Field Trip

The school year is coming to an end and Ellie will be graduating from preschool soon...I can't believe my little girl is already graduating, but that's an entirely different post. Anyways, as celebration First Step Preschool decided to take a field trip to Island Park and the Minnesota Children's Museum(MCM) in St. Paul on May 11th. Being the involved mom that I try to be I decided to chaperon. My parents were always really involved with my activities when I was little and I would like to be the same way.

The plan was to arrive at 9:10, ride the bus to the park to have lunch and then go to the MCM. Sounds great, right? Sure! Except that on May 11th the weather was a cold 40 degrees with non-stop rain. Great. Fun. What the heck did I get myself into?? So I loaded the bus with a ton of preschoolers and a handfull of parents and off we went. All of the adults figured the school would have a back up plan for the park. Makes sense, right? WRONG. Nope. No back up plan. Not a one. We ate our lunchables as fast as we could before our fingers went numb. Ellie was a trooper, she hardly complained at all.

The museum was a lot more fun. Ellie and I walked around with a girl named Maddie and her dad. In fact, Ellie spent the whole day with Maddie. Rode with her on the bus, ate with her at the park and went to all the exhibits with her. It was so nice to watch that I didn't even mind I got ditched. LOL. Seriously, I was happy to see Ellie's social skills developing so well. All in all, despite the cold...and the rain...I was very happy I went.

Mother's Day Take 5

I cannot believe that today is the fifth time I have celebrated Mother's Day. Can that really be right?? My first official MD (not as a stepmom but with my own children) was in May 2006, when Ellie was about 6 months old. (I loved the ones where we had just Kayla and Samantha as well but I'm not sure if I can count those...But if we are my first one was in 2004) Oh my. Since that first MD I have had two more beautiful little girls come into my life. I have changed countless diapers, wiped away buckets full of tears and kissed away a hundred owies. You know what? I have loved every minute of it!! Yes, I have had moments where I have thought to myself, "Really Laura? Do you even remember what it's like to not have kids?" The answer to that is no, not really. I really don't remember much before I became "mommy" to the three most beautiful, wild, confident little girls I have ever known. And that's ok. Honestly, I don't want to remember...because thinking of my life without them brings too much ache into my heart.

To all those reading this who are called "Mommy"...Never forget what an important job you have. Never stop trying, even on those days when you want to run around screaming in the hopes that someone will hear. And never, EVER forget that I am here if you need to vent, cry or yell. We're all in this together!

Hello, My Friend...Hello

Sadly, this week it was more like Goodbye. I found out Wednesday evening that a very close friend whom I loved with all of my heart passed away. His name was Ron Steinberg, and he was (for many years) the man who ran the Ramsdell Theater in Manistee. This is the community theater I grew up acting in...I did my first show when I was five. I have acted in, assistant directed, played in the orchestra for and co-produced more shows than I can count on both hands. The actors always changed, the sets always changed, the costumes always changed. What NEVER changed was Ron. He was always there, a staple at the theater in a way that made it feel like home.

Over the years Ron became a very good friend to me. When I was living in Michigan and Kevin was on the road Ron would help me out with rides or, when the going got really tough, a little bit of money now and then. No, it was not a romantic thing...he could have been my grandfather...but he watched over me. Maybe he felt like family since I had basically grown up spending two hours a night, five nights a week with him for years and years. Whatever the reason, he was always there no matter what.

I am not sure how he died...I know that he had pretty bad diabetes and was on dialysis. He didn't show up to his regular morning breakfast and when somebody went to check on them they found him. What breaks my heart the most is that he had to die alone. Here's a man who gave so much to the community and when his end came there was no one there...It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it.

I choose the title to this blog in his memory. One of Ron's favorite songs was "Hello Again" by Neil Diamond. You will be missed, my dear. Perhaps we will all see you again, haunting the Ramsdell right next to your old friend TJ.

Love and Marriage

Today I feel so loved. Kevin and I will be married 5 years in June...Sometimes it feels as though we are so comfortable with each other that neither of us really has to try anymore. Not that either of us don't want to try, but because we feel safe and secure. Still, that's no excuse. So I've been trying hard lately to show Kev how much I really do love him, how much I want him in my life. Today he repaid me in full.

I had a really looong Monday, as most Mondays tend to be. I got home and to my utter surprise he was already making dinner. After saying hi to the girls I sat down at the computer and there was a document on the screen. It was a poem/song. A song he had started working on right before our wedding. Now, any of you who know Kevin understand what I mean when I say that he is not a mushy sort of guy. He gets sports, loves to build things...but is not all that great with romance. Well, today he put the icing on the cake. He blew me away. I felt, I FEEL so loved.

Young marriage is hard...Marriage in general is hard...You have to work at it everyday. It will never be a fairy tale, the perfect little couple staring into each others eyes for hours on end. There will be ups, downs and bombshells. Still, I wouldn't change it for the world.