Days with the Dorans

  On Mother's Day, we headed north to Saginaw. I feel like the last few years I have been legitly sick. I had a bit of a tickle in my throat and I was worried but thankfully it stayed just that. I feel like this has been my healthiest year in a while- but for the AWFUL case of strep I had earlier in the year.  Knock on wood. I probably jinxed myself. It was great going to Saginaw and I wish we could go more but it seems life is busy with work and stuff so I'm glad that we make holidays a priority. We had some flowers for Grandma and brought some pasta too! We didn't have Joe with us since he needed to work but the five of us made the ride in Franny. None of us ate before we left and so we were hungry! Grandma always has a TON of food and this was no different except we had to wait for the Dorans. I was cracking up because they were starving and even set a timer to begin eating promptly at 3 which was when they were told to come. I am pretty sure that they arrived at 3:01 be...

I'm not sure that anything can beat the wonderful surprise/scavenger hunt gift I got last year from my babes and to be honest, nothing needs to be done. The best gift is really just being together. With Joey working in Kalamazoo, that can be hard but we got him home! I was talking with Jeff on my way home from work and when I pulled up to the house, I screamed, "OH MY GOSH! JOEY IS HOME?!" I was so excited! Although I had to work Thursday and Friday it was so wonderful to have him home and we even played my new obsession card game (5 crowns) and no one really complained. Zach got me flowers (a hanging plant that attracts hummingbirds and butterflies), some seeds and watering can) and he and Seany also wrote me really nice letters. I really appreciated them cleaning up and getting our deck summer ready! It was so nice to all sit out on the deck and just catch up! Ali came home around noon so we got to have ALL the babies together for a couple hours. We reenacted an old Mot...

  So Covid STINKS! I missed the City Meet and now I've missed Mother's Day- but thankful for Instagram and this sweet boy!!

  I feel like most of my years being a mom have been spent on a soccer field but I don't remember the weather being quite like this!!! It was freezing cold and raining and MY amazing mom came out to support my kids too! I really have learned from the best!!! Mom came over for a picture! Masks do help you stay warm! Our view of the games with umbrella. At least it's not snow... When we got home it was time to thaw out and I got a nice picture with the fab four! Jodie also got me some Sangria to celebrate Mother's Day! It was so sweet! (~the taste and the gesture! I'm a lucky mama!)

  They are the BEST gift. It wasn't only Mother's Day but Marty's birthday too!! Jodie Gordon is the best! What a great gift!

I'm not going to lie... I've never really liked Mother's Day~ not since my "first" year as a mother. My heart hurt for Andrew and each year since even though I am so thankful to be a mom, I always just feel yucky and this year seemed worse than most. Everyone kind of forgot it was Mother's Day and that added to it. Not to mention, one of my favorite mothers isn't here anymore. I really miss my Nana. I got necklaces with four rings (it's called a four generation necklace) for my mom, Ali and I to wear. We were so lucky to be four generations for so long! I can still hear her voice and I'm still crying for her. I remember her with smiles and the way she used to be but on mother's day it was just a big reminder that she's not here anymore. The kids felt badly for not really remembering, and I know that. They did make me cards (Z remembered in the morning and woke me up with a card and a hug) and then the Bigs wrote me nice messa...

We started out Mother's Day by going to church. We left our old church last fall because it just didn't feel like home anymore and we've struggled a bit with that until we finally really felt it was time to leave. We met with our Pastor (who I really do miss) and it was hard. While it was good being back for Mother's Day and seeing familiar faces, it reminded me that we are where we need to be at this time. After church, we headed over to Great-Nan's. Dad dropped Al and I off and we met Nana and Papa and went in to see her. She is not well. It breaks my heart to see her and I think about how cruel dementia is. She was sleeping when we arrived and when we were able to wake her she wasn't really there. My prayer is that when she sleeps she remembers. We let her sleep and held her hand. Papa thought we should try for our four generations picture but we agreed that if it was us, we wouldn't want our picture taken like that so we opted to take a picture ...

On Mother's Day I learned that Sean loves me because "You let me go on walks without pet Marty." He also filled out one of those questionnaires about me which was really cute.  After Ali's game (yes she had a game- away), we went home and walked over to Great Nan's. I'm not going to lie. Being around her is heartbreaking. We did get some smiles out of her but most of the time she lives now in a state of confusion. She no longer knows who we are and she can't see and hear so well either.  It was good to see her smile though! It's hard to believe that not long ago she was getting on the floor with the kids to play and now she's almost 99!! After our visit with her, we headed to the lake where my mom gave us some "Mommy Medicine" (love it) and the boys cooked for the women in their lives. It was a perfect day! Nana and all her kids! Steph and her kiddos! Me and my kiddos!