Nothing like a relaxing walk.....

Dinner was done. Kitchen was clean. It was only 5:45 and the beautiful evening was calling me to come out and play. Here's how the next hour played out:

"I'm going for a little walk. Anyone want to come?"
(Guess which kid wanted to come. The one in a cast.)

"Peter, you're in a cast. I don't know that you can go on a walk."

"Okay, then I'll just ride a bike."
Great plan. Except that after struggling to get the bike out of the garage we discover that his bike has a broken seat.

"Maybe I could ride Eleanor's bike."
Manuvering carefully between the van, the other two bikes, and the garage wall, we finally get the other bike out. Two flat tires.

"Maybe they're not really flat. Maybe they just need to be pumped up."
By now, I'm losing my desire to take a walk, but I'm trying really hard to be patient. The kid has been cooped up in a splint or cast for a month now, he's stir crazy and just wants to get some exercise and fresh air.

So we pump up the tires. Once around the cul-de-sac tells us that, while it's not ideal, it might work. So, off we go. Me walking, him riding.

Half way down the street:
"This seat is really uncomfortable."
(I bite my tongue and keep walking.)

Down the street and around the corner.
"These pedals are spiky!"
"Well, maybe you should have worn a shoe on the other foot."
(one foot in a cast, the other with just a sock on)

Down to the next cul-de-sac.
"These gears are really messed up. I don't think I can ride this thing."

I tried to keep smiling as I asked what his plan was for getting himself and the bike back to the house.
"Maybe Mary could drive down and pick me up."

Which is how I ended up walking slowly home with a bike whose tires were steadily losing air and had crappy gears and spiky pedals.


Next time, I'm sneaking out the door and leaving the kids a note.

On Leaving the Nest......

Okay.....I know that my blog is titled "In Search of the Empty Nest"....but I'm not sure that I meant it. Some people (my children) have taken offense to the title, and are actually trying to leave!! So, I think a little clarification is in order.........

1. It is the natural order of things that children are born into a family. They grow up together in a loving home where they are nourished body and soul. They are educated in the ways of the world (like how to clean a bathroom and do their own laundry and maybe even cook a meal and do dishes!) Then at some point (hopefully before they are 30!!) they leave the comfort of the nest and go off to build their own nest and make their way in the world.

2. It is important to remember the family that you have left behind. They have, after all, invested YEARS of their lives into your well being and, as such, have a vested interest in you. You must 'touch base' on occasion. Phone calls work well for this purpose, as do letters, pictures, and personal visits.

3. Don't forget about your brothers and sisters. They also have a vested interest in you and your well being. You need to develop and maintain a close relationship with them. They can be your best friends in the years to come and will give you someone to reminisce with in later years. After all, who else can you talk to about the time that Eleanor broke her toe playing baseball barefoot in the backyard? Or the time that Laura cut her hand with the knife trying to show us that "it's not that sharp!" Or, who else will know what you're talking about when you say "Where's Goka?" Who else, but your brothers and sisters, can you talk to about anything that starts with "remember that time?" You NEED your brothers and sisters, and they NEED you!! (Remember Roo? The giant mud pit? The creek? Clarkdale? The freedom of the neighborhood? Big Red?)

4. Work hard!! I know that we made your life very comfortable and easy while you were here, but it's a big, bad world out there, and you'll need to work hard to make it. The days of "Mom, what's for dinner?" are gone. You want dinner, you make dinner. The same goes for "Mom. can you wash my blue shirt while I'm at school today?" You want your blue shirt washed? I hate to be the one to tell you, but there is no "laundry fairy"!! You're on you own. (I must interject here that my children have actually been doing their own laundry for years, but I thought I would add this for general purposes--you're welcome)

5. Don't forget to pray!! And know that those of us left here at home pray for you every day. We pray for your safety. And that you'll make good choices. And that you will know how much we love you and miss you. Prayer can and will be a shield and protection against the harshness of the world. Prayer will help you choose the right. Just think of it as the Ultimate GPS...How can you possibly go wrong if you listen to that little voice telling you what path to take? Remember that you have a Heavenly Father, too, and he also has a vested interest in you and loves you more than you will ever know.

6. You OWE ME!! Don't ever forget this one!! I'm (sort of) kidding, of course, but think about it...who else in this world would have carried you for 9 months and given birth to you? Who else would have spent all those years wiping your nose (and your behind!) Who else would pick you up when you fall, gently wash your scrapes and cuts, give you a kiss and a band-aid and send you back out there to conquer the backyard? Who else would stay up until all hours of the night making cookies or cupcakes for the class (think 'Day of the Dead' cookies!) Or stay up all night working with you to perfect your science project? ONLY YOUR MOTHER.

7. Be forgiving. When you get mad at me (and you will!) remember that I did my best. I wasn't right all the time, and you won't be either when you get to be a parent. But everything that I did, I did out of love for you. So when you think back on what some may call our 'disfunctional family', think back with love and forgiveness in your heart. Remember the times that I forgave your mistakes. The play-doh on the carpet, the broken dishes, the spilled milk. You were just learning, and guess what.....So was I. Learning how to be a parent just as you were learning how to be a kid. In that sense, we sort of grew up together.

So, go easy on me.

I know that someday you will all be grown and gone. They say that I will miss the chaos and the fingerprints on the walls and the towels on the floor. I don't know.....maybe I will. Maybe I will sit down and have a good cry the first time I clean a room and it stays clean for more than 15 minutes. Maybe I won't know what to do when the laundry is caught up and I no longer have to buy a 5 lb roast for Sunday dinner.

Yes, someday I'll have that empty nest. But for now.....I think I'll revel in the madness a little longer. Trying to write a blog with 'Super Smash Bros.' as background music. Stepping over the Hot Wheels cars and the blocks on the livingroom floor. Juggling school schedules and doctor appointments and scouts.

Thanks for making my life an adventure. I wouldn't trade it for anything!!

Some 'remember whens?' for my brothers and sisters:

--remember the time that Renn got Rice Krispies up his nose because Paul made him laugh so hard at the breakfast table?

--remember when Kati got busted for sneaking out of the house to go to Danceland after Dad told her "absolutely not"!

--remember Paul's broken arm/leg? And the time he stepped on a pitchfork?

--remember Grandma Irma riding the mini-bike at the lake house?

--remember when Mom fell into the pond in our backyard?

--remember the awesome sledding paths that Renn/Paul used to make?

--remember putting pennies on the train track?

So...Mike, Kati, Renn, Paul, Peter.....what are your 'remember whens'?

A Brotherly Birthday Blog........

A L-O-N-G time ago....in a land far away (Minnesota)...my brother, Peter W. Patch, was born. (Under penalty of death, I am not at liberty to divulge the middle name) To say the least, Peter is not just any brother....he is an AWESOME brother. Through the years Peter has been many things to me: a brother, a best friend, a confidant, a conspirator, a therapist.....the list could go on and on. Let's just say that Peter is one of the reason that I am who I am today (now you know who to blame!)

So...happy birthday, Peter!! I love you and wish I could be there to share some cake and ice cream with you. Hope you have a great day!!

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom Not My Own.....

"If you can solve your problem,
then what is the need of worrying?
If you cannot solve it,
then what if the use of worrying?"

--Shantideva

Ahh....the wisdom of the Buddhists......

Jacob.....

I mentioned a month or so ago that Jacob had gone out to Utah.

He had trouble finding a job and missed his family (at least that's my story) so he came home again about 10 days ago.

Because Jacob knows how bored I am on the weekends (remember Peter's accident two weeks ago?) he took pity on me last Friday (the 13th!!) and broke his collarbone. That's just the kind of guy he is.....always thinking of others. 'Hmm...mom might be bored this weekend....what can I do to liven things up? I know, maybe if I break a bone!!' Here is his x-ray for your viewing pleasure....

So, now I have two broken boys. Peter was back at the Doc last Wednesday, and things are looking good enough with his leg that they put a cast on. The doc is still not sure that he won't need surgery, but for now, it looks like he might be okay. He will still need a cast for 4-6 weeks, but that's loads better than the surgery option where recovery can take months.

Back to Jacob.....He went snowboarding with a friend on Friday up in N.C. I reminded him as he walked out the door that he has no health insurance and to be careful (I know, I know....it's all my fault!!) He called me about 2 in the afternoon, FROM THE HOSPITAL, to let me know. (My theory has always been that if my kid is capable of calling me after an accident, that's good news. Much better than a stranger calling me to tell me about it.) Luckily, he had a friend with him who was able to stay with him at the hospital and deliver him home after he was released. As you can see from the x-ray, he did a good job breaking the collarbone. His shoulder is hurting, too, as is his knee, but hopefully those will be okay. Apparently, they don't do much for broken collarbones. He has a sling, but that's about it. He should be okay in 4-5 weeks.

Do you think I should take up a collection at the grocery store to help pay his ER bill?

Happy Anniversary to ME!!

Where were you 27 years ago today?

I was at an LDS Chapel in Midway, Utah getting married. Some said that it wouldn't last, as Joe and I had only known each other for about 6 months. My family didn't meet him until they showed up for the wedding.

Yet, here we are, 27 years, 6 children, 2 grandchildren, 8 moves, 5 states, countless trials and countless joys later, still together.

Happy Anniversary, Honey.....I love you!!

Going Bananas......

I have been dying for banana bread lately (no nuts, thank you). To that end, I have been buying bananas. I have bought dozens of bananas over the last few weeks in the hopes that some of them would go bad and I would be forced to smash them and bake them into bread, but my darn kids keep eating them!! How am I supposed to make banana bread if my kids keep eating the bananas!!

I can't very well tell them NOT to eat the bananas....after all, they're good for you, what with the potassium and all. And, really, isn't it better for them to be eating bananas than cookies or ice cream?

So, here I sit, with my banana bread cravings unfulfilled. Maybe I'll just hide the next bunch.

The Dreaded 'To-Do' List........

You know how sometimes, in the morning, you make a list of 'things to do today', and then you NEVER finish the list and you feel like such a loser? I mean, the list certainly seemed reasonable and do-able when you wrote it, so what did you do all day that you couldn't finish the stupid list???


I have a solution: Write the list at night instead of in the morning. Sit down before you go to bed and list all the things you did that day: laundry, carpool, dishes, etc. Then, (this is the good part!) CHECK THEM OFF!! You will be amazed at how much you accomplished! And how good you feel about yourself. Go ahead, give it a try!


You're welcome!

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom Not My Own.....

Another Michael Jordon quote:

"Some people want it to happen,
some wish it would happen,
others make it happen."
--Michael Jordon

Which one are you?

Snow Day 2009.....

Yes, we actually had snow here in SC! Peter could not enjoy it because of the broken leg, Mary thought it was too cold to go out, so Sam is the only one who had fun in the sun (and snow). School was closed yesterday, and again today (We've got 4 inches!! of snow, people, how can you expect us to go to school when there are 4 inches of snow on the ground!!) Here are a few pics for you to enjoy......Notice that Sam has bare feet, it was actually fairly warm later in the day, and he was SO excited to be able to shovel snow. He had a blast shoveling our driveway and walkway. (This is what comes of raising kids in the south!)

Peter's Not-So-Excellent Adventure.....

On Saturday, Peter rode in or on: his bike, a car, a wheelbarrow, a wheelchair, a stretcher, a gurney, and an ambulance.

Peter is an active kid. He likes cross-country, track, and parkour. He would rather be outside at the park or the creek than inside with video games or television. So he was bored and stir crazy when it rained Friday and Saturday. By Saturday afternoon he couldn't take it anymore. "Please, Mom, can I go to the park with Luis for a while?" Since it wasn't raining that hard, I secured a promise from him that he'd be careful, and off he went.

While grocery shopping a couple of hours later, I got a phone call. "This is Mr. P, one of your neighbors, I'm here at the creek with your son, and he thinks he may have broken his leg."

Apparently, climbing, running, and jumping on and off things are NOT good rainy day activities. Peter had been trying to climb up onto a drainage pipe that runs near the creek (in the woods), realized that he couldn't get up there, and dropped to the ground. Now, Peter has done similar 'moves' dozens of times with no consequence. But combine rain, mud, and an errant branch upon landing and you end up with a broken leg.

He and Luis figured out it was broken when A) They heard the crack when Peter landed, and B) Peter lifted up his leg and the foot flopped to one side. Peter stayed in the mud and rain while Luis went for help. This is where Mr. P comes in. He rushed to the scene, surveyed the situation, called us, then ran back to his house for a wheelbarrow. By the time we arrived he had Peter in the wheelbarrow and was wheeling him across the field to our car. One blessing, two emergency rooms, one ambulance, two x-rays, a cat scan, some sedatives, a gurney ride, a stretcher ride, two wheelchair rides, a splint and 7 1/2 hours later, he was home again.

Peter, not being one to do things half-way, broke both of the bones in his lower right leg. The fibula was broken vertically (they may have used the term 'shattered' in the first ER), and the tibia was broken horizontally (basically a 1/2 inch slab sheared off the bottom).

His leg is splinted right now while the swelling subsides, and we go to the orthopedic doc on Wednesday to find out whether or not he needs surgery. He may need a couple of screws put in to hold the bones together. Or, (we hope and pray!) they may say that the bones are placed well and just put a cast on it. Either way, Track season is over for Peter, and he faces a long road to recovery. I have to say, he's taking it pretty well. He is being a very 'patient patient'. He's not at all happy about the situation, but he knows there's nothing to be done about it now, so he's got to live with it.

I'll keep you updated on his progress, but in the meantime, here are some pictures for you....