Another year another wrinkle :)

Today is a bit empty, I didn't have that first thing in the morning call from my pops wishing me a happy birthday. Funny how electronics have replaced even a happy birthday. Im 32 today and I still protest that I'm too young to have lost both of my idols.
My wonderful husband, kids, family and friends have made my day awesome, how truly blessed I am to have them all.
God bless my loved ones and keys hope year 32 is blessed and stress free.

Amazing how time flies when your having fun ;)

It's funny, how much our family has been threw in such a short time but yet, I wouldn't change any of it. While I may not be where I thought I would be when I was little, or even 5 years ago, but honestly it's my own fairy tale and I love it.
I'm living my own dream one where I have my own choices and life lessons to learn. I have my own beauties to teach me those lessons and while my blood Kay only run threw two of my five, they are all very special to me and I love them so much.
My husband is my rock, I get too upset with him and life at times, but I would not and could not give him up for anything. It's amazing in life to be able to find someone that you can be completely comfortable with, for once in my life I don't have to be anyone else but myself with Colin and I cannot even describe what that is like. My whole life I have tried to make everyone happy, make decisions for them, do what everyone else wanted, and now, at 32 I finally feel grown up. I am my own person and I've found the mozt wonderful partner to go threw life with and raise our children.
Today I am thankful for life and second chances.

Out of Sight, but NOT out of Mind!

I am trying to clean off my work computer before I go on vacation and in my favorites list are two links, one links to the funeral home's page dedicated to my father and the other to his KC Star Obituary page. Man, how hard is that. The picture we used was in front of a Christmas Tree; his very favorite holiday!
While for me, it may be a little easier because I do not live in the KC area anymore and do not have CONSTANT sights and reminders; at the same time it is very difficult. My dad lives on in his children and in his grandchildren, we have his fiber optic christmas tree up in our living room with his glass ornaments on there and a picture of him, when any of us in the house reference that tree, we reference it as "Grandpa's Tree."
I can't tell you how many times I want to pick up the phone and call him for advice, it's almost daily that something happens that I need his input on. Since his death, amazingly, I have put about three things in my life into effect that he always told me to do/not do; and daily I smile and thank him for those choices b/c they were the right answer and the right thing to do. My father was one of the greatest men I have ever known, and while I knew that when he was alive, it is ever more pressed in my life daily as I raise my own children and make decisions for my life.
I miss him every second of every day, Thanksgiving was quiet without him, Christmas will be dreadful without his laugh and santa hat and suspenders. I can't tell you how much of a character he was, if you knew him you know that he never let a minute go by where he didn't make you "lighten up" no matter the circumstance.
I've said it a million times, and I"ll say it again; his cup was ALWAYS half full, that's all he knew.
As I go into Christmas this weekend, it will be with a heavy heart; I will be missing Dad even more than I already do. Holidays are hard, I miss mom every holiday every year and it never gets easier, this year, there will be two spots empty and that is a bit hard to comprehend.
Love the one's who are around because tomorrow is never promised, shoot, tonight is not promised. I need to do a better job of this myself, never forget your place and ALWAYS tell them you LOVE THEM!

December? What? Are you Serious?

And December is here. Wow, it seems like just yesterday I was starting this blog vowing to keep up with it. I should never vow that, my life is too crazy and complicated.

The kids are all doing wonderful. Anabel is in a new preschool, Peace Kids Lutheran Pre School at the Lutheran church just up the road from us, she really likes it. She still has the morning blah's every once in a while where she complains about having to go, but once she gets there she is happy the rest of the day. I have noticed such a huge difference in her since she has started. They have a school curriculum from 9 - 3 and then before 9 and after 3 is just play time. They get to go to the sanctuary and have a lesson and sing about God. One day she told me that she was singing for God but she did not see him so she did not think he heard her. I explained to her that God is all around us and can hear and see everything, but most importantly God is in our hearts and in her heart and when she sings she can feel him there. So the next day she tells me, "mom, i sang my heart out for God and even though i didn't see him, i felt my heart the whole time."  Ugh. that little munchkin, I tell you what!

We are almost set up at ther Berger Homestead for Christmas, Colin and the kids have really worked hard on the lights outside, the kids have put up both the Berger Family Tree as well as Gpa Austin's tree. Now I just need to get my behind in gear and finish the rest of the decorating. It seems time is flying by too quickly.

Wishing you all a Happy December!

Change is Inevitable ....

But yet still so scary! :)
Time is flying by and my kids are getting older by the blink of an eye. Each of them bring their own blessings to our lives and yet in a split second can be taken away.
Fall brings happy feelings and sad thoughts.
I've fully recovered from my surgery, well, my wounds at least, I am still getting used to not having a gall bladder and the havic that that now causes :-). Soccer is for the most part over, we have an end of season party on Sunday and Trystin has his last few games coming up. Starr's volleyball season is completely over. Kaitlyn will now have to share Wednesday nights at Awanis with Trystin and Savanna; she really enjoyed doing something by herself.
We are now halfway through AEP (Medicare Annual Enrollment Period) and therefore that means December 7th is quickly approaching and we will get our daddy and my husband back who currently spends about 5 to 6 days in the River Valley embarking on his new career.
What doesn't kill us makes us stronger and that has proven true in our family. We have had many ups and downs since becoming a family but we are truly blessed to have eachother. I have 5 of the greatest kids out there and a wonderful supportive husband.
Tonight is about reflection, the changes that have happened in our lives and those that will happen; it's time, to give it all to God and ride the ride!

Wow ....

It's been a while. that's the sign that our lives have been crazy! :)
It's busy season at work and that means meetings meetings meetings, the kids are doing AWESOME at their sports, Kaitlyn is LOV'N getting to go to Awanas on Wednesday nights by herself, something a little "just for her" for now, and Anabel is of course running the family from her Hello Kitty rain boots.

Last Friday I had gall bladder surgery, I didn't expect that the surgery would take so much out of me. The pain really has not been that bad past the first couple of days, but the annoyance of having a HUGE BRUISE, that you call a belly, is quite annoying as well as learning how tired I get now. Today though I learned that my favorite; Salad, is no longer my friend. BUMMER!

Colin is currently almost at 100% with his ankle, we are both itching to do housework and yard work and everything else that we've neglected for the past three months.

So excited that it's fall and even more excited that Halloween season is almost here! :) lol

Almost there .....

We have almost survived our first weeks of three of the kids being in sports and Colin Coaching. Friday cannot come soon enough for us! :-)

This weekend, when most everyone else will be out enjoying the holiday weekend, we will be playing catch up in the house and out in the yard, as time has NOT been on our side to get anything done.

Our household saying of the week, from the mouth of Anabel; "be quiet and let me talk."

kids say the darndest things!