Alicia is doing well.

I received a call from Alicia tonight. She sounds good. She says Job Corp is not all that bad. She was very positive about every thing. She said that her roommates April and Janelle are really nice and that it wasn't that hard to get up in the morning. It turns out that they can even have pizza or Chinese food delivered. She said there are a lot of activities going on, and they keep them busy. The schedule is full and it doesn't sound like they have a lot of time to think about being home sick. Her friend Pie showed up on Monday as expected, and about 9 more showed up today. She has several friends there that she knows from town and is making a lot of new ones. This group of 11 students will spend the next 3 weeks together adjusting to their new surroundings. All in all it h has been a positive experience for her so far. I know that it has only been 3 days and anything can happen but I could tell from her voice that she is going to be OK.
So Alicia if you read this you go girl.

This blog is for Alicia

I type about April quite often when I'm writing on my blog, today will be for my youngest daughter Alicia. This morning we got a call saying at she has been accepted to Job Corp and we a very excited for her. She will be able to do several things while she is there. She wants to get her high school diploma, (not just her GED) that is some thing she has always wanted. But due to some medical issues she was unable to finish high school. She has told me often that she wishes that she had, now she will get that chance. Go Alicia!!

I must admit her leaving is going to affect me more than when April left. For one thing she is my baby and I don't know maybe it's that empty nest thing that I have heard about, but I think it's more than that. I never worried about April when she went off to collage. I knew that she would be fine. She would be sharing a room with her best friend Tabby, and her boyfriend which is now her husband was already there. Add to that the fact that she knew the UND campus because she had spent some summers there for the Upward Bound program. So I just knew that she would be OK.

But back to Alicia, she has not been away from home for much more than a few night staying with friends, well there was that one week she spent at summer camp but that didn't go well because she cried almost the whole week she was gone. Now she is all grown up and I have confidence that she will adjust and grow while she is there. But I know that I will miss her so much. I don't know if I will be able to let her grow up. Well now I started this April 6. A lot has changed since I started this. Today is April 11, things have been a little crazy here. Alicia gave one of her "friends" permission to drive her car around the block. It turns out that her friend let her drunk boyfriend get behind the wheel. Yeah I know that's really stupid, anyway he must have thought he was in a 4 wheeler cus he proceeded to fly over several yards mud and right into the lake! Dwight has spent the enterer weekend cleaning and repairing that car. But I'm not going to dwell on it. Yes it was wrong for her to let some one else drive it, yes she feels terrible, and she is paying for it not just with what was left of her check which she turned over to her dad, but also she also lost the use of her car, and now she is finding out who her true friends are.
We finally got word that she will be moving to Minot to join Job Corp. She will be leaving on April 17. This is something that she is really ready to do now. She has realize that she needs to move on with her life and make something of herself.

Well I have not been a very good blogger. Today is April 17th. We returned from taking Alicia to Minot about 7:30 tonight. She already wanted to come home before she even unpacked. She has 2 roommates. Get this.... One is named April and the other one is Janelle. We thought that was kind of a freaky, coincidence. What do you think April??
I hope it's a good omen. Janelle was Alicia's best friend for at least the first 12 years of her life. They went every where together and did every thing together until Janelle moved away. I hope that it works out. April was going to show her around and introduce her to some of the other kids then go to supper. She is in the Dreamcatcher sweet. The staff and students that we met seemed very nice. The first 3 weeks are all just getting to learn the rules, (there are a lot of them!!) meeting people and exploring who she is and what she wants to do when she grows up. She is leaning towards office tec or something with computers. We also found out that to get her diploma she will be taking classes right there on JC campus, and not at the high school as we first thought. Here's to you Alicia. Hang in there, I know you can!!!

To my beautiful daughter Alicia. 

Went looking at apt. With April and Kevin

Last night April and Kevin came to town. We went with them to see their new apt. for the first time. At first it was nice on the main floor but when we went up stairs to look at the bedrooms...
it was not good both of the bedrooms had dark wood paneling, April is sick of that because that is what they have now. The bathroom had a lot of moisture damage, I think from the shower not having a good enough curtain. The damage was close to the window but not around the window ceil where you would normally see that kind of damage. The basement was nasty too. But all was not lost because the first one that they had seen which is in better shape from top to bottom, was still available. So they called the landlord and sure enough there was no problem changing them back to the first one. Yeah there is still some fixing to do, mostly painting and maybe something with the carpet. But April was relieved that she didn't have to live with that paneling. I think they will be much happier in this one.

April this is for you! 

Happy Birthday April

Today's blog is dedicate to my oldest daughter April, because it's her 24th. Birthday! I would just like to say to start with She was due sometime the middle of May which by the way is my birthday. Anyway she had other ideas she has always hated being late and I'm thinking that that the whole don't want to be late thing started in the womb, cuz she decided to play a little April fools joke on us and showed up on April 1st. Well I guess isn't completely her fault. I had pre-Pre-eclampsia which is dangerous situation for both mother and child. I had high blood pressure and that prevents blood and nourishment to the baby. Any way long story short. I was taken to GF and ended up having an emergency C-section. Before that I was in the hospital in Devils Lake, because I was having pains which they thought at the time was gall bladder problems. Later my Dr. Explained that he was reading up on the whole pre-eclampsia thing and found that an article on the very last page, the very last paragraph, and the very last sentence, it said that abdominal pain could be a symptom. Leave it to me to have that symptom. That day I was going to go to GF I thought I know I'll call my brother, Brad since he had not been up to see me, and tell him that I had the baby. (As an April fools joke) Well the joke was on me! Way to go April the best little April fools joke I ever had!! She was a whopping 3 lbs. 3 oz. And 18" long. Yes I know that's pretty small, but she was healthy in every other way and very feisty. We love her more than she will ever know. She has now turned into a very beautiful talented young photographer. Married to the most wonderful man in the world. (her words but he is perfect for her) April I just want to wish you a very Happy Birthday!! Your mom and dad couldn't be prouder!

Have a great day. 

What a day.

Last night all the kids were kind of excited or something, I have never had so many of the kids wake up during the night. First Jordan was up at 3:00 am. It was his 10th birthday, so that is understandable. We had 6 extra people here two parents and two children. One that was checking out the school for possible placement here the other was her brother and an older sister. And the last one was an out reach person that teaches in the home for students that are too young to be sent here. Any way Marsha was awake 3 times excited that there may be a new student. Shane, Quinton, and Tanner were all up at least once, for water, and thought they would just stay up. But they didn't get to do that. I managed to get them all off to breakfast with out a problem.
When I got home all I could think about was going to bed, but no that was not going to happen. Alicia had a representative for Job Corp coming over and I really wanted to stay up for that. She showed up at 11:15. I'm glad that I stayed up she was able to answer some questions and was very nice. Dwight came home for lunch at noon and we all visited I know it's what Alicia really wants to do this time, it was her idea and she is getting so excited and even looking forward to going I think. So all in all it has been a good day. Of course I slept until about 8:30 that evening but it was worth it. Then I went to work tonight. Dwight asked me to flip a switch when I walked though the power house. Sounds easy enough right, well I forgot to do it, but I had made my round in record time and figured I would just walk back by going outside. I was in a hurry which you would think by now that I would know better.. But no. So I'm walking on the grass and I stepped in a pot hole and yep I twisted my lt. ankle. The last time it was my right. I put ice on it and it doesn't look to bad there is only a little swelling and it doesn't hurt to bad I can still walk on it. I will pick up a form in the morning and decide if I want to get it X-rayed. At least it will be paid for by workmen's comp. Well as I'm typing this it is starting to throb a little so I guess I better go put it up again and put some ice back on it. Quite the day huh? Just glad it's almost over.

Yesterday Alicia and I went to Minot to check out Job Corp again. She had a friend that needed a ride back and we decide Sunday night that we would take him and than call and see if we could talk to some one about Alicia going again. She had been accepted in July but was unable to go because of her community service that she had to finish up. When she finally finished she had no interest in going. So we just let it go. Then last week she went to see a counselor in GF and after that and a long talk with Dad on the way home, she decided that it would be a good idea to go. She found out that she knows at least 2 people from town that are there and they seem to like it and now she wants to give it a try. It makes me so happy:) If we get some up dated medical forms sent in they said it could be as next week and she could be starting. It's happening so fast, but I think that is the best way for her. So she doesn't get talked out of it by her friends, or if she thinks about it too much and chickens out. But on the way home she read the hand book and was very positive about it all. She knows that it's not going to be all fun and that she needs to stay focused and follow a lot of rules, but I think that she is coming to terms with all that. She is going to set up an appointment with Stacy, she is the GF contact person. They will go over her file, yes they still had all her information "Thank God" It took me months to gather it all together the first time. Well wow look at the time. I got to get some sleep. April I tried to post a comment on your Blog and couldn't so if your reading this That does look like a nice Townhouse. Nice big rooms. Sorry to hear about Kevin's Camaro:( I know how much it meant to him:(

This was going to be my profile picture but for some reason it will not go where it should! April Help me!!!! 

Happy Easter!

Well I think this is about the third time I have put that heading on my blog, hopefully I will actually get this typed up. I keep trying new things and I still haven't been able to figure out why my user stats are not changing. It's very frustrating to me. I have checked the help page and found something on possibly being turned off but I'm still not sure what to do about it. How to turn it back on. Any way tonight Dwight went to the Dairy Queen mmm mmm good. It's hard to go all winter with out that tasty ice cream. April was telling me that every in Devils Lake was talking about the Dairy Queen being open. Well Yeah! In the big town of Devils Lake it is a big deal, cuz it's been closed for so long. Any way... It's been so long since I actually type on my Blog. I should have tons of thing to say but I don't really know what to say. I rented some DVD from the internet last week and they came yesterday. I rented The Grunge,The Ring I, and Exorcist the Beginning. Yeah I like the horror movies. I don't know why. When I was little I remember when King Kong was on TV. I cried and cried cuz I was so scared. I'm talking about the original black and white one. Yeah I know what a baby. I have watched it since then and I'm thinking this is so fake how could I possibly been scared. But I guess when you are that little it doesn't take much to scare you. My brother and sisters were so mad at me when my Mom made them turn it off. Gee I wonder if they remember that?? I say brother instead of brothers cuz at the time I only had one that would have wanted to see it. The other two were either not born yet or too little to care. I'm not really sure which. You know I never know where I'm going to go when I start typing this stuff on here, but I guess that's the whole point. Just to be able to write what ever you want. But I think I am all typed out for now.

I received this as a e-mail and it is so true. I thought I would share it on my blog.

THIS SHOULD RATTLE YOUR BRAINS A LITTLE
If you ever feel stupid, then just read on. If you've learned to speak fluent English, you must be a genius! This little treatise on the lovely language we share is only for the brave. Peruse
at your leisure, English lovers. Reasons why the English language is so hard to learn:

1) The bandage was wound around the wound.
2) The farm was used to produce produce.
3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
4) We must polish the Polish furniture.
5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.
6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.
8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
10) I did not object to the object.
11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
13) They were too close to the door to close it.
14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.
15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail
18) After a number of injections my jaw got number.
19) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
20) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
21) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?


There is no egg in eggplant nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple. English muffins weren't invented in England or French fries in France. Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat.

Quicksand works slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig. And why is it that writers write, but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce and hammers don't ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth beeth? One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, 2 meese?

Doesn't it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend. If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it? Is it an odd, or an end?
If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? In what language do people recite at a play and play at a recital? Ship by truck and send cargo by ship? Have noses that run and feet that smell?
How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites?
You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out, and in which, an alarm goes off by going on.

English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race, which, of course, is not a race at all. That is why, when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible.

P.S. - Why doesn't "Buick" rhyme with "quick"?

Happy St.Patrick's Day

Well I'm back to work it seems like I have been working all week, and I actually have only had to be here for two nights. It's the week-end and I can't believe it. The week has gone by so fast! It didn't feel like it while it was happening but now that it's Friday it just doesn't feel like it should be. I was planning on writing some of the thank you cards at work tonight, but I guess I won't be doing that cuz I thought everything I Needed was in this bag that the funeral home gave us but when I looked in the bag the note book that I wrote all the names and amounts of cash and memorials was not in there. Well that's OK cuz I have the cards and I can just go through them cuz we wrote every thing in the card as we opened them. That's when I realize that there are no Thank you cards in the bag either. So since I was so well prepared I decided that I would write in my blog instead. Dwight and Alicia are going to another funeral tomorrow. An old neighbor that use to live next door. My kids spent a lot of time over there and they spent a lot of time at our house. I just couldn't go through another funeral so soon and I need to get back to work, so Dwight and Alicia are going. Sounds like my sister, Diane, is going to go too. She had planned on going to Bismarck any way, to see a horse sale. She even has a motel room booked. But her friend, Dennis that she had planed on going with had to cancel because of his job. So she is riding down with Dwight and then Dennis is going to go down on Saturday and meet up with her there. I guess it was two day sale. Next week is Easter week end already. Next week I only have to work four nights so it will be another short week. Tonight I was checking the date on a small carton of milk and it said April 2 on it. With everything that is going on I can't believe that April is only about 2 weeks away!! Still I need to come up with something for April's birthday. Humm I wonder what it should be. Still waiting for suggestions. Well this must be about enough for one night.

Grandpa at April & Kevin's wedding. 

We will miss you Glenn

Well I haven't been blogging much lately. Right after I posted that picture on the 10th. Dwight called me to say that he had this feeling, that he had to go see his dad at the nursing home. Ten minutes from the time he got there his dad passed on. He was glad that he could be there with him when his time came, but I think it has been hard on all of us especially Dwight. Glenn was a warm caring man and he will be missed. Things have been going so fast. It seems like we waited and waited for this to happen knowing that it could happen at any time, and even though it is was a blessing (He had alzhiemers). When it happens it still kind of hits you... Like if only. The last time I saw him at the home he was so thin. He no longer looked like the person that we have come to love. His eyes were sunken in and he had this blank look on his face. Today Dwight and I went to see him at the funeral home. He actually looked better then that last day at the home. It's amazing what they can do with make up. He looked so peaceful. No labored breathing, no mumbling, near the end he couldn't swallow or speak. Today he looked like he was sleeping peacefully. I still got tears in my eyes but after sitting there for awhile I thought... He is in a good place now up there in heaven with his first wife Dolores. I told my daughter today when you see him just remember. That's not your grampa it's just the shell he was using while he was with us here on earth. He is up in heaven raking the clouds and keeping every thing just right. She laughed and said, Yeah that's grampa always keeping busy. Always fixing things and and keeping things just so. We well all miss you Glenn.