My Weekend

It was a busy weekend around here….Birthdays, family, weddings and more.

Tuesday, the 16th, was Kalissa’s 22nd birthday.  Twenty second birthdays are usually not a big deal but they are when you are pregnant on your 21st birthday and can’t have a party then.  That was Kalissa last year at this time…pregnant.  So this year, Craig and friend threw her a party at the bar here in town.

It was a surprise.  All of my kiddos came home to join in the fun…even my Neighbor Girl came for a little bit.  We took her out for supper with us and she got to stay for a bit.  She really is as much of a part of our family as she can be without actually living here.  She is very much like a little sister to them.

We took the opportunity to snap a couple of family pictures.  Karl’s girlfriend Renae took the pictures.  She had asked, “Are you sure you want to pose there under the Bud Light sign?”  We all laughed and said sure.

Now I’m thinking the picture turned out pretty good and we should have taken it against a different wall.  Who knew we’d actually like the picture?!

I had debated for a long time about growing my hair out.  I sure am glad I did.  The other day after this picture was taken someone said they thought Kalissa and I were sisters.  I think that’s a far stretch but I can say this…I sure like by hair better now than it was short.

Here’s one of just the kiddos.  They are left to right-Buck, Kelli, Kalissa, Kayla and Karl.
It’s the boys flanking the girls.  In my own sibling bunch it’s just the opposite.  There are three boys and two girls so in pictures the girls usually flank the boys.

Karl happened to be in a wedding here in town so he came a little bit later as he was at the rehearsal.

As of taking of these pictures that puts my oldest kid, Kelli, at 30 and my youngest, Kalissa, at 22.  They are doing a great job growing up and happily have become friends….yes there’s a little problem now and then but all in all they really do get along pretty well.  Buck is construction supervisor, managing the tradesmen, who come in and build houses.  Kelli is an RN nurse working med/surg.  Kalissa is a nurse too but she’s ER.  She’s a semester or so from her BSN being completed.  Kayla is a teacher and working on grad school.  Karl has to do his student teaching in the fall and then he’ll be done too.  Schooling was a long road but we’re well into the home stretch.

As a mom, I’d say having my kids get along is the greatest gift.  It’s so hard in families when there is a problem between siblings.  It was a lot harder at first but slowly it’s all coming together and I am so happy about that.

This was all for Kalissa’s birthday but anytime the kids are home, I take that as a gift to me!!  Hopefully 22nd is more ups than downs for Kalissa.

I remember me at 22.  I had two little kids and had mono at the same time!!  It’s amazing how quickly the time has flown by.  I’m hoping I’m still around to see Kalissa at my age in a picture surrounded by her grown children….The kids and our family is everything to me!