That's right, the first holiday of the summer is upon us. A lot of people will be heading out to their area lakes for a leisurely weekend. Some will have a backyard barbeque. Others will just enjoy the long weekend at home.
But.......we must NOT forget why we observe Memorial Day. It is to remember those heroes, past and present who have given the ultimate sacrifice for serving their country. Don't forget about their families!!!!
Please take some time this weekend to say a prayer for the families left behind and for our soldiers (and their families) who are now serving. And to thank God that we have this country (even with all it's faults) to call ours. There is still no better place to be on this earth than in: The United States of America
I think about last year at this time. Ritzy was in Iraq and I was thinking that the time for him to come home would NEVER get here. As we all know it did and he has been home since last October. It's funny, I think about times of the year and where I was last year compared to this year. Makes me sad in some ways and very happy and proud in others. Can't explain it. You would have to be a military family to understand.
Our family always gathers on Memorial Day at Mom & Dad's for a cookout. Way too much food, but it sure is good. We always bless the food and say a prayer for the reason we are meeting.
I hope everyone has a safe holiday. With that Ritzywife is out.........

That pretty much says it. How do you deal with what life hands you?????? I have been thinking about this a lot the past week or so. First, after Dad's surgery and seeing how he was dealing with that. On Saturday before we left, we visited him in the hospital and he was finally realizing we had been there all week and he could not believe we were having to go. He had been on pain medication and did not know what was going on most of the time. He was upset that we were having to leave and it was hard to see him that way.
We said our good-byes and told him that we would be back in June.
Then......a few hours into our trip back home I get a phone call informing me that my neice (the mother of Bubba and Sissy and their 5 month old sister and....expecting again in October) had to go to the hospital that mornng because of problems she had been having the past month with headaches, nausea, seizures. There she found out she has some kind of brain tumor. She was then taken to a Tulsa hospital .
I was shocked!!!!
That is all I have been able to think about since.
Because she is pregnant, they are limited on the tests they can run. They are doing everything they can to let the baby survive right now. As of now she is still in the hospital. They are controlling the seizures with medication. If they can get her calcium controlled they will let her come home, but next thursday she is supposed to have surgery on her parathyroid.
At some time in the near future, whether it be after the safe delivery of her baby or the unfortunate termination of that little one, she will be facing brain surgery. It all depends on the next MRI to see if that thing is growing or if her symptoms return. Only taking one day at a time now and praying A LOT!!!!!
Bubba and Sissy know something is not quite right and they miss their mamma. She wants to be home with her "babies". I hope she gets to leave the hospital today. Her hubby is about to go nuts too, he is ready to stop having to sleep on that little couch in the room. I told him to just crawl up there in the bed with his wife and get a good night's sleep.
So, after we returned from Wisconsin where we made trips to the hospital and nursing home twice a day , I have made trips to the hospital to see that neice. I can't quite get back into my "routine" at home.
Looking for some sort of "normal" to return to my life. It has all changed since Ritzy returned from his deployment last October.
With that Ritzywife is out!

Here we are 3 days after Ritzy's Dad's surgery (other leg amputated), and he is doing fair. He was running a fever last night and this morning. Could not eat anything....Wants to sleep all the time. Geez he is 80 years old, ya know.... this has to be hard on his body.
He was hoping to be moved back to the nursing home today or tomorrow, but that is out because of the fever and no appettite.
We went to see him this evening and he didn't even know we were there. The nurses said he was confused most of the day. The strong pain meds could be causing the confusion and so much sleep.
This is so hard on Ritzy. We go to visit his mom in a town about 11 miles away. They are at the same Nursing Home/Assisted Living Location, but they don't get to see each other every day. I have wondered how I would ever survive that if I were in her shoes. She has only a couple of "good" hours during the day so we try to go when she is feeling good. It sure is hard watching your parents get old.
Ritzy and I are in the "Sandwich Generation" right now---just raised our kids and now have to start watching our parents. That's ok tho, cause we love them and would not have it any other way.....
We are supposed to leave Saturday for Oklahoma, unless complications arise with Dad. We will be coming back up here in June, which is our scheduled trip anyways.
It is so odd to be staying at Mom & Dad's home without them. All their belongings have either been sold or given away. Ritzy and I brought enough household necessities to get by on and we have made it pretty good.
If the house doesn't sell by June we will be staying in it again. I will probably just leave the stuff packed and have it ready to bring in June.
The weather has been wonderful this past week, only 1 rainy day. Next week it is supposed to cool off up here, that's ok cause I am headed South.......Hopefully Oklahoma is going to "dry up" soon, hahahaha!!!!!
That's about all I have for now.
Ritzywife out............

Here we are again. We stopped in Janesville for the night. Ritzywife was willing to drive the rest of the way last nite, but Ritzy wanted to stop, so we decided to stop. Ritzy's dad has to have surgery Monday morning so we decided we should be here for that.
We left a soggy Oklahoma,, it sure is good to see the sun!!!!!
Left the (adult) kids in charge of the house!!!! Ritzy was disgusted Friday because he wanted to mow the lawn, do some work for a neighbor and a couple of other things before we left. but,,,as you know it was raining AGAIN and he did not get to do anything . He works outside in his regular job, so I told him that it was good that we were going to be gone this week because he would be stuck in his office all week, ;-)
We should be in Appleton in a couple of hours, after leaving this hotel this morning. His Mom and Dad are in Assisted Living so we will have the house to ourselves. I guess we will get see how we are supposed to be living, haha!!! (with kids moved out back home) Heck, we may like it so much we may not come back ;-)
There is only one problem: the only things left in the parent's house is a bed, refrigerator, stove, card table and folding chair. I had to bring from home some items required to survive a week away. Even brought a small tv. Can't miss 24 on Monday.....
I guess this is almost like "roughing it", except we will have a flushing toilet and shower, hahahaha!!!!
Well I better get off here so Ritzy and I can get on our way to Appleton. I "feel" him getting impatient. What can I say, after being married for almost 26 years, I can tell what he is thinking and feeling. Wish I could say the same about him ;-)
With that Ritzywife is out.....