Saturday, March 30, 2013

Sweet Memories

I cannot believe that this year in December my Daddy will have been gone 16 years.  Each year that has passed has been easier.  The tears less.  But they do still catch me off guard from time to time and I welcome them.  Welcome his sweet memory.

Today was one of those days.  Something triggered memories of my Daddy, and the tears flowed freely down my face.  He was a good man, and I miss him soooooo much!

In closing, three Easter pictures in memory of my Daddy...


Easter 1960
Easter 1967
Easter 1970

Friday, March 22, 2013

A Criminal and Broke


So, I go to my bank on Wednesday to make a deposit!  The teller says, "You cannot make this deposit!"  WHAT? You can't make deposits in banks anymore?  You can't make deposits on Wednesdays?  WHAT?

No, you can't make deposits with counterfeit money!!!  OH MY!!!  I didn't know my money was counterfeit.

Possession of counterfeit currency  --  GUILTY
Attempting to pass counterfeit currency  --  GUILTY
Having no clue the currency I possessed and attempted to pass was counterfeit  --  GUILTY

And...the bank keeps your counterfeit money and you get nothing in return!!!  :0(

End result  -- Almost a criminal and broke!  :0)

Thursday, March 14, 2013

A Review of 2012 -- Part VI

July

Lyle went on his last Redding Christian School activity with Adventure Club  --  the summer packbacking trip:



Lyle and his BFF, Hannah
A day hike from camp to a beautiful lake

 August

We celebrated Hilary's 22nd birthday:



to be continued...

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

A Review of 2012 -- Part V

June (cont.)

Hilary was in Leigh-Anne Krantz' wedding.  That meant also seeing her best friend, Elaine, who moved away right before Sophomore year:







The bridesmaids rode in this truck
Lyle went backpacking with Jeff Krantz and Ben Sawtelle.  It was part of the "letting go" process for Mom.  Allowing my son to go with two friends without an adult.  Wait!!!!!  What did I just say?  All three of these guys are 18 and adults!!!  :0)



Of course, we had our Annual Haley Family Reunion:


My cousin Robert and me
Hilary, Cousin Andrew (one of our favorites) and Lyle
To be continued...

Friday, March 8, 2013

Star Trek Band Aids



Because of my husband’s influence (or maybe I should say thanks to my husband’s influence), my kids LOVE Star Trek.  So, when they were little, a “boo boo” was “almost welcomed” because it meant wearing a Star Trek band aid.

Having adult children is, without a doubt, way harder than having little kids.  When my children were growing up, I was physically exhausted most of the time, groping my way through sibling quarrels, chaotic dinner hours, endless messes, helping with homework and more homework, driving someone somewhere to somebody’s house, and just the day-to-day tasks needing to be done to run a smooth household (is there such a thing?  :0)  During all those wild ups and downs, in the back of my mind was the calming thought that once my children were grown, by work would be done. 

Looking back, having little kids was a breeze.  As long as you hugged them a lot and made Kraft macaroni and cheese, things seemed to be, for the most part, okay.  You could fix many problems and distract them from others., AND A Star Trek band aid solved about ¾ of all the “owies” they encountered.

All of that changes when they are grown. They go away to college, fall in love, break their hearts, apply for jobs, leave or lose the job and question their choice of profession. They forge their way, all just outside of your helping reach. Then, when bad things happen, they need you like crazy, but you discover that the kind of help you’ve spent 22 years learning how to give is no longer helpful. 
Oh the agony of watching my beautiful daughter endure severe heartbreak and hurt...Oh the feelings of helplessness I have felt because I cannot “make it better”.  I don’t know how to help her, and I don’t know how to handle my own pain over this situation.
Sometimes my thoughts (okay I’m just being honest) are to go out and hurt the one's heart who has hurt her.  Sometimes I feel like I wasn’t cut out to be the parent of adult children.  Sometimes I wish a Star Trek band aid could make it all better!