Driver's License Day

October 21, 2010 a day that will go down in infamy, ok maybe not that exciting, but today my 16 year old son was granted the right by the State of Illinois to drive a car and hit the road. Right, wrong or indifferent my nine months of driving with him is over. My second 9 month stint with him! This one so far is much less painful! Please watch out if you see him coming down the road. I would like to officially change the driving age in Illinois to 17. I wonder if other parents would agree with me. Good luck Chase, be safe and no texting!!!!

So today was a great fall day and I wish I could duplicate it tomorrow instead of going to work :(

Shelby spent time with Kathleen which I think they both needed. Its hard to keep a friend when you go to different schools.

Chase lost his girlfriend tonight. He says as soon as they go out for a month that's it! Her loss. No problem he will have his license is 4 days and all will be well in his world.

I am still attempting to complete my first pair of knitted socks. Yes I know they sell them in the store, but its a challenge now and I plan to conquer........

Driving Ms. Daisy

Dear Chase:

Next Thursday October 21, 2010, you will have had your permit for 9 months, and its time for you to get your driver's license. I have mixed feelings about this, but its a rite of passage for every kid. I can only hope you keep in mind everything I taught you and that those 50 hours we drove together were not lost on you. God knows I have the extra gray hairs for all the 50 hours I drove with you. Please be safe and be respectful of other drivers and I will say a little prayer every time you drive away from me.

Mom

April, 1997

This was taken at Jubilee State Park when Chase was 3 and Shelby was 2. We used to make a point of taking the whole family to the park for a cookout once a year. I am not sure why we stopped doing this, I guess it got too hard with job schedules to work around, school functions to go to, boyfriends and girlfriends to see....... I miss this.

Ok on a much lighter note, a lot of the reason for me doing this blog is for my kids as I have mentioned before. This photo was taken roughly in 1961 ish, cause god knows there are no dates on it! These are my parents. The lovely lady on your right is my mom Jeanne and the handsome stud muffin on your left is my dad Jack.

Jack and Jeanne will be celebrating 50 years of wedded bliss this October 22nd! They said it would never last. This photos was taken at your Grandma Kilborn's house in Clear Lake, Iowa.

Maybe if my mom really reads my blog like she says she does, she can post a comment and tell me how old she is in the pictures??????

Today my husband's father died. I looked up the word Father in the dictionary and this is what it said: "a man who has begotten a child; esp., a man as he is related to his child or children"

Kinda of a generic description for the one man who should have the most impact in your life. My father-in-law was not the kind of "father" I am used to being around. The pain I see in my husband's eyes upon realizing his father is dead is for what he cannot remember about his father. No fishing trips, no car rides, no baseball games in the backyard, no love and affection. At least that he can remember.

Maybe it has to do with being one of 6 boys, but how does a person have 6 kids and not be a "father"??

I dont know enough about my father-in-law to understand how you walk away from your kids. I know it works both ways and maybe my husband should have reached out to his dad, but I am not sure it would have been welcomed.

The one thing I hope my husband takes away from this is to tell your kids you love them, show your kids you love them no matter how old they get or no matter how old you get before it too late.

Just a quick shout out to my Father---- I love you dad :)

This is where it all began for our family. Rodney and I were married at the Botanical Gardens in Glen Oak Park on May 15, 1993. I was 28 and Rodney was 27. We actually have matching 80's hair!! Its been 17 years and they said it would never last! He is one lucky guy......... just ask me I will tell you.

I want to share as much of our life with our kids as I can so they realize that we were once young and weren't always called "mom and dad".