REALLY COUNTING DOWN NOW!

My cell phone rang at work today. The ringer is a recording of Maddison saying "Grandma, your phone is ringing, Grandma, your phone is ringing, hey Grandma answer your phone!" I had three team members in the room with me and when I answered, it was Maddison saying very loudly, where everyone in the room could hear "Hey Grandma! ONLY THREE MORE DAYS!"
She is really getting excited now about going to Disneyworld! I haven't had much time to think about it, what with Ricky leaving and work taking 75% of my day. I have so much to do tomorrow before I go away for a week, it just boggles my mind. I also have the March of Dimes walk on Saturday. I'm hoping I'll get a chance on Saturday afternoon to pull out my summer clothes and get packed, otherwise, I'll be going in the same pair of jeans for a whole week in 86 degree weather!

Actually, I'm really looking forward to this time with my girls and my mom. And seeing Winnie-the-Pooh, Cinderalla, and Captain Jack Sparrow will be a big bonus! Okay, I guess I'll go up now and see what I can throw together in my suitcase, just so I feel like I'm not rushing!

He's there.

I heard from Ricky on Wednesday at about 2pm. He was still in Indi, said they were leaving for Charlotte, NC around 3:30. From there, there were leaving around 8pm for Fort Jackson, SC.
We could only talk for about 3 minutes, the payphone was asking for 50 more cents and he said he had to go.

Ashley heard from him tonight for about 2 minutes. He asked her to call me and let me know he was there. She said he sounded like he was doing well.

So, he's there and will officially be in bootcamp by next Wednesday after he's finished processing.

Finally, signs of Spring.

I really didn't even feel like getting up this morning. I went to do a load of laundry and found a load of Ricky's in the dryer. I can't wait to hear today when he lands in SC and hope I'm not on a conference call or with a customer so I can answer my phone. I was feeling pretty low and walked outside. It's not light yet, and lo and behold, things have really sprouted over night (or did I just not notice yesterday?) Some of the pics are a little dark, but the sights are beautiful. The same little critter that has been in the back (used to be Jodi's - now my mom's) yard is here again. He's been called all sorts of things, but I'm pretty sure he's a groundhog. And the bluebird on my mom's feeder is the same one making a nest in my bluebird box this year. My weeping cherry is showing some pretty pink and the Bradford Pear all of a sudden is bursting with white flowers. And finally, the tulips are going to bloom! No matter how low you feel, there's always something beautiful out there, you just have to look for it.

Time to go, Ricky. We love you!

We took Ricky to the recruiter's office today at noon. Jake and Josh came to say goodbye, as did Grandma Kingsbury and Uncle Mark, Sara, Maddison and Mackenzee. Ashley went with us to say goodbye. It was sad, scary, and exciting all at once. He's staying the night in Indianapolis tonight and will actually fly out tomorrow to the processing center in Fort Jackson, SC. It's my understanding that he'll be processing until May 2 when he actually starts boot camp. The recruiter said they don't know when graduation will be, Ricky will have to let us know when he finds out. He's supposed to be able to call us for about 20 seconds when he actually reaches the processing center to let us know he made it. Then I'm not sure when we'll hear from him next. It's not a really happy place here tonight. Brent, Laurel and I are all missing him. His bedroom door remains shut and I know there are two piles of laundry he said he left for me in there! I don't want to go in there right now. I can't believe he actually is gone for a long time and I won't see him until graduation sometime in July.

Pvt. Nelson's Going Away Party

We gave Ricky a surprise going away party on Saturday after going to Maddison's birthday party earlier in the day. It worked out so well. Ricky's very good friend, Jake Okleshen had asked him to go to confession before going away. They went Saturday over to St. Vincent's, about ten minutes before mass was to start. They found the priest and he agreed to hear confession. I thought that was so awesome of both Jake and the priest.

Ricky was happy that so many came to see him before he left. The party went really well and all had a good time.

His Uncle Monte and fiance, Sandy, came from Kalamazoo. My family next door and neighbors, the Ecks were there along with friends of ours from bowling and work. And of course, Ashley. Then all his cronies dating back to middle school. I haven't seen many of them in a few years. It was nice to see them and how they've grown up.

Now, it's just a waiting game. It feels like he's going away to a very long camp!

Maddison's Birthday Party

Well, the weather pretty much held out for Maddison's fifth birthday party. This was the first one they had at their house. All the other one's were at my house. It felt weird...but we're getting ready for a going away party for Ricky at our house tonight. I think I would have gone crazy trying to clean for both of them!



They had two blow up toys out in their front yard that the kid's had a blast on. One was for jumping and the other was originally for water, but they filled the pool with those plastic balls and the kids went down the slide into the balls.



The theme was Tootsie Roll, and Sara and Mitchell made Tootsie Rolls out of cardboard tubes, tissue paper and paint and hung them all over. They made a huge round cake and decorated it.



They had great food and everyone was having so much fun. Maddison and Mackenzee's cousin, Matthew (aka Buddy) turned five on the same day. They were born an hour apart and had lived right across the street from each other when they were born. Buddy is twice as tall as Maddison right now. It was so cool, even though this was Maddison's birthday party, there were presents for all the kids. After Maddison opened all hers, Buddy got to open a bunch, then there were presents for all the kids to open. What fun!



Buddy has an older sister, Kimmy and they just got a new baby sister a week and a half ago. Her name is Emma. Mackenzee, forever wanting to be the mommy, didn't want to do anything but hold baby Emma. Even when Maddison wanted a turn, Mackenzee wouldn't relent, until.....it was time to open Maddison's presents! As soon as she heard that, she perked up and decided to be generous and let Kimmy hold the baby!



Right at the end, after Mitchell and Ricky got the outdoor stuff put away, the rain came down. How great for Maddison's party. How sad for our party tonight. It's a cookout. We want to grill hamburgers and hot dogs and have a bonfire. I don't think all Ricky's friends will think it's the same sitting in front of my fireplace.

Counting Down

Ten more days! Maddison and Mackenzee AND Grandma Great are all packed with luggage by their front doors. I haven't even dug out my summer clothes yet. It's beewn way too cold to even think about warm weather clothes yet. But....ten more days....and Disney World, here we come!

Today is Maddison's fifth birthday. I can't believe how the time flies and how she's grown. She

certainly isn't big enough to start kindergarten this summer, but it's happening all the same. My teeny, tiny baby granddaughter with the philosophical mind of a thirty year old and the size of a three year old, will be starting school in a few short months. Younger (not smaller) sister, Mackenzee is ready too, but, alas, she has to wait another year. As she explains it, she'll have to wait at home with Momma while Maddi goes to school.

In the mean time, all they talk about is Maddi's party this coming Saturday and our upcoming trip to Disney. They are so ready to have breakfast with Pooh, have a princess makeover complete with dress, shoes, tiara, and MAKEUP at the castle, dinner with Cinderella, and the Mickey Princess-Pirate party late one night. They also can't wait to spin in the tea cups they see on TV!

Mackenzee still thinks that when we go high in the sky on the airplane, that we will be visiting Heaven to see Grandpa Great. Not a week goes by that she doesn't call me and tell me that she really misses him and sure wishes he would come back. The girls came up with the idea of putting a candy bar in a little basket, writing their names on some balloons, and sending it up to Grandpa Great since they were told that he is happy now, and can once again eat and has his muscles back. Maddison wanted to know if they have tables in Heaven. Mackenzee is convinced that since we are flying, that we will be able to visit him since he won't come visit us. Whew! I'm desperately trying to explain this one to them to no avail.

We took them to one of their favorite play spots (until they see Disney World!) at Crazy Pinz last week. Maddison got to make her own pizza and they love playing air hockey.

Almost Empty Nesters

One more to go. Ricky, God and some other issues willing, will be shipping out for boot camp in less than a week. We had a final dinner last night with just the four of us and it was bittersweet. Both Ricky and Laurel were remembering the past. They were bringing up all the fun things we've done together as a family. It was pretty cool - I didn't realize they still remembered some of those things.

Laurel is graduating in a nine weeks. Hard to believe, but it's true. She hasn't made any final decisions on where she'll go or what she'll do after graduation. After this past weekend, she said she will not go away to college. She didn't really like it down at IU because she said there are too many kids, not enought adults and everyone is immature! She will most likely attend IPFW and live at home (yeah!?).

This house is getting too big for us!