal failures and triumphs. We covered alot. I was prepared and had a full tank of gas. We were warm, had company and water and food. ( I always go prepared).

About 6:05 am, the wind just stopped. Oh it was still blowing but a 15 mph was less than 40-50. I saw headlights coming our way.He passed and then, turned around. It was Josh's friend.

We followed him into Elbow Lake and I made it to work 8hrs after the start of my shift.

So, my record is squashed. I have been stuck in a blizzard. However no one had to risk their life to rescue me, thank goodness.

And I met an amazing young man, 23 yrs old, who spent the night with a woman older than his mom and we had a fairly pleasant evening, keeping each other company and sane.

I will never attempt to "make it to work" when the weather is that bad again !!

Another sign of Spring

WOOHOO !!!

Another sign of Spring is upon us. Time to set the clocks ahead !!!!

Normally, this is not a reason to celebrate. Losing on hour of sleep is no laughing matter. But, I am so tired of Winter and all its bluster, I will welcome the loss with great enthusiasm.

Another sign of Spring. Ash Wednesday has also past.

Easter is not far behind. ( However, if the weather stays like it is, we'll be hiding Easter eggs in the snow).

Spring, oh Spring, where are you ???

March 1- Lion wins over Lamb

Enough already !! I am so tired of winter I could scream.

I dream of walking barefoot through the grass in my front yard. I dream of sitting on my front porch, in a lawn chair, watching the birdies and hearing them sing. I dream of smelling the lillacs, tulips, apple blossoms and wet pavement from melting snow.

I look forward to Opening Day of the MN Twins and the coming of Easter !! And I guess, my birthday !

So little lamb, here's looking for you in a big way !!