favorite wisconsin story ever

My cousin Bob worked at the Tamarack in Portage and every time we were in town (which is usually a couple times a year) we stop in and say hello.

One night we went in and asked 'Is Bob working?' The waitress said 'Who?' We replied 'Bob.' The name didn't register at first until she said 'Oh! You mean Bahb! (said in the finest Wisconsin accent). Who knew there were so many different ways to pronounce Bob?

Bobby passed away Wednesday afternoon from a heart attack. He was only 40. Both his father and grandfather died young from the same. Sad is an understatement.

When my dad called me with news it didn't compute. He said: 'Your cousin Bobby died' and I couldn't put the words together. You see, another of my cousins is very sick at the moment. He's at the end stage of a cancer that spread to numerous organs in his body. That call would have been sad, but it would have made sense. A call about Bobby? Does not compute.

I would love to be there for the service, but I just can't. I mean, physically I could hop in the car today and be there in time but emotionally it's nearly impossible. I am not ready to gather around the family and mourn the passing of another loved one. I need more time. I am also not ready to tell Cha that Cousin Bobby, who we just saw in July has died. There's been far too many death notices in her short life already.

We may go visit for Thanksgiving or wait until next summer and I can tell her then. I just don't know. We both need some time.

Rest in Peace Bob.

Bob Barrick

Depression

Yes, the link is on my blogshelf but this post deserves a little more respect than that.

So when someone asks 'What's it like?', just point them here....

Adventures in Depression

No One Fights Alone

Someone very near and dear to the my family is gearing up for her third battle against Hodgkin's Lymphoma. I have no doubt that this courageous 19 year old has the strength, humor and spirit to overcome, but it won't be easy and the medical expenses are going to suck.

The help alleviate the financial burden, family and friends are selling green (lymphoma's awareness color) "livestrong like" bracelets that say "No one fights alone". The bracelets are available for $3.00 each from the address below.

United Country Hamele Auction & Realty
Attn: Alyse Krueger's Fund
118 W. Collins Street
Portage, WI 53901

Thank you in advance for your support and continuing to keep this beautiful young woman in your prayers.

(And thanks to Alyse for allowing me to share her story.)

Please read a very sweet article about Alyse from the local paper here: Go Alyse

this is also motherhood

Not my proudest moment.

We had a very busy weekend. I may have overbooked our calendar to take advantage of one of the last great weather weekends of the year - pumpkin patch, flower picking, parks with twisty slides, running Lizzy at the dog park, and Cha's first ever sleepover. One thing about having an only child is that they are used to getting pretty much all the attention they can handle. Cha is blessed with two parents who are there for her always and she's used to being center stage. When there are other kids in the picture and the spotlight is shining on someone else, only children get a little sad. Or at least my only does.

Cha draws attention to herself by getting hurt, or pretending to get hurt. A slip on the playground, an imaginary twist of an ankle or a bumped head causes enormous tears and requires much attention. This weekend was filled with many bumps and falls. I saw it and played along but after the 6th or 7th time I was getting a little tired of the game.

Fast forward to the giant climbing spider web at the local park. We were with two other kids and I was trying to keep my eye on all three when Cha screamed 'Owww!' I sighed and asked her what happened, thinking that it was just one more bid for some affection. I saw her climb the web, which she's done a dozen times and didn't see what could have caused pain. She said something hurt her wrist. I told her to come down and show me and she started to cry saying her hand hurt too much to climb down. I was at my limits with her and plain tired of hearing the whining and crying for attention. I was not going to climb up the giant spider web and carry her down so I snapped at her and told her to get down now, and if she didn't stop crying we were going home.

Matt was there and when Cha didn't budge I told him to go pull her down. She held her wrist and said it hurt but didn't know why. Matt and I both looked at it and found she had been stung by a wasp. Ugh, my child was hurting and I snapped at her. Not my finest moment.

This was her first sting and we didn't know if she was allergic so we rushed her home and gave her benedryl. The sting caused her wrist and palm to completely swell and it was ugly. I put her hand on an ice pack and held her while the benedryl kicked in. I watched her breathing and checked her eyes, paranoid that something bad would happen. I've been stung twice and both times had labored breathing, dizziness, and loss of vision.

Three hours later she woke from a very deep sleep and the pain and swelling was gone. She was groggy the rest of the day but that was just the drugs.

Big hugs to my little Cha Cha Bear. Sometimes I feel like the meanest mom ever and I am so, so sorry.

this is motherhood

I love the Beatles and find myself humming or singing their music on a daily basis. Yesterday George Harrison's Give me Love was stuck in my head. I must have been singing it out loud because at one point I noticed Cha was singing along.

Such a proud moment! I pulled out my phone and pulled up youtube where I showed her the video. She played it again and again. So precious.