A toast to Dane

We had an awesome time last Friday, celebrating and remembering Dane. We had a gathering at Muldoon's and it was a great turn out. I find it so comforting to be surrounded by people who loved Dane so much. It is like there is a bit of Dane in each one of us. Dane's legacy will always live on. These are just a few pictures from the night.

Dane

I have so many happy memories of Dane. Recently I came across this picture that Jenny took of me and Dane the day we took him to college at the University of Iowa. We stopped at a rest area that overlooked the Mississippi River on the way there. Wonderful day. Such a sweetheart. So missed everyday. I hate this day. I know I should be happy that Dane did not suffer and that he is in heaven with my dad and Tom, but I miss him. Terribly. Looking forward to gathering tonight with so many others that loved Dane, too.

Important Family Time

In the last few days, Jack and I have been able to spend some important time with family.
Last week, Mike, Jack's brother, was hospitalized in pretty serious condition. Things were not looking good and it was pretty scary for everyone, especially so for his wife Sue and their two kids Lauren and Brendan. I am glad to report that Mike's condition has stabilized, as of this weekend. Mike was heavy on my mind when I sat down to post here on Thursday, but I just didn't know what to say...so instead, I wrote about the fire alarm. Displacement I guess. Earlier Thursday evening, I had gone with Jack to visit Mike and we got to spend a little time with Mike but even more time with Sue, Lauren and Brendan. I am just so impressed by them and how well they are handling the stress. Sue has been a total rock and awesome at keeping lines of communication open. Lauren and Brendan are such good kids and so mature, too. We were able to talk about lots of important things that are not always easy to talk about, including feelings about death and loss. I was thankful to have had that time together.
Also heavy on my mind is Dane. It was six years ago this coming Friday, February 25th, that my 23 year old nephew Dane collapsed and died at work, the victim of a fatal cardiac arrhythmia. Regular readers of my blog  know that Dane's death has had a huge impact on my life and that is one of the reasons I have to write about it all of the time. I am still processing it. Any way, this past Saturday we had made plans to have Kjell (Dane's brother/my nephew) over for pizza, champagne and a sleepover. Wayne, Kjell, Dane and Arne had many sleepovers together over the years and it was time for another one. It was just going to be Wayne and Kjell and then Saturday afternoon, Arne, Beth and the girls called to see if they could stop by and visit for a while. I called Jenny and Sue to see if they wanted to come spur of the moment, but it wasn't working for them. That's when Sue reminded me of the spontaneous get-together we had had at our house on Feb 19th, 2005. My mom, Sue, Jenny, and Kjell came for dinner and when Dane heard we were getting together, he came straight to our house on his way back from visiting friends in Iowa. It was such a fun night and it turned out to be the last time the rest of the family saw Dane alive. I was glad Sue reminded us of that; it was all the more reason to be together as a family. This February 19th was an awesome night, too, and as Kjell said the next morning, we experienced the whole range of emotions (me especially!). Kjell, Wayne and I ended up staying up until 3:30 am! It took me all of Sunday to recover :).
I am so thankful for the people in my family, both sides, and love being with them.

Nothing like a fire alarm to start out the day

So much going on around here. Work is super busy and it is further complicated by being in our temporary location. Our hosts, Grace Church, could not be nicer and we are so thankful for the space they have given us, but everything is just a bit more complicated not being "home". For example, yesterday one of our students pulled the fire alarm. Yes. Pulled the fire alarm as in everyone thinking there might really be a fire and evacuating the church and the fire trucks coming with the sirens blaring. You get the picture. The minister and the secretary and all of the other church employees were so understanding about it. It wasn't a matter of inadequate supervision. (I can say that because it wasn't one of my students...but I know that it could have been!) The fire alarm is at just the perfect level for a four year old and is not protected by a box or anything and the student had no idea what would happen with that one little pull of the bar. Lesson learned.

Happy Birthday, Wayne!

How did 26 years go by so quickly? I remember February 9, 1985 as if it were yesterday. Every year Jack and I relive the experience and the joy of Wayne's arrival. And what a joy Wayne has always been and continues to be. Wayne has the most amazing sense of humor (I wonder who gets that from? Jack!) and does a spot-on imitation of me (and many others!). One of the things that I most admire about Wayne is the respect that he has for others. Wayne does not like to talk trash about people and will respectfully decline any invitation to do so. I wish I was more like that.
We celebrated Wayne's birthday on his actual birthday on Wednesday with a quick dinner at The Reel Club, a great fish restaurant in Oak Brook. It was just Wayne, Sally, and me as Jack was out of town on business. I don't take for granted that I am able to spend time with my kids and enjoy their company. I am so blessed.
Happy birthday, Waynie boy!

Way to start a Saturday

Here is how I love to start Saturday. Donut holes from Kirschbaum's (glazed and cinnamon are my two current favorites), a cup of coffee, and great conversation with Jack. One of the things we discussed was a post by one of my favorite pastors, Pete Wilson. I have been following his blog for three years now (Pete is in Nashville) and he is amazing. On facebook, Pete had posted "Hurt people hurt people. Free people free people." A guy named Bo challenged that and said he thought that statement needed clarification. Pete posted this response, of  which I took a screen shot because I thought it was wonderful. God's grace is such a gift.

Blizzard 2011

Wow! We really got hit with blowing and drifting snow. So often we hear those dire predictions of major snowfalls and blizzards, but then it will pass us by somehow. Not this time! It started yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon. The difference between the arrival of the afternoon students and their departure was incredible! We got word mid-afternoon that classes would be cancelled for today and we left as soon as the students did. It was a relaxing evening, sitting in the basement, listening to the wind howl. This morning we had our work cut out for us. There were 3 and 4 feet drifts covering our sidewalks and driveway, with our cars buried. We worked on our project in shifts with plenty of rests and were successful. Wayne came home instead of heading back into the city so that has made it much easier getting this done.
I think one of the best parts of this blizzard is that none of my loved ones got stranded anywhere. The storm hit at a good time and so people were able to get where they needed to go before the roads became impassable. Not like the blizzard of 1967, when I got stranded at school and had to spend two nights at a friend's house. Not a good memory. My friend and her family were very petite and I was not. They tried to find some clothes for me to wear and I couldn't even fit into the sister's clothes...she was a senior in high school and I was in fifth grade! And they made me eat split pea soup. In the meantime, my family had a bunch of fun junior high school teachers staying at our house and they were all  having a big old party. Poor me.
We have also been lucky with this blizzard because we have not lost power (yet...dont want to jinx it!) We were prepared and had plenty of food and drink in the house and so it is not bad at all. May even have a day off again tomorrow because of wind chill issues. We shall see.