Joys, Sorrow and Mixed Emotions

Joys

Mother's Day! I have the best job in the world, and no it isn't that place I drive to everyday to get a pay check! I am always treated like royalty on Mothers Day by these kiddos and their dad. The last few years we have had a Mother's Day tradition. I am lucky enough to live within a couple of hours of my mother and grandmother so I take the kids and head out to spend the day with them. We have a nice lunch at a local restaurant while Jeremy stays home. Now when we first started this routine I was thinking, but I should be the one who gets to stay home all alone

for an ENTIRE day! However, part of my present is to return home to a SPOTLESS house! Laundry done, bathrooms cleaned, floor scrubbed, carpet cleaned, etc. I mean what better gift can a mom get? I know he busts his butt to get this all done, meanwhile I am having a nice dinner with my favorite gals! On top of this, I always receive a gift that is the BOMB! This year it was a Kindle! Who hoo!

Baby Freeman! We had a 20 week ultrasound last week and everything looks great! We decided again not to find out what this babino is, although I have to say I was a little more tempted this time to find out! So far we are right on track for a due date of October 8 even though I feel like I could deliver this baby tomorrow as big as I am! Carter is hoping for a boy, Claire for a girl so someone will be disappointed. Carter is doing a great job coming up with names for this baby that start with "C" We actually really like a couple of his suggestions so it would be fun for him to say he "named" the baby.

Sorrow
Death. The Tuesday after Easter we lost my grandpa Mehlmann. I feel so blessed we were all home at Easter to see him. He spent 96 years here, was married to his sweetheart for 72 years and spent 94 years on his beloved farm. It just doesn't get much better than that. He was laid to rest next to his parents in a plot that overlooks his farm. My sister and I grew up only about 10 miles from my grandparents so we spent many summers with them while our parents worked as well as every holiday, birthday, etc. I am so thankful of this. As I got older, I loved talking to him about the changes he has seen, especially in farming, going from pulling a team of horses to the huge machinery we have today. He and my grandmother raised 6 kids on the farm and told stories of when they first got electricity in the house, their first TV and their first phone. I am so glad to have these memories. Thinking of his life it humbles me to think that I work hard when I have all these luxuries sitting around my house. We should all take away some life lessons from our elders. RIP Grandpa!

Grandpa and me at a family picnic in 1978

Grandpa and Grandma on their 65th wedding anniversary

Mixed Emotions

Graduation. Carter graduated from preschool this past week. I have been an emotional mess over this. The pregnancy hormones don't help! I Can't believe in a few short months he'll be off to kindergarten. He has had amazing teachers and met so many friends. I remember the day I first dropped him off there. He had just turned 3 and was terrified! I was on maternity leave at the time, so he only went for half a day. He wouldn't eat, wouldn't participate in any activities, would sit by himself with his blanket and wouldn't tell anyone when he had to go to the bathroom, so needless he was pretty miserable there for a couple of weeks. It broke my heart leaving him there, crying, begging me to take him home. Now, he is upset when I pick him up early! He has done a lot of growing up in those 3 years! I am so joyful for this wonderful place! I know it is time for him to move on, now I just need to. A big SORROW happened during his graduation ceremony as I videotaped the whole thing without pushing the record button on the camera! ARG! I'll remember this moment at his high school graduation!

Carter and his BFF's, Mya, Summer and Abby. He is quite the ladies man! All 4 of them will go to the same kindergarten in the fall.

Carter and Ms Robin

We are so proud of you!