Day 11: My Family

In line with the 30 day writing challenge, I am talking about my family in this disjointed entry.

There are a lot of different kind of family I have been blessed to be part of.

The family I was raised in represents so many dichotomies to me.  But, despite any of the craziness that has come from this core family, I can honestly say I was gifted with more than an adequate amount of love as I was growing up.

I had parents who did their best, and I couldn't ask any more than that.  I think about different situations they found themselves in, and different choices they made, and I don't know that I could have done any better had I been in their shoes with the resources they had.  I do know that everything they ever did, they did out of love for their family.

My family had four boys and two girls.  Lonnie, Danny, Daryn, and Renae were born first, and later myself and my younger brother Shaun came along.  Daryn died when he was 23 and I was 8.

Things haven't always been the easiest between myself and my brothers.  I wish things were different for us, and that we could all be a big, warm, and happy family. That hasn't happened, however.  I love them, though, and I want them to have happy lives.  Who knows, maybe some day, some how, things will be better for us.  I will always hope for that.

My sister has always been one of the most important people in my life.  She is 12.5 years older than me, so growing up we didn't have the typical sister relationship.  She has always had my back, though, ever since childhood.  She protected me when I didn't even know I was in danger.  She tried her hardest to keep me from being a follower (and as hard as I fight being a leader, I fight just as hard not to be a follower).  She was my absolute role model/hero as I grew up, and then she transformed into one of my best friends.

She married Doug when I was five.  He is my brother, all the way. Besides my mom, he was the authority figure I butted heads with the most as I was growing up (I fought with Shaun and Steph a lot too, but more in a sibling-ish kind of way).  As much as I wanted to punch him a lot (and I say that with a smile), I love/d him just as much.

I have three nieces and three nephews.  I grew up close to three of them- Steph, Shannon, and Brandon, and they feel more like younger siblings to me.  Ryan (only 3 years younger than me) didn't move close to us until he was around fifteen.  We kind of bounced in and out of each other's lives through the years.  Kobe and McKenzie live in Oregon with their mothers.  I miss getting to see them grow up.

I also have some amazing aunts who have always been instrumental in my life.  I have sister/brother/niece in-laws who I am blessed to call my family.

I was never one of those kids who dreamed about being a mother, but it has been my life's most rewarding and beautiful journeys.  Of course there are times I feel like I am going to lose my mind if I hear them fighting even one.more.time, but in the big picture I would never trade getting to be their mother for anything.

Of course, my family includes Derrick.  He is my rock, my source of safety.  I love that I know him so intimately, and that the more minutely I know him, the more I respect him.  He has a well of integrity that I completely look up to, and hope I can achieve.  I have been blessed to make this family with him.

I also have friends that I love like family.  I've been blessed to have amazing people come into my life, and once you are in the inner family/friend circle of my heart, I don't ever want you to go.  My tribe.

And I am one of Jehovah's Witnesses- that makes me part of a very large family.  My whole life I have been fortunate to be surrounded by these brothers/sisters.

And there you have it, the *very* short version of "My Family".



   

Ryan

My nephew Ryan passed away this weekend in a tragic motorcycle accident.  I (along with the rest of his family) am heart broke that it happened.  It was the last thing any of us expected.

The last time I saw him was not good (because of some strained family dynamics), but the time before that was at a big family dinner at my mom and dad's house.  We played Spoons, took pictures and felt like a big happy family that night.

My best memory of him is from about four years ago.  We went to coffee in town, and talked for a couple of hours about everything and anything.  He had one of those minds that could wander down lots of different subjects, so talking with him was really fun.  He had been going to AA for about a year at that point (I realize that is an anonymous group, but he was very vocal about it himself, and was very close to the people there so I don't think he would've minded me saying it), and he had all the hope of someone on a new path. I had been going through some hard times myself, so we were able to talk about what we were going through and what we were doing to make things better. I was glad to hear that he had stayed on that path, and his life seemed to be going in a good direction.

He had a fifteen year old son and a baby boy (around two years old).  He was my brother Lonnie's only child. I just can't even imagine what he is going through right now.

Day 10- Put My Music Player on Shuffle and Write Down the First Ten Songs That Play

1. Roll Away Your Stone- Mumford and Sons
2. Spend Some Time- Death Cab for Cutie
3. Do I Creep You Out- Weird Al
4. Give It To Me- Justin Timberlake
5. Ray of Light- Madonna
6. Landslide- Stevie Nicks
7. Anything But Down- Sheryl Crow
8. Mad World- Michael Andrews
9. Alive- Pearl Jam
10. Home- Sheryl Crow

Challenge Day 9: Vacation Hiatus (Summer Stuff)

The last day of summer isn't technically until September 21st, a little over two weeks from now.  For most people, however, the end of August usually signals the real end of summer.  The nights (usually) start getting colder, the kids go back to school, and things start to get serious again.  I am sad (as always) to see summer go.

I can't complain too much though.  We had a great summer.  There was lots of camping, playing in the water, hanging out with friends, and generally absorbing as much outside time as possible. In August, we took Derrin to his first rock concert (Cake!), and that was a great time.

 We also went camping at Como Lake with Deana, Rob and the kids- also a super time.  Kloe and Alaina finally caught their chipmunk this year.  The first one was a moment of great triumph, but their trap was almost too effective; they were able to catch so many that it lost its novelty.  Also, the chipmunks were eager to gnaw off any little fingers that got anywhere near them, and it became apparent very quickly they were never to be the cuddly little pets the girls had dreams about.  Catching frogs and snakes became the preferred activity again.  We went to the beach a couple of times, and everyone got in the water (well, except me, but I am a cold water wimp) briefly.  There was a lot of thunder and rain, so we ended up back at camp pretty quickly after any trip to the beach.  We played a lot of poker (I smoked Rob, that was the most important thing you need to know about that), sat around the campfire, and huddled in the camper when one particularly loud and hard storm rolled through.  Beautiful weekend.

The week after that camping trip, we had some crazy forest fires across-ed the river from our house.  We had quite a few friends on evacuation notice, and held our breath until the fire was eventually contained.  The air was typical August in Montana- smoke smoke everywhere.

The first weekend in September, Derrick had a golf tournament in Anaconda (the morning after the fair in Hamilton).  Georgetown Lake is not far from there, so we brought the camper up there and camped with Shannon, Phil, Alta, Kevin and Guinness.  It turned into a great weekend just lounging by the beach.

And that pretty much is the short version of summer, and brings me up to date.  Tomorrow is the dirty dash 5k.  This is the second year we will be doing it.  None of us feels as prepared as last year, even though we signed up clear last January.  Oh well, it's a chance to hang out together and have some fun.

Como Lake 2013
  

Cheeky Chipmunk, Stealing Peanut Butter

The Trappers

Bucket of Snakes and Frogs, Desperate to get out and away from eachother

Canoe Ride Across the Lake

Chilling at the Lake

Another Fun Camp Trip Together

My crazy friend, sawing some wood.

"KingPin" Lolo Forrest Fire 2013

Storm Rolling In

Smoke Rolling over our house

The View from our neighborhood

Dramatics from my boy Georgetown Lake Camping Trip 2013

Beautiful niece, Shananin

"Trophy" fish

Trip to Philipsburg for Candy

Challenge Day 8: A Song and Photo to Match My Mood

Happiness hit her like a train on a track
Coming towards her stuck still no turning back
She hid around corners and she hid under beds
She killed it with kisses and from it she fled
With every bubble she sank with her drink
And washed it away down the kitchen sink

The dog days are over
The dog days are done
The horses are coming
So you better run

Run fast for your mother, run fast for your father
Run for your children, for your sisters and brothers
Leave all your love and your longing behind
You can't carry it with you if you want to survive

The dog days are over
The dog days are done
Can you hear the horses?
'Cause here they come

And I never wanted anything from you
Except everything you had and what was left after that too, oh
Happiness hit her like a bullet in the back
Struck from a great height by someone who should know better than that

The dog days are over
The dog days are done
Can you hear the horses?
'Cause here they come

Run fast for your mother, run fast for your father
Run for your children, for your sisters and brothers
Leave all your love and your longing behind
You can't carry it with you if you want to survive

The dog days are over
The dog days are done
Can you hear the horses?
'Cause here they come

The dog days are over
The dog days are done
The horses are coming
So you better run

~Florence and the Machine
(Love the hopeful, urgent, and conflicted lyrics to this song.) 

Challenge Day Seven: Five Pet Peeves

1.  Smacking sounds while eating.  Slurping spaghetti.  Crunching cereal.  You get the idea.  Loud chewing completely grosses me out.  There have been many a time I have had to leave the room because of horrible chewing.

2.  The fact that we have five radio stations here that are committed to playing the same ten songs over and over and over and... over.  If I liked any of the songs, maybe it would be enough hope to keep me hanging on, but lately I have been plugging in my phone and listening to Pandora.  Take that local radio stations!

3.  Ultra conscientious and controlling drivers who keep all of the cars behind them safe by modulating everyone's speed to five miles below the speed limit...  for miles.  Then, in a final insulting yahoo, they manage to control their speed so they are the last car to barely squeak though that yellow light I desperately needed to get through in order to be on time for work.  Many an assassination plot have been hatched (by myself) against that noble random driver.

4.  Tabloids and their placement in the checkout line at the store.  I do not want whatever misogynistic jerk or betraying to all other womankind, high school throwback chick's idea of what a woman should look like by headlines like "50 Best and Worst Bodies of Hollywood" and pictures of whatever poor women they decided to exploit for that issue.  I don't want that in my head, and I definitely don't want that in my children's heads.

5.  People who cuss in public places, especially when my kids are around.  Especially when they KNOW my kids are within earshot.  Come on people!!

Challenge Day 6- A Photo of an Animal I would Love to Have as a Pet

I am cheesing out today.  This was the easiest day 6 entry, so here I go:

Who WOULDN'T want a baby monkey?!?  Especially this little guy? 

Challenge Day Five- Something In Life That Gives Me Balance (Attempt #2)

So, this is try two for this particular post.  I had this notion that I would be able to just write an entry out, take a picture of it, and then post it.  I'd forgot that the Blogger phone app isn't the easiest to work with, and that the quality of pics posted directed to Blogger from the app is pretty bad.  Oh well, here is try two.  After this attempt, I pretty much decided that it was a sign to just concentrate on playing by the lake and to enjoy our vacation time.  Tomorrow I will jump back into the 30 day challenge. :)

So