A Team Week 108: You Need a Hero

This week drained me.  A Team Week 107 was almost completely perfect, but just after I put Avery to bed on the last night of the week things changed.  At around 8:30 that evening, I discovered that the father of one of my best friends since I was 5 years old had had a heart attack and passed away earlier that day.  It was a shock and I felt terrible for my friend and Monday morning, after an evening of terrible sleep thinking about my friend and her family, A Team Week 108 was already off to a rough start.  On Monday morning I went into the office feeling emotional drained and unprepared for the week ahead both at work and at home.  Then on Monday evening, already vulnerable I commented on a friend's Facebook post that I should have (and typically would have) just ignored.  This catapulted me into a political discussion argument(?) that I was unprepared for on several fronts.  By lunch on Tuesday I literally sat at my desk crying as my nerves could not take any more.  I was frustrated, sad, angered, anxious and feeling very alone as the thoughts and emotions swirled about.  Then, a package arrived for me at work in the mail...

To be clear, I rarely get mail at work, and if I do about 98% of it is a product magazine.  The other 2% would be product samples that I have ordered for my projects.  The package that arrived was neither.  I was perplexed.  Obviously it was not a magazine, but at the same time I had not recently ordered any samples.  I opened it up to see nothing but a blue brochure that simply read "You need a hero."  Immediately I felt God speaking to me.  I knew I was not alone.  I sifted through the rest of the box to find a small foam superhero and couldn't help but smile with tears streaming silently down my cheeks.  This package that arrived was from the EIFS Industry Members Association (an association that I am NOT a part of, and a product that as a high-design residential firm I NEVER use).  It was completely out of the blue and rather than being mailed generically to our office, it was sent directly to me and no one else.  Now, I'm sure many would read this and think that it was just a funny coincidence, but I know better.  It was divine intervention.  A silly little love note from my Savior that knew that I needed it at that exact moment.  I would have never thought that a EIFS brocure and stress toy could mean so much, but it did and I was am grateful.

After that, the week was slightly better.  My attitude and anxieties lessoned, but my heart still hurt for my friend and her family.  The entire week I played back all of the memories that I had growing up at her house...playing in the hay mow, feeding the animals on the farm, putting make-up on each other in her bathroom and eating tacos with carrots on them to name a few.  Her father was a kind, gentle, loving man and throughout the week and even now I could/can picture the twinkle in his eyes as he'd watch us make complete fools of ourselves and he would silently laugh to himself with the corners of his mouth turned up ever so slightly.

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Video: Crash!

This was actually taken back on Monday of this week, but for some reason our boys have decided that riding their bikes into the garage door (or fence gate) is a lot of fun.  They will do it over and over and over again for as long as we let them.

Video: Crash 2!

On Wednesday night, I was sitting in the nursery rocking chair when Avery decided that he should run from his bed to me and then launch himself into my lap.  This turned into me getting "attacked" by both boys as they crashed themselves into my chair.

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On Thursday, my brother and I took off work and headed up to the U.P. to attend the funeral.  Despite the reason that we went we had a really nice trip there and back.  With spouses and 6 boys between the two of us, we do not have much time to keep in touch these days, but this day allowed us an entire day together to talk and get in touch.  We spent the morning in the car and then stop at Mickey Lou's in Marinette on the way to Carney.  It was wonderful!  I enjoyed my charbroiled butter burgers and butterscotch milkshake just like I did back in the days of living at home.  It is a family favorite, but since Eric is not much of a fan I have only been there one time since we were married 14 years ago.

Lunch at Mickey Lou's

After our lunch we continued up to our parents' house with a quick stop at my mom's work along the way.  The rest of the evening was spent getting ready and then going to the funeral.  It was a heartbreaking time, but there was also a lot of joy in it as I was able to celebrate with them that he is now with Jesus, I was able to see another dear friend that is losing a battle with cancer, and I was able to see a few of my best friends from high school and catch up.  The last time we were all together was 13 years ago at Jamie's wedding...crazy!

The colors in the UP were not quite peaked yet, but they were still quite beautiful.

Val, Jamie, Kris & I together again.

While I was up in Michigan for the funeral, Eric was home with Asher and Avery enjoying a boy's night, which included Wendy's dinner and Frosties!  ...I was also told that they were both very into licking things while there (GROSS!) and that Avery jumped off of something there and ended up hitting his head on the parking surface outside.  I guess that is how it goes when Mom's not around! ;P

Pictures of my boys to look at while my brother and I drove back home that night.

Video: Goodnight Momma!

The boys sent me a message before bedtime on Thursday night to say goodnight.  In my 4+ years as a Mom, I've only missed bedtime a handful of times.  It is hard every.single.time.

When bedtime came, Asher had a hard time not being able to get a hug and kiss goodnight from Mommy, but eventually he passed out.

After the funeral, we both had one more day of work and then FINALLY it was the weekend!  The week seemed to take forever and drag on and on, but eventually Saturday arrived.  Knowing it was going to be a decent Fall day and we could really use some family time, we enjoyed a little bit of combined laziness and productivity during the early morning and then headed over the Jerry Smith's Pumpkin Farm for some family fun time before lunch.

This picture doesn't look like much, but what it does show is what is NOT there...no more baby gate!  After having it there since Asher was a baby, we decided it is now more of a pain than a benefit and Avery no longer needs it.  Pretty hard to believe that we no longer have any babies in the house already!

I introduced Avery to pockets...What a little stud.

Walking with my little guy!

Crazy Boys Chasing Bubbles.

Avery says "Cheese!!!", Asher has bubbles in his eyes. :(

Like Big Brother...

...Like Little Brother

Asher is trying to pose a cute picture for me...Avery isn't interested.

Asher looks like such a country boy in this picture!

I love my crazy family!

Pumpkin Dory

Pumpkin Sebastian

Avery makes a cute Princess Anna?

& Asher does a pretty good Princess Elsa impression! :P

Inside Out!  One of Asher's Favorites!

Captain Hook!

We thought maybe we could just look at the animals and not feed them, but that wasn't good enough, so we got some change for the boys.

The $1 was well worth it to see those smiles! :)

As soon as we'd finished feeding the animals, Asher begged us to go on a hayride, so we bought some tickets and off we went.  A minute or two after we left, he was bored and ready to do something else.

After the hayride, we headed over to the play area to burn off some energy and have some fun.

Avery loves to ring chimes, so he was in awe when we found this one!  :)

Avery stood here and watched these girls play in the sand for a long time.

Trying to keep up with Daddy.

Before we left the farm, we stopped in the music tent for a quick listen.  When the boys found Elsa & Anna inside, our quick listen became a bit longer with a Frozen sing-a-long.

For the last song, they called all the kids on stage to sing with them and Asher was one of the first to go up with Avery close behind.  I was shocked that Asher was willing to go, but he didn't last long.  After a minute or so he came and sat by me and left Avery up there all by himself.  He stayed to the end!

Avery up there all alone.

When the sing-a-long was all over, we left the farm and headed to Sam's Club for some free samples and a pizza lunch.  It was a mostly a good way to end the morning.  I say mostly because Avery was bouncing all over his seat while we were eating and fell off headfirst onto the concrete floor.  It was one of those that one second he was next me and the next he was on the floor, but the time in between was like a slow motion concert of sounds with the sickening crack of his head hitting the corner of the bench and then another crack as his head hit the floor.  I scrambled over to him and knew it was bad when I found him holding his breath and waited a good 30 second or so it seemed to commence screaming!  Poor guy.  Free samples helped cheer him up though! :)

After lunch, we headed home for naps and from then on the rest of the weekend (or week) was pretty relaxing, with good old family time at home.

"Arrrrrrrrr!"

I love how Avery lays to watch TV.

Daddy bought Avery his own donut on Sunday!  I can't say I was excited by the idea, but I didn't have the heart to take it away...he was just too happy!  ...and Donut we all need a little happiness in our lives?  :P

Brothers...coloring signs together Sunday night.