Yes, yes, yes! We just found out this afternoon that my parents have been given an extension until September 15th 2005 while they wait for their British passports to arrive. It's not as good as hearing that they can stay in the country, but it certainly gives us a bit more time to spend together and for some special times for the grandparents/grandchildren. Brogan, our youngest son, who will be 7 in July was so disappointed that my parents would not be here when he participated in the 4th of July parade with his Cub Scout Pack, so he is really excited now that they will be here after all.
Usually, when I am emotionally stressed, I do one of two things: I either desire sleep so badly, that I actually am able to fall asleep at will and in any position or place if I am able to, or I read as much as possible. In this latest situation with my parent's case, I have been reading at every spare moment. I don't get much time, with four kids and all the rest of "it" (life in general), but staying up past midnight to "escape" into a good book is well worth it!
For those of you who are interested, I have read the following recently:

-"My Sister's Keeper" by Jodie Picoult - It was excellent and I highly recommend it.

-"We are All Fine Here" by Mary Guterson - It was somewhat funny, and quite shocking.

-"The Last Juror" by John Grisham - Fairly good, I preferred some of his other books more than this one.

-"The Taking" by Dean Koontz - Very Good, took a little while to get into, but by the middle of the book it was hard to put down, and then it took me a few days to get the story out of my system.

-"Frankenstein" by Dean Koontz - Also very good if you like this kind of stuff. Far fetched, but thought provoking, this was the first in a series, and I have to admit, I am looking out for number 2.

I'm currently reading another of Dean Koontzs' books, "Winter Moon", and then I think that will be my fill of him for another decade. We'll see.

Maureen.

Every Sunday we have a special family dinner. It is something I have strived for ever since Eric and I first started our lives together. There have been very few Sundays that we have not had our special get-together, and I hope it will always be like that.
It's not that we don't eat together during the week - we do. Monday to Friday I try as much as possible for everyone to be having dinner at the same time, and preferably, in the same place. But it's not always possible. Most of the time Eric works at night, and the children's various activities make it hard to have everyone at the table at the same time. But Sundays are different. Everyone tries really hard to be there, and I'm happy to say, most of the time we are all there!
It's never really about the food, but I have to admit - I adore the compliments. A nod or request for a second helping from my husband is his highest praise for something he likes. The most treasured (?) compliment so far from my eldest son, Timothy, a few years back: (While eating a stew) "Mom, if you ever know beforehand that you are going to die, could you please cook me a whole lot of food and put it in the freezer so that I will have it when you are not here?" I love putting a dish on the table and seeing eyes light up and hearing loud yes's.
Usually, I cook a roast. When Tim and Jethro were little, and we lived in South Africa, it was very often crumpets with syrup, scones with jam and cream or cucumber sandwiches. On the odd occasion that we do not have a roast, we sometimes have very simple food like soup and homemade bread, or stews.
As our lives have changed, and our family has grown, so has our dinner. Now, we hardly ever have less than eight people around the table, and sometimes we're up to twelve. There's six of us, plus my parents to bring it up to eight, and then these days our two high schoolers bring their "uhm" dates to dinner. About three times out of four now, our roast is a dry roast to accomodate our older children's desire to eat healthier and curb the man and woman of the house's cholesterol levels; and very often there is a veggie alternative for Jethros "special gal" Alicia, who is a vegetarian. A good balance between green and yellow vegetables so that my dad can avoid too much green is also considered.
Once the food is cooking, its time to get the table ready. After adding the extension, it is covered with a beautiful tablecloth and sometimes a runner and placemats as well. The special occasion plates, silverware and glasses are placed at each setting, along with matching cloth napkins and candles and a centerpiece.
We always pray before we eat, sometimes everyone prays in turn, sometimes just one person and sometimes a few do and a few don't. In the last few months, a lot of my younger two children's prayers have been for my parents to be able to stay. After that, its free for all. While I don't abide bad manners, we certainly are a lively bunch. Lots and lots of talking - loud talking and so many jokes. We've heard them all before, but somehow they are still funny again next week.
This is going to be one of those occasions that are going to be the hardest to deal with. My parents have dinner with us almost every Sunday night. There are times they aren't here of course, but mostly they are.
It seems like such a small thing to think about missing - dinner. But I know we are all going to miss them being here. This is usually the time the four adults have an occasional serious conversation, the teenagers fill us all in on what's going on at the high school and the grandparents get a view of what life is like for this generation. It's a good time. The table cloth always gets messed with gravy or salad dressing. Juice, wine or soda is sometimes knocked over by an expressive arm demonstration and usually someone needs to get a "look" for burping at the table or playing with their toes. These things never matter to me though, and I guess the only thing I ever feel is missing are my brothers and their families and Erics family. I feel very satisfied at the end of the meal, in more ways than one.
For a while, I thought that maybe we would have take-out in the living room for a few weeks after my parents depart, but then I spent more time thinking about it and I decided that we would have our usual gathering the Sunday after they leave. It will be sad and hard, but it will also be good to hear my children include their grandparents in their prayers. Harder still, but maybe necessary, it will be part of the process to allow us all to sense and know just what we are going to be missing.
A big, very important, part of our lives.

Maureen.

Well, it's going to be another crazy weekend at the Kruse house!
Bunches of stuff going on as usual, and it all starts tonight. With four kids going in eight different directions, we sometimes don't stand still for days at a time.
Tomorrow, some friends of my parents are holding a huge yard sale for them. Our community has donated plenty of gently used items to sell. And the profits thereof are for my parents. We have never known such love, care, consideration and kindness. We all feel truly blessed to have lived here.
As it is now, my parents are hoping to be able to go directly to Britain to my dad's sister and her husband. Hopefuly this works out for them. As the days get closer to their departure, it is certainly getting harder for all of us. We are hoping that everything works out more positively for us, and that they will be able to come back to us eventually.
This weekend is also Brogans last baseball game of the Spring season and then a big baseball party at the coach's house. And also on Sunday after church, it is his crossover picnic for cub scouts. He will be moving up to the Wolf Cubs. Sounds like fun, fun, fun.
In addition, the school year is wrapping up and there are just countless activities going on. All the last minute field days, class parties etc. And I am also sewing costumes for Katys dance center for their end of year performance. And also organizing the dessert evening for the High School Bands end of year concert.
Once school is out on the 15th, we get a little break, YES!!!!!!
Hope to hear from some of you soon,
Sharon, thanks for the comment!
Maureen.