Busy Week . . .

It's been a busy couple of days. Yesterday was Norm's birthday, which was a pretty good day. The "blues" of the previous day had subsided, and we had a calm, normal day. The kids had fun waking him up, and bringing him breakfast in bed. We spent the evening with another family who has a daughter who also has a birthday on the same day.

Stephen, our oldest (18) went to out to drop off his resumes again. On Friday he got in the mail that he passed the state certification test for engine repair - so now he has this certification and brake certification! (Both these tests only taken one time each, which is unusual we have been told). He updated his resume and went back to many of the places he had already applied at. When he came home he handed Norm a gift card for a coffee shoppe we like to go to, and said he got a job! He was beaming! (Dad, I told him to call you, that you should not read it here first - but you know how kids are!). His first day was today. It is at a place that does a lot of various car repairs, tune-ups, oil changes and also does some small engine repair. He did a lot with oil changes, did most of a brake repair (and his boss said he did a good job, but should oil more other places) and also helped with a small engine repair of a garden tiller. He said his boss is very particular in keeping things very neat, and when any repairs or oil changes are done, the windows must be washed very well, with absolutely no bug smears! :) The guys he works with told him how he always has to be busy, even if there are no repairs - clean something! Norm said he'd go check out the place maybe tomorrow, and get an oil change!

Jessica has a cardiology appointment on Thursday, and we'd appreciate your prayers for her. This is something we have to do every six months. The last appointment she had was two days before Matthew died. Her cardiologist is a wonderful Christian woman doctor, who takes a lot of time with us, explains things well, wants the parents and child's input in how "we" feel Jessica is doing. She will be having an echocardiogram (ultrasound of heart) at the hospital, and the cardiologist comes to do most of it. Then she goes back to the clinic for the rest of her exam, including an EKG and a lot of listening to her heart. She has an artificial mitral valve and when standing very close to her in a quiet room, you can hear her heart ticking. When she is falling asleep, she hears her own heart tick! Because she has this artificial mechanical valve, she also has to take coumadin, a blood thinner. This can make her more prone to bleeding, but thankfully in the 7 years she has been on this, we have had little problems. We test her blood thinning levels at home with a monitor that is similiar to what diabetics use. Overall Jessica has done remarkably very well. She had her first surgeries when she was 13 months old, and spent 10 weeks in ICU, which included another open heart surgery. After these surgeries, we were told she'd have to have surgery every 3-5 years, and we are now over 8 years postop! She is very petite, and does not put weight on very well, so this has been the main concern with her last couple of visits.

The waves continue. Norm had his tough day on Father's Day. There weren't really tears for me. Tonight Stephen brought me Matthew's leather jacket and said it was too big for him, and he decided he did not want to keep it. (Shortly after he died, he had asked for it). Both Stephen & Matthew had each bought them at a garage sale. They were brand new, and of course, Matthew got a red one. These are more like "motorcycle" jackets. Stephen did wear it on Matthew's birthday when we put his gravestone down. But today he just decided he did not want it. Norm did not think it was just because it did not fit, but probably bothered him some. Later, it just broke me down, holding that heavy leather weight, remembering the boyish part of him, so excited to get the jacket. I put it on, feeling the weight, and . . . well . . . the sobs just came. It's strange how different things hit. Now the decision is what to do with this jacket. Does it hurt too much to keep? It's a "material" thing that holds no eternal value . . . so, it's one of these things to make a decision with.

The tears are over, and the rest of the night gone well. I've got some $1 a yard material to make the girls some matching outfits. It's been awhile since I've done some sewing, and so we are taking over the kitchen table (picnics outside for a few days) and the girls and I will try to get these done in the next week. It's so hard to find modest clothing, so, this helps to be able to make it.

Many thanks for all the nice e-mails and comments for our anniversary and Norm's birthday. It meant so much. :)